Holy Scriptures and Israel

Announcer: 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 Acts chapter 17. He was so overwhelmed in 1 Kings chapter 8. He says, is it possible, God, that you are going to dwell here in this temple that is made with hands? I'll read that verse. 1 Kings chapter 8 and verse 27.

But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, the heavens of heavens cannot contain thee. How much less this house that I have built, Solomon say. Solomon understood that God is greater than just the building, though the temple, Beth Hamikdash that He built was devoted to the God of Israel.

But he understood that God does not dwell in a mere building. He cannot be contained into one building. God is filling everywhere because He is the Creator. He says, He is the Lord of heaven and earth. He is the Creator. He does not dwell in temples made with hands.

So he was touching the mind of these philosophers, or these men that were following philosophy, and he's trying to tell them, listen, ladies and gentlemen, recognize that there is a living God who has not been bound by buildings. He's not being bound by temples made with human hands. He is the Creator.

Then he's moving down in verse 25, he's saying, this unknown God is not only the Creator, but He is the Provider. He gives everything. Notice that next verse. Neither is He worshiped with man's hand as though He needed anything, seeing that He gives to all life and breath and all things.

You know, brothers and sisters, everything that men have today was given to us by God. You remember what James said to his Hebrew brethren, James 1 verse 17? Every good thing and every perfect thing came from above, from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Everything was given to us by God.

That's what he's really saying. He's not only a creator, but he's a provider. And brothers and sisters, think about you and I today, do you know that everything that we have and possess really was given to us by God? He had given to us everything. He's pointing out in verse 25, life and breath and all things. You know, the very fact that we breathe, it's a fact that God has provided for us life and breath. Everything was given to us by God.

And He adds, not only this, but all things. David said years ago in the scriptures when he received from the Lord so much in 1 Chronicles 29 at the end of the chapter, he said to them, what can I give you that I did not receive? You know that everything David said that he received, it was given to him by God. And David was so broken before the Lord when he prepared for the temple, all the elements, the gold, the silver, the bronze, and everything that he prepared, everything was given to him by God. And David said to God, what are we going to give You?

We don't give you anything. Whatever we give you, we have already received from You. And everything that we give, we receive, so we give You back what we received from You. And that's why Paul said to him, listen, He's not only a creator, but He's a provider. He gives us life. He gives us breath, and He gives us all things. Verse 25 of chapter 17.

But not only that He is a creator and provider, He's also a ruler. He rules. Look at verse 26 through 29. The unknown God is the one who determined the times and the boundaries. He rules over the affairs of men. He has made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, for He has determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation.

Some of us are coming from many countries here in our little fellowship here. Some of us are locally in Canada, some from Israel, some from United States, some coming from Czechoslovakia, some from Russia, from Belarus. We have people who come from all sorts of countries in the world. And can you imagine when God has situated us in various countries and lands, He's the one that ordained it in such a way.

He's the one that gave us the different languages that we all speak. He's in charge of his affairs, of those that He created. He is in charge. And that's why he's saying, He determined the times. He has appointed the boundaries. He has appointed everything that we have today, the way that God has determined them to be. We read in Deuteronomy chapter 32 and verse 8.

We read these words: When the Most High divided to the nation their inheritance. When He separated the sons of Adam. He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. See, when God divided the lands and the boundaries of the world, of the nation, He had done it in such a way, according to Deuteronomy 32 and verse 8, according to the number of the children of Israel.

He divided the nations. In other words, He takes care of His affairs. Even though it looks like everything is in a mess in this world, and people thinking that God does not know what's going on, what Apostle Paul is saying here in verse 26, that He determined the times. He has appointed the boundaries of all the inhabitants of this world.

Why did God do it in such a way? It says in verse 27, that they should seek the Lord. If happily they might feel after Him and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us. God is not far. God is very near to His creation. And sometimes men act as if God is far away and He is not caring. But the Bible does teach us, and that's what Paul is showing to us that He is not a God who is a far-away God.

He is a God that is near His people, according to verse 27, He is not far from every one of us. And it is true, brothers and sisters, there is a built-in mechanism, if you will, conscience, that God had given men to prove to men that God is not far away from none of us. Our conscience tells us that there is a living God, to Him we are accountable.

Look at creation. The sun, the moon, the stars tells us that there is a providing God who is caring for His people, who rules over His people, of mankind that is. The sun is rising in the morning and going down in the evening. The moon is shining at night. The stars. We see the evidence of God's ruling over the affairs of men, even though men reject Him and despise these truths.

So verse 27 shows us that He's not far from us. Notice in verse 28 that in His rule, He directs His creation, because it says in verse 28, in Him we live, in Him we move, in Him we have our being. The very fact that we move in our life, that we live, we breathe, and we are existing, it's a proof of a living God.

Every day, that there's a birth in the hospital and a mother gives birth to a child, is a proof that there is a living God that gives us life. This little baby that we hold in our hands, that has his hands and his arms and his legs and his head, and he's breathing, and he has his mouth, nose, and he's a creation of God, is a miracle of God that is one that is born into this world. And then as he grows up, as you and I grow up, we live in Him, we move in Him, and we have our being existed because of the fact that God had given us life.

If you remember in Genesis chapter 1 and verse 26 and 27, we have been created in the image and the likeness of God. In Genesis chapter 2, it tells us that He breathed into his nostril the breath of life, and men became a living soul. You know, brothers and sisters, the proof that there is a living God is you and I here today. Just the same like Paul speaking to the people of Athens on Mars Hill. The proof that there is a living God, that unknown God for them, He is the one that is ruling, is the very fact that they are there, they move, they live, and have our being because of who this living God is.

And then fourthly, in this verse 29, he continues and he tells them that He is not a God which made things through device. Notice that in verse 29: For as much then as we are the offspring of God, we are not to think that the God is like unto gold or silver or stone, graven by art and men's device. You see, that's what he was warning always our people Israel historically.

Don't you follow the ways of the nations. Don't you make a graven images. That was part of the decalogue, of the Ten Commandment. Thou shall not have any other gods before Me, He said to our nation Israel. It's not that He does not want men to have his own device, to develop a God of gold and a God of silver and a God of stone. This is idolatry, He said to Israel. And here the Apostle Paul zeroing in in the city of Athens when he says that God is not that kind of God. You cannot make Him with your own device.

You cannot just think and imagine Him as if He is the God of gold or silver or stone. No, He is a living God who is number one, He is the Creator. Number two, He is the Provider. Number three, He is the Ruler. Everything is under His control. And then finally, brothers and sisters, in this chapter, in the last verses, 30 to 34, He is now telling them the necessity to repent and to believe in this unknown God, whom He is now made Him known unto them.

And so notice at the final verses, and look how important it is. Verse 30, God was patient. God was long-suffering with mankind. At the times of this ignorance, God winked at. But now He commands all men everywhere to repent. What He was telling them, listen, God bore with us, not because He allows sin and He's not going to judge sin. Oh, He will. But He bore with mankind.

He waited on mankind. He winked at this time of the ignorant. God winked at. In other words, he was saying really in this verse 30 that this God was patient and He overlooked for this period of time. In other words, men sinned, God will judge it, but He waited for the period of time in which He is going to judge this world. And He's now, notice, He commands all men, everywhere, to repent.

Notice there's two expression. All men everywhere to repent. Not only in the land of Israel now. In Athens, in Berea, in Thessalonica, in Philippi, everywhere, we can say today, in Toronto, God commanding all men everywhere. And notice that word to repent. Repentance is a change of mind. Repentance is a turn around 180 degrees and going in a total different direction.

Repentance towards God is essential for salvation. Notice if you just turn to chapter 20 for a moment, verse 21 says this: Testifying both to the Jewish people, and also to the Greeks, repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. Repentance is essential, beloved brothers and sisters. And Paul was saying to these people of Athens the importance of repentance, of Teshuva, as we say in Hebrew. We read in 1 Kings as well of the necessity of Teshuva, to return, to turn around towards God, to take side with God, and to go against oneself, to recognize that we have been wrong, that we have sinned, and that God is a just God.

That's what the Apostle is telling to the people of Athens. He winked for a time. He over-ruled for a time. He patiently waited for this time of the presentation of the Gospel. But now, not later on, now He's commanding all men everywhere to repent. Why is He doing that? Why He's commanding to repent? Because judgment is coming. If there is no repentance, there is a judgment that is going to come upon men, because notice at the next verse, he says, because He has appointed a day in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He has ordained.

See, there is coming a day. You know, people can delay the time that they're going to have to meet the Lord. They're going to delay. They can say, listen, I don't have to do it right now. I have plenty of time. I want to live my life, perhaps like those philosophers, who says, enjoy life. Have great time. You don't need to worry about God now, later on. Just before you die, you might take the time and then you can change your mind, and you can come back to God and repent.

Well, Paul says, no. Because now He's commanding. Not later on. All men, not some men, everywhere, not only in some places like Athens, but everywhere He commands men to repent, because there is a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness. Now, that takes us really to the great white throne judgment.

See, for us believers, who have accepted Yeshua the Messiah, we're going to meet the Lord at the judgment seat of the Messiah, 2 Corinthians 5:10. There our works will be judged as believers. But at the great white throne judgment, Revelation teaches us this at the end in chapter 19 and 20 there. There at the great white throne judgment, it's not anymore an issue of believers. All the people who are going to stand at the great white throne judgment will be unbelievers. And everyone will be judged with what have you done with Yeshua the Messiah.

There is a day coming. The day of judgment where He is going to have to judge. Notice that in verse 31, He will judge the world and He's going to judge the world in righteousness. No one's going to escape the piercing eye of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. He knows everything about us. He knows our motives. He knows our lives. He knows everything about us. And yet He loves men.

For this He paid when He died for us on the cross, on the tree. But those that will refuse Him will have to be judged by Him. And notice the Bible says He will be judged by that man. Who is that man? That's the man that was rejected. That's the man that was despised. That's the man that the prophet Isaiah called him a man of sorrows, that had been acquainted with grief. That's the man, the man of God's counsel. The man who brought so much joy to the heart of God.

Once He was despised and rejected, but in the second time, in the second coming, He's going to come in righteousness as King of kings and Lord of lords. Every knee shall bow, every tongue will confess that Yeshua is Lord to the glory of God the Father. And you know, brothers and sisters, this tells us here in these verses that He will be the one who's going to judge men in righteousness. And notice what it says. That's why, verse 31, beware of, He has given assurance unto all men in that He had raised Him from the dead.

You know, He just again going back to the truth of the resurrection. Why the resurrection? Because the resurrection is a token of God's pleasure in the work of the Messiah Yeshua. When God raised Him, God was satisfied because the work of redemption has been complete. That's why He raised Him. And He placed Him on the pinnacle of the universe. And He said to Him, sit down on My right hand, Psalm 110, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

And the resurrection again is mentioned. It's mentioned here, it's mentioned in verse 18, and it's mentioned in Romans 4 verse 25, He was raised in order that we will be justified. And so Paul preached to them that message. And I tell you, I wish I could have been there, just on the side on Mars Hill, somewhere in the corner there, listening to the message that the Apostle Paul is preaching to them, and just drinking it in and telling, preach it, Brother Paul, because he was preaching the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah.

Now, in closing, every time we preach the message of the Gospel, you have more than one kind of response. And notice the three types of responses that we have here in the last verses. Two responses in verse 32, and one response in verse 34. The first response is in verse 32. When they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. Some said, ah, Mr. Paul, you're crazy.

Well, I have so many other gods here that I can trust in. What do you give me this Jesus, Yeshua, death, resurrection? What do you give me this nonsense, they might say. They were mocking him. Like today. When we preach the message of the Gospel, people laugh at us, they say, are you crazy? Men die, buried, raised, heaven, this. What are you telling me? The people reject the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah, and they mock the message of the Gospel.

Now, praise God, I trust none of us here mocking that message because we are here to come to find pleasure in what we have already learned about Yeshua the Messiah. Some mocked, like they will mock when we're going to preach today on the streets here. But then look at this, others make another type of a mistake, because it says in verse 32, and others said, we will hear thee again of this matter.

In other words, they said, Paul, we'll talk about it later. I'm busy right now. I have things to do. I'm occupied right now. I have responsibility, like many say today, you know what, it's nice to hear about wonderful Yeshua Jesus, but you know what, I have no time for Him today. We'll talk about it another time. I'll hear you again. You know, we'll talk later. Later doesn't come. The Bible says today if you hear His voice, harden not your heart.

Don't delay. They say, no, we'll talk about it later on. Paul, don't give me this today. I have no time. You remember when the Lord in the Gospel, He made an invitation, and invited people to come to the celebration. And some says, you know, I married a wife. I cannot come. I just married a wife. Why don't you bring your wife with you? Others said, you know, I bought some animals and I need to watch how they walk the ground. Well, you can watch later on. Come now. I cannot come. I'll hear you later. We'll talk about it later.

And you know, brothers and sisters, later to many never come. Many who are going to find themselves in a lost eternity because they didn't take the time to give to Yeshua the Messiah. There's time for pleasure. There's time for business. There's time for all sorts of things we make sure that we have time for, but very little time for the things of our Lord Jesus, of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

We will hear you again some other day, Paul. We don't have the time right now. How many people are going to cry to the Lord at the great white throne judgment and says, Lord, forgive me if I knew, Lord, if I took the time to just accept You and recognize that You are the Messiah, Lord, please, Lord, I just did not have the time. And the Lord will have to say to them, depart from Me, ye workers of iniquity.

You will not go to hell or to the lake of fire only because you are sinners, but because you refuse to accept forgiveness on a basis of My provision for you. And He will have to tell them, depart from Me. And it's sad as it is, beloved brothers and sisters. But Paul must have been broken when those told him, we will talk to you again. I believe that it's far better to mock than to just say, I'll talk to you later, to pretend as if you're going to talk later on.

You better reject it right away and say, I don't believe and I don't want it. But when those ones who said, well, I'll talk about it later. They were really revealing what was really in their own hearts. And you know what, brothers and sisters, I remember in my life, when I heard the Gospel, I said to those who were lovingly sharing with me, you know, it's a nice story. But we'll talk about it later.

Thank God that He did not allow me to leave this scene before I confessed Yeshua as my Lord and my Messiah. So, this is very serious and very important. And finally, brothers and sisters, look in the last verses. First of all, it says that Paul departed from among them. Now Paul left and by the way, we never read in scripture that Paul returned to Athens again.

He departed from them, but look, as he was departing, there were those that cleaved to him. Those that believed the message. It says, howbeit, certain men cleaved unto him. The word for cleave is gluo, davku, in other words, they glued to him and believed. Praise God that there are always those that trust the Lord Yeshua the Messiah when we preach the message. There are always those that God is touching their hearts. It says about that they believed.

You remember what we read, Acts 16:31, where what must I do to have eternal life? Paul answered to the jailer, believe on the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, and you shall be saved. John 3:16, for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. And then we read about this some. It says, among the which was Dionysius, the Areopagite, and a woman by the name of Damaris, and others also.

There were those individuals who did believe the message of the Gospel concerning Yeshua, who died, was buried and resurrected, and they have accepted Him and believed and become part of the church of the living God, of the assembly, of the congregation, there in the local city that is called Athens. And we praise God for these brothers and sisters, and just to close the meeting, we need to recognize the grace of God and how God have touched our hearts and made us, if you will, provoked us to turn to Him and say, Lord, we do need You as our Lord and as our Savior. And we become part of the redeemed company that belong to Yeshua the Messiah.

Announcer: 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 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.