DID YOU KNOW that no new sheepfolds have ever been authorized?

“Then the chief priests and the Pharisees assembled a sanhedrin, and said, ‘What are we doing, for this man does many (miraculous) signs? If we let Him alone this way, all will believe into Him, and the Romans will come and will take away from us both the place and the nation. But a certain one of them, Caiaphas being high priest of that year, said to them, ‘You know nothing, nor consider that it is profitable for us that one man die for the people, and not all the nation to perish.’ But he did not say this from himself, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Y’hoshua was about to die on behalf of the nation, and not only on behalf of the nation, but that He also might gather into one the children of Elohim who had been scattered.” [John 11:47-52]

“And I have other sheep which are not of this fold. I must also lead those, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock, one Shepherd.” [John 10:16] Who are these other sheep? “But answering, He said, I was not sent except to the lost sheep of (the) house of Israel.” [Matthew 15:24]

The house of Israel (the ten northern tribes) was also called by the name of Ephraim, Joseph’s second son. However, for this paper, it is more important to fully understand two blessings: (1) Jacob’s blessing on Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim: “. . .and may they like the fishes increase into a multitude in the midst

of the earth.” (2) Blessing on the younger brother, Ephraim: “. . .His seed shall become the fullness of the Gentiles.” [Genesis 48:16b, 19b]

(1) In the midst of the earth = in the bowels of the earth = hidden, unseen, as buried. How do fishes increase? By the millions!

“For I do not want you to be ignorant (of) this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be wise within yourselves, that hardness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in; and so ALL Israel will be saved, . . .” [Romans 11:25-26a] “All Israel” means both houses, the house of Israel and the house of Judah, including Levi, who resides in both.

Paul said, “For I speak to you, the nations, since I am an apostle of the nations, (I honor my ministry), if somehow I may provoke to jealousy my flesh, and may save some of them. For if their casting away (is the) reconciliation of (the) world, what (is) the admission (acceptance), except life from (the) dead?” [Romans 11:13-15]

Because Paul was sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, who were scattered throughout the nations, salvation came to the Gentiles! The house of Israel (Ephraim) was scattered in 722 B.C.E. and had long since become indistinguishable from the peoples of the nations where they resided. Therefore, the Good News came to all, so that the seed of the lost sheep of the house of Israel would hear, repent and, through Y’hoshua, they would be restored to the Father and to their sheepfold. The Gentiles can join them, but they cannot replace them.