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. Talking about Bible prophecy helps believers understand God's active control. Over human history, and it confirms the truth of Scripture and encourages holy living in the present. Key reasons that we discuss Bible prophecy, it proves God's sovereignty and truth.
It inspires holy living, it offers hope and comfort, it fulfills the whole counsel of God, and it protects against deception. Today on the program, we've got a host of broadcast partners that are going to help you understand key points that are happening right now. Key events that are pointing to Bible prophecy in the future. 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 today. He is our expert on geopolitical affairs. He's an author and an analyst. If you want to find out more about him, visit his website at ken Timmerman.com.
Ken, thanks for being with us today. Thanks for having me on, Rick. It's always a pleasure. Oken will start this week in the Middle East where President Trump and the United States are upping the economic pressure on Iran.
Well, I guess we could call this take two of the Iran war. On Monday, Scott Bessant, the Treasury Secretary, announced what he called Operation Economic Outcast. This was a dramatic increase in U.S. sanctions, not just on Iran, but secondary sanctions on all of Iran's enablers. I'm going to get into this in more detail in just a second, but immediately you had a reaction from Tehran, the head of the Supreme Council on National Security, General Mohsen Razai, whose son learned to speak English in my basement watching Jackie Chan movies 20 years ago.
He said that the Iranians were going to respond. They're going to make sure that not a single drop of oil leaves the Strait of Hormuz, that they will sink ships and do all kinds of things. They will attack power plants and desalinization plants and basically cripple life on earth in the Persian Gulf if we go through with this.
Well, of course, not much has happened since. Since then. And this was almost a week ago, Rick.
So, typical Iranian bombast. Here's what Scott Besson said in his press conference. I think it was incredible, an incredible event. I watched all of it. He said: Our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains this tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.
He said, Under President Trump's leadership, quote: We are no longer managing the Iranian threat, we are ending it. He said, Treasury has mapped every node. Get this, this is really interesting. Has mapped every node, every facilitator, and every network that Iran has used to smuggle oil and evade sanctions. Beginning today, Treasury and other agencies will tighten the noose and block every source of revenue to the IRGC.
This was pretty amazing, Rick. He made it very clear they're going after banks. They're going after shipping registries in countries like Liberia and Panama and elsewhere. They're going after countries that allow ship-to-ship oil transfers. This is happening off the coast of Malaysia in particular.
They're going after these small exchange houses, such as the one in Turkey that they shut down last week. They're going after free trade zones, such as the one in Dubai that has allowed the Iranians to evade sanctions for many, many years. They're going after countries, quote, that tether themselves to Iran. Those countries, quote, can expect to share. In the isolation of a withering regime.
Rick, this was really an amazing announcement, and I love Scotty Bessette. I think he has become the secret weapon of the Trump administration. Here's a guy who can speak really tough words and announce really tough policies. in a whisper with his pinky in the air. I say, Give that man a medal.
Aken, this certainly seems to be encouraging news, but there are those that believe that the ultimate goal in Iran should be regime change and that can only be accomplished by boots on the ground. This economic pressure, what do you believe the limits are of what it can achieve?
Well, I happen to disagree with the boots on the ground idea. I don't think we need American boots on the ground in Iran. I never have thought that. I have argued, and our listeners I think can attest to this, that we have millions of boots on the ground inside Iran, and they are all Iranians. They're just waiting for us to basically give them the sign, give them the go-ahead to start the uprising.
Now, some people believe. That there was a CIA Mossad plan at the beginning of the war for regime change. They thought that the attack that killed the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, at the time on February 28th was the trigger, the announcement for regime change uprisings, demonstrations in the streets, whatever. Obviously, that was not true. There was no regime change plan in place, at least not with the CIA's assistance.
The Mossad has told us repeatedly, actually, that they wanted to see regime change in Iran, that they still want to see regime change in Iran. But I think these economic sanctions give the war a second chance, if you wish. The Iranians are suffering from the economic blockade. Theirs is the only oil not going through the Strait of Hormuz. And you can see that inside Iran, the economic chaos, the dislocation, the survival.
Economy, Rick. It's really brutal. It almost reminds me of accounts that you read of London during the Blitz in World War II, where food was just not available. People had to go to extraordinary lengths just to eat. And that's what's happening in Iran today.
People are selling their hair. Women are selling their hair in order to get food.
So I think these economic sanctions really do have a possibility of impacting the regime in a really big way. You're already starting to see demonstrations in the streets because of the economic hardship that people are undergoing. By the way, that was the reason that people rose up on January 8th and January 9. They were economic protests to start with, and then became anti-regime protests. That could happen in the very near future here as well.
Ken, let's move from the Middle East and let's go to Russia, where CIA Director John Ratcliffe took a secretive trip to Moscow. Can you tell us what happened?
Well, it was a secretive trip until plane spotters spotted his plane taking off from Latvia and going to Moscow on Tuesday. The U.S. Air Force jet. The Russians have now confirmed that he was in Moscow on Tuesday. The President Trump confirmed it also on Wednesday in an interview with Glenn Beck.
So we know that he went there. We don't know what he actually said. The rumors and the rumors... I hate this, Rick. It always comes from anonymous sources in the American media.
Two people with knowledge of the events.
Well, who are these two people? We don't know. Are they deep state operatives? They claimed that Ratcliffe went there to, quote, warn Russia not to attack our NATO allies.
Now Is that what he said? I don't know. The Russians say that's not true. President Trump says that's not true. But there have been a lot of, how should I say, Russian provocations in recent weeks that give some credence to that notion.
They've had drone incursions into Romania. There was a Russian missile that crossed into Poland last month.
Okay, it did not actually, you know, it just crossed the airspace. It did not crash in Poland. And there have been these alleged sabotage actions and cyber attacks in Europe. And the theory here is, and I've got to say this is a theory because, again, it comes from anonymous sources. But the theory is that the Russians are trying to test our resolve to see how far they can push us before we will actually respond.
Well, this week the Swedes did respond, and they deployed fighter jets into Finland at Finland's request. Why? To help them control their airspace with Russia. They have a joint border with Russia over 800 miles, and they don't have much of an air force. The Swedes do have good fighter jets, the Gripen, they deploy them to Finland.
So that gives you some substance to the rumor. My take, Rick, is that he went to explain to the Russians. What we were planning to do to them. should they continue helping Iran? In other words, to explain Operation Economic Outcast to the Russians because they are one of the countries, along with China, that is helping Iran in its war against us and the Middle East.
Ken Timmerman for Prophecy Today. Ken, we've talked about the Middle East. We've talked about Russia. I want to talk a little bit about Europe.
Now, you just came back from Europe. You're in the United States now, but you were there for the summer, and Europe seems to be an area in crisis right now as they face these threats, not only from Russia, but from China, the Middle East. Could you give us your thoughts on the political climate in Europe right now? It's every man for himself, every country for itself. At the same time as the European Union tries to increasingly centralize everything, Ursula von der Leiden wants to be the president of all of Europe.
She is the president of the European Council, but she wants to basically run all of the European countries as well. And there's been a huge amount of pushback. You have these problems that we talked about last week in the Spanish enclave in Morocco. You have the tensions between Spain and Italy. You have the French who are just concentrating on their presidential elections, which are not until next May.
Everything is halted. They're not even looking at Ukraine. They're looking at their own naval right now. You have a change of government in Britain, which is no longer part of the European Union. And then you have all of the European countries that are Bordering Russia or close to Russia, Poland and Hungary in particular.
So I just think Europe is in a state of. Not disintegration, but chaos. There is no European leadership. And they're not looking to the United States for leadership. They resent U.S.
leadership.
So they're basically. Rudderless. Leaderless and Rudderless. Ken Timmerman reporting for Prophecy Today, helping us to understand what is going on around the world. Ken, as always, we appreciate the insight.
Look forward to talking to you again soon. Thanks so much, Rick. God bless. Great job, as always, Ken. And, Rick, I'm reminded of a couple things here.
God uses world leaders to accomplish his will. That's Revelation 17:17. We also know that when you talk about Europe being leaderless, they've always asked for a supra-leader. They've been talking about that for a long time. Daniel chapter 7, verse 24 and 25 talk about a future leader that will be coming out of the revived Roman Empire.
And then, of course, I think always when we talk about the nations of Iran and access of evil, Russia, China, any of the other nations in the Middle East, there will be an alignment of nations that will come against Israel. And maybe it's the catalyst of economic sanctions and being on their last straw. that they attack Israel. We've got to take a break when we come back. We'll hear from David Dolan about what's taking place in Israel right here on Prophecy Today weekend.
I'm Ruth Kramer with Mission Network News. A gang leader known as Didi holds more than 50 people hostage in a mountain village outside the Haitian capital. If security forces kill gang members while trying to recapture the village, Didi says he'll take hostage lives in return. The captives are a remnant of Sunday's violent gang attack that left at least 47 dead, including 22 victims who were executed in a church. Kate Michelle of Radio TV 4 VEH, TWR's partner in Haiti, says the hours-long rampage sent shockwaves through the community.
It's got a lot of people on edge, even more than they have been before. Protective barriers that society held in place have been broken by these gang members. The gangs have. Lost that sense of you can't touch people inside a church. Michelle describes four ways to pray for Haiti in the full story at missionnews.org.
And three hills in southern Lebanon have become more than a power struggle between Israel and Hezbollah. The hills rest near the Rum fault line. If Israel carries out its threat to bomb Hezbollah tunnel networks there, it could trigger destructive shockwaves. Nuna with Triumphant Mercy Lebanon says combat of some kind is coming due to a deadlock between the sides. Israel has agreed for the Lebanese army to take these hills if Hezbollah is okay with that.
Hezbollah has refused. Israel believes dozens of Hezbollah fighters are in the tunnels under the next hill. Pray for God to reveal himself to them. The fighting has displaced many people from southern Lebanon for a third time. We are receiving people at our centers.
They are just coming back into our region because they have no hope for their own region now. Prayer points and more can be found in the full story at our website. Thanks for listening to Mission Network News, a service of one-way ministries. We're listeners supported by people just like you. Together, the Great Commission happens.
Look for links at missionnews.org. That's missionnews.org. I'm Ruth Kramer. Welcome back to Prophecy Today Radio, the program that looks at current events in the light of biblical 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 with us journalist Dave Dolan. Dave, thanks for being with us today. I'm blessed to be with you, Rick.
Well, Dave, let's start out with an update of news coming out of Israel this week, beginning with more activity in Lebanon. Can you talk about that? Yes, Rick, there was some fairly significant military action again this week in South Lebanon. The IDF basically is trying to smoke out a group of twenty to thirty, they estimate, Hezbollah members that are hiding in an underground bunker They're not hiding there. They're trapped there basically because the Israelis have it surrounded.
That's right next to the Beaufort Castle that they captured earlier this year. And on Thursday in particular, there was some heavy air activity both there and in the valley below. I used to work there at a Christian radio station, the Valley of the Springs below it. and several targets were hit. There was also more action over on the coast.
and of course more strong statements from Iran about it. that this must cease immediately and also all activity in Gaza must cease immediately, or there will not be a complete reopening of the Straight of Four moves, they said in response. And down in Gaza Rik, we had the Israelis again go into action against some senior Hamas people, including the personal bodyguard of the late leader Yahya Sinwar. He participated, the bodyguard, in the actual October seventh invasion into Israel and mass slaughter that took place.
So they found him and targeted him and killed him. And another senior Hamas official as well was targeted during the week. And again, the Hamas leadership screamed very loudly about that. But the Israelis have said if we can find anyone that was involved in that massacre. that we know for sure.
And they had pictures of both of them. That they struck this week, then we will go after them whatever else is happening.
So that's there. And then in Judea and Samaria, the West Bank, the world calls it, we had more action there. We had some more young Orthodox settlers go into another village, a Palestinian village there, and there was some fighting there. The IDF got involved in that. And they launched an airstrike on Friday, Rick, in the north of Sumeria in Jenin, to kill and they said they killed three senior Hamas terrorists that were operating up there.
And we're plotting terror attacks around the country, but very rare that they use the Air Force RIC for such an action in Judea and Samaria. But that happened. And we had a political controversy erupt during the week over the E1 settlement.
Now, that's, as you know, that's the about four square miles between the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem and the West Bank city of Ma'ale Adumim, which is a Jewish community of around 35,000, I think it is today. I have friends that live there. And uh Israel is going to build in between, as you know, this uh E one Settlement, and it's been planned for many, many years, and it's been put off for many years, including by Benjamin Netanyahu. He was always confronted by the United States over it, the European Union and others that said this will wreck the possibility of there being any Palestinian contiguous state. It'll divide it right in half the territory if you take that.
And it is a road that connects Ramallah in the north, where the PA is headquartered, with Bethlehem and Hebron and other Palestinian areas to the south. Uh but on Friday, Gabby Eisencott, the man that's leading in the polls now to succeed uh Bibi Netanyahu in the October elections, he came out strongly against building it. He said this is harming our international relations, and even though we have a right to do it, it's wrong to do it. And he indicated he would block it if he does become Prime Minister. And that was immediately condemned by several of the Orthodox parties that strongly religious Zionist parties, I should say, that strongly support the building of that community.
Well, David, as I follow up on your Middle East news update, let's talk about Gaza and the Board of Peace. This is President Trump's initiative. Can you talk to us about how that's progressing?
Well, Rick, frankly, very, very slowly, but it is progressing. I mentioned last week that Jared Kirschner had been here, had been in the region and meeting with Hamas officials for the first time, a direct meeting Between a senior member of the administration, if you will, even though he's not officially, he is the president's son-in-law. And they discussed the whole situation. The Board of Peace is functioning. but it's having a lot of trouble recruiting the forces, the ground forces that they need.
They estimate twenty to thirty thousand soldiers are needed, Rick, peacekeeping forces. to actually oversee the disarming of Hamas. And Israel is, as I mentioned last time we spoke about it, the Prime Minister saying we will not withdraw from any inch of territory we control in Gaza now until we're convinced that Hamas has been disarmed, or is in the process at least of seriously disarming. And by the way, Rick, on Lebanon, the IDF also announced on Friday that the pilot program in which the Lebanese army would take over a section from the IDF of South Lebanon and then start disarming the Hezbollah forces there, that it is not working. They said it's been a month now.
No disarmament has taken place up there. And that's a real sticking point with Lebanon, of course. But the Board of Peace is still there. They're still talking to countries about sending troops. Indonesia was going to be the biggest contributor, but they pulled out because of the well, because of the war in Iran, really, and everything that's been happening in Lebanon and all of that.
So they said, no, it's too dangerous in your region right now. And of course a lot, as you know, I'm sure, a lot of Asians and others were working in the Middle East, in the Gulf countries and in Israel. Of course, several were kidnapped, over thirty Thais. Were kidnapped on the October 7th invasion massacre attack that Hamas and Islamic Jihad carried out.
So basically, they're having trouble getting anybody willing to come and do that. But if that doesn't happen, Rick, then it probably won't succeed in ending the conflict. And again, a lot, as I mentioned last time we spoke, a lot depends on what happens to the regime in Iran. And again, the Israelis were encouraged during the week when they heard Scott Besant, the Treasury Secretary in the States, again say that the collapse of the regime is now the goal. that the economic strangulation is meant to get rid of the Revolutionary Guard regime from Iran.
And when that happens, if that happens, then it's just assumed in Israel that Hezbollah and Hamas Will no longer be the forces that they were by any means. They're not anyway, but if Iran looks like if the regime looks like it's going to survive and be able to arm them again, we had reports during the week that some arms are being smuggled again through Syria to Hezbollah in the north. The IDF on Friday, though, said that isn't true, but there's other ways they can get weapons in.
So a lot depends on how the war ends and if it ends with Iran and what happens on that theater. And of course, the Israelis still remain on full War alert at any moment they know they could be attacked by Iran and/or its proxies and/or and be forced to go into action, and so the IDF. That especially the Air Force is on full war alert still. David, one of the things we say on this program is that we cover the political because it is setting the stage for the prophetic to be fulfilled. We look at the elections that are upcoming in the United States, certainly influencing the midterm elections, certainly influencing President Trump, and of course the elections that are upcoming in Israel.
Those are things that we are looking at, we are covering because they are going to shape the upcoming Middle East, aren't they? They definitely are. And it's, you know, Israel's feeling more and more isolated, and they're very aware of the political. Turmoil that the issue of Israel is causing in the U.S. midterm elections.
And like I said, nobody expected that. In the last midterm elections, four years ago.
So it very much is setting the stage. But the Israelis. Are holding on and hanging on and um Again, in the crisis, more and more people are looking to God and looking to faith and understanding that their ultimate protection comes from above, not from the United States or Europe or anywhere else. It does come from Israel's God, and that's what the Bible says, and that's the reality of it.
So that's the good news in the midst of the. Pretty depressing news from the region over the past three years. Certainly, David, though, the one constant that we can have as we look at all of this news, the chaos, the different problems that Israel faces and threats that they face, is that we pray for peace in the Middle East, pray for the peace of Jerusalem. We do indeed. And that's a command given in the Psalms, really, to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
It doesn't say. This is a suggestion. This is basically a command from on high, and it's worth doing. And the Prince of Peace is coming back to the city of peace, Jerusalem. And that is good news.
Well, Dave, a great exhortation as we continue to pray for Israel. Dave, if you could, could you come back with us after the break as we continue to talk about how politics are playing in not only in Israel, but also in the United States, into the situation in the Middle East and the situation in Bible prophecy right now? I'd be glad to, Rick. Good. Great job, David.
And I think one of the key reasons that we discuss Bible prophecy is that it proves God's sovereignty and truth. Prophecy shows that God knows and guides the future. When predicted events come true, it confirms that the Bible is reliable and trustworthy. We've got to take a break and we'll come back. David Dolan, and then Winky Mad will be talking to us more about what's going on in the land of Israel.
Right here on Prophecy Today, Weekend. Christian hate groups? This is Ken Ham inviting you to have an encounter with God's Word at Ark Encounter. Christians like me who stand for biblical marriage are often told we're part of a hate group. But does standing opposed to sinful behaviors mean you're hateful?
Can we be loving and still be opposed to these things?
Well, the Bible tells us that God is love and describes homosexual relations as an abomination to the Lord. If God, who is the very one who defines love because he is love, can be loving yet call homosexual behaviour a sin, so can his followers. There's nothing hateful about pointing out sin, it's actually the loving thing to do. We want to see people repent and put their faith in Christ and to be saved for eternity. Plan your family's visit to Arkencounter when you go to AnswersRadio.com.
Kids visit free. Go to AnswersRadio.com. Welcome back to Prophecy Today. I'm Jimmy De Young Jr., and along with my brother Rick, we're examining current events in the light of God's prophetic word.
Well, we've talked about the nations of the world that are involved in Bible prophecy. We've talked about Israel, and we're going to continue talking about it. But one of those keys, again, that helps us, it protects us against deception as we study Bible prophecy, understanding biblical markers. For the future helps people recognize false teachings and widespread deception. in modern times.
And I thought it would be good that we come back because I know that a lot of people in the United States that listen to the program. Try to figure out where we are, and it's really good to hear. And I'm glad that David's going to come back, Rick.
Well, David, we certainly appreciate you coming back after the break. And let's talk about something that we've talked about on this program, but it continues to be a news story every week. We see it more and more. The nation of Israel, the Jewish people, being a part of the public. Politics in the United States, the DSA, the Democratic Socialist of America.
Of course, they have economic policies, but it seems like after their economic policies, the number one thing that they are focused on is the nation of Israel, is the way that Israel is viewed and how we view Israel. This is something that we've talked about it before. You would never imagine would be at the top of the list and on the ballot, but it certainly is right now, isn't it?
Well, absolutely. And of course it all started with Momdani's election in New York City. And again, who would have thought that a combined Muslim, Shiite, Muslim, Communist would be the mayor of New York. And yet it happened, and of course, it's the largest concentration of Jews. Anywhere on earth apart from in Israel.
In New York City itself, in the five boroughs, over a million Jews there.
So Nobody was expecting it to blow up like it has, but obviously this new movement, it's not a new movement, but this socialist movement that's basically taking over a good portion of the Democratic Party, as you say, has one of its main planks, really the destruction of Israel.
Now they don't say that usually that way. But when they say from the river to the sea, you know what that means. That means no Jews at all in the Holy Land from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River. When they say that Israel is committing genocide, well, what do you do to a country that's committing genocide? Do you arm it and aid it?
Of course not.
So they're demanding that the United States Halt all arms sales and all aid. And Bernie Sanders has been leading that crusade. Of course, he's also Jewish. ironically, but he's been leading that crusade for several decades actually now, but it's now being echoed, as you said, by these other candidates in various parts of the country, including in the Midwest and surprisingly in Iowa and Colorado and some places you wouldn't necessarily think. that these sorts of candidates would be winning.
But they are making anti Israel statements all the time. And the Israelis are very nervous about it, Rick, because, of course, the Democratic Party Has been traditionally the home of most American Jews, seventy five to eighty percent it was.
Now it's about sixty five percent to seventy percent voted Democratic in the last elections. It's been slipping over the years, but still more Democrats than Republicans. And yet the party is seemingly being taken over by these true anti-Semites. that really do hate Jews. And of course, the statement by this left wing commentator, Piker, that really the Jews should be attacked, that American Jews uh who support Israel should consider themselves fair game to be physically attacked, is basically what he said.
And he said it on his national podcast that's listened to by several million people.
So it's being carefully followed, Rick, in Israel. It's a major news item there. And it's, of course, a depressing thing to see. But fortunately, so far, most Republicans are standing with Israel. And we, of course, have Tucker Carlson and a couple others that have gone the other way, but for the most part, they are.
But they're nervous about the White House and some of the statements that President Trump has made, strong statements against Israel at times. And this week, he called upon Netanyahu to immediately pull all troops out of Syria. Of course, Israel has some troops in the southwest corner of the country to protect the Druze. There, that were being attacked by the government forces. And last week, they went after the Air Force base in the Northwest.
But Trump said pull all those out immediately and pull out of Gaza immediately.
Well, that's not going to happen. And of course, the next statement they're expecting, frankly, is pull out of most of Judea and Samaria. That would be a real dark night for Israel if it comes to that.
So, the relations with the states are weakening, and the political parties there are turning away, especially the Democrats. And yes, it's another Fulfillment of prophecy, though, because again, all the nations will come up against Jerusalem in the end, all of them. And if the US is still a viable nation, then. Not mentioned by name in the Bible, and people say, Well, it didn't exist. In ancient days, well, neither did the Roman Empire, and yet Daniel prophesied about it and told us where it would be and what it would be.
And so the prophets could have mentioned this great power across the sea without naming it that would come up in the last days and be vital to Israel's reestablishment. But I pray, Rick, as much for America as I do for Israel in this regard, because I think a good reason the Lord has blessed this country is that we stood with Israel from the beginning, Harry Truman. And really in the last century before that even, there was a lot of Christian support for Israel and Jewish support as well.
So And there still is. We've got to remember that. But yes, it is a worrisome development for these RAIDIs that they're following closely. Just another reminder that the stage is being set and Bible prophecy is preparing to be fulfilled.
Something that we can continue to pray for and continue to heed those signs, heed those warnings, and live accordingly. Amen. Amen to that. David Dolan for Prophecy Today. Dave, as always, we appreciate your insight, both political and prophetic.
Look forward to talking to you again soon. Always glad to be with you, Rick. God bless. Great interview, David. And I was just thinking, there are so many things that we could unpack in that interview and finishing up there on the United States of America and how we should live our lives.
But, you know, dad's old joke: where is the United States in Bible prophecy? And so many people try to pinpoint it in God's Word. The only place it would be would be in Zechariah chapter 14, when all nations are gathered to the city of Jerusalem. But I remember a guy spoke up one time in a conference and said, I know where it is. The United States of America is in Jerusalem.
And my dad was confused. He said, Yes, sonny, it's J E R U S A L E M, right in the middle of Jerusalem. And that is so true. It's a good thought to keep in mind as we continue to unpack Current events that are relating to Bible prophecy. Speaking of that, Rick, let's go to our good friend Winky Madud in Israel because there's a lot of things that I'm concerned about.
And I'm really thinking about The religious Jews that are there, because you're starting to see this in the uh take place and uh uh what's happening around the country.
So let's bring in Winky Madan. That's right, Jimmy. I have Winky Madad with us. His name is Yisrael Madad, but we call him Winky because that's his nickname. He's somebody who's in the know, lives in Israel, and understands politics, history, religion, helps explain it to our listeners as well.
Winky, thanks so much for being with us today. Thank you again for having me on. Winky, I'm sure we're going to be calling on your services over the next couple of months as we ramp up to the Israeli elections. And since the last time I've talked to you, Prime Minister Netanyahu, the longtime Prime Minister of Israel, is falling in the polls. It looks like his time at the helm is in jeopardy.
Is that how you see it?
Well There is a good possibility. It's not a a surety, but uh what's happening And I think I mentioned it to you either the last time or a previous time. There happens to be a phenomenon. that people on the right think that everybody agrees with them. And therefore there's a large body of voters who would accommodate Their opinions their personalities, their leadership.
Uh ability and who are perhaps tired of Mr. Netanyahu. And they have s beginning to set themselves up. At last, count, There's about nine Lists Who are really not At the present moment represented in the Knesset. On the right.
And they're banking on a lot of people. staying in the right and voting for them. But there's one little or should I say big? Mathematical problem. And to explain very briefly to our listeners.
Uh in order to be counted among the parties. That divide up the votes by 120, which is the members of the Knesset. A list or a party if you want to call it that. Has to get three point twenty-five percent or three and a quarter percent. of the total vote.
In Israel's reality today That's at least one hundred and fifty thousand votes. And not that many crazy people. Who will vote? For a Moshe Faglin. For an Ofra winter.
or other people. And what happens then? is that those votes are taken away. They're not counted in the total.
So the number of seats Or The division of 120 seats. Is only made of those lists that pass the threshold. And that gives the left wing. a decided advantage.
So That's my opening salvo on understanding. the crazy system that we call Israeli elections. It certainly is. And you wrote an article for JNS.org. You wrote an opinion column here talking about what's wrong with the Israel's right, explaining this kind of splintering factor and how essentially it's maybe people who are not don't like Prime Minister Netanyahu's personality, but they probably agree with his politics.
They probably agree with the way he handled the war. But it's that the Trump effect, I guess you could almost call it that, that's going to potentially bring him down and usher in a new political party. Not only a new political party could be ushered in, but the has happened in 1992. Uh the Shamir government fell. which had a very strong right wing Character.
But uh the s same sort of phenomenon of s at that time, there must have been about five different Right-wing parties vying for the votes. They didn't get in. And they also brought down Techia which had. Always been in the Knesset for the past ten years, and that lost the right wing. Its ability uh to set up a uh coalition.
and the next thing we knew was Oslo.
So, people have to think very hard and very seriously about. Do these smaller parties actually have the ability to pass the threshold. Are they really that different? than any other right-wing party. Either that he could or the Jewish Power Party or the Religious Zionism Party.
And make their decision based on do they want a right-wing government or do they want something Can I quote pure? Which is not the exact term I'd use for any political system anywhere. That is true.
Well, Prime Minister Natanya, who has been on the hot seat before, brings to mind that famous Mark Twain quote The reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated or the Yogi Bear quote It's not over till it's over, so things haven't been decided yet, and there's a lot that could happen between now and the election, right? Absolutely correct. Look, Israel is facing Hamas Ah in Gaza. Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran is still fooling around on the side a little bit.
There are other things going on that could either break, make or break. I'll be willing to go either way. And as always, the Middle East is a hot spot. and very active. And uh the idea is do you want someone experienced Even if he has faults.
Or do you want to have someone completely new? who perhaps will not fit in with the international diplomacy that is needed to move Israel around. The Israeli politics is very confusing, and you have to look at it. Prime Minister Netanyahu has a coalition government, and he is beholden to a lot of the religious parties, the Haredim as they are called, the Haredi parties. And that has been a controversial alliance that has cost well, first of all, it's helped Prime Minister Netanyahu create his coalition, but it's also cost him a lot among the general population.
Can you explain why that is?
Well, the main reason is that whereas before october seventh, twenty twenty three already, right, the issue of Haredim not serving in the army Was more a theoretical or It wasn't let's put it this way, it wasn't that annoying. or was annoying, but it wasn't that crucial. And now A lot of people have been killed. We need a lot more troops in at least in fighting units. And uh there demands for financial support for their educational system.
is just growing. And so balancing these two things out. A lot more people would say Why don't you share? In responsibility for assuring the security and safety of Israel. Uh so that we can give you the money.
Uh of course that is never done with the Arabs for many reasons. But uh it's expected of Jews to find some way of serving somehow in the army, in order to relieve the burden on many other people. Who do? It needs to be a shared responsibility, and that's one of the Problems we have with the Haredi population, they're still Not quite sure whether Israel can be supported from a theological point of view as a state. And uh that's not only all annoying Secular population, but the religious Zionist population who go to the army, as you know, serve in some of the elite units.
and have uh shed a lot of blood. in order to keep the state going. I think you'll explain that for our listeners. You talk about religious Zionists, and I think you would include yourself in that category. They are and they believe that the State of Israel Is necessary to protect the Jewish people, especially in the environment we see in the world today, but not all the religious feel that, so they would essentially not be Zionists.
Why would that be?
Well, they would not be Zionists because, first of all, they suspect that Zionism. As it translates into the state of Israel. would subvert their religious behavior They would pull them away from a strict Adherence To the Torah, to customs, for example, opening up transportation on Saturday. which is the Sabbath. Uh that bothers them tremendously.
Of course, they can live in New York and watch all the trains and the taxicabs go by, but they don't want to see that in the state of Israel. The second reason, I'll only do two for this time. Is that Uh too many of them think That um It should have been God. who set up the State of Israel and not David Ben-Gurion. And therefore the state is In a certain sense Going against what Jewish religious thought according to them.
Set out. The state should be much more religious, much more observant, much more adhering. Uh to the Torah. And I think they're living a little bit in a cocoon. And they get a very well, as I said before, they get very well along in New York, Switzerland, and London.
They can get it away. and and and feel good also in television without trying to bring down the state. Final question when it comes to politics. You mentioned the Arab parties.
Now there are Arab Israeli citizens. They have their own parties and they vote for their own ministers as well. Can you talk about how they may play in this election?
Well, we have basically now four main Arab parties.
So they're not Immune. To splitting up. Each one is mainly a Communist Party, another one is a bit of a nationalist party, and a third one is, I can't remember anymore. And the fourth one. Had Sort of been in government und or signed a coalition agreement.
to support the government from the outside. And a lot of people think he's playing a double game because we've heard a lot of his recordings talking about. You know, we didn't ask for Israel to be a Jewish state. It was forced upon us.
So, you know, a lot of people say, well, you know, you can continue to live here, but if you don't want to be a citizen, that's your problem. We're giving you the best health care, the best education system. The best opportunity of almost every single Arab state in the world. And perhaps you should do some sort of national service. Hospital, Red Cross, social welfare.
I'm sure I could go on for a long time of all these efforts that people can do one or two years uh which would be basically being volunteering like religious girls do in education and otherwise. And so a lot of people say You also should share in the responsibility of the state. And uh it's it's delicate. Because if you're too loud, Someone left-wing in America or France. We'll call you a racist, even though that has nothing to do with race.
Has everything to do with Are you a citizen of state? Can you vote? Can you get national insurance? Can you get protection to the police? What are you going to do as a citizen?
uh uh and and and do something for the state. And so that's also another area. that people don't like to see them. Most people don't like to see them in government or supporting government. But the thing is that the left wing parties at the present moment uh do not have the ability to reach sixty-one.
And they need the Arabs, and that might, as we saw last time with Bennett and Lepid. cause the latter problems. Winky Medad painting a picture of Israeli politics, admittedly very confusing, but we're just trying to get an understanding of it so we understand what it's going to mean for the entire state of Israel come election time.
Well, one thing that that next prime minister, or whether it be prime minister Netanyahu, or whoever it is going to be, is going to have to deal with is not only the problem in Iran that you mentioned, but Noise coming out of Turkey. Erdogan there, very anti Israel. Lots of stuff coming out of the government, talking very strongly against the nation of Israel, openly supporting Hamas. Can you talk a little bit about the threat that Turkey presents for Israel going forward.
Well, th the first thing that people have to understand Is Richin uh Uh somewhere in the neighborhood of the fourteen hundreds, even maybe earlier. Until nineteen seventeen there was something called the Ottoman Empire. It was very, very large and very powerful. for about three hundred and fifty years and then began to break down. Turkey today.
Is thinking in a what I would call a neo-Ottoman Empire Uh approach. They want to reestablish themselves. And in doing so right now, Of course, since nineteen seventy five they've been in North Cyprus. as an occupying power. They're now in northwest Syria and they have a problem with the Kurds.
and have no problem about obliterating them. And uh Erwan has called Netanyahu Hitler. But it didn't nicer things he said about him. And He's encroaching. On the the northern tier of the Middle East.
He doesn't like grease?
So you have a a very unstable situation developing. not only because of Israel, but because of Turkey. A lot of people, unfortunately. Whenever there's a problem with Israel, first they blame Israel. instead of looking around and seeing maybe someone else that started the situation.
And so we have to keep an eye now on Turkey. As you said, it supports Hamas. Hamas has bases. uh diplomatic uh political installations in uh in turkey Uh the flotillas start off from there. Funding for Jerusalem projects, Islamic projects.
Yeah.
So Israel does have a a a non-military front, one that is also very dangerous. And it has not always been like this, has it? I know back in the nineties and early two thousands, there was a lot of uh Israelis going to Turkey for vacations and and and and the like, and now It's just kind of been a linear progression to where it's almost seems like the official governmental policy of Turkey under Erdogan is that there be no Jewish State of Israel. Yes, we uh not only that until today. We still have some commercial Uh exchanges.
A lot of food, a lot of clothes. All sorts of little things as we can say on the economic scale. Still going on, and it used to be a lot larger, besides the, as you properly say, the tourism. Uh um and all sorts of other elements. Uh of Turkey.
Uh and they always like to say, well, you know, back in the uh in the fourteen hundreds, in the fifteen hundreds, Turkey, or then the Ottoman Empire, uh absorbed uh Jews from Spain and Portugal who were uh expelled. And they always pointed themselves as being the nice guys. Of course the problem is A nice guy isn't always a nice guy. And uh they don't see that, but we have to see that because it hurts. And it's dangerous and that's the situation.
Winky Madad, helping us to explain the politics, but also those international threats that Israel faces. Winky, as always, we appreciate what you do. Coming to us from your home there in the area of Judea, Samaria, Shiloh, and Israel. Thanks so much. Look forward to talking to you again soon.
Thank you. Thank you very much for having me on, and goodbye to you. And our listeners. Winky Madad. And as you know, he's been with us and talked to my father for many years and continues to give and impart wisdom on what's happening there.
There were so many things in that session that you could unpack. One of the ones I wanted to point out to you is what he talked about: the religious Jews and why they don't believe in a Zionistic nation until they feel like the Messiah should have set it up. And that's something that when you look at the book of Ezekiel, chapter 37, verses 15 through the end of the chapter, it talks about two states, two Jewish states, and we are certainly looking at the possibility of that happening right before our eyes. And those two states will become one when Jesus Christ returns to the earth.
Well, we got to take a break, and when we come back, Dr. Jimmy D. Young and the Legacy Series, right here on Prophecy Today weekend. Welcome back to Prophecy Today. I'm Jimmy the Young Jr., and along with my brother Rick, we're examining current events in the light of God's prophetic word.
Rick, we're coming to the end of the summer. Labor Day will be coming up, and we're looking forward to, you know, just the winter months. We do have a reason for doing this program, and as we do the program, we're always wanting people to become more educated about Bible prophecy, to become more excited about Bible prophecy. And, you know, we have many books and DVDs in our website bookstore. Tell our folks where they can go if they would like to get more information about Bible prophecy.
Go to our website at prophecytoday.com. And it's funny that you talk about coming to the end of the summer because, you know, I have young children and they are going back to school. And that's what we are advocating for our listeners to do. Go back to school, go back to studying Bible prophecy as we look at what the Bible says is going to take place in the future. You can do that by going to our website, prophecytoday.com.
Sign up for our devotions where we work through the Bible every day. We'll send you an email. You can also support our ministry. We appreciate that as well. You can do all of that by going to our website, prophecytoday.com.
Well, last week in our Bible study, we saw that the human languages did play a role. In the establishment of the nations of our world. That happened 4,500 years ago after the worldwide flood of Noah's days. The Lord confused the one language spoken by everyone on the earth, making many languages as the way that he would have everybody spread across the whole earth to follow his command to Noah that they be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. Noah's grandsons would raise their families, teach them a new language, and move to somewhere on the earth to establish a nation.
This week we want to find out where Noah's grandsons went and what nations they founded. and what they would be called today. This will help us to know which nations will be the key players in the end of days. You'll remember that Noah's son Jepeth had at least five sons, and their names were Meshach, Gomer, and Tagarma. We could know where these boys went and established the nation, and in fact we could know the names of these nations.
So, please open your Bible to Genesis chapter 10, Dr. Jimmy D. Young, and the Legacy series.
Now, notice the next verse, verse 6, and the sons of Ham, by the way. You know where Magog went to live? He took his family and went north of the Caspian and Black Sea. That's what we know as modern-day Russia today. Meshach, Tuba, Gormer, and Tagarma, oh, they stayed south of the Caspian and Black Sea.
Now that's the area we know as modern day Turkey. If you go to Turkey, I've been there a number of times doing television programs in the seven churches. And also in Istanbul. I picked up an ancient Turkish map on one of my visits there. And Turkey, in biblical times, was divided into four parts: Meshech, Tubul, Gomer, Tagarmah.
And so that's where they went to live, south of the Caspian and Black Sea. And so we see prophecy doesn't start in the book of Ezekiel, the book of Nahum, the book of Obadiah, the book of Revelation, it starts in the book of Genesis. Here in verse 6, and the sons of Ham, this would be the second son. Cush, Mizram, put. Let me tell you who they are today.
Kush, he went to the area that we know today as Ethiopia, Somalia, and Sudan. They have to have extra biblical studies, and there are books, there are resource materials that will assist you in this. Mizoram.
Well, that is the Hebrew name for Egypt. Put Well, that's Libya of today. By the way, friends. This helps us to understand, listen. Ishmael did not father the Arab world.
Ishmael fothered one nation. Genesis 17, 20. And I will make Ishmael the father of one nation. Genesis 25:18, he went to a place described in that passage of scripture as Arabia. He established Saudi Arabia.
83rd chapter of Psalms, I think it's verse 6, says the Ishmaelites, those would be the Saudi Arabian people. Ishmael did not father the Arab world. He fathered one nation. Let me prove that very easily for you. In chapter 16 of the book of Genesis, it talks about Sarai not being able to have children, so she gave her handmaiden to Abram in order that he might be able to have a son.
And that handmaiden's name was Hagar, an Egyptian handmaiden. Is there a medical doctor in the house? Hold your hand up just a second. Medical doctor right here. May I ask you a question?
Can a son father his mother?
Okay, we got the absolute authority speaking here. A son cannot father his mother. How do you think Egypt came into existence if Ishmael was the father of the Arab world? Because his mother was an Egyptian. Pay attention to what the word says.
I'm talking here about a group of nations. Do you hear what I said? Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Libya. Each up. They're all Arab countries.
Guess what? They were around 500 years before Ishmael ever came on the scene. He's over in the 16th chapter of the book of Genesis. Abraham wasn't even on the scene when this all happened.
So Ishmael did not father the Arab world, neither did Abraham. Father the Air Broil. We use a lot of bad terminology. We gotta be biblical. Abraham is not the father of all the Arabs.
Let's continue to read. Verse 8. And Cush begot Nimrod. He began to be mighty one on the earth. That's who I wanted to introduce to you.
I want to introduce to you the king. and his kingdom. The king and his kingdom. This king will have a protege. Who's going to be, as Nimrod was 4,500 years ago after the flood, one of the major players in the end times?
His protege will be a major player in that time called the tribulation, the seven-year period of time between the rapture of the church and the second coming of Jesus Christ. In this seven-year period of time, 16 chapters in the book of Revelation, with description of all the details, we will see Nimrod and the kingdom he established the major players for these. We'll explain as we go through, so hang on. Nimrod, I've just shown you his ancestry. He comes from Noah.
Through ham. Through Kush. And he's a great-grandson of Noah. See, Ham's the son. Cush the grandson, Nimrod the great-grandson.
And he comes on the scene. What an unbelievable, excellent ancestry Nimrod comes on the scene. Let me show you his aggressiveness. Verse 9. Verse 9, he was a mighty hunter before the Lord, where it is said, even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord.
Now I've got to be honest with you folks, that has been a very difficult passage in years past for me to understand. Why would God include with his scripture here information about the recreational activities of the guy named Nimrod? He was a hunter.
So what? Why is that written in Scripture? All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and it's profitable, so I had to figure it out. What is it? I think I finally figured it out.
You know when you think about hunting today, is Nimrod does he go out and shoot turkeys? Or is he a duck hunter? Or maybe he's a deer hunter. But What made Nimrod? A mighty hunter.
Let me tell you what I think he hunted. And by the way, I was just at the Creation Museum just out of Cincinnati, Ken Ham's Creation Museum. If you've never been there, you've got to go. They have a person there in a display that agrees basically with what I'm saying. I believe Nimrod hunted down and killed.
most of the dinosaurs. A Harvard University professor has just written a major paper. on that exact theme. That the dinosaurs were wiped out by people hunting them down. And I believe that's what The book is talking about when it says Nimrod's a mighty hunter before the Lord.
How do you think he got all of humankind? all of the world's population to following. Don't you remember before the flood dinosaurs were vegetarians. After the flood, they were meat eaters. And when the flood is over and these people start to populate and meet people the earth, they had to deal with these dinosaurs, these major giant creatures.
You know the dinosaurs were on the ark, do you not? Of course, they were on the ark. Two of every kind went on the ark.
Now, let me just tell you this: I seriously believe. Nimrod, The mighty hunter before the Lord. took care of the dinosaurs. You know where Nimrod and everybody went? They went towards The desert.
The mountains of Ararat was a cold, wintery style of season, even during the summer.
So they went to, how do I know that?
Well, look over here in verse 10. I've just showed you his aggressiveness. Let me show you his ambition and where he's going to go. Verse 10: And the beginning of his kingdom.
Now, notice what that means, folks. This is a kingdom that's set up. The first one was set up in the Garden of Eden, Genesis chapter 1, which we know is the city of Jerusalem. That's a major city in the end times. The second one was set up at Babel.
It's right here. It says, the beginning of his kingdom was Babel on the shores of the Euphrates River in the lands of Shinar, the two river cities. That's the Tigris Euphrates. And on the shores of the Euphrates River, in what we know as modern day Iraq, Nimrod's ambition was to become a king of a kingdom. And that is a prototype.
for what's going to happen in the end times. Let me say this. Nimrod Nimrod had a very interesting rise to power, but he had a religious. portfolio as well. Because he didn't like what God had told him to do.
He was going against what God told him to do. Look at verse 11. Excuse me, chapter 11, verse 4. Look at chapter 11, verse 4. He goes to Babel, he establishes this city.
God said, Be fruitful, multiply, and repeople the earth. Verse 4. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city. That's his kingdom. Notice what he says.
Let us build us a city, but then notice what he says: and a tower whose top may reach into heaven. Let us make us a name, lest we be scattered upon the face of the whole earth. What did Nimrod do? Nimrod went and he established a religion. He had a religious portfolio.
He understood, as a great hunter, I can gather them together, but I've got to keep them together. And what will do that? Religion.
So he establishes a religion. What did he say? Let us build us a tower whose top may reach into heaven. I want you to know the truth, that's the last place he wanted to go, truly into heaven. But he was setting up a religious.
The oblisque, this tower that he's building, is a symbol of religion. Notice what he says after that. And let us make us a name, lest we be scattered upon the face of the earth.
Now that's not talking about being popular. Who's he going to be popular in front of? I mean there's nobody else in the world. They're all living at Babylon.
So, it's not talking about popularity. It's talking about a religion. Let us make us a name. We don't like the name. Jehovah God.
We're going to call him Marduk. The Babylonian God. Let us make us a name. Lest we be scattered upon the face of the earth. Jehovah God wants us to scatter.
We'll get us a God who will do what we dictate for Him to do. Lest we be scattered upon the whole earth. extra biblical Information. My source is Dr. John Walbert, the late Dr.
John Walbert, who was president of Dallas Theological Seminary, Chancellor, and one of the great scholars, biblical scholars, as it relates to Bible prophecy. In his commentary on the book of Revelation in chapter 17, he deals with this issue. Here's what happened: Nimrod had a wife. They got married. Her name was Simiramus.
So Nimrod and Sibiramus, husband and wife, had a child. His name was Tamus. In light of developing this religious portfolio, Nimrod brings his family. had a family connection. into it.
And he brings Simiramus and taboos to be The co-recipients of worship. A mother, son, Cold. Established 4,500 years ago as a religion.
Now, one of them, Simiramus, is not mentioned by name. She's mentioned by title in the Bible. Her son, Tammuz. The son of the mother-son cult is mentioned by name. Indeed, the title of the mother of the mother son cult, the false religion, started at Babylon forty five hundred years ago.
is found in the Bible. Also the name of the son of this cult is mentioned in the Scriptures. This information that we receive from a study of God's Word on this matter. Helps us to determine the prophetic truth that can be found in the book of Revelation, chapter 17, is the prophecy of a worldwide false religion. That will be prominent in the first half of the seven-year tribulation period that takes place right after the rapture of the church.
Next week in our Bible study, we'll find out from the Holy Scriptures this information which is needed for understanding of additional studies in Bible prophecy. You don't want to miss our next program. Dr. Jimmy DeYoung and the Legacy Series. We'll return with a look at the book right here on Prophecy Today weekend.
I'm Ruth Kramer with Mission Network News. There was little time to escape. On Wednesday morning, a chunk of glacier broke off a Himalayan mountainside in Tibet. A massive ice and rock created a dam in the river below, which soon burst. The flash floods swept over the border into Nepal's Roshwa district and miles downriver.
On Thursday, the death toll surpassed 390 with more than 1,400 missing. Chitri from A3 plans to travel to the disaster area to assess the needs. We need to go to the place. where people are suffering, where people need the help. Putting ourselves in action and showing them the love of God.
Years ago, A3's network helped quake survivors from the same region of Nepal. Several became Christians after watching them serve. Pray for a spiritual awakening and consider sending help through A3's Global Disaster Relief Fund. We'll link you at our website. And God's word is being made known among the nations.
Christians across nine countries and 18 denominations in Southeast Asia came together to learn how churches can take ownership of Bible translation. Dane says the ministry he serves, Unfolding Word, co-sponsored the conference. This was the first exposure to church-centric Bible translation that many of these leaders have ever had. They are looking for ways to reach the hundreds and hundreds of unreached people groups. One pastor talked about visiting a small village of dangerous pirates.
He couldn't create a Bible translation for them with traditional methods, but the forum convinced him to go with church-centric Bible translation to complete the work. Billions of people are unreached, and one in five are waiting for a Bible in their language. Pray for these efforts. Thanks for listening to Mission Network News, a service of one-way ministries. We're listeners 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. Look for links at missionnews.org. That's missionnews.org on Ruth Kramer. Welcome back to Prophecy. Today, I'm Jimmy DeYoung Jr.
Along with my brother Rick, we examine current events in the light of God's prophetic word. Rick, this is something that we have been doing for quite a few years now since our dad passed away. By the way, you know, a lot of people love the fact that. We had dad on the program and replayed his special program on the temple.
So we're looking at maybe doing that more in the future. We try to do it with the legacy series, which I thought today was very appropriate for understanding the nations of Bible prophecy. I also started out the program talking about why. We talk about Bible prophecy. It really helps believers understand God's Active control over human history.
And it confirms the truth of scripture and encourages holy living in the present. And I think that is something that is important that every church, every Christian, every person that follows Jesus Christ as their personal Savior should do, don't you? Oh, absolutely, Jimmy. And, you know, you talked about how it provides God's sovereignty and truth. And, you know, you look at that, we see that not only do we know what's coming in the future, but we know what happened in the past.
The Bible prophecy predicted that those prophecies coming true with the fulfillment of Jesus Christ coming. That just gives us an assurance. It gives us a place to find rest in a world of chaos and so many different things happening now. Yes. And it also inspires holy living.
You know, I've always thought about this in 1 John 3, verse 2. That verse says, Beloved, it does not appear what we shall be, but when we'll see him, we'll be like him. And everyone that Has this hope in him. Is striving to live a holy life, knowing that God will judge the world and bring history to. Really, a purposeful end motivates people to live righteously and wisely today.
And that's why we do this program: so that understanding that what God's word, those Thousand prophecies in God's word, about a thousand. 500 have been fulfilled, 500 left to be fulfilled. We know that the fulfillment of those 500 left to be fulfilled are as sure as the first 500.
So that gives us the motivation. To live a right life every single day. And I think you and I have seen this. We could all say we've seen it. We've seen people that lost their way.
They were believers and they got tired and they started following after the world. You know, Rick, you're not a pilot, right? I am not a pilot, Jimmy. No, you're not a pilot. I can affirm that for you.
If you don't know that, you're not a pilot. But I understand, and neither am I, but I understand that when pilots land a plane, they keep their eyes on the end of the runway. And for us as Christians, we need to know where we're going and how we're going to get there and what's going to happen. I always like what R.C. Murrell says: you know, Bible prophecy, future prophecies cast a shadow backwards.
Well, we're seeing those shadows of future prophecies to be fulfilled. Jimmy, not only does it inspire holy living, which I agree with wholeheartedly, but it also offers hope and comfort. Prophecy reminds believers that current world troubles are not out of control. It promises that God will ultimately defeat evil and establish justice. That gift of Bible prophecy, we talk about it so often on this program.
God's gift to us to help us understand the past, but also to have hope and comfort in the future. Yes. You know, sometimes we say, why do evil people? You know, succeed. You know, why are they so successful?
And yet, we as believers, our eternal reward is what we're striving for. Our crowns that we will lay at the feet of Jesus, those crowns that are promised to us in scripture as we live a Christian life, as we teach, as we instruct, as we serve, as we sacrifice, as we live in this world of temptation and resist temptation. Yes, that's all those things. Our wedding garments are determined by the righteous deeds of the saints. That's Revelation chapter 19.
So, when you are looking at Bible prophecy, it does offer hope and comfort, and it fulfills the whole counsel. Of God, the whole council of God. And a lot of people don't realize that. Prophetic writing makes up a large portion, nearly 30%, of the Bible. Ignoring it means missing a major part of what God wants people to learn.
I I always uh liked the way that dad used to say it when he was in the Air Force and he got a love letter from mom and you know he would get it on uh mail call and put it in his pocket and go play basketball and go throughout the day and then he would read it at night. And he would say, not a chance that that would happen. As soon as he got that love letter, he opened it up and read all of it. And that's what we are to understand that all of God's word from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 is the whole counsel of God. And we must understand all of it to really be able to be prepared to live in this world and to.
really to to face everything that's happening. Oh, that's true, Jimmy, and it also protects against deception. Understanding what biblical mark markers for the future helps people recognize false teachings and widespread deception in modern times. And Jimmy, that's what we do. We are studying th God's Word to understand what He says is going to happen in the future.
But the the closer we get, the more we study God's Word, the more it helps us to understand false teaching in the world today. That word deception is mentioned in Matthew chapter 24 a number of times. And be not deceived. Don't let anyone deceive you. And that also means being churches that are teaching God's word.
Understand what God wants you to do and be about it. Rick, thanks so much for doing the program today. I'm looking forward to the future because I think the rapture could happen at any moment. But as we continue to look at current events to examine how the world is being shaped and how God is directing everyone in that direction.
Well, I do too, Jimmy. And we've talked with a lot of prophecy teachers on the program, and you and I have talked about it as well. It cannot be long as we look at all these things coming into place, all these things falling into line. Seems like we say this often, but it does not seem. It could be tonight.
It could be tomorrow night. It could be this week. But, you know, Lord willing, we'll be back here to do the program and share again next week. But if not, either here. There or in the air, as dad would say.
Rick, prophecy is an amazing blessing, and Christians are impoverished if they neglect or ignore it. The book of Revelation, which is mainly prophetic, promises. A blessing to its readers who apply its message. Why would any Christian want to miss out on God's blessing? Let's not miss out.
Rather, let's study prophecy as we study the whole counsel of God.
Well, with everything that we have seen this week, we can't help say that the rapture of the Church can't 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.
