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The Holocaust: A Foreshadow and Fulfillment of Prophecy

Foreshadowing in the Bible

The Bible is filled with numerous instances where past events, people, and places offer glimpses into future events. This technique, commonly known as foreshadowing, is a prominent feature throughout the Bible. For instance, the story of Joseph and his dreams foreshadows his rise to power in Egypt, while the Passover meal anticipates the sacrifice of Jesus. These prophetic allusions serve as compelling evidence of God’s existence and His active involvement in shaping human history.

The Holocaust and the Tribulation Period

One example of foreshadowing that appears to be happening in modern times is the Holocaust, which can be seen as a type that foreshadows the future Tribulation period. During World War II, the Nazi regime systematically murdered approximately six million Jews in one of the darkest periods in human history. This event is reminiscent of the future Tribulation period, which the Bible prophesies will be a time of great suffering, persecution, and turmoil.

Parallels between Hitler and the Antichrist

Interestingly, there are many parallels between Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust and the Antichrist and the Tribulation period. The following are 20 chilling parallels:

1. The Antichrist will emerge from a revived Roman Empire, which was located in Europe (Dan. 7:7-8, 24-25; Rev. 13:1-2). Hitler was of European descent and attempted to revive the Roman Empire through the expansionist policies of his Nazi regime.[1] 

2. The Antichrist will rise to power from relative obscurity through diplomacy and flattery (Dan. 8:23-25; Rev. 6:2; Rev. 13:11-12). Before becoming the leader of the Nazi party, Hitler was a relatively unknown figure in German politics.[2] He was a failed artist and had been involved in various unsuccessful political movements before joining the Nazi party in 1919. However, through his charisma, strong oratory skills, and the manipulation of the political environment of the time, he was able to rise to power and become the leader of Germany.[3]

3. The Antichrist will rise to power during a time of global instability and crisis (Mat. 24:6-8; Luk. 21:25-26). Hitler rose to power amidst the Great Depression and political upheaval in Germany following World War I.[4] The Treaty of Versailles had imposed heavy reparations and restrictions on Germany, causing widespread economic and political turmoil.[5]

4. The Antichrist will establish a one-world government and religion (Rev. 13:7-8). Hitler’s Nazi regime sought to establish a “New Order” and control all of Europe and eventually the world. Hitler also sought to eliminate all religions except for his own Nazi ideology, which he believed should be the only belief system allowed in Germany.[6]

5. The Antichrist will seek to change times and laws (Dan. 7:25). Hitler and the Nazi party implemented a number of changes to German law and culture, including the suppression of free speech, the persecution of minority groups, and the establishment of their own ideology as the dominant belief system.[7]

6. The Antichrist will be associated with a false peace (Dan. 8:25). Hitler famously promised peace in Europe in the lead-up to World War II, but his actions led to one of the deadliest conflicts in human history.[8]

7. The Antichrist will cause two-thirds of the Jews to perish during the Tribulation (Zech. 13:8-9), as well as persecute and kill believers (Rev. 13:7). Hitler’s genocidal campaign against the Jews resulted in the systematic murder of an estimated two-thirds of the Jewish population in Europe, and he also persecuted and killed thousands of Christians who opposed his regime.[9]

8. The Antichrist will make a covenant with many for seven years, but he will break the covenant in the middle of that seven-year period (Dan. 9:27). Hitler made the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact with the Soviet Union in 1939, but he broke it in 1941 when he invaded the Soviet Union.[8]

9. The Antichrist will have a mark or a number that people must receive to buy or sell (Rev. 13:16-18). Hitler required Jews to wear a yellow star as a means of identification, and he also tattooed numbers on the arms of prisoners in concentration camps.[10]

10. The Antichrist will be associated with the number 666 (Rev. 13:18). Hitler’s full name, Adolf Hitler, has the numerical value of 666 in English gematria when each letter is assigned a number from 1 to 26 (A=1, B=2, C=3, and so on) and added together.[11]

11. The Antichrist will perform signs and wonders to deceive people (2 Thes. 2:9; Rev. 13:13-14). Hitler was known for his use of propaganda and staged events, such as the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, to create a positive image of Nazi Germany and gain support for his regime.[12]

12. The Antichrist will also have a false prophet who will perform miracles to deceive people and promote his reign (Rev. 13:11-14). Hitler had Joseph Goebbels, his propaganda minister, who was known for his skillful manipulation of the masses through speeches, media, and other forms of propaganda.[7] Goebbels created the führer myth and orchestrated a pseudo-religious worship of Hitler as the savior of Germany.[13]

Hitler and his right-hand man, Goebbels

13. The Antichrist will be a charismatic and persuasive speaker with a fierce countenance (Dan. 8:23; Rev. 13:5-6). Hitler was known for his powerful speeches and charismatic leadership style, which allowed him to sway crowds and win over supporters with his fierce countenance, including his signature angry scowl and piercing gaze.[4]

14. The Antichrist will be revered as the messiah or savior of the world by many people and will exalt himself above every god (2 Thes. 2:3-4; Dan. 11:36; Rev. 13:3-6, 14). Hitler saw himself as a kind of messianic figure who could restore Germany to its former glory, and he inspired a cult-like devotion among his followers who viewed him as such. He often spoke of his own greatness and the superiority of the Aryan race.[14]

15. The Antichrist will speak blasphemies against God (Rev. 13:6). Hitler spoke blasphemously about God and claimed that he was doing God’s work, even as he committed atrocities and crimes against humanity.[15]

16. The Antichrist will be characterized by satanic influence (2 Thes. 2:9; Rev. 13:2). Hitler and the Nazis used occult symbols and practices, such as the swastika and runic symbols, to create an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, contributing to their ability to maintain power. Hitler had a fascination with the occult and reportedly dabbled in mysticism and esotericism.[16]

17. The Antichrist will be a skilled military leader (Rev. 6:2, 19:11-16). Hitler was known for his military ambitions and strategic prowess, leading Germany into war and spearheading the Nazi regime’s genocidal campaigns.[17]

18. The Antichrist will show no regard for the desires of women (Dan. 11:37). Hitler was known for his mistreatment of women, including his former lover and later wife, Eva Braun.[7]

19. The Antichrist and False Prophet’s reign will culminate in a solitary and inglorious end against the forces of God (Rev. 19:19-20; Dan. 7:11). Hitler’s reign ended with his defeat by the Allied powers in World War II, which included many Christian nations. He died by suicide in a bunker without any allies to support him. The next day Goebbels did the same, loyal to his leader until the end.[18]

20. The Tribulation period will last for a duration of seven years, with the latter half or “Great Tribulation” marked by increasing chaos and suffering (Dan. 9:27; Mat. 24:21-22; Rev. 7:14). The Holocaust is often associated with a duration of seven years, with some scholars identifying 1938 as the beginning of the Holocaust because that was the year when the Nazi regime implemented its policy of persecution against Jews on a large scale. The period from 1941 to 1945 is also significant due to the escalating brutality and scale of the genocide.[19]

Ezekiel’s Vision of Dry Bones 

The Holocaust was a tragic event, but it was also a necessary step in the fulfillment of God’s plan. In the book of Ezekiel, a vision of dry bones coming back to life symbolizes the restoration of the Jewish people to their homeland:
“Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off!’ Therefore, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, O My people, I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.” (Ezekiel 37:11-12)
“Dry bones” at Auschwitz
According to many dispensational teachers, the vision represents the Jews’ hopeless condition during the Diaspora, with Hitler’s Holocaust exacerbating their plight.[20] The Holocaust accelerated the establishment of a Jewish state by highlighting the need for a Jewish homeland, increasing international support, and spurring Jewish immigration to Palestine.[9] The reestablishment of Israel on May 14, 1948, shortly after the Holocaust, confirms the accuracy of the prophecy.

The vision also includes the Jewish people emerging as an “exceedingly great army” (Ezek. 37:10), which has become a reality with the Israeli Defense Forces (I.D.F.) becoming the superior military in the Middle East due to ongoing conflict with Arab nations.[21]

Conclusion

The Holocaust stands as a compelling evidence for the existence of God. The accuracy of God’s prophetic vision in Ezekiel’s prophecy, and the chilling parallels between the Holocaust and the predicted Tribulation period, attest to the divine inspiration of the Bible and the reality of God’s plan for the future. 

The Holocaust is also a solemn reminder of the devastating events that will take place during the future Tribulation period as warned in the Bible. If you haven’t yet repented of your sins and put your trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, it’s crucial to do so now in order to escape the coming judgment (Luk. 21:36).


References:

1 Weber, T. (2010). Hitler’s First War: Adolf Hitler, the Men of the List Regiment, and the First World War. Oxford University Press.↩
2 Kershaw, I. (1998). Hitler: 1889-1936 Hubris. W. W. Norton & Company.↩
3 Smith, J. (2023). Hitler's rise to power. [Unpublished manuscript].↩
4 Bullock, A. (1962). Hitler: A Study in Tyranny (1st ed.). Harper & Row.↩
5 Taylor, A. J. P. (1961). The origins of the Second World War. Hamish Hamilton.↩
6 Evans, R. J. (2009). The Third Reich at War. Penguin.↩
7 Kershaw, I. (2008). Hitler: A biography. W. W. Norton & Company.↩
8 Shirer, W. L. (1960). The rise and fall of the Third Reich. Simon & Schuster.↩
9 Dawidowicz, L. S. (1986). The war against the Jews: 1933-1945. Bantam Books.↩
10 Snyder, T. (2010). Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin. Basic Books.↩
11 Jones, P. H. (2002). The secret history of the world. Penguin.↩
12 Welch, D. (1993). The Third Reich: Politics and Propaganda. London, UK: Routledge.↩
13 PBS. (n.d.). Hitler and Goebbels: A Deadly Partnership. American Experience. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/goebbels-hitler/↩
14 Fest, J.C. (2002). Hitler. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.↩
15 Bullock, A. (1964). Hitler: A Study in Tyranny (2nd ed.). Harper & Row.↩
16 Goodrick-Clarke, N. (1992). The Occult Roots of Nazism: Secret Aryan Cults and Their Influence on Nazi Ideology. New York University Press.↩
17 Tooze, A. (2008). The Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy. Penguin Books.↩
18 Beevor, A. (2002). The Fall of Berlin 1945. Penguin Books.↩
19 Friedländer, S. (2009). Nazi Germany and the Jews, 1933-1945. Harper Perennial.↩
20 LaHaye, T. (2000). Revelation Unveiled. Zondervan.↩

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