On October 31, 2015, Dave Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “The Alien Life,” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “First Love.”

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.

I had the unpleasant experience the other week of going to the emergency room. Thankfully, it did not end up as an emergency.  However, it was during that trip that I couldn’t help but notice the other people around me who were suffering in obvious pain, some more than others. I thought back to the Feast of Tabernacles. This year we enjoyed, for the most part, health and well-being at the Feast. We recognize that the Feast pictures, among other things, a time when sickness and disease will be a thing of the past. It made me sad to see these sick people.

In the subsequent days that followed, I also began to see another lesson emerge. Thinking back on my time in the Emergency Room, I found it interesting how Christ had compassion for sick people (Matthew 14:14). We in God’s Church ought to have that same compassion for others.  In Matthew 9:12-13 we read that it is the sick that need healing. But Christ went on to say that compassion was more useful than sacrifices.

When we go through physical pain and suffering, it is an opportunity for us to do a few things. God sometimes uses physical pain and suffering as an opportunity to help us draw closer to Him. Think of the Apostle Paul whom God blinded for a few days (Acts 9:9). Think of King Hezekiah, who was told he was going to die (Isaiah 38:1-5).  What about the grievous trial Job went through, including the loss of family, possessions and health, leading to genuine repentance (Job 42:5-6).  Just using these three examples, out of many, one of the main outcomes was that of humility. They each learned in a different fashion what it means to come to have Godly humility.

This new-found humility allowed God to work with them in even more powerful ways. God gave compassion to these men once they turned fully to Him. God HAS called us NOW (Isaiah 55:6-9). No matter what God tells us and what may be at stake—when we turn to Him with humility, He can and will forgive us. He will have compassion for us, His children (Isaiah 44:22).

Our physical sufferings can be for our benefit and for the benefit of others, if we stop and carefully consider our ways, and if we take the opportunity to find compassion and empathy for others who go through similar suffering. Let us never forget that God loves the humble person, who is willing to lean on Him for all things, including our physical health and well-being.

We begin with reports on international events and developments, including the United Kingdom; Israel and the Middle East; Russia and Ukraine; as well as Poland, Portugal and Germany.

Focusing on the USA, we are publishing articles which are highly critical of alleged “illegal” conduct by the Justice Department and the IRS, as well as the Obama Administration.

Turning to social and religious issues, we address abortion; several Christian denominations in the USA; statements by the most senior woman bishop of the Church of England; and the strong division within the Roman Catholic Church which is bound to have serious repercussions for that entire religious body worldwide.

Brussels Has Created an Authoritarian “Right-Wing Monster”

The Telegraph wrote on October 23:

“Portugal has entered dangerous political waters. For the first time since the creation of Europe’s monetary union, a member state has taken the explicit step of forbidding eurosceptic parties from taking office on the grounds of national interest. Anibal Cavaco Silva, Portugal’s constitutional president, has refused to appoint a Left-wing coalition government even though it secured an absolute majority in the Portuguese parliament and won a mandate to smash the austerity regime bequeathed by the EU-IMF Troika…

“There can be no fresh elections until the second half of next year under Portugal’s constitution, risking almost a year of paralysis that puts the country on a collision course with Brussels and ultimately threatens to reignite the country’s debt crisis…

“This is a dangerous demarche. The Portuguese conservatives and their media allies behave as if the Left has no legitimate right to take power, and must be held in check by any means. These reflexes are familiar – and chilling – to anybody familiar with 20th century Iberian history, or indeed Latin America. That it is being done in the name of the euro is entirely to be expected.

“Greece’s Syriza movement, Europe’s first radical-Left government in Europe since the Second World War, was crushed into submission for daring to confront eurozone ideology. Now the Portuguese Left is running into a variant of the same meat-grinder.

“Europe’s socialists face a dilemma. They are at last waking up to the unpleasant truth that monetary union is an authoritarian Right-wing enterprise that has slipped its democratic leash, yet if they act on this insight in any way they risk being prevented from taking power.  Brussels really has created a monster.”

Will Britain Stay in the EU as an “Associate”?

The Daily Mail wrote on October 23 about a new report and developments within the “Yes”-Camp which proposes the establishment of an “associate status” for Britain within the EU. However, it is doubtful that Britain will ultimately obtain or maintain such a status, short of leaving the EU.

“Jean-Claude Juncker, European Commission President, will by [the time of the referendum] have set in motion a series of treaty changes for the next stage of integration as the EU develops into a superstate…

“The report [of the “Yes” Camp] envisages yet further integration among 19 countries in the single currency eurozone, binding them so tightly (financially, socially and politically) that, in effect, the eurozone will become a single country. Not being signed up to the euro, Britain will not be part of this group and will be given a so-called ‘escape clause’, freeing us from any further moves towards closer union…

“It means that David Cameron will be armed with powerful weapons to argue for Britain’s continued membership of the EU, even if he fails to win the concessions for Britain that he has said he aims to achieve. He will be able to argue, very plausibly, that EU membership gives the UK the best of both worlds: that is, we remain part of the wider European trading area, while escaping the onerous burdens of membership of a new European superstate. What’s more, the Europhiles will be helped by Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is expected to give her blessing to Britain having ‘associate status’.

“The Yes camp — with Osborne and Mandelson plotting behind the scenes — are convinced that all this will convince the majority of the British people to vote to remain in the EU. Also, they expect the No campaign to be destabilised by these apparent concessions to the British people…”

Tony Blair’s Late “Change of Heart”

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 25:

‘The former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said he is sorry for mistakes around the US-led military invasion of Iraq. Speaking to CNN, he also conceded that the war may have helped bring about the ‘Islamic State.’…

“His comments come despite previously telling a British parliamentary committee he would not apologize for the US-led invasion, which his government supported politically and militarily… Last week, a leaked memo suggested that Blair had signed up to the war a year before it began.”

World Would Be Better off with Saddam Hussein and Gadhafi Sill in Charge?

Newsmax wrote on October 25:

“They both committed atrocities against their own people, but GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump says the world would be a better place today if Libyan President Moammar Gadhafi and Iraqi President Saddam Hussein were still alive and in charge. ‘I mean, look at Libya. Look at Iraq,’ Trump said Sunday on CNN’s ‘State of the Union.’

“‘Iraq used to [have] no terrorists. [Saddam] would kill the terrorists immediately, which is like now it’s the Harvard of terrorism. If you look at Iraq from years ago, I’m not saying he was a nice guy, he was a horrible guy, but it was a lot better than it is right now,’ Trump added. ‘Right now, Iraq is a training ground for terrorists. Right now Libya, nobody even knows Libya, frankly there is no Iraq and there is no Libya. It’s all broken up. They have no control. Nobody knows what’s going on.’

“When asked by host Jake Tapper if the world would be better off today with the two despots still in power, Trump replied, ‘100 percent.’”

On that issue, Trump is 100% correct.

The Silent Secession of Eastern Ukraine

Deutsche Welle reported on October 23:

“For the past several months, street and city signs with Ukrainian names have been replaced with signs written in Russian throughout the country’s east…

“During negotiations in Minsk, it was agreed that the 2-3 million residents of the regions surrounding Donetsk and Luhansk would receive more autonomy but remain part of Ukraine. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande most recently reiterated those points during meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko in Paris this October.

“Yet, exactly the opposite is taking place. Although guns have been silent since the beginning of September, the separation of the coal mining region Donbass from the rest of Ukraine, which was begun in the spring of 2014, is quietly continuing. Largely unnoticed by the world at large, facts are being created on the ground. This is happening without Russia having to formally take control of the region, or having to annex it like it did with the Crimean Peninsula.

“The separatists first introduced the Russian ruble alongside the Ukrainian hryvna months ago. Then, on September 1, the ruble was declared the official currency of the Luhansk Oblast…

“There have also been changes in education. According to media reports, ‘humanitarian convoys,’ as Moscow calls them, brought some 500 tons of schoolbooks to the separatist provinces. Students in Donetsk and Luhansk now learn from Russian textbooks, which are different from Ukrainian textbooks, especially in subject areas such as history. Russian curricula are also being widely adopted.

“… within the framework of the Minsk Protocol, Russia has officially sent military advisers into the rogue provinces. They are charged with overseeing the ceasefire. To that end, the Russian and rebel Ukrainian militaries are operating a shared headquarters… That is how Russia controls the troops…

“On Tuesday, a separatist-friendly online website reported that by the end of this year a government agency is to be installed in the southern Russian port city of Rostov-on-Don with the power to issue Russian passports to residents of the Eastern Ukrainian Donetsk and Luhansk provinces… Moscow has acted similarly in other former Soviet republics once conflicts became frozen – in Georgia for instance, where Russian passports were also issued.”

Israel Loses Big in Temple Mount Conflict

ynetnews.com wrote on October 24:

“US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Saturday that Israel and Jordan have agreed on steps aimed at reducing tensions at a holy site in Jerusalem that have fanned Israeli-Palestinian violence. Kerry said Netanyahu had expressed a commitment to continue enforcing the status quo, which says only Muslims may pray at the compound, while non-Muslims may only visit… Israel will continue to enforce its policy of religious worship, including ‘the fundamental fact’ that it is Muslims who pray there and non-Muslims who visit…

“It should be noted that Israel strongly opposed a recent French initiative to place international observers at the Temple Mount, a proposal that led to the French ambassador being reprimanded by the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem… Saeb Erekat, the secretary general of the PLO Executive Committee, said that… Abbas was told by Kerry that Netanyahu had agreed to freeze building in West Bank settlements.”

This new deal will make many conservative Jews very unhappy.

Ridiculous Propaganda by the “Grand Mufti of Jerusalem”

JTA wrote on October 25:

“The grand mufti of Jerusalem said in an interview with an Israeli television station that there has never been a Jewish temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. There has been a mosque on the site ‘since the creation of the world,’ Sheik Muhammad Ahmad Hussein, who is in charge of the Al-Aqsa mosque on what Muslims call the Noble Sanctuary, said Sunday evening in an interview in Arabic with Israel’s Channel 2. The mosque was built in the eighth century.

“Hussein, who has served as mufti since 2006, has called for suicide bombings against Israelis, the Times of Israel reported Sunday evening. Muslim sources have corroborated historical sources in recording that two Jewish temples have stood atop the site…”

Can the EU Help in Light of US Absence?

The EUObserver wrote on October 26:

“[The] EU and its member states have shown increasing signs of diplomatic activism designed to unlock Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, whether through the United Nations Security Council, in the form of European parliamentary support for Palestinian recognition, or efforts to exclude Israeli settlements from EU-Israel bilateral agreements.

“Despite the inherent potential in this kind of European diplomacy and the considerable expectations built over the last year, 2015 has been a wasted opportunity to fill the diplomatic vacuum left by US disengagement following the collapse of Kerry’s peace-making efforts in April 2014.

“EU leaders have been unable to clearly articulate their own vision for solving the conflict… the EU’s ability to babysit the conflict in the US’ absence has been far from glowing…”

In time, this will change, and Europe will play a decisive role in the Middle East… which will throw the world into terrible disaster.

Germany’s Security Experts Warn Merkel

Breitbart wrote on October 25:

“Germany’s security experts have rounded on the country’s leader, Chancellor Angela Merkel, warning that her immigration policy will ‘produce extremists’, and stating that the country is importing ‘Islamist extremism, Arab anti-Semitism, [and] national and ethnic conflicts of other nations’.

“Former Interior Secretary August Hanning told Die Welt Am Sonntag (the World on Sunday): ‘The German security authorities are and will not be able to handle these imported security issues and the resulting reactions’, warning that not only is Germany welcoming Islamist extremists, but that it will foster resentment in the native population.

“He has recommended this week that Germany closes ‘the border for immigrants without an entry permit in accordance with the legislation immediately, and to reject those traveling without an entry permit immediately’.

 “A new 10-point-plan from his office says that Mrs. Merkel should declare that Germany’s abilities to absorb more people are ‘exhausted’, and there should be no entry for those coming from ‘safe’ countries, with an exception for children. He wants the Balkans route into Germany shut off, and a restriction of family reunification, meaning that the 80 per cent male population descending on Germany would not be able to send home for their families. Mr Hanning estimates that each migrant will attempt to bring four more people each with them in the long term.

“And he also wants compulsory integration and language lessons for migrants.

“His comments reflect the concerns of the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Bremen district, Ulrich Maurer, who said this week: ‘In recent weeks, we have registered an increase in agitation attempts by Salafis in refugee centres’.

“Mrs. Merkel has been coming under increased pressure from within her party, and even from the political left in her country who have warned about the increasing pressure on Germany’s infrastructure and the general public. Her party’s poll numbers continue to decline…”

The Local wrote on October 26:

“Hundreds of refugees disappear in Germany… many of the refugees have not even been registered by local authorities yet, nothing is known about who they are or where they could have gone…”

Merkel Committing Political Suicide

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 27:

‘For a long time now the German Chancellor has been regarded as the great authority within Europe. But her refugee policy has turned her into a burden for the Union… Within just a few weeks, German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s standing in Europe has dramatically decreased…

“She accepted the state’s loss of control over its borders with a mere shrug of the shoulders. And as if all that weren’t enough, she stood up in front of all the other Europeans and declared her personal view of things to be the only one that was morally right. In other words: Germany’s European partners should help it deal with the consequences of a policy for which Merkel is significantly responsible. No one claims that Merkel is responsible for the refugee movement per se – but she has certainly increased the pull towards Europe, and in doing so has made other countries liable, too, against their will.

“… Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, has even openly declared the stream of refugees ‘a German problem’ and is cutting his country off. Following Poland’s swing to the right, Merkel can’t expect concessions from there any more, either. Even Sweden’s head of state, Stefan Löfven, is coming under pressure at home to close the borders. With all of this going on, there can be no more talk of European solidarity. Everyone is trying to save themselves – at others’ expense, if need be.

“However much the Chancellor believes she’s morally in the right, on European refugee policy she is isolated. She was able, for the most part, to push through her views on economic policy because it was a policy the majority of Europeans believed in, even though it was painful. But not only are the majority in Germany opposed to her ideas about accepting an unlimited number of refugees, a considerable majority also oppose her in Europe, and have done for some time. Ultimately, there is no policy that will help with this. Merkel’s personal tragedy is that she is in the process of gambling away the significant authority she had built up for herself in Europe.”

Mini-Summit of 10 EU Nations

The Local wrote on October 26:

“Tensions are high at EU, Balkans refugee summit. The mini summit, called by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, grouped the heads of 10 EU nations, including Chancellor Angela Merkel, plus the leaders of non-EU Albania, Serbia and Macedonia… More than 670,000 people have landed on European shores this year – many of them fleeing violence in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan — in the continent’s worst migration crisis since World War II. Some 3,000 people have died making the dangerous Mediterranean sea crossing…

“Fears are rising that the crisis is threatening the cherished ‘Schengen’ system of borderless travel, one of the bedrock achievements of a united Europe. Faced with a huge influx heading north, Hungary has closed off its borders with Serbia and Croatia. Tiny Slovenia has now threatened to build border fences if it does not receive help, having become the main entry point to the Schengen zone following Hungary’s clampdown… Slovenia, which numbers two million people, has been swamped by more than 60,000 migrants in a matter of days…

‘Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia on Saturday warned they would not accept being turned into a ‘buffer zone’ for the tens of thousands of arrivals streaming into Europe. ‘If Germany and Austria and other countries close their borders … we will be ready to also close our borders at that very same moment,’ Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov said…

“The 10 leaders from the 28-nation European Union who are invited to the mini summit are from Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, The Netherlands, Romania, Slovenia and Sweden…”

Right-Wing Party Wins in Poland

The EUObserver wrote on October 26:

“The right-wing Law and Justice party swept back to power in Polish elections on Sunday (25 October), winning an absolute majority of 232 seats in the 460-seat parliament, based on exit polls… Its campaign… included more populist elements, depicting Civic Platform as being servile to Germany, feeble on Russia, and putting Poles at risk of ‘diseases’ brought by Syrian refugees under an EU relocation programme…

“The Guardian, a British daily, compared Law and Justice to the far-right, anti-EU National Front in France and the PVV in The Netherlands. The New York Times said Poland is part of a broader swing to the right in eastern Europe, including in Hungary and Slovakia…

“Le Monde, the French paper of record, highlighted [the party’s leaders] links with the Polish Catholic church… German broadcaster ARD accused Kaczynski [the party chief] of ‘hate speech’ on refugees, comparing his pre-election statements to the xenophobic Pegida movement in Germany… The [Italian] Corriere della Sera daily attributed Kaczynski’s triumph to ‘anti-immigrant rhetoric’…”

Migrant Crisis Will Unleash Extremism in Europe

The Telegraph wrote on October 27:

“It is hard to comprehend the stupefying naivety of those, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who thought it a good idea to send out an utterly self-serving signal a few weeks ago inviting anyone who could make the journey to head for Europe. This was ostensibly aimed at Syrians who had fled the civil war in their homeland; but the exodus has been swelled by migrants from many other countries looking for a better life – and who can blame them?…

“This will unleash extremist politics in Europe. In Germany, the anti-immigrant Pegida movement is attracting thousands to its rallies and in France the Front National continues to gain support. Elsewhere, Eurosceptic parties are making inroads. In Portugal, a Syriza-style leftist minority government has taken office opposed to the eurozone’s fiscal rules; and in Poland, the Law and Justice Party is back in power, pledged to oppose any Brussels diktat on migrant quotas. Against this backdrop, which can only darken, Britain has to decide over the next two years whether to remain part of an increasingly unstable organization…”

Benghazi Committee—a Waste of Time and Money

The Washington Post’s Editorial Board wrote on October 23:

“The House Select Committee on Benghazi further discredited itself on Thursday as its Republican members attempted to fuel largely insubstantial suspicions about Hillary Clinton’s role in the 2012 Benghazi attacks [leading to the death of four Americans]. Grilling Ms. Clinton all day, they elicited little new information and offered little hope that their inquiry would find anything significant that seven previous investigations didn’t…

“Ms. Clinton is not blameless. As she admitted, she had final responsibility for the actions of those who served under her. A State Department review found bureaucratic failures that contributed to the relatively light security in Benghazi. While it’s unreasonable to expect Ms. Clinton to have known about [US Ambassador] Stevens’s precise circumstances, she bears some blame for the bureaucratic context in which security decisions were made.

“Yet the major, top-line policy fumble in Libya stemmed not from callousness or incompetence on Ms. Clinton’s part but from the Obama administration’s broader failure to live up to the vision of assertive U.S. engagement…”

Outrage over US Justice Department and “Lawless” Obama Administration

Newsmax wrote on October 23:

“Conservatives were outraged Friday that the Justice Department closed its two-year investigation into the IRS targeting scandal without charging former supervisor Lois Lerner or anyone else at the agency, with tea party activist Mark Meckler slamming the decision as ‘a whitewash and miscarriage of justice.’… Meckler’s organization, which is based in Austin, Texas, has a federal lawsuit pending against the IRS and the Obama administration in the targeting scandal. Catherine Engelbrecht, founder of True the Vote, the Houston group that also sued over the scandal, referenced such Obama administration debacles at the Fast and Furious gun-running scheme and the email probe over the 2012 Benghazi attacks.

“‘This is a lawless administration,’ she said. ‘The FBI closing their investigation is par for course in the Obama administration, where criminals walk free and honest Americans fear their government.’… ‘At every turn, President Obama and administration officials have repeatedly and publicly undermined the investigation into the IRS’s targeting of conservative groups yet today’s announcement from the Department of Justice is still very disturbing,’ said Virginia Rep. Bob Goodlatte, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, one of the panels investigating the scandal.

“Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, said that the Justice Department’s ‘faux investigation’ warranted an independent probe by a special counsel. ‘It’s an outrage – a mockery of justice,’ he said in a blog post.

“ACLJ still represents many targeted groups in lawsuits on the scandal. ‘We will not give up,’ Sekulow said. ‘We will not stop pressing for the truth. Justice will be served… Americans should never have to fear that the IRS or any other branch of the bureaucracy will target them for their beliefs.”

IRS Head to Be Impeached?

The Washington Post reported on October 27:

“A group of House Republicans led by the chairman of a powerful committee moved Tuesday to impeach the head of the Internal Revenue Service, saying he violated the public trust and lied to Congress as it investigated the treatment of conservative groups. The announcement by Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform panel, came four days after the Justice Department formally closed its investigation of the targeting scandal without filing criminal charges.

“The last-ditch effort to remove IRS Commissioner John Koskinen follows through on a threat Chaffetz made over the summer after he called on President Obama to fire the commissioner, whom he accused of erasing back-up tapes containing thousands of e-mails written by Lois Lerner, the central IRS official in the scandal…

“The oversight committee has been investigating the IRS for more than two years, since agents were discovered to have subjected conservative groups applying for tax-exempt status to additional scrutiny.

“Chaffetz was joined by 18 committee Republicans in sponsoring an impeachment resolution, which now goes to the House Judiciary Committee. House Democrats quickly denounced the move as political grandstanding…

“Pursuing impeachment against an agency leader is highly unusual, and a step beyond contempt charges, the mechanism House Republicans tried to use against both Lerner and former attorney general Eric H. Holder Jr. in past disputes.

“More than a century ago, Congress brought articles of impeachment against War Secretary William Belknap in 1876, after the House of Representatives uncovered evidence supporting a pattern of corruption. He resigned during the proceedings.”

IRS a “Criminal Enterprise”?

Newsmax reported on October 23:

“The Internal Revenue Service is a ‘criminal enterprise’ that should be ‘put to death,’ Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee says. ‘They use the extraordinary, almost unlimited power of government that they have and they use it to attack political enemies. They use it to attack conservatives, pro-Israel groups. They hide the records, they destroy the records,’ Huckabee told CBN’s ‘The Brody File.’

“‘The IRS can launch an investigation, they conduct their own investigation, they come to findings and they even get to assess the penalty as a result of their findings. It’s a one-stop shop. That violates the various branches of government that are supposed to be involved in adjudicating us and it is also a violation of… not only the separation of powers but of being able to be innocent until proven guilty.’

“Huckabee made his comments as he discussed his ‘fair tax’ plan, which he says has no need for the IRS. Other tax-reform ideas being proposed by other presidential candidates leave the agency intact, he added. ‘Every one of those plans is tinkering with the tax code. You still have the IRS,’ Huckabee said. ‘They’re still a criminal enterprise. They still need to be put to death and only the fair tax does that.’”

Paul Ryan Doomed as Speaker of the House?

The Washington Post wrote on October 23:

“Paul Ryan is doomed, too… The Wisconsin Republican… will end up in the same position as Boehner — held hostage by the Freedom Caucus… the fundamental problem — no functional GOP majority — will remain…”

Newsmax wrote on October 27:

“The presumptive new House speaker is bashing outgoing Speaker John Boehner, Senate leaders and the White House for their backroom budget deal, declaring the ‘process stinks’… and promised a change in direction…

“Politico reports the deal will actually help Ryan, setting budget levels for two years, lifts the debt ceiling until March 2017, and eliminating the threat of a government shutdown until October 2016. Still, Politico notes, Ryan wasn’t involved in the negotiations and wants to distance himself from it, as it comes under conservatives’ attacks.
“Conservatives, however, appeared resigned to the outcome. ‘We can’t stop it. He’s in league with the Democrats,’ Kentucky GOP Rep. Thomas Massie said of Boehner on Tuesday. ‘I mean I don’t think there’s anything you can do at this point.’”

Ryan was elected as the new House Speaker on October 29. In his speech, Ryan declared the institution as “broken.” The New York Times wrote that the House is “divided and chaotic.” As the Washington Post reported, former speaker John Boehner“left Ryan with a fiscal agreement hashed out with President Obama that would increase government spending by $80 billion through 2017 and raised the federal debt limit — enraging hard-line conservatives…”

Carson in First Place?

According to new Nationwide poll, Ben Carson leads for the First Time. Newsmax wrote on October 27:

“Retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson has sailed past Donald Trump nationally to take the lead in the race for the GOP nomination, a new poll shows. The CBS News/New York Times polls shows:

“Carson, 26 percent; Trump, 22 percent; Marco Rubio, 8 percent; Jeb Bush, 7 percent; Carly Fiorina, 7 percent.

“All other candidates, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Ohio Gov. John Kasich each were the choice of 4 percent or lower. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.”

As Der Spiegel Online reported on October 27, the new poll asked 575 voters. That small figure might not be a convincing representative result for nation-wide voters. In the third Republican Debate on October 28, which was hosted by CNBC, neither Carson nor Trump performed extraordinarily well. The shining moment belonged to Ted Cruz when he blasted the hostile moderators for their inappropriate and sometimes totally irrelevant questions. 

Surprisingly, Newsmax reported on October 29 that “Donald Trump was the huge winner of the third Republican presidential debate — triumphing by a wide margin over Dr. Ben Carson, a new Newsmax poll reveals… Carson… was also topped by Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas in the survey conducted following the Wednesday night GOP slugfest on CNBC.”

It appears that no matter how Trump performs, he turns out to be the winner.

Abortion to Be Outlawed?

Newsmax wrote on October 25:

“Ben Carson would like abortion to be outlawed in the United States. [Carson] said in a Sunday interview on Meet the Press that he would ‘love to see’ the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision overturned, and that he would greatly limit the number of exceptions to a nationwide ban on abortion, including cases of rape and incest. ‘Rape and incest, I would not be in favor of killing a baby because the baby came about in that way. And all you have to do is go and look up the many stories of people who have led very useful lives who were the result of rape or incest,’ Carson said.”

In fact, the Bible does not allow the abortion of any child for any reason.

Trump, Carson and the Seventh-Day Adventist Church

The Washington Post wrote on October 25:

“Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Sunday that he saw no reason to apologize for raising the issue of rival Ben Carson’s Seventh-day Adventist faith during a recent campaign rally. ‘I would certainly give an apology if I said something bad about it. But I didn’t. All I said was I don’t know about it,’ Trump said during an interview on ABC’s ‘This Week’…  Trump dismissed a suggestion by host George Stephanopoulos that by mentioning Carson’s religious affiliation he was trying to ‘send a dog whistle’ to ‘some conservatives [who] claim the Seventh-day Adventists are not Christian.’…

“Trump had brought up Carson’s religion on Saturday, during a rally in Florida. ‘I’m Presbyterian,’ he said. ‘Boy, that’s down the middle of the road, folks, in all fairness. I mean, Seventh-day Adventist, I don’t know about. I just don’t know about.’

“Carson, in an interview on Fox News, declined to strike back but noted that Trump ‘went ballistic’ several weeks ago when Carson questioned Trump’s faith, saying the difference between him and Trump was that ‘I’ve realized where my success has come from, and I don’t in any way deny my faith in God.’ ‘So it seems a little interesting that he would now be doing that,’ Carson noted. Carson, who has also said he would not support a Muslim for president, later apologized for the comments about Trump’s faith…

“The Seventh-day Adventist Church has struggled historically to be accepted by mainstream Protestants. It traces its roots to lay theologian William Miller, who predicted the return of Jesus Christ in 1844, the movement was abandoned by some of its early followers and dismissed as a cult after Miller’s prediction didn’t pan out.

“Over the decades, leaders of the church have worked hard to emphasize their belief in Christian doctrine and practices, though some Christians still look at them with skepticism, as they do with Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses…

“Carson, who has said that he was twice baptized as a Seventh-day Adventist, talks frequently about his belief in God and the need to defend religious freedom, but not as much about his specific faith…”

All of the above-mentioned denominations–the Seventh-Day Adventists, the Mormons, the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Presbyterian–have certainly some teachings which are biblical, while many are not. We need to point out too that within all of these churches, there are great differences of doctrinal viewpoints of their members and minsters. But based on the worldly definition of “Christianity,” which is limited to just believing in Christ, they would all qualify as “Christian.” The same would be true for those denominations, which are mentioned in the articles below—the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church. But when analyzing their teachings, it becomes obvious that many of their doctrines and core beliefs are not in accordance with Scripture.

Will Ben Carson’s Belief in Seventh-Day Adventism Help or Hurt Him?

 The New York Times wrote on October 27:

“In an election season where religion and politics have collided frequently, Mr. Carson’s faith remains a mystery to some and is something that could prove to be a strength and a liability…

“The Seventh-day Adventist Church counts more than 18 million members globally and 1.2 million in North America, but some skeptics see it as a sect out of touch with mainstream Christianity. While the church avoids involvement in politics, Mr. Carson’s emergence as a prominent political figure has presented an opportunity for it to gain credibility…

“During a 1999 interview with the Religion News Service, Mr. Carson said he was happy to attend other kinds of churches. ‘I spend just as much time in non-Seventh-day Adventist churches because I’m not convinced that the denomination is the most important thing,’ he said. ‘I think it’s the relationship with God that’s most important.’

“More recently, however, Mr. Carson made clear that he would always defend his Adventist beliefs against skeptics. ‘I’m proud of the fact that I believe what God has said, and I’ve said many times that I’ll defend it before anyone,’ Mr. Carson told the Adventist Report in 2013. ‘If they want to criticize the fact that I believe in a literal six-day creation, let’s have at it because I will poke all kinds of holes in what they believe.’

“For theological reasons, Adventism has faced tensions with the Roman Catholic and Baptist churches over the years. Last spring, Mr. Carson was invited to speak at a Southern Baptist Pastors’ Conference in Ohio, but he faced opposition because of his beliefs and eventually backed out. ‘Dr. Carson is a Seventh-day Adventist,’ a group of pastors from the Baptist organization B21 wrote in protest of his visit. ‘Their official theology denies the doctrine of hell in favor of annihilation,’ they wrote, ‘and believes that those who worship on Sunday will bear the ‘mark of the beast.’

“The church has also had a strongly anti-Catholic strain, and when Mr. Carson decided to attend Pope Francis’ visit to Congress last month, Adventist message boards lit up with questions about his presence with the pontiff. Some questioned him referring to the pope as the ‘Holy Leader’ and wondered, ‘How do such words come from the mouth of a Seventh-day Adventist?’…”

Newsmax reported on October 26:

“Gathered below are 12 things you may or may not know about Seventh-day Adventists and their unique system of belief.

“1. Millerite origins — After studying the prophecies of Daniel, Baptist preacher William Miller predicted the literal Second Coming (advent) of Jesus Christ on Oct. 22, 1844, and formed a large following around this belief.

“2. Great Disappointment — When Christ did not return to earth on the predicted date, some adherents abandoned their faith in the idea of a literal Second Coming, while many continued to find the idea of a literal Second Coming useful to the practice of their faith.

“3. Founding — Out of the Millerite denomination grew the formal Seventh-day Adventist Church, which was founded in 1863 at the First General Conference. At the conference, twenty delegates met in Battle Creek, Michigan, to outline the beliefs of the denomination.

“4. Ellen G. White — Among the original founders was a woman born in Maine named Ellen G. White… White is recognized as having received the gift of prophecy as outlined in Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 12, and her writings are seen as ‘a continuing and authoritative source of truth which provide for the church comfort, guidance, instruction, and correction.’

“5. Sabbath — Adventists recognize Saturday as the Sabbath, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week.

“6. Body as temple of the Holy Spirit — Many Adventists ‘adopt the most healthful diet possible and abstain from the unclean foods identified in the Scriptures,’ as they view the body as the vessel for the Holy Spirit. Many abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and narcotics.

“7. Unconscious dead — Seventh-day Adventists believe that those who die lay in an unconscious state until the return of Jesus Christ to earth.

“8. Second Coming of Christ — Adventists believe that Christ, having died on the cross, been resurrected, and ascended to heaven, will return to earth twice more: once to catch up the righteous, and finally to establish heaven on earth.

“9. First resurrection — During the first resurrection, the righteous will be glorified and caught up to meet their Lord.

“10. Millennium — After Christ resurrects and takes up the righteous, he will reign in heaven with them for 1,000 years, while Satan and his angels will occupy a desolate earth with no living human inhabitants.

“11. The End of Sin — At the end of the Millennium, Christ, His saints, and the Holy City will descend from heaven to earth. The unrighteous dead will be resurrected, and surround the city along with Satan and his angels. At that time, God will consume them in fire, thus cleansing the earth and the universe from sin and sinners forever.

“12. New Earth — After Satan is destroyed, Seventh-day Adventists believe suffering and death will have passed away, and God will rule with the redeemed in a perfect environment of love, life, and joy.”

As can clearly be seen, the Seventh-Day Adventists combine some elements of truth with many errors.

In particular, Miller’s predictions were obviously wrong: Ellen G. White is manifestly NOT a prophetess of God; there is no biblical prohibition to abstain from alcohol; Christ will NOT return twice to earth, but only once; Christ will not reign in heaven with the saints during the Millennium, but on a beautiful earth, which will be occupied by humans; Satan and his demons will not occupy a desolated earth, but they will be imprisoned during the Millennium in a “bottomless pit”; the Holy City will not descend to earth at the end of the Millennium, but much later; Satan and his angels will not be consumed in fire and destroyed, but after having been thrown into the lake of fire at the end of the Millennium, they will ultimately be “wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.”

It is interesting that the above-quoted article admits that Saturday was the “original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week.”

When Women Bishops Rule the Church…

Daily Mail wrote on October 25:

“Britain’s most senior female bishop, who is to become the first to sit in the House of Lords, has said God should not be referred to as specifically male… The bishop said God should not be gendered and said while she knowns many will disagree, she believes the Church of England should use both male and female pronouns when referring to God…”

According to biblical doctrine, women should not be ordained as ministers, and they are NOT to preach in Church. And the Bible clearly states that God is our FATHER, and Jesus Christ is His SON, and no woman preacher can change this undeniable FACT.

Strong Divisions Within the Catholic Church

The New York Times wrote on October 21:

“Pope Francis had encouraged bishops from more than 120 countries to speak freely when they gathered at the Vatican nearly three weeks ago for a broad discussion of family matters to guide the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics. And speak freely, they have. The result has been the most momentous, and contentious, meeting of bishops in the 50 years since the Second Vatican Council, which brought the church into the modern era. The meeting has exposed deep fault lines between traditionalists focused on shoring up doctrine, and those who want the church to be more open to Catholics who are divorced, gay, single parents or cohabiting…

“Progressives, led by the contingent from Germany, are pushing for a church that is more welcoming toward divorced, gay and other parishioners who are not living the Catholic ideal of family. The German bishops have found allies among some prelates from Western Europe, Asia and the Americas.

“The traditionalists – whose standard bearers are the African and Eastern European bishops – have resisted any proposals that appear to soften the church’s doctrine that marriage is ‘indissoluble’ and homosexuality is ‘intrinsically disordered.’ In one indication of their fervor, Cardinal Robert Sarah, who is from Guinea and leads the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship, told the synod, ‘What Nazi-Fascism and Communism were in the 20th century, Western homosexual and abortion ideologies and Islamic fanaticism are today.’

“Bishops from the United States have revealed themselves to be just as divided as their flock back home…

“The synod can make recommendations, but unlike the three-year Second Vatican Council, it cannot make decisions. That power lies with the pope… it could be many months before Francis issues an official document…

“The pope threw another thunderbolt last Saturday, saying in a private address to bishops that the church needs a ‘sound decentralization’ of authority. He said the church should not be run like a top-down organization with the pope at its summit, but instead should be an ‘inverted pyramid’…  But in his speech, the pope also made it clear that he would be the final arbiter…”

The Washington Post added on October 21:

“At Pope Francis’s closed-door meeting in Rome this month, top clergy are intensely debating whether the church should bend more to the messy realities of modern families, and on Wednesday they released some early reports revealing their deep divisions…  Changing Catholicism’s stance toward such things could begin to unravel the unity of the world’s largest church, say opponents who see the debate in Rome as directly tied to the future of Catholicism…

“Some of the powerful Italian-language groups, meanwhile, suggested bishops should have the final say…

“But not all in the Church are open to change. Division is so pronounced that Catholics are witnessing the spectacle of cardinals writing op-eds about one another… The concern comes mostly – but not exclusively — from traditional bishops and their allies who worry that Francis is stirring extremely dangerous waters by proposing changes that they see as cutting at the very heart of the nature of the Catholic Church and what it means to be Catholic…”

In Part 1, we reviewed Jerusalem’s historical and foundational relevance to Christianity through biblical references. The Bible also reveals that prophetic events in this, our generation, focus on the City of Jerusalem.

Prophecy is vital to Christians, and Jesus emphasized this fact when He discussed signs which would show that His return to earth was imminent. He spoke of religious deception—then of wars, famines, earthquakes and violent persecution (compare Matthew 24:4-12). He also added a measure of responsibility to His followers by saying, “‘See, I have told you beforehand’” (Matthew 24:25).

We have been warned in advance—before it happens! This means we should be watching for the fulfillment of those things told to us by Jesus. The City of Jerusalem is prominently identified because of the momentous events which will occur there just before Christ’s return.

Note the physical setting and the prophetic timeframe described by Jesus:

“‘Therefore when you see the “abomination of desolation,” spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened’” (Matthew 24:15-22).

Let us understand that the “holy place” can only refer to an area within the Temple of God as existing in the City of Jerusalem. Also, this prophecy addresses those “in Judea.”

Consider that for almost nineteen-hundred years following this prophecy by Jesus Christ, the Jews were without a country. However, against seemingly impossible obstacles, the Jewish people formally re-established their homeland in Palestine on May 14, 1948, calling it, “the State of Israel.” At that time, Jerusalem remained a divided City, partially controlled by the Jordanians (East Jerusalem and the Old City) and the Israelis (West Jerusalem).

As a result of the Arab–Israeli war in 1967 (called the “Six-Day War”), the State of Israel gained full control of Jerusalem, and on June 28^th declared Jerusalem unified and announced free access to holy sites of all religions.

While the State of Israel designates Jerusalem as its capital city, no other major nation in the world recognizes this claim! The Palestinians continue to demand an independent Palestinian State with East Jerusalem as its capital, and there is growing international support for their cause.

Yet, the Temple Mount, situated in the Old City and administered by Jordan, is off-limits for Jewish worship—to this day! Nonetheless, the Bible gives clear evidence that Jews will once again gain control of this area and that a Temple of God will be built!

The Apostle Paul, writing to Christians of his day about the return of Jesus Christ, spoke of events which would take place in the City of Jerusalem:

“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).

Paul isn’t using a metaphor when he says the man of sin will sit “in the temple of God.” His meaning is literal, and the time setting for this event is unmistakable:

“And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming” (2 Thessalonians 2:8).

In the Book of Revelation, John is instructed to “‘…measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months’” (Revelation 11:1-2).

We see from these verses that a Temple of God will be in existence in Jerusalem for three-and-one-half years, but exactly how long it will have existed before the start of this time is not stated. The vitally important understanding for us is that we should be watching for the development of events which will lead up to what is so clearly revealed.

Coinciding with this time period—while Jerusalem is under the control of outside forces, that is, nations other than the State of Israel—two “witnesses” will prophesy with great power from God. They will be killed in Jerusalem, once their work is finished:

“And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. Then those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves. And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them, make merry, and send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 11:8-10).

Only in the last few decades has it become possible for people all over the earth to be aware of the death of two people in Jerusalem! With the advances in media technology, people can see live broadcasts from around the world. Cell phones are now possessed by over ninety percent of the world’s population, and gifts can indeed be sent using a cell phone.

In the Book of Luke, Jesus is quoted concerning the signs of the times and the end of the age. His answers include events at Jerusalem which have not yet been fulfilled—but things we should anticipate:

“‘But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! For there will be great distress in the land and wrath upon this people. And they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled’” (Luke 21:20-24).

Carefully bear in mind what Jesus specifically said—to Christians:

“‘Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man’” (Luke 21:36).

Also:

“‘Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near–at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is’” (Mark 13:28-33).

What is happening right now in Jerusalem is the fulfillment of prophecy!

Events in Jerusalem—especially the Temple Mount—grip the attention of the world. In the meantime, many of the neighboring countries to the State of Israel continue to openly call for Israel’s outright destruction. As unsettling as the news is at the present time, things will become even more volatile:

“‘Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it’” (Zechariah 12:2-3).

There is much more ahead for the City of Jerusalem, and in Part 3 of this series, we will address how its future relates very directly to the promises given to Christians.

Lead Writer: Dave Harris

“Prophetische Auswirkungen der Migrantenkrise Deutschlands,” is the title of this week’s German sermon. Title in English: “Prophetic Consequences of Germany’s Migrant Crisis”

“The Greatest,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The greatest people in the world, the most brilliant minds, the most talented and the strongest, what do they have in common? The biggest buildings, the most amazing mechanics, the latest piece of technology, plays out to what end? We live in an age that values these types of things. But in the end what happens to all of this? Do we stop and ask ourselves the really important questions? What do we place our value in?

“Marriage Without a License?”, the sermon presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Today, many men and women are living together without being married. But is such an arrangement acceptable in God’s eyes? Or is this conduct equated in Scripture with fornication? How does a marriage begin? Did God create Adam and Eve as husband and wife? Is marriage a covenant which is preceded by engagement or betrothal? What about a wedding and a wedding supper? How about adultery and divorce? What connection is there between a physical marriage and the spiritual marriage between the Church of God as the bride and Jesus Christ as the bridegroom?

On October 24, 2015, Kalon Mitchell will present the sermonette, titled, “The Greatest,” and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “Marriage Without License?”

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

As we enter another season of mankind’s holidays, it is critical that we steel ourselves against the un-Godly attitudes that surround these festivities.  It’s obvious to us that Christians should forgo decorating our houses in the macabre for Halloween or the gaudiness that surrounds Christmas.  We must also be careful to keep the subtle yet insidious influences at bay as well. No matter how beautiful the trappings of the season are or the good intentions of those who celebrate them—these holidays are detested by God.

It was revealed to John where the influences of these holidays originate.  “And he (an angel) cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, ‘Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!’” (Revelation 18:2).  These holidays are inspired by and originate from Satan.

While this understanding is clear to those who have an ear to hear, the world is completely overwhelmed by Satan’s influence.  According to several retail websites, it is estimated that 157 million Americans will be celebrating Halloween this year, spending nearly 6.9 billion dollars.  “After a long summer, consumers are eager to embrace fall and all of the celebrations that come with it,” said National Retail Federation president and CEO Matthew Shay.  Our world is increasingly embracing these practices, when clear warning is given by God to remove ourselves from them.  John continues in Revelation 18:3, “For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”

Our retail economy has gradually become bound to the monetary gains of these holidays.  The world has vested so much that it is increasingly becoming more difficult, if not impossible, to turn away.  Satan’s bondage is growing stronger and mankind is reveling in it!  But this great deception will be short–lived.  God’s Judgment is at hand for a world that seeks their own will in lieu of God’s Will. John’s vision continues, “And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4).

Everything about these holidays is contrary to God.  In order for us to come out of this deceitful season and not partake of it in any way, we must be spiritually focused on God’s Will.  It’s not by luck or our own strength that we overcome Satan, but by drawing close to God so that He in turn will draw close to us.

We begin with interesting developments in Israel and the mounting international pressure from Arabic and European nations to establish an “international force” in Jerusalem; report on the Syrian crisis and the continuing isolation of Angela Merkel in parts of Europe because of her (mis-)handling of the migrant crisis and her attempts to receive help from Turkey in exchange of controversial promises which will lead to Merkel’s further unpopularity, especially in Germany;  continue with interesting articles on a coming European army and about Germans in America who may or may not be ethnic Germans at all; focus on Hillary Clinton’s Email scandal which will not go away easily, in spite of President Obama’s inappropriate attempts to preempt the FBI and Joe Biden’s decision not to run for the Presidency; and conclude with the victory of Canadian liberals and highly controversial statements of Pope Francis which might lead to an outright rebellion within the Catholic hierarchy.

No International Force in Israel to Promote Peace?… At Least Not Quite Yet!

The Times of Israel reported on October 16:

“Israel on Friday rejected Palestinian calls for an international force to be deployed in East Jerusalem to promote calm around the Temple Mount and the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque…

“On Friday, Palestinians torched a Jewish holy site in the West Bank as they staged a ‘Friday of revolution’ against Israel and a man posing as a news photographer stabbed an Israeli soldier before he was shot dead.”

For now, an “international force” may not be deployed in Jerusalem to “promote calm around the Temple Mount.” But the Bible says that this is exactly what will happen in the near future. And the pressure for such a force is building, as the next articles show.

On October 17, the Jerusalem Post stated:

“France [submitted] a ‘presidential statement’ in order to advance a plan to station international observers at Jerusalem’s Temple Mount to ensure that the status quo at the site is preserved…

“Jews revere the Temple Mount as its holiest site, the place where two biblical Jewish temples once stood. The area, is also home to the Dome of the Rock, and is known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary, which is the third holiest site in Islam… The Palestinian representative at the UN, Riyad Mansour, said he wanted the council to consider deploying an international force at the al-Aqsa mosque to protect Palestinian worshipers.”

Times of Israel added on October 17:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday slammed a French proposal to deploy international observers to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in response to the current round of violence, calling it a fundamentally absurd idea… Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan also criticized the proposal…

“‘The French proposal to place international observers on the Temple Mount is distorted and biased,’ said Erdan, in language that echoed the comments by Netanyahu… ‘Factually, those who turned the Temple Mount into a terror warehouse are the Palestinians. Those who are trying to harm the status quo and prevent Jewish visits are the Palestinians. Those who are inciting and lying about the events on the Temple Mount are the Palestinians,’ he said…

“Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely said in response to the proposal that ‘all international involvement on the Temple Mount harms Israeli sovereignty.’..”

Arab States Unite Against Israel

The Times of Israel wrote on October 17:

“Six Arab states are set to submit a proposal on behalf of the Palestinians to the UN’s cultural body to officially claim the Western Wall as part of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound (the Temple Mount)… The proposal will be submitted in the coming days to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, known as UNESCO, by Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates…

“The proposal also calls for the international community to condemn Israel for urging ‘its citizens to bear arms in light of [the] recent terror wave’…  The document… refers to Jerusalem as ‘the occupied capital of Palestine.’

“In addition, the Palestinians seek condemnation of ongoing Israeli archaeological excavations near the Temple Mount and the Old City in Jerusalem, as well as for the ‘aggression and illegal measures taken against the freedom of worship and access of Muslims to Al-Aqsa Mosque…’

“Israel is trying to convince as many countries as possible to oppose the proposal, or abstain. However… the proposal will likely be approved as there is a Muslim and Arab majority on UNESCO’s executive council…”

On October 21, 2015, JTA added the following:

“UNESCO, the U.N. cultural agency, condemned Israel for what it said are attempts to alter the status quo at the Temple Mount. While the resolution approved Wednesday morning in Paris by the executive board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization dropped plans to label the Temple Mount a Muslim site, the organization recognized Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem and the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron as Muslim sites that are part of a Palestinian state. Both sites are holy to Jews and listed in the Bible as the burial places of the Jewish patriarchs and matriarchs.

“The vote was 26-6 in favor of the resolution, with 25 abstentions.

“Before the vote, the six Arab countries that submitted the proposal on behalf of the Palestinians — Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates — removed from the proposal a statement declaring the Western Wall in Jerusalem part of the al Aqsa Mosque complex and naming it part of the Muslim religious site. It also removed references to Jerusalem as ‘the occupied capital of Palestine’ in order to garner support for the proposal.

“The final text of the resolution included condemnation of the ‘aggression and illegal measures taken against the freedom of worship and access of Muslims to Al-Aqsa Mosque and Israel’s attempts to break the status quo since 1967.’

“Israeli officials and American Jewish groups protested the resolution as a farce and outright lie…”

In the future, Europe under German leadership will be collaborating with Arab states against Israel. We can already see the beginning of that development.

Closing Temple Mount for Jews?

The website of usnews.com published the following article on October 15, which was written by a columnist for Al Monitor, titled, “Why It’s Time for Israel to Close Temple Mount to Jews.”

The article stated:

“These days, Jerusalem has truly been divided, but not by the left. In case anyone has forgotten, a truly right-wing government is in control in Israel. For the first time, the government does not contain a moderating or centrist element as in the past… Ironically, it is a rightist government that is being forced to acknowledge that Jerusalem is, de facto, divided — into the western and the eastern, the Jewish versus the Palestinian.

“After Israel captured East Jerusalem in 1967, the two parts of the city were united. With the second intifada (2000 to 2005), Israel began to build a fence to separate peripheral Palestinian neighborhoods from Jerusalem. It has now come to pass that for quite some time, Israel has not exercised sovereignty in the eastern part of the city… East Jerusalem has become a no-man’s land and a fertile hotbed for despair, alienation, isolation and religious extremism. If one adds to the pot the incitement by such actors as the northern branch of the Israeli Islamic Movement, headed by the radical Sheikh Raed Salah, the Palestinian Authority (PA) and the roiling social networks, the result is what we are now witnessing. The request for IDF assistance by the Israeli police in the heart of Israel’s capital can be compared to summoning the US Marines to patrol the streets of Washington. The symbols of Israeli sovereignty are in danger.

“We live in an era of surprises. Israel longs for the good old days when a high-quality agent in the vicinity of an Arab ruler and a sophisticated wiretapping system could be relied on as an intelligence ‘insurance policy’ for assessing the odds of a war erupting. This allowed Israeli leaders to sleep well at night. That era is gone, however, and the current intifada — which Palestinians are calling the ‘al-Quds [Jerusalem] intifada’ and some the knife intifada — took Israel’s political echelons by complete surprise…

“This rebellion differs from its predecessors. This one is the first time that there has been no leader on the playing field, no landlord. There is no one entity initiating, conducting or integrating events. There are no assigned targets. There is no one to capture, neutralize or eliminate. This is an unhinged intifada, an odd rebellion that bubbles through the social networks and erupts into barbarism in attacks by isolated individuals or small groups. Young Palestinians (in one case a 13-year-old) attack Israelis with knives, axes and vegetable peelers; they run them over with vehicles; they strike them with axes in spasms of bloody, unexplained and murderous irrationality. Some of the attacks stem from incitement surrounding the Temple Mount (or Haram al-Sharif to Muslims) and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

“The explosiveness of the Temple Mount issue and whether the next intifada will result from it have been covered by Al-Monitor. There is also more: After the meeting between Zionist Camp leader Isaac Herzog and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Aug. 18 in Ramallah, an Al-Monitor article cited a warning issued in the form of a concern by the Palestinian leader to the Israeli opposition head: Abbas feared a third intifada and losing control over PA territory. Herzog delivered this message not only to Al-Monitor, but also to Netanyahu, who did not respond. Now he’s probably sorry.

“It is important to emphasize that Israel has no intention of taking control of the Al-Aqsa Mosque or changing the status quo involving the Temple Mount. The Palestinians, however, are more attentive to conspiracy theories based on statements by the messianic Israeli right… Palestinians are convinced that Israel plans on usurping Al-Aqsa. Until the Israeli government takes crystal clear action, such as closing the Temple Mount to Jews for a cooling-off period, there is no chance that the Palestinians’ state of mind will change. If it doesn’t change, this peculiar intifada will continue.”

Netanyahu Stirs Controversy

The Local wrote on October 21:

“Germany on Wednesday stressed its inherent responsibility in the Holocaust, after Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu stirred controversy over his claim a Palestinian leader gave Hitler the idea of exterminating Jews. Asked to comment on Netanyahu’s allegation, government spokesman Steffen Seibert said he would not speak directly on the claim. But he added: ‘I can speak for the federal government, that we Germans recognise that the murderous racial fanaticism of the Nazis was the historical origin of … the Shoah. I see no reason to change our view of history in any way. We know of the inherent German responsibility in these crimes against humanity,’ he added…

“In a speech on Tuesday, Netanyahu suggested that Hitler was not planning to exterminate the Jews until he met Palestinian nationalist Haj Amin al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, in 1941. ‘Hitler didn’t want to exterminate the Jews at the time. He wanted to expel the Jews,’ Netanyahu told the World Zionist Congress. ‘And Haj Amin al-Husseini went to Hitler and said: “If you expel them, they’ll all come here.” “So what should I do with them?” he asked. He said: “Burn them.”’

“Netanyahu on Wednesday backtracked on the claim, denying that he was exonerating Hitler of the responsibility for the Holocaust, in which six million Jews were slaughtered.”

The Associated Press added on October 21 that “Historians quickly noted that the Nazi Final Solution was already well underway at this point, with several concentration camps up and running. Hitler had previously repeatedly declared his lethal intentions for the Jews.”

The Russian-Syrian Pact

The Associated Press reported on October 21:

“President Bashar Assad has traveled to Moscow in his first known trip abroad since war broke out in Syria in 2011, meeting his strongest ally, Russian leader Vladimir Putin. The two leaders stressed that military operations in Syria— in which Moscow is the latest and most powerful addition— must lead to a political process. The surprise visit Tuesday reflects renewed confidence from the embattled Syrian president after Russia and Iran, another staunch ally, dramatically escalated their support recently as Moscow began carrying out airstrikes on Syrian insurgents and Tehran sent hundreds of ground forces…

“A week after Russia launched its airstrikes, Syrian ground troops, aided by allied fighters from Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, pushed their way into central and northern Syria in an attempt to drive out rebel and militant groups in control of territories there. So far, Syrian forces have seized a few villages but there has been no strategic victory. Many of the attacks have hit western-backed rebels and al-Qaida’s affiliate in Syria, but not the Islamic State group, with its stronghold in eastern Syria.

“The Russian airstrikes have allowed Syrian troops and their allies to launch multiple ground offensives in northern, central and southern Syria as well as in the rebel-held suburbs of the capital, Damascus…”

Bild Online reported that because of the Russian-Syrian Pact, an additional 350,000 Syrians will flee to Turkey by this weekend.

Jimmy Carter Helps Russia

Newsmax reported on October 21:

“Claiming that he knows Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘fairly well’ because they once discussed their ‘common interest in fly fishing,’ former President Jimmy Carter took the initiative to provide maps of Islamic State positions in Syria to the Russian embassy in Washington — a move at odds with the Obama administration… ‘I sent [Putin] a message Thursday and asked him if he wanted a copy of our map so he could bomb accurately in Syria, and then on Friday, the Russian embassy… in Washington, called down and told me they would like very much to have the map,’ Carter said at his Sunday school class in Georgia, according to a video of his remarks first aired on NBC News…

“The Carter Center claims that they sent maps of the Islamic States location to Russia in an attempt to help improve their airstrike accuracy.

“… this is not the first time Carter has shown [h]is support for Russia. Last year, he said that the United States should not impose more sanctions on Russia and that ‘Putin is not going to use military force’ in eastern Ukraine…

“The Pentagon announced Tuesday that the U.S. signed an agreement with Russia to avoid incidents in Syrian airspace where American planes are also bombing Islamic State positions. However, the memorandum with Russia ‘does not establish zones of cooperation, intelligence sharing, or any sharing of target information in Syria’ and does ‘not constitute U.S. cooperation or support for Russia’s policy or actions in Syria,’ Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said…”

Incredible!!!!

Germany Partially Responsible for Migrant Crisis?

Deutsche Welle reported on October 21:

“New figures show that German weapons exports increased yet again this year, especially sales of small arms to countries outside NATO. Critics say you need look no further for the root of displaced people in Europe.

“Despite its promises to rein in the country’s weapon’s exports, the German government is still struggling to  kick its addiction to war profits. The latest arms export report, released on Wednesday, showed that the value of Germany’s arms sales leapt to 3.5 billion euros ($4 billion) in the first six months of 2015 – compared to 2.2 billion euros in the first half of 2014. Germany remains the world’s fourth-biggest arms exporter, behind the United States, Russia and China.

“… countries in the Middle East, South America, Africa and East Asia that are either involved in conflicts or have problematic human rights records have been splurging on German rifles, handguns and other handheld weapons. In the first half of this year, Germany sold guns or ammunition to Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon, Mali, Chile, India, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates (among others). That’s apart from the military vehicles, ships, and other larger military equipment sold to Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Russia, China and Israel – all of which are involved in conflicts or have widely reported human rights abuses…

‘Syria has traditionally been one of the biggest buyers of weapons… Germany delivered nearly 13 million euros in weapons to Syria between 2002 and 2013 – mainly tanks, chemical agents and small arms. In 2014, Germany also delivered 8,000 Heckler & Koch G36 and G3 assault rifles to Peshmerga fighters in Syria. ‘And now we’re surprised that these weapons get used,” Grässlin said [Jürgen Grässlin is an author and prominent German anti-weapons activist]. ‘And the people flee the use of these weapons and the dictators, and they end up, absurdly enough, in the country where the weapons were made that were used to repress their people. That’s why I say: If you sow war weapons, you reap war refugees.’”

Merkel Isolated in Central and Eastern Europe

The New York Times wrote on October 16:

“In Europe, and beyond, Ms. Merkel so far lacks strong allies to achieve her goal of merely slowing the refugee flow. Indeed, Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary highlighted Ms. Merkel’s isolation from Central and Eastern European leaders on Friday by closing his country’s border with Croatia…

“Two city-states, Hamburg and Bremen, have already passed laws giving them the right to commandeer empty properties to try to give refugees roofs over their heads — and not tents — as winter approaches…

“In national politics, the fiercest opposition to Ms. Merkel’s decision on Sept. 4 — with Austria — to throw open the borders to tens of thousands of refugees then trapped in Hungary comes from her own conservative camp. Bavaria’s Horst Seehofer, head of the sister party to Ms. Merkel’s Christian Democrats, again this week criticized her government…

“Scores more of mostly local conservative politicians have signed an open letter to Ms. Merkel, which pleads with her ‘to take speedy measures which would reduce the current influx of refugees swiftly and effectively.’ A banner held high as the chancellor addressed a party meeting near Leipzig this week demanded, ‘Dethrone Merkel.’…”

Czech Republic vs. Muslim Migrants

Breitbart wrote on October 18:

“The President of the Czech Republic has warned that Muslim migrants will ‘respect Sharia instead of Czech laws,’ possibly stoning women, and saying that they could increase the practice of veiling, ‘depriving’ the nation of female beauty. Outspoken left-wing Czech President Milos Zeman, 72, was asked if he thought new migrants from the Middle East would respect Czech laws of Friday: ‘Of course not,’ he replied. ‘Unfaithful women will be stoned and thieves will have their hands cut off, and we’ll be deprived of women’s beauty, because they’ll be covered from head to toe…’

“President Zeman is the leader of the left wing Czech Social Democratic Party and is well known for his controversial remarks… The Czech Republic is part of the Eastern, so-called Visegrad group of countries – along with Hungary, Poland and Slovakia – who strongly resisted the introduction of the EU’s forced migration quotas in September.”

Slovenia Refuses to Take In More than 2,500 Migrants a Day

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 18:

“The Slovenian government has said it will only take in a maximum of 2,500 migrants a day, following Hungary’s decision to close its border with Croatia on Saturday.

“On Sunday, Slovenia refused to allow in a train carrying 1,800 migrants from Croatia, after more than 3,000 people surged into the tiny EU member state the day before. Tension is building among thousands of migrants as they remain stranded in fog and cold weather in their quest to reach a better life in Western Europe… Slovenia now fears that if Croatia continues taking more migrants than it is able to send forward, there could be a ‘spillover’ of migrants.”

Anti-Immigration Swiss Party Wins

Reuters reported on October 18:

“The anti-immigration Swiss People’s Party (SVP) won the biggest share of the vote in Sunday’s national parliamentary election… keeping pressure on Bern to introduce quotas on people moving from the European Union.

“Success for the Swiss People’s Party (SVP), coupled with gains made by the pro-business Liberal Party (FDP), led political commentators to talk of a ‘Rechtsrutsch’ – a ‘slide to the right’ – in Swiss politics. Immigration was the central topic for voters amid a rush of asylum seekers from the Middle East and North Africa to Europe.”

There will be many more anti-immigration movements in Europe, and the established parties might be facing the same kind of reaction which is happening in the USA.

Servitude in Germany?

Express wrote on October 17:

“… parents in the city of Lubeck were left furious after a school told their children to cook and clean for refugees at an asylum centre. A mother wrote on Facebook: ‘I am definitely not a hater and am really tolerant, but this is taking things too far. Is there a new subject in Lubeck’s schools called servitude?”

These kind of “good works” were also promoted in the Worldwide Church of God after Herbert W. Armstrong’s death and contributed greatly to its downfall and demise, as the true focus of the church’s commission was neglected, which is to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God in all the world as a witness (Matthew 24:14).

Massive Demonstrations in Germany

Reuters reported on October 19:

 “The German anti-Islam movement PEGIDA staged its biggest rally in months on Monday, sparked into fresh life on its first anniversary by anger at the government’s decision to take in hundreds of thousands of migrants from the Middle East.

“PEGIDA, or Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West, almost fizzled out earlier this year when its leader resigned after a photo was published of him posing as Hitler. But it has swelled again as Germany implements Chancellor Angela Merkel’s decision to accept a tide of refugees that could exceed a million this year, as she argues that Germany can not only cope but, with its aging population, will benefit in the long term.

“Police declined to estimate the number of protesters but media put it at 15-20,000, somewhat below a peak of around 25,000 in January. Around 14,000 counter-demonstrators urged people to welcome refugees rather than whip up opposition…

“PEGIDA has more than 172,000 ‘Likes’ on its Facebook page and wants Germany to stop taking asylum seekers immediately.

“Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said on Sunday that PEGIDA’s organizers were ‘hard right-wing extremists’ and everyone who attended their demonstrations ‘should know that they are running after rat catchers’.

“Thomas Jaeger, political scientist at Cologne University, said PEGIDA and the right-wing Alternative for Germany party were being allowed by the government to define how the refugee crisis was perceived by many people. ‘What seems to be worrying a lot of people now is that people from different cultures are coming here, and they don’t know how they will integrate, and that’s quite a diffuse fear, and that’s now being exploited by some political forces.’”

The reaction of the German political establishment and the main-stream media and tabloids against PEGIDA is counter-productive, as many of the PEGIDA supporters are clearly not “hard right-wing extremists.” Such accusation is laughable and will back-fire.

Turkey’s Gaining Importance for a Divided Europe

The Local wrote on October 16:

“The EU and Turkey reached a deal to stem the flow of asylum seekers in exchange for concessions to Ankara… on aid and EU membership talks. Under the plan, Turkey agrees to tackle people-smugglers and take measures to keep more of the millions of refugees fleeing the Syrian conflict from crossing by sea to Europe… [Turkey’s]  demands included €3 billion in new aid – three times the amount the EU has up until now offered – easing visa restrictions, opening new chapters in Turkey’s long-stalled accession negotiations for EU membership, being included on the list of ‘safe countries’ for asylum and to have more Turkey-EU summits…

“Turkey is the main departure point for the more than 600,000 migrants who have entered Europe this year, most of them making the short but dangerous sea crossing to the Greek islands, but some also coming by land…

“The 28-nation European Union has been left more divided than ever by the migration crisis, especially given fears the Schengen zone could collapse as countries try to curb the huge numbers of migrants criss-crossing the continent…”

The Bible shows that in the end, Turkey will be an ally with Europe against ISRAEL!

Merkel Suddenly Supports EU Membership of Turkey… as Europe Needs Turkey

Deutsche Welle reported on October 18:

“Chancellor Merkel has said Germany will support Turkey’s EU membership bid, during a visit aimed at securing Ankara’s help in stemming a migrant influx to Europe. Turkish PM Davutoglu hailed Europe’s ‘better approach.’…

“The German chancellor later met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who said he asked Merkel to support Turkey’s EU membership bid. Erdogan added that he also asked France, Britain and Spain for support…”

The New York Times wrote on October 18:

“Desperately seeking help to contain Europe’s migrant crisis, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany on Sunday explicitly linked accelerating Turkey’s effort to join the European Union to Turkish cooperation in clamping down on the flow of refugees from Turkey to Europe. Ms. Merkel, who has long opposed Turkey’s admission to the bloc, said she would support speeding up the process, a concession that underscored the importance European leaders place on Turkey’s cooperation in trying to contain what has become the largest flow of migrants since World War II, as people flee violence and deprivation in the Middle East and Africa…

“Mr. Davutoglu continued to press for a ‘safe zone’ in northern Syria, a longstanding priority for Turkey that has been met largely by silence from the international community, because it would require a substantial military operation…

“From the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Turkey has had an open-door policy for refugees and has spent billions of dollars caring for them… Turkey has made visa-free travel to Europe for its citizens a top priority, and Ms. Merkel said she had agreed to push that issue forward. Turkey is the only country that has been formally accepted for possible membership in the union whose citizens must have visas to travel to Europe…

“Turkey has long sought to join the European Union — formal talks began in 2005 — but the process has stalled in recent years, partly because of European concerns about Turkey’s human rights record and a government crackdown on the news media and freedom of expression. Now, though, the balance of power has shifted in Turkey’s favor. Europe needs Turkey… So the concerns about rights are largely unspoken by European leaders at the moment. For example, a European Union report on Turkey, part of the accession process, that was expected to be deeply critical of Ankara’s record on free speech, has been delayed…”

Merkel Deal With Turkey Angers Left and Right

The Local wrote on October 19:

“Merkel announced in Istanbul on Sunday that Europe would offer financial support to help deal with the roughly 2.5 million refugees in the country… Left-wing opponents of the deal said that Merkel was irresponsibly helping religious conservative Erdogan improve his image at home with just two weeks to go before elections to the parliament in Ankara…

“And voices to Merkel’s right worried that the Chancellor was offering too much to Turkey. ‘We can’t make too many concessions to Turkey,’ Gerda Hasselfeldt, leader of the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) group in the Bundestag (German parliament), told Die Welt on Sunday. ‘EU accession is not on the agenda. There are serious shortcomings in fundamental human rights, especially freedom of opinion and of the press.'”

Merkel’s sudden support of Turkey’s EU membership in consideration of Turkey’s help in the migrant crisis will only lead to a further deterioration of Merkel’s popularity in Germany. In addition, it is highly doubtful that Turkey will become a member of the EU.

European Army Sooner than Later?

Express wrote on October 17:

“European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker provoked outrage earlier this year with proposals for a Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). European People’s Party (EPP) president Joseph Daul has now admitted the European Parliament will try to push through plans that would go far beyond what even Mr Juncker had intended. Under the latest proposals, a common European-wide army would become a force capable of taking on missions of ‘higher intensity’ and even replace national guards at EU borders.

“Bureaucrats in Brussels are trying to capitalise on concerns over ‘Russian aggression’ and the migrant crisis to push through the long-held ambitions for a European army. Whereas Mr Junker’s original vision was for a force capable of dealing with ‘post-conflict peace-keeping’, the European Parliament is now preparing to discuss an aggressive common military force. Mr Daul admitted: ‘We are going to move towards an EU army much faster than people believe…

“The paper released calls for a ‘European operational headquarters’ to replace the system of national governments directing their own forces. The draft plan also demands that power over border control, including European coastguard responsibilities, should be handed to the new army…

“Attempts to form a common defence force have been part of the European project since it began. In 1950, French Prime Minister René Pleven proposed ambitious plans for defence integration, including the setting up of [a] European Army and the appointment of a European minister of defence…

“In March this year, Britain rejected yet more calls from Juncker for an EU army… But, just last month the German Chancellor Angela Merkel threatened that if Prime Minister David Cameron failed to support an EU army he would not get any ‘meaningful negotiation of Britain’s relationship with the EU’…”

Germans in America.. an Interesting History

The Local wrote on October 9:

“Around 50 million German Americans live in the US today, according to a 2010 census. The largest self-reported ancestry group in the States, their numbers beat Irish, African, English, Mexican and Italian Americans – and made up around 17% of the American population in 2009…

“The first Germans arrived in the US as early as 1608 – but it was the 1683 movement that truly marked the beginning of America’s German settlement. This was the year in which a group of religious dissidents (Mennonites) approached Francis Daniel Pastorius in Frankfurt am Main… Pastorius [moved to America and] negotiated the purchase of 5,700 acres of land from William Penn – the Englishman who had founded Pennsylvania a few years earlier. On this land, Germantown was born…

“In 1683, Germany didn’t exist as a country. It wouldn’t do so until 1871. Instead, separate German-speaking states mostly ruled themselves as parts of the Catholic Holy Roman Empire. But religious tensions in the German states had exploded since Martin Luther published his ninety-five theses in Wittenberg in 1517, calling people to follow the Bible rather than the Pope. The Thirty Years’ War, which broke out in 1618, was one of the most destructive in European History – and it was against this backdrop that many Germans decided to emigrate…

“In 1688, [Pastorius] and three others signed The Germantown Quaker Petition Against Slavery, thought to be the first anti-slavery petition presented by white colonies in America. ‘German-American Day’ was celebrated in Philadelphia for the first time in 1883…  But when the First World War broke out, celebrations stopped. During this period, anti-German hysteria reached fever pitch. German-Americans were brutally assaulted, while anything remotely ‘German’ – be it books, music, even street names – was removed or destroyed.

“When the War ended, over 400,000 Germans emigrated to the United States, many of them Jews fleeing the rising Nazi party. But in a bid to hide their ethnicities, many altered their names to sound more American. German immigrants were keen to blend in as soon as possible, avoiding the anti-German sentiment that still lingered across the US.

“Hostilities rose again during the Second World War, as German-Americans found their freedom and rights restricted. Treated as possible enemies, some were forced to carry around identification cards, while others were placed in internment camps. While these hostilities ended soon after the war, it took German-Americans a long time to reclaim their ethnic heritage – a process that continues to this day.

“In 1983 – 300 years since the Krefeld immigrants docked in Philadelphia – President Ronald Reagan proclaimed that October 6th would become German-American Day once again. ‘More Americans trace their heritage back to German ancestry than to any other nationality,’ he noted in his proclamation. In 1987, October 6th was reinstated as a US holiday.

“From Kindergarten and Christmas trees to hamburgers and hotdogs, German-Americans are credited with some of the most recognizable features of US culture to have emerged in the past 300 years. Less than 5% now speak German themselves. But along with annual Oktoberfest celebrations and the German-American Steuben Parade, October 6th is one of many ways German-Americans celebrate and remember their cultural heritage today.”

We need to stress that many “Germans” living in America are actually descendants from the ancient Israelite tribe of Manasseh. Ancient Assyrians (modern Germans) captured and enslaved ancient Israelites from the house of Israel (not Judah), and subsequently both Assyrians and Israelites moved towards central Europe. While Assyrians and Israelites settled there (modern descendants of ancient Israelites can be found today in countries such as France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland and the Northern part of Germany), others migrated together to Great Britain, where the tribe of Ephraim settled, while the tribe of Manasseh migrated from there to America. And so, many who think they are ethnic Germans are actually ethnic Israelites from the tribe of Ephraim, who had settled in the United Kingdom, while others, who had settled in the USA, are actually descendants from the tribe of Manasseh.

Clinton’s Email Scandal No Laughing Matter…

Daily Mail wrote on October 16:

“Hillary Clinton could be prosecuted in federal court for failing to tell President Barack Obama about her private email server at the time she was running it, according to a veteran FBI agent. Obama said flatly during a ’60 Minutes’ interview on Sunday that ‘No,’ he did not know Clinton sidestepped security protocols with her a home-brew email setup while she was his secretary of state.

“The FBI agent who spoke with DailyMail.com has had a 20-year career in federal law enforcement and serves in a supervisory capacity in a domestic FBI field office. He said on Friday that failing to put Obama in the loop could be enough to send her to prison for ten years.

“The federal Espionage Act includes a provision that criminalizes ‘gross negligence’ by officials charged with safeguarding national defense information… ‘If investigators conclude that the former secretary [Clinton] was criminally careless in how she approached the security of the sensitive documents in her possession, then this part of the law could be used to prosecute her,’ the agent said, on condition of anonymity…

“The FBI’s investigation of Hillary Clinton’s private email server is focusing on whether she violated the Espionage Act – especially the ‘gross negligence’ portions of the statute – according to a report Thursday from the Fox News Channel… It calls for a 10-year prison sentence for anyone convicted of ‘gross negligence’ that permits such information to be ‘removed from its proper place.’ Using an unsecured computer network to host sensitive information could qualify, according to the FBI agent… ‘The only way setting up your own email server for messages about sensitive information isn’t negligent is if it’s deliberate – which is far worse,’ he said.

“Clinton has staked her public defense on a repeated claim that she never knowingly sent or received information through her ‘clintonemail’ domain that was ‘marked classified’ at the time. But the Espionage Act’s text indicates that her intentions may not matter: A lack of judgment in handling sensitive documents could be enough to trigger the statute.

“As intelligence sources spoke to Fox News on Thursday, others at the FBI spilled to The New York Times that they’re furious with President Barack Obama for pre-empting their probe with a declaration that the former secretary of state never put America’s national security at risk… White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest walked that conclusion back on Tuesday, saying that ‘the president was making an observation about what we know so far…’ Obama, he said, was not attempting ‘to undermine the importance or independence of the ongoing FBI investigation.’

“Ron Hosko, a retired senior F.B.I. official who now leads the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund, said it was wrong of Obama to ‘suggest what side of the investigation he is on’ while an investigation is still underway. ‘Injecting politics into what is supposed to be a fact-finding inquiry leaves a foul taste in the F.B.I.’s mouth,’ Hosko told the Times, ‘and makes them fear that no matter what they find, the Justice Department will take the president’s signal and not bring a case.’

“Obama previously found himself in hot water with federal investigators following a Super Bowl Sunday interview in February 2014 when he downplayed a then-swirling scandal over the IRS targeting right-wing groups politically. Asked while federal investigators were poring through documents whether mass corruption inside America’s tax-collection agency was a factor, he responded: ‘Not even mass corruption – not even a smidgen of corruption.’ Those remarks were widely seen as prejudicing an ongoing investigation, or sending a televised hint to the FBI that the Oval Office didn’t want to see any aggressive prosecutions.”

Breitbart added on October 16:

“If we weren’t so numb to lawlessness and politicized bureaucracy from seven years of Obama scandals, this would be a national outrage. The President just tried to influence the outcome of a criminal investigation, on behalf of a powerful Democrat politician… Obama has so numbed the American people to corruption and the lawless exercise of power that it’s not surprising to watch him influence an active FBI investigation…

“If the FBI decides to float some charges against Clinton, they had better have battleship armor, or else the same DOJ that swept Operation Fast and Furious under the rug is going to sink them…”

Breitbart also wrote on October 16:

“Mike Huckabee said that the Obama administration has lost the ability to impartially conduct an investigation. ‘Trusting Hillary Clinton to just “come clean” is like trusting a compulsive gambler in a Vegas casino,’ Huckabee told Breitbart News Friday. ‘The American people are sick of games, endless excuses, and political platitudes—and it’s time we appoint a special prosecutor to investigate this serious national security email scandal.’…

“A special prosecutor was appointed during the Clinton administration to work the Whitewater scandal case… An independent special prosecutor can be appointed by the Attorney General. Assuming that Obama Attorney General Loretta Lynch will not take this step, Congress can compel her to do so with a majority vote in the U.S. House of Representatives.”

It is amazing how politics preempt or even violate justice. It is highly doubtful that the Justice Department will bring a case against Clinton, especially in light of President Obama’s highly improper interference… even if the FBI were to find wrongdoing. Hillary Clinton’s testimony before the Benghazi Committee on October 22 was a complete and total waste of time for all participants and the American people. That is why Americans are fed up with politics—and they should be. Bernie Sanders’ staged comments during the Democratic Debate that Americans are tired hearing about Hillary Clinton’s Email scandal would only be accurate for those Democrats who are willing to overlook wrongdoing of their candidate for the sake of their party’s success… a rather dubious position to take.

 It was also reported on Wednesday, October 21, that Joe Biden declared that he will not run for the Presidency, eliminating Hillary Clinton’s biggest potential contender in the Democratic Party, as it is very unlikely that Bernie Sanders will secure the nomination. The Washington Post wrote on October 21 that “the real numbers, including those in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, support the idea that Trump will continue to lead and that he could win the nomination.” It appears that we will face a showdown between Republican contender Donald Trump and Democratic contender Hillary Clinton.

Joe Biden Is Out

Breitbart reported this as well on October 21:

“Once again, by using his Twitter account, Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump was able to beat his challengers in immediately shaping a news cycle, this one surrounding Vice President Joe Biden’s Wednesday afternoon decision not to run for president. Trump was also able to get his message out unfiltered by the DC media — that message being how eager he is to run against Hillary Clinton’s ‘terrible record’… Within minutes both left-wing cable news outlets — CNN and MSNBC — ran with Trump’s tweet. It is all they had and all he wanted them to have. It is a whole new media world and Trump keeps proving how well he’s mastered it.”

Regarding the real reasons for Biden’s decision to bail out, Newsmax offered the following explanation on October 21:

“If you listened to the media chatter about why Joe Biden decided to take himself out of the running for president, you’d conclude that it was all about grieving and timing… All of that is true enough as far as it goes. But it doesn’t go far enough, because none of the media’s coverage told the story behind the story—the intrigue and deliberate deception at the highest levels of the political system that ultimately determined Biden’s decision to take a pass on the presidency.

“According to sources close to Biden, the vice president and President Obama, who had been urging Biden to run, held numerous discussions about Biden’s chances of taking on Hillary in the Democrat primaries and knocking her out of the presidential race. In those talks, Biden expressed doubt that he would be able to overcome Hillary’s advantage in timing, money, organization, and ground game.

“The only way he could see himself getting into the race, Biden reportedly told the president, was if the White House assured him that it would support the FBI’s investigation of Hillary’s improper handling of classified documents on her private e-mail system and encourage Attorney General Loretta Lynch to bring down an indictment against Hillary. An indictment—even a misdemeanor—would almost certainly doom Hillary’s chances of getting the nomination…

“Obama stopped short of giving Biden the assurances that he was seeking. And without the president’s promise, Biden decided he had no choice but to bow out..”

Liberals Win in Canada

The New York Times wrote on October 19:

“The nine-year reign of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservative Party came to a sudden and stunning end on Monday night at the hands of Justin Trudeau, the young leader of the Liberal Party. Starting with a sweep of the Atlantic provinces, the Liberals capitalized on what many Canadians saw as Mr. Harper’s heavy-handed style, and the party went on to capture 184 of the 338 seats in the next House of Commons. The unexpected rout occurred 47 years after Mr. Trudeau’s father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, first swept to power…

“Although Mr. Trudeau has been prone to occasional verbal slips since assuming his leadership role, including the use of a vulgar metaphor in response to Mr. Harper’s decision to commit Royal Canadian Air Force fighters to the multinational campaign against the Islamic State, he has grown in stature over the course of the election.”

Pope Francis Can’t Be Serious… Or Is He?

The Associated Press reported on October 17:

“Pope Francis has called for a Catholic Church that is far more decentralized, where the laity play a greater role, bishops conferences take care of certain problems and even the papacy is rethought.

“Francis issued the call during a ceremony Saturday marking the 50th anniversary of the institution of the Synod of Bishops, a consultative body formed during the Second Vatican Council that was intended precisely to encourage more collegiality in the running of the church by inviting bishops to offer their advice to Rome.”

If Francis is really serious about his comments, then the battle in the Vatican and with conservative bishops will dramatically intensify. The idea to rethink the very existence of the papacy –one of THE core doctrines of the Catholic Church–will never be accepted within the hierarchy of that church, and Francis will be facing an uphill battle and an outright rebellion within the church, if he continues to pursue this course of action.

Jerusalem stands as one of the most contested cities on earth. It is divided politically, economically and culturally. The religions of Islam, Judaism and Christianity all claim holy sites within the city—especially, the Old City, which is in East Jerusalem.

The Israeli-Arab conflict which dominates today’s world news is growing more and more volatile as Palestinians and Israelis vie for control of Jerusalem. The prophetic importance of what is happening right now in Jerusalem must not be underestimated!

First, though, a review of Jerusalem’s historical and foundational relevance to Christianity is necessary.

A little over four-hundred years after the Flood, Abraham was told by God to move to the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:1-7)—the area in which modern-day Jerusalem now exists.

In the Bible, we are introduced to Jerusalem when it was called by another name, Salem. Melchizedek, the king of Salem, met with Abraham (Genesis 14:18-20). This king of Salem is identified in the Book of Hebrews as none other than Jesus Christ (Hebrews 7).

A later reference to Salem is found in Psalm 76:

“…In Judah God is known; His name is great in Israel. In Salem also is His tabernacle, And His dwelling place in Zion” (Psalm 76:1-2).

Next, we find a very specific place mentioned that can be shown to be a part of the City of Jerusalem. For God commanded Abraham to offer Isaac as a sacrifice “‘in the land of Moriah’” on a specific mountain (Genesis 22:2)—called by Abraham “‘the Mount of the LORD’” (Genesis 22:14).

Note how this location emerges as the same place in which Solomon was instructed to build the Temple of God:

“Now Solomon began to build the house of the LORD at Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had prepared on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite” (2 Chronicles 3:1).

When Israel entered the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua, Jerusalem remained under Gentile control:

“But the children of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who inhabited Jerusalem; so the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day” (Judges 1:21).

It was not until the time of King David—hundreds of years after Israel possessed Canaan—that Jerusalem was captured and then became the capital of Israel:

“And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, ‘You shall not come in here; but the blind and the lame will repel you,’ thinking, ‘David cannot come in here.’ Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of David). Now David said on that day, ‘Whoever climbs up by way of the water shaft and defeats the Jebusites (the lame and the blind, who are hated by David’s soul), he shall be chief and captain.’ Therefore they say, ‘The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.’ Then David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the City of David. And David built all around from the Millo and inward” (2 Samuel 5:6-9).

It is important to note that God rejected Shiloh, which was in Ephraim, and He chose Jerusalem and Judah for Himself:

“And he said: ‘Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who has fulfilled with His hands what He spoke with His mouth to my father David, saying, “Since the day that I brought My people out of the land of Egypt, I have chosen no city from any tribe of Israel in which to build a house, that My name might be there, nor did I choose any man to be a ruler over My people Israel. Yet I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name may be there; and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel”’” (2 Chronicles 6:4-6; compare Psalm 78:60, 67-69).

The Bible relates that God punished Jerusalem and Judah because of their flagrant sins against Him (compare 2 Chronicles 36:15-21), but He did not utterly reject and abandon His city. Jerusalem and the Temple of God built by Solomon were destroyed, but God provided for the restoration of Jerusalem—even before it was devastated by the Babylonian empire. Note this remarkable prophecy given about a future ruler some one-hundred-fifty years before his birth and long before Jerusalem’s fall:

“‘Who says of Cyrus, “He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, ‘You shall be built,’ And to the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid’”’” (Isaiah 44:28).

Even in their captivity, God caused the prophet Jeremiah to write to the Jewish captives in Babylon to assure them that they would return to Jerusalem and the land of Judah (compare Jeremiah 29:1-11).

In both the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, we have a record of the remnant of the House of Judah who returned to the land of Israel and who rebuilt the Temple of God and the City of Jerusalem—including its defensive walls. The Gentile rulers of that time who were neighboring Judah stood in opposition and tried to stop the Jews.

They failed, for the Jews re-established the City of Jerusalem, the Temple of God and other cities in the land of Judah.

It was after another approximately 500 years that Jerusalem became the focus of the life and work of Jesus Christ—and His death. The New Testament of the Bible records detailed accounts of those events, but let us also consider the dramatic prophecies Jesus gave concerning Jerusalem:

“Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, ‘If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation’” (Luke 19:41-44; compare Mark 13:1-2).

Historically, that occurred! In 70 AD, the Romans laid siege to Jerusalem and destroyed the magnificent Temple of God. Judah, as a nation, ceased to exist. Throughout the centuries several attempts have been made to re-establish the Temple in Jerusalem, but all have failed!

One other point of note is this, Jesus established the Church of God in Jerusalem, on the Day of Pentecost in 31 AD (Compare Acts 2). Following His resurrection, Jesus had specifically instructed His disciples “‘…that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name in all nations, BEGINNING AT JERUSALEM’” (Luke 24:47).

Much, much more is said about Jerusalem in biblical prophecy, and, in the future, Jerusalem will actually welcome Jesus Christ—even though many trials still lie ahead:

“‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!”’” (Matthew 23:37-39).

In Part 2, we will examine events of our time—our generation—and the dramatic role Jerusalem has now taken on the world stage—plus the incredible future that is in store for this city, for its inhabitants and for all of mankind!

Lead Writer: Dave Harris

A new Member Letter reporting on our Feast sites in the United States and Germany was sent out this week—including a copy of our newest booklet, “Do You Know the Jesus of the Bible?” 

“Fighting for the Temple Mount — WHY?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Stunning events are happening in the Middle East and in East Jerusalem, which have direct relevance to biblical prophecy. WHY are calls being heard from Palestinians, Arab nations and France to deploy an international force in East Jerusalem and at the Temple Mount? Why is the UN adopting a resolution condemning Israel for “illegal measures taken against the freedom of worship of Muslims to the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” which is situated on the Temple Mount? Why is it recommended that the Temple Mount should be closed to Jews? In this program, we show you the most recent developments and explain to you from the Bible WHY they are so important, in the light of Christ’s, Paul’s, John’s and Daniel’s end-time warnings pertaining to Jerusalem. We offer you our free booklet, “The Book of Zechariah–Prophecies for Today!”

Our Feast messages which were given in the USA and in Germany are now posted on our respective websites and on YouTube: www.eternalgod.org; http://www.aufpostenstehen.de/

“Ehe ohne Trauschein?” is the title of this week’s German sermon. The title of the German sermon in English would be: “Marriage Without License?”