Shabbat Shalom everyone. Let's say Chag Chanukah Sameach. Now I want to read a couple of passages in the Bible, one of them from Daniel chapter 8, and the second one is in the Berit HaChadasha, in the New Testament, in John chapter 10. Both of them from the Hebrew Scriptures, the Tanach, of course, in the book of Daniel, the prophet of Israel, and the Berit HaChadasha, the New Testament, the time when John gives to us the history and the coming of the Messiah, Yeshua, to this world. And I would like to suggest, beloved brothers and sisters, that there is a great link between the celebration of Chanukah that happened historically, the Feast of Dedication to our own nation Israel, and the birth of Jesus, Yeshua the Messiah.

There is a link because it is really biblical history, Jewish history, the history of the nation of Israel, which the world benefits because of the plan of God in sending to this world the promised Redeemer, the Messiah, as we just sang, Jesus, Yeshua, name above all names, blessed Redeemer, God's own Son. There is a link between Chanukah, dedication, and what we would call today Christmas, or the birth of the Messiah that the world is celebrating this evening. So turn to Daniel 8, and let me just read verses 9 to 14. And notice what we read. And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great towards the south, towards the east, and towards the pleasant land.

And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven. And it cast down some of the host, and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them. And he magnified himself, even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground, and it practiced and prospered. Then I heard one saint speaking, and another saint said unto that certain saint which spake, How long shall be the vision concerning the daily sacrifice, and the transgression of desolation, to give both the sanctuary and the host to be trodden underfoot?

And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. Now put your finger here, please, and turn with me to the Gospel of John in the New Testament, In the Brit HaChadashah, chapter 10. John, Yohanan, 10, verse 22. And it was at Jerusalem, the feast of the dedication, Chanukah. And it was winter, and Yeshua walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. Then came the Jews round about him and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Messiah, tell us plainly. Yeshua answered them, I told you, and ye believe not. The works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me.

But ye believe not? Because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you, My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me is greater than all, And no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Yeshua answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father. For which of those works do ye stone me?

The Jews answered him, saying, For good works we stone thee not. But for blasphemy, and because that thou being a man makest thyself God. Yeshua answered them, Is it not written in your law? I said ye are gods? If he called them gods unto whom the word of God came, And the scripture cannot be broken. Say ye of him whom the Father had sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest? Because I said I am the Son of God, ben Elohim. If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him.

Therefore, they sought again to take him, but he escaped out of their hands. And here I am stopping, beloved brothers and sisters, with the reading of the word of God. You know, it is so important for every one of us to read the word of God. And to see what does the Bible teaches us concerning the plans and the purposes of God. To understand that God has a plan and that God has a purpose in the life of humanity. Among the needs of the world, this large world in which we live in. And God has a plan because of his love for mankind. And the desire that people will turn to him.

Accept the Messiah who is the light of this world. And find forgiveness of sins. But unfortunately, dear brothers and sisters, many reject the message of the Gospel. Many still do not realize the importance of trusting in the person and the work of Yeshua, the Messiah. Making him Lord of their lives. Recognizing that without him, there is no future. Without him, there is no hope ever to be right with God. And therefore, it is so important to read the word of God. To see what God is saying to us about his plan and his purposes for humanity. And so now, this evening, beginning in Israel and all around the world.

Our people Israel, the Jewish community, will celebrate the feast of dedication. In Hebrew, we call it Chanukah or Chanukat Habayit. On the other hand, the Christian world or Christendom will celebrate sometime this evening. And also tomorrow, the so-called 25th day of the month of December. The celebration of the birth of the Mashiach, of the Messiah. Now, nobody knows when the Messiah was born. Nor the date of the birth of the Messiah. But the world do celebrate this day. And celebrate that the Messiah, the Jesus, the Yeshua, was born into this world. Now, I want you to understand, beloved brothers and sisters. That you could never have the birth of the Messiah.

And his coming to this world. Unless you, first of all, look at history and the promises of God through his word for the birth of the Messiah. And one of those events that brought about the coming of the Messiah was the feast that is called, in Hebrew, Chanukah. The feast of dedication. And I would like you to notice that while the feast of Chanukah is not one of the seven feasts that God had given to our forefathers Israel in Leviticus chapter 23. The feast of Chanukah, the feast of dedication, became a milestone in history to show us the way in which God had been working in the history of this universe, of this world.

You see, we read Daniel chapter 8. But let me remind you that sometime at about 960 BC, Shlomo, the king of Israel, built the first temple in the city of Jerusalem. Israel, our people, had a decline in their walk with the God of Israel. And God had to remove our people Israel out of the land. So he used a man by the name of Nebuchadnezzar. We find him in the book of Daniel. Nebuchadnezzar came to the land of Israel in 586 BC. He burned that Salomonic temple. And he removed our people, the Jewish people, down to Babylon. It is there that the people of Israel sang that song.

Psalm 137. By the rivers of Babylon. There we sat down and we wept, as we remembered Zion, Zion. There they that took us captive said unto us, sing unto us one of Zion's songs. And the weeping Jewish people said, how can we sing the Lord's song in a strange land? And it is there in Babel that the Jewish people said, if I will forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I will not make Jerusalem, if I will not make Jerusalem one of my chiefest joys, they have said. But you see, they were in Babylon because they disobeyed the Lord. And the temple had been destroyed and burnt with fire.

The Jewish people were weeping in Babel and they were longing for the restoration back to the land. Well, 70 years later, at 516 BC about, God had raised a man by the name of Cyrus, the king of Persia. And he gave the permission for a Jewish people to be restored to the promised land and to rebuild Beit HaMikdash, the temple once again. So, Zerub HaVel, one of the leaders of our Jewish people came with 50,000 Jews. And they rebuilt the temple. And then later on, we had Ezra came with another few thousand Jewish people. And he beautified the temple. And they continue in the worship of the God of our fathers in the temple in the city of Jerusalem.

Nehemiah came later on. He built the walls that we studied the book of Nehemiah, the walls around the city of Jerusalem. But you know, beloved brothers and sisters, it didn't take too long. And again, there was a decline by our people. Again, the temple, God had to say to the Jewish people, you see, I'm not pleased with the way that you conduct yourself, my people, the people of Israel. And so what did he do? He allowed the Jewish people to go through what is called the times of the Gentiles. In Hebrew, we call it Et Hagoyim. It's a period of time that began from the captivity of Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon and will end at the end of the tribulation some days in the future when a Mashiach will come the second time to restore our nation Israel back to himself.

And so this is the situation that was there. And when Daniel was in Babel, he cried to God to give him an answer. God help us. When will this city of Jerusalem will be restored? When will the temple be restored? He was actually crying even before Ezra came and before Zerubabel came to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. So God, by divine design, gave him instruction of how things will come to pass and what's going to happen in the time of the Gentiles. Etot Hagoyim, as we say it in Hebrew. There will be the Babylonians who will rule first. Then there will be the Medo-Persians who will rule second.

There will be the Grecians who will rule third. And fourthly, there will be the Roman Empire who will be ruling. And finally, at the end of the age, the Messiah will come and he will be the one who will rule and reign over this world. When we are reading Daniel chapter 8, we are right in the prophetic word concerning the Grecian Empire. And we read, if you remember, in verses 9 to verse 14, two things I would want you to look with me at these passages we read. And that's how we get into the Feast of Hanukkah, the Feast of Dedication. While it is not mentioned in the Tanakh as a feast to celebrate, it is a feast that happened in between the time when Israel was in Babylon and the time when the Messiah came.

Somewhere before the coming of the Messiah, about 200 years before Jesus the Messiah was upon the face of this earth. And so I want you to notice in verses 9, 10, 11 and 12, three things in these verses. Notice what will be done by a wicked man by the name of Antiochus Epiphanes to the Jewish people and to the temple in the city of Jerusalem. Notice what we read first of all, the greatness of this wicked man by the name of Antiochus. Notice what it says in verse 9. And out of one of them, this is one of the four generals that came out of Alexander the Great. Out of one of those generals came one that is called Little Horn.

Here the Bible calls it Little Horn. That Little Horn, notice what it says in verse 9, which walks exceeding great towards the south, towards the east, and notice, and towards the pleasant land. This man that is here tagged or titled Little Horn is the man that is called Antiochus Epiphanes. He is Antiochus IV. He was a Grecian king. He was actually leading the country of Syria. He was in the north of Israel. And this wicked man, what he did, he walked so great. He was fighting against, notice the south, this is Egypt. Against the east, this is Mesopotamia. And then against the pleasant land. This is the land of Israel.

The pleasant land. And the city of Jerusalem. He was fighting. And he was fighting against Egypt. He was trying to take Egypt. But because he couldn't, when he came back, he took all his frustration against our Jewish people. And so he became very great. He became a great king. He became a great king. Grecian, Syrian king, little horn, which we know him from history, Antiochus Epiphanes. He gave his title Epiphanes, which means God manifest, because he claimed to be God. He was actually called Antiochus the fourth, but he added the word Epiphanes, which simply means God manifest. He prided himself, claiming to be God. And he wanted everyone to worship him, including our own nation and our own community, the Jewish community.

And so in verse 10, we read the second thing about him, that he was fighting against the nation of Israel. Now, brothers and sisters, remember, this is Daniel prophecy. Long before it happened in history, Daniel was telling our people, Israel, what will happen a little bit later on in Israel's history. And so it says in verse 10, and it, this is the little horn, it walks great, even to the host of heaven. The host of heaven, this is the Jewish people, the people of Israel, God's people. And it cast down some of the hosts and of the stars to the ground, and he stamped upon them. In other words, he was successful in killing some of the Jewish people, including some of the stars, which are those who are, you might say, a leadership from among the people of Israel.

And then he stamped upon them. He was warring against them. He was abusing the Jewish people, our own nation. He caused the people of Israel not to worship the God of Israel, not to keep the Shabbat day, not to perform circumcision, and also many, many other things that he caused our people of Israel to do. He desecrated the temple that Zerub Havel built and Ezra built some years earlier. And he caused all kind of problems to our own Jewish people. In fact, beloved brothers and sisters, he put an image in the temple in Jerusalem of Zeus, and he asked the Jewish people to offer sacrifice of pigs upon the altar in the temple.

And you know very well what that produced among our nation, the nation of Israel. So you see, he actually stamped, as it says here in verse 10, he stamped upon them, he abused the nation of Israel and the Jewish people. And there is a story that happened, we are told that you can read it in the Maccabees, it's a Jewish history, that the Syrian came to a city, a town called Modi'in, in the land of Israel, not too far from Jerusalem. And they came to the Jewish community, and they demanded from them to offer a pig upon an altar. And of course, the Jewish people didn't want to do it, but there were some that became more Hellenistic, and they said, "Okay, we will do that." And there was one man who went to offer a pig upon the altar, and immediately there was a family there of a Jewish man by the name of Matityahu, who had five sons.

And they were against the Grecians. They were opposing what the Grecians have done to the people of Israel. So Matityahu, the father, had taken a javelin and he slayed this man, the Jewish man, that was going to offer a pig upon an altar. And from then on there was a revolt, the Jewish community began to fight against the Grecians, until eventually they chased them out of the land of Israel, in the city of Jerusalem. But this man was such a wicked man, Antiochus' epiphanies, that he stamped upon the people of Israel and caused havoc among the people of Israel. And so we read, notice now, in verse 11 and 12, look at what he did to the temple itself.

That's how we get the Feast of Chanukah. It says there, and he magnified himself, even to the prince of the host, the prince of the host, this is the high priest of Israel. And by him the daily sacrifice was taken away. And the place of the sanctuary, this is the Mikdash, Beit HaMikdash, the place of his sanctuary was cast down. In verse 12 he says, and a host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of the transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground and it practiced and prospered. Apparently, this wicked man, Antiochus' epiphanies, he cast down the sanctuary. And then what happened, he stopped the daily sacrifice, the continual burnt offering that Israel was to offer.

Morning sacrifice and evening sacrifice. Morning sacrifice and evening sacrifice. Those sacrifices pointed to the coming Mashiach, to the coming Messiah. And he stopped it. He stopped it. And then we read at the end of verse 12, he cast down the truth. This is the emet in Hebrew, the Torah, the word of God. He cast it out and he cast it down. And eventually he practiced what he wanted to do and he prospered. He was successful in doing all these things to desecrate the temple in Jerusalem and to cause havoc among the Jewish people. Well, look at this beloved brothers and sisters. This was written in history.

Daniel was in Babel 553 BC. He's writing about events that would happen a few years later. And this man, by the name of Antiochus' epiphanies, he ruled from about 175 BC to 164 BC for about 11 years. And he caused so much trouble to the people of Israel. And so what do you do? The temple is the center of God's worship of the people of Israel, worshiping the God of Israel. No temple. The Shabbat, they couldn't keep. Circumcision, they couldn't perform. The law had been set aside. Many of the Jewish people were influenced by the Hellenist views. And they wanted to cause our people to become less and less following the God of Israel.

And more and more introducing before them the Hellenistic view of worshiping idols. And worshiping that which is contrary to the word of God. So, in verses 13 and 14, the question is raised. How long time he will continue with it? And again, I wanted to see how beautiful the word of God is. And how it is important for us to study the word of God. And to see what God had planned. And the purposes of God for Israel and also for you and I. For those who are part of the assembly, of the ecclesia. Look what he says. In the next verses, verses 13 and 14, the question was risen.

How long time will Antiochus' epiphany will continue on to do what he does? And so, notice what it says in verse 13. Then I heard one saint. This is an angel. Speaking to another angel, another saint. The Hebrew word is Kadosh. And he said unto that certain saint with speck. He said, how long? How long shall the vision be concerning the daily sacrifice and the transgression of desolation to give both the sanctuary and the horse to be trodden underfoot? He asked, how long? Now remember, Daniel sees that vision. And God, by divine design, let him hear those two Malachim, angels, speaking one to another. And one asked, how long it's going to take?

How long God will allow the people of Israel to be trodden underfoot? And the sanctuary to be desolated? Defiled? A pig on the altar. An image of Zeus in the temple. Everything had been defiled in the temple of God. The house of God. Beit HaMikdash. How long will you allow this to happen? And the question is legitimate. How long? You know, sometime when Israel have gone through trials and problems and challenges, the people of Israel ask, how long? And you and I as believers in Yeshua, the Messiah, when we go through challenges in our lives and problems happen, whether it is in our own home, in our own local assembly, the local church, or wherever we belong to, in our family situation, we sometimes ask God, God, Ad Matai, how long are you going to allow this to continue?

So God is very specific. And he gave him an answer. And he's so precious, beloved brothers and sisters, because immediately in verse 14, we find out the answer that the angel give to the other angel in the ear of Daniel, the servant of our people of all. Notice what it says in verse 14. And he said unto me, and notice this time in verse 14, Daniel hearing all these, but in verse 14, it's like the saint, this angel speaking to me, to him, to Daniel. So Daniel will give this information. How long? It says 2,300 days. And you notice in the Hebrew, it says 2,300 evening, morning. Evening, morning. Evening, morning.

Like we have it in Genesis chapter 1, verse 5. And it was evening and morning the first day. Yom Echad. And it was the evening and morning the second day. Yom Sheni. It was the evening and morning the third day. Yom Shlishi. There is one day, 2,300 days will take from the time that Antiochus Epiphanes desecrated the temple and stepped upon the Jewish people until the time, notice it says at the end of verse 14, then shall the sanctuary be cleansed. That's where you get the Hebrew thought, Chanukat Habayit. It will be then at the end of 2,300 days that the temple will be dedicated or re-dedicated. And indeed, beloved brothers and sisters, from about 171 B.C.

until 165 B.C. on the 25th of the month of Kislev, The temple was re-dedicated by the Maccabees, the children of Matityahu, who cleansed the temple from the defilement that Antiochus Epiphanes caused to the house of God. And from 165 B.C. on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev, our Jewish people are celebrating the feast of Chanukah by lighting the Chanukah for eight days. Of course, they lit the menorah there, but because the menorah had seven lamps, eight days they lighted the menorah. We call it Chanukah today, which represents the eight days of the lighting of the menorah in 165 B.C., beginning with the 25th day of the month of Kislev.

Now imagine, there is a legend that we are told, it's not written anywhere in the book of Maccabees, first Maccabees or second Maccabees, but there is a legend. And the legend was that, that when the Maccabees enter into the temple in order to re-dedicate the temple, there was no oil to light the menorah. So they were searching to find oil because the oil to light the menorah is a special oil prepared by the priests for the lighting of the menorah. So as they were searching, they found a little pot. In Hebrew we call it kad katan, a little pot of oil. And the pot of oil was sufficient only to light one day the menorah.

So they lit it. And in a miraculous way, again, God, by his provision, have allowed the menorah to be lit for eight days, which have allowed the priests to prepare fresh oil for the future. And that is the celebration of the feast of Chanukah because God preserved Israel. God protected Israel. God delivered Israel from their enemies, from Antiochus' epiphanies. And God have allowed the temple to be re-dedicated. The very temple that Zerubabel had built with the Jewish people who came back from the land of Babel. Now, this is the story of Chanukah. And we celebrate this every year to commemorate the faithfulness of God in allowing us to re-dedicate the temple in the city of Yerushalayim.

Faithfulness of God. You know, God is faithful to our people Israel, even though Israel was not faithful to God. God is faithful to the body of Mashiach, the body of Christ, even though the body of Christ, the believers are not always faithful to the Lord. Now, please turn with me to John chapter 10. And let's see the connection. Let me just remind you, beloved brothers and sisters, that some years passed by, 165 BC, the temple was re-dedicated. Yeshua, the Messiah was born in about 3 BC. Some years later. In other words, some 160 odd years have passed by and the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, was born in the city of Bethlehem.

And his mother, Miriam, brought him to the very same temple that was re-dedicated by the Maccabees. And his mother, Miriam, brought him to this temple when he was 40 days old. You read it in Luke chapter 2. After she gave birth to her firstborn child, she was seven days unclean. On the eighth day, they circumcised Yeshua, the Messiah. And 33 days later, when 40 days passed by, they had to bring the child, Yeshua, to present him before the Lord. And our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, was born in Bethlehem. And he was now presented in the very same re-dedicated temple in Yerushalayim. The temple that was re-dedicated by the Hashmonaim.

And now the Messiah, Yeshua, a baby of 40 days old, is presented to Shimon. Remember that, before the Lord, Simon. And how Simon, Shimon, took him, took Yeshua, the baby. And he said to God, "Now let thou thy servant to depart in peace, for my eyes have seen thy salvation." God, I am ready to live now. I can see your salvation, Yeshua Atcha. I can see the one that was born to be Savior of this world. I am ready to depart. So the mother and the stepfather Yosef presented him before the Lord, offered the sacrifices. The doves, you remember, that was offered. The blood was shed, representing the cleansing, not for him, but the cleansing for her and for the family.

But he was the pure one. The undefiled one. The one who is going to be the Savior of this world. He was born. And now he is presented in the very same temple that was re-dedicated some years later. And now when we have arrived to chapter 10 of the Gospel of John, additional 30 years pass by, if not more. We see here the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah sometime, you might say, at about 30 A.D. now. He is about 33 years of age. He is now coming to the very same temple 33 years later than when he was, when he was 40 days old. When Miriam, his mother, presented him there at the temple.

And now notice that. Again, look how the Bible is so accurate. John chapter 10 and verse 22. Listen to this, beloved brothers and sisters. It says, "And it was in Yerushalayim, the Feast of Dedication, Chanukah. And it was winter. And Yeshua walked in the temple and in Solomon's porch." In verses 22 and 23, we see Yeshua walking in the temple in Jerusalem when he was about 33 years of age, at about 30 A.D. Again, brothers and sisters, just please notice how clearly the Brit HaChadashah, the New Testament, emphasized what was the feast that he was there in Yerushalayim. In Yerushalayim, it was the Feast of Chanukah, the Feast of Dedication.

To remind you, Jesus, Yeshua, was a Jewish man who was born to a Jewish family, who grew up in a Jewish land. He was under the Jewish law that God had given to our people Israel. And he was participating in all that which God had given to our forefathers. So when he was the Feast of Pesach, he went to the city of Yerushalayim. When it was the Feast of Weeks, he went to the city of Yerushalayim. When it was the Feast of Tabernacle Sukkot, he went to the city of Yerushalayim. And when it was the Feast of Dedication, he was already again in the city of Yerushalayim, walking in the temple in the city of Yerushalayim.

And here, beloved brothers and sisters, is the challenge that the Lord had given our Jewish leaders like he gives all humanity today. As I mentioned earlier, the mistake that people make, they only think of the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah's birth. While they neglect to understand that he was the only man that was born for the purpose of dying for the sin of this world. He came to this world not to live a long life, but he came in order to give his life a ransom for many. And so we find out, now notice that in John chapter 10, while in verse 22 and 23 he was walking in Beit Hamikdash, in the temple in Yerushalayim, in Jerusalem, the very same temple that was rededicated by the Maccabees.

Now we find in verse 24 there was a question that was asked by our Jewish leaders. Notice what they said to him in verse 24, then came the Jews. When you read the word Jews in the Gospel of John, 99% the word Jews, Yehudim, applied to the Jewish leaders. Everybody was Jewish there. Jesus was Jewish. Jesus was Jewish. Jesus was Jewish. The disciples were Jewish. Yehudim. The rest of the people of Yerushalayim were Jewish. And the spiritual leaders were Jewish. This is a Jewish story. Yehudim, all were Jewish people. But the word Jews in the Gospel of John specifically applied to the manhigim, as we say in Hebrew, the spiritual leaders.

So here we find out that the Jews, the Jewish leaders, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Herodians, they came around him and they said unto him. Notice again, you remember that? We heard the word how long in Daniel 8. Now they ask another question. And they said, how long does thou make us doubt? If you be the Messiah, tell us plainly. You see, they already understood that he claimed to be the Mashiach, the Messiah of Israel. They understood that the rest of the people recognize him. Many of our own nation either recognize him. He is the Mashiach. He is the Messiah. Already earlier we read in chapter 6 and chapter 7, how people were deliberating and saying, could he be the Mashiach?

Could he be the Messiah? The way he lived, the words he spoke, the miracles he performed, the manner of his conduct. He was a man that came from heaven, that was born to the virgin Miriam in the city of Bethlehem. But his life, his manner, his conduct, his words that he took out of his mouth were so unique. The miracles that he performed. The dead were raised. The blind men received their sight. The lame could walk. The deaf could heal. But the speaking and the teaching of the word of God attracted many from Amarga people, Israel, to this person by the name of Yeshua. But the spiritual leaders of Israel did not like it.

And so they said to him, you know, how long? How long, verse 24, does that make us doubt? If you are the Christ, the Christos, the Mashiach, the Messiah, if you are the Messiah, tell us plainly. And you see, beloved brothers and sisters, Yeshua already expressed this so many times by the way in which he conducted and he spoke among the people of Israel. He has already said it. And so in verse 25 to verse 30, it's a really long stretch of verses here together. However, Yeshua, Jesus, give them an answer to the question that they have asked. You know, the question that they have asked in Hebrew, I will say it for a moment.

If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly. In other words, in a daylight, in light of the sun, just tell us if you are the Messiah. So Yeshua, give them an answer. And I want to highlight some things that is very, very refreshing to our hearts. If you are a believer in Yeshua, it's an encouraging words that Yeshua gave to the leaders of our people Israel in verses 25 to verse 30. Let me highlight some of the things for us. Look at first of all in verse 25. He said, I told you this already. Notice verse 25. Yeshua, Jesus answered them and he said, I told you and you believe not.

The works that I do in my father's name, they bear witness of me. I already told you this. Look at the way I conducted myself. The works that I do in my father's name, they bear witness. They are the proof that I am the Messiah. But unfortunately, he said to them, but you do not believe. Brothers and sisters and dear friends, you see, it is necessary. It is essential if a person to be right with God to believe on the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah. We read in the Bible in John chapter 3 and verse 16. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.

God is not going to force it on men. God is not going to ask men to do him a favor and believe on him. Faith is the ground upon which we can receive salvation. Faith in the person and the work of Yeshua, the Messiah. Without faith, it is impossible to please him. He that believes must come to the Lord recognizing that he is the Messiah, that he is the Messiah. He says to them, you did not believe. I told you this. And that reminds me that many times that we tell people about Yeshua, just don't give me this nonsense, they say. I know better. I have a way whereby I am going to be right with God.

You know, the Bible said there is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof is a day of judgment. You know, there is no other way in order to be in right with the Lord. Yeshua said in John 14, I am the way, the truth and the line. No one come to the Father but by me. There is only one way. And Yeshua, Jesus said to them, I told you, but you just don't believe. And I am telling you today, brothers and sisters and dear friends, I trust all of us here are believers. The only way of salvation and forgiveness of sins is through the person of Jesus, the Messiah, who died for us on the tree and shed his precious blood.

And he was buried and he rose from among the dead that whosoever believeth on him shall not perish but have everlasting life. So he said to them, I told you. And then verse 26, he elaborating a little bit more. And he says to them, but ye believe not. And here is the reason. Because ye are not of my sheep. Notice that. As I said unto you. In other words, he is telling them really, the people of God are like flock. Sheep that following a shepherd. And one that is not a believer in Yeshua, he or she are not really part of that flock. They are not sheep that belong to the Lord.

And the evidence that they are not belong to the Lord is by the virtue of the fact that they just don't believe. If one does not believe, he is not his sheep. He is not part of the flock of God. And so he said in verse 26, you are really not belong to me because you are not my sheep. That's why you don't believe me. You don't believe in who I am and what I was going to do. Because you are really not one of my sheep. But then he gave such an encouragement words for those who are believers. And I always enjoy to read verses 27, 28 and verse 29.

Look at this. The words of Yeshua the Messiah on the feast of Chanukah in the city of Jerusalem. And in the very same temple that was rededicated by the Maccabees at about 165 BC. Here 200 years later, Jesus, Yeshua the Messiah, claiming to be the Mashiach of Israel. And he says there, notice that, a few things in verse 27 and 28 and 29. Number one, my sheep, hear my voice. You know everyone that belongs to the shepherd. He or she listen and hear the voice of the shepherd. And that's why he said, my sheep, they hear my word. Like a shepherd in the land of Israel in Galilee or any place else.

When the shepherd walk and he call the sheep, they hear his voice. And they will follow the Lord. They will follow the shepherd. And so he said, my sheep, they hear my voice. You remember when Yeshua, after his resurrection and Miriam came to the sepulcher. And she asked, she thought that he was the gardener. And she says, where is my Lord? They have taken away my Lord. When Yeshua said, Miriam, Mary. Immediately, she heard his voice. And she recognized that he was the Messiah. You know, every one of us, that the Spirit of God will work in our hearts. And we hear about the person of Yeshua, the Messiah.

We heard the voice of the Lord. It may not be audible, but it is through the word of God. In the power of the Spirit of God. We heard the voice of the Lord who said to us, you need forgiveness of sin. You come to me. The reason I came to this world in order to save you and to forgive your sin and your sins. And that's why I'm here. And we heard. We heard the voice of Jesus, of Yeshua. We have accepted him. We have accepted him. We have embraced him as our Savior, as our Messiah and our Lord. Yes, as sheep, we stumble a time.

We go astray. But we have accepted him into our hearts. So my sheep, they hear my voice. And now in order, secondly, he says, and I know them. He doesn't say, I know about them, but I know them intimately. I know them. You remember what he said about Israel of all in the Proverbs. He says, you only have I known. What does he mean? He doesn't know about other nations. Of course, he knows about other nations. But there was one nation that have an intimate relationship with God, the God of Israel. This is the nation of Israel. And you and I, if we have accepted him as our Messiah and our Messiah, we will have an intimate relationship.

It's not just like going to a church meeting, sitting by the pew, singing some song and forgetting about God. And we don't need Jesus. We don't need Yeshua. Well, I've been religious a little bit. Oh, no. We know him. And he knows us. He knows our failures. He knows our weaknesses. He knows everything about us. When we obey him. When we obey him. And when we disobey him. He knows when we love him. And our hearts are burning and yearning for him. He knows when our hearts are cold. And we deviate from his ways at times. He knows everything about us. He knows. The beautiful saying says, My sheep, they hear my voice.

And I know them. I know them. He knows every name. Even though we are among a multitude of people in the nations of the world. He knows your name. And he knows my name. And he knows your need. And he knows my need. And praise God that he knows that. Because he's God. He knows all things. But you see, beloved brothers, he continues. And I love that passage. He says, my sheep are my voice. And I know them. And you know that he continues. And they follow me. They follow me. Ladies and gentlemen. Brothers and sisters. Dear friends. At times. When we are not sensitive.

And tender in our affection towards the Lord. We allow others to influence us. To be drawn after them. But you see, when we are in a good, healthy relationship with the Lord. We follow after him. At easy time. And at difficult time. But we recognize who he is. No one ever loved us like Yeshua the Messiah. No one ever cared for us like Yeshua the Messiah. You see, there are many, many false teachers. And false preachers. Who seek to influence God's people with all sorts of things. But God wants his people to follow after Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. They follow after me. They stumble. Yes, I know.

They sometimes are not the way they should be. But they follow after me. They follow after me. And you see, Satan is attacking the people of God these days. By all sorts of things. Many of the things that we are attacked by Satan are false teachings. And false teachers who teach us things that deny the person and the work of the Messiah. We hear about those who deny his divine nature. Who are saying that Jesus is not God. Others deny his virgin birth. Who say that he was really not a virgin born. Others deny various things. That he is not one of the triunities. One of the three persons of the God.

Many, many things that we have been exposed to. But he said, they follow me. When we are in tune with the Lord, we will follow after him. Because when we follow after him. Because when we follow after him. He'll lead us by still waters. By green pasture. When we are in trouble. When we are in difficulties. He will lead us where we can get fed. And encouraged. And we can follow him. And live for him here in this world. But you know that he doesn't stop here. Because in verse 28. He gave a promise. To those sheep. That belong to him. He said, I give unto them eternal life.

And they shall never perish. Notice that. Verse 28. And he continued. Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. Now beloved brothers and sisters. We believe in the eternal security of the believers. We don't believe in the eternal perfection. Now of the believers. But we believe in the eternal security of the believers. Oh yes. When we are going to be in heaven. We never sin anymore. But there is a promise of eternal life. Notice he said. I give unto them eternal life. Now how long is eternal life? Now how long is eternal life? Is it as long as you and I are faithful? Is it as long as you and I kind of obey the Lord.

And oh all of a sudden we disobey him. And we lost our eternal relationship with him. And then all of a sudden we became obedient. And oh again we got saved again. And we now have eternal life. But oh again we fail in another period of time of our walk with the Lord. And we became lost again. What is it? There is a promise by the word of the Lord Yeshua. I give unto them eternal life. Again John Yohanan 3:16. For God so loved the world. That he gave his only begotten son. That whosoever believeth on him shall not perish. He shall have eternal life. Eternal means eternal as the Bible teaches us.

Everlasting life. Not because of how good we are. But because of the value of the precious precious blood. That Yeshua the Messiah shed for us. When he died for us on the cross. You see God does not give eternal life. And then he takes it away. And he give it again. And take it away. You know if our salvation. And if our eternal relationship with God will depend upon our performance. I can assure you. That when you are going to leave this meeting today. You will notice. That you will fail the Lord sometime today. When you are going to go outside of this door. Some of us might be a little bit more special than others.

But I can assure you beloved brothers and sisters. That we will fail the Lord. Now of course we grieve him. And he is not happy about that. But thank God that our salvation does not depend upon our performance. But it is entirely depend upon the precious precious blood. That Yeshua HaMashiach have shed for us on the cross. On the tree. And so he said I will give unto them eternal life. And notice he continued. And he built. And he said they shall never perish. Never perish. This is a promise. That a believer. The true believer. Listen. We will never be able to cheat God. We will never be able to trick him.

He said hey God. I got into heaven. I tricked you. I tricked you. We will never be able to trick. If you are not saved. You are lost. And if you are saved. You are saved. And you have eternal life. And you and I will never perish. If we are truly. Sincerely. Children. Of God. And one of his sheep. I will give unto them eternal life. And they shall never perish. And notice he continued. In verse 28c. And he says. Neither shall any man be able to pluck them out of my hand. Now do you think. Anybody could pluck the true. Real believer in Yeshua.

Out of the hands of the Lord. Of Yeshua. Not at all. We are held. We are kept. By the hands of our Mashiach. Our Messiah. We are kept by him. Our salvation. Is eternal. Is secure. Because he keeps us. Not because we keep ourselves. We are to keep ourselves. In the love of God. In order to walk in a godly way. But notice. It is. The only one. That is keeping us. Is none else. But Yeshua. The Messiah. Himself. Notice this. Turn to the book of Jude. Just for one verse. For a moment. Judah. His Hebrew name is Yehuda. Jude wrote these things. Notice that.

He says. In his. One single. Chapter. First of all. In verse 21. Judah said. Keep. Yourselves. In the love. Of God. You and I. Have to keep ourselves. In the love of God. In order to live a godly walk. Here in this world. But then notice. In verse 24. He turned it around. And he said. Now unto him. That is able. To keep us. From falling. And to present us. Faultless. Before the presence. Of his glory. With exceeding. Joy. See. God. Is able. To keep his own. And no one. Is able. To pluck. Them. Out of my hand. Yeshua said. And so. Go back to John. Chapter 10.

Just for the last remarks here. And I want you to understand. Brothers and sisters. Why it is so important. It says in verse. Verse 29. My father. Which gave them to me. Is greater than all. Yeshua said. To the leaders of Israel. In those days. The feast of Hanukkah. And he said. That no man is able. To pluck them. Out of my father's hand. Not only out of my hand. But you know. The sheep. The believers. We are a gift. That God the father. Gave God the son. After he finished. The work of redemption. We are. Gifts. I know. Sometimes. We don't look like a great gift.

You know. Sometimes people say. What kind of a gift. You are. You know. And we are really not behaving. As people. Who can be considered as gifts. As trophies. But beloved brothers and sisters. God did not save us. Because we are good. Or because we are kind. And nice. God saved us. Because of his grace. The Abba. The father. Gave the son. The Ben. Us believers. As a gift. And no one will be able. Ever. To pluck us. Out of. Not only the Messiah's hand. But also the father's hand. Now notice. In verse 30. He kind of sealed it all. And he says. In John 10. John 10.

Verse 30. He says. I and my father. Are. One. The Hebrew word is. Echad. You know. We just recited. The Shema Yisrael. Adonai Eloheinu. Adonai Echad. Hear O Israel. The Lord our God. The Lord is one. Now here is. Brothers and sisters. Where the Hebrew. Is very helpful. The Hebrew word. Echad. Means. A compound unity. It's not. Yechid. Which means. A distinct. Unit. But it is. A compound. Unity. That means. That in the Godhead. There is more than one person. The father. Abba. The son. Ben. The spirit. Ruach. One. God. Three persons. That's why he says. I. I. Yeshua. From Natseret. Who was actually. The eternal son of God.

I. And. My father. Awana. Echad. We belong. To the Godhead. And you see. That's where. They were very much. Upset. You know why. Why. Because now. Here is another man. Coming. Two hundred years. Later. Who claimed. To be God. Just like. Antiochus. Epiphanes. He claimed. He claimed. To be God. Some two hundred years ago. And he desecrated. The temple. In Jerusalem. And so. They look back. And they. Here come. Another one. That is claiming. To be God. Divine person. And that's why. You notice. What it says. In verse 31. It says. That they took up. Stones. And they were ready. To stone him. Because. Claiming. To be divine.

To be God. Is. Blasphemy. In Hebrew. We call it. Chilul. Shem. Ha'elohim. It is the. Blasphemy. Against God. So. Can you imagine. Here is this. Man. Claiming. To be. Divine. God. I. And my Father. Are one. Echad. As he. Claimed to be. And so. Immediately. Yeshua. Asked them. In verse 32. For which. Of those works. Do you stone me? He says. Why do you want to stone me? I did so many miracles among you. I did so many good deeds among you. Why is it that you want to stone me? So notice what they said to him in verse 33. The Jews. This is the Jewish leaders.

They answered and they said to him. For good work we stone thee not. But for blasphemy. Because. Thou being a man. Makest thyself. God. And here is beloved brothers and sisters. The mistake. That our Jewish people have done now for over 2,000 years. They do not recognize that Yeshua. The man. Is none else but the eternal son of God. Who came into this world through the virgin Miriam. Who was born in the city of Beit Lechem. Who grew up in the city of Natseret. Who ministered in the city of Yerushalayim. And he claimed to be the Messiah of Israel. And the savior of this world. And instead of recognizing him as the God man.

As Immanuel. God with us. They say you being a man. And you maketh yourself God. Now here is the difference between Yeshua from Natseret. And Antiochus. Antiochus was merely a man. But he has exalted himself. And gave himself a name. Epiphanies. God manifest. Yeshua. Jesus is exactly the opposite. He was co-equal with God. And he made himself of no reputation. He entered into this world. He humbled himself. And became obedient. And even all the way to the cross. To the altar. Where he bore our sins in his body on the tree. Completely different. Beloved brothers and sisters. Completely different. One is a man. Wicked man.

Who claimed to be God. Another one is the divine person. God the son. Who humbled himself. And became a man for you. And for me. So he will pay for the penalty of our sins. Fall in between the two individuals. And that's the mistake. That Israel have done in the past. And Israel still doing in the present. And our own family still doing in the present. And many around the world. People still reject the fact. That here we have this God man. Emmanuel. God with us. Who was born into this world. In order to accomplish salvation. And so beloved brothers and sisters. Just to close with these verses.

Verse 34. Verse 34. Yeshua answered and he said to them. Is it not written in your law. In the Torah. It says. I said ye are gods. If he called them gods. Unto whom the word of God came. And the scripture cannot be broken. Say ye of him. Whom the father has sanctified. And sent into this world. Thou blasphemous. Because I said I am the son of God. If I do not the works of my father. Believe me not. But if I do. Though ye believe not me. Believe the works. That ye may know. And believe. That the father is in me. And I am in him.

You see he answered them. He says. Don't you forget. That in Psalm 82. God called the judges. Ye are gods. The judges of Israel. Were leading the people of Israel. And they took the responsibility. As a representative. Of the Lord himself. Of God himself. And he said to them. Ye are gods. You are representing God. Here in this world. You are the one. Who are representing me. Before the nation. To Moses. In Exodus chapter 4. God said. To Moses. You are going to be as God. Unto Aaron. Your brother. And he will be the one. That will represent. And speak on my behalf. God is. Sending his son.

To this world. In order to redeem mankind. Mankind. And the leaders of Israel. Did not recognize that. And he says. How can. You. Do this to me. Because I said. That I am the son of God. You calling me. A blasphemer. He said. The works of my father. Then. Don't. Believe me. But if I do it. Believe. Not me. But believe the works. That I do. That he may know. And believe that. The father is in me. And that I. Am. In him. Well brothers and sisters. There is a link. Between Daniel 8. And John. Chapter 10. There is a link. Between the feast of Hanukkah. And the coming of the Mashiach.

To this world. And the link is. What we find in the Bible. The whole history. Happened to the people of Israel. Brought about the birth of Jesus. Of Yeshua. The Messiah. And he came. To this world. In order. To accomplish. Salvation. My prayer today. At the end of this meeting. That if there is someone here. Who do not know the Lord. I can tell you. That today. Is the day of salvation. Today. If you hear his voice. Harden not your hearts. Because the only savior. That we have. Is none else. But Yeshua. HaMashiach. Hamashiach, Jesus the Messiah. Can we say amen to that?