Sheep rule, Goats drool!

The Lord promised the descendants of Jacob through the prophets that when they became sheep scattered all over the mountains of Israel, he* would raise up a true shepherd who would regather them into a place of safety. Now, mind you – he was speaking to Israel at that time. No goyim need apply.

So when Yeshua comes along, it makes sense that he tells the first goy-lady he meets that he hadn’t come for her, but for the lost sheep of the house of Israel. It wasn’t that he was being heartless – she did get what she came for – but he had to make his purpose clear to everyone. And please notice that sheep are still sheep, even when they’re lost. But goats are not sheep. Only sheep are sheep, and Yeshua came for the sheep. No goats need apply.

And when he first issued instructions to his followers to go out and preach, he told them to stay away from goyim and Samaritans (did you ever meet a Samaritan? me, neither), but to go to the lost sheep of Israel.

Then we read the great sheepfold lecture of John chapter 10 — where he says that there is a sheep pen, and that he is the entrance to that sheep pen, and he also is the shepherd of the sheep.

Now, are you with me here — who are the sheep? If you said the descendants of Jacob (aka the Jews), then I thank God that I haven’t put you to sleep yet. If you said something else, why are you still reading?

But then he took a turn and said “There are other sheep which belong to me that are not in this sheep pen. I must bring them, too.” What other sheep? Ah, that’s where we goyim get in on the deal! Of course, not all goyim get to become sheep, but at least there was something in the plan all along to let us into the sheep pen. Through the door. Not any other way. And we sure as ‘ell don’t get to kick any of the original sheep out!

If you don’t know what I meant with that last comment, and if you haven’t yet caught on, then let me tell you that far too many “Christians” say that “the Church” has supplanted or superseded or replaced or somehow knocked into second place “the Jews” in God’s plans for this world. Big, big mistake. (For all you learned theologians out there, this is what is called “replacement theology,” but then all you learned theologians out there already knew that.)

I wasn’t around in 1947 or 1948, but from what I understand, many Christians a generation or two ago who bought into this load of – excuse me – figured that there obviously was no way the Jews would ever get their land back, let alone their original place in God’s favor. I’m not sure how they explained what happened next; if they were honest with themselves, they radically re-adjusted their theology. But we hardly ever do that, do we?

(*by the way, if anyone objects to my not capitalizing the Divine Pronoun, tell them to get over it — I am merely following the Biblical practice. On the other hand, whenever I do Capitalize, and someone sees an inconsistency in that, tell them to quit being so religious.)