Levitt Letter, June 1999
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June 1999 Volume 21, Number 6 “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved.” – Romans 10:1 I can’t help being disappointed in the results of the I NSIDE I TEMS Israeli election. But if I’m going to preach that Israeli ■ Cover Article..........................p. 1 affairs are guided by God, then I’ll accept the new ■ Decoding the Priesthood.............p. 3 Prime Minister as resulting from His will. ■ A Note from Zola....................p. 5 ZOLA LEVITT ■ Has Joseph’s Tomb Been Found In the meanwhile, our in Egypt Part One......................p. 7 media are gloating. ■ Letters to Zola.......................p. 8 Changing of They imagine that ■ Exporting Kosovo......................p. 9 Netanyahu was the only ■ Hebrew Lesson........................p. 10 problem holding up what they called the peace process, and now process just to get the substances the Guard they can see a new Palestinian we need. nation on the horizon. Our news Ehud Barak is a very good man, a reporters can make or break a coun- The Bible says, “the love of decorated soldier and a field mar- try, and they are breaking a small money is the root of all evil,” shal of unquestioned integrity. He and brave democracy into pieces. and that truth can be seen helped plan the dramatic rescue at around the world. Milosevic, Entebbe, and he fought the Palestin- Why do our media behave this according to a recent Jerusalem Post ians in Beirut. What I fear about him way? Well, other than the standard article, wants Kosovo not for any is that he will be too eager to reverse aversion to Jews and their country, religious or geographical reasons, the policies of Netanyahu, especially I think the root of the problem is but because of its mineral wealth. as regards the land and Palestinian money. Why on earth any democra- It’s a matter again of cash for the reciprocity for it. The cy, including perpetrator. former Prime Minister ours, would From Georgie insisted on the Arabs favor a ...they are breaking Anne Geyer of keeping their word, Palestinian The Washington fighting terrorism, and “state”— in a small and brave Times, “In addi- dealing fairly with Israel. reality, a dicta- tion to manipu- I am a little afraid that torship — to democracy into lating passions Barak, trying to please be formed in over the holy his various constituen- the midst of pieces. places, what cies, will want to give a very small really gets back the Golan Heights democracy is inexplicable Slobodan Milosevic’s blood pulsing and will remove the army from except as it affects the cash income is that other Kosovo. This is the one south Lebanon where it guarantees of the perpetrators. Pleasing the that has been historically called the peace of Galilee. more powerful Arabs, such as those ‘Queen of minerals and mines.’” Bill The Israeli settlers are nervous in Saudi Arabia with their hands on Clinton sells our nuclear secrets and about these things as well, and the oil spigot, leads to more com- access to our government to the they have undertaken building pro- fortable transactions in rooms Chinese for cash. Some Christian grams to create what former P.M. behind the scenes. We have served seminaries couldn’t care less what Begin called “facts on the ground.” Arab interests since the boycotts of doctrines they are teaching or what the 1970s because we’re afraid, as a textbooks they are using because they I don’t think that Barak will deal so country who obtains 56% of its oil are totally distracted by their pur- closely with the Orthodox in Israel, offshore, that we’ll be cut off again. suit of cash. Some of our TV net- and we should see a settling down Like drug addicts we work for our works, Christian and otherwise, of religious conflicts. pushers, committing crimes in the CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 June 1999 P.O. Box 12268 • Dallas, TX 75225-0268 • (214) 696-8844 • www.levitt.com 1 CHANGING OF THE GUARD CONT. FROM PG. 1 sell us awfully poor times at high And as a democracy ourselves, we tion, and that is that Israel not give prices because they save their better should appreciate the fact that while away any more land to the Arabs, times for those that will give them some 40% of Americans care to vote their sworn enemies. It was a small even more cash. And two of what in presidential elections, more than relief that Barak didn’t win enough were the finest Christian publishers 80% of Israelis voted in this election! support in the Knesset to form a sin- in my days as an author, Zondervan As James Carville, who managed the gle-party government. Therefore, he and Moody Press, have disappointed campaign of Barak, observed, Israel will have to negotiate, as Netanyahu me in the same year, primarily on is “a unique and wonderful country, did, with various interests in the matters of cash. a heck of a place.” And he called the Knesset to establish his policies. election campaign “intense.” I am a sinful man, but I do not This is a tense time for Israel. have a cash addiction, and that I hope the United States doesn’t “help has done our ministry well. We To me, there out” much more. The new Prime have never asked for money when was only one Minister is already being treated as we didn’t need it, and we have never some kind of American surrogate wasted any of it. I broadcast what- issue in this within our power to control. As a ever the Lord would lead me to Dallas Morning News editorial sagely broadcast, and write whatever He election, and stated on May 18, “The United States leads me to write. Occasionally, it is should strive to insure that [Barak] gently suggested to me that we that is that Israel not remains focused.” Tricky words like might “do a little better” if I weren’t “focused” mean he should keep on such a “hard-liner” on Israel or on give away any more giving away land to the Arabs until pointing out the errors of certain there is no more Israel, I presume. denominations or on criticizing cer- land to the Arabs, their tain seminaries, professional people, sworn enemies. If it weren’t for the will of God, the etc. Well, insofar as I am listening to United States on its own could finish the Lord and am guided by Him, you off modern Israel. I hope need to talk to Him, not to me. At As to the issues of the election, The we just leave it alone. 1 the beginning I was warned that Washington Post brilliantly observed, television ministry was hard, a “Many religious Jews believe the Jewish person could not very likely West Bank is Biblical and promised DON’T FAULT GUNS succeed in it, it was hopeless to pay to Jewish people by God.” They don’t BY: TOM the bills out of one's own pocket and realize, of course, that all of the prom- HOPE hope the donations would make it ises made by God to the patriarchs up, and so on. Well, following the about ownership of the land were Columbine is a Enough with Lord and doing His will as I best made in what they call the West Bank problem with our the rigged perceive it has given the lie to all (Judea and Sumeria). I often relate culture, not the debates on those warnings. He has guided us that the only time I personally carried National Rifle Association. gun control. through thick and thin, and in May a gun to make a TV program was at Thirty years ago, we celebrated the 20th year of Zola Bethel, deep in the West Bank, the anyone could buy a gun any time. We had a Levitt Ministries, a very happy time. exact site where God renewed His much lower crime rate and no high school promises to Jacob about the Jews massacres. Quit blaming guns. owning the land. Shechem (now Back then, we were raised by our parents, But back to the Israel election: not by the entertainment industry. Our parents The major factor is that there was called Nablus by the Arabs) was the taught that the highest goals of life were to a change of governments. Don’t site on which God assured Abraham please God and to improve the lives of those expect the Palestinian dictatorship that the Jews would own the land around us. By the time we were 5, we knew to end until Arafat dies or is assassi- forever. right from wrong. nated. Don’t expect any Arab lead- But today, good and bad are treated as ership to ever change other than It is the Knesset, Israel’s Parlia- irrelevant to the public debate. Life's noblest with a palace coup or the like. As ment, which will decide thorny goal has become personal pleasure in whatever Please Tear Off and Send Entire Page you choose. We rarely set limits for children, columnist William Safire asked, issues like settlements in the West Bank and the possible divi- and we pretend there are no consequences to “Where does this happen but in a the choices they make. sion of Israel. genuinely quarrelsome democracy? Of course, I pray When we make real values part of our cul- Where in the Middle East but in that the status quo remains.