Musing – Don’t be Like a Goat!

Hebraic Musing – Don’t be Like a Goat!

Did you ever wonder what Jesus meant when he said “All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.” Matt.25:32-33  NIV     A friend of mine, Johanna Hocker,* did a study out of curiosity about the significance of goats in the Bible.  Brace yourself for the questions at the end.

First mention of a goat is in the LORD’s bloody covenant with Abram in Gen.15:9.  “Goat” appears 86 times in the NIV, and their usefulness, or lack thereof, is clear:

·      Sin offerings of goats to cleanse the altar and bring glory back to the temple, in “On the second day you are to offer a male goat without defect for a sin offering, and the altar is to be purified … 25 For seven days you are to provide a male goat daily for a sin offering…”  Ezekiel 43:22-26

·      And again as a sin offering “Every day during the seven days of the Feast he is to provide seven bulls and seven rams without defect as a burnt offering to the LORD, and a male goat for a sin offering.” Eze.45:23          

·      Daniel uses the male goat in Daniel 8 to represent Greece coming to take over King Belshazzar’s reign. 

How to view goats?  Here’s Johanna’s perspective:

“My only encounter with a goat was when we stopped at a farm of a family friend in central Norway.  When my husband and I got out of the rental car were greeted by the family goat.  I love animals and was as curious about him as he was of me, but it didn’t take me long to want him to stop his constant butting me and climbing on our rental car.  There was no convincing this animal to change his behavior.  I have both my cats and dog trained, so I can just talk to them and they respond.  This goat was totally out of control.  Goats like to butt anything and everything.  It seems like they are continually saying, “I am in charge.” They have to be first to eat and drink and can be downright nasty to humans, property and the rest of the flock.”

How do Sheep differ from Goats -- According to a quick unedited Google search:

“Sheep are most comfortable with their flock, and they tend to run if approached or spooked.  Goats are more independent, intelligent and tolerant of interaction in general.  Sheep like to graze on grass, while goats prefer to graze on anything they can, including leaves, twigs and anything edible they can reach.”

Isaiah was right and he prophesied our redemption when he said “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”  Isa.53:6     In fact, that verse reminds me of a drinking song – ♫  We're poor little lambs who have lost our way   Baa, baa, baa.
  We're little black sheep who have gone astray   Baa, baa, baa   ♫    WOW!  We sheep need a lot of help!

What happens to the sheep on the right?  “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.  All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.  “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father;…” Rev.25:31-34 

What happens to the goats on the left?  “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”  Rev.25:41 

Points to ponder   or   RSVP

Political question – Why are the goats on the left?

Don’t be like the rebellious goat and wander off.  Follow the shepherd!

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”  John 10:11
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—” John 10:14

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                      April 21, 2020

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”   

Note – Inspired by and excerpted from Johanna Hocker’s email “Goats in the Bible” – April 13, 2020