On January 6, 2024, Kalon Mitchell will present the first split sermon, titled, “How Is Your Conscience?”, and Christoph Sperzel will present the second split sermon, titled, “What Is Your Highest Goal?”

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.

It seems God’s disciples have always felt that Jesus Christ would return during their lifetime. Today is no exception. But why is it now different than in times past? Or is it?

Christ told us that we should be able to determine the time of the end. And there should be no doubt that we are now living in the last days. World War III is coming—the war which would annihilate all life on earth if Christ was not to return to shorten those days.

Even unconverted people begin to realize more and more that we are now living in unprecedented dangerous times.

Germany’s defense minister Boris Pistorius said recently: “We have about 5-8 years to catch up, in terms of armed forces, industry and society,” to be able to defend against an invading Russian army. In Germany, compulsory military service was suspended in July 2011 after 55 years by the then Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg.

But Pistorius declared that this was a mistake and that compulsory military service could be reintroduced. The conservative opposition is supporting this concept. For instance, Bavarian leader Markus Söder has spoken out in favor of a return to compulsory military service for at least seven months. Söder also said: “We are talking about implementation over a period of five years at the earliest in order to adapt the necessary structures.”

Many feel that Ukraine has already lost the war with Russia, and the pressure on Ukraine is growing to cede some territory to the Russians in order to bring this war to a close. A Republican-controlled House has not approved Biden’s funding request of $106 billion, which includes $61 billion in additional aid for Ukraine. The feeling is that it is “unlikely” that Ukraine will become victorious against Putin’s forces and push them out, and if the USA stops supporting Ukraine financially and militarily, the war will be over for sure.

It was reported that, according to military experts, Russia would be prepared to launch an attack on Europe about six years after the Ukraine war has ended.

We know from the Bible that a fierce and devastating war will be fought between, on the one hand, Russia and its allies and, on the other hand, Europe under German leadership. We also know that this war will break out 2 ½ years after the Great Tribulation has begun, describing Europe’s war with the USA, the UK and Israel, and about 1 year before Christ’s return.

In this context, the estimated timeline is quite interesting. The number five (or a combination of five’s) appears quite predominately in the above-quoted prognostications. To recall, military conscription ended in Germany after 55 years; allegedly, Germany needs five years to reintroduce it; and it also needs at least five years to be ready militarily to “defend” against Russia.

In the Bible, the number five signifies quite often God’s grace and power (compare our free booklet, “Hidden Secrets in the Bible.”)

For instance, following the four worldly kingdoms described in the book of Daniel, the Kingdom of God—the fifth Kingdom—will be established on earth.

The coming war between Russia and Germany does in fact signify God’s grace and power… in that Christ will graciously and powerfully intervene to make an end to man’s misrule and Daniel’s fourth kingdom. He will destroy Russian and European armies which will be determined to fight Him when He and His saints stand on the Mount of Olives.

We also saw that it is proposed that it will take Russia about six years, after the war with Ukraine has ended, to launch its attack on Europe. (In fact, Europe will strike first, and then Russia will retaliate). We say in our above-quoted booklet:

“Number six is the number of a man who is far from God or alienated from Him. The most famous combination of the number six is perhaps the number of the beast in the book of Revelation, namely 666. In the Greek, this number is written as 600 and 60 and 6. This number stands for total separation from God and the unconditional submission to Satan the Devil. Most people will be so deceived that they will worship Satan and his human instruments—the beast and the false prophet—while rejecting the true God and His Law. The sixth commandment forbids murder in all of its different forms (Exodus 20:13), but man, separated from God, thinks that some kinds of murder are permitted, such as killing in war.”

The coming war between Russia and other Far Eastern nations with Europe under German leadership exemplifies clearly man’s total separation from God and man’s willingness to completely destroy all life on earth, and to even fight against Jesus Christ.

We are not saying that these events will in fact occur within five or six years from now. But it is interesting that these numbers are mentioned by people who know little, if anything, about the Bible. Are these mere coincidental estimates, or are they perhaps inspired, in some way, to use those numbers? And if they are inspired, who inspired them?

What we are saying is that the time is short (1 Corinthians 7:29), and that “knowing the time,” “now it is high time to awake out of sleep” (Romans 13:11); while “redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16; compare Colossians 4:5). We are to watch and to pray always in order to be counted worthy to escape all these things which will surely come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man when He returns (compare Luke 21:36). Let us be mindful of the fact that this “is the last hour” and that “the end of all things is at hand” (1 John 2:18; compare 1 Peter 4:7).  

by Norbert Link

We begin with an article showing the political chaos in 2023 in the USA; continue with another example of our corrupt political and legal system by discussing a blatant assault on our democracy and the constitution by the unqualified Biden-adoring Maine Secretary of State; and report about the incredible and shocking preference for another candidate by Democrats if Biden were to drop out of the 2024 election race; and we publish the list of 24 Democrat-run states, led by California, opposed to free speech in America, as well as California’s costly healthcare system for illegal aliens, while its deficit soars and its population shrinks.

We continue with Iran’s admission that it WAS behind the terrorist attack and massacre in southwestern Israel on October 7 [which was clear from the outset]; the assessment of a freed hostage that “there are no innocent civilians in Gaza”; a provocative, ungodly and on its face false decision in Israel by its High Court of Justice; more interesting developments pertaining to Israel, the Middle East, and the West; and the evaluation that Ukraine has lost its war against Russia, while the propaganda of politicians, the war industry and the mass media are anxious to paint a different picture.

We conclude with a deeply distressing article about ongoing attempts in Germany to reintroduce conscription and compulsory military service, as well as reports on the EU’s challenges for 2024; an attack on the family; and “global warming.”

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

2023—a Year of Political Chaos

The New York Post wrote on December 30:

“The best thing about 2023 is that it’s ending, meaning we can finally say good riddance to one of the strangest years in American politics. Both parties contributed, but Democrats were extra strange. Many of them say they hate Donald Trump, but have a weird way of showing it. Often it seems like they’re doing everything under the sun to elect him. 

“After the 2020 election and the overheated aftermath, Dems could have chosen to govern in a center-left way that would have largely united the nation and isolated Trump and his grievances. Instead, they let the far left set the domestic agenda, ruined the economy, threw open the border and pursued a history-shattering prosecution of the former president. The result may be that Trump gets his party’s nomination and wins the White House largely because his opponents tried to put him in jail! 

“House Speaker Nancy Pelosi did her part with the dopey idea that two Trump-hating Republicans, Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, would give a bipartisan sheen to her Jan. 6 inquisition. President Biden fell sway to the same delusion, publicly spitting out MAGA, MAGA, MAGA as a curse and privately pushing his bitter attorney general, Merrick Garland  to charge the former president with crimes. Garland did as he was told, even as he dutifully tried to kill the strong case against the president’s son, Hunter Biden… Prosecutors inside and outside of Washington accepted the invitation and hit Trump with four separate indictments, a total of 91 criminal counts, most of them silly or suspect…

“The overreach also features a New York civil case where authorities aim to take away Trump’s businesses and bankrupt him. It’s a financial case without a victim, but has an overtly partisan state attorney general who, along with a judge… concocted a show trial that would gladden the hearts of authoritarians everywhere… The Dems’ latest efforts — to block Trump from appearing on state ballots — is a testament to their determination and resourcefulness. It also smacks of desperation, as they suddenly realize their prosecutions backfired. Now afraid he’ll win, they’re trying to prevent him from playing…

“In addition to Biden’s rampant failures, his age and in-your-face family corruption, many Republican and independent voters view the prosecutions as persecutions and are raising their hands for Trump in response. Those converted voters are why Trump has risen like Lazarus and racked up such large leads for the GOP nomination. His national lead in polls is a remarkable 50 points… Contrast that with the start of the year, when Trump’s total GOP support was about 35%…

“The fact that Biden is even running again adds another twist to 2024, with a majority of Dems saying they want someone else. Then again, most voters also say they don’t want a Biden-Trump rematch, but all signs point to exactly that…”

Add to this the Republican infighting regarding the Speaker of the House, and you can see the absolute chaos in American politics.

An Attack on the Constitution, Not Trump

Daily Mail wrote on December 29:

“Donald Trump’s campaign has unleashed a furious attack against Maine’s top election official after she banned him from running for the Oval Office in the state, with both Republican and Democrat rivals backing the former president. 

Maine’s secretary of state Shenna Bellows last night ordered that Trump would not be allowed to appear on the ballot in the 2024 election. 

“Her decision made Maine the second state to make a concerted effort to stop the former president from running for high office. Both Colorado and Maine found that Trump had participated in an insurrection, and so was ineligible to hold office, under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. But Michigan on Wednesday found the opposite, and California on Thursday night sided with Michigan, ruling that Trump could remain on the ballot. [NBC News reported in this regard: ‘In California, Trump was included Thursday on the list of candidates for the state’s March 5 primary. Secretary of State Shirley Weber, a Democrat, who has faced pressure from the state’s lieutenant governor to ‘explore every legal option’ to remove Trump from the ballot, said last week that the question involved ‘complex legal issues’ that under state law the courts should decide.” [Newsom had also stated that he was against removing Trump from the California ballot.]

“Bellows, a Democrat, [said] that while she knew her decision was historic, she stood by it, though she chose to suspend the decision until the Supreme Court decides to rule on the matter…. ‘The Maine Secretary of State is… a virulent leftist and a hyper-partisan Biden-supporting Democrat who has decided to interfere in the presidential election on behalf of Crooked Joe Biden,’ Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said.  ‘We are witnessing, in real-time, the attempted theft of an election and the disenfranchisement of the American voter,’ he added…

“Florida governor Ron DeSantis said on Fox News shortly after the Maine decision was announced: ‘It opens up Pandora’s box. Can you have a Republican secretary of state disqualify Biden from the ballot.’ Vivek Ramaswamy, another presidential rival, said: ‘This is what an actual threat to democracy looks like. The system is hellbent on taking this man out, the Constitution be damned.’ “Nikki Haley’s campaign, meanwhile, said: ‘… It should be up to voters to decide who gets elected.’

“But Democrats were also vocal in their criticism of Maine’s decision to ban Trump from the ballot. Jared Golden, a congressman from Maine, said in a statement: ‘… we are a nation of laws, therefore until he is actually found guilty of the crime of insurrection, he should be allowed on the ballot.’…

“Jena Griswold, Colorado’s secretary of state, announced on Thursday that Trump will for the time being remain on the ballot, which goes to print on January 5 – unless the Supreme Court affirms the lower court’s ruling or otherwise declines to take on the appeal…”

Fox News added on December 30:

“Former top Obama adviser David Axelrod warned Friday that a court decision removing former President Donald Trump from the primary ballot ‘would rip the country apart.’”

In other words, he is prognosticating civil war.

The Unqualified Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows

The New York Post wrote on December 30:

“The Maine Democrat who moved to boot former President Donald Trump from the state’s Republican primary ballot visited the White House twice in the past year — meeting President Joe Biden during one jaunt — and reportedly once referred to the Electoral College as a ‘relic of white supremacy…. On March 22, she attended a Women’s History Month event and took a photo with a smiling Biden, putting his left hand on her shoulder and clutching one of her hands with his right…

“She boasted it was an ‘honor’ meeting Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and other ‘female leaders’ at the gathering in a press release put out by her office… Bellows also visited the White House June 6, to meet with Justin Vail, a special assistant to Biden...”

Breitbart added on December 29:

“Bellows, who previously worked as Executive Director of the Maine Chapter of the ACLU but is not an attorney and did not attend law school, made the legal conclusion in her ruling that ‘the declaration on [Trump’s] candidate consent form is false because he is not qualified to hold the office of the President under Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment.’

“The secretary of state, a Democrat whose social media is littered with photos of President Joe Biden, justified her ruling based on Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment’s ‘Insurrection Clause.’ The statute has never been used to disqualify a president from the ballot and has generally been understood not to apply to the office of the president… “

This is not an attack on Trump… it is an attack on democracy and the Constitution. Maine’s Secretary of State Shenna Bellows rendered a “judgment” based on YouTube videos, newspaper articles and some other dubious sources. The four partisan Colorado judges and Bellows should be ashamed of themselves. They are a disgrace to the USA.

Biden’s Military Leadership to Be Court-Martialed?

 The Daily Mail wrote on January 1:

“Over 200 active duty and retired service members are vowing to hold the Biden administration accountable for ‘trampling’ on their rights by enforcing the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The mandate enacted in August 2021 led to the forced firing of over 8,000 service members who refused the shot on religious or medical grounds.

“On New Year’s Day, over 200 service members declared that they will do ‘everything’ in their power to get accountability since not a single leader has resigned or been held to account despite the rollback of the vaccine mandate last year… They are threatening to even force Biden’s top leaders to be brought out of retirement so they can be court-martialed and held to account… In the open letter, they explicitly name now-retired and still serving top commanders that they are demanding accountability from.  Those include the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley who exited the military in October and Gen. James McConville who served as the 40th chief of staff of the Army until 2023.”

The one who should really be held accountable is Biden.

Decisions Against Trump Un-American

Breitbart wrote on January 3:

 “…  independent presidential candidate Robert Kennedy, Jr. criticized the decisionmakers in Colorado and Maine for removing former President Donald Trump from their presidential primary ballots… ‘I’m not a fan of President Trump, that’s why I’m running against him… the American people want to see a fair fight. They want debates, they want real democracy. They want to be able to choose their candidate, their president, not have a court choose it…

“I’ve read the decision and it makes no sense to me that you can deprive an American citizen of this right. We’re unprecedent [sic] without ever charging him with much less convicting him of insurrection… that seems to violate due process and it makes us look like a banana republic… I think it turns Trump into a kind of… a mythological figure. I think it’s very, very short-sighted and it’s just wrong, it’s un-American.’”

Kennedy is a lawyer as well.

What if Biden Were to Drop Out?

Daily Mail wrote on December 29:

“What happens if 81-year-old Joe Biden… drop[s] out of the 2024 election race?… Democrats [one in five] say they would like to see Biden’s [deeply unpopular] vice president, Kamala Harris, or [as the next favorite] former first lady Michelle Obama take up the mantle… Other potential headline names, such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom or Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, are further down the Democratic field…

“The question is not entirely academic. Biden is already the oldest president in history and shows clear signs of slowing down… Biden has seen his support fall within his own party and among women.”

How anyone can like to see “deeply unpopular” and totally incompetent Kamala Harris “take up the mantle” is beyond belief.

Are You Living in an Anti-Free Speech State?

Professor Jonathan Turkey wrote the following on December 29, which was published by the Ron Paul Institute:

“For years, we have discussed the alarming shift in the Democratic party on free speech… Now, a filing in the Supreme Court supporting censorship efforts by the Biden Administration has supplied a handy list of the anti-free speech states for citizens. The 5th Circuit previously ruled in Missouri v. Biden that administration officials ‘likely violated’ the First Amendment and issued a preliminary injunction banning the government from communicating with social media companies to limit speech.

“Not surprisingly, the state of California is leading the effort to get the Supreme Court to reverse a decision enjoining the government from censorship efforts. California has long sought to impose speech limits on doctors, businesses, and citizens to silence opposing viewpoints. However,  23 Democrat-led states joined this ignoble effort in signing on to the brief of California Attorney General Rob Bonta… So here is the list to see if you are residing in an anti-free speech state [this is in addition to California, of course]:

“Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, District of Columbia.”

Let it be noted that these states favor a dictatorial and autocratic form of government.

Free Healthcare for Illegal Aliens

Fox Business wrote on December 30:

“California is ushering in 2024 with free healthcare for more than 700,000 migrants living illegally in the Golden State as the state is faced with a looming $68 billion deficit… the Medi-Cal expansion to include all illegal immigrants is expected to cost $2.6 billion annually. The added cost comes as California is faced with a major budget crisis due to a ‘severe revenue decline.’

“…  the state’s budget deficit has grown exponentially in just a few months’ time, up more than $54 billion from just $14.3 billion in June. The growing budget deficit comes as residents and businesses have fled the predominately Democrat-run state… economic factors like the cost of living and the housing market have also contributed to people moving out of California, and so has remote work.”

This is one way of bankrupting a state.

Iran Responsible for Oct. 7 Attack

Israel 365 News wrote on December 28:

“The Oct. 7 massacre in southwestern Israel was a response to the 2020 killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani by the United States, Tehran claimed on Wednesday. ‘The Al-Aqsa Flood was one of the acts of revenge for the assassination of General Soleimani by the U.S. and the Zionists,’ IRGC spokesman Brig. Gen. Ramezan Sharif told Iran’s state-run ISNA news agency, using Hamas’s name for the Oct. 7 cross-border attacks. ‘Certainly, these acts of revenge will continue in different times and places,’ stated Sharif, vowing to also avenge Razi Mousavi, the Iranian major general killed in an alleged Israeli airstrike in Syria earlier this week…

“In a statement responding to Sharif’s remarks, Hamas denied the IRGC’s claim, insisting that the Oct. 7 massacre was a response to alleged Israeli ‘crimes’ at Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. ‘We have repeatedly confirmed the motives and reasons for Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, and foremost are the dangers that threaten Al-Aqsa mosque,’ stated the Iranian-backed terror group…

“Iran supports Hamas by supplying it with funding, intelligence, weapons and technological knowledge, and the Biden administration has described the Islamic Republic as being ‘complicit’ in the Oct. 7 attacks…

“On Tuesday, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that Iran had tripled its enrichment of uranium to 60%…  Israeli National Security Adviser Tzachi Hanegbi warned in September that Jerusalem will have no choice but to act if Iran enriches uranium above 60%.

“Also on Tuesday, IRGC-affiliated media outlets published a video animation depicting the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu… The video ended with the text, ‘Brought to you by the friends of Haman,’ in an apparent reference to the genocidal Jew-hating villain from the biblical book of Esther.”

Finally, Iran admitted direct involvement and responsibility for the October 7 attack, even though lying and deceiving Hamas was quick to state their own version, in an obvious attempt to shield the murderous regime of Iran. But that Iran was behind the attack was clear from the very onset. That Iran identifies itself as the murderer Haman is telling.

Hezbollah Promises Revenge

JTA wrote on January 3:

 “Hassan Nasrallah blamed Israel for the assassination of a senior Hamas leader who was under Hezbollah protection in Beirut and said the Lebanese terror group would retaliate… Israel has not officially claimed responsibility for the blast, which also took down six others, including two other Hamas leaders.

 “But it is widely believed to have carried out the strike, and a backbench lawmaker belonging to the governing Likud Party, Danny Danon, said Israel was responsible… Al-Arouri was an architect of the Oct. 7 Hamas invasion of Israel, which launched the current war. Nasrallah praised Hamas for the massacre.”

Houthis Defiant and the West Is Too Weak

BBC wrote on January 4:

“The US, UK and 10 other states have warned rebels in Yemen they will face consequences if they continue to attack commercial shipping in the Red Sea… However the Houthis have responded with defiance, vowing to continue targeting vessels they consider linked to Israel… The Bab al-Mandab strait is a critical waterway through which almost 15% of global trade passes. If attacks continue, the fear is that fuel prices will rise and supply chains will be damaged.

“Iranian-backed Houthi rebels have declared support for Hamas in the war it launched against Israel in October. Since November, the rebels have attacked commercial shipping in the Red Sea more than 20 times using missiles, drones, fast boats and helicopters… US and British warships in the region have intercepted some missiles but they have resisted attacking targets in Yemen itself. That may be about to change.”

The Daily Mail wrote on January 1:

“… if the Americans think they can smash the Houthis easily, they are deluded. The truth is that this conflict has a sinister resonance to the humiliating 1956 Suez Crisis… The U.S. is now fighting proxy wars on two fronts: the Gaza Strip and Ukraine. Even the Pentagon’s vast budget of some $824 billion can’t arm Kyiv and Israel, let alone fight a new Middle Eastern war, and keep an eye on China, too….

 “… it’s unlikely that a fleet of 19 ships can achieve much success in the region.. the allied Red Sea fleet and threats of air strikes are not a quick fix… the need to use them is a graphic illustration of the West’s overall weakness… the U.S., with all its power and might, is seen as unable to overwhelm a feeble militia like the Houthis… Britain’s role in international affairs had slipped away… As the new year dawns, my fear is we may be witnessing — in real time — the collapse of American power which has sheltered us for all our lives.”

The demise of America’s and Britain’s influence and power is aptly described.

“Death to America and Israel”

Breitbart wrote on January 3:

“Crowds of people in Kerman, Iran, gathered on Wednesday night chanting, ‘death to America’ and ‘death to Israel,’ multiple outlets reported, in response to a bombing there earlier on Wednesday believed to have taken at least 95 lives.

“Wednesday marked the fourth anniversary of a drone strike eliminating Major General Qasem Soleimani — the Iranian regime’s most respected terrorist leader… Former President Donald Trump ordered the airstrike against Soleimani… Thousands convened in Kerman, Soleimani’s hometown, on Wednesday to mark the anniversary of his ‘martyrdom,’ an annual tradition promoted by the Iranian Islamist regime.”

In the meantime, ISIS claimed responsibility.

“No Innocent Civilians in Gaza”

The Times of Israel wrote on December 29 about the account of freed hostage Mia Schem. Her report is too horrible to repeat here; suffice to say that according to her testimony, the Hamas terrorists acted like brutal inhumane murderers and vicious animals. It is also worthwhile to emphasize that according to Schem, “there are no innocent civilians in Gaza”:

“Released hostage Mia Schem, 21, described going through ‘hell’ while in the Gaza Strip in a pair of televised interviews that both aired on Friday evening. Schem was shot in the arm and taken hostage from the Supernova music festival on October 7, when thousands of Hamas-led terrorists burst into southern Israel, killing more than 1,200 people and dragging around 240 into Gaza. Some 360 partygoers were killed during the assault on the music festival, and another 36 were taken hostage. She was released on November 30 after 54 days in captivity, reuniting with her family and loved ones, and undergoing extensive surgery and rehabilitation on her wounded arm. Her family said she has since developed epilepsy, from the trauma and the lack of sleep during her eight weeks as a hostage in Gaza.

“Schem spoke in depth for the first time about the experience to both Channel 12 and 13 news, recounting the moments she was taken hostage, the suffering and mental torture she endured in captivity, and the experience of coming back home.

“‘It’s important to me to reveal the real situation about the people who live in Gaza, who they really are, and what I went through there,’ she told Channel 13 news. ‘I experienced hell. Everyone there are terrorists… there are no innocent civilians, not one,’ she said. ‘[Innocent civilians] don’t exist.’”

Same-Sex Couples Eligible to Adopt Children, in Violation of the Written Law

The Jerusalem Post wrote on December 28:

“Israel’s High Court of Justice unanimously ruled on Thursday that same-sex couples are eligible to adopt children. The verdict was reached by three presiding justices following a petition, which argued that Section 3 of the Adoption Law must be interpreted so LGBT couples would be eligible to adopt within the scope of the existing law. Section 3 states that ‘there will be no adoption but by a man and his wife together.’

“”This is a historic, groundbreaking victory which gives a shred of light and hope in these difficult times, Ran Shalhavi, director-general of the Aguda – Israel’s LGBT Task Force said following the verdict’s publication. ‘For years, we have been battling to be seen as equals when it comes to raising families in Israel, as governments over the years discriminated and incited against us because of who we are. The Supreme Court again proves its worth in protecting our rights,’ Shalhavi added.”

How could the clear language of the law be “reinterpreted” to allow something which is clearly against the wording of the law? Are we surprised that God is angry with Israel?

Supreme Court Rules Against Netanyahu

CBS News wrote on January 1:

“Israel’s Supreme Court on Monday struck down a key component of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s contentious judicial overhaul, delivering a landmark decision that threatens to reopen the fissures in Israeli society that preceded the country’s ongoing war against Hamas… Monday’s court decision could reignite those tensions, even while the country remains at war. Justice Minister Yariv Levin… lambasted the court’s decision, saying it demonstrated ‘the opposite of the spirit of unity required these days for the success of our soldiers on the front.’…

“Netanyahu and his allies announced their sweeping overhaul plan shortly after taking office a year ago. It calls for curbing the power of the judges, including by limiting the Supreme Court’s ability to review parliamentary decisions and changing the way judges are appointed.

“Supporters said the changes aim to strengthen democracy by circumscribing the authority of unelected judges and turning over more powers to elected officials. But opponents see the overhaul as a power grab by Netanyahu…”

Israel is fighting within and without.

Ukraine Faces Growing Calls from US to Cede Land to Russia

Newsweek wrote on December 30:

“[Republican] Ohio Senator J.D. Vance said it was preposterous to think that the Ukrainian military was going to force Russian troops back to the border crossed during the invasion in February 2022. Vance told CNN’s State of the Union: ‘What’s in America’s best interest is to accept Ukraine is going to have to cede some territory to the Russians and we need to bring this war to a close.’

“… A Republican-controlled House has not approved Biden’s funding request of $106 billion, which includes $61 billion in additional aid for Ukraine… ‘What we’re saying to the president, and really to the entire world, is you need to articulate what the ambition is; what is $61 billion going to accomplish that $100 billion hasn’t?’ Vance said…

“Vance isn’t alone in his party… Part of the frustration for conservatives is the lack of movement in the war. That is, significant numbers in aid has been sent to Ukraine, but it remains unlikely that it will become victorious against Putin’s forces and push them out.”

In addition, it is totally unclear where all that money sent to Ukraine has ended up.

Propaganda Campaign

Report 24 wrote on December 27:

“In recent weeks, reports and comments have been a common thread running through the mainstream media. This shows that there is a propaganda campaign underway.

“The war in Ukraine is as good as lost; it has been the case since day one. Nevertheless, many hundreds of thousands of people had to die completely senselessly… All of these people did not die to defend their homeland, but to secure the billions from George Soros and others… But it wasn’t just the Ukrainians who were harmed…

“The European economy lost trillions; price increases, inflation and countless company closures were the result – but we have only seen the beginning…

“Of course, it is not about preventing a war [in Europe], but it is about rearmament…”

Germany Contemplating Conscription and Compulsory Military Service

Deutsche Welle reported on December 29:

“Since taking office at the beginning of 2023, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has been thinking about ways to make the Bundeswehr more attractive as a career…

“Even conscription, something Germany ended in 2011, is also up for debate. ‘There were reasons at the time to suspend compulsory military service. In retrospect, however, it was a mistake,’ Pistorius told newspaper Die Welt earlier in December. He also cited the case of Sweden, where compulsory military service was suspended and then reintroduced…

“When Pistorius floated his ideas about conscription in December, he faced a barrage of criticism, including from within his own center-left… [SPD] Party… Criticism also came from the neoliberal… FDP,  the smallest member in the three-way coalition that makes up the federal government…

“But there has been support from the conservative opposition. Johann Wadephul, deputy leader of the center-right… CDU  and… CSU… told DW: ‘… we are in favor of general compulsory service, i.e. service in the Bundeswehr, but also in other emergency services… Now is the time for young people to be asked what they can do for our country and for our society,’ added Wadephul….”

The frightening thing too is that Pistorius is viewed as the most popular politician in Germany.

EU’s Tough Challenges in 2024

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 1:

 “The 27 member states of the European Union have repeatedly promised to help Ukraine for as long as it needs to defend itself against Russia… but the question now is whether they will continue to stand by Ukraine in 2024. Recent weeks have seen a lot of discussion of war fatigue and waning solidarity in Brussels. EU member states are finding it difficult to unanimously sign off on the financial aid that the European Union has promised. The current approach, that it’s up to Ukraine to decide whether to negotiate with Moscow, may be called into question in the coming year

“…having a war-ravaged Ukraine integrate into the European Union could have enormous costs for the existing member states. Even Ukraine’s closest backers, Poland and the Baltic EU member states, seem to be getting cold feet…

“… the potential return of firebrand Republican Donald Trump to the White House would be a headache for the European Union and for many NATO members. The EU could lose the United States as its closest ally in trade, supporting Ukraine and deterring Russia. The German American Chamber of Commerce worries that a reelected Trump would impose punitive tariffs on trade with EU members. In return, the European Union would have to increase customs duties and taxes…

“In June, voters EU-wide will head to the polls to elect the European Parliament… The center-right European People’s Party is expected to once again come out as the largest group in the parliament. The far right is also expected to do well… the biggest issue for voters is their individual economic situation and standard of living. Ukraine, migration and EU enlargement all come much further down the list when it comes to voters making their choice…”

Get Out of the House?

The Washington Examiner wrote on December 30, 2023:

“Two-thirds of working mothers in the United Kingdom would work fewer hours if they could afford to… So, how does the major center-left party in the U.K. address this situation? By funding government-run day-cares for every single baby in the kingdom…

“While working mothers mostly want to mother more and work less, that’s not what the political class wants them to do. They want those women out of the home as soon as possible and back in the paid economy. This isn’t unique to the U.K….

“If the Labour Party wants to spend billions of pounds Sterling giving women what they want, they would instead just create a new monthly child allowance — and build more family-friendly housing.”

 Note our new Q&A series on the family.

Coldest January in Sweden

The Associated Press wrote on January 5:

“Europe experienced stark weather contrasts on Wednesday, with extreme cold and snowstorms disrupting transportation and closing schools in Scandinavia while strong winds and heavy rain in western Europe caused flooding…

“Temperatures fell below minus 40 degrees Celsius (minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit) in the Nordic region for a second day in a row Wednesday. In… Swedish Lapland, the mercury dropped to minus 43.6 C (minus 46.5 F), the lowest January temperature recorded in Sweden in 25 years…”

So much for global WARMING…

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

The day of the “nuclear” family” – husband, wife and children – is no longer applicable. An article in “betterhelp” states: “Gone are the days when nuclear families (mom, dad + one or more kids) are considered the norm in the United States. These days, different family types are not only common but also much more accepted than they were in the past. It’s not uncommon to be raised by a single mother or be part of a mixed family. It seems more uncommon to live in a household where both parents are happily married, unfortunately, although many of those families do still exist.”

The family is under attack because of its importance. It is yet another attack on the family which God initiated some 6,000 years ago and has continued right down through the millennia attacking the family at every available opportunity. It would be fair to say that such attacks on the family will, somewhere, have the fingerprints of Satan on it.

So, first of all, let us look at those who are in favour of its removal or dismissal, undoubtedly with Satan somewhere in the mix.

In the New York Post in September 2020, it was confirmed that “Black Lives Matter scrubbed a page on its website this week that disparaged the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure….they removed a page titled ‘What We Believe’ that included its public policy positions as well as describing itself as part of the ‘global Black family.’  It read, before its removal, as follows:

“We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and ‘villages’ that collectively care for one another, especially our children, to the degree that mothers, parents, and children are comfortable.”

Noelle Mering in her book “Awake, Not Woke: A Christian Response to the Cult of Progressive Ideology” wrote the following: 

“Targeting of the family is intrinsic to the agenda of woke ideology precisely because of the way the family is meant to uphold the dignity of the person and serve as a bulwark against political tribalism. A healthy well-formed family is preventative; it provides the belonging and care that prepares one to walk confidently into adulthood. As the family is weakened, the pull toward tribalism grows, feeds, and repeats itself.”   

A review of her book states that ‘‘Awake, Not Woke’ unmasks this ideology by examining its history, major players, premises, and tactics, showing us that ‘Wokeness’ at its core is an ideology of rupture. Indeed, it is an ideology with fundamentalist and even cult-like characteristics that is on a collision course with Christianity.”  It goes on to say “This is a spiritual battle, and it is not accidental. The architects of revolution have long known that the transformation of the West had to come by way of destabilizing the social, familial, and religious pieties of a citizenry.”

Clearly, those who oppose God and His plan for humanity want to destroy the traditional family because it stands in the way of their desire to rule in God’s place.

John Deighan wrote in Faith Magazine (November-December 2007) the following, and these are but brief extracts from a long article, entitled, “The Undermining of the Family: Where are we at?”:

“The Church recognises the family as the building block of society and for good reason has carefully defended the understanding of family relationships and of human sexuality which is so intimately linked to the ordering of family life and the procreation of succeeding generations.

“Recent changes in legislation have transformed the legal understanding of family structure and human sexuality. These changes have been preceded by changes in the views being promoted in the culture shaping institutions of society such that there are now a considerable number of people in the areas of politics, law, media and education who are ready to implement a new agenda for family and social life.

“Issues around sexuality and sexual practice are therefore powerful factors in shaping public attitudes and concomitantly the policies of public authorities. An important aspect of this cultural development has been the influential presence of the homosexual movement in public life. The role of this movement as a tool to marginalise religion in society should not be overlooked. An overview of the progress of the homosexual movement in recent years is necessary to assess its rapid and startling success.

“To gain an insight into the end point aimed at by homosexual campaign groups it is useful to consider and the terms ‘homophobia’ and ‘heterosexist’. We need to understand what the abolition of the supposed social evils they label will achieve. The former is understood as dislike of homosexuality and the latter as the belief that heterosexuality is the norm. By working to get these recognised as social evils akin to racism or sexism it has been possible to get towards the goal, which is that homosexual behaviour is firmly accepted in society and that society should be indifferent to the form of relationships which individuals choose to enter or make the basis of their family lives.

“In 2000 we saw the removal of the law which prevented the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities (Clause 2a) because it was maintained that no-one would ever want to promote homosexuality.

“The next stage was the promotion of the concept that sexuality is not biologically determined but rather socially constructed. The Gender Recognition Act 2004 was introduced to allow individuals to choose their ‘gender’ and it is permissible to be of male sex and have a female gender.

“The Civil Partnership Act, passed in November 2004, raised homosexual relationships to the same status as marriage by granting the same rights to couples entering a civil partnership as to spouses entering marriage. 

“Having established that homosexual relationships are the same as heterosexual relationships, the next step of promoting homosexual relationships as equal in providing a suitable environment to raise children logically and actually followed. The adoption bill permitted homosexual couples jointly to adopt and in another strike against the status of marriage also allowed unmarried couples to adopt. This bill was given overwhelming approval by the Scottish Parliament in December 2006. 

“The homosexual lobby has been very effective in aligning itself with minority groups, is prominently represented at the Holocaust memorial service each year and has created an image of itself as a group of people under persecution. This further prepares the mood for dealing with those who oppose the homosexual lifestyle, or in fact not just those who oppose it but those who fail to approve it.”

We can see the “frog in boiling water” principle at work in the above account. The end product is that today, any group of people can live together and proclaim that they are a family. By biblical standards they are not, unless they conform to the biblical standard of a husband and wife and any children that they may have, which is something that society is trying to eliminate.

On the biblicalhealingrevolution website under their heading: “Is woke-ism trying to Eradicate Christianity and the family?” we read:

“Their agenda includes teaching our children critical race theory, child molestation, paedophilia, drag queen children’s shows, same-sex bathrooms, locker rooms, and men competing in woman’s sports.  Worse yet are puberty blockers, gender transformation, body mutilating sex-change surgeries for children, and yes even children sacrifice.”

We know that God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33) but Satan the devil is, as he is trying his best to turn everyone, especially those called by God, away from the way that God wants us to live according to His Way of Life.

(To be continued)

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Dave Harris

“Mein Reich ist nicht von dieser Welt,” last Sabbath’s German sermonette presented by Mike Richter, is now posted. Title in English: “My Kingdom is Not of This World.”

“Let Us Choose Wisely,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Brian Gale, is now posted. Here is a summary:

We should surround ourselves, wherever possible, with uplifting and positive true Christians, whose guiding principles would be wholly positive and not disruptive to our faith in any way ensuring that the company we keep is helpful to our calling.

“Parents Are to Teach Their Children About God and the Bible,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary: Is it the responsibility of parents or the church to teach children about God and the Bible? What is the function of the church, and what must parents—both fathers and mothers—do? And what do children and young people have to consider? The Bible warns us that if we fail to live up to our responsibilities, the consequences will be disastrous.

On December 30, 2023, Brian Gale will present the sermonette, titled, “Let Us Choose Wisely,” and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “Parents Are to Teach Their Children About God and the Bible.”

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

When God intervenes in our lives, it is not always the opening of the Red Sea before us but mostly in small areas and at times totally unaware by us, at least at first.

I was in Penticton for a lung function test at the hospital and afterwards, I went to Walmart to pick up a few things.  As I entered the store, I thought, “I don’t need a basket with the wheels on them since I will only have a few items which I can carry in my arms,” thinking that the coffee I was intending to buy would not be on sale and I would just get a couple of jars, which would be easy to carry with the other few small items I needed. To my complete surprise the coffee was on sale—a savings of over two dollars a jar, so I quickly went and got a rolling basket and put quite a few jars of regular and also decaf coffee in the basket. I also picked up four other items, and as I was walking down the aisle, I thought, “I will not l be able to carry all this so I will have to purchase a bag with handles which are around two dollars to carry the goods to the van.”

As I turned on the passage way to the checkout, there was an employee with a shopping cart full of small boxes. I immediately asked if I could have one to carry my goods in, which she allowed.  At the self-checkout I was surprised that the width of the box was a perfect fit for six jars of coffee, and it was about 4 inches high and everything fit inside and it was easy to carry. When I got to the van, I thanked God for assisting me in getting a box for the goods and how perfectly the jars of coffee fit and even though I had not asked for His help, He provided for my needs and saved me two dollars. 

God knows our every need and is aware of our thoughts and nothing is hidden from Him. If He numbers the hairs of our heads, as Matthew 10:30 says, then He is aware of us in an intimate way, and I thanked Him for that.

Zechariah 4:10 tells us not to despise small things. The indication is to rejoice in them; especially, when He is intervening in those small areas of our lives.

I told the following story before, but it is worth repeating because of the lessons learned from God intervening for us in small areas. 

My son-in-law had been looking at houses in the area in the summer, and I wanted to look at a house myself, so I got on my scooter and went searching. I knew the general area but could not find the house. I thought to myself, “I need a map of Summerland.” Needing to go to the bank, I headed for town. The bank is at the corner of two streets so it offers six or more options as to where to park. As I approached it, I saw a spot alongside the bank, close to the front door. I pulled into the spot, pulled the scooter onto the kickstand and looked down to the ground. To my complete surprise, there was a map of Summerland, undamaged and in good shape. My immediate thought was, “Nice touch, Father.”

God supplied my needs without me asking.

The lesson in all this is that we are going into another calendar year very shortly.  We will face various trials and tests and there will be times when we need intervention. It’s really comforting to know that as God’s children, He cares for us, watches over us and at times fulfills our needs before we even ask.

Matthew 6:8 tells us:  “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.”

We must never lose sight of this important fact because as a loving Father, He is looking after us, and also our needs, and even more. It says in Luke 12:32: “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”

What more could we ask for?

by Norbert Link

We begin with the failed attempt by the USA to convince other countries to send warships to the Red Sea under the command of the Pentagon; speak on measures in Russia and Poland to silence governmental opponents; the fear that the 1930s are making a comeback; and the concern of an economic expert that we will experience a huge crash in 2024.

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “What‘s in Store for ‘24?”

We speak on developments in Germany demanding a war tax for Ukraine and the concept of German rearmament, as well as the idea of punishing Ukrainian men who fled to Germany to avoid fighting in war. We also speak on Ukraine’s ongoing corruption.

We address Catholic opposition to Pope Francis’ decree to bless homosexual couples; his attack on the war industry; the feeling that UFOs are demonic; the objections to Christmas celebrations and a push in Germany to force foreigners to buy Christmas trees.

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

Not Under American Command

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on December 23:

“Australia is the latest country to reject a request from the United States to send warships to the Red Sea under the command of the Pentagon’s Operation Prosperity Guardian to protect commercial vessels along the critical maritime trade route from Iran-backed Houthi…Reuters said about twenty countries have signed up for the Pentagon’s new operation. However, several countries, including Australia, Spain, Italy, and France, have rejected the Pentagon’s request to participate in the operation. 

“Spain’s Defence Ministry said it would only participate in NATO-led missions or European-coordinated operations – not ones commanded by the Pentagon… Italy’s Defence Ministry voiced similar concerns…

“The fact that seven major shipping companies… have halted sails through the Red Sea shows their lack of confidence in the US protecting the critical waterway.”

Nation World News wrote on December 26:

“France, the Netherlands, Norway, and Denmark have also refused to send their warships against Houthi. One European country after another is refusing to cooperate in ‘Operation Prosperity Guardian, led by America. America is becoming isolated against the Houthis… Many NATO allies do not want to join the Red Sea Task Force. America… itself said that the US did not have enough warships to field against the Houthis… the US does not want to deploy its ships in the Red Sea… America fears that if its ships are attacked, a direct war will start with the Houthis; hence, America is also not sending its ships to Operation Prosperity Guardian. America’s coalition efforts to stop Houthi have proved useless, and in a way, it can be said that Houthi now has control over important waterways like the Red Sea…

“If war breaks out in the Red Sea, America will be trapped in a petroleum crisis… America has said that Iran is also involved in this conspiracy… American intelligence agencies have said that without real-time location and guidance, ships cannot be attacked and Iran itself is giving this guidance to Houthi.”

What another debacle for the USA!

Michigan Supreme Court Allows Trump to Stay on the Ballot

 Breitbart wrote on December 27:

 “Former President Donald Trump will remain on the ballot in Michigan after the Michigan Supreme Court rejected an appeal rooted in the Constitution’s ‘Insurrection Clause,’ although on procedural grounds…. It upheld the unanimous ruling of Michigan’s Court of Appeals, where a three-judge panel held that the argument… was not ripe (meaning that ruling on it would be premature). 

“However, the Michigan Supreme Court did not delve into whether or not it believed Trump engaged in insurrection as rooted in Section Three of the Fourteenth Amendment…. In other words, the legal challenges are still not over.”

Russia Bars Challenger of Putin

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 23:

“Former TV journalist Yekaterina Duntsova has been barred from running in March’s presidential election because of ‘mistakes’ in her application for registration as a candidate, Russian television reported… Duntsova, 40, would have been a challenger to President… Putin, and was planning to run on a platform of ending the war in Ukraine and freeing political prisoners.

“With most Russian opposition figures either behind bars, like high-profile rival Alexei Navalny or outside the country, Putin seems almost certain to win a fifth term as head of state in March, cementing a decades-long grip on power… Had Duntsova’s application been accepted, under Russian election law she would still have to have obtained 300,000 signatures in support of her candidacy, from all across Russia by January 31.”

Surely, the methods employed by Russia to silence a political challenger and the methods employed by the Biden Administration to silence Trump are merely coincidental.

How Corrupt Russia Mistreats and Persecutes Dictator Putin’s Opponents

Newsmax wrote on December 25:

“Jailed Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny has been tracked down to a penal colony north of the Arctic Circle… about 1,900 km (1200 miles) north east of Moscow… Navalny’s allies, who had been preparing for his expected transfer to a ‘special regime’ colony, the harshest grade in Russia’s prison system, said he has not been seen by his lawyers since Dec. 6 and raised the alarm about his fate…

“Navalny’s new home, known as ‘the Polar Wolf’ colony, is considered to be one of the toughest prisons in Russia. Most prisoners there have been convicted of grave crimes. Winters are harsh – and temperatures are due to drop to around minus 28 Celsius there over the next week… the prison was founded in the 1960s as part of what was once the GULAG system of forced Soviet labor camps… Lawyer Zhdanov said supporters of Navalny had sent 618 requests for information about his location and suggested that the Russian authorities wanted to isolate Navalny ahead of the March presidential election.

“Navalny… says he has been imprisoned because he is viewed as a threat by the Russian political elite. As a prisoner, he is unable to run in the election. He denies all the charges he has been convicted of and casts Russia’s judicial system as deeply corrupt…

“Navalny, now 47, earned admiration from Russia’s disparate opposition for voluntarily returning to Russia in 2021 from Germany, where he had been treated for what Western laboratory tests showed was an attempt to poison him with a nerve agent. Navalny says he was poisoned in Siberia in August 2020…”

Russia is a corrupt dictatorship, and Putin a dictator and war criminal who systematically orders the murder or the incarceration of his opponents. Satan is clearly at work here.

Poland Silencing Governmental Opponents

The Guardian wrote on December 20:

“The new Polish government has gutted the top management of public television, making good on a campaign promise to reform a broadcaster that functioned as a mouthpiece of its rightwing populist predecessor, but also prompting criticism of their methods from some quarters.

“The government led by prime minister, Donald Tusk, was sworn into office last Wednesday…  On [the following] Tuesday, the new parliament adopted a resolution calling for the restoration of ‘impartiality and reliability of the public media’. After the resolution, the new culture minister, Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz, announced that the chairs and boards of state television, news and radio had all been removed.

“The vote prompted PiS lawmakers [from the Law and Justice Party, previously in power] to stage a protest outside the headquarters of TVP, the state broadcaster.

“… some questioned the legality of the moves, and cautioned that by acting in such a swift way, the Tusk government risked simply creating its own politicised public television network to replace the old one.

“The debate around public television shows how Tusk will have difficult choices to make as he attempts to enact a radical reform programme. PiS are still a vocal, large opposition voice in parliament, and the party ally Andrzej Duda remains president until 2025 and has veto powers. This leaves the government with a choice of either scaling down or delaying its ambitions, or finding creative legal ways to enact them.”

1930s All Over Again?

Express wrote on December 8:

“Recent developments in the Russo-Ukraine war have had a somewhat sobering effect on Ukraine’s short to mid-term prospects. Their counteroffensive of which so much was perhaps unfairly, expected has proved to be a bit of a damp squib, and the frontlines have barely shifted over the past few months… It’s pretty clear that the Russians are not going to pack it in and go home, and it’s equally clear that the Ukrainians are finding it hard going in their attempts to break the enemy’s lines…

“We also know that North Korea has been shipping ammunition in large quantities and in the required calibres from the east. We also suspect that China has been doing the same, despite their public denials. And then there’s Iran, which has supplied Russia with its Shahed-136/-131 one-way-attack drones (OWA/UAVs) and allowed the Russians to set up manufacturing lines at home to make more.

“… it does seem that the world is now dividing into two defined camps. On the one hand there is the USA and its NATO allies, plus Israel in the Middle East and its Indo-Pacific allies including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Vietnam, and the Philippines among others.

“On the other side there is Russia, Iran, North Korea, and very probably China, a new ‘Axis of Evil’ if you like. Plus in South America there is Russia’s new best friend Venezuela under the de facto dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro threatening to annex part of neighbouring Guyana, in addition to the loose cannon that is Argentina under… Javier Milei…

“All of which combined appears to be scarily reminiscent of Europe in the 1930s, with the rise of Hitler and Nazi Germany and of Italy and Mussolini, added to the recently established fascist regime of Franco in Spain. And Japan was rattling her sabre in the Pacific and threatening the dominance of the USA.

“Could we be witnessing in plain sight the gearing up for another world conflict?… it can happen by default as well as by design.

“None of which is particularly helpful for Zelensky and Ukraine. Nobody wants to say it, but the Ukrainians are quite clearly fighting NATO’s proxy war against the clear and present danger that is a resurgent Russia under Putin. If Ukraine succumbs to the Russian onslaught, where next? Poland? The Baltic states? If that were to happen then NATO would become directly engaged via Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty and the resulting war would be terrible to behold…”

Biggest Crash in Our Lifetime in 2024?

The Daily Mail wrote on December 24:

“… economist… Harry Dent claims the effects of the crash will ‘be obvious’ by May and will slow the economy for over a decade. He told Fox Digital: ‘If I’m right, it is going to be the biggest crash of our lifetime, most of it happening in 2024’… He added: ‘When this asset bubble bursts and the price of everything, especially housing, comes back down to reality, imagine, not only can you buy the house you want at half-off… you can buy twice as nice a house here for the same mortgage you were going to get before…’

“Market bubbles are characterized by a rapid rise in stock prices, before a sharp fall and Dent says that sky-high prices are going to plummet next year… People will be hurt ‘the most’ by the real estate crash, which he says will drop housing prices back to 2012 prices. He said: ‘That’s a 50% crash for the average house, which went down 34% in the last crash, more than the Great Depression, more than any time in history…’”

Germany “Must” Arm Itself!

Bild Online pushed the following on December 23:

“After Defense Minister Boris Pistorius…, more and more politicians and experts are demanding that Germany must prepare for an attack, for example from Russian dictator Vladimir Putin…. The head of the Munich Security Conference Christoph Heusgen… is therefore calling for military spending to be doubled…

“More should be said and taught about the Bundeswehr and war at schools and universities. Teacher President Stefan Düll… wants, among other things, visits by youth officers to schools. He also calls for consideration of whether curricula need to be sharpened ‘with regard to threats, geostrategy and defense preparedness.’”

Indoctrination and invitation to become cannon fodder for our innocent children in schools! What else is new? But it is taking on increasingly dangerous forms.

Erdogan vs. Netanyahu

 The Jerusalem Post wrote on December 27:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is worse than Adolf Hitler. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan charged as he likened the IDF’s military campaign to oust Hamas from Gaza to the World War II Holocaust….  ‘All sorts of support comes from the United States. And what did they do with all this support? They killed more than 20,000 Gazans,’ he said.

“Netanyahu shot back, ‘Erdogan, who is committing genocide against the Kurds and who holds the world record for imprisoning journalists who oppose his regime, is the last person who can preach morality to us.’ ‘The IDF, which is the most moral army in the world, is fighting to eliminate the most abhorrent and brutal terrorist organization in the world, Hamas-ISIS, which has committed crimes against humanity, and which Erdogan has praised and whose leaders he hosts,’ Netanyahu stated.”

Conscription for Ukraine?

Bild Online wrote on December 23rd:

“Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians living abroad should be mobilized for military service in the fight against Putin’s invading army! The Ukrainian parliament is currently working on a corresponding draft law… There are currently around 700,000 Ukrainians subject to military service living in the EU states. Since the start of the war, around 180,000 Ukrainian men between the ages of 18 and 60 have fled to Germany alone and are still staying here… The bill is scheduled to be put to the vote in January…

“Already this week, the new Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umjerow … said that next year he wanted to recruit Ukrainians living in Germany between the ages of 25 and 60 into military service at home. Estonia has already stated that it will locate and extradite Ukrainians in the country who are subject to military service…

“Umjewor’s announcement also sparked a discussion in Germany. Justice Minister Marco Buschmann explained… ‘It will not be the case that we are now forcing people into conscription or military service against their will.’ It is good that the war refugees have been accepted. CDU defense expert Roderich Kiesewetter… demanded… that the citizen’s allowance of Ukrainian men who are subject to military service should be reduced. And further: If the men didn’t want to go to the front, they could be deployed in homeland security. That could be clarified in a government agreement.”

Kiesewetter’s statements are simply outrageous. And Ukraine’s planned methods are absolutely condemnable.

German War Tax for Ukraine?

Breitbart wrote on December 25:

“The struggling German population should be forced to pay a Ukraine tax to continue funding the war against Russia, a top economic advisor to the government has argued.

“Monika Schnitzer, the chairwoman of the German Council of Economic Experts, an advisory body to the government known locally as the ‘five sages’ of the economy, declared this week that a special tax to send money to Ukraine should be added to the already hefty income tax levied against the population… The recommendation to introduce a Ukraine tax comes as the public already labours under one of the highest tax rates in the West… The German economy has been deeply impacted by the war in Ukraine…”

How crazy can it get?

More Corruption in Ukraine

Die Welt wrote on December 23:

“A high-ranking Defense Ministry official has been arrested in Ukraine for allegedly embezzling 36 million euros. The money was actually intended for grenades…

“In recent months, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry has been rocked by several corruption scandals. At the beginning of August, Zelensky had already fired all heads of the regional offices responsible for recruiting. He denounced a system that enabled conscripts to be smuggled out of the country.”

One has to wonder where all the money goes which is being sent to Ukraine.

Catholic Bishops Disagree With Pope Francis—Permanent Split Coming?

Fox News wrote on December 23:

“Following the Vatican’s publication of Fiducia Supplicans — a document outlining when individuals in same-sex or otherwise ‘irregular’ couples can be blessed — the worldwide Catholic Church has seen battle lines forming around its application. While early disputations came from African prelates in countries such as Nigeria, Zambia, Cameroon, and Malawi, now Eastern European leaders [from Poland and Ukraine] have joined in dissent.”

African News and the Associated Press reported on December 24:

“In an extraordinary pushback against Pope Francis, some Catholic bishops in Africa, Poland and elsewhere say they will not implement the new Vatican policy allowing blessings for same-sex couples… The reactions show how polarizing the issue remains… Some of the strongest responses came from bishops in Africa, home to 265 million Catholics, or nearly a quarter of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics. Many of those Catholics live and their churches operate in societies where homosexuality is condemned and outlawed.

“Out of the continent’s 54 countries, 31 have laws criminalizing homosexuality, more than any other continent,..

“The Polish bishops conference — among the most conservative in Europe and a reference point beyond the continent given its ties to St. John Paul II — said it has no plans to give blessings to same-sex couples. Marriage, the conference asserted, remains only the union between a man and a woman, and sexual acts outside of that are ‘always an offense against God’s will’…”

Newsmax added on December 22:

“The former head of the Vatican’s doctrinal office called Pope Francis’ recent approval allowing priests to bless same-sex couples blasphemous…. ‘The difficulty of blessing a union or couple is especially evident in the case of homosexuality,’ Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, who led the Vatican’s doctrinal office from 2012 to 2017, wrote in an essay published Thursday by The Pillar. ‘For in the Bible, a blessing has to do with the order that God has created and that he has declared to be good.’…

“Some Catholic leaders… are warning that the pope’s declaration may create a permanent split in the church, pointing to stark disagreements over the issue in the Anglican Communion. Conservative Anglican churches, which include some in Africa where nearly half of the world’s estimated 100 million Anglicans worship, have broken with sister churches that back liberal teaching and views on homosexuality. This includes the Episcopal Church in the United States.

“Further, a dozen leading Anglican archbishops, mainly from the global South, called to break with the Church of England after it decided to allow blessings of gay relationships.’

On the other hand, President Biden and some bishops in Germany welcomed the Pope’s decision to bless homosexual couples.

Francis Speaks Out Against the Weapon Industry

The New York Post wrote on December 25:

“Pope Francis on Monday used his annual Christmas address to push for Mideast peace while blasting weapons makers and their ‘instruments of death’ for helping to fuel such conflicts… Hitting out at the weapons industry, Francis argued that it is fueling conflicts around the globe. The pope called on people to pay more attention to the amount of their tax dollars going to weaponry…. ‘And how can we even speak of peace when arms production, sales and trade are on the rise?’

“Francis went on to say that today’s wars… are simply being used to try out new weapons or use up old stockpiles.”

He also attacked abortion, calling it a massacre and murder.  He is correct on both counts.

UFOs—It’s All Demonic

LifeSiteNews wrote on December 22:

“The popular conservative political commentator Tucker Carlson recently shared his belief that the non-human beings the U.S. government has reportedly encountered are ‘not aliens’ but are ‘spiritual’ in nature… Carlson went on to affirm his belief in both good and evil non-human spiritual beings, although he did not label them outright…

“His interpretation accords with that of Catholic philosopher Daniel O’Connor, who shared with LifeSiteNews last year his thoughts on the ‘diabolical’ nature of reports of UFOs, aliens, and abductions. O’Connor also weighed in on former president Barack Obama’s ‘hope’ that ‘the knowledge that there were aliens out there would solidify people’s sense that what we have in common is really more important,’ and his speculation that ‘new religions would pop up’ in the aftermath of the discovery.

“O’Connor believes Obama would not have talked about the possibility of alien life without ‘permission’ from his ‘handlers,’ and that his statement aligns ‘perfectly’ with what the public is being prepared for. O’Connor told LifeSiteNews editor-in-chief John-Henry Westen that the public is gradually being acclimated to the idea of aliens, like the proverbial frog slowly boiled in a pot of water, so that we may eventually be presented with a ‘new gospel’ from ‘the heavens’ to replace Christ’s Gospel.

“Regarding reports of UFO encounters or alien ‘abductions,’ O’Connor believes ‘it’s all demonic.’” 

See our Q&A on this topic. https://www.eternalgod.org/ufos-aliens-angels-or-demons/

Christians Who Do Not Celebrate Christmas

Israel 365 News wrote on December 24:

“…there are a growing number of ministries that have broken with the holiday… Breaking with Christmas was described as returning Christianity to its roots. The two main reasons cited for separating from Christmas were the holiday’s pagan origins and the lack of any Biblical source. Pastor Mark Biltz stopped celebrating Christmas 20 years ago, and he points to the Book of Jeremiah to explain how the Bible views the pagan origins of Christmas. [Jeremiah 10:2] describes a pagan holiday, complete with a decorated tree, that is unacceptable to the prophet. This pagan holiday eventually transformed into Christmas… When Emperor Constantine made Christianity the dominant religion of the Roman Empire, he incorporated many pagan customs, including Saturnalia, in order to accommodate the majority pagan populace… [It] was an ancient custom that the Catholic Church decided would be a great way to get pagans to accept their teachings…

“Separating from Christmas was described by many as part of a larger spiritual process, in some cases deriving from a desire to reconcile with Jewish roots and return to a Biblical understanding of the religion… Pieter and Anneke Leeuwestein from Holland stopped celebrating Christmas but found that despite living in a rural area outside of Amsterdam, they were not alone. ‘In my part of the country there are hundreds of people who do not celebrate Christmas or Easter anymore,’ Anneke said. ‘It wasn’t difficult. After so many years of walking in sin, it felt like coming home’…”

You Must Buy a Christmas Tree?

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 21:

”Friedrich Merz leader of Germany’s conservative opposition CDU on Thursday returned to the contentious topic of defining the country’s ‘Leitkultur’ – which could be translated as ‘guiding’ or ‘leading’ or ‘mainstream’ or even ‘dominant’ culture in English–by suggesting that the purchase of a Christmas tree was an integral part thereof.

“Speaking with the Funke Media Group, the outspoken politician said, ‘When we talk about Leitkultur, about our way of life, then, for me, this includes buying a Christmas tree before Christmas… It is part of our Western Christian-influenced identity,’ he continued, adding that it has been so for generations and as such influences today’s children, who will continue it into the future…

[The term ‘Leitkultur’] can often be ambiguous, for instance, whether the term lists examples of established German culture that migrants ought to accept and respect, or actually adopt themselves… Some critics of the concept saw a direct parallel to the concept of ‘Germanization’ propagated by the Nazis…

“Less than two weeks ago, the CDU released a blueprint for its vision of Germany’s future. Among the policy points the paper highlighted was one entitled, ‘The Courage to Embrace Leitkultur: Only those who acknowledge our dominant culture can integrate and become German citizens.’…

“One retired former German Cabinet minister, Ruprecht Polenz, interpreted Merz’s comments as an implicit demand for people to buy Christmas trees…”

It would be hard to believe that Merz’s comments were merely coincidental. Rather, his words appear to be intentional to set a dangerous precedence.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

In the following series of Q&As, we will be setting forth comments for and against the divine institution of the godly-ordained family. It should come as no surprise that we wholeheartedly support and agree with the concept that marriage is between a man and a woman, and that the Christian family consists of such a union together with their child or children. We will be quoting opinions and statements from articles and books advocating this concept, and also those arguing against it, thereby showing how far our societies have departed from the mind of the living God of the Bible.

At the same time, we may not agree with those who, even though they support the traditional family, may advance ideas as to how, in their opinion, such a family should be functioning. We may agree with some or many of those concepts, but we may disagree with others, and we did not take the time to explain in each and every circumstance where we might disagree, even though we have, at times, added a “disclaimer” or further information. In any event, none of the quoted opinions should be viewed as including an endorsement on our part as to how the traditional family ought to live and behave, except when quoting Scriptures backing up those concepts. We are citing many published opinions, however, to show the discrepancy between those who advocate the institution of the traditional and godly-ordained family on the one hand, and the fight against the biblical family on the other hand, in trying to either replace it completely with totally ungodly “alternatives”, or to at least water it down by allowing such alternative lifestyles and representing them as being of equal or maybe even superior value.

When quoting opinions as to how to conduct a godly-ordained family, you will find that on numerous occasions, human thinking and reasoning is expressed, without biblical backup. Even though such reasoning might be acceptable and even applaudable in some cases, it might not be on other occasions. To give a pertinent example, you will find that some believing in the godly-ordained family propose that the husband must be the sole breadwinner, while the mother must stay at home to take care of their children. While this concept is desirable and might have been workable decades or centuries ago, it is most certainly not an option in many, if not most situations today. Many families—except for the rich and super rich—would not be able to financially survive with following such a proposal. But more importantly, it does not find support in the Bible. If we consider the biblical concept of a family, and how it should function, we find that the father and the son worked together in the field or in the occupation of the father. The children would not be sent away to be taught in school. Rather, the children would be taught at home by the parents or perhaps in the case of more wealthy families, by tutors coming to the home. However, in just about every quote trying to establish how a Christian family should function, these concepts and standards have been overlooked.

Today, even though we may have the concept of home-schooling in some countries, it is not permitted in other countries. And where it is permitted, parents—especially mothers, since the father is working “outside”—might not find themselves in a situation to be able to do so, nor is the home-schooling curriculum with provided textbooks in far too many cases seldom in harmony with biblical injunctions and teachings. In any event, unless both parents work from home, none of this reflects the standard as to how children were raised in biblical times. Satan has managed to create societies where, at first, the father leaves the home to go to work, then the children are sent away to school for most of the day where they are being indoctrinated with false teachings, and then the mother also leaves the home to pursue an outside career. Parents—father and mother alike—need to take the time to counteract what their children are being “taught” in school when it is in opposition to God’s Way of Life.

Still, the articles are quoted herein, pro and con, to show the confusion in our societies as to what a godly-ordained family is, and the degree to which our societies, ruled by Satan and his demons, have gradually, step by step, alienated the children from the parents, and vice versa. It is therefore incumbent upon all of us, while reading the following Q&As, to consider how we can, to the best of our abilities, fulfill our roles as parents and children, in pursuance of godly principles and directives.

There is no question that the traditional family is under attack today.

One-parent households, cohabitation without being married, same-sex families, and voluntary childless young couples are increasingly common while the traditional family, as designed by God, is in decline.

In our weekly Update #698, dated July 24, 2015, we had a Q&A, entitled, “What is a Family?” and we will quote briefly from this:

“The Creator God Who created man in His own image gave a blueprint in His instruction manual for mankind in order to enjoy life and live happily. The general definition of a family used to be ‘A fundamental social group in society typically consisting of one or two parents and their children.’ We must further add that those parents should be married as the Bible clearly teaches that ‘living together’ without being married is sin. There are many verses in the Bible that condemn fornication (see 1 Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; and many other references).

“‘The Christian Home’ is the sub-heading of Colossians 3:18-21, showing the duties and responsibilities of family members, wives, husbands and children: ‘Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.  Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.’

“One on-line commentator made these observations: ‘All Christians believe families are important. Many Christians believe that the family is the best place for having, and raising children. They believe God intended the family to be a place where children can be raised in a loving and supportive environment. They also believe parents should raise their children to learn about, and believe in God. The love that family members show to each other, should show how much God loves everyone. Many Christians believe that parents play an important role in showing their children, and non-family members, how much God loves and cares for them.

“The family, as correctly defined, is vital to a healthy society today.”

There are those today who seek to eliminate the family as we have known it and as God instructed.

To give a most recent example, Breitbart reported on December 24, 2023:

“A Catholic parish in southern Italy has exhibited a Nativity scene featuring the Virgin Mary together with another woman in place of Saint Joseph. Father Vitaliano Della Sala, the pastor of the parish of Saints Peter and Paul in the southern province of Avellino, said he created the provocative crèche scene to underscore the changing shape of families and the need for a more inclusive Church. I placed ‘two mothers in the crèche,’ Father Della Sala wrote on Facebook. ‘This year I see the light of Christmas also shining on these families affected by inhuman and anti-evangelical criticism and condemnation.’ There are ‘so many ways of being a family’ because ‘nothing is impossible with God!’ he said.”

This decision has drawn sharp reactions from Catholics in Italy, as has the decision of Pope Francis to bless same-sex couples. The former head of the Vatican’s doctrinal office, Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, called the decision “blasphemous” (Newsmax, dated December 22, 2023), and Franklin Graham wrote that “none of us, including the Pope, has the right to ‘bless’ what God calls sin” (Newsmax, dated December 21, 2023). It was also stated that one cannot bless something which is sinful, as blessings are restricted to something which is good. Still, we can see from these examples how far our societies and churches are willing to go to attack the divine concept of a godly-ordained marriage.

The following Q&As will look at the attacks on the family, and will also review those who fully support this God-given institution.  We know and understand that Satan is the “god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4) and “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2), and that his broadcasting and evil influence permeates every strata of society in every part of the world.   We must never underestimate what Satan and his demons can achieve. 

Our member letter of February 2023 included these comments: “Deception has been rampant in various shapes and forms for mankind since the time that Satan deceived Eve. Satan’s manipulation influenced the judgment of Eve. He blatantly lied to her, leading her to believe that it was a good thing to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Her choice in believing Satan demonstrates a form of deception that is very direct and intentional. His motive was to tell her a lie and cause her to disobey the commandment from God.”

Satan’s involvement with the race of man since the dawn of civilization has been relentless and, as he knows, his time is short.  His relentlessness is aimed primarily, but not exclusively, at the people of God, and in Revelation 12:9, he is noted as “the one who deceives the whole world.”

(To be continued)

Lead Writers: Norbert Link and Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Dave Harris

“What‘s in Store for ‘24?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. 

Here is a summary:

Some feel that today’s events are scarily reminiscent of Europe and the USA in the 1930s. Will we see a repeat in 2024?

“Was ist uns klar fürs neue Jahr?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This program in German covers the same subject as described above in English.

“Eltern müssen ihre Kinder über Gott und die Bibel belehren,” this Sabbath’s German sermon presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Title in English: “Parents Are to Teach Their Children About God and the Bible.”

“Weihnachten und was daraus wird,” last Sabbath’s German sermon presented by Thilo Hanstein, is now posted. Title in English: “Christmas and What Comes of It.”  

“Having a Strong Connection With God,” last Sabbath’s first split sermon, presented by Christoph Sperzel, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Do you know God? Do you know Him well? Do you have contact with God? And what can we do to make the connection stronger?

“Right Prayer and Meditation,” last Sabbath’s second split sermon, presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

How do you pray, and what are you praying for? How do you meditate, and in what way? Can we pray and meditate amiss? And what is the connection between right prayer and right meditation?

On December 23, 2023, Christoph Sperzel will give the first split sermon, titled, “Having a Strong Connection With God,” and Norbert Link will give the second split sermon, titled, “Right Prayer and Meditation.”

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

The Book of Revelation is written specifically to the Church of God (Revelation 1:1). Jesus Christ addresses the Church with messages that apply to seven distinct eras of the Church (Revelation 2 & 3). While much is historical, there are also key warnings for the Church of God during the time of the end of this age—both contemporary and prophetic.

The Book of Revelation also describes cataclysmic world events leading to God’s intervention and the return of Jesus Christ. Very few people truly understand the meaning of today’s news in the light of biblical prophecy. It seems that fewer yet are preparing for what is coming.

The Apostle Paul wrote to remind the Church of the example of those whom Moses led, but who refused to obey God and were destroyed:

“Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:11-12).

Paul wrote this to the Church of God some two-thousand years ago. Was he wrong to warn Christians about events which still lay far into the future? Quite the contrary, for each one whom God has called must be found worthy to enter the Kingdom of God—regardless of when they live!

Paul writes about the role of love—putting it in the context of how to prepare for and be ready for the return of Jesus:

^“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (Romans 13:11-14).

We need to understand who we are from God’s viewpoint:

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy” (1 Peter 2:9-10).

Do we really believe that this is who we are? Do we really believe that we are living in the time of the end of the age? 

If we do, then let’s pay close attention to what God tells us about the time and the society in which we are living and what we should be doing:

“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).

by Norbert Link

We begin with prophetically relevant developments regarding Israel; address the shameful verdict against Guiliani and Trump’s “unwise” choice of words; the highly controversial and “flawed” decision by the Supreme Court of Colorado against Trump; the “slow-moving car crash” of Joe Biden; the decline of liberty and freedom in America; and we discuss the miserable situation in Germany, due to the government’s blunders, and the cry for a missing leadership figure in Germany. Please see our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Germany in Turmoil… Under a Failing Government.”

We address Putin’s claims regarding the West and Ukraine; and frightening parallels with the events in the 1940s. We conclude with more blasphemous woke nonsense and the Pope’s endorsement of blessings for same-sex couples.

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

Hamas’s Rockets Endanger Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque

Breitbart wrote on December 15:

“The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas fired rockets toward Jerusalem on Friday evening, as both Jews and Muslims were participating in prayers, endangering the Dome of the Rock, the Western Wall, and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The rockets were intercepted and disabled by Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system…

‘Though this is not the first time rockets have targeted Jerusalem, it is thought that Hamas avoids targeting the city because of the danger that it will damage one of the Islamic holy sites — though it is likely it would blame Israel, anyway, if it happened to do so.”

Inasmuch as a temple will be built on the Temple Mount, prior to Christ’s return, where the first and the second temples stood, an “accidental” rocket destroying the Dome of the Rock and/or the Al Aqsa mosque could easily pave the way for the erection of the prophesied Third Temple.

Israel Under Pressure

The Associated Press wrote on December 15:

‘The Israeli military on Friday mistakenly killed three Israeli hostages during its ground operation in the Gaza Strip… The army’s chief spokesman… said Israeli troops found the hostages and erroneously identified them as a threat. He said it was not clear if they had escaped their captors or been abandoned…

“The offensive, triggered by the unprecedented Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel, has flattened much of northern Gaza and driven 80% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million from their homes. Displaced people have squeezed into shelters mainly in the south in a spiraling humanitarian crisis…

“The U.S. has said it eventually wants to see the West Bank and Gaza under a unified Palestinian government as a precursor to a Palestinian state — an idea soundly rejected by Netanyahu, who leads a right-wing government that is opposed to Palestinian statehood…”

Breitbart wrote on December 16:

“The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) revealed Saturday after an inquiry that the three hostages who were mistakenly killed on Friday were shirtless, waving white flags, and calling in Hebrew, and were shot by soldiers who thought they were being lured into a trap. The hostages had emerged at 10:00 a.m. One of the soldiers who saw them shouted ‘Terrorists!’ upon seeing them. The soldiers opened fire — against protocol, which forbid firing on someone with a white flag. They killed two, and wounded the third, who ran into a building and continued shouting for help in Hebrew. A battalion commander ordered them to stop firing, but they kept on shooting, killing him…

“In addition, soldiers had found graffiti earlier in the week on a building that read “SOS – three hostages” in Hebrew. They believed the building to be booby-trapped, as many other buildings have been…

“The soldiers who fired on the hostages are reported to be receiving psychological counseling, according to the Times of Israel. A ‘darkness’ had fallen on the nation in the wake of the tragedy, according to Israel’s Army Radio, as the nation mourned the deaths of the hostages — and wondered what might have been, had the soldiers arrested them rather than shooting toward them.

“Had the hostages been rescued, Israel would have won a major psychological victory in the war. Support for military efforts to free the hostages would have risen, and Israel would have been more confident in resisting pressure from the U.S. to stop the war. Now, the confidence of the nation in a military approach to freeing the hostages has been damaged, and there is intense pressure — internal and, no doubt, external — to resume negotiations with Hamas via Qatar, despite the risk to the overall military mission.

“The Times of Israel notes that political differences, suppressed during the war so far, have burst into the open again, with many blaming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the tragedy, though there is no connection between any policy and the event…

“But political commentator Caroline Glick observed there was a very real risk that the tragic deaths of the hostages could derail the entire effort, as happened twenty-five years ago when the deaths of four soldiers in Lebanon triggered a protest movement…

“The incident illustrates the success of Hamas’s tactics of psychological warfare — both on the troops in the field, and on Israeli leaders. Fake ‘hostages’ leading to deadly booby traps and ambushes conditioned IDF soldiers to fire at real hostages. That will, in turn, make it more difficult for soldiers to fire on actual terrorists in future. Moreover, Hamas has succeeded in dividing Israeli society once again, and likely increasing external pressure from the U.S. to stop the war, possibly sparing the terrorist group.

“In the interim, the suffering continues: the Hostages and Families Forum announced Saturday that another Israeli hostage, Inbar Haiman, 27, was found to have been murdered by Hamas in captivity. The circumstances of her death were not released…’

The accidental killing of hostages is most certainly not helping Israel’s cause. The horrific scenes of utterly devastated and destroyed buildings and the horrible suffering of large portions of the Gaza population does not score in Israel’s favor either.

Newsweek wrote on December 18:

“Israel has edged closer to an all-out war with the Lebanese Hezbollah movement amid a worsening round of hostilities playing out as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) is already engaged in its most intensive conflict to date in the Gaza Strip, an IDF official has said.”

Turning Into All-Out Disaster?

The New York Post wrote on December 16:

“Over the many years they have been in the public eye, Joe Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu were never friends and rarely allies…Then suddenly, terrorism brought them together in something of a shotgun wedding… The president’s initial support for the Jewish state was firm, but it put him in a bind with major elements of the Democratic Party… His decision to undercut Israel during an existential war in hopes of winning back young voters and Muslim Americans is politics at its cheapest. It makes Biden look craven, as if he has neither courage nor conviction…

‘That’s not to suggest Biden has totally abandoned Israel. The two carrier groups he dispatched are still in the region and he’s still sending military supplies. Indeed, the president went around Congress for the latest shipment when lawmakers moved too slowly. But there’s no denying he’s been giving Israel help with one hand and slapping it with the other…  Biden’s criticism reached a new low last week when, in remarks to donors, most of them reportedly Jewish, he actually accused Israel of ‘indiscriminate’ bombing…

“The heart of the problem, of course, is that Biden came into office sleepwalking in lockstep with the Obama-Biden administration’s bid to lure Iran back into the world order. The effort failed as predicted, yet not before Iran benefitted from having billions of its dollars unfrozen and realized a second bonanza through its oil sales.

“Yet even now, despite the fact that much of that money went to Hamas and Hezbollah, the Houthis and scores of other malignant forces, Biden apparently remains convinced the mullahs will one day sit down with Israel and the US around a campfire…”

Iran will remain Israel’s and America’s enemy, until Christ returns… and even beyond then for a while.

EU Has No Unanimity on Ceasefire Issue

PA Media reported on December 15:

“Irish premier Leo Varadkar has said there is… not unanimity in the EU for a ceasefire in Gaza, a day after saying the bloc had ‘lost credibility’ on the issue… He was speaking at the end of a two-day EU summit that saw an agreement to begin accession talks with Ukraine and Moldova, and a proposal to send a 50 billion euro aid package to Ukraine vetoed by Hungary… He said the EU also needed to be stronger on pushing for a two-state solution…

“It comes after a UN General Assembly vote in which the vast majority of countries voted for an immediate ceasefire in the region. Austria, Germany and the UK abstained on the vote, while the US voted against it. [Actually, Austria voted against it too, according to other reports.]”

The National News reported on December 18:

“The EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell on Monday described Israel’s ‘lack of distinction’ between civilians and military targets as ‘appalling’. His comments come as the US, the UK, Germany and France increase pressure on Israel to tone down its bombardments on the Gaza strip as the death toll nears 20,000… EU leaders… tasked Mr Borrell to draw up a list of violent Israeli settlers for discussions on banning them from Europe…

“German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock co-signed a letter with UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron in The Sunday Times calling for a ‘sustainable ceasefire.’ This differed from the French request for an immediate ceasefire… Some observers predict Israel will not be able to resist global opinion much longer.”

The Week of Whoppers

The Editorial Board of the New York Post wrote on December 14:

“The New York Times goes blind to Biden corruption… Diary of disturbing disinformation and dangerous delusions.

“This headline: ‘Impeachment Inquiry Approved, Despite No Proof of Biden Crime’… “We say: Sorry… Tons of evidence prove President Biden was involved in his son’s corrupt businesses: Hunter Biden’s partners’ testimony, bank records, pictures, video, audio recordings, emails . . .  And all [that] emerged despite Biden family stonewalling, which made an inquiry with subpoena and other powers necessary…

“This column: ‘Age jokes can’t diminish Biden’s unrivaled experience and wisdom [by] The Hill… “We say: …  Biden has wrecked everything he’s touched: the border, the economy, the budget, the situation throughout the world…”

No proof for Biden’s wrongdoing? This is so preposterous and ridiculous to even suggest! It’s just embarrassing and defies any credibility. And Biden’s “unrivaled experience and wisdom” is most certainly lacking in his failing government.

Biden—A Slow-Moving Car Crash

The New York Post published the following article by Piers Morgan on December 19:

“‘Mr. President,’ shouted a reporter as Joe Biden stumbled slowly towards his presidential SUV on a rainy night in Delaware on Sunday. ‘Why are you losing to Trump in the polls?’ The leader of the free world stopped in his tracks, looked momentarily bemused, then turned towards his questioner, and replied: ‘You’re reading the wrong polls!’ One second later, there was a loud bang as a random vehicle accidentally smashed into his presidential motorcade… It was a perfect metaphor: a presidency that’s become a slow-moving car crash. The driver who banged into the motorcade has since been charged with DUI.

“But when it comes to the analysis of polling, it would be more appropriate for President Biden to be charged with UID – Under the Influence of Delusion… Trump leads his successor in seven swing states by an average of 5% (47%-42%) among registered voters… As for Biden’s personal approval numbers, they just hit record lows of just 34% and among crucial independent voters, a catastrophic 24%.

“In fact, things are so bad… that for the first time, more people are impressed with his hapless, useless, and clueless Vice President Kamala Harris than him, albeit by a small margin (35%-34%)…

“Biden knows his poll numbers are dreadful… he’s been raging at staff for why his ratings are tanking so disastrously and demanding to know what they intend to do about it… In typical Biden style, everyone but himself is to blame for public disapproval of his woeful failures on everything from the economy… to immigration… So, when Biden says the only reason that we all think Trump’s beating him in the polls is because we’re all reading the wrong polls, he’s lying… This week, sources close to Barack Obama told the Wall Street Journal he fears his party could ‘very well lose’ the 2024 election. And Obama’s former top political adviser David Axelrod has warned that Biden’s approval ratings are ‘very, very dark news’…

“He’s 81 going on 101, and his seemingly never-ending physical and verbal stumbles are developing into the Republican Party’s Utopian campaign highlights reel. What’s inexplicable is why the Democrats seem so hell-bent on standing by a leader who’s become not just a national but a global joke…

“He genuinely thinks he’s going to retain the White House because there’s no chance of Americans voting for Trump again, and his anger at his aides is because Americans are telling pollsters the complete opposite…

“Biden increasingly reminds me of Union Army chief General John Sedgwick, who famously, during the American Civil War at the battle of Spotsylvania in 1864, berated his men for ducking for cover from Confederate bullets and declared confidently: ‘They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance…’ He was shot dead seconds later. Joe Biden is just as deluded about the threat from Trump, and if insists on running in 2024, his political career will meet the same fate.”

Giuliani Verdict “Pathetic” and “Offensive”

Newsmax wrote on December 15:

“A jury’s verdict that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani must pay $148 million to two former Georgia election workers who claim he defamed them was ‘pathetic’ and ‘offensive,’ Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told Newsmax on Friday.

“The [black] workers… sued Giuliani for defamation regarding the 2020 election that they said upended their lives with racist threats and harassment. Giuliani was helping former President Donald Trump contest his narrow loss to Joe Biden in Georgia in that election…

“[Burchett said:] ‘This is a political game within our court system. It’s so political that our own Justice Department hasn’t even lifted a finger to look at Hunter Biden when the $30 million that have flowed through that family, their crime family, and probably not paid any taxes on it. I don’t know if Rudy Giuliani is guilty or not, but it’s not in the hundreds of millions of dollars guilty… You have the Bidens and the elite Democrats and the rest of us, and unfortunately this Justice Department, they’re blind only in one eye…’”

The Associated Press added on December 15:

“Rudy Giuliani strongly denounced the damages against him… saying the verdict matched the ‘absurdity and unfairness of the entire proceeding… It bore no resemblance to a trial in a country with the rule of law. I wasn’t able to offer any evidence in my defense. We’ll have more to say and look forward to the appeal.’”

The Messenger wrote on December 21:

“Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani petitioned for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Thursday, just one day after a federal judge allowed two election workers who he defamed to attempt to immediately enforce a $146 million judgment….”

The judge, who had been appointed by President Obama, had already found Giuliani guilty via a default judgment (!) before the case was handed to the jury who was only asked to decide on the amount of damages. One of the attorneys, representing the two plaintiffs, is a good friend of Hunter Biden, according to Giuliani. One must be blind in both eyes if one can’t see what is going on here, with a totally corrupt “justice” system which simply does not work anymore at all.

Trump Condemned for Using Again Hitler’s Phraseology

Daily Mail wrote on December 16:

“At a rally in New Hampshire, former President Donald Trump stood in front of a crowd of MAGA Republicans and said that illegal immigrants ‘poisoned mental institutions and prisons all over the world’. Although he didn’t elaborate on how migrants are ‘poisoning’ mental institutions and prisons – Trump’s words resemble those of Adolf Hitler, who famously used the same phrase in his book Mein Kampf…

“Trump used the same phrase back in October – prompting former Fox News host Geraldo Rivera to denounce the former President for claiming migrants are ‘poisoning the blood of our country,’ and expressing his shock at the ‘extraordinary, hateful, Hitler-like quote.’”

JTA wrote on December 20:

 “Speaking at an Iowa presidential rally on Tuesday, Donald Trump denied lifting a phrase describing immigrants as ‘poisoning the blood of our country’ from Adolf Hitler’s manifesto… ‘I never read “Mein Kampf.” They said, “Oh, Hitler said that” — in a much different way.’…

“A number of media outlets noted that Trump’s late first wife, Ivana Trump, once reported that he kept a book of Hitler’s speeches by his bedside… Trump’s spokesmen have said the phrase is normal and not racist.”

The article points out that Hitler used this phrase in his 1925 manifesto about how he became anti-Semitic. It is true that Hitler did not initially hate the Jews because of their religion, but because of their race. And he did use words similar to those used by Trump.

Trump Barred From Appearing on Colorado Presidential Primary Ballot

The New York Post wrote on December 19:

“Donald Trump was barred from appearing on Colorado’s presidential primary ballot next year, the state’s Supreme Court ruled Tuesday. The court determined the 77-year-old former president was ineligible for the White House, citing the US Constitution’s insurrection clause, which led to his removal from the ballot.

“It’s the first time in history that Section 3 of the 14th Amendment has been used to disqualify a presidential candidate. ‘A majority of the court holds that Trump is disqualified from holding the office of president under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment,’ the court wrote in its 4-3 decision.

“The ruling is stayed until Jan. 4, or until the US Supreme Court makes a decision on the case. Trump’s campaign said in a statement it has ‘full confidence’ that the US Supreme Court would quickly side with the ex-president and ‘finally put an end to these un-American lawsuits.’”

The Daily Mail added on December 19:

“Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung… said the decision was a product of an ‘all-Democrat appointed’ court and a ‘Soros-funded, left-wing group’s scheme to interfere in an election on behalf of Crooked Joe Biden.” 

As we reported earlier (see our Update #1091, dated November 24, 2023), it is highly doubtful that Section 3 of the 14^th Amendment applies to a presidential candidate. We wrote the following:

“… a Colorado district judge ruled that Donald Trump must be placed on the ballot in the 2024 presidential contest. Even though she ruled, quite ridiculously, that Trump did engage in insurrection on January 6, 2021, she also ruled that he was not an officer of the United States as defined by the Fourteenth Amendment, which is only limited to ‘Senator or Representative in Congress’ and ‘elector of President and Vice President’ but does not include the ‘President.’

“As Breitbart explained on November 17:

“A federal court in New Hampshire recently dismissed a similar case… A Minnesota state court recently dismissed a lawsuit aiming to keep Trump off that state’s primary ballot. And a Michigan Court of Claims judge ruled that the Secretary of State must list Trump on the ballot as well. An appeal is likely. The Colorado case, or another similar case in another state, could likely land before the Supreme Court, which has never before ruled on the Civil War-era amendment.”

Strong Condemnation for Antidemocraric and Unconstitutional Colorado Court Decision

The New York Post published on December 20 the following article by Professor Turley:

“The Colorado decision to bar Donald Trump from the ballot will be overturned because it is wrong on the history and the language of the 14th Amendment… The question is whether the US Supreme Court will speak with one voice, including the three liberal justices. As with the three Democratic state justices who refused to sign off on the Colorado opinion, these federal justices can now bring a moment of unity not just for the court but the country in rejecting this shockingly anti-democratic theory…

“The majority on the Colorado Supreme Court adopted sweeping interpretations of every element of the decision to find that Trump not only incited an insurrection, but can be disqualified under this provision.  It does not matter that Trump has never been charged with even incitement or that he called for his supporters to go to the Capitol to protest ‘peacefully.’  In finding that Trump led an actual insurrection, the four justices used speeches going back to 2016 to show an effort to rebel before Trump was ever president…

“What these four justices did was a direct assault on our democratic process in seeking to bar the most popular candidate in the upcoming election… Not only are these four justices seeking to bar the votes of millions of voters… but they are doing so in the name of democracy. It is the ballot cleansing that is usually associated with authoritarian countries like Iran, where voters are protected from ‘unworthy’ candidates… Most people understand intuitively that what these four justices did in Colorado was wrong…

“The moment has come for nine justices to speak in one voice. An American voice that transcends the personalities and divisions of our time. It is a voice that speaks not to what divides us but what defines us as a people.” 

 Breitbart wrote on December 20:

“Harvard Law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz blasted the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling that former President Donald Trump was not eligible for the presidential ballot based on the 14th Amendment. According to Dershowitz, the Colorado court’s 4-3 ruling misinterpreted the 14th Amendment, which he said laid out the process that Congress would enact, not a state court. ‘In the 60 years I’ve been practicing and teaching law, I’ve never seen a decision that’s so anti-democratic and so unconstitutional,’ Dershowitz said. ‘It is absurd. The idea that the 14th Amendment was supposed to substitute for the impeachment provision, carefully drafted by the framers, is wrong.’…

“Dershowitz also said he anticipated the U.S. Supreme Court would overturn the Colorado decision.”

Breitbart wrote on December 19:

 “The Court’s unilateral determination that Trump engaged in insurrection comes despite Trump having never been convicted of that – or any other – crime, or even been charged in court with the crime of insurrection. He was acquitted by the U.S. Senate of charges of engaging in insurrection and continues to deny wrongdoing. In support of its legal assertion, the Court cites the U.S. House January 6 Select Committee, notwithstanding that Trump was acquitted of the House’s charges in the Senate…

 “In another dissent, Justice Carlos Samour wrote, ‘Given the current absence of federal legislation to enforce Section Three, and given that President Trump has not been charged pursuant to section 2383, the district court should have granted his September 29 motion to dismiss.’ He continued, ‘the court received and considered a partial congressional report, the admissibility of which is not beyond reproach… I have been involved in the justice system for thirty-three years now, and what took place here doesn’t resemble anything I’ve seen in a courtroom.’…”

 LifeSiteNews wrote on December 20: “The claim that he was involved in an ‘insurrection’ is perverse… Violent mobs regularly riot, vandalize, and empty stores of products and now courts are vandalizing the law and destroying the Constitution. These judges are no better than the mobs. They are even more dangerous and should themselves be jailed and charged with insurrection.”

The Most and Least Favorable Politicians in the USA

Breitbart wrote on December 17:

“The [recent Harvard-Harris] poll, conducted among over 2,000 registered American voters from December 13 to 14, has gained attention for revealing the radical attitudes of young people toward Israel and Jews. A slender majority of those 18-24 said that Israel should be destroyed. However, there are other interesting results in the survey, including the favorability of various politicians and public figures.

“President Joe Biden has net negative favorability, at -10% (43% favorable, 53% unfavorable).

“Republican challenger Donald Trump is marginally positive, with net positive favorability of 1% (49% favorable, 48% unfavorable). That is ahead of one of his rivals, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), at net negative favorability of -1%; however, it is behind former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley (net positive 9%) and even with businessman Vivek Ramaswamy (net positive 1%).

“Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has net positive favorability of 18% (49% positive, 31% negative). Elon Musk has net favorability of 12% (49% positive, 37% negative). Netanyahu — who is deeply underwater in his own country — is at 10% positive (36% positive, 26% negative).

“Israelis are often puzzled by Netanyahu’s popularity in the United States; likewise, Joe Biden enjoys highly favorable ratings in Israel…”

Liberty and Freedom?

Ron Paul wrote in his weekly column on December 18:

“Just before leaving town for Christmas break, the US House gave Americans a last-minute holiday gift: a nearly trillion dollar military spending bill filled with lots of goodies for the special interests and the military-industrial complex…

“Considering that Speaker Johnson tossed into the ‘must-pass’ bill yet another extension of Section 702 of the FISA Act, it’s unsurprising that he wanted to rush the bill through without the possibility of amendment. Section 702 allows the government to intercept and retain without a warrant the communications of any American who is in contact with a non-US citizen. It is clearly a violation of the Fourth Amendment which is supposed to protect Americans against unreasonable searches and seizures.

“Section 702 was ‘legalized’ under President George W. Bush during the ‘War on Terror’ after it was revealed that Bush was using the National Security Agency to illegally spy on Americans. We were told at the time that government must be granted these authorities because we were under threat from terrorists. It would just be a temporary measure, we were promised, and then the authority would expire. That was fifteen years ago and here we are re-authorizing the government to continue to violate our liberties.

“As with the rest of the violations of our civil liberties after 9/11, like the PATRIOT Act and the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and the TSA, the federal government soon turned its terrorism-fighting tools inward, targeting Americans rather than foreigners who we were told wanted to harm Americans. That’s why the FBI’s so-called domestic terrorism watchlist continues to expand to include Christians and those skeptical of big government.

“So rather than debating whether we want a government more like East Germany than the one our Founders imagined, Section 702 was tossed into the military spending bill…

“We are more than 33 trillion dollars in debt, with interest payments on that debt dwarfing all other government spending. A crash is coming. There is no time for more ‘business as usual.’’

German Government More Unpopular Than Ever

Following the coalition government’s extremely controversial and unpopular deal on the federal budget for 2024, raising or establishing new taxes and increasing costs for gasoline, heating and domestic flights, and the embarrassing attempts by Scholz and his political partners to justify the same, emotions in Germany are running high.

Die Welt wrote on December 15:

“The Ampel coalition is doing… worse than ever before… Only 27 percent of those surveyed say that the government is ‘doing its job rather well.’… But only 35 percent of all respondents believe that a CDU-led government would do a better job… Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) reached… his personal low… [In a new election] the Ampel coalition would not have a parliamentary majority. Of the politically realistic alliances, a coalition between the CDU and the SPD or the CDU and the Greens would currently be strong enough.”

In either case, this would be a catastrophic prognosis.

Still, Bild Online wrote on December 15:

“59 percent of Germans want early elections for the Bundestag next year, i.e. in 2024. Only 27 percent are AGAINST new elections.”

But early elections would have no reasonable chance of a successful government, based on the current situation.

In its article, Bild Online published some representative opinions of its readership:

“What have we done wrong that we are governed like this?… When will you [Scholz] finally resign? You’ve caused enough chaos. Germany has never been governed so badly.”

We would agree with this assessment. We said from the outset that this coalition of diverse parties such as SPD, Green and FDP would not be successful and even wondered how long it could stay in power.

Focus Online also published representative opinions of its readership on December 15:

“Germany is turning away from its government and the government is turning away from its people… This is an insolence beyond compare… It was already clear to me before that… tax increases were coming…  I’m just angry with this government!… How about if you, Mr. Scholz, Mr. Habeck and Mr. Lindner, live the life of a normal worker for a month? Maybe you would realize what your laws mean to us. I’m 50 years old and I’m getting tired of seeing my hard-earned money not being used for my own people. All problems are blamed on the war. But many problems were created by your government…”

You might think you were reading statements about Biden and his government here.

Germany Needs a Leadership Figure

Focus wrote on December 18:

“In democracies, trust is the greatest asset. After two years of Ampel (the government coalition),  there isn’t much left of it. This is because Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his government ignore the needs of the people… Due to the budget hammer… the government has not only lost billions of euros, but it has also continued to lose more of its reputation and trust.

“The entrepreneur Roland Berger, long-time advisor to Chancellors Helmut Kohl (CDU), Gerhard Schröder (SPD) and Chancellor Merkel (CDU), speaks of an ‘extreme domestic political crisis’, the like of which has not been seen in Germany since the time of Konrad Adenauer’s government.

“A new Adenauer, a chancellor who moves forward courageously and organizes government policy in order to finally restore the country’s competitiveness and thus secure the prosperity of millions of people – this leading figure is urgently needed. But Olaf Scholz doesn’t show any of that. On the contrary… Scholz clearly doesn’t see reality as it is on many topics. At the same time, he is also unable to show Germany a vision of how the greatest crisis situation in post-war history can be overcome… It is to be feared that Germany will continue to be among the worst performers in Europe in terms of the economy…

“How can it be that the losers are now hundreds of thousands of tenants with lower income who have to anticipate significant rent increases and electricity prices rising again?…

“The Ampel doesn’t know what’s happening in this country. Instead, it seems to ignore the concerns of citizens in lieu of its own emergency. This impression is becoming more and more established – and is extremely dangerous because in a phase of great uncertainty, the already low level of trust in the government continues to decline.”

Now the EU Wants German Money

Focus wrote on December 16:

“Chancellor Olaf Scholz has just filled his own budget holes a little bit at home when the next billion-dollar bill is already rolling towards him from Brussels. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants a budget supplement because, among other things, the interest on debts is growing over her head.

“At the same time, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is blackmailing the EU: he will only agree to new aid to Ukraine if he himself receives more money from Brussels. As usual, almost a quarter of the costs of these wishes will be paid by the German taxpayer.”

Obviously, Germans will not be thrilled about this new development, either.

“If Necessary, We Will Paralyze the Country”

The Augsburger Allgemeine wrote on December 14:

“Agriculture is vehemently resisting the Ampel coalition’s savings plans resulting from the budget compromise…

“The President of the Bavarian Farmers’ Association, Günther Felßner, told our editorial team: ‘We farmers are supposed to be the victims because the federal government is unable to create a functioning budget ‘…

“Felßner describes the consequences from the association’s perspective as follows: ‘With the announced cuts, food will become more expensive for everyone in Germany, self-sufficiency will be put at risk…’

“He is calling on the federal government to withdraw the austerity proposals … If this doesn’t happen, he advises the Ampel coalition to make room for another, a new government that has sensible concepts. And he threatens: ‘If none of this happens, we as farmers see it as our responsibility to take to the streets and fight to ensure that our country remains viable for the future. If necessary, we will paralyze this country after Christmas.’”

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 18:

“Farmers from across Germany descended upon Berlin on Monday, with hundreds of tractors converging on the city’s famous Brandenburg Gate under the motto, ‘Too much is too much! Farmers are angry about the federal government’s decision to scrap diesel fuel subsidies as well as the negation of tax breaks for the purchase of agricultural and forestry machinery. According to the German Farmers’ Association, those changes could cost farmers up to €1 billion (roughly $1.1 billion)…Farmers are now seeking to send a ‘first clear signal’ to Berlin’s three-party governing coalition that it needs to drop the planned cuts.”

These are not good developments. The German nation is in uproar and blames, correctly, their government for the miserable situation.

Dramatic Changes for EU in the Making?

Express wrote on December 18:

“Controversial changes to the treaties which bind the European Union together would result in a bloc dominated by Germany in which member states would be reduced to ‘vassal’ status, opponents have claimed. The proposals… would involve a total of 267 changes to the treaties, including strengthening the role of the European Parliament, the establishment of a both Defence Union and an Energy Union, and limitations on the power of veto for members of the EU27.

“Much to the annoyance of Mr Verhofstadt and the other co-rapporteurs who lodged the proposals, last week’s European Council meeting – during which the foreign ministers of the EU member states gathered in Brussels – opted not to vote on the issue.

“However, Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Poland’s former Secretary of State for Europe, warned the issue had not gone away – and feared dire consequences for the independence of EU member states if the ideas developed during the Conference on the Future of Europe in 2022 were ever put into practice. Not least among his concerns was the use of Qualified Majority Voting (QMV), a mechanism used within the European Council and Council of the EU to take decisions without the need for unanimity…

“Mr Mularczyk, an MP with the recently ousted Law and Justice Party, stressed: ‘The potential loss of sovereignty, as a result of the proposed EU treaty changes and the wider use of qualified majority voting, may cause Member States to think carefully about the future of the EU which will be dominated by the biggest country in Europe, Germany. No Member State will want to be a vassal state in the EU with no voice… The proposed EU treaty changes clearly express that competencies concerning, i.e., the military, border control, fiscal and monetary policy, and the environment, will be transferred to the EU.’…”

And it will happen… ultimately.

Germany Deploys Troops for First Time Since World War II

Newsweek wrote on December 18:

“A new agreement between Germany and Lithuania will lead to German troops’ first permanent foreign deployment since World War II. The announcement was made Monday in Lithuania, where Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas met with his German counterpart, Boris Pistorius, to outline a multiyear ‘Roadmap Action Plan’ involving approximately 4,800 permanently stationed German soldiers. Both officials called the move a historic moment not just for their nations but for NATO as well…

“‘Germany understands clearly the new state of affairs in security politics: we are taking the role of leadership and responsibility in the [NATO] Alliance as we deploy a combat brigade in Lithuania,’ Pistorius said in the release.”

Of course, there is no leadership under Chancellor Scholz. Still, is the world waking up?

Russia Won’t End the War, Warns America

Fox News wrote on December 16:

“A spokesperson for the Kremlin [Dmitry Peskov] says [Putin] hopes that the next U.S. leader will be ‘more constructive.’…Peskov claimed that Putin is willing to work with ‘anyone who will understand that from now on, you have to be more careful with Russia and you have to take into account its concerns’… Peskov did say that Trump’s assertion that he could end the Russian-Ukrainian conflict in a single day to be misguided, saying that the war is ‘too complicated.’

“He expressed frustration with the U.S. for continuing to fund Ukrainian defenses against the ongoing Russian attacks, saying it was a waste of money to oppose the invasion… ‘You are making this conflict longer.’ Peskov also accused the West of waging a ‘war’ on Russia by bolstering defensive military capabilities in Ukraine.  Putin reiterated this week that he will not end the war in Ukraine until his goals are achieved and, at a year-end news conference, offered rare details concerning those objectives.

“The Russian president, who is seeking reelection after being in power for nearly 24 years, addressed concerns from some Russian citizens about another wave of mobilization — a highly unpopular move he enacted in September 2022 to boost his forces in Ukraine. Putin dismissed the need for a second wave of mobilization of reservists, saying there are some 617,000 Russian soldiers currently in Ukraine, including around 244,000 troops who were called up to fight alongside professional Russian military forces. ‘There is no need [for additional mobilization],’ Putin said, because 1,500 men are being recruited into the Russian army every day across the country. He said 486,000 soldiers have signed a contract with the Russian military as of Wednesday evening.”

The highly praised EU decision to start membership negotiations for Ukraine means nothing in practice. German Chancellor Scholz has been praised for convincing Urban to leave the room so that an otherwise “unanimous” decision of the remaining EU members could be reached. However, this was nothing else but an exercise in futility. Any membership is years away. By that time, the war between Russia and Ukraine will have long been over.

No Russian Interest to Attack NATO?

Thomson/Reuters wrote on December 17:

“Putin dismissed as complete nonsense remarks by U.S. President Joe Biden that Russia would attack a NATO country if it won the war in Ukraine, adding that Russia had no interest in fighting the NATO military alliance…

“Putin casts the war [with Ukraine] as part of a much bigger struggle with the United States, which the Kremlin elite says aims to cleave Russia apart, grab its vast natural resources and then turn to settling scores with China.

“The West, which presents Russia and China as its main threats, says it has no plan to destroy Russia. Ukraine says it will not rest until every last Russian soldier is ejected from its territory.”

The biblical truth is that Russia and Ukraine WILL fight with Europe, and especially Germany, in the future.

“We Have About 5-8 Years”

Reuters wrote on December 15:

“Europe must race to ensure it can better defend itself as new military threats could emerge by the end of the decade even as the focus of security ally the United States shifts towards the Indo-Pacific, Germany’s defense minister said. Russia was hiking its weapons production considerably to sustain its invasion of Ukraine, while also threatening the Baltic states, Georgia and Moldova, Boris Pistorius was quoted as saying in an interview with Welt am Sonntag… ‘We have about 5-8 years to catch up, in terms of armed forces, industry and society,’ he said…

“The election of a more Europe-friendly government in Poland should now enable the Weimar Triangle of Berlin, Paris and Warsaw to develop more their military cooperation, he added.”

Like the 1940s…?

The Telegraph wrote on December 16:

“After the costly victory of 1918, peoples and politicians in democracies were mostly incapable of facing the terrifying fact that new and even greater dangers were looming… The grand old man of Labour, George Lansbury, proclaimed that Hitler, as a non-smoking vegetarian, must want peace. To the Liberal Lloyd George he was ‘the greatest German of the age’. The Tory Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax hoped that ‘one day the Führer will be seen entering Buckingham Palace at the side of the King’…

“Had the West been more visibly prepared and resolute, Hitler would probably have been overthrown by the German army…

“Ukraine is the test, like Czechoslovakia in the 1930s. We prevented the Czechs from defending themselves in 1938. At least we have helped the Ukrainians to resist, but now they are in danger of being effectively abandoned by being given too little too late… if America steps back, it will mean… the defeat of Ukraine…

“So far we have not been called on to make significant sacrifices. Are we still capable of them? Orwell wrote in 1940 that England was like ‘a family with the wrong members in control’, but still able to move together, ‘like a herd of cattle facing a wolf’. I hope we never have to find out the hard way if this is still true.”

It is very likely that the USA will begin soon to substantially reduce or entirely eliminate military help for Ukraine. Note the next article.

US With Smallest Military in Over 80 Years

The Daily Mail wrote on December 16:

“The United States is set to enter 2024 with its smallest military in more than eight decades and faces one of its ‘greatest challenges’ as it tries to boost recruiting… Under the $886 billion annual defense bill passed by Congress this week total active-duty troop numbers will fall to 1,284,500 next year. That is the lowest total since before the U.S. entered the Second World War in 1941 and officials said there should be a ‘national call to service’.

“Ashish Vazirani, the Pentagon’s acting undersecretary for personnel and readiness… said the ‘all-volunteer force faces one of its greatest challenges since (its) inception’ in the 1970s when the draft ceased.”

And so, it appears that ultimately, the draft will be reinstated.

Blasphemous Woke Nonsense

The Daily Mail wrote on December 18:

“Couples getting married will be asked if they want to be called ‘husband and wife’ under new woke Church guidelines. It is part of new ‘inclusive language’ rules published by The Methodist Church, which warns that old-fashioned terminology ‘makes assumptions about a family or personal life that is not the reality for many people’.

“The guidance also advises preachers to share their pronouns with congregation members ‘to create a safe space for people to be themselves.’… they should use ‘gender-neutral language’, opting for words such as ‘folks, teammates, friends, colleagues, or simply people’.  It adds: ‘People of different genders may choose to use a gender-neutral title such as Mx’…”

Marriage is between a man and a woman, and they are (to be) called husband and wife. Period!

Reuters wrote on December 18:

“The Vatican said on Monday in a landmark ruling approved by Pope Francis that Roman Catholic priests can administer blessings to same-sex couples as long as they are not part of regular Church rituals or liturgies.

“A document from the Vatican’s doctrinal office, which effectively reversed a declaration the same body had issued in 2021, said such blessings would not legitimise irregular situations but be a sign that God welcomes all. It should in no way be confused with the sacrament of heterosexual marriage, it added.”

Newsmax wrote on December 21:

“Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association…, is warning same-sex couples that even ‘so-called ‘blessings’ from religious leaders like Pope Francis will not save them ‘from the judgment of God.’ ‘Pope Francis has now approved Catholic priests “blessing” same-sex couples, but none of us, including the Pope, has the right to “bless” what God calls sin,’ Graham [wrote].”

What incredible hypocrisy.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

The idea that Jesus Christ is an angel or “the archangel Michael” is utterly absurd. However, some major church denominations claim, using a few selected biblical passages, that Jesus Christ is the archangel Michael. In this Q&A, we will examine these Scriptures in depth, but also consider other Scriptures that are deliberately omitted, and prove that this idea is absolutely false.

We will begin with the first quotes and biblical passages that supposedly prove that Jesus is the archangel Michael.

One article states that it is reported in Daniel 10:13, 21 that Michael came to the aid of an angel and that he is described as one of the first princes.

The New King James Version translates Daniel 10:13 as follows:

“But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left alone there with the kings of Persia.”

The German Menge Bible writes: “…until at last Michael, one of the chief princes of the angels, came to my aid…”

The New International Version writes: “…Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me…”

The German Revised Luther Bible 2017 translates: “…and behold, Michael, one of the foremost of the princes of the angels, came to my aid…”

Michael is also referred to as “the archangel Michael” in Jude 9 (New International Version). The Authorized Version writes: “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”

Note that the letter of Jude, as well as the other letters of Paul, speak of Jesus Christ as the Lord (Jude 4, 17, 21, 25; New International Version). When the Father is mentioned, He is identified with “God the Father” or “God” (Jude 1, 21).

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who will judge angels (Jude 6). It even says that we, once we are born-again members of the GOD FAMILY, will judge angels (1 Corinthians 6:3). It would be absurd to believe that we would judge Jesus Christ as an angel. Furthermore, if the archangel Michael was to be identical with Jesus Christ, the question arises as to why Christ did not dare to condemn Satan and why He said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke thee,” if the Lord is none other than Jesus Christ.

In our free booklet “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World,” we explain the following on pages 6-7:

“The Bible talks at times about certain ‘archangels.’ The meaning of this word is, ‘chief messenger.’ Only Michael is specifically referred to in Scripture as an ‘archangel.’ The name ‘Michael’ means, ‘Who is like God?’ Jude 9 identifies him as an ‘archangel.’ He is also referred to as ‘one of the chief princes,’ (Daniel 10:13) showing that there must be additional ‘chief princes.’ He is also described as ‘the great prince’ (Daniel 12:1). He is clearly in charge of other angels, as Revelation 12:7 explains (‘Michael and his angels fought…’).”

The German Elberfelder Bible states in a footnote to 1 Thessalonians 4:16 that the “syllable ‘arch’ in ‘archangel’ denotes the ‘highest-ranking or first.’”

Another biblical passage that supposedly proves that Jesus Christ is the archangel Michael can allegedly be found in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. In an article that supports this view, the passage is rendered as follows: “‘The Lord [Jesus] himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God.’ So here, Jesus Christ is equated with the archangel or chief angel,” the article says.

This translation of the biblical passage is not precise. A better translation would be, as the German Revised Luther Bible 2017 renders it: “For he himself, the Lord, when the call [or command] sounds, when the voice of the archangel and the trumpet of God sound, will come down from heaven…” Also note James Moffatt – New Testament 1913: “The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a loud summons, when the archangel calls and the trumpet of God sounds…”

The German Menge Bible renders it as follows, “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven as soon as His wake-up call is given, as soon as the voice of the prince of angels is heard and the trumpet of God sounds.”

The German Elberfelder Bible is even more precise and exact: “For the Lord himself will descend at the cry of command, at the voice of an archangel and at the sound of the trumpet of God…” The archangel Michael is not the only archangel. And he is described as one of the chief princes of angels!

Hence, Christ will not descend until the voice of the archangel or a prince of angels is heard and the last trumpet sounds. This passage by no means proves that Christ is the archangel Michael. On the contrary, it proves that Christ and Michael are two different personalities.

We are then told that Christ is the archangel Michael, because “Michael” has the meaning of “Who is like God?” This does not constitute any evidence. For example, the name of the angel Gabriel, a high angelic prince and, according to tradition, also an archangel, means “God is powerful!” And the name of the prophet Joel also means “Yahweh is God.” So, we cannot simply define a person as Jesus Christ from the meaning of His name.

We say the following about Gabriel in our free booklet “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World” on page 7:

“Whether the second named angel in the Bible, Gabriel, is an archangel, is not clearly revealed. The name ‘Gabriel’ means, ‘God is mighty.’ While the Bible nowhere describes the appearance of Michael, the angel Gabriel has the ‘appearance of a man’ (Daniel 8:15; 9:21; see also the detailed discussion later in this booklet). He ‘stands in the presence of God’ (Luke 1:19) and is sent oftentimes by God to man with positive and important news (Luke 1:26, 31). He was sent several times to Daniel, and he was sent to Zacharias (Luke 1:11–13), and to Mary. Since the meaning of ‘archangel’ is ‘chief messenger,’ and since Gabriel is sent by God with important messages, the assumption is compelling that Gabriel is an archangel. He has been traditionally viewed as one of the other archangels and one of the chief princes.”

Furthermore, it is claimed that Jesus, who supposedly was the archangel Michael in His pre-human existence, has returned to heaven after His resurrection to resume His position as Michael, the supreme angel who would stand for the “glorification of God the Father.” In this context, reference is made to Philippians 2:9, whereby this passage is supposed to mean that “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him [Christ] and given Him the name [Michael] which is above every name…”

This interpretation is provably wrong. Let’s look at Philippians 2:9 in context.

The New King James Bible translates Philippians 2:5-11 as follows:

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

The Bible is quite clear in this regard and Paul tells us unmistakably that the name of the Lord is JESUS CHRIST, not Michael, and that His name is above every name, which includes the name Michael. Jesus Christ said in John 14:13: “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” Jesus goes on to say in verse 14: “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” In John 16:23, Christ promised us the following: “Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you.” But Christ also says in John 15:16, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”

Christ is saying that Christians should or must ask the Father in their prayers to God “in the name of Jesus Christ” and not in the name of “Michael.”

In our free booklet “Teach Us to Pray” we state on page 98:

“Since we belong to Christ, Christ allows us to do and say things in His glorious and all-powerful name. That is, we can do things through the power of His Holy Spirit in us. When we pray, write, or say something in the name of Christ, we are actually asking Christ to do those things for us. We speak to the Father through Christ. It is as if Christ speaks to the Father on our behalf—as if Christ communicates our prayers to the Father, helping us express to the Father what we think, how we feel, and what we are going through…

“When we end a prayer by using the words ‘in Christ’s name,’ we had better make sure that we CAN say this—that Christ IS actually speaking through us, or interceding for us…

“Every time we use the words ‘in Christ’s name,’ we are to be very conscious of the fact that Jesus Christ is acting, at that very moment, as our Mediator, Intercessor and Advocate…”

Interestingly, Jesus Christ emphasized four times that we are to ask God the Father for something in His name, i.e. in the name of “Jesus Christ.”  What is so interesting about the fact that He said it four times? After all, Christ could have said it three times, or five times or six times.

We state the following on page 29 in our free booklet “Hidden Secrets in the Bible”: https://www.eternalgod.org/booklet-2575/

“The number four is used many times to signify God’s revelation. God will often reveal something about Himself, or about something or someone else in this way.

“The Bible contains four gospel records, in which the human life of Jesus Christ and His preexistence is revealed. It is interesting, too, that Christ was born in the year 4 B.C. The Holy Scriptures are helpful and profitable for four things, as 2 Timothy 3:16 explains, namely ‘for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness.’”

Another Scripture concerning Michael is found in Revelation 12:7, which is also said to be evidence that Jesus Christ is the archangel Michael. This Scripture describes how Michael and his angels fight against Satan and his angels and how they are finally banished from heaven.

Revelation 12:7-10 states:

“And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.”

This passage does not even remotely suggest that Christ could be the archangel Michael. A clear distinction is made between Christ and Michael.

But the evidence that Christ was not and is not the archangel Michael is overwhelming when we consider Scriptures that have not yet been mentioned or fully explained here.

Let us return to Philippians 2:6. It says that Christ was “equal” with God [some say: “like God”] before His birth as a human being. This is to be understood quite literally; Christ was not only “similar” to God the Father, but rather completely like God or equal with God in divine nature and character; He was and is the image of God the Father (compare Colossians 1:15), just as we too “shall be like” or equal with Christ in the resurrection, not just “similar to Him” (compare 1 John 3:2). Furthermore, we read that Christ was “God” before His birth as a human being, not just “godly” (compare John 1:1: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God [the Father], and the Word was God”).

Angels, however, are not God or equal with God. Rather, we read in John 1:3: “All things were made through Him [the Word, ‘Logos’, the speaker], and without Him nothing was made that was made.” Verse 14 then identifies the Word as Jesus Christ who became flesh.

“All things” that were made through the Word include all angels. We read in Colossians 1:16-17 that “by Him [Christ] all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”

Angels are created beings, but Christ is not a created being. He has always existed with the Father, and it is said of Christ that His “goings forth are from of old, From everlasting [literally: “the days of eternity”]” (Micah 5:2). He is described as Melchizedek, “without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither BEGINNING of days nor END of life, but made like [in the sense of “equal with”] the Son of God, remains a priest continually [the New International Version says ‘forever’]” (Hebrews 7:3). The phrase that He was “made like the Son of God” is confusing. A better rendition is that He is like (or equal with) the Son of God.

The absolute inequality of Jesus Christ with angels is also revealed in Hebrews 1. He is described there as the “image” of the Father (verse 3). Christ has become so much better than the angels (verse 4) that all the angels will worship Him (verse 6). Angels would not worship other angels. Even we are forbidden to worship angels (Revelation 19:10; 22:8-9); yet, we are commanded to worship Christ in the right way (Matthew 15:9: “And in vain they worship Me…”). In addition,Christ is clearly referred to as “God” (Hebrews 1:8-9), and as the “Lord” who created everything (Hebrews 1:10).

If Michael was identical with Christ, then Christ alone would not have had enough power over Satan. He would have needed the help of Gabriel to resist Satan or a strong demon (the demon of Persia or the demon of Greece) (compare Daniel 10:13, 20-21; 11:1). This consideration alone proves that Michael cannot be Jesus Christ. Even as a human being, Jesus commanded: “Away with you, Satan!” (Matthew 4:10), and Satan obeyed.

As a human being, Jesus was a little lower than the angels for a short time, but not anymore (Hebrews 2:9). He is not an angel and never was.

For more information about who Jesus Christ was and is, please read our free booklets “Jesus Christ – A Great Mystery” and “Do You Know the Jesus of the Bible?”

Lead Writers: Thilo Hanstein and Norbert Link

Initial translation from the German: Daniel Blasinger

compiled by Dave Harris

“Germany in Turmoil… Under a Failing Government,” is the title of a new StandingWatch  program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. 

Here is a summary: Germany’s ruling coalition is doing worse than ever before, and Chancellor Olaf Scholz has reached his personal low. In this “greatest crisis situation in Germany’s post-war history,” people are angry because of rising costs and taxes, due to the government’s perceived mismanagement, and they are asking for competent and successful leadership, which does not seem to be on the horizon right now. 

“Deutschland in Aufruhr…unter einer versagenden Regierung,” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This program covers the same topic as described above.

“Ist Meditation im Einklang mit der Bibel?” is the title of this Sabbath’s sermonette in Germany, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Is Meditation Consistent with the Bible?”

“I Think, Therefore I Am–Not Good Enough,”  the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Frank Bruno, is now posted. Here is a summary:

This concept was put forth by the philosopher Rene Descartes in 1637, and it basically refers to the act of thinking, or questioning one’s very existence as an indication of one’s existence. Our modern world has taken this to an extreme in many ways, honoring the self and individual thought above all else, including God. In this Sermonette, we will explore various Scriptures that will clarify how we should deal with our thoughts of self and focus as we should—on God

“The Fruit of Labor,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Eric Rank is now posted. Here is a summary:

Results require effort. If we want to grow in our Christian calling, we must acknowledge that there are no shortcuts. The life experiences are our opportunities to put ourselves to work so we can learn and develop spiritual fruit.

On December 16, 2023, Frank Bruno will present the sermonette, titled, “I Think, Therefore I Am—Not Good Enough,” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “The Fruit of Labor”.

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

During the fall months of the year, my wife Shelly and I are tasked with collecting pinecones from the lawn. The cones can make mowing up the leaves more difficult, and so we get to work. The pinecone is a seed-bearing organ that is woody and has signature scales. These scales are arranged as a protective umbrella that close, when necessary, to protect the tender seeds, and open when the time comes for the seeds to take to the breeze to find hospitable soil. As children, my friends and I would pretend that the cones were mini-American-style footballs and play epic games.

Pinecones are yet another example of God’s perfect design. They have a purpose and are a beautiful reminder of the growth that occurs for all of God’s creations. God created trees of all kinds for their beauty, shade, and the wood as a resource for construction and for heating, and more. My point is that the pinecone nurtures the seeds, and, over time, enables them to mature.

When we moved to our town years ago, Shelly and I wanted to contribute to the community. We did not have a lot of money to donate, but we met with a colleague of mine who ran a community foundation. She described a fund that we could contribute to—we would give a specific amount each year for ten years and could then help guide the uses of the fund that grew with our contributions and the interest from investment earnings. The foundation referred to these as Pinecone Funds because they are protected and grow over time.

We appreciated the idea that something modest could be nurtured and become significant. Turning to Scripture for a powerful analogy, Philippians 1:9 reads: “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment.” Paul wrote this to the Church at Philippi, a former gold-mining area, to counter what he saw as a growing problem of disunity among Church members. He wanted the Church to continue to grow and the members to focus on the mind of Christ. Paul believed that this was the only way to address the divisive nature of humans and have the Church thrive. 

We know that Jesus Christ was and is not limited in any way. In Matthew 17, we read the account of Jesus, Peter, James, and John encountering a crowd. A man came to Jesus and fell to His knees and begged Him to heal his son and drive out the demon that possessed him. The three apostles were troubled that they had previously been unable to drive out the demon. They asked Jesus about this, and we see His response in Matthew 17:20: “So Jesus said to them, ‘Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.’”

Faith as small as a seed, and yet with the power to move a mountain. Imagine then what we can do when we focus on the mind of Christ and increasingly discern His power and majesty. As carnal beings, we cannot compel ourselves to follow God—we must first be drawn by Him and, through our Savior, Jesus Christ, we, as true Christians, can begin to grow if we obey and follow His commandments.

The key therefore to growing in faith is to obey God and study the Bible to gain a deeper understanding of the nature of God and His Son through the Scriptures. In Hebrews 11:1, we read: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.” Let’s continue reading in verses 2 and 3: “For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”

Let’s reinforce this and consider the following biblical examples of the power of faith as the enduring foundation of our lives. In Hebrews 11:7-12, we read:

^“By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.”

Much like the pinecone releasing its charge to the soil, as true Christians, we must nurture our faith through our obedience to God and His Son, sincere prayer, and our study of the Scriptures.

I’ll leave you with the words of Jesus Christ who perfectly captured the importance of our working to perfect our faith. Let’s read John 20:29: “Jesus said to him, ‘Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” This is a glimpse into the mind of Jesus and the importance He places on faith.

by Norbert Link

We begin with the indictment of Hunter Biden which seems to be further proof of a continuing massive coverup by the Justice Department and the Attorney General in an attempt to protect Joe Biden (please view our new StandingWatch program, “Hunter Biden’s Indictment—the Coverup Continues.”; speak on a controversial case in Texas involving a somewhat unusual request for an abortion; and report on a scandalous case in Colorado involving a transgender student.  

We address new hysterical recommendations by health “experts” regarding Covid; and the incredibly insane idea of introducing carbon passports for tourists. We also address the anticipated changing situation in Poland under Prime Minister-designate Donald Tusk.

We speak on European countries and the UN ganging up on Israel by demanding a permanent ceasefire and a two-state “solution”, America’s efforts to undermine Israel’s military success;  Israel’s commitment to fight Iran-backed Houthi rebels attacking Israeli ships if America does not act; and a highly controversial movement in Germany demanding that applicants for German citizenship declare “loyalty” for Israel.

We address increased European military spending and the drive towards Germany’s preparedness for a defensive war with Russia; the controversial agreement of Germany’s coalition parties regarding a new budget; and we conclude with the conduct of certain companies allegedly responsible for inflation.

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

Hunter Biden Indicted… Sort Of…

The Associated Press wrote on December 8:

“Hunter Biden was indicted on nine tax charges in California as a special counsel investigation into the business dealings of President Joe Biden’s son intensifies against the backdrop of the 2024 election. The new charges filed Thursday — three felonies and six misdemeanors — are in addition to federal firearms charges in Delaware alleging Hunter Biden broke laws against drug users having guns in 2018. They come after the implosion of a plea deal over the summer that would have spared him jail time, putting the case on track to a possible trial as his father campaigns for reelection.

“Hunter Biden ‘spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills,’ special counsel David Weiss said in a statement. The charges are centered on at least $1.4 million in taxes Hunter Biden owed during between 2016 and 2019, a period where he has acknowledged struggling with addiction…

“If convicted, Hunter Biden, 53, could receive a maximum of 17 years in prison. The special counsel probe remains open, Weiss said… The charging documents filed in California, where he lives, detail spending on drugs, strippers, luxury hotels and exotic cars, ‘in short, everything but his taxes,’ prosecutor Leo Wise wrote…

“Hunter did eventually file his taxes in 2020, while facing a child support case in Arkansas, and the back taxes were paid by a ‘third party’…”

We wonder who that third party was. It is not to be expected that Hunter will spend one day in prison, and in any event, that his father would not pardon him. He said he would not, but Joe Biden has been known to lie repeatedly.

The DOJ’s and AG’s Cover-Up to Protect Joe Biden Continues

The New York Post published the following article by Attorney and Law Professor Jonathan Turley, on December 8:

“The 56-page indictment of Hunter Biden for tax evasion makes for racy reading, with the special counsel describing a four-year criminal pattern directed at maintaining Biden’s ‘extravagant lifestyle.’ That lifestyle included massive expenses for strippers, sex clubs, fast cars and other distractions.

“The steps taken by Hunter to evade taxes are impressive, but not nearly as impressive as the efforts of the Justice Department to evade any direct implications for his father, President Biden. In that sense, the indictment itself is a marvel of evasion.

“There are… glaring omissions in the indictment that tend to shield critical payments and conduct that implicate the president.  First, the special counsel only indicts tax evasion that occurred in recent years. That’s because the long ‘investigation’ into Hunter inexplicably allowed the statute of limitations to expire on the most controversial payments from Ukraine gas company Burisma. Recent testimony from IRS whistleblowers suggests that wasn’t an accident. Investigators were stonewalled, they claimed, and the Justice Department was previously moving to reject any charges against Hunter Biden. Exploring those earlier Ukrainian payments opens up questions about Hunter’s influence peddling and would have highlighted the conflict in his father’s extraordinary move to force the Ukrainians to fire a prosecutor investigating Burisma by holding back a billion dollars in aid for the country. There is still no explanation why special counsel David Weiss would allow the statute of limitations to run out.  But this recent indictment keeps the focus squarely on taxes not paid, not how the money was ‘earned’ in the first place…

“Also missing in the indictment is any charge against Hunter Biden as an unregistered foreign agent… The problem with charging Hunter with FARA (Foreign Agents Registration Act) is obvious. It opens up questions about the millions of dollars going to the Biden family from foreign sources, a topic that Attorney General Merrick Garland has spent years avoiding. In the second indictment, Weiss spends more time detailing the salacious use of this money rather than how and why it was given to the Bidens. He just matter-of-factly describes millions flowing through these accounts from China, Romania, Ukraine, Russia and other countries. By focusing on tax evasion alone, Weiss again avoids any direct reference to the focus of the influence-peddling used to raise these millions of dollars.

“Even without mentioning the president, the implications of the indictment are devastating for the narrative and denials of Joe Biden. The president has continued to maintain that he had no knowledge or interaction with these dealings. Those statements are clearly and knowingly false. The president also maintained that his son has ‘never done anything wrong’ and never accepted any money from China. That is also untrue, according to the Justice Department and Hunter himself.

“Yet Weiss continues to avoid any need to address the person who was the selling point of the influence peddling. It was the same person [Joe Biden] who repeatedly called in to dinners and meetings, repeatedly attended events, and held meetings and photo shots for these clients. Instead, Weiss indicts the failure to pay taxes on the proceeds of these dealings without addressing that underlying corruption. It is akin to arresting a bank robber for speeding away from the crime scene without mentioning the reason for his flight. In a scandal with dozens of references to the president and millions sent for influence and access, it took a steady hand for Weiss to avoid ever touching on President Biden’s role. It takes perfect aim not to avoid any contact… It is itself the very model of evasion.”

It’s clearly a coverup, which is supported by Democrats and the left-liberal mass media, falsely claiming that there is no evidence for Joe Biden’s misconduct. The evidence is overwhelming, which is being willfully ignored by those who want to protect Joe Biden.

Suspicious Timing

Newsmax wrote on December 8:

“Donald Trump Jr. panned the timing of the nine criminal charges brought against Hunter Biden on Thursday night, saying it was ‘planned’ in order to skirt Biden’s scheduled deposition next week… Biden is under subpoena to sit for a deposition before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday. ‘Mark my words this was planned and they’re going to use this as the excuse to not testify before Congress… he’ll end up with nothing or [a] slap on the wrist but it’ll make sure he evades the thousands of things (Oversight Committee) is looking at…’

“One former U.S. attorney predicted Biden will now plead the fifth. Brett Tollman agreed with Trump Jr., that the DOJ’s timing on this is transparent in its attempts to protect the Bidens. ‘They could have brought these charges much earlier,’ Tollman told Fox News. ‘They didn’t because they wanted to try to slip one past the American public. This is an effort to also protect Joe Biden…’”

If so, then this would be scandalous and incredibly corrupt.

Hunter Biden Defies Subpoena

Breitbart wrote on December 13:

“House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-KY) and Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) initiated contempt of Congress proceedings against Hunter Biden after the president’s son failed to appear for a subpoenaed closed-door deposition Wednesday. If prosecuted and convicted for contempt of Congress, Hunter Biden’s punishment could be up to a $100,000 fine and imprisonment. ‘We will not provide special treatment because his last name is Biden,’ Comer and Jordan wrote. ‘As our committees were today prepared to depose Hunter Biden, he chose to make a public statement on Capitol Hill instead where he said his father, Joe Biden was not financially involved in his family’s business dealings.’

“‘Exactly how was Joe Biden involved?’ they questioned. ‘Evidence shows Joe Biden met with Hunter’s business associates and his name was at the center of the family business strategy.’ …

“House investigators opened a probe into the Biden family in November 2022. They revealed Joe Biden received money from James Biden and Hunter Biden. They also showed that nine additional Biden family members received payments from the family’s foreign business ventures, including two of the president’s grandchildren.”

The New York Post published the following article by Miranda Devine on December 10:

“It’s as if they live in a cave without access to modern communications. The reason the president has gone unmentioned after a five-year investigation into Hunter’s role in the family influence-peddling racket is that the DOJ, like most of the media, corruptly protected him…  Protecting Joe Biden is a longstanding whole-of-government enterprise…”

The conduct and the lies of Hunter Biden and of those Democrats who support him are beyond “shameless.” Note our new StandingWatch program, “Hunter Biden’s Indictment—the Coverup Continues.”

Impeachment Inquiry Against Joe Biden Approved

 Breitbart wrote on December 13:

“The House of Representatives on Wednesday voted to formalize an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden by a vote of 221 to 212. The formally adopted status will enable House investigators to enforce subpoenas and gather evidence about whether the president is compromised and ‘traded official acts for foreign dollars,’ according to House Speaker Mike Johnson…

“Republicans unanimously voted to adopt the resolution…  Democrats voted in a block to oppose the resolution’s adoption.

“The White House failed to provide investigators:

“Information about two loan agreements Joe Biden allegedly executed with James Biden for a total of $240,000. 99.98 percent of requested records from President Joe Biden, including alias emails. Documents about an alleged $5 million bribe Joe Biden accepted. Materials related to Joe Biden’s mishandling of classified documents.

“The vote was a test for House Republicans, who only hold a slight majority that will shrink further this month after Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) announced resignation. Rep. Bill Johnson (R-FL) is also expected to leave in the new year to take a university post. Speaker McCarthy opened an ‘impeachment inquiry’ into the president on September 12, but lawmakers did not vote to approve the measure until Wednesday…

“Recent polling shows Americans are highly skeptical of Hunter and Joe Biden:… A plurality of Americans are not confident about how the Justice Department handled the investigation into Hunter Biden… A majority of voters believe President Joe Biden committed a crime with Hunter Biden… 63 percent say Joe Biden violated FARA by assisting Hunter Biden in [the] Ukraine deal…”

The impeachment inquiry could lead to an impeachment process with the possible result that Biden could be found guilty of “high crimes and misdemeanors,” which can lead to his removal from office if convicted in a Senate trial. The possibility that this could happen with a Senate dominated by fact-defying Democrats is next to none. 

Trump Too?

The New York Post wrote on December 9:

“Megyn Kelly said that former President Trump had lost ‘multiple steps’ mentally and was no longer the same man he was in 2016. The podcast host and former Fox News anchor said the 77-year-old former president was starting to show his age — and it wasn’t pretty…. ‘He is confusing Joe Biden for [Barack] Obama … I know he’s now saying he intentionally did that — go back and look at the clips, it wasn’t intentional.’

“The reference about how somebody is going to get us into World War II, confusing countries, confusing cities where he is, and it’s happening more and more,’ she said… ‘if it’s between Trump and Biden, I don’t think there’s any question who’s more fit and more capable. But are we really going to pretend that Donald Trump is just as vibrant and mentally sharp as he was in ’16?’…

“Kelly and Trump have a long personal history dating to the 2016 presidential election…”

Controversial Case in Texas Involving Abortion

The Associated Press wrote on December 9:

“The Texas Supreme Court on Friday night put on hold a judge’s ruling that approved an abortion for a pregnant woman whose fetus has a fatal diagnosis, throwing into limbo an unprecedented challenge to one of the most restrictive bans in the U.S. The order by the all-Republican court came more than 30 hours after Kate Cox, a 31-year-old mother of two from the Dallas area, received a temporary restraining order from a lower court judge that prevents Texas from enforcing the state’s ban in her case…

“Cox was 20 weeks pregnant this week when she filed what is believed to be the first lawsuit of its kind since the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling last year that overturned Roe v. Wade… Cox learned she was pregnant for a third time in August and was told weeks later that her baby was at a high risk for a condition known as trisomy 18, which has a very high likelihood of miscarriage or stillbirth and low survival rates, according to her lawsuit.

“Furthermore, doctors have told Cox that if the baby’s heartbeat were to stop, inducing labor would carry a risk of a uterine rupture because of her two prior cesareans sections, and that another C-section at full term would endanger her ability to carry another child.

“Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton…warned three hospitals in Houston that they could face legal consequences if they allowed Cox’s physician to provide the abortion…”

Austin American-Statesman reported on December 12:

“The Texas Supreme Court in a highly anticipated decision on Monday evening ruled that Kate Cox, a Dallas area mother carrying a fetus with a fatal condition, does not qualify for an abortion under state laws based on her doctor’s ‘good faith belief’ that she needs the procedure.

“‘The statute requires that judgment be a “reasonable medical” judgment, and Dr. (Damla) Karsan has not asserted that her “good faith belief” about Ms. Cox’s condition meets that standard,’ the opinion reads… Justices indicated they were not inclined to broaden the exception, stating doctors must adhere to a standard of ‘reasonable medical judgment’ rather than a “good faith belief” that a patient needs a life-saving abortion…

“Nancy Northrup, the president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which is representing Cox in the suit, said Cox had no choice but to leave the state to get the procedure [and apparently did so on Monday.]”

Note that we are dealing to a large extent with probabilities and likelihoods, but not with certainties. In any event, the question is, can the killing of innocent human life ever be justified?

Scandalous Conduct of Colorado School Regarding Transgender Policy

Fox News wrote on December 9:

“The parents of an 11-year-old girl who was reportedly assigned to share a bed with a transgender student while on an overnight school trip are speaking out about the incident, saying they were not informed of the decision. Serena and Joe Wailes… are taking [action] against Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS)… after chaperones on the June trip allegedly told their daughter to ‘lie’ about the reason why she wanted to switch rooms… [She] was supposed to be assigned to a room with three girls. [Allegedly, the Wailes] were assured in multiple parent meetings leading up to the trip that male and female students would be staying not only in different hotel rooms but also on completely different floors…

“The Wailes’ daughter, who is identified as “D.W.” in the press release, said she found out one of the students she was assigned to share a room with, “K.E.M.,” was transgender – a biological male who identifies as a female… D.W. was understandably uncomfortable with the idea of sharing a bed with a male student, so she snuck into the bathroom and quietly called her father and then her mother… The chaperones asked D.W. if she could simply move to another bed rather than a new room, and while she was still uncomfortable, she agreed to try it for one night so that she could get some sleep. But the chaperones, consistent with district policy, told D.W. to lie about the reason and say she needed to switch beds to be closer to the air conditioner…”

Incredible.

Covid Hysteria on the Rise Again

Daily Express wrote on December 8:

“Masking up is recommended for those who are sick and want to take precautions… according to The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)… with Covid and pneumonia cases especially on the rise… The CDC’s mask wearing guidance… states: ‘People with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a high-quality mask or respirator when indoors in public.’

“The CDC recommends that people take additional precautions to protect themselves against viruses, like getting the Covid vaccine, the flu vaccine and the RSV vaccine for those over the age of 60… other layers of protection include… wearing a mask.

“Masking recommendations eased up over the summer, but the CDC seems to be tightening guidance on mask wearing this winter as viruses spread.”

This hysteria seems to take hold of other countries as well; it could be and probably is a concentrated effort. In Germany, for example, Health Minister Karl Lauterbach recommended immediate vaccination against Covid and the flu at the same time, to get a Covid test, if in doubt, and to wear masks in buses and trains (Bild, December 12).

How More Insane Can It Get? Carbon Passports for Travelers

CNN published on November 27 an opinion piece with [at least] a disclaimer:

“Tourism is part of the problem [of “climate change”]… The negative impacts of tourism on the environment have become so severe that some are suggesting drastic changes to our travel habits are inevitable. In a report from 2023 that analyzed the future of sustainable travel, tour operator Intrepid Travel proposed that ‘carbon passports’ will soon become a reality if the tourism industry hopes to survive.

“The idea of a carbon passport centers on each traveler being assigned a yearly carbon allowance that they cannot exceed.. the idea of personal carbon allowances is not new. A similar concept (called ‘personal carbon trading’) was discussed by UK Parliament in 2008, before being shut down because of its perceived complexity and the possibility of public resistance…

“Some European countries are beginning to take measures to reduce air travel. As of April 1, 2023, passengers on short-haul flights and older aircraft in Belgium have been subject to increased taxes to encourage alternative forms of travel. Less than two months later, France banned short-haul domestic flights where the same trip can be made by train in two-and-a-half hours or less. Spain is expected to follow suit.

“A similar scheme could also be on the horizon for Germany… 70% of Germans would support such measures to fight climate change if alternative transport routes like trains or ships were available.

“It’s not just air travel that’s being criticized… Amsterdam’s council banned cruise ships from docking in the city center… [Venice banned] large cruise ships entering the city’s waters…”

Will this green woke nonsense ever end?

Poland Still in Uncertain Waters

Deutsche Welle reported on December 13:

“The new government of Polish Prime Minister-designate Donald Tusk won a vote of confidence on Tuesday. It comes a day after a majority of Polish MPs elected Tusk as the county’s new prime minister when the proposed conservative government of acting PM Mateusz Morawiecki failed to win lawmakers’ backing… He previously served as Poland’s prime minister from 2007 to 2014 before taking over as European Council president from 2014 to 2019.

“Speaking to lawmakers on Tuesday… Tusk expressed a vote of confidence in the European Union… Tusk has vowed to improve Warsaw’s relations with Brussels, which have been plagued by tensions during the past eight years… Tusk said he would go to Brussels this week and ‘bring back billions of euros,’ referring to the frozen funds [based on the condition that Poland changes its justice system.]. Still, laws to amend the justice system will need the assent of the president… Duda. If Duda vetoes the legislation, Tusk’s coalition doesn’t have the three-fifths majority in the lower house of parliament to override it.

“Duda will remain in office until the next presidential election, which is expected to take place sometime in 2025…

“Furthermore, Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal ruled on Monday that judicial reform legislation which Warsaw needed to pass in order to access the EU funds was unconstitutional.

“As Tusk promised close ties with the EU, he also underlined that he opposes any changes to EU treaties that are not in line with Polish interests… On Ukraine, Tusk said on Tuesday Warsaw will demand the full mobilization of the West to help the war-ravaged country… Tusk also stressed that Poland would remain a loyal ally of the United States.”

EU Grants Ukraine Membership Talks in Midst of War

Reuters wrote on December 14:

“European Union leaders made a historic decision on Thursday to open membership talks with Ukraine, bypassing objections from Hungary to give Kyiv a major political boost as its war against Russia’s invasion grinds on… The move came at a critical time for Ukraine, after its counter-offensive against Russian forces has failed to make major gains and with U.S. President Joe Biden so far unable to get a $60 billion aid package for Kyiv through the U.S. Congress.

“The EU took the decision in a highly unorthodox fashion: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who cultivates close ties with Moscow, agreed to leave the room while his peers from the EU’s 26 other members agreed the move…

“Orban stood by his objections to membership talks for Ukraine even after the decision was taken. ‘Hungary’s stance is clear, Ukraine is not prepared for us to start talks on EU membership,’ he said, calling the decision to start talks ‘irrational’ and ‘inappropriate.’… But membership talks will likely take years and will not start immediately.

“First, the EU will have to agree to a negotiating framework for the talks – which will require another unanimous decision. The leaders said they would take this step once Ukraine meets outstanding requirements on democracy and the rule of law…”

We don’t think it will happen. In any event, Ukraine and Russia will unite to fight Europe. 

Spain, Belgium, Ireland and Malta Gang On Israel

Newslite wrote on December 10:

“The president of Spain, Pedro Sánchez; and the prime ministers of Belgium, Alexander de Croo; Ireland, Leo Varadkar; and Malta, Robert Abela, have asked by letter to the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, to demand an ‘urgent’ ceasefire in Gaza, as well as the protection of civilians residing there in the face of the ‘seriousness of the situation’ and the ‘possibility of the conflict escalating in the West Bank and throughout the region.’

“The letter comes after the UN Secretary General activated Article 99 of the United Nations Charter for the first time to request this humanitarian ceasefire. The four countries point out that since the conflict began, ‘the number of fatalities and the terrible humanitarian situation have reached alarming levels.’ However, the resolution presented to the UN Council was finally vetoed this Friday by the United States. [In addition, only the UK abstained.]

“The four leaders consider that, although the humanitarian pauses and hostage exchanges between Israel and Palestine are positive, the parties should be asked ‘urgently to declare a lasting humanitarian ceasefire that could lead to the end of hostilities’…

“The third of their requests to Michel is the two-state solution for Israel and Palestine… while concluding that this ‘is the time for the European Union to act’: ‘Our credibility is at stake.’”

Warmonger and antisemite Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey stated after the United States vetoed the UN ceasefire resolution for Gaza that peace with the USA is impossible.

Sanctions Against Israeli Settlers?

RTE wrote on December 11:

“European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has said he would propose sanctions against Jewish settlers responsible for violence against Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied West Ban… While much international attention has focused on the cross-border assault [by Hamas on October 7] and Israel’s subsequent war against Hamas in Gaza, European officials have also expressed increasing concern about rising violence against Palestinians in the West Bank…

“The situation in Gaza is ‘catastrophic, apocalyptic’, with destruction proportionally ‘even greater’ than that which Germany experienced in World War II… Borrell has said. Israel’s military response to Hamas’s 7 October attacks has resulted in ‘an incredible number of civilian casualties’, Mr Borrell said after chairing a meeting of EU foreign ministers.

“He… condemned the Israeli government’s decision to approve 1,700 more housing units in Jerusalem, in what Brussels considers a violation of international law.”

Ireland stated it would be “very open” to imposing sanctions and travel bans on extremist settlers if there is no agreement at the EU level.

UN General Assembly Votes Overwhelmingly for Ceasefire

Aljazeera wrote on December 12:

“The 193-member United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has voted overwhelmingly in favour of a resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in war-torn Gaza. Tuesday’s resolution passed with 153 countries voting in favour, 23 abstaining and 10 countries voting against, including Israel and the United States. While the resolution is non-binding [unlike a UN Security Council resolution which was vetoed by the US on Friday], it serves as an indicator of global opinion.”

The ten countries vetoing the resolution included Israel, the USA, Austria, Czechia, Liberia, Guatemala, and Paraguay, among others.

The 23 countries abstaining included, among others, Argentina, Bulgaria, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Panama, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine, United Kingdom and Uruguay.

The 153 countries voting in favor included, notably, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Egypt, Finland, France, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Zimbabwe.

The anti-Israeli front becomes more focused. Some joining it are somewhat surprising; others are clearly expected.

America Is Undermining the War Effort

Israel Today wrote on December 11

“… under American pressure, the Israeli war cabinet was forced to discuss an increase in fuel deliveries to the Gaza Strip, essentially supplying oxygen to Hamas terrorists fighting our soldiers through terror tunnels… a spokesperson for the State Department announced that the United States would oppose the creation of a buffer zone in the Gaza Strip, thus adding more constraints on Israel’s actions, particularly the options at its disposal when it comes to protecting towns near the border. There were also US statements that the duration of the war is not unlimited, along with pressure on Israel before the renewal of hostilities in southern Gaza to reduce the intensity of the fighting and increase humanitarian aid… the US has been imposing limitations that prevent Israel from achieving these goals without heavy losses.

“Moreover, the limitations imposed by the US will undoubtedly prolong the conflict, which is something Washington doesn’t want. The best way to ensure a quick and effective military operation with minimal risk to the uninvolved population is to temporarily relocate this population outside the combat zones. However, there are also objections to this.

“… Israel cannot compromise on achieving its goals while minimizing the burden on its fighters—regardless of how long it takes… Those who insist on getting answers from the Israeli government over what happens ‘the day after’ are doing so despite knowing full well that there are no good options in Gaza. If there were, they would have presumably been implemented during one of the many opportunities to do so over the years….”

Trump Wishes Happy Hanukkah

Israel 365 News wrote on December 11:

“Former  President Donald Trump released a video wishing the Jewish people a ‘happy Hanukkah’… ‘The miracle of Hanukkah began more than 2000 years ago when a proud band of Jewish patriots courageously stood up and reclaimed their freedom, their faith and their traditions from an oppressive tyrant. After that great victory the Jewish heroes prepared to rededicate the holy temple but found only enough oil to light the lamp for one night. Yet by the grace of the Almighty, the flames radiated for eight days and eight nights, ever since then the menorah has been a symbol of Jewish perseverance in the face of oppression, and of God’s hope, mercy and love in times of hardship,

“[T]his Hanukkah season, Jewish Americans and people all over the world are still reeling from the monstrous Hamas terror attacks on innocent men, women and children. To everyone touched by these barbaric atrocities we pray that God will bring you healing comfort and peace. We recommit ourselves to extinguishing the evil of anti-Semitism from the earth. We reaffirm the everlasting solidarity with the Jewish people, and we go forward confident with God’s help. In the end, light will overcome this horrible darkness once again. Happy Hanukkah and God bless you all.’”

Israel To Take Military Action If the USA Does Not

Israel Today wrote on December 10:

“Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels announced on Saturday night that they will target every Israel-bound ship in the Red Sea regardless of the vessel’s ownership… The United States has been consulting with Gulf allies about potential military action against the Houthis in response to their attacks…

“The talks are at a ‘preliminary stage’ as Washington and its partners still favor diplomacy over direct confrontation… On Thursday, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Biden administration has asked Israel not to respond to Houthi attacks lest it spark a wider regional conflict. Israel’s Cannel reported on Saturday night that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nevertheless told US President Joe Biden that Jerusalem would take military action against the Houthis if the Americans did not act first.”

To ask Israel not to “respond” to mass murders by terrorists while Biden is engaging in some kind of “diplomacy” is beyond belief.

Highly Problematic Requirement of Declaration of Loyalty to Israel for German Naturalization

Deutsche Welle reported on December 8:

“Effective immediately, those applying for German citizenship in the east-central state of Saxony-Anhalt must declare their support for Israel’s right to exist. This ‘commitment’ is part of new language that state interior minister, Tamara Zieschang, informed relevant authorities about in a ministerial decree this week.

“Failing to do so would deny naturalization to foreigners who otherwise fulfill the necessary conditions… Under the new guidelines, applicants would have to sign a declaration that they ‘recognize Israel’s right to exist and condemn any efforts directed against the existence of the state of Israel.’ 

“A more thorough check of ‘antisemitic attitudes’ would also be part of the naturalization process.

“Naturalization law is made at the federal level, but it’s up to each of the 16 states to implement it. A similar Israel clause is currently under consideration in the Bundestag, the German parliament, which would then apply nationwide… While both the state-level decree and federal-level debate have been put forward by the center-right Chrisitan Democrats (CDU), it has met widespread approval from other parties, including those in power. However, the three-party government coalition has expressed skepticism over how much such a statement could really do to combat anti-Israel sentiment…”

Even apart from the question of the legality of such a requirement and the little chance of success to combat “home-grown” Antisemitism, this whole approach, even though “typically German,” appears quite preposterous and completely unbalanced and could very well backfire.

Increased EU Military Spending

Euronews wrote on November 30:

“Military spending in the European Union hit a record €240 billion in 2022 – up 6% on the previous year… This is the eighth consecutive year of growth in the bloc, with many states defending the need for a significant increase due to the Russian threat and Ukraine war.  Six out of 27 EU countries increased their military spending by more than 10% last year. Sweden saw a rise of more than 30%, as the country awaits NATO membership…

“Despite the increased spending, Europe’s defence industry cannot meet demand from Ukraine as it battles the Russian invasion.” 

Alarm Grows Over Weakened Militaries and Empty Arsenals in Europe

The Wall Street Journal wrote on December 11:

“The British military—the leading U.S. military ally and Europe’s biggest defense spender—has only around 150 deployable tanks and perhaps a dozen serviceable long-range artillery pieces. So bare was the cupboard that last year the British military considered sourcing multiple rocket launchers from museums to upgrade and donate to Ukraine, an idea that was dropped. 

“France, the next biggest spender, has fewer than 90 heavy artillery pieces, equivalent to what Russia loses roughly every month on the Ukraine battlefield. Denmark has no heavy artillery,…”

Germany Must Be Ready for “Defensive” War with Russia

Yahoo!News wrote on December 10:

“Germany may have to wage a defensive war against Russia in the future, German televisions news program Tagesschau reported on Dec. 9, citing Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) Inspector General Carsten Breuer… Asked whether the Bundeswehr would be able to cope with a possible Russian attack on NATO after the war in Ukraine, Breuer replied, ‘Yes. Period. We have no alternative. We can defend ourselves and we will defend ourselves.’

“However, he also admitted that the Bundeswehr is currently not well equipped for ‘national and allied defense’ because it has been focused on resolving international crises, adding that there are ‘structures that make quick and targeted decisions almost impossible.’

“Europe fears the United States might withdraw from NATO if U.S. Republican politician Donald Trump wins the 2024 U.S. presidential election, media reported on Dec. 9.

“Russia will attack NATO countries if it conquers Ukraine, U.S. President Joe Biden said on Dec. 6. Russia is rebuilding its forces and capabilities and preparing for a potential confrontation with NATO, said Lieutenant General Jürgen-Joachim von Sandrart, NATO Multinational Corps Commander on Dec. 5….”

According to the Bible, Germany will not only be ready for a defensive war, but it will launch a preemptive offensive war against Russia, which will be met with swift retaliation.

German Government Agrees on Budget

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 13:

“Germany’s ruling… coalition has managed to strike a political deal on the federal budget for 2024… The agreement comes after a court ruling threw government finances into disarray and exposed deep rifts between the three governing parties… It blew a big hole in public finances. For the 2024 budget, the government has had to find an additional €17 billion ($18.3 billion) to fill the hole…

“While the SPD and the Greens sound in favor of increasing taxes, the FDP has ruled out tax hikes and instead suggested welfare cuts. The SPD and the Greens are staunchly against any cuts to social benefits; they instead want to suspend the debt brake again for 2024 to allow for increased government borrowing. But the FDP opposes this move…

“[Chancellor Olaf] Scholz said the government will reinstate the debt brake in 2024… Scholz also stressed that the climate and transformation fund will remain a key instrument for the climate-friendly transformation of the German economy. But the fund will be cut by €12 billion for 2024, he said. Addressing the Bundestag on Wednesday, Scholz said: ‘We have agreed to prioritize spending without putting the social security of our country or its transformation at risk…’

“[Green Climate Minister Robert] Habeck said the ruling coalition agreed to end financial incentives to buy electric cars sooner than previously planned, without revealing the exact date for when they would expire. He also said that subsidies for the expansion of solar power will be cut…

“[FDP Finance Minister Christian] Lindner… noted that the government will slash climate-damaging subsidies to the tune of €3 billion… Scholz stressed Germany would have to react should the Ukraine conflict worsen next year. If the situation worsens, for instance, due to other supporters cutting back their aid to Ukraine or a further increase in threat levels faced by Germany and Europe, ‘we will have to react to this,’  he said.”

Especially the agreement to raise taxes might prove to be the final nail in the coalition’s coffin. According to Bild, this means that customers will have to pay more for gasoline, heating and domestic flights (due to a tax on kerosene fuel). Demands for new elections are getting louder.

Hiked Prices Far Above Costs Responsible For Inflation

The Guardian wrote on December 7:

“Profiteering has played a significant role in boosting inflation during 2022…  Analysis of the financial accounts of many of the UK’s biggest businesses found that profits far outpaced increases in costs, helping to push up inflation last year to levels not seen since the early 1980s… business profits rose by 30% among UK-listed firms, driven by just 11% of firms that made super-profits based on their ability to push through stellar price increases… Excessive profits were even larger in the US, where many important sections of the economy are dominated by a few powerful companies.  This surge in profits happened as wage increases largely failed to keep pace with inflation, and workers suffered their largest fall in disposable incomes since the second world war.

“Researchers said the energy companies ExxonMobil and Shell, mining firms Glencore and Rio Tinto, and food and commodities businesses Kraft Heinz, Archer-Daniels-Midland and Bunge all saw their profits far outpace inflation in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine… After the analysis of 1,350 companies listed on the stock markets in the UK, US, Germany, Brazil and South Africa, the report said firms in the technology sector, telecommunications and the banking industry also pushed through significant price increases that raised their profit margins… Four food companies – the listed suppliers Archer-Daniels-Midland and Bunge, plus the privately owned Cargill and Dreyfus – control an estimated 70%–90% of the world grain market.”

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

On christiantoday.com, we read a typical repudiation of the order that God has set in the Church. Here is a brief extract:

“Another context we need to take into consideration was the cultural background of the time and proximity. The church of Corinth is not a congregation that was born two weeks ago. It was a church built by people of a different time and a different culture all together. What may mean something to us will mean something completely different to the people of that time.

“What was ancient Corinth like? It existed in a day and age and in a culture where it was more beneficial and secure for women to refuse certain cultural and societal roles — and leadership was one of them.

“But today, that’s no longer the case. It’s now safe and beneficial for women to lead. That gives all women just as much right to spiritually and strategically lead as men.”

What a flimsy argument that is, to be able to negate clear Scriptural instruction in order for women to do what they want to – and this article was written by a man!

1 Corinthians 14:37 is clear.  The apostle Paul wrote: 

“If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.”

He did not state his own opinion and he did not repeat the thoughts and ideas of another human being – but he proclaimed “the commandments of the Lord.” 

On placefortruth.org, Joseph Hamrick in June 2019 wrote an excellent article about the “Argument from Culture.” Below are a few selected comments from this presentation.

“There is an argument, not exactly new, that has been making its way through the church today. The argument from culture, let’s call it the argumentam ad culturam, is an attempt to undermine the legitimacy and primacy of Scripture for Christian living, while claiming to honor the Scripture for what ‘it really says.’ It is the basic hermeneutical assumption of the culturalists.

“This argument states that since Christ (or Peter, or John, or Paul, etc.) addressed people bound by a certain place, time, and culture, the message’s proscriptions and prescriptions are likewise bound by a certain place, time, and culture.  Scripture does not utter statements once and for all authoritative; rather, it records statements held to be authoritative once upon a time. Following proper and sometimes extensive adjustments, some authority may still hold for us (e.g., support orphans and widows); largely, however, that authority is now gone with the wind–as are the place, time, and culture in which they were uttered.

“The problem with argumentum ad culturum is those who use it miss the scriptural context they try to gloss. For them, misapprehension of the scripture hinges on a failure to understand a preposition.  That is, they are blind to the difference between making an argument to a culture and arguing from one. Christ, Paul, and others took the former route. Progressive Christians take the latter.

“As has been argued, Paul’s words, and Christ’s, are not merely cultural arguments, they are more. They are the very word of God, which cannot change.

“Culture cannot, and must not, dictate the word of God.”

The points made by Mr Hamrick are very well taken when he states that culture cannot “dictate the word of God.”

In a speech in 2022 to the Oxford Union debate on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, in opposition against “This House Supports Same-Sex Marriage in Church,” Calvin Robinson, an Anglican deacon, and Dr Ian Paul went up against the Bishop of Buckingham, the Bishop of Dudley and the Bishop of Worcester.   Again, we will quote excerpts from this presentation.

Mr Robinson said: “We are up against the authorities – three bishops from the Established Church. That means either I am wrong – and Christians have been teaching incorrectly on marriage for 2,000 years – or we have Church leaders attempting to drag the Church into apostasy.

“Suffice to say we lost the debate: 186 for, 41 against. I would like to thank those 41 sound students at Oxford who braved the lion’s den. It must be a very lonely place for them. 

“… Paul describes marriage as, ‘Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh,’ in which he is mirroring the language of Genesis, where God tells man and wife to ‘Be fruitful and multiply’.

“People will argue, ‘we know more about homosexuality now than we did then,’ maybe so. But are you then suggesting God knew less than we do now? For either all Scripture is God-breathed, or it isn’t. Either we believe Christ, or we don’t.

“Are we looking to alter the catechism of just the Anglican Church, or should the Catholic Church ‘get with the times’, too? 2,000 years of Christian doctrine and 4,000 years of Jewish doctrine cannot be altered at the whim of a few liberal bishops. What is God-ordained cannot be adjusted to suit our liberal progressive worldviews. Marriage is heterosexual and monogamous and should be open to the possibility of children.

“… Jesus talks of marriage in Mark and Matthew, both in the context of heterosexual union.

“So my question to the bishops would be, do we not believe in the authority of the Scriptures any more? Can we pick and choose which parts of the Gospel we adhere to?

“We are directly talking about undermining God’s plan as he has revealed it to us. We are replacing his authority with our own.

“Another one, we’ll hear plenty of is ‘inclusivity’. Shouldn’t the Church be more inclusive?

“Again, it’s a play on words people use to virtue signal. To appear good rather than being good.

“As Christians, we are called to be in the world but not of the world.”

Mr Robinson has also opposed the ordination of women.  His ordination in the Church of England was blocked after several bishops had expressed concerns about his outspoken views.  In essence, as his views were from the Bible and not politically correct in today’s permissive woke culture, he was “cancelled”.

On epm.org, we read: “After all, we are all influenced by the values of the times in which we live. A quick note, though. If we are rejecting the time-bound values of the Bible because we now have new values, how do we know that ours aren’t time-bound? In fact, how do we know that our culture’s values are not even worse? These are questions worth pondering.

“But to claim that the Bible simply reflects the viewpoints of its time is to misunderstand the Bible entirely. Far from simply being a product of its time, the teachings of the Bible consistently confront readers with counter-cultural messages. Even the creation narrative itself stands in contrasts to other ancient creation myths.”

One person wrote that “Many things in the Bible are unacceptable to modern Christians. Why? Because they do not sit right with contemporary moral sensibilities.”  

In 2021, a report headed “Social media manipulation by political actors an industrial scale problem” offered these findings:

“Oxford Internet Institute team warns the level of social media manipulation has soared, with governments and political parties spending millions on private sector ‘cyber troops’, who drown out other voices on social media. Citizen influencers are used to spread manipulated messages. These include volunteers, youth groups and civil society organisations, who support their ideologies. This activity has become professionalised, with private firms offering disinformation-for-hire services.”

In other words, the manipulating of people’s views and understanding on many issues can be shaped and activated to lead many down the path of the loudest and most influential voice.   It is almost inevitable that this will be against the clear teachings from the Word of God which is derided, dismissed, disparaged and ridiculed as being of non-effect in such an “enlightened” society.   Conformity is usually required.

It can be seen from even “Christian” sources that, allegedly, “many things in the Bible are unacceptable to modern Christians. Why? Because they do not sit right with contemporary moral sensibilities.”   In other words, in order for Christianity to be relevant to some/many people today, the Way of God has to be moulded and shaped to the requirements of contemporary society.

In conclusion, it seems that counterfeit Christianity is determined to be the arbiter of what is right and wrong—not the great Creator God (the Father) who created all things through Jesus Christ. The extraordinary arrogance and ego of man who thinks that he knows best is truly amazing!

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Dave Harris

“Hunter Biden’s Indictment—the Cover-up Continues,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

It has been described as a blatant attempt “to evade any direct implications of President Biden,” “a marvel” and “a model of evasion”; but that it is still devastating for the narrative and denials of Joe Biden which have been characterized as being “clearly and knowingly false” and “untrue.” Who and what can save us from this terrible corruption?

“Hunter Biden angeklagt—und die Vertuschung setzt sich fort,” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German language program covers the same topic as described above.

A new booklet for youth has entered its first review cycle.

A Tech Team meeting was conducted on December 3, 2023. Hosted by Eric Rank, the primary focus was on our ad campaigns, especially regarding the new one for The Rise and Fall of Germany and Europe. An advertising campaign for the German booklet, “Aufstieg und Fall von Deutschland und Europa,” will follow soon.

“Wie und wofür beten Sie?” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermonette, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “How and for What Do you Pray?”

“Wie sicher sind Sie sich Ihrer Zukunft?” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Michael Link. Title in English: “”How Sure Are You of Your Future?”

“Der Weisheit auf der Spur,” last Sabbath’s first split sermon in Germany was presented by Marc Voeller. Title in English: ‘On the Trail of Wisdom.”

“Frucht bringen,” last Sabbath’s second split sermon in Germany was presented by Daniel Blasinger. Title I English: “Bear Fruit.”

“Sweet Smelling Aroma,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Michael Link, is now posted.

“Can You Forgive God?” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

A controversial title! God cannot sin, so why this question? And yet…what about our reactions when things don’t go the way we would like? Do we then perhaps question God’s justice, knowledge and power, as some righteous people in the Bible have done? And if we react like this, what will help us to get out of this dilemma?