Lesson 3-A

The Reason Yahshua Came to Bethlehem

1. What does Yahweh say about the requirement He has established for the breaking of His law? Hebrews 9:22.

   NOTE: To continue living, we as mortal beings depend upon the death of another living thing. It makes no difference whether it is animal or vegetable, we must get sustenance from something living. The breaking of Yahweh's law, however, demands the death of the transgressor--or there can be no future eternal life.

2. Who has sinned? Romans 3:23. Because every man has failed to live up to a righteous life, we are all condemned to death. The wages or penalty of sin is death, Romans 6:23.

3. What is the only way this death sentence imposed on each of us could be removed? Romans 5:8-10.

   NOTE: Yahshua took your place in death. Through accepting His shed blood you are required of past sin. While the Old Testament sacrifices of ancient Israel could not atone for sin, the Savior's death did reconcile us to the Heavenly Father.

4. In comparing the Messiah to the High Priest, what does the writer of Hebrews say about the special sacrifice of the Messiah? Hebrews 9:26. What special offering did He give? Same verse.

5. Will another sacrifice be required again? Hebrews 10:10. The word sanctified means to set apart for a holy purpose. It carries the meaning of being reserved for Yahweh's special use. Those who are set apart through the shed blood of the Messiah and who accept His sacrifice are promised redemption. See also Hebrews 9:28, first part.

6. The high priest was required to offer up a sacrifice for his own sins and a sacrifice for the sins of the people. The sacrifice of Yahshua was more valuable. How many sacrifices was He expected to offer? Hebrews 7:27. If mankind rejects His sacrifice, will He have to die again? Same verse.

7. What did Isaiah prophesy of the life of the Messiah? Isaiah 53:9. This is also quoted in 1 Peter 2:22 by the one who was with Him and often allowed his impulses to make him say and do rash things. But when the Holy Spirit came, Peter was a changed man.

8. When put to death, what did one of the malefactors have to say about the Messiah's character? Luke 23:41.

9. Paul, a Pharisee and antagonist of the followers of Yahshua until his conversion on the Damascus road, commented on the life of Yahshua in 2 Corinthians 5:21. What was his assessment?

10. Was the Savior also tempted (tested) as we are today? Hebrews 4:15. What was the result? Same verse. What is man's record regarding sin?

   NOTE: Yahweh had made a covenant with ancient Israel, beginning with Abraham, Genesis 12:1-2. If he and his offspring would be obedient, they could have Canaan (Palestine) as an everlasting possession, Genesis 17:8-9. The terms of this Old Covenant, which included obedience to the law, are found from Exodus 19:1 to 24:8. Israel promised Moses they would do everything Yahweh asked (Exodus 19:8). But Israel did not have Holy Spirit power to obey Yahweh's laws in their spiritual intent, let alone to attempt to obey in the letter. Because of their failure to obey, Yahweh added ritualistic laws to impress upon Israel their inability to obey, Leviticus 1:1-9. Part of that added law included animal sacrifices, which Yahweh said He took no pleasure in, but which served as a schoolmaster to teach Israel the wages of sin. See Hebrews 10:6 ad 8, and Galatians 3:24-25.

11. Jeremiah 31:31-33 leads us into the promise of a New Covenant. It speaks of the covenant very plainly in verse 33. What is Yahweh going to place in their inward parts and write upon their hearts? Will it be something entirely new, or will it be what He has already given? Same verse. The Old Covenant is mentioned in Exodus 34:28. Other references are Deuteronomy 9:9-11 and 15.

   NOTE: The fault of the Old Covenant was with man, not with Yahweh or the covenant itself, Hebrews 8:8. Because of man's inability to obey, a New Covenant was ordained, Hebrews 8:9 and Chapter 9. Yahshua's death dissolved the Old Covenant and paved the way for the coming Holy Spirit, sent to enable man to obey the law--something man couldn't do without the Spirit. The law took on deeper meaning as the New Covenant abolished the added ritual of sacrifices and washings through the supreme sacrifice of the Messiah. From tablets of stone, the law is now written on the heart of man, who now is able to understand its spiritual intent and can obey more fully, Hebrews 8:10, 2 Corinthians 3:3, Jeremiah 31:33.

12. In Deuteronomy 5:29, Yahweh says, "O, that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear Me, and Keep all My commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!" He makes known that He will accomplish this in Isaiah 59:21. Notice how He promises to make His spiritual nature permanent. How will this be accomplished and to whom it is promised? Verse 20.

   NOTE: For the House of Israel--those physically related to Abraham--the laws will be put in their minds first, then in their hearts. With the saints, He will put in their hearts first the desire to obey. They then will come to an understanding with their minds why He demands obedience. Once Israel understands the purpose and meaning of the law, they too will obey with their hearts. Read Hebrews 10:26-29. At present, the called-out ones (you and I!) are learning to obey Yahweh's laws from the heart. We keep them without truly understanding why. As we obey and put His laws in practice, we will eventually come to comprehend with our minds the blessings that result from obedience.

13. What did Yahshua's atoning blood do for gentiles so they, too, could partake of the New Covenant? Ephesians 2:11-15.

   NOTE: With His death, Yahshua abolished the ancient sacrifice and offerings connected with law keeping. He did not abolish the law itself, Matthew 5:17. Obedience is still a requirement of the New Covenant, 1 John 10, 24.

14. Those who qualify in fulfilling the terms of the New Covenant are promised what?

   NOTE: The message Yahshua as the Messiah preached while on earth was of the salvation possible for those who repent, believe, and obey, Mark 1:14-15. He came as a messenger of the New Covenant, Malachi 3:1.

15. Only through one person can we approach the Heavenly Father. Who is that? John 14:6.

16. As we have seen, the spiritual aspects of the sacrifices and offerings have not been done away. The very purpose of these sacrifices was to teach a spiritual law, but this was often overlooked and the physical became an end in itself. What does the Old Testament say about sacrifice? 1 Samuel 15:22. Were sacrifices the ultimate intention of Yahweh for His people or were there other lessons to be learned? Hosea 6:6.

17. Peter was aware that we are to offer up spiritual sacrifices to Yahweh, 1 Peter 2:5. He likens the body of Messiah to a spiritual house, made of living stones, Yahshua being the chief cornerstone, verse 6. We are to offer these spiritual sacrifices to Yahweh which will be acceptable to Him because they are offered through or by who? Same verse.

18. The writer of Hebrews also encourages us to offer up sacrifices of praise to Yahweh because of what Yahshua has done, Hebrews 13:15. The "calves of our lips" is an expression found in Hosea 14:2, and "fruit of our lips" is found in Isaiah 57:19.  The writer cautions us to do something else in Hebrews 13:16. What is that? (The word "communicate" in the King James is koinonia--fellowship.)

19. To enter the temple, one was required to be circumcised, whether Israelite or stranger, Exodus 12:43-49, Ezekiel 44:9. Paul was accused of allowing Trophimus, an Ephesian, to enter the temple, Acts 21:28-29. But was physical circumcision really the important thing with Yahweh? Or did it stand for something else? 1 Corinthians 7:19.

20. Was circumcision mentioned in the Old Testament as being something more than just a physical rite? Were there spiritual lessons to be learned from the reason and purpose behind it? Deuteronomy 10:16.

21. In the New Testament, was circumcision still required of the people of Yahweh, or is there yet a better way? Colossians 2:11-3. Read again 1 Corinthians 7:19.

   NOTE: Paul taught that there was a deeper meaning of circumcision. The religious leaders of his day believed that the physical rite was still important and should be done, thus relegating the death of Messiah to an inferior position.

22. Read Paul's summary of circumcision in Galatians 6:12-16 in a translation such as Moffatt's or the Modern English Bible. What does Paul say is the important aspect for us as far as circumcision is concerned? See Verse 15. Did he speak of a different attitude for the True Believer? Philippians 3:3. See Stephen's summary in Acts 7:51-52.

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   Yahshua the Messiah came to earth not only as an example of how we should live a righteous life, but through His life also showed the deeper meaning of the law that Israel had treated as so much ritual. He became the ultimate sacrificial offering, freeing us from the penalty of death for our sins if we obey. At the same time, He made animal sacrifices and other ritual connected with the law no longer necessary because these sacrifices anticipated His fulfillment.

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