On September 1, 2018, Robb Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “A Man of Peace,” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “Beautiful Marriage.”

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.

As the Fall Holy Days are upon us, many of us find ourselves in unusually stressful situations, experiencing more difficult trials and challenges than usual. These problems might involve health issues; difficulties in marriage or with family members; persecutions at work or in school; threats of termination or failing grades for non-attendance if we celebrate God’s Feast Days; and a myriad of other serious temptations. They all seem to have the goal, in one way or another, to stress us out so that we become disillusioned to the extent that we may not develop the joyful anticipation which we should have in preparation for God’s Holy Days.

None of this is coincidental, of course, and it is most certainly not because of time and chance. Rather, Satan and his wicked army of hateful demons are behind these attacks, as they do not want us to focus on and keep God’s weekly and annual Sabbaths, knowing that they are a sign between God and us which identify us as God’s people. They signify our sanctification and holiness; our future rule in God’s Kingdom; and the replacement of the Devil and his demons. If they can be successful in fooling us to give up our fight for God and His Law and to compromise instead, by not practicing what we must, then they have won, and we have lost our crown. They know, for example, that no one will be in God’s Family who has given up on God’s weekly and annual Holy Days. They know, as we should, that if we love anything or anyone more than Christ, we are not worthy of Him, and He will be ashamed of us at His Coming.

But still, those challenges are never easy to endure. Our human mind focuses with anxiety on a potentially terrible outcome for our loved ones and us, reasoning like this: “What is going to happen if I take time off from work or school in light of drastic threats? Surely, God will understand that I must give in under those circumstances.” However, it is we who must understand that God is stronger and more powerful than the evil spirits which are ruling this rotten world, and that He allows challenges to test us and try us and make us stronger spiritually. At the same time, He IS there to intervene, to help us and to show us the right way out, without compromise, if a temptation or trial would be too difficult for us to handle (1 Corinthians 10:13). But God also knows that we might be much stronger than we may think.

When challenges come through mean-spirited people, we should realize that we are fighting with wicked spirits in high places. Many times, people don’t even know why they are behaving towards us in such a hostile and disapproving manner. Their carnal nature, which is enmity against God and His Law, developed within them because of Satan’s influence. We might become the subjects of contempt by professing “Christians” because they see us stand up for God’s “crazy” rules and these superseded “Old Testament” “Jewish” festivals, while rejecting their beloved Christmas and Easter celebrations. They have no clue as to what the truth is, and do not possess any correct godly comprehension because Satan has blinded them. In most cases, they don’t understand that it is they who reject God and who accept instead ungodly pagan holidays which man adopted under Satan’s inspiration. All the while, we must remember that our spiritual warfare is not with people, but with Satan, the god of this deceived world (Ephesians 6:12-13; Galatians 1:4; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9).

We know of many examples in the Bible when God’s disciples fell into despair. Elijah faced a big problem when Jezebel tried to kill him–he had enough and wanted to die. Jeremiah was also faced with threats on his life, so he complained to God that He could not be relied upon. Job was severely plagued by Satan, but God allowed it, and his response to God was that He treated him unjustly. But in spite of those temporary setbacks and misguided evaluations of their situation, God’s people found renewed strength in God and continued their responsibilities. They knew that the righteous may fall seven times and get up and go on (Proverbs 24:16).

Sometimes, challenges before God’s Feast Days, especially before the Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles, may not be earth-shaking events, but they could just be stressful daily occurrences which we might compare with little rocks or with small bricks. After a while, the accumulation of the rocks has become a huge mountain which appears to be unclimbable, or the bricks, taken together, have become a strong wall which does not let us pass through. This condition can become so frustrating for us that we conclude that it is just too much to handle–the problems are piling up with such speed and regularity that we are feeling stressed out and unable to continue. Paul was being threatened many times with death, but he also spoke about daily challenges, including his deep concern for all the churches (2 Corinthians 11:28). He warned us that “in the last days there will come times of stress” (2 Timothy 3:1, Revised Standard Version).

Dear brethren and friends, Satan is very angry right now. He KNOWS, perhaps better than we do, that his time is short and that God will crush him under our feet shortly (Romans 16:20). He is our enemy and wants to destroy us like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8). We must resist him, knowing what he has in mind. God will give us renewed strength so that we can mount up with wings like eagles (Isaiah 40:31)—rising high above our problems. And viewing our difficult circumstances from a distance that far away, they will appear very small indeed.

by Norbert Link

We begin with disconcerting developments in Germany pertaining to ongoing discussions about mandatory military and community service and the increased activities of the military to entice minors; speak of a wildfire near Berlin revealing the existence of many weapons and old munitions which had been dumped in the area at the end of World War II; address violent outbursts in East Germany following the murder of a German by immigrants; and report on some alarming announcements for Brits living in the EU regarding their bank accounts in the UK in case of a no-deal Brexit.

We continue with reports raising the possibility that the USA might be defeated in a coming war [please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Will America Be Defeated Soon in WWIII?”]; speak on Turkey’s and Europe’s opposition to the USA; and address President Trump’s bad week as former friends turn against him and as special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation appears to be, more and more, like a totally unjustified witch hunt. We also speculate as to what President Trump could and may (have to) do in this regard, and what the consequences for such a “politically incorrect” move might and might not be. We also report on the late John McCain and his farewell message.

We conclude with further outrageous conduct by Bank of America; another earthquake in Southern California; the governmental upheaval in Australia; deadly side effects of prescription medication; hatred for the Bible; the virtually nonexistent separation between church and state in Italy; and Pope Francis’ recent comments regarding homosexuality and his subsequent change of mind or damage control.

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

German Mandatory Community Service Even for Refugees?

Deutsche Welle reported on August 24:

“Members of Angela Merkel’s conservatives say a year of community service would help integrate refugees. The proposal comes against the backdrop of a larger debate about reinstating mandatory service for Germans.

“A year of [mandatory or voluntary] community service would help refugees and asylum-seekers integrate and promote their acceptance by the public, the general secretary of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives said Saturday. The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) ignited nationwide debate earlier this month when it brought up the idea of reinstating mandatory military service or a year of community service…

“Military conscription was scrapped in 2011 after Berlin opted for a professionalized army. Prior to this decision, all young men were obliged to either serve in the nation’s military, the Bundeswehr, or perform an alternative service for a limited period of time in civilian areas such as emergency management or medical care… Kramp-Karrenbauer said the CDU would discuss four models for reinstating a community service year for men and women at the party conference in December.”

The sad and crazy idea of mandatory conscription gains more and more attention in a once “pacifistic” country.

German Military Entices Minors

Reuters reported on August 24:

“To help attract new recruits, the [German] military has targeted youngsters with slick online video campaigns, drawing criticism from… child welfare advocates…

“But the campaigns are paying off. In 2017, 2,128 people under 18 joined the German army, up 11.4 percent from 2016 and accounting for 9 percent of new recruits… With lively music and scenes showing the lives of young soldiers, the Bundeswehr’s shows on YouTube… have attracted more than 64 million views. In October, traffic at the Bundeswehr jobs website increased 60 percent during a six-week broadcast of ‘Mali’, a YouTube series centered on eight soldiers serving in the U.N.’s peacekeeping mission in the West African country.

“The Bundeswehr Exclusive YouTube channel has over 330,000 followers and its latest production portrays the lives of a group of young paratroopers. The army is also active on other sites such as Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. According to a… survey of 20,000 school students across the country, the military is now considered Germany’s third most attractive employer…

“Overall, the army spent about 35 million euros ($40 million) on recruitment last year… More than 30,000 people signed a letter delivered to German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen a year ago that urged the Bundeswehr to stop recruiting minors. ‘This is embarrassing and sends a wrong signal to the world,’ said Ralf Willinger from rights group terre des hommes… ‘It weakens the international 18-year standard, encouraging armed groups and armies from other countries to legitimate the use of minors as soldiers.’

“Recruits under 18 in Germany undergo military training like other adult trainees, but they have special provisions such as not being allowed to participate in guard duty or foreign missions, and weapons are only used for educational purposes. Ilka Hoffmann, a board member at the GEW union… that represents about 280,000 teachers, social workers and education workers, [said:] ‘In no other profession does one learn to kill, and is one confronted with the danger of dying in war. That is the one difference.’”

Young people had better be aware as to what the military is “offering” them.

Huge Dangerous Fire Near Berlin

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 24:

“Three villages were evacuated in the northern German state of Brandenburg as 400 hectares of forest went up in flames outside Berlin… Germany has been suffering under a massive heatwave and drought for weeks, leaving forests and fields extremely dry…

“The German state of Brandenburg, which surrounds Berlin, was dealing with one of the biggest forest fires in the postwar history… The fire produced so much smoke that people in Berlin 60 kilometers away phoned emergency services on Friday morning, while Brandenburg locals heard explosions in the forest as old World War II munitions was set off…

“State Premier Dietmar Woidke [said that] munitions dumped in the forests during World War II and subsequently by the Soviet Army, which once used the surrounding countryside as a training ground, posed a ‘huge danger’ to the firefighters… ‘We in Brandenburg are in a very special situation here,’ he said. ‘We have areas of around 100,000 to 120,000 hectares all around Berlin that have old munitions in the ground…’”

One wonders where else old munitions—and what kind—are still buried throughout Germany and beyond.

Violence in Chemnitz, East Germany

The EUObserver wrote on August 28:

“Far-right activists clashed with police and leftist protestors for a second day in the eastern German city of Chemnitz, demanding foreigners to leave Germany. Monday’s events were a continuation of Sunday’s protests, which were triggered by a stabbing of a 35-year old German. A Syrian and an Iraqi remained under arrest on suspicion of the lethal attack. German chancellor Angela Merkel warned that ‘vigilante justice’ would not be tolerated.”

Der Spiegel wrote on August 28:

“Chemnitz is the third-largest city in the eastern state of Saxony and initially, over a thousand people had gathered on Monday to protest the kind of right-wing violence seen here on Sunday. Later, several thousand participants in a right-wing rally gathered at the city’s iconic monument to Karl Marx. The two camps were separated only by a single road and handful of law enforcement officers. The mood was tense – and turned violent once darkness began to fall. Fireworks were set off and the two groups began throwing projectiles at each other. There were several injuries.

“Later, the police would say that they had underestimated the number of people that would be participating in the two demonstrations. That they were caught off guard. But given the events in the city just one day earlier, that seems unlikely…”

Deutsche Welle added on August 28:

“In response to the events, most lawmakers echoed Merkel’s sentiments in a blanket condemnation of racism and violence… Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, who has been in a highly-publicized feud with Merkel over his desire to curb immigration, was more muted in his disavowal of the far-right, and focused instead on the stabbing: ‘My deepest sympathies are with the loved ones of the knife attack victim…but I want to say clearly, that nothing justifies the call to violence or violent riots.’

“The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party was split down the middle, with some inside the party distancing themselves from the right-wing demonstrators and calling off their own planned rally, and others suggesting that the media had blown the situation out of proportion…”

German Police in Chemnitz Under Fire

The Guardian wrote on August 29:

“The leak of an arrest warrant to far-right groups has heightened widespread suspicions of links between German police and xenophobic demonstrators. Authorities have confirmed reports of the leak after the arrest warrant – containing the full name of the main suspect in the murder of a 35-year-old man, which triggered violent anti-foreigner protests in the eastern city of Chemnitz – was tweeted by Lutz Bachmann, the founding member of the far-right protest group Pegida. The suspect is a 22-year-old Iraqi man…

“The police were accused last week of standing up for Pegida protesters after stopping a camera team from the state broadcaster ZDF from filming a demonstration in Dresden for 45 minutes after complaints by a protester, who it later emerged was a police employee. They faced further accusations on Wednesday that they had lied over their claim to have underestimated the numbers who would attend the Chemnitz demonstration, after it emerged that Saxony’s office for protection of the constitution had warned them in advance that a large number of extremists from across Germany – including neo-Nazis, as well as football hooligans and martial artists with a known far-right background – were expected in the city…”

No-Deal Brexit Could See Brits in EU Lose Access to their UK Bank Accounts

The Local wrote on August 23:

“The British government released a list of 25 ‘technical notices’ on Thursday, revealing that Brits living in the European Union could lose access to their UK bank accounts in the event of a no-deal Brexit…

“Meanwhile, consumers buying products from the EU would face slower and more expensive credit card payments, and businesses were told that in the event of a no-deal ‘the free circulation of goods between the UK and EU would cease.’”

This is almost too fantastic to believe, and the British government did not give any details as to why Brits, living in the EU, would lose access to their bank accounts in the UK in case of a “no-deal Brexit.” But this news is truly alarming. According to the EUObserver, dated August 28, “French prime minister Edouard Philippe instructed his ministers on Monday to prepare measures in case of a no-deal Brexit.”

Brexit Breakthrough?

The Daily Mail wrote on August 29:

“EU negotiator Michel Barnier finally conceded he would have to offer Britain a unique deal on Brexit today… In remarks that sent the pound soaring up against the euro and the dollar, Mr Barnier promised a ‘partnership with Britain such as has never been with any other third country’.

“Mr Barnier has repeatedly insisted Britain must choose from an existing model used by either Norway or Canada – a deal the UK say[s] [is] unacceptable. The Brussels chief still insists Britain cannot have an ‘a la carte’ choice of benefits from the EU single market. Brexiteers welcomed his ‘more optimistic tone’ but warned that actions speak louder and urged the EU to get on with coming up with a new offer… Government sources said they would look at the comments but played down the shift, suggesting Mr Barnier had made ‘similar’ remarks before…

“In other developments today, [new Brexit Secretary] Dominic Raab admitted that a Brexit deal could be delayed until after the October (18 or 19) deadline – amid fears the UK could crash out without an agreement… His words are a shift in tone from the Government, which yesterday was still stressing that it is working towards the October deadline.

“Mr Davis quit… in protest at Theresa May’s Chequers proposal – a compromise deal which would mean the UK sticks to EU rules for goods but leaves the single market and customs union. The proposal sparked outcry from Brexiteers and Tory activists who warned it would leave the UK stuck half inside the Brussels bloc and hamper the country’s ability to strike free trade deals globally. And the EU also greeted the plan with scepticism – and it emerged yesterday that Mr Barnier threatened to boycott Brexit talks if Mrs May insisted on basing a deal on her Chequers plans.”

Dramatic U-Turn?

Express reported on August 30:

“Michel Barnier has made a dramatic U-turn and warned the European Union to prepare for a no-deal Brexit only a day after insisting the bloc was preparing to offer the UK a deal like no other third country.”

Deutsche Welle reported on August 30:

“Berlin and Brussels showed a united front on Wednesday delivering a single message to London: There will be no cherry-picking when it comes to the single market…

“[German Foreign Minister Heiko] Maas professed that the ‘last big hurdle’ was the question of the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. ‘We are firmly convinced that the exit agreement must guarantee that Brexit must not lead to a hard border in Northern Ireland,’ said Maas. ‘It is important that this guarantee must be valid regardless of how the EU and Britain will shape its new relationship.’

 “Should no deal be reached by then, Britain will be subject to the World Trade Organization rules, which include many types of customs and border regulations for any trade with the EU.

“In contrast to all this harmony on the continent, the strife between Barnier and his main counterpart in the UK remains palpable… As if to illustrate this trouble on the high seas, French and British fishermen are currently in the middle of a maritime dispute of their own. Reuters news agency reported on Wednesday that French boats had rammed British scallop dredgers they believed had encroached on their seabed in the Baie en Seine…”

Could America Suffer Outright Military Defeat?

The National Interest wrote on August 25:

“America taunts China by taking needless risks, provokes Russia with military operations on their border that in no way improves our own security, extends military guarantees to small countries that could drag us into a war we should never fight, and engages in active combat operations in scores of countries where no U.S. security interests are at stake.

“…great powers frequently fell because they came to believe they could not be defeated. Without question, we have the greatest air force and navy the world has ever known. We are the dominant global power, both militarily and economically. Much of America’s dominance is based on our modern weapons and the technology that empowers them. Our reliance on technology, however, is a double-edged sword.

“Should an adversary one day use space-based weapons to strip away our navigation and intelligence satellites, we would suffer a substantial and immediate loss of military capability. Many of our precision weapons would be useless, our ability to navigate on the land, in the air, and on the oceans could be temporarily crippled. Communications would be hampered. Even at the tactical level, much of our ground-combat power is predicated on an ability to disperse units and mass fires—all of which requires uninterrupted ability to communicate across great distances…

“We must expect that one day another world power is going to develop a new class of weapon or capability that has never been seen which will allow them [to] either neutralize our greatest offensive weapons or against which our best defenses will be inadequate…

“Maintaining the status quo… will continue the erosion of our strength and increase the chances we may one day suffer outright military defeat.”

The Bible prophesies that the USA WILL suffer outright military defeat, and that the world power bringing this about will be a united core Europe under German leadership (“the beast”).

EU and USA—No Tariffs at All?

Fox Business News wrote on August 30:

“Although European Union officials have said they are supportive of lowering tariffs on automobiles to zero if the U.S. reciprocates, President Trump believes this is not a stand-alone issue or trade deal… Trump wants to see all tariffs removed on all industries, including agriculture, steel aluminum and medical equipment…

“‘We are willing to bring down even our car tariffs to zero, all tariffs to zero, if the U.S. does the same,’ European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom told members of the European Parliament on Thursday in Brussels. But… Malmstrom has said that agriculture would not be included in this deal, and because of this, the White House is not celebrating the comments made today by Malmstrom.”

Europe Supports Turkey against the USA

The EUObserver wrote on August 24:

“The Turkey-US trade spat has led to EU leaders backing Turkey against the US administration’s policies. This not only shows the extent of economic interdependence between Europe and Turkey, but also signals the development of a common stance in the face of a bullying trade partner.

“When US president Donald Trump took to Twitter to celebrate the downward trajectory of the Turkish lira against the US dollar, Europe was concerned about the potential spillover of rapidly growing economic turmoil in Turkey. In particular, Germany, Turkey’s biggest trading partner, came to Turkey’s defence… In Italy, decision makers were equally concerned about contagion from Turkish markets…

“Meanwhile, the European Parliament declared the tariffs as illegitimate and urged the US to solve its problems with Turkey with ‘constructive diplomatic engagement.’ French economy minister Bruno Le Maire vowed to ‘strengthen economic ties between France and Turkey’ signalling that France and Turkey would work together to take a stance against the US…

“In the past 12 months alone, the tension between Europe and the US escalated like never before… the US and Europe have found themselves on the opposing sides of global conflicts and major foreign policy issues… There is a growing sense in Europe that collective action is needed for dealing with the US administration… A foreign policy based on ‘America first’ is likely to result in further isolation for the US to the extent that it undermines the US’ major allies across the world.”

Turkey will be aligned with Europe and Arab nations against Israel (the state of Israel as well as the USA and the UK), according to biblical prophecies, and America will become more and more isolated on the world scene.

Trump’s Terrible Week

The Guardian wrote on August 25:

“[On Tuesday, in] New York, Trump’s longtime lawyer and ‘fixer’ Michael Cohen implicated the president in a crime to influence the 2016 presidential election. Pleading guilty to dodging taxes and campaign finance violations, he alleged that Trump directed him to pay hush money to prevent two women – a Playboy model and pornographic actor – speaking out about extramarital affairs.

“In Alexandria, Virginia, Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign chairman, was found guilty of eight tax and bank fraud charges and could now spend the rest of his life behind bars – unless Trump chooses to pardon him.

“… But the day from hell [August 21] was far from done. The Republican congressman Duncan Hunter and his wife were indicted on corruption charges, namely converting more than $250,000 in campaign money to pay for personal expenses… In 2016, Hunter was the second member of Congress to endorse Trump for president. Earlier this month the first, Chris Collins of New York was indicted for insider trading. The third [member of Congress who endorsed Trump]? Jeff Sessions, now Trump’s out-of-favour attorney general…

“And then, in one more dose of humiliation, the candidate Trump endorsed for governor of Wyoming, Foster Friess, lost the Republican primary to the state treasurer, Mark Gordon…

“Then there was Wednesday… the president gave an interview to Fox News which, as always, had sought to play down the firestorm. He denied instructing to Cohen to commit a crime… He also claimed that he did not find out about the payments until ‘later’, contradicting earlier statements. For the first time, the Washington Post’s factchecker said the president was lying rather than merely misleading or false…

“On Thursday there was no let-up. It emerged that David Pecker, chairman of American Media Inc, which owns the pro-Trump National Enquirer, had been granted immunity to provide information about Cohen and Trump’s involvement with payments to the two women who allege sexual affairs. The Associated Press added fuel to the fire by reporting that the Enquirer kept such secrets locked in a safe…

“On Friday… attention turned back to Trump’s legal crisis as the Wall Street Journal reported that Allen Weisselberg, his longtime financial gatekeeper, was granted immunity by federal prosecutors for providing information about Cohen…”

Just about Cohen? Many feel that the alleged “investigation” regarding “collusion with Russia” has far exceeded its claimed legitimate legal justification and that it does constitute a political witch-hunt of unparalleled historical proportions. At one time, Trump said that if special counsel Robert Mueller should begin to investigate Trump’s or his family’s private financial affairs, he would have crossed the red line. Constitutionally, Trump can’t probably fire Mueller himself or through his Attorney General Sessions who recused himself, after he took the job, without telling Trump ahead of time. But Trump could fire Sessions (which many, such as evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr., a religious adviser to Trump, believe is long overdue) and/or insist that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein fire Mueller, and if he refuses [he had told Congress he would fire Mueller only for clear misconduct and he gave him great latitude regarding the “investigation”], Trump could fire him too until he finds someone who carries out his demands.

Politico pointed out on April 17, 2018, that this man might be Solicitor General Noel Francisco: “Under Justice Department rules, Rosenstein’s successor should be the department’s third-ranking official, the associate attorney general. But the last occupant of that job, Rachel Brand, departed in February and has not been replaced [Presently, Jesse Panuccio is serving as the Acting Associate Attorney General; while the Trump administration has put its search for the Justice Department’s No. 3 official on hold]. Next in line is Francisco, 48, a former George W. Bush White House and Justice Department lawyer whom Trump last year named to be U.S. solicitor general, representing his administration and the U.S. government before the Supreme Court.”

It might not be “politically correct” for Trump to fire Mueller in the way described above, and the Democrats will and many Republicans might revolt and cry foul, but they still may not dare to impeach Trump, as many American citizens would be on his side, going beyond just his loyal base, since he would truly have begun, in the minds of many, to drain the swamp which he had promised to do. After all, many congressional Republicans were never his friends to begin with, nor are they his friends today, and now we see that some of Trump’s long-time loyal “friends” are receiving immunity while turning against him.

Impeach Trump, and the American People Will Revolt

The Washington Post wrote on August 24:

“‘I think impeachment would be totally horrible,’ Giuliani said, later adding, ‘You could only impeach him for political reasons, and the American people would revolt against that.’ On this point, Giuliani is largely correct.

“First, impeachment is indeed a purely political process… it’s also probably true that there would be a revolt of some significant form against an effort to impeach Trump… ‘Revolt’ is a strong word, and ‘the American people’ is overly broad. But a substantial number of Americans would certainly take strong issue with an impeachment effort against Trump…

“We talk a lot about Trump’s base of support, how broadly steady it is and how enthusiastic it is. Talk to Trump supporters and a common theme is that they feel the need to stand with him because he’s constantly embattled by the outside forces of Democrats and government investigators…”

Trump won’t be impeached.

Trump Like Cyrus Helping to Build the Temple?

The Huffington Post wrote on August 30:

“[Roger E.] Olson, a professor of Christian theology… said many evangelicals don’t necessarily believe that Trump is a man of faith. But they view him like Cyrus, the biblical Persian emperor who helped to free the Hebrew people and rebuild their temple in Jerusalem despite not being Jewish himself.

“‘They regard [Trump] as a person who is not one of God’s own people (Jewish or Christian), but an instrument of God to deliver Israel and American evangelical Christianity from persecution…’”

Trump’s role in the building of the Third Temple prior to Christ’s return will be interesting to observe. Please view our StandingWatch program, “Netanyahu’s Announcement of a Third Temple?”

John McCain and His Farewell Message

The Week wrote on August 27:

“The passing of Sen. John McCain marks the end of an era in American political life… Americans are always hungry for heroes, and McCain served admirably in that role for many years. His service, sacrifice, and suffering as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War was genuinely awe-inspiring and worthy of profound… respect…

“Honor, nobility, courage, public-spiritedness — he esteemed them all and did his best to embody them in his life. That… is the source of the heartfelt tributes that have flowed forth from so many at the news of his death. His life was a reminder of an older, elevated notion of politics that places country before party and self-sacrifice before self-interest. That such displays of public virtue can still move so many, even at such an otherwise tawdry time in our history, is powerful evidence that they grow out of and touch something deep and ineradicable within the human soul.”

JTA wrote on August 28:

“McCain reserved two paragraphs in his posthumous farewell for a warning about the dangers of hypernationalism, alluding to the rise of the ‘alt-right,’ the white supremacists whom he reviled. And he invoked a slogan that predates the Nazis, but that was made popular by them: blood and soil… ‘We are citizens of the world’s greatest republic, a nation of ideals, not blood and soil… We have helped liberate more people from tyranny and poverty than ever before in history. We have acquired great wealth and power in the process… We weaken our greatness when we confuse our patriotism with tribal rivalries that have sown resentment and hatred and violence in all the corners of the globe.’

“It was not the first time McCain had referenced the term ‘blood and soil,’ which the Nazis used to justify their theories of racial purity. Last October, receiving the National Constitution Center’s Liberty Medal, he used the term to warn against the white supremacism that had led to violence and murder in Charlottesville, Virginia just two months earlier.

“‘To fear the world we have organized and led for three-quarters of a century, to abandon the ideals we have advanced around the globe, to refuse the obligations of international leadership and our duty to remain “the last best hope of earth” for the sake of some half-baked, spurious nationalism cooked up by people who would rather find scapegoats than solve problems is as unpatriotic as an attachment to any other tired dogma of the past that Americans consigned to the ash heap of history,’ McCain said then. ‘We live in a land made of ideals, not blood and soil.’…

“McCain was furious with President Donald Trump for equivocating following Charlottesville, when the president insisted both sides were to blame for the violence and… declared that there were ‘very fine people’ on both sides. And McCain’s final statement segues from a warning about the term to an indictment of Trump’s policies, particularly the president’s anti-immigrant postures.

“‘We weaken it when we hide behind walls, rather than tear them down,’ McCain said, an allusion to the wall Trump hopes to build along the border the United States shares with Mexico, and which runs through Arizona… Trump despised McCain and had to be pressured into honoring the senator’s memory.”

Earthquake in Southern California

The Los Angeles Times reported on August 29:

“Parts of Southern California were rattled by a 4.4 magnitude earthquake Tuesday evening that was centered near La Verne but felt over a wide area… the epicenter was three miles from San Dimas, four miles from Claremont and five miles from Glendora.

“… Victor Flores, who lives in a two-story house in the hills of La Verne, said the shaking was ‘extremely violent.’ ‘It was moving the whole house,’ he said. ‘It shook hard for what seemed like 10 to 20 seconds, and then it just kept going. It was really loud too, kind of like thunder. It just hit really hard and quick.’ Flores, his wife and daughters ran to their backyard, but when they saw the water in their pool swaying back and forth, they ran back inside…

“Rochelle Puente was watching her 7-year-old son’s football practice at Bonita High School in La Verne when she felt the shaking. She and at least 100 other people at the field looked up at the tall trees and swaying poles. Puente heard people scream… ‘It felt way stronger than a 4.4,’ Puente added.

“The… quake was widely felt, either as a sharp jolt near the epicenter or a rolling motion farther away. It shook buildings for several seconds in downtown Los Angeles.”

Please view our StandingWatch program,  Is California’s Big Earthquake About to Strike?

Further Outrageous Conduct by Bank of America

Miami Herald wrote on August 30:

“Saeed Moshfegh woke up earlier this month to discover the strangest thing: though he had plenty of money in his Bank of America account, he couldn’t access it. An Iranian getting his Ph.D in physics at the University of Miami, Moshfegh used the account for everyday transactions. All he had to do to maintain the account was show proof of legal residency every six months. Moshfegh… has lived in the U.S. for the past seven years. He recently married an American.

“That Thursday, Moshfegh went to his local branch near South Miami. He was told that the documentation he had provided could not be accepted. Bank officials insisted he produce a different form, according to Moshfegh. The bank was wrong, he maintains, because the form he had supplied was the correct one based on his current status as a student nearing graduation. ‘This bank doesn’t know how the immigration system works, so they didn’t accept my document,’ said Moshfegh, 36.  Locked out of his account, Moshfegh couldn’t pay his rent, which was due that week. Credit card payments were suddenly rejected.

“His case isn’t unique. In recent months, Bank of America has been accused of freezing or threatening to freeze customers’ accounts after asking about their legal status in the U.S. In July, the Washington Post reported that multiple customers had been locked out of their accounts after Bank of America questioned whether the account holders were U.S. citizens or dual citizens.

“According to the Post, Kansas-born Josh Collins received an unusual-looking letter purportedly from the bank asking about his citizenship status. He said he thought the mailer was spam and ignored it—only to have his account frozen a few weeks later. After Collins’ story was first reported locally, he and his wife received messages from others who had been locked out of their accounts for weeks, the Post reported.

“Tennessee native David Lewis says he received the same suspicious-looking letter as Collins. In an interview with the Miami Herald, Lewis said he has maintained an account with Bank of America for about 30 years. In the letter, the bank inquired about his citizenship, income, and Social Security number. When he called Bank of America, he was told his account would be frozen if he did not fill out the forms. That phone conversation led him to cancel his account, he said…

“Proof of citizenship is not required to open a bank account in the U.S., according to Stephanie Collins, a spokesperson for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the federal agency that supervises branch banking. Banks are merely required to identify and report suspicious transactions and maintain and update customer information, she said…

“Paulina Gonzalez, executive director of the California Reinvestment Coalition, told the Herald: ‘…We have Bank of America customers who we’ve spoken to who have never been asked this before last year…’ In recent months, her group has received several complaints about being asked for proof of citizenship; almost all have come from Bank of America customers, she said. An article in American Banker magazine also highlighted Bank of America as the one institution specifically facing backlash for its policies…

“For Moshfegh, the Miami physics student, it was not until he’d had conversations with multiple Bank of America officials that he was able to convince them to let him withdraw all his funds; Bank of America would not let him keep the account.”

This is truly appalling. For more information, please view our StandingWatch program, “Do Banks and the Government Control You?” 

Another Change in Australia’s Government

The Telegraph wrote on August 25:

“Australia’s new prime minister Scott Morrison, a staunch conservative and devout evangelical Christian [who opposes same-sex marriage], yesterday pledged to heal the ruling Liberal party after a week of infighting that outgoing leader Malcolm Turnbull said left his nation ‘dumbstruck and so appalled’. Following a brutal party brawl, Mr Morrison emerged victorious as leader in a 45-40 party-room vote against Peter Dutton, a hardliner who led a coup against Mr Turnbull.

“Mr Morrison, formerly the treasurer, equivalent to Chancellor of the Exchequer, was sworn in on Friday by the Governor-General, the Queen’s representative, to become Australia’s sixth prime minister in eight years. Mr Turnbull, a former investment banker who became leader after toppling Tony Abbott in 2015, was ousted by a group of right-wing MPs who mistrusted his progressive views, even as he veered rightward on issues such as climate change, the republic and same-sex marriage…

“The toppling of Mr Turnbull means that no Australian leader has served a full term since John Howard after the 2004 election… Adding to the turmoil, Mr Turnbull said he planned to leave parliament, which would require a by-election that could threaten the ruling Liberal-National Coalition’s one-seat majority. This could force an early general election, which is currently due by May.

“Mr Morrison, a father of two and faithful member of an American-style mega-church, did not support the move to topple Mr Turnbull. He was elected after a three-way contest against Mr Dutton and Julie Bishop, the foreign minister, who was defeated in the first round of voting.

“On Friday night US President Donald Trump congratulated Mr Morrison. Trump tweeted, ‘There are no greater friends than the United States and Australia!’ Mr Morrison soon responded, writing on Twitter: ‘Had a great discussion with @realDonaldTrump this morning. We affirmed the strength of the relationship between the US and Australia…’ Known as a shrewd political operator, Mr Morrison developed a reputation as a tough but capable minister after overseeing Australia’s efforts to stem the flow of asylum seekers by boat. This involved detaining refugees on remote offshore islands and towing boats back to Indonesia, measures condemned as unlawful and inhumane by the United Nations.”

If there are no greater friends than the USA and Australia, where do the UK and Israel fit in? The Bible says that God is not pleased with a country’s national sin manifested by the fact that its leaders change constantly and quickly (Proverbs 28:2 says in the Luther Bible 1984: “Because of the sin of the land its leaders change often…”).

Deadly Side Effects of Prescription Medications

ABC News wrote on August 27:

“The authors collected health information of over 23,000 children 19 years and younger using [a survey] from 2003 to 2014. Nearly one in five children and adolescents used at least one prescription medication; approximately 7.5 percent used two or more and the use of prescription medications was the highest among adolescent girls (28 percent) and boys ages 6 to 12 years (26.5 percent).

“Among those using multiple medications, one in 12 was at risk for a major drug interaction, and the vast majority of these potential interactions involved antidepressants. Adolescent girls were at a higher risk of interacting drug regimens compared to other groups, largely because of their higher rate of medication use… side effects related to medications remain a leading cause of injuries and death among children and adolescents in the United States… approximately 200,000 children and teens visit emergency departments each year because of side effects related to medication…”

Hatred for the Bible?

The Los Angeles Times wrote on August 17:

“Would you believe it if I told you the mere sight of the Bible is offensive to some people?… Apparently, in our intolerant culture, we no longer can display the Bible in public…

“Harvard, Yale and a number of the other original nine colonial colleges in America were established by people who believed in the Bible. The Salvation Army, which has helped countless vulnerable people, was started by a man who believed in the Bible and lived accordingly. The abolitionist movement was led by men and women who believed the words in the Bible and took them to heart. And let’s not forget Martin Luther King Jr., whose celebrated speeches, which in many ways were really sermons, are now enshrined in our collective consciousness. And yet, here we are, having to tiptoe around some who find it offensive.

“We can find Bibles in nearly every hotel room in America, and most Americans have at least one Bible in their home. In fact, 47% of American adults, including 50% of college graduates, believe the Bible is the inspired word of God. At the same time, there is a significant disconnect. Half of those who claim to read the Bible aren’t able to name the four Gospels in the New Testament…”

The situation in Europe, especially Germany, is much worse. Anyone who dares to read the Bible in public (including in public transportation) is being considered by most as being weird, strange, abnormal or a religious fanatic. You can read any book you want in public, but woe to you if you read the Bible! We need to understand that the author of such hatred for God’s Word is none other than Satan the Devil.

Separation of Catholic Church and State in Italy?

Evangelical Focus reported on August 20:

“The state funeral in Genova for the victims of the Morandi bridge, which killed at least 41 people, was not attended by all the victims. About half of the relatives decided not to take part in the ceremony held on August 16^th…

“The state funeral followed a Roman Catholic rite… Among those who did not attend the state funeral were the parents, siblings and friends of Stella Boccia (24). They decided to do their own funeral the day before… Francesco Boccia, brother of the victim, is an evangelical pastor of an Assemblies of God…

“This is not the first time a state funeral in Italy is officiated in accordance to the Roman Catholic liturgy, even when those honoured include people of other faiths and non-believers. According to the Italian Evangelical Alliance (AEI), the state funerals after the earthquakes of Aquila (2009) and Amatrice (2016) followed a similar religious framework. ‘The state funeral is delegated to the Catholic church as if the state could not “handle death” apart from “mother” church’, Vice President of the AEI, Leonardo De Chirico, told Evangelical Focus. Therefore, the state funeral becomes ‘actually a Catholic funeral. The distinctions between state and church are blurred… It assumes that everyone is Catholic and that the Catholic Church acts on behalf of the state’…”

We need to note as well that Roman Catholicism was recognized under Mussolini as the state’s official and only religion, and this declaration in a treaty between church and state was never revoked. The same “blurred distinctions” can be observed in other European countries in which Catholics constitute a majority of the people, including Austria, Germany, France and Spain.  

Pope Francis—Change of Mind or Damage Control?

The Guardian wrote on August 27:

“The Vatican has rolled back on a recommendation by Pope Francis that parents seek psychiatric help for children who show homosexual tendencies. The pope made the comments to journalists as he was flying back to Rome from Ireland, but the Vatican later removed his phrase from its official account, saying he had not meant to suggest that homosexuality was a mental illness.

“The pope was asked by a journalist what he would say to parents who observe homosexual traits in their children. ‘When it shows itself from childhood, there is a lot that can be done through psychiatry, to see how things are. It is something else if it shows itself after 20 years,’ he said. He added that ignoring a child who showed homosexual tendencies was an ‘error of fatherhood or motherhood’…

“The pope’s trip to Ireland was fraught with controversy amid accusations that he ignored sexual abuse allegations against prominent US cardinal Theodore McCarrick.”

It was even alleged that he knew and covered up alleged sexual abuses of children. The pope has refused to comment to such allegations.

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.

Hosea 5:7 reads, “They have dealt treacherously with the LORD, For they have begotten pagan children. Now a New Moon shall devour them and their heritage.”

In order to understand the context, we need to consider several passages within the entire fifth chapter of the book of Hosea.

Verse 1 speaks to the priests, the house of Israel and the house of the king. Verse 3 says that God knows Ephraim and that Israel is not hidden from Him. Verse 5 says that Israel and Ephraim will stumble in their iniquity, and that Judah will stumble with them. Verse 8 says that the ram’s horn and the trumpet are to be blown, obviously referring to impending war, and verse 9 continues that Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke. Verse 10 speaks of God’s wrath; and verse 13 says that Ephraim won’t succeed in trying to find help from King Jareb of Assyria. Finally, verse 15 announces that ultimately Ephraim and Judah will earnestly seek God when they are being afflicted, indicating repentance.

The context of the entire chapter describes end-time events and addresses the modern descendants of the ancient houses of Israel and Judah. The reference to Ephraim is to be understood as, foremost, describing the nations and peoples of the United Kingdom; and perhaps Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the white populations of other English-speaking nations belonging to the Commonwealth of Nations [formerly known as the British Commonwealth], such as South Africa and Zimbabwe; and when Israel is mentioned in addition to Ephraim, it would refer to Ephraim’s brother Manasseh whose descendants can be found today in the United States. Judah, of course, is a reference to the state of Israel and the Jews in general, and the modern Assyrians can be found today in Germany and Austria. God speaks of the trumpet of war (referring also to the Feast of Trumpets, as we will see) and of His wrath which He will pour out on all nations during the Day of His Wrath, just prior to Christ’s return. Finally, reference is made to the priests—the religious leadership in all of the above-mentioned countries—and the house of the king, referring to the royal house and monarchy of Great Britain.

Since Verse 5 tells us that Ephraim, Israel (Manasseh) and Judah will all fall together, what then is the meaning of verse 7, telling us that because of their harlotry (verse 3) and the upbringing of pagan children, the “new moon” shall devour them and their heritage or posterity?

Commentaries are quite divided on the meaning of this verse.

In applying the verse strictly to Old Testament times and ignoring the prophetic end-time application, Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers states:

“Some reference is involved to the consequences of intermarriage with heathen. The ‘month’ may be a personification of the period of a month, during which takes place the now closely impending (perhaps already commenced) invasion by Tiglathpileser… This invasion was due in part to Ahaz having sought the aid of Assyria against Pekah and Rezin.”

The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary makes the same mistake, pointing out:

“… a month—a very brief space of time shall elapse, and then punishment shall overtake them… The allusion seems to be to money loans, which were by the month, not as with us by the year. You cannot put it off; the time of your destruction is immediately and suddenly coming on you; just as the debtor must meet the creditor’s demand at the expiration of the month. The prediction is of the invasion of Tiglath-pileser, who carried away Reuben, Gad, Naphtali, and the half tribe of Manasseh.”

Other commentaries give similar explanations. Even though some of the statements are helpful, as describing historic forerunners of end-time events, they do not focus on the relevance of these passages for us today, and completely overlook the warning message to the modern DESCENDANTS of the ancient houses of Israel and Judah. However, when reading those comments, we should be able to view them in light of future events which will soon occur, just prior to Christ’s return.

For example, the Matthew Poole’s Commentary states:

“They, the whole house of Israel, priests, people, and princes, and their kings with them, have dealt treacherously; have falsified their word and promise of fidelity and constancy, of love and affection, when they entered covenant with me; have turned idolaters, and worshipped and relied on false gods. They have begotten strange children; as if it were not enough that they were idolaters, they have trained up their children in the same idolatry, partly by their instruction, and more by their examples…

“A month [shall devour them]; either the new moon… or rather, a time not long (as an age); not as to the old world, nor as to Nineveh, forty days, but a shorter time: possibly it may refer to Shallum’s short time of usurpation, which lasted but a month; a month shall devour them, the Assyrians shall make a speedy conquest over you… Shallum slew Zachariah before the people… implying the people’s concurrence herein, and [we know of] their accepting of Shallum with expectation of peace and prosperity, to the increase of their portion under his government, all which was blasted at the month’s end.”

The Benson Commentary says:

“The expression alludes to children not lawfully begotten, or not born in wedlock. Now shall a month devour them — A very short time shall complete their destruction. It shall be sudden and unexpected.”

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible states:

 “The children too of the forbidden marriages with the pagan were, by their birth, strange or foreign children, even before they became so in act; and they became so the more in act, because they were so by birth. The next generation then growing up more estranged from God than themselves, what hope of amendment was there?

“Now shall a month devour – The word ‘now’ denotes the nearness and suddenness of God’s judgments; the term ‘month,’ their rapidity. A ‘month’ is… a brief time… The iniquity was full; the harvest was ripe; ‘now,’ suddenly, rapidly, completely, the end should come…”

Again, even though perhaps not intended by this commentary, its wording clearly points at the end time: the iniquity is full, the harvest is ripe, the complete end is coming. These are all terms used in the Bible to describe end-time events.

Several commentaries do not overlook the fact that the “new moon”—the first day of the month—is mentioned in connection with blowing a ram’s horn and a trumpet; apparently referring to the annual Holy Day of the Feast of Trumpets. This day is of course still to be kept today by Christians and Jews, but without the sacrifices, and it symbolizes especially the seven last trumpets mentioned in the Book of Revelation, culminating in the return of Jesus Christ. The thought seems to be that as Christ will return quickly and unexpectedly at a time of worldwide war, so the destruction in war of modern Israel and Judah will likewise occur quickly and unexpectedly.

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible applies Hosea’s prophecy to the observance of new moons (including the Feast of Trumpets) in general:

 “… now shall a month devour them with their portions; the Jews understand this literally of the month Ab, the time of Jerusalem’s destruction… or the month Tammuz, in which the city was broke up… or rather… it signifies a short time, a very little while before the destruction should come… but others seem better to interpret it of their new moon, or first day of the month, which they observed in a religious way, by offering sacrifice…”

A similar explanation is given by the  Pulpit Commentary:

“If (1) ‘month’ be the right rendering, it is a note of time like ‘the day of the Lord’ and the sense is that a short time shall see the end of them – not only of their persons, but their properties, that is, their hereditary portions in Palestine. But

“(2) if ‘new moon’ be the correct translation, the new moon, or sacrificial feasts celebrated at that season, will only rut, not relieve, them. Their sinful sacrifices and vain oblations, on which they now placed their reliance, will procure, not their salvation, but perdition.”

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges specifically refers to the new moon as including the Feast of Trumpets (compare too Psalm 81:3), which was used to determine the times for the other annual Holy Days—whenever the first crescent of the new moon was observed, it constituted the first day of the new month:

“… now shall a month devour them: The time for punishment has arrived. Instead of watching gladly for the new moon to fix the various hallowed festivals (comp. Hosea 2:11), they should have a ‘fearful looking for judgment’ increasing as each new moon arose…”

Hosea’s end-time prophecy in chapter 5 describes the sudden defeat in war of the USA and the United Kingdom; and perhaps Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the white populations of other English-speaking nations belonging to the Commonwealth of Nations [formerly known as the British Commonwealth], such as South Africa and Zimbabwe; in addition to the state of Israel and many Jews. This will occur through a modern King of Assyria—the “beast” or the “king of the North”—who will be leading a European collaboration of ten nations or groups of nations—referred to as ten kings in the book of Revelation, chapter 17, and ten toes in the book of Daniel, chapter 2.

These ten nations or kings will receive power for “one hour” (Revelation 17:12)—again, a very short time—to share it with the “beast”. They will fight with him, and he will also be accompanied and supported by the “false prophet,” a religious leader of a worldwide organization claiming to be Christian. As the reference in Revelation 17:12 to “one hour” does not mean 60 minutes (it apparently refers to 3 ½ years, note Daniel 7:25, or a somewhat shorter time span than that), the reference to the “month” in Hosea 5:7 does not have to mean a time span of 30 days either—what is expressed here is the very shortness of time. For instance, the day of the Lord will probably last 1 year… not just 24 hours (compare Isaiah 34:8; 61:2; 63:4).

Still, we find an interesting parallel passage in Zechariah 11:8 which reads: “I dismissed the three shepherds in one month. My soul loathed them, and their soul also abhorred me.” There is much speculation about this verse as well, and many apply it only to the time of Zechariah. Commentaries “identify” the three shepherds as three ancient kings, such as Zachariah, Shallum, and Menahem; or as three ancient leaders of factions in the Jewish war, namely John, Simon, and Eleazar; or as three ancient dynasties that oppressed Israel, i.e., the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, and Greco-Macedonian Empires.

However, as we point out in our free booklet, “The Book of Zechariah—Prophecies for Today!,” the prophecies in the book of Zechariah have end-time applications, as is the case with Hosea 5:7, and the reference to “one month” in both passages is striking. Some, understanding this, have suggested that Zechariah 11:8 refers to shepherds or leaders in various splinter groups of the Church of God who make merchandise of the brethren; live an ungodly lifestyle; preach wrong doctrines and practices; misappropriate religious titles to themselves which only belong to Christ; or claim ministerial positions of rank and stature which were not given to them by God, such as being an apostle, a prophet, or one of the two witnesses. Others suggested that the three shepherds might perhaps refer to leaders or influential persons of remnants of previous Church of God eras or of the very last era, whom God will deal with because of their disloyalty and faithlessness.

In light of Hosea 5:7, the reference to the “month” in Zechariah 11:8 could also refer to God’s quick intervention in regard to three ungodly entities which will be responsible, directly or indirectly, for the defeat and destruction of modern Israel and Judah:

One possibility is that God refers here to three leaders of “Ephraim,” “Israel” (Manasseh) and “Judah” (Hosea 5:5), who, due to their ungodly conduct, will inflict God’s wrath and who will thereby indirectly cause or contribute to the defeat of their sinful countries which will be falling together within a short period of time. God will bring about their defeat due to their many national sins, but God places the blame foremost on the ungodly political and religious leaders of those nations (compare Isaiah 1:5, 10; 3:12; 9:14-16; 28:7; Jeremiah 2:8; 23:11-14, 16-22, 26-27; Ezekiel 22:25-27; Micah 3:1-7).

These “three shepherds” might refer to the political leadership of the USA, the UK and the state of Israel at the time of God’s intervention. As God addresses in Hosea 5:1 the priests, the house of Israel and the house of the king, it is also possible that the three shepherds to be dismissed within “one month” could describe the religious, political and kingly leadership of the USA and the UK. In any event, the implication is that the collapse of these institutions and false religious and political leaders will occur suddenly and quickly. [For the defeat of the monarchy in Great Britain, please read our comments in our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America,” where we state on page 11: “The final king of the house of David, prior to Christ’s return, may cease to rule for a very short period of time: ‘At dawn the king of Israel Shall be cut off utterly’ (Hosea 10:15).”]

This destruction will be caused by modern “Babylon”—the last European revival of the ancient “Holy Roman Empire.” Therefore, another possibility of the dismissal of the three ungodly shepherds could be seen in the three powers or power blocs which will be directly responsible for the defeat of the modern descendants of the ancient houses of Israel and Judah—namely, the beast, the false prophet and the group of ten core European nations or groups of nations. As God will deal with and bring about the defeat of sinful USA, the UK and Judah  in “one month”—in a very short time—so He will also deal with and bring about the defeat of wicked modern Babylon in “one month.” Revelation 18:8, 10, 17 tells us that the ungodly and demonically inspired end-time Babylonian system will be judged and destroyed “in one day” and “in one hour.” Again, the implication is that it will happen unexpectedly within a very short time.

In conclusion, Hosea 5:7 does not necessarily say that the downfall and defeat of the USA, the UK and the state of Israel—the ungodly religious and political leadership as well as the entire nations—will occur within a literal month, consisting of 30 days, but we are clearly warned that it will happen very quickly, and that they will all fall together at approximately the same time; and especially the Feast of Trumpets warns us that a coming ungodly European power bloc will begin a terrible nuclear war which will destroy, defeat and enslave the modern descendants of the ancient houses of Israel and Judah.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

The 2018 USA Feast Brochure is now posted. Designed by Shelly Bruno, this brochure provides a complete schedule of events during the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great observances.

A new Member Letter (September 2018) has been written by Norbert Link to be sent out next week. The letter explains that and how the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days picture God’s master plan for man.

“Will America Be Defeated Soon in WW III?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Is it even conceivable that the USA, as well as the UK and Israel, could suffer outright military defeat in a coming war which has been described as the most devastating war ever? Some military experts believe so. Will WWIII be finally the war to end all wars? If so, then not in the way you and I would wish. Do end-time biblical prophecies provide us with a clear picture as to what is going to happen soon?

“Werden Amerika, England und Israel in einem Monat zerstört werden?” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Will America, Britain and Israel Be Destroyed in One Month?”

“Trust in the Trials,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Frank Bruno, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Often when one faces a trial such as losing a job, the feeling of hopelessness can be overwhelming. Our bibles can offer a pathway forward through the word of God. David was a man of great faith yet he was still quite human and knew he needed to rely on God to deliver him from the many dangers and plots facing him in his day. Today we too face trials and challenges and the sooner we learn to turn to God, the more secure we will be. This life offers no promises, yet through our trials we can come closer to God—our Creator and our Father.

“WHAT (Not Who) is the Holy Spirit?” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The Holy Spirit is invisible to humans, but its actions and effects are plainly revealed. Having a relationship with the Father and with Jesus Christ is only possible when we have received the Holy Spirit—do you understand?

Here are the dates for the 2018 Fall Holy Days:

Feast of Trumpets—September 10
Day of Atonement—September 19
Feast of Tabernacles—September 24-30
Last Great Day—October 1

On August 25, 2018, Frank Bruno will present, “Trust in the Trials,” and Dave Harris will present the sermon, titled, “WHAT (Not Who) is the Holy Spirit?”

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.

We read in Matthew 10:22, after listing a number of warnings of trials: “… But he who endures to the end will be saved.”

Endurance is a very important concept for us living God’s Way. In fact, it is essential. At first thought, endurance may be considered similar to perseverance and yet God gives greater emphasis to endurance than He does to perseverance. In the Bible, perseverance or persevere occurs about 9 times while endure or enduring occurs over 30 times, not counting the over 45 occurrences in italics. When we look at endurance, it certainly includes the element of perseverance but it entails much more.

A definition of perseverance is to continue on, even though there may be difficulties and failures on the way, whereas endurance is more like surviving pain or hardship or opposition.

Matthew 24:9-13 is a very important message for the end-time Church, although it has applied during much of the history of the Church. It shows the importance of enduring:

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended…” Some versions have “fall away” in place of “be offended.” According to Ellicot’s commentary, the reference to “the many” points primarily to “believers in Christ” who found a stumbling block which caused them to be offended. Continuing: “… betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love [agape or godly love that true Christians have] of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”

This passage shows that we may have to endure trials such as tribulation, killing, hatred, deception, offences, betrayal and lawlessness. But it ends on a very positive theme, an absolute promise from God who cannot lie, that the person who endures to the end through all of this shall be saved. “Shall,” in contractual terms, means: It is mandatory, it must happen.

Let us focus on our example, Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 12:2 we read, “… looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

When we look at His life, we find that it required great endurance. His life was threatened a number of times, even from when He was a young child. He had to fight the temptations of Satan. He was accused of blasphemy and even called illegitimate. He was accused of casting out demons by Beelzebub. He went through an illegal trial whose guilty outcome was already predetermined. And to top it off, He was beaten and executed in a manner usually applied to the worst criminals. In those days, it was a shameful thing to be crucified.

So why did He do it? Why did He come to earth and take the form of a human, knowing all this was prophesied to happen to Him? As we just read, it was for the joy that was set before Him. The joy of making possible that many brethren would join the God Family. He and His Father knew that this was the only way possible, and the outcome was so wonderful that no trial was too much for Him to achieve this outcome.

So how does this apply to us? We also have to endure many trials in life. But the outcome is stated in Psalm 16:11: “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures evermore.” There is a wonderful life set out before us if we endure. Nothing could be more worthwhile.

God certainly offers us help and He gives us a promise in Romans 8:38-39: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

We have God’s promise of help. We read what the apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” We can also have faith in God who shows no partiality, that we can endure to the end through Christ who strengthens us.

by Norbert Link

We begin with another report clearly establishing the biblically prophesied FACT that a third temple WILL BE BUILT prior to Christ’s return, even though some who are ill-informed and willfully ignorant deny the Truth on the matter; continue with a warning from military experts that the next war will be more devastating than anything that man has experienced before; and address President Trump’s REALLY bad day (August 21) and Turkey’s present and future relationship with the USA and with Europe, especially Germany.

We continue with a meeting between Merkel and Putin and the announcement that Germany has the biggest account surplus in the world, while the USA has the largest trade deficit, which angers President Trump to no end. We are also quoting from a controversial “anti-American” opinion piece by Germany’s foreign minister, Heiko Maas.

We address the deportation of a 95-year old “war criminal” from the USA to Germany, which is highly controversial, as the person is not German and as the evidence of a war crime is insufficient. We also report on Hungary’s inhumane policy towards asylum seekers.

We speak on this year’s huge pilgrimage of Muslims to Mecca and point out the South African government’s policy of stealing land from white farmers; and we address one possible cause for autism; the propaganda and scandals pertaining to vaccinations; the danger of e-cigarettes; the scientific fear of the “Big One” striking California very soon(please view our new StandingWatch program, “Is California’s Big Earthquake About to Strike?”); and further attacks of American banks on their customers.

We conclude with the Catholic Church’s scandal pertaining to sexual abuse of children by priests, wondering whether these atrocities will ever stop due to the “culture” and “power structure” of that organization with its “villains and cowards.”

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

Getting Ready for the Third Temple!

Breaking Israel News wrote on August 19:

“In the Bible, the Temple Mount is considered a place of prayer for all nations and is commonly understood to be a holy place for Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. In Isaiah 56, it is written that, ‘foreigners Who attach themselves to Hashem’ will be brought to his sacred mount to rejoice in his house of prayer: ‘I will bring them to My sacred mount And let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices Shall be welcome on My mizbayach; For My House shall be called A house of prayer for all peoples’ (Isaiah 56:7).

“However, warn Jewish activists, politicians and rabbis, this Biblical aspiration is not being fulfilled today as prayer on the Temple Mount is restricted for those who are not Muslim. ‘The status quo presently and officially is that Jews and Christians are not allowed to pray on the Temple Mount,’ Member of Knesset Rabbi Yehuda Glick told Breaking Israel News… In 1967, despite thousands of years of yearning for Jewish sovereignty over Judaism’s holiest sites, Moshe Dayan, then Israeli defense minister, relinquished control of the Temple Mount to the Waqf [the Jordanian Waqf is an Islamic religious endowment]…

“Glick called the 1967 Temple Mount relinquishment a naïve move, in which Israel incorrectly believed that relinquishing control of a site holy to Muslims as well as Jews and Christians would create a lasting peace between Israel and her Arab neighbors. Joshua Wander, an independent public relations consultant in and around the Old City of Jerusalem, similarly called this event ‘one of the greatest tragedies in Jewish history,’ equal to the sin of the golden calf...

“While the Temple Mount is managed by the Waqf, the Israeli government sets entry limits because of political constraints and security. When entering the Temple Mount, there is also a warning sign by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel that announces, ‘According to Torah Law, entering the Temple Mount area is strictly forbidden due to the holiness of the site.’ But according to Wander, this sign is out of date. After 1967 when Israel reunited Jerusalem and received access to the Temple Mount, Jews began flocking there, unaware of the conditions upon which one is allowed to go up according to Jewish law.

“… Now it is Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s obligation to open the site for Jewish prayer, as per Israeli law, maintained Wander. ‘Israeli basic law provides for freedom of worship and anybody has the right to pray freely in this country,’ he said, calling Jewish restriction from prayer at their holiest site in their own country ‘absurd, clear discrimination and completely unacceptable.’…

“Wander said that aspirations should go even farther: The Jews should start building the Third Temple on the Temple Mount. ‘It is the goal of the Jewish nation to come back to the land and resurrect what we once had as a nation, including rebuilding the temple,’ he said. Historically, the Temple has acted as a lightning rod to God and a physical home in this world for Jews and non-Jews to spread blessings throughout the world, such as during Sukkot, when it was common for non-Jews to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem and bring sacrifices from the four corners of the earth. ‘Although there are different laws about service and sacrifice, the Temple is equally important for Jews and non-Jews,’ Wander said.

“Ahead of the Jewish high holidays this year, ‘we are on the way to building the Temple by praying for it three times a day for the last 2,000 years, reclaiming Jerusalem in 1967 and learning all the appropriate laws regarding the Temple Mount since then,’ he added, also citing reenactments of Temple services and sacrifices to bring awareness to the centrality of the Temple. While years in exile has decreased awareness of the centrality of the land of Israel, Jerusalem and the Temple for many Jews, ‘it is a divine movement and anyone who tries to stand in its way will not be successful,’ said Wander.

“According to Wander, the political environment is ripe for it as well, as ‘Trump has given us a window of opportunity’ of which he hopes the government will take advantage… [Rabbi Pinchas] Winston urged ‘righteous gentiles’ to continue investing in the State of Israel both spiritually and financially. Without a Temple, he explained, non-Jews cannot send sacrifices as they did in the past, but by taking part in bringing geula, they have an opportunity to bring back Temple times…”

Breaking Israel News reported on August 21:

“The Temple of Solomon was filled with the music of 4,000 harps and a remarkable couple [named Harrari] have been on a lifelong journey to return that music in time for the Third Temple…They recently released a video depicting the long-awaited fulfillment of the Psalm [Psalm 33:2]; a Jewish child returning to Israel removing a harp from a willow where her forefathers had hung it upon going out into exile…

“The only harps they were familiar with were the type used to play classical music. They learned that archaeologists had discovered cave drawings of a harp in Megiddo. The drawings were believed to be 3,000 years old, meaning the Megiddo lyre would have been the instrument young David played to soothe a troubled King Saul…

“The first harp took a long time to come together, spending months looking more like scrap wood in their living room than a potential musical instrument worthy to grace the Temple. A random meeting in 1984 with a writer from The Jerusalem Post resulted in an article on the Harrari’s David harp project. The article generated unexpected interest and the Harp Project was begun. As a result of the article, they were contacted by Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, founder of the Temple Institute. ‘He told us that one day there would be a Temple and there would need to be harps ready for the Temple service’…

“Rabbi Ariel immediately commissioned a harp for the Temple Institute with the intention that it would be used in the Third Temple. More research revealed that the Temple had both nevel (harp) and kinor (lyre). As donations came in, the Temple Institute commissioned more harps from the [couple]… [They] decided to create a video depicting the role of David’s harp in geula inspired by Psalms. Apparently, interest in the Temple harp is strong since more than 30,000 people have watched the video… The Temple Harp Project is an ongoing non-profit endeavor to create harps and lyres for the Third Temple.”

The Bible shows that the Jews will begin bringing animal sacrifices before Christ’s return. It is true that under Ezra, sacrifices were being given before the Second Temple was built, BUT those sacrifices commenced with the clear understanding that the Second Temple would be built. In spite of overwhelming biblical proof to the contrary, some still deny the FACT that a third temple will be built prior to Christ’s return. Such stubborn refusal in accepting the biblical prophecies is hard to understand; especially when they insist at the same time in the totally unbiblical concept of a seven-year contract involving the “beast”, which will allegedly be broken after 3 1/2 years, signalizing—so they claim–the beginning of the “Great Tribulation.”

 As the Bible does NOT teach such a seven-year contract, the Great Tribulation will overtake proponents of this idea as a thief in the night—they will not even know or realize when the Great Tribulation will begin. There are additional wrong ideas which those proponents proclaim, as one wrong teaching leads to the next. For more information, please view our new broadcast, “Comments on News and Prophecy (August 18, 2018).” Please also view “Netanyahu’s Announcement of a Third Temple?” and “Ancient and Modern Beliefs in the Third Temple” 

The Next War More Devastating Than Anything Before!

The Telegraph wrote on August 20:

“General Stephen Townsend, the head of the US Army’s Training and Doctrine Command, told British military leaders at the annual Kermit Roosevelt lecture in London, that combat in an increasingly urbanised world will result in a ‘scale of devastation beyond our comprehension’… Modern armies have no idea how to fight in these ‘hyper populated [and] literally unboundable’ areas, Gen Townsend told the audience…

“General Townsend, who commanded the coalition effort to defeat Isil from 2016 to March this year, likened the fight to liberate Mosul to Stalingrad, the bloodiest battle of the Second World War. A coalition force of 90,000 soldiers took nine months to finally defeat the 5,000 Isil fighters in Mosul. It took seven days to clear the last pockets of resistance, contained in an area about the size of a premier league football pitch.

“… Gen Townsend questioned whether Western armies had maintained the skills and the stomach for such a fight. ‘Battles are won by young soldiers fighting in sand, mud, heat and cold,’ he said. Hi-tech weapons are largely useless in such battles, Gen Townsend cautioned.

“Ben Barry, Senior Fellow for Land Warfare at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, cautions…[that] Training for such environments is critical, and in this regard the UK has fallen behind… He points to the urban training facilities in Israel, France and Germany as being far superior to the British mock-up town on Salisbury Plain. He says senior army officers are well aware of the relative limitation of the British training facilities…”

This might be one reason for a coming all-encompassing quick NUCLEAR war.

BAD Day for Trump: Manafort Guilty! Cohen: I am Guilty! Trump: Nothing to Do With Me!

The Week wrote on August 21:

“President Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen pleaded guilty Tuesday to eight counts of financial crimes… he admitted to violating campaign finance laws. The charges include five counts of tax evasion and one count of making an ‘excessive campaign contribution.’ Two of the charges relate to payments Cohen made to two women who alleged they had affairs with Trump, in exchange for their silence. Cohen, detailing the crimes he was pleading to, said he’d made the payments ‘in coordination with and at the direction of a candidate for federal office’ for the ‘purpose of influencing the election.’ He faces up to five years in prison…

“President Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was found guilty of eight counts of financial fraud Tuesday. The judge declared a mistrial on 10 of the counts in the bank and tax fraud trial, as jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict on those charges. NBC News reports that Manafort was found guilty on one count of failing to file a foreign bank account, two counts of bank fraud, and five counts of tax evasion. Manafort, 69, faces 240 years in prison for the felony charges, reports CNN, most of which stem from work Manafort did abroad before joining Trump’s campaign. The remaining 10 counts can be retried at a later date.”

Breitbart reported on August 22:

“President Donald Trump reacted Wednesday to the news that his former lawyer Michael Cohen betrayed him in a legal case. ‘If anyone is looking for a good lawyer, I would strongly suggest that you don’t retain the services of Michael Cohen!’ Trump wrote on Twitter…

“On Tuesday, Cohen pleaded guilty to bank fraud and income tax evasion and campaign finance fraud, claiming that Trump directed him to pay off two women who claimed to have an affair with Trump before he ran for president. The news thrilled Democrats looking for criminal cause to impeach the president.

“Trump also reacted to the news that his one-time campaign manager Paul Manafort was found guilty for crimes committed before he worked for the campaign. ‘I feel very badly for Paul Manafort and his wonderful family,’ Trump wrote, pointing out that prosecutors took a 12-year-old tax case to pressure him into a plea deal, but that Manafort did not ‘break.’ ‘Such respect for a brave man!’ he added, calling the Russia investigation by Robert Mueller a ‘witch hunt.’”

We are confident that Trump will NOT be impeached. Some scholars even state that impeachment is not possible of a President who may be accused of crimes committed before becoming President.

Turkey and the USA

Reuters wrote on August 20:

“President Tayyip Erdogan appealed to Turks’ religious and patriotic feelings… promising they would not be brought ‘to their knees’ by an economic crisis that has battered the lira currency. The lira… has tumbled some 40 percent this year, hit by worries about Erdogan’s influence over monetary policy and a worsening diplomatic rift with the United States…

“Highlighting the increased tensions, the U.S. embassy in the Turkish capital Ankara came under brief gunfire early on Monday by unknown assailants… the recent tension has centered around a U.S. evangelical Christian pastor, Andrew Brunson, who has been detained in Turkey on terrorism charges, which he denies… On Friday, a Turkish court rejected Brunson’s appeal for release, drawing a stiff rebuke from President Donald Trump…

“The U.S. Embassy in Ankara and the consulate in Istanbul have in the past been the targets of attacks by militants and have faced numerous security threats…”

The relationship between Turkey and the USA is prophesied to deteriorate continuously.

Turkey and Germany

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 20:

“Turkey cannot afford to have multiple battle fronts.  US sanctions and tariffs and a political dispute with Washington… is forcing Ankara to cultivate better relations with Europe… Turkey is willing to normalize relations with Germany and the European Union… However, Erdogan could also turn to Russia or China, and Qatar is yet another option…

“Turkey has NATO’s second-largest military based on number of personnel. It is also strategically important…

“Additionally, Turkey is a buffer between Europe and the Middle East, and an unstable Turkey could unleash a new migration flow… And finally, Turkey’s economic ties with Germany are substantial. More than 7,000 German firms operate in Turkey, making it in both countries’ interest to keep German investment from fleeing the country…

“Erdogan’s upcoming state visit in Berlin could be an important step in improving German-Turkish relations —and bringing Turkey closer to Europe, if the cards are played right.”

Carnegie Europe added on August 21:

“Diplomacy is not one of U.S. President Donald Trump’s strong suits. Rather, it is his use of sanctions, believing that they can change a leader’s behavior… But for Europe, especially for Germany, the sanctions are… the worst possible way to deal with a leading NATO ally…

“Reacting to the rapid deterioration of the Turkish economy and the stand-off between Washington and Ankara, German politicians (not Merkel) said both Berlin and the European Union must not isolate Turkey…

“Perhaps the American sanctions could provide the Europeans with a chance, over time, to get Turkey back on the European track…”

Turkey will indeed become a close ally to Europe… in opposition to the USA and the state of Israel.

Merkel and Putin Meet

Handelsblatt Global wrote on August 20:

“Vladimir Putin and Angela Merkel… have a contentious relationship but the meeting was framed by the duo’s even more fraught relation with that wild-haired leader of the US, which made their meeting seem normal and good news. Mr. Putin flew in fresh from the wedding of the Austrian foreign minister and was set to address Ukraine, Syria, and natural gas with Merkel.

“On Saturday night, the leaders committed to work on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and expressed concern about Syria… Though Mr. Trump criticized the pipeline as increasing Germany’s energy dependence on Russia, and advised Berlin to buy (his) LNG instead, that’s an expensive option. Berlin will beef up its terminals to be able to import liquid natural gas from the United States but in the meantime, Nord Stream 2 will increase Europe’s energy security, given the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

“But there are major differences between Merkel and Putin, from Russia’s failure to withdraw from Ukraine to Moscow’s continuing support for Syria’s Assad. No amount of waltzing at weddings or Cossack choirs can distract us from the fact that Moscow causes more problems than Mr. Putin pretends to resolve.”

The relationship between Germany and Russia will never become friendly or harmonious, but their common desire to stand up to President Trump needs to be noticed.

Germany with Biggest Account Surplus in the World

The Local wrote on August 20:

“According to the Institute of Economic Research (IfO), Germany will have the biggest account surplus in the world for the third successive year in 2018…

“Germany’s trade surplus will lie at around $299 billion this year, miles ahead of Japan, the Netherlands and China… That is mostly [due] to an enormous import-export imbalance when it comes to goods… Germany is set to export around $265 million worth more of goods than it will import in 2018… the country with the largest trade deficit in 2018 was set to be the USA.

“Germany’s famously export-heavy economy has come under fire in recent years from US president Donald Trump, who has called the trade surplus ‘very, very bad’, and has threatened Germany with high import tariffs on cars. Those plans were put on hold after Trump’s meeting with European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker earlier this summer, but the US president is not the only one who has taken issue with Germany’s trade surplus.

“The European Commission itself has repeatedly warned Germany against relying on exports… With the surplus now at 7.8 percent, Germany remains under heavy criticism, including from the IfO itself…”

Could jealousy and greed play a part in those who criticize Germany for their account surplus, as they are not as successful as the Germans?

“Making Plans for a New World Order”

On August 22, Handelsblatt Global published the following opinion piece by Heiko Maas, Germany’s foreign minister:

“The fact that the Atlantic has widened politically is by no means solely due to Donald Trump. The US and Europe have been drifting apart for years… The binding force of the East-West conflict is history…

“Let’s use the idea of a balanced partnership as a blueprint, where… we form a counterweight when the US crosses the line. Where we put our weight when America retreats… The outstanding aim of our foreign policy is to build a sovereign, strong Europe… ‘Europe United’ means this: We act with sovereignty at those points where nation-states alone cannot muster the level of power a united Europe can…

“Now it is important to build a European security and defense union… as a separate European project for the future… it is of strategic importance that we make it clear to Washington that… we will not allow you to go over our heads, and at our expense… It is therefore essential that we strengthen European autonomy by establishing payment channels independent of the US, a European monetary fund and an independent SWIFT [payments] system…

“We are striving for a multilateral alliance, a network of partners who, like us, are committed to sticking to the rules and to fair competition. I have made my first appointments with Japan, Canada and South Korea; more are to follow…

“Starting in October, we will be hosting a ‘German Year in the US’ for the first time ever. Not to celebrate the German-American friendship as nostalgia but to enable encounters that make people feel that we are moved to ask similar questions… A young US soldier used an unobserved moment to whisper to me: ‘Please, don’t abandon America.’ An American soldier was asking a German politician not to let America down…”

Subsequently, Handelsblatt Global wrote:

“An opinion piece by German foreign minister Heiko Maas… has drawn criticism as being ‘too anti-American’ from other politicians. Chancellor Angela Merkel said the editorial was Mr. Maas’ opinion and not government policy.”

But was it? Was it really?

USA “Deports” 95-Year-old “War Criminal” to Germany

The Associated Press wrote on August 21:

“The last Nazi war crimes suspect facing deportation from the U.S. was taken from his New York City home and spirited early Tuesday morning to Germany, following years of efforts to remove him from the United States. The deportation of the 95-year-old former Nazi camp guard, Jakiw Palij, came 25 years after investigators first confronted him about his World War II past and he admitted lying to get into the U.S., claiming he spent the war as a farmer and factory worker.

“Palij lived quietly in the U.S. for years, as a draftsman and then as a retiree… A judge stripped Palij’s citizenship in 2003 for ‘participation in acts against Jewish civilians’ while an armed guard at the Trawniki camp in Nazi-occupied Poland and was ordered deported a year later.

“But because Germany, Poland, Ukraine, and other countries refused to take him, he continued living in limbo in the two-story, red brick home in Queens he shared with his wife, Maria, now 86…

“Richard Grenell, the U.S. ambassador… told reporters that there were ‘difficult conversations’ because Palij is not a German citizen and was stateless after losing his U.S. citizenship, but ‘the moral obligation’ of taking in ‘someone who served in the name of the German government was accepted.’”

That rationale is unheard of and dubious at best. Note the next section of articles.

War Crime Evidence Not Sufficient

JTA wrote on August 21:

“A statement released by the White House after Palij landed in Germany early Tuesday commended President Donald Trump and Immigration and Customs Enforcement for ‘removing this war criminal from United States soil.’”

However, that assessment is far from clear.

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 21:

“The 95-year-old Palij arrived in a military airplane at Düsseldorf Airport on Tuesday morning. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) newspaper reported that he was taken by ambulance to a nursing home in the Münsterland region [which is in the German state of North-Rhine Westphalia which will also pay for his living expenses.]

“According to the FAZ, the German Interior Ministry issued an order to allow Palij’s entry based on a special dispensation of its residency law allowing a foreign national to enter the country ‘to preserve the political interests of the Federal Republic of Germany’ or for ‘international legal reasons.’ But what happens to Palij now remains far from clear. Jens Rommel, the German state prosecutor… told DW that the case against Palij was not strong.

“There is no evidence that Palij had served anywhere other than Trawniki, and it is, according to Rommel, impossible to establish a case against him without fresh evidence. The German state’s own investigations into Pajiv were halted in 2016 for lack of evidence. ‘We need a connection between the service and the actions of the individual in question and murder itself,’ Rommel said. ‘If we knew that he was in a certain company which had rounded up prisoners or shot prisoners, that would be enough – but we don’t have that evidence’…”

It appears the “deportation” by the US was more like a political move than anything else. Germany’s voluntary willingness to accept Palij because of moral grounds, without sufficient evidence for prosecution, is more than strange and is bound to backfire.

How Hungary Starves Asylum Seekers

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 22:

“Human Rights Watch on Wednesday became the latest group to accuse Hungarian authorities of violating basic international asylum standards and human decency by using hunger as an anti-immigration tactic. ‘The government has stooped to a new inhumane low by refusing food to people in their custody, apparently reveling in breaching human rights law, including its obligations as a European Union member,’ said Lydia Gall, Eastern EU and Balkans researcher at Human Rights Watch. ‘This disregard for people’s well-being smacks of a cynical move to force people to give up their asylum claims and leave Hungary.’

“The move to use starvation as a bludgeon against asylum-seekers was implemented in mid-August… The hunger policy aims to force rejected asylum-seekers moved to transit camps to voluntarily return to Serbia or travel to another ‘third country.’

“… the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)  this month ordered Hungarian authorities to resume feeding asylum-seekers in five cases. Andras Lederer, an advocacy officer with the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, told DW: … ‘the Immigration and Asylum Office only does so after each individual applied to the court and the court made such a decision’…”

This is indeed inhumane and terrible. Shame on those who are responsible.

Stoning the Devil

The Algemeiner and Reuters wrote on August 21:

“More than two million Muslim pilgrims hurled pebbles at a giant wall in a symbolic stoning of the devil on Tuesday, the start of the riskiest part of the annual haj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia where hundreds [maybe thousands, many of them Iranians] died in a crush three years ago… The kingdom stakes its reputation on its guardianship of Islam’s holiest sites — Mecca and Medina — and organizing the world’s largest annual Muslim gathering…

“Some 86,000 Iranians are attending this year amid a diplomatic rift between Tehran and Riyadh, which are locked in a struggle for regional supremacy…

“More than 2.37 million pilgrims, most of them from abroad, have arrived this year for the five-day ritual, a religious duty once in a lifetime for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford the journey…

“Saudi authorities have urged pilgrims to set aside politics during the haj but violence in the Middle East, including wars in Syria, Yemen and Libya — and other global hotspots — remain on the minds of many…

“Pilgrimage is also the backbone of a Saudi plan to expand tourism under a drive to diversify the economy away from oil. The haj and year-round umrah generate billions of dollars in revenue from worshippers’ lodging, transport, fees, and gifts…”

Saudis and Iranians are also religiously divided in that they follow two different concepts of their understanding of the Koran and its interpretations. Most Saudis adhere to the Sunni faith, whereas most Iranians follow the Shiite faith. But they are united in their desire to stone the devil and participate in the pilgrimage, as well as in certain economic endeavors related to the haj.

South Africa—Stealing Land from White Farmers

Newsmax wrote on August 20:

“The South African government has started the controversial process of seizing farms owned by white people after talks with the owners to buy the properties collapsed… The South African… National Congress announced in late July it would push ahead with plans to amend the constitution to allow for the expropriation of land without compensation…

“Two game farmers in Limpopo province are being targeted for seizure… after the owners wouldn’t agree to one-tenth of their asking price. The owners obtained an injunction to hold off eviction until a court had ruled on the case, but the application was opposed by the [government].

“The [government] said the seizures would ‘test the argument’ that land redistribution without compensation is permitted under current laws, which it has previously stated is allowable if ‘in the public interest.’”

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 23:

“The South African government slammed US President Donald Trump on Thursday after he… tweeted that he had asked Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to ‘closely study the South Africa land and farm seizures and expropriations and the large scale killing of farmers.’…

“The US president isn’t the first politician to clash with South Africa over the issue of land. In April, Australia’s former Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton… said white South African farmers seeking asylum should receive special treatment because they faced a ‘horrific” situation.”’

When under British rule, South Africa (as well as Zimbabwe, formerly known as Rhodesia) belonged to those modern descendants of the house of Israel who are summarized in the Bible as “Ephraim”—a commonwealth of English-speaking nations. Even though Britain has long lost any influence on South Africa and Zimbabwe, due to the change in the governments of those countries, biblical end-time prophecies pertaining to Ephraim might very well include the fate of South Africa and Zimbabwe and especially the white population in those countries.

Pesticide Responsible for Autism?

On August 18, the Drudge Report provided a link to the following article by Study Finds:

“Pregnant women with higher levels of a banned pesticide that’s still found in many foods today are more likely to have children diagnosed with autism, a new study finds… The pesticide [DDT] became commonly used across the world, but by the late 1950s, its dangerous effects on the environment and wildlife began to come into light; consequently in 1972, as it became clearer that it was unhealthy for human exposure, the Environmental Protection Agency banned its use in America.

“Despite the ban, DDT is still showing up in our food decades later… It continues to be found across the food chain, particularly in vegetables, fish, meat, and dairy products… DDT is of particular concern to unborn children because it can still transfer across the placenta.”

The abominable conduct of those manufacturing and producing these poisonous pesticides will not go unpunished.

Misguided and Deceived Turkey Wants to Punish Parents for Not Vaccinating their Children

Daily Sabah wrote on August 22:

“As the anti-vaccination trend [is] on the rise in Turkey, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) deputy chairman Sefer Aycan proposed a new legislation on Thursday, introducing a minimum mandatory prison sentence [of six months to two years] for parents [or guardians] who don’t vaccinate their children… In Turkey, the number of people refusing to get vaccinations has grown rapidly…

“Due to organized anti-vaccine movements alleging that vaccines cause autism and other illnesses a lot of people have also chosen to skip inoculations but in reality there is overwhelming scientific evidence that there is no link.”

Sadly, there CLEARLY IS a link. Contrary scientific “evidence” is nothing but “fake news,” which is very dangerous and irresponsible.

The Propaganda and Threats Continue…

The Guardian wrote on August 21:

“A huge surge in measles cases across Europe has been reported by the World Health Organisation, which says low MMR vaccination rates are to blame… ‘We are seeing a dramatic increase in infections and extended outbreaks,’ said Dr Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO regional director for Europe. ‘We call on all countries to immediately implement broad, context-appropriate measures to stop further spread of this disease.’…

“The cause of the vaccine doubters has been embraced by some political movements, who advocate ‘parent choice’. The Five Star movement in Italy opposes a law that would have fined parents who do not immunise their children, while in France, Marine le Pen of the newly-renamed National Rally party is against mandatory vaccination.”

In this case, we agree with the position of the Five Star Movement and Marine le Pen.

Indonesia’s Religious Body Declares Vaccinations as Forbidden

abc reported on August 21:

“Indonesia’s peak Islamic body has issued a religious decree — or fatwa — declaring the Rubella-Measles vaccine to be ‘haram’ or religiously forbidden… The Indonesian Ulama Council (MUI) justified the ruling by claiming the vaccine contains traces of pork and human cells, which are banned in the Muslim religion… However, the fatwa also states that the use of the product will be allowed for the time being due to the lack of viable alternatives…

“He said the religious organisation understood the dangers associated with not getting children immunized. However, CNN Indonesia reported that a number of towns had already suspended the vaccine before the MUI even announced their decision. Tim Lindsey, the director of the Centre for Indonesian Law in the University of Melbourne, told the ABC the fatwa would undoubtedly make accessing the vaccination more difficult in Indonesia. Fatwas are not legally binding in Indonesia, however declarations from the MUI are highly influential…

“The MUI is a non-government organisation which receives funding from the government of Indonesia. It oversees all Muslim organisations in the country, and has powers to issue halal certifications and regulate Islamic banking.”

Sadly, this religious ruling against vaccinations misses the crux of the matter by acknowledging the “danger” associated with not getting children immunized, while ignoring the danger of getting them immunized.

China’s Vaccine Scandal

The Los Angeles Times wrote on August 21:

“A health scandal in China has seen dozens of officials sacked or disciplined because of problems with vaccines… The scandal has exposed lax standards and corruption common in China’s drug manufacturing sectors, as some companies put profit above the health of consumers, and officials responsible for enforcement tend to look the other way.

“Changsheng Biotechnology… is a major drug manufacturer, and one of the largest producers of rabies and chickenpox vaccines. The scandal initially emerged in November when the national drug regulation authority found that vaccines produced by Changsheng Biotechnology and a second company, Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, designed to protect children against whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus, were not potent enough.

“Last month drug regulators checked drug production at Changsheng Biotechnology and discovered that the company had used expired materials and falsified inspection records and production dates for rabies vaccinations. The government also announced stiff penalties against the company for its sales of ineffective DPT vaccines…

“A third company, Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceutical, recently issued a worldwide recall for an ingredient used in a heart medicine, valsartan, because thousands of batches were found to contain a potentially carcinogenic chemical…

“The scandals have not only damaged the trust consumers have in Chinese vaccines but tainted the country’s global reputation as a drug manufacturer.”

Sadly, ineffective or dangerous vaccinations are NOT limited to China.

E-Cigarettes Could Cause Cancer

Medical Express wrote on August 20:

“The popularity of electronic cigarettes continues to grow worldwide, as many people view them as a safer alternative to smoking. But the long-term effects of e-cigarette usage, commonly called ‘vaping,’ are unknown. Today, researchers report that vaping may modify the genetic material, or DNA, in the oral cells of users, which could increase their cancer risk… To characterize chemical exposures during vaping, the researchers recruited five e-cigarette users. They collected saliva samples before and after a 15-minute vaping session and analyzed the samples for chemicals that are known to damage DNA.

“… three DNA-damaging compounds [were found], formaldehyde, acrolein and methylglyoxal, whose levels increased in the saliva after vaping. Compared with people who don’t vape, four of the five e-cigarette users showed increased DNA damage related to acrolein exposure. The type of damage, called a DNA adduct, occurs when toxic chemicals, such as acrolein, react with DNA. If the cell does not repair the damage so that normal DNA replication can take place, cancer could result.”

The Algemeiner and Reuters wrote on August 22:

“Israel on Tuesday outlawed the import and sale of e-cigarettes made by Silicon Valley… citing public health concerns given their nicotine content… Since launching in 2015, the flash drive-sized vaping device has transformed the market in the United States, where it now accounts for nearly 70 percent of tracked e-cigarette sales. The company is valued at $15 billion…

“The Israeli move was consistent with similar restrictions in Europe, the ministry’s statement said. The ban… goes into effect in 15 days…”

It is just foolish to use e-cigarettes in lieu of smoking, thinking that one is thereby safe from cancer.

Ring of Fire Rattled by Multitude of Earthquakes

Daily Mail wrote on August 21:

“Sixteen ‘significant’ tremors – those at magnitude 4.5 or above – shook the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’ on Monday, following a spate of 53 that hit the region Sunday. The quakes rattled Indonesia, Bolivia, Japan and Fiji, but failed to reach the western coast of the United States, which also falls along the infamous geological ring. The tremors have raised concerns that California’s ‘Big One’ – a destructive earthquake of magnitude 8 or greater – may be looming.

“Scientists have previously warned that Ring of Fire activity may trigger a domino effect that sets off earthquakes and volcanic eruptions elsewhere in the region. California, which straddles the huge San Andreas Fault Line and sits on the eastern edge of the ring, is long overdue a deadly earthquake, researchers claim…

“An enormous 8.2 magnitude earthquake struck in the Pacific Ocean close to Fiji and Tonga on Sunday, but was too deep to cause any significant damage…”

The Sun reported on August 22:

“A HUGE 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Oregon on America’s West Coast today. The quake, which registered 188 miles from the coastal city of Bandon, has sparked fears the so-called ‘Big One’ could hit California any time now… Scientists say that when it returns (and we are apparently overdue), the shocks will last for as long as six minutes and aftershocks could last for months. Terrifyingly, they also predict the Cascadia could trigger a tsunami of 85-foot-high waves which could drown as many as 33,000 on the West Coast…

“Richard Aster, Professor of Geophysics at Colorado State University, wrote recently: ‘The earthquake situation in California is actually more dire than people who aren’t seismologists like myself may realise.’”

The countries in the Pacific Ring of Fire include:

Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Colombia, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, East Timor, El Salvador, Micronesia, Fiji, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, United States.

Huge earthquakes are prophesied to happen prior to Christ’s Second Coming, and the possibility of the “Big One” striking California soon is very real indeed. Earthquake activity is of course not limited to the “Ring of Fire.” Deutsche Welle wrote on August 21: “A powerful magnitude 7.3 earthquake hit the coast of Venezuela on Tuesday, forcing people to evacuate their homes and offices as far away as the capital, Caracas.”

More Attacks by US Banks on Their Customers

The Washington Post reported on August 20:

“Democrat Nikki Fried, running to be the state’s agriculture commissioner, is a former lobbyist who worked on behalf of a number of industries, including medical marijuana… not long after opening a campaign account with Wells Fargo, the bank inquired about her stance on medical marijuana and her intent to accept donations from the medical marijuana industry. The bank subsequently closed her account, citing its ‘responsibility to oversee and manage banking risks.’

“… on Aug. 3, it received a phone call from Wells Fargo indicating that its account would be terminated ‘because of [Fried]’s relationship to the medical marijuana industry.’ The bank mailed a formal notice dated Aug. 3, stating that…. the account would be closed within 30 days… Fried said that ‘Wells Fargo’s actions against my campaign are emblematic of what is wrong with our government and politics today,’ adding that she was ‘kicked out of a bank for voicing support of a law that is literally codified in the Florida constitution.’

“… While medical and recreational marijuana are legal in dozens of states, the drug remains illegal for nearly all purposes at the federal level. This has made banks wary of dealing with state-legal marijuana businesses for fear of running afoul of federal law. In closing Fried’s account, Wells Fargo appears to be taking that skittishness one step further by denying banking access not to a marijuana business but to a political candidate who may receive donations from the marijuana industry…”

Newsmax added on August 21:

“[Nikki Fried said] that the incident was an example of the challenges legal cannabis businesses face from the U.S. financial system… Fried said that when Wells Fargo contacted her, she initially thought it was a joke. She said her campaign is moving its accounts to BB&T Corp., which hasn’t yet raised concerns about the marijuana issue…

“Fried seized on the development to blast businesses and officials who she said were discriminating against a legal industry…  Among other challenges, she said medical marijuana workers can be targeted… because financial institutions refuse to work with them, forcing them to run cash businesses. ‘At a time when 30 states including Washington, D.C., have legalized medical marijuana and licensed businesses to practice and distribute marijuana to patients and caregivers, access to basic financial stability is virtually impossible for these legal businesses,’ Fried said. ‘Outdated federal laws allow for this sort of discrimination.’”

Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ uninformed stance on medical marijuana does not help either. The government’s influence on banks can clearly be felt more and more. Please view our StandingWatch program, “Do Banks and the Government Control You?” 

Pope Francis Apologizes for Despicable Sexual Child Abuse Cases in Catholic Church

The Guardian wrote on August 20:

“Pope Francis’s letter to his church on the scandals of sexual abuse is full of anger and remorse, but empty of specific policies beyond a call to prayer and fasting… it is also horrifyingly late and grimly familiar. Not only have successive popes and prelates been expressing their anguish and their shame at child abuse all this century, but the scandals themselves have continued with numbing regularity. It’s almost as if the culture of the church ran deeper than the wishes of any pope.

“This year opened particularly badly with Francis himself defending with angry scorn a Chilean bishop credibly accused of abuse. This did huge damage to the church’s reputation there; to his credit, he realised this and later took the accusations seriously. Since then he has sacked the bishop in question and four others, among them the man who was in charge of dealing with abuse reports, although the affair still festers: a priest involved in the reporting of abusers is now in criminal custody, but though he had confessed his crimes to his superiors in January, they somehow overlooked the possibility of reporting him to the civil authorities for six months while the scandal raged all around them.

“Two of the countries where the abuse scandal has done the most damage to the church’s moral authority are the US and Ireland. Pope Francis arrives in Ireland for a two-day conference on strengthening the family on Friday… His visit there seems likely to provide another graphic demonstration of the collapse in the church’s popularity. In the US, the publication last week of a long, horrifying report on the behaviour of the church in the state of Pennsylvania followed the exposure of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick… as a serial predator on boys and young men. Pope Francis removed McCarrick as a cardinal…

“But why have there been so many starts before, none of them leading anywhere? Unless statistics lie, the Catholic church is not an organisation uniquely hospitable to sexual predators or even to paedophiles. Other churches have their own horrendous scandals and cover-ups. So do other professions. But the Catholic church does seem remarkably resistant to reform. Two explanations are offered in a divided church. Conservative Catholics blame the prevalence of gay men in the priesthood; Francis, and the liberals, blame the clerical culture which leaves bishops and archbishops responsible to no one outside the church… Changing that, which his letter demands, would threaten the power structure of the whole church and would be very fiercely resisted…”

Fire Them All!

The Week wrote on August 21:

“The Catholic Church in this country is led by villains and cowards. It would be a good thing if most, if not all, of our bishops resigned or were deposed… For someone who has long regarded himself as a traditional-minded but sane Catholic, tales of satanic sex cults to which the clergy belonged and other unspeakable blasphemies… have seemed like the products of lurid, diseased imaginations.

“But having spent nearly a week reading slowly through all 1,400 pages of the report [about sex abuse of more than 1000 children by over 300 priests in Pennsylvania], I can say I was wrong. All of these things exist. When… Pope Paul VI said that the ‘smoke of Satan had entered the Church’ half a century ago, he meant it quite literally.

“On Sunday, virtually every American Catholic who attended Mass heard a letter from his or her bishop read aloud. Some of these letters… contained some lucid and even admirable sentences. Most did not… [They] did not contain a single reference to sin or God…”

Please view our recent StandingWatch program, “Worldwide Attack on Our Innocent Children” 

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.

It is interesting to note that, particularly in the last two decades, “independent” Feast of Tabernacles sites have been established. We read in Deuteronomy 16:13-16: “You shall observe the Feast of Tabernacles seven days, when you have gathered from your threshing floor and from your winepress. And you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant and the Levite, the stranger and the fatherless and the widow, who are within your gates. Seven days you shall keep a sacred feast to the LORD your God in the place which the LORD chooses, because the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you surely rejoice. Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed.”

God is very clear when He instructs His people to keep the annual Feasts “in the place which He chooses.” How does He do that? The question is about who decides where a Feast of Tabernacles site should be and the same principle applies to the other Feast days.

Originally, God placed His Name in Jerusalem when the Feasts were revealed to the ancient nation of Israel.  At that time, the Truth of God was given to Israel but as the Word of God spread, particularly after the inception of the New Testament church at Pentecost in 31 AD, it became obvious that the Feast of Tabernacles would have to be kept in other parts of the world.  In recent times, there have been the people of God in most nations around the world who had to be accommodated by Feast sites within reasonable distance for them to be able to attend.

How is this achieved, and by whom?

We read in Ephesians 4:11-16 the following:  “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”

Unfortunately, these verses don’t appear to sit well at all with some who seem to reject the authority of the ministry.

The Bible clearly reveals that in God’s plan for mankind, the Father is in charge, that Christ is the Head of every church organization and congregation, and under Christ are God-appointed leaders, as we read in Ephesians 4:11-16.  We read in Hebrews 13:17 that we are to “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.” Church members are to be subject to God’s delegated authorities in the church which comprise the ministry.

In 1 Peter 5:1-3, we read about how the ministry are to act:  “The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”

Those who are in authority in the church are not to lord it over members but are to serve them and to be examples, and they are given responsibilities to fulfil, one of which is to organise Feast sites.

In the past, God gave responsibilities to man directly – for example, Adam was instructed to name the animals (Genesis 2:19); Moses was spoken to at the burning bush (Exodus 3) and on other occasions; the prophet Samuel was told to anoint Saul as king (1 Samuel 9) and David as king (1 Samuel 16); the word of the LORD came to Jehu against king Baasha (1 Kings 16:1); the word of the LORD came to Elijah to present himself to Ahab (1 Kings 18:1): the word of the LORD came to Ezekiel (Ezekiel 12) and Haggai (Haggai 1 and 2).   These are just some of the examples of God instructing some of His servants.

We read in Matthew 16:16-19: “Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’  Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.  And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’” (We read this same principle in Matthew 18:18.)

In our Q&A “Could you explain the extent of the power that Christ gave in Matthew 16:19, to ‘bind and loose’?” we state: “Christ empowered the leadership of the Church, throughout the Church’s history and existence, to discern God’s Will regarding binding Church decisions as to what God permits and prohibits, based on His law, and who is to be excommunicated and reinstated, based on the Church leadership’s discernment of the person’s repentance and God’s forgiveness. This is not to say that Church decisions are to be considered infallible. God does not bind in heaven a Church decision which is against His Will and His Law. We are told that all of us have to GROW in the KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST (2 Peter 3:18; Ephesians 4:13). Therefore, when God, through the power and wisdom of His Holy Spirit, clearly reveals to the Church leadership that a wrong decision was made in the past, perhaps by not fully submitting to, or understanding the Will of God, such a wrong decision must be corrected immediately.”

The Bible here clearly reveals that God works through the ministry.

God has delegated anointing (James 5:13-15) and baptism (see Acts 19:1-6) through the laying on of hands by elders in the Church of God, not by non-ordained church members, not even deacons.  Please read our Q&A on the concept of the laying on of hands which proves that God has given His ordained ministers the exclusive right to lay hands on anyone for the purpose of “sanctification,” including in areas of baptism, healing, marriage, blessing of little children and ordinations.

It should now be apparent that God works through His ministry and one of their responsibilities is to follow God’s lead in finding and deciding on suitable Feast of Tabernacles sites, and if any baptised members are unwilling to go to a Feast site where GOD has placed His name, then they are being self-willed by either not attending the Feast or by attending a site that has not been chosen, approved of and organised by the Church of God ministry.   In short, they are not willing to submit to God!  They are in effect showing that they are self-willed!

Of course, non-ordained members can be used to search for a site, and once a site has been chosen and approved of by the ministry, many non-ordained members may be used to help in the organisation and the effective running of the Feast.

It appears that, at times, a Feast site may be organised by non-ordained members for which no ministerial approval has been given, and the Feast is then being conducted without ministerial blessing. God is not going to bless and support such an approach and arrangement.  Matthew 7:21-23 is relevant to this situation: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

As we read earlier in Deuteronomy 16:13-16, the key words were “in the place which the LORD chooses” which is mentioned twice and so it must be important to God.  It is important to understand and realise that elders in the Church of God have been given God-ordained responsibilities and choosing and approving of a Feast of Tabernacles site is one of them, and such a site then will be “in the place which the LORD chooses” through their actions and any arrangement other than this will not be acceptable to God.

You might want to review a previous Q&A entitled “Why do we attend God’s annual Feast and Sabbath services in the place where God makes His Name to be known?” which was published in our Update 657 dated September 19th 2014.

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Dave Harris

“Is California’s Big Earthquake About to Strike?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Numerous significant earthquakes occurred this week all over the world, and many of these in countries which are part of the “Ring of Fire.” These tremors have raised concerns that California’s “Big One”—a destructive earthquake of magnitude 8.0 or greater—may be looming. How real is that danger? Scientists, history and biblical prophecy confirm that the distinct possibility of such a devastating earthquake is much more imminent than many may realize.

“Sexualkunde für unsere Kinder,” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Sexual Education for Our Children.”

“Comments on News and Prophecy (August 18, 2018),” a presentation last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

In this new feature, we are commenting on our age of selfishness; the worst-case chaotic scenario of a “no deal Brexit”; the biblical prophecy of a third temple prior to Christ’s return and the ignorance of those who reject this truth; the reasons for Turkey’s fight with the USA; the future of Romania; military parades and the Millennium; Florida’s red tide; and the autocratic rule of the “dictator pope.” We also address the biblical reasons for ordinations.

“Deception Before Defeat,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Michael Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The times we are living in now are very interesting in light of biblical prophecy. What is happening around the world, especially in this nation, should not be ignored, but rather should be a warning to us so that we do not fall into deception.

Here are the dates for the 2018 Fall Holy Days:

Feast of Trumpets—September 10
Day of Atonement—September 19
Feast of Tabernacles—September 24-30
Last Great Day—October 1

On August 18, 2018, Norbert Link will present, “Comments on News and Prophecy,” and Michael Link will present the sermon, titled, “Deception Before Defeat.”

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.

Service – what is it? Today we live in an age of selfishness where the prevailing ethos is “I, me and mine” – and don’t forget “myself!” Service is “work done to meet some general, or specific, need”. In brief, it can be defined as “work done by one person or group that benefits another” and “an act of help or assistance”.

Being of service to others means that we want the best for them and that we are not concentrating on ourselves.

In the Old Testament, Jonah wanted to flee from an act of service that would save people’s lives – and he tried to get out of it (see Jonah 1:1-3).

In the book of Luke 22, verses 24-27, there was a dispute among the disciples who should be the greatest. Again, we see the problems associated with human nature. It is today, as it was then, that the top table contained the most important people – the VIPs – and yet Jesus said that He was One Who served. As we have to emulate the Saviour of mankind, we should take exactly the same stance – and be servers. What was the motivation among the disciples? To serve or be served? Obviously to be served and therefore the fruits were those of selfishness, but Christ told them to be servants. That was about 2,000 years ago, and the same is true today.

We have long understood in the Church of God that this life is our training ground for the Kingdom of God, and we must develop those Godly attributes that we will need to use after Christ’s return. And service is right there at the top of such requirements!

We are to be of service today – we are being trained as God prepares us for the Kingdom. Service is required – not being served. Do we look for jobs to do? Or are we so concerned with caring for self that we miss opportunities to serve now, or is it an afterthought?

In Philippians 2:5 we read: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,” and if we have the mind of Christ, which this verse exhorts us to have, we will be following His example of service – a lowliness of mind so essential in the life of a true Christian.

Christ has been highly exalted and He is our elder brother. When we become spirit-born members of the Family of God, we will be working for and with Christ in the Kingdom of God for the good and welfare of humanity.

With the autumnal Holy Days only a few weeks away, there may be opportunities to be of service to the brethren at this time and particularly when we are all together at the Feast of Tabernacles. It might be that such things as providing transport or help in other ways could prove to be invaluable to some, and support, help and encouragement to others might just make the difference to someone to really appreciate and enjoy the Feast. Opportunities to be of service in such ways might present themselves where we can provide service that may not have been anticipated.

Let service become a habit – one that we will be able to use to a much greater degree in the near future when Christ returns.

by Norbert Link

We begin with reporting on the increasing possibility that the worst-case scenario of a “no-Brexit” will become reality, which would constitute a disaster and create chaos for Britain; continue with an insensitive or intentionally sinister decision of the EU to schedule its next summit on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur); and run a short article on developments and perceptions regarding the future of the Temple Mount.

We speak on Turkey’s deep economic trouble and its increasing hostility towards the USA; Iran’s continuing nuclear ambitions; Germany’s “warning” for the USA; and the government of Romania’s brutal conduct towards its own people.

We continue with several articles showing the “perverse” hypocrisy of America’s immigration policy; address the revocation of the former CIA Director’s security clearance; and focus on ungodly and despicable developments pertaining to euthanasia in Belgium and The Netherlands; legal assisted suicide in Belgium and Canada; experiments in the USA with human tissue from late-term abortions; and a huge San Francisco court decision against Monsanto, a unit of the controversial Bayer AG, producing and selling glyphosate-based cancer-causing herbicides.

We conclude with articles about massive destruction of marine life in Florida; harmful e-cigarettes; the first nomination by the Democratic Party of a transgender candidate for a governorship in Vermont; a report about terrible sex abuse of children and teens by Catholic priests in Pennsylvania; and Pope Francis’ controversial rule within and over the Catholic Church. In this context, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Worldwide Attack on Our Innocent Children.” 

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

Brexit: The Worst-Case Scenario Increasingly Likely

The Week wrote on August 13:

“Britain is still trying to figure out how to pack its bags. Back in 2016, Britain voted to leave the European Union, but the departure won’t take place until March 2019. The big question in the interim has been how exactly ‘Brexit’ will go down. While the moment of truth remains a few months off, a worst-case scenario looks increasingly likely.

“British Prime Minister Theresa May and many other mainstream leaders would prefer a ‘soft’ Brexit. This would entail hanging on to some aspects of the old Britain-EU relationship, particularly around trade.

“… the EU won’t agree unless Britain also holds onto other rules, particularly around open immigration. That’s anathema to the British hardline conservatives who wanted Brexit in the first place. They push for a ‘hard’ Brexit — a clean break with the EU’s trade regime… even a hard Brexit requires all parties involved to actually agree to a plan ahead of time. But May’s own majority coalition is riven by disagreements between the Hard Brexiters and the Soft Brexiters…

“That’s all increasing the possibility that the March 2019 deadline is reached without an agreement in place. That’s the third option: the ‘no deal Brexit.’ It’s the aforementioned worst-case scenario.

“Liam Fox, Britain’s international trade secretary, recently said he thinks the chances of a no-deal Brexit are 60-40. A few days ago, Bank of England Gov. Mark Carney, told the BBC, ‘I think the possibility of a no-deal is uncomfortably high at this point’… what would a no-deal Brexit actually look like? Basically, it would be… chaos… rules governing everything from food standards to medicines to aviation and more would suddenly disappear in March 2019. And there would be nothing to replace them.

“Almost a third of Britain’s fresh food supply is imported from the EU, for example. The possibility of a no-deal Brexit is raising concerns that many of those shipments would get stuck at the border, with no clear rules or processes for getting them across. Then they’d rot in the ensuing confusion.

“Businesses’ passporting rights would also vanish: British companies couldn’t sell their services in the EU, or EU companies in Britain, without first securing licenses from each individual country. Estimates suggest that around 130,000 British businesses that export to the EU would suddenly find themselves facing customs for the first time.

“Arrangements governing aviation would also go away, potentially grounding planes until it’s all sorted, leaving both air travel and shipping in chaos… And none of this even gets into the precarious legal situation many EU nationals living in Britain would find themselves in.

“… if you’re wondering why reports are filtering in of the British government stockpiling food and medicine and other supplies, this is why… No one wants a no-deal Brexit… The assumption is that someone will swerve in time for an actual orderly Brexit to be arranged. But the closer the deadline gets, the less time there is to actually make that deal. And no one’s blinked yet.”

The Bible prophesies that the relationship between continental Europe and Britain will completely deteriorate and even become extremely hostile.

EU Summit on Day of Atonement—Insensitive or Sinister?

JTA wrote on August 13:

“Is it insensitivity or something more sinister? Some European Jewish leaders have expressed concerns about the scheduling of a European Union leaders’ summit in Austria on Yom Kippur. The date is Sept. 20, the day after Judaism’s holiest day, but the Austrian hosts have acknowledged that some of the events will indeed take place on Yom Kippur.

“Many Jewish leaders have cited the move as indicative of the lack of attention paid to their concerns, according to Politico Europe, and some see the meeting’s date as an intentional slight. The informal meeting of heads of state or government will be held in Salzburg…

“Péter Niedermuller, a Jewish member of the European Parliament from Hungary… noted that Austrian Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache is a member of the far-right Freedom Party, which has a long history of anti-Semitism. ‘OK, we will just signal that this is a Christian Europe,’ he said. ‘The main voices you can hear from the far right in Europe is that this is Christian unity, Christian Europe, Christian culture, and they never mention the Jewish culture or Jewish Europe. There is a lot of hidden and open anti-Semitism.’”

Politico added on August 13:

“The situation is especially awkward for Austria, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU and has long struggled with allegations of state-sponsored intolerance… The EU leaders’ summit… is set to begin with a dinner on September 19. Yom Kippur, when Jews fast and pray to repent for their sins, begins on the evening of September 18 and ends at sundown the following day when families typically gather to break the fast. For the observant, work and travel on the holiday is prohibited…”

One must indeed wonder whether this scheduling was just an unintentional oversight.

The Battle for the Temple Mount

Breaking Israel News wrote on August 10:

“It is well-known that Jews are restricted from praying on the Temple Mount… [The] battle for religious equality will determine whether the Temple Mount will take to its Biblical and prophesied role as a ‘House of Prayer for all Nations.’…

“‘Despite the conflict brewing on Israel’s southern border and the threats in the north [Caleb Waller, director of public relations for a Christian volunteer organization, feels that] the ‘real conflict is for the Temple Mount, the heart of Israel… ‘we are living in a time when there is actually Jewish sovereignty on the Temple Mount. It is clear that God’s plan centers on that place and it is going to happen soon.’”

Indeed, it will be. The Temple Mount will end up in Jewish hands for a while, and animal sacrifices will be given and a third Temple will be built there. This then will lead to European military intervention in the Holy Land and the Great Tribulation.

Turkey’s Economy in Deep Trouble—Also in Light of US Tariffs

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 10:

“Donald Trump said Friday his administration had doubled steel and aluminum tariffs on Turkey, imposing a 20 percent duty on aluminum and a 50 percent levy on steel… Trump’s announcement saw the Turkish lira drop even further, crashing to a 19 percent daily loss against the greenback. Minutes before Ankara learned about the higher tariffs, the lira had already hit an all-time low of 6.87 against the dollar…

“The marked drop came as Turkey’s current strains with the United States showed no sign of abating. Turkey remains at loggerheads with the US in one of the worst spats between two NATO allies in years over the detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson and a host of other issues. The accelerated lira sell-off also deepened concerns about the exposure of banks to Turkey, particularly whether highly indebted companies would be able to pay back loans taken out in dollars and euros after years of overseas borrowing to fund a construction boom under Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.

“Erdogan on Friday once again urged Turks to exchange gold and dollars into lira to stop the currency from plunging…”

Reuters wrote on August 10:

“Food, rents and fuel prices in Turkey have all surged. The state pipeline operator last week raised the price of natural gas for electricity production by 50 percent… [Erdogan’s] loyal supporters see the currency sell-off as a U.S. attempt to undermine their country and president. ‘If they have their dollars, we have our people, our God,’ Erdogan said in a speech overnight…

“Newspapers and TV stations have cast the lira crisis as a political assault [by the USA]… The lira sell-off, driven by fears about Erdogan’s influence over monetary policy and Turkey’s worsening relations with the United States, has sent tremors through global emerging markets and dominated international financial headlines…

“Further U.S. measures are expected… over issues including U.S. sanctions on Iran and Ankara’s plans to buy a Russian missile defense system…”

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 14:

“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned his country would boycott electronic goods from the United States in retaliation for recent sanctions imposed by Washington over the detention of an American pastor… ‘If the US has the iPhone, there’s Samsung on the other side,’ Erdogan said, referring to the top South Korean smartphone maker. ‘And we also have our Venus and Vestel,’ he said, with regards to Turkey’s own domestic brands.”

Newsmax wrote on August 15:

“Turkey announced Wednesday it is increasing tariffs on imports of certain U.S. products, escalating a feud with the United States that has helped trigger a currency crisis… Ankara said it was imposing extra tariffs on imports of products, including rice, vehicles, alcohol, coal and cosmetics.

“At the same time, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government turned toward Russia. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu of Turkey lashed out against Western sanctions Tuesday, and was joined by Russia’s top diplomat, Sergei Lavrov. ‘This era when we are being bullied must end,’ Cavusoglu said… Lavrov added, ‘They are using methods of sanctions, threats, blackmail and diktat.’”

According to biblical prophecy, Turkey (“Edom” or “Esau”) will become an enemy to both the state of Israel and the USA.

Iran Receives More Uranium from Russia

Israel National News reported on August 12:

“Iran announced on Saturday that it will bring back a second batch of the 20%-enriched uranium which it sent to Russia in 2015 as part of its commitments under the nuclear deal signed with world powers.

“The uranium… is to be used in the Tehran Research Reactor… [B]ased on the nuclear deal, Iran is entitled to resume production of 20% fuel 15 years after the date on which the deal was endorsed… Iran recently reopened a nuclear plant that was idle for nine years as it prepared to increase uranium enrichment capacity in response to Trump leaving the 2015 deal…”

According to biblical prophecy, the collaboration between Russia and Iran will continue.

Germany Warns Trump

The Week wrote on August 12:

“President Trump’s trade war on allies and rivals alike is ‘slowing down and destroying economic growth, and producing new uncertainties,’ said German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier in an interview published Sunday. ‘The past has shown that during trade wars, consumers suffer above all because products get more expensive,’ Altmaier argued. ‘A global trade war would not know winners, only losers.’

“The economic minister also addressed Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal and re-impose punitive sanctions on Iran. Germany is among the other signatory nations that remain party to the deal. ‘We won’t let Washington dictate us with whom we can do business,’ Altmaier said, ‘and we therefore stick to the [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] so that Iran cannot build atomic weapons.”

However, many German firms buckled to Trump and decided to stop doing business with Iran.

Governmental Violence against the Romanian People

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 11:

“By deploying huge numbers of police and gendarmes, the authorities in Bucharest wanted to show the whole world who is in charge in Romania. Around 100,000 people had gathered in Victoriei (Victory) Square in front of the seat of government to demonstrate against corruption and despotism and call for a functioning constitutional state and an independent judiciary…

“It was an urgent call for democracy and normality… This kind of demonstration was an absolute first in Europe: Tens of thousands of expatriate Romanian citizens returned home during their holidays to show, together with their families, friends and acquaintances, that they have not forgotten their homeland. Romanians at home and abroad wanted to send a clear signal together: Stop Romania’s downfall!

“The government’s response was brutal. The police used tear gas, water cannon and truncheons indiscriminately… against families with children, against the elderly, against journalists… Such things just do not happen in a democracy… This was an open declaration of war against the Romanian people. The responsibility for this undoubtedly lies with the government. And with Liviu Dragnea, the powerful leader of the ruling Social Democrats…”

The future role of Romania is not clear. It has joined the EU, but it is not part of the custom- and border-free Schengen agreement, nor did it accept the euro. It could very well re-establish strong ties with Russia. Balkan Insight wrote on May 31: “Despite its historic anti-Russian outlook and strong support for NATO, Romania’s relations with Moscow are not as straightforwardly hostile as they sometimes appear.”

America’s Hypocritical Immigration Policy

The Week wrote on August 10:

“First lady Melania Trump’s parents, Viktor and Amalija Knavs, became U.S. citizens on Thursday, taking advantage of a program that President Trump has long railed against. Trump has decried ‘chain migration,’ where adult U.S. citizens can obtain residency for their relatives. In November 2017, for example, Trump tweeted: ‘CHAIN MIGRATION must end now! Some people come in, and they bring their whole family with them, who can be truly evil. NOT ACCEPTABLE!’… The Knavses are from Slovenia, and the first lady, who became a citizen in 2006, sponsored them for their green cards.”

The New York Times wrote on August 9:

“News of the ceremony prompted an immediate response on Twitter. Ana Navarro, a Republican strategist and political commentator, tweeted, ‘I guess when it’s Melania’s Family, it’s “family reunification” and should be applauded. Everybody else, it’s “chain migration” and must be stopped.'”

The blanket and unqualified opposition to chain immigration is quite inhumane and unconscionable. But it gets worse. Note the next article.

Government Tries to Deport Asylum-Seekers in Breach of Promise

 The Wall Street Journal wrote on August 10:

“A federal judge on Thursday stopped the deportations of an asylum-seeking woman and her young daughter who were already aboard a plane to El Salvador, criticizing the Trump administration for trying to remove them while they were challenging their cases in court. In Washington, U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan… threatened to hold Attorney General Jeff Sessions in contempt of court if U.S. officials didn’t immediately return the pair to the U.S. ‘It’s outrageous,’ Judge Sullivan said, according to a transcript of the hearing. ‘I’m also directing the government to turn that plane around either now or when it lands… and bring those people back to the United States.’

 “An official at the Department of Homeland Security said the agency was complying with the judge’s order. ‘Upon arrival in El Salvador, the plaintiffs didn’t disembark and are currently en route back to the United States,’ the official said. They were back in the U.S. on Thursday night…

“The government had agreed not to deport Carmen and her daughter before 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, but the judge learned Thursday morning that the pair was already on a plane back to Central America. He [said] it was unacceptable that immigrants who alleged credible fear should be ‘spirited away’ while their attorneys argued their cases…

“Carmen and her daughter fled their home in El Salvador seeking refuge from years of sexual abuse by her husband and death threats from a gang, the ACLU said in its lawsuit…”

The federal government contends that these threats, even if true, do not justify asylum. What is especially troublesome in this case is the blatant breach of the government’s promise.

But this is still not all. A most shocking development is being described in the next article.

USA Plans to Persecute LEGAL Immigrants

The Week wrote on August 9:

“Trump… has slammed literally every law-abiding legal immigrant group — refugees, asylum seekers, foreign family members of Americans, low-skilled immigrants, high-skilled foreign workers on H-1Bs, their wives, foreign students, and even naturalized citizens. Still, none of that compares with what the administration is planning next…

“The proposed guidance, evidently the brainchild of Stephen Miller… is relying on an 1891 law that barred immigrants ‘likely to become public charges’…  Miller’s scheme would brand anyone who receives — or is likely to receive — services or subsidies (barring a few explicitly exempted) worth greater than 3 percent of the poverty line a public charge… immigrants don’t actually have to avail of these benefits to have their petitions rejected. They or their family simply have to be eligible for these subsidies because they are sick, old, have young children, or don’t have unsubsidized coverage — unless they make 250 percent of the poverty level, in which case they’d be exempted.

“The perversity of this cannot be overstated. An immigrant would be barred from upgrading his status if he married, say, an American woman on Social Security disability till he crossed the 250 percent earning threshold. Or consider, a real-life example of a Haitian green-card holder who works 80 hours a week as a nursing assistant but has a severely disabled American daughter who receives public assistance. His citizenship petition may not have a prayer. In effect, Miller’s plan would penalize immigrants not because they are needy but because they have Americans in their lives who are.

“What’s particularly unfair about this is that it’s not like legal immigrants get any reprieve from taxes. With very, very few exceptions, they pay all the taxes that Americans do and then some…  A recent study by the National Academy of Sciences estimated that an average immigrant arriving today would contribute $150,000 more in taxes than he or she would consume in benefits over their lifetime…”

We totally agree: “The perversity of this [scheme] cannot be overstated.” As the next article shows, a very interesting author shares this sentiment, with an astonishing and deeply disturbing revelation.

Stephen Miller an Immigration Hypocrite

On August 13, Politico published an article by Dr. David S. Glosser, a retired neuropsychologist, formerly a member of the Neurology faculties of Boston University School of Medicine and Jefferson Medical College:

“Let me tell you a story about Stephen Miller and chain migration. It begins at the turn of the 20^th century… Beset by violent anti-Jewish pogroms and forced childhood conscription in the Czar’s army… Wolf-Leib Glosser… fled a village where his forebears had lived for centuries and took his chances in America.

“He set foot on Ellis Island on January 7, 1903, with $8 to his name. Though fluent in Polish, Russian and Yiddish, he understood no English. An elder son, Nathan, soon followed. By street corner peddling and sweatshop toil, Wolf-Leib and Nathan sent enough money home to… buy the immediate family’s passage to America in 1906. That group included young Sam Glosser, who with his family settled in the western Pennsylvania city of Johnstown…

“The Glosser family quickly progressed from selling goods from a horse and wagon to owning a haberdashery in Johnstown run by Nathan and Wolf-Leib to a chain of supermarkets and discount department stores run by my grandfather, Sam, and the next generation of Glossers, including my dad, Izzy. It was big enough to be listed on the AMEX stock exchange and employed thousands of people over time. In the span of some 80 years and five decades, this family emerged from poverty in a hostile country to become a prosperous, educated clan of merchants, scholars, professionals, and, most important, American citizens.

“What does this classically American tale have to do with Stephen Miller? Well, Izzy Glosser is his maternal grandfather, and Stephen’s mother, Miriam, is my sister.

 “I have watched with dismay and increasing horror as my nephew, an educated man who is well aware of his heritage, has become the architect of immigration policies that repudiate the very foundation of our family’s life in this country. I shudder at the thought of what would have become of the Glossers had the same policies Stephen so coolly espouses— the travel ban, the radical decrease in refugees, the separation of children from their parents, and even talk of limiting citizenship for legal immigrants — been in effect when Wolf-Leib made his desperate bid for freedom. The Glossers came to the U.S. just a few years before the fear and prejudice of the ‘America first’ nativists of the day closed U.S. borders to Jewish refugees. Had Wolf-Leib waited, his family likely would have been murdered by the Nazis along with all but seven of the 2,000 Jews who remained in Antopol…

“Stephen and Trump may have become numb to the resultant human tragedy and blind to the hypocrisy of their policy decisions. After all, Stephen’s is not the only family with a chain immigration story in the Trump administration. Trump’s grandfather is reported to have been a German migrant on the run from military conscription to a new life in the United States, and his mother fled the poverty of rural Scotland for the economic possibilities of New York City. (Trump’s in-laws just became citizens on the strength of his wife’s own citizenship.)…

“When confronted by the deaths and suffering of thousands, our senses are overwhelmed, and the victims become statistics rather than people…”

This article is extraordinary in that it tries to appeal to the conscience and decency of those involved in formulating and enacting their highly controversial immigration policies. And paradoxically, most Americans are NOT in favor of these policies. Note the next article.

Patriotism and Immigration

The Week wrote on August 11:

“75 percent of Americans think immigration is ‘generally a good thing‘ for the country… More patriotic Americans also tend to be more pro-immigration… for most Americans, there is no contradiction between love of country and a welcoming attitude toward those who wish to move here. The idea that we are ‘a nation of immigrants’ has deep roots, and it won’t be undone easily.”

This is encouraging and astonishing. Most patriotic Americans are pro-Immigration. What does this mean for those, then, who are anti-Immigration?

Trump Revokes Security Clearance of former CIA Director

Politico wrote on August 15:

“President Donald Trump on Wednesday revoked the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan, who has become a harsh critic of the president, and appeared to be targeting others who have disagreed with the administration. ‘Mr. Brennan’s lying and recent conduct characterized by increasingly frenzied commentary is wholly inconsistent with access to the nation’s most closely held secrets and facilities, the very aim of our adversaries which is to sow division and chaos,’ White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said, reading a statement from Trump while briefing reporters on Wednesday. ‘Mr. Brennan has recently leveraged his status as a former high-ranking official with access to highly sensitive information to make a series of unfounded and outrageous allegations — wild outbursts on the internet and television — about this Administration,’ the president‘s statement continued.

“In addition, Sanders said, the administration is evaluating clearances for former FBI Director James Comey, former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, former National Security Agency Director Michael Hayden, former national security adviser Susan Rice, former FBI attorney Lisa Page, former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, former FBI counterintelligence agent Peter Strzok, former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, whose security clearance was deactivated after he was fired earlier this year, and Bruce Ohr, who is still in the Justice Department although he was demoted from associate deputy attorney general. ‘More broadly, the issue of Mr. Brennan’s security clearance raises larger questions about the practice of former officials maintaining access to our nation’s most sensitive secrets long after their time in government has ended,’ Sanders said.

“Brennan later responded on Twitter. ‘This action is part of a broader effort by Mr. Trump to suppress freedom of speech & punish critics,’ he wrote. ‘It should gravely worry all Americans, including intelligence professionals, about the cost of speaking out. My principles are worth far more than clearances. I will not relent,’ he wrote. In a later phone interview on MSNBC, Brennan added that if the president believed that the action would lead the former CIA director ‘to just go away and be quiet, he is very badly mistaken.’ ‘I‘ve seen this type of behavior and actions on the part of foreign tyrants and despots and autocrats during my CIA and national security career,’ he said. ‘I never thought I would see it here in the United States. And so I do believe that all Americans really need to take stock of what is happening right now in our government, and how abnormal and how irresponsible and how dangerous these actions are.’… ‘I must tell you that Mr. Trump‘s dishonesty, his lack of integrity, his nastiness, mean-spiritedness, the types of things that he has just tweeted out the past 72 hours, the terms that he uses, this is not what I think of an American president, nor of America,’ Brennan said. ‘We’re better than this. We have to be better than this. We have been a shining example to the world, and Mr. Trump is letting this country down’…

“John McLaughlin, a former acting director of the CIA, who was not listed as having his clearance under review but has criticized the president’s policies in the past, said on Wednesday that he thought the choice to revoke the clearance was to ‘silence critics.’ ‘This really has the feel of someone simply trying to do two things: silence critics and also distract from another damaging political event that‘s going on with Omarosa,’ he said during a phone interview on MSNBC, referring to former presidential adviser Omarosa Manigault Newman, whose new book includes scathing criticism of Trump and his administration.”

How the average American citizen can make head or tail of all of this is hard to decipher. Arguments are advanced pro and con on different news channels, on the Internet and in newspapers and magazines, and when viewing, reading and listening to the different viewpoints and contradictory “statements of fact,” one is left with the fundamental question as to who IS telling the truth, if anyone.

Newsmax wrote on August 15:

“Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz said President Donald Trump’s revocation of ex-CIA chief John Brennan’s security clearance could be the basis for constitutional violations…  ‘I do think if the president denies security clearance only to his critics, he will be in court on the wrong side,’ Dershowitz [said]. The professor conceded ‘it would be a close question.’…

“’If the case went up to the Supreme Court, it would be like the case involving the travel ban,’ he added. ‘The court would ask the question: “Are we allowed to look at the motive of the president in doing this, or do we look at the action?” The president clearly has the power to revoke security clearance . . . but if he does it for an impermissible basis . . . it would be a basis for constitutional violations.’

“…’But I think he’s [Brennan] gone overboard in his criticism’ of Trump, he said. ‘It makes it sound, when he makes criticism, that he knows it because he was in the CIA– he has some special information,’ he said. ‘I think a former director of the CIA has to be much more discreet in his level of criticism.”

For instance, Brennan called Trump quite inappropriately a traitor and guilty of treason after he met with Putin in Helsinki.

Euthanasia of Children in Belgium!

The Washington Post wrote on August 6:

“Deliberately taking a small child’s life is unlawful everywhere in the world, even when the child is terminally ill and asks a doctor to end his or her suffering once and for all. There is an exception to this rule: Belgium. In 2014, that country amended its law on euthanasia, already one of the most permissive in the world, authorizing doctors to terminate the life of a child, at any age, who makes the request…

“Between Jan. 1, 2016, and Dec. 31, 2017, Belgian physicians gave lethal injections to three children under 18… The oldest of the three was 17; in that respect, Belgium was not unique, since the Netherlands permits euthanasia for children over 12. Belgian doctors, however, also ended the lives of a 9-year-old and an 11-year-old…

“… the Belgian public’s support for euthanasia remains undiminished. The precedent for euthanizing children has been established, and more will almost certainly receive lethal injections this year, next year and the year after that.”

This is insane. And note the next article as well.

Euthanasia and Legal Assisted Suicide in Belgium and Canada

CBN News wrote on August 8:

“… it’s not only children who are being euthanized.  According to The Telegraph, the annual number of euthanasia cases across all age groups has multiplied almost five-fold in 10 years in Belgium. From 2016 to 2017, that number was 4,337 who requested assistance with their suicides. Most were cancer patients.

“Canada runs a close second in the world for legal assisted suicides. Physicians and nurse practitioners have killed almost 4,000 patients since euthanasia was legalized in Quebec in December 2015 and ultimately throughout the country… Ontario recently passed a law requiring all doctors to kill a legally qualified patient even though the judge acknowledged it violated the religious and conscience rights of doctors who did not want to perform legally assisted suicides.”

Legal assisted suicide is murder and a grave sin in the eyes of God. So is, of course, euthanasia.

Experiments with “Fresh” Human Tissue from Late-Term Abortions

The Catholic Medical Association wrote on August 9:

“… the U.S. Food and Drug Administration signed a new contract last month to acquire ‘fresh’ human fetal tissue to transplant into ‘humanized mice’ proving the animals to have functioning ‘human immune systems’… The experiments would be funded with federal tax dollars. ‘The FDA says the research using aborted babies is critical to understanding how the human immune system responds to certain drugs and biologics, helping to better understand diseases that affect millions of Americans. We strongly disagree. We oppose sacrificing any human life that justify this form of human experimentation,’ said Stephen White, Chair of the CMA’s Health Care Policy Committee.

“The FDA claims the experimentation requires tissue from late-term aborted babies, not miscarried ones to create its ‘humanized mice.’…”

Abortion is another example of a grave sin in the eyes of God, as is the capitalization of it by conducting highly-questionable experiments in deference to the “god” of science.  

Glyphosate-Based Herbicides Cause Cancer

The Guardian wrote on August 11:

“It was a verdict heard around the world. In a stunning blow to one of the world’s largest seed and chemical companies, jurors in San Francisco have told Monsanto it must pay $289m in damages to a man dying of cancer which he claims was caused by exposure to its herbicides. Monsanto, which became a unit of Bayer AG in June, has spent decades convincing consumers, farmers, politicians and regulators to ignore mounting evidence linking its glyphosate-based herbicides to cancer and other health problems. The company has employed a range of tactics – some drawn from the same playbook used by the tobacco industry in defending the safety of cigarettes – to suppress and manipulate scientific literature, harass journalists and scientists who did not parrot the company’s propaganda, and arm-twist and collude with regulators…

“Now… Monsanto’s secretive strategies have been laid bare for the world to see… The jury’s verdict found not only that Monsanto’s Roundup and related glyphosate-based brands presented a substantial danger to people using them, but that there was ‘clear and convincing evidence’ that Monsanto’s officials acted with ‘malice or oppression’ in failing to adequately warn of the risks…

“Glyphosate-based herbicides are so widely used around the globe… that residues are commonly found in food and water supplies, and in soil and air samples. US scientists have even recorded the weed killer residues in rainfall. Exposure is ubiquitous, virtually inescapable…”

Handelsblatt Global added on August 14:

“Everyone knew Bayer was taking a calculated risk in acquiring Monsanto for $63 billion (€55 billion) because of more than 5,000 pending lawsuits charging that its glyphosate-based pesticide Roundup causes cancer. Nonetheless, investors reacted with shock to a California jury verdict awarding $289 million to a plaintiff claiming Roundup caused his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, the cancer of white blood cells. The share price fell nearly 14 percent Monday… This slashed Bayer’s stock-market value by more than €10 billion.

“… analysts also noted Bayer’s numerous problems beyond the glyphosate liabilities. There have been issues with over-the-counter drugs in the US, as well as a weak drug pipeline. The US Food and Drug Administration recently found fault with Bayer’s production facilities in Germany and ordered the company to clean them up…”

In an article by EcoWatch, dated September 10, 2016, it was stated that glyphosate has also been found in vaccines. Many famous German companies, including Bayer, have a sad reputation of having cooperated with and worked for the Nazis. For instance, I.G. Farben was the big corporation that owned the Auschwitz concentration death camps. I.G. Farben was a merger between Bayer, BASF, AGFA, Hoechst, and other German companies. IG Farben also manufactured the cans of Zyklon B gas that were used in Auschwitz’s gas chambers.

 CBS wrote on August 15:

“A new report found glyphosate, a weed-killing chemical that some health authorities link to cancer, in a number of popular breakfast foods and cereals marketed to children. The study… discovered trace amounts of the most widely used herbicide in the country in oats, granolas and snack bars. Thirty-one out of 45 tested products had levels higher than what some scientists consider safe for children…

“The World Health Organization says glyphosate is a ‘probable carcinogen,’ and California lists it as a chemical ‘known to the state to cause cancer.’”

Massive Destruction of Marine Life in Florida

Fox News reported on August 14:

“A blanket of red tide along Florida’s Gulf Coast that’s killing marine life in addition to emptying normally packed beaches with an unrelenting stench has caused the state’s governor to declare a state of emergency for parts of the region…

“Red tide — a naturally occurring toxic algae bloom that can be harmful to people with respiratory problems — has spread throughout the region since October and stretches about 150 miles from Naples to Anna Maria Island. The algae turns the water toxic for marine life, and in recent weeks beachgoers have discovered turtles, large fish, and even manatees washed up dead. In Sarasota County, 11 dead dolphins have been found and marine biologists are investigating if their deaths are linked to red tide…

“Officials are now trying to figure out why this year’s red tide is so intense…”

The Huffington Post added on August 15:

“Fish and other wildlife have been washing up dead on beaches throughout Florida, including more than 300 sea turtles, manatees and even a whale shark that may have been killed by the phenomenon… The bloom of algae began last October and extends from Naples to the Everglades region, with no sign of slowing down… More than 100 tons of dead fish have been removed from area beaches…”

The Bible warns that the fish of the sea will be taken away (Hosea 4:3).

E-Cigarettes More Harmful Than Many Might Have Thought…

Newsmax wrote on August 14:

“While vaping has regularly been touted as a safer alternative to cigarette smoking, emerging research is starting to paint a different picture [showing] that vaping could ultimately destroy the important immune cells in the lungs that help keep the air spaces clear of potentially harmful particles… Vapor contained in e-cigarettes can damage the alveolar macrophages, which are responsible for engulfing and removing dust particles, bacteria, and allergens that can enter the respiratory tract…

“Lead author Professor David Thickett said that… e-cigarettes… may… be harmful in the long term… Vaping is becoming increasingly common among youth… more than 2 million U.S. middle and high school students used e-cigarettes just 30 days during 2016. A separate study previously found that vaping delivers potentially cancerous chemicals found in tobacco cigarettes to teens, even if an e-cigarette has no nicotine.”

The Church of the Eternal God rejects the use of e-cigarettes, as it does, of course, the smoking of cigarettes.

Transgender Woman Wins Vermont Governor’s Primary

The New York Times wrote on August 14:

“Christine Hallquist… listened closely as Danica Roem, the Virginia state delegate who won national recognition when she became the first transgender person elected to her state’s Legislature… Ms. Hallquist is transgender, too…

“Ms. Hallquist, a Democrat, made history of her own. She became the first transgender candidate to be nominated for a governorship by a major party [in Vermont]… It is a remarkable milestone, even for an election year already dominated by an influx of women and a record number of candidates who identify as lesbian, gay, transgender or queer…

“Ms. Hallquist was not the only transgender candidate on the ballot in the country in recent days. In Hawaii on Saturday, Kim Coco Iwamoto, a lawyer, lost her bid to be the Democrats’ nominee for lieutenant governor.

“And more transgender candidates will be on the ballot soon, including Alexandra Chandler, a former naval intelligence analyst who is running in Massachusetts’s Third District… ‘I’m running for Congress,’ she said in a recent campaign video, ‘to be a voice for trans kids out there.’…

“Ms. Hallquist… is likely to draw national attention — and fund-raising dollars — because of the historic potential of her candidacy…”

The signs of the times…

Child Abuse by Catholic Priests

The Washington Post wrote on August 14:

“More than 300 Catholic priests across Pennsylvania sexually abused children over seven decades, protected by a hierarchy of church leaders who covered it up, according to a sweeping grand jury report released Tuesday. The investigation, one of the broadest inquiries into church sex abuse in U.S. history, identified 1,000 children who were victims, but reported that there probably are thousands more…

“The grand jury reviewed more than 2 million documents, including from the ‘secret archives’ — what church leaders referred to the reports of abuse they hid from public for decades, state Attorney General Josh Shapiro said at a news conference Tuesday… Shapiro said… that he was bound by the state’s statutes of limitation. In Pennsylvania, victims of child sex abuse have until they are 30 to file civil suits and until they are 50 to file criminal charges. The oldest victim who spoke to the grand jury was 83.

“… The investigation has helped renew a crisis that many in the church thought and hoped had ended nearly 20 years ago after a church scandal erupted in Boston. But recent abuse-related scandals, including in Australia and Chile, have reopened questions about accountability and whether church officials at the highest levels are still covering up crimes…

“The new allegations have focused attention on Pope Francis and his handling of abuse as many Catholics look to him to help the church try to regain some of its credibility… The grand jury’s report follows the resignation last month of Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, a towering figure in the U.S. church and a former archbishop of Washington who was accused of sexually abusing children and adults for decades…

“In France, Cardinal Philippe Barbarin is facing a trial on criminal charges of not reporting sexual abuse. In Australia, one archbishop was recently convicted in a criminal court for concealing sexual abuse, and Cardinal George Pell, a top Francis lieutenant, will soon stand trial on charges related to sexual offenses…”

Pope Francis—the Dictator Pope?

Life Site News wrote on August 14:

“A Vatican consultant who leads the Canadian Catholic media organization Salt and Light Television [CEO Fr. Thomas Rosica] has issued a statement publicly recognizing… that Pope Francis ‘breaks Catholic traditions whenever he wants’ and that he rules by his own personal authority, rather than the… tradition of the Catholic Church…

“‘The pope’s openness, however, also a signature of his Jesuit training and development, means that not even he is sure where the spirit will lead,’ writes Rosica… Rosica’s open proclamation of Francis’ rule as an ‘individual’ apart from the authority of historic Catholic doctrine is reminiscent of H. J. A. Sire’s portrayal of Francis as ‘the dictator pope’… According to Sire…  Francis rules as an aloof and ‘arrogant’ autocrat, indifferent to Catholic doctrine.”

 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.

Ordination, as a practice, is clearly set forth in the Bible. In the Old Testament, Aaron and his sons were chosen by God to serve as priests (Exodus 28:1), and they were specifically ordained for this responsibility:

“Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood which was on the altar, and sprinkled it on Aaron, on his garments, on his sons, and on the garments of his sons with him; and he consecrated Aaron, his garments, his sons, and the garments of his sons with him” (Leviticus 8:30).

Quoting from the NASB:

“‘The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him, that in them they may be anointed and ordained’” (Exodus 29:29).

The priestly responsibility was to serve as God’s representative to the Israelites. Note Malachi 2, verse 7:

“‘For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, And people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.’”

The Book of Hebrews speaks of the duties of the High Priest and shows that God commissions this office:

“For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness. Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.’ As He also says in another place: ‘You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek’” (Hebrews 5:1-6).

In another example, God told Moses to choose Joshua to lead Israel in his place:

“So Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and set him before Eleazar the priest and before all the congregation. And he laid his hands on him and inaugurated him (better: commissioned him, so NIV and RSV), just as the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses” (Numbers 27:22-23).

In the New Testament, we note that Jesus Christ, who is the Head of the Church of God (Ephesians 1:22), has established ministerial positions:

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11).

Speaking of the Church, Paul writes:

“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:27-28).

From the outset, the process of choosing ministers and deacons for particular service in the Church has been the result of careful consideration. Note what is said about how Jesus selected the original apostles:

“Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles” (Luke 6:12-13).

Paul and Barnabas were prophets and teachers. They were subsequently ordained to the rank and function of apostles (Acts 14:14) for the particular job they would then fulfill in the Church:

“Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away” (Acts 13:1-3).

Paul specifically acknowledges this ordination for the proclaiming of the gospel, saying, “to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles” (2 Timothy 1:11; compare, also, Romans 11:13).

While the Church of God began in Judea on the Day of Pentecost, the message of the gospel was to be proclaimed to all nations (compare Matthew 24:14; Acts 1:8; 10:44-48; 11:18). Paul addressed the unique responsibilities given in preaching the gospel:

“But on the contrary, when they saw that the gospel for the uncircumcised had been committed to me, as the gospel for the circumcised was to Peter (for He who worked effectively in Peter for the apostleship to the circumcised also worked effectively in me toward the Gentiles), and when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that had been given to me, they gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised” (Galatians 2:7-9).

However, neither Peter nor Paul were able to do all of the work their commissions required. They ordained others to help in administering the Church of God. For example, following the establishment of the Church on the Day of Pentecost, it became apparent that more help was needed, as noted in Acts 6, verses 1-7. Likewise, Paul instructed Titus to “appoint elders in every city” (Titus 1:5).

However, this was not done in a random fashion, as Paul continues to explain in his letter to Titus, charging him to appoint or ordain elders:

“…if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination. For a bishop must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict” (Titus 1:6-9; compare, also, 1 Timothy 3:1-13).

Throughout the Church of that day, there was a need for ordained servants, and this is why Jesus Christ gave structured leadership to the Church:

“[F]or the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head–Christ–from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:12-16).

Jesus spoke of the Work which lay before His servants:

“Then He said to them, ‘The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest’” (Luke 10:2).

Finally, consider that God emphatically promises to help those who are ordained in His service, as Jeremiah was told:

“Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.’ Then said I: ‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth.’ But the LORD said to me: ‘Do not say, “I am a youth,” For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you,’ says the LORD” (Jeremiah 1:4-8).

Therefore, in like manner, the Church of the Eternal God in the USA and its international affiliates, both have and will ordain people as the need is made apparent to further the Work of God given to His Church.

Lead Writer: Dave Harris

compiled by Dave Harris

“Worldwide Attack on Our Innocent Children,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

This program gives you several abominable examples of the society’s attack on our children and encourages you to counteract such vicious and immoral deceptions, from euthanasia of young children at any age, to late-term abortions in the name of science, to cancer-causing glyphosate in vaccines and children’s food, to harmful e-cigarettes, to promotion of transgender, to sexual child abuse by Catholic priests. None of these examples are in line with the biblical admonition to train up our children in the fear of God and allow them to come to Christ.

“Besiegen Sie Ihre Sucht nach Rauchen, Saufen, Kiffen, Alkoholmissbrauch, illegalen Drogen und Sex!” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Conquer your Addiction with Smoking, Pot, Alcohol Abuse, Illegal Drugs and Sex.”

Our new Member Letter for August, which was written by Kalon Mitchell, has been mailed and it has been posted on the Web.

Our new Feast Flyer for the Feast of Tabernacles in Germany has been posted on the Web. http://www.ewigengottes.de/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/LHF-2018.pdf

“A Few More Things about the Two Witnesses,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Will the two witnesses help in preparing the spiritual temple for Christ’s return? What connection exists between the two witnesses and God’s angels? Why are the two witnesses clothed in sackcloth? Does the Bible tell us where they will operate prior to their death; where they will be killed; and how long they will be dead? Will they work alone, or may others support them? If so, who might those supporters be?

“In the Presence of God,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:

We all come before God in prayer. But do we ever take the time to think about what that really means? Are we cognizant when we are praying that we are actually coming before God’s throne? How should this affect us and our thinking? How important do we consider the time that we spend with God? What do we expect the outcomes to be?

Here are the dates for the 2018 Fall Holy Days:

Feast of Trumpets—September 10
Day of Atonement—September 19
Feast of Tabernacles—September 24-30
Last Great Day—October 1

On August 11, 2018, Norbert Link will present the sermonette, titled, “A few More Things about the Two Witnesses,” and Kalon Mitchell will present the sermon, titled, “In the Presence of God.”

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.

As I read through Luke 17, it impressed upon me the great urgency to be prepared today, not tomorrow, for the return of Christ. All that we have and all that we can do as physical beings will not matter the instant Christ appears. But the world will not watch and try to prepare for this day, quite the opposite.  Man will be so deeply enthralled in his own pursuits that for the majority of the world, including many of those who profess Christianity, this day will come as a surprise.  What seems so clear and obvious in the Bible is profoundly misunderstood by the world.  We need to rejoice in the understanding we have our eyes opened to!

We should not let this understanding cloud our eyes through complacency and deception.  Christ warned His disciples of this very attitude, “Then He said to the disciples, ‘The days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. And they will say to you, “Look here!” or “Look there!” Do not go after them or follow them’” (Luke 17:22-23). We pray for an expedient return of Christ and His rulership on earth during most prayers. And we must likewise pray for discernment, because many will continue to be lead astray.

Christ goes on to explain exactly how His appearing will take place. “For as the lightning that flashes out of one part under heaven shines to the other part under heaven, so also the Son of Man will be in His day” (Luke 17:24). Lightning is triggered during tumultuous storms and the return of Christ will be a storm that will wash over the entire planet with power no human has experienced.

We must keep our eyes opened to watch and not be drawn into a slumber Satan’s deception exudes upon this world. Holding on to this truth and vigilantly preparing for this instant of time is the only way to escape The Day of the Lord. “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 3:10).

But even with these simple warnings, the world will still be satiated with their own desires and lusts when Christ returns. He continues in the book of Luke showing the attitude upon His return, “And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed” (Luke 17:26-30).

It will be “just” like that on the day that Christ returns. We need to stay watchful so that we can be those who are “…changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

by Norbert Link

We begin with very troublesome and highly significant discussions about reinstating the military draft in Germany and making the country a nuclear power [note our new StandingWatch program, “Germany Goes Nuclear?”]; and we report on the economic boom of that country.

We continue with the worldwide perception of the USA being a major threat; the potential of cyberattacks against the USA; and the ongoing and escalating trade war. In this context, a compelling parallel is being drawn between the policies of former British Chancellor Neville Chamberlain and US President Donald Trump. We also address new US sanctions on Russia and Iran and Europe’s response.

We are also speaking of anarchy in Oregon; money-laundering measures leading to total governmental control [please view our recent StandingWatch program, “Do Banks and the Government Control You?”]; a controversial law in Florida which raises concerns of unjustified governmental surveillance; another move by major global technology companies to restrict and suppress free speech; and the legitimate concern that innocent defendants plead guilty due to coercion.

We continue with Israel’s false pride in “pride parades”; governmental attacks on white farmers in South Africa; North Korea’s attempts to clone people for their army; chaos in Venezuela following a suspicious “attack” on Venezuela’s far-left President; a deadly earthquake in Indonesia, which sits on the “Ring of Fire”; and terrible persecutions of Christians in India.

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

Germany Considers Military Draft

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 5:

“Germany’s ruling CDU party has launched a debate on reinstating military conscription…

“… representatives of Angela Merkel’s CDU party started a nation-wide discussion on the return of mandatory military service. The general conscription was scrapped in 2011 after Berlin decided to professionalize its troops. Prior to this decision, all young males were obligated to either serve in the nation’s military, the Bundeswehr, or perform an alternative service in civilian areas such as emergency management or medical care for a limited period of time.

“Currently, the Bundeswehr consists only of career soldiers and long-term contract troopers, although the army still offers an option of short-term paid military service to young volunteers. In a surprising move on Friday, however, the CDU Secretary General Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer pledged to ‘very intensively’ discuss military service and mandatory conscription…

“Other ranking CDU members were quick to back Kramp-Karrenbauer’s initiative, but kept equally vague on the details. The party’s youth wing leader Paul Ziemak spoke of a ‘community year’ which would see young students take part in some sort of a mandatory service program… CDU lawmaker Oswin Veith commented that youths could serve with the Bundeswehr, but also with first responders or medical institutions. ‘It should last for 12 months and apply to young men and women over the age of 18,’ he said. Several other CDU politicians also stressed the program would apply to both men and women…

“Some politicians from the SPD, the CDU’s junior partner in the grand coalition, said the idea was worth considering. Others, including the Parliamentary Commissioner for Defense, Hans-Peter Bartels, insisted that mandatory service would clash with Germany’s ban on forced labor… The business-friendly FDP called the proposal ‘absurd’… Other opposition parties in the parliament, the Left and the Green party, also oppose the idea.

“At the same time, right-wing AFD came out in favor of reviving conscription… On Twitter, AFD’s parliamentary group leader Alice Weidel said… the Bundeswehr needed to become ‘an attractive employer again’ in order to be able to fulfill its defense duties.”

Breitbart and The Associated Press reported on August 6:

“Merkel Party Mulls Bringing Back Draft to Heal Social Divisions… Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party is debating the merits of reintroducing some kind of civilian or military national service for young people…

“The idea has drawn a mixed response. Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, the ex-defense minister who scrapped conscription, told Monday’s Bild daily that it would be costly and the constitution ‘doesn’t foresee such compulsory, or forced, work assignments.’”

The Local wrote on August 6:

“On Monday, the federal government said that it had no intention of re-introducing compulsory military service at this stage… The CDU will debate the issue at their party conference in December and will decide what steps to take following their discussions.”

Handelsblatt Global added on August 6:

“Advocates argue that national service, whether it be military or civilian in nature, improves social cohesion, teaches unruly youths a thing or two and instils a sense of pride and community. In Germany, many also think it can help to fill the ranks of the military… ‘A community year gives the opportunity to give something back and, at the same time, to strengthen the country’s unity,’ Paul Ziemak, the CDU’s youth wing leader, told the Bild newspaper…

“Opponents say that national service is unnecessary, expensive and damaging to the careers of young people, with some likening it to slave labor…

“Several countries in Europe maintain national service, including Greece, Austria and Norway. President Emmanuel Macron has proposed reintroducing it in France but has met with stiff resistance from unions and business.”

Focus and HuffPost reported on August 4, 2018, that some politicians in Merkel’s party (CDU) and the coalition party, SPD, advocate reinstating the military draft for men and introducing it for women. Seven years ago, on July 1, 2011, the draft was abolished. It is now claimed that in light of the uncertain world situation, compulsory military service is “inalienable.” Die Welt reported on August 5 that a majority of Germans support the military draft. 55.6 % are in favor, while only 39.6 % are against or “probably” against it. More than 60 percent of the right-wing AdF Party are in favor.

Sadly, these propagandistic viewpoints in support of the draft are only all too common. It is amazing how sinful conduct can be justified with nice-sounding platitudes. The German attitude towards military service and war has shockingly, but predictably, changed in recent months. Germany was once proud of its “pacifistic” viewpoints, but this is no longer the case. The Bible shows that Germany will become VERY militaristic again and it will, together with many other continental European countries, ultimately start a NUCLEAR WAR against the USA and the UK.

Coming–A Nuclear-Armed Germany?

Politico wrote on August 26:

“Imagine a nuclear-armed Germany. No, this isn’t a fantasy… but a real debate, happening in present-day Berlin. As Germany’s foreign policy establishment becomes increasingly convinced that Donald Trump’s aggressive rhetoric toward Berlin and NATO represents a seminal shift in transatlantic relations, some are daring to think the unthinkable.

“‘Do We Need the Bomb?’ reads the front page headline in Welt am Sonntag, one of the country’s largest Sunday newspapers. ‘For the first time since 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany is no longer under the U.S.’s nuclear umbrella,’ Christian Hacke, a prominent German political scientist, wrote in an essay in the paper…

“It would be easier to dismiss the article as the ramblings of an eccentric academic were Hacke not a fixture of Germany’s foreign policy establishment and a respected university professor.  That the debate is happening at all speaks to how unnerved Germany’s security community has become in the face of Trump’s threats…

“This isn’t the first time Germany has considered its nuclear options. In the early 1960s, then-Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, who had his own doubts about the reliability of the U.S. as an ally, approached Charles de Gaulle to see if he might include Germany in the Force de frappe, France’s nuclear strike force. He was politely rejected.

“A few years after Adenauer left office, Germany ratified the 1968 nuclear non-proliferation treaty, which bars it from developing atomic weapons. Under the so-called Two Plus Four Agreement, a 1990 treaty between the two Germanys and World War II allies that paved the way to German reunification, the country also committed to eschew nuclear weapons…

“Nonetheless, even some who oppose Germany going nuclear are grateful for the debate… Germany’s membership of NATO and the EU already put it under France and the U.K.’s nuclear protection… almost any scenario that would justify Germany employing nuclear weapons against an aggressor would prompt France to take the same step…”

The Business Insider added on August 4:

“This is not the first round of this debate. Not long after Trump’s election, European officials — including a German lawmaker who was foreign-policy spokesman for the governing party — suggested French and British nuclear arsenals could be repurposed to defend the rest of the continent under a joint command with common funding or defense doctrine.

“In mid-2017, a review commissioned by Germany’s parliament found Berlin could legally finance another European country’s nuclear weapons in return for protection… French President Emmanuel Macron has advocated closer defense cooperation between France and Germany, but Paris has in the past expressed reservations about ceding control of its nuclear weapons…”

The Bible shows that a unified European power bloc consisting of ten nations or groups of nations will possess and use nuclear weapons. Germany and France will be part of that configuration (but not the UK), so it is somewhat academic to speculate whether Germany, all by itself, will be nuclear-armed or whether it will “only” have access to the bomb as part of a combined nuclear core Europe. After all, it will be Germany which will lead that future power bloc, and it will be a charismatic political and military leader of German or Austrian descent, called the “beast,” who will receive unchecked power and authority from those ten nations.

German National Debt At Lowest Level for Many Years

The Local wrote on August 2:

“The German public debt has dropped below €2 trillion for the first time in years thanks to robust economic growth. Public debt in Germany sank to €1.967 trillion in 2017, marking a drop of 2.1 percent in comparison with 2016… The €42.1 billion drop in public debt levels is a result of high tax intakes from a booming economy and historically low interest rates…

“Reductions in public debt were seen from the level of local government all the way up to the federal administration. The federal government was able to bring down its debts by 1.2 percent to €1.242 trillion by the end of 2017. The federal states performed even more strongly, reducing their debt by 3.7 percent. Saxony was the state with the most prudent monetary policy, cutting debt by 16 percent and thus beating the famously penny-pinching state of Baden-Württemberg – where public liabilities were cut by 13 percent. On the level of local government, the Gemeinden in Saxony were also able to boast of a 9.5 percent reduction in debts, higher than in any of the other 15 states.”

What is worrisome, however, is the fact that the debt was reduced as a result of high taxes. And a debt of roughly two trillion euros is still an astronomical figure. Of course, there is no comparison with the irresponsible and appalling figure of over 21 trillion dollars of US debt, which amount, despite campaign promises to the contrary, is still consistently growing!

USA Perceived to Be Most Threatening in the World

On June 4, Axios wrote:

“Russian aggression and the rise of China are among the biggest foreign policy concerns Americans face. In many countries, though, the world power seen as most threatening is the United States.

“According to a 2017 Pew survey, 39% of respondents across 38 countries consider U.S. influence and power a major threat to their countries, compared to 31% for both Russia and China. That’s up from 25% in 2013, when the survey was conducted previously. Approval of U.S. global leadership fell to 30% worldwide, per a January Gallup poll. That’s narrowly behind China (31%) and ahead of Russia (27%). It’s also the lowest score in the 10 years the survey has been conducted, and down from 48% in Barack Obama’s last year. America’s favorability around the world has fallen sharply, particularly among key allies like Mexico, Canada and Germany. And that was before Trump’s trade war and Iran deal withdrawal…

“Partnerships with South Korea and Japan are crucial to containing both the North Korean threat and the rise of China. Unsurprisingly, both countries list China as among the top threats they face. Startlingly, though, the U.S. is right behind — with 70% in South Korea and 62% in Japan viewing the U.S. as a major threat. Meanwhile, some NATO allies like Germany apparently see the threat to the west as larger than the one to the east. 35% of Germans view the U.S. as a major threat, compared to 33% for Russia…

“Global views of the U.S. have slumped before — during the Iraq War, for example — and cracks in U.S. alliances have been repaired in the past. But as the mistrust grows, it could get harder and harder to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.”

Cyberattack—Biggest Threat to the USA

Axios wrote on August 4:

“Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said this week that the U.S. is in ‘crisis mode,’ comparing the danger of a massive [cyber] attack to a Category 5 hurricane looming on the horizon. Intelligence chiefs from the last three administrations agree, and told Axios there is no graver threat to the United States. A well-executed cyberattack could knock out the electrical grid and shut off power to a huge swath of the country, or compromise vital government or financial data and leave us unsure what is real…

“Russia, China, Iran and North Korea are the top U.S. adversaries in the cyber realm, but the threat extends to non-state actors and criminal groups… The fact that so many intelligence experts have reached the same conclusion — and feel so strongly about it — shows how much the dangers to the United States have changed since 9/11.”

America is facing many different threats, massive cyberattacks being just one of them.

American Sanctions Against Russia

The New York Times wrote on August 9:

“Russia’s currency fell on Thursday to its lowest dollar value in nearly two years, jarred by new American sanctions imposed in response to a nerve-agent attack on a former Russian spy in Britain…

“As the ruble slumped through the day, officials in Moscow expressed dismay that the new restrictions came so soon after what they saw as a positive summit meeting between President Trump and Vladimir V. Putin, in Helsinki, Finland last month.”

EU Condemns American Sanctions Against Iran

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 7:

“The European Union’s top foreign affairs representative Federica Mogherini and three EU foreign ministers, Jeremy Hunt from the UK, Jean-Yves Le Drian from France and Heiko Maas from Germany, have jointly condemned American sanctions against Iran… The EU Commission considers the ‘secondary sanctions’ imposed by the US on European companies illegal. The Americans are seeking to ban European carmakers, banks and energy companies from doing business with Iran. If they violate the ban, their assets in the US may be seized. Even American companies dealing with European companies, which in turn are engaged in Iran, face penalties.

“For this reason, the EU has adopted a so-called ‘blocking statute’ in order to ward off the effects of American sanctions… With the new rules European companies are granted the right to challenge US sanctions in European courts and seek compensation from the US government or American companies. In practice, this path promises to be cumbersome and costly…

“The EU Commission is unable to quantify the amount of economic damage for companies that are subject to America’s secondary sanctions. But many companies and banks have already announced their intention to withdraw from Iran, especially ones that have corporate assets or real estate in America which the US government could get their hands on…

“The blocking statute prohibits European companies from abiding by American sanctions. However, a company can always say that it is pulling out of Iran for business reasons and not because of US sanctions…

“The EU now wants to check whether the member states’ central banks are able to maintain further transactions with Iran’s state bank. However, many banks, including Deutsche Bank, have put Iran on the back burner. For them, unhindered access to the US financial market is much more important. Even the European Investment Bank (EIB) is extremely cautious…”

EU to Firms: Ignore Trump

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 7:

“European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini directly called on EU companies to defy US President Donald Trump.

“Mogherini was responding to Trump’s early-morning tweet threatening companies that did not adhere to renewed US sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran. In it, Trump warned: ‘Anyone doing business with Iran will not be doing business with the United States.’

“In her response, Mogherini said it was up to European companies to decide who they trade with. She voiced support for trade as an integral part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran nuclear deal, in which Iran pledged to stop its nuclear program in return for the relaxation of sanctions and increased trade relations. The JCPOA was signed by Iran, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany, the EU and the United States in October 2015. Trump, who has called the JCPOA, ‘the worst deal in history,’ withdrew the US from it in May of this year. He reinstated harsh sanctions on Iran on Monday…

“Mogherini emphasized: ‘We are encouraging small and medium enterprises in particular to increase business with and in Iran as part of something [that] for us is a security priority.’ Though the EU, which said it ‘deeply regretted’ the US move, issued a ‘blocking statute’ on Monday in an effort to protect European companies, several, such as Germany’s Daimler, announced they would comply with Trump’s wishes rather than put their US investments at risk.”

China’s and Germany’s Growing Anger towards USA

The Algemeiner wrote on August 8:

“China and Germany defended their business ties with Iran on Wednesday in the face of President Donald Trump‘s warning that any companies trading with the Islamic Republic would be barred from the United States. The comments from Beijing and Berlin signaled growing anger from partners of the United States, which reimposed strict sanctions against Iran on Tuesday, over its threat to penalize businesses from third countries that continue to operate there…

“European countries, hoping to persuade Tehran to continue to respect the deal, have promised to try to lessen the blow of sanctions and to urge their firms not to pull out. But that has proved difficult: European companies have quit Iran, arguing that they cannot risk their US business. Among those that have suspended plans to invest in Iran are France’s oil major Total, its big carmakers PSA and Renault, and their German rival Daimler.

“Danish engineering company Haldor Topsoe, one of the world’s leading industrial catalyst producers, said on Wednesday it would cut around 200 jobs from its workforce of 2,700 due to the new US sanctions on Iran, which made it very hard for its customers there to finance new projects… Turkey, however, said it would continue to buy natural gas from Iran…”

The controversy and antagonism between the USA and the EU intensifies, but the EU realizes grudgingly that they cannot oppose Trump successfully at this point. And so, they are most anxious to figure out as to how to change the status quo.

Trade War

NBC San Diego wrote on August 3:

“China said Friday it is poised to impose retaliatory tariffs on $60 billion worth of U.S. imports, including coffee, honey and industrial chemicals… after the U.S. proposed increasing duties on $200 billion of Chinese goods in the second round of a dispute over technology…

“Washington imposed 25 percent duties on $34 billion of Chinese goods on July 6 in response to complaints Beijing steals or pressures companies to hand over technology. Beijing retaliated by imposing similar charges on the same amount of U.S. products…

“There’s no end in sight, and the dispute could chill global trade and economic growth. China’s new threat targeting a smaller amount of U.S. goods reflects the fact that Beijing is running out of products for retaliation due to its lopsided trade balance with the United States. China’s imports from the United States last year totaled $153.9 billion. After the earlier tariffs $34 billion of U.S. goods, about $120 billion is available for retaliation…

“The United States and China have the world’s biggest trading relationship but official ties are increasingly strained over complaints that Beijing’s technology development tactics hurt American companies… the U.S. Commerce Department reported Friday that the American trade deficit climbed to $46.3 billion in June from $43.2 billion in May. The deficit in goods trade with China also rose. So far this year, the trade gap is up more than 7 percent from January-June 2017.”

Fortune wrote on August 6:

“China will survive its escalating trade conflict with the United States, the Chinese authorities have warned through state media… ‘China has to defend its right to development, and we don’t fear sacrificing short-term interests,’ The Global Times wrote in an editorial. ‘… China is prepared for a protracted war… In future, the U.S. economy will depend more on the Chinese market than the other way around.’…

“The list of almost 6,000 items that China unveiled Friday may be meant more to save face than as a direct tit-for-tat, as 500 of the listed items aren’t traded in the first place and another 2,000 see less than $1 million a year in imports…”

This is one side of the story. Here is another one:

America’s Chamberlain

On August 1, Project Syndicate published the following article by Harold James (Professor of History and International Affairs at Princeton University and a senior fellow at the Center for International Governance Innovation [as well as a] specialist on German economic history and on globalization):

“US President Donald Trump’s attempts to flex America’s muscles with the use of tariffs harks back to one of the darkest periods of modern history. During the Great Depression, the governments of Britain and France pursued a similar policy, unwittingly alienating would-be allies and strengthening Nazi Germany…

“There is nothing new in Trump’s assertion that, ‘Trade wars are good, and easy to win.’… When Neville Chamberlain was serving as Britain’s Chancellor… in 1932, he reversed his country’s century-old position as a champion of free trade. Worried about Britain’s longstanding trade deficit, he announced a new ‘system of Protection,’ which he hoped to use ‘for negotiations with foreign countries which have not hitherto paid very much attention to our suggestions.’

“Chamberlain… was paving the road to World War II. His trade policy weakened Britain and strengthened Germany. And in a mere six years, his appeasement policy toward the Nazi Germany regime would reach its pinnacle with the 1938 Munich Agreement, which Hitler discarded six months later by destroying… Czechoslovakia and bringing it under the control of the Third Reich…

“[The] Great Depression [was] owing primarily to France and Britain’s own protectionist policies. Both countries shifted abruptly to a policy of high tariffs and import quotas that gave preference to products from their overseas empires. The result was that Czechoslovakia’s industrial producers and Romanian and Yugoslav agricultural exporters could no longer sell to Western Europe. Instead, they became increasingly dependent – economically as well as politically – on Nazi Germany. Likewise, Poland, after fighting a customs war with Germany in the 1920s and early 1930s, entered into a non-aggression pact with the Nazi regime in 1934…

“The lesson of the Great Depression is clear: trade wars intended to strengthen national security actually undermine it. This is especially true in the case of defensive alliances, because trade barriers force allies to forge closer ties with the very revisionist power that was supposed to be contained.

“Precisely this scenario is playing out today. Trump’s protectionist rhetoric is a response to the dramatic rise of China. But by launching a tariff war that also affects the European Union and Canada, Trump is making China look like a more attractive partner than the US… Like Germany’s neighbors in the 1930s, Europe and Canada may feel as though they have no other choice than to seek out a more open – or at least more stable – partner.

“Trump’s trip to Europe last month went a long way toward destroying the alliances that have maintained global stability since the end of WWII. And his… press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin had more than a whiff of Chamberlain-style appeasement. If Trump actually wanted to make China more attractive to the world, then he could do no worse than to continue his war on free trade and the multilateral institutions that arose from the ruins of 1945.”

Trump the Last President of the USA?

CNS News reported on August 9:

“There is a real insurgency taking place” – and it’s coming from an extremely surprising source, [filmmaker Michael] Moore said: ‘The revolution is happening in the most unlikely of places. The resistance ― the true resistance ― is not coming from the Democratic Party or from the liberal establishment. I can’t reveal too much right now, but there is a real insurgency taking place.

“‘Ladies and gentlemen: the last president of the United States’ [is] the trailer for Moore’s film…”

Anarchy Breaks Out in Portland, Oregon

The Wall Street Journal wrote on August 3:

“A vicious mob targeted the ICE office and even a food cart. The police followed orders to do nothing…

“Along the trolley tracks behind the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office, a biohazard cleanup crew works under police protection. It finds used needles and buckets of human waste simmering in nearly 100-degree heat… For more than five weeks, as many as 200 people had occupied the site to demand ICE’s immediate abolition…

“A mob surrounded ICE’s office in Southwest Portland June 19. They barricaded the exits and blocked the driveway. They sent ‘guards’ to patrol the doors, trapping workers inside. At night they laid on the street, stopping traffic at a critical junction near a hospital. Police stayed away. ‘At this time I am denying your request for additional resources,’ the Portland Police Bureau’s deputy chief, Robert Day, wrote to federal officers pleading for help. Hours later, the remaining ICE workers were finally evacuated by a small federal police team. The facility shut down for more than a week.

“Signs called ICE employees ‘Nazis’ and ‘white supremacists.’ Others accused them of running a ‘concentration camp,’ and demanded open borders and prosecution of ICE agents. Along a wall, vandals wrote the names of ICE staff, encouraging others to publish their private information online. Federal workers were defenseless… Every American flag was defaced. Anarchist and communist flags were unsoiled… the occupiers have been evicted but taxpayers will have to foot the costly cleanup bill…”

Largest Fire in California History

The Week wrote on August 7:

“The Mendocino Complex fire in Northern California has grown to more than 290,000 acres as of Tuesday morning, the Los Angeles Times reports. By Monday, the fire spanned more than 283,800 acres, making it the largest blaze in the state’s history. Fire officials said 130 structures have been destroyed, including 75 homes, and thousands more are threatened; the fire is only 34 percent contained.

“The Mendocino Complex fire is actually two fires that have burned for several days: the Ranch fire, north of Clear Lake, and the River fire, which has swept through an area west of Clear Lake. Thousands of residents have been forced to evacuate their homes. California’s previously largest fire was the Thomas Fire, which burned 281,000 acres just last December.”

The Hysteria of “Anti-Laundering” Measures Leading to Total Governmental Control

Reuters wrote on August 3:

“Deutsche Bank has uncovered shortcomings in its ability to fully identify clients and the source of their wealth, internal documents seen by Reuters show, more than a year after it was fined nearly $700 million for allowing money laundering… reviews found gaps in Deutsche’s screening process, which aims to meet so-called ‘Know Your Customer’ (KYC) requirements that are a cornerstone of global anti-money laundering controls… Regulators around the world require banks to vet customers so that criminals cannot mask their identity through complex company and ownership structures to launder money or sidestep international sanctions… Banks have been fined billions of dollars for lax oversight, including the failure to identify customers.

“In January 2017, Deutsche Bank agreed to pay U.S. and UK regulators $630 million in fines over artificial trades between Moscow, London and New York that authorities said were used to launder $10 billion out of Russia. The U.S. Federal Reserve fined the bank an additional $41 million for failing to ensure its systems would detect money laundering in May 2017. Deutsche Bank is under pressure after three consecutive years of losses, and it agreed to pay a $7.2 billion settlement with U.S. authorities last year over its sale of toxic mortgage securities in the run-up to the 2008 financial crisis…”

Sounds good, BUT these procedures, which are also implemented by US banks and which are apparently instigated by the US government, lead to appalling violations of the rights and privileges of harmless and innocent customers who find themselves to be the targets of ridiculous governmental “oversight”… without any court approval or other legal justification whatsoever. It is a sad occurrence in the history of the relationship between even democratic governments and their citizens that legitimate governmental concerns are being used far too often to engage in illegitimate and terribly autocratic conduct.

Newsmax ran an article on August 6 with the following headline: “Banks Get the Go-ahead to Seize Your Accounts Including IRA and 401K,” continuing, “The Federal Government via the Dodd Frank Act, allows ‘Too Big To Fail’ banks and financial institutions to seize your Deposits and bail out themselves. This means your cash becomes their assets, and your deposit loses its FDIC insurance. You are defenseless against this law. Therefore protecting your assets outside of banks now, is crucial for your hard earned money to be immune from any form of confiscation.”

In addition, as the Local reported on August 5 in connection with US sanctions on Iran, “Germany’s big banks, Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank, stayed clear of Iran after the US fined them hugely in 2015 for violating previous sanctions.” One must wonder how long Germany and Europe will tolerate this kind of American behavior. Not for too much longer; that should be clear.

Bundesbank Restricts Withdrawals of Its Customers

Handelsblatt Global wrote on August 3:

“Germany’s central bank changed its terms and conditions so that it can more tightly control withdrawals. The move is seen as bowing to US pressure over trade with Iran… In the future, Germany’s central bank plans to impose new controls on cash withdrawals from accounts it holds, with any large withdrawals subject to thorough checks and possible refusal…

“It seems the Bundesbank is now running scared of those sanctions and the dangers of breaking them. Among possible reasons for refusing a large withdrawal, its new terms and conditions list anything which might ‘substantially threaten’ the Bundesbank’s role in transfer payments and currency reserve management. Specifically, it mentions possible ‘jeopardizing of important relationships with central banks and financial institutions of third countries.’…

“Clearly, the Bundesbank, like many German commercial banks, is worried about the… possible exclusion from US capital markets. Other reasons given by the Bundesbank for refusing withdrawals include money laundering and terrorism… the European Union suggested that European central banks could handle some foreign exchange payments on behalf of the Iranian government. The change to the Bundesbank’s terms and conditions can be regarded as an emphatic refusal of these EU proposals.”

More Governmental Control in Florida

Education Week wrote on July 26:

“As part of their efforts to prevent school shootings, Florida lawmakers mandated the creation of a centralized database that will combine individual-level records from the state’s law-enforcement and social-services agencies with information from people’s personal social media accounts. The provision… marks a potentially dramatic increase in the state’s collection and sharing of data on individuals. While the new database could have big consequences for individual privacy and civil liberties, proponents described it as necessary to ensure public safety…

“To date, the far-reaching legislation… has garnered attention primarily for imposing new restrictions on access to guns, establishing a voluntary program to train and arm some school employees, providing $400 million for school mental health services and security measures, and establishing a new Office of Safe Schools within the Florida Department of Education. But a mostly overlooked provision of the legislation also directs that new office to ‘coordinate with the Department of Law Enforcement to provide a centralized integrated data repository and data analytics resource to improve access to timely, complete, and accurate information.’

“… According to the law, data sources must include, at a minimum, the state’s departments of Children and Families, Law Enforcement, and Juvenile Justice; local law enforcement agencies; and ‘social media.’ Privacy experts, civil-liberties advocates, and researchers who specialize in ‘integrated data systems’ around the country criticized the law as vaguely written and lacking in adequate safeguards.

“Faiza Patel, the co-director of the Liberty & National Security Center at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University… said, the actual legislation’s imprecise language seems to allow for open-ended vacuuming up of any and all social-media information, not just reported threats. And even just the latter could allow for a great deal of unvetted, low-quality, and biased information to flood into the system, she said. Just look at the rash of recent incidents in which white people reported black people to law enforcement for ‘suspicious’ activities such as sitting in a Starbucks, napping in a college dorm, and grilling in a park.

“In addition, said Patel and other experts, it’s unclear exactly who will have access to the information in the new Florida database, what specific purposes the data can (and can’t) be used for, how it will be secured, how long it will be retained, or what rights individuals may have to review and contest the information that is held about them.”

Another step towards the “Big Brother” governmentally controlled society.

Facebook and the Banks

The Verge wrote on August 6:

“Facebook is asking large banks in the US to share their customers’ card transactions, shopping habits, and checking account balances to offer new financial services, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.

“In an emailed response to the report, Facebook denies that it’s ‘actively asking financial services companies for financial transaction data.’ It says that it’s simply looking to partner with banks and credit card companies to offer customer service through a chatbot in Messenger or help users manage their accounts within the app. Similar features already exist on Messenger with American Express, Mastercard, and PayPal integrations, but Facebook is looking to expand its partnerships with more traditional banks…

“The tech giant has talked to banks including JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Wells Fargo, and US Bancorp about what sorts of banking services Facebook Messenger could provide for customers…Facebook’s reputation is marred by its recent data privacy scandal where Cambridge Analytica misused the data of 87 million Facebook users. Sources told the WSJ that the banks are concerned about how Facebook would handle data privacy when it comes to financial information…

“Other tech companies like Google and Amazon are also asking banks to share customer data so that they can add banking services on their voice assistants…”

Actually, customers should also be VERY concerned about how their banks are handling data privacy.

Global Technology Companies Remove InfoWars because of “Hate Speech”

Deutsche Welle reported on August 6:

“Spotify, Facebook and Apple have all taken down content by Alex Jones, whose InfoWars site has a mass following. While he’s previously taken heat for fake news, it was hate speech that landed him in hot water now… The news came one day after media news website BuzzFeed reported that Apple had removed the majority of Jones’ podcasts from its platforms…

“Jones is a controversial radio and internet host who is accused of promoting fake news and conspiracy theories, such as disputing the mass school shooting in 2012 at Sandy Hook elementary school in the US. Facebook said it had removed four of Alex Jones’ video pages… ‘ for glorifying violence, which violates our graphic violence policy, and using dehumanizing language to describe people who are transgender, Muslims and immigrants,’ the statement read. The company also said that it had also suspended Jones’ personal profile for 30 days for his having posted the offensive content…

“Jones founded Infowars in 1999, building a massive following. Among the many conspiracy theories he has put forward is that the US government was involved in the September 11 attacks.”

Whether one agrees or disagrees with Jones’ concepts and (at times far-fetched) speculations, to remove him because of alleged hate-speech violations [who defines what constitutes hate speech, “dehumanizing language” or “glorifying violence”?] does set an extremely dangerous precedent for suppressing free speech.

Farrakhan’s Video Against Interracial Marriage Removed from Facebook

Breitbart wrote on August 8:

“Facebook has removed a video from Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan in which he advocates against interracial marriage… in the video, Farrakhan stated that black people had been ‘mongrelized’ by interracial marriage, something which Farrakhan blamed on ‘the enemy’ in Hollywood.

 “A Facebook spokesperson initially stated that the video was allowed to stay on the platform as it was reportedly ‘unclear’ how Farrakhan was using the term ‘mongrelized.’ A second review, however, determined that the word was being used to attack people and the video was removed from the platform. This is reminiscent of how Facebook initially supported Infowars staying on the platform, then suddenly removed both Alex Jones and Infowars from the platform as part of a larger purge by Big Tech.

 “According to Facebook, the guideline that Farrakhan violated was tier 1 of Facebook’s hate speech policy which prohibits: ‘dehumanizing speech or imagery including … reference or comparison to animals that are culturally perceived as intellectually or physically inferior.’”

Innocent Defendants Pleading Guilty

Forbes wrote on July 31:

“Defendants in federal cases face life changing choices once they have been charged, plead guilty and take a less severe penalty, or exercise their right to a trial and risk years (decades) in prison.  It is no wonder that some have pondered whether innocent people are pleading guilty to crimes they did not commit.

“A new paper [was] published by the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), [stating that] going to trial can be a gamble with one’s life.  One conclusion reached by the NACDL was that ‘There is ample evidence that federal criminal defendants are being coerced to plead guilty because the penalty for exercising their constitutional rights is simply too high to risk.’…

“Another case NACDL cited was that of… Christian Allmendinger [who] was involved in a complex case of purchasing life insurance policies.  He was partners with another guy, Brent Oncale.  Onacle pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.  Allmendinger went to trial where Onacle testified against him … he was found guilty and sentenced to 45 years in prison.  Onacle had his sentence reduced to 5 years after testifying.  It is disparities like this that are just a few of the reasons we have a growing issue with our criminal justice system.”

This is another reason (among MANY MORE reasons) why a true Christian should NOT be participating in jury duty services.

Israel’s LGBTQ Parades

JTA wrote on August 2:

“A record crowd estimated at 30,000 or more marched Thursday in support of the LGBTQ community at the [17^th annual] Pride Parade in Jerusalem… The march comes a week after more than 60,000 demonstrators in Tel Aviv protested the Knesset’s passage of a new surrogacy law that excludes gay couples as well as single men. That demonstration capped off a day of strikes and protests in support of gay surrogacy and the LGBTQ community.

“The Pride Parade marchers called for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign over the surrogacy law and also carried signs against the nation-state law passed last month…”

Time Magazine wrote on August 3:

“Jerusalem holds a modest parade annually in contrast to festivities in nearby liberal Tel Aviv, which drew over 250,000 people to its parade this year… Israel has emerged as one of the world’s most gay-friendly travel destinations in recent years, in sharp contrast to the rest of the Middle East where gays are persecuted and even killed. In Israel, homosexuals serve openly in Israel’s military and parliament, and many popular artists and entertainers are homosexual. However, leaders of the gay community say Israel still has far to go in promoting equality.”

God calls this promotion of equality “abominable.”

South African White Farmers Under Attack

Express wrote on August 5:

“South Africa’s white farmers have hit out in anger at the government’s decision to agree to constitutional changes to seize land from them. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa recently announced plans to allow white people’s land to be taken without compensation, which will then be distributed to black people in a move that he believes will be good for the economy…

“The farmers have claimed that the government’s plan will be ‘catastrophic and could lead to anarchy and food shortages like Venezuela or Zimbabwe’. The economy of Zimbabwe collapsed after their own land reform was carried out.

“More than 20 years after the end of apartheid in South Africa, white farmers still own the majority of South Africa’s land…  In the 1990s black South Africans received grants and subsidies to buy land plots, which resulted in overcrowding and poor land use…”

North Korea Preparing a Super Army of Human Clones?

The Daily Star wrote on August 5:

“Dictator Kim Jong-Un wants to create an army of super soldiers who will obey his every command. Genetic scientists have spent billions on a secret cloning programme started by Kim’s grandfather more than 30 years ago… MI6 believes the secretive Communist state has already cloned cats, dogs and horses – and has been experimenting on human embryos for at least 10 years. Senior spooks working alongside the US intelligence agency [and] the CIA have uncovered information suggesting human cloning has taken place at two secret laboratories…

“A senior intelligence official told the Daily Star Sunday… ‘Prisoners have been used in cloning and other terrible experiments for years. Kim is obsessed with human cloning. He has been attempting to grow human tissue, organs and clone embryos. He believes he can live forever by making clones of himself. Human cloning is very advanced on the Korean peninsular. Both the North and the South have been experimenting for decades. What we don’t know is whether they have had any success.’…

“In theory, human cloning could produce an identical copy of a living person whose body parts could be used to replace organs such as heart, liver and kidneys. There is no worldwide ban on human cloning although in at least 70 countries around the world, including the UK, it is illegal.

“Both South and North Korea have a controversial history with cloning. Laboratories in South Korea will clone family pets, such as dogs and cats for around £80,000. A spokesman for the North Korean embassy refused to comment.”

Even though the concept of cloning humans for the military or engaging in other military endeavors (such as constructing man-like robotic soldiers) may sound far-fetched, an interesting prophecy in the book of Revelation should be considered, which speaks of a huge Far-Eastern army of about 200 million “horsemen” (Revelation 9:16). These “horsemen” could arguably include human beings, cloned humans, and even robots.

Chaos in Venezuela

AFP wrote on August 5:

“The United States on Sunday denied involvement as Nicolas Maduro blamed the opposition and Colombian counterpart Juan Manuel Santos for an alleged ‘assassination’ attempt on the Venezuela president. Venezuela’s far-left government said seven soldiers were wounded by the alleged attack using explosive-laden drones during a military parade in Caracas on Saturday. Maduro pointed the finger at outgoing Colombian President Santos and ‘the ultra-right wing,’ a term he uses to describe domestic opposition, as a mysterious rebel group claimed responsibility.

“US national security advisor John Bolton insisted there was ‘no US government involvement’ and even suggested that the incident could have been ‘a pretext set up by the regime itself.’ Venezuela has already reacted to Saturday’s events with a series of arrests as Attorney General Tarek William Saab, who was also present at the parade, warning: ‘There will be a ruthless punishment.’…

“Maduro has remained in power in oil-rich Venezuela despite a collapsing economy and a long-running political crisis. Hundreds of thousands have fled due to food and medicine shortages and hyperinflation that could reach one million percent this year… Maduro, a 55-year-old former bus driver, has effectively sidelined the fractured opposition through control of the courts and the electoral body — and unstinting support from the military, which holds key posts in his government…

“Maduro often accuses the opposition and the United States of working together to foment a ‘coup’ to topple him. This year he brought forward to May presidential elections — boycotted by the opposition — which handed him a new six-year term.”

The idea that the incident in Venezuela might have been caused by the regime itself is worth considering, as the parallels to the alleged recent “coup” in Turkey are striking, which helped Erdogan to become the absolute dictator in that autocratic country who is ruling it with an iron fist.

Deadly Earthquake in Indonesia

The Telegraph wrote on August 6:

“Indonesian security forces and emergency workers were racing on Monday to aid victims of a magnitude 7 earthquake on Lombok that killed at least 98 people [142 as of Monday morning, August 6], while tourists were being evacuated from the worst-hit areas. The tremor, which came just a week after another quake killed 17 people on the island, was also felt on the neighbouring resort island of Bali, where frightened tourists ran onto the streets.

“The earthquake struck just 10km underground, according to the US Geological Survey, and was followed by a series of strong aftershocks, prompting many to spend the night outside. ‘The search and rescue team is still scouring the scene and evacuating (people),’ national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said. ‘We estimate the number of victims will rise.’ He described the damage as ‘massive’ in the north of Lombok, citing an example of a collapsed mosque where worshippers are believed to have been buried during evening prayers… Some areas still hadn’t been reached, with rescuers hampered by collapsed bridges, electricity blackouts and damaged roads blocked with debris…

“A nearby volcano was evacuated after the earthquake struck. Indonesia straddles the so-called Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’, where tectonic plates collide, making the nation one of the most disaster prone in the world. Some 90 per cent of the world’s earthquakes happen in this region. Other countries including Bolivia, Chile, Japan, and the US west coast also sit on the ‘Ring of Fire.’

“In 2004 a tsunami triggered by a magnitude 9.3 undersea earthquake off the coast of Sumatra in western Indonesia killed 220,000 people in countries around the Indian Ocean, including 168,000 in Indonesia…”

Christ warned of ever increasing earthquakes as a sign of the times, prior to His return. He also stated that earthquakes will strike “here and there,” indicating that they would also happen in unusual places and locations.

Christian Persecution in India

World Watch Monitor wrote on August 6:

“Christian villagers in a rural district of India’s Maharashtra state have been told that one church will be closed down every week because they have been ‘destroying’ local tradition and culture by ‘luring’ others to convert to Christianity. Since June, over a dozen houses belonging to Christians have been attacked by local extremist groups… Christians… have also been told that if they pursue with Christianity, they will be cut off from local water supplies and will no longer have access to government-subsidised groceries.

“The latest incident took place on Sunday, 5 August, in Kospundi, when a local Christian, Gallu Kowasi, was badly beaten by locals demanding he renounce his faith… the extremists are being ‘propelled’ by the government in the name of a law on self-governing in tribal areas…

“Several Christians have received death threats or have been threatened with expulsion from their village, while new converts to Christianity face being ostracised from both their family and local community. ‘If one person in the family is converted to Christianity, the rest of the family unites with the village and all of them immediately socially boycott that person,’ World Watch Monitor’s source explained. ‘The new Christian convert will be given no job in the village and no-one will come to help him with his work. The social boycott is just the start. Thereafter the new convert is threatened constantly to leave his faith; he can be easily attacked and his house attacked.’

“The Christians of Bharagad village filed a complaint with police, but the authorities took no action. Instead, the Christians later received letters warning them against making any further complaints. After three Christian families in Koskundi village went to the police, a mob of around 100 people gathered round the police station, demanding the Christians be thrown out of the village.”

This is just a small foretaste as to what will happen to Christians who refuse to accept the mark of the beast.

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.

Let us review a few more of the many Scriptures that disprove the concept of “once saved, always saved”; that confirm that our sins which we might commit in the future are not automatically forgiven in advance when we “accept” Jesus Christ; that teach that repentance is vital and necessary; and that answer such ridiculous assertions about not having to keep asking for forgiveness or repenting in order to have our sins forgiven.

2 Chronicles 7:14: “… if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Matthew 4:17: “From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

Luke 13:2-3: “And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.’”

Acts 2:38: “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

Acts 3:19: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord…”

Acts 17:30: “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent…”

2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

There are many other references but the above should suffice to prove the point that repentance in Scripture is a key requirement for a true Christian.

In our booklet “Teach Us to Pray,” further information is given about the need for repentance. We quote as follows:

On Page 47, under the Subheading: “We Must Confess Our Sins to God”:

“1 John 1:8-9 says: ‘If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’

“Psalm 32:5 adds: ‘I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden. I said: “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.’

On Pages 47-48, under the Subheading: “We Must ASK for Forgiveness”:

“When we confess our sins to God; that is, when we acknowledge our sins to God and admit our mistakes to Him, we need to ask God at the same time to forgive us our sins. Even though God is more than willing to forgive us, we still need to ask Him.

“In Psalm 25:18, David asked God for forgiveness, when he prayed: ‘Look on my affliction and my pain, And forgive all my sins.’ He stated in Psalm 86:5: ‘For You, LORD, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.’

On Page 48, under the Subheading: “We Must Ask in FAITH”:

“When we ask God for forgiveness, we must firmly believe that He WILL forgive us. We read that ‘through this Man [Jesus Christ] is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified’ (Acts 13:38-39).”

On Page 48, under the Subheading: “We Must FORSAKE Our Sins”:

“Proverbs 28:13 says: ‘He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.’

“When we forsake our sins, we actually turn away from them. We read in Jeremiah 36:3: ‘It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the adversities which I purpose to bring upon them, that everyone may turn from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.’

On Pages 48-49, under the Subheading: “We Must REPENT or RETURN to God”:

“It is not enough to turn away from our sins. We must at the same time turn, or return to, God. This is another way of saying: We must REPENT of our sins. That is, we must forsake or turn from our sins—cease doing what is wrong—and we must turn to God by doing what is right.

“John would not baptize people who had not shown in their lives ‘fruits worthy of repentance’ (Luke 3:8). Christ came to call sinners to repentance (Matthew 9:13). He also said that we will perish, if we don’t repent (Luke 13:3, 5). He said that Nineveh was spared, because they repented (Matthew 12:41). Paul said that he might have to mourn for many ‘in the church’ who did not repent of their sins (2 Corinthians 12:21)…

“Isaiah 55:7 tells us: ‘Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.’

“Jeremiah tells us in the Book of Lamentations: ‘Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the LORD; Let us lift our hearts and hands To God in heaven’ (chapter 3, verse 40). Jeremiah goes on to explain that God did not pardon them for their transgression and rebellion (verse 42). Why not? Obviously, because they had not turned back to God—they had not yet repented of their sins. Solomon understood that God will forgive us our sins if we ‘pray… and confess… and turn from [our] sins… and return to [God] with all [our] heart and with all [our] soul’ (2 Chronicles 6:26, 38-39; compare 1 Kings 8:33-40). Notice, too, Daniel’s prayer, asking for forgiveness after repentance, in Daniel 9:1-20, especially verse 13.

“In Acts 26:18, Christ tells Paul that forgiveness is predicated on turning from darkness to light. Compare, too, Peter’s admonition to Simon Magus, in Acts 8:22: ‘Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you.’”

On Pages 49 and 51, under the Subheading: “God Does Not Forgive Without Repentance”:

“God does not forgive us if we REFUSE to repent—refusing to admit and confess our sins to God, refusing to ask for His forgiveness in faith, and refusing to forsake and turn from our evil ways by turning to God and living His Way…

“God does not forgive us our sins if we refuse to repent of them, but He is quick to forgive, once we realize our sin and truly repent of it. Since we are to pray, ‘Forgive US OUR debts,’ this prayer includes not only the forgiveness of our personal individual sins, but also a request to God to forgive the sins of others (compare Numbers 21:7; 1 Samuel 12:19, 23).”

On Page 51, under the Subheading: “Summary”:

“Because of Christ’s Sacrifice, we can ask God the Father to forgive us our sins. But we must acknowledge and confess our sins to God, and we must ask and pray in faith for His forgiveness while turning to Him and forsaking our evil ways. If we refuse to repent of our sins, we cannot expect that God will forgive us.

“But that’s not all. There is yet another condition that we must fulfill in order to obtain God’s forgiveness of our sins. This condition is taught in the next sentence of the prayer outline.”

These excerpts clearly show that we have to ask for forgiveness—not accepting the erroneous belief of the “once saved, always saved” concept where this “understanding” is that “when God justifies a sinner, He clears his guilt, past, present and future,” as one such proponent put it. Such a misleading approach can lead to “Christians” letting down their guard and not really having to concern themselves about their future behaviour, because whatever sins they commit have already been forgiven without them having to repent of them. Such an approach is very dangerous, and without true personal repentance, no one can be in the future Kingdom of God as a ruling member of the God Family, for eternity! It is just that serious!

One writer pondered the following:

“OSAS” (Once Saved, Always Saved) tries to make two types of the sexually immoral, drunkards, swindlers, greedy etc – one type being saved because of a past moment of faith and the other type being unsaved because he never had even one moment of faith!”

To complete this study, let us look at the book of Revelation. In chapters 2 and 3 are quite a number of references for the need to repent, be faithful until death, hold fast, persevere and overcome (these are underlined in the verses quoted below). These requirements are the very antithesis of the assertion, previously mentioned, that Christians “do not always need to be asking God for forgiveness” and “believers do not have to keep asking for forgiveness or [keep] repenting in order to have their sins forgiven.”

Following are passages from Revelation 2:

(Verse 5) Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.

(Verse 7) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God…

(Verse 10) Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

(Verse 11) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.

(Verse 16) Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.

(Verse 17) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.

(Verse 22) Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.

(Verse 25) But hold fast what you have till I come.

(Verse 26) And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations…

(Verse 29) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

We conclude with the following passages from Revelation 3:

(Verse 3) Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.

(Verse 5) He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

(Verse 10) Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

(Verse 11) Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.

(Verse 12) He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.

(Verse 19) As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.

(Verse 21) To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

We would all do well to heed the phrase which is used a number of times in these two chapters of Revelation: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Dave Harris

A new Member Letter (August 2018) has been written by Elder Kalon Mitchell. In this letter we are encouraged to focus on our calling and to be motivated by our part in God’s plan.

“Germany Goes Nuclear?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Deeply disturbing developments are being discussed by German politicians right now… from reinstating mandatory military service for men and women to creating a nuclear-armed Germany.  What was once taboo and unthinkable is now openly debated. The Bible has forewarned for a long time that a militaristic united Europe under German leadership WILL start a nuclear war against former allies.

“Deutschland–eine Nuklearmacht?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link and covering the same material as described above.

“Dieses Geschlecht Wird Nicht Vergehen!” is the title of this week’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “This Generation Will Not Pass Away!”

“Against the Odds,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is a summary:

It is a rare event to be called out of the world in this age to be a member of God’s family. Do we consider ourselves to be lucky to be called? Or is there something more than luck involved?

“To Tear or Mend,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Robb Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Solomon once stated “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven.”  He spoke of the dichotomy of life in very physical terms. This same undulating change is ever present in our spiritual lives, as well—because it is necessary for our spiritual growth.

Here are the dates for the 2018 Fall Holy Days:

Feast of Trumpets—September 10
Day of Atonement—September 19
Feast of Tabernacles—September 24-30
Last Great Day—October 1

by Connie Grade

I just finished watching the recent StandingWatch program, “Do Banks and the Government Control You?” and felt motivated to report about my recent experiences. Our RV Park subscribes to Dish for our bulk TV cable channels. We received notification from Dish that they would no longer accept payment via check or debit, nor would they be mailing out paper statements to their bulk subscribers. We are now required to go to their on line services and set up an online account with them so we can make our monthly payments to them through their services.

Being extremely busy this year at the Park, I totally spaced the fact that I would have to take time out of my busy schedule and go online and create an account with them. I did not receive a paper statement for the month of July and consequently, did not make the payment for that month. I realized this on Friday as I was finalizing my reports for the month of July, so I quickly reviewed what was necessary for me to go on line to create an account. I went through all the requirements, but at the very end I was advised that “the system is currently down.” I contacted Dish by phone, and an individual aided me in getting the account set up and working.  I had to make payment with our business credit card and when I asked for confirmation via email, he said they do not send out email confirmations and that I would need to go to my account and click on payment history and print off a confirmation!!!

So now Dish no longer mails out statements to inform you when the bill is due; they no longer allow you to pay by check or debit; and they no longer send you an automatic confirmation of payment made—instead, the customer is now required to do all the work. They get over $1000.00/month from us, and now we just received notice there is a rate increase going into effect on August 18.

It just seems we are seeing this more and more, just like with the banks.  A while back I went to our personal bank to withdraw a sizeable amount of money.  We found out if it is over $9,999.00 you have to fill out a questionnaire inquiring what the money is going to be used for and then it must be approved by the bank manager for withdrawal. They claimed, it had to do with money laundering and drug money.

Definitely “Big Brother” is watching us more and more!

I also just received notice that the Wells Fargo Bank branch we do business with for the company is closing in October. This branch is always busy every time I go in and conveniently sits near the interstate. So now I will be required to drive across town to another branch to conduct my business.  Perhaps the closure is the result of Wells Fargo having to set aside $8 million dollars to compensate customers affected by a “glitch” in their software resulting in several hundred people having to foreclose on their homes.  They have been fined for other unsavory conduct, and a string of other activities are currently under investigation.

We used to bank with Bank Of America but they closed that branch down a few years ago; this is why we are now with Wells Fargo. It seems we have less and less choices available to us where the government is in charge, or big corporations have too much control.