Messianic Viewpoint

Guest (Male): Welcome to Shalom Ariel with Messianic leader, Jacques Isaac Gabizon, as we are going through the book of Revelation. Some of us ask, is heaven real? It is as real as our desire is to be holy. It's a place where we lay up our treasures. It is a place where no moth or rust will destroy. The greater our faith is, the clearer the door to heaven looks, where that which was unseen will come into full view. It is a place where love will abide forever. Heaven is not so far away that we cannot hear the voices of angels singing because God has put eternity in our hearts.

That's how close heaven is. Though heaven is the dwelling and ruling place of the great I am, our great God will also dwell and reign in a pure heart. So let us stand close by the side of God, washed by the presence of his holiness as he draws for us day by day an even clearer blueprint of the reality of heaven. Is the door still open to heaven? Yes, it is. The door is opened. Come. He invites you in to quench your thirst and satisfy your desire for blessing and truth. So stay tuned for the message from the book of Revelation with Messianic leader, Jacques Isaac Gabizon.

Shalom. Shalom.

Jacques Isaac Gabizon: This is the first time the word lamb is mentioned. God has asked Abraham to sacrifice his own son as an illustration of what he was about to do when he sent his own son, as we read in Proverbs 30, that God has a son, yes. Here the word lamb is first time associated with Isaac and Mount Moriah, where the Messiah was to be crucified. And furthermore, do you know the second time the word lamb is mentioned in the Bible after this point? In Exodus 12, as the Passover lamb. This is when God asked the Israelites to take one lamb to sacrifice and puts the blood on the door posts and the lintel of their doors for protection.

After this time, the memory of the lamb was constant in Israel in the temple three times a day through the feast of Passover every year, through the prophecies until we reach Revelation five. I find it fascinating to see how the lamb speaks to us from Isaac to the Passover throughout the Hebrew scriptures to Yeshua here. This must have been what this elder wanted John to see, that sacrificed lamb whom he knew so well, John knew so well in his gospel, is now standing and that Israel has never been forgotten. And it's wonderful to see this miracle of seeing a lion turn around, you see a lamb as well.

The title of this study asks a question. The lion or the lamb? Which do you choose? Maybe you want the lion. So it's nice right to have a lion, but you cannot have a friendly lion and accept him before you accept him as the lamb first. And considering all these symbols, have you ever had difficulties in making yourself understood by a young child? Have you been confronted with question like what does God look like? Or why would the people die? Or why do I have two eyes when I see only one thing? Or like this child who once asked his mother, how do you know that I'm real and not just a dream of someone else, right?

It can be quite a problem, right? The difference between our mental capacity and that of a child is not as great as the difference between the mental ability of God, the creator, and us, his creature. What method did God use to communicate with man? Did he send a great cataclysm of nature to all us into submission? No, you know what he did? He sent a little baby to be born in Bethlehem who was to become the Passover lamb, who is also the lion of Judah. This is who the God of the Bible is. He came down as a lamb, not a little lion yet, but not any lamb, an onion, a young lamb.

And this very motive of the onion is found in the other prophecies that the elder brought. Let us consider the lion from the tribe of Judah. What can we pull from it? The lion is taken from Jacob's prophecy where God promises that the true king of Israel will be from the tribe of Judah and indeed Yeshua is from Judah. This is from Genesis 49:9 and even there the Messiah is also spoken of as a cub, a cub, a young lion. This is what it reads. Judah is a lion's cub from the prey my son you have gone.

He bows down, he lies down as a lion and as a lion who shall rouse him. Did you notice that the lion's mentioned three times, but in different stages of his life as if to tell us that the Messiah was going to come down on earth and live like a man. The first mention is a young lion. Judah's is a lion's cub for Yeshua was born in Bethlehem and grew up like other children in Nazareth. And young lions, the word is gore in Hebrew, are easy prey which cannot defend themselves. So was the Messiah when he first came.

But I want to tell you also something else beautiful. The word gore in Hebrew also means a stranger. So was the Messiah young, defenseless and a stranger in his own home. The second mention is a lion in its adult stage in full force. Here he lies down as a lion. is the Hebrew word from where we get the our word by the way, our name Ariel. This reminds us of his life and ministry on earth. The third mention of lion brings us up to the second coming and describes one who seems to have reached full maturity.

Labi. The word designates a great, a powerful lion. The word actually comes from the word to roar, to roar. In later Aramaic rabbinic literature, it was used to describe a colorful flame to show the power behind this word. Perhaps we can see the three ministries of the Messiah here also. That of prophet when he comes to die, you like a young defenseless gore, lion cub. That of priest when he resurrects like the area, aria. And then once he sat down at the right hand of God, that of king of kings as the labi. This is perhaps what the elder in heaven must have seen at first.

And see now what Jacob says at the end of the prophecy. Who shall rouse him? That's a warning, I guess. Who at his second coming can face the Messiah? The word to rouse is actually to rise also. It means to comb in Hebrew, gives the impression of a resting lion and ask, can you go and disturb that lion? You can disturb a lamb, but you can't disturb a lion. And there's something else in this prophecy which links it to the onion, the lamb. When Jacob said Judah is a lion's whelp from the prey my son, you have gone up.

The word for prey in Hebrew also means a green leaf, a leaf newly plucked or like a shoot, a bud or a small branch like the one the dove actually brought to Noah. It's the same word. This is how the rabbis who translated the Hebrew to Greek in the Septuagint translated it this part like this. It says from being a small branch, my son, you have gone up. You have gone up. This is where the motive of the onion is. And we really see it also in the next prophecy that the elder brings about. Isaiah 11:1 the root of David.

The Greek word for root used by the elders is the same that the Septuagint used for both words here, stem and roots in there. There shall come forth a rod from the stem of Jesse and a branch shall grow out of his roots. What this prophecy tells us is that the Messiah will come. The line of the king's family in Israel will be like a stem and a branch. This is what it was when Jesus was there and he was from the tribe of Judah. I want to tell you something, all these things, the Passover lamb, the lion from the tribe, the root of David are in reference to what the elder drew from the Hebrew scriptures to explain to John what that Yeshua has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals, reminding John that Yeshua has not yet finished his ministry to Israel and that Israel herself has not reached her full potential and fulfillment as well.

Genesis, Exodus and Isaiah are not the only reference we find in the passage of Revelation five. For us, it is good to look at other major references which will shed light in the content of the scroll. We can see two others. It must begin. We must see it by the way with Daniel who all already saw a scroll, maybe the same scroll. Look at Daniel 12:4 what the Archangel Michael tells him. He says, but you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the scroll, the scroll until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall increase.

Daniel was asked to seal the word of the scroll and the time of the end where John now brings to us right now. In one verse, by the way, I remember reading Ibn Ezra who wrote on this passage, seal the book so that none but the worthy should be able to see it. There it is, the worthy, the lamb of God is about to see it. And furthermore, the context is the same as that of Revelation one. In this 12th chapter of Daniel brings us right to the time of the tribulation that we read and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even at that time.

And at that time, your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found and written in the book. You know that Jesus also quotes that passage in Matthew 24:21. It is the same context. And there's yet another important connection I want to bring to you before we go further, that of Ezekiel. Ezekiel. He is also in the very same context of John. It was right after Ezekiel had was taken to heaven in chapter one, if you remember, to witness perhaps the very same scene. And there he also saw the rainbow. He saw the sea of glass.

And as soon as he came back to earth, he was given a scroll as well. And you know that the scroll was also written in the front and in the back. Ezekiel 2 9 to 10 says, and I looked and behold a hand was extended to me and lo a scroll was in it. When he spread it out before me, it was written in the front and the back and written on it were lamentation, mourning and woes. This is what we'll see in the one in Revelation. It was in the same scroll, this scroll that Ezekiel had for actually the judgment on Israel and the judgment on the nation just like what we're going to see in Revelation.

Chapter 4 to 24 in Ezekiel's judgment on Israel and the rest 25 to 32 on the nation. But John and Ezekiel were giving this vision of heaven and right after both were called to reveal the judgment contained in their respective scrolls. By the way, do you know why we I make it a point to navigate the scriptures to find these correlations? It is a safeguard for us, especially in this book of Revelation. For the Bible, I want to tell you, interprets itself. That means that different parts of the Greek puzzle are needed in order to provide a fuller explanation.

And since we are in a strange and difficult terrain, we want to make sure that we are on the right track following the whole context of the scriptures. So so far, we found correlation in Ezekiel, Daniel, Isaiah, especially in the book of Exodus and Genesis with the Passover lamb. Back now to the text. You want to see something beautiful? See verse six. See now how the lamb's perfection is described. And this is great, by the way. It says that he has seven horns, seven eyes and the seven spirits of God. We can see Yeshua three great divine attributes here.

The seven horns will speak of his omnipotence. Horns symbolize power and also protection for us. David spoke of God as the horn of my salvation. He was perhaps referring to this law when a man is falsely accused in the Mosaic law. So if he was falsely accused, he could go and run to the altar of sacrifice and hold on to one of its four horns and there no one could actually touch him. The seven eyes direct us to see his omniscience. This means that he knows us and so intimately for not only does he see all our needs, blessing us beyond what we can imagine.

This is what he does. The seven spirits of God speaks of his omnipresence. Omnipresence being present with each one, each and everyone of us since we are sealed with the Do you remember how the same spirit is described in Zechariah, by the way, and how he blesses the people under him? Let me bring you there because Zechariah also had the same vision. There he saw a lampstand and a bowl on top of it with 49 pipes, seven pipes feeding each of the branches of the menorah. But he realized that they were fed with and he was surprised.

They were fed with oil of gold. This is what he saw. This is what God has for us. Zechariah 4:12 he literally says, where are these two olive branch that drip gold into the pipes from which the golden oil drain? The oil is seen as gold, so precious, so pure. It's like the presence of the Those gentle calls and his teaching which he pours on our minds when we abide in him. This I believe is the refining gold Jesus wants us to buy from him, right? Which is the spirit he's willing to give us. And there's something else which enhances the abundance of the blessing.

See the word branches in Zechariah 4:12. The Hebrew is not really branches. It goes beyond. It is the word which means an ear of grain, ear of grain. This is the part which is at the top of the wheat plant which carries the seed. However, here the translator used the word branch perhaps because it does not make sense to have an ear of grain in an olive tree. But the idea is of richness, of abundance of blessing that the spirit actually is ready to give. Now when the lamb took the scroll from the palm of God's hands, there was such jubilation in heaven.

Beginning with verse eight, see what it says, verse eight to 10. Now when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the lamb, each having a harp and golden bowls full of incense which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song saying, you are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals for you were slain and have redeemed us to God. For by your blood out of every tribe and tongues and people and nations and have made us kings and priests to our God and we shall reign on the earth.

See what the 24 elders are holding. Two things, a harp okay, to accompany their singing and a sensor to accompany their prayers. And they sang a new song for the new era that is to begin after of course the tribulation because they saw the victory already. But see what they say right after the last part of verse nine. And have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And fortunately, beyond the King James version or the New King James version, the rendering is different. It gives you completely another idea.

Most of them say something like what I have in the New American Standard Bible and purchase us or purchase for God with your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. One on the translate the word us that is in the original text. This is important by the way because it's going to reveal something new here when it comes to interpreting the book of Revelation. What is the difference? Perhaps the translators were influenced by their own theology as is often the case. Few people I want to tell you believe that the 24 elders represents the ecclesia, the body of the Messiah who is seen in heaven enraptured and before the tribulation begins.

Yet besides the chronology so far in Revelation here the elder speaks as believers from the church. The original text all have the word us us who are the body of the Messiah who was redeemed by his blood and translated the text to have it as a more general statement. This is what they did. This is how most of them translated it. Again, Yeshua was slain and purchased for God with his blood like we said before, men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. Why did they remove the word us again? Perhaps some of the translators were mid tribulationists.

Who those who believe that the church will go through the first three and a half years of the tribulation, so they cannot leave the word us. For that will show that the church is there before the middle of the tribulation. Perhaps some that translator were post tribulationists. That is those who believe that the church will go through the whole tribulation to the very end so they cannot leave the word us. They have to use the New American Standard for this. Perhaps some of them were post millionists or a millionist for whom at this time it is impossible to see the church in heaven before the tribulation.

So they alter the text. Again, the chronology in Revelation shows a mark pre tribulationist teaching. The body of believers are there in heaven sitting on thrones, wearing golden crowns, dressed in white and proclaiming that Yeshua was slain and purchased for God with his blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. Jesus did not make such things or promises to angels. He did it for redeemed men whom we see sitting on the 24th throne. Furthermore, he made them a kingdom of priests to our God. The angels are not a kingdom of priests. Now we're almost out of time, but I don't want to let you go unless until we read verses 11 to 14 and be blessed.

Look at these passages, verses 11 to 14. Then I look and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders and the number of them was myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice, worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive the power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessings. And every created things which is in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea and all things in them, I heard saying to him who sits on the throne and to the lamb be blessings and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.

And the four living creatures kept saying amen. And the elders fell down and worshiped. What more do you want? We won even before it started, right? This is the second time we see some great worship in Revelation. And we have seen as we have seen in that is in chapter four. And while myriads and thousands of individuals sang, do you know that the word voice is in singular, singular, right? Because they sing as one, the perfect musical tone. And if they sing so loudly, it is because it was revealed to them that the Lord will be victorious and so should we be as well.

For God will win at the end and so they all recited together the seven great possessions of the divine as the menorah of God shows powers, riches, wisdom, might, honor, glory, blessing. In there we have some synonyms, by the way, that reveals that tells us how God reveals himself like power and might to the first power dynamis where we get the word dynamite speaks of the ability and faculties of God whereas the second the power askis complements it and speaks of power in action, manifested power. Two other synonyms, honor and glory give a similar idea.

The first honor timé speaks of authority, dignity, appreciation and worship. The other glory doxa speaks of the brightness of splendor of radiation of this authority. And with this are the riches plutos where we get the word plenty. Speaks of what is wealth and abundance and wisdom sophia speaks of cleverness and intelligence and sound judgment and blessings. The word actually is eulogia from where we get the word eulogy which is a fine and perfect language and speaks of praise and worship. These words are the rainbow like the rainbow that is above the throne of God as each reveals one of his myriads of qualities.

Together these seven words speaks of his action and accomplishment towards man. He showed his power through his might as he is the mighty God. He showed his honor through his glory who is the Shekhinah glory, the Holy Spirit. He showed his riches through his wisdom for Yeshua is the wisdom of God. And because of all of these things, all heaven and earth were started to worship. They understood. Daniel the prophet, by the way, saw the same actually thing. When he also witnessed the Lord on his throne and we read in Daniel chapter seven verse 10, just as before the son of man was to come down just like it is in Revelation.

And he says a river of fire was flowing and coming out of before him and thousands upon thousands were attending him and myriads upon myriads were standing before him. The court set and the scrolls were opened. How much is thousands of thousands in Hebrew? It's about a thousand million. I don't know if that makes sense, right? We don't know. And myriads and myriads in Hebrew as well, these are enormous and accountable amount. You see we are never alone in the universe. All these are gathered just before the seven year tribulation that is coming in the world.

This is our important this time is. I will conclude with these thoughts of the vision of heaven. You know in my daily Bible reading just this past week I was in Psalm 26 and 27 and there David spoke about heaven. This is what he said in Psalm 26:8. He says, oh Lord, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells. And also in chapter 27 verse four he says that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to meditate in his temple.

So David really had this longing for heaven and describes it as he speaks of it as if he also went there. But we have a problem here. Problem. David never went there, right? Or at least we're never told that he went there. And so how did he experience heaven? How? The question always stayed with me, but the answer actually is so simple. David was given the plans of the place that we're seeing in Revelation right now. He was given the blueprints, the plans of the tabernacle of God whom he gave to his son Solomon. And knowing about David's passion, he must have looked at this plan over and over and must have memorized all its corners.

And there's something else also. The truth is that we have more than David. We have more than David, right? More than the what he had. We don't have the plan, of course, done by God that must have been great, of course, but we have the full description of the temple. And more than that, we have the visual description of the tabernacle in heaven so we can also visualize heaven more than David that he did in Psalm 26 and 27 and even almost here this one's voice coming out of the thousands and thousands of individuals in heaven.

We have then such a great gift in the scriptures and especially in the book of Revelation. I will close with a prayer, of course. Let's bow our head in prayer. But we thank you, God. We thank you, oh God, for your amazing grace revealed in Yeshua, our Messiah, who constantly sanctifies us and cleanses us through your wonderful word. And by your Holy Spirit, thank you for being so involved in the lives of every one of your sons and daughters. May we sense today that you are here in this very place, filling this very room where at this very moment among us, may we sense your protection and concern for each one of us.

May we have peace in our hearts and a zeal to go and proclaim the great news about Yeshua. And to the congregation, the Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord makes his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you. Amen. Amen.

Guest (Male): Shalom Ariel 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 11:00 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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