I just saw a video on You Tube of Steven Spielberg talking about making "Schindler's List.". He said that his grandmother taught English to Hungarian Holocaust survivors. At the age of 3, Spielberg learned his numbers by reading the numbers stamped on the arms of his grandmother's students. I had to really take this in for a moment. Since when is it right to treat human beings as though they are like merchandise or inventory that must be kept track of?
But this is exactly what happened to millions of Jewish folks, simply because they WERE Jewish. They were "marked" as being different or set apart, for reasons most unthinkable. This got me wondering whether all those numbers were recorded in a book someplace? Why? Were the powers that be saying "We must remember that you are to be destroyed?" But many were to survive and thrive, though they had been marked and sealed (so it was thought) for death. Those who survived, went somewhere to begin a new life. I'd imagine many of them sat in classrooms wanting to learn English. You know... what a stark contrast to a very different book. In Scripture, the Lamb's Book of Life records the names of all those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord & Savior. These individuals are forever "sealed" by his Holy Spirit, making them qualified to spend eternity with Him in paradise.
When he walked this earth, Jesus the Christ, or Yeshua, was a simple carpenter of Nazareth, born in Bethlehem. He descended from the family line of David and his genealogy records the names of four women. (Ruth, Esther, Tamar and Mary, his mother.). This is unusual because as a rule, Jewish genealogies did not include women. To me, this is hard evidence that God is a God of inclusion and acknowledgement, and life. Without these ladies, the Messiah of the world (to those who will acknowledge it) would not have come into existence. God thought this was important so he noted it. Anyway, Jesus is not willing that any should parish. Because he is all knowing and all seeing, He knew each name that had been ignored and replaced by a number in someone's book of death. The evil deeds of men would not win out, evidenced by those who made it through, and lived to tell about it, some of them, apparently teaching a little boy his numbers along the way.
Jesus's payment for our sins made it possible for all of our names to be recorded in the Book of Life (the Lamb, being Jesus himself).
I understand that for many, it is too difficult to believe that a young carpenter from Nazareth rose on the third day, and ascended to Heaven, his lenin wrappings neatly folded up. I wonder how many folks, following those monumental events, heard about them from afar, and sorta said, "Yeah, well, that's what they SAY... but I don't believe it. There are many today, who still claim that the entire Holocaust never took place. This must be both offensive and heartbreaking to anyone directly affected by it. They know it happened because they lived it (whether directly or through generations of their family). Their lives, their hearts...generations of their families changed forever. For them, this is more than adequate proof! For many, that proof, is also in the numbers stamped on their arms. How terrible that anyone has to deal with the insult of unbelief added to the appalling injury of the actual, unspeakable events.
Thomas was able to put his hand in the very place, where Jesus was pierced, and still he doubted the dreadful events of that dark night. But even today, anyone who knows that their sins have truly been forgiven will tell you: "It happened.". Anyone with a number stamped on their arm, knows that the events of the Holocaust are quite real. This "mark" will be with them for the rest of their lives... proof that their name was written down somewhere in someone's book, and that the end result was not intended to be a good one. However, the evil that was afoot did not completely have it's way, and many more women were able to have many more children... and the "fruits" of God's chosen people, continue on. (Amen!!!). As a student, I sat through history classes, never denying the Holocaust, because I saw the evidence...in a distant, that-will-never-happen-to-me, sorta way. But never have I lived it. Never have I lost anyone I love because of it. Never have I known what it's like to be ashamed of my heritage (as Steven Spielberg says he was as a child) because I was born into something that people, for whatever reason did not like. This is something I can only empathize with through the accounts of others.
But on a small level, I do understand what it means to be rejected because of my belief and acceptance of a Jewish carpenter named Jesus, who claimed to be the savior of the world. To many, in Jesus day, this was outright heresy. I've lost relationships and friendships. I've been, teased, mocked, ridiculed and even spat on because of my insistence that the events of Jesus's life are not made up. His Book, the Bible (a book of both life and death) is not made up. The Holocaust, and all of it's horrors, are not made up, but for anyone quite determined not to believe it, I don't know that even seeing an actual concentration camp would change their mind; just as traveling to Israel and walking where Jesus did might not convince someone that he is savior of the world. But for any Believer, whether they have read the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000, or they have known someone with numbers tattooed on their arm, though the experiences be quite different, the numbers don't lie.
(1st Chronicles 16:13).
(John 3:16-17).
To all those innocent lives lost, and all of those who mourn them... we will never forget.
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