25-0413p Transcript

Preacher: Jim Lokenbauer

(0:55) Good evening everybody. (0:58) This evening I’m going to bring you a lesson called the red heifer. I spent a lot of time (1:06) on the internet looking at red heifers.

They’re a very pretty cow. And it just so happens (1:14) a guy in Texas happened to have a few and sent them on a plane to Israel. Anyhow, this (1:23) evening’s lesson will be a little bit different in style than I normally present.

It will be more of a devotional style (1:32) sermonette. So the good news is that it won’t be as long as my normal lessons, I hope. But I do hope it’s something that you’ll be able to reflect on.

(1:45) Actions have consequences. And the point I’m going to be making this evening is this. Just look at all the trouble (1:56) damage done and the staggering loss of life that happens because of religious (2:04) doctrinal error.

If people were to take Paul’s advice to Timothy to heart, we (2:14) could avoid a lot of the error that comes from the Christian world. In 1 Timothy 4 (2:20) 16, Paul says, watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your (2:29) hearers.

And 2 Timothy 2 15, do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who (2:42) correctly handles the word of truth. This phrase, excuse me, this phrase comes from the Greek compound word, rightly dividing the word of (2:58) truth, comes from the Greek compound word orthotamio. And orthos, being right, honest, straight.

And the root, the tamateros, being repeated blows like (3:15) hacking to make a straight cut that is figuratively to dissect or to expound correctly the divine message. Rightly divide. It’s a lot saying what a word is, but you get the idea.

To rightly divide the word of God. So these two verses are like God telling us to give our all into studying his word, to keep (3:45) at it, to dissect it so that we can understand the truth in his word in order that we can teach it to others accurately, saving both them and ourselves, so that one day we can present ourselves before God having received his approval. (4:09) There have been countless atrocities that have been done in the name of false religions and false gods.

From the crusades to the persecutions to perverse world views such as communism, death and destruction have plagued mankind ever since shortly after the beginning. (4:33) Unfortunately today, some Christians with good intentions have added to the mayhem that happens in this world because they have not rightly divided the word of God. (4:47) So today’s sermon is based upon an update that I happened to hear a couple days ago about a news article that I read several years back, right after COVID actually, and I pieced together in a couple of excerpts from those articles rather than try to paraphrase what the gist of them were about.

(5:12) And they came from several Israeli news sources. One is called Israel 365 News. Another is by the name United with Israel and the Jerusalem Post.

(5:28) And the first one read, and this is from the article, (5:57) The heifers are all under one year old, and if they remain 100% red and avoid any blemishes which could disqualify them, they will each be eligible to be used to create the ashes required by Jewish law to purify those who have been in contact with a dead body, explained the Temple Institute on Monday. (6:24) This level of purification would be needed in order to allow the priests to carry out their work in a future temple. (6:35) The prized cattle were immediately transported to Haifa, where they will sit in quarantine for less than seven days in accordance with the regulations of the Israeli Veterinary Authority.

(6:51) After the quarantine, they will be released to two separate locations in Israel, one of which will eventually be open to the public. (7:02) The heifers will be fed and cared for at these locations until they can be slaughtered and rendered into ashes from their third year onwards. (7:12) The heifers were located and brought to Israel with the help of the Bona Israel organization, which involves both Jews and Christians.

(7:24) Byron Stinson, a Texas rancher and a fundraiser and advisor for the organization, raised the cattle. (7:33) The heifers were greeted by a ceremony at Ben Gurion Airport. (7:38) Temple Institute officials Rabbi Zaki Mamo, Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, and Rabbi Azaria Ariel participated in the ceremony, alongside Stinson and the Jerusalem and Heritage Ministry Director, General Nathaniel Isaac.

(8:00) Byron Stinson, a Christian rancher from Texas, was quoted by the Jerusalem Post as saying, (8:17) I didn’t set out to do this, but right now I’m probably the best red heifer hunter in Texas, Stinson told Israel 365 News. (8:27) The Bible says to bring a red cow to purify Israel, and I might not understand it, but I’m doing just what the Bible said. (8:36) The prophecies came true and the Jews are back in Israel, added Stinson.

(8:40) Now they need to build a temple, but it’s like buying a really nice car. (8:46) If you don’t have the key, you aren’t going anywhere. (8:50) The red heifer is the key to making the temple work, and it’s like it’s supposed to.

(8:56) The farmer who raised the cattle is a devout Christian who was intensely interested in this commandment and began breeding cattle for the trade, according to Stinson. (9:09) Friends, they want to rebuild the temple. (9:15) Do you understand that? (9:17) They want to build a physical temple.

(9:23) Where would they build it? (9:26) Isn’t the Al-Asad Mosque there? (9:30) And the Dome of the Rock? (9:32) A little issue going on there. (9:37) So, first, they need the ashes of a perfect red heifer to make the cleansing water to purify the priests. (9:46) And all the Jews and the temple itself will get sprinkled by this water if the temple is built.

(9:54) So Byron Stinson, who I jokingly said to Scott this morning, sounded a lot like Eb from Green Acres. (10:04) A good intentioned person, but an ignoramus, not knowing the facts. (10:10) He claimed to be a devout Christian, and I’m not doubting that.

(10:14) You can be a devout Christian and get it wrong. (10:18) If Byron Stinson knew how to rightly divide his Bible, he wouldn’t have contributed to this folly. (10:27) Think about it.

(10:28) There is so much error involved in this story, it makes your head spin. (10:34) Israel intends, with the help from some well-meaning Christians, to make it possible to rebuild the temple. (10:42) The Old Testament was coming to an end at the time of Christ.

(10:47) Our Lord was going to establish, and did establish, a new covenant in his blood. (10:55) Anyone trying to follow the old law would be under a curse. (11:01) Anyone trying to follow the old law, according to Galatians 3.10, would have to follow the entire law perfectly.

(11:13) Jesus foretold of the destruction of the temple in Matthew 24, which was fulfilled in A.D. 70. (11:24) I believe the Lord saw Roman General Titus surrounding Jerusalem and the temple, (11:33) and then besieging it for a week, and then taking a miraculous pause without knowing why, (11:40) giving time for all the Christians to leave the city, (11:45) and then after coming to his pagan senses, (11:50) pour everything down and burn the city, and left no stone on top of each other in the temple, (12:02) just like the Lord said. (12:05) They destroyed and burned everything, including all the genealogical records of all the tribes in Israel.

(12:14) Now there is no provable way for nearly 2,000 years to verify and prove what tribe you are from, (12:25) and that creates an issue for those who claim to be from the tribe of Levi. (12:31) They’re the only ones that can serve in the temple, and they can’t prove Aaronic lineage, (12:40) and those are the only ones that could act as a high priest. (12:44) God deliberately did that, purposefully destroyed the temple and the records, (12:53) because the old way came to an end.

(13:01) God obliterated the Old Testament system of worship. (13:06) No more temple worship, no more animal sacrifices. (13:10) Animal sacrifices were just a temporary means in which to atone for sin, (13:17) and they couldn’t really take sin away.

(13:20) They continued only until a more suitable, a more perfect sacrifice could be made, (13:26) and that came through God’s perfect Passover lamb, Jesus the Christ. (13:34) He died once for all by his death on the cross. (13:40) A Hebrew writer said in Hebrews 9, 13-15, (13:45) the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, (13:50) in this case the red heifer, (13:52) sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean (13:55) and sanctified them that are outwardly clean.

(14:00) How much more then will the blood of Christ, (14:03) who through the eternal spirit offered himself unblemished to God, (14:08) cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, (14:12) so that we may serve the living God. (14:14) For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, (14:19) that those who are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance, (14:25) now that he has died as a ransom to set free (14:29) from sins committed under the first covenant. (14:34) Now, there is also right now a temple, (14:40) a holy, spiritual, living temple.

(14:45) Israel doesn’t need to build a physical building of brick and mortar. (14:50) There’s no need for that. (14:53) Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3, 16 and 17, (14:57) don’t you know that you are the temple of God (15:00) and that God’s spirit lives in you? (15:03) If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him.

(15:07) For God’s temple is holy, which you are. (15:13) We are the temple of God. (15:16) We are the new temple.

(15:18) As I said earlier, as I was combing through my news sources (15:22) the other day on the internet, (15:24) I came across an interesting update to this story, (15:28) this article I just read you. (15:31) And it’s from CBS of all news sources. (15:34) And it says that Hamas spokesman Abu Habeda (15:46) began a speech marking the 100th day of the war in Gaza.

(15:53) One confounding yet eye-opening proclamation escaped the headlines. (15:59) Listing the motives for the Palestinian militant group Hamas, (16:03) their attack October 7th, the massacre in Israel, (16:08) he accused the Jews of bringing in red cows to the Holy Land. (16:17) The cows he was talking about are the red heifers, (16:20) which now graze at a secured, undisclosed location (16:24) in the Israel-occupied West Bank.

(16:29) They’re in Hebron, by the way. (16:31) Some Jews and Christians believe they’re key (16:34) to rebuilding the Jewish temple that once stood in Jerusalem (16:38) and to beckon the Messiah. (16:44) This form of purification is particularly significant (16:48) for anyone who has been in contact with the dead, (16:51) allowing them to regenerate into the community (16:55) and participate in religious life.

(16:59) The ritualistic use of the red heifer (17:01) not only cleanses, but also serves to highlight (17:05) the concepts of life, death, and spiritual renewal. (17:09) In addition to its practical applications, (17:13) the red heifer, Israel symbolizes themes of purity, (17:17) sacrifice, and renewal. (17:19) It serves as a reminder of the importance (17:22) of spiritual cleanliness and the belief in new beginnings.

(17:28) Wow. (17:29) Hamas said it was because of the red heifers (17:34) and the imagined threat it posed (17:37) that the third temple could be built. (17:41) This is absolutely satanic.

(17:46) The evil that happened to those innocent Jews, (17:50) the Jewish citizens, at the hands of Hamas, (17:54) and how horrifying it was for all to hear about (17:58) and see on TV, (18:01) was when you boil it all down, (18:06) happened because some well-intended, biblically weak (18:10) Christians didn’t rightly divide the word of God (18:14) and aided a people who rejected their Messiah king (18:19) nearly 2,000 years ago. (18:23) Such loss, it could have been avoided (18:27) if they truly knew and believed the word of God. (18:31) And all the death is upon (18:34) Hamas' head for the evil they did.

(18:39) It was satanic, their reaction (18:42) to the possibility of a physical temple (18:47) being built. And that shows you the true (18:50) nature of the Muslim religion. (18:57) So, with that in mind, we need to (19:02) really make sure we know what we’re teaching (19:06) and to teach it accurately.

(19:09) To know the word of God. To stay with it. (19:14) To keep at it.

To digest it. (19:19) Even just taking small bites and let it digest for a while, but keeping at it. (19:24) To understand the truths in God’s word.

(19:30) And if people would do that, things like this (19:32) could be avoided. If Byron Stinson (19:36) knew the word of God and how to apply (19:40) it properly, this whole thing could have been avoided (19:44) if he’d have kept his red heifers to himself and had a good (19:48) barbecue. So the invitation’s yours.

(19:53) If you need to swear up with the Lord (19:57) and truly have your conscience cleansed (20:01) through Jesus Christ and His blood, now’s (20:05) the time. So the invitation is open for all.