BIBLE PROPHECIES | THE PERSECUTION OF ISRAEL (3)

1. The persecution of Israel

a) Many people today are aware of the Holocaust in which Nazi persecution led to the deaths of 6 million Jews. But Jews have endured intense persecutions for centuries before that. During the first and second centuries of this era, the Romans killed as many as 1.8 million Jews. And, the ancient destruction of Israel by the Assyrians and Babylonians nearly destroyed the people and country of Israel.

b) Bible prophecies are listed below.

2. Bible Prophecies

a) Enemies would move into the land of Israel. 

Leviticus 26:32-33 New International Version (NIV) 

³² I myself will lay waste the land, so that your enemies who live there will be appalled. ³³ I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out my sword and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste, and your cities will lie in ruins.  

3. Written: As early as 1400 BC

a) In Leviticus 26:32-33, as well as in other prophecies of the Bible, we learn that the people of Israel would be persecuted in the nations to which they would be driven during their exile, and that the land of Israel would be in ruins.

b) Here, though, we also learn that enemies would reside in the land of Israel during and after the time of exile (Leviticus 26:32). 

c) This fulfillment of this prophecy began about 2500 years ago when Jews began returning from their Babylonian exile. 

d) As explained in the Bible's book of Nehemiah, the returning Jews were met with hostility from foreigners who were residing in and around Jerusalem. In the early chapters within the book of Nehemiah, the foreigners taunt the Jews as the Jews seek to rebuild Jerusalem, which had been destroyed earlier by the Babylonians. 

e) Nehemiah confronts the foreigners, telling them that the Jews will be successful in rebuilding their fallen city: 

i) I answered them by saying, "The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding, but as for you, you have no share in Jerusalem or any claim or historic right to it" (Nehemiah 2:20, NIV translation). 

f) Nehemiah organized an effort to rebuild the walls around Jerusalem and the project was completed in 52 days, as explained in Nehemiah 6:15-16. 

g) Whereas Leviticus 26:32-33 speaks of the punishment through exile and destruction, other verses within the 26th chapter of Leviticus speak of forgiveness and restoration. Nehemiah played an important role in the restoration of the land and people of Israel after the fall of the Babylonian Empire.