THE REJECTION BY ISRAEL OF THE MESSIAHSHIP OF THE LORD YESHUA.
In these notes we will look at three important issues: the “unpardonable sin”, the rejection by Israel of the Messiahship of the Lord Yeshua and the security of our salvation.
What was the unpardonable sin? Who committed it? Could it be repeated?
Matthew 12: 31.
“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.”
What is this blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?
Matthew 12 :24.
“Now when the Pharisees heard it (that the people were questioning whether the Lord Yeshua was in fact the Messiah) “they said, ”This fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.”
Why is this blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?
They were committing the unpardonable sin by charging that the Lord Yeshua performed His miracles by the power of Satan rather than by the Holy Spirit. In effect they were calling the Holy Spirit Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.
Who were “they”?
The pharisees were a small legalistic sect of Jews (around 6,000 individuals at the time of the Lord’s Incarnation). Their name means “separated ones” and they sought to distance themselves from the rest of society by being highly zealous for ritual and religious purity according to the Mosaic law as well as their own traditions which added to the Old Testament legislation. They represented the orthodox core of Judaism and had great influence in matters of religion.
The Lord Yeshua’s interaction with them was usually adversarial. He rebuked them for using human tradition to nullify scripture and, frequently, for rank hypocrisy.
So, were the Pharisees alone responsible for the “unpardonable sin”? No.
Most of the Jews looked to the Pharisees for guidance in religious matters and accepted their views. Therefore, the entire generation of the Jews at the time of the Lord’s earthly ministry committed the sin.
Could this sin be committed again? No.
The Jews of the Lord Yeshua’s generation had had the gift of viewing His miracles aimed at convincing them of His messiahship and offering the kingdom promised by the Old Testament prophets. Future generations would not be so blessed and therefore could not sin in this way.
What brought about the rejection of the messiahship of the Lord Yeshua and the commission of the “unpardonable sin”?
Matthew 12:22 and 23.
“Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed, blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the blind and mute man both spoke and saw. And all the multitude were amazed and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”.
“Son of David” is, of course, a messianic title.
From the inception of His ministry, the Lord Yeshua went around Israel, from synagogue to synagogue, from city to city, proclaiming His Messiahship and preaching the gospel of the kingdom. He was offering Israel the kingdom promised by the Old Testament prophets. But the kingdom was preconditioned on Israel’s acceptance of their messianic King.
The purpose of all His miracles in this first phase of His ministry, was to authenticate His person (that He is the Messiah) and His message (the gospel of the kingdom). These miracles were to serve as a sign to the nation of Israel and force them to decide about Him.
The crucial factor of this exorcism described in Matthew 12: 22 and 23 was that the victim of the demon could not speak.
Judaism had exorcists who could cast out demons. Thus, in verse 27, the Lord Yeshua could ask of the Pharisees, “by whom do your sons cast them out?”.
However, in Jewish exorcism, one had to first establish communication with the demon to find out its name. On other occasions the Lord Yeshua used this method (see Luke 8:30).
When demons speak, they use the vocal cords of the person they control. However, in the case of this mute person, Jewish-style exorcism was impossible. But Jewish tradition taught that Messiah, when He came, would even be able to cast out this kind of demon.
Note that in Mark 9, the Lord’s disciples could not exorcise a demon from a boy. The Lord had to intervene (verse 25); “Deaf and dumb spirit, I command you, come out of him and enter him no more.”
So, in the event outlined in Matthew 12, the Lord had shown His ability to command a demon without establishing communication with it. Only Messiah was considered able to do this. So, the people began to question whether this was a messianic sign. But they were unwilling to come to a decision themselves. They turned to the established religious leaders of their day, the Pharisees, to reach a decision for them.
In verse 24, the Pharisees refuse to acknowledge Him as Messiah. He was not one of them; He frequently criticised them. They feared a messianic uprising against the Romans which would threaten their privileged position and prestige. He did not fit into the mould of their notion of what Messiah should say and do.
Luke 7: 33 and 34.
“For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, “He has a demon”. The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, “Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.”
There was no way that the Pharisees were going to acknowledge Him and the people for the most part followed their religious leaders.
But the problem for the Pharisees was that they had to be able to explain how the Lord Yeshua was able to perform His many miracles especially those that were supposed to be unique to Messiah.
Having painted themselves into a corner, the Pharisees resolved the apparent contradiction by declaring that the Lord Himself was demon-possessed; and not only by a common demon but by Beelzebub himself. This became the official basis for rejection the messiahship of the Lord Yeshua.
But it was also the “unpardonable sin” as it involved attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to a demonic force; in effect saying the Holy Spirit was a demon.
So, the “unpardonable sin” is a national sin (not of an individual one) committed by the generation of Jews who at first-hand had experienced the work and power of the Lord Yeshua and attributed His work to a demon. This sin cannot be repeated.
What was the impact of this sin?
Having rejected His messiahship, they caused the Lord Yeshua to withdraw the offer of the kingdom from “this evil generation.” The ministry of the Lord changed. Whilst he continued to perform miracles, the purpose changed. They were no longer to authenticate His messiahship. As well as individual acts of compassion, His purpose was to prepare His disciples for their future work; the “great commission”.
Messiah held the Pharisees accountable not only for their rejection of His messiahship but also for leading the nation astray.
Matthew 23:13.
“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in…”
Is there an individual sin which a person can commit now as serious as the “unpardonable sin”?
Let us consider the position of the apostate.
Anyone, having full knowledge and conscious experience of the Lord Yeshua with full revelation, who rejects the truth and concludes the opposite of the truth that is in the Lord Yeshua, has no hope of salvation.
Hebrews 6: 4 – 6.
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.”
It is difficult to imagine someone so blessed in the Lord walking away from their salvation. But the warning is clear.
What is the position of those who have blasphemed the Son of Man? Is such a sin pardonable? Yes.
Someone never exposed to the Lord’s divine power and presence, might reject Him through ignorance. Such blasphemy can be forgiven if the unbelief gives way to genuine repentance.
Even Saul of Tarsus could be forgiven for speaking against the Son of Man and persecuting His followers, because his unbelief stemmed from ignorance.
1 Timothy 1: 13.
“… although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.”
What is the position of the backslider?
Of course, the backslider can be forgiven. A believer may wander from the Lord for a time and yet be restored to fellowship in Adonai’s family.
Psalm 37: 23 and 24.
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.”
The righteous know that when they fall, they are never left lying there; when they stumble, they are never completely forsaken.
Proverbs 24: 16.
“For a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again …”
Micah 7: 8 and 9.
“Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall, I will arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me. I will bear the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against Him, until He pleads my case and executes justice for me. He will bring me forth to the light; I will see His righteousness.”
Adonai saves the repentant, ever speaking on behalf of His people.
Revelation 2: 4 and 5. To the church at Ephesus.
“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works …”
At Ephesus there had been a significant diminishing in their love for the Lord; a turning away. They were to repent and regain the lifestyle that they had had before they departed from their first love. Nevertheless, they were not cast off but were given the opportunity to repent; if they can do so, they will be “overcomers” and restored.
Hosea 14: 4.
“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely”.
Adonai’s desire is to heal not to abandon.
Jeremiah 3: 21 and 22.
“For they have perverted their way; they have forgotten the Lord their God. “Return, you backsliding children, and I will heal your backsliding.”
Now that we have looked at sin and backsliding. Let us examine how secure we are in our salvation.
The short answer is that we are completely secure. So let us look at the evidence for this statement.
Those seeking salvation are pushing against an open door.
1 Timothy 2: 4.
“God our Saviour, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
There is but one living God, Adonai, who desires all to be saved. He is the only One to whom our prayers should be addressed (no saints or the Virgin Mary). Only Adonai can save us, we cannot do it ourselves. But fortunately, He is only too keen to do so.
But there is one essential precondition. There is only one way to Adonai i.e., through the Lord Yeshua. To trust in Him is to “come to the knowledge of truth.”
The Lord Yeshua substituted His life for ours. He paid the price of our sin; the sin which separated us from Adonai. He made that sacrifice so that we may be reconciled to the Creator.
Not only is the door to salvation open, but Adonai Himself beckons His people to enter.
Ezekiel 33: 11.
““As I live”, says the Lord God, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?””
Adonai, who of course has no need of us, is nevertheless seen here as issuing an urgent plea to His people to come to Him.
Adonai will save those who turn to Him. He takes no pleasure in the fate of the lost. The penalty for sin is death. But Adonai offers forgiveness to all who repent.
This warm invitation demonstrates Adonai’s great love for us.
Romans 5: 8 and 9.
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
2 Peter 3: 9.
“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but all should come to repentance.”
If Adonai loved us when we were helpless, ungodly enemies, how much more will He love us when we are reconciled to Him.
He wants people to turn from their unprofitable lives and He gives us every opportunity to turn to Him. He is not a God who seeks to find fault in order to condemn us. Quite the opposite; He is “longsuffering” (with an immense capacity for patience) to give us time to repent.
Adonai’s love for us is so great that He allowed the suffering of His only unique and beloved Son on our behalf.
John 3: 16 and 17.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
Adonai is not a harsh, cruel ruler anxious to pour wrath out in anger upon mankind. His heart is filled with tenderness, and He has gone to the utmost cost to save mankind.
How much does Adonai love all His creation!!! That much!
Adonai so loves us that not only are we saved but we are adopted as His children.
Ephesians 1: 5.
“… He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having been predestined as to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will …”
Our salvation was a loving choice by Adonai. The idea of “election” pictures Adonai’s choice of people for salvation. But “predetermination” is an advance on this. It means that Adonai determined ahead of time that all who would be saved, would also be adopted into His family. He could have saved us without adopting us. But He chose to do both.
How secure does that makes us!
So determined was Adonai to save us that He predestined our salvation.
Romans 8: 29.
“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
Matthew 25: 34. The words of the Lord Yeshua.
“Then the king will say to those on His right hand, “Come you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world …”
Those “whom He foreknew” describes a predetermined choice to set His love on us and establish an intimate relationship. Adonai knew our future.
“The kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” indicates that the kingdom has always been Adonai’s goal for humanity, and we were part of it; a kingdom prepared for us for eternity.
Once adopted by Adonai, we are in the safest hands possible.
John 6: 39 and 40.
“This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 10: 28 – 30.
“And I gave them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
The is no stronger hand than that of Him who created and sustains the world. No one could snatch out of His hand. The Lord Yeshua holds secure the entire body of believers saved down through the ages.
Conclusion.
The security of our salvation rest in the sovereignty of Adonai. For He is the guarantee that all He has chosen will come to Him for salvation. Salvation is for all who believe in the Lord Yeshua as Messiah.
Adonai desires all to be saved. He calls to all. We have seen His great love for those He created. So great that He gave His unique and beloved Son to bring His adopted children to the kingdom already prepared for them before the foundation of the world. And in our journey to the kingdom, we are in the safest possible hands.
AMEN.