Lesson 26 Explore 3: Why Did the Holocaust Happen? Why Didn’t God Stop It? | Bible Questions
Many who ask these questions have suffered extreme personal loss and seek not just answers but solace. Others see the Holocaust as the height of human evil, and they struggle to believe in God.
Common misconceptions about God and the Holocaust
Myth: It’s wrong to ask why God allowed the Holocaust.
Fact: People of great faith have questioned why God allows evil. For instance, the prophet Habakkuk asked God: “Why do you allow violence, lawlessness, crime, and cruelty to spread everywhere?” Contemporary English Version)
(Habakkuk 1.3: Why do you make me witness wrongdoing? And why do you tolerate oppression? Why are destruction and violence before me? And why do quarreling and conflict abound?)
Rather than rebuke Habakkuk, God had the questions he asked recorded in the Bible for all to read.
Myth: God doesn’t care about human suffering.
Fact: God hates wickedness and the suffering it causes.
(Proverbs 6.16-19: There are six things that Jehovah hates; Yes, seven things that he detests: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, A heart plotting wicked schemes, and feet that run quickly to evil, A false witness who lies with every breath, And anyone sowing contentions among brothers.)
Back in the days of Noah, God “felt hurt at his heart” because of the violence spreading in the earth.
(Genesis 6.5, 6: Consequently, Jehovah saw that man’s wickedness was great on the earth and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only bad all the time. Jehovah regretted that he had made men on the earth, and his heart was saddened.)
No doubt, God also felt tremendous pain over the Holocaust.-
(Malachi 3.6: “For I am Jehovah; I do not change. And you are sons of Jacob; you have not yet come to your finish.)
Myth: The Holocaust was God’s punishment of the Jews.
Fact: God did allow Jerusalem to be destroyed by the Romans in the first century.
(Matthew 23.37-24:2: “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the killer of the prophets and stoner of those sent to her—how often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings! But you did not want it. Look! Your house is abandoned to you. For I say to you, you will by no means see me from now until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in Jehovah’s name!’” Now as Jesus was departing from the temple, his disciples approached to show him the buildings of the temple. In response he said to them: “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, by no means will a stone be left here upon a stone and not be thrown down.”)
Since then, however, God does not single out any ethnic group for special favor or for punishment. In God’s view, “there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles.”- Good News Translation.
(Romans 10.12: For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. There is the same Lord over all, who is rich toward all those calling on him.)
Myth: If a loving and all-powerful God existed, he would have prevented the Holocaust.
Fact: Although God never causes suffering, he sometimes allows it temporarily.-
(James 1.13: When under trial, let no one say: “I am being tried by God.” For with evil things God cannot be tried, nor does he himself try anyone.)
(James 5.11: Look! We consider happy those who have endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome Jehovah gave, that Jehovah is very tender in affection and merciful.)
Why did God allow the Holocaust?
God allowed the Holocaust for the same reason that he has permitted all human suffering: to settle moral issues that were raised long ago. The Bible clearly indicates that at present the Devil, not God, rules the world.
(Luke 4.1, 2: Then Jesus, full of holy spirit, turned away from the Jordan, and he was led about by the spirit in the wilderness for 40 days, being tempted by the Devil. And he ate nothing in those days, so when they had ended, he felt hungry.)
(Luke 4.6: Then the Devil said to him: “I will give you all this authority and their glory, because it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.)
(John 12.31: Now there is a judging of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.)
Two basic facts from the Bible can help explain why God allowed the Holocaust.
1. God created humans with free will. God told the first humans, Adam and Eve, what he expected of them, but he did not force them to obey. They chose to decide for themselves what was good and bad, and their bad choice-and similar choices by people throughout history-has brought horrible consequences to mankind.
(Genesis 2.17: But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will certainly die.”)
(Genesis 3.6: Consequently, the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was something desirable to the eyes, yes, the tree was pleasing to look at. So she began taking of its fruit and eating it. Afterward, she also gave some to her husband when he was with her, and he began eating it.)
(Romans 5.12: That is why, just as through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because they had all sinned—.)
It is as the book Statement of Principles of Conservative Judaism says: “Much of the world’s suffering directly results from our misuse of the free will granted to us.” Rather than revoke our free will, God has given humans time to try to manage their affairs independent of him.
2. God can and will undo all the damage of the Holocaust. God promises to bring back to life millions who have died, including Holocaust victims. He will also eliminate the pain that Holocaust survivors feel because of horrific memories.
(Isaiah 65.17: For look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be called to mind, Nor will they come up into the heart.)
(Acts 24.15: And I have hope toward God, which hope these men also look forward to, that there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.)
God’s love for mankind guarantees that he will fulfill these promises.-
(John 3.16: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.)
Many Holocaust victims and survivors were able to maintain their faith and find meaning in life by understanding why God has allowed evil and how he purposes to undo its effects.
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