Dr. Couch, what do the words holocaust and pogrom mean?
ANSWER: Holocaust comes from the word “holo” which means “complete, whole,
entire.” In the Middle English, and in Latin, the word is
“holocaustrum.” The Septuagint Greek uses the word “holokauston” meaning
to burn up completely and wholly. This Greek word is used in Exodus
10:25; 29:25. It refers to the burnt offerings on the altar. This word
comes into current usage and refers to what happened to the Jews during
World War II. Many thousands, if not millions, were consumed by the
fires of Nazi hatred. And by the way, we now have evidence that the main
reason for World War II was to get rid of European Jewry. The Germans
were paranoid about the Jews. From start to finish, in the rise of
Hitler, the purpose was to rid the world of Israel. This was top
priority with Hitler and many, many Germans.
Pogrom is a Yiddish and a Russian word that
described the persecution of the Jews in Russia around 1880-85. It
speaks of the organized massacre of the Jews during that period, but
also, of any other time in which there is a distinct effort to destroy
and eliminate God’s chosen people.
The word comes from the Russian word
“pogramit;” the word “gromit” means to destroy, devastate, and that
comes from the idea of “thunder.”
These two words are applied only to what
happened to the Jewish people. They are graphic and descriptive words
that conjure up a terrible picture of destruction and satanic hatred.
Thanks for asking.
Dr. Mal Couch
