Τhe sheep and the beasts of the earth, the reptiles and the birds of the sky
Τhe sheep and the beasts of the earth, the reptiles and the birds of the sky
Writter: Evangelos D. Kepenes (February 13, 2022, 18:15)
Biblical definitions The term "sheep" identifies the Jews (Matt. 15:24, 10:16, Rom. 8:36, 1 Pet. 2:25, Mark 14:27, Heb. 13:20, John 21:17, etc.). They were the people of his pasture. The other nations are counted as wild Beasts, quadrupeds of the earth, reptiles and birds of the sky. (Acts 11:6)
God promised salvation for all the nations
“And in that day, declares the LORD, you will call me ‘My Husband,’ and no longer will you call me ‘My Baal.’ For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be remembered by name no more. And I will make for them (Israel in the flesh) a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the creeping things of the ground (Gentiles in the flesh). And I will abolish the bow, the sword, and war from the land, and I will make you lie down in safety. And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the LORD.» (Hos. 2:16-20)
The sheep were scattered by God among the Nations
“Israel is a hunted sheep driven away by lions. First the king of Assyria devoured him, and now at last Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has gnawed his bones.” (Jer. 50:17)
“You have made us like sheep for slaughter and have scattered us AMONG THE NATIONS.” (Ps. 44:11)
“O God, why do you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?” (Ps. 74:1)
Jesus, as the scriptures testify, was born under the law to redeem those under the law (the Jews), so that they might receive adoption as sons. He was active in the land of promise only, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." All of Jesus' conversations were with the Jews and concerned the law, its interpretation and its fulfillment. He chose Jewish Apostles, and his first disciples (the beginning) were Jews.
“And he shall lift up a standard for the nations, and he shall gather the lost ones of Israel, and he shall gather the dispersed of Juda from the four corners of the earth.” (Is. 11:12, LXXE)
“And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” (Matt. 2:6)
The first commandment to the Jewish apostles was: “But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matt. 10:6)
This word was given in order for the prophecy of Hosea and of other prophets to be fulfilled, who had said that God would re-gather his scattered sheep into one flock under one shepherd.
“For thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will seek out my sheep, and will visit them. As the shepherd seeks his flock, in the day when there is darkness and cloud, in the midst of the sheep that are separated: so will I seek out my sheep, and will bring them back from every place where they were scattered in the day of cloud and darkness. And I will bring them out from the Gentiles, and will gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land, and will feed them upon the mountains of Israel, and in the valleys, and in every inhabited place of the land.” (Ezek. 34:11-13 LXXE)
Jesus told to the Jews of Jerusalem
“And I have other sheep (the scattered) that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.» (John 10:16)
“And shalt return to the Lord thy God, and shalt hearken to his voice, according to all things which I charge thee this day, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul; then the Lord shall heal thine iniquities, (NT ) and shall pity thee, and shall again gather thee out from all the nations, among which the Lord has scattered thee. If thy dispersion be from one end of heaven to the other, thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, and thence will the Lord thy God take thee.” (Deut. 30:2-4, LXXE)
And through Jeremiah, he said: “For finding fault with them, he said, Behold, the days come, said the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah …… For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” (Heb. 8:8-13)
And through Hosea, he said: “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And in the place where it was said to them, “You are not my people,” it shall be said to them, “Children of the living God.” And the children of Judah and the children of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint for themselves one head. And they shall go up from the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel.” (Hos. 1:10-11)
“And I will sow her for myself in the land. And I will have mercy on No Mercy, and I will say to Not My People, ‘You are my people’; and he shall say, ‘You are my God.’” (Hos. 2:23)
This promise in Hosea was fulfilled
James, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad (James 1:1,18)
Also, Peter, who had received the commandment "feed my lamps" (the house of Jacob = twelve tribes), in his letter to the Jews of the dispersion (=WHO LIVED AMONG THE GENTILES) who had received mercy, confirms the fulfillment of Hosea. (Read Hosea, chapter one and two)
“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the sojourners, dispersed through Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, ELECT according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by sanctification of the Spirit, that they might be brought to the obedience, and sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ: grace unto you and peace be multiplied […] who in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God; who had not obtained mercy, but are now the objects of mercy […] having your conduct ornamental AMONG THE GENTILES …” (1 Pet. 1:1-2, 2:10-12 Haweis)
“For ye were going astray like sheep; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” (1 Pet. 2:25, ERV)
Paul does the same: “And display his infinite goodness to such objects of mercy, as he had prepared for glory? to such as we, whom he has called, both from among the Jews, and from among the gentiles. as he saith himself in Hosea "I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her, beloved, which was not beloved. and it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, (the Jews) ye are not my people; there shall they be called, the children of the living God."
Conclusion
Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, had to gather the sheep first, and then he sent the Apostles to the Gentiles according to the flesh, the Beasts. (Acts 10:11-14)
“Wherefore remember, that aforetime ye, the Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called Circumcision, in the flesh, made by hands; that ye were at that time separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus ye that once were far off are made nigh in the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; that he might create in himself of the twain one new man, so making peace; and might reconcile them both in one body unto God through the cross, having slain the enmity thereby and he came and preached peace to you that were far off, and peace to them that were nigh: for through him we both have our access in one Spirit unto the Father.” (Eph. 2:11-18, 3:1-6)
“For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them. Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for The righteous shall live by faith. But the law is not of faith, rather The one who does them shall live by them. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.» (Gal. 3:10-14)
Jesus bless you
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