I am always extremely hesitant to use the term “Holocaust” to describe anything other than the events that took place in Nazi occupied Europe in the 40s. The gruesome horror of the Shoah (Hebrew word for the Holocaust meaning “the Catastrophe”), places it in a league of its own in the annals of human depravity and ethnic cleansing. This is of course not meant in any way to minimize any other genocide, but simply to recognize the unique place held by the Holocaust.
This catastrophe could be summarized as “the systematic attempt at the complete destruction of European Jewry” and even though the words “Shoah” and “Holocaust” have become somewhat taboo within most civilized circles, various components from the events that these two words describe remain a threat to my people worldwide.
The current Iranian regime has repeatedly stated that Israel deserves complete annihilation and that they would be “honored” to take part in such an event.
Hamas continually and indiscriminately shoots rockets from Gaza onto Israeli targets. Even though they result in very little damage to Israel in terms of actual death toll, they do cause a tremendous psychological strain on the population. Commentary columnist Alana Goodman said it best when she wrote:” The truth is, Hamas’s rockets don’t cause as many casualties as they otherwise would because Israel goes to great lengths to protect its people. It spends fortunes on bomb shelters and missile defense systems. In contrast, Israel’s military responses cause more Palestinian casualties than they otherwise would because Hamas goes to great lengths to endanger its people. It shoots missiles out of hospitals and schools, uses children as human shields, and tell Gaza civilians to ignore Israeli warning pamphlets that advise them to leave targeted neighborhoods”.
I could continue (like I regularly do) to expose the Jew haters of the world like Hezbollah, Al-Qaeda, various dictators and world leaders as well as many liberals, but as I have also done in the past, I cannot help but remember that God has promised to never, EVER completely destroy Israel! (Jeremiah 31:35-37). And that, if you ask me is the glorious future that I am hanging on to, when it comes to my people.
But today, I am drawn to a passage of the Bible that is very disturbing and that very few, including myself, care to comment on. This is a passage found in Zechariah 13:8-9 and that has yet to be fulfilled:“And it will come about in all the land,” Declares the LORD, “That two parts in it will be cut off and perish; But the third will be left in it. “And I will bring the third part through the fire, Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are My people,’ And they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’”
This most troubling passage describes the land of Israel during the last days (a time of history that is drawing near). Anyone holding to a pre-tribulational and pre-millennial view of the end days (I would put myself in that category) would understand these two verses to contextually describe Israel towards the end of the 7 year Great Tribulation. At that time, two-thirds of all Jews–by then in the Land–will be decimated, leaving only one-third to be refined like silver and gold or in other words “saved”.
Christians have often been accused of anti-Semitism simply because of the fact that they voiced their desire for Messiah’s Second Coming to take place “now”, which seems to imply that they are pushing for the destruction of two-thirds of all living Jews (about 10,000,000 by today’s numbers). In reality, those accusing Christians need only to take it up with God.
So, what are we to do in light of such a burdensome passage of Scripture? We certainly cannot ignore it (too many have done exactly that). We could, through a series of theological gymnastics, change its meaning, but then we would have to live with the consequences. Maybe you can, but I am certainly not willing to do that.
Instead, we must accept that by the end of God’s program, before the return of Yeshua, two-thirds of the Jewish people will perish. Yet, and that is a detail of extreme importance, God said two-thirds but never gave us an exact number. So, instead of dwelling on the fact that if it happened today it would decimate 10,000,000 Jews, let us work together on reducing that unknown total number of Jewish people that will populate the land of Israel during the Tribulation. Oh, and by the way, if you are unsure about the timing of the Rapture, the Great Tribulation and/or the Millennium, you are still faced with the same dilemma, except that you might live through it with the two-thirds of Israel instead of being caught up in the air prior.
Let us work together at reducing the number of Jewish people who do not know Yeshua thus reducing the final two-thirds of Zechariah 13:8-9.
Fighting anti-Semitism is crucial but it must be paired with sharing the hope we have in Yeshua. Additionally, if there is indeed another Holocaust on the horizon, it looks like we can all play a part in reducing its death toll, and that to me, put us smack in the middle of God’s will (Genesis 12:3).
Why Is The World Micromanaging Israel?
It is very obvious that when you tell a lie long enough, the masses eventually believe it to be the truth. While in prison for his failed putsch attempt of 1923, Adolf Hitler wrote Mein Kampf (My Struggle) that was later published in 1925 (vol.1) and 1926 (vol.2). So, by the mid-twenties, Hitler was already spreading his vitriol about the Jewish people to a people plagued by an apparently unrecoverable economic crisis. Germany bought the lies, some parts of Europe followed suit and within 10 years the “European Jew” had become the sub-race that HAD to be completely annihilated. Europe had found a scapegoat! Or should I say that Europe had”rediscovered” the same scapegoat of old used throughout history to carry the blame for all the ills of the planet? The lies had become the truth, and the rest remains eternally branded on the Jewish psyche as 6,000,000 Jews perished in the camps.
For a short period after WWII, the subject of antisemitism and the Shoah (Hebrew word for the Holocaust) became highly taboo as a greatly reduced Jewish community of refugees sought to leave Europe and settle in the “Promise Land”. Before long it was 1948 and the modern state of Israel was born, by a miracle of God and through the work of the then still ethical United Nations.
Decades of lies, political manipulation and propaganda led the world to start turning on Israel. The media slowly became one of the strongest ally of the enemies of the Jews (the same media that is apparently “controlled” by the Jews). We must be such a self-destructive people!
Eventually, after a parade of pompous and embarrassing anti-Israel diatribes, on November 29, 2012, exactly 65 years to the day after Israel was re-born as a nation, the UN voted to include Palestine as a non-voting member. The lies had become the truth again and Israel was well on its way to further delegitimization by 179 countries out of 193.
Now that Palestine is being recognized, albeit as a nonmember observer state, the envelope will continue to be pushed further and further. Mahmoud Abbas still vows to destroy Israel and to make Jerusalem the “eternal capital of Palestine”. But the rules have changed now that a precedent has been set. The November UN vote proved that unilateral decisions can be made regardless of any peace negotiations, that is of course only in the case of Israel “the occupier”. With the Oslo Accords now defunct, if not officially, at least in principle, the Palestinian Authority will continue to manipulate the media and the international political community for full membership in the UN. Frankly, I see very few obstacles in the way of that happening soon, as the world appears to be on a mission to micromanage Israel.
Since the November vote, Six European nations have asked Israel to give a clear account for their continued settlements in the “occupied territories”. Britain, France, Spain, Denmark, Germany and Sweden are calling on Israel ambassadors in their respective countries to reconsider Israel’s additional settlements in light of the recent inclusion of Palestine in the UN. This claim (supported by US secretary of State Hillary Clinton) is made because it is believed that Israel’s settlement decision is counterproductive in the area of peacemaking. But wait a minute, is that “peacemaking” with the very people who ignored any dialogue with Israel and went to “daddy UN” to cry for recognition? How fair is that? Oh, I forgot, we’re dealing with Israel, so we don’t have to be fair, we just have to try to run Israel from afar! The lies have become the truth again.
As if this wasn’t enough, apparently emboldened by the recent vote, the UN passed another resolution on December 4th (174/6/6) asking Israel to allow nuclear inspectors in. Currently, Israel has not signed a non-proliferation treaty and it looks like the UN is working towards cornering them to do so. I find this both ironic and tragic when we allow a country like Iran to build a bomb under our nose knowing full well that they intend to use it on Israel and even Americans, and Israel is asked to allow nuclear inspectors in. The enemies are left alone to build a weapon of mass destruction and our only true friend in the middle east is asked to share its nuclear agenda AND arsenal with the world.
Israel has officially been a sovereign state since 1948 and has proven highly capable of running its own affairs as well as defending its borders. They need our support not our finger pointing and ordering around.
Last time the Jews were told what to do, where to go and how to surrender their property about 70 years ago, it didn’t end too well, did it? Not to mention when were told to stay within the Pale of Settlement in eastern Europe and not to mention when Queen Isabella of Spain told us to leave and kept our property, not to mention the Crusades, not to……well you get the idea! I beg the world and the UN to stay out of Israel’s business and quit trying to micromanage Israel lest you end up mismanaging them!
I WILL BLESS THOSE WHO BLESS YOU AND I WILL CURSE HIM WHO CURSES YOU – GENESIS 12:3
Was the Fate of WWII Jews Sealed by the Allies?
While in Paris this week, I had a chance of viewing a new documentary on the Holocaust that caused me to ponder on the fate of my people during WWII. It was extremely uncomfortable to watch, as I discovered what even I had subconsciously buried deep into my own mental archives of the Shoah.
Germany’s Convenient Historical Amnesia is Dangerous for Jews Worldwide!
Last July, I published an article regarding a recent court ruling banning ritual circumcision in Germany in which I expressed my grave concern about the decision and its parallel to the Nuremberg Laws of the 1930s.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel immediately expressed her concern about the Cologne ruling and how it would undoubtedly affect freedom of religion in Germany. It sounded good at first. She vowed to find a solution as quickly as possible. While I was temporarily satisfied with her voicing her concern, I was not extremely hopeful that the ruling would be reversed or that a compromise would even be found. Two rabbis have already been charged since the June ruling.
Let me reiterate that by virtue of its very bloody track record with the Jews, Germany is obviously disqualified to make such a move. Not that any country really would even have the right to forbid Jews to perform the age old brit milah (circumcision as ordained by God Himself in Genesis 17:9-14). Angela Merkel also expressed her fear that if the ban was upheld, Germany could become “a laughing stock”. Poor choice of words Madam Chancellor, because this issue is certainly NO LAUGHING MATTER!
It so happens that the next move was made yesterday by Germany when it was declared in Berlin that circumcision wasn’t illegal as long as the parents consented and that it was performed by a doctor and not a mohel (a mohel is a Jewish man, usually a rabbi, qualified to perform the ritual of brit milah). So, doctors YES, but rabbis NO!
What seems to be a victory for the Jewish community –and the Muslim community who also performs ritual circumcisions on boys before puberty–is actually a defeat! Circumcision viewed as a medical procedure might be allowed now, but it sends a chilling message to the Jewish community that they continue to be forbidden to perform it from a religious standpoint, something we have been free to do for thousands of years.
Unless Germany’s federal government decides to intervene and revert the ban, Jews in Germany will continue to be harassed, persecuted and even arrested for performing a religious rite that goes back to Genesis. I see no victory there!
It was only 70 years ago when Germany forced the Jews out of society little by little. Back then, it was socially acceptable to loathe the Jews. We can even say that it was a duty to the Third Reich that every good German ought to perform. Anti-Semitism was the fuel that helped to move Hitler’s war machine. We are only two or three generations removed from that event, and Germany is again dabbling with anti-Jewish laws. The sad part, is that we are not even talking about a revisionist country like Iran, claiming that the Holocaust never happened. We are dealing with a country who took decades to recover from the horrors it inflicted upon my people. And if you ask me, it has not recovered and learned from its horrific mistakes but instead it has gone into an inexcusable state of denial that I label convenient historical amnesia!
But, some will ask: “why see this legal decision as anti-Semitic since it is also affecting close to 4 million Muslims?”. After all, Berlin mayor Klaus Wowereit just declared that Berlin Jews can absolutely feel safe in his city and that he can even be seen wearing a kippa (skullcap) in solidarity with the Jewish community. Worry not Jews of Berlin your city is safe! Unless of course you are Jewish and wearing a kippa like the rabbi and his six-year old daughter attacked on the streets of Berlin last week by a group of four youth of Arab descent. What an empty statement of reassurance!
By the way, we have yet to hear about Muslims breaking the law by performing their version of ritual circumcision.
The very country that should proclaim their own version of NEVER AGAIN when it comes to Jewish hatred, is the one restraining Jewish life AGAIN. What a shame! What will happen in other countries who don’t even have the shadow of the Holocaust looming in their own backyard? Germans have conveniently forgotten their guilt as they start to target Jews again while the rest of the world justifies anti-Semitism under the names of anti-Zionism and anti-Israelism.
Germany is sending worldwide anti-Semites a clear message: “If WE of all people can forget the past, reenact it and get away with it, what do you all have to worry about?”
I cannot help but be reminded of the verse found in Hebrews 10:31:
It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God
Those who go after my people like the German government at the current time, will have to answer to God for their actions, while those who love Israel (Genesis 12:3) and help my people, will find themselves in the center of God’s will. Where would you rather be?
Hitler in India: Ignorance or Defiance?
This last week, just when I thought that moral debasement had reached an all time low, once again and to my great dismay, I was proven wrong.
Just a few days ago, the Estonian gas company GasTerm Eesti used a picture of the Auschwitz Nazi death camp entrance stating “Arbeit macht frei” (Work makes you free) on their website with the caption: “Gas heating–flexible, convenient and effective”. In all fairness to them, after they received several complaints from various sources, they decided to pull the photo and issue a statement of apology.
This being said, who in his right mind would want to associate ANYTHING to the stigma of the infamous Auschwitz photograph? Let alone a commercial for gas! This was done with such bad taste that I thought we had reached a record low in human depravity. But wait, it actually gets worse! For this, we must travel 5,000 miles south east of Estonia to Ahmedabad, India.
Rajesh Shah is the young co-owner of a brand new clothing store where he sells Western men’s wear. T-Shirts, shirts, jeans and other iconic fashion elements from the West. I always salute entrepreneurship, but in this case, I must make an exception.
The entire branding of his store (storefront, letterhead, cards, logo, etc) bear the word: HITLER with a swastika in a circle as dot on the i of HITLER.
This raises the question of why would anybody want to use the name Hitler to sell anything unless they are promoting neo-Nazi paraphernalia? To this question I only see two possible answers: Ignorance or defiance.
It is part of who I am to give anybody the benefit of the doubt before I draw any conclusions. so, I will look for any validity in Mr Shah’s claim of ignorance.
Mr Shah claimed that until he opened the store, he really didn’t know too much about Hitler and his legacy. He also stated that it wasn’t until then that he found out about the 6,000,000 people that Hitler killed. Apparently, Shah’s partner had a grandfather who was so strict that he was nicknamed “Hitler”, thus the name for the store.
This would definitely be an unfortunate choice if it was true. But is there truly a younger Indian generation who knows NOTHING about Adolph Hitler? I find this hard to believe! Not to mention the fact that if the name HITLER was used without premeditation and without prior knowledge of the dictator’s legacy of blood and hatred, why in the world would the “i” be dotted with a swastika?
I can already see defenders of Mr. Shah quickly come to his rescue and mention that the symbol originated in India and that maybe he was simply adding an Indian touch to his logo? It is correct that the swastika (meaning “to be good” in Sanskrit) originated in India and goes as far back in history as the period known as Classical Antiquity (8th -7th Century B.C.). This being said, we must also note that the Indian rendition of the symbol is always upright (forming a square) and NEVER TILTED (forming a diamond). The tilted swastika was adopted by the Nazi party (either clockwise or counter-clockwise). And it is of course the tilted one that Mr. Shah chose to use.
Maybe he was not aware of the subtle difference? I sincerely doubt it, especially in light of the additional comments he made about the choice of HITLER for his branding as he went on to defend his choice for such a name:
“None of the other people are complaining, only a few families. I have not hurt any sentiments of the majority Hindu community. If he did something in Germany, is that our concern?”
I feel pretty confident that ignorance can be ruled out and this only leaves one other reason: Defiance. Mr. Shah feels that he has not offended the majority of his people. What about the rest of the world? What about the Jewish community? Have we become so narrow-minded and self absorbed that we only care about our immediate community? Yet Mr. Shah is educated enough to know Western culture and its fashion industry. Does he suffer from selective ignorance or careless defiance?
Mr. Shah most certainly saw some shock value in such a name. He claims that he will change the name only if compensated for his expenses. I don’t see much remorse in that statement!. This also comes from a country where Hitler’s biography “Mine Kampf” is still popular in bookstores and amongst street vendors.
What I see here is a tremendous lack of sensitivity and human decency at best, and defiance against the Jewish people (not to call it anti-Semitism) at worst.
Any way you look at it, Mr. Shah is only paving the way for more insensitivity towards Jewish people and the Holocaust. At a time when survivors of the Shoah are dwindling away, such a position is only reinforcing the liberal agenda of Holocaust deniers, something that we can certainly all do without.
Mr. Shah is the exact reason why I will continue to be vocal about such insensitive displays. To educate, speak up and take action.