The Holocaust

Gentle Reader,

A HEBREW SAGE MIGHT SAY. . .
To love mankind is easy; to love man is hard.
We need adversity, not for the suffering it brings, but for the growth and deepened perspective that comes from it.
YOM HA'SHOAH
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing." [1 Corinthians 13. 1 - 3]
A reflection as we remember and observe Holocaust Day of Memorial - May the Almighty One, blessed be He, remember forever our brothers and sisters of the House of Israel who gave their lives for the sanctification of the Divine Name.

IN HIS NAME
He wore the yellow star upon his arm
and heard the ugly taunts as he walked along.
The words he heard burned deep within his soul
as the burden of being Jewish took its toll.
His eyes reflected a sad and somber hue
as he wondered if any of these angry faces knew
that he was flesh and blood, a man like them
with fears and hopes and dreams..."O Jerusalem."
His mind returned to the dream of a Jewish homea fleeting thought...a longing no more to roam -
but his mind was quickly brought back to the present
by the ugly taunts of a group of adolescents.
The badge upon his arm, a badge of shame
forced upon the Jew to him profane,
yet little did they know that deep inside
that Star of David held for him much pride.
There was a glint of knowledge in his eye
his noble heritage passed on by the Rabbi...
his line had boasted prophets, scribes and kings
and through the Jew, GOD would Messiah bring.
It was they who were chosen above all races
to transcribe His Holy Writ in sacred places.
In this his race was faithful, they’d been true
GOD’s knowledge and His WORD came through the Jew.
It was Moses who, to GOD, talked face to face
and His Laws were passed to man by the Jewish race.
So even though his back was bowed and bent,
and even though taunts followed where ‘er he went,
his spirit, deep within, was whole and strong
for to GOD’s chosen race he did belong.
He knew inside that he was by Creator GOD blessed
that it was his Seed selected above the rest
chosen by the Almighty to be a race apart
to show the Loving-Kindness of GOD’s heart.
Just then the words "Christ Killer" reached his ear
and these words cut through his soul, invoked a tear...
a phrase he’d learned to hate, but also fearfor it meant dire consequences drew near.
And so the wall of separation grew
between the blinded Gentiles and the Jew.
As the Gentiles used our LORD as an excuse
the "Apple of HIS Eye" to persecute.
They failed to reconcile a fact they knew -
that Yeshua was Himself born a Jew.
And by no race, or man, was Yeshua killed
Yeshua gave Himself of His own free will.
But the Gentiles yet, still fail to understand
Yeshua gave up His life at His own command.
It wasn’t the Jew, oh don’t you see
Yeshua hung Himself upon that tree.
He sacrificed Himself in benefit of man
to remove their sin, their final Passover Lamb.
So how can the Gentile continue to blame the Jew
when Yeshua’s precious blood has cleansed them too.
Please stand with me and with the State of Israel this Yom ha'Shoah as we pray that peace finally will come to Israel, the Jewish people and the world.
As we remember the six million Jews who died in the Holocaust this "Yom ha'Shoah" (Holocaust Remembrance Day) we can also remember those listed in Hebrews 11 --the "Hall of Faith" chapter and be reminded how precious life that is lived for the Almighty One is, blessed be He. May we, like the Apostle Paul say, "in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain." [Philippians 1. 20 - 21]