Tsion Ben-Judah

Tsion Ben-Judah, pronounced "[z'ai-an]" or "Zion", who is a character in the Left Behind series, is a Jew, a rabbinical scholar, and former student of Chaim Rosenzweig. Ben-Judah was commissioned by the Israeli government three years before the Rapture to undertake a study as to how the Jews would recognize the Messiah when he comes. Ben-Judah was beginning to conclude that Jesus of Nazareth met the descriptions of prophecy, but had not committed himself when Christ raptured His church.

Two weeks later, when United Nations secretary-general and Antichrist Nicolae Carpathia and a host of American and Israeli delegates arrived in Israel to sign a seven-year treaty of peace, and at the behest of Buck Williams, Ben-Judah guided Buck (Kirk Cameron) to the Western Wall so that he could speak with the two prophets, Eli and Moishe, men resurrected from Biblical times to bear witness to Christ and begin converting 144,000 Jews to become witnesses for Him.

The meeting with the two witnesses had a profound effect on Ben-Judah, who spoke Nicodemus's words to Jesus while the two witnesses took turns speaking Jesus' words. Ben-Judah went away from the meeting with much to think and pray about. The next day, Carpathia and the Israelis signed the peace treaty, and shortly after that, Ben-Judah made a one-hour broadcast on GNN International to present his findings. At the end of it, he proclaimed that Jesus was the Messiah and was coming again soon.

Many Israelites and Jews worldwide were outraged at Ben-Judah, but he began to teach and meet with Jews all around the world, as more and more began to convert to Christ. Eighteen months later, his wife and teenage stepchildren were horribly slaughtered and Ben-Judah, the chief suspect, was forced into hiding. Buck was guided to him with hints from the two witnesses at the Wailing Wall, and secretly conducted Ben-Judah out of Israel by way of Egypt, to be flown back to the United States for exile and sanctuary.

Just before this, the Chicago-based Tribulation Force's own leader and teacher, Bruce Barnes, is killed by the Red Horse of the Apocalypse when World War III breaks. Bombs hit the hospital that he was admitted in for over-seas bug that stopped his world wide encouragement of "Tribulation Saints". Ben-Judah essentially took his place to teach, now reaching out to a worldwide cyber-audience. Ben-Judah, believing himself to be protected by God's power, insisted on returning to Israel to meet with most of the 144,000 witnesses in order to teach them.

Only hours before Antichrist's resurrection, Tsion has an out-of-body experience, where he witnesses the host of heaven, archangel Michael battling Lucifer in dragon form. The dragon was cast down to Earth near the end of this experience.

He moves to Petra where Nicolae Carpathia drops two bombs and a missile just minutes after his arrival. There he resides until the Battle of Armageddon when he leaves to help defend the holy city. There both he and Buck Williams are killed by Unity Army soldiers. He is resurrected at the Glorious Appearing, after having reunited with his wife and children in heaven.

In Kingdom Come, he and former fellow Trib Force members lead a missionary trip to Egypt, which Tsion renames Osaze. At the end of the Millennium, Tsion is welcomed into heaven with the rest of the believers.