Sermon Tone Analysis

Why the Holocaust?

The Wickedness of Man

The Holocaust is usually seen as one of the greatest evils that has ever been perpetrated on Earth.

Specifically the genocide of over 6 million Jews 1.5 million of whom were children.

And yet we live in a day and an age where many people want to deny that it ever occurred, or deny that it was really that bad.

Most of those who seek to deny the holocaust with one breath are calling for another genocide with the next breath.

Part of the reason that the Holocaust is seen as so evil is because of how deliberate it was.

The death of 80 million Chinese due to starvation is not seen as bad because it was the accidental result of Socialistic Communism.

The same can be said about the 20 million Russians who died from starvation due to the failed utopian ideals of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

But the Holocaust is abominable to us because it was the deliberate extermination of human beings, because they were classified as less than persons because of their race, because they were Jewish, because they were not considered as evolved as the Aryan Race.

The Depravity of HaSatan

But is it enough to say that the Holocaust was simply the result of the wickedness of Man?

Or were there more diabolical influencers involved?

It is sometimes mistakenly stated that Hitler was a Christian.

This could not be further from the truth.

Hitler despised the Jewish people, and therefore demanded that the Reich Church eliminate the Hebrew Scriptures.

He then demanded that every reference to the Jewish people in the New Testament be removed, and finally he replaced the Bible entirely with his own book Mein Kampf.

Hitler was not interested in bowing his knee to a Jewish Messiah, Yeshua.

No. On the contrary, Hitler declared himself to be Lord and saviour of Germany.

But in the process of making god in his own image, there is no doubt that the Adversary, Satan was involved and influencing and even directing Hitler’s actions.

The Justice of Adonai???

This is one of the most difficult questions to ask.

Why did Adonai allow the Holocaust?

It is certain that the Adonai did not gas millions of people in the death camps.

It is certain that the Devil inspired and motivated Hitler and the Nazis.

But the big question that may Jewish people still ask, is, “Why did Adonai allow the Holocaust to happen?”

It is around this question that I want to focus today.

The Blessings and the Curses

When we read through the Torah, we can not help but realise that Adonai takes obedience to the covenant very seriously.

When the Covenant of Moses was first given at Mount Horeb (Sinai), we see in Leviticus 26 that Adonai promises blessings for faithfulness and curses for unfaithfulness.

There are 10 verses that speak of great and wonderful things that will come upon the nation of Israel if they follow Him and keep His mitzvot.

There are 25 verses that speak of the horrible punishments that will come upon the people of Israel when they ignore Adonai, and reject His Covenant.

About 40 years later, when the next generation is about to enter into the Promised Land, we see that Moses, under the direction of Adonai, repeats the blessings and the curses.

Now I am going to read this passage, first the blessings and then the curses.

As I do, I want you, not really to read along with me, but rather to listen to these words, and keep in the back of your mind the atrocity of the Holocaust.

Now I know this is difficult to hear, but Adonai is the same, yesterday, today and forever.

His hatred of sin and wickedness is just as real and potent, as it was for the Children of Israel on the other side of the Jordan.

And we, as a nation, should be under no illusion to think that Adonai will let us off the hook.

But the passage does not end there.

The judgement and justice of Adonai is followed by a promise of mercy.

The Promise of Forgiveness

I have just read to you all the dire results, or consequences, of sin, and if I stopped there, we would not see the good news.

Immediately after this passage we read this, Deut.

30:1-6

Now this promise of returning the exiles to the land of Israel, was shown to the prophet Ezekiel even after Jerusalem had fallen to Babylon.

We will read in Eze.

37:1-14

Prophesy Fulfilled

This prophesy has been fulfilled!

During the years after WWII ended, thousands of Jewish people poured into what was then called Palestine.

The British desperately attempted to turn back the tide of Jewish refugees, but they could not, and they found themselves fighting against the Word of God.

Eventually, after 3 years, Israel was re-established as the national homeland of the Jewish people.

Adonai had kept His word.

But is that all there is?

Of course not.

Just prior to the vision of the Dry Bones living, we see another promise.

Eze.

36:24-32

So the promise of Adonai is not only to bring Beni Yisrael back to the land, but then to cleanse their hearts with the water of His Word, and then to give His Spirit and cause the Children of Israel to walk in His ways.

We are watching this promise being fulfilled.

We have seen the People of Israel called back to the Land of Israel.

And now, just as is our prayer and calling, we see the People of Israel returning to the God of Israel, through the Messiah of Israel, Yeshua of Natzeret.

And in that process, we are watching the Ruach Adonai being poured into the hearts of the People of Israel.

This is an ongoing work of Adonai.

What is the lesson?

Is the lesson of the Holocaust that the Nazis were monsters?

Is the lesson of the Holocaust that the Devil is a bad Devil?

Is the lesson that God is unfair, unavailable or cruel?

No.

The lesson is that any of us could fall and become just like the Nazis.

Any nation could exalt themselves above God and become the tool of HaSatan.

And as for Adonai being unfair, quite the contrary.

Adonai allowed exactly what He said would happen.

He warned the Children of Israel, again and again and again.

And just like the people of Israel, Adonai has warned this nation of Australia again and again.

But just as Adonai showed mercy and forgiveness to the people of Israel, and fulfilled His promise to bring them back to the land of Israel, so also Adonai gives Australia the same option to repent.

If we do repent, and return to God, then He will heal this nation.

If we do not repent, then the Lord of Heaven and Earth will measure out His justice upon this nation with the same severity that He measured it out on the Children of Israel.

I pray that we learn this lesson of the Holocaust.