Holy Scriptures and Israel

Guest (Male): 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 Hebrews chapter 13 He didn't know that at first at least. We just heard this in Genesis chapter 18 how he came out of his tent and lo and behold he saw three men. The first thing that Abraham did he beseeched those three men to come into his own tent. Just come into my house. Be a little while there and wash your feet. I'll feed you and then you can go on your way. The entertaining of strangers to be hospitable is very important. This is very practical. You don't need to be a theologian to have the practice of hospitality.

It's not a matter of how many verses we know from the Bible. It is very practical to introduce to bring people into our own homes and to meet sometimes some of their needs and to have fellowship with them and even beloved brothers and sisters even sometimes strangers. Now mind you I will put here a qualification because we have to be careful especially those days in which we live in. You have to be careful who comes into your own home. But nevertheless the necessity not to forget to entertain stranger some he said thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

You know that sometime you never know who comes to your home. Years ago when our children were young there were some people that I often time we brought people to our home in Niagara on the Lake and sometime you never know who comes to your house. But what a blessing at the end when you met the need of somebody and you gave him a word of encouragement fed them a little bit with something and gave them perhaps a message from the word of God. And if there were believers even more what a blessing it was when they could share with us some of their experiences and so on.

What a privilege it was to entertain people and to have a home with this hospitality. And you know by the way this is one of the qualification of an elder and of a deacon and I'm using it. Deacon simply mean a servant of the Lord. An elder or overseer simply mean a person who oversee a local assembly responsible brothers in a local assembly. It is one of the qualification is hospitality then a necessity of bringing people in and encouraging them. And you never know who would come to your home and what a blessing you can receive even from these individuals.

There is a passage that I want to read in the third John. If you turn to the epistle of John look at this what John is writing to this person. Third epistle of John we read there in verse five. John is writing beloved thou dost faithfully whatsoever you do to the brethren and to the strangers which have born witness of thy love before the assembly whom if you bring forward on their journey after a godly sort you shall do well. For because that for his name's sake they went forth taking nothing of the Gentiles. See here is this elder that he was writing to John.

He's telling him listen he says in verse five whatever you do to the brethren and to the strangers you have done it faithfully just like Abraham of old the father or the first Hebrew to whom the apostle writing to the Hebrews who is writing is that they who could look back and they could remember father Abraham. What kind of a man he was who had hospitality was part of his life. And by inviting people and helping them he have been blessed and he actually entertained none else but the Lord himself and the two angels that later on went unto Sodom.

By the way when they went to Sodom these two angels when Lot wanted to invite them to come to his own house they didn't want to go there. You know why they didn't want to go there? Because Lot was not in fellowship with the Lord. Lot was away from the Lord. And Lot invited and they didn't want to go there. But when Abraham asked them to come in they came in. And they sat him and they had fellowship with him. And they shared with him of course the Lord shared with him the future that his wife Sarah will bear a child and they will call his name Yitzhak Isaac.

And so you can see beloved brothers and sisters here the apostle is going and he's sharing with the Hebrews the important things of practical daily life of the believer. Number one brotherly love continue. Number two the importance of hospitality. In first Timothy chapter three we can see that it is one of the qualification of the one that is an overseer is hospitality. The apostle Paul saying the overseer verse two then must be blameless husband of one wife vigilant sober good behavior given to hospitality. And we have it in Timothy but we also have it in the book of Titus.

So we are really dealing with practical things today. Thirdly look at this. We are continuing in Hebrews chapter 13 and look at the third thing that he's challenging the Hebrew believers with. He's telling them in verse three be concerned for those who are in bond. Those that are in jail in bond. He's telling them in verse three remember them that are in bonds as bound with them with suffer adversity as being yourself also in the body. See here he is telling them not to neglect but to remember the one that are in bonds. Now perhaps he was thinking of those believers that have been in bonds because of the gospel or because of one way or another and he was thinking he was saying to them listen don't forget them.

You know brothers and sisters we have liberty and freedom that we have today in the country in which we live in. What a blessings we have. But think about many believers that are today are being persecuted for the name of Yeshua the Messiah. And some of them are being bonds and we cannot just forget about them altogether. The apostle is telling them to remember them that are in bonds. He telling them also those which suffer adversity as being yourself also in the body because you never know what's going to happen. One day we may have to face such rejection because of the gospel.

And we have to realize that there are many that have gone before that have been now have been persecuted and been in bond. By the way it was the Lord Jesus himself that told the disciples in the gospel of Matthew. Let me read this verse. Matthew chapter 25 he says this to them in verse 36 he says naked and ye clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and ye came unto me. And then the righteous will answer and says Lord when saw we and hungry and fed thee and thirsty and gave thee drink?

When saw we thee stranger and took thee in and naked and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick or in prison and we came unto thee? And the king will answer and say unto them verily I say unto you in as much as ye have done this unto one of the least of these my brethren you have done this unto me. See the Lord have anticipated the time of persecution that will come upon the believers. And of course chapter 24 and 25 deal with the tribulation period specifically. And how the Gentiles will treat the brethren the Jewish believers of the tribulation period.

And the visitation and concern for those that are in bond is actually concern for the things of the Lord. This is the third thing that the Lord is mentioned here in these verses. Again we are in the first six verses of Hebrews chapter 13 and we are dealing with the spiritual fellowship that we need to have in our life. Now here's the next thing in verse four. And isn't it so real for us today in the world in which we live in the necessity of sexual purity. And look at this. He's telling the marriage is honorable in all.

You see God and given us the institution of marriage. Of course the world around us telling us today it's not important marriage. But God have given us an institution of marriage and it is honorable. God is intend to maintain this for his people. So marriage is honorable. But look what he's saying here. And the bed is undefined. Sexual relationship between husband and wife is proper is given is to be enjoyed. But then he said in verse four but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. Look how detailed he's here brothers and sisters. You know how the human heart and the failure that we have in our life the sin nature that we have and the Satan that attacks the home and the world that influence our home and telling us you know what everything is okay.

Everything is fine. And yet the Lord give instruction in the Bible that is very clear. Marriage is honorable. The bed is undefined. But adulterers whoremongers God will judge. And you know this is lesson that the Hebrews needed to be challenged with. And this is the lessons the believers in every dispensation every period of time in the history of men need to be challenged because the world and Satan and the flesh in us is against the institution of the Lord. And here he's telling them the necessity for purity in our life. And if we fail we need to judge us and confess it before the Lord because he will judge and confess sin in the life of his own people.

Let me read to you two verses that I think are going very well with this verse in the book of Acts please. Turn with me to Acts chapter 15. The apostle is writing to us here about the instructions that were given to the Gentiles who become believers in the Lord Jesus the Messiah. Look at this verse. Acts chapter 15 verses 19 and 20. He's saying wherefore my defense is or my sentence is that we should not trouble them which are among the Gentiles which have turned to God. But that we write unto them that they abstain from pollution of idols number one.

They should abstain from fornication number two. They should abstain from things strangle number three. And they should abstain from blood. Four things that the nations the believers from among the nations of the world should abstain from. That was the council in Jerusalem that have given this instruction. The four things and one of them is to abstain from fornication. And that's what the apostle wrote to the Hebrew believers and he's saying to them marriage is honorable in all. The bed is undefined. But whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. And you remember what the apostle Paul also said to the Corinthian in first Corinthian chapter six and I'm going to turn to this also.

Very important two verses in verses 18 and 19. He's saying to them flee fornication. Every sin that the man does without the body but he that commits fornication sins against his own body. What know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you which you have of God and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price. The price was the precious blood of Yeshua the Messiah. He says therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which belong to God. You see how practical the writer here.

He's really dealing with the nitty-gritty of the life of the believer. Beloved brothers and sisters we need it. Let brotherly love continue. Don't forget to love the brethren in a practical way verse one. Don't forget to be hospitable. Remember them that are in bond and seek to have a pure life. We cannot do it on our own. We are failing people. We need the grace of God to help us with this. The believers are not different than the unbelievers when it's come to their nature. We have the same old nature the same sinful nature. And we need the grace of God to help us with this.

Now here is the fifth thing that he's telling them now in verses five and six of chapter 13. Here he's telling them to have a proper attitude to God's provision for their lives. Look what he's saying now in verse five and six. Let your manner of life be without covetousness. Be content with such things as ye have. For he has said I will never leave you nor forsake you. So that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper. I will not fear what man will do unto me. Here's the fifth thing that he's telling the Hebrew believers of first century and he's telling us as well.

You know sometimes I don't know if you feel like this but I feel I'm not content with what the Lord have provided. It could be in every area. It's not necessarily being money only but it could be in many areas. We are not content and we kind of grumble and we complain and say Lord if I had this I would be happy and Lord if you have given me this job and you have given me this thing in my life I would have been happy and everything would be fine. And then when we get that and then we find out that we are still not happy.

These are the things that we grasp after. And on and on and it seems to be endless. And the Lord teaching here an important lesson the necessity of contentment. And so he's telling them he's wanting them not only to have brotherly love not only to have hospitality not only to remember those that are in bond not only to seek to live a pure life but also to develop in their lives an appreciation for what God had provided. And look he's telling them let your conversation be without covetousness. Covetousness is part of our sinful nature. Coveting this coveting that this is real in the life of the believer.

He says in other words let it be without this. Set it aside. Be in the next thing he's telling them and be content with such things as ye have. You know maybe the Lord have given some a little more than the other. Maybe the Lord have given something that you really wanted to another person and not to us not to you not to me. And the Lord is challenging us and he says listen be content with this. Because godliness with contentment is a great gain. When we are not content we are very unhappy unsatisfied. And then we start to turn away from the things of the Lord and we start to grumble and you know when we are not satisfied we are grumbling and we become very rebellious and we end up to lose out from the spiritual gain that we should gain in our relationship with the Lord.

And that's why he's telling them let your manner of life be without covetousness and be content with the things which you have. And you notice what he's saying to them in this verse five for he said and he's quoting now Deuteronomy. He's telling those Hebrew believers look back what the Lord says in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 31 I will never leave you and I will never forsake you. A promise that God gave to the nation of Israel to the Hebrews already many many many years ago. The apostle remind those Hebrews in Jerusalem. He's saying to them listen I will never leave you and I will never forsake you.

And you know in every situation that we find ourselves we need to develop an attitude of contentment that we will accept things from the hands of the Lord. You know we think of people who are sick today people who are sitting in wheelchairs people who are in a state that you and I would have never want to be there. They will need to learn to be content with what the Lord have given them in their life. People who are in poverty and have not much they will need to be content and God will provide for them in due time.

He will never leave his own. We as believers might forsake our own. We as believers might fail to help those needy but God have never forsake those that belong to him. I will never leave thee and I will never forsake you. And he's saying now in verse six so that we may boldly say the Lord is my helper. I will not fear what man will do unto me. Taking them again to the Old Testament Hebrew scriptures you take them to the Psalms Psalm 119. The Psalm is says that he knows that God is his helper.

You see beloved brothers and sisters how practical these things for us today. We are the one that are being challenged by this just like 2,000 years ago those Hebrews of old have been challenged with. So then necessity that all believers should have spiritual fellowship. We need to check ourselves on those things every day. How is our relationship with our brothers and sisters? Do we love them? Do we really care for them? What about hospitality? Do I have people coming in and then being hospitable in one way or another? How is my behavior? Then he's saying to them do we care for those that are in bond and in jail and those that are suffering being persecuted?

And what about the necessity of being pure? And we need to judge it in our own life and the importance of being thankful for the provision that God has given unto us in our life wherever we are whatever state we are we are to be thankful to the Lord. Easy to say yes. But that's what he's challenging all of us and all those Hebrews that received that letter. So that's the first thing that our apostle is telling those Hebrews. First of all all believers should have spiritual fellowship. Don't think that you can do it alone.

Don't think that once you become a child of God you can be on your own no. We are here in this world. We are related to each other to the body of Messiah. And we are to function in the body in such a way. Now the next verses in verses seven eight and nine and 17 and 24 which I have read he give them the second challenge that all of us need to remember all those Hebrews and you and I need to remember. And this is that we should all submit to spiritual leadership. Not only that we should all have spiritual fellowship but we should also submit to spiritual leadership.

You see God had given us leaders in the body of Messiah. God had given Israel leaders historically. He have placed them in leadership and authority. And he of course expected from them to lead the nation in a godly way. In the body of Messiah we have the same thing. God had given us spiritual leadership. And the spiritual leadership we are to appreciate. We are to seek to learn from and to glean from and also to submit to. And you see what he's doing here in those verses seven eight nine and 17 and 24 he wanted the Hebrew believers to realize then that for them even at that time they will have leaders that they need to submit to them and learn from them and appreciate them.

How sad it is when we do not appreciate leaders that have taught us and have been example in our lives. And because of a rebellious spirit that we have and we inclined to have by nature we don't appreciate them. Here beloved brothers he's speaking to us the very very practical. And look what he's saying. Now I'm reading those verses again verses seven eight and nine. He says there remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation. Yeshua the Messiah the same yesterday and today and forever.

Be not carried about with diverse and strange doctrine for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace not with foods which have not profited them that have been occupied the ring. Look what he now encouraging those believers to remember. You notice by the way when he's speaking about leaders or those that are ruling over them he mentioned in this chapter three times the rulers the leaders. You notice that? Verse seven remember them which have the rule over you. Verse 17 obey them that have the rule over you. Verse 24 salute them which have the rule over you.

You notice that? Three times he's mentioning at the end of the epistle at the end of the letter to remember the ones that have rule over them to obey the one that have a rule over them and to salute the one that have a rule over them. He bringing to the forefront those spiritual leaders of the local assembly. Those spiritual leaders of the believers of those Hebrews at that time. And you know that it is important thank God for those leaders that God have given to us in our lives. So much we are to be thankful for the many lessons that they have taught us.

And the many truths that they have taught us from the scriptures and the direction. There are certain people in my life that have been a great example that I owe them a great debt. And their consistency their steadfastness. In spite of problems all over they move on like pillars in an assembly like pillars in the church where they are continuing on they moving forward. And they just simply teach the word of God and also seek to practice this by example. Now mind you they are not perfect. There's only one who is perfect.

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.