On December 19, 2015, Norbert Link will present the sermonette, titled, “You Shall Not Kill!,” and Mike Link will present the sermon, titled, “God’s Unlimited Power.”

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.

The Kepler spacecraft, launched in 2009, is designed to search for planets orbiting stars. The program’s mission statement is to “survey a portion of our region of the Milky Way galaxy to discover dozens of Earth-size planets in or near the habitable zone and determine how many of the billions of stars in our galaxy have such planets.” To date, over 1000 planets have been discovered, orbiting distant stars.

Many use these findings to answer the question: “Are we alone?” Scientific thought posits that we cannot be alone, simply because of the unfathomable amount of space and matter present. Stephen Hawking, a man considered one of the great scholars of our age, stated, “The idea that we are alone in the universe seems to me completely implausible and arrogant, considering the number of planets and stars that we know exist, it’s extremely unlikely that we are the only form of evolved life.” Mr. Hawking, like many others, are correct in the assumption that we are not alone, but the basis for reaching this conclusion is utterly misguided. God reveals to those who can hear Him the existence of a spiritual realm, and our role in preparing and qualifying to be part of a spiritual Kingdom.

Man, without God, looks to the heavens and sees limitless space with no meaning. Man can only impose his own will based upon misconstrued theories and ideals. With God guiding our thoughts, we see much more. David looked up into the night and knew: “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). He saw what only God could open his mind to see.

The growing knowledge of the physical universe we have today is beyond what any before us could have imagined or seen. While many grasp for meaning in the limitless space surrounding this small planet called Earth, they do so without Godly direction and miss what is so obvious to God’s people. “The heavens declare His righteousness, And all the peoples see His glory” (Psalm 97:6).

It seems like Donald Trump is unstoppable. No matter what he says, his support is growing amongst GOP voters. The GOP establishment is very worried about this development, and rumors have it that they are trying to topple Trump through the means of questionable politics. Dr. Ben Carson stated that if this alleged hypocritical conspiracy is true, he will resign from the race.

We continue to explain how America under Trump could clash with Germany, while “anti-Islamisation” politician Geert Wilders of The Netherlands went on record supporting Trump as US President. Wilders has been named politician of the year for the third time in a Dutch poll, while his Freedom Party gains ground in the country. At the same time, Marine Le Pen of France suffered a stunning defeat in regional elections, due to risky political maneuvering of the Socialists and the Republicans.

Angela Merkel is trying to appease the German public, stating that the country must now “noticeably reduce” the number of new arrivals of refugees, and that migrants must assimilate into German society, while dismissing the idea of multiculturalism. However, the concept of parallel societies with different religions, customs and laws, which is condoned, if not supported by the Obama Administration, has proven to be a big problem in Germany and Western Europe, which, according to Merkel, is a grand delusion which has utterly failed. It is also condemned in the Bible.

Focusing on events evolving around terrorist groups, we report that at least 72 employees at the Department of Homeland Security are listed on the U.S. terrorist watch list; point out frightening activities of Muslim Brotherhood organizations in the USA with the approval of the White House; mention the concern that ISIS is printing fake Syria passports for “refugees”; and speak on a fragile Saudi-Arabian coalition with other nations against ISIS, which is not joined by Iran.

We continue to focus on the ongoing clash between Russia and Turkey (which was apparently intentionally caused by Turkey).

We conclude with announcements by the Catholic Church that they will not attempt to convert Jews, correctly calling anti-Semitism a sin against God and man. However, the Catholic Church is overlooking an important truth in regard to the Bible and the Jewish faith.

Trump at an All-Time High

The Washington Post wrote on December 15:

“Following his proposal to temporarily bar Muslims from entering the country, Donald Trump has increased his lead in the Republican primary to its largest margin yet, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. The results are the latest sign that Trump’s outspoken comments on immigration and terrorism continue to find an audience among rank-and-file Republicans in spite of sharp condemnation from Democrats, GOP leaders, some of Trump’s rivals and a chorus of world leaders.

“The survey puts Trump’s support at 38 percent among registered Republicans and GOP-leaning independents, six points higher than in October and November. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, who also is running an anti-establishment campaign, has surged into second place with 15 percent, effectively doubling his support since last month.

“Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and Ben Carson are tied for third, with 12 percent each… No other candidate in the new poll registers in double digits…

“In Iowa, which kicks off the nominating season with caucuses on Feb. 1, Trump trailed Cruz [by more than 10 points] in a Des Moines Register-Bloomberg Politics poll released over the weekend. Trump continues to lead in New Hampshire, which holds the first primary on Feb. 9…”

In the most recent Republican Presidential Debate on December 15, Trump emerged as the undisputed winner, followed by Ted Cruz. Nationwide, according to several polls, Trump leads convincingly by a wide margin.

Buchanan to GOP: “Support Trump or Lose to Clinton”

Newsmax reported on December 10:

“Veteran conservative voice Patrick Buchanan issued a stern warning to the Republican Party on Thursday: Throw your weight behind GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump now — or prepare to lose next year’s election to Hillary Clinton. Buchanan, an adviser to Presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford, told Newsmax TV the freak-out over Trump’s proposal to temporarily bar all Muslims from entering the U.S. is misguided…

“Buchanan said he made the same arguments for limits on entry into the U.S. when he ran for president in 1996 and 2000…”

Ben Carson Blasts Corrupt GOP Conspiracy

Newsmax reported on December 11:

“Ben Carson said Friday that he would not run as an independent candidate amid reports that Republican Party officials had met to discuss the possibility of a ‘brokered’ convention to name a presidential nominee in Cleveland next year as Donald Trump continues to lead in national polls. ‘If it became clear that they were using various types of procedures to get around the will of the people, I would leave,’ the retired pediatric neurosurgeon told Neil Cavuto on Fox News in a telephone interview from Iowa… ‘I would not want to be a part of the deception,’ Carson said. ‘That’s the reason I got into this: to see if somehow we can turn this thing around and bring back integrity.’

“The Washington Post reported late Thursday that 20 top GOP officials, along with Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, attended a private dinner on Monday to outline the party’s convention strategy… Generally, most delegates are required to support the candidate chosen in primaries or caucuses, the Post reports. That would not hold, however, if no nominee is chosen. This could lead to a ‘brokered’ convention, in which deals are made to attract delegates to another candidate. The Republican National Convention will be held July 18 to 21, 2016.

“Carson slammed party leaders, charging that any brokering of an eventual nominee would usurp ‘the will of the people’… ‘I don’t want to be part of corruption,’ Carson said. ‘One of the reasons that I got into this race is because I want to return America to we, the people — and the last thing I want to be part of is a bunch of establishment party bosses thwarting the will of the people.’

“Carson blamed leaders from both political parties for creating the current political climate in which he and Trump have thrived as outside candidates since their campaigns began earlier this year… ‘It’s been the conventional political establishment on both parties that have manipulated for the last many decades that has gotten us into this position,’ he told Cavuto. ‘They used the press, they use whatever they have, to manipulate the population and make them think that they’re getting what they want when in fact they are not. And I’m tired of it,’ Carson declared. ‘A lot of people are tired of it — although they still a lot of times don’t realize they’re being manipulated, and we just have to fight this.’”

These comments are very true. The corrupt political system in the USA, with its “politicians” and “political leaders,” is a total disgrace. However, during the Republican Presidential Debate on December 15, Dr. Carson claimed that he was assured by the GOP leadership that the report in the Washington Post was false, and that no such tactics, as alleged, will be employed. We will see.

Why Trump Would Clash with Germany

The Local wrote on December 10:

“Donald Trump would find plenty to dislike in the Federal Republic of Germany.

“Angela Merkel… beat out Trump to win the coveted TIME magazine Person of the Year award on Wednesday December 9th. Trump immediately made his feelings clear with an angry tweet that Merkel was ‘ruining Germany’. The two couldn’t be more different as politicians…

“A big part of Merkel being named person of the year was her decision in August to allow refugees fleeing conflict in Syria free passage into Germany from Hungary. That wouldn’t go down well with Trump, who famously called this week for all Muslims – not just Syrians or refugees – to be banned from the USA. There are sizeable Muslim communities all over Germany, and up to a fifth of people in the country have some kind of link to migration in their background. Just this year, German leaders of all political stripes have insisted that Islam ‘is a part of Germany’ – something Trump would definitely never say about the USA…

“Germans love nothing more than being green… Across the country, people recycle everything from glass bottles to electronic waste. Trump, meanwhile, thinks that global warming is ‘very expensive bull…’

“In Germany, people are often prosecuted for the crime of inciting people to hatred… It’s made far-right movements, such as anti-immigration, anti-Islam Pegida, very wary about the words they use to express their aims. You can also get into serious trouble with the authorities for saying or doing something that ‘endangers the basic democratic order’ of the country. That’s not something Americans like Trump have to worry about, thanks to the First Amendment to the US Constitution, which guarantees freedom of speech…

“Germany has some of the strictest gun laws in the world – you have to prove that you need a gun for a good reason, such as hunting or target shooting… Trump, meanwhile, regularly expresses his support for gun ownership…

“Trump has regularly said that he thinks he’d ‘get along’ with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. That might not sit too well with Merkel, who has faced down the Russian leader over his annexation of the Crimea from Ukraine and support for pro-Russian rebels in the east of the country…

“In conclusion: Please don’t come to Germany, Donald – you’ll only regret it.”

There are of course many other reasons which would make Trump’s America clash with German leadership. For instance, Trump insisted that Germany should do more for Ukraine, rather than relying on the USA. He also favors the death penalty which is outlawed in Germany. But most importantly, an American President with the name of Donald Trump would be perceived as being in fierce competition with Europe regarding the economy. While wanting to make America great again and to re-regulate and renegotiate deals, Trump would by necessity antagonize Germany. This would include America’s terrible “deal’ with Iran to which Germany was a party.

Trump vs. Much of the Rest of the World

CNN wrote on December 11:

“If Donald Trump were to become president, he’d be starting off on the wrong foot with many of Americas’ allies…

“British Prime Minister David Cameron put out a rare statement criticizing the GOP presidential front-runner’s statements, calling them ‘divisive, unhelpful and quite simply wrong.’…

“Shortly after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office repudiated the proposal, Trump canceled a planned December trip to visit Israel and meet with Netanyahu…

“The foreign minister of America’s neighbor to the north (Canada) also publicly rejected Trump’s comments…

“Trump has also been called out by other Western allies, including politicians in France and the Netherlands…

“On Friday, a member of the Saudi royal family and business magnate tweeted that Trump was a ‘disgrace’… Trump also received a warning that he would ‘not be welcome’ in Muslim countries…”

Putin Praises Trump

AFP wrote on December 17:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday described US Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump as ‘talented’ and ‘outstanding,’ welcoming his stance on Russia.”

Bloomberg added on December 17:

“Putin hailed Donald Trump as the ‘absolute leader’ in the U.S. presidential contest, praising the candidate’s talk about building a deeper relationship with Russia.”

The Bible does not indicate any war between Russia and the USA, but it DOES prophesy a war between continental Europe and the USA, the UK and the state of Israel; and a subsequent war between Europe and Russia.

“Paul Ryan Betrays America”

Slate.com wrote on December 16 about “The Paul Ryan Compromise,” continuing, “The new speaker’s first big deal is just like all of the ones that infuriated conservatives under Boehner…”

Breitbart minced no words and published the following headline on December 16:

“Paul Ryan Betrays America: $1.1 Trillion, 2,000-Plus Page Omnibus Bill Funds ‘Fundamental Transformation of America’…”

The article continued:

“Ryan’s first major legislative achievement is a total and complete sell-out of the American people masquerading as an appropriations bill… The Ryan-Pelosi package represents nothing short of a complete and total betrayal of the American people… By locking in the President’s refugee, immigration, and spending priorities, Ryan’s bill is designed to keep these fights out of Congress by getting them off the table for good…

“What may prove most discouraging of all to Americans is that recent reports reveal that conservatives in the so-called House Freedom Caucus are praising Ryan even as he permanently locks in these irreversible and anti-American immigration policies… the House Freedom Caucus will ‘give Ryan a pass’ even as he funds disastrous policies that prioritize the interests of foreign nationals and global corporatists above the needs of the American people whom lawmakers are supposed to represent.”

The Netherland’s Geert Wilders “Politician Of The Year” for the Third Time—Supports Trump

Breitbart wrote on December 15:

“Anti-Islamisation politician Geert Wilders has been named politician of the year for the third time in a Dutch poll as his Freedom Party gains ground in the country. In a survey of 37,000 people, Mr Wilders won 25 per cent of the vote, making him the first politician to win the vote three times. Dutch news site NDTV says he beat his nearest opponent, Green-Left leader Jesse Klaver, by 11 per cent. In third place, Labour’s finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem had just nine per cent.

“[Mr Wilders’] party is currently leading opinion polls in the country, with one poll recently suggesting they would win 35 out of 150 if elections were held tomorrow. The poll comes just days after Mr Wilders endorsed U.S. Republican frontrunner Donald Trump’s proposed temporary halt on Muslim immigration. Mr Wilders said: ‘I hope [Donald Trump] will be the next US President… We need brave leaders’. He added: ‘Also in The Netherlands, 100,000 Muslims – 11% – say it’s acceptable to use violence.’

“In September, he called Europe’s ongoing migrant crisis an ‘Islamic invasion’ that threatens the continent’s ‘prosperity, security, and identity’. Then in November, he said that Europe should close its borders to Muslims, telling AFP: ‘I’m not asking for anything strange, I am asking that our government close its doors as Hungary did … that we close our borders to those we consider to be migrants, not refugees.’

“Mr Wilders has also supported the ‘Draw Mohammed’ campaign of Pamela Geller, pledging to show Mohammed cartoons on Dutch television.”

Stunning Defeat of Le Pen in France

Breitbart wrote on December 13:

“Marine Le Pen has steered France’s Front National (FN) from pariah status into the mainstream, and despite her party’s defeat in regional elections on Sunday, she sounded a typically defiant and vitriolic note, lashing out at the traditional parties for teaming up against her and vowing to press on…

“The first round of the regional elections had given the anti-mass immigration FN the highest share of the vote… But Sunday’s results showed the 47-year-old lawyer by training still has some way to go before convincing the majority of French voters.

“In the northern Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardie region, she broke the symbolic 40-percent mark in the first round on December 6, exploiting anger over the dismal economy and the large numbers of migrants camped out in squalid conditions as they try desperately to reach Britain. But as so often for the FN, it was trounced in the second round after the ruling Socialists withdrew candidates and urged voters to back the centre-right.”

It is interesting that through political maneuvering and tactical manipulation, victories can be achieved (in this case for the French Socialists and the Republicans), which otherwise would not materialize. The Bible predicts that a very powerful German or Austrian leader (the “beast”) will arise on the world scene, gaining popularity and a high-ranking political office through flattery and deceit.

Does Merkel Cause More Damage Than Trump?

The Telegraph wrote on December 11:

“… we now have a great many Muslims in our midst – far more here, proportionately, than in Mr Trump’s country, and more in France than here. The risk of violence rises with the total. Even if it is true that 99 per cent of Muslims would not hurt a fly, when you increase the numbers you inevitably get more of those who would. People are, therefore, right to worry more about mass immigration from, say, Syria, than from, say, Poland…

“The founders of the European Union wanted… to give Christendom modern democratic form, but this is now nearly invisible. The leader of the union’s largest Christian Democrat party, Angela Merkel, has let more than a million mainly Muslim immigrants into her country this year alone. The East German pastor’s daughter is surely a much nicer person than Donald J Trump, but I wonder if she is not doing more actual harm to the future of the West.”

Merkel Rejects Multiculturalism

The Huffington Post wrote on December 14:

“In an address to the Christian Democratic Union on Monday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged to limit the flow of refugees entering the country, addressing critics in her own party who have questioned her decision to open Germany’s borders. As a top economic and political power, Germany has a ‘humanitarian imperative’ to accept people fleeing turmoil in Syria, Merkel said. Yet after accepting roughly 1 million refugees so far this year, she added that the country must now ‘noticeably reduce’ the number of new arrivals.

“… Merkel said refugees will have to make an effort to assimilate into German society. She also dismissed the idea of multiculturalism, which in parts of Europe is associated with a policy of encouraging distinct cultural groups to live in separate communities. ‘Those who seek refuge with us also have to respect our laws and traditions, and learn to speak German,’ she said. ‘Multiculturalism leads to parallel societies, and therefore multiculturalism remains a grand delusion.’…

“Her comments on Monday were neither new nor unexpected. In 2011, the Netherlands abandoned a policy of multiculturalism that allowed separate ethnic communities to live side by side without integration efforts. At a speech she gave to her party in 2010, Merkel said immigrants were welcome in Germany — but they should be prepared to adapt. ‘The approach [to build] a multicultural [society] and to live side-by-side and to enjoy each other … has failed, utterly failed,’ she said at the time.”

DHS Under Severe Scrutiny

The Washington Free Beacon wrote on December 6:

“At least 72 employees at the Department of Homeland Security are listed on the U.S. terrorist watch list, according to a Democratic lawmaker… Rep. Stephen Lynch (D., Mass.)… ‘The [former DHS] director had to resign because of that,’ he said… Lynch referred to a recent report that found the Transportation Security Administration, which is overseen by DHS, failed to stop 95 percent of those who attempted to bring restricted items past airport security…

“Lynch said he has ‘very low confidence’ in DHS based on its many failures over the years. For this reason, he voted in favor of recent legislation that will tighten the vetting process for any Syrian refugees applying for asylum in the United States… ‘I have even lower confidence that they can conduct the vetting process in places like Jordan, or Belize or on the Syrian border, or in Cairo, or Beirut in any better fashion, especially given the huge volume of applicants we’ve had seeking refugee status,’ Lynch said.”

Muslim Brotherhood Very Active in the USA with White House Support

Breitbart wrote on December 7:

“Though President Barack Obama claimed that America must ‘enlist Muslim communities’ to combat terrorism in his Sunday evening Oval Office address, former FBI Counterterrorism Agent John Guandolo said… that since 9/11, ‘we collectively have received nearly zero help from the Muslim Community.’

“Guandolo… pointed out… that a ‘vast majority’ of U.S. mosques and Islamic centers are a part of a much larger ‘jihadi network’… He also pointed out that the Holy Land Foundation, the largest Islamic charity in America, was a ‘Hamas organization at the time it was indicted and Hamas is an inherent part of the Muslim Brotherhood.’ He said it will be nearly impossible to… successfully combat terrorists ‘so long as the U.S. government… emboldens and empowers Muslim Brotherhood organizations here.’…

“He also called out Saudi Arabia for being the top financier of Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, and al-Qaeda projects in the United States. Guandolo said these organizations build lavish mosques that can hold thousands of people in areas where there are only 12 Muslims because their strategy is to claim ground ‘up to three miles around the mosque.’ He said the Saudis help these organizations purchase homes in the area at substantially above-market prices in order to ‘occupy that space around that mosque.’”

ISIS May Print Fake Syrian Passports

ABC News wrote on December 10:

“With the U.S. and other countries on high alert for ISIS attacks, American authorities are warning the terror group’s followers may have infiltrated American borders with authentic-looking [Syrian] passports ISIS has printed itself with its own machines…

“Former Department of Homeland Security intelligence official and ABC News consultant John Cohen said, ‘If ISIS has been able to acquire legitimate passports or machines that create legitimate passports, this would represent a major security risk in the United States.’

“Fake Syrian passports have already been discovered in Europe, most notably two used by suicide bombers in the horrific terrorist attack on Paris last month. The two men are believed to have slipped into Europe with a flood of Syrian refugees fleeing the violence in their homeland…

“[Allegedly] fake Syrian passports can be obtained in Syria for $200 to $400 and… backdated passport stamps to be placed in the passport cost the same…”

Saudi Arabia’s Coalition vs. ISIS, but without Iran

Express wrote on December 15:

“Saudi Arabia [a Sunni country] has announced a huge 34 state military alliance tasked with wiping out the Islamic State and other terrorist groups… Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi defence minister, said the group would fight terrorist activities in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Egypt and Afghanistan…The huge coalition combines Arab countries like Egypt, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates with Islamic countries like Malaysia, Pakistan and Turkey.

“However [Shiite] Iran, Saudi Arabia’s arch rival for influence in the Arab world, is not part of the coalition. The two countries are locked in proxy conflicts across the Middle East. [Saudi Arabia and Iran support opposite sides in the wars raging in Syria and Yemen.] In Yemen, Saudi and Gulf Arab forces have been locked in battle with Iran-allied rebels, with an uneasy ceasefire soon to take place in the region.

“The alliance comes after western pressure, particularly from the USA, for nations like Saudi Arabia to help tackle ISIS, otherwise known as Daesh. Saudi Arabia is currently leading a military intervention in Yemen against Shiite Houthi rebels and is part of the US-led coalition bombing ISIS in Iraq and Syria.”

All these Middle Eastern and other Islamic countries, as mentioned in the article, are of a dictatorial and totalitarian nature, suppressing individual freedoms and liberties of their citizens. Any coalition between the USA and Saudi Arabia and other Muslim nations will not hold. In addition, note the next article.

Saudi Arabia’s “Alliance” Makes No Sense

The Washington Post wrote on December 17:

“Saudi Arabia’s ‘Islamic Military Alliance’ against Terrorism makes no sense… First, some of the countries apparently in the alliance [including Pakistan, Malaysia and Lebanon] claim to have never heard of it… Other countries listed as being part of the alliance [including Uganda, Gabon, Benin and Togo] do not have Muslim majorities… A number [of] major Muslim countries [including Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan and Indonesia] are not part of the alliance… 

“It’s unclear what exactly the alliance is aiming to do… Saudi Arabia has also gone to lengths to suggest that the alliance would not be limited to attempts to fight the Islamic State, but would focus on terrorism in general… Saudi Arabia’s definition of terrorism is worryingly broad… Under a law introduced last year, virtually any criticism of the kingdom’s political system or its interpretation of Islam counts as terrorism…”

ISIS Envisions Destruction of Rome

The Daily Mail wrote on December 11:

“The Islam State has released a chilling new video showing its apocalyptic vision of a final showdown with the West, which includes jihadists advancing toward the Colosseum in Rome. The disturbing footage, named ‘Meeting at Dabiq’, is focused on the notion of a deadly battle for world domination, in which ISIS ‘believers’ will fight western ‘crusaders’ in the Italian capital.

“… in a digitally-altered scene, an ISIS armoured unit is filmed heading toward the Colosseum. The male narrator describes how militants will destroy the ‘crusader’ sites… As well as the famous amphitheatre, St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City also features in the footage.”

ISIS will not destroy Rome, but it is interesting to see what goals ISIS has in mind.

Does Turkey Provoke Russia Deliberately?

Express wrote on December 13:

“The Russian plane shot down by Turkish forces last month was targeted in a cold-blooded ambush, according to a defence and aviation expert. Pierre Sprey, an American defence analyst involved in the development of the F-16 fighter jet, has revealed that he thought it was clearly a ‘pre-planned operation.’… He concluded: ‘The evidence looks pretty strong that the Turks were setting up an ambush.’

“The Russian Su-24 bomber was shot down as it returned to an air base following a military operation in Syria. According to the Turkish government, the Russian aircraft had crossed into their territory and refused to change direction despite receiving ten warnings in five minutes. However, the Russian military has responded by saying that their jet had not crossed the border and said it was one kilometer outside of Turkish airspace when it was shot down.

“They also claimed that they had not received any warnings, something Mr Sprey believes could be true. He said: ‘Now it so happens that Su-24s have no radios onboard for receiving UHF-frequency signals, a fact which is well known to American, NATO and Turkish intelligence. Those warnings may have been deliberately transmitted only on the international civilian frequency so that the Su-24s would never hear them.’”

Deutsche Welle added on December 13:

“Russian media reported on Sunday that the defense ministry had summoned Turkey’s military attaché in Moscow over a near-miss in the Aegean Sea. According to the Kremlin, a Russian destroyer only narrowly avoided Turkish vessel despite repeated warnings on the part of the Russian navy.

“‘The crew of the Russian patrol ship Smetlivy which was located 22 kilometers from the Greek island of Lemnos in the northern part of the Aegean Sea avoided collision with a Turkish seiner,’ said a ministry statement. ‘Despite numerous attempts by the Smetlivy, the crew of the Turkish seiner would not engage in radio contact and did not respond to special visual signals,’ the statement continued. The Smetlivy then fired small arms as a warning, ‘to prevent the collision of the ships.’

“The incident was sure to add to the tensions between the two nations, which has been at a fever pitch since a Russian warplane was shot down by Turkish security forces at the end of November, killing a pilot… Moscow has been particularly insistent that Turkey is funding terrorism by buying oil from ‘Islamic State’ (IS) jihadists.”

The Bible indicates that Turkey will ultimately collaborate with the EU and apparently against Russia.

Catholic Church Will Not Attempt to Convert Jews… at Least Not for Now

The New York Times wrote on December 10:

“Catholics should not try to convert Jews, but should work together with them to fight anti-Semitism, the Vatican said on Thursday in a far-reaching document meant to solidify its increasingly positive relations with Jews. Despite a long history of mutual suspicion and conflict, Christianity and Judaism are deeply intertwined, and Christians should treat the subject of the Holocaust with sensitivity and repel any anti-Semitic tendencies, the Vatican wrote.

“… the commission wrote that the church was ‘obliged to view evangelization to Jews, who believe in the one God, in a different manner from that to people of other religions and world views.’ It specified that ‘the Catholic Church neither conducts nor supports any specific institutional mission work directed towards Jews.’…

“‘It clearly states that salvation doesn’t come from the Jews’ conversion, but it’s very respectful of their own mission,’ said Alberto Melloni, the director of a liberal Catholic research institution, the John XXIII Foundation for Religious Studies in Bologna… Coming 50 years after the Vatican formally repudiated the idea of collective Jewish guilt for Jesus’ death, the document emphasized the tight and inescapable link between Christianity and Judaism. ‘A Christian can never be an anti-Semite, especially because of the Jewish roots of Christianity,’ it stated…

“Jewish leaders praised the document and the way that Catholic-Jewish relations had progressed… Before the Second Vatican Council of 1962-65, Catholic prayers said on Good Friday, the day that commemorates Jesus’ crucifixion and death, called Jews ‘perfidious.’ The revisions to the Mass ordered by the council eliminated that characterization, but some other language that Jewish groups found offensive continued to be said by ultratraditional Catholics using old-style Latin prayers, including a reference to ‘the blindness of that people.’ Pope Benedict XVI ordered those prayers changed in 2008.

“The Vatican’s efforts to improve relations with Jews gained major impetus under Pope John Paul II. He was the first pope to pray in a synagogue, the first to acknowledge the failure of individual Catholics to act against the Holocaust and the first to call anti-Semitism a sin ‘against God and man.’…”

What is of course missing from this nice-sounding dialogue is the biblical truth that even though salvation is of the Jews (John 4:22), salvation is not possible except through acceptance of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man. To be a true Christian, one has become a spiritual Jew, who will accept both the Old and the New Testament, but there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved, and there is no salvation in any other but in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).

In this installment, we will mainly address the question as to why there would be “stripes” or punishment for unrepented sins and sometimes even for those sins which were subsequently repented of. This question applies to people in this day and age, as well as those who will be raised in the Second Resurrection or the Great White Throne Judgment.

We must realize that sin may have automatic consequences. For instance, if we drive under the influence of alcohol and are responsible for a serious car accident, which may result in bodily injury of ourselves and others, or even in the death of an innocent person, then these consequences will remain for the rest of our lives, even though God will forgive our sinful conduct upon true and genuine repentance. But the death or the loss of limb will not be automatically “annulled,” as if it had never happened.

This is also true when our long-time smoking results in cancer. God forgives the sin of smoking upon repentance, but there is no guarantee that He will also heal us from cancer which was caused by ourselves. God might heal us of this deadly disease, but then, He might decide, based on individual circumstances, that it may be better NOT to heal us from cancer in this life.

Another example would be the murder of innocent human beings. Before conversion, many might have participated in war, and they might have even killed innocent civilians in the “enemy country.” Upon repentance and conversion, God forgives such sins of murder, but this does not bring the killed “enemies” or civilians back to life in this day and age. A mother might have aborted her child and might later bitterly repent of that sin. But God’s forgiveness does not make the child alive again in this life. However, all of these innocent victims will become alive again in the Second Resurrection.

Consider that even though God forgave David his sins, He later brought up again “the matter of Uriah the Hittite” (1 Kings 15:5), as this was not sinful conduct which was committed because of ignorance or temporary temptation. Rather, these sins belonged to a slightly different category. It was not the unpardonable sin, to be sure, since David will be in the Kingdom of God (compare Jeremiah 30:9; Hosea 3:5; see also Luke 13:28, referring to “all the prophets,” and David was a prophet, Acts 2:29-31). However, they were not sins which were committed “in ignorance” or because of a temporary, passing weakness that had “snuck up” on David. Rather, this was planned, premeditated, carefully designed and thought-out sinful conduct. David thought through very diligently how to cover up his adultery with Bathsheba, until he resorted to the murder of Uriah. God brought up the “matter of Uriah,” because He was terribly grieved that David would have acted in such a way – and He wanted to impress on the reader the awful consequences of these sins for David and his entire household.

As we explained in previous Q&As, David was punished very severely for these sins, even though he had repented and obtained God’s forgiveness. But David was supposed to uphold the law of God and be a good example for others. In this instance, he failed miserably. God said that He “has put away” David’s sin (2 Samuel 12:13). But then, He gave the reason for David’s punishment, as follows: “… because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme…” (2 Samuel 12:14).

Note that God had clearly spelled out why and in what way He would punish David. In other examples given in previous Q&As in this series, we saw that God punished Moses and Miriam for their sins, but again, He spelled out very clearly what the punishment would be, and why it was given. We must not make the mistake of thinking that if things go wrong in our lives, God may be punishing us for sins which we might have committed earlier, but which we deeply repented of. IF punishment for previous sins is involved, God will make this very clear to us.

Of course, we must ask ourselves the question whether we did indeed deeply repent of our sins, and whether our conscience was completely purified, or whether we are still carrying with us feelings of guilt for sins which we committed earlier, and which we did NOT truly repent of. “Stripes” or punishment may have to be inflicted on us so that we can ultimately acquire a clean conscience (Hebrews 10:19-22; 13:18; 1 Timothy 1:5). It is also important to note that David, Moses, Miriam and others committed sins, for which they were punished, after they were converted and had received the Holy Spirit. Conversion does not make it impossible to sin (Romans 7:14-25; 1 John 2:8)… including very serious and grievous sins, such as the sins of David in the matter of Uriah. It is important that those sins are deeply repented of in this life, before we die.

But as we said, repentance does not necessarily prevent punishment in this life. One reason for punishment in some cases might very well be that God must show us the enormity of our sin, and totally “ignoring” sins without consequence may only lead to “temporary” repentance or regret, and not to ongoing, continuing and permanent repentance (2 Corinthians 7:9-10). Christ said that Paul had to learn how much He would have to suffer for Christ’s sake, AFTER his conversion, because he had persecuted the saints BEFORE his conversion (Acts 9:10-16). He received mercy because he acted “ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Timothy 1:12-13), but that did not negate suffering.

We must also realize that when God punishes us for our sins, He does so to bring us to repentance. We read the following end-time prophecy in Joel 2:11-13: “The LORD gives voice before His army, For His camp is very great; For strong is the One who executes His word. For the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; Who can endure it? ‘Now, therefore,’ says the LORD, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.’ So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God…”

God does not delight in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked repents and lives (Ezekiel 18:30-32). Sometimes “many stripes” in this life or in the Second Resurrection are necessary to bring a sinner to repentance. As was mentioned before, repentance is a process. God leads us to repentance (Romans 2:4). And so, punishment for sin may be a necessity. Psalm 146:9 speaks about “punishment of the wicked”—including in this life—so that he might come to repentance: “The LORD watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow; But the way of the wicked He turns upside down (Lit.: “makes crooked”).”

John the Baptist told the hypocritical multitudes of his time: “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance… every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Luke 3:7-9). John addresses the need for true repentance to escape God’s wrath, including on the Day of the LORD, the Millennium and the Great White Throne Judgment period, and he warns that refusal of repentance will lead to destruction in the Gehenna Fire during the Third Resurrection.

Focusing on the Millennium and the Second Resurrection, we read in Psalm 149:5-9: “Let the saints be joyful in glory… Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand, To execute vengeance on the nations, And punishments on the peoples; To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute on them the written judgment—This honor have all His saints.” This promise is confirmed by Christ in Revelation 2:26-27: “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—as I have also received from My Father.” The ultimate goal is that “‘…Every knee shall bow to Me [God], and every tongue shall confess to God’’ (Romans 14:11).

Please realize that God saw to it that certain sins of David were recorded, for everyone to read. In addition to David’s sinful conduct in the matter of Uriah, some of his other sins were recorded as well, such as his fighting in war and numbering his army. Furthermore, sins of other righteous men and women were recorded: Moses’s sin of murder and his later outburst before Israel, which prevented him from entering the Promised Land; Aaron and Miriam’s murmuring against Moses; Abraham and Isaac’s lies; Abraham and Sarah’s adultery because of lack of faith; Jacob’s deceit towards his father Isaac; Rachel’s theft of her father’s idol; Peter’s sin of lying and denying Christ three times, and his hypocrisy towards Gentile Christians; and Paul’s persecution of Christians when he was still known as Saul. The list could go on and on. We also believe that Solomon came to repentance at the end of his life, but his prior terrible sins were included in the Bible.

The sins of those mentioned above were forgiven (all of those men and women will be in the Kingdom of God as God beings), but their prior sins were not erased from the written Word of God—the Bible—and we are told that they were recorded as an example for our benefit today (1 Corinthians 10:11), and that ALL Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

In addition, we do not believe that Adam and Eve or Judas Iscariot have committed the unpardonable sin, since they never had God’s Holy Spirit, which means, that they will be given their opportunity to accept God’s Way of Life in the Second Resurrection; still, everyone knows and will know about [some of] their sins which they committed, as they are recorded in God’s Word. Jesus even said about Judas that it would have been better if he had not been born. We do not believe that these statements will ever be removed from the Bible. Adam, Eve and Judas will come back to life and will be offered true repentance, which they will hopefully accept. But again, their sins are recorded in the Bible, and the books of the Bible will be opened to the understanding of all who will be in the Great White Throne Judgment period (Revelation 20:12).

When we sin and do not repent, then our sins will stand against us. God will not forgive and forget them. The same is true for our friends and relatives. If they sin in this life, without repenting, God (and we as God Beings in the Kingdom) will not forgive and forget those sins prior to their repentance, but we will offer them repentance in the Great White Throne Judgment period so that their sins can be forgiven.

But what about sins which have been repented of? Don’t we read that God forgives our sins when we repent, and that “their sins and lawless deeds [He] will remember no more” (Jeremiah 31:34; Isaiah 43:25; Hebrews 8:12)? How can this be true for sins which are even recorded in the Bible?

The answer is that God casts all repented sins behind His back and into the depths of the sea, so that when they are sought for, they shall not be found IN THE SENSE that God will never charge us with them. He does not retain them in His mind in the sense that He will not revisit what has passed. This should show us that we must strive to do the same. When we forgive, we must also learn to avoid revisiting what has passed. This is something which those who come up in the Second Resurrection will have to learn as well, when they are confronted by, or confronting, their fellow man against whom they have sinned, or who might have sinned against them.

For instance, let’s take the example of killing in war. Those in the Second Resurrection will become aware of the fact that they committed murder. They will be led to repentance of their sin, and God will forgive them. But they will also meet those whom they murdered. The victims will need to come to the realization that they must forgive their murderers, as they themselves will also be in need of forgiveness of sins which they might have committed.

An unconverted or converted person might sin, as we saw, resulting in the death of another person (in war, through other killings, abortion etc.). Since the victim died, there was really no opportunity to achieve reconciliation with the victim before his or her death. Of course, God will forgive these sins upon genuine repentance, and the converted person [or the person coming to conversion in this day and age] will be in the First Resurrection if he or she subsequently dies in Christ.

Still, the person whom he or she killed will be raised in the Second Resurrection, and the converted person—now a God being—will face his or her victim before the Judgment Seat of Christ.  Now picture this: The God being [who might even be involved in judging the person whom he had killed in this day and age] will still need to explain that he or she had repented of the sin of murder and that God forgave the sin, and that the murdered person must learn to forgive as well. Punishment which the God being received for the sin in his or her physical life, as a human being, might very well help the victim to accept the fact that he or she must extend forgiveness as well.

In this light, the warning of Paul takes on important additional meaning for us, when he said: “For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ” (Romans 14:10). He added in 2 Corinthians 5:10: “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he had done, whether good or bad.”

Paul refers to the reward which we will receive, as we explain in our free booklet, “The Gospel of the Kingdom of God.” But we can also see now that more is involved, and that Paul might include here our appearance as God beings (!) before the Great White Throne Judgment Seat of Christ in the Second Resurrection.

It is obvious that true reconciliation will have to be achieved in the Second Resurrection even between an immortal saint and his or her prior victim, because it is the potential of the victim to enter the Family of God as well. These conversations might even include “stripes” for the immortal saint perhaps in the form of uncomfortable feelings of embarrassment—as unbelievable as this might sound at first—in that the saint will need one more time to focus on his or her prior wrong conduct and explain this to his or her victim, adding that because of the Supreme Sacrifice of Jesus Christ, his or her sins were forgiven upon repentance, and that the victim can obtain forgiveness as well for his or her sins, and that he or she needs to forgive in return (Matthew 6:14-15). THAT is how total reconciliation will be achieved. If Uriah will be in the Second Resurrection and not in the First, David will need to talk to him at that time about his adultery and murder, bringing about total reconciliation with him. One can only imagine the conversation which will take place then.

Of course, similar conversations will take place even in the First Resurrection. Imagine the scenario when Paul meets the Christians whom he persecuted and whom he had killed before his conversion. All of them, including Paul and his converted victims, will appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ as immortal saints. They will talk to each other. Picture Stephen’s first meeting with Paul in the First Resurrection. Remember that Paul, as Saul, had delighted in Stephen’s death. Certainly, Stephen had asked God to forgive his murderers, including Saul, but when they meet each other in the First Resurrection, standing before the Judgment Seat of Christ, they will undoubtedly talk to each other about their prior lives.

Knowing all of this, it is important, as we have opportunity, to strive in this life for peace, forgiveness and reconciliation with everyone whom we might have wronged. Christ said that we have to give account for every idle word which we have spoken against someone else (Matthew 12:36-37)… how much more for every wicked and evil deed. Forgiveness for our sins and reconciliation with our fellow man must be achieved… either in this life (Matthew 5:21-24) or in the life to come.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A new Member Letter (December 2015) has been written by Pastor Rene Messier. In this letter, Mr. Messier strongly encourages us to get fully engaged in the Work of God and to fulfill the responsibilities God has placed on each one of us. This letter has been mailed to those on our mailing list. If you would like to receive our monthly letters or other of our literature, please contact us with your request.

A special new StandingWatch program has been recorded by Evangelist Norbert Link. Titled, “The Dark Side of Christmas,” we are promoting this video through several outlets—Facebook, directed emails, our CEG website and press releases.

Here is a summary appearing with the program announcement:

Pagan Origins

Did you know that many of the celebrations around Christmas originate in a time long before the birth of Christ? While many people may think they are commemorating Christ’s birth and celebrating the “joy” of the season, they are actually paying homage to pagan customs connected to evil spirits, concepts and figures.

Evil Customs “Christianized”

In this program, we will show you how the traditions surrounding Christmas such as gifts, Santa Claus and the Christmas tree are not only pagan customs that have been adopted by Orthodox Christianity, but how observance of such practices are an abomination to God!

“Gehet Hin in Alle Welt…,” is the title of this week’s new German sermon. Title in English: “Go Into All the World…”

“Go Into All the World…,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Jesus told His disciples to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature”, and He said that “this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” But what exactly does all of this mean?

“The Need for Fasting,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Just like our need for physical food, we also need spiritual food. Fasting is one of the things that helps us to draw close to God to be able to receive this spiritual food. How often then do we actually fast? Do we think that fasting is as important as prayer and Bible study? How should we approach fasting?

On December 12, 2015, Norbert Link will present the sermonette, titled, “Go into all the world…,” and Kalon Mitchell will present the sermon, titled, “The Need For Fasting.”

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.

Fulfilling our part in preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God must be done with true compassion and deep concern for those who are hearing the message God has ordained. While the focus is on future events, when God’s Kingdom will govern the entire world, the knowledge we are imparting has impact for people right now!

Of God, it is said that He “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4); and, that He “is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

When God calls someone to repentance, He is giving that person the opportunity to receive eternal life. Along with that calling, and following repentance and baptism, comes a brand new way of living through the power of God—His own Holy Spirit.

All of this astounding opportunity for us rests in the fact that God cares for mankind—He loves us! The measure of His compassion is ultimate and without parallel:

“‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life’” (John 3:16).

And:

“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation [atoning sacrifice] for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10).

If we accept this truth of how much God cares, then we are bound to express the same kind of care as we complete the Work of God given to us:

“Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11).

We focus on Germany’s decision to engage militarily in the Syrian war, which has caused some to issue strong warnings against such “illusionary” attempts without any clear prospect for success. We continue with covering the San Bernardino terror attack and outspoken comments by Donald Trump, which have met with harsh criticism.

We also describe dangerous Russian war-mongering propaganda against Berlin, Washington and Istanbul; a referendum of the Danish people against “more Europe”; and statements by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the effect that Israel could easily destroy the Al-Aqsa mosque on the Temple Mount.

We continue with an article by an Arabic scholar debunking the Islamic claim regarding the Temple Mount; and we report on a remarkable find of righteous King Hezekiah’s royal seal.

We speak on a dumb-founding revelation that California owns all DNA of children born in the state since 1983 and what is being done with the blood of newborn babies.

We conclude with an article which, if true, would show incredible religious persecution of a Junior High School student in Texas, and attempts by the White House to give even further powers to the IRS

“The War That Nobody Wants”

This is the headline of an article which was published by Deutsche Welle on December 4. The article continued:

“Germany is sending soldiers to Syria to combat the self-proclaimed ‘Islamic State’ (IS) terror group. The government isn’t acting out of conviction, rather in response to external pressure…

“The Iraq War of 2003 should serve as a cautionary tale when it comes to this sort of ill-considered obedience…

“Nobody is questioning the murderous, deeply evil character of this terrorist group… They can attack anytime, anywhere, and everyone knows it. Despite this, the government is contributing to the illusion that ‘IS’ can be beaten with more air strikes. They are deluding themselves…

“Independent political and military experts have voiced serious doubts about the success of such a mission. Then, there are international legal concerns… There is already a long list of failed deployments in this young century: Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya – all failed states where the seeds of terror were planted and continue to grow. Now, in Syria, military alliances are suddenly being formed that, just weeks ago, would have been likened by all parties to a pact with the devil… This alone shows just how helpless and desperate the West – and with it now Germany – has become.

“The German government has painted itself into a corner. It knows that the agreed deployment is highly risky for both the soldiers, and the German people. It will, of course, increase the risk of an ‘IS’ terrorist attack on German soil.

“There are jihadists living among us. And the horrific scenes from Paris are still fresh. There, it was mainly French citizens with a Muslim background who carried out the attacks. Now, out of an honest sense of solidarity, Germany is participating in a war for which there are no convincing political and military arguments…”

German Muslims Warn Against German Military Involvement in Syria

Deutsche Welle reported on December 5:

“The head of Germany’s Central Council of Muslims spoke out against German involvement in Syria on Saturday… Aiman Mazyek said that this type of strategy in the fight against terrorism had already proven a failure…

“According to Mazyek, a much better plan is to stop the delivery of weapons to the jihadists, to force regional powers to come together at the negotiating table and by focusing on a strategy of reconciliation, creating a perspective of hope and peace for Syrians and not one of continued misery and conflict… adding that groups like ‘IS’ and al Qaeda benefit from the West engaging them in violence because war is an important part of their political goals.

“Referring to Germany’s involvement in the protracted conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, Mazyek reminded readers that ‘we have sown war, and out of it came refugees and terrorism.’”

Undoubtedly, ongoing military engagement in Syria (which will not be successful in destroying ISIS) will maximize the ongoing migrant crisis.

Terror Attack in San Bernardino–a Political Nightmare for Obama

The Guardian wrote on December 4:

“There is never a good time for a commander-in-chief to learn of a terrorist attack on the homeland, but confirmation… could hardly have come at a worse time politically for Barack Obama. Just one week [ago] the president responded to mounting fear of terrorism with unusually forthright reassurance for Americans to ‘go about their usual activities’ during the US holiday season… the president also went out of his way to stress there was ‘no specific and credible intelligence indicating a plot on the homeland’.

“The message was a direct response to what Obama said were ‘understandable’ fears about terrorism in the wake of the recent Paris shootings. But it also came as he was facing unprecedented levels of criticism from political opponents about failing to take seriously the threat from Isis and those potentially inspired by its violent extremism…

“In the immediate aftermath of Wednesday’s shooting, Obama focused exclusively on gun control as a policy response – suggesting the attack fitted into a ‘pattern of mass shootings in this country’. By Thursday, after the identity of the attackers had become clear, the president acknowledged that terrorism was a possibility but still spoke mainly about the need to pass gun control legislation – even though it now looks possible that the assault rifles in the attack may have already been illegal under California law.”

Incredible–Falwell Jr. Encourages Students to Buy Guns

Newsmax reported on December 5:

“Jerry Falwell Jr., president of Christian-based Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia, is encouraging students to carry concealed weapons on campus for protection, a local newspaper reported. Falwell made his remarks at the school’s weekly convocation on Friday night, according to The News & Advance in Lynchburg. The comments came two days after a shooting in San Bernardino, California left 14 people dead and in the wake of other shooting sprees in the United States, including some on college campuses.

“‘It just blows my mind when I see that the president of the United States [says] that the answer to circumstances like that is more gun control,’ Falwell said, according to the newspaper. ‘I’ve always thought if more good people had concealed carry permits, then we could end those Muslims before they walked in.’ Later on Friday, Falwell clarified via Twitter that he was referring to Islamic terrorists, not all Muslims, the paper reported.

“Falwell, whose [late] father Jerry Falwell Sr. was an evangelical Southern Baptist pastor, televangelist, and conservative political commentator, urged students to take free classes offered by the university’s Police Department to obtain a concealed weapon permit, the newspaper reported. ‘Let’s teach them a lesson if they ever show up here,’ he said. Liberty University is a private institution with about 14,500 students taking courses on campus and another 95,000 enrolled online, according to the school’s website.”

Newsmax added on December 7 “that… Jerry Falwell Jr. defended his stance that his students should be carrying guns on campus, saying the policy has been in effect since the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings that killed 32… Students have to be 21 years old to carry weapons on campus, he said.”

Others, such as Dr. Ben Carson and Donald Trump, have made similar claims and recommendations.

However, all should be well advised to read Christ’s statements to Peter, in Matthew 26:52: “Put your sword in its place, for all who take the sword [or a gun] will perish by the sword [a gun].” The warning is repeated in Revelation 13:10: “… he who kills with the sword [a gun] must be killed with the sword [a gun].” Christ introduced this warning in verse 9 with, “If anyone has an ear, let him hear.”

Falwell and others have not been listening so far, and neither have millions who think that they will live safer lives by carrying a gun and by willing to use it. The opposite is true.

Franklin Graham Blasts “New York Daily News” over Prayer Article

Newsmax wrote on December 4:

“Christian evangelist… Franklin Graham is blasting a prayer-shaming headline and story in the New York Daily News.

“… the son of famed preacher Billy Graham… decries the attitude that prayers don’t do much to prevent mass shootings like the [terrorist attack by a heavily-armed radical Muslim couple] that killed 14 people in San Bernardino, Calif. ‘The New York Daily News front page touts “God isn’t fixing this” in regards to the San Bernardino mass shooting,’ Graham writes.

“‘And they have the audacity to criticize politicians who had publicly offered prayers and asked for God’s comfort following the killings, calling them “cowards who could truly end gun scourge.” Shame on them! … ‘It’s evident that this group is bashing the importance of prayer in order to promote their own gun control agenda,’ he adds.

“Graham argues prayers aren’t ‘“meaningless platitudes” as they say on their cover.’ ‘Prayer does make a difference in heartbreaking situations like this,’ he writes.”

“Most Controversial” Statements by Donald Trump So Far—“Complete Shutdown on Muslims Entering the USA”

NBC News reported on December 7:

“Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump on Monday called for a ‘total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States’ [‘until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on.]… Trump released a statement citing polling data he says shows ‘there is great hatred towards Americans by large segments of the Muslim population.’…

“Trump’s announcement comes the day after President Barack Obama addressed the nation, calling on Americans ‘to reject religious tests on who we admit into this country.’…

“‘Donald Trump always plays on everyone’s worst instincts and fears and saying we’re not going to let a single Muslim into this [country] is a dangerous over reaction,’ Carly Fiorina told NBC News after a campaign stop in Iowa.

“‘This is the kind of thing that people say when they have no experience and don’t know what they’re talking about,’ Chris Christie said during a radio interview. ‘That’s a ridiculous position,’ he added.”

Lindsey Graham tweeted that ‘Every candidate for president needs to do the right thing and condemn’ Trump’s comments. Ted Cruz said ‘that is not my policy.’ A spokesperson for Ben Carson said, ‘Everyone visiting our country should register and be monitored during their stay as is done in many countries. We do not and would not advocate being selective on one’s religion.’

Jeb Bush wrote on Facebook that Trump is “unhinged” and that his “policy proposals are not serious.” He later speculated whether Trump and Clinton were engaged in a conspiracy so that Clinton would win; and reporters on MSNBC “speculated” quite seriously whether Trump was making those controversial comments so that he could lose.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said he disagrees with Trump. “[His] habit of making offensive and outlandish statements will not bring Americans together…” he said in a statement. Former Vice President Dick Cheney said that “such a policy goes against the spirit of America.” The White House and the Democrats universally condemned Trump’s proposal.

House Speaker Paul Ryan said that Trump’s proposal “is not what this party (GOP) stands for. And more importantly, it’s not what this country stands for.”

The Washington Post wrote:

“In the past month… Trump has called for greater scrutiny of Muslims — including Muslim Americans who are legal residents of the country. He has said he would support heavy surveillance of mosques, bar Syrian refugees of all religions from entering the country and would consider establishing a database to track all Muslims in the country. But Trump’s statement on Monday was his most controversial proposal yet.”

The Huffington Post wrote: “Trump goes full fascist.”

Fox News host Shepard Smith said that Trump “is representing the worst, darkest part of all that is America.”

 In Germany, Trump’s comments made the headlines in almost every news outlet. Bild Online wrote about Trump’s newest “provocation,” adding that Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, confirmed via Email that Trump’s demand to exclude Muslims does not only refer to refugees, but also to tourists and students. (Trump later “clarified” that his proposal would not apply to US citizens and Muslims living in the USA, and a Trump spokesperson said that his comments were meant to apply “only” to immigration). Trump also said that there would be exceptions for some, without giving any specifics. Die Zeit wrote that Trump found a new scapegoat—the “hateful” Muslims.

Trump was also highly criticized in Great Britain.

Deutsche Welle characterized Trump’s comments as “racist” and wrote on December 9:

“British hostility towards… Donald Trump is a hot commodity across the United Kingdom… nearly a quarter of a million people [have been] signing a petition to ban the US presidential candidate from Britain… [Trump said:] ‘We have places in London… that are so radicalised that the police are afraid for their own lives.’

“The latter comment drew outrage and fury from across Britain’s political establishment. London Mayor Boris Johnson lashed into Trump. ‘I think he is betraying a quite stupefying ignorance that makes him frankly unfit to hold the office of the president of the United States,’ Johnson told ITV News. The mayor also told the BBC, ‘Crime has been falling steadily… in London…’

“Prime Minister David Cameron – who now leads the same conservative party once led by Margaret Thatcher – said the US presidential candidate’s statement [banning all Muslims from entering the USA] was ‘divisive, unhelpful and quite simply wrong.’…

“Trump’s comments prompted an outraged Scottish government Wednesday to drop him as a business ambassador for the country, where he owns golf courses and hotels… The petition will now be considered for debate by parliament as it has over 100,000 signatures, and will receive a written government response…”

The Associated Press wrote on December 7:

“[Trump] did not respond to questions about whether it would also include Muslims who are U.S. citizens and travel outside of the country, or how a determination of someone’s religion might be made by customs and border officials. There are, for example, more than 5,800 servicemen and women on active U.S. military duty and in the reserves who self-identify as Muslim and could be assigned to serve overseas.

“Trump was also unclear on whether his ban would apply to Muslim allies in the fight against Islamic State militants. Ari Fleischer, a former aide to Republican President George W. Bush, tweeted, ‘Under Trump, the King Abdullah of Jordan, who is fighting ISIS, won’t be allowed in the US to talk about how to fight ISIS.’…

“Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona said of Trump’s idea, ‘It’s just foolish.’ But will it hurt his campaign? ‘I have no idea,’ McCain said. ‘I thought long ago that things he said would hurt his prospects, and he continues to go up.’”

On the other hand, the following two articles give a slightly different picture.

The New York Times wrote on December 8:

“His remarks ignited widespread condemnation that crossed ideological and social lines in many countries… But Mr. Trump’s position also had its admirers. His stance on Muslim immigration drew several hundred favorable comments on China’s Twitter-like social media site, Weibo, where supporters linked his idea to their own fears of the Uighurs, a minority Muslim group in China’s northwestern region, some of whom have resorted to militancy and violence…

“Mr. Trump’s views were more recognizable in Europe than most people liked to admit and… his stances resembled those of not just Ms. Le Pen [note the next section in these Current Events] but also other larger-than-life politicians who appealed to voters fed up with the political mainstream… in a world in which terrorism has come to be associated with radical Islam, Mr. Trump’s stance resonated among people who perceive a similar threat…”

Bloomberg reported on December 9:

“Almost two-thirds of likely 2016 Republican primary voters favor Donald Trump’s call to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the U.S., while more than a third say it makes them more likely to vote for him.”

Trump’s proposals, if they are indeed serious and not just unrealistic comments to get votes, become more and more troublesome. But in times of war, when “enemies” are found or designated, they are not surprising. In Nazi Germany, Jews became the scapegoats for everything which was “bad” in Germany, and they were persecuted mercilessly. In the USA under President Franklin Roosevelt, during World War II, unconstitutional restrictions were placed on American citizens of Italian, German and Japanese descent, culminating in American “detention camps” of innocent Japanese civilians. Is history beginning to repeat itself… and are much worse times ahead?

Far Right Anti-Muslim Party Wins Stunning Victory in France

The EUObserver wrote on December 7:

“The [far-right] National Front [under party leader Marine Le Pen] has come first [with a 27.9 percent share of the votes] in half of the regions in a first round of local elections in France. The results were expected but they created a shock in French politics… The Front National is ‘without contest the first party of France,’ Le Pen told supporters Sunday evening… The Socialist Party (PS) of president Francois Hollande and prime minister Manuel Valls came only third with around 23 percent.”

The Associated Press wrote on December 8:

“France’s options are no longer as simple as left and right. The far-right, anti-establishment National Front has ridden a wave of anger over migration and extremist attacks straight into the political mainstream — where experts predict it will stay. The party’s historic results in Sunday’s first round of regional elections were the latest in a series of electoral inroads, with scores that shamed and destabilized the traditional parties. The conservative party of former President Nicolas Sarkozy and President Francois Hollande’s Socialists — the long-standing anchors of French political life — scrambled to find ways to block the ascent of the far-right before the December 13 final round.

“The showing of the National Front… will dynamize leader Marine Le Pen’s planned bid for the presidency in 2017. In the traditionally Socialist northeastern region where she was running, the party won more than 40 percent of the vote. Her niece, Marion Marechal-Le Pen, had a similar showing in the southeastern Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur, a stronghold of the traditional right…

“The party… is opposed to the European Union and the euro currency and fears that Muslim immigrants will supplant French civilization, replacing church bells with calls to prayer… Marine Le Pen replaced her father, party co-founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, in 2011. She immediately set about changing its anti-Semitic image to make it less toxic to voters and undo its pariah status. In its former life, people were often too ashamed to reveal that they had voted for the National Front…

“Far-right parties have made inroads across Europe in recent years, from Greece to Hungary, Austria, the Netherlands and elsewhere. Le Pen heads a powerful far-right group in the European Parliament. All are feeding on the migrant crisis… German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said the National Front’s strong performance must be a ‘wake-up call for all democrats in Europe.’”

JTA wrote on December 7:

“According to Haaretz, the result is the strongest electoral achievement for a far-right European party since World War II. Le Pen’s father, National Front founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, had a history of anti-Semitism, though his daughter has distanced herself and the party from him and his record. Following publication of the results, CRIF, the umbrella body of French Jewry, called on French Jews to vote against National Front in the runoff. ‘On this coming Sunday, go out and vote by the masses to block the National Front, a xenophobic and populist party,’ the CRIF statement read. ‘Do not allow the Republic to fall.’”

War Is in the Russian Air

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 5:

“The popular Russian rock band Va-Bank released a new music video on Wednesday. It’s called ‘And After Berlin’ and… contains current political messages. International sanctions, Crimea and the Soviet dictator Josef Stalin are mentioned before the chorus comes: ‘First we take Manhattan, then we take Berlin.’

“Since the annexation of Crimea, war and conquest fantasies have become commonplace in Russia. You hear them from politicians, journalists and pundits. Apocalyptic photomontages depicting a future war between Europe and the United States are making the rounds on social media…

“The threat of nuclear weapons… now surfaces regularly… ‘Russia is the only country in the world that is truly capable of turning the USA into a heap of radioactive ash,’ star moderator Dmitri Kisseljov said on state television [on March 16, 2014].

“Since then, prominent personalities have continued to swing the nuclear club. Right-wing populist Vladimir Shirinovsky, the deputy parliamentary chairman, has threatened to reduce first Kyiv, then Berlin, then Washington to dust. Most recently, he was toying with the idea of throwing a nuclear bomb into the Black Sea near Istanbul. Then the Turkish city would be washed away by a giant wave, Shirinovsky reasoned during an appearance before parliament on Tuesday…

“The ‘expectation of war’ is hanging in the air these days, the Moscow-based journalist and blogger Alexander Plushev told DW. He said the media were mainly responsible for spreading such sentiment.

“Turkey’s downing of a Russian military jet on its border with Syria at the end of November appears to have heated up Russia’s war rhetoric even more… Even some journalists loyal to the Kremlin have shown concern. At the end of November, Ulyana Skoibeda of the tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda questioned the jingoism in the wake of the Turkey conflict… Her column disappeared from the paper’s website a few hours after it was published…”

It is interesting that the article mentions a coming war between Europe and the USA… as this is exactly what will happen, according to biblical prophecy.

Denmark Says No to More Europe

On December 4, the EUObserver published an article with the following headline: “Denmark says No to more EU, casts shadow on UK vote.”

It continued:

“Danish voters, on Thursday (3 December), responded with a clear No when asked to integrate deeper with the European Union. The referendum resulted in a large majority – 53.1 percent No, against 46.9 percent Yes – refusing to join EU justice and home affairs policies. Denmark opted out from this part of EU policy when ratifying the Maastricht treaty 22 years ago.”

It does not appear that Denmark or the UK will be part of the final configuration of ten European core nations or groups of nations, as prophesied in the Bible.

EU Will Fall Apart Unless…

Express wrote on December 9:

“The European Union is at risk of falling apart over the next 10-years due to the migrant crisis, the head of the European Parliament suggested. Martin Schulz said the EU was in danger as there are forces trying to rip it apart… Mr Schulz said: ‘No one can say whether the EU will still exist in this form in 10-years’ time…

“Mr Schulz added no country could single-handedly tackle challenges like migration, adding this was only possible as a unified EU.”

According to the Bible, ten nations or groups of nations will emerge out of the EU “in this form.”

Israel Could Easily Destroy Al-Aqsa Mosque

The Times of Israel wrote on December 3:

“Israel could easily destroy Jerusalem’s flashpoint Al-Aqsa mosque, but emphatically does not want to, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. In remarks to Likud colleagues, Netanyahu said Israel could rid the Temple Mount of the mosque with little effort, but that to do so would contradict everything that Israel represents…

“The mosque atop the Temple Mount — which is the holiest place in Judaism as the site of the two biblical temples — has been at the heart of a wave of Palestinian terrorism and clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces in recent months. Palestinian leaders and media have alleged that Israel intends to change the decades-long arrangements under which Jews are allowed to visit but barred from praying on the Mount — something Netanyahu has repeatedly insisted is not the case.”

However, the Bible shows that a Third Temple will be built and that sacrifices will be given by the Jews on the Temple Mount prior to Christ’s return. This suggests that the Al-Aqsa mosque WILL BE destroyed.

Outright Derision between USA and Israel

JTA wrote on December 5:

“U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, speaking at an annual U.S.-Israel confab, said Israel’s government must consider the consequences of evolving toward a single state incorporating the Palestinian areas… Kerry’s forceful questioning of Israeli policy as well Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon’s outright derision of U.S. Middle East policy the previous evening underscored the divisions that continue to dog the governments of President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu…

“Kerry’s bluntness matched Yaalon’s in his claim the previous evening that the Obama administration had forfeited leadership in the region to Russian President Vladimir Putin… Netanyahu, in a last-minute addition, delivered a 10-minute video address Sunday rebutting Kerry’s warning. He said the core issue hindering Israeli-Palestinian peace was the Palestinian refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish state…

“Much of the recent spate of deadly violence in the West Bank and Israel has been stoked by tensions surrounding the Temple Mount…”

No Connection Between Temple Mount and Islam

Israel National News reported on December 6:

“Renowned Egyptian scholar Youssef Ziedan, a specialist in Arabic and Islamic studies [said] that there is actually no connection between Jerusalem and ancient Islam. When Islam was founded during the 7th century, he says, Jerusalem was a holy city to the Jews, while the Mosque of Omar was not even built until 74 years after Muhammed’s death. The reason it was built, Ziedan says, is because the builder wished to detract from the centrality of Mecca in Islam.

“Prof. Ziedan is the director of the Manuscript Center and Museum in the Library of Alexandria. He is a public lecturer, university professor, columnist and prolific author of more than 50 books. He won the 2009 International Prize for Arabic Fiction for his work Azazeel, which was also translated into Hebrew… ‘Al-Aksa is not ours,’ he emphasizes, ‘and though the word comes from the word “extreme,” it does not refer to the far mosque on the Temple Mount, but rather to a mosque that is the “further” of two mosques in Mecca.’

“According to Ziedan, Muslims are purposely and falsely turning a political struggle between Israel and the Arabs into a religious one. ‘The religious aspect of the conflict is nonsense… The only reason why Muslims insist on the sanctity of Jerusalem is simply politics.’…

“Prof. Ziedan’s claims support knowledge long held by Jewish historians. Muslims have historically attached themselves to Jerusalem only when political expedient, beginning with Mohammed himself. In a barefaced attempt to win over the Jews living near him, the founder of Islam decided to announce that prayers would be directed towards Jerusalem – but when the Jews scorned his advances, he slaughtered many of them, and proceeded to direct his followers’ prayers towards Mecca instead.

“Not only did Mohammed never mention the city in the Koran, but later, when Moslems conquered the Holy Land, they totally ignored Jerusalem and established their capital in Ramle…”

Impression of King Hezekiah’s Royal Seal Unearthed

The Jerusalem Post wrote on December 2:

“An unprecedented impression of the royal seal of King Hezekiah from the First Temple period was unearthed by a Hebrew University of Jerusalem archeological team during excavations at the foot of the southern wall of the Temple Mount, the university announced on Wednesday. Dating back to 727–698 BCE and measuring 9.7 mm by 8.6 mm., the oval impression… was imprinted on a 3-mm.- thick piece of clay, measuring 13 mm. by 12 mm…

“The impression bears an inscription in ancient Hebrew script stating: ‘Belonging to Hezekiah [son of] Ahaz king of Judah,’ accompanied by a two-winged sun with wings turned downward, flanked by two ankh symbols serving as emblems of life…

“King Hezekiah is described favorably in the Bible (II Kings, Isaiah, II Chronicles) as well as in the chronicles of the Assyrian kings Sargon II and his son, Sennacherib, who ruled during his time. ‘Hezekiah is depicted as both a resourceful and daring king, who centralized power in his hands,’ the university said. ‘Although he was an Assyrian vassal, he successfully maintained the independent standing of the Judean kingdom and its capital, Jerusalem, which he enhanced economically, religiously and diplomatically.’

“The Bible states of Hezekiah: ‘There was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those before him’ (II Kings 18:5).”

Again, the Bible has been proven to be historically accurate.

California Owns Your DNA

CBS reported on November 9:

“… a non-descript office building in Richmond contains the DNA of every person born in California since 1983. It’s a treasure trove of information about you, from the color of your eyes and hair to your pre-disposition to diseases like Alzheimer’s and cancer.

“Using these newborn blood spots for research, the state is able to screen babies for 80 hereditary diseases. But the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is not the only agency using the blood spots. Law enforcement can request them. Private companies can buy them to do research – without your consent…

“The CDPH turned down a request for an interview and wouldn’t explain why it doesn’t ask permission to sell babies’ blood spots. But it said parents can have them destroyed. And CDPH says the blood spots are de-identified and can’t be tracked back to the child. But Yaniv Erlich with Columbia University and the New York Genome Center said there’s no way to guarantee that. His research demonstrated how easy it is to take anonymized DNA, cross-reference it with online data and connect it to a name…

“[Mrs.] Gatto thinks the state should have to at least ask her consent before storing and selling her daughters’ DNA… Gatto ended up requesting that her child’s blood spots be destroyed. Meanwhile, her husband – state Assemblyman Mike Gatto – introduced a bill this year that would have required signed consent on newborn screening. Opposition from the state and the industry killed it.”

This is rather shocking and disturbing. Is there anything in citizens’ lives which the US government and lobbyists do not take over and manipulate?

Incredible Religious Persecution… in Texas!

Fox News reported on November 28:

“12-year-old Jordan Wooley, the Texas girl who spoke out after her teacher made her say that God is a myth, says she has been bullied and told to kill herself after media coverage of the incident. It all began when Jordan’s teacher assigned a quiz asking students at West Memorial Junior High School in Katy, Texas, to label statements as ‘fact, assertion, or opinion.’

“Among the statements were ‘America is the most free country on Earth’ and ‘there is a God.’ After Jordan labeled the latter as a ‘fact,’ her teacher told her to deny God or get an ‘F.’

“The Katy Independent School District denied the incident ever happened and claimed no one could verify Jordan’s story. But that didn’t stop her from calling the board members ‘liars’ and asking for an apology in a statement on Monday…”

If this story turns out to be true, then the teacher and the responsible representative(s) of the Katy Independent School District should resign or be fired immediately.

Careful… Obama Administration and IRS Up to No Good?

Fox News reported on December 7:

“An Obama administration proposal to have some nonprofit charities report the Social Security numbers of donors giving at least $250 in one year is raising concerns about security, government overreach and another episode of IRS targeting. ‘There’s a big caution here. There’s a big yellow light that should be flashing for a couple of reasons,’ Illinois Republican Rep. Peter Roskam tells Fox News. ‘Number one, the IRS has not demonstrated its capacity to hold this type of information from confidentiality and a security point of view.’

“The change would impact organizations that fall into the 501 (c)(3) category, which includes churches and other religious or charitable groups. The Internal Revenue Service states the proposed change would be optional. But skeptics question whether it will eventually become the only option… attorney Cleta Mitchell… argues that the IRS cannot be trusted and that the change could have a devastating impact on charities’ ability to collect enough money to survive…”

In previous installments, we showed that in the Great White Throne Judgment, it will be “more tolerable” for some than for others. We explained that the implication is that some will be “punished” more severely than others–that their punishment will be greater than the punishment of others. We also showed that even in case of forgiveness of sins, there might still be a certain penalty which the sinner has to pay… and that this is of course even more true for those who did not repent of their sins.

Christ gives a remarkable parable in the book of Luke, explaining that punishment will differ, depending on the circumstances and individuals involved. He said in Luke 12:42-44:

“And the Lord said, ‘Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has.”

It is obvious that Christ addresses true and “blessed” Christians in these verses who remain faithful. They will be “blessed and holy” and rule with Christ for a thousand years (Revelation 20:4, 6), and, ultimately, they will rule and reign forever and ever over all things (Revelation 21:7; 22:5; Hebrews 2:5-8).

Christ continues in Luke 12:45-46 to address true Christians who did not remain faithful, but fell away from God and lost the Holy Spirit. They will end up in the third resurrection to be destroyed:

“But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.”

Those who commit the unpardonable sin will be burnt up with the “unbelievers” in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15; 21:8). Christ, in this parable, equates this with “cutting them in two.” The Authorized Version says that “he will cut him in sunder.” The NIV says that he will “cut him to pieces.” The New Jerusalem Bible says: “The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.”

Christ uses this terminology to show that their fate will be one of utter destruction. In the parallel account in Matthew 24:51, we read that the master of that servant “will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  This last sentence is used many times in reference to the third resurrection of unprofitable servants (compare Matthew 8:12; 22:13; 25:30). Their fate will be “outer darkness”; that is, they will never see again the Light of God. Before they will be burnt up, they will weep and gnash their teeth in hate and utter defiance of God and His Way of Life.

In Luke 12:47-48, Christ proceeds to talk about those who will be in the Second Resurrection of the Great White Throne Judgment period. He now addresses a new category of servants and is not speaking any longer of the servant in verses 45 and 46:

“And that servant who KNEW his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did NOT KNOW, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.”

We don’t read that any of these servants in verses 47 and 48 will be cut in pieces and end up in the lake of fire. Rather, they are those who are raised in the Judgment, and they will be punished with “stripes.” But their punishment is not the same. For some, it will be more tolerable than for others. On some, a more severe punishment will be inflicted than on others. It has much to do with what a person understood. Paul says in Romans 2:14-15 that “Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them.”

Many, although not converted Christians in this life, do understand that it is wrong to murder or to commit adultery or to steal or to lie. If they live by these standards, they will receive a much more merciful sentence than those who also knew this but did not care to live by it. There will be an accounting in any case “in the day when God will judge the secrets of man by Jesus Christ” (verse 16), but the more serious sins will weigh much heavier. One does not need to be a converted Christian to know that killing millions of innocent people is wrong and unjustifiable. Hard-core criminals, terrorists, mass murderers, torturers and sexual perverts might have seared their conscience willingly (1 Timothy 4:2), “being past feeling” (Ephesians 4:19), and so they will have to receive many stripes to bring them to true repentance.

The Greek word for “stripe” is “plégé.” Many times, it is used to describe beatings (Acts 16:23, 33; 2 Corinthians 6:5; 11:23). In other places, it refers to a wound or a stroke (Revelation 13:3, 12, 14). But the word can also mean, “plague.” Revelation 22:18-19 uses this word in this context, stating:

“For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the PLAGUES that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”  When we read about the plagues which God will pour out on rebellious mankind (note especially Revelation 11:6; 15:1; 16:3, 4, 10, 18), we might get a clearer picture as to what kind of “stripes” Christ might be referring to.

For instance, we read that the two witnesses will have power to shut heaven, so that no rain falls in the days of their prophecy, continuing that they have power to strike the earth with all plagues (see again Revelation 11:6). This connection between lack of rain and plagues reminds us of Zechariah 14, when God will withhold rain from those in the Millennium who refuse to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. Zechariah 14:18-19 describes it this way:

“And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there shall be no rain. If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the PLAGUE with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. This shall be the PUNISHMENT of Egypt and the PUNISHMENT of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles” (verses 17-19).

We explained before that the conditions in the Millennium will be very similar to the conditions during the Great White Throne Judgment. And God will use the same kind of “stripes” or “plagues” or individual punishment during both time periods. They describe punishment for wrong conduct throughout the Millennium and the Great White Throne Judgment, but they also relate to punishment for their prior conduct in this day and age. Christ’s parable in Luke 12 does not relate merely to conduct AFTER His return; the emphasis is on conduct PRIOR to His Second Coming.

Let us note how the Bible uses the concept of stripes in other passages, showing that they describe just and righteous punishment, including for the purpose of betterment.

In Exodus 21:25 we read that the one who inflicts a stripe on another must receive a stripe himself… that is, he is to pay for the value of the stripe with which he beat another person.

Psalm 89:32 tells us that God will “PUNISH their transgression with a rod, And their iniquity with STRIPES,” while not forgetting His lovingkindness and His faithfulness (verse 33).

Proverbs 19:29 says that “JUDGMENTS are prepared for scoffers, And BEATINGS for the backs of fools.” The Authorized Version says: “… STRIPES for the back of fools.”

Proverbs 20:30 adds: “BLOWS that hurt CLEANSE AWAY evil, As do STRIPES the inner depths of the heart.” The NIV says: “Blows and wounds clean away evil, and beatings purge the inmost being.” The interpretation of the Living Bible is quite interesting: “Punishment that hurts chases evil from the heart.”

In addition, when the people appearing before Christ’s throne hear that their sins have brought about the ETERNAL death penalty, since the wages of sin is eternal death, but that true and genuine repentance and believing in and accepting the Sacrifice of Christ will free them from that fate, it will be much more difficult for some than for others to truly repent and realize how evil their human nature has been, and that the death of Christ was necessary to atone for their sins.

The stripes might include the realization of how serious their sinful conduct has been, and that recognition will hit them “like a ton of bricks.” Some will have a very difficult time in dealing with that reality. That would also be true for those who think that they led pretty good lives, and that there was really no need for Christ to die for them. But we are told that everyone sins, and that there is no one who did not and does not sin (1 John 1:8, 10). Ecclesiastes 7:16 says: “Do not be overly righteous, Nor be overly wise: Why should you destroy yourself?” Verse 20 continues: “And there is not a single man in all the earth who is always good and never sins” (Living Bible).

Self-righteousness is one of the most difficult sins to recognize and acknowledge. Think of Job who had to go through many trials, until he recognized his true nature. God HAD to allow this, because that was the only way for Job to see and repent of his self-righteousness. Although he was not a wicked person by any means (rather, his conduct was extremely righteous), he still had to receive “many stripes” so that he could ultimately be in God’s Family (James 5:11).

We read Christ’s stern warning to the self-righteous chief priests and the elders in Matthew 21:31-32:

“Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God BEFORE you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; but tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward relent and believe him.”

The Revised English Bible, the New Revised Standard Version, and the New International Version translate that the tax collectors and harlots will enter the Kingdom of God “ahead of” the chief priests and elders.

Christ is addressing the fact that some will be able to repent earlier and quicker than others. It will be easier for them to repent, realizing the enormity of their sinful conduct, than for the chief priests and elders who were proud of their positions and did not even acknowledge their terrible sin of self-righteousness. Christ might have referred to some “tax collectors and harlots” in this life who recognize their sins and repent and will be inheriting God’s Kingdom at the time of His return, while others will have to wait until they will be given their opportunity for salvation in the Millennium or the Great White Throne Judgment. Christ spoke to the Pharisees in this way: “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘ We see.’ Therefore your sin remains” (John 9:41). They claimed to be able to see, but refused to repent. Without repentance there is no forgiveness, which means that their sin remained. (This is not to say that they committed the unpardonable sin, but they did not respond to Christ’s offer of repentance, and their refusal will lead to many stripes in the future.)

Some of the “tax collectors and harlots” repented and will enter the Kingdom of God when Christ returns. But this is of course not true for all harlots and tax collectors at the time of Christ, nor throughout the ages. Neither is it true that all harlots and tax collectors  will enter the Kingdom before all chief priests and elders, because in the early Church, “a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7).

The point remains that the sin of self-righteousness is very difficult to detect and overcome. For those who recognize their sins and are truly sorry, the Kingdom of God won’t be that far away (Mark 12:34). Others might only recognize later that the Kingdom had come near them (Luke 10:9), but they had been unwilling to respond, because they still wanted to hang on for a while to their wrong standards, ideas and habits. As a consequence, they might have to receive many stripes—in this life as well as the life to come—so that they can finally recognize, confess and forsake their sinful ways (Proverbs 28:13).

In future installments, we will review additional questions as to whether and how the concept of “stripes” could refer to converted Christians who will become immortal God Beings in the First Resurrection; and we will examine in this context the importance of true and genuine repentance. We will also focus in more detail on “stripes” which people might perhaps receive in this life… prior to the time of Christ’s return.

(To Be Continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A Tech Team meeting was conducted on Sunday morning, December 6, 2015, via SKYPE. Higlights include: resolving issues with our live video broadcast; the Search option for our CEG website has been enhanced; improvements in the stylesheet for printing the Update have been made; social media and marketing schedules were reviewed; and, new design and use elements for StandingWatch were scheduled.

“Did Jesus Keep Hanukkah?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

There is no biblical support for the idea that Christ participated in modern Hanukkah celebrations. The “miracle of the oil” which allegedly lasted for eight days is merely a legend and historically inaccurate. It was apparently adopted from pagan concepts at the time when the Babylonian Talmud was written, long after the Maccabees. But God does not accept our worship if we incorporate elements, which were used by pagans to observe their holidays.

“The Dark Side of Christmas,” is the title of another new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary for this new SW program, which is now posted and which will be promoted starting on December 15.  We will not send out a usual announcement of the program, as this will be done through Facebook ads, etc.:

Christmas is associated with beautiful Christmas trees and shining lights and candles in an attempt to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Light. But there is a very dark side to Christmas. Satan is the prince of darkness, but as the god of this world, he disguises himself as an angel of light. And even though Christmas may appear to be a joyful festival of lights, it is built on an evil and dark foundation which is actually associated with demon worship.

“Gelten Gottes Verheißungen an Abraham für uns Heute?” is the title of this week’s new German sermon. Title in English: “Are God’s Promises to Abraham Valid for Us Today?

“Depth of Field,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Living a Christian life requires that we resolve a paradox. How can we live a successful, spiritual life within a body and world that is necessarily physical? Part of the answer involves understanding how to focus our motivation. Just as the depth of field of a photograph determines what is in focus while many elements are in the frame, we too must ensure our motivations are focused properly.

“Who Will Listen?” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Much is said in the Word of God about people’s refusal to listen to God’s warnings and the consequences of such a heedless attitude!  Christians are sternly warned to listen to God—are we?