Why I’m Not Afraid of Sharon

16 Pages·2001·0.66 MB·English

MAY 2001 VOLUME 23, NUMBER 5
“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.” – Romans 10:1
We have run Joseph Farah’s articles several times in the T I N S I D E I T E M S t
T
past. He is an Arab writer who simply sees the truth about VI
LE nCover Article..........................p.1
the situation in Israel,and says it in very plain words. He LA nHebrew Lesson.......................p.2
is a believer,and he is in our prayers. O
Z nIsrael vs. Israel......................p.3
—Zola
nZola’s Bulletin Board................p.4
Why I’m Not Afraid nA Note from Zola.....................p. 5
nTwo Witnesses to Israel............p.6
nLetters to Zola.........................p.8
of Sharon nEditorials.............................p.10
nArafat Has $20m.....................p.13
By Joseph Farah,
Christians for Israel Today
peace and prosperity for the United
If you accept the international media’s peace. I remember having concerns States. And his decisive actions led
characterization of Ariel Sharon, you myself about this man having his ultimately to the demise of the
believe he is a warmonger, a hater of finger on the button. Soviet Union.
Arabs, a hard-liner, maybe even the
man responsible for the uprising Why? Because Reagan didn’t mince I believe Ariel Sharon’s ascendancy
surrounding the Temple Mount in words. He didn’t proclaim evil good to the office of prime minister, once
Jerusalem. and good evil. He didn’t pretend almost unthinkable to most Israelis,
that the U.S. could negotiate away should be viewed through the prism
its differences with the Soviet Union, of the Reagan parallel.
which he characterized accurately as
an “Evil Empire.” He spoke frankly Reagan showed the world conclu-
about rebuilding the U.S. military. sively that real peace can only be
When he talked about “peace,” he achieved through strength. Deter-
said it could only be achieved rence is the most powerful weapon
through “strength.” in the arsenal of any free people.
Weakness, or the perception of
You can(cid:213)t be a wimp weakness, invites aggression.
when you(cid:213)re deal- Ehud Barak has bent over backward
to be conciliatory. He chose appease-
ing with bullies. ment as a prescription for a settle-
ment with the Arabs. What did he
get for his trouble? Rejection. After
I was a loyal Democrat back then — essentially offering Yasser Arafat
As an Arab-American who has met like the overwhelming majority of everything he had previously asked
Sharon and carefully observed his my journalist colleagues. I believed for, he got more inflammatory rhet-
military and political career, I do not the spin. I accepted the distortions. oric, he got more violence, he got
accept any of these assumptions. I bought the lies. And I voted for more threats and he got a Middle
Apparently, neither do most Israelis. Jimmy Carter. There is no vote I have East on the brink of war.
cast in my life that I regret more. For-
All the scare-mongering reminds me, tunately, back then, most Americans Think about it. Who was the only
as an American, of the 1980 presi- were more perceptive than I was. And Israeli prime minister to achieve a
dential election. Back then, I recall, Ronald Reagan won a landslide victory. lasting peace agreement with an
the U.S. media establishment was Arab nation?
equally vociferous in proclaiming The rest is history. Reagan’s election
Ronald Reagan a threat to world ushered in eight years of relative
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
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COVER ARTICLE continued
Americans Strongly
The late Menachem Begin — another a disproportionate response from
leader who was perceived as a hard- the Israelis during Barak’s reign.
liner. One doesn’t need to study much Back Israel
They have felt little fear as they push-
history to know that principled tough-
ed children out into the frontlines
ness, firmness, and determination Christians for Israel Today
of unprecedented street violence.
works in politics and leadership.
A Gallup poll revealed that Americans
That dynamic will change with
I’m reminded of President Teddy strongly back Israel amid continuing
Sharon in power. And that’s a good
Roosevelt’s axiom of “speak softly Palestinian violence against Israel.
thing. Peaceful coexistence in the
and carry a big stick.” 51% of Americans say their sympa-
Middle East between Arabs and
thies are with Israel while only 16% F
Jews is unlikely as long as Israel is
The Middle East is, indeed, a tough say their sympathies are more with
perceived as weak, spineless, inde-
neighborhood. You can’t be a wimp the Palestinians, according to a new
cisive and fainthearted.
when you’re dealing with bullies. Gallup poll. Support for Israel during
Perhaps Ehud Barak has learned Sharon doesn’t scare me. And he the current round of violence has
that lesson. But it’s been a costly shouldn’t scare Israelis and others increased as the attacks have inten-
lesson for Israel. around the world who want to see sified. Shortly after the Palestinian
justice and lasting peace in the Middle violence started at the end of Sept-
Make no mistake about Sharon being East. He will, believe it or not, com- ember, 41% of the American public
in any way responsible for the current mand a healthy respect from the Arab said their sympathies were with
intifada, either. His visit to the Temple world. Oh, sure, Arafat and the Arab Israel. The findings are consistent
Mount was an excuse for the violence, leaders will condemn him with harsh with the strong support Israel has
not the cause. The blame for killings words. They will portray him in the historically enjoyed from the Ameri-
lies squarely with those who have worst possible light. Yet, Barak got the can public. Sympathy for Israel O
resorted to urban guerrilla warfare same treatment in recent months — reached a peak of 64% during the
tactics in the streets of Israel. and a lot worse. height of the Persian Gulf war in
February 1991, according to Gallup.
The main thing that prevents limit- Ariel Sharon is no guarantee of peace
1
ed violence from escalating into a in the Middle East. But he just may
broader conflict is fear. Arafat’s for- represent the best chance for peace
ces have felt little fear of prompting at this moment in history. n
HEBREW LESSON BY JOHN J. PARSONS
Hebraic Insight
In this verse, the word translated “mind” (yetser)
is used elsewhere in Scripture to refer to some-
thing formed or shaped, like pottery fashioned
by the hand of a potter. Just as a potter purposes
a shape in his or her mind before forming an
object, so that which is intended within the
(ISAIAH26:3 KJV) mind will shape or form our character and dis- ge
a
position, especially with regard to our relation- P
e
ship with God. ntir
E
The mind that intends to “stay upon” (sahmookh) nd
e
the LORD will lean upon, or lay hold of, the S
d
promises and presence of God (the best known n
a
use of this root is in the laying on of hands on Off
the head of a sacrificial animal). When we act- ar
ively purpose to “stay upon” the presence of Te
God and to lay hold of the sacrifice of the Lord se
a
Jesus as our Sin Offering before God, we are e
Pl
given great peace, since we are trusting in
God’s wonderful provision to put us into a right
relationship with Him. And by continuing to
abide in that trust, we are “changed into the
same image from glory to glory, even as by the
Spirit of the Lord” (2 Cor. 3:18. see also Rom.
8:29).
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EDITORIAL Part III
Don’t think for a moment that agreement,perhaps based on strict In Israel, unlike many longer-estab-
the Israelis are unified in their territorial lines. The two sides would lished nations, there exists a society
response to the ongoing Arab conduct normal relations as to busi- of pioneers, or settlers. They are
crusade against them. An ancient ness and commerce, but they would roughly equivalent to the American
Jewish adage has it that where there truly live separately. This idea of pioneers of the 19th century in that
are two Jews, there are three opinions, “unilateral separation” is a new idea they are settling empty lands away
and indeed the Chosen People dis- on Israel’s part, motivated by the pre- from the cities. Theirs is a dangerous
agree. As a matter of fact, their style sent unrest. More dovish elements life since, like the American pioneers
of studying their own law books is within the military and the govern- before them, they run afoul of local
characterized as a debate, or even ment would rather continue some residents. In America, these were the
an argument, in which one side main- sort of the status quo, living togeth- native Americans with a perfectly
tains a given position of a specific er through thick or thin. legitimate claim to the land. In the
law and the other side attacks it. The Israeli situation, the Israelis are the
situation in the yeshiva, or Orthodox Israeli society at large is probably natives— the original residents have
Jewish school, is similar to an Ameri- more discouraged with the peace returned.
can courtroom, where the defense process than the present govern-
and the prosecution argue before a ment is. (As we go to press, the The cover story on the November 6,
neutral panel or a neutral judge. government is negotiating with rival 2000, Jerusalem Reportcovered the
One side in a rabbinical Israel vs. Israel (Part III) unique circumstances of
debate is referred to as the the settler-Palestinian
sustainers or fulfillers of the differences.
law, and the adversarial side
–continued from the March L L article
as the “destroyer” of the same EVITT ETTER The conditions for Jewish
law. And so our Lord, a rabbi “Enter the Antichrist” vigilantism exist: the
in His own right, pointed anxiety about safety;
By Zola Levitt
out that in the debate over the sense that the gov-
certain laws He gave in the ernment is not allowing
Sermon on the Mount, He the army to respond
was not the destroyer but the with sufficient force; and
fulfiller of such laws in front the Palestinian desecra-
of a neutral Jewish public. tion of Joseph’s Tomb in
Nablus and the ancient
We could only wish that the Shalom Al Yisrael synagogue
crucial Jewish debate of today on the outskirts of Jericho.
had only two sides, but in reality, factions to create some kind of coali- “We were very scared about how the
the government, the military and tion, embracing a wider consensus settlers would react,” says Shlomo
the society at large differ on the of the societies’ views. Or in plain Dror, the spokesman for the coordi-
peaceprocess and other factors in language, the leftists are calling on nator of Israeli activities in the terri-
this difficult time. One could char- the rightists to form a more centrist tories. “People in Beit Hadassah (in
acterize the left wing in Israel as government.) Hebron) have had bullets fired into
doves, in American parlance, the most their homes. They have sandbags on
extremeof whom hope for peace at And let’s face it, a certain ever-grow- the windows. But none of them has
any price. They would be willing to ing portion of Israeli citizens is sick taken out a gun and fired. The settlers
try to shareJerusalem with the Arabs and tired of the peace process, the see the peace process collapsing and
(although no Jewish citizen would land-for-peace craziness, and all the they don’t want to do anything to
agree to giveup all of Jerusalem). And rest of the pretentious dealings with change that. The Palestinians are
on the extreme right are those who people who they know in their heart doing the work for them.”
favor “transfer,”which means to peace- of hearts are simply out to kill them
ably but forcibly deport Arabs from and take their land. One can posture Settler casualties, by mid-October,
the Israelisociety across some certain only so long to please the American were also low. Hillel Lieberman, a
line and leave only Jewish citizens government, the United Nations, or resident of Elon Moreh near Nablus,
behind. Obviously, these extreme whomever, and finally, one comes to was the one man attacked and killed
views don’thave many adherents, the end of one’s patience. A certain by Palestinians. Lieberman set off
but there are many shades of com- amount of Israeli people believes that in the direction of Joseph’s Tomb —
promise in between. In general, the giving up land for peace will promote where he helped establish a yeshivah
government and the military, at this the next war, and this writer certain- [school] — when he heard it was
moment, still hope for some peace lycan understand that view.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
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dio.com or tune in Sky Angel, PBN channel 9766.
You will also find terrific praise and worship music, including some
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why not let its speakers bless you with free teaching and music?
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EDITORIAL
have virtually written Israel out of of God,” John 12:43). Their treasures
A Note
End Times prophecy. In fact, they seem to be here on Earth, and they
A Note
barely study End Times prophecy are getting their earthly rewards.
at all.
From I might say in passing that my wife’s
particular BSF class started like all
From My wife came home from BSF (Bible
others — with a few ladies, and it
Study Fellowship) today, and talked
now has 600 members!
about her lesson. She was excited
Zola
to hear of Israel and End Times
Mark See the Holy Land and you’ll under-
prophecy in good measure in that
stand a whole lot more on these
ladies’ group. Friends of mine who
subjects. Our next tour is June 5th –
go to the Precepts groups are just
15th, and we can still sign you up if
Dear Friends, as excited about Israel. One of our
you call immediately.
TV cameramen, who has been with
I
am dictating this part of the us for years, is an instructor in BSF Also, our Ultra Grand Tour of Greece,
Levitt Letterjust before leaving and is totally knowledgeable about Israel and Petra will occur this com-
for our Spring Tour of Israel, and Israel and End Times prophecy. I ingSeptember with many tour option
as usual I am very excited to go to wish I could say the same for the packages. Depending on the options
the Promised Land. average seminary graduate, who is you choose, tours will run between
practically an idiot on those subjects. August 29th and September 16th.
I have taken 70 tours to Israel, and I While I will be unable to join the tour
still can’t fall asleep the night before It’s not as though in June, I will be personally guiding
I leave. The only way I can commu- the people in this tour. Our Fall Tour brochure will
nicateto you what a wonderful place these Bible be coming out around mid-May. This
it is is to take you there and show it study groups may be our last tour to Israel this year,
to you. Our people simply cannot are being as we believe the popularity of our
believe their eyes, after seeing the taught some- tour of The Holy Land Experience
obnoxious pictures on CNN and the thing strange in Orlando, Florida, will persuade
other networks, at what a beautiful, or perverse. us to go again in the winter. We’ll
serene place Israel truly is. The anti- inform you in this letter when we
Semitism of the media is to be ex- BSF know for certain, but in anycase, we
pected in the End Times, but in a and intend to resume tours to Orlando
way, even this prophecy teacher is Precepts after our September tour. You can
surprised at its virulence. go verse reach Tony, our travel manager, at
by verse [phone] during officehours,
I remain amazed at the traitor-like through or dial 1-800-WONDERS anytime.
commentaries of Jewish American the Bible,
reporters, principally Mike Wallace, something that I’m not sure the semi- We will be filming our new series
Thomas Friedman, Anthony Lewis, naries really do anymore. They may Thy Kingdom Come:The Future of
Robert Novak and Ted Koppell, think they’re doing the Believersduring
among others. They do not prefer that, but somehow Theanti-Semitism of the our Spring Tour in
to be known as Jews, but they are their graduates Israel, and it should
Jews, and turncoat Jews because come out with media is to be expected be ready by the lat-
they criticize Israel for money. very abbreviated ter part of the sum-
knowledge of Israel in the End Times mer. This will be
You may be saddened by the idea and prophecy, a twelve-program
that some Jewish people turn their which are obvi- series that will pre-
backs on Israel, but consider our ously among the most important sent a thorough examination of
churches and our seminaries and Biblical topics. what will happen after the Rapture
what they have done lately toward to those who are saved, rather than
the Promised Land. With Progres- It seems that the Bible study people the typical focus on what will hap-
sive Dispensationalism, Replace- are interested in teaching the Bible and pen to the world.
seminaries are into building build-
ment Theology (in subtle forms) and
ings, founding banks, increasingenrol- Remember to pray for the
the other anti-Israel philosophies,
lments, and getting accreditation from peace of Jerusalem!
Moody Bible Institute, Dallas Theo-
secular sources (“for they lovedthe
logical Seminary, and the others Your messenger,
praise of men more than the praise
MAY 2001 P.O. BOX 12268 • DALLAS, TX 75225-0268 • [phone] • WWW.LEVITT.COM 5
EDITORIAL
Our ministry just sent its first missionaries.Naturally they situation we all agreed to the necessity of their intense
went to Israel,since that was the Lord’s request (Matt.10:5-6, scrutiny and the rationale behind it (i.e., PLO intifada
Rom.1:16). Kevin Parker is one of our Israel tour leaders,
terrorism). From this common ground we can proceed
and Todd Baker is our ministry’s theologian. Below is a
with genuine love, encouragement and ultimately shar-
report of their experiences.
Two Witnesses to Israel ing the gospel according to Y’shua. In 1 Peter 3:15 we
are instructed to “Always be prepared to give an answer
to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope
(Part One of Two) that you have.”
Another opportunity presented itself upon our arrival at
By Kevin L. Parker
Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. One of Todd’s suitcases
was missing and at the “lost and found” area we were
At twilight on Friday the 23rd of March able to witness to a rabbi who was missing one part of
(Shabbat), Zola and the Shalom Shalom Congregation of his luggage. The common ground to both parties was
Dallas, Texas commissioned Todd Baker and me to witness “missing luggage.”
to the Jew first (Romans 1:16) in the land of Israel. Zola
read Acts 13:2-3, “While they were worshiping the Lord Our typical message contained the following elements:
and fasting, the Holy Spirit said ‘Set apart
• The reliability of the Tanakh (Old Testament)
for me Barna-bas and Saul for the work
• The everlasting land covenant with
to which I have called them.’ Soafter
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
they had fasted and prayed, they placed
• The return of Israel from the dias-
their handson them and sent them
pora as prophesized (supernatural)
off.” On behalf of the congregation,
• All oracles from God came through
Zola placed his hands on us and sent
inspired Jewish people
us off with a blessing. This essential
• The Tanakh and the B’rit Hadashah
Scriptural event marked the beginning
(New Testament) came through
of our evangelism in Israel.
inspired Jews
The mission statement was laid out • Y’shua was a Jew
by Him Who was without sin. Y’shua • The Apostles were Jews
said, “Therefore go and make disciples • The first church was in Jerusalem
of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father • The first Christians (i.e.,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them Nazarenes) were Jews
to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am • All Scripture is inerrant and infallible
with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matt.28:19-20). • The Tanakh and B’rit Hadashah are united through
After His resurrection from the dead on First Fruits, Y’shua the person Y’shua
further defined the mission to be “His witnesses in Jerusalem, • Prophecies concerning the ker
a
B
and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” Messiah (predicted and d
d
(Acts 1:8). That would be our starting point — Jerusalem! fulfilled) To
• The necessity for “blood”sacrifice
Our sovereign LORD, Who is marvelous in our eyes, bless- • The Perfect Lamb of God
ed us with an opportunity to witness from the beginning • The Gospel according to Y’shua
at the international airport in Newark, New Jersey. Be- • Our personal testimonies
cause of the continuing PLO intifada that recently includ-
edthe assassination of a ten-month-old Israeli infant, Our typical day began with prayer. In our prayers we included:
EL AL was on a heightened security alert for terrorism.
Todd and I were detained, questioned and searched for • Show us the opportunities
three hours. During this time the LORD gave us the in- • Give us people with ears that hear, eyes that see, etc.
credible opportunity to witness and encourage the Israeli • Give us wisdom from Above
security personnel. They were courteous, professional, • Give us the Holy Spirit that convicts and regenerates
kind, extremely thorough, and listened to His encour- • Make us tender and gentle
agement through our words. This would be the first of
Prayer (before, during, after) proved to be the most
many “opportunities” to come.
important ingredient for successful witness to the Jew
I will digress for a moment to explain “opportunities.” In first, and then the Gentile in Israel. On one occasion,
order to be an effective witness one must always be pre- after prayer in our Kibbutz room we found a Jewish man
pared and actively searching for “common ground” to and his child literally sitting on our doorstep.
begin communication. For example, in the EL AL security
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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TWO WITNESSES continued
On another occasion we desired Bibles to hand out and Left Behind Hits Mark
God provided us with 28 B’rit Hadashot(New Testaments)
“free” from Immanuel Bookstore in the Old City of Jeru-
S.O. – Letter to The Dallas Morning News
salem and the Galilee Experience in Tiberias. Each day
Kaufman, Texas
the sovereignty of God amazed us. The vast majority of
Israelis readily received our message of hope and en-
Re: “‘Left Behind’ review an act of courage” (Religion,
couragement. One man actually said, “This is Good News!”
Feb. 24). Although I didn’t read Gary North’s review of
Left Behind, I read Ed Chytil’s letter about it. I must say
We traveled throughout Israel in our rental car without trouble.
that, although I am not a premillennialist, I do agree with
We did not see any tanks or armored personnel carriers. the majority of what the Left Behind series says about
We spent six days in the Old City of Jerusalem without the Tribulation. I just disagree as to how long the Church
incident. During our seventeen nights in Israel (i.e., will remain on the earth; I think we’ll be going through
Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, the Galilee, the Golan Heights, the Tribulation as well.
Mount Hermon, Tel Aviv, etc.) we never heard a gunshot
or saw an angry person. As Zola told the Shalom Shalom I find Left Behind not only a hard-to-put-down series of
Congregation, “Between the two of them [Todd and me] books (and can hardly wait for the next book in the series
they don’t know enough Hebrew to order a cup of coffee.” to come out), but also of interest in seeing what the Trib-
Israel is our sister democracy in the Middle East and ulation itself will be like for those who will go through it.
English is a required language (fortunately for Todd and I just hope I’m not one of them. But with talk of a peace
me). For sure we avoided Palestinian-controlled areas treaty with Israel almost daily in the news, it makes you
like Gaza and the West Bank. As always, we both felt wonder just how close we are to the Tribulation, the
safer in Israel than in many of America’s large metropol- signing of the peace treaty being the beginning of the 7-
itan cities. year period and all. (Of course, that’s only if the Anti-
christ, whoever he may be, also signs the treaty. Could
In closing, it was readily apparent that American visitors there be two treaties?)
were absent in Israel. We saw tourists from the coun-
tries of Japan, South Korea, Germany, and even China. 1
Israel’s economy depends on tourism and our State
Department’s “Travel Warning” has negatively impacted
their economy (i.e., hotels, state parks, vendors, tour
guides, etc.).
Center of the Bible
Israel also depends on America’s strong political support.
This is a time when America needs to stand unequivo-
cally with her sister democracy that is surrounded by
Arab dictatorships. Please take time to encourage the • What is the shortest chapter in the Bible?
president ([email protected]) and the U.S. (Answer - Psalm 117)
Congress to support Israel — your phone calls, emails • What is the longest chapter in the Bible?
andletters can make a difference. Remember: “I will (Answer - Psalm 119)
bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will • Which chapter is in the center of the Bible
curse;and all peoples on earth will be blessed through (Answer - Psalm 118)
you” (Genesis 12:3). • Fact: There are 594 chapters before Psalm 118
• Fact: There are 594 chapters after Psalm 118
Todd and I were privileged to be ambassadors for Y’shua • Add these numbers up and you get 1188
in the land of Israel. We thank Shalom Shalom Congre- • What is the center verse in the Bible?
gation for their support (i.e., prayers, encouragement (Answer - Psalm 118:8)
and financial support). We also thank the gentleman
who donated $2600 to Zola Levitt Ministries “to send Does this verse say something significant about God’s
evangelists to the Jews in Israel.” And we thank the perfect will for our lives? The next time someone says
LORD God Almighty through the blood of the Lamb they would like to find God’s perfect will for their lives
Who was slain before the foundation of the Universe and that they want to be in the center of His will, just
and the Holy Spirit Who dwells amongst us. God cer- send them to the center of His Word! Psalm 118:8 (KJV),
tainly surrounded the two of us with His aura of grace. “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence
Amen! in man.”
n n
MAY 2001 P.O. BOX 12268 • DALLAS, TX 75225-0268 • [phone] • WWW.LEVITT.COM 7
LLL
eeetttttteeerrrsss
Dear Zola, tttooo Personal Letter, I pointed
out that the ugly daughter of
I just got off the phone with anti-Semitism, Replacement
Tonie at your ministry and I Theology, was in evidence
explained to her that I was already at some seminaries.
listening to Moody's Mid-
day Connection show and There is no reason on God’s
they were interviewing an earth why any Believer would
author by the name of George Grant who be “in the dark” concerning Israel. Thanks for
wrote a book called The Micah Mandate. As your e-mail.
I was listening to the author take calls, a cal-
—Zola
ler called in and said that “because the
church is now Israel, it is important for the church (ie:
ISRAEL) to rise up against evil in our culture and bring
Zola,
justice as Micah did.” The author agreed. I contacted the
radio show at [phone] and a lady answered and
I have been following the great debate in your newsletter
asked me my name, where I was calling from, the call
over Progressive Dispensationalism and Replacement
letters of my radio station and what my question was. I
Theology with considerable interest. You have repeat-
told her that I was listening to the show and had a real
edly asked that other instances of this false doctrine
concern about the statements that were being made
being taught in seminaries be brought to your atten-
about the church replacing Israel and she said, “if we
tion…well, I have an example to share with you that is
can fit you in, we’ll call you back.”
quite amazing, but it still rages on. It is between me and
(cid:210)...we(cid:213)ll call you back.(cid:211)
a professor at Nazarene Theological Seminary, a Dr. Al
Conveniently, they did
Truesdale. Enclosed is Dr. Truesdale’s article on premil-
not call me back. As I
lennialism. I took him to task over many points in this
continued to listen to the program absolutely NO ONE
discourse, but none greater than his statement on page
challenged this issue and it was scary how many people
5…that the premillennial Rapture of the Church could
called in with this same idea which was the springboard
not be possible, for it preempts a period of violence and
of the author’s book. It's discouraging that so many peo-
destruction (the Tribulation), which would be totally out
ple are in the dark where Israel is concerned and if they’d
of the character and nature of God, specifically the loving
just read Romans chapter 11, it’s very clear that the
nature of Christ. I pointed out to Dr. Truesdale that he
churchhas NOT replaced Israel.
would only have to re-read the Levitical law in Exodus
20 to re-gain an understanding of how God deals with
My thanks to Tonie for giving me the Scripture references
evil in the world.
and I will continue to inform those who are truly “in the
dark” concerning Israel. Keep up the good work and God
The incredible thing in our discourse, Zola, was the reply
bless you and your ministry. We appreciate all you do!
I received after I rebutted Dr. Truesdale’s paper. He wrote
S.C. me and all but told me that since he was a seminary
professor, and I was only a lowly pastor, I had no busi-
ness challenging his doctrinal study. Zola, I hold cre-
Dear S.C., dentials in three different denominations, including the
one Dr. Truesdale is in. I have five different degrees from
When I was a radio talk show host, truth to tell, we colleges and universities, and I would easily be able to
could not get to every caller, and I also had an engineer hold my own in a theological debate with Dr. Truesdale.
screening calls (mainly to keep hundreds and thou- The problem is that Progressive Dispensationalists have
sands of people from asking, “How do you get three taken high ground which they cannot hold. To state that
days and three nights for Jesus in the tomb,” and “when the Tribulation period cannot occur without the presence
was the Sabbath changed to Sunday?”). of the Holy Spirit because it is not God’s nature to be less
than omnipresent is lunacy! God can do anything He
With that said, I’m not surprised to see people repre- desires with the Holy Spirit…He breathed His Spirit into
senting Moody Bible Institute subscribing to Adam and took it away from Saul…and God can remove
Replacement Theology. We’ve been telling you that this it from the earth, but keep it intact in the body of Christ,
would happen for years. Dr. Thomas McCall, a theolo- the Church, at the event of the Rapture.
gian with our ministry, pointed out that the “slippery
slope” of Progressive Dispensationalism led down into Needless to say, I think you will get a real jolt out of Dr.
Amillenialism and Replacement Theology. In our May Truesdale’s dissertation…
CONTINUED NEXT PAGE
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LETTERS TO ZOLA continued
...to think that he is filling seminary students’ heads full and frankly, the occupation was quite benign until the
of this kind of “mush” is almost too much to handle. uprisings occurred. It might be said that under Israeli
So, the struggle goes on…. occupation, the Palestinian life span has extended from
...almost too 42 to 67 years, and that they are the only Arabs in the
Yours in Yeshua,
Middle East with schools in their villages, doctors, clean
Rev. L.J.P. much to handle.
water, etc., etc. Thirdly, Israel was given all of the land,
A Methodist Church
including Jerusalem. See the Abrahamic Covenant,
especially (Gen. 13:15). [3] That is correct. Arabs were
offered more land by the United Nations than they now
Dear Pastor L.J.P.,
claim, and they refused it.
The idea of
You certainly don’t need to hold credentials in different
[4] I appreciate your using the
denominations to argue with a blowhard like Dr. Trues- an (cid:210)ancient
term “Arabs,” since the Palestin-
dale — it’s easy to prove him Biblically wrong. Know that
ian people, as such, have really Palestine(cid:211) is
you have the mind of Christ, and so do all true believers.
never existed. They consist of
If you noticed, we did not challenge small denomina-
Arabs from several countries who mythical....
tional seminaries like this one, but rather the nation’s
have come into Israel, basically
largest, and still found basic Biblical errors.
since 1948, when the Jews started to build a modern
nation. The idea of an “ancient Palestine” is mythical,
— Zola
and “Palestinians” at no time had an indigenous culture,
government, or existed as an independent people.
Dear Zola, — Zola
I am sending an article from the San Jose Mercury News,
because I found it interesting. I know it was because of Mr. Levitt,
the 50th anniversary. In the first paragraph I wondered
about statements made. “The Palestinians, descended I very much appreciate your program and your teachings.
from Arabs who ruled the land for centuries, are state- When someone is talking and reading directly from the
less today and living under Israeli military occupation Holy Scriptures, how can someone else deny what they
amid a struggling peace process.” are saying? This has always been the case of your pro-
gram and I respect you for this. Just today I first viewed
My questions are: your website and I was amazed at the wealth of infor-
[1] Did the Arabs actually rule the land or just exist there mation I had found. In recent years I have become very
all that time? [2] Have they ever lived under Israeli mili- fascinated by Jewish history and I have learned much by
tary occupation? [3] It is my understanding that when watching you. The Holy Spirit has come over me with
Israel was granted statehood the Arabs were offered land much learning and a voracious appetite for Bible knowl-
for their own state and refused it. [4] Also, when Israel edge and wisdom, and much has been satisfied by the
was given the land, did it include all of the land, includ- teachings of your ministry. On the subject of the problems
ing Jerusalem, therefore legally, the Arabs have no legal in Gaza, I agree with you. The way the media (CNN/BBC)
claim? I personally believe that Israel has no business have portrayed Israel is deplorable! I know that there is
giving up an inch of the land that is theirs by Divine right, nothing I can add to this that you do not know, so I will
and also legally theirs. They have a moral obligation to just try to obey Psalms 122:6. The best part though is we
hold on to what God has given them. Appreciate any know what the future will bring for Israel! I have sub-
feedback you can give me. scribed to the newsletter and very much look forward to
receiving it. May I end with a sincere “Shalom” to you
C.B. and your family and your ministry, and may the Lord
bless you all.
Dear C.B., R.T.C.
[1] The Arabs really never ruled Israel, they simply squat- CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
ted on the land like a number of other peoples over long
centuries when it was a backwater place. Among the
others were Turks, Jews, Egyptians, etc. [2] Israel pres-
ently “occupies” the West Bank and Gaza. The Arabs liv-
ing in Israel proper are not under military occupation,
MAY 2001 P.O. BOX 12268 • DALLAS, TX 75225-0268 • [phone] • WWW.LEVITT.COM 9
LETTERS TO ZOLA continued
Shalom, If you read our Battles with Seminariesbook,you’ll know
what agony we’ve gone through chasing one awful text-
I am fifty-seven, almost fifty-eight, years old, and have
book,Robert H.Gundry’s A Survey of the New Testament,
been a believer since 1956. Today I started watching a
third edition,just to try to get it out of one college,The
video that my wife brought home. It spurred me to seek
Criswell College here in Dallas. I shudder to think of
out your website, and I found the Miracle of Passover
the sort of book that we would find if we ever started
video. For the first time, I understand the importance of
looking into the seminaries with their aberrant doctrines
the Passover and of the Bread and the Cup. With tears
and their strange positions on Israel and Prophecy.
in my eyes I could only look to heaven and say thank
you. For He led me to watch the tapes, and Heled me They’re not alone,of course — even the secular schools
to seek your site, and you explained to me how much He promote mistakes in science texts,as detailed below.
loves us all, to give us such a memorial and blessing. —Zola
L
May you walk in Heis path tall youtr dayse, and mray HesSince When Must Texts Be Truthful?
hold you in the hollow of His hand.
The New York Times
D.R.
to
Twelve of the most popular science textbooks used in
middle schools across the nation are riddled with errors,
Dear Zola,
a two-year study has found. The errors include maps
that show the equator passing throughthe southern
I do thoroughly enjoy your newsletter, so please con-
United States and a photo of the singerLinda Ronstadt
tinue sending it although I can’t send you anything in
labeled as a silicon crystal.
return except for my prayers for your continued work.
Through your television programs and literature, I
“None of the 12 books has an acceptable level of accu-
came to understand more about how God’s plan flows
racy,” said the study’s author, John Hubisz, a physics
through the Bible.
professor at North Carolina State. “These are terrible
books, and they’re probably a strong component of why
Although I have heard lots of theories and explanations,
we do so poorly in science [on standardized tests],”
I’d like to know why are the Jews God’s chosen people?
professor Hubisz said.
Chosen to do what? I’ve heard comments at churches
about their being chosen to bring the message of Christ’s
love and death for our sins to the Gentiles — and they Lots of Pain, but Little Gain
failed to do that? I’m confused because they are the
true people of God. I thank God that your heritage is
By Barry Rubin, The Jerusalem Post
my heritage.
J.W. “...why are the Jews God’s Here is a remarkable fact, even more amazing in that it has
been so much taken for granted by those who lead, study,
and write about the Middle East: In this year of 2001, it’s
chosen people?”
hard to see any major changes in how any single Arab
Dear J.W.,
state is being governed compared to the situation in 1990,
God’s choice of the Jews seems to be arbitrary, but He is or even 1980, 1970, or 1960.
certainly sticking with it. His Covenant with His friend
Decades have passed, the Soviet bloc has collapsed, the
Abraham was “everlasting.” The reasons for their being
Cold War has ended and a remarkable number of inter-
chosen are given in the same Covenant (read Genesis
national problems have been resolved around the world.
12:1-3). And if they failed to bring the message of Christ
Yet there has been no significant advance toward demo-
to the world, it’s because nobody ever brings it to them!
cracy anywhere in the Arab world.
It is the Church, after all, that has the keys to the King-
dom. The Jews have not failed in being good citizens of Of course one could cite small gains in the Gulf Arab
every country, in contributing to the medicine, law, states or talk about the influence of satellite television
science, art and so forth of all cultures, of never perse- networks, and so on.
cuting anyone (including the “Palestinians”), and in
Yet the inertia has been incredible. Civil society remains
many ways have shown that they were a good choice
extremely weak, with governments continuing to control
for a mission that they unfortunately are not equipped
andrepress independent voices. At times freedom of
for due to failures of the Church itself. Thanks for your
speech seems to be restricted to the right to condemn
letter.
Israel.
— Zola
CONTINUED ON PAGE 13
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