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

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Episode: “Zola’s Testimony,” Part 1

Transcript

Caption transcript for “Zola’s Testimony,” Part 1

00:09 BRETHREN, MY HEART'S DESIRE AND PRAYER TO GOD FOR ISRAEL IS THAT THEY MIGHT BE SAVED.
00:15 THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE JEW AND THE GENTILE,
00:18 FOR THE SAME LORD OVERALL IS RICH UNTO ALL THAT CALL UPON HIM.
00:28 CONSIDERING THE TIMES AND SEASONS OF OUR WORLD TODAY, HERE'S ZOLA LEVITT.
00:33 SHALOM, HELLO AGAIN.
00:36 I HAVE TO GIVE YOU A REPORT ON THIS CANCER THAT I'VE CONTRACTED.
00:41 MY VOICE IS A LITTLE BIT DOWN, BUT OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, I'M GETTING SO MUCH PRAYER.
00:46 I THINK THIS IS QUITE A CONTEST.
00:47 THE DOCTORS ARE GIVING ME RADIATION AND CHEMOTHERAPY
00:51 AND THIS IS SUPPOSED TO MAKE YOUR HAIR FALL OUT
00:53 AND MAKE YOU TERRIBLY TIRED AND SO ON AND THAT JUST ISN'T HAPPENING.
00:58 I'M NOT THE OLD GUY I WAS, BUT I STILL FEEL PRETTY GOOD.
01:04 I HAVEN'T LOST ANY HAIR AND I HAVEN'T LOST ANY WEIGHT
01:06 AND WHAT CAN I TELL YOU, KEEP UP THE PRAYER IF YOU WILL.
01:13 YOU KNOW, I DON'T LOOK AT THIS AS ANYTHING BUT ONE OF THE LORD'S PLANS.
01:20 HE'S ALWAYS HAD WHAT LOOKED LIKE IMPRACTICAL PLANS
01:24 AND THAT'S WHAT THIS PROGRAM IS ABOUT, MY WHOLE TESTIMONY.
01:27 PEOPLE ASK FOR THE TESTIMONY, I'VE GOT SOME STORIES AND I'M SURE EVERYBODY DOES.
01:32 BUT, I'VE REALLY LIVED AND AMAZING ROLLER COASTER FOR 35 YEARS OR SO.
01:41 THE FACT IS I NEVER HAD A REAL JOB AFTER 1972.
01:45 GOD HAS BEEN MOVING ME ALONG, DO THIS, DO THAT, I MEAN, I DO A LITTLE TALK SHOW HERE.
01:49 I DO SOMETHING HERE OR THERE.
01:51 BUT, I NEVER WORKED ALL DAY OTHER THAN WITH WHAT THE LORD WANTED ME DOING
01:56 AND NOW IT'S COME UP TO NATIONAL TELEVISION,
01:57 INTERNATIONAL TELEVISION, HUGE TOURS ALL THIS STUFF.
02:01 AND HE KEEPS WORKING IT OUT.
02:04 BUT, KNOW THAT FOR THE MOMENT I'M AT MY POST.
02:07 I DON'T FEEL BAD AND I'M WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE LORD'S GOING TO WITH THIS ONE.
02:12 IT WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST TIME I'VE ARGUED WITH HIM OVER HIS PLANS
02:15 AND THAT WILL COME UP IN THE TESTIMONY HERE.
02:18 MY PRODUCER, KEN BERG, WHO'S BEEN WITH ME, GETTING ON TO 30 YEARS,
02:23 MADE A LITTLE SHEET OF QUESTIONS ABOUT FAMILY, BACKGROUND, MOTHER, DAD, SEVERAL OTHER.
02:30 I GREW UP IN PITTSBURGH, PA.
02:33 MY FATHER WAS BORN IN RIKA, LATVIA.
02:35 I ALWAYS STRESS THAT BECAUSE HE WAS A NATURALIZED CITIZEN HERE, FELL IN LOVE WITH MY MOTHER
02:41 BECAUSE SHE WAS THE PIANO PLAYER ON A PROGRAM AT A JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER.
02:46 HE WAS SPEAKING, HE WAS A PUBLIC SPEAKER
02:48 AND HE FELL IN LOVE WITH THE PIANO PLAYER WHEN SHE PLAYED THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER.
02:54 THE WAY THE JEWISH COMMUNITY WORKED, THE ORTHODOX COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR,
02:59 YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY DATING, YOU JUST TRIED TO CALL ON THE GIRL AND PROPOSE TO HER.
03:04 SO, HE WROTE A LETTER TO HER AND I'VE TOLD THIS STORY BEFORE,
03:09 ANYWAY HE WAS INVITED TO THE HOUSE ON A GIVEN DAY
03:12 AND SHE STOOD AT THE HEAD OF THE STAIRS, LOOKING AT HIM OVER A HANKY.
03:16 IT WAS FASHIONABLE AND ALL THE YOUNG LADIES WERE SO DELICATE,
03:20 THEY ALL A LITTLE BIT SICK, YOU KNOW AND YOU BEGGED HER PARENTS
03:25 LET HIM TAKE HER OUTSIDE FOR A RIDE IN HIS MOTOR CAR.
03:30 THE WAY I HEARD THE STORY, HE GOT HER OUTSIDE AND PROPOSED
03:33 BEFORE HE STARTED THE CAR AND THAT WAS DATING IN 1920.
03:38 AND HE DID A GOOD JOB HERE.
03:40 HE OPENED STORES, HE RAISED 3 KIDS, PUT THEM THROUGH GRADUATE SCHOOL
03:46 AND UNLIKE OTHER PEOPLE LIKE PALESTINIANS SAY, WHO GET THE CHANCE TO LIVE IN A DEMOCRACY,
03:54 HE NEVER ONCE CLAIMED THIS COUNTRY FOR LATVIA OR STARTED UP ANY TROUBLE.
04:00 HE JUST COOPERATED AND DID A GOOD JOB.
04:03 HE WENT ON THE LORD TO WHATEVER HIS REWARD MIGHT BE
04:08 AND MY MOTHER, SHE WATCHED THE PROGRAM UNTIL SHE WAS 86.
04:12 I ASKED HER TO COMMENT ONE TIME AND SHE SAID,
04:16 "IT'S VERY NICE THAT YOU TEACH PEOPLE THEIR RELIGION."
04:20 I SAID, "DON'T YOU HEAR WHAT I'M SAYING ABOUT THE MESSIAH?"
04:22 MY MOTHER WAS LIKE A LOT OF THESE OLD JEWISH LADIES THAT WATCHED THE SHOW EVERY TIME,
04:26 THEY SEE ME, THEY MAKE A FUSS AND I TELL THEM,
04:29 "DO YOU HEAR WHAT I'M SAYING ABOUT THE MESSIAH?"
04:30 THEY ALWAYS SAY, "I DON'T LISTEN TO THE COMMERCIAL."
04:33 WHAT AREYOU GOING TO DO?
04:35 I THINK SOME OF THEM DID LISTEN TO THE COMMERCIAL TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
04:38 I THINK WHEN I MEET THEM...
04:40 BUT, I WAS SAVED, REALLY, WELL, WITH CAMPUS CRUSADE FOR CHRIST.
04:46 THAT WAS WHERE IT STARTED.
04:49 KEN ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT MY MUSIC CAREER AND SO ON.
04:51 I WAS A MUSICIAN IN THE 60'S AND 70'S.
04:54 I PLAYED IN THE NEW ORLEANS SYMPHONY, SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONY, WITH GLENN CAMPBELL.
04:59 I WAS AN OBOE PLAYER.
05:01 I JUST TOOK THAT INSTRUMENT BECAUSE MY FRIEND WAS AN OBOE PLAYER
05:06 AND I WANTED TO SIT NEXT TO HIM IN THE HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA.
05:10 THAT REMINDS ME, TOO, SOMEBODY ASKED WHAT MY INTEREST IN ISRAEL WAS.
05:15 PROBABLY BACK IN 1947, 48, I WAS GOING TO SUNDAY SCHOOL AT THE SYNAGOGUE
05:20 AND THE TEACHER WOULD BRING A CUTOUT OF A TREE AND EACH KID WOULD BRING A DIME FOR A LEAF.
05:30 I BROUGHT MY DIME EVERY WEEK AND THE TEACHER WOULD PASTE A DIME ON THAT TREE
05:34 AND WHEN YOU HAD 30 STAMPS ON THE TREE, OR LEAVES ON THE TREE,
05:41 THEN THEY WOULD SEND THAT $3.00 OVER TO ISRAEL AND THEY WOULD PLANT YOU A TREE.
05:44 I'M PERFECTLY SERIOUS, SOME OF THOSE TREES OVER THERE ARE MINE.
05:48 NOW OUR MINISTRY HAS PLANTED SOMETHING IN THE ORDER OF 60,000 TREES, I THINK,
05:52 BUT I REALLY WOULD LOVE TO SEE THOSE FIRST ONES.
05:55 I BET THEY'RE BIG AND SHADY.
05:58 I WAS VERY INTERESTED AND MY BROTHER WORKED AT THE JEWISH NATIONAL FUND.
06:04 I WENT TO JEWISH SCHOOL AFTER REGULAR SCHOOL
06:07 AND I LEARNED HEBREW AND I WAS ALWAYS HUNGRY, AGAIN.
06:14 THAT'S WHAT I CAN SAY.
06:15 I STAYED IN THE SYNAGOGUE.
06:17 I SANG IN THE CHOIR, BECAME A DIRECTOR OF A CHOIR, BUT I JUST COULDN'T CONTACT GOD.
06:23 WHEN I MET CAMPUS CRUSADE, I WAS WORKING AT INDIANA UNIVERSITY NEWS BUREAU.
06:30 I WAS IN GRADUATE SCHOOL, ALREADY 32 YEARS OLD AND I WAS GOING OUT BEHIND THE BUILDING,
06:37 OUT OF MY OFFICE, COVERING MY HEAD WITH MY HAND,
06:41 AS I WAS TOLD I COULDN'T WEAR A SKULL CAP TO WORK, BUT I DID THAT MUCH
06:46 AND I TALKED TO THE LORD AND I WOULD TALK TO HIM.
06:49 I WOULDN'T HEAR FROM HIM, THAT KIND OF THING.
06:53 THE SAME ODD HUNGRY YOU HAVE WHEN YOU COME OUT OF THE SYNAGOGUE.
06:56 YOU CAN SMILE AT YOUR FRIENDS AND SO ON, BUT IT DOESN'T WORK.
07:00 WELL, I WENT TO THIS CAMPUS CRUSADE, I MET THE PEOPLE.
07:08 I THOUGHT THEY SOUNDED RIDICULOUS, BUT THEY INVITED ME TO BIBLE TO STUDY.
07:11 I SAID, WELL I'VE DONE SOME BIBLE STUDY.
07:13 THEY SAID, WELL COME TO OURS.
07:15 AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I SAT WITH PEOPLE THAT READ A VERSE,
07:18 DISCUSSED WHAT IT MEANT, TALKED ABOUT IT BEING THE WORD OF GOD, IT'S INFALLIBLE, IT'S INERRANT.
07:24 I NEVER HEARD THAT IN HEBREW SCHOOL.
07:26 ALL WE DO IS MEMORIZE PSALMS AND SPIT THEM BACK AND STUFF.
07:30 EVEN MY BAR MITZVAH, I JUST READ A LONG PASSAGE.
07:33 I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A TRANSLATION.
07:35 I COULDN'T TELL YOU CLEARLY WHAT PASSAGE I READ.
07:38 BUT, I WAS BAR MITZVAH, I WAS CONFIRMED.
07:43 IT'S NOT A VALID STORY THAT ZOLA CAME TO BE A CHRISTIAN
07:47 BECAUSE HE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT JUDAISM.
07:49 I'LL PUT MY EDUCATION UP AGAINST A WHOLE OF THEM.
07:52 BUT, AGAIN IT JUST DIDN'T FILL ME.
07:56 WHEN I SAW THE CAMPUS CRUSADERS, I BEGAN TO GET A WHOLE NEW CONCEPTION OF SCRIPTURE.
08:04 I THINK THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO A LOT OF UNBELIEVERS,
08:06 IF YOU SOMEHOW DRAG THEM KICKING AND SCREAMING TO THE WORD, BECAUSE IT'S VERY POWERFUL.
08:10 AND I WAS SAVED IN 3 WEEKS.
08:13 IT WASN'T A BIG DEAL.
08:15 THE LORD SEEMED TO COME AT ME AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU
08:18 THAT WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS SITTING IN MY ROOM LATE ONE NIGHT
08:23 AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WORD THIS, IT WASN'T THAT I SAW HIM, IT'S THAT I UNDERSTOOD,
08:30 SITTING DEEP IN A CHAIR IN A DARK ROOM, THAT I WAS NOT ALONE
08:34 AND I ACTUALLY PERCEIVED SOME KIND OF FIGURE, I SUPPOSED,
08:38 STANDING OUT THERE AND I LOOKED UP AND I COULDN'T SEE THE FACE,
08:44 BUT I COULD SEE SOME KIND OF FIGURE.
08:48 I KNEW THIS WAS A BENEVOLENT, KIND FIGURE THAT CAME TO ME
08:55 AND I SAID, WELL IF YOU'RE THERE, SHOW ME. THAT WAS MY PRAYER.
09:00 THAT'S ALL I SAID. BOY, WHAT HE HAS SHOWN ME.
09:04 AFTER A FEW WEEKS I QUIT MY JOB AND I WENT TO DALLAS, FT. WORTH
09:11 WHERE CAMPUS CRUSADE WAS HOLDING A BIG SHINDIG, EXPLO 72, THEY CALLED IT.
09:20 WE'RE GOING TO EVANGELIZE THE WORLD.
09:22 BUT, I WAS THE NEWS DIRECTOR OF THAT CONFERENCE
09:26 BECAUSE I WAS THE NEWS DIRECTOR AT THE UNIVERSITY AT THAT TIME.
09:29 I KNEW THE JOB AND I WORKED WITH THEM UP UNTIL MY WORK WAS OVER AND THEN I JUST STAYED IN DALLAS
09:38 AND THE LORD'S NEW INSTRUCTIONS, AS I UNDERSTOOD THEM,
09:44 WAS GET A TYPEWRITER OUT AND START PUTTING OUT PROPOSALS FOR BOOKS.
09:53 I MEAN, I DID HAVE A CHANCE WHEN I WAS WITH CAMPUS CRUSADE,
09:56 I FINISHED UP A MANUSCRIPT FOR THE PRO-FOOTBALL CHAPLAIN.
09:59 IT WAS FUN AND IT WAS ACCEPTED AND IT SOLD PRETTY WELL.
10:04 BUT, I HAD NO ILLUSIONS OF BECOMING AN AUTHOR.
10:07 I HAD NEVER WRITTEN A BOOK IN MY LIFE.
10:09 BY THE WAY, I HAD NEVER SEEN ISRAEL.
10:11 I HAD NEVER WRITTEN A SPIRITUAL SONG.
10:13 I HAD NEVER BEEN ON RADIO OR TELEVISION.
10:15 I HAD NEVER EVEN ADDRESSED AN AUDIENCE.
10:17 I WAS ENTIRELY THE WRONG PERSON FOR THE JOB, SO TO SPEAK,
10:21 LIKE GIDEON OR MOSES OR THESE RELUCTANT SERVANTS,
10:24 BUT, THIS IS HIS PLAN, SIT THERE AND TYPE UP PROPOSALS AND MAIL THEM TO PUBLISHERS.
10:31 DON'T GET A JOB, JUST TYPE.
10:33 I LIKE TO SAY, I WAS SO NEW IN THE FAITH THAT I BELIEVED IT.
10:38 I DID EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID. I DIDN'T SECOND GUESS HIM.
10:42 BUT, AS TIME WENT ON, PICKINGS GOT PRETTY SLIM.
10:48 IT'S TRUE THAT PEOPLE WOULD COME ALONG AND SAY, I HEARD YOU WROTE THE SO AND SO,
10:51 CAN YOU TOUCH UP MY MAGAZINE ARTICLE OR MY BIOGRAPHY?
10:55 THINGS CAME THAT SORT OF SUPPORTED ME,
10:59 BUT SENDING A PROPOSAL, SAY FOR "SATAN IN THE SANCTUARY" TO MOODY PRESS,
11:04 A HUGE, BUSY PUBLISHING COMPANY, IT TAKES A MONTH TO OPEN THE ENVELOPE
11:10 AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S TIME TO TAKE A MINUTE WITH THIS THING,
11:14 SOME MAD HOPE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS MANUSCRIPT,
11:18 WELL, I JUST KEPT DOING IT.
11:21 IT SEEMED LIKE THINGS WERE GETTING WORSE AND WORSE.
11:24 I MEAN, I LIVED IN THIS APARTMENT WHERE THERE WAS A POOL AND A GYM AND THAT KIND OF STUFF
11:31 AND I WOULD GO OUT IN THE AFTERNOON, BUT I GOT EMBARRASSED AFTER WHILE
11:35 BECAUSE I WAS THE ONLY MALE.
11:36 I MEAN, IT WAS NOTHING BUT A BUNCH OF LADIES LOOKING AT ME
11:39 WONDERING, WELL, WHAT DOES HE DO, IS HE A NIGHT WATCHMAN OR SOMETHING?
11:42 THE OFFICE SAID, DOYOU WORK SOMEWHERE?
11:46 I SAID, I WORK FOR THE LORD.
11:48 OK, AS LONG AS THE RENT GETS HERE.
11:52 I SAID, DO YOU THINK THE LORD WILL LET ME DOWN AND I TESTIFIED TO THEM.
11:56 BUT, IT ALL WENT UP IN SMOKE.
11:59 AUGUST 3, 1972 AND THE 5TH OF THE MONTH IS THE EVICTION DAY, I DIDN'T HAVE A DIME, NOTHING.
12:08 IT JUST RAN AGROUND.
12:09 ABOUT 10 IN THE MORNING, I WENT OUTSIDE ON THE PATIO AND LOOKED AT THE SKY,
12:14 I SAID, HEY, THAT'S SO ELOQUENT OF YOU TO SAY,
12:17 CONSIDER THE LILIES OF THE FIELD, HOW THEY GROW,
12:20 THEY TOIL NOT, NEITHER DO THEY SPIN, SOLOMON IS NOT ARRAYED LIKE ONE OF THESE.
12:25 TERRIFIC, BUT I DON'T HAVE MY RENT AND I'VE TESTIFIED TO THESE PEOPLE,
12:30 THEY'RE GOING TO LAUGH AT ME, THEY'RE GOING TO LAUGH AT YOU.
12:33 SO WHAT IS THE PLAN, I MEAN, COME ON.
12:36 I REALLY LET HIM HAVE IT.
12:39 AFTER I WAS DONE, I WENT DOWN AND CHECKED THE MAIL.
12:43 I NEEDED $200 OR SO FOR THIS APARTMENT, THERE WAS A CHECK FOR $500 FROM MOODY PRESS
12:51 AND THEY BOUGHT THE MANUSCRIPT, "SATAN IN THE SANCTUARY"
12:55 AND IT WAS DOWN THERE THE WHOLE TIME I WAS YELLING AT THE LORD.
13:01 SO, I LEARNED SOMETHING. HE'S GOT A PLAN.
13:05 THAT'S WHY I'M NOT UPSET WITH WHAT I GOT NOW.
13:07 I MEAN, THIS IS A PLAN.
13:08 I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING.
13:09 I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE THE OTHER ONE WAS GOING.
13:11 I'M NOT GOING TO YELL HIM NOW.
13:13 WELL, THEN I WENT NEXT, KPBC, A LOCAL CHRISTIAN STATION CALLED ME FOR A RADIO PROGRAM
13:23 AND I STARTED A PROGRAM CALLED "THE HEART OF THE MATTER" AND IT DID RATHER WELL.
13:27 IT DREW QUITE AN AUDIENCE.
13:29 LOTS OF ARGUMENT ON THE AIR, THIS WAS DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I DID.
13:33 CHRISTIAN RADIO SOUNDED LIKE CHRISTIAN TELEVISION
13:37 IF YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING, JUST LOTS OF YELLING.
13:40 BUT, I JUST GOT DOWN TO THE WORD LIKE I WAS TAUGHT IN CAMPUS CRUSADE.
13:45 I MEAN, THE FIRST TEACHER I HAD IN CAMPUS CRUSADE,
13:47 A TALL YOUNG MAN, DR. CHARLES RYRIE, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE.
13:51 I REALLY LEARNED THE BIBLE AND RESPECT FOR IT
13:57 AND TEACHING OF IT AND I STUCK WITH IT ON THE AIR
14:00 AND I HAD SOME WONDERFUL DISCUSSIONS, SOME INTERESTING GUESTS.
14:05 I MEAN, HAL LINDSEY CAME AND I DON'T KNOW, LOTS OF STARS, I MEAN PEOPLE I MET,
14:11 MOSHE ROSEN CAME FROM JEWS FOR JESUS.
14:13 BUT, SOME PEOPLE ARGUED WITH ME ALL THE TIME.
14:19 I LOST MY SALVATION 4 TIMES ON THAT PROGRAM.
14:22 I LOST IT TO UNITED PENTECOSTALS, BECAUSE I WAS BAPTIZED WITH THE WRONG FORMULA.
14:30 YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE BAPTIZED ACCORDING TO THEM IN JESUS NAME, THAT'S IT.
14:36 I WAS BAPTIZED BY TOM MCCALL IN THE JORDAN RIVER IN THE FATHER, THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.
14:47 I MEAN THAT SOUNDED GOOD TO ME, BUT THEY DIDN'T ACCEPT IT.
14:51 I HAD MY SALVATION TAKEN AWAY BY THE CHURCH OF CHRIST
14:58 BECAUSE I PLAYED THE ORGAN IN A MISSION HOUSE.
15:01 TOM MCCALL HAD WHAT WE USED TO CALL A MISSION HOUSE,
15:04 OR WE'D CALL A MESSIANIC CONGREGATION NOW AND I WAS THE ORGAN PLAYER.
15:07 YOU CAN'T DO THAT, THEY SAY.
15:09 BUT AFTER THAT, I'M TRYING TO THINK, I HAD A HOMOSEXUAL PASTOR ON THE PROGRAM
15:16 BECAUSE WE USED HIS NAME AND IN THOSE DAYS YOU GOT EQUAL TIME.
15:21 THESE DAYS YOU PROBABLY GET A SLAP FROM A RADIO STATION FOR CALLING HIM UP,
15:25 BUT BACK THEN WE WERE FAIR AND HE CAME DOWN AND I TALKED TO HIM
15:28 AND I DIDN'T AGREE WITH HIS SIN, OF COURSE,
15:31 BUT HE WAS A POLITE, BIBLICAL SORT OF GUY
15:35 AND THE AUDIENCE JUST TORE INTO THIS GUY, I MEAN, THEY JUST OUTDOING EACH OTHER.
15:41 I FINALLY WENT TO A BREAK ONE TIME, I SAID, WE'LL BE BACK WITH THE REVEREND JERRY SLOAN
15:46 FOR MORE OF HIS STONING RIGHT AFTER THIS.
15:49 I WAS NOT PROUD OF THEM.
15:52 THEN I GOT MY SALVATION TAKEN AWAY FOR THAT, OF COURSE.
15:57 BUT I THINK ONE THAT MOST STRIKING WAS WHEN J. VERNON MCGEE CAME,
16:03 AN EMINENT BIBLE TEACHER, HOWEVER,
16:06 HE DID NOT HOLD THAT ISRAEL WAS ANY KIND OF FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY,
16:11 JUST SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED.
16:12 AND I SAID, WELL, I SHARPLY DISAGREE WITH YOU.
16:16 LORD, ALMIGHTY, YOU'D THINK I DISAGREED WITH MOSES.
16:19 I MEAN, THE PHONE RANG OFF THE WALL.
16:22 WHO AM I TO SAY THIS, WHAT KIND OF EFFRONTERY AND I DON'T KNOW,
16:28 THEN I GOT LETTERS DAYS LATER SAYING WE'RE PRAYING FOR YOUR SALVATION.
16:33 I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT SALVATION WAS DEPENDENT ON
16:35 AGREEING WITH THE DOCTRINE OF J. VERNON MCGEE.
16:38 I STILL FIGHT THESE GUYS DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
16:44 THESE DAYS GREAT SEMINARIES, DALLAS SEMINARY, MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE, TALBOT,
16:48 LOSING THEIR ISRAEL DOCTRINE.
16:52 IT'S CONVENIENT FOR THEM TO LOSE IT, OH, OTHER THAN AT TOUR TIME
16:55 WHEN THEY TAKE A PROPHET ON THE PLACE AND THEN THE REST OF THE YEAR THEY MUDDLE THE END TIMES,
17:01 BUT I DON'T LIKE THAT STUFF, I REALLY DON'T.
17:03 I THINK IT'S AWFUL.
17:05 I THINK THE LORD THINKS IT'S AWFUL AND THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ANSWER FOR IT.
17:08 BUT, ANYWAY, THE RADIO PROGRAM WAS PRETTY EXCITING RIGHT ON THROUGH THE 70'S
17:15 AND IN '78 I GOT A CALL FROM CHANNEL 39,
17:21 WHICH WAS THE CBN AFFILIATE IN DALLAS FOR THE NATIONAL CBN, CHRISTIAN BROADCASTING NETWORK
17:30 AND THEY TRIED TO TALK ME INTO COMING ON TELEVISION.
17:34 THEY SOLD AIRTIME, OF COURSE AND THEY SAID, WELL, ZOLA,
17:37 YOU GOT A BUILT IN AUDIENCE AND YOU'RE GOOD AND PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND WE LIKE, WE LOVE YOU.
17:43 I SAID, BUT HOW MUCH DO YOU LOVE ME?
17:47 YOU KNOW, THIS IS A PROPOSITION TO GO ON TELEVISION.
17:50 IT'S NOT LIKE THE RADIO, THE RADIO YOU GET ON THERE
17:52 AND THEY GIVE YOU A PITTANCE OF PAY AND DO YOUR WORK, BUT, TELEVISION, YOU PAY TO GET IN.
17:58 I DID HAVE SOME MONEY SAVED.
18:01 MY BOOKS, THROUGH THE 70'S AND THAT WAS THE LORD'S PLAN, TOO, BY THE WAY.
18:06 ONE PROPOSAL AFTER ANOTHER WAS ACCEPTED.
18:08 SUDDENLY, WHATEVER I SAID, THE PUBLISHERS WERE BEATING EACH OTHER TO THE DOOR.
18:13 I WAS AT ONE POINT SERIOUSLY TYPING ON A MANUAL TYPEWRITER 5 DIFFERENT BOOKS,
18:18 TRYING TO KEEP EVERYBODY SUPPLIED.
18:21 I WROTE ABOUT, OF COURSE, THE BIBLE AND ISRAEL
18:23 AND I WROTE ABOUT DIETING, I WROTE ABOUT RUNNING.
18:26 I WROTE ABOUT EGYPT, WHATEVER THEY WANTED.
18:32 THE SALES WERE HIGH.
18:34 I CALCULATED THE ONCE AT 60,000 PER COPY OF, PER TITLE.
18:39 THAT'S VERY HIGH.
18:40 THAT'S HIGH ENOUGH TO MAKE THE NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER LIST
18:43 IF THEY EVER WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT A CHRISTIAN BOOK, WHICH THEY NEVER WILL.
18:47 BUT, IT WASN'T "LATE, GREAT PLANET EARTH",
18:51 BUT THEY WERE GOOD SALES AND I STILL TYPED ALL DAY LONG.
18:56 THAT WAS BASICALLY WHAT I DID.
18:58 BUT, I HAD SOME MONEY SAVED AND I WAS GETTING ROYALTIES, OF COURSE.
19:03 "SATAN IN THE SANCTUARY" WAS A BLOCKBUSTER, BEST SELLER, ONE OF MOODY'S BEST BOOKS EVER.
19:08 I WAS RECEIVING MONTHLY PAYMENTS.
19:11 IMAGINE THE SHOCK, FOR A GUY YELLING AT THE LORD, "WHAT IS THE PLAN",
19:17 TO A GUY THAT'S TRYING TO BANK THIS MONEY ALL THE TIME.
19:21 I DIDN'T REALLY CARE ABOUT THE MONEY, BUT THAT WAS THE LORD'S ORDER, KEEP WRITING.
19:26 THEN TELEVISION CALLS AND I HAVE WHOLE DECISION TO MAKE AGAIN.
19:30 I JUST HAD A PEACE ABOUT IT WITH HIM, I TALKED TO HIM.
19:36 I SAID, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE THAT MUCH MONEY.
19:38 I'M SURE YOU KNOW THIS IS NOT A VERY PRACTICAL PLAN EITHER,
19:42 STARTING ON TELEVISION, WRITING CHECKS OUT OF YOUR OWN BANK ACCOUNT,
19:46 THIS IS WHAT HE SEEMED TO WANT, SO WE DID IT.
19:49 KEN BERG WAS WITH ME AND WE STARTED TO PRODUCE PROGRAMS AT CHANNEL 39.
19:54 I LOOKED AT ONE OF THEM LAST NIGHT.
19:56 I WAS YOUNGER THAN MY OLDEST SON IS NOW.
20:02 AND I'LL TELL YOU THE TRUTH, THEY WERE GOOD PROGRAMS.
20:04 GOD GAVE ME THINGS TO SAY.
20:06 I JUST STOOD THERE TALKING LIKE I DO NOW.
20:09 I DIDN'T REALLY WRITE OUT SCRIPTS OR ANYTHING, A FEW MARKS ON A TELEPROMPTER,
20:13 BUT, PEOPLE LIKED THE SHOW AND WE WERE GOING ALONG.
20:19 THE TROUBLE WAS YOU CAN'T JUST INTEREST PEOPLE FROM DAY ONE ON SUPPORTING A NEW PROGRAM,
20:24 SO I'M ENDING UP MAYBE $2000 A WEEK JUST TO CREATE A TAPE AND PLAY IT.
20:31 THE FIRST REAL PROGRAM WE MADE IN 1979 WAS THE PASSOVER PROGRAM.
20:37 OF COURSE, I WAS PAYING FOR EACH SHOW AND IT WAS GETTING VERY EXPENSIVE.
20:41 AFTER 6 WEEKS I WAS JUST GOING BROKE AND THEN WE GOT CALL FROM THE CBN NATIONAL NETWORK,
20:48 THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR WAS INTERESTED IN A JEWISH GUY TEACHING ABOUT CHRIST,
20:52 WHICH BACK THEN WAS VERY NOVEL.
20:54 HE SAID HE WANTED TO SEE A TAPE.
20:56 WELL, I TOOK THE TAPE, IN HAND, WENT UP THERE, SHOWED IT TO HIM,
20:58 SAID, TOM, PEOPLE HAVE TO SEE THIS AND HE SAID LET'S PRAY OVERNIGHT.
21:03 HE WATCHED IT, HE LIKED IT.
21:05 NEXT MORNING HE SAID, YES, ALRIGHT, WE'LL TRY IT ON A NATIONAL NETWORK.
21:08 WE'LL SEE HOW PEOPLE LIKE IT AND OF COURSE,
21:11 THAT WAS THE BEGINNING OF A REAL MINISTRY OF TEACHING CHRISTIAN PEOPLE ABOUT THEIR JEWISH ROOTS,
21:17 ABOUT THE OLD TESTAMENT, THE PROPHECIES, ISRAEL.
21:20 IT'S LIKE A BLANK SLATE.
21:22 PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW THESE THINGS.
21:24 AND THE MEANING OF THAT STORY IS VERY OBVIOUS, YOU STAY WITH THE LORD'S PLAN.
21:29 IT DIDN'T SEEM PRACTICAL, A CRAZY IDEA, IN FACT.
21:32 I THOUGHT SO IN MY HEART, BUT HE WOULDN'T LET ME GO AND WE KEPT GOING.
21:37 THEN WHEN CBN PUT US ON THE NATIONAL, THIS MINISTRY TURNED AROUND
21:42 AND SO WE WENT TO OTHER NETWORKS AND WE NEVER LOOKED BACK.
21:46 THE MINISTRY TURNED AROUND AND IT'S BEEN 27 YEARS OF SUCCESS HERE.
21:51 WE JUST GOT TO WHERE WE ARE NOW.
21:53 SO HE TOLD ME I NEEDED A MAILBOX.
21:58 I GOT TO HAVE A PLACE TO RECEIVE MY VOLUME OF MAIL I'M GOING TO HAVE.
22:06 I WENT TO THE POST OFFICE AND AT THE POST OFFICE THE GUY SHOWED ME DIFFERENT POST OFFICE BOXES.
22:15 WELL, YOU GOT THIS SHOE BOX HERE, AND I SAID, OH, THAT'S NOT BIG ENOUGH.
22:20 IT'S NOT GOING TO HOLD MY MAIL.
22:22 I SAID, ALRIGHT, WE HAVE SMALL BUSINESS BOX LIKE THIS
22:25 AND I SAID, NO, NO, WHAT'S YOUR BIG BOX?
22:27 WELL, THEY HAD A BOX THE SIZE OF THIS TABLE, BIG, DEEP SUITCASE.
22:32 AND I SAID, THAT'S WHAT I NEED, SO I RENTED THIS BOX.
22:38 WELL, I HAD THE EMBARRASSMENT OF COMING TO THE POST OFFICE AND GET 3 LETTERS OUT OF THIS BOX.
22:45 AND THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE COUNTER WITH THEIR DOLEFUL EXPRESSIONS
22:49 TRYING NOT TO LOOK AT ME,
22:51 STRIDING IN THERE LIKE I'M LOOKING AT KEN BECAUSE IT'S SO FUNNY.
22:58 I MEAN, HOW EMBARRASSING.
23:00 I BEGAN TO PERCEIVE THAT THEY WERE PROBABLY WRITING SOME OF THE LETTERS
23:03 TO TRY TO HELP OUT AND IT WAS CRAZY.
23:07 WELL, I'D SAY THAT BRINGS US UP TO ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF TELEVISION.
23:13 I'M GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BREAK HERE, BUT THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO TELL.
23:17 I'M ONLY UP TO ABOUT 1980.
23:19 I'M TELLING YOU, I'VE LIVED A ROLLER COASTER,
23:22 JUST OBEYING THE LORD AND BEEN DELIGHTED WITH THE WHOLE THING, OF COURSE, THANKS TO YOU.
23:29 I'LL BE BACK AFTER THIS.
23:54 FOR INSIGHTFUL PERSPECTIVES OF ISRAEL AND BIBLE PROPHECY,
23:58 ASK FOR OUR FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, THE LEVITT LETTER.
24:01 WHEN YOU CALL, BE SURE TO ALSO AS FOR OUR FREE CATALOG WITH THE LATEST VIDEOS, BOOKS AND MUSIC.
24:07 OUR CORRESPONDENCE COURSE, THE INSTITUTE OF JEWISH-CHRISTIAN STUDIES INCLUDES
24:11 READING PACKETS, TEACHING CASSETTES AND MAIL-IN TESTS.
24:15 YOU MAY WANT TO JOIN US ON AN UPCOMING TOUR OF ISRAEL, GREECE
24:18 OR THE HOLY LAND EXPERIENCE THEME PARK IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA.
24:22 PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION.
24:28 I SHALL STAND WITHIN THE WONDER OF YOUR WALLS, OH JERUSALEM.
24:33 I SHALL WALK WITHIN THE SPLENDOR OF YOUR GATES,
24:37 BEAUTIFUL FOR SITUATION, THE JOY OF THE WHOLE EARTH.
24:44 SURELY THE LORD HAS BLESSED THEE AND MADE HIS FACE SHINE UPON THEE.
24:49 JOIN ZOLA LEVITT ON HIS NEXT TOUR OF ISRAEL.
24:55 COME TO ZION WITH SONGS AND EVERLASTING JOY.
25:00 COME, WORSHIP IN THE SPLENDOR OF HIS HOLINESS.
25:09 WELL, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO GO TO A SECOND PROGRAM WHEN I FINISH THIS STORY.
25:15 BUT, ONE OF THE REMARKABLE PARTS OF MY TESTIMONY
25:17 IS I SORT OF HAVE TO BE A LITTLE FAST ON MY FEET
25:20 BECAUSE THE LORD CHANGES ASSIGNMENTS COMPLETELY, I MEAN OVERNIGHT.
25:25 SUDDENLY AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 80'S THERE WERE NO MORE BOOKS AND I HAD BOOKS EVERYWHERE.
25:30 I MUST HAVE WRITTEN 40 OR 50 BOOKS.
25:32 I COULDN'T EVEN KEEP TRACK OF THEM.
25:34 THEY WERE ALL OVER THE PLACE, BUT NO NEW IDEAS CAME, INSTEAD SONGS CAME.
25:39 I KNEW HOW TO WRITE SONGS.
25:42 I WAS ALMOST FINISHED A DOCTORATE IN MUSIC,
25:45 BUT, I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO WRITE SPIRITUAL SONGS NECESSARILY, BUT, HE GAVE ME IDEAS
25:50 AND RIGHT FROM THE GO EVERYBODY LOVED THE SONGS AND I STARTED TO COMPOSE ALBUMS.
25:57 AT THE SAME TIME, I STARTED TO TAKE THE TOURS IN EARNEST.
26:00 I MEAN, I HAD BEEN TO ISRAEL, BUT I'D GONE WITH AN AGENCY
26:06 THAT I PERCEIVED WAS NOT GIVING THE PEOPLE A VERY GOOD DEAL AT ALL
26:10 AND SO I OPENED MY OWN AGENCY TO TAKE THESE TOURS AND AT FIRST NOTHING BUT A FEW FRIENDS CAME,
26:17 BUT BY AND BY THEY GREW AND I HAVE TAKEN 80 TOURS TO ISRAEL PERSONALLY
26:23 AND THE MINISTRY HAS TAKEN MORE BESIDES THAT.
26:26 I SUPPOSE WE'LL MAKE 100 TOURS ONE DAY AND THAT WAS THE CONSUMING PART OF THE 80'S
26:34 WHEN ISRAEL WAS ALWAYS SAVAGED IN THE MEDIA, LIED ABOUT BY THE NEW YORK TIMES DAILY,
26:41 BY CNN, BY THE NETWORKS, IDIOTS, I MEAN, HOSTILE IDIOTS.
26:46 I NEVER WATCH ANY OF THEM, BUT STILL CHRISTIAN PEOPLE ARE COMING AND ENJOYING THEMSELVES
26:52 AND FINDING THE PLACE PERFECTLY PEACEFUL, WHICH I ALSO PROMISED THEM IT WOULD BE.
26:57 IN ALL THOSE TOURS, ALL THOSE 10,000 PEOPLE,
27:00 I DON'T THINK ANYBODY EVER HAD A STUBBED FINGER OVER THERE.
27:02 FROM ALL THE NEWS, YOU HAVE TO SIT THERE AND WATCH.
27:05 ANYWAY, I'LL BE BACK WITH YOU
27:07 AND SHA'ALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM, PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM.

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