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HOLY TO YAHVEH WORKBOOK LESSON FOUR THE ANCIENT SERPENT'S TRAIL BEGINS
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The Ancient Serpent’s Trail Begins
(Study Guide for Chapters 10-12 of Holy to YAHveh)
1. As you begin this week’s lesson, look up Isaiah 57:14 in your Bible. List below the commands given in this verse.
2. Pause for a moment to reflect on the purpose of this study-to purify a remnant of believers so that they might be brought closer to the glory of YAHveh and advance the eternal kingdom of His Son, YAHshua. Spend a few moments in prayer, asking the Father to use today’s study of His Word to reveal and remove any obstacle that would keep you from being a pure vessel in His hands. After you have prayed, read chapter 10 of Holy to YAHveh. As you read, write down two statements from this chapter that you find personally convicting.
1.
2.
3. This chapter begins with a reminder of the powerful admonitions against anti-Semitism (hostility toward the Jewish people) given to Gentile believers in Ephesians 2-3 and Romans 9-11. These are the very Scriptures that the Enemy has strategically obscured or obliterated from the mentality of much of corporate Christianity. Although you have already studied these passages in depth, your next assignment is to read them again and write a brief “summary statement” for each, summarizing what each passage teaches Gentile believers with regard to the Jewish people.
a. Ephesians 2:11-16
b. Ephesians 2:17-21
c. Ephesians 3:4-6
d. Romans 10:1
e. Romans 11:1 and 11
f. Romans 11:17-20
g. Romans 11:25-29
4. As you have already read in chapter 10,
Today in Jerusalem, as plans for the reconstruction of the Almighty’s earthly temple are underway, so too is YAHshua working to build His spiritual temple for His near return and the establishment of His eternal kingdom. Time is of the essence; the Master Architect is going to remove all hindrances and stumbling blocks from among His people. He is going to build His holy house, His spiritual temple, according to His sovereign blueprints. (Emphasis added.)
One of the major stumbling blocks found in corporate Christianity today is anti-Semitism-hostility toward the Jews, the covenant people of YAHveh. Read chapter 11 of Holy to YAHveh, which describes the ancient roots of anti-Semitism. As you read, take detailed notes on the following events as they are discussed. Your goal is to develop a deeper understanding of anti-Semitism’s satanic roots and the hostility and hatred experienced by “the chosen people” throughout Bible history.
a. Satan’s initial appearance in the Garden of Eden.
b. YAHveh’s declaration to Satan in Genesis 3:15.
c. Satan’s war against the promised seed of the woman.
d. The rivalry between brothers: Ishmael and Isaac; Esau and Jacob.
e. The ensuing hostility between Ishmael’s and Esau’s descendants and the Hebrew people.
f. Pharaoh of Egypt and his plot against Jewish male children (Exodus 1:15-22).
g. Haman’s plan in the book of Esther (Esther 3:5-13).
h. Antiochus IV Epiphanes strategy of Hellenism.
i. King Herod’s New Testament strategy (Matthew 2:13-18).
5. After studying these preceding Scriptures, summarize what Satan was attempting to do and why his efforts were so relentless. How did he use willing individuals in an effort to carry out his agenda?
6. Read chapter 12 of Holy to YAHveh. Use the space below to take notes on the points you find particularly poignant in this chapter.
7. When YAHshua the Messiah died on the stake and rose again, His Adversary suffered a massive blow and his agenda a major setback. The “dividing wall” separating Jews from Gentiles had served Satan’s purposes well in promoting hostility toward Israel. Now the dividing wall had been destroyed through the blood of YAHshua (Ephesians 2:13-14). Believing Jews and Gentiles were now joined together as “one new man” (Ephesians 2:15). According to the text, what did the Ancient Serpent do next? Please describe his new strategy below.
8. As the “father of lies” (John 8:44), Satan has but one powerful weapon of warfare. That is his ability to deceive. In chapter 12, the text outlines three lies by which the Enemy has deceived much of corporate Christianity and promoted his strategy of anti-Semitism. Write these three lies (“viper eggs”) below.
1.
reason deception led to next lie:
2.
reason deception led to next lie:
3.
9. Now take a moment to look more closely at those three lies. Draw an arrow from the first lie to the second and from the second lie to the third. Next to each arrow, write out the reason why the acceptance of each lie might have led to belief in the next lie. How might these lies have led to an array of unbiblical thoughts and attitudes toward Israel? How have they led to incorrect church doctrines regarding Israel?
10. The three lies which Satan “injected” in the doctrines of the early church were based on a fundamental assumption-that the Jews were singularly responsible for killing the Messiah. Read the following verses and record what you learn about who was actually responsible for the death of YAHshua–and who was ultimately sovereign over this pivotal event in history.
a. Acts 4:23-28
b. John 10:17-18
11. Throughout the centuries, with the aid of these three lies, Satan has erected another “dividing wall” between Gentiles and Jews which exists to this day. How have you seen this “dividing wall” exemplified in recent years? What examples of hostility, jealousy, pride, or simply apathy toward the Jewish people have you witnessed in your church, city, nation, or in the world?
12. If you are a believer from a Gentile background, have you yourself been vulnerable to anti-Semitic attitudes? At the very least, have you been ignorant of the Almighty’s heart toward Israel? Have you in any way played into Satan’s strategy of cursing the Jews, YAHveh’s chosen people, rather than blessing them as He commanded (Genesis 12:2-3)? Ask the Spirit of Truth (Ruach HaKodesh) to search your heart; then write your answer below.
Questions for Group Discussion
1. The apostle Paul was concerned about Gentile believers who might fall back into the old habit of exhibiting arrogance and hostility toward the Jewish people. What admonitions did he give to Gentiles in Ephesians 2-3 and Romans 9-11?
2. Do you think that these admonitions have been remembered or forgotten by the church today? Explain.
3. What is anti-Semitism? If you are a Gentile believer, what evidences of anti-Semitism have you seen in your lifetime? If you are a Jewish believer, how have you, your family, or your friends experienced anti-Semitism?
4. According to the text, what or who is behind all anti-Semitism (hostility toward the Jewish people)?
5. Read Genesis 3:14-15. What pronouncement did YAHveh make regarding the offspring of the woman and the serpent? What prophetic significance did this statement have? Throughout Old Testament history, how did Satan respond to this pronouncement of the Almighty?
6. Through what lineage of people was the Messiah to come?
a. Have a member of the group read aloud Genesis 12:1-3 as each of you commits it to memory and takes it seriously to heart. For this is a promise of the Mighty One of Israel who is very jealous and protective of His firstborn chosen people. This key promise to Abraham and his descendants will ultimately be a plumb line of judgment in YAHveh’s hand which He will stretch out over the hearts of all people.
b. What did YAHveh promise Abraham and his family?
c. What did He promise regarding those who would curse this family/nation?
d. How are these promises relevant to the subject of anti-Semitism?
e. How are they relevant to Gentile believers today?
7. Discuss how Satan attempted to thwart YAHveh’s plan to bring forth a Redeemer out of Israel as seen in the following events:
a. The rivalry between brothers: Ishmael and Isaac; Esau and Jacob.
b. The ongoing hostility between Ishmael’s and Esau’s descendants and the Hebrew people.(Psalm 83:1-6 emphasizes this)
c. The plot of Pharaoh of Egypt against Jewish male children (Exodus 1:15-22).
d. Haman’s plan as recorded in the book of Esther (Esther 3:5-13).
e. Antiochus IV Epiphanes strategies of Hellenism.
f. King Herod’s strategy to eliminate the infant Messiah (Matthew 2:13-18).
8. Consider for a moment the Ancient Serpent’s level of success at stirring up hatred toward Israel with the ultimate goal of eliminating the Messiah. Discuss the satire on HISSSsss Says the Serpent. What truths have you gleaned from this capricious story?
9. Read Ephesians 2:13-18. How did the destruction of the dividing wall separating Jews from Gentiles signify a major defeat for Satan? According to the text, how did the Devil shift his strategy in light of this new development?
10. Satan’s newest strategy was to re-erect the wall of division between the Jews and Gentiles. He accomplished this by “injecting” false beliefs regarding Israel into the religious and political doctrines of the early church.
a. What is the first lie (“viper egg”) that Satan injected into church doctrine?
b. How do Acts 4:23-28 and John 10:17-18 refute this lie?
11a. The belief that “Jews are Christ-killers” led to a second false doctrine that was embraced by much of corporate Christianity. What is that doctrine?
b. What Scriptures have you studied that refute this doctrine?
12. A third false doctrine sprang from the second. What is that doctrine?
It is a grievous fact that an overwhelming percentage of churches have to one degree or another embraced replacement theology! We, as a group, need to search our hearts and repent if we have fallen prey to this deception. We are to hold out the Word of Truth to others, that they might turn from the darkness of men’s erroneous doctrines to the bright light of YAHshua’s truths. We are living in a time where anti-Semitism is dramatically on the uprise. As prophesied, the nations of the world are indeed falling prey to Satan’s venom towards the Jews. Explain how the truths you are learning will safeguard your heart as well as others from being infected with this anti-Semitic poison. May YAHshua bless you in your closing prayer to seal all that you have learned in this lesson.
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