Welcome to Voices from Zion, Robbie and the Rabbi. a podcast where ancient truth meets today's hunger for God. I'm Robbie, a Christian pastor and broadcaster, and joining me is my dear friend and teacher, Rabbi Chaim Eisen, a renowned Torah scholar, the founder and dean of Yeshiva Shershim, Zion Bible Studies, and a lifelong bridge builder between Jews and Christians. For over 40 years, Rabbi Eisen has stirred hearts and minds across Israel, North America, and Europe, teaching the depths of the Hebrew Bible, Jewish thought, and the eternal relevance of God's Word. As a senior rabbinic lecturer, a Talmudic scholar, and an IDF Torah educator and mentor to many, his voice carries the weight of tradition.
and the urgency of today. This podcast is more than a conversation. It's a journey. A meeting at the crossroads of Covenant. A shared longing to honor the God of Israel and to speak his truth in the global marketplace of ideas with clarity, reverence, and bold love.
Together, we'll explore the scriptures in their original Hebrew. wrestle with hard questions, and celebrate the beauty of what unites us. and the respect that deepens when we acknowledge what doesn't.
So welcome to the dialogue. Welcome to the wrestle. Welcome to Voices from Zion. Robbie and the Rabbi. Oh, I love these voices from Zion and and I love how God is teaching us through Rabbi Hein.
And We're excited as we can be as we continue this journey that started apparently in Yeah. You know. Oh, thousands of years ago, to what God is currently kind of doing in the age that we live in. And when we uh Sort of left our hero Mark Twain back in the in the previous episodes. We're now picking up and wow, God is beginning to do something marvelous.
And it was quite a transition here. Uh, rabbi, uh, take it from there. You know Given what you just noted, which was, I think, such. A powerful synopsis. This is a journey that goes back thousands of years.
I'd actually like to begin not where I had intended. But um By the Making A fairly basic even pedestrian observation. that I think has profound significance. We may have even discussed this at some point. The two of us.
That You know, when you consider Something that's really at the bedrock. of all Western religions and ideologies as opposed to in the Far East. There's a sense of History. Progressing if not linearly Nonetheless Progressing somehow. Towards an ultimate goal in the future.
It's not the kind of cyclical view that we find in the Far East. And if we ask ourselves what Is the undergirding of this difference between West and East. I think the obvious answer is that all Western religions and ideologies developed under the influence of the Bible. And One of the most foundational messages in the Bible. is precisely that.
This is a starting point. And that starting point, of course. Those tactics are to be It is also a concluding point. We'll express it of course in the terms that both Jews and Christians use. The coming of the Messiah.
Of course. We may have a lot of disagreements with respect to the details, but the principle The The world is moving toward an ultimate redemptive goal. is so fundamental, so foundational. I think if I had to choose one chapter of the Bible that really enunciates this message. Perhaps Most fundamentally I'll cite Moses' song in Deuteronomy chapter 32.
Simply because One could well ask oneself in contemplating the song What's it coming to these shows that we don't already know? And I'm not going to say we don't already know this message. but it definitely is highlighting. This message. that there's a historical progression unfolding in the world.
And We relate to God. On some level, the God of our historical experience which is just such a found foundational Dimension in our bonding with God, in our experiencing God. personally in our own lives. person in our own lives, but also in the collective. Looking at the world.
Seeing where things are heading. If I can Ed on the Very personal note. When We did our last recording It was Before The battle in Iran took place. And you know goodness. If a person doesn't see the hand of God, in what has unfolded here.
I don't know, that sounds like a blindness that Nothing could possibly cure. And that's also part of Seeing God's hand in history. And recognizing it's not just God advancing history. But charging us. as his junior partners.
to be his instruments. in advancing History, the world. to the goals that he has designated.
So I realized it was a little bit digressive with respect to our agenda, but I don't think it's totally digressive because. This really informs everything that we're doing. Oh, and I love the fact that you used The Song of Moses. Um And it's almost like To me, yes, it takes you back thousands of years. But in all my own life, you know, I started sucking honey from the rock and then I waxed fat.
And I had to get.
So we all. You know, back to uh y you know, and and it it's it's a beautiful thing to think that that's A way that God is using to draws to himself in such a precious way that Um In these last two weeks, three weeks, you know, since we recorded Uh Oh my goodness, if that didn't take you to a place, I don't know what you believe, but I was sure at a place like, oh God. Like I know you got this, but man, this is high stakes stuff here. And you know, we have sons and daughters, all of us, and grandchildren, and all sorts of people that were. At stake is God It it it, like you said, it's completely miraculous from our point of view.
How do you go into such a fortified Place with such few casualties on the offensive side. The casualties in Israel from the bombings. are unthinkable and and horrific and And our prayers go out for those people. But as far as Uh The number of planes that were shot down, or anything else that from the actual battles, you can't say that's not miraculous. Yeah.
Unfortunately, of course, as you noted. They were casualty civilians. Uh 20 people Choose Christians, Muslims, all, obviously, the Iranians don't accept differentiate even Muslims. fell prey to their their missiles. Um As much as every single human being is an entire world.
The stores On some little of miraculous dimension. The compared with what was feared. And what was feared was God forbid, thousands of casualties. Um Again, every life is precious, but it was still a miracle. Backups.
And like you say, there's the miraculous dimension of folding. I don't think it's a matter of everyone having some relatives. Who had a stake in what took place, the whole world had a stake in what was taking place. The threat to human civilization. That was posed by murderous fanatical regime.
developing nuclear weapons are just simply incalculable. And And so they're equally powerful allies. That was China and Russia and had full nuclear capabilities had they chose to enter into the strife and so yeah.
Okay, well Wow. This is the day the Lord has made. We rejoice and exult in it, even as we mourn for all those who gave their lives.
Now, moving back to the original agenda. Um if I can Uh perhaps in bark. In particular, what we discussed with with respect to They Degeneration. That was taking place in the 18th century, the 19th century. The barrenness, the desolation, the depopulation.
A dismal Heartbroken land. What to me perhaps comes most immediately to mind one of the most terrifying prophecies In all the Bible. Amos Chapter five. From the beginning of the chapter, he was this word which I take up for a lamentation over you, O house of Israel. The Virgin of Israel is fallen.
One more rise. She is cast down. down upon her land. there is none to raise her up.
So it really sounds Like Yeah. and utterly cataclysmic. Nemesis. No hope. It's over.
And yet The same prophet, Amos. Just four chapters later in chapter nine. Yeah. Employing The selfsame verb. States In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David.
Literally, of course, in the Hebrew will say the sukkah. That is fallen. Yeah. But The breaches thereof. And I will raise up his ruins.
And I will build it. as in the days of old. And then that follows are the breathtaking Final words. of Amos's prophecy, behold, the day is come. Says the Lord, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes, him that sows seed, and the mountains shall drop.
sweet wine and all the hills will melt. And I will return the captivity of my people Israel, and they shall build waste cities and inhabit them, and they shall plant vineyards and drink the wine thereof. They shall also make gardens and eat the fruit of them, and I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be plucked up out of their land which I have given them. Says the Lord your God. But Focusing upon Again, the the tension.
the almost unbearable tension. Between chapter five The Virgin Vision has fallen, she shall no more rise. Um Chapter 9, the first of the verses I read, verse 11. I will raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen.
So which is it? And uh because on the most basic plane. We appreciate the seller contradiction. She shall no more rise. on her own.
On her own. She's done. In chapter nine, it's I raise up. The tabernacle of David is fallen. It's not going to happen on its own.
It's only going to happen. Through a miracle of God.
So That one second. But how much I love that. Because Um You know, it's a common thing here in the United States. People misquote the Bible as saying God won't give you more than you can. handle.
Right. And I recently heard this. Which is a quote, you know, out of verse John, but that they're misquoting a verse, but it's okay because I love the. I love where it goes with a new school of thought to that is God won't give you more than you can handle. Excuse me, God will give you more than you can handle by yourself.
Okay. Yeah. In other words. With God, you can handle anything, but without God, you pretty much are going to do nothing. um scripturally that would be Um Certainly the case.
So I I love what you say that that's exactly at the end of Amos. What what insight to think Like, oh my goodness. Yeah. Alone This is where you end up in desolation that like I have been in my life many, many moments, you know, because you make that choice almost. hour by hour to some or minute by minute or second by second.
Then it's barren. versus like, oh my goodness, what you guys What you see in Israel today in the fruit of What you what you've done together, Ryan. But it's all of course as God's agents. We're not in business for ourselves. It it's it's purely Being able to serve as the junior partners.
that God has made us Greatest gifts I don't think. They make us individual partners. And to be the agents of the fulfillment of these words. You know, if I can. Share two things here.
Maybe first. Yeah, what what you just said Reverend Robbie. uh Good. God God giving us only what we can handle with him. You know, there's the old story and it doesn't matter if it's cliche, but still has a Crucial message.
of the old man Just lost his wife. And he's walking alone on the beach saying God, I thought you said you'd never leave me. And here I am walking in the sand and I only see one set of footprints. And He hears A voice of infinite softness saying That one set of footprints. is me carrying you.
I love it. Yes.
So again Yeah. We can't even begin to fathom. What? We bear When we are in God's hands. And um The the other dimension that I also wanted to share, especially apropos of God raising up The tabernacle.
Of David. That is fallen. Yeah. Tabernacle has a very concrete meaning. Especially to us Jews.
because of the Festival of Tabernacles. It's too cold. We dwell in Sukkot, which you can translate as tabernacles or booths. relatively flimsy structures that Of course, always remind us that We're not in permanent dwellings. We are Um the shade, as it were.
that God gives us. But you know And note with respect to God raising up the tabernacle of David? We would think The The greatest dynasty the world has or will ever know. wouldn't be described as a tabernacle. It would be described as a house.
And we do have this expression, the house of David.
So why is it specifically raising up the tabernacle of David? And if I can share with you Uh comment. By One of The Great Bible Scholars. Uh The sixteenth century Rabbi Judah Lowy of Prague. He notes with respect to this verse You know If a house is fallen All you've got left is rubble.
You can't build it until you cart out all the rubble and Start from scratch. A suka? A tabernacle goose. It's a funsy structure. Falls down.
You just put it right back up. It doesn't become a ruin. Because It's very temporary in nature. Always disposes it. to being stood back up as it was.
Granted It drives home. the fragility of our existence. But it also serves as a signpost. As a constant reminder. That in the blink of an eye God can restore everything that was lost.
And well, certainly we haven't seen. Blinks of an eye, relatively speaking, we have. After all, In Psalm 90, we know very well, we read that a thousand years in your eyes. or as the yesterday that is passed and watch in the night.
Well Yeah. That's As the yesterday that has passed, Then the extraordinary deliverance of God on his promises. Through the prophets. It really has been. A blink of an eye.
Yeah, if I could jump in here, Giz, again, you just. Intrigued me no end. And again, I realized that. You know, our view of end times and the Messiah coming. Um is this idea of Sukkot?
from my perspective. Right. That Um God is going to tabernacle with his people. And I I absolutely love that feast. Bun.
I especially love the four kinds. And how they kind of represent the four kinds. of believers or Jews as as the case may be. And some of what that is, is an idea to me of when God raises up the tabernacle of Mm-hmm. David Yes, exactly.
Like the rabbi noted, that that can go up. But also I I love the idea of Of the four kinds, and how the, from what I understand, but you can correct me if I'm wrong, that that. that last kind which, as I recall, is a river birch. The willow. The willow.
He's celebrated not because he Smells good. or because he tastes good, it's just because he is. Um Right? Right, right. That is the uh the symbolism.
All of the four species representing four different types of people. And um and there are those who, like you say, don't have the taste, they don't have the smell, that is um the the uh the the interpretation being They Don't shine with good deeds And they don't shine with knowledge of God's word either. But they're part of the greater whole and The Greater Hole. Invite everyone in. And yet, of course, very much along those lines.
although not with an emphasis upon the four species, but with an emphasis upon the tabernacle. the um the message that we read at the end of the prophecy of Zachariah. In Zachariah chapter 14. That After that Final battle of the forces of evil against God. Which of course takes place explicitly.
We're at ground zero over here. In Jerusalem. I think that's a good idea. What happens afterwards? What happens afterward is all those who remain of those nations Come every year.
to celebrate So code. In Jerusalem. And uh yeah, first first comment on that is I don't believe. Those who survive are random survivors. When those nations came to do battle against God in Jerusalem, Every nation, no matter how bankrupt it was, had certain individuals who are on God's side all alone.
And when Those who come to do battle with God. All destroyed. That's going to be the nation that's left. Those who are standing with God all along. And they will come.
Every year. to celebrate Tukkot in Jerusalem. That is to imbibe this message. Yeah, as you say, especially through the four species But Also very tangibly expressed. by everyone coming into God's tabernacle.
In Jerusalem. So There's that great hope coming. that we're all looking forward to. Even if Again, we have those words in Amos chapter five that sound really awful.
Well, you know, we actually have an ancient tradition of Repunctuating That verse. uh chapter five verse two which Simple reading, the virgin of Israel is full and she shall no more rise. By just inserting some extra commas. In the Hebrew It really works out. credibly To read it as Fallen never to fall again.
Arise, O Virgin of Israel. It's amazing what some comments could do, right? But of course, it's not the commas, it's God. That is the moment that we recognize that God is the God of history. History is.
Kids. Story. Then We appreciate the extent to which We can experience God. Just by looking around. I see his hand.
Especially nowadays. But on so many levels. You really have to be blind not to see. God, as it were. is on the march.
They're Joan Peters. was working on a book. To show how evil Israel was, and she started doing the research for the book, and she ended up writing. A volume From time immemorial that is a testimonial.
So Truth. in the face of old libels that were spread. Really? It goes back. 100 years, but especially since the 1960s.
Since some Brilliantly Evil planner decided the best way to give the terrorists the world's sympathy is by making up a completely concocted narrative that has no basis in reality. And it's just been going on since then. The big law is The new eye. Anyone who wants to find the truth? can find it.
And again, I think that's part of God's plan. Because at the end of the day Every single individual Every man and woman. is going to stand before God We read in Jeremiah chapter 10 verse 10 God, the Lord is truth. And they're going to have to give an accounting. Were they on the side of truth?
Or when were they on the side of lies? That's really all I can say. Another great way to go into a whole description of how maliciously egrecious these lies are. But that's the responsibility that every individual has. Seek out the truth.
Don't fall So lies Don't pander to the purveyors of These lines. Yeah, that's wonderful, and speaking of truth. Um you know we just have a few minutes probably about seven or eight left to get back to kind of finish The truth that we can find in God's word where you don't have to even consider like Awful. Uh Again, plumbing the depths of that is It will spend eternity, I'm sure. Uh enjoying that, loving it, but um Uh to to follow along in your Um Prophecies talking about the era that we're in right now.
We have Kind of covered Amos. And Zachariah, a little bit. Where else do you want to go?
So I I think that the the best way for us to at the very least If we don't have that much time left. But at the very least, to set the stage to what lies ahead is Very Beginning this Tour of the Bible Which is Much more of a tour of the Bible than a tour of Jerusalem. It's a torment of the Bible. uh with the words that Mark Twain himself quoted. I think we've mentioned them, but it's important for us to really soak this up.
In Leviticus chapter 26. When After the promise for being faithful to the covenant. We read the punishment. If we forsake God's covenant. And I'm not going to focus Right now.
Um The promise that emerges At the end of the passage in Leviticus chapter 26, namely that Even if We aren't faithful to the covenant. God is faithful to the covenant. I'm going to focus upon the promise that emerges ironically For the punishment. In Leviticus chapter 26. From verse 31.
I will make your cities a waste. and bring your sanctuaries into desolation. and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odors And I will bring the land into desolation. The next phrase. Then Most translations I think it's and your enemies that dwell therein shall be astonished at it.
But perhaps Translating more rigorously from the Hebrew is a verb that is applied to the enemies. is a verb that means desolation.
So perhaps more rigorously we could say, I will bring the land in desolation, and your enemies that dwell therein will be in a state of desolation themselves. And the continuation isn't pleasant. And you will I scatter among the nations, and I will draw out the sword after you, and your land will be a desolation, and your cities will be a waste. Finally, of course. Many verses afterward.
10 first afterwards. Then I will remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember, and I will remember the land. Yeah, yeah. That Well, it certainly is part of the punishment. In our tradition, Those words Or also Palmus.
And we see how that promise. played itself so dramatically in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. As long as the land. is in the hands of your enemies. The land will be in desolation, and they will too.
Because the land will not bring forth its bounty. To anyone. Other than its children. And maybe in this vein, even though there's something we really need to focus on at greater length. Oh note Right now the outset The thrust of Ezekiel chapter thirty-six.
As he goes up to thirty-six. presents us With A prophecy that God bids Ezekiel to prophesy to the mountains the mountains and the hills sounds bizarre talking to mountains and hills Until you think, you know. Ezekiel came from here. Jerusalem. Psalm 125.
Jerusalem is surrounded by mountains. And where is he when he's experiencing this prophecy? is in Babylon. The flood played between the Tigris and the Euphrates. All the alluvial soil of the sediments of those rivers, not a mountain in sight.
Boy, what he would do to be able to see those mountains again. He does. In the visions of the Lords. But he has a prophecy in Ezekiel chapter 36, and I'm going to focus upon verse 8 in particular. You O mountains of Israel.
You shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit. to my people Israel. for they are near to come.
Well, they certainly weren't here to come in the time of Ezekiel. But when they are near to come The mountains will sow it. Because they will soup for their branches. and yield forth their fruit. And their tradition There is no more definitive sign of the end times.
Than when the mountains of Israel shoot fourth advantages. and yield their fruit. You read these descriptions of the desolate Mountains and hills. Round about Jerusalem. In the 18th, 19th centuries.
And all of a sudden something changes. And boy. It didn't change because all of a sudden nature changed. It changed. because it was an act of God.
it changed because these prophecies really are More colour. In today's newspapers.
So I think that's a good Here note. And considering all these prophecies, there are so much more covered than today's newspapers. And I'm very much looking forward. Reverend Robbie, for us to be able to continue this journey through the words of the Bible. and see how God's promises are so literally and absolutely forever.
That is so awesome. Shalom, Shalom, yes. Shalom from Jerusalem, the holy city. Considering We are so honored that you would join us today on Voices from Zion, Robbie, and the Rabbi. For more information about Rabbi Haim, Go to his website, zionbible studies.org.
That's zionbiblestudies.org. Or visit me, Robbie Dillmore. at the Christian Carguy website. That's ChristianCarGuy.com. Once again, Shalom from Jerusalem, the holy city, God's city.
