Shortgrass
Well-known member
This is a photo from our recent travels around Eureka Springs, Arkansas. This is a replica of a sheepfold from the New Holy Land Tour.
Can you imagine "driving" sheep in or out of this "Sheepfold?" Now, not understanding sheep, I can imagine shaking a cake bucket to be the only hope to get an animal in or out this gate. I understand it was common practice to have two or three flocks inside this rock pen. One of the Shepherds would then sleep in the doorway. When the owner of one of the flocks would come, he would be allowed to enter the fold. The shepherd would then call his own by name, and his sheep would gather up, and follow him out. Sheep of another man's flock would not follow. This picture is like a dictionary to John, Chapter 10.
MOST ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, HE WHO DOES NOT ENTER THE SHEEPFOLD BY THE DOOR, BUT CLIMBS UP SOME OTHER WAY, THE SAME IS A THEIF AND A ROBBER. BUT HE WHO ENTERS BY THE DOOR IS THE SHEPHERD OF THE SHEEP. TO HIM THE DOORKEEPER OPENS, AND THE SHEEP HEAR HIS VOICE; AND HE CALLS HIS OWN SHEEP BY NAME, AND THEY FOLLOW HIM OUT, AND WHEN HE BRINGS HIS SHEEP, HE GOES BEFORE THEM, AND THE SHEEP FOLLOW HIM FOR THEY KNOW HIS VOICE. YET THEY BY NO MEANS FOLLOW A STRANGER, BUT WILL FLEE FROM HIM, FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW THE VOICE OF STRANGERS. JESUS USED THIS ILLUSTRATION, BUT THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE THINGS WHICH HE SPOKE TO THEM.
THEN JESUS SAID TO THEM AGAIN, MOST ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, I AM THE DOOR OF THE SHEEP. ALL WHO EVER CAME BEFORE ME ARE THEIVES AND ROBBERS, BUT THE SHEEP DO NOT HEAR THEM. I AM THE DOOR, IF ANY MAN ENTERS BY ME, HE WILL BE SAVED, AND WILL GO IN AND OUT AND FIND PASTURE. THE THEIF DOES NOT COME EXCEPT TO STEAL AND TO KILL AND TO DESTROY. I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE AND THEY MAY HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY.
I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD. THE GOOD SHEPHERD GIVES HIS LIVE FOR THE SHEEP. BUT A HIRELING, HE WHO IS NOT THE SHEPHERD, ONE WHO DOES NOT OWN THE SHEEP, SEES THE WOLF COMING, AND LEAVES THE SHEEP AND FLEES; AND THE WOLF CATCHES THE SHEEP AND SCATTERS THEM. THE HIRELING FLEES BECAUSE HE IS A HIRELING AND DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THE SHEEP. I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD. I KNOW MY SHEEP, AND AM KNOWN BY MY OWN. AS THE FATHER KNOWS ME, EVEN SO I KNOW THE FATHER; AND I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR THE SHEEP. 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.
Have you heard Him call your name? Time to follow………Have yourselves a good Sunday mornin' and a great rest of the week.
Can you imagine "driving" sheep in or out of this "Sheepfold?" Now, not understanding sheep, I can imagine shaking a cake bucket to be the only hope to get an animal in or out this gate. I understand it was common practice to have two or three flocks inside this rock pen. One of the Shepherds would then sleep in the doorway. When the owner of one of the flocks would come, he would be allowed to enter the fold. The shepherd would then call his own by name, and his sheep would gather up, and follow him out. Sheep of another man's flock would not follow. This picture is like a dictionary to John, Chapter 10.
MOST ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, HE WHO DOES NOT ENTER THE SHEEPFOLD BY THE DOOR, BUT CLIMBS UP SOME OTHER WAY, THE SAME IS A THEIF AND A ROBBER. BUT HE WHO ENTERS BY THE DOOR IS THE SHEPHERD OF THE SHEEP. TO HIM THE DOORKEEPER OPENS, AND THE SHEEP HEAR HIS VOICE; AND HE CALLS HIS OWN SHEEP BY NAME, AND THEY FOLLOW HIM OUT, AND WHEN HE BRINGS HIS SHEEP, HE GOES BEFORE THEM, AND THE SHEEP FOLLOW HIM FOR THEY KNOW HIS VOICE. YET THEY BY NO MEANS FOLLOW A STRANGER, BUT WILL FLEE FROM HIM, FOR THEY DO NOT KNOW THE VOICE OF STRANGERS. JESUS USED THIS ILLUSTRATION, BUT THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE THINGS WHICH HE SPOKE TO THEM.
THEN JESUS SAID TO THEM AGAIN, MOST ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, I AM THE DOOR OF THE SHEEP. ALL WHO EVER CAME BEFORE ME ARE THEIVES AND ROBBERS, BUT THE SHEEP DO NOT HEAR THEM. I AM THE DOOR, IF ANY MAN ENTERS BY ME, HE WILL BE SAVED, AND WILL GO IN AND OUT AND FIND PASTURE. THE THEIF DOES NOT COME EXCEPT TO STEAL AND TO KILL AND TO DESTROY. I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE AND THEY MAY HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY.
I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD. THE GOOD SHEPHERD GIVES HIS LIVE FOR THE SHEEP. BUT A HIRELING, HE WHO IS NOT THE SHEPHERD, ONE WHO DOES NOT OWN THE SHEEP, SEES THE WOLF COMING, AND LEAVES THE SHEEP AND FLEES; AND THE WOLF CATCHES THE SHEEP AND SCATTERS THEM. THE HIRELING FLEES BECAUSE HE IS A HIRELING AND DOES NOT CARE ABOUT THE SHEEP. I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD. I KNOW MY SHEEP, AND AM KNOWN BY MY OWN. AS THE FATHER KNOWS ME, EVEN SO I KNOW THE FATHER; AND I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR THE SHEEP. 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.
Have you heard Him call your name? Time to follow………Have yourselves a good Sunday mornin' and a great rest of the week.
, but even your average sheep can hear and recognize the hope & truth of the Good Shepherd calling them into the fold.
