Holy Scriptures and Israel

Guest (Male): Shalom. Holy Scriptures and Israel A 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 the book of Galatians chapter 3. And so notice he said I said he said four things about the law it was given to Israel and then so he said number one in verse 19 of Galatians chapter 3 the law was added number one. Secondly it was given because of transgression because of sins and violation of God's law. Thirdly it was until until the seed the seed should come to whom the promise was made namely the Messiah who have already Yeshua came some 2,000 years ago. And then fourthly you notice that the law was actually ordained by angels and by in the hand of a mediator.

It was not given directly to Israel but it was given through a mediator and you notice what we learn here that it was ordained by angels which gave it to Moshe who gave it to Israel. In other words it was not direct God Abraham as it was in the time when God made a covenant with Abraham. It was a God, angels, Moshe, Israel rather than God Abraham. You see the promise that God made to Abraham that the seed will come the Messiah will come and salvation will be on the basis of his work was direct.

But here we find out and by the way when you read Exodus 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 when the law the Torah was given from Mount Sinai you don't hear of angels. But here we do. We find out Shaul Paul by the revelation from the Lord shows us that the law was ordained not directly from God to Israel but God, angels, Moshe, Israel. By the way these fact that it was ordained by angels it mentioned also in Stephen said this in Acts chapter 7 verse 53 and also the writer to the book of to the Hebrew believers in Hebrews 2 and verse 2 and said the angels were mediator between God and the nation of Israel when the law was given.

You remember what Stephen says you who received the law by the disposition of angels. Acts chapter 7 and that verse 53 you receive the law by the disposition of the angels and haven't kept it. That's why the sacrificial system had to be introduced which pointed to Yeshua Jesus the Messiah. Notice now in verse 20 of Galatians chapter 3 now mediator is not a mediator of one but God is one. In other words God did not need a mediator between him and Moshe. He made a promise directly to Moshe and he gave him the promise of justification and the promise of the coming of the Messiah, the promise of salvation through Yeshua.

But when it come to the law God gave it to angels. Angels gave it to Moshe. Moshe gave it to Israel and that's how Israel received the law of God. Therefore in verses 19 and 20 the law that God gave to our people Israel is not greater than God's promises to Abraham. In fact it was lesser than what the promises that God gave to Israel. That's why Israel made a mistake beloved brothers and sisters. If you notice if you read Exodus chapter 19 and chapter 24 you know what Israel said to the Lord when the law was given to them we will do everything God.

All that the Lord have said we will do. And the very first commandment they broke the very first command thou shall have no other God before me. It was right there and then when they build the golden calf. And don't put your finger at Israel because you broke and I broke the law just like Israel have done in so many ways even today in the days in which we live in after we believe in Yeshua the Messiah. Now quickly let me move along because in verse 21 to verse 26 a Shaul Paul is now saying to the Galatians that the law that God gave to Israel is not contrary to his promises to Abraham because you notice there's another questions had been raised here in verse 21.

You notice in verse 21 then somebody of course will come and say is the law then against the promises of God? Well if God gave the promises of God to Abraham that he will be saved on the basis of faith in the Messiah the seed that should come then why did they give the law? And if he gave the law does God gave the law contrary or against the promises that he made to our fathers Abraham? Well Shaul Paul is answering this. And you notice how tremendous you know Shaul Paul was a theologian. He was a a man that was raised by God from the womb.

He was a the Pharisee of the Pharisees. Yet he needed to learn from the Lord the things that God had promised in Scripture concerning the Messiah and he's a theologian. He's a really you might say a student of the word of God under the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God give these instructions to the Galatians who became believers in Yeshua and he said to them that the law that God gave to Israel is not contrary to the promises that God made to Abraham not at all. He says now notice verse 21. In verse 21 he says that the law was not given to Israel to provide life.

Do you think that the law was given to our forefathers to receive forgiveness on the basis of keeping the law? Look what he says in verse 21. He says listen is the law against the promises of God? God forbid. And if or for if there had been a law given which could have given life then or verily righteousness would have been by the law. In other words if there is any rule, any law including of course the law of God, the holy law of God, if they if if our salvation and if we could receive forgiveness, justification, life on a basis of keeping of the law then look at this as he says in verse 21 verily righteousness would have been by the law.

And you know what the law says that all have sinned that all have failed. So if you think Galatians is saying to them that you are going to be saved now if you're going to keep the law and be circumcised and we can add all these other things that believers today add in this present day in less days of the church age. If people will tell us that our salvation needed to be provided for us on the basis of some rules of keeping well then it will be based upon law keeping and not upon the grace of God.

And when it's come to law keeping we all fail. You know what he says in the next verse verse 22 the law was given to Israel to reveal the sin of a fallen man. I am reading now the next verse. Verse 22 he said but the Scripture the Torah has concluded all under sin. That the promise by faith of Yeshua Ha Mashiach might be given to them that believe. See the law the Torah have concluded that we are all under sin. Just think just read passages like what David wrote in the Psalm 14. David says that the fool says in his heart there is no God.

And then he continues and he says they are corrupt. They have done abominable works. There is none that doeth good. Psalm 14 David wrote it who was under the law. He continue in Psalm 14 verse 2 the Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and see God. What does he see? Verse 3 they are all genocide. They are all together became filthy. There is none that doeth good not even one. You and I can say not even you. Not even you. Not even I.

None. All have sinned. The law was given to reveal the sin in us and to show God's holiness, God's purity in contrast to man's sin. If you notice the first of the Ten Commandments if you read them one by one in Exodus chapter 20 and you will notice these these commandments that was given these are the first Ten of the 613 that we have discovered over the generation from the Scripture. You notice as he says in chapter 20 of Exodus I am the Lord thy God. Thou shall have no other God verse 3. Thou shall take the not the name of the Lord your God in vain.

Verse 8 remember the Shabbat to keep it holy. Verse 12 honor thy father and thy mother. Verse 13 thou shall not murder. Verse 14 thou shall not commit adultery. Verse 15 thou shall not steal. Verse 16 thou shall not bear false witness. Verse 17 thou shall not covet. Think about it beloved brothers and sisters. The last one thou shall not covet is the the the one that we all have known that we all broken it even though nobody knows. We have lusted and coveted and have broken that law. And we are under curse. Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all the things which the Lord had given unto you God said to our people of all the people of Israel.

So the law according to verse 22 of Galatians chapter 3 was given to our people of Israel in order to reveal their sin in men and not only Israel but all humanity. Israel fail no nation will ever be able to succeed. That's why Galatians 3 verse 22 he said but the Scripture has concluded all not some not only Israel but all under sin that the promise by faith of Yeshua Ha Mashiach might be given to them that believe. God be merciful to me a sinner. I believe in the person of Yeshua the Messiah who died for my sins and God will provide for us a redemption.

Notice in verse 23 of Galatians 3 all the way to verse 26 the law was given to Israel as a schoolmaster as a as a tutor as a the Greek he says a pedagogos. In Hebrew it says what is a what is a schoolmaster? A schoolmaster is a servant in olden days that was training the children of the family to be trained until they will be mature and grown up enough to come to a point that they can take responsibility. The law was given to our forefathers as a schoolmaster and a it was not given to our people of Israel to receive salvation and justification.

Look what he says in verse 22 23 to verse 26. Look look it under the law verse 23 Israel was shut up to the as he says Israel was shut look what he says in verse 23 but before faith came we and by the way the word we here is applied to the Jewish people to Israel because only Israel received the law on Mount Sinai not other nations. The covenant that God made with Israel it was with the nation of Israel. So that's why the apostle Paul used the word we here me we Jews. Before faith in Yeshua came and I am adding the word Yeshua we were kept under the law shut up unto the faith which should afterward be revealed.

See the law was given to Israel for a temporary season to await the day that the Messiah is coming. The Messiah is coming. The Messiah is coming. And Israel were kept shut up unto the time where faith in the Messiah afterward will be revealed. In verse 24 under the law Israel was schooled in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. It says here in verse 24 wherefore it says in verse 24 the law was our schoolmaster, brothers and sisters listen. Again he used the word our this is Israel, the Jewish people. The law was a schoolmaster.

It says here a guardian, a tutor, an instructor. Notice to bring us unto Messiah. Now look at this brothers and sisters just pause with me for a moment. Our people Israel today still in unbelief seeking or claiming we keep the law. We keep Shabbat. We keep the feasts. We are keeping that. We are in Jerusalem. We are in the land of Israel. But look what happened beloved brothers and sisters they rejected. They didn't accept the Messiah who died for the sin of this world who was promised to be the seed of the woman, the seed of Abraham, the seed of David.

Are they saved? Are they forgiven? This is something see Paul using logic he already used Scripture. He is also emphasizing Scripture here but he used logic. He says the law wherefore the law was our schoolmaster our pedagogos our instructor, our tutor. Why? To bring us unto the Messiah. Every time an animal was killed the Messiah is coming. Every time Shabbat was kept we going to get arrest one day through the Messiah. Every time a feast was kept Pesach the Messiah will redeem us. Every time we keep Sukkot the kingdom is coming. The Messiah is going to reign.

It was a teacher. It was a school master. It was one that was used by the Lord in order to lead our people to the Messiah. And by the way many early believers, Jewish believers in first century in first all first Christians were Jews. Jewish people who believe that Yeshua the Messiah is the Messiah and these Jewish people God used to bring the Gospel to the nations of the world. You and I are sitting here as believers on the basis of the written word of God that was given to those early Jewish believers who proclaimed the message of the Gospel like Peter, James and John and Jude and others including Shaul Paul that gave us the book of Galatians.

It is fascinating to understand it. If we don't understand it, if we don't grasp it we will not even realize the love of God to a failing people. Jew and Gentile alike who deserve to be condemned. And God made promises unconditional promises beloved brothers and sisters. Praise God that he fulfilled his promises. Notice in verse 25 we are leading towards the end here and there it says here when Messiah came Israel and all believers are now we are not any longer under the law. Paul is clearly saying this in these next verses. Notice verse 25.

He says but after their faith that is faith in the Messiah in the Messiah came we namely Israel he specifically speak of Israel. Of course it's applied to all but he speaking about Israel who received the law. We are no longer under a school master under the pedagogos under the teacher anymore because the Messiah has come. Yeshua has come. He died. He kept the law which I could not. He took the curse which I deserve. He was punished that I will not be punished. They just for the unjust that he might bring us to God.

That's what Shaul Paul is trying to explain to the Galatians and to us as well. And notice verse 26 of Galatians chapter 3 all believers in Yeshua the Messiah are really now true believers are children of God. Notice I am reading verse 26 for ye are all the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ in Yeshua Mashiach. We are the children of God not only physically this is the Jewish believers are physical descendants of Abraham but we are all the children of God because of our faith in Yeshua the Messiah. Every true believer is a son of God, is a child of God, is a daughter of God.

And so in these verses 21 to 26 this was the third point that Shaul Paul said that the law that God gave to Israel is not contrary to the promises that God gave to Abraham. Let me close with the last three verses here verses 27 28 and 29. This is the fourth point that the apostle Shaul Paul saying to the Galatians he says the law that was given to Israel cannot undo a God's promises that had been given cannot I should say cannot do what God promises to Abraham can do. Let me repeat it. The law that was given to Israel cannot do that which the promises that God gave to Israel, I should say to Abraham can do.

And I am just going to read those verses and I am going to close. Notice that Galatians 3 verse 27 for as many of you as have been baptized into Messiah into Christ you have put on Christ. Have put on Messiah. Anyone of you is Paul is writing to the Galatians he says anyone of you that have been put under or placed into the Messiah Yeshua himself by faith anyone that have been baptized unto the Messiah unto Christ he is like putting on Christ. He is putting on the Messiah. It's like putting clothes on. When you get up in the morning and you put your clothes on the moment that you have accepted you and I have accepted Yeshua we put on the Messiah on us.

So when God look at us he doesn't see anymore this sinful person. He see the Messiah his son. He is looking at us through you might say the eyeglasses of his son. He looks at us and you know what he see? Perfect positionally perfect people of God. Look like as we have never sinned because we have put on Yeshua the Messiah who have never sinned who have pleased God all the way through his life and in his death and resurrection. In verse 28 there is no more distinction or there is no distinction as to how believers are being justified are being saved.

You see a Jewish man need Yeshua the Messiah in order to be saved like a non-Jewish man. That's why you notice in this verse verse 28 there is neither Jew nor Greek. There is neither bond nor free. There is neither male nor female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus in Messiah Yeshua. What does he say here? He doesn't say that the Jews become non-Jews and the Gentile become non-Gentile. He doesn't say that the male become non-male and the female become non-female. He doesn't say that the slave become non-slave and the free become non-free in here in this world.

No. Look at us. There are some women here and some men here some Jewish people here and someone non-Jewish. We don't become non-Jew or non-male or non-slave. No, what he says that everyone a Jew and a Gentile, a male and a female, a bond and a free all must enter into that relationship with God on the basis of the death, burial and resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah. And you know how we know that there is no that still there are those distinction? Just go to the restroom. There is a restroom for the female and there is a restroom for the male.

Look at even the way we dress. There's a male way when we would we dress and a lady's way. So that that doesn't change but how to enter into this relationship with the Lord that we all come in on the same ground on a ground of faith in Yeshua the Messiah. And he conclude Galatians chapter 3 verse 29 that the true believers are now Abraham spiritual descendants. Notice this verse here. He says in verse 29 and if ye be Messiah or Christ then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise. If you really belong to Yeshua the Messiah then you are now Abraham's descendants.

But of course in the case of all believers we are spiritual descendants of Abraham and we are spiritually going to inherit the promises that God made to Abraham the promise of the coming seed, the coming Messiah who would come one day to provide redemption for mankind. So brothers and sisters I am going to close with this. The passage for today is the fact that the apostle Paul present a logical reason as to the way whereby a person is going to be saved. It is only on the basis of faith in the Lord Jesus the Messiah and not on the basis of the works of the law, not to the basis on the basis of the works of the flesh.

Salvation is entirely on the basis of the work of Yeshua the Messiah for us. So may the Lord help us to understand it and to appreciate what the Lord Jesus what the Lord Yeshua the Messiah have done for us. Can we say amen to that?

Guest (Male): 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 a.m. and 7 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 holyscripturesandisrael.com.

God bless you. Shalom Shalom.