:up: Thanks. That is what I suspected as well. The sheep metaphors are scattered through the old testament and the four gospels and they are always in reference to Israel. I did find one case though where he still talking to the Jews, but it
could apply to all who follow Christ--the Sheep and the goats illustration.
Matthew 25: 32-46
32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. |
The shepherding illustration is used because He is talking to a Jewish audience.
John 21:15-17
15So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
17He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. |
Peter is being instructed to minister to the people of Israel. Peter's ministry was mostly to the Jews. The only exception was Cornelius. Paul's was to the Gentiles.
After the four gospels here are the sheep metaphors.
1. Acts 8:32 -
The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: - This is Jesus Himself being the sacrificial Lamb.
2. Romans 8:36 -
As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. - I rather suspect Paul is sharing from his Jewish perspective the suffering he and the converts to Christianity go through.
3. Hebrews 13:20 -
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, - specifically written to Jews.
1 Peter 2:25 -
For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. - Peter's ministry is to Jewish converts to Christianity. In this letter he uses a lot of Jewish terminology.
These are the only ones I could find. I may have missed some. The metaphor for the Church is
The Body of Christ. Today churches tend to get the metaphors mixed up and the Bible becomes clear as mud. Keeping them straight also makes books like Revelation easier to understand.
Now I am going to go look at john w's post
:up: Very good post. You have an excellent grasp of scripture. Lets add you to my list of people I get to ask bible questions.
“Now I say that Jesus Christ was
a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God,
to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:.” Romans 15:8
“Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and
given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof..” Mt. 21:43
“Fear not,
little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure
to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Survey Israels' program during "the gospels"and early Acts:: Daniel 2:44, Mt. 3:1,7, Mark 1:14,15
As result of the nation's rejection of the Messiah, according to prophesy, the stage was set for the "final stage" of the Prophetic Program, before the long awaited, and prophesied, kingdom of heaven upon the earth,over and over in the NT(of which Solomon was a type), at the time of the Lord's return when the 70th week of Daniel's time schedule will be fulfilled. During the "4 gospels", it was said to be "at hand.,".In the time to come, it will be "nigh at hand."(Luke 21:30.) When the time schedule is finally complete, it will finally "come":
.
"
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Mt.
6:10
"And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.." Luke 11:2
The Acts 2 saints being ministered are the long prophesied faithful remnant of Israel. This remnant is contrasted with apostate nation of Israel, who will be purged out during the Lord's day of wrath, per the Prophetic Program(not the Mystery Program). The Lord's day of wrath is a running theme through the Holy Bible, and the nation of Israel was very close to having their program fulfilled when the Lord Jesus Christ arrived as Jehovahjireh(Gen. 22:14)-the Redeemer who would provide.
And the inheritance of that election., the "little flock", who are called out in fulfillment of prophesy?:
"Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all. And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there. And Sharon
shall be a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for
my people that have sought me." Is. 65:8-10
"Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." Mt. 5:5
"Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and
given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof." Mt. 21:43 "
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure
to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32).
"And I will make her that halted
a remnant, and her that was cast far off
a strong nation: and the LORD shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever. And thou, O tower of
the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion;
the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem." Micah 4:7,8
"Open ye the gates, that
the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in." Is. 26:2
In accorandance with the promises, the faithful remnant that was to inherit the promises would be prepared to endure the time of "Jacob's trouble"(Jer. 30:7, Gen. 32:7), in the absence of the Lord Jesus Christ(Mt. 24). As the "little flock", they were to receive certain benefits, "power from on high", the promised Holy Ghost baptism, performed by the Lord Jesus Christ, prior to the wrath of the baptism with fire arrived( Mt. 3:7,11). The inheritance that this kingdom, “little flock” church receives through the New Covenant is that which has long been promised to Israel. Study the covenants! The “New Testament Church," according to prophecy, is inextricably linked to a program that is tied to a piece of land-land, baby. I.e., that church is under the ministry of the circumcision whereby the “promises made unto the fathers”(Rom. 15:8) are being confirmed.
“And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God. … As
the holy flock, as
the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts; so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men: and they shall know that I am the LORD..” Ez. 36:27,28,38
“Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered
my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD. And I will gather
the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase.” Jer. 23:2,3
“Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as
a shepherd doth his flock.” Jer. 31:10
‘I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather
the remnant of Israel; I will put them together
as the sheep of Bozrah, as the flock in the midst of their fold: they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.” Micah 2:12
“
Feed thy people with thy rod,
the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old. According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things.” Micah 7:14,15
“He shall feed
his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young..” Is. 40:11
“But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them. Then he remembered
the days of old, Moses, and his people, saying, Where is he that brought them up out of the sea with the shepherd of
his flock? where is he that put his holy Spirit within him?” Is. 63:10,11
“As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.” Is. 59:21
“Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest Joseph
like a flock; thou that dwellest between the cherubims, shine forth.” Psalms 80:1
“And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as
the flock of his people: for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.” Zech. 9:16
“Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of hosts hath visited
his flock the house of Judah, and hath made them as his goodly horse in the battle.” Zech. 10:3
“And I will
feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of
the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty, and the other I called Bands; and I fed the flock.” Zech. 11:7
Thus, as we return “ the holy flock”, Ez. 36:38, in her “solemn feasts”, we understand partially what the feast of Pentecost represents, and its significance as pertaining to Israel’s prophetic program. As the Lord Jesus Christ departs and returns to the heavenly places, the faithful remnant, that is called by His name, will be the recipients of the NC ministry of the Holy Ghost, as they function as the “firstfruits” of the righteous, “born again” nation that will inherit the kingdom when it “comes” at the Son of Man’s(title of the Lord Jesus Christ used strictly with Israel)return at the end of the 70th week of Daniel. As that minister of the circumcision, the Lord Jesus Christ is dealing with the fulfillment of Israel’s program, as meticiously layed out, in detail, in the Law and the Prophets. As the Messiah, the Christ, He has a clear, unambiguous ministry to fulfill, and He does so perfectly, as the perfect God/man, as the perfect and righteous servant of the LORD God.
And thus, as He functioned as the redeemer, during Passover, thereby fulfilling His name to Israel as “Jehovahjireh:”(Gen. 22:14), likewise, so He would also begin to fulfill His name at Pentecost, and fulfill His role as the “Shepherd”- Jehovah Raah , as He provided for them(
explaining selling everything in early Acts)as the “little flock”, the “nation”(“Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.”-Mt. 21:43) would be baptized with fire and “endured” the coming “time of Jacob’s trouble”(notice, Jacob, not Israel-another thread). In connection with the special ministry of the Holy Ghost, they would be empowered, “power from on high”, to enable them to “endure” that time of tribulation. These are the things that concern their “election” as the “holy flock” in her solemn feasts, as they began to partake of the promised New Covenant ministry of the Holy Ghost,a foretaste of the spiritual blessing s awaiting them in the upcoming millennial kingdom, to the nation where they were no longer a part of the rebellious, apostate unbelieving element, but were called out(called out ones=”church”), and were now identified as “His people”, just as He promised to them all throughout the Prophets, the gospels, in connection with bringing them under the NC. However, unlike the rest the nation, that would be purged out in the Great Tribulation, “His servants” would be provided for at that time, and have the opportunity for various deliverances, during a time when the earth would find itself in the Day of the LORD God’s wrath, according tp prophecy. Survey the Psalms that describes these events.
In accordance with the prophetic program, following the Lord Jesus Christ’s role/work as the Redeemer, in Psalms 22, the following Psalm 23, states, declares:
“The LORD is
my shepherd; I shall not want…. 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.” Psalms 23:1,6
“Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all. And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there. And Sharon shall be
a fold of flocks, and the valley of Achor a place for the herds to lie down in, for my people that have sought me. But ye are they that forsake the LORD, that forget my holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number. Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted not. Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed:” Is. 65:8-13
