John 10:16 - the 'other sheep'

Who are the “’ other sheep’” our Lord Jesus referred to in John 10:16?

“’ I AM the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.’” – John 10:14.

As I spoke about in our latest sermon, “Are You Christ-Centered?” – we come before you proclaiming the REAL JESUS! Not some effeminate long-haired homeless man, or a baby in a manger – with no place to lay His sweet head. As our Lord Jesus says, ‘He is known by His own!’ We know the true Jesus – the real Jesus! And of Him, we proclaim to you!

Our Lord Jesus says, “’ As the Father knows Me, even so I know 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 will hear My voice; and there will be ONE FLOCK and ONE SHEPHERD.’” – John 10:15-16.

The ‘this fold’ was referring to the Jews that were living then in Palestine (JUDAH). Recall that our Lord Jesus had come into the world, “and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11) He came to His own, and His own [the Jews of His day) did not receive Him.” – John 1:10-11. We are told in Revelation 5:5 that our Lord Jesus was born of the tribe of JUDAH, the Root of David.” Yet, the Jews of His day outright rejected Him saying, “’ We will not have this man to reign over us.’” – Luke 19:14.

The ‘other sheep’ are the other tribes of the House of Israel. Recall Jacob/Israel had TWELVE SONS – Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher. So, He was speaking of the other eleven tribes of the House of Israel. And, He referred to them as ‘the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ – Matthew 10:6. Interestingly enough, the Jews of His day referred to the lost sheep of the house of Israel as ‘the dispersed.’ (See: John 7:35).

The kingdom of Israel had become two separate kingdoms during the reign of King Rehoboam – King Solomon’s son. The kingdom of Israel (or even the kingdom of Samaria) to the north, and the kingdom of Judah to the south. (We have an article that will help you better understand, “Our Roots”). Also, for an understanding of where the other tribes of the House of Israel are TODAY, be sure to read “Freedom - A True Blessing From God” as well as reading or listening to Minister Michael C. Garrett's online book “God’s Promises To Abraham.” Audio Version.

So, the ‘other sheep’ our Lord Jesus was referring to was not in Judah (Palestine) then at that time.

A great many wrongly assume that it is the Gentiles that represent the ‘other sheep.’ As Got Questions wrongly answers, “Some of the ‘other sheep’ came when 3,000 Jews were saved in Acts 2:41. Samaritans and an Ethiopian eunuch joined the fold … Then the Holy Spirit led Peter To Cornelius, opening the door for Gentiles to come in. … Thereafter, the Spirit chose Paul … to take the good news to the Gentiles, …” 1

Well, they are wrong because they know nothing about (nor would they accept) the truth of the many nations of Israel or of the lost ten tribes. It must be remembered that only the descendants of Israel (Jacob) are ever referred to as SHEEP in all of God’s living word – the Holy Bible. The Gentiles can certainly, upon being called by Father God, obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ – but as far as nationally, they are NEVER referred to as SHEEP - Notice –

“Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh ── who are called Uncircumcision [physically speaking] by what is called the Circumcision [physically speaking] made in the flesh by hands ── 12) that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from THE COMMONWEALTH OF ISRAEL and

strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. …” – talking about a time BEFORE we knew the living Word of God, the Truth of God, and the Plan of God.

Verse 13 – “But NOW in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” – Ephesians 2:11-13.

Minister Michael C. Garrett –

“There once was a people called Israel. And, we’re not talking about the small nation on the western edge of the Mediterranean Sea. That area is inhabited mainly by Jewish people. And yes, they were a part of the people called Israel. Now, you had Abraham – the father of the faithful. Isaac, Jacob – whose name was changed to Israel. And he had twelve sons … And they became the descendants of that family – the people that we refer to historically as Israel. And those people had a chance that God would have been their God. He would have been their Defender and Protector. But, they didn’t want that! They wanted to be like the other nations around them.

They wanted to be just like the next-door neighbors. And they, in effect, rejected the LORD God. And, in the end, the LORD God rejected them. Those people were eventually conquered, taken into captivity. And the remnants of those people ended up scattered all over the earth. And some of those remnant people ended up in what we call England. And some of those people ended up coming to what we call the United States of America. So, the founding stock of the British and American people are descendants of the people of Israel. And, the Lord God has fulfilled some promises which He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – and his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh. And we here in this great nation are on the receiving end of those great blessings.”

(Garrett, M.C., To Jesus Be the Glory Chapter Four).

Our Lord Jesus Christ added by saying, “ … ‘and there will be ONE FLOCK and ONE SHEPHERD.’”

There is coming a time when the House of Israel and the House of Judah will once again be UNITED into ONE KINGDOM. Notice –

“ …’ Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Surely I will take the children of Israel [speaking of the Kingdom of Israel] from among the nations, wherever they have gone, and will gather them from every side and bring them into their own land [the land of Palestine]; 22) and I will make them ONE NATION [‘ONE FLOCK’] in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and ONE KING [‘ONE SHEPHERD’ – speaking of the resurrected King David] over them all; they shall no longer be two nations [two kingdoms], nor shall they ever be divided into two kingdoms again.’” – Ezekiel 37:21-22.

King David resurrected will be the King of Israel with our Lord Jesus Christ as the ‘Chief Shepherd’ – notice verses 24-26.

God’s living word emphatically teaches us that King David will be resurrected as King of all Israel –

“’ I will establish one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them ── My servant David. He shall feed them and be their shepherd.’” – Ezekiel 34:23.

“’ But they shall serve the LORD their God, And David their king, Whom I will raise up for them.’” – Jeremiah 30:9.

It certainly cannot be any plainer than that! Yet, this world’s Christianity does not see or hear what the Spirit has to say! – cf. Isaiah 6:10; Mark 4:11-12.

The glorious FIRST RESURRECTION occurs at the blowing of the SEVENTH TRUMP at our Lord Jesus Christ’s coming! – notice –

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep [those who have died], lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14) For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again [THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS LATER], even so God will bring with Him [from the atmosphere] those who sleep in Jesus. 15) For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are [still] alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep [asleep in the Lord]. 16) For the Lord Himself will descend from [the atmosphere] with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the TRUMPET of God [the SEVENTH TRUMPET]. And the dead in Christ will rise first.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. See also 1st Corinthians 15:50-53.

So, the ‘other sheep’ are the other physical tribes of the house of Israel that were taken and captured from the land of Palestine, but who will eventually be brought back again – along with the house of Judah – and will be ruled by the resurrected King David under our Lord Jesus Christ (the LORD of lords and KING of kings). Notice again the Book of Jeremiah –

“’ In those days [the glorious and powerful Return of our Lord Jesus Christ] and in that time,’ says the LORD, ‘The children of Israel shall come, They and the children of Judah together; With continual weeping they shall come, And seek the LORD their God. 5) They shall ask the way to Zion [the New Jerusalem], With their faces toward it, saying, ‘Come and let us join ourselves to the LORD In a perpetual covenant That will not be forgotten.’” – Jeremiah 50:4-5. □

Sources

1) Got Questions, What did Jesus mean when He said, “Other sheep I have which are not of this fold” (John 10:16)? Retrieved 1 July 2024.

ADDITIONAL THINGS TO THINK ABOUT...

Are We Insane!? - More and more people are becoming insane!

A Roman 'Mark' - Back in Rome, in the times before our Lord Jesus Christ, the Roman government MARKED people by branding them on their hands and on their foreheads – like a tattoo.

Pray to Father God or our Lord Jesus Christ? - SHOULD WE pray to Father God or to Jesus Christ!?