Holy Scriptures and Israel

Narrator: 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 Levytam.

Gideon Levytam: A study of the book of Malachi, chapter three and chapter four.

The blindness in part happened to Israel until... Israel is partially blinded until. What "until"? Until the fullness of the Gentiles become in, and so all Israel shall be saved. That Israel that shall be saved are those that will survive the tribulation period. Those are the ones that he said of them in Malachi chapter three, "I will make up my jewels, and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him."

One day Israel, a nation who today are partially blinded to the messiahship of Yeshua, in the future, they Israel will recognize that Yeshua, Jesus, is really the Lord and their Messiah, and they will eventually be saved. As it is written, "There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob." This is Romans 11:25 and 26.

So wonderful to see the connection between Malachi and the future days that are going to come. But the tribulation period is that which will come. That day is the day that God will refine the nation, will restore the nation, but not without tribulation, *tsarot* as we say this in the Hebrew language. Now he continues. Notice that in verse 18 of Malachi chapter three, he is now speaking to those from among Israel who were then in the days of Malachi not really in tune with the Lord.

They belonged to the nation of Israel, but they were really, you might say, spiritually blind, or spiritually they backslide. They didn't think like the others who fear the Lord and thought of his name. They thought, "It's enough for me to be a little bit religious. I'll be religious a little bit, but I don't really need my heart to be right with the Lord. I'm part of the nation of Israel." And they really, they were backsliding, they were going backwards. They were not enjoying that which the Lord has intended for them.

And you notice what God is saying to them through Malachi in verse 18? He says, "Then," later on, it says here in verse 18, "shall ye return and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not." Now you know who he's speaking here in verse 18? He's speaking about the ones who turn away from the Lord from among the people of Israel. They were part of the nation. You might say they were called people of God like us many times.

"Oh, yes, we are saved. Hallelujah, what a Savior! We have the ticket, Jesus paid it. But you know, Lord, don't bother me. When I die, I go to heaven, but here and now, please don't bother me. I don't want to talk about you, I don't want to read about you, I don't want to pray to you, I don't want to talk to you, I don't want to have anything to do with you. But thank you for paying the ticket for to go to heaven." And you see, they were like that. He says, "No, no, then when the tribulation period will come, then," he says, "ye shall return," the Hebrew word *shuvu v’shavu*.

You will return, and then you will discern, and you're going to say, "I have played the fool. I thought I knew better than God. Oh, yes, I thought that I could carry on my life without God and I'm fine." And God says, "Then shall ye return, and then you shall discern between the righteous and the wicked, between those that serve God and him that serveth him not." You know, when we turn away from the Lord, which happens often times in our lives, time passes by and we look back and we saw the last five years, 10 years of our life and we see how things have gone.

And we can see, we say, "What did I gain when I left God out of my life? What did I gain? Was it any value for me in my life? Did I have joy when I set God outside of my life?" You find very quickly that we really play the fool. We were not wise when we turn away from the Lord. And you know, to turn back is always that which delight the heart of God. John said if we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

He doesn't speak to unbelievers. Unbelievers need to receive Yeshua first of all. He's speaking to believers, to the brethren, to the *achim*. He's saying to them, "You need to repent and to turn back to the Lord." *Shuvu, shuvu*, return, return, then you can discern right. And so he says the time will come and you will see that, that when you're going to return, you will realize that you lost—not God, you lost. You played the fool. King Saul said, "I played the fool." I played the fool. He lost the kingdom because of his wrong disobeyed the Lord consistently and eventually he lost the kingdom that God have entrusted unto him.

So now, brothers and sisters, we continue into chapter four. But chapter four in the Hebrew scripture is part of chapter three, because now we finish verse 18, so verse chapter four, we have verse 19, verse 20, verse 21, 22, 23, and 24 of the third chapter in the Hebrew text, the Masoretic text. But in the English text, we enter into chapter four, and I want just to highlight a few things here in chapter four.

In chapter four, verses one to three, the Lord now describes the Day of the Lord, the tribulation period. It's a terrible day, beloved brothers and sisters. Notice what he describe there. First of all, there is a day coming that God will judge all who rejected him here in this world. Notice it says here, "For behold the day," verse one, "cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall be stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch."

He's speaking about that day. And again, the day it's not a single day, 24 hours. It's not a single day, 12 hours in a day and 12 hours in a night. He's speaking about the period of time that we learn from Daniel chapter nine, that it is a time that is speaking about seven years, seven years length, and that's called the Day of Jehovah, *Yom Yehovah*. It's a day of judgment, which will culminate with the second coming of Yeshua the Messiah and the establishing the Messianic kingdom, when Yeshua going to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

But this day, these seven years of tribulation is really the whole book, almost all the book of Revelation, Revelation 6 to Revelation 19. All these chapters deal with the tribulation period, the Day of the Lord, judgment after judgment after judgment. The seven seals are opened, the seven trumpets are sound, the seven bowls are poured. There will be judgment after judgment that going to fall upon the face of this earth. The world will then learn righteousness where God going to come in judgment. It says here it will burn like an oven.

And it says here that he will not leave, the Lord will not leave them, neither root nor branch. There will be a terrible day, and the expression "burn" here, "burn like an oven," speaks of the judgment, the fire of God that will fall upon the face of this earth during the tribulation period. You know Peter wrote this like that, and I just want to read in Second Peter, Peter mentioned this in chapter three and verse four. Look, listen to the way Peter said. He said people will say, "Where is the promise of his coming?"

"For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." For this they willingly are ignorant that the word of God, that by the word of God the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of the water and in the water. And now notice in verse six and seven. It says whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

Amazing. Peter is kind of say he says, "Listen, this world that in a future day is reserved unto fire." Malachi says it will burn as an oven. Terrible, terrible day. We don't wish anybody to be there during those days of the tribulation period when God going to come in judgment. He will not leave neither root nor branch. God will judge this world who rejected his Son, Yeshua the Messiah. He continue and he says in verse two, but the godly remnant of Israel, there will be deliverance for them.

Those who have trusted in him, he will deliver them out of this judgment. Verse two, he says, "But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings, and ye shall go forth and grow up as calves of the stall." You notice what he says referring back to chapter three and verse 16? And he says, "But unto you that fear my name," something is going to happen. While to the rest of the world the fire of God's judgment going to be poured upon them, for you who are believers—he's speaking about of course to the Jewish people, the people of Israel during the tribulation period.

So unto you that fear my name, the sun, S-U-N, like we have in the sky, the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in his wings. That Sun of Righteousness, S-U-N, is a symbol or a picture of the Messiah, who is the S-O-N, the Son of Righteousness. He will come. And the Messiah will come at the end of the tribulation period, and he will spiritually heal and restore the people of Israel back to God.

He will come and he will deliver them out of all that which the Antichrist will seek to do against them. The Antichrist who will rise up in a tribulation, he will seek to destroy our own Jewish people. And we find out there that the sun, S-U-N, of righteousness will arise and he will be used this, you might say these rays of the sun will be healing for the nation. Israel eventually will be a nation that will be a restored nation, a nation that will be born in a day as we read here in the prophet.

Isaiah said this, and I read this Isaiah chapter 60 and the first a few verses we read, and just bear with me as I'm reading this beautiful verse. "Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." God is speaking to Israel. "For behold the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people, but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee." He's speaking about Israel.

The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Israel one day will enjoy a restoration. But these people that will enjoy a restoration will be those that feared the Lord and thought upon his name, as Malachi is mentioning here in this chapter. Notice he continue now in the same verse. He says, "Ye shall go forth and grow up like calves of the stall." They will be growing up, the nation will be blessed and there will be a wonderful period of time. Like calves in a stall, they will enjoy blessing from the presence of the Lord. This is speaking about the future day at the end of the tribulation.

I just want to make that note that to Israel, the Lord Yeshua the Messiah going to come as the Sun of Righteousness. But to the church, to the assembly, the Lord is going to come as the Bright and Morning Star. The book of Revelation teaches us this at the end of the book of Revelation, chapter 22. And what is the difference between the morning star and the Sun of Righteousness? The morning star appears before the sun appears. That will suggest to us that the people of the assembly, the ecclesia, the church will be removed out of here before the tribulation will come and the Sun of Righteousness will appear at the end of the tribulation.

This is really speaks vividly about the fact that the assembly, the church, the ecclesia going to be raptured out of here before the tribulation period, and the morning star will appear for the assembly. But after at the end of the seven years of tribulation, the Sun of Righteousness will appear and he will bring healing to the nation of Israel. These are wonderful pictures that helps us to understand the word of the Lord. So now quickly, beloved brothers and sisters, verse three, that as we read here, Israel will tread down the wicked in the Day of the Lord.

It says in verse three, "And ye shall tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day," that is the tribulation day at the end of it, "in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of Hosts." In other words, Israel's enemies who have fought against Israel from generation to generation to generation, afflicted the people of God, sent them all sort of persecution over the generation, eventually the reverse will happen. Israel will no longer be the tail, Israel will be the head. Israel will no longer flee because of persecution.

Israel will be the one that will eventually will as it says here in verse three, "They shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord." Now, brothers and sisters, finally, in conclusion of the book of Malachi, I want to just highlight these last three verses, very precious. Because in the last three verses, verses four, five, and six, Israel is commanded to remember *Torat Moshe*, the law of Moses. And then Israel is being told that there's a promise that one day Eliyahu, Elijah will come in order to restore the children to the fathers and the fathers to the children.

And so you notice what it says here in verse four, "Remember ye the law of Moses my servant." Just pause here for a moment. Israel is to remember now why? Because from the time that Malachi gave the last message to Israel, 400, 450 BC, there will be such a long time where there will not be any message from the Lord until John, Yochanan the Baptist going to come and say, "Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." Israel was to remember the law of Moshe my servant. This is the final call of Israel to go back to that which God had given unto them.

But what happened? 400 years passed by, 450 years. When Yeshua finally came on the scene, the law of Moses was you might say disfigured with all sort of rituals, all sort of Pharisaic views, all sort of things which were no longer found in the law of Moses. Because by the time Yeshua the Messiah came, he was presenting himself as Israel's promised Messiah. Much of the things that were taught in those days were no longer that which the Lord intended for Israel to remember.

Because the law of Moses lead us to the Messiah. Galatians 3 says for what purpose is the law was given? It was given in order to lead us to the seed of the woman, to the Mashiach who was going to come. But when he came, what happened? Israel did not accept him as a nation. Yes, individuals did, the apostles did who gave us the Brit Chadashah, the New Testament, but Israel as a nation did not. As a nation they went further and further with all sort of rabbinical teachings, Pharisaic views.

By the time that Yeshua came, it was no longer a faith system, it was works system. That's why up till today our people are still not sure how to be right with God. Don't realize that they need to believe in the Mashiach and the Messiah who died for them. They try to work their way into heaven to be justified by works. That's why the Apostle Paul says, "I bear them record that they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge," in Romans chapter 10. "Remember the law of Moses my servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel with the statues and judgment."

But then he gives them a final promise and he said to them in verse five and six, he gives them the promise of Eliyahu HaNavi, the promise that Elijah the prophet will come. And here I'm reading this, "Behold I send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord. And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." You notice that the last word that we have here is a word "curse." Come from the Hebrew word *herem*.

And what happen is that God says if you will not submit to my word, you will experience the judgment that will come. But he promise that Elijah will come, Eliyahu HaNavi. When we celebrate the Passover, we always have a plate for Elijah the prophet is there at the end of the table. And every family would send the little boy or the little girl outside of opening to open the door and look left, look right to see if Elijah have come. And every year we learn that Elijah hasn't come as yet. He will come but he hasn't come.

Because the promise of God, "I will send unto you Elijah the prophet before the great day." And notice again is the great and dreadful day is the time of the tribulation period. And sure beloved brothers and sisters, Elijah will come. Some of us are confused about whether John the Baptist is Elijah or Elijah is John the Baptist, but when they ask John the Baptist, "Are you Elijah that will come?" he says, "I am not." And when the angel spoke to Zechariah the father of Elijah, he said that the Elijah—that John the Baptist will come in the spirit and the power of Elijah in John chapter one.

And when Yeshua said if you will he is Elijah speaking about the John the Baptist, he meant he is a picture and a type and a symbol of the way that Elijah will come. Elijah will come in a future day to present Yeshua at his second coming, as Yochanan John the Baptist came in to present Yeshua in his first coming. Elijah will come, "Behold I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord." And what will be the ministry of Elijah? "And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."

You know, when Yeshua came at his first coming, he said if any man love me and love father or mother more than me, he is not worthy of me. He divided families. But when he going to come at his second coming, he's going to restore families together. Elijah will come, his ministry will be to restore the hearts of the fathers to the children. The family unit in a Jewish home was so important since biblical days, the family. "Honor your father and your mother," it was part of the law given to Israel.

We know from the other passages "husbands love your wife, wife be subject to your own husband, children obey your parent, father provoke not your children to wrath." The family unit in biblical days were that which God delighted with. And today, what's going on in the world that we live in today? Broken homes, broken families. And it is all because we have not submitted to the instruction that the Lord gave us in his word. "Lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." If you would be in a synagogue, and you come to the time where the book of Malachi is being read in a synagogue, they don't end with verse six.

They go back to verse five and make verse five read again. "Behold I will send Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful Day of the Lord." In a synagogue, verse six is not the end in the reading, but verse five is re-read once again in order that the word "curse" will not be the last word that is found in the minor prophets of God. Well, brothers and sisters, we concluded with this ministry the prophet Malachi. This is the minor prophets. And I trust that we have kind of glean from that something that will help us in our walk with the Lord.

As Israel in a remnant days were not in a healthy spiritual way living for the Lord, we can apply this to ourselves and ask the Lord to help us today in those days that we will be like this remnant who thought about the Lord, spoke about his name, and a book of remembrance were written before the Lord for those that think upon his name. May the Lord bless his word. Can we say amen?

Narrator: 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 AM and 7:00 PM and Saturdays at 1:00 PM 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.