For nearly twenty years I have marveled at the tiny country, Israel. My fascinations began one day when I responded to a service call in Portland, Oregon and met an 80+ year old Jewish woman who was a survivor of Auschwitz. Her home was filled with photographs, books and all sorts of historical documentation that well represented the horror perpetrated against her people.

I knew of the Holocaust from my high school years but had never really met a survivor.
I grew up with Italians and other Black kids in Rochester, NY and had never really known any Jewish folk so I was sort of oblivious to the actual terror that this woman endured.
I suppose she detected my nonchalant attitude and rather indifference to her home or museum as it more resembled after all, my ancestors were slaves; what could possibly be worse then that? What happened next changed me. I too, know that slavery was not perpetrated on just Africans nor do we (Blacks) own that degradation alone!

I wish, out of simple respect that I could remember her name. Nevertheless, she asked if I had time to watch a short film after I completed my work. I soon found myself watching this frail, determined lady put an 8 millimeter film onto a rather rickety old projector.
Once everything was in place she turned to me and said, "What you are about to see is awful, are you sure you want to watch it?" I said, "Yes." She turned on the projector, aimed it at a particular wall in her home and the images of a group of women and children of various ages (all girls) appeared. They were walking into a huge pit dug into the earth. Their were probably 150, possibly as many as 300 naked, cold and frightened females being marched into this pit which was more like a football field that was dug out of the ground. As the camera panned over these people it was obvious that they were standing in what appeared to be water. The smallest children were just about submerged, some were being carried, and all were naked. After a few minutes and with the camera angle now some distance from the pit (I do not know what happened between the time that the camera was repositioned), the entire pit erupted in fire! This beautiful little Jewish woman turned to me and said, "That was not water!"
Even now as I write this, the memory of that 8 millimeter film is as vivid to me as are these keys on this key board. I was shocked, speechless and changed.

I have been studying the Jewish people ever since that day and have found Israel, her people and her history to be (for me anyway), miraculous! For centuries kings, rulers, countries and a host of characters have tried to "Wipe Israel off the Map"

The Bible records a host of atrocities committed against the Jew, various punishments, sufferings, prophecies (that came to pass) and slavery throughout their history and yet they survive. Yes, the Jewish nation, like all of us has failed to be perfect. The bible records many punishments due to a rebellious people who committed awful acts as well. This is not my purpose nor am I attempting to point them out. I am simply addressing why this people has yet to be, Wiped off the Map" or at least one possibility! Other Historical references and documentation exists about Israel and Judea. In fact, several Muslim Caliphs and historians acknowledge much about what is Israel. The Talmud, the Bible and certain Roman manuscripts are my reference points. (I will admit my Christian bias.)
The historical facts which are consistently found throughout Israel as well as the surrounding countries bare witness to her long and difficult presence in the Middle East.

The Amalekites from ancient times were not successful, the Philistines, Persians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Romans, Crusaders, Turks or Germany could not wipe this nation, this people out of our history books or indeed, off the map! Nebuchadnezzar, Ptolemy, Antiochus IV,
Pharaoh (Possibly Ahmenhotep II), General Pompey, King Herod, Titus, Emperor Constantine, Emperor Heraculis, Caliph Omar and eventually, Hitler all have attempted to destroy the Jewish people....it's truly amazing! This is just a snippet of recorded history concerning those who have attempted to destroy the Jew! Between Israel and Iraq or (Mesopotamia), the two countries are rich with recorded history. Toss in Egypt and the histories unfold like scrolls being unfurled to anyone who cares to research these facts.

Well, when the League of Nations (United Nations, today) returned this people back to a portion of the "promised land" (which was prophesied repeatedly in both the Old and the New Testament), created Transjordan or Jordan as it is now called, the whole cycle of violence started anew. Similar to the days of Moses when he led the Jewish nation out of 400 years of Egyptian bondage or slavery, it's as if the Jewish people have come full circle and are now fighting the same enemy as was the case three centuries ago. Aaron led them into the promised land(s) and the wars began. Note: Israel won all of them and conquered the land. It was promised to them so, naturally their God did not allow them to be defeated. Actually they simply returned to the land promised Abram or Abraham. In 1948 this was done again after the Roman Emperor, Titus scattered the Jews after squashing a Jewish up rising in 70 AD. The Jewish people are finally home after 2000 years of displacement. Titus even renamed the land calling it Philistia, his attempt to, “Wipe Israel off The Map.”

The on going war that has raged for centuries between the Arab and the Jew and eventually the Muslim and Christian has historical beginnings as well. I would recall the story of Abraham and Sarah with regard to Hagar and the two boys born of this sort of infidelity, the consequence rages on. Perhaps the story of Ishmael and Isaac is relevant. I think this to be the case even today, check it out! Incidentally, I support Israel's right to exist far beyond the wisdom of man. However one measures that wisdom truth be told, we continue to kill one another. Love does not seem to be our answer!

I saw the horror of Hitler and a snap shot of the Holocaust one day many years ago courtesy of a little old woman who does not know that I have studied far more about her people then what she shared. I owe this woman a debt of gratitude because she opened my heart and eyes to the inhumanity of the world and especially that which has been so horribly prominent to the Jew.

I am currently studying a DVD series titled, "The Feats of The Lord" by Mark Biltz. (www.elshaddaiministries.us) I strongly recommend Christians to become familiar with the "Hebraic Root System. Once again I am being changed! For years I have been Christian without knowing much about the Jewish faith, traditions or for that matter, Jewish Jesus! (Forgive me Lord) I am realizing that this history of the Jew is far more then just happenstance but, I digress.

According to the bible, what is happening in the world with the Jew is no surprise to the God of this people, my God. Being a believer, I could, possibly feel sorry for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
If what happened to all the others who have tried to "Wipe Israel off the Map" happens to this man perhaps we can relegate ourselves to the fact that this people is more important to the world then even the whole world comprehends. I suspect that the current government of Iran is on a collision course with unimaginable disaster.

Without quoting Scriptures let’s look at a couple of facts:
In 1948, Jewish people from all over the four corners of the world began returning to the land of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They fought a war in 1949 and won. In 1967 Israel was challenged once again to six days of war (an amazing feat, by the way) and in 1973 the Yom Kippur war. Israel and the Jew are still standing, flourishing in fact.
From Nasser, Assad, King Hussein of Jordan, Arafat, Saddam Hussein, Osama Bin Laden, none have accomplished what so many have attempted. Modern Israel is magnificent even in her failures!

Acknowledging these historical attempts how is it possible that Israel continues to exist at all? Considering the fact that Israel is the size of a Q-tip in comparison to the whole of the Middle East how can she be a technology giant, an agricultural miracle and possess the most powerful military in the region?
How can this tiny nation withstand constant assault from every direction, throughout history and be at the center of all of the hatred of her neighbors. Well, one particular answer for me is based on the fact that my bible says, these people are the apple of God's eye and that he will fulfill a promise made to Abraham, period! Nothing so far seems to have altered that promise and the Jew has not been, "Wiped off the Map!"

It may be advisable for those that would wage war against Israel to question whether or not they are fighting a God, my God. Everything that I have studied since the day I saw several naked woman and little girls burned to death, while being forced to stand in gasoline says to me that their is Hell to pay for what has been done to the Jewish Nation! I am pretty sure that Arafat is sitting in Hell, on fire, possibly with a 72 year old virgin....eternally!

It's not odd to me that Hitler, having allowed people to be burned to death, gassed in ovens and tortured beyond description ordered someone to pour gasoline on his corpse and burn him! Adolph Hitler was a coward. Furthermore, he was wiped out of the future of Germany! Equally, a nuclear bomb is not a threat to the Jewish God. More often then not the tide was turned against the enemies of Israel and that which they sought to do was done unto them! In fact, the bible declares that our Heavenly Father knows exactly what will happen to those that marshal against his people!

I told my sons that Saddam Hussein would be humiliated before he was killed. I based this on the fact that his two sons were killed before he was. In the Old Testament, every time the King's sons were killed before him...he, the King was always humiliated. Saddam was found cowering in a hole, in the ground with a pistol. He had not the guts to shoot himself and NO ONE was with him to do his bidding!

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, along with our modern day characters who would come against Israel is just another man or men fighting the God of Abraham, I don't think they will win this battle. I think that with respect to biblical history, world history and the fact that Israel not unlike that little Ever Ready Rabbit, just goes on and on and on!