Dear Friends,
Our ministry’s remarkable workers count it a privilege to serve the Lord and His purposes even during unusual circumstances. We continue to host pilgrims on journeys to Greece and Israel despite media warnings about the supposed dangers there, which, in fact, are hyped. Beyond Israel being safer than most American cities, we believe in the safety of God’s will and rest in the Psalm 91 covering of God.
Recently Katharine and I heard an amazing story from our long-standing Messianic bus driver, David Minay. David always brings a smiling face and godly attitude to our tours. He is an invaluable team member. Fluent in Hebrew, he is streetwise and watches over our tour members like a proud papa.
David lives in Ashkelon, one of the border towns under rocket fire since the Gaza Disengagement in 2005. I often see him quietly phoning his family at home, checking on their well-being while we are introducing pilgrims to the wonders of Israel.
The pressure on cities like Ashkelon is unimaginable for us Americans, so accustomed
to comfort and safety. It is very stressful constantly running to “safe-rooms” (bomb shelters)—especially for the children.
Here’s the good part: David
used his bus to drive Ashkelon’s
children to northern Israel for a
holiday during last November’s
conflict with Hamas. I smiled,
picturing our David, with his
giant heart, whisking children
away for a reprieve.
David recounts the adventure in his own words, translated from Hebrew:
It is just several months ago that the cities of southern Israel were subject to a continuous bombardment by rockets and missiles from the Gaza Strip. One of the cities to suffer from this assault was my home city of Ashkelon. Those rockets and missiles targeted residential buildings, kindergartens, and schools, causing many casualties and much damage.
Ma’ayan Harod National ParkThe Municipality of Haifa generously invited women and children from Ashkelon, suffering from anxiety, to get away from the constant noise of the bombardment for a three-day tour of the National Park of Ma’ayan Harod. This site is mentioned in the Bible as the location where Gideon chose 300 brave men to fight the Midianites. When the Municipality of Ashkelon asked me and another driver to take part in this wonderful initiative, we gladly agreed to assist.
On November 21, we collected the women and children from several meeting points in the city and took off northward. We escaped the continuous rocket attacks and fled to the peace and calm of the northern areas of Israel, where we were able to enjoy the warm and loving hospitality of Haifa. We spent a wonderful three days, which included a tour to the city of Tiberias by the Sea of Galilee.
Finally on November 23, after spending great days of peace and quiet for us—and peaceful excitement for the children—we headed back to Ashkelon. We had a prayer in our hearts that the hostilities would soon be over and the children would be able to resume their usual daily life back at school without the fear of falling rockets and missiles.
During those three days, I did everything possible to entertain the children on my bus while at the same time staying in daily contact with my family who remained at home in Ashkelon, subject to the terror attacks from Gaza.
Our prayers were answered because two days after returning to Ashkelon, a ceasefire agreement was reached and we were able to go back to our daily routines…until the next time.
This is just one story of simple humanity in the face of inhumanity. There are many more, as when IDF soldiers go out of their way to spare civilians and even put themselves at risk during military action rather than cause “collateral” damage. This is the opposite of the Hezbollah and Hamas approach to war, which is to keep armaments and terror centers in the middle of civilian areas: hospitals, mosques, and schools. Terrorists routinely use civilians as human shields. This practice is hidden from the West by news outlets that seem determined to minimize jihadist atrocities while demonizing the Jewish State. Heroes like David are all over Israel, simply “doing the right thing” when it comes before them.
What will the U.S. do in the
coming season? Will our government
move us away from being a champion
of Israel’s destiny?
The Inaugural Prayer Breakfast in January offered a strong warning to all who would listen. Our team of Bible teachers there stood with Messianic rabbi Jonathan Cahn as he sounded an alarm to America. Not long ago, Jonathan joined a gathering of Messianic leaders convened by Jonathan Bernis in Arizona. He had just returned from India, and was carrying a torch given to him by the Believers in Madras (now, Chennai).
Madras is the site of St. Thomas’s Hill, where the Jewish Apostle landed with the Gospel of Yeshua many centuries ago, and where Thomas was martyred for the faith. This torch was brought to the Messianic Leaders Roundtable. We lit it, and as Jonathan Cahn held it high, Jonathan Bernis prayed for the Messianic movement. He prayed that we would take our rightful place as “the head and not the tail” (Deut. 28:13) and that we would, in cooperation with the Church at large, see God’s purposes released on Earth during our lifetime. It was a holy moment.
The torch blazed as we recited together the Shema: “Hear, O Israel: the LORD is our God, the LORD is one” (Deut. 6:4). Not long after that moment of consecration, Cahn released his powerful warning and promise over all of America.
Now is the time for us. Now is the time for the Jewish Gospel voices to be lifted up and to be heard. We are hurtling towards Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38 and 39, and it is time for the nations to receive the warning from Zechariah 1:14, 15:
So the angel who spoke with me said to me, “Proclaim, saying,
‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “I am zealous for Jerusalem
And for Zion with great zeal.
I am exceedingly angry with the nations at ease;
For I was a little angry,
And they helped—but with evil intent.”’”
This is the repentance that God is looking for: that the nations who took it upon themselves to “help” God by persecuting the Jewish people will repent and ask forgiveness of God and Israel. I have seen with my own eyes what happens when gentiles do this: the scales come off Jewish eyes, the veil comes off Jewish hearts, and the jealousy God exhorts the Church to produce begins … jealousy to know the Messiah who would produce such a change in the nations of the world.
We are especially excited about our newest TV project, The Sons of Promise—Isaac and Jacob. This eight-program series will be an eloquent statement about the Abrahamic Covenant line through the Jewish people. ZLM always tries to be fair toward the “other side of the family,” reminding our viewers of God’s faithful love for the sons of Ishmael. We are also very clear that the “meshugas” (Yiddish for “craziness”) coming through the news media is not based in either truth or reality.
To counter the demonizing and delegitimizing of Israel and the Jewish people, our ministry must wave high the banner of truth and love to today’s generations. Our Sons of Promise television series will clearly illustrate the continual blessing that has come through the Jewish people to the world. Of course the greatest gift, Yeshua, is Jewish. Also, the ongoing Nobel Prize-worthy contributions in medicine, science, technology, and the arts come disproportionately through the Jewish people. For Katharine and me, making Sons of Promise was humbling and uplifting; we interviewed business leaders, young IDF soldiers, and the next generation of Messianic spiritual leaders. You too will be blessed and want to share these programs with your friends and family.
As you may know, costs for TV production continue to rise, while our commitment to creating the highest quality broadcasts remains consistent. Rather than curtail our vital teaching, we always look for ways to improve our message and disseminate it farther.
We grow one step closer to crying,
“Baruch Haba B’Shem Adonai!” Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! We are
one step closer to His return!
We know that the very rocks will worship the Lord if we do not. That is the subtext of the 12-part series that we conclude this month, The Stones Cry Out. This series, originally produced in 1997, shows how archaeologists and scientists—Jewish and gentile, Believers and non-believers together—reveal the incredible verification of the Bible that the overturned stones bring to us. It was recently remixed with Katharine and me doing some of the “color commentary” on this important topic.
In other programs this month, we meet leaders and artists in the Messianic community. Closer to Passover (which falls March 25–April 2 this year), Katharine and I connect Passover to Easter (more accurately known as Resurrection Sunday or the Feast of First Fruits; it falls on March 31 this year). Watch for these programs in March:
Gather your friends and family for this weekly encounter with the lands of the Bible, Passover, and the Jewish Messiah!
Why not see The Land for yourself? Please consider
joining us on our 30th Anniversary Pilgrimage this coming fall.
Sandra Levitt-Turner will help us host this special tour. The four
fall tour options include:
Together we will explore the places of the Bible and walk in the footsteps of Jesus and His Disciples. It promises to be an outstanding, life-changing tour.
Please contact our tour manager Tracie (214-696-9760) for information, or visit www.levitt.com/tours to see details, dates, and FAQs.
Your brother,
P.S. Until we meet in this life or the next, remember: “Sha’alu Shalom Yerushalayim!” Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem! And thanks for keeping our ministry’s work at the forefront of your prayers.
Dear Myles,
Nations and individuals alike will inevitably answer to God for their treatment of the Jewish people and the nation of Israel.
“Here is my contribution for March. Keep the banner of God’s truth high while combating the demonizing and delegitimizing of Israel.”
Zola’s Ultimate Hebrew Primer teaches both print and script, so you will be ready to read, speak, and write Hebrew in Israel and in Heaven. Assumes no prior knowledge and progresses gradually, so even the fainthearted will find immediate value.
New archaeological discoveries are validating the biblical record. To film archaeological sites and interview the experts, Zola and the crew of Zola Levitt Presents journeyed to Israel and Jordan.
