In this episode, we will discover the end time prophetic implications of Yeshua healing the sick man on the Sabbath, Yeshua declaring himself to be the good shepherd compared to other shepherds who are mere hirelings, and the Parable of the Two Son.

Yeshua Heals a Sick Man on the Sabbath

John 5:1–16, “After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Yeshua went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water. Whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty-eight years. When Yeshua saw him lying there, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he said unto him, ‘Will you be made whole?’ The impotent man answered him, ‘Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.’ Yeshua said unto him, ‘Rise, take up your bed, and walk.’ And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked. And on the same day was the Sabbath. The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, ‘It is the Sabbath day. It is not lawful for you to carry your bed.’ He answered them, ‘He that made me whole, the same said unto me, “Take up your bed, and walk.”’ Then they asked him, ‘Who is the man who said unto you, “Take up your bed, and walk?”’ And he that was healed did not know who it was, for Yeshua had himself conveyed away [slipped away secretly], a multitude being in that place. Afterward Yeshua found him in the temple, and said unto him, ‘Behold, you are made whole. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto you.’ The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Yeshua, which had made him whole. And therefore did the Jews persecute Yeshua, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the Sabbath day.”

Prophetic Points to Analyze

• verse 1— A feast of the Jews
• verse 2— Sheep gate
• verse 2— A pool
• verse 2— Bethesda
• verse 2— Five porches
• verse 3— Lay a great multitude of impotent folk
• verse 5— A certain man
• verse 5— Which had an infirmity thirty-eight years
• verse 6— will you be made whole
• verse 10— The Sabbath day
• verse 13— Yeshua had conveyed himself away [slipped away secretly]
• verse 13— A multitude being in that place
• verse 14— Found him in the temple
• verse 14— You are made whole
• verse 14— Sin no more

Understood allegorically, this story is speaking prophetically of Israel’s future healing from its spiritual sickness (i.e., of sin or Torahlessness). The infirm man received YHVH’s mercy and was healed at the cleansing waters that is a biblical symbol for Spirit and Truth, and where both the Spirit of YHVH and the Truth of Torah were to be found in the Person of Yeshua the Messiah. This all occurred on the seventh day Sabbath, which points to the culmination of the final redemption leading into Millennium or Messianic Age—a one thousand year-long “Sabbath”—that will begin at Yeshua’s second coming. The following is an analysis of the key points in this passage.

verse 1, A feast of the Jews. This event occurred at one of the biblical feasts; the text does not tell us which one.

verse 2, Sheep gate. The location of this event was at the Sheep Gate or Sheep Market in Jerusalem. Interestingly, the Tanakh refers to Israel as being like scattered, sick, and shepherdless sheep who have gone astray. Thus, the location of the story speaks to a greater issue relating to YHVH’s people.

verse 2, Bethesda in Hebrew means “house of mercy.” In Hosea, in reference to the spiritual adulterous house of Israel, YHVH said he would have no mercy (Heb. Lo-Ruchamah) upon her (Hos 1:6), and then later he calls her “Having Obtained Mercy” (Heb. Ruchamah, Hos 2:1; See also Ezek 39:25). This is prophetic of YHVH rejecting his people because of their apostasy and then redeeming them out of their wayward, sinful condition.

verse 2, A pool. Bethesda was a pool (Heb. mikveh) of healing waters that had five steps leading down to it. Christians view the number five as signifying grace, while Jews view it as representing the five books of the Torah. In biblical and Jewish thought, YHVH’s Torah is like water that brings life (e.g., see Deut 32:2). At the same time, Yeshua is the Living Torah-Word of Elohim (John 1:1, 14), and those who drink from this Living Word of Elohim will never thirst (John 4:10–14), but will have eternal life. Thus, this pool located at the Sheep Gate symbolically represents YHVH’s lost and scattered sheep coming back to his Torah and receiving his healing grace through Yeshua the Messiah who is the Word of Elohim. 

verse 3, Blind, lame, withered. Many sick were laid at this pool. The people of Israel are likened to sick sheep spiritually because of their sin and apostasy (Ezek 34:4, 16), who have gone astray and been scattered. We have all sinned and fallen short of YHVH’s glory (Rom 3:23), all we like sheep have gone astray spiritually (Isa 53:6), and despite our best efforts to follow and obey YHVH, our righteousness is still no more than filthy rags (Isa 64:6). Therefore, each of us is blind, miserable, poor and naked in YHVH’s sight, and our Father in heaven is calling us to repent and come back to him (Rev 3:14–22).

verse 3, Moving of the water. “Water”in Hebrew is poetic imagery or a metaphor for both the Torah (e.g., Deut 32:1–2) and for the Spirit of Elohim (Joel 2:23). Water brings healing, cleansing and restoration to those who “bathe” in it and allow it to clean them.

verse 5, Thirty-eight years. A certain man had been there for 38 years waiting to be healed. Interestingly, the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness for an additional 38 years (as a judgment for believing the evil spies’ report) after they had already spent two years camped at Mount Sinai. Similarly, the house of Israel (which eventually became the Christian church) has been wandering in a spiritual wilderness for nearly 3000 years (from the time of Jeroboam) and the house of Judah for a shorter time. We have all been in a spiritual wilderness, and it is time to exit that dry, desolate place (Rev 18:4 cp. 2 Cor 6:17) as we prepare to meet Yeshua at his second coming, so that he can lead us into the spiritual promised land of his eternal kingdom.

verse 6, Do you want to be made whole? It was Yeshua’s wish to heal this man (who represents the whole house of Israel­, that is, both the Jews and the Christians) or to make him whole or restore him to health. The nation of Israel, which was fragmented into the houses of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) and the house of Judah (the Southern Kingdom), is to be made whole or fully restored at the second coming of Yeshua (Ezek 37:11; 39:25). YHVH will have mercy on the whole house of Israel (Ezek 39:25). We need to envision and desire that wholeness and now begin to walk toward it ourselves as redeemed Israelites. It starts with us recognizing that we are sick and need the Master’s healing touch, and then we must, in faith, reach out ot him and let him heal us of our sin sickness.

verse 9, The Sabbath. The man was healed on the Sabbath day. In Jewish thought this is a picture of the Millennium, when the Messiah will rule over a regathered and reunited Israel. The Sabbath is the seventh day of the week on which YHVH Elohim commanded man to rest from his work, even as the Creator rested from his work after creating the heavens and the earth. Similarly, man will exist on this earth doing his work for six prophetic days or 6,000 years, and then the seventh prophetic day or seventh millennium will occur as a time of rest for man and the earth.

verse 13, For Yeshua had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in that place. This speaks prophetically to Yeshua bringing healing and redemption to the broken and lost sheep of the whole house of Israel (both Jews and Christians) or the lost sheep of Israel (Matt 10:6; 15:24) at his first coming, after which he conveyed himself away or ascended to heaven.

verse 14, Finds him in the temple. Yeshua now dwells in the temple of his spiritual body of believers (1 Cor 3:16; 2 Cor 6:16) through the agency of his Set-Apart Spirit, and in the temple of heaven. Then at his second coming, he will touch down on the Mount of Olives and then go suddenly to his temple in Jerusalem (Mal 3:1). This event in Yeshua’s life could be fulfilled in two possible ways. It may be referring to a physical temple that will exist in Jerusalem at Yeshua’s second coming to which he returns. It could also be prophetic reference to the spiritual temple of Yeshua’s saints (1 Cor 3:16; 1 Pet 2:5; Heb 3:6), comprised of regathered, resurrected and glorified Israelites, who will meet him in the air at his second coming. The later will certainly occur, but whether a physical temple will stand in Jerusalem at Yeshua’s coming remains a question in the minds of many of us.

verse 14, You are made whole…sin no more. In declaring this to the man at the pool, Yeshua is, at the same time, prophetically telling the whole house of Israel (that is all of us) to go and sin no more, that is, stop breaking YHVH’s Torah (1 John 3:4). Both houses of Israel (in a very general sense, the Jews and the Christians) are guilty of violating YHVH’s Torah. Repenting of sin and preparing for the kingdom of Elohim was Yeshua’s message at his first coming (Matt 4:17, Yeshua preached, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand…”), and will also be his message to his bride prior to his second coming.

Yeshua Is the Good Shepherd

John 10:1–29, “‘Truly, truly, I say unto you, he that enters not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorman opens; and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. And when he brings forth his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him, for they know not the voice of strangers.’ This parable spoke Yeshua unto them, but they understood not what things they were which he spoke unto them. Then said Yeshua unto them again, ‘Truly, truly, 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. The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.…’”