On December 16, 2017, Norbert Link will present the sermonette, titled, “The Falling Away Comes First,” and Michael Link will present the sermon, titled, “Above and Beyond.”

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.

Well, actually, I can and I do.

During the Feast of Tabernacles just over a couple of months ago, a number of us went to see the Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum close to Berlin, and were taken on a tour conducted by an American lady who was an expert on the Holocaust. This place was a Nazi concentration camp used primarily for political prisoners from 1936 to the end of the Third Reich in May 1945. Jews and those opposed to the Nazi regime were at the forefront of those who were killed.

The website states the following:

“Discover the brutal history of the facility that was primarily used for political prisoners but also the administrative center of the Nazi concentration camp system. Our informative guides expose the grim realities of life and death at Sachsenhausen. We will explain stories of tragedy and triumph. Explain how everyday life was in the camp, and some of the tactics used here. Although this is a very sobering and somber tour we also like to celebrate some of the strong personalities[,] survivors and victims that suffered here but whose actions bring inspiration to this day!”

It was, in fact, a very stark reminder of man’s inhumanity to man and how, it appears, people were just killed for the sake of being killed. We were told that some staff members were actually paid a bonus for killing someone.

We saw the places where they lived and the conditions and numbers would have been terrible. We saw places where they died. We saw the horrors that happen when demonic activity takes place. There is plenty of newsreel footage available to show what went on at that time and newspapers from that era confirm that such atrocities did occur. It did happen.

The website goes on to say: “Some 200,000 people were imprisoned here and subjected to systematic torture, starvation, forced labor and some of the worst living conditions. As you tour the memorial you will uncover the truths about the camp where 50,000 people were brutally murdered by the Nazi’s and 60,000 held captive until 1950 during the Soviet era. Today the Sachsenhausen Memorial stands as a reminder to the horrors of the 20th century.”

Incredibly, there are the Holocaust-deniers. Wikipedia defines this as follows: “Holocaust denial is the act of denying the genocide of Jews in the Holocaust during World War II. Holocaust denial often includes the following claims: that Nazi Germany’s Final Solution was aimed only at deporting Jews from the Reich, but that it did not include the extermination of Jews; that Nazi authorities did not use extermination camps and gas chambers to mass murder Jews; or that the actual number of Jews killed was significantly lower than the historically accepted figure of 5 to 6 million, typically around a tenth of that figure.”

Today, apart from Holocaust-deniers, we have other conspiracy theorists who believe that the moon landing was filmed in Hollywood, that the earth is flat, that there are aliens amongst us and, probably for some, that the moon is made of green cheese!

Unfortunately, I have known of Church members who seemed to be “big” on conspiracy theories.  It can become a religion all on its own and can be a dangerous distraction from the Truth that we have learned in the true Church of God.

In addition, denying that the Holocaust actually took place is divorcing oneself from reality.

Can you believe it?  Well, actually, I can and I do.   And the sobering thing is that these atrocities that were committed will again happen and, probably, in the fairly near future.  The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord will bring a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time” (Daniel 12:1).  This time will be even more barbaric than those events in the 1940’s and it will be the only way that God will be able to get the attention of rebellious mankind.

A visit to such a former concentration camp is a very sobering business and it is a reality check on how human beings can behave – and will behave again in the near future. We should pray, with increasing fervor, that we may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36).

by Norbert Link

We begin with statements by Pope Francis regarding the wording of the “Lord’s Prayer,” as it pertains to “temptation.” In this regard, please note our new StandingWatch program, “The Lord’s Prayer—Does Pope Francis Really Want to Change It?” 

We continue with the insane increase of arms sales worldwide, and publish at the same time the dire warning of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner, stating that nuclear war is “one tiny tantrum away,” while a new report claims that the USA will lose its next war.

Focusing on the reaction to Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, we report on Czech Leader Milos Zeman, president of the only European country to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, slamming EU leaders as “cowards”; the ongoing nasty war of words between Israel’s President Netanyahu and Turkey’s President Erdogan; outbursts of Anti-Semitism across Europe; and the missing role of America in the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. On the other hand, some feel that Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital will accelerate the building of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount.

We continue with speaking about the majority of Germans who trust Russia more than the USA; and Manfred Schulz who is described as a “radical European.”

We report on the EU being the new leader of the international trading system; the signing of the PESCO Defense Pact by twenty-five EU states; and a last minute Brexit “deal” which paves the way to move onto the next phase of negotiations regarding trade, defense and security.

We conclude with insightful articles about the consequences of the defeat of Republican Roy Moore in the Alabama Senate election; an average day of President Trump and numerous sexual harassment claims made against him;  and the rise of witchcraft in the USA.

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

“Lord’s Prayer: Pope Francis Calls for Change”

The BBC wrote on December 8:

“Pope Francis has called for a translation of a phrase about temptation in the Lord’s Prayer to be changed. The current wording that says ‘lead us not into temptation’ is not a good translation because God does not lead humans to sin, he says. His suggestion is to use ‘do not let us fall into temptation’ instead, he told Italian TV on Wednesday night.

“The Lord’s Prayer is the best-known prayer in Christianity. The pontiff said France’s Roman Catholic Church was now using the new wording ‘do not let us fall into temptation’ as an alternative, and something similar should be used worldwide. ‘Do not let me fall into temptation because it is I who fall, it is not God who throws me into temptation and then sees how I fell,’ he told TV2000, an Italian Catholic TV channel…”

Bild Online added on December 8:

“The Lord’s Prayer is the most important and the most recited prayer of Christianity. Moreover, it is also the prayer that Jesus Christ himself taught to his disciples. From the believer’s perspective, to change it would be to correct the words of God 2000 years later… The current Lord’s Prayer is based on the New Testament, which was passed down in Greek…

“In France, the debate within the church has been decided… Since the first Sunday of Advent, in France the plea is now: ‘do not let us be tempted’.

“German-language theologians also think that an adjustment would make sense. Last week, however, the bishop of Regensburg, Rudolf Voderholzer, warned of ‘falsifying the words of Jesus’. The plea ‘do not lead us into temptation’ was passed down in exactly these words in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, said the former Professor of Dogmatics. ‘If we were to correct Jesus by saying “No, Jesus, you can’t have said that; we know better and will now correct you”, then we would soon end up with an entirely new bible based on our human ideas. The bible would no longer be the testimony of God’s revelation’, the diocese quotes one of the bishops’ earlier sermons. It is very likely that the German Bishops’ Conference will soon address Pope Francis’ criticism of the translation.”

On December 8, Fox News published a commentary by Scott Gunn, an Episcopal priest:

“Pope Francis has suggested that Catholics learn a new line when they say the Lord’s Prayer… This beloved prayer is said by nearly all Christians weekly, if not daily… No, the pope is not trying to put new words in Jesus’ mouth. Yes, I am grateful for what the pope is asking, even though I am not a Roman Catholic.

“There are two reasons I am grateful for the pope’s request to change ‘lead us not into temptation’ into ‘do not let us fall into temptation.’ First, these new words are actually closer to what Jesus said. Second, they offer better theology.

“Despite our ideas to the contrary, Jesus did not walk around speaking the English of the King James Bible…

“The English wording that we use when we pray the Lord’s Prayer comes from Wycliffe’s translation of the Bible from the late 1300s. Matthew 6:13, the newsworthy line, reads, ‘and leede us nat in to temptacioun.’ Starting in the later years of the 20th century, Bible scholars began offering better translations into English from the original languages of the Lord’s Prayer. The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible gives us Matthew 6:13 like this: ‘And do not bring us to the time of trial, but rescue us from the evil one.’

“Why is this better? God does not create temptation for us… The Letter of James (1:13-14) in the New Testament puts it like this: ‘No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it.’…

“… Jesus Christ took on human flesh and knew every aspect of human life except for sin. Jesus knew what it was like to be tempted, because he was tempted by Satan. So our God knows the pain and struggle of temptation and does not will it upon us. Pope Francis would have us pray ‘do not let us fall into temptation.’ It’s a subtle difference. But it is an important difference. In this better translation, we are praying for God’s guidance to keep us away from temptation.”

Actually, the comments by Pope Francis and also by Scott Gunn in the above-quoted article have merits. The suggestions are not to change Christ’s words, but to clarify His words. We discuss in great detail the words of the “Lord’s Prayer” in our free booklet, “Teach Us To Pray,” copyright 2006. When explaining from the Bible the meaning of the clause, “Lead Us Not into Temptation,” we also state this:

“The New Testament Greek word for ‘temptation’ (‘peirasmos’), and the Greek word for ‘to tempt’ (‘peirazo’), can also mean, ‘trial’ and ‘to test.’ The same is true for the Hebrew words in the Old Testament, ‘massah’ and ‘nasah,’ which can mean ‘temptation’ and ‘tempt,’ or, ‘trial’ and ‘test.’…”

At the end of that section, we give the following summary:

“When we ask God the Father to protect us from temptation, or serious and sore trials, we understand that God never tempts us to sin. Rather, temptation to sin comes through our own desires, the society around us, and Satan the devil. Christ tells us to ask the Father to protect us from the temptation to sin.

“We also understand that God tests us to get to know us better. His tests are for the purpose of strengthening us and enabling us not to sin. We should not ask God the Father to withhold tests from us, but rather, as Christ tells us, ask the Father not to allow the trials we go through to be too difficult for us to bear. Conversely, we should ask the Father for strength and wisdom not to test Him, by doubting Him and His powers, by limiting—in our minds—His ability to help us, by trying to force our will upon Him, and by even questioning His involvement in our lives.”

Please note our new StandingWatch program, “The Lord’s Prayer—Does Pope Francis Really Want to Change It?” 

“Weapons Sales Up Again Worldwide”

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 11:

“Arms sales are increasing around the world… the main beneficiaries are armaments groups in the US and Western Europe…

“The global trade in arms and military services increased again in 2016, for the first time in five years. It was up 1.9 percent on the previous year — and 38 percent compared to 2002. These new figures are from the latest report on the international arms industry by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). It says that in 2016 the world’s 100 biggest armaments groups sold $374.8 billion (€317.7 billion) of weapons and weapons systems.

“Particularly in the United States, armaments groups are producing and selling more weapons. According to the report, sales from US firms rose 4 percent in 2016, totaling $217.2 billion. This was not only because of the US’ own military deployments abroad: The figure was also boosted by the purchase of large weapons systems by other countries. The US group Lockheed Martin — the biggest weapons producer worldwide — did lucrative business selling its new F-35 to countries like Britain, Italy and Norway. Its biggest customer, though, is the United States Air Force.

“Big American players like Lockheed Martin make up the majority of the top 100 armaments groups researched by SIPRI’s experts. Once again, the report clearly shows that the majority of arms come from American companies — a total of 57.9 percent of all global arms sales. Western Europe takes second place in the list of the most important suppliers of arms, followed by Russia with 7.1 percent of arms sales around the world.

“The picture is more mixed in the Western European countries. While French and Italian firms are selling fewer arms, German and British groups — despite Brexit — increased their turnover. The German tank manufacturer Krauss-Maffei, for example, and Rheinmetall, which makes military vehicles, profited from the demand for their products in Europe, the Middle East and South-East Asia…

“The SIPRI researchers believe China may also be a top weapons manufacturer. The country does not, however, appear in their statistics, because the experts have no reliable data on the Chinese arms trade…

“There is no question but that wars prompt individual states to procure weapons. When crises threaten, countries spend more money on more modern arms: They buy new warships, fighter jets and tanks, and armaments groups sell more as a result. But according to SIPRI expert Fleurant, the majority of weapons are sold by arms manufacturers to the defense ministries of their own countries, not abroad. Thus the new SIPRI report not only provides information about who is selling and buying how many weapons: It also says something about how safe the world as a whole currently feels.”

Trying to find salvation in an arms race will never work. Actually, wealth gained through the sale of weapons for the purpose of fighting in war is ungodly.

“Nobel Peace Prize Winner: Nuclear War Is ‘One Tiny Tantrum Away’”

The Week wrote on December 11:

“While accepting the Nobel Peace Prize on Sunday, the director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) warned that ‘the deaths of millions may be one tiny tantrum away.’ During the ceremony in Oslo, Beatrice Fihn said the world has a choice to make — ‘the end of nuclear weapons or the end of us’ — and said the risk of using nuclear weapons is ‘greater now than during the Cold War.’

“As North Korea continues to test missiles, including some believed to be able to deliver a nuclear warhead to the continental U.S., and the war of words between President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un continues to escalate, a ‘moment of panic’ could lead to ‘the destruction of cities and the deaths of millions of civilians,’ Fihn said.”

Sadly, this warning is so true and relevant.

“Military Assessment: Major Report Warns US ‘Will Lose the Next War’”

The website of nzherald published the following on December 11:

“The world is looking bleak. From the nuclear bluster of North Korea, China’s relentless power creep in Asia and Russia’s covert invasion of Ukraine, the international situation is as dire as at any time during the Cold War. So is the world’s self-proclaimed ‘policeman’, the United States, up to the challenge? A new in-depth report from strategic think-tank Rand Corporation thinks not…

“‘US forces today… are failing to keep pace with the modernising forces of great power adversaries, are poorly postured to meet key challenges in Europe and East Asia,’ the report reads… Projected combat scenarios in Europe and Asia both present grim outcomes, the report finds…”

“Czech Leader Slams EU ‘Cowards’ on Jerusalem Stance”

y-net wrote on December 10:

“Milos Zeman, president of [the] only European country to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital following [the] US announcement, says European Union states ‘are doing all they can so a pro-Palestinian terrorist movement can have supremacy over a pro-Israeli movement.’…

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left Saturday evening on a two-day official visit to Paris and Brussels, vowing not to accept [a] ‘double standard’ from Europe on Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital…

“The Europeans’ objection to the move was so strong, that Israeli officials stress that Israel’s main problem is actually with Western European countries rather than with the Arab, central and Eastern European countries, whose reactions were predictable and measured. Israeli state officials blasted the ‘European hypocrisy,’ saying that while the European foreign ministers rushed to strongly condemn Trump’s announcement, they failed to condemn the rockets fired at the southern city of Sderot over the weekend…”

The Bible prophesies that ultimately, Europe will become Israel’s most dangerous enemy.

Netanyahu vs. Erdogan

y-net wrote on December 10:

“Speaking during a joint press conference with [the] French president in Paris, Netanyahu says he won’t take lectures on morality from a leader ‘who bombs Kurdish villagers in his native Turkey and who jails journalists’; [he] tells Macron ‘just as Paris is the capital of France, Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel would ‘not take lectures’ from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who over the weekend issued a tirade against Israel, accusing it of being a ‘terrorist state that murders children’…

“Later on, Erdogan’s office issued a statement slamming Netanyahu’s remarks in Paris. ‘We condemn in the strongest possible terms Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s remarks targeting the Republic of Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan,’ a spokesperson said, adding that Israel, which disregards international law, has ‘occupied’ the Palestinian people’s hundreds-of-years-old homeland and systematically violates United Nations resolutions, must first account for its own actions.”

The relationship between Israel and Turkey will continue to deteriorate.

Burning of Israeli Flags in Berlin, Germany

The Local wrote on December 11:

“Israeli flags were burned at the Brandenburg Gate on Friday during a pro-Palestinian demonstration against US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Ten people were arrested and investigations were launched into the violation of a foreign state’s sovereign signs. On Sunday evening, an Israeli flag was also burned on the edge of a protest march from Berlin’s Neukölln district to Kreuzberg, which was attended by around 2,500 demonstrators.

“Government spokesman Steffen Seibert told reporters that the government strongly condemned protests in German cities where ‘hatred’ of Israel and Jews was expressed. Seibert noted that Berlin had a ‘particular responsibility toward Israel and Jewish people in general’ because Nazi Germany slaughtered six million Jews in the Holocaust.”

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 11:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday denounced the burning of Israeli flags to protest against the United States’ decision last Wednesday to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital…

“Germany’s interior minister [Thomas de Maziere] has also criticized the burning of Israeli national symbols in Berlin… German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel told Bild that despite understandable criticism of the US decision, ‘there is no right and also no justification to burn Israeli flags, incite hatred against Jews or question the right of Israel to exist.’… Justice Minister Heiko Maas also said there was no place for any sort of anti-Semitism.”

Anti-Semitism is again raising its ugly head all over the world. Note the next article as well.

Anti-Semitism Outbursts Across Europe

JTA wrote on December 10:

“On Saturday, protestors against the Jerusalem decision burned an Israeli flag in Stockholm…

“The Israeli-Jewish Congress… called on European governments not to allow the use of Trump’s declaration to serve as a ‘pretext’ for anti-Semitism… ‘It is unconscionable that Jews are under attack on the streets of Europe, whether by terrorists hurling Molotov cocktails or openly and brazenly calling for the mass murder of Jews in Malmo, Vienna and Paris,’ European Jewish Congress President Moshe Kantor said in a statement. ‘We call on European governments to take strong punitive action against those who perpetrated these acts and call for the immediate arrest of anyone… making murderous chants.’

“At other protest rallies about Jerusalem in Austria, France and Malmo, Sweden, participants chanted, respectively, in Arabic about an ancient massacre of Jews, freedom for Palestinian terrorists and shooting Jews.”

Peace Talks in Middle East… Where Is America?

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 11:

“French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Monday said that while Netanyahu has repeatedly announced a new US-led peace initiative, European diplomats have received no information on such a plan, even when US State Secretary Rex Tillerson was in Brussels last week. ‘They’ve announced to us some kind of American initiative. We’ve been waiting for several months. If it’s not the case, then perhaps the European Union should take the initiative, but it’s too early to say,’ said Le Drian while in Brussels.”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on December 8:

“The move [to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital] … disqualifies the United States as a mediator… That means that it is now up to us – the Europeans, the Germans – to come up with new ideas and new formats, as difficult as that may be. Wherever possible, those new ideas should be developed in cooperation with moderate Arab countries…

“For German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, who has been demanding that Germany be more courageous on foreign policy, the new situation in the Middle East presents a perfect opportunity. No other conflict should be as important to Europe as the one between the Israelis and the Palestinians…”

In light of America’s failure to be any credible broker, the EU WILL get involved.

No Role for the USA in Middle East Peace Talks

The Associated Press wrote on December 13:

“The Palestinian president said Wednesday his people will not accept any role for the United States in the Mideast peace process ‘from now on,’ following President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Mahmoud Abbas spoke at a gathering of heads of state and top officials from Islamic nations at a summit in Turkey that is expected to forge a unified Muslim world’s stance against Trump’s move. Abbas called Trump’s decision a ‘crime’ that threatened world peace. He called on the United Nations to take charge of the peace process and create a new mechanism, arguing that Washington is no longer ‘fit’ for the task. The Palestinians are committed to a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Abbas said, but after Trump’s seismic shift on Jerusalem, Washington is not accepted as a fair negotiator. The speech marked a significant shift in Abbas’ approach toward the United States, after years of focusing on courting U.S. goodwill because of Washington’s role as sole mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

“Immediately after Trump’s announcement last week, Abbas had said the U.S. effectively disqualified itself as a broker, but Wednesday’s speech was more sharply worded and delivered to a global audience. Last week, Abbas aides said the Palestinian leader would not meet with Mike Pence during the U.S. vice president’s planned visit to Israel and the West Bank next week. Abbas had initially planned to meet with Pence in the biblical West Bank town of Bethlehem, but two senior aides have said the meeting would not take place because of Trump’s pivot on Jerusalem. The Istanbul gathering of heads of state and top officials from the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation is also an opportunity for the Muslim world to offer its strongest response yet to Washington’s move. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan— the current president of the OIC — called on countries to urgently recognize the Palestinian state and Jerusalem as its capital…

“Israel has considered Jerusalem its capital since the state’s establishment in 1948 and sees the city as the ancient capital of the Jewish people… The Palestinians equally lay claim to Jerusalem and want the eastern part of the city as capital of their future state… The Old City, located in east Jerusalem, is home to sites holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims. These include the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third holiest site.”

Does Trump Help in Building the Third Temple?

Newsweek wrote on December 11:

“Activists lobbying for the construction of a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem said Trump was playing a similar role to the Persian emperor Cyrus the Great, who allowed the Jews to return to Israel from exile. Jews also praised Cyrus for helping them build a second Jewish temple in the same place where the first had been destroyed.  Judaism’s First Temple stood from around 957 B.C. to around 586 B.C., and its Second Temple stood from around 515 B.C. to 70 A.D., according to the Hebrew Bible. Now, some Jews said Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital paved the way for the construction of a Third Jewish Temple in the same place the Second Temple had been before it was demolished.

“‘There have been amazing advances towards bringing the Temple this year. It was clear that Trump was part of that process, guided by Hashem [God],’ said Asaf Fried, official spokesman for the United Temple Movement, an association lobbying for the Third Temple’s construction on the Temple Mount. The Temple Mount is the elevated area above Jerusalem’s Western Wall that was once the site of Judaism’s two temples. The site is the third holiest place in Islam and has been the source of conflict between the two religions. It is currently under Israeli sovereignty but is administered by a Muslim religious trust. Jews are permitted to visit the site but are not allowed to pray there…

“The Temple Mount is believed to be the site where Abraham demonstrated his devotion to God by taking his son Isaac to be sacrificed… The Western Wall is all that is left of the Second Temple. Advocates for a Third Temple were supportive of Trump even before he recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on Wednesday. Evangelical Christians, who are staunch supporters of Trump, believed that a Third Temple would be built before the ‘end times’ that would usher the second coming of Jesus Christ…”

It is interesting that May 14, 2018, will be 70 years since the founding of the State of Israel. It was after 70 years, following the return of the Jews from Babylonian captivity, that the command to rebuild the Temple became a point of urgency as the Books of Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi reveal.

The interspersing of end-time events in these prophecies in conjunction with rebuilding the Temple makes President Trump’s proclamation all the more interesting. His action has been describes as “defiant” and has found no support outside of Israel and America.

Germans Trust Russia More Than the USA

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 9:

“A new survey published by German public broadcaster ARD shows Germans trust Russia more than the US. America’s brand appears to have suffered considerably since the election of Donald Trump as US president last year. The poll… showed that 28 percent of respondents felt Moscow was a reliable partner, compared to 25 percent for Washington. The result is the first time the public’s trust in the US has fallen below Russia in over a decade…

“More than 90 percent said Paris was a reliable partner, while more than 60 percent said Britain, which has been trying to exit the European Union (EU), was a reliable partner… Nearly 60 percent of Germans had a favorable view of the US when Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama, left office. That dropped to 35 percent at the beginning of Trump’s presidency.

“The decline in Germany has reflected a worldwide trend. ‘Attitudes have taken a dramatic turn for the worse, especially in Western Europe and Latin America,’ the surveyors said… the US’s favorability had only dramatically improved in one country: ‘Only in Russia has the image of the United States improved by a large margin.’”

As we said from the outset, the Presidency of Donald Trump will lead to an overall worldwide rejection of the USA (with perhaps a few exceptions such as, temporarily, Russia and Israel).

Germany’s Martin Schulz a European Radical?

Politico wrote on December 7:

“Germany is rediscovering Europe. After a prolonged, conspicuous absence, Europe has reemerged in recent weeks at the top of Germany’s political agenda, renewing hopes in some quarters (and fanning fears in others) that the Continent is poised to take a great leap toward closer integration. ‘We want a United States of Europe, thundered Martin Schulz, seemingly out of nowhere, at the annual convention of his Social Democrats (SPD) on Thursday…

“Merkel’s failure to build an alliance with the Greens and liberals has left a grand coalition as Germany’s only hope to form a majority government… After vociferously ruling out a grand coalition both before and after Merkel’s attempt to build a three-way alliance collapsed, Schulz’s credibility is at stake. Nothing less than the pursuit of a United States of Europe, it seems, would justify such an about-face. Schulz, who was roundly criticized both inside and outside his party for not emphasizing his European credentials during the campaign, has now moved to the other extreme. If his call for a U.S. of E weren’t enough of a jaw dropper, Schulz added that any country that refused to jump on board by 2025 should be kicked out of the EU altogether.

“The reactions weren’t long in coming. Alexander Dobrindt, a leader of the Christian Social Union, the Bavarian sister party of Merkel’s Christian Democrats, called the SPD leader a ‘European radical.’”

Martin Schulz is a person who should be watched. And so are Sebastian Kurz andFPÖ leader Heinz-Christian Strache (see next article).

Austria Set to Have New Government Soon, while Germany Is Stalling

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 14:

“Set to become Europe’s youngest political leader, Sebastian Kurz has predicted a new government will be formed before Christmas. He said the far-right FPÖ has ensured the government will have a ‘pro-European’ stance…

“According to local media, the FPÖ [under FPÖ leader Heinz-Christian Strache]reportedly secured top positions in the foreign, defense and interior ministriesduring coalition talks and agreed to a ban on public referendums to leave the EU.

“The far-right party also guaranteed support for EU sanctions against Russia despite its pro-Kremlin stance… If Kurz’s conservatives form a government with the FPÖ, it will mark the first time the party enters power in a decade.”

At the same time, coalition talks in Germany are proceeding rather slowly. As the Local reported on December 13, the “Social Democrats have been considering a third option [in addition to a Grand Coalition and new elections] – a ‘cooperation coalition’ or ‘KoKo’ – which could involve the SPD and the CDU/CSU forming an alliance and agreeing on some issues while leaving potentially conflict points to parliamentary debates… [believing] a ‘KoKo’ could free them up to oppose the CDU on issues such as social justice while working with them on Europe and digitalization. The SPD and CDU/CSU are moreover divided on issues such as health care and tax cuts.”

However, a “KoKo” does not seem to find much support in the German public.

EU Takes Over Global Trade Stage

Politico wrote on December 8:

“The international trading system created by the U.S. after the Second World War has a new leader — the European Union. The EU on Friday announced the conclusion of a landmark trade agreement with Japan — covering economies worth about 30 percent of the world’s GDP. That comes after scoring a trade deal with Vietnam in 2015 and Canada last year…

“EU-linked trade agreements are piling up at the same time the U.S. is retreating from the world stage. U.S. President Donald Trump’s decisions to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement,  and to block the World Trade Organization’s dispute settlement system, along with his threats to hit China with tariffs, have raised the risks of a global trade war, for which there is little appetite elsewhere. That leaves the EU as the indispensable partner for world trade…”

Even in trade, the EU is taking the lead, while the USA is retreating.

“Twenty-Five EU States Sign PESCO Defense Pact”

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 11:

“European Union member states on Monday moved ever closer towards establishing a defense union, after the European Council adopted the creation of a new European defense and security cooperation network known as PESCO. The Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), which was first set out in the Lisbon Treaty, will allow members states to jointly develop military capabilities, invest in shared projects and enhance their respective armed forces…

“With 25 of the EU’s current 28 member states joining the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), there seems to be a great deal of consensus among member states but a few remain on the fence. The new defense union is expected to address immediate threats without having to rely on NATO for all of the EU’s defense needs… The countries that have chosen not to take part are Malta, Denmark – which has special opt-out status – and the UK (which is set to withdraw from the bloc in March 2019).

“Mogherini, described the move as ‘historic,’ while European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker hailed the move on Twitter, posting: ‘She is awake, the Sleeping Beauty of the Lisbon Treaty: Permanent Structured Cooperation is happening.’…”

This is just a first step towards the prophesied creation of a powerful EU army.

Brexit Deal?

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 8:

“The EU and UK have reached an initial agreement on Ireland, citizenship rights and a divorce bill… paving the way for the two sides to move onto the next phase of negotiations on the future relationship in the areas of trade, defense and security, pending final approval at next week’s EU summit.

“The EU had been calling for clarity on three key issues — the Irish border, a financial settlement and the rights of EU-UK citizens  — before any future trade talks. The EU and the UK have reached a tentative agreement on these issues, with the ‘caveat that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed’ as part of a final Brexit deal…”

Alabama Earthquake–Jones Beats Moore

McClatchy wrote on December 12:

“The election of Democrat Doug Jones to the U.S. Senate complicates — and could all but doom — Republican efforts to score any big wins for President Donald Trump. The narrowing of the Senate Republicans’ already-slim majority represents a huge loss to the GOP, which failed this year to deliver on a campaign promise to repeal Obamacare and has struggled to pass spending legislation.  Yet Jones’ victory over Republican Roy Moore also comes as a relief to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. McConnell championed Moore’s primary opponent and called on the nominee to leave the race after several women came forward to complain that Moore had pursued them as teenagers.

“The GOP struggled throughout 2017 when it controlled 52 of the 100 seats in the Senate. Tuesday’s loss is sure to boost the influence of maverick Republican senators such as Susan Collins of Maine, who was one of three Republicans to oppose the Senate’s latest effort to repeal the 2010 Affordable Care Act. Collins has played a critical role in the current tax debate as well…

“Moore would not necessarily have been a guaranteed Republican vote on anything. He railed against McConnell and establishment Republicans in the Alabama Republican primary and told Fox News in September that he wouldn’t have voted for the Republican health care plan…”

Defeat for Trump

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 13:

“The result is a blow to Trump… Jones becomes the first Democrat in a quarter of a century to win an Alabama Senate seat… A civil rights lawyer, Jones had never run for political office. He was best known for prosecuting two Ku Klux Klansmen who killed four black girls in Birmingham’s 1963 church bombing…

“The defeat of Moore, a 70-year-old controversial Christian conservative, spells trouble for US President Donald Trump and his political base, as well as shrinking the Republican majority in the Senate to 51-49, in turn making the passage of Trump’s legislative agenda on taxes, healthcare and security more problematic…

“Twice ousted as state Supreme Court chief justice… Moore was fighting [for] the seat vacated when Attorney General Jeff Sessions left to serve in Trump’s administration… Moore was removed from his position as state Supreme Court chief justice the first time after he refused to remove a boulder-sized Ten Commandments monument at the state court building. The second time he was permanently suspended was for urging state probate judges to refuse marriage licenses to same-sex couples.”

Newsmax added on December 13:

“President Donald Trump said Wednesday he knew Roy Moore could never win the general election for the Senate seat from Alabama. In an early morning tweet Wednesday, Trump explained why he endorsed Sen. Luther Strange, R-Ala., over Moore in the Republican primary. ‘The reason I originally endorsed Luther Strange (and his numbers went up mightily), is that I said Roy Moore will not be able to win the General Election. I was right! Roy worked hard but the deck was stacked against him!’ In the general election, Trump endorsed Moore…”

A Day in the Life of Donald Trump

The New York Times wrote on December 9:

“Around 5:30 each morning, President Trump wakes and tunes into the television in the White House’s master bedroom. He flips to CNN for news, moves to ‘Fox & Friends’ for comfort and messaging ideas, and sometimes watches MSNBC’s ‘Morning Joe’ because, friends suspect, it fires him up for the day.

“Energized, infuriated — often a gumbo of both — Mr. Trump grabs his iPhone. Sometimes he tweets while propped on his pillow, according to aides. Other times he tweets from the den next door, watching another television…

“The ammunition for his Twitter war is television. No one touches the remote control except Mr. Trump and the technical support staff — at least that’s the rule. During meetings, the 60-inch screen mounted in the dining room may be muted, but Mr. Trump keeps an eye on scrolling headlines. What he misses he checks out later on what he calls his ‘Super TiVo,’ a state-of-the-art system that records cable news.

“Watching cable, he shares thoughts with anyone in the room, even the household staff he summons via a button for lunch or for one of the dozen Diet Cokes he consumes each day.

“But he is leery of being seen as tube-glued… On his recent trip to Asia, the president was told of a list of 51 fact-checking questions for this article, including one about his prodigious television watching habits. Instead of responding through an aide, he delivered a broadside on his viewing habits to befuddled reporters from other outlets on Air Force One heading to Vietnam. ‘I do not watch much television,’ he insisted. “I know they like to say — people that don’t know me — they like to say I watch television. People with fake sources — you know, fake reporters, fake sources. But I don’t get to watch much television…’

“Mr. Trump spends at least four hours a day, and sometimes as much as twice that, in front of a television, sometimes with the volume muted, marinating in the no-holds-barred wars of cable news and eager to fire back… When the guests depart, the remote control comes back out. He is less likely to tweet at this hour, when the news he would react to is mostly recycled from hours earlier. But he watches Ms. Pirro and her fellow Fox News hosts Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, and sometimes ‘hate-watches’ CNN to get worked up, especially Don Lemon… From there it is off to bed for what usually amounts to five or six hours of sleep. Then the television will be blaring again, he will reach for his iPhone and the battle will begin anew.”

Newsweek added on December 9:

“This is the same Trump who famously told reporters who asked him about Roy Moore allegations in November that he didn’t know about the allegations because he does ‘not watch much television… The truth doesn’t come as much of a surprise –– since he’s taken office, the president tweets frequently about the stories and escapades of various broadcast news corporations, often offering praise for Fox News or promoting its reports, while putting forth harsh criticism of liberal-leaning networks like CNN…”

Even before he became President, his main source of information being television was well known.

“Trump ‘Infuriated’ by Haley’s Comments on Sexual Allegations Against Him”

On December 11, Newsmax re-published the following article by the Associated Press:

“Donald Trump sailed past a raft of allegations of sexual misconduct in last year’s presidential election. Now the… spotlight is turning back to Trump and his past conduct…

“With each day seeming to bring new headlines that force men from positions of power, the movement to expose sexual harassment has forced an unwelcome conversation on the White House… But a Capitol Hill investigation into Trump’s conduct appears unlikely. The Senate and House Ethics Committees investigate members of Congress, not presidents, and Republican-led committees are not apt to investigate Trump on sexual misconduct unless there is some sort of connection to the ongoing Russia probe…

“The president’s advisers were stunned Sunday when one of the highest-ranking women in the Trump administration [Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations] broke with the White House line and said the accusers’ voices ‘should be heard.’…

“Sixteen women have come forward with a range of accusations against Trump, many after the release of the ‘Access Hollywood’ tape last October in which Trump was caught on an open microphone bragging about groping women…”

Former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly interviewed four of these women on her show and stated afterward that, having practiced law for ten years, she felt that the case made against Donald Trump was credible.

Fires Continue to Rage in California

The Los Angeles Times wrote on December 14:

“Fire officials confirmed Thursday that a firefighter died while battling the Thomas fire, which ranks as the fourth-largest in the state’s modern history…

“Despite a couple of days of reduced winds and feverish efforts by firefighters to establish new containment lines, the 242,500-acre Thomas fire has surpassed the size of the Zaca fire, which scorched Santa Barbara County in 2007…

“Firefighters have taken advantage of a two-day lull in winds to increase fire containment to 30%. Those efforts could be tested soon, however, as forecasters predict a new blast of Santa Ana winds… and sundowner windsover Santa Barbara County…

“In Thursday’s incident report, fire officials said they didn’t expect to reach full containment of the blaze until Jan. 7 — more than three weeks from now…

“The fire has destroyed more than 900 homes in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties since it began Dec. 4…”

Witchcraft on the Rise in the USA

CBS New York wrote on December 8:

“At a time when participation in traditional religions is declining among Americans, the practice of witchcraft is said to be on the rise… Nestled in the heart of the Hudson Valley is the Church of the Eternal Circle, the only legally recognized Wiccan Church in the state of New York… It’s estimated that as many as a million people identify as being a witch in the U.S. with 20 percent of that population said to be in New York.

“… members say witchcraft is actually grounded in love and spirituality… They say magic is simply the belief that you can make anything happen. ‘It’s kind of like prayer’… There is… a love for the goddess of creation and inspiration… A somber celebration marked the start of winter. Known as the night of souls, it’s when witches honor their ancestors…”

Terrible!

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.

Ezekiel 28 speaks of two individuals. The first personage is a physical human being who is described here as the “Prince of Tyre.” The second individual is the “King of Tyre.” As one reads through this chapter, one will find striking similarities between the two individuals, and some are confused about the meaning. We need to correctly understand who is being talked about; then we can start to see the types of similarities that these two individuals share; and finally, we will understand why they are important.

First of all, we should take note of chapters 26 and 27 which speak of the City of Tyre. It is referenced many times in the Bible and has played an interesting role in history. As is often the case, the Bible refers to this city as well in a dual role. The ancient city of Tyre is compared with the modern Babylonian system in Europe and the end-time city which is built on seven hills. And so we can already see the duality between the destruction of the city of Tyre and the city of Rome, and with it, the entire Babylonian system (Ezekiel 27:28-36; Revelation 18:9-21). Please read our booklet “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord,” specifically Part 3, entitled “Ancient and Modern ‘Tyre’ in Prophecy,” for more in depth and detailed information.

In chapter 28 and in verses 1-10, we are introduced to the Prince of Tyre.  This is not a reference to an ancient personage who was killed; but rather, the Bible reveals that this individual is an end-time man (verse 2) who will become exceedingly powerful, both in wisdom and in riches. He considers himself to be a god or God. But verses 18b-19 show us that this person will be killed and burned up in fire. He will turn to ashes. His rule will come to an end. This Prince of Tyre is then synonymous with being a ruler in the end-time Babylonian system or the European power bloc. He is also described in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 which prophecies about the man of sin who claims to be God. This fits hand in hand with the person mentioned in Ezekiel. Please read our Q&A, entitled, “Who or What Restrains or Holds Back the Manifestation of the Man of Sin?” 

This person then is the religious leader of the European Babylonian system (Revelation 17:3). We should realize that this religious leader will come to Jerusalem and rule from there with the beast power (Matthew 24:15; Daniel 8:11).  A few other names for this religious person and the religious system which he will lead include: “mystery of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:7); “lawless one” (2 Thessalonians 2:8); “the false prophet” (Revelation 19:20); the “abomination of desolation” (Matthew 24:15); “another beast” (Revelation 13:11); “the great harlot” (Revelation 17:1); “the woman” (Revelation 17:3); “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” (Revelation 17:5); “that great city” (Revelation 17:18); and “that mighty city” (Revelation 18:10).

The man of sin is the “Prince of Tyre”—the false prophet and the religious leader, whom Jesus Christ will destroy at His return. This man will be possessed by Satan or by extremely powerful demons to perform false signs and lying wonders.

In verses 11-18a of Ezekiel 28, another personage is described and referred to as the “King of Tyre”—no longer the “Prince of Tyre.” This individual is none other than Satan the devil—the real power behind the Prince of Tyre. Satan was originally known as Lucifer. He was perfect before God at his creation. He had immense wisdom, power and beauty. But he threw it all away by sinning. He wanted more and attempted to fight God. Lucifer who became Satan, along with fallen angels who became demons, were cast to the earth (Isaiah 14:12-15; Luke 10:18). Beginning with Ezekiel 28:18b, the Scripture reverts back to the human Prince of Tyre.

Now that we have some context, let us review the Scriptures once again and look at the similarities that these two personalities share in regard to things that they have done and will (attempt to) do.

Starting in verses 1-2 of Ezekiel 28, we see that this Prince of Tyre will exalt himself and act as if he was god; he may even think or at least proclaim that he is God (compare 2 Thessalonians 2:4). This is exactly what Satan wanted and wants—to become God and the ruler over the entire universe and the spirit realm. So just before this person will be trying to impersonate a god or God, Satan and his demons will have launched another attack on God (Revelation 12:1-13). They are both trying to accomplish the same end goal—the destruction of the God Family.

In verses 3-5 and in verse 11 of Ezekiel 28, we see that both have a type of wisdom.  When tempting Eve, Satan persuaded her with false logic and reasoning to trick her. He showed himself to be very deceptive and cunning. This type of wisdom is called out in James 3:13-16 as demonic and earthly.  The man of sin [the Prince of Tyre] is described as being wiser than Daniel (Ezekiel 28:3). Daniel was a prophet of God, who spoke and wrote down prophecy as God gave it to him, including prophecy about the end time events that will take place.

Revelation 13:11-16  shows that the false prophet will get his power from Satan and great will that power be. It may be possible that this false prophet, under the inspiration of Satan, will be able to accurately foretell the future in some instances (Deuteronomy 13:1–4; Acts 16:16–19). In 1 Samuel 28, King Saul participated in a séance, where a demon, impersonating the dead Samuel, foretold accurately the immediate future (verses 19; compare our free booklet, “Do We have an Immortal Soul?”).

Since demons are lying spirits, one would never know when they tell the truth, which would also be the case for the false prophet who will be under Satan’s influence.

Verses 16 and 18 of Ezekiel 28 speak of Satan’s abundance of trading. In fact, the first half of verse 18 points out that this trading was iniquity or sin, and verse 16 says that by “the abundance of [his] trading [he] became filled with violence within, and [he] sinned.” While the human King of Tyre “gained riches” for himself and “gathered gold and silver into [his] treasuries,” and by his “great wisdom in trade” he “increased [his] riches” (verses 4-5), the trade which Satan was engaged in did not refer to those kinds of physical treasures. While we don’t know exactly what was being traded by Satan, it is a possibility that he “traded” with the angels under his command by promising them great things, tempting and persuading them to join him in his plan of rebellion.  We know that ultimately Satan was able to draw a following of a third of the angels. This took time and effort on his part to get them to join him (Revelation 12:4).

The Prince of Tyre amasses great riches, which he acquires by his trade. This will cause great power to be able to be given to him. He also causes people to worship the beast and to accept his name and his number. This takes great beguiling and charm. As Satan was able to tempt those demons, so also will this individual be able to sway almost the entire world. Quite a powerful scene can be read about in Revelation 13:11-18.

Ultimately, the Prince of Tyre will be removed from his position of power.  Revelation 19:20 states: “Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.” This is ultimately Satan’s [temporary] exile as well. Revelation 20:10 states: “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet [were, or had been cast into]. And they [Satan and his demons] will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”

This speaks of the time after the 1,100 years of the Millennium and the Great White Throne Judgment. However, Satan and his demons will not be in that lake of fire for all eternity and without end, because that fire will be extinguished when there is nothing left to be burned, and when God will create new heavens and a new earth. Please see our Q&A, entitled, “What Does the Bible Mean when It Speaks of Eternal Concepts and Eternity?”  Please also read our Q&A, entitled, “Will Satan Deceive Man After the Millennium.” 

In both cases, the lake of fire will only be a temporary fate for the beast and the false prophet, as well as Satan and his demons. When referring to the ultimate fate of Satan and his demons, Jude 13 might give us an answer; and the lake of fire which the beast and the false prophet will be cast into at the time of Christ’s return is only a forerunner of the ultimate lake of fire, which will devour God’s adversaries in the Third Resurrection, which event will occur 1,100 years later.  The beast and the false prophet will still receive their chance for salvation in the Second Resurrection; of course, they will have to decide then whether to accept or reject God’s Way of Life.

One final comparison not found in Ezekiel 28, but rather in the book of Isaiah, is interesting when viewed from the following standpoint: Isaiah 14:3-11 speaks of the time when God will bring to pass what is pronounced in this proverb against the King of Babylon (Prince of Tyre). What is interesting to note is that this fall of the physical King of Babylon is once again intertwined with the description of the fall of Satan which we find described in verses 12–15, while the description of the fate of the human King of Babylon then continues with verse 16.

As we see the signs for end-time occurrences happening around us, we should take note of these events and be able to understand the fate of Satan and those who will be used to do his bidding. We must want NO part of sin or the system of sin that Satan has instituted and with which he enslaves the whole world.

Lead Writer: Kalon Mitchell

compiled by Dave Harris

A Tech Team meeting was conducted via SKYPE on last Sunday morning, December 10, 2017. Hosted by Eric Rank, special emphasis was given to discussing promo videos for booklets, live service broadcasts and a review of statistics for viewership of our webpage.

“The Lord’s Prayer—Does Pope Francis Really Want to Change It?” is the title of a new Standingwatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Also, this program is presented by Mr. Link in German: “Das Vaterunser—Will Papst Franziskus es wirklich ändern?” Here is a summary:

Pope Francis has called for a changed translation of the phrase, “Lead us not into temptation” in the Lord’s Prayer. The reaction of the Christian world is mixed. But what are media reports missing? What exactly DID Jesus mean?

A new Booklet Video, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” has been prepared by Michael Link.

“Zauberei, Hexerei, Magie und Aberglaube,” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Sorcery, Witchcraft, Magic and Superstition.”

“Delusions of Grandeur,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted in audio.

“How (Not) To Be a Pharisee!” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Christ startled His disciples when He declared to them that they would not inherit the Kingdom of God if their righteousness was not to exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees.  The Pharisees were considered to be extremely righteous and law-abiding religious leaders, so how could anyone exceed their righteousness and their zeal for the law? What were the fundamental character flaws of the Pharisees? And how can we make sure that we do not fall into the same trap?

On December 9, 2017, Kalon Mitchell will present the sermonette, titled, “Delusions of Grandeur,” and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “How (Not) to Be a Pharisee!”

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.

When Israel went before Samuel to demand a king, it was in response to egregious sins from his sons, the ruling priesthood.  We read that they, “turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice” (1 Samuel 8:3). In this climate of outward sinning, the elders of Israel, correctly, sought to remove those priests from ruling positions.  But they couldn’t have chosen a worse method to eradicate corruption from their presence.  To Samuel they pleaded, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways.  Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8:5).

God understood what this plea really signified and who it was that Israel wanted distance from, “And the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them’” (1 Samuel 8:7).

Samuel was quite clear in describing the characteristics of how a king would rule (see Samuel 8:11-18). But even with the warnings about human leadership, Israel stayed the course to reject God and seek rulership and justice via carnal man.  Israel had had enough of godly rule and in their heart wanted to assimilate into the world around them, “Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, ‘No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles’” (1 Samuel 8:19-20).

The desire to “be like other nations” is a key attitude that has plagued Israel from its inception.  It is a disease to all descendants of Israel and the promises given to us through Abraham. So much more is expected of our conduct! It was God’s desire that we be “a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth” (Deuteronomy 14:2).

It was God’s wish that Israel carry the banner of His priesthood, an example to the nations that God was in charge.  But Israel chose instead to seek power from within human leaders.  They were warned what would accompany this reliance on man instead of God and for several millennia have suffered because of that choice.  Although Israelite nations still actively reject God, He has not rejected His promise or the love He has for His special people.

It is in that environment that you and I are tasked to pick up that banner, to exclaim that Godly rule does prosper. We must not be blinded like ancient Israel and think God doesn’t fight for us. The only battle that truly matters—overcoming sin—can only be won when we allow God to lead.

by Norbert Link

We begin with developments pertaining to Israel and the Middle East, including President Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and his intention to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem; and continue with American and European reactions to the ongoing threat from North Korea.

We discuss the deteriorating relationship between Germany and the USA; resurfacing thoughts of entering into a grand coalition in Germany under Merkel and Schulz; the desired, but non-existent expansion of the US military; and the highly controversial U.S. tax bill which the Senate adopted secretly in the dead of night.

We speak on the troublesome future of the US economy; address frightening murderous weapons; focus on America’s continuing withdrawal from many international agreements; report on the US Supreme Court’s decision upholding the Muslim travel ban; and discuss Germany’s fight with immigration.

We continue with Austria’s Supreme Court’s decision to recognize gay marriages; speak on a Court decision in France against a Muslim supermarket, which sets a dangerous precedence; give an update on the developments pertaining to Catalonia’s fight for independence from Spain; and conclude with an interesting article about popular Christmas songs which were all written by Jewish immigrants.

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

Recognizing Jerusalem as Capital of Israel and Moving US Embassy to Jerusalem

The New York Times wrote on December 6:

“President Trump on Wednesday officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reversing decades of American foreign policy. Mr. Trump made the formal announcement during a speech in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, with Vice President Mike Pence standing behind him.

“The following is a transcript of his remarks…

“‘In 1995, Congress adopted the Jerusalem Embassy Act urging the federal government to relocate the American Embassy to Jerusalem and to recognize that that city, and so importantly, is Israel’s capital. This act passed congress by an overwhelming bipartisan majority. And was reaffirmed by unanimous vote of the Senate only six months ago. Yet, for over 20 years, every previous American president has exercised the law’s waiver, refusing to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem or to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city. Presidents issued these waivers under the belief that delaying the recognition of Jerusalem would advance the cause of peace. Some say they lacked courage but they made their best judgments based on facts as they understood them at the time. Nevertheless, the record is in.

“‘After more than two decades of waivers, we are no closer to a lasting peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. It would be folly to assume that repeating the exact same formula would now produce a different or better result. Therefore, I have determined that it is time to officially recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel…

“‘It was 70 years ago that the United States under President Truman recognized the state of Israel. Ever since then, Israel has made its capital in the city of Jerusalem, the capital the Jewish people established in ancient times. Today, Jerusalem is the seat of the modern Israeli government. It is the home of the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, as well as the Israeli Supreme Court. It is the location of the official residence of the prime minister and the president. It is the headquarters of many government ministries…

“‘Jerusalem is today and must remain a place where Jews pray at the Western Wall, where Christians walk the stations of the cross, and where Muslims worship at Al Aqsa Mosque.

“‘… consistent with the Jerusalem embassy act, I am also directing the State Department to begin preparation to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. This will immediately begin the process of hiring architects, engineers and planners so that a new embassy, when completed, will be a magnificent tribute to peace…

“‘The United States would support a two-state solution if agreed to by both sides. In the meantime, I call on all parties to maintain the status quo at Jerusalem’s holy sites including the Temple Mount, also known as Haram al-Sharif…”

It is interesting that President Trump did not say that Jerusalem was the exclusive capital of Israel; that he declared support for a two-state solution if both sides agree (which will never happen; see next articles); that the status quo at the Temple Mount is not to be changed; and that Muslims are to be able to worship at the Al Aqsa Mosque. Finally, even though he recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital (not excluding the possibility that the eastern part of Jerusalem might ALSO become the capital of a Palestinian state), he signed a waiver delaying the move of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem for at least six months, and it is expected that he will continue signing waivers for the next 3 to 4 years, according to ABC News of December 5.

All in all, it seems his big announcement was “much ado about nothing,” except that it upset the rest of the world.

Trying to Please the Evangelicals?

Fox News wrote on December 5:

“There are millions of evangelical eyes on Trump, waiting to see if he will keep his campaign promise to move the embassy, longtime Pastor John Hagee told Fox News. ‘I can assure you that 60 million evangelicals are watching this promise closely because if President Trump moves the embassy into Jerusalem, he will historically step into immortality,’ Hagee said.

“‘He will be remembered for thousands of years for his act of courage to treat Israel like we already treat other nations. If he does not, he will be remembered as just another president who made a promise he failed to keep which would generate massive disappointment in that strong evangelical base that went to vote for him against Hillary Clinton,’ he added…

“A March 2016 Gallup poll found that the majority of Americans didn’t express an opinion when asked if the U.S. embassy should move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. But of those who did have an opinion, Americans were split with 24 percent supporting a move and 20 percent disagreeing with relocation.”

Warnings and Reactions

The Daily Mail wrote on December 6:

“In Gaza, U.S. and Israeli flags were burned and in the West Bank Hamas declared Friday a ‘day of rage,’ raising the specter of mass violence in the occupied territories… Two leading Lebanese newspapers published front-page rebukes of Trump…”

AFP wrote on December 5:

“Warnings multiplied on Tuesday, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warning Trump in a speech that the status of Jerusalem is a ‘red line’ for Muslims and could even prompt Turkey to cut ties with Israel.”

Newsmax wrote on December 6:

“Pope Francis… called on Wednesday for the city’s ‘status quo’ to be respected… The Vatican backs a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, with both sides agreeing on the status of Jerusalem as part of the peace process. Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future independent state, whereas Israel has declared the whole city to be its ‘united and eternal’ capital…

“The Vatican and Israel established full diplomatic relations in 1994… The Vatican signed its first treaty with the ‘State of Palestine’ in 2015.”

The EUObserver wrote on December 6:

“Trump’s decision comes despite warnings by Germany, France, EU officials, and Arab and Muslim leaders that the Jerusalem move would make the conflict worse. Recognising Jerusalem ‘as the capital of Israel does not calm a conflict, rather it fuels it even more,’ German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel said… He called Trump’s plan ‘a very dangerous development’…

“Gabriel echoed French president Emmanuel Macron… [who] restated the EU and UN position that Israel and Palestine must share ‘Jerusalem as their capital’ in future.”

Deutsche Welle reported on December 6:

“Former German Ambassador to Israel Rudolf Dreßler told DW that the United States would seriously harm the Middle East peace process with an embassy move… Now Russia, China and the EU will take over this role [of negotiating with Israel and the Palestinians].

“… if renewed violence should become a reality — for instance, with a third intifada — then Germany and all of its EU partners will have a lot to deal with. We will have to determine how to reformulate the EU’s role against the backdrop of Trump and Netanyahu’s policies in Israel…”

Saudi Arabia Might Strike a Deal with Israel against Iran

Israel National News reported on December 3:

“A bombshell report suggests that Saudi Arabia [is] ready to sign a deal with the Jewish state… Prime Minister Netanyahu’s former national security advisor Yaakov Nagel told the Telegraph that Saudi Arabia is so desperate to ink an agreement with Israel that it is prepared to move forward despite lack of a Palestinian state. Saudi Arabia’s traditional position forbids negotiations with Israel until a two-state solution is implemented…

“Israel has long been rumored to be holding covert ties with Saudi Arabia and Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said last week that Israel enjoys warm relations with many Arab countries despite the fact that these countries officially refuse to recognize Israel’s existence… ‘We are talking about a dozen Islamic countries, including the Arab countries that understand the potential of relations with Israel…’”

In the end, many Arab nations will join forces to fight Israel, and according to Psalm 83, Ishmael or Saudi Arabia will be one of them.

“UK Woos Israel as Relationship with EU Breaks Down”

The Times of Israel wrote on November 27:

“As Britain proceeds with the dissolution of its marriage to its long-term partner, the European Union, it has started to court new companions, among them Israel.

“Brexit — the process the UK has initiated for withdrawing from the EU, which is estimated to impact economic growth, create financial instability and cut jobs — is a challenge, but it also presents ‘huge’ opportunities for Israel, said Hugo Bieber, chief executive of the chamber of commerce UK Israel Business (UKIB), who led the chamber’s largest business delegation to Israel last week with a similar message to Israeli firms.”

The ongoing friendly relationship between the USA, the UK and Israel—many times in opposition to Europe’s viewpoint—will not continue.

Dealing with North Korea

The New York Times wrote on December 3:

“The news last week from the Korean Peninsula about yet another ballistic missile launch was déjà vu all over again. This one had an estimated range of 8,100 miles — long enough to hit Washington, D.C., or anywhere else in the continental United States. President Trump responded with angry tweets…

“… a military response is highly unlikely… All sides realize that the human and economic costs of another Korean war are simply unfathomable. Several American presidents have tried to persuade the Kim dynasty to abandon its nuclear ambitions, through a combination of sanctions and negotiations. But these efforts have been unsuccessful.

“… the United States and its allies ought to… wage financial warfare against Mr. Kim and his cabal. The United States must take the lead by ramping up a covert campaign against the regime’s criminal enterprises. This effort ought to include a full-court press of dirty tricks, coercion, heavy-handed threats and even direct action, all covert and deniable, against Kim’s financial wizards…

“Such tradecraft must also be applied outside North Korea and Asia against the businesses and banks in Europe, South America and elsewhere that enable Kim’s criminal empire to flourish… And as North Korea is recognized as a state sponsor of terror, helping groups like Hezbollah with arms and expertise, a numbing slew of lawsuits should be filed seeking damages; those damages will result in the forfeiture of North Korean assets — open and hidden — around the world…”

This may sound good, but it is nothing more than a balloon of hot air and wishful thinking. The idea that all countries would participate in such an endeavor is naïve and illusionary. Furthermore, the assertion that war is highly unlikely is very optimistic, to say the least. The sad truth is that nuclear war between the USA and North Korea is a distinct possibility, and the reaction of many countries, including of European nations, might be hostile towards the USA. Note the next articles.

Threat of Nuclear World War III

The Week wrote on December 4:

“My mind is consumed with thoughts of what could happen if my greatest fear comes true: that North Korea makes the tragic mistake of conducting the first atmospheric nuclear weapons test since 1980, spreading radioactive fallout throughout the Pacific Ocean and eventually around the world… Such a test would likely garner a military response from the Trump administration, a response that could very well take us down a path to war. And I have no illusions of what such a war would look like: nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons used; millions of people dead; trillions of dollars in damage… A Third World War is not even out of the question…

“North Korea… could very well consider the Trump administration’s response a full-throated first step towards the destruction of its nuclear program or perhaps the realization of Kim’s worst fear: a move towards regime change. If that is the case, Pyongyang would feel it had nothing to lose, and would likely fire whatever nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons it has at any target in its sites. If America did not destroy all of Kim’s nuclear tipped missiles, and North Korea has indeed perfected all of the technological milestones needed to attack a U.S. city, which is possible, Pyongyang would certainly fire any and all remaining missiles towards America. Even just one nuclear detonation on a major U.S. city like Los Angeles could result in over a million casualties. You could easily assume there would be millions more casualties if North Korea successfully launched nuclear attacks on Seoul or Tokyo, with metro populations totaling 60 million…

“I have been in Washington for too long and know how this could all very well play out – indeed, how it most likely would play out. The optics of an above-ground test, a mushroom cloud spreading radioactivity all over the globe being amplified over and over by social media, would very likely be the straw that broke the nuclear camel’s back. A second Korean War would be almost unavoidable… It seems the choice for war or peace in Northeast Asia is in North Korea’s hands. I just hope they realize it.”

There will be wars and rumors of wars, for nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Europe Under Threat of North Korea

The Washington Post wrote on November 29:

“North Korea’s recent tests have also put a range of European capitals on the map of Pyongyang’s possible targets… Cities like Paris, London or Berlin are all located much closer to North Korea than Washington D.C…

“So far, North Korea has focused on its archenemy, the United States, even though European politicians have acknowledged that an escalation of the conflict could easily draw Europe into the dispute…

“Yet… Europe’s role in pressuring it into halting its program remained mostly unchanged — and largely rhetorical. As well as condemning the missile tests, European top officials have also lashed out at Trump for threatening Pyongyang… Europe’s reluctance to fully support the U.S. stance toward handling the North Korea dilemma is likely being welcomed by Russia, which similarly condemned the test on Wednesday and indirectly appeared to warn the United States of overreacting…

“The measured response by the Kremlin, which is ironically known in Europe for its often aggressive military operations, and its striking similarity to Western Europe’s approach, likely has a lot to do with the fact that none of their capitals are currently in the sights of North Korea’s missiles. Yet, at the same time, the diplomatic solution they all favor has made little head way so far…”

Due to its policy of duplicity, Europe might very well find itself sitting between two chairs, not knowing where to turn. When the awakening comes, Europe might react with desperation and furor. In this context, the following article by Reuters, dated December 4, is interesting: “Last week, Norbert Roettgen, a member of Merkel’s conservative party and head of the foreign affairs committee in the Bundestag, decried a ‘deplorable’ lack of leadership in educating Germans about the need to invest more in their own defense and security.”

A Decisive Role for  Germany?

Bloomberg wrote on December 3:

“The [German] government believes that it can use its experience of reunification after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 to give peace [with North Korea] a chance. The reasoning is both humanitarian, to avert the risk of nuclear brinkmanship, and economic self-preservation, to protect regional trade routes that are vital to its continued status as the world’s third-biggest exporter. An armed conflict ‘would be close to a catastrophe for us economically,’ Volker Stanzel, a former German ambassador to China, said in an interview…

“Relations were not always on ice. Back in 1984, when the Berlin Wall still stood as a bulwark between east and west, North Korea’s Kim Il Sung — the grandfather of Kim Jong Un — visited East Germany, touring a collective farm and reportedly receiving treatment at an East Berlin hospital. East German leader Erich Honecker reciprocated two years later with a trip to North Korea, where Kim Il Sung requested East German help in building a synthetic-fiber plant.

“Then in the spring of 2000, as Berlin was still getting to grips with its rediscovered role as the seat of government for a reunified Germany, a delegation from North Korea came knocking at the door of then-Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder’s administration… Almost two decades on, the conflict has sharpened exponentially, though Merkel is taking a similar tack. In September, she suggested that the six-power talks that led to a deal with Iran to limit its nuclear activity could be a model for dealing with the U.S.-North Korean conflict. ‘Europe, and Germany in particular, should be ready to take a very active part’ in any such initiative, Merkel told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper…

“North Korea offers another chance for German leaders to show they’re serious about a more active global role, said Wolfgang Ischinger, a former German ambassador to the U.S. who heads the annual Munich Security Conference… Diplomacy may have its limits, however. Sweden and Norway also have established ties to Pyongyang without any noticeable outcome. While Germany’s goodwill is appreciated, any attempts at dialogue with Pyongyang are unlikely to be feasible, since North Korea doesn’t want a mediator or broker to talk to the U.S…

“Volmer, the former deputy foreign minister… says, Merkel is right to suggest stronger engagement on the issue. She shouldn’t ‘just leave it to an unpredictable duel between Trump and Kim Jong Un.’”

Even though any attempts by Germany to bring peace with North Korea through talks would be unsuccessful, it is still interesting that Germany sees itself more and more as a powerful influence on the world scene and the leader of Europe.

Germany vs. USA—“Relations Will Never Be the Same”

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 5:

“German Foreign Minister [and vice chancellor] Sigmar Gabriel… spoke about strained relations with the United States under the administration of President Donald Trump. ‘The US no longer sees the world as a global community, but as a fighting arena where everyone has to seek their own advantage,’ Gabriel said. The Social Democrat argued that German foreign policy must be more daring, and not simply follow the line from Washington. ‘Germany can no longer simply react to US policy but must establish its own position…even after Trump leaves the White House, relations with the US will never be the same’… Gabriel brushed off criticism that after 72 days without a new government, Berlin could hardly be called upon to take a prominent role in shaping global policy.”

The Hill added on December 6:

“German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said… that the Trump administration looks more and more at Europe as a ‘competitor or economic rival’ instead of as an ally… he also said that Germany needs to be able to ‘define our own position and, if necessary, draw red lines, in partnership, but oriented around our own interests.’”

Germany first?

A Radically Different Europe under a German Grand Coalition?

The Washington Post wrote on December 7:

“The Social Democrats (SPD) had repeatedly insisted they would not join Merkel’s conservatives in another grand coalition… but on Thursday… SPD delegates cleared the way for party leader Martin Schulz to begin negotiationswith Merkel as soon as next week…

“… the talks are not expected to yield agreement any time soon… And the negotiations could still fail… Schulz on Thursday appeared to widen the gap between himself and Merkel in one critical area, Europe, by proposing a far more integrated club that mirrors another union across the Atlantic. ‘I want a new constitutional treaty to establish the United States of Europe,’ Schulz said. The treaty, he said, would go into effect by 2025. European Union members that don’t accept the new agreement would be forced to leave the bloc…

“French President Emmanuel Macron… has detailed a far-reaching plan to more tightly bind users of the euro currency through a common finance minister and budget…

“Schulz was reelected as SPD leader on Thursday with 82 percent of the vote…”

Deutsche Welle added on December 7:

“The SPD motion said the ‘open-ended’ talks could start as early as next week and would lead to three options: a new grand coalition; the acceptance of a Merkel minority government or, if negotiations fail, new elections.”

President Trump’s Military Expansion Only a Mirage?

Politico wrote on December 3:

“President Donald Trump came into office pledging the largest defense spending spree since the administration of Ronald Reagan — assuring the troops that they would see ‘beautiful new planes and beautiful new equipment.’ But that vision remains little more than a mirage, top Pentagon officials, lawmakers and defense industry executives lamented during a gathering this weekend at Reagan’s presidential library…

“During his insurgent presidential campaign, Trump promised to expand the Army from 476,000 active-duty to troops to 540,000. He [stated] that the Navy needs to be much larger, pledging to boost the number of warships from 275 to 350. More missile defense systems, an upgraded nuclear arsenal and hundreds of additional fighter aircraft were also on his wish list…

“But lawmakers and the administration have taken few concrete steps to lock in any sustained increase in defense spending close to the 3 percent to 5 percent a year that Defense Secretary James Mattis says is needed to make the vision a reality…

“Even as the Trump administration requested more military spending for this year, Pentagon officials were managing expectations — telling Congress that the buildup would not kick in until the administration’s upcoming budget for the 2019 fiscal year, which starts next October. Navy Secretary Richard Spencer said he hopes Congress will still reach an agreement that lets the administration put at least some of Trump’s pledges into motion… But he acknowledged doubts that Congress can do that, even if it lifts the budget caps.”

This does not look good for the effectiveness of the US military.

The Unpopular Senate Tax Bill

The Associated Press wrote on December 2:

“Republicans muscled the largest tax overhaul in 30 years through the Senate early Saturday, taking a big step toward giving President Donald Trump his first major legislative triumph after months of false starts and frustration on other fronts… Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell… shrugged off polls finding scant public enthusiasm for the measure, saying the legislation would prove its worth…

“The measure focuses its tax reductions on businesses and higher-earning individuals [and] gives more modest breaks to others…  Even an official projection of a $1 trillion, 10-year flood of deeper budget deficits couldn’t dissuade GOP senators from rallying behind the bill… Democrats derided the hastily written, scribbles-in-the-margin crafting of the bill in the final hours Friday night…”

The hastily revised 479-page bill was disseminated shortly before the final vote, without giving the senators a real chance to read, let alone absorb the bill. The Republicans are guilty of the same deplorable maneuvering which the Democrats engaged in when adopting Obamacare. Note the next article.

The New Senate Tax Bill—Blessing or Curse?

The Week wrote on December 2:

“In the dead of night, the Republican tax bill passed the Senate on a party-line 51-49 vote, with Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) the lone dissenting Republican. It will now either have to be reconciled with the already passed House bill, and passed again by both chambers, or simply passed by the House as is and sent on to President Trump. But regardless of the coming parliamentary procedural hurdles, the lessons of Friday’s vote are clear: Some version of this tax bill is going to become law. And that is very bad for America.

“It’s almost wrong to call this legislative monstrosity a tax bill at all. It is more a top-to-bottom restructuring of American society – one which is a sharp attack on several bedrock American values: education, homeownership, and entrepreneurship…

“The biggest single goal of this bill is a huge tax cut for the top 1 percent. The bill slashes taxes on corporations, increases tax benefits for foreign dividends, and cuts taxes for ‘pass-through’ corporations (which will immediately become the new hotness in tax shelter legal chicanery)…

“At every point Republicans relied on lies… They held no hearings… they did not even release the final text until the last possible moment. House Speaker Paul Ryan lied constantly about its contents. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin repeatedly promised an analysis ‘showing’ that the bill would not increase the deficit by turbo-charging growth. This was such a preposterous lie that he didn’t even bother faking the numbers. The secrecy prevented people from examining how it is stuffed full of quiet corporate handouts, only some of which have been discovered – like a big one to General Electric.

“This bill will explode the deficit. And make no mistake, when it does, Republicans… are going to immediately start demanding cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid – indeed, under congressional rules Medicare is due for a $25 billion cut in 2018 alone…”

If this is true, then Republicans have a lot to answer for, when judged by God.

Ending the Obamacare Mandate—Blessing or Curse?

The Hill wrote on December 2:

“Senate Republicans have approved the repeal of ObamaCare’s individual mandate as part of their tax-cut bill, a major step toward ending an unpopular part of the health-care law… The Senate tax bill must still be reconciled with House legislation that does not include the mandate’s repeal. But that is unlikely to be a major issue, given support in the GOP conference for repealing the mandate.

“It’s unclear what repeal of the mandate will mean for ObamaCare. Many experts and health-care groups warn that repeal will destabilize ObamaCare markets, leading to premium increases or insurers simply dropping out of certain areas…

“Moderate Republicans are now pushing for bipartisan ObamaCare fixes to help stabilize insurance markets, setting up a showdown with conservatives… Repealing the mandate also saves $300 billion over ten years in subsidies that otherwise would have been spent on consumers, according to the Congressional Budget Office, providing savings for the tax cuts. The CBO estimates that 13 million fewer people will have health insurance over the next decade without the mandate, and it projects that premiums will rise 10 percent. But it also projects markets will remain stable in ‘almost all areas of the country.’’

It would be devastating for many if premiums would indeed be raised again… given the abominable increase of premiums by greedy insurance companies, which ALREADY have taken place for 2018.

“Slightly Nervous” Outlook for 2018 Economy

Bloomberg wrote on December 4, 2017:

“As 2017 enters its final month… let’s just say what we see makes us slightly nervous about 2018… Pockets of the bond market… look troublesomely bubble-like… the flattening of the yield curve is worrying some bond investors… With government paper offering… meager returns, money has been flowing into corporate bonds…

“Sales of new corporate debt denominated in euros are also setting records this year…”

What this may mean is that the US economy is a bubble which may burst in 2018, and that the dollar is losing its economic strength, which may all be bad news for the US economy.

Most Destructive Wildfire Season in California’s History

The Huffington Post wrote on December 6:

“It’s been the most destructive wildfire season in California history, and it’s getting worse. Conditions in California are especially ripe for devastating fires at the moment, with tinder-dry undergrowth; strong, volatile winds; and terrain that’s difficult for firefighters to traverse. Those natural catalysts are compounded by the proximity of several current fires to large population centers.

“In just the past three days, multiple fires have started in the hills of Los Angeles and surrounding cities, burning more than 83,400 acres. As of Wednesday morning, most of them were barely contained, if at all.”

By Thursday evening, more than 100,000 acres had been burned in the Los Angeles area. In addition, as fire in San Diego broke out (the “Lilac” fire) which had burned more than 2,500 acres by 4:00pm.

AI’s Murderous Weapons

The Daily Star wrote on December 3:

“Chinese and Russian Artificial Intelligence (AI) are set (to) leave US systems in their dust… an earth shattering report… claimed the US has rapidly fallen behind its rivals… Former deputy SDI, Robert Work, said the Pentagon needed to pour billions into researching advanced computing and robotics, or risk Russia developing murderous AI machines. Moscow hardman Vladimir Putin believes the country will develop the best AI and become ‘the ruler of the world’. [The] Russian military [is] building drones, robots and cruise missiles that could make deadly decisions without the need of humans.

“The advancement has panicked US billionaire Eric Schmidt who said China was also gaining on the US and could overtake Washington in five years. [He said:] ‘Let’s talk about immigration. Shockingly, some of the very best people in AI are in countries that we won’t let into America… Iran produces some of the top computer scientists in the world. I want [them] here. I want them working for Alphabet and Google. It’s crazy not to let these people in.’”

These events are indeed ironic and at the same time devastating for the USA. We should also take note of the development of robots, drones and missiles, which could make DECISIONS without human input.

USA Withdraws from UN Global Compact on Immigration

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 3:

“The United States has announced it is withdrawing from the Global Compact on Migration. The non-binding UN migration pact was meant to boost international cooperation on migration issues… In September 2016, all 193 UN member states of the General Assembly adopted the New York Declaration for Refugees and Migrants. The non-binding declaration includes a set of pledges to protect migrants, foster migrant integration, develop guidelines on the treatment of vulnerable migrants and strengthen global governance of migration, among other issues.

“‘The New York Declaration contains numerous provisions that are inconsistent with US immigration and refugee policies and the Trump Administration’s immigration principles. As a result, President Trump determined that the United States would end its participation in the Compact process that aims to reach international consensus at the UN in 2018,’ the US statement said…

“The Trump administration has withdrawn from several international commitments made under the Obama administration, including the Paris climate accord and Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal. In October, the United States said it will withdraw from UNESCO, citing what it called the UN culture and education body’s ‘anti-Israel bias.’”

The USA is becoming an exclusive country, and its voice is becoming irrelevant and undesired on the world scene.

US Supreme Court Upholds Muslim Travel Ban

The Washington Post wrote on December 5:

“The Supreme Court on Monday granted President Trump’s request to fully enforce his revised order banning travel to the United States by residents of six mostly Muslim countries while legal challenges to it proceed in lower courts. It was a victory for the White House, which has seen the courts trim back various iterations of the travel ban, and it bodes well for the administration if the Supreme Court is called upon to finally decide the merits of the president’s actions.

“Two lower courts had imposed restrictions on Trump’s new order, exempting travelers from the six countries who had ‘bona fide’ connections with relatives — such as grandparents, aunts or uncles — or institutions in the United States. Those exemptions to the president’s order, issued in the fall, were along the lines of those imposed by the Supreme Court last summer on a previous version of the travel ban.

“But in an unsigned opinion Monday that did not disclose the court’s reasoning, the justices lifted the injunctions, which had been issued by federal judges in Hawaii and Maryland… The latest iteration of the travel ban, the third Trump has issued, bars various people from eight countries: Syria, Libya, Iran, Yemen, Chad, Somalia, North Korea and Venezuela. Six of the countries have Muslim-majority populations.”

This means, the Supreme Court “overruled” without any explanation its prior ruling and struck exemptions for travelers from the six countries who have “bona fide” connections with relatives — such as grandparents, aunts or uncles — or institutions in the United States.

German Pilots Refuse to Carry Out Deportations; Appeals against Deportations Are Skyrocketing

Deutsche Welle reported on December 4:

“… the [German] government said that 222 planned flights were stopped by pilots who wanted no part in the controversial return of refugees to Afghanistan, which has been deemed a ‘safe country of origin’ in some cases, despite ongoing violence and repression in parts of the country.

“Some 85 of the refusals between January and September 2017 came from Germany’s main airline Lufthansa and its subsidiary Eurowings. About 40 took place at Dusseldorf airport… The majority of the canceled flights, around 140, took place at Frankfurt Airport, Germany’s largest and most important hub…

“Germany remains the main destination for refugees and migrants to the European Union — so much so that in 2017, Germany processed more asylum applications than all 27 other EU countries combined… the number of asylum seekers appealing their decisions has increased significantly… Nearly every second ruling made by the BAMF (the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees) in the first half of the year was brought before a judge… the courts side with about one in every four asylum seekers who appeal their status. According to public broadcaster NDR, these suits have cost Berlin about €19 million ($22.5 million) from January to November 2017, an increase of €7.8 million from the previous year.

“In order to reduce the number of appeals and speed up deportations, the government has proposed a program to begin in February 2018 that would see rejected asylum seekers given 3,000 euros as an incentive to accept deportation.”

These highly unpopular developments are bound to give support to right-wing anti-immigration movements and parties in Germany, such as the AfD.

“Gay Marriage in Austria Approved by Constitutional Court”

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 5:

“Austria’s top court has ruled that current laws are discriminatory and must be lifted by 2019. Same-sex couples have so far only been afforded ‘registered partnerships’… the court ruled that ‘the distinction between marriage and registered partnership … cannot be upheld at this day and age without discriminating against same-sex couples. The resulting discriminatory effect is seen in the fact that through the different title of the family status, people living in same-sex partnerships have to disclose their sexual orientation even in situations in which it is not, and must not be, relevant and … are highly likely to be discriminated against,’ the court said in its ruling…

“The ruling will remove the words ‘two people of different sex’ from the law on marriage… Austria has lagged behind several of its Western European neighbors in approving same-sex marriage. Even Germany surprisingly took the step in the run-up to last year’s general election, although critics said Chancellor Angela Merkel was primarily looking to neutralize a probable opposition talking point.”

Outrageous Decision in France

The Independent wrote on December 5:

“France has ordered a halal supermarket in Paris to close because it does not sell pork or wine. The Good Price mini-market in Colombes did not comply with the conditions of its lease, which stated the shop must act as a ‘general food store,’ the Court of Nanterre ruled.

“The local authority argued members of the local community were not being served properly because the shop did not sell pork or alcohol products. A bailiff’s report said the store almost exclusively stocked halal products.”

Spain vs. Catalonia

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 5:

“A Spanish judge withdrew a European arrest warrant for Catalonia’s exiled pro-independence leader Carles Puigdemont and four of his former ministers on Tuesday. Supreme Court magistrate Pablo Llarena said that the individual warrants were no longer valid as the alleged crimes were committed as a group and that the politicians under investigation had illustrated their ‘intention to return to Spain’ in order to run for upcoming elections in Catalonia. The judge kept a Spanish arrest warrant in place however, which means the Catalan leader would be detained immediately upon arrival in Spain…

“Puigdemont fled to Belgium after declaring his region independent from Spain in a referendum that saw voters in Catalonia vote overwhelmingly to secede from Madrid’s control – although the ballot was not sanctioned by Madrid and less than half of the electorate turned out to vote. The court’s decision came as campaigning began for Catalonia’s regional elections on December 21, called by Madrid after it dissolved Barcelona’s parliament over the ‘rebellion’ of its leaders… Along with Puigdemont and his ministers in Brussels, all eight are under investigation for rebellion, which can carry a prison sentence of up to 20 years.”

Jews Wrote Some of the Most Popular Christmas Songs

The Star, republished by JTA, wrote on November 30:

“It’s hard to think of words or music that conjure up the Christmas season more quickly than the opening of ‘The Christmas Song.’ The images evoke a classic, timeless Christmas… And though the song has become a worldwide symbol of Christmas, like nearly all the modern songs that now define this fundamentally Christian holiday it was written by Jews… Those songs include: ‘Do You Hear What I Hear,’ ‘Silver Bells,’ ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,’ ‘Holly Jolly Christmas,’ ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,’ ‘Winter Wonderland,’ ‘It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,’ ‘White Christmas’ and ‘Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!’…

“… Between 1881 and 1914 more than two million Jews left Russia, with America the prime destination. No single city was affected more by the influx of Jews than New York, where the Jewish population grew from approximately 80,000 in 1870 to 1.4 million in 1915, or almost 28 per cent of the city’s population… Forbidden from nearly all professions and restricted from pursuing higher education, a surprisingly large number found their way into the world of popular music…

“The overwhelming impulse among the children of Jewish immigrants was to assimilate, and the first step in becoming ‘American’ nearly always involved changing their names… Most not only left their names behind, but all traces of their Jewishness as well.

“… as the holiday season approaches, it is important to remember that they came from the children of Jewish immigrants, desperate to leave their pasts behind and join mainstream America. And today, at this polarizing moment in our history, when the place of immigrants in our society is under intense scrutiny, it might be valuable to remember that these songs of immigrants, songs that came out of America’s melting pot, have become the voice of the world’s Christmas.”

It is indeed paradoxical that President Trump’s fight against immigrants is accompanied with his desire to wish everyone a “Merry Christmas.” What is also remarkable is the tendency of many Jewish immigrants (who fled Russian persecution) to ignore their unpleasant past and leave their roots behind; only to have to deal with American persecution, while still being able to assimilate with mainstream views. Sadly, the embrace of the pagan Christmas season was the wrong kind of reaction.

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 question deals with a statement in the second letter to the Thessalonians. Let us review the particular passage in context:

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, 6-7 reads in the New King James Bible:

“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day [of Christ’s return] will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God…

“And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He [margin: Or he] who now restrains will do so until He [Margin: Or he] is taken out of the way.”

Many are confused about this passage. Some believe that the man of sin is a reference to the end-time “beast”—a political military leader. This is not the case. We write in our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of the Jewish People”:

“This ‘man of sin,’ who is also called ‘the lawless one’ in verses 8 and 9, is identified in the Book of Revelation as ‘the false prophet’ (compare, for example, Revelation 16:13; 19:20; see also Revelation 13:13–14). This religious figure will deceive people through ‘great signs’ (Revelation 13:13; 19:20). We read in 2 Thessalonians 2:9 that the coming of the lawless one is ‘according to the working of Satan, with all power, SIGNS and lying wonders.’ This false prophet will receive his powers to perform great signs from Satan and his demons (compare Revelation 16:13–14).”

The key of proper understanding as to the identity of the man of sin is the prophecy that Satan will use him to perform great lying signs and deceptive wonders (compare 2 Thessalonians 2:9). The same is stated about the false prophet (compare Revelation 19:20)—a powerful and influential religious personality leading a religious power which deceives through her sorcery (compare Revelation 18:23). One passage might indicate that due to demonic influence, the beast will also perform lying signs of some sort (Revelation 16:13-14), but the emphasis regarding powerful signs and wonders (including the ability to make fire come down from heaven) is on the false prophet.

Many times, writers speak of “Antichrist,” when they address the man of sin. However, the Bible nowhere applies this term to a person (either the beast or the false prophet). Rather, the term “antichrist” speaks of the concept of anyone teaching against God’s Word (1 John 2:18; compare our Q&A, Who is the Antichrist prophesied to come? ). Originally the terminology of Antichrist was adopted from Judaism (which adopted it, in all likelihood, from the Babylonians and the Greek) and applied to a political power (mainly the Roman Empire), but gradually, it was applied more and more to a religious power collaborating with the political power.

James Hastings, Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, under “Antichrist”, says the following regarding 2 Thessalonians:

“Antichrist here is a false Messiah, a prophet… the opponent of the true Messiah… the separation of the idea of Antichrist from the political tendency… comes clearly to the front… The belief that the pope of Rome was Antichrist, or at least his forerunner, became of world-historical importance. This view was … cultivated by the Franciscans… [it] passed over to the pre-Reformation sects…Wyclif…as well as Huss… are firmly convinced of the anti-Christian nature of the Papacy… the idea gradually dawned on Luther’s mind, and became fixed, that the Pope of Rome was the incarnate Antichrist…

“In the centuries that followed the Reformation, the doctrine that the Pope was Antichrist gradually receded in the background. It was, of course, still resolutely held by Protestant scholars, particularly by commentators on the Apocalypse… it is now to be found only among the lower classes of the Christian community, among sects, eccentric individuals, and fanatics.”

It is quite remarkable that those who teach the truth on the matter are called by the scholars of this world “eccentric individuals” or “fanatics.” But in light of the concept that the idea of “Antichrist” being the Papacy has fallen into oblivion, the following comments are interesting and shed also light on the fact that the world will be astonished when the beast and the false prophet appear. We will come back to this concept later in this Q&A.

For now, note what the Pulpit Commentary writes:

“The whole clause ought to be rendered, ‘The mystery of lawlessness is already working, only until he who restraineth is removed’; when that takes place, when the restraining influence is removed, the mystery of lawlessness will no longer work secretly, but will be openly manifested.”

The Benson Commentary agrees, stating:

“The mystery of iniquity already worketh, only until he who restrains it be taken out of the way; that is, it works in a concealed manner only until then…”

The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary shares this viewpoint as well:

“… translate rather, ‘only (that is, the continuance of the MYSTERY of iniquity-working will be only) until he who now withholdeth… be taken out of the way.’… Then it will work no longer in mystery, but in open manifestation.”

Focusing on the “restraining power” which holds back the manifestation of the man of sin until a certain time, there have been numerous interpretations—too many to cover here. We will discuss some of the most common concepts.

Many, if not most interpreters believe that the Roman Empire is that restraining power.

William Barclay, The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians, says this:

“What was the restraining force which was still keeping The Lawless One under control? No one can answer this question with certainty. Most likely Paul meant the Roman Empire… Rome was the restraining power which kept the world from insane anarchy. But the day would come when that power would be removed—and then would be chaos.”

The problem with this concept and similar ideas is that the passage in 2 Thessalonians is mainly a prophecy for the end time. Even though Paul says that the mystery of lawlessness was already at work at his time, the main focus is on the events preceding to and culminating in Christ’s Second Coming. The reference to the restraining power cannot be the ancient Roman Empire. However, the Bible teaches us that the ancient Roman Empire would be revived ten times. But even considering the last revival of the Roman Empire, the Bible does not support the idea that it could be the restraining power holding back the coming of the man of sin; in fact, the Bible tells us the exact opposite. It reveals that the beast and the false prophet will appear at the same time and collaborate with each other; and that the final revival of the ancient Roman Empire will be a combination of church and state (Revelation 17 tells us that the woman—the religious power—will ride the beast—the political power).

It is clear, then, that the “restraining power” cannot be the (revived) Roman Empire or, more generally, “the State,” which would hold back the religious power or its leader, the false prophet. But as we will see, it is a common (mis-)conception by misguided and misled worldly commentaries that the (revived) Roman Empire and/or the modern “constitutional” state allegedly restrained or restrains the coming of the man of sin.

For instance, Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible says this:

“… the Roman empire and Roman emperors… were by degrees entirely removed, and so made way for the revelation of this wicked one… [When the] western empire was overrun by the Goths, Vandals, and Huns, [it] became extinct about the year 476… and afterwards [it] was translated to Charles the great, king of the French; so that there was nothing more of the Roman empire remaining than the bare name, as at this day; and by this means the popes of Rome got to the height of their power and glory, which is meant by the revelation of the man of sin.”

This commentary overlooks the fact that the ancient Roman Empire would be revived ten times. Charles the Great constituted the fifth revival and under his rule, the name “Holy Roman Empire” was coined. Beginning with Justinian, it had become a collaboration between church and state—it is untrue that the popes came to power because the Roman Empire had ceased to exist. But Gill understands at least that the man of sin is not the beast—a political power—but a religious person.

Gill’s false concept regarding the restraining power is echoed by Matthew Henry’s Commentary:

“Something hindered or withheld the man of sin. It is supposed to be the power of the Roman empire… This passage exactly agrees with the system of popery, as it prevails in the Romish church, and under the Romish popes…”

The idea is again that the Popes usurped the political power of the Roman Empire. It is true that in history, there have been at times fights between church and state, when both powers tried to gain the preeminence over the other. However, as mentioned before, this is mainly a prophecy for the end time, when church and state will work together; when the woman will be riding the beast one last time, and when the beast and the false prophet will act in unison.

The Benson Commentary goes a step further and claims that the early church considered the restraining power as the Roman Empire. Even though this assertion is incorrect, it also neglects the fact of the end-time nature of the prophecy:

“This [“restraining power”]… was generally understood by the fathers to be the Roman emperors and empire, as it is plain from Tertullian, who says, (Apol., p. 31,) ‘We Christians are under a particular necessity of praying for the emperors, and for the continued state of the empire; because we know that dreadful power which hangs over the whole world, is retarded by the continuance of the time appointed for the Roman empire.’”

Tertullian was by no means a converted religious leader within the body of Christ. His admonition to pray for the continued state of the Roman Empire was a horrible misconception. The whole concept does not fit, because Paul talked about our desire for Christ’s soon-coming return. Why then would Christians even think of praying to God to hold back the man of sin… knowing that this would delay the return of Christ?

The same wrong concept as to what constitutes the “restraining power” is conveyed, with a twist, by the The Broadman Bible Commentary:

“That which held back the lawless one at that time probably was the civil government of the Roman Empire (thing) personified in the emperor (person)… This restraining power may be seen through the ages as constituted government and those who administer it… The man of lawlessness will exercise such tyrannical power as to do away with governmental limitations… But in his own time (God) will permit this man of lawlessness to act without restraint… He is Satan’s messiah, an infernal caricature of the true Messiah… Bailey insists that Paul was talking not about a principle, but a person. Those who seek to identify the lawless one with some historical figure (Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, the papacy) ‘are deplorably astray’…”

It is true that the man of sin is a person who will appear in the end time, and he will be a religious figure… not a political one. But again, the concept that government restrains or holds back the man of sin does not agree with the concept that none of the human worldly governments are of God, but all are under Satan’s rule. The concept that the “constitutional state” restrains the man of sin is wrong. In fact, the man of sin (as well as the beast) will rise to power through and within constitutional states. For instance, President Hindenburg constitutionally appointed Hitler as chancellor, after he had received the majority of the votes in a constitutionally held election. The same will be true for the last revival of the Roman Empire, when ten nations or groups of nations will give their power and authority to the beast. Focusing on the false prophet, he will be appointed, as all recent popes have been before, by the cardinals assembled in the constitutional Vatican State.

Recognizing the difficulty with the concept that the “restrainer” is the Roman Empire; a Roman Emperor; or even a modern constitutional state (with the idea that “the principle of law and government is embodied in the state”); different interpretations have been proposed.

The Nelson Study Bible writes:

“The present restrainer, probably the spirit of God, had to be taken out of the world… Some have interpreted ‘taken out of the way’ in this verse as a reference to the Rapture… This the removal of the church through the Rapture will be in effect the removal of all restraint on the power of sin in this world.”

Similar the Ryrie Study Bible:

“Antichrist is now being held back by a restrainer. Some understand this to be God indwelling His church by the Holy Spirit… the removal will be at the rapture of the church…”

The New Unger’s Bible Handbook supports this viewpoint:

“The One who holds back the full development and manifestation of the demonic forces of evil in this era… is the Holy Spirit. He has been forming and indwelling the church ever since Pentecost… and will do so until He ‘is taken out of the way,’ literally comes out of the midst, when He leaves in the distinctive sense in which He came at Pentecost. … “

This idea that the Holy Spirit is the restrainer which will be taken away so that the man of sin can become manifest, is based on the false concept of the “rapture,” teaching that  true Christians are allegedly taken to heaven before the Great Tribulation starts. However, the Bible nowhere teaches the idea of a rapture. Please see our Q&A, “Does 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 teach a ‘secret rapture’?” 

Apart from the wrong concept of the rapture, it is difficult to see how God [or His Spirit] could be taken out of the world. This is not God’s world; He is not the Ruler of this world; it is Satan; and the Holy Spirit is not being taken out of the Church so as if no one will make it into the Kingdom of God.

While the concept must be dismissed that the (ancient or revived) Roman Empire; the modern “constitutionally organized state”; or the Holy Spirit could be the “restrainer,” the following idea is worth considering, as expressed by J.R. Dummelow, The One Volume Bible Commentary:

“And it is hard to see how the words, ‘until he be taken out of the way’ can apply to a Roman emperor or to the Roman Empire… It is possible that by the Restrainer St. Paul means the Christian church in Jerusalem, the Mother Church of which the Thessalonians became imitators. … We know that St. James, the head of that Church, had great influence over his unbelieving fellow–countrymen, and may well have exercised a restraining power over them. Some Jews even appear to have seen in the siege of Jerusalem the punishment of his murder by the high priest Ananus. It is to be noted that the Jerusalem church, obeying the Lord’s command… left the doomed city on the approach of the Roman army and fled to Pella. Thus she might be said to be ‘taken out of the way’ of the evil to come.”

Again, as we pointed out, the prophecy in 2 Thessalonians describes foremost end-time events. While there is no rapture, we know that God will bring part of His Church to a special place here on earth, to be protected during the Great Tribulation. Compare “What are the biblical proofs for your teaching that members of the Church of God will be protected at a particular ‘place of safety,’ here on earth, during the Great Tribulation?” . IF the Church’s flight to Pella could be viewed as a forerunner of the end-time flight of the Church to the Place of Safety, how would this apply to the restrainer being removed?

The Life Application Bible might add some light on this question. It states:

“Who holds back the lawless one? We do not know for certain. Three possibilities have been suggested: (1) government and law, which help to curb evil; (2) the ministry and activity of the church and the effects of the gospel; or (3) the Holy Spirit.”

While possibilities (1) and (3) must be dismissed, possibility (2) is interesting. As long as the Church has not fulfilled its commission of preaching the gospel, the lawless one cannot arrive, because only when the gospel has been preached in all the world as a witness, the end will come. So, one could argue that when the Church is taken to the Place of Safety, the Church’s commission of preaching the gospel has been fulfilled, so that now the man of sin can be revealed.

However, there might be several problems with that assumption. First, even when part of God’s Church is at the place of safety, the preaching of the gospel will still continue, for instance through the Two Witnesses and those who might support them; and apparently also through the 144,000 from the tribes of Israel and the great multitude from all nations who will be called or whole-heartedly return to God’s Way of Life during the Great Tribulation, to be protected during the Day of the Lord.

Even though an interesting thought, the Church’s flight to the Place of Safety does not seem to lead to the compelling conclusion that the Church is the restrainer which holds back the coming of the man of sin, but that the restraint will be removed when the Church flees.

In this light, some offer another interesting explanation. For example, the Website of bibletruth states this:

“… most English versions of the Bible translate 2 Thessalonians 2:7,8 alike. The NIV [New International Version] says that ‘the one who holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.  And then the lawless one will be revealed…’ The mistranslation of the phrase ‘taken out of the way’ is a major reason for the confusion about the restrainer’s identity.

“First, the word translated, ‘taken,’ is not an accurate rendering of the Greek word in our text… The word ginomai, which is here translated ‘taken,’ is a very common word in the Greek language… its primary root meaning is ‘to become’… [This word implies] the arrival or appearance of the subject, rather than its removal as is implied in the term taken…

“And second, most renderings of our text [mistranslate] the phrase ‘out of the way’… The full phrase, ekmesou, translated ‘out of the way’ in verse 7, is defined… as ‘from, from among, out of the midst’… If we take this dictionary definition of our phrase and use it in verse 7 in place of the mistranslated phrase, we get this rough rendering: ‘but the one who holds it back will do so till he appears from among. And then the lawless one will be revealed’ (2 Thessalonians 2:7,8)… To ‘appear’ or ‘come from among’ is an awkward way (in English) of saying that ‘he will stand out,’ ‘he will come out’ or ‘he will openly reveal himself.’…

“This interpretation of the passage is just the opposite as most English Bibles have it. Instead of the restrainer… being taken out of the way, the text is conveying the thought that the restrainer (the lawless one) will make his appearance by standing out ‘from among’ or ‘from the midst of’ his previous secrecy…”

It is interesting that the New Luther Bible 2009 renders the phrase in 2 Thessalonians 2:7, “he is taken out of the way,” as, “out of the midst.” This might very well be a correct rendering. The Greek for “way,” mesos, is only rendered twice in the Authorized Version as “out of the way,” while it is rendered 37 times as “midst” and 6 times as “among.” The word ek in ekmesou is translated 131 times as “out of”, but it is also translated 132 times as “from”. The most common rendering is “of,” which is used 402 times. So, the Greek phrase ekmesoucan legitimately be rendered as “from the midst” or “from among.”

The word “taken” in “he is taken out of the way”, or better, “from the midst,” is genomai, which Young, Analytical Concordance of the Holy Bible, renders as “become.” Vine, Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, says that “become” is the literal meaning. In the Authorized Version, the word is rendered only twice as “taken” or “be taken”, but it is rendered 42 times  as “become” and 53 times as “come” (For the translation “come,” please see for example 1 Thessalonians 1:5 and Matthew 8:16). So, the rendering that the man of sin is to “come from the midst” or that he is to “come from among” is quite legitimate. This would mean that the man of sin will come, appear or manifest himself from among the midst of the apostasy.

The word “restraining” in verse 6 (“now you know what is restraining”) is katcheo in the Greek. It is rendered “withholden” in the Authorized Version and means, literally, to hold down or fast, and it is also translated as “stay”.

Based on the foregoing, the clause in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8 could read as follows:

“… that Day [of Christ’s return] will not come unless… the man of sin is revealed… And now you know what is holding it [the Day] down [or back] that he [the man of sin, or He, Jesus Christ] may be revealed in his [or His, i.e. God’s] own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains (holds it back) [will do so] until he comes from the midst [of the apostasy]. And then the lawless one will be revealed…”

That is, it is the man of sin who restrains until he is manifested. The Day of Christ’s return can only happen after God has allowed the man of sin to manifest himself as the human religious leader of the apostasy—working openly and no longer in secret.

But what exactly is held back?

The intended thought may not be conveyed correctly in the translation of the New King James Bible. It appears that it is the full mystery of lawlessness, which is restrained today. The German Elberfelder Bible says in parentheses that the full mystery of lawlessness, although already at work, does not manifest itself at this point, but it will when the lawless one (the man of sin) appears. The German Zuercher Bible gives the same meaning, and so do many English translations and the Jewish New Testament by David Stern (“For already this separating from Torah is at work secretly only until…”).

The coming of the lawless one and the concept of lawlessness will remain a mystery to the world. God’s people are warned not to be deceived when the lawless one appears. The best protection against deception is to stay close to God and His Word and while rejecting the pleasures of unrighteousness, to believe the Truth and receive and hold fast to the love of it (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).

We know that the time is very near for the prophetic fulfillment of the events described in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Trump’s Recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital… Now What?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Also, this program is presented by Mr. Link in German: “Trumps Anerkennung von Jerusalem als Israels Hauptstadt… was nun?” Here is a summary:

Dangerous, risky and unnecessary… that was the almost unanimous reaction of the world’s politicians and leaders to Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and his intention to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. But what DID President Trump actually say in his speech… and what DIDN’T he say? What will the REAL consequences be… especially, when we consider biblical prophecy?

“Sie Sind Gewarnt Worden!” is the title of a recent German language AufPostenStehen program. Published on November 29, 2017, this program has received a large number of views on YouTube (12,800+) and continues to increase. This presentation by Norbert Link mirrors our recent StandingWatch English program: “You Have Been Warned!” Here is the summary in English:

World conditions become worse and worse, and the great tribulation cannot be far off. But what do YOU do with this knowledge? Do you belong to those who once had understanding of the Truth, but who have lost it? Are you compromising to appease your relatives and friends? Do you think that just a little bit of “giving in” does not matter?

“The Ten European Revivals of the Ancient Roman Empire,” is the title of a new Global Trailer, presented by Pastor Brian Gale. Here is a summary:

Dramatic events are occurring in Europe that will have tremendous consequences for the entire world! In spite of this, many are blind to the significance of what is happening before their very eyes! They fail to see how to connect the dots and make sense of it all.

“Wer hält den Antichristen auf?” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. It is based on the Q&A of this week’s Update. Title in English: “Who Restrains the Coming of the Antichrist?”

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

God’s calling is a very special thing, for it brings one to understand the Truth and learn how to fulfill God’s purpose. When God calls a person, He does so on an individual basis, each person having his or her own personal relationship with God. Everyone who is called becomes personally responsible for individual Christian growth and development. If we are fortunate enough to be called in this day and age, do we treat our calling with the highest esteem and honor that it requires?

“The Wrath of God,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here  is a summary:

The Wrath of God is not limited to accounts in Old Testament history or to the end-time judgment of the wicked—which is how most people view it. Rather, God’s wrath is His righteous anger directed against sin, and unless we truly believe in Jesus Christ, the wrath of God remains on us!

by Delia Messier (Canada)

Before I was born, my mother lost a beautiful 5-day-old baby boy, Michael. Then a second son was born 1 ½ years after me, another beautiful perfect baby boy. The world revolved around him and special care was always given to him. Being too young to understand the pain of loss or the process of mourning, I thought that being a girl did not have very much value. So I decided that I wanted to be a boy. I would play real hard like a boy; I would climb the highest branches in the trees; I would lift the heaviest rocks; and I would win all of wrestling matches with the boys in the neighborhood.

I was very strong for a girl, and I really hoped that if I behaved in that way, maybe in time, I could become a boy, as I did not want to be a girl. Boys had more fun, so I felt. Climbing trees was way more fun than doing dishes. And most importantly, I thought that being a boy would make me special, so that I would be loved and appreciated more.

Being born in a similar situation today, what would I be doing or asking for? Would I fall victim to this horror that is happening to some confused children today? If I was a child today, knowing how I felt as a child then, would I be telling my parents that I am a boy; that I want to be a boy; that I want to “become” a boy? Would my parents cave in to my wants, being falsely influenced by this bizarre and deceived world today?

Being born at the right time gave me the chance to sort out who I was; to learn the reasons for my feelings then; and to understand the values and the significance and blessing of being a girl. I was born at a good time.

On December 2, 2017, Eric Rank will present the sermonette, titled, “My Calling,” and Dave Harris will present the sermon, titled, “The Wrath of God.”

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

How often do we think about quitting?  There may be situations in our lives which can become so difficult that we get to the point where we believe that the only option we have left is to simply quit.  That is, quitting God’s Way of Life.  Are problems so intense that we can’t overcome them?  How often do we make mistakes in life?  How often do we fail?  Do we actually have a desire to succeed?

Michael Jordan, who is considered one of the best basketball players of all time, famously stated that through failure, he was able to become successful.  He said, “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career.  I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed.  I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life.  And that is why I succeed.”  He didn’t quit when things got difficult, but instead he became motivated to overcome his failings and made an effort to become the greatest that he could be.  He also said, “I can accept failure, but I can’t accept not trying.”

Is this the kind of attitude we should have when it comes to our spiritual lives?  The Bible gives us the answer in many different ways.  Proverbs 10:4-5 tells us how to be productive.  “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a wise son; He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.” Ecclesiastes 9:10 tells us, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.”  It involves effort on our part, for we plan, but God directs (Proverbs 16:9).

We read many examples in the Bible of those who went through difficult times. God was always there to help in those situations, offering encouragement, strength, and patience.  Often times, God will test our reactions when we go through a particular trial for the purpose of succeeding.  The choice, however, is up to us, for God will not force us into obeying Him.  He provides us with all the tools we need to live a righteous and fruitful life.

We will continue to face challenges, especially in the society we live in, as the majority of the people we are in contact with do not believe what we do.  Some may tolerate or even respect our beliefs but they don’t agree with them.  What we are doing today as part of God’s Church is what God commands us to do, by proclaiming the message of the Kingdom of God and being examples, even though many will not listen.  But some will!  That is why we need to keep going, through our obedient example, for we do not know who will respond to be saved from the end time’s devastation that is coming upon this world.  In light of our desire to help others, do we have enough faith to overcome the trials and shortcomings that we go through, which is necessary for our success?  (Compare Hebrews 11:32-34.)

No, quitting is not an option. We have a goal for which we are striving.  “… I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14).

In addition, we also need to remain confident that with God’s help, we will succeed.  “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: ‘For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.’ But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul” (Hebrews 10:35-39).

We must continue to be watchful and on guard as we keep moving forward. As times will get tougher, we will get stronger as we overcome, because it will all be worth it in the end.

by Norbert Link

We begin with the horrible terrorist attack in Egypt and the fight against terrorism in general which this world is clearly losing; and we speak on the arch-rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia; the media war between Russia and the USA; and further threats from North Korea.

We continue with Germany’s difficult struggle of forming a workable government and report at the same time of the continuing successful European endeavor to form an EU army.

Turning to the USA, while allegations of sexual misconduct don’t seem to end (NBC’s “icon” Matt Lauer being the latest in a long line of alleged perpetrators), we speak on Washington state’s complete lack of preparedness for a possible huge earthquake; the resurfacing question of Obama’s birthplace which could be one of the biggest scandals in the 21th century if it should be determined that Obama was never a legitimate President of the USA; address the scandal of the termination of 50 employees for their refusal to get flu vaccinations; and focus on another scandal about governmental agencies revoking professional licenses for failure to promptly repay student loans.

We conclude with an interesting article on so-called “cryptocurrency mania.”

Where does all of this leave us? Please view our latest StandingWatch program, “You Have Been Warned!” Also, don’t miss our previous program, “The Radical Transgender War.”

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

Unprecedented Mass Murder in Egypt

BBC News reported on November 25:

“[More than] 300 people were killed at a North Sinai mosque during Friday prayers…

“After bombs were set off, dozens of gunmen waiting outside the mosque opened fire on those trying to escape. The assailants reportedly set parked vehicles on fire in the vicinity to block off access to the building, and fired on ambulances trying to help victims. Thirty children are among the dead and at least 100 people have been wounded…

“Egyptian security forces have for years been fighting an Islamist insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula, and militants affiliated with so-called Islamic State (IS) have been behind scores of deadly attacks in the desert region… Locals say the al-Rawda mosque is used by the local Sawarka tribe, which is known to cooperate with the security services against militants. It is also known to be popular with worshippers of Sufism, a mystical branch of Islam that is condemned by some jihadist groups. The head of IS’s ‘religious police’ in Sinai said last December that Sufis who did not ‘repent’ would be killed, after the group beheaded two elderly men reported to be Sufi clerics.

“The number of victims is unprecedented for an attack of this type… this is the first time that worshippers inside a mosque have been targeted by militants in North Sinai…  This is a major challenge to the Egyptian state…

“Journalists, including from state-sponsored outlets, have not been allowed to report from North Sinai in the last few years. Correspondents say that the frequency of attacks raises doubts about the effectiveness of military operations against militants…”

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 25:

“Egypt’s air force on Friday bombed ‘terrorist’ locations in the northern mountainous area around Bir al-Abed in response to the deadliest terror attack in the country’s history.’

Terrorism is a real threat which won’t go away. The fact that journalists have been prohibited from reporting on the threat in Northern Egypt does not give us much confidence. The claim that “we are winning the war against terrorism” is ludicrous. Note the next article.

The Global Threat of Terrorism

The Indian Express wrote on November 24:

“Terrorist networks like the ISIS and Al Qaeda may soon begin instructing recruits on how to create killer viruses just like bomb-making lessons, a senior European Union (EU) security expert has warned… terror networks based in the Middle East like Al Qaeda and Islamic State (ISIS), could begin using the internet to instruct on the use of biological agents…

“Tracing that the first edition of ‘Inspire’, Al Qaeda’s online propaganda magazine, had an article on ‘how to make a bomb in your mum’s kitchen… What if anyone will have a similar article on how to process a virus in your mum’s kitchen? Unfortunately, it’s probably easier than before for a lone actor to perpetrate an attack with catastrophic consequences’…”

Saudi Arabia vs. Iran

The Telegraph wrote on November 25:

“Saudi Arabia’s crown prince has called Iran’s supreme leader ‘the new Hitler of the Middle East’ and warned that as in European history, ‘appeasement doesn’t work’. In his first comments since a widespread anti-corruption purge Mohammad bin Salman fired his strongest criticism yet of Saudi Arabia’s regional arch-rival…”

No “sign” of a “king of the south.” Those who wait for one (because they misunderstand a prophecy in Daniel 11) might wait forever.

Media War Between USA and Russia Continues

NBC News wrote on November 25:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a bill allowing Russia to register international media outlets as foreign agents — a move largely seen as retaliation against the U.S. for similar crackdowns on Kremlin-funded media outlets… The move is seen as a quid pro quo after U.S. officials demanded that state-media outlet Russia Today, or RT, register as a foreign agent with the U.S. Justice Department…

“Even before Putin signed the bill into law, Russia’s Justice Ministry warned U.S. government-funded outlets like Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, along with its regional outlets, that they could be designated as foreign agents under the new law… Twitter has since banned RT, and Russian media outlet Sputnik from advertising on its platform…”

What did the USA expect? Such retaliation was to be certain.

North Korea’s New Threat

The New York Times wrote on November 29:

“North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile on Tuesday that flew both higher and longer than previous such launches, a bold act of defiance against President Trump after he put the country back on a list of state sponsors of terrorism.

“The president reacted cautiously to news of the launch, stating, ‘It is a situation that we will handle.’ But Defense Secretary Jim Mattis expressed greater concern, emphasizing what he said were technical advances on display in the 53-minute flight, which began when the missile was launched northeast of the capital, Pyongyang, and ended nearly 600 miles to the east, when it landed in the Sea of Japan… ‘The bottom line is, it’s a continued effort to build a threat — a ballistic missile threat that endangers world peace, regional peace, and certainly, the United States,’ the defense secretary said…

“David Wright, a scientist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said the missile… exhibited a potential range of more than 8,000 miles, able to reach Washington or any other part of the continental United States…”

The Trump Administration announced Wednesday evening that further sanctions, including financial sanctions, will be imposed against North Korea. Many observers feel that these sanctions will be meaningless and won’t persuade the North Korean regime to cease and desist from its nuclear endeavors.

Express wrote on November 29:

“Speaking to the UN Security Council, [US ambassador Nikki] Haley said that ‘if war comes, make no mistake, the North Korean regime will be utterly destroyed’. She added: ‘We have never sought war with North Korea, and still today we do not seek it. If war does come, it will be because of continued acts of aggression like we witnessed yesterday.’”

Is a Grand Coalition Coming in Germany?

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 25:

“Germany’s chancellor has said that it would be ‘simply wrong’ to hold new elections after coalition talks collapsed. Her statement came as rival Social Democrats reconsidered a second ‘grand coalition’ with her CDU…

“But Germany may still have to wait a while longer for a new government — on Saturday, SPD deputy leader Thorsten Schäfer-Gümbel said that no decision on entering a second grand coalition would be made before the party’s national conference on December 7-9…”

Few Good Options?

AFP wrote on November 25:

“Merkel now faces few good options short of new elections: asking the SPD to enter a new ‘grand coalition’, or running a minority government…

“Polls show that, were Germany to stage an election re-run, results would be little different from September. If anything, it could see the AfD score an even more impressive result than it did the first time round.”

Merkel and Schulz under Pressure

The Associated Press wrote on November 26:

“On Sunday, the youth wing of Merkel’s Union bloc published a resolution stating that the conservatives must not enter a [grand] coalition [with the SPD] ‘at any price’…

“The Social Democrats… have made clear they would demand a high price for cooperating again with Merkel’s Union bloc. ‘As things stand, Merkel is not in a position in which she can set conditions,’ prominent Social Democrat Malu Dreyer [said].”

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 26:

“Merkel is not the only one facing internal pressure: Schulz also faced growing dissent within his party over his willingness to make a coalition with Merkel’s conservative bloc. The SPD’s youth branch, the Jusos, or ‘Young Socialists in the SPD,’ ended their two-day congress calling for their leaders to move more to the left rather than try out a new grand coalition… Other SPD leaders have also started setting conditions should the party enter into talks with Merkel’s conservatives…”

None of this looks good for Merkel, Schulz or a new German government. No wonder the ghost of Weimar begins to haunt some observers. Note the next article.

Any Successor to Merkel?

Foreign Policy wrote on November 28:

“Merkel is at her most nimble in high-stakes crises — doubly so when underestimated or threatened — and she has already persuaded Christian Democrats to rally behind her as she pursues a renewal of the coalition with Social Democrats that she has lead for the past four years.

“But there’s no guarantee that the Social Democrats’ base is in the mood to accept the necessary compromises — and even if it comes to fruition, another so-called grand coalition is unlikely to prove as stable as the previous iteration. Merkel’s coalition partners are apt to be more ornery, and the parliamentary opposition, which would be headed by the far-right Alternative for Germany party, far more disruptive. Meanwhile, CDU conservatives, long discontented with Merkel’s moderate style, are apt to loudly wonder why they should continue to follow her if she can’t guarantee election victories.

“In short, it’s now easier to imagine Merkel being toppled from power before the end of her coming four-year term. But that raises the principal question: Who would take over Germany’s most successful political party after her fall?…  ‘The simple fact is there’s currently no one in the CDU placed to succeed Merkel,’ explained Alan Posener of the conservative daily Die Welt. ‘Over the years she’s overpowered and driven out a dozen rivals, mostly men who thought they’d make a better chancellor.’

“But the fact that there isn’t anyone right now with the credentials or will to take down Merkel doesn’t mean there aren’t ambitious figures in the CDU who could one day do so — and maybe even sooner rather than later. And, given the ailing state of the Social Democratic Party, whoever does replace Merkel as leader of her party will, more likely than not, also become leader of Europe’s most powerful country.”

That coming German leader does not have to belong to the CDU. In addition, Die Welt (cited above in the article) wrote on November 29 that Angela Merkel and others (including Martin Schulz and Bavaria’s Horst Seehofer) are “yesterday’s people,” and that Germany needs new leaders.

AfD Won because of Merkel?

AFP wrote on November 26:

“The far-right Alternative for Germany party sees Chancellor Angela Merkel’s struggle to form a new government as proof of its growing power to upend the country’s political order… The AfD campaigned on the slogan ‘Merkel must go’, railing against her decision to let in more than one million mainly Muslim asylum seekers since 2015… Its election score was nearly 13 percent, snatching millions of votes from the mainstream parties and entering parliament for the first time with almost 100 seats in the Bundestag lower house.

“Apart from the current political volatility, [Parliamentary group leader Alexander] Gauland sees the wind at the AFD’s back due to an announcement this month by one of Germany’s biggest employers, Siemens, that it was slashing nearly 7,000 jobs globally. The industrial giant plans to close its sites in Goerlitz and Leipzig, both in the eastern state of Saxony which the AfD won outright in September. ‘That will probably help the AfD,’ Gauland said of the layoffs…

“[Gauland said:] ‘I have always been sceptical of solidarity pacts with parties that are supposedly similar… An exception though is the FPOe,’ Gauland added, citing ‘cultural’ ties with the Austrian far-right party now in talks to join a ruling coalition…”

Remember Weimar!

The Guardian wrote on November 25:

“… commentators in Germany have started to evoke the darkest days of the Weimar Republic, when short-lived minority governments ruled by emergency decrees. ‘Like in Weimar, the federal republic is now a multiparty system in which extreme parties have begun to paralyse the working of the parliamentary democracy,’ wrote Stephen Szabo, an expert on US-German relations…

“Born amid the chaos following the first world war, the Weimar Republic lasted, unofficially, from 1919 to 1933 and struggled to cope with extremism, hyperinflation and resentment at Germany’s treatment by the war’s victors. In order to reduce political conflicts, a proportional representation system was adopted, leading to a series of coalitions that struggled to govern… In January 1933 the president, Paul von Hindenburg, appointed Nazi party leader Adolf Hitler chancellor. That year, after the Reichstag fire, Hitler seized absolute power and Germany became a fascist dictatorship.”

EU Army No longer Just a Dream

Breitbart wrote on November 24:

“The European Union’s (EU) foreign minister has said the bloc is working at ‘full speed’ to create a unified ‘defence force’ on a ‘continental scale’…

“Led by France and Germany, 23 member-states agreed to a common defence fund, which will see them develop and deploy armed forces together…

“The EU attempted to hide their plans for the defence force – including a centralised headquarters and ‘permanent structured defence co-operation’ – before the Brexit referendum, but they were leaked just weeks before the vote. This September, after the referendum, Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, was less secretive about his vision, openly calling for the bloc to rapidly push ahead with the creation of the army.

“The EU Foreign Secretary [said] Thursday: ‘Today we are building the European Union of Security and Defence. It is not a plan anymore, it is not a dream anymore, it is reality coming true. The dream of our founding fathers and mothers is finally coming true… All the building blocks of a Security and Defence Union are finally there, today. We can now project and develop our defence capabilities together; we can buy together, to ensure that we have all the capabilities we need, while spending efficiently; and we can act together much better than before, to manage or prevent crises, to strengthen our partners, to make our citizens more secure.’”

In spite of Germany’s current political turmoil, the EU’s plan for an European army is going forward. And no matter who the next German leader will be, that plan will become a speedy reality. In addition, the Austrian press (krone.at) reported on November 28 that the government plans to increase annual expenses for the Austrian military from presently 2 billion euros to over 3 billion euros.

Washington State Ill Prepared for Earthquakes

The website of king5.com reported on November 21:

“Washington State is considered second only to California in earthquake vulnerability, but it appears to be the least prepared state or province on the west coast including British Columbia…

“A key difference between California and Washington is that California experiences serious quakes more often than Washington. However, a much stronger magnitude 9 coastal earthquake along the Washington coast would also come with tsunami waves and be much like the 2011 Tohoku quake and tsunami that killed 16,000 people in northeastern Japan…”

It is mind-boggling to even imagine a huge earthquake and a massive tsunami devastating Washington state, but this is most certainly within the realm of possibility.

Trump Doubts that Obama Was Born in the USA

 CNN reported on November 29:

“President Donald Trump has continued to question the legitimacy of former President Barack Obama’s birth certificate during private conversations in recent months, The New York Times reported… One sitting US senator quoted by the Times, ‘who listened as the President revived his doubts’ about the issue, ‘chuckled’ when speaking about what was said. Trump ‘has had a hard time letting go of his claim that Mr. Obama was not born in the United States,’ the senator… told The New York Times…

“Trump publicly questioned Obama’s citizenship for several years before saying in a news conference during the 2016 election that he believed, ‘President Barack Obama was born in the United States.’”

Hopefully, the reports are true and President Trump does entertain doubts regarding Barack Obama’s birthplace, as there are so many nagging questions as to the accuracy and truth of the “official” narration. Donald Trump should have NEVER declared that Obama WAS born in the United States, without ever giving any proof for that somewhat speculative assertion.

Scandal… Hospital Fires 50 Employees for Refusal to Get Flu Shots

NBC News wrote on November 23:

“About 50 employees of Essentia Health, an upper-Midwest hospital chain, didn’t go to work Wednesday… They were fired for refusing to get flu shots… Several states, including California, require hospitals to make flu vaccines mandatory and to record and publish their vaccination rates…

“Influenza is not the only vaccine that’s required for health care workers. Hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, chickenpox and whooping cough vaccines are also required… The Infectious Diseases Society of America, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society and other groups all support mandatory immunization of health care workers — and all say there should be no opt-out except for medical reasons…

“Vanderbilt doesn’t fire people who refuse vaccination but makes them undergo counseling and then wear a mask during flu season…”

The ridiculous requirement of mandatory vaccinations is based on a complete denial of the serious real possibility of side-effects which are much worse than a flu. An ill-informed society has been manipulated by a left-liberal mass media and the greedy pharmaceutical industry to accept their demand for vaccinations. Those who refuse get fired. This is not happening in an autocratic country, but the USA. Vanderbilt’s alternative of wearing masks is a workable solution, but having to undergo counseling is of course stupid. Most of those who conscientiously refuse to get vaccinated are much better informed than those who just accept such intrusion without questioning.) Also note the next article, describing further autocratic and appalling measures by US agencies.

Dictatorial Measures of US Governmental Agencies

The New York Times wrote on November 18:

“Few people realize that the loans they take out to pay for their education could eventually derail their careers. But in 19 states, government agencies can seize state-issued professional licenses from residents who default on their educational debts. Another state, South Dakota, suspends driver’s licenses, making it nearly impossible for people to get to work… Firefighters, nurses, teachers, lawyers, massage therapists, barbers, psychologists and real estate brokers have all had their credentials suspended or revoked…

“Shannon Otto, who lives in Nashville, can pinpoint the moment that she realized she wanted to be a nurse… It took years of school and thousands of dollars of loans, but she eventually landed her dream job, in Tennessee, a state facing a shortage of nurses. Then, after working for more than a decade, she started having epileptic seizures. They arrived without warning, in terrifying gusts. She couldn’t care for herself, let alone anyone else. Unable to work, she defaulted on her student loans. Ms. Otto eventually got her seizures under control, and prepared to go back to work and resume payments on her debt. But Tennessee’s Board of Nursing suspended her license after she defaulted. To get the license back, she said, she would have to pay more than $1,500. She couldn’t…”

At the same time, the US system (contrary to many other Western countries) is set up in such a way that you can hardly study without getting some kind of a repayable loan. All of this is just so awful, merciless and barbaric. No wonder God has been withdrawing His blessing from a country which is becoming more and more heartless.

Bitcoin Soars to Record High

Newsmax reported on November 26:

“There might be something even bigger than Black Friday or Cyber Monday for those spending money this holiday weekend, as cryptocurrency mania led Bitcoin prices to soar over $9,400 Sunday afternoon [By Wednesday morning, it had reached about $11,200.00, but dropped again by Wednesday evening under $10,000.00.]

“‘The number of people opening up new accounts and buying bitcoin, even fractionally, is skyrocketing,’ billionaire Mark Cuban [said], a potential 2020 presidential candidate…

“‘Yet the people who have it as a true store of value have no reason to sell it as long as demand continues.’ Cuban added the price will continue to rise… ‘This growth has pushed mainstream institutions to take notice and capitalize,’ Fortune wrote Friday. ‘CME Group, the world’s largest options and futures exchange owner, announced it would offer Bitcoin futures by the end of the year.’”

Business Insider added that “the average bitcoin investor doesn’t plan to give up their bitcoin until the cryptocurrency reaches $196,165, or 21 times its current value.”

In light of the decreasing trust in shaky banks, corrupt governments and the endurable value of paper money in general, the arrival of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is an interesting phenomenon.

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.

Actually, the Bible is full of Scriptures addressing this vital subject. Addiction in its many forms is wrong; be it addiction to cigarettes or illegal mind-altering drugs; be it addiction to wrong sexual practices, false ideas and philosophies; be it addiction to a lifestyle of sin; and be it even addiction to something which might not be prohibited per se (i.e. consumption of alcohol), but which becomes sinful due to wrong dependency.

Romans 6:12 tells us very clearly that if we let sinful conduct dictate our lives, we have become addicted to it: “Therefore do not let sin reign [“exercise dominion”, New Revised Standard Version] in your mortal bodies, that you should obey it in its lusts.”

Romans 6:16-22 gives us the following additional admonition:

“Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey [as your “master,” cp. Revised English Bible], whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness? But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness… for just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness… but now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.”

The word for “slave” is a translation of the Greek word douloo, which can have the meaning of servant or slave. While it may not always refer to someone under bondage (compare Philippians 2:7), it oftentimes does.

1Timothy 6:1 refers to “bond servants as are under the yoke” [“of slavery,” compare Revised Standard Version]. The Bible applies this word many times to the condition of being a slave to sin (John 8:34) whom God must set free (compare verse 36).

The Greek word can refer to people who are slaves of corruption or depravity; having been overcome by their sins and living in bondage or slavery to sin (2 Peter 2:19). The Living Bible writes: “For a man is a slave to whatever controls him.” The New Revised Standard Version states: “…people are slaves to whatever masters them.” And the New Jerusalem Bible says: “… if anyone lets himself be dominated by anything, then he is a slave to it.”

The Greek verb douloois  is derived from the noun doulos.   It means, “to enslave, to bring into bondage.” We might also say, it describes someone who is addicted to something. For instance, in Titus 2:3 Paul speaks of righteous older women who are “not given to much wine.” In the Greek, it says, “not being enslaved (Greek douloo) to wine.” The New Jerusalem Bible says: “no addiction to wine.” The Revised Standard Version says: “… not slaves to drink.”

Before our conversion, we were all captives of Satan the devil. But2 Timothy 2:26 expresses this hope: “… that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.” The Living Bible says: “Then they will come to their senses and escape from Satan’s trap of slavery to sin…”

A slave of sin is under the power of Satan, but he can be freed, and so Hebrews 2:14-15 tells us: “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy (Living Bible: break the power of) him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” The New Jerusalem Bible says: “… [He] set free all those who had been held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.”

Romans 6:6 explains to us that in our baptism, “our old man was crucified with [Jesus], that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” Sin should not have any more dominion over us (verse 14). The Revised English Bible says: “Sin shall no longer be your master.”

Rather, we have become, quite literally, slaves of righteousness, because we don’t belong anymore to ourselves. Christ bought us, we are His property (1 Corinthians 6:20); He is our Master (John 13:13; Authorized Version); we are His slaves (Matthew 10:24-25; the word “servant” is a translation of the Greek, doulos, see discussion above; the New Revised Standard Version, the New American Bible and the New Jerusalem Bible all translate “slave”).

1 Corinthians 7:23 says: “You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.” That price is the precious blood of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19; Revelation 5:9).Hebrew 9:14 adds: “… how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

On the other hand, as we saw above, we are warned not to allow others to enslave us. This can easily happen, when we are not grounded in the truth, as is explained in 2 Corinthians 11:20: “For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you in the face.”

We read in Galatians 2:4: “… false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage)…”

Quoting from our free booklet, Paul’s Letter to the Galatians:

“Paul says in verse 4 that they came to spy out the liberty in Christ. He refers to the liberty from sin; the liberty or freedom from the curse or the penalty for breaking the law, which is death; real freedom which Jesus promised all of us when He said: ‘When the Son of Man makes you free, you are free indeed’ (compare John 8:31–36). But as Peter points out, in 1 Peter 2:16, our freedom cannot be used as justification for sinful conduct. We are freed from the penalty of the law, not from the need to obey the law.

“Paul insists, in verse 4, that false brethren had come in and taught wrong doctrines to bring true members into bondage… That Greek word is also used in 2 Corinthians 11:20. It means, ‘to enslave thoroughly’…”

Our escape from the slavery of sin will include pain and suffering. We read in 1 Peter 4:1-2:“Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his life in the flesh for the lust of men, but for the will of God.”

It is grace from God when He allows us to suffer (1 Peter 2:19 and Philippians 1:29; cp. Revised English Bible; New American Bible; New Luther Bible 2009), as suffering frees us from sin.

Romans 8:16-17says:“The Spirit [itself] bears witness with our spirit that we ARE children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”

We must be very careful, however, that we, who are being freed from sin, don’t become again slaves to sin.

1 Corinthians 6:12 says in a very general sense: “I will not be brought under the power of (anything).” We are to conquer any addiction… whatever it might be. The Revised Standard Version says: “I will not be enslaved by anything.”

This includes, as 2 Corinthians 10:5 explains, the necessity of “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” The New International Version says: ‘… we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

Paul points out that we were all at one time slaves to the false teachings, practices and philosophies of this present evil society. Galatians 4:3says:“Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage [“enslaved”, cp. New Revised Standard Version] under the elements of the world…”

Quoting from our free booklet, Paul’s Letter to the Galatians:

“… we all were in bondage ‘under the elements’ or ‘rudiments’ of the ‘WORLD’—that present evil world that he had referred to in the first chapter of Galatians. He makes similar statements in Colossians 2:8, 20 and also in Galatians 4:9, again talking about the elements or rudiments of the world, which he describes as ‘philosophy’ and ‘empty deceit,’ and the ‘tradition of men.’ Paul is talking about the way we lived before we were converted—following the rules, regulations, customs, traditions and philosophies of the world, which is presently ruled by Satan the devil.”

Following this, Paul asks the persistent question, in Galatians 4:9: “But now after you have known God, or rather are known by God, how it is that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage [“enslaved to them again,” cp. New Revised Standard Version]?”

The same warning is expressed through an allegory in Galatians 4:29, 31; 5:1:“But, as he who was born according to the flesh (Ishmael) then persecuted him who was born according to the spirit (Isaac), even so it is now… So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman [slave woman”, cp. New International Version] (Hagar; Mount Sinai; verse 25) but of the free (Sarah; heavenly Jerusalem; Verse 26)… Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage [“yoke of slavery”, cp. Revised Standard Version].”

Quoting from our free booklet, Paul’s Letter to the Galatians:

“Paul is describing in his symbolic allegory our spiritual battle, which goes on in our mind. God’s Spirit in us wars against our flesh. Our flesh ‘persecutes’ the Spirit of God and must therefore be cast out (compare James 4:4–5, 8; Romans 6:1–4; 8:5–9; and Colossians 2:11–13)…

“He explains that we must walk by the Spirit, which sets us free, not by the flesh, which brings us into bondage… As we have to cast out the fleshly desires and our human nature, Abraham had to cast out the bondwoman and her son (Galatians 4:30). And why? Because the son of the bondwoman, who was born according to the flesh, persecuted the son of the freewoman, who was born according to the Spirit (verse 29). And Paul continues to allegorize by saying that this is also the case today (same verse).

“How? It occurs when God’s Spirit in us wars with our flesh. Paul said that he did not do what he wanted to do, but that he gave in at times to his flesh, following its desires (Romans 7:13–25). As our flesh ‘persecutes’ our Spirit-begotten minds, so we must cast out the flesh and its desires, including temptations which might originate with Satan or this world…”

“Paul also points out, in verse 31, that we are no longer children of the bondwoman—children of bondage to death—if we let Christ live in us. It is Christ who sets us free from sin and death…”

Paul tells us in Romans 7:14 that even as a converted Christian, he sometimes felt to be “sold under sin”, which was still dwelling in him (verses 17, 20) and brought him into captivity (verse 23). He knew that he had to be freed from it, and he fully understood that victory could only come through Jesus Christ (verses 24-25).

God’s Holy Spirit can give us the power to overcome sin and to free us from every addiction, and Romans 8:15 explains that God’s Holy Spirit does not bring us into fearful bondage: “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to FEAR, but you received the spirit of adoption (sonship)…”

This passage does not negate the fact that we are Christ’s slaves and He is our Master who owns us, but this is a loving relationship, as perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). We are to become sons and daughters of God the Father and brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ. We are His FRIENDS if we do what He tells us to do (John 15:14). As Philemon 15-16 shows, being a slave and a beloved brother and friend are not concepts, which necessarily exclude each other.

It is through the power of the Holy Spirit that we are able to put to death the deeds of the body (Romans 8:13). We are to walk in the Spirit, so that we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).

Ephesians 4:7-8 tells us: “But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says, ‘When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive And gave gifts to men.” Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible explains this verse as follows: “…he led captivity captive; which is expressive of Christ’s conquests and triumph over sin, Satan, the world, death, and the grave; and indeed, every spiritual enemy of his and his people, especially the devil, who leads men captive at his will, and is therefore called captivity…”As Christ triumphed over His foes of Satan, sin, the world and even death, so He gives us the power and potential to do likewise.

We read that those who practice sin will not inherit the Kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21). It is Christ in us who empowers us, through His Holy Spirit, to conquer sin. Addiction and slavery to sin CAN and MUST become for us a thing of the past.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

A new Member Letter (November 2017) has been written in which Norbert Link issues a powerful and sobering wake-up call to all who will heed! This letter has been mailed to our subscribers and is available on our website. Mr. Link also translated this letter into German, which is available at http://www.ewigengottes.de/.

“You Have Been Warned!” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link, which and which incorporates a new video trailer by Michael Link, titled, “How to Find the True Church of God.” Here is a summary:

World conditions become worse and worse, and the great tribulation cannot be far off. But what do YOU do with this knowledge? Do you belong to those who once had understanding of the Truth, but who have lost it? Are you compromising to appease your relatives and friends? Do you think that just a little bit of “giving in” does not matter?

“Sie Sind Gewarnt Worden!” a new AufPostenStehen program presented by Norbert Link features the same subject matter as that of the StandingWatch program described above.

“The Radical Gender War,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Should we have a designation of a third gender, as many believe? Or perhaps as many as 70, as Facebook offers? What is behind the radical intersex and transgender war? Is transgenderism dangerous? Is insisting on two genders—male and female—discriminatory and politically incorrect? Do YOU know the answers?

“Der Radikale Geschlechtskrieg!” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link—which covers the same material as described in the StandingWatch program above.

“Besiegen Sie Ihre Sucht nach Sünde?” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon. Title in English: “Do You Conquer Your Addiction to Sin?” (which is based on the Q&A in this Update).

“The Cup of Divinity and Salvation,” is the title of last Sabbath’s sermonette, presented by Frank Bruno. Here is a summary:

In this Sermonette, I draw the thread that is clear especially in Matthew in which our Lord utilizes the dual concept of the cup in different ways. First, to signify the coming new covenant between God and man. Secondly, our Lord, on the night of his betrayal expresses the most human emotion of asking the Father if the cup that would bear his death could pass him. Our Lord makes clear however that he will accept the Father’s will. We have all faced trials and human suffering—yet all pales in comparison to what Jesus faced on our behalf. Through his sacrifice we can have the opportunity for eternal life in the Kingdom.

“Walk Worthy,” is the title of last Sabbath’s sermon, presented by Eric Rank. Here is a summary:

What do we need to do to be counted worthy of the Christian calling we have received? How does our effort to live in a worthy manner relate to the free gift of salvation through the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ and our relationship to God?