The Jewish roots of Christianity

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Episode: “Justice at Last!”
Our story’s villain comes to his inglorious end as he becomes the object of his own wicked scheme. Seeing the triumphal outcome of righteousness and faith will encourage us in our own lives.
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): “Justice at Last!” (6/8)

  • 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,
  • 00:14 for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him.
  • 00:40 Hello Friends, welcome to Zola Levitt Presents.
  • 00:42 I'm David Hart.
  • 00:43 And I'm Kirsten Hart.
  • 00:45 We are in our series "Esther, for Such a Time as This".
  • 00:50 Today, finally we see that the Jewish people have justice at last.
  • 00:55 Dr. Jeffrey Seif will be teaching on location.
  • 00:58 We love his teaching.
  • 01:00 Our Guest Analyst in the studio is Ted Pearce.
  • 01:03 We also love his music.
  • 01:05 And we also love cookies,
  • 01:06 especially these right here.
  • 01:09 I'm already looking at the plate
  • 01:11 trying to decide which one I need to sample
  • 01:13 You'll learn what these are
  • 01:15 and how they relate to the Feast of Purim
  • 01:17 coming up on the program.
  • 01:19 But first, let's go to our dramatic reenactment.
  • 02:28 And the cat had the mouse cornered...
  • 02:32 hemmed in.
  • 02:35 Haman was minded to destroy the Jews,
  • 02:37 but little did he know is that it was
  • 02:39 about to turn on his own head there in the palace.
  • 02:44 I'm coming to you from a palace right now,
  • 02:47 a palace atop Masada.
  • 02:51 "Masada" is a word meaning "fortress".
  • 02:54 When Herod built it years ago
  • 02:56 he knew that he was in a precarious place
  • 02:59 as are Jews generally
  • 03:01 and so he built this fantastic palace.
  • 03:05 Well I got news for you
  • 03:07 that Esther was in another palace,
  • 03:08 another place, another day.
  • 03:10 But there was danger.
  • 03:13 Here you can see the remains in fact,
  • 03:16 the plaster, the black line here,
  • 03:18 reflects what archaeologists found.
  • 03:20 Underneath it is the original,
  • 03:22 above it is the reconstruction,
  • 03:24 here at the place where planned was
  • 03:28 a means for survival for the royal house.
  • 03:32 Esther, our queen, was in the royal house
  • 03:35 and there was no such fortress,
  • 03:37 save the fact that the Lord had fortified her to enact a scheme.
  • 03:41 We're told here in chapter 7, verse 4,
  • 03:44 that she has her husband and Haman at a banquet,
  • 03:48 and she informs that some are trying to destroy her.
  • 03:53 Listen to it in the Hebrew.
  • 03:54 I want to try and give you the emotion
  • 03:56 and then I want to consider the implications for today.
  • 04:00 In chapter 7, verse 4 she says, and I quote,
  • 04:25 She told her husband that someone had the noose around her neck
  • 04:29 and not just Esther herself but her people.
  • 04:33 "What's going on?" says Xerxes, "Who's the man?"
  • 04:38 And she points to Haman.
  • 04:41 Today friends listen to me,
  • 04:43 evil lurks as was the case yesterday.
  • 04:47 In different ways, different days, different people are bent on the
  • 04:54 destruction of the Jews, the slaughter, the annihilation.
  • 05:01 Whatever threatens Israel threatens Jewish survival.
  • 05:05 And I see Jews being harangued in the press,
  • 05:09 I see Jews being lambasted in the United Nations,
  • 05:14 I see Jews being assailed by nations round about this modern nation state,
  • 05:22 and it tells me among other things
  • 05:24 that there is nothing new under the sun.
  • 05:29 And here's a woman who was there for such a time as this,
  • 05:32 drawing attention to the fact that
  • 05:35 she, we, the people of the Jews are about to be annihilated.
  • 05:41 Oh friends we need to lift up our prayers Godward
  • 05:45 to, as we say at the end of every program,
  • 05:47 Sha'alu Shalom Yerushalayim ,
  • 05:50 to "Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem".
  • 05:52 And the reason why is as yesterday, today as well,
  • 05:55 there are forces bent on the destruction of the Jews.
  • 06:04 Are Gentile believers meant to adopt the Mosaic Law?
  • 06:07 Is there a separate salvation covenant for Israel
  • 06:09 that removes the necessity of faith in Yeshua?
  • 06:12 Eitan Shishkoff tackles these questions and more
  • 06:15 in today's resource "What About Us?"
  • 06:18 In this book Eitan uncovers
  • 06:20 concrete Scriptural evidence of God's original plan for
  • 06:23 Jews and Gentles to become one in Messiah
  • 06:27 and work together for salvation of national Israel.
  • 06:30 Learn the importance of how the Gentile church should
  • 06:33 relate to the remarkable Messianic movement
  • 06:35 of Jews accepting Jesus.
  • 06:37 An important read for believers of all walks of life.
  • 06:40 Please call us or go online
  • 06:42 and ask for the resource
  • 06:44 "What About Us?"
  • 06:46 We live in a topsy, turvy world
  • 06:48 where news events are often twisted leading to untruth.
  • 06:53 Here at Zola Levitt Presents we believe it's important
  • 06:57 to tell the truth of God's Word, the Bible.
  • 07:00 And we believe it should be proclaimed to Israel and the Nations.
  • 07:05 If you believe the same please consider us in your monthly giving support.
  • 07:17 Zola Levitt Presents is more than just a television program.
  • 07:21 There are many ways to connect with us on Social Media.
  • 07:41 We invite you to keep in touch
  • 07:43 and join us on social media.
  • 07:48 We are easy to find on Social Media.
  • 07:51 Just look up Zola Levitt Presents.
  • 07:53 We're on...
  • 07:57 I love going on the Facebook Page, myself.
  • 07:59 We have Hebrew Lessons,
  • 08:00 there are interviews,
  • 08:01 news from Israel.
  • 08:03 You are missing out if you don't find us on our Social Media sites.
  • 08:06 And now the plot thickens as the king asks Esther
  • 08:10 who plotted the coming slaughter of the Jewish people.
  • 08:57 Many have sought to annihilate the Jews,
  • 09:00 and it's very Jewish to turn things on their heads.
  • 09:03 And I mention that because here atop Masada
  • 09:06 where years ago, individuals made the decision to end life.
  • 09:11 Here the celebration of generations to come
  • 09:15 is enacted through the bar mitzvah behind me
  • 09:19 where a Jewish family and friends
  • 09:21 are celebrating someone coming of age.
  • 09:26 In the Jewish world pikuach nefesh ,
  • 09:28 the "preservation of life and the soul"
  • 09:30 is extremely important.
  • 09:33 Our story of Esther takes place against the backdrop of a time
  • 09:37 when there was an interest in destroying Jewish people.
  • 09:41 And as you recall Esther bids on behalf of the people,
  • 09:47 informing her husband that they are facing dread end.
  • 09:52 in Esther chapter 7, verse 4 we read,
  • 10:10 That is to say, "Who's trying to annihilate you?"
  • 10:19 Oh it's a reasonable question.
  • 10:22 In the drama in Esther we know who this person is,
  • 10:26 this wicked Haman, who enacted a scheme
  • 10:29 to destroy the Jewish people.
  • 10:31 We know who he was yesterday,
  • 10:33 and today as well, we know in the person of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
  • 10:37 we find someone bent on destroying the Jews.
  • 10:40 But oh so subtly in various ways from pulpits around the world
  • 10:45 ministers give voice to the fact that
  • 10:47 God is through with the Jewish people,
  • 10:50 thrown in the trash bin of biblical history.
  • 10:54 And of course thus minded individuals can more readily
  • 10:58 give credence to this rejected people vision
  • 11:03 and then more easily be bent on doing us harm.
  • 11:08 There's a mantra in the Jewish world, "never again",
  • 11:12 and here atop Masada I say "never again",
  • 11:16 and those that were singing behind me in the synagogue,
  • 11:19 David, Melech Yisrael Chai Vekayam
  • 11:21 David, the King of Israel lives.
  • 11:24 With bar and bat mitzvahs we say,
  • 11:27 "never again" as the people of Israel live.
  • 11:31 Well people lived here because a woman stood up.
  • 11:36 And here atop Masada, this fortress where
  • 11:39 Jewish people took a stand against all odds, against the Romans,
  • 11:44 let me encourage you like people were encouraged here,
  • 11:48 like we're encouraged in the book of Esther,
  • 11:50 let me encourage you please take a stand,
  • 11:53 get behind God's people, the Jewish people,
  • 11:55 pray for the peace of Jerusalem,
  • 11:57 confront those that are bent on her demise,
  • 12:01 and I know that God will bless you,
  • 12:03 and I know that God will work through you
  • 12:06 as a result of your so doing.
  • 12:21 For insightful perspectives on Israel and bible prophecy
  • 12:25 ask for our free monthly newsletter the Levitt Letter.
  • 12:29 At levitt.com you can read the newsletter,
  • 12:32 watch the TV program,
  • 12:34 or visit our online store.
  • 12:36 Stay current with us on Social Medial via Face Book and Twitter.
  • 12:40 Come with us on a Tour of Israel or Petra,
  • 12:43 or a Cruise to Greece and Ephesus.
  • 12:46 Please contact us for more information.
  • 12:51 Dr. Jeffrey Seif is teaching today
  • 12:54 from the ancient fortress of Masada
  • 12:57 which is one of the most famous places in Israel,
  • 12:59 and it's a place that our Zola Tours
  • 13:01 goes to every year in the Fall and the Spring.
  • 13:06 And we'd love for you to go with us.
  • 13:08 Yes, go to our website levitt.com
  • 13:10 You can find out all that information.
  • 13:12 Now let's go to Deanna in Israel
  • 13:14 for our Hebrew Lesson.
  • 13:16 Not yet!
  • 13:17 One?
  • 13:18 Let's hear from Deanna.
  • 13:19 Okay
  • 13:25 Shalom Haverim
  • 13:27 Over here is a Oznei Haman .
  • 13:29 It is a traditional cookie for Purim.
  • 13:32 It is also called the Hamantaschen .
  • 13:34 It is made of butter, sugar, flour,
  • 13:37 baking powder, salt, lemon zest,
  • 13:40 and a little bit of jam in the middle.
  • 13:41 It is fashioned after the hat of Haman,
  • 13:44 the villain in the story of Esther.
  • 13:46 It is a delicious reminder of how
  • 13:49 God defeated Israel's enemies
  • 13:52 in a very difficult time in our history.
  • 13:54 So, I highly recommend making these treats.
  • 13:57 They're very delicious!
  • 14:02 Deanna, thank you for introducing us
  • 14:04 to these wonderful cookies.
  • 14:07 Yes.
  • 14:07 Can I pick one out yet?
  • 14:08 It's really difficult to have these
  • 14:10 sitting right in front of us this whole time!
  • 14:12 Most favorite Hebrew Lesson ever!
  • 14:14 These are Hamantaschen
  • 14:16 And some say they are Haman's ears,
  • 14:20 and some say they are Haman's hat,
  • 14:23 but it doesn't matter because they look amazing.
  • 14:25 They smell amazing too.
  • 14:27 The black ones have poppy seeds, right?
  • 14:29 Yes.
  • 14:30 And the brownish ones have nuts in them.
  • 14:34 That's apricots.
  • 14:35 Do you say "ah"pricot or "aa"pricot?
  • 14:36 I say "ah"pricot.
  • 14:37 I say "aa"pricot.
  • 14:38 To"maa"to, To"mah"to.
  • 14:40 But nothing bad about these.
  • 14:42 Can I pick one out?
  • 14:43 Not Yet.
  • 14:44 Well, I want that one!
  • 14:45 Soon.
  • 14:46 Hamantaschen , the food of Purim.
  • 14:49 Now let's go to Haman's demise.
  • 15:53 He's wining and dining with the great King Xerxes one moment,
  • 15:58 the next moment he's crying and dying as he is
  • 16:04 taken away from the presence of the King.
  • 16:07 Not long after, to then be thrust into
  • 16:09 the presence of the King of Kings,
  • 16:12 when he takes his last breath and wakes up
  • 16:15 and meets his Creator on the other side of the grave,
  • 16:18 and frankly, I would not want to be Haman.
  • 16:23 His life ended rather quickly.
  • 16:26 Behind me at Masada is a shrine to a life that ended very slowly.
  • 16:34 The Jewish nation state in some sense came to an end here.
  • 16:38 This is where the war against the Jews that Jesus talked about actually,
  • 16:42 culminated in the early 70's A.D. at a place, Masada.
  • 16:48 Round about me are forts
  • 16:50 where Roman soldiers were garrisoned,
  • 16:53 and behind me on my left is a ramp
  • 16:56 that Jewish slaves were forced to build.
  • 16:59 A bucket load of dirt, rock and sand at a time
  • 17:03 went into that in order to build a ramp
  • 17:06 that will breach the defenses high atop the fortress rock of Masada,
  • 17:13 and breach it they did.
  • 17:15 Flavius Josephus tells us of the way
  • 17:19 those who defended the fortress came to an end.
  • 17:22 There was valor, there was virtue;
  • 17:25 there was love of God, country and family.
  • 17:29 No such impulses resonated within Haman
  • 17:32 who principally was in love with himself.
  • 17:37 And we find in the biblical text
  • 17:38 that he like so many others took issue with one Jew, Mordecai,
  • 17:44 and with all Jews by extension.
  • 17:46 The man was just doggedly determined
  • 17:49 to see to it that they came to an end,
  • 17:52 but of course as we know it all turned on his head.
  • 17:55 We know the story, there was a banquet he was invited to.
  • 17:58 little did he know that Esther was wise to him
  • 18:02 and had a plan to turn on his own head his own schemes.
  • 18:06 As the queen turned and said, "You are the man Haman",
  • 18:10 the nemesis, the one who would be the undoing of myself and my people.
  • 18:14 He's going to grab her,
  • 18:16 squirming, pleading, begging,
  • 18:19 the coward that he was,
  • 18:20 only for Xerxes to see that and be all the more enraged against him.
  • 18:25 He has his head covered, Haman is taken away.
  • 18:29 And we're told in the book of Esther, chapter 7, verse 10
  • 18:33 how it all came to an end.
  • 18:46 " etz " is tree, it means "gallow" of course.
  • 18:49 He had planned to have Mordecai swinging on that gallow,
  • 18:52 but it didn't work out that way now did it?
  • 18:54 We're told here,
  • 19:06 We find it time and time again in the biblical text
  • 19:09 where the wicked come to an end,
  • 19:11 they are judged.
  • 19:13 Sometimes when we're suffering
  • 19:14 we feel that it'll never come to an end,
  • 19:16 but God does bring resolution.
  • 19:19 And he brings judgment to bear
  • 19:22 against those that are His adversaries.
  • 19:26 It may well be that you have an adversary,
  • 19:30 and a thorny problem or situation that's
  • 19:32 bigger than you and you can't control it.
  • 19:35 We do well to seek the Lord because He is able to control.
  • 19:40 The word "omnipotent" is used to describe God all powerful.
  • 19:44 And we see Him at work here,
  • 19:46 a work that finishes with Haman swinging on the gallows.
  • 19:53 Thank you Dr. Seif.
  • 19:54 We are at the table today with
  • 19:56 our Guest Analyst, Ted Pearce.
  • 19:59 We are so glad you're with us again today,
  • 20:01 and all of your wonderful input in this series.
  • 20:03 Well thank you very much,
  • 20:04 it's been a blast!
  • 20:06 We should do it again.
  • 20:07 Insight, knowledge.
  • 20:09 We're talking today about the judgment that
  • 20:12 comes upon those...
  • 20:14 we talk about the blessing for blessing,
  • 20:16 the curse for curse,
  • 20:18 the judgment that comes upon those
  • 20:20 who go against God's people.
  • 20:23 How have you seen that played out?
  • 20:25 Well, this is very interesting when you think about it.
  • 20:28 You know Purim is a...
  • 20:30 Really, the Church is separated from Israel
  • 20:32 by a calendar and a language.
  • 20:34 We don't even know their calendar,
  • 20:35 but on that calendar,
  • 20:37 which you can read about,
  • 20:38 they get it from the Bible,
  • 20:39 there are certain Feast Days.
  • 20:41 But then there's the Feasts of the Jews
  • 20:43 which would be Purim and Hanukkah.
  • 20:45 Well Purim is an interesting theme because
  • 20:48 it celebrates Esther really.
  • 20:52 And an interesting thing happens throughout history.
  • 20:55 The Gulf War, the first war with Sadam Hussein
  • 20:58 ended on Purim.
  • 21:00 And it also ended with his sons being hung
  • 21:03 just like Haman, who tried to kill the Jews,
  • 21:07 Sadam Hussein's sons were hung.
  • 21:09 But another really interesting thing
  • 21:11 is at the end of World War II
  • 21:13 there was a man named Julius Streicher
  • 21:15 who was in charge of the "final solution" in wiping out all Jews.
  • 21:18 He was Hitler's guide for that.
  • 21:20 He was hung on Purim.
  • 21:23 After the Nuremberg Trials
  • 21:26 there were 10 Nazis who were hung on poles,
  • 21:29 which is exactly what happened on Purim.
  • 21:32 Haman's 10 sons were hung.
  • 21:34 And again, this happened on Purim.
  • 21:37 So there are things that seemed to happen on Purim
  • 21:40 that the world doesn't really see,
  • 21:42 because we don't know the Jewish Calendar.
  • 21:44 But the Jewish people see it.
  • 21:46 And so God has shown them several times on Purim
  • 21:48 that He's the One watching over them,
  • 21:50 and He will destroy their enemies.
  • 21:52 Have you been over there for a Purim Celebration?
  • 21:54 I don't know if "Celebration" is the word.
  • 21:56 Oh, in Israel it is.
  • 21:58 In Israel, it's borderline debauchery in many places.
  • 22:02 It's a day of getting drunk, basically.
  • 22:05 What it's come to.
  • 22:07 Not necessarily in the religious community, but
  • 22:09 that's pretty much how secular Israel celebrates Purim.
  • 22:12 It's a day for celebrating.
  • 22:14 Let's party cause tomorrow we die, whatever.
  • 22:16 It's celebrating and it's also the
  • 22:17 theme of "Never Again"
  • 22:19 Right? That's part of that God
  • 22:22 redeemed the people through Esther
  • 22:24 but never again will this, or, let this happen.
  • 22:27 Of course, with the Holocaust we see that happening again,
  • 22:30 but then God says, you'll only go so far,
  • 22:34 and there will be a curse to those
  • 22:36 who come against My people.
  • 22:38 Israel was born out of the Holocaust, you know?
  • 22:40 Israel is a nation of Holocaust Survivors,
  • 22:43 so "Never Again" is pretty much a daily thing there.
  • 22:46 But yeah, they'll state that publicly
  • 22:50 on Yom Hashoah, on Purim, on Tisha B'Av
  • 22:53 It's a very common thing, yeah.
  • 22:56 And a very common thing,
  • 22:58 I know this is a strange transition to cookies!
  • 23:01 But the thought of "Never Again"
  • 23:03 He tried to kill us.
  • 23:04 Let's eat.
  • 23:05 Right?
  • 23:06 One of us eat, that's how it goes.
  • 23:08 These are part of the Feast.
  • 23:09 Explain them.
  • 23:10 Hamantaschen
  • 23:11 Remember we learned that word.
  • 23:13 Really smells good.
  • 23:14 Well, it comes from the word "Haman"
  • 23:15 Well, thank you.
  • 23:16 We'll all take one.
  • 23:18 I used to think it meant hats,
  • 23:19 cause this looks like
  • 23:20 George Washington's hat, you know?
  • 23:22 It does, the 3 sided and 3 pointed.
  • 23:24 Yeah, but Ken Berg, the Producer of this show told me
  • 23:26 taschen actually means "ear".
  • 23:27 So it's Haman's ear.
  • 23:29 So we eat it, digest it.
  • 23:31 Let's have some ear while we go to some music or something.
  • 23:33 While we continue to eat these wonderful cookies
  • 23:35 let's go to a song with Ted Pearce.
  • 23:37 Oh, this is really good!
  • 23:50Hinei Lo Yanum v'lo yishan , Vi'lo yishan, v'lo yishan
  • 23:59Hinei Lo Yanum v'lo yishan
  • 24:04Shomer Yisrael
  • 24:08Hinei Lo Yanum v'lo yishan , Vi'lo yishan, v'lo yishan
  • 24:16Hinei Lo Yanum v'lo yishan
  • 24:21Shomer Yisrael
  • 24:23 Now in English,
  • 24:25 ♪ Behold, He neither slumbers nor sleeps He who keeps Israel ♪
  • 24:32 Repeat
  • 24:34 ♪ Behold, He neither slumbers nor sleeps He who keeps Israel ♪
  • 24:43 Ted on guitar.
  • 25:00Hinei Lo Yanum v'lo yishan , Vi'lo yishan, v'lo yishan
  • 25:08Hinei Lo Yanum v'lo yishan
  • 25:13Shomer Yisrael
  • 25:17 ♪ Behold, He neither slumbers nor sleeps He who keeps Israel ♪
  • 25:25 Repeat
  • 25:26 ♪ Behold, He neither slumbers nor sleeps He who keeps Israel ♪
  • 25:38 Gonna dedicate this verse to the United Nations.
  • 25:44 ♪ I wouldn't poke a finger in the Eye of God if I were you. ♪
  • 25:52 ♪ Cause just remember He's God and you're not
  • 25:57 ♪ Or I'll have some bad news for you. ♪
  • 25:59 And I quote
  • 26:01Hinei Lo Yanum v'lo yishan , Vi'lo yishan, v'lo yishan
  • 26:10Hinei Lo Yanum v'lo yishan
  • 26:14Shomer Yisrael
  • 26:18 ♪ Behold, He neither slumbers nor sleeps He who keeps Israel ♪
  • 26:26 Repeat
  • 26:27 ♪ Behold, He neither slumbers nor sleeps He who keeps Israel ♪
  • 26:35 ♪ He who keeps Israel ♪♪
  • 26:45 Thank you Ted for that great, great song.
  • 26:48 It would be a shame to have all these wonderful Hamantaschen
  • 26:51 and not share them with our crew.
  • 26:53 You hardly get to see them,
  • 26:54 here they are, come on in,
  • 26:56 grab a cookie,
  • 26:57 they're wonderful,
  • 26:58 they're delicious.
  • 26:59 We already had ours.
  • 27:04 Sha'lu Shalom Yerushalayim
  • 27:06 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem
  • 27:11 Our monthly newsletter the Levitt Letter
  • 27:13 is free and full of insightful articles
  • 27:15 and news commentary from a Messianic perspective.
  • 27:18 Visit levitt.com to find our newsletter
  • 27:21 along with current and past programs,
  • 27:24 our television schedule and much more.
  • 27:27 Don't forget to order this week's resource
  • 27:30 by calling 1-800-WONDERS
  • 27:32 or you can purchase it from our store at levitt.com
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  • 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