The Update

On, April 13, 2024, Norbert Link will present “Comments on News and Prophecy, April 13, 2024,” and Rene Messier will present the sermon, titled, “Keeping Sin Out.”

The live services are available, over video and audio, at http://eternalgod.org/live-services/ (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time; 8:30 pm Greenwich Mean Time; 9:30 pm Central European Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

PLEASE NOTE: We will not publish another Update until May 10, 2024, due to our observance of the Spring Holy Days:

Passover for 2024 will be observed on Sunday evening, April 21; the first Day of Unleavened Bread is Tuesday, April 23; and the last Day of Unleavened Bread is Monday, April 29, 2024.

Over fifty years ago, I read a book entitled “Fear is the Key,” written by Scotsman Alister Maclean. The end of the book explained how, when a murderer could only see death ahead of him, he was willing to admit to his crime to a relative of the victim. The relative had used fear as the key to obtaining the confession. Of course, this situation was staged in an undersea vehicle with no apparent means of escape for this very purpose and was successful. After that time, I forgot about this book until recently.

Over about the last four years, fear has been the key used to influence the actions of much of the world. In fact, a new expression has been invented, that being “fear porn”. So, what is “fear porn”? It does not appear in the Oxford English dictionary or the Merriam-Webster dictionary, but the Collins dictionary defines it as, “Media content that deliberately and enticingly plays on people’s fears about disaster, disease and death. Currently used in relation to some Covid reporting.”

“Fear porn” is used like pornographic images to stimulate an emotional response and ultimately control another person’s behavior.

We hear ideas like “If you don’t get vaccinated, you could kill grandma.” Or, “No one is safe until everyone is safe.” All of this is playing on people’s emotions to increase their level of fear and get them to comply with government requirements.

Unfortunately, “fear porn” is used as a weapon against anyone, especially any professional person, who speaks against the government’s official narrative. So, as well as Covid, it also includes man-made climate change and the possibility of President Putin causing Russia to invade Europe. For example, doctors who use or recommend alternate medicine, or older inexpensive drugs, to deal with Covid are fearing losing their medical license. Scientists who provide data refuting man-made global warming fear losing research grants and their standing in scientific circles.

Currently in Europe, the citizens are constantly being made aware that Russia is going to invade Europe in the next few years. This is to increase their level of fear and their willingness to increase defence expenditure even at the cost of increased taxation.

We, as God’s people, know we are living in Satan’s world. 1 John 5:19 informs us that, “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” He is the ruler of this world, a liar, a murderer and a destroyer. In fact, much of this “fear porn” consists of lies and is used to destroy.

We are told to watch as well as pray to understand the present situation. So how do we avoid being influenced by deliberately induced fear into unquestioning compliance? And how do we avoid being complacent? The key is not fear, but faith, faith in God’s promises and prophecies.

One promise we have is that although we will have trials and temptations because we live in this evil world, we will not be tempted beyond what we are able and that God will provide a way of escape that we may be able to bear it. Refer to 1 Corinthians 10:13.

We certainly may have anxieties but 1 Peter 5:6-7 encourages us, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” In the English Standard Version, casting all your care is translated as casting all your anxieties. There are many other verses reminding us that God cares for us.

Regarding prophecies, some are that God will change the climate of the earth because of man’s sins. One of these prophecies concerning the people of Israel is in Deuteronomy 28:23-24. “And your heavens which are over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you shall be iron. The LORD will change the rain of your land to powder and dust; from the heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed.”

Another prophecy in Revelation 16:8-9 gives us further information on extreme global warming that will be caused by God, not by man, but because of man’s sins. “Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.”

These curses and punishments will not come on these people because they do not drive electric cars or eat too much meat as these suggestions are vigorously being forced upon us. They will come upon them because of their sins. In fact, there are many scientists who believe that the current narrative on man-made global warming is a total hoax. They are the ones who are currently suppressed.

We are also made aware that the future war between the king of the North and the kings of the East will not be started by Russia and their allies invading Europe. We read in Daniel 11:44-45 that the king of the North will make a pre-emptive strike on the nations to the East and the North of him. “But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him.”

So, we see that in this world, governments and organizations use fear as a key to get people to comply with their directives without questioning; whereas we are to use faith as a key to remember God’s promises and prophecies to enable us to understand what is happening and trust God to encourage and strengthen us as we live through difficult times.

Remember the wonderful promise in Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

by Norbert Link

We report on the earthquake striking New York City and the solar eclipse, prompting some to come up with outlandish theories. Please view our new program, ‘Solar Eclipse and the Coming of Christ—Comments on News and Prophecy, April 6, 2024.”  

We continue with Germany’s move towards becoming a military power; and the question as to whether “Germans have lost their minds.” Please view our new StandingWatch program in this regard, titled, “The Germans Have Lost Their Minds!”

We address the unconstitutionality of gag orders in the USA; the blatant misconduct of Ecuador towards Mexico and the ensuing reactions of many South American countries; Slovakia’s move towards supporting Russia; and the willingness of many countries to suspend sending weapons to Israel. Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “America’s Betrayal of Israel!” We also address possible future developments pertaining to Israel and the Middle East.

We point out Britain’s unpreparedness for war and what a nuclear attack would do to London; and conclude with a decision of the European Court of Human Rights on climate change or global warming; Ghana’s fight against homosexuality; the Pope’s rejection of the “gender theory”; Scotland’s “Pandora’s Box”; and Trump’s changed position on abortion.

Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.

Strong Earthquake Hits New York City

The New York Post wrote on April 4:

“A rare earthquake rocked the New York City area Friday morning, swaying buildings and sending terrified residents into the streets — the strongest temblor to strike near the Big Apple in 140 years… Tremors could be felt as far north as New Paltz, New York — about 80 miles away — and as far south as Delaware, about 130 miles…

“The last time an earthquake with a magnitude close to 5 struck near New York City was back in 1884… That quake appeared to have been centered in Brooklyn.”

The Sun added on April 6 that “some X users are pushing outlandish theories linking the quake to the rare solar eclipse that will occur on Monday, April 8… ‘It’s not a coincidence that the magnitude earthquake in NJ was 4.8, and the solar eclipse is on 4/8,’ posted one user. His claim caused a stir among other users. ‘4.8 is a man-made measurement… the eclipse is nature,’ one person countered…”

And the Daily Beast reported on April 5 that “far-right congresswoman” Marjorie Taylor Greene posted on x: “God is sending America strong signs to tell us to repent. Earthquakes and eclipses and many more things to come.” The outlet continued: “It’s not the first time [she] alluded to an apocalyptic reckoning if… Trump isn’t elected president in November. Last year, she likened him to Jesus Christ himself because he, like the Christian messiah, was arrested and persecuted by ‘radical, corrupt governments.’”

To associate the New York City earthquake and the solar eclipse with Christ’s coming is of course nonsense. See our article below, titled “Solar Eclipse and the Coming of Christ.” So would be any ludicrous suggestion that God would be angry with Americans because they might not vote for Trump (In fact, a true Christian should not vote at all, compare our Q&As https://www.eternalgod.org/why-we-must-not-vote-in-governmental-elections/  and https://www.eternalgod.org/is-it-a-sin-to-vote-in-the-presidential-election/ ).

On the other hand, Christ has warned for the end time of “earthquakes in various places” (Matthew 24:7), calling them, and many other occurrences, “the beginning of sorrows.” (verse 8). He also spoke of “fearful sights and great signs from heaven” (Luke 21:11), indicating serious damage caused by these great and terrifying signs. A solar eclipse, which is actually not uncommon, can hardly qualify as such a “fearful” and “great sign” from heaven.

Solar Eclipse and the Coming of Christ

Study Finds wrote on April 4:

“Does the upcoming solar eclipse signal the second coming of Jesus? In all likelihood, no, but that hasn’t stopped people from speculating that it does… The upcoming solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, which will be visible over parts of North America, has brought with it a slew of predictions that Jesus might be returning sooner rather than later…

“Religious theories surrounding this eclipse are part of a larger pattern of attempts to find meaning in astronomical events that goes back thousands of years.

“One of the more famous examples from the ancient world of people finding meaning in the skies occurred in 44 B.C.E., when a comet appeared in the skies over Italy just four short months after the assassination of Julius Caesar. Roman authors Pliny the Elder and Suetonius claimed that the comet was visible for about a week and that it was so bright, it could be spotted in the late afternoon. Many Romans interpreted its appearance and lingering presence as a sign that Caesar had ascended to the heavens and had taken a seat among the many gods of Rome. Caesar’s deification was made official by a vote of the Roman senate less than two years later.

“A few examples from the past 30 years further illustrate this phenomenon. In December 2020, speculation ran wild in some Christian circles that a planetary conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn signaled the return of the fabled ‘Star of Bethlehem’…

“For at least 10 years, televangelist John Hagee has promoted theories linking various ‘blood moons’ as signs that the apocalypse is approaching. A tragic example is the religious movement known as Heaven’s Gate. Members of this movement believed that there was a spacecraft hidden in the tail of the Hele-Bopp Comet, which appeared in 1997. This spacecraft, they thought, was coming to transport them to a higher level of consciousness. In March 1997, 39 members of the Heaven’s Gate movement committed ritualized, mass suicide through a lethal combination of phenobarbital, vodka and asphyxiation…

“Most of these end times predictions are rooted in North American evangelical views on the apocalypse, many of which originated or at least share an affinity with evangelical author Hal Lindsey’s popular book, ‘The Late Great Planet Earth.’ In this book, Lindsey predicted that the apocalypse would occur in the 1980s, and to make his argument, he stitched together a number of disparate events and phenomena to construct an apocalyptic narrative that included Soviet helicopters, the establishment of the state of Israel and nuclear warfare. Lindsey was wrong, of course; the 1980s did not bring about the apocalypse. But this way of thinking – of seeking to find significance in various random events like eclipses – persists among some Christians… But… attempting to predict such timing by means of things like eclipses is, at the very least, not terribly ‘biblical.’”

In spite of wrong predictions and looking at somewhat irrelevant occurrences and developments, when judged in light of Bible prophecy, the fact remains that we are living in the end time and the “last days,” which means that Christ will return soon. However, most who believe in or hope for this event are looking at the wrong “signs.” In addition, Christ told us that no one knows the exact timing of His coming, and that He would come at a time when we do not expect it. For the Truth, which is quite confusing for many, please read our free booklet, “How Can We Know That Christ’s Return Is Near?” 

Please view our new program, ‘Solar Eclipse and the Coming of Christ—Comments on News and Prophecy, April 6, 2024.”  

Jewish Superstitions

JTA wrote on April 8:

“The rabbis of the Talmud are famous for their disagreements. But they presented a united front on eclipses, calling the celestial event ‘a bad omen for the whole world.’ The attitude was common across the ancient world, when eclipses could not be predicted and were experienced as frightening, though astronomy was more developed by the time the Talmud was written in the fourth century… Because an eclipse can take place only around the time of a new moon, they are always adjacent to the start of a new Jewish month. (The month of Nisan begins Monday night.)

“… is not traditional for Jews to say a blessing on an eclipse, but some rabbis have pointed to all-purpose blessings reserved for witnessing natural wonders and major demonstrations of God’s might as appropriate for the moment…

“Others say an eclipse provides an apropos moment to reflect on the majesty of the natural world and the power of light over dark even without a religious obligation to offer a blessing… others [have said] that it would be wise to put away one’s tzitzit, or ritual fringes, during the minutes when the sun is blotted out, as Jewish law does not require them to be worn at night.

“Geoffrey Mitelman, a Conservative rabbi… concluded that the process of the eclipse would be experienced as an event whose impact is in some ways akin to the splitting of the Red Sea in the Passover story…”

And on and on the nonsense goes…

The New Bundeswehr to Become War-Ready!

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 4:

“The new Bundeswehr is to become ‘war-ready’ and flexible, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said as he announced his plans to restructure the German army… Pistorius, currently Germany’s most popular politician according to the polls, had chosen the date quite deliberately — the 75^th anniversary of the founding of NATO. At the time, it was a turning point in world politics: A new alliance of Western states against the threat posed by socialist-communist states in the East.

“Pistorius now also wants a turning point – for ‘his’ Bundeswehr. ‘Nobody should get the idea of attacking us as a NATO territory,’  he said in Berlin on Thursday… The long-term plan for reform is to move the armed forces away from laborious long-term missions — such as in Afghanistan, Mali, Kosovo or the Horn of Africa — towards national defense…. According to Pistorius, he wants to make the troops ‘fit for war.’

“The Bundeswehr’s operations will soon be coordinated in one place: the so-called operational command, where previously, domestic and foreign operations had been managed separately… Pistorius also wants to make the Bundeswehr fit for a relatively new front in global wars, and plans to establish a new branch of the armed forces, in the cyber and information warfare…

“There will also be a support command for medical supplies and logistics, or attacks with nuclear, biological, or chemical weapons, which will be available to all branches of the armed forces… He also said he wants to give himself and his team six months to implement the reform…

“Many observers had expected Pistorius to present his ideas for the potential reintroduction of compulsory military service though nothing along those lines came on Thursday. But the Bundeswehr remains short of new recruits… Pistorius is apparently continuing to examine models of compulsory military service and has taken a look at the practice in Scandinavian countries. On Thursday, however, he merely mentioned that models had also been considered in the event of a ‘reintroduction of compulsory military service.’…”

As we have warned for many decades, Germany is clearly preparing for nuclear, biological and chemical warfare… and the world is still sound asleep.

Most Germans for EU Army

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 5:

“Germans feel that there’s a high global security threat… Seven out of 10 consider the threat to peace and security in Europe to be very serious or serious, much higher than five years ago, and the result appears to be more support for NATO and the European Union

“… most German voters are open to the idea of a European defense force: Almost six out of 10 German citizens currently support the formation of a joint EU military… One in three people currently believes that EU membership has advantages for Germany overall…”

At this point, most Germans are still in favor of NATO and Germany’s cooperation with it. But this will change too in time. Most Germans are also in favor of reinstating compulsory military service. 

“The Germans Have Lost Their Minds!”

Report 24 wrote on April 3:

“The church’s decline in values ​​is progressing.

“The Good Friday service deals with Jesus’ last words: ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!’ This is how the ARD [Germany’s first public television company] announced the bizarre spectacle that was offered to viewers on Good Friday. Dancing is still often banned on this so-called silent holiday, but the Protestant Church obviously doesn’t believe in this: the service shown on ARD was introduced by a dance performance that gave rise to worrying associations with demonic possession.

“Many believers must have felt God-forsaken in view of this performance… Many users associated the spectacle with exorcisms, some brought the depiction of epileptic seizures into play… According to their own statements, commentators initially thought the dancer was Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock… What does that say about the German political and media apparatus?

“The embarrassing performance caused people to shake their heads far beyond the country’s borders. In English, one X user stated: ‘The Germans have literally gone mad. You’ve lost your mind. Crazy.’ ‘Demonic possession is not art,’ criticized another user. This is obviously seen differently in the modern church.

“The fact that the church is moving further and further away from its values ​​– and therefore also its believers – is nothing new. Just remember the German Evangelical Church Conference last year, where a pastor announced that God was ‘queer’. It is no longer surprising that people are increasingly leaving the church. Both the Protestant and Catholic churches today are at the service of the powerful and their agendas, not at the service of people and communities. For religious people this is sheer betrayal.”

Whatever “values” the big churches might have had, they are long gone.

Gag Orders Unconstitutional

Judge Andrew P. Napolitano wrote on April 4, 2024 in Creators.com:

 “… last week, a justice of the New York State Supreme Court — that’s the trial court in New York — entered a gag order prohibiting former President Donald Trump from criticizing the daughter of the justice. The daughter is a fundraiser for Democratic clients who use the prosecution of the former president in their fundraising solicitations. The daughter has voluntarily entered the marketplace of ideas by her professional work, much of which is aimed at the former president.

“Put aside the unseemly appearance of a trial judge signing an order to insulate his own daughter from political criticism by a public figure whom the daughter and her clients publicly criticize; these gag orders are direct assaults on the freedom of speech… In Trump’s case, it is exquisitely unfair for the judge’s daughter to use the criminal prosecution of Trump as a fundraising tool while her father — the judge in Trump’s criminal case — has silenced Trump himself from commenting publicly about this…

“The Supreme Court has ruled consistently since the 1960s that the whole purpose of the First Amendment is to keep the government out of the business of speech. Government may not favor or disfavor speech; and it may not evaluate the content of speech. Thus, it may not encourage or deter or punish speech…. If government could evaluate the content of speech and punish what it characterizes as intolerance or disinformation, we’d have no freedoms remaining. Government is the negation of liberty. It exists by stealing, prohibiting and compelling. Speech is the last bastion against the government’s totalitarian impulses. If the government could punish the speech it hates and fears or the speech its patrons don’t want to hear, we will have no freedoms remaining.”

The conduct of this particular prejudiced judge [Justice Juan M. Merchan] in the New York criminal hush money case involving former porn actress Stormy Daniels is truly outrageous. He should recuse himself or be disqualified. But like biased and compromised Judge Arthur Engoron in the wrongfully decided New York civil “fraud” case against Trump (where there were no victims and no one was damaged), there is little hope that these Democratic Trump-hating judges will do so, showing how corrupt and weaponized–as well as how authoritarian and dictatorial–our legal system has become.

Ecuador Violates Mexican Sovereignty

The Associated Press wrote on April 6:

 “The Mexican president has quickly moved to break off diplomatic ties with Ecuador after police broke into the Mexican Embassy to arrest a former Ecuadorian vice president who had sought political asylum there after being indicted on corruption charges… Ecuador’s presidency said in a statement: ‘Ecuador is a sovereign nation and we are not going to allow any criminal to stay free.’… [Mexico called Ecuador’s conduct] an ‘authoritarian act’ and ‘a flagrant violation of international law and the sovereignty of Mexico.’ [Allegedly,] a number of diplomats suffered injuries during the break-in…

“Diplomatic premises are considered ‘inviolable’ under the Vienna treaties and local law enforcement agencies are not allowed to enter without the permission of the ambassador. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange lived inside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London for seven years because British police could not enter to arrest him…

“Mexico [said it] would take the case to the International Court of Justice ‘to denounce Ecuador’s responsibility for violations of international law.’”

That Ecuador violated international law is without dispute.  This is another example of authoritarian and dictatorial hypocritical conduct by a government which does not care about the law. Sadly, these kinds of behavior are increasing rapidly all over the world.  In addition, it seems that Ecuadorian criminal gangs are very active in Mexico.

Deutsche Welle added on April 7:

“Other countries in the region, including Bolivia, Chile, Cuba and Venezuela, expressed outrage at Ecuador’s actions, while Honduras called on the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to convene an emergency meeting over the matter.

“Whereas Brazil’s President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva expressed his ‘solidarity’ with Mexican President Lopez Obrador, condemning the storming of the embassy in ‘the strongest possible terms,’ Nicaragua went a step further, following Mexico’s lead by severing diplomatic ties with Quito” [Ecuador’s capital]. 

Russia-Friendly Populist Elected Slovak President

BBC News wrote on April 7:

“Populist Peter Pellegrini has been elected president of Slovakia, succeeding the liberal Zuzana Caputova. Mr Pellegrini, 48, defeated the pro-Western Ivan Korčok, a former diplomat, with 53% of the vote. A former prime minister, he is an ally of Prime Minister Robert Fico, and shares the PM’s dovish attitude towards Russia. Mr Fico and his allies now control Slovakia’s parliament, government, and soon the president’s office.

“Slovakia had been one of Ukraine’s staunchest allies before Mr Fico came to power in October on a pledge to halt supplies of Slovak Army military stocks to Kyiv. With Mr Pellegrini replacing Mrs Caputova, Ukraine has now definitively lost a voice of support in an EU and Nato capital. Mr Fico has called for an end to Western military support for Ukraine, an immediate ceasefire, and peace talks with Moscow. He said recently President Vladimir Putin had been ‘unfairly demonised’ and argued admitting Ukraine to Nato would mark the beginning of a third world war… Once Mrs Caputova steps down in June, there will no longer be any high-level official in Slovakia – a country which barely a year ago donated its entire fleet of MiG-29 aircraft to Ukraine – who unequivocally backs Kyiv’s effort to defend its territory with force…

“Robert Fico’s government recently set its sights on Slovakia’s public broadcaster, submitting plans to abolish the institution and replace it with one under virtual state control. Those plans were put on the back burner after a surprisingly poor showing from Peter Pellegrini in the first round of the presidential election two weeks ago. The opposition fears a reinvigorated Robert Fico will resubmit them – and they say President-elect Pellegrini is unlikely to stand in his way…”

Russia’s supporters increase.

No More Weapons for Israel?

Reuters wrote on April 6:

“Representative Nancy Pelosi, former House speaker and a key ally of Joe Biden, signed a letter on Friday from dozens of congressional Democrats to the president and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, urging a halt to weapons transfers to Israel…. Support from Pelosi, a veteran member of Biden’s Democratic Party, for stopping the transfer of weapons to Israel showed that the view is increasingly becoming mainstream in the party…

“[The letter] was signed by Pelosi and 36 other Democrats including Representatives Barbara Lee, Rashida Tlaib and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (members of the extreme-left radical “squad”).

Please view our new StandingWatch program, “America’s Betrayal of Israel!” 

The Associated Press wrote on April 7:

“Israel said the attack that killed the aid workers and their Palestinian driver was a tragic mistake. Its military dismissed two officers and reprimanded three others, saying they violated the army’s rules of engagement…. The World Central Kitchen attack has increased pressure on Europe’s governments to move from criticism to suspending arms sales to Israel.

“The United Nations’ Human Rights Council passed a nonbinding resolution to that effect Friday. Among European countries in the 47-nation body, only Germany voted against it, as did the United States. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Thursday that his country had stopped selling weapons to Israel and urged other nations to do the same. In February, Canada announced it would stop future shipments… In Britain, more than 600 British jurists, including three retired Supreme Court judges, pressed the government to… stop shipping weapons to Israel…

“Germany is the second-biggest weapons supplier to Israel and approved 326.5 million euros ($354 million) in defense exports last year… Asked Friday under what circumstances Germany would consider suspending weapons deliveries to Israel, government spokesperson Christiane Hoffmann replied that ‘weapons exports are always case-by-case decisions … taking into consideration political and human rights questions.’”

The opposition of Israel’s “friends” and “allies” grows…

Netanyahu Will Enter Rafah

The Jerusalem Post wrote on April 8:

“Netanyahu set a date for an IDF operation in Rafah to destroy the remaining Hamas battalions, as the United States reiterated its opposition to such a step… ‘This victory requires entering Rafah and eliminating the terrorist battalions there. This will happen; there is a date,’ Netanyahu said in a brief video message he issued to the public on Monday night.

“He spoke after the IDF removed Brigade 98 from Gaza, a move believed to be necessary so the troops could rest and regroup in advance of any further military activity in the enclave. It sparked speculation, however, that Israel had decided not to send the IDF into Rafah. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened to leave the government if the IDF did not enter Rafah or if it prematurely ended the war.”

Israel Prepared to Strike Iran’s Nuclear Sites?

The Sun wrote on April 9:

“… a Western security official has revealed that Israel will respond to any attacks by striking Iran’s nuclear targets directly. Israeli forces have been conducting air force drills in preparation for the dangerous escalation… Iran is home to several nuclear sites – including power plants, uranium mines and research reactors…

“There is no way to tell exactly how Iran would respond to an attack on its nuclear sites or whether either country would resort to actually dispatching nuclear weapons…”

What we can tell exactly is that the situation in the Middle East gets more and more troublesome and dangerous.

Britain Woefully Unprepared for War

Daily Mail wrote on April 6:

‘It is still 90 seconds to midnight’: the stark admission by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists in January 2024, marking the second year in a row the world’s fate, according to the Doomsday Clock, has been held on such a precarious threshold.

“The war in Ukraine, North Korean peacocking and the breakdown of a deal with Iran to limit proliferation have all contributed to talk of the nuclear threat returning to headlines in recent years. Fear is exploited by the Russian propaganda machine, with Putin and his cronies repeating explicit warnings of Moscow’s preparedness to use ‘all available means’ to protect her people should they feel threatened – and the possibility of ‘accidental’ Armageddon reaching London.

“The revived threat of an attack on the capital has revealed the ‘beyond embarrassing’ holes in Britain’s ability to defend against attacks on the mainland with various programmes of astronomical expense to the taxpayer… an attack on London could kill and injure more than a million people…

“A missile attack on London would cause untold casualties, tear apart bridges to [the] rest of the country and vaporise almost everything around ground zero. In an instant, a 500kiloton nuclear bomb… would raze buildings and kill nearly 100 per cent of the those within half a mile. If dropped on Westminster, that would mean the Houses of Parliament, Downing Street, St Thomas’s Hospital and Westminster Abbey being completely obliterated by the thermal blast.

“As the explosion forms a towering mushroom cloud in the air, fires would spread over a large area, even putting people in underground shelters at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. And within a fraction of a second, the heat would cause a high-pressure shockwave to spread out from the blast, tearing through buildings with powerful force. Travelling at supersonic speed, this would smash windows and cause mass injuries even miles from the point of impact…

“But it is not only the nuclear threat that poses a direct challenge to Britain’s defences, experts warn. The war in Ukraine has shown the urgency of anti-missile defence systems – and the UK has long left itself exposed to all manner of attacks from above… With capability only to deflect a finite number of attacks, and reliant on its partners to restock, questions remain over for how long the country could defend itself.”

The development of these weapons of mass destruction shows the incredible insanity and stupidity of mankind and its leaders. Britain will be attacked and destroyed in a nuclear war… but the attacker won’t be Russia.

“Heatwaves Linked to Climate Change”

BBC wrote on April 9:

“A group of older Swiss women have won the first ever climate case victory in the European Court of Human Rights. The women, mostly in their 70s, said that their age and gender made them particularly vulnerable to the effects of heatwaves linked to climate change. The court said Switzerland’s efforts to meet its emission reduction targets had been woefully inadequate. It is the first time the powerful court has ruled on global warming…

“The ruling is binding and can trickle down to influence the law in 46 countries in Europe including the UK… The Court ruled that Switzerland… had violated the right to respect for private and family life.”

These kinds of highly controversial decisions will have far-reaching consequences for Europe.

Ghana’s Fight Against Homosexuality

LifeSiteNews wrote on April 5:

“Ghana Member of Parliament (MP) Sam George recently defended a bill that would criminalize homosexual behavior — and its promotion — against pressure from the West to quash the legislation. ‘Ghana is not the 51st state of the United States. Ghana is a sovereign state on its own,’ George said on New Dawn Africa Channel when asked to comment on U.S. Department of State spokesman Matthew Miller’s denunciation of the bill, which was sponsored by George. ‘I’d expect Matthew Miller to respect the tenets of democracy,’ said George, stressing that Ghana is ‘opposed to cultural imperialism’ and adding that Miller ‘should be more interested in the loss of life of (c)hildren in American schools to gun violence.’

“The legislation, which has not yet been signed into law, punishes homosexual behavior with six months to three years in jail, and also punishes the support or promotion of such behavior with three to five years in prison. The bill includes an outright ban on same-sex ‘marriage,’ same-sex adoption, and other public displays of homosexual or transgender behavior. The bill also seeks to clamp down on transgender ideology by banning mutilating procedures for gender-confused individuals.

“New Dawn asked George if he was concerned that Ghana might face treatment from the West similar to the economic punishment imposed on Uganda when it enacted its own anti-homosexuality law. The World Bank halted all new lending to Uganda in 2023 after the law was passed, driving them to seek funds from China, and the Biden administration officially removed Uganda from an African trade deal last year in response to the anti-sodomy law… George advised companies that ‘want to lose $100 million in profit’ to ‘pack up and go,’ because ‘another company will come into Ghana and do business.’…

“He pointed out that Western countries, including the U.S., are hypocritical for continuing to trade with Middle Eastern countries like Qatar that legally punish homosexuality with jail time. He suggested that this is because the U.S. profits handsomely from business with these nations…

“Asked to elaborate on why Ghana’s anti-sodomy bill is so important, George suggested that it is tied up with the definition of the family, which is in turn core to a nation’s identity… He further pointed that homosexuality takes both a financial and psychological toll upon countries, citing money spent to care for AIDS patients as well as the cost of suicide, more common among homosexuals…  ‘The CDC says that homosexuals are 400% more likely to be suicidal.’”

Hypocritical America’s desire to dictate and impose its “values”—or the lack thereof—on other countries overlooks the fact that America does no longer speak with authority or credibility.

Gender Theory Contrary to Human Dignity

The Associated Press wrote on April 8:

“The Vatican on Monday declared gender-affirming surgery and surrogacy as grave violations of human dignity, putting them on par with abortion and euthanasia as practices that it said reject God’s plan for human life. The Vatican’s doctrine office issued ‘Infinite Dignity,’ a 20-page declaration that has been in the works for five years. After substantial revision in recent months, it was approved March 25 by Pope Francis, who ordered its publication…

“In its most eagerly anticipated section, the Vatican repeated its rejection of ‘gender theory,’ or the idea that one’s biological sex can change. It said God created man and woman as biologically different, separate beings, and said people must not tinker with that or try to ‘make oneself God.’”

It is clear that Joe Biden’s obsession with transgender people stands in direct opposition to the Catholic Church’s teaching. Is Biden still considered now to be a “good Catholic”?

Scotland’s Pandora’s Box

Breitbart wrote on April 9:

“Police Scotland received around 8,000 complaints under the [Hate Crime] law [to “protect” the LGBTQ2AIS+ community] in the first seven days of its implementation, which according to analysis by The Telegraph, would surpass the total number of crimes reported annually (416,000) if the trends continue…

“The chairman of the Scottish Police Federation David Threadgold warned that the man-power hours required to deal with such a large number of complaints will impact the police force’s ability to deal with actual crimes, with the force already failing to solve a growing number of crimes like sexual assault, shoplifting, and car theft. Scotland has also been plagued by a drug epidemic, with the small nation having the highest drug-related deaths per capita in all of Europe…

“Threadgold went on to suggest that the law was being ‘weaponised’ by the public in order to settle personal grudges against fellow citizens or to wage political feuds, while suggesting that the government encouraging the public to report instances of ‘hate’ has clearly blown up in their face.”

The term LGBTQ2AISA+ means “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or sometimes questioning), intersexual, asexual and two-spirited.” The plus-sign signifies a number of other identities, and is included to keep the abbreviation “brief” when written out; the full abbreviation is sometimes referred to as LGBTTTQQIAA. Has one ever heard of such nonsense before? The Scottish law is a ridiculous left-wing radical attempt to change society, with predictable consequences.

Trump’s Changed Position on Abortion

Axios wrote on April 8:

“Former President Trump issued a formal statement on Monday with a simple calculus in mind: his position might infuriate conservative activists — but they’ll vote for him in November anyway… Trump has spent months privately wrestling with how to insulate himself from Democratic attacks on abortion, knowing that the issue could be one of his biggest vulnerabilities in the 2024 election. By declining to endorse a national ban on abortion — and suggesting he would leave legislation up to individual states — Trump is seeking to blunt the potency of the Biden campaign’s messaging. He’s also trying to thread a needle with conservatives: taking credit for the Supreme Court striking down Roe v. Wade, while resisting a national ban because ‘we must win’ elections to get anything done.

“SBA Pro-Life America, the leading anti-abortion group, said in a statement that ‘we are deeply disappointed in President Trump’s position.’ Former Vice President Mike Pence went a step further, saying in a statement, ‘Trump’s retreat on the Right to Life is a slap in the face to the millions of pro-life Americans who voted for him in 2016 and 2020.’ Doug Stafford, chief strategist for Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-Ky.) PAC, tweeted: ‘I’m not sure a major candidate has ever produced a worse statement on Life than the one I just watched.’ He later deleted the post. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a top Trump ally who has introduced legislation to restrict abortion at the federal level after 15 weeks, said he ‘respectfully’ disagrees with the former president.

“Trump lashed out at Graham and SBA president Marjorie Dannenfelser on Truth Social Monday afternoon, arguing that Republicans who are ‘unrelenting’ on abortion ‘are handing Democrats their dream of the House, Senate, and perhaps even the Presidency.’

“Biden officials still see plenty to work with, including Trump’s inconsistent history on abortion and the fact that his latest statement effectively endorsed strict abortion bans in dozens of states. As recently as last month, Trump said that a national 15-week abortion ban with exceptions could be ‘very reasonable.’”

Trump’s new position is clearly wrong and unbiblical. At one time, Trump was “pro-choice”; now, in large part due to the influence and support of evangelicals, he is “pro-life”… sort of. Sadly, Robert Kennedy Jr. recently endorsed a similar position. As politicians, they compromise to get more votes. This is shameful and undignified, and another example as to why true Christians must have nothing to do with politics.  

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

While most people who participate in various branches of Christianity do not keep the Passover, the Bible very clearly mandates its continued observance!

The Passover is viewed as a “Jewish holiday” and relegated to Old Testament practices by many religious leaders and by the public at large. Certainly, by contrast, Judaism has maintained, to a degree, the observance of all biblical Holy Days, including the Sabbath Day.

However, the Church of God, which follows both the Old Testament and the earliest New Testament teachings, also continues to keep the Passover as commanded by God and in following the example of Jesus Christ, Who brought the true meaning of Passover to light.

Today, the Passover is mistakenly referred to as “the Last Supper,” and false practices such as “the sacrament of the Eucharist” are broadly embraced by both Catholics, Protestants, and others. For example, from britannica.com/topic/Eucharist, in its article about “Eucharist,” Roman Catholicism’s view is presented:

“Roman Catholics believe in the real presence [the concept that Jesus Christ is present in the flesh; that His body and His blood are really present and are consumed], an issue that has dominated Catholic-Protestant controversies about the Eucharist. According to the eucharistic doctrine of Roman Catholicism, the elements of the consecrated bread and wine are transubstantiated into the body and blood of Christ: their substance is converted into the substance of the body and blood, although the outward appearances of the elements, their ‘accidents,’ remain. This teaching of the real presence is intended to emphasize the intimate relationship between Jesus and the communicant. Although Catholic theologians developed new ways to interpret the mystery of the sacrament of the Eucharist in the period after Vatican II, the doctrine of transubstantiation remains the fundamental understanding of all Catholics” (Emphasis added).

Also, from the same article: “The High Church Anglicans (especially since the Anglo-Catholic Oxford movement of the 19th century) and the Lutherans (who affirm the real presence of the body and blood of Christ “in, with, and under” the bread and wine) adhere most closely to the traditions of Catholic eucharistic doctrine and practice” (Emphasis added).

These beliefs are not found in the Word of God!  They have totally blurred the real meaning of Passover and supplanted the truth of the Bible with human reasoning and traditions! Such is also the case found in an article, titled, “Why Don’t Christians Celebrate Passover if Jesus Did?” (christianity.com/wiki/holidays) This author writes:

“Why Did We Stop Celebrating Passover?

“As time went on, the church grew from majority Jewish to majority Gentile. These Gentiles were largely unaware of Jewish culture, so those things not specifically tied-up with Christian doctrine were often lost.

“As Christians, the church was no longer bound by Old Testament law (Romans 7:4). With these laws, many of the associated customs fell away as well. Eventually, the celebration of Easter grew more prevalent than the celebration of Passover.

“In AD 325 at the Council of Nicaea, Easter was cemented as the day to celebrate the resurrection of Christ, and its date was also determined. This was when Easter perhaps most officially replaced Passover.

“In the Middle Ages, growing anti-Semitism in Europe led to even further distancing of Roman Catholics from all things Jewish. Later on, Reformation theology’s heavy emphasis on salvation by grace alone and not through works also did not foster an environment conducive to the celebration of Old Testament ritual” (Emphasis added).

As noted earlier, Judaism does observe the Passover. However, their practices now embrace many traditions which go beyond biblical teachings and the fundamental instructions first given to the entire nation of Israel as found in Exodus, chapter 12. From the website chabad.org the following information about the Seder (the Passover meal) is presented:

“The Seder is the traditional Passover meal that includes reading, drinking 4 cups of wine, telling stories, eating special foods, singing, and other Passover traditions.

“As per Biblical command, it is held after nightfall on the first night of Passover (and the second night if you live outside of Israel), the anniversary of our nation’s miraculous exodus from Egyptian slavery more than 3,000 years ago…” (chabad.org)

Jewish tradition regarding when to observe the Passover is in error. Observance of the Passover by most of Judaism takes place on the evening of the first Day of Unleavened Bread (note that a biblical day begins with evening and ends with evening—not sunrise to sunrise (compare Genesis, chapters 1 and 2). Leviticus 23:5 states, “‘“On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover.”’”

While Passover is on the fourteenth day, the first Day of Unleavened Bread is on the fifteenth day (Leviticus 23:6). Many Jews keep the Passover one day too late, as they already did in Jesus’ time.

In Exodus 12, God says of the Passover that it is an “‘“everlasting ordinance”’” (verse 14); “‘And you shall observe this thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever’” (verse 24).

Throughout the biblical history of Israel in the Old Testament, the Holy Days of God—including the Festival of Passover—have a very significant role. Likewise, the Holy Days of God are central in the life of Jesus Christ, and later for the newly established Church of God.

Note what is said of Jesus:

“So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read” (Luke 4:16).

And of Paul:

“Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures…” (Acts 17:2).

Jesus Christ observed the Passover—it was His custom to do so! In John 13, we find that Jesus first ate the Passover meal as commanded in Exodus 12 with His disciples. However, Jesus then instituted a new observance of the Passover. In chapter 13 of John, Jesus specifically introduces foot washing among His disciples, saying:

“‘If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you’” (John 13:13-14).

In addition, following Jesus’s washing of His disciples’ feet, more is recorded regarding how His disciples were to now observe the Passover:

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body.’ Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.’ And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives” (Matthew 26:26-30).

Christ meant that the bread represented His body, and the wine represented His blood. He did not teach that the bread and the wine would literally change into His flesh or His body and into His blood when consumed during Passover. For instance, we are prohibited from consuming blood (Acts 15:28-29).

The date to observe Passover did not change, but the symbolism of how the Passover was to be observed did change. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth and addressed some needed corrections in keeping the Passover. He specifically reminded them of the grave responsibility they bore regarding their conduct when participating in this observance (1 Corinthians 11:27-34).

In Paul’s instructions, we find that Passover observance was to continue to include the return of Jesus Christ:

“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

Jesus said of Himself:

“‘Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled’” (Matthew 5:17-18).

We see from the New Testament how Jesus did fulfill the meaning of what the Passover observance meant. Yet, the Passover, along with other godly Festivals, seven annual Holy Days and the weekly Sabbath will continue to be observed following the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the thousand-year reign of God’s Kingdom over the earth—as Ezekiel 45:21 shows:

“‘In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall observe the Passover, [then] a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.’”

Keeping ALL of the Holy Days of God is what Jesus did, and His example has been followed by His disciples throughout the centuries. Today, the Church of the Eternal God and its affiliates also seek to keep what God commands as Jesus Christ continues to lead the Church.

If you would like further detailed information about Passover, the Holy Days and the path of true Christianity, please refer to our website www.eternalgod.org.

Lead Writer: Dave Harris

compiled by Dave Harris

“The Germans Have Lost Their Minds” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

A dance performance at the beginning of a Good Friday Service of the German Protestant Church which was broadcast on public television and which resembled demonic possession and an exorcism; an increasing desire to become a military power and to reinstate compulsory military service… what is going on in Germany? Have Germans “literally gone mad”?

“Die Deutschen haben den Verstand verloren,” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This program covers the same subject as described above.

A new Member Letter (April 2024) has been posted and mailed to our subscribers. Pastor Brian Gale (United Kingdom) powerfully reminds us of the incredible opportunity given to Christians to reach out to “Our Father” in prayer.

Our next project… the German translation of our English booklet, “Should You Fight in War?” [“Sollten Sie im Krieg kämpfen?”] has been sent to graphic artist Shelly Bruno in preparation for printing.

“Nur Gott kann Ihnen wirklich helfen” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon,  presented by Pastor Michael Link. Title in English: “Only God Can Really Help You!”

“Die Chance ergreifen,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath in Germany by Andreas Ratz, is now posted. Title in English: “Seize the Opportunity.”

“Two Mule Loads of Earth,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Paul Niehoff, is now posted. Here is a summary:

It is easy to be so familiar with a particular Scripture, that details apart from the main point can easily be overlooked. These details can also be informative of how God operates.

“Solar Eclipse and the Coming of Christ—Comments on News and Prophecy, April 6, 2024,” last Sabbath’s first message, presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

After an unusual earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8, striking New York City, and the coming solar eclipse on 4-8, theories emerged, linking these two events with God’s wrath and the coming of Jesus Christ. Is there a connection, and what did Jesus Himself tell us about His Second Coming?

“Women and the Ministry,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Brian Gale, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The message of Scripture is unambiguous: Christian women are not to teach Biblical or spiritual matters in church or in a public forum.   It may be difficult for some to accept and apply God’s Word on this issue. Sadly, due to the violation of these clear instructions, unhappy or failed marriages have been the result in some cases.