Setting great example for U.S. Public Servants, Netanyahu quotes Scripture in powerful speech

March 2015

Danielle and I were honored to be in the gallery when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered his powerful speech that urged a joint session of the U.S. Congress to oppose a “bad deal’\” that would lead to Iran developing nuclear weapons with a stated goal of destroying Israel.

We were so privileged to be present at such a monumental event and enthusiastically joined in the thundering applause that erupted throughout his moving and persuasive speech.

What made the experience all the more significant to me was that the Prime Minister perfectly illustrated the main message I had just taught this week in the Members Bible Study to U.S. Senators and Congressmen that Christian Public Servants should use Scripture as their authority when addressing important issues.

The Prime Minister began his speech quoting from the Book of Esther and he ended his speech with Moses.

In my studies, “Do You Dare Use The Bible Authoritatively In The Capitol?” Part 1 and Part 2, I said the reason we often lose the moral high ground in our policy arguments is that we fail to quote the source of our moral high ground: The Bible.

Prime Minister Netanyahu provides a great example to U.S. Public Servants of a courageous leader who possesses the knowledge to speak cogently from Scripture and use it as his basis of authority. He said:

“We’re an ancient people. In our nearly 4,000 years of history, many have tried repeatedly to destroy the Jewish people. Tomorrow night, on the Jewish holiday of Purim, we’ll read the Book of Esther. We’ll read of a powerful Persian viceroy named Haman, who plotted to destroy the Jewish people some 2,500 years ago. But a courageous Jewish woman, Queen Esther, exposed the plot and gave for the Jewish people the right to defend themselves against their enemies.

The plot was foiled. Our people were saved.

Today the Jewish people face another attempt by yet another Persian potentate to destroy us. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei spews the oldest hatred, the oldest hatred of anti-Semitism with the newest technology. He tweets that Israel must be annihilated – he tweets. You know, in Iran, there isn’t exactly free Internet. But he tweets in English that Israel must be destroyed.”

And he concluded:

“Facing me right up there in the gallery, overlooking all of us in this chamber is the image of Moses. Moses led our people from slavery to the gates of the Promised Land.

And before the people of Israel entered the land of Israel, Moses gave us a message that has steeled our resolve for thousands of years. I leave you with his message today, (SPEAKING IN HEBREW), “Be strong and resolute, neither fear nor dread them.”

My friends, may Israel and America always stand together, strong and resolute. May we neither fear nor dread the challenges ahead. May we face the future with confidence, strength and hope.

May God bless the state of Israel and may God bless the United States of America.”

A constant theme throughout Scripture, Satan is continually trying to annihilate Israel, God’s chosen people. Prime Minister Netanyahu illustrated that scriptural truth once again in the present day we live.

It was his bookends use of Scripture that made his speech so powerful.

Ralph Drollinger
President and Founder
Capitol Ministries