Out of Zion

Dr. Susan Michael: Holocaust Remembrance Day is being observed this week in Israel and around the world. It is a very painful time for the Jewish people and it's one that often elicits questions about where was God in the Holocaust? I just want to take a quick moment and share a thought with you today.

Welcome to this week's Shabbat Shalom devotional when I try to share just a little inspiration and bring a little peace to the close of your very busy week. The Holocaust is not a subject that can be covered in a three-minute devotional nor is this depressing subject one that is usually used to bring inspiration or peace. But I want to share just one thought with you that you might find to be encouraging.

The Holocaust happened within a certain context and that is when it begins to make sense. When we understand the context was the return of the Jewish people to their ancient homeland and the founding of the State of Israel. God had been at work for several hundred years getting everything in place. One of the pieces was the birth of the Zionist movement under the leadership of Theodor Herzl.

He organized the very first Zionist Congress in 1897 and at that Congress he stated almost prophetically that within 50 years they would have a Jewish state. Now as those 50 years began to tick by, the rise of the Nazi movement in Germany resulted in World War II and not only the murder of six million Jews but 50 million people died in the carnage of World War II. It was evil men at their worst and they destroyed Europe and themselves in the quest to rid the world of the Jewish people.

My personal opinion is this was just the devil's attempt to stop the Jewish return to their ancient homeland. The good news is that the Holocaust could not stop God. Just three years after the end of World War II, Israel was born. My heart breaks for the death and the carnage that evil caused, but be certain, God did not cause it. Evil men empowered by Satan himself wanted to stop God in what He had promised to do and what He had set in motion to do, but they failed.

When the 50 years was up, almost to the very day, the United Nations voted to allow the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine and six months later the state of Israel was born. Not only was Herzl prophetic, but the ancient Hebrew prophet Ezekiel described the situation perfectly in his vision of the valley of dry bones. I believe this prophecy was God's way of letting us know He had seen it coming all along, but in the end He would restore His people to their ancient homeland and breathe life in them again. Evil would not win.

This weekend as you take a little Shabbat rest, take a look at Ezekiel 37, the valley of dry bones, and realize we serve a God that is so great and He sees the end from the beginning. May that bring you a little bit of inspiration and a little bit of peace at the end of this week and I wish you Shabbat Shalom.

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