Holy Scriptures and Israel

Voiceover: Shalom. Holy Scriptures and Israel is a ministry designed to share with the Jewish people the good news of the Lord Jesus Yeshua the Messiah and to instruct Christians on the Jewish roots of their faith. And now, teaching God's word from a Hebrew Messianic perspective, here is Gideon Levytam.

Gideon Levytam: The study of First John 1 introduction. This is the last time as you have heard that there are antichrists. This is a person that will come, but he will come, yes, but there are many, as it says. But now there are many anti-Mashiah, antichrists, whereby we know that it is the last time.

Well, John, nearly 2000 years ago already showed us that the professing church, the professing assembly already have been infected by many who crept in and were really instead of for the Messiah, they were actually against Yeshua the Messiah. And he is calling them in verse 22, liars.

You know the truth will remain firm. It will never change. But those who teach false doctrine and really against the Messiah, they have already crept in among the people of God in the first century already and John writing about those individuals that have already crept into the professing church, into the professing assembly.

Brothers and sisters, I'm telling you today, as we live closer to the end of the church age, we know how much it is in existing today and we need to be extremely careful. That's why we are to stick to the ABC of the word of God and this is the safest place for us where we are sticking to the word of God.

Now fifthly, turn with me to chapter 5 of First John. The fifth reason why this letter was written to the family of God. It says in First John chapter 5 and verse 13, this epistle was written to give believers the assurance of salvation. First John chapter 5 and verse 13. Again, notice the word: "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have eternal life and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."

Many time when we preach the gospel, some time little children coming to the front. Some of them come to accept the Lord, others come because they are not sure if they are really saved, if their sins have been forgiven. And you know, I hope that none of us here in this room is not sure of his or her salvation. And John wrote this epistle, verse 13 of First John chapter 5: "These things are written."

Why, John? Because it's written for you that are already believing in the name of Yeshua the Messiah, that you may know. Notice it said that you may know. It doesn't say that you may feel. You know, some time we don't feel like saved because our feeling are not so good. You see, something happened to me in my life and I don't feel like I am saved.

But the Bible doesn't teach us about your feeling. The scripture teaching us the facts. For God so loved the world, number one. That he gave his only begotten Son, number two. That whosoever believeth on him, number three, shall not perish but have everlasting life, number four. It's clear this verse, John chapter 3 and verse 16.

God's love for men brought about the necessity for sending Yeshua the Messiah. And when Yeshua died for us on the tree, anyone who believe on him have an everlasting life. He is saved. He is secure. And our feeling have nothing to do with this fact. You see, you are either in or you're out.

You are either a believer or you are not a believer. You cannot sit on the fence. You are either going to heaven or you're going to hell. There is no in-between. You cannot be saved for a few months and then lost for other few months and then re-saved again and then get lost again. You know, if it depending upon our feeling and upon our performance, we're not sure when we are ever be saved.

And that's why John write this letter. And in First John 5 verse 13, he says: "These things have I written unto you that those you already believe on his name, I'm writing this to you that you may know." And this is knowing it is a fact. We knowing this truth. We sometimes sing this song, the B-I-B-L-E, the Bible, the Torah. This is the book, he says.

He says I'm standing on the book because what it says, it's a fact. It has nothing to do with how you and I feel, but it has everything to do with what God says in his word. And if God says that whosoever believeth on him shall not perish but have everlasting life, we simply have to accept it and not to depend upon our feeling but to depend upon the written word of God.

It will never change. You know, people think that because their views about the Bible will change the Bible, it will never change. The word of God remain true to what the one who have given this to us said. He is true and what he have given to us remain firm and will never ever change.

So beloved brothers and sisters, five reasons why this epistle was written. Number one, that our joy may be full. Number two, that we will sin not. Number three, that we have love one towards another. Number four, to be careful from false teachers and false teaching. And number five, to have assurance that we are saved, that we have an eternal life.

That ye may know that ye have, not that ye may have, but you already have an eternal life because you have trusted in Yeshua the Messiah. So, so far we had the author is Yohanan, the theme is the family of God, the date is between 90 to 95 AD and the purpose is fivefold, which we have this before us: joy, sinning not, loving each other, be careful from false teachers, and also assurance of salvation. And this is so important for us to get hold of.

Now let's talk a little bit as we are moving along about the false teachers that have risen already at that time. You know, it is so interesting that false teaching have been at every generation. You know, our people Israel, before Yeshua the Messiah came, have experienced false prophets. Many, many false prophets have risen in the history of our people Israel.

And it didn't take too long when the body of Messiah was formed, when the family of God have been brought together in church history, false teaching had begun. When God does a work, Satan does a work. When God work in lives of people, Satan who is the enemy of God and God's people, always introduce some leaven in the midst of the people of God, false teaching.

Now let me just tell you some things about the heresy that existed by the Gnostics of those days that made it necessary for John to write this letter. Look what they believe, the Gnostics. They taught that knowledge is a superior virtue. In other word, you might have a special insight that it's greater than anything else, even greater than the word of God. Like one might be saved by knowing a lot.

Well, knowledge actually the Bible says puffs up. And the Bible want us to know certain things about the word of God, but we are to know it from the written word of God. Secondly, these Gnostics did not interpret God's word literally but intellectually. You know, we have to be very careful, brothers and sisters, to interpret scripture by its own, by scripture. Not by what we think, not by our intellect.

You know, the greatest men on earth, the brilliant scientists and the brilliant lawyers and doctors and all these brilliant men, many of them, not all of them, haven't yet acknowledge the fact that they are sinners and they need forgiveness of sins. They can outshine us all when it's come to be brilliant, and yet the greatest minds need to be contained and brought back to the simple written word of God.

And here we find out that many at that time when the Gnostics did not interpret God's word literally but intellectually. And that's is driving men often time away from the ABC of the word of God. Look also, the Gnostics did not believe that God created the world since in this world is much evil and they say God could not create this kind of world. How can a holy God create a world that is in such a condition?

But they don't realize that when God created the world, God created the world suitable for man to live here in this world, but men have sinned and men departed from the will of God. And that's why this world is in such a condition. It's not because God have created an evil world. Evil came by men, evil came by Satan. But God have created the world suitable for mankind to live here in this world, but sin have separated us from God and brought about the judgment of God upon the human race.

Here's another and this is very important in light of First John. The Gnostics denied the deity of Yeshua Hamashiah. They denied the fact that God and men are united together in one. This is why we read earlier when Isaiah, the Hebrew prophet of old, when he wrote by divine inspiration, he wrote about the coming of the Messiah where it says that unto us a Son is giving, a child is being born, a Son is giving.

And the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called, and you remember one of his names was El Gibor, mighty God. You know God have enter humanity through the Jewish virgin Miriam, and now God took union humanity with his divine nature. There's only one that is sinless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and his name is Yeshua who was born in the city of Bethlehem in a supernatural way. This holy one that is born of you shall be called the Son of God.

And he enter humanity and he took union. Listen to this, brothers and sisters, he took union humanity with divine nature. And in Yeshua the Messiah we have God and men in one. This man is a holy man and yet at the same time is the eternal Son of God. But the Gnostics they deny the deity of the Messiah. They also deny the triunity of the Godhead.

In other word, just like today, many people deny that there is only one God but this one God exists and consists in three persons. What we recite every Shabbat: "Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad." Hear O Israel the Lord our God the Lord is one. There is one God but yet he exists and consists in more than one person: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Ha'Abba, Ha'Ben, Ruach Ha'Kodesh.

Now we have to be careful here because the Father and the Son are distinguished. The Spirit and the Father are distinguished, and yet all the triune: the Father, the Son, the Spirit, one God. We don't believe in three Gods. One God consists and exists in three persons.

Now this is very important because some people teach that sometime Jesus he acting as the Father, and another time he is acting as the Spirit, and sometime he is the Son. In other word, it's just the same like some suggest it's like water. Sometime it is water, sometime it is steam, sometime it is ice. But that's not the teaching of the triunity at all.

The Father is not the Son. The Son is not the Spirit. Yet all three persons are united in the Godhead. It is not God the Father who died on the cross. It is God the Son as man who died on the cross. It's not God the Holy Spirit who took union humanity with its divine nature, but it is God the Son who took union humanity with his divine nature.

That's why you remember, for example, at the baptism in the Gospel of Matthew, Yeshua went into the water. And as he came with Yohanan Ha'Matbil, John the Baptizer, have baptized him, when he came out of the water, it is the person of the Son as man. And it was the Father's, the heavens were opened and he says: "This is my beloved Son." That was the voice of the Abba, of the Father.

And then the Holy Spirit of God descended as a dove and lighted upon him. We see the three persons of the Godhead expressed there when Yeshua was coming out of the water at the baptism in the Jordan in the south of Jerusalem. Beautiful to see that, but the Gnostics they denied the divine nature of the Messiah, but they also denied the triunity of the Godhead.

Now brothers and sisters, do you know who else is denying that? Many other religious groups are denying it today. Including unfortunately our own people who do not understand that the Messiah is divine. Immanuel, God with us. And that he enter humanity in a supernatural way through the virgin Miriam whom no man knew her. Joseph did not know her until she have given birth to her firstborn Son and she called his name Yeshua, salvation, Jehovah the Savior.

His name present before us his person: Jehovah God, the Savior, Moshia the Savior. That is who Yeshua is, and the Gnostics deny that. And you know what, somebody said this like this and I thought it was very, very interesting. You try to explain the triunity, you will lose your mind because who can explain that? But you try to explain it out, you will lose your soul. Because no one who deny the divine nature of Yeshua and the triunity of the Godhead can ever be biblically founded.

Denying the truth of the scripture makes one not suitable for the presence of God. And therefore we have this clear warning to the believers where Yohanan, John was writing to them. Do you know the Gnostics also believe other things that I'm not going to add in this introduction, but they have denied the truth of the word of God, the divine nature, and the triunity of the Godhead.

Now let me quickly move on to another just couple of thoughts. What about the division of the book? Basically, we really can say that the book divide itself into two sections, but we may add the third one. In First John chapter 1 verses 1 to 4, we have the introduction of the epistle. Then First John chapter 1 from verse 5 to First John 2 verse 29, we have the theme that God is light. God is holy. Let us therefore have true fellowship with him. That was John is saying in this first epistle.

God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. And then the remaining of the epistle, First John 3 verse 1 to First John 5 and verse 21, the theme and the thought is God is love. Let us therefore love God and love one another. So you see, God is light, chapter 1 and 2. God is love, chapter 3, 4, and 5. That is the division of this book of the epistle of John.

Now please bear with me. Go back to our first verse, First John chapter 1 and verse 1. And I'm reading this verse again: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life." Dvar Ha'Chaim, as we say it in Hebrew. In other word, John began this epistle by writing about the one that was from the beginning.

Now if you know your Bible, and I hope you do, there are three beginnings that are found in scripture. First of all, we have in Genesis chapter 1 verse 1: "In the beginning, Bereshit bara Elohim, in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Then you jump all the way to the Brit Chadasha to the New Testament in John chapter 1, and John begin his gospel by saying that: "In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God."

And then thirdly we have in this epistle, First John chapter 1 verse 1: "That which was from the beginning." So we have three beginnings in scripture. And every one of these beginning is linked with the person of Yeshua the Messiah. Now if you want to have some insight about those three beginnings, every one of these beginnings talks about different period of time of history.

In fact, the order should not be Genesis 1 verse 1 and then John 1 verse 1 and then First John 1 verse 1. No, the order should be really John 1:1, then Genesis 1:1, and then First John chapter 1 and verse 1. Why? Simply because of this. The Gospel of John, Yohanan, begin with: "In the beginning was the word." It talks about the Messiah, the eternal Son of God, and it takes us as far back as you want.

You don't even know, you have no imagination. In other word, you don't even know how far you want to go but go as far as you want. In the beginning, he was there. In fact, the Gospel of John speaks about the divine nature of the Lord and it takes us into eternity past. In other words, in eternity past, he was there.

"In the beginning was the word," John 1:1, "and the word was with God and the word was God." That's how John began his gospel. In other word, the one that we belong to, Yeshua the Messiah, is the pre-existent Son of God. In the beginning, he was already there. You want to go for 10,000 years? He was there. You want to go as far as a million years, if there are such a thing like this? He was there. In the beginning was the word. You want to go trillion of years if there is such a thing? He was the ever-existing God. "In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God."

But when we go back to Genesis chapter 1, "Bereshit bara Elohim et hashamayim ve'et ha'aretz," in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, that takes us to a certain period of time. As far as we know, beloved brothers and sisters, if we'll go to the time of the creation of humanity, you know we are about 5,770 something years in the Jewish calendar. Almost 6,000 years ago.

You might say that Genesis chapter 1 verse 1 takes us as far as about 6,000 years from our vantage point of time. John chapter 1 verse 1 takes us as far as your imagination can take you. The word God was there, the Messiah Yeshua in his divine nature was always there. But Genesis 1 verse 1 take us to creation. There was a certain period of time in the history that God have decided to create the heavens and the earth.

But the epistle of John take us to another period of history. While John take us to eternity, Genesis take us to 6,000 years to creation, John in his epistle, First John chapter 1, take us to another period of time and this time is the time of the incarnation. It takes us about 2,000 years ago from our vantage point of time. "That which was from the beginning," First John 1:1, "which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our hands have handled." We touched him and he's that word of life.

You know what it takes us? First John 1 verse 1 take us to Bethlehem. When Yeshua the Messiah was born in the city of Bethlehem in the land of our forefathers, the land of Israel. When he enter humanity, when God became a man. And you know, John taking us all the way to the time where God have become a man. I mean this is a mind-boggling, it is amazing how John could say: "You know, brothers and sisters, my little children, I want to tell you that this one had a beginning in his incarnation now."

He always had a beginning in his divine nature, but now he enter humanity and he became a man. And I want to tell you, Yohanan is saying, we've heard him. We have seen him with our eyes. We have looked upon him carefully. And we actually have handled him. We have touched him. We rub shoulders with him. He's the word of life. He's the one that I want to write you about, he says in this ministry as he's writing. And he's saying that's the one that have entered into this world in his humanity. And we touched him.

You can just imagine John literally leaning on Yeshua's breast and Yeshua's bosom, literally embracing him and touching. And show affection towards him. They have literally walked with him and lived with him here in this world. But he had to become a man in order for them to enjoy that. And that's why this epistle is speaking about Yeshua the Messiah in his incarnation and how it is important for the people of God, for the family of God, to have fellowship with Yeshua the Messiah.

Because while we are not seeing the Lord, whom having not seen we love, but nevertheless, he is the one that John, Yohanan, and Peter, Shimon, and James, and all the apostles have literally enjoyed his presence, enjoyed to spend time with him because they heard him, they saw him, they handled him, and they actually spent time with him until he went to the cross and he died there for the sin of this world.

That what John is writing about, beloved brothers and sisters. And I think that is so much food for us here as we study this epistle. And I pray that the Lord will help us as we study this and we'll see how much John wanted his children, the people of God, to get a handle of the person of Yeshua the Messiah, to have fellowship with him and to follow him. So we all gonna grow as we are part of this family of God, so to live our life in a way that it is honoring to him.

Voiceover: You have been listening to Holy Scriptures and Israel with Gideon Levytam. Gideon teaches God's word from a Hebrew Messianic perspective. For more information about this ministry, write to Holy Scriptures and Israel, Box 1411, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, L0S 1J0, or visit our website at holyscripturesandisrael.com.

You are also invited to Gideon's weekly Bible teaching on Fridays at 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM and Saturdays at 1:00 PM at Willowdale Christian Assembly Hall, 28 Martin Ross Avenue in Toronto. Holy Scriptures and Israel is made possible by your prayers and financial support. If you would like to support the program, visit holyscripturesandisrael.com. God bless you. Shalom, shalom.