The Bible frequently mentions a sheepfold, and no doubt people of those days understood exactly what that meant. But that was long ago and far away, do we really know today what a sheepfold looked like? According to descriptions I have read, there were several kinds. There were temporary sheepfolds with walls or fences of bramble bushes to keep wild animals out at night while the sheep were sleeping. Some were more permanent, built of rock walls, topped with bramble bushes; sometimes a cave was used with an enclosure built in front made of stones and brambles. Then there were the winter sheepfolds, built with stone walls and having a roof over the back part. In front there was a stonewalled enclosure, topped with thorns and brambles, where the sheep could sleep in milder weather.

For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment. (Ezekiel 34:11-17)

Here in Ezekiel, God speaks of His desire to gather all his scattered sheep together into one fold. The scattered sheep were the children of Israel who had been scattered far and wide due to the faithless shepherds and the predations of foreign armies.

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. (John 10:16)

Here Jesus expresses the same desire to gather His sheep together into one fold. Who are the sheep that Jesus wants to gather? The apostle Paul explains that a transition occurred in the New Testament era. The true Jews are no longer the natural descendents of Israel, but the people who are heirs by faith.

For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all. (Romans 4:13-16)

For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. (Romans 2:28-29).

When Jesus sent the seventy disciples out to the “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6), he was sending them to announce to the Jews that the old dispensation was coming to an end. Messiah had come and was beginning to gather his sheep into a new sheepfold.

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

There is much beautiful imagery here. Jesus is the door of the sheepfold: this refers to the practice of shepherds to sleep in the entry of the sheepfold to be able to detect the approach of predators. It also means that he allows only his own sheep into the sheepfold. The sheepfold is a refuge, a place of safety, and the shepherd leads his flock to find true nourishment and refreshing water.

All of this leads me to the conclusion that in our day the lost sheep of the house of Israel are born again people, heirs if the faith of Abraham, the family of the true spiritual Israel, whoa are wandering the mountains as sheep without a shepherd. They are prey to predators, to diseases, to malnourishment, and many of them may not even know of the true sheepfold where the Shepherd would love to protect and nourish them.

I believe that it is still our Lord’s desire to send his disciples out to draw these scattered sheep to the fold. It won’t be easy. Many of them have been wounded by circumstances in the churches and religious movements of the world. They are fearful and suspicious. Perhaps they have been infected with false doctrines that appeal to the mind, but do not produce the peaceful fruit of righteousness. But still, they are our Master’s sheep and he loves them.