September 2000 Personal Letter

Dear Friends,

As we go to print, the news of the world is that somehow the Chosen People have to be pried out of Jerusalem, their capital city, or at least that city has to be made an “internationally administrated zone.” In simpler terms, the unbeliever simply can’t stand God’s plans and will always try to get in the way.

Last month, the pointless summit conference at Camp David was an example of that. We didn’t comment on those meetings because, as usual, they accomplished utterly nothing, and the real purpose wasn’t peace, anyway. We have come down to a kind of dance done by Clinton, Arafat, and Barak, which always ends up, not in any agreement, but in cash provisions for the Israelis and the Palestinians. The cash is couched in terms like “aid” or “a goodwill gesture” or “encouragement of the parties,” but it still comes down to the unbeliever’s first love—cash. Naturally, Barak is willing to come to these sessions and receive considerable American dollars for sitting through what must by now be a very tedious routine. For his part, Arafat, a common terrorist, gets to ride around in limousines and helicopters and be treated like a statesman. And Clinton is again trying to assure us that he is the President who made peace in the Middle East rather than the President who…

It won’t work in the long run, of course. The book of Zechariah and many other places in Scripture indicate that it is the Jews who will end up with their capital city. Jerusalem is called “a burdensome stone” and “a cup of trembling” for the world, but for God, it’s the home of the Kingdom to come and the head of all the world in the upcoming 1,000 years.

We, the Church, the Bride of Christ, will reside there with our Husband, the King. Even graduates of Moody Bible Institute, Dallas Theological Seminary, and so forth will be taken to this country they know so little of because of their lack of education in the subject. And they will have to study quickly to be ready to live 1,000 years among Bible readers who are better informed. Even those Catholics who are true believers will be in that Kingdom in Jerusalem, despite the Vatican’s best efforts to undermine the Jewish ownership of the city which, of course, is based on God’s own pronouncements.

And the population of the whole world will honor Jerusalem in the Kingdom to come:

And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts… (Zech. 14:16, KJV)

That Scripture includes unbelievers of all nations who will be born in the Kingdom of parents who proceeded from the Tribulation in natural bodies. In the end, all the world will come to a Jerusalem administered by the Messiah, the King of the Jews, who will sit upon the Throne of David and dispense righteous justice at last.

No sooner was Clinton’s summit given up in “despair” (other than for the cash) when the Vatican spoke up in an Associated Press news release:

The Vatican held to its own hard line Tuesday on the future of Jerusalem, insisting in talks with Secretary of State Madeline Albright that the city’s warren of holy sites and religions needs international oversight.

Considering that the most peaceful time in the history of Jerusalem’s holy sites has been under the Israeli administration since 1967, one wonders at the Vatican’s views. But the Pope and the rest of his hierarchy favor the Arab side in this conflict, since a small percentage of the Arabs are Roman Catholics. The Vatican prefers these and even the Greek Orthodox and other odd Eastern sects of the sacramental churches to the Jews, despite claiming to worship Jesus Christ, a born-and-bred Israeli Jew.

As for the Palestinians themselves, there will be no end to their demands, and they really do not seek peace, of course, but ownership of the entire land. If they got half of Jerusalem, then they would begin shouting for the other half. If they got the whole Jerusalem, they would be disturbed by Jews living in Tel Aviv. If they got all of Tel Aviv, they would be bothered by problems on the waterfront as Jewish bodies washed up from the Mediterranean, etc.

One astonishing claim of the Palestinians, which keeps negotiations at a standstill, is that the millions of people who claim to be “Palestinian” throughout the Arab nations want some land in Israel because, they say, their ancestors were forced out of the place. Well, that’s all very nice, and I believe that I will claim my land in Latvia, since my father was forced out of there. And, as a matter of fact, almost all Americans, other than American Indians, can claim land somewhere in the world, since in most cases our ancestors left under pressure.

I was sent a diatribe from the British Israel people—the folks who claim they are the ten lost tribes, and, therefore, the real owners of Israel. Frankly, this cult is crazier even than the Palestinians, who have a vague claim to the lands they squatted on when the Jews were away. The British Israel people say that Anglo-Saxon folks are obviously the best people in the world and, thus, the true owners of the Promised Land, etc. They join the Clinton administration, the Vatican, the Palestinians, our best seminaries and all the rest who just can’t stand to see Jewish people living peaceably in the capital they established 3,000 years ago under King David.

About the only “friend” Israel has left is Hillary Clinton who, in what I thought was a knee-slapping sort of comedy routine, took the Israeli side of things during the Camp David negotiations (since there are so many Jewish voters in New York). But I have too good a memory of her kissing Arafat’s wife, who was accusing the Israelis of some sort of genocide so recently. So, with all due respect for Hillary’s vast experience and brilliance, I would say she’s kidding us.

In another routine, Jay Leno, a true comedian, speculated that the Jews and Palestinians had been at war for “8,000 years.” In fact, there has never been a war between the Jews and Palestinians, and the Palestinians have only been in existence since the 1960s. Leno should be informed that, before 1948, the Jews in Israel were called Palestinians, and the Arabs wouldn’t allow themselves to be known by that term.

And on a personal note, I called a tour passenger recently, and he gave an interesting reflection about our letters. He called them “truthful and balanced.” I really hope that readers understand that, while I have an acerbic way of putting things sometimes, the goals of this ministry are to defend Israel, against whoever, even the great seminaries, and always to tell the Biblical truth. If I make a mistake on either of those, by all means point it out, and I will run your letter and answer it.

For the time being, Jerusalem is one of the safest cities in the world for travelers—much safer than any American city its size—and I sincerely invite you to come and see the place for yourself. Our Hanukkah/Christmas Deluxe Tour of Israel is planned for December 11-21. You can add our extension to Eilat and Petra on our Grand Tour, December 11-25, celebrate the birth of our Lord on Christmas Eve in the Shepherds’ Fields of Bethlehem, and still be home on Christmas Day due to the time zones! When you tour Israel with us, you will see all the major Biblical sites, as well as enjoy extras that only we offer. You will hear the Beatitudes read in both Hebrew and English on the Mt. of Beatitudes. You can be baptized, just as our Lord was, in the Jordan River. Temperatures in December are in the 60s and 70s, allowing a comfortable pilgrimage for everyone. You will visit Mt. Carmel, Megiddo, Nazareth, the Western Wall, the Mt. of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Upper Room, the Garden Tomb, Masada, and the Dead Sea. Tour the beautiful Golan Heights, and you will understand why this land is so vital to Israel’s well-being. Our thorough exploration of the Old City of Jerusalem teaches you that, despite numerous conquests, that holy city always returns to its rightful owners—the Jews. View the original Dead Sea Scrolls as well as the caves of Qumran where they were found. Visit Yad Vashem, the haunting tribute to the more than six million Jews who lost their lives in the Holocaust. Shop for fascinating artifacts in the marketplaces, enjoy deliciously hearty meals of Israeli foods, and see the verdant fields that lie like jewels amidst the desert from which they blossomed.

I will personally lead our spring Deluxe Tour of Israel, scheduled for April 16–26. Our Grand Tour with the extension cruise to the Greek islands is set for April 11–26. Follow the Apostle Paul’s path through the Mediterranean as you visit Mykonos, Patmos, and Rhodes, and tour Athens (with its magnificent Acropolis and Parthenon), Mars Hill, Corinth, and Ephesus, Turkey. Call Diana or Becky at 214-696-9760 during office hours for more information, or call 1-800-WONDERS any time for a full-color brochure. [or click here for an online request form].

Be sure to watch our new television series, “The Holy Days of Our Lord,” beginning this month. The holy days of the Lord, as given to Moses on Mount Sinai, comprise one of the most fascinating and important Bible studies. Since knowledge of these celebrations seems to lie mainly with Jewish people, whether Messianic or otherwise, we wanted to acquaint you with this information. Few churches or seminaries teach what we take up in this series. I hope you will join us.

And please, remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

Your messenger,