Reflection Obadiah 20b (1 of 3)
“The exiles from Jerusalem who are in Sepharad will possess the towns of the Negev…” Obadiah 20b (NIV).
While clearing my bookcase I discovered an old, somewhat yellowed booklet. Some 125 pages, written by someone called Dell F. Sanchez, Ph.D., titled: “The Last Exodus” (*). A detailed description of the sad history of the Jewish people, chased and persecuted. On the back cover a photograph of the “Convento San Juan de los Reyes”, or: the convent of the (Catholic) kings in Toledo, Spain. It depicts one of the many outer walls showing ancient, iron chains that were used to hang Sephardic Jews during the Middle Ages.
The Last Exodus by Dell F. Sanchez Ph.D. book cover
How did these Jews end up in Spain? Already during the era of King Solomon, since 970 B.C.? 1 Kings 10:22 and 2 Chronicles 9:21 mention that “… The king had a fleet of trading ships [Hebrew of ships that could go to Tarshish] at sea along with the ships of Hiram. Once every three years it returned, carrying gold, silver and ivory, and apes and baboons…”. What is this Tarshish? Did this Asia Minor port equip merchant fleets for trading with Spain? Is Sepharad an early name for Spain? Has a large Jewish population developed there? In such a way that Paul later wanted to bring the Gospel to that Jewish population of Spain as well? Romans 15:24 and 28.
“What is this Tarshish? Is Sepharad an early name for Spain?”
How did this Jewish community in Spain/Sepharad get on over the centuries? These Sephardic Jews? Under the rule of Rome when Christendom became the official religion of the Roman empire at a later stage? And in the 4th till the 7th century, when the Councils took one anti-Jewish decision after the other? And thereafter under the “Moors”, the Islamic rulers of the 8th century and subsequently when the pendulum of history was moving back and forth between Islam and Christianity? And finally when the Roman Catholic Inquisition was allowed a free hand in Spain and Portugal, until the voyages of Columbus to South, Middle and North America in the 15th century?
“Many Jews adopted new surnames to obfuscate their Jewish origin”
Many Jews were forced to convert to Christianity and were called Marranos, pigs, because they were forced to eat pork to prove their “conversion”. Many adopted new surnames to obfuscate their Jewish origin. Ultimately many left Europe’s mainland to settle in the Americas to go from bad to worse when the inquisition was allowed to exercise its power there as well.
Are we living in the era that the Most High is showing them where their real roots are, namely in their Jewishness? And does that mean that the final exodus is set in motion and the fulfilment of Obadiah 20? The Jews of Sepharad who return to the Promised Land of Israel? Who will inhabit the South of Israel and the Negev desert? Be that as it may: God’s Word will endure eternally and will not budge an inch!
(*)
“The Last Exodus” by Dell F. Sanchez Ph.D.
Publisher : Jubilee Alive Books; First Edition (January 1, 1998)
Language : English
Paperback : 126 pages
ISBN-10 : 0966244710
ISBN-13 : 978-0966244717
Dell F. Sanchez, Ph.D., is the founding president of Aliyah Sephardic Center, where he oversees research and education related to Latino Sephardic Jews. Sanchez has published nine books—four in English, four in Spanish, and one in German—and produced over 100 instructional videos focusing on the history and destiny of the Sephardic Anusim.
If you would like to know more about Dell F. Sanchez and the Aliyah Sephardic Center have a look at the following video.
