OCTOBER 26, JohnN 1:9-11 

Not only did the Jews reject “the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world”, but they also killed the Son of God by demanding that He be crucified. They even went so far as to bring a curse on themselves!

And so it came to pass that in the next generation, the curse fell upon the diehard Jews. In 70 AD the Roman General, Titus, set the holy city Jerusalem on fire. Countless perished in the flames and by the sword! A large number of Jews were also sold into slavery or exiled to other countries.

As persecutions occurred during the reigns of different Roman emperors, the scattering of all Jews became complete. This is now known as the Diaspora. What happened to the land of Israel, the Promised Land that God had given to the Jews? The people had been judged and scattered to the four corners of the earth. Jerusalem was subjected to conquests by foreign powers. After the fall of the Roman Empire, it was ruled by the Arabs Crusaders, Ottoman Turks, and finally the British from 1918-1948.

It appears that wherever the Jews went they had a hard time. The curse they had brought down upon themselves and their children burst forth with hellish fury when Hitler, during World War 2, put six million Jews to death! They were tortured in concentration camps and/or gassed. It is scary to know that over a million of those who died were innocent children.

However, the physical terror the Jews suffered would pale in comparison to the sufferings in hell. For those who reject the loving grace of God through Jesus, an eternity of suffering awaits them. That is the most serious punishment anyone can ever have.

Are you saved? And if you are, do you not have loved ones or friends who are not saved? Pray for them. Ask the Lord to open the eyes of these loved ones so that perhaps, they can see the love of the Saviour, and not reject Jesus as the Jews did.

Thought: May my loved ones and I not reject Jesus!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to pray for those I know who are still outside of Your kingdom – my classmates, my family members, or other friends and relatives. I pray that in my small ways, I may show them a little of Jesus so that they can turn to the Saviour. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.