Holy Scriptures and Israel

Guest (Female): 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: First John chapter 2 and verse 18 and I'm reading. Listen to the text and please follow me. This is a very important text that we really need to adhere to today, especially in the last time in which we live in. Listen what Yochanan, John, is writing to the family of God.

Guest (Male): Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. And this is the promise that he has promised us, even eternal life. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you.

But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

Gideon Levytam: Now this is a very important passage, brothers and sisters. Yochanan, this Hebrew apostle who was about 90 years of age, even more than 90 by the time he writes this epistle, this letter, he's writing to the mishpachah, to the family of God. You and I, I trust all of us are here today believers in the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, and we are part of the family of God. To be placed into the family of God, one must be born of the Holy Spirit, the Ruach HaKodesh, and we become part of the family of God.

John was very much concerned that the believers will understand the place that they have in the body of Messiah and that they will understand what it cost God to bring them to be redeemed, to be purchased. The cost was the blood of Yeshua the Messiah. He paid a great price in order to bring us to be part of the family of God. So as we become part of the family of God, John is saying there are always danger along the way.

We know very well that there are enemies that the believers have. We talked about it many times. Whether it is Satan, whether it is the world, or whether it is the old nature, the flesh. These enemies that we have all the time seek to stop us from growing, from developing, from becoming people of God—men and women, brothers and sisters, young and old—who follow Yeshua the Messiah and have a good testimony for him in this world. The enemy attack us at every corner, every area. One of the things that he does, he introduces false teaching.

False teaching is not new only today. Already years ago in the beginning of the church age, the ecclesia, there were already entering into the body of Messiah those who taught false teaching. Not only in the church age, but even among our people Israel historically. God always warns our own nation Israel to be careful against false prophets, false messiahs, those who claim to be something that they were not. He always encouraged them to be careful.

Israel are to be careful. The believers in the body of Messiah are to be careful. You and I are to be careful. This is the last days of the church age in which we live in. Soon the Lord Jesus is coming. Yeshua, as he promised, he is going to come. He said, "Let not your heart be troubled." You remember in John chapter 14? "If you believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house there are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again in order to receive you unto myself that where I am, there ye may be also." Yeshua promised that he's coming back. He instructed those first Hebrew apostles, the shlichim, to teach this to the people of God. Here is a passage, beloved brothers, today—a very short passage, but so much filled with warning for believers such as you and I to be careful from false teaching.

Verses 18 to 29 of 1st John chapter 2, Yochanan is warning the people of God to be careful because there will be false teachers and to be aware of their doings and of their teachings. Actually, there are three things that he is pointing out that false teachers do. Number one: False teachers do not remain among God's people. Number two: False teachers deny the truth of God's Word. And number three: False teachers seek to lead believers away from the truth.

The apostle wrote and giving this to us. I would like us, by the Spirit of God, to listen to this and apply this to yourself, to learn from these verses. First of all, in verses 18 and 19, false teachers do not remain among God's people. They are here for a while, do their own thing among the people of God, among the believers, and then they move along somewhere else.

In verse 18 he says, "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time." I want you to notice first of all he's really presenting before us this expression that immediately comes before our mind is, "little children, it is the last time." Now this expression in the Greek, h-o-r-a, the word for time is really the word hour. It is the last hour.

The apostle Yochanan was writing this at about year 90 AD, almost 2,000 years ago. Yochanan the apostle was writing to the family of God warning them then about the danger of the last days. Now what does he mean when he says it is the last hour? He doesn't mean that it is necessarily the next hour something is going to happen. He's speaking about the period of time known as the church age.

No one knows, neither did John know, how long the church age will be. Apparently the church age has been taking place now nearly or almost 2,000 years. In other words, if John thought it through that in his time there are things that are going to happen in the early part of the church age, imagine what happened in our days today. We are living, if not in the last hour, we are living in the last minutes or in the last seconds of the church age in which it's going to come to a conclusion very, very soon.

The Messiah is going to come. First of all, to take the heavenly company to be with him, the church, but also to restore our people Israel and to establish the messianic kingdom here upon the face of this earth. So it is the last age in which the Messiah is coming very soon, but there are things that are going to be evident that are here presented before us in these last days.

Notice by the way that he is speaking to the little children. He's really applied this to all believers. People who are born by the Holy Spirit of God. He's speaking to all of us. This is directed to every believer in Yeshua the Messiah—boy and girl, men and women, true born from above children of God. Now notice this, listen to this, brothers and sisters. Here another important word here in this verse. It says, "And as ye have heard that antichrist shall come."

Now here is the first time that we find in the Word of God the word Antichrist. In Greek is antichristos. In Hebrew is neged ha-mashiach or k'mo ha-mashiach. It simply speaks about a single individual person who is going to come one day that John give him the title Antichrist. We often use the word anti in life. For example, we use the word anti-Semite, anti-Shemi we say it in Hebrew, a person who is against the Jewish people, against the descendant of Shem.

Then we have those that are against the government, or those that are against a certain nation, or those that are against something. We use the word anti, against. But I would like to suggest, beloved brothers and sisters, that in the Greek and in the mind of Yochanan the word anti comes for much more than just against, but it has the thought of someone who come instead of.

When you think about the word anti, you don't only think about someone who is against, but someone who is seeking to take the place of. So we have here a single individual person that is going to come and is known by John here as the Antichrist, the one who is going to seek to take the place of the Messiah. Now this is not only a New Testament teaching. There are many titles that the Hebrew writers have given to this man that is going to come at the last days.

Of course, the church is going to be taken out of here and he's going to ultimately rule this world during the tribulation period. This man has many titles and names that have been given to him by the writers of the Bible, of the Word of God.

Guest (Male): In Daniel chapter 7 and verse 8 he's called the little horn. In Daniel chapter 9 and verse 26 he's called the prince that shall come. In Daniel chapter 11 and verse 36 he's called the willful king. In fact, the Lord Yeshua himself said in John chapter 5 and verse 43, "I came in my Father's name, and you received me not; but another will come in his own name, him you will receive." Another title of this antichrist or counterfeit Mashiach is one who comes in his own name.

Paul, Sha'ul, the apostle wrote about this man and he called him in Second Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 3 the man of sin. And in the very same verse of Second Thessalonians 2:3b he's called the son of perdition. In Second Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 8 he's called the lawless one. And finally, in Revelation chapter 13 and verse 1 he's called the beast, hachayah as we say it in Hebrew.

Gideon Levytam: Many titles that speak about one who is going to come in the future day who is going to be ruler over this world. He's going to be a willful king, the one that is prince that will come one day, and the whole world are going to follow after him. Now I'm telling you that the world is ripe for this man to come at any time. The other day I was watching the television station and what I noticed, how the world is so quickly following after some leader.

Whether it is a musician who is singing and the young people raising their hands and they are so impressed with that singer. And I was saying to myself, "Lord, I wish I could see that among men today that will lift up their hand in worship and adoration for the person of Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah." The world is so ripe to follow after some great leader that is somehow fascinating the whole world to follow after him.

Do you know what happened in the '30s and the '40s, how Hitler had fascinated Europe and thousands and millions follow after this man because he had this charisma in him? Beloved brothers and sisters, John, Yochanan, this Hebrew apostle is warning the believers to be careful because there is a time coming when the Antichrist, the single individual, that antichrist, Mashiach Sheker or false Messiah, shall come.

The one who is going to look like the Messiah, who is going to appear like the Messiah—maybe a political ruler, political leader who will lead the world. The world is so ripe for that. We are looking for some great man who's going to fix all our problems—the economic problem, the problem that we have in every area. There is not enough food in this world. There need to govern this world because the world is so divided. This man is going to come one day and he's going to appeal to the human race and many will follow after this man.

And the Hebrew scripture have already spoken about this man in many forms and shapes many years ago, even before the Messiah was born. Turn with me to Matthew chapter 24 for a moment. Look what Jesus the Messiah said when he was here on earth before his death on the cross. Notice what he says in verse 4 and 5.

Guest (Male): And Yeshua answered and said unto them, "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Mashiach; and they shall deceive many." He already predicted this when he was here upon the face of this world that many will come in his name and they will claim to be the Messiah and they will ultimately deceive many. Notice in verse 24 of Matthew chapter 24, "There shall arise false Messiahs, false Christs."

Gideon Levytam: He promised this when he was here on earth that there will be many who ultimately will claim to be the Messiah. Oh, how many people have already claimed to be the Messiah and yet none of them really fit what the scripture predicted concerning the true Messiah. You and I are exhorted to be careful, to be aware of the fact that one day a person that will claim to take the place of the Messiah will arise. He's not only against Anti-Messiah, but he is also seeking to take the place of the Messiah.

So not only that there is one single individual who is going to come to seek to take the place of Yeshua the Messiah, but he says in verse 18b, "Even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time, the last hour." In other words, Yochanan was speaking about 2,000 years ago. You and I are here 2,000 years later, and imagine how many have been already claiming to take the place or seek to claim that they are leaders and teachers who claim that they are representing the Lord Yeshua or the Lord Jesus the Messiah.

So in verse 18b he is giving them this warning. He says, "Even now there are many against the Messiah or false teachers, whereby we know that it is the last time." Oh, beloved brothers and sisters, can you imagine what went on already in the early stage of the church age when there were those who were now not only claiming to be the Messiah, but as teachers were beginning to teach things that were not in according with the Word of God. When false teachings are being taught, then what really we do, we allow ourselves to be bombarded or influenced by that which is really against the Messiah.

Now think about the professing Christians today. Think about some that claim to teach the Word of God and for example they deny the deity of Christ. They deny the validity of the Word of God. They deny the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God. They deny the triunity of the Godhead. They deny the eternal salvation for a person who believes in Yeshua the Messiah. They deny fundamental truth of the Word of God. There are many who are against the truth of the Word of God that already have been spread in the first part of the church age.

You and I today can see that. You don't have to go far, but just read some books or open the television or go on the internet and you will see all sorts of groups with various views that totally are not subject to the written Word of God. I don't want to mention names, but you and I know very well who we are talking about and how careful we have to be when it comes to this kind of teaching. So there is a warning here. Even now there are many against the Messiah or false teachers, whereby we know that it is the last time.

Now notice what he says in verse 19 immediately. John point now to the departure of those counterfeit believers. And he says, "Listen, they went out from us, but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us, but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not at all of us." Now this is an important verse to understand. Let me just make sure that we all understand what John, Yochanan, did not say.

He didn't say that if believers have a problem and they seem to fight with each other and one have left and have gone to another community of believers. He didn't speak about those believers who have friction among each other and sometime divide, and that's why often time we are dividing among ourselves—not because one denies the person of Yeshua the Messiah, but simply because there are problems among the people of God, and because we are not patient enough and we are not submissive enough as we know our hearts, and at time we divide from one another.

But he doesn't talk about true believer dividing from another true believer. He doesn't speak about that. We have to be very careful because if somebody that was in our midst has gone to another meeting place with other saints of the Lord, it doesn't mean that it's applied to him. This is not at all applied to believers who have left one group and have gone to another group. That has nothing to do with this.

Here in 1st John chapter 2 and verse 19 he's speaking about unbelievers—those who never at all belonged to the family of God, and at time earlier they have been among the people of God but it didn't take too long and they didn't stay there. You see, brothers and sisters, you know what a false teacher or a false believer, a person who is not really born again, does? He comes among the people of God, stays for a while, and then after a while he's gone out and maybe he goes another place and then seeking to influence the others and at the end he or she do not continue with the things of the Lord.

They were never born of the Holy Spirit of God. They have never accepted Yeshua as their Lord and Mashiach. They have never been born from above. So they just temporarily stick around among the people of God. When trouble comes, all of a sudden they don't need to stay anymore among the people of God. They forsake the people of God and have gone away. You know it happened in the history of the church, how many false teachers have crept in among the people of God, which Paul have also warned in Acts chapter 20, "even from among you will rise some who will not spare the flock, and they will depart and they will not continue among the people of God."

You see, there is time coming that the Lord tests his own people. He will test you, he will test me. Now a believer will fail the Lord. We know we fail the Lord many times. But a believer is still a child of God, and even though at time we fail and we're not honoring the Lord the way we should be, but we still remain among those who confess that Yeshua is the Messiah. But here we have false teachers who had claimed to be those that belong to the Lord but actually they have never belonged to the Lord. They have never knew him as their Lord and Messiah and Savior. I want to read you couple of verses in Matthew chapter 7.

Guest (Male): Matthew chapter 7, verse 21, we read these words that spoken by Yeshua the Messiah: "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? And in thy name have we cast out demons? And in thy name have done many wonderful works? Then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me ye that work iniquity."

Gideon Levytam: You see what the Lord is saying, that these individuals never had this new life in them right from the beginning. They came among the people of God but they were never born from above, born again. Look what Yeshua said right there in John chapter 10 and verse 24. This is in connection with the feast of dedication.

Guest (Male): Then came the leaders, this is the Jewish leaders, about him and they said unto him, "How long does thou make us doubt? If you be the Messiah, tell us plainly." And he answered and he said, "I told you, but you believe me not. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep. As I said unto you, my sheep hear my voice and I know them, and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."

Guest (Male 2): You have been listening to the Holy Scriptures and Israel with Gideon Levytam. Gideon teaches God's Word from a Hebrew messianic perspective. For more information about this ministry, write the 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.