Arafat's Bloody CynicismU.S. News & World Report The world mourns the death of the Oslo peace process. It did not die of natural causes. It was killed—killed not by some unknown crazed fanatic but by a Nobel Peace Prize winner and one of its godfathers. Yasser Arafat masterminded the violence that has destroyed the dream that two antagonistic peoples could live together. The dream rested on mutual trust, exemplified by the Israelis' yielding land for peace. Now nobody in Israel trusts Arafat. He has convinced the most dovish that he is a pathological liar, a charlatan, and an impostor. As another Nobel peace laureate, Elie Wiesel, said, the doves "finally recognize Yasser Arafat for what he is: ignorant, devious, and unworthy of trust."
Suffer the children. It is hard to avoid the conclusion that the ultimate Palestinian goal is not just the establishment of the state of Palestine but the destruction of the State of Israel. Arafat has released numerous Hamas prisoners, including some involved in suicide bombings, from Palestinian Authority jails. This can only mean a re-escalation of terrorism to bring pressure on Israel. It follows his cynical use of children as pawns in this new war, on the evident calculation that television images of mortally wounded youngsters strengthen Arafat's political position. But again, as Wiesel said, "Why does Chairman Arafat not protect them but instead use them as shields for adults throwing stones, and worse?" Arafat could end the violence. He has 30,000 policemen and a dozen security services under his control, seven times the number of Hamas and Islamic Jihad members.
Now Arafat has widened the conflict. It is no longer a national struggle just between two peoples. It is an Israeli-Arab conflict on the verge of becoming a Jewish-Muslim conflict, which will make everything much more difficult to resolve.
What is Israel to do?
Barak is suggesting unilateral withdrawal in
which Israel would establish borders and incorporate the land it needs
for security to protect the main Jewish communities it has established,
while bringing the outlying Jewish settlers back into territories under
Israeli control. This would ultimately lead to the establishment of a
quasi state for the Palestinians—short of what was offered at Camp
David, at least until there is a new Palestinian leadership that would
recognize Israel as a legitimate state and acknowledge that the Jewish
people are indigenous to this land and not a bunch of trespassers just
passing through.
Arafat and the TempleWorldNet Daily
Since writing "Myths of the Middle East" [reprinted in November Levitt Letter] less than two weeks ago, I have been inundated with e-mail from all over the world—at least 5,000 letters from Israel alone! The article has been translated into a dozen languages. It has been the subject of network television debates. It has been read on Israeli national radio. And, while most of the reaction has been passionately favorable, there have been threats on my life and the lives of my family members. There have been vicious, obscene, vulgar, and profane denunciations. The reaction illustrates just how far apart the Arabs and Israelis are in the so-called "peace process." There has clearly been no progress since 1947. In fact, there is ample evidence that some Arab leaders are right now attempting to revise history in new ways that strongly suggest there is nothing Israel can ever do to appease the violence in their hearts. In an interview with Italian newspaper La Republica, on March 24 of this year, Sheikh Ikrama Sabri, the Palestine Authority's top Moslem figure in Jerusalem, decreed that the Western Wall, the last remnant of the Jewish Temple, has no religious significance to the Jews. "Let it be clear: the Wailing Wall is not a holy place of the Jews, it is an integral part of the mosque [ground]. We call it Al-Buraq, the name of the horse with which Mohammed ascended to heaven from Jerusalem," he said. In fact, the Temple Mount area and the Western Wall are, according to Jewish scholars, the only truly holy sites of Judaism. Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat himself has made similar statements recently, claiming the city of Jerusalem has no real significance to Jews. He repeated what he had previously asserted on Al-Jezira television on June 28, 1998, when he said, "Let me tell you something. The issue of Jerusalem is not just a Palestinian issue. It is a Palestinian, Arab, Islamic, and Christian issue." Asked by the interviewer if one could also say it is a Jewish issue, he replied, "No. Allow me to be precise—they consider Hebron to be holier than Jerusalem." Arafat is among those Arab leaders making the incredible suggestion that there was never a Jewish Temple at the site. "Until now, all the excavations that have been carried out have failed to prove the location of the Temple," he claims. "It is 30 years since they captured the city and they have not succeeded in giving even one proof as to the location of the Temple." Do you really think there can be compromise with people this delusional? This was no casual remark by Arafat. In an earlier speech broadcast on Voice of Palestine on October 10, 1996, he said, "Let us begin from the holy Buraq wall. It is called the holy Buraq wall, not the Wailing Wall. After the holy Buraq revolution in 1929...the Shaw International Committee said this is a holy wall for Moslems. This wall ends at the Via Dolorosa. These are our Christian and Moslem holy places." Now perhaps you understand why even today, the Wakf attempts to deny Jews and other non-Moslems access to these sites. Now perhaps you understand why, during the time when Jerusalem was occupied by Moslems, Christian churches and Jewish synagogues were destroyed or desecrated. This alone should demonstrate conclusively to any non-biased observer that the troubles in the Middle East today will not be solved by the creation of a "Palestinian state." It's time to point out to those who do not yet know that the leader of this movement—Arafat—is not a "Palestinian" at all. Indeed, he was born in Egypt. But his family does have some history in the area—though he's not likely to acknowledge it on ABC's Nightline or CNN. You see, it was Arafat's uncle who served as the grand mufti of Jerusalem in the 1920s and 1930s. It was his uncle who concluded, for the first time, that Mohammed had ascended into heaven from the site known as the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount. And it was his uncle who, in an unholy alliance with Adolf Hitler, condemned the Jews and their designs on their eternal capital city. The truth is that Jerusalem has a unique importance to Jews. It has always been a place described and revered in Jewish law. For centuries since the Diaspora, Jews around the world have prayed toward Jerusalem, mourned the destruction of their Temple, and hopefully repeated the phrase, "Next year in Jerusalem."
Again, I say, until all the parties to war and peace in the Middle East
acknowledge basic history and archeology, there is little point in
pretending that peripheral land concessions can bring peace.
Zola's Bulletin Board
Next spring, our Grand Tour departs April 11, and our Deluxe tour on April 16. Both return on April 26. Zola's Holy Land pilgrimages are designed to be study tours — not vacations. Our passengers appreciate how wisely we allocate our time to cover thoroughly all of the important sites. The Grand Tour includes a luxurious Mediterranean cruise before the ten-day itinerary in Israel. This is a terrific way to prepare for the intensity of biblical training we equate with ten years of Sunday school. For your free color tour folder, please call Tony at (214) 696-9760 during business hours or 1-800-WONDERS (966-3377) anytime.
For the first time in ten years, we recently increased our shipping & handling charges. The donor who used to give us all of our boxes, padded envelopes and packing materials for free sold his packaging business, so now we have to pay for these items. Beyond that, postage and labor costs have surged. Please know that it costs us just as much to process an order for one study booklet as it does for three. The proceeds from our teaching materials help us pay for producing and airing Zola Levitt Presents plus printing and mailing our "free" newsletters. Of course any contributions added to purchases are tax-deductible, since we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
In San Antonio, Texas, KHCE-23 broadcasts Zola Levitt Presents on Monday mornings at 7:00. In Allendale, MI, you can watch Zola on WTLW-44 on Sunday evenings at 7:00 and on Tuesday mornings at 11:00. If you have cable TV, then you may be able to watch our program late on Sundays on FOX-FAM (midnight Central Time, 1:00 AM on both coasts) or early on Monday mornings on TBN (8:00 ET, 7:00 CT, 6:00 MT and 5:00 PT). Please let us know if you would like one of our free National TV Airing Schedules, or see it online at www.levitt.com.
www.haaretzdaily.com is the site of an Israeli newspaper, published in English. Complements nicely the Jerusalem Post at www.jpost.com and www.jpostradio.com.
Sherlock Bally Ministries has invited Zola and several other speakers to teach during a Bahamas cruise (Feb. 1-4). The topics will include prophecy and the roots of Christianity. Departing Port Canaveral at 4:30 pm on Thursday, the Carnival Fantasy SuperLiner is so large that it has a six-story atrium lobby. For more information, please visit www.ProphecyNetwork.com or call Joe Vieira at 727-327-0268.
Married to our Shipping Manager, Lawrence, Ava has numerous television and publishing contacts in Korea. She plans to contact them regarding carrying our program on Christian television stations that have audiences who understand English. During her twenty years as a missionary doctor, Ava healed and shared Jesus with the sick. In the first few months of 2001, Ava plans to visit Korea in person to renew her medical credentials and share Zola's teaching with Koreans.
You may be able to listen to soundtracks of Zola's most recent TV
programs if you're stuck in rush hour traffic. Of course you can use
your VCR to record them on VHS tapes, but what if you want to fill up
several one-hour audiocassettes in one sitting? No problem. Just go to
www.levitt.com, click on
Zola on Internet TV,
download the free software, and you're all set to watch
half a dozen of our programs "on demand" — anytime you want. Putting
an audiocassette recorder in front of your computer's speaker will give
you tapes that will sooth and edify you as you drive. Our teaching
tapes on page 15 can bless you the same way.
A Note From Zola
Dear Friends, I really am disheartened by reading and viewing the "news." There is so much misinformation being promulgated about the situation in the Middle East. It's time to define some terms.
Palestine:
Palestinian:
Occupation:
War crimes:
Temple Mount:
The Koran:
General Sharon:
Arafat's Bible: I could go on and on, but let's face it. If we are misinformed daily by the Palestinians and by our Palestinian-quoting media, Israel will never get a fair shake. Sadly, that is what seems to be happening, and the Israelis seem to have nowhere to turn. I continue to favor the idea of unilateral separation, which is being discussed in the Israeli Parliament at this time. That would amount to simply drawing borders with the Arabs and then letting them operate as a separate country or whatever they like, but knowing that they cannot cross that border. It would take a passport or other legal permission for them to enter the land of Israel. I've come to the same conclusion as the conservatives in Israel; there are some people you cannot make peace with or even live with. With all of that, the country is as safe as any American city at this time, and normally safer than that. Our chief guide has taken a number of tours this fall with no incident or even any evidence of what CNN says is happening. I was disappointed, frankly, that more of our people did not trust our eyewitness reports. We will be taking our customary December tour by the time you receive this letter, and I will give you a report in the future, though I can predict it will be routine and especially comfortable and advantageous to us since the group is obviously smaller. If you want to see the land for yourself, spring is the perfect time to join us! The weather couldn't be better, and you can choose to add a luxurious cruise to the Greek islands. Our Deluxe Tour, April 16-26, will visit all the major Biblical sites, such as the future battlefield of Armageddon, Mount Carmel, Nazareth, the Western Wall, the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Upper Room, the Garden Tomb, Masada, the Dead Sea, and the Golan Heights. You will view the original Dead Sea Scrolls, as well as the caves of Qumran where they were discovered. Ride a boat across the tranquil Sea of Galilee. Visit the Holocaust museum, Yad Vashem, and learn about the lives of those more than six million Jews who were killed by the Nazis. Tour the Old City of Jerusalem, learning about her conquerors and victories. See this beautiful city that will be our home for a thousand years. Come to the Promised Land and see God's hand at work in our world today! Or you may choose our Grand Tour, April 11-26, adding an extension cruise to the Greek islands of Mykonos, Patmos and Rhodes, traveling aboard a luxury liner following the path of Paul through the Mediterranean. You will also tour Athens, with its incredible Parthenon, Acropolis and Mars Hill, as well as the ancient cities of Corinth and Ephesus, Turkey. Call Tony or Becky during office hours at 214-696-9760 for more information, or call 1-800-WONDERS anytime for a full-color brochure. In light of all the current events in Israel, we'll begin in early 2001 shooting a one-hour special on prophetic fulfillments in Jerusalem. It will be ready to air by spring. Your help is, as always, crucial. Obviously, at year's end, you realize a greater tax advantage for your donation, and we are better able to look ahead when we know we have your support. Most of our people trust me to tell them when a good time to give comes around. Well, this is such a time. Thanks so much for your help. And remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
Arafat's War
Few wars break out spontaneously. And certainly not this one. Does anyone believe that Ehud Barak, who went to Camp David and offered the Palestinians peace terms of breathtaking generosity, would be starting a war? Does anyone believe that the most dovish government in Israeli history, feeling itself just inches away from concluding a permanent peace, would initiate gun battles? The plain fact is that Yasser Arafat, thrown on the diplomatic defensive by rejecting Barak's offer (to the astonishment and dismay of the American mediators), has done what he has always done: resort to violence to regain the initiative and, most important, mint new underage martyrs—on world television—to regain the international sympathy he had forfeited by turning down peace at Camp David.
The war that followed was as spontaneous as a Havana demonstration. The preacher at the al-Aqsa mosque called at Friday prayers to "eradicate the Jews from Palestine." Official Palestinian television began playing over and over archival footage of the Palestinian Intifada of 1987-1993, showing young people out in the streets throwing stones. In case one still didn't get the message, Voice of Palestine radio began playing patriotic war songs. Arafat then closed the schools and declared a general strike, causing everyone to go out into the street. With Arafat's chief political lieutenant on the West Bank orchestrating the militias, war then "broke out." The doves are stunned. Avraham Burg, speaker of the Israeli parliament and one of the architects of the Labor government's bend-over-backward peace proposals, writes perplexedly: "Do we really understand what is going on? After everything was given, there are still demands on the other side." "Suddenly we discovered," he continues plaintively, "that what we mean by peace—which is mutual reconciliation—is not being met by the other side." Suddenly? Where has he been for seven years? Seven years during which Arafat built his "police force" into a 40,000-man army now unleashed on Israel. Seven years during which Arafat repeatedly said that the peace process was one option and that if he did not get everything he wanted, there was another. Seven years during which his state-controlled television, radio, newspapers and now children's textbooks inculcated in his people an anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism so virulent that it has succeeded in producing a new generation bred on reflexive hostility to Israel. Seven years during which he repeatedly called for "jihad" for Jerusalem. Well, it has now arrived. That is the meaning of the current fighting. This is, as the Palestinians openly call it, a war for Jerusalem. Not, as the world press has reported endlessly and fatuously, an expression of Palestinian "frustration." Frustration with what? Israeli occupation? It ended years ago; 99 percent of Palestinians live under the rule of Yasser Arafat. Over territory? Barak has conceded virtually the entire West Bank. Over political subordination? Barak offered full recognition of the first independent Palestinian state in history. The Palestinians are less frustrated than emboldened. Emboldened by an Israeli government so desperate for peace it has given up "everything," as Mr. Burg admitted. Emboldened by the fecklessness of Mr. Burg and his colleagues, so impervious for so long to empirical evidence of Palestinian implacability that in this moment of supreme crisis they admit openly to disorientation. Emboldened by an American administration so craven that it refuses to condemn Arafat for cynically starting this war, indeed for repeatedly violating his single obligation under Oslo: the renunciation of violence. "After everything was given," laments Burg. Yes everything, except one last thing: the Temple Mount. Why, Mr. Barak went wobbly even on that. He offered to relinquish sovereignty over Judaism's holiest site and internationalize it under the U.N. Security Council. Mr. Arafat refused. He demands ownership—the audacity is breathtaking—of Judaism's holy of holies. Hence this war. It is not spontaneous. And it is not without direction. Arafat knows
what he wants, and he is prepared to sacrifice as many of his own people
as it takes to get it. Preferably on television.
The State of the Ministry, Part IIA family business or the Lord's work?
If you read the first part of this article in last month's Levitt Letter, entitled Nepotism or Success Story, then you saw how I responded to I.M.K.'s suggestion that I "grow up and fend for [my]self." You probably also agreed that God has remarkably blessed Zola's, our staff's and my efforts with this ministry. Though Zola and I live mainly for our work, we are quite different from one another. He presents God's message in a captivating and clear way, and I have a digital organizer that captures my best ideas, even when they wake me up in the middle of the night.
Other Key WorkersTony Derrick, our Travel Manager, is married to Jane, our Mail Processing Supervisor. Birds of a feather flock together, and I've never hired better, salt-of-the-earth birds than these. Stable, good help is as hard to find in ministry work as any other, but when you find employees who will gladly make their jobs their calling of God, then you've hit pay dirt.
Television on the InternetWorship Radio Network (WRN) broadcasts Zola Levitt Presents on Internet TV at www.worshipradio.com/ZolaVideo.htm. WRN consists of a husband and wife team plus a few associates. The enemy does not appreciate that these talented individuals, despite their struggles, make our TV program available 24 hours per day from www.levitt.com. Their health has been in his crosshairs ever since they enabled us to webcast on the cutting edge of this new technology. We need prayer warriors to counterattack for healing of these two mighty Christian soldiers. They can also put your financial support to good use, worthwhile if you prayerfully consider the future of Internet TV. Their mailing address is P.O. Box 174209, Arlington, Texas, 76003. Goal: To put free, clear, full-screen television programming on the Internet by 2004.
Healing Evangelical SeminariesOur next generation of pastors is training in our best seminaries, but some emerging Bible teachers are teaching Progressive Dispensationalism or Replacement Theology doctrines that are foreign to the Bread of Life. Bad theology alienates Jews, and chopping away Christianity's Old Testament roots leaves America's churches anemic and boring. The federal government doesn't require American Indians to be naturalized, yet when a Jew goes to church—an institution originally founded by Jews—he almost owes an explanation regarding his upbringing and background. The enemy has pulled a clever ruse in convincing Jews that Christianity is only for Gentiles. Solid Bible teaching kills anti-Semitism, however subtle, and allows the Jews to love their Savior. Goal: By 2003, to restore adherence to the principles on which evangelical seminaries were founded.
Reaching OverseasWe are ready to reach needy souls in Great Britain, South Africa, Australia, Korea and wherever Christian television stations broadcast to audiences who understand English. Our new Shipping Manager, Lawrence, and his wife, Ava, were missionaries in almost a dozen countries for twenty years. Owning and managing a small publishing company, they are eager to initiate cooperative arrangements with international outreaches and foreign ministries who will help us share our library of TV programs, shot in Israel, with Christian television stations. We introduced our Lawrence on our November Levitt Letter's bulletin board. This month's bulletin board describes Ava. Goal: By 2002, to offer free broadcast-quality tapes of our programs to all full-power Christian television stations worldwide, wherever audiences understand English. Beyond that, since our programs are already close-captioned for the hearing impaired, it may prove practical to subtitle the programs in foreign languages.
Domestic BroadcastingNational networks and independent stations are willing to sell us only certain airtimes, rarely primetime. We depend not only on your financial support but also your telling us on which station(s) you watch Zola Levitt Presents so that we can determine where we can afford to continue broadcasting. Where viewers are unfamiliar with Zola, new airtimes typically take more than a year to break even. We consider them mission fields so long as we know increasing numbers of viewers are tuning in. Short-term goal: to maintain an 80% stay rate on new stations.
Non-Prophet OrganizationIn Jesus, the Jew's Jew, offered on page 15, Zola writes that his grandfather was too humble to be introduced as a shoemaker. "I just repair them; I don't actually make them." Nowadays I hear people referring to Zola as a modern-day prophet. Well, he's not. You have probably noticed that he signs many of his letters, "Your messenger." So now you've heard it from me—this is a non-prophet ministry. Why has God blessed this ministry's TV viewers, readers and supporters with a messenger like Zola? Why has He blessed me with such a father? I believe answers will unfold as eternity marches on, but in the meantime we want to share the blessings of his insights with as many as possible. The chance to win souls to the Lord and allow them to experience His magnificence is passing; it is finite. "Night is coming...." Sales of this ministry's teaching materials help fund our television programming. Nonetheless, they are affordably priced, so that people can share them with friends—especially the study booklets. Marketing our materials is secondary to the free teaching we do on television and in our newsletters. Our newsletter designer, after putting in place news articles, letters from viewers and the Hebrew lesson, tells me how much space is left for product ads. Sometimes Zola spends very little time on TV asking for contributions or telling about a book that we're offering because he needs more time than anticipated to cover a Bible lesson. If you haven't read The Seven Feasts of Israel, The Miracle of Passover, and A Christian Love Story, then you can't imagine how life-changing they can be for those who suppose there is little more to Christianity than church attendance, patriotism and the golden rule. How fortunate that God isn't so shallow, and His glory, complexity and beauty are an open Book. Thanks for helping us to do what we love so dearly in this outreach. Of course, we are accountable to the Lord, but also to you. For almost ten years now, this ministry's financial reports, independently audited, have also been an open book, free for the asking. Almost 70% of our expenses goes to producing and broadcasting our programs. Roughly 15% goes to printing and postage and 13% to personnel. The rest is mostly rent and office supplies.
Challenges & HorizonsThough we are stable, we continue to grapple with the continuing challenge of maintaining reasonably appealing television airtime. Without doing excessive fund-raising on television, we offer Bible teaching on location from Israel. As you may recall, both Fox-FAM and TBN have changed our TV program's days and times more frequently than in the past. Our loyal audience stays with us, and we gather new viewers, but we also lose some—especially those who don't use their VCRs to record our programs for when they can conveniently watch them. Please help us cover Fox-FAM's recent rate increase and prepare for opportunities that may arise to put Zola on new stations and networks. Please tell your friends about this ministry and share our study materials with them. The bottom line with this organization is reaching people with God's Word, and you can help us a great deal with prayer and word of mouth. Please stay with us as Zola continues to seek the Lord's will for this David-sized ministry with its Goliath-sized impact. Zola has explained the impact and cost effectiveness of television, and we have cut our overhead to the bone. Consequently, we know of no better value for your tithes and offerings than reaching more people with our vital teaching. We sincerely thank you for your prayers and your continuing support.
Zola has relied on the fervent prayers of "the righteous ones" since
his bypass operation in 1982, and he credits our ministry's many
intercessors for his lengthy and healthy life of service. Your
financial gifts have allowed us to maintain a national television
program for more than 20 years, truly a miracle in itself. We hope you
will continue this support, particularly now at the year's end. And
while you pray for Zola and the rest of us, remember to "pray for the
peace of Jerusalem!"
|
Good News from a Far CountryWhile there is no particular emergency situation in Israel proper, the news media have so discolored the localized riots as to cause great problems with both touring and our television production activities. As a result, our Israel-based staff members, including television personnel, tour providers and good friends who provide us truthful news, are economically strapped at this time. In Israel a $20 bill goes a long way. This is an appeal for a special fund for these faithful workers who have served us (and you) for many years. Please send a donation and mark it "Good news from a far country." Remember that Paul teaches, "If the Gentiles have shared in [Israel's] spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things" (Romans 15:27). —Zola |
To the Editor, Dallas Morning News
I have had about all I can take of your paper's one-sided, misleading reporting of the troubles in Israel. Could the Nov. 2 headline, "Israel halts attacks on Palestinians," be any more timely as we hear about the car bombing of a Jerusalem market?
In the headlined story above, the Israelis were attacking in response to initial Palestinian hostilities. By reading that headline, you would think Israel was attacking defenseless stone-throwing children rather than defending themselves from well-armed, organized deadly guerilla and terrorist attacks.
D.F.
Dearest Zola,
How I loved your November Levitt Letter. You always write the truth in such a clever, witty way, you make me laugh. Zola, you are God's faithful "Watcher on the Wall," and you are sorely needed. I am a grandma, 88 years old, and I can see the handwriting on the wall, clearly. Besides all of the other enemies of Israel, I'm sorry to add at least four more: at least two of the Clintons, Clinton's bulldog Carvel and sly pussycat Madeleine Albright. You are right, even though Barak offered Arafat 90% of what he asked for, he could not accept it, for if he does, his own people will kill him.
In Christian love,
G.
To: staff@levitt.com
From: R.K.
I feel it would be very interesting to have a program and show the land and all the boundaries of the land that God promised to Israel in the Old Testament, and also end with a present-day map showing what Israel still has in her possession as of today. How can the Palestinians claim Jerusalem as their capital? Where do they get this notion?
Also, since it is obvious that Hitler hated the Jews, could you tell from his writings or philosophy where he came up with the idea to blame all his countries ills on the Jews? Of course, I know everything happens in God's own time, but I was just curious how this idea came to him. Maybe we will never know the answer to that one.
Also, some of my Christian friends and family have some misunderstood conceptions of Jews, and I would like to know what Scriptures to refer them to that explain how God blinded the Jews as to who Jesus was, thus the plan of salvation was then preached to the Gentiles.
Dear R.K.,
Any map of the Middle East will work if you envision the future Israel
as existing from the Wadi el Arish in the Sinai Peninsula through most
of Jordan and Syria up to the Euphrates River (including Damascus).
Comparing that with the pittance in Israeli hands today shows how
effectively God's promises really work out (see Gen. 15:18).
I don't know how the Palestinians can claim Jerusalem as their
capital. They get their notions from their dictator.
Hitler's problem, like those of your Christian friends and family,
was a spiritual problem. Those unconversant with Scripture are simply
ignorant of the fact that it is a wholly Jewish Bible about Jewish
people, almost cover to cover, and have these "misunderstood conceptions
of Jews." And Scripture states that the Jews were "blinded in part," or
else none of them would be saved. As matters now stand, I believe the
church is equal in Jewish and Gentile membership, per capita. In every
generation since the Messiah, there has been a remnant of Jews, probably
equal to the remnant of born-again believers among the Gentiles, per
capita.
—Zola
To: staff@levitt.com
From: J.B.
Levitt,
My spirit is deeply troubled at the conduct of this so-called Christian organization. You have directly attacked respected Christian leaders in a manner that lacks tact and Biblical honor.
I could begin to debate all of your issues as many have ventured to do before me. However, I feel that would be a waste of time on both our parts. I am primarily concerned about your conduct in light of the faith which you claim to have.
Was it not the Christ who explained that a tree would be judged by its fruit? You have attacked several major Christian schools and organizations which have been effective in Kingdom work for years on end.
Indeed, there will be problems and concerns in any place as long as sin exists in the world. The concerns you raise regarding doctrine, administrators, faculty, and standards have been recognized and dealt with as best as these leaders see fit. Who are you to bring into question these leaders' integrity? I warn you as a brother in the faith, when you slander or question Christian authority, the Scripture tells us that you will be judged at a higher level.
It saddens me to think that there are people like your Thomas McCall who are so bitter that they find it behooves them to question the Church body and work against it for personal satisfaction. Know well that the work you are trying to do is contrary to the work of the Holy Spirit. I challenge you to come before God and examine these means of communication and the thoughts that you are carelessly throwing out into the public arena.
May God have mercy on you!
A Bondservant of Christ
Dear Bondservant of Christ,
I'm honestly a bit surprised by the tone of your letter. Please know
that God must have constant mercy on this small ministry, or else we
would never survive. During times when we take up difficult issues in
the ministry of rebuke, I am especially sensitive to our letters and our
support. Some remonstrate with us, as you have. Some simply get off
our mailing list immediately. But the vast majority, aware of our
Christ-like motives for what we do, pray for us and support us in good
measure.
To answer your specific points, we certainly agree that "several
major Christian schools and organizations" have been "effective...for
years on end," but they have not accomplished that without constructive
criticism. Rather than your conception that the administrators,
faculty, etc., know the problems and have recognized and "dealt with
them," problems are more likely swept under the rug.
And I'm not sure what you mean by "Christian authority." There are
no authorities under the cross; we are all equal in Christ. The people
who read the letters coming to our ministry are as important to the Lord
as the presidents of the major seminaries (and much more straightforward
and learned in the faith, I have found). And who am I to "bring into
question these leaders' integrity"? Well, I'm a bondservant of Christ,
like you, and I study the Scriptures. And I love Israel and support it,
and I want correct doctrine at our seminaries.
Believe me when I tell you that Tom McCall and I find little
personal satisfaction in doing the difficult work of correcting
doctrinal errors. Our standards were set by the Lord, and by Peter and
Paul and the other apostles who corrected doctrinal errors on a constant
basis.
And finally, the public arena is the place to air these grievances,
because the seminaries belong to the public, and it is the public which
donates to them, pays for them and sends their children to them,
trusting that the students will emerge with accurate Bible knowledge. I
don't think that I "will be judged at a higher level" than you or anyone
else will be, but I trust that I am accomplishing what the Lord has
inspired me to do, and that He will be pleased with what I have done
when I see Him in heaven.
As for judging a tree by its fruit, you may examine the works of this
ministry anytime. We are candid and aboveboard in all we are doing, and
our financial statements are yours for the asking. We do not have
pressured workers or secret meetings or a powerful administration
intimidating a frightened staff, like some organizations we deal with.
In fact, you're welcome in our offices anytime, and I think you will be
greeted by the warmth and love of true Christian fellowship. And those
are, as best as I can explain them, our fruits.
—Zola
Nov 19, 10:30 a.m.
Orchard Hills Baptist Church
Garland, TX 75041
972-278-1586
Feb 1-4
Speaking on Bahamas cruise
Carnival Fantasy SuperLiner
Information: Call Joe Vieira at 918-227-3907
www.prophecynetwork.com
Every Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Shalom, Shalom Messianic Congregation
Biblical Arts Center,
7500 Park Lane,
Dallas, Texas
214-691-4661
...On occasion, Palestinian words echo those of the Israelis. In fact, when Jewish and Moslem leaders met with Pope John Paul II in March, both claimed Jerusalem as their "eternal capital."
The Palestinian's love of Zion is not just talk—Arafat's demands for sovereignty over eastern Jerusalem led to the collapse of the Camp David II summit in July.
Why do Palestinian feelings so closely resemble those of the Jews? Because Palestinian nationalism dates back only to 1920, and lacking prior roots, it imitates its Jewish counterpart.
For example, Zionists base their claims on the Bible; Palestinians do, too.
Arafat said to a journalist, "You must read the Bible, because it
contains abundant historic references that demonstrate the existence of
a cultural and geopolitical Palestinian identity for many thousands of
years."...
An IDF investigation and re-enactment appears to show conclusively that the 12-year-old boy from Gaza, Mohammed al-Dura, was not shot by Israeli soldiers—but was rather the victim of a cruel plot staged by Palestinian sharp-shooters and a television cameraman.
The incident in question occurred on Oct. 6, when the boy and his father happened to be walking past the scene of a major battle between Palestinian snipers and Israeli soldiers. Former IDF sniper Yosef Doriel, who initiated the re-enactment, said that he had several reasons to suspect that it was not the Israelis who shot the boy. "For one thing, the boy and his father were hiding behind and to the left of a barrel that was between them and the Israeli forces," he told Arutz-7 today. "In the video clip, you see four clean bullet holes to the side of them. These were not shot by the Israelis—they are 'clean' and full holes, not mere grazes that would have been formed by the 30-degree angle of the Israelis—but rather by Palestinians (stationed more directly in front of the father and son) to make sure that the two would stay put. Suddenly, you see the boy lying down in his father's lap, with another bullet hole in the wall directly behind him—again, it could not have come from the IDF position, which was behind the barrel and to the side, but only from the Palestinian position, which was more directly in front of the father and son. This is the bullet that went through his stomach and out of his back. At that point in the video, you can hear the firing—but the Israeli position was far away! Rather, what happened was that a Palestinian advanced to a spot very close to the photographer, and shot the fatal shot. You can also notice that at that moment of the fatal shots, the photographer suddenly 'shook' and the picture was blurred—a signal that the shots came from close to him."
Doriel and a fellow physicist, Nachum Shachaf, proposed that O.C.
Southern Command Yom Tov Samiyeh oversee a re-enactment of the entire
incident, complete with the barrel and life-size dummies. Doriel
concludes: "The Palestinian forces staged the event. The Israelis were
firing, for sure—but the fatal shots came not from them, but from
the Palestinian position in front of the boy, behind the cameraman."
In a series of events organized by the Israeli Arab leadership to
celebrate Israel's "defeat" by Hizbollah guerillas in Lebanon, Arab
Knesset members and community leaders discussed how this could be
applied to their own situation and that of the Palestinians. The
celebrations left Israeli Jews asking a question that has been debated
many times before: To whom are these Arabs loyal; to the state of
Israel or its enemies?
Because of this uncertainty, the governments of Yitzhak Rabin and now Ehud Barak have been sharply criticized because fateful decisions on territorial concessions were pushed through the Knesset by the swing vote of Arab parliamentarians. This is a difficult tightrope to walk, between democracy and Israel's struggle for survival. On one hand, the Arabs who live in Israel are Israeli citizens, but on the other, their sympathies clearly lie with their Arab brothers—often bitter enemies of the State of Israel.
Despite its military inferiority, Hizbollah forced "peace on Israel and made it flee from Lebanese soil," said Arab Knesset member Taleb al-Sana. "Therefore, I believe [Hizbollah leader] Sheik [Hassan] Nasrallah is entitled to the Nobel Peace Prize, and I will write a letter to the Nobel commissioners on this matter."
Sheikh Jum'a Al-Qasasi, mayor of the Bedouin town of Rahat in the Negev,
praised Hizbollah for its steadfastness against the Zionist
challenge. "Israel comprehends nothing but force," he said. "If we
do not unite before this demon [Israel], it will devour us. The whole
country should know that if one house is demolished in the [Arab] town
of Sahnin, an intifada [uprising] will explode throughout Palestine,
from the Negev to Lebanon."
News photographers covering confrontations from behind PA [Palestinian
Authority] lines have reported they are not allowed to take pictures of
Palestinian police opening fire on Israeli positions. They are only
permitted to photograph stone throwers or PA police firing at Israelis
who are clearly shown also shooting. PA officers "have suggested" to
journalists that it would be "dangerous" for them to take the forbidden
pictures. "Our lives were threatened by their security officers," said
photographer Y. Samir, who took several rolls of pictures, none of which
show Palestinians initiating attacks with assault rifles, as reported by
Israeli forces on the scene. Similar pressure was exerted on
international journalists covering the Lebanese War, which only came to
light after one was kidnapped and assassinated for failing to comply
with PLO-issued restrictions.
Israeli undercover security officers disguised as Arabs tried to save
the life of 23-year old Jihad Alul, a Palestinian critically injured in
the recent riots in Nablus. Jihad was the son of the Palestinian
governor of Nablus, Mohammed Alul. In an unprecedented move, the
officers revealed their identity and offered Alul their help in
evacuating his wounded son from the midst of the violence. Although the
rescue was successful, Jihad later died of his wounds at Israel's Tel
Hashomer Hospital.
When four Israelis traveling along an Arab road from the Dead Sea to Jerusalem were attacked with Molotov cocktails and rocks by Palestinians from Al Asariya, a local Palestinian family rescued them from the mob, sheltering them in their home until they were picked up by Israeli police. [Note from publishers of Israel Today: Unfortunately, this kind of caring interaction is rarely published by the media, which is why we are reporting it to you.]
As in most conflicts, it is the leadership and the radicals who have
the problems. The everyday people who have lived together a long time
are certainly not having a "war."
—Zola
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Return to Levitt Letter Archive Index
Copyright © 2000 by Zola Levitt Ministries, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. All rights reserved. Brief passages may be quoted in reviews or other article. For all other use, please get our written approval.
How heartbreaking now to recall the famous handshake on the White House
lawn and the moving words of Yitzhak Rabin: "Enough of blood and tears.
Enough." But it was not enough for Arafat. He never renounced
violence. A partner for peace does not set the region ablaze because
this or that demand was not met. A partner for peace does not teach
hatred, bigotry, and anti-Semitism to schoolchildren; he does not have
his news media incite against his ostensible peace partner; he does not
call for a jihad and celebrate suicide bombers; he does not tell Arab
audiences the peace process was a subterfuge, citing a precedent set by
Mohammed's tribe, the Meccans, who signed a peace treaty and later went
to war; he does not talk of victory over the Zionists, praising holy war
or jihad while wearing a military uniform; he does not see the murder of
Israelis as a cause for elation; he does not deny the existence of
Jewish holy sites known to the whole world; he does not stand silently
while other Jewish holy sites are destroyed; in short, he does not
betray the solemn pact he himself made at Oslo.
What is Arafat about?
A leading defense analyst in Israel, Ze'ev
Schiff, believes that his purpose is to bring Israel to its knees
through an "ongoing, low-level war that combines massive terrorism,
guerilla warfare, and the international media." He knows Israel is
hobbled by a Catch-22. The more damage its superior military power
inflicts, the more it suffers in world opinion. The Palestinians'
weakness is their strength; defeat for them means victory; the more
Arafat suffers, the more he receives, especially in the Arab world.
After a Palestinian mob joyously murdered two innocent young Israelis,
mutilated their bodies, and dragged them through the streets for
incineration, Arafat failed to utter one word of condemnation. Even so,
some people in the media and politics contrived to blame it all on the
Israelis—as Ralph Nader did last week in a glaring example of the left's
anti-Israeli prejudice.
His pretext was that the Sept. 28 visit to the Temple Mount by Israel's
leader of the opposition so offended Islam that the faithful erupted in
violence. The audacity of that claim is astonishing. Yes, the Temple
Mount is the third-holiest place in Islam. But it happens to be the
single most holy place for Jews. Why does the Muslim claim so trump all
others that Jews may not set foot on their most sacred site, their
Mecca?
