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MARK BEARDSLEY on September 17, 2020

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“2 Folds / 2 Sticks”

John 10:16 “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd”

I’ve heard a lot of people claim that Jesus was speaking in this verse about Gentiles being the “other sheep”. But that is 100% not whom Christ was referring to in this passage at all.

First we see Christ’s earthly ministry He was sent for the lost sheep of Israel:

Matthew 15:24 “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel”

At the time of Christ’s earthly ministry the people of Israel had been divided into 2 Kingdoms: Ephraim (Northern), and Judah (Southern).

Although the Samaritan’s (North) and Jews (South) were divided, God had promised to restore the Kingdom of Israel and one day unite them together again under one fold. We see this event foretold by the prophet Ezekiel:

Ezekiel 37:16-17 “Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and for all the house of Israel his companions: And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in thine hand”

Now read John 10:16 again in light of this prophecy and in the context of Jesus speaking to His disciples (Jews) at the time : “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd”

To put it in simple terms, Jesus is the shepherd and the 2 folds mentioned in John 10:16 are also the same 2 sticks (Ephraim & Judah) that will one day be brought together to rule and reign under ONE fold under Jesus Christ - as one nation, a royal priesthood - who will go out as a blessing to the Gentiles.

This scripture has zero to do with you today. It has everything to do with Israel, not the Body of Christ at all. You are not “spiritual Israel” - you aren’t part of any fold, you are the Body of Christ in this dispensation of grace in which we are promised a Heavenly inheritance, not the physical Kingdom on earth as Israel will one day receive.