Meltdown in the Middle East/Program 2

By: Dr. Jimmy DeYoung; ©2007

Why is Iran considered by many in Israeli government to be the greatest threat right now?

Contents

Introduction

Today on the John Ankerberg Show, people look at events in the Middle East and say, it’s a real mess! But they don’t know the reasons why it’s a mess. To help you understand why a meltdown is taking place in the Middle East, today we will look at the internal conflicts are taking place in each country, those among the Palestinians, those in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Second, how these internal struggles are drawing people from other nations into joining these conflicts? And third, the underlying religious beliefs motivating government leaders to enter into armed conflict, even nuclear warfare, that could pull the entire world into war? My guest today, is news correspondent Dr. Jimmy DeYoung, who has lived in Jerusalem since 1993. He has interviewed many of the political leaders in the Middle East. Including every Israeli prime minister over the last 15 years, as well as Jordan’s King Abdullah, and the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Learn why a meltdown is occurring in the Middle East and the dangers this causes the world, on this special edition of the John Ankerberg Show.

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Ankerberg: Welcome to our program. We are talking with Dr. Jimmy DeYoung who has lived in Israel since 1991. Jimmy, you arrived just in time, if I remember, for having the experience of Saddam Hussein’s scuds landing all around you.

DeYoung: 39 of them.

Ankerberg: Thirty nine. And you know what it is to live inside the inner room that is completely contained, and wear your gas mask and just see what happens.

DeYoung: Yes, indeed.

Ankerberg: That’s when you started there. And he has interviewed all of the Prime Ministers of Israel since that time; King Abdullah of Jordan; also the late Yasser Arafat. So he knows the main people in Israel and what’s going on in the Middle East.

And what we want to start with today is that, last week we talked about the Palestinian- Israeli problem. Because of the Saudi initiative that was accepted by the Palestinians for Hamas and Fatah to come together, the hopes and dreams that the United Nations had, that Condoleezza Rice had, that Israel had, for a two-state peaceful process to take place, went down the tubes. We talked about why that happened last week. So that is a key impact on all that happens in the Middle East.

But that’s not the only thing that’s happened. And just in the last few days some statements have come out of the cabinet in Israel that the greatest threat to Israel right now, as well as to world peace, is not the Palestinians, although they are right next to them, they are neighbors; the fact is, the greatest threat is Iran. And I want you to tell us what has happened in the last few days, and why those statements have been made.

DeYoung: Well, that statement by any cabinet member in the present Israeli government had to be based upon somewhat of a history. Israeli intelligence reported to the former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that Iran was, indeed, the number one threat to the Jewish state. It wasn’t the Palestinian situation that was going to be the number one threat; it wasn’t Iraq when Saddam Hussein was in power; it is Iran and what is going on there.

Now, then, from that history they can make the statement, because it only seems to be intensifying. Over the last year for example, President Ahmadinejad of Iran has made statements that, for example, when he was in Mecca there was no such thing as the holocaust ever taking place. He came back home; he went into Europe, he made the exact same statement. He told the Europeans that if indeed the Holocaust had happened, why don’t you give a Jewish state to the Jewish people in Europe? He even suggested that America might want to consider giving up Alaska and making that the Jewish state. And so he continued that radical rhetoric against the holocaust. Had a holocaust conference to basically deny that there ever was a holocaust that took place. The truth of that matter is we have more documented evidence to prove that event in history than in almost any event ever taking place in history.

Then he started along the lines, well, we need to wipe Israel off the map. Well, in Arabic that didn’t play as effectively as he wanted it to play. Some of the linguist said, “Well, that doesn’t really mean he wants to get rid of Israel.” And so then he got a bit harsher, “We are going to rid the world of the Jewish state.” And that of course was the bottom line in Arabic that meant indeed Israel had to go.

He said that whatever took place as it relates to their development of a nuclear weapon, they could use that nuclear weapon; they have a delivery system, the Shahab-3. They have short range, mid range. long range missiles that could deliver an atomic nuclear warhead into Israel. In fact, they could hit any geographical location in the entire state of Israel. They already have the chemical, the biological warheads that they could put on those Shahab rockets and missiles and send them in.

They placed Hezbollah, in 1982, in southern Lebanon for the distinct purpose of destroying the Jewish state of Israel. They let them go into that geographical location, set up a base, develop a relationship with the Lebanese people. You see, Hezbollah, they are not made up of Lebanese people, they are part of the Iranian revolutionary guard sent there in 1982, as I said, by Ayatollah Khomeini for the exact purpose that I have just been explaining.

And so all of these things have to enter into the statements that these now cabinet members of the Israeli government have been making. Benjamin Netanyahu, the former Prime Minister of Israel, six months ago, said we have to stand up to this situation, this is a threat not only to Israel but the entire world. And world leaders, would you please pay attention. He talked about this being worse than Adolf Hitler’s holocaust in WWII. He said that today’s Adolph Hitler is named Ahmadinejad, and what is going to happen is going to be far more in-depth and dangerous to the Jewish people than the holocaust ever was, only killed 1/3 of the Jewish people – at that point in time 6 million Jews were killed, simply because of they fact that they were guilty of being Jewish. But Ahmadinejad in his rhetoric is saying that we have to rid all of the Jews of the Middle East; and it is going to take place.

Now there are many motivating factors for Ahmadinejad making these statements. Some of them are political; some of them are religious in nature. I think James Woolsey, who is the former director of the CIA, who spoke this last summer at the Herzliya conference… That’s a gathering of academia, military personal, politicos, media people. They gathered there on the Mediterranean coast of Israel. And this is not some crazy wild prophecy teacher, this is not some radical. This man was the former director of the CIA, he now heads up a think tank in New York City; very prestigious think tank, by the way. He stood at the Herzliya conference and he said, “We” and he was referring editorially to the entire world, all the leaders of the world, “We must deal with Iran. It has come to that point of no return, they have to be dealt with. They are going to have a nuclear power; they are going to not only threaten Israel; they are going to threaten the Middle East; they are going to threaten the European Union; all of Europe; they are going to threaten the United States. They must be stopped.” And so it’s simply a continuation of what history has told us over the last several years is now developing there in Iran.

Ankerberg: If I remember correctly he also said that, in his opinion, that Iran will have the nuclear bomb within a year to a year and a half from that time, which is very close to where we are at now.

DeYoung: He did talk about the shortness of time when they would be able to develop a nuclear power. But a special envoy to President George W. Bush was dispatched by the President in to meet with the leaders of Israel. They met with Ehud Olmert, and he did say it’s a year to a year and one-half before Iran will have that capability of a nuclear warhead to put on one of those Shahab missiles to deliver that warhead into Israel. Israeli intelligence has been saying this for a long time, and nobody wanted to pay attention to them.

John, I cannot understand. If somebody was saying we are going to wipe out the Bahamas. We are going to destroy the Bahamas; we just don’t like what they are doing, we are going to get rid of every Bahamian down there. We are going to wipe it out.” Boy, the world would be up in arms. I mean, little innocent Bahamas. Why you going to wipe them out? And here is a man who is developing weapons to be able to accomplish what he is talking about, and nobody seems to be doing anything. They are playing pat-a-cake with him almost; they are not dealing with the issues at hand. Somebody must do it.

Ankerberg: Yeah, let’s also go further and talk about the religious underpinnings of what this man is saying, that the world is now starting to believe he actually means it. And Ahmadinejad, he went to the United Nations and spoke about the Mahdi to come. He feels like he is a messenger that is going to bring forth the Islamic Messiah, and the way he is going to bring him forth is by creating an apocalyptic world in the Middle East. He is trying to force the Islamic Messiah to show up, and then, with his help, to conquer the rest of the world. So part of that is his nuclear strategy. If he can get a bomb off, if he can cause an apocalyptic event to happen, he thinks that will force the Mahdi to show up. What did Ahmadinejad say at the United Nations?

DeYoung: Well, isn’t that ironic that we are talking about him talking about eschatology at the gathering of all of the nations of the world there at the general assembly of the United Nations. Talking about the fact that the twelfth Imam, which he believes is the Messiah, is going to come; he can come at any moment in time. Ahmadinejad believes not only is the Apocalyptic age coming, we are now living in the apocalyptic age. And a great catastrophe has to take place in order for the Messiah, the Mahdi, to come back and establish this world as an Islamic world, as an Islamic republic basically; all of the world living under Sharia law, which is the Islamic law. He would stand there at this gathering of nations, of world leaders and talk eschatology.

Can you imagine George W. Bush getting up and quoting from the book of Revelation and saying this is going to happen; now we need to make decisions to do something with this? The world would call him a crazy man. Well, Ahmadinejad is indeed a crazy man; but they are not dealing with him that way.

You know stop and think just a moment. There have been so many books written by Muslim authors over the last ten years talking about eschatology. I am not talking about what we understand from God’s world to be the end times events; I am talking about an Islamic eschatology. They focus much of it on the city of Jerusalem. They focus all that is going on in the entire Middle East. Think about this for a few moments: Ahmadinejad not only has this Messianic complex, that he is the forerunner of the Islamic Messiah coming back, but he has placed his people in positions to accomplish that goal. You were talking about the Nuclear weapon that the Iranian government is developing. What about Hezbollah at the Northern border of Israel?

What about Hamas? Today, as we speak, there are over 1000 Hamas militants. That is the government that’s ruling the Palestinian people in Israel, the unity government that we talked about last week. These militants are in Tehran studying about how to be terrorists, and then to come back with the funding from Iran into Israel, and do what their plan is.

You have Muqtada Sadar in Iraq. He is totally funded by the Shiites in Iran. His father, and so now he as well, had this Mahdi army, the Messiah’s army, in position so they’re there in the east to come against Israel. You have Syria that has made deals. Ahmadinejad has visited with Bashar Assad in Syria; they have formed military agreements. I mean, Israel is surrounded basically by Iran with the threat that, “Hey we are going to send a Nuclear weapon in to wipe you out.” It’s a tough situation. That’s why they are the number one enemy.

Ankerberg: Alright, as you listen to this you say, well, it is interesting that Iran is doing this; and we have problems with the Palestinians; and you’ve got problems with those in Lebanon; Hezbollah. Would it make a difference if the Bible actually named some of those countries and said that in the end days those countries would come against Israel?

Well, I want you to know that the Bible does say that; and we are going to tell you where it says it after we come back from the break. And also the fact is, what are those countries that are named in Ezekiel 38? There’s been a best selling book written by Joel Rosenberg called, “The Ezekiel Option.” It’s a fictional novel, but it is based on events in the world, as well as things that are said in the Bible. But the fact is that, in Ezekiel 38, you’ve got one of these countries named, namely Iran. And Iran also makes a deal with Sudan. And oh, by the way, when we come back we are going to talk about the fact that Ahmadinejad, president of Iran, just went to Sudan in the last few weeks; made a military agreement with them. And we are going to have Jimmy explain all of this when we come back. So stick with us.

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Ankerberg: Alright, we are back. We are talking with Dr. Jimmy DeYoung, who has lived in Israel since 1991 and interviewed all of the major players politically in Israel and Jordan and Palestinians. And, Jimmy, one of the things that Christians need to understand is that this is more than just interesting news that we are talking about, about Iran, about the Palestinians. We are going to talk about Syria; we are going to talk about what’s happening in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Afghanistan. These countries are all in the news, and we know that. But what Christians don’t recognize is the very countries that are a threat to world peace right now, namely Iran, for number one, and other countries that we are going to mention, these countries are mentioned in Scripture as being the problem in the last days. Let’s get that on the table for the people. Where does the Bible talk about it? And then we are going to talk about Ahmadinejad going down to Sudan. Sudan is another one of those countries in Ezekiel 38. Let’s talk about that.

DeYoung: I believe anybody viewing this telecast needs to pay attention to the issues we are developing here because of the fact that 2,500 years ago ancient Jewish prophets pre-wrote history. They named all the players that we have been discussing. In particular, we talked about just a few moments ago, Syria and the relationship they have with Iran. That’s Daniel 11, starting in verse 40, referred to there as the King of the North. But you go back earlier in the chapter and it defines who they are; geographical location for the King of the North: Syria. And then you come over to the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel wrote in chapter 38 about a coalition of nations who would come against the Jewish state in the end times when they were dwelling safely in the land. Now that’s a nation that we need to develop, maybe in a future program, talking about the peace that everybody is clamoring for in the Middle East. Well, if that should come about, that is the time when this coalition will come and try to destroy Israel. And listed in chapter 38 verse 5, would be Iran. They were known as Persia up until 1936. In fact three states would have been included in that biblical terminology, Persia: Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. I mean those are major players in our world today.

You go over to the book of Psalms, chapter 83. A very interesting thing took place on July 9, 2006 in Tehran. Ahmadinejad had gathered about 1000 Islamic Arab leaders. He was discussing the situation in the Middle East, what should happen to Israel. He said the following thing, “We need to wipe Israel off the map. We need to rid the world of this Jewish state so that their name shall be forgotten forever.” Sometime when you have an opportunity, folks, look up Psalm 83:4. That’s exactly what the Psalmist said they would say when they came together. And then starting in verses 6, 7 and 8, it lists at least three of the players that we have been talking about: Syria, Lebanon and Iran. And that’s the coalition who assisted Hezbollah in the fight in July of 1986 which, basically, the world says Israel lost at that point in time. The perception that they were invincible was totally destroyed. Now all the enemies, they are salivating as they think, “Hey we’ve got this weakened Israeli Defense Force. We can come after them. Hezbollah, a ragtag guerrilla fighting machine was able to bring them to their knees. We have an opportunity as well.” This is the scene, the biblical background, written 2,500 years ago, at least, that is coming to pass even as we talk.

Ankerberg: Alright, what about the Sudan and also Ahmadinejad going down there just the last few days of time and making a military agreement with Sudan? Where is Sudan mentioned?

DeYoung: If you go back to Ezekiel chapter 38, that same verse 5 that mentions Persia first, also includes Cush, in some translations, and Put in other translations. I have a King James which uses the word “Ethiopia and Libya”. Now Libya would be Put, and that’s a stand alone. That’s Colonel Qadaffi people. But when you look at Ethiopia in biblical times, and in the times of Ezekiel – and there is a hermeneutical principal there: who was the author writing about when he wrote the book? – Well, Ethiopia at that time would have been not only Ethiopia, but Somalia and Sudan. And so Ahmadinejad goes into Sudan.

Sudan? Folks, have you been hearing about Darfur and what’s going on down there? Over 2 million people killed in the last 10 years in the Darfur region of Sudan? The training bases for those of the al Qaeda under Osama bin Laden, who then went into Afghanistan? I mean, and now here comes Ahmadinejad with the Sudanese leaders; they form a military pact together. It is all part of this whole thing that the Bible prophets wrote about many years ago, John. It is something that should grab your attention. We need to not only look at current events, but look at these current events in light of biblical prophecy.

Ankerberg: Yeah, I think we will hold on until next week, because we don’t have the time; but we will take the whole five nation coalition, six, seven nation coalition, that is in Ezekiel 38. We will name the names, we will talk about what that means and what’s going to happen and then hook that up to Daniel 11. It’s absolutely fascinating in terms of where we are at today in the world’s events.

You know, just the fact that they would have a military compact. To work together and also to see world leaders not wanting to have the UN soldiers come down there and straighten out the mess of people getting killed in Darfur. You just say, why is it that nobody wants to do business there? Why is it that they want to keep the world out of there? Because the Muslim world wants things to stay the way it is down there. And they have got their own reasons. Talk a little bit more about this.

DeYoung: Well the Muslim world wants to control the natural resources of all of Africa. I’ve visited, as you have many times, Africa; South Africa, and Kenya, Africa; some of the other locations in that great continent. And I have seen the growth of the Islamic peoples among the African peoples like I have never seen it in the history of the world. You continually hear of conflicts going on. The entire continent of Africa is almost aflame in war; and it’s basically because the Islamic leaders want to bring their people under subjection. That is what Islam means, “subjection”. I want you to submit to me. They want to institute these Islamic republics. Sudan and Somalia are the leaders in this area. Ethiopia, they are trying to fight it off. They, in fact, have been in Somalia and Sudan trying to assist the leadership, non-Muslim leadership, there. But they are failing; they are loosing very rapidly, as they retreat, going back into Ethiopia. They have their own problems in their own country. But it’s spreading across, not only the continent of Africa, but it’s spreading across the world into Europe. I mean, this whole Islamic thing is part of their plan for the end-times, when the Mahdi comes back, their Messiah. He converts all the world to Islam, and Allah becomes the God of the world. Their eschatology, and they are moving to make it happen.

Ankerberg: For people that want hope. They look at that and they say, man the world is a mess, okay? And it doesn’t look like its getting any better. And people are scared about the future. As Christians, what do we offer them in Jesus Christ?

DeYoung: The fact that Jesus Christ has promised to give us Eternal Life. So everyone simply needs to be prepared for these events that we are talking about, by trusting in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior; living pure and productive in light of that. But the blessed hope is the glorious appearing of our wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ. All that we are talking about will simply follow the next main event in God’s calendar of activities; and that is the rapture of the Church, when He shouts to take us out of that. Then all of it unfolds on the earth.

Ankerberg: How can a person put their faith in Christ?

DeYoung: They simply admit that they are a sinner. The Bible tells us that; our actions are evidence of that. Nobody had to tell us how to lie. We knew how to lie. The Bible says in Psalms that we were born liars. We admit that to God. We believe in the death, the burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ came and died to take away our sins. He resurrected from the grave to prove He was the one qualified to take away our sins. And then we simply call upon Him to come into our hearts and lives, and save us. There is a little three phase prayer that I suggest: “Jesus, I’m a sinner. Jesus, You save sinners. Jesus, save me right now.” That will work. You will have that blessed hope.

Ankerberg: Alright, folks next week there is a book that is out right now. It’s a best seller. Walid Phares who grew up in Lebanon; he is not a Christian, and he talking about future Jihad. And he talks about the fact, the world intellectuals have known what Jihad actually is. It only had one meaning. And those in the west who say it has two meanings, namely it’s personal struggle as well as physical acts of warfare, he says they have got it wrong. The personal struggle is to get yourself right for the physical struggle of Jihad.

And what I am getting at is that he outlines the fact that the Wahabis, who are in Saudi Arabia, are building 60% of all of the mosques that we see in the world today with Saudi money. And they are the far right in the Sunni area in terms of their beliefs, and very hard against the United States, eradication of Israel. And they also have their own apocalyptic visions of the future. Then you have got the Shiite version, especially with Ahmadinejad and his apocalyptic ideas. But what is interesting when you read Walid Phares’ book, “Future Jihad,” you will find that it all centers, whatever party that you are in the Muslim world, it all centers on Jerusalem; and the fact is of conquering Jerusalem and then going to Europe and America and conquering that.

Now, next week what we want to talk about is. Why is Jerusalem in the cross hairs of everything that is going on in the world today? And we are going to talk about that. I hope you will join us. It’s a fascinating discussion.

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