#2 Patterns of Prophecy-Diaspora

Patterns of Prophecy The Supernatural History of Israel Session 2 Diaspora & Antisemitism Goal of Our New Study Discover God’s providence throughout the history of Israel, which serves to fulfill prophecy, and thereby evidence the existence and power of Yahweh, the God of Israel! Big Prophetic Themes 1. Worldwide Dispersion of the Jews (Lev. 26:33-39; cp. Deut. 28:58-64) 2. Worldwide Persecution of the Jews (Lev. 26:33-39; cp. Deut. 28:65-67; Amos 9:1-6) 3. Worldwide Regathering of the Jews into the Land of Israel (Lev. 26:40-45; Deut. 30:1-10; 32: Isaiah 11:11-12; Jer. 16:14-15) Big Prophetic Themes 4. Supernatural Establishment & Preservation of the Jewish State (Lev. 26:40-46; Deut. 30:1-10; Jer. 30). 5. Reoccupation & Repopulation of Jerusalem (Zech. 8:4-8; 12:2-3; Luke 21:24), & yet the Return of the Jews in Unbelief (Ezek 37). 6. Promised Desolation of the Land of Israel while they are gone (Lev. 26:33; Deut. 29:22-27; Zech. 7:14; Luke 21:24), yet later the Reclaiming of the Land when the Jews return to it (Ezek. 36). Worldwide Dispersion of the Jews The worldwide dispersion of the Jews is also known as the “Diaspora.” This is a Greek word that means “sown throughout.” The word appears in the New Testament in a few different places (John 7:35; Acts 2:9-11; James 1:1; & 1 Peter 1:1). The N.T. use of this term refers to Jews living outside the land since the time of the Assyrian dispersion (722 BC) and Babylonian exile (586 BC). Yet uniquely in history, when the Jews live outside their land, they still retain their Jewish identity, with little assimilation into their host countries. Predicted by Moses 1. Predicted by Moses, (Lev. 26:33-39; Deut. 28:36-37, 58-64; 30:4). 2. Note how Moses may even hint at two separate dispersions in Deuteronomy 28:36-37 & 58-64. Performed in Part by Babylonian Exile 1. The first significant Jewish Diaspora was the result of the Assyrian Dispersion (722 BC) & the Babylonian Exile of 586 BC. After the Babylonians conquered the Kingdom of Judah, much of the Jewish population was deported into slavery, which scattered them around the world (2 Kings 24-25; Isaiah 39:6-7; Jer. 25:11; Hab. 1:7-8). 2. Although Cyrus the Great, the Persian conqueror of Babylonia (see Isaiah 45), permitted the Jews to return to their homeland (538 BC), part of the Jewish community voluntarily remained behind in Babylon (note book of Esther). Performed in Part by Babylonian Exile 3. Even in the days of Jesus in the 1st century AD there remained a large portion of Jews living outside the land of Israel (John 7:35; Acts 2:9-11). The listing of nations in Acts 2:9-11 matches lists found in the writings of Philo, Josephus, as well as 1 Maccabees. 4. An estimated 5 million Jews lived outside of the land of Israel in the 1st century AD. About four fifths of them lived within the Roman Empire. The largest and most influential Jewish population outside of Israel lived in Alexandria Egypt, which made up about 40% of the population of that city. Predictions of Jesus 1. At His Triumphal Entry, as well as during the Passion Week, Jesus again predicted the fall of Jerusalem, and the subsequent scattering of the Jewish nation (Matt. 23:37-24:2; Luke 19:41-44; 21:20-24). 2. These predictions of Jesus were fulfilled in great detail by the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70 & also the Bar Kokhba Revolt of AD 132-135. Josephus: Primary Source Our primary source for the Jewish Wars comes from the Jewish historian Josephus. Josephus was originally appointed by the Jewish rebels to lead a force and fortify the region of Galilee. When the Romans arrived in AD 67, Josephus was fortifying the Galilean town of Jotapata. Josephus and some of his colleges were surrounded, and decided to conduct a murder suicide similar to what occurred at Masada. However, when the time came for Josephus to kill himself, he could not do it. Josephus Josephus: Primary Source Led in chains to Vespasian, Josephus assumed the role of a prophet and foretold that Vespasian would soon be emperor. This prediction gained credibility when Nero committed suicide in AD 68, and Vespasian’s men hailed him as Emperor. This strange stratagem saved Josephus’ life, and elevated him in the court of Vespasian. After the Jewish Wars, Josephus was commissioned to write the official account of the wars on behalf of Rome. He completed this task somewhere around AD 79. Josephus Road to Jewish Revolts 1. It is hard to overestimate the impact of the Jewish Revolts upon the first and second centuries AD. These revolts have been labeled by some historians, as the most costly and difficult revolts Rome ever had to put down. 2. Most Historians see a mixture of reasons behind the Jewish Revolts. a. Jewish Religious Zeal & Anticipation for Messiah b. Ineffectual Roman Rule vacillating between harshness & leniency c. We also note the ultimate authority: the prophecies of Jesus! Flight to Pella The Roman official Cestus Gallus first surrounded Jerusalem in AD 66, soon after the revolt began. Yet when he temporarily and unexpectedly lifted the siege, the Christian Jews took the opportunity to flee the city of Jerusalem and went to the city of Pella. Josephus & Eusebius describe this occurrence as a response to the words of Jesus in Luke 21:20-24. Many of the Jews in the city of Jerusalem believed that the Roman response would be meager so they stayed. Yet the city was surrounded again by Titus in AD 70, and the city fell just as Jesus had prophesied, but not a single Christian who obeyed the words of Jesus died. Siege of Jerusalem When the Roman General, Titus, arrived at Jerusalem, he immediately set about preparing for a typical Roman style siege, thereby fulfilling the words of Jesus, “your enemies shall cast a trench about you, and compass you round, and keep you in on every side…” (Luke 19:43) & “when you see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh” (Luke 21:20). Titus arrived at Jerusalem during the Passover, thereby trapping nearly 2 million Jews inside the city, leading to a quick depletion of the city’s food stores. Siege of Jerusalem Within only a few months of siege, Josephus estimates that 600,000 Jews died of starvation in Jerusalem. The horrific account of this siege perfectly matches the predictions found in Deuteronomy 28:47-57. Those who tried to escape the city were captured and crucified within eyesight of the city walls. Titus started a fire to burn down the fortifications leading up to the Temple Mount, yet the fire became uncontrollable, eventually burning down the temple itself. Titus then allowed his men to disassemble the temple stone by stone in order to get at the precious metals, which had melted and ran down into the cracks. This act graphically fulfilled the words of Jesus in Matt. 24:1-2, and is on graphic display in Jerusalem to this day. Results of the Fall of Jerusalem Temple was destroyed and Jerusalem was looted, just as Jesus had predicted Matt. 24:1-2. The land of Israel was severely depopulated. Estimates go as high as 25% of the population were slaughtered, and countless others were enslaved. Some sources claim that this influx caused the price of a Jewish slave to drop below the price of a horse [Read Deut. 28:32, 62]. World Jewry as of 2010 Top Ten Countries with a Significant Jewish Population Country 1 Israel 2 United States Core Jewish % of 6,014,300 43.4% population total 5,425,000 39.2% 3 France 478,000 3.5% 4 Canada 380,000 2.7% 5 United Kingdom 290,000 2.1% 6 Russian Federation 190,000 1.4% 7 Argentina 181,500 1.3% 8 Germany 118,000 0.9% 9 Australia 112,500 0.8% 95,200 0.7% 10 Brazil Coincidence or Providence? Setting the Stage for Jewish Persecution Though the Diaspora began with the exiles under Assyria, Babylon, and Rome, it was further Propelled by… a. The rise of Antisemitism in the Byzantine Empire, which continued and added to policies first laid down by Rome… b. This set a pattern for later Jewish persecutions, expulsions, even genocide throughout the Middle Ages and on into the Modern era… Patterns of Persecution Read Exodus 1 1. Jewish Contributions Forgotten or Ignored… (v. 8) 2. Fear & Envy of Jewish Prosperity (v. 9) 3. Devise a plan to use a crisis, (or potential crisis), to confine the Jews, confiscate their property, & generally oppress them. 4. Employ that plan by forcing Jews into ghettos and/or labor camps (v. 11). 5. Enforce population control by suppression, relocation, and/or eradication (v. 15ff) Defining Antisemitism “Antisemitism” literally means “anti”- “Semite,” i.e. “against a descendant of Shem.” Yet the Jews are the most famous descendants of Shem, and the term is most specifically defined as, “hostility to or prejudice against Jews.” The term appears to have been first used in 1860 by an Austrian-Jewish writer as he described the racist ideas of Ernest Renan. Antisemitism has many root causes, as well as gross outward results. We will attempt to examine the roots of antisemitism, and lay a groundwork for tracing it through history, even up to the modern time. Source of Antisemitism I. Humanly Speaking Antisemitism has many Roots A. Cultural Reasons: Rooted in Uniqueness of Jewish Culture & Customs (cf. Esther 3:8) B. Theological Reasons: the belief that God has rejected the Jews never to reuse them, and the labeling of the Jews as “Christ-killers.” C. Political Reasons: Rooted in Envy and/or Fear of Jewish Prosperity, and thus a desire to exploit them; or the desire to use the Jews as political scapegoats (cf. Ex. 1:9-10) II. Spiritually Speaking Antisemitism is Satanic (Rev. 12) Satanic Antisemitism Read Revelation 12. This chapter is a fascinating apocalyptic summary of the spiritual side of human history. Recall how this chapter unfolds… A. v. 1-6 is the backstory based upon Genesis 3:15. B. v. 7-12 is the climactic war in heaven when Satan is cast out… C. v. 13-17 records Satan’s pursuit of the woman… Satanic Antisemitism The woman clothed with the sun, the moon at her feet, and the 12 stars on her head is best understood as a symbolic portrayal of the nation of Israel (Gen. 37:9-10). The Dragon is clearly identified for us in v. 9 as Satan himself. The Man-child born of the woman who is destined to rule the nations, is a clear reference to Christ (cf. Psalm 2). Verses 1-6 is a masterful condensing of the spiritual story of history where the Serpent, or Adversary (Hebrew = “Satan”), opposes the plan of God to bring Christ into the world and thereby defeat the plan of God. Satanic Antisemitism When the Serpent fails to eradicate the Messiah (v. 5), he then turns to persecute the woman (v. 6, 13-17). This symbolic portrayal of history gives us insight into the real source of antisemitism in the world, namely, the Satanic source… The early persecution of the Jewish nation was intended to stop the coming of Messiah into the world the 1st time. The continued persecution of the Jewish nation is intended to stop the coming of Messiah into the world for the 2nd time… “To Devour Her Child” The major plot-line of the Bible can be traced from Genesis 3:15. On the one hand God miraculously establishes and preserves the Messianic line in order to bring the Messiah into the world. On the other hand, Satan works tirelessly to thwart God’s plans, and eradicate the Messianic line. Cain & Able (Gen. 4; 1 John 3:12) The Corruption of Humanity, which led to the flood (Gen. 6). The Satanic Destruction of Israeli boys under Pharaoh (Ex. 1). The Populating of Canaan with Giants (Gen. 15:18-21). The Slaughter of the Davidic Line by Jehoram, Arabians, and then Athaliah (2 Chron. 21-22). Haman’s plot to kill the Jews (Esther 3). Herod’s Slaughter of the babies (Matt. 2). The Temptation of Christ to thwart the plan of God (Matt. 4). Jesus nearly murdered at Nazareth (Luke 4), with many attempts later. The Cross (John 13:27). Jewish History throughout the Dark Ages and into Modern History. Satanic Antisemitism God has a number of promises that He made to Israel that are yet to be fulfilled. The role of the nation of Israel to be God’s means of revealing Himself to the world also means that they are a target for the wicked one. One way Satan opposes the plans and purposes of God is to oppose the people of God in those plans and purposes. Israel has been, and will continue to be a target of Satanic attack as he opposes the Almighty God.