In the Middle East and countries where the scripture of the bible was written, sheep follow the shepherd. A shepherd is a person who tends to, feeds and guards the sheep.
Scripture indicates that Jesus is our shepherd and we are his sheep. At night, sheep were contained in a rock enclosure in which they felt safe. There was only one entrance to the enclosure and the shepherd would sleep at the gate. Nothing could enter the enclosure except through the shepherd. A shepherd in Jerusalem named his sheep and they would respond to his call. Anyone see some meaning here?

In the United States, Europe, Australia and many other places- sheep are not led but instead "persuaded" by dogs. The shepherd is now a "sheep herder". The sheep are in front of the herder as he directs them. He is impatient and demanding, but then takes great pride in his ability to control the herd. He uses his dogs to herd the sheep. He introduces goats to the herd and works from behind the herd. He has no name for the sheep and knows them not. At night they are gathered in pens with more than one entrance, or he confines the herd with his dogs in the open. The sheep cuddle to the goats for warmth and security, but they lose their nature and don't know what a shepherd is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKzQPmuZ4vI this video is to show you how sheep are herded in many countries.

Here is a key to words used.

Shepherd- Jesus

Sheep- people

Sheep Herder- Satan

Wolf- satan

dogs- Satan's helpers or fallen angels

goats- Satan's puppets or Satan as people

There is nothing wrong with the practice in which dogs are used to herd sheep. Jesus spoke in parables and I am simply comparing the method in which Jesus works in our life to one method of herding sheep, and I am using another method of herding sheep to compare the way in which the devil uses his tools to manipulate the life of God's people. Sheepherders, I love your way of life- whichever it is.

Many people will call you sheep when you follow Christ. They don't understand why you feel the need to follow anyone- but its true, we are sheep and we need Jesus. He is a loving shepherd that knows our name and cares for us. Just like a shepherd in Jerusalem will lay at the gate of the enclosure for his sheep, Jesus put down his life at the hand of the wolf so that we might be saved. He cares for the herd more than himself. The Romans called the followers of Christ "Christians" as an insult, but it was a complement of which they were unaware. The people will call you sheep and and say that you cannot think for yourself, but we know that it takes great discipline to find purity. We are smart in discipline, we are patient by his grace and we are saved because of his love. So when I am called a sheep, I say "Thank you". I don't want to be smug, but if an apple is an apple- there is no insult in that.

The Devil manipulates his sheep.

We know that the devil works in secret. His works are from behind just like the sheep herder. He is the master of confusion. The sheep that he manipulates are waiting for the next move. He knows that these sheep cannot think for themselves so he throws in some goats. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbJ-VvbzJz8 The goats can be herded by the devil, but they also think for themselves. The goats are men like Darwin and Dawkins. They are nothing worth following, but many sheep follow after them because they are comforting to a lost sheep and they excite the herd. The devil used the complexities of creation to confuse multitudes of sheep. His goats scratch at the earth to uncover a false past. They only reveal enough "evidence" for the sheep to remain subdued, and they are fed slowly so that the time to find truth is consumed. It is most interesting that these sheep will lay with the goat. The goat has horns and scratches the earth, it looks for fights and is a bully. The sheep are gentile, they do not scratch the earth, but long for peace and hapiness.

The goats don't like the shepherds sheep. They will not lay with him like the sheep herder's sheep do. They don't understand that the shepherd is all that they need. So, they ram the shepherds sheep because of their differences.

The devils herd runs in many directions so long as it is away from the dogs. The dogs are always there to make sure that you do not respond to the call of the shepherd. It is difficult to find Jesus because the devil and his dogs have many tools to confuse you. Alcohol, lust, greed, pride and gluttony to name a few.

The devil laughs at the shepherd's sheep and reminds his sheep that they are free of the "confines" of the bible. It is interesting that the devil does not care for his sheep. His eyes are greedily fixed upon the shepherd and wants to overthrow the Kingdom of Heaven. He knows that God exists and he knows scripture better than you and I, but his sheep will perish at his hand, in his name, for his goal. He pushes them to the slaughter house for a victory in numbers.

The shepherd sees the devil take the sheep to the slaughter house. He knows the name of the devils sheep because they are truly not the devils'. He calls to them ALL, one by one. Many run to him, but the goats are stubborn and the dogs persuade most to stay while the devil laughs, but the devil doesn't win. Sure he takes many to the grave, but the shepherd wants only the stong. His victory is not in great numbers, his victory is in purity. He cries for the lost sheep because he made room for them all. "For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye."

and this video has nothing to do with my hub except it is the most amazing sheep herding I have ever seen> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2FX9rviEhw