Messianic Viewpoint

Guest (Male): Welcome to Shalom Mariel and to the second part of our seventh sermon in the book of Revelation with Messianic leader Jacques Isaac Gabizon. Today we will hear great things about the Lord. He is creator and owner of the Ecclesia. He is the one who sustains and builds the church. He is the long suffering one who stands at the door and knocks. He is the one who feeds us the eternal bread. He is the manna. He is the one who blots out our transgressions. He is the one who acquits us and will eat in fellowship with us.

He is the one who teaches us truth and empowers us so that we may have the name Antipass. Yes, Antipass, the one who fights the world and defends the name of God. We too want to be called a faithful witness of God that we might with our mouths and with our actions glorify the ever living God, the great I am. Stay tuned to the study in Revelation with Messianic leader Jacques Isaac Gabizon and Shalom Shalom.

Jacques Isaac Gabizon: Now last time we spoke about Balaam, but there's something else about him we ought to grasp and then we'll understand something deep about the church. Have you ever wondered why Yeshua chose Balaam among so many others in the scriptures to describe the fall of this church? Why Balaam? We learned something important by the choice of this man. Within we see a unique classic strategy of the evil one. See I want to tell you Balaam stands unique in the history of Israel. In Numbers chapter 22 to 24 this man at the beginning is portrayed as a fairly good prophet.

He knows God. There's really nothing in him that one would recognize as being evil. Some rabbis you know that still love him and find excuses for his actions. But this man is very much like the New Testament Judas Iscariot. Both knew God, both began well and were partaker of the Holy Spirit. Both tasted the good things of God and both ended up spewing out all the blessings of the Lord and turned against God, working against him. By their action they turned out to be representative of evil. This is how evil enters when the leaders of the congregation begin to tolerate evil in their midst.

Because of Balaam's dark schemes you know that 24,000 people died in Israel. More on this point with the next church Thyatira, for it does not get better. And see how Jesus speaks of the presence of Satan here in Pergamum. Twice he mentioned his name twice. First at the beginning where he says I know your works and where you dwell, where Satan's throne is. But where is this place where Satan's throne is? We know that the Bible speaks of him as the god of this age, as the prince and power of the air. The Bible says that the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.

He made his throne in this world wherever he is welcomed he makes his throne or wherever believers stop fighting. In the same verse Jesus says that this is where Satan's throne dwells. The word dwell by the way is to reside, to settle down and in secular Greek this word also describes one who colonized a city or colonizes people, a fitting description of his presence. Here Jesus alerts us of his presence and his works through false teachings like Balaam and soul serving leaders like the Nicolaitans. But Jesus speaks of unveiling this this fallen angel and reveals some startling things about his workings in the church.

Now see the progression of the five mentions of his name within the churches. First as we have just seen since he knows that he cannot wipe out the true congregation of God, he imitates them by forming his own synagogues. From there Satan persecutes the remnants by using corrupt civil and religious authorities like it was with Israel and like it was in history of the church. In 2:10 we read the devil is about to throw some of you in prison, which he did at the beginning and throughout the last 2,000 years history and he often did it through the nominal church and Christian cults as we will see later.

It is with Pergamos that he reestablishes his throne and where he redirects his spread of the leaven. Established thrones means that he succeeded to be well anchored and he did this by subtlety. And then with Thyatira he's so much part of the whole that we read of these words, the deep things of Satan, he says. What are the deep things of Satan? The word deep speaks of what is thick, strong, even violent. For from this word bathos in Greek, the word abyssos which describes the bottomless pit, the abyss. It is not a light thing to accept Balaam or Jezebel or Nicolaitans in the midst of a congregation of God.

But this word can be turned positive for us for it is in contrast to what the Bible says the deep things of God. See what they chose instead of being those believers. We read in 1 Corinthians 2 9 and 10. I want to read you these things because it's beautiful. It will encourage you to even go deeper into the study of the word. Says as it is written, eye has not seen nor ear heard nor have entered into the heart of men the things which God has prepared for those who love him, but God has revealed them to us through his for the spirit searches all things yet what?

The deep things of God. What we learn here in this verse is that the spirit is always ready to reveal to us the great things from the word of God, things that he calls the deep things of God. And let me ask you can a man born blind conceive in his mind all the varieties of properties of color merely by hearing about them? He cannot simply because simply he lacks the capacity of seeing them. It would be equally foolish for us to reject the existence, the reality of that which is mysterious to us, but which has been revealed to us by God.

The revelation he is so ready to reveal whoever goes to him. And this is again available to all. If you faithfully read your Bible, you will experience the deep things of God and this is among the utmost experience a believer can have. The Bible I want to tell you is not a sealed book. Faith, discipline, prayer will unlock it for you. This is then the story here. When trying to stop the growth of the congregation of God and not succeeding, the evil joins them by planting his own congregation, his own throne and then takes over and in there he teaches his deep things.

And from there we read already in 2 Corinthians 11:4 that he dispatches his own ministers with a new Jesus, a new spirit which they transform into the image of this world. And with a new gospel to fit all this together which the Bible calls doctrines of demons. It is all an imitation and get used to this when we read in the book of Revelation for we will see a copy after a copy of what is godly, counterfeit and forgery of one after the other especially when we go to meet the Antichrist. Now have you ever wondered why evil needs to imitate?

It needs to imitate because it cannot stand by itself. It cannot exist independently from what is good. Evil is a corruption of what is good. It will always need to pick and copy from what is good. It will always exist with the memory of what is good. However, goodness does not need evil at all because it is original. It will eventually live free from evil. There's no sin in heaven by the way. This is why we are told that God will not remember our sins anymore. Isn't that beautiful? In Isaiah 43 he says I even I am he who blots out your transgression for my own sake.

I will not remember your sins. The Lord can do that because there was a time when evil did not exist at all. And this time is coming soon when evil will be completely wiped out in the eternal state. This is why we see so many counterfeits. Evil needs to feed from what is good and holy for it cannot create a separate entity. But we cannot leave Pergamos without speaking about whom? Antipass, whom Jesus mentions with such great affection. Who is this man by the way? Look at 2:13. Says you did not deny my faith even in the days in which Antipass was my faithful witness who was killed among you where Satan dwells.

Like it is with Balaam, Jezebel, Nicolaitans, we don't know of anyone in history whose name is Antipass and who belong to this congregation, but we can figure out who he is by the meaning of his name which is made up of two words, anti which means against and the word pass which means all, everyone, everything. Antipass was perhaps one individual in this church who held on the deep things of God by resisting the influence of the majority of the invaders. Antipass is very much like all believers in this world who fight the counter current by holding and defending the name of God.

Yeshua is so impressed by the way by you if you're like an Antipass. And he calls them my faithful witness. Antipass was like Joseph who in the midst of the idols in Egypt never fainted, never gave way to the seduction of this world. He was there all the time. Joseph was there. Antipass was like Daniel who in the midst of Babylon with all its riches and might and so on never gave way to anything evil. And he also was mightily used by God. This is the type of witnesses Yeshua is seeking, those who don't compromise but with love live like and look like so much like their savior.

After all this description we have just seen when in history can we place the church of Pergamum? Yes, it always existed, this church, right? But there was one place in history where it seems to be representing the whole church and like a mustard seed it grew very largely if you want. And it grew very early on. We can see it taking full form less than 300 years after Jesus with whom? The Roman emperor Constantine the Great. It was with Constantine that perhaps the most terrible and destructive event in the history of the church occurred. What happened then?

Constantine had a vision where he saw a fire and heard a voice saying in this sign conquer. What sign did he see? It seems to be the cross, the sign of the people he was persecuting. Therefore he understood that the God of the Christian was calling him to be the head of the Christian religion. Furthermore, he understood that if he obeyed the voice he would be a victor over his enemies and become emperor of the world. He went on to in the next words. He was so inspired and affected by his vision and by this voice that he forcefully converted all the Roman empire into Christianity.

Everyone became Christians. The evil one is very clever. The tares were then planted in the kingdom of heaven and considered all to be believers. Constantine had no idea about who Christ was or what faith meant like the Pharisees who took and now take on themselves to decide who is Jewish and who is not. Constantine decided who is a Christian and who is not a Christian. Religion has married the world and since then it is hard to make a distinction of who is a true Christian and who is not. From this point on one did not become a Christian by faith but by belonging by birth, something that goes entirely contrary to the teaching of the scriptures.

From this point on you did not need faith to go to heaven. All you need to adopt is a system of religion. This man Constantine could be seen as having completed the work of the Nicolaitans from first being refused by the church of Ephesus that they were tolerated in Pergamum and they became the head of the church. This point of the history of the church is important for anyone to understand the flow of the visible church and to make sure he or she does not belong to the side of the church that houses the tares which began with Balaam, Jezebel and then Constantine.

How did Christianity adopt Constantine and which Christian denomination kept his torch lit? We will see a little later on after we consider Pergamum's sisters Thyatira and Sardis. For they all covered the darkest ages of the history of the church. Let's move on to Thyatira. Do you know that at the beginning you know some rejected the book of Revelation because they could not find any history or any church in Thyatira. This reminds us of this man who was looking for his keys around the street light until someone came to him and said why are you looking only in here?

He says because here I can see. But what about a little further? It's not because one cannot see that it it's not there. We cannot decide the truth only by the limits of our understanding. Now it is hard to figure out what Thyatira meant to the people of this city since there's no much left of it. But we can see that this Greek word is composed of two words. The first is theia, describes a sacrifice even a burnt offering or an offering of incense, prayers. However, the second looks much like the word stera which means barren and fertile.

We get our word sterile ourselves from there. Together the word means barren offering, barren prayers which fits well the evolution of this church. The corresponding parable for this church is the one about leaven. Leaven like those influential doctrines found in Thyatira. Leaven begins small and grows to great proportions. The parable is found in Matthew 13. Look what it says. The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all big, leavened. The main person in Thyatira was who? The woman Jezebel. We have begun to speak about her, but there is so much behind this evil representative in the churches.

As we have seen she introduced foreign gods in Israel and attempted to kill all the prophets of God among whom Elijah. Jezebel was skillful in the art of mixing. She ended took to unite the religion of Israel and that of the Phoenicians. What she did to Israel then she now does to the church. And it is at this very time of the church of Thyatira that a whole new sets of doctrines were introduced in the church. As these doctrine changed form and identity from the original biblical teachings, their persistence to invade the congregation of God continued to grow up to today.

We'll again look at this next studies. And furthermore, it is with this church Thyatira that we will see the prophecies of the end time beginning to emerge and prepare us for the next chapters beginning in chapter four. It is here where we hear of the great tribulation. Yeshua speaks to those who adopted the role of Jezebel and says to them in chapter 222 indeed I will cast her into a sick bed. And those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation unless they repent of their deeds. The great tribulation is in reference to the seven year tribulation spoken of by Daniel and explained later in the book through the seven seals, the seven trumpets and the seven vials.

It is a time of trial that will come upon the whole world as Jesus explains it in the church of Philadelphia. And he says to the church of Philadelphia that's the good church. 3:10 he says because you have kept my commandment I will keep you out. Out. That's the rapture. Out of the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on earth. Those who dwell on earth get used to that term is coming back so many times to describe these people who adopt the things of this earth. Furthermore, to Thyatira Jesus speaks of a bed of sickness, right?

Sick bed. And the this idea is brought back at the end especially in Revelation 17 and 18 where the world is seen committing adultery and fornication with the prostitute itself which symbolizes the whole false religion system. For instance, we read that just quote you Revelation 17 2 it says the king of the earth committed fornication and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk by the wine of her fornication. We will see that at the end Thyatira along with Pergamum, along with Sardis and along with Laodicea will constitute the last form of the visible Christianity and it is not a nice picture at all.

Her name is by the way. Her name matches well her personality and what she'd doing and will be doing. Jezebel in Hebrew okay could be read first from the word E could be cut out. E which is translated in Isaiah and Jeremiah as a night demon or a dead spirit pointing to those evil spirits which roam in the wilderness. And the word zebul which means habitation or dwelling together it means the dwelling of evil spirit. This is how it could be understood. It reminds us of Baal Zebul, the Lord of the flies, the Lord of the earth and another name for Satan.

And see what else he spoke of concerning this church. He says I will kill her children with pestilence. And all the churches shall know that I am he who searches the minds and the hearts. The word pestilence in Greek is It really means death by the way. It really reads I will kill her children with death. But this word means more more than death. At the time it was used for what we know today as diseases, plagues, viruses. The same word is used in the Septuagint to translate the word deber which designates the plagues or pestilence in the Old Testament.

The word comes back and speaks of pestilences that will come over this world during the seven year period, plagues or viruses that this world has never seen before, the Bible says. I'm starting to believe that what we're experiencing today with the COVID-19 is a warning from God. It comes at a time where so many events point to the soon coming of his son. And this virus speaks loudly about science's inability to master just that one virus. Imagine there are many of them at the same time. The message is look unto me, God says. Look to God for salvation.

No one can save this world but God. The more we will get into this book the more we will see how prophecies meet us today. Let me briefly introduce the third church Sardis where I haven't much time. To this church Jesus does not spare his words by the way. While he doesn't say much to it, see what he says. Revelation 3 1 and to the angel of the church of Sardis I write these things says he who has the seven spirits and the seven stars. I know your works, that you have a name and that you are alive, but what?

You are dead. She had she had a good name and has much work and has a respectful name, but Yeshua says you are lifeless. Later he says to her remember therefore where you have received and heard. Remember me, says Yeshua. I'm the one who built that church, right? Do you remember who I am? Do you remember how excited you were when you first met me? And so they forgot. No wonder after tolerating the teaching of Balaam and allowing the prophetess Jezebel to rule death was sure to follow. What does the name Sardis mean? It really depends if you are in the world or in God's kingdom.

For those one in the world Sardis remind them of Sardinos or Sardion which is actually a beautiful red ruby. And I remember as being a gemologist one of the hardest things is to recognize a true ruby from a false one. We can read the word Sardian as describing also a plant from Sardina which cause and listen to this spermatic laughing. And from this came the word Sadonios meaning bitter and scornful like people who make fun of other things. Sadismos also means a mixture of dialects as when a bunch of people speak together together different things and we don't know what they're saying.

It is all confusion and mockery of the word of God. It depends how you see it. But how are these three churches Pergamos, Thyatira and Sardis represented in history? Who represented them for the last 2,000 years or so? We will look into these things next week and we see as we see the history of the visible church from a biblical perspective and also from a Jewish perspective. To close I really don't want to leave you at Pergamos nor at Thyatira nor at Sardis. Even though we physically are in a troubled world full of turmoil, let us remember that we are citizens of whom?

Of heaven. We are on our journey. It's a short journey by the way. All the men of God told us, right? Short tower our heavenly abode. Since the beginning of Revelation by the way we have seen Yeshua appear in different ways depending on who he's speaking to. And similarly God also appears differently throughout the Bible. It was one rabbi in the Persicta, the rabbi Kahan who counted actually and very cleverly he counted seven different garments with which God was clothed, garment which speak actually to each one of us. Let me tell you about them. The first one when he created the world he put on the glory and majesty as it is said in someone who for thou art clothed with splendor and majesty.

And when he appeared over the Red Sea he says he put on haughtiness as it is said the Lord reigns. He's clothed with haughtiness. The word is meaning great granter. When he gave the Torah that's the third one he put on strengths as it is said the Lord puts on strength for the sake of his people. Psalm 29. When he forgives the iniquity of Israel he put on a white garment as it is said his raiment was as white as snow. Daniel 7. When he pays back the people of the world he will put on the garments of vengeance as it is said.

And he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing. Isaiah 59. And when the Messiah appears God will put on the sixth garment. He will be clothed in righteousness as it is said he put on righteousness at a court of mail and a helmet of salvation upon his head. Isaiah 59 and when he acquits Edom. Edom is a title given to all enemies of Israel. He would put on the seventh garment. He will put on a red apparel as it is said wherefore is your apparel red? Isaiah 63 2. Amen. Let's bow our head in prayer.

Father, we thank you for for your word and we thank you for being our great shepherd. We thank you for leading us, loving us and giving up your son, the Messiah, so that we might be restored to an intimate everlasting fellowship with you, our creator. We have seen through these great words of Yeshua in Revelation how much you care for us and how you desire that each of us stays in the eternal path. Teach us to respond to to the presence of your Holy Spirit with whom we are sealed. Teach us to make ourselves ready for his guidance.

And especially Lord teach us to love you, when he acquits Edom. Edom is a title given to all enemies of Israel. He would put on the seventh garment. He will put on a red apparel as it is said wherefore is your apparel red? Isaiah 63 2. Amen. Let bow our head in prayer. Father, we thank you for for your word and we thank you for being our great shepherd. We thank you for leading us, loving us and giving up your son, the Messiah, so that we might be restored to an intimate everlasting fellowship with you, our creator.

We have seen through these great words of Yeshua in Revelation how much you care for us and how you desire that each of us stays in the eternal path. Teach us to respond to to the presence of your Holy Spirit with whom we are sealed. Teach us to make ourselves ready for his guidance. And especially Lord teach us to love you, to love one another so that we might become examples of your glory to others. I pray that the name above all names and to the congregation the Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen and amen.

Guest (Male): Shalom Mariel is a daily radio program emphasizing the Jewish perspective of scripture. God is not through dealing with Israel nor will he renege any of the promises he has made to her. Our teacher for this program, Jacques Isaac Gabizon, is a Messianic Jewish believer and Messianic leader at Beth Ariel congregation right here in Montreal. If you've been encouraged by the messages, we'd love to hear from you. Give us a call at 1 888 685 5902 or you may write us at info at Beth Ariel b e t h a r i e l all one word dot c a.

You are also welcome to join us for our Saturday morning services. We are located at 6297 Monkland Boulevard, corner of Madison in NDG. The message is given in English, but we do offer simultaneous translation into French and Russian. Services begin at 11 a.m. We have Shabbat school for children of all ages up to and including teens. You may also download audio messages from our website at Beth Ariel dot c a and enjoy other in-depth teaching from Jacques Isaac. If you would like to sign up for informative newsletters, log on to our website and add your name to our email list.

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