1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:09,080 Speaker 2: Welcome to today's Outazion podcast and I'm your host, doctor 3 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:12,800 Speaker 2: Susan Michael, and I'm just so thrilled today to have 4 00:00:12,960 --> 00:00:17,919 Speaker 2: a very dear friend, colleague, and longtime associate in the 5 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:22,600 Speaker 2: work of Christian support for Israel, Robert Stearns. Bishop Robert 6 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 2: Stearns is the founder of Eagles Wings Ministries and has 7 00:00:26,840 --> 00:00:32,600 Speaker 2: been one of the most dedicated, hardworking soldiers in our 8 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 2: field and for our cause. And we are now partnering 9 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:39,199 Speaker 2: together different ways, and so I'm just so happy to 10 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:41,000 Speaker 2: have you with us today, Robert. 11 00:00:41,120 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 1: It's an honor to be with you. Susan. 12 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:46,279 Speaker 3: Let's take a break and hear a message from one 13 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 3: of our sponsors. Welcome to the Israel Answer Series, Connecting 14 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:58,920 Speaker 3: Israel the Bible, and you join Susan Michael as she 15 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 3: explores timely issues and current events from a scriptural perspective 16 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 3: to equip the Christian world with a balance and biblical response. 17 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:10,000 Speaker 3: Be sure to subscribe for future episodes which will ignite 18 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 3: your faith and bring the Bible to life in your 19 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 3: everyday world. Now, let's join Susan with your Israel answers. 20 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:22,919 Speaker 2: And I hope you don't mind if I call you, Robert, 21 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 2: I believe you for so long we have that. Okay, 22 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 2: So look, I know your story, but our audience doesn't 23 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 2: know your story. And you have become such an amazing 24 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 2: leader in the whole globally for Christian support for Israel. 25 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 2: I'd really love for them to hear just a little 26 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 2: bit of your story of how that came about and 27 00:01:44,440 --> 00:01:46,040 Speaker 2: how you founded Eagles Wings. 28 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 1: Well. Again, it's always a privilege to be with you, 29 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 1: and I so deeply admire your faithfulness and your leadership. 30 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: You saw what was coming Susan a long time before 31 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: most people, and your life has provided a lot of 32 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 1: the highway that many of us are traveling on. So 33 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,079 Speaker 1: thank you. Thank you, First all, by the grace of God, mymen. 34 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:15,080 Speaker 1: First of all, I am not Jewish. We'll start there. 35 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: This is like a common misconception, right, my last name 36 00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:21,640 Speaker 1: sounds Jewish. I'm the Israel guy. I'm in Israel all 37 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:25,080 Speaker 1: the time. So people have this assumption that I have 38 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:29,360 Speaker 1: ethnically a Jewish background, and that's I get asked that, oh, 39 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:32,200 Speaker 1: we are are you Jewish? Are you Messianic, jew et cetera. 40 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:36,560 Speaker 1: So I am not Jewish. In fact, my grandfather was 41 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: probably the greatest anti Semite I'd ever encountered in my life. 42 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 1: We could not get through a family meal without my 43 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:50,239 Speaker 1: grandfather cursing the Jews literally, and some of the real 44 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:54,240 Speaker 1: nefarious literature, like the Protocols of the Elders of Zion 45 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 1: and these horrible books he had on his bookshelves. So 46 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 1: I definitely didn't come to this, you know, in any 47 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 1: ethnic or racial route. My grandparents and my extended family 48 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:13,680 Speaker 1: were Catholic, but my parents became Evangelicals when I was 49 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:16,639 Speaker 1: like a toddler, and so I kind of was raised 50 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 1: up in the Evangelical Church, and at a young age 51 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:22,920 Speaker 1: gave my heart to the Lord and believed the stories 52 00:03:22,919 --> 00:03:27,320 Speaker 1: of the Bible, and eventually felt a call to ministry, 53 00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:31,400 Speaker 1: went to Bible School, graduated from Bible School, went through 54 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: two church assignments. In my early ministry, I always in 55 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: the back of my mind, I remember feeling like, but 56 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 1: what did God do in the world before Jesus. It 57 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 1: was like this strange thing that I couldn't find like 58 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 1: that my faith extended back before Jesus. And of course 59 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 1: I knew the stories of the Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible. 60 00:03:56,560 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 1: I knew those stories, but somehow God wasn't really working 61 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 1: in like God didn't do anything important until it seemed 62 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:09,640 Speaker 1: odd to me. And then in the early nineties, really 63 00:04:10,040 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 1: I had about this short period of time in between 64 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 1: ministry assignments, and on a fluke, I went to Israel 65 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:22,680 Speaker 1: to volunteer at the International Christian Embassy. And this was 66 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 1: what year, this would have been, ninety one, ninety two, 67 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 1: and I thought I'd stay a couple of weeks. You know, 68 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 1: it was just basically go and help out in the 69 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:37,720 Speaker 1: mail room and whim, you remember whims all of that. 70 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:46,479 Speaker 1: And I landed in Israel, and that sense of not 71 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:53,719 Speaker 1: being connected evaporated immediately, and within days, I all of 72 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:56,960 Speaker 1: a sudden understood my faith as extending all the way 73 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 1: back to Abraham and that get up and go to 74 00:05:01,120 --> 00:05:03,640 Speaker 1: the land I will show you. And I somehow knew 75 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:06,520 Speaker 1: that when Abraham looked at the stars and the heavens 76 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 1: and the sand on the seashore, I was part of 77 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: that by faith. I wasn't part of it ethnically, but 78 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 1: I was part of it being grafted in. So I 79 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 1: was a strong Christian before I encountered Israel, but Israel 80 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 1: added a dimension to my faith that is inexplicable. I mean, 81 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: it's just really until you get to the land. My 82 00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 1: spiritual father, Jack Hayford, used to say, there aren't four Gospels, 83 00:05:36,640 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 1: there's five. He said, There's Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, 84 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 1: and there's the Land of Israel. Because the Land of 85 00:05:41,960 --> 00:05:44,680 Speaker 1: Israel is the birthplace of our faith and it's also 86 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:48,880 Speaker 1: the place of our prophetic hope. Whatever we believe about 87 00:05:48,880 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 1: the last days in the return of Jesus, we do 88 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: believe that God is going to rule from Jerusalem, and 89 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 1: so that is the place of our prophetic expectation. So 90 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:01,839 Speaker 1: that's how I got I'm forever indebted to the Christian 91 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 1: embassy who created a highway for so many of us, 92 00:06:05,279 --> 00:06:07,360 Speaker 1: and and so that's that was the beginning. 93 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:10,480 Speaker 2: But it's a beautiful story and it just highlights what 94 00:06:10,520 --> 00:06:12,920 Speaker 2: we tell we try to convey to everyone is that 95 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 2: you've got to go because it's just life changing so 96 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:19,839 Speaker 2: many It just you connect the dots there, the Bible 97 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 2: of this comes stands up, it comes alive. And and 98 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:27,520 Speaker 2: so so you return to the United States and started Eagles. 99 00:06:27,839 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 1: Yeah, nineteen ninety four. 100 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 2: Ninety four, and you were still a young man and 101 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 2: you had a burden to reach other young people, your generation, 102 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 2: let's put it that way, your generation, and you have 103 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:43,840 Speaker 2: faithfully been doing that, and even today you're still reaching 104 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:47,039 Speaker 2: the younger generation. You have a real hard for young, 105 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 2: younger pastors, younger Christians, and so I'd love to hear 106 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 2: a bit about what you've done, but your observations, like 107 00:06:58,400 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 2: over the thirty five years, is it right doing this? 108 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:05,720 Speaker 2: What changes are you observing in the young generation, and 109 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:10,440 Speaker 2: maybe how you've changed your approach right? What can we 110 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 2: learn from you about there? 111 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 1: Well, I would say that, sadly, the number one change 112 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 1: that I've seen in the Western Church in particular is 113 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:27,280 Speaker 1: the lack of biblical literacy. Christians don't take the Bible 114 00:07:27,360 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 1: deeply and seriously anymore. When I was growing up, I mean, 115 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 1: you memorized huge portions of scripture. Sunday school. You know 116 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 1: how many churches have Sunday school anymore? You know you 117 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: have a service, but there's no Sunday school program. You 118 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:48,560 Speaker 1: had midweek service. We studied the Bible, You studied it 119 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 1: privately on your own. You study this part of your 120 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 1: church community. And so if you think about it, when 121 00:07:57,760 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 1: biblical literacy is no longer central, well, then the people 122 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 1: of the Bible, who are the Jews? And the land 123 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:09,000 Speaker 1: of the Bible, which is Israel de facto becomes less important. 124 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 1: So that I think is one of my largest concerns, 125 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 1: is that the Christian Church has lost a sense of 126 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 1: fidelity to scripture, biblical literacy, wrestling through text, and in 127 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:29,960 Speaker 1: doing so, you know, Israel and the Jewish people become irrelevant, 128 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:33,880 Speaker 1: and if irrelevant at best and at worst. Of course, 129 00:08:33,960 --> 00:08:37,200 Speaker 1: the narrative that we're combating is that today's Israel has 130 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 1: nothing to do with biblical Israel and all of these 131 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:44,160 Speaker 1: falsehoods that are so blatantly stupid, but they're out there. 132 00:08:45,679 --> 00:08:48,760 Speaker 1: So then the question becomes, how do you change that? 133 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:53,679 Speaker 1: And that is what I'm calling the new Christian Zionism, 134 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 1: you know, I think, and that's not to the displacement 135 00:08:57,440 --> 00:09:01,880 Speaker 1: of the old. But you know, we were still when 136 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:05,480 Speaker 1: we were in Israel in the early nineties. You know, 137 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:08,560 Speaker 1: forty eight had not been that long ago, and that 138 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 1: sign of the rebirth of Israel, like Jesus was coming 139 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 1: back next weekend, right, I mean, you know, and then 140 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 1: sixty seven the reunification of the city, that was it. 141 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 1: You know, don't go to college, you know, don't do it. 142 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 1: And so there was that kind of late Great Planet 143 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 1: Earth fervor about the rapture and end times, et cetera. 144 00:09:28,640 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 1: So I think that fueled a lot of early Christian Zionism, 145 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:38,160 Speaker 1: this sense of the prophetic playbook of God being played 146 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:41,200 Speaker 1: out around Israel. And of course that's interesting and that's important. 147 00:09:41,240 --> 00:09:44,120 Speaker 1: We should continue to study that and observe and all 148 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 1: of that. But for the younger generation today, to the 149 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 1: degree that they interpret scripture, they're looking at questions of 150 00:09:53,520 --> 00:09:58,840 Speaker 1: social justice, human rights, they're looking at the question of 151 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 1: honoring the image of God and every person. Well, there 152 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:06,920 Speaker 1: is no country on Earth that does that perfectly. But 153 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,400 Speaker 1: in the Middle East, of all the nations in the 154 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:18,360 Speaker 1: Middle East, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, jrus Bhigh, all these different 155 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:24,200 Speaker 1: communities in Israel are given freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, 156 00:10:24,280 --> 00:10:27,840 Speaker 1: freedom of the press, rule of law, rights for women, 157 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:34,600 Speaker 1: rights for minorities. Israel's not a perfect nation. Again, here's 158 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 1: another example. I would say that the old Christian Zionism 159 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:40,560 Speaker 1: in a sense kind of blindly followed, you know, anything 160 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 1: Israel does, we've got to support. I think today's Christian 161 00:10:43,440 --> 00:10:47,079 Speaker 1: Zionism recognizes we can have criticisms of policies. You know, 162 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:50,560 Speaker 1: that doesn't take away from our pro Israel stance if 163 00:10:50,559 --> 00:10:53,600 Speaker 1: we have a criticism of a policy or procedure or 164 00:10:53,920 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 1: a government. By the way, Israel's own population has robust, strong, 165 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:07,320 Speaker 1: uh you know, democratic process. So I think as we 166 00:11:07,360 --> 00:11:09,719 Speaker 1: approach the younger generation, number one, I'm trying to get 167 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:13,080 Speaker 1: them back to the Bible. But until we can manage that, 168 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:15,440 Speaker 1: one of the first ways that we need to do 169 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:19,440 Speaker 1: that is engaging them in the zeitgeist of today, which 170 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 1: is far more based in human rights and these things 171 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:25,800 Speaker 1: that Israel tells the story up wonderfully, So that's where 172 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:29,080 Speaker 1: we begin, and then we bring them into a biblical narrative. 173 00:11:29,360 --> 00:11:32,840 Speaker 2: Well, one of the points, you know, in Christian support 174 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:36,320 Speaker 2: of Israel is that you can find many different reasons 175 00:11:36,360 --> 00:11:40,319 Speaker 2: to support Israel without before you even approach the biblical reasons. Right, 176 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:44,400 Speaker 2: So the human rights, the democracy, the you know, all 177 00:11:44,480 --> 00:11:47,760 Speaker 2: of that is very very valid reasoning. So really, you 178 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:50,839 Speaker 2: can make a liberal case for Israel, and you can 179 00:11:50,920 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 2: make a conservative case for Israel out of the Bible, 180 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:57,360 Speaker 2: and there's just so many reasons to support Israel, and 181 00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:00,960 Speaker 2: we need to become better. I think at articulating all 182 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 2: the different reasons, and then of course articulating the biblical 183 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 2: basis much more clearly. One of the confusions I think 184 00:12:09,120 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 2: over support for Israel is that for a lot of 185 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:15,920 Speaker 2: Christians it ends up being all about end time events. 186 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:19,920 Speaker 2: And we've been very, very careful and clear that no, 187 00:12:20,160 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 2: our support for Israel is not based on prophecy. The 188 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:27,560 Speaker 2: prophecies will happen, we believe a one hundred percent But 189 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:30,200 Speaker 2: for me today to tell you how that prophecy is 190 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:32,960 Speaker 2: going to be fulfilled means I have to be speculative. 191 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:36,200 Speaker 2: I have to speculate on that. That's not healthy. That's 192 00:12:36,200 --> 00:12:40,760 Speaker 2: not a firm foundation. Our support for Israel's based on promise. 193 00:12:41,120 --> 00:12:46,960 Speaker 2: God's promises to Abraham and confirmed through Moses, the laws 194 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 2: of the prophets. 195 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 1: That's a firm. 196 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:53,360 Speaker 2: Foundation because those promises are based on the faithfulness of God. 197 00:12:53,480 --> 00:12:56,040 Speaker 2: He's the one that's going to fulfill those and so 198 00:12:56,200 --> 00:13:00,000 Speaker 2: that's the foundation. And a lot of the confusion, I think, 199 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:06,439 Speaker 2: and a lot of the complaints accusations against Christian Zionism 200 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 2: is because they think it's coming from a end time 201 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:12,120 Speaker 2: event perspective. 202 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 1: And of course Israel is very. 203 00:13:14,160 --> 00:13:17,320 Speaker 2: Important when it comes to future events and the return 204 00:13:17,400 --> 00:13:21,560 Speaker 2: of Jesus, no doubt about it. But we have to 205 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:25,800 Speaker 2: be much more clearly in how we articulate the what 206 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 2: is really based. 207 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:30,719 Speaker 3: On Let's take a break and hear a message from 208 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:37,680 Speaker 3: one of our sponsors. Welcome back to the Out of 209 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:40,000 Speaker 3: Zion podcast with Susan Michael. 210 00:13:40,280 --> 00:13:43,320 Speaker 2: So, Robert, you have another term I've heard you use 211 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:45,880 Speaker 2: about Jerusalem centered. 212 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, Jerusalem centered Christianity. Blame that a bit well, I think, 213 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:54,480 Speaker 1: you know, as I survey things for whatever it's worth, 214 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 1: I've traveled in forty eight nations around the world. I 215 00:13:58,200 --> 00:14:00,679 Speaker 1: think I have somewhat of a global view of the 216 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:05,120 Speaker 1: global body of Christ. I really do see these kind 217 00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:11,520 Speaker 1: of two streams emerging and one and I think I 218 00:14:11,559 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 1: don't think this is conscious. I don't think people are 219 00:14:13,520 --> 00:14:16,520 Speaker 1: thinking this. I just think it's happening. You know, we 220 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:20,760 Speaker 1: really are living in this iteration of Constantinian Christianity. It 221 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:24,160 Speaker 1: really goes back to the Council of Nicea, this real break. 222 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 1: There was many wonderful things that happened in Nicia, but 223 00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:29,120 Speaker 1: there's some bad things that happen in Nicia, and this 224 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:34,120 Speaker 1: break from the Jewish roots at Nicea was terrible and 225 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 1: I'm seeing now this. I was just in Brazil last week, 226 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 1: and I mean the love for Israel in Brazil is extraordinary. 227 00:14:45,280 --> 00:14:51,040 Speaker 1: I mean it is next level. And what is that about. Well, 228 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: I think there is a group of Christians in the 229 00:14:53,760 --> 00:15:00,600 Speaker 1: world today who find their faith rooted in the jewishness 230 00:15:00,680 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 1: of Jesus, the jewishness of the Gospel message and the 231 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 1: living expression of as you said, God's promise, which is 232 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:13,240 Speaker 1: the nation of Israel today. And they really are feeling 233 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:18,520 Speaker 1: rooted in Jerusalem. That's call it Jerusalem centered Christianity. People say, well, 234 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 1: Jesus is the center. No, I mean the geographic center. 235 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:25,120 Speaker 1: The geographic center is not Rome. It's not Tulsa, Oklahoma. 236 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:29,040 Speaker 1: It's not Springfield, Missouri. It's not Soul, Korea, or wherever 237 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:34,400 Speaker 1: your denominations are based. Our spiritual home is Jerusalem. And 238 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 1: I think an increasing number of Christians, certainly tens of millions, 239 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: I would estimate probably hundreds of millions, really are feeling 240 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 1: this stirring towards Zion. This this thing of Jesus message 241 00:15:49,280 --> 00:15:52,920 Speaker 1: was based in a place and in a people. And 242 00:15:54,560 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 1: so I think our call is to make clear that 243 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:04,280 Speaker 1: does that mean we're converting to Judaism. That doesn't mean 244 00:16:04,720 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 1: we're putting Jesus you know in the background. No, this 245 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:13,040 Speaker 1: is actually the opposite. This is reclaiming Acts Chapter two, 246 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 1: verses forty two to forty seven. What were the earlier 247 00:16:16,960 --> 00:16:20,040 Speaker 1: followers of Jesus? What was their life? How did they 248 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 1: understand themselves? And how do we model that and how 249 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:28,080 Speaker 1: do we walk that out? And so I think those 250 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 1: two things, I think articulating. As you just said a 251 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:35,600 Speaker 1: moment ago, we need to be able to delineate all 252 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 1: of the reasons that there are to stand with Israel, 253 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:42,040 Speaker 1: not only the biblical ones. That's number one. And then 254 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:46,880 Speaker 1: number two fostering understanding. And let me just say one 255 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:48,400 Speaker 1: of the things, because you said something so important a 256 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:51,280 Speaker 1: moment ago. You talked about the faithfulness of God to 257 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 1: his promises, and Susan, I tell people, I just wish 258 00:16:54,880 --> 00:16:59,000 Speaker 1: I could shake people and tell them I love Israel, 259 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:02,880 Speaker 1: I love the jew people. At the end of the day, 260 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:06,080 Speaker 1: at the core of my heart, this isn't really about 261 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 1: Israel or the Jewish people. It's about the nature of God. Yes, sorry, 262 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:16,840 Speaker 1: this battle is about are you serving a God who 263 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:20,439 Speaker 1: keeps his promises or not? Are you serving the God 264 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:23,800 Speaker 1: of the Bible, whose name is the God of Israel. 265 00:17:24,640 --> 00:17:26,240 Speaker 1: His name is the God of Israel, the God of Abraham, 266 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:29,520 Speaker 1: Isaaca Jacob. This is the names of God are given 267 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:33,040 Speaker 1: to us. And so we have this Western world right 268 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:38,520 Speaker 1: now whose cheology and culture is being shaped I'm sorry 269 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:42,720 Speaker 1: by like the worship song of the week, and so 270 00:17:43,359 --> 00:17:47,879 Speaker 1: we have this Jesus, and it's like we've got Hillsong Jesus, 271 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:50,480 Speaker 1: and Maverick City Jesus, and Upper Room Jesus, and Bethel 272 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 1: Jesus and Assemblie of God Jesus, and it's it's this Jesus. 273 00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 1: We need biblical Jesus, who is a Jew who lived 274 00:17:58,680 --> 00:18:03,879 Speaker 1: within his context. And so my argument is, again, I 275 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:06,159 Speaker 1: love Israel, I love the Jewish people, but what's at 276 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:10,840 Speaker 1: stake here is our devotion to the God of the Bible. 277 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:13,879 Speaker 1: And that's why I challenge people to really, as you said, 278 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 1: take that trip, get to the land, take this seriously, 279 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 1: because it will be the trip that changes your life. 280 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:24,879 Speaker 2: How about you share with us a closing testimony of 281 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:28,000 Speaker 2: a church or a young person or a young pastor 282 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:31,399 Speaker 2: that you took to Israel and you saw that come 283 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:34,240 Speaker 2: the light bulb go off. 284 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:37,320 Speaker 1: Well, it's one of my favorite stories. And you know him. 285 00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:40,200 Speaker 1: His name is Pastor Michah would uh huh. He's from 286 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:45,160 Speaker 1: Alabama and Pastor Micah he's told this story publicly many times, 287 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:47,919 Speaker 1: so I can tell it. But he was reading a 288 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 1: lot of theology and he said, I would not have 289 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 1: described myself as an anti Semite, but he said, I 290 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 1: definitely would describe myself as anti Zionist. I would have 291 00:18:56,760 --> 00:19:00,920 Speaker 1: said I'm anti the state of Israel, because when you're 292 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:03,240 Speaker 1: not into this deeply, you don't understand that those are 293 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:08,240 Speaker 1: very linked. And so he decided to come on the 294 00:19:08,280 --> 00:19:11,560 Speaker 1: trip with me in order to learn how to debunk me. 295 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:14,920 Speaker 1: He came on the trip and he said, I'm gonna 296 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:17,520 Speaker 1: go and I'm gonna study this all out because this 297 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:20,280 Speaker 1: guy needs to be you know. And so he's gonna 298 00:19:20,320 --> 00:19:22,119 Speaker 1: go and take all the notes and learn how to 299 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:25,000 Speaker 1: because he was against all this. He now works for 300 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:29,600 Speaker 1: me and he's just led his fourteenth mission to Israel, 301 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:33,480 Speaker 1: and it was wild to see him on this trip. 302 00:19:34,480 --> 00:19:36,560 Speaker 1: Just I mean, you get there, I'll tell you if 303 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 1: I can one other story work quick. 304 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:38,200 Speaker 2: Pa. 305 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:40,080 Speaker 1: We were there on that trip and it was the 306 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:43,280 Speaker 1: days of COVID and it was the days where you 307 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:47,159 Speaker 1: had to get tested when you left the airport in 308 00:19:47,200 --> 00:19:48,960 Speaker 1: New York and then you had to get tested when 309 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:52,399 Speaker 1: you landed in Bengorian. Right, you get tested twice. So 310 00:19:52,440 --> 00:19:54,560 Speaker 1: we landed Mangariina. We're got all the pastors were going 311 00:19:54,560 --> 00:19:57,240 Speaker 1: through and they're getting their COVID tests. And the pastor 312 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:00,800 Speaker 1: comes me and he says, well, what this lie? I said, well, 313 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:03,960 Speaker 1: those are the doctors and nurses. And he's looking. He's looking, said, 314 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:08,080 Speaker 1: he said, but this this doctor's name is Mohammed. He said, 315 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:10,960 Speaker 1: but that nurse has a hy job on. I said yeah. 316 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 1: He said, well they're Muslims. I said yes. He said, well, 317 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:20,560 Speaker 1: but this isn't apartheid country. We had not left the airport, 318 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:24,879 Speaker 1: and the fallacy, the lie of apartheid falls to the ground. 319 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:25,359 Speaker 2: Wow. 320 00:20:25,480 --> 00:20:29,560 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, Israel tells its own story. And so 321 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:32,320 Speaker 1: our call is to get young leaders there, let them 322 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,400 Speaker 1: encounter the God of the Bible, the Jesus of the Bible, 323 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:37,639 Speaker 1: and let that story be spread. 324 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:41,160 Speaker 2: Well, Robert, may the Lord bless your ministry and allow 325 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:45,119 Speaker 2: you to reach many, many, many thousands or young pastors, 326 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:50,080 Speaker 2: old pastors, young people, yes, and and expand that base 327 00:20:50,880 --> 00:20:55,840 Speaker 2: and expand their understanding of the biblical significance of Israel 328 00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:58,600 Speaker 2: and all that Israel is to offer, because for a 329 00:20:58,680 --> 00:21:03,160 Speaker 2: Christian it's life changing once you connect those two dots 330 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:06,880 Speaker 2: and you no longer wonder, well, what was God doing 331 00:21:06,920 --> 00:21:11,920 Speaker 2: before Jesus Right, you connect the dots, absolutely you get 332 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:14,639 Speaker 2: the whole story of the Bible. So thank you for 333 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:19,399 Speaker 2: sharing with our audits. So thank you so much for 334 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:22,000 Speaker 2: joining us. And we're going to put links in today's 335 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:27,120 Speaker 2: show notes for further information about Christian Zionism and so 336 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:30,800 Speaker 2: that you can better inform yourself, and also links for 337 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:33,240 Speaker 2: Robert Stearns's ministry Eagles Wings. 338 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 1: So stay stay in touch with us. 339 00:21:35,680 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 2: God bless hey, just give me one more minute. I 340 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:42,679 Speaker 2: want to offer you one of our free resources. We 341 00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:46,679 Speaker 2: have wonderful resources in our show notes and if you 342 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:51,640 Speaker 2: go to our website at ic EJUSA dot org slash 343 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:55,080 Speaker 2: show notes, you'll find links for a number of our 344 00:21:55,119 --> 00:21:59,359 Speaker 2: free offers. We have downloadables to help root you in scripture, 345 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:03,480 Speaker 2: help you to understand the issues surrounding Israel and the 346 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:08,919 Speaker 2: importance of being of Christian support for Israel, and don't 347 00:22:08,960 --> 00:22:14,879 Speaker 2: forget Please follow us on Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn and 348 00:22:14,920 --> 00:22:17,800 Speaker 2: stay connected. Thank you and God bless. 349 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:21,960 Speaker 3: We hope you have enjoyed this episode of Out of 350 00:22:22,040 --> 00:22:25,639 Speaker 3: Zion with Susan Michael. Be sure to subscribe to out 351 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:31,919 Speaker 3: of Zion now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, Pray dot Com, 352 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:36,960 Speaker 3: Salem Oneplace, Salem Life Audio. Out of Zion with Susan 353 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:44,840 Speaker 3: Michael is a production of ICJUSA. All rights reserved. This 354 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:49,880 Speaker 3: podcast is presented in partnership with Life Audio to explore 355 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:55,320 Speaker 3: a wide range of faith centered podcasts on prayer, Bible study, parenting, 356 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:58,439 Speaker 3: and more. Visit lifeaudio dot com.