What a somber week to be in Israel.
I have been to a concentration camp, years ago, when I was in Austria. I walked out of there with anger, sadness and bitterness in my heart. What a tragedy the holocaust was! 6 millions jews, murdered! The numbers are staggering, the stories, heartbreaking!
This morning, during our staff meeting, we heard a message about hope.
We read through Ezekiel 37, about the valley of dry bones. I have heard sermons preached on this chapter before, but never from a jewish believer during the Holocaust Remembrance week. It was powerful. This man has family members that were killed in the holocaust, knows people that are still alive today that survived the holocaust! The tragedy is so real!
As we read through Ezekiel 37 (Please, read through it if you haven't before) verse 11-14 were really highlighted to me.
“Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.”
Verse 11, to me, sounds like the Jewish people! “Our hope is gone; we are cut off”. In the tragedy of the holocaust, they were lost, murdered, broken. Truly their hope was gone!
It then goes on to say “I will bring you back to the land of Israel”. Did you know that Israel became an independent state right after the holocaust?! God is faithful, even when we are not! He is faithful to His covenant with Israel, even though they broke that covenant time and time again!
I love that this portion ends with “Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it.” I love that. Nobody can take the credit for all this! Its the Lords doing, its His great love for His chosen people, His firstborn, Israel!
The Holocaust was a tragedy, no doubt about it. It was satans attempt to foil the plans of God. Millions were murdered; men, women and children.
But, Ill let you in on a little secret.. Satan does not win!!
Hebrews 6:19-20 says
“This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
Jesus, Yeshua, is our hope. He is THE hope for our soul, the anchor.
Yeshua beat satan on the cross and God IS fulfilling His covenant and drawing His people back to Israel! It is so exciting to be in the Holy Land for such a time as this!
Please pray for the people is Israel this week, for healing and forgiveness to take place. Please pray for the survivors of the Holocaust, that God would bring them peace and reconciliation.
(images from a-sound-asleep.tumblr.com & lindzee09.blogspot.com)
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