Sheep are beautiful, and in Chinese culture, sheep represent a beautiful and prosperous life. Sheep, also a very important livestock for the Israelites, and sacrificing lambs has become a very common scene in the Bible.
The great King David was also a shepherd. Since David was young, Samuel needed to find the next king by God's will. After meeting with David's many brothers, Samuel still did not see the heir to the throne. Finally, he asked David's father and found out that David was still outside herding sheep.

After David was finally called back, Samuel confirmed that this handsome young man was the king he wanted to anoint. David himself should be an excellent shepherd, and one of the weapons he used to defeat the Philistine giant Goliath was the shepherd's slingshot. Later, David became king and praised God - God is my shepherd and I have everything I need.
David awakened under the grace of God and learned how to take care of his own flock - not only the real flocks of his youth, but also the people of the queen's own kingdom. In the Old Testament era, almost everyone was wrong, and there was no innocent person, whether it was a great king or a great prophet. David could have been a perfect innocent person because he not only had a handsome appearance, but also had a devout faith in God.

But it was because of her love affair with Bathsheba that she made a mistake, which prevented her role as a shepherd from starting and ending well. In the prophets, Jeremiah and Ezekiel both likened national leaders to shepherds, but leaders easily overlooked their flocks or abused their power to cause harm to them, so they were not outstanding shepherds either.
It should be said that God, the highest level shepherd, leads his own "flock", which includes prophets, teachers, kings, religious leaders, and of course, ordinary believers.
Jesus is also the most beloved and perfect sheep of God.

Prophets, judges, kings, leaders, Jesus, and others were all chosen by God as human shepherds, and their "flock" was the Israelites. Later, Jesus joined other ethnic groups, and anyone who was willing to believe in God and act according to God's will was Jesus' sheep. And Jesus wanted to ensure that he could take care of his sheep, not only to help them solve the difficulties in secular life, but also to comfort their souls and enter heaven after death. He also had to drive away all the temptations and harms brought by Satan.
In the place where Jesus lived, there was a shepherd who lived a difficult life. Every day, he had to travel the entire land to search for fresh grass for his flock. If the scorching sun dries the stream, he still needs to find a water source to quench the thirst of the sheep. Sometimes he even risks his life to save the sheep climbing the cliff and running into the canyon. Of course, there are also wild animals that threaten the safety of the sheep, so this shepherd must have enough courage and wisdom to drive away the wild animals.

Jesus often sat high and looked at the shepherd. Everything the shepherd did for his flock was enough to prove that the shepherd loved his flock not only because it was his property, but also because of his genuine love for the sheep and compassion for life. One day, Jesus also said to his listeners, "I am an excellent shepherd."
"I am willing to sacrifice my own life for my sheep. A true shepherd is different from those hired to take care of the sheep. The hired person may not take care of them so well. When a wild animal attacks, they will run away and leave the sheep to be attacked. A true shepherd who loves sheep will risk his life to save the sheep and defend their safety."

"I will sacrifice my life for my flock," Jesus affirmed, but what kind of person would be fortunate enough to become Jesus' sheep?
"The person who loves me and listens to my call is my sheep. I understand my sheep, and no one else can take my flock from under my love and care. My sheep recognize my voice, I call them, and they will come."
Jesus' flock naturally included the early chosen Israelites of God, as well as all the people from all over the world who were not within God's fence. Jesus was willing to let them follow him and become a part of the vast flock, and he could give them equal love.

But Jesus' love was not always there for a reason. On the night of his birth, the angel told the shepherds to send them to visit Mary and her son, and Jesus himself was also the most precious lamb of God. It can be said that Jesus was also in return for love.
Even though Jesus used this metaphor to describe his relationship with his audience, there are still some people who are unwilling to give up their way of life in order to follow God. Jesus had enough kindness and love to accommodate many, many people, but there were still many who did not aspire to the kingdom of God.