Our neighbor’s giant dog raced toward my wife and our two little boys.

Only a half-fallen fence stood between the tender skin of my family and the fierce Kangal.

Kangals are a Turkish breed, tall and large-chested, that were bred in ancient times to fight wolves. They are smart and loyal but aggressive toward strangers. Esther and the boys were in real danger as the dog stood on his rear legs with his paws pushing down the top of the fence. After passing the dog, Esther pulled the boys aside and prayed with them. “God, please give us safety when we pass this dog again on our way home.”

When Esther and the boys passed the Kangal again, he ran to the fence, barking and snarling even more than before. Esther picked up Little Sugarcube and told Mr. Mudboots to stay close. He obeyed as fast as his heavy winter gear allowed.
Then the dog seemed to come up with a new plan. He turned and raced toward the other end of the fence, took a running jump and sailed over the barricade. He turned again and galloped toward my wife and boys with a vengeance. Like a mad wasp, he gave no time for negotiation. He bit Esther immediately, his sharp teeth sinking through three layers of clothes into her leg. Little Sugarcube clung screaming to Esther’s head.

After biting Esther, the dog backed off a little but kept growling as Esther and the boys inched backward, eyes fixed on the dog, until they were in our courtyard. When the gate clicked shut, they all began to cry and cry. Esther told me, “I wasn’t crying because of pain but because I realized how faithful God had been. That dog truly could have eaten us all.”

Psalm 22 is a clear prophecy of the crucifixion of Jesus. In the middle of the psalm are these words: “Deliver my soul from the sword, my darling from the power of the dog!” For me, my darling is my wife. But the darling the psalmist refers to seems to be Jesus, our Messiah. The same Hebrew term is used in Genesis 22 of Abraham’s “one and only son.”)

On the cross, Jesus was surrounded by bestial Roman soldiers degraded from familiarity with torture. Sin of every shade threw a party at the foot of the cross. Perhaps even more than the soldiers, elegantly robed Pharisees found delight in the scene of Jesus’ lacerated body. Ellen White writes, “O what a history we have in the life and death, resurrection and exaltation of Christ! He was the incarnate God, the Lord of life and glory; yet for our sakes he was delivered into the hands of wicked men. Satan and the whole confederacy of evil men and evil angels raged around him . . . as he hung upon the cross” (Signs of the Times, May 30, 1895). Satan and his dogs—evil men and angels—are still raging.

For the last three years, a hit TV series called Valley of the Wolves has made a huge impact on the Turkish public. The basic storyline is that the U.S. Army is abducting Turks so Jewish doctors can harvest their organs and sell them to rich people in New York, London and Tel Aviv. It also weaves another enemy into the plot—Christian missionaries. The program portrays Christians as violent mafia men of the darkest character.
Valley of the Wolves is wildly popular, often pulling 50 percent of the entire television viewing audience in Turkey. It is especially adept at exciting the public and bending opinions. The director states, “Our film is a sort of political action. Maybe 60 or 70 percent of what happens on screen is factually true. Turkey and America are allies, but Turkey wants to say something to its friend. We want to say the bitter truth.” Well, 60 percent truth mixed with 40 percent fiction isn’t truth. The show plays up American misdeeds and mixes them with fiction to create a sensational plot. But because the show pulls a few details directly from the news, many Turks think of it as a news source and allow themselves to be treacherously misled.

The program’s influence has resulted in several attempted murders of Christians. According to Compass Direct News, in late 2007, “22-year-old Murat Tabuk reportedly admitted under police interrogation that the popular ultra-nationalist Turkish TV serial ‘Valley of the Wolves’ had inspired him to plan Arkan’s [a Christian pastor’s] murder.” Also, a “Muslim youth who stabbed an Italian priest in the stomach on December 16 reportedly admitted in his statement to police that he also had been influenced by an episode of ‘Valley of the Wolves’” (Wikipedia.org).

“Oh Jesus,” I pray, “save us from the power of the dog. Keep our family and team safe. Watch over Your tender church here. Save Turks from the vicious lies of Satan coming to them from so many sources. Let Turkey learn that friends of You are friends of the Turkish Republic. Anoint Turkish eyes to find love for those who love You and love them. Guard Turkey’s youth from the vicious bite of Satan. Keep Turkey forever in Your care. People whom You love are confused about what is good and what is evil. Yes, Lord, let the prophecy of Psalm 22 be fulfilled—all of it to the very end.”

Psalm 22:16-20, 27-31: “For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet—I can count all my bones—they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. But you, O LORD, do not be far off! O you my help, come quickly to my aid! Deliver my soul from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dog!

. . . All the ends of the earth [Turkey] shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations [including Turkey] shall worship before you. For kingship belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations. All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, even the one who could not keep himself alive.

Posterity shall serve him; it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation; they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn, that he has done it.”

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