Jesus Sent To The Lost Sheep 

Of Israel

 

I wonder how an individual can read a scripture such as the following, (Matthew 15:24, "But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.@) and yet not understand the significance or the importance of biblical Israel. The truth of the matter is, people as a whole, know very little about Israel or their relationship with God. It was because Israel rejected the word of God, that salvation came unto the Gentiles. A point one should take note of, is that, it was Israel who received the word of God. It was Israel, through whom God revealed Himself to man. And Jesus, Himself was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Now other sheep, were received into Jesus=s fold and these other sheep were the Gentiles. Jesus stated that there will be one fold and one shepherd. In other words Jesus is the way of salvation to all, to Jew and Gentile alike. And to follow Jesus, and to be His sheep, one must obey the word of God. Now God=s word as mentioned was given to Israel. Hence to be a sheep in Jesus=s fold, one must adhere to the word given to Israel.

JESUS TO SAVE THAT WHICH WAS LOST

As stated Jesus was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and the following verses will show that Jesus came to seek and to save them.

Luke (19:9) 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.

The fact that Jesus was specifically sent to Israel, is further confirmed when one views, how He responded to a request for mercy, from a Canaan women. And in addition note, what He commanded His apostles to do.

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

Matthew (10:5) These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: (6) But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

ISRAEL, A LOST SHEEP

The prophets had foretold the fact, that Jesus was to come to the house of Israel, and also become a light to the Gentiles.

Isaiah (53:6) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Jeremiah (50:6) My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting place.

(7) All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.

David uses the same analogy as far as referring to Israel as lost sheep.

Psalms (119:176) I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

Psalms (100:3) Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Ezekiel prophesied that Jesus would seek out His sheep which are the house of Israel.

Ezekiel (34:1) And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

(2) Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?

(6) My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.

(11) For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.

(12) As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.

Jesus tells us that all written of Him must be fulfilled. (Luke 24:44) And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, that all things must be fulfilled, which are written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Thus Jesus stating in ( Matthew 15:24) that he was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, was a fulfillment of prophecy.

GENTILES THE OTHER SHEEP

In the following verses Jesus talks of being a good shepherd, and we know that the house of Israel was his sheep. However take note that in verse (16) Jesus speaks of bringing other sheep into the fold. As previously stated the other sheep being mentioned are the Gentiles.

John (10:14) I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

(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.

The prophet Isaiah told of how Jesus was to restore Israel and become a light unto the Gentiles.

Isaiah (49:6) And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.

Isaiah (65:1) I am sought of them that asked not for me; I am found of them that sought me not: I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name.

ISRAEL=S FALL BENEFIT GENTILES

The failure of Israel to obey God, and to keep His commandments is what brought salvation to the Gentiles. Paul lets you know that as a result of Israel=s disobedience and their provoking of God, in turn caused God to choose a people, whereby which He, would provoke Israel and make them jealous.

Romans (11:11) I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

Paul in the above verse is citing Moses because it was Moses who first warned Israel that this was going to happen to them back in Deuteronomy.

Romans (10:19) But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.

Deuteronomy (32:21) They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.

Paul in the following verse is citing the prophet Isaiah when he tells of how Israel continued to be disobedient.

Roman (10:21) But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

Isaiah (65:2) I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;

JESUS DID HIS PART

Jesus did what was required of Him. He brought the message to Israel, and He also became a light to the Gentiles.

John (17:1) These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

(2) As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

(3) And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

(4) I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

(6) I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

(8) For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.

JESUS IS SALVATION TO ALL

The following verses will show that as previously stated that Jesus became the way of salvation to all mankind. Note the prophet Joel is letting you know that through Jesus all of mankind would be delivered. This was before salvation had come to the Gentiles.

Joel (2:32) And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

John (3:16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Romans (10:9) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

(10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

(12) For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.

(13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

JESUS WORDS THEY ARE LIFE

Remember Jesus was sent to Israel and He ministered only to Israel. He tells us in verse (8) that which He gave to Israel were the words of God. He reiterates that in the following verses.

John (17:14) I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

(17) Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

In Luke (chapter 6), Jesus had told the Jews that everyone that believed on Him would have everlasting life. And that He would raise them up at the last day. Jesus went on further to tell them that He was the living bread and if any man was to partake of Him they would not die. The Jews, because they did not understand Jesus, questioned among themselves as to how could a man eat His flesh? One should pay close attention to how Jesus responded to their bewilderment.

Luke (6:63) It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak to you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Jesus told them that it was His words that were life, remember in John (17:8) Jesus stated that He had given unto Israel the words that God had gave Him. And in verse (17) Jesus asked God to sanctify them through thy truth and that His word is truth. In Matthew (chapter 4), Jesus responded when being tempted by Satan to turn stones into bread, by stating that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Jesus was reiterating that which had been stated by Moses.

Deuteronomy (8:3) And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed hee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live.

The words of God are found in the Holy scriptures from Genesis to Revelation and one should realize by this point that they must adhere to these writing in order to obtain eternal life. Paul states the same thing in the following verse.

II Timothy (3:15) And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

JESUS SHEEP WILL FOLLOW HIM

Jesus states that His sheep will follow Him because they know His voice. One hears the voice of God today, through His written word. And Jesus makes it clear, to love Him, is to keep His commandments. As His sheep this is how you follow His voice, first by hearing it, and then by obeying it.

John (10:4) And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

(5) And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

The following verse sums up, that which man is supposed to do, and that is to keep the commandments of God.

John (14:15) If ye love me, keep my commandments.

To show you that God does not change, note that what Jesus told us to do in (John 14:15), is the same thing that Moses and Solomon instructed us to do.

Deuteronomy (11:1) Therefore: thou shalt love the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and his statues, and his judgements, and his commandments, alway.

Ecclesiastes (12:13) Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

The charge to man has not changed, for even in Revelation the last book of the bible, you are informed that the key to obtaining eternal life is being obedient to God=s commandments. Again the sheep of the Good Shepherd, follows their herder, by obeying His voice by keeping His commandments.

Revelation (14:12) Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus Christ.

Revelation (22:14) Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ISRAEL

The importance of Israel lies in the fact, that it was them whom God gave His word to. The scriptures show that through Jesus salvation was made available to all. And in order to serve the Lord one must adhere to His word and again His word was given to Israel. There was no new way of obtaining salvation given to the Gentiles, they had to follow that which had already been established with Israel.

Exodus (12:49) One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.

Pay close attention to the following statement which Jesus made.

John (4:22) Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

Jesus did not make the above statement to be boastful. Jesus made this statement because it is factual. Everything one knows about God, comes from the bible. The bible contains the word of God and that word was given to Israel and Israel only . We know how to serve God by observing that which was required of Israel as written in the holy scriptures. Paul stated that in Romans.

Roman (3:1) What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision?

(2) Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.

The Lord Himself stated that Israel is the only family of the earth that He has known.

Amos (3:2) You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

In summary, Jesus was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He also received into His fold sheep which initially were not His. One can look at them as being adopted into the household of the Lord. What=s important to note is that when ever one is adopted, they have to adhere to, and be governed by, the rules and regulations of the house, by which they are adopted into. They do not come in and establish their own rules nor do they go about establishing their own set of own laws. One should strive to know and become Spiritual Israel. This is done by following the word, that God commanded Israel, to adhere to. They are the natural inhabitants of the Lord=s household, and the way of salvation was revealed unto them. The Lord declared unto Israel, the ways in which to please and to serve Him. And if one wishes to become His sheep and follow Him, then they must become Spiritual Israel.

 

Peace to all who seek truth and understanding in Jesus name.

 

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