Shalom my dear friends and dear brothers and sisters we are continuing with our study on the second letter to the Corinthians and we have arrived now to the third chapter this third chapter is very interesting because the apostle Paul in this third chapter is dealing with those that taught false teachings among the corinthian believers and the apostle Shaul Paul is now responding in this second letter to the Corinthians and presenting himself before the Corinthians as the one that have ministered to them and that they needed to realize that he is the one that led them to the Lord, and they should have recognized the truth that he taught them, rather than to listen to false teaching.

Let's read together this second epistle here, the third chapter, second epistle to the Corinthians, the third chapter, and let's read together these 18 verses, dear brothers and sisters, and I'm reading. Do we begin again to commend ourselves, or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? Ye are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men. Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistles of Christ ministered by us, written not in ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in table of stones, but in fleshly tables of the heart. And such trust have we through Christ to God's Word.

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God. Who also has made us able ministers of the New Testament, the New Covenant, the Brit HaChadasha, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life. But if the ministrations of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away, How shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious? For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more does the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.

For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious. Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech, And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is abolished, but their minds were blinded. For until this day remains the same veil untaken away in the reading of the Old Covenant, which veil is done away in Christ, in Mashiach. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart.

Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass, the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord well beloved brothers and sisters i will stop here with the reading of the third chapter verses 1 to 18 of the letter of second corinthian now beloved brothers and sisters as we continue with this study of second Corinthians we arrive to the third chapter and in this chapter you will notice that their apostle Shaul Paul had to deal with a counterfeit teachings and teachers which entered into the local assembly at Corinth as soon as the assembly was established and God's grace had been presented before these believers remember that the Corinthians were living in a pagan city and it was the apostle Paul that came to Corinth and ministered to them and led them to come to know the Lord Jesus the Messiah as their Lord and Savior and was used by the Lord to establish the local assembly there in the city of corinne but as it is in every place.

When the truth is presented a Messiah is being presented and people come to know the Lord Jesus the Messiah well Satan Satan who is the opposer of the Lord and the Lord's people who opposing the gospel, who opposing God and God's truth always seem to come wherever the Lord's work is being done in order to sow seeds, in order to sow false teachings and false practices. And that is exactly what happened to the believers at Corinth. You can see it as we have studied throughout the first epistle. Divisions, immorality, taking each other to court, divorces, all these that happen, false teaching, pride and arrogance, not giving liberty one to another, and the Lord's table is being abused, the gifts of the Lord being abused, the truth of the resurrection is not accepted and believed and practiced, ununderstood.

Some even say there is, how can he say that some of you say that there is no resurrection from the dead in 1 Corinthians chapter 15? Imagine creeping in false teaching and the false teaching come from false teachers. So the Apostle Paul had to deal with counterfeit teachers, counterfeit teachings which entered into among the believers in that local assembly in cohen so in second corinthian chapter 3 this third chapter Paul refuting false doctrines by showing to the brothers and sisters at cohen's the glory of the ministry of the gospel of the grace of God and it's such a beautiful chapter because in this third chapter Shaul Paul is presenting the the glorious grace of God remember that God's law that was given to our fathers the people of Israel was a holy law and God did not give the Torah the law to his people Israel in order to redeem them no but he gave them the Torah the law in order to lead them to the Mashiach to the Messiah in other words the law was given to Israel to live a life that will be separated from all the other nations a godly life a separated life unto a living God but because the law is perfect and holy and just.

And pure and the people Israel or you and I today we are sinful by nature no one could ever fulfill the law to the fullest in a perfect way. Why? Because the law is like a mirror that shows us our lack of perfection, our sinfulness. And for this reason, as part of the law, God gave the sacrificial system, the sacrifices which were offered by the nation of Israel, which made atonement made covering temporarily until the Mashiach has come we often make a reference to Galatians chapter 3 and verse 19 where Paul asked for what purpose then served the law verse 19 of Galatians 3 it was added because of transgression and it was added because of transgression until the seed should come to whom the promise was made and it was ordained by angels and in the hand of a mediator in other words the purpose of the law the Torah that was given to the people of Israel was to lead the people of Israel to realize for the need of the Mashiach.

The Messiah Christ christus the Messiah and that's when the Lord Jesus the Messiah came from heaven fulfilled the law and everyone that have trusted in him have been blessed with the extended grace of God unmerited favor of God to all who trusted in Yeshua Jesus the Messiah who fulfilled the law on our behalf and what happened is when false teachers come in and they say oh yes we are the grace but we have to keep the law or we are the grace but we have some other laws that we have to fulfill man-made laws and Paul is presenting before us dear brothers and sisters the fact he's refuting false doctrine and he's presenting the glorious ministry of the gospel of our Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah.

And so notice that there are four points in this third chapter that we are going to look at. Number one, verses one to three, Paul show us the contrast between the tablets of stones and the human heart when God presented his word there is a contrast between. The tablets that are made of stones upon who upon what the law was written and the human hearts of those that have accepted the message of the gospel of the grace of God then secondly in verses 4, 5, and 6, Paul makes another contrast between a death and life, that which leads to death and that which leads to life. Thirdly, in verses 7 to 11, Paul makes a third contrast between a fading glory and an increasing glory.

In other words, the glory of the law faded because of the fact that it will be fading when the Messiah come and there is the glory of the of the gospel of the chesed of the of the besorah of the glad tiding which is increasing glory rather than fading glory and finally in verses 12 to 18 Paul presents the fourth contrast to the Corinthians between that which is concealed to that which is revealed that which is open and revealed unto us and so let's look over beloved friend dear brothers and sisters into these four. Points that are found in 2nd Corinthians chapter 3 verses 1 to 18 and remember that this second epistle, the Apostle Paul opened his heart to the Corinthian.

Remember that the Corinthian wrote to them more than one letter. This is, of course, the second letter that is being recorded in the Word of God, but apparently he wrote a first letter which was lost, then he wrote 1 Corinthians letter, and that letter he presented before the Corinthians their condition and he told them that you have to do something about it you cannot live like that as those that belong to the Lord they were very carnal very selfish very proud very arrogant and and lived as believers in a wrong way then apparently he wrote to them a third letter which is called the severe letter which is not recorded in the word of God and now that he he sent them the severe letter then when Titus came and told them that he that they they eventually did respond.

To Paul's severe letter and and that they have confessed repented and now Paul is writing to them these second corinthian which really would be the fourth letter that Shaul Paul wrote now this is interesting in verses 1 2 and 3 of 2nd Corinthians 3 we read first of all in verse 1 beloved brothers and sisters do we begin again to commend ourselves he is asking two questions or need we as some other epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you he's asking two questions in verse 1. In other words, he's saying to the Corinthians, do we need letters from some other people to come to you and to show you that we really do the work of the Lord?

Notice he used the word we here in 2 Corinthians chapter 3. He used the word we. Do we begin? Now, why does he say do we and not do I? Because he really speaks, of course, from his own heart, but he speaks about himself and the others that have ministered among the Corinthians he said do we begin again to. Commend ourselves he's saying in other words do we need to to commend ourselves before you in other words don't you know who we are don't you know what we have done in your midst we had to go back to the beginning after we've already served you and ministered to you led you to the Lord brought you in to be part of the local assembly in Corinth led you to Christ to the Mashiach do we now to go back and commend ourselves that was the first question in verse one secondly he says or need we as some others letters or epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you in other words what he's saying do we need to bring with us some letters of commendation to you that you will know who we are don't you know who i am don't you know who i am he's saying to them and that's why this verse one is very interesting these two questions that he asked the Corinthians as he's writing to them the second letter then he continued verse two and he says.

Look so you are our epistle you yourself Corinthians our our letter written in our hearts known and read of all men everybody knows that we ministered among you and led you to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord Yeshua the Messiah you remember we read in the book of Acts in chapter 18 that we read after verse 1 after this thing Paul departed from Athens and he came to Corinth. Then he found this Jewish couple, Aquila and Priscilla. And then what he did in verse 4 of chapter 18 of the book of Acts, he reasoned in the synagogue, you know, every Shabbat, he went to the Beit HaKneset, where the Jewish people would come together there to read the Torah every day.

And he spoke to them about the Messiah. He persuaded Jews and Gentiles. And then we do read, beloved brothers and sisters, that he went out from the synagogue and then continued to ministered in Corinth. And then we read that at verse 8, that many of the Corinthians hearing believed and were baptized. And now the Lord spoke to him and told him, Paul, be not afraid, but speak. Hold not thy peace. I am with you. No man shall set on thee to hurt thee. I have much people in this city. And the Lord led Shaul Paul to speak in Corinth. And according to verse 11, Shaul Paul was in Corinth for one year and six months.

He led many, and the assembly at Corinth was established. So, here now in this second letter to the Corinthians, He's saying to them in verse 2, you know, Corinthians, you know, Paul, he pointed to the Corinthians as they themselves are a letter for him to bring to them. They should have acknowledged him. They should have respected him because he was the one whom the Lord used to lead them to come to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and establish a local assembly in the city of Corinth. But again, beloved brothers and sisters, Paul is refuting here false teachings, false teachers that crept in after he had gone away.

And so in verse 3, Paul pointing to the Corinthians as a letter that is not written with ink, but they are written by the Holy Spirit of God. And notice, this is such an interesting verse, beloved brothers and sisters. It says in verse 3, 2 Corinthians 3 and verse 3, For as much as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, you are the letter of the Messiah that we ministered to you, and you become that letter in your life, in your trust, in your faith, in the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, in acknowledging him, you become the letter. He didn't need to bring any letter that is written on a certain paper and put it in his pocket to bring it to the city of Corinth to show that he was recommended by someone, because they should have recommended him and respected him because they were led to the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, by the preaching of the Apostle Shaul Paul.

But they were influenced by others. And it's amazing how quickly the human heart, all of us, men and women, whether we are believers or non-believers, to forget and to neglect to be appreciative of those that were used by the Lord to lead us to the Savior, To the Messiah. So notice what he says. In verse 3. We read already for as much as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us. But then he says, written, this letter that you are, you are written not with ink. In other words, you receive the truth of the word of God, not on an ink, on a piece of paper.

But you are the Spirit of God notice that you are the epistles of Christ ministered by us written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God in other words God the Holy Spirit have touched their hearts and caused them to be born from above and that's what happened to the Corinthians they became born again remember beloved brothers and sisters We have already mentioned this, that although their spiritual state was poor, yet we do read in 1 Corinthians 1, verse 2, unto the church of God, which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, call saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, our Lord, Both theirs and ours.

In other words, they were saints. Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. He must be born again. They were born of the Holy Spirit of God and they became saints. And how one becomes a saint, becomes a sanctified, set apart to God? By accepting the Lord Jesus the Messiah, accepting the gospel, that the Messiah Yeshua died, was buried, and rose again. And then by faith, when they trust in him, the Holy Spirit of God comes in and giving him new life. 2 Corinthians 5, verse 17, Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things are passed away.

Behold, all things are become new. So, Paul is telling to the Corinthians, beloved brothers and sisters, in 2 Corinthians chapter 3 and verse 3, he says, You are manifestly declared to be the epistles of Christ, ministered by us, written not within, but with the Spirit of the living God. But he continues, and listen to this, he says, not in tables of stone but in fleshly table of the heart now what's the difference between tables or tablets of stone and tables of of the heart it simply means this God's law that was given to the nation of Israel was written on tables of stone according to Exodus 31 in Exodus chapter 32 God gave the law to his earthly people Israel and when he gave from mount Sinai the law to the nation of Israel he wrote the 10 commandment the first 10 out of the many many laws that he gave 613 the first 10 were written on the tablets of stone of course later the rest of it was written down we read in Exodus chapter 31 and verse 18 and he gave unto Moses when he had made an end of communing with him upon Mount Sinai two tables of testimony tables of stone written with the finger of God this table of stone in Hebrew it's called Luchot Evin Luchot Evin you see in chapter 32 we read in verse 15 and 16.

And Moses turned and went down from the mount and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand the tables were written on both their side on the one side and on the other side were they written and the tables were the work of God and the writing was the writing of God graven upon the tables in other words beloved brothers and sisters the Torah the law was given to the people of Israel on tables of stone in other words they were expected to obey these laws and as they obey these laws as they submit to God with the help of the Lord with the help of God where they would seek to obey the law but that the law was written outwardly on tables of stone it was an external law that was given to Israel not internal not in the heart and of course they loved the Lord those that have obeyed and sought to live for the Lord like Moses and Joshua and the many in Israel they did not yet receive the holy Spirit of God to.

Indwell them as you and i have it today because the Mashiach hasn't come and therefore the law was written on tablets of stone pointing to the Messiah now that the Messiah has come and the gospel is presented to all mankind now these a letter now is written on in fleshly tables of the heart in other words on human hearts now again we have to be very careful because sometimes we come to the assumption to say well because that law was given on table of stone therefore there was no value in that and that Israel could not live for God no many in Israel live for God and praise God for the history of the godly men and women in the history of Israel but all that the law was pointing to is to the coming of the Messiah when the Messiah came that new birth the The indwelling of the Holy Spirit of God is now given to everyone that have trusted the Lord Jesus as his or her Lord and Savior.

And now these pieces, that letter, that what God has given for man, the law, is now written in our hearts. Now it is interesting, beloved brothers and sisters, that the prophets of Israel spoke about a future day when Israel as a nation will be restored to God. At the second coming of the Messiah, and the prophet said our God will place His law in the heart of the restored nation of Israel. We read in Jeremiah chapter 31, these words. Verse 31, Behold, the day is come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out from the land of Egypt, which my covenant they break.

Let it continue. Although I was a husband unto them, saith the Lord, Israel was the wife of Jehovah, and the Lord was a husband of the nation of Israel. The house of Israel, the house of Judah. But then he continued in verse 33. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel. After those days, says the Lord, I will put my law, listen to these beloved brothers and sisters, in their inward parts. Not on tablets of stones anymore, but in their inward hearts. And write them in their hearts, not on tablets of stone. And I will be their God. And they shall be my people.

And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me. Amazing when you really think about it. From the least of them unto the greatest of them, says the Lord, I will forgive their iniquities and I will remember their sin no more. In other words, God is intending to put His law in the heart of the nation of Israel. In Ezekiel chapter 11, we read in verse 19, I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within you and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will give them a heart of flesh.

In other words, not anymore a stony heart that cannot move, but a heart that is tender, that is moving and responsive heart, beloved brothers and sisters. And that's what happened when the gospel came to the Corinthians. Paul preached the message of the gospel of the grace of God that the Messiah has come. And they have accepted the Lord Jesus as their Lord and as their Savior. And when they've accepted him, Jesus the Messiah, they became born again. And therefore he said, you are written with, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, with the Holy Spirit of God, not in tablets of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart.

In other words, in a human heart, in a tender heart, in a heart that is responsive. In Ezekiel chapter 36 we read, and I would like to read that as well. In verse 24 we do read, For I will take you from among the heathen and gather you out of all the countries, and I will bring you into your own land, and I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Will I cleanse you? This is the Lord speaking through Ezekiel to Israel restoration in a future day, but not as then. In verse 26, we read, A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.

And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my stature. And ye shall keep my judgment, and do them. Amazing! You see beloved friend what happened is that Paul was called by the glorified Lord the glorified Messiah to preach the gospel to the Corinthians they have accepted the Lord Jesus the Messiah but they have gone astray they did not live as they were called to live and that's why Paul wrote the first epistle an epistle of consistently sharing with them and correcting corrective ministry and now the second epistle he's writing and opening his heart before them and he's amazed at how they were so quickly were influenced by counterfeit teachers and counterfeit teaching and he's saying to them you are our epistle written in our hearts known and read unto all men and in verse 3 he's saying he pointing the corinthian as a letter that is written with not with ink but written with the holy Spirit of God written not with ink in verse 3 but with the spirit of the living God the holy Spirit of God led them to acknowledge the Messiah Christ and they became part of the local assembly.

Now he continues now from verses 4 to 6. 2 Corinthians 3, verses 4 to 6, you see, he made the first contrast between tablets of stones and the human heart. The law was written when he was given to the nation of Israel, the holy law of God, it was written on tablets of stones. And they could not fulfill it. The sacrifices pointed to the Messiah the Messiah came the only one Jesus the Messiah who fulfilled that law and now whoever believed on him because of him become born of the Spirit of God and this law is now written in our hearts by the holy Spirit which is indwelling us so in verses four to six he makes another contrast what's the difference between law and rules of man and the grace of God, well the one produced death because of the sin nature that we have the other produced life because of the Holy Spirit and because of the finished work of the Lord Jesus on the cross and trust in Him.

So we read in verse 4 Paul points to the trust that he has in in Christ he said in verse four such trust have we through Christ to God word another we believe we trust in the Lord Jesus God is the one that knows and God knows our heart we trust in him and Paul is in verse five Paul he says our sufficiency was of God our ability to minister. To serve to preach the gospel is not from ourselves it's from God in verse 5 he said not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything or as of ourselves but our sufficiency our ability is of God in other words all what we have and all what we share with you and all the truths that we present before you it's not because we had any ability of ourselves no I don't have an ability of myself he's saying to the Corinthians it is all given to us by God our sufficiency our ability to maintain the truth to share the truth the gospel is from God and not from ourselves and in verse 6 Paul was a servant of the new covenant not of the letter but of the spirit notice he says in verse six who also has made us this is God from verse five God who also has made us able ministers of the new covenant not of the letter but of the spirit why for the letter killeth but the spirit giveth life in other words beloved friend don't.

You notice that when we set some rules and some laws and we say okay let's keep those rules let's keep those laws and you seek to do them in and you seem to fail all the time the law of God is holy and therefore he says look we are ministers of the new covenant God made us servants of the new covenant in Hebrew again let me just remind you that according to what we just read Jeremiah 31 verse 31, 32 and 33 this new covenant which was in the Messiah's blood was made with the house of Judah and the house of Israel but the church came under the blessing of the covenant, the new covenant that was made with the nation of Israel while Israel as a nation is awaiting the day of the second coming of the Messiah to enter into the covenant that was made with the nation of Israel, the Brit HaChadashah, the new covenant.

And so while the covenant was made with the nation of Israel, the vast majority of the nation of Israel did not accept the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, at his first coming. And so God opened the door to preach the gospel to all nations. And that's how the present day of the church age had begun, beginning in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth, while the vast majority of the nation of Israel has not yet have accepted the Lord Jesus the Messiah, and therefore they are not enjoying the blessing of the covenant that was made with the house of Judah and the house of Israel.

But the church, and the word for church is not buildings, it is the called out individuals, Jewish and gentle believers, today in the present age, come under the blessing of the Brita Hadashah, of the new covenant. And yet Israel, with whom the covenant was made, still awaiting, as it was predicted by the prophets that at the first coming of the Messiah Israel will not acknowledge and accept him as a nation and so Paul is saying you see God he is the one who has made us able ministers or able servants able preachers of the new covenant not of the letter again but of the spirit why and he making the contrast the letter killeth but the spirit giveth life now what does he mean by that because the letter of the law the Torah the letter of the law read on a tablet it killeth us why not because there is a problem with the Torah with the law but because there is a problem with the human heart and because we are sinners the letter condemn us and so when we see what God said thou shalt and we don't do it therefore the law condemns us when the law said thou shall not and we still do it even though the law said thou shall not well it kills us because.

We violated the law and by violating the law the law condemn us and therefore it kills us we deserve to die the other verse in Roman chapter 7 and verse 6 but now we are delivered from the law notice that we are delivered from the law that being dead wherein we were held that we should serve in newness of spirit and not in the oldest of the letter. In other words, this is Romans 7 and verse 6. Now, how did we become delivered from the law? Because we have turned to the one who fulfilled the law. His name is Yeshua Jesus. He fulfilled the law. Therefore, every believer is delivered from the condemnation that the law has against us.

You see God is holy see we will not receive 95% you need 100% holiness be ye holy for I am holy and the only man the only perfect man that could fulfill the law of God is the Lord Jesus the Messiah and the purpose of the law was to show Israel and through Israel to show all of us that we cannot rise to God's holy requirement because we are sinners. We have a sin nature. We need forgiveness. Otherwise, we are dead. We are dead eternally. We are separated from God. And therefore, when we have accepted the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, now we can serve and we can live by the strength of the Spirit of God so now we are delivered from the law that being dead wherein we were held we should now serve in newness of spirit and not with the oldness of the letter so beloved brothers and sisters this is amazing in Romans chapter 2 we read in verse 29 it says but he is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God one Jewish person will speak to another Jewish person and he will say yes we are both Jewish according to the flesh we are born to Jewish family to the Jewish nation but the true Jewish person is much more than just physically but also physically and spiritually and it must be inwardly it must be a circumcision not only of the flesh but also of the heart.

It is in the spirit and not in the letter and the praise is not for man but it is from God very interesting beloved brothers and sisters and so now that he made a second contrast that not only there is a contrast between the tablets of stones which the law was written and the human heart when the law of God was written in one that believed in the person of the Lord Jesus and is born again by the holy Spirit and secondly the second contrast between that which lead to death and that which lead to life Paul pointed to the fact that the law would not give life the law cannot give life because the law is holy and we are sinners and that's why we needed a person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah in Galatians 3 we read in verse 21 is the law then against the promises of God no of course God forbid he says for if there had been a law given which could have given life verily righteousness would have been by the law but the Scriptures has concluded.

All under sin that a promise by faith of Yeshua the Messiah Jesus Christ might be given unto them they believe so the law is not against God's promises in fact the opposite the law only showing the promises of God to send the Mashiach the Messiah in the fullness of the time and therefore the law was to lead Israel to lead one to the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah so first contrast tablets of stones in contrast to the human heart second contrast verses 4 to 6 that which lead to death and that which leads to life praise God whosoever believeth on him shall not perish but have everlasting life now Paul in verses 7 to 11 present a third contrast The contrast between that glory which is fading, the glory of the law, and that glory which is increasing, the glory of the Messiah, of the gospel of Christ.

And so you notice in these verses, this is contrast, Paul will give us an argument. It contrasts with Exodus 34, verses 29 to 35. Paul shows that the glory of the new covenant is greater than the glory of the law although the law is glorious because God is glorious and his Torah his law is glorious and so notice what we read in verses 7 and 8 the new covenant glory means spiritual life not death. So we read in verse 7, 2 Corinthians 3, verses 7 and 8, but the ministration of death, notice he's calling the law ministration of death. Not because there's anything wrong with the law, beloved brothers and sisters, but because the law is so pure and the law is so holy, it is serving death to those who don't keep the law.

That's why the sacrifices were there to make atonement, to cover sin temporarily until the Messiah came. So the ministration of death written and engraved in stone was so glorious so that the children of Ether could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away. In other words, Moses had to cover his face. The glory law that was given to him and he was in the presence of God was so glorious that he had to cover his face not to show to Israel that soon enough that glory will fade away. This glory will be done away.

In other words, he had to cover his face so Israel will not see that that glory will be done away. How shall, notice that Paul is saying now in verse 8, how shall not the ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious? In other words, what he's really saying, beloved brothers and sisters, that a new covenant glory produce life, not death. And the holy law that God gave to Israel could not give Israel righteousness. It could not give Israel the holy Spirit of God to indwell them as yet because the Messiah hasn't come and fulfilled the law as yet the holy law could not give Israel inheritance as yet because The inheritance that they will ultimately receive is at the second coming of the Messiah when God will give Israel as a nation a new heart and his spirit will be placed in their hearts.

Although they received the inheritance, but they couldn't conquer it because they failed to keep the law. The holy law of God could not give Israel life. Because, as we just read in Galatians chapter 3 and verse 21, where Paul said, Is the law then against the promises of God, God forbid. Why? Because if there had been a law given which could have given life, there is no law that could give life because God's law is holy and it could not produce life in us because we fail to keep the perfection of God's expectation for mankind. And because the wages of sin is death, yet the gift of God is eternal life through the Lord Jesus Christ, through the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.

Therefore, the holy law of God only produces death if one does not turn to the sacrifice which pointed to the Messiah who have come in the fullness of the time the holy law of God could not give Israel freedom because it bring people into bondage you know that very well any even rules of men when one is saying okay i would try to keep these rules and they should we should laws and Rules are given in order to keep things in order. But for some reason, we always seem to fail to keep these laws and rules. Just drive on a highway where it says 100 kilometers an hour.

Try to maintain 100 kilometers an hour all along. We're traveling from point A to point B. We always violate it. That's the human heart. We are just unable. It's the sin within us, the failure within us. All of us, Jew and gentle alike, all of us have a sinful nature. Try not to think evil about someone. Try not to be covetous. Try not to be lustful. Try not to be proud. It always rises up. And it rises up because of our sin nature. And that's why the Mashiach Yeshua had to come. The sinless one, beloved brothers and sisters and dear friend, how thankful are we to be for Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, who loved us and gave himself for us.

And so now in verses 9 and 10 of 2 Corinthians chapter 3, we read that the new covenant glory means righteousness and not condemnation anymore because the law condemned us. Because the law is holy and we are sinners but the new the new covenant is glorious because it produces in us righteousness because it is a gift from God Jesus the Messiah paid for that listen to verses 9 and 10 where we read in second Corinthians chapter 3 verse 9 for if the ministration of condemnation be glory much more does the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory for even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excelleth in other words the law is going to pass away because it will be fulfilled by the Messiah because God's holy law demanded from us perfection and we could not do so and therefore the same holy law of God was fulfilled in the person of the Messiah, God the Son who became a man and who lived a perfect life and died a substitutionary death for you and I on our behalf.

The Apostle Paul is amazing how he presented. The Lord was not given for the purpose of giving anyone righteousness but we receive righteousness by simply believing on the Lord Jesus the Messiah. This is a very interesting verse in Romans 4. And notice that, what we read in Romans 4 and verse 5. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justified ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Listen to verse 25 about the Lord Jesus the Messiah. He was delivered for our offenses. But He was raised for our justification, for our righteousness. That's what the Lord Jesus the Messiah has done for us. That's why the gospel, the glad tidings, the besorah, besorah tovar in Hebrew.

The good news of the Lord Jesus the Messiah is so important to embrace. It says in verse 11, the new covenant's glory is permanent. Not temporary in verse 11 Paul continues and he says for if that which is done away or passing away was so glorious was glorious indeed it is the law of God is glorious and is holy and is just and is pure never changes but much more than which remaineth is glorious and that is the grace of God because God knew that we all have gone astray we have all failed all have sinned and come short of the glory of God he is not one man that is just not one, not even you therefore he, God in the person of the son came to this world and his grace was produced through his death, burial and resurrection for the justification of those that we trust in him beloved brothers and sisters Well now listen to this.

Towards the end of this 2nd Corinthians chapter 3 in verses 12 to 18 Paul presents the third contrast between that which is hidden, concealed and that which is revealed. Notice what we read and how wonderful this passage is speaking about our Jewish people, the people of Israel, who are longing to have the Messiah come to them, but their eyes are blinded to see who Jesus is. In fact, in Romans 11, we read the blindness in part happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentile become in and so all Israel will be saved. In other words, God judicially have blinded his earthly people, Israel, for the benefit of the Gentile world.

But once the fullness of the Gentile become in, when the church is going to come to its end and there will be a rapture of the church, he will restore the nation of Israel to himself. And Israel will have the new heart from the least of them to the greatest of them. They will be belonging to the Lord, redeemed in heaven, new life. What a future is awaiting, beloved brothers. And you can see, dear brothers and sisters, at the heart of the Apostle Paul, although he opposed those who taught law-keeping for salvation and even law-keeping, instead of led by the Spirit of God, he was very strong, and yet his heart always longed for the restoration of his people, of his brethren according to the flesh.

And so notice that Paul points to the history of Israel. In verses 12 and 13, the history event on Mount Sinai. We read, listen to this, in verse 13, 12 and 13, we read, seeing then that we have such hope we use great plainness of speech Paul saying to the Corinthians we speaking to you plainly Corinthians not as verse 13 not as Moses we don't veil ourselves we give you a clear message not as Moses which put a veil over his face that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the end of that which is not as abolished or fading away notice that in verses 12 and 13 and he's taking them back to the history of Israel when Moshe was coming down from the mountain with the law in his hand with the tablets of stones and what we read in Exodus chapter 34 and verse 27 we do read listen to this we read and the Lord said unto Moses write thou these words for after the tenor of these words i have made a covenant with thee and with Israel you see this law was a covenant that God made with his earthly people of Israel.

He continued to say in verse 28 and he was there with the Lord 40 days and 49 he did neither eat bread nor drink water and he wrote upon the tablets the words of the covenant of the ten commandments and it came to pass when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tables of the testimony in Moses hands when he came down from the mount that Moses wished not Moses listen to He did not know, he wished not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. In other words, when Moses stood in the presence of God and spoke to the holy God of Israel, Moses' skin of his face did shine.

He was in the presence of God. So because his face was shining, and his shine will not remain too long because it will be fading away when he's going to leave the presence of God. So when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses behold the skin of his face shone, they were afraid to come nigh him. And Moses called unto them and Aaron and all the children of the congregation of Israel returned unto him and Moses talked with them and afterwards all the children of Israel came nigh and he gave them in commandment all that the Lord has spoken with him in Mount Sinai and till Moses had done speaking with them he put a veil on his face in other words Moses as it says here till Moses had done speaking with them in other words as long as he spoke with them he put a veil on his face but when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him he took the veil off until he came out in other words when he came out to speak to the people he put the veil on when he came to the presence of God he took the veil off so he put it off in the presence of God he was there and his face did shine his face shone because he stood in the presence of God and when he came out.

He covered his face so to speak to the to Aaron and to the people of Israel and why because beloved brothers and sisters we learn from Shaul Paul in second Corinthians chapter three why did he take it out because that glory of the presence of God who gave the law to Moses was going to be fading away why because it's representing the fact that the law will fade away in a sense of when the Messiah will come he will fulfill the law and God will extend grace to all humanity now the law is still the same law of God the law never changes but the provision of forgiveness and the provision of ability to fulfill the law is by new birth that the Spirit of God is directing and leading to live a life that is honoring to the Lord and so in verses 12 and 13 we what we see here beloved brothers and sisters that there is in a new covenant we have hope we have boldness of speech.

Not like Moses that had to put a veil in order that Israel not to see that the glory of the law is fading away the law was given to Israel temporarily beloved brothers and sisters and there is a very interesting lesson here again to remember beloved brothers and sisters God does not have two kinds of laws there's only one law and that's the Torah the law that he gave to Moshe and you and I are to submit to that law but we cannot do it on our own and that's why we need to have new life new birth that's why the Holy Spirit of God came to indwell in us if any man be in Christ he is a new creation must be born of the Spirit and the Spirit enable a sinner who is forgiven to live in the light of the new life that he has because of the finished work of the Lord Jesus the Messiah and this is so beautiful and listen to the last verses here.

In verses 14 15 16 17 and 18 we have the national application now to the nation of Israel that was already spoken of by Shaul Paul at about the early days of his preaching about 60 a.d and we're living today some two thousand years later and it applies today in the same way those of us who are Jewish and came to faith in Jesus the Messiah is indeed an amazing how God still led many many Jewish people over the generation to come to faith in Yeshua the Messiah but our families our people are still as we read here in verse 14 to 18 of still that problem that our people have by not accepting the Lord Jesus, the Messiah.

And they have that same veil on them. And so notice, Paul loved Israel, his people. And so in verse 14, he's saying, and notice that he said, but their mind was blinded. You notice that? Blindness in part happened to Israel. Romans 11, 25. In other words, God judicially blinded his earthly people as a nation. Not individuals, because all the apostles, all the writers of the New Testament were Jewish believers. Perhaps not Luke, but all. So it's the nation as a nation, not individuals, Jewish people. So their mind was blinded for until this day. Now Paul is writing in about 60 AD. You and I are living today, some 2000 years later.

Until this day we can say remain the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old covenant the Torah Israel as a nation hasn't yet come to faith in Yeshua Jesus the Messiah as a nation this veil is only done away in Christ in the Messiah see every Jewish person Shaul Paul and Simon Peter until today every Jewish person who came to faith in the Messiah can say clearly the veil was set aside is done away when we understood that Yeshua was the promised Messiah of Israel that our forefathers spoke about in years prior to his coming to this world who has believed our report Isaiah said and the arm of the Lord to whom it had been revealed then he began to speak in Isaiah 53 about the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah how wonderful the suffering Messiah who loved us so Israel as a nation is still blinded here we find 2 Corinthians 3 verse 14 their mind were blinded Romans 11 25 blindness in part happened to Israel until the fullness.

Of the Gentiles become in and the only way that the old covenant being read in the synagogue in the beta knesset today the only way that the eyes will be open the heart will be open is when the Messiah Jesus Yeshua will be seen in the Hebrew Scriptures because he is right as the center and the theme of the Tanakh. In verse 15, Paul continued to say, until today, Moses' veil is upon Israel's heart. Notice that. He says, but even unto this day when Moses is read, the veil, notice, is upon their heart. Notice he used the word heart in singular. He says, their, plural, heart.

This is a national blindness that is still existing to our own people so the veil is still upon Israel as a nation's heart nevertheless notice verse 16 when the heart of the nation will turn to the Lord notice what we read nevertheless when it this is the heart this is a national regeneration of the nation of Israel when the heart shall turn to the Lord the veil shall be taken away oh beloved brothers and sisters we read Yeshua said in Luke chapter 13 and verse 34 we read the words of the Lord Jesus the Messiah he said oh Jerusalem Jerusalem which killeth the prophets and stoneth them that are sent unto thee How often would I have gathered thy children together as a hen that gathered her brood under her wings, and ye would not.

Verse 35 says, Behold, your house is left unto you desolate, and verily I say unto you, ye shall not see me until. Notice the word until, this is so important. Israel, blindness is temporary. And then, until the time, notice, until the time comes when you will say, quoting Psalm 118, verse 26, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Baruch haba b'shem Adonai. How wonderful, how wonderful, beloved brothers and sisters. You see that Paul never neglected never ceased from loving his nation longing for them to come to know the Lord Jesus the Messiah and he is speaking to the Corinthians now showing to them how blessed they are by accepting the gospel of the grace of God and how they shamefully allowed false doctrine to enter in their midst and false teachers to teach false doctrine And so as Paul concludes now in verses 17 and 18, the Holy Spirit will do that work, no giving liberty.

So we read in verse 17, now the Lord is the Spirit. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Not bondage, but liberty. When the Spirit of God works in the heart and the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah is presented, it gives liberty. Liberty, freedom. God now forgave our sins and gave us liberty to live for Him. And so Paul makes a personal application in verse 18, and with this we will conclude the third chapter of 2 Corinthians. But we all, with an open faith, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Just like Stephen, when Stephen in Acts chapter 7 looked to heaven and he saw the Messiah, he saw Yeshua standing and his face shone because he looked at the person of the Lord and was occupied with Him, the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. So all of us, beloved brothers and sisters, with an open face, we behold. We don't need to have it covered over our faces. We have an open face because we have accepted the forgiveness of God through the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. We, with an open faith, beholding us in a glass, the glory of the Lord, and we are changing as we live for Him and we're occupied with Him.

We are changing into the same image. Become more and more and more like him as we submit to him with the help of the Spirit of God from we are changing from glory to glory and we don't do it in the flesh we don't do it in our own sin nature we do it in the power as it is by the Spirit of the Lord by the holy Spirit of God may the Lord help us beloved brothers and sisters may the Lord touch our hearts and cause us to appreciate what the Lord Jesus the Messiah has done for us well with this we concluded second Corinthians chapter 3 and until the next time we say shalom shalom