Shalom everyone, God bless you. Today we are continuing the study together of the Gospel of John. And we are today have arrived to the fifth chapter of the Gospel of John. It is a blessing for all of us to be able to study the Word of God together, to be under the sound of the Word, to be occupied with the person of our Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. And today I would like to read with you the first 18 verses of John Yohanan chapter 5, to remind you that John, his Hebrew name is Yohanan, he was the one that was chosen by our Lord Jesus, our Lord Yeshua to be this apostle that presented before us this amazing gospel of Yohanan of John which really present shua Jesus in his divine nature emphasizing specifically the divine nature of the Messiah and this is very important and in this fifth chapter which is extremely an interesting chapter we find the Lord Yeshua Jesus again in the city of Jerusalem and he is now.

Healing a man in the pool of Beit Chazda Bethesda in Hebrew we call it Beit Chazda let me read these verses in order to have the word of God before us so please follow me as we are reading the first 18 verses of John chapter 5 and we read after this there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to Jerusalem now there is a Jerusalem by the ship gate in Hebrew a pool which is called in the Hebrew tongue, Beit Chazda, Bethesda in English, having five porches, in these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, a blind halt withered, waiting for the moving of the water.

For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool and troubled the water. Whosoever then first, after the troubling of the water, stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Yeshua saw him lay, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Will thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, i have no man when the water is troubled to put me into the pool but while i am coming another steps down before me Jesus saith unto him rise take up thy bed and walk and immediately the man was made whole, he took up his bed, and walked, on the same day was the Shabbat.

The Jews therefore said unto him, that was cured, it is the Shabbat day, it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed. He answered them, he that made me whole, the same said unto me, take up thy bed and walk. Then asked they him what man is that which said unto thee take up thy bed and walk and he that was healed wist not who it was for Yeshua had conveyed himself away a multitude being in that place. Afterwards, Jesus findeth him in the temple and saith unto him, Behold, thou art made whole, sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus which made him whole.

And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus and sought to slay him because he had done these things on the Shabbat day. But Yeshua answered them, My father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore, the Jews sought them all to kill him, because he had not only broken the Shabbat, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. Beloved friend, this is such an amazing passage here in the fifth chapter of the Gospel of John, Because in this we learn much about the fact that Yeshua presented himself to Israel, to our people of old. And as he was presenting himself, he definitely sought to convey to Israel that he's not only that he was the promised Messiah, but that he's indeed a divine person.

Notice what we read in verse 18 at the last portion for this reading today we find out that the Jewish leaders sought the more to kill him why because he not only had broken the Shabbat but said also that God was his father making himself equal with God this is really a challenge for our people of Israel of course historically even today but also it is a challenge for all men in this world to recognize that the Messiah that this Yeshua that this Jesus is indeed a God the Son he is indeed equal with God the Father he is one of the triune persons of the Godhead, and He is the one that enters into this world in order to provide redemption for sinners such as us all.

You remember we read in the beginning of the Gospel of John that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And then we also read in Verse 14, and the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory. The glory is of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. This is fundamental, my dear friend. My dear friend, if you are ever going to understand the truth of redemption, salvation for us all who have sinned and come short of the glory of God, We must accept the fact that we needed much more than just good works, good deeds.

Even the sacrificial system only can cover temporarily sin. But now there is no temple, there is no priesthood, there is no altar. There is no bloodshed on an altar. But all these sacrifices pointed to the supreme sacrifice of the Messiah of Israel, who would be much more than just another man. God and man in one. This is essential. And in his humanity, he suffered and died for the sin of this world. But listen to this. We could see, first of all, in the first nine verses of John chapter 5, we see how Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, heals physically an impotent man. Then in verses 10 to 18, we see not only this man's physical healing, but we see the spiritual healing.

And this is an amazing lesson for us to learn, because we need much more than physical healing, because even though we will be healed physically, we need spiritual healing that will provide for us eternal relationship with God. We need healing from our sin and from our sins. And for that, we needed someone to be punished in our stead. So you notice this, beloved friend and brothers and sisters. John chapter 5 presented for us, first of all, how Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, cured a sick man. And you notice we read in verse 1, we read, For after this, there was a feast of the Jews, and Yeshua went up to Jerusalem.

Well, to remind you that according to the book of Deuteronomy, God commanded his people, Israel, to come to the city of Jerusalem three times a year for the express purpose that all the Jewish male will come to represent their families in the three feasts that the Lord have instructed them you notice it says in Deuteronomy 16 verse 16 three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place where is the place this is the temple in the city of Jerusalem in a place which he shall choose in the feast of unleavened bread this is pesach Passover and unleavened bread and then in the feast of weeks this is Shavuot in Hebrew and then in the Feast of Tabernacles this is the Feast of Sukkot and they shall not appear before the Lord empty.

So God had commanded Israel the Jewish community our own people historically to go three times a year to the city of Jerusalem and to offer sacrifices on these particular occasions very important so we find the Lord again now on the. Way to Jerusalem you remember we read of him in Cana in chapter 2 of the gospel of John then we read of him back to Jerusalem again in chapter 2 at the temple then in chapter 4 he's going up toward the Galil and he's finding himself on the way in the Shomron in Samaria and then he finds of arriving again to the Galil in chapter 4 and then now he's coming back to the city of Yerushalayim now it may have been Pesach once again we do not know it may have been the feast of Shavuot the feast of weeks but whatever feast it must have been he Yeshua as one among the people of Israel went to the city of Yerushalayim to the temple in that city now of course the conditions were not well and he Yeshua is coming now to heal one that was in need it says in verse 2 that there was in Jerusalem by the ship gate notice it says in some of the.

Translation the ship market but actually it is a ship gate in Hebrew we call it sha'ar hatson in the text it's supposed to say the sheep gate that's where the sheep were brought in in order to be slaughtered on the altar and there there was a gate through the gate many sheep have crossed and passed into the area where the temple was in order to provide atonement over the generations in the city of Jerusalem and in the temple and so notice it is interesting because it says there that there was a pool which is called in the Hebrew language in the Hebrew tongue it is called Beit Chazda in English it says Bethesda but Beit Chazda Beit come from the word house Chazda come from the word mercy and grace it is really speaking about the fact that the name was the house of grace the house of mercy and there there were a five porches and how sad it is it says in the next verses my dear friend that there were so.

Many people there in that area in the five porches not to remind you that the ship gate is that in the book of Nehemiah chapter 3 and chapter 12 we learn of the ship gate in the days of Nehemiah and it is representing here the name Beit Chazda simply meaning that God is there providing grace and mercy and so we read in the next verses verse 3 how it says here in these five porches there lay a great multitude of impotent folks in other words people that had they were sick in the Hebrew word it says cholim multitude of people that were sick and we can have the description of them they were blind and halt and withered and they were waiting for the moving of the water why verse 4 tells us for an angel went down at a certain season into the pool and troubled the water whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had so beloved friend it is interesting that the Scripture.

Teaches us here that an angel went down at a certain season certain time it could be maybe we don't know how many times a year and so on but there are certain seasons in which the angel would come down he would shake the water and whoever went in he or she were healed now i know some translation eliminate this verse 4 but if you eliminate verse 4 included in this text then we have a problem of course to understand verse 7 it doesn't make sense because he himself this man that was that the Lord came to heal he himself using the same expression about the troubling of the water down in the seventh verse of this fifth chapter of the gospel of John but it is interesting because it is very important for us to understand that in Jewish history angels biblically speaking angels were involved in many many events in the history of our people the people of Israel biblical history for example in from the beginning in Genesis chapter 16.

Already in Genesis chapter 16 we read that the angel of the Lord said unto her verse 7 tells us and the angel of the Lord found her, this is Hagar, the angel of the Lord spoke to Hagar, and gave her, encouraged her, when she had to be taken out of the home of Abraham, our father, in Genesis chapter 18, the first verses, in verse 2, Abraham lifted up his eyes, and he looked, The Lord was three men stood by him and we find out immediately that one of these men, one of these men is the Lord himself appeared as a man to speak unto Abram. But if you notice, when we get to chapter 19, we discover very quickly that these remaining two men were actually angels.

Genesis chapter 19, there came two angels to Sodom at Eden, and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. So you can see that angels were involved in the history of our people of Israel, and it is not merely a myth, but God always used angels, messengers, to serve his people, the people of Israel. In fact, beloved friends, we read in the book of Genesis, in chapter 22, how in verse 11, after Abraham sought in obedience to God to offer Isaac his son, we read there that God was pleased with Abraham's obedience. And so we read in Genesis chapter 22 and verse 11, And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven and said, Abraham, Abraham.

And he said, Here am I, Hineni. And the angel, which is, of course, we understand that that was the Lord himself appearing as an angel to Abram. But the point is that angels had much involvement in Israel's history throughout the history of the nation of Israel. In fact, beloved friend, in Genesis chapter 28 and verse 12, we read in connection with Jacob that he dreamed that, behold, a ladder, verse 12, set up on the earth, the top of it reached to heaven, and behold, the angels of God ascending and descending on that ladder. Biblically speaking, much information was given to the people of Israel, Abraham, Yitzhak, Yaakov, and so on, from the angels that God has used to serve His people.

I don't know if you remember, but in Genesis chapter 31 and verse 11, it says, And the angel of the Lord spoke unto me in a dream, saying, Yaakov, Jacob. And I said, here am I. And Jacob is sharing how the angel of the Lord has spoken unto him. So angels had much to do, much involvement in the history of the people of Israel. And biblically speaking, we can see this found in the word of God. In Exodus chapter 33, we read in verse 2, And I will send an angel, God is saying to Moshe, to Moses, I will send an angel before thee and I will drive out the Canaanite and Amorite and the Chittite and the Perizzite and the Chivite and the Jebusite and so on, unto the land flowing with milk and honey and so on.

And so God is always mentioned the angels in reference to the people of Israel because they are called in the Scripture those that are serving. They are called servants. The Hebrew word malachim, malach simply means messengers. And so, beloved friends, the angels are servants of the Lord. It says in the book of Hebrews, interesting, when the apostle wrote to the early Hebrew believers in Jesus the Messiah, he said, But to which of the angels said he at any time, sit on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool? And then he continued, and he said in Hebrews chapter 1, verse 14, Are they not, speaking about the angels, all ministering spirit, sent forth to minister unto them who shall be heirs of salvation?

And you see, beloved friend, angels were servants. They are serving God. We don't see them, but angels do exist because God teaches this in His Word. And it is extremely interesting. Daniel heard the angels speaking unto him, Gabriel, in chapter 9, in chapter 10, in chapter 12, with the angels like Gabriel and Michael ministering to the servants of the Lord. I just also want to mention that in the book of Deuteronomy, we read in chapter 33 in relationship to the provision of the law, we do read in Deuteronomy chapter 33 verses 1 and 2. And this is the blessing where with Moses, the man of God, blessed the children of Israel before his death.

And he said, the Lord came from Sinai and rose up from Seir unto them. He shined forth from Mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints, the Hebrew word, these angels, from his right hand went a fiery law for them. In fact, even the law was given to our people of all, the people of Israel through the angels. This is very important to understand it. Very interesting because even Stephen himself, beloved friend, for a moment as I'm speaking about this angel, Stephen himself in Acts chapter 7, we read what he said to the Jewish community, to the Pharisees, and to the Sanhedrin, in Acts chapter 7, verse 53, he's speaking about God and about Israel, who have received Israel, the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.

The law was given to Israel by the disposition of angels. This is fascinating to learn all these beloved friends so angels have a lot to be involved in Jewish history in biblical Jewish history and just one more verse in Galatians chapter 3 the apostle Paul said in verse 19 it says wherefore then serve the law it was added because of transgression until the seed should come to whom the promise was made and notice this beloved friend and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator so as i'm continuing now just to emphasize the importance of angels in biblical history here we find out that the Scripture says in John chapter 5 as we read.

This text that an angel went down at a certain season into the pool and troubled the water whosoever then first after troubling of the water step in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had and so we read beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends that this man was now sitting there by the pools in Beit Chazda so the next verses this is kind of sad because there was a sick man by the pool there we read in verse 5 and a certain man was there which had infirmity for thirty and eight years can you imagine this man that was sitting there by the pool like many others who were blind and halted and withered and so on they're waiting for the moving of the water here is a specific man that said there that our Lord Yeshua the Messiah you might say zeroed on him He sought to draw him to himself.

It is always fascinating, beloved friends, how the Lord is dealing with individuals. In John 2, it was an individual couple that had a wedding. In John 3, it was an individual Pharisee by the name of Nakedimon, Nicodemus. In John 4, there was an individual woman who was a woman of Samaria. Here in John 5, there was a certain man which had an infirmity for 38 years. The Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, came to seek and to save them which were lost. And he dealing with everyone individually, seeking to draw them after himself. Well, Jesus, in verse 6, we read that he knew of that man. He says, when Jesus saw him lay and knew that he had been now a long time in that case.

Now imagine, how could he know? How could he know? He's 38 years in a state such as this. And Yeshua know that he was for 38 years in that condition. How did he know? Well, again, beloved brothers and sisters, to remember that the Gospel of John presents Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, in His divine nature. He is God who became a man who was born to Miriam at the city of Bethlehem and He came for the express purpose that He will provide redemption for mankind and He lives here for these 33 and a half years in perfection to show that he was the sinless one but he knows everything about you and i and about this man so he saw him he knew his condition and then he asked him will thou be made whole will thou be made whole this is verse six do you want to get whole do you want to get healthy if the Lord is going to ask you today would you like to get healthy who of us will say oh no i don't everyone would want to be healthy in fact that's why we are visiting the doctors and taking the right medication and trying to do everything in order to be healthy but beloved friends what we find out that he wanted to do much.

More for this man but first of all the first thing that this man had in mind he was there by the pool because he was for 38 years he had an infirmity and he was there maybe every day coming there somebody bringing him to this pool in Beit Chazda the house of mercy the house of grace waiting for the water to be shaken by the angel so he will be placed in and he will get healed waiting coming again and coming again and coming again and you see it is fascinating to learn this spiritual lesson for us all because we all try to fix the needs that we have the natural need that we had but you can see how the Lord lead him from the physical need to the spiritual need from that which is here and now to that which is eternal and while it is always desirable for us all to be healthy but because we live in this decayed world in this decayed body we're getting older and sicker and we get as it says we are groaning within us.

And that's why we never can forget our spiritual health that's why we need spiritually to be right with a holy and a righteous God will thou be made whole and the impotent man answer him sir I have no man when the water trouble to put me into the pool but while I'm coming another step down before me I have no man he says here in verse 7 I have no man there is a man my dear friend who came from God if you will notice that a little bit later on in the very same chapter in verse 39 the Lord Jesus the Messiah said and we can read it later on search the Scripture for in them you think that you have eternal life and they are they which testified of me i am the man that came down from heaven in order to give myself a ransom for many that's why John 1 14 said and the word became man became flesh became human being.

There is a man now of course this impotent man said i have no man in other words i don't have anybody to carry me and to place me into the water into the pool so i will be healed and then while i'm finally trying to arrive there another step down before me and getting healed apparently and so the Lord this is the man here's the man he said i have no man there is a man there is a man that came from heaven the man Christ Jesus the man Mashiach Yeshua there is one mediator between God and man and that is the man Yeshua the Messiah Jesus Christ Yeshua HaMashiach he is the one that came to redeem and so look what he does in verse 8 our blessed Lord Yeshua the Messiah speak to this impotent man and he is saying to him rise number one take up thy bed number two and walk number three get up carry your bed or carry your whatever you were laying on and go ahead and walk apparently he could not walk and immediately notice that.

Immediately verse 9 the man was made whole completely whole and he took up his bed and he walked and notice what the Bible teaches us in this verse 9 and on the same day was the Shabbat same day was the Shabbat day now this is my dear friend it is always a challenging conflict that existed throughout the time where Yeshua Jesus the Messiah was among his people Israel the Jewish community because this the spiritual leaders of Israel have gone you might say beyond that which Scripture had given to Israel in the law concerning the Shabbat day. And that's why you will notice that it's not coincident by the Spirit of God adding here to the healing of this man that this day was a Shabbat day.

It doesn't make any difference if it was the first day of the week or the second day of the week or the third day of the week or the fourth day of the week the fifth day or the sixth day of the week why Shabbat because that was an. Issue that brought about the conflict between the Jewish leaders the spiritual leaders of Israel and the Messiah Jesus himself in fact if you turn to chapter six of our gospel of that sixth chapter you find out in verses 5 to 14 it's the same issue that he made a miracle and so on and it always seems to show us that there was time that he did miracles it was in connection with the Shabbat day so he's done many miracles and he happened to do that on a Shabbat day if you if you go ahead and you see miracles after miracles seems to do some of his miracles on the Shabbat day we have seen it in a previous chapter right in in chapter 4 how he performed some healing and so on in a timing that was not suitable for the Jewish leaders and so the miracles that the Lord have done in the land of Israel many of them happen to be on a Shabbat day and it seems to be.

That he have done it also purposely to show that he was the Lord of the Shabbat from here on in verse 10 on you can see now that the Lord is now dealing directly with the issue that the Jewish leaders had a problem with and so we read in verse 10 the Pharisees they were not pleased that he have done this on a Shabbat day so what happened in verse 10 it says here the Jews therefore said unto him that was cured it is not it is a Shabbat day it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed you cannot carry thy bed on a Shabbat day now remember in previous times in Israel's history God did not want Israel to do business on a Shabbat day to carry things back and forth in and out and to buy and sell because he wanted them to devote this day to him and that's correct but this is healing of a person who was sick for 38 years for 38 years.

And could not he be healed on a Shabbat day and be happy to take his bed he's not going there to be to have business made he's not going there in order to you might to please himself in a sense of doing things that will be not devoted to the Lord but here on a Shabbat day he's carrying his bed because he was laying on it for 38 years and he's walking and they should be so glad for him but you see we read that they asked him they said to him it is not lawful for you to carry thy bed now again it is so sad that sometime beloved friends we are going beyond what the word of God teaches us and we end up become a religion rather than spiritual engagement with the Lord the Shabbat is such a beautiful day that was given to our people of Israel it's a day that God gave it was not instituted by Israel it was given by God himself in the law But once we've gone beyond it, then we fail to honor the Lord.

You know, you notice even here in the beginning of the chapter, it says in chapter 5, verse 1, after this there was a feast of the Jews. See, the feast would belong to the Lord. And when we are taking the feast that belonged to the Lord, it becomes what we please with it. It's no longer the Lord's feast, it becomes our own feasts. And this is not pleasing to God. You see, this is exactly the issue that the Apostle Paul had to instruct the believers at Corinth. They took the Lord's table and make it their own. The danger is the same in our present day age in which we have to be very careful.

And the Lord wants us to recognize that this is His feast. This is His Shabbat. This is His table, not ours. That's why it is so important. And we read, for example, 1 Corinthians chapter 10. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and the table of demons. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? Don't you know he was telling to the Corinthians? And you see, this is sad. It's happened to God's people in every generation. When we go beyond Scripture, when we go beyond what God has intended. The Shabbat was given for men and not men for the Shabbat.

It was given for Israel to enjoy the Lord's presence and to give time for the Lord's fellowship with the Lord. But this is where it goes beyond what the Lord has intended. And that's why they went and they said to him, you cannot do this. You cannot carry your bed on that Shabbat day. So he answered. Now, here you can see now in the next verses, it's interesting because in these next verses, beloved brothers and sisters, from here for verse 10 on, you can see that now this man not only received physical healing, But now he has, he can enjoy spiritual healing to recognize who Yeshua is.

And so in the next verses, very interesting. In verses 10 to verse 15, you notice that in these verses, we find out this communication. It says in verse 10, the Jews said unto him that was cured, it is a Shabbat day. It is not lawful for you to carry thy bed. In verse 11, the man that was healed responded to the Jewish leaders and he said to them, he said, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed and walk. You see, he didn't even, at first, didn't even realize who was the one that made him whole. In verse 12, the question by the spiritual leaders of Israel, they ask themselves, what man is that which says unto thee, take up thy bed and walk?

And he that was healed did not know, verse 13, who it was, because Yeshua had conveyed himself away, a multitude being in the place. You notice, when the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, performed this miracle, he did it publicly. And at the same time, you could see that now there will be a public position by the leaders of Israel at the first coming of the Messiah. To him, there will be an opposition. He did it publicly. Multitude was there. Multitude saw that he healed that man that for 38 years was an impotent man, could not walk, could not go into the pool. Now he's walking, he's carrying his bed and he's whole.

And so, the Lord Jesus withdrew himself, but you notice what it says here, very interesting, because in verse 14, Jesus found that man in the temple. Apparently, this man went now to the temple. Remember that Beit Chazda, the ship gate, and where the pools and there was five porches, is not too far from the temple, from Beit Hamikdash, because the sheep would come through the gate and they would be taken to the temple, and the temple by the altar, they would slay them and will ultimately offer their sacrifices unto God. Well, this man went to the temple to give praise to God, because now he is healed.

And so Yeshua found him, right in the temple. And he said to him, notice, he said, behold thou art made whole and then he ends he says sin no more lest a worse thing come unto thee apparently from the context of all these passages when Yeshua Jesus the Messiah said to him sin no more lest worse thing will come upon thee it seemed to be that the condition that he found himself as an impotent man was a result of something that he may have done. Remember what the Bible teaches us? Be sure your sins will find you out, God said to Israel when Israel came out of the land of Egypt.

In fact, the Apostle Paul said, whatsoever man soweth, that shall he reap in the book of Galatians. The sin brings consequences. Now, sometimes more than others, but the point is, the Lord is telling him, you see, you are made whole, verse 14, and therefore he says, sin no more. Isn't that amazing? Because Paul, in Romans chapter 6, because the Romans were in danger to neglect to appreciate the grace of God, So the Apostle Paul said, what shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? In other words, some are in danger of saying, well, God has shown me so much grace and mercy so I can continue in sin that God is going to show me more grace.

He's going to show me more grace. And Paul says, no. He says, how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? In other words, don't you know that so many that have been baptized into Yeshua, the Messiah, were baptized unto his death? When we became believers, we have accepted the Messiah, we should seek to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. And here is what the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, says to this one that was once an impotent man. He said to him, look, behold, you are now made whole. Sin no more, lest, notice that, a worse thing will come upon thee.

And so we read here now in verse 15, notice that, And the man departed, and he told the Jew that it was Jesus which had made him whole. Here you can see now that he can testify that this is Yeshua, this is Jesus. He is the one that made him whole, that healed him. And I can assure you, beloved friend, that this was the time where he was not only healed physically from being an impotent man, now he became a man that have accepted the fact that the one who healed him is Yeshua, is Jesus the Messiah. Now from here on, from here on, beloved friend, you can see the controversy, the conflict that existed between the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and the spiritual leaders of Israel who are called once and again the Jews, the Jews, the Jews in the Gospel of John.

I would like to remind you that there are over 190 times that the New Covenant, the New Testament used the word Jews. Why? Because it was a Jewish event, a Jewish story, a Jewish situation, especially in the Gospel, in the early days of the book of Acts. It was specifically in connection with the Jewish land, with the Jewish people. And so the Apostle John, by divine inspiration, used the word the Jews, the Jews, the Jews in the Gospel of John more than in any other of the gospel. Some 70 times he used the word Jews. And almost, not all, but almost all of these times that he used the word the Jews, Hay Yehudim in Hebrew, he applied them to the Jewish leaders, the spiritual leaders of Israel that opposed the Messiahship of Jesus, the Messiahship of Yeshua.

To remind you, Yeshua was a Jew. The apostles were Jews. This man in Beth Hasda was a Jew, the impotent man. The people who were there were Jews. And all the population, the multitude that read of them were all Jews. It was an event that occurred in the land of Israel among the Jewish people. But here you can see that he distinguished between the Jewish leaders who did not accept Yeshua as the Messiah and the rest of the Jewish nation who were struggling to know whom to follow after. It's like us today in the world. There are many nations but there are those who oppose Jesus the Messiah.

Do not reject Him and do not acknowledge Him that He is indeed the Savior, the Redeemer. But then you have others who are just struggling to find out whom should I follow after? But many, praise God, turn to the Savior, to the Lord Jesus as their Lord and Savior. So let me just point to these three verses, 16, 17, and 18. Notice, beloved friend, that Yeshua, in verse 16, first of all, the Jews, notice what it says here, they began the persecution of Jesus the Messiah. It says in verse 16, And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, persecute Yeshua, and they sought to slay Him. Why? Because He had done these things on the Shabbat day.

You notice that? It is sad, isn't it? Very, very sad that the Shabbat needs to be kept holy according to Scripture. Yes, it was given to Israel as a nation to be set apart. The word holy means to set this day apart for God, to devote time to the Lord and to the things of God. But to heal a man on a Shabbat day? To heal an impotent man on a Shabbat day? Was that wrong? Was that dishonoring to God? Could that be so much that there is wrong in it, that they could not be happy for this man because he had done it on a Shabbat day?

Now you see, the traditions of the scribes and the Pharisees were challenged. It was challenged. As we read actually in the Matthew chapter 12, that was the time where Israel, the spiritual leaders of Israel, committed the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, as is mentioned in verses 9 on in the Gospel of Matthew. It is kind of sad because he also, the Lord Jesus, healed a man that had a wither hand in the synagogue on a Shabbat day. Then you can read that the Jewish leaders blamed the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, that he had done that in the power of the devil rather than the power of the Spirit of God.

That's why we read in Matthew chapter 12 and verse 24, the Pharisees heard it, they said, this fellow does not cast out demons, but by Baal Zvuv, the prince of the demons. And you see, this was wrong from the nation, from the spiritual leaders of Israel to do so. And you can see that since that time that Yeshua was rejected up till today for some 2,000 years. The nation of Israel as a nation is not yet restored to the place that God had in mind for the nation. It had been postponed to the future day. And so in verse 16 of John chapter 5, it says there that the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought out to slay him because he had done this thing on a Shabbat day.

And notice what he said. In verse 17, the Lord is claiming to do the work of God, the work of God the Father. Jesus answered and said, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. In other words, you say we should not have done this work on a Shabbat day. And I am telling you that God, my Father, is working hitherto, and I work also. In other words, my dear friend, while God had rested on the seventh day from the work of creation, but since sin came on, God never rests from the need of the provision of the work of redemption. Men have sinned and men need to be redeemed.

And that's the reason why Yeshua the Messiah came already from the beginning. When sin enters into this world, God is not resting in seeking to draw people to himself. He began even when Adam and Eve have sinned in the garden, he began to provide redemption there for them to close their nakedness and their sinfulness with the sacrifice. And all the way up till the time when Yeshua came, God was and is working to provide redemption for mankind. And so he rested on the seventh day from creation. But he does not rest, as Yeshua said, My Father worketh he thereto. And I work. You see, in other words, Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, teaches us and teaches the people of Israel, the fact that he is come in order to provide redemption for men in John 9 verse 4 Yeshua Jesus said I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day the night cometh when no man can work in other words the night of judgment coming that work will not be done because God had to judge sin but now I must work the work of him that sent me I need to share the words i need to preach the message i need to go to the cross i need to die for sinful men i must do so in order to provide redemption in John chapter 10 and verse 30 we read these words i and my father are one he's claiming to be with the father one with the father then the Jews took up stones again to stone him and he said unto them many good works i show.

You for my father for which of those works do you stone me and notice again the Jews here in the context is the Jewish leader not every Jewish person but the Jewish leaders who oppose the Messiah and his messiahship the Jews answered and said unto him for good work we stone thee not but for blasphemy because that you being a man make as yourself God in other words he claimed to be divine and here in this fifth chapter beloved friend is where our Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah is emphasizing the fact that he is the Lord of the Shabbat he can heal on the Shabbat but he can he can do as he please in order to bring a blessing for mankind and while on the other hand the Jewish spiritual leaders of Israel have taken that Shabbat day of rest which was supposed to be resting and enjoying God's presence that you can't even do good on that Shabbat day and heal a man that was sick for 38 years and so notice how it said verse 18 in the conclusion.

Of this ministry meeting for this point of time in our Bible teaching ministry the Gospel of John it says therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him why? Because he is not only broken the Shabbat you see that was considered that he broke the Shabbat but be said also that God was his father and then notice at the end making himself equal with God making himself equal with God. In other words, they understood very, very well that he made himself equal with God. And you see, my dear friend, this is fundamental. This is fundamental. If the Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, is not divine, if he is not God, if he is not equal with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit then he could never become a Redeemer because sin has to be paid for and only sinless one can pay for a sinner and therefore it would not avail anything else God had to enter humanity in order to become the deliverer the Savior of sinner that's why it is so important this gospel of John in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God and the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory.

The glory of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth that's the beginning of the gospel of John the end of the gospel of John in John chapter 20 and verse 30 and 31 and many other signs did Yeshua in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book in this Gospel of John but these whatever we read now these are written that ye might believe that Jesus that Yeshua is the Christ the Mashiach but not only there but that he is the Son of God Ben HaElohim and that believing he might have life through his name my dear friend this is so important to understand and that's why you see in verses 16 17 and 18 there was a conflict controversy over Yeshua's healing on a Shabbat day and it went beyond that because now they the spiritual leaders of Israel did not acknowledge that he was the Messiah and rejecting his Messiahship claiming that he said that he was God now notice that in chapter 9 of the book of Isaiah Isaiah said to.

To Israel unto us a child is born this is his humanity but unto us a son is given this is his divine nature this is the Messiah the Mashiach this was promised by Isaiah long before Yeshua was born some 700 750 years before Jesus the Messiah was born in Bethlehem then it says and the government should be upon his shoulder how could a government be upon his shoulder if he is not more than just another ordinary man and his name what will be his name his name should be called wonderful counselor the mighty God El Gibor El Gibor the father of eternity who is the source of eternity if not God the prince of peace who is the one who would be able to say to provide peace, shalom to this world and to the nation of Israel only God and the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end and upon the throne of David and upon the kingdom to rule over it and to establish it with judgment and with justice, listen from henceforth even forever who can do that?

Who is this Mashiach that was going to come according to the prophet Isaiah in chapter 7 the sign was given in verse 14 the Lord himself shall give to you he is speaking of course to the house of David that behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son when a virgin a maiden that never knew a man can conceive a son how is it possible unless he was divinely placed in the womb of Miriam supernatural no doubt and his name shall be called Emmanuel God with us Emmanuel in Hebrew means with us el means God now again beloved friend it's not easy to grasp it and it only happened once in history that God entered humanity it will never happen again so while of course it's easy to say well don't you see it Jewish people don't you see it can't you understand it God will enter today and walk in our midst today as men what would you do?

You see the point is that the hearts that are tender and are broken before God recognizing that this is the word of God that promises the Messiah will come and he will be a divine person but when one goes against the word of God one becomes an enemy of God and notice that they sought to slay him verse 16, and verse 18, they sought more to kill him, and the only, the reason is because he did, done it on Shabbat day, healing a man that was sick for 38 years, and because he said, my father works hitherto, and I work, I do the work that God, my father, does, because we have the same nature.

We are, God is one. Shema Yisrael Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad. Hero Israel, the Lord our God is one. Lord, but this one God exists and consists in three persons in the triunity, the Father, the Son, the Spirit. Ha'aba, ha'ben, ha'Ruach. One God, three persons. And God the Son came to this world and entered as a man through the Virgin Miriam for the express purpose that He will live here 33 and a half years and then ultimately go to the altar, to the cross, to pay for the sin of this world. That's the truth of the Word of God. And praise God that Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, came and have accomplished this work of redemption for us.

And this is amazing as we study this Gospel of John, the 5th chapter. And may the Lord help us, my dear brothers and sisters and dear friends, May the Lord help us to be appreciative of who Yeshua is and what He has done in His life, but much, much more in His death, burial, and resurrection. And may the Lord help many will believe on Him, for whosoever believeth on Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. Well, may God bless his word to us all. And I will say, shalom, shalom, my friend.