The Bible:
Road Map to Israel's Oil
Ron Ross - BFP News
Email: ronrossbfp@hotmail.com
12th October 2006
Oil spurted from a drilling site north of the Dead Sea recently.
Drilling partners, Ginko Oil Exploration and Lapidot (20 percent) estimate they have about 6.5 million barrels of crude oil, worth about USD 300 million.
The oil was struck at 1,800 metres depth. It is a small quantity by world standards providing 100 to 150 barrels per day. Number one producer Saudi Arabia produces 9 million barrels a day but Eli Tannenbaum, geologist for the Ginko oil exploration company said there are signs that larger amounts of crude are nearby. .
Israel has been a target for oil prospectors over many years. Enthusiasts have come inspired by their faith and just as many have walked away empty-handed. Some dogmatically remain.
On September 27, 2006 Zion Oil & Gas announced plans to explore deep oil targets in Israel on biblical lands of Asher and Manasseh.
The Chairman and founder of Zion Oil & Gas is John Brown who I met when he visited Jerusalem for "The Feast of Tabernacles" this year. He continues a long and impressive line of Christian pioneers who have followed the Bible to seek the treasure of black gold in the holy land.
Brown gushed with scriptures as he described his belief that God is about to unleash an abundance of oil to bless His people, Israel. He is excited about the Dead Sea discovery but believes strongly this is just the beginning. He delights to talk about science confirming the scriptures as one scientist after another confirms the probability of Brown?s expectations.
Zion Oil and Gas holds petroleum exploration rights onshore Israel on about 219,000 acres located between Tel Aviv and Haifa, in areas which in Biblical times were in the territories of Manasseh and Asher, sons of Joseph.
In a recent publication the company said, Zion drilled its initial well, known as the Ma'anit #1, to a depth of 15,842 feet. This exploratory well stands waiting for additional completion activity. The company also intends to drill a second, appraisal well on a nearby location.
I did my homework on John Brown before we met at his hotel. In the book "Breaking the Treasure Code" by James R. Spillman and Steven M. Spillman (True Potential Publishing) I found some of the John Brown story.
He had a startling conversion from a background of commercial success, booze and what the Spillman?s call a `rip-tearing lifestyle.
John Brown resigned from the company he founded and began his faith walk to what he believes is his divine destiny. He has a vision for oil discovery in Israel and it has burned in his heart from December, 1985. Brown has visited Israel 57 times.
In another book `Epicenter' by Joel C. Rosenberg (Tyndale) I learned John Brown heard a sermon by Rev James Spillman in 1981. Spillman authored "The Great Treasure Hunt" where he wrote: "Biblical prophecy describes an event in which the armies of the world, led by Gog and Magog, would invade Israel `to take a spoil."
What could Israel possibly possess in the last days that would make it such a prize for conquest that the world's armies would meet there to fight for the spoils? Countries don't invade their neighbours for pomegranates and olive oil but they do go to war over another kind of oil, petroleum.
The Joseph Project
Brown absorbed this information. He began a concerted study of the Bible and the promises recorded in Genesis 49: 1; 49:25; Deut 33:13; 33:19; 33:24; 32: 12-13 and Isaiah 45: 3 among others.
He named the oil search activities in Israel `The Joseph Project' in deference to blessings God promised to the sons of Joseph. Asher for instance `dips his foot in oil? and in depth bible study convinced John Brown and others that this was an indicator for them to follow.
The reference to Gog and Magog indicates some activity from the north. Recently Carolyn Glick writing in the Jerusalem Post headlined her column "As the Storm of War Approaches." (JP 6th October, 2006). She said, "The Russian bear has awakened after 15 years of hibernation. Under the leadership of former KGB commander Vladimir Putin, Russia is reasserting its traditional hostility towards Israel."
In a long article, Glick analysed the Russian-Iran connection and their intelligence "support for Hizbullah in the recent war." She wrote, "Whether or not Russia is interested in fomenting the next war, its intentions are less relevant than how Russia's extreme positions are interpreted by the Arabs. Judging by Syrian President Bashar Assad's recent bellicose speeches, it appears that Damascus believes that Russia will support Syria if it goes to war with Israel."
What an interesting stage these thoughts suggest.
In his book `Epicenter? Joel C. Rosenberg wrote: "Philip Mandelker, Zion Oil's lawyer, told me that their company is one of six whose founders were originally inspired to start drilling because of Old Testament passages. And several of them are beginning to see promising results.
Will one of these companies hit the big one?
Will they all?
Will someone else?
The truth is, we cannot know exactly who will tap into the oil reserves believed to be waiting beneath Israel's soil exactly when it will happen, because the Bible does not tell us. But the Bible does make it clear that Israel will be wealthy before the Russian-Iranian coalition attacks. That much we can take to the bank.
And I believe the Bible's hints about the existence of oil in Israel present a viable means for the fulfilment of that prophecy. Thus, expect to read future headlines like this one: `Israel Discovers Massive Reserves of Oil, Gas.'
John Brown told me archaeologists in Israel are constantly proving the accuracy of the Bible by their discoveries. Now scientists and geologists will join the confirmation of the Bible, he firmly believes.
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Three years ago he joined Bridges for Peace in Jerusalem to establish international radio news and an audio service webcast at www.bridgesforpeace.com Ron was Sports Editor of WINTV for 20 years before joining the full-time missions. You can contact Ron at : ronrossbfp@hotmail.com |
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