Culture & Christianity: The Allen Jackson Podcast - The Dehumanization of God’s People & the Martyrs of Our Faith [Featuring Ronny Simon]

Episode Date: September 19, 2025

The dehumanization of God's people is no longer subtle. From the violence directed at Charlie Kirk to the alarming surge of antisemitism across the globe, one thing is clear: This isn’t just political tension or cultural unrest—it’s a spiritual agenda. Joining Pastor Allen is Ronny Simon, a respected Israeli historian and guide who offers deep insight into the spiritual and historical context of the Jewish people’s ongoing struggle. Together, they explore the conflict in Israel and the growing threat of terror—both on U.S. soil and abroad. In this episode, we ask the urgent question: What can the Church do in response to such blatant expressions of evil?—It’s up to us to bring God’s truth back into our culture. It may feel like an impossible assignment, but there’s much we can do. Join Pastor Allen Jackson as he discusses today’s issues from a biblical perspective. Find thought-provoking insight from Pastor Allen and his guests, equipping you to lead with your faith in your home, your school, your community, and wherever God takes you. Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3JsyO6ysUVGOIV70xAjtcm?si=6805fe488cf64a6d Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/culture-christianity-the-allen-jackson-podcast/id1729435597

Welcome to culture and Christianity. You know, our goal is always is to take our faith outside the walls of our church and our comfortable Bible studies and even our conversations with friends and impact our culture with the worldview that we hold. I don't know that that's ever been more important than it is right now. My friend Charlie Kirk was assassinated last week, that's an awkward statement to make. You know, it's an uncomfortable thought for me that we have a Christian martyr in America in the 21st century. But that's our reality today.

I want to start with a verse of scripture. Matthew chapter 24, it was Jesus' most lengthy prophetic discourse. He's talking about the end of the age and the characteristics of culture that will happen as we approach the culmination of this age. And he said this, you'll be handed over to be persecuted and put to death. You'll be hated by all nations because of me. And at that time, many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other. Many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.

I don't think it's a secret to those of you that would listen to this podcast that Charlie Kirk was a friend. You know, Charlie was, he was a Christian. He wasn't a pastor. He didn't serve a congregation. He didn't have an official church title. He was an American citizen, but he didn't have an elected office. He didn't have a government job. He just took that notion of being a citizen and his faith, and he lived those out in a public way. and for that he was assassinated and the language that's been directed at him is awful he was a fascist he was a bigot he was a Nazi I mean he was a propagator of hate speech in reality what charlie did was express a biblical worldview

and I've watched lots of his conversations with college students I hope you have too they're on YouTube and a lot of other places it seemed to me he was always welcoming of whatever perspective people brought even people that came with a lot of hatred and anger and a lot of names they would call him. He would be respectful of their opinion. He wouldn't always agree with them. He would point them back to what he understood

to be a biblical worldview. But engaging in open dialogue on a college campus seems to me to be the point of going to a college campus. They're not indoctrination centers. They're places for the free exchange of ideas. Nevertheless, today we see the intolerance expressed in a surprising wave of hatred from across our country. So how do we respond to that? What do we do with that? We can't step out of the political discussion.

We can't step out of cultural discussions. I don't accept this notion that we separate church and state. A state without the moral influence of a faith is nothing but an authoritarian regime that will crush our liberties and freedoms. We cannot abandon the public square. It's not about endorsing candidates or parties. It's a worldview that we advocate for. Well, I couldn't think of a better way to have this discussion than with a friend of mine. Ronnie Simone, he's not new to you if you're a faithful follower of these podcasts. Ronnie was my first guest on our very first culture and Christianity podcast. Ronnie Simone, if you don't know him, he's in Israeli. I've known him for a couple of decades now for full disclosure.

He is a historian. He works with us when we do tours. I have learned more about the Middle East and the history of events. Israel from Ronnie that in any university I've ever studied in, and I've had the privilege of studying in some celebrated university settings. So Ronnie, welcome back to the podcast. Thank you, Pastor. Thank you for having me on the show. You know, we're struggling in our nation today to see the hatred expressed towards a Christian in what we would imagine a Christian nation. Now, martyrs aren't new to our faith. They populate the Hebrew Bible and they fill the story of the church.

but it's unsettling to see them in nations where we think we have free speech and rights to assemble. I don't think you can have a martyr like Charlie unless you can dehumanize them first. You know, you make them less than. They don't deserve tolerance. They don't deserve to be heard. They don't deserve respect. Well, I don't know of any group of people that have suffered dehumanization over a long period of time more than the Jewish people. and it's still happening.

In the last few weeks in America, I have heard that the Israelis, I don't believe any of this, but I've heard that the Israelis were responsible for Jeffrey Epstein, that he was an agent of the Israeli Secret Service as a global blackmail ring.

I've heard that the Israelis were responsible for Charlie's assassination. I've heard that the Israelis were murdering children in Gaza and starving the population. And the people saying these things weren't offering any evidence. They were just making these hateful accusations.

So maybe we start our conversation by talking about how do you overcome that kind of hate and dehumanization? Because you have, Israel's a happy place. In the midst of the hatred, you flourish. It's one of my favorite places in the world. Well, I have to agree. So we do not have those issues discussed in Israel,

and we are in awe to see recently how quickly the world responded in a shocking way. Until about two years ago, we knew that it was there because anti-Semitism or Judeoophobia, if I can use data, maybe even better, was always there. But it was considered to be a negative term to use, and the people spoke again the Jewish people that was not politically correct. It had all changed. Now suddenly what was forbidden only a few months ago is right on the table The people speak about the not just the wicked way of the Jews the brutal way of the Jews

And the Jews are doing that not even the Israelis So they take something to the state of Israel and we are not always right And they just projected to the whole Jewish people Because the argument is usually you can criticize Israel which I agree you can criticize Israel But if you take the Israeli criticism and you throw a moratococet of of cocktail at a Jewish person in synagogue in Michigan, whether it's not a local Israeli issue, it's a Jewish issue. If you bring it up to that level, all right,

so we are facing something that we thought was long gone. It's like reading once again the protocols of the elders of Zion, that the Jews want to conquer the world, want to take over, and here's a proof. They're invading Gaza. Nobody reminds anybody that Hamas attacked first. It's our retaliation. And, you know, over the last 2000 years of history, it came and went on different volumes, different levels.

And maybe the Nazis brought it to this perfection, if I may say that, to speak about the racial issue. And they started measuring Jewish skulls. And they said that they're not as big as a normal human skull, so the Jews are not really human. And if they're not human, we don't have to treat them as human. They're untimensch, less than human. And the amazing is, you have so many people. that are willing to follow that kind of not just a lie, of dehumanizing other people, and that's the first step.

Because if they're not really human beings, we don't have to treat them as human beings. So the next step is indeed, just saying, listen, the Jews are victims, and the Jews should not be treated as people because of what they do. And again, within two years or even less, it becomes the norm. This will be the starting point of discussions today. This is a given. Nobody has to prove anything, as you said earlier. for us in Israel, that was a big surprise.

I think it's worth remembering, and you're polite, so I'll have to point some of it out. But what happened in Germany and happened in Europe in World War II was really fostered by the Christians. I mean, that was Christian Europe. That wasn't pagan Europe. And in a very short period of time, they became accepting of the unacceptable.

So that hatred, was latent and the church was the primary voice in that. I think that's important in our culture because the church has to speak the truth, not what's culturally acceptable, not what makes it profitable for us, not what brings us favor in society. We have to tell the truth that we know. If the Christians, you know, when I visit Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, they have planted around the perimeter of the museum trees or the righteous amongst the Gentiles. And you always ask the same question when there's a group there.

Why are there so few trees? Why weren't there more voices in Europe? I mean, most of us know of Corey Tinboom or Oscar Schindler, but there should have been hundreds of thousands, millions of people standing outside the ghetto in Warsaw. And I think we're in a similar place here. Now the Christians have to stand up. We can't be quiet.

It's everybody's responsibility to stand up for the most vulnerable amongst us and tell the truth. Does that seem fair? It seems fair. Let me add to that, all right? The world was accustomed for a long time, Christians and Muslims alike, to look at the Jew as somebody who lives at their mercy, somebody that they can despise, somebody they do not respect, somebody who could not protect himself.

and suddenly to have a Jewish state and to have those Jews fighting back and even winning, how dare they? This is something that the world has a hard time to understand. About a century ago, if somebody would say a Jewish warrior, that would sign like an oxymoron. Maybe back in the days of David, Jews are not supposed to win wars.

Jews are not supposed to serve in the army. Jews not supposed to stand up for themselves. Well, the world will have to get used to a new situation. we're no longer going to be a walk like sheep to the slaughter we know how to protect ourselves and some mindsets around the world have a hard time

maybe envy is one good reason because if the Jews are cursed and you know pastor it was never the doctoring of the Catholic Church the Jews have to be massacred from the days of St. Augustine and Pope Gregory in the early 6th century the Catholic Church believed that

Jews lives should be protected but we should be made their lives as miserable as possible, because their misery will prove the victory of Christianity. So that would be the official doctrine. The official doctrine of Christianity. For the Catholic Church back of the days, well, you know what, Christianity. And then suddenly the Jews have a country, and the Jews are very strong, meaning what? That all that doctrine was wrong in a way?

Well, somebody had to do some rethinking. Maybe we preach something wrong because obviously the Jews. Jews simply refuse to fall into this category anymore. And we need to explain how these Jews that we despise for centuries are so successful and prosperous. Same goes with Islam. In Muslim countries, if you're not a Muslim, you have a status of ADEMI. And ADEMI is a second-class citizen, which is officially despised by the Muslims, and you live there to serve the Muslims.

And suddenly these Jews dare to have a state and to even defeat Muslim armies, It doesn't go well with the whole Muslim doctrine. So envy is one important part, but also if you view that from a religious standpoint, and I'm not a theologian, you teach your flocks for centuries that something has to happen because that's God's will. And suddenly it's not working anymore. Now you need to develop some new, I guess, doctorate to explain. How come we were wrong for all these years that the Jews are successful and they are blessed

and without God's blessing Israel would not be what it is. So that brings confusion. That brings sometimes, I wish I could say shame because it doesn't lead to shame and there's always to try to find where the Jews can be responsible

and how can we point at them for taking all the problems around the world. So when you are living under the authority of people, that's the treatment. When you're winning and you're strong, it doesn't change anybody's opinion. So it doesn't matter what you do. Some people have this dogmatic way of thinking,

doesn't matter what happens, they will not change their minds, even if the truth is right in the face. You need to explain how come the Jewish state is so successful when we know it's supposed to be under the authority of the Muslims or the Christians. It simply doesn't fit into any category that the church was teaching and Islam was teaching

for more than a thousand years. I wanna see if we can unpack couple ideas that are pretty prominent when discussions of Israel come up. One that I hear a lot, and I hear it on college campuses, I hear it a lot of places, is that the formula for peace in the Middle East requires Israel to give up land. And you're going to know more about this than I do. I know just enough to get in trouble, but Israel occupies about 2% of the land of the Middle East. I know there's more than a million Arabs who are citizens. of Israel.

Close to two. Almost two, two million. There was a significant Jewish population around the Middle East in all the nations of the Middle East prior to World War II. And with the birth of the modern state of

Israel, those populations were expelled. Can you talk about that topic? Because I think when you explain it, it really makes the notion that Israel should give up land absurd. I also, before you do that, The Muslim world saying they could offer anyone peace.

They don't have peace amongst themselves. You can't give what you don't have. And the Muslim world is divided by hatred and violence. I know there's some exceptions to that, but if you take that broader Muslim world, it's not a unified block of peaceful cooperation. So it's difficult to even find a partner for peace in that world. But let's go back to the land first,

because giving up land for peace is really absurd. Well, I keep telling people, if you can give me one example of a Muslim rally for peace, just one example, all right? I'm willing to give up all of my theories and ideas. You never see Muslims rallying for peace. Okay, that's just a given. On the other hand, here's another challenge. Try to find a place when an Israeli prominent leader or a Jewish leader said something like, we want to destroy the Muslims, we want to kill all the Arabs, you will not hear such a statement because it was ever made.

And therefore, when people start throwing these slogans, Israel is an apartheid state. And Israel is ethnically cleansing people. Well, based on what? I mean, I say, just give me an example. Give me one example. That's usually when the conversation ends. And we start calling names one another because you cannot. Exactly.

You cannot give an example. In 1967, Israel was under an attack from Egypt and Syria and Jordan. They were preparing for war. We decided not to wait, and we launched a preemptive airstrike in June 5th of 1967, a brilliant military victory. You and I were very young. Oh, yes. I know that from books.

Although, I have one recollection. One recollection. May I tell a short story? I'm in a bomb shelter in the town that I lived in Batyam. And next to me, my little friend Edith is sitting, and she's all excited. June 7, 1967, it's her birthday. Now, the dad's not around because they're in the army, just the mothers are on. We the kids had a great time.

You know, this, nobody told us what to do. Everybody was excited. We're in the bombshell. And then we hear something, the radio was open. It sounded like somebody blowing a trumpet. And then some of the mothers tears in their eyes. And you're concerned, you know, your dad is in the army, all the brother's army, what happened? And then Edith's mother runs in and says, Edith, I have a great birthday present for you.

said, what, ma'am? Well, Jerusalem. They just said that we liberated Jerusalem. That's your birthday present. And if it starts crying, Mom, you promise me a Barbidol. I don't want Jerusalem as a birthday present. So I was 10 years old.

So that's my only recollection from the war. So in this brilliant campaign in six days, we were able, I would say liberate. All right, Judea and Samaria, the heartland of biblical Israel, the world calls it the West Bank and occupied territories. The whole of the Sanai Peninsula, and the Golan Heights.

All right? Now, I did some research, all right? The Golan Heights, the West Bank, and the Gaza area. The West Bank was a land occupied by the Jordanians. We don't have enough time to get into it. Never ever, the world media was using the term occupied territories when Jordan occupied Judea and Samaria. From 1948 till 1967.

Gaza was occupied by the Egyptians. Never ever. the world media would call Gaza occupied territories before 1967. When they started to use the term, when the Jewish state has it, obviously. But even occupation is a very, very specific term. Occupation is a situation in which a sovereign nation is conquering land from another sovereign nation.

All right? West Bank was conquered from Jordan, but it wasn't just to begin with. They took it from the Palestinians illegally. So whose land is it? Well, let's call it dispute of territories. All right? So that would be the beginning of the 1767. And then we made peace with Egypt, and the formula was always land for peace.

We pulled out from Sinai, gave it back to the Egyptians. In the process, we destroyed our own communities that we built in Sinai. We evacuated lots of people from Sinai for peace. So whenever the partners that we have offer peace, land is given away. Because many people say, you know, the settlements are the main obstacle. And as long as you have communities in the occupied territories, that will make sure that you never give them back. That's wrong.

They're just part of fake news. Offer us in real peace, we know how to destroy our own communities, unfortunately. 2005, Israel decided to pull out from Gaza completely. We evacuated 8,000 Israelis that lived in 21 communities. It was a heartbreaking moment. But we gave up the land and gave it to the Palestinians. and we see what happens ever since. Israel pulled out from areas in the West Bank

gave it to the Palestinian autonomy for peace. We offered Syria peace. So whenever we know that the enemy means business and we can work out the peace plan, Israel pulls out from territories. And we did. All of Sinai, parts of the West Bank, and the Golan Heights was on the table.

If Syria was willing to negotiate and to offer peace, the Golan Heights will be given back to Syria. although Syria today is not really a functioning in Asia. But to speak about giving a plan and occupied territories, that's absolutely nonsense. We always give a plan when we know that there was a chance to have peace with our neighbors. Well, I was in Israel with you one time,

and you were talking to me, you were willing to give portions of the Golan Heights to Syria to Assad. And I look back on it, and what we know now was Assad would use poison gas on his own people. you can't have a lasting peace with someone with that kind of a broken character. But there was a deep enough desire for peace that tired of the conflict.

That I mean, that was a serious consideration on the table. We are learning. I mean, I think that we had the wake-up call two years ago and things that we thought that we may accomplish. We know for a fact not going to happen. The mindset was the very, I would say, Western, even business-oriented mindset. We need to create a society among the neighbors that they will have something to lose.

If we can improve and help them to improve their lifestyle and people will have decent education for the children and decent living and life will be good for them that will diffuse any motivation to carry on this war situation. We were wrong. It's not about improving your living conditions. It's about one agenda and don't listen to me, listen to them to say it all the time.

It's world jihad. We will live. not be quiet, we will not rest until we're going to eliminate the state of Israel and kill the Jews around the world, read the Charter of Hamas from November 1988, they say it very clearly, and they were elected by the Palestinians to be the leaders knowing what's the agenda. All right, so you speak about possible solutions and maybe appease them, give them some land, we try that. It's not working. The question is, what are the alternatives? Unfortunately, as far as I can think about future alternatives, right now, it all looks like will be very hard to accomplish.

I've written a new book. It's called My Friend Jesus. You know, I'm a pastor, a lot of ritual, tradition, a lot of formality in the way we know God. It's not bad. There's some good things in that. But when I'm in real trouble or I have something I want to celebrate, I call a friend. Well, I want to live my life with Jesus of Nazareth is my friend. It changes everything in both celebration. and when there's a problem. I wrote the book to help.

I think it'll open your life to God in a more personal, transformational way than ever before. Enjoy the book. In his book, My Friend Jesus, Pastor Allen shares how friendship with Jesus brings clarity, strength, and peace in every part of life.

This isn't about following a religion or religious rules. It's about cultivating a cherished relationship that will help your faith become more personal, more joyful, and more powerful each day. Request My Friend Jesus with your judgment.

donation of $25 or more today at Alan Jackson.com. I think you made an important point. We could probably argue about whether their elections are free and open, but they have elections. And the people in Gaza and the people in the West Bank elected Hamas, who is agreed upon internationally as a terrorist organization. Their charter states, they intend to eliminate the Jewish people. So let's talk just a minute about the people of Gaza.

So they have suffered horribly. I mean, there's no question about that, and there's not a simple resolution to that. But the Israelis didn't initiate that. You didn't launch the war. And to this day, Hamas hasn't been willing to enter into it. They haven't released, they still have hostages today. I don't even know why we talk about peace

while they're holding hostages. The first gesture that would suggest you could have peace, I mean, they've held them now for over a year, and they're torturing them. Every time we see one, they have suffered horribly. And that gets lost in the global media. Yeah, 710 days today. Hostages are held in the tunnels of Hamas more than 700 days.

And they release some video footage just to show their condition. If anybody starving in Gaza intentionally, these are the Israeli hostages in the tunnels of Hamas. And I have to say that the whole world wants to see a two-state solution. There was a two-state solution. When we pulled out from Gaza, Gaza became Palestinian territory, in a way, taken by Hamas, because after they had elections in January 2006, the PLO lost. They refused to relinquish their power. There was a civil war among the Palestinians. The PLO lost this one, so they, in a way, controlled the West Bank.

And Hamas controls the Gaza Strip. They were totally independent. the world says what was a blockade. There was no blockade. Hamas borders, Gaza, I'm supposed to Egypt. All right, so there's always access to go to Egypt. Your brothers and sisters, for goodness sake,

let them take care about you. Why the world expects Israel, who is being rocketed by Hamas, to provide food and, sorry, food and electricity and medical care. Israel is willing to offer medical treatment to people in Gaza. They come to the border crossing.

Israel is volunteers. We'll drive them to the Berkshiba hospital. We don't want to see people on the other side starving to death or having any kind of problems. We really want to live in peace. So until 2005, the two-state solution was implemented. It was a ceasefire, give or take. And then the attack of October 7th.

So if you know that you're going to attack the state of Israel, you better know what will be our retaliation like. I'm not sure what were they thinking. But based on past experiences, we were attacked, not to the same level. Our retaliation was minor, and that maybe misled them to believe that even this one

will not be in such proportions, but this one was just something that you cannot just go on with your daily routine as a nation. After coming after such an attack, they breached the fence in more than 100 places, and the massacre, butchered. I have no other words, all right?

Israelis in their beds in a holiday. They came in three waves, first the commander of Hamas. and then just normal Hamas people, and then citizen from Gaza. They heard that there are breaches in the war. You all take a kitchen knife with you. You cross to the other side

to try to find yourself a Jew to kill and to steal from the house. We speak about 6,000 people. Most of them, Gaza and civilians speaking about the innocent people in Gaza. If you're attacking Israel, this is a message, all right? That's what you need to expect. It's an important message.

So what about the line we've heard on all the... I was completely unprepared for the hatred for Israel and the Jewish people that came from American College campuses. I'm grateful it's been exposed because now we can at least address it because we won't tolerate it. We don't have to tolerate it. We shouldn't tolerate it.

But the line that I hear them, and when they're interviewed, they can't even explain it, but they like to chant from the river to the sea or free Palestine. Maybe you can explain to the people this. what that really means, because I don't think the students, most of them know what it means. Well, I do have a little bit of, I don't want to say, Hobart optimism. Because when you watch those and those students who are willing to engage in the conversation

and they are being told what is it that they mean, it looks like it's a revelation for them and they're willing to reconsider if they want to participate and shout these slogans again. You know, I guess everybody goes for a rally. Come on, it's going to be fun. and many people that join these rallies they just have a pile of banners you grab one you have no idea

what it says and you're walking down the streets and you're screaming, chanting so maybe maybe if you are able to engage in the dialogue you can change people's minds but for those that do that I think that the combination of zeal and ignorance

is a dangerous one you're willing to take steps and you're willing to demonstrate and you're willing maybe to pay a price for something that you know nothing about it. This is embarrassing. I'm embarrassed to see those bright American kids are not being sarcastic.

At very expensive universities. Exactly. Ivy League, right? Being asked questions which are so basic and they don't have a clue. And when you ask a question, you can tell the smile that they're embarrassed because they understand that you kind of caught them on God, but they just don't know.

And you know what? The biggest problem is that the people behind those messages were willing to sell that as that you right issue and who can be against human rights. So you are marching, fighting for the rights of the Palestinians because the Jews are the big oppressors and the aggressors. It's a human right issue. Nobody speaks about religion.

Never speaks about jihad. Not about globalize the intifada, which means basically let's destroy everything for Islam to rule. They're not being told that part of the story. So you say from the river to the sea, basically, you mean the River Jordan on one side, on one side and the Mediterranean Sea, that will be the state of Israel plus some part of the territories. And when you say that, what you say basically, let's eliminate the Jews who live there.

So the same sentence, you say free Palestine, and the next part of it is by killing all the Jews, which means you're advocating genocide without even knowing that that's what you're basically supporting. So when you tell that to people, oh, okay, so maybe this is the wrong sign to carry and they're going to look for another sign. But again, this is, you have to be an optimist, all right?

And maybe with age, but those people that are willing to engage in a conversation who are not really brainwashed and it's not something that is coming from their DNAs, you can change minds. But you need to be open enough to have a dialogue and just listen to what you're saying and maybe you're wrong. Well, I've been to Israel many times

and I have learned some lessons. and one of them is how you respond to the hatred and the attacks. You know, the terror attacks continue. Somebody got on a bus a few days ago and terrorist and murdered innocent people just on a public bus. But what fascinates me with the Israelis is the next day more people ride buses. And I think that's an important lesson right now in America because with Charlie's assassination, there's a temptation for people to stop telling the truth to stay home, to not gather with Christians. And what I've learned from you and my time in Israel is that we have to do the opposite.

We have to keep living our lives. And how did these, have the Israelis made that such a part of your culture? I have no idea that I have a logical answer to answer that. Maybe it's something from our collective memory that no matter what happens, you have to carry on. Because if you change anything in your daily routine, day one. If you are scared to get on the bus because yesterday a bus exploded in Jerusalem it was 20, 25 years ago, they won.

If you hesitate to go to the movie theater because something happened the day before, they won. If you don't go to a pizza place in Jerusalem because somebody exploded in place two weeks earlier, they won. And therefore, the best way to defeat terror before you even fire the first bullet, it just don't let them change your life don't let them change who you are.

And most important, pastor, forgive yourself for saying that. Don't let them change who you are. Because the best way to defeat terror is becoming one. The best way to fight terror is becoming a terrorist and get into this mindset. Democracy is don't know how to do that, and I'm thankful for that. Because this is a slippery slope. Once you start acting and thinking like a terrorist to defeat terror,

you don't know where it's going to lead you. And you have to be very careful how to respond to terror and don't lose your humanity and don't lose for a minute, who you are, what are the principles that you're adhering to? But the most important one, just carry on. If you change anything in your life, day one. We've talked about some pretty dark stuff.

I want to turn the conversation a little bit. Okay. I'm of the opinion. The devil always overplays his hand. When Amas came out of Gaza and attacked Israelis, it was horrific. I've seen some of the video. But it seemed to me that God's responded in ways,

that we couldn't have imagined. And I want you to tell a little bit about what's happened with Hezbollah and Hamas and Syria and Lebanon and Iraq because I'm looking for something similar, I think, with Charlie's assassination. I believe God will be involved and two years from now

we'll see the good that came from that. But you and I had a conversation 18 months ago when October 7th seemed pretty fresh and we wouldn't have dreamed. dreamed that Hezbollah could be defeated, that Assad would be removed, that the nuclear ambitions of Iran would be completely negated. I mean, it's a miracle of biblical proportion and a lot of hard work. It sure is.

We have a small country and limited resources, and the question was always, which one is the existential threat and where are we going to focus? because once you define your main problem, you need to finance it somehow, you need to focus maybe on the Air Force and not on tank divisions. So once you understand that Iran is an existential issue, not just to Israel,

all the attention, all the resources went to the Air Force and went to just looking at Iran. We have satellites in the other states, one of nine nations only that have satellites. And Iran took most of the attention. Same with Hezbollah. because Hezbollah was the proxy of Iran still are,

and the plan was that once Israel will dare to attack Iran, Hezbollah is supposed to be the front line. They were supposed to open fire with everything they have, so the pressure on Iran will be less and less. And when Hamas attacked, our main fear was that Hezbollah will join in. In the very same day, that will put us in a different situation or position. So all the attention went to the northern border and not to Hamas. So in Hamas, they took us by surprise.

I have to say they did a great job deceiving us, and it had to be inquired how come it happened. But once Hezbollah opened fire, we just waited for the opportunity. For 20 years, Israel was planning and preparing. We just waited for the opportunity. And after about a year of standstill and exchanging fires, and there were no maneuvers,

because we had to settle somehow the front with Hamas in September of last year, after being prepared for that, in a very short time. In a few days, the whole chain of command of Hezbollah was killed. Most of the big assets were killed. Hezbollah had more than 200,000 rockets.

About 20,000 of them long-range rockets. They didn't fire even one. Because we knew where the bunkers are at, and we took them out, took out the chain of command. The beeper operation was brilliant. I think that everybody agrees, right? Taking out in two seconds, about 3,000 Hezbollah terrorists from being effective in any way.

And once Hezbollah was defeated so severely, we gave Lebanon a chance to be a country again. Because Hezbollah is occupying Lebanon. Iran had the last war. We don't want the Lebanese to thank us. But Lebanon has a chance to be a sovereign nation once again because we too care about Hezbollah. And even now, when it was a ceasefire,

the agreement says that whenever we identify something that happens in Lebanon, we have the right to take it out. We are attacking Lebanon almost every day. With Lebanese government consent, the U.S. as well, which means that Hezbollah, a weaker Hezbollah, is a stronger Lebanon. Lebanon has to thank us for that. Iran had militias in Iraq, and they were involved and filed, but not anymore. In Iran, Iran was this great target.

Who would have thought that Israeli Air Force will have clear skies above Tehran to do whatever we wish to take out any target? that we won. It was a brilliant accomplishment to get rid of all the artillery batteries, I'm sorry, the surface to air batteries, and just create a safe corridor because Iran is about 1,200 miles away from Israel. You cannot get a room back without refueling in the air, and you have to have a safe corridor for that.

So when Syria is out of the game, and North and Iraq is cleared, and Iran itself not presenting a threat, think about it. All right, in September 13th, Amazing. So June 13, in five minutes, in five minutes, through 15 different windows in Tehran. Fifteen rockets flew in to take out in five seconds. All the commanders of the Iranian army, because the plan was, if Israel attacks automatically

a thousand ballistic missiles will be launched Israel. It took them about 24 hours to send the first one. All right? We took them by surprise. There was nobody left alive to give the older. So that was a brilliant move. We didn't finish the job. It may take a while.

But I think that they got a message. The whole Middle East was watching. And this is a great relief to all the Muslim Arab countries in the area. That needs to be highlighted. Most of the Muslim nations in the region celebrated what happened to Iran. Very much so. You made them safer. Number one.

Number two, there is a war within Islam between the Shiites. and the Sunnis. Iran are Shiites. And they're not Arabs, they are falsies. So for the Arab nations who are Sunnis, most of them, to have a Shiite entity not Arab dominating the area, that was bad news. Because the first target of Iran is not Israel.

It's consolidating all the Muslim world under their authority and its Shia is united to go to conquer the rest of the world. That's the plan. They don't hide their retention. So for the Arab world, A small, I'm sorry, a weaker Iran is definitely good news.

And it is good news. And I'm sure that behind closed doors, everybody said, go Israel, go, finish the job. They won't say it because you have to show Muslim solidarity, but a weak Iran is great news for the Arab countries in the Middle East. Well, then there's discussions

that the Abraham Accords will be expanded to include more countries in the Middle East. I've even had people talk to me about Syria and Lebanon being included. There's no reason why Lebanon should not be included. I mean, Lebanon is always candidate number one. It's a country that has a big Christian group in it. They used to be the majority.

It's a country that we never had any territorial debate. We never went to war officially, not before the PLO took it over, then Hezbada took it over. Israel, Lebanon should not have any disputes, any problem. We don't have to like each other. But it looks almost like obvious that Lebanon will be a strong candidate to join accords. Same with Syria. The problem is that we have a big question about the nature of this regime. Because Ahmed Shara or Al-Julani basically has a history of a terrorist in a nice suit. If he change his mind and changes ways and Syria can be a part of possible, I'm afraid that the Turkish

involvement is way too deep in Syria and Turkey doesn't want to see such a reconciliation. So we're replacing Iran with Turkey. There's no vacuum. There's always somebody will take the place, and time will tell. We are hoping for Saudi Arabia to beat this winning card. If Saudi Arabia is officially willing to join in, that will be a game changer. And I know that the Trump administration, this is the main goal, all right, to draw Saudi in. And Saudi said that they're willing.

But we need to solve the Palestinian problem. It looks like just a little obstacle, just a little problem. That's a problem. And, you know, they even said, this is criticizing my own government. All you have to do is tell us that sometimes in the future, Israel will consider a two-state solution. Shouldn't be that difficult to say. But under the political climate in Israel, if our prime minister will officially declare that, it doesn't have a government. Because many cabinet ministers will oppose any recognition in the future Palestinian state.

Well, since we sat together last, God has done more than we would have dared to ask that day. Amen to that. So I pray we have an opportunity to sit down 18 months from now. Why wait 18 months past us? And celebrate even greater victories. Yes. Well, I hope that we can resolve that issue one way or the other, and we won't wait 18 months because the hostages will not survive. No.

The hostages have to be released. And this is our first consideration. Right now, first consideration, I think. there was a big consensus in Israel that we can deal with Hamas at any time in the future. And Hamas knows that. So why would they release them? That's a catch.

Hamas knows if they release the hostages, they're done. There's nowhere to hide. What? Exactly. Well, it's always good to sit down. You bring some clarity to a very confusing part of the world. Thank you for having me, and it's always a pleasure to be able to, at least,

to give some information because people are thirsty for information. The question is always, what can we trust? And how do we know that we're not being just fed and other all kind of lies and fake news and say? Well, then please tell our friends in Israel that there are many people in America that are praying for the peace of Jerusalem. They will appreciate it.

And we're not spreading all the lies, I promise. Thank you, sir. And I think what we have to remember is that God is moving in all the earth, not just in Israel. You'll keep his promises in our lives just as certainly as he will keep them to the Jewish people today.

God is a covenant keeping God, and that's what secures our future, not politicians, not governments, not political parties. And when we take our eyes off of that and God's faithfulness, we become more vulnerable. We will take our faith into the public square. And I think we will see Christianity impact our culture. God's moving in the earth, and I'm glad to be able to be a part of it with you. Hey, thanks for joining me today. Before you go, please like the podcast and leave a comment. so more people can hear about this topic too.

If you haven't yet, be sure to subscribe to Alan Jackson Ministries YouTube channel and follow the Culture and Christianity podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Together, let's learn how to lead with our faith and change our culture. I'll see you next time.