Holy Scriptures and Israel

Guest (Male): 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: This study of 1 John chapter 4 and that he himself as man now could go to the altar and to be punished on behalf of the human race. That's why the writer says he took part of the same because the children are partakers of flesh and blood. All of us have flesh and blood. All of us are human beings.

Well, he also took of the same in order that through death, when he suffered for us on the tree, on the cross, and he died as the Lamb of God for our sins, he destroyed totally the one that had power over death, that is the devil. Satan had power over those sinners that were away from God.

And so God decided to come down to this world and take humanity. And so notice in verse 15 and 16, and he delivered them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Verse 16, for verily he took not of himself the nature of angels, but he took upon himself the seed of Abraham.

You see, when God entered humanity, or when God wanted to save man, he didn't take upon himself the nature of angels. God the Son didn't become an angel, but he became a man because he was not going to save angels; he was going to save the human race. And he became a man.

And a man, and you notice which descendants? He took upon himself not the nature of angels, but he took upon himself the seed of Abraham. He became a Jewish man, a Hebrew man, in view of all what the Hebrew prophets spoke about that when the Messiah will come to this world, he will become a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob through the tribe of Judah and the family of David.

And so he didn't take upon himself the nature of angels. Now, can you imagine if God would become an angel, for example? What would it have helped you and I? Angels cannot die for your sins and for mine. A good person, unless he is divine, could not die for your sins or mine.

You and I cannot die for the sin of another because we are sinners. Angels cannot save sinners. Angels are ministering spirits; they are serving God's people, but they cannot save us. They cannot forgive our sins. And so Yeshua, this is God the Son, took upon himself humanity.

And brothers and sisters, what is a human being? Spirit, soul, and body. Human spirit, human soul, human body. When Yeshua entered into this world, he became a human being: spirit, soul, and body. And yet he was sinless because he was not an offspring of a relationship between Yosef and Miriam.

He was born of the Holy Spirit of God. The seed that had been placed in the womb of Miriam, therefore he was the holy one, not the innocent one, but the holy one, the sinless one, the undefiled, the one that was separate from sinners.

And so John, giving this warning, and he said, and I'm back now in 1 John chapter 4 and verse 2, that he's pointing out confessing the humanity of Yeshua the Messiah is really of God. Confessing that he came in the flesh is really of God.

Now when someone tells you, according to this text, that Yeshua is not a human being: spirit, soul, and body, that he's a phantom, immediately you know that this person is not of God. He's teaching false teaching. Some of those Gnostics already taught these things in the first century, others teaching this today.

They're teaching the very same thing that he's not really fully God, he's not really a human being, he's like a phantom. You know, by the way, you for example, the Jehovah Witness today, you read a Gospel of John, it says, "In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God."

But you know what they say? "In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was a god." In other words, he had been created as far as they were concerned. They don't realize that they don't confess the truth that he was literally equal with the Father, the God and man in one.

If he was only a creature, he could never deal with your sins and with mine. No creature can deal with the sin of this sinful world, with my sins and with yours. That's why it is so fundamental, brothers and sisters, to confess the fact that Yeshua the Messiah has come in the flesh.

Let me read you one more verse in 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16: "Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. Listen to this: God was manifest in flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory."

It is a mystery, but it's a great mystery. And God does not want your opinion and my opinion; he wants us to simply accept what he said in his word. Even though we cannot fathom that, but it is found in the scripture. And it's truly, indeed, something that we cannot quite grasp.

But we accept it because the Spirit of God revealed this to us from the word of God. Now listen to this, brothers and sisters, as he continues and I'm back in 1 John chapter 4 and now verse 3. After he established the truth concerning Yeshua coming in the flesh, he became a man.

And that which is of God, the spirit that is of God is recognized that Yeshua came in the flesh. Then he says in verse 3, look at the opposite. Not confessing the humanity of Yeshua is not of God. Not confessing or rejecting the humanity of Yeshua is totally not of God.

Verse 3: "Every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, is come in the flesh is not of God, and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come and even now already is it in the world." Now two things he's saying here in verse 3.

The first thing, of course, he's saying that not confessing that Yeshua became, that Jesus Christ, Yeshua the Messiah, entered humanity, became flesh and blood, not confessing it is really not being of God. If somebody's going to come to you and I and going to say, "Listen, I don't believe that Yeshua is a real man: spirit, soul, and body, sin apart."

Well if somebody does not confess this and rejected it, this person has to question his salvation. This person has to ask himself or herself whether they even belong to the Lord. Because why? If they reject the perfect humanity of the Messiah, what they are really saying is that someone else has died for their sins.

That another human being but a sinner has died for them. And that is wrong; that is not what the Bible teaches us. And so he's clearly telling them that anyone that confesses not that Yeshua the Messiah is come in the flesh is not of God. But then notice what he's adding here in the second part of verse 3.

He said rejecting the humanity of Yeshua is really out of the spirit of the antichrist. The word for antichrist here, it is "antichristos" in the Greek, in the Hebrew it is "Soten HaMashiach", the one who is against God. But this expression antichrist can be used in twofold ways.

"Anti" is not always against. Many times we use this word "anti" again when somebody is anti, he is against. So "Anti-Mashiach" is against the Messiah, but there is another way to look at it in the Greek language: that the word for "anti" also speaks of being like or replacing the Messiah or seeking to take the place of the Messiah.

Now beloved brothers and sisters, listen to this. The only time we find in the Bible the word antichrist is in the letters that Yochanan wrote, in the epistles of John. You don't find this expression antichrist or "antichristos" anywhere else in the scripture, in the Hebrew scriptures.

For some reason, Yochanan is the only one who uses this terminology. In fact, he uses this word antichrist five times in his epistles. Four times in the first epistle, one time in the second epistle. And every time you can see how he developed that word antichrist. Counterfeit Messiah which is against the Messiah.

The first time he uses it, just turn back to chapter 2, 1 John 2:18a. Then is the first time that he has a reference to the antichrist in the epistle of John, in the letter of Yochanan. He says, "Little children," this is the first part of verse 18, "Little children, it is the last time, and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come."

This first time that he's using this expression, that expression about the antichrist has to do specifically about a single person that is called here antichrist. Against the Messiah, but also instead of the Messiah. Apparently what he has a reference here to some man that is going to come in a future day.

He will be the one who will seek to take the place of the true Messiah of Israel and the savior of this world. I mentioned to you already in our previous study of 1 John chapter 2 that this man has various names and titles in the scripture. He has all sort of titles that we have them in the word of God.

For example, in Daniel chapter 7 and verse 8, he's called the little horn and we talked about it already in our previous meeting together. In Daniel chapter 9 and verse 26, he is called the prince that shall come. This is an individual. He's not only that he is against the Messiah, but he is a counterfeit in a sense that he wanted to take the place of the true Messiah.

We read of him also in Daniel chapter 11 and verse 36, he is called the willful king. This man will be willfully seeking to take the place of God, the place of the Messiah in the Messianic kingdom. Of course he will not be there, but in the tribulation period he will seek to take that place of the Messiah.

He's called a willful king in Daniel 11 and verse 36. We read about him in the Gospel of John, and I already made a reference to that in John chapter 5 and verse 43, he's called he who comes in his own name. He will come in his own name, not in God the Father's name, but in his own name.

He will claim to be the one that is the Messiah of Israel and the savior of this world, and he will seek to take that place. Paul wrote about him in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 3; he called him the man of sin. Paul said about him in 2 Thessalonians 2:8, he was the lawless one.

He said also he's called the son of perdition in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 3. And John called him in Revelation chapter 13 "the beast", "chaya", like an animal. And so beloved brothers and sisters, there is a man that is actually seeking to take the place of the Messiah.

That's why in 1 John chapter 2 and verse 18a, he's saying, "You know, we already told you that the antichrist shall come. Little children, it is the last time, as ye have heard that antichrist shall come." And you know what, brothers and sisters? You see, you and I are not going to be here.

We are going to be taken out of here before the tribulation will begin, but this single individual who is called "Soten HaMashiach", antichrist, the false Messiah, he will be prominent during the tribulation period. He will seek to take the place of the Messiah and according to Revelation chapter 13, he will seek worship.

He will be actually sitting, standing in the holy of holies in the temple in Jerusalem, claiming to be God, claiming to be the Messiah, and he will seek worship. This is the false Messiah who will seek to take the place of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, the true Messiah.

I want you also to notice that in 1 John chapter 2 and verse 18b, this time there is not only one single one who will come, but according to verse 18 of the very same 1 John 2, it says here in verse 2, "And there many antichrists are now already whereby we know that it is the last time."

Apparently there was not only one single one that will come in the future, yes, but in additional to that, there are many already at that time who were really against the Messiah, but also seeking to take the place of the Messiah. And so the warning has been given to the people of God in 1 John chapter 2 and verse 18a and 18b.

There's a single false Messiah, Soten HaMashiach, one who is an antichrist, but there were many already that will pretend as if they would be that leader, this Messiah that is going to come. Look at 1 John chapter 2 and verse 22. Here he is leading on. He says anyone who denies that Yeshua is the Messiah, look and he's an antichrist.

Against the Messiah. 1 John chapter 2, verse 22: "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Yeshua the Jesus is the Messiah? He is antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son." Anyone that denied the humanity of the Messiah, anyone that denied the tri-unity of the Godhead, he is really against the Messiah, he's against Christ.

He's really the one that is against the truth of the word of God. And finally, I want you to turn to 2 John. 2 John chapter 1 and verse 7, here's the final time, the fifth time that the antichrist expression is being mentioned by John. He says in 2 John chapter 1 verse 7, "For many deceivers are entered into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ, that Yeshua the Messiah, is come in the flesh.

This is a deceiver and an antichrist, a false teacher, those that are against the Messiah, neged HaMashiach." And so, brothers and sisters, here is the lesson that John is warning the believers and he telling them, listen, you better get a hold of this truth. Someone who confesses that Yeshua came in the flesh, that he's a literally human being, but he was the eternal Son of God and went to the tree, died for our sins, he's of God.

But those who deny the humanity of the Messiah, they deny that he took flesh and blood, they are really against the Messiah, they are following the spirit of the one that is in the future going to come who will deny Jesus the Messiah and will seek to take his place.

And so verse 3 is a very, very important verse for us to understand and to watch against, because today you and I can see that in various views of those who so-called teach and influence others concerning the things of Jesus the Messiah. So let's move on so we can head on towards the conclusion here.

Now that he finished in verse 2 and 3 to present before them what is of God and what is not of God, then he is telling them "but you". Now he's speaking to the believers in verse 4 and he's saying in 1 John chapter 4 and verse 4, he says, "But you are of God, little children, and have overcome them because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world."

Now what is he saying here? He's writing obviously to believers. And he's saying to those believers, he called them, by the way, "little children." It is a terminology that Yochanan often used in his epistle applying to all believers, born ones, those that have been born again.

And he's saying you are of God because you have been born again. You have become children of God. How did you become children of God? Because you have accepted the truth that Yeshua the Messiah came in the flesh. You've acknowledged your sins, you've acknowledged that he paid for your sins when he died for you on the tree, you became sons and daughters of the Father.

You are the children of God. And then he's saying, listen, you have overcome them. How do we overcome the unbelievers in this world? How do we overcome those who teach false teachings? How do we overcome them? We are going back to the Bible. We are going back to the truth of the word of God.

And how do we handle the word of God? How do we understand the word of God, brothers and sisters? We cannot understand the word of God on our own. We have to have illumination. We have to have inspiration. We cannot understand. You know, before you became a believer, you didn't understand the word of God, neither have I.

Because Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:14, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God, why? Because they are foolishness unto him." You know, as far as we were concerned, the word of God, the Tanakh, the Brit Hadashah, it's foolish, it's not for me, I'm not religious.

You see, it's for those religious people. I don't believe in the Bible, the word of God is not religious, it's the book, you know, we used to say. But you see now when we became believers in Yeshua the Messiah, the word of God became precious. It is the truth upon which we stand.

You see, our eternal destiny depend upon whether this book is right or wrong. If we believe what God says in his word, we have eternal relationship with him. If we reject what God said in his word, man is eternally separated from him. So we believe, but how did we believe?

Well, we needed to get some help. And so notice that, he says in 1 John chapter 4 and verse 4, he says, "Listen, you are of God, little children, you have overcome them." This is the unbelieving world and these false teachers who came to teach us false teaching. And then he says why, how come?

Because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. Greater is he that is in you, this is the Spirit of God, Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit of God which indwells every believer. He is greater than what they possess. Notice the word "he" is mentioned twice.

The first "he" applied to the Holy Spirit of God. The second "he" applies really to Satan and his followers and his fallen angels, those demons who teach false teaching. Greater is he that is in us, in the believer, than he that is in the world. Because we have the Holy Spirit of God that instruct us.

He teaches us. John chapter 14 verse 16 and 17, Yeshua said before he died on the cross, "And I will pray the Father and he will give you another comforter that he may abide with you forever, even the spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him. But you have known him for he dwelleth with you. Listen to this: and he shall be in you."

He shall be in you. You see what Yeshua said before he died on the tree? Says, "Listen, I'm going to leave you soon. I'm going to die on the tree and I'm going to pay for the price of sin and I'm going to be resurrected from the grave and ascended to heaven. But once I've gone, I'm going to send the Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit of God.

He is called the spirit of truth. He's the one that the world cannot receive because the world doesn't even know him, and he will dwell with you and he will actually be in you." You know, brothers and sisters, the truth of the present-day dispensation of the assembly, of the church age.

That every one of us that is a believer today, we have a divine person indwelling right here in us. And we are born again, born from above, and he helps us to understand the truth. He helps us to sort things out, to sieve things out, to set that which is not from the Lord, not from the scripture, aside and to embrace that which is from the word of God.

And so greater is he that is in us, in you, in the believer, than he that is in the world. And so he's concluding, brothers and sisters, when he gave them this warning, he's concluding in these last verses, verses 5 and 6, by showing them that false teachers are marked by the world view and not by God's view.

That's what really happened with false teachers. They are really having a worldly views, not a divine view. And so he is concluded and he's saying to them, "They are of the world," verse 5. "Therefore they speak they of the world and the world heareth them. We are of God.

He that knoweth God heareth us. He that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error." How do we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error? We discern it on the basis of the word of God. And we can see if the world listening, you know, that is incredible that according to this verse they are of the world because the world listen to them.

And what does the world is this system? The word cosmos is a system that is headed up by Satan. And these views are accepted by the world. Jesus is only a phantom. He's not divine. There is no tri-unity in the Godhead. He's half God and half man.

He's only a good man, he's only a good prophet. This is the world's view about Yeshua the Messiah. But the believer's view, he is this eternal Son of God who loved us so much and was willing to become human being, a man. And because he was born to the virgin Miriam through the power of the Holy Spirit, there was not sin in him.

And in love for us, he went all the way to the altar where he was judged, the just one for the unjust, so he will bring us to God. This is the way the word of God is teaching us. And therefore we, as he says, are of God and we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

So, beloved brothers and sisters, in conclusion, may the Lord help us to discern that. Somebody teaches us something that is not found in the word of God, let us question that. Let us be careful to study the word of God, to rightly divide the word of truth. And this is fundamental.

This is not something that we can play with. This is serious business. It concern the truth that God had given us in his word concerning the person of his Son. And God is going to challenge man on that, because when we're going to have to stand before him, the question will be, what think ye of the Messiah?

And if we had wrong thoughts about him, we will ultimately find ourselves separated from God, eternally lost. But if we have the right view that God had concerning his Son, we are eternally related to him. Eternal salvation, never to be separated from this wonderful person, namely our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

Well, may the Lord bless his word and keep this warning in your minds so we can choose to be instructed by the sincere word of God.

Guest (Male): 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.