Luke 12 verse 32 “ Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom ”
Was the Little Flock designed to stay little? The word translated Little is otherwise translated “young”, “insignificant”, or “small.”
The context demonstrates that:
1) Jesus was alive when talking to his audience.
2) The audience consisted entirely of Jews.
3) He was addressing Jews who believed in him
4) Christ had not died and therefore had not yet returned to heaven to present to God the value of his ransom sacrifice for mankind.
5) The holy spirit had not yet been poured out upon the waiting disciples, therefore no one present in his audience was anointed with holy spirit.
6) Since he clearly was not addressing those anointed with holy spirit, it becomes obvious that Christ was simply talking to his relatively young congregation, his little group of followers.
When Christ told this early group of followers that His Father had “good pleasure of giving them the Kingdom” , did he state “my Father has good pleasure of ONLY giving you early believers the Kingdom"? NO. As Ephesians 4 verses 1 to 4 explains, the blessing of receiving the inheritance is not just for those who first believed, but also for those who believed later on.
Did Jesus want his ONE Flock to stay “Little”? No. He gave the command to expand the flock ( Matthew 28 verses 19 and 20). The Flock which started out as Little was intended to become ONE large flock of Christians sharing ONE hope.
At the time of Christ coming to halt the Tribulation this one flock which is made up of many nationalities would be described in two ways...firstly as "144,000 Jews". We know that very few Jews followed Christ so we clearly see that the signs and symbols describing Christ's followers in their Governing ranks are neither all Jews nor are they limited to a literal 144,000 . It is within the realms of possibility that certain numbers of chosen ones will have special assignments, maybe even 144,000 of them.
We know that Christians who are alive when Christ comes will be changed to having Spiritual bodies but it is not only these 21st Century Christians who will govern the Earth with Christ. The 144,000 also pictures those who will be resurrected in the ONE resurrection assigned to Christians ( also known as The First Resurrection)- that of immortality and a spiritual body. Christ's 21st Century followers are also described in this chapter as a Great crowd which no man can number, surviving the Great Oppression (Revelation 7 ). They have washed their robes white in his blood and therefore have partaken of the Bread from Heaven.
When Jesus saw this holy great crowd who had washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb, did he state that ONLY this great crowd of humans survives the Great tribulation? No. His focus was on highlighting that indeed a great crowd of Christian sheep would also be survivors. He did NOT state that they would be the ONLY survivors of the great tribulation!
The One Flock, One Shepherd design for his followers by Christ has been perverted by teachings of men. At Ephesians 4 verses 4 to 6 we see that Christians all share only ONE hope.
At John 10 verse16 Jesus mentions that his people will become ONE flock. At the time of his speech he certainly was not addressing spirit anointed followers for the spirit anointing would take place nearly two months after his death. Christ was still alive when he spoke to the Jews at John chapter 10. He was talking to an audience consisting entirely of Jews. He stated more than once that his Christian mission during his life was focused on preaching to the Jews. We read at Matthew 10 verses 5 and 6 “These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Although on rare occasions he made an exception to this rule, at Matthew 15 verse 24 he says, “... I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Many years later, the apostle Paul confirms this at Acts 13 verses 44 to 46
There was apartheid present and Jews and gentiles would not have sat together and listened to Christ Jesus speak. The Jews considered gentiles to be UNCLEAN. His audience was Jews only. And his audience consisted of a mixed bag of a few believers, some who were thinking of believing and many others who were opposed with some even seeking to kill him. Read John 10 the whole chapter.
Christ was talking to Jewish believers in Him when he said, “ 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 FLOCK, and one shepherd.” ( John 10 verse 16 ). The pen or fold he was talking of were Christians of Jewish heritage. Was this “pen” or “fold” to become a permanent structure in his one flock isolating the Jews to either a higher status or a permanently separate status to non Jews? No. Christ stated that they would unite into ONE flock.
Peter was entrusted with the keys to the Kingdom – to unlock the hope of not only Jews, but Samaritans and gentiles becoming sons of God......... and as sons they would receive an inheritance. They were not merely slaves or friends of God! Slaves or friends receive no inheritance, but children do!
If Jesus had said openly to the hostile Jews present that they would all unite with gentiles and Samaritans and worship together, those seeking to kill him would have exploded into violence! He used word pictures to covertly state that his Jewish followers were at present self isolating in a pen because of their intolerance of Samaritans and gentiles and that this fold would unite with his ONE International flock of sheep!
Clearly the pen was a temporary pre-existing apartheid structure that Christ did not mandate. Instead of mandating a hierarchical structure of a Little flock within his flock, he determined that this barrier to unity would be demolished. Describing the Jewish apartheid from Gentiles Paul at Ephesians 2 verse 14 says, “for he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.”
Peter who initially opposed Christian unity with gentiles was given a vision and told not to keep calling dirty and defiled the things God hath cleansed! ( Acts 10 verses 9 to 15 ).
Let us examine the ironic situation where the very words of Jesus in John 10 verse 16 which mandate the dissolving of apartheid have been used to create a brand new form of apartheid. An apartheid where Jesus' mandates are ignored and Christ's flock are deprived of their inheritance as God's children and are put under compulsion to disobey a vital command of their master to keep partaking of the bread and wine in remembrance of him (Luke 22 verse 19).
W.E. Vine, the Greek scholar berates translators who incorrectly translate at John10 verse 16. It is totally incorrect to translate the GREEK word for pen (sheep pen) or Fold ( Sheep fold) which is “aulē” as flock. The Greek word for flock is “poimnē ” or “ poimnion”.
Some translators state “And other sheep I have, which are not of this FLOCK: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one FLOCK, and one shepherd. By mistranslating “aulē”(pen) as “flock”, Christ's mandate of One flock has been totally disobeyed by creating two flocks...a flock within a flock.
If the “pen” or “fold” in John 10 verse 16 is indeed a flock, albeit a Little flock, then we have not one flock but two flocks! A flock within a flock. CAN One plus one equal One? No. One plus one is two. You don't need a degree to count to one, two or three!
If a translation correctly renders the word “ aulē” as pen or fold this conveys Christ's mandate of ONE flock. If we then incorrectly interpret Luke 12 verse 32 as applying to an exulted class of Christians and not simply the early Jewish Christians and state that this little flock is the same as the fold at John 10 verse 16 then we have perverted the pen into a separate flock for Luke 12 verse 32 uses the word flock, not pen. Such teachings OPPOSE CHRIST.
Ask yourself. Who would want Christ's mandate of promoting racial unity in his followers to be perverted into class discrimination and class apartheid?
Naturally many questions will come to mind after discovering the true meaning of Christ's statement at John 10 verse 16.
For example... If there is only ONE HOPE we all share then where will we reside? In Heaven or on earth? Is everlasting life synonymous with heavenly life? Surely there will be too many co-rulers with Christ?
A skyscraper of man made teachings are built on a rotten foundation of apartheid, inequality and disobedience to Christ's mandate that we partake of the bread and wine in memory of him. Yes, navigating the ruins after demolishing the foundation can be scary. But we need to lay a solid foundation on which to build. Every time you read the accounts of Christ's earthly life and that of his first century disciples, your eyes will be opened to see the glorious rewards you share right now. For example you may have been taught that you are only a slave or friend of God. As you navigate this site you will discover answers to some of your questions.
Slaves do not stand to inherit, neither do friends. Children inherit. Please see our page on "Your Rights, Rewards and Privileges" to start to grasp how you may have been failing to claim your rightful inheritance by being mind managed into disobedience. You have a Father, therefore you are a Child of God by Grace, by Christ's intervening on your behalf. No one can take that truth away from you!
Whilst Christ has been promised Kingship over Heavenly Creatures as well as those on earth, the main focus of Christ's rule is restoration of the domain of his Kingship. The Earth is that domain. ( Revelation 11 verse 15)
After having endured centuries of Satan's degradation of humans, there will be a need for one to one therapy and care for recovering mankind. We cannot have enough Christians to help in this Priestly work. Our work will be on Earth with mankind. Although we will have perfect Spiritual Bodies with the ability to materialize and eat and drink as did Jesus after his resurrection, we will also have the ability to commune mentally with Christ so that we will all be able to share knowledge and experience and have all our questions answered.
People will certainly discern that there is a huge difference between one who has served God and one who has not when Christ returns. Malachi 3 verse 18. Christians will rule with Christ Epi (on) the Earth. Revelation 5 verses 9 &10.
We will enjoy the best of both worlds so to speak. Billions of Christians will hardly be enough to serve the needs of billions of resurrected ones along with billions who will survive the Greatest Oppression in human history.
Isaiah spoke of Jehovah's CHOSEN ONES building houses they own and growing food ….
And they will certainly build houses and have occupancy; and they will certainly plant vineyards and eat their fruitage. They will not build and someone else have occupancy; they will not plant and someone else do the eating. For like the days of a tree will the days of my people be; and the work of their own hands my chosen ones will use to the full. They will not toil for nothing, nor will they bring to birth for disturbance; because they are the offspring made up of the chosen ones of Jehovah, and their descendants with them.”—Isaiah 65:17-23.
Much like Kings in Africa who care for a small community of villagers we as Christians will be in a position to share the healing from our King and act as Priests to heal those we share the land we have inherited. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.
Jehovah warned the Israelites against having human Kings. Corruption and human weakness always ensue and result in harm to the subjects. That is why Jesus as rightful inheritor of planet Earth does not allow humans to rule over their fellow man.
Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Domain of the King, cannot inherit part of the Earth. Inheriting brings responsibilities of rulership and therapy giving with it. We have to be adopted as brothers and sisters of Christ and receive the instant change ( or resurrected change ) to a new perfect body so that we qualify to care for those who are left over from Satan's Greatest ever Oppression and slaughter of mankind along with those who are raised to life. We are no longer Children of Adam ( Imperfect flesh and blood). We have a new Eternal Father who purchased us with his Blood. Isaiah 9: 6, 7. We also have a Heavenly Father who has adopted us to be brothers and sisters of his Son as well as Children of God. Christ gives us life so in that sense we become like children, as if he has fathered us and therefore brought us to life. The last Adam became a life giving Spirit. We too will be giving life and healing battered and broken mankind. Hopefully many will join us in owning land after they pass the final test.
We do not have to prove ourselves for millenia before passing a final test. That is the hope for those who did not have faith. “Unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.MATTHEW 24:22
The CHOSEN ONES on whose account the Greatest Ever Oppression of Mankind is halted are depicted in Revelation as a Great Crowd of Holy Ones on this earth who come out of the Great Tribulation Alive.
