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: The study of Hebrews chapter 13 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 and 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 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 you have. You know maybe the Lord have given some a little more than the other. Maybe the Lord had 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 is 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 wheelchair 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 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 men will do unto me. Taking them again to the Old Testament Hebrew Scriptures you take them to the Psalms Psalm 119 the psalmist says that he knows that God is his helper. You see beloved brothers and sisters how practical this thing 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 the 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 the hospitality? Do I have people coming in and and 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 incline 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 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 therein. 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 forefronts 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 had 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 would 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. And while we are to look at leaders and appreciate the leaders ultimately we are to look beyond the leader and look at the great leader the great one none else but the Lord Yeshua the Messiah the Lord Jesus himself but he does want us to learn the appreciation of those that are been installed by God as leaders of a local assembly leaders in various areas among the people of God.

And so look at this. The first thing he's telling them to remember them that have the rule over them. You see in verse seven to remember them the reason that perhaps he's saying remember perhaps they have died some of them because of one way or another. And then he's telling you know just remember them of how they have lived what kind of example that they have been to you Hebrews to you Jewish believers of first century to us in this present day look back and see those that have gone before. Remember them. But it's could be not only those that have passed away perhaps those that are living alongside with them and to remember meaning that on an ongoing basis have an attitude of appreciation for them for what the example that they have been to you and to me.

The life in which they have lived don't neglect this. Don't neglect to recognize them because they are being a model in our lives. They have been an example in our life. He continue in verse seven who have spoken unto you the word of God. They have taught you Hebrew believers. They have shared with you the scriptures. They have been there as an example. He continue he says whose faith follow consider the end of their conversation another words look at their life. How do they live? What an example in your life? And this is amazing you know the important of looking back and seeing this and I know there are people in my life when I look at them and I see already 20 30 years I'm in the faith over more than 30 years and I look at them nothing change.

They are moving step by step in their life. There's no big things like who knows what but one thing you see the Lord is precious to them today as he was precious to them 10 years ago. The Bible is being read by them today as they read it 25 years ago. The person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah is being presented by them as they presented it 40 years ago. They just move on and they seeking to be an example in their life. Something we look at ourselves and we are like that. We are on a mountain in a valley in a mountain.

One day the Lord is so precious the next day we don't want to see him. They have been steadily been an example in the life of the people of God. How thankful we have to be for those pillars that the Lord had placed in our life. And you know what brothers and sisters unfortunately there are not many like that. Thank God for those who are like this and saying God for those who are in a small measure like that but we need to recognize that and appreciate that and take it from the hands of the Lord because God have placed them in our own life.

Turn with me to first Thessalonians five for a moment in verse 12. Look Paul is writing now. We do not know who wrote to the Hebrews. Some believe it is Paul. We do not know we cannot say but what we can say that Paul wrote to the Thessalonian. And Paul wrote to the Thessalonian in verse 12 of chapter five first Thessalonian 5 12. We beseech you brethren to know them which labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their work sake and be at peace among yourselves.

Here Paul he's saying to the Thessalonian he says I beseech you brethren that them that labor among you to know them to recognize them who are over you in the Lord and admonish you. Esteem them very highly in love for their works sake. God have given us thank God for that those that have been teaching us and and laboring among the people of God and we are to recognize them and to appreciate them. You know in first century when the apostles went from a city to city they are placed in authority leaders but today we are not an apostles.

We cannot make somebody a leader but we can recognize a leader. We can recognize an overseer by the example of his life by the desire of his heart by the way he conduct himself. He's not perfect we know that but we are to recognize those that are ruling over us. So in verse seven he's telling them remember them which have the rule over you have spoken unto you the word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation. Consider how the way of life how they are living what they have labored among the people of God.

And now if you read in verse eight it seem to be he telling them the reason why they are to remember because perhaps we might incline to only look at the ruler or the one who have been overseer and neglect to look at the Lord. And that's why he's telling them now in verse eight Jesus the Messiah Yeshua Hamashiach the same yesterday and today and forever. See a leader might be well for a while and might be even well for most of his life but he's not always perfect. He seem to fail at times because a leader is not perfect but there is one that never changes.

And that is the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah. Jesus the Messiah the same yesterday and today and forever. You know many people make mistake when they take this verse and they say you see it says in the Bible Jesus the Messiah Yeshua the Messiah is the same yesterday today and forever and therefore what he did 2,000 years ago he is doing today. Well you notice he doesn't say Jesus the Messiah do the same yesterday today and forever. It says that he is the same. His person is the same. He have never change. But at time he does things different.

He does things in every period of time in the history he did things different. Obviously he doesn't do today what we have seen in first century. Our people take this verse and they say what he says here Jesus the Messiah is the same yesterday today and forever and therefore he does today what he did yesterday. He doesn't say it here. His person is the same. He's faithful the same. He's unchanging. He's God and man in one. He unchanging. He doesn't change. But he change his dealing his doing at certain period of time. And we can see it definitely in the history of the nation of Israel as well as in the history of the church when Israel came out of Egypt where was so many miracles the 10 plagues that came upon the Egyptians and the crossing of the Red Sea and the crossing of the Jordan River and the entering into the land but once time passes by there were less and less and less miracles and more and more conformity to the word of God and to the written Bible that had been given to the nation of Israel.

Same thing in the church age when the church was founded there were miracles on every hand. The Lord that performed miracles the apostles that performed miracles but as time went on and the church developed and the canon of scripture have finished and concluded there were less and less and less miracles and more and more necessity to be conform to the written word of God. Not that he cannot do all kind of things he sure can but you can see the days difference acts the indifferent period of time in the history of Israel and in the history of the church.

So Yeshua the Messiah the same yesterday today and forever. Leaders may come and go but Yeshua remains the same. And that's why he's directing those Hebrews to the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah. And in verse nine he telling them and look at these brothers and sisters be not carried about with all diverse kind of doctrines. Be not carried about with diverse and strange doctrine. For it is good thing that the heart be established with grace not with foods which have not profited them that had been occupied with them. After he telling them to remember then that have rule over them and that the Lord Yeshua never change then he's telling them listen says don't be carried about with all kind of doctrines and all kind of teachings.

You see what happen if he's speaking about the rulers and he's speaking about those that have been faithful in teaching the word. Then he's telling them listen the word teach doctrine. In the Bible we have teaching we have doctrine. Then he's telling that don't be carried about with all kind of doctrines. It is so sad to see believers are running to and fro from one teaching to another teaching from one teacher to another teacher trying to find all kind of things instead of being established. Sometime believers can be like babies when they're supposed to be already a mature believers grown up in their spiritual life.

And so he's telling them don't be carried about with those things with all kind of strange doctrine. It is good he says that the heart will be established with grace. The grace that saved us the grace that keep us the grace of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah came from heaven and provided for us forgiveness of sins. We need to be established with the love and the grace of God and not all manner of doctrine is teaching which are so strange and so unbecoming so unprofitable. He's saying to them not with food which have not profited them that have been occupied with this.

You know what today it is so unfortunate even among our own people the people of Israel. They been so occupied with the food eating meat with milk and washing dishes only for milk and dishes only for meat and washing in the two separate sinks and what we eat then you have it the same in Christianity in Christendom what you even good Friday and what you cannot eat and on and on and people are occupied with those things and not with grace. And it didn't profit them at all. There's a verse in Colossians two that I'm going to read that that I think is important here in connection with this.

In Colossians two Paul said to the Colossians Colossians 2 16 if I'm correct look what he's telling them let no man therefore judge you with foods or drink or with respect of a holiday and the new moon of the Sabbath day which are a shadow of things to come. All what God had given to Israel with the feasts and the holidays and the food to eat and what not to eat were shadow of good things to come. And they spoke to us about the Messiah about the person of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. If you don't want to eat certain food don't eat it but that is not the aim.

The goal is the person of the Lord it's the grace of God. If you want to keep a certain day fine but the aim should be the person of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah is the grace of God. Be established with grace and not with those things. Some have not profited from them and have been the one that have been occupied with those things. What a lesson beloved brothers and sisters he's teaching the early Hebrew believers. I'm reading this final verses here in connection with this in Ephesians. There's one more verse I want to read Ephesians chapter four.

Look what the leaders have been given to us in order that teaching us the word of God the reason for that he telling us in Ephesians chapter four and verse 11. He gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers. Why? For the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of the Messiah until we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God. That's the reason that we have received those rulers and elders and those who teach the word and order that we will be maturing and growing spiritually and not being occupied with things which end up eventually not to profit the children of God.

And so remember them which have a rule over you in verse seven. Obey them that have a rule over you verse 17. Salute them that have a rule over you verse 24 of Hebrews chapter 13. So beloved to conclude this message today two things out of the four that we have in Hebrew chapter 13 is number one we should have spiritual fellowship. We are not alone. The Hebrews were not alone. They have fellowship. They need to have fellowship with other people with other believers in the body of Messiah. Number two also we should submit to spiritual leadership.

When we have people in our lives that been godly example let's submit to their authority and not giving them a difficult time because they watch for our souls. Whatever they teach us it's for the benefit of us all. May the Lord help us to see that and to practice this for our own benefit. And we can only do that as he gives us grace and he help us to have this in our own life. Can you say amen to that? Amen.

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.