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: Shabbat Shalom everyone. Okay, I was told many years ago by a brother he said brother Gideon if the Lord ever give you an opportunity to preach the word make sure that you make much of Yeshua and the Messiah. And I felt that that was a good healthy word of encouragement and I do believe that in every study of the word of God we are always can make sure to point to the person of Yeshua Jesus the Messiah of Israel and the savior of the world and even beloved brothers and sisters in the study of the book of Amos we can find so much that will direct us into the person of Yeshua the Messiah.

So today in this ministry meeting we are starting with the study of the prophet Amos. So please or you say it in English Amos, but please turn to the prophet Amos in your Bibles and I would like to read today only the first two verses by way of introduction. So I'm reading Amos chapter one and verses one and two. And so we read the words of Amos who was among the herdmen of Tekoa which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzziah king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel.

Two years before the earthquake and he said the Lord will roar from Zion and utter his voice from Jerusalem. And the habitations of the shepherds shall mourn and the top of Carmel shall wither. And I'm stopping here with the first two verses of Amos chapter one. Now just by way of introduction we must remember that prophets of Israel have spoken to our nation of all the people of Israel in various period of time in Israel's history. Some have spoken to the whole nations namely the whole kingdom of Israel. Others have spoken to the nations after their divided condition and after others have spoken to the people of Judah after they have returned from captivity after being in the land of Babel for 70 years and return to the land of Judah to the land of Israel.

And so when we study the prophet of Amos we must understand to whom did Amos speak? What was the message that he had to convey to the people of Israel? What is the background upon which we find this man by the name of Amos is speaking to the people of Israel? In other words what we read in Amos chapter one and verse one the words of Amos who was among the herdmen of Tekoa which he saw notice that which he saw concerning Israel. So immediately you open such a passage in the Tanakh that is in the Old Testament and you want to know the background.

The background and the time in which Amos have spoken to our own people the nation of Israel one thing we do learn from this passage that Amos is spoken he saw concerning Israel in the days of notice verse one Uzziah the king of Judah and Jeroboam the son of Joash the king of Israel. Now for the background just for us all to grasp what we are where we find ourselves in the study of the book of Amos I would like you for a moment to turn with me back to first Kings chapter 11 in your Bibles just so we will have the background before us.

Turn to first Kings chapter 11 and I would like to read a few verses there in fact I'm going to read verses nine to verse 13. First Kings chapter 11 verses nine to 13 you remember what we read in first Kings chapter 11 we are in the time in which king Solomon reigned over the whole nation of Israel. King Solomon was the son of king David. King David was the second king of our people Israel. He was the second king. He was the one that reigned after Saul was the first king who was the choice of men rather than the choice of God, but David Melech Israel David the king of Israel was a king that was a man after God's own heart.

God have allowed him to be the first really might say the choice of God for the people of Israel. David died his son Shlomo Solomon became the king of Israel. In the time of the reign of Solomon in the beginning it was a wonderful kingdom of Israel doing the reign of Solomon the reign of Shlomo. But from there on things went bad went sour. We read in first king chapter 11 verse one first of all, but king Solomon loved many strange women together with the daughter of Pharaoh women of the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the Sidonites and the Hittites and from there on we find out that king Shlomo had 700 wives, 300 concubines and he departed from the ways of the Lord.

He was not like in the times of old in the beginning of his kingdom. In fact what we read the next verses a little bit later on in verse nine that the Lord was angry with Solomon because his heart was turned from the Lord God of Israel which had appeared unto him twice. In verse 10 we read and had commanded him concerning these things that he should not go after other gods. But he kept not that which the Lord commanded. Verse 11 says wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon for as much as this is done of thee and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes which I have commanded thee notice what it said at the end of verse 11 I will surely rend the kingdom from thee and will give it to thy servant.

Now imagine king Shlomo received from his father the kingdom of Israel. Israel was a united one nation called Israel descended of Abraham Isaac and Jacob one nation under God. Shlomo became a king over the nation of Israel, but surely slowly but surely he departed from the ways of the Lord and the Lord was angry with king Solomon. And the Lord said to him Shlomo because of this I will surely rend the kingdom from thee and I will give it to thy servant. And you see beloved brothers and sisters here is this favored nation of Israel favored people of God who had such a privilege to be under the living God a kingdom that would be such a wonderful testimony to the world, but time passes by and Shlomo departed from the Lord.

God was righteously angry and he says I will judge you and I will take your kingdom away from you and will give it to your servant. But you notice what God said in verse 12 of first king chapter 11 notwithstanding or nevertheless even though you've done what you have done in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake, but I will rend it out of thine hand the hand of thy son. However verse 13 I will not rend away all the kingdom, but I will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant's sake and for Jerusalem's sake which I have chosen.

In other word God is saying to Shlomo even though you have done what you have done I will rend the kingdom out of you. I'm going to give it unto another unto another servant of yours, but you know what for David's sake I'm not going to take all the kingdom and all the tribes away from you. I will retain one tribe for David my servant's sake and that will be the tribe of Judah the tribe of Judah. And so time passes by beloved brothers and sisters notice we are in first Kings in chapter 12 now in the first a few verses we find out that now Solomon's died at the end of chapter 11 verse 43 Solomon slept with his father and he was buried in the city of David his father and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead at the end of chapter 11.

First king 11 verse 43 you have now another king to reign over the whole nation of Israel, but his name was no longer Solomon because Shlomo died his son Rehoboam reigned in his stead. Now look how what happened. Because God have already said I will surely rend the kingdom from thee and I will give it to thy servant God is going to fulfill what he promised to Shlomo and to rend the kingdom away from Solomon's son by the name of Rehoboam. We are now in chapter 12 of first king. Rehoboam according to here we read in verse one and Rehoboam went to Shechem for all Israel they will come to Shechem to make him king.

And then verse two began the story of how the whole nation of Israel was divided into two kingdoms. It says in verse two it came to pass when Jeroboam notice a different name Rehoboam and Jeroboam. Rehoboam was the son of Solomon. Jeroboam was that servant of whom we read earlier that God said that he will give the kingdom to his servant. Jeroboam was one of the servants of king Solomon. And now we find out that this Jeroboam who was actually a descendant of the tribe of Ephraim now he became a leader over the northern you might say the tribes of Israel all the remaining tribes beside Judah itself.

And so we read in first king chapter 12 and verse three they sent and they called him and Jeroboam and all the congregation of Israel came to speak to Rehoboam and they said to them I don't want to read all the verses there. So now Jeroboam became the leader of the northern kingdom of Israel while Rehoboam was the king of Israel now, but he was from the tribe of Judah. Now Jeroboam is the leader coming to Rehoboam and notice what he say on behalf of all the rest of the nation of Israel. He speak to a Rehoboam and they said to him thy father look at the verse four thy father made thy yoke grievous.

Now therefore make thy thy grievous service of thy father and his heavy yoke which he put upon us lighter. And we will serve thee. So Jeroboam the leader of the northern tribes of Israel coming to Rehoboam the king of Israel they said to him you know listen your father gave made many put on us ma much you might say yoke many taxes much payment to pay all sort of things that he have put upon us, but you know if you will make it a little bit easier for us take less taxes put less heavy load upon us we will serve you.

So Rehoboam said to them you know what go for three days and I will come with an answer or come back to me after three days and I will give you an answer. So you know what he does? Like many time you and I do he first of all go to the elder men verses six and on and he asked them hey elders what should I do? The northern tribes came to me and they asked me to lighten their load and they promise to serve me. What should I do? So the elder the elders of Israel is said to him they said you know what uh do this just like notice verse seven if you will be a servant unto these people this day and will serve them and answer them and speak good words to them then they will be thy servant forever.

I listen make things light for them they will serve you. So Rehoboam left the council of the older men and they went to his bodies to his friends to the younger generation. And the younger one notice that he said in verse eight first king chapter 12 verse eight he forsook the council of the old men which they had given to him and he consulted with the young men that were grown up with him and which stood before him. He said to them the very same thing hey friends what shall I do? Here is the whole northern kingdom tribes of Israel came to me and they said to me that I will make life easier for them a little bit and they're going to serve me.

What should I do? What is your opinion? So you notice what the young men told him it says here very sadly verse 10 of first king chapter 12 the young men that were grown up with him spoke unto him saying thus shall thou speak unto this people that speak unto this saying thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us. Thus shall thou say unto them unto them my little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins. In other words what he is really they told him no no don't be fool.

In other word make things even heavier than what your father has done and don't listen to them. They should submit to you because after all you are the king of Israel. So you know what happened? In the next verses as you read he said to them I will add to your yoke verse 11B. My father has chastised you with whips and I will chase as you with scorpions. And we read in verse 12 so Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day and the king had appointed saying come to me again on the third day and the king told them instead of what the council that they received from the wise elderly people of Israel he listened to the immature young one who gave him wrong counsel and wrong advice.

And beloved brothers and sisters we find out that from there on the nation of Israel were divided. If you will look at these verses from verse 16 of first king chapter 12 there was no longer one nation called Israel. There were two nations called Israel in the north and Judah in the south. It says in verse 16. So when all Israel saw that the king cannot unto them the people answered the king saying what portion have we in David? Neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse. To your tents oh Israel now see to thine own house David.

So Israel departed unto their tents. And from there on beloved brothers and sisters there were no longer one nation. There were two nation in the history of our people the people of Israel. Rehoboam reigned for about 17 years from about 920 BC to 911. Sometime doing that time Israel was already a divided nation which God was not pleased with. God wanted his people to be united. He wanted to have one nation called Israel under God. He will give them instruction. They in turn will be a good testimony to the world concerning the true and living God, but look what happened now.

A divided nation a proud man which a cause all this division because of his self-will and and pride and arrogance. And yet the rest of the of the tribes who didn't want to be under king Rehoboam and the nation of Israel was a divided nation. What said condition have existed in the division. That's how we get to Amos in a moment. By the time that we read the history of Rehoboam and Jeroboam and the division of Israel sometime around 928 930 BC or in the middle of his years sometime the division of the nation of Israel and now we don't have any longer one nation.

We have a divided nation. While God wanted Israel to be one nation by application to the body of Messiah to the believers in the church age in the assembly age it's very much the same. You read Acts chapter two and we read all were there with one accord in one place gathered together unto the name of Yeshua the Messiah there were community of the believers were together, but it didn't take too long. And the assembly the church the ecclesia was practically divided. Divisions were crept in all sort of things that are creeping and we find again and again the apostle Paul and Peter and James and Jude and others are appealing to the believers to have one mind to have one purpose to have one object to walk carefully with each other to be gentle with each other to forgive each other to bear with one another endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in bond of peace as the apostle Paul said in Ephesians chapter four.

But in practice we fail. Like Israel of old our own people had failed and the nation have been divided. But I would like to suggest so for about 750 years passed by since the time about since the time that Amos was called to preach his message to the northern kingdom of Israel. It didn't take too long beloved brothers and sisters where the condition the spiritual condition of the northern kingdom also the southern kingdom deteriorated from bad to worse. In fact if you are still in first Kings notice that in the very same chapter chapter 12 first king chapter 12.

Notice what happened there in the next verses. Look at what it says here in verse 25 first king chapter 12 verse 25. Then Jeroboam built in the mount of Ephraim and he dwelt therein and he went out from thence and he built Penuel. And Jeroboam said in his heart listen to this brothers and sisters. Jeroboam said in his heart now shall the kingdom return to the house of David. If these people go up to do a sacrifice house of the Lord at Jerusalem then shall the heart of these people turn again to their Lord namely to Rehoboam the king.

Even unto Rehoboam king of Judah and they shall kill me and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. Whereupon the king took counsel and listen to this what a sad condition and he made two calves of gold and said unto them it is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Behold thy gods oh Israel. Which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set one in Bethel and the other he put in Dan. And this thing became a sin for the people went to worship before the one even unto Dan.

The condition of the people of Israel was so sad beloved brothers and sisters the condition of the people of Israel was so sad that Jeroboam ended up to build golden calves. Just the same like our forefathers build a golden calf when they came out of the land of Egypt and Moses went to Mount Sinai so they build a golden calf. And Israel said where is this Moses? Where is he? They said to Aaron make us gods that we will worship and they ended up worshiping the golden calf. Now Jeroboam who departed from the king of Israel Rehoboam ended up building a golden calf, but not only one he build it two.

And he said to them behold thy gods verse 28 oh Israel which brought the up out of the land of Egypt. What a condition you can just imagine how sad it was no longer going to the meeting place in the city of Jerusalem no longer going to worship the Lord in the temple where he set his name no longer enjoying the to keep the celebration which God had given to our people Israel the feasts of Jehovah and instead introducing false religion false worship false a approach to the to God. In other word it was a man-made religion no longer the truth of the word of God.

Doesn't it remind us what we just recently read in second Timothy chapter three having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. Religion we have now two golden calves one of them in Dan no longer going to Jerusalem to worship in the temple to Dan we're going to go to Dan. We're going to worship the golden calf and we will say that these are the gods that brought you out of the land of Egypt. It says in first king chapter 12 this thing became a sin. For the people went to worship before the one even unto Dan.

And if you know the map of Israel Dan is completely in the north of Israel while Jerusalem is in the center of the land of Israel.

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 Holy Scriptures and Israel.com. You are also invited to Gideon's weekly Bible teaching on Fridays at 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. and Saturdays at 1:00 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 Holy Scriptures and Israel.com.

God bless you. Shalom Shalom.