Thursday, October 16, 2008

The Last Jews of Babylon

The community of Jews in Baghdad is now all but vanished, states a June 1, 2008 article at nytimes.com . Written by Stephen Farrell, the article describes how just over half a century ago, there were more than 130,000 Jews in Iraq. Today, their number is estimated by the Jewish Agency for Israel at seven, less than the number it takes to constitute a minyan, the 10 Jewish men required to perform some of the most important rituals of Judaism.

The article cites the reason for the dwindled numbers: the 1941 Farhud pogrom, World War II and the Holocaust, the anti-Zionism of Saddam Hussein and the post-2003 rise of Islamic militants. Christians, the article notes, have also fled Iraq by the thousands.

While the remaining Jews in Baghdad lament the loss of the Jewish community there, Jeremiah warned long ago to flee Babylon when the doors to the Holy Land of Israel opened once again to them: "In those days and at that time... the sons of Israel will... go along weeping as they go, and it will be the LORD their God they will seek. They will ask for the way to Zion, turning their faces in its direction; they will come that they may join themselves to the LORD in (the) everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten... Wander away from the midst of Babylon, and go forth from the land of the Chaldeans,... for behold, I am going to arouse and bring up against Babylon a horde of great nations from the land of the north,... and Chaldea will become plunder; all who plunder her will have enough..." (Jeremiah 50:4-10).

130,000 Jews heeded the warning of Jeremiah. 7 have chosen to remain.

Christians of Iraq: heed Jeremiah's warning as well -- "Flee from the midst of Babylon, and each of you save his life! Do not be destroyed in her punishment, for this is the LORD's time of vengeance; He is going to render recompense to her." (Jeremiah 51:6).

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2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Circumstances have arisen that make it much more likely that the U.S. may leave Iraq soon. The U.N. resolution that authorized the Iraqi invasion is set to expire at the end 2008? The Iraqi Parliment is putting conditions on the U.S. staying longer in Iraq. The financial crisis is straining the U.S.war commitment. Barack Obama and the Democrats are in power in the U.S. and want the U.S. out of Iraq. The length of this war has been tiring.

11:07 PM  
Blogger Jeff Ahrendt said...

If the U.S. pulls out of Iraq before the cities burn, then we can be assured this confict is NOT the fulfillment of the Jeremiah 50-51 judgment on Babylon.

On the other hand, if the cities burn before the coalition forces have left, and then the troops and reconstruction personnel abandon Iraq in an admission of failure to "heal" her, that is the literal fulfillment of the next two judgments declared upon Babylon in the prophecy -- burning and abandonment.

We shall see.

2:45 PM  

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