Update 1215

On July 18, 2026, Frank Bruno will present the sermonette, titled, “Our Spiritual Continuing Education,” and Eric Rank will give the sermon, titled, “Hard Things.”

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.

Christ is telling us time and again that we must overcome in order to enter the Kingdom of God. We have long understood that this means to be victorious in our fight against Satan, the world and ourselves—our own carnal human nature. 

In his last Editorial, titled “The Wisdom of Self-Control,” Michael Link emphasized especially proper and improper reactions towards accusations and persecutions from others—how self-control can help us not to answer provocations from others with anger or a desire to get even.

In this Editorial, I would like to discuss another aspect of self-control—that of self-discipline in regard to our own ungodly lusts. How careful and committed are we not to fall into the trap of allowing the “old man” to enter and take over our lives again and to tempt us to do things which we know we ought not do? In other words, how careful are we not to give in to our human desires? 

Overcoming our own human nature means not engaging in conduct that we must avoid.  We can do that—with God’s help—when we exercise self-discipline—but it is never easy. 

For instance, Christ told us not to look at the wife of another man with evil thoughts or to lust for her (Matthew 5:28). David should have looked away when he noticed his inappropriate desires for Bathsheba, who bathed in the nude on the rooftop, but he continued to let lust for her take over until sinful actions were the consequence. As James would write later: “…each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (James 1:14-15).

Paul cautioned us in Romans 13:14: “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”

That is what David should have done, but he failed to exercise proper self-discipline. He knew what to do; he knew that he had to “flee sexual immorality” (1 Corinthians 6:18), but he was too weak to overcome his carnal desires. His lust for Bathsheba led to the sin of adultery which was followed by the sin of murdering her husband Uriah, and David’s punishment was severe. Even though he repented bitterly, he still had to pay dearly for his transgressions.

There is a battle going on in our minds. Our human carnal heart fights against God’s Spirit in us which “yearns earnestly” (James 4:5) for us to do the right things—to overcome and conquer our fleshly desires. Paul cautioned us not to “grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Ephesians 4:30). But Paul also recognized that far too often, this spiritual fight is lost. He wrote in Galatians 5:17: “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.”

Paul recognized many years after his conversion that he was still giving in to his human nature, committing sinful acts even though he did not want to do so. He admitted that he was still “carnal, sold under sin” (Romans 7:14). As a consequence, he did what he hated to do, not even understanding WHY he did it (verse 15). At the same time, he found himself unable to perform what was good (verses 18-19). 

He was in despair, distraught, deeply sorry and dissatisfied with himself when he realized that he had just committed another sin—having followed the evil desires of his heart, lacking self-discipline—and he cried out, in desperation: “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (verse 24). But in reality, he KNEW the answer. He knew it all along. The only help could and can come from Jesus Christ. And so he exclaimed, “I thank God–through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin” (verse 25). 

Paul knew what to do. He knew what was right. He wanted to do it. But he also knew that only with Christ’s help could he become more and more successful in overcoming his lusts and evil desires. He knew that he had to do his part. He continued to fight against his human nature, wanting to overcome it, to conquer it, to replace it with God’s divine nature. But he also knew that all his efforts would be useless if Christ was not on his side to help him. 

He wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:25, 27: “And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things… But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

That was the danger. He could not tell others to practice self-discipline, while not practicing it himself. He told his beloved disciple and evangelist Timothy what he, Paul, himself had to practice. In 2 Timothy 2:22, he wrote: “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

Evil desires and lusts begin in the human heart. Paul asked Timothy to conquer and overcome those lusts, as Paul himself was engaged in the same battle. After all, “youthful” lusts are not only committed by young people.

Paul knew that he could never allow his evil desires to become so dominant in his life that he would become like those who ultimately, “being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness” (Ephesians 4:19). Rather, he knew that self-discipline required that he would be “renewed in the spirit of [his] mind” (verse 23). 

As Michael Link emphasized in his previous Editorial that we must have self-control when reacting to the improper conduct of others, this Editorial emphasizes that we must have self-discipline when reacting to the improper desires of our own heart. With Christ in us, we CAN overcome, and when we sin, come to our senses, REPENT of what we did, and confess our sins to God the Father, “He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). He will do so, because it is “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son [which] cleanses us from all sin” (verse 7). 

This is how we walk and live with God. This is how we overcome. This is how we “are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). This is how we exercise and maintain the power of self-discipline.

By Norbert Link

We begin with the suspiciously sudden and untimely death of Senator Lindsey Graham; continue with Donald Trump’s lost wars in Lebanon and Iran and his ever-shifting contradictory and toothless involvement in the Russia-Ukraine war; speak about America’s genocide; and address the godless spirit of war in Switzerland.

Lindsey Graham Dies Suddenly

Daily Mail wrote on July 12:

“Firebrand US Senator Lindsey Graham has died at the age of 71 after a ‘brief and sudden illness’ [which has not been explained so far]… Emergency services responded to a ‘cardiac arrest’ at Graham’s home… on Saturday night… He has been a close ally of President Trump, a longtime hawk on Iran and an ardent supporter of Israel. … Graham also cheered on Trump’s decision to strike nuclear sites last year and had been a supporter of the latest conflict that started a few months ago…

“Graham never married and is survived by his younger sister Darline Graham Nordone and other relatives. For decades, his status as a long-term bachelor fueled rumors about his sexuality. But in 2018 interview with TMZ, he firmly denied being gay. …

“Graham’s sudden death comes as other prominent Republicans have faced health issues.  Kentucky Republican Senator Mitch McConnell was hospitalized weeks ago for undisclosed health reasons.”

Deutsche Welle added on July 12:

“The exiled son of Iran’s former Shah, Reza Pahlavi, said of Graham: ‘When friends were seldom found, he stood alongside the people of Iran in their struggle against tyranny.’ Graham was also an advocate for the Kurdish people [whom Trump betrayed], particularly in their fight against the ‘Islamic State.’” 

With their bare majority, the Republicans can’t afford to lose any more members in Congress.

Medical Examination To Follow

The Associated Press wrote on July 12:

“The Medical Examiner of the District of Columbia’s preliminary findings are that Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham died of aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to a statement released by his office on Sunday. That is when the aorta is damaged or develops a leak.

“The statement also said that the death certificate will be pending until all the toxicological and microscopic testing are finalized. At that point, the death certificate will be updated to reflect the cause of death and appropriately classify the manner of death.”

Whether a “medical examination” will put numerous rumors surrounding the strange and sudden death of Graham to rest remains doubtful. Note the next article.

Was Lindsey Graham Murdered?

First Post wrote on July 12:

“The sudden and unexpected death of veteran US Senator Lindsey Graham has sparked a flood of online conspiracy theories, with Iran and Russia becoming the focus… Graham’s recent Ukraine visit, his push for fresh sanctions on Russia, his long-standing advocacy of a hardline policy against Iran and reports of recent threats from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps have prompted social media users and commentators to question whether there is more to the story.

“While the Russian angle dominates Eastern European discourse, a second, equally virulent wave of conspiracy theories points squarely at Iran. Graham was arguably the most vociferous anti-Iran hawk on Capitol Hill. He spent decades advocating for the total isolation of Tehran, consistently pushed for military action to dismantle its ballistic missile and nuclear programmes, and loudly cheered the Trump administration’s strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.Iranian state television announced Graham’s death in openly celebratory language, describing him as a ‘warmongering and anti-Iranian U.S. senator’ and congratulating Iran on his passing…

“The timeline preceding Graham’s death serves as the primary fuel for the unfolding Kremlin-centered theories. Just hours before his fatal medical emergency, Graham had returned from a high-profile visit to Kyiv—his tenth trip to Ukraine since the 2022 full-scale invasion. Days earlier, Graham had announced progress with the Trump administration on a sanctions package targeting Russia, reinforcing his reputation as one of Congress’s most vocal critics of Moscow.”

That Graham’s death is extremely suspicious is without doubt. Examiners have never been [purposefully?] too successful in explaining suspicious deaths—for instance, the death of Marilyn Monroe or Jeffrey Epstein; and the masterminds behind the murders of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King. And there are so many other countless suspicious, undisclosed or unresolved deaths and killings.

Suspicions Galore

The Daily Mail added on July 14:

“Trove of horrifying evidence that proves why America must NOT dismiss suspicions about Lindsey Graham’s shock death: Putin expert reveals exactly how Russian agents could have done it…”

NBC News added on July 14:

“President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he is aware of conspiracy theories circulating about the sudden death of his friend and ally, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., but declared ‘the FBI is wasting their time’ investigating the matter… Trump said he was aware that Graham’s father had also died of heart complications at a relatively young age.”

Sorry to say, but when Trump is adamant that there was no foul play involved, then there might very well have been. The mass media is jumping on the bandwagon of “no evidence” for foul play… which is suspicious all by itself.

No Peace in the Middle East

JNS wrote on July 9:

“Israel ‘did not ask anyone for permission to enter Lebanon, and we do not need permission to remain in Lebanon,’ Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Thursday, hours after US President Donald Trump said he believed Jerusalem would withdraw from the country. ‘It is our right and our duty to protect the residents of the Galilee and the citizens of Israel from the threats posed by the jihadist Hezbollah terrorist organization, which seeks to destroy the State of Israel,’ Katz said in a Hebrew-language statement…

“As he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ‘have made clear, we will continue to remain in the security zone in Lebanon and operate from it as long as necessary until Hezbollah is disarmed throughout Lebanon and the threat to the residents of northern Israel is removed,’ Katz vowed. Trump, speaking to reporters alongside Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at a press conference in Ankara on Wednesday, said he had discussed an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon with Netanyahu. ‘I talked to Bibi [Netanyahu] about that. I think they’re going to. I think they want to. I don’t think it’s a question,’ the US president said. ‘We have a deal with Israel and Lebanon, and yeah, they’ll leave.’

“The June 26 framework of understandings between Jerusalem and Beirut conditions an Israeli redeployment on Hezbollah being removed from Southern Lebanon.”

Israel and Hezbollah are not part of that “agreement.” How can anyone trust Trump’s “declarations”?

Dangerous Erdogan

The Jerusalem Post wrote on July 13:

“Netanyahu went on American television networks to lobby publicly against an administration policy still under consideration. If Iran’s decline is creating a regional vacuum, Israel fears Turkey is positioning itself to fill it, and that American F-35s, coupled with Trump’s embrace of Erdogan, might help it do so….

“Trump has repeatedly emphasized his close relationship with Erdogan. Indeed, he has gone even further, portraying himself as the man who prevented Turkey from entering the recent war against Iran on the opposite side. ‘He could have gone into the war,’ Trump said. ‘He didn’t because of me.”’…

“Why the president would want to sell state-of-the-art weaponry to a leader who he himself said had contemplated joining a war against the United States and Israel is almost beside the point. …

“Turkey’s ambitions are hardly viewed with alarm only in Jerusalem. For Greece, Ankara’s increasingly assertive posture is reflected in repeated airspace violations over the Aegean and long-running disputes over maritime boundaries. For Cyprus, it is embodied in Turkey’s continued occupation of half of the island. For Armenians, opposition to a stronger Turkey is rooted in the national trauma of the Armenian Genocide and Ankara’s continued refusal to acknowledge it.”

The Bible contains terrible predictions for the future of Turkey and maybe for Erdogan himself… because of their gruesome hostility towards Israel.

American-Israeli Failed Coup to Bring Former Iranian President Back to Power

The Daily Mail wrote on July 13:

“Former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been put under house arrest by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after intelligence authorities uncovered his secret dealings with Israel… For years, Israel conducted a covert operation aimed at grooming Ahmadinejad as an intelligence asset who, when the time came, could be installed as Iran’s new leader, American and Iranian sources [said].  Israel even secretly transferred money to Ahmadinejad for housing and travel, while operatives met him abroad on several occasions. The discovery of the secret relationship is shocking given that Ahmadinejad was known for accelerating Tehran’s nuclear programme, calling regularly for the destruction of Israel and denying the Holocaust…

“The ambition was to set in motion the toppling of the current regime, and to install Ahmadinejad as leader, who had been living under strict surveillance in Tehran. But the grand plan failed. On February 28, Ahmadinejad’s compound was struck by an Israeli airstrike aiming towards the building of his bodyguards and his armoured vehicle. Following the strike, a black Peugeot car arrived, picked up Ahmadinejad, and took him away at high speed from the dramatic scene, according to four senior Iranian officials. The vehicle was driven by agents of Mossad, Israel’s foreign intelligence service, who whisked Ahmadinejad away to a secret safe house in Iran, American and Iranian officials said. But the former Iranian president was discontented with the chaotic rescue operation, and apparently appeared disillusioned about Mossad’s plan to return him to power…

“A second element involved training Iranian Kurdish opposition forces located in northern Iraq, arming them with weapons, and ordering them to cross into western Iran, where they would hold territory and eventually move toward the capital Tehran. This effort never came to fruition… The regime-change mission involved a ‘sequence of special operations, very, very unique, that was supposed to happen,’ Tamir Hayman, a former head of intelligence for the Israeli Defence Forces, told the PBS talk show ‘Firing Line’ in May. ‘And Ahmadinejad was part of that sequence.’…

“Ahmadinejad’s 2024 trip to the university in Budapest and a second one the following year were part of a yearslong Israeli initiative to install him as Iran’s new leader. He was such a priority for Israel that the country’s then-Mossad chief, David Barnea, even flew to the Hungarian capital in 2024 to talk with Ahmadinejad personally… Soon afterward, they said, Mossad contacted the CIA to confirm that it had been in discussions with Ahmadinejad… Ahmadinejad began writing public letters in 2017 to Trump and later to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The US president lavished praise on both figures.”

Deutsche Welle added on July 16:

“Haaretz also wrote that the operation involved much more than Ahmadinejad and included infiltration plans inside Iran, contacts with minority groups and that there was also discussion of a broader destabilization strategy… The details have not been independently verified and remain unconfirmed. However, Ahmadinejad’s office has reportedly rejected the claims, describing them as ‘absurd’ and ‘completely false.’”

What an idiotic plot that would have been. It would show again the degree of incompetence prompting Israel and the USA to attack Iran with their “goal” of “regime change.”

Trump’s Middle East Trap

Bild Online wrote on July 11:

“Trump wants to extricate himself from the [Iran] war—but he cannot. Yet almost every tactic has already been employed: a twelve-week air war alongside war partner Israel. Then a ceasefire. Afterward, a mutual declaration of intent to hold peace talks… even an easing of sanctions… At first, he praised the new leadership under Khamenei’s son Mojtaba (56) as ‘rational’; more recently, he reviled them as ‘scum’—liars whose word is worthless. In between: wild threats…

“Americans call wars that get bogged down a ‘quagmire’—the most famous examples being Vietnam and, later, the Iraq War. Trump’s Iran offensive is already shaping up to be just such a mess…

“Now, he must also solve a problem that did not exist before the war: The battle for the oil route through the Strait of Hormuz—now apparently blocked again—looms once more! Following Iranian attacks, only two tankers managed to make the passage on Thursday morning. Furthermore, the Iran War complicates Trump’s entire Middle East policy…

“Domestic pressure is mounting: The unpopular war is driving up prices… Trump’s fellow Republicans are increasingly standing up to him. Former US military intelligence officer Michael Pregent warns BILD: ‘The greatest danger is that, in the end, this war will have been fought for nothing.’”

Who can still doubt the incompetence of Trump and his spineless or incapable “advisers” regarding the Iran War?

Iran War Without End

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 12:

“Iran reacted to the latest round of US strikes on its territory by saying they have ‘rendered futile’ the diplomatic efforts of the past few months.

“According to a foreign ministry statement cited by the AFP news agency, the US military strikes ‘has caused the return of insecurity to the Strait of Hormuz and disruption of international commercial shipping.’”

Trump declared the Strait was open again—a blatant misrepresentation.

More Idle Threats

Politico wrote on July 11:

“U.S. President Donald Trump said that the American military stood ready to ‘completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran’ in response to threats to his life….”

The only way Trump could “completely decimate and destroy all areas of Iran” would be through the use of nuclear weapons. He apparently considered this possibility before but was fortunately “dissuaded” from carrying it out.

Now Trump Wants to Charge Ships?

Politico wrote on July 13:

“President Donald Trump on Monday said the U.S. will take over the Strait of Hormuz — and will be reimbursed ‘at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped’ for overseeing one of the world’s most critical oil passageways that has been at the center of the U.S.’s re-escalating war with Iran. ‘We will become guardians of the strait,’ Trump said during an interview with ‘Fox & Friends’ on Monday morning…

“Trump followed his Fox News interview with a Truth Social post that said the U.S. will reimpose a blockade on Iran. All other countries will have fair and open use of the Strait,’ he said, but added that ‘as a matter of FAIRNESS, [the U.S.] will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World.’”

Crazy. Note the next article.

The Associated Press wrote on July 13:

“The International Maritime Organization, the United Nations agency which oversees safety and security measures in international shipping, said… ‘There is no legal basis through which to introduce mandatory tolls simply to transit through a strait…’”

But Trump’s threats did not endure for long.

Trump’s Ever-Changing Threats

Bild Online wrote on July 14:

“The escalating conflict between the US and Iran is keeping the economy on edge. On Monday, the US President caused a stir in the Gulf states when he announced plans to impose a kind of 20 percent toll on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. By Tuesday afternoon, however, he had backed away from this idea. A ‘total blockade’ of Iranian ships was to remain in place, though; the country’s ‘deceitful, violent, and malicious leadership’ left him no other choice… After ‘very productive talks’ with leaders in the Middle East, he decided to replace the levy with trade and investment agreements that the Gulf states would conclude with the US…”

Is there anything one can rely on when Trump makes an “announcement”? Trump’s threats seem simply ridiculous.

The War That Never Ended

Politico wrote on July 13:

“President Donald Trump formally notified lawmakers this weekend that the nation is once again at war with Iran, giving his administration another 60-day clock to use the military in the region without congressional approval… Trump had previously notified lawmakers in May that the war launched in February had ‘terminated,’ thereby negating a 60-day legal deadline under which military operations must halt without congressional authorization.”

The prior notification was clearly misleading. The war had never ceased.

Cuba Invasion Next?

CBS News wrote on July 15:

“As the U.S.-Iran war restarts following the collapse of the weeks-long ceasefire, senior Pentagon officials are also quietly eyeing another flashpoint much closer to home: Cuba. 

“Military planners have in recent weeks examined a range of options for possible action against the island, including an Army-led air assault involving thousands of U.S. soldiers to be carried out by the 101st Airborne Division, the only unit trained for such a task… Cuba has presented new security challenges… Cuba [has]  acquired attack drones of unknown origin.”

Trump’s Toothless Pledge to Help Ukraine

Newsmax republished on July 10 the following article by The Associated Press:

“President Donald Trump’s pledge to give Ukraine a license to produce Patriot air-defense systems could mark a major breakthrough for Kyiv, but experts and Ukrainian officials warn that turning the idea into real weapons would likely take years.

“[Trump’s “pledge”] left open a crucial question: What exactly would Ukraine be allowed to produce?… Trump’s wording was ambiguous because he referred broadly to producing ‘Patriots,’ without specifying whether he meant missiles, launchers, radar systems, command centers or components…

“Even if Ukraine received complete component kits from abroad…, it would likely need at least 18 to 24 months to launch its first pilot production line, followed by more time to complete the first weapons…”

Trump’s declaration that there was “love in the room” during the NATO summit sounded good, even though extremely silly and doubtful… but in any event, there was really nothing substantive behind it.

Russia’s Lack of Trust in the West

The Times of India wrote on July 10:

“Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow no longer trusts Western calls for negotiations, arguing that previous agreements and security guarantees related to the Ukraine conflict were not honored.

“Speaking at a public event, Lavrov claimed Russia’s ‘reserve of goodwill and hope’ toward the West has been exhausted, citing failed diplomatic efforts in 2014, 2015, 2019, and 2022.”

Border Controls Between Gibraltar and Spain to Be Abolished

Focus reported on July 15:

“Every workday, thousands of Spanish commuters cross the border into Gibraltar—a process that has often resulted in long wait times. This is set to change starting July 15: under a post-Brexit agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom, the border is being largely removed after 118 years, significantly easing freedom of movement between Spain and Gibraltar…

“For the region, this is considered a historic step, primarily due to Gibraltar’s economic importance. While Gibraltar ranks among the wealthiest territories in the world, the adjacent Spanish region is characterized by high unemployment.

“However, the new agreement brings not only opportunities but also new rules. Gibraltar will align itself more closely with the EU Customs Union and the Schengen Area. Consequently, goods in Gibraltar will have to comply with EU regulations. In addition, new taxes are being introduced, including a transaction tax that replaces the previous import duties.”

And so, the United Kingdom will ultimately lose Gibraltar—one of its last sea gateways—to Spain and the EU.

Germany’s Path Into the Abyss

Die Tagesschau reported on July 9:

“Germany will purchase US ‘Tomahawk’ intermediate-range weapons and station them in Germany. An agreement to this effect was reached with the US side at the NATO summit in Ankara, said Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) in his government policy statement to the Bundestag… ‘And at the same time, we will work on developing our own European systems and stationing them in Europe,’ said Merz.

“The cruise missiles have a range of 2,500 kilometers—meaning they could fly from Germany deep into Russian territory. Moscow is 1,600 kilometers from Berlin as the crow flies. European NATO states do not yet possess their own intermediate-range weapons…

“[Merz’s] goal is ‘an economically strong, socially just Germany capable of defending itself both internally and externally…’ The Chancellor explained that the answers offered by radical parties—whether from the left or the right—do not shape the future. ‘They divide our country and, should they assume political responsibility in Germany, would lead it into the abyss.’”

Many feel that Merz has already led Germany into the abyss.

American Mass Murders

Life News wrote on July 9:

“More than 66 million babies have been killed in abortions in the United States since the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision… The Roe ruling alone is responsible for more than 64 million deaths through mid-2022, with the overall figure surpassing 65 million by early 2025 and estimates now placing it at approximately 66 million.

“In June 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe in the Dobbs decision, returning authority over abortion to the states [a move supported by Trump]. Many states promptly enacted protections for unborn children. These measures led to abortion center closures in pro-life states and initial drops in abortions there. The abortion industry responded by shifting resources to pushing women to travel across state lines for abortions and by expanding access to dangerous chemical abortion pills through telemedicine and mail delivery…

“The cumulative death toll from abortion since Roe now stands at an estimated 66 million babies. It’s a heartbreaking figure that shows abortion is genocide.”

It is indeed genocide, and America will pay dearly for it.

Trump Insists Terrible ICE Policy Must Continue

The Guardian wrote on July 15:

“The White House overturned a one-day old homeland security department (DHS) memo that said they would be halting traffic stops in the wake of recent stops that left two men killed in the space of a week on Wednesday morning… On Tuesday, federal officers across the US had been told to temporarily stop pulling drivers over. That directive came after ICE agents fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston on 7 July and Joan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Maine on Monday. Both men were unarmed, neither was the intended target of the operation that killed him, and in both cases the agents involved wore no body camera to record what had happened.

“The president’s Wednesday declaration made no mention of either killing… The whiplash from the post initially rebuked his own homeland security department, which had just spent a day trying to contain the fallout from back-to-back killings…. Civil rights groups have called both shootings extrajudicial killings…. None of that appears to have registered with the Trump, who instead said that attempt to hold ICE accountable should be blamed on ‘Radical Left Dumocrats.’”

And so, human life does not seem to have any more value in America, and the killing of innocent people will continue.

Swiss New Military Law—Godless and Respectless

SWI (Swissinfo.ch) wrote on July 10:

“The requirement for priests and monks to serve in the Swiss army from June 1 has angered Swiss Churches. The three main national Churches and the Network of Evangelical Churches have expressed their discontent and demanded action in a letter to the government…

“Religious communities are particularly incensed that the government no longer considers pastoral care, and therefore the spiritual support of the population, as essential. ‘This is simply incomprehensible,’ the Churches wrote… Alain de Raemy, head of military affairs at the Swiss Bishops’ Conference and auxiliary bishop currently in charge of the diocese of Lugano, describes the government’s decision as ‘a lack of respect for the population.’

“[The] army added: ‘The increasing secularisation of society means that fewer and fewer people feel connected to the Church’s offerings.’ According to the authorities, pastoral care is no longer even ‘an activity essential to maintaining social life’...

“According to the army, nine clergymen have already been recalled since the change in the law. The Swiss Evangelical Network said five additional requests for exemption are expected to be rejected soon. An army spokesperson stated that, in addition to pastors, members of religious orders and monasteries are also affected.”

The godless spirit of war is engulfing the world.

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.

The “Kings of the East” are first mentioned in connection with the “beast” or the “King of the North”—a charismatic political and military leader of German or Austrian descent who will still manifest himself in Europe. The “beast” will lead ten European nations or groups of nations. He will carry out a terrible martyrdom of true Christians (Revelation 6:9-11), which might last for 3 ½ years (during the time of the Great Tribulation).

When that religious persecution of God’s servants is taking place, the beast will invade the Middle East, including Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia. He will enter the Glorious Land and conquer Jerusalem, and his forces will, at the same time, successfully attack the modern nations and peoples of Judah (the Jews) and of the House of Israel (the English-speaking nations of the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and others). The beast will apparently use nuclear weapons against the modern House of Israel, especially the USA and the UK, as all their major cities will be destroyed or laid waste in this war (compare Ezekiel 6:6; 35:4). Those of the House of Israel who survive these terrible events will become captives of the beast, mainly in Europe. The Bible does not say that the beast will use nuclear weapons against the Jewish people in Israel.

The beast will be supported by Turkey (biblical Edom). While Turkey does not appear to be part of the ten European core nations, it will, with unspeakable cruelty and hatred, murder many Jews, after having made an agreement with the beast to wipe out the name of “Israel.” God’s punishment of Turkey will be extremely severe.

After the European war against the modern Houses of Israel and Judah has begun, the King of the North or the beast will hear troublesome news “from the east and the north” and “he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many” (Daniel 11:44).

Please note that the news from the east and the north shall trouble him. In the Bible, there is no single word for north-east. The reference here can refer to both the east and the north. This troublesome news will stem from and involve the “Kings of the East”—a confederation of many Far Eastern nations.

The European forces, under the leadership of the beast, will attack the Kings of the East, as those rumors might indicate that these Far Eastern nations are planning an attack on Europe and the Middle East. At first, the European nations will use weapons that will not kill, but only torment their enemy for five months (Revelation 9:5). At that time, the beast will be, for whatever reason, unwilling to start a full-fledged nuclear war against the Kings of the East—perhaps also because its war with the USA and the UK is still ongoing.

Nevertheless, the beast’s attack on the Kings of the East will be gruesome. The five-month torment of the beast’s war machines “was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man” (Revelation 9:5). The pain will be so severe that“men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them” (verse 6).

Even though the European weapons will, at first, “only” harm people without killing them, this will quickly change as we read in Daniel 11:44 that ultimately, as the war drags on, the King of the North will “destroy and annihilate many” of the Far Eastern people.

The Kings of the East will retaliate with brutal force. They had been restrained by four angels but were now released to cross the Euphrates [it does not say that the river had dried up at that point] to kill many Europeans. They will use sophisticated nuclear weapons of mass destruction and kill one-third of mankind (Revelation 9:18), showing that the effect of their actions will not be limited to just European nations. As will be discussed, other passages tell us that ultimately, Europe will be destroyed by these Far Eastern nations, and the beginning of this destruction will undoubtedly commence with this counterattack, but additional attacks will follow. This also shows that the Kings of the East were not altogether unprepared for such military action by the beast, and that the beast’s concern about a Far Eastern attack will not have been unjustified.

In Revelation 9:16, John states that he heard that the number of “the army of the horsemen” of the attacking Kings of the East was 200 million. The Life Application Study Bible (1996) writes that “In John’s day, this number of mounted troops in an army was inconceivable, but today there are countries and alliances that could easily amass this many soldiers.”

Some would dispute this. But there are other explanations for this huge number. We should note that Revelation 9:16 literally says that John heard “the number of armies of the cavalry two myriads of myriads…” The word for “cavalry” is hippicon, which is derived from hippos, meaning “horse.”

Some claim the reference to the huge number of horses is strictly symbolic; others state that the army describes a force of 200 million demons. But since the emphasis is on the “horses” or tanks and other deadly weaponry, the thought should be considered that the tanks are not directed by human beings, but by robots. Especially Far Eastern nations are already heavily engaged in creating and cloning dangerous artificial intelligence (AI) machines. The terrible influence of AI must by no means be underestimated, and especially true Christians must be very careful not to engage themselves too closely with AI manipulations which could indeed be of demonic origin.

The initial attack of the beast on the Kings of the East and their retaliation on Europe begin at the time described in the Bible as the “Day of the Lord” (Revelation 6:17)—which commences about one year prior to Christ’s return. But that war will continue.

We read in Revelation 16 that the Kings of the East are now preparing to strike a final blow in an effort to win the war. This will take place just prior to Christ’s return… maybe just a few days or weeks before Christ’s Second Coming. The Kings of the East will be crossing the now dried-up river Euphrates to move their armies and equipment to a place called “Armageddon,” to assemble there with the apparent desire to advance toward Jerusalem to defeat the beast (who will by that time be in Jerusalem, having planted “his tent of his palace” there; Daniel 11:45). It is Satan and his demons who will assemble the Kings of the East, the beast and the false prophet [a religious leader working with the beast] as well as all the armies of the world to this place, called Armageddon (Revelation 16:12-16). Please note that it does not say that a battle will take place at Armageddon; only that all the armies of the world will assemble there.

Armageddon (in Hebrew Har Megiddo, the “Mount of Megiddo”) sits at the western edge of the Jezreel Valley. Megiddo is located roughly 18 miles southeast of Haifa and 25 miles southwest of the Sea of Galilee, as well as 75 to 90 miles (120 to 125 km) north of Jerusalem.

But even prior to or during their move towards Armageddon, the Kings of the East will continue their war through Europe. They will defeat Europe under the leadership of the modern Medes, who will be part of the Kings of the East. Isaiah 13:17-19 describes the destruction of modern “Babylon” (Europe) through the hand of the modern “Medes.” Verses 6, 9 and 13 designate the timing as occurring during the “day of the LORD.”

In ancient times, the Medes lived in present-day Iran. Originally under Assyrian rule, they revolted against and expelled the Assyrians and imposed their rule over the Persians. They then attacked Nineveh and overthrew the Assyrian Empire. Under Cyrus the Great, the Medes and the Persians were considered one people. The Encyclopedia Britannica (ed.1959) points out that at least some of the Medes were not Iranians or Indo-Europeans, but perhaps connected with the numerous tribes of the Caucasus. The modern Medes, then, are to be found in modern Russia and surrounding areas, including Ukraine.

The historian Herodotus wrote in Terpsichore, 9, that the Medes began to settle throughout South Russia and present-day Ukraine. He stated: “They say that they are a colony of Medes.” Pliny wrote in Natural History, book VI, section xi, that the people who colonized the lands along the river Don claim to be “descended from the Medes.” The Church of God has long held and taught that the modern Medes can be found today among the Russian and Ukrainian peoples who will be instrumental in leading the Far Eastern nations to destroy Europe.

So, Russia and Ukraine will be fighting together, as part of the Kings of the East, against Europe. Today, both nations are fighting each other. But this war will end, and they will combine their forces against the West, especially Germany and continental Europe. We don’t know whether Russia will overtake Ukraine, or whether the two nations will reach an amicable agreement. What we DO know is that finally, they will work hand-in-hand to defeat and destroy Europe.

As mentioned, it appears that before or while moving toward the place called Armageddon in the Middle East, at least parts of the armies of the Kings of the East will sweep through Europe, creating devastating havoc there. Jeremiah 51:27-28 refers to horses as coming up against Babylon like bristling locusts, indicating that they will use some of their tanks and their air force to destroy modern Babylon. They will be led primarily by the modern “Medes”—the Ukrainians and the Russians.

They will apparently destroy and burn the city of Rome—the religious capital of the revived Roman Empire—the city built on seven hills (Revelation 17:9,18).

But we also find that the ten end-time European kings or kingdoms will turn against the religious power and its seven-hill city and “make her desolate” (verse 16), apparently confiscating her property. This depicts the coming strong European alliance between church and state, which is prophesied to crumble. Ultimately, modern Babylon—the religious and economic European system, as well as the city of Rome—will be destroyed in one day (Revelation 18:8) and in one hour (verse 17).

The Bible does not give us all the specifics as to how, exactly, the destruction of the religious system and the city of Rome will occur; that is, whether or not the Medes or the Kings of the East and the ten nations or its leaders will independently turn on the “fallen woman” (the religious power), or whether there will be some limited collaboration between those powers.

In addition, as the ancient Medes destroyed ancient Nineveh—the capital of the Assyrian Empire—, so the modern Medes will also destroy modern Nineveh, capital of modern Assyria or Germany, which would be Berlin today. (Some have suggested that this capital may be Vienna, the capital of Austria).

Much has been written about the fear of a nuclear war between Russia and Germany. This war will indeed take place, and in the process, the modern Medes will totally destroy the modern city of Nineveh, but only AFTER the modern European-Babylonian Empire will have attacked and conquered the USA, the United Kingdom and the State of Israel.

Iran will participate in Europe’s destruction. In Isaiah 21:2, we find a description of the destruction of modern Babylon through the modern Medes and the modern Persians (Iranians). It says: “Go up, O Elam (Iran)! Besiege, O Media!” A future alliance between Russia, Ukraine and Iran (which is already developing today) is not surprising, given the fact that these powers were allied in the past as the “Medo-Persian Empire.” It appears that after their mutual attack on Jerusalem, modern Babylon will turn against Iran and enslave the Iranian people; and that Russia and Ukraine will intervene and free the Iranians; and that Russia and Ukraine, together with Iran, will attack modern Babylon.

While assembling at Armageddon, the Kings of the East and all the other armies moving there will suddenly feel threatened by another “enemy,” and being influenced by Satan and his demonic powers, they will combine their forces with the kings of the whole world (including the beast power) to attempt to defeat that common foe. That “foe” is none other than the returning Jesus Christ, His saints, and His angelic armies. In light of the end-time mania and demonic belief in UFOs, USOs and other demonic apparitions, the worldly and godless armies might perhaps think that Christ and His angels will be an army of hostile aliens with spaceships who are coming to destroy the world. The Bible shows us that Christ will thoroughly defeat and destroy all these worldly armies at the great battle at Jerusalem, when His feet stand on the Mount of Olives.

But this is not the end of the story of the Kings of the East.

After Jesus Christ has set up His rule on earth and the Millennium has begun, the Kings of the East—those who were not part of the army destroyed by Christ at Jerusalem—will again try to conquer the Promised Land. This attempt will occur after the Houses of Israel and Judah have been freed from slavery by Christ and settled peacefully in the Promised Land (Ezekiel 38:8, 11-12). It will be at that time that they will know that God is “the LORD their God from that day forward” (Ezekiel 39:22).

Ezekiel 38 identifies the identity of the hostile nations and armies. This gives us a clue as to who the nations of the Kings of the East will be that will attack Europe and that will invade the Middle East prior to Christ’s Return. 

Ezekiel 38:2–3, 5, 6 speaks of “Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal,” as well as “Persia, Ethiopia (Hebrew: Cush) and Libya (Hebrew: Put),” “Gomer and… the house of Togarmah.” “Gog” means “mountain” or “high” and seems to be a reference to a commander (compare also verse 7: “be as guard [or commander] for them”).

Magog has been understood as a reference to the Mongols—or more generally, China

As Gog is identified as being “of the land of Magog,” and also as “the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal,” it appears that at that time, Gog, the leader of the future Kings of the East and the nations under his command, will be Chinese. At the time prior to Christ’s Return, when the Medes were leading the Kings of the East, their commander seems to have been from Russia or Ukraine.

Some translations, such as the NIV, render Ezekiel 38:2-3 in this way: “… set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal… I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal…” But in the footnote to verse 3, the NIV states: “Or the prince of Rosh.” However, omitting the reference to “Rosh” as a people and replace it simply with “chief ruler” makes little sense, as Meshech and Tubal are correctly described as peoples as well.

The New Luther Bible 2009 renders these two verses as follows: “Turn against Gog, who is in the land of Magog and the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal… I will come to you , Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal…”

“Rosh,” meaning “blond,” is a reference to the White Russians or Ukrainians. “Meshech” is another designation for the city of Moscow, and “Tubal” for the city of Tobolsk. Meshech and Tubal, being sons of Japheth—the father of the Eurasian peoples—and brothers of Gomer and Magog (compare Genesis 10:2), seem to refer here to the Great Russians. Included in this entire description are the vast regions in northern Eurasia extending from the Baltic to the Pacific.

Persia (Elam in Hebrew) designates modern Iran; and Ethiopia (Cush in Hebrew) includes the people of Ethiopia, but also peoples in Central and Southern India and parts of Sri Lanka. Cush’s sons, Seba and Raamah (Genesis 10:7), and Raamah’s son Sheba (same verse), were later worshipped by Hindus as the gods Shiva and Ramah.

Libya (Put in Hebrew) includes the people of the state of Libya, as well as people from Northern and Central India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. As we read earlier that Ethiopia and Libya will be conquered by the beast prior to Christ’s Return, they will not be part of the Kings of the East at the time just prior to Christ’s Return, but they might become part of that collaboration after Christ’s Return, unless in Ezekiel 38, Cush and Put don’t refer to the nations of Ethiopia and Libya, but exclusively to the peoples of Southern India, Sri Lanka, Northern and Central India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Perhaps all these countries are included in this collaboration of the Kings of the East after Christ’s Return.

Gomer seems to designate the peoples from the Asian steppes and deserts, including people from the region of Mongolia. Finally, the reference to “Togarmah from the far north” (Ezekiel 38:6) has been understood as a reference to the people living in Siberia.

We note that certain other Far Eastern countries are not mentioned in Ezekiel 38, such as Japan, Korea and the Philippines, but it is highly likely or at least conceivable that they will be part of the Kings of the East prior to Christ’s Return.

We read in the 38^th and 39^th chapters of the book of Ezekiel that God will supernaturally intervene and destroy those warring nations.

But even that war at the beginning of the Millennium might not end the story of the Kings of the East. A similar attack on Jerusalem will occur when the Millennium is ending and Satan is “released from his prison” for a short while. He will “go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea” (Revelation 20:7–8).

We know that this is not the same incident as the one described in Ezekiel 38 and 39, as major differences are listed. For instance, Revelation 20:8 speaks of the hostile nations which are in “the four corners of the earth,” while Ezekiel 38:15 and Ezekiel 39:2 say that they come from “the far north.”

Also, the nations referred to in Revelation 20 might not have to be identical with those mentioned in Ezekiel 38 and 39, but they could just be mentioned symbolically in the book of Revelation to signify those who are opposing God and following Satan. Still, this passage might very well describe the final attempt of the Kings of the East and of all those from all over the world who follow them under Satan’s lead, to rebel against God and His people.

They will try to conquer Jerusalem, but God will supernaturally destroy them (Revelation 20:9), as He had done to the Kings of the East about 1,000 years earlier.

This will end the story of the Kings of the East, as revealed in Scripture. Never will they fight in war anymore, and never will they again oppose God and His people.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Compiled by Norbert Link

“The Sabbath – God’s Gift to Humanity” is the latest short video that has been posted on YouTube.

Norbert Link’s German sermon for this Sabbath has been posted. It is titled, “Was sagt uns die Bibel über die “Könige des Ostens“? (“What does the Bible tell us about the ‘Kings of the East’?”).

Paul Niehoff’s first split sermon from last Sabbath has been posted. It is titled, “Gentleness or Kindness.” 

Here is a summary:

Gentleness or kindness is an important part of the fruit of the Spirit. It is mentioned a number of times in the epistles of the apostle Paul and elsewhere, and shows us one aspect of character that we need to apply in our relationships with both Church members and others we come across in our daily lives.

Rene Messier’s second split sermon from last Sabbath has been posted. It is titled, “Enduring to the End.” 

Here is a summary:

In this sermon, we are looking at how the Church of God was persecuted throughout its history and emphasize the importance of enduring to the end by remaining close to God.

Tahir Coban’s German sermonette from last Sabbath has been posted. It is titled, “Sollten Christen auf Fleisch verzichten und vegetarisch oder vegan leben?“ (“Should Christians Abstain From Meat and Live a Vegetarian or Vegan Lifestyle?”) 

Marc Voeller’s German sermon from last Sabbath has been posted. It is titled, “Wie in den Tagen Noahs” (“As in the Days of Noah”).