Oct 16, 2009

Will Safe Houses Be Needed Again?

James M. HutchensBy James M. Hutchens

This week an above the fold headlines of the Washington Times stated: “Israelis may stay home to avoid arrest.” The lead article went on to say,

“Israel is seriously considering restricting travel to Europe by its senior officials and military officers fearing they might be arrested in the wake of a disputed U.N. report [The Goldstone Report] that accuses the Jewish state of targeting civilians in its Gaza war earlier this year.”
This is but another example of the growing anti-Israel and anti-Zionist sentiment (that Dr. Martin Luther King, in 1967, correctly labeled anti-Semitism), which many see as rising to pre-WWII levels, especially in Europe, but also in the U.S.

As a matter of fact Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu is on record as saying “It is 1930 and Iran is Germany.” Others have noted the similarities of the anti-Semitism of the 1930’s, not only in Iran, but in Europe and even in the United States. This is particularly true with the world wide growth of Islam and its inherent antipathy toward both Jews and Christians. Speaking of the Mahdi, who is Islam’s coming Messiah, Ayatollah Ibrahim Amini has declared,
“The Mahdi will offer the religion of Islam to the Jews and Christians; if they accept it they will be spared. Otherwise they will be killed.” (Amini, Al-Iman Al-Mahdi).
Which begs the question, will safe houses be needed again? Some of our Jewish friends look realistically at what is occurring and ask, “Do we have any friends out there?” They see that Iran’s President continues on-going threats to wipe Israel off the map. They see Iran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons is on fast track. This is no idle threat. This man means what he says! Remember the sequence, first the Saturday people, the Jews, and then the Sunday people, the Christians. The Nazi concentration camps are a living testimony to this chilling truth.

Dachau, the first Nazi concentration camp, opened in 1933. In total, over 200,000 prisoners from more than 30 countries were housed in Dachau of whom two-thirds were political prisoners and nearly one-third were Jews. 25,613 prisoners are believed to have died in the camp and almost another 10,000 in its sub-camps. Dachau had a special “priest block.” Of the 2720 priests (among them 2579 Catholic) held in Dachau, 1034 did not survive the camp. The majority were Polish (1780), of whom 868 died in Dachau. First the Saturday people then the Sunday people. Should we expect anything different if authoritarian national socialism reigns?

Prior to WWII there were about 8,300,000 Jews in Europe. Six million perished in Nazi ovens. A little over a million were able to emigrate to various countries throughout the world, including what is now Israel. Over a million survived not only in Germany but in other European countries controlled by the Third Reich. How? Christians put their lives on the line to save fellow human beings by providing safe houses for those fleeing the Nazi death machine.

It’s hard to imagine anything like this could happen in the United States today. The Jews are such a vital part of what is America – they are woven into the very cultural fabric of our country. Likewise Christians, with 50 million evangelicals alone, are the spiritual spine of our republic. Yet, did not the Jews and Christians in Germany in the 1930’s think the coming atrocities to be inconceivable? Many waited until it was too late. Is it possible that the Holocaust was a preview of more horrific things to come?

Realizing the sobering possibilities that may face us, many Christians plan to or have already prepared safe-houses all across this country - to hide Jews and Christians - in case it comes to that. The goal then is to help Jews get to Israel, which will probably be the safest place for Jews in the future. We hope it never comes to this. We must pray fervently that it never does. We believe, however, we must prepare ahead of time. Many are getting ready and equipped to follow Corrie Ten Boom’s example and hide people (like Anne Frank and thousands more) in safe houses.

Are you willing to help? This low profile effort will obviously operate quietly and below the radar. No one person is in charge of it all or knows where all safe houses will be. If the LORD touches your heart to participate in a safe house network, send me a personal letter with your contact information. Someone will be in touch with you. Do not phone this info to us. Do not email. These are easily tracked. Write to me personally by letter.

In closing I want to remind you of these words from Jesus. Regarding the inevitable and unprecedented tribulation that all mankind will face at some time in the future, Jesus said,
“Stay awake and be watchful at all times, praying fervently that you may have strength to escape all that is about to happen and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36).
God bless you as we stand together.

Related Links

Turkey Jews fear TV show may boost anti-Semitism - Jerusalem Post
Israel’s growing isolation - Ynetnews
Friends No More? Why Turkey and Israel Have Fallen Out - TIME
UN endorsement of anti-Israel report on Gaza war buries peace process - DEBKAfile
Israel's reaction to the decision of the UN Human Rights Council - Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs