The Mystery of Shepherd and Sheep Pt.2
JOHN 10:1-6
1 ¶ Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
(The door to the sheepfold is the shepherd himself, so the door is a person, and that person is Christ, and Christ is the revealed word of the hour – so it is by the revelling of Christ to us personally is the way that we enter in)
2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. (For seven church ages he’s been calling his sheep by the voice of his word)
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. (they have the ability to hear truth from error because of the gene of God that they come born with by predestination)
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. (Why did they not understand it? Because it was a mystery to them – but in this day all the mysteries have been made known to us by the ministry of the son of man)
The Mystery of Shepherd and Sheep Pt.2
WHY.IT.HAD.TO.BE.SHEPHERDS_ TUCSON.AZ V-6 N-15 MONDAY_ 64-1221
106 Throughout all sacred Scriptures, the Message of redemption has been given by shepherds and through sheep.
107 Now I have to come to a close, because we're getting time to close. I'm bypassing many Scriptures just so I can get you to this thought.
108 Throughout all Scripture, redemption has been represented through shepherds and sheep. That's right. We all agree to that. Why? It was in shadow and type. And anything... If I never had seen my hand, and I looked down here at my hand's shadow, and I see I had five fingers, I would know that it was reflecting; the negative was reflecting a positive. And that's why the Message always came to... redemption by sheep, because from the very beginning... And it was through sheep, and by shepherds, that He revealed Hisself. All was shadows and types.
109 Now let us look at the beginning. Adam and Eve, standing there in the presence of God to hear His Message to them, they had draped about their loins the skin of sheep. The first Message was ever heard, was given over the top of a dead sheepskin, that God had slew and wrapped Adam and Eve in it. After they tried to make their own religion of fig leaves, it wouldn't work. Sheep sacrifice had been instituted for atonement since the very beginning, sheep sacrifice.
110 Now, we're going to close this off now, and show you why it had to be shepherds; and why it had to be, He had to be a sheep.
(The great shepherd of the sheep also became a sheep himself, the lamb for sinners slain – this is the great mystery of redemption revealed, Christ became one of us in order to take our place so that we could be saved)
JOHN 10:7-13 - continuation of opening scripture
7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in (enter in by what? – the revelation of the word for the age that you live in), he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. (An hireling is a denominational ministry that is outside of the revelation of the truth of the word of this hour, so he cannot protect the people from false teaching because he himself (if he is teaching contrary to the revelation of the word of this hour) is also a false teacher of the word – God will not judge a person by their good intentions, he will judge a person by the word, we must have good intentions, but we must also come into obedience to the word)
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. (He cares more for his denomination then for the truth of the word)
WHY.IT.HAD.TO.BE.SHEPHERDS_ TUCSON.AZ V-6 N-15 MONDAY_ 64-1221
186 Man and women, God promised in this last days that He'd pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. He promised He'd send the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, and He'd call a Bride without spot or wrinkle. He promised to do it, He'll do it. Don't listen to these hireling shepherds, they'll lead you astray. The Holy Spirit is the Shepherd to feed you sheep food from this Word. It always comes by the Shepherd. He is our Shepherd. Listen to Him, you are the sheep of His fold; if you are, you hear His Voice. Not what somebody else says, you hear what He says. A strange voice, you know nothing about it.
206 ...And there's all kinds of fiction and stuff that they worship, because they won't accept Him, the Word; because in their denominations, It doesn't fit their taste, the hireling shepherds of the day. The hirelings from creed, that'll want to unite you under one goat, don't you believe it! They'll lead you to the slaughter pen. Hear the Great Shepherd that was born nineteen hundred year ago, this month. Sometime out yonder, in His Message, come the true shepherds that knowed how to take care of sheep.
(The true shepherds under the great Shepherd are the ministries that are in the message of this hour and that teach the truth of the revealed word)
247 Would you rather listen to a hireling shepherd that would say "put your name on the book, and join; take this communion, say this, and it's all right," when the Great Shepherd Himself said "except a man be borned again he cannot even see the Kingdom of Heaven"?
JOHN 10:14-16 Cont..
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. (This is talking of a group of a people who are of the seed of God – so there are two groups, one group is under denominational hireling shepherds that cannot protect their people from the wolves, the other group is under the good shepherd that is feeding them the word through ministries that are faithful to the word)
15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
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.
His voice spoke though the seven messengers of the seven church ages. So there has been a fold in each age for seven church ages, but in this end time age all those folds will be gathered into one fold under Christ who is the good shepherd who is to appear again in the last age and gather all his sheep into the one fold.
HEBREWS 9:24-28 Speaks of 3 appearing’s…
The Three Appearing’s of Christ.
Appearing Number 1.
25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
He appears in the flesh to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
This was the purpose of his appearing at the end of the Old Testament, it was for the purpose to offer himself as the supreme sacrifice to put away the sins of many and to do away with the animal sacrifices. Like Noah, he was the ark that saved both human beings and the animal races.
Appearing Number 2.
HEBREWS 9:24
24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
He ascends into heaven in the sanctuary to appear as a high priest in the presence of God to make intercession for seven church ages.
Appearing Number 3.
HEBREWS 9:28
28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many (first appearing); and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time (his second coming – the shout voice and trump appearing) without sin unto salvation.
II THESSALONIANS 1:7-8
7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, (this word “revealed” = Greek word apokalupsis {ap-ok-al'-oop-sis} = a disclosure of truth, instruction, concerning things before unknown, this is what we have witnessed in this hour and this is what we are a part of)
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: (This coming is connected with the day of vengeance which is His judgement when He will destroy the earth by fire just before the millennium)
I CORINTHIANS 1:7
7 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: (this word “coming” is the same word apokalupsis – again this is referring to his third appearing.)
I THESSALONIANS 4:16
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (this is the same event, this is Him appearing by revelation of the message of the hour – the shout is the message)
LUKE 17:29-30
29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. (Time of Judgement of fire for a people that had become perverted)
30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
apokalupto {ap-ok-al-oop'-to} = to uncover, lay open what has been veiled or covered up; disclose, make bare - to make known, make manifest, disclose what before was unknown
I PETER 5:1-4
1 ¶ The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. (Again this is speaking of His appearing this hour after his intercession for seven church ages. This word appear is the Greek word “phaneroo” {fan-er-o'-o} = to make known by teaching, expose to view, make manifest, to show one's self, appear; to become known, to be plainly recognised, thoroughly understood:
The more you understand someone, the more you know that person.
LUKE 15:4-7
4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?
5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
This same text is also recorded in MATTHEW 18:10-14
So when we get to the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19 we find that Jesus is seeking Zacchaeus because he is one of the lost sheep, but in order to get Zacchaeus, he has to go to the lowest place on the earth.
LUKE 19:1-10
1 ¶ And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. (Jericho is located 258 metres (846 ft.) below sea level in the Jordan Valley; it is the lowest city in the world)
2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.
3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him (Jesus is geographically at the lowest city on earth, and he is looking up to see the lowest man in the lowest city – showing us that that is what He is willing to do to redeem his lost sheep and bring them back to His fold, he is willing to humble himself lower than the lowest and smallest man, and that is what he did for us at Calvary at the cross), and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. (You can’t hide from the Lord, he knows where you are hiding, and he knows your name, and he knows your address and he invites himself to your place – “I MUST ABIDE at thy house”)
6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.