THE ENDURING RAGE

 When it comes to history, far too many are far to ignorant of a global, entrenched, irrational, fanatical, and demonic hatred: there's a soft name for this irrationality; antisemetism. That's a euphemism for "Jew hatred." Jew hatred is the most ancient of all hatreds; popes and princes, kings, queens, pharoahs, professors, students, universities and politicians have Jewish blood on their hands. National heroes have promoted the raging; "heroes" like Henry Ford have promoted it. 

Let's take a look back, way back, throughout history and see the specifics and results of this hatred. The picture isn't pretty and, most important, it's way, way worse than you think it is. To start our historical journey, let's go back to Spain in the fifteenth century, that century at whose close Columbus sailed the ocean blue. (This notation is not to suggest that he was a hater of the Jews; he wasn't but two famous people he knew were. He delayed sailing out of the harbor so he could save a few Jews.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BE A JEW IN SPAIN BACK THEN?

In 1391, a mob murdered 4,000 Jews in Seville. In the space of 90 days, 5,000 more had een murdered. Tens of thousands more were forced to convert to the Roman Catholic Church. Those horrific numbers didn't quench Spain's thirst for the blood of the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The people had come to believe that Jewish blood was so tainted that even a forced conversion couldn't eliminate the problem. Their solution: extermination. 

This triggered the infamous Spanish Inquition during which 32,000 were burned at the stake. Those who weren't were forced to wear clothes with yellow crosses. If they refused, they were branded and burned to death. Other punishments: Jews were banned from being lawyers, notaries, or doctors. They couldn't bear arms, thus rendering them defenseless. Gun control! Jews couldn't receive money, carve stone, own a tavern, ride a horse, travel by cart or carriage, wear gold, silver, or precious stones, silk, or grow a beard.

THE MAGNIFICENT IRONY

The king and queen of Spain were Ferdinand and Isabella. Under their rule an edict went out that all Jews were to be exiled from Spain. In July 1492, the exodus began. When Columbus left on his famous voyage in August, he could not use the port of Cadiz because of the large numbers of Jews waiting to board ships in the harbor. 

How was his trip in which he discovered the new world financed? Ferdinand and Isabella funded Columbus' voyage through a combination of royal treasury funds and contributions from the city of Palos.

And it was in the new world that a nation would be founded to support giving the Jews their homeland in 1948 and provide protection for them.

THE SPANISH ARMADA

And what happened to Spain? What happened to Spain was that they ran into Genesis 12:3b : ". . . those who curse you [the Jews], I [God] will curse."

And this brings us to the mighty Spanish Armada. "The Spanish Armada was a fleet sent by King Philip II of Spain in 1588 to invade England. The Armada faced numerous challenges, including poor weather ["the wind and the waves obey His voice"] and strategic miscalculations, leading to its defeat by the English navy. This defeat marked a significant turning point in history, as it established England's naval supremacy and was celebrated as a great victory for Protestant England over Catholic Spain."