Dear Friend,
The United States and Saudi Arabia recently brokered a $20 billion weapons system deal, which will include Joint Direct Attack Munitions kits—or JDAM’s. This extremely high-tech weapons system will transform the Saudis’ regular, gravitational bombs into “smart bombs,” thus giving them precision bombing capabilities for which Israel has no effective response. This threatening contribution to the Arabs’ arsenal, coupled with Russia’s selling 250 advanced, sukhol-30 fighter jets to the fanatic Islamic Republic of Iran, is cause for concern on the ground in Israel—the enemies round about this tiny, relatively young nation are loading up with sophisticated weaponry that may well be used against her.
The Saudi deal bolsters the capabilities of what the United States construes as semi-friendly neighbors and partners in the region. The Saudis have no abiding love for either Iraq or Iran, so the transaction seems to make sense. The U.S. apparently hopes that, in the wake of its anticipated pullout from Iraq, it will be able to call on the Sunni Muslim Saudis to intervene and counter-balance incessant intrusions from the Shiite Muslim Iranians, who seem interested in securing more leverage for themselves in a weakened Iraq.
That Russia is strengthening Iran’s hand in a variety of ways reminds me of the old “Cold War” strategy where Russia and the United States both supplied their respective proxies in the region. In those days, however, America was squarely behind Israel—a position that seems open to question today, as we seem more interested in appeasing terrorists and capitulating to the unreasonable demands of tyrants and religious fanatics. What will be accomplished? By purchasing a meager scrap of false peace, it seems that some American politicians hope to convince their battle-weary constituents that they are building a better world for all. What gives cause for concern, however, is that Israel is getting slighted in the deal—and dangerously so.
While you and I are interested in the news, we should be more concerned with the News behind the news—biblical views related to today’s news. Connections abound.
In the book of Revelation, for example, in 16:12–16, John informed that the last-days’ conflict of Armageddon will be brought about by demon-inspired forces, just east of the Euphrates River, making their entrance into Israel proper for the final conflagration. A quick glance at any map shows us that Iran is the nation just east of the Euphrates. Iran is part of the last days’ showdown.
Chapters 17 and 18 of Revelation take up after the Iranian-led conflict at Armageddon and are wholly dedicated to an extremely forceful, prophetic castigation of ancient Babylon. Question: What country occupies the land once held by the Babylonians? Answer: Iraq. Coincidence? I think not. Iraq is also part of the mix.
Thus, the Bible ends with a consideration of events that focus on Iraq and Iran. The connections are striking—incredible—when you think about them.
In days past, and at the actual dawn of human history, Genesis recorded how Adam and Eve were created and placed in a garden called “Eden.” Genesis 2:10–15 connects the garden to four rivers, two of which are named as the Tigris and the Euphrates. That these ancient rivers intersect in what is modern Iraq underscores that, in the beginning, sin made its entrance onto the stage of the human drama from Babylon—from where paradise was originally lost, at the very beginning of time. While describing the end of time, the Bible draws attention to the region again. Coincidence? Not likely.
Let’s consider Daniel and Ezekiel for a moment. Judged by many to be the Bible’s most famous and dramatic last-days’ prophets, they spoke from, to, and about what we call Iraq and Iran. Their doing so is incredible and lends credibility to the proposition that we should employ measured focus today.
For his part, Ezekiel prophesied about Israel’s restoration as a nation at days’ end (beginning with 37:1), and then went on to note explicitly, and in no uncertain terms, that the reconstituted nation-state would be invaded subsequently by a variety of Islamic states, Persia being one (38:5). Modern Iran now occupies what was ancient Persia—that should raise a few eyebrows! Coincidence? Here again, I think not.
Many think of Daniel as the most colorful Old Testament prophet. Speaking in chapter 8 from the ancient province of Elam—which, by the way, is in today’s southern Iran—Daniel saw a feisty ram from the East pushing westward against the Greeks (vv. 3–7). In verse 20, Daniel specified that the vision presaged a conflict between the Persians/Iranians and the Greeks/the West—he was told by a heavenly being in verses 17 and 19 that the prediction relates to “the end,” and to history’s distant future (v. 26). That tensions between Iranian and Western civilizations abound today, to my way of thinking, lends credibility to yesterday’s prophecies.
Do you suppose that I draw too much attention to Iran by speaking so vociferously about Islam and the troubles in our world? Some say so. For all the reasons just mentioned, however, I submit that Believers who sheepishly and shamelessly complain that addressing these subjects offends Christian virtue are making fools of themselves by showing us how out of touch they are with both their newspapers and their Bibles.
This letter begins with an arms-deal report from jewishworldreview.com, one of hundreds of news items that appear weekly from a variety of credible news sources. One need only pick up a newspaper (any paper) or turn on the nightly news (any station) to receive a stream of reports and commentary on Afghanistan, Iraq, Iranian angst, nuclear concerns in the Middle East, and more. These reports are always accompanied by a variety of specific pieces on Israel, the United Nations, Syria, Egypt, or a host of others embroiled in an upwardly escalating conflict in the region. These stories so dominate today’s news that if creatures from outer space were to arrive on our planet in a flying saucer and consider our world’s news, they could mistakenly conclude that hardly anything else was happening on our planet.
The world is obsessed with the Middle East; is it not? The Word is focused on that region too; is it not? But what of today’s churches? Like aliens, many are either out of this world or out of touch with it: many pastors are woefully uninformed or misinformed. Too few voices are raised.
Impassioned individuals write to us every now and then, alleging that I am mean spirited, too judgmental, too anti-Islam, or un-Christian as a result! This criticism will probably not stop, because I have no intention of “toning it down” or quitting. To be Christian does not mean to cease declaring the truth and sheepishly acquiescing to wicked people in the hopes that they’ll like us.
I believe that I have been called to carry on the torch that Zola kindled and cherished with myriad sacrifices over a thirty-year period, I will press on to bring the real Bible story to press as long as you enable me to do so. With your help, the ministry will continue to burn brighter as an emboldened witness to the News behind the news!
If you can, I would encourage you to join Sandra and me on an upcoming trip to Israel. Together in fellowship, we can strengthen and improve our individual and ministry witnesses. Come breathe the Holy Land’s air and touch its earth. Taste the food. Come be baptized in the Jordan River. Stroll around Jerusalem and pray at the Wailing Wall! There’s so much more and so little space here to describe the pilgrimage of a lifetime that a select group of Bible students will experience with us. You cannot imagine how peaceful the Holy Land really is until you’ve made that journey! Come—experience the peace that surpasses understanding as you visit Jerusalem, the City of Peace.
We’ll leave October 16 and 21, depending on whether you take our Mediterranean cruise. You can either return on October 31 or opt to visit Petra and come home on November 4. Regarding our spring tour, the “Footsteps of Paul” portion, solely in Greece, will be March 14 to 25. Our ten-day deluxe Israel tour will travel from March 23 to April 2. You can combine both Greece and Israel and travel with us from March 14 to April 2. Please contact Tony in our office at (214) 696-9760 during business hours (CT) or call (800) 966-3399 (1-800-WONDERS) anytime. Your life will be transformed and you’ll help transform others when you return.
In closing, let me thank you again for your continued support of this outreach. Your prayers enable me to preach boldly at a time unlike any in history. Your support and sentiments—in the form of letters, prayers, and financial gifts—enable me to preach globally as we reach into millions of homes the world over. Together, we will make a difference by spreading the Good News behind the news.
Shalom,
Jeffrey Seif
P.S. As you look through the enclosed TV Airing Schedule, please take an extra moment to see which of the national networks reach your area. Many of our readers are mistaken in their belief that they no longer can watch Zola Levitt Presents on TV or are unaware that we cover their area twice or three times per week.
Dear Jeff,
Lots of today’s churches are either out of this world or out of touch with it. Many pastors are woefully uninformed or misinformed. Too few voices are raised.
“Here is my gift for September. Press on in carrying the torch that Zola kindled. Bring the real Bible story in an emboldened witness to the News behind the news.”
