The Jewish roots of Christianity

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Bible teaching with an emphasis on Israel, prophecy and the Jewish roots of Christianity

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Episode: “God Rewards the Righteous”
God enjoys using irony to give the wicked and the righteous their just deserts. While they are in progress, God’s ways are often mysterious to us, but we see the eventual triumph of the righteous—then as now.
Series: “Esther (2017)”
For Such A Time As This
The Book of Esther is one of the Jewish people’s favorites. In this eight-program television series, Dr. Jeffrey Seif explains its details, and points out that, like Esther herself, we Believers may be alive for such a time as this.

Caption transcript for Esther (2017): “God Rewards the Righteous” (5/8)

  • 00:05 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel
  • 00:09 is that they might be saved,
  • 00:12 for there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek,
  • 00:15 for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him.
  • 00:40 Hi friends, I'm David Hart.
  • 00:41 Welcome to Zola Levitt Presents.
  • 00:43 And I'm Kirsten Hart.
  • 00:44 Welcome to our mini feast of Purim.
  • 00:47 Yes!
  • 00:48 We have wonderful things in store for today
  • 00:50 and for these,
  • 00:51 and for this,
  • 00:53 all kinds of feast activities that prove
  • 00:57 that God rewards the righteous.
  • 01:00 Yes, this program debuted in 2010
  • 01:02 but it is still relevant for all of us today.
  • 01:05 So sad that the Jewish people
  • 01:07 are still being persecuted.
  • 01:09 People haven't learned that
  • 01:11 God will bless you if you take care of the Jewish people.
  • 01:14 Dr. Jeffrey Seif will be teaching on location.
  • 01:16 Chaim Malespin and his beautiful wife Deanna
  • 01:19 will be giving us another Hebrew Lesson.
  • 01:21 Now, let's go to our dramatic reenactment
  • 01:23 to see what happens when King Xerxes has insomnia.
  • 02:21 The Nazis who manned the "Sturmgeschutz"
  • 02:23 considered themselves to be quite fortunate
  • 02:27 as did those that manned the "Panzers" behind me
  • 02:29 and the reason why is because this tank alone,
  • 02:32 5,000 of which were manufactured by the Nazis,
  • 02:36 this tank knocked out 20,000 vehicles in the eastern front alone.
  • 02:40 So disconcerted was Stalin that he called in his General and had him
  • 02:44 executed because he didn't have an answer for this.
  • 02:47 I can assure you those that were inside;
  • 02:50 they slept comfortably knowing they were in a winner.
  • 02:54 And those that were staring down this nozzle,
  • 02:56 they knew they were in trouble and didn't sleep well at all.
  • 03:00 And speaking of sleep,
  • 03:02 our story today is played out against the backdrop of
  • 03:05 someone that had trouble sleeping.
  • 03:08 You might recall the story in the 6th chapter of the book of Esther.
  • 03:12 Interestingly, providentially, Xerxes just couldn't get to bed
  • 03:17 and what he did is he called for someone to come and read and help him to
  • 03:22 explore if there is any unfinished business and he was reminded of the fact
  • 03:27 that sometime prior there was a plot against his life and there was a Jew
  • 03:31 named Mordecai who was given to helping him.
  • 03:35 Xerxes asked a reasonably good question that I want to explore with you as we
  • 03:39 look first at the Biblical text in my version which is a Hebrew version we read
  • 03:59 "What has been done to honor Mordecai for what he has done...
  • 04:03 for this...for what he has done for me?"
  • 04:07 In a world today where just as yesterday there are forces unleashed for
  • 04:12 the destruction of the Jewish people and indeed in no uncertain terms that
  • 04:16 was what was behind this particular instrument of war right here.
  • 04:20 In a world today as yesterday people are asking the question
  • 04:23 "how can we destroy the Jews?"
  • 04:25 Isn't it interesting that in the Biblical text
  • 04:27 someone is alighting upon the question
  • 04:30 "What can I do to bless a Jew?"
  • 04:33 And let me ask you a question.
  • 04:35 In a world today where Jews have made so many
  • 04:39 contributions just like Mordecai yesterday,
  • 04:42 truth of the matter is Xerxes owed his life to Mordecai,
  • 04:45 and in so many ways I believe
  • 04:47 there's such a debt that's owed the Jewish people today,
  • 04:51 medicine, economics,
  • 04:54 various kinds of devices that are manufactured in modernity,
  • 05:00 pharmaceuticals,
  • 05:02 never mind the fact that
  • 05:04 Biblical literature, value, vision, virtue,
  • 05:06 comes through the Jewish people as does the Messiah Himself.
  • 05:10 There's so much there that's coming through for you,
  • 05:13 let me ask you the question,
  • 05:15 "Is there some business that's outstanding,
  • 05:18 might you yourself consider what you can do to bless the Jewish people?"
  • 05:24 I've been coming to you from Israel right now
  • 05:27 and indeed Israel needs your help.
  • 05:30 Those of us engaged in trying to tell the truth about the Jew,
  • 05:33 trying to tell the truth about Israel,
  • 05:35 trying to show the Bible from a Jewish perspective,
  • 05:37 we need help too.
  • 05:39 Please carefully and prayerfully be like we find in the text here
  • 05:43 where someone is asking the question "How can I bless those people?"
  • 05:47 I hope you'll pray about it and I know that you
  • 05:50 will be blessed in return for so doing.
  • 05:54 Our Resource this week,
  • 05:56 the series"Esther, for such a Time as This" on DVD.
  • 06:01 This 8 part series presents the biblical account of
  • 06:04 the young, beautiful Jewish woman
  • 06:07 who becomes the Queen of Persia.
  • 06:09 When Esther is confronted
  • 06:10 with murderous racial hatred,
  • 06:12 she allows herself to be
  • 06:14 used by God and saves
  • 06:15 the Jewish people from genocide.
  • 06:18 Contact us for the DVD series
  • 06:20 "Esther, for Such a Time as This"
  • 06:25 We'll return to the program in just a moment
  • 06:26 but first I wanted to ask if you've ever thought
  • 06:29 about what it takes to put this program together?
  • 06:32 I can assure you it's alot more than just lights, camera, action.
  • 06:36 There's a lot of prayer and planning.
  • 06:39 Our family is alot like yours.
  • 06:41 We pray and we plan.
  • 06:43 And we hope that you'll be praying for us
  • 06:46 and planning to help support us too.
  • 06:55 Zola Levitt Presents is more than just a television program.
  • 06:59 There are many ways to connect with us on social media.
  • 07:02 Join Zola Levitt Presents on
  • 07:19 We invite you to keep in touch
  • 07:22 and join us on social media.
  • 07:26 We really hope that you are connected with us on social media,
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  • 07:34 to find out what's going on in this ministry.
  • 07:36 Join us.
  • 07:37 We'll return with the story of Esther in just a moment.
  • 07:40 But here's Chaim Malespin on location in Israel.
  • 07:50 Hello Friends!
  • 07:52 Welcome to the Galilee, Israel.
  • 07:54 I'm here in a bomb...
  • 07:56 or really this is a bunker from the 1948 War, the war of independence.
  • 08:00 you remember we were attacked on all sides.
  • 08:02 But I want to say that Israel's under attack right now.
  • 08:05 Not in that type of way,
  • 08:07 but really it's what's called BDS,
  • 08:10 Boycott Divestment Sanctions
  • 08:12 This is a move, a propaganda war
  • 08:16 which is attacking Israel and Israeli products
  • 08:19 because they say, we don't want anything to do
  • 08:23 with Jewish presence in the Heartland of Israel, Judea and Samaria.
  • 08:26 But we as Judeo Christian faith believers
  • 08:31 stand together with the God of Israel that we serve.
  • 08:34 And we are inextricably linked.
  • 08:36 And now in the time of heroes,
  • 08:38 the time when we remember Esther
  • 08:40 how she went and she was able to change the mind of a government
  • 08:45 by her lobbying,
  • 08:47 and by her listening to God and being brave.
  • 08:49 For such a time as this we want to be
  • 08:52 all together part of bringing God's solution.
  • 09:42 Every man wants to be honored.
  • 09:46 But not every man deserves it.
  • 09:50 To be sure, those who fought under the banner of that flag behind me
  • 09:55 to the man deserved it and why is that?
  • 09:58 Because that flag is a symbol of those who refused to bend.
  • 10:04 To the man they fought and held off Egyptian encroachment.
  • 10:09 And goodness, today as yesterday there are individuals that are
  • 10:12 minded to encroach upon Jewish real estate and to
  • 10:16 look to slit the throats of God's people.
  • 10:21 And similarly today as yesterday, God raises up deliverance.
  • 10:26 That flag behind me is the symbol of deliverance.
  • 10:30 And isn't it interesting we have a star on the one hand
  • 10:33 and then we have the blue stripes and the white on the other?
  • 10:37 When I think of the book of Esther,
  • 10:39 there's "Esther", which is a word meaning "star"
  • 10:41 and when Mordecai was honored later on in the 8th chapter,
  • 10:45 verse 15, he's adorned in blue and white.
  • 10:49 And here we have the star and the adornment in blue and white
  • 10:53 to remind us of salvation for a people today.
  • 10:58 Yesterday, and I'm looking now
  • 11:01 in the 6th chapter of the book of Esther,
  • 11:04 you can recall how there's a king Xerxes who can't sleep
  • 11:07 and he beckons for records and discovers
  • 11:10 there was a Jew named Mordecai who had saved his life.
  • 11:14 Haman was in proximity to him
  • 11:16 so he inquired of Haman what ought to be done to the man,
  • 11:19 in response to which Haman thinking it was him said,
  • 11:22 "Well, deck him out in royal regalia and parade him about
  • 11:25 and let the world know that man is to be honored."
  • 11:29 "Good idea" says Xerxes, "you drive him around".
  • 11:35 Goodness we're told, and I'm looking here in chapter 6, verse 11
  • 11:44 Haman takes Mordecai, puts him on the horse,
  • 11:47 decks him out and he leads the horse around through the city.
  • 11:51 We're told here...."
  • 12:13 Listen, there's something prophetic in that
  • 12:16 and that is that God has a way of elevating
  • 12:19 even in a world where people are seeking to destroy.
  • 12:25 With all the forces of hell unleashed against Mordecai,
  • 12:29 unleashed against the Jewish people,
  • 12:31 what happens is the hand was stayed.
  • 12:34 It's fascinating principally because
  • 12:36 Esther is going to stand up and be the heroine
  • 12:39 for such a time as that
  • 12:41 and God's going to use her.
  • 12:42 Let me ask you a question.
  • 12:44 Could you yourself think of ways that you can take a stand for God's will,
  • 12:49 His ways, His purposes and His people?
  • 12:52 If you're minded to do that, I want you to know
  • 12:55 that you today like Mordecai yesterday will have your reward.
  • 13:02 We're told in the book " Bereishit ", "Genesis" chapter 12 that God will
  • 13:06 bless those who bless Him and will curse those who curse Him.
  • 13:10 Be a blessing to the Jewish people and count yourself then among those
  • 13:14 whom the Lord is destined to honor.
  • 13:38 Our Resource this week,
  • 13:39 the series"Esther, for such a Time as This" on DVD.
  • 13:44 This 8 part series presents the biblical account of
  • 13:48 the young, beautiful Jewish woman
  • 13:50 who becomes the Queen of Persia.
  • 13:52 When Esther is confronted
  • 13:53 with murderous racial hatred,
  • 13:55 she allows herself to be
  • 13:57 used by God and saves
  • 13:59 the Jewish people from genocide.
  • 14:01 Contact us for the DVD series
  • 14:03 "Esther, for Such a Time as This"
  • 14:08 Hello, my name is Andrea Davis
  • 14:10 and I've been working with Zola Levitt Ministries for over 20 years.
  • 14:14 For me, this is not just a career, it's a calling
  • 14:18 and I'm so grateful for those who feel called along side us.
  • 14:22 Your prayers and financial support help us produce
  • 14:26 informative anointed television from Israel.
  • 14:30 So please, continue to give as you are able,
  • 14:33 and let's continue this journey together.
  • 14:35 Thank you.
  • 14:38 Kirsten Hart - For many a trip to the Holy Land is a dream of a lifetime.
  • 14:42 The Bible truly comes alive as you see the sights
  • 14:45 where so many biblical events happened
  • 14:48 where the teaching is always from a Messianic perspective.
  • 14:52 Come on the Zola Tour in the Spring to see Israel and Petra
  • 14:55 or in the Fall to add a cruise to Greece and Ephesus.
  • 15:00 See the Land of the Bible for yourself.
  • 15:03 Contact us to reserve your dream of a lifetime.
  • 15:10 We would love for you to join us on a trip to Israel.
  • 15:12 Both in the Fall or the Spring.
  • 15:14 You can find all of the information
  • 15:16 right here on levitt.com
  • 15:18 We have so many places that we
  • 15:19 can't wait to go back to.
  • 15:21 What do you think one of your favorite spots will be?
  • 15:23 I absolutely love the Sea of Galilee.
  • 15:26 So many people say it's one of the most
  • 15:28 peaceful spots on the whole earth.
  • 15:31 And the amazing thing is
  • 15:33 you would think it would be built up.
  • 15:35 I mean, it's the Sea of Galilee...
  • 15:37 that there'd be condos and buildings
  • 15:39 and restaurants everywhere.
  • 15:40 But when you go you will see that
  • 15:43 the rocks are right there on the shore lines still,
  • 15:45 and it looks as if Yeshua, Himself,
  • 15:48 could still walk right there.
  • 15:50 You may be wondering what all the these
  • 15:53 interesting items on this desk are all about.
  • 15:56 Today, Deanna Malespin is going to tell us all about that.
  • 16:03 Shalom Havarim "Hello Friends"
  • 16:06 During the story of Esther
  • 16:08 we make noise...
  • 16:11 using a " gragger "
  • 16:13 or in this case I have a tambourine.
  • 16:15 Gragger in Yiddish means "noise maker"
  • 16:18 When we read the Megillah Esther
  • 16:21 whenever you hear the word "Haman"
  • 16:23 make lots of noise
  • 16:25 to drown out the memory of the Amalekites
  • 16:28 as it is commanded in the Torah.
  • 16:31 Thank you Deanna.
  • 16:32 I can almost hear the children participating,
  • 16:35 doing this in Israel.
  • 16:36 Kind of fun.
  • 16:37 And our word is " Gragger ".
  • 16:39 " Gragger " - Yes.
  • 16:40 It's a Yiddish word
  • 16:41 so it's not necessarily Hebrew
  • 16:42 but it's Yiddish
  • 16:44 for "noise maker" which these are.
  • 16:46 And I'm not going to spin it cause it is so loud.
  • 16:48 Do yours.
  • 16:51 So we don't hear the name Haman.
  • 16:52 So every time Esther is read,
  • 16:55 any time the name Haman comes up we do that.
  • 16:57 So you want to try it?
  • 16:57 Let's do it!
  • 16:58 Let's see if I can do this without my readers.
  • 17:00 Okay, ready?
  • 17:01 "While they were still talking with him,"
  • 17:03 "the king's eunuch came"
  • 17:05 "and hastened to bring Haman"
  • 17:09 "to the banquet which Esther had prepared."
  • 17:12 "So the king and... Haman"
  • 17:15 "went to dine with Queen Esther."
  • 17:18 "And Esther said, the adversary and enemy is"
  • 17:22 "this wicked Haman."
  • 17:25 "So Haman..."
  • 17:27 "was terrified before the king and Queen."
  • 17:31 You're so welcome I didn't do this one
  • 17:33 cause it's really loud.
  • 17:34 That's what a Gragger is.
  • 17:36 It drowns out the name of Haman.
  • 17:38 Now we're going to see.
  • 17:40 Haman is not a happy man.
  • 18:50 Works for me...
  • 18:52 Let's get this right, Haman's counselors and wife tell him,
  • 18:57 "Hey listen Haman if that guy's a Jew
  • 19:01 there is no way you are going to get the better of him".
  • 19:07 Well I like that.
  • 19:08 That's " chakim ", that's "smarts".
  • 19:11 And that by the way is so very true.
  • 19:15 I'm coming to you from the Mount of Olives here,
  • 19:17 and these hills have seen many armies.
  • 19:22 This grass, these flowers round about me have felt the trampling of boots of
  • 19:31 many empires that made their way into this part of the world only to
  • 19:36 eventually be sent back in retreat.
  • 19:40 The people of Israel live.
  • 19:43 In the living word, in the Scripture,
  • 19:47 we're told in chapter 6, verse 13,
  • 20:04 "You shall surely fall before him" was the prophetic word.
  • 20:12 What's true here
  • 20:14 is true here,
  • 20:16 and it's not only found in this part of the Scripture
  • 20:20 but elsewhere as well.
  • 20:22 The Bible says that "no weapon formed against you shall prosper" in Isaiah.
  • 20:27 In Genesis the word is "I will bless those who bless you"
  • 20:32 "And I will curse those who curse you."
  • 20:36 Seems to me that Haman's on the wrong side of the equation
  • 20:41 which reminds me...
  • 20:44 I think that we do well to place ourselves on the right side of God's logic
  • 20:52 as opposed to being on the negative side of the ledger,
  • 20:55 it will only turn against us.
  • 20:59 Well Haman was just fit to be tied.
  • 21:01 He was bratty, spoiled; disconcerted,
  • 21:05 moody that Mordecai should fare well.
  • 21:09 There are many in the world today similarly
  • 21:12 who just don't like to see Jews have success
  • 21:16 and are just enraged against them
  • 21:18 trying to prevent that from happening.
  • 21:21 So much for the bad news.
  • 21:22 As I've said, the good news is that God watches over His Word to perform it.
  • 21:27 God has promised the children of Abraham
  • 21:30 have destiny written all over them,
  • 21:33 and so it is that those that seek to destroy them
  • 21:36 will themselves come to an inglorious end.
  • 21:44 Thank you Dr. Seif.
  • 21:45 I love his teaching today from the Mount of Olives.
  • 21:47 Kirsten and I had the opportunity to sing right there a while back
  • 21:51 and it was really one of the greatest encounters that I've had,
  • 21:54 a spiritual encounter.
  • 21:56 I remember weeping as we sang there.
  • 21:58 So we have Ted Pearce with us today.
  • 22:00 Have you ever sung at...
  • 22:03 The Mount of Olives?
  • 22:04 Yes.
  • 22:05 No...
  • 22:06 You need to.
  • 22:07 a lot of places around Jerusalem
  • 22:08 but not actually on the Mount of Olives.
  • 22:11 It's amazing.
  • 22:12 Yeah it is, it is.
  • 22:13 Would love to ask you something
  • 22:16 Dr. Seif referred to today in the program
  • 22:20 about the fact that God blesses those who bless Israel.
  • 22:25 And you spent so much time over there.
  • 22:27 You are so involved with the Jewish people.
  • 22:31 And I know you don't want to talk about God has blessed me,
  • 22:34 but talk about the blessings that God gives those.
  • 22:37 Yeah, well I mean, this has sort of been
  • 22:40 my whole strategy for many years.
  • 22:43 "Those who bless Israel will be blessed",
  • 22:45 but it's not like in a "Lucky Charms" kind of way.
  • 22:48 It's like...
  • 22:50 Growing up in the city I didn't know any Jewish people
  • 22:55 till I came to faith.
  • 22:56 And as I began going to Baruch HaShem
  • 22:58 and meeting Jewish people
  • 22:59 it completely changed my life for the better,
  • 23:02 and as I just became part of that community,
  • 23:05 just being a part of the community blessed my family.
  • 23:08 It actually saved my family.
  • 23:11 It was an amazing transformation
  • 23:14 that happened in my life once I met Yeshua.
  • 23:16 And as I work with Jewish people
  • 23:19 it's like I'm not even expecting it
  • 23:21 but there's always a blessing that comes back.
  • 23:24 To me, just getting to know the Jewish people
  • 23:28 is a tremendous blessing.
  • 23:30 And so many of them have blessed me
  • 23:32 without asking for it.
  • 23:34 So it's this sort of synergy of return blessing that
  • 23:40 if you plan for it,
  • 23:41 it just wouldn't be right.
  • 23:43 And I love that you say that He blesses through His people.
  • 23:47 Amen.
  • 23:48 All of His people.
  • 23:49 That's right.
  • 23:50 But that's where the blessings come from.
  • 23:51 We think it's like monetary,
  • 23:53 "you're gonna bless me so much",
  • 23:55 and God says,
  • 23:56 I'm going to bless you through my people.
  • 23:59 And His Word is true,
  • 24:00 you bless Israel and you will be blessed.
  • 24:02 I don't know how it works, but it does.
  • 24:04 That's right.
  • 24:05 And we're all blessed today to hear a song
  • 24:08 from Ted Pearce right now.
  • 24:20 Alright!
  • 24:24 ♪ From among every nation, people are going up ♪
  • 24:30 ♪ to the House of the Lord God of Jacob. ♪
  • 24:37 ♪ We come to you and say, "Teach us Your ways" ♪
  • 24:44 ♪ We enter your Kingdom, with an offering of praise. ♪
  • 24:50 ♪ So oh oh, ♪
  • 24:52 ♪ Hallelujah, glory hallelujah."
  • 24:56 ♪ We're gonna bless the Name of Yeshua. ♪
  • 25:00 ♪ Yeah, praise the Name of the Lord. ♪
  • 25:06 ♪ Hallelujah, glory hallelujah, ♪
  • 25:09 ♪ Come on and bless the Name of Yeshua. ♪
  • 25:14 ♪ Yeah, praise the Name of the Lord. ♪
  • 25:18 Whew!
  • 25:19 [♪ Ted on guitar ♪]
  • 25:34 ♪ I will praise You, Adonai, with all my heart; ♪
  • 25:40 ♪ And I will tell of all Your marvelous wonders. ♪
  • 25:47 ♪ I will be glad and rejoice in You alone; ♪
  • 25:53 ♪ I will sing praise unto Your Name, O God Most High! ♪
  • 26:00 ♪ So oh oh, ♪
  • 26:02 ♪ Hallelujah, glory hallelujah."
  • 26:05 ♪ We're gonna bless the Name of Yeshua. ♪
  • 26:10 ♪ Yeah, praise the Name of the Lord. ♪
  • 26:13 Come on, let's get it rockin!
  • 26:15 ♪ Oh, ♪
  • 26:16 ♪ Hallelujah, glory hallelujah."
  • 26:19 ♪ Come on and bless the Name of Yeshua. ♪
  • 26:24 ♪ Yeah, praise the Name of the Lord. ♪
  • 26:29 ♪ Hallelujah, glory hallelujah."
  • 26:33 ♪ We're gonna bless the Name of Yeshua. ♪
  • 26:37 ♪ Yeah, praise the Name of the Lord. ♪
  • 26:41 ♪ Praise the Name of the Lord ♪
  • 26:45 [Repeat] ♪ Praise the Name of the Lord ♪
  • 26:48 [Repeat again] ♪ Praise the Name of the Lord ♪♪
  • 26:53 Wooo!
  • 26:55 Thank you Ted!
  • 26:57 Come back next week and join us as we continue
  • 26:59 "Esther, For Such a Time as This"
  • 27:02 And our prayer for today is,
  • 27:04Sha'alu Shalom Yerushalayim ♪♪
  • 27:08 Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem
  • 27:12 Our monthly newsletter the Levitt Letter is free
  • 27:15 and full of insightful articles and news commentary from a Messianic perspective.
  • 27:19 Visit levitt.com to find our newsletter
  • 27:22 along with current and past programs,
  • 27:25 our television schedule and much more.
  • 27:28 Don't forget to order this week's resource
  • 27:30 by calling 1-800-WONDERS
  • 27:33 or you can purchase it from our store at levitt.com
  • 27:37 Your donations to Zola Levitt Ministries
  • 27:39 help these organizations bless Israel.

Episodes in this series

  1. Beautiful Inside and Out
  2. Chosen for a Purpose
  3. Called to be Courageous
  4. Undone by a Woman
  5. God Rewards the Righteous
  6. Justice at Last!
  7. Fight We Must!
  8. The Triumph of God in Human History

Guest organizations and links