Uh Welcome to Prophecy Today. I'm Jimmy De Young Jr., and along with my brother Rick, we examine current events in the light of God's prophetic word. You know, biblical prophecy plays two roles: it foretells the future and it explains what the positive or negative results of the future events will be. Prophecy may announce events that bring joy and pleasure or fear and foreboding. When prophecy is ignored, it is usually because the hearers don't like what they hear for one reason or another.
Biblical prophecy is not usually general in nature, it normally is very specific as to how it will affect someone or something, but it is always dependable and worthy of our complete trust. We can allow prophecy to help us shape our lives, giving us direction and guidance and serving our Lord. It should be a source of strength and instruction for us, unlike what we hear called prophecy today, both in the church. And outside the church, true biblical prophecy is always accurate and precise. What God prophesies always occurs.
And we've got a great program today. We have our usual broadcast partners, Ken Timmerman, David Dolan, Itamar Marcus, Paul Scharf, and R.C. Merle, all here to discuss world events as they are taking place and how it fits into Bible prophecy. Rick, let's get started with our first. Ken Timmerman.
Well, that's right, Jimmy. I have Ken Timmerman with me. He's our expert on geopolitical events that are taking place around the world. He's an author and an analyst. His latest book, The Iran House: Tales of Revolution, Persecution, War, and Intrigue, is just recently out.
Ken, as always, thanks for being with us today. Thanks for having me on, Rick. It's always a pleasure.
Well, Ken, one of the main stories coming out this week is the BRICS Summit. The meeting of so-called developing nations took place. Could you talk a little bit about the BRICS Summit, what we need to know about it, and why it is important? This is, Rick, one of the most serious events that nobody is talking about. I'm glad that we are and that we have before on this program talked about BRICS.
This is the Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa Economic Group. Started off in 2009 without South Africa.
So it was just BRIC. The South Africans joined in 2011. Russia and China and these other countries, Rick, are trying to create an alternative world trading system to the United States dollar. And they have gathered the biggest economies on the planet, except for us to do this. When they started out, they accounted for roughly 30% of world GDP, whereas the G7, that is the United States, Europe, and Japan.
accounted for 33.4%. In 2020, BRICS surpassed the G seven as a share of world GDP. With the addition last year, Rick, of Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates, the BRICS share of the world economy is now well over thirty five percent. Ours in the G7 is less than 30.
So you can see which way this is going. They are increasing in their world economic power. We are decreasing. And this is going to get even worse should Saudi Arabia join. They've been invited, but they have not yet formally joined.
So this group, Rick, they want to create a world trading network impervious to U.S. and Western sanctions. Those sanctions primarily today are on Russia and Iran. Tomorrow, they could very well be on China. And ultimately, ultimately, they want to create a new reserve currency.
That's much further off, but still, it's a huge, huge thing. That's why Donald Trump says he will restore the dollar as the world's reserve currency, whereas today, it is far, far eroded.
Well, keeping an eye on BRICS is something that we will especially do here, and we have R.C. Murrow coming up on the program a little bit later to talk about it. Again, such an important development. We'll keep an eye on it for the future. One of the stories coming out of that BRICS meeting this week is that Turkey, a member of NATO, is trying to join BRICS with the support of Russia's Putin.
Can you talk about that? And apparently with the support of Gutierrez, the Secretary General of the United Nations, who was at that summit, which ended on Thursday in Kazan in Russia. Look, I think what you see is the driver behind this enormous growth in BRICS. They're talking about adding dozens more countries here, is a dissatisfaction of many countries with the U.S.-dominated world order. They don't like the U.S.
to be calling all the shots. They're also tired of the weaponization of the U.S. dollar. And it's true. If you want to trade today in the U.S.
dollar, you have to comply with all kinds of regulations. If you are a U.S. citizen, In Europe, for example, most banks will not allow you to have a bank account because of U.S. Treasury regulations.
So there is this desire across the world, Rick, to have a new kind of multipolar world order. The Russians claim it will be without hegemony. But when you have Russia and China together, somehow I don't think it's going to be without hegemonic.
Well, I would tend to agree with that statement as well. It certainly seems obvious. And of course, if you look at that situation, you look at the anti-Western sentiment, the anti-U.S. sentiment, it looks like the world is turning to what some are calling the axis of evil. Can you talk about this?
Well, remember, that's the term that President Bush 43 dubbed to talk about Iran and North Korea and Iraq. And that was right in 2002 after the 9-11 attacks. You and I have talked about this as well. I tend to call it an axis of opportunism between Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. Clearly, these four countries are cooperating extensively.
They're cooperating economically. They're cooperating militarily. Lloyd Austin, the U.S. Secretary of Defense, was in Rome this week, and he actually confirmed officially on the record that North Korean troops are going to Russia to help them with the war in Ukraine. They have even said they're going to release satellite photographs showing this.
So, this axis of opportunism is a big deal. Russia is able to expand its military thanks to supplies from North Korea and from Iran, whereas the United States, we can barely produce. Patriot missiles to shoot down incoming missiles. We don't have enough of anything in our military, and it's not about to expand without an enormous, enormous boost in military spending, which I can tell you the Biden-Harris administration and Kamal Harris, should she become president, have no intention of doing.
Well, let's talk about some of these nations we talk about in this axis of evil, and we'll start off with Tyran. And I'd like to direct our listeners to an article that you wrote, Ken, on the AmericanThinker.com website talking about the intelligence leak that came about in the United States this week. Can you tell us about that story? Let us know what you wrote in the article. Sure.
And I write about this extensively in my new book, The Iran House. You know, this was a big story this past week, Rick, on all the network shows. And you had an Iranian Telegram channel publishing actual U.S. top secret classified documents. And the documents were about Israel's preparations to launch a strike on Iran.
So, this was strategic intelligence, and we learned that it was very, very active. It came from satellite photographs. The classification stamps on the documents said it came from our keyhole satellite network. This is the most highly sensitive, highly accurate satellites that we've got in orbit, and they're looking all over the world. But one of them was also labeled as having come from Israeli government intelligence.
So, you had the Israelis giving us information about their preparations, and then somebody, we don't know who, leaking it to the Iranians. Very, very serious. I mentioned in the article that we know some of the suspects here. I mean, some of them are actually public. There's a woman who has been working together with the Iranian foreign minister in the past to lobby on behalf of the government of Iran.
She then rose up to become the staff director of the Assistant Secretary of. Defense, forget this, special operations.
So, with her top-secret clearance, she had access to all U.S. top-secret operations, military operations with our special operations forces around the world. Incredible that they would allow such a person with an open and avowed affinity for the Islamic regime in Iran. And by the way, that woman, Ariane Tabatabayrit, she has co-authored op-eds talking about how it's so important for the United States to have better relations with the Iranian regime with a man named Philip Gordon.
Well, guess who he is? He happens to be the national security advisor for Kamal Harris and somebody who has been touted as a potential Secretary of State should she win the presidency. Very serious stuff.
Well, it certainly is, Ken, and we'll continue to follow that situation. But let's move on. And for my final question, I'd like to talk about an area of the world that we don't ever talk about, and that is Nigeria. And there is a mass killing there, a genocide, if you will, going on by Muslims and Islamists towards Christians. This is something that is very underreported.
Can you tell us about it? This is just an awful story, Rick. It's been going on for years now, where you have these so-called Fulani herdsmen who've been attacking Christians, massacring Christians in northern Nigeria and in the city of Joss, or near outside the city of Jos. These people are actually not herdsmen at all. They are jihadi Muslim.
Guerrilla fighters. They are a militia. They have support on again, off again from the Nigerian government. And just over the past four years, Rick, they have slaughtered nearly 17,000 Christians, 17,000 Christians, over 4,000 a year. I mean, it's really extraordinary.
I'm on the board of a group called the Religious Freedom Coalition, and we sponsor an orphanage in Joss precisely to protect children who lost their parents to raids by these organized jihadi Muslim gangs. It's just heartbreaking when you see what's going on there, Rick, and nobody seems to care. Nobody seems to care. When Muslim terrorists slaughter Christians over Christmas, the Associated Press doesn't even mention the identities of the assailants or the faith of their victims. They just say, oh, 200 people killed on Christmas.
Isn't it horrible?
Well, it was 200 Christians killed in a church on Christmas by Muslim jihadists. Hadi terrorists. We need to call things by their names, Rick. We need to recognize the face of evil when we see it. We certainly do, Ken, and I appreciate you bringing this story to our attention.
It's something that we need to be concerned about, something that we need to be praying about.
Well, Ken Timmerman, as always, we appreciate your efforts to keep our listeners informed on what's going on around the world. We look forward to talking to you again soon. Thanks so much, Rick. God bless. Great job, as always, Ken.
And remember, you can follow along on this scorecard of Bible prophecy by just studying. God's Word, and you'll know the nations that are involved in the last days. We've got to take a break when we come back. Our Middle East news update with David Dolan right here on Prophecy Today weekend. I'm Ruth Kramer with Mission Network News.
Threats and postures of intimidation are fairly common from North Korea, but this time, the Hermit Nation is throwing weight behind its words. North Korea recently blew up parts of roads and rail lines connecting to South Korea and built blockades. Eric Foley with The Voice of the Martyrs Korea says it's significantly straining relations with South Korea. Yet, despite the rising pressure, there are souls at stake. The word of God is not bound.
And so God still finds ways to reach ordinary North Korean people through radio broadcasts like ours, which air four times a day, and through the Bibles that we send by land, sea, and air, where we send 40,000 Bibles a year. Pray for the gospel to pave a way for transformation on the Korean peninsula. Find your place in the story at missionnews.org. Then it takes a village not only to raise a child, but also to bring the gospel to, well, a village. World Missionary Press recently delivered 2 million gospel-centered booklets to a pastor in Peru.
It was possible only because a woman in a nearby country connected them with 10 local pastors. Helen Williams with WMP says Pastor Lopez has received and sent the booklets to unreached villages in southern Peru. One of the videos that they sent had a picture of children with our booklet, The Way to God, which was written for children in Spanish. And the caption is: Nothing like this had ever entered their village. Pray these booklets that have come so far will reach people who are ready to receive Christ and take to your own heart this message of hope.
God is really moving in the world. Just keep praying and trust in the Lord that He's going to honor His Word as it's shared.
So be encouraged. Thanks for listening to Mission Network News, a service of one-way ministries. This month, Transworld Radio is offering a free 30-day devotional written by TWR President Lauren Levy. Called Get Hope, it's meant to encourage you through scripture and help you meet life's challenges. Sign up for free when you click on the banner at missionnews.org.
I'm Ruth Gramer. Welcome back to Prophecy Today Radio, the program that looks at current events in the light of Bible prophecy.
Well, this is a special report here on Prophecy Today. Israel has responded to Iran with an attack. We're going to get the details from journalist Dave Dolan. Dave, thanks for being with us today. You're welcome, Rick.
Declared to do that.
Well, Dave, we know the attack started last evening. Could you give us some updates on the attack and where things stand now?
Well, Rick, it was a three-wave attack that Israel launched over a period of four hours, beginning at about two in the morning Iranian time, which is a little earlier in Israel. And the first wave struck mostly radars and anti-aircraft missile systems in Syria and in Iraq.
So that's interesting, but that's the path, of course, that Israeli jets took to get to and drones took to get to Iran. They apparently did not go over Jordanian airspace into Jordanian airspace, as some initially thought, or any other Arab ally of the United States. They went over Iraq and Syria. And they hit in the second wave targets in Tehran and nearby to it, and in western provinces of Iran, where there are anti-aircraft missile batteries, et cetera. And Rick, the third wave was mostly around Tehran, and they struck in Karaj, a city, industrial city, just next to Tehran, where missile rocket engines are known to be made and other components of rockets.
Israel said it was a precise attack, Rick, that these were targeted, focused attacks. They were all military targets, the IDF said. There were no civilian targets hit. And of course, it came in the middle of the night on the weekend.
So there were no civilian workers in these facilities. Another reason that Israel gave for the timing of this.
So the Iranians said four of its soldiers had been killed in the strikes. Israel hit anti-aircraft batteries on several Iranian bases. They hit the targets in the mountains in northern Iran, the Zagros Mountains, where there are missile battery launching sites known to be.
So as expected by many analysts and as the leaked US intelligence reports about what to expect predicted, Israel apparently used missiles that were launched from aircraft and hit the targets. Those are fast moving and hard to detect where they're coming from. Also what are called suicide drones, drones that are meant to explode and destroy themselves when they hit the targets were used. Over twenty targets were hit in total, Rick, we're told. One was a Airport near the airport in Tehran, where the S-300 Russian-supplied anti-missile system is deployed, but they apparently struck that as well.
So a widespread attack, but very, very focused. Stealth aircraft used F-35s and F-15s. They did hit the Parchin area where there are some nuclear facilities. But again, they said they didn't hit Iran's nuclear program directly, but they hit components of it throughout the area and, of course, missile production facilities. And this, apparently, Rick, is what Joe Biden had asked Benjamin Netanyahu to do to not strike any oil facilities because, of course, the price of oil on Monday would go up dramatically on the markets, and it's just a week before the U.S.
election, so he didn't want that. And they didn't hit any civilian areas, but Rick, it was noted by analysts that the targets they struck were definitely close to population centers, especially around Tehran. And that they believe was designed to give a message to not only the Tehran regime, the Iranian clerical regime, but also to the citizens of Iran, showing that Israel can strike. Has, and as far as we know, Rick, no Israeli aircraft were hit in response. There were no Israeli casualties reported.
So obviously, it has a long arm, as it has said before, and it can hit these targets and to encourage maybe a bit of a rebellion. In the people of Iran, and they already, of course, we know have rose up, many of them against their government in the past. And another proof of that is they hit in a province that is largely Arab. RIC, in which there isn't that many strategic targets. That's in eastern Iran.
And it's believed that, that was also designed to send a message to the minority groups, the Kurds and the Arabs and the others. That have anti-regime movements already going on to encourage them to rise up against the government.
So whether this is it. Or Iran responds, we don't know. But if it does respond in a major way, of course, Israel has opened the way now, Rick. Essentially, this first attack basically took out Iran's air defense systems. And even its neighbors, controlled by Iraqi Shiites and by Syrian pro-Iranian groups.
even those were struck.
So this has opened the way for further strikes if needed. And of course, especially after the US election, it may well be that they strike Iran's oil facilities And of course it's nuclear program more directly.
Well, it certainly seems like this was a measured attack, David, as you said, and maybe done at the urging of the United States due to the nearness of the election. With all that being said, and it certainly seems like every chance has been given for Iran to kind of have an off-ramp to this whole process and to not continue in escalation. What's the general consensus? What do you think will happen with Iran?
Well, there was hope that that would be the response initially, Rick, in Israel when the first news came out. But on right now, today, heavy shelling is going on from Hezbollah in Lebanon into Israel. By midday, Rick, over eighty rockets had been launched into Israel and drones into northern Israel and Western Galilee and all of this.
So Hezbollah, of course, is under the control of Iran. Revolutionary Guards are stationed with Hezbollah forces.
So, in other words, Hezbollah is doing this not on its own, but Iran is ordering it. That's a sign maybe that they do plan to respond. And again, they're working to destroy Israel entirely. And I don't want to sound dramatic, but I've noted several times that we just don't know that they don't have a small nuclear weapon, field nuclear weapon they're called, in northern Lebanon, for instance, or somewhere in Syria. that they could fire down.
And of course, one of those, if it got through, would be disastrous. Of course, Israel's anti missile defense system is fantastic and three layers of that. And the U. S. has its Bad missile anti-missile system there in the state in Israel now with 100 soldiers.
Manning it, U. S. soldiers.
So it's not as if they could get a nuclear bomb or any bomb through to Tel Aviv in a major way, but they may well try, Rick. And again, this is a regime that believes that the Madhi, this great Islamic um Shiite leader will arise in the midst of a world war and conflict and that, that will be the end of the world and the whole world will turn into an Islamic state for is what they're basically thinking.
So They have a basic thought pattern here that's different from a normal country, let's put it that way.
So we just don't know, but Israel's on full alert. But people have not been ordered to change their routines, and schools are planning to open on Sunday, which of course is the first day of the school week in Israel. And other things are going on as normal, but of course, that will all depend on whether there is.
Some major barrages or something like that. 12 minutes, Rick, is all it takes for those ballistic missiles to be launched. and reach into Israeli territory.
So not much warning time there.
Well, Dave, we only have a minute left, but as I said at the beginning of this program, we look at the political and the current events because they're setting the stage for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled. We know that the scriptures in Ezekiel 38 say that the nation of Iran, Persia as it is referred to there, is going to come against Israel in the last days. This is just kind of setting the table for that event that is going to happen in the future to take place, isn't it? It is, Rick. And that's why I think that even if there is a full war and the Iranian regime is overthrown, it will still be an anti Israel base in the very, very end.
And we're getting close to that, I think.
So we're seeing the signs of that now. And This war is not over, and it's a jihad holy war on their part. And they started it, and they launched. The October 7th attack. And Israel has shown tremendous capability here, Rick.
I think all the militaries around the world are. almost astonished by what they've done, and I'm sure the American military is impressed by what they've seen.
Well, of course, we'll continue to keep an eye on what is taking place there in Israel. We'll continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, pray for the peace of Israel. As always, David, thank you for taking the time to give us this special report on the Israeli response to the Iranian attack. I'm always happy to do it, Rick. God bless.
Well, we're going to take a break right here on prophecy today, but when we come back, we will continue to talk about current events in the light of God's prophetic word. We're going to have Itamar Marcus, he's from Palestinian Media Watch. He's going to talk and compare and contrast the Israeli reaction, the Jewish reaction to October 7th, the anniversary of that taking place, and the Palestinian reaction as well. We're going to also talk a little bit about the Palestinian Authority moving into Gaza. Jimmy's going to have a conversation with Paul Scharf.
We'll have the Legacy Series with Dr. Jimmy De Young and then R. C. Murrow again to talk about the very important BRICS summit that took place this past week. That's all right ahead, right here on Prophecy Today weekend.
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Uh Yeah. Welcome back to Prophecy Today. I'm Jimmy DeYoung Jr. And along with Rick, we're examining current events in the light of God's prophetic word. You know, we just finished focusing on Israel and we're going to continue the focus on Israel.
Our good friend Inamar Marcus, who is out there and watches what happens in the Palestinian media, what they're saying to their people, the heartbeat. He lives not very far from Hebron and an area of Kiriat Arba. And we've been to his house several times, but we do this so that, you know, as we focus on these nations, the nations of Bible prophecy, we always call them, the most interesting and the most peculiar nation, in fact, that's what God called his people. They will be a peculiar people, is the nation of Israel.
So we focus on this consistently. And if you're a new listener to this program, you will understand that God has a program for the Jewish people. And we are focusing on Israel in these last days so that we can understand the times in which we're living.
Well, let's continue our update on the Middle East by talking to our good friend Inamar Marcus. Jimmy Itemar Marcus joins us from Palestinian Media Watch. He's a frequent guest of the program, a contributor when we want to look at what the Palestinian media is saying to their own people, and he provides context for the situation there in Israel. You can find out more about Itimar and his organization by going to palwatch.org. Itemar, thanks for being with us today.
All right, thank you for inviting me.
Well Itamar, I would like to talk to you a little bit about the Palestinian Authority, especially in light of the fact that they are looking to play an increased role in Gaza. But before I do that, I would like to talk to you about Sim Ketorah. Sim Ketorah is the Jewish holiday in which the horrific attack from Hamas into Israel last year took place.
Now I'm sure that had a huge effect on how Simketorah was observed this year. Could you talk a little bit about Sim Ketorah in Israel this year?
Well, as you can imagine, that that was for the last month or so, everyone in Israel. was really questioning. Uh the word simchatorada, the name of the holiday, means the joy Of the Torah, the joy of The Torah, the Bible that God gave us, and once a year, aside from celebrating it all year by studying it and reading it. Is one day where we take out the Torah scrolls and we dance in the synagogue, and it's very, very joyous. Um all the kids are given lots of candies and It's really a very, it's a wonderful celebration of God's gifts, the Bible, to us.
Well, that wonderful Celebration Day last year was the day of this enormous tragedy.
So there was big questions. What do we do this year? How can we celebrate? By right, the day should become a day of mourning.
Well, it can't become a day of mourning because it's been forever, ever since biblical times. It's been a day of celebration.
So, what everyone did, and everyone, all the different places, the celebrations were slightly different. There was one interesting response, and this is very important. One of the places that suffered tremendously was the town of Ofakim. The city of Ufakim is not far from Gaza, like 15, 20 kilometers from Gaza. And it was one of the biggest cities that was invaded by Hamas, but many, many people were killed there.
Tremendous tragedies happen there to so many people. In this film. And when the city when the people got together to decide h what to do, They said We are going to celebrate this year more than we ever did. Because they try to wipe us out, they try to destroy us. As we are here and we are standing, and we are not going to give in to their harvest by morning this day.
This day is going to be. the best celebration we ever had because We defeated them.
So that was something coming from people who really experienced the horrors and. The deafs were their neighbors and their friends, and they said, in their name, those people. really want us to continue. They don't want us to give up and let Comas win.
So to to to have turned it into a day of mourning. would be allowing the Palestinians. Um Who all celebrate what happens, letting them wish to know. We're not going to mourn. We are going to celebrate.
So, this is the celebration of our homonymy. Even that, everybody also did added different prayers and different psalms to the synagogue services so that they would not be you know that certainly everybody was thinking about it.
So there were special prayers that were said during the day, but the ultimate message that we will continue to be joyous. And that is our That's our victory, that's our victory over Famas, we're not going to turn into one.
Well, what an amazing story of resilience.
Well, contrast that with the way that October 7th was remembered by the Hamas organization and the Palestinians there in Gaza. You have a story up on your website at palwatch.org. Could you talk to us about how the residents of Gaza, the Palestinians there and of course Hamas, how did they remember October 7th?
Well, the Palestinian approach to october seventh is very significant. They also went through changes. Initially, They were all celebrating it. And this goes about not just the Arabs of the Gaza Strip. The Arabs of Judea and Samaria all celebrated it.
In fact, there was a cold taken in November 2023, about a month and a half after the The atrocities, the rapes, the murders, the beheadings, the burning families alive, wiping out whole families. Eleven hundred more than eleven hundred people murdered. And Palestinians were asked. Do the events or the ongoing events make you feel proud as a Palestinian. And I was shocked, and I'm still shocked at the numbers.
98% of Palestinians said they were proud. about everything that had happened.
So The Palestinians, for this for them, this was a wonderful day. They have been taught by their religious leaders. That the Jews are the enemies of Allah, that the Jews have to be exterminated, their religious leaders. Said that this is part of Allah's war against the Jews to bring about the extermination of the Jews.
So they were very proud. They felt that they were doing Allah's work in murdering, raping, and everything else, and all the other atrocities. Even the children that they murdered For them, this is part of God's plan.
So that's the that was the initial reaction. And then after the After the war continued, and there was so much devastation and destruction. Uh as Israel tried to and continues to try to eradicate every last bit. Of the monstrous terror organization Homas that did that initiated these. need a tag.
As Israel is doing that, Gaza has been turned into Rummel in many, many areas. There have been many thousands killed. There were many mostly terrorists, but apparently, a lot of civilians were also killed. And Israel has every right and obligation to go after those terrorists who are hiding behind civilians.
So since then The Palestinian Authority has erased What happened on october seventh in the Jews? And all they talk about is what's happened since october seventh. And they are now turning october seventh into their day of mourning. We are going to mourn the catastrophe. This is their second catastrophe.
They use the word makba. Nakba means catastrophe. They refer to Israel's creation as the first catastrophe. And now they're saying we have a second catastrophe. We have the Gaza catastrophe.
what they never talk about is that they brought it on themselves. They don't talk about the fact that Famas did this together with Other terror organizations, and they all celebrated it.
Now they're, and now that they're losing. And now that Israel is succeeding in destroying them, All of a sudden, they're turning it into Israel's pole.
Well, I think the world has to learn from this. And by the way, the world is making a terrible mistake right now, including some of the leaders of the United States. We're constantly, constantly putting pressure on Israel not to continue going after Hamas.
Well, if if terrorists around the world to learn that all they have to do is take a lot of civilians as hostages And hide behind them, and the world won't let them fight.
Well, then. United States, Europe, every country is inviting Islamic terrorists to do the same kind of terror against them, including hostages.
So the world better wake up. And that it'd be smart. And to get behind Israel and say, you go fight and you destroy, you do whatever is necessary to destroy every last remnant of Comanche. that no terrorists around the world will ever do this kind of atrocity again. We're speaking with Itamar Marquez from Palestinian Media.
Watch Itimar, one last question before I let you go. This week, Hamas said that they want Russia to push a Palestinian president towards a unity government between Hamas and Fatah. Can you talk a little bit about the Palestinian Authority as compared to Hamas there? That situation, it looks like the Palestinian Authority may be coming to play a role there in Gaza. Can you talk a little bit about the Palestinian Authority?
Are there any differences or what are the differences between them and Hamas? Yeah. There are very small differences between the Palestinian Authority of Somas. Both of them. Say that Israel has to be destroyed.
Both of them say that Israel has to be destroyed in the name of religion, in the name of Islam. Both of them teach their people that Israel exists on Islamic land and therefore. It's prohibited to accept a full long-term treaty with Israel. The the big difference is that Hamas is not willing to Play a game. They believe that they have to destroy Israel, they believe they have to exterminate Jews.
and they're going to do as much as they can to do it on a daily basis. Alston Authority has adopted, from their perspective, a pragmatic approach. have peace deals with Israel. let's get as much land as we can. Let's weaken Israel as much as we can.
And we'll keep the battle going. We'll keep the battle simmering. Eventually, we'll destroy Israel in stages. And this is the this is the big the big difference. Hamas wants to destroy Israel in one shot, and they were hoping that this last attack They were hoping that Hezbollah would join, Iraq would join, the Qutim everybody would join at the same time, and that Israel could really potentially be destroyed.
That's what Hamas was hoping. Whereas the Palestinian Authority is much more pragmatic. Let's destroy Israel in stages to put the Palestinian Authority to rule Gaza is guaranteeing that in a few years down the line, we'll have Terrorists there trying to do the same thing. That's why the only real solution for Gaza has to be. Um Same solution, by the way, that happened to Germany after World War two.
The Germans weren't in charge of education, the Germans weren't in charge of security, the Germans weren't in charge of culture. This is all imposed on them from the outside. And that's what Israel handled. Western world who wants to fight Islamic terror has to do today. They have to impose.
a new education system, a new culture, a new military And the Goslin taps we brought up with completely different educational and cultural messages. And hopefully, and just as Germany has changed from the Nazi Germany of a century ago. Just as they have changed.
So too, hopefully, we can have a Palestinian presence or a Gaza population grow into decency with ethics and values as long as there are other people other than their own leaders who are educating them. Idamar Marcus providing context for us on what is taking place there in Israel between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. We encourage our listeners to go to palwatch.org to find out more about the work there. Keep observing and keeping an eye on the Palestinian media. Idemar, as always, we appreciate you coming on the program.
Look forward to talking to you again soon. Thank you very much. Excellent information. And this information really is so that the body of Christ can be prepared and understand where we are. For believers, the very next thing I believe that's going to take place in Bible prophecy is the rapture of the church.
Everything that we're talking about is all future.
So for believers, we need to understand that. But this information, the events that we cover, the practical information that we cover on Bible prophecy, really helps us to determine the times in which we're living, which Daniel the prophet did.
Well, a lot of questions have been coming in, and I had needed to get in touch with a friend of mine because these questions are pertaining to Israel. And I wanted to get my good friend Paul Scharf onto the program today. Paul, welcome to the program. Thank you, Jimmy. Great to be back with you.
Yes, and Paul, these questions that come in, and you have an expertise, you work with the friends of Israel, you have your own ministry, you're teaching. We'll talk about that later. But these questions that come in. Have to do in the wake of events unfolding in the Middle East. Many are wondering what the Bible says regarding the final future salvation of Israel.
And Even some have sent in the very verse that you know very well, and so all Israel will be saved as it is written. The deliverer. Will come out of Zion and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob. And so, you know, as we're witnessing all these scenes on TV, it's also common for evangelicals to raise this concern: why should we be distressed for the nation of Israel today when they are people in unbelief? Right.
Jimmy, that's of course, a question that weighs on all of us, but we believe we've had answers to those questions that quite frankly, have been taught For many decades in our dispensational circles, as we teach pretribulationalism and premillennialism, As your father and you have such a legacy of proclaiming, we know that the people of Israel. have to be in unbelief. But reconstituted as a nation in unbelief. for the tribulation to begin following the rapture. And so we have these glorious promises of their future salvation, as you read.
Romans chapter 11 verse 26. where Paul is merely echoing the words of the great prophet Isaiah, Isaiah 4, verse 3, it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy. Everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem.
So this is nothing even new from the Apostle Paul in Romans 11. And it's nothing new in terms of what we've been teaching and explaining. But somehow, there's a disconnect, and you and I both know, Jimmy, that our dispensational teaching is on the wane, sadly, in many churches, which used to be faithful to teach it. And I think there's also there's a disconnect oftentimes especially among some younger people and sometimes some not so younger people who just haven't made the connection between the fact of what we've taught all these years and what we see on our television screens, and it's so vivid, of course, before us since October seventh. You know, Paul, it's imperative That the believer understands God's program for the Jewish people.
And the future is after the rapture of the church. The rapture of the church is for the believer. Everything after that, that seven-year period of time, that is for the Jewish people and to bring them to a day of salvation. How will Israel come to faith? And what does it mean that all Israel will be saved?
Jimmy, that is such an important question. Because sometimes when we say with the words of the Apostle Paul, all Israel will be saved, some people actually think we're saying that every Jewish person who's ever lived, even if they've ever even if they've lived and died and rejected Christ as Savior, that they will ultimately still be saved. We're not saying that. We're not teaching a universalism even of the Jewish people. Sadly, Jewish people can be lost as as all people can be lost without Christ.
and will be lost without Christ, We're not saying even that every Jewish person who begins the tribulation. will be saved. Right. That misses the rapture because we know sadly Zechariah thirteen talks about two-thirds of the nation Being cut off. and dying during the days of the tribulation.
And that's in Zechariah chapter 13. Yeah. eight and nine. I have some hope, Jimmy, personally, as we look through the very complex prophecies that deal with that time that we don't have time in this interview, obviously, to put together God's deliverance of the people of Israel during the tribulation. I have some hope that some of those two thirds will die as martyrs for the gospel and be saved.
So we're really talking about one-third plus, I like to say, That we believe will be saved, and that one-third will be brought through physically. all the way to the end. of the tribulation, and that will evidence their spiritual salvation. That one third of the nation that begins the tribulation, Zechariah thirteen, nine, I believe, will be the nation as it's constituted at that time, and the whole nation will be saved. And how they get there, again, is a very complicated story.
But I believe some Some, Jimmy, will come to faith at the very last available moment, Zechariah twelve, ten. They will look on him whom they pierced, They'll mourn for him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve. For him as one grieves for a firstborn, and they'll look in faith at that very last moment and they'll be saved. Yes, yes. And that's our prayer every time we're in Israel with all of our Jewish friends.
Yes, Paul, that is our prayer as we recognize that that verse is so true. How might the current worldwide anti-Semitism lead perfectly into the post-rapture climate for Israel. Jimmy, could we ever imagine it being more Adaptable to the world we read about on the pages of scripture than what we're seeing now. What we're seeing unfold, a worldwide anti-Semitism, who would have thought? on october seventh that within a few weeks The whole world would be turning against Israel, persecuting the Jewish people in a way that is reminiscent of the Holocaust.
It's unreal. And the prophet Zechariah told us in Zechariah 14, verse 2 That all the nations Jimmy would be gathered against Jerusalem. And you John In the book of Revelation, it makes it clear in chapter twelve that Satan will energize the Antichrist. For the last half, the last three point five years of the tribulation, persecuting the people of Israel, driving them into the wilderness. And So obviously, the things that we're seeing unfolding right now are setting the stage for this end time anti Semitism, this hatred of the Jewish people, an irrational demonic hatred.
But Could it be any more clear that the stage is being set for the events that will happen right after the rapture, I believe? When Israel Will be in such desperate need of some kind of treaty or covenant, and they will make that treaty as a nation in unbelief. With the Antichrist. Yes. You know, Paul, you and I, we are watching what's taking place, we mourn.
For the Israelis, but it's almost as if the Lord has a bell and he's ringing it. And he's ringing it. Wake up, wake up. Because, you know, like you said, who would have thought before October 7th that all the world would be divided over either you're for Israel or you're against.
So, how do efforts. to bless Israel today relate to her future salvation, Paul.
Well, that's the wonderful thing, Jimmy, about God's promise in the Abrahamic covenant. He'll bless those who bless the people of Israel. By the way, he'll curse those who fail to bless them. But he's going to bless Our efforts to bless the people of Israel. That means when we pray for the peace of Jerusalem today, It may not come today.
In fact, it will not come today. But we pray for it today. We pray for a temporal peace as much as possible. We pray for that ultimate peace when Christ returns and establishes his kingdom. But we seek to bless the Jewish people.
We seek to take the gospel of their own Messiah, the Messiah that they physically speaking gave to the world. That we've received, we seek to take his gospel to them. They may not receive it today, as you know, Jimmy. But God is going to use our meagre efforts Toward his magnificent purpose, as I write in the article, we're talking about the future salvation of Israel, And he He is going to use these things toward his Ultimate purpose and ultimate goal. He's working all things.
According to the counsel of his will, he will He has everything in control and he's using our tiny efforts that we provide with his help And when we seek to bless the people of Israel, All of that, I like to think that all sort of works together towards God's ultimate plan. He's going to use that, and he's going to bring the Jewish people to faith in their Messiah. Great, great thoughts, Paul, and great instruction for the body of Christ. Most people that listen to this program have an understanding, and if they follow us and they've been following us, they understand our focus on the Jewish people. Events that took place are driving people back to Israel.
Events that took place are preparing Israel for that time in the future, as you have so eloquently described. Paul, this week is the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht, which also coincides with the founding of Friends of Israel. Tell us the connection there. Yes, Jimmy, I was privileged to write the article for the Friends of Israel blog. The people can find it at FOI.org.
about Kristallnacht. I call the blog Walking Over Broken Glass. It was the night of broken glass, Wednesday night into Thursday, November 9 and 10, 1938. Why is it significant? It was in the Third Reich.
Persecution of the Jewish people. And it was the launch officially of the Holocaust, and thirty thousand Jewish men went off to Dachau. In Buchenwald and Sachsenhausen, never to return. These were upstanding businessmen, leaders. attorneys, professors, doctors.
Men who had fought in World War I for Germany, but now The Holocaust has begun. The treatment of the Jewish people will is totally. Totally changed by the Nazi regime, and the suffering of the Jewish people begins in earnest. It was a night that the world said it would never forget. I wonder how many still remember, Jimmy, what it's all about.
Crystal Knock, The Knight of Broken Glass. Those uh German officials were, I think, gleefully walking over the broken glass. In their torment of the Jewish people as a bloodbath. But Half a world away in Philadelphia, there were people Willing to walk over broken glass with a heart for the Jewish people, they came together and founded the Friends of Israel. What's now at the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry?
And they had such incredible wisdom and courage, Jimmy, and they were willing to risk everything they had to begin this ministry that endures today. Eighty-five years later, it came about three weeks later. on december first of nineteen thirty eight, a Thursday, Three weeks after Kristallnacht. Wow. Great ministry.
And Paul, thank you so much. It's important. We're experiencing a form of Holocaust again, and it could, and it will, according to Bible prophecy, get much worse. And it's important that we understand God's plan for the Jewish people, God's program. Paul, thank you.
How can the folks get And watch what you presented uh as you talked about this very topic. Jimmy, people can find all my resources at sermonaudio dot com slash p sharf, that's p s c h a r f That's where I have a library of all my materials for my ministry within the Friends of Israel. And of course they can find all about Our home ministry at FOI.org. Paul, thank you so much for joining with us today. God bless you.
And we hope to encourage you, Paul, to keep teaching and edifying and educating the body of Christ in these days in which we're living, to understand how close we are to the rapture of the church. Thanks, Paul. Lord bless you. Thanks, Jimmy. It's a privilege, and it's always a wonderful joy to be with you.
You know, a lot of people ask me: Are Israel and the church the same thing? This topic is one of the more controversial in the church today, and it has significant implications regarding the way we interpret scripture, especially concerning the end times. More importantly, it has great significance in that it affects the way we understand the very nature and character of God Himself. Promises made to Israel are still going to be kept in the future. We can be sure that all God has said is true and will take place because of His character and consistency.
The church does not replace Israel and should not expect a symbolic fulfillment of the promises of the old covenant. As one reads Scripture, it is necessary to keep Israel and the church separate. That's why having a good understanding of God's Word is so very important. Got to take a break when we come back, the Legacy Series with Dr. Jimmy De Young, right here on Prophecy Today weekend.
Welcome back to Prophecy Today. I'm Jimmy DeYoung Jr. and along with my brother Rick. We are examining current events in the light of God's prophetic word. Jimmy, it's great to be with people today as we look at what is taking place around the world.
We talk to our broadcast partners. And, Jimmy, I want to just take a moment right now just to ask those that are listening to the program today: we would love to be more engaged with you. We love for you to come to our website, go to prophecytoday.com. You can see our bookstore. We have replays of the programs there and other devotions materials for you.
But you can also go to our social media, and both you and I plan on posting more on the social media. At Twitter, you can go to Jimmy DeYoung. And of course, on Facebook, you can go to Jimmy DeYoung as well. Follow us there. We're going to start posting more information.
We want to be more engaged with our listeners as we study Bible prophecy, we look at current events, and we prepare for what God has for us in the future.
Well, last week, we started to look at the autobiography of the Apostle Peter. Before we continue our study today in 2 Peter, which we've Referred to as the manual for the end times, I think it's important to learn more about Peter. Please go over to 1 Peter chapter 1, and first we will take a look at the background of this fisherman who became a man of God, used by God for the Lord's purposes. That's 1 Peter chapter 1, verse 1, and that's where we'll begin our study today. Dr.
Jimmy D. Young and the Legacy Series. In chapter 1, verse 1 of 1 Peter, he says, I'm an apostle. I'm an apostle.
Well, that's down the line. He first says, I'm Simon. I'm Simon. I'm just an old fisherman. I'm from Bethsaida.
There were four other guys who lived in Bethsaid. Bethsida, if you've never been to Israel, is on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, over in the area which will really be thought of as the places of the Gentiles. It's not very far where Jesus would have fed 5,000 on that slope coming down to the Sea of Galilee in the 14th chapter of the book of Matthew. That's why he told one of those apostles, Philip, to go over there and see if he could find enough food to feed all these people gathered. They lived in Bethsaida.
And the five of them, there was Philip, there was Peter, and Andrew, and James, and John. Five men, the Bethseta boys they used to call them, and they were mean, tough characters. And that's what Simon grew up as: a mean, tough character. And then he says, I'm a servant. He's a servant, and it helps us to understand really what we need to be.
You know, Jesus Christ was, of course, the Son of God, but he developed as the man as well. He was all God and all man. But 2 chapter of the book of Luke, verse 52, says he developed physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. He was a leader, but you know what gave him leadership? His servant's attitude.
He was a servant. Whole book of Mark is focused on Jesus Christ as the servant. And that's true leadership today. A servant attitude, serving others. That makes a true leader.
And then he finally comes to the fact he's an apostle. He has a special relationship with Jesus Christ, special responsibility, etc. And then we go to verse 14. We see the end of his life. We see the beginning of his life and the end of his life here in the first chapter.
We see many of the experiences. That Peter's going to have in his life.
So, as we look at his autobiography, I want you to go back with me, if you will, to the 16th chapter of the book of Matthew, Matthew chapter 16. And let me look at some of these experiences. I'm giving you these. I don't know about you. Do you remember Warren Weirsby, the Bible teacher?
Warren Wearsby was a great Bible teacher, but one of the things that when he was at Moody, when he was there, he had a real, a very important article in the Moody Monthly magazine. And he would give a biography of one of the great Christian leaders of all time. I enjoyed so much reading those biographies to find out how other people lived their Christian experience out. It was just always a joy to me. I enjoyed it so much.
And so I thought as we begin to look at 2 Peter and what Peter's going to bring to the table, how he's going to help us to know how to live in the last days, I thought we'd look at some of his experiences.
Now, he came to know Christ as Lord and Savior in John chapter 1. Jesus Christ had been baptized on the eastern shore of the Jordan River. That means he was baptized over in Jordan, actually. He wasn't baptized in Israel, baptized in Jordan. And during that period of time, there were a lot of people gathered around because that's the location where John the Baptist was preaching.
preparing the way for the Lord. And after the baptism on the eastern side of the Jordan River, over in Jordan, he comes across the Jordan River, and he's now in Israel. And guess what happened? Many were turning to Jesus Christ at that time because that's what John the Baptist was preaching. And there was one young man named Andrew who came to know the Lord as his wonderful Savior.
And what did Andrew do?
Well, the first thing he did after he got saved, he went and found his brother Simon. and brought him to Jesus. Do you ever think about that? Salvation took place. And then what took place right after that?
Soul winning. Once he came to know Christ as Lord and Savior, it was exciting to him.
So, what did he do? He went to get his brother. He loved his brother. He wanted his brother. And do you know Andrew was always bringing somebody to Jesus Christ?
What an example he set for us. He was always doing that. And so Peter's going to get saved when Andrew brings him to Jesus Christ. They'll then go to the Galilee. They get up in the Galilee.
Mark chapter 1 talks about Peter being called to Jesus Christ. Have you ever stood at Capernaum? If you've ever been to Israel, one of your visits is going to be Capernaum. I always enjoy going to Capernaum. That's a special place.
And I find out a lot about Peter when I go to Capernaum. First of all, I find out that's the location where he was called, where he was called to follow Jesus Christ. He was a fisherman. And you know where they headquartered? Capernaum was the hometown of Jesus Christ after he left Nazareth.
After he was 30 years of age, while he was involved in his ministry, he lived in Capernaum. And there was one of the locations where the fishermen would fish out in front of Capernaum, out going south, looking south towards the other end of the lake. And they went over to a place called Migdal, and that's where the fishing Industry was key. Migdal means tower, and there was a tower there in Migdal, and the main fisherman would go up in the top of the tower, look out across the Sea of Galilee, see where the fish were, and he would send these men out.
Well, Peter in Mark chapter 1 was right out there in front of Capernaum, and Jesus stepped out. He'd been in the synagogue, he steps out, and he looks out of these men and he calls them. Jesus walked, he's calling some big tough men. The sons of Zebedee, do you know who they were? James and John, they would stand back to back, take on anybody.
Mark Dehahn and I were doing some television in the Sea of Galilee. We were on one of those little Jesus boats that is a replication of what the boats were like when Jesus was on the earth. And we were there and we were floating across and we were looking for a way to explain how the call of Peter and John and James and Andrew and Philip could have taken place. And we came up on a fishing boat by a group of Galileans and they were most likely of the Arab persuasion. And we watched them.
And boy, they just went to battle. And these were MIG, tough men. And that's what was happening out there. But I have seen Jesus Lay down those Nets, come up out of that boat. Follow me, I'll make you a fisher of men.
Park One. That's what happened.
So he'd been saved, John 1 and Mark 1. He's called. And by the way, you know what else I find out that took place in Mark chapter 2 for Peter and his life? He had been married. He even had a mother-in-law.
In fact, That's exact I'm amazed at Peter Peter's mother-in-law was sick unto death. They went over to the synagogue, which was right next to Peter's house. Jesus spoke, and then Peter said, Jesus, can you come help me with my mother-in-law? She's sick unto death. What a guy.
He loved his mother-in-law. And so I'm starting to get into Peter's life. Go to chapter 16 of the book of Matthew. We don't see a whole lot more about Peter as we go along, except that he was with Jesus all the time and learning and being a part of being taught what was going to take place.
Now, notice in verse 19, they've moved now from the Galilee, they've moved up into the Upper Galilee, up to the foothills of Mount Hermon, where the transfiguration is going to take place. And when they get up there, they have a conversation. You remember that conversation at Caesarea Philippi, do you not? Jesus said, Well, who do you guys say that I am? And some of them say, well, Jeremiah, and others, and others, and finally, Peter will say who he was.
But notice what the Lord said to Peter. Verse 19, and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.
Now that's interesting. Because when we go through Peter's life, we'll see he preached to the Jews on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem, Acts 2. And then in Acts 10, he went up to Caesarea and led the first Gentile to the Lord. He was given the keys to the Jews and the Gentiles to be able to enter into the heavenlies.
Well, that's old Peter. And it's amazing. But notice in verse 21: from that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples how that he must go into Jerusalem. In other words, he has postponed the giving of the kingdom. That's what he's been offering in the book of Matthew, the kingdom.
But now he's postponed that. He's set it aside. He didn't negate it. He simply postponed it. And he said, Now, look, fellas, here's what's going to have to happen.
I'm going to go to Jerusalem. I'll suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and the scribes and be killed and raise again the third day.
Now, notice what Peter does. Here's old Peter, impetuous Peter, sometimes opening his mouth before he puts his brain in gear. Verse 22. Then Peter took him and began to rebuke him. Rebuke him.
Now we're going to see that he's going to Deny him, but later on, and refuse him of what he wants to do, what Jesus wants to do, but he rebukes him. The Lord says, Get behind me, Satan. And we see how these things are unfolding.
Now Jesus is saying, wait a minute. I am going to set up my kingdom, but I'm changing things now because I'm going to Jerusalem to be crucified, buried, and resurrected. And then he says in verse 28, look at Matthew 28. Verily I say unto you, there be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the Son of Man coming in the kingdom. And so now he's giving information to these guys.
Hey, look, you're going to see me in my kingdom.
Some of you here standing right now with me are going to see me in the kingdom before you die. Chapter 17 and verse 1. And after six days, Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John, that would be the inner circle, and he brought them unto a high mountain, that would be Mount Hermon there in the northeastern section of Israel. And he was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment as the white as the light.
And behold, there appeared unto him Moses and Elijah, teaching him.
Now I want you to notice what Peter says immediately. He is showing you that he believed the kingdom was at that point being set up. Look what he says here in verse 4. And then Peter says, Said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here. If thou wilt, let us make thee three tabernacles: one for Moses, and one for Elijah, and one for you.
Do you understand what that is? That's not Peter getting it wrong again. That's not Peter saying, let's put up three statues for you three: Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. No. In Hebrew that's a sukkah.
So, You know when you put up a sukkah in the Jewish Feast days. The last one is the Feast of Tabernacles, the Feast of Sukkot. You know what they do in the Feast of Tabernacles? They build a sukkah. It's a thatched hut.
It's similar to the thatched hut that they lived in when they were wandering in the wilderness. They take four poles and then they take the limbs of many different branches of trees and they put them up there over the top of that. And for seven days they live in the sukkah. It's normally made just in the patio off of the little apartment that the Jewish people would be living in just out the door from the kitchen because mother will fix all the meals and they will partake of their meals in the sukkah during those seven days. The feasts have a historic background and a prophetic significance as well.
And so they live in the sukkah. Dad will bring his business partners over and they'll live in the sukkah. And what the Lord is hearing Peter say right here is: hey, let's set up three sukkahs. We're in the kingdom. Let's celebrate.
Dr. Jimmy DeYoung and the Legacy Series. We have a DVD that we would like to offer. It's called Ready to Rebuild, Revisited. It's the revisiting of our very first video, Ready to Rebuild, 20 years later, looking at what's been done to rebuild the temple in the city of Jerusalem by the Jewish people, the Temple Institute, and all those that are interested in the temple being rebuilt.
So, if you would like to get that DVD for a gift of any amount, we will gladly send that to you. Just call our ministry at 423-825-6247 and ask for the special offer and that you have a gift that you would like to give Prophecy Today. You know, we need to continue this ministry that my father started, and we will give you, in return for a donation of any amount, we will give you our DVD, Ready to Rebuild, Revisited.
Well, we've got to take a break, and when we return, R. C. Merle, right here on Prophecy Today weekend. Oh. Mm-hmm.
Mm-hmm. I'm Ruth Kramer with Mission Network News. Threats and postures of intimidation are fairly common from North Korea, but this time, the Hermit Nation is throwing weight behind its words. North Korea recently blew up parts of roads and rail lines connecting to South Korea and built blockades. Eric Foley with The Voice of the Martyrs Korea says it's significantly straining relations with South Korea.
Yet, despite the rising pressure, there are souls at stake. The word of God is not bound. And so God still finds ways to reach ordinary North Korean people through radio broadcasts like ours, which air four times a day, and through the Bibles that we send by land, sea, and air, where we send 40,000 Bibles a year. Pray for the gospel to pave a way for transformation on the Korean peninsula. Find your place in the story at missionnews.org.
Then it takes a village not only to raise a child, but also to bring the gospel to, well, a village. World Missionary Press recently delivered 2 million gospel-centered booklets to a pastor in Peru. It was possible only because a woman in a nearby country connected them with 10 local pastors. Helen Williams with WMP says Pastor Lopez has received and sent the booklets to unreached villages in southern Peru. One of the videos that they sent had a picture of children with our booklet, The Way to God, which was written for children in Spanish.
And the caption is: Nothing like this had ever entered their village. Pray these booklets that have come so far will reach people who are ready to receive Christ and take to your own heart this message of hope. God is really moving in the world. Just keep praying and trust in the Lord that He's going to honor His word as it's shared.
So be encouraged. Thanks for listening to Mission Network News, a service of one-way ministries. This month, Transworld Radio is offering a free 30-day devotional written by TWR President Lauren Levy. Called Get Hope, it's meant to encourage you through scripture and help you meet life's challenges. Sign up for free when you click on the banner at missionnews.org.
I'm Ruth Kramer. Welcome back to Prophecy Today. I'm Jimmy DeYoung Jr., and along with Rick, we've been examining current events in the light of God's prophetic word. This is the portion of the program where we will take the time to look at a particular event or mini events and then tie it into a prophetic event in the future.
Well, about September 6th, I called my good friend R.C. Murrell and we talked about an upcoming event that was going to take place. And guess what? The event took place. And I needed to get my good friend R.C.
Murrell back on today so we can be filled in as what the rest of the world knows right now and a lot of Americans don't know.
So, R.C., welcome back to the program. Gee, it's great to be back with you, Jimmy. Thanks for having me. Yes, sir.
So, the BRICS nations had their meeting.
So, they temporarily, with Saudi Arabia on hold, met in Russia on October 22nd through the 24th to reduce the member nations' reliance. And use of the U.S. dollars. What can you tell us about it? Yeah, Jimmy, that's exactly right.
The three-day summit in the Russian city of Kazan was attended by leaders of representatives or representatives of thirty-six countries. highlighting the failure of the Biden administration's efforts to isolate Russia over actions in Ukraine. BRICS announced a blockchain based payment system called BRICS Pay, which is intended to do just that, reduce the nation's reliance on the U. S. dollar and allow member nations to trade commodities or anything else they want to trade with each other in their own currencies.
Now Jim Rickards wrote about this past week, and he said the BRICS new blockchain based digital ledger will record payments using the existing currencies of the BRICS members. Wow, so with blockchain, that would give them a secure record of every transaction between Member States, correct? That's exactly right. And the significance of this system is they actually have a name for it called Bricks Clear, is that there are no US dollars involved and secure payment channels are relatively safe from US and EU sanctions. And Jimmy, that's what this is really about, sanctions.
Since twenty twenty one, the US has sanctioned Russia, Iran, Lebanon and Iraq by freezing dollar assets, literally tying up their economies. In the twenty twenty two Russian invasion of Ukraine, some governments and international organizations led by the United States and the European Union imposed sanctions on Russian individuals and businesses. Unfortunately, on november fourteenth, twenty twenty three, the Biden administration extended a sanctions waiver. To allow Iran access to up to $10 billion in electricity revenue once held in escrow in Iraq. Inexplicably, this extension came just a month after Hamas conducted the surprise attack in Israel, killing 1,200 Israelis and kidnapping more than 240.
They basically got their money supply reestablished. Right, and they're continuing to do that.
So, RC, let's review the BRICS nations for our listeners and how the new BRICS pay system works.
Okay, so BRICS is originally made up of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa. And in January of twenty twenty four, the UAE joined as well as Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and Saudi Arabia, who, as you mentioned earlier, put their membership on a temporary hold. Here's how the payment system works according to Rickards. Russia will sell oil to China for rubles. Brazil will sell aircraft to China for reals, and India will sell tele technology to China for rupees and so on.
Alternatively, any BRICS member can elect to take the currency of any other BRICS member all to be recorded on the Bricks Clear blockchain.
So there are several problems that need to be worked out. Not all the transactions would settle immediately.
So what if the exchange rates between one currency and another currency fluctuate in the interim? Even more important, what happens when say a company in Brazil sells wares to India, taking in rupees in return, but the company has little has little it wants to buy from India? that's a lot of useless rupees that would be accumulated in a hurry. And gold as a currency solves both of these problems. And the BRICS central banks have been major buyers of gold, causing it to make new highs in just the past weeks and a few months.
Wow. Uh what else did they agree to at the summit? Yes, it was really interesting. They had a mock up of the upcoming BRICS currency, and that was unveiled. And it was a big hit because Russian President Vladimir Putin was seen holding this BRICS bill, which is the first time the new currency has been put on display.
According to reports, the new currency will consist of a backing of forty percent gold and sixty percent tied to local currencies. The regional currencies could have the Chinese yuan, the Russian ruble, Indian rupee, among other members' legal tenders.
Okay, RC. My final question to you is always, how does this relate to Bible prophecy? Yeah, I have three thoughts on that, three ways that this could relate to prophecy. First, a private meeting this is really interesting, a private meeting with Putin, Turkish President Rezet Erdogan and Iran's Moussad Prezishkian took place on the sidelines of BRICS. Not coincidentally, all three nations have prophesied to be in a future alliance against Israel as founded in Ezekiel thirty eight and thirty nine.
Second, Jimmy, without a stable U. S. dollar as world reserve currency, a group like the BRICS, who already accounts for forty five percent of the world's population and thirty five percent of the global economy will no doubt have more nations looking to join, putting the dollar at greater risk. And that may be soon because according to Worthy News, the World Bank predicts the U. S.
dollar will lose its global dominance by twenty twenty five. Those are scary statistics. Third, in the great battle of Armageddon. The nations of the world will be divided into four power blocks. The king of the north, king of the south, kings of the east, and the western alliance, or is called the beast army of antichrist.
And it's the Western Alliance where the U.S. will reside. RC, where can people go to find information pertaining to this BRICS nations, the new currency that's been printed, and all of this information that you've shared with us today? Go to prophecytracker.org. You can find all kinds of information by just using our search engine and type in BRICS, and you'll come up with articles all over the place.
This has been unfolding so fast, we just haven't had a chance to put it all into an individual post yet. RC, thank you so much for being with us today, and we sure want you to keep us informed as what is happening around the world. Thank you, Jimmy. God bless. Well, I'd like to finish the program as I started it today.
We can allow Bible prophecy to help shape our lives, giving us direction and guidance in serving our Lord. It should be a source of strength and instruction for us. Unlike what we hear called prophecy being told today, both in the church and outside the church, true biblical prophecy is always accurate and precise. What God prophesies always occurs. And with everything that we've seen today, we can't be very far away from the rapture of the church.
Let's keep looking up. Until Thank you so much for joining us today. This is Jay Johnson, inviting you to join us again next week for more of Prophecy Today.
