Welcome to the Prophecy Today. I'm Jimmy DeYoung Jr., and along with my brother Rick, we examine current events in the light of God's prophetic word. God has an overall prophetic program that we often subdivide into three distinct plans: a plan for Israel, a plan for the church, and a plan for the Gentile nations. All three. of which centre around the Jewish people.
Israel is truly God's timepiece of history and prophecy. And as you know, on our program, we have broadcast partners that we talk to as we examine current events in the light of God's prophetic word. And if God has a plan for the Jewish people, these are the nations that are involved in that plan in the future. Rick, we've got a lot to cover today. Our broadcast partners, Ken Timmerman, David Dolan, and we're going to speak to Minnow Kalashier, a pastor in Jerusalem, because there's a media personality here in the United States that says that the Jewish people are persecuting Christians in Israel.
But we're going to talk also to Doug Burton, who is reporting on Christians that are being persecuted in the country of Nigeria. Rick, we've got a lot to cover, so let's get started with our first, Ken Timmerman.
Well, that's right, Jimmy. I have Ken Timmerman with us. He's our expert on geopolitical affairs. He comes to us every week to let us know what is going on in the world. You can find out more about Ken by going to his website at kentimmerman.com.
Ken, thanks for being with us today. Thanks for having me on, Rick. It's always a pleasure. Ken, negotiations continue between the United States and President Trump and Iran, and there's lots of signals, no open resumption of hostilities. Could you give us an update and help us kind of read the tea leaves what's going on there?
No open resumption of hostilities yet, Rick. I happen to think we're going back to kinetic warfare very shortly, but look, the. I'm a bit surprised that the President has been as gracious as he has been towards the Iranians, towards the regime. They are giving him these non-papers with no concessions, with no meaningful movement on their part in the negotiations. They continue to refuse to discuss their nuclear program or their ballistic missiles or their support for proxies.
They continue to claim their right of sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz. It's really just one non-starter after another, and yet the President says, well, they're making some movement, but we can't figure out who's in control. War, Rick, is all about breaking the will of your enemy. Clearly, we haven't done that yet. The Iranian regime is defiant.
And the president is wrong when he says it's a new regime. It is not a new regime. It is the same old regime we've seen for 47 years. By the way, there's a mafia running this regime called the Mansuroon. Most people don't know about this.
I wrote about it a bit in my 2005 book, Countdown the Crisis, and again in the Iran House. Mansurun was a revolutionary group in the mid-1970s with Mohsen Rezai, Ahmed Wahidi, who's running the Rev Guards at Gay, and a bunch of other players who are today running the regime. They were getting military training in Lebanon from Cuban mercenaries working with the PLO, and then they overthrew the Shah in 1979. They are still running the country.
So it's the same old regime. It's these same thugs who have been there for over 47 years, and they are not moving anywhere. Even dictators, Rick. Even dictators have a breaking point. We saw that in World War II.
We saw it with Ayatollah Khomeini in June of 1988, Rick. Ending the Iran-Iraq war after eight years, saying that he was going to drink the chalice of poison.
Now why did he do that? Why did he give up? Because Saddam Hussein was using chemical weapons against his troops and the Iranian troops were fleeing in utter terror. I think the United States has to find some Obviously, non-weapon of mass destruction equivalent to strike terror in the hearts of the revolutionary guards. It may be taking out the power plants.
It may be something else that none of us have thought about yet. Obviously, not using nuclear chemical weapons or that type of weapon. But I think we have to strike. Terror. In their troops, so they lose the will to fight.
So far, we haven't done that.
Well, I heard talk this week of President Trump being briefed on a quote-unquote final blow. Is that what that could be?
Well, Axios revealed three points of this briefing by Admiral Bradley Cooper, the commander of CENTCOM. I sure hope it was an inaccurate report, and I sure hope nobody is leaking to Axios. They claim a lot of things as exclusive reporting, and it turns out to be false or it turns out to be Iranian propaganda.
So I wouldn't put much stake by what Axios actually said in substance.
However, Trump was briefed on Thursday by Admiral Bradley Cooper, and clearly he was briefed on the next steps in the war. And we can see some of that taking place right in front of our eyes. We can see that there's a third aircraft carrier group, the George H.W. Bush, that has come into play now, that's now in the Sea of Oman.
So we have three carrier strike groups. We see that more forces, Marine Expeditionary Forces, and others are flowing into the region. We have more equipment and men and warships in the region than we did at the beginning of the war on February 28th.
So surely Admiral Cooper is telling the President what we have in place, what their capabilities are, and what we could do with it. And based on that, Rick, the President will make his political decision about where to go. That is his job as Commander-in-Chief. As I say, I fully expect we're going back to kinetic warfare.
Well, a return to kinetic warfare may be necessary, as you say, but that does not mean we're not doing anything right now. We have the blockade continuing and also we're targeting Iran's banking facilities, which could really hurt them where it hurts. And you know, the media has not paid enough attention to this. Scott Besant is calling it Operation Economic Fury to accompany Operation Epic Fury on the military front. We're going after the shadow banking networks of the regime.
We have shut down their crypto networks. Besant announced this week that the U.S. had seized $500 million worth of crypto from Iranian government-controlled networks. We're going after the shadow tanker fleet getting the oil and much, much more. Besant, I think, has shown himself to be a very impressive warrior.
In this effort, he's shown that even a banker can be a warrior if they put their big boy pants on. You mentioned the media and their coverage of the war. That's my final question as we look at the situation in Iran right now.
Sometimes it seems like some members of the media are openly cheering for Iran because really they just dislike President Trump. It's not just that they dislike President Trump, Rick. I think it's because they dislike America. Alan Dershowitz, who for decades has claimed that he was still a Democrat despite all of the horrible things that the Democrat Party has been doing, he finally this week renounced his membership in the Democrat Party and registered as a Republican. He's been writing about this, why the media are pro-Iran.
Many on the left in the American media, and that's most of them, Rick, unfortunately, prefer the Iranian regime slogan, death to America. Because that's exactly what they want too, or so they think. They want death to America, death to our system, our American values. Look, Rick, these are stupid, spoiled little socialists. Who may never grow up.
Well, we'll move away from the Iran war, but stay in the Middle East and let's talk about news being made by the United Arab Emirates. They have pulled out of OPEC. Can you tell us what that means? They were the fourth country in seven years to leave OPEC. The UAE announced it earlier in the week, effective on Friday yesterday.
It's a monumental development. It's going to break the Saudi and the Russian and the Nigerian control over oil prices. The UAE has one and a half million barrels a day of excess capacity that they're not producing because OPEC won't allow them to exceed their quota. That would pretty much take up most of the oil we're missing from Iran through the Strait of Hormuz when you add what we've been able to add from the United States to it. Look, whenever you say, Rick, a cartel is collapsing, that is good news for the American people and the American consumers.
And that's what the UAE has done. They're quitting OPEC. They have aligned themselves 100%, and they say this, by the way, 100% with the United States of America. They know where their future lies. It's with freedom.
and capitalism and free markets. I'm speaking with Ken Timmerman as we look at the situation in the news around the world.
Well, my final question for you, Ken. I wanted to talk to you about a problem that I know is very important to you. I'm going to be speaking later on in this program with a former colleague of yours, Doug Burton, about the persecution of Christians in Nigeria. But I wanted you, if you could, to give us an update because that persecution of Christians is happening all over the place. Can you give us an update?
First, let me just say a word about Doug. Doug is doing God's work in Nigeria. He's getting news out from reporters on the ground of the just horrible, horrible massacres going on just about every day. Another person who's doing God's work is Raymond Ibrahim. Raymond has a column at the Gates Doe Institute run by a friend of mine.
He chronicles persecution of Christians around the world. He has a monthly kind of tally, if you wish, a cron sheet that he does. And it's just horrible every single day, Rick. Christians are being slaughtered in most every case by Muslim extremists. And this is throughout Africa, but it's also in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Indonesia.
Even in France, the So in January of this year. There were Muslim extremists who attacked and took down a nativity scene inside the church of Saint-Jehan in Le Passage, France. And it was not just vandalization. They smashed the statue of the infant Jesus. They decapitated and dismembered other Christian statues.
This is the kind of thing that I saw in northern Iraq being done by ISIS RIC 10 years ago. It's just horrible. And here it is in France. Even my little village, my peaceful little village in the south of France, just elected a mayor who at the last minute offered up a Muslim prayer space. To win the 80 or so electors that he needed to win that election.
to win them over.
So uh Unfortunately I see this spreading. Way out, way beyond the Middle East, to places that we thought were once civilized in Europe, and is coming to a neighborhood near you, right here in America.
Well, that's why we want to keep our listeners updated as we see what's going on around the world, especially as we look at the Christian community. Ken, as always, we appreciate your work informing our listeners. Thanks so much. Look forward to talking to you again soon. Thanks so much, Frick.
God bless.
Well, we've got to take a break. And when we come back, our Middle East news update right here on Prophecy Today weekend. I'm Eth Kramer with Mission Network News. Iraq feels heat from the West as Iran gives field commanders free rein. Iran recently allowed militia groups to carry out operations without first getting permission from Tehran.
The U.S. and Arab neighbors are pressuring Iraq to keep Iran's proxies in check. Samuel of Redemptive Stories tells us: The Iraqi government continues to want Arab normalization with the rest of the nations around it, but it struggles because of the internal factions like the PMF that answer to Tehran instead of being connected with Baghdad. Pray for Iraqi Christians as they serve the Lord amid escalating tensions. It's this time when followers of Jesus move towards the suffering rather than away from it.
And as the conflict deepens, we're seeing believers open their homes, their churches. And World Missionary Press has recently released a new booklet, The Power of Hope, which Helen Williams says is a message of hope for anyone in need. I really believe that this is one that we're going to be able to provide for a lot of people. In here, he says, hopelessness is a universal problem. The booklet covers a variety of topics and doesn't need to be read cover to cover.
Readers can easily consult the table of contents and choose a section based on the current need. Ultimately, the booklet points not to an earthly hope, but to an eternal one. God is the God of hope, and he wants us to abound in hope. The booklet's currently available in English, and World Missionary Press is working to finish a Spanish translation within the next couple of months. Physical prints of the booklet can be requested, or it can be read online.
Access those links at our website, missionnews.org. Thanks for listening to Mission Network News, a service of one-way ministries. We're listener-supported by people just like you.
So, by giving to Mission Network News, you enable us to keep the stories of God's kingdom coming. And together, the Great Commission happens. Look for links at missionnews.org. That's missionnews.org. I'm with Kramer.
Welcome back to Prophecy Today Radio, the program that looks at current events in the light of Bible prophecy.
Well, this is the portion of our program. We call it our Middle East News Update. We look at news coming out of the Middle East in general, but Israel in particular. To do that, we have a journalist with us with over 30 years of experience reporting on Israel, Dave Dolan. Dave, thanks for being with us today.
Glad to be with you, Rick.
Well, Dave, lots going on in the Middle East, but we look to you for an Israeli perspective. What's the latest this week?
Well, Rick, the military was placed on full alert late on Friday as reports started to circulate that Iran May be preparing to restart the kinetic part of the war with an attack upon Israel and some other. countries and U. S. forces in the area. The report said that the hardest line factions in The Iranian regime are advocating this, that they want to push the price of oil up over 200 a barrel.
They want to put the pressure economically on the states. to stop the war. Of course, they're getting tremendous pressure on themselves. from the blockade and other methods. And this all came, Rick, as the situation in Lebanon remained very, very fragile, very, very tense.
There were a number of major Hezbollah violations of the ceasefire during the week. And Rick, in the last week, they've been using a new Iranian produced drone that's a fiber optic drone that's manually operated. And because of that, Rick, it cannot be electronically jammed. like earlier versions of their drones were.
So a number of them have gotten through. One hit a armored personnel carrier in the Western Galaxy, injured twelve soldiers, two very seriously. Two soldiers were killed by other drones in South Lebanon, and an Arab villager in the north of Israel was killed in another strike.
So this is a very serious deal. And on Friday afternoon, the chief of staff, Ayal Zamir, announced that Israel would now be launching strikes further north into Lebanon, like it was doing before President Trump basically said that's forbidden two weeks ago, which they weren't very thrilled about. But he said we will go to the chain that produces these drones, to their sources. We know where their factories are, et cetera, and we'll be going after them in the coming days. And he indicated that they told the U.S.
that. And on Tuesday, Rick, the IDF blew up a massive underground, and we call it a tunnel, but in the Israeli press, many are calling it an underground city. It's eight miles north of the Israeli border. Seven miles wide underground and 1.5 miles long, emptying out into several villages.
Now they estimate they could have thousands of these Hezbollah Radwan forces. The attack forces that have been planning to come into northern Israel and do what Hamas did along the Gaza Strip. They have all sorts of weapons in there and storage facilities.
Well, that was all blown up, even though it did blow up the two villages above it, and that's sad. But the Israelis said, look, we have no choice here. This is absurd that this is going on. And then they announced that they found a twin tunnel under another village nearby.
So that's going to be destroyed as well.
So we see how powerful Hezbollah has been, you know, that they were fully ready to go onto an offensive against Israel. And so this is going on.
Now, six people were killed on Friday in South Lebanon, six Lebanese. This was reported in the media as six people, but of course they were Hezbollah fighters, and one was the wife and sadly the child of one of them. But basically, Israel is going after Hezbollah forces. 16 total soldiers now, Rick, have been killed since the fighting resumed in Lebanon, Israeli soldiers, and many, many more wounded. And then on the political scene, we had Naftali Bennett, the former prime minister, and Yair Lapid, another former prime minister, who were rotating, if you remember, when they had a an agreement between them some years ago, the year and a half that Prime Minister Netanyahu was not Prime Minister, they announced that they will rejoin forces and run together in the upcoming elections later this year.
And the polls do show that Naftali Bennett, who will be the head of it, he will not rotate with Lapid this time. He will be the Prime Minister. And the polls show that he is very likely to end up as Israel's next Prime Minister when this election takes place, possibly in June, more likely in September or October. David, as we look at this situation, your report is essentially in agreement with Ken Timmermans in the segment beforehand, where you are seeing most likely a resumption of kinetic activity between the United States and Israel against Iran, whether Iran initiates it or the United States starts the war back. And we look at the situation, Iran's military, their navy, it's essentially destroyed.
Their economy is in tatters. Their people are suffering, but they continue on. And it just goes to kind of show what their Motivation is, and their motivation is the hatred, the ideology that they have against Israel, against the United States. Can you talk a little bit about that?
Well, Rick, as I said at the beginning of all of this a couple of months ago, that the Revolutionary Guards in particular, this is an existential battle for them. In other words, their very existence, their very lives are at stake here. for them to surrender is really not possible. Surrender to who? They know they would be killed by their own people because they've killed so many of their own people.
et cetera.
So they are not willing to lay down their arms. And their proposals, President Trump said on Friday morning that the latest proposal that they gave him on Thursday evening was not acceptable, that he wasn't happy with it, that they're still making demands of him that are ridiculous.
So indicating very strongly that he is thinking of restarting the war. And Rick, you know that the Israelis, I've already mentioned that the Israeli political and military leaders were not at all happy with his ceasefire with Iran. They felt that the momentum was still there, that they needed to complete the target list that they had laid out. And that only then would there really be a chance of regime change or of a collapse of it in some way.
So they're kind of eager, frankly, to get back on the job here, even though they obviously don't want more Iranian missiles landing in their cities and towns and all that sort of thing. But again, for Israel, too, this is an existential fight.
Now, President Trump's made the point, and it's a valid one, that it should be for the world, that, you know, they now can hit Southern Europe with their missiles. If they get a nuclear weapon, the regime, they could do that, and it won't be long before they can hit the United States.
So it's not as if this is, you know, a joke or something. This is a real serious threat, and that's the reason for the war. But I'm guessing that they will be back into full-scale kinetic activity soon. And obviously, the war in Lebanon is, again, expanding. Hezbollah has not for a second agreed to any sort of ceasefire or any deal.
The talks in the United States never went forward. The two prime ministers of Lebanon and Israel meeting. You know, the war is still. On, Rick. It's just taken a pause, and the Israelis felt.
that it was giving Iran time to use its propaganda machine around the world, and they've got quite a strong one, and to get their forces outside of the region going in different ways as well.
So They didn't want to let up the heat at all, the Israelis. And I think that's the feeling of some in the administration too, and definitely in the Pentagon as well.
So I would expect we will see a resumption. It's just a question of who starts it first. And does Iran have these new weapons it's claiming that it can introduce into it that would make it even more painful for the Israelis and Americans. We'd have to wait and see. David, in the final minute or so that we have left, we've talked about this before, an Islamic death cult.
We look at the nation of Iran and their motivations to destroy Israel, to destroy the United States. That is their, as you mentioned it, their reason for existence. That is why they exist. And looking at it from a greater perspective, I know we're struggling here at home with gas prices and different things like that, but allowing this regime to get a nuclear weapon, it's essentially a non-starter. I think President Trump realized that and he's doing what has to be done, isn't he?
Well, again, you have from the get go from the day that Ayatollah Homeeni, the original founder of the ongoing Islamic Revolution, they see this as an ongoing revolution that they have to Keep going and they have to keep fighting and they have to keep pushing. Since that first moment, they've said, we will attack. The great Satan, the United States, and the little Satan, Israel. And in the case of Israel, we will wipe it out. They never quite claimed they would completely destroy America, but.
In Israel's case, they have.
So yes, what do you do? Do you wait for them to do that? if you really understand their deeply held Theology, you know, which is, we consider it demonic, but they really deeply believe in these things. And uh so they're ready to die in the jihad struggle. And they're willing apparently, at least some of them, to see their whole country.
die and to see their neighbors badly wounded.
So It was the right move to make, Rick. There was no choice. But it was always going to be, I've been warning, a little bit more difficult than the President was laying out at first, and it would take longer and it would be more of a struggle than we thought, which again doesn't make it not worth doing. But it's just the reality of what we are doing. Dave Dolan for Prophecy Today.
Dave, as always, we appreciate your insight. Look forward to talking to you again soon. You're welcome, Rick. God bless.
Excellent job, as always, David. We're going to take a break. We'll be right back here on Prophecy Today weekend. That's where we draw the line. This is Ken Ham on a mission to call the church back to God's Word and the Gospel.
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See, in a secular worldview, there's no ultimate standard by which to condemn adultery except someone's opinion. But in a biblical worldview, adultery is wrong because God says it is. Just like divorce, same-sex relations, and premarital sex, adultery goes against God's design for marriage. We need to start with God's Word. There's so much more to learn when you visit our faith-affirming website at answersradio.com.
That's answersradio.com. Welcome back to Prophecy Today. I'm Jimmy the Young Jr. Along with my brother Rick, we're examining current events in the light of God's prophetic word.
Well, this next half hour, we're going to have a conversation about persecution that is false. Coming from the United States about Jews persecuting Christians in Israel. But then we're going to talk about persecution of Christians that no one's talking about. in Nigeria. Rick, let's bring in our good friend Meno Kalisher, pastor in Jerusalem.
Well, that's right, Jimmy. I have a good friend of yours and mine, a good friend of our family's Menno Kalashir, the church at the Jerusalem Assembly House of Redemption.
Well, Menno, we check in with you frequently, but since the war started, we have tried to come about every two or three months just to see how you are doing, how the church is doing, and how we can pray for you. Just love to get a report from you.
Well, first of all, we thank God. Please do not confuse yourself with anything like. we are in a peaceful time because we are not. Israel having right now seven fronts. Seven francs, it's not a joke.
And if one front is a little bit in a lower volume. the words those who hate us will simply increase the volume in other fronts. and if they are quiet one day, it only moons. They are preparing the big fire for next week.
So this is how to really view the situation and to see that strategically. As believers, we know that peace will only come with Christ Jesus. and any piece that people try to do without him it's only temporary and it's just preparing us for the next war.
Well, that is certainly true, Menno, and I agree with everything you said there. But to move on to the second part of that question, how is the Church doing? How is it holding up during this war? Our church. I mean, we we praise God and thank God each day.
We know our duty. as believers is to proclaim the word, to proclaim the gospel.
So deal with sharing the good news for the salvation of people. This is our job. Our job is to love one another, to take care of one another, to disciple people, to be closer to Christ. That's our job, and nothing has changed, whether a war or without a war. as a church, some of our people are in reserve duty right now.
picking literally my son. is right now at the Syrian border. That's his third time Since october seventh, twenty three, And he has five kids. by those who finished eleven months And thank God she got the gift to be in a vacation in Germany for nineteen days with her kids. What a relief, what a joy.
But this is really the average picture of many families. And as a church, we are also citizens, and whatever needs to be given to Caesar, we give to Caesar. And uh we start for that as well. There are some families who are believers Yeah, I think it's a good idea. It's really not a joke.
And we pray for them that God will continue to comfort them. Uh we seek peace. but we seek the peace that only God can give, eternal one.
So this is the current situation. Are we enjoying a relatively quiet time? Absolutely, yes. It allows us to do more. to be more with freedom and to do things.
But peace, as you may think, that okay, all the soldiers back at home. and flowers everywhere and no more enemies and so on. Really? This is not a real thing. Not until Jesus was returned.
Well, that's exactly right, Meadow. And not until the true Prince of Peace comes will there be peace in the land. But we do appreciate this, hopefully, a short respite for you. We do appreciate the. I want to talk a little bit and get your comments on things, not only from your experience as an Israeli citizen, but as a pastor and a prophecy teacher and a student of the Bible.
As we look at this war in Gaza, everything that's happened since October 7th, Israel has been fighting to get the hostages back and to eliminate the threat of Hamas. And we look at that situation. The war has certainly created a lot of animosity towards the nation of Israel. People are saying, which I don't think is with merit, but people are saying that there was a genocide, that Israel is perpetuating a genocide, and it's either created or probably more likely revealed a lot of anti-Semitism, anti-Jewishness, anti-Israel sentiment. All around the world.
Could you talk about this, how it makes you feel there in the land? And maybe you can give us your thoughts politically, but also what you see prophetically about this anti-Semitism. First of all, there is no genocide. and the only reason the war lasted. two years.
it's only because two hundred and twenty two hundred and fifty one of our children were kidnapped. and were a life shield. In the hands of terrorists.
So many times, almost every time, Israel knew exactly where the kidnaps people are and we could not enter to explode or to really deal with the terrorists in order to save the life of these kidnapped Israeli citizens or people. this to be marked. Because we care about life. And many times the reason they have so many casualties, civilian casualties, it's only because they use their own people as human shields. The moment you shoot from um a hospital or let's put it that way, the biggest Headquarters.
um of the Hamas were under Hospitals. Tunnels and hospitals. Hospitals were weakened. Store rooms. And when people shoot from hospital or you know that the chief of the Hamas are inside the hospital, I'm sorry, this hospital is not hospital anymore, and that's it.
Think about it. I speak very personally. My son was though. And sometimes Hamas people dress in civil customs took their children on their bike or motorbike or whatever works with them, they knew that no one will shoot them. in order to check where the Israeli soldiers are.
And then they later on went back to the Hamat position and shelled these Israeli soldiers.
Now imagine it is your Uh your son. What will you tell him? Would you prefer your son to be killed? of this person, and God forbid, maybe his child will be killed well because he's using his child as a human shield.
Well, if it when it is your son, then you think differently. Let's do it this way. In Yemen, millions of children are in starvation because of the Houthis. Anyone cares about it? In Nigeria, Islam forces are butchering Christians.
Anyone cares about it? The fact that so many people decide right now, oops, we hate Israel, It's only because They always wa h hated Israel. And that's it. The reason being that so many Churches. even those who call themselves Christians suddenly uh holding hatred against against Israel or become anti-Semitic.
Is Because it tru it truly revealed that they studied theology from CNN, El Jazeera, B B C from the media and not from the Bible. The moment you really drink and eat from the Bible, you see They see the truth in a better way. You can recognize a lie. That's the issue.
So the fact that right now so many people decide to take their position with Hamas. simply reveal what they always had insight. Nothing more than that.
Well, I talked about that anti-Semitism. And here in the United States, we see that coming from all all ends of the political spectrum, both left and right. And one of the things that they are using on top of this claim of genocide and on top of this claim that Israel is being unfair, they are also saying that Israel and the IDF, the government of Israel, the Jewish people, that they persecute Christians, that Christians are under persecution in the Middle East. And I thought when I heard that, now I know what I think about that, and I spent a lot of time in Israel, did missions trips in Israel, many different things. But I thought, well, who better to talk about that than a Christian pastor in Jerusalem?
Can you talk a little bit about the quote-unquote persecution of Christians in Israel?
Well, thank you for this option to do, truly. let's let's say what prosecution is and let's really have the spectrum of prosecution. The religious Jewish people loved Evangelistic Uh Israeli believers in Jesus. No, they are not. They prefer that we will not deal with evangelism.
do they shoot us in the street? The answer is no. Is any even one believer in Jesus since 1948? in jail because he was evangelizing? The answer is not.
So let's put things in the right perspective. are we let's put that way, are all the people like us when I speak in the street loudly about Jesus, are people happy about it? The answer is no. But can I be sure to return back home safely? ninety nine point nine percent yes.
That's in Israel, okay? I'm not saying that the situation is perfect, But when we speak about prosecution, let's compare it to what happened in the Muslim countries in Iran, in China, in other places.
Okay? There. people's life is in jeopardy. There in China or in Iran or in Jordan or in any other place. If you will go to the street, and speak about Jesus.
If you think that you'll just get a kick, you are wrong. you'll k you'll get the kick in your brains.
So really, I'm not saying that the situation in Israel is perfect, that I do not pray and wish it will be better. But let's compare things and put things in the right perspective. Israel compared to the countries around us It's ideal. Everything is relative. It's A D.
Well, Charlie Kirch is in America in a democracy and he got the bullet in his neck. What do you call these? Hmm.
So again. We have a democracy. Yes, this demo democracy is not perfect. I wish we'll have even better. But compared to all the countries in the Middle East, were better than all of them put together.
And certainly so. The evidence is there. The work that you are doing, the church is growing. You are opening new locations. You are supporting and having youth camps all over the country.
So that is not being restricted. Like you said, it could be better. It could be perfect. But it's not perfect. And evangelization uh is something that they maybe frown on, but they certainly it's certainly not something you go to jail for and it is certainly allowed and on the streets and the church is alive and growing, isn't it?
Absolutely so. Again, I I do not want to alcohol, to describe it as ideal. It is not ideal. But compared to the countries around us, were better than all of them put together. Menno Kalash here from the Jerusalem Assembly House of Redemption Church.
You can find them on the website at JerusalemAssembly.com. Menno, one of the things I love to do, and I know many of our people do it every day, is pray for your church, pray for your family. If you could, just let us know how could we pray for you and your family specifically, but also the church family as well. Continue to pray for us that we will simply see things always from God's perspective. and fulfil God's dear command to us in all costs.
just like this. I know that we may pay price for that. but just pray for us to be day by day closer to Christ like Him. Meno Cal Share, as always, we love having you on the program. We appreciate you so much.
Thanks so much. We look forward to talking to you the next time. Thank you. Go both ways. God bless you.
Thank you. Often on this program, we try to focus on the plight of the Jewish people and how God is not finished with them yet.
Well, my good friend Doctor Richard Schmidt always reminds us in Second Timothy three, verses one to five, It warns us that in the last days perilous times shall come. Rick, I want to focus on what's happening in the country of Nigeria. with the insistence of Ken Timmerman, we go to his good friend Doug Barton.
Well, that's right, Jimmy. I have Doug Burton with us from TruthNigeria dot com. We had Doug on the program not too long ago highlighting the the plight of the persecuted Christians. They're all around the world, but he focuses on the country of Nigeria. Doug, thanks for being with us today.
That's uh my honor, Rick.
Well, Doug, when we had you on the program last time, you let us know that the situation in Nigeria is very complicated, but the bottom line is Christians are facing persecution, especially around this past Easter season. Could you give us an update on the persecution in Nigeria? Yeah, Rick, it is it's complicated. Uh Nigeria is a key country in Africa and in the world actually. Nigeria has got the largest population of any country in Africa, 230 million people.
They're packed into A West Coast location. uh surrounded by ten other countries uh And the the Nigeria is the geographical and economic center. What you got going there is a split between Muslims and Christians that's always been there from the time of independence in 1960. And you don't have a fight between masses of Christians and masses of Muslims, but you have a An even split in the country. About 100 million people are Muslim, 100 million people are Christian.
Most of the Christians are in the southern part of the country. Most of the Muslims are in the northern part. But there are radicalized factions that want to wipe out the Christians or they want to take over their land. And as many of your listeners know, since two thousand nine, there has been an active civil war and insurgency whereby an ISIS faction Has been seeking to create a caliphate. And people may have heard.
That there is a group called Boko Haram, which the word means Western learning forbidden. It's affiliated with ISIS and a related group. also affiliated with ISIS called the Islamic State of West Africa. And actually there are five or six Insurgencies like this in Nigeria, whose purpose is to create a caliphate.
So These groups chiefly operating in the northeastern part of Nigeria around the big lake called Lake Chad. Have killed tens of thousands of people since 2009, and they are. Very virulent, very active. These insurgencies are highly weaponized. They they have armored personnel, carriers, tanks, they have artillery.
They have uh they have drones, all kinds of sophisticated uh devices, they make really slick propaganda films. And they preach and try to convert and successfully do convert Muslims. in the northeastern part of the country. And now increasingly in the last few years, they have established bases in the north central and the western part of Nigeria as well. This is a threat.
But In addition to all that, There is a special group that's unique to Nigeria, and that is the radicalized. Ethnic militia that are associated with just one tribe. It's a very large tribe. And it's very successful in Africa generally. And in Nigeria, this one tribe is called the Fulani tribe.
are part of the government. Many very successful Very smart and capable people from this tribe are in the government of Nigeria. They're not all criminals. they they just happen to be part of this tribe. It's like, you know, in the United States we have you know, a lot of Scotch-Irish people from Appalachia, you know, and they're they're involved in our society, you know, throughout.
But some of the Scotch-Irish people, you know, 150 years ago created a terrible group called the Ku Klux Klan, which, you know, murdered. you know tens of thousands of of uh black people and probably continues doing business today, right?
So That's kind of a comparison that I like to make. You know, there are criminal organizations that have a sectarian identity, like the Ku Klux Klan, and in Nigeria. There is this very large criminal group called the Salani Ethnic Militia. According to scientists, they number at least thirty thousand, and they are spread out over all ten. all of the north of Nigeria.
The folks in this criminal group uh do they ga make money by kidnapping people for ransom and holding them for long periods of time until they get their ransom. And then they also do massacres. They do ethnic cleansing. They try to push the. The Christian people also their land in Nigeria, especially in the Middle Belt.
Now, The complication is that there's A conflict about narrative. What is the real Cause of this conflict? Is it sectarian or is it a squabble over land and resources? Is it a fight between herders and farmers?
So that is where there is a great deal of narrative war, and that narrative conflict is right in our own U. S. State Department itself. Give us an idea of the scope of this as we look at this. You talk about how many numbers, how many kidnappings, how many killings have taken place, and then again as you talk about this narrative war, we look at it Muslim extremists and these m kind of Muslim breakout groups or criminal gangs as you're calling them, how much of that is mot motivated because they are Christians.
Well, exactly. That's the question.
Well, the position of myself and our my colleagues, my reporters, I manage about twelve reporters in Nigeria itself. I'm based in the Washington DC area. I occasionally go to Nigeria, but I am the editor, and I'm talking every day, I mean, many sometimes many hours a day with our reporters who are in the danger zones. To answer your question, how many people are being killed in Nigeria?
Well, There's an organization called Open Doors. that uh tracks persecution of Christians all over the world. Like in 112 countries. In fact, according to Open Doors, Christianity is the most persecuted religion in the world today. And many, many people are getting killed.
But eight out of ten Christians who get killed every year in the world. Eight of those Christians are being killed in Nigeria itself since this terrible. fratricidal conflict began like se seventeen years ago. Uh there have been uh Certainly, at least 90,000 people that have been killed in this conflict, which includes Muslims as well. it's often said that the defenders or the apologist for the government will say, no, well, it's not just a Christian genocide.
Oh no, there's many Muslims who were also killed by the criminals, also killed by the insurgents and Well, that's certainly true. Moderate Muslims and Muslims In the majority Muslim areas of Nigeria, like in the Lake Chad region in the northeast that I mentioned. Yeah, those people are victims of raids and bank robberies. In extortion. Yeah, that's true because the majority of the people in the northeast part of the country are Muslims.
But, however, there is a Christian minority. And they are, uh, they've always been there. There are pockets of Christians, there are uh. many many communities that are ninety percent Christians, and they are disproportionately attacked and are the subject of kidnappings and brutal, brutal massacres. There is clearly a sectarian edge, but it is complicated.
Because one group wants to take over the country. those are the insurgents. Another group, the criminal gangs, who in the tens of thousands, they aren't seeking to get a calipate. Because Nigeria already has a caliphate, and those criminal gangs support it. They have a sultan that they've had there for 200 years, the sultan of Sokoto.
He's very closely allied to the government. But he is also He's also a friend. to the Fulani people because he is Fulani himself.
So it's ethnicity. And economic interest and sectarian interest are all tied up into it.
Now the challenge for decent people in the West is how do you stop a Holocaust? that is as complicated as this. How do you stop this? And it's very key. that we we do stop it because unless we move, we're likely to see another bloodbath, another mass killing that is going to resemble the terrible Rwanda genocide in nineteen ninety four.
that happened under the Clinton administration.
So it It is urgent that people get it uh better aware, be informed. Because Nigeria is a n US ally, has been, always been a US ally. is a is a key ally in Africa because it's the Is the linchpin country if Nigeria becomes an authoritarian Muslim state, or if it becomes a caliphate, then God forbid, it's unlikely. But if it becomes a terrorist state, all the little the states around it are going to go the same way. Hmm.
So just think about it. We are in a war right now with Islamism in one particular country, that's Iran, the Persian Gulf.
So look at the terrible stakes of that conflict. The same thing could happen. What happened forty-seven years ago in Iran, that could happen in Nigeria. All of the factors are there for a takeover. Nigeria has had many coups.
It has been had many military governments. The last one voluntarily gave up power in 1999. But before doing that, it wrote the constitution that was that favored Islam. It mentioned is Islam two hundred and thirty-four times, didn't mention Christianity uh a single time.
So What we have is a government where Christians are routinely put in second place. They're routinely looked down upon. They're given despite the the claims of the government. The Christians are often treated as second class citizens. although there the official claim is that, oh, well, we are a Western style democracy and everyone's equal, et cetera, but it's not true.
In the meantime, Nigeria is an English speaking country, allied with the West. The Nigerians love America. They come here in large numbers. We have close to a million. Transplanted Nigerians in the United States now.
They flourish, they are better educated and wealthier than the average American citizen. I'm speaking with Doug Burton from TruthNigeria.com. Their mission to share the truth about what is going on in Nigeria. Doug, my final question for you before I let you go. You know, we've been focused on this program and everybody really in the world right now focused on that situation that you just mentioned in the Middle East.
But we want to make sure we continue to keep a focus on what is taking place in Nigeria. Can you let our listeners know how we can maybe get involved and how we can follow your reporting? Thank you very much, Rick. You're doing great work here. First of all, come to our website, truthnigeria.com.
It's started by a wonderful missionary just a little over well, just three years ago, mister Judd Saul. He's a missionary. He started out he was an insurance broker Then and he then he made documentary films and then he fell in love with the Nigerian people, his relatives are missionaries, so he became a missionary in 2018. Started uh started uh the orphanages and humanitarian aid for the uh persecuted Christians in Nigeria. Go to truthnigeria dot com, go to that last page and make a donation to equipping the persecuted.
That's Judd Saul's organization, and that's the organization that funds Truth Nigeria. It's called EquippingthePersecuted.org. Uh because You will see in the stories we're publishing today the difference that the donations make. The equipping the person you did is actually helping. Giving medical care and food to the dispossessed.
uh and displaced uh Nigerian Christian people of which well, there are actually five million, five million in IDP camps in Nigeria, and they're not they're not taken care of really by the government itself. They're largely left to fend for themselves. But I would like to leave you with this thought, Rick. This war can be won, incongruous as it may seem. We can win this war because there are 100 million Nigerian Christians, and many are wealthy.
We can and we will win this war. We will win it with truth by simply exposing what is the cause of the war. It's Islamism, it's sectarian hatred. And simply by doing that, the government The government changes its behavior, it loses less support from abroad, the U. S.
government gets a clear idea of how they can really help. That's what I suggest you do. Doug Burton from TruthNigeria.com. Doug, we appreciate the work you're doing, and we're going to have you back on from time to time to keep our listeners updated, keep our listeners aware. Thanks so much.
Look forward to talking to you again soon. Appreciate it. We've got to take a break. We'll be right back on Prophecy Today weekend. Yeah.
Welcome back to Prophecy Today. I'm Jimmy DeYoung Jr., and along with my brother Rick, we examine current events in the light of God's prophetic word. Rick, next week, you'll be coming from Rome, and you're going to Rome because we can't go to Israel right now, but you've got a good group of people going to Rome. That's true, Jimmy. We do have a good group going to Italy, and of course, we were planning on going to Israel, but with the situation in the Middle East right now, it wasn't the right time.
But we're going to, we've replaced that with Rome, and we're going to still have a Bible prophecy study trip as we look at all the things that are going to take place in Rome. But, you know, Jimmy, we look forward to in the future, and I don't think it's very far in the future, maybe even hopefully this fall that we'll be going back to Israel, the greatest classroom to study the Bible, past, present, and prophetic, looking at the land of Israel. I look forward to that, and I can't wait to get back. Yes, stay tuned for that. And you'll find out more information about our trips on our webpage.
Yeah. Well, this week, Rick, we're continuing the legacy series that we have been doing, honoring our late father, Dr. Jimmy D. Young. who taught us and is still his teachings are so very relevant Even to this day.
And the one that we'll be starting this week is the Book of Revelation. Probably our favorite that he has done over the years. The Book of Revelation is the prophetic book that plays out The plan of God for the end times And this week we're going to start that. And Dr. DeJoung is going to give us some keys to approaching the study of the book of Revelation.
John the Apostle played out for us the three main events. Of the future with the details of what will happen in between these major events.
So please take your Bible right now and let's go to Revelation chapter 1. doctor Jimmy D. Young. In the Legacy Series. All the prophetic passages culminate.
Every theme that you see in prophecy, any place in the Word of God, culminates with the book of Revelation. It brings us to the end of this world and then the entrance into eternity future. And so, Revelation is a must-study, and don't be afraid of it. Don't be afraid of going in and looking at the book. Let me give you a couple of hints as you start to look at the book, and then we'll look at a couple of points inside the book of Revelation.
First of all, the title of the book is found in chapter 1 and verse 1. I don't know what the title in the particular translation you have. I have a King James translation, and the title of the book says the Revelation of St. John the Divine, which is not the title of the book. Revelation is not revelation of St.
John, and he was not divine. He was a saint because he came to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, but he was not divine. He was not a God, and he was just the author of the book because he Got that information from an angel. Chapter 1, verse 1 gives the title of the book, The Revelation of Jesus Christ. That is the title of the book.
The book of Revelation lifts up Jesus Christ. Chapter 19 and verse 10: Jesus Christ is the spirit of all prophecy. Jesus Christ.
So, this book lifts up Jesus Christ, and we need to continually understand that is the case. It's lifting up Jesus Christ. I have a sign here on the pulpit right in front of me from John chapter 12 and verse 21, and it says, We would see Jesus. Very important. Exhortation for all of us who stand behind this sacred desk.
But the book of Revelation helps us to see Jesus revealed in his person, in his power, and in his program that he is laying out. The title of the book, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, by the way, verse 1 tells us where it came from: from God the Father, who gave it to Jesus Christ, who gave it to him to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass. And he, Jesus Christ, sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John. The most used word in the book of Revelation is angel. Or angels, it's plural.
And they play a key role in the second coming of Christ, as they did in the first coming of Jesus Christ as well. In chapter 1, we see that Jesus Christ, who had a great testimony, his testimony of coming to know Christ as Lord and Savior, he was known as the beloved disciple. He, at this time in his life, was probably in his early 90s, having been born soon after the birth of Jesus Christ. They were contemporaries. Jesus was born in 4 BC before Herod died.
And then we see that indeed John probably came along maybe within 10 years.
So he would have been somewhat about the same age as Christ, maybe 10 years younger. Even at that, he would probably be in his between 85 and 95 years of age when he wrote the book. And he's a pastor of a church in Ephesus. Ephesus, one of the seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3. Paul started the church, Acts chapter 19.
John comes along and plays a key role because so much is now being put in place to advance the cause of Christ and the launch pad. It had started, of course, in Jerusalem, but it then moved to Asia Minor, where these seven churches were located. And these seven churches were being effective as they spread across the world. John was a very effective preacher, a very effective testimony for Jesus Christ. And because of that, Domitian, who was the emperor at the time, 95 AD, would put John on an island off the coast of what we know modern-day Turkey in the Aegean Sea, about 45 miles off the coast, and put him there on this little three-mile-wide, six-mile-long island to be under house arrest.
Interestingly, Domitian was the brother of the one who had destroyed the temple in 70 AD. General Titus and Domitian themselves were both sons of the emperor at the time. Time of the destruction of the temple, Vespasian, who had moved into position as emperor of Rome after the city had been burned down, and he was trying to bring it back. Titus then followed his father as the emperor, and then when he died, Domitian took over. And Domitian really hated Christians, and because of the testimony of John, he put him on this island, imprisoning him.
At that point in time, John would receive from the Lord what he wanted him to write down. It's interesting as you see him on the island there. All of a sudden, he heard a voice behind him, and he turned to see what it was. Look at verse 12. I want to introduce a very important thought about what happens in Revelation, verse 12.
And I turned to see the voice that spake with me, and being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks.
Now, that's the phrase that John wrote down for us, and it probably sometimes is difficult to understand. It's an apocalyptic phrase. Apocalyptic comes from that Greek word apocalypsis, which means to reveal, to foretell, to make known, to prophesy. Apocalyptic literature is found in four books of the Bible: Daniel, Ezekiel, Zachariah, and Revelation. And what happens in these portions of these four books, in this apocalyptic literature, is the Lord will use a symbol to communicate an absolute truth.
He will use a symbol. It's a literal symbol to communicate a literal truth.
Now, notice with me, let me illustrate. Verse 12 again: And I turned to see the voice that spake with me, and being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks. Look at verse 16. And he had in his right hand seven stars. Let me just stop there.
There's much more I could deal with, but let me just use those two. Those are two apocalyptic portions of this first chapter of Revelation. If you're going to understand Revelation, you have to approach it knowing there's going to be apocalyptic literature there. There's a phrase that will help you recognize apocalyptic literature used 52 times in the book. It is this: as it were.
You'll see that phrase 52 times. 52 times, as it were. We'll see it in just a moment in chapter 4. As it were. That means it seems to be, but not really is.
In other words, a symbol is communicating something. We've got to determine or interpret the symbol.
Okay, in verse 12, there's seven golden candlesticks. In verse 16, there's seven stars in the right hand of the one he sees. Look at verse 20. The rule for interpreting apocalyptic literature is keep reading the Word of God. Look at verse 20.
The mystery of the seven stars, which I saw in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks, which thou sawest, are the seven churches. And so that is interpreting what John saw. He saw the seven churches. He saw the angels.
And that word is angelos in Greek. It is not talking about a pastor.
Sometimes angelos is translated messenger, but most of the time it's angels.
So this is deep. With what John saw, the apocalyptic phrases that we have to recognize as we go through the book of Revelation. The person of Christ is presented here. Chapter 1 would be a great chapter for you to study if you want to know what the resurrected, glorified, soon-coming Christ looks like. But look at verse 18, because after the person, we see his power and his testimony of that power.
Verse 18: I am he that liveth and was dead, and behold, I'm alive forevermore. Amen. And I had the keys of hell and of death. That's the testimony of Christ. That is the cornerstone of our faith.
That is the foundation for Bible prophecy. It's the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He had to resurrect, and if he did not resurrect, 1 Corinthians 15 says, we're still living in our sin. He did resurrect. He is alive.
Testimony by 500 people at least who saw him after his resurrection. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, verses 1 to 5. All of these. Individuals, every single one of the disciples except for Judas, every single one of those disciples who saw him in his resurrected body went forth and gave testimony and never recanted on the fact that Christ resurrected from the dead.
So again, this is the cornerstone and the foundation for our faith.
Now look at verse 19. After we see the authenticity of the person of Christ, we see his authority to be able to tell us exactly what is going to happen in the future. He says, Write down the things which thou hast seen, the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter. He lays down, chapter one, the things thou hast seen, chapters two and three, the things which are, and everything after that, chapters four through twenty-two, all of those things that are going to happen hereafter. In chapters two and three of the book of Revelation, we see the letters to the seven churches.
And if you want to have a personal revival within your own Being. Study chapters 2 and 3 of the book of Revelation. It's just fantastic, those messages. The last word of Jesus Christ to the church.
Now come to chapter 4, and I want to show you that there are three main events throughout the entire book of Revelation. Three main events, and if you will focus in on these and what happens in between these events, you can come to an understanding of how the end times will unfold. And this will give you a grid. I want you to develop a grid within your mind to understand what's going to happen. Chapter 4, and look at verse 1.
And after this, now that's not too difficult to understand. After this, after what? After chapters 1, 2, and 3. After this, chapter one, the person of Christ. Chapter two, we see the letters to the seven churches.
Now, again, those churches were alive and active in Asia Minor at the time John wrote the book, but they also represent periods of church history down through the last 2,000 years. You don't need to look for a line in the sand. This is the end of the church at Ephesus, the beginning of the church of Samyrna, the end of the church of Smyrna, the beginning of the church of Pergamos. But they are characteristics that are applicable to the different periods of church history. And so, what he's saying is: after church history, after the church is ready and is set to go into the heavenlies, we see depicted here in chapter 4, verse 1, the rapture of the church.
Let me illustrate it. Verse 1, chapter 4. After this, I looked and behold, a door was opened in heaven, and I heard, here's that phrase, as it were, a trumpet. talking with me. which said, Come up hither.
And I will show thee the things which must me hereafter. This is depicting the rapture of the church. Notice it says, I heard, as it were, a trumpet talking with me. But I got to tell you something. I started playing trumpet when I was 14 years of age.
I do have a box drive, it's a handmade trumpet. That trumpet. Never talked. To be. Never did a trumpet talk to me.
That's what it's saying here. I heard, as it were, a trumpet talking with me. There's that apocalyptic literature. You remember what it says in 1 Thessalonians 4, verses 13 to 18? Jesus will shout, the archangel will shout, the trumpet of God will sound, and we'll be caught up to be with him in the air.
1 Corinthians chapter 15, verses 51 to 53, in the moment in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. You see, you use other biblical literature to interpret the apocalyptic phrase.
So we see here in chapter 4, verse 1. John, in chapter 4, verse 1, he's on earth. Chapter 4 verse 2, he's in the throne room in the third heaven before the throne of God. He's translated into the heavenlies. Using the principles of hermeneutics, the science of interpreting Scripture, we see that Revelation, chapter four, and verse one, depicts the truth found in the Bible about the rapture of the Church.
That event, the rapture, can happen at any moment. Even today. By the way, should the rapture not happen this week, please join us next week as we continue our study on when will the end of the world happen. We'll answer that question with the Word of God, especially the book of Revelation. Dr.
Jimmy DeYoung and the Legacy Series.
Well, we have to take a break, and when we come back, Rick and I will take a look at the book and talk about everything that we've talked about on the program today. Right here on Prophecy Today weekend. I'm Ruth Kramer with Mission Network News. A fragile ceasefire is at risk. A U.S.-brokered deal between Israel and the Lebanese government is two weeks into a six-week ceasefire.
Now, the deal still allows Israel to act in self-defense, and Hezbollah did not participate in the agreement. Flares of fighting continued this week with Hezbollah drone attacks and Israeli strikes along the border. Slavic Gospel Association's Eric Mock. People in northern Israel are constantly in fear.
Some are not able to go to jobs. Maybe some of the jobs have stopped and they're in great need. SGE supports Russian-speaking churches in Israel with aid and Jesus' love. We'll connect you to their Israel Relief Fund at missionnews.org. By supporting this, you're not just handing food to people.
These people are hearing the gospel. These people are hearing a message of hope. That will be unshakable. And seekers in China are still receiving scripture. Kurt Rovenstein with Bibles for China explains.
When someone has access to A Bible, picks it up and reads it, it can change their life and lead to a many-fold impact in the kingdom of God. For example, Robinstein recently heard the story of a Muslim seafaring man who received a Bible at a port in New Orleans. Though he didn't read it, the man's son picked it up years later, and today he's working to share the gospel in the Muslim world. One of our ministries is to provide Bibles to chaplains who reach out to the seafarer community. And it was an encouragement to know that the Word of God at the right place, at the right time, can make a difference.
So please pray that Bible distributors will be encouraged. Thanks for listening to Mission Network News, a service of one-way ministries. This month, Trans World Radio is offering a free devotional, Hope Within Reach, sharing stories of how God is moving around the world and how you can be part of it. We pray it strengthens your faith and reminds you that the hope of the gospel is never out of reach. Get it at missionnews.org.
I'm Ruth Kramer. Welcome back to Prophecy Today. I'm Jimmy DeYoung Jr. Along with Rick, we've been examining current events in the light of God's prophetic program. Rick, I started off the program by making the statement: Israel is truly God's timepiece of history and prophecy.
And I think with our broadcast partners today, Ken Timmerman and David Dolan, of course, looking at Israel and Minnow talking about preaching the gospel in the Holy Land, in the city of Jerusalem, being able to come home at night, as opposed to those that preach. And teach and hold church, and they can't come home at night.
So that was great to hear that testimony of what it is to be a believer in the land of Israel. And the tragic situation in Nigeria that Doug Burton shared with us is also so important. When you look at all these things, it really is very important to keep our eyes focused on the Jewish people.
Well, it certainly is, Jimmy. That's something that has been a focus of our ministry. I like that idea of the timepiece. It's a way that we can look at what's going on in the world and we can see where we are on God's plan. But, you know, one of the things, and this is something that we do, is we try to provide for the student of prophecy, for the student of theology and eschatology, we try to provide a framework in order for people to understand the Bible.
And, Jimmy, if you could go back to basics just a little bit, I mean, there are three major strands of the human race, and if we look at the Jewish people, and we talk about them often on this program, but there are two other strands. How do these strands work together? And how is the idea or the hermeneutic principle that there are three strands of the human family, how does that principle work when we are studying the Bible? Yes.
Well, I mean, you use that big five dollar seminary word, hermeneutics, and what does that mean? That's the study. Who was the author writing to at the time? Basically, it's who was the author writing to at the time that that passage was written. For the first 2,000 years of human history, there were Gentiles on the earth from Genesis chapter 1 to Genesis chapter 12.
It's the first 2,000 years of human history, only Gentiles. With the call of Abram out of Ur of the Chaldees from Genesis chapter 12 to Acts chapter 1, we have the second strand of the human family, and those are the Jewish people. And remember, those passages in the Bible pertaining to the Jewish people, the promises that God, the covenants that God made with the Jewish people, He has to fulfill them, and that's why and how we figure all that out. Of course, the church came in in Acts chapter 2 and will stay on the earth, I believe, until Revelation chapter 4.
So those are the three strands of the human family and they're Perspective chapters in the Bible, sections as they're broken down, and it really break down into 2,000 years each: 2,000 years for the Gentiles on the earth, and then 2,000 years for Jews and Gentiles. And it's been about 2,000 years for Jews, Gentiles, and Christians, Rick.
So, as we see all of this, and God has written And given us three specific books: Daniel, The Times of the Gentiles. Ezekiel is that book that's given to the Jewish people. And the book of Revelation is given to the Christians, which Dr. Jimmy DeYoung is teaching from and showing us how to use the prophetic passages. And of course, the third of our really what we call the trio of triplets.
The three strands, the three main prophetic books of the Bible, and then the three main events in the future, beginning with the rapture of the church, the return of Christ to the land of Israel, and to the earth, really, to all of mankind at that time, when he takes back the title deed of the earth and begins his kingdom on this earth that was promised to him in Daniel chapter 2. And then that final event. The great white throne judgment, the three next main events.
Well, that's great. And that's a foundation. That's a framework on which we are able to build our understanding of what the Bible has to say, not only about prophecy and about eschatology, but about everything.
So it's a lens into which we can look at the Bible, and we're not forcing that lens on the Bible. That is what the Bible provides for us to look at.
So God has a plan for the Jewish people, and you've mentioned it already. The Christians did not replace the Jewish people, but instead, God has a plan for the Jewish people in the future. Can you talk about why we look at what is going to take place in Israel and maybe the idea that no, the Christians did not replace the Jewish people. God will fulfill the promises that he made to the Jewish people. God's overall prophetic program, be it for Israel.
The church or the Gentile nation works its way out directly or indirectly through the Jewish people. Too often believers have attempted to see where they are in God's prophetic program based upon how world events affect their particular country. But the true determination as as you know To where we are in history, Rick, is based upon how world events affect Jewish history and the Jewish people. Thus, when the world-shaking events take place, the criteria for their nation to Bible prophecy is not how they affect the church. And we can focus on every nation of the world with that, or any particular Gentile nation, no matter how great and powerful.
but how they are affecting Jewish history and the people of Israel.
So Rick, when we look at it. Everything revolves around God's plan, and when the rapture of the church takes place, and we're taken off of this earth. It will then be God's Plan to deal with the Jewish people. They rejected him. He will also deal with the unbelieving Gentiles that are still on the earth.
Even at the end of the tribulation period, there are people that are going to still curse God and want to, you know, die without God.
So, when we look at this in the future, this is how Bible prophecy really promotes us to live a pure and productive holy life. It sure does, Jimmy, and I know our time is short here, but as we focus on the nation of Israel, God, and you said God is going to be dealing with them in the future, well, the world. Is focusing on the nation of Israel right now, unlike any time in the history. And so that certainly should let us know where we stand on God's timeline, using Israel, God's timepiece, to let us know what is going on. Yes.
Rick, thanks. Great job today. Very important events, world events that are foreshadowing the future. The tribulation, we can tell where we are on God's timetable by that shadow that's cast backwards. As R.
C. Merle says, Paul Sharp said that today, and we understand it. As we look at these signs in the future that are for the Jewish people, by the way, that's a whole different story. But We can understand where we are on God's timetable. Folks, after seeing everything that we're seeing happening in our world today, the rapture of the church could happen at any moment.
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. Prophecy Today is a listener-supported production of Shofar Communications in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Mm-hmm. Uh
