This article is a reflection on the following: The United Nations in 1948 voted for the establishment for the State of Israel because of the guilt many countries felt after the effects of the Holocaust became known, which had caused much suffering of the Jews throughout Europe.
Although the Nazis would have allowed Jewish immigration from Germany prior to 1939, many nations did not accept the refugees at that time. Many countries felt guilt about the subsequent great suffering felt by the Jews throughout Europe.
The Jews have suffered a history of Anti-Semitism wherever they settled. Some examples are:
Christians throughout the ages have unfortunately referred to them as Christ killers. Yes, the Jewish leaders did say that the blood of Jesus would be on their shoulders (Matthew chapter 27 verse 25), but Jesus forgave them for ‘they knew not what they did’, (Luke chapter 23 verse 34).
From the Middle Ages in Europe, Jews were forbidden to work in many trades as the Guilds (forerunners of Trade Unions) kept them out. As a result the Jews tended to live together and dress alike which created fear of them as ‘foreign’, and led to some vilification of them as a group.
One of the trades they were ‘allowed’ was clothes-making, and many fine tailors in London and Europe until recent years came from generations of Jewish tailors. Interestingly, they were ‘pushed’ into the financial industry because it was considered un-Christian to charge interest on money, so the Jews were encouraged into those areas. Their brightest young men were suited to business and finance, as the culture encouraged education and study.
However, because they were money-lenders (and Christians were forbidden from being money-lenders), Jews were often vilified once again – this time gaining a reputation for being greedy and ‘tight’ with money. From there, many branched out into the jewelry trades, particularly the large numbers that later migrated to South Africa to flee the persecution elsewhere in the world.
As the education systems in Europe became more open to wider participation, this fostering of education led many Jewish people into studying medicine, the Law and the sciences; and the migration and ‘saving’ of top-level scientists from Germany kick-started the American (and British) explosion in scientific and technological knowledge that was so obvious, and well-funded by the 1960s.
The most famous of these refugees was Albert Einstein, but there were dozens of others who later worked closely with scientists who came together from all over the world.
Dangers
As western European societies became more industrialised and the political systems became more democratic, all citizens gradually became freer to find accommodation and employment and education. Many Jewish people (and many migrant communities, and many other religious denominations and sects) just became assimilated into the society and ceased to be regarded (or to regard themselves) as ‘separate’, apart from the fact that they may have practised a minority religion (if they chose to maintain the traditions).
This happened all through western Europe, including – significantly because of what happened in the 1930s – in Austria and Germany. It is to be noted that Jewish people migrating to Australia in the 1700s and 1800s or coming as convicts were never isolated or treated separately, and this reflects their position in English society at the time. Our first Australian-born Governor General, and a Knight of the British Realm, Sir Isaac Isaacs, was Jewish.
Many Christians affirm another reason for Israel’s re-establishment. This is the conviction of Bible prophecy, such as Isaiah chapter 11 verses 11-12; which states that God would reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant of His people, and gather the exiles of Israel, from the four quarters of the earth.
No-one who takes the Bible at face value would see anything other than the hand of God in that political decision of 1948. It required gaining sufficient ‘yes’ votes on the floor of the United Nations, although the proposal was bitterly opposed by the Arab Islamic world.
In my view, there is a theological answer in that God had prepared the Nations for this very decision. To add weight to his conclusion, he looks at the Scriptures then turns his mind to history; and in doing so, he summarises all six articles in this series.
Both 2 Thessalonians 2 and Matthew 24 carry key components of End Times messages. What is important to note, is the mystery of it all.
The Apostle Paul does not give here the detailed version that he gave in person, - see verse 5 - “Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?”
But Paul provides in his Letter to the Thessalonians as much as the Lord allowed him to write in his letter on this matter. It is a mystery as to the additional things Paul taught them, and as such, exact chronological timelines of End Times are not provided.