Israel at War: Inside the Nuclear Showdown With Iran by Joel C. Rosenberg Read Free Book Online Page A

prevent such threats from coming to pass. He also declared to the people of Europe and the world that the prophecies of Ezekiel 37 have been fulfilled. It was an extraordinary moment. Rarely has any world leader given an address on an international stage declaring End Times prophecies from the Bible have come true. Rarer still is an Israeli leader making such a pronouncement; most Israeli prime ministers tend to be quite secular, reflecting of the majority of Israeli people, who are rather secular as well. Yet that is exactly what Netanyahu did.
    “The most important lesson of the Holocaust is that a murderous evil must be stopped early, when it is still in its infancy and before it can carry out its designs,” Netanyahu told the visiting dignitaries. “The enlightened nations of the world must learn this lesson. We, the Jewish nation, who lost a third of our people on Europe’s blood-soaked soil, have learned that the only guarantee for defending our people is a strong State of Israel and the army of Israel. We have learned to warn the nations of the world of impending danger but at the same time to prepare to defend ourselves. As the head of the Jewish State, I pledge to you today: we will never again permit evil to snuff out the life of our people and the life of our own country.” 115
    After the Holocaust, Netanyahu continued, “the Jewish people rose from ashes and destruction, from a terrible pain that can never be healed. Armed with the Jewish spirit, the justice of man, and the vision of the prophets, we sprouted new branches and grew deep roots. Dry bones became covered with flesh, a spirit filled them, and they lived and stood on their own feet. As Ezekiel prophesied: ‘Then He said unto me: These bones are the whole House of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up, our hope is gone; we are doomed.” Prophesy, therefore, and say to them: Thus said the Lord God: I am going to open your graves and lift you out of your graves, O My people, and bring you to the land of Israel.’ I stand here today on the ground where so many of my people perished—and I am not alone. The State of Israel and all the Jewish people stand with me. We bow our heads to honor your memory and lift our heads as we raise our flag—a flag of blue and white with a Star of David in its center. And everyone sees. And everyone hears. And everyone knows that our hope is not lost.”
    It was a powerful moment—an Israeli leader telling the world that ancient biblical prophecies were coming true before their very eyes. I was intrigued. Netanyahu’s speech begged the question: If the prophecies of Ezekiel 37 have come true in our time, what other prophecies about the future of Israel and the people of the epicenter might come true in our lifetime as well?
    “I Read from the Bible with My Younger Boy”
    Two months later, this headline in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz caught my eye: “Netanyahu’s Son Avner Wins National Bible Quiz.” The article noted that Avner Netanyahu defeated twelve finalists—out of twelve thousand students who originally entered the competition—to win Israel’s National Bible Quiz.
    “I don’t remember feeling this much tension since the [Likud] primaries,” the prime minister quipped as he beamed with pride at his son’s accomplishment. 116
    I had no idea that Avner was such a student of the Bible. Until then, few people outside the Netanyahu family knew. 117 And the article went on to share other fascinating pieces of the story I didn’t know.
    “Avner Netanyahu’s first-place finish had his family swelling with pride,” Haaretz reported. “His win comes with an impressive family pedigree—three of Sara Netanyahu’s siblings won both the National Bible Quiz and the International Bible Quiz. ‘Until now, I’ve always said that I’m a member of a family with Bible quiz champions,’ said Sara Netanyahu. ‘But now I have a son who is a champion.’ The premier and his wife repeatedly embraced