howdy folks and greetings from the Great Plains of North Texas!
The 23rd Psalm is one of my favorite passages of scripture and I
always figured it to be figurative in meaning. For instance I like the verse
which says "thou anointest my head with oil." Because it is so calming
and reassuring.
However, I was reading something the other day which was very
enlightening to me about the way shepherds would protect their sheep
in Biblical times by literally anointing them with oil.
It was a mixture of Olive Oil and other ingredients, I haven't
researched to know what those are but some of the herbalists on here
probably know or could venture an accurate guess.
The shepherds would anoint the sheep's entire head and rub the
oil in around their eyes and ears especially because there are flies
that will lay their eggs in the sheep's noses and those turn into worms
which can go into the sheep's brain!
source
Those hideous little suckers would drive the poor sheep mad and
they'd bang their heads into rocks to try and get those worms out,
sometimes killing themselves! Total torment.
But when the shepherds would anoint them..a barrier of protection
would be created and peace would come.
And that my friends, is what this verse is saying to us today. The oil
of anointing is His grace and protection for us now. We can ask God
to anoint our heads with His oil.
Do you have worrisome thoughts or mental torment? There is peace
available to us.
here's the 23rd Psalm so you can read it in context:
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside
the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will
fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort
me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
If anyone has any thoughts on this or knows anything about sheep
or what they used to protect them with, it would be wonderful to
hear from you.
thanks for reading guys, God bless you all!
-jonboy Texas
the gentleman redneck
ps- ya know...you might just be a redneck if:
Your child's first words are "Attention K-Mart shoppers!"
What the mind can conceive and believe... it can achieve!
Jesus is our CHIEF CHEPHERED NOW.
HE ANNOINTS WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT which EMPOWERS and ward off diseases and Enemies attacks
howdy there alaisguineasis! that's quite a username ya got there. I agree absolutely but because of my audience I didn't want to expand to much on that truth. thanks so much for commenting!
God bless!
In the context of God being the Shepherd and we are the sheep, I often wonder what this means:
@ironshield
For me, it always had the meaning of God being our ultimate protector. It would be nearly impossible for one to sit and dine at a table in the middle of your enemies, but with God as your shepherd there is no fear of attack from your enemies so you can sit down and eat in peace. Just my take one it.
nice try papacrusher. lol.. no just teasing, that's pretty much my take on it also.
howdy sir ironshield! actually papacrushers take on it is close enough to mine, I think that IF we are in God's will doing what He has called us to do then we have total protection because of that.
what's your view on that?
I couldn't agree more @janton. Reminds me of an experience I will share with you later this evening in discord <333 :)
ok
I think that might be your shortest comment/reply EVER lolololol <333 :)
This comment was made from https://ulogs.org
it IS I set a new record for myself yay! I am starting to celebrate small victories like my mysterious friend reikigirl! hey you gotta go look at the fascinating photos I have on my new post! and no they aren't of me.
LOL!!!! yay Cowboy welcome to the wild side!!! hahaha <333 and geesh you didn't have to spoil it, you could have at least let me think there were pictures of you! hehe
I just finished having a lookie at your post and man oh man those photos are top notch; just like the riders & horses. That's a style of racing I can get into :)
Hi @janton. Didn't know that so a very interesting fact to know. I have learnt so much on here in such a short time.
thank you sir cryptoandcoffee! this place is like going to school everyday, I learn so much from everyone!
God bless you for this Janton. Psalm 23 is my favourite chapter too
oh thank you empress-eremmy I'm glad you liked it and it's good to see you here because that reminds me to go check your blog today!
A good shepherd has to look after his sheep alt all times. You have made a great analogy here janton. God is always with us.
yes Ma'am I was thinking how dumb sheep are and those shepherds had a tough job keeping them all protected from things, especially big herds!
True story: My crazy aunt tried to annoint my mom's house with oils and invite the angels to stay there because my mom was possessed by the 9 demons of lust. Which is funny because my mom looks like Betty Crocker. Mom had to call the cops to get my aunt off of her yard. I'm gonna have to look into this sheep oil story. Sounds interesting.
haha! I'm trying to remember what Betty Crocker looks like, a very nice and kind looking woman right? But your mom, if she was possessed, didn't want to be unpossessed it sounds like!
those hideous flies or bugs that got into the sheeps nostrils and brains, yeah that sounds like some of the strange animal behavior that you write about! lol
Hey themadgoat! Not sure where you, or your mom for that matter, stand on faith, but one should not cast out demons if the person they are casting them out of isn’t ready to receive the Holy Spirit, or they risk 7 more demons to come possess them. Matthew 12:45. Anyways, that come to mind when I read your comment so I thought you’d might find it interesting.
hebrewhousewife..you are exactly correct.
hahahah @themadgoat! So hilarious :) Your mom looks like Betty Crocker lol I'm sure the real Betty could have been a lusty gal ... men do like their home cookin' :)
ha! yeah the way to a man's heart is through his stomach and all that?
You said it!
I'm so smart sometimes it even amazes ME! lol.
hey did you see my post today? study those photos, I'm sure you ain't never seen nothin like that. only one person on here who has because he's Shoshone.
I bet you never even ever done heard of it neither!
Excellent post, it gives so much more passion and insight into one of the most popular passages in the Bible.
thank you sir papacrusher! are you still on third shift? you still an officer?
Good little tidbit of old timey preachin Jonboy. It's refreshing.
The metaphors of the old testament can be pretty intense. He puts a deterrent over us that protects from worms that can inflitrate us and influence us into death.
haha! you got that right sir nateonsteemit very good! and I thought you were just a chicken farmer! lol.
Brought up a reformed Presbyterian Calvinist. My apologetics aren't as strong as they used to be, but I can manage to digest some preaching.
hahaha! sir nateonsteemit! "a reformed Presbyterian Calvinist" wow I would have to look that up to determine where that puts you in theology! I know the Presbyterian and some of Calvinism though.
are you working again this weekend at your welding job?
Reformed means not Catholic lol
Yes sir, overtime bigly! Sitting waiting for instruction at the moment. We may be done for the day.
sir nateonsteemit! overtime bigly! haha! you're probably at work or your at work at home right now.
Lol after an hour long lunch break they let us go home. The boys and I are headed back out to the garden now. :)
It's warm out, but there's work to do!
Wonderful post. Yes, this is very comforting especially in these uncertain times. Father loves us and would love to anoint everyone. Thank you so much for this post.
hey squirrelbait! thanks so much and that was well said. but then that's kind of the business you're in so I guess I should hold you to real high standards. ok that was ok the way you said that, could use a little practice on the delivery though! lol.
hahaha @janton, that IS a good one!!
This is really interesting; I had no idea about the anointing business with sheep and them possibly having worms burrowing into their simple little brains!!
My voting power is horrendous again, thanks to being a judge in blah blah blah. I want to leave you a tip;, it's another cool thing here, but I totally forget how to use it haha @traciyork, can you help me please?
leave a tip lynncoyle1? what's that? traciyork yeah she's the meme lady. no the gif lady. she leaves gifs all over the place! lol. good ones too.
It's really very simple. Even for you:). It's just that I've forgotten how to do it, but you send a tiny amount of sbd to them and they come and "tip" the post for you. It's brilliant especially when your voting power is low.
ok well I need all the tips I can get. any plans for the weekend? how's Brian doing today?
I'm sure traciyork will reply and I can totally tip you out then :)
We had a much better day; just posted about it!
oh you got your monthly post out? ok well I'll mosey on over there sometime, probably tomorrow since I'll be forced to be nice on that one.
the only reason I care about the tipping thing is to see how it works.
If @traciyork doesn't save us, I'm calling @tattoodjay over here to explain how the tip thing works :)
Worms getting into the brains? Eek! Very interesting, I never really understood the "anointing in oil" bit previously.
yes Ma'am there is two meanings like so many things in the Bible..one a symbol but also in the physical like the anointing oil.
but there is great power in using oil for anointing people also but the power isn't just in the act, it takes faith to activate the anointing, I didn't want to get into all that because people wouldn't understand it, alot of them.
Hello again @janton! I don't subscribe to middle eastern religions, nonetheless, this was so interesting and I am really glad you shared it. I will remember it as I think it's an interesting conversation topic. Have a great Saturday young man!
haha! sir balticbadger! howdy this fine Saturday. Well first of all Christianity isn't about a religion at all and not a middle eastern one.
But that's one of the marvelous things about steemit, it exposes us to all kinds of truth and we can take what we want from them and not feel pressured and that's a beautiful thing!
secondly I burst out laughing when you called me "young man!"
haha. that's what I say to you sir. I think I'm twice your age!
God bless you guys over there! and yes you can receive blessings from God even if you don't believe in Him. lol it's a wonderful free gift.
Thank you very much sir! I appreciate it! Funny story in Bavaria when you greet someone you say god‘s greeting. And here in the North when someone says that they say which god? Haha but seriously they are mostly Protestant here like the rest of Germany. I was raised catholic but those days are long behind me. Hope you are having a wonderful Saturday raining here but it is welcomed. Been a dry summer.
howdy sir balticbadger! oh really? most of Germany is protestant, I thought they'd be Catholic. the Catholic church has to be hurting, have you heard about all the new child abuse scandals? over 1,000 kids? sick.
yay for the rain.
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That “I walk through the valley of the shadow Of death “ is some line @janton. Do you read the bible much? The pope is visiting Ireland today but he will not get the same reception as pope John Paul II. Ireland really turned its back on the church over the last couple of decades.
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well I don't blame them for turning their back on the church, what a bunch of idiots! I mean this last controversy with all the child molestations, have you heard about that? my God, over a thousand kids! And the Catholic church knew about it and protected these pedophiles, just outrageous.
Oh yeah we're huge Bible thumpers! lol. not a religious bone in our bodies though, that just reminds me of the Catholic Church.
No we're fire-breathing Believers, the Bible has gotten us all the success we've had in life and we're just getting started!
Guns and Bibles baby that's where it's at!
😂😂😂😂😂 guns and bibles! Yeah that child abuse was massive in Ireland by priests . That’s why we don’t care about them anymore. Did you ever watch the film spotlight. It was happening everywhere
no but it doesn't surprise me. well there is no Biblical basis for forcing men to not marry anyway so it makes no sense in any respect and obviously it doesn't work so you'd think they'd figure it out after hundreds of years!
guns and Bibles baby, foundations of a free society! lol.
See! And that is why I use essential oils! Not really! Lol but they have used them since ancient times. They are God’s medicine for us!
haha! yes! and they may have used essential oils in that mixture, that would make sense wouldn't it? I bet they did.
Top of the morning to ya, my friend.
It is a lovely passage, walking through the valley without fear is not easy. It is a walk of faith, faith that God goes with us and will guide us.
In a little different perspective, I often see this passage as the praise to give to God after we have passed through the valley. Thanking him for his guidance and provision along the path.
howdy today sir coinsandchains! that's a great way to look at it too dir! very good. and how is the yard work going?
lol, just got done, now it's time for a shower and some food. How's the commenting going? I doubt I make the list this week. I have too many side projects going at the moment, but there's always next week.
yes sir coinsandchains and in the winter you won't have all those pesky distractions like yard work! lol.
about my commenting I don't know, I think a little below last weeks numbers but I didn't think I'd match that 1400 comments without extra effort so I'm expecting lower numbers.
got at least one guy stalking me and trying to beat me! lol.
lol, that's funny, you got a stalker..... your famous... Next thing you know you will have paparazzi everywhere.
hahhaha! oh man,.. no...well that's the way that ecoin beat me, he stalked me and found out everything I was doing. of course I helped him by TELLING him everything I was doing! lol.
it does feel kinda weird, I've never had anyone want to copy me in anything before! ha!
so you crashed and burned like a total loser this week?
Pretty much, I've done about 1/3 what I did last week. But I finished out 2 60 hour contracts, in a week, so I'm satisfied with that. I can't make that kind of money on steemit yet. I have done a ton of research on several different ideas and options this week though.
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I didn't know such practices existed... Are there any other farm animals that this happens to?
Well sir as far as this particular problem I think they are the main target of this type of fly, why I don't know. But the ancients had an effective way to deal with it and probably they know what the mixture is that acted as a repellent, probably some kind of oil like our essential oils today.
We use a mixture of that to keep fleas off our dog and it's very effective.
Very inspiring message, Jon. I didn't know that about anointing sheep. Very cool! Thanks for sharing, as always.
thank you sir, I learn something on here everyday from you!
Brilliant @janton! I have read a couple studies from people who have either interviewed Israeli shepherds or who have their own shepherding experience. Each of those verses in Psalm 23 is amazing and FULL of meaning. We would do well not to simply read it as poetry. Thanks for the share. Sweet photo
ha! yes I really think that photo is great and coming from a livestock person I thought you mind find it interesting. Yes the entire passage has both spiritual and physical real life meanings.
Do you guys have to put anything on the goats to protect them?
I suppose there are still Israeli shepherds? I never even thought of that but I'm sure they just have fenced in fields and don't have to be out there with the sheep all night.
@janton a few of us spent some days on one of the mountains overlooking the Galilee - with an Israeli shepherd! It was fascinating. They really do follow him and they know his voice. He reads Scripture to them all day. The sheep/goat analogy in the Gospels puzzles me because my goats know my voice and follow me! Although I guess they are not meek like lambs. They can be hardheaded and rebellious. Because we are in semi-desert we have far less disease so seldom need to treat our livestock
Amazing! Thank you for sharing that scripture and the historical context! 🙂
howdy from Texas heatherthebard! you are so welcome and thank you for resteeming! oh my..I know nothing about music but I wonder if the shepherds played something for the sheep?
Also, I have no idea what a "bard" is?
Hi @janton! A Bard is a musical “jack of all trades”... a poet, teacher, preserver of traditions and history, composer, minstrel, entertainer, sometimes healer, etc. Much of my family is Irish in origin, and the Celtic culture is where it came from. It’s a self-imposed title that has always fit me, as I can never pigeonhole myself into ‘just’ a musician, ‘just’ a poet, etc. I’m always dabbling in a little of everything!
I wouldn’t be surprised if the herders played for the sheep. In Biblical times there were many easily portable instruments, and most everyone knew how to sing (especially in the time of David). I know my cows like listening to me play music from our front porch. 🙂
It is my pleasure to resteem! I love learning about the psalms. 💕
Greetings, @janton,
I daisy-chained my way over here today, and found this article quite fascinating... Thanks for sharing!
I now have a better understanding of Psalm 23, a Psalm I've "known" most of my life.
Please reply to my comment so I can reward your article.
Blessings!
-@creatr
😄😇😄
well howdy there creatr! thanks for reading and commenting and thanks for the kind words.
Thank you, my friend, for an interesting and instructive article. :D