The Lost Sheep of the House of Israel

Jesus gave an interesting commission when His disciples were given on the job training to do what He was doing and teach what He was teaching.

In Matthew chapter 10, they were commanded to go and preach as Jesus had done back in Matthew 4, but Jesus limited their audience.

Matthew chapter 10

5 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:

6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Jesus commanded they avoid the Gentiles and avoid the neighboring Samaritans, instead they should go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Why?

God follows an order. The same reason God had to allow Adam to die is the same reason God had to send the house of Jacob into captivity.

It is also the same reason why Jesus sent His disciples only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The children of Israel have a job to do, administer God’s Word, God’s Kingdom, God’s Glory to the sons of Adam.

The order that the house of Jacob became the firstborn into God’s family is the very reason why Jesus came to His own, and sent His own to His own.