A.J.H.

"Nobody believed me!" That's what Gerhart Riegner said, 50 years after it happened. He was working at a World Jewish Congress listening post in Geneva in Europe during the outbreak of World War II.

It was Aug.8, 1942. The world had not yet seen the terrible Holocaust which the enemy would unleash on the Jews in Europe. When Riegner got his information, he tried to pass it on to American and British officials, but no one would believe it. Who would ever think about murdering millions of innocent people?

We do not like to hear bad news. We would rather have people say nice things to us or about us. No one wants to be told that they are a sinner and in danger of being in hell. Gerhart Riegner found that even important government officials do not like to hear bad reports.

Actually, Riegner admitted that it took him almost two days to convince himself that the message was real and that the danger was great. When he was finally convinced, he tried to convince others. But nobody would believe him at first.

Finally word was gotten to the State Department in Washington where officials checked with Riegner. Then other checks were made and it was found that it was true. But this was only after months of lost time. During this time many lives were lost. Many millions more would be lost before it was all over.

No one knows if lives could have been saved had countries such as the USA and Britain acted faster. We will never know the answer to that. Riegner thinks that one reason people didn't believe him was that the plan to kill so many Jews "went beyond human understanding". No one had ever thought of doing anything like that before. It was so unbelievable.

When people hear the gospel, they frequently refuse to believe it because they have never seen Hell or Heaven. Just because we have not seen something with our eyes is not a good reason to refuse to believe something.

We are told by the Lord Jesus, "He that heareth My Word and believeth God that sent Me hath everlasting life." John 5:24. The Bible is filled with verses which tell of the need to believe God and to believe on His Son. You know John 3:16 "...that whosoever BELIEVETH on Him should not perish but have ever lasting life."

There are also warnings: "See that ye refuse not Him that speaketh" Heb.12:25. "They could not enter in because of unbelief" Heb.3:19. God is not asking men and women to believe something which is imaginary. He is telling us to believe Him through His Word. Will you believe God?

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