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

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Episode: “The Christmas Story” (December 2007)

Transcript

Caption transcript for “The Christmas Story”

00:41 HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND A HEARTY SHALOM TO ALL OF YOU.
00:45 JEFFREY SEIF HERE WITH MY FRIEND SANDRA LEVITT.
00:48 SHALOM "HAG SAMEACH"
00:50 THAT IS REALLY BAD HEBREW FOR "HAPPY HOLIDAYS"
00:52 "MERRY CHRISTMAS" "HAPPY HANUKKAH"
00:55 WE'RE DRESSED IN RED.
00:57 IT'S A TRADITION ZOLA STARTED MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
01:00 HE WOULD COME OUT THE END OF YEAR PROGRAM
01:02 AND HE WOULD HAVE ON A RED JACKET
01:04 OR A RED VEST OR A RED SHIRT
01:06 AND WE ALL KNEW IT WAS THE END OF THE YEAR AND IT WAS THE HOLIDAYS.
01:09 ONE WOULD THINK, BY THE WAY,
01:11 THAT A JEWISH GUY LIKE ZOLA WOULD GO APE OVER DOING CHRISTMAS BUT HE LIKED IT!
01:14 WELL HE LIKED IT BECAUSE THE REASON WAS YESHUA, THE MESSIAH WAS BORN.
01:19 HE COULD SEE THAT.
01:21 HE KNEW THAT THIS WAS THE MESSIAH.
01:23 AND JEWISH PEOPLE ANYWAY AREN'T ALL WRAPPED AROUND THE AXLE OVER CHRISTMAS.
01:27 AND FOR MY MONEY I'M PLEASED TO COMMEMORATE A JEW,
01:32 THE MOST FAMOUS JEW THAT EVER LIVED.
01:35 I'M PLEASED TO COMMEMORATE HIS MAKING HIS ENTRANCE ONTO THE STAGE OF THE HUMAN DRAMA.
01:40 AND WHAT A GREAT STORY.
01:41 HERE HE IS, HE'S BORN IN BETHLEHEM,
01:43 HIS MOTHER, HIS FATHER, IT'S A WONDERFUL STORY,
01:46 ONE I GREW UP WITH.
01:48 IT WAS A TROUBLED WORLD, RACKED WITH POLITICAL INTRIGUE AND SOCIAL UNREST.
01:53 AND DARKNESS HOVERED OVER THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
01:57 AND THEN ALONG CAME YESHUA, JESUS, AND THE LIGHT DISPLACED THE DARKNESS
02:03 AND THE REST IS HISTORY.
02:06 GREAT STORY ISN'T IT?
02:08 IT'S A WONDERFUL STORY.
02:09 YOU THINK ABOUT THE FAMILIES,
02:10 EVEN IN THE HARD TIMES THERE'S A FAMILY,
02:13 THERE'S A BIRTH AND THEN THERE'S THE HOPE FOR THE WORLD.
02:16 IT'S THE HOPE THAT WE LOOK FOR.
02:18 AND WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT THAT BIRTH AND WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THAT HOPE.
02:21 IN NEXT 30 MINUTES WE'RE GOING ENTER INTO A TIME MACHINE
02:25 AND JOURNEY BACK 2000 YEARS TO THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD, TO LOOK AT YESHUA, JESUS,
02:32 THE GREATEST JEW ON PLANET EARTH
02:35 AND CONSIDER HIS ENTRANCE MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.
02:43 AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THOSE DAYS THAT THERE WENT OUT A DECREE FROM CAESAR AUGUSTUS
02:48 THAT ALL THE WORLD SHOULD BE TAXED.
02:51 AND JOSEPH WENT UP FROM GALILEE OUT OF THE CITY OF NAZARETH
02:55 INTO JUDEA UNTO THE CITY OF DAVID WHICH IS CALLED BETHLEHEM
02:59 TO BE TAXED WITH MARY HIS ESPOUSED WIFE BEING GREAT WITH CHILD.
03:04 AND SO IT WAS THAT WHILE THEY WERE THERE
03:07 THE DAYS WERE ACCOMPLISHED THAT SHE SHOULD BE DELIVERED.
03:10 AND SHE BROUGHT FORTH HER FIRST BORN SON AND WRAPPED HIM SWADDLING CLOTHES
03:15 AND LAID HIM IN A MANGER BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR THEM IN THE INN.
03:26 AND THERE WERE IN THE SAME COUNTRY SHEPHERDS ABIDING IN THE FIELD
03:29 KEEPING WATCH OVER THEIR FLOCK BY NIGHT.
03:32 AND LO, THE ANGEL OF THE LORD CAME UPON THEM
03:35 AND THE GLORY OF THE LORD SHONE ROUND THEM
03:38 AND THEY WERE SORE AFRAID.
03:44 AND THE ANGEL SAID UNTO THEM,
03:46 "FEAR NOT, FOR BEHOLD I BRING YOU GOOD TIDINGS OF GREAT JOY WHICH SHALL BE TO ALL PEOPLE."
03:54 "FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN THIS DAY IN THE CITY OF DAVID A SAVIOR WHICH IS CHRIST THE LORD."
04:00 "AND THIS SHALL BE A SIGN UNTO YOU..."
04:06 "...YE SHALL FIND THE BABE WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHES LYING IN A MANGER."
04:17 INTERESTINGLY MARK, THE FIRST GOSPEL WRITER,
04:21 DOESN'T HAVE A CHRISTMAS STORY.
04:24 AND IN LIKE MANNER, JOHN WHO WROTE DECADES LATER, THE LAST GOSPEL WRITER,
04:29 DIDN'T HAVE A CHRISTMAS STORY.
04:32 MATTHEW AND LUKE BOTH DID BABY JESUS STORIES, HOWEVER, THEY'RE DIFFERENT.
04:37 THEY DON'T CONTRADICT, THEY COMPLIMENT.
04:41 LUKE'S STORY IS PLACID.
04:44 IT'S A STORY ABOUT A WOMAN, MARYAM, WHO MAKES HER WAY TO BETHLEHEM.
04:49 THERE'S SOME INDIGNITIES ASSOCIATED WITH HER NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND A ROOM
04:52 AND HAVING TO DELIVER JESUS, THE HOPE OF THE WORLD, IN A BARN
04:57 AND TO HAVE THE CHRIST CHILD PLACED ON A FEEDING TROTH IS HUMBLING TO BE SURE.
05:02 BUT IT'S PEACEFUL, THERE'S SHEPHERDS WHO ARE WITH HER GIVING VOICE TO THE ARRIVAL OF THIS GREAT SON.
05:09 IN MATTHEW, BY CONTRAST, WE CAN SEE STORM CLOUDS LOOMING OVER THE HORIZON.
05:15 AS THE LIGHT IS COMING INTO THE WORLD,
05:18 JESUS ENTRANCE IS SPELLED OUT AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF MISERY.
05:22 HEROD HAS HEARD ABOUT THE QUOTE "KING OF THE JEWS"
05:26 AND THE LAST HE CHECKED, HE WAS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
05:29 NOT PLEASED BY THE COMPETITION HE SHEEPISHLY BECKONS THESE WISE MEN TO COME HIS WAY AS HE INQUIRES,
05:35 "AND PRAY TELL, WHERE IS THIS CHILD?"
05:39 THE WISE MEN BEING SO VERY WISE AREN'T GIVEN TO GIVING A LOT OF INFORMATION.
05:43 THEY GIVE GIFTS TO JESUS AND THEY "GET OUT OF DODGE".
05:46 CHRISTMAS IN MATTHEW IS RACKED
05:49 BY SOCIAL UNREST,
05:51 POLITICAL INTRIGUE,
05:53 AS JESUS MAKES HIS ENTRANCE AMIDST THE TURBULENCE OF TRYING TIMES.
05:58 WHAT A STORY! CORRECT?
06:00 IT IS A GREAT STORY BUT I ALSO THINK,
06:03 "HOW TENDER THIS MUST HAVE BEEN FOR MARY TO HAVE THIS CHILD?"
06:07 SHE WAS STILL A WOMAN.
06:09 THERE WAS THE NEW BABY.
06:11 IT HAD TO BE ONE OF....
06:13 FOR ME AS A MOTHER IT WAS ONE OF THE GREATEST MOMENTS OF MY LIFE.
06:16 TO HOLD MY SON WAS A GREAT MOMENT.
06:18 IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT POLITICAL ANYTHING WAS GOING, I HAD A CHILD.
06:23 I WOULD IMAGINE THAT WOMAN WAS BEFUDDLED FROM THE START. >>OH, SURE
06:30 ALL THE SUDDEN TO BE TOLD THAT SHE'S PREGNANT PRAY TELL THROUGH WHAT AGENCY?
06:34 THE "RUACH HAKODESH", THE "HOLY SPIRIT" HAS DONE THIS.
06:37 ALL OF THE SUDDEN SHE TURNS OUT PREGNANT,
06:39 SHE'S JUST BARELY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF ADOLESCENCE AND THE OTHER SIDE OF PUBERTY.
06:44 GOODNESS, HER MIND MUST HAVE BEEN LOADED UP WITH CONFUSION AND TENSION.
06:47 WHAT DO YOU THINK?
06:48 WELL I CAN ONLY IMAGINE SHE HAD TO BE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 13 AND 16, VERY YOUNG
06:53 AND TO HAVE THE WEIGHT OF KNOWING THAT YOU'RE CARRYING THE MESSIAH,
06:57 WHAT MUST NEIGHBORS HAVE THOUGHT?
06:59 WHAT MUST....AND IT SAYS JOSEPH WANTED TO PUT HER AWAY SECRETIVELY;
07:04 HE DIDN'T WANT TO EMBARRASS HER EITHER.
07:07 TO BE ENGAGED WAS...HARDER TO GET OUT OF THE ENGAGEMENT THAN THE MARRIAGE.
07:11 SO HERE THEY WERE BETROTHED AND SHE'S.... I CANNOT IMAGINE HAVING THAT MUCH PRESSURE
07:17 OR STRESS AS WE CALL IT
07:19 AND YET HERE IS THIS WONDERFUL BABY BORN.
07:23 SO JOSEPH MUST HAVE BEEN TROUBLED THINKING... >>SURE
07:26 "MARY, I JUST DIDN'T THINK SHE WAS THAT KIND OF GIRL."
07:29 MARY MUST HAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT CONFUSED.
07:31 IT SEEMS THERE IS TENSION,
07:33 THERE IS CONFUSION,
07:35 BUT THERE'S HOPE.
07:36 ABSOLUTELY
07:38 MAYBE LIKE A CHILD'S ARRIVAL COMES AMIDST TRAVAIL AND BIRTH PANGS AND THE LIKE.
07:41 JESUS' ENTRANCE ONTO THE STAGE OF THE HUMAN DRAMA LIKEWISE HAS TENSIONS,
07:46 HE'S DELIVERED OUT OF THAT.
07:47 WHEN YOU HAVE A BABY,
07:49 AS A MOTHER, WHEN I HAD MY SON EVERYTHING ELSE PALES BY COMPARISON,
07:53 THE PAIN,THE TROUBLE, EVERYTHING ELSE PALES.
07:57 IT JUST DOESN'T EVEN MATTER.
07:59 AND IT'S INTERESTING TOO BECAUSE MARY GIVES THIS STARBURST OF PROPHECY
08:03 AS SHE GIVES VOICE TO HER CHOSENESS.
08:07 SHE'S NOT PARTICULARLY CHAGRINED, THERE WAS SOME UPHEAVAL,
08:10 NEVERTHELESS, SHE SEES GOD WORKING IN HER INTERESTING CIRCUMSTANCES.
08:14 AND SHE HAS SOMETHING TO SAY DOESN'T SHE? >>SHE REALLY DOES.
08:17 ZOLA WROTE TWO MUSICALS, "BELOVED THIEF" AND "MINE EYES HAVE SEEN".
08:21 "MINE EYES HAVE SEEN" WAS REALLY HIS FAVORITE.
08:24 HE THOUGHT THAT WAS THE BETTER ONE OF THE TWO.
08:27 THE YOUNG LADY THAT SANG PLAYED THE PART OF MARY,
08:31 WOULD WALK INTO THE STUDIO
08:36 AND WOULD MAYBE PUT HER CHILDREN ON THE FLOOR, THEN SHE'D GO GET A COKE OR SOMETHING
08:39 AND THEN SHE WOULD SING.
08:41 THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF WARM UP.
08:44 SHE HAD AN INCREDIBLE VOICE.
08:47 ZOLA HAD PERFECT PITCH
08:48 SO HE KNEW WHEN SHE WAS RIGHT ON TUNE AND WHEN SHE WAS NOT.
08:52 SO SHE JUST SANG "MAGNIFICAT" AND IT IS JUST BEAUTIFUL.
08:56 I KNOW YOU'LL ENJOY IT.
08:59 ♪AND THE RICH HE SENT AWAY.♪
09:07 ♪HE HONORED HIS SERVANT ISRAEL
09:14 ♪IN MEMORY OF HIS MERCY♪
09:21 ♪HE SPOKE TO OUR FATHERS, TO ABRAHAM♪
09:29 ♪AND TO HIS SEED FOREVER.♪
09:37 ♪MY SOUL DOTH MAGNIFY THE LORD
09:44 ♪MY SPIRIT, MY SAVIOR♪
09:51 ♪HE THAT IS MIGHTY♪
09:58 ♪MY SOUL DOTH MAGNIFY THE LORD
10:06 ♪MY SOUL DOTH MAGNIFY THE LORD
10:12 ♪MY SOUL♪
10:15 ♪DOTH MAGNIFY♪
10:19 ♪THE LORD.♪
10:25 FOR INSIGHTFUL PERSPECTIVES OF ISRAEL AND BIBLE PROPHECY;
10:29 ASK FOR OUR FREE MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, THE LEVITT LETTER.
10:32 WHEN YOU CALL BE SURE TO ALSO ASK FOR OUR FREE CATALOG
10:35 WITH THE LATEST VIDEOS, BOOKS AND MUSIC.
10:38 OUR CORRESPONDENCE COURSE, THE INSTITUTE OF JEWISH CHRISTIAN STUDIES INCLUDES,
10:42 READING PACKETS, TEACHING CDS AND MAIL IN TESTS.
10:46 YOU MAY WANT TO JOIN US ON AN UPCOMING TOUR OF ISRAEL AND PETRA,
10:49 OR CRUISE THE MEDITERRANEAN VISITING GREECE AND EPHESUS.
10:53 PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION.
10:59 SOMETIMES THE JOURNEY TO YERUSHALAYIM CAN BE A LONG ONE.
11:05 ABRAHAM JOURNEYED FOR 62 YEARS FROM UR
11:09 AND THEN OFFERED HIS SON ISAAC AS A SACRIFICE TO GOD ATOP OF MOUNT MARIAH.
11:15 THE ARK OF THE COVENANT JOURNEYED FOR 500 YEARS
11:19 UNTIL IT FOUND ITS FINAL RESTING IN KING SOLOMON'S TEMPLE ATOP THE VERY SAME MOUNT.
11:24 OUR JOURNEY TO YERUSHALAYIM IS ONLY COMPLETE
11:27 WHEN WE CAN FINALLY CAST OUR EYES UPON GOD'S HOLY MOUNTAIN.
11:32 THIS WILL BE A JOURNEY YOU WILL NEVER FORGET
11:37 WHEN YOUR FEET TOUCH THIS HOLY GROUND YOU WILL KNOW WHAT I MEAN.
11:50 FOR YOUR FREE BROCHURE ON OUR NEXT TOUR TO ISRAEL CALL:
11:59 TODAY AS YESTERDAY ISRAEL HAS ALWAYS HAD A SPECIAL ALLURE.
12:05 THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THE HOLY LAND THAT BECKONS PEOPLE THERE.
12:09 COME CHRISTMAS 2000 YEARS AGO THERE WERE WISE MEN IN THE EAST,
12:14 THAT WERE DRIVEN BY IMPULSES AND AFFECTIONS
12:17 AND THEY MADE THEIR WAY TO BETHLEHEM AND THERE THEY WORSHIPED YESHUA,
12:24 MEN FROM THE EAST WE'RE TOLD,
12:27 MEN WITH "CHOCHAM", THEY WERE "WISE" MEN.
12:30 MATTHEW TELLS US IN CHAPTER 2, VERSE 11,
12:56 THE TRADITION OF GIVING GIFTS AT CHRISTMAS COMES FROM THE ORIGINAL STORY.
13:04 ITS AMAZING FOLK FIND VALUE IN YESHUA
13:07 AND THEY INVEST, THEY GIVE IN ADORATION.
13:11 ABSOLUTELY,
13:12 HOW MUST MARY HAVE FELT TO KNOW THAT HERE IS HER SON
13:15 AND THEY ARE FALLING DOWN,
13:16 THEY'RE WORSHIPPING, BRINGING HIM GIFTS,
13:19 SHE HAD TO BE A PROUD MOTHER.
13:21 SHE HAD TO BE.
13:22 STRANGERS KNOCKING ON THE DOOR AND BRINGING GOLD
13:27 BUT THIS IS THE MESSIAH.
13:28 AND WHEN WE SEE THOSE SAME PLACES IN ISRAEL WHEN WE GO TO ISRAEL.
13:33 WE SEE THE PANORAMA OF BETHLEHEM, WE SEE JERUSALEM,
13:38 WE SEE THE SEA OF GALILEE, WE SEE ISRAEL.
13:41 AND YOU'RE RIGHT,
13:43 WHEN PEOPLE GET TO ISRAEL
13:44 THEY LAND,
13:45 THEY WALK ON THE LAND
13:49 AND THEY JUST KNOW THEY'RE HOME.
13:51 THERE'S JUST NO OTHER WAY TO SAY IT.
13:53 I WISH WE COULD SEE MORE PEOPLE GIVING GIFTS TO JESUS ON HIS BIRTHDAY.
13:58 INSTEAD OF?
13:59 GIVING GIFTS TO THEMSELVES.
14:01 AND LET ME SPEAK CANDIDLY HERE
14:03 THAT MANY SEE CHRISTMAS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE CARE OF THE FRIENDS OF THE FAMILY.
14:07 I THINK IT'S GOOD ON CHRISTMAS TO GIVE A BIRTHDAY PRESENT TO THE BIRTHDAY BOY.
14:12 WHY DON'T YOU CONSIDER BEING GRACIOUS AND DOING SOMETHING FOR THE LORD
14:16 IN THIS SEASON WHEN WE CELEBRATE HIS BIRTHDAY?
14:19 I AGREE.
14:20 WE'RE ALSO GOING TO LOOK AT A SONG FROM THE SAME ALBUM "MINE EYES HAVE SEEN".
14:24 THE NAME OF THE SONG IS "BETHLEHEM"
14:27 AND IT IS...REALLY TALKS ABOUT THE BIRTHPLACE OF MESSIAH.
14:37 ♪IN ALL THE WORLD THEY'LL TALK ABOUT THIS DAY.♪
14:43 ♪THEY'LL TALK ABOUT THE WAY MESSIAH CAME.♪
14:51 ♪THEY'LL SING,♪
14:53 ♪THEY'LL PRAY,♪
14:55 ♪THEY'LL WORSHIP ON THIS DAY.♪
14:59 ♪A HOLY THING HAS HAPPENED HERE IN BETHLEHEM.♪
15:07 ♪TO BETHLEHEM,♪
15:09 ♪BETHLEHEM♪
15:11 ♪TO BETHLEHEM,♪
15:13 ♪BETHLEHEM♪
15:15 ♪THE KING HAS COME♪
15:19 ♪TO BETHLEHEM.♪
15:23 ♪THE PROMISED ONE♪
15:27 ♪MESSIAH'S COME♪
15:31 ♪THE KING OF KINGS♪
15:36 ♪TO BETHLEHEM♪
15:39 ♪BETHLEHEM!♪
15:46 THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO AND CENTURIES BEFORE JESUS MADE HIS ENTRANCE ONTO PLANET EARTH
15:54 MICAH PREDICTED IN CHAPTER 5, VERSE 2,
16:16 MICAH ENVISIONED THAT LITTLE BETHLEHEM HAD A BIG PART TO PLAY IN SALVATION HISTORY.
16:24 BUT IT HAD TO.
16:25 BETHLEHEM WAS ONE OF THE PROPHECIES.
16:27 THE JEWS WERE LOOKING FOR THE MESSIAH.
16:30 HAVE BEEN,
16:31 ALWAYS HAVE BEEN.
16:32 AND HERE HE IS, THIS IS ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS,
16:35 HOUSE OF DAVID, FROM BETHLEHEM,
16:38 HUNDREDS OF PROPHECIES AND HE FULFILLED THEM ALL.
16:42 I ALWAYS THOUGHT RAISED IN A JEWISH FAMILY,
16:45 I FIGURED IF YOU CHRISTIAN GUYS WANT TO WORSHIP A JEW
16:48 GOD LOVE YA, WE'LL TALK TO THE BOSS,
16:50 TO THE FATHER HIMSELF.
16:51 BUT THEN I REALIZED THAT THE JESUS STORY IS A JEWISH STORY
16:57 THAT JESUS IS CONNECTED TO OLD TESTAMENT'S HOPES, ASPIRATIONS AND PROPHECIES.
17:03 CASE IN POINT, CHRISTMAS DAY HE WAS TO BE BORN THIS WAY IN BETHLEHEM.
17:08 WHAT A STORY.
17:10 AND RIGHT HERE.
17:11 AND WE HEAR THAT.
17:12 I HEAR THAT WHEN I TALK TO PEOPLE WHEN WE'RE OUT.
17:14 JEWISH PEOPLE THAT HAVE COME TO KNOW MESSIAH SAY,
17:16 "WHEN I READ THE NEW TESTAMENT
17:18 IT REALLY PUTS THE OLD TESTAMENT INTO FOCUS FOR ME."
17:22 AND I LIKE TO HEAR THAT.
17:24 THIS IS ONE BOOK,
17:25 NOT AN OLD TESTAMENT,
17:26 NOT A NEW TESTAMENT.
17:27 RIGHT AND THEY REALLY DON'T CONTRADICT. >>NO
17:29 FOR MY MONEY, THE OLD TESTAMENT IS LIKE THE ARM
17:31 AND THE NEW TESTAMENT IS THE HAND
17:33 AND TOGETHER IT TALKS ABOUT THE DAY AND THE WAY THAT GOD EXTENDS HIMSELF TO HUMANKIND
17:39 AND HE COMES THROUGH BETHLEHEM TO DELIVER DELIVERANCE TO PLANET EARTH.
17:45 WHAT A STORY.
17:47 BUT THE HOPE OF IT ALL IN BETHLEHEM, THE HOUSE OF BREAD.
17:50 AND WHAT DID YESHUA SAY?
17:51 "I AM THE BREAD"
17:52 "I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE" >>YES, HE DID.
17:54 WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ZOLA IN BETHLEHEM, IN MANGER SQUARE,
17:58 OVERLOOKING MANGER SQUARE THIS PEACEFUL LITTLE BETHLEHEM TOWN.
18:03 AND I'LL THINK YOU'LL LIKE THIS.
18:07 THE MODERN TOWN IS QUITE DIFFERENT.
18:09 THE LITTLE VILLAGE IN THE CAVE THAT WE SHOWED YOU
18:13 WOULD HAVE BEEN THE TIME OF JESUS MORE LIKELY
18:17 BUT NOW CHRISTIANS HAVE 300 DENOMINATIONS DESCEND ON THIS PLACE
18:22 ESPECIALLY AT CHRISTMAS NATURALLY
18:25 AND THEY JUST FILL UP THE TOWN SQUARE.
18:27 AND OF COURSE THEY FILL UP EVERY AVAILABLE ROOM AND SO ON.
18:31 AND THEY COME HERE TO THE CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY.
18:34 THIS CHURCH IS A TRADITIONAL LOCATION OF THE MANGER.
18:38 THEY HAVE A CAVE DOWN BELOW IN THE CHURCH WHICH PEOPLE GO DOWN TO SEE.
18:42 THERE ARE MANY CAVES AROUND BETHLEHEM.
18:44 THIS ONE HAPPENS TO BE IN THE HEART OF THE MODERN TOWN.
18:47 I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY ABOUT ITS AUTHENTICITY.
18:49 THE MANGER CAVE ITSELF SURPRISES MANY TOURISTS.
18:53 IT HAS THE INCENSE AND CANDLES,
18:55 A BIG SILVER STAR OVER IT
18:57 PERHAPS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STAR
18:59 THAT SHOWED THE WISE MEN JUST WHERE TO COME.
19:02 THERE ARE STARS EVERYWHERE AROUND BETHLEHEM.
19:05 THE ISRAELIS ARE THE PRESENT PROTECTORS OF THE SITE
19:08 AND THEY ADMINISTRATE BETHLEHEM
19:11 AND THEY WATCH ALL THE HOLY SITES IN THE HOLY LAND AND THEY POLICE THE PLACE.
19:16 THEY ARE ALSO WATCHING THE DOME OF THE ROCK IN JERUSALEM AND THE ALAKSA MOSQUE,
19:21 KEY MUSLIM SHRINES WHICH HAVE BEEN HERE FOR 13 CENTURIES.
19:25 AND THEY PROTECT IT, THEY KEEP IT CLEAN, THEY KEEP THE TOURISTS BEHAVED AND IT'S SOME BIG JOB.
19:32 THIS IS A CROSS ROADS OF THE WORLD'S RELIGIONS, NOT JUST CHRISTIANITY.
19:37 AND OF COURSE THAT GOES WITHOUT SAYING;
19:39 THEY PROTECT THE WESTERN WALL AND THE TOMBS OF THE PROPHETS AND THE THINGS OF JUDAISM.
19:44 THERE PROBABLY HAS BEEN MORE PEACE TIMES SURROUNDING THESE SITES
19:48 SINCE THE ISRAELIS HAVE BEEN RESTORED TO THE LAND I SUPPOSE THAN ANY PERIOD BEFORE.
19:53 IT WAS ALWAYS HELD WITH SWORDS AND WITH SPEARS AND NOW IT'S A RELATIVE COOPERATION.
20:01 IT'S HARD FOR ME TO BELIEVE THAT WAS ZOLA 22 YEARS AGO LOOKING DOWN ON THE MANGER.
20:06 THE DIFFERENCE IN THEN AND NOW JEFF
20:10 IS JUST INCREDIBLE TO ME.
20:13 MANGER SQUARE HAS CHANGED CONSIDERABLY.
20:16 1995 GIVEN BACK TO THE PA.
20:19 "GIVEN BACK"...GIVEN "UP" TO THE PA SO THEY CAN DO THE SECURITY AND IT HAS DOWN HILL SINCE THEN.
20:27 YES, I'VE READ REPORTS THAT ARE ALARMING
20:30 SINCE BETHLEHEM WAS CEDED OVER TO PALESTINIAN CONTROL THE WORLD HAS GONE BAD.
20:39 IN 1948 85% OF THE POPULATION IN BETHLEHEM CONSTITUTED BY CHRISTIAN ARABS.
20:46 TODAY 12% AND DECLINING FAST. >>MAYBE, MAYBE 12%.
20:51 I WAS THERE LAST SUMMER,
20:53 WENT AROUND LOOKING AT THE SITES.
20:55 EVERYTHING IS BOARDED UP.
20:57 THERE'S NOTHING THERE.
20:59 THE MANGER, THAT SITE IS THERE,
21:01 BUT THERE IS NOBODY THERE.
21:03 IT'S A GHOST TOWN. >>IT REALLY IS.
21:05 IT'S DISEASED. >>AND IT'S SAD.
21:06 PEOPLE ARE DEPRESSED. >>AND YOU CAN FEEL IT.
21:08 THE ECONOMY IS AT AN ALL TIME LOW.
21:10 65% UNEMPLOYMENT.
21:13 IT'S HORRIBLE.
21:15 IT'S A WAR ZONE, DESTITUTE, MISERABLE,
21:19 TRAGIC IS THE FACT THAT THE CITY OF HOPE IN A BYGONE ERA IS NOW A CITY OF DESPAIR.
21:26 HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?
21:27 REALLY, YOU WANT ME TO TELL YOU? >>WHY NOT?
21:29 WELL, BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A WORLD OF SPIRITUAL WAR.
21:33 WE'RE IN A SPIRITUAL WAR, GOOD AND EVIL.
21:35 AND WHEN EVIL COMES IN IT BEGETS EVIL.
21:39 POLITICALLY INCORRECT AS IT IS,
21:42 EVIL CAME IN A FORM OF CEDING GOD'S LAND OVER TO GOD'S ENEMIES.
21:49 FOR MY MONEY IT SOUNDS LIKE A RECIPE FOR DISASTER.
21:53 BUT THEY KEEP COOKING UP THAT SCENARIO IN POLITICAL KITCHENS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
22:01 "WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO BRING PEACE ON EARTH
22:04 IS TO GIVE AWAY A PIECE OF JEWISH REAL ESTATE."
22:09 IT DOESN'T MAKE PEACE.
22:11 YOU GIVE A PIECE OF LAND HERE,
22:12 YOU DON'T GET ANY PEACE.
22:14 IT HAS NEVER EVER WORKED.
22:16 AND WHY SOMEBODY THINKS THAT IT WILL....
22:19 I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE ANSWER FOR THE WORLD
22:22 IS FOR THE JEWS TO BLEED OUT MORE REAL ESTATE,
22:26 THAT SOMEHOW IF JEWS DIE A LITTLE MORE, GIVE A LITTLE MORE
22:30 THAT SOMEHOW THE WORLD'S A BETTER PLACE IF JEWS HAVE LESS SPACE IN IT.
22:37 WHY DO PEOPLE THINK, "IF I GIVE LAND TO MY ENEMIES
22:42 THAT THOSE ENEMIES ARE GOING TO LOVE ME"?
22:45 WHEN THEIR STATED OBJECTIVE IS TO WIPE ISRAEL OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
22:49 YES, PEOPLE PREFER DELUSIONS OVER THE TRUTH. >>RIGHT, SURE.
22:53 AND THEN THE LORD SENDS UPON THEM A STRONGER DELUSION
22:57 TO MAKE THEM BELIEVE WHAT IS FALSE.
23:02 AND I SEE THIS HAPPENING EVERYWHERE INCLUDING HERE.
23:07 IN OUR OWN JUDEA-CHRISTIAN CULTURE
23:10 PEOPLE ABANDON THE LITERATURE THAT CASTS A VISION OF REALITY
23:16 AND INSTEAD ASSUAGE THEIR ANXIETIES WITH FANTASY.
23:21 AND SO IT IS WE GIVE GOD'S LAND TO GOD'S ENEMIES
23:25 AND EXPECT SOMETHING GOOD TO COME OUT OF IT.
23:28 THIS IS ODIOUS, IT'S FANTASY.
23:31 IT IS FANTASY AND YET THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
23:36 I KNOW I'M ASKED ALL THE TIME, "WHY WOULD THE JEWS GIVE AWAY THEIR LAND?"
23:41 AND I HAVE TO TELL THEM, "THE PEOPLE ARE SECULAR".
23:47 I THINK PEOPLE HAVE THIS CONCEPT THAT EVERYONE IN ISRAEL IS A BELIEVER OR IS A JEW OR IS SOMETHING OTHER THAN SECULAR.
23:54 BUT THERE'S LIKE 70% SECULARISM IN ISRAEL.
23:58 SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE DON'T CARE.
24:01 THEY DON'T CARE.
24:02 GIVE AWAY THE LAND, THEY DON'T CARE.
24:04 RIGHT, WELL WHAT I CARE TO DO IS OPEN THE BIBLICAL TEXT. >>ABSOLUTELY
24:07 THE LAND THAT'S CEDED TO GOD'S PEOPLE BELONGS TO GOD'S PEOPLE.
24:11 NOW THEY'LL SAY, "JEFFREY, YOU'RE INTOLERANT, YOU'RE THIS AND YOUR THAT"
24:15 BUT I'M NOT RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
24:16 I DON'T NEED TO GARNER VOTES.
24:18 I WANT TO GARNER THE VOTE OF ONE.
24:20 I WANT JESUS CHRIST TO HEAR ME AND SAY,
24:21 "I VOTE FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE TELLING THE STORY".
24:24 AND THE STORY IS THAT WE LIVE AS YOU'D SAID IN A WORLD THAT'S RACKED BY SPIRITUAL WARFARE.
24:32 GOD'S PEOPLE NEED TO SPEAK UP AND STAND UP
24:34 BECAUSE NOW MORE THAN EVER WE SEE ISRAEL, FOR MY MONEY, BEING ABANDONED.
24:40 USED TO BE IN A PREVIOUS ERA
24:42 I SAW MORE PEOPLE STANDING UP FOR BIBLICAL VIRTUE
24:45 BUT NOW I SEE MORE AND MORE PEOPLE KOWTOWING TO A RADICAL ISLAMIC AGENDA
24:51 THAT'S HELL BENT ON THE DESTRUCTION OF THE JEWS
24:54 AND IS NOT THE LEAST BIT FRIENDLY ABOUT OUR WAY OF LIFE.
24:57 NO, AND THAT'S TRUE AND I THINK I ALSO SEE PEOPLE ARE POLARIZED.
25:02 THEY'RE EITHER FOR ISRAEL OR THEIR AGAINST ISRAEL,
25:04 THERE'S NOTHING REALLY IN BETWEEN ANYMORE.
25:07 AND I FIND THAT REALLY FASCINATING,
25:09 THEY EITHER STAND WITH THE JEWS OR THEY DON'T.
25:11 YES, AND THOSE THAT WANT TO STAND WITH THE JEWS,
25:14 ONE OF THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO IS STAND WITH US
25:18 AS WE REPRESENT YOUR VISION AND YOUR VALUES OUT HERE IN THE BROADER CULTURE.
25:24 WHILE WE'RE STILL HERE
25:28 I WOULD LIKE REFER YOU TO:
25:33 WHERE YOU CAN GET BREAKING NEWS,
25:35 GOOD NEWS ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE JEWS.
25:39 BEYOND THAT YOU CAN WATCH THIS PROGRAM
25:42 AND WE'RE GONNA TELL IT TO YOU LIKE IT AS LONG AS YOU'LL HAVE US.
25:46 BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT I NEED YOU TO GET BEHIND US AND SUPPORT US.
25:52 WE'RE NOT SUPPORTED BY BIG CORPORATIONS
25:55 AND WE'RE CERTAINLY NOT SUPPORTED BY CHRISTIAN DENOMINATIONS
25:59 MANY OF WHOM HAVE LONG ABANDONED ISRAEL.
26:04 WE'RE SUPPORTED BECAUSE INDIVIDUALS SAY
26:07 "WE CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO SHARE".
26:10 AND YOUR KINDNESS HAS FUELED OUR ENTERPRISE WITH THE NET RESULT
26:15 THAT WE'RE ABLE TO GO COAST TO COAST IN AMERICA
26:19 AND AROUND THE WORLD
26:20 AND TELL THE STORY OF GOD'S LOVE FOR THE JEWS,
26:24 TO TELL THE STORY ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD'S INBREAKING ON PLANET EARTH,
26:28 TO LOOK AT PROPHECY,
26:30 TO LOOK AT WORLD EVENTS AND TO PUT IT OUT THERE.
26:33 THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
26:35 NOW'S THE TIME AS WE FINISH UP 2007 AND GO TO 2008
26:39 AND IN THE PROCESS OF SO DOING WE'RE ROLLING OVER INTO THE YEAR
26:43 THAT MARKS ISRAEL'S 60TH ANNIVERSARY.
26:48 CAN I ASK YOU AT CHRISTMAS TIME TO MAKE A GIFT TO JESUS?
26:51 BLESS THE KING OF THE JEWS BY GETTING BEHIND A MINISTRY TO THE JEWS
26:56 AND HELP US HERE AT ZOLA LEVITT MINISTRIES
26:59 SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO TELL THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD
27:04 BY DRAWING ATTENTION TO THE GREATEST STORY NEVER TOLD.
27:07 THAT IS, THE STORY OF JESUS' JEWISHNESS,
27:10 THE STORY OF GOD'S LOVE FOR THE JEWS.
27:13 AND AS WE BROADCAST HOPE FOR ISRAEL AND HOPE FOR THE JEWS
27:17 WE TELL THE STORY ABOUT GOOD NEWS FOR ALL OF YOU'S
27:20 AS WE TOGETHER LOOK AT SALVATION
27:22 AND GOD'S PLAN TO SAVE PEOPLE ON PLANET EARTH.
27:26 AMEN.
27:27 I CAN'T ADD HARDLY ANYTHING TO THAT.
27:30 I REALLY DO COVET YOUR PRAYERS.
27:32 I THANK YOU FOR STAYING WITH US.
27:35 I THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING US.
27:37 I THANK YOU FOR LOVING ISRAEL, LOVING AMERICA.
27:41 I THANK YOU FOR YOUR WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL LETTERS OF ENCOURAGEMENT.
27:46 JEFF IT HAS BEEN A REAL BLESSING THIS YEAR.
27:49 AND REMEMBER AS YOU GO,
27:51 "SHA' ALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM"
27:53 PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM.

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