Up to this point, I have used the history recorded in the Holy Scriptures as a basis of what I have written.  I am about to go into the time where the Bible is pretty much silent.  From the time the Jews went back into the Promised Land until the birth of Jesus, there is little or nothing recorded in the Bible.  Also, the only history we have after His birth is in the New Testament.  For those who have read the New Testament, I don’t have to tell you how much is in it.

And so it is that we must rely somewhat on secular history.  Even there, we must borrow a little from here and a little from there and patch it together.  Also we must remember where I left you at the end of my last post.  The Jews just returned to Israel.

If you have not read my previous posts, I would encourage you to do so at this time.  For those who don’t want to, let me give you a sketch of how things were after the Jews were allowed to return to Israel.  Some were already there.  They never left.  Some were in Egypt and other parts of northern Africa.  Some remained in Persia.  Nothing that I know of says as much, but my guess is that a third to half of those in captivity remained in Persia.

Even before they were allowed to return to Israel, some likely migrated north, east and a few northwest.  Regardless, many went north and into what we now know as Ukraine and Russia.  We know this because the tsar of Russia tormented them.

I have seen Fiddler on the Roof several times, including the stage version once.  After seeing the stage version, I did quite a bit of research and have found it historically accurate.  I also read the book on which the musical was based and I found it very eye-opening.

From the late 1800’s to about 1917, tsarist Russia caused the Jews quite a bit of torment.  Finally, just before he was overthrown, he forced many of the Jews out of the country.

As the movie implies, they went every which way.  Some went to Israel, though it was no longer called Israel.  Some went to the US, those who could.  Some went to Poland and others to Germany and France.  I hope I don’t have to explain what happened to most of those but I will.

About 6 million were killed by the Germans.  However, there is no telling how many were eventually killed by the Soviets.  Many estimate that was another 6 million.  That meant that there were far more than 12 million in the area.

The thing that bothered me about the musical The Fiddler on Roof was that the Russians effectively chased the Jews right into the jaws of Hitler.  Before I saw the Movie, I didn’t know that.  I would guess there are many others who were ignorant of it too.

As bad as it was, it was foretold.  It was part of the punishment pronounced by God because they refused to repent.  They continued to follow their idols and they gave the idols the credit for what God did.

However, God did promise that the seed of Abraham, through Isaac, would become many people.  I would suspect that there are many Jews in this world who do not know they are Jews.  After all, it was not healthy to be Jew.  Even in the US they were treated badly, even today.

Another promise God gave to Abraham was that He would bless those who blessed his people and He would curse those who cursed his people.  It was a dumb thing that Stalin, Linen and Hitler did.  It was a dumb thing that many people have done through the ages.  Egypt was a great nation, until they enslaved the Israelites.  Assyria and Babylonia fell to the Persians after they enslaved the Jews.  Hitler fell as quickly as he arose.  Moreover, I suspect that he suffered greatly the last year or so before he committed suicide.

Some say Hitler survived and escaped to some other country.  In a way, I hope he did.  The man was suffering insanity and agonizing headaches.  Either way, by now, he is paying the price for what he did, as are his cohorts.  When he started on the Jews, Hitler assured his downfall.

After the war, Germany was virtually nothing.  It was a divided country and they were completely dependent upon the allies for their subsistence and their sustenance.  Without the mercy of the allies, the vast majority of the Germans would have passed into obscurity.

Also, shortly after the war, the country of Israel was again reestablished.  That is nothing short of a miracle.  Moreover, every time some nation(s) attacked them, Israel was the overpowering victor.  Egypt lost the entire Sinai Peninsula.  Now that had to be embarrassing.

The reestablishment of the country of Israel was foretold, but this is not yet fully fulfilled.  Many events must happen first, but the rest can be completed in months, if not weeks.

One day, many years ago, my brother told me that we, our family were jewesh.  It only goes to show that people are more likely to believe the lie when they want it to be true.

First let me say that there is a remote possibility that he might have been right, though not likely.  My mother’s maiden name was Fine.  From what I understand, this is a Jewish name, though I really have no idea, one way or the other.

The point is this.  There are charlatans in the world that would have you believe all sorts of things and, for instance “The Lost Tribe of Dan.”  Also, some would have you believe that the royalty of England and other European countries are descendants of David, King of Israel.

Mostly, I doubt them, even at their simplest claims.  Also, if God wants me to know I am a Jew, he has several ways he can let me know without using vain self-indulgent people trying to make their fortune off my vanity.

Now.  Are there thousands of Jews who don’t know their heritage?  Yes.  Perhaps even millions.  However, many have intermarried to the point that we might be dealing in fractions.

More than that, there are two ways of identifying Jews, by religion and by birth.  Not all Jews were born Jews.  God has permitted people to adopt both the nationality and the faith.

Two women are specifically identified as doing so.  Rehab of Jericho was saved by her faith and Ruth married Boaz.  Interestingly, both were recorded in the ancestry of Jesus.

For those who have not seen The Fiddler on the Roof, I would suggest you watch it.  Maybe those who have seen it, you might want to look at it from the historical point of view.  Maybe then you just might gain a different look at the Jews.

Whichever, remember, the Jews are God’s chosen people.  They might or might not deserve it, but, by honoring them, you honor God.  When you honor God, it is to your benefit.

Jew or not, after all my research, I have grown to respect and even love them.  Indeed, Israel is the only place outside of the US that I would like to visit.  With my income, I don’t think that will happen.  Not unless some people start buying my books.

 

Speaking of my books, I have written over 35 of them.  Though a few of them contain some Christian overtones (or undertones, not sure which), one of the books is completely Christian based.  Friday, Mar 27, I will make it free on Amazon.com.  The book’s title is, “Going Home.”

 

You should be able to find the book as well as other on my author’s page:

http://www.amazon.com/author/story_teller

If the above doesn’t work, just sign onto Amazon.com and look for me, Ben Rhodes under authors.  You might also just look for the title but you might not have as much success.

 

The book is basically about an atheist woman who left her parents because her father insisted on her going to church.  Now she must go home.  If she were alone, maybe not.  However, she has three kids to feed.