Why do shepherds anoint sheep with oil

The image is one of abundant, lavish care by his shepherd who has an endless supply of soothing oil. What a beautiful picture of our Shepherd. He lavishes us with everything we need. What about you? Do you need relief from the pests of life? Take a cue from the sheep and sit in the presence of the Shepherd.

Doug Shirey. October 13, at am. Needed to see this tonight.. Trisha holderfield. December 2, at pm. Koledoye Victor O. September 28, at pm. Liz Reyes. May 22, at pm. Arkimberly Jiles. June 16, at am.

This is absolutely phenomenal. I praise a God for giving you Devine revelation of this particular chapter in psalms. Your email address will not be published.

Shepherds have been putting oil on sheep since before biblical times. In fact, the 23rd Psalm is actually an extended metaphor comparing the sheep-keeping techniques of the times to the shepherding actions of Christ.

The shepherd cares for all of the needs of the sheep. He takes the sheep to green pastures and quiet waters. He guides the sheep along safe paths and leads them through darkness and danger, guiding and defending them with His rod and staff.

He feeds, trims their hooves , and cares for the sheep even when life threatening conditions such as freezing cold and drought enemies are present. There are actually very good reasons to anoint sheep with oil in many seasons of the year. Here are three top reasons to put oil on your sheep :.

Autumn is breeding time for sheep, and the rams of flocks run on pasture may fight for the favor of the ewes by butting one another, head-on, with great force.

This can cause serious injury or even death. In olden times, heavy cooking grease was used. In more modern times, axle grease was sometimes used. All-in-all, the best way to prevent rutting rams from injuring one another is to keep them apart.

In the summertime, flies bother sheep. The hovering flies can cause sheep to panic and run wildly. This sort of activity can ruin their meat and milk, and may result in injury or death. This causes irritation, inflammation and infection. The pain will cause the sheep to rub its head on the ground, thrash through underbrush and even bang its head on tree trunks attempting to get rid of the intruders. In severe cases, a sheep may kill itself trying to get away from the pain. If the sheep manages to survive, the infection caused by the larvae can cause it to go blind.

Because of the seriousness of the problems caused by nose flies, shepherds must be extremely attentive. In biblical times, they would watch for the first indication of nose flies and then apply a natural repellent made of olive oil and strongly scented, medicinal essential oils.

Another condition that is very troublesome in the summertime is a contagious disease known as scab. This is actually a parasitic condition caused by a mite called Psoroptes ovis that is spread from sheep to sheep through friendly head-butting and rubbing. Today this very serious infestation is treated with a full body plunge dip of either oganophosphate Diazinon or an injection of ivermectin, doramectin or moxidectin. Oil concoctions can have some effectiveness as a repellent for flying insects, but if your sheep has scab, you should call your vet and get professional help.

So leaving them unattended can put them at risk and greatly endanger their lives. The animal would never be able to graze on pasture and would be bullied away from other food sources by the other sheep. And before sheep were domesticated about 11,, years ago , wool shed naturally and pulled off when it got caught on branches or rocks. Although Ouessant sheep can survive as a breed without regular shearing, they do not thrive, and individual sheep can suffer and die due to complications from lack of shearing.

The sheep recognize the voice of the shepherd. The shepherd protects his flock and would give his life for them. It is known that animals can instantly recognize the voice of a familiar trusted person. Sheep have excellent memories for faces. Sheep follow other sheep and that can be dangerous. They need to be led to safety and to quiet waters remember they are covered with wool and wet wool sinks. We are prone to follow as well, and need a shepherd who will keep us on the right path.

A shepherd, of course! Lanolin has long been used in the skin care and cosmetics industry as an effective emollient, commonly used in body creams and lotions to lock in much-needed moisture and prevent water loss. But lanolin also has a bad rep for irritating sensitive skin and causing allergic reactions.

At the same time, petroleum jelly creates a layer on the skin surface, bringing about moisturization by retarding the evaporation water.