Shabbat Shalom, everyone. Please open your Bibles to the book of Galatians. We are continuing with the study of the book of Galatians. And today, we're going to look into the first 10 verses of Galatians chapter 2. This is the fourth ministry meeting on the book of Galatians. And I want to read the first 10 verses of chapter 2 and just move along with the Lord's help to see what the Apostle Paul, Shaul Paul, had to deal with as he writes this letter to the believers in Galatia. So, chapter 2, verse 1, we read, Then 14 years after, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas and took Titus with me also. And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preached among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run in vain.

But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. And that because of false brethren, unawares, brought in, who came in privately to spy out our liberty, which we had in Messiah Yeshua, that they might bring us into bondage, to whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you, but of these who seem to be somewhat whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me, God accepteth no man's person, for they who seem to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me. But, contrarywise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter, for he that wrought affectionately in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles.

And when James, Cephas, and John, who seem to be pillars, perceive the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go unto the heathen and they unto the circumcision. Only they would that we should remember the poor, the same which I also was forward to do. And I'm stopping here with verse 10. Galatians chapter 2, verses 1 to 10. And I can just perhaps give a title today to this message, dear brothers and sisters, and we can really see that in this chapter 2 of Galatians, the first 10 verses, we see that the Apostle Paul is meeting with the local brothers in the city of Jerusalem.

And there you can see that the verdict that the believers in the city of Jerusalem gave to the Apostle Paul and to Barnabas concerning the Gentiles believers in Yeshua, the Messiah. Now, let me just remind you in a moment, before we're going to continue with this second chapter, that obviously there was a reason why Shaul Paul had to write this letter to the Galatians. There was a problem, as we have mentioned this a few times. The gospel was preached. Many Jewish people became believers in Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. There was, you might say, the church, the assembly was born in the city of Jerusalem. Many of the early believers were all Hebrew, Israeli, Jewish believers in Yeshua.

Now, the gospel was going to go beyond the borders of Israel. It was going to go to the nations of the world. and as it was going to go to the nations of the world it was a difficult conflict. How do we handle the situation that now the gospel is going beyond the borders of the land of Israel? What's going to happen with gentle believers? Do they have to become Jewish? Do they have to be circumcised? Do they have to obey certain things that God had given to the nation of Israel what we need to expect from them it was the challenge that the early believers have have gone through so you remember what we read in specifically in Acts chapter 15 that some went down from Jerusalem and I want you to notice that it says in chapter 15 of the book of Acts verse 1 certain men which came down from Judea they taught the brethren and they said and I think this is, beloved brothers and sisters, what we need to get a hold of.

They said to the Gentile Christians, the Gentile believers, that except they be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. In other words, they were expecting from the non-Jewish believers to become circumcised, otherwise they are not saved. That probably leaves most of us here as unsaved if you haven't been circumcised according to the expectation of these people who came down from Judea. In fact, in verse 5 of Acts chapter 15, we read that but there arose a certain of the sect of the Pharisees, which believed, saying that it was needful to circumcise them and to commend them to keep the law of Moshe, the law of Moses.

Now you see what was the problem? These non-Jewish people who were from the Goyim, from the nations of the world, accepted Yeshua the Messiah by faith because the apostles, Shaul Paul, have gone to preach in their localities. But now they were told that they are really not saved, They're really not forgiven because they haven't been circumcised. Now Paul, Shaul Paul, was really troubled with this because he knew very well that salvation has nothing to do with circumcision or law-keeping or rules of men or baptism or speaking in tongues or anything that men produce it doesn't save a man because the best of the things that one can do come of a heart that is sinful whether Jewish or whether gentle we all needed the forgiveness of God and it is only the blood of our Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah that washed our sins away No works, no circumcision, no baptism, no man-made activities ever saved anyone because otherwise Yeshua, the Messiah, died in vain.

His blood was shed in vain if salvation depended upon merit or upon some sort of thing that one must do. So in the first chapter, Paul has shared with the Galatians his challenges. You might say his personal experience. He told them how he was an unbeliever before. He didn't believe in Yeshua. He told them how he persecuted the assembly of believers in the early days before he became a believer. And then he told them how God have met him, the Messiah that is, and he called him to become a messenger of the gospel to the Gentile world, to the nations of the world. How he was the one that received the message of the gospel, not from men, not by men, not through men, but directly from the glorified Messiah, Yeshua.

So after he presented this in the first chapter, now he continued to give his biography, personal experience, and now he's dealing now in the first 10 verses with a meeting that he went to experience in the city of Jerusalem to deal with this very issue concerning the expectation from the non-Jewish people from the goyim who became believers to be circumcised and to keep certain rules and some of them to impose of them certain things that was not to be imposed upon those believers from among the Gentiles. So in chapter 2 now, the first 10 verses, I want you to notice how Paul once again, he's going to Jerusalem.

If you will read the book of Acts, you will notice that Shaul Paul went about four or five times to the city of Jerusalem after he became a believer in Yeshua. Let me just give them to you if you're making notes. In Acts chapter 9 and verse 26 he went up to Jerusalem and he received recognition that he was indeed a believer now in Yeshua the Messiah. In Acts chapter 12 and verse 25, he went again to the city of Jerusalem, this time to give a relief to the Jewish believers in Jerusalem who became poor, gifts to bring for the benefit of the Jewish believers in Jerusalem. In Acts chapter 15, which we're going to speak about today.

He went a third time, and this third time he went to visit with the council, the spiritual leaders in the city of Jerusalem, and to consult with them concerning the situation that troubled him and the Gentile believers. In Acts chapter 18 and verse 22, he really went to have their salutation to give greetings to the brethren in Jerusalem from those from among the Gentile world and in Acts chapter 19 and actually 21, 22 and 23 this is the fifth time there the Shaul Paul had been imprisoned and he was captured and from there on he was traveling from Jerusalem as a prisoner through Samaria and ultimately arrived to the city of Rome.

Five, at least four or five visits that Shaul Paul made to Yerushalayim in order now to kind of link the Gentiles believers with the Jewish believers in the city of Yerushalayim. But these verses that we read today really connect us with Acts chapter 15 visiting and speaking with the council in the city of Jerusalem concerning what are we going to do with those Gentiles who became believers? Are we going to ask from them to be circumcised? Are we going to expect from them to be circumcised and tell them that they are really not saved? They are not forgiven if they only believe in Yeshua the Messiah?

And that's what was in the hut of Shaul Paul when he arrived there to the city of Jerusalem. So, we are in Galatians chapter 2. He's writing this letter to the Galatian believers. And to remind you, if you look at the map there for a moment, to remind you that Shaul Paul went to Galatia, and in Galatia he visited specifically Derbe, Econium, Lystra, and Antioch of Pisidia. He visited this province of Galatia, these four cities, and there he preached the gospel, and the gospel was spreading to many other towns and cities, and more and more from the goyim, from the Gentiles, became believers. They got saved by simply accepting the message of the gospel.

So now he's writing to them because they were in trouble. They were already living that truth that salvation is only on the basis of the work of the Messiah alone and no more. They were influenced by others who came. And so now look what he's dealing with in Galatians chapter 2. He's writing to them and he's saying to them in verse 1, 2, and 3, He's going to Jerusalem there to have a private consultation with the spiritual leaders in the city of Jerusalem. The spiritual leaders meaning that they were the believers, the leaders in the assembly, in the congregation in Jerusalem. And he was going to have a visit with them.

So we read, notice that. Chapter 2 and verse 1. Then 14 years after, I, this is Paul, Shaul Paul, went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas and took Titus with me also, and went up by revelation and communicated unto them that gospel which I preached among the Gentiles but privately to them which were of reputation lest by any means I should run or had run in vain but listen to this verse 3 neither Titus who was with me being a Greek was compelled to be circumcised now just pause with me here for a moment in these first three verses apparently he's once again going to jerusalem this time it's really if we looked at what we just mentioned acts 9 acts 11 and this time acts 15.

this is in a sense the third time that he shaul paul a believer in yeshua the messiah an apostle now sent by the lord He's now going to Jerusalem, and he's going to, first of all, speak privately with the spiritual leaders of the assembly, of the congregation, of the church in the city of Jerusalem. And you notice, who does he take with him? He takes with him Barnabas. In Hebrew, we call him Barnabas, or a son of consolation, or the word Nava comes from the word Lenabot. It's really a prophecy, a son of one that is a person who gives prophecy of comfort to the people of God.

And he also, as it says here, took with him Titus. Barnabas was a Jewish man, a Jewish believer, of whom we read already earlier in the book of Acts. And Titus was a Gentile, a goi. He was not from a Jewish background. He was a young brother that became a believer in Yeshua the Messiah. we have the letter of Titus that he wrote to Titus he called him my beloved son son in the faith he took Barnabas he took Titus and he went up to Jerusalem and you notice that it says then 14 years after which means that by the time that apostle Paul was now going to Jerusalem according to Galatians chapter 2 and verse 1, which is Acts 15, already 17 years have passed by.

14 years here. And if you remember, we read in the previous chapter, in chapter 1 verse 18, then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter. In other words, three years plus 14 years, Seventeen years have passed by since Shaul Paul had visited the apostles after he became a believer the first time, after he accepted Yeshua the Messiah. He was preaching the message of the gospel. He went for his first missionary journey in chapter 13 and chapter 14, and he went to Galatia and many areas to preach the message of the gospel. Many from the Goyim, from the Gentiles, have embraced the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

And they became a part of the assemblies, of the local assemblies in their cities. 17 years passed by, and now he's coming on the third trip to the city of Jerusalem. And you notice intentionally, he brings along with him a man that was not Jewish, who was a believer in Yeshua, who was serving the Lord, preaching the gospel with Shaul Paul, whose name is actually mentioned about, if I'm correct, 12 times in the Brit HaChadasha. He is mentioned in the New Testament about 12 times. Most of the time we hear of the name Titus in the book of 2 Corinthians. But he received even a letter from Shaul Paul as he was sending him to help believers in local, in difficult areas where Gentile believers became, Gentile people became believers and they had many problems.

Titus went to help them, to minister to them. And so he bring him along with him. And he's coming up to the city of Jerusalem, according to Galatians 2 and verse 1. And again, why he brought Titus to Jerusalem? Because, as we read in Acts chapter 15, And certain men which came down from Judea taught to the brethren that except they be circumcised after the manner of Moshe, ye cannot be saved. Verse 5, but there arose a certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying that it was needful to circumcise them and to commend them to keep the law of Moses. In other words, you are not saved, you are not redeemed, you are not forgiven unless you're keeping the law and unless you are being circumcised.

Now again, 2,000 years have passed by, since this event has happened in the city of Yerushalayim. But today we have the same issues. It might be different. Today people tell us you are not saved unless you are baptized. You are not saved unless you speak in tongue. You are not saved unless you keep certain rituals. In other words, men throughout the ages always find a way whereby they sought to influence others and say to them, you are not saved and let you follow that which I suggest for you to follow. And therefore, Paul brought Titus with him to the city of Jerusalem to meet with the council.

Notice in verse 2, Paul went up to Jerusalem. Notice that his going to Jerusalem was not something that he just initiated on his own. but according to verse 2 it says here and I went up by revelation brothers and sisters listen in the early days of the church of the assembly these early apostles received direct revelation from the glorified Messiah Shaul Paul met him on the way to Damascus he literally spoke to him from heaven and he said to him Shaul Shaul, why do you persecute me? He took him to Arabia and for three years Yeshua, the Messiah was instructing Shaul Paul concerning the things of the Lord.

And apparently it seemed to be that here the Apostle Paul received revelation from the Lord and the communication from the Lord to tell him, listen Shaul Paul it's time for you to go to Jerusalem to deal with another issue imagine, brothers and sisters I want you to understand the church was in its infancy up to this time only Jewish people knew the true and living God the Jagoyim, the nations of the world never had the privilege that our people, the people of Israel have had now the Messiah had come Israel as a nation did not recognize and acknowledge him as the Messiah. And they temporarily were placed in waiting, as it were, while the gospel message is gone beyond the borders of Israel to unite Jew and Gentiles together in the body of Messiah.

As a nation, Israel didn't recognize that Yeshua is the Messiah. Until today, our people of Israel still not recognize Yeshua the Messiah. So what God was going to do, he was going to build the assembly, the ecclesia, the called out ones, Jew and Gentile, united together in the body of Messiah to, you might say, to share with them the blessing that he intends for them until the future day when he will restore the people of Israel. So how do you handle, here's those goyim, Gentiles, become believers, what we're going to do with them? We're going to impose on them circumcision? Are we going to impose on them to keep certain rules?

Otherwise, they are not saved? That is not even logic. Never mind that it's not biblical, but it's not logic. Can you imagine if somebody is going to come to you today, brothers and sisters, and say to you, you are really not saved. You are not saved. Can you imagine what a discouragement that would be for a believer who says, listen, I'm a sinner. I've accepted that I'm a sinner and I accepted the Messiah, Jesus, Yeshua, who died for me. He was buried and he rose for my justification. You telling me that I'm not saved? What do I have? Nothing. That's what was bothering Shaul Paul so much.

So he went by revelation because the Lord from glory revealed himself to Shaul and told him a time for you to go and you go and I believe brothers and sisters that if you read Acts chapter 15 you see that the apostles the Jewish apostles in the city of Jerusalem they understood the plan the program of God and they eventually received Shaul Paul and agreed with him concerning this matter. So, we find out that the apostle, Paul, notice what we read here in verse 2, Galatians 2, 2, I went by revelation and communicated unto them, listen, that gospel, that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles. But listen, privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run or had run in vain.

You see, Paul was such an amazing man. He never wanted any divisions. He always wanted harmony. He's writing, listen to all the 13 letters that we read in the Brit HaChadasha, in the New Testament that Shaul Paul gave us. divinely inspired, they were only written for the benefit of the people of God, Jew and Gentile alike. And so he was receiving revelation from the Lord. He's going out to Jerusalem and there he was speaking privately with those that were having reputation, the spiritual leaders of the assembly and the congregation in the city of Jerusalem. What he was speaking to them, That gospel which I preach among the Gentiles.

Look what I'm saying to the Gentiles. He's saying to them. Peter, James, John. You know what I'm saying to the Gentiles, to the green? I'm saying to them, according to 1 Corinthians chapter 15, that the Messiah died for our sins according to the scriptures. And that he was buried and he rose again on the third day according to the scriptures. That's all what I'm preaching to the Gentile world. I'm telling them that the Messiah, 1 Corinthians 15, verses 3 and 4, that the Messiah, that Christ died for our sins, not for his sins, but for our sins, and it is based upon the Hebrew scriptures. He didn't have New Testament to preach to them.

as yet he was giving them the Hebrew scriptures that promise that the Messiah will come the Mashiach will come and he will die for the sins of the world he was wounded for our transgression he was bruised for our iniquity the chastisement of our peace fell upon him and with his stripe we are healed all we like sheep have gone astray we have turned everyone to his own way but the Lord laid upon him the iniquities of us all that's what the Hebrew scriptures have predicted Isaiah chapter 53 David Psalm 22 the Hebrew prophet predicted that the Messiah will come and he will die and he will become a substitute so Galatians 2 and verse 2 He was telling to the believers, to the leaders in the city of Yerushalayim.

He said, that gospel, habesorah in Hebrew, which I preach among the Gentiles. That's all what he told them. Now you would think, they would tell him, oh Paul, what have you done? You only say that? You didn't tell them to be circumcised also? You didn't tell them that they must keep the law of Moses also? You didn't tell them that they have certain rules, rabbinical, phariseic rule in order to be saved? You didn't tell this to them? He didn't. Because very well he knew that there is no way to be saved and forgiven on any other merit except the precious blood of the Messiah. So you notice, brothers and sisters, he spoke first of all to them by reputation, lest by any means I should run or had run in vain.

In other words, he said, in case, of course he knew what he's doing, in case I ran in vain for nothing. I just went. I went to all the area of Galatia. I went to Asia Minor. I was preaching the word in vain if I'm preaching a wrong message. He knew that he doesn't. He knew that he did not. But nevertheless, he wanted to see, you might say, even to share with the spiritual leaders who have seen the Lord, who walked with Yeshua, who knew Him in His ministry, who have been taught by Him concerning the things to come, who were commended by Him to become an apostle.

He talked to the very same leaders. And you notice that? He didn't want to run in vain. He wanted to have fellowship with the brothers in the city of Jerusalem. So whatever he does will be in harmony with whatever they do. The same message. But it's now going to the Gentile world. To remind you, brothers and sisters, that before Yeshua gone to heaven, In Acts chapter 1 and verse 8, Yeshua the Messiah, after he rose from among the dead and before he went to glory, he said, ye shall receive power after the Holy Spirit is come upon you and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.

That's what was the desire of our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, that he will be using the apostles to be messengers to the whole world, beyond Israel, to the world at large. And that many will hear the message of the grace of God. So, in verse 3 of our chapter, Galatians 2, 3, notice what it says here. But, here he's emphasizing what happened with Titus. After all, he was a goy, he was not Jewish. And he says, but neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. In other words, you see, the leaders who led the local assembly in the city of Jerusalem, The apostles who met and lived with Yeshua and ministered with him, who were commended by him to go and share the gospel, they didn't compel Paul to circumcise Titus.

as it says here in Galatians 2 and verse 3 but neither Titus who was with me being a Greek was compelled to be circumcised Titus was a servant of the Lord he was a non-Jewish individual he loved Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah he loved the brothers and sisters he had accepted the Lord Jesus as his Lord and Savior he became a child of God he grew up in a greek home he was non-jewish person never had been circumcised and the brethren in the city of jerusalem did not compel titus to be circumcised now just i want you for a moment to turn with me to genesis chapter 17 Genesis chapter 17 is where the first time we find the requirement that God gave to Abraham our father with respect to circumcision.

You see circumcision was not something that the Jewish people have invented. Circumcision was given by God to Abraham and to the nation of Israel. And so we read in chapter 17 of the book of Genesis, we read in verse 9, And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant, therefore thou and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee. Every man child among you shall be circumcised. God is saying this to our father Abraham. And he shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a token of the covenant between me and you, and he that is eight days of old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations.

He that is born in the house or bought with money or any stranger which is not of thy seed, he that is born in thy house and he that is bought with thy money must need to be circumcised and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And listen to this verse 14. And the uncircumcised man child, whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from among his people. He has broken my covenant. Now notice how serious the right of circumcision was given to Abraham to pass along to his son Yitzhak, Isaac, to pass along to his grandson Jacob, Jacob, and to pass along to the whole twelve tribes of Israel.

And whoever entered into to be among the people of Israel had to be circumcised. And you notice on the eighth day, everyone had to be circumcised by his parents. Look at Leviticus chapter 12 with me for a moment. Leviticus chapter 12 and verse 1. Here you can see how God has even inaugurated that and included it in the law that he gave to Moses and to the people of Israel. Listen to this. Leviticus chapter 12 verse 1. And the Lord speak unto Moses, speaking to the children of Israel, saying, if a woman have conceived seed and born a man child, then she shall be unclean for seven days. According to the days of the separation for her infirmity, she shall be unclean.

Now notice in verse 3, and in the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. He's speaking about the people of Israel, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the nation of Israel, and those who became part of the nation of Israel before Yeshua the Messiah came were compelled, it was essential for them to be circumcised by their parents. And so you can see how it must, it had been engraved in the Jewish heart among the people of Israel because God demanded this from his people Israel. But we never read that he ever demanded this from the Gentile world. We never read in Scripture that God demanded this from the nations of the world.

In fact, the reason that the Messiah had to come and to die for the sin of the world is because the law had pointed to the coming of the Messiah. And when he came, the believer had him, he has everything, and no less and no more is needful than the person of the Son. So notice what happened here. So you can see why these Jewish, early Jewish Pharisees were so much trouble with what we're going to do with the Gentiles. So you can see that now in a different era, some call it in the Greek, it's called oikonomia. The translation from the Greek oikonomia comes to the English dispensation.

Oikonomia in the Greek, a different economy. God is dealing with a Gentile world and a Jewish world who became believers in a different way. It's not that the law of God has shifted, but the dealing with mankind is on a basis of the finished work of the Messiah. And so you notice in Galatians chapter 2, they didn't ask for Titus to be circumcised. Because Titus is living in a different era, in a different oikonomia, in a different economy, in the days of disassembly. Israel has not accepted the Messiah as yet. The church, the believers in the assembly have come to know the Messiah and together they form the body of Messiah.

And so, beloved brothers and sisters, in this second chapter, we find out that Titus was not compelled to be circumcised. But it's very interesting, and I want to also mention that, that if you go back for a second to Acts chapter 16 for a moment, And you notice that in Acts chapter 16, Paul does circumcise Timothy. And you wonder, notice in Acts chapter 16 and verse 1, Then came he to Derbe and Lystra, and behold, a certain disciple was there by the name of Timothy, the son of a certain woman which was Jewish, and believed. But his father was a Greek, which was well reported by the brethren that were in Lystra and in Cornium.

Verse 3 says, him would Paul had to go forth with him and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters, for they knew all that his father was a Greek. It is amazing how wise Paul was. Titus, who was a Gentile, he did not circumcise. But Timothy, who was Jewish, his mother was Jewish, he did circumcise. And the purpose of his circumcision was not that Timothy will now become saved because now he got circumcised. No, it's because Paul understood that when you reach the Jewish people as a Jewish individual, you are able to enter in and to minister to them because they have nothing to accuse you.

You are just like them, was born to a Jewish parent, circumcised on the eighth day. In the case of those of us who are in intimacy, it was much later. And then that you became a believer in Yeshua, the Messiah. So they cannot say, I cannot hear you because you have no Jewish background. You don't have any idea about our heritage and our culture and the law of God. No, Paul knew very well. Titus he didn't circumcise and Timothy he circumcised. Here is the wisdom of the Apostle Paul. Timothy was not all of a sudden became a child of God because he was circumcised. No, he was already a believer.

He had acknowledged Yeshua the Messiah. But as a testimony to the Jewish world where Timothy might be entering in, he did circumcise Timothy lest he will be accused by them as one who have no understanding of the Jewish lifestyle. Now again, brothers and sisters, what Paul is doing here by sharing this, he is not telling that it is wrong for the Jewish people to be circumcised. But he's saying that for the Gentile world it is wrong to impose upon them circumcision and tell them otherwise you are not saved. That was the message that Paul is seeking to present here before us. And by the way, those of us who are circumcised, we were circumcised for many, many years before we became believers and we were lost.

We were unsaved. We were heading for eternal separation from God. It's not our circumcision that saved us. What saved us is the blood of Yeshua, the Messiah, God's Son, who loved us so much and took our sins upon Himself, which we have committed and we deserve to be punished because of this. And today, sadly, there are many who are circumcised who are still unsaved. Just the same that there are many who are baptized and still unsaved. Or many who claim to speak in tongues and they still do not know that Yeshua is their Lord and Savior. Or many who keep works, whether it is law-keeping or whether it is man-made keeping, who are still lost in their sins because they haven't embraced the person of Yeshua the Messiah in their hearts.

And how sad it is for the Apostle Paul. And we have to realize this, beloved brothers and sisters. So now let's move along in Galatians chapter 2 and verses 4 and 5. Now he's shifting from private visit with the leaders to a public meeting with the rest of the council there in the city of Yerushalayim. And so notice now what we read in Galatians 2 and verses 4 and 5. Now you notice that Paul is now showing to us what really happened there. And you notice what it says in verse 4? It says, but because of false brethren. In Hebrew we call it Achei Sheker. Unaware, brought in, who came in privately to spy out our liberty, which we have in Christ Jesus, in Mashiach Yeshua, that they might bring us into bondage, to whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

So Paul is writing this letter to the Galatians. The Galatians were already influenced by all these ones who came and said to them, you are really not quite saved. Jesus, yes, but plus this. Yeshua, yes, but you've got to do this and you've got to keep this or you've got to be circumcised. So the Apostle Paul says, look what happened. And brothers and sisters, this has happened any time. It happened in the past history, in the early days of the assembly, and it's happening also today. In the past days, you might blame the Jewish people. Today, we cannot blame the Jewish people anymore. it was in those today.

We can say it is from the Gentile world. There are those who come and notice that, brothers and sisters. This is very serious. Very serious. Because of false brethren. I didn't write it. That was written by Shaul, Paul. False brethren, unaware, brought in who came in privately to spire out liberty which we have in Christ Jesus in the Messiah Yeshua that they might bring us into bondage. See, that's what religion does all the time. It's always like this. It was already seen in the early days of the assembly like it is today in the latter days of the assembly, the same thing. It's also happened historically among our own people, Israel.

Those who left Egypt after they were redeemed, they were already there, the Asafsuf, those who were coming and sowing all kind of things among the people of Israel. And it's no different in the days in which you and I live in today. There were those, notice that, because of false brethren. You know, this expression, false brethren, Achei Sheker, means that they were not really brethren. They were not born by the Holy Spirit of God. They were false brethren, but how? They were brought in. They were, as it says here, they were unaware brought in who came privately. What did they come to do? They come to spy out our liberty, the freedom that we have in the Mashiach, in Christ.

And you see, beloved brothers and sisters, You know, John, the same apostle of whom we read that Paul had visited with him, he said in his letter, he said, 1 John 4, verse 1, Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into this world, into the world. John mentioning this in his letter when he wrote, like Shaul mentioned this in his letter as well. Look what Peter said. In 2 Peter 2, verse 1, But there were false prophets among the people, namely among Israel in the past days of Israel's day, even as there shall be false teachers among you who privately shall bring in damnation heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

It's not new. It is always there. Wherever the truth of God is presented you're always going to find a counterfeit.

It happened historically before the church was born it happened when the church was born and it happened today during these last days of the assembly days in the same way false teaching counterfeit teaching that caused the people of God to be swayed away from their liberty and freedom and beloved brothers and sisters already there the apostle Paul gave these warnings and he says look what happened Galatians 2 verse 4 because of false brethren unaware brought in and I want to remind you again at the days of the book of Acts a transition was going to happen Israel as a nation did not accept the Mashiach I wish we can aggress that had Israel have accepted

him the messianic kingdom will be established immediately and Yeshua will reign as king of kings and Israel will be a blessing to the world as God have intended of Israel to be for the world but the nation hasn't as it was predicted by the prophets of Israel that first coming Israel as a nation will not accept him though minority of Israelis Jewish people will accept him and God will use these apostles and servants to share the gospel with the world so in those early days of the assembly in fact the Jewish believers were looked upon by the Pharisees as another sect we have the sect of the Pharisees we have the sect of the Sadducees,

we have the sect of the Herodians, we have the sect of the Messianics.

But they didn't understand that it's not another sect. It is the body of Mashiach. It is a company that was already planned in the plan of God that God have called the people to himself among the Jews and the Gentiles That's a heavenly company. And they didn't distinguish like, unfortunately, today many don't distinguish. Israel is Israel. The assembly is the assembly. The church hope is heavenly. Israel's hope is earthly. Israel is still in a state of unbelief. We are not Israel. We don't take from Israel the promises of God. Look at us. Two thousand years pass by. Where is the blessing that God has promised in the prophets if we are Israel?

We are still in a divided state. We are still scattered today. Where is the promises of God to Israel? It hasn't been fulfilled as yet. It will happen. I have promised, but it hasn't happened. In the early days, I can understand that they had a problem, but today, 2,000 years pass by. You know, somebody told me yesterday, it was very interesting, that Israel as a nation, from the day Israel came out of Egypt up till the time that Yeshua came, was only 1,500 years, that's all, 1,500 years old. Israel as a nation, under God, was 1,500 years old. When a Messiah came and Israel did not accept Yeshua, and the church was born, till today there is about 2,000 years.

Do you know that the Ecclesia is longer in existence as under God than Israel? Do you know that the church is more responsible under grace in these days than Israel under law? Israel was looking for the coming of the Messiah. We have already accepted a Messiah who came. Israel never had all the canon of Scripture, only had the Tanakh. You and I have the complete canon of Scripture. Israel didn't have the Holy Spirit of God indwelling every Israeli. You and I have the Holy Spirit of God indwelling every true believer in Yeshua the Messiah. Israel lived in the days in which God's law was given to the nation to show them and point to the Messiah.

We live in the days when the Messiah have already came and paid the price for our sins and gave us all that which he intended for us to have today. And yet, the church failed deeper under grace than Israel failed under law. That's why God will hold the professing church more accountable under grace than the nation of Israel who were under the law you see brothers and sisters in the first days of the assembly you can see why they said no no no you have to be circumcised because God gave the Jewish people the command to be circumcised you can understand you might say though it's wrong but today when people impose on the believers to keep certain rights and certain things and saying to them otherwise you are not saved imagine how it grieves the heart of God imagine how it takes away liberty from the believers and so what so after all all what I did I believe in Yeshua but I'm not quite saved I'm not forgiven really because I haven't made it that's grieving the Spirit of God when one does so.

We might have liberties to do many, many things but not for salvation. We have liberties to do things to honor the Lord but not for salvation. What shall wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Yeshua, of Jesus the Messiah. So notice that in verses 4 and 5 of Galatians chapter 2 they were false brethren and they wanted to take our liberty away from us they crept in they spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus in the Mashiach Yeshua not in ourselves, not in any regulation and man made not even in circumcision no, we have liberty which we receive from the person of Yeshua, the Messiah.

And they wanted to bring us back into bondage. Do you know that religion, whichever shape and form you take it from, it always leads us into slavery and bondage. That's why we are so thankful to be liberated by having the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah that is not liberty to live a sinful life of course not Paul said in Romans 6 shall we continue in sin that great may abound God forbid not at all being at liberty to be a child of God does not give us license to do what we want but it gives us spiritual liberty and freedom to know that God have accepted me a sinner on a basis of the finished work of Yeshua the Messiah.

And so you notice what Paul is saying here in verse 5 to whom we gave place by subjection not even for one hour. We didn't spend our time. We were not subject to this not even for an hour. We knew very well the grace that God had provided for us. We are not going to allow anybody to put us back into bondage. And you notice what he says in verse 5 at the end? That the truth of the gospel might continue with you. What is the truth of the gospel? That Christ and the Mashiach have died for our sins according to the scripture. that he was buried and he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures.

And those Scriptures were the Hebrew Scriptures, what God had given to the people of Israel. Upon these Scriptures, we can verify the truth that when the Messiah will come, sin will be paid and forgiveness and liberty will be provided for the believer. So now after he had the private meeting, And then now he had the public meeting, now notice in the last verses here for us today, verses 6 to 10, the outcome from the public meeting with the council in the city of Jerusalem. And now notice these brothers and sisters, look at the outcome that we find here in these verses, verses 6 to verse 10, which we read, Galatians 2, 6 to 10.

Notice in verse 6, the Jerusalem council really didn't add anything to the message of the gospel that Paul preached to the Goyim, to the Gentile. He says in verse 6, But of these who seem to be somewhat whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me, God accepteth no man's person. For they who seem to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me. In other words, whatever they heard about the ministry of Shaul Paul to the goyim, to the Gentile world, they received it and accepted it and appreciated it. And they didn't say, Paul, no, you have to add something. It's not quite right. Paul said, look, by the way, these are the leaders.

The council in the city of Jerusalem, Those first century believers in Yeshua sometime at the early days of the assembly, maybe 30 years pass by, these are the leaders. They didn't add anything to the message that Paul preached to the Gentile world. Secondly, in verses 7 and 8, the Jerusalem council distinguished between, notice, the gospel that is being preached to the uncircumcision, to the Gentile, and the gospel that is preached to the circumcision, to the Jewish people. La goyim and la yehudim. They distinguish that there is a way whereby we present the same message of the gospel to the Jews or to the Gentiles, the same message, but you present it in a way that is suitable for the people to whom you seek to reach.

Not changing the message, not twisting the message, not elaborating on the message, except giving it as it is, but there is distinguishing between Jewish evangelization and Gentile evangelization. Notice in verses 7 and 8, and I'm reading those two verses. But contrarywise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter. Notice that, brothers and sisters? They recognized the leaders in the council in the city of Jerusalem that there is a special way in which Paul was called to reach the Gentiles and a special way in which Peter was called to reach the Jewish people. No different message, the same gospel.

They didn't add or subtract from the message of the apostle Paul. The same message was committed to both of them. One went to the Jews, the other one to the Gentiles. One went to the Yehudim, the other one went to the Goyim. And you notice he used the word uncircumcision in verse 7 and circumcision in verse 7b. Uncircumcision, this is the Gentile world. Circumcision, this is the Jewish world. Never anyone forced the Jewish people not to be circumcised. And never anyone was called to force the Gentiles to be circumcised. To the Jewish people, God had given to our people the right of circumcision. It was given to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and inaugurated in Leviticus chapter 12, and commanded that the Hebrew boys will be circumcised.

This is a sign of the covenant that God had made with Himself and the people of Israel. But not with the Gentile world, not with the nations of the world. And that's why notice they saw that a gospel, notice twice the word gospel is mentioned here. The gospel of the uncircumcision committed unto me, this is Paul. And the gospel of the circumcision committed unto Peter, Shimon Petos. In verse 8, it says, For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me towards the Gentile. In other words, the same God, the same Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, who committed the message to be preached by Shimon Petros, is the same Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, who committed the message to be preached by Paul to the nations of the world.

To remind you that in Matthew chapter 16, Yeshua said to Peter, Jesus said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Yonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say unto thee that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my assembly. and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it, and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loose in heaven. Simon Peter, Shimon Barionah received the key, as we mentioned this before.

The key simply means the fact that he will be the first one to open the door through the preaching of the gospel. To the Jews, his own people in Acts 2, to the Samaritan in Acts 8, and to the Gentiles in Acts chapter 10 to Cornelius. But to Paul, the same message was committed unto him as we read in Acts chapter 9 verse 15. The Lord said unto him, to this Hanania, Go thy way, for he, this is Paul, is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel, for I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.

Both of these men, Shimon Petros and Shaul Paul, have seen the risen Messiah. Peter saw the risen Messiah on earth, while Shaul Paul saw the risen Messiah on the way to Damascus, who was now in glory in heaven. Both were commissioned by the Lord, the same message of the gospel, one to the Jew, the other one to the Gentiles. No wonder today, brothers and sisters, it's kind of sad when you look at many church groups and you ask them if they have a missionary who reach to the Jewish people with the message of the gospel. They don't have, sadly. They have a reaching to this country and to this country and to those nations.

But when you ask them, do you have evangelization to share the message of the gospel with the Jewish people? Sadly to say they don't. As if the Jewish people don't need to hear the message of the gospel. But here Paul made it clear that the one that called Paul to speak to the Gentile is the very same one, Yeshua the Messiah, who called Shimon Petros to reach the Jewish people with the message of the gospel. So he distinguished between the circumcision and the uncircumcision only in the manner whereby we share with them the gospel and the expectation from them, but not at all the necessity for circumcision or any keeping of all sort of man-made rules.

Now here, let me conclude here with verses 9 and 10. In verses 9 and 10, the Jerusalem council gave Paul and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, and they sent them away. This is so wonderful, because now we find out that the leaders, they didn't blame Paul for what he's doing, no. It says in verse 9, and when James, that is Yaakov, and Cephas, this is Simon Peter, and John, this is Yohanan, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me. me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go unto the heathen, and that they unto the circumcision. You notice that?

James, Cephas, this is Shimon Petos, and John. You know, James was the half-brother of Yeshua, the Messiah. He's the one who became one of the pillars, as it says here. They were firm, standing as pillars in the city of Jerusalem, maintaining the truth that Yeshua is the Messiah and preaching the message of the gospel. In the early days of the life of Yeshua, the Messiah, James did not even believe on him, John 7. Later on, we find him becoming a pillar in a local assembly. You know, brothers and sisters, how we need today pillars who will stand for the truth of God who will preach sincere milk of the word who will tell us the truth who will not play with us religion but it will be reality we need it today in the last days of the church age when everything is falling apart around us with these all kind of teachings that are going on in the days of this, in Christendom, in the last days of the church age.

Where are those pillars? We need them today to be those that will help us to continue on and because of all the scene of confusion that exists today. And Satan is attacking the people of God on left and right through any form and shape of various religious activities. We need those pillars. We need men and women who love God, who love the Word, who love the people of God to tell us. And look at these pillars. What did they do with Paul? They could condemn him. Hey, Paul, are you out of your mind? What are you doing? You're telling that the Gentiles can be saved without to keep the law, be circumcised.

How can you say this, Paul? But they gave him the right hand of fellowship. The right hand of fellowship means when you lay your hand on someone identifying with his message. Paul said to Timothy, lay not suddenly your hand on any man. You know why? Because there's so much false that is going on. Be careful to lay hand carefully, not suddenly. Don't rush into agreement with everybody who tells you certain things. Be thoughtful, be prayerful, be careful. Because many false prophets have entered into this world. And so they gave him the right hand of fellowship, verse 9. And notice that they perceived that the grace that was given unto me, and they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go unto the heathen.

and the day unto the circumcision. They agreed with the message. They didn't add to the message. They didn't subscribe from the message. The very same message that I, Paul, and Barnabas were preaching to the Gentiles, they were preaching to our own Jewish brethren. The same clear message. That God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Faith alone, without works, without merit, without human intervention, on the basis of the finished work of Yeshua the Messiah, is that which saves us. Nothing more and nothing less. Otherwise, Yeshua died in vain if we have to add anything to his work.

And so in verse 10, only they would that we should remember the poor, the same which I also was forward to do. Paul, you are going to go now to the nations of the world who became believers? Just remind them not to forget the Jewish brethren in Jerusalem and in Judea who became poor because they lost much because of their faith in Yeshua the Messiah. They lost family members. They lost relationship with the family. They couldn't have the privileges anymore to go to the temple. They lost properties because they were not accepted. And they became poor. Paul, remember those poor of the people of Israel. Don't forget your Jewish brethren.

Tell this to the Gentile believers to remember and to recognize the need. And you know, Paul said in verse 10, which I also was forward to doing. You know what he did? Many a time, Shaul Paul collected funds and he brought them to the city of Jerusalem. to meet the needs of those believers who became poor because of their faith in Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. Amazing the kind of a servant Shaul Paul was in his life since he became a believer in Yeshua, the Messiah. And so, brothers and sisters, the meeting and the verdict of the council in the city of Jerusalem was and I'm going to close with this Acts chapter 15 and I'm closing look what they said and I'm closing that it says in Acts chapter 15 and verse 28 and 29 for it seems good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things that ye abstain from meat's offer unto idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication for which if ye keep yourself ye shall do well and then he says shalom lachem fair ye well you only need to abstain from meat's offer to idols from blood from things strangled and from fornication if you are a believer in Yeshua the Messiah abstain for that and live your life to honor the Lord that is the only thing which is necessary for salvation no more and no less just accept Yeshua the Messiah and his work for you as he suffered for you on the tree and with this we concluded Galatians chapter 2 verses 1 to 10.

May the Lord bless his word. Can you say amen to that?