The Jewish roots of Christianity

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Bible teaching with an emphasis on Israel, prophecy and the Jewish roots of Christianity

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Episode: “Israel By Divine Right”
Drawing on Zola’s mid-career teachings, we see him investigate and extol the Gospel’s expansion beyond Jews—to non-Jews. Though many knew Jesus as a Savior, Zola wanted the world to know Him as a Jewish Savior. This program offers samplings of this emphasis, and also delves into the Dead Sea Scrolls, introduces Islam, and considers prophecy.
Series: “Zola’s Highlights”
A Collection of Classic Zola
These programs celebrate the timeless teachings of the late Zola Levitt, one of the most beloved Bible teachers in America. Highlights from 30 years of television broadcasting are condensed into 4 half-hour programs that examine Zola’s early, mid-career, and later teaching. On-location footage from Israel gives viewers insights into the biblical world and Word.

Caption transcript for Zola’s Highlights: “Israel By Divine Right” (2/4)

  • 00:09 I WILL BRING YOU OUT OF THE NATIONS WHERE YOU ARE SCATTERED.
  • 00:13 BEHOLD I AM COMING WITH THE CLOUDS AND EVERY EYE SHALL SEE ME.
  • 00:19 AND YOU WILL LOOK UPON ME WHOM YOU HAVE PIERCED AND FINALLY SAY, BARUCH HABAH B'SHEM ADONAI.
  • 00:29 BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.
  • 00:38 DR. JEFFERY SEIF AND SANDRA LEVITT.
  • 00:44 A HEARTY SHALOM TO ALL OF YOU.
  • 00:46 GLAD YOU'RE WITH US.
  • 00:47 JEFFERY SEIF HERE WITH MY ASSOCIATE, SANDRA LEVITT.
  • 00:50 SHALOM AND WELCOME.
  • 00:52 I REMEMBER ZOLA TALKING ABOUT WHEN HE WAS 1ST SAVED.
  • 00:54 HE THOUGHT HE WAS THE ONLY JEWISH BELIEVER IN THE WORLD.
  • 00:58 AND LOOK WHAT GOD DID WITH ALL OF HIS PROPHECY,
  • 01:01 ALL OF HIS MUSIC.
  • 01:02 HE WASN'T THE ONLY ONE IN THE WORLD.
  • 01:04 I'M LOVING LOOKING BACK AT SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS.
  • 01:08 THEY'RE REALLY INTERESTING.
  • 01:09 YES THERE ARE A LOT MORE JEWS INVOLVED IN THE GOSPEL
  • 01:13 IN NEW TESTAMENT TIMES.
  • 01:15 AND WE'RE LIVING IN A TIME NOW
  • 01:17 WHERE THERE'S A LOT MORE JEWS INVOLVED TODAY.
  • 01:20 IT WAS GOOD NEWS FOR THE JEWS, BUT NOT JUST FOR THE JEWS, FOR ALL OF "YOUS."
  • 01:25 AND SO NOW, OFF WE GO AND CONSIDER THE GOSPEL'S EXPANSION
  • 01:30 TO INDIVIDUALS OF NON-JEWISH EXTRACT,
  • 01:33 AS THE HOLY SPIRIT MOVED OUT TO GENTILE PEOPLES.
  • 01:36 YOU'RE GONNA LOVE IT.
  • 01:38 STAY WITH US, WE'RE GOING THERE NOW.
  • 01:44 MUSIC
  • 02:10 ZOLA: THIS WALL LEADS ALL THE WAY THROUGH TOWN TO THE TOP OF THIS MOUNTAIN.
  • 02:13 ZOLA: OUR TOUR GROUP GATHERED HERE AT THE BASE OF THIS MAJESTIC TOWER
  • 02:17 ZOLA: WHERE WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY ONE OF THE LETTERS THAT PAUL WROTE TO THE THESSALONIANS.
  • 02:22 HERE WE ARE TODAY ON THE ACROPOLIS OF THE CITY OF THESSALONIKI,
  • 02:28 WHICH OF COURSE RECEIVED 2 LETTERS FROM PAUL.
  • 02:31 1ST AND 2ND THESSALONIANS IN THE NEW TESTAMENT WERE WRITTEN TO THESE PEOPLE.
  • 02:34 AND WHEN THEY WERE HERE AND WHEN PAUL WAS HERE, THIS WALL AND THIS TOWER WERE ALREADY HERE,
  • 02:38 IN FACT THEY WERE ALREADY ANCIENT.
  • 02:41 THE WALL AS IT STANDS NOW IS SOME 2400 YEARS OLD.
  • 02:44 IT'S BEEN REBUILT A NUMBER OF TIMES AND IT WALLS IN THE OLD CITY OF THESSALONICA.
  • 02:52 THE NEW CITY GOES DOWN BELOW ALL THE WAY TO THE WATER FRONT AND IS A BEAUTIFUL SEA SIDE RESORT.
  • 02:57 WELL, WHEN PAUL CAME HERE HE TAUGHT HIS DOCTRINE OF THE CARPENTER OF GALILEE,
  • 03:04 THE JEWISH MESSIAH AND MANAGED TO IMPART SOME THINGS
  • 03:08 WHICH HE'S NOW GOING TO RE-INSTRUCT THE PEOPLE OF THESSALONICA ABOUT
  • 03:12 AS TOUCHING BROTHERLY LOVE HE WRITES AND ESPECIALLY ABOUT THE DEAD.
  • 03:18 IT SEEMS THEY WORRIED AND WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THOSE IN THE CONGREGATION
  • 03:22 WHO HAD PASSED ON IN VIEW OF THE DELAY IN THE COMING OF THE LORD.
  • 03:30 WE'LL COME TO THAT.
  • 03:31 HE BEGINS ON THE SUBJECT OF LOVE
  • 03:33 AND I READ FROM 1ST THESSALONIANS CHAPTER 4, VERSE 9:
  • 03:42 PEOPLE WHO ARE GODLY AND WHO ARE IN TOUCH WITH GOD AUTOMATICALLY GAIN LOVE.
  • 03:50 GOD IS LOVE AND IF WE'RE IN DWELT BY HIM THEN WE HAVE IT.
  • 03:58 WE'RE IN THE GREEK PROVENCE OF MACEDONIA.
  • 04:00 TODAY THIS IS IN NORTHERN GREECE.
  • 04:03 OUR HOTEL IS CALLED "THE MACEDONIAN PALACE."
  • 04:22 THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT IS THE UNBELIEVER.
  • 04:24 GIVE HIM A GOOD TESTIMONY, PAUL'S SIMPLY SAYING
  • 04:26 AND OBEY GOD THAT YOU MAY LACK FOR NOTHING.
  • 04:30 GOD WILL REMEMBER YOUR OBEDIENCE AND PROVIDE.
  • 04:34 ZOLA'S TRUE LOVE OF COURSE WAS THE LAND OF ISRAEL
  • 04:36 AND HE WAS ALWAYS READY TO PROCLAIM IT EVEN FROM THE MOUNTAIN TOPS.
  • 04:46 I'M WALKING UP MT. BEATITUDES OR THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT SITE.
  • 04:52 THIS IS NOT THE SIDE OF IT, USUALLY SHOWN ON TELEVISION WHERE THE TOURIST GATHER,
  • 04:59 BUT THIS IS THE ROAD UP THE MOUNTAIN THAT COMES ALONG THE RIDGE
  • 05:04 WHEN THE PEOPLE REACH THE SUMMIT THEY PAUSE TO HEAR A PUBLIC ADDRESS
  • 05:10 BY THE WONDERFUL CARPENTER OF GALILEE.
  • 05:13 ON THAT MORNING BEFORE PASSOVER THE PEOPLE PASSING BY
  • 05:17 ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HEAR THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.
  • 05:20 THE MOUNTAIN ITSELF IS NOT A LARGE ONE.
  • 05:24 THE LORD DIDN'T HAVE THIS SERMON ON MT. HERMAN OR MT. CARMEL OR MT. TABOR OR A BIGGER MOUNTAIN,
  • 05:31 BUT RATHER A PLACE WHERE RATHER ORDINARY PEOPLE WOULD BE PASSING BY.
  • 05:37 AND THESE PEOPLE WERE FROM GALILEE HEADING DOWN TOWARDS THE FEAST,
  • 05:41 OR NORTH OF GALILEE AND HAD TO PASS THIS WAY AS THEY WENT.
  • 05:45 AND THEY WERE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE KIND OF PEOPLE JESUS SOUGHT
  • 05:49 BECAUSE THIS UNIQUE KINGDOM THAT HE WAS PROMISING WAS NOT FOR THE MIGHTY,
  • 05:53 THE POWERFUL, THE RICH, OR THE RELIGIOUS, THIS KINGDOM WAS FOR THE MEEK.
  • 06:00 THIS KINGDOM WAS FOR THOSE CONSCIENCE OF THEIR SINS.
  • 06:05 REPENT AND TO CONTRITE.
  • 06:07 THOSE WHO WERE IN DEBT TO GOD BECAUSE OF THEIR SINS.
  • 06:11 THOSE WHO COULD EASILY PRAY, "FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS."
  • 06:14 THOSE WHO'S SELF EFFACING RIGHTEOUSNESS EXCEEDED THAT OF THE SCRIBES OF THE PHARISEES,
  • 06:24 WHICH THE LORD PRESCRIBES.
  • 06:27 ISRAEL BY DIVINE RIGHT, OUR GOD IS CALLING US HOME.
  • 06:46 AND JACOB ROSE UP EARLY IN THE MORNING
  • 06:48 AND TOOK THE STONE THAT HE HAD PUT FOR HIS PILLOWS
  • 06:51 AND SET IT UP FOR A PILLAR.
  • 06:53 AND POURED OIL UPON THE TOP OF IT
  • 06:59 AND HE CALLED THE NAME OF THAT PLACE BETHEL.
  • 07:05 SO HE CAME TO THIS SPOT TO
  • 07:06 SHOW WHERE THE COVENANT WAS REITERATED
  • 07:09 AND IT REITERATES THROUGHOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT.
  • 07:11 IT WASN'T JUST SAID ONCE,
  • 07:12 BUT MANY TIMES AS EACH GENERATION CAME.
  • 07:14 GIVE UNTO ABRAHAM, THEN ISAAC NOT ISHMAEL,
  • 07:17 THEN JACOB NOT ESAU AND CONTINUALLY CLAIMED AGAIN
  • 07:21 AND REPEATED AGAIN BY THE LORD.
  • 07:22 BUT IRONICALLY WHEN WE COME OUT TO THIS PLACE
  • 07:25 WE'RE IN, KIND OF ENEMY TERRITORY.
  • 07:29 WE HAD TO TAKE REASONABLE PRECAUTIONS,
  • 07:33 WE HAD TO BE CAREFUL, WE ARE
  • 07:34 DRIVING THROUGH VILLAGES WHERE OTHER LANGUAGES ARE SPOKEN AND OTHER GOD'S ARE WORSHIPPED.
  • 07:39 WE HEAR THE CALL OF THE ... FROM THE LOCAL MOSQUE.
  • 07:43 AND IT'S NO QUESTION THAT BETHEL ITSELF, THIS HILL, THE SURROUNDING VILLAGES AND SO ON
  • 07:49 IS A HOT SPOT IN THE MODERN INTIFADA.
  • 07:52 AND THE IRONY IS, IT WAS RIGHT HERE THAT GOD WENT TO THIS TROUBLE
  • 07:57 AND PROVIDED THIS AMAZING DREAM, THIS UNFORGETTABLE IMAGE OF JACOB'S LADDER,
  • 08:02 WHICH IS ON EVERYBODY'S DOORPOST AND ON THEIR STATIONARY HERE AND SO ON, OF THE JEWS.
  • 08:08 PICK THIS PLACE TO SINGLE OUT AS A PLACE WHERE THE COVENANT WAS REITERATED
  • 08:14 SO THAT IT WAS VERY CLEAR.
  • 08:16 JACOB WAS IMPRESSED, THERE'S NO QUESTION.
  • 08:19 WHEN HE GOT UP IN THE MORNING HE PERFORMED THIS RELIGIOUS CEREMONY, THIS ACT OF FAITH,
  • 08:23 THIS ANOINTING OF A STONE.
  • 08:25 NOT UNLIKE A, I GUESS WHEN AN EXPLORER FINDS NEW TERRITORY
  • 08:30 OR WHEN THE ASTRONAUTS CAME TO THE MOON THEY'D STAND ON THE SURFACE, THEY'D CLAIM IT.
  • 08:35 JACOB DID THE SAME THING BECAUSE OF HIS STRANGE NIGHT VISION HAD ENCOUNTERED WITH THE ANGELS
  • 08:41 AND WITH ALMIGHTY GOD.
  • 08:43 TELL ME THE DIFFERENCE IN AGE BETWEEN SOLOMON'S TEMPLE AND THIS DOME OF THE ROCK.
  • 08:48 THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON WAS BUILT IN ABOUT,
  • 08:50 LET'S SAY, 960 B.C
  • 08:55 AND IT WAS DESTROYED 586, WHICH MEANS IT EXISTED FOR 400 YEARS.
  • 08:59 THE 2ND TEMPLE WHICH WAS REBUILT BY THE PATRIOTS FROM BABYLON WHO CAME BACK TO JERUSALEM 538,
  • 09:06 IT WAS DESTROYED IN 70 A.D WHERE THE DOME OF THE ROCK WAS BUILT IN 691 AND IT STILL EXISTS,
  • 09:14 WHICH MEANS IT IS 1400 YEARS OLD.
  • 09:17 WHEREAS THE TEMPLE THERE IS NO ONE
  • 09:20 BUT THIS VERY TEMPLE WHICH WE HAVE
  • 09:22 THE DOME OF THE ROCK FOR THE MUSLIMS
  • 09:24 REPRESENTS ONLY A TESTIMONY TO AN ALLEGED EVENT
  • 09:28 WHICH TOOK PLACE IN JERUSALEM
  • 09:29 BECAUSE NO ONE IN THE QURAN OR ANYWHERE ELSE
  • 09:32 MENTIONS THE FACT THAT MUHAMMAD'S ASCENSION
  • 09:35 TO 7TH HEAVEN TOOK PLACE IN JERUSALEM.
  • 09:37 IT TOOK A PLACE, IN A PLACE THEY CALLED,
  • 09:39 "THE REMOTE PLACE."
  • 09:40 AKSAH IN ARABIC.
  • 09:42 THE QUESTION: WHERE DOES THE WRITER OF THE QURAN REFER TOO?
  • 09:47 DAN, THANK YOU, YOU ALWAYS HELP US WITH SUCH SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE, I APPRECIATE IT.
  • 09:53 TELL ME CAN I BUILD FOR YOU A TEMPLE, ONE IN WHICH YOUR HOLY NAME RESIDES.
  • 10:00 AND THERE IN MY HEART I WILL CARRY ALL THE LOVE,
  • 10:09 ALL THE MERCY OF THE LORD MY GOD INSIDE.
  • 10:19 THOUGH I DID NOT BUILD IT OUT OF MARBLE, GOLD AND SILVER YOU MIGHT FIND INSIDE.
  • 10:27 YET ALL OF THE WORLD WILL BEHOLD YOU, THEY WILL SEE YOU IN GLORY,
  • 10:37 THEY WILL PRAISE YOUR NAME.
  • 10:46 MUSIC
  • 10:59 THIS IS A FASCINATING TIME TO BE ALIVE.
  • 11:03 WHY DO I SAY THAT?
  • 11:04 BECAUSE THERE ARE NEW DISCOVERIES UNFOLDING IN THE HOLY LAND
  • 11:09 THAT SHED LIGHT ON BIBLICAL TRUTH AND THIS IS A SIGN OF A SOON COMING TIME.
  • 11:16 I BELIEVE THAT THE DISCOVERY AND THE UNPACKING OF THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS
  • 11:22 IS A FASCINATING MYSTERY BEING REVEALED TODAY
  • 11:26 AND IT SHEDS LIGHT ON THE NEW TESTAMENT STORY.
  • 11:30 AND ZOLA TOOK US INTO THAT WORLD,
  • 11:32 HE TOOK US TO SCHOLARS TO HEAR THINGS THAT WE WOULDN'T OTHERWISE KNOW.
  • 11:37 AND SO OFF WE GO.
  • 11:38 MORE OF ZOLA AND A CONSIDERATION OF THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS AND MORE.
  • 11:46 MUSIC
  • 12:12 THESE PEOPLE WERE JEWS.
  • 12:14 THEY ROSE TO PRAY BEFORE DAWN AND THEY HELD TO THE SABBATH RIGOROUSLY.
  • 12:18 THEY HAD A COMMUNITY COUNCIL OF TWELVE WITH AN INNER GROUP OF 3.
  • 12:22 JESUS OF COURSE HAD 12 DISCIPLES IN THAT INNER GROUP OF 3 IN PETER, JAMES, AND JOHN.
  • 12:28 THE QUMRAN GROUP HAD SACRED MEALS WITH PRAYERS, MUCH LIKE THE LAST SUPPER OR COMMUNION.
  • 12:35 THEY TALKED ABOUT THE RUACH HAKODESH, THE HOLY SPIRIT AND ABOUT THE LAST DAYS.
  • 12:44 ZOLA: IN THE YEAR 68 A.D., FEARING THE ONCOMING ROMAN TROOPS AND CERTAIN PLUNDER,
  • 12:49 ZOLA: THEY TOOK THEIR SCROLLS AND HID THEM IN THE CAVES UP ON THE NEARBY CLIFFS.
  • 12:54 WHEN WE RETURN WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE SCROLLS,
  • 12:58 AND SOME OF THE AMAZING THINGS THEY HAD TO SAY ABOUT THE MESSIAH.
  • 13:02 ZOLA: HERE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO,
  • 13:05 ZOLA: PROFESSOR MICHAEL WISE HAS JUST RECENTLY OBTAINED PHOTOS OF SCROLL SEGMENTS.
  • 13:09 ZOLA: DR. WISE IS A EXPERT IN BIBLICAL HEBREW AND ARAMAIC
  • 13:13 ZOLA: AND HAS FOUND EXCERPTS WHICH ADDRESS THE MESSIAH IN A VERY UNIQUE MANNER.
  • 13:19 WISE: NOW THIS IS THE FRAGMENT THAT HAS GOTTEN SOME ATTENTION.
  • 13:21 WISE: IT STARTS OFF BY QUOTING THE BOOK OF ISAIAH 11TH CHAPTER, THE 1ST VERSE:
  • 13:34 WISE: OF COURSE JESSE THE FATHER OF DAVID.
  • 13:35 SO HERE WAS A REFERENCE TO A SON OF DAVID,
  • 13:37 WHICH WAS OF COURSE OFTEN A MESSIANIC WAY
  • 13:40 OF REFERRING TO A FUTURE FIGURES.
  • 13:43 HE HAD TO BE A SON OF DAVID IN ORDER TO QUALIFY AS THE MESSIAH.
  • 13:47 AND IT GOES ON TO SAY:
  • 13:49 THE BIBLE EVEN SPECIFIES THAT MESSIAH,
  • 13:54 WHEN HE COMES WHOEVER HE MAY BE MUST BE OUT OF THE FAMILY OF DAVID.
  • 13:57 THAT'S RIGHT, AND THE PEOPLE KNEW THAT. >>SURE
  • 13:59 SO ANYONE THEY WOULD DESCRIBE AS MESSIAH
  • 14:02 WOULD HAVE TO QUALIFY IN THAT WAY.
  • 14:03 THE 4TH LINE IN HERE IS THE ONE THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING, IT SAYS:
  • 14:07 (SPEAKING HEBREW)
  • 14:15 NOW WE KNOW FROM OTHER DEAD SEA SCROLLS THAT THE WORDS:
  • 14:18 (SPEAKING HEBREW) PRINCE OF THE CONGREGATION,
  • 14:20 REFER TO A MESSIANIC SON OF DAVID FIGURE.
  • 14:22 THEY ARE SPEAKING OF A MESSIANIC FIGURE HERE
  • 14:25 WHO'S EVIDENTLY BEING PUT TO DEATH.
  • 14:27 NOW THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT FOR US
  • 14:30 AND ESPECIALLY AS IN THE NEXT LINE THROWS A LITTLE MORE LIGHT ON IT.
  • 14:35 (SPEAKING HEBREW)
  • 14:41 AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT FOLLOWED AFTER, AGAIN IT'S BROKEN.
  • 14:43 PIERCINGS AS IN THEY SHALL LOOK UPON ME WHOM THEY'VE PIERCED.
  • 14:46 THAT'S RIGHT, THEY SHALL LOOK UPON HIM WHOM THEY'VE PIERCED AND IT'S THE SAME HEBREW WORD.
  • 14:51 SO IT SEEMS TO BE THAT THIS TEXT IS BRINGING TOGETHER QUOTATIONS FROM VARIOUS PORTIONS
  • 14:56 OF THE BOOK 0F ISAIAH AND APPLYING THEM TO A FIGURE.
  • 14:59 YEAH, BUT THIS AUTHOR TRUSTED ISAIAH TO THE DEGREE
  • 15:01 THAT HE'S REITERATING THIS PROPHECY APPLYING IT TO A MESSIANIC FIGURE OF THE TIME.
  • 15:06 AND IT'S VERY INTERESTING TOO THAT HE APPEARS TO BE REFERRING TO ISAIAH CHAPTER 53,
  • 15:10 BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE EVIDENCE IN GENERAL THAT,
  • 15:13 THAT VERY IMPORTANT CHAPTER OF THE HEBREW BIBLE
  • 15:15 WAS UNDERSTOOD MESSIANICLY AMONG THE JEWS AT THE TIME OF JESUS APART FROM THIS TEXT.
  • 15:20 OF COURSE THE EARLY CHRISTIANS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING UNDERSTOOD
  • 15:23 THAT TEXT TO REFER TO JESUS.
  • 15:25 SO THEY HAD A MESSIANIC UNDERSTANDING OF THAT PORTION OF ISAIAH.
  • 15:28 BUT SCHOLARS HAVE ALWAYS SAID:
  • 15:29 "BUT DID THE JEWS OTHER THAN THOSE WHO BECAME THE EARLY CHRISTIANS
  • 15:33 HAVE THIS UNDERSTANDING?"
  • 15:35 AND OUR EVIDENCE HAS ALWAYS SAID THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE JEWS, THE ONLY EVIDENCE WE REALLY HAD
  • 15:39 SUGGESTED THAT THE JEWS THOUGHT THE CHAPTER DIDN'T REFER TO AN INDIVIDUAL,
  • 15:43 BUT RATHER TO THE NATION OF ISRAEL AS THE SUFFERING SERVANT.
  • 15:46 THAT'S USUALLY THE ANSWER IF ONE IS TRYING TO PROVE THAT PASSAGE TO BE CHRISTOLOGICAL TO A JEW.
  • 15:52 HE SAYS MY RABBI SAID THAT'S THE NATION OF ISRAEL THAT'S GOD'S SERVANT,
  • 15:56 BUT EVIDENTLY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS THE PEOPLE THAT WROTE THESE SCROLLS
  • 15:59 THOUGHT THAT THIS APPLIED TO A MAN, NOT A NATION.
  • 16:01 THAT'S RIGHT.
  • 16:07 THESE WERE THE ONES WHO HE CHOSE TO CALL BRETHREN
  • 16:12 WITH WHOM HE CHOSE TO SUFFER.
  • 16:17 THE PEOPLE THAT WALKED IN DARKNESS HAVE SEEN A GREAT LIGHT.
  • 16:20 THEY THAT DWELL IN THE LAND OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, UPON THEM HATH THE LIGHT SHINE.
  • 16:30 WELL THE DOOR OF THE HOUSE WAS A SPECIAL THING TOO,
  • 16:33 THE VERY DOOR JAM BECAUSE IT HAD THE SCRIPTURE ON IT IN A BOX CALLED A MEZUZAH.
  • 16:38 EVERY JEWISH HOME HAS THIS NOW.
  • 16:40 IN ISRAEL EVERY SINGLE HOTEL ROOM HAS THIS LITTLE BOX OF SCRIPTURE
  • 16:45 ON THE SIDE OF THE DOOR AND IN THERE IS A SCRIPTURE FROM THE LAW,
  • 16:49 MOST LIKELY DEUTERONOMY CHAPTER 6, VERSE 4:
  • 16:52 (SPEAKING HEBREW)
  • 17:00 THE LINTELS OF THE DOOR, THE TRIM ON THE JAM WAS USED IN EGYPT ON PASSOVER NIGHT.
  • 17:05 AS YOU KNOW THEY WERE TOLD TO PUT BLOOD ON THE LINTELS
  • 17:08 AND SWOBBING THE DOOR WITH THE BLOOD.
  • 17:10 THEY'D PUT IN ON EITHER SIDE AND ON THE TOP AND OF COURSE IF YOU JOIN THOSE WITH LINES,
  • 17:15 SOMEHOW YOU'D MAKE A CROSS.
  • 17:17 THE FLOORS OF THE HOUSE WERE VERY IMPORTANT.
  • 17:20 THAT THEY'D BE STRONG.
  • 17:22 BUILD ON A STRONG FOUNDATION AS THE LORD ADVISED.
  • 17:24 WELL ONE METHOD WAS TO SOAK SOIL CONSTANTLY WITH OIL AND PACK IT DOWN AND PACK IT DOWN UNTIL YOU
  • 17:31 VIRTUALLY HAD A WATERPROOF FLOOR AS IF IT WERE COVERED WITH LINOLEUM.
  • 17:35 IN ANY CASE, THE LORD MADE A PARABLE ABOUT THE MAN WHO BUILT HIS HOUSE UPON ROCK.
  • 17:41 YOU CAN'T GET A STRONGER FLOOR THAN THAT.
  • 17:43 AND THE PARABLE TEACHES THAT, THAT IS THE WAY TO BUILD IT AND THAT IS THE WAY THEY BUILT IT.
  • 17:48 THE TABLE SOMETIMES WAS JUST A MAT LAID ON THE FLOOR SOMETIMES WAS A SMALL TABLE.
  • 17:56 SOME HOUSES IF THEY ADMIRE THE ROMAN CULTURE
  • 17:58 HAD THE 3 SIDED TRICLINIUM TABLE IN THE GRANDER HOUSES.
  • 18:02 BUT IN A RELIGIOUS HOUSE YOU WOULD PROBABLY FIND A TABLE VERY, VERY SIMPLE.
  • 18:06 MAYBE SOMETHING LIKE THIS, MAYBE LOWER.
  • 18:09 BUT IN ANY CASE JUST SERVICEABLE NOT FANCY AT LEAST IN RELIGIOUS HOMES.
  • 18:21 MUSIC
  • 18:30 FOR INSIGHTFUL PERSPECTIVES OF ISRAEL AND BIBLE PROPHECY
  • 18:34 ASK FOR OUR FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER THE LEVITT LETTER.
  • 18:37 WHEN YOU CALL, BE SURE TO ALSO ASK FOR OUR FREE CATALOGUE WITH LATEST VIDEOS, BOOKS, AND MUSIC.
  • 18:43 OUR CORRESPONDENCE COURSE, "THE INSTITUTE FOR JEWISH CHRISTIAN STUDIES" INCLUDES:
  • 18:47 READING PACKETS, TEACHING CDs, AND MAIL IN TESTS.
  • 18:51 YOU MAY WANT TO JOIN US ON AN UPCOMING TOUR OF ISRAEL OR PETRA.
  • 18:54 OR CRUISE THE MEDITERRANEAN, VISITING GREECE AND EPHESUS.
  • 18:57 PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION.
  • 19:01 JEFF: HEY YOU LIKE THIS GUYS?
  • 19:02 CROWD: YEAH!!!
  • 19:03 JOIN US IN ISRAEL FOR A TRIP OF A LIFETIME.
  • 19:06 MY FATHER'S COME 5 TIMES BEFORE
  • 19:09 AND LOVES ISRAEL.
  • 19:10 AND THIS IS MY 1ST TIME AND I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW,
  • 19:14 BEYOND WORDS THE MEANING OF COMING HOME.
  • 19:18 IT'S BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION
  • 19:21 AND I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD SEE THIS,
  • 19:24 I NEVER THOUGHT THIS WOULD BE LIKE THIS.
  • 19:26 AND THE EXPERIENCE HAS TO BE HAD IN PERSON.
  • 19:31 ONE OF MY EARLIEST MEMORIES OF ZOLA IS HIM TELLING ME HOW BEAUTIFUL ISRAEL IS.
  • 19:37 I COULDN'T WAIT TO SEE ISRAEL AND SURE ENOUGH WHEN I GOT TO ISRAEL I WAS SO GLAD
  • 19:42 I FELT LIKE I WAS HOME.
  • 19:43 ISRAEL WAS MY HOME.
  • 19:45 LEAVE IT TO YOUR HUSBAND.
  • 19:47 I THOUGHT ONE OF THE EARLIEST MEMORIES
  • 19:48 WOULD BE HIM TELLING YOU HOW BEAUTIFUL YOU WERE.
  • 19:50 WELL THAT WAS THE 2ND THING, BUT ISRAEL WAS GOOD TOO.
  • 19:52 1ST THINGS 1ST
  • 19:53 1ST THINGS 1ST.
  • 19:54 HE REALLY HAD A HEART FOR THE LORD
  • 19:55 AND A HEART FOR THE JEWISH PEOPLE.
  • 19:56 HIS LEGACY LIVES ON.
  • 19:58 WE'RE TRYING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN WITH IT.
  • 20:01 THE LEVITT LETTER STILL BEARS HIS NAME.
  • 20:03 THE ARTICLES ARE ALL NEW HOWEVER, BECAUSE THE WORLD CONTINUES
  • 20:06 AND PROPHECY CONTINUES TO UNFOLD
  • 20:10 AND WE BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE THEIR EYES AND EARS ON ISRAEL.
  • 20:14 IF YOU'LL CALL:
  • 20:17 OR GO TO:
  • 20:20 IF YOU SIGN UP FOR IT, WE'LL SEND IT.
  • 20:22 YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS HOWEVER, "THE WORKS #2," BY ZOLA LEVITT.
  • 20:26 IF YOU'RE ENJOYING THIS SERIES, THIS PROGRAM
  • 20:29 AND YOU LIKE THE MESSAGES, THE MUSIC, THIS GOES ALONG WITH.
  • 20:34 GREAT SONGS FROM THE HOLY LAND, YOU'LL LOVE IT.
  • 20:36 SPEAKING OF LOVE IT, FROM LEVITT HE INTERVIEWED ERGUN CANER.
  • 20:42 A FELLOW OF ISLAMIC EXTRACT WHO CAME TO KNOW THE LORD,
  • 20:45 BECAME A THEOLOGIAN AND IS A PROFESSOR OF BIBLE AND THEOLOGY AND ACTUALLY A DEAN OF DIVINITY.
  • 20:51 YOU'RE GONNA LOVE HIM AND OFF WE GO AS WE CONTINUE ON THE JOURNEY
  • 20:55 TO COME TO KNOW GOD'S WORD BETTER THROUGH ZOLA LEVITT MINISTRIES.
  • 21:00 HOW DID YOU GET SAVED?
  • 21:01 WEREN'T YOU?...
  • 21:02 DIFFICULT I CAN TELL YOU VERY QUICKLY.
  • 21:04 I WAS NOT JUST MUSLIM, BUT THE SON OF A MUEZZIN.
  • 21:08 ZOLA: THAT'S WHAT I UNDERSTOOD.
  • 21:10 ZOLA: YOUR FATHER WAS A CLERGYMAN.
  • 21:11 CANER: YES,THE ONE WHO DOES THE CALL PRAYER IN THE MINARET.
  • 21:13 CANER: AND SO...
  • 21:14 ZOLA: DID HE CALL YOU TO DINNER WITH THAT TERRIFIC VOICE?
  • 21:17 CANER: (LAUGHING) HE COULD.
  • 21:18 CANER: HE COULD RAISE THAT VOICE QUITE LOUD.
  • 21:20 WE WERE RAISED IN A MOSQUE
  • 21:23 AND WE WERE THERE FOR THE FRIDAYS AND THERE FOR THE SUNDAYS
  • 21:25 AND VERY FAITHFUL MUSLIMS,
  • 21:27 BUT EVERYTHING I HAD BEEN TAUGHT ABOUT CHRISTIANITY
  • 21:29 ABOUT CHRISTIANS SPECIFICALLY,
  • 21:31 JUST DIDN'T BEAR OUT WHEN WE CAME TO AMERICA.
  • 21:34 WE WERE TAUGHT THAT YOU HATED US
  • 21:37 AND COMING TO AMERICA PERHAPS IN EUROPE IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT,
  • 21:41 IT CERTAINLY WAS FOR ME, BUT COMING TO AMERICA THEY WEREN'T HATEFUL,THEY WERE LOVING.
  • 21:45 AND SO THROUGH THE TESTIMONY OF A FRIEND INVITING ME TO CHURCH FOR THE 1ST TIME,
  • 21:49 I CAME, WENT FOR 4 NIGHTS THROUGH A REVIVAL.
  • 21:53 I'D LIVED IN FEAR OF THE SCALES FOR SO LONG, YOU KNOW THE ANGEL ON BOTH SHOULDERS,
  • 21:59 WRITING THE GOOD AND THE BAD.
  • 22:01 BUT TO FIND OUT ABOUT GRACE, WHICH WAS REMARKABLE, SO I ACCEPTED CHRIST.
  • 22:04 I ACCEPTED JESUS AS WHAT HE SAID HE WAS.
  • 22:06 WENT BACK TO MOSQUE THE NEXT FRIDAY, ASSUMING THEY WANTED TO HEAR ABOUT GRACE AND MERCY
  • 22:12 AND FORGIVENESS IN CHRIST, THAT WAS NOT THE CASE.
  • 22:15 ALRIGHT SO WE'RE ATTACKED
  • 22:17 AND NOW WHEN I GO ON A SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT
  • 22:20 EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW, WHY DO THEY HATE US?
  • 22:22 WHY DOES THE QURAN REALLY TEACH THAT THEY SHOULD KILLS US?
  • 22:27 THIS SORT OF QUESTION.
  • 22:28 OH, DR. LEVITT, YOU AND I BOTH FACE THIS.
  • 22:31 WHEREVER WE SPEAK, WHENEVER YOU AND I, WHENEVER YOU GO IN A PLACE AND I GO IN A PLACE
  • 22:35 WE HEAR THIS ON TELEVISION, IN THE NEWS, AND THE RADIO
  • 22:38 THAT WE HEAR THESE APOLOGIST WHO ISLAM IS SAYING,
  • 22:41 "JIHAD IS A STRUGGLE, IT MEANS WE ARE PEACE LOVING. ISLAM MEANS PEACE AND SUBMISSION,"
  • 22:47 AND IT DOES, BUT...
  • 22:49 AND IN AMERICA THE VAST MAJORITY OF MUSLIMS ARE HORRIFIED BY WHAT TOOK PLACE.
  • 22:54 BUT THAT'S BECAUSE HERE IN AMERICA JIHAD IS A THEORY.
  • 22:57 THERE'S NEVER BEEN A DECLARED JIHAD BY THE CALIPHATE, BY THE LEADERS HERE IN AMERICA.
  • 23:02 IN EUROPE AND IN ISRAEL AND IN THE ARABIAN PENINSULA IT'S NOT THEORY,
  • 23:09 IT'S LIFE, IT'S WHAT WE LIVE WITH.
  • 23:11 WHAT GETS TO ME IS THAT YOU CAN SAY THAT'S WHAT WE TEACH, BUT WE DON'T FOLLOW THAT,
  • 23:16 BUT YOU CAN NOT REDACT, YOU CAN NOT GO BACK AND CHANGE WHAT THE QURAN SAYS.
  • 23:20 AS A MEMBER, AS A YOUNG MAN I WAS IN THE ISLAMIC YOUTH, JIHAD
  • 23:23 AS WAS MY BROTHER AND BOTH OF MY BROTHERS.
  • 23:27 WE WERE IN THE YOUTH GROUPS THAT WERE THERE THAT WERE TAUGHT THESE VERSES OF THE HADITH.
  • 23:31 THE HADITH, YOU KEEP MENTIONING THESE MUHAMMAD SAYINGS.
  • 23:34 MUHAMMAD SAYINGS, YES THE SAYINGS THE... ALMOST EVERY ONE OF THEM SAYS
  • 23:38 IT'S NARRATED BY SOMEONE AND THEN MUHAMMAD SAID, AND THIS IS THEIR QUOTE.
  • 23:42 AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, DR. LEVITT THE HADITH...
  • 23:46 WHY DON'T YOU CALL ME, ZOLA, NOBODY CALLS ME DR. LEVITT.
  • 23:49 I CAN'T, YOU'RE THE MAN I WATCHED ON TELEVISION, MY LIFE.
  • 23:52 BUT HADITH CHAPTER 9, VERSE 50 SAYS,
  • 23:54 "NO ONE CAN BE KILLED FOR KILLING AN INFIDEL."
  • 23:57 HADITH CHAPTER 9, VERSE 57 SAYS,
  • 24:00 "IF A MAN CHANGES HIS ISLAMIC RELIGION KILL HIM."
  • 24:04 THAT'S NOT AMBIGUOUS.
  • 24:06 YEAH, IT'S NOT AMBIGUOUS, BUT IT'S VERY STRANGE.
  • 24:08 I DON'T ANY OTHER RELIGION THAT SAYS, IF YOU CONVERT SOMEWHERE THEY'RE GONNA KILL YOU.
  • 24:11 AND IT'S VERY STRAIGHT FORWARD.
  • 24:13 THERE IS IN THE QURAN A REDACTION.
  • 24:16 THEY WOUD SAY ABRAHAM WAS NOT A JEW OR A CHRISTIAN, BUT WAS A GOOD MUSLIM.
  • 24:19 I MEAN THAT IS A QUOTE IN THE QURAN.
  • 24:21 I'VE HEARD IT.
  • 24:23 AND SO THERE IS A REDACTION, BUT FOR NOW FOR THESE MEN TO COME ON TELEVISION AND SAY,
  • 24:26 THAT'S NOT..WE DON'T BELIEVE IN JIHAD.
  • 24:29 JIHAD IS NOT THAT, THAT'S A MISUNDERSTANDING.
  • 24:31 TO ME THAT'S DISINGENUOUS.
  • 24:33 WE HAVE A LARGE CHRISTIAN AUDIENCE.
  • 24:37 YOU HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS, GO FOR IT.
  • 24:38 WELL, I SIMPLY WANNA SAY, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME, DR. LEVITT
  • 24:41 AND I HAVE A VERY LARGE AUDIENCE TO SAY THE LEAST.
  • 24:45 BUT I WOULD SIMPLY SAY THIS TO THE INDIVIDUAL CHRISTIANS,
  • 24:47 I HOPE THAT THEY USE THIS OPPORTUNITY OF HEIGHTENED AWARENESS
  • 24:53 TO REACH THE MUSLIM POPULATION, 20% OF OUR WORLD, FOR THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.
  • 24:58 ALL I CAN ADD IS,
  • 25:01 SHA 'ALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM.
  • 25:03 PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM.
  • 25:04 YES.
  • 25:05 THANK YOU.
  • 25:07 THE THING THAT TOUCHED ME MOST
  • 25:09 ABOUT ERGUN'S TESTIMONY
  • 25:11 IS THAT HE SAID THAT SOMEBODY LOVED HIM.
  • 25:13 LOVED HIM ENOUGH TO REACH OUT TO HIM,
  • 25:15 INVITE HIM TO CHURCH, INVITED HIM TO THEIR HOMES.
  • 25:18 I THINK SO MUCH TODAY WE TEND TO SAY,
  • 25:20 "IF YOU'RE AN UNBELIEVER OR IF YOU'RE SOMEBODY I DON'T WANNA ASSOCIATE WITH,
  • 25:24 DON'T EVEN COME NEAR ME."
  • 25:26 SOMEBODY TOOK THE TIME TO REACH OUT TO ERGUN.
  • 25:29 THAT REALLY TOUCHED ME.
  • 25:30 YOU KNOW IN ISRAEL TODAY MESSIANIC BELIEVERS IN JESUS
  • 25:33 ARE AT THE VANGUARD OF BUILDING BRIDGES TO ARAB CHRISTIANS.
  • 25:36 RIGHT
  • 25:37 THEY THINK ITS IMPORTANT AND I THINK WE NEED TO FOLLOW THEIR LEAD.
  • 25:39 WELL IT'S PROPHECY.
  • 25:40 WE'RE AT END TIMES.
  • 25:41 TIME IS SHORT, TIME IS SHORT.
  • 25:43 IF WE DON'T WITNESS NOW AND TALK TO OUR FRIENDS, THEY ARE IN TROUBLE.
  • 25:47 RIGHT AND IF I UNDERSTAND JESUS CORRECTLY,
  • 25:49 WHATEVER TIME IT IS PROPHETICALLY
  • 25:50 IT'S STILL ALWAYS A GOOD TIME TO BE A PEACEMAKER,
  • 25:53 TO REACH OUT, AND TO LOVE. >>THAT RIGHT.
  • 25:54 HATING IS NOT AN OPTION AT ANYTIME.
  • 25:57 IT REALLY ISN'T AND WE ARE TO BE WITH GOD FOREVER
  • 26:00 AND DON'T WE WANNA TELL PEOPLE THAT GOOD NEWS?
  • 26:02 WE WANNA TELL PEOPLE THE GOOD NEWS OF SALVATION OF THE MESSIAH.
  • 26:06 AND ERGUN IS PROOF THAT LOVE WORKS,
  • 26:08 BECAUSE HE CAME TO KNOW THE LORD FROM AN ISLAMIC BACKGROUND,
  • 26:12 BECAME A SENIOR THEOLOGIAN.
  • 26:13 A SENIOR THEOLOGIAN, WENT ON...NOT ONLY HIM, BUT HIS BROTHER.
  • 26:17 WENT ON, BOTH OF THEM DOCTORS, AND WENT ON AND TO TEACH THE WORD OF GOD.
  • 26:21 YES >>I LOVED IT.
  • 26:23 I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS GREAT.
  • 26:25 YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING MID ZOLA, MID MINISTRY WITH HIM AND IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL TRIP FOR ME
  • 26:30 TO LOOK BACK AND SEE SOME OF THE PROGRAMS.
  • 26:31 HE ALWAYS SAID, "SHA 'ALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM."
  • 26:34 THIS IS THE REASON WHY, HE STARTED, GOD BLESS YOU.
  • 26:37 SHA 'ALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM.
  • 26:39 PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM.

Episodes in this series

  1. Israel My Promised
  2. Israel By Divine Right
  3. Jerusalem Forever
  4. Friends of the Rabbi

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