Isaiah 53:6 - All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
If someone were to ask you, “What kind of animal are you like?” what do you think you would say? Some people might think of themselves as a strong animal like a lion or a bear. Others may see themselves as being similar to an intelligent animal like a dolphin or a primate. It’s probably fair to say that if asked this question, most of us would respond by naming an animal that we think is really interesting, majestic, resourceful, brave, or any other positive quality.
Yet, in this verse, we are said to be like sheep. Unfortunately for us, this isn’t the only time we are referred to in this way and we can see that throughout scripture we carry this association. Even though we may possess qualities similar to the animals that are brave, bold, beautiful and so on, God continually redirects us to the reality that as much as we might not want to be like sheep, we are.
Sheep are moderately intelligent, but they are also fearful and defenseless against outside threats. Without the herd, a sheep will find itself in tremendous danger as it simply doesn’t have the ability to protect itself or make good decisions on its own. Simply said, sheep need to be in the care of others in order to survive. Yet in this verse, we are referred to as sheep who have gone astray. We have left the shepherd and his flock behind and are wandering the world.
Interestingly, this verse tells us that it’s not some of us who have done this, but rather that everyone has. And what have we turned to instead of the shepherd? We have turned to ourselves to determine what is best. Given what we know about sheep, this is a recipe for disaster. We may think that we know where we are going and what we are doing, but it’s not long before some difficulty or challenge comes in our way, and we realize that we truly are sheep, defenseless and lost without a shepherd and flock to guide, help and protect us.
This abandoning of the great shepherd for our own way is sin, or iniquity, and it is something that humanity has been doing since the fall of Adam and Eve. So in our natural position, we walk like sheep without a flock and without a shepherd, and this will lead us to more sin and to situations where because we think we know what’s best, we actually find ourselves in dire danger.
So God sends the savior, Jesus. The great shepherd comes into the world to save the sheep, but he does it in a way that the sheep did not expect. He doesn’t just find them and bring them home. He takes all their iniquity and puts it into himself. This is what he has done for us. Your sin, leading to selfish wandering was laid on Jesus so that you could be brought into his flock. Because he has taken your sin, you are no longer a lost wandering sheep, and all of heaven rejoices in your being found by him. You need not wander in ignorance and selfishness today, you can follow Jesus, the shepherd of your soul, and in him find the defense and help you need in this world of danger and trouble.
