APPLY YOURSELF TO THE FIELD MINISTRY: January 15-21, 2024, Explain your beliefs, Speech: What happened to Jehovah's Witnesses during the Holocaust?, Lesson 18, Assignment Prepared.

Explain your beliefs (5 mins.) Speech. ijwfq 57 paras. 5-15. Title: What happened to Jehovah's Witnesses during the Holocaust? (th lesson 18).

Who of you has not heard of the Holocaust, the Holocaust is the persecution and systematic murder of approximately 6 million European Jews organized and sponsored by a German regime and its collaborators.

The Holocaust was a gradual process that took place throughout Europe from 1933 to 1945, well that is what many have in mind or what the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum defines.

But what many overlook is that within this persecution, Professor Robert Gerwarth has pointed out that Jehovah's Witnesses were the only group persecuted exclusively for their religious beliefs in the Third Reich.

Perhaps you are asking because the only religious group, the reason is that unlike other religious groups, when those in Germany sought to subdue the Jehovah's Witnesses with their ideologies and beliefs, they encountered unwavering resistance based on loyalty to their biblical teachings such as described in Acts chapter 5, verse 29, which I invite you to read...

LET'S READ ACTS 5:29

Peter and the other apostles responded: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.

Now we are going to explore two fundamental aspects that highlight its distinctive position. Firstly, neutrality to political affairs, well this was a cornerstone for their resistance, just like the Jehovah's Witnesses of today, those who lived under that regime remained firm in their decision not to participate in political affairs. politicians, following what Jesus said: "My kingdom is not part of this world" as mentioned in John 18:36.

They refused to serve the army, participate in war activities or support policies, it should be noted that as Jehovah's Witnesses and our conscience educated by the Bible prevented us from participating in these activities, taking into account these Biblical principles such as Isaiah chapter 2 verse 4 and another principle recorded in Matthew chapter 26 verse 52. Which I invite you to read.

LET'S READ ISAIAH 2:4.

He will be judge among the nations and will resolve matters regarding many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations will no longer raise swords against one another nor learn to wage war anymore.

AND NOW WE WILL READ MATTHEW 26:52.

Jesus then said to him: “Put away your sword, for all who use the sword will die by the sword.

Secondly, despite the prohibitions imposed, the Jehovah's Witnesses persisted in their practices of congregating to worship and worship God and not abandoning the Biblical mandate of not abandoning the Congregation Meetings, as mentioned in Hebrews 10: 24 and 25.

Despite the persecution, they also continued to spread the message of the Bible and distribute publications, fulfilling Jesus' commission to go and make disciples. Their compassion was also manifested for example by Showing kindness to their neighbors Including the Jews thus demonstrating love for their neighbors according to the teachings of Jesus even for example when faced with the decision to renounce their beliefs to save their lives they clung to their faith and refused to sign documents that would betray their convictions.

Regardless of the dark shadow of the Holocaust, Jehovah's Witnesses of this time maintained their unwavering faith and integrity, serving as a lasting example of the strength and power that Jehovah gives us to resist the persecution that their valuable courageous actions bring us. inspire us to show that same loyalty to Jehovah when we find ourselves in difficult decisions to make.