Welcome 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, I do admit sometimes I don't understand what's going on in the world, but as long as I understand Bible prophecy, I know what the future holds. You know, Bible prophecy serves as a divine roadmap, bridging ancient texts with current events to provide hope. Preparation and evidence of God's plan for humanity rather than just bringing up curiosity.
It confirms God's sovereignty throughout fulfilled predictions such as Christ's birth, 500 pertaining to Christ's birth, and they all had to come true as they did, which gives me the confidence to know that the remaining 500 prophecies in the Bible will happen as God says that they will. And it prepares all of us for future events like the return of Jesus Christ.
Well, we've got a lot to cover today with Ken Timmerman, David Dolan, Winky Bedad, Dr. Greg Lyons of Louisiana Baptist University, and Dr. Jimmy D. Young with the Legacy Series, all on the program today. 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 an author and an analyst. You can find out more about him by going to his website, ken Timmerman.com. And if you do that, I would suggest you sign up for his newsletter.
He sends it out on a regular basis. Great insight, Ken. As always, thanks for being with us today. Rick, thanks for having me on. It's always a pleasure.
Well, Ken, a ceasefire it's not a ceasefire. We're back to kinetic activity. We're preceding a negotiation.
So much going on. Could you give us maybe instead of the nitty gritty, maybe give us an overview, what are your thoughts on the negotiation between Iran and President Trump and where we are headed right now?
Well, first, just one word on the ceasefire itself. The President determines when the ceasefire is broken. The Iranians fired on U.S. ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz, going into the Persian Gulf. We intercepted the missiles and the drones.
And then the President launched some counter-strikes against Iranian ports. But he said these are just love tax. And I understand exactly what he was saying. And the Iranians are saying, no, they aren't. You actually violated the ceasefire.
Won't you attack us harder? Let me tell you what's going on here. The president is trying to negotiate. with the regime that is ultimately does not want to negotiate. And there are some people in the regime who do, but they don't control the guns, they don't control the money, we don't know where the supreme leader stands.
The president is understandably confused and frustrated, but he's giving them. The benefit of the doubt.
Now, he's doing that because he is a negotiator. He's probably the greatest negotiator of our generation. But he's giving them the benefit of the doubt to let them get their act together. I would just suggest to the president that there is no Iranian leader of any faction, of any belief. Who will negotiate with him or his negotiating team in good faith?
They are not good faith negotiators. I understand what the president's trying to do. He's trying to encourage the factions to get it together, but he cannot achieve that. That's the internal dynamic. And believe me, Rick.
This regime is bred on conflict. There's only one US president who ever made a good deal with the Islamic regime in Tehran, and that was Ronald Reagan in January of 1981, and he did it before he even took office.
So what did Reagan do? He threatened the regime with annihilation if they didn't release the US hostages who were seized at our embassy in 1979. And with the war against Saddam Hussein, Iran's war against Saddam Hussein in its second year and turning to disaster for the regime, they realized that the hostages had become a wasting asset. They no longer needed the hostages to consolidate their revolutionary base. which was their initial value.
And with Saddam Hussein growing in power, they couldn't afford to fight the United States as well. They pivoted. They punted. They put the hostages on a plane in Tehran the exact minute that Ronald Reagan swore the oath of office. And the rest of history.
So, how does Donald Trump make the Iranian leadership, including the IRTC, view its nuclear weapons program as a wasting asset? Not through negotiations, Rick. I think that is for sure. And even renewed bombing might not do the trick because the IRGC is convinced that nuclear weapons are the key to the survival.
So I think the president is. Trying to be optimistic. He's trying to lead the Iranians to a deal, but they don't want a deal. And at some point, He's going to realize that, and at some point. The guns are going to speak at that.
Well, Ken, the way you frame it there, it looks like President Trump is almost in an impossible position as we look at him negotiating with this regime. But he certainly has weakened the regime. All the things that have happened, all the bombing, all the eliminating of the heads of state and the leaders there. Will the regime survive? That's one of the things that I guess a lot of people want to know.
Now, maybe it won't end when this kinetic activity ends, but will it survive after that? Give me your thoughts.
Well, let me just give you this analysis that appeared in one of the Israeli newspapers this week. They said that there's a divide between the IDF and Mossad in their appreciation of the next step. The IDF wants to seize the highly enriched uranium. Mossad wants to overthrow the regime. And I think that's a divide, an analytical divide, that is absolutely critical.
And it doesn't surprise me. But that really is what it's all about. Do you just deal with material facts, such as the highly enriched uranium, which seems to be what the president wants to do? Or do you realize that the uranium itself doesn't matter? What matters is who's got their finger on the trigger, and that's the regime.
And I have always believed that the regime is the problem. I have always believed that if you take away their nuclear weapons, you destroy their missiles, they'll just build them again. Another example, the twenty year moratorium that you hear bandied about from time to time. I think that is an absolutely disastrous notion because the Iranians understand it in a very different way for the way Steve Witcough is putting it forward. In the Iranian eye, if you say a 20-year moratorium on uranium enrichment, what they understand.
Is that in 20 years, date certain, they will become a nuclear weapon state? And that means, well, starting tomorrow, they've got to be laying the groundwork. They've got to be working on more advanced centrifuges. They've got to be importing equipment. They've got to be building new facilities.
And unless you have some kind of inspection regime, such as we had after the 1991 war with Saddam Hussein, they're going to do it.
So, despite the Pretty overwhelming destruction of their offensive military capabilities. I think that the regime is the problem, and the regime will remain the problem.
Well let's move away from Iran and check in on other conflicts taking place around the world, including the Russia-Ukraine crisis and President Putin struggling. Maybe can you tell us about that? Putin has had to cancel. Any military parade on May 9th, which is Victory in Europe Day. They always have this enormous parade.
I mean, during the Soviet era, that's when they would bring out their latest ICBMs, these enormous 24, 28-wheeled vehicles. And he's not going to do that this week because he's afraid that it might be too big a target for who? For the Ukrainians with their drones and with their missiles. That's an extraordinary admission, Rick. It's an extraordinary admission.
This tiny fifth-rate power, Ukraine, has been able to stand up. To what we have for decades been told was the world's other superpower for four years. And now they're able to offensively strike targets inside Russia, deep inside Russia, in Moscow itself. I think that's a really amazing development. And it shows that Putin is not nearly as strong as people think he is.
Let's talk about Europe, Ken, and NATO and President Trump unhappy with NATO s non-participation in the war has decided to remove 5,000 troops from Germany. Can you talk about this? Yes, and I'm not surprised that he did that. I think that was a very good first step. It was essentially telling the Europeans: you have not upheld your commitments to NATO.
You have not been really of any use as an alliance. Why should we have troops stationed in your country if we cannot even use the bases where they are stationed? And that was the case in particular with Spain, which had two air bases, and they refused to let us use those bases. The Germans were not quite as bad, but they weren't much better. Look, NATO has become a joke, Rick.
We've talked about that many times on this program. When you have left-wing news organizations such as National Public Radio, NPR, saying that the Iran war may lead to a NATO where the U.S. is no longer its leader, give me a break. NATO without the United States is essentially a Bastille Day parade. It's an air show flyover.
You know, it's guys parading about in their flight suits on the Champs-Élysées. The French couldn't even fly their own soldiers to Mali when they wanted to for a military operation because they didn't have the airlift capability. They had to ask us to fly their soldiers that. NATO, I think, is already obsolete, and Trump is just. Pointed out its inherent weaknesses and inherent flaws.
Final question, Ken. President Trump has a meeting with President Xi of China. Can you give us a preview?
So far, the President seems to be keeping the calendar. Remember, he put it off once already. It was going to be at the end of April, and then he pushed it back to mid-May. He seems to be keeping the calendar. We don't know what's going to happen with the war in Iran, whether the President will decide that the ceasefire is over and unleash our military for one week, two weeks, three weeks of really intensive strikes, which is what he has promised.
We don't know what's going to happen. All of that is up to President Trump. When he meets with President Xi, even if he pushes this off again. Clearly, the Chinese are going to be looking at what has happened in Iran. They're going to be looking at the vulnerability of the Strait of Hormuz.
They're going to be looking at 80% of their oil supplies all of a sudden evaporating because the Strait has been closed by their very ally, the Iranian regime. And they're going to be looking at the United States and the U.S. domination of freedom of navigation around the world. You know, our Navy dominates the blue waters. And I think they're going to be very worried about their immediate future.
I've heard this critic say that, well, they're also going to look at how we've depleted our supplies of Tomahawk cruise missiles and other standoff munitions and anti-missile defenses. That's true, but that is just a passing phenomenon. We will replenish all of those. Those are war reserves. We can replenish that.
The Chinese are going to look at the big picture. The big picture is they want Taiwan. We're standing in their way. Have we become weaker? Are we less effective standing in their way?
And I think President Xi's gonna say, don't think so. Ken Timmerman for Prophecy Today. Ken, thanks so much. Thank you, Rick. God bless.
Ken Timmerman, great job as always, Ken. And what I find fascinating is that God uses world leaders to accomplish his will as we move toward the future.
Well, let's take a break. And when we come back, David Dolan with our Middle East news update right here on Prophecy Today weekend. I'm Ruth Kramer with Mission Network News. Israel hits Lebanon's capital, killing a senior Hezbollah commander. Ditford had strikes between Hezbollah and Israel have spared Beirut up until now.
Heart for Lebanon's Camille Melke says, Oh, we have a ceasefire. We really don't have a cessation of fire. Every day, there has been death, there has been destruction. Diplomacy runs parallel to ongoing violence. The United States will host new talks between Israeli and Lebanese ambassadors next week.
U.S.'s best interest is to separate Lebanon from the control of the Iranian regime. Continued fighting in southern Lebanon means more displacement and people in need. Heart for Lebanon recently added 2,600 new families to its aid roster. Pray for believers, distributing both physical help and gospel hope. And a series of attacks along a key highway in eastern Kenya has communities on edge.
One incident just a couple weeks ago saw seven Christians in a farming community killed by Muslim Somali herdsmen. Government leaders say the escalating situation should be declared a national emergency. To Greg Kelly with Unknown Nations, Kenya's Christians have a clear mission. There's all kinds of Christian churches, hundreds and hundreds of evangelical, amazing churches in Nairobi that really need to begin mobilizing and sending workers to the east. Many Somali Muslims live in eastern Kenya along the border with Somalia.
And Somalia is where the al-Shabaab Islamic Terrorist Group is based.
So pray that the Kenyan church will rally and that God will open the door for Somali people to receive the gospel. Find your place in the story at missionnews.org. Thanks for listening to Mission Network News, a service of Onway 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.
Faith and reminds you that the hope of the gospel is never out of reach. Get it at missionnews.org. I'm Lee Kramer. Welcome back to Prophecy Today, 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. This week we have journalist Dave Dolan with us. Dave, thanks for being with us today. Blessed to be with you, Rick.
David, another eventful week in the Middle East, especially in Israel. Can you give us an update?
Well, Rick, the war in the North has been really active all week, very, very active. for the first time since the quote cease fire went into effect a little over three weeks ago, Israel bombed South Beirut, the Dahia neighborhood. Where they said they killed the overall commander of the Rodwan force. That's their. Elite fighting force that had been preparing to invade northern Israel.
Israel's uncovered all the plans. Previous to this current campaign, and they were hoping to kill thousands of Israelis in the north and take over the city of Kiryat Shmona, et cetera.
So the overall commander, Ahmed Balut, was killed and some of his aides. Of course, the Lebanese government screamed bloody murder about that, and Hezbollah in response. fired more missiles and rockets at Israel the latter part of the week. last evening, Rick, for the first time spent over a month Sirens were sounded in Haifa, Israel's third largest city, and it's Port and also where the petrochemical, main petrochemical plants located. Missiles were intercepted, though nothing hit.
And at the same time, Rick, last evening, the Internet in Israel, the social media was. just on fire with reports that Iran Had launched missiles at Israel and that they were incoming. And there was 10-15 minutes of panic amongst people and getting ready for that. This is, of course, the beginning of the Sabbath, Friday evening. And then the Army came out and said, no, we have not detected any missile firings.
But of course, Rick. Tensions are very high in that area because Iran has been attacking Israel's ally now, the United Arab Emirates, for the past three days. Every day there's been missiles fired. Every day there's been drones. Of course, on Wednesday, they struck their main East Coast Oil refinery where they export into the Sea of Oman so it doesn't have to pass through the closed Straits of Hormuz.
Where all during the week we had clashes between the Americans and the Iranians. We had three vessels float through the Gulf into the Indian Ocean on Thursday. The response, of course, from Iran, the regime of the Revolutionary Guards was fierce. They fired rockets, missiles and speed boats which the President said had been sunk. He called the whole incident a trifle, but the Israelis see it as an indication that the hardliners in Iran are very much still there, that they very much still want to continue on with this war and that an attack on Israel is frankly, expected at any time.
And so, Rick, the IDF not only fighting heavily in Lebanon this week, there were more clashes in the south. There were several more soldiers wounded. Hezwillah fired at an Israeli military base in the north of Israel on Friday.
So all this kinetic activity going on here, but everybody watching the situation over in the Gulf, knowing that the Israeli Air Force could be going into action, as President Trump said. You'll know Iran will be glowing again, maybe called into action at any time.
So that's the main situation. And just one final item, Rick, down in the Gaza Strip. Hamas is rejecting proposals for disarmament that are being made by the US representatives that are there near the Gaza Strip. And indicating that they're watching the war in Iran very, very closely and that they're not willing to take any action until they see what the outcome of that is. And of course, Israel, if they go back into Gaza in a kinetic way, they're obviously still there.
They'll be facing possibly. Three active war fronts at once. They've been used to that the past couple of years, but still not a very calm year so far.
Well, that is certainly true, David. And let me just follow up on one thing you said there as we look at the negotiations for the ceasefire between Iran and President Trump and the United States. Is that binding to Israel as far as how they're going to deal with that Iranian proxy, Hezbollah, in the north? Because that certainly seems like it could be a sticking point. Could you explain that situation?
Well, as I said last week, the Israeli political and military leadership were not thrilled. when the ceasefire was unilaterally announced by President Trump several weeks ago with Iran, And of course, it's been a very fragile ceasefire, and particularly this week, there's been kinetic activity every day. the price of oil going way back up on Friday as a result of The incidents on Thursday.
So the Israelis are watching all this very closely, Rick, but they. really feel that the Hezbollah situation will depend, as I just mentioned, Hamas's thinking, on what happens in Iran. If the regime survives and comes out maybe even with what it can claim is a victory, or at least that we survived and that's a victory, and they start making threats again and they start talking about their rights and all of this, then we expect to see continuing Hard-line positions from Hezbollah. And Hezbollah, the group Hezbollah, the militia, which has a larger military force than the Lebanese army, frankly, or it did at the start of this war two years ago, they are rejecting the idea of talks with the Zionist entity. They want nothing to do with it, and they certainly are not intending to disarm.
It will take physical action to disarm them, and that won't be possible, it's felt in Israel, if the Iranian regime is still around and still able to fund them some and still able to get them weapons. And, you know, they're still managing to do that, Rick, as far as we can see. They have been resupplying them. A lot of that coming by sea, actually, or it was before the blockade began.
So this is a very complex situation. But Hezbollah is, like I said a couple weeks ago, it's the grandchild or the son even of the Iranian regime. It's their closest proxy. It's their largest one, their most important. One, and I mentioned they destroyed an underground tunnel, they called it, but it was a city virtually five miles wide and two miles long under several villages.
They destroyed that during the week rick in Lebanon, the IDF did. And it was full of weaponry and full of plans. And all of this, they could have poured out of three or four tunnels in two different villages that this was underneath, had poured out of those and gotten to the Israeli border just a few miles away very quickly and launched a major offensive.
So they were planning to do the same thing that Hamas was doing under the direction of the Iranian regime.
Well, David, for my final question, as you have helped us to understand the Iranian animosity towards Israel, the Iranian proxies, Hezbollah, Hamas, Hamas, starting this whole thing on October 7th, that has essentially set all of this into motion. This is not just a land feud or a political war, but there is a spiritual element as well as these Islamic countries come against the Jewish nation of Israel. Can you talk about that aspect of the situation? Yes, and we've got the two branches of Islam involved. We have the Shiites, obviously, Iran and Hezbollah.
But then we have the Sunnis involved in the guise of Hamas. An Islamic Jihad group, the Palestinian group, which was founded by Iran. And totally funded by it.
Now, Hamas. They adopted Hamas as a son. But Hezbollah, they created. Hezbollah. I was in South Lebanon in 1982 when that happened, and real close to the very first.
Suicide attack that they launched. It was an old man in robes with a bomb hidden underneath riding on a donkey. He came up to an IDF program. Post about a mile from where I was, blew himself up and blew them up. Three or four were killed that day.
Uh you know, this is a spiritual war coming from the depths of their view of uh Allah and what their call is to wage jihad until Islam reigns supreme. Throughout the world, that's a quote from the Quran, and they see their role as active fighters in that jihad with weapons, not just shipping. Striving politically, or in other ways, language or education, the other ways that jihad can be waged. But that the main uh component of it in the Quran is active. Fighting against the infidels.
And of course, we know that Christ is the Lord and that Christianity came out of Judaism. that the Bible, both the old and new, is the Word of God. That the God of the Bible is God, but their Quran says, no, we are the people of the book, we are the true chosen people, and Allah. Is the ultimate God and Muhammad the ultimate prophet. And the proof of that to them is that they took over Christian lands in the early years of their expansion.
The Coptic church in Egypt Was the dominant force there. The Christian community in Syria was the biggest force there. And in Iraq, In the early years of Islam, but they took over all of those places and have held them pretty much ever since.
So, this is a battle not new. And it will only end, as the Bible tells us, with the Lord's return when he puts all of his enemies under his feet. And hopefully, many of them will be saved in the meantime. He has an open hand to them as much as anybody else on earth. But to follow him, they need to acknowledge him and to frankly turn away from the false faith that they're currently following.
Dave Dolan, providing us not only political but also prophetical and spiritual perspective. Dave, thanks so much. I'm glad to do it, Rick. God bless. David Dolan, great insight, David.
Remember the Ark of the Covenant? We're going to be talking about that coming up in the next section with Winky Medod, right here on Prophecy Today weekend. Expect opposition. This is Ken Ham on a mission to strengthen the global church with God's Word. Throughout history, the majority of charities, food pantries, and rescue missions have been started and run by Christians.
So why does the secular world treat Christians as if our beliefs are dangerous? Because it's a spiritual issue. The Bible tells us if we live a godly life in Christ, we should expect persecution and that men love darkness rather than light. No matter what we do, we will still get attacked because men hate God. We should expect opposition because the gospel confronts people with their sinfulness and need for repentance.
So, how should we respond? By lovingly and boldly praying. preaching God's Word and the saving gospel. Find more encouragement and teaching from God's Word at AnswersRadio.com and listen to more of this program at AnswersRadio.com. Uh Welcome back to Prophecy Today.
I'm Jimmy DeYoung Jr. Along with my brother Rick, we're examining current events in the light of God's prophetic word. Hey, this is the weekend of Mother's Day, and make sure that you send those flowers, Rick. I'm looking forward to coming down and visit our mom in Tennessee, Dr. Judy DeYoung.
She's not really a doctor, but we'll give her that honorary title as all mothers should have that honorary title. And I'm looking forward to seeing her. And it's going to be a surprise until she listens to the program.
So, anyway, I'm looking forward to being there. And let's make this all the week. Let's celebrate mothers. They're so very important in the lives of our children, in our lives, ourselves, each and every single one of us. And we're seeing the very importance of mothers in the Bible, as always.
A very important topic and one that's discussed often. About how important a Proverbs 31 woman is.
Well, we're gonna continue on our program now, talking to Wikibad. Rick, I talked to you earlier this week about this, but one of the very first projects that our father did. Was ready to rebuild, and we updated that 10 years after that, ready to rebuild, revisited about the search for the Ark of the Temple and the items of the Temple being in process of rebuilding the Temple. And so I think it'd be good to talk to our good friend Israel Madad on that topic today and let's find out where that status is. As we're with Winkie, let's also talk to him about what this outcome of the Iran war will accomplish in the coming days.
Well, that's right, Jimmy. I have our good friend, Israel Madad. We call him Winky because that's his nickname. He lives in Israel. He helps to give us an Israeli perspective.
He's an in-demand columnist. In fact, we found you right now. You took a break from writing a column. We appreciate you doing that, Winky. Thanks for being with us today.
Thank you once again for having me on.
Well, Winky, I want to start with Iran, and the situation there is very fluid, so I don't want to necessarily go into the details, but I want to ask you a what-if question. What if The ceasefire holds and there's no more kinetic activity. We basically go to negotiated talks to end all of the hostilities. Can you talk to us about what has been achieved by the United States, by Israel against Iran? Has the regime been destabilized?
Is the Middle East more stable? Is the nuclear program been eliminated? Can you talk, give us an overview if this is the end? Tell us what you think and whether or not this was worth it.
Well actually And the audience is going to have to trust me in this. We did not discuss this beforehand. That's basically the topic of my column that I'm writing. Because I first of all, I do think that the campaign I think it's called Epic Fury. has been very successful.
But I do point out to the fact that just like Israel Over the past seventy years or so, it has been very successful in its military actions, but For all sorts of reasons, have been less successful at the diplomatic table. and signing agreements and getting them to be upheld and supervised properly. That's what the United States Is about to get itself into, and they have to take at least two things into consideration. The first is that not only is Iran the Islamic Republic of Iran. But it is a Shiite.
Islam variety. And I'm not going to go into the details. And the particulars, but As everybody who's been listening to you and I discussing matters over the past few years. And decades before would be like, Father, you can always Google or read a book and find out if what I'm saying is more or less correct or on the mark. The Fanaticism.
The theological A commitment beyond the reason that the Islamic Republic. Elites, okay? Those in charge of government. I'm not saying every single Iranian, but I'm talking about those who right now not giving in to America, they have a different mindset. And you must understand that and take into consideration How're you gonna end it?
We try to keep them. to a an agreement. And just two more sentences. America has been through this before. No, not yesterday and not couple of years ago, but back starting in about seventeen eighty three.
with the barbary pr pirates And the reasoning That Thomas Jefferson got? From the Ambassador of Tripoli to London. That, well, we're allowed to because we're Muslims, and that's what the Quran tells us to do. We can break agreements and we can Be violent if we need to be. And you must take that into consideration.
Certainly, putting this into historical context there.
Well, let me ask you, I look at this situation. I certainly don't think, especially if this war was to end right now, we have quote unquote solved the Iranian problem. We have solved the fact that they export terror. Hopefully, if this is a ceasefire, we get a grip on their nuclear program. But I would think anything that degraded their capabilities, that weakened that Islamic Republic's tight grip on that country of over 90 million people, of anything that stopped them from getting a nuclear weapon Has been a net positive for not only the United States and Israel, but really the entire Middle East and the world.
I fully agree with that assumption. I think that Mr. Trump. and his administration has been subjected to a very highly biased prejudicial Antagonistic Press On media and and commentary, which is not Looking out for America's best interests. And has no patience for military operations and thinks everything we do with the with everybody is immoral in some form.
And therefore the American citizen, the average citizen. is getting the wrong news and the wrong perspectives. And he is being pressured also by a time factor. I understand he has a China trip coming up. I understand.
That there are midterm elections coming up. All these things influence a president. or even a prime minister like here in Israel. which are basic have nothing to do specifically with the issue. But they they they sort of uh close in on him and make his decision-making process One that's under pressure.
Even if it has nothing to do with the exact issue of Iran's nuclear weapons or its terror export. And that's always a problem. that democracies face because Dictatorships can do whatever they want to do. All these factors coming together, Winky, to make this a very complicated situation. But if this ceasefire does hold, maybe this will be a chance for Israel and really the entire Middle East to at least experience a time of peace.
Well, let's switch gears a little bit. And Israel has an election coming up. We saw former Prime Ministers Naftali Bennett and Lapid announcing that they were going to join together this time, maybe in a little bit different format. Prime Minister Netanyahu, of course, running as well. If you could give us a preview what we are going to look forward to with the Israeli elections this fall.
While the elections should be held either in October or November by law. And I don't see anything to prevent it. Uh although, for example, back in nineteen seventy three People remember there was a Young Pippo war, the elections were delayed for about three months. Under the Labour government, so they shouldn't get upset if something like that happens under a Likud government. Anyway, Look.
Netanyahu is doing very well in the polls.
However, there is a substantial elected. and what we call center left. That simply is irrational. In accepting the fact that it would be better to go together rather than separate. They they they hate I say this with all confidence they hate Nathanielle.
Or should I say they strongly dislike him and his personality? And they have several issues which are and we've discussed it here on the program. the mobilization into the army of the Haredi, the ultra Orthodox part of the population, the fact that Israel must do what it has to do in Gaza and yet we're getting lambasted by the Uh by the woke media. and other issues, which gives us a a a a a a black eye. And it makes People uncomfortable.
They c they can't go to Greece. God forbid.
Well, they can't go to Paris. Uh or Barcelona. As if that is the height of being in Israeli. But nevertheless, there are problems, and what I suggest people look for. is whether they overplay their hand.
Because in their enthusiasm to paint Mr. Netanyahu and Islikud black, And especially and I think I'm speaking from experience over the past few years with the the so-called judicial reform demonstrations. They go overboard. And within a A few days now, because of all the TikToks and the Facebook and the Twitter, it's very easy to quote people and say, look. He said something wrong the other day and now he's saying something different.
So it's going to be an up and down roller coaster type of a campaign. And uh The issue of course will be World will have to go with the Arab parties in order to try to gain a coalition. And they did so in in the last election, but this time it's very different because we've experienced Gaza.
Well, very interesting, Winky. And we're going to keep an eye on those elections because that's going to shape the future of Israel. And just like we have some elections coming up in the fall here in the United States that are going to be very important as well. But for my last question, let's move on. And I want to talk about something completely different: the Ark of the Covenant.
There is a man, an archaeologist, who said he can use technology to locate, pinpoint the location of the Ark of the Covenant, bring it out into the open, if you could.
Now, we don't necessarily the details are very vague there, so we don't necessarily need to talk to you about that report. But what I wanted to ask you, the Ark of the Covenant in general, what would happen in Israeli society? And of course, for the listeners who don't know, Israel is a largely secular country. Not all of the Jewish people that live in Israel, in fact, a minority, are religious. But if the Ark of the Covenant was to come out, I think it would have an impact on society.
Could you give us just your thoughts on the Ark of the Covenant maybe coming out in the future?
Well I have been involved in archaeology in the Temple Mount. for a long time and I know some people Who came, if I'm not mistaken, from Texas, and we tried to help them. with some at that time in the nineteen eighties, mid nineteen eighties, with some new thermo photography. At that time it was very new. looking deep into the ground well, deep, you know, ten, fifteen meters down and seeing uh rock structures that would indicate hiding places or corridors or or passageways and stuff like that.
So this is not new and of course The issue of the temple of the Ark of the Combined could be important. For affecting not only religious people, but those who are not observant. if something is found in it. According to Jewish tradition, As we know. Though it's not quite written in the Bible, but I think it's not been in the Bible.
uh that the uh pieces of the first Ten Commandments were placed into the Ark of the Covenant for safekeeping.
Now, if if we signed Ark of the Covenant and Open it up. uh safely of course, not like there was uh Shown in the film The Raiders of the Lost Stock, with poor fellows that happened to them. But if we could. Uh we could read it. Or find out if something is on it.
I mean, i i if I showed you part of the first tablets that Moses dropped or threw down, right, I think that would be earth shattering. Uh no pun intended. But uh First of all, it would reconfirm. The ancient origins Not only of the Jewish religion or its Jewish practices, Judaism, whatever you want, but the Jewish people. That, what is written in the Bible, and which I think we've discussed many times here.
is very authentic. And the more we dig and the more archaeology is done and the more we reveal and the more we look at the jars and letters and handles and seals and all sorts of stuff, Bula, Uh we realize that it's just not a theological A book. Of visions and beliefs, but it has a strong. um attachment to what actually was historical reality. And this could you know, making a very big change.
in the situation. We don't want to get too excited about these things because unfortunately, there have been inauthentic attempts in the past and all sorts of things. But Man is man, and he continues to find proof or lack of proof. I think that's one of the good things because it always means you're on a journey. and being uh a religious person or a moral person or a A person believing in the divine, you're always on a journey, and you hope that along the way, For yourself and for others you meet, you're always doing good and trying to find the end result as best as possible.
Well, very well said, Winky. And as you talk, I can only be reminded of the Dead Sea Scrolls, those historical biblical scrolls over 2,000 years old that were found right around the time of the creation, the birth of the modern-day state of Israel in 1948. Almost as if God was giving his stamp of approval to that event.
Now we go through so many years, the nation of Israel has been there. In the city of Jerusalem, there are many Jewish people that are looking ahead to another event, and that is the rebuilding of the temple there on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Now, this is very controversial for sure, but if we look at a situation like the finding of the Ark of the Covenant, this can certainly provide encouragement and inspiration for maybe even going farther beyond the progress that has been made in building a temple, couldn't it? Absolutely. I mean, again, you know, some people are being I don't want to be too harsh on ourselves, but you know, ridiculed. or dismissed for religious beliefs. But you know, you got temples in Greece and you have cathedrals in Rome and cathedrals in Washington and in Paris and in Madrid, why can't we have a temple in Jerusalem?
Why can't we share the space? And see what happens. Why keep it exclusively Muslim? As we know historically speaking, they simply went in there in the seventh century and took it over.
So I don't like to justify Uh people's rights just simply because they were bullies at one time. And they don't let other people share. In the religious experience and the idea of sacredness. And holiness Uh they could bring people to be better people. Rather than fighting among each other.
And so, as we know, it says in the Bible, you know. The temple shall be a place of peace. And I hope that that can eventually come about one way or the other. Very interesting conversation I'm having with Winky Madad. Winky, as always, you bring great context to so many different aspects of the situation, both political, the the international perspective and of course the religious perspective as well.
Winky, thanks so much. Look forward to talking to you again soon. Thank you for having me on, and goodbye to you and our listeners.
Well, you know, we've been getting questions to our website, and we're going to encourage folks to send questions, and we're going to go to our broadcast partners to ask them. And so I've invited back this week Dr. George Gunn. Welcome back, Dr. Gunn.
Thanks, Jimmy. Good to be back. Yes, he's a professor of theology, head of the, I think, the department at Shasta Bible. College, and we're glad to have you back here with us.
So, we have a question that came in, and I thought, man, this is right up your alley.
So, let me read the question. The Mosaic Gospel of Grace must be preached to the world before the Great Tribulation, Matthew 24, 14. This has not been done. Jesus is our example. He kept the Mosaic feast of Leviticus 23.
God does not do away with these feasts. That's Matthew chapter 5, 17 and 18. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my word shall not pass away. Time is short. Repent and obey the gospel.
And uh in Jesus' name.
So Dr. Gunn, I've sent you the question. What's your take on this?
Well, thanks, Jimmy. That's such an interesting question. It's actually one that comes up often. People read that Matthew 24, 14. this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world As a testimony to all the nations.
Now, this questioner has a little different twist on that because he's coming from it from the perspective of honoring the Sabbath, keeping the Sabbath and the Jewish feasts and all that more frequently. I've heard this utilized by missions organizations as a motivation to Christians to preach the gospel to everywhere in the world. We've got to do that before the Lord returns. But the thing is, here, there is a distinction that needs to be drawn between the way the word gospel is using here. and the way the word gospel is used elsewhere.
I think it's important for us to recognize that the word gospel, as Christians, we tend to think of that in a technical sense of the gospel, the message of salvation that gets preached that involves the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. But to a first century Greek speaker, and of course the New Testament was written in the Greek language, we know that. To a New Testament first century Greek speaker, the word gospel, which was in Greek evangelion, just meant good news. It could be the good news of any kind. A dear friend of mine just went to the doctor, for example, and the doctor told him, Well, I have some bad news for you.
You have a mass growing in your chest.
Well, of course, he was alarmed by that. But the doctor said, but I also have good news. It appears to be benign. And at your age, he's in his eighties. It probably won't cause you any problem before something else brings about your death.
So there was good news. A first century Greek speaker would have used the same word that we translate gospel for that kind of good news.
So there you have to understand the word in context.
So when we come to Matthew twenty four, what was Jesus talking about when he said this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all the nations? This was a gospel. It was a good news about the kingdom.
So the Gospel of the Kingdom is a major theme in the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew starts out. very early with John the Baptist preaching to Israel, saying, Repent, because the kingdom of heaven is at hand. This was the good news. Israel had been waiting for thousands of years for the kingdom.
God had promised it long, long ago, and now John was saying it's at hand. Jesus came along and he said, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. He sent his apostles out to the tribes of Israel and he told them to preach, saying, Repent, because the gos the kingdom of heaven is at hand. This was the gospel of the kingdom. when we look at the big picture of the Gospel of Matthew, what we find is in the first twelve chapters, this is the message, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
In other words, it was an official offer of the kingdom to Israel. And so they were being called to repent. Chapter 12, everything comes to a big head because Jesus is confronted by the religious leaders up in Galilee, and they say, Well, he's casting out demons by Beelzebub, the prince of the demons, and Jesus accuses them of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which is another kind of controversial topic. Maybe we can talk about that someday. But the thing is, that That big encounter led to Jesus officially withdrawing the offer of the kingdom for that time period.
And he went on in the next chapter, the thirteenth chapter, present these parables about the kingdom, the main message being that the kingdom of heaven now is going to be withdrawn for a period of time. It will be reoffered at the second coming.
So we are now in this period of postponement, kingdom postponement.
So, in the tribulation period, which is the subject matter now, when we come back to Matthew 24. we are looking at that final time just before the second coming. The tribulation period. That's when this gospel of the kingdom will be offered. Again, good news, Israel.
The kingdom of heaven is once again at hand.
So, when he says in verse 14, this gospel of the kingdom will be preached to the whole world, he's talking about not events that must take place before the tribulation period. Like our questioner thought, but it's talking about events that will take place during the tribulation period.
So the thing is, God has given to the church today a great commission. We are supposed to bring the gospel of the gospel of grace The death, the burial, the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, those who believe in Him will be saved. That's the gospel message we have. And we are supposed to bring it to the world. But the truth is that it's the Jews who are going to finish that task during the tribulation period.
The message won't be identical to what we preach today because we can't say the kingdom of heaven is at hand. We don't know that. The thing that's at hand for the church is the rapture of the church. Following that, there'll be the tribulation period, a reoffer of the kingdom, and these signs that will be performed during the tribulation period, the sun turning black, the moon turning red blood, and these judgments that are coming from God. These are all signs pointing to the fact that just as in the first coming of Jesus, At the second coming of Jesus, the kingdom is once again at hand.
And that's good news.
Now, I think in the tribulation period, that message will also include a message about the cross, the resurrection, of course. But it will be a good news that the kingdom is once again here.
So the urgent need to repent is being given over again.
So I think that's what we're looking at here. I think, and I love the way you answered it. And I think, you know, it's an honest question and just a misinterpretation. There's a technical application. There's a technical interpretation for Matthew chapter 24 and a spiritual application.
I think technically it was to the Jewish people, the three strands of the human family that we've talked about, Gentiles, Jews, and Christians. Once the church comes about, we can spiritually apply some of these parables that you talked about about that kingdom. That kingdom, of course, is the future millennial kingdom when Jesus Christ will rule and reign on the earth, correct? Mm-hmm. Absolutely.
Yep, that's right. Yep.
So well, thank you so much. I think I hope this is helpful. And I l I I think I I really appreciate the question. You know, he was he wasn't ugly. I see sometimes, Dr.
Gunn, I know that you have faced some people. This becomes something that is ugly. I mean, he did ask, Why are you dishonoring God? But we don't think that we're dishonoring God. That's right.
Yes. We're offering the gospel. We're proclaiming the gospel. And Jesus Christ died for our sins. He offers eternal life to all who will believe in him.
And that's the message we have for today. Amen. Amen. Well, Dr. Gunn, thank you so much.
Here's a question from someone. We encourage folks to send in your questions, and we'll find one of our broadcast partners. And man, I love the way you answered it, Dr. Gunn. I mean, we're all on the same page together, and I really do appreciate that.
Thank you so much.
Okay, God bless. Lord bless you.
Well, we've got to take a break and when we come back to the Legacy Series with Dr. Jimmy D. Young, As he is teaching the book of Revelation right here on Prophecy Today weekend. Mm-hmm. Welcome back to Prophecy Today.
I'm Jimmy Deung Jr., and along with Rick, we've been examining current events in the light of God's prophetic word. Rick, on our website, we have so many opportunities for people to get resources that they can use in their study of God's prophetic word. That's right, Jimmy. And on the program today, we've talked about things that are taking place politically around the world as they're setting the stage for Bible prophecy to be fulfilled.
Well, if you go to our website and you look at our bookstore, you can see when we look at these stories, we're not just reading them as headlines or for the news's sake, but we're comparing them to what the Bible says is going to happen in the end times. And as we look at the two, we compare the two together. We see things are quickly coming into place. And, Jimmy, if you want to, I encourage all of our listeners to go to prophecytoday.com, go to our bookstore, and look at some of the teaching that we have on there. Yes, that's prophecytoday.com.
Well, Rick, you and I are always very excited when we study the book of Revelation, and that's really the bedrock. Of all of the three main prophetic books of the Bible: Daniel, Ezekiel, and Revelation. This study today will help our friends and their approach to a study. of the book of Revelation. It is a book that reveals to us the end of time scenario that God gave to Jesus, but then delegated an angel to give the message to the Apostle John so that he could give it to us today for our understanding of God's plan for the future.
There are three main events foretold in the Book of Revelation the Rapture, the Return, and the Retribution. In our study today, we will look at each of these and explain the time periods between and after each of the events. This will help you. As you in your approach of studying Bible prophecy and your understanding of these profound prophetic passages, and we'll start our study in Revelation chapter 4 and verse 1. With Dr.
Jimmy D. Young and the Legacy Series. We see depicted here in chapter 4, verse 1, the rapture of the church. And 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. With that trumpet.
never talked. To me. 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. And so the rapture is depicted.
Now, the word rapture is not here. Nor is the word rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4 or 1 Corinthians 15. In fact, the word rapture is not in the Bible, but we don't do away with the principle of the rapture. It says in chapter 4 of 1 Thessalonians, we shall be caught up. That word comes, the word rapture actually comes from the Latin translation, the Vulgate, which says rapturo.
We get that word.
Now, don't get excited about the word not being there. In fact, the word Trinity is not done by believers, so we believe in that. But the rapture is depicted here.
Now, look at the last phrase of verse 1, chapter 4, verse 1. We translate into the heavenlies, and then he said, John writing, I will show thee the things which must happen hereafter.
So after the rapture of the church, let's let this microphone stand, represent the rapture of the church, giving you a visual. After the rapture of the church, the next thing to happen after the rapture, now we're here before the rapture. The rapture hasn't happened yet. I can guarantee that. I see Wayne, I see Chip.
Chris, the rapture hasn't happened yet. If the rapture does happen during the service, Mike, cut the lights off, turn the air conditioner down, going home. The rapture, the next main event in God's calendar of activities. And then there's going to be a period of time after the rapture. Over in chapter 11, if you're thinking notes and thinking about chapter 11 of the book of Revelation, it talks about in verse 3: two witnesses that come to power, and they will give testimony for a period of 1,260 days.
That's 1,260 days, or 3.5 years. That happens in the first half of the tribulation period. Chapter 12, verse 6 says, The Lord has prepared a place to protect the Jewish people. It's the place called Petra, the impregnable city, in southern Jordan. And he protects them for 1,260 days, which is another 3.5-year period of time.
3.5, 3.5, a seven-year period of time after the rapture. Then we come to chapter 19. Look at chapter 19 with me just a moment. In chapter 19, we're going to see the second of the three main events that unfold during the tribulation period. Jesus Christ is going to mount a white horse.
He's going to get on the horse, and he is going to come out of the heavenlies down to the earth, and we're going to be traveling with him. Chapter 19, if you look, verse 11. And I saw heaven open, and behold, a white horse, and he that sat upon him was called faithful and true, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. Look at verse 12. His eyes were as a flame of fire.
That is a description of the person of Jesus Christ over in chapter 1. Look at verse 14. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses. That's you and me who will come back to the earth. At the rapture, we go to the heavenlies.
We're married to Jesus Christ. Notice what we have on here, verse 14. Followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. That would be our wedding garment. Chapter 19, verse 12.
Eight, that would represent our righteous acts, what we have done. To receive glory from him for and rewards from him. And so this is the return.
So you have the rapture, the seven-year period of time, the return. Look at chapter 20. And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on that old dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years.
Now we get another period of time after the return of Christ, a thousand-year period of time. Notice verse 4, and I saw thrones and they that sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them. Look at the last part of verse 4. And they lived and they reigned with Christ a thousand-year period of time.
Now, notice up here just a moment, please, the next event was someplace just prior to it, the rapture of the church. There's a seven-year period of time, there's the return of Jesus Christ, and then there's a thousand-year period of time. This is the kingdom where he will rule and reign forever and ever from the city of Jerusalem. But he does that first for a thousand years on the earth.
Now, look at chapter 20, verse 11. This would be the third of the three events in the scriptures. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat upon it, from whose face the earth and the heaven had fled away.
Now wait a minute. The earth and the heavens flee. from him. They have fled away. As John looks, there's no more heaven.
And no more earth. 2 Peter 3, verse 10 says, The heavens and the earth presently, as we know them, All three heavens, first, second, and third, will burn up. And as John looks, he sees a great white throne But the heaven and the earth have fled away. Friends, This is the end of the world. This is when the end of the world takes place.
The end of the world, if we're standing right here just prior to the rapture, is at least 1,007 years from now. Because the next thing to happen, the rapture, then a seven-year period of time, terrible time of judgment upon the face of the earth, then the return of Jesus Christ back to the Mount of Olives, city of Jerusalem. Then he builds a temple and rules and reigns for a thousand years. Then the The end of the world. comes.
And why was the body of Christ so duped? with the fact that Harold Camping was a very good thing. was saying the end of the world was gonna come. Why didn't we have an answer? to those atheists who had rapture parties.
Celebrating the demise of God. The untruthfulness of the Bible. Because we didn't have an understanding. You say, oh, Jimmy, this is so simple. I've heard it.
Yes, but did we remember it? This is how the end times are going to unfold. May I show you three quick things? Let me take just a few more moments. Go here to chapter 6 of the book of Revelation.
Chapter 6. In the book of Revelation, and I have a complete study, and if you're going to study Revelation, you need to study it chronologically. Don't do a study of Revelation numerically. That means chapters 1 to 22, chapter by chapter by chapter. Do it chronologically because Revelation unfolds chronologically, and you must grasp how it unfolds chronologically to really understand it, or it's going to be very confusing, as everybody says.
There are in this seven-year period of time three sets of seven judgments. In the first half, there's going to be seven sealed judgments. In the last half, there will be seven trumpet judgments and seven bile judgments. This is chapter six. This is chapters eight, nine, ten, excuse me, eight, nine, and eleven, and this is chapter sixteen.
You see how chronologically they unfold, but not numerically. The first of the judgments is going to be a man on a white horse. Chapter 6 and verse 1. Jesus Christ releases this seal. It's the first of the judgments.
He said, and I saw the lamb open. That's Jesus Christ, one of the seals. And I heard, as it were, the noise of thunder. One of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw him, behold, a white horse, and he descended upon him.
And a crown was given unto him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer. My friend, that is depicting the Antichrist. Yes, I know. Christ comes on a white horse at the end of the seven-year period of time. This is at the beginning of the seven-year period of time.
This is a man on a white horse, crown on his head, bow in his hand, doesn't have any arrows because he's a man of peace. at the beginning. In fact, the Bible says in Daniel 9, 27, he confirms a peace treaty between Israel and her neighbors. Hello, what is every world leader talking about? Peace in the Middle East.
Jesus Christ in Matthew 24 said this. You want to know the first sign for me coming back? The second coming, not the rapture, the second coming. The first sign, verse 4 of chapter 24 of Matthew, deception. Verse 5, deception.
Verse 11, deception. Verse 24, deception. Deception. The Bible says in Matthew 24, 24, deceptions will be communicated through signs, wonders, and miracles. Revelation chapter 13 says the Antichrist will perform signs, wonders, and miracles.
The false prophet, another member of the satanic trinity, will cause the world to worship the beast through signs, wonders, and miracles. I think the greatest evidence that the Antichrist is about to appear is happening in our so-called churches. Signs, wonders, and miracles. Don't you believe that Jesus can perform a miracle? I believe Jesus can do whatever he wants to.
I don't tell Jesus what he does. I tell you what he says. He says This will be the scene. for the Antichrist. Um The stage is indeed set for the Antichrist to appear.
With the proliferation of signs, wonders, and miracles in our world to day, and even in the Church, the words of Jesus Christ echo down through history as truth, describing the times of the appearance of Anti Christ. Remember Jesus in his Olivet Discourse that was Matthew twenty four Jesus said that the first sign for Jews to be able to recognize the time of his coming now I'm not talking about the rapture but his coming back to the earth Was deception. deception that would be communicated through signs, wonders, and miracles. This scenario is now prevalent in our world to day. Please remember that the rapture happens seven years before the second coming.
The rapture, in fact, could happen today. Make sure that you are ready.
Next week we'll conclude our study as we answer that question When is the end of the world? Don't miss that study. Dr. Jimmy D. Young and the Legacy Series.
You know, I'm always excited when we study Bible prophecy because it offers encouragement and hope. Prophecy is intended to encourage believers, offering comfort and building up a church rather than causing fear. helps us to understand the times. Its evidence of God. Fulfilled prophecy is used as evidence of God's existence and the reliability of Scripture.
It prepares us for Christ's return. It emphasizes being watchful. And ready and pure and productive. For Jesus' return. acting as a protection against deception.
And interpreting symbols, you know, it's really important to get into God's Word. That's what helps you. to understand and always Prophecy, uh verses, scripture, interpret scripture.
Well, we've got to take a break when we come back. Dr. Greg Lyons from LBU University, right here on Prophecy Today weekend. I'm Ruth Kramer with Mission Network News. India's latest elections have brought the Hindu Nationalist Party under Prime Minister Narendra Modi back from its 2024 losses.
Duane Friesen of the Voice of the Martyrs Canada says: This raises many questions for India's Christian minorities. The more that Modi has influence, the more it seems that Hindu nationalism results in direct confrontation with the Christian community. Anti-conversion laws are only one of the ways that Christians are being pressured. Just this week, Friesen heard of believers whose community denied them the right to bury their dead. The new political realities have Christians preparing for more challenges like these.
Yet Friesen reminds us that God's call for us to share the gospel isn't dictated by political change.
So praise strength and joy for India's believers and ask God to open even more doors for the gospel. Gospel in the days ahead. And Ron Hudgcraft with Hudgcraft Ministry says the On Eagles Wings Leadership Center students are looking forward to graduation. After a year of classes and internships, students are ready to graduate and either continue education or start serving Native peoples. To find a young Native Jesus lover is very rare.
And therefore, very valuable. What's rare is valuable. And so, there are a number of reservations, and we have contacts with a lot of them, that are desperate for somebody to come in and be a model of hope who is the age of the most important people to reach, the young people. Their ministry has great potential to change lives. Hutchcraft asked us to join them in praying that they would stand firm in their calling.
Thanks for listening to Mission Network News, a service of one-way ministries. This month, Transworld 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 Crayton.
Welcome back to Prophecy Today. I'm Jimmy DeYoung Jr. Along with my brother Rick, we've been examining current events in the light of God's prophetic word.
Well, an institution that has been a great part of our ministry over the years is Louisiana Baptist University. First, with Dr. Neil Weaver, a great friend of my father and myself, all of our ministry, been with us to Israel. And now, Dr. Greg Lyons.
Dr. Greg Lyons, welcome to the program today. Hey, Jimmy, it's great to be with you. I'm so excited because we have a great partnership with you, and I want you to tell us about it. But tell us about yourself and about Louisiana Baptist University and where you are right now.
Well, I am Greg Lyons, Dr. Greg Lyons. I've been a church planning missionary in Asia. For decades now, and then I become the president of LBU going on my third year this coming May. And I'm so excited about what God is doing through LBU.
LBU is a great commission university, which means that everything we do points to the Great Commission. And we want every student fully involved and engaged in the Great Commission, regardless of the degree path. That they pursue.
So, we have degrees in, of course, biblical studies. We have a seminary leadership, a global missional leadership degree. We have education, we have counseling. It will equip you for the Great Commission. And among them, if I may just interject here, we are so excited about partnering with Prophecy Today because the Jimmy DeYoung School of Prophecy is alive and growing.
And I'd encourage anybody who would want to study prophecy that what you hear on this radio program dovetails with the academic program on the doctoral level with LBU.
So these are all great things. Dr. Lyons, this was a heartbeat of my father, Dr. Jimmy DeYoung, years ago, wanting to teach, to edify and educate the body of Christ, to teach them to understand. All of God's word from Genesis to Revelation, and here you're helping us continue that legacy on, continue the teaching on.
And don't you find that one of the items that's lacking in most churches today across America and across the world is Bible prophecy and the teaching of Bible prophecy. Absolutely. In fact, I just don't know how you can fully understand the Bible without. Considering and having a good grasp on biblical prophecy because you just can't read the signs of the times well if you haven't taken the time to study this.
So, your father's preaching and teaching continues to live. And it's frankly, with everything going on in the world of prophecy right now, it is more important than ever before. I also want to mention that LBU is offering right now for the next month. a special uh scholarship So, let me give you a little background about this. LBU is solid financially, and God has blessed us.
And so, I've met with our team, and we just felt like we want to help students to be able to train for the ministry better. And one of the biggest impediments to biblical training is the cost of tuition.
So, LBU has developed, and this is only available through the end of May. Maybe extended to June, but I can't guarantee it. But we are offering a 50% discount in tuition. It's called the Great Commission Scholarship to anybody who enrolls in the program, including the School of Prophecy. And so, if you're ever considering advancing your degree, preparing for the Great Commission, now is the time.
Dr. Lyons, give us a number where people can reach, or how can we get in touch with the university? Yeah Well, first of all, you can go to lbu.edu, and all of the information is there. But feel free also to call LBU. The number is 318-30.
686-2360. Let me give you that again. 31866. six eight six 2360, and we will get you started in a degree. One of our bylines is: we're the university of yes.
So if you call us. We're going to say yes to help you getting into the program. I love it. I love it. You know, and the thing that is so helpful for pastors and lay people that don't have the time to go to a physical campus, this is distance learning.
And you can do this within your own home and you can make it work. And we're so excited about that. Hey, Dr. Lyons, we have a maximized conference coming up, and your focus in that conference is the Great Commission. Why is that?
Well, the Great Commission has got to reign supreme in our lives. And so we have focused on that at LWU. This year's Maximize Conference will be held May 19 and 20 in Shreport, Louisiana. And the theme is Maximize People for the Great Commission. We're talking about maximizing our connections with people for the Great Commission, maximize our call to the Great Commission, maximize our commitment to the Great Commission, and maximize courage for the Great Commission.
When times are tough, and as the signs of the times keep rolling forward, the return of our Lord is ever present. It's going to take some courage to stand up in tough times. And we have great speakers. Among them is Dr. Jimmy DeYoung Jr.
Okay, I know you didn't pay me to say that, but we got you on the stage during the Maximum Commission. Conference.
So we want to invite everybody to come out to that. I am so looking forward to being there with you, Dr. Lyons, and we sure appreciate your ministry, not only here in the United States, in the Philippines, and Asia, around the world. And we're looking forward in these days of being able to get this information out to people that desperately need it for a hope. Dr.
Lyons, thank you so much for being on the program with us today. We sure appreciate you. Love you, brother, and we're looking forward to doing more and having more people be a part of the prophetic aspect of learning about God's word. Thanks, Dr. Lyons.
Looking forward to seeing you next week. God bless you.
Well, Rick, great program today. And what a way to finish out Mother's Day. And as we agreed earlier, we're going to celebrate Mother's all week long. And how about all year long? And be thankful.
With all that we've seen today, Rick, we can't help but say that the rapture of the church cannot be far away. 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.
