I first met Benjamin Netanyahu on July 4, 1980. He was grieving the loss of his hero, his older brother Jonathan on the anniversary of his death and dealing with enormous pain. “Yoni” Netanyahu died leading the raid that rescued more than 100 Israeli passengers from a hijacked plane in Uganda. Even many people who know the story do not realize that Jonathan took his younger brothers’ place in Sayaret Matkal, Israel’s elite special forces unit so that Benjamin could go to America to continue his education.
His father Benzion Netanyahu answered the door when I knocked and invited me inside. One of the things I said to Benjamin Netanyahu that day in his family home was this: “David loved Jonathan. You loved your brother Jonathan. Out of the ashes of your despair will come strength from God and you will be the Prime Minister of Israel. You will lead your nation in its greatest crisis.” He was 28 years old and had no plans or desire to go into politics. His father apologized to him in Hebrew (not knowing that my mother was Jewish and I would understand what he said) for inviting a “moron” into their home. But God was at work.
The next day I met with Prime Minister Begin. I had previously met with him on June 30, my birthday. That day he asked why I had come, and I said, “I don’t know, but I know God sent me.” He said, “When God tells you why, come back and tell me.” That day I told him the prophecy I had given to Benjamin and asked Mr. Begin to give him a position in the government, which he did. And just as the Spirit of God spoke through me, Benjamin Netanyahu did become Prime Minister of Israel—the longest serving prime ministry in the history of the nation. And there is no question that today is the hour of Israel’s gravest crisis. Every friend of God’s Chosen People needs to be actively praying for them in these difficult days and speaking out on their behalf. The crisis is not over, and we must not be silent.
