Our last reading for this week: 1 John 2:24-29

v24: You: Speaking to true believers.

• Heard from the beginning: Talking about what Messiah and the early apostles taught (i.e. the gospel) – the foundation for a new covenant faith. 

Note: If we do not hold fast to the truth then we will not be in the Father or in the Son. 

v25: He has promised us: Those who remain in the Father and in the Son receive this wonderful promise from G-d. 

• Eternal life: Eternal life means Kingdom life. The implication of this is that we are able to live in G-d’s Kingdom as soon as we believe! We do not have to wait to die in order to begin to enjoy Kingdom life. With the anointing of the Holy Spirit, we are able to live in obedience to Kingdom truth and can begin to be recipients of Kingdom blessing while we are still alive on this earth.

v26: Deceive: As we approach these last days and as the spirit of the antichrist gets bolder, more visible, and more prevalent in this world, we are going to see that the spirit of deceit is going to grow stronger. Because of deniers, those who reject the truth, G-d is going to send a spirit of delusion into the world (2 Thess 2:9-12). When we deny truth it is going to produce deceit in our lives. This is a spiritual law. These deceivers act with intent – they desire to deceive us. 

v27: The anointing: This is the solution as to how we overcome deceit, and how we ready ourselves for Messiah’s return – through the anointing of the indwelling Holy Spirit within us. 

• Received from Him: Received from Messiah.
• You do not need that anyone teach you: John is not saying that we do not need help or discipleship. What he is saying is that on these basic issues that he has been teaching about we will have discernment – we will know the truth from lies, we will know who is true and who is a liar. 
• Concerning all things: The Anointing of the Holy Spirit prepares us to be found faithful at the coming of Messiah for His saints – i.e. The rapture or blessed hope
• Is true: This anointing of the Holy Spirit produces truth.
• You will abide in Him: The anointing of the Holy Spirit teaches us how to dwell or live in Messiah.

v28: Children: This is not the same word for children that we saw in 1 John 2:18. It is a word that speaks of endearment, and it emphasizes love within a family relationship. Just being born into this world (being a part of G-d’s creation) does not make us a child of G-d, and nor does being born guarantee us a relationship with Him. We only become children of G-d through the blood of Messiah Yeshua. 

• Him: Messiah Yeshua.
• When He appears: This is written in the passive. This tense reveals to us that Messiah is demonstrating submissiveness to the authority of His Father. He is waiting for the Father to give the go ahead as to when He can come to fetch His church. 
• Have confidence and not be ashamed: Why? Because we have remained in this anointing, have walked in truth, and have remained in Him.
• Confidence: We are going to be bold.
• His coming: This is referring to the rapture or blessed hope. 1 Thess 3:13. At the second coming of Messiah He is not going to be manifested to His saints (He will be manifested to us at the rapture) as at His second coming we are going to be coming back with Him in order to rule and reign with Him. At the time of the rapture Yeshua does not descend all the way into Jerusalem (like He will at His second coming) but He descends into the cloud and gathers us up from there (Acts 1:9-11, 1 Thess 4:17)

Note: The second coming of Messiah (which is preceded by the rapture of the church – a completely different event to the second coming of Yeshua – 1 Cor 15:51-53, 1 Thess 4:13-17, 2 Thess 2:1-5, Titus 2:13) is primarily geared toward the redemption of the 1/3rd remnant of the house of Israel and Judah (Zech 13:8-9) who will still be alive at the end of Jacob’s trouble or the great tribulation (Jer 30:6-7)

v29: Know: Written in the perfect tense. This means His righteousness was known in the past, is still known now and will continue to be known into the future.

• Know that He is righteous: Yeshua is going to fulfil all of His promises. He is going to do all G-d has said He will do. 
• Everyone who practices righteousness: This is the key to knowing that we have truly received the gospel. Are we doing righteousness – living according to the Word, instructions or commandments of G-d? Is there an outward manifestation of our inward change – an inward change brought about by the Holy Spirit dwelling in us?