Holy Scriptures and Israel

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[ 0m9s504ms - 0m20s514ms ] [--Female Speaker--] 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.

[ 0m21s34ms - 0m25s274ms ] And to instruct Christians on the Jewish roots of their faith.

[ 0m25s864ms - 0m33s494ms ] And now, teaching God's word from a Hebrew Messianic perspective, here is Gideon Levytam.

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[ 0m39s906ms - 0m54s996ms ] [--Gideon Levytam--] the study of Acts chapter 8, saying this man is the great power of God, and to him they had regard because of a long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

[ 0m56s146ms - 1m4s746ms ] Now, is no coincident that we have here this man by the name of Simon immediately after the preaching of Philip.

[ 1m5s736ms - 1m14s666ms ] Because every time God does a work, every time the Spirit of God is on the move and on the go.

[ 1m15s266ms - 1m20s206ms ] And there is a preaching of the truth of the gospel and people get saved.

[ 1m20s686ms - 1m24s486ms ] At the same time, Satan does his job.

[ 1m25s266ms - 1m39s136ms ] As God move about presenting the love of the Messiah to men, immediately following this, there is the move of Satan, the move of the devil, the move of the enemy of God to present false teaching.

[ 1m41s516ms - 1m43s756ms ] To present that which is not of God.

[ 1m44s406ms - 1m48s366ms ] And so what we see here, this man by the name of Simon.

[ 1m48s776ms - 1m54s256ms ] He was bewitching the Greek word for sorcery is like coming from the word magic.

[ 1m55s106ms - 1m59s576ms ] He was tricking them, he was doing magic, he was beguiling them.

[ 2m0s436ms - 2m8s126ms ] He was like one that has succeeded in the power of Satan to bewitch them and to cause them to follow after him.

[ 2m8s776ms - 2m16s346ms ] It says there that they said this man is the great power of God.

[ 2m17s146ms - 2m23s616ms ] That's how the Samaritans, those that had followed him, looked at this man by the name of Simon.

[ 2m24s186ms - 2m28s686ms ] And they thought, wow, this man has really the great power of God.

[ 2m29s696ms - 2m37s246ms ] And you know, we can see, brothers and sisters, in this man Simon exactly what's going to happen in the tribulation period.

[ 2m37s926ms - 2m41s736ms ] When there will be those who will follow after the Antichrist.

[ 2m42s656ms - 2m56s706ms ] Second Thessalonians chapter two shows us that the Antichrist will have powers that were given to him, satanic powers that he will show and reveal of himself and many will follow after him.

[ 2m57s546ms - 3m1s316ms ] Well, here we see exactly what Simon was doing.

[ 3m1s596ms - 3m8s946ms ] He was bewitching, he was magically attracting the people and many followed after him.

[ 3m9s506ms - 3m18s646ms ] And to him they had much regard because for a long time he had bewitched them with all sort of sorcery.

[ 3m19s526ms - 3m30s306ms ] I don't have to tell you this today, often time when I drive on the highway, I see all kind of signs that says, you know, somebody can read your poems.

[ 3m30s306ms - 3m37s646ms ] Somebody can tell you your future, somebody can claim that they can see beyond the scene, they are able to show you the future.

[ 3m38s136ms - 3m39s616ms ] And many people go there.

[ 3m40s276ms - 3m44s686ms ] And they want to know what's going to happen in the future, how things are going to be.

[ 3m45s186ms - 3m50s566ms ] As if those individuals who can read your palm can tell you what's going to happen in the future.

[ 3m51s349ms - 3m53s109ms ] Well, that's what happened in Samaria.

[ 3m53s666ms - 3m55s836ms ] He was a magic man.

[ 3m56s366ms - 3m59s526ms ] He was bewitching the people of Samaria.

[ 4m0s366ms - 4m10s226ms ] And many followed after him because they thought that he was that man that had the great power that came from God.

[ 4m11s436ms - 4m29s726ms ] But, brothers and sisters, we see here that while he was doing so, at the same time in verses 12 and 13, we see that the Samaritans, many of them believe the simple message of the gospel.

[ 4m30s446ms - 4m33s906ms ] That could give them an assurance and forgiveness of sins.

[ 4m34s736ms - 4m54s666ms ] It says in verse 12, but when they believed Philip and his preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Yeshua the Messiah, they were baptized both men and women.

[ 4m55s536ms - 5m14s36ms ] Even though Simon was doing his bewitching, his beguiling, his magic, his sorcery, and he succeeded to have many to follow after him, but there were those who came to faith in Jesus the Messiah through the preaching of Philip.

[ 5m14s366ms - 5m21s636ms ] You notice, he preached number one the Kingdom of God in verse 12, and number two the name of Yeshua the Messiah.

[ 5m23s476ms - 5m30s476ms ] And you remember what we read in Act chapter 4, there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved.

[ 5m31s636ms - 5m35s306ms ] He was simply preaching that name that is above every name.

[ 5m36s586ms - 5m43s506ms ] The Bible tells the name of Jesus of Yeshua every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess.

[ 5m44s376ms - 5m49s856ms ] And Philip simply preached the message of Yeshua the Messiah.

[ 5m50s496ms - 5m59s336ms ] And he preached concerning the Kingdom of God, and it is important to understand the thought the Kingdom of God.

[ 5m59s336ms - 6m3s246ms ] Why does he preach to the Samaritans the Kingdom of God?

[ 6m4s466ms - 6m14s866ms ] Because the Samaritans were in their background historically understood that there was a promise of a coming kingdom.

[ 6m15s566ms - 6m20s516ms ] And that God will establish his Kingdom upon the face of this earth.

[ 6m21s346ms - 6m37s206ms ] And that the Kingdom will not come through the Samaritans, the Kingdom will come through the nation of Israel, through the birth of the coming Messiah who was born and he will establish one day the Kingdom in the land of Israel.

[ 6m37s206ms - 6m46s36ms ] So, Philip was preaching to the Samaritan, the Kingdom of God and the name of Yeshua the Messiah.

[ 6m47s401ms - 6m56s161ms ] And as he was preaching unto them that message, it says there that they were baptized both men and women.

[ 6m56s161ms - 7m4s331ms ] Many were baptized and identified with this one with the name of Yeshua the Messiah.

[ 7m5s341ms - 7m9s401ms ] And so they were baptized, they identified with Yeshua the Messiah.

[ 7m10s331ms - 7m15s811ms ] But in verse 13, we read that Simon himself, when he saw.

[ 7m16s781ms - 7m21s711ms ] He also believed, it says here, then he also was baptized.

[ 7m22s221ms - 7m30s341ms ] And he continued with Philip and he wondered beholding the miracles and the signs which were done.

[ 7m31s321ms - 7m33s711ms ] Now, let me pause here for a moment.

[ 7m33s711ms - 7m36s791ms ] It says here that Simon also believed.

[ 7m37s711ms - 7m40s501ms ] And it also say here that he was baptized.

[ 7m41s791ms - 7m49s221ms ] Let us just for a moment think about this, what kind of belief was the belief of Simon?

[ 7m49s891ms - 8m6s461ms ] And he actually publicly took the place in baptism, publicly going under the water, getting baptized just like the others, and it says here that he looked at the miracles and the signs which were done.

[ 8m7s161ms - 8m17s351ms ] You know, Simon, and we will see it in a moment, his faith in Jesus was not a faith unto salvation.

[ 8m18s241ms - 8m23s981ms ] He did not believe in the work of Christ, in the work of the Messiah for him.

[ 8m24s481ms - 8m27s211ms ] But he believed because he saw miracles done.

[ 8m28s191ms - 8m31s211ms ] He only saw that which was external.

[ 8m32s171ms - 8m40s831ms ] And so he wanted to have exactly what the others have had, so he simply got baptized, identified with them.

[ 8m41s541ms - 8m53s771ms ] But the reason here in verse 13 was not because he recognized that he's a sinner before God, but simply because of the miracles that was done.

[ 8m54s251ms - 8m57s561ms ] And that is not a faith unto salvation.

[ 8m58s301ms - 9m10s701ms ] What a shame it is that there are many who think that because of baptism, or because even looking at external experiences that happen, they believe in God.

[ 9m11s451ms - 9m25s521ms ] But faith unto salvation must be faith because I recognize that I have sinned before God, and Jesus the Messiah, Yeshua the Messiah, paid for my sins.

[ 9m26s161ms - 9m30s311ms ] If you just go back for a moment to the Gospel of John.

[ 9m30s411ms - 9m31s211ms ] For another verse.

[ 9m31s211ms - 9m34s851ms ] I would like you to read with me the less verses of John 2.

[ 9m36s271ms - 9m48s361ms ] John chapter 2, verse 23, 24 and 25, we find out what the Lord have thought about those who believe miracles only and not His person and His work.

[ 9m50s461ms - 10m9s911ms ] It says in John chapter 2, verse 23, now when it was in Jerusalem at the Feast of the Passover, in the feast day many believed in His name when they saw the miracles which he had done.

[ 10m11s481ms - 10m19s391ms ] But look what we read, and Yeshua did not commit himself unto them because he knew all men.

[ 10m20s681ms - 10m27s741ms ] And he needed not that any should testify of men because he knew what was in men.

[ 10m29s571ms - 10m40s41ms ] Seeing a miracle and believing in Yeshua the Messiah because he was a miracle worker is not sufficient unto salvation.

[ 10m41s841ms - 10m58s391ms ] Philip's preaching of the word of God to the Samaritans accompanied by miracles and signs and wonders, believing in the miracles that Philip have done is not sufficient unto salvation.

[ 10m59s791ms - 11m7s261ms ] What is essential in salvation is to understand the reason that Yeshua came to this world.

[ 11m7s871ms - 11m10s391ms ] And that's what Philip was presenting.

[ 11m11s421ms - 11m16s791ms ] When he presented the name of Yeshua and he presented the gospel.

[ 11m16s791ms - 11m19s471ms ] He simply told them, listen, Samaritans.

[ 11m20s271ms - 11m34s141ms ] The way for you to be saved, to be forgiven is on a basis of the name of Yeshua, who paid the price for our sin and sins, and then you can be saved.

[ 11m35s361ms - 11m44s381ms ] And so, apparently, many of the Samaritans did accept the Lord, did accept the work of Christ, of the Messiah.

[ 11m45s181ms - 11m52s891ms ] But Simon gone along with them, he believed because he saw the miracle, he even got baptized.

[ 11m53s531ms - 12m0s771ms ] To give an external appearance as if he's part of the company of the believers there.

[ 12m1s311ms - 12m9s41ms ] But all was because he simply looked at the miracles and the signs which were done.

[ 12m10s391ms - 12m14s761ms ] We're going to look at that in a moment and we'll see that really he was not a child of God.

[ 12m15s471ms - 12m16s621ms ] Well, look at the next verses now.

[ 12m17s591ms - 12m30s981ms ] I'm back in Act chapter 8, and in the next verses, we find out in verses 14 to 17, the coming of the apostles from Jerusalem.

[ 12m32s371ms - 12m33s181ms ] Peter and John.

[ 12m34s401ms - 12m37s451ms ] Look, and this is also very important.

[ 12m38s361ms - 12m44s871ms ] Now when the apostles which were in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God.

[ 12m45s951ms - 12m47s881ms ] They sent unto them Peter and John.

[ 12m48s941ms - 12m56s651ms ] Who when they were come down, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit of God.

[ 12m57s711ms - 13m4s961ms ] For as yet he was fallen upon none of them, only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

[ 13m5s901ms - 13m11s321ms ] Then laid they their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

[ 13m12s611ms - 13m16s961ms ] Now, there's also an important lesson here in these verses.

[ 13m17s801ms - 13m27s661ms ] Why was it so important for the apostle Peter and John to come all the way from Jerusalem to the area of the Shamron, to Samaria?

[ 13m28s831ms - 13m37s641ms ] Well, do you remember, brothers and sisters, that now it is the foundation of the church, is the beginning of the assembly.

[ 13m38s301ms - 13m49s221ms ] And Peter, if you remember, in Matthew chapter 16, received from the Lord Jesus the Messiah, the keys for the Kingdom of God.

[ 13m49s631ms - 13m55s901ms ] You remember that when Peter was asked by the Lord, who do men say that I the son of man am?

[ 13m56s891ms - 14m0s401ms ] And Peter said, you are the Messiah, the son of the living God.

[ 14m1s281ms - 14m22s71ms ] And the Lord said to him, Peter, flesh and blood did not reveal it unto you, but my Father which is in heaven, if you remember in chapter 16 of Matthew, he said, and you are Peter and upon your confession, upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gate of Hades shall not prevail against it.

[ 14m22s561ms - 14m29s891ms ] And then he said to Peter, and I will give unto you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven.

[ 14m30s671ms - 14m40s271ms ] whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loose in heaven.

[ 14m41s351ms - 14m56s631ms ] Peter was given by the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, the privilege of presenting the message of the gospel and in a sense to be used by the Lord Jesus to open the door to the Kingdom of Heaven.

[ 14m56s631ms - 15m2s491ms ] Number one to the Jewish people, his own brethren.

[ 15m3s531ms - 15m6s611ms ] Number two to the Samaritans in Act chapter 8.

[ 15m7s531ms - 15m13s861ms ] And number three to the Gentile world in Act chapter 10 at the house of Cornelius.

[ 15m14s861ms - 15m20s591ms ] And here we see Peter come down from Jerusalem.

[ 15m20s961ms - 15m29s321ms ] And he's asking them, you remember, he came in verse 14 from Jerusalem and they were come down, they prayed for them.

[ 15m30s531ms - 15m33s201ms ] That they might receive the Holy Spirit of God.

[ 15m34s321ms - 15m43s461ms ] Because the Holy Spirit of God did not yet fall upon them, because they were only baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus the Messiah.

[ 15m44s361ms - 15m54s551ms ] You see, the apostles who were the immediate contacts with the person of Yeshua the Messiah, chosen by him as an apostles.

[ 15m55s231ms - 16m9s891ms ] They had to come down to Samaria and there they were used by the Lord Yeshua the Messiah through prayer to bring down the Holy Spirit of God upon the Samaritans as well.

[ 16m10s811ms - 16m14s411ms ] He have done that in Act chapter 2 to his own brethren, the Jewish people.

[ 16m15s421ms - 16m29s961ms ] And now he came to Shamron, to Samaria, and there he uses the key, if you will, by opening the door that the Holy Spirit of God will come upon the Samaritans.

[ 16m30s121ms - 16m34s801ms ] Now, I want to say this also here that we will not make any mistake.

[ 16m35s751ms - 16m44s561ms ] We don't need today Peter to come from Jerusalem to our city here in Toronto, to open the door for us to receive the Holy Spirit of God.

[ 16m45s221ms - 16m46s701ms ] We don't need that anymore.

[ 16m47s401ms - 16m49s511ms ] It happened the first time in Jerusalem.

[ 16m49s981ms - 17m3s421ms ] It happened the second time to the Samaritans in Act chapter 8, it will happen and it have already happened in Act chapter 10 to the Gentile world and since that time on.

[ 17m3s421ms - 17m14s581ms ] Up till this present day, the Holy Spirit of God is already here and every person that accept Yeshua the Messiah.

[ 17m14s941ms - 17m24s421ms ] He had been brought into the body of Messiah, he's automatically receiving the Holy Spirit of God indwelling in his body.

[ 17m24s421ms - 17m38s221ms ] We read in first Corinthian chapter 12 that by one spirit, we were all been baptized into that one body, whether we are being Jews or whether we are being Gentile.

[ 17m38s221ms - 17m44s951ms ] And so we don't need that repetition of what happened in the time of Act chapter 8.

[ 17m45s351ms - 17m48s541ms ] But nevertheless, Philip couldn't do it.

[ 17m49s461ms - 18m6s671ms ] The apostles had to come from Jerusalem to Samaria in order for the Spirit of God to take residence and to bring them united the Samaritan together with the Jews to be part of the body of the Messiah.

[ 18m6s671ms - 18m8s961ms ] And how wonderful it is, isn't it?

[ 18m9s271ms - 18m29s901ms ] Where there is the Holy Spirit of God, this divine person took residence in those believers, not only that he saved them and forgive their sins, but also united them together with any other believers that have come to faith in Christ in the Messiah before.

[ 18m30s671ms - 18m36s981ms ] Now, look at this, in the next verses now, we find out again about Simon.

[ 18m36s981ms - 18m38s131ms ] What does Simon have to say?

[ 18m38s841ms - 18m48s171ms ] You see, in the next verses, verses 18 to the end, Simon this sorcerer is coming to the front again.

[ 18m48s771ms - 18m57s711ms ] It says here in verse 18, when Simon saw that through the laying of the apostles' hands, the Holy Spirit was given.

[ 18m58s361ms - 18m59s341ms ] And you know what he did?

[ 19m0s361ms - 19m3s491ms ] He offered them money.

[ 19m4s331ms - 19m14s491ms ] And he said to the apostles, give me also this power that on whomsoever I will lay my hand, he may receive the Holy Spirit.

[ 19m15s471ms - 19m16s881ms ] You see what Simon did?

[ 19m17s921ms - 19m21s311ms ] Simon believed because he saw the miracles.

[ 19m22s341ms - 19m29s151ms ] Simon got baptized who need because he thought that's the thing to do.

[ 19m30s41ms - 19m33s961ms ] But Simon was never a child of God.

[ 19m34s401ms - 19m43s721ms ] Because his faith was not in the person and work of Yeshua, but his faith was in the miracles that have happened.

[ 19m45s681ms - 19m46s71ms ] So he thought, boy.

[ 19m46s71ms - 19m48s51ms ] Look at this.

[ 19m48s951ms - 19m57s771ms ] All what you have to do, you lay your hand on somebody, the Holy Spirit coming upon him, there's a great miracles here and I want to get it.

[ 19m59s471ms - 20m11s641ms ] So he said, you know what? I'm going to give you some money, he said to the apostles, to the Philip, to the apostles, Peter and John, can you please sell me the ability to do this magic also.

[ 20m13s381ms - 20m19s921ms ] And he thought that by money paying he can earn and gain that power.

[ 20m20s431ms - 20m22s541ms ] Now, brothers and sisters, listen.

[ 20m23s431ms - 20m30s221ms ] The power of the Holy Spirit was only given to those that have trusted Yeshua the Messiah.

[ 20m30s931ms - 20m43s791ms ] The power and the person of the Holy Spirit is only given to those who are broken before God, who recognize that they are not right with God, and they need their sins forgiven.

[ 20m44s481ms - 20m47s711ms ] You cannot buy the Holy Spirit of God.

[ 20m48s481ms - 20m54s251ms ] You cannot buy the power of God, the person of the Holy Spirit of God.

[ 20m54s561ms - 20m58s431ms ] And that's why Peter was so strong with Simon.

[ 20m59s111ms - 21m6s891ms ] And Peter said to him in verse 20 on, Peter responds to Simon's request and he said to him,

[ 21m8s411ms - 21m16s141ms ] Your money perish with you because you have thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

[ 21m17s331ms - 21m29s661ms ] You know, it's beautiful to see that the gift of God, eternal life, relationship with God, forgiveness of sin, you cannot buy it with money.

[ 21m31s411ms - 21m36s581ms ] It is without price, without money, without silver and gold.

[ 21m36s581ms - 21m48s621ms ] You remember what Peter said already earlier, silver and gold have I none, but such as I have, I given to thee in a name of Yeshua the Messiah, rise up and walk.