Thanksgiving and 2020 Year in Review
Welcome. To our jewish roots. With insightful, bible teaching by dr jeffrey seif. On today's special thanksgiving, program. We take a moment and look back at 2020. And review what the lord has done through this ministry. We're so glad you joined us today i'm david hart i'm kirsten, hart and i, am jeffrey, seif. And, we, are, looking at. Thanksgiving. Do you know what that word is in the greek. Eucharistia. It's where you get the word, eucharist, from that's when we thank god for god. Here we thank god for god and we thank you for you and it's great to be here with you yes. You amaze me every time. Right the knowledge, just seeps out well, what i i take from this is i'm thankful we're at this desk during this crazy, year that we've been through, yes we're still able to do it thick and thin. That uh you know the word of god carries, on and our friends help us and, it's great to be at the other end of, 2020. I'm looking over the horizon. I i'm hoping for great things i mean we had a grand baby born. This year so you know, me too right, right. And she's adorable. So there's, you know we always have to look at the good things that's why we have thanksgiving, take a time just to kind of, deep breath, and look at what god's done for us most people, spend too much time looking behind if you drive a car you need all your eyes focused on what's ahead of you you can't be looking back to see where you just passed, and, we're going to look and see where we've gone and where we're going. But life needs to be lived in the future. That's right we actually began, 2020. With the series joshua, more than a conqueror. Let's see some excerpts, right now. What happened at mount sinai was a miracle. A personal, message, to moses. Inscribed. In stone. By the very, finger of adonai. Days later it's left me wondering. Still searching for words, to explain. Our journey on the mount. Why'd he choose me. He could have chosen any of the elders. Gershom. Eliezer. There was this thick cloud. That covered us. For six. Days. Nothing could be. Seen. And all the more i wondered. Why he'd chosen me. As though, moses, gets all the attention, initially. And rightly so is the principal, leader. He had, an assistant. His name. Was. Joshua. Interesting, fellow. To be sure. His name was hosea, originally. But his name was changed. From a word for salvation. To, jehoshapha. That is. God, is salvation. And he was going to learn that. Interesting, word in hebrew, in greek salvation. Sozo. Means. Save. It means, heal. Be made whole, put back together, again. The word, yeshua. Or joshua, in hebrew. It means, to. Heal. It means to deliver. It means to redeem. To save. And joshua. Was all that. And, in so doing, he led israel. And he indeed, was. More, than just a conqueror. Though he was that to be sure. It's been a miraculous. Journey. The jordan river has dried, up to facilitate, its crossing. The mighty walls of jericho, have fallen, down and now. With heaven, sent cunning. Joshua, leads his men to yet another. Victory. At the city, of i. I went up in flames. Finally. Israel got burned beforehand, however, and, in other sense and i'm going to tell that story, here today. It's a tragic, story actually. Victory is one thing defeats, another, in the bible. We get a little bit of both. Actually. In the scripture. If you look at the miraculous.
Victory, So far, the parting of the sea the jordan. The israelites, crossing, through. Yes that's 17, verses, for that. If you look at the the miracle, and the war, at jericho. A sum total, of 27. Verses, for that. The battle, of i, a small, city. It shouldn't have taken much. It was a tragedy. 81. Verses. By my reckoning. For that. In the hebrew, bible. You know men we want the best in life we feel we don't always get it we think we we go for an ideal we think we got a raw deal. Get that faith at work. And uh seek the lord for what he would have you to do and find the divine, strategy. Has, for you to help you, to be the head and not the tail to be a conqueror. And not conquered. To be a victor. And not a victim. And you yourself, can experience, with god how like joshua, you. Can be more, than a conqueror. That was an excerpt from our series, joshua. More than a conqueror, and if you have missed any of the series from this past year. They're available, free for viewing, on. Levitt.tv. Or levitt.com. On our website, that's right we couldn't do any of this without our viewers. Help. And we want them. You, to in fact, be, more than a conqueror. And. We offer, biblical, medicine, for life's assorted, hurts i believe the lord wants us to be winners and not losers. Victors, and not victims, and that series goes into the biblical, text, to give us a window into how to do that. I want to ask you please to help me to help us to do that it's the end of the year. And if you would like to catch up a little bit if incline, please help us by making a gift, to help us move the ball forward into the new year into the new economy. Lots of great stories to tell lots of good news to share, i want to thank you in advance for helping us do that. Well we are so thankful for all the things that you have taught us and one of the most, beautiful. Series. In the footsteps. Of the rabbi, from tarsus that's a that's a big title. But you went all across the mediterranean. Right didn't you feel, you were in rome. You were literally, in the mediterranean. Sea weren't you and you guys. Sent me there thank you you know i know people want to travel the bible lands. We take a camera and take you to it thanks, it was a beautiful series but you also taught us so much. And we're going to take you right now to some excerpts. From that. Series. So. Something, strange. Happened to him on that road to damascus. Many years ago. The rabbi, from tarsus, traversed, the path. And there he was knocked off his horse, floor. He was as good as blind. So much so, that he had to get led into damascus. By the hand, and there. One of the brethren, laid hands, on him. And paul, began to see. Oh but this man didn't just see things materially. He was given a kind of spiritual. Vision as well and what he envisioned. Would. Change, the. World. Seems that in jerusalem. Proper, in proximity, to the temple there were porches, round about. And one of which we're told that the believers, met. It was a place called solomon's, portico, and there they would teach and, discuss the issues of the day. And there was a whole lot of discussion, going on about a lot of things, principle, among them was the question. What, on god's, earth, is the rabbi, from tarsus. Doing. Word had spread, of his ministry. To individuals, of non-jewish. Extract. And people were disconcerted. Prior to this time those who followed jesus were jewish people. They were women and men of jewish, extract, who lived and functioned, as jews. They were jewish people who were for jesus. But what now. Women and men, of non-jewish. Extract, were coming in but the question, is what do we do with. Them. Paul came to rome as a courtesy, of the state he had appealed to caesar. And the caesar, he came, here in rome. You'll see some sights behind, me one is an arch of constantine. Came a bit later. The form is in close proximity.
As Is the great coliseum. Behind which came a little later as well, but this is rome. And when paul was here initially, he came here as i said he was transported. Courtesy, of rome. By a centurion. He was under a house arrest and it's from here. Where he wrote. A few epistles, he wrote to the ephesians. He wrote to the, colossians. He wrote a personal letter to philemon, and then he wrote. A, document. Called the philippians. Which is arguably. The friendliest, of paul's letter that's not to say he was a mean sort, but, it seems that when he wrote the others, he was, disconcerted. About one thing or another but the philippian, correspondence. Was a thank you letter. It seems to me that the church is gone has its various traditions, but we do well, to open up the primary, literature. And therein, when we read paul's, writings. We can sense his heart. Better it is it seems to me that we get in touch with what he had to say. Over and against what the traditions, of the day might be. And so for that reason i advocate, that we do well. To walk in the footsteps. Of the rabbi, from tarsus. To read his word. And to follow his example, because that is truly. Where we learn what it means. To be. Christian. The scenery, throughout that whole series was, breathtaking. But what else was breathtaking, was your teaching, it was so on point, thank you well you're kind i think if people stay with the biblical, word there's lots of good stuff. There's not enough. Biblical teaching. At the end of the day the way i perceive it speaking of which. Here's a great thanksgiving, verse. He says in philippians, chapter 4. My god, will fulfill. Every. Need, of yours, according, to the riches. Of his glory. God's got riches, he's got glory, and he's got a heart to supply, needs, isn't that a good word, it is a good word and we need to hear that because it's been a tough year we haven't taken, any tours. To israel. Right it's also thanksgiving. Season. So much to be thankful for. Even in the midst of what we've all been going through right, crazy year. But some good and i just want to let all of you know. If. You want to take a tour to the holy land. It will change your life, 2020.
Yes Has been crazy but i don't think any tours have gone, if we can go if this ministry, can get into israel. We are going we go two times a year, hopefully, in the spring and also in the fall we'd love to have you go with us i'll say that many places that you've taught. We go. And we would love you to join us on a tour you can find all the information. On levitt.com. Yes another series, you, brought to life, was all about. The kings. Of old, in the old testament. Yes well you know the political. Climate. Is so. Interesting, in our culture. And it was really, interesting, back in the day. And, our, friends, you. Uh donated, to help us to get the story out we looked at political, intrigue. Social, unrest. Bad kings and kingdoms, and good ones as we journeyed through the biblical narrative, it's a great series. Let's take a look at some excerpts, from kings and kingdoms, right. Now. So. I'm interested. In the book, of kings. Actually in the old hebrew bible, first second, third and fourth, kings. From. Saul, at the beginning. All the way. To. The ending, kings. With the fall of the northern, and southern kingdom we're going to explore, that. In this series. Kings, and kingdoms. It's not that the biblical. Author, gave him a pass. But he definitely. Passed. Through. Note of his indiscretions. Which were egregious. In order to give, him. Credit. What am i talking about, i don't want to play my hand just yet. But i want to say that the story, had to do, with where we are right, now. Adjacent, to me is jericho. We're right there at the lowest, part of the earth. Jordan, is not far away saudi, arabia, is south. You go. Up the judean, foothills, which are adjacent, to me you get to jerusalem. This is. Borderland. And, it was a significant. Border. When israel. Broke away, from judah. They established. This. As a border. Outpost. It was significant. You had to control. This. In order, to control, the gateway to jerusalem. It was very important.
You Know america, has thousands, of miles of border with ocean, with the atlantic, and pacific. We're not worried about getting attacked by whales. Canada, hasn't been a problem. And really, until recently, central and south america, hasn't been an issue, now an invasion, is less to do about wars as it is to do with desperate, people, and that raises, the issue. In my generation. And in this particular, moment about what to do about borders. When i look at kings, and kingdoms. While i'm looking that generally. Specifically. What i'm looking at, are issues associated. With faithfulness. To biblical. Vision. And i say that to you, as you're looking for what leads. Who leads. What ideas, move forward. What personalities. Best advocate, for those ideas. As you in a democracy. Weigh in and decide, what you want to do. Who you want to support. Whether it's in government. In the broader, sense of political, government. Who you want to attach yourself to in business. In the business of business. Or even who you want to attach yourself to in the business of love. Whether it's building a biological. Kingdom whether it's building a business kingdom. Whether it's considering, the national, kingdom. That we live in our country. Let me encourage, you with what the biblical, authors, encourage. Us. Put your energies. And support. Behind. That. Which, advocates. Faithfulness. To the biblical. Economy. Support. Faithful, men. Support, policies. That reflect, biblical, vision. This, according, to the authors, of this the bible. This is a recipe, for success, in life. And it certainly, is true in the jewish world in america, or many people. Are jewish in a cultural, sense but not necessarily, in a religious sense when it comes to, commitment, to biblical, text. One can live out a cultural, kind of religion. Where god is at a distance, and religion's, at a distance. This is not only a problem in modernity, it was a problem in antiquity, in bible days in fact and. You've heard about fake, news. Well. I want to talk to you about fake, jews. Sounds like i'm being cute but the story is not so funny. This jeroboam. Over 20, times. In the hebrew, bible because of all of this. He's referred to as the man, who made, israel. To, sin. It starts off as a political, issue. And then it translates. Into a spiritual. One as well. It reminds, me by the way in so many ways of the world that we live in, let's learn a lesson and follow the god of israel. Never mind fake jews, fake politics. Fake religion, let's go after the real. Deal. Such an encouraging, word from king david, about. Giving, thanks, i love that yeah we give thanks for all of you. You have kept us on the air this program started, in, 1979. Just on tv, and now we've expanded. We're on this wonderful thing called the internet. I mean 79, because we couldn't even imagine that we'd have something like that, we have wonderful, social media outlets, there's all kinds of extra information. On there find us and we're again thankful for you making all of this possible. Yes and folk are keeping, us on the air but really you're wanting to keep on the air good news through the eyes of the jews. And times news and against that backdrop. Great series on revelation. Thank you for helping us tell the story it's a good time to open up the book what do you think, let's check it out. Now. The book of revelation. Has been a go-to, source for a long, long, time, individuals, trying to look at what's happening, in the news on the one hand. And to look at what's happening in the good news on the other, to see if there's a correlation. Well here we want to peek behind, the veil, and look at the visions, noted. In the, apocalypse. John isn't in the best of places himself our author is banished to an island out here in the aegean, sea called patmos. And from this island now he sees things to come. He gives voice to these dispatchers. Going global, in his day. Throughout the empire, he sees in chapter, six. Of visions, the first of which is a horse. And the rider, has a a, crown. Given to him and he goes forth in verse two as a conqueror. So he might conquer. He sees another horse in verse four, fiery, red. The one riding on it was permitted, to take, peace. From the earth. So that people. Would slaughter, one another. And he was given. A sword. Our journey continues, in the 13th, chapter the author, sees, these beasts, coming out of the sea.
He Sees, uh. Just more, demon. Inspired. Misery. He sees, demonic, forces, in verse seven, invested, against the kenoshim. Against the saints. And they overcome, them. We're seeing that this diabolical. Leader this beast. By the way, in the joe and in literature, in john's. You know letters he's the antichrist. Here he's the beast. There's different languages, for the devil. When the devil has his day but here a beast. He comes and we're told he was given authority. Temporarily. Over every tribe, people tongue and nation. And all who dwell in the earth, worship, him. Everyone, whose name, is not written, from the foundation, in the world in the book of life. And of the lamb. Revelation. Chapter 11, opens up. With a picture out of ezekiel. Who, toward the end of his book is beckoned to go and measure the temple. I mention that here because in chapter 11 verse 1. You have the command to do much the same. There are those in the temple worshiping. Outside, the courtyards, are trampled. And then we're told that there are these two witnesses. Who are, given, a voice, to prophesy. In these very difficult, days, and hell comes against them but they keep speaking. We're told, one of these two. Uh has power to shut up the heavens so there'll be no rain. And the other has power over waters, to turn them in the blood etc. This reminds me of the days of elijah. And the days of moses, and some think these witnesses, are akin to those personalities. One praised and such up the heavens, the other praise and the waters turned to blood. I looked and behold, a vast. Multitude. No one could count, from every, nation. And all tribes. And peoples. And tongues. It's not just jews. These are people standing, before the throne. And before the lamb. So this author in century, 1, writing from here, banished, as he was. All the earlier, apostles, were killed. Uh he's banished. And he has a vision of a world that goes upside, down he sees jews. That, that walked with the lord. And died with the lord. He sees. Non-jews. For him the church is made up, of one new man, jews and non-jews, alike. We're seeing that today by the way similarly, we're seeing, jewish, witnesses. To yeshua. Non-jewish. Witnesses, it really is fascinating. It was like that in century, one it's like that today. And here it's prophesied, in the good book. And these together, we're told, are standing, before the lamb. You know. Language, for yeshua, the crucified, one. And they're singing in verse 10 salvation. Belongs, to our god. Who sits on the throne. And to the lamb it's not just my god it's not the jewish god the god, of, all. I love it. Uh, this, author, sees. An arising. He sees a rebellion. He sees that the wicked empire. Is going to be, thrown off at day's end, that the slain. That the crucified. One will prevail. And those with him similarly. Though it might seem they prevail, not just now.
Nevertheless. Victory. Is theirs. At the ragged edge of time. I've got to be honest with all of you when covid, started. I had no idea, if. Jeff churches, would make it, if funds would still be coming in if people would still be giving offerings. If this ministry, would make it and, we have, by the grace of god. We've continued, on it's amazing, but i think every, generation. Has things that are unanticipated. But we got through it and thank you, for you i thank god for you for helping us you know sometimes. Amidst the turbulence, of trying times people hold back. Um but thank you for still reaching, in and helping us to tell this story the good news needs to get out especially, now. When there's so much bad news in people's heads you know and and you kept us going and thank you for that and i want to thank you in advance for the future. That's right we began the program with. Greek. Thanksgiving, you, said, thanksgiving, in, greek. Can you give me the hebrew name. Thank you very. Much. And thanks is good in any language, you know and i think that we do well just to be thankful people for our own sakes, we're more attractive, if we're thankful, in our hearts we really are that's right we have more to come. We leave this program today with, a song from our founder. Zola levitt but. We also. Love to say this. As you go now, asha'alu. Shalom, yerushalayim. Please, pray for the peace, of jerusalem. This has been a paid program, brought to you by, zola levitt. Ministries.
2020-12-01 14:53
