The Indestructible People: Why History's Repeated Attempts to Eliminate the Jews Point to Biblical Truth

Hello, friends, and welcome back to Nations 4 Jesus. In our last episode, we talked about the story of Purim and how Haman's plot to exterminate the Jewish people in Persia was ultimately thwarted by God's providence.

But here's the question that should stop us in our tracks: Why have the Jewish people been targeted for elimination over and over again throughout history—more than any other people group on earth?

And here's the even more remarkable question: How have they survived?

Today, I want to take you on a journey through history that will do two things. First, it will show you the relentless, supernatural hatred that has pursued the Jewish people for millennia. Second, it will demonstrate why their survival is one of the most powerful evidences for the truth of the Bible.

Friends, what you're about to hear is not normal. This pattern doesn't happen to other ethnic groups. And when you see it laid out chronologically, you'll understand why even secular historians call Jewish survival "historically anomalous."

Let me start in the ancient world, before Christianity even existed.

In the 8th to 6th centuries BC, the Assyrian and Babylonian empires carried out mass deportations of Israelites and Judahites. In 586 BC, the Babylonians destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem. The goal wasn't just military conquest—it was to break the national and religious identity of the Jewish people.

Then in the 5th century BC, we have the story of Purim I discussed yesterday. Haman's decree in the Book of Esther reflects what historians now recognize as a realistic imperial genocide model. Even critical historians agree it mirrors known Persian administrative practices.

This is one of the earliest recorded genocide plots in history—and it's in the Bible.

Then came the Hellenistic and Roman world.

In the 2nd century BC, the Seleucid Empire under Antiochus IV outlawed the Torah, circumcision, and Sabbath observance. He desecrated the Temple. The intent was clear: erase Judaism from existence.

This sparked the Maccabean revolt, which we commemorate at Hanukkah.

Then came Rome. In 70 AD, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. In 135 AD, they crushed the Second Jewish Revolt, banned Jews from Jerusalem, and renamed Judea "Syria Palaestina" to erase any connection to the Jewish people.

Many historians consider this a partial genocide combined with cultural annihilation. The Roman goal was to dismantle Jewish national existence permanently.

But the Jews survived.

Now we move into early Christian and medieval Europe, from the 4th to 15th centuries.

Friends, I have to be honest here. This is a painful part of Christian history.

The Byzantine Empire periodically banned Jewish worship and forced baptisms. Western Europe saw repeated cycles of forced conversion, expulsion, and property seizure.

England expelled all Jews in 1290. France did it multiple times. Spain expelled them in 1492—the same year Columbus sailed to America. Portugal followed in 1497.

The goal was explicit: "No Jews or no Judaism."

Thousands of Jews were burned at the stake, murdered in pogroms, or forced to convert under threat of death. Those who refused were expelled, losing everything.

But the Jews survived.

In Islamic empires from the 7th to 19th centuries, the situation was uneven—often better than Europe, sometimes worse.

Jews were tolerated as dhimmi—second-class subjects—but faced periodic massacres, forced conversions, and mass expulsions. The Almohads in North Africa and Spain carried out brutal campaigns. Yemen had the "Orphan Decree," which forced conversion of Jewish children.

But the Jews survived.

In early modern Europe—16th to 18th centuries—Jews were confined to ghettos, accused of blood libel (the false charge that they murdered Christian children), and faced repeated expulsions from German city-states.

Eastern Europe saw wave after wave of pogroms—organized massacres.

There were hundreds of localized elimination events during this period.

But the Jews survived.

In the Russian Empire and Eastern Europe during the 19th and early 20th centuries, state-tolerated pogroms displaced millions of Jews. Legal restrictions were designed specifically to encourage emigration and suppress Jewish life.

But the Jews survived.

And then came the Holocaust—1941 to 1945.

Friends, this is unique in all of human history.

The Nazi regime had an explicit ideological goal: exterminate every Jew on earth. It was industrialized, bureaucratic, and total. Six million Jews were murdered—including 1.5 million children.

This is a fully documented, modern, systematic genocide of Jews.

And yet, the Jews survived.

After 1948, when Israel was reestablished as a nation, the Jewish populations in the Middle East and North Africa were systematically eliminated.

In Iraq, Egypt, Yemen, Syria, Libya, Algeria, and Morocco, Jewish communities that had existed for thousands of years were reduced from about 900,000 to nearly zero.

Through a mix of violence, confiscation, legal persecution, and expulsion, these ancient communities were eliminated.

But the Jews survived—and many returned to Israel.

Now let me give you the summary that should take your breath away.

Conservative scholarly estimates show:

• Empire or state-level elimination efforts: approximately 25
• Genocidal campaigns with clear intent to physically destroy Jews: 2 to 4, depending on definitions
• Documented expulsions, forced conversions, and annihilation laws: over 100
• Local or regional elimination incidents: over 1,000

Over one thousand documented attempts to eliminate the Jewish people.

Friends, this is unprecedented in human history.

Let me share three powerful truths that emerge from this historical pattern.

First, no other people group has experienced this level of sustained elimination attempts—and survived.

Think about it. The Assyrians who conquered Israel? Gone. The Babylonians who destroyed Jerusalem? Gone. The Persians who ruled under Haman? The empire is gone. The Greeks under Antiochus? Gone. The Romans who destroyed the Temple? Gone. The Spanish Empire that expelled the Jews? Gone. The Russian Empire that carried out pogroms? Gone. The Third Reich that built death camps? Gone.

Every empire that has tried to eliminate the Jewish people has itself been eliminated—but the Jews remain.

This is not normal. In the ancient world, when a people group was conquered, displaced, and had their temple destroyed, they disappeared. They assimilated. They ceased to exist as a distinct people.

The Hittites—gone. The Phoenicians—gone. The Philistines—gone. The Moabites, Edomites, Ammonites—all gone.

But the Jews? Still here. Still speaking Hebrew. Still practicing their faith. Still connected to their ancient homeland.

Secular historians call this "historically anomalous." That's academic language for "this doesn't make sense according to our normal understanding of history."

But it makes perfect sense when you understand the Bible.

Second, the survival of the Jewish people is direct evidence for the truth of Scripture.

God made specific, clear promises to the Jewish people:

Jeremiah 31:35-37 says, "Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the LORD of hosts is his name: 'If this fixed order departs from before me, declares the LORD, then shall the offspring of Israel cease from being a nation before me forever.' Thus says the LORD: 'If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, then I will cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the LORD.'"

God is saying: The Jewish people will exist as long as the sun, moon, and stars exist. 

Amos 9:14-15 says, "I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them."

God promised they would return to their land and never be uprooted again.

Friends, in 1948, after nearly 2,000 years of exile, the nation of Israel was reestablished. Jewish people from over 100 countries returned to the land. They revived a dead language—Hebrew hadn't been spoken as a common language for 2,000 years, and now it's the official language of a modern nation.

This has never happened in human history with any other people group.

The fact that the Jewish people still exist, that they've returned to their homeland, that they speak their ancient language—this is a miracle that points directly to the truth of God's Word.

Third, the pattern of elimination attempts reveals a spiritual reality: Satan hates the Jews because through them came the Messiah.

This isn't about politics or ethnic conflict. This is spiritual warfare.

Genesis 3:15 is the first promise of the Gospel—that through the seed of the woman would come One who would crush the serpent's head. Satan knew the Messiah would come through the Jewish people, so he has tried repeatedly throughout history to eliminate them before the Messiah could come.

He tried through Pharaoh in Egypt. He tried through Haman in Persia. He tried through Antiochus in Greece. He tried through Herod when Jesus was born.

And when Jesus came, died, and rose again—defeating Satan at the cross—Satan's hatred didn't end. It intensified.

Because the Jewish people still have a role to play in God's prophetic plan. Romans 11 makes clear that a day is coming when "all Israel will be saved." Satan wants to prevent that from happening. Jesus Himself discusses His return when He says, “For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’” Matthew 23;39…satan really does not want that to happen! He thinks that by the complete destruction of the Jewish people, he can stop the return of Jesus Christ. 

But he can't. Because God keeps His promises.

Now, let me bring this home with a challenge for every believer.

The survival of the Jewish people is not just interesting history. It's not just an academic curiosity. It's evidence that demands a response.

If God has supernaturally preserved the Jewish people through over 1,000 elimination attempts, what does that tell you about:

• The reliability of Scripture?
• God's faithfulness to His promises?
• The reality of spiritual warfare?
• Your responsibility to stand with God's covenant people?

When you see anti-Semitism rising today—and it is rising—you're not just seeing human prejudice. You're seeing the ancient Satanic hatred manifesting in another generation.

And you have a choice: Will you speak up? Will you stand with the Jewish people? Will you recognize that what's happening is not political, but spiritual?

Psalm 129:1-4 says, "'Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth'—let Israel now say—'Greatly have they afflicted me from my youth, yet they have not prevailed against me. The plowers plowed upon my back; they made long their furrows.' The LORD is righteous; he has cut the cords of the wicked."

They have not prevailed. And they never will.

Because the same God who promised to preserve the Jewish people is the same God who keeps all His promises. Including His promises to you.

If God can keep the Jewish people through Pharaoh, Haman, Antiochus, Rome, the Crusades, the Inquisition, the pogroms, the Holocaust, and modern attempts to eliminate them—can't He keep you through whatever you're facing?

If God can fulfill His promise to bring the Jewish people back to their land after 2,000 years—can't He fulfill His promises to you?

The survival of the Jewish people is a standing miracle that shouts from every generation: God is real. His Word is true. His promises are certain.

Let me pray…

Thank you for joining me today. The indestructible survival of the Jewish people reminds me that we serve a God who keeps His word, who cannot be defeated, and whose purposes will prevail.

Until next time, keep your eyes on the nations, stand with Israel, and remember—if God preserved them through 1,000 elimination attempts, He can preserve you through anything.

The Convergence Generation: Ten Bible Prophecy Signs of 2025

Hello, friends, and welcome back to Nations 4 Jesus. Today I want to talk about something that should have every Bible-believing Christian sitting up and paying attention—we are living in what some are calling the "convergence generation."

This is a term used by Jan Markell from Olive Tree Ministries, and as I look back at 2025, I see it everywhere. Prophetic events aren't just happening one at a time anymore. They're converging. They're accelerating. They're all coming together at once.

And that should tell us something.

Today I want to walk you through ten major Bible prophecy stories from 2025—stories that demonstrate we are closer to Christ's return than ever before. Some of these will encourage you. Some will challenge you. And some might even alarm you.

But all of them point to one reality: Jesus is coming soon.

Let's start with something definitely caught the attention of prophecy watchers worldwide.

First: President Trump announced a "Board of Peace" made up of ten international leaders.

Now, stay with me here. This board is designed to oversee governance, security, and reconstruction in Gaza and the broader Middle East peace framework.

Ten leaders. Not nine. Not twelve. Ten.

Does that number ring a bell? Daniel 7 talks about ten horns—ten kings who will give their authority to the Antichrist. Revelation 17 describes ten kings who will rule with the beast.

Now, am I saying Trump's board is the fulfillment of that prophecy? No. But what I am saying is this: we're watching the infrastructure being built. We're seeing global governance structures taking shape that align perfectly with end-times prophecy.

Friends, this is the kind of thing that should make us look up.

Second: Last days mockery and scoffing is front and center.

Second Peter 3:3-4 warned us: "In the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, 'Where is this coming he promised?'"

And in 2025, we saw it everywhere. Even within the church.

Some Christians predicted specific dates for the rapture. They sold their possessions. They waited. And when nothing happened, the mockers came out in force—calling everyone who believes in biblical prophecy "End-Times Eddie" or "Gloom and Doom June."

Friends, this weakened our witness. It gave ammunition to those who want to dismiss biblical eschatology as irrelevant.

But here's what Jesus said in Matthew 24:42: "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come."

We don't set dates. But we do watch. And we warn.

Third: There was much cheering for evil in 2025.

Second Timothy 3:13 says, "Evil people and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived."

We saw it play out. Hamas was cheered. Politicians who openly hate Israel were elected and celebrated - just look at New York City. A man who murdered a healthcare executive in cold blood became a hero to some. Christians are being killed in shocking numbers in places like Nigeria and barely nothing is said…even from the pulpits of most Christian churches. 

Isaiah 5:20 says, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil." Friends, that's where we are.

Fourth: The destruction of "people of the book"—Jews and Christians—accelerated.

Zechariah 12:3 says Jerusalem will be "a burdensome stone" to all nations. And in 2025, we saw it. Anti-Semitism exploded worldwide. Israel is surrounded by enemies on seven sides.

And at the same time, Christians are being persecuted and slaughtered more than any time in history. But here's the heartbreaking part—you're hard-pressed to find coverage in mainstream media.

Friends, we need to remember Hebrews 13:3: "Remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering."

Fifth: We are the "convergence generation."

This is the theme that ties everything together. We're on the cusp of digital currency—a cashless society where the Antichrist could control who buys and sells. Wars and rumors of wars fill our news feeds. Natural disasters are increasing. The Middle East is a powder keg. Society is declining. Love is growing cold.

It's all coming together. Converging. Accelerating.

Matthew 24:33 says, "When you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door."

Friends, we're seeing all these things.

Sixth: The rise of strong delusion.

Second Thessalonians 2:11 warns that God will send "a strong delusion, so that they will believe the lie."

In 2025, we saw intelligent people—people with platforms and influence—promoting delusional lies. Rejecting Israel. Embracing terror, Islam and pagan religions. Denying biblical truth.

When you see that kind of spiritual blindness, you know we're in the last days.

Seventh: Artificial intelligence advanced to the point where it can rule the world.

Friends, most Christians have no idea what's happening with AI. Along with Israel's rebirth, this may be the most stunning end-time development. It's the game-changer.

AI will be the Antichrist's primary tool. It can track, control, monitor, and manipulate at a scale never before possible in human history.

Revelation 13 talks about an image of the beast that can speak and cause people to worship. We now have the technology to make that happen.

Eighth: The Charlie Kirk assassination sparked a spiritual awakening.

In September, Charlie Kirk was murdered. It was meant for evil. But God used it for good.

Since that tragedy, younger people have been opening the Bible in record numbers, downloading Scripture apps, buying physical Bibles, and walking back into churches.

Romans 8:28 reminds us: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him."

Ninth: The rise of aberrant prophetic theology is staggering.

Dispensationalism is under attack. The message of a literal Antichrist, a literal Tribulation, a literal Millennial Kingdom, and a pre-Tribulation Rapture—all are being dismissed.

Instead, Preterism is rising—the belief that all prophecy was fulfilled in 70 AD. Kingdom Now theology says the church will make the world better and better until Christ returns.

Friends, that's not what Scripture teaches. And it's dangerous because it lulls people into complacency about Christ's return.

Tenth: The world is rushing toward globalism.

Violence and lawlessness are the order of the day. Israel has enemies on seven sides. All creation groans. Islam is gaining ground. Just this past week they began playing the Muslim call to prayer in New York City! 

And only a tiny remnant is looking up, keeping their eyes on the sky, watching for Christ's return.

Now let me bring this home with three lessons.

First: We must not grow weary of watching., but stand firm in our faith!

Jesus commanded us in Luke 21:36: "Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen.” Paul reminds us: “But we do not belong to hose who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.” (Hebrews 10:39)

Are you watching? Or have you grown complacent?

Second: Convergence is the key.

It's not just that these things are happening. It's that they're all happening at the same time. Wars, deception, persecution, technology, apostasy, Israel surrounded—all converging.

That's the sign. That's what Jesus meant when He said, "When you see all these things."

Third: We must sound the warning.

Jan Markell said it best: "It's better to sound the warnings and be mocked than have multitudes come to us and ask us, 'Why didn't you warn us of all of this and of all of the things to come?'"

Friends, we have a responsibility. We know what's coming. We know where this is headed. We cannot stay silent.

Are you warning people? Are you sharing the gospel? Are you preparing those around you for what's ahead?

Let me pray…

Thank you for joining me today. As I look at 2025, I see prophecy accelerating at a breathtaking pace. The convergence generation is here. All creation is groaning. And the signs are undeniable.

But friends, this should not fill us with fear. It should fill us with hope. Because when we see these things beginning to take place, we're to "stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near" (Luke 21:28).

Until next time, keep your eyes on the nations, keep watching for Christ's return, and remember—we may be the convergence generation. He is coming soon!

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Elam (Iran): The Forgotten Promise of Restoration

Hello, friends, and welcome back to Nations 4 Jesus. Today I’m starting a three-part series on a nation that most Christians have never thought about from a prophetic perspective—Iran. As you know, or as I hope you know, it is in the news right now as it seems to be undergoing a revolution! 

Now, when you hear "Iran" today, you probably think about the oppressive Islamic regime, nuclear threats, support for terrorism, and hostility toward Israel and America. And all of that is true.

But friends, there's another story about this ancient land—a biblical story that most people have never heard. A story of judgment, yes, but also a story of promise. A story that's still unfolding today.

Because hidden in the pages of Scripture is an explicit promise of restoration for the ancient people of Elam—the region we now know as Iran or Persia.

And today, we're going to unpack what the Bible says about Elam, why it matters, and what God has promised for this nation in the latter days.

Let me start with the most important passage—the one that should have every prophecy student paying attention to what's happening in Iran today.

Jeremiah 49:34-39 records God's judgment against Elam:

"I will break the bow of Elam, the mainstay of their might. I will bring against Elam the four winds from the four quarters of heaven; I will scatter them to the four winds, and there will not be a nation where Elam's exiles do not go... Yet I will restore the fortunes of Elam in days to come, declares the LORD."

Now, catch what's happening here. God pronounces judgment—military defeat, scattering among the nations, dispersion to the four winds. But then—and this is crucial—God makes a promise: "I will restore the fortunes of Elam in days to come."

Friends, this is the clearest restoration promise made directly to Elam. Not symbolic. Not spiritualized. God says, "I will restore."

And that promise is for the "latter days"—the end times.

Let me give you some context. Elam was located in what is now southwestern Iran. Its capital was Susa—the same city where Esther became queen and where Daniel had a vision. This was a real place with real people, and God made them a real promise.

But Elam isn't the only name Scripture uses for this region. It's also called Persia. And when you look at what the Bible says about Persia, a remarkable pattern emerges.

Persia plays a unique role in redemptive history.

Let me show you. In Isaiah 44:28 through 45:13, God does something extraordinary. He raises up a Persian king—Cyrus—and calls him by name…150 years before he's born.

God says: "Who says of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, "Let it be rebuilt," and of the temple, "Let its foundations be laid."' This is what the LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus... I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me."

Think about that. God calls a pagan Persian king "my shepherd" and "my anointed." He commissions Cyrus—who doesn't even know Him—to free Israel from Babylon, rebuild Jerusalem, and restore the temple.

Friends, Persia was used as God's instrument of redemption for His people.

And that's not the only time. In the book of Esther, it's the Persian king Xerxes who was tricked into sentencing the Jewish people to genocide but later, because of God’s hand and the courage of Esther, he reversed his decision and allowed them to protect themselves, which they did! Also, in Ezra and Nehemiah, it's Persian kings who continue to fund and authorize the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

Genesis 12:3 says, "I will bless those who bless you." Persia blessed Israel—and God used Persia for His purposes.

Now, let me show you something else remarkable. In Ezekiel 32:24-25, the prophet lists nations present in Sheol at the time of judgment. And Elam is mentioned.

What's the implication? Elam is not erased from history. It remains a distinct people in a prophetic vision. Even in judgment, God preserves their identity.

And then we get to the New Testament—and here's where it gets really exciting.

Acts 2:9 lists the people present at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit fell: "Parthians, Medes and Elamites... we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!"

Elamites. The people of ancient Elam were there at the birth of the Church. They heard the gospel in their own language. They were included in the New Covenant blessing.

Friends, this is spiritual restoration beginning.

Now, let me also mention Daniel 10. This is a fascinating passage where Daniel receives a vision, and an angel tells him, "The prince of the kingdom of Persia resisted me twenty-one days."

What does this tell us? That Persia is part of the spiritual battlefield. There are demonic powers assigned to nations—and Persia is no exception. But God ultimately prevails over these powers.

So let me summarize what Scripture teaches about Elam and Persia:

First: Elam receives judgment—but also an explicit promise of restoration.

This is unique. Not every one of Israel's neighbors receives this. Egypt does. Assyria does. But most don't.

Jeremiah 49:39 is crystal clear: "I will restore the fortunes of Elam in days to come."

That's a promise. And God keeps His promises.

Second: Persia plays a redemptive role in God's plan.

God raised up Cyrus as His instrument to free Israel. Persia funded the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple. Persian kings protected the Jewish people.

Persia participated in the Abrahamic blessing cycle—"I will bless those who bless you."

And friends, that pattern continues spiritually today.

Third: Elam is present at Pentecost—indicating spiritual restoration has begun.

Acts 2 shows us that Elamites were there when the Church was born. They heard the gospel. They received the Holy Spirit.

The restoration of Elam isn't just physical or political—it's spiritual. And today, the underground church in Iran is growing faster than any other area in the Middle East. I will speak more to that in the next two episodes. 

Now let me give you three key takeaways from this.

First: God's promises are irrevocable—even to nations under judgment.

Elam was judged. Scattered. Defeated in the past and it is undergoing great turmoil as I speak. But God said, "I will restore." And when God makes a promise, He keeps it.

Romans 11:29 says, "God's gifts and his call are irrevocable."

That applies to Israel. And it applies to Iran today.

Second: Persia is not cursed forever.

When you look at modern Iran—the oppression, the hatred of Israel, the Islamic extremism—it's easy to think God has abandoned this nation.

But Scripture says otherwise. And the growing underground church says otherwise. Persia has a unique place in redemptive history. And God's promise of restoration still stands.

Third: We should be watching Iran with prophetic expectation.

If God promised to restore Elam in the latter days, and if we believe we're living in the latter days, then we should be paying attention to what's happening in Iran.

And friends, something remarkable is happening. The Church in Iran is exploding. Despite brutal persecution, despite executions, despite imprisonment—more Iranians are coming to Christ than at any time in history.

We'll talk more about that in part three of this series. But for now, understand this: God is keeping His promise. The restoration of Elam is happening before our eyes.

Let me pray 

Thank you for joining me today. I hope this has opened your eyes to a biblical promise most Christians have never heard about. Elam—ancient Persia, modern Iran—is not forgotten by God. He has a plan. He made a promise. And He's faithful to fulfill it.

In our next episode, we'll explore how Zoroastrianism prepared the Persian heart for the Messiah, who the Magi really were, and how the early Church Fathers viewed Persia.

Until next time, keep your eyes on the nations, remember that God keeps His promises, and watch what He's doing in Iran—because Elam's restoration is underway.

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