RESTORATION AND THE GREAT DOOR OF THE SHEEPFOLD

May 13, 2012
MF Blume

  Scripture Text:





John 10:22-23 KJV  And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.  (23)  And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.

John 10 is the chapter where Jesus speaks of Himself as the great DOOR of the SHEEPFOLD and of the Sheep that follow His voice and do not listen to strangers’ voices.

The chapter begins like this:


John 10:1-5 KJV  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.  (2)  But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.  (3)  To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.  (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 listeners are not really getting what he is trying to relate to them, …

John 10:6-9 KJV  This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.  (7)  Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.  (8)  All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.  (9)  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

He only said one had to enter by the door into the sheepfold or else be a thief and robber.
·    Then he later explained he was the door that he referred to.
·    We enter BY HIM and are SAVED.
·    So we learn about SALVATION here.

He spoke of the thief coming to steal, kill and destroy, BUT JESUS CAME TO GIVE LIFE.
·    The WOLF is the thief that comes to steal and kill.
·    The hireling is also mentioned, who flees when the wolf comes so that the wolf can catch them and scatter them.

John 10:10-13 KJV  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.  (11)  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.  (12)  But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.  (13)  The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

He also spoke of other sheep not of that fold that HE would bring to make them all one fold.

Notice the order of statements he makes:

John 10:16-18 KJV  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.  (17)  Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.  (18)  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

After he says he will get more sheep and bring them and make them all one fold, he says THAT IS WHY THE FATHER LOVES HIM.
·    And he explains HOW he brings these other sheep in and makes them all one by saying HE LAYS HIS LIFE DOWN AND TAKES IT UP AGAIN.
·    This is the death and resurrection of the work of the cross.

Then we read of a DIVISION amongst the people.
·    His words always split people into two groups.
·    You see this in the previous chapter 9 when the blind man is healed.
·    He did things to separate LIGHT FROM DARKNESS.

In the previous chapter, he told a blind man to wash his eyes in the pool of Siloam.
·    The man is told this so Jesus is not present when healed so the man does not see him because it was to prove something out later when he would see Jesus.
·    The man is healed, and suddenly some reject the miracle and others accept it!
·    The man himself says he was blond and now could see.
·    That’s all he knew about the whole ordeal.

Jesus then catches up with him and says he heard about the Pharisees threw him out.
·    The man asks who the son of God is so he can believe on him.
·    Jesus explains he is the one!

John 9:38-39 KJV  And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.  (39)  And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

This means that those who did not see would see, like the man born blind.
·    And those who claimed they saw, would actually be made blind and reject Him.
·    JESUS is the light.
·    If you never knew LIGHT OF TRUTH and then it comes to you, you accept it.
·    Those who claim they see light of truth, but never met Jesus, and then actually are presented with it, reject it.

Just as a DIVISION OCCURRED over the blind man’s healing, showing who would really accept truth when shown to their face, and who would reject it, we see this phrase over the discussion of the SHEEP.

John 10:17-21 KJV  Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.  (18)  No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.  (19)  There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings.  (20)  And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?  (21)  Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

SHEEP HEAR HIS VOICE.
·    They follow Him.
·    Those who are BLIND are those who reject Him.

THEN WE READ THIS REMARKABLE LITTLE NOTE THAT WOULD NOT BE IN OUR BIBLES IF GOD DID NOT HAVE A MESSAGE CONCERNING THESE DETAILS.

John 10:22-23 KJV  And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.  (23)  And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.

After these details, we read of people challenging Jesus to tell them plainly if he is the Christ/Messiah or not.

John 10:24-27 KJV  Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.  (25)  Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.  (26)  But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.  (27)  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

He goes back to the issue beforehand about SHEEP who recognize his voice.
·    The ones who CAN SEE LIGHT while others reject it.
·    He said they were not his sheep since they were not getting his teachings.

John 10:28 KJV  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

He gives them eternal life.

Let me explain what the FEAST DEDICATION and Solomon’s porch were.

Both of them have to do with the temple where Jesus was at.
Between the old and new testaments, Antiochus Epiphanes came down to Jerusalem because he heard how the Jews thought he was dead and rejoiced.
·    He killed 40,000 Jews in three days.
·    Sold 40,000 others for slaves.
·    Then he took a swine and sacrificed this UNCLEAN ANIMAL on the holy brazen altar of the temple’s outercourt.
·    He commanded broth be made of the swine’s   flesh and sprinkled it all over the temple, ABSOLUTELY POLLUTING IT with what the bible said was an UNCLEAN BEAST.
·    For three years the temple lay in ruin and defilement.

Three years later to the EXACT DAY when Antiochus polluted the temple, 25th of Chisleu, JUDAS MACCABAEUS set out to RENOVATE THE TEMPLE and CLEANSE IT.
·    They saw that the oil of the temple’s candlesticks was all desecrated except for ONE VIAL SEALED WITH HE HIGH PRIEST’S SEAL.
·    One vial was only enough light for ONE DAY!
·    They lit the candlesticks and a miracle occurred.
·    OIL ENOUGH FOR ONE DAY’S WORTH OF LIGHT KEPT BURNING FOR 8 DAYS until they were able to squeeze olives and get enough fresh oil to supply the candlesticks!
·    They made a FEAST out of this and honoured the MIRACLE FROM GOD of the oil burning supernaturally for 8 days.

 
·    HANUKKAH means DEDICATION.
·    The TEMPLE was renovated and rededicated to God!
·    They have a HANUKKIA, distinguishing it from the MENORAH, with 8 candles and a 9th.
·    The 9th is what they light all eight from and from no other light source.

Jesus was IN THE TEMPLE ON ONE OF THOSE 8 DAYS.
·    To this day, Jews honour the miracle in November and December, for 8 days while they light candles in the DOORWAYS OF THEIR HOUSES.
·    JESUS SAID HE IS THE DOOR!
·    Jesus was honouring that FEAST by being at the temple DURING THAT FEAST, letting us know that the miracle was a genuine miracle of God, though it occurred after the Old Testament was written and not include in the FEASTS THAT MOSES COMMANDED in Leviticus.
He is the LIGHT source from which we LIGHT OUR LIVES and becomes LIGHTS.

FEAST OF LIGHTS!

James 1:17 KJV  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.


These lights are in the DOORS OF THE PEOPLE’S HOMES!
·    LIGHT AT THE DOOR!
·    Jesus is the DOOR!

Jesus was also in SOLOMON’s PORCH, which Josephus claimed was part of the ORIGINAL TEMPLE OF SOLOMON.
·    So we have Jesus on a feast that was honouring a miracle that allowed the men to RESTORE THE TEMPLE that was desecrated and profaned by sacrifice of a swine, in the part of the temple that was from the ORIGINAL TEMPLE OF SOLOMON, since this was the third temple since in Jesus’ day.
·    And he just finished talking about TRUE SHEEP FOLLOWING HIS VOICE and getting eternal life.
·    He spoke about BEING THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD where SOME accepted him and others rejected Him, and BEING THE DOOR INTO THE SHEEPFOLD.
·    Hanukkah is called FEAST OF LIGHTS because of all the candles being lit in Jewish homes.

IT IS BY TRUTH OR LIGHT THAT JESUS BRINGS US INTO HIS SHEEPFOLD.
·    We come INTO HIS TEMPLE and as JUDAS MACCABAEUS saw supernatural light occur so the people knew they were in God’s will in cleansing the temple, giving them light to do so.
·     JESUS IS OUR LIGHT THAT GIVES US LIGHT OF TRUTH TO RENOVATE OUR LIVES and make us temples of the Holy Ghost!

That ORIGINAL part of the temple of God called Solomon’s porch reminds us of the ORIGINAL PATTERN FOR THE TEMPLE in the GARDEN OF EDEN!
·    He came to GIVE US LIFE, He said in verse 10!
·    Tree of life in the Garden of Eden!

He takes lives born blind as in chapter 9, and makes us SEE THE LIGHT so RENOVATION CAN OCCUR IN OUR LIVES and He can RESTORE US to be the temple He originally wanted.
·    He’s in the PORCH, that grand ENTRANCE of the temple –part of the original temple!
·    HE IS THE DOOR!

His WORD renovates your lives and makes you HOLY TEMPLES FOR GOD.
·    His Sheep are the ones who HEAR THAT VOICE AND SEE THAT LIGHT that divides everyone into either one of those sheep or one who is in darkness who rejects Him!

It matters not where you came from and what life you lived.
·    When light comes to you and people divide over the light, YOU MIGHT BE ONE OF THE SHEEP IN GLORY FOR ETERNITY IN THE END and be one who takes that light and believes on Jesus and follows Him!

It was the very same day the temple was desecrated, three years later, that it began to be CLEANSED.
·    This makes me think of how God takes a person who started out desecrated and ruined, and on the same day when the desecration occurred, renovates you.
·    Renovating the temple on the same day three years later after it was desecrated is like going back to the precise point when trouble began, and making you new all over again!

John 10:31-32 KJV  Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.  (32)  Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

John 10:39-42 KJV  Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,  (40)  And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode.  (41)  And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.  (42)  And many believed on him there.

Back to beginnings again!  Where many believed on Him!
·    Where ENTRANCE into the PROMISED LAND occurred!  JORDAN!