Outsiders/ How’s the Family?

On October 21, 2023, Eric Rank will present the sermonette, titled,  “Outsiders”, and Dave Harris will present the sermon, titled, “How’s the Family?”

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.

This Week in the News

Hamas Is Iran’s Proxy

Life Mint wrote on October 9:

Iran helped Hamas plot the rocket attack on Israel and approved of the assault during a meeting in Beirut last week, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal… The report also stated that the officers of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard have worked with Hamas to plan the deadly attack since August. It is pertinent to note that Hamas is the Shiite militant group that holds control in Gaza, while Hezbollah is a political faction backed by Iran in Lebanon…”

Times of Israel wrote on October 8:

“Hamas spokesman Ghazi Hamad tells the BBC that Iran gave its support to the Palestinian terror group to launch its surprise multi-front attack on Israel on Saturday…

“Tehran is a key backer of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, as well as Lebanese terror group Hezbollah.”

Hezbollah is also actively involved in bombing Israel. There can be no doubt that Iran is behind all of these terrorist attacks. The slaughter and kidnapping of thousands of Jews are the direct consequence of Biden’s recent ill-advised “deal” with Iran regarding the exchange of prisoners.

Breitbart reported on October 14 that “Israel Defense Forces killed Ali Qadi, the Hamas commander behind the Palestinian terror group’s attack on Israel, which left at least 1,300 dead and more than 3,000 wounded.”

Israel’s Deadly Wound?

Breitbart wrote on October 10:

“Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei described the brutal Hamas terrorist attack on Saturday as an ‘irreparable defeat’ for Israel. He blamed the Israelis for bringing rape and murder upon themselves… ‘It is unlikely that the usurping regime will be able to use the help of the West to repair the deep impacts that this incident has left on its ruling structures,’ Khamenei claimed…

“Khamenei praised the Hamas terrorists as ‘mujahideen,’ or holy warriors, and railed against the ‘brutal measures’ taken by Israel against the ‘oppressed Palestinian nation.’… He threatened the Israelis with even worse consequences if they retaliate against the terrorists he supports… Khamenei hastened to claim that Tehran wholeheartedly approves of the slaughter in Israel, but played no role in planning or executing it…

“Khamenei told the Iranian cadets that all Muslims should be prepared to take up arms and fight alongside the Palestinians…”

It is the declared goal of Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah and other Arab nations to totally destroy and obliterate the state of Israel. Psalm 83 and Hosea 5:13 come to mind.

An Evil Not Even Created by the Devil?

Breitbart reported on October 13:

“Eli Cohen, Israel’s foreign minister, said on Monday evening in a press conference that Hamas’ actions constitute ‘an evil that’s not created even by the devil.’”

Satan is terribly underestimated.

Unprecedented For 50 Years: Israel Declares Total War!

Breitbart wrote on October 8:

“Israel formally declared war on Saturday evening for the first time in 50 years

“The last official ‘war’ was the Yom Kippur War of 1973, when Israel was taken by surprise in an attack by Egypt and Syria. Though Israel has fought several conflicts since then, many of which are popularly referred to as ‘wars,’ the country has not officially declared war in half a century.

“The Prime Minister’s office also announced that it was cutting off ‘electricity, fuel, and goods’ to Gaza…

“The Palestinian terror attack happened on the Jewish holiday of Shemini Atzeret, the final day of the annual High Holy Day cycle [the Last Great Day].”

“Iran has already declared ‘victory’…”

Humanitarian Aid for Gaza?

Bloomberg reported on October 18:

“Biden said Israel’s war cabinet had agreed ‘to the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza’ and that trucks would begin carrying aid from Egypt across the border.

“The US president also announced $100 million in aid for both Gaza and the West Bank and said there would be checks to ensure that aid went to civilians in need and not to Hamas…”

It is doubtful that Hamas will stand idly by if and when humanitarian aid is delivered to the people of Gaza.

Israel’s 9/11

Israel 365 News wrote on October 8:

“What we are experiencing now is unthinkable, unimaginable. The horror, the evil, the pain. It is more than we can bear. Parents and children are slaughtered. Elderly people and their nurses, are slaughtered. Teenagers at an outdoor party, slaughtered. 

“For those who are far away, who may not grasp the enormity of this horror – this is Israel’s 9/11… Israel is in crisis, in a way many of us have never experienced in our lifetimes…

“It is only a matter of time before President Biden and the US government begins pressuring Israel to stop its retaliation against Hamas terrorists. Sickeningly, the European Union has already done so, even as Hamas terrorists hold… of Israeli citizens hostages…”

“Biden’s Empty Words for Israel”

Israel 365 News reported on October 13:

“‘We will continue to stand united, supporting the people of Israel who are suffering unspeakable losses, in opposing the hatred and violence of terrorism.’ These words were part of a ten-minute address delivered by US President Joe Biden in response to the war in Israel…  Those Israelis who are basking in the glow of Joe Biden, lover of Israel, should pay attention to what he did not say in his short address. 

Biden did not mention Iran, Israel’s primary enemy. While he called out Hamas for its goal of murdering Jews and wiping Israel off the map, he said nothing of the parent company, Iran, which holds to the identical ideology and aims. Iran, of course, is the primary financial backer of Hamas. The Iranian regime not only praised the Hamas atrocities, it has tacitly admitted its awareness and involvement in the planning of the attacks…

“So, as Israelis are filled with warm fuzzies over Biden’s commitment to ‘stand united supporting the people of Israel’ against terrorism, the correct response is simple: As a result of its immoral and criminal policies, the Biden administration has Israeli blood on its hands.”

Breitbart added on October 15:

“Sunday, during an interview on CBS’s ‘60 Minutes,’ President Joe Biden voiced his opposition to Israeli occupation of Gaza in the wake of the Hamas terror attack on Israel.”

Biden’s trip to Israel proved to be a colossal failure as he was only able to meet with Netanyahu, while Arab leaders [including from Egypt, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority] whom he was supposed to see canceled all personal meetings with him.

Hamas the Same as or Worse Than ISIS

Fox News wrote on October 8:

“… jubilant Hamas terrorists uploaded to social media brutal video clips of their work: bodies of civilians lying dead in pools of blood at city bus stops, elderly people hauled away on motorbikes, and women and children hustled into jeeps and trucks as fighters battered and spat and screamed ‘God is great’ at their bewildered captives. 

“The terrifying videos, which also included groups of young Israeli and foreign partygoers tied up and taken into Gaza, were eerily reminiscent of images shared by the extremist Islamist group ISIS, which tried to establish an Islamic caliphate in northern Syria and Iraq several years ago.”

Europe Guilty

Washington Examiner wrote on October 9:

“European leaders have contributed to Hamas terrorism by providing aid to the Palestinians, an Israeli diplomatic official said. ‘The European Union was financing textbooks of the Palestinian authorities that were full of antisemitism and incitement for violence and terrorism against Jews,’ Israeli Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Lior Haiat told reporters Monday. ‘Those textbooks are the root of the Palestinian terror against Israelis. Young people are being taught, educated, to hate Jews and to murder Jews.’…

“‘To my mind, not since the Holocaust have so many Jews been killed on one day,’ Israeli President Isaac Herzog said Monday. ‘And not since the Holocaust have we witnessed scenes of Jewish women and children, grandparents, even Holocaust survivors, being herded into trucks and taken into captivity.’

“The carnage on Saturday shocked Western leaders and spurred Germany and Australia to announce a suspension of international aid to the Palestinians…

“EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi declared on social media that ‘all payments [are] immediately suspended,’ but the wider commission tempered that claim in a more formal statement announcing ‘an urgent review of the EU’s assistance for Palestine’ in light of the attack.”

Europe’s stance against Israel is manifesting itself over and over again.

Netanyahu Responsible?

Newsweek wrote on October 9:

“Benjamin Netanyahu ‘bears responsibility’ for the deadliest raid into Israeli territory in 50 years, newspaper Haaretz has said.

“The left-leaning publication blamed intelligence failures and the Israeli prime minister’s policy towards Palestinians …

“The op-ed said that the prime minister had ‘completely failed to identify the dangers he was consciously leading Israel into’ when he established a government of ‘annexation and dispossession’…

“The paper said that Netanyahu’s foreign policy ‘openly ignored the existence and rights of Palestinians’…

“The newspaper said that after winning in the last election, his ‘fully-right government’ had taken steps to annex the West Bank and to carry out ethnic cleansing in parts of the Oslo-defined Area C, including the Hebron Hills and the Jordan Valley.’

“The piece criticized Netanyahu for a ‘massive expansion’ of settlements and increasing the Jewish presence on [the] Temple Mount near the Al Aqsa Mosque, as well as a peace deal with Saudi Arabia ‘in which the Palestinians get nothing.’”

The accusations against Netanyahu and blaming him for the terrorist attacks are ridiculous. A misfired rocket by a Hamas faction, hitting a hospital in Gaza and causing the death of more than 500 civilians, was also originally blamed falsely on Israel. The irresponsible reporting triggered all kinds of anti-Israeli and anti-American protests and riots all over the world.

The Coming Destruction of Al Aqsa

Life Site News wrote on October 13:

“The mosque on the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem is the third holiest site in Islam. No non-Muslim is permitted to pray there.

“On October 4, the mosque was occupied by around 1,000 Israeli settlers. Screaming ‘death to the Arabs,’ this crowd appeared not only to intentionally enrage Muslims worldwide, but also to restate the intention of the ruling government faction to destroy the mosque and rebuild the temple in its place

“Ben-Gvir… is committed to rebuilding the Third Temple, destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. To do this, the Al-Aqsa Mosque must be destroyed and replaced with it.

“A ceremony must be held before the temple is built, with the mount scattered with the ashes of a red heifer. In September 2022, Netanyahu’s government celebrated the purchase and arrival in Israel of three red heifers…”

“Israeli settlers are behind the move to rebuild the temple, which Muslims know will mean the obliteration of their third holiest shrine. The scattering of these ashes will ‘purify’ the mount, encouraging many more religious Jews to enter the site.”

It Could Also Happen in the USA

Newsmax wrote on October 8:

“Franklin Graham told Newsmax Sunday that events similar to what’s transpiring in Israel could happen in the United States…

“The United States recently reported, 232,972 southwest border encounters for the month of August. A number of reports from the past year say that a deluge of military-age men, not just from Latin America but from China and other parts of the world, are filing in.”

The FBI seems to agree with Graham.

Trump and the 14th Amendment

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on October 6:

“In the developing world the party in power does away with its opponents one of three ways: a bullet to the head, throwing them in jail or kicking them off the ballot… America, Leader of the Free World, is already at work on two of the three.

“With it becoming ever-clearer that nothing in the courts is likely to stop Trump… attention has turned to the third dirty solution, driving him off the ballot in as many states as possible to enable a Joe Biden walk-on win. The vehicle for this is supposedly the 14th Amendment, Section Three.

“Section Three was ratified in 1868 following the Civil War as a way to keep former Confederate officials out of government. It reads in whole ‘No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.’ (emphasis added).

“The obvious ploy is to claim Trump engaged in some sort of insurrection on January 6 and with that making him ineligible to be president, his name should be automatically (self-enacting) removed from all ballots…

“The problems with the 14th Amendment strategy begin with the question of whether the prohibition still exists. Written in 1868 to affect Confederate officials, the Article was overturned by Congress on behalf of several individuals. They could do the same for Trump…

“Also left undefined is the standard of proof for ‘insurrection.’ As a crime, insurrection has its legal definition. Trump, however, is not charged with insurrection (or sedition or rebellion) in any of the cases he now faces. The 14th Amendment in its Section One also provides for due process… [That is, it cannot be an automatic disqualification].”

The Biden Administration and the Left will stop at nothing to get rid of Trump.

The FBI’s Attack on Trump Supporters

Newsweek wrote on October 4:

“The federal government believes that the threat of violence and major civil disturbances around the 2024 U.S. presidential election is so great that it has quietly created a new category of extremists that it seeks to track and counter: Donald Trump’s army of MAGA followers.

“The challenge for the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the primary federal agency charged with law enforcement, is to pursue and prevent what it calls domestic terrorism without direct reference to political parties or affiliations—even though the vast majority of its current ‘anti-government’ investigations are of Trump supporters…”

What another incredible and unconstitutional left-wing extreme position the weaponized FBI is willing to take in support of the Biden Administration!

Trump: God Gave Me to You

Newsmax wrote on October 7:

“As Israel is reeling from deadly Hamas attacks springing it into a war in the Middle East and as Russia’s war in Ukraine grinds on, former President Donald Trump is warning President Joe Biden has the world spiraling toward World War III. ‘We are closer to World War III than we’ve ever been, and I’m the only one that will prevent World War III,’ Trump told his campaign rally Saturday night in Cedar Rapids, Iowa… ‘That won’t be a war with army tanks going back and forth, too,’ Trump continued. ‘That will be a war with weaponry the likes of which this world has never seen before. I know it. I know it better than anybody.’

“A Trump supporter shouted that the world needs God, and Trump responded quickly. ‘You’ll need God,’ true,’ Trump said in a brief exchange…He said, ‘God gave me to you.’”

Trump should be very careful with his references to God. Note the next article.

Jesus Christ on Trump’s Side?

The Daily Mail wrote on October 3:

“Former President Donald Trump shared a strange court sketch on social media that showed him at his Manhattan fraud case with a person who looked like Jesus Christ sitting next him...

“Dom Lucre, a pro-Trump political commentator with over 700,000 followers on Twitter, captioned the image: ‘This is the most accurate court sketch of all time. Because nobody could have made it this far alone.’

“Trump shared the image to his Truth Social platform without any further caption…”

One needs to understand biblical prophecy to realize what is really going on in America and the rest of the world.

Trump—the Anointed One

The Los Angeles Times wrote on October 12:

“The two-day church revival held in August just outside Las Vegas featured nearly 70 speakers who preached that vaccines are poisonous and will bring about the end of the world, that a cabal of global leaders is engaged in child sex trafficking and that the 2020 election was stolen.

“Through it all was an apocalyptic drumbeat that the country will be destroyed if Trump doesn’t become president again. God wants him to win in 2024, speakers proclaimed to their audience, and as Christians they have been called upon to ensure he does.

“‘We know the one in charge up above, and I can tell you that I believe that he has his hand now on Donald Trump, that no weapon formed against him shall prosper,’ Trump’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, told the crowd. ‘God is a part of this race. I’m telling you guys this. I feel it deep down inside.’…

“Over the last year, the tour has become increasingly focused on reelecting Trump. In North Las Vegas, several speakers referred to him as the ‘rightful president.’ Self-described prophets spoke of Trump as God’s ‘anointed one’…”

While President, Trump called himself the “anointed one.” If God really wants Trump to win, then He surely does not need the votes of Christians.

A Contingent Presidential Election?

The Hill wrote on October 11:

“One thing I worry about is a contingent presidential election. That situation arises when no candidate gets a majority of electoral votes (270 of 538). Should this situation arise, Congress gets to pick the next president and vice president.

“Yes, you read correctly, the 535 folks whom 80 percent of Americans dislike make these momentous decisions.”

Judge Engoron’s Ridiculous Decision Against Trump

The New York Post wrote on September 27:

“A New York judge’s Tuesday ruling valuing Donald Trump’s sprawling, headline-making Florida estate at $18 million has left industry experts perplexed. In his verdict, Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron delivered a bombshell ruling that the former president committed fraud by inflating the value of his wealth with details including the monetary value associated with Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach.

“This decision, which came down without a jury, has sent shockwaves through political — and real estate — circles, especially that $18 million base value for the property. One prominent Palm Beach real estate broker, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Post, ‘It’s utterly delusional to think that property is only worth $18 million.’ The insider added, ‘If that property were on the market today, I would list it at around $300 million, minimum … at least. He also has the separate golf course minutes away.’…

“Forbes had appraised the property which is made up of 128 rooms, at approximately $160 million in 2018 following extensive renovations and its exclusive Palm Beach location on Billionaires’ Row. The property includes a 20,000-square-foot ballroom, five clay tennis courts and a sprawling waterfront pool. And in the five years since, Palm Beach properties have only increased in value…”

Engoron’s false and illegal decision via summary judgment without trial is so ridiculous that his objectivity must be questioned and his bias is clearly manifest. As a Democrat, he had called Trump last year “just a bad guy” when rebuking a lawyer who suggested that Trump was being unfairly singled out for investigation—which is undoubtedly correct.

RFK to Run as Independent

Breitbart wrote on October 9:

“Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Monday he will run as an independent instead of challenging President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination…

“‘We declare independence from the cynical elites who betray our hope and who amplify our divisions. And finally, we declare independence from the two political parties,’ he added.”

RFK Warns the USA

Breitbart wrote on September 28:

“Robert F. Kennedy Jr. warned on Thursday that the ‘next step of Ukraine War escalation’ is stationing United States military advisers on the ground… He posted on X: ‘…Have they forgotten how we got embroiled in Vietnam?’

Support for Ukraine Wanes

Reuters wrote on October 5:

“Support is falling among Americans of both major political parties for supplying Ukraine with weapons…

“The two-day poll… showed only 41% of respondents agreed with a statement that Washington ‘should provide weapons to Ukraine,’ compared to 35% who disagreed and the rest unsure.

“Support for U.S. weapon shipments is down from May, when a Reuters/Ipsos poll showed 46% of Americans backed sending arms, while 29% were opposed and the rest unsure…

“Washington has provided $44 billion to supply Kyiv with dozens of tanks, thousands of rockets and millions of rounds of ammunition…

“Some Republicans, particularly those with the closest ties to former President Donald Trump… oppose the aid. It was left out of a stopgap funding bill Congress passed on Saturday to keep the government open, although the White House and some congressional leaders pledged to vote separately on a package for Kyiv.

House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s ouster on Tuesday added to the uncertainty, with some of his potential successors skeptical about the value to U.S. taxpayers of assisting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s government…

“Some 52% of Democrats backed arming Ukraine in the most recent poll, down from 61% in May… Some 34% of Democrats in the poll agreed with a statement that Ukraine’s problems ‘are none of our business and we should not interfere,’ compared to 56% of Republicans.”

Change in Poland

The Associated Press wrote on October 17:

“The opposition leader who won Poland’s parliamentary election, Donald Tusk, appealed to the nation’s president Tuesday for ‘energetic and fast decisions’ so that a new government could be formed quickly. Three opposition parties that vowed to restore democratic standards in Poland together won over 54% of the votes in the nation’s weekend parliamentary elections, putting them in a position to take power…

“Poland’s constitution now requires President Andrzej Duda to assess the new political alignment of forces and to appoint a new prime minister who is tasked with forming a government that will need parliament’s approval, all within a set timeframe…

“Law and Justice, which governed the country for eight turbulent years, won slightly over 35% of the votes, making it the single party with the most votes. But the party and its leader Jarosław Kaczyński lost their majority in parliament and appeared to have no way to hold onto power

“The election result was a huge victory for Tusk, the head of the largest opposition group, Civic Coalition. He appeared likely to return to his past role as Polish prime minister, a job he held from 2007-14. He also served as European Council president, a top job in the EU, from 2014-19.”

We feel that Poland would be one of the prophesied ten nations or groups of nations in Europe.

Newsom Vetoes Condom Bill

The New York Post wrote on October 8:

“California Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill Sunday that would require all public high schools in the Golden State to make free condoms available to students. The Democrat said he decided to return Senate Bill 541 without his signature because the economically stressed state — with more than 4,000 public schools — doesn’t have the funding for such an extensive program…

“Newsom said he believed in the bill’s merits but the financial toll made him unable to pen his signature.”

Newsom made the right decision for the wrong reasons.

Newsom Vetoes Gender Identity Law

Fox News wrote on September 23:

“California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, vetoed a bill late Friday night that would have required judges in child custody cases to consider whether a parent has affirmed their child’s gender identity…The bill was passed earlier this month by the state assembly, and was sent to the governor’s desk for his signature. But Newsom said in a statement released Friday night that he cannot sign the legislation. 

“The governor said he appreciates the ‘passion and values’ that led Democrat Assemblywoman Lori Wilson to introduce the bill and that he shares a ‘deep commitment to advancing the rights of transgender Californians, an effort that has guided my decisions through many decades in public office…

“‘That said, I urge caution when the Executive and Legislative branches of state government attempt to dictate… legal standards for the Judicial branch to apply,’ Newsom wrote. ‘Other-minded elected officials, in California and other states, could very well use this strategy to diminish the civil rights of vulnerable communities.’”

Another correct decision, but again, for basically the wrong reasons.

Coronavirus Vaccine Mandate Ends… For Now

Breitbart wrote on September 27:

“The Los Angeles Unified School District, the largest district in the nation, officially ended its coronavirus vaccine mandate for employees on Tuesday after endless controversy and a string of lawsuits.

“Wearing a mask at the vote to end the mandate, district president Jackie Goldberg said she voted ‘reluctantly yes’ and the mandate had finally been lifted…

“According to Fox 11, in a lawsuit earlier this year, ‘more than 20 current and former school Police Department members alleged that science shows that being vaccinated against COVID-19 does not prevent someone from acquiring the virus and that the district disregarded religious beliefs and enforced its vaccination policy to the detriment of the plaintiffs.’

“People on social media lamented how long it took for the requirement to end…”

And they might try to enforce it again!!!

No New Panic!

Bild Online wrote on September 22:

“Suddenly Corona is on everyone’s lips again. The first mask wearers appear and they test themselves for the virus. You don’t say: ‘I have a cold’ or ‘I have the flu’, no, you want to know exactly and report without being asked: ‘I have Corona.’…

“Health Minister Lauterbach (SPD) has recognized the trend and is taking center stage. He calls the journalists together and says with an important air: ‘We don’t need any contact restrictions.’ There is ‘broad immunity’.

“At the same time, he advises people aged 60 and over and risk groups to be vaccinated. The corona vaccination has led to serious side effects in some cases. He doesn’t mention that, the government hasn’t made any effort to come to terms with it…

“Now people are asking for a test and a mask again. This is as deep as trauma. We should free ourselves from that. Corona is now like other viruses: unpleasant, but not dangerous (except for the very old and sick). So please don’t panic again.”

But left-wing governments, papers and outlets DO panic… or they appear to do so in an effort to help Big Pharma make again a lot of money from untested and questionable vaccinations and booster shots.

Pope Francis’ Latest Attack on Climate Change Deniers

LifeSiteNews wrote on October 4:

“Pope Francis has published his second document on the topic of ‘climate change,’ condemning ‘human-induced climate changes’ and calling for ‘obligatory’ measures across the globe to address the issue…

“The Pope’s text… contains several strong statements… decrying those who oppose measures intended to lessen ‘human-induced climate changes.’… ‘It is no longer possible to doubt the human… origin of climate change,’ wrote the Pontiff. 

“He claimed that the human effect upon the planet was undeniable...”

As the Pope is wrong on so many issues, chances are he is wrong on this one too.

The Mysterious Alaska Triangle

Daily Star wrote on September 23:

“Sightings of UFOs, ghosts and ‘aggressive’ Bigfoot-type creatures have been reported in the so-called Alaska triangle – but the area is also known for a remarkable number of unexplained disappearances

“In fact, the History Channel says there are more unsolved missing persons cases in the region than anywhere else on Earth… Since 1970, over 20,000 unexplained disappearances have been recorded in the sparsely-populated patch of land between Anchorage and Juneau in the south to Utqiagvik on the northern coast. Considering the rugged area’s low population, that figure comes out at well over twice the national average for the US. The disappearances have been blamed on everything from UFO abductions, a flesh-eating Bigfoot-type creature called the Wendigo, and magnetic anomalies that interfere with hikers’ compasses.

“Experienced rescue workers sent out to investigate the state’s numerous missing-person incidents have reported hearing phantom sounds, and becoming disorientated and light-headed due to some unknown feature of the desolate Alaskan wilderness...

“But with so many of those people missing, never to be seen again, it’s undeniable that there is a mystery to be solved in the Alaska Triangle.”

Please read our free booklets, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World” and “Heavens and Earth… Before and After the First Man.”

The Bundeswehr’s Mistake

Bild Online wrote on September 26:

“Last year the Bundeswehr ordered digital radios for thousands of Bundeswehr tanks and vehicles. Costs: more than a billion euros! Now it turns out that they obviously cannot be installed easily. They don’t fit…

“On Monday, the Ministry of Defense informed the Bundestag that ‘the technical complexity of installation’ had been underestimated. The result: delays of around a year!”

Germany’s “Leading Role”

ntv wrote on September 27:

“Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has assured NATO allies in the Baltics of Germany’s military reliability in deterring Russia. ‘Germany takes responsibility. And Germany is taking on a leadership role,’ said the SPD politician at the security conference in the Estonian capital Tallinn.

“At the same time, Pistorius assured Ukraine of long-term support in defending itself against the Russian attackers. ‘We will stand by them as long as it takes,’ he said.”

And so, more and more innocent people will die in this ongoing war…

Raid Against Neo-Nazi “Sect”

Bild Online wrote on September 27:

“Nationwide raid against neo-Nazis of the so-called ‘Artgemeinschaft’. At 6 a.m., several hundred special units simultaneously stormed objects in the twelve federal states of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Brandenburg, Hesse, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia. 26 apartments of 29 club members were searched.

“Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (53, SPD): ‘With the “Artgemeinschaft” we are banning a cult-like, deeply racist and anti-Semitic association. This is another hard blow against right-wing extremism and against the intellectual arsonists who continue to spread Nazi ideologies today.’

“According to the minister, the ban on the group, which is said to have around 150 members, has been prepared for a year by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution…

“Nancy Faeser continues: ‘The “Artgemeinschaft” actively communicated an ideology that was largely based on National Socialism. Above all, through the manipulative, indoctrinating upbringing of their children and the distribution of corresponding literature, the “Artgemeinschaft” acted differently, but no less dangerously, than the neo-Nazi “Hammerskins”, which we banned last week.’

“In Essen, the practice and apartment of doctor Gerhard H. are in the sights of state security investigators… According to the investigators, the doctor and his sons have access to weapons, and sometimes they even pose with guns on the Internet. According to the Federal Agency for Civic Education (bpb), the ‘Artgemeinschaft’ is ‘a cult-like, religious-ethnic, anti-Christian and right-wing extremist organization’…”

It should be noted that no violence was committed by the group. Nancy Faeser is deeply unpopular. It is obvious that in using highly controversial and arguably illegal methods, she had hoped to gain in popularity. But it backfired.

Faeser’s Further Decline

ntv wrote on October 8:

“In view of the SPD’s worst performance in a state election in Hesse in the history of the state association, top candidate Faeser spoke of a ‘disappointing result’. As the top candidate, she had a ‘special role,’ said Faeser.”

In other words, she totally failed. Many ask for her long-overdue resignation. Today, the “Ample” coalition would not gain a majority. Neither would the CDU or the AfD. What a nightmarish scenario. 

Germany’s Politics Outrageous

Bild Online wrote on October 15:

“How could we be so blind, so oblivious to history, so naive? These images are a historic slap in the face for the federal government: Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas leader and therefore responsible for the terrorist massacre in Israel, meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Qatar in a good mood. One has to assume that the Iranian minister congratulated the terrorist leader for the slaughter of babies, children and the elderly in kibbutz villages and at the music festival in Israel…

“Germany is very close to Qatar, which is luxuriously hosting the Hamas leader while he slaughters Jews. Is it any wonder that no one takes the West seriously? They first bought our economy, then our politics and finally sports and society, and we didn’t want to notice. Now we even buy our energy in countries that welcome terrorist leaders who slaughtered Jews. It is humiliating, shameful, outrageous, what we have all allowed to happen.”

Germany Complicit

Die Welt wrote on October 11:

“The images of people cheering in Germany after Hamas’ major attack on Israel hurt former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. The 100-year-old fled Nazi Germany as a teenager and is demanding the federal government’s unrestricted support for Israel… ‘in extreme cases also militarily’…

“He also sees the cause in Germany’s asylum policy: ‘It was a serious mistake to let in so many people of completely different cultures, religions and beliefs…’

“As US Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger helped end the Yom Kippur War through tireless travel diplomacy 50 years ago, when Israel had already been unexpectedly attacked by Arab neighbors. The now 100-year-old does not believe that a further escalation of the current war with Hamas is out of the question, nor is an Israeli attack on Iran, which supports the terrorist organization.

“Israel gave back to the Palestinians their land with the withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005, but did not get peace in return. ‘You can no longer make concessions to people who have shown by their actions that there will be no peace. There has to be a punishment,’ emphasized Kissinger.”

Germany’s Huge Problem

Bild Online wrote on October 12:

“In Germany, people, apparently from the migrant milieu, are openly celebrating the barbaric terrorist acts in Israel, even saying on TV cameras that they approve of the Hamas attacks…

“Ethnologist Susanne Schröter (66, director of the Global Islam Research Center at the Goethe- University of Frankfurt) to BILD: ‘We have a huge problem. We have allowed hundreds of thousands of people with an anti-Semitic world view into Germany who grew up with this inhumane ideology in their countries of origin…

“Another big problem that Schröter sees: ‘Imported anti-Semitism has long been trivialized and relativized in Germany. Left-wing circles have promoted it – right into our universities – through their portrayal of Israel as an alleged ‘apartheid state’ and their talk of ‘settler colonialism’. This… repeats a disastrous alliance between forces in Germany and the Middle East. ‘During the Nazi era, Palestinian Islamists collaborated with the Nazis.’”

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.

Current Events

by Norbert Link

We report on events in the Middle East, especially with focus on the USA and Europe; and continue with developments pertaining to Donald Trump; Robert F Kennedy Jr.; Gavin Newsom and Pope Francis; and we speak on Germany’s ongoing international and domestic debacle.

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Israel Is Being Attacked! Where Are Israel’s True Friends?”

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

How can we avoid Satan’s influence?

Many might say that Satan cannot influence us. After all, we belong to the Church of the Eternal God and are therefore members of the Body of Christ. But do we understand how Satan exerts influence, how he operates, how he deceives us? A deceived person is not aware of being deceived.

We find a statement in Ephesians 2:2 about Satan, who is “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience…”

Satan, the god of this world is “the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.” Now we might assume that this excludes true Christians, who would have nothing to worry about, since as a matter of principle, they are not children of disobedience.

That would be a terrible mistake. When we are tempted by Satan and fall for his devices, we are no longer obedient. Satan broadcasts his waves through the air, and just like receiving electrical waves through the radio or the internet, they can be received by us. We may not see them or hear them, but if we have the “right tuning” and frequency, we receive Satan’s waves like one receives radio waves.

Satan implants his message into our heads through the human spirit. Our reception is, by default, tuned to Satan’s wavelength.

He does not broadcast in words or in pictures, but rather, he broadcasts an attitude of self-centeredness, vanity, lust, greed, jealousy, envy, competition, strife, violence, hatred, resentment, bitterness, rebellion and defiance of authority. All this describes human nature; respectively, the nature of Satan.

God’s Way, on the other hand, is the exact opposite. It is the Way of love, of concern for the well-being of others.

Now, properly baptized Christians have received the Holy Spirit and can reject Satan’s impulses through regular Bible study, prayer, and Church attendance. And likewise, the children of converted Christians can reject Satanic impulses through Bible study, prayer, and Church attendance. They ought to be close to God, and this is the only way they can succeed in resisting Satan, because Satan cannot impose his will on us.

Paul writes about those for whom the gospel was hidden. In 2 Corinthians 4:4, he speaks of those, “whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”

Paul feared that the Corinthians would be deceived by Satan, who still existed and was working powerfully, as was the case with Eve. In 2 Corinthians 11:3, we read: “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

Satan is still working, even in the members of God’s Church, just as he did in the Corinthians who were also members of the Church!

Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus, which was part of the Church of God, in Ephesians 6:10:

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.”

He continued in verse 12: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” And in verse 11, he said: “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”

These admonitions apply to us today. We must never think that Satan cannot tempt or deceive us. Satan is stronger than us, but not stronger than Jesus Christ. Some have left God’s Church because Satan deceived them. But a deceived person does not know that he has been deceived. He may think that he is correct. If that person knew about his deception, he would think and act differently. We must therefore approach God in prayer and ask Him to deliver us from any temptation. All of us must rely on Christ.

Satan is powerful, clever and acts quickly. His greatest trick was convincing people he didn’t exist. But he does indeed exist!

Satan’s way is neither better than nor as good as God’s Way; otherwise, God would tell us to “walk Satan’s way.” We are not to compromise either. What did Elijah write in 1 Kings 18:21? “And Elijah came to all the people, and said, ‘How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.’ But the people answered him not a word.”

Again, we need to watch out and be on guard. We need to be mindful of our environment and our “friendships”. For a little leaven leavens the whole lump. One rotten apple in the basket will infect the apples next to it and they will rot, and so on, until all the apples in the whole basket are rotten.

This must not happen in the Church of God.

Satan still has influence. It requires constant vigilance to keep our minds and spirits focused on Christ, on His work and on the things of God, and to avoid falling for Satan and his demons by adopting the attitude of self-centeredness or focusing on respecting the person.

We must not allow ourselves to be distracted from God’s Way. For example, if we have neglected Bible study and prayer, we should not be surprised if we are irritable or judging others, if we have thoughts of competition or divisiveness, or if we mistakenly side with others. This all originates from Satan, for whose spirit of discord we have fallen. This would quench the love of God in our hearts.

That is why Christ warns us through Peter in 1 Peter 5:8: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” The Living Bible adds “hungry” – a lion that roars out of hunger.

Satan is trying to destroy us and the Church of God. There is a reason why God inspired Peter to write down the above-stated warning. We would be terrified if a hungry and roaring lion stood before us. Peter continues in verse 9: “Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.”

What do we read in James 4:7-8? “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

It is possible for Satan to make use of us, without us knowing it. We must acknowledge and confess our sins, and God will be faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness:

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

If we have such a God-pleasing attitude and mindset, we will be able to avoid Satan’s influence in our lives better and better.

Lead Writer: Christoph Sperzel (Germany)

Initial Translation: Daniel Blasinger

Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

compiled by Dave Harris

“Israel Is Being Attacked! Where Are Israel’s True Friends?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

On Saturday, October 7, the Last Great Day which followed the Feast of Tabernacles, the murderous and barbaric Terrorist group Hamas attacked, killed, wounded and kidnapped thousands of Jews with the help of Iran.  At first, Western nations voiced strong support for Israel, but this changed quickly. What we are seeing these days is again a worldwide anti-Semitic uprising and slanderous reporting by the mass media, combined with terrible politics of the USA, Europe and Germany. As usual, Israel’s search for true friends is failing miserably. 

During the recent Fall Holy Days, John Amorelli, a longtime faithful member of God’s Church, was ordained as deacon. He and his wife, Louise, live in West Virginia. Also, four faithful and dedicated members in Germany were ordained as deacons:  Marc Völler, Robert Muhr, Cristian Popescu and Robert Indlekofer. In addition, we are very pleased to announce the baptism of two people in Germany:  Petar Babaradic and Tom Lämmchen.

Recent Holy Day sermonettes and sermons are or will be posted at www.eternalgod.org and https://www.ewigengottes.de/

“Jüngste Ereignisse im Nahen Osten, den USA und Deutschland… im Lichte der biblischen Prophezeiung,” was last Sabbath’s first message in Germany by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Recent Events in the Middle East, the USA and Germany… in the Light of Biblical Prophecy.”  

“Wo steh ich heute?” last Sabbath’s first split sermon, presented by Johann Schell in Germany, is now posted.

“Zu den Waffen,” last Sabbath’s second split sermon, presented by Daniel Blasinger in Germany, is now posted.

“Taking Stock,” last Sabbath’s sermonette was presented by Dave Harris. Here is a summary:

Taking stock means to carefully think about something in order to make a decision about what to do next. Regarding the prophetic future, are we prepared?

“Quench the Fiery Darts,” last Sabbath’s sermon was presented by Eric Rank. Here is a summary:

One of the implements of the armor of God is the shield of faith, with which we can “quench the fiery darts of the wicked one.” What can we learn about this valuable tool to help strengthen our defense against Satan?

R O I (Return on Investment)

Any investor planning an investment, whether in stocks, bonds or precious metals, has to analyze the risks involved. Some risks are high but produce big results; low risks usually produce lesser results as far as returns are concerned, so investors look at the potential Return On Investment or what kind of profit they can expect from their investment and how much risk they are prepared to take, and also, how much they are prepared to lose financially which in some cases may be all of their investment. 

These are factors involved in investing in the markets. If one doesn’t want to incur any potential losses, then one  should stay out of the market and keep their money in what the banks have to offer for term investments, with minimum losses, if any.

When we were called by God, He had to evaluate the risk involved in regard to our remaining faithful to the end. It was not an easy choice in some ways because of the human factor—the sometimes unpredictable reaction to certain events. Christ was frustrated at times, dealing with Israel, and He was prepared to start all over again through Moses, had not Moses talked Him out of it.

That same evaluation had to be done when creating angels since as free moral agents, they could rebel against Him, so in a sense, there was a risk involved in the process, and history shows that indeed thirty percent of the angels did rebel under the influence and leadership of Satan—an unredeemable, corrupt and evil being. 

We were predestined before the creation of the world to be called at this time which is a great privilege since we can become part of the first resurrection, but the success of this calling is in our hands, in that we have to follow through to the end in order to stand before Christ at His coming. The investment by God is a portion of Himself in the form of His Holy Spirit in us and also the Spirit of Christ, so they are invested in us and want the correct outcome at the end of this process.

They are there to help us along the way, but we have to walk the path of this life, following the footsteps and perfect example of Jesus Christ. We are not going to be carried automatically into the Kingdom.

If we fail, we can never blame God but must only blame ourselves.

God has not left us without tools for the success of this task, and that is that we must draw close to God using prayer, bible study, fasting and meditation as the means to achieve our goal of being in God’s Kingdom as God beings and being subject to God the Father, as Christ was and is.

God and Christ are on our side and in a way cheering us on, and the holy angels want us to succeed also, so let’s ensure we do not let God down.

Our golden crown and white garments await us.

©2024 Church of the Eternal God