The. Welcome to Prophecy today. I'm Jimmy Young Jr. Along with my brother Rick, we examine current events in the light of God's prophetic word. Having lived and worked in the Middle East for over thirty years, Rick and I are using our understanding not only of that area of the world, but our understanding of Bible prophecy to examine current events and how they are shaping our world today and leading up to the next event on God's timeline, which we believe is the Rapture of the Church.
On today's program, we'll have our team with us today: Ken Timmerman, David Dolan, Winky Madad, and we'll be looking at the events that are shaping those areas: the elections in the Middle East, the elections here in the United States, what's happening in the European Union, Russia, Ukraine, in Iran. There's a lot to get done today, Rick.
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. He comes to us every week to explain to us what is going on. Politically in the world, you can find out more about Ken by going to his website at kentimmerman dot com.
Ken, thanks for being with us today. Thanks for having me on, Rick. It's always a pleasure. Ken, never a shortage of things to talk about. We'll start in Iran this week in the Middle East, and President Trump is signaling that there is another showdown with Iran that could possibly be near.
Can you talk about that? Maybe Israel's involvement in that, and what do you see happening here in the future?
Well, I think clearly there will be another showdown. I don't think it's going to happen before the midterm elections. The president has made pretty clear that he would like to see things calm. He'd like to see the price of oil and of diesel drop before the midterms, because that has become a big election issue for people who cannot see beyond the price of gasoline at the pump and do not understand that that is the price that we are paying right now to keep. From facing a nuclear-armed Islamic regime in Iran.
By the way, I want to point out something, Rick, that probably most of our listeners are not aware of. But yesterday was the 43rd anniversary of the Marine Barracks bombing in Beirut. Remember, and this is when the Iranians murdered 241 U.S. Marines and 58 French Marines in a double bombing in Beirut in in. October of 1983, I was in Beirut a week before the bombing, and.
Marines were out jogging on the beach, and everything seemed to be calm. I write about that in "And the Rest Is History," and then, of course, the bombing happened, and I was called back to Beirut immediately afterwards. And the devastation was just unbelievable.
So this was first blood in the war that Iran has waged. The Islamic regime in Iran has waged on America for the past forty-seven years. This is the first blood that they took. Of Americans, so it's just a day to commemorate.
So we're here now, looking towards the midterms. The Iranians are making up fake hits; they're claiming to hit all of these ships in the Persian Gulf, and they haven't really hit a lot. But when they do make a hit, CENTCOM responds almost immediately. On Thursday, we learned that they hit Iran's biggest naval base in Bandar Abbas. Didn't make a big deal out of it.
Didn't even make an announcement. And I think that's. What Trump wants, he wants a low-keyed war in Iran until the midterms are over, and then all bets are off.
Well, that is true, Ken. And even as we wait to see what is going to happen, you brought up that Beirut bombing. That reminds us that not only is Iran's nuclear ambitions dangerous, but the fact that they export terror throughout the region through their Iranian proxies—the Houthis, the Hezbollah, Hamas. These are things that we cannot forget, can we?
Well, that's right, and the Iranians also have this notion of an October surprise. Remember, they're the ones who invented it in 1980—the very term of October surprise.
So they are hoping to pull off something before the midterms that will sabotage President Trump, that will sabotage the Republican Republicans at the ballot box.
Now, it could be a massive terror attack. It could be, you know, taking out a major Saudi oil refinery. They. Had the Houthis attacking refineries all week long, but they have been mostly small attacks. By the way, the United Arab Emirates is apparently responding.
This was reported by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday that the UAE is carrying out attacks inside Iran, apparently with ground troops. One of those attacks may have been this huge explosive fire that broke out at an aluminum plant in. Arak in southern Iran, and that's where they were making oxidizer for solid fuel missiles.
So one of their missile plant plants blew up and caught on fire on Thursday. Perhaps it was sabotage by the UAE. Look, I said earlier I think the president is keeping his powder dry until after the midterms. The White House even released a statement on Thursday saying that explicitly. The spokesperson Anna Kelly said, "Quote: The United States will not be attacking." Iran at any time prior to the midterm elections.
Well, Rick, when I hear something like that, so explicit, so obvious, so clear-cut, I scratched my head and said, "Hmm, this is President Trump." Anyone who predicts what President Trump is going to do is going to pay a price for it. The Iranians have done so many, many times in the past.
So they're saying no attack before the midterms. But I always keep that possibility in the back of my mind of President Trump surprising everyone, starting with the Iranians.
Well, that'll be very interesting. And the Israeli elections are next week, and then after that, the elections here in the United States.
So all of those things will work together.
Well, let's move from the Middle East to a related situation that is in Europe. You've talked about the French riots that have been taking place, and if we could, let's get an update. And I know we've talked about whether this is a social issue or an immigration issue. Can you give us an update? Where are we at in the French riots right now?
Well, today it has become a revolution issue. You have the League Communist Révolutionnaire, the LCR, the hard left Trotskyist, joining up with Mélenchon, the former communist, and with Antifa. All these kids that you see in videos in Black Bloc, Rick. Paris is burning. Paris was burning last weekend.
It's burning this weekend. President Macron has come out twice on national television this week. Trying to tamp everything down, saying we will negotiate with the students, but we're putting more law enforcement people out in the streets. We will not tolerate rioters.
Well, we'll see how that works out. The police have been really overwhelmed by these organized looters, and they're not just looting stores, Rick. They are trying to create a revolutionary atmosphere. They want to bring down the system. This is seditious.
It is an insurrection, if you wish, and they should be treated that way. We'll have to see. The president of France announced they had made several thousand arrests and were were actually keeping several hundred kids still in jail. But we'll have to see what they charge them. Is it just criminal arson and and looting, or will they be charged with sedition?
I think France is in big big trouble right now, and President Trump is being has been using France. As an election prop, saying. Don't vote for Democrats because that's what could happen here. We could have that same thing happening here. And by the way, that's not just an idle statement, Rick.
There was reporting this week, first by an internet sleuth who got hold of a trove of recordings from a hard left group—people who used to work at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). That was the State Department. Bureau that was shut down by Elon Musk. These are people who, while they were working for the State Department, their job was to create color revolutions around the world.
Well, guess what? They were fired from the State Department in March, and now they've got private backers, and they are talking about creating a color revolution right here in the United States. They're talking about the federal government becoming illegitimate, and for governors to take over in their states, and essentially. Create a new confederacy. They even have a network ring of sixteen hundred former flag officers and and military people who who'd been in the military who are working with them.
This is a seditious effort right here in the United States, and I got to say. We've got to be really thankful to Elon Musk for shutting that down.
So the president is not just making an idle comparison to France; he's talking about something that is very real and very possible.
Well, Ken, for my final thoughts from you, I would like to get an update on the Russia and Ukraine situation. Steve Witkoff, the president's negotiator, has met with Vladimir Putin, and there are maybe renewed efforts to get talks going again. Is this real? Can you tell us what you think? It is real.
Whitcoff met with Putin on Wednesday and got the release of a U.S. hostage. Putin says he's ready to ready for talks. Melania Trump has gotten involved. She secured a temporary ceasefire in Oleshky, a city not far from Odessa on the Black Sea, which right on the front lines.
And the ceasefire is so civilians can get out of town, if you wish, and get out of the fighting. By the way, she's also secured. The help of Newsmax to send reporters. This is my former employer, Newsmax, to send reporters to that area to document the ceasefire and the withdrawal of civilians. Look, Putin is talking as he has always been talking about long-term peace, about an overall framework for European security, not just a temporary framework.
And my friend Glenn Beck, I think, got it just right this week. He said, "Look, Russia's lost." They lost the war. The Russian army can't even beat Ukraine. You think they can take on Poland and the rest of NATO? Forget it.
So let Putin claim his victory.
Okay, if you want him to negotiate, let him claim his victory. Says same thing with Zelensky. Zelensky's won. He's won on the battlefield. He has held off the Russian behemoth for four and a half years.
Let him claim victory.
So now let's get down to the real tough things: the negotiations. And can there be economic incentives for both sides? You can't resolve a war, Rick. By calling one leader a war criminal and the other a hero, this is not Munich 1938. This is more like the Ardennes Forest in 1917.
It is a bloody, bloody stalemate with over a million casualties on both sides. It's time to stop paying the butcher's bill. Ken Timmerman for prophecy today. Ken, as always, we appreciate your insight. Look forward to talking to you again soon.
Thanks so much, Rick. God bless. Great job as always, Ken. Future Bible prophecies, particularly from Ezekiel thirty-eight, Daniel, and the Book of Revelation, focus on several key ancient regions and their modern-day equivalents that form alliances or confederacies leading up to the end times. And folks, we are watching that, and that's what we examine today.
We got to take a break, and when we come back, our Middle East news update with David Dolan right here on Prophecy Today. Weekend. I'm Ruth Cramer with Mission Network News. Violence has overshadowed real policy concerns behind the protests in France, while political leaders are reluctant to link the unrest to immigration. Hardline nationalists are using the turmoil to advance their agendas, but it's more complicated, according to Anna Masimi with France's Far FM Radio Ministry, a partner of TWR.
She says immigrant and Muslim communities are shouldering the blame for influencing. The unrest.
Some cities had very peaceful riots on the streets, but in some other cities, the violence was just taking over over the real issues. RFM's team walked through their city this week, praying. We cannot change governments, but through our prayers and through our attitude, we can change the atmosphere. Ask God to restore peace in France and give boldness to Christians there. And finally, two police raids in a month highlight the challenges facing Christians in Algeria.
Greg Musselman with the Voice of the Martyrs Canada says, "There's this pressure being put on the believers there, and they could face up to two to five years in prison and heavy fines." The latest raid targeted a humanitarian institute where Christians had gathered. Those detained and questioned now await court hearings. With nearly all Protestant churches closed, believers meet discreetly in homes, and yet the gospel continues to spread.
So the gospel is going strong there in some ways, especially amongst these groups that really have a passion to see people come to Jesus. Pray for sound biblical teaching to strengthen Algerian believers, especially in their understanding of persecution. Pray too for the gospel to spread and transform communities across Algeria. Thanks for listening to Mission Network News, a service of One Way Ministries. This November, join believers globally in prayer for the Hindu world.
Bibles for the World is offering a free. 15-day into World Prayer Guide for November 1st through the 15th. Join us in praying with confidence and in God's love. Get your copy for free by clicking the banner ad at missionnews.org. I'm Vince Kramer.
Welcome back to Prophecy Today Radio, the program that looks at current events in the light of Bible prophecy. While we have reached a 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 author and journalist Dave Dolan with us. Dave, thanks for being with us today.
You're very welcome, Rick. It's always a blessing.
Well, David, you typically give us an update. We've got elections coming up. We've got a potential war with Iran. Could you tell us what is going on in Israel right now?
Well, Rick, a lot of news as usual, but most of it centered around the overall Middle East situation and the activities in Israel's neighbors. But the main news at the end of the week was a major terror attack. The prime minister said they were Hamas gunmen. There were two of them in a car. One had an automatic rifle.
The other a handgun. They came up to a checkpoint and they were planning, according to what Israel's discovered, to go on to a nearby highway. And just start shooting and killing civilian drivers and people that would have been kids and etc. But they came to this checkpoint now, Rick. They've reinforced all the checkpoints throughout Judea and Samaria, really throughout the country, because, as you said, the elections are Tuesday.
And after the terror attack today, the prime minister said they would be closing off Judea and Samaria until after the elections, so no more terror attacks could take place. But there was about a 20-minute firefight. Sadly, two soldiers were killed, two IDF soldiers were killed, and three others wounded in that firefight. The two gunmen ended up dead as well.
So that was a reminder that terror is very much a problem. But most of the week, Rick, the news was about the elections and the positions the different candidates are taking. The prime minister made some very, very strong anti-Iran statements during the. Week on Wednesday, he spoke to a graduation ceremony of IDF officers, and he said that he was ordering the IDF and the Mossad, the secret service, to overthrow the regime in Iran.
Now he's been advocating that for years, as you know, but this is the first time he said it quite that bluntly, and saying this is an actual order.
Well, that stirred up a firestorm amongst the opposition, saying, "Wait a minute, we're about to have elections, and we may have a new leader, and you can't be issuing these orders five days before you know an election, or six, seven days before." So that was that. But basically, Rick, we had more kinetic activity. We had reports of IDF jets. Flying over first Syria and then Iraq, and deliberately over positions of allies of Iran, of militias that are allied with them, and then flying right along the Iranian coast out over the Gulf in international airspace, but very very close all along. And that was considered to be in you know to just be a reminder to Iran that we're here, and we're ready to get reinvolved.
And the Prime Minister did say. That if there's any more attempts to thwart the elections or to do anything, if Hezbollah does anything or whatever, the response will be massive.
So they're warning of that. But of course, the Iranians all week have been issuing their threats. They said on Friday they would destroy seven undersea cables that carry internet, well, everything, phones, internet. Very, very crucial to the Gulf states, the businesses there, that they would go after those in any new fighting. And Rick, all this to say that the expectations in Israel in the region that we are returning to full-scale kinetic activity are very strong now.
Sometime in November, sometime after the U.S. midterms. Why? Because the Iranians are known to be rebuilding their nuclear program. We now have a lot of photographic evidence of that, and on-ground reporting on that from agents inside of Iran.
We know that they're doing other nefarious things. They're stepping up their drone production with a new level of drone that has a more powerful engine. They're rebuilding their missile supplies, ballistic missile supplies, etc., and most important. They're backing the Houthis, who continue to attack Saudi Arabia all through the week, and more importantly, they attacked a Saudi airbase right next to Bahrain, Rick. I mean, just right across the water from it, and close to some other Gulf states.
Again, they've been attacking Aramco, the oil company that runs the oil production in Saudi Arabia. This prompted the Brits and the French. To announce earlier in the week that they were sending aircraft to help defend Saudi Arabia, they both said no offensive measures would be taken, but we will defend against these continuous Houthi attacks. And Rick, it's almost like a vortex going on right now, is how I would describe it. Like a a plug has been pulled on a drain, and maybe that was last February, but it slowed down during the summer, and you know we had talk of peace and talk of negotiations.
Now it's swirling again, and it's drawing in more and more Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt during the weeks that it would back the Saudis.
So more and more countries are getting involved in this. As Iran, the Revolutionary Guards push this thing. It seems like they do want another round of warfare. Of course, they say they have weapons they didn't deploy before, and we'll have to see. But Israel is also saying we're fully ready for whatever comes.
And Rick, I just want to finally say the main issue in this election is not the war, like it is. One of the main ones in America, everybody on the Jewish side at least realizes they have to be in this. The Iranians, they were going to destroy you, we're going to wipe you out, and they're making all these efforts to do so.
So there's no question about that. The main issue is the drafting of the religious ultra-orthodox men. Over a hundred thousand that don't serve.
Well, there's only about three hundred and fifty thousand overall reserves. In Israel, so this is like a fourth of the men that could serve or not. That is a huge political issue in Israel in this election, and we'll have to see what comes out of it. David, very interesting as you look at the domestic issues in Israel and how they are impacting what is going on in the Middle East, and also then everything that is going on around them. I want to talk about that vortex idea that you talked about a minute ago.
But before I do that, you lived in Israel for thirty years, reported for CBS News and for different organizations about Israeli elections, and of course, I don't know many Israeli elections. That haven't taken place during contentious times. You look at that situation. Maybe recall on your memory there the idea of of going to the polls and of electing a new leader in such a momentous occasion. And it's so important that Israel gets it right.
Can you talk about the importance of that and maybe even the security issues? Because as you mentioned, Prime Minister Netanyahu has said, "Do not try to disrupt our elections." You talk a little bit about that and what's coming for Israel.
Well, Rick, the polls show deadlock once again: fifty-one seats for the left that is against Netanyahu. That's the Zionist parties. Fifty-one for the right. That's Likud and its allies. But the two big parties are only getting twenty-one, twenty-three, twenty-four seats, according to the polls.
So you know one sixth of the Knesset.
So they have to make coalitions. They have to draft in other parties. And Rick, the latest poll shows twelve parties. Twelve will win enough seats, enough votes to enter the Knesset. And so the new prime minister, whoever he is, is going to have to have four or five, maybe six, maybe seven parties.
Stitched together. That's very difficult to do in the acrimonious situation that we're in. But Rick, there's also a feeling amongst many voters in Israel. My friends I've been talking with and whatever, that a lot of people are frankly tired of Netanyahu. He's been prime minister on and off since 1996.
They'd like to see new blood. But they also are aware we're in the middle of a war. It's not over. Everyone realizes that. Hezbollah's still there.
Hamas is trying to rearm again, and on and on. That we we can't change horses in the middle of that, and particularly because Bibi has a long-standing, pretty deep, pretty contentious at times, but frank relationship with President Trump. And of course, Bibi is fluent in English, and only one other candidate for prime minister, Naftali Bennett, is the same because his parents are from San Francisco. But Gudi Eisenkoff, leading the polls, is his family's from Morocco, and his English is very rusty.
So he would have a hard time dealing directly with President Trump, being understood, understanding him, etc. He doesn't know him, etc.
So that's a factor that may give Netanyahu a little boost. And in fact, the latest polls showed his party gaining two or three seats from earlier polls, and Eisenkot's losing one or two seats. But most likely, Rick, in the end, we'll have to have an emergency unity government. We can't have the renewal of warfare, and again, it isn't just up to Trump or. Or Netanyahu, if we resume war, it's up to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, and they're showing every sign—at least the more radical part of it—of being willing and even eager to resume the war.
And look what they're doing to the Saudis, for instance.
So we'll probably have an emergency unity government, and then after there's a resolution—if there is a resolution of the war—we'll have either new elections. Or the formation of a more normal government. Dave Dolan with the Middle East news update. Dave, I want to continue talking about this after the break. Can you stay with us?
I'd be glad to. Excellent report, David. And we are going to take a break right now. And when we come back, David will continue talking about the problems in the Middle East. And Winky Madai will be with us right here on Prophecy Today Weekend.
I'm Ruth Kramer with Mission Network News. Capitals become battlefields around the world as young people demand change. Youth-led riots are gaining ground from India to France to Albania. Protests rocked central Tirana and spread to other cities in the past week. Teach Beyond School in Tirana is shuttered for now because of unrest.
Still, students and teachers are sharing the love of Christ, and people see a genuine difference. Pray for. Transformed hearts, and did you know that if you study your Bible, you have something in common with a Bible translator? Studying Scripture for understanding is one of the first steps in Bible translation.
Now, the same tools that help Bible translators are available to you. BT Servant is a translation AI assistant that operates through chat apps. Its answers come from unfolding words Bible translation resources, making it more trustworthy than AI tools like ChatGPT. We'll show you how to access BT Servant. MissionNews.org.
You've been listening to Mission Network News, a service of One Way Ministries. I'm Ruth Cramer. Welcome back to Prophecy Today. I'm Jimmy DeYoung Jr. Along with Rick, we're examining current events in the light of God's prophetic word.
Started out the program today talking about an alliance, alliances that will be made. And you know, when you look at Ezekiel 38, the Book of Daniel, the Book of Revelation, it focuses on several key ancient regions of the world that are very much in play today.
So we thought we'd bring. Back, Dave, because he studied history has learned about the vortex that he talks about that Rick and he were talking about, and we want to continue that conversation.
Well, that's right, Jimmy. Dave Dolan has returned with us, and he was speaking of what he called a "quote unquote" vortex, a situation where it looks like the the plug was pulled in the bathtub, and things are swirling and moving in a particular direction with all these different countries. And it reminds me, David, I know you. Wrote a book, and it's an anniversary of that book twenty-five years ago. Israel in crisis: what lies ahead?
And you know, things have just grown and accelerated along a course. I know a couple of the points. Is the Middle East heading for war? That was one of your points in the book. If so, who will be involved, and how will it end?
You also talked about a new Jewish temple in Jerusalem and the dispute over the. Holy City of Jerusalem. These things are more pertinent now than ever. Things are moving in a specific direction. If we look at this from a prophetic standpoint, as we look at all that has happened in the 25 years since you wrote that book, can you talk a little bit about how you see things moving on a track politically, but also prophetically as well to what the Bible says is going to happen in the future?
Well, Rick, when I when I wrote Israel in Crisis, the first latter part of 1999 and early part of 2000. There was still a hope that the Oslo peace process could be brought back on track, that Arafat would go for that in the end, that things would calm down, that he or the PA would get control over Hamas, this radical Muslim group, and turn further and further away from Iran. This sort of thing. But I didn't think that was likely. Of course, it's partly because I read the Bible, as you just said.
I know the prophets. I know the prophecies. I know the trouble that is forecast for the end of days, the time of Jacob's sorrows or troubles, as Jeremiah called it, the tribulation, the end times, the end of days.
So you know, just based on that, I wasn't expecting things to really calm down.
However, I didn't even think that just as the book was coming out, the latter part of 2000, that the second uprising would be launched by Yes. Sir Arafat, and the pretext Ariel Sharon visited the Temple Mount. Ta-da! You know that that was enough to set off a whole war in their view. But of course, they were looking for an excuse.
Arafat was to break the Oslo process entirely. Why was he doing that? Because Hamas. Was gaining strength all the time. Had been doing since its formation in late 1988, and had become probably the major dominant force.
Of course, a few years later, they won the Palestinian elections and took over the Gaza Strip and did all the things that have gone on ever since.
So there we are. But Rick, yes, a vortex. I am a bit of a historian, not trained, but I read a lot about history. Very interested in it. Did well in school in those topics.
And both World War One and Two were similar. You had a bunch of events that preceded the main show. That we're all swirling in the same direction. That we're all indicating upheaval coming, political unrest everywhere, et cetera, et cetera. To the point where, where the day that the archduke was assassinated, Hungarian archduke, we Austro-Hungarian, we had the trigger already set and the full war.
Commence the next day. World War Two. We had Hitler come to power in thirty-three. We had him take over Austria in I think it was thirty-seven or thirty-eight. We had him then go into Poland.
We had him go into Czechoslovakia, parts of it first, the Sudetenland in in the Czech Republic today, and then Poland. And of course, the invasion of Poland in thirty-nine set off the full World War Two. That most Americans think began two and a half years later, when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, and then we did fully get into the war. But even then, beforehand, that vortex was pulling the U.S. was pulling other countries.
Even Australia and New Zealand, whatever into it. Of course, in World War II's case, you had Japan already for eight years attacking its neighbors and taking over countries, and Singapore and Hong Kong and all these different things.
So the pre-war was already happening.
Well, here we've had it since 2014, I would say, when Putin first invaded Ukraine and took the Crimea back, and all of that, and then we had him attacking other smaller neighbors over the years in between, and then of course finally. In early 2022, launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine that has now become a longer war than World War One. Rick, I mean, this is absurd, and you know, and it's a deliberate, brutal attack on a country that was not near as strong. And he thought Putin did that he would take it in four or five days. Of course, it didn't turn out that way, and now NATO is very much involved.
And more and more countries are getting involved in that as well in the European scene. North Korean troops are up there. Iran is providing most of Putin's drones. On and on. You have and China, of course, is behind a lot of that.
So you have the same vortex happening now, where you're getting these neighboring countries. Taking sides, basically, and Turkey and Pakistan are their Sunni Muslim nations, and they are, to no one's surprise, backing the Sunni Muslims, the Saudis and the UAE and the Bahrainis and the Qataris. The Qataris have a lot of. Sunnis involved there too, but mainly they're all Sunni powers, and then the other Shiite groups, the Houthis in particular, and you know, Rick, there are Twelver groups we call them Shiite groups that believe in the Twelfth Imam, that support the regime in Iran. All over the world, people don't realize that they have a lot of groups in Africa, a lot in South America.
They have support groups in Australia and in other Asian countries. In Thailand, even there are some.
So you know, this is there's a lot more Sunni Muslims and Shia Muslims than people would like to see in some cases. Because if they really get into a full war between them. And that wouldn't be new, as you know, Rick. That's gone on in history, really nonstop. There's been clashes between the Shi'as and the Sunnis.
Sometimes it's been full war.
Sometimes less than that.
Sometimes it's been two states.
Sometimes it's just been groups. But if that, if it were to come to that, then we'd have another aspect of this thing that would be unbelievable.
Now, what would Israel do?
Well, they have. Two enemies on their borders that are supported by Iran: one, the Sunni Muslim group Hamas, an Islamic Jihad with them, and then on the north, of course, the Shiite group, the Shia group Hezbollah, established by Iran, funded by Iran fully, whereas they only help with Hamas and that sort of thing, but they do help them.
So Israel has no dog in that war, is what I'm saying. You know which side prevails. You know they don't care in the religious sense, but they are aiding the Saudis now. That has been confirmed. The Israelis are aiding the Saudis.
They have, as we know, peace accords with the UAE, with Morocco, with several other Arab countries, and of course not with Iran. And Iran is. Saying what the Sunnis aren't saying so much out loud anymore. You do have Al Qaeda and ISIS and some smaller groups, but you have no other state that's saying like Iran, "We will wipe you out completely as a Jewish state," and we'll use these forces along the border to do so.
So Israel definitely sees. And BB said it on Friday, Rick again, that my life's goal as a politician. Has been to keep this Iranian regime in check, to keep it in line, and to make sure it can never fulfill its not threat but its vow to destroy the state of Israel. And he has been fighting that since '96, and of course, Iran had already been saying that to Israel since the late '70s.
So, interesting elections coming up. A lot on the table, but that vortex is spinning around, Rick. And I think we may find that whatever people want, voters want in America, or voters want in Europe, and the price of gas and all these things. These are bigger issues and bigger forces, and spiritual forces too, as you and I both know well, and the Scripture makes clear. That are pulling all this together, and ultimately, it's the battle between Satan, Satan, the adversary, and his desire to thwart the plans and purposes, the declared plans and purposes of God, to restore the Jewish people, which he's been doing, and to defend them, and to eventually prevail in against all of his enemies, the Lord's enemies, and establish his.
Kingdom here on earth, so that's the ultimate thing that's going on here behind the scenes. But the pieces are moving very fast now, Rick. And again, more signs. We need to get ready. The Lord's coming back.
Author and journalist Dave Dolan giving us an historical, political, but most importantly, a prophetic perspective on what we see going on around us in the world today. Dave, as always, we appreciate you so much. Thanks so much. Look forward to talking to you again soon. It really always is a blessing.
Right, God bless. Great, great job, David. And understanding the past helps us to understand the present, and be able to, through Bible prophecy, understand the future. We're going to continue our conversation today with Winky Madab because we're coming up to the elections in Israel, and we really want to get a firsthand from Winky's perspective, another historian, about what's taking place in this upcoming election.
Well, that's right, Jimmy. I have Winky Madad with us. His real name is Yisroel Madad, but we call him Winky Madad because that is his nickname. He comes to us from his home in Shilo, which is in the area that the the world calls West Bank. We call it Judea and Samaria in Israel.
Winky, thanks for being with us today. Hi, everything okay with you guys? Absolutely, it is okay. We are going through the same thing you are right now. We're looking at elections coming up, but yours are coming up sooner than ours, and that is essentially what all the news reports are about here.
And we hear these stories about, you know, this is the most important election of our lifetime, and I think politicians say that every time. But as you look at what is going on in Israel and what you're facing right now, that could be true there. Could you talk about the elections? And what you see ahead for Israel in the future?
Well, our elections are going to be on this coming Tuesday, October twenty seventh. We're right now in the last five days. There are several basic issues in terms of the mechanics of the elections. We have a group of about four, I think, or five. Left-wing groups who are forming what we call here in Israel the anti-Nitzenyahu block, and they basically serve as the main opposition to the Netanyahu coalition.
We have a group of three Arabists.
Some of them will be running together; others separately. And as we probably discussed over the past good couple of years, there's always the problem of including. The Arab lists or the parties in a government coalition—they tried it last time with Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, and it really didn't work because most people read very well and listen very well to the Arab election propaganda, and it's not exactly pro-Israel and it has a very strong pro-Palestine element in it.
So they're sort of On the outs, within the Netanyahu, I'm going to call it the camp. It's not yet a coalition. You have at least three parties that are running, which do not, at this moment, seem to be passing the threshold. To explain to our our listeners here in Israel, it's a proportional representation system. The whole country is one voting district, and so everybody votes.
And but you have to get over three point twenty five, three point twenty five percent of the entire vote in order to be counted among the distribution of the hundred and twenty seats. At this moment in time, the projected. A number for the threshold is anywhere between one hundred sixty thousand and one hundred seventy thousand votes, depending on how many people vote in the election. That's an awful lot of votes, and they don't seem to be passing. If that happens, the main injury, if I can call it that, will be to the right-wing coalition parties.
Because those votes will be lost, they will not be counted in the next division of the 120 seats of the Knesset. And so, Mr. Netanyahu has been spending the last week trying to convince at least two party heads to drop out of the elections. Winky, you are what we call our man on the ground. You know that was a phrase that was used in the past, in the old days of radio, maybe.
But you are our man on the ground in Israel. You have an Israeli perspective because you live there, and you can't ignore the backdrop of the conflict with Iran.
Now, Israel has not been involved recently, but there are reports that Israel may be involved again with Iran. Can you talk about that specter and and how that is influencing? Influencing the race.
Well, let me answer the second part first, because I will continue on from my previous analysis for those who are still listening. Elections are a very difficult time because that's when the average citizen says, "What's more important to me: the state, its security, its economics?" Or because I'm religious, I want this. Or because I'm secular, I want this. Or I'm young, so I want this. And you never know what really drives people until you begin to count their votes.
I remember once someone, because I sat on the elections committee, someone put in a picture of a famous actress here in Israel. I don't know whether it was a protest vote or he really liked the actress, so it could be a very weird result. As for Iran, at the present moment that I'm speaking, both Mr. Trump and Mr. Netanyahu seem to be planning something, but will hold off both for the Israeli elections and your congressional elections midterm.
So I don't think, unless the Iranians surprise us, that there's going to be any sort of, you want to call it, war or an attack or some sort of military operation that could upset everybody. I hope there will not be, but we'll have to wait on that.
Well, we'll see what happens as we look at these elections coming up soon. It'll all be over potentially, anyways. At least as long as we look at the elections. But of course, they have to form a government after those elections. But let's move on and let's talk about some other things that have been in the news.
And full disclosure, you are in the area that, as I said in the opening, that the world calls the West Bank. We call it Judea and Samaria. You live there. You live there intentionally and purposefully. And you've been in the news this week.
There was what the world media might call "quote unquote" settler violence. And there was a politician that was running for Congress here in the United States. Brad Lander was there, and there was, and this is what he said. And I'm quoting what he said. He said, "I've been detained by the IDF along with a group of rabbis and volunteers.
We were simply harvesting olives in a grove near in the West Bank, and and of course he then talks about." The occupation. He then talks about how this is settler violence. Can you tell us a little bit about this incident and how we should be viewing this?
Well, as you know, and everybody I think listening knows, I grew up in America. I remember the Western movies of the nineteen fifties and early sixties, in which the farmers were against the cattlemen. Can you imagine me coming, or not me, because I have an American citizenship, but an Israeli coming over to America, and tearing down the fences that the cattlemen put up? Mr. Bradlander is a very nice guy, I guess, but you just don't come over here.
And throw yourself in the midst of a very complicated conflict. The people there did not arrange for this harvesting. The easiest thing to do is saying, "Listen, we want to help Mr.
So and So with his harvesting. Can you arrange it? Because olive trees, we don't even know who owns them." If he has a title deed, of course, they're his olives. Perhaps some Arabs would come into the olive grove either to throw rocks or to gather intelligence on a nearby Jewish community because they get a lot closer that way. And so, and not only that, but the army is there to protect them from the so-called Jewish violent settlers.
So I mean, you would think that proper order and management of an event would be to everybody's advantage, and no one would have to be detained. I just want to point out that, in fact, as I learned afterwards, that Mr. Bradlander was detained by the New York police about a month ago in a demonstration. And I don't think he went on television to complain about the police treatment about that, as if it's something illegal or something to be condemned.
So it's a political game, and we have our problems. He's not helping our problems at all. It is a political game, and we want to be careful here because you know we don't want to present a one-sided program. But you look at the claims of genocide in Gaza, which is not true. Israel is fighting an enemy that has attacked them, and they are intentionally hiding themselves amongst a civilian population.
We look at what's going on in the West Bank area, what the world calls the West Bank area, and you know these things have to be examined. Closely, like you said, it's very complicating, and many many of these things are intentionally put together to create, I guess, no other word to use it, but propaganda for the world media. Definitely, I mean, I just want to throw in one more thing. If anybody's been watching many of these video clips, or even I don't know what's on the news, the way you harvest olives here out in Judea and Samaria is usually an entire family comes out. They spread sheets under the trees.
Someone goes up and shakes the branches or smacks them with a very long pole for about an hour, and all the olives fall down, and they collect them.
Next time you see an event, look for those sheets. You won't see them because they're just there to show up to the trees and wait until someone comes along and start up a provocation. I'm not saying who's right or wrong, but the whole thing is political theater, and it's unfortunate. But that's what we face. Let me get your thoughts quickly about the riots in Europe.
Switching gears once again, and you know, Prime Minister Netanyahu told President Macron of France that you know, if he he said that he actually warned him that Hamas would reach Paris if he was not careful. We look at these protests and riots that are taking place in France right now, and Prime Minister Netanyahu's warnings seem to be coming to. Wishing, can you talk about this?
Well, it's quite simple. For the past three years, we've had the slogan "Globalize the Intifada." Well, that's what they're doing in Britain, in France. You saw the beginnings of it in southern Spain, where the Moroccans opened up the border, or Let people through about forty thousand in one day. It's changed, but you you see the beginnings of, especially in Belgium, of a low level intifada that breaks out every once in a while. The joke is that there's an awful lot of Vuitton bags now on sale second rate in Paris because that's what they stole.
So you've got a A real live, not settler violence. You have an Islamic violent eruption in Europe, and I warn the United States. And I think I've said this several times. If you will attest to my testimony, I've said it several times. It's coming to the United States.
I'm not only talking about Michigan, and Dearborn, and El Sayid. But I've been reading a lot, and I understand Texas is beginning to see a growth of Islamic institutions, and they're on the march. That's their religion. That's their culture, and it's happened before in history. They marched into France.
They took over Spain. In the 17th century, they got as far as Vienna from Turkey.
So I'm not talking. Neither me or any academic is not talking out of our hat. These things have happened. They will happen again.
Well, they certainly will, and that's why we are here on this program as we look to shed a light on what's going on around the world. And you give us your perspective, especially there from Israel. One final question for you before I let you go, Winky. As we look at all of these things going on, what's going on in Europe, what's going on in Israel, and the area of the West Bank, give us something to be hopeful for, because I think that there is certainly whether it's the faith of the people. In Israel, or whether it's just the the belief and the resilience of the Israelis, can you give us something to be hopeful for as we look forward to what's going on in the conflict in the Middle East and the Israeli elections, the U.S.
elections? Give us something to be hopeful for.
Well, since this program has a very strong religious character, or what we call faith program. This coming Shabbat, Saturday, the Jewish people who go to synagogue will be reading the chapters that begin with God's command to Abraham: "Get thee to the land of Israel." Basically, that's what the command is. And since that time, we've always been. Under the impression that we, as the Jewish people, and as an example for everybody who has religious ethics and faith in his heart, he has to be on the move. He has to go.
He cannot be static. We're marching towards a future that will be best for everybody. And if you have that message, if you have that urge, if I can use the word. From your beliefs and from your studies and from your instruction, you're always going to come out on top, and always going to be better for that, no matter what the dark horizons hold, because you're on the move. You're not.
You're changing for the best.
So I urge everybody to take that message in whichever way you want. And realize it, and you'll come out on top. Israel Madad talking to us from his home in Shilo in the in Israel. Winky, as always, we appreciate your insight. We appreciate you coming to us on a regular basis.
We'll probably be talking to you after these upcoming elections because you do provide us such great insight. Thanks so much. Look forward to talking to you then. Thank you, thank you very much. Goodbye to you and our listeners.
Great job today, Winky. And again, we're examining current events and how it's going to affect the future. We'll wrap it all up at the end of the program, but we got to take a break and get ready for the Legacy Series with Dr. Jimmy D Young right here on Prophecy Today Weekend. 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. You know, Rick, I'm seeing a lot of people getting ready to go back to Israel, and we are planning on going back to Israel ourselves with a group. But you know, we keep watching the situation, and and as David Dolan told us today, World War Three almost could break out very much in the Middle East.
So we want to be very Good stewards, and but we do have several trips lined up to go back to Israel. We'll post those on the website, and we want you to to go with us when we go, and we'll make sure that you are safe there as long as we can get you through New York City.
Okay, all right.
Well, today on the Legacy Series with Doctor Jimmy DeYoung, we begin a brand new series, a study on the kingdom. You know, there is so much in the Bible about the kingdom.
However, and the church did. Day, there is so much confusion about the kingdom. In this first study, Doctor DeYoung will show you the pattern for the kingdom and the place where the kingdom will be ruled from by Jesus Christ. We'll take a look first at our road map through eschatology, and then we'll go to Genesis chapter one. Doctor Jimmy DeYoung and the Legacy Series.
In Christianity today, as it relates to where we, many Christians believe that we are today. And that would be that. Indeed, Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords now, and that He is on His throne, and that we are in, to some extent, the kingdom. There is a lot of Christendom that would you would be considered dominion theologians, believing that the kingdom is now in operation. Even if you are someone who doesn't quite believe that, but you still many.
Times will use the terminology about Jesus Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, talking about the kingdom being in place. And these things, I believe, are very concerning to me as it relates to what the Word of God has to say. And I believe that we must have a proper understanding of the kingdom. Let me set in place, which would be the roadmap through eschatology, for the purpose of helping you get a handle or get an understanding or set a grid within your mind as how in time events are going to unfold—the rapture of the church. Found in chapter four, verse one of the book of Revelation, also in First Thessalonians chapter four, verses thirteen to eighteen, and then in the book of Second First Corinthians chapter fifteen, verses fifty-one to fifty-three.
Jesus Christ Himself mentioned or referred to the rapture of the church in the upper room that night of the Last Supper when He made the following statement: "Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me." My Father's house, or many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go, I shall come again and receive you unto myself.
That where I am, there you may be also. That's not talking about the second coming of Christ. I will gather you up to be with me. And so, when we're talking about this information, we're talking about Jesus calling the people up. He he he will gather us up to meet him, and we will go with him into the air.
So that's the rapture of the church. A seven-year period of time. We have sixteen chapters of detailed. Information found in the book of Revelation, which would be chapter four through chapter nineteen, detailed information about the tribulation, and then we have the return of Jesus Christ back to the earth, and this is the second coming. Revelation chapter nineteen, verse eleven and following, when he comes back to the earth, followed by the thousand year millennial kingdom.
Revelation chapter twenty, verses one to six, the thousand years when Satan is bound in the bottomless. Pit the thousand years when Jesus Christ will rule and reign, and the conclusion of that thousand years, the Great White Throne Judgment, Revelation chapter twenty verses eleven to fifteen, and then into eternity, future new heavens, new earth, and a new Jerusalem. But what I would like to help you understand is there is a kingdom period that is not yet set up, but will be set up. God has a plan, has a pattern, has a place for all of this to take place, and indeed. It will happen, but it is not now in operation.
And this is very key. The kingdom no place in the Bible that I can see has been promised to Christians. We have a relationship with the kingdom because we have a relationship with Jesus Christ. But the kingdom was actually promised and then presented to the Jewish people. And just because that was postponed, does not mean that it's going to be over forever.
Let me begin with a. Look at the God's kingdom plan and how He's going to bring it into existence. Let's go to the book of Genesis, chapter one, if you will. Genesis chapter one, and I want to show you the pattern for the kingdom because that's exactly how the Lord started out. He put in place the leaders of the kingdom, and this will help us to start to get a handle on exactly how the Lord has planned for this kingdom period of time.
Of course, in Genesis chapter one, we see creation, the six days of creation, and everything that Jesus Christ, the Creator, Colossians one sixteen, did to bring all that has ever been and ever will be into existence in six twenty four hour days. He says in the book of Exodus, over in chapter twenty and verse eleven, "I created the heavens, the earth, and all that in." In them is nothing before, nothing after has been created during that six twenty-four hour days. In the afternoon of the sixth day, in the morning of the sixth day, over in chapter one and starting in verse twenty-four, he brings into existence all creeping things, all cattle, everything on the earth that would be the time for the dinosaurs to be created. They are not prehistoric animals; they were created on the sixth day of creation, and then. I'm just suggesting.
In the afternoon, he's going to bring in man, creating him in his own image. Look with me at verse 26, Genesis chapter one, verse 26. And God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." Now, notice, and let them. Them, plural, let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. What is the them talking about?
Verse twenty-seven will define it.
So God created man in His own image; in the image of God created He him, male and female created He them. Verse twenty-eight, and God blessed them. And God said unto them, Adam and Eve, was already been defined. God said unto them, "Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth.
Now, notice, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." And so, the pattern for the kingdom was to have Adam and Eve have dominion over all of creation. Dominion is rule over all of creation. This is the establishment of the pattern of the kingdom that would be in the future. Them having a relationship with ruling all that would be on the face of the earth. God brings them for the purpose of being able to do that.
Look at the place that this would all happen, and where would the headquarters be for this kingdom? We go to chapter two now, in verse eight, to see the place of this kingdom that the Lord would establish. And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden. I have to have a little bit of a concern about the way this verse reads because I don't quite understand what it's saying. It makes this statement, and the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, eastward of what?
You see, if you're going to give direction, the word of life in would be south of Scroon Lake downtown. And so you're having a reference upon which you set direction. And so I went to the concordance. I looked up the word that was there, the Hebrew word gadim, which is talking about eastward. But it also, and most of the time, is translated before times or afore time.
And so I took an alternate translation for the same word. For the same word used throughout the entire Bible, and it would read like this. Then, and the Lord God planted a garden before time in Eden. In the second chapter of the book of Genesis, He's getting ready to talk to us about the Garden of Eden and placing Adam and Eve there. And remember, in the first chapter, twenty six, twenty seven, and twenty eight, He gives them dominion over everything.
So that's the pattern. The Husband and wife, Adam and Eve will have dominion over everything, and in fact, it will be in the Garden of Eden where they will have the operation for this kingdom that they're going to have. Chapter three is going to tell us, of course, that because of their sin, they lose this dominion, and God then puts in place another plan. But indeed, they had the dominion; they had the dominion for all of of creation. When did the Garden of Eden come into existence?
Go back to chapter one again, just for a moment, in verse nine. And I believe it was on the third day of creation that the Garden of Eden comes into existence. Chapter one, verse nine. And God said, "Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. And God called the dried land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters called He Seas.
And God saw that it was good.
Now verse eleven, and God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and all the fruit trees yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself upon the earth." And it was so. This the third day of creation. I believe God brought the Garden of Eden into existence. At this third day of creation, and brings everything in place for Adam and Eve to be placed in there to rule over the kingdom that He is going to give them in the sixth day of creation. I want you to notice several things about the Garden of Eden when it was put in place.
First of all, it had trees that were bearing fruit in it at the time He created them.
Now, that's a very important fact. We got a lot of people telling us how old the earth is, and they base that upon the fact that indeed you have to have a period of time for all these things to evolve. The Lord God told Jesus to bring everything into existence because God the Father was the designer. Jesus Christ was the carpenter, and He's the one who brought everything into existence by speaking it so. But He did not take a little orange seed, dig a hole in the earth that He had created, stick it in the hole, put a little fertilizer and a pour a little water on it, play some sweet music in the background, and wait for it to grow up and have an orange.
No, when he created the Garden of Eden, when he created this beautiful, the trees, the shrubs, and the grass, he put a fruit tree there already bearing fruit. It already had age on it. You don't think he created Adam as a little baby, do you? Oh, Adam, you're so cute. One of these days you'll grow up, and I'll pull a rib out of you and make woman.
No, no, he created Adam with age. Everything. Those stars out there that supposedly have been sending their light for thousands and hundreds of thousands and millions of light years, those were created with age as well. Everything. You know, the Bible talks about in the Book of Second Peter chapter.
Three, a bunch of people in the last days who will deny the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and it says they will be wilfully ignorant. I like my translation much better. They will be dumb on purpose, not wilfully ignorant. They're going to be dumb, man. The Bible says it.
There's only one. Creature that was there at the time of creation, the one who did it, and then he told Moses to write it down. Scientists try to explain everything; they have no capability because they're not even involved in true science. True science has to have someone who observes what happens and then be able to replicate it. No scientist was there to observe creation, and he certainly can't replicate it.
God's word tells us what happens, and He brings into existence on the third day of creation. He brings in the Garden of Eden. God's creation of the Garden of Eden on the third day of creation. Was for the purpose of establishing the place where the first and, in fact, the last kingdom will be set up for the Lord Jesus Christ to rule and reign from for one thousand years, and then into eternity future.
Next week we'll look at the similarities between the first kingdom and the next kingdom that will be ruled by Jesus Christ. This study on the kingdom is very important for us today, but it is of great significance for each of us for the future as well. Dr. Jimmy DeYoung and the Legacy Series. We did a DVD on this series.
It's called Thy Kingdom Come. If you'd like to go to our website, they're listed on the website. Plus, you could probably go to YouTube, or we do have a few that you can get through our ministry. And we would love for you to help us continue the ministry of prophecy today. We got to take a break when we come back.
Rick and I will talk about some ancient history with us right here on Prophecy Today Weekend. I'm Ruth Kramer with Mission Network News. Drought is making dire conditions even worse in Sudan, pushing at least 14 areas in the war-torn nation closer to famine. John, a gospel worker serving refugees from Sudan, says suffering compounds daily. There are now 7.8 million South Sudanese who are facing acute hunger.
There are more than that many. In Sudan, three thousand refugees are coming across the border into South Sudan every week. Pray for Sudanese church planters to bring practical aid and the hope of Jesus to people facing indescribable loss. Three years ago, we had a number of graduates from sixty tribes. We now have three hundred and fifty graduates from ninety tribes, unreached people groups in refugee camps.
Then a gospel breakthrough in Ghana, West Africa. Eight young evangelists taking the gospel into remote villages now have their missions fully funded. Listen to one of them preaching earlier this month.
So Jesus, I'm the who do people say I am? Let me hear something. Me young God, me young Father, Sabuma. Ray Mensa with One Way Africa says the team has reached more than sixty thousand people this year with the Jesus film. More than ten thousand report decisions for Christ.
These results are the impact of your prayer. But as the gospel advances, these missionaries need your continued prayer support, protection, spiritual warfare, and continuous provision for the the supporters who are supporting that God. Pray for more open doors and more lives transformed by Christ. Thanks for listening to Mission Network News, a service of OnWay Ministries. This November, join believers globally in prayer for the Hindu world.
Bibles for the World is offering a free 15-day Hindu World Prayer Guide for November 1st through the 15th. Get your copy for free by clicking the banner ad at MissionNews.org. I'm Chris Kramer. 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. Rick, at the outset of the program today, I talked about our lineage and the thirty years plus that we've been working in the Middle East. But as you and I were talking between the breaks, we actually, you know, we talked about Dad doing the election. Way back in what year was that? 1984, Jimmy, and I know you were involved working at the radio station in New York City.
I was looking at it on the internet. The radio station that you guys worked at at the time, WNYM AM 1330, played a prominent role in broadcasting live, comprehensive coverage of the deadlocked 1984 Israeli legislative election to the metropolitan area's. Jewish community, which is so interesting. Forty-two years ago, Jimmy, and for all the things that have happened since, but God putting you and Dad into place. Of course, I was just a young guy then, but God putting you and Dad into place to play a role, to be an eyewitness to history.
Of course, you would go on to live in Israel after that as well, and and then Mom and Dad going on later, becoming missionaries and reporters, and all the stuff that happened after that. But that was forty-two years ago, and that is how long we have been looking at this situation and and understanding what's going on in Israel, and of course, developing a view of what is going on in Israel based through the lens of Bible prophecy. Yes, you know, and I like your interview with David because it was a lot of his experience, Dave Dolan's experience with Dad over the years. I first worked with Dave in as a journalist in. 1984.
After the elections, I went there and lived there during the first Israeli Lebanon conflict, and a lot of this we did, and David did when he wrote his book. This led up to the writing of his book in 2000. But you know. God puts you in places where you understand and you learn things, and at the outset of the program, and even you know before you talk to David on the vortex, you know of the Middle East, we talked about the aspect of you know understanding history past and helps us to understand the present, and studying Bible prophecy helps us to understand the future.
So I think that's something that was really. Really phenomenal to be a part of history through the years. Of course, we had the radio station. Dad was the general manager at the radio station in New York City. I came back from college and was producing the nighttime programs for you know guys that later on played a significant role.
Rabbi Merkavahna, who was assassinated by the same group that tried to bring down the World Trade Center in the nineties.
So you know you. It's just interesting how God puts you in places, and you do certain things, and then of course you and I have been back many years doing tours to Israel, which Dad did, and then you and I took it over, and and even yourself, an excellent teacher in your own right.
So you know this is very important, and we understand and we learn how to figure out the future Bible prophecies of key regions in ancient regions of the. Middle East and how they're going to play a role in the future.
So very good. I like that, Rick. And we're giving some folks today that maybe are new listeners to us a little insight into our history, as we were trained by our father, and we carry on this program because of him. And we're still doing conferences and teaching Bible prophecy and trips to Israel. We certainly are, and it was kind of nice—a little walk down memory lane as we remember that time in New York City, and of course, God putting people into our lives that later on help us to have a better understanding of Bible prophecy.
But Jimmy, covering the elections back then, and now as we look at covering the elections that are upcoming in a few days in 2026, we're not doing this because we are big into Israeli politics. We—I mean—that's a That's a tough nut to crack. It's hard to understand, and you know, you know, it's difficult for them to understand. It's very complicated, confusing. We tried to do our best to explain it.
I hope you understand what's going on. But we do keep an eye on the nation of Israel, the city of Jerusalem, and what is going on there with Temple Mount. As we look at the at what is taking place there in the world, because we know that that's basically God's timepiece. That's God's timepiece to tell us what is going. On in the world, and you know, as things escalate, and you compare what the what's going on in the Middle East right now with what the Bible says, certainly seems as David mentioned when we were talking to him, it certainly seems like it cannot be long before this plan goes into effect.
The Rapture of the Church happens, and things start to happen as God said they would. Yes, outside of the program today, we talked about the future Bible prophecies of His. Ezekiel thirty-eight, Daniel, the book of Daniel, and the book of Revelation, and you know we see a coalition from Ezekiel thirty-eight coming together to come against Israel. We see as we talk about the European Union, we see the revived Roman Empire, which the European Union is at least the infrastructure of that today. And then there are other nations of Bible prophecy that we take a take a look at, and you know one of those is.
The ancient city of Babylon in Iraq, and you know we see Iraq coming back to to a prominent level today.
So, you know, Bible prophecy never changes. It's just our understanding of it, and that's as time goes forward. You begin to understand what's taking place, and that's why we do this program, Rick. We do this program examining current events, tie them back to, and we're really not. Far-reaching on these things, we're trying to just solidly look at current events in the light of God's prophetic word.
It's interesting that you say that. I I used to feel like maybe we were we were reaching a little bit. It was far-reaching, maybe in the past, because how could these things happen in the way that the Bible is going to say them? But they're becoming more and more likely. It's not even like it's it's not just that it's making it possible; it's making it more likely.
And and of course, Jimmy, as we look at that, it should encourage. Encourage us to prepare ourselves for what is going to take place and get about the business of doing what we're supposed to be doing, which is sharing the gospel. Amen. I like it, Rick. Good job.
Bible prophecy is put into scripture so that we might live a pure, productive, holy life. But first, we must bring glory and honor to God in everything that we do in our lives and telling others about God's gift of salvation, a restored relationship with the Creator. Rick, thank you so much for doing the program today. For keeping us abreast of the situations around the world, you and I pore over these stories, and then we look at them and we do these interviews. and It's all because we want to educate and edify the body of Christ.
And with everything that we've seen today, Rick, it doesn't seem like that rapture of the church is that far away. In fact, it could happen even today. Let's keep looking up until. Thank you so much for joining us today. This is Jay Johnson inviting you to join us again next week for more of Prophecy Today.
Prophecy Today is a listener-supported production of Shofar Communications in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
