Lamplighter_MarApr15_Dispersion-Jews

There is the story of the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts 8. This
was a Black Jew from Africa who had come to Jerusalem to
worship. As he was traveling back home, he encountered a
Christian evangelist by the name of Philip who shared the Gospel
with him. The man accepted Jesus as his Savior, was baptized
and went on his way rejoicing — becoming the first African
convert to Christianity (Acts 8:26-40).
The Destruction by the Romans
In 63 BC, Judah became a protectorate of Rome, and in 6
AD, the kingdom was reorganized as a Roman province. 8
Roman rule proved to be harsh. The Jews were heavily
taxed, and their religion and culture were held in contempt. The
Jewish people were particularly outraged when the Romans took
over the appointment of the High Priest, resulting in the selection
of Roman collaborators. 9
“Ultimately, the combination of financial exploitation,
Rome’s unbridled contempt for Judaism, and the unabashed
favoritism that the Romans extended to Gentiles” brought about
a revolt in 66 AD. 10
The revolt led to a siege of Jerusalem by Roman troops in 70
AD. After a stand-off of almost six months, the Romans finally
breached the walls and then systematically destroyed the city and
its temple. In the process, they slaughtered tens of thousands of
its inhabitants.
But this great tragedy failed to quell the rebellious spirit of
the Jews. Fifty-two years later, they rose up in rebellion once
again in a well-organized guerilla campaign that lasted three
years (132 - 135 AD).
This revolt proved to be the last straw for the Romans. Hadrian,
the Roman Emperor, responded brutally. According to
Roman historian Cassius Dio (c. 150 - 235 AD), 580,000 Jews
were killed, and 50 fortified towns and 985 villages were razed
to the ground. 11 Those who were not killed were sold into
“The Flight of the Prisoners” by James Tissot (1836-1902).
slavery.
Additionally, Hadrian ordered Jews to be banned from Jerusalem,
except on the day of Tisha B’Av (the day of mourning
over the destruction of the first two temples). He changed the
name of Jerusalem to Aelia Capitolina (after his family name,
Aelius, and the Capitoline Triad of gods — Jupiter, Juno and
Minerva). 12 And he changed the name of the Jewish homeland
from Judah to Syria Palestina (Palestina being the Latin name for
the Jew’s ancient enemies, the Philistines). 13
Worldwide Dispersion
The ultimate result of the destruction of the kingdom of
Judah was the worldwide dispersion of the remaining Jewish
people. Yes, there were small pockets of Jews who remained in
their homeland, settling mainly in the Galilee and in the city of
Tiberias. But the vast majority were scattered to foreign nations
— all of which was in fulfillment of very specific warnings God
had supplied through His prophets over a thousand years before.
The Jewish historian, Josephus, writing near the end of the
First Century AD, stated: “There is no city, no tribe, whether
Greek or barbarian, in which Jewish law and Jewish customs
have not taken root.” 14
By the end of the Middle Ages (400 to 1400 AD), there were
four identifiable groups of Jews in the Diaspora:
1) The Ashkenazi Jews of Central and Eastern Europe. 15
2) The Sephardic Jews of the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal
and Spain). 16
3) The Mizrahi Jews of Persia. 17
4) The Anusim Jews which consisted of those who were
compelled to convert to either Christianity or Islam. 18
They were sometimes referred to as “Crypto-Jews.”
page 8 The Lamplighter March - April 2015