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 Levitan.

Gideon Levytam: The study of Acts chapter 1 and notice he takes such a verse that you and I might look at that and we say where does he apply this verse? How does he know that that's apply to this man by the name of Judas who sold Yeshua the Messiah? So he's standing there. He stood up verse 15 and in the midst of all these disciples there in this upper room and then in verse 16 Peter speaks of the scriptures concerning Judas. And I want to remind you again the word Judas is simply the Hebrew word Yehuda.

We mentioned Judas in the English scriptures to identify him differently than the other Judah, but this is really the same name. He's Judah Ish Krayot. Judah the men of the suburbs. And so Peter is speaking of him and notice that he said men and brethren verse 16 this scripture must needs have been fulfilled which the Holy Spirit by the mouth of David spake concerning Judas which was a guide to them that took Yeshua. Now it's amazing how much insight Peter the Galilean had concerning the word of God. Even though the Lord Yeshua was not in the midst right now, he went to heaven.

He was going to come later on and he's going to through the Holy Spirit of God to guide the nation, to guide the believers there and yet Peter had an insight concerning the word of God, the scriptures. And he takes this and he says look David already in the Hebrew scriptures spoke concerning this man Yehuda Ish Krayot, Judah Ish Krayot that was a guide to them that took Yeshua. He's directing them to the scriptures. Interesting brothers and sisters that Peter believed in the word of God in the simplicity of the word of God and he directed them to what David have said in the Psalms concerning this man by the name of Judas.

Now you and I might ask how did he have this insight? I would like to suggest to you that already earlier in the Gospel of John, let just turn for a second to the Gospel of John, John chapter 20. Yeshua the Messiah was there with his disciples and if you remember in John 20 he gave the disciples the Holy Spirit. You remember that? Look at this. In verse 21 then said Jesus to them again peace be unto you as my father has sent me, even so I sent you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them.

This is verse 22 and he says to them receive ye the Holy Spirit. Now that's interesting passage because remember we said that the Holy Spirit only came later on in the next chapter, Acts chapter 2 and yet he had given to them the Holy Spirit of God in a unique way. Now I would like to say beloved brothers and sisters that the way in which they received the Holy Spirit of God in verse 22 receive you the Holy Spirit, they receive it in a same way under the Old Testament or other the economy of the Law.

They receive the Holy Spirit of God in the same way that other men of old like David received the Holy Spirit for a special vessel in a special way for a special time. And so they had the Holy Spirit of God, of course not yet indwelling them in the same way that it will be later on in the New Testament when the body was formed, but they had the Holy Spirit of God to guide them, to enlighten them, to help them to And so Peter received the same like the others, the Holy Spirit of God to enable them to understand the scripture for that season, for that time.

Later on the Holy Spirit of God going to come upon them, Acts chapter 2, going to unite them and to indwell them and never to leave them anymore. That will be in a new way under the new economy, under the new covenant. But here they received the Holy Spirit of God in verse 22 of John 20 by the Lord Yeshua himself for a special service. And so Peter he rising up in the midst of those disciples, these 120 believers about and he's saying to them brethren this scripture must need to be fulfilled which the Holy Spirit by the mouth of David spoke before concerning Judas which was a guide unto them that took Jesus.

And you know what he did? He directed them to Psalm 69. And he there notice that I'm reading verse 17 for he was numbered with us. Judas was numbered one of the 12 he was and he had obtained part of the ministry. He was part of the ministry of the 12 apostles, but he said in verse 18 this man, this is Judas Ish Krayot, he purchased a field with a reward of iniquity and falling down headlong he burst asunder in the midst and all his bowels gushed out and I'm continue verse 19 and 20 and it was known unto all that dwells in Jerusalem inasmuch as that the field is called in the proper tongue a caldama that is to say the field of blood and now verse 20 for it is written.

Here's the scripture. In the book of Psalm let his habitation be desolate and let no man dwell therein. And his bishopric or his overseeing let another one or another man take. In verse 20 we have a quotation of two verses in the Psalms that were written by David. Psalm 69 and verse 25 and Psalm 109 and verse 8 and I would like you for a moment to turn to Psalm 69 which we have also read today. Psalm 69 deals with the sufferings of the Messiah. In fact it was told or it being taught often time that Psalm 69 is a Psalm that deal with the Messiah's suffering and as the trespass offering.

You know we have five offerings in the book of Leviticus. We have the burnt offering, we have the meal offering, we have the peace offering, we have the sin offering and we have the trespass offering. Every offering is a picture of the Messiah Yeshua in his life and death and there are five Psalms that really goes a line in the same line with each of the offerings that are given to us in the Bible. The burnt offering is Psalm 40. The meal offering is Psalm 16. The peace offering is Psalm 85. The sin offering is Psalm 22 and the trespass offering is Psalm 69.

And every one of these Psalms if you read them in connection with the five offering, you will see how beautifully they speaks of the sufferings of the Messiah, the life and the death of Yeshua the Messiah. Psalm 69 verses 1 to 21 which we read today speak to us of the sufferings of the Messiah. But then it's continue which we didn't read today and I just going to read to you just a couple of verses after verse 21 where it says they gave me also gall for meat and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

This is what the Lord Jesus have said in Matthew chapter 27. And then we read in verse 22 all the way to verse 28 this called by Bible teachers imprecatory verses. If verses that kind of speak against the enemies of the people of God imprecatory verses, very harsh and strong verses. One of those verses in Psalm 69 verse 21 the Psalm is David says let their habitation be desolate and let none dwell in their tent. In Hebrew it says He took this verse Peter interesting and in order it says they in Psalm 69 25 their habitation and their tents it is a plural and he took it and he apply it to Judas Ish Krayot.

And there you notice I'm back now to Acts chapter 1 and I'm in verse 20 now. It is written in the book of the Psalm let his habitation. Notice he use the singular here in verse 20 let his habitation be desolate and let no man dwell therein. He took Psalm 69 verse 25 that apply in plurality to the enemies of the Lord and he took it and he changes to a singular form and he apply it to Judas Ish Krayot. And he says as it is written in the book of Psalm let his habitation be desolate, let no man dwell in his habitation.

In other words he took it and apply it to Judas Ish Krayot. Psalm 109 and verse 8 continue that says and that his bishopric let another take. Bishop simply means he's episcopal. In other word he's oversight somebody else supposed to take. Now what I want to emphasize here brothers and sisters that these verses shows us that these early believers believed in God's word and they took it seriously. They believe that what God said in his word is true. It is God's word. Everything that was said in the scriptures whether it is Old Testament or whether it is New Testament it is indeed the word of God.

And we are to take it literally and accept it for what it says. And that is exactly what Peter directed the people, the believers in the upper room to the word of God where he told them he stood up and he said men and brethren verse 16 these scripture must be fulfilled. The scripture concerning Judas who was an enemy of Yeshua, who led him who sold him for 30 pieces of silver. He is truly the one that he's applied to him Psalm 69 verse 25, Psalm 109 and verse 8. It is applied to this person by the name of Judas who sold our blessed Lord for 30 pieces of silver and you remember that we said the 30 pieces of silver is really the cost, the price of a dead slave.

Takes us from the book of Exodus. He sold the Lord. This story how he sold the Lord is taken we can read it in Matthew chapter 27. How you remember he brought the leadership, the elders and so on he brought them to the Garden of Gethsemane and he kissed Yeshua and Yeshua said to him do you betrayed the son of man with a kiss? And then they took Jesus and you remember how they brought him before the Sanhedrin and later on they took him to Pilate. He sold the Lord Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

He could never be part of the 12 apostles that are going to represent here the Lord among the people of Israel and the rest of the nations of the world. And so what they did here, they believed in the word of God. Just some highlights about this men by the name of Judas. You know what happened with Judas? He was numbered with us Peter said. His leadership has to be changed. Somebody else have to take his oversight and then he said about this man, about Judas. He purchased a field with a reward of iniquity verse 18 and it says he fell down headlong and he burst asunder in the midst then all his bowels were gushed out.

Apparently if you read the text in Matthew chapter 27 and the first 10 verses of this gospel, you will notice what happened with Judas. Judas after he betrayed the Lord when he saw that he was condemned that the Lord Jesus the Messiah was condemned, he repented. In other words he was remorse. He felt sorry for what he have done. So you know what he did? He went and he took the 30 pieces of silver. He brought it back to the chiefs and the elders. And you know he said I have sinned that I have betrayed an innocent blood and they said what is it to us?

You see it for yourself. And so he kissed the 30 pieces of silver in a temple there and he departed and the Bible tells us in verse 5 of Matthew 27 that he hung himself. Now some people have a problem between verse 5 that it says that he hung himself and between Acts 1 and verse 18 that it says that he fell headlong and his whole inwards gushed out. All his bowels gushed out and they ask in Matthew chapter 27 verse 5 it says that he hung himself. In Acts chapter 1 verse 18 it says that he fell down.

Well tell us is the Bible not correct here? Well they suggested and it probably very well may have been that he hung himself somewhere in the mountain and after he hung himself by the weight of his body the rope cut and he fell down and ultimately totally his guts or his bowels gushed out and he burst asunder in the midst and so on. We do not know, but people just to deny the scriptures saying you see there is a description here. There's no truthfulness between Acts 1 and Matthew chapter 27 and yet the Bible is clear.

He hung himself in one place it says in Acts chapter 1 it says that he fell headlong and his inwards burst out and we accept both things and we know something must have happened for this to come about to be in such a way. And so beloved brothers and sisters they believed in the fact that there must be the word of God to hold, to teach us, to instruct us concerning everything in life. And we too need to take this literally. The word of God will instruct us. The word of God will teach us. The word of God is that which will give us guidance in our life and will help us in many areas of our life.

In 2 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16 it says all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be mature, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Every scripture is given by divine inspiration and we are to believe the Tanakh as much as we are to believe the Brit Chadashah. We are to believe what God said in the Old Testament, in the Psalms, in the prophets, in the writing and we are to believe what God said in the Brit Chadashah in the New Testament.

It is indeed the word of God. Peter said holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. That's the word of God and the first century believers believed also in God's word. So they believed in the unity of believers verses 12, 13 and 14 of Acts 1. They believed in the written word of God verses 15 to verse 23. And thirdly and finally in this chapter they also believed in the power of prayer. Oh how we have to admit that we have a problem believing in prayer. We say that we hear many time oh Lord I've been praying for this issue in my life for so many years and I don't see an answer.

Lord I've been praying for my husband, my wife, my children, my parents for their salvation for so many years Lord and there seem to be no answer. Lord I've been praying for my health. I've been praying for my job. I've been praying for my friends for the relationship and Lord it doesn't seem to have an answer Lord. Should we believe in the power of prayer? The Bible does teach us and exhort us to pray without ceasing. The Lord Jesus the Messiah taught he says that people should pray and never cease, never stop and he gave us many illustration of the importance of prayer.

Look at these disciples in our chapter where we are in Acts chapter 1 they did believe in the power of prayer and you will notice that look in the next verses we finish verse 23 and I'll notice at the end verse 24, verse 25 and verse 26 you can see that the disciples believe in prayer. And it says in verse 24 and they prayed. If you go back to the earlier verse 14 all they continue with one accord in prayer and in supplication. They prayed. They continued in prayer. They continued to talk to the Lord and asking him for guidance.

They ask him for something that you might say well why do you ask God? You make a choice yourself. Don't pray about it. You and I might say, but look at it. They prayed. It says in verse 24 the disciples prayed for the Lord's help that he says and they prayed and they said thou Lord you know the hearts of all men. Show whether of these two you have chosen. You see they needed to replace Judas. See Judas was not a child of God. Judas Ish Krayot was really not part of the 12 apostles. He was temporary in the midst of the 11 was chosen by the Lord to be part of the 12 in his life here, but he was not part of the redeemed 12 and therefore this one have ultimately sold the Lord and died, hung himself and his body fell and burst asunder and they needed to replace him.

And so they prayed for the Lord to give them guidance. Who is the one that is going to replace Judas? And notice that there is an instruction. You know we hear a lot of people who say listen there is a new apostolic church today and there's more apostles. There are not only the 12 apostles, but there are many, many more apostles. I think I told you that once that I've been invited years ago to go to an apostolic church group and then I went there and I was sitting there and all of a sudden the apostle came.

And you know they have a special way and we boom boom me all of a sudden he's coming in the front and he you know the apostle. Well the Bible teaches us there were only 12 apostles and there is a unique apostle by the name of Paul Saul who never included himself among the 12. There must be only 12 apostles and Judas must be replaced by one that was suitable for that ministry of apostleship. And in order to be an apostle there is a qualification. Not everyone can say I'm an apostle. Let me show you the qualification in this chapter.

Here look at this with me. Please bear with me in these verses. Look he give them instruction how one can be qualified to be an apostle. Look it says in this from I'm reading verse 21. Wherefore of these men which have company with us all the time that the Lord Yeshua went in and out from among us. The first thing for qualification for someone to be called an apostle, he must have been part of the company that was with Yeshua the Messiah from the time all the time that the Lord Jesus was among the believers.

In other word for a person to be qualified to be an apostle, he must have been here 2,000 years ago walking with the Lord Jesus specifically doing his ministry that he had upon the face of this earth. Number two, in order for someone to be considered to be an apostle, he must be notice that verse 22 beginning from the baptism of John unto the day that he was taken up from us must one be ordained to the witness with us of his resurrection. For a person to be considered to be able to be an apostle, he must have literally seen the resurrected Messiah.

He must be with the disciples when the Lord Yeshua was baptized all the way to the time that he was resurrected. And so what happened? There were two that had the qualification at least there Joseph and Matthew in verse 23. Joseph and Matthew were the only one at least that they were brought to the surface to be qualified to be one of the apostles to replace Judas. And so they pray. Which one? You know it's so important to pray and to ask the Lord for guidance. We cannot just make a decision around. We need to ask the Lord to guide, to help us to make a wise choice.

And so we read here in this verse 24 they prayed. In verse 25 they ask the Lord to choose one for this apostleship. He says that he may take the part of this ministry of apostleship for which Judas by transgression failed that he might go to his own place. And so the Lord gave them the answer. In verse 26 they gave forth their lots and you know they were casting lots at that time. Casting lot was not like today gambling. Casting lots in the time in the Old Testament economy prior to the church age was really part of the life of the people of Israel.

Proverbs 16 tells us we cast the lots and the answer of it is of the Lord. The Lord is the one that would give the answer. And though they cast lots and it says here at the end of this chapter and the lots fell on Matthew. And Matthew was numbered with the 11 apostles. Now they have the 11 apostles plus Matthew and they have 12 apostles and I would like to say brothers and sisters that it was important to have 12 apostles because these 12 apostles were going to sit on 12 thrones in the coming days and they were going to govern the nation of Israel in the coming day.

It was the Lord who said and I'm going to end with this right now in Matthew chapter 19. These are the less verses that I'm going to read. In Matthew chapter 19 the Lord himself said Matthew chapter 19 and verse 28. Jesus said unto them verily I say unto you that ye which have followed me in the regeneration when the son of man shall sit on his throne on the throne of his glory ye also shall sit upon 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. You see there is a promise of a future kingdom where the 12 apostles going to sit on 12 thrones and they going to judge the 12 tribes of Israel.

That's why it was important to replace Judas and not to leave it with 11 apostles. That's why they had to choose another one and God had chosen Matityahu for them and Matityahu joined the 11 and together the 12. They were the ones that are going in a future day to sit on 12 thrones judging the 12 tribes of Israel. So what we learn from this chapter Acts chapter 1? We have learned that the early disciples even before the church was born. These early disciples believed also. Not only that they believe in the resurrection and in the kingdom and in the power of the spirit and in the coming of the Messiah, but they also believed in the unity of all believers.

They believed in God's word and they believed in prayer. And you and I also today need to hold on to these things. We have a Bible in our hand. Praise the Lord for that. We have an opportunity to pray. We often encourage the sisters to pray and we also need to pray. We need to get a hold of it and believe in the power of prayer. And also brothers and sisters let us work hard. Let us endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in bond of peace. Let's work hard at this even though it's not easy.

We are not easy people, all of us. Let us work hard to try to maintain practical unity even if we not seeing everything eye to eye. But let's be vessels that seek to maintain the unity of all believers. You agree with me? Can you say amen to that? Amen. May the Lord help us in this and may the Lord use us for his own glory and for our own blessing.

Guest (Male): You have been listening to the Holy Scriptures and Israel with Gideon Levitan. 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 a.m. and 7 p.m. and Saturdays at 1 p.m. 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.