The Spirit of the Lord showed me a vision, which I believe relates to the teachings of Jesus in Matthew 25:31-46 regarding the 2nd coming and the division of the Lord's flock (the sheep from the goats) and also to the shepherding of the sheep (Ezekiel 34) and the role of the Shepherd John 10. In addition to this, I further believe the vision has a direct correlation with the Joseph anointing (Gen 37-50).

The Good Shepherd and the Sheep (1) The vision began with a picture of a field of pasture. There were many, many sheep and I could see the Lord in the midst of the sheep. He had a staff - a shepherd's crook in his hand - and He was shepherding the sheep and the Spirit reminded me that the Lord was the Good Shepherd and that He loved to tend and care for His flock, for He had laid down His life for the flock. He reminded me that the Lord calls some to be shepherds and ALL to be sheep of his flock. He spoke of the Lord's call to be watchmen to the lost sheep of Israel. He reminded me that the children of Israel are the sheep of His pasture and that He will hold us accountable for their care. He reminded me that there are rewards in Heaven for those who care for the flock, but for those who look after their own interests and do not search for the strays and bind up the broken hearted - for those there will be judgement.

The Return of the Exiles (2) I could see that on either side of this place of pasture there were two gates. One was a very narrow gate and the other very wide. As I watched I could see that there were sheep being added to the flock all the time. More and more sheep were added to those already in the field and I knew that this was a sign of the Jews returning from exile, and the Spirit reminded me that for those who help the exiles return their will be still others who will come to Zion's hill and rejoice with them.

The Watchmen of Jerusalem (3) The Lord spoke and He said "I am the gate for the sheep and whoever enters through Me will be saved; He will come in and go out and find pasture". I saw then that the gate had a padlock and I looked to the Lord for the key. He opened my mind and said "Receive" and the Lord spoke "The watchmen open the gate" and "I have posted watchmen on your walls O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the Earth" and I saw a great multitude and they were weeping and praying upon their knees. Their number I could not count, so great was the gathering here; and they began to cry out to the Lord night and day and I heard them proclaim "Pass through, pass through the gates. Prepare the way for the people".

Prophetic Declaration by the Church/Promised Restoration of Israel (4) I saw that they were watchmen and as I looked on I saw the Lord anoint each one with oil. As each of them was anointed, they began to proclaim prophetically to the Lord the promises from Scripture. I could hear many verses from Isaiah being quoted "Arise, shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord rises upon you"; "comfort ye my people, speak tenderly to Jerusalem and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins", and the Lord then handed me a golden key and I took the key and unlocked the padlock upon the narrow gate. Instantly all heaven began to praise the Lord and this caused the sheep to look up from the pasture and they began to move towards the gate. And I knew that this was the promised restoration of Israel, heralding the 2nd coming of the Lord.

Famine Foretold (5)* The sheep seemed content to feed on the pasture and not to move from the field. However, the Lord wanted the sheep to move. He was directing them towards the narrow gate, but the sheep seemed reluctant to move and kept their heads down as they fed on the rich pasture field. I felt that this was indicative of a season the Church is in at the moment. This is a season of preparation, a season of stockpiling, a season of plenty for the Church but this will not always be the case and times of great famine will come. Times of spiritual famine and an increase in the times of physical famine. The Lord is watching and waiting to see how His bride will respond. He is, even now, making preparations for His children to return to Zion. He is calling the Church to lift up the prophetic mantle.

Division within the Flock (6) As I watched the fields began to turn from a beautiful lush green to a dry and arid barren wasteland. There was no pasture on the field and the sheep began to butt each other and

to push with flank and shoulder and I noticed that the weaker sheep were being beaten back by the stronger ones. I watched the Lord begin to weep and I, too, began to weep. I knew there was a profound significance in this action. I knew that there would come a time when the Lord would judge between His sheep and those who had acted with pride and rebellion in their hearts would be judged as wicked and unrighteous for the Lord loves a humble and a contrite heart and it is His desire that we love Him first and love our neighbor as we love ourselves, showing mercy to those in need.

The Lord Calls His Own (7) The Lord moved from the midst of the sheep and stood by the narrow gate. He beckoned each of His sheep by name, by audibly calling them (and I knew that those sheep that knew His voice would respond). As I watched I noticed that some of the sheep began to respond and went through the narrow gate, and the Lord said again "I am the gate for the sheep", and many more sheep began to go through the narrow gate.

One Flock/One Shepherd (8) There were sheep coming from the north, south, east and west and there were sheep who seemed to be a separate tribe of sheep - for their coats were brown - they too were listening to the Shepherd's call and were entering through the gate and the Spirit spoke, "I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen, I must bring them also. They too will listen to My voice and there shall be one flock and one shepherd". I knew that the first sheep I had seen were the children of Israel [Ephraim and Judah] - and that they were coming from the four corners of the earth, fulfilling prophecy; I knew also that the brown colored sheep represented the Gentile (church) and that the two were becoming one flock under the Good Shepherd.

The Joseph Anointing/Aliens Shepherd the Flock (9)* The Lord raised His shepherd's staff and He called for the shepherds and as I looked on I could see many shepherds appear and they began to care for the flock. They brought food and water; they provided shelter for the flock; they tended those who had thorns in their flesh and those who had been trampled upon. Some were sent out of the pasture field to search for the sheep that had strayed to bring them back in through the gate. The Lord Himself was instructing the shepherds and showing them how to take care of the flock. One again I saw the Lord anoint His servants and I saw the Spirit come upon each one of them. The flock were not treated harshly or brutally, they were treated with mercy and love and compassion, the sick and the injured were all cared for. All this time many were being added to the number of the flock.

The Lord Breaks the Yoke (10) I noticed that there were now many goats amongst the herd, (where previously I had seen only sheep). The goats were heading towards the broad gate. The goats were stumbling around and seemed very lost. I noticed that the goats were very aggressive towards one another and particularly towards any sheep they encountered. I saw goats surrounding stray sheep and attack them, placing yokes upon their necks, and blindfolds over their eyes, but the shepherds quickly found the lost sheep and brought them to a place of safety and the Lord Himself broke the yoke upon the necks of the sheep who had been held captive, and removed the blindfolds from their eyes.

Blind Through Judgement (11) I noticed that the goats were now completely blind, having once been able to see although they were able to hear, for when the Lord beckoned them they paused a moment (indicating they could hear), but then they moved towards the broad gate. I knew that the blindness was caused by disbelief, lack of understanding and unrighteous thinking/actions. I looked across to the broad gate where the goats were entering and I saw that it was getting narrower and narrower and that this was a sign of the end of the age approaching The Unrighteous Shepherds (12) I saw that the goats also had shepherds, but that these shepherds slept whilst the flock perished, and when they were not sleeping they fed themselves to the point of gluttony. The shepherds of the goats stoned the flock and treated them very harshly and cruelly. The shepherds quarreled and grumbled amongst themselves, slandering the good shepherds, hurling insults and abuse at them. I could see them throw stones with the words 'jealousy' and 'division' upon them.

The 2nd Coming (13) And I saw a great and glorious host appear in the heavens and I heard this proclamation "worthy, worthy, worthy is the Lamb to receive honor and power, praise and glory, forever and ever amen". And all of the shepherds and the sheep bowed down as the Lamb of God rose up from His place in the field, resplendent on a golden throne and I was reminded of the shepherds 2000 years ago who were tending their flocks when the Lord's birth was heralded by angels and they were surrounded by His glory.

The Valley of Jehoshaphat (14) The field had now become a valley and I saw that there were millions gathered in this place and I saw the one who sits on the throne forever and ever. He was holding a Rod and I knew that this was judgement day and I saw every nation and every tribe represented in this gathering. And I saw the Lord with His eyes blazing like fire and His garments shining like diamonds and He began

to divide the sheep from the goats as they appeared before Him. And I noticed that each of the flock had a human face and I saw the sheep on His right hand and the goats to His left. I saw great joy on the faces of the sheep, but great distress on the faces of the goats.

The Reward of the Righteous (15) And the Lord bestowed upon each of the sheep a crown of splendor from His hand. And I heard the word of the Lord "Many who are first will be last and many who are last will be first. Come, you who are blessed by My Father, take up your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. Your righteous acts I will reward, your tenderness to the least of these little ones I will repay".

Judgement of the Unrighteous (16) And I heard the word of the Lord "Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves, for I shall hold them accountable for My flock. For you scattered My flock and drove them away and you have not bestowed care on them. I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done". Suddenly an angel appeared and a trumpet was sounded. The Lord was now seated in majesty upon a cloud and there were thunderbolts and flashes of lightning coming from the place where He was enthroned. The place where the goats were gathered was locked tight and darkness fell over this place.

The place where the sheep were gathered was transfigured by Light and I saw each of the sheep take on a human form and they were raptured before my very eyes, ascending to the heavenly places to be with the Father and with the Lamb forever and ever. Amen

* See separate paper on "The Joseph Anointing"

Is 60:1-3 "Arise, shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, But the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn"

Catherine Brown