Caption transcript for “The Christmas Story”

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