The Good Shepherd – John 10

John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

Sheep cannot survive on their own and are completely scared to the point of panic if they realize they are not with the shepherd, they will freeze and literally starve to death unless the shepherd finds them.

We too will die if we do not have a Shepherd!

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter through the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up by another way, that one is a thief and a robber. “But he who enters through the door is the shepherd of the sheep – John 10:1-2.

An ancient sheepfold was enclosed with one opening were the shepherd would sleep in the doorway to protect the sheep. The top was opened to the sky but usually had thorns on the top of the wall so that foxes and other animals could not jump on the wall to come and attack the sheep. The shepherd at the end of each day would have each sheep pass under his staff and count and make sure all were there.

The only way to get to Yahuah is through Yahusha (Jesus) – John 14:6. There is no other way! Anyone trying to enter the Kingdom without going by Messiah is called a thief!

“The doorkeeper opens for him, and the sheep hear his voice. And he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. “And when he has brought out his own sheep, he goes before them. And the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. “And they shall by no means follow a stranger, but shall flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers” – John 10:3-5.

The sheep did not need to see the shepherd to be comforted but merely to hear his voice. We should know Yahusha’s voice so that we follow the correct Shepherd. Those who are set-apart (out of the world system) will hear the true Shepherd and not be misled by other strange doctrines.

Then Messiah said this again as many did not understand what He meant – verse 6-7. “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. “All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. “I am the door. Whoever enters through Me, he shall be saved (everlasting life), and shall go in and shall go out and find pasture – John 10: 7-9.

Messiah was referring to the post-exilic religious leaders who had supplanted and ousted the Levitical priesthood, and who were lawless, and lovers of money (Matthew 23:25-28, Mark 7:11, Luke 16:14). 

That is why He spoke of thieves, robbers, hirelings in this passage.

All will receive everlasting life that knows, accepts Messiah and loves Him by doing His commands.

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to slaughter, and to destroy. I have come that they might possess life, and that they might possess it beyond measure (abundantly) - John 10:10.

The thief is satan (devil) who only deceives the people.

The Messiah gives life and He is true to His words. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep – John 10:11.

Yahuah/Yahusha will be with us through whatever we go through.

Yahuah is my shepherd; I do not lack (anything) – Psalms 23:1.

“But the hireling, and not being a shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees. And the wolf snatches the sheep and scatters them. “Now the hireling flees because he is a hireling and is not concerned about the sheep – John 10: 12-13.

A hireling is someone that works purely for material reward (money), the sheep is not his problem if something happens to them as he does not own them.

The Shepherd owns the sheep. “I am the good shepherd. And I know Mine, and Mine know Me, even as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. And I lay down My life for the sheep – John 10:14-15.

A true follower of Yahusha will never follow anyone but Yahusha.

And the Elohim of peace who brought up our Master Yahusha from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, - Hebrews 13:20.

For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your lives - 1 Peter 2:25. 

And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you shall receive the never-fading crown of esteem – 1 Peter 5:4. 

Messiah knows the ones He has called and the called-out ones hears His voice, just like Messiah hears His Father’s voice. “And other sheep I have which are not of this fold – I have to bring them as well, and they shall hear My voice, and there shall be one flock, one shepherd – John 10:16.

“And I shall raise up over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he shall feed them. He shall feed them and be their shepherd. “And I, Yahuah, shall be their Elohim, and My servant David a prince in their midst. I, Yahuah, have spoken – Ezekiel 34:23-24.

While David My servant is sovereign over them. And they shall all have one shepherd and walk in My right-rulings and guard My laws, and shall do them. “And they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob (Israel) My servant, where your fathers dwelt. And they shall dwell in it, they and their children and their children’s children, forever, and My servant David be their prince forever – Ezekiel 37:24-25.

This is a clear reference to the Messiah in collecting the two houses of Israel (including the strangers that have joined Israel) upon His return and making them into one-fold.

There was a split between the people when they heard these words from Messiah, part of them said Messiah had a demon and He is mad and others said He cannot be possessed or mad as He healed the blind – John 10:19-21.

So, the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in suspense? If You are the Messiah, say to us plainly.” Yahusha answered them, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s Name, they bear witness concerning Me – John 10:24-25.

“But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. “And I give them everlasting life, and they shall by no means ever perish, and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all. And no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand – John 10:26-29.

These words from Yahusha are very important, so read these verses again and take it in as to what Messiah is saying!

 Firstly, Father Yahuah calls a believer and the believer has a choice to accept or reject that calling. Messiah explains that Father has given those people (sheep) to Him and now those sheep (true believers) hear His voice (obey Him).

You must understand that these people that were questioning Him were people that knew the scripture and Yahuah but they did not believe!

That is the difference between someone that knows Father and someone that believes Father!

These three steps of verse 27 explains the Way and also in Revelation 14:4-5, they are those who were not defiled with women, for they are maidens. They are those following the Lamb wherever He leads them on. They were redeemed from among men, being first-fruits to Elohim and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no falsehood, for they are blameless before the throne of Elohim.

Do we want to be His sheep, then we need to be serious because Revelation 14:4-5 is the criteria for the called sheep that hears (obeys) His voice?

Revelation 7:16-17, “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the sun strike them, nor any heat, because the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall shepherd them and lead them to fountains of waters of life. And Elohim shall wipe away every tear from their eyes.” O’ how I long for this day to come quickly! The Lamb (The Rock) will shepherd (lead) us out of this wickedness. This time we will thirst no more!

“I and My Father are one” – John 10:30. This has the meaning of “unity,” Father and Son thinking the same.

Set-apart Father, guard them in Your Name which You have given Me, so that they might be one, as We are – John 17:11.

So that they all might be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, so that they too might be one in Us, so that the world might believe that You have sent Me. “And the esteem which You gave Me I have given them, so that they might be one as We are one, “I in them, and You in Me, so that they might be perfected into one, so that the world knows that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me – John 17:21-23.

It is very clear that Father and Son is not the same person but they are united and He also pleads for unity among His taught ones, His sheep.

At this present moment Messiah is sitting on the right side of Father (two different beings).

Messiah said in John 14:28, He is going to the Father, for My Father is greater than I.