Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
LOOK TO THE NORTH
THE SOUTH
THE EAST
THE WEST
ALL THE LAND WHICH THOU SEEST
TO THEE WILL I GIVE IT
AND TO THY SEED FOREVER.
INDEED... HE WHO WATCHES OVER ISRAEL
WILL NEITHER SLUMBER NOR SLEEP.
HEARTY SHALOM TO ALL OF YOU.
JEFFREY SEIF HERE
PLEASED TO WELCOME YOU AGAIN
TO ANOTHER EDITION OF ZOLA LEVITT PRESENTS.
I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY CALL A DRIVEWAY
A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE PARK
AND PARKWAY,
A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE DRIVE.
I THINK SOMEONE GOT THAT BACKWARDS.
BUT AT ONE LEVEL IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE
CAUSE I'M TAKING YOU TO PLACES THERE'S NO ROADS TO GET THERE.
WE ARE GOING OFF THE BEATEN PATH.
AND I CAN GET BY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIEND,
MY TRUSTY GPS.
AND THAT RANGE ROVER TAKES ME PLACES
WHERE I WOULDN'T OTHERWISE ROVE,
IN THIS CASE WE'RE WALKING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE PATRIARCHS
WHO WENT OVER HILL AND DALE
AND ALONG DUSTY TRAIL
AND THEY MADE THEIR WAY TO THE LAND OF PROMISE.
CASE IN POINT, "YAKOV"..."JACOB"...
LET'S CONSIDER HIM NOW
AS WE GO ON THE JOURNEY AND CONSIDER "THE LAND OF ISRAEL".
AND JACOB WENT OUT FROM BEERSHEBA AND WENT TOWARD HARAN.
AND HE LIGHTED UPON A CERTAIN PLACE
AND TARRIED THERE ALL NIGHT
AND HE DREAMED
AND BEHOLD A LADDER SET UP ON THE EARTH,
AND THE TOP OF IT REACHED TO HEAVEN.
AND BEHOLD, THE LORD STOOD ABOVE IT AND SAID,
"I AM THE LORD GOD OF ABRAHAM, THY FATHER,"
"AND THE GOD OF ISAAC."
"THE LAND WHERE THOU LIEST, TO THEE WILL I GIVE IT"
"AND TO THY SEED"
"AND THY SEED SHALL BE AS THE DUST OF THE EARTH"
"AND I WILL BRING THEE AGAIN INTO THIS LAND"
"FOR I WILL NOT LEAVE THEE."
AND JACOB ROSE UP EARLY
AND TOOK THE STONE THAT HE HAD PUT FOR HIS PILLOW
AND SET IT FOR A PILLAR
AND POURED OIL UPON THE TOP OF IT
AND HE CALLED THE NAME OF THE PLACE "BETHEL".
IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE
IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL.
GLAD YOU WANT TO GO
ON THE JOURNEY WITH ME.
ITS NOT JUST ABOUT ME AND YOU, HOWEVER,
WE OPEN UP OUR BIBLES
AND WE LEARN THAT THE LIKES OF AVRAHAM, YITZHAK AND YAKOV,
THE PATRIARCHS,
FREQUENTED THIS VERY PLACE.
NOW, WHEN I SPEAK OF THIS PLACE AND THIS PROGRAM
WE'RE GOING TO A PLACE CALLED "BETHEL".
PROMISES WERE MADE TO ABRAHAM HERE AND TO JACOB AS WELL.
COME WITH ME...
LET'S CHECK IT OUT.
"LIKE FATHER LIKE SON".
THAT'S WHAT THEY SAY.
AND THE SAYING IS REFLECTED WELL IN THE BIBLICAL TEXT AS WELL
WHERE GOD DOES THE TALKING.
NOW, THE REASON WHY I SAY THAT,
AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT AS I SAY IT,
IS BECAUSE GOD HAS COMMENDED A PARTICULAR PEOPLE
TO HAVE RESIDENCY IN A PARTICULAR LAND
GIVEN TO AVRAHAM, YITZHAK AND YAKOV,
"ABRAHAM","ISAAC" AND "JACOB".
HERE YOU CAN SEE IT.
PRESENT ISRAEL IS JUST A LITTLE SLIVER THERE
CARVED UP MORE AND MORE IT SEEMS BY THE MONTH
BY POLITICAL PRESSURES WANTING TO ENCLOSE IT.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE BIBLICAL PROMISE, HOWEVER,
WE SEE THE LORD LEADING AVRAHAM AND HIS ILK DOWN HERE
WANTING TO EXPAND IT.
WELL OUR STORY TAKES PLACE TODAY
WITH "YAKOV", JACOB, IN BEERSHEVA,
AND HE IS COMMENDED TO GO NORTHWARD UP TO HARAN TO MARRY.
AND ON THE WAY HE'S GOING TO VISIT THIS PLACE RIGHT HERE,
"BETHEL",
ITS A PLACE WE'RE ABOUT TO VISIT, AND WHY,
BECAUSE GOD VISITED HIM THERE.
LET'S CHECK OUT THE STORY.
COME WITH ME TO BETHEL
AND SEE WHAT GOD MIGHT SAY TO YOU
AS YOU WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ABRAHAM, ISAAC AND JACOB
HERE IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL.
FOLLOWERS OF YESHUA,
OF JESUS THAT IS,
HAVE HEARD OF THE TERM "ALTAR CALL".
IN FACT EVEN THOSE THAT DON'T FOLLOW HAVE HEARD THE TERM;
THEY HAVEN'T NECESSARILY GONE TO THE ALTAR.
THOSE THAT ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE LANGUAGE
AREN'T NECESSARILY FAMILIAR
WITH WHERE THE TERM "ALTAR CALL" COMES FROM.
IT COMES FROM THE HEBREW BIBLE.
AND THOSE OF US THAT HAVE COME TO THE ALTAR...
SOME OF US HAVE COME WITH CHOIR SINGING BEHIND US THE SONG "I SURRENDER ALL".
WHICH REMINDS ME...
THOSE WHO COME OFTEN TIMES DON'T COME WITHOUT A FIGHT.
AS A POLICE OFFICER IN ANOTHER LIFE, I'VE BEEN IN CHASES AND SOMEONE SAYS "OKAY, I GIVE UP".
SOMETIMES WE'RE ON THE RUN
AND WE JUST GIVE UP AND WE SAY, "LORD I SURRENDER".
THAT REMINDS ME OF THE STORY FOR TODAY.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A FELLOW "YAKOV", JACOB
AND HE HE'S ON THE RUN.
HE'S NOT REALLY RUNNING FROM GOD
NOW, HE'S MINDED TO RUN TO HIM.
AND YOU CAN SEE GOD BECKONING HIM HIS WAY.
THE STORY OF COURSE AS YOU MAY KNOW IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH IT
IS THAT JACOB HAS BEEN ON THE OUTS NOW WITH HIS BROTHER ESAU
WHO'S MINDED TO KILL HIM.
AND SO MOM AND DAD SAY,
"YOU KNOW THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME FOR YOU TO GO ON A JOURNEY SON."
SO OSTENSIVELY HE'S SENT OFF TO HARAN...SYRIA THAT IS...
TO FIND A WIFE
BUT REALLY IN SO MANY WAYS HE'S RUNNING FOR HIS LIFE.
HE IS ON THE RUN BIG TIME
AND AS IS THE CASE WHEN PEOPLE FIND THEMSELVES IN A PRECARIOUS PLACE.
AT WITS END THAT HE IS,
FIRST TIME IN HIS LIFE HE'S ON HIS OWN,
HIS MOTHER'S BEEN TAKING CARE OF HIM FOR ALL OF IT.
HE LAYS DOWN HIS HEAD...
AND ABSENT A MOTHER TO TAKE CARE OF HIM
AND A FATHER TO GUIDE HIM FROM A DISTANCE,
HE LAYS DOWN HIS HEAD RESTLESS
AND THE LORD SHOWS UP AT A PLACE CALLED "BETHEL"...
"HOUSE OF GOD".
HE LAYS HIS HEAD DOWN WE'RE TOLD
AND HE SEES A VISION OF WHAT WE CALL "JACOB'S LADDER",
ANOTHER SONG IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH... "WE ARE CLIMBING JACOB'S LADDER"
HAS BEEN MADE POPULAR,
ONE CAN THINK OF A FIREMAN GOING UP AND DOWN A LADDER...
THAT'S NOT ACCURATE, HOWEVER.
BETTER I THINK IS A ZIGGURAT,
THESE STEPPED PYRAMIDS FOUND IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD...
A STAIRCASE GOING UP TO HEAVEN.
WELL NEVER MIND THAT...
JACOB SEES A VISION OF GOD LOOKING TO COMMUNICATE WITH HIM
HE'S ON HIS WAY OUT WONDERING WHAT HIS FUTURE WILL BE
AND THE LORD SHOWS UP
AND HE ASSURES HIM IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS AT THIS PLACE
THAT "I WILL BE WITH YOU."
WE'RE TOLD IN VERSE 13, HE SEES THE LADDER AND THE LORD SAYS,
ERETZ ISRAEL,
THE LAND OF ISRAEL...
THIS VERY PLACE....
"I'LL GIVE IT TO YOU."
HE SAYS IN VERSE 15,
WHY IS IT BY THE WAY TODAY PEOPLE THAT ARE RELIGIOUS,
THEY CLAIM TO BE BIBLE READERS,
WANT TO SAY GOD IS NOT MINDED TO KEEP THE JEWISH PEOPLE,
HE'S NOT MINDED TO BE WITH THE JEWISH PEOPLE,
THAT THERE'S NO RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JEWISH PEOPLE AND REAL ESTATE.
THOSE THAT SPEAK THAT WAY,
THERE JUST NOT BIBLE READERS.
THEY MIGHT BE RELIGIOUS IN SOME SENSE
BUT THEY'VE LOST SIGHT OF THE LITERATURE.
GOD IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS VISITS THIS FELLOW JACOB, "YAKOV".
HIS NAME IS GOING TO BE CHANGED TO "ISRAEL"
AS BIBLE READERS KNOW FULL WELL.
AND THERE'S AN ABIDING PROMISE WITH HIM
TO BE WITH HIM
TO KEEP HIM
AND THAT HIS DESCENDANTS ARE BOUND TO A PARCEL OF EARTH.
VERY, VERY, VERY CLEAR.
IN RESPONSE TO WHICH JACOB WITH THIS IN HIS MIND,
HOW AWESOME IS THIS PLACE.
HE RECOGNIZES IT AS THE GATEWAY TO HEAVEN.
HE IS SO TOUCHED SPIRITUALLY;
HE WILL THEN REFER TO THE PLACE THAT HAD A NAME BEFOREHAND
AS "BETHEL", "THE HOUSE OF GOD".
AND THERE HE WILL WORSHIP.
THOSE THAT WORSHIP THE LORD IN THE HOUSE OF GOD TODAY,
RESPECTIVE CHURCHES...FRIENDS,
CONSIDER THE ORIGIN OF THE ALTAR,
CONSIDER WORSHIP IN THE HEBREW BIBLE AND REMEMBER,
WE'RE LEARNING FROM A MAN,
WE'RE LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCES THAT ARE BOUND UP WITH A PEOPLE,
WITH A LAND,
WITH DESTINY...
THE JEWISH PEOPLE HERE...
THE ERETZ ISRAEL...
IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL.
FOR INSIGHTFUL PERSPECTIVES OF ISRAEL AND BIBLE PROPHECY
ASK FOR OUR FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER "THE LEVITT LETTER".
WHEN YOU CALL BE SURE TO ASK FOR OUR FREE CATALOGUE
WITH THE LATEST VIDEOS, BOOKS, AND MUSIC.
OUR CORRESPONDENCE COURSE,
"THE INSTITUTE FOR JEWISH CHRISTIAN STUDIES"
INCLUDES READING PACKETS, TEACHING CDS, AND MAIL-IN TESTS.
YOU MAY WANT TO JOIN US ON AN UPCOMING TOUR OF ISRAEL OR PETRA
OR CRUISE THE MEDITERRANEAN VISITING GREECE AND EPHESUS.
PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION.
(JEFF SPEAKING)
DAVID DOLAN'S BACKDROP THIS WEEK IS THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM...
A GREAT VISTA FROM WHICH TO CONTINUE HIS REMARKABLE SAGA
OF THE MODERN STATE OF ISRAEL.
BEHIND ME ARE THE WALLS
OF THE OLD CITY BUILT BY
SULEIMAN THE MAGNIFICENT,
THE OTTOMAN LEADER.
THIS AREA WAS A CENTER OF WORLD WAR I.
THE BRITISH FORCES IN THE AREA
WERE LEAD BY GENERAL EDMUND ALLENBY.
DURING WORLD WAR I
THE BRITISH HIGH COMMISSIONER IN CAIRO
PROMISED THE ARAB LEADER OF THE WHOLE REGION,
SHARIF HUSSEIN, DOWN IN MECCA,
THAT IF THE ALLIES WERE VICTORIOUS IN THE WAR
THEY WOULD HELP ESTABLISH A NUMBER OF ARAB STATES
AFTER THE WAR.
BUT HE ALSO SAID THAT
THEY WANTED TO KEEP THIS AREA, "PALESTINE", AS A SEPARATE ENTITY
WITH THE IDEA THAT THE JEWS WOULD HAVE A STATE HERE.
AND ALSO TO THE NORTH, LEBANON, AS A SEPARATE ENTITY
WHERE THE CHRISTIANS COULD HAVE SOME AUTONOMY.
SHARIF HUSSEIN AGREED TO THIS PROPOSAL.
IN 1919 HIS SON FAISAL ENDORSED THIS PROPOSAL AS WELL.
WELL IN 1917 GENERAL ALLENBY...
RIGHT BEHIND ME HERE...
WALKED BY FOOT THROUGH JAFFA GATE
AFTER BRITISH FORCES CAPTURED THE CITY OF JERUSALEM.
HE SAID, "I CANNOT RIDE".
EVEN THOUGH HE WAS A CALVARY LEADER WITH A GREAT HORSE...
"I CANNOT RIDE WHERE THE MESSIAH WALKED".
AND THE PEOPLE CHEERED AS HE CAME INTO THE CITY.
WELL JUST ONE MONTH BEFORE
THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT IN LONDON
HAD PROMISED THE JEWISH PEOPLE
A NATIONAL HOMELAND
HERE IN PALESTINE.
IT WAS CALLED "THE BALFOUR DECLARATION".
LESS THAN ONE YEAR AFTER THE BALFOUR DECLARATION WAS RELEASED
WORLD WAR I WAS OVER.
GENERAL ALLENBY'S FORCES DEFEATED THE TURKS
UP IN THE VALLEY OF MEGIDDO NORTH OF JERUSALEM.
THE ALLIES ALL GATHERED TOGETHER A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER
AT SAN REMO, SPAIN TO DECIDE HOW TO CARVE UP THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE...
WHO WOULD GET WHAT, ETC.
AND A MANDATE WAS GIVEN TO GREAT BRITAIN
TO ESTABLISH A JEWISH NATIONAL HOME HERE IN PALESTINE.
AND A MANDATE WAS GIVEN TO THE FRENCH
TO DO THE SAME UP IN LEBANON AND IN SYRIA.
AND INDEED STATES WERE CREATED FOR THE ARABS
AS THE BRITISH HAD PROMISED.
TRANS JORDAN JUST TO THE EAST OF US WAS CREATED
OUT OF WHAT WAS THE MANDATE OF PALESTINE.
THE JEWS WEREN'T SO THRILLED ABOUT THIS
BECAUSE THAT MEANT THAT TWO THIRDS OF THE AREA
THAT THEY THOUGHT THEY COULD SET A JEWISH STATE UP IN
HAD BEEN CUT OFF FROM JEWISH SETTLEMENT.
BUT STILL IT WAS IMPLIED
THEY COULD SETTLE EVERYWHERE WEST OF THE JORDAN RIVER
WHICH WOULD INCLUDE WHAT IS TODAY KNOWN AS THE WEST BANK.
BUT IN 1922
WINSTON CHURCHILL IMPLIED
THAT WOULD NOT BE THE CASE,
THAT THE JEWISH STATE WOULD BE SMALLER STILL.
JEWS COULD SETTLE IN PARTS OF WESTERN PALESTINE BUT NOT NECESSARILY IN ALL OF IT.
WELL ALSO IN 1922
THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS
ENDORSED THIS BRITISH MANDATE
AND THE FRENCH MANDATE.
BUT IN 1921 BEFORE THAT HAPPENED, IN MAY,
THE VERY FIRST WIDE SCALE ARAB RESISTANCE TO THE RETURNING JEWS TOOK PLACE.
MAJOR RIOTS IN THE CITIES OF THE LAND...
NEARLY 50 JEWS WERE SLAUGHTERED DOWN ON THE COAST IN JAFFA AND IN MANY OTHER PARTS OF THE AREA.
THROUGH THE 1920S
JEWS KEPT COMING BACK.
NEARLY 60,000 MADE ALIYAH
IN WHAT WAS KNOWN AS THE FOURTH WAVE OF ALIYAH.
MOST OF THEM CAME FROM RUSSIA AND FROM POLAND.
THEY WERE CITY DWELLERS.
MOST OF THEM SETTLED NOT IN THE FARMS
BUT DOWN IN TEL AVIV AND OTHER PLACES.
WELL IT WASN'T LONG AFTER THAT IN 1929
THAT THE ARAB POGROMS BROKE OUT THAT WERE THE WORST IN THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS RETURNING.
THAT WAS LED BY
HAJJ AMIN HUSSEINI,
THE MUSLIM LEADER OF JERUSALEM.
HUNDREDS OF ARABS POURED OUT FROM THE TEMPLE MOUNT
AND OVER 113 JEWS WERE KILLED.
THE JEWISH COMMUNITY OF HEBRON WAS COMPLETED SLAUGHTERED,
THE CHIEF RABBI HUNG UPSIDE DOWN AND SKINNED ALIVE.
IT WAS A TERRIBLE POGROM
AND IT WAS JUST A SIGN OF THE GREAT VIOLENCE
THAT WAS TO COME IN THE 1930'S AND 40'S.
ALL OF THIS AS JEWS KEPT COMING BACK
AND THAT INCREASING IN THE 30S
AS A MAN NAMED ADOLF HITLER
TOOK CONTROL OF GERMANY.
GOODNESS IT IS SO GUT WRENCHING.
IT'S HORRIBLE WHAT PEOPLE DO TO PEOPLE...
WHAT PEOPLE DO TO JEWS.
AND ITS NOT JUST YESTERDAY'S NEWS,
IF YOU WANT TO BE KEPT INFORMED
GO TO OUR WEBSITE AT
WWW.LEVITT.COM
AND ASK FOR OUR MAGAZINE.
OR YOU CAN CALL
1-800-WONDERS AS WELL
AND YOU CAN GET INFORMATION THAT
NORMALLY IS NOT DISSEMINATED
ON TODAY'S NEWS VENUES.
THE OFFER ON THE PROGRAM TODAY
IS A SERIES "WHOSE LAND IS IT?".
ACTUALLY IT'S A SERIES OF
INTERVIEWS DONE BY
THE LATE ZOLA LEVITT.
THERE'S DVDS,
THERE'S A STUDY BOOKLET AS WELL
ON THE SAME ISSUE...
WHO'S REAL ESTATE IS IT?
PEOPLE ARE FIGHTING ABOUT JEWS
AND FIGHTING JEWS.
IT'S AN OLD STORY.
BUT THE STORY OF ISRAEL'S AN OLD STORY
AS IS THAT OF PEOPLE COMING TO IT TO BE BLESSED...YES?
IT IS DR. SEIF
AND I CAN ASSURE YOU
IT IS YESHUA'S LAND
BECAUSE THE PRESENCE
OF YESHUA IS SO STRONG
IN THE HOLY LAND
AND I WANT TO RIGHT NOW JUST
INVITE ALL OF OUR VIEWERS,
THE AMAZING TEACHING
THAT YOU DO DR. SEIF
COMES ALIVE IN THE HOLY LAND
WHEN THEY ARE ON
THE ACTUAL GROUND
THAT JESUS WALKED,
WHEN THEY ARE TOUCHING
THE WESTERN WALL
AND GETTING BAPTIZED
IN THE JORDAN RIVER.
ISRAEL IS GOING TO
COME ALIVE TO YOU
IF YOU COME WITH US.
SO THEY CALL 1-800-WONDERS
OR GO ON THE WEBSITE...
THEY GET TO YOU AND YOU GET THEM TO ISRAEL.
I DO...
THEY GO TO LEVITT.COM...
EVERYTHING IS THERE.
AND IN FACT ONE OF OUR RECENT TRAVELERS, PAUL,
IS GOING TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE IN ISRAEL.
HEY PAUL,
I UNDERSTAND THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME TO THE HOLY LAND
AND IT MAY BE SPECIAL
BECAUSE YOU'RE REALLY PRAYING FOR SOME FAMILY MEMBERS
ABOUT THEIR SPIRITUALITY.
YES IT IS.
IT'S BEEN AMAZING.
AND I BELIEVE THAT GOD HAS ANSWERED MY PRAYERS ALREADY
AND I JUST NEEDED TO TRAVEL ALL ACROSS THE WORLD TO THE MOTHER LAND
TO ANSWER MY PRAYERS TO THE LORD JESUS
WHAT'S THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE TRIP BEEN FOR YOU?
I...THERE IS SOME MUCH THAT ISRAEL HAS HIGHLIGHTED FOR ME
BUT I REALLY LIKED THE JORDAN RIVER WHEN WE WENT THERE...
WE MET THIS PERSON WHO JUST LOVES THE LORD
AND HE'S JUST GREAT.
SO THE BAPTISM WAS THE HIGHLIGHT.
I WOULD SAY THE BAPTISM WAS THE HIGHLIGHT FOR ME. >>THAT'S GREAT.
WELL IT'S BEEN SO GOOD TO HAVE YOU ON THE ZOLA TOUR. SO GLAD YOU COULD JOIN US.
PAUL...WONDERFUL HUMAN BEING...YES?
YOU KNOW HE IS DR. SEIF.
AND WE HAVE MANY TRAVELERS LIKE THAT
AND I WANT TO INVITE OUR VIEWERS TO COME WITH US
SO THEY CAN EXPERIENCE LIKE HE DID.
PATTY CAME ALONG ON THE LAST JOURNEY
AND SHE COMES WITH ME EVERY NOW AND AGAIN
AND JUST FALLS IN LOVE WITH THE PEOPLE AS WELL AS THE PLACE.
AND THEY LOVED HER TOO.
I WAS SO GLAD SHE COULD ACCOMPANY US.
YES, MY WIFE'S A SWEET WOMAN,
I KNOW YOU'D LOVE HER LIKE I DO,
25 YEARS INTO THIS MARRIAGE AS WE ARE.
WELL SO MUCH FOR ME AND PATTY,
BUT TALKING ABOUT LOVE,
ZIONISM HARKS TO THE LOVE FOR THE MODERN NATION STATE OF ISRAEL.
AND NOW OFF TO ME AND DAVID DOLAN.
WE'RE SPEAKING FROM TEL AVIV,
A GORGEOUS VISTA OVERLOOKING THE MEDITERRANEAN
IN THE LAND THAT IS ISRAEL.
CRITICS OF THE MODERN ZIONIST ENTERPRISE ARGUE THAT IT'S THOROUGHLY SECULAR,
NOTHING SPIRITUAL HAPPENING HERE,
THESE PEOPLE DON'T EVEN CARE ABOUT GOD, BIBLE, RELIGION...
NOTHING.
WELL IF THAT'S THE CASE WHY IS IT CALLED "ZIONISM" WHICH HARKS BACK TO ZION...A BIBLICAL PLACE?
AND FOR THAT MATTER WHY IS THE SYMBOL THE STAR OF DAVID?
DAVID IS A BIBLICAL PERSONALITY NOW ISN'T HE?
AND WHY IS THAT FLAG OF ISRAEL BLUE AND WHITE,
REMINISCENT OF A PRAYER SHAWL THAT JEWISH PEOPLE DRAPE OVER THEMSELVES?
THERE'S MORE SPIRITUALITY GOING ON HERE
THAN PEOPLE CREDIT IT SEEMS TO ME DAVID.
WHAT SAYS YOU?
WELL I THINK THAT'S RIGHT.
ITS TRUE THAT ONLY ABOUT 30 - 35 PER CENT OF ISRAELI JEWS
REGULARLY GO TO SYNAGOGUE
BUT THEN ON YOM KIPPUR ITS UP TO LIKE TO 70 PER CENT
AND MOST OF THEM FAST AS WELL.
AND YOU SCRATCH THE SURFACE OF A JEW
YOU FIND SOMEBODY THAT HAS THOSE BIBLICAL CONNECTIONS.
RIGHT AND YOU SCRATCH THE SURFACE OF THE JEWS
YOU'LL FIND SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE TRAUMATIZED...
FROM THE HOLOCAUST...
WHERE WAS GOD WHEN WE WERE SUFFERING?
IT MIGHT TAKE SOME TIME FOR PEOPLE TO WORK OUT THAT PAIN AND RECOVER THEIR RELIGIOUS EQUILIBRIUM.
WELL THAT'S RIGHT.
AND YET STILL THE LEADERS OF DAVID BEN GURION AND THE OTHERS
WHEN THEY MET JUST HERE IN TEL AVIV AT INDEPENDENCE HALL
TO CHOOSE A NAME FOR THE COUNTRY
BEN GURION SAID IT HAS TO BE "ISRAEL".
WELL THAT OF COURSE COMES FROM JACOB.
JACOB GOT THAT NAME FROM GOD.
SO EVEN THERE, HE WAS A SECULAR MAN MOSTLY,
BUT HE WAS LOOKING INTO THE BOOK TO GET THE NAME OF THE COUNTRY.
ITS VERY CONNECTED.
YES AND THAT'S VERY TELLING.
YOU CAN SEE THE CONNECTION,
TO USE YOUR WORD THERE.
THE BIBLE SAYS THAT PEOPLE WILL BE BROUGHT BACK INITIALLY IN UNBELIEF.
SO EVEN THE SPIRITUAL SKEPTICISM FULFILLS BIBLE PROPHECY.
IT REALLY DOES
AND OF COURSE, SO LITERALLY WE HAVE ISRAELIS COMING FROM
OVER A HUNDRED COUNTRIES FROM THE FAR CORNERS OF THE EARTH AS ISAIAH 11 AND OTHER PLACES SAID.
YOU KNOW I'VE BEEN REPORTING THAT...
ALL THE RUSSIANS JEWS COMING BACK.
AND I'LL NEVER FORGET
AFTER THE SCUDS FELL ON THIS CITY BEHIND US IN 1991
WHEN YITZHAK SHAMIR, THE PRIME MINISTER,
CALLED UPON THE NATION TO GO TO THE SYNAGOGUES
AND GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR NO CASUALTIES...
THAT WAS A MIRACLE...
AND THE PLACES WERE PACKED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WITH PEOPLE DOING JUST THAT.
ONE OF A NUMBER OF MIRACLES THAT WORKS OUT IN ISRAEL...
YOUR COMMENT REMINDS ME OF THE STATEMENT...
"THERE'S NO ATHEIST IN FOXHOLES."
THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
PUSHED AGAINST THE WALL PEOPLE DO TEND TO TURN THEIR HEARTS UPWARD.
THEY DO AND THEY ARE DOING THAT MORE AND MORE HERE.
YES THERE'S SO MUCH HAPPENING HERE IN THE HEARTS AND THE MINDS OF THOSE THAT LIVE HERE.
BUT BEYOND THAT AND BEYOND THE OWN SELF DETERMINATION
THAT RESONATES AMONGST THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE,
THERE'S GOD AT WORK IN THE WORLD.
WE SEE IT WHEN WE OPEN UP THE BIBLE ON THE ONE HAND
AND OPEN UP THE NEWSPAPER ON THE OTHER
WE CAN SEE CONGRUITY AS WE'RE OBSERVING GOD WATCHING OVER HIS WORD TO PERFORM IT HERE...
THE ERETZ ISRAEL...
IN THE LAND OF ISRAEL.
PSALM 137'S THEME OF LONGING FOR ZION
SO MUCH RESONATED IN DAVID BEN GURION'S HEART...
A MODERN FATHER OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE PATRIARCHS IN THE BIBLICAL TESTIMONY
THESE ARE THE ANCIENT FOUNDING FATHERS.
AND HERE NOW ZOLA LEVITT AND DR. TOM MCCALL
GO TO THE PLACE WHERE THE STORY TOOK PLACE...
IN BETHEL.
LET'S CONSIDER THEM NOW
AS DR. MCCALL AND ZOLA OPEN UP THE BIBLE AND MAKE IT REAL FOR US.
SO WE CAME TO THIS SPOT
TO SHOW WHERE THE COVENANT WAS REITERATED,
AND IT REITERATES
THROUGHOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT,
IT WASN'T JUST SAID ONCE,
BUT MANY TIMES AS EACH GENERATION CAME.
GIVEN TO ABRAHAM, THEN ISAAC NOT ISHMAEL, THEN JACOB NOT ESAU,
AND CONTINUALLY CLAIMED AGAIN AND REPEATED AGAIN BY THE LORD.
BUT IRONICALLY WHEN WE COME OUT TO THE THIS PLACE
WE'RE IN KIND OF ENEMY TERRITORY.
WE HAD TO TAKE REASONABLE PRECAUTIONS.
WE HAD TO BE CAREFUL.
WE ARE DRIVING THROUGH VILLAGES WHERE OTHER LANGUAGES ARE SPOKEN
AND OTHER GOD'S ARE WORSHIPPED.
WE HEAR THE CALL OF THE MUEZZIN FROM THE LOCAL MOSQUE
AND ITS NO QUESTION THAT BETHEL ITSELF,
THIS HILL,
THE SURROUNDING VILLAGES AND SO ON, IS A HOT SPOT IN THE MODERN INTIFADA.
AND THE IRONY IS IT WAS RIGHT HERE
THAT GOD WENT TO THE THIS TROUBLE AND PROVIDED THIS AMAZING DREAM,
THIS UNFORGETTABLE IMAGE...
JACOB'S LADDER...
WHICH IS ON EVERYBODY'S DOORPOST AND ON THEIR STATIONARY HERE AND SO ON.
BUT THE JEWS PICKED THIS PLACE TO SINGLE OUT
AS A PLACE WHERE THE COVENANT WAS REITERATED SO THAT IT WAS VERY CLEAR.
JACOB WAS IMPRESSED, THERE'S NO QUESTION.
WHEN HE GOT UP IN THE MORNING HE PERFORMED THIS RELIGIOUS CEREMONY,
THIS ACT OF FAITH,
HIS ANOINTING OF A STONE.
NOT UNLIKE I GUESS WHEN AN EXPLORER FINDS NEW TERRITORY
OR THE ASTRONAUTS CAME TO THE MOON...
THEY'D STAND ON THE SURFACE...
THEY CLAIM IT.
JACOB DID THE SAME THING BECAUSE OF HIS STRANGE NIGHT VISION
AND ENCOUNTER WITH THE ANGELS AND WITH ALMIGHTY GOD.
BEFORE WE FINISH UP
LETS BACK UP AND RECONSIDER SOME.
BY THAT I MEAN LOOKING AT THIS ANCIENT MAP HERE
OR A MAP THAT'S COMPARABLE TO WHAT IT WOULD LIKE IN ANTIQUITY.
AVRAHAM, OR ABRAHAM,
BEGINS OVER HERE
IN UR OF CHALDEA
WHICH WOULD BE MODERN KUWAIT,
AND HE MAKES A JOURNEY ALONG THE FERTILE CRESCENT
AND HUNKERS DOWN HERE FOR AWHILE
IN HARAN, SYRIA
AND THEN FINALLY HE MAKES HIS WAY TO THE LAND OF CANAAN.
AVRAHAM BIRTHS YITZHAK... ISAAC,
ISAAC...JACOB
AND WE'RE KIND OF UNFOLDING THE STORY
AND NOTING HOW THIS LITTLE PIECE OF REAL ESTATE HERE
WAS GIVEN TO THOSE PEOPLE BACK THEN
AND IT HAS APPLICATIONS TO PEOPLE TODAY.
IN THIS SERIES TODAY WE WERE IN BETHEL
AND CONSIDERING THE PROMISES REITERATED TO JACOB
AND OF COURSE HIS NAME WAS CHANGED TO ISRAEL,
HENCE A REFERENCE TO THE LAND OF ISRAEL.
GOODNESS... I HOPE YOU'RE DERIVING SOME BENEFIT FROM THIS.
AMONG OTHER THINGS WE WANT YOU TO SEE HOW GOD IS WATCHING OVER HIS WORD TO PERFORM IT EVEN TODAY.
AND INASMUCH AS GOD CAN FULFILL HIS PROMISES TO THIS REAL ESTATE,
THAT SAME GOD CAN FULFILL HIS PROMISES TO PEOPLE LIKE ME AND YOU.
I HOPE YOU CULTIVATE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM
AND I HOPE WE'RE HELPING YOU TO DO THAT.
IN ANY CASE THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.
AND AS YOU GO NOW,
SHA'ALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM
PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM