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“And I have other sheep which are not of this fold: those also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one flock, one Shepherd” (John 10:16 JND).
A fold was an enclosure made of stones, high enough to keep out predators such as wolves and bears. It is a picture of the Jews, who were in that fold. But the Lord had other sheep also—the Gentiles, and He wanted to bring them too, and have them hear His voice. Now both Jews and Gentiles can be part of the church, all together, instead of being separated from each other. The Jews were not allowed to mix with the Gentiles in the Old Testament, but now God wants both Jews and Gentiles in the church.
Now there is no longer a fold with a wall around it, but rather “one flock, and one Shepherd.” The Shepherd is there now to lead, guide, and protect us. We gather around Him, instead of being in a fold—an enclosure. We do not need the wall of the fold to protect us, for as long as we are with the Shepherd, He keeps us safe.
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