Topical Bible: Sheep: Being Covered With a Fleece

◄ Sheep: Being Covered With a Fleece ►

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In biblical times, sheep were among the most significant animals in the agrarian society of the ancient Near East. Their value extended beyond their role as a source of food; they were also prized for their wool, which was used to make clothing and other textiles. The fleece of a sheep, a thick covering of wool, is often mentioned in the Bible, symbolizing various spiritual and practical themes.

Symbol of Provision and Blessing

The fleece of a sheep is frequently associated with God's provision and blessing. In the account of Gideon, the fleece becomes a sign of divine assurance. Gideon, seeking confirmation of God's will, places a fleece on the threshing floor and asks for a sign: "If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that You will deliver Israel by my hand, as You have said" (Judges 6:37). The fleece, wet with dew while the ground remained dry, served as a tangible sign of God's promise and presence.

Metaphor for Innocence and Purity

Sheep, with their white fleece, are often used as metaphors for innocence and purity. This imagery is evident in the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, where lambs without blemish were offered to God as a symbol of atonement for sin. The prophet Isaiah uses this imagery to describe the coming Messiah: "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth" (Isaiah 53:7). The fleece, in its unblemished state, represents the purity and innocence of Christ, the Lamb of God.

Representation of God's Care and Guidance

The imagery of sheep and their fleece also conveys the theme of God's care and guidance for His people. Psalm 23, one of the most beloved passages in Scripture, portrays the Lord as a shepherd who provides for and protects His flock: "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters" (Psalm 23:1-2). The fleece, as part of the sheep's covering, symbolizes the protection and provision that God extends to His people, ensuring their needs are met.

Illustration of Spiritual Transformation

The process of shearing a sheep's fleece can also be seen as an illustration of spiritual transformation. Just as the removal of the fleece allows for new growth, believers are called to shed their old selves and be renewed in Christ. The Apostle Paul writes, "You were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:22-24). The shearing of the fleece serves as a metaphor for the believer's journey of sanctification and renewal.

Conclusion

The imagery of sheep being covered with a fleece is rich with spiritual significance throughout the Bible. It serves as a symbol of God's provision, purity, care, and the transformative work He accomplishes in the lives of His people. Through the lens of Scripture, the fleece of a sheep becomes a profound representation of the divine truths that underpin the Christian faith.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Job 31:20
If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Book ii. --Of the Harmony of the Old and New Laws.
... The Shepherd who hath lost the sheep Himself. ... This mortal form be wholly covered; ...
are fated, so to speak, to die, and are under the sad fate of being "dead in ...
/.../fathers of the third century tertullian appendix/book ii of the harmony of.htm

Moody's Stories
... he started into the water, and the old sheep looked up ... I remember being in a meeting
after the Civil War ... found him outside, with his face all covered with dirt ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/moodys stories/moodys stories.htm

The Creation of Moving Creatures.
... Men like this are ravening wolves covered with sheep's clothing, as the Lord calls
them. ... [1630] He is present everywhere and gives to each being the means ...
/.../basil/basil letters and select works/homily vii the creation of.htm

Chapter xxxi
... particular class of the off-colour sheep or goats ... original agreement, which was to
have covered all relations between the two, was always being invalidated by ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/leupold/exposition of genesis volume 1/chapter xxxi.htm

The First Commandment
... The seraphim, who stood about God's throne, covered their faces ... which one would do,
the other, being equal, would ... The sheep run to the hedges for shelter, and ...
/.../watson/the ten commandments/2 1 the first commandment.htm

The Absurdity and Impiety of the Heathen Mysteries and Fables ...
... know that, having killed their third brother, they covered the head ... of wrath, even
as others; but God, being rich in ... as if it had been the fleece of a sheep. ...
/.../clement/exhortation to the heathen/chapter ii the absurdity and impiety.htm

Christ is Glorious --Let us Make Him Known
... Here are his sheep in these pastures this morning, and ... in the mighty waters." The
depths have covered them; they ... by us, must be looked upon as being entirely a ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/christ is gloriouslet us make.htm

The Third Continental Journey.
... space in the neighborhood of the quiet sheep, and spread ... and in the sweet stillness
which covered our spirits ... 18th."Being anxious to get to Patras in time to ...
/.../chapter xii the third continental.htm

On the Clause, and Shall Come in Glory to Judge the Quick and the ...
... thy vesture shalt thou be known for a sheep. ... Lectures, the great battle of Singara
being fought in ... The highways were covered with troops of Bishops, galloping ...
/.../cyril/lectures of s cyril of jerusalem/lecture xv on the clause.htm

Chaldaean Civilization
... left to right along the upper part of the tablet, and covered both sides ... shape of
these documents varied, and sometimes strikes us as being peculiar: besides ...
/.../chapter iiichaldaean civilization.htm