On September 4, 2021, Dave Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “Overwhelmed,” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “Resilience.”

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.

September 7, 2021 is the Feast of Trumpets.

Live services will be broadcast at 2:00 pm Pacific Time.

Eric Rank will present the Offertory, and Dave Harris will present the sermon, titled, “Why do Christians Observe the Feast of Trumpets?”

Over the past year and a half, I have been working from home while our offices remain closed because of the restrictions imposed to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. Since I don’t get out of the house very often, it is not uncommon for my attendance at Sabbath services on Saturday to be the only time I leave my property during the course of the week. As a result, the amount of my face-to-face interaction with real, live people tends to be exceedingly limited. Certainly, my experience is different than others who get out of the house more often, but I dare say that most of us are getting less human contact than we normally do. Especially for those who live in areas where lockdowns are in effect.

There are several damaging effects stemming from mandatory lockdowns, stay at home orders, and the limitation of human contact. But one of the most notable effects is the impact on our perception of reality. When we are limited in our ability to interact with the real world, the only ways that we can get any insight into what is happening “out there” is through the media that we are able to consume, and our imaginations. Unfortunately, both of these ways offer only a narrow and distorted view of a reality that is already difficult to understand objectively.

Particularly where we have limited interaction with the real world around us, news reports and social media become the main portals for information from the outside world. These work together to present information to us in ways designed to manipulate our beliefs and influence our behavior. Whether we like it or not, we are unavoidably affected by the agendas from these media outlets.

If we are not careful about the information we consume and how we allow ourselves to be influenced, we are doomed to be conformed to this corrupt world. Being Christians, we know that we are in the world for a purpose. We are ambassadors for Christ (compare 2 Corinthians 5:20), shining as lights in the darkness (compare Romans 2:19, Ephesians 5:8), so that we can share a better way of life through our example. Yet we are also to separate ourselves from the world so that we do not become conformed to it (compare Romans 12:2). We are responsible for increasing the strength of our conviction to live according to the highest of all standards – those standards established by the Truth and Commandments of God. This means that we need to be keenly selective of the information we consume from the world so that we can protect ourselves from the erosion of our belief in the Truth.

In this context, we curate news articles in the Update to provide you with a perspective that the mass media ignores. Understanding current events in light of Biblical prophecy is important for us because we need to understand what’s happening around us with a Spiritual understanding. The Church of the Eternal God and its international affiliates have a commission to support the brethren in their Spiritual growth, which we do through the presentation in the Update.

In His final hours of life on Earth, Jesus Christ prayed to God the Father on our behalf, knowing that we would face the challenges that we do today. He prayed, “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth” (John 17:14-19). With the world under the influence of Satan the devil, who is antagonistic towards the begotten children of God, our only hope is in holding fast to the Truth of God to protect ourselves from the lies espoused by the worldly media.

It is so important that we are careful to consider what we allow to form the foundation of our beliefs. Are we using the Truth of God to establish our beliefs, or do we allow the ideas from the worldly rhetoricians who dominate the media to infect us? We are moral agents, who need to make a distinction between what is good and evil, so that we can live the good Way of Life that is pleasing to God. It doesn’t take much to observe something wrong in the world, but we must ensure that the way it is presented in the mass media does not affect our beliefs. What is more difficult is filtering out what man will tell us is the right way to fix what we see as wrong. The news and media will present myriad opinions about what is right, many of which might sound good. However, we need to remember that man’s ways are not God’s ways (compare Isaiah 55:8). To remain true to our Christian commitment, we must always allow the words of the Bible to form the foundation of our beliefs, not the words of man. If we allow ourselves to be influenced by the Satanic corruption in this world, we place ourselves in a precarious position that will lead us away from God when we act upon faulty beliefs. Yet, if we keep our beliefs protected from corruption, our actions will be led by the Spirit, drawing us closer to God and leading us into the Glory He promises to those who obey Him.

by Norbert Link

We begin with the end of America’s disastrous and embarrassing retreat from Afghanistan, while managing to create more chaos in the process and leaving thousands of Americans and Afghan allies behind. [Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Why Is America in so Much Trouble?”]

While it is being suggested that America’s failure in Afghanistan was of a spiritual nature, reports emerge that the Biden Administration might be in cahoots with the Taliban in preventing Christians from leaving the country. And while it is (falsely) claimed that the Taliban and ISIS are arch-enemies, it has been revealed that the Taliban freed thousands of Isis fighters from prison, including known terrorists.

We also publish a biting commentary by the Daily Mail about the incompetence of President Biden and the terribly dark future for the USA under another 3 ½ years of Biden rule, continuing that IF Biden were to step down prematurely, the future might look even more bleak under Kamala Harris.

We also speak on the meeting between Messrs. Biden and Bennett as two leaders in trouble.

Focusing on Europe, we report on European failure in the Afghan debacle and the push for an independent European army, which, according to Bible prophecy, will be a reality very soon. We also publish an interesting article about Germany’s controversial Health Minister Jens Spahn; as well as an article about Europe’s Nordic countries.

In other news, we speak about an absolute atrocity occurring at Harvard University; and the devastating damages caused by Hurricane Ida, the most powerful monster storm ever to hit Louisiana on exactly the 16^th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

We finally focus on new restrictions and other developments in respect to coronavirus—with no end in sight.

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

America’s Embarrassing Retreat

The Associated Press reported on August 30:

“Taliban fighters watched the last U.S. planes disappear into the sky over Afghanistan around midnight Monday and then fired their guns into the air, celebrating victory after a 20-year insurgency that drove the world’s most powerful military out of one of the poorest countries.”

The Daily Mail reported on August 31:

“The Taliban celebrated the American withdrawal by hosting mock funerals with coffins draped with the US, UK and French flags as well as NATO’s insignia. They launched fireworks into the Kabul skyline and flaunted the American weapons and equipment they obtained that U.S. military personnel left behind…”

In his address to the nation on August 31, Joe Biden called his incompetent withdrawal from Afghanistan “an extraordinary success,” adding that the “operation couldn’t have been done in a ‘more orderly manner.”

The Sun added on August 30:

“Ex-British Army officer Colonel Richard Kemp said that for 20 years the West had stopped terrorist attacks being launched from Afghanistan. But President Biden’s withdrawal of forces from the country ‘betrayed all the efforts made by UK and US troops’.

“He said: ‘It makes the threat from Afghanistan the greatest it’s ever been.’… The last US take-off ends a trillion-dollar, 20-year war that has cost hundreds of thousands of lives and finishes as it began, with the Taliban in power.”

So it was all for nothing, while thousands of Americans and Afghan allies are left behind. And so, history will repeat itself… And if that was not enough, note the next article.

Military Got it Wrong… Again

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on August 30:

“Sunday’s news reports that the Biden Administration mistakenly killed nine members of one Afghan family, including six [or seven] children, in ‘retaliation’ for last week’s suicide attack which killed 13 US servicemembers, is a sad and sick epitaph on the 20 year Afghanistan war.

“Promising to ‘get tough’ on ISIS, which suddenly re-emerged to take responsibility for the suicide attack, the most expensive military and intelligence apparatus on earth appears to have gotten it wrong. Again….

“Sadly these children killed on Sunday, two of them reportedly just two years old, have been the ones forced to pay the price for a failed and bloody US foreign policy.

“Yes, the whole exit from Afghanistan has been a debacle. Biden, but especially his military planners and incompetent advisors, deserves much of what has been piled onto him this past week or so about this incompetence.”

All Based on Lies

The Daily Mail wrote on August 31:

“President Joe Biden wanted the now-departed Afghan president to create the ‘perception’ that his government was capable of holding off the Taliban – an indication he knew it was only a matter of time before the US ally fell to the Islamic group even while reassuring Americans at home that it would not happen. In the last phone call between Biden and his Afghan then-counterpart Ashraf Ghani–four weeks before Kabul collapsed–Ghani pleaded for more air support and money for soldiers who had not had a pay rise in a decade.

“A transcript obtained by Reuters reveals two leaders… focused on spinning the message.

“‘I need not tell you the perception around the world and in parts of Afghanistan , I believe, is that things are not going well in terms of the fight against the Taliban,’ Biden said. ‘And there is a need, whether it is true or not, there is a need to project a different picture.’”

Our Failure in Afghanistan Is a Spiritual One

The Christian Post wrote on August 26:

“… our failure in Afghanistan is a spiritual one because our policies no longer reflect our Christian values…

“The Taliban have pledged an oath to their radical interpretation of Islam and their desire to uphold its draconian laws for society and the state. The statement from President Biden that the Taliban is undergoing an ‘existential crisis about whether they want legitimacy on the global stage’ completely disregards the Taliban’s unwavering commitment to the Islamic state. The Taliban would never sacrifice their eternal goals in exchange for a seat at the ‘table’ with nations they have vowed to subdue or conquer. Their intent was simply to get the US to withdraw from Afghanistan, and they had no interest in power-sharing with a democratic regime. To claim otherwise is at best naive and, at worst, dangerously ignorant.

“Finally, the worst example of ‘hearts that have grown cold’ is the fact that the US withdrew its troops and abandoned thousands of US citizens without an exit strategy… Ironically, just one week before the hasty withdrawal, our counter-terrorism apparatus released the latest Homeland Security bulletin that claims one of the significant threats of domestic terrorism emanates from Americans who question the results of the 2020 election or new COVID restrictions. Sadly, it seems our government is so misguided that it focused on vilifying its own citizens instead of saving thousands of them from a terrorist regime overseas….”

The Sun wrote on August 26:

“[Biden’s] dwindling supporters blame Donald Trump for setting the pullout in motion. But Biden has led the free world since January. He could have changed course. He appears every bit as obstinate as his predecessor and ­arguably now even less competent…

“76 years after World War Two Biden has shown that America will no longer defend its values — liberal democracy, the rule of law and free markets — where they are threatened.”

Of course, America’s values are no longer what they once were.

 Biden Administration and Taliban vs. Christians in Afghanistan

Israel 365 News wrote on August 30:

“On Thursday, Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson interviewed Glen Beck, a TV presenter for Blaze. The interview was held remotely as Beck was in the region of Afghanistan where he was working to help Christian refugees flee Afghanistan…

“The Biden administration has turned over the security of the airport in Kabul to the Taliban who have set an August 31 deadline for evacuations. Beck told Carlson that he had thus far succeeded in evacuating 5,100 Christian refugees from Afghanistan via chartered airliners. Beck described a horrifying scene in which 500 Christians were waiting to board the next plane inside the airport’s safe zone when the bombings occurred.  A military official ordered them to return to the other side of the gate, beyond the protected area of the airport…

“‘The State Department has blocked us every step of the way,’ Beck told Carlson.  ‘The State Department and the White House have been the biggest problem.  Everyone else has been working together, putting aside differences and trying to get these people to safety.’…

“Beck gave as an example a phone call made presumably by the US State Department to a Macedonian ambassador instructing him not to accept any of the refugees into his country… Beck described his efforts to open up new avenues to extract the Christian refugees but did not go into detail as he was concerned the US State Department would work to shut down those as well…

“In a separate discussion on Twitter with Sen. Tom Cotton, Beck described the predicament. Cotton confirmed that he had heard similar reports from other quarters…”

If this turns out to be true, then woe unto Biden and his administration and supporters.

Taliban Sets ISIS Free

Breitbart wrote on August 27:

“Pentagon press secretary John Kirby confirmed Friday that ‘thousands’ of Islamic State prisoners were freed after the United States handed over bases to the Afghan government…

“[Kirby said] the U.S. did not transfer the prisoners over to Guantanamo because the plan was to turn the prisons over to the Afghan National Security Forces… Military officials say they are not sure if the Taliban — who the U.S. has been relying on to man checkpoints to the airport — allowed the ISIS bomber and additional attackers through.”

With that kind of information, why does the left-liberal press talk about Taliban and ISIS as arch enemies?

Depending on the Taliban?

The Sun wrote on August 30:

“As the last US planes leave Kabul, we are reduced to putting our faith in the Taliban’s proclaimed benevolence. Yet hostility to Western values is a defining characteristic of Afghanistan’s new rules… it is naïve in the extreme to think we won’t fall victim to their deadly nature.

“Taliban henchmen have already been meting out their brutal mockery of justice to their fellow Afghans, executing comedians and folk singers just for failure to match their medieval values… Gun-toting thugs providing airport ‘security’ speak of their thirst to shoot Americans even as they stand guard.

“We warned the new regime would be a honeypot for jihadists hell-bent on bringing death to our streets. That nightmare is fast becoming reality, with Osama bin Laden’s security chief among those swarming back into Afghanistan… In fairness, alternative strategies are thin on the ground. But what a thoroughly depressing state of affairs.”

According to news reports, Taliban militants are carrying out “house-to-house executions.”

Taliban’s Terror Regime

Daily Mail reported on August 31:

“There are reports the Taliban harsh rule has returned. A top Afghan female cop is on the run after suffering a ‘brutal beating’ from them. She was singled out by the Taliban as a target at the gates outside Hamid Karzai international airport in Kabul, where she spent five nights attempting to secure a place on an evacuation flight…”

Three More Years of Biden?

The Daily Mail wrote on August 27:

“A politician who came to power on a ticket of competence, empathy, foreign policy experience and simply not being Donald Trump has been found out.  And some of his former supporters now think that even Trump might have made a better fist of America’s catastrophic departure from Afghanistan.

“This in an America which is still recovering from the Trump years, when they put up with a president [Biden] regarded as a worldwide laughing stock and national embarrassment. Suddenly, they’re beginning to realise that what came after Trump could be even worse… Where there was hope, now I see concern — genuine fear that Biden, flailing already at the age of 78, will be here for another three years…

“While Biden spent 50 years working his way up to the top job in Washington — convincing millions that here, finally, was a man who could reunite America and restore its world leadership — it’s taken just a few days for the whole edifice to crumble….

“If the last few days haven’t been about the world’s greatest military power losing in the most humiliating manner possible after being intimidated by a bunch of rag-tag guerrillas, what have they been about?…

“It’s difficult to imagine how even Donald Trump could have left a bigger mess in so short a time. And yet the world has another three years of Biden at the helm. It’s a terrifying thought but, according to former U.S. ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, it could be even more bleak. ‘Should Biden step down or be removed for his handling of Afghanistan? Yes,’ she tweeted. ‘But that would leave us with [far-Left deputy President] Kamala Harris which would be ten times worse. God help us.’

“God help us, indeed.”

Amen to that!

B&B—Two Leaders in Trouble

JTA wrote on August 27:

“In his first meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, President Joe Biden said that although he prefers diplomatic means to keep Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, he is not afraid to ‘turn to other options’ on the issue.

“The pledge captured what both men, who are in varying degrees of political precariousness right now, hoped to extract from the meeting: A bigger focus on what they agree on than what they disagree on, and the start of a new era in relations between Israel and U.S. Democrats…

“For Biden, it was a welcome momentary distraction from the chaos unfolding in Afghanistan… Bennett is presiding over a fractious political coalition with a single vote majority, struggling to control a new COVID-19 surge that has dented his popularity and dealing with the fallout of an embarrassing phone call, in which he confused the name of a fallen soldier…

“Bennett opposes Biden’s efforts to reenter the Iran nuclear deal — the diplomacy Biden referred to — but… extracting a robust promise from Biden to consider ‘other options,’ including possible military ones, will allow Bennett to claim he influenced the president…

“Beyond Iran, Biden also emphasized the defense assistance the United States delivers to Israel, and reiterated a pledge to fully restore Israel’s Iron Dome capability, after the short range anti-missile defense system was depleted by Hamas rocket fire during the last Gaza conflict, in May…

“Only Biden mentioned a peace deal with the Palestinians, and in passing — his aides have said that they recognize that substantive moves toward peace are not in the cards right now, particularly given the unwieldy political coalition Bennett leads at home. They talked more about each country’s respective battle to combat the resurgent coronavirus.

“Afghanistan, and more specifically the Taliban, have historically not posed issues for Israel. Bennett began the talk by expressing condolences for the dead in Afghanistan, but he also used the moment to get back to his main concern. ‘These days illustrate what the world would [be] like if Iran or a radical Islamic regime acquired a nuclear weapon,’ he said.”

One will have to wait and see where this current shaky relationship between the USA, under Biden, and Israel, under Bennett, will lead…

US and Europe at a Crossroad

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 31:

“The US pullout from Afghanistan after 20 years has made the erratic Trump years look like more than a blip of American unilateralism… The Bundeswehr, Germany’s army, entered Afghanistan to support the US after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001… Along the way, Germany committed to the nation-building project. Now those hopes have been dashed. The chancellor candidate for Merkel’s Christian Democrats, Armin Laschet, spoke of a major blow to the trans-Atlantic relationship and dismay at US President Joe Biden’s actions...

“Germany had rejected US calls to participate militarily in Vietnam… Although the US, under President George W. Bush, urged the German government to participate in the war against Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq, then-foreign minister Joschka Fischer from the Green Party stood by his legendary phrase: ‘I am not convinced.’…

“However, the current situation is unprecedented…  ‘Afghanistan is a reality check for those who had big plans for a revived trans-Atlantic relationship,’  says Bastian Giegerich of the International Institute for Strategic Studies. ‘Germany’s direct involvement has made recent events much more painful. It mixes a sense of failure, disappointment and humiliation,’ he says…

“‘The EU must be able to act without its American partner. We must be able to secure an airport like the one in Kabul on our own,’ said Laschet in his interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung…

“Recent events in Afghanistan may have been counterproductive, says political analyst Giegerich. ‘Afghanistan was a mission that from a German and European point of view was undertaken out of solidarity with the US. Many here will feel, “we did this for the US and look how it ended.”’”

Europe’s Failure Even Worse

Bloomberg wrote on August 25:

“The nations involved in Afghanistan include three nuclear powers, the U.S., U.K. and France, and one of the world’s greatest economic powers, Germany. These mighty nations would have us believe that they can’t stay in Afghanistan a minute longer than the U.S. does, because, even together, they are unable to hold back a ragtag force like the Taliban — not even long enough to evacuate their own citizens and the Afghans who had worked with them… The impression of utter powerlessness this creates about the Europeans is worse than any damage America’s reputation is suffering because it has set such a tight deadline, effectively abandoning thousands of people to their fate.

“Yet to what extent is that powerlessness real?… Theoretically, European NATO members could bomb the Taliban into temporary submission long enough to complete the evacuation… From a cynic’s point of view, the U.S. deadline offers Europeans a convenient excuse to end their own rescue efforts, given that it’s overwhelmingly Afghans who will still require protection by then.

“And yet the troubles of European leaders will truly begin once the evacuation ends… voters who probably wouldn’t buy an extended military presence will wonder why their governments should get involved in further U.S.-led operations… After the U.S. acted unilaterally in Afghanistan, repeatedly ignoring allies’ objections, a nagging doubt about the reliability of the U.S. security guarantee will always be present…

“And of course, the refugees are coming no matter how many fences are built along Central Asian, Middle Eastern and southern European borders… There must be no repeat of 2015. That’s been the refrain from politicians across the European Union as they watch the unfolding humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan, which can be expected sooner or later to cause renewed mass migration.

“These European politicians include candidates for chancellor in Germany, nervous about a national election on Sep. 26; leaders such as Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who’s already ruled out accepting any refugees from Afghanistan; or French President Emmanuel Macron demanding a ‘robust response’ to any new influx of migrants.”

Europe Must Have Its Own Army

The Economist wrote on August 28:

“After decades sheltering behind American might, Europeans will have to spend more on defence, as well as build up military capacity and improve planning and co-operation. But even as they take halting steps in that direction, Britain is holding itself aloof… [As] the fall of Kabul revives calls for an EU army, Britain is silent…

“For all that… see Britain’s future outside the EU as being closer to America, this… approach is not even to America’s liking…”

Express wrote on August 27:

“As the crisis in Afghanistan rapidly escalated in the last few weeks, EU leaders tried once again to push for the creation of a European Army… The idea of creating a European army in order to ‘liberate’ Europe from US influence has been floated before by former President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker…

“The call to create a joint European army was proposed by Mr Juncker five years ago, and he said it was needed for the EU to combat the perceived Russian threat and ‘convey to Russia that we are serious about defending the values of the European Union’. The EU chief argued that NATO was not a satisfactory military defence for the EU, considering that not all EU members were members of NATO…

“Brexiteers have been warning for decades about the prospect of a European army being formed by the ever-more integrating Brussels bloc. On January 31… European Parliament President David Sassoli confirmed such a project may indeed come to fruition very soon…”

The EU Observer wrote on August 30:

“The messy US pull-out from Afghanistan has shown Europe must build up its own army, EU internal-market commissioner, Thierry Breton, a close ally of French president Emmanuel Macron, has said.

“Europe needed ‘a military projection force’ capable of ‘intervening militarily outside our border’, he wrote in a blog on Friday, adding: ‘Europe has always exercised its global influence through its soft power … this is no longer sufficient.’”

That Europe has “always” exercised its influence through “soft power” is clearly false. European core nations will become strong militarily, even though they will be divided amongst themselves on other issues.

Euractiv wrote on August 22:

“The fall of Kabul to the Taliban and the chaotic international evacuation effort shows that Europe needs to develop its own military capacity independent of the United States, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell argues… European policy makers fear that Kabul will not be a one-off and that future crises in Iraq or in the Sahel region of West Africa could require similar military missions to secure European citizens and interests — perhaps without US support…

“‘We will propose to give the Union a 50,000-strong expeditionary force, capable of acting in circumstances like we’re seeing in Afghanistan,’ he told AFP. ‘Europe only responds in a crisis. Afghanistan could wake it up. The moment has come to give it a military force capable of fighting if necessary.’”

Pay Attention to Spahn?

The Tagesschau wrote on July 26th:

“He didn’t really want to head the Ministry of Health, he had other plans. But when Chancellor Angela Merkel offered him the post, he didn’t say no. At the handover from Hermann Gröhe to Spahn on March 15, 2018, the young and dynamic new minister immediately declared that he wanted to tackle exciting issues. That was strategically smart because it leaves its mark. And Spahn wants to continue to leave traces.

“In Berlin, he has long been believed to be the strong man of the Union to come …

“In July 2019, Spahn’s steadfastness as health minister will be put to a tough test. His cabinet colleague Ursula von der Leyen has been nominated as EU Commission President, so Spahn’s dream of becoming Federal Defense Minister is within reach. But nothing comes of it. Merkel appoints Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. So Spahn continues to whirl around in his ministry.

“He’s putting forward an insane pace of reform, a turbo minister – one legislative proposal chases the next …

“Spahn, the secret hope of the younger generation in the Union, the conservatives, for whom Norbert Röttgen is too cool, Armin Laschet too lukewarm and Friedrich Merz too harsh … leaves the chairmanship to Laschet. ‘There can only be one party leader, which also means that someone has to back off,’ he explains, knowing full well that his time is yet to come. But then, first of all, there is Corona …

“Even in the spring of 2020, nobody knows anything about this new type of corona virus. Neither science nor politics. Spahn takes an offensive approach to ignorance. That brings him the best poll results that a federal health minister has ever had. It’s popular now, but the pandemic is far from over …

“The ministry is initially completely overwhelmed with the procurement of masks, test center infrastructure, vaccine procurement – and distribution to the federal states. Then there is the federal competence chaos. The dissatisfaction between lockdown… and relaxation is growing among people. Spahn’s polls are plummeting …

“Spahn is not one of those people who give in. His stable self-confidence helps him with this. The Minister of Health steers through the pandemic relatively undeterred – he lets criticism roll off. Spahn gives the constant reminder – at least once a week …

“Spahn is unlikely to remain Minister of Health. Not because he didn’t trust himself to go through the post-pandemic phase. But he simply feels he is called to higher things. ”

The absurd thing is this: Despite his insane policy, Spahn is still at the head of the government. This should give one a reason to think.

Watch the Nordic Countries

The European Council on Foreign Affairs wrote on August 17:

“Europeans should not ignore some of the increasingly problematic politics of the Nordic countries.

“The Danish secret service was recently revealed to have helped the United States spy on high-profile politicians in Germany and across Europe… That is not the only recent scandal: this year the Danish government announced plans to move refugees arriving in Denmark to asylum centres in ‘partner countries’ outside Europe…

“The Danish policy is the product of a Social Democrat-led government but has come about under the influence of the far-right Danish People’s Party, sustained over many decades…

“Sweden is exhibiting similar tendencies. Just recently, the Left party worked with the far-right Sweden Democrats to topple the prime minister, Stefan Lofven… He has since been restored to his former post, but the Sweden Democrats emerged from this midsummer crime story stronger than ever…

“Finland, too, is not immune to these shifts. The right-wing Finns Party has lately been rising in popularity…

“[Nordic states present] themselves as forerunners, ensuring they, for example, use negotiations to persuade the EU to go further and faster on issues such as gender equality and the environment…

“Nordic countries’ hugely positive image is so well established that more difficult news simply does not fit into the established frame. As a result, the recipient of bad tidings tends to dismiss what they hear…

“It is time to cast a cooler eye over Scandinavia’s domestic politics and what these could mean for the rest of Europe. If we assume they can never do any harm, one may, for example, be taken by surprise at the coalitions that form after the next European Parliament election… In 2020, the Sweden Democrats vetoed the rule of law conditionality for accessing EU funds and thereby cosied up to Poland and Hungary. This gesture was repeated when members of the Sweden Democrats abstained in the European Parliament resolution condemning Hungary’s controversial LGBTIQ law. It was the only Swedish party that failed to support the motion – quite a statement to be made by MEPs from the most LGBTQ+ friendly countries and a global advocate for equal rights.

“Those who support European integration and the defence of human rights within the EU should more urgently acknowledge this state of affairs, rather than brush it aside. If deeply illiberal and Eurosceptic right-wing parties continue to become more influential in Denmark, Sweden, and Finland, then it is not only the citizens of those countries who will bear the consequences….”

Whether the Nordic countries remain in the EU will have to be seen. It is highly unlikely that they will belong to core Europe, consisting of ten nations or groups of nations.

Harvard University’s New Chaplain—an Atheist!

The New York Post wrote on August 26:

“Harvard University’s organization of chaplains is getting a new president to coordinate the campus’ Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist and assorted other religious communities. Only the new president, 44-year-old Greg Epstein, does not identify with any of those traditional religions himself. He is an atheist…

“‘We don’t look to a god for answers,’ he [said]. ‘We are each other’s answers.’

“… Harvard’s liberal values and desire to prioritize engagement over tradition make Epstein a great fit for the job, many insiders feel. Indeed, his election was unanimous. “

And these are the kinds of sources influencing and brainwashing our young “intellectuals.”

Ida Hits New Orleans

The Guardian wrote on August 30:

“Up to 2 million people remained without power in and around New Orleans on Monday as residents and authorities began to assess ‘catastrophic’ damage from Hurricane Ida, a 150mph monster storm that was the most powerful ever to hit Louisiana…

“Almost 5,000 national guard troops were activated, a number [that] would double by Tuesday.

“Residents woke to widespread devastation caused by the category 4 hurricane that made landfall on Sunday at Port Fourchon, then tore a path north towards New Orleans. The storm struck the city on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which killed more than 1,800, mostly by flood.”

It is claimed that Ida was the fifth-strongest storm EVER to hit the USA. And that exactly 16 years after Katrina. Mere coincidence?

The Caldor Fire

CBS News reported on September 1:

“Crews in California are in a desperate fight to stop the Caldor Fire as it races toward heavily populated areas around Lake Tahoe. Flames are now just three miles from the resort city of South Lake Tahoe, which hasn’t seen danger like this in decades. Tens of thousands of homes there are under threat.

“The fire has already burned more than 300 square miles and destroyed hundreds of homes. Around 50,000 people are under evacuation orders.”

Fresh EU Restrictions for US Travelers

Bloomberg wrote on August 30:

“European Union countries voted to subject the U.S. to fresh restrictions on nonessential travel… dealing a fresh blow to the tourism industry… The change appears most likely to affect unvaccinated Americans… The guidance from the bloc is a recommendation and any decision on who to let in, and what restrictions to impose, ultimately rests with the governments of each member state. Countries can also choose to accept proof of vaccination to waive travel restrictions… Flagship European carriers such as Lufthansa and Air France have been counting on their long-haul passenger numbers to pick up…

“Travel between the EU and U.S. has been a point of political contention. The Biden administration has kept border restrictions in place despite pressure to allow visitors from allies like the EU…”

All “explanations” aside, this is a retaliatory move of the EU against the Biden Administration, and the timing in light of the Afghanistan debacle is telling.

The Associated Press added on August 30:

“The EU recommendation doesn’t apply to Britain, which formally left the EU at the beginning of the year and opened its borders to fully vaccinated travelers from the U.S. earlier this month.

“The United States remains on Britain’s ‘amber’ travel list, meaning that fully vaccinated adults arriving from the U.S. to the U.K. don’t have to self-isolate. A negative COVID-19 test within three days before arriving in the U.K. is required and another negative test is needed two days after arriving.”

Eric Clapton vs. Authoritarians

Breitbart wrote on August 29:

“Rock legend Eric Clapton has released a new, pro-freedom single in which he rails against authoritarians who crush individual liberties. ‘This Has Gotta Stop,’ which the singer dropped Friday, features the refrain, ‘This has gotta stop / Enough is enough / I can’t take this BS any longer.’ Clapton also released a music video for the single that features animated images of people being controlled like marionettes. Other sequences show crowds of people addicted to smartphones and protestors demonstrating for freedom.

“The song is mostly devoid of political references, preferring to stay as general as possible. The one exception is a reference to Jam for Freedom, the British anti-lockdown group that Clapton has supported. Clapton has publicly opposed shutdowns and has expressed skepticism of COVID-19 vaccines after experiencing what he has described as debilitating side effects from the AstraZenica shots.

“In the new single, he seems to reference his bad experience by singing ‘I knew that something was going on wrong / When you started laying down the law / I can’t move my hands, I break out in sweat / I wanna cry, I can’t take it anymore.’ The video and the song come as protests against COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions break out across the world.

“Most of the video promotes pro-freedom themes. Some scenes call attention to severe weather events from wildfires to ocean pollution. In one sequence in the animated music video, people are shown dangling from strings connected to the hand of what appears to be an all-powerful authority figure.

“In another scene, a solitary figure is being manipulated by strings attached to his arms.

“This isn’t the first time Eric Clapton has used music to air his views over the loss of freedoms during the coronavirus pandemic… Clapton teamed up with Van Morrison last year to release the single ‘Stand and Deliver,’ which criticized government-imposed lockdowns.”

Most don’t see it, however.

Twitter’s Ongoing Dictatorship

On August 20, the Ron Paul Institute published the following article by Professor Jonathan Turley:

“Twitter’s growing censorship program has targeted former New York Times journalist and author Alex Berenson who is an outspoken critic of the government’s science and response to the pandemic. Berenson was previously suspended for merely expressing an opinion over the need for a ‘pause’ on any federal mandates on Covid-19 as new research is studied. Twitter also suspended a journalist for posting CDC information that was deemed as critical of its own official line on vaccines. Now he is permanently suspended after his criticism of the vaccine and possible side effects. Twitter has again showed that it will silence those who dare to disagree or even question its approved narrative and that of government…

“The most chilling aspect of this story is how many on [the] left applaud such censorship… Faculty and editors are actively supporting modern versions of book-burning with blacklists and bans for those with opposing political views… The rise of corporate censors has combined with a heavily pro-Biden media to create the fear of a de facto state media that controls information due to a shared ideology… Berenson has never tried to silence others. These advocates of private and government censorship are only undermining faith in vaccines with their aggressive pursuit of anyone expressing doubts or challenging policies.”

The phrase, “modern versions of book-burning,” is well chosen. That normally only happens in dictatorships.

No Longer a Free Country

JTA wrote on August 27:

“Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie… compare[d] public health measures aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19 to the Holocaust when he posted an image of a tattooed wrist on Twitter on Wednesday. Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert have also done so, along with several lower-level officials who have made similar comparisons across the country in recent weeks.

“‘If you have to carry a card on you to gain access to a restaurant, venue or an event in your own country … that’s no longer a free country,’ read the text in the image Massie tweeted, which he deleted shortly afterwards.”

Why deleting it? Because some opposed him! Sad, because he is so right when saying that we are no longer a free country.

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.

We realize that we might surprise many people when we say that we are not born again—that nobody is or ever has been born again, except for Jesus Christ, the firstborn of many brethren. True Christians, dead or alive, are God the Father’s sons and daughters and Christ’s brothers and sisters, but they are not born again yet. We will explain this further in this Q&A.

On September 7, 2021, God’s Church will celebrate the Feast of Trumpets. This day pictures many things, including the return of Jesus Christ and our resurrection or change to eternal life. It is then that we will enter the Kingdom or Family of God—when we inherit eternal life as God Beings—when we will become born again.

As we will show, the correct understanding of the born again question is of tremendous and vital importance; actually, it is an issue of salvation. If we do not comprehend the full meaning, we may be rejecting other aspects of the Truth of God. We speak from experience, as this has happened to many members of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) after the death of its late human leader, Herbert W. Armstrong, and we are sad to say that even today, a similar development is occurring in some of the splinter groups.

The WCG had understood and taught for many decades that we are not already born again. This precious Truth was subsequently lost, and with it the proper understanding of many other biblical doctrines. These doctrines include the fact that God IS a ruling Family; that He wants to reproduce Himself through man; that those who are called prior to Christ’s return can obtain God’s Holy Spirt as a down payment or guarantee for their ultimate salvation and entrance into God’s Kingdom when they will become born again. All of this understanding was being lost in WCG, which is now defunct, as Christ has removed their lampstand (Revelation 2:5); and He will fight against any unrepentant remnants with the sword of His mouth (Revelation 2:16); casting them into great tribulation (Revelation 2:22) and vomiting them out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16). But the same warning applies to true Christians today who might have begun to embrace false doctrines, including the wrong teaching on born again.

Here is how it happened in WCG (we describe this process in much more detail in our free booklet, “Are You Already Born Again?”):

After the wrong concept was introduced that we are already born again, we heard the terminology of a gospel about Christ, or that Christ was the gospel; rather than, as the Bible teaches, the gospel OF Christ and OF the Kingdom of God—the gospel or good news which Christ proclaimed on behalf of God the Father. At the same time, we were taught that the Kingdom had already arrived, that we were already in the Kingdom, and that Christ would only come to “inaugurate” the Kingdom and God’s government here on earth. This false teaching was adopted from the Catholic Church’s heresy, claiming that IT was the Kingdom of God.

As we were already born again, we were already in the Kingdom and therefore already saved. And since we were already saved, we were gradually taught that we didn’t have to grow anymore in Christ’s knowledge as how to keep the Law, since the Law, including the Ten Commandments and the statutes and judgments about God’s annual Holy Days, tithing and clean and unclean meat, were allegedly no longer in force and effect.

Then, we were told that it is incorrect to say that God IS a Family and therefore, God was not reproducing Himself. This then led to the ultimate change regarding the nature of God. God was no longer perceived as consisting of two Beings (God the Father and God the Son), but at first, as just ONE Being. We were taught the Greek Orthodox concept which had been adopted from pagan Greek philosophers that God, although one Person, represents Himself within a “threefold mode of being” or in three hypostases (as Father, Son and Holy Spirit). It was then reasoned that Jesus Christ was a created Being who did not exist prior to His human birth. We were even told that the Son was still in heaven (as one of the three hypostases), while Christ was here on earth, and that the Son remained alive when Christ, the physical Person, died.

Then, WCG proceeded to do what they had planned all along: To teach the false Roman Catholic and Protestant concept of God being one Person in three Persons—the false teaching of the Trinity, as it is commonly referred to, which had also been adopted from pagan philosophers. God had become a closed Trinity. Since He was no longer a Family, man could not become a part of that Family. It was taught that Christians would never become God’s real sons and daughters. Without the “born again” change, the subsequent changes could not have occurred.

Christ explained in clear and unambiguous language that true Christians are not born again yet. Before the floodgates of changes overtook and drowned the WCG, these passages, discussed below, were quoted as full proof (which “any child could see”) that we are not born again yet. After the heresy and apostasy had crept into WCG, the same author used and twisted the same Scriptures to “prove” for “any child to see” that we are already born again. It is obvious that he was no longer a “child” of God who was able to see.

Let US see now what Christ really said.

In John 3, Jesus Christ explained to Nicodemus that no human being could be IN the Kingdom of God, and that in order to enter God’s Kingdom or Family, one had to become a Spirit Being—a member of the God Family. Christ said in John 3:3, 5–6, 8: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God… Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit… The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Christ could not possibly have spoken here about a “born again” experience in this physical life. Notice it again: One who is born of the Spirit IS spirit. He is like the wind which cannot be seen but can be felt—like a powerful hurricane or tornado. Christ also said that unless one is born again, he could not see nor enter the Kingdom of God. In other words, as long as someone is flesh and blood—not spirit—he cannot see or enter or inherit God’s Kingdom—the Family of God (compare 1 Corinthians 15:50). God is a Family, and no human being can see God—the Father and Jesus Christ—in Their glory and live (Exodus 33:18-20).

Christ told Nicodemus that we would become spirit, but not until we are born again. He explained that we would be invisible to the human eye, as God is invisible to the human eye. We would be like the wind that cannot be seen, although its power can be felt. Jesus Christ Himself became spirit—a Spirit Being—when He was born again; when He was resurrected—not before then.

In addition, the Church of God is oftentimes compared with a nation—the holy nation of God (1 Peter 2:9). The sixty-sixth chapter of the book of Isaiah confirms, too, that true Christians will be born again—in the resurrection to eternal life—“in one day,” or, as Paul said, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet” (1 Corinthians 15:52). Isaiah 66:8–9 states: “‘Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion [symbolic for the Church] was in labor, She gave birth to her children. Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?’ says the LORD. ‘Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?’ says your God.”

We will be born again at the time of our resurrection or change to immortal life—not before then.

Christ said that one must be born again—changed to Spirit—in order to be able to see the Kingdom of God and that the person who is born of the Spirit IS spirit. He also said that one cannot enter the Kingdom of God unless he is first born of water and the Spirit (verse 5). We cannot enter God’s Kingdom unless God’s Spirit dwells within us, and we cannot receive the Holy Spirit unless we are first properly baptized. Baptism, then, is a prerequisite to being born into the Kingdom through a resurrection or change to immortality.

The Greek word for “born, used by Jesus in John 3,” is “gennao.”

It is critical to note that the word “gennao,” as used in John 3, clearly refers to becoming born again at the time of our resurrection or change to immortal Spirit Beings. But it is also critical to note that the word “gennao” CAN refer to the time of our BEGETTAL with the Holy Spirit, and to the time from begettal to birth. It can describe the process of the entire “pregnancy,” lasting from conception until delivery. Since it is up to the translators to decide when to use “begotten” or “born,” no translation has been found to be completely accurate.

We read in the first chapter of Matthew that Mary was found with child of the Holy Spirit (v. 18). When Joseph discovered that Mary was pregnant, he wanted to leave her. An angel appeared to him in a dream, saying, “…do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins” (vv. 20–21).

As the margin of the New King James Bible correctly points out, the literal meaning of the Greek word translated, “conceived,” is, in this case, “begotten.” The Greek word is “gennao.” Jesus was already (physically) begotten in Mary’s womb, but He was not yet born as a human being. This shows that the word “gennao” can mean “begotten,” and in this example, it can ONLY mean, “begotten.”

Due to incorrect or misleading translations, many have concluded that they are already born again. But true Christians who have received the Holy Spirit—only those—are BEGOTTEN children of God, but not yet BORN children of God. The fact that the word “gennao” can mean “begotten” and “born,” and that it also describes a process of growth from conception to birth, has been hidden from the world and, sadly, also from those who at one time knew the Truth and who have subsequently departed from it.

In cases where the initial begettal with the Holy Spirit or the process from begettal to birth is described, the Greek word “gennao” should not be translated as “born,” but as “begotten” or “conceived”—that is, begotten with the Holy Spirit as a down payment for the receipt of eternal life in the Kingdom or Family of God. As begotten children, we are already sons and daughters of God the Father, but we are not yet immortal or born again Spirit Beings—we cannot see the glorified Jesus Christ, as He is (note 1 John 3:1-2). As we saw from John 3, we are not yet spirit, but still flesh and blood human beings.

The Feast of Trumpets pictures the event when Christ returns; when we are entering the Kingdom and Family of God; when we, as begotten children of God, will become BORN again. What a marvelous revelation that is! Let’s make sure that we hold fast and don’t lose what we have, so that no one can take our crown of eternal life (Revelation 3:11).

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

 “Why Is America in so Much Trouble?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

With America’s disastrous and embarrassing retreat from Afghanistan and the murderous Taliban being back in power, with natural catastrophes and misguided human beliefs, a common denominator should become obvious, while many lies are exposed. This program shows you WHY America is experiencing unprecedented disasters and explains that God is not mocked.

The 2021 Feast Brochure is now posted.

“Reist Gott… und reisen wir?” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Does God Travel… and Do We?”

“Freundschaft,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Christoph Sperzel, is now posted. Title in English: “Friendship.”

“Satan Rules the Entire World!” the first message presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Do we really understand that all of today’s human political leaders and nations are being held captive by Satan? From the terrible events in Afghanistan to worldwide coronavirus restrictions, we in God’s Church should be able to see a common denominator. At this point, the Western world is plagued with weak and incompetent leadership. But this will change soon when Satan will bring a man to power whom the Bible calls the beast, and who will establish a worldwide totalitarian dictatorship. Satan is preparing mankind for this event, but most are too blind and don’t see what is happening. At the same time, Satan is attacking God’s people by trying to persuade them that they do not have to keep His Holy Days and personally attend God’s Feast sites.

“Prayer,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Rene Messier, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Covering the importance of not letting down in prayer during the busy summer, and seven points on how to have effective prayer.

We will observe the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day for 2021, in Rapid City, South Dakota, and near Düsseldorf, Germany.  If you would like more information, check out our websites: https://www.eternalgod.org/feasts/  ; https://www.ewigengottes.de/wir-uber-uns/laubhuttenfest-2021/

FALL HOLY DAYS for 2021:

September 7          Feast of Trumpets

September 16        Day of Atonement

September 21-27  Feast of Tabernacles

September 28        Last Great Day

On August 28, 2021, Norbert Link will present, “Comments on News and Prophecy, August 28, 2021,” and Rene Messier will present the sermon, titled, “Prayer.”

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.

We, as God’s people, have been given Ten Commandments as our primary rule of life. The first four tell us how to love God, and the last six tell us how to love our fellow man. Five of these last six are mainly concerned with physical actions, although with some spiritual overtones. When we break most of those, it can be obvious to those who see us. But the last commandment is purely moral or spiritual. If we break that one, it is possible that no one might ever realise that we have broken it, except for God, of course. It is a commandment to control our thoughts, more so than our actions. However, if we break it, it can lead us to break some other commandments as well.

It is stated in Deuteronomy 5:21: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbour’s.” It is a very simple concept but can be very difficult to fulfill; especially, as it covers every possession of others. And as Jesus defined neighbor in the parable of the good Samaritan, it includes foreigners, not just fellow citizens.

In the course of history, coveting has been the cause of great suffering. The first episode of coveting we read about is in Isaiah 14:12-15. It concerns Satan who coveted position, power and glory that was not his to have: “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the pit.” Strong’s concordance states that “like” means resemble. Matthew Poole’s commentary states that Satan coveted uncontrollable power and universal dominion over all the earth, the same as only God has. Some feel that Satan really wanted to BE God, replacing Him as Ruler over the universe.

Coveting has been the motive for many wars over the course of history—coveting for land, wealth or power and control. James explains the motives for most fights and wars in James 4:1-3: “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.” Again, individuals and nations covet what is not theirs and are willing to fight and murder to try to obtain it. This has led to much suffering throughout history.

Consider king David, a man whom God praised very highly, calling him, “A man after My own heart, who will do all My will” (Acts 13:22). Yet, even with such a high compliment, he still broke the commandment, “You shall not covet,” in his mind. This led him to commit adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11:2-4), and ultimately, the murder of his faithful servant, Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 12:9).

The apostle Paul wrote some things we should keep in mind to help us not to covet. While they refer specifically to Church members, they can be extended to others also. He states in Philippians 2:3-4: “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better [or higher, more important] than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Certainly, if we are looking to the interests of others, we will not want to take anything from them. We will not covet what they have.

He also wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:26: “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” If we are glad for the blessing another has received and rejoice with that person, we will not covet what they have but rather be glad that they have it.

There was one notable example of a person who did not covet power or position. That was John the Baptist. We read his words in John 3:28-30; “You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.” Can we say under the right circumstances that someone else must increase while we must decrease? But John rejoiced in this very situation in which his own role would diminish.

While there is nothing wrong to desire what we can lawfully obtain, we should think on the apostle Paul’s example where he said: “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” (Philippians 4:11). And also his statement that “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). If we can live a life of contentment, there should never be a desire to ever covet what another has. Always remember, coveting can lead to a multitude of sins.

by Norbert Link

We begin with several articles about the debacle in Afghanistan  [please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “The Afghanistan Catastrophe”]; renewed calls for a European army; and the mass media’s stupidity, blind-sightedness and their cover-up in their reports about Joe Biden and the Taliban. We also address the world’s disappointment with or scorn for Joe Biden and his administration, while asking seriously whether Mr. Biden and Kamala Harris are fit for office, combined with the prospect of Donald Trump’s return.

We speak on Russia’s ambitions regarding Ukraine and Angela Merkel’s embarrassing visit with Vladimir Putin; address Australia’s, Canada’s and America’s accusations and restrictions pertaining to the corona virus; ongoing vaccination resistance and mandatory vaccinations; and the FDA’s pushed-through approval of two vaccines.

We warn of a repeat of the housing crash which could “make 2008 look like a dress rehearsal”; and address Bank of America’s appalling racist “re-education program.”

We conclude with a new poll finding that most Americans believe in the blasphemous fairy tale of evolution, clearly showing that God is not amused, and neither are we.

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

Terror Attacks in Afghanistan Have Begun

The Sun wrote on August 26:

 “THIRTEEN US troops and at least 90 Afghans have been killed in ISIS suicide bomb attacks at Kabul Airport.

“Two explosions rocked the airport in Afghanistan yesterday just hours before the evacuation deadline… The attacks made for America’s deadliest day in Afghanistan for 10 years – and Republicans claimed US President Joe Biden had “blood on his hands”.

“Mr Biden told those behind the Kabul airport attacks: ‘We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay.’… Other blasts were heard in Kabul in the hours after the earlier two… ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack…”

The End of the American Era

The Washington Post wrote on August 20:

“‘Let me speak clearly and bluntly. This is a catastrophe,’ said Josep Borrell, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, in an address Thursday to the European Parliament. He echoed the widespread dismay felt by policymakers and politicians across the continent over the sudden Taliban takeover in Afghanistan – and the Biden administration’s military withdrawal that preceded it. Many of the United States’ NATO partners in Europe had invested considerable manpower and resources in the American-led war and nation-building project in Afghanistan, though on a smaller scale than Washington…

“Now, European onlookers are shocked to see the fruits of their labor seemingly vanish in the space of a few harrowing days. Across the pond, a defiant White House has doubled down on its decision-making, showing little contrition for its role in the chaotic scenes unfolding in Kabul. ‘I say this with a heavy heart and with horror over what is happening, but the early withdrawal was a serious and far-reaching miscalculation by the current administration,’ Norbert Röttgen, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the German parliament, told Politico. ‘This does fundamental damage to the political and moral credibility of the West.’

“Röttgen’s British counterpart, conservative parliamentarian Tom Tugendhat, cast the Afghan government’s implosion and the Taliban’s surge into power as an epochal blow. ‘Afghanistan is the biggest foreign policy disaster since Suez,’ he tweeted, referring to the 1956 crisis over control of the strategic Egyptian canal that, to some historians, marked the ultimate waning of the British Empire. ‘We need to think again about how we handle friends, who matters and how we defend our interests.

“That may include reevaluating the role of the United States. Tobias Ellwood, another Tory parliamentarian, who chairs the Defense Committee in the House of Commons, questioned President Biden’s repeated insistence that his administration was bringing America ‘back’ on the world stage… In an essay for the Economist, Stanford University political theorist Francis Fukuyama suggested that the horrors on view in Kabul may mark a ‘major juncture in world history, as America turned away from the world.’ But in truth, he continues, ‘the end of the American era had come much earlier.’”

Indeed, it did come much earlier. America has not won a major war since WW2, and it won’t in the future either.

“Britain loses Patience with” Biden

Daily Mail wrote on August 22:

“Tony Blair has blasted Joe Biden’s ‘imbecilic’ decision to withdraw US troops from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, calling the President’s scuttle ‘tragic, dangerous and unnecessary’ and claiming the move had ‘every Jihadist group round the world cheering’…

 “Relations between Britain and US are strained… the Prime Minister [Boris Johnson] has allegedly privately referred to Mr Biden as ‘Sleepy Joe’, the nickname coined by Donald Trump. Mr Johnson also allegedly remarked Britain ‘would be better off with Trump’ – allegations branded ‘categorically untrue’ by Downing Street.

“’For Britain, out of Europe and suffering the end of the Afghanistan mission by our greatest ally with little or no consultation, we have serious reflection to do,’ said Mr Blair. ‘We don’t see it yet, but we are at risk of relegation to the second division of global powers.’”

The National News added on August 22: “Mr Biden’s decision is set to have major ramifications for Europe, which is predicting a refugee crisis after the fall of Kabul.”

The refugee crisis will be one of many problems and issues Europe will be facing due to Mr. Biden’s creation of chaos in Afghanistan.

No Military Cooperation between US and UK

Fox News wrote on August 25:

“Nigel Farage, former Brexit party leader, slammed the Biden administration’s Afghanistan blunder Tuesday, arguing the crisis has led his country of Britain feeling ‘betrayed’…

“Farage [said:] ‘The medium-term problem is the resurgence of international terror… Certainly, if it’s a Biden or Harris administration, honestly, there is no way, there is no way a British parliament right now would vote for military cooperation with America led by this administration. And that’s a very sad thing to say, because since 1917, the U.K. and America have been side by side in virtually every major conflict. We’ve been the closest allies in terms of military action, in terms of intelligence sharing, in terms of culture, in terms of business. You couldn’t have a better ally in the world. And right at the moment, I’m sorry, but there’s no way we could enter into another operation with you.’”

The Bible predicts that Ephraim (the UK) would be against Manasseh (the USA), and vice versa.

Afghanistan Crisis Proves Need for EU Army

Express wrote on August 23:

“Guy Verhofstadt took to Twitter earlier today to say that an EU army ‘is common sense.’

“Mr Verhofstadt wrote: ‘Afghanistan once more shows armies are crucial to the security of our citizens & allies abroad. EU countries need to do that together: cooperate & integrate forces so our people, interests & values are protected. Think beyond taboos or caricatures: an EU army is common sense!’”

Express added on August 24:

“Anger over the US approach to Afghanistan sparked plans for a European defence force from EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell this weekend. He wants to assemble an EU force of 50,000 men and women. He said Afghanistan could be the wake-up call for Europe. He said: ‘The time has come to create a military force that can fight when necessary. We are going to propose to provide the Union with an expeditionary force of fifty thousand men.’

“Mr Borrell is currently working on a so-called ‘defence strategy’ for the European Union. The plans and their elaboration are on the agenda of a European summit to be held in November. But now Brussels is already using the chaos surrounding the evacuation of European citizens in Afghanistan to argue for a large European army… He said: ‘Europeans have no choice. We have to organise ourselves to deal with the world as it is and not with the world we dream of.’”

And so, a powerful European army will come… but this will require some fundamental changes in the leadership of European countries, especially in Germany. Note the next article.

No Trust in the USA and Germany’s Incompetence

The Globalist wrote on August 24:

“No question, trust in American leadership is badly damaged. The disastrous end of the Afghanistan military mission has raised questions about whether the United States will defend its long-time allies if they do not defend themselves…

“A key focus of the potential global fallout is on Germany, Europe’s largest economy. Politically, Germans may be looking to get out from under American dependence. Militarily, however, they are utterly dependent on the Americans…

“To protect himself and probably also his party, the SPD, ahead of critical elections on September 26th, [Germany’s Foreign Minister Maas] still seeks to explain away Germany’s de facto complete rejection of international foreign and security responsibilities. To that end, Mr. Maas is throwing the German intelligence service (BND) as well as his own Foreign Office (AA) under the bus. That is as disrespectful as it is cowardly…

“Mr. Maas’s influence, though, seems on the wane. His days in the Foreign Office are likely numbered in the dual-digit range.”

That the German government has acted and is continuing to act in a completely incompetent way is without doubt. But all of this might change very soon.  

Biden Gives in to the Taliban—No Extension

Deutsche Welle wrote  on August 24:

“At an emergency G-7 summit, US allies pushed Washington to keep troops in Afghanistan beyond next Tuesday in order to facilitate evacuation flights. But President Biden is refusing to budge.”

The Associated Press reported on August 25:

“The United States clashed with some of its closest allies over President Joe Biden’s insistence on sticking to an Aug. 31 Afghanistan withdrawal date that will shut down a frantic international evacuation effort from Taliban rule… ‘I want to stress again that of course the United States of America has the leadership here,’ German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters in Berlin after the meeting. ‘Without the United States of America, for example, we — the others — cannot continue the evacuation mission.’”

American Military News wrote on August 18:

“During a Wednesday press briefing, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan has the capability to extract some Americans in extreme circumstances, but not to gather up large groups of Americans who cannot get to the U.S.-controlled airport in Kabul…”

Thousands of Americans are still stranded behind Taliban lines. This is shameful! It will not restore any confidence of allies towards the USA. To the contrary, Bild Online reported on August 24 that the American military expelled eleven international journalists from Kabul, including one Bild Online reporter. Bild stated that the US is afraid of independent critical reporting and wants no witnesses testifying about the shameful situation in Afghanistan which has been caused by the USA.  

US in Danger of Terror Attacks

Reuters wrote on August 25:

“With no U.S. troops or reliable partners left, jails emptied of militants and the Taliban in control, doubts are mounting within President Joe Biden’s administration over Washington’s ability to stem a resurgence of al Qaeda and other extremists in Afghanistan… Weeks before the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States by al Qaeda, the lack of visibility regarding potential extremist threats is a chilling prospect for officials…

“The U.S. troop departure ordered for Aug. 31 by Biden and the subsequent collapse of Afghan security forces have stripped the CIA and other spy agencies of protection, forcing them to close bases and withdraw personnel as well. The Biden administration cannot rely on neighboring countries because it has so far been unable to strike accords on bases for U.S. counterterrorism forces and drones…

“Nathan Sales, the State Department’s coordinator for counterterrorism until January, estimated it would now take al Qaeda six months to reconstitute the ability to conduct external [terrorist] operations. The Taliban freed hundreds of detainees from prisons, stirring fears that some may include leading extremists… Daniel Hoffman, a former chief of CIA covert Middle East operations, expressed doubt that the Taliban would constrain al Qaeda, noting their decades-old ties and shared ideologies… A series of United Nations reports say that hundreds of al Qaeda fighters and senior leaders remain in Afghanistan under Taliban protection…

“Pakistan has said it will not host U.S. troops and countries in central Asia are reluctant to accept American requests because of concerns that it may anger Russia.”

What a nightmare and disaster. What IF another terrorist attack on American soil would occur?

Taliban’s Rule of Terror

The New York Post wrote on August 18:

“The Taliban are collecting weapons and ammunition from civilians in Kabul… A Taliban official told Reuters that people no longer needed weapons for personal protection because ‘they can now feel safe’ since the insurgents have taken over..

“The news came as reports emerged that a woman had been shot dead Tuesday for not wearing a burqa in public…

“Kabul residents have said groups of armed men have been going door to door in recent days seeking out individuals who worked with the ousted government and security forces.”

The promises of the Taliban that they became less violent and radical are not worth the paper they may be written on. Terrorists don’t change. Note the next article.

Israel 365 News wrote on August 22:

“Frontier Alliance International, a global Christian missionary organization, released a statement last week stating that the Taliban in Afghanistan is going door-to-door, searching for Christians and executing them. The Taliban has a hit list of known Christians they are targeting to pursue and kill. The US Embassy is defunct and there is no longer a safe place for believers to take refuge. All borders to neighboring countries are closed and all flights to and from have been halted, with the exception of private planes. People are fleeing into the mountains looking for asylum…

“The Taliban are going door-to-door taking women and children. The people must mark their house with an ‘X’ if they have a girl over 12 years old, so that the Taliban can take them. If they find a young girl and the house was not marked they will execute the entire family. If a married woman 25 years or older has been found, the Taliban promptly kill her husband, do whatever they want to her, and then sell her as a sex slave. Husbands and fathers have given their wives and daughters guns and told them that when the Taliban come, they can choose to kill them or kill themselves—it is their choice.

“The Daily Wire reported that Taliban terrorists are going through people’s cell phones, searching for Bible apps that would indicate they are Christians… Taliban are pulling people off public transport and killing them on the spot if they’re Christians or considered ethnically ‘unpure.’…

“The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan does not recognize any Afghan citizen as being Christian so there are officially no Christians in Afghanistan. Despite the legal restrictions, many sources claim that there is a secret underground church of Afghan Christians living in Afghanistan… Due to the hostile legal environment, Afghan Christians practice their faith secretly in private homes.

“On Thursday, USA Today ‘debunked’ claims of the Taliban executing Christians, describing it as a ‘decade-old hoax’… USA Today judged the current reports of Christian persecution by the Taliban to be false in light of the Taliban’s stated intentions that they are moderating their actions.”

Can one believe the stupidity of our mass media? (Note the next article.) And when it comes to the Taliban terrorists, these are the murderous people to whom Joe Biden gave the country. Shocking, embarrassing, appalling!

Is the Mass Media Giving Biden another “Free Pass”?

The New York Post Editorial Board wrote on August 18, 2021:

“You won’t find a more powerful example of the media’s pro-Democratic tilt — and outright hostility toward former President Donald Trump — than their refusal this week to call out President Joe Biden as a downright liar, as they did with his predecessor, when it comes to his comments about his Afghanistan pullout.

“Back in July, the [President] flatly rejected suggestions that the intelligence community feared an increasingly rapid collapse of the Afghan government as US troops withdrew. ‘Your own intelligence community has assessed that the Afghan government will likely collapse,’ a reporter noted at the July 8 presser. Biden denied it. ‘Can you please clarify what [intelligence officials] have told you?’ he was asked. Biden fumed again: ‘They did not — they didn’t — did not reach that conclusion.’ Indeed, the president insisted that the idea there’s ‘going to be one unified government in Afghanistan controlling the whole country is highly unlikely.’

“As the world learned painfully this week, he was dead wrong… In truth, it appears Biden was lying through his teeth: It actually might be hard to find a top official who didn’t warn him about the dangers of his pullout.

“As The Wall Street Journal reports, ‘the president’s top generals, including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark Milley, urged Mr. Biden to keep a force of about 2,500 troops, the size he inherited, while seeking a peace agreement between warring Afghan factions, to help maintain stability. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin . . . said a full withdrawal wouldn’t provide any insurance against instability.’ Military and intelligence officials told Biden they were concerned about the Afghan army’s capabilities and the likelihood that the Taliban would control major cities.

“The New York Times, meanwhile, cited ‘classified assessments by American spy agencies over the summer’ that ‘painted an increasingly grim picture of the prospect of a Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.’

“Biden simply appears to have lied, claiming intelligence reports did not paint a bleak picture. And though the Times briefly noted the contradiction, it refrained from using the word ‘lie’ — as it did freely for Trump’s remarks…

“[Biden’s] little ‘obfuscation’ is leading to madness in Afghanistan today. There has been utter chaos at the airport and reports of revenge killings and other brutality. By denying and ignoring the warnings, Biden left thousands of Americans and Afghans who’ve worked with us stranded, with many now fearing for their lives. Yet somehow the Times — and other left-leaning outlets — is suddenly once again not comfortable using the word ‘lie.’ How shameful.”

That Biden has been shamelessly lying through the years is well-known. But the TRUTH is, ALL politicians are liars. Otherwise, they could not be politicians. However, in Biden’s case, being a liar might be combined with mental disability, as the next article suggests.

Joe Biden Unfit for Office?

The Daily Mail wrote on August 20:

“Questions have been raised about US President Joe Biden’s cognitive wellbeing after a car crash interview over his handling of the unfolding Afghanistan crisis. America’s oldest president provided jumbled responses to questions and mixed up details about his son in an interview with ABC. The stumbles did not make the broadcasted version but were revealed when a full transcript of the interview was published overnight.

“It revealed the President incorrectly stated his late son Beau Biden worked for the Navy in Afghanistan, before correcting himself that he served for the Army in Iraq. It follows a spate of gaffes and slips of the tongue since the 78-year-old ran his successful presidential campaign in 2019.

“Mr Biden has previously suffered two brain aneurysms and a heart condition which makes the muscle beat too fast, causing dizziness and confusion. A top cardiologist told MailOnline today that both conditions are linked to memory difficulties and confusion, as well as dementia. Dr Aseem Malhotra, an NHS consultant and expert in evidence-based medicine, said: ‘Certainly there’s a link [between the conditions and cognitive decline]. But just as a doctor observing him, given his medical history and age, I’m worried about early onset dementia. I would be worried about anyone exhibiting issues with recall and memory at Joe Biden’s age.’…

“Mr Biden is known for his blunders and even referred to himself as a ‘gaffe machine’ in 2018. Just last month he forgot his reasons for running for president, and when he was newly elected he referred to his deputy as ‘President Kamala Harris’… Mr Biden has also experienced accidents since becoming President, including falling three times on one occasion in March while climbing up the stairs of Air Force One… He also introduced his granddaughter as his deceased son Beau, who passed away from brain cancer in 2015…”

 Apart from his obvious confusion, gaffes and “slips of the tongue,” combined with his well-documented ongoing misrepresentations and lies over the years, Mr. Biden is also unfit for office due to his terrible politics and implementation of destructive measures. Less than 40% of voters think that Biden is even in charge, according to Newsmax, dated August 20.  The tide is turning. The support and protest vote for Biden, which was a predictable catastrophe from the beginning, is ebbing away.

“Biden’s Failure Could Let Trump Back in the White House”

Express wrote on August 20:

 “The fall of the Afghan Government is nothing short of a disaster for Mr Biden’s tenure as President, coming within his first eight months in office. Bipartisan criticism has ramped up significantly over the past several days — amid scenes of chaos at the international airport in Kabul — as both Democrats and Republicans contend the administration was unprepared to safely evacuate American citizens and Afghan allies out of the country…

“[Biden’s] statement, which blamed the Afghanistan army for failing to hold the Taliban back, was met with criticism world over. He has also been accused of showing no sympathy for Afghans… His disastrous handling has led to comparisons with the Bay of Pigs invasion, which occurred in the first year of President Kennedy’s time in office…

“Former president Donald Trump has naturally taken the opportunity to eviscerate his successor. Mr Trump called it the ‘greatest embarrassment in the history of our country.’ And it seems that Americans, and not just Republicans, are inclined to agree with him. Mr Trump has made it no secret that he may plan to run for the presidency again in the 2024 election… Mr Trump still has an enormous following in the states, despite his lifetime ban from Twitter, which was often used as his main method of gathering support…

“But most of all, America’s reverence of its armed forces could likely be a key reason voters would back Mr Trump at a future election… At the heart of it all is the memory of 9/11, which spurred America to invade in 2001 as the Taliban harboured those responsible for the deaths of 2,977 men, women and children in New York…

“It remains to be seen what the American public will think come the next election, but it’s unlikely the fallout from Mr Biden’s spectacular mishandling of crisis will be forgotten.”

Of course, memory fails quickly. But it is not to be expected that the Afghanistan debacle will be the last of Biden’s acts of incompetence.  It is breathtaking to realize the current leadership imposed on the USA. The Bible speaks of “children” (not necessarily by age, but more by lack of wisdom) and “women” running the country. For instance, when the Afghanistan debacle was unfolding, rather than calling Joe Biden, Canada’s PM Trudeau reportedly called Hillary Clinton for advice.

The Embarrassing Conduct of Kamala Harris

Breitbart reported on August 22:

“Vice President Kamala Harris, who is currently traveling through South Asia, busted out in a fit of laughter when reporters attempted to ask her about Afghanistan… Harris has been noticeably absent since the Taliban toppled the U.S.-backed Afghan government last week. For at least eight days after the crisis began, she vanished from public view and maintained complete silence about the issue, despite claiming to have played a key role in the decision to withdraw from Afghanistan…

“The vice president has a nervous habit of laughing when faced with tough questions about serious political topics. Before Harris went to the U.S.-Mexico border — 93 days after President Joe Biden assigned her the immigration crisis — she chuckled during an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt when pressured about her delay in visiting. Holt stated, ‘You haven’t been to the border.’ ‘And I haven’t been to Europe,’ Harris said with a laugh…

“She also once broke out in bizarre laughter before she became vice president when asked if she presents a ‘socialist or progressive perspective.’”

However, it’s not really a laughing matter.

… and Biden Laughs Too

On August 23, the New York Post published the following opinion piece by Miranda Devine:

“The laughter was so off-kilter, it made you wonder if Joe Biden had taken leave of his senses… The first bout of hilarity came in response to a question from CBS News reporter Ed O’Keefe, one of four questions Biden allowed from a pre-approved list of reporters in the Roosevelt Room, seven days after the fall of Kabul.

“Did he trust the Taliban? A swaggering, streetwise smile swept his face…

“His derisive chuckles began when O’Keefe apologetically asked about a new CBS/YouGov poll that shows a majority of Americans disapprove of the way he has handled the Afghanistan exit… ‘I haven’t seen that poll,’ said Biden, shaking his head with a half-smirk… ‘It’s out there,’ said O’Keefe. ‘From CBS this morning.’ This led Biden to burst out laughing. What was funny? If the mirth was a face-saving performance, it was appallingly ill-judged…

“The problem is the incompetence of the withdrawal, the premature closure of Bagram Air Base, placing our troops in an impossible position, needlessly endangering lives of American citizens and Afghan allies, and leaving billions of dollars of weaponry in the hands of our enemies…

“The unfamiliar feeling of universal condemnation, more than anything, is what has had his team reeling… He kept fantasizing at the podium Sunday, as if saying something grotesquely false will make it come true… history will record that he bungled the troop withdrawal… and set in motion a disaster that has echoes of the last disaster he had oversight of in the Middle East, when he was the VP in charge of withdrawing troops from Iraq, spawning ISIS and the Christian genocide.

“No matter how he tries to shift the blame, he is responsible for the calamity in Kabul. Yet his lack of humility or reflection shows he is nothing better than a con man, trying one last time to shaft the American people…”

Other reports from the Ron Paul Institute suggest that Biden is aware of his demise and shows by his conduct that he most certainly won’t be running again in 2024.

America’s Enemies Knew [and Know]…

Daily Mail wrote on August 20:

“Osama bin Laden banned al Qaeda from assassinating Joe Biden because the Democrat would become an incompetent president and ‘lead the US into a crisis’ if jihadists were successful in killing Barack Obama.

“Bin Laden made the remark in a 2010 letter that was found in a trove of documents at the Pakistan compound where he was killed by US special forces in 2011. The document was first made public in 2012 but has been brought back to light and given new significance amid the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan that has gifted the country back to the Taliban.”

Bin Laden knew. Many enemies know it today. And allies know it too—and they are extremely worried.

Israel Can’t Rely on USA

Israel Today wrote on August 20:

“Israeli officials have remained largely mum on the chaotic American withdrawal from Afghanistan…  But behind closed doors, Israeli leaders are reportedly voicing grave concern…

“The biggest lesson of Afghanistan as far as average Israelis are concerned is that the Jewish state can’t rely on foreign powers, even a genuine friend like the United States, to guarantee its security, let alone its future.”

Israel will be forsaken by all… and so will be, by the way, the USA and the UK.

Ukraine Next?

Putin’s propaganda outlet, Tass, wrote on August 19:

“The situation in Afghanistan will top the agenda of one of the next meetings of the Security Council, Secretary of Russia’s Security Council Nikolai Patrushev said… According to him, a similar situation is in store for those who support the US in Ukraine… He noted that about $90 bln was spent on training the Afghan servicemen… Additionally… the US ‘didn’t even bother to take out of the country a large number of weapons and military property, and just abandoned it all,’ while the military industrial complex and subcontractors raked in ‘superprofits.’

“He also noted that Washington is pumping Ukraine full of weapons that it has no use for… In his opinion, Ukraine is heading towards dissolution and at some point, the US won’t even remember its supporters much like what happened in Kabul…”

Ukraine will ultimately work hand in hand with Russia against Europe. In a meeting with Merkel [see below], Putin warned the West not to interfere with or impose their values on Afghanistan. Amazing when considering that Putin is doing exactly that in countries which he wants to control.

Merkel’s Embarrassing Visit with Putin

Bild Online wrote the following on August 21:

“Angela Merkel (67) was in Moscow this Friday – and made it clear: she was once the most powerful woman in the world. Now she is no longer. Once upon a time …

“Because if this visit served anyone, it was him: Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin (68). Next to Merkel in front of the press, he twisted the truth as he wanted, bent and lied as it suited him. And this time he got away with it for the most part …

“And after the performance here in Moscow, there is only one question left: what was that supposed to mean, Ms. Merkel? …

“The Chancellor has asked for Navalny’s release – so far, so good. Only: Putin was not interested, he used the opportunity to attack Navalny and the West. You don’t have to go to Putin’s court for that! …

“If it is true that Angela Merkel can read Vladimir Putin, then the question remains whether she marched into this Kremlin performance with open eyes.

“… That Merkel lied about the Nord Stream 2 Baltic Sea pipeline, which she saved for Putin when dealing with US President Joe Biden a few weeks ago, calling it a ‘European project,’ is almost at Putin’s level. Because the EU Commission, the EU Parliament and all of Eastern Europe – even France – are against it!…

“And after Putin accused Ukraine of deliberately not wanting peace in eastern Ukraine, which is occupied by Russian forces, and of turning away from the peace process, the German Chancellor, who invented the Minsk process, could think of little more than that both sides – expressly also Ukraine – would not implement agreements. As if Russia and its irregulars were not waging war there, having occupied entire stretches of land …

“The old wisdom remains: a lame duck shouldn’t fly to the vulture.

“And Merkel’s sentence remains: ‘It is better to talk to each other than not to talk at all’ … Talking for the sake of talking with someone who incidentally wages his wars, creates frozen conflicts at his borders, silences the free press, expels, murders or imprisons the opposition, murders in Berlin and hacks the Bundestag… with his hacker brigades—who plays a hypocritical game and wages an open, hybrid war against us and our values, who wants nothing from us but our money and investment opportunities for his criminal oligarch clan.

“So that was it?

“That is a state declaration of bankruptcy and means nothing else than: In the end, the mafiosi and secret service man in the Kremlin won and mostly got what he wanted. Also from the once most powerful woman in the world …”

Sad. And dangerous. Because Germany will not remain powerless forever, being humiliated by Putin and other world leaders.  

Trump Booed in Alabama

CNBNC wrote on August 22:

“Former President Donald Trump was booed at a rally on Saturday in Alabama after telling supporters they should get vaccinated. ‘And you know what? I believe totally in your freedoms. I do. You’ve got to do what you have to do,’ Trump said. ‘But, I recommend: take the vaccines. I did it. It’s good. Take the vaccines.’

“Some boos rang out from the rally crowd, who were largely maskless. ‘No, that’s okay. That’s all right. You got your freedoms,’ Trump said, echoing rhetoric from opponents of mask and vaccine mandates. ‘But I happen to take the vaccine. If it doesn’t work, you’ll be the first to know. Okay? I’ll call up Alabama, I’ll say, hey, you know what? But [the vaccine] is working. But you do have your freedoms you have to keep. You have to maintain that.’…

“Alabama has the lowest vaccinated rate in the U.S., with just more than 36 percent of its population fully inoculated… Republicans were the second-least likely demographic group to be vaccinated, only above uninsured Americans under 65. While 57 percent of Republicans have received at least one dose of the vaccine or say they will get a shot as soon as possible, 40 percent say they either never will, will only do so if it’s required or are still in wait-and-see mode…

“Trump has endorsed vaccination previously but has often matched it with similar caveats. Just last week, after promoting the vaccines in an interview with Fox Business personality Maria Bartiromo, Trump claimed upcoming booster shots recommended by the Biden administration as ‘a money-making operation for Pfizer.’”

Trump has to be careful that he does not lose necessary support due to his controversial vaccination push.

FDA Bows to Pressure

 CNBC wrote on August 23:

“The Food and Drug Administration on Monday granted full approval to Pfizer and BioNTech [for their] Covid-19 vaccine[s] [for use in people over the age of 16] – becoming the first in the U.S. to win the coveted designation and giving even more businesses, schools and universities greater confidence to adopt vaccine mandates. Up until now, the mRNA vaccine, which will be marketed as Comirnaty, was on the U.S. market under an Emergency Use Authorization that was granted by the FDA in December. Since then, more than 204 million of the Pfizer shots have been administered…

“Federal health officials had been under mounting pressure from the scientific community and advocacy groups to fully approve Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine ever since the drugmakers submitted their application to the agency in early May…

“Pfizer and BioNTech are now able to market the shots directly to U.S. consumers…  It also allows the shot to stay on the market once the pandemic is over and the U.S. is no longer considered in an ‘emergency.’…

“Pfizer and BioNTech have said they expect to generate billions from the vaccine. Under full approval, the companies could also decide to charge more for the vaccines… The companies have already raised the price of their vaccine in the European Union…

“Pfizer and BioNTech also plan to ask the FDA to approve a third dose as a booster shot following full approval….”

Breitbart added on August 23:

“Concerns over mandates and long-term side effects loom as polls show a majority of the unvaccinated indicating they will not get the jab.”

No wonder that many Americans are skeptical when considering how the FDA’s approval was rushed through, due to pressure from politicians, the Biden Administration, paid scientists and money-making companies.

Military Troops Ordered to Vaccinate

The Associated Press wrote on August 25:

“Military troops must immediately begin to get the COVID-19 vaccine, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a memo Wednesday, ordering service leaders to ‘impose ambitious timelines for implementation.’ More than 800,000 service members have yet to get their shots… Fulfilling the vaccine mandate, however, may be a challenge for National Guard forces who are scattered around the country…

“Asked about specific punishments for noncompliance, [Pentagon spokesman John] Kirby said commanders have a ‘wide range of tools’ to use. ‘It’s a lawful order and we fully anticipate that our troops are going to follow lawful orders,’ he added… The Pentagon decision only applies to the Pfizer vaccine. Moderna has also applied to the FDA for full approval of its vaccine. J&J said it hopes to do so later this year.”

The Washington Post had written on August 21:

“Though Pentagon officials have made clear… that those who refuse risk losing their jobs, inoculation has been voluntary since the vaccines were introduced over the winter — a rare optional task in an organization where orders are the norm… It remains to be seen precisely how the military will address any continued resistance once the vaccine mandate takes [effect]…”

Indeed. It remains to be seen whether the Pentagon has a tiger on their hands.

Australia’s New Restrictions

Life Site News wrote on August 18:

“Australian officials, having legislated the Stay-at-Home order for New South Wales (NSW), have instructed their citizens to report all infringements of COVID regulations including those committed by neighbors and co-workers… Premier Gladys Berejiklian… admonished the people to report ‘anything which is not according to the health rules,’ anywhere, even on your fellow co-workers…

“Dr. Kerry Chant, the Chief Medical Officer for NSW, is also working to keeping people safe by discouraging social interactions and neighborly exchanges. In a public broadcast a week earlier, Chant made it very clear that ‘whilst it is in human nature to engage in conversation with others, to be friendly, unfortunately this is not the time to do that.’ Chant gave the example of meeting a neighbor in the grocery store. In such cases, the people of NSW are not to ‘start up a conversation.’ ‘Now is the time for minimizing your interactions with others,’ Chant continued…

“Effective this past Sunday at midnight, the NSW police have launched ‘Operation Stay at Home,’ which…  entails ‘a 21,000 personnel operation — including 18,000 police officers and 800 members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) — to enforce public health orders.’ In response, the Australian Lawyer Alliance (ALA) called the excessive use of military force to police the streets a ‘dangerous precedent.’

“People are not allowed to leave their homes without ‘a reasonable excuse,’ and if they do leave, they must ‘carry a face mask at all times.’ An individual who chooses to exercise is not allowed to move beyond a 5km radius from their home, and must provide proof of address upon request if stopped by the police.

“Other restrictions limit individuals living alone to having one ‘nominated visitor’ that is not ‘visiting’ other people and resides in the same government area. All places of worship are completely closed down, and only live-stream worship is allowed. All outdoor gatherings are limited to two people.

“As of the end of July, NSW State police commissioner Mick Fuller stated that the reporting hotline has received 15,000 complaints regarding the breaking of COVID restrictions…”

This is not the time to obey God by loving your neighbor as yourself??? Rather, this is the time to spy on and report on [and perhaps lie about] your neighbors???  This is Nazi Germany all over!

Trudeau Blaming the Innocent

Life Site News wrote on August 20:

“The Prime Minister of Canada has encouraged Canadians to confront neighbors who choose not to take COVID-19 inoculations. Justin Trudeau, 49, also suggested that people who refuse the experimental medical products are endangering Canadians, even Canadian children. On Thursday August 19, while campaigning in Calgary for the upcoming federal elections, Justin Trudeau said that people who remain unvaccinated against the coronavirus will be barred from plane and train travel. He also encouraged his supporters to protect themselves by confronting the unvaccinated people in their lives.

“In a video posted to Twitter, Trudeau can be heard at the Calgary Liberal Party rally yelling… ‘If you don’t want to get vaccinated, that’s your choice, but don’t think you can get on a plane, or a train, beside vaccinated people and put them at risk…

“Trudeau’s statement that unvaccinated people in particular endanger the vaccinated conflicts with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) advice that even the vaccinated can contract and spread COVID-19… Trudeau’s statement that we need to ‘protect’ children from COVID-19 is at odds with the expert opinion of epidemiologist Dr. Paul Elias Alexander, a former senior adviser to COVID pandemic policy in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)… Alexander stated that: ‘… There is zero benefit to children from the vaccine.’”

As it is true for many of his colleagues in power all over the world, Trudeau is becoming a left-wing socialist autocrat. So is the current leadership in the USA.

SF Gate wrote on August 21:

“… the federal government is extending its mask mandate for all airline, train and bus passengers into next year. The rule had been due to expire in mid-September, but now travelers will have to keep wearing appropriate face coverings at least until Jan. 18. Consumer surveys have indicated that most travelers support the rule…”

And so, Americans, being pressured or duped by left-wing propaganda, support measures which severely violate their liberties and freedoms. It’s like the story about the proverbial frog in hot water, which is described in this way: “The boiling frog is a fable describing a frog being slowly boiled alive. The premise is that if a frog is put suddenly into boiling water, it will jump out, but if the frog is put in tepid water which is then brought to a boil slowly, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death.”

Coming… Repeat of the 2008 Housing Crisis?

Newsweek wrote on August 20:

“… it is safe to say that the U.S. housing market is as overvalued as it ever has been in history. So there is little reason to doubt that a large bubble has inflated in this market…

“The net result is that lessons hard learned are soon forgotten. As soon as a public health crisis like COVID-19 emerges, all those warnings from the financial crisis a decade previous are thrown in the trash like so many unloved toys. Borrowing statistics become passé; case numbers and deaths are in vogue now…

“How much damage could this housing bubble do? Housing bubbles affect the real economy through their impact on residential construction investment and employment. Construction firms see that prices—and, with them, profits—are rising, so they borrow and invest… If prices fall, it seems likely that investment will go into hard reverse… If property prices decline and construction investment dries up, many… workers will lose their jobs…

“But now consider the problems in the junk bond market. This is a double bubble. We have a bubble in the junk bond market allowing bankrupt businesses to keep their lights on, and a bubble in the housing market driving record rates of residential construction investment. It is hard to come to any other conclusion: the next financial crisis could make 2008 look like a dress rehearsal.”

The article also claimed that the same phenomenon can be observed all over the world, so that the coming housing crash will be worldwide.

Bank of America’s Radical Racist “Re-Education Program”

The New York Post wrote on August 19:

“Bank of America Corp. has implemented a racial re-education program that claims the United States is a system of ‘white supremacy’… Bank of America teaches employees that the United States is a ‘racialized society’ that uses ‘race to establish and justify systems of power, privilege, disenfranchisement and oppression.’ According to the training program, all whites… are ‘living a life with white-skin privileges.’ Even children are implicated in the system of white supremacy: According to the program materials, white toddlers ‘develop racial biases by ages 3 to 5’ and ‘should be actively taught to recognize and reject the “smog” of white privilege.’…

“People of color, on the other hand, can’t be racist, because ‘racism is used to justify the position of the dominant group . . . and to uphold white supremacy and superiority’…

“America’s economy is described as a ‘caste system,’ with ‘African-Americans kept exploited and geographically separate.’ The American policing system, according to the materials, was founded on ‘slave patrols whose task was to capture, control and brutalize enslaved people’;… this system is ‘woven into the DNA’ of US society and, according to the activists in the training module, can be solved only through ‘the defunding and even the abolishment of the police.’…

“In its very name, Bank of America claims to represent the United States. Yet instead of promoting American ideals, the company’s executives have adopted the radical… concepts of critical race theory…”

Bank of America’s claims are utterly ridiculous and constitute huge lies. Who in his right mind would believe any of it?

Most Americans Believe in Blasphemous Fairy Tale of Evolution

Israel 365 wrote on August 22:

“A new study published by the University of Michigan in the journal Public Understanding of Science reported that after many years of public opinion being evenly divided, the majority of Americans now claim to support the theory of evolution…

“The study identified levels of education as the strongest factors in determining the opinion of the theory of evolution. ‘Almost twice as many Americans held a college degree in 2018 as in 1988…

“Participants were asked to agree or disagree with this statement: ‘Human beings, as we know them today, developed from earlier species of animals.’… Over the last decade, until 2019, the percentage of American adults who agreed with this statement increased from 40% to 54%.

“The current study consistently identified religious fundamentalism as the strongest factor leading to the rejection of evolution… Political affiliation was also found to be a factor. As of 2019, 34% of Republicans accepted evolution compared to 83% of liberal Democrats…”

The “wise” or intellectuals in this world are fools in the eyes of God.

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.

There are many Scriptures that focus on the importance of prophecy. In fact, depending on different estimates, prophecy in the Bible takes up between 25% to 33% of all that is written. It is there for a reason – and if we ignore Bible prophecy, we are ignoring a large portion of God’s Word!

In 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21, we read: “Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good.” We are admonished to prove what is written in the Word of God where there are hundreds of prophecies in both the Old Testament and in the New Testament. There are those who may try and forecast future events with varying degrees of success and plenty of failures, but only God tells of many events in His Word without any mistakes or errors. When prophecies come to pass, the accuracy of the Bible is proved.

Prophecy is, simply stated, history written in advance.

In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, we read: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Many today look at many sources to try and forecast the future. The writings of Nostradamus, the Koran, Buddha, Confucius, the Book of Mormon and other sources are often consulted, but the Bible could be the last place that many would look – if they looked at all.

God knows all the stars by name (Psalm 147:4), the hairs on everyone’s head are numbered (Luke 12:7), He knows when a sparrow falls (Matthew 10:29) and declares the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:9-10). Our God is the one true God, and what He says in His Word is true (John 17:17).

2 Peter 1:19-21 shows how prophecy is not from men but from God: “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;  knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,  for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” Biblical prophecy is inspired by God, and so is the proper understanding of prophecy (Revelation 19:10; John 16:13).

The Church of the Eternal God and its affiliates, the Global Church of God in the UK and the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship in Canada, as well as the Kirche des Ewigen Gottes in Germany, have produced many booklets on prophecy – Europe in Prophecy, The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord, The Fall and Rise of Britain and America, The Book of Zechariah – Prophecies for Today, Germany in Prophecy, Middle Eastern and African Nations in Bible Prophecy, Biblical Prophecy – From Now Until Forever and the Ten European Revivals of the Ancient Roman Empire, plus other booklets that contain prophetic details. In addition, many prophetic issues have also been addressed in sermons, monthly member letters and our weekly Q&As. Prophecy has been well covered by the Church of God and this will continue to be the case.

The importance of “watching” is emphasised in Luke 21:34-36: “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.  For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.  Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” We have to be watchful in seeing how world events play out in a prophetic way and also watching our own spiritual condition.

Events are now taking place that are fulfilling prophecy, and Romans 13:11 should give us the necessary prod to take note of the times we are living in: “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.” We have to be patient for the return of Christ, as it states in James 5:7-8: “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.  You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.”

Of course, we know that scoffers and mockers will come at the end time (see 2 Peter 3:3), and this is not helped by a succession of failed date-setters for Christ’s return in spite of Jesus saying that “… of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (see also Mark 13:32). However, we can discern the signs of the times (see Matthew 16:3), and the fact that we are in the end-times can be seen by all that is going on around the world – Europe heading for military and political union, debt crises in most countries, earthquakes and devastating and destructive weather patterns causing terrible wildfires and flooding, the coronavirus pandemic, wars, famines, religious deception, the downfall of the USA and the UK, and much more.

We do need to keep abreast of what is happening, but we do have to keep this in perspective, realising that the depth and breadth of our knowledge about prophecy, all by itself, will be insufficient for us to make it into God’s Kingdom. Mere knowledge of anything, including the Law and the Word of God, without being accompanied by action, is never enough. At the return of Christ, we will not have to sit an examination about how much we knew and understood prophecy or God’s Law or anything contained in His Word. Understanding, in depth, the seals, trumpets, woes and plagues that will take place at the time of the end will not be enough. Nor will all of the other prophecies that are written about in quite a number of books in the Bible. What will really matter is how we have applied what we knew and how we lived our lives, how we have grown and overcome, how obedient we have been to God and His Law and His Commandments, and how we have treated and dealt with other people.

It is unfortunate that some do get rather confused on such issues. Prophecy can become all-consuming to some who are unbalanced in their Christian lives. The same is true for extensive and never-ending Bible study if it does not lead to applying to ourselves  what we have read, followed by action and change of what is wrong. In Matthew 22, Jesus was asked a question by a lawyer: “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”  Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets” (verses 35-40).

Further instruction is given on where our focus for living should be. James 1:26:27 states: “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.  Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

The golden rule in Matthew 7:12 is something that should be very close to our heart: “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” We should do unto others as we would want them to do unto us; it is simple but very effective.

In Matthew 25:37-40, Jesus is talking about the time when the Son of Man will judge the nations: “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?   Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’  And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’” This is behaviour and approach that must be an integral and imbedded part of our way of life.

If this is not the way that we live our lives, then there is a stern warning in Matthew 7:21-23: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness [or: who are transgressors of the law]!’”

One more reference should show where our priorities should be. In 1 Corinthians 13:8 we read: “Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.”

There will come a time when prophecies will all be fulfilled and finished. We must keep in touch with what is happening in the world today and how such events are in line with biblical prophecy, leading to the return of Jesus Christ. It is helpful to know where we are in the timeline of prophetic events, as it is important to know what the Bible says on any given topic, but much more important is how we live our lives which is the basis on which we will be judged. Some, unfortunately, put far too much emphasis on trying to second guess God and predict Christ’s second coming with specific dates. Prophecy can become the be-all and end-all of some people’s interests. That is not balanced.

Rather, understanding biblical prophecy and viewing world events in light of biblical prophecy ought to help us to become better Christians and motivate us to lead more righteous lives, realizing that the time is near and that only so much time is left. The recent shameful developments in Afghanistan show us how quickly events can happen.

We need to be balanced individuals, ensuring that our behaviour and attitude to God and fellow man is dealt with as a matter of top priority. By doing so, we will be afforded the same reward that those in the parable of the talents were given in Matthew 25:20-23: “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’  His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’  He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’  His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’”

Prophecy is vital in helping us to warn the nations of what is to happen in the near future (see Ezekiel 33), and is also vital in helping us to prepare for the second coming of Christ. While waiting for that wonderful event to happen, we have to get on with the job of being a watchman and, at the same time, live a life pleasing in the sight of God which will ensure our eternal future. That is the balance that we need!

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Dave Harris

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

The deadly suicide attacks near the Kabul airport only emphasize how chaotic and catastrophic the situation is in Afghanistan, with tens of thousands of stranded Americans and others being left behind and forsaken by incompetent governments. Especially the UK and Germany are blaming the Biden Administration for Europe’s embarrassing retreat, and voices are being heard for a reevaluation of Europe’s relationship with the USA. The Bible tells us much about what is going on right now, and how it will end. 

“Die Afghanistan Katastrophe,” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German language program covers the same material as the SW program described above.

“Vögel der Bibel,” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Michael Link. Title in English: “Birds of the Bible.”

 Printed copies of our new booklet, “Evil Empires and Evil People—Wild Beasts of the Bible,” have been mailed along with this month’s (August) Member Letter to our subscribers. Please contact us if you would like to be on our mailing list.

“Der Splitter in deines Bruders Auge,” a split sermon presented last Sabbath in Germany by Thilo Hanstein, is now posted. Title in English: “The Splinter in Your Brother’s Eye.”

“Talente,” a split sermon presented last Sabbath in Germany by Christoph Sperzel, is now posted. Title in English: “Talents.”

“Water of Eternal Life,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Frank Bruno, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Water has been an enduring substance created by God to sustain life. It has also been symbolic of God’s promise to us if we follow and obey Him. In this Sermonette we will delve into several scriptures that illustrate that without God’s living waters we are merely dust, with no prospect of the eternal life that can only be obtained through our faith and obedience in Him and His Son.

“What Does the Bible Have to Say About Diversity?” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are a contemporary focus for our governments, educational institutions and work environments. What does the Bible say about the right way to apply these principles?

We will observe the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day for 2021, in Rapid City, South Dakota, and near Düsseldorf, Germany.  If you would like more information, check out our websites: https://www.eternalgod.org/feasts/  ; https://www.ewigengottes.de/wir-uber-uns/laubhuttenfest-2021/

FALL HOLY DAYS for 2021:

September 7          Feast of Trumpets

September 16        Day of Atonement

September 21-27  Feast of Tabernacles

September 28        Last Great Day

On August 21, 2021, Frank Bruno will present the sermonette, titled, “Water of Eternal Life,” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “What Does the Bible Have to Say About Diversity?”

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.

We have heard all these phrases ad infinitum: “Making America Strong Again! Making America Great Again!” Or, by contrast: “America Was Always Great.” Some have claimed the opposite: “America Was Never Great.” And now, recently, “America Is Back,” especially referring to an alleged better relationship with America’s allies.

But events in Afghanistan have totally destroyed America’s image in the world and as a reliable great superpower.

The Guardian wrote that “The 20-year western mission to Afghanistan collapsed in a single dramatic day.” It spoke of “deeply humiliating scenes for the Biden administration,” and that “a powerful international chorus is decrying the consequences of Biden’s too-hasty retreat,” calling it a “historic strategic blunder.”

The Hill remarked that “Team Biden is getting hit from the right, the left and everywhere in between for its miscalculation” regarding the success of the Taliban.

The Washington Post asked this question: “Whatever happened to ‘America is back’?,” citing Biden’s foreign policy promise to “rebuild alliances and restore U.S. prestige,” adding: “How can you say America is back when we’re being defeated by an insurgency armed with no more than [rocket-propelled grenades], land mines and AK-47s?”

Breitbart wrote that “U.S. allies are fuming at President Joe Biden’s failure to defend Afghanistan from the Taliban, wondering if the country’s rapid collapse, and Biden’s refusal to consult other countries before withdrawal, means America’s decline as a world power.”

In a strongly-worded opinion piece by the Editorial Board of the Washington Times, this was pointed out:

“President Biden’s statement on Saturday washing his hands of Afghanistan deserves to go down as one of the most shameful in history by a Commander in Chief at such a moment of American retreat. As the Taliban closed in on Kabul, Mr. Biden sent a confirmation of U.S. abandonment that absolved himself of responsibility, deflected blame to his predecessor, and more or less invited the Taliban to take over the country. With that statement of capitulation, the Afghan military’s last resistance collapsed. Taliban fighters captured Kabul, and President Ashraf Ghani fled the country while the U.S. frantically tried to evacuate Americans. The jihadists the U.S. toppled 20 years ago for sheltering Osama bin Laden will now fly their flag over the U.S. Embassy building on the 20th anniversary of 9/11.”

A more embarrassing moment for the USA could hardly be imagined. But we must understand that these events are in line with biblical prophecy. God promised that, due to the obedience of Abraham, one of his descendants, Manasseh, the first-born son of Joseph, would become great (Genesis 48:19). We know that today, the USA is biblical Manasseh. And indeed, the USA did become one of the greatest single nations in world history. But the times of greatness are definitely over and will not return until Christ restores it at His Coming. God declared that if the USA would become an unrighteous nation, in disobedience to God’s Law, its glory would be taken away from it and it would be defeated and destroyed by its enemies.

We see a small foretaste of this in the events occurring in Afghanistan right now. A small group of Islamist terrorists is able to defeat and put to shame the “greatest” nation on earth. Americans are on the run in Afghanistan, trying to get out of there as fast as they can, while leaving their weapons and military equipment behind.

Deuteronomy 32:30 says: “How could one chase a thousand, And two put ten thousand to flight, Unless their Rock had sold them, And the LORD had surrendered them?”

Psalm 44:9-10 adds: “But You have cast us off and put us to shame, And You do not go out with our armies. You make us turn back from the enemy, And those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves.”

Leviticus 26:36-37 states: “I will send faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies… you shall have no power to stand before your enemies.”

In Deuteronomy 28:25, God adds that the following curse will overtake the USA: “The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you shall go out one way against them and flee seven ways before them; and you shall become troublesome to all the kingdoms of the earth.”

Ultimately, the USA will be hated and forsaken by all nations, including their “allies.” But the power which will finally defeat the USA in war won’t be Russia or China (even though they are most certainly not America’s friends), nor terrorist groups such as the Taliban, but a United States of Europe under a charismatic military leader—the “beast” of the Book of Revelation. We know that the beast will be of German or Austrian descent. But right now, nobody in Germany has stepped up to the plate. In fact, Europe, and especially Germany, are not escaping strong criticism for their mishandling of the Afghanistan debacle.

Bild Online wrote that Angela Merkel’s words and promises “were completely worthless,” decrying the “incompetence of our federal government on global issues,” and adding that “The end of the Afghanistan mission, for which [Merkel] is politically responsible, could not have been more devastating.” Deutsche Welle added that “The mission was one big lie” and that “the EU’s and Germany’s asylum policy is no less hypocritical” than the broken promises of the USA, claiming that “EU politicians have refused to acknowledge the gravity of the security situation in Afghanistan and that the international mission has failed.”

Those German politicians who have been officially named as candidates for chancellor in September, thereby replacing Angela Merkel who promised not to run again, are unpopular and viewed as weak and feeble.

But this will change soon, and a core Europe of ten nations or groups of nations will rise to give their power and authority to the beast. They will bring havoc and devastation on the earth, utterly destroying the USA and other English-speaking nations in wars fought with nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, but they won’t escape their deserved destruction, either.

We have read above that the 20-year mission in Afghanistan collapsed in one day. Likewise, the modern Babylonian system under the rule of the beast and the false prophet will also collapse and be destroyed in one day (Revelation 18:8)—even in one hour (Revelation 18:10).

These are indeed startling times which should wake everybody up. But most are sound asleep, especially in the USA. True protection and safety do not come from political platitudes, popular phrases and slogans or empty promises, but only from the God of the universe. If we have His help, nothing can shake us.

by Norbert Link

We begin with reporting on the terrible disaster in Afghanistan, caused by America’s policies and showing the continuing humiliating downfall of the United States [please view our new StandingWatch program, titled “Making America Great Again?”]; continue with focusing on the German government’s incompetent conduct in this regard as well; and speak on the growing military cooperation between Russia and China and the EU’s growing reliance on its military might.

We discuss the uncertain future of Germany after their election in September; address the German Health Minister’s highly controversial position in regard to the coronavirus; and speak on the turmoil within the Catholic Church and the DOJ’s perceived dereliction of duty in abortion matters.

We report on some highly troublesome ideas by the Biden Administration as to how to combat Covid 19; an incomprehensible recommendation by the CDC; and another appallingly political decision by the US Supreme Court.

We conclude by speaking on disgusting animal abuse in Dr. Anthony Fauci’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

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

America’s Mission in Afghanistan Collapsed in One Day

The Guardian wrote on August 15:

“The 20-year western mission to Afghanistan collapsed in a single dramatic day as Taliban gunmen poured into the capital, Kabul, on Sunday to seize back control of the country.

“Amid scenes of panic, the Afghan president Ashraf Ghani fled the country and the US ambassador was evacuated to Kabul airport, abandoning the American embassy…

“In deeply humiliating scenes for the Biden administration, less than a month before the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on America, smoke spiralled from the embassy compound as staff hastily destroyed documents, before a final group took down the stars and stripes flag and headed to the airport by military helicopter…”

In an accompanying article, the Guardian wrote on August 15:

“The president thought he would gain credit for getting out. So far, it’s been all brickbats… Last time Kabul fell to the Taliban, in 1996, the president, Mohammad Najibullah, was captured and tortured to death. His corpse was hung from a traffic light at a roundabout, signalling a new era of Islamist rule.

“Already, a powerful international chorus is decrying the consequences of Biden’s too-hasty retreat. The UN and aid agencies foresee a humanitarian catastrophe. European countries fear a Syria-scale refugee crisis. Women’s organisations are aghast at the cruel subjugation of Afghanistan’s women and girls. Senior military men from Nato allies bemoan an ‘historic’ strategic blunder. The US departure is a gift to China and Russia, pundits say. It reinforces claims, heard in Iraq in 2011, that the US lacks staying power and leaves friends in the lurch… the Taliban are reportedly fighting alongside al-Qaida and possibly Isis terrorists, too…

“This is exactly what the US (and Britain) always insisted must never happen. Crushing Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida in the wake of the 9/11 attacks was the reason the US invaded in the first place. Allowing al-Qaida a way back is an anathema. Americans would never forgive it. Even so, the situation begins to resemble Iraq after the US withdrawal in 2011. Within two years, Isis had seized large areas of Iraq and Syria and declared an Islamic caliphate. A series of terrible terrorist atrocities ensued, there and across Europe… Will history repeat itself in Afghanistan?”

Sadly, it might. The incredibly disastrous defeat of the USA by Islamist terrorists and the perceived utter incompetence of President Biden and his administration is being noticed by friends and allies around the world.

Bloomberg wrote on August 15:

“Even allies who understood why the U.S. was leaving Afghanistan are likely to be affected by the haste, irresponsibility and callousness with which Washington has made its departure….”

Biden Broke the Peace Deal

Breitbart wrote on August 15:

“The Taliban victory follows Biden breaking the peace deal former President Donald Trump negotiated with the jihadist organization. Under Trump’s terms, the U.S. would have withdrawn all of its combat personnel by May 1 of this year in exchange for the Taliban promising not to harbor terrorist groups like al Qaeda, to negotiate in good faith with Kabul, and to refrain from attacking U.S. forces as they left.

“Biden announced in April he would extend the U.S. presence to September 11, 2021, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that prompted the American invasion. He later advanced the withdrawal date to the end of August. The Taliban expressed outrage at the delay and indicated Biden’s actions released them from their commitments under the deal. The terrorist group’s crippling offensive against the Afghan government swiftly followed.”

Of course, there is no guarantee that the Taliban would have abided by any “agreement” with the USA under President Trump.

Biden’s Defeat like Vietnam—only worse!

The Hill wrote on August 15:

“In the past week, comparisons to the fall of Saigon at the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 – which included the chaotic evacuation of the U.S. embassy as communist forces took over the South Vietnamese capital – have gained steam in headlines and on social media… Team Biden is getting hit from the right, the left and everywhere in between for its miscalculation that the Taliban could be reasoned with and would not immediately proceed to take back the country, including the capital city of Kabul…

“A whopping 86 percent of Americans are [concerned] ‘about inflation’… Almost 8 in 10 (78 percent) of voters say they believe violent crime is a ‘major problem’ in the U.S… Just 33 percent approve of Biden’s handling of the border…

“Now the president has a fourth front to defend: Afghanistan, a country that is about to be governed by a terrorist organization that will not hesitate to harbor the likes of ISIS and al Qaeda again.

“It’s the ’70s all over again, except things overall are actually worse…”

Politico wrote on August 13:

“Even if you ignore the fact that Biden has been wrong on almost every U.S. foreign policy and national security issue of the last 40 years…,  what is happening today [in Afghanistan] matters more than most of his previous mistakes….”

Biden’s Afghanistan Surrender

The Editorial Board of the Wallstreet Journal wrote on August 15:

“President Biden’s statement on Saturday [August 14] washing his hands of Afghanistan deserves to go down as one of the most shameful in history by a Commander in Chief at such a moment of American retreat. As the Taliban closed in on Kabul, Mr. Biden sent a confirmation of U.S. abandonment that absolved himself of responsibility, deflected blame to his predecessor, and more or less invited the Taliban to take over the country.

“With that statement of capitulation, the Afghan military’s last resistance collapsed. Taliban fighters captured Kabul, and President Ashraf Ghani fled the country while the U.S. frantically tried to evacuate Americans. The jihadists the U.S. toppled 20 years ago for sheltering Osama bin Laden will now fly their flag over the U.S. Embassy building on the 20th anniversary of 9/11…

“Mr. Biden’s Saturday self-justification exemplifies his righteous dishonesty… Worse is his attempt to blame his decisions on Mr. Trump…”

Another one of Biden’s Most Shameful Speeches

The Sun wrote on August 17:

“Joe Biden’s speech last night [Monday, August 16] will surely rank as one of the most shameful in presidential history… The mission to prevent terrorism had been a success, he told us, and nation-building was never part of the deal. ‘The buck stops with me,’ he declared, after blaming Donald Trump, as well as the Afghan government, soldiers and people for the ‘gut-wrenching’ scenes… He boasted of resettling 2,000 Afghan allies and their families, as if it absolved him of blame for the many thousands more he has abandoned to their fate…

“But there has to be a better way to exit than this shambolic headlong retreat that sold millions of ordinary Afghans down the river…”

Trump Speaks out and Is Regaining Popularity

Fox News wrote on August 17:

“Donald Trump strongly condemned President Joe Biden and the catastrophe unfolding in Kabul, Afghanistan since the weekend, in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Tuesday… [He said] that Biden has humiliated the United States more than any other president in history…

“Trump said that he warned presumed Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in discussions last year that the United States will strike back tenfold if an American was harmed or the militants encroached on unapproved areas… Trump claimed he never had any confidence in the now abdicated government of President Ashraf Ghani, claiming the politician was in it for the money… That description was proven true, Trump claimed, following Ghani’s reported escape in which he took several vehicles and an untold amount of cash.”

Breitbart wrote on August 18:

“Most voters blame… Joe Biden for the Afghanistan catastrophe and Donald Trump would beat him in a re-vote, per the latest from Rasmussen Reports…  When asked, ‘Who is to blame for the Taliban taking over Afghanistan?’ 51 percent blamed Biden, only 33 percent said Trump, while 15 percent remained undecided…

“The poll also asked who the respondent voted for in the 2020 election. An equal number, 45 percent, said they voted for Biden and Trump. But when asked, ‘If the next presidential election were held today, who would you vote for?’ Trump now beats Biden by 43 to 37 percent.”

UK Criticizes Biden over Afghanistan

Deutsche Welle reported on August 13:

“… the British government has called the US move to withdraw from Afghanistan ‘a mistake’ because the country ‘is heading towards civil war.’…  “Some international allies, including Germany, warned, ‘that pressing ahead with the plan to leave would create a security vacuum.’…”

According to the New York Times, Biden was pleading with the Taliban to spare the US Embassy in Kabul. Bild Online wrote: “Bidens Kniefall vor den Taliban.” (“Biden kneels down before or bows the knee to the Taliban.”)  

Truly embarrassing for America. But then, America’s allies, including the UK and Germany, are hypocrites, as they had already withdrawn their troops from Afghanistan.

It’s America’s Fault

The Guardian wrote on August 12:

“‘[The Afghans have to] fight for themselves, fight for their nation,’ Joe Biden said. Jen Psaki, the White House spokeswoman, added: ‘They have what they need. What they need to determine is whether they have the political will to fight back.’

“But despite more than $80bn in US security assistance since 2002 and an annual military budget far in excess of other developing nations, Afghan military resistance to the Taliban is collapsing with greater speed than even most pessimists had predicted…  the attempt to put all the blame on the Afghans obscures the share of responsibility of the US and its allies for the military disaster…

“… many military analysts argue the abruptness of the US withdrawal, begun by Donald Trump and continued by Joe Biden, has contributed to the speed of the collapse… Without US soldiers on the ground directing precision air strikes in the midst of the battle, US air support to Afghan troops is of limited help… Afghanistan has its own air force but it is dependent on US military contractors to service it, and the contractors were among the first to leave…”

No wonder that the Afghan “army” is collapsing and on the run, leaving powerful weapons and tanks and war machines behind for the Taliban to grab—most of them “made in the USA.” The USA, both under Trump and now under Biden, is being accused of a terrible shortsightedness and miscalculation of reality. But the same goes for America’s allies. Note the subsequent articles.

Europe Alarmed and Frustrated

The Washington Examiner wrote on August 18:

 “President Joe Biden’s chaotic exit from Afghanistan has sent a shiver of frustration and bewilderment through allies at home and abroad who regarded his inauguration as a break from former President Donald Trump’s oft-haphazard approach to foreign policy… [Allies] are stunned to see him follow Trump’s line in Afghanistan and compound that choice with mismanagement.

“German politician Armin Laschet, the heir-apparent to outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel, [said:] ‘This is the greatest debacle that NATO has seen since its foundation, and it is an epochal change that we are facing’…

“That’s the kind of criticism European officials might have expected Trump to earn rather than Biden, given the former president described the alliance as ‘obsolete.’… In June, Biden said he had ‘strong consensus among the leaders … on Afghanistan’ during his appearance at the NATO summit in Brussels. That statement belied the disagreement over his decision to withdraw so soon after taking office, and the fall of Kabul just months later has caused transatlantic frustration to break into public. ‘It looks like NATO has been completely overtaken by American unilateral decisions,’ former British national security adviser Peter Ricketts told Financial Times. ‘First of all, Trump’s decision to start talking to the Taliban about leaving and then the Biden decision to set a timetable.’”

Politico wrote on August 17:

“Now… European officials worried he has unwittingly accelerated what his predecessor Donald Trump started: the degradation of the Western alliance and everything it is supposed to stand for in the world. Across Europe, officials have reacted with a mix of disbelief and a sense of betrayal.

“Even those who cheered Biden’s election and believed he could ease the recent tensions in the transatlantic relationship said they regarded the withdrawal from Afghanistan as nothing short of a mistake of historic magnitude. ‘I say this with a heavy heart and with horror over what is happening, but the early withdrawal was a serious and far-reaching miscalculation by the current administration,’ said Norbert Röttgen, chairman of the German parliament’s foreign relations committee. ‘This does fundamental damage to the political and moral credibility of the West.’

“At a time when some European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, have been pushing for the bloc to pursue a security policy less dependent on America, Afghanistan is bound to be used as evidence for why ‘strategic autonomy’ is necessary… While dismay over the course of events in Afghanistan was widespread across Europe, it is particularly pronounced in Germany…”

“European autonomy” is clearly prophesied.

“Whatever Happened to ‘America is Back’? Allies Fume at Biden Failure in Afghanistan”

Breitbart wrote August 15:

“U.S. allies are fuming at President Joe Biden’s failure to defend Afghanistan from the Taliban, wondering if the country’s rapid collapse, and Biden’s refusal to consult other countries before withdrawal, means America’s decline as a world power.”

“The Washington Post reported Sunday:

‘“Whatever happened to ‘America is back’?” said Tobias Ellwood, who chairs the Defense Committee in the British Parliament, citing Biden’s foreign policy promise to rebuild alliances and restore U.S. prestige damaged during the Trump administration. ‘People are bewildered that after two decades of this big, high-tech power intervening, they are withdrawing and effectively handing the country back to the people we went in to defeat,’ Ellwood said. ‘This is the irony. How can you say America is back when we’re being defeated by an insurgency armed with no more than [rocket-propelled grenades], land mines and AK-47s?’…

‘“Israeli officials are worried, according [to] the Times of Israel, noting some links that exist between the Taliban and Hamas…  In Britain, the Daily Mail blared the front-page headline alongside a military coffin: ‘What the… did they all die for?’

“Biden has used the phrase ‘America is back’ to signify his willingness to cooperate with other nations — in contrast to Trump’s supposed assertion of American preeminence. ‘America is back. America is back. Diplomacy is back at the center of our foreign policy,’ Biden said in a speech at the State Department, shortly after taking office.”

America is being defeated for biblical reasons. Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Making America Great Again?”  

Merkel Failed the German People

On August 15, Bild Online published the following commentary by chief editor Julian Reichelt:

“We capitulate, the barbarians triumph. During these hours, the Taliban are establishing an Islamist state of God in the country where more than 50 German soldiers and thousands of soldiers from the Western Alliance have lost their lives so that that same caliphate would never exist again. The images are a dramatic reminder of the debacle of the lost Vietnam War. The barbarians who attacked New York and Western civilization 20 years ago on September 11th are triumphant.

“What President Biden had ruled out in June is now a reality: Americans are being flown out of Afghanistan. During these hours, thousands upon thousands set off for Europe, fleeing from the Stone Age Islamists. We see that the words of Chancellor Angela Merkel to COMBAT the causes of flight on the ground were completely worthless.

“We don’t fight, we surrender. The case of Kabul shows the strategic indifference and incompetence of our federal government on global issues: China gets influence in Afghanistan, we get the refugees from Afghanistan. And it won’t be long before terror is brought back to the world from there. After the debacle in Syria, Chancellor Merkel did not even attempt to forge a military alliance that could have protected our interests on the ground for the second time, for example by providing air support for the Afghan army, which we only built with billions in taxpayers’ money to see them collapse now and leave the guns to the Taliban.

“The full extent of the inability can be seen in Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, who unfortunately forgot to evacuate the German embassy staff in time because she simply ignored the threat posed by the approaching Taliban. In the first really important moment she showed how completely unsuitable she is for the office of defense minister. She only noticed the Taliban when their flags were flying in the suburbs of Kabul. It is a failure that could still cost lives.

“The Chancellor has been claiming for 16 years that she thinks everything from the end. The end of the Afghanistan mission, for which she is politically responsible, could not have been more devastating.”

Merkel’s days are over, and her time is far spent, and her successor, whoever it might be in the short term, will prove to be as weak, or weaker, than Merkel (see the article below on the German elections in September).

This Hypocrisy Must Stop

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 16:

“The mission was one big lie… Human rights? Women’s rights? Democracy? That’s no longer the West’s problem, it seems, it’s suddenly for Afghans to sort out among themselves…

“But what Biden fails to mention is that the US did not only invade Afghanistan back in 2001 in order to fight the Taliban and al-Qaida. The US also promised the Afghan people that it would bring democracy to their country. Protecting the rights of Afghan women was one of the main arguments for the US-led war on Afghanistan. But two decades on, it’s clear that this was all just empty rhetoric; neither women’s rights nor democracy were the top priorities.

“The same women who… were placated with promises… are now being cast back into the darkness in which they existed prior to 2001. They have been betrayed and abandoned… The EU and Germany’s asylum policy is no less hypocritical…  EU politicians have refused to acknowledge the gravity of the security situation in Afghanistan and that the international mission has failed.

“But now that it’s too late, politicians, the media and academics are professing their shock… Instead of supporting warlords and corrupt politicians in recent years, they should have made concerted efforts to understand and engage with the Afghan people, their culture and society… Rather than helping build an army, they should have been helping the Afghan people build a future….”

And so, hypocritical Europeans place all the blame on America.

Far Eastern Military Cooperation

Newsmax wrote on August 13:

“Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu praised military cooperation between Moscow and Beijing on Friday and suggested it could develop further, after flying to China for joint maneuvers involving more than 10,000 troops… Russia and China have conducted joint drills since 2005, but Shoigu — a close ally of President Vladimir Putin — noted that it was the first time the Russian military had taken part in an event of this kind in China… [Reportedly,] the drills also marked the first time Russian soldiers had used Chinese weapons.

“… China is Russia’s biggest trade partner. Russian Railways this week said the first railway bridge between Russia and China, over the Amur River, would open soon, a boost for bilateral trade.

“Separate Russian drills with Indian forces in the Russian city of Volgograd involving around 500 soldiers ended on Thursday…”

A military cooperation between Russia, China and other countries, such as India, Pakistan and Iran, which will be hostile towards the EU and the USA, is prophesied. It is also interesting that China and Russia are enjoying a very good relationship with the Taliban in Afghanistan and are not vacating their embassies. Note the next article.

Modern Diplomacy wrote on August 11:

“The American exit from Afghanistan has created a power vacuum. The quartet of China, Russia, Pakistan, and Iran stands to benefit the most from the US withdrawal…

“From a long-term perspective, the American exit signals a shift in US foreign policy away from the Middle East and South Central Asia…

“Beijing would prefer to work closely with Moscow than with Washington. China and Russia share similar concerns, and both oppose a Western military presence….”

EU Relies on its Military Might

National News wrote on August 13:

“Determined not to open Europe’s borders to another wave of refugees, the EU is preparing to guard its frontiers with a growing reliance on military might… People travelling to Europe can expect to face drones, army troops and more guards from the EU’s border agency Frontex… The agency uses planes, helicopters, sea vessels, patrol cars and other equipment, such as heartbeat detectors, to root out illegal migrants in what experts consider a growing militarisation of its operations…

“Airbus supplies Frontex with drones equipped with infrared vision to monitor the Mediterranean. Guards are allowed to use service weapons… Frontex is in high demand from EU countries… Frontex has working arrangements with 18 countries, including Ukraine, one of the main sources of people who are deported from the EU…”

The EU is relying more and more on mercenaries such as Frontex.

Germany after September 26

European Politics and Policy as well as the London School of Economics published the following piece by Minna Ålander, Julina Mintel and Dominik Rehbaum on August 12:

“… the choice of Germany’s next leader will also have significant consequences for the EU…

“The current governing coalition of the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and Social Democrats (SPD) consider the EU to be a central part of Germany’s future… The Greens want to [see] a Federal European Republic, and the FDP envisions a decentralised federal European state… Die Linke… would like to… cut all funding for military projects. In contrast, the AfD would like Germany to leave the EU altogether.

“Regarding foreign and security policy, all parties with the exception of the AfD [want] to enhance the EU’s decision-making capacity. The FDP, CDU/CSU and SPD support a European Defence Union and the creation of a European armed forces… The CDU/CSU manifesto envisions a core Europe… in all matters of foreign and security policy…  While the CDU/CSU, the Greens and Die Linke all favour the introduction of a digital euro by the European Central Bank to guarantee means of payment, the AfD proposes a return to a national German currency.

“It is exceptionally difficult to predict the outcome of the election [on September 26], but the most likely scenario is that the CDU/CSU will remain in power with a new coalition partner. One such coalition would be an agreement between the CDU/CSU and the FDP…

“At present, the polling presents a mixed picture and it remains unclear what direction Germany will take as it enters the post-Merkel era. It will be up to German voters to decide on whether the country should continue to pursue a similar path under a new leader, or whether it is time to initiate a major break with the past….”

Germany’s future is indeed interesting, and this even more so now, in light of the Afghanistan debacle for which the German government bears their share as well. The Bible shows that a powerful core Europe will develop, and a charismatic leader of German or Austrian descent, ruling over core Europe, will arise.

“Spahn’s Punch in the Face!”

Bild wrote on August 14th:

“Jens Spahn wants us to ‘hold out again until spring’. Say what?

“Talk of perseverance is the last thing we need in the current situation! The Spahn sentence is a slap in the face – for all families, schoolchildren, daycare children, entrepreneurs, restaurateurs and artists. For everyone who has ‘held out’ for a year and a half. And who now have the right to live their lives in freedom again. But no: more rigidity instead of Freedom Day in Germany!

“How can there be an atmosphere of optimism that our country so urgently needs? We have to get out of pandemic mode… No more Corona symbol politics! Finally stop with compelling even our children to wear masks and with abusive and arbitrary treatment through rules of madness!”

Spahn is a truly controversial and polarizing figure. His coronavirus policies have been appalling at times, but most Germans seem to have loved them. It seems like Bild Online is trying to wake up these Germans, but not with much success.

Catholic Church and Resistance “to the Face”

The New York Times wrote on August 12:

“To stamp out the old Latin Mass, Pope Francis is using the papacy in precisely the way that progressives once claimed to deplore: He centralizes power in Rome, usurps the local bishop’s prerogatives and institutes a micromanaging style that is motivated by paranoia of disloyalty and heresy…

“I believe the practice of the new Mass forms people to a new faith: To become truly Christian, one must cease to be Christian at all. Where the new faith is practiced with a zealous spirit — as in Germany now — bishops and priests want to conform the religion’s teaching to the moral norms of the nonbelieving society around them…

“I don’t know if bishops will adopt Francis’ zeal to crush the Latin Mass. I don’t know how painful they are willing to make our religious life. If they do, they will create — or reveal — more division in the church. The old slogan of the traditional Latin Mass movement comes to mind: We resist you to the face….”

Unity within the Catholic Church seems to be elusive. The author of the article also compared the current situation with the upheaval during the Protestant Reformation.   

The Pope and the Ten Commandments

Life Site News wrote on August 18:

“‘I observe them, but not as absolutes,’ Pope Francis said of the Ten Commandments… Pope Francis made the statement in the context of how Christians live a moral life…

“This is not the first time Pope Francis has offered his own catechesis on the Ten Commandments. In November 2018, he also suggested that the Ten Commandments are not an absolute or binding on Christians.

“… on August 11, 2021,  [he] spoke again of the Ten Commandments, as well as the Mosaic Law… In his estimation, it was not only the Laws of Moses applicable to the Old Covenant, but also the Ten Commandments themselves that were part of the norms for the Israelites at the time.”

Pope Francis’ ignorance of the Bible and the Ten Commandments is mind-boggling.

Department of Justice accused of Dereliction of Duty

Newsmax wrote on August 13:

“The Department of Justice is taking heat for its dismissal of a lawsuit brought by the Trump administration last year against the University of Vermont Medical Center.

“The chairmen of the U.S. bishops’ religious liberty and pro-life committees said Thursday that the Justice Department ‘is acting in dereliction of its duty to enforce the plain meaning of federal law’ by voluntarily dismissing a lawsuit against a hospital that forced nurses to assist in elective abortions against their religious beliefs… [and] their conscientious objections….

“‘It is hard to imagine a more horrific civil rights violation than being forced to take an innocent human life,’ said Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Religious Liberty, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities…

“The Catholic bishops were not the only ones expressing outrage at the voluntary dismissal of the lawsuit. Earlier this week, 84 House Republicans sent a scathing letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra that called the dismissal a ‘profound miscarriage of justice.’… The lawmakers concluded that the DOJ’s actions ‘signal that this administration would rather allow consciences to be violated at the behest of the abortion lobby rather [than] enforce the law and protect religious liberty.’”

Religious liberty and freedom, as well as religious belief and conscientious objections, have been under attack in the USA for quite a while. But these days, especially with the arrival of COVID 19 and governmental restrictive measures to “combat” it, it’s getting worse and worse.

Mandatory Vaccine Passport for Interstate Travel?

Newsmax wrote on August 13:

“Several media outlets reported Friday that the Biden administration… has discussed requiring Americans to obtain a vaccine passport for interstate travel… Conservative lawmakers responded swiftly and loudly to even the mention of such an idea…

“… the AP story confirms that ‘more severe measures — such as mandating vaccines for interstate travel … have been discussed.’ The report adds the Biden administration is concerned that these actions ‘would be too polarizing at this time.’ As a result, a White House official said that mandating vaccines for interstate travel is ‘not under consideration at the moment.’

“The clarification from the White House did not convince conservative podcast host Liz Wheeler, who said via her Twitter account: ‘Mandating the covid vaxx for interstate travel has “been discussed”?!… This is a called a test balloon, to prepare people for when the Biden admin drops this dictate. This is OUTRAGEOUS.’”

It truly is. To even raise such an unparalleled idea in American history shows how autocratic and dictatorial the US government is willing to become.

New York’s Incredible Dictatorship

Daily Mail wrote on August 18:

“New York City business owners are suing Mayor Bill de Blasio over the city’s new ‘arbitrary and capricious’ vaccine requirements that will force them to check the vaccine status of every single indoor customer…

“De Blasio’s controversial ‘Key to NYC’ scheme officially kicked off August 17, marking the US’s first rules separating the vaccinated and the unvaccinated in day-to-day life. Cities like New Orleans and San Francisco have since followed suit with similar mandates.

“New York’s rules require staff and customers at dining, entertainment and fitness venues to have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine to enter indoor spaces…

“Restaurants have until September 13 to get up to speed with the rules, after which time they will be faced with city inspections and slapped with hefty fines if they fail to comply.

“The mandate also applies to other indoor social settings, with vaccine passports now required to enter the city’s gyms, fitness centers, indoor pools, movie theaters, music and concert venues, museums, indoor stadiums and arenas, convention centers, bowling alleys and indoor play areas.”

This is so diabolical and dictatorial! It surely brings Nazi Germany’s policies to mind.

Patients with Weak Immune System to Receive a THIRD Shot?

NBC News wrote on August 13:

“An advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention voted Friday [unanimously] to recommend that certain patients with weakened immune systems receive an extra dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine….

“Dr. David Cohn, chief medical officer at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center [said that now] that it is clear that many of those patients have not been well protected by the vaccines,… the third dose will be a welcome boost in immunity.”

Has one ever heard such dangerous scientific nonsense and insanity before?

Jews Asked to Modify Holy Day Services

The Jerusalem Post wrote on August 17:

“Only those vaccinated with the third dose of the coronavirus vaccine, those who have recovered from the virus and those who were recently tested should be allowed to attend High Holy Day services in synagogues, the World Organization of Orthodox Communities and Synagogues recommended… All other worshipers should pray in services in open areas…

“The organization also stressed the importance of wearing masks throughout the entire service, keeping distance between worshippers and avoiding kissing the Torah scroll or shaking hands. The organization also recommended that sites be set up for outdoor prayer services near synagogues with adequate seating and protection from the sun, adding that prayer services should begin early and be shortened as much as possible…

“Rosh Hashana begins this year on Monday, September 6, in the evening. Yom Kippur takes place this year on the evening of September 15. Last year, Israel was under lockdown for the High Holy Days, with strict restrictions regulating the size of prayer services. Officials have expressed concerns that if infection rates continue to rise or a new variant enters Israel, Israel could be in lockdown for the holidays again this year…”

Are they making a mockery of God and His Holy Days? Now, the Pope said that getting vaccinated is an act of love. Incredible! No wonder God is so ANGRY with the religious leadership and establishment of

“Christians” and “Jews” around the world.

Canada’s Vaccination Passport for International Travel

Global News wrote on August 11:

“Canada is getting a vaccine passport for international travel, Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino announced on Wednesday. The vaccine certificate will be common across all provinces, and will include the holder’s COVID-19 vaccination history, the date they got it, the type of jab they received and the location where they received their shot. It will be available to all citizens, permanent residents, and temporary residents living in Canada who are fully vaccinated.

“As for a timeline, the passport will be ready to go ‘early this fall’ … In the meantime, the government will have to gather all the vaccination data from each province and territory in order to plug it into their new passport system and get it ready to go… the passport is being crafted with international travel in mind…”

Under Satan’s influence, more and more countries are trying to prevent its citizens from traveling to keep God’s annual Holy Days. For instance, parts of Australia are under complete lockdown again, and Germany is refusing entry to anyone arriving from certain designated countries.

Supreme Court Won’t Block Vaccination Mandate

The Washington Post wrote on August 13:

“Justice Amy Coney Barrett on Thursday rejected a plea from a group of Indiana University students [Klaassen v. Trustees of Indiana University] to stop the university’s requirement that all students be vaccinated against the coronavirus. Barrett, who received the request because she is the Supreme Court justice tasked with emergency petitions from that region of the country, did not give a reason. It appears she made the decision on her own, as she did not mention referring the matter to the other justices.

“It was the first case about vaccination requirements to reach the Supreme Court. Both a federal district judge and a unanimous panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit had previously rejected the request that the university’s requirement be put on hold while the issue was further litigated…

“The university in May required all faculty, students and staff to be vaccinated unless they applied and qualified for an exemption, such as a religious objection or a medical reason for not receiving the vaccine… the school announced it would require all students, faculty, staff, and visitors to wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status. According to the school’s policy, those who receive a religious or medical exemption must wear masks in public spaces and be regularly tested…

“In their filing to the Supreme Court, the students claimed a constitutional violation [by being coerced] to give up their rights to bodily integrity, autonomy, and of medical treatment choice in exchange… They contended the vaccine could be more dangerous to them than the virus… ‘The known and unknown risks associated with COVID vaccines, particularly in those under 30, outweigh the risks to that population from the disease itself.’…

“The lower courts relied on a Supreme Court precedent from 1905. In Jacobson v. Massachusetts, the court backed a government requirement that people get vaccinated against smallpox or pay a fine….”

Another typically political and cowardly decision by the US Supreme Court. But it shows again the deeply troubling movement towards American dictatorship.

Animal Abuse

The New York Post wrote on August 12:

“Animal rights groups are outraged at Dr. Anthony Fauci’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases after reports emerged it spent $400,000 on research to infect beagles with disease-causing parasites… The beagles were reportedly allowed to develop infections for three months before they were then euthanized so their blood could be collected…

“PETA’s vice president Kathy Guillermo [said:] ‘[The National Institutes of Health’s director Francis Collins, who oversees Fauci] is spending billions of dollars on studies that include infecting and cutting up dogs, frightening monkeys, and addicting mice to cocaine that don’t lead to cures or vaccines while humans die from Alzheimer’s, HIV, cancer, multiple sclerosis, ALS, and other deadly ailments.’”

The Daily Caller wrote on August 4:

“Members of Congress earlier this year called for increased transparency on Food and Drug Administration (FDA) animal testing after WCW revealed that around 20,000 dogs per year are used in FDA experiments, many of which scientists say are unnecessary and harmful to the animals involved.”

This is so SICK! It shows how perverted and corrupt human nature is.

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.

Let us review the biblical references to what Jesus said in respect to the mustard seed.

We read in Matthew 13:31-32: “Another parable He put forth to them, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field,  which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.’” (Also compare Mark 4:31 and Luke 13:18-19.)

The only two other references to the mustard seed in the Bible are in Matthew 17:20 and Luke 17:6 when they are used in the context of faith.

We read on the website personpaper.com about which is the smallest seed in the world:

“There are 300,000 species of seed-bearing plants in the world that we know of. Among these, the smallest seed belongs to an orchid known as Aerides odorata. This flowering plant lives in areas across China, Southeast Asia, and the Philippines, preferring a rainforest-type habitat. The seed of the Aerides odorata is only 0.2 millimeters in length. That may be a little hard to picture, so here is more of a visual: It takes over three million Aerides odorata seeds to make up one gram–3,300,000, to be exact! The seed is truly miniscule–almost microscopic!”

From this information, we note that the mustard seed is not the smallest seed in the world, and so how do we understand what Jesus was saying? There are those who might reason that if Jesus was wrong about this, what else might He have been wrong about?

In the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Commentary, we read:

“‘Small as a grain of mustard seed’ was a proverbial expression among the Jews for something exceedingly minute. The mustard-seed is not the least of all seeds in the world, but of all which the husbandman was accustomed to sow, and the ‘tree,’ when full grown, was larger than the other herbs in his garden.”

On the Wikipedia website, we read about the mustard seed and its religious significance: “Jewish texts compare the knowable universe to the size of a mustard seed to demonstrate the world’s insignificance and to teach humility. The Jewish philosopher Nachmanides mentions the universe expanded from the time of its creation, in which it was the size of a mustard seed.”

Of course, it seems that the comments by Wikipedia are incorporating the false concept of the Evolution Theory. God created the heavens and the earth in the beginning in a beautiful state; the universe did not “evolve” and expand due to the “Big Bang” idea.

From the comments, quoted above, it would follow that Jesus used a proverbial expression among the Jews, rather than making a statement of biological fact.

The Benson Commentary agrees and observes: “[It] is like to a grain of mustard-seed — Small and contemptible in its beginning. Which is indeed the least of all seeds — That is, of all those seeds with which the people of Judea were then acquainted. Our Lord’s words are to be interpreted by popular use. And we learn from this gospel, Matthew 17:20, that like a grain of mustard-seed was become proverbial for expressing a small quantity.”

The Christian Post addressed this question in 2003 as follows:

“Please note that Jesus was not comparing the mustard seed to all other seeds in the world, but to seeds that a local, Palestinian farmer might have ‘sowed in his field,’ i.e., a key qualifying phrase in verse 31. And it’s absolutely true that the black mustard seed (Brassica nigra = Sinapis nigra) was the smallest seed ever sown by a first-century farmer in that part of the world.

“It’s also true, as many modern-day encyclopedias will tell you, that the black mustard seed in Israel will typically grow to heights of 3.7 meters, or twelve (12) feet) — plenty large enough to hold a bird nest.

“It’s important to remember that the Bible often uses everyday terminology in order to communicate simple truth. Even today, we might refer to a ‘sunset’ when, technically, scientifically, we know that the sun never actually ‘sets,’ i.e., it’s the earth that revolves.

“The context of Matthew 13 makes it quite clear that Jesus was addressing a local lay audience, not an international conference of botanists. It seems that no reasonable person would therefore insist for very long that this text provides a viable basis for questioning either Jesus or the Bible, when it comes to getting the facts straight — scientifically, historically, or technically.”

It is true that the Bible sometimes uses “hyperbole” to stress a spiritual point. As we saw in our three-part series about hyperbole in January 2021, E W Bullinger, a 19th Century English clergyman, biblical scholar, and theologian wrote a book entitled “Figures of Speech Used in the Bible.” He claimed that there were over 200 different types of figures of speech, and hyperbole was one of them.  Hyperbole is, put simply, an exaggeration to make the point and not to be taken literally.

Likewise, a proverbial expression amongst the Jews would be another figure of speech. Also, this could be considered colloquial. The website of literarydevices.net states: “Colloquial language is language that is informal and conversational. A colloquialism is a word or expression that is commonplace within a specific language, geographic region, or historical era. Colloquialisms are useful in many ways as literary devices.”

We should also note that, according to Scripture, it was God the Father who created all things through Jesus Christ (compare Ephesians 3:9), and Jesus, as Creator, would know His creation. We read in John 1:1-3: “In the beginning was the Word [Logos in Greek, meaning Spokesman], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” We know that the Word became Jesus Christ as we read in verse 14: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

In Colossians 1:16-17 we read: “For by Him 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.” And Hebrews 1:2 states: “[God] has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds…” and it adds in verse 10, referring to Jesus Christ, the Son of God: “‘You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands.”

It is important to re-emphasize the point that the One who was the Creator would have known all about the earth He created and all that was in it. What would His hearers have thought if He had said something along the following lines?:

“The kingdom of heaven is like an aerides odorata seed which is only 0.2 millimeters in length and it takes over three million aerides odorata seeds to make up one gram–3,300,000, to be exact! The seed is truly miniscule–almost microscopic, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

His audience wouldn’t have known what He was talking about. So, based on what has been stated so far in this Q&A, Christ would have chosen an example, using the current Jewish vernacular so that all who heard Him could understand that He was expressing a spiritual message. In any event, Christ wanted to show with His message how from small beginnings great things would be achieved, and by extension to the future, as we read in Habakkuk 2:14: “For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea.”

Rather than pointing the finger and criticising what at first reading could be seen as a basic scientific or biological mistake, we have to view the parable in context, and it is clear that a message was given to the local people at that time by the One who had created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them, to make a spiritual point and to convey spiritual truth.

However, having said all of this, we need to refer to a Q&A about the mustard seed, in which we explained that Christ was “ALSO very accurate from a ‘biological’ and ‘scientific’ standpoint.” We said the following:

“As the translation of the New King James Bible [of Matthew 13:31-32] shows, He spoke of the ‘least’ of the seeds and the ‘greatest’ of the herbs–not necessarily of the ‘smallest’ and the ‘largest.’ When Christ said that the mustard seed was the ‘least’ of all seeds, the Greek word for ‘least’ is ‘mikros.’ When using the phrase that it would become the ‘greatest’ of all herbs, the Greek word for ‘greatest’ is ‘meizon.’

“Thayer defines ‘mikros’ as follows: ‘small, little: … of size… length… space… age… time… quantity [and] of rank or INFLUENCE.’ Strong’s defines the Greek word ‘mikros’ as ‘small (in size, quantity, number or (figuratively) dignity): – least, less, little, small.’

“Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words states that the word ‘mikros’ literally means, ‘small’ or ‘little,’ (in regard to age, quantity, size or space), but that it is sometimes translated as ‘the least’ (for example, in Acts 8:10 and in Hebrews 8:11), with reference to rank and INFLUENCE. We see, then, that the word ‘mikros’ can be translated as ‘little’–it does not even HAVE to be translated as “the least.” In addition, the Greek word ‘mikros’ does not HAVE to address size at all, but it can refer to ‘influence’ or ‘dignity.’

“Likewise, the Greek word for ‘greatest’–‘meizon’–can be translated as ‘greater’–by comparison. It does not have to address size; it can also refer to IMPORTANCE or INFLUENCE. Young’s defines the word ‘meizon’ as ‘greater’ or ‘larger.’ The meaning is primarily one of COMPARATIVE IMPORTANCE, and not necessarily of size. In Matthew 18:1, the same Greek word ‘meizon’ is used to describe IMPORTANCE, STATUS or RANK (‘Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven…’); the same is true in Matthew 23:11 (‘But he who is greatest among you…’). Paul uses the word likewise to address IMPORTANCE, in 1 Corinthians 13:13, when he says: ‘the greatest of these [faith, hope and love] is love.’

“We might also note that there is by no means unanimity as to how to translate Matthew 13:31-32.

“Here are some alternative renderings: ‘… which indeed is LESSER among all the seeds; but when it is grown is GREATER than the herbs, and becometh a tree…’ (The New Testament from the Greek Text, edited by Ivan Panin, Toronto, 1935). ‘Though it is the smallest of all YOUR seed [Christ was addressing His audience in Judah], yet when it grows, it is the largest of GARDEN PLANTS and becomes a tree…’ (NIV; similar Rotherham and Zuercher)…

“All that Christ was doing was to compare the growth of the Kingdom of God–-and its increasing importance and influence for man—with the growth and increasing usefulness and importance of the mustard seed… Christ knew very well what He was saying, and even though He used a PARABLE to convey a SPIRITUAL LESSON, He did in no way state something which was biologically or scientifically incorrect.”

We also said this in the above-mentioned Q&A:

“The spiritual application of this parable is very clear. Christ compared the Kingdom of God with a very small seed, as it begins in a very small way. It is like a little bit of leaven, which will ultimately leaven the whole world (Matthew 13:33). Today, the gospel of the Kingdom of God is not accepted by very many, and very few—the firstfruits—respond to its message and become converted. Once they receive the Holy Spirit, they are begotten children of God and of His Kingdom—which is the Family of God that will rule on this earth, when Christ returns. Ultimately, the knowledge of God will cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea. The government of Christ will increase and will have no end (compare Isaiah 9:7). The Nelson Study Bible explains: ‘… the number of people who will inherit the kingdom of God will be very small at first. But though it begins like the smallest of seeds, the nucleus will enjoy growth completely out of proportion to its initial size.’”

The Church of God has to continue to fulfil its commission to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God in all the world as a witness, and then Christ will return to establish the Kingdom and Government of God on this earth. Then, the Kingdom of God will grow in that more and more members will be added to the God Family.

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

compiled by Dave Harris

Our new booklet, “Why this Confusion about Life after Death?”, has been sent to Shelly Bruno for finalization.

“Making America Great Again?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

The debacle in Afghanistan and the shameful incompetence of the Biden Administration have totally destroyed America’s image in the world and as a reliable great superpower. In addition, Europe and especially the German government under Angela Merkel are not escaping strong criticism either. But why? Does Bible prophecy tell us something about the reasons?

“Amerika wieder groß machen?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German language program covers the same material as presented in English—described above.

A new Member Letter (August 2021) has been written and posted. Elder Paul Niehoff (Australia) writes about the wonderful events pictured in God’s Fall Holy Days—reminding us that the terrible trials of the present time will be replaced by God’s Kingdom and the rule of Jesus Christ over the earth.

“Der Wahnsinn hat Methode,” the German sermonette presented last Sabbath by Daniel Blasinger, is now posted. Title in English: “There is a Method to Madness.”

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

Immutability describes a state of being that does not change. Things that are immutable remain in the same condition from their beginning to their end. While few things in life are truly immutable, the promise of God is different. What is the immutable promise of God that we can rely on, unconditionally?

“What Does A Christian Do?”, the sermon presented last Sabbath by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Early Christians were admonished to “contend earnestly for the faith” because true Christianity was under assault. That warning rings just as true today! Are you among those who are striving to keep the faith—just as the Bible reveals?

We will observe the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day for 2021, in Rapid City, South Dakota, and near Düsseldorf, Germany.  If you would like more information, check out our websites: https://www.eternalgod.org/feasts/  ; https://www.ewigengottes.de/wir-uber-uns/laubhuttenfest-2021/

FALL HOLY DAYS for 2021:

September 7         Feast of Trumpets

September 16        Day of Atonement

September 21-27  Feast of Tabernacles

September 28        Last Great Day