On June 5, 2021, Michael Link will present the sermonette, titled, “Presence of Mind,” and Rene Messier will present the sermon, titled, “Friends.”

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.

You hate to listen to the news these days because it’s mostly bad news.  A good day in Chicago means that only ten people have been shot. Anti-Semitism is up tremendously since the conflict in Israel, with increasing attacks on Jewish people around the world. We should not think that we could not be next. In fact, the whole world will hate us.

Luke 6:22 says: “How blessed are you whenever people hate you, avoid you, insult you, and slander you because of the Son of Man!” (International Standard Version throughout). The reason is: We do not fit in.  A people willing to kill the unborn and turn their nose at obeying God will not tolerate righteous people within their midst because those who obey God make them look bad.

However, there will eventually be peace on earth without wars, conflicts and killings, when the glorious Kingdom of God will rule. Let us look at some encouraging Scriptures in regard to this.

Isaiah 2:2 tells us: “It will come about in the last days that the mountain that is the LORD’s Temple will be established as the highest of mountains, and will be raised above the hills; all the nations will stream to it.”

Isaiah 2:3 continues: “Many groups of people will come, commenting, ‘Come! Let’s go up to the Temple of the God of Jacob, that they may teach us his ways. Then let’s walk in his paths.’”

Isaiah 2:4 says: “He will judge between the nations, and will render verdicts for the benefit of many. ‘They will beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nations will not raise swords against nations, and they will not learn warfare anymore.’”

War and hatred are taught at a very young age, but in the future, peace and love will be taught instead, and killing and violence will be abolished.

Also note this setting:

Isaiah 11:6 reads:  “The wolf will live with the lamb; the leopard will lie down with the young goat. The calf and the lion will graze together, and a little child will lead them.”

This depicts an era of safety for children, where they are not abused or harmed in any way. Zechariah 8:5 elaborates: “The city parks will be filled with boys and girls. They will play in the city’s open parks.”

Again, these Scriptures picture a time of peace and safety for children and all of mankind.

Today, we read of children being shot in the streets, kidnapped and abused by evil people. All of this will change in the not too distant future, so we must not be discouraged by events going on, but look to the future when all the evils in this world will cease once and for all.

I recall a song sung by the Ambassador choir, titled: “It won’t be long now.” The time is much closer than when this song was sung in the seventies, and it cannot come soon enough.

by Norbert Link

We report on interesting developments regarding Russia and Belarus, as well as Ukraine; further attacks of Russian hackers against the USA; the potential departure of Benjamin Netanyahu (please see our new StandingWatch program in this regard, titled, “Israel’s Netanyahu Ousted?”) ; Germany’s admission of committing genocide in Namibia and the origin and true nature of Hitler’s Nazi party (the “NSDAP”); French resistance to additional funding of NATO; and the leak of classified information about the place and nature of US nuclear weapons in Europe and Turkey.

We continue with the invasion of millions of mice in Australia and American budget plans to raise the national debt to unparalleled astronomical proportions.

We address vaccine passport propaganda; the desire to vaccinate children; the curse of lockdowns and the resulting harm caused especially to children; and a new report asserting that the coronavirus was created in China through laboratory manipulations and that it was subsequently covered up by the Chinese government.

We speak on suppression of truth and deliberate lies by the mainstream media; the powerful abortion industry; a “rainbow index” for Christian churches and the schism within the Catholic Church; ongoing persecution of Christian Churches in Canada; and we conclude with the claim that Einstein had it all wrong.

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

Russia and Belarus

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 28:

“Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Friday for talks on closer economic ties…

“Belarusian authorities forced a Ryanair plane to land in the capital Minsk on Sunday. They arrested dissident journalist Raman Pratasevich who was on board the flight from Greece to Lithuania, which are both EU member states…

“The Kremlin chief also said he and Lukashenko were continuing to integrate their two countries closer together… Russia is Belarus’s closest ally. They have signed an agreement that calls for closer political, economic and military ties. The Belarus economy is in freefall after the EU froze assets and slapped visa bans on Lukashenko and 87 of the regime′s leaders… The EU barred Belarusian carriers from its airspace and advised European airlines to avoid flying over Belarus… European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called for total regime change in Belarus…

“Analysts fear that a further escalation in EU sanctions might push Lukashenko even closer to Putin.”

NBC News added on May 28:

“The Kremlin has championed Belarus… Meanwhile, the head of NATO said it was hard to believe that Russia was not involved in Belarus’ plane ‘hijacking.’ ‘We know the very close relationship between Russia and Belarus,’ NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told the British broadcaster Sky News. ‘Therefore it’s hard to believe that the regime in Minsk could do something like this without any kind of coordination with Russia.’”

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 31:

“Minsk’s border agency has announced new rules that will make it nearly impossible to leave the country. As citizens attempt to flee Belarus, longtime leader Alexander Lukashenko appears to be closing all the exits.”

Belarus is also known as White Russia. Other White Russians live in Ukraine. Russians and White Russians will combine their efforts to become a challenge to Europe.

Germany Refuses to Help Ukraine militarily

The Associated Press wrote on June 1:

“Germany, along with France, has led Western diplomatic efforts to resolve the long-running conflict between Kyiv and Russia-backed separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine. But efforts toward a political settlement are stalled. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was quoted in an interview Tuesday with the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that Chancellor Angela Merkel has done a lot for Ukraine but ‘of course I had hoped for more from her’… ‘Germany can do more,’ he said, pointing to recent comments by opposition Green party leader Robert Habeck during a visit to Ukraine.

“Habeck said that ‘from my point of view, it is hard for us to deny Ukraine weapons for defense, for self-defense.’ His comments drew widespread criticism in Germany in an election year, not least from his own party, which has pacifist roots. ‘Germany has not given us military help, but it could do,’ Zelenskyy said. ‘Germany has great ships: speedboats, missile speedboats and patrol boats.’

“German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas firmly rejected the idea of weapons deliveries, while highlighting Germany’s support for Ukraine in diplomacy and in bilateral aid… Ukraine also strongly opposes the completion of a new Russian-built natural gas pipeline to Germany under the Baltic Sea.”

This will backfire for Germany. Soon, Ukraine will align with or be overtaken by Russia against continental Europe.

Russian Hackers Attack Again

CNN wrote on May 28:

“The hackers behind one of the worst data breaches ever to hit the US government have launched a new global cyberattack on more than 150 government agencies, think tanks and other organizations, according to Microsoft. The group, which Microsoft calls ‘Nobelium,’ targeted 3,000 email accounts at various organizations this week — most of which were in the United States… It believes the hackers are part of the same Russian group behind last year’s devastating attack on SolarWinds— a software vendor — that targeted at least nine US federal agencies and 100 companies.

“Cybersecurity has been a major focus for the US government following the revelations that hackers had put malicious code into a tool published by SolarWinds. A ransomware attack that shut down one of America’s most important pieces of energy infrastructure — the Colonial Pipeline — earlier this month has only heightened the sense of alarm. That attack was carried out by a criminal group originating in Russia,  according to the FBI… the hackers were able to send out phishing emails that Microsoft said ‘looked authentic but included a link that, when clicked, inserted a malicious file’ that allowed the hackers to access computers through a backdoor.

“The latest disclosure shows how Russia has been undeterred by recent US efforts to hold the Kremlin accountable and bolster cybersecurity following the SolarWinds campaign, said James Lewis, a cybersecurity expert…  ‘The Russians have a campaign plan for massive attacks against US targets, for which they have no incentive to stop,’ Lewis said. ‘They aren’t afraid of the US response. They are testing the new administration.’”

Whether those hackers are working independently of the Russian government is extremely doubtful.

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 1:

“The Brazilian multinational] JBS, the world’s largest meat producer, has been forced to close a number of its plants around the world as the result of a cyberattack on its servers… JBS closed facilities in Australia on Monday and in the US and Canada on Tuesday. JBS, the largest beef producer in the US, slaughters, packages and sells roughly a quarter of all beef in the country…”

Breitbart added on June 1:

“…the White House said Tuesday that Russia was likely the origin of the cyberattack and has called on Moscow to punish the hackers responsible… The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter, and delivering the message that responsible states do not harbor ransomware criminals, the White House official added.”

Fox Business wrote on June 2:

“JBS…  has shuttered all of its US-based beef plants… The attack raised concerns of a potential meat shortage in the U.S. and several other countries impacted by the situation. It wasn’t immediately clear how the shutdown would affect meat prices.”

So quickly things can change.

Netanyahu Ousted?

On June 2, JTA reported the following:

“Benjamin Netanyahu will no longer be Israel’s prime minister, as his political opponents announced Wednesday night that they have formed a coalition that will replace him, pending a vote in Israel’s parliament.

“The new coalition, dubbed the ‘change bloc,’ is an ideologically broad alliance that spans the Israeli political right, center and left. For the first time in Israeli history, it will include an Arab-Israeli party, not as an external supporter of the government, but as a full member of the coalition. It comprises 61 lawmakers, the smallest possible majority in Israel’s 120-seat parliament, the Knesset.

“The coalition was announced by Yair Lapid, head of the centrist Yesh Atid party, with less than an hour to go before his chance to form a governing coalition expired…

“For the first two years-plus of its term, the coalition will be led by Naftali Bennett, head of the right-wing Yamina party. Bennett will be Israel’s first Orthodox prime minister. Lapid will take over for the second half of the term. Netanyahu has led Israel for the past 12 years.

“The coalition includes eight parties in total that differ vastly on their vision for Israel, but agree on the need to end the Netanyahu era and the political crisis that has gripped Israel since 2019. Over the past two years, Israelis have voted in four elections whose results have been mostly inconclusive. Had Lapid failed to announce a coalition, Israel would have almost definitely held a fifth election later this year.

“The new Israeli government, most significantly, will be the first one since 2009 not led by Netanyahu, who is the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history. He was indicted on corruption charges in 2019 and his trial is ongoing, one of the main factors that led former right-wing allies of his, such as Bennett, to join his opponents.

“To agree to partner with each other, the incoming coalition’s eight parties had to overcome a range of disagreements over policy and ministerial positions. In addition to Yamina and Yesh Atid, the coalition will include the right-wing parties New Hope and Israel Beiteinu; the centrist Blue and White party; the left-wing Labor and Meretz parties; and the Arab-Israeli Raam party, which is Islamist.

“The new government is set to be approved in a Knesset vote sometime before June 14. Negotiations over its particulars, as well as efforts to undermine it, may continue until the vote takes place. The new coalition was announced on the same day that Isaac Herzog,  a former leader of Israel’s Labor party, was elected president of Israel, a largely ceremonial role.”

It was also reported that Netanyahu has no intention of resigning, and plans to lead the opposition while engaging in attacks against Yamina and intense efforts to break up the coalition along ideological lines. It has been stated that this new coalition cannot and will not succeed for long–if at all.

The Associated Press wrote on June 3:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s opponents pushed Thursday for a quick parliament vote to formally end his lengthy rule, hoping to head off any last-minute attempts to derail their newly announced coalition government. The latest political maneuvering began just hours after opposition leader Yair Lapid and his main coalition partner, Naftali Bennett, declared they had reached a deal to form a new government and muster a majority in the 120-member Knesset, or parliament. 

“The coalition consists of eight parties from across the political spectrum with little in common except the shared goal of toppling Netanyahu after his record-setting 12 years in power. The alliance includes hard-liners previously allied with Netanyahu, as well as center-left parties and even an Arab faction — a first in Israeli politics. But the fragile coalition still faces a tough road ahead — it was not able to unseat the parliament speaker, a Netanyahu ally, later on Thursday and it remained unclear how events would play out over the next few days.

“Netanyahu lashed out at his foes on Thursday, signaling that he will continue to exert pressure on former allies who joined the coalition. ‘All members of Knesset who were elected with right-wing votes need to oppose this dangerous leftist government,’ he wrote on Twitter.

“Bennett, who is slated to become prime minister, has come under heavy pressure from Israeli hard-liners who accuse him of betrayal. He heads Yamina, a small right-wing party that appeals to religious, nationalist voters… In a televised interview, Bennett said he would never agree to freeze construction in Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, which is seen by the Palestinians and much of the international community as a major obstacle to peace…

“The coalition has a razor-thin majority of 61 votes in parliament. On Thursday, it attempted to replace parliament speaker Yariv Levin, in order to speed up the vote on the new government. But the effort failed after Nir Orbach, a lawmaker from Yamina, refused to sign on, underscoring the fragility of the alliance. Levin can now use his position to delay the vote and give Netanyahu more time to sabotage the coalition.”

Germany Admits Genocide in Namibia

NPR wrote on May 28:

“Germany is formally recognizing that its killing of tens of thousands of people belonging to two ethnic groups more than a century ago in present-day Namibia was a genocide… From about 1884 to 1915, Germany occupied several territories in Africa. Its colony in German South West Africa, in what is now Namibia, was established to provide more territory for its people, a campaign called Lebensraum. At the time, German urban areas were overcrowded due to a population boom.

“After settlers seized their land and cattle, ethnic Herero and Nama people launched a rebellion against their occupiers. German soldiers killed tens of thousands of them between 1904 and 1908. Survivors were forced into the desert and later placed in concentration camps… Many died of disease and starvation, some after being used for medical experiments. It’s estimated that 80% of the Indigenous populations of the Herero and Nama died during the genocide.”

What should also be noted is that Germany’s campaigns for Lebensraum and the establishment of horrible concentration camps predate Hitler by many years. Hitler did not invent these ideas; he “capitalized” on them. Something similar, but much more gruesome, is prophesied to happen again.

Some have also claimed that Hitler’s NSDAP (“National Socialist German Workers’ Party”) was in fact a national socialist party. The left-wing liberal media, such as the Washington Post, strongly condemned them for that assertion. However, that claim is absolutely true, as the name of the party already reveals. This was also very well-known in Germany at the time. To deny it today does not make it less true.

For instance, it was reported by the Jerusalem Post on May 29 that “Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene made another reference to the Holocaust Thursday, comparing Democrats to Nazis…  Nazis were the National Socialist Party, ‘just like the Democrats are now a national socialist party,’ said Greene at a Georgia rally… Greene, a firebrand ally of former President Donald Trump, was broadly denounced by her fellow Republicans on Tuesday for likening COVID-19 masks and vaccinations to the Nazi Holocaust against the Jews.”

Of course, she was condemned by Democrats, but also, sadly, by Republicans, who all seem to be (willfully) ignorant of the past.

France Resists More “Brain Dead” NATO Funding

Reuters wrote on May 28:

“A $20 billion plan to give NATO more flexibility in facing military threats, climate change and China’s rise has hit firm resistance from France, which fears the move could undermine its defence priorities… The EU has been working since December 2017 to develop more firepower independently of the United States, led by France, the EU’s remaining major military power after Britain left the bloc…

“Germany and other European allies, as well as Canada, also want to know what any extra money would be spent on…’Some Europeans are asking: do we build up NATO, or do we develop the EU’s defence capacity…?’, said a senior NATO diplomat. ‘Each euro can only be spent once.’”

Very soon, euros will be spent for Europe, not NATO.

Classified Information about Nuclear Weapons in Europe Leaked

Deutsche Welle reported on May 29:

“Troops on US bases in Europe housing nuclear weapons have been using publicly accessible online flashcard apps to remember long and complex security protocols, the investigative website Bellingcat revealed on Friday… The latest leaks… have gone so far as to identify the exact number and location of the weapons within the bases, including whether the vaults they are stored in are ‘hot’ — with live weapons — or ‘cold.’

“The author of the investigative piece… explained that the researchers were able to discover the flashcards belonging to the active soldiers by searching for certain terms known to be associated with nuclear bases. The result was the unearthing of several sets of flashcards revealing information about several bases around Europe, including in Germany, the Netherlands and Turkey… Bellingcat discovered flashcards dating back as far as 2013 and as recent as April 2021… This is yet one more warning that these weapons are not secure…”

So, what happens if they fall into the “wrong” hands?

Australia Invaded by Millions of Mice and other Problems

MSN wrote on May 28:

“Australian farmers could face a more than $775 million loss in crops from a plague of mice that are taking over their fields in New South Wales… To try to prevent the mice from devouring everything, the state government has ordered 1,320 gallons of bromadiolone, a banned poison, from India. Approval from a federal government regulator has yet to come, and there are concerns that other animals, such as wedge-tail eagles and family pets, might be exposed to the deadly poison…

“Vast tracts of land in Australia’s New South Wales state are being threatened by a mouse plague that the state government describes as ‘absolutely unprecedented.’…

“The plague is a cruel blow to farmers in Australia’s most populous state who have been battered by fires, floods and pandemic disruptions in recent years, only to face the new scourge of the introduced house mouse, or Mus musculus… The worst comes after dark, when millions of mice that had been hiding and dormant during the day become active.

“… the pandemic brought a labor drought. Fruit was left to rot on trees because foreign backpackers who provide the seasonal workforce were absent. Plagues seemingly appear from nowhere…”

The mouse plague is also causing mental problems for people having to live with thousands of mice continually.

We received the following report, dated May 29, from Paul Niehoff:

“Here in Victoria, we are under a lockdown again. We are limited to 5 km travel. One person in hotel quarantine in Adelaide caught Covid from a fellow inmate on his last day, day 14, before returning to Melbourne. So far he has indirectly infected 35 others and because a football game was an infection site, 15,000 people are in isolation at home. Yesterday 56,000 people were tested, some waiting up to 6 hours. When driving, we pass long queues waiting to be tested. The vaccination hot lines for appointments are crashing because of demand. We expect to be in lockdown for at least a week depending on whether the contact tracers can contact all the potential sufferers.  Even the army is helping to ensure that all who are supposed to be at home are isolating. There are a few demonstrations but the police greatly outnumber the protesters. So far no deaths but the government has a total elimination policy which can work only if outsiders are not allowed in or are correctly quarantined.”

God pronounced curses on the modern descendants of the ancient house of Israel—including the English-speaking nations of the “British Commonwealth” such as Australia—if they were to disobey Him, including devastating harvests and plagues caused by animals (Leviticus 26:20, 22; compare also Deuteronomy 28). But the Bible also predicts that worse things will happen to them.

Unparalleled American Debt

National Review wrote on May 28:

“President Biden’s budget request is projecting that the U.S. debt burden will reach its highest level in history this year, surpassing the previous record from World War II. In 2021, according to the Biden budget, the U.S. debt will reach 109.7 percent of GDP, which would blow past the previous record of 106.1 percent, just as the U.S. was coming out of World War II. It will then exceed the record every year over the next decade, reaching 117 percent of GDP by 2031.

“While it is true that Biden inherited a high debt level as a result of the pandemic and the continued flow of Baby Boomer retirements driving up entitlement spending, Biden’s spending binge is exacerbating the problem. He signed a $1.9 trillion ‘COVID relief’ bill in March, even though the pandemic was fizzling out and Congress had already spent $4.1 trillion on the pandemic. He is now proposing an additional $4 trillion in spending just this year.

“Overall, Biden’s budget sees $69.2 trillion worth of spending over the next decade… [For] the past several decades, both parties have steadily driven up the debt while ignoring our long-term challenges, and as we emerge from this crisis, Biden is throwing all caution to the wind… We’re now entering an era without precedent in American history…”

The proposed budget includes $6 trillion annual spending.  America will NEVER be able to repay its debt. As the Bible says: The borrower is servant to the lender.

More Propaganda—Vaccine Passports and Vaccinations of Children

Axios wrote on May 28:

“Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas on Friday told ABC… that the U.S. is ‘taking a very close look’ at the possibility of requiring vaccine passports for international travel… A DHS spokesperson later on Friday clarified Mayorkas’ comments, saying that there will be no ‘federal mandate’ for vaccine passports in the U.S…

“The European Union and some Asian governments are developing coronavirus vaccine passports that people can access using phone apps in order to ‘help kickstart international travel…’Vaccine passports have become a controversial topic in the country, with several Republican-led states banning state government and some private business from requiring them.

“A recent survey by the COVID States Project revealed that 62% [of] people in the U.S. support government-imposed vaccine mandates, while only 27.5% said they support businesses using vaccine passports.”

The Associated Press added on May 28:

“The Danish government on Friday presented its digital coronavirus passport enabling people to travel abroad or, in Denmark, go to the hairdresser, a tattoo parlor, dine inside a restaurant or wherever else it is needed. ‘The corona passport we present today can be used from July 1 when you can travel within the EU,’ said Finance Minister Nicolai Vammen. Some 20% of Denmark’s population of 6 million have been fully vaccinated…”

Greece also announced that its Covid passport system will be up and running before July 1. The coronavirus passport propaganda, combined with the restrictions of liberty and freedom for the unvaccinated, is simply sickening. For instance, California Governor Newsom offers $1.5 million in a lottery for vaccinated residents.  In addition, $116 million in prizes and incentives are being offered for the vaccinated.  Other states engage in similar highly questionable practices.

NBC News reported on May 28:

“Fully vaccinated children and teens in camp this summer can return to normal activities — without masks or physical distancing — the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday… But the advice is somewhat murky for [outdoor activities of] children who will not be vaccinated, a group of kids who will likely make up the majority of typical summer campers. There is no Covid-19 vaccine available for kids under age 12… For indoor activities, the guidance is much more clear: The CDC ‘strongly encourages’ masks for anyone over age 2 who remains unvaccinated.”

These are horrible guidelines, bordering on child abuse. In Germany, the most popular tabloid, Bild, is accusing the government and the media of having harmed millions of children, physically and mentally, through their unscientific lockdown and social distancing measures, and apologizes to parents and their children for these restrictions, because, they say, the government refuses to do so (Bild Online, May 27).

Radical Increase of Kid Suicide Due to Lockdowns

Life Site News wrote on May 26:

“A prominent Canadian hospital and kids’ group have said an ‘emergency response’ is needed from the premiers of provinces to deal with the rapid decline of kids’ mental health, which the organizations say has taken a drastic turn for the worse due to COVID-19 lockdowns. ‘We’re calling for an urgent meeting of Canada’s First Ministers to take immediate action to address this crisis facing the 8 million kids in our country,’ reads a press release, published last week by the Children First Canada group.

“‘Across Canada, COVID-19 has led to devastating effects on the mental and physical health of kids. School closures, the lack of access to sports and recreational programs, and social isolation have led to devasting effects on the health and well-being of kids. The urgency to support children and youth has never been greater…’

“Children First Canada said that according to Children’s Healthcare Canada, there has been a 100 percent increase in youth suicide attempts, while McMaster Children’s Hospital reported a staggering 200 percent increase.”

Oregon Objects…

week.com wrote on May 25:

“On May 18, Gov. Kate Brown offered Oregon businesses a choice not available anywhere else in the nation: They could allow vaccinated patrons not to wear their masks—after checking vaccine cards at the door. Two weeks later, the verdict is clear: a resounding thumbs down. Not a single major retailer or venue in the Portland metro area has taken Brown up on the offer. Business owners don’t want to ask for proof. ‘I just don’t believe that it’s a private citizen’s responsibility to ask another private citizen anything to do with their health,’ says Rep. Daniel Bonham (R-The Dalles), who owns Maupin’s Stoves & Spas, which sells wood stoves, hot tubs and barbecues. ‘Most people believe that they’ve got that right to privacy. You’re putting that frontline worker in a really awkward spot with some people that are very passionate on both extremes of this issue.’

“In all, 31 states no longer require anyone to wear a mask indoors, if they ever did. Four states still require masks for everyone. But Oregon appears to be the outlier among the 15 remaining states that require masks indoors only for the unvaccinated. In the other 14 states, masking up is based on an honor system. That’s what federal officials proposed, too. Only Oregon required businesses to card people.

“A May 25 letter signed by 10 national business associations to top Biden administration officials called Oregon’s requirement for shops to check vaccine cards ‘alarming.’ The letter’s signatories ranged from the National Grocers Association to the National Association of Truck Stop Operators…

“The governor isn’t willing to change course quite yet, but officials in her office admit checking vaccine cards wasn’t a popular idea… Masks, of course, have become a political wedge issue. Vaccines, too. The underlying culture war made asking for proof of vaccination to remove a mask particularly difficult…”

However, with Oregon’s left wing radical policies, one wonders what the governor is going to do next.

Coronavirus Created through Laboratory Manipulation?

Daily Mail reported on May 28:

“In a new 22-page scientific paper… Norwegian scientist Dr. Birger Sørensen and British Professor Angus Dalgleish concluded ‘SARS-Coronavirus-2 has no credible natural ancestor’ and that it is ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ that the virus was created through ‘laboratory manipulation.’

“The study, due to be published in the scientific journal Quarterly Review of Biophysics Discovery, is set to make waves among the scientific community, as the majority of experts have until recently staunchly denied the origins of COVID-19 were anything other than a natural infection leaping from animals to humans. While analyzing COVID-19 samples last year in an attempt to create a vaccine, Dalgleish and Sørensen claim they discovered ‘unique fingerprints’ in the virus that they say could only have arisen from manipulation in a laboratory.

“They said they tried to publish their findings but were rejected by major scientific journals which were at the time resolute that the virus jumped naturally from bats or other animals to humans.”

The Daily Mail published this opinion piece on May 28:

“The liberal media have finally conceded that COVID-19 may have originated in a Wuhan laboratory – after a year spent ridiculing the suggestion… most mainstream media disputed the claims, dismissing them outright or even decrying them as racist.

“When Donald Trump, on May 1, 2020, said he had ‘a high degree of confidence’ that the virus escaped from a lab, the New York Times, CNN, [The Washington Post] and NPR were quick to mock his comments. CNN, which by the end of the Trump administration was brazen in its hostility to the president and his advisors, was almost gleeful in its mockery of the idea that the virus could have come from a laboratory… Some outlets, such as the Huffington Post, even branded any suggestion the virus could have stemmed from a lab as a ‘toxic conspiracy theory.’

“Few were able to suggest that COVID-19 could have stemmed from a research facility without backlash but that didn’t stop some media, including the Daily Mail, from questioning the narrative…”

Whatever the truth, to suppress and ridicule these findings, because they do not fit in their imagined paradigm, only shows how manipulative, dishonest and propagandistic the mass media and scientific journals are. The suppression of true facts by scientists—many of them being agnostics or atheists–regarding the false narrative of the Evolution theory is a prime example.  

The Sun added on May 29:

“… the scientists place blame squarely on the same Chinese lab researchers in Wuhan for attempting to cover their tracks. There was ‘deliberate destruction, concealment or contamination of data’ in Chinese labs and ‘Chinese scientists who wished to share their knowledge have not been able to do so or have disappeared,’ according to the paper…”

Censorship Galore

Breitbart reported on May 28:

“YouTube, the Google-owned video platform, blocked a news clip of a mother in Georgia objecting to mask mandates for children, according to reports from Grabien Media founder Tom Elliott. Grabien is a popular video clipping service that provides news clips and other material to media outlets. Its founder, Tom Elliott, slammed YouTube for censoring his clip…

“The clip shows a woman condemning local elected officials in Georgia for continuing mask mandates for children. ‘Forcing 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9-year-old little children to cover their noses and their mouths, where they breathe, for 7 hours a day, every day for the last nine months, for a virus that you know doesn’t affect them, that is not in their best interest,’ says the mother…

“‘Parents are allowed to express opinions over whether their children should be forced into wearing masks. Parents’ perspectives are a valid part of the public debate. This mother does not represent herself as a doctor or medical expert,’ Elliott [said]. ‘Incidentally the WHO agrees with this mother that there is currently no scientific basis for compelling all children to wear masks indoors/outdoors as a measure to stop the spread of Covid. So YouTube’s “medical misinformation” claim is entirely false.’

“Elliott said that he appealed YouTube’s decision through the platform’s official channels, but his appeal was rejected… Breitbart News reached out to Google, which owns YouTube, for comment. Google did not respond with any statement on the record at the time of publication.”

How far are the mass media and their outlets willing to go to suppress any opinions which are not in harmony with their agenda? Note the next article.

Deliberate Lies by CNN

Newsmax wrote on May 28:

“Legal scholar Alan Dershowitz told Newsmax… on Friday that his lawsuit against CNN for defamation is ‘not about me, it’s about misleading thousands and thousands of people.’ CNN filed an unsuccessful motion to dismiss the suit…

“[Dershowitz explained:] ‘I said the president could be impeached if he committed crimes … they doctored the tape to make me say the president couldn’t be impeached even if he committed unlawful or illegal conduct. ‘They simply distorted my words, the judge looked at it, he said, “No, they don’t get the benefit of the fair-reporting privilege … their reporting was unfair.” They didn’t accurately reflect what I said, and I’m gonna be able to prove it made a deliberate, willful, malicious decision from the top down to doctor my tape in order to make me say exactly the opposite of what I said.’”

“‘…we will be able to depose Jeffrey Zucker, the head of CNN, we’ll be able to depose those who made the decision to edit the tape…’”

Incredible… but not surprising…

Trump to Return in August?

Mediaite wrote on June 1:

“Former President Donald Trump is telling people that he expects to get reinstated in the White House by August, according to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman. Haberman shared this rather stunning detail in response to a CNN segment from Donie O’Sullivan.  The video features a number of QAnon followers lauding a Myanmar-style coup of the U.S. government to replace President Joe Biden with Trump. Haberman wrote, ‘Trump has been telling a number of people he’s in contact with that he expects he will be reinstated by August’ with an important parenthetical caveat that states ‘(no that isn’t how it works but simply sharing the information).’

“Her comments do not come in a vacuum either. A number of Trump toadies have made similar comments before and during the QAnon conference that was held in Dallas, Texas over the weekend.

“Former National Security Advisor to Trump Michael Flynn… appeared to argue on behalf of a Myanmar-style coup during the QAnon conference… Sidney Powell also stated during the QAnon conference that Trump should be reinstated as president. Why? Because according to the former Trump attorney there was ‘abject fraud and obtaining a coup of the United States of America.’…

“Mike Lindell, founder of MyPillow and massive advertiser on Fox News prime time… insisted with Steven Bannon last week that ‘Donald Trump will be back in office in August,’ vowing to file a lawsuit that will confirm evidence of voter fraud during the 2020 election. So Flynn, Powell, and Lindell are all advocating some sort of reinsertion of Trump into office, though there is no Constitutional way for that to happen. And according to the reliably well-sourced Haberman, Trump himself is promoting the idea that he will be back in office by late summer.”

Due to the inconsistent and contradictory statements in the article itself, unless this is “fake news” and short of a violent insurrection and civil war, this could not happen. Still, CNN covered it in great detail, obviously fearing that a return of Trump might happen in the future.

Abortion Industry Condemns New Texas Law

Live Action wrote on May 26:

“The abortion industry is coming out swinging against the recently passed heartbeat bill in Texas. Under the new law… elective abortions are not allowed after a preborn child’s heartbeat can be detected. And abortion activists are wasting no time condemning it.

“The Biden administration attacked the new law in a press conference, in which White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki reminded Americans of Biden’s unwavering support for abortion. ‘This is the most restrictive measure yet in the nation, and the most restrictive, recent assault on women’s fundamental rights under Roe v. Wade and critical rights continue to come under weathering and extreme attack around the country,’ Psaki said. “But certainly the president supports and believes we should codify Roe v. Wade. And that is his view regardless of these backward-looking steps that are being taken… by states.’…

“Planned Parenthood President Alexis McGill Johnson responded to the bill…  calling it ‘diabolical’ and vowing to fight back…

“Despite the hysterics from the abortion industry, polling found that 49% of Texas voters support a ban on abortions after six weeks, about the time an embryonic heartbeat can be detected. A third of Texans would also support an outright ban on abortion if Roe v. Wade was overturned. Research has found that the heart begins to beat as early as 16 days after fertilization. What is actually… ‘diabolical’ is abortion itself, which exists solely to kill an innocent human being in an extremely violent manner.”

America’s Catholic President supports what God condemns.

Rainbow Index of Christian Churches—Schism in Catholic Church

Life Site News wrote on May 26:

 “The first ‘Rainbow Index of Churches in Europe in 2020’ (RICE 2020) that ranks Christian church groups in Europe by their ‘LGBTI inclusivity’ was released in April.

“‘The Rainbow Index of Churches in Europe uses 47 indicators of LGBTI ‘inclusivity,’ including the following:

“‘The Bible is not used as a normative instrument for defining gender roles and is not interpreted as a condemnation of LGBTI people or of LGBTI lived desires, sexualities, and identities.

“‘The church officiates ‘same-sex marriages’ and/or holds a blessing ceremony for same-sex couples.

“‘Transgender persons receive a special blessing when they present their new name and/or identity in church.

“‘Cis-hetero women and openly LGBTI people are admitted in seminary (institute for ministerial education and formation).The church supports the adoption and raising of children by LGBTI couples.

“‘The liturgical language in prayer or worship books is sensitive to gender issues and sexual orientation.

“These indicators were measured by a questionnaire used to assess the LGBTI ‘inclusivity’ of a variety of Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant churches, which were then ranked according to their index score…

“Leading the list of churches for their ‘inclusivity’ scores are the Metropolitan Community Church in Finland (the majority of whose members are LGBT), the Church of Sweden, and the Protestant Church in Switzerland. Notably, despite Catholic Church teaching acknowledging the grave immorality of homosexual acts, the Roman Catholic Church in Germany ranks fairly high on the church ranking list, with an index score of 25 out of 47.

“The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, ‘Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity (Cf. Genesis 19:1-29; Romans 1:24-27; 1 Corinthians 6:10; 1 Timothy 1:10), tradition has always declared that ‘homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.’…  They are contrary to the natural law… Under no circumstances can they be approved.’…

“The Catholic Church in Germany earned half a point for ‘ordination of female/LGBTI clergy,’ half a point for ‘celibacy not required for LGBTI,’ and another half a point for ‘no support of “traditional” family associations.’ It remains to be seen whether their index score will be ‘upgraded’ after taking into account the recent widespread offering of public blessings to homosexual couples by Catholic priests in Germany, who are enabled by their bishops.

“… The German bishops’ defiance of Catholic Church teaching is one of the main reasons clergy like Cardinal Raymond Burke consider Germany to be in schism ‘that is real if not declared.’ The blessings of homosexual couples by German priests were carried out in open defiance of Church doctrine and the Vatican’s recent ban on same-sex blessings…  The Code of Canon law defines schism as ‘the refusal of submission to the Supreme Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him.’

“The Roman Catholic Church in Malta, Austria, France, and Italy all rank after Germany… The Roman Catholic Church in Poland falls at the bottom of both the Roman Catholic Church list and the overall church list, with an index score of 1 out of 47. In response to the strong pro-family stances of ‘some EU countries, notably Poland and Hungary,’ the European Parliament declared the European Union an ‘LGBTIQ Freedom Zone’ on March 11… In November, the European Commission announced that it wants to make ‘hate speech’ and ‘hate crimes’ EU crimes in 2021 and impose mutual recognition of ‘rainbow families’ across the European Union by 2022.

“EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced during the State of the Union address  at the European Parliament, ‘LGBTQI-free zones are humanity-free zones. And they have no place in our Union,’ she said in reference to resolutions in Poland to protect the family and children from gender ideology.”

Sodom and Gomorrah…

Canadian Persecution of Churches Continues

Global News wrote on May 31:

“Superior Court Justice Bruce Thomas on Monday ordered $66,000 in new fines and costs against the Church of God and two of its leaders after he ruled they have continued to defy a court order to avoid gatherings despite the provincial stay-at-home order. Earlier this year, Thomas had ordered the Church of God to stop holding indoor gatherings that exceed provincial limits. On April 30, Thomas had found the church had defied his orders after he viewed a number of Sunday services that were streamed online by the church. On May 14, the church, along with two of its pastors, were dealt more than $100,000 in fines, with the church ordered to be locked up until the province allows for indoor church gatherings at 30 per cent capacity. The church returned to court on Monday for a second contempt ruling after it was accused of having defied Thomas’ order soon after being handed down the fines. In the three Sundays since the fines were handed down, Aylmer police have laid charges for outdoor services held at the church on May 16, May 23 and May 30,  all of which were streamed online by the church…

“The church’s lawyer, Lisa Bildy, reiterated a number of arguments she had made in previous hearings. This included referring to COVID-19 restrictions as ‘destructive to liberal democracy’… Bildy added that the ‘burden of all of this enforcement has fallen to the church without any evidence whatsoever that their continuing to meet has caused any outbreaks or illness, let alone death, over the last year.’..

“Thomas issued the following fines after ruling the church was again in contempt: $35,000 from the Church of God; $20,000 from pastor Henry Hildebrandt; $6,000 from assistant pastor Peter Wall; $5,000 in legal costs… All fines are to be paid immediately.”

What is occurring in Canada, with the aid of a corrupt legal system, is shameful and ungodly.

Black Matter and Einstein’s Error?

Business Insider reported on May 29:

“Astronomers have created the most comprehensive map yet of all the dark matter in the universe. That’s no easy feat, considering dark matter is invisible. Scientists know this shadowy cousin of regular matter exists, though, because its strong gravitational forces can pull entire galaxies together. Based on observations of its influence, astronomers estimate that dark matter makes up one-quarter of the universe.

“The new map is the product of years of work by a group of 400 scientists from seven countries, known as the Dark Energy Survey (DES). They pointed the Victor M. Blanco Telescope in Chile skyward to peek at millions of galaxies bound together by dark matter. The distribution of those galaxies, and the ways in which light from them reaches Earth, can inform astronomers about how much dark matter sits between those galaxies and our planet.

“In a series of studies published this week, the team showed that the universe is peppered with giant clusters of galaxies bunched together — regions where dark matter, too, is densely packed. But their map, which covers about one-eighth of the sky as seen from Earth, also documents patches of the universe that are nearly devoid of both dark matter and galaxies. These cluttered and empty areas appear to be connected by interstellar gas in a cosmic web.

“According to [Niall] Jeffrey, a cosmologist at University College London, the new findings suggest that gravity may not work the same way in these voids as it does on Earth, which would mean the standard laws of physics do not apply… According to Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity, gravity should have caused chunks of matter in the universe to clump up in a predictable way after the Big Bang some 13 billion years ago.

“But according to Jeffrey… Einstein’s theory may have missed the mark to some degree… ‘it may mean there’s something wrong with Einstein’s theory of general relativity, one of the great pillars of physics.’”

Without even attempting to utter an opinion on the “matter,” it is always astonishing to see how much – or how little – scientists seem to know about the origin of the universe and how it functions. Even seemingly established “theories” are coming under scrutiny. The biblical revelation, that it was GOD who created and designed the universe “in the beginning”, and that Christ sustains and upholds it by His mighty word, is dismissed outright.

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.

Jesus Christ made the following startling comment in John 5:37:

“And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.”

He also said this in John 6:46:

“Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father.”

The Apostle John added the following in John 1:18:

“No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.”

He added in 1 John 4:12: “No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.”

The Apostle Paul, likewise, confirmed in 1 Timothy 6:13-16:

“I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Jesus Christ… that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, which He [God] will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.”

At the same time, we find different accounts about a voice from heaven or out of a cloud, speaking about Jesus Christ as “My beloved Son.”

Referring to the account of Christ’s baptism through John the Baptist, Matthew 3:17 says: “And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’”

Another account can be found in John 12:28-29, shortly before His betrayal:

“[Christ prayed:] ‘Father, glorify Your name.’ Then a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.’ Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, ‘An angel has spoken to Him.’ Jesus answered and said, ‘This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.’”

Also, when Christ and some of His disciples were on the Mount of Transfiguration, Matthew 17:5 records: “While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!’”

Peter would later reflect on that experience in 2 Peter 1:17-18: “For He [Jesus] received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.”

There exist quite a few attempts to explain this apparent inconsistency and contradiction.

One argument is that Jesus just talked to the Jews at His time, when He said in John 5:37 that they had never heard the voice of God. But His statement follows His baptism, when a voice was heard by those Jews (cp. John 1:29-34). This rules out the possibility that Jesus was limiting His comments to the Jews at His time.

Other explanations attempt to spiritualize Christ’s statements.

Jamieson Fausset and Brown say:  “[They] never recognized Him in this character. The words are ‘designedly mysterious, like many others which our Lord uttered’… “

This explanation is clearly wrong, as Christ emphasized that they had not heard God’s voice nor seen His form… this has nothing to do with a recognition “in this character.” There is nothing “designedly mysterious” about it.

The Matthew Poole’s Commentary offers this somewhat adventurous concept:

“Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape; you have no knowledge of him, nor any acquaintance with him. It is expounded… Ye have not his word abiding in you: for though indeed God appeared to the Jews in no shape or similitude; yet they (that is, their forefathers) had heard his voice [Deuteronomy 4:12], speaking out of the midst of the fire… God, being an incorporeal Being, hath no such organs of speech as we have, by which we declare our minds unto others; but God had formed an audible voice, by which he revealed his will unto the Jews; so as it could only be said of the Jews of that generation and their forefathers, from the time of giving the law, that they had not heard his voice; for, Exodus 20:19, they then desired that Moses might speak to them, and that God would speak no more immediately. Accordingly, he did by the prophets speak to them…”

Even though God is a spiritual being, consisting of Spirit, that does not mean that He does not have form and shape, nor, that He does not have a “voice” with which to communicate. We read about communication between God and His angels, or even with Satan.  When He speaks, then it is His voice, and it is not just the formation or creation of an audible voice which otherwise does not exist. The idea is also based, in part, on the false concept that God does not have a voice or form and shape, and that that is the reason why people could not have heard His voice or seen His form. Only confused “theologians” could come up with such a nonsense.

A third explanation is advanced by Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, as follows:

“Jesus does not here deny that God had ‘appeared’ in this manner, but he says they had not seen – that is, had not ‘paid attention to,’ or ‘regarded,’ the appearance of God. He had manifested himself, but they disregarded it, and, in particular, they had disregarded his manifestations in attestation of the Messiah. As the word ‘hear’ means to obey, to listen to, so the word ‘see’ means ‘to pay attention to, to regard’…”

Again, this explanation overlooks the fact that we read, for instance, in John 1:18, that “NO ONE has seen God AT ANY TIME” (compare too 1 John 4:12). Surely, righteous people like Abraham, Moses, David and all the ancient prophets “paid attention to” or “regarded” the words of God and the “attestations” of the Messiah (cp. 1 Peter 1:10-12).

None of these “explanations” are correct; still, as The Pulpit Commentary confirms, “Doubtless the voice of Jehovah had been heard (Exodus 20:19…), the face of Jehovah had been seen (Genesis 32:30; Exodus 24:10; Numbers 12:8; Deuteronomy 5:4, 24). Isaiah saw the glory of… the Lord (cp. John 12:41) and Ezekiel likewise by the river of Chebar (Ezekiel 3:23).”

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible comes closer to the Truth, by pointing out an important aspect that is being overlooked by most commentaries:

“… ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape; for the voices that were heard, and the forms that were seen under the Old Testament dispensation, from the first of this kind in Eden’s garden, to the incarnation of Christ, which are ascribed to God, or to a divine person, were either by the ministry of angels, or they were voices uttered by the Son of God, or forms assumed by him, who often appeared in an human form, as a prelude of his incarnation; so that it was unusual, and wonderful, and remarkable, that the Father should bear a testimony to the sonship of Christ by a voice from heaven; and which therefore ought to be attended to, and received as a sufficient and valid testimony.”

At least, the commentary seems to acknowledge that the voice people heard in Old Testament times might have been the voice of Jesus Christ—not of the Father—even though some of the other remarks miss the point.

When Christ and the New Testament writers said that no one has seen God or His form and that people had not heard His voice, the reference is to God the FATHER. On the other hand, people DID hear the voice and see the form of the GLORIFIED Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Christ was the God of the Old Testament who communicated and dealt with the people.

Philippians 2:5–7 reads: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of GOD, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, TAKING THE FORM OF A BONDSERVANT, and coming IN THE LIKENESS OF MEN.”

Notice, too, John 1:1–3: “In the beginning was the WORD [Note that Christ is still referred to as the “Word of God,” for instance in Revelation 19:13], and the Word was with God, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. He was in the beginning with God [that means there were two God beings—Christ, the “Word of God,” and God the FATHER]. All things were made through Him [the Word, Jesus Christ, compare Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:1–2], and without Him nothing was made that was made.”

John 17:5 adds these words of Christ, “And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” Earlier, Jesus had this to say while instructing His disciples: “I came forth from the Father and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world and go to the Father” (John 16:28).

The Bible reveals that Christ was the Personage within the Family of God who actually dealt directly with mankind. God the Father created everything, including man, through Jesus Christ. Christ talked with Abraham (John 8:56-58). He was the God being who led Israel out of Egypt (1 Corinthians 10:1-4). It was Christ who was tried by disobedient Israel (verse 9). And, most importantly, it was the Spirit of CHRIST which dwelled in the prophets of old, as 1 Peter 1:10-11 clearly proves: “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you, searching what, or what manner of time, THE SPIRIT OF CHRIST [WHICH] WAS IN THEM was indicating when [it] testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.”

These passages are clear and speak for themselves. The biblical testimony is unequivocal: Jesus Christ was GOD before He came to this earth!

One of the purposes for Christ’s first coming was to reveal the EXISTENCE of God the Father.

John 1:18 tells us: “No one has ever seen God [the Father]. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known” (New Revised Standard Version). Notice the rendering of this passage in the New American Bible: “No one has ever seen God. The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side, has revealed him.”

In our free booklet, “God is a Family,” we said this under the headline, “Jesus Came to Reveal the Father”:

“The Jews at the time of Christ did not know—and most still don’t know today—that God is a Family, presently consisting of two God beings. Christ came to REVEAL the Father to them (Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22). The Jews thought they knew the Father, not realizing that the God of the Old Testament, who directly worked with and dealt with Israel, was Jesus Christ—not God the Father.

“We have already read in John 1:18 that ‘no one has seen God at any time.’ John 5:37 confirms that ‘you have neither heard His [the Father’s] voice at any time, nor seen His form.’ Again, we read in John 6:46: ‘Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God,’ that is, Jesus Christ. Finally, 1 John 4:12 repeats, ‘No one has seen God at any time.’

“Still, we have read that God did appear to the ancient Israelites. They did hear His voice many times. Some even saw the form of God, to an extent, in His glorified state (compare Genesis 32:30; Exodus 33:11, 17–23; 34:6–8; Numbers 12:8; Deuteronomy 34:10; Isaiah 6:1–10; Ezekiel 1:26–28; 3:23; 8:4).

“According to Biblical testimony, some did see ‘God’ in Old Testament times, and they did hear His voice.  On the other hand, Christ and the apostles taught that no human has ever seen… ‘God.’ Since God does not contradict Himself in His Word, He is obviously talking about two different personages here. Indeed, the Bible clarifies that no one has ever seen God the Father (compare again John 5:37; 6:46). But some did see ‘God’—that is, the second being in the God Family—Jesus Christ, in His glorified state.

“The Bible confirms that it was Jesus Christ who appeared to people and spoke with them in Old Testament times (compare John 8:56–58; 1 Corinthians 10:4, 9).”

It is true, of course, that righteous people in the Old Testament, such as Abraham, Moses, David and the prophets, knew about the Father, but this is not true for the overwhelming majority, nor for the Jews living at the time of Jesus. For instance, Acts 3:13 states that the “God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His servant Jesus.” Abraham, Isaac and Jacob understood that their God was the Father, who would later glorify Jesus Christ, the Son.

Still, Christ, as the Son of God, had to come to reveal the Father, even though the Old Testament clearly revealed His existence. References to “the Father” in the Old Testament can be found in Isaiah 63:16; Malachi 1:6; 2:10; 2 Samuel 7:13–14; 1 Chronicles 22:10; and Deuteronomy 32:6.

In those passages, Christ—the “Word” or Spokesman for the Father—communicated to the people the words of the Father. When the Bible speaks of the “Father,” it normally refers strictly and exclusively to the highest God being in the God Family.

However, the Jews were under the misimpression that they were worshipping “the Father.” They did not understand that the God being functioning as the Messenger or Spokesperson of the Father and the God Family, who had been dealing directly with the ancients, was actually Jesus Christ. (Compare Christ’s words in John 8:54, “It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God.”)

We have explained that Jesus’ words that no one has seen the form of God and that people did not hear the voice of God refer to God the Father, as people did see the form of the Son of God—Jesus Christ (compare again Numbers 12:8), and they did hear His voice. It was Christ who communicated and spoke the words of the Father. This makes sense for Old Testament passages, but what about the fact that people heard a voice from heaven about Jesus Christ when Christ was here on earth? This voice could not have been the voice of Christ.

Nor could it have been the voice of the Father, because we read later that people did NOT hear the voice of God (the Father) at any time. It is also quite ridiculous to assume that God the Father just formed an audible voice for the occasion, which He otherwise does not have.

In his comments, Gill had referred to the possibility of angels ministering to the people.

Already in Old Testament times, we read that an angel spoke on behalf of God, voicing the command of God. We read in Zechariah 6:5-8 (Authorized Version):

“5 And the angel answered and said unto me, These are the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The black horses which are therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country. 7 And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth. 8 Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.”Even though an angel speaks to Zechariah, it says that “my spirit” has been quieted—an obvious reference to God’s Holy Spirit. So, the angel is communicating God’s words to the prophet, but it appears as if God spoke directly to Zechariah.

In the New Testament, we read the angelic message, “the true sayings of God” (Revelation 19:9-10), coming from God the Father and Jesus Christ, in Revelation 22:8-16 (Authorized Version):

“8 And I John saw these things, and heard [them]. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. 9 Then saith he unto me, See [thou do it] not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. 10 And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. 11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. 12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward [is] with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 14 Blessed [are] they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15 For without [are] dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. 16 I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, [and] the bright and morning star.”

In the passage above, we see that the message of the angel contains the direct words of Jesus Christ, but it is the angel who communicates these words to John. In fact, the message is from God the Father, given to Christ who gave it to the angel to communicate to John (Revelation 1:1). In the same way, an angel communicated the words of the Father to the people when the voice of the angel said: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Israel’s Netanyahu Ousted?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

It was reported that Benjamin Netanyahu is no longer Israel’s prime minister, as political opponents from eight greatly diverse parties announced Wednesday that they had formed a coalition that would replace him, pending a simple majority vote in Israel’s parliament to be held on or about June 14. However, if only one member does not support the coalition, it will fall apart, and Netanyahu is trying hard to break up the coalition along ideological lines. What does this all mean for the future of the state of Israel?

“Hat jemand Gottes Stimme gehört und seine Gestalt gesehen?” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Did Anyone Hear God’s Voice and See His Form?”

“Grundbedürfnisse,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath in Germany by Johann Schell, is now posted. The title in English: “Basic Needs.”

“Eine Zeit für alles,” the sermon presented last Sabbath in Germany by Michael Link, is now posted. Title in English: “A Time For Everything.”

“Your Relationship With God Is What?” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:

We all have relationships that we consider important and we work hard to make them work. How much do we consider our most important relationship, that with God and Christ? What does the Bible show us in regards to our relationship with them both?

“Will Christ return twice? Will there be a secret rapture?” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

We know that Christ will return, but do we know when and in what manner?  Why did Christ tell us to watch? Can His return be accelerated or delayed? Have the beginning of sorrows already commenced? What is the origin of the “secret rapture” concept? What does the Bible say?

On May 29, 2021, Kalon Mitchell will present the sermonette, titled, “Your Relationship With God Is What?” and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “Will Christ Return Twice? Will There Be a Secret Rapture?”

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.

These are four simple words, but without them, we would have no hope. All we could expect would be death, even eternal death.

When we look through God’s Word, there are many laws and ways of life listed. A comprehensive list of blessings and curses was given to the Children of Israel as a physical nation just before they were to end their wanderings and enter the Promised Land. In Deuteronomy 28, the first 13 verses give a list of promises for good and health for the people if they would “diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments…” (Deuteronomy 28:1).

However, in the rest of the chapter, beginning in verse 15 to verse 68, that’s four times as many verses, a list of curses and sickness was given if the people “do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments…” (Deuteronomy 28:15). They were given two choices, one leading to great physical prosperity, and the other leading to misery and suffering. One way leading to life and good, the other to death and evil (Deuteronomy 30:15).

Even when offering the people (long physical) life if they obeyed, God knew that they did not have the heart required to obey Him. In Deuteronomy 5:29 we read, “Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!”

However, there are many passages, including those in Ezekiel, where we can read, “Again, when a wicked man turns away from the wickedness which he committed, and does what is lawful and right, he preserves himself alive. Because he considers and turns away from all the transgressions which he committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die” (Ezekiel 18:27-28). Here is an example of mercy triumphing over judgement. This wicked man deserved to die because of his wickedness, i.e. to receive just judgement, but because he repented, God promised to show him mercy.

There is a similar provision in the New Testament which is important for us. The conditions are given in James 2:13: “For judgement is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgement.” God is well known to be a merciful God (Joel 2:13), and He wants us to be merciful just like He is, to be developing His character within ourselves. We read this in Luke 6:36: “Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.”

This is a consistent theme both in the Old Testament and the New Testament. In Micah 6:8 we read, “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?” If we love mercy, we will be merciful. In Matthew 23:23, we read, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.” Here mercy is one of the weightier matters of the law. Something we must always remember.

We understand that we are all sinners in need of mercy (Romans 3:23), because without mercy, the judgement we would have earned would be the (eternal) death penalty. So, knowing our need of mercy from God, then we must show mercy ourselves. And then, as we read in Matthew 5:7, “Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.” Then, as the title informs us, if we are merciful, mercy shall triumph over judgement for us, and this gives us hope for forgiveness of our sins and eternal life.

by Norbert Link

We begin with reporting on the fragile ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas and the spread of worldwide anti-Semitism in favor of terrorists fighting Israel; Iran’s involvement; and the ongoing focus on the al-Aqsa mosque; continue with the divided Democratic Party over Israel; “fascist” rules and regulations in Oregon and Big Brother’s propaganda; Europe’s power grab; its alleged fight for “peace” and its “excellent relationship” with the Vatican. In this regard, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “The Rise of the European Beast.” We also address further travel restrictions.

We report on Russia’s ambitions and end goal; the unethical and dangerous conduct of the press in using BBC’s shameful treatment of Princess Diana as an example; and the dangerous acceptance of assassinations without any due process.

We conclude with articles pertaining to LGBT hate crimes; gender self-identification laws; and transgender executive orders.

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

The Fragile Ceasefire “Agreement”

Deutsche Welle reported on May 21:

“Both sides in the fighting hailed the cease-fire as a win.

“A statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the offensive in Gaza yielded ‘significant achievements […] some of which are unprecedented.’ Some right-wing figures in Israel accused Netanyahu of ending the conflict too soon, with the conflict ending inconclusively.  In a speech later on Friday, the prime minister said that Israel would respond with ‘a new level of force against any expression of aggression against communities around Gaza and any other part of Israel.’’

“A Hamas official told a rally in Gaza that the cease-fire was a ‘victory for the Palestinian people’…

“German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who visited Israel and Ramallah on Thursday, welcomed the truce… ‘Now we have to deal with the causes, rebuild trust and find a solution to the Middle East conflict,’ he said…

“Tensions began earlier this month when several Palestinian families living in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah were threatened with eviction from their homes. Jewish settlers claim the properties were owned by Jews prior to 1948. Israel  postponed the court hearing on the case in order to defuse tensions. The situation escalated further when Israeli security forces dispersed worshippers at the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem [due to the violence of Muslim worshippers].

“Last week, Hamas threatened to fire rockets at Israel, unless Israeli forces left the Temple Mount. Israel refused to have its troops vacate the premises. Hamas then launched rockets towards Jerusalem. In response, the Israeli military launched an offensive against Hamas in Gaza. The Israeli military called the operation against Hamas ‘Guardian of the Walls,’ a reference to Jerusalem. Hamas called its attacks against Israel ‘Sword of Jerusalem.’ The fighting was the worst between the two sides since a 50-day war in 2014…”

In a related article, Deutsche Welle wrote on May 21:

“Fresh clashes between Palestinians and Israeli police broke out at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Friday. The unrest occurred after Friday prayers at the mosque compound, just hours after an Egypt-brokered cease-fire between Israel and Hamas came into effect in Gaza after almost two weeks of fighting… Clashes between police and protesters at the mosque compound had been a key factor in starting the conflict between Hamas and the Israeli military…

“A spokesperson for the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Hamas, said on the Hamas-run Al-Aqsa television channel: ‘The decision to resume rocket attacks on Israel remains an option.’

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday described Israel’s 11-day bombardment of Palestinian armed groups in Gaza as an ‘exceptional success. We achieved our goals in the operation,’ Netanyahu said, adding that ‘the public doesn’t know everything’ about Israel’s gains in the operation ‘and neither does Hamas.’

“Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya called the Gaza cease-fire ‘a victory’’ for the militant group. Al-Hayya claims Israel failed to destroy Hamas’ military infrastructure, and says the group’s fighters are still ‘striding proudly’’ in the underground tunnels.”

The Algemeiner wrote on May 23:

“Israel will preemptively strike at Hamas targets if it is determined that the Gaza terrorist group is preparing to launch rockets, a top Likud minister said. [Israel’s new security doctrine] will include the ability for the Israeli military to not wait until after rockets are fired to conduct strikes if it is determined that Hamas is restocking its rocket arsenal and preparing to attack… He also would not rule out conquering Gaza to remove Hamas from power, but only as a last resort because of the high cost of a ground invasion.”

Times of Israel added on May 21:

“Thousands of people demonstrate[d] in Jordan to celebrate the ‘victory of the resistance’ against Israel… Responding to a call by the Muslim Brotherhood, some 10,000 people… gathered… near the border with the Israeli-occupied West Bank… Demonstrators carr[ied] Jordanian and Palestinian flags and chanted ‘death to Israel’ and ‘let’s trade the olive branch for the gun.’ … many youths dressed in Jordanian and Palestinian keffiyeh scarves burned Israeli flags and chanted slogans against the peace deal…”

Similar antisemitic and Hitler-admiring demonstrations took place in London over the weekend.

“… until al-Aqsa Is Liberated”

The Times of Israel wrote on May 21:

“Hamas terror chief Ismail Haniyeh… thanked Iran for the funds and weaponry it has provided to the Strip. ‘This battle has destroyed the project of “coexistence” with the Israeli occupation, of the project “normalization” with Israel,’ Haniyeh said…, apparently referring to the widespread clashes between Israeli Arabs and Jews and Israel’s recent peace agreements with four Arab nations… ‘This is a divine victory…This harsh blow will leave a deep impact on [Israel],’ Haniyeh said, later adding: ‘Praise to you, God, for this blessed, awesome victory.’

“… Haniyeh also vowed to continue to focus on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount ‘until Al-Aqsa Mosque is liberated.’ …”

Israel 365 wrote on May 23:

“On Friday, a brushfire crept up the southern slope of the Temple Mount, threatening the Aqsa Mosque. Though the cause of the fire is unknown, Arab violence inside Israel, most especially in Jerusalem, increased on Friday as the ceasefire with Hamas took effect. Arson is frequently used by Arab terrorists to attack the land of Israel and the Temple Mount, which the uninformed believe is revered by Muslims… Two weeks ago, on Jerusalem Day, Arab rioters set a tree on fire that was adjacent to the Aqsa Mosque.”

But why would Arab terrorists who are determined to “liberate” the al-Aqsa mosque try to set it on fire? Perhaps by blaming the Jews and in order to provoke a hostile confrontation and gain support of the international community?  

Anti-Israel and Antisemitism

Israel Today wrote on May 21:

“…the thin line between anti-Israel and antisemitism seems to always be crossed… Protesters shouting ‘Jews, remember Khaybar, the army of Muhammad is returning,’ were recorded in rallies being held in Europe. Increasing numbers of antisemitic attacks have also been reported in the US..

“Remarkably, the current wave of antisemitism is not present among your average citizens alone. International diplomats have been filmed spreading antisemitic tropes as well…

“Israel is portrayed as a villain by the mere fact of possessing more military might than Hamas.

“… While the disparity in numbers of casualties is vital, acts of violence themselves are given far less attention. It seems to matter less that almost all of Hamas’s more than 4,000 rockets were aimed at civilian population centers and not military targets. Each one of those is a severe war crime according to international law and carried the potential of harming non-combatant Israelis. The fact that Israel has advanced technology that is highly successful in intercepting those rockets does not make the act of violence itself less severe…

“One lesson from the global reaction to this conflict, whether we are talking about power disparity or antisemitism, is that there is increasing pressure to choose one side, giving them unconditional support—either for Israel or for the Palestinians—and to vilify the other. We need to come to a point where we can recognize the pain and suffering of both Israelis and Palestinians…”

In a related article, Israel Today wrote on May 21:

“Hamas and its supporters are not just fighting the State of Israel, but the Jewish people as a whole… if the… images of victory celebrations tell you anything it’s that this will most definitely not be the last Gaza war. Hamas has convinced too many people that despite the heavy cost, they ‘won,’ and can do so again.”

The Times of Israel added on May 21:

“There has been a ‘dangerous and drastic surge’ in antisemitism in the US, and around the world, in recent days linked to the fighting between Israel and terror groups in the Gaza Strip, the Anti-Defamation League said… ‘It’s happening around the world— from London to Los Angeles, from France to Florida, in big cities like New York and in small towns, and across every social media platform.’

“The ADL said it has documented antisemitism on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram, with messages including explicit praise for Hitler, promoting tropes about Jewish control and demonizing all Jews. The group said extreme antisemitic and anti-Zionist content can be found across a wide variety of channels calling for the destruction of the Jewish state…The ADL says it found more than 17,000 tweets using variations of the phrase, ‘Hitler was right’ between May 7 and May 14, 2021…

“The Israeli Consulate in New York on Friday said the wave of protests was more violent than previously seen in the area, even when tensions were high. ‘The demonstrations are larger, more toxic, and unfortunately also more violent. There is a direct connection between Hamas’ stated agenda which is sworn to Israel’s destruction and the slogans of the demonstrators that undermine the legitimacy of Israel as the Jewish nation-state,’ the consulate said in a statement.”

The Curse for Appeasing Iran

Israel 365 wrote on May 21:

“Former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo harshly criticized the Biden administration for its blatant efforts to appease Iran by going out of its way to avoid explicitly stating the Islamic regime’s involvement in the Hamas terror group’s firing of more than 4,000 rockets at Israeli civilians from its base in the Gaza Strip…

“Pompeo noted that Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy in Lebanon on Israel’s northern border, is a ‘real risk’ to security, as it has ‘enormous amounts of precision-guided munitions,’ and is ‘watching closely’ and ‘performing their own strategic calculation as well. According to Pompeo, ‘the isolation of Iran led to deterrence. Now, Iran is sitting in Vienna. They know they will get billions of dollars…’”

Democratic Party Divided over Israel

Fox News reported on May 21:

“President Biden said that there has been ‘no shift’ in his commitment to Israel and that the Democratic Party still supports the Jewish state, despite heated and sometimes vitriolic criticism of Israel over the past ten days by progressives… He again called for a two-state solution in the region…

“Press secretary Jen Psaki had offered a similar sentiment hours earlier. She said the White House has ‘no plans’ to alter security assistance to Israel, as progressives came down hard against a $735 million arms sale to the Jewish state and the billions allotted in foreign aid each year… Sen. Bernie Sanders… introduced a resolution Thursday to force a vote on whether to block the weapons sale to Israel. Progressive ‘Squad’ members Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., introduced similar legislation in the House…

“Last Friday, 140 progressive groups, including Justice Democrats, Sunrise Movement, MoveOn and the Working Families Party, released a joint statement condemning Israel’s bombing of Gaza. Black Lives Matter declared ‘solidarity with Palestinians’ this week… The Democratic Socialists of America issued a statement of support for Palestinians last week, condemning the ‘ongoing ethnic cleansing’ it suggests Israel is engaged in.”

Israel 365 wrote on May 23:

“‘Bipartisan support for Israel has been a hallmark of American politics for decades. Mainstream America continues to strongly support Israel, but these numbers reveal a shocking new trend among Democrats. Increasing majorities actually blame the Jewish State for the current violence, rather than Hamas and Iran, who are openly anti-Semitic, genocidal and celebrate the killing of civilians,’ said Mark Meckler, President of Convention of States Action. ‘Senator Schumer and Speaker Pelosi have lost control of their party, as extremists like Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep Ilhan Omar, and Sen Bernie Sanders—and their supporters—are now leading a far-left foreign policy agenda in which state-sponsored terrorism, anti-Semitism, and genocide are in and representative democracy and human rights are out.’”

Grand Jury to Decide Trump’s Fate

MSN wrote on May 25:

“Manhattan’s [Democratic] district attorney has convened the grand jury that is expected to decide whether to indict former president Donald Trump, other executives at his company or the business itself should prosecutors present the panel with criminal charges… The panel was convened recently and will sit three days a week for six months. It is likely to hear several matters — not just the Trump case ­— during the duration of its term…

“The move indicates that District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr.’s investigation of the former president and his business has reached an advanced stage after more than two years. It suggests, too, that Vance believes he has found evidence of a crime — if not by Trump then by someone potentially close to him or by his company… His investigators are scrutinizing Trump’s business practices before he was president, including whether the value of specific properties in the Trump Organization’s real estate portfolio were manipulated in a way that defrauded banks and insurance companies, and if any tax benefits were obtained illegally through unscrupulous asset valuation. The district attorney also is examining the compensation provided to top Trump Organization executives, people familiar with the matter have said.

“In a statement issued Tuesday evening, Trump called the grand jury seating ‘a continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt in American history.’ ‘This is purely political, and an affront to the almost 75 million voters who supported me in the Presidential Election, and it’s being driven by highly partisan Democrat prosecutors,’ Trump said. ‘Our Country is broken, our elections are rigged, corrupt, and stolen, our prosecutors are politicized, and I will just have to keep on fighting like I have been for the last five years!’…

“Trump has never been criminally charged. No former U.S. president has ever been charged with a crime.”

Vance works together with Attorney General Letitia James, another Democrat. It surely appears that the Democratic “witch hunt” against Trump is continuing. But it might backfire, as it did with previous attempts.

Dictatorial Fascist Regulations in Oregon

The Ron Paul Institute republished an article by Jordan Schachtel on May 21, which originally appeared in “The Dossier”:

“If you want to participate in Oregon society without being forced to wear a mask, you better have your paperwork in order. The state is now requiring individuals to display ‘proof of vaccination’ if they’d like to take their masks off indoors, Oregon’s Health Authority has announced. In rejecting the more practical and individual liberty embracing “honor system” approach that we’ve seen across the United States, the authorities in Salem are taking the fascist policy route…

“Oregon finally ended its outdoor mask mandate, a full year and a half into Covid Mania. And in exchange for ‘granting’ systems the freedom to breathe fresh air, they will now be forced to show ‘proof of vaccination’ if they want to participate in society… It would be worth seriously debating the merits of this authoritarian insanity if in fact Oregon could demonstrate that they were ‘following the science’ on this issue, but it’s clear that this order has nothing to do with science, and everything to do with power and control…

“First and foremost, there is no comprehensive trial that shows masks actually work at preventing COVID-19, so the premise for the mask policy is false. There is no evidence that cloth masks help stop the spread of a submicroscopic infectious particle. In fact, there is more evidence demonstrating that masks may act as a vector for disease transmission.

“Second, if vaccines work to protect people from serious outcomes related to COVID-19, what exactly is the point of demanding that businesses force customers to show their vaccine papers?… If the vaccine protects individuals from people who choose not to take the COVID-19 vaccine, then there is no particular threat to anyone but those who choose to opt out. There is zero science behind the idea of a COVID-19 vaccine passport.

“It seems that the next steps for Oregon are obvious. That may come in the form of a more streamlined digital vaccine passport system, as we’ve seen in places like New York and Hawaii… Another side effect of this fascistic dystopian policy is the reality that people will be encouraged to wear their ‘vaccine credentials’ to complement their mask, as a ‘practical measure’ to be allowed entry into a business. It will be understood as the ultimate virtue signal, and a sign of complete obedience to authority, should Oregonians have both a mask on and a vaccine card readily on display.

“With the corrupt policies being pursued by the authorities in statewide office, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that not everyone in the state is thrilled with the policies being pushed by Salem. On Tuesday, 5 Oregon counties voted in favor of leaving the state and becoming part of Idaho.”

The RIGHT to REFUSE

Newsmax wrote on May 23:

“Having already contracted COVID-19, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said he is not going to get vaccination for the virus, because he already has developed natural immunity. ‘Until they show me evidence that people who have already had the infection are dying in large numbers, or being hospitalized or getting very sick, I just made my own personal decision that I’m not getting vaccinated because I’ve already had the disease and I have natural immunity,’ Paul [said]…

“Scientists have speculated – without empirical evidence – the immunity to the virus might not last after six months. Still, Paul, both an ophthalmologist and one of Congress’ stout conservative thinkers, defended one’s right to refuse being vaccinated. ‘In a free country you would think people would honor the idea that each individual would get to make the medical decision, that it wouldn’t be a Big Brother coming to tell me what I have to do,’ Paul [said].

He is absolutely right. But Big Brother’s propaganda and autocratic governmental measures will increase.

The Pressure and Incentives for Vaccinations

CBS News wrote on May 25:

“Half of adult Americans have received all of their COVID-19 vaccine doses, according to figures published Tuesday by the CDC… the nationwide pace of people receiving their first dose has slowly picked up, after plummeting to a record low last month not seen since the earliest weeks of the COVID-19 vaccination effort in January.

“State and local health officials have attributed part of the recent uptick to a flood of interest from parents seeking to vaccinate their children, following federal health officials clearing Pfizer’s shots for recipients as young as 12 earlier this month.  Moderna said Tuesday that it will also seek emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration to give its COVID-19 vaccine to adolescents age 12 and up, after data indicated the shot had high efficacy at preventing the illness in teens.

“White House officials also praised efforts by state governments and businesses to boost vaccinations in recent weeks, like multiple states’ decisions to award millions in lottery prizes for vaccinated residents. The inspector general for the Department of Health and Human Services also told providers this week that hospitals likely would not run afoul of federal ‘kickback’ laws if they offered rewards for patients getting their COVID-19 vaccine.

“However, the CDA’s data still shows nine states — Georgia, Idaho, Arkansas, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wyoming, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi — have yet to record even a first dose for more than half of their adult residents. Nearly 40% of Americans overall have not begun even their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, according to the data…

“Meanwhile, calls have grown for the U.S. to speed sharing its surplus of COVID-19 vaccine doses abroad. At the World Health Assembly on Monday, the World Health Organization’s director-general criticized countries that were vaccinating children and low-risk residents ‘at the expense of health workers and high-risk groups in other countries.’”

The propaganda and pressure of the mass media and the US federal and state governments is just sickening. But it’s not just happening in the USA.. far from it. Note the next article.

Greetings from “New Normal” Germany

On May 26, the Ron Paul Institute published the following article by C.J. Hopkins, which originally appeared in “Consent Factory”:

“On April 1, 1933, shortly after Hitler was appointed chancellor, the Nazis staged a boycott of Jewish businesses in Germany. Members of the Storm Troopers… stood around outside of Jewish-owned stores with Gothic-lettered placards reading ‘Germans! Defend yourselves! Do not buy from Jews!’ The boycott itself was a total disaster — most Germans ignored it and just went on with their lives — but it was the beginning of the official persecution of the Jews and totalitarianism in Nazi Germany.

“Last week, here in ‘New Normal’ Germany, the government… implemented a social-segregation system that bans anyone who refuses to publicly conform to the official ‘New Normal’ ideology from participating in German society. From now on, only those who have an official ‘vaccination pass’ or proof of a negative PCR test are allowed to sit down and eat at restaurants, shop at ‘non-essential’ stores, or go to bars, or the cinema, or wherever…

“The fact that the vast majority of Germans clicked their heels and started mindlessly following orders, like they did in Nazi Germany, the moment the ‘New Normal’ was introduced last year doesn’t mean that all Germans are fascists by nature. Most Americans did the same thing. So did the British, the Australians, the Spanish, the French, the Canadians, and a long list of others. It’s just that, well, I happen to live here, so I’ve watched as Germany has been transformed into “New Normal Germany” up close and personal, and it has definitely made an impression on me.

“The ease with which the German authorities implemented the new official ideology, and how fanatically it has been embraced by the majority of Germans, came as something of a shock. I had naively believed that, in light of their history, the Germans would be among the first to recognize a nascent totalitarian movement predicated on textbook Goebbelsian Big Lies… and would resist it en masse, or at least take a moment to question the lies their leaders were hysterically barking at them.

“I couldn’t have been more wrong.

“Here we are, over a year later, and waiters and shop clerks are ‘checking papers’ to enforce compliance with the new official ideology…”

Very sad indeed… but in total line with biblical prophecy…

Who Gives Europe the Authority?

Express wrote on May 21:

“BRUSSELS’ plot to issue guidance on future health crises across the world has sparked outrage in the UK.

“EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was launching a ‘Global Health Policy Forum’ this morning, as she delivered a speech in Rome for the G20 health summit… The boasting statement sparked the fury of former Brexit Party MEP Martin Daubney who questioned the EU executive leader’s authority on matters of health after her poor handling of the bloc’s vaccination strategy. He blasted: ‘What gives the EU authority on “Global Health Policy” when their last response to global health was to blockade vaccine exports to the UK and Australia?’

“Earlier this year, the Commission threatened the UK with a ban on vaccine exports and Italy blocked a shipment of jabs reserved for Australia. Leaders of the world’s largest economies kicked off a global health summit on Friday, where drugmakers were expected to promise cut-price supplies of vaccines for poorer nations to help end the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Group of 20 nations looked set to call for voluntary licensing and technology transfers to enable a rapid increase in vaccine production, but will sidestep a push from the United States and other nations to waive valuable patents for shots. The European Union also promised to set up vaccination manufacturing hubs in Africa, which faces a dearth of doses…

“Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said in an opening speech: ‘As we prepare for the next pandemic, our priority must be to ensure that we all overcome the current one together. We must vaccinate the world, and do it fast.’… An array of leaders, including the presidents of China, India, France and South Africa, are due to address the meeting along with the heads of multinational organisations, the US philanthropist Bill Gates and numerous health experts. However, US President Joe Biden was not listed among the speakers, organisers said…”

The Bible makes very clear who is giving Europe its authority.

Europe’s Fight for “Peace”

The Guardian wrote on May 19:

“The EU was awarded the Nobel peace prize in 2012 in recognition of ‘six decades of promoting peace and reconciliation’ in Europe. In his acceptance speech in Oslo, the then president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, said the world could ‘count on our efforts to fight for lasting peace, freedom and justice’. Yet less than a decade on, the EU is taking two big steps to bolster its defence capacity and engage in military conflicts through training and equipping governments outside the bloc. In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic these developments have slipped under the radar, but they represent a significant expansion in security policy with wide-ranging consequences.

“An €8bn (£6.9bn) European defence fund (EDF), aimed at developing and acquiring new weapons and technology for militaries within the EU and abroad, was agreed last December. The EU also recently launched the European peace facility (EPF), a mechanism that will boost the bloc’s ability to provide training and equipment – including, for the first time, weapons – to non-European military forces around the world. France and Germany, the commission, and a majority of MEPs have pushed for these tools to boost European power abroad. They point to conflicts in the Middle East, the Sahel and Ukraine, and the more isolationist direction the US took under the Trump administration, as justification…

“But a vociferous network of peace activists, critical MEPs and campaigners accuses the EU of abandoning its founding principles and giving in to lobbying from the arms industry for more public funding…”

Good Relations between EU and Vatican

Vatican News wrote on May 22:

“During their private meeting, Pope Francis and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen noted the good bilateral relations between the Holy See and the European Union, including the initiatives underway to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations… Both leaders… looked at… issues of common interest, such as the social consequences of the pandemic, and the topics of migration, climate change, and recent developments in the Middle East.

“Von der Leyen [said:]

“The relations between the Holy See, the Vatican, and the European Union are excellent. And 50 years this shows how much we are like-minded. The good cooperation is basically based on sharing the same values…”

More than 50 years ago, the Treaty of Rome was signed, on March 25, 1957.

Europe’s Own Destination

Politico wrote on May 25:

“… some leaders took note of the fact that the Biden White House had not given them any formal heads up before the announcement on Monday that a deal had been reached to hold a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva next month. A discussion at the EU summit on Tuesday about the coronavirus pandemic also touched on Biden’s proposal to lift patent protections for vaccines — an announcement that blindsided European leaders and drew questions and criticism, including from German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said the move would not quickly increase vaccine production…

“There is little doubt transatlantic relations are vastly improved since the departure of Trump, who took pleasure in berating European allies… Last week, Brussels and Washington reached a deal to prevent an escalation on June 1 of the EU’s retaliatory tariffs on U.S.-made motorcycles, bourbon and other products that were imposed in response to Trump’s tariffs on European steel and aluminum. The sides said they were ready to begin discussions to address global excess steel capacity….

“But European leaders have also bristled at the presumption among Biden administration officials that EU allies will dutifully follow Washington’s lead. For instance, NATO allies complained that they were given little advance warning once Biden had made a decision on a full withdrawal from Afghanistan by September 11, after he took months to ponder his plans.

“And there was strong pushback against the patent waiver idea among leaders at another EU summit in Portugal earlier this month. EU officials said it doesn’t help that more than four months after Biden’s inauguration, the president still has not nominated an ambassador to the EU or to NATO….

“All of this has contributed to a sense in some EU capitals, including Paris, that the EU must demonstrate strategic independence — a sentiment that will frame some of the discussions at next month’s summit of G7 leaders in the U.K. and a NATO leaders’ summit in Brussels.

“… the EU felt no obligation to touch base with the White House before announcing its measures against Belarus and the country’s strongman president, Alexander Lukashenko. ‘They didn’t tell us that they were going to announce their summit with Putin,’ [an EU]  official said. ‘Why should we talk to them first before reacting to something that happened in our own backyard?’

“EU legal services and other officials are now scrambling to develop specific proposals for new sanctions against Belarus, including identifying ‘entities’ — likely government-owned or controlled corporations — that can be targeted because they had a role in the forced landing of the Ryanair jet and the arrest of the political opposition activist Roman Protasevich…

“After the summit on Tuesday, Merkel noted that the EU unity on responding to Belarus highlighted continuing disagreements among the 27 member countries over relations and policy toward Russia. If EU countries can’t find consensus among themselves, it’s hard to expect full agreement with Washington, London, Ottawa or Tokyo, other diplomats said.

“Another senior official said those inevitable differences were a reason for Europe to chart its own path… ‘Transatlantic relationships can add the United States and others of course. But it’s important also to have our own vision of Europe in the short term, the mid term, the long term when it comes to our priorities.’”

This vision includes the inevitable development of a Europe with two speeds… and the rise of a core Europe of ten nations or groups of nations.

Empowering Germany

Express wrote on May 26:

“JOE Biden’s decision to waive sanctions against the company constructing the Nord Stream 2 pipeline will simply ‘empower’ Germany in its ambition to create a European army, a Tory MP has claimed. Daniel Kawczynski said there was increasing concern among his colleagues about the controversial project, which will bring liquified gas directly from Germany to Russia, and which critics claims runs counter to the principles of both the European Union and NATO. Speaking yesterday, Mr Biden said he decided not to impose sanctions because the project was almost complete, and doing so could have harmed ties with Europe.

“Mr Kawczysnki, MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham, a persistent critic of the project, [said:] ‘I think we had seen with Belarus what the Russian axis is capable of, even jeopardising the lives of passengers by hijacking an aircraft… ‘I think it’s a terrible mistake, because this will empower Germany to continue to implement various policies which are out of kilter with NATO, and their determination to create a single European army is going to be the great threat and challenge that we will have to face… The timing and conduct of the new administration in America is, I am afraid, very irresponsible.’

“… The project, now about 95 percent complete, would bypass Ukraine, depriving it of lucrative transit fees and potentially undermining its struggle against Russian aggression.”

Biden said he was greatly concerned about the pipeline, but felt he had to waive sanctions.

Switzerland Pulls the Plug

Politico wrote on May 26:

“Switzerland on Wednesday pulled the plug on years-long efforts to sign a landmark partnership agreement with the EU, handing a major defeat to the European Commission and risking a deterioration of economic ties. The decision by the Swiss Federal Council to end talks with Brussels, which had been ongoing since 2014, means that both sides won’t be able to upgrade a patchwork of bilateral treaties covering issues ranging from trade over transport to medical devices — some of which are almost 50 years old. In statements, Brussels warned that these bilateral deals ‘will inevitably age,’ and threatened that without the broader partnership treaty, ‘no new agreements with Switzerland will be concluded and the existing agreements may not be updated.’

“The tense reaction indicates that relations with the Alpine state are heading for turbulence. There’s plenty at stake: Switzerland is the EU’s fourth-largest trading partner, while Switzerland trades more with the EU than anyone else.

“In the health sector, the Swiss decision will even have an immediate impact. By coincidence, a mutual recognition agreement for medical devices expired on Wednesday, meaning it will be more complicated for manufacturers to trade such devices between the EU and Switzerland…

“Politically, the Swiss rejection of the agreement deals a huge blow to the Commission, which has been heavily investing at the highest level to make the deal work — first under former Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and then his successor Ursula von der Leyen, who both personally took charge of the file…

“Finally, the failure to finalize the agreement means that Swiss airlines have less access to the EU aviation market, with equal restrictions for EU carriers on the Swiss market….”

The Church of God has never believed that Switzerland would become a part of core Europe. In addition, Ursula von der Leyen’s poor performance throughout her tenure as the EU Commission President strongly suggests the urgent need for a replacement.

Further Travel Restrictions…

Breitbart wrote on May 22:

“Germany has banned non-essential travel from the United Kingdom over ‘concern’ of the Indian variant of the coronavirus, as cases of the strain spike by 80 per cent in London. On Friday, the German Embassy announced that the United Kingdom has been ‘classified as an area of variant of concern’, putting into effect from Sunday, May 23rd, a travel ban on non-essential journeys. The ban does not apply to German citizens, legal residents, or their legal partners, spouses, or minor children. All others will need a reason deemed essential…

“The move comes after Spain lifted restrictions for British travellers to coincide with their tourism season. The freedom of travel will come into effect on Monday. However, both Spain and Germany are on the British government’s ‘amber’ list, meaning that travellers returning from those countries must self-isolate at home for ten days [or two weeks, see the next article] and take two post-journey coronavirus tests. Travellers must also take a pre-departure test for the virus.”

The Guardian added:

“As of midnight on 23 May, people travelling to Germany from Great Britain and Northern Ireland may only enter the country if they are a German citizen or resident. Spouses and children under 18 of a German citizen or resident can also enter, as long as the household are travelling together.

“Those with an urgent humanitarian reason such as an immediate family bereavement are also able to enter. However, anyone entering the country from the UK must quarantine for two weeks on arrival, even if they test negative for the coronavirus.

“People who are only transferring from one flight to another will still be allowed in but they must remain in the airport transit area.”

Fox News wrote on May 22:

“This week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tweeted that the land border closure for non-essential travel between the U.S. and both Canada and Mexico has been extended through June 21… Those restrictions were first put in place at the start of the coronavirus pandemic in March 2020… officials have extended the restrictions on a monthly basis. Though it is unclear when the restrictions would be lifted, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested this week that it could be until at least 75% of Canadians are vaccinated…

“Canada requires travelers flying into the country to have a negative COVID-19 test within three days of their departure and again when they arrive. Mexico’s foreign minister, Marcelo Ebrard, said he hopes restrictions between the U.S. and Mexico are lifted before summer is over…”

Will this insanity EVER end?

Russia’s End Goal

The New York Post wrote on May 21:

“Russia will ‘knock out the teeth’ of any foreign adversary that challenges its sovereignty over any territory it claims, President Vladimir Putin warned amid escalating tensions with America. Putin… declined to call out any adversary or territory by name. However, his blunt threat came less than one day after his top diplomat, Sergey Lavrov, clashed with his American counterpart, Secretary of State Tony Blinken, at a tense summit over the issue of the Arctic.

“Russia is massing a formidable array of military weapons in the Arctic — including the Poseidon 2M39, a stealth nuclear-powered torpedo that has been dubbed the ‘super-weapon.’… Moscow continues to flex its military muscle in Ukraine and in the Black Sea — alongside its warning to the US to back off, which caused President Biden to turn two US warships around in April that were headed there…

“Since the Soviet Union broke up in 1991, Russia has supported pro-Russian insurgents in neighboring republics — including shoring up allied breakaway states in Georgia and Moldova. Putin presided over the annexation of Crimea in 2014 without Ukraine’s consent in a rare present-day boundary change by force.

“Russian troop deployments are often murky, but Putin’s government is believed to have deployed troops to Crimea to facilitate the 2014 annexation and to have secretly supported a pair of breakaway provinces in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region. The Kremlin has continued to increase its military presence in the region, specifically with its naval ships in the Black Sea.

“In addition to the heightened aggression at sea, top Pentagon officials briefed lawmakers last month on suspected ‘directed-energy’ attacks against US troops, potentially by Russia. Directed-energy weapons use lasers, microwaves and particle beams to hit and destroy their target.”

The Unethical Ways of the Press

Fox News and The Associated Press reported on May 22:

“Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is weighing in after it was revealed that Martin Bashir used ‘deceitful behavior’ to secure his controversial interview with the late Princess Diana in 1995… ‘The press doesn’t understand that their unethical ways and means of covering and characterizing their victims can destroy a person or a family, and less importantly a career,’ she continued. ‘Martin has been caught so many times engaging in typically unethical press behavior, yet is always embraced back in their fold. These are strange “professionals” that we deal with in the press, and I’m anxious for the day that consumers of media will rise up and demand truth and justice,’ Palin concluded…

“A 127-page report, released Thursday, concluded Bashir ‘deceived and induced’ Diana’s brother, Earl Charles Spencer, into securing the interview for Panorama… Following the finding, both Prince Harry and Prince William condemned the BBC…

“In the infamous interview, the Princess of Wales said ‘there were three of us in this marriage,’ referring to Prince Charles’ relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles, who he married after Diana’s death. Diana, who divorced Charles in 1996, died in a Paris car crash in 1997 as she was being pursued by paparazzi. She was 36.”

Unscrupulous “journalists” and the left-wing mass media can indeed destroy the reputation of a person.

Assassinations an American Way of Life?

On May 22, the Ron Paul Institute ran an article by Jacob Hornberger, which was originally published by the Future of Freedom Foundation:

“State-sponsored assassinations at the hands of the US government — and specifically the Pentagon and the CIA — have become… fully accepted as part and parcel of American life… It is an omnipotent power that enables the federal government to snuff out a person’s life simply on a determination that he is a communist, a terrorist, a threat to ‘national security,’ or whatever other designation the government establishes.

“The Framers and the American people in 1789 were totally opposed to living under a government that wielded the power of assassination… They believed that the biggest threat to their freedom and well-being lay not with some foreign regime but rather from their very own government. That’s why they chose to live under a government with very few and very limited powers…

“Americans demanded the enactment of the Bill of Rights, which included an express prohibition against assassination within the Fifth Amendment, which reads in part: ‘No person shall be deprived of life without due process of law.’… Thus, under the Fifth Amendment, before the federal government could assassinate someone, it would be required to provide him with formal notice of the offense for which they wish to assassinate him and then guarantee him a trial to determine whether he in fact was guilty of committing the offense… Its protections [under the Fifth Amendment] apply to everyone, not just American citizens. With the Sixth Amendment, the accused could elect to have a jury of ordinary citizens, rather than a judge or tribunal, determine his guilt or innocence…

“After World War II, the federal government was converted into a third type of governmental system — a national-security state. Under this type of government, the federal government — specifically the CIA and the Pentagon — acquired the omnipotent power of assassination. The conversion to a national-security state was justified under the rubric of the Cold War. The idea was that since the Soviet Union and the communist world were able to operate with omnipotent powers, including the power of assassination, the only way to prevent America from being conquered by the communists would be to adopt their same type of governmental structure…

“The conversion to a national-security state was done through legislation, not through constitutional amendment. Nonetheless, owing to the overwhelming and ever-growing power of the national-security establishment — i.e., the military, the CIA, and the NSA — the legislative conversion to a national-security state was held to operate as a nullification of the Fifth Amendment.

“Today, the Pentagon’s and the CIA’s power of assassination is omnipotent. They are the final determiners of whether any particular person is going to have his life snuffed out. Their power of assassination is non-reviewable by any court in the land, including the nation’s highest court, the US Supreme Court….”

Scary. Lawless dictatorship abounds…

Proposed LGBT Hate Crime Bill Polarizes Italy

Politico wrote on May 21:

“A proposed law that would criminalize violence and hate speech against LGBT people in Italy has thrown together an unlikely alliance of opponents. Some feminists and lesbian associations have joined the Catholic church and the political right in opposing a bill that would add gay, transgender people and the disabled to the categories protected by a law punishing religion and race-based hate crimes… Catholic leaders say the so-called Zan bill, named for a Democratic Party lawmaker and gay rights activist Alessandro Zan, amounted to ‘a liberticide,’ with conservatives warning the bill risks criminalizing those who publicly oppose gay marriage or adoptions by gay people…

“The Zan bill was approved in the lower house of parliament last year. But its passage through the upper house, or Senate, for it to become law has been delayed by a change of government and obstruction by the right-wing League, for whom it has become a rallying cry… League leader Matteo Salvini said it was a ‘gagging law’ that risks putting in jail ‘those who think a mom is a mom and a dad is a dad.’

“… Zan said it was regrettable that the left was not united… Despite the setbacks for the bill, there are signs that the proposed Zan law has increased popular support.”

Spain and Germany Reject Extremely Liberal Gender Self-Identification Laws… for now!

Evangelical Focus wrote on May 21:

“In Spain, a majority of the Congress voted on 18 May against the ‘Trans Draft Law’ that was put forward by Catalan party ERC and supported by leftists Podemos. The latter is one of the two coalition government parties, leading the Equality Ministry in charge of Feminist and LGBT issues… The proposed law aimed to allow all citizens above 16 years old to change their sex in official documents without medical or psychological checks to prove suffering gender dysphoria… The law would allow gender transition for minors from the age of 12…

“One day later, on 19 May, the German Bundestag also voted against two gender self-identification proposals. One was presented by the liberal party FDP and the other by the Green Party. Their text included measures such as bringing down the age of gender self-identification to 14…

“These defeats, however, do not close the debate around self-identification. Analysts believe self-identification may soon be on the table again, also in other European countries. The largest political parties in Germany and Spain (both on the centre-right and centre-left) have often expressed their commitment to promote ‘trans rights’, and are usually represented at LGBT Pride events.”

Of course, Germany’s Health Minister Jens Spahn is openly gay who saw to it that conversion therapies for minors were prohibited even though the parents wanted them.

Judge Sides with Biden’s Transgender Order

Daily Caller wrote on May 20:

“A federal judge ruled Wednesday that students of the opposite biological sex must be allowed to share shower spaces and dorms at a Christian college in Missouri. Judge Roseann Ketchmark of the District Court of Western Missouri ruled against the College of the Ozarks, a Christian college which had sued President Joe Biden’s administration over its transgender discrimination policies, lawyers representing the school said Wednesday evening.

“The college had challenged Biden over his Jan. 20 executive order, which prevented schools from denying children access to bathrooms of their choosing… The school had argued that the government cannot force a private religious school to place biological males into female dormitories… The college faces six-figure fines if it violates the Biden administration’s order.”

This is an outrage!

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.

This is a good question to ask.  We will first have a look at how education is conducted today and then, what it will be like when Jesus Christ returns to set up the Kingdom of God on earth at His return.

It should be obvious that there will be an enormous shift from what we see today in schools, colleges and universities for one very good reason, and that is that Satan is the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4) and that his influence can be clearly observed by all who have eyes to see. And by extension, society as a whole is encompassed, not just the educational sector.

For the purpose of this new series, we will give examples of how things have changed over the last several decades. It can only be brief because it is an enormous subject to cover, but a few highlights will show that we are, today, in a much poorer state than we were some decades ago. We will also show that the future is bright, as we have biblical guidance for how the plan of God will work out in His soon-coming Kingdom.

In 1979, Mr Herbert W Armstrong, then the Pastor General of the (now defunct) Worldwide Church of God, published a remarkable book, entitled “The Wonderful World Tomorrow.” It would be remiss of us not to use some of the very descriptive passages that compellingly and purposefully describe education both at that time and on into the future, even though this was written over forty years ago.

On page pages 12-14, Mr Armstrong writes the following, under the heading ”Education is Decadent”:

“But take a realistic look at this world’s civilization.

“We look at modern education first, because it is the mother — the alma mater — which has spawned the scientists, captains of industry and business, the politicians and rulers, the leaders in the modern social order, and the theologians.

“Today’s world is what its leaders have made it. And the leaders are the product of modern education. Education is defined by the Encyclopaedia Britannica as a system by which adult leaders of a society inject their philosophies, ideas, customs and culture into the minds of the growing generation. Education is, and has been through the centuries, essentially pagan in origin and character. The academic system was founded by the pagan philosopher Plato.

“The 19th and 20th centuries have witnessed the absorption of German rationalism into the educational bloodstream — an approach that regards human reason as the chief source and test of knowledge. There has been a dangerous drift into materialism and collectivism. God is ignored. Revelation is rejected. The ancient belief of gnosticism, meaning we know, was succeeded by agnosticism, meaning we don’t know (we are ignorant!). This ignorance is glorified as knowledge. Professing themselves to be wise, have not the educated become fools? Compare this with Romans 1:22 in the Bible.

“Modern education trains students to earn a living in the professions, occupations and vocations — but fails to teach them how to live! It commits the crime of developing the machine, but it fails to develop the man.

“In modern education we find perpetuation of false values, the teaching of distorted history, warped psychology, perverted arts and sciences, worthless knowledge.

“Recently a leading expert on educational philosophy, Dr. Donald M. Dozer (professor emeritus of history at the university of California at Santa Barbara), in an article entitled ‘Educational Humbuggery,’ wrote this about contemporary university education:

“‘Ours is an age dominated by half-truths, and for this situation many causes can be found, not the least of which are attributable to the processes of higher education.

“‘American universities,’ he added, ‘have succumbed to the cult of faddism, sensationalism, and even vulgarism. New courses in scatology, whether masquerading as sociology, anthropology, or literature, have been given classroom platforms and respectability …. As students have become increasingly involved in curricular planning they have encouraged the idea that courses rich in content inhibit their creative impulses and represent an imposition upon them. This has led to the multiplication of colleges of creative studies, which might better be called colleges of undisciplined studies where lectures are eschewed as “bourgeois” and students educate themselves in “rap” sessions’ (The University Bookman, winter, 1978).”

Mr Armstrong continued: “A tree is known by its fruits. A mixed-up, unhappy and fearful world in chaos, divided against itself, filled with heartaches, frustrations, broken homes, juvenile delinquency, crime, insanity, racial hatreds, riots and violence, wars and death; devoid of honesty, truth and justice; now facing extinction by man-inflicted cosmocide — that is the fruit of modern education.

“This materialistic knowledge God calls foolishness — ‘For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God …’ (I Cor. 3:19).

“So what’s the cause of this educated foolishness? This day of man — from creation of the human race to Christ’s coming back to rule — has been a period of 6,000 years during which God sentenced the human world — except for those specially called of God — to being cut off from God and His revealed knowledge. Human knowledge without the Holy Spirit of God has been confined to the physical and material.

“The first man, Adam, having the opportunity to make a choice between being thus limited in knowledge, or yielding to God’s Government (and hence receiving God’s Holy Spirit), chose the former. Actually, the natural human mind, with only the human spirit… is only half complete. Man needs God’s Spirit as well as the human spirit given from birth.

“Yes, today’s educational intellectualism is ready to die. It will be replaced by the right and true educational system of the world tomorrow. This new-day system already has been introduced, and, like the proverbial grain of mustard seed, already is beginning to spread around the world — teaching young men and women the true values; the purpose of human life; the way to peace, prosperity, happiness, abundant living. All this is made possible only through the Holy Spirit, providing spiritual comprehension. In the world tomorrow this true education will banish illiteracy, and cover the earth as the ocean beds are covered with water!”

Is our education system any better today than when the above was written in 1979? There are many who would say that it is, but they would be the progressives who seem to have a death-wish and those who have no real idea of what true education is all about.

Before the 1960s, and referring to the USA, “there was very little resistance to teaching religious principles, Bible reading, or prayer in school—in fact, it was the norm. You could walk into virtually any public school and see examples of teacher-led prayer and Bible reading” (compare thoughtco.com). That would be reflected in the UK and many other “Christian” nations around the world.

The 1960s was a decade of massive change. On the website labour-history.org, we read:

“Interpretations of the 1960s vary according to attitudes. One view suggests that traditional values were overturned deferring to pop music and a laxity of morality. Another stance suggests that it was a highly progressive decade with the legalization of abortion, abolition of capital punishment and outlawing of racial discrimination. Was the 1960s a defining moment in post war Britain when working class solidarity was overturned by generational revolution? Or perhaps as Kenneth O Morgan suggests it was a decade of economic failure and political disappointment for Britain whilst at the same time ‘an era of psychic liberation.’”

The above is about the UK but the same sorts of attitudes and behaviour were reflected in many other countries, particularly the USA and Europe, and these Q&As will reflect the similar situations that exist, educationally, in those countries. Our societies, and therefore their educational approach, reflect the “new and updated” ways of thinking and doing things.

We know that evolution has been historically taught in schools for a long time, but there can be little doubt that as we now live in an increasingly godless age, this theory is being promoted even more although it is entirely unprovable and unscientific. When you have a teaching profession that has so many liberal and left-wing adherents at both school, college and university levels, you know that their beliefs will be part of their teaching methods.

In the Introduction in our booklet “The Theory of Evolution – A Fairy Tale for Adults?”, we read: “The theory of evolution, teaching that species developed gradually into other species, is widely expounded to be the most logical explanation for the origin of plants, animals, mankind, and in fact, the entire universe. It holds that animals have evolved over millions of years and that man is the latest product of this development—the top of the line, so to speak. Though Christianity was originally opposed to this concept, some groups gradually embraced it, with the proviso, however, that God directed the whole process. Other religious people—Christian and non-Christian alike—continue to reject evolution in its entirety, believing in Divine creation.

“While theology is divided on the subject, many scientists no longer consider evolution merely a theory. Rather, they regard it as fact, as if science had actually proven its accuracy. It is not surprising then to find evolution being taught in our schools, thus creating a conflict of beliefs between evolution and creation.”

In his book “The Breakdown of Higher Education,” which was published in 2020, John Ellis had this to say on a television programme on Fox News:

“Well, you’ve had a very long campaign of converting the universities into one party campuses. I mean, if you go back 50 years, studied on by a county commission in 1969, there were three left of center professors to two right of center professors.

“But by the end of the century, 1999, a study shows five to one, so you got a very great concentration building up. By another five to six years later, it’s gone to eight to one, and the current studies being done coming out now, so something like 13 to one.

“Now, there’s every reason to believe that that’s getting more extreme all the time because one of these studies look to the junior ranks, let’s say the recent appointees — assistant professors, associate professors — had found that the ratio there, left to right is 48 to one.

“So, in other words, the hiring being done now is at the rate of about 50 to one, not five to one or eight to one. So you’re going to wind up with a complete monoculture within a short period of time.

“Now, everyone can see, anyone with a brain can see that’s very unhealthy.

“You can’t have a serious debate about the issues of the day when one party is missing.”

Jeff Charles wrote on July 20^th 2017 that “Higher Education Is Now A Leftist Bastion” (LibertyNation.com).  He continued: “There was a time when American universities provided an education for their students – when young people learned about the subjects they were supposed to be studying in each class. Unfortunately, many of our higher learning institutions have transformed into bastions of leftist ideas. It is a well-known fact that many universities have a decidedly anti-conservative bias – this is particularly the case in the social sciences. By discriminating against conservative professors, they have ensured that left-wing teachers make up the majority of their teaching staff. In this way, they can continue to inundate their students with leftist principles without being challenged. At first glance, this might appear to be a wild conspiracy theory — but the studies have shown that liberals vastly outnumber conservatives on the teaching staff of most colleges. The evidence is so strong that even The Washington Post has acknowledged the disparity.”

In fact, in the UK in March 2017, an article “Groupthink?” stated that 80% of Britain’s university lecturers are left-wing. It went on to say: “Universities in the UK are at risk of developing a ‘dysfunctional atmosphere’ and of practicing censorship because scholarship is dominated by lecturers with left-wing views, according to a new report by one of the world’s leading think tanks.

“In its report, ‘Lackademia: Why do academics lean Left?’ the Adam Smith Institute warns the ‘overrepresentation’ of left-wing views in academia could lead to a ‘groupthink.’ ‘Social settings characterised by too little diversity of viewpoints are liable to become afflicted by groupthink, a dysfunctional atmosphere where key assumptions go unquestioned, dissenting opinions are neutralized, and favoured beliefs are held as sacrosanct,’ the report says.

“It claims right-wing academics only make up 12 percent of lecturers at British universities, in stark contrast with the wider population, half of which support conservative views.”

A phrase often used by Hitler was “whoever has the youth has the future” (dirkdeklein.net), and the young have been fed, for far too long, an educational diet of false values.  It seems set to continue for a little while longer, yet while God-rejecting academics rule the academic roost, the future is bright as we shall see later, when Godly governance takes centre stage.

(To be continued)

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Dave Harris

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/

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

Europe is rising again, politically, economically, militarily, and religiously. Our focus should be on core Europe, consisting of ten nations or groups of nations. The final leader of that totalitarian system, the beast of the book of Revelation, will be of German or Austrian decent. In this program, we point out remarkable developments in Europe and especially in Germany, as well as the USA and Russia, which should show you how far we are already in the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

“Eine Zeit für alles,” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Michael Link. Title in English: “A Time For Everything.”

“Wahre Freude, Freudige Mitglieder,” is the title of last Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Christoph Sperzel. Title in English: “True Joy, True Members.” 

“Die Krone der Gerechtigkeit,” is the title of last Sabbath’s German sermonette, presented by Mike Richter. Title in English: “The crown of righteousness.” 

“The Choice of Nicodemus,” is the title of last Sabbath’s sermonette, presented by Frank Bruno. Here is a summary:

Since we were not yet alive during the ministry of Jesus Christ on the earth, we have no idea what it was like to be invited by Jesus to join Him in His work. We may believe that we would have not hesitated at all, had Jesus asked us to follow Him. Like the rich young man who asked Jesus how he might attain eternal life, would we be willing to give up positions, homes and possessions? One man had such a moment, and in this Sermonette we will consider the Scriptures that cover the interaction that Jesus Christ had with a certain powerful Pharisee named Nicodemus, and what lessons we can draw from the brief but meaningful time they spent discussing this very question.

“The Holy Spirit: Power or Person?” is the title of last Sabbath’s sermon, presented by Dave Harris. Here is a summary:

Modern Christianity does not preach what Jesus and His disciples taught—not about the Sabbath observance, salvation, obedience to God’s laws and many other things. Most confusing are their attempts to explain the Holy Spirit of God, or, for that matter, Who is God!

On May 22, 2021, Frank Bruno will present the sermonette, titled, “The Choice of Nicodemus,” and Dave Harris will present the sermon, titled, “The Holy Spirit: Power or Person?”

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.

Among other things, Christians are called members, and here are some examples: potential member; new member; long-time member; faithful member, active member…

The Bible also has these references about our membership: “…so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another” (Romans 12:5); “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 6:15); “For in fact the body is not one member but many” (1 Corinthians 12:14); “But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased” (1 Corinthians 12:18); “And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26).

We have to be called by God to be members of His Church—the one over which Jesus Christ rules! In fact, a person must be selected by God for a place in His Church, as Jesus explained:

“‘No one can come to Me [to become a Christian] unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day’” (John 6:44); “And He said, ‘Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father’” (John 6:65).

Our Christian membership is spiritual, and it must be to be true: “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Romans 8:9).

Our membership with both God and Jesus Christ is the ultimate test, and Jesus prayed about this:

“‘I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me’” (John 17:20-23).

Jesus also addressed the world in this prayer to the Father, and He had earlier warned His disciples that their membership with Him would not be easy:

“‘These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world’” (John 16:33).

Oftentimes, we in the Church of God refer to “former members.” The context may be about those who have died, but, tragically, it may be about those who have forfeited their membership as Christians—having lost the Holy Spirit.

Let me leave you with this powerful admonition—it is a crucially important key for each one of us to maintain our Christian membership in the context of the times in which we live:

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:23-25).

by Norbert Link

We begin with the world’s condemnation of Israel’s actions in the Middle East and with hostile and violent antisemitic demonstrations in many countries, notably in Germany; emphasize Turkey’s mean-spirited attacks on Israel; [please view our new StandingWatch program in this context, titled, “Turkey Attacks Israel”];  President Biden’s caving in to pressures from the left-wing “Squad”; and America’s sudden retreat from Afghanistan.

We continue with a strong article by the New York Post’s Editorial Board, claiming that Joe Biden “turned out to be a master of disaster, with self-inflicted crises across the board threatening to set America back to the 1970s”; speak on the desired role of the Pope; and address Russia’s perceived agenda regarding the take-over of Ukraine.

Focusing on numerous articles on most recent developments pertaining to the coronavirus, we report on legendary Eric Clapton’s experience with vaccines; the alleged danger of lockdowns for our children’s health; the alleged controversial role of Anthony Fauci, pertaining to funding of research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China; the brave conduct of Florida’s governor in pardoning “violators” or dubious coronavirus restrictions; the anticipated “honor system” when it comes to wearing or not wearing masks by fully vaccinated Americans; and the allegation that many lives could have been saved if it had not been for the suppression of non-vaccine approaches to COVID.

We conclude with a spectacular win of California churches and the issue of UFOs, and whether they should be taken seriously. 

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

Israel and Hamas Agree to Ceasefire

 JTA wrote on May 20:

 “After 11 days of fighting, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ‘mutual and simultaneous’ ceasefire on Thursday that will begin at 2 a.m. Friday Israel time. Israel’s security cabinet unanimously approved the truce, according to reports, after military officials presented what they deemed the successful outcomes of their campaign. ‘Hamas is deterred and suffered serious blows,’ one official said, according to The Times of Israel. A Hamas official confirmed the news to Reuters on Thursday.

“The ceasefire was mediated by Egypt and supported by the United States and other countries…”

The Jerusalem Post added on May 20:

“According to the security cabinet the ceasefire will be unconditional, however Senior Hamas official Osama Hamdan said he had received guarantees from the mediators that, ‘The occupation will remove its hand from Sheikh Jarrah and al-Aqsa,’ Israeli media reported.  Israeli sources refuted Hamdan’s claim, saying it is completely false and the ceasefire is in fact unconditional…  Regarding the ceasefire agreement, Defense Minister Benny Gantz said the, ‘reality on the ground will determine the continuation of the campaign,’ implying that Israel will be keeping with the principle of ‘quiet would be met by quiet.’ Gantz added that ‘the defense establishment continues its readiness to protect Israeli citizens.’…”

 Let’s see how long that cease fire will last…  

Israel Is Condemned and Defends Destruction of Building in Gaza

The Hill wrote on May 15:

“The Associated Press, Al Jazeera and other press advocates condemned the Israeli airstrike on Saturday that blew up the building housing them and other media outlets. AP President and CEO Gary Pruitt said… that the company was ‘shocked and horrified’ by the military strike… ‘This is an incredibly disturbing development…’

“Al Jazeera issued a separate statement condemning the bombing ‘in the strongest possible terms,’ saying it viewed the strike as a ‘clear act to stop journalists from conducting their sacred duty to inform the world and report events on the ground.’… Mostefa Souag, acting director general of the Al Jazeera Media Network, asserted that the strike was meant to ‘silence the media and to hide the untold carnage and suffering of the people of Gaza.’

“Other press advocates condemned the bombing of the building. Joel Simon, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, said the attack ‘raises the specter that the Israel Defense Forces is deliberately targeting media facilities in order to disrupt coverage of the human suffering in Gaza…’”

Time of Israel wrote on May 16:

“IDF Spokesperson Hidai Zilberman pushes back…

“One of the main occupants of the building, the Associate Press news agency, which has maintained offices there for some 15 years, has denied knowledge of Hamas’s presence in the building and demanded the Israel Defense Forces release evidence of that fact, which Zilberman rejected. ‘Yesterday I released a statement with the assets that were in the building. I’ll repeat them: a Hamas research and development unit, Hamas military intelligence and offices of the PIJ. It was very clear what was in there… We’re in the midst of an operation. They are firing wherever they want, on a civilian population, on cities that have tens and hundreds of thousands of people… A building that has Hamas and Islamic Jihad assets in it needs to be brought down.’

“The spokesperson adds that this operation was meant to deter terror groups from maintaining offices alongside media outlets in the future. ‘If Hamas and the Islamic Jihad think that the media are their shield, then in the next operation in Gaza, we’ll find that media outlets’ offices are going to be popping up as covers for terrorist assets,’ he says.”

No journalist or freelancer was injured as they received a one-hour warning from Israel ahead of the strike to leave the building which then collapsed and crumbled to the ground. Some of their equipment was damaged, however. It is also well known that the terrorist organization Hamas is using women and children as human shields and locating them in dangerous places so that they can say in case of casualties that Israel intentionally killed them. Still, war is a terrible curse, and God hates it. So must we, if we are true Christians. Advocating or participating in war is incompatible with the mind of Christ.

The articles which we quote herein, pertaining for instance to the situation in the Middle East, must not be misconstrued as assuming that we are taking sides or are in any way supporting violent actions. We are only reporting these events to show how biblical prophecy is being fulfilled.

Numerous anti-Israel demonstrations, some of them turning violent, were held all over the world, including in the UK, the USA, Canada, Europe and of course many Arab nations. One did not hear much about any anti-Hamas demonstrations. The next articles about antisemitic demonstrations in Germany are especially telling.

Hate for Jews in Germany

The Guardian wrote on May 17:

“… thousands of people attended what became aggressive protests at the weekend… In the most violent protest, in the southern Berlin district of Neukölln, demonstrators… burned Israeli flags, chanted anti-Israel slogans and flew Hamas banners… At another demonstration, in Mannheim, an Israeli flag was burned and arrests were made. Charges of hate speech, bodily harm and assault were brought against some participants… There were also large gatherings in [Cologne,] Hamburg, Leipzig, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Hanover, where calls were made for the dissolution of Israel.

“… Wolfgang Schäuble, the president of the Bundestag, said that while it was legitimate to ‘sharply criticise’ the politics of Israel and to ‘protest loudly’ against it, ‘there is no justification for antisemitism, hate and violence’. In particular he condemned protesters who had questioned the right of Israel to exist…”

This almost sounds like an invitation for anti-Israel protests.

Bild Online published the following editorial by Julian Reichelt on May 16 with the headline:

“Our Country is in Danger.”

The commentary continued:

“What we saw on Saturday on our streets has been a historical danger….While being tolerated by our government and minimized by our public media, an absolutely totally Arab-Muslim-oriented antisemitic mob marched through almost all of Germany’s main cities and demanded, full of hate, the annihilation of Israel. .. they do not fear the police, and do not have to be afraid of our government, they bring their children to the demonstrations and raise the next generation in Germany to be haters of Israel….

“Not the Islam, but the perversion of the Islam is making German cities to be dangerous country for Jews, as it has already happened in France and Sweden. Angela Merkel’s immigration policy… has imported ten- or hundred-times an ideology which views the Jew as the eternal enemy…

“I want to hear finally what the chancellor’s personal unmistakable words to the haters of Jews are, what she wants to DO to combat the rise of this annihilation ideology, before she abdicates.”

Merkel’s spokesperson has now declared that the events caused by the anti-Israeli mob are shameful and not acceptable. He admitted that Jews are not able to freely and safely move in certain cities. He said that one has to recognize now that there are not only anti-Semitic neo-Nazis, but also anti-Semitic Muslims (!). “Chancellor Angela Merkel told broadcaster Westdeutscher Rundfunk on Thursday that the antisemitic attacks in Germany are ‘to be condemned in the strongest terms. She clarified that criticism of Israel is one thing, but ‘when Israeli flags are burned and synagogues are attacked, then that must be severely opposed,’ the chancellor said” (Deutsche Welle,  dated May 20).

Anti-Semitism will never be eradicated in Germany prior to Christ’s return.

Erdogan Attacks USA and Austria

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 18:

“The Turkish president said Biden was ‘writing history with bloody hands’ after US approval of weapons sales to Israel…  His comments, made in a nationally televised address on Monday, represented one of his strongest attacks against the US president since Biden took office in January. Erdogan also criticized Austria for flying the flag of Israel last week. ‘I condemn Austria for hanging the Israeli terror state’s flag,’ Erdogan said. ‘The Austrian state seems to be trying to make Muslims pay the price for [its role] in the Holocaust.’

“Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz called the move to fly the flag a mark of solidarity with Israel… Erdogan, a vocal critic of Israel, has [been] calling for governments to take action against Israel…”

Sebastian Kurz was heavily criticized for his pro-Israel stance, as this allegedly violated the officially “neutral” stance of Austria.

Erdogan’s Attacks on Israel

Israel 365 wrote on May 18:

“After a cabinet meeting at the Presidential Complex in Ankara late Monday, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a media conference in which he called on the UN, UN Security Council, Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and other international organizations to take action focusing on wrestling Jerusalem away from Israel…. Dr. Efrat Aviv, a senior lecturer in the Dept. of Middle Eastern Studies at Bar Ilan University and an expert on Turkey, understood that Turkish troops appearing in Jerusalem might be one possible outcome, should Erdogan have his way.”

Israel Today added on May 18:

“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Pope Francis to join him in coming against Israel. Erdogan fancies himself the leader of the Sunni Muslim world, and sees the Pope as the primary head of Christianity. In his eyes, they must come together to lead the rest of the world in confronting the Jewish menace. ‘All of humanity should be united against Israel,’ Erdogan told the Pope over the phone.”

The Jerusalem Post wrote on May 19:

“Among its recent statements is a demand by Turkey to separate Jerusalem from Israel. The latest comments by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan were to demand a ‘separate arrangement’ for Jerusalem. Since 2020, when Turkey turned Hagia Sophia into a mosque, the Turkish religious and political leadership of the AKP Party, which supports Hamas, has sought to ‘liberate’ al-Aqsa Mosque and claims it will take over Jerusalem…

“The comments by the leadership of the AKP are also represented in far-right media in Turkey. Yena Safak, a newspaper that caters to the populist Right in the country and is close to the regime, argued for Turkey to lead an Islamic alliance to attack Israel. The alliance would include Turkey, Iran, Qatar, Malaysia and Pakistan, countries that either back Hamas or are close to the Muslim Brotherhood. Ankara had consulted with Tehran last week about how to confront Israel.

“… Turkey has become one of the most anti-Israel states in the world, and its constant anti-Israel rhetoric, fed through its state-controlled media that run the most outlandish articles about Israel, fuels antisemitism in Turkey and abroad…”

According to the Bible, Turkey will perform despicable acts against Israel in the not-too-distant future.

No Antisemitic Remarks?

 JTA wrote on May 19:

 “The main organization representing Turkish Jews has criticized the U.S. State Department for accusing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of using antisemitic rhetoric. The Jewish Confederation of Turkey said Wednesday that it was ‘unfair and reprehensible to imply that President Erdogan is antisemitic’ in a tweet.

“On Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement that ‘the United States strongly condemns President Erdogan’s recent anti-Semitic comments regarding the Jewish people and finds them reprehensible.’

“A day earlier Erdogan, who on multiple occasions has made statements widely deemed antisemitic, made a rambling speech in Ankara following a Cabinet meeting in which he used ‘Jews’ and ‘Israelis’ interchangeably. ‘They are murderers, these are murderers enough to kill 6-year-old babies,’ he said… ‘They are murderers enough to make women crawl on the ground.’

“Erdogan, who said President Joe Biden as ‘bloody hands,’ also claimed that ‘a Jewish prime minister’ had told him on a state visit to Turkey that he enjoyed killings Palestinians, adding that ‘Attacks by Jews on the Al-Aqsa Mosque have turned into a powder keg.’

“Erdogan has often called Israel and Israelis ‘child killers,’ and in 2014 called a protester against his internal policies ‘seed of Israel.’

“But in the tweet defending Erdogan, the Jewish Confederation of Turkey said it cannot concur with allegations that he is antisemitic. ‘On the contrary, he has always been constructive, supportive & encouraging towards us,’ the tweet said. Turkey has about 15,000 Jews.”

America Condemns Turkey

Deutsche Welle reported on May 19:

“The US on Tuesday criticized Erdogan for his comments over Israeli airstrikes.  ‘The United States strongly condemns President Erdogan’s recent antisemitic comments regarding the Jewish people and finds them reprehensible,’ State Department spokesperson Ned Price said. ‘We urge President Erdogan and other Turkish leaders to refrain from incendiary remarks, which could incite further violence,’ he added.

“Erdogan has accused Israel of ‘terrorism’ against the Palestinians, saying it was ‘in their nature.’ ‘They are murderers, to the point that they kill children who are five or six years old. They only are satisfied by sucking their blood,’ he said…The latest exchange of remarks could strain an already tense relationship between Washington and Ankara… After taking office, [Biden] promised a harsh stance on his Turkish counterpart. Last month, he made a landmark decision to recognize the mass killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1917 as genocide.”

Erdogan is indeed an unscrupulous anti-Semitic dictator, and the mass killings of Armenians were indeed rightly classified as genocide. The relationship between the USA and Turkey will continue to deteriorate.

Biden Demands Significant De-Escalation from Netanyahu

Breitbart wrote on May 19:

“‘The President conveyed to the Prime Minister that he expected a significant de-escalation today on the path to a ceasefire,’ the White House said in a readout of the president’s call with Israeli prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. President Biden escalated his demands for peace as a growing number of leftist Democrats criticize him for not speaking out against Israel’s latest military response to a flood of Hamas terror rocket attacks… Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) has publicly demanded that Biden criticize the Israeli attacks and defend the rights of Palestinians, and even confronted the president on Tuesday at a Detroit airport… Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) lead  a group of 28 senators on Monday issuing a letter demanding a ceasefire in the conflict, ‘to prevent any further loss of civilian life and to prevent further escalation of conflict.’”

In a related article, Breitbart added: “Nearly 38 percent of Democrats believe Israel is to blame for the current violence, while 34.4 percent do not know…”

Fox News added on May 19:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday brushed off President Biden’s  call for a ‘significant de-escalation’ of the conflict in Gaza, saying he is ‘determined to continue’ the operation against the terrorist organization Hamas… Biden is increasingly facing pressure from the more progressive left of his own party to ramp up pressure on the U.S. ally, with a number of Democrats complaining that Biden has not been tougher against Israel. A number have objected to a pending $735 million sale of precision-guided missiles to Israel…”

However, as mentioned above, a ceasefire has now been agreed upon, but the question is whether it will hold. 

EU Must Get Involved

Arab News reported on May 18:

“European Union foreign ministers debated Tuesday how to use the 27-nation bloc’s political clout to help diplomatic efforts to end the fighting between the Israeli armed forces and Palestinian militants… The EU is the biggest donor of aid to the Palestinians but holds little influence over the militant group Hamas or the state of Israel, despite having some trade arrangements that are favorable to the Israelis…

“German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas… said the EU needs to look beyond ending the current violence and at how to prevent a repeat. ‘The EU must play a role here, in political and humanitarian terms,’ he said…”

And so, the EU will, under German leadership.

The Two State Solution… Gone

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 17:

“In recent years, support for the two-state solution appears to be decreasing.

“As Israel has expanded settlement building, support has dwindled among Palestinians. By 2020, majorities of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza were expressing opposition to the idea. That trend has continued, with many people saying that the sprawl of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which are illegal under international law, has made the idea impossible to implement.

“Attacks by Hamas and allied groups have eroded support for a two-state solution among Israelis. Fewer than half of Israelis favor it…”

America’s Retreat from Afghanistan

Stars and Stripes wrote on May 13:

“U.S. forces have left Kandahar Airfield, a southern Afghanistan base that was once one of the largest NATO and coalition installations in the country, Afghan and U.S. officials said. The airfield has been transferred to the Afghan security forces, a U.S. defense official said…

“U.S. forces did not hold a handover ceremony at the base, which housed an estimated 30,000 troops and contractors at the height of the war. A spokesman for Afghanistan’s 205th Atal Military Corps said the departure of U.S. forces from the base came as a surprise and without coordination… ‘They left in the night’ and there are no more U.S. forces in Kandahar…’ said Gen. Faqir Qowahi, commander of the military side of the Kandahar Airport…”

This shameful retreat of American troops “in the night” is quite telling.

Biden Even More a Master of Disaster than Jimmy Carter

The New York Post Editorial Board published the following article on May 15:

“President Joe Biden entered office poised to oversee a record recovery and a return to the booming economy and all-round stability of pre-pandemic life. Instead, he’s turned out to be a master of disaster, with self-inflicted crises across the board threatening to set America back to the 1970s — with that era’s infamous ‘stagflation’ as well as a foreign policy in flames…  it’s disaster after disaster as Biden wastes every opportunity his predecessor left him.

“With Biden closing the Keystone XL Pipeline on his first day in office and generally vowing to wage war on all fossil fuels, it’s no wonder there’s uncertainty and higher prices.

“Nowhere is the self-inflicted nature of Biden’s disasters more plain than on the border. He put a moratorium on… all construction on any border barriers… [The] feds have a record number of unaccompanied minors in custody — around 22,000 — because Biden ordered the public-health rule keeping migrants out to be lifted for solo kids.

“Meanwhile, Hamas and its allies have gone on the attack against Israel, leaving it no choice but to defend itself… the Biden team’s drive to restore the Iran nuclear deal plainly inspired Tehran’s terrorist clients to start firing, even as it makes Israel less willing to listen to Washington’s efforts to broker a ceasefire.

“It’s stunning how much success Biden has managed to reverse in not even four months. With long lines at the pump, slowing growth and rising inflation, it’s looking like the Jimmy Carter era — except that it took Carter years to produce the disasters that this president has fostered in scant months.”

This does not give us much confidence in the welfare and prosperity of the USA.

Trump Continues His Fight against Biden

Express wrote on May 17:

“DONALD TRUMP once again refused to accept that Joe Biden won the 2020 Presidential elections. In a new statement posted to his website on Sunday, the 45th US President claimed that there was ‘no way’ that the Democrat won… a large majority of Republicans view Mr Biden as an illegitimate Commander-in Chief. In a new poll conducted for CBS news, as many as 67 percent of Republican voters said they did not think that the former Delaware senator was the true winner. Mr Trump immediately seized on the polling data to once again push his claims of electoral fraud.

“In a statement posted to his website, he wrote: ‘Breaking News! New polling by CBS News on the state of the Republican Party (which is very strong!). ‘President Trump has a strong hold on the GOP.’ 80% of Republicans agree with the removal of Liz Cheney from GOP Leadership and only 20% disagree. The poll also showed that 67% of Republicans said that they do not consider Sleepy Joe Biden to be the legitimate winner of the 2020 Presidential Election. I agree with them 100%, just look at the facts and the data—there is no way he won the 2020 Presidential Election!’

“On Saturday, Mr Trump branded the 2020 Presidential Election ‘the crime of the century’, in a tweet posted on @RSBNetwork.”

This issue will not go away any time soon, if ever.

How Catholic John Kerry Views the Role of the Pope

Eurasia Review wrote on May 17:

“U.S. President Joe Biden’s climate envoy John Kerry… is in Europe to meet with government officials and business leaders ahead of the Nov. 1-12 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow… He said: ‘I think that his [the pope’s] voice will be a very important voice leading up to and through the Glasgow [climate] conference… I think his Holiness speaks with a moral authority that is quite separate. It’s unique…’

“Kerry told Vatican News that the pope could exert an influence far beyond that of most other leaders… ‘I think he can sort of shake people a little bit… And I think that the Vatican may be a small entity, but the flock is enormous on a global basis and His Holiness, Pope Francis, has the ability to help galvanize action from countries. He has the ability to be able to affect citizens in many different countries all at the same time and have them call on their governments to be responsible, to do what we need to do to preserve the planet… So, I think that the world has a special respect for Pope Francis and there is no question that he has already been a significant leader in this endeavor. And we look to him for further guidance and help in getting this job done.’”

The influence of the Roman Catholic Church and its leader will reach unparalleled and at the same time frightening proportions in the near future.

Russia’s Aim to “de facto” take over Ukraine

Bloomberg wrote on May 13:

“The European Union says Russia is trying to gradually absorb parts of eastern Ukraine, according to a document the bloc shared this week with member states. In the paper… the EU says steps by the Kremlin such as organizing illegitimate elections and issuing passports to locals are ‘aimed at de facto integration of Ukraine’s non-governmental-controlled areas into Russia.’ …

“Russia has repeatedly denied plans to take over the territories…

“War broke out in the breakaway regions after President Vladimir Putin’s annexation of Crimea from his neighbor in 2014… Greater autonomy for the region, known as Donbas, would potentially give it veto power over national goals such as NATO and EU membership that are opposed by Putin…”

Ultimately, Ukraine will be a part of Russia, however it may come about, as this is clearly prophesied in the Bible.

Eric Clapton Warns Against Vaccine Propaganda

Daily Mail reported on May 15:

“Eric Clapton has hit out at ‘propaganda’ over vaccine safety, claiming he suffered alarming side effects after his Covid jabs. The legendary guitarist, a lockdown sceptic, said his hands and feet became ‘useless’ – prompting fears he would never play again. In a message to his music producer, he said: ‘I took the first jab of AZ [Astra Zeneca] and straight away had severe reactions which lasted ten days.’ The 76-year-old said he ‘recovered eventually’ but suffered further ‘disastrous reactions’ six weeks later after the second shot.

“He added: ‘My hands and feet were either frozen, numb or burning, and pretty much useless for two weeks, I feared I would never play again… I should never have gone near the needle. But the propaganda said the vaccine was safe for everyone.’

“The musician, who has emphysema, ended his email to Italian music mogul Robin Monotti Graziadei, saying: ‘I’ve been a rebel all my life, against tyranny and arrogant authority, which is what we have now.’ Clapton criticised the Government earlier this year in an anti-lockdown song called Stand And Deliver. The song was in collaboration with Van Morrison, who is also a critic of restrictions.”

Clapton is not the only one who has recognized the political propaganda—from all sides—regarding Coronavirus vaccinations and lockdowns.

Lockdowns Have Harmed the Health of our Children

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 11:

“… for children in particular, the lack of physical activity over a longer term is a major problem. Many schools and sports clubs had long since canceled sports lessons and physical activities. Parents and professionals alike are concerned. ‘This extended period of restricted movement is a bigger problem for young children and teenagers than learning deficiencies in the cognitive field,’ Alexander Woll tells DW. Woll is a sports scientist at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in southwest Germany. For almost a decade, he’s been analyzing patterns of movement among children…

“Authorities have only slowly begun to recognize the negative impact of the pandemic on young people… Woll points to a more general challenge: ‘For a long time, sports were seen as a source of infection.’ But new studies have shown that ‘movement and sport play a protective role.’ One recent study out of the United States, for instance, demonstrates ‘that physical inactivity is a key determinator for particularly serious cases of COVID-19.’ In other words, physical activity is part of the solution, not part of the problem…”

The foolishness of our ignorant scientists….

Did Fauci Lie to Congress?

Breitbart wrote on May 12:

“Wednesday on Fox News Channel’s ‘America’s Newsroom,’ Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) sounded off on his hearing with National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Anthony Fauci from the day before regarding the origination of the coronavirus and whether American tax dollars supported research that could have led to the outbreak.

“Fauci asserted at the hearing that the National Institute of Health does not fund gain of research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China, but Paul maintained the White House chief medical adviser is telling verifiable falsehoods…

“‘I would say what Dr. Fauci said yesterday was verifiably false… He said no NIH money went to the Wuhan Institute for gain of function. Well, the main doctor there, the one they call the bat scientist or the bat woman. … wrote a paper [that] MIT scientists have looked at they said was gain of function –meaning juicing up these viruses to make them very potent and infect humans. She wrote this paper and, in her paper, acknowledged her funding came from Dr. Fauci’s group, the NIAID which is part of NIH. So, he is verifiably telling you something that is not true. Dr. Fauci came to Congress yesterday and lied…’

“According to Paul, Fauci is lying because he is ‘worried about culpability.’”

Apart from his alleged lies, his ever-changing positions on just about everything pertaining to the coronavirus have been deeply disturbing anyhow.

Life Site added on May 13:

“Fox News commentator Tucker Carlson… raised questions about [Fauci, as follows]: Why isn’t [he]  under criminal investigation for his role in creating the COVID pandemic?…

“Carlson cited an article by Nicholas Wade in which the science writer and former New York Times reporter lays out the evidence behind the theory that COVID originated in — and escaped from — the Wuhan Institute of Virology. According to Carlson, Wade presents ‘insurmountable evidence’ that COVID originated in the lab where scientists were conducting U.S. taxpayer-funded gain-of-function experiments. Who approved that funding? Fauci, according to Wade.”

Florida Governor to Pardon COVID Restriction “Violators”

Newsmax wrote on May 13:

“Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday said he would pardon anyone charged with breaking COVID-19 protocols such as mask-wearing and social distancing. The governor made the remarks after two gym owners, Mike and Jillian Carnevale, faced criminal penalties for refusing to enforce such protocols. DeSantis said he would order a 60-day reprieve for the gym owners that would delay their cases. During that time, a clemency board will meet to issue pardons to the gym owners and Florida residents who have similar charges… He then added, ‘These things with health should be advisory. They should not be punitive.’… The news comes after the governor made an announcement last week to immediately suspend all COVID-19 mandates in the state. The governor said he would outlaw them by July 1.”

The New York Post added on May 13:

“Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis… broke the news of his pardon directly to Mike and Jillian Carnevale, who faced up to 120 days in jail for repeatedly allowing people to forgo masks at their gym in Plantation in Broward County… DeSantis said potential jail time was particularly absurd in the Carnevales’ case. ‘The fact is, it’s not even right to be wearing masks when you’re exercising,’ the governor said. ‘The World Health Organization advises against it! It’s not healthy to be doing that in the first place, so it was a bad restriction,’ he said.”

Good for the Governor. But it shows again the harmful ridiculousness of some of the coronavirus restrictions.

Masks or no Masks… That is the Question

The Washington Post wrote on May 15:

“In an intensely polarized nation, many people have little faith that their maskless fellow Americans have actually been vaccinated. That lack of trust, fueled by the ongoing politicization of the pandemic, tears at the fabric of a public-health strategy built on the assumption that other people will do the right thing.

“Just more than 1 in 3 people in the United States are fully inoculated, leaving most of the population among those instructed to keep their face coverings securely over their noses when indoors. But with federal officials repeatedly rejecting the possibility of vaccine passports, enforcement relies on an honor system. Asked Thursday how people will know if others had been vaccinated, Anthony Fauci, President Biden’s chief medical adviser, said they wouldn’t. ‘You’re gonna be depending on people being honest enough to say whether they are vaccinated or not,’ he told CNN…”

Whatever happened to the concept, taught by scientists, that someone who has had coronavirus should be likewise exempt from wearing a mask? Suddenly, there is deep silence from our “expert” scientists on that issue.

Coronavirus—Tens of Thousands of Lives Could Have Been Saved

On May 17, Life Site News wrote the following:

“Since the first days of the declared coronavirus pandemic, doctors faithful to their Hippocratic Oath have been searching for — and identifying — effective COVID-19 treatments.

“In mid-November, Dr. Peter McCullough, vice chief of internal medicine at Baylor University Medical Center, and three other experts outlined safe and available treatments for the Senate’s influential Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee. University of Wisconsin critical care specialist Dr. Pierre Kory followed up with more discussion of viable COVID treatments at a Dec. 8 appearance before the same committee.

“However, as Children’s Health Defense Chairman Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. observed during a March 2021 conversation with McCullough, ‘we’ve seen this very strange conflict … that many of those treatments that could save lives, instead of being promoted and investigated and studied by the health authorities, are instead being sabotaged and made … inaccessible.’ The government’s ‘near complete’ lack of guidance and research on treatment options — ‘apart from vaccines’ — is, according to Kory, ‘unconscionable.’

“The tragic fallout of this government strategy is now becoming apparent. In a recent working paper analyzing the determinants of COVID-19 fatalities, the authors — Michigan State University economics professor Mark Skidmore and co-author Hideki Toya — estimated ‘if the U.S. had made [hydroxychloroquine] widely available early on, 80,000 to 100,000 lives could have been saved.’

“McCullough had already reached similar conclusions when he told senators in November the U.S. ‘could have saved half of the lives lost’ if COVID treatment protocols had not been squelched. By March, McCullough had revised his estimate upward, asserting that ‘as many as 85% of COVID deaths could have been prevented through early treatment.’…

“Under the guise of “consumer protection” and “false marketing,” the government appears to be doubling down on its suppression of non-vaccine approaches to COVID.

“For example, under the disingenuously named ‘COVID-19 Consumer Protection Act’ –part of the 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act signed into law by then-President Trump in late December— the U.S. Department of Justice began actively pursuing enforcement actions against healthcare providers who encourage use of supplements such as zinc and vitamin D to treat or prevent COVID. Given that these and other micronutrients have been controversially recommended for years for influenza, the common cold and other respiratory infections, the motives for the clampdown cannot be taken at face value.”

Of course, it’s all about money and the heavy influence of the greedy pharmaceutical industry, fearing any kind of “competition.” Another example would be the ongoing ridiculous prohibition of medical marijuana.

California Churches WON

Newsmax wrote on May 18:

“A California District judge has issued a statewide permanent injunction against COVID-19 restrictions on churches and places of worship… It came after the state had moved to ban indoor worship services last year, along with other indoor activities like dining and movie theaters, in its ‘Tier 1’ areas, which encompassed most of the state.

“Under the settlement, California will also have to pay $1.3 million in attorney fees…

“In a statement, Pastor Ché Ahn said, ‘This is a momentous day for churches in America. After nearly a yearlong battle defending our religious freedoms, our lawsuit has reached a permanent settlement in our favor. I am thrilled to see the complete reversal of the last discriminatory restrictions against churches in California, knowing this case will act as a precedent, not only in our state, but also in our nation…’”

Other nations, such as Canada, should follow this lead.

Taking UFOs seriously?

 “Sen. Marco Rubio… as acting Senate Intelligence Committee chair asked for an unclassified copy of the report to be released to Congress… ‘Anything that enters an airspace that’s not supposed to be there is a threat.’

“Former Navy Lieutenant Ryan Graves told CBS’ Bill Whitaker he and other members of his F/A-18 fighter squadron detected unexplained sightings of UFOs, also known as ‘unidentified aerial phenomena’ (UAP), in restricted airspace southeast of Virginia Beach ‘every day for at least a couple years,’ starting in 2014… Graves said he couldn’t rule out technology developed by the governments of Russia or China.”

We cannot rule out the possibility that Satan and his demons are behind the “appearances” of UFOs. Rubio’s comment, “Anything that enters an airspace that’s not supposed to be there is a threat” is remarkable for this reason: When Christ and His angels come down to earth, riding on “white horses,” then the armies of this world want to fight them. Why? Will they think, being deceived by Satan and his demons, that Christ and His army are hostile aliens?

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.

Revelation 14:14-16 reads:

“Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, ‘Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.’ So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.”

Revelation 14:17-20 continues:

“Then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, who had power over fire, and he cried with a loud cry to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, ‘Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.’ So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.”

There are different challenges with the understanding of these passages, and commentaries are deeply divided in several respects.

First, who is the personage in verse 14, sitting on the cloud “like the Son of Man”?

Please note that according to the Interlinear Literal Translation of the Greek New Testament, the literal rendering says: “… on the cloud sat one like a son of man.” The NIV states it this way: “I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.” The Philips New Testament Translation simply says: “…with someone sitting upon the cloud with the appearance of a man.”

The term “son of man” is used many times throughout the Bible for ordinary human beings and could also refer to either Christ or an angel, resembling, in form and shape, a human being (note for example Mark 16:5; Luke 24:4; John 20:12).

In rendering it, as the New King James Bible does, as “One like THE Son of Man,” and capitalizing the nouns and pronouns throughout the passage in relationship to the personage sitting on the cloud, the impression is given that this must be a reference to Jesus Christ. But this is an interpretation, even though most commentaries conclude this to be the case. (On the other hand, Revelation 1:13 clearly describes Jesus Christ where John sees “One like the Son of Man.” Still, the literal Greek says here as well “son of man…”, not “THE Son of Man.” Also compare Daniel 7:13.)

However, insofar as Revelation 14:14 is concerned, the designation of “a son of man” as describing Jesus Christ is not without problems, as we will see.

One problem is that IF this were talking about Jesus Christ, an angel would tell Him what to do. This obvious dilemma is attempted to be explained away in this manner:

Meyer’s NT Commentary says:

“In the first picture of the ripeness of the earth for judgment… it is the coming Judge himself who appears on a white cloud, with a sharp sickle in his hand… The description… allows us to think only of Christ himself, but could not mean an angel, who possibly represented Christ… Decisive is the solemn designation… [Also] the appearance on the cloud… and the golden crown indicating a special glory as victor, make the reference to Christ himself still more certain… the objection that Christ himself could not have received a command from an angel, is settled by the fact that the angel is only the bearer of the command coming from God.”

This is not convincing. Angels have golden crowns too (compare Revelation 4:4), and they sometimes are described as having the appearance of human beings (Daniel 8:15-16; 9:21; Ezekiel 40:3). And they too are at times pictured as appearing on clouds (Revelation 10:1). In addition, please note that after the “one like a son of man” is introduced, it continues to say that “ANOTHER angel came out of the temple…” Further, the returning Jesus Christ is being described as wearing many crowns, not just one (Revelation 19:12).

Still, Blunt, the Annotated Bible, gives a similar explanation as Meyer’s, quoted above, adding that the angel talking to the one on the cloud “‘came out of the temple’ and is thus represented as coming from the immediate Presence of God, bringing a message from the Father to the Son…”

The Nelson Study Bible agrees, stating:

“The reference to the Son of Man with a golden crown on His head indicates that the figure is Jesus Christ… Some, however, hesitate to make this identification, largely because another angel give the first figure the command to reap, which seems improper if ‘One like the Son of Man’ is Christ. Yet there is no impropriety in having a representative of God the Father entrust judgment to the Son of Man… the harvest of the earth is surely ripe for salvation… as well as judgment…”

The commentary continues, when speaking of verses 17 and 18:

“Another angel is placed in charge of the harvest of the clusters of grapes that are also ripe…”

The New Bible Commentary: Revised, states the following objections and gives this explanation:

“It is common to regard these verses (Revelation 14:14-16) as depicting the gathering of the church by Christ at His coming and vv. 18-20 as the gathering of the unbelieving world for judgment; it is possible that this is the true reading of the passage, especially in view of the use of the phrase, ‘one like a son of man’ in v. 14 (cf. 1:13). Yet it seems strange that Christ should be commanded by an angel to perform His saving work. His description, too, lacks the splendor of the visions of the Lord in 1:12f, and 19:11f. It seems better, accordingly, to regard the humanlike form as an angel, sharing something of the glory of Christ like the ‘mighty angel’ in 10:1… For the reaping of the earth by angelic instrumentality, cf. Mt. 13:41,42.”

It is indeed difficult to see how Christ would only be in charge of harvesting the faithful, while an angel would be in charge of harvesting the wicked (compare again Revelation 14:17-18). Rather, Christ would be in charge of both. Especially when it comes to the punishment of the wicked, we read, “He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God” (Revelation 19:15). But He is using angels helping Him to carry out His Will.

Secondly, are there really TWO harvests described in Revelation 14, as suggested above? The assumption is stated in many commentaries that Revelation 14:14-16 describes the harvest of the saints, while Revelation 14:17-20 describes the harvest of the wicked ones.

For instance, Dummelow, A Commentary on the Holy Bible, says:

“He [the one on the cloud] casts His sickle down to the earth, and the harvest of the saints is gathered (vv. 15f). Then the angel of the fire [Rev. 14:18]…calls for the gathering of the wicked for the winepress of God’s wrath…”

The Wycliffe Bible Commentary agrees, stating:

“The chapter concludes with two scenes that can occur only at the end of the age. The first (vv. 14-16) represents a harvest, a reaping of souls, and apparently a gathering in of the redeemed, to which our Lord refers in Mt 13:30, 39; 24:30, 31. There has been some dispute over these two scenes, but it seems to me that the second one, which is not a harvest but a vintage scene [beginning in verse 17], must depict the gathering of unbelieving and wicked ones of the earth. These are anticipatory paragraphs… ‘The Woman’s seed furnishes the Harvest, while the Dragon’s seed furnishes the Vintage.’ See also Joel 3:13.”

Halley’s Bible Handbook says: “‘Harvest’ seems to be of the Saved. The ‘Vintage’ of the Lost. The ‘winepress’ is of the Wrath of God on the Wicked.”

Unger’s Bible Handbook says:

“The figure of the harvest portrays judgment which separates the righteous from the wicked… The judge is the Son of Man… The judgment proceeds from the temple… The angels are the actual reapers … the Son of Man reaps through the instrumentality of the angels… The Vintage… is God’s wrath outpoured on sinners… The judgment of the wicked is fully ripe… unmitigated divine wrath falls upon sinners… and is executed ‘without the city’ (Jerusalem)… in the valley of Jehoshaphat… “

Other commentaries disagree and question whether two harvests or gatherings are described, while suggesting that only one harvest—that of the wicked—is discussed.

The Benson Commentary writes regarding Revelation 14:14-16:

“Namely, the appointed time of judgment, for which the world is ripe; the voices of the three warning angels, spoken of from Revelation 14:6-11, not having their due effect, it is here predicted that the judgments of God would overtake the followers and adherents of the beast, which judgments are represented in this paragraph under the figures of harvest and vintage, figures not unusual in the prophets, and copied particularly from the Prophet Joel…”

Benson adds the following comments regarding verses 17-20, alleging that the judgment of the wicked (which, according to Benson, is described in verses 14-16), continues in verse 17:

“‘And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven’ — As the former had done; ‘he also having a sharp sickle’ — To assist in this execution, and finish the destruction of the enemies of the truth…”

Lehman Strauss, The Book of the Revelation, agrees with Benson. He points out on pages 272-275, in referring to Revelation 14:14 and the following verses:

“This is a judgment scene. The Judge is about to sweep the earth clean of all evil… The harvest here is not the gathering of the good wheat into His garner as in Luke 3:17, but rather the tares which are the children of the wicked one as in Matthew 13:38-42… [Compare Jeremiah 51:33; Joel 3:11-16]… It is the ‘earth’ that is reaped [verse 16] because this is where men dwell and where they have perpetuated their evil works… the cup of iniquity is full, the harvest is ripe, and the time of God’s judgment has come…”

Thirdly, the question is as to WHEN, exactly, these events are to take place, and if one accepts the concept of TWO harvests, whether there is a time lapse between the two. Commentaries seem to be in agreement that there is no time lapse involved. All of this will occur at the same time, when Christ returns, and He returns only once, not twice. Even proponents of the [false] Rapture concept do not feel that Revelation 14:14 and the following verses give any credence to the idea of a time lapse. Nor do these passages support the false concept that Christ will come first to take the saints to the Third Heaven for the marriage supper, and then return with His saints to establish God’s Kingdom on earth.

Lehman Strauss, The Book of the Revelation, points out on page 259:

“In chapter 14 there is a series of seven separate visions, each complete in itself. They are disconnected pictures, however, and are not intended to present a chronological sequence of events… you have probably observed that from time to time [the Book of Revelation] sets forth in outline a panoramic view of things to come, and then… goes on later to fill in the details. Chronologically, the events in chapters 15 and 16 occur before the reaping and harvest visions in chapter 14. For example, in chapter 14, verse 8, a brief announcement, or vision, shows the judgment of Babylon, but her actual doom is described under the seventh vial of wrath and judgment in chapter 16, verses 17 to 21.”

God’s Church has understood for a long time that certain chapters in the book of Revelation are insert chapters, interrupting the chronological story flow. They might be flashbacks, going back in time to show certain developments in the past, leading to the events in the main story, or they may already introduce or announce events which will happen later and which will then be fully described in subsequent chapters. This is for instance true for chapters 12 and 13, and apparently also for chapter 14. The story flow continues in chapters 15 and 16, while being “interrupted” again in chapters 17 and 18. The 19^th chapter shows us the second coming of Christ and the chronological flow continues in chapters 20, 21 and 22.

Even accepting the somewhat questionable concept that it is Christ [rather than an angel] who is described in Revelation 14:14-16, and also accepting the somewhat disputed scenario that two harvests or gatherings are described in Revelation 14 [the harvest of the good and the vintage of the evil], they still do not signify a time lapse, and they do not show that Christ would come back twice—first, to gather the saints by bringing them to the Third Heaven (a totally false concept), and second, by returning with the saints from the Third Heaven (a totally false concept as well) to punish the wicked.

Note 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10, which reads:

“We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.”

There is not even a hint as to two comings of Christ and a time lapse between the glorification of the saints and the punishment of the wicked. Clearly, all of this will happen at exactly the same time.  Christ will return only once, not twice, at the time of the seventh or last trumpet (there can only be one last trumpet). Then, not before then, the dead in Christ will be resurrected to eternal life, and those in Christ who are still alive will be changed to immortality, while the wicked, following and being a part of the end-time Babylonian system, will be punished in that one day (Zechariah 14:4, 7).

Please read for further information the following Q&As:

“Does 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 teach a ‘secret rapture’?” 

“Would you please explain Mark 13:17?”

“Where will the marriage supper between Christ and His church be held?” 

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Turkey Attacks Israel,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Using the current fight between Israel and Hamas as a platform, President Erdogan of Turkey has made many anti-Semitic statements against the state of Israel and the Jews, but we would be ill-advised to just look at them as mere idle threats. His dangerous verbal attacks are very revealing in the light of biblical prophecy.   

“Der Angriff der Türkei auf Israel,” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German presentation covers much of the same subject as presented in the StandingWatch version described above. 

A new Member Letter (May 2021) has been written and is now posted. Kalon Mitchell rehearses our observance of the recent Feasts of God, and encourages us to faithfully use God’s Holy Spirit to accomplish God’s Will in our lives.

“Mit welcher Gesinnung leben wir bis zur Wiederkunft Christi?” is the title of last Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Thilo Hanstein. Title in English: “How Will We Live Until Christ’s Return?”

“Gab es eine Himmelfahrt vor der Himmelfahrt?” is the title of the last Sabbath’s German sermonette, presented by Manuel Müller. Title in English: “Was there an ascension before the ascension?” 

“Pfingstopfer,” is the title of the Offertory presented on Pentecost in Germany by Manuel Müller. Title in English: “Pentecost Offering.”

“Wie bitte—man kann und muss das Gesetz nicht halten?” is the title of the German Pentecost sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English, “Come again—one cannot and does not have to obey the Law?”

“Christianity in Confusion and Under Attack—Comments on News and Prophecy, May 15, 2021,” is the title of last Sabbath’s first message, presented by Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

German priests in defiance of the Pope! Vatican warns US bishops! Election of first transgender bishop! Ongoing Christian persecution by governments, courts and police in Finland, the UK, Canada and Germany! Totalitarianism through fascist laws on the rise! What is going on?

“By the Spirit,” is the title of the morning Pentecost sermonette, presented by Eric Rank. Here is a summary:

The Holy Spirit is the power of God that works in our lives. We have the ability and responsibility to put that power of God to work in our lives to maximize our potential.

“Day of the Firstfruits,” is the title of the morning Pentecost sermon, presented by Dave Harris. Here is a summary:

What is the meaning of the “firstfruits” in the observance of the Feast of Weeks, and how does that relate to those who are identified as “the elect”?

“To Be Content, Or Not,” is the title of the Offertory for Pentecost, presented by Michael Link. Here is a summary:

How can we be content in our lives but at the same time making sure that we don’t become too complacent?

“Come Again—One Cannot and Does Not Have to Obey the Law?” is the title of the afternoon Pentecost sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

God gave us His law in order to obey it. But doesn’t God also say that we cannot serve or obey Him? On the other hand, He only promises us the gift of the Holy Spirit when we obey Him. How can we reconcile these apparent contradictions, and what exactly is the Holy Spirit which is supposed to dwell in us, and what does it accomplish in and through us?

On May 15, 2021, Norbert Link will present, “Comments on News and Prophecy, May 15, 2021,” and the sermon, titled, “Did Solomon Have God’s Holy Spirit?”

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.

Sunday, May 16, is the Feast of Pentecost. Morning services will begin at 9:00 am Pacific Time; afternoon services will begin at 2:45 pm Pacific Time.

“By the Spirit,” is the title of the morning sermonette, presented by Eric Rank, and “Day of the Firstfruits,” is the title of the morning sermon, presented by Dave Harris.

The afternoon service Offertory, titled, “To Be Content, Or Not,” will be presented by Michael Link, and the title of the afternoon sermon for the Feast of Pentecost, “Come Again—One Cannot and Does Not Have To Obey the Law?” will be presented by Norbert Link.

Time is both a foe and friend.

When we experience the good things in life, the hours, days, months, or years seem to pass by so fast that we barely have the chance to satisfy our appetite for joy. At other times, when we unwillingly suffer through unpleasantries, time feels as though it drags on endlessly. The good times are rarely long enough, and the tough times are relentless. Yet, that same constant quality of time guarantees that hard times will draw to a close, and that there will be good times to look forward to in the future.

Even though time often works against us, we can find relief in knowing that change over time is our trusty friend that offers hope. The most difficult and interminable things in life will eventually come to an end, yielding their grip so that new circumstances will usher in. This fact is true from the smallest scale of time to the greatest. Moments pass just as the years do. When we are able to respect, rather than resist the passage of time, it can help us to both appreciate the fine moments that bring us joy, as well as bear the burden of challenges that we face. If we are willing to adopt the frame of mind that all we can really do is concede to the constant demand of change, time will be our friend.

I had the opportunity to watch my oldest son play in his band concert a few days ago. He is a Freshman in Highschool, and this was the last concert of the year. Even though it seems to me as though the school year just started a few months ago, this concert signifies the certainty that there are just a couple of weeks of school left. But even more, as I watched him play with his bandmates, I reflected on how swiftly my time with him under my parental care has passed. I have seen and shared time with him just about every day of his life thus far. But as I listened to him play the trombone, I felt the reality of his place in time crash down on me like a lead weight. Suddenly, the number of days remaining that we will share before he grows into a man, ready to make an independent life for himself, feel scarce. All of the sudden, every day is not enough. And the only thing I can do is honor that fact and make a point to appreciate it.

In the world we live today, the challenges we face as well as the good things that we enjoy will quickly give way to the Kingdom of God. This we know because the Bible reveals that truth. What we do not know, nor can we control, is the rate at which the Kingdom of God arrives. As long as we have to wait, through days and months and years, we know for a fact that eventually time will bring that perfect Kingdom of God that we hope for. The good times now will give way to the greatest of times. The hard times will turn to endless joy.

We can find evidence for this promise in the Bible, being reminded, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). Through patience and with the Faith of Christ working in us, we can endure all of the challenges we face today. Through gratitude for God’s blessings in our lives, we can experience fullness of joy that fuels our hope. By remaining steadfast in our commitment to live a life that glorifies God in every moment, our time is well-spent as an investment in our glorious future.

by Norbert Link

We begin with ongoing and intensifying turmoil and violence in Jerusalem, on the Temple Mount and at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as the predictable hypocritical condemnation of Israel by the international community [please view in this context our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Violence in Israel—Is this the End?”]; continue with the exchange of ongoing threats between the UK and Europe; Scotland’s desire for independence after the election victory of Scotland’s pro-independence party; and Europe’s continuing move towards the creation of a “real” EU Army.

We speak on America’s disappointing figures pertaining to a more than fragile economy; a cyberattack on one of the largest pipelines in the United States, forcing its temporary shutdown with consequences for gasoline availability and gas prices; and America’s losing position in its race for the Arctic. We also report on troublesome activities by the Department of Justice under Donald Trump towards three journalists; and address the unacceptable conduct of Big Tech in suppressing free speech.

We address China’s suspension of economic dealings with Australia; the open defiance and rejection by “progressive” German priests of the Vatican’s position on homosexuality; the Vatican’s warning for Catholic bishops in the USA; and the Lutheran Church’s first ordination of a transgender bishop.  

We conclude with deeply disturbing accounts about persecution of Christian churches and ministers in Finland; the UK; and Canada. Especially Canada has now been described as a “fascist” country using Gestapo- and Nazi-measures to suppress religious liberty and freedom.  In this regard, quoted articles also contain a stern warning for the United States.

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

Turmoil on the Temple Mount

The following shows chronologically how the turmoil and the violence started and how it has been developing, with no end in sight.

Reuters wrote on May 7:

“Israeli police fired rubber bullets and stun grenades towards rock-hurling Palestinian youth at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday… At least 178 Palestinians and six officers [an updated number speaks of 205 Palestinians and 17 police officers] were injured in the night-time clashes at Islam’s third-holiest site and around East Jerusalem, Palestinian medics and Israeli police said, as thousands of Palestinians faced off with several hundred Israeli police in riot gear.

“Tension has mounted in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, with nightly clashes in East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah…following the evening meal that breaks the Ramadan fast, clashes broke out at Al-Aqsa with smaller scuffles near Sheikh Jarrah, which sits near the walled Old City’s famous Damascus Gate…  Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he ‘held (Israel) responsible for the dangerous developments and sinful attacks taking place in the holy city’ and called on the U.N. Security Council to hold an urgent session on the issue.”

The Jerusalem Post wrote on May 8:

“The secretary general of Islamic Jihad said Friday that ‘it is impossible to tolerate what is happening in Jerusalem and the enemy must expect our response at any moment.’ Hamas also put out a statement Friday warning Israel about potential repercussions of the clashes at the Temple Mount. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh sent a direct message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu telling him ‘not to play with fire. This is a struggle that you, your army, your police and your whole country cannot win. We will defend Jerusalem no matter what sacrifices we must make,’ Ynet reported…

“Jordan’s foreign ministry condemned the entrance of Israeli forces to the Temple Mount, and their ‘animalistic attack’ of worshipers there. Qatar also denounced the entrance of Israeli security forces to the Temple mount in the wake of clashes, calling it ‘provocation for millions of Muslims around the world,’ Ynet reported. Qatar went on to call for the international community to act to stop Israeli harm of the Palestinian people.

“Israeli Police reported that ‘police troops began using riot control measures a while ago, in an attempt to restore order after violent riots broke out at the Temple Mount, during which hundreds of suspects started throwing rocks, bottles and other items towards our forces.’ We will not allow the disruption of order, any form of violence and attempts to harm officers while taking advantage of the freedom of religion and using it to promote a violent incident that includes hundreds of worshipers starting to riot and hurting police officers,’ a police statement released after police managed to regain control at the Temple Mount read.”

The Associated Press wrote on May 7:

“Earlier Friday, Israeli troops shot and killed two Palestinians and wounded a third after the men opened fire on a base belonging to Israel’s paramilitary Border Police force in the occupied West Bank, the latest in a series of deadly confrontations in recent weeks that has coincided with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan…

“The Al-Aqsa mosque compound is the third holiest site in Islam. The site is also the holiest site for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount and revere it as the spot where the biblical Temples stood. It has long been a flashpoint for Israeli-Palestinian violence and was the epicenter of the 2000 Palestinian intifada, or uprising.

“… some 70,000 worshippers had attended the final Friday prayers of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa, the Islamic endowment that oversees the site said. Thousands protested afterwards, waving the green flags of the Islamic militant group Hamas and chanting pro-Hamas slogans. Neighboring Jordan, which serves as the custodian of Jerusalem’s Muslim holy sites, had earlier warned Israel against further ‘provocative’ steps, while Israel’s archenemy Iran encouraged the violence… “The Palestinians view east Jerusalem — which includes major holy sites for Jews, Christians and Muslims — as their capital, and its fate is one of the most sensitive issues in the conflict…”

The Fight for the Temple Mount

Israel 365 News wrote on May 9:

“Rabbi Yisrael Ariel, the founder of the Temple Institute, fought in the battle to conquer the Temple Mount in 1967. He sees that battle as continuing today. ‘With Arabs, it is all one war,’ Rabbi Ariel said. ‘Part of Islam is to make up reasons to fight. In this case, they made up a fake story that the Temple Mount is holy to them. Anyone who knows the history and knows Islam knows that this is not true. Mecca and Medina are holy to them. They simply decided they wanted a war so they made up fairytales that make it seem justified.

“‘But the war is real and it is entirely focused on the Temple Mount. And the Arabs are willing to die, willing to throw themselves into the battle by going up by the thousands to our Temple Mount. And too many of our leaders are willing to simply run away… Last week, there was a horrible tragedy that came about because one hundred thousand Jews wanted to go to Mount Meron for a religious experience.

“‘If all of those Jews had risked their lives for the Temple Mount, or just gone up to the Temple Mount, no Arab would dare claim one inch in our land, the land of Israel. The Jews have abandoned the place of the Shechina (holy presence) to the Arabs, allowing thousands of Arabs to pray there while we crawl around at the bottom of the hill. That is a desecration of the divine presence and the shechina cannot dwell in that level of desecration… The Temple is the source and the reason for us being in the land…’”

But this will change, and Israel will reclaim and re-possess the Temple Mount for a while.

US and Europe Condemn Israel

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 8:

“The United Nations urged Israel on Friday to call off forced evictions in East Jerusalem, warning that its actions could amount to ‘war crimes’… Israel also received criticism over a decision to build 540 settlement units in the West Bank. Germany, the UK, France, Spain and Italy called on Israel to stop the construction of illegal settlements in occupied Palestinian territories.”

The Guardian wrote on May 8:

“Claims for calm and restraint poured in on Friday from the US and the United Nations, with others including the European Union and Jordan voicing alarm at the possible evictions…”

Arabs Condemn Israel

The Algemeiner wrote on May 8:

“Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates on Saturday condemned Israel’s plans to evict Palestinians from homes on land claimed by Jewish settlers, following a night of violence in Jerusalem…

“The UAE, which normalized relations with Israel last year, ‘strongly condemned’ the clashes and the potential evictions…Saudi Arabia, Islam’s birthplace, has long championed the Palestinian cause and shunned official contacts with Israel. Riyadh quietly acquiesced to the so-called Abraham Accords – but stopped short of endorsing them.”

This was predictable from the outset, and we said so.

The Jerusalem Post wrote on May 9:

“Arab bodies throughout the Middle East widely condemned Israeli police violence during clashes with worshipers at the al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday. The Islamic Movement in Israel… urged Palestinian families to increase their travels to the mosque… On Sunday, Jordan warned Israel from ‘continuing its barbaric behavior at Al-Aqsa,’ adding that the country will increase its pressure on Israel… The Egyptian Foreign Ministry also condemned the violence in Jerusalem and said that ‘Israel must stop all measures that harm the sanctity of the al-Aqsa Mosque.’…

“Turkey criticized Israel and accused it of unleashing ‘terror’ on Palestinians… ‘Shame on Israel and those who keep silent in the face of disgraceful attacks,’ Turkish Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on Twitter late on Friday… Turkey’s communications director Fahrettin Altun told state television Israel was violating human rights and would ‘pay the price,’ as opposition parties echoed the government condemnation in a rare sign of unity… Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also condemned Israel on Saturday… ‘We strongly condemn Israel’s heinous attacks against our first qibla #AlAqsaMosque, which unfortunately take place every Ramadan… As Turkey, we will continue to stand by our Palestinian brothers and sisters in all circumstances,’ Erdoğan added…”

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 9:

“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan went so far as to call Israel a ‘terrorist state,’ criticizing the country’s actions in East Jerusalem.  The ‘cruel Israel, the terrorist state of Israel’ is ‘brutally and immorally’ attacking Muslims in Jerusalem, Erdogan said on Saturday evening. ‘A world that cannot protect Jerusalem and Muslims has betrayed itself.’”

Especially the increasing hostility of Turkey toward Israel is clearly prophesied in the Bible.

Further Violence in Jerusalem

The Jerusalem Post wrote on May 9:

“On Sunday morning, clashes broke out on the Temple Mount between Palestinians and Israeli forces, with the doors of at least one of the gates to the compound being closed amid the clashes… Clashes broke out on Saturday night by the Damascus Gate and near the Temple Mount, as well as in a number of sites in east Jerusalem and the West Bank…

“On Sunday morning, Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Leon told Army Radio that the violent altercations that took place on Saturday night were carried out on the Palestinian side mostly by Islamic-Jihadists from the North and South, not by residents of Jerusalem.”

The Sun added on May 10:

“HAMAS has fired [by Monday more than 150] rockets at Jerusalem… moments after the Islamic extremists issued an ultimatum for Israel to withdraw security forces from two areas in the city… The blast came as thousands of Israelis joined a ‘Flag March’ today, which is considered ‘Jerusalem Day’ – an Israeli national holiday that celebrates the establishment of control over the Old City…”

The Jerusalem Post reported that “Following the rocket fire, the Israel Air Force carried out several strikes in Gaza” leading to several casualties.

 Fire Close to Al Aqsa

It was also reported that a tree caught on fire on Monday, May 10, at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, according to reports from Reuters and AFP news agencies. The fire was quickly put out. The mosque itself has not been damaged. The tree was about 10 meters from the mosque.

Reuters added on May 10 that “witnesses offered contradicting accounts about whether the flames were caused by Palestinians who had thrown fireworks at police or by a police stun grenade. Israeli police said in a statement the fire was started by the fireworks. A spokesman did not say whether officers had been throwing stun grenades at the time.”

This time, nothing happened to the mosque. But we can see how quickly that might change.

No End in Sight

JTA wrote on May 12:

“Exchanges of fire continued in Israel and Gaza on Wednesday with mounting casualties, while  Arab-Israelis took to the streets across Israel in their largest protests in decades, with some turning violent. In the central Israeli city of Lod, a state of emergency was declared after Arab protesters burned a synagogue, shops and cars.

“Six Israelis and at least 53 Palestinians have died from the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip and Israel… Two Palestinians were also killed in the West Bank after attempting to carry out separate attacks on Israeli soldiers on Tuesday.

“Israel and Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, have been engaging in their most intense fighting since 2014 this week, with attacks escalating. On Wednesday, Israel announced that it had killed several of Hamas’ military and intelligence chiefs in the fighting. Altogether, Palestinian militants in Gaza have fired more than 1,000 rockets at Israel’s most populated areas, and Israel has conducted hundreds of airstrikes in Gaza.

“But on Tuesday night, Israel’s leaders turned their attention to Lod, which has both Arab and Jewish residents, and where a crowd of Arab protesters burned and trashed a synagogue, along with burning shops and cars. Arab-Israeli protests also took place in other cities, including the northern port city of Haifa…”

The Associated Press wrote on May 12:

“There was no sign that either side is willing to back down. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to expand the offensive, saying ‘this will take time.’ Hamas has called for a full-scale intifada, or uprising. The last such uprising began in 2000 and lasted more than five years.”

Biden Under Attack from “Both Sides” for Different Reasons

Newsmax wrote on May 11:

“President Joe Biden has come under fire from members of both parties following a series of violent incidents in Jerusalem over the weekend… Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn., said in a tweet Monday that the Biden Administration ‘should strongly condemn Hamas and other terrorists that are exploiting tensions in Jerusalem to carry out rocket attacks against innocent civilians. The United States should unequivocally support Israel’s right to defend its citizens.’

“Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., a member of the House Armed Services Committee, told Fox News that the ‘actual actions’ of the Biden administration have been ‘incredibly unhelpful’…  Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., said in an interview with MSNBC on Monday that the U.S. is ‘enabling’ violence in the region by providing foreign aid to Israel, and hit the Biden administration for failing to ‘declare’ that Israel is using that aid to ‘commit human rights violations…’

“Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday blasted his successor, saying President Joe Biden’s ‘weakness’ standing up for Israel is ‘fueling’ violence in the Middle East… Trump said in his statement that America must ‘always’ stand with Israel and demand the Palestinians stop the ‘violence, terror, and rocket attacks… ‘Unbelievably, Democrats also continue to stand by [those] who savagely attack Israel while they are under terrorist assault.’”

The New York Times wrote on May 11 that the “violence in Israel challenges Biden’s ‘Stand Back’ Approach.” The Biden Administration has now given some lip service in support of Israel’s right to defend itself, while encouraging “both sides” to show restraint.  For now, the terrorist organization Hamas will not listen to such admonition, and it does not appear that Israel will either.

Act of War Between France and Britain?

The Sun wrote on May 7:

“TWO Navy vessels located off Jersey will return to Britain after French fishermen protesting over post-Brexit fishing rights stood down. A Government spokeswoman yesterday said Britain remains on standby to provide any assistance Jersey requests over the escalating standoff with France. They said: ‘The (Brexit) Trade and Cooperation Agreement brought in changes to fishing arrangements between the UK and the EU. Jersey authorities have a right to regulate fisheries in their waters under this agreement and we support them in exercising those rights.’

“The British warships [armed with a 20mm cannon, which can fire 700 rounds a minute at a range of 1,300 yards] arrived off the UK island to protect it from the threat of a French blockade. Around 100 French fishing vessels began arriving at the island just after 6am on Thursday and some on board were setting off flares as a huge row developed over post-Brexit fishing rights.

“But after the Royal Navy was sent to Jersey, the French Navy scrambled its own warships to the scene ahead of a tense stand-off… Boris [Johnsons’] dramatic move came after French fishermen – backed by Emmanuel Macron’s ministers – vowed to shut off the island unless they could fish more British waters, a threat branded an ‘act of war’. The furious spat erupted after the island [with 100,000 citizens] – which is under Britain’s protection – slapped French trawlers with post-Brexit fishing licence requirements.”

Hostilities between Britain and continental Europe will increase.

France vs. UK and US

Breitbart wrote on May 8:

“President Emmanuel Macron turned to rhetoric fit for the Napoleonic era in his latest attempt to deflect blame for French and EU inoculation programme failures, accusing ‘the Anglo-Saxons’ of hoarding vaccines and vaccine ingredients. ‘Today, the Anglo-Saxons block many of these ingredients and vaccines,’ alleged the staunch European Union loyalist as he arrived in Porto, Portugal, for a meeting of the head of the unelected European Commission with the heads of state and government of the EU member-states to discuss bloc-wide social policy. ‘Today, 100 per cent of the vaccines produced in the United States are for the American market,’ he further claimed…

“However, the veracity of President Macron’s allegations notwithstanding, the European Union has not been especially selfless in its own treatment of ‘the Anglo-Saxons’ — a term used by the French to refer to the British, the Americans, or the Anglosphere in general…

“In reality, as President Macron’s ‘Anglo-Saxons’ diatribe indicates, Brexit Britain proved able to negotiate contracts for vaccine orders and approve vaccines for use much faster than the EU, with the bloc going so far as to threaten to impose a hard border between EU member-state the Republic of Ireland and the British country of Northern Ireland — something it had decreed totally unacceptable during the Brexit negotiations — in order to prevent British vaccine orders from leaving its territory.”

Scotland to Become Independent?

The Associated Press wrote on May 9:

“British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday invited the leaders of the U.K.’s devolved nations for crisis talks on the union after Scotland’s pro-independence party won its fourth straight parliamentary election. Nicola Sturgeon, leader of the Scottish National Party, said the election results proved that a second independence vote for Scotland was ‘the will of the country’ and that any London politician who stood in the way would be ‘picking a fight with the democratic wishes of the Scottish people.’ The United Kingdom is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with devolved governments in the latter three…

“Johnson has the ultimate authority whether or not to permit another referendum on Scotland gaining independence. He wrote in Saturday’s Daily Telegraph that another referendum on Scotland would be ‘irresponsible and reckless’ as Britain emerges from the pandemic. He has consistently argued that the issue was settled in a 2014 referendum where 55% of Scottish voters favored remaining part of the U.K. Proponents of another vote say the situation has changed fundamentally because of the U.K’s Brexit divorce from the European Union, with Scotland taken out of the EU against its will. In the 2016 Brexit referendum, 52% of U.K. voters backed leaving the EU but 62% of Scots voted to remain.”

Preparing for a EU Army

The EU Reporter wrote on May 7:

“While there is no EU army and defence remains exclusively a matter for member states, the EU has recently taken big steps to boost defence co-operation. Since 2016, there has been significant progress in the area of EU security and defence with several concrete EU initiatives to encourage co-operation and reinforce Europe’s capacity to defend itself…

“Europeans expect the EU to guarantee security and peace. Three quarters (75%) are in favour of a common EU defence and security policy… and a majority (55%) were in favour of creating an EU army [according to a poll in 2017]. More recently [in 2018] 68% of Europeans said they would like the EU to do more on defence.

“EU leaders realise that no EU country can tackle the current security threats in isolation. For example French President Macron called for a joint European military project  in 2017, while German Chancellor Merkel said ‘we ought to work on the vision of one day establishing a proper European army’ in her [speech] in November 2018. Moving towards a security and defence union has been one of the priorities of the von der Leyen Commission.

“A common EU defence policy is provided for by the Treaty of Lisbon…

“In recent years, the EU has begun to implement ambitious initiatives to provide more resources, stimulate efficiency, facilitate cooperation and support the development of capabilities:

“Permanent structured cooperation (PESCO) was launched in December 2017,  and 25 EU countries are participating as of June 2019. It currently operates on the basis of 47 collaborative projects with binding commitments…

“The (EDF) European Defence Fund (EDF) was launched in June 2017. It is the first time the EU budget is used to co-fund defence cooperation. On 29 April 2021, MEPs agreed to fund the flagship instrument with a budget of €7.9 billion as part of the EU’s long-term budget (2021-2027). The fund will complement national investments and provide both practical and financial incentives for collaborative research, joint development and acquisition of defence equipment and technology…

“A plan to facilitate military mobility within and across the EU to make it possible for military personnel and equipment to act faster in response to crises.

“Making the financing of  civilian and military missions and operations more effective. The EU currently has 17 such missions on three continents, with a wide range of mandates and deploying more than 6,000 civilian and military personnel.

“Since June 2017 there is a new command and control structure (MPCC) to improve the EU’s crisis management.

“EU countries collectively are the second largest defence spender in the world after the US but an estimated 26.4 billion euros is wasted every year due to duplication, overcapacity and barriers to procurement. As a result, more than six times as many defence systems are used in Europe than in the United States.

“If Europe is to compete worldwide, it will need to pool and integrate its best capabilities as it is estimated that by 2025 China will become the second largest defence spender in the world after the US.

“The European Parliament has repeatedly called for fully using the potential of the Lisbon Treaty provisions to work towards a European defence union…”

Business Insider wrote on May 6:

“Fourteen European Union countries… have proposed a rapid military response force that could intervene early in international crises… The 14 countries are Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain.”

US Economy’s Big Miss

The Week wrote on May 7:

“The Labor Department said Friday the U.S. economy added 266,000 jobs in April, whereas economists had been expecting around 1 million jobs would be added… The report was significantly below expectations, and Axios described it as ‘the biggest miss, relative to expectations, in the history of the payrolls report.’

“Economist Justin Wolfers wrote that 266,000 jobs being added ‘would be fabulous in normal times, but is utterly disappointing’ compared to the forecasts, adding, ‘This is a big miss that changes how we think about the recovery.’”

Cyberattack Forces US Pipeline Shutdown

DNYUZ wrote on May 8:

“A cyberattack forced the shutdown of one of the largest pipelines in the United States, in what appeared to be a significant attempt to disrupt vulnerable energy infrastructure. The pipeline carries refined gasoline and jet fuel up the East Coast from Texas to New York. The operator of the system, Colonial Pipeline, said in a statement late Friday that it had shut down its 5,500 miles of pipeline, which it says carries 45 percent of the East Coast’s fuel supplies, in an effort to contain the attack on its computer networks…  Colonial’s pipeline transports 2.5 million barrels each day…

“The breach comes just months after two major attacks on American computer networks — the SolarWinds intrusion by Russia’s main intelligence service, and another against a Microsoft email service that has been attributed to Chinese hackers — that have illustrated the vulnerability of the networks on which the government and corporations rely.”

Politico wrote on May 8:

“A shutdown that lasts more than a few days could send gasoline prices in the Southeastern U.S. spiking above $3 a gallon, market analysts said. That could deepen the political risks the incident poses for Biden… “

Gas Stations Closed

Fox5 New York reported on May 11:

“More than 1,000 gas stations in the Southeast reported running out of fuel, primarily because of what analysts say is unwarranted panic-buying among drivers, as the shutdown of a major pipeline by a gang of hackers entered its fifth day Tuesday. Government officials acted swiftly to waive safety and environmental rules to speed the delivery of fuel by truck, ship or rail to motorists and airports, even as they sought to assure the public that there was no cause for alarm…. A large part of the pipeline resumed operations manually late Monday, and Colonial anticipates restarting most of its operations by the end of the week…

“In Virginia, 7.7% of the state’s nearly 3,900 gas stations reported running out of fuel Tuesday… In North Carolina, 8.5% of almost 5,400 stations were out… “Federal investigators attributed the cyberattack to an organization known as Darkside, a group believed to be based in Russia or Eastern Europe. Darkside issued a statement saying it didn’t mean to create problems. The group just wanted the money.

“… Scattered gas stations in metro Atlanta were out of fuel Monday and Tuesday. In Georgia, nearly 6% of about 6,400 stations had run out of fuel… In Florida, drivers in some areas faced long lines, and 3% of gas stations had run out…The Colonial Pipeline carries jet fuel as well. American Airlines rerouted two long-haul flights… because of possible shortages…”

Russia, on Tuesday, denied any involvement in the cyberattack. Virginia declared a state of emergency.

Bloomberg wrote on May 13:

 “Colonial Pipeline Co. paid nearly $5 million to Eastern European hackers on Friday, contradicting reports earlier this week that the company had no intention of paying an extortion fee to help restore the country’s largest fuel pipeline… The company paid the hefty ransom in difficult-to-trace cryptocurrency within hours after the attack, underscoring the immense pressure faced by the Georgia-based operator to get gasoline and jet fuel flowing again to major cities along the Eastern Seaboard…

 “Once they received the payment, the hackers provided the operator with a decrypting tool to restore its disabled computer network. The tool was so slow that the company continued using its own backups to help restore the system… The hackers, which the FBI said are linked to a group called DarkSide, specialize in digital extortion and are believed to be located in Russia or Eastern Europe.”

The Race for the Arctic

The Sun reported on May 9:

“As Russia and China assert more power in the Arctic, the U.S. faces a shortage of heavy icebreakers, the massive ships needed to cut through ice… the Arctic is rich with mineral deposits and is likely to become a major shipping route as the ice melts. However, the U.S. Coast Guard only has one heavy icebreaker, the massive ships needed to forge paths through the ice. The vessel, called the Polar Star, is 40 years old and in need of new parts. The Coast Guard also has a medium icebreaker called the Healy…

“Meanwhile, Russia has dozens, and China has several and is developing more. The Arctic region is currently overseen by the Arctic Council, made up of Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the U.S. The council also includes observers and so-called non-Arctic states, one of which is China.

“China is competing for greater access in the Arctic by negotiating trade agreements with Arctic nations and trying to build infrastructure in those countries. In other words, the race for the Arctic is on…”

These figures are pitiful for the USA.

Spying on Phone Records of Journalists!

The Week wrote on May 8:

“The Department of Justice under former President Donald Trump obtained phone records of three Washington Post journalists, the Post reports. The department also reportedly unsuccessfully tried to obtain the reporters’ email records. Three separate letters to Post reporters Ellen Nakashima and Greg Miller and their former colleague Adam Entous explained the department ‘received toll records’ associated with their phone numbers for the period between April 15, 2017 to July 31, 2017, which is around when the trio reported a story about classified U.S. intelligence intercepts indicating that in 2016 then-Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) had discussed the Trump campaign with Sergey Kislyak, who was then Russia’s ambassador to the United States.

“The Justice Department defended the decision, describing it as ‘part of a criminal investigation into unauthorized disclosure of classified information,’ noting the reporters were not the targets of the probe.”

If true, this would be scandalous indeed, showing what governmental agencies are willing to do to invade the privacy of journalists and attack confidentiality, just  based on unproven allegations.

Big Tech’s Censorship

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on May 6:

“Wednesday’s decision by Facebook’s ‘oversight board’ – a transparent attempt to outsource responsibility for censorship to an international committee – to extend the ban on 45th US President Donald Trump is just the latest example [of suppression of free speech], but by no means the most egregious. Earlier this week, the banhammer descended on RT’s digital project Redfish over posts criticizing… Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini and the Holocaust, of all things…

“The long march from banning Alex Jones in 2018 to banning the sitting president of the United States in 2021 was completed with surprising alacrity. The collusion within Silicon Valley to ban Trump on the blatantly false pretext of ‘inciting insurrection’ on January 6 may have been the political Rubicon, but Big Tech had begun putting their finger, fist and even elbow on the political scales long before.

“Does banning the New York Post over Hunter Biden ring any bells? How about the ‘pre-bunking’ of the 2020 election outcome, arranged by Democrat activists more than a year prior?…

“Way back in 2019, Trump had tweeted a meme: ‘In reality, they’re not after me, they’re after you. I’m just in the way.’ Can you honestly say now that he was wrong?”

Even Democrat Elizabeth Warren Attacks Facebook

Daily Mail wrote on May 6:

“Elizabeth Warren said Wednesday that Facebook’s decision to uphold its ban on former President Donald Trump’s account further exhibits Big Tech has too much power and needs to be broken up… Of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg calling the Oversight Board the ‘Supreme Court’, Warren said: ‘Listen to the arrogance of it… ‘They have too much influence and they pose a threat to our democracy. Time to enforce our antitrust laws.’

“She also complained in a tweet Wednesday that Facebook is a disinformation machine.”

“China Suspends Economic Dialogue with Australia ‘Indefinitely’”

Russia Today wrote on May 6, 2021:

“Beijing has axed a high-level channel for economic talks with Canberra, blasting Australian leaders for having a ‘Cold War mentality’ after the country cancelled two contracts linked to its Belt and Road project…

“Ties, and especially trade relations, between the two states have steadily frayed in recent months, seeing Beijing threaten economic retaliation after Canberra demanded an international probe into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, which was first detected in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019. Before that, in 2018, Australia moved to ban the Shenzhen-based telecom giant Huawei and passed a number of foreign interference laws targeting Beijing, both prompting terse responses.

“The relationship has only deteriorated further in the meantime, with Australian officials scrapping two deals previously signed between Beijing and the state of Victoria for China’s Belt and Road Initiative in March. Foreign Minister Marise Payne said the contracts were ‘inconsistent with Australia’s foreign policy or adverse to our foreign relations,’ invoking powers created by legislation passed last year that allows the FM to veto agreements with other nations…

“While relations have been frosty for some time, halting the negotiation channel could spell further trouble for Canberra as it seeks to resolve trade disputes that affect $20 billion in Australian exports, including in key industries such as coal, timber, seafood, wine and barley. As of March, trade between the two countries had dropped by 40% overall, compared to the period before the commerce battle, with Beijing maintaining tariffs on a number of goods.”

Some time ago, Daniel Andrews, premier of Victoria, signed some kind of memorandum of understanding with China to gain an economic advantage for Victorian companies to produce work on the Belt and Road project. As it turned out, approval was not sought from Prime Minister Scott Morrison. The federal government now says that all foreign dealings have to be approved by the federal Finance Minister before they can go ahead. This is a part of the reason Australia is having a trade war with China.

German Priests in Defiance of the Pope

Breitbart wrote on May 10:

“Progressive Catholics in Germany have announced their intent to offer blessings to same-sex couples at dozens of churches around the country… in defiance of a recent Vatican ban on the practice… Jesuit Father Jan Korditschke said… ‘I am convinced that homosexual orientation is not bad, nor is homosexual love a sin… I want to celebrate the love of homosexuals with these blessings because the love of homosexuals is something good.’

“The priest said he is angered by the Church’s ‘homophobia,’ in reference to Catholic teaching that homosexual practice is sinful… In April, the president of the German Bishops’ Conference, Georg Bätzing, also declared his opposition to the Vatican prohibition on blessing same-sex couples. ‘I believe that we have to assess homosexuality and lived partnerships outside of marriage differently… We can no longer proceed solely from natural law [i.e., the biblical teaching], but have to think much more in terms of care and personal responsibility for one another… We can no longer answer these questions simply with a “yes” or “no.” That is not possible,’ he said.”

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil” (Isaiah 5:20). Rather, “let your Yes be Yes, and your No, No” (James 5:12).

The Washington Post added on May 10:

“… the events amount to an open rebellion — and a test for a pontiff whose tenure has been marked by divisions over hot-button issues, especially the church’s stance on homosexuality…

“In the past, priests in Germany and some other parts of the world have quietly given blessings to gay unions. But the ceremonies that began over the weekend and continued through Monday were designed to be noticed. The decision will surely amplify the sense of Germany as a center of tension within Roman Catholicism. Some conservatives have accused German Catholic leaders of risking schism with Rome…. The priest-led initiative is a first in recent German history…

“The German church has gone further than other national Catholic churches in considering dramatic changes, in part because it is so deep in crisis. Germans are abandoning the church in droves… German bishops have become among the most progressive voices among Catholic leaders.”

Vatican Warns US Bishops

Newsmax wrote on May 11:

“U.S. bishops have been warned by the Vatican about a potential proposal to deny communion to Catholic elected officials who support allowing abortion… The document is aimed at clarifying the church’s stance on the issue.  And it’s taken on new urgency now because Biden — only the second Catholic president — is the first to hold that office and favor abortion rights…

“U.S. bishops are split over the issue. Some of the conservative bishops have called for Biden and other Catholic politicians who support abortions to be denied communion. But Cardinal Wilton Gregory, archbishop of Washington, D.C., has said he will not deny communion to Biden. And he warned that if U.S. church leaders fail to reach a unanimous decision, a national policy, ‘given its contentious nature,’ could become a source of discord within the American church.

“Along with Biden, there are 158 Catholics in congress, most of them Democrats who favor abortion rights, and six Catholic Supreme Court justices, most of them anti-abortion Republicans…  in the 2020 presidential election, Catholics split their votes almost evenly between Biden and Donald Trump.”

Lutheran Church Elects First Transgender Bishop

Breitbart wrote on May 12:

“A woman who dresses and lives as a man has been elected as the first ‘openly transgender bishop’ for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s Sierra Pacific synod… Megan Rohrer, who is married to a lesbian, said in the video she is a pastor, a parent, and transgender…

“Well known for advocating for LGBTQ rights in street activism, preaching and writing, Rohrer, 41, who uses the pronouns they and them,… was expelled from her church’s youth group after ‘coming out’ as a lesbian… In San Francisco, whose board of supervisors declared August 12 ‘Pastor Megan Rohrer Day’ in 2012, Rohrer has been an outspoken defender and counselor to LGTBQ people, especially the transgender homeless and Christians… Rohrer told Cosmopolitan magazine in 2017, ‘We need to all be as loud and as angry as the people who want to declare that there are types of people that God can’t love.’”

Christian Persecution in Finland

Evangelical Focus wrote on May 5:

“Päivi Räsänen, the member of the national parliament and former government minister was formally charged with hate speech against homosexuals for her opinions voiced on three platforms. Räsänen [who is a member of the Lutheran Church] will be tried for quoting the Bible on homosexuality on social media in 2019, for authoring a booklet about marriage published in 2004, and for her views in a talk show about Christian faith and homosexuality.

“The two-year pre-trial investigations of the Finnish General Prosecutor against Räsänen, a medical doctor with strong Christian convictions, are seen by theologically conservative Christians in Finland as a clear study case of the erosion of the ability of citizens to express their deeply held beliefs.

“One of the Christian organisations to react to the news has been the Finnish Evangelical Alliance (Suomen Evankelinen Allianssi, SEA), which took a stand on 4 May, days after it was known that Räsänen could face a prison sentence of up to two years… ‘The definition of what is sin in religious terms or the resolution of theological differences is not an issue for the judiciary to assess’, but a matter concerning ‘the scope of religious freedom’, the SEA wrote…

“‘The sexual ethical position represented by Räsänen… in public is the prevailing view of Christian churches worldwide. If the presentation of this view and the treatment of the Bible interpretation concerning it were to be considered as an offense, it would have a strong restrictive effect on religious freedom’, they warned. ‘Churches would then be prevented from teaching their own doctrine freely, and the dissemination of the Bible could also be prohibited…

“… the International Lutheran Council has expressed its concern with a case that has clear links to the difficult theological debate happening in the Finnish Lutheran Church. Two Finnish bishops… defended her right to speak out although failed to defend her position on Bible and sexuality…

“In the media context, the debate around the upcoming trial has also led to different approaches.

“Helsingin Sanomat, the largest newspaper in Finland, published an editorial titled ‘Päivi Räsänen hurts not only homosexuals but also many Christians’ on 30 April, saying the case ‘is not a question of an individual personal opinion, but society’s long lasting cruel position against sexual minorities’. The daily went further to state that ‘the most striking is not Räsänen’s thinking but the fact that just a little time ago such opinions represented the mainline view in society. A human being is on judge, although there should be the history’.

“In contrast, other influential media people have defended the [right of] every citizen to express their ideas freely. Tapani Ruokanen, a respected journalist, tweeted: ‘I defend freedom of speech and religion, especially if I disagree with the speaker. Quoting the Bible belongs to both freedom of religion and freedom of speech. Päivi Räsänen’s [prosecution] take[s] the judiciary towards the Middle Ages. Uncivilized, shameful and meaningless ineptitude”.

“Some prominent atheists have also voiced their support for Räsänen’s right to speak…”

The condemnation by some so-called Christians of Päivi Räsänen’s biblical comments is mind-boggling.

Christian Persecution in the UK

Breitbart wrote on May 10:

“A Christian chaplain [Dr Barnard Randall] at Trent College was fired and reported to the British government’s anti-terrorism programme [which seeks to halt the radicalisation of young people] for delivering a sermon [in 2019] in which he told pupils that it is acceptable to question and disagree with far-left LGBT ideology being taught at the school…

“In an interview with The Mail on Sunday, Randall said: ‘I was terrified when I found out. I had visions of being investigated by MI5, of men coming to my house at dawn and knocking down the front door. What was I supposed to tell my family? It was crazy’…

“Derbyshire Police confirmed to the paper that the chaplain was indeed referred to the anti-terror programme by the school, however they ultimately determined that Dr Randall did not represent a ‘counter-terrorism risk or risk of radicalisation’ and confirmed that the complaint ‘did not meet the threshold for a Prevent referral’.”

It is amazing what damage such left-wing radicals can cause.

Ongoing Christian Persecution in Canada

The Gateway Pundit wrote on May 8:

“Artur Pawlowski, the Pastor of the Cave of Adullam Church in Calgary, Alberta, Canada was swarmed by police and arrested after holding an ‘illegal’ church service on Saturday. You may remember Pawlowski as the brave pastor who shouted down police officers who interrupted his church service during Holy Week. ‘Out of this property you Nazis! Gestapo is not allowed here!’ he shouted to police officers interrupting his church service during Easter weekend. ‘Out, Nazi! Out! Nazis are not welcome here! Do not come back here you Nazi psychopaths!’

“Pawlowski and his flock kicked out the Gestapo again this weekend.”

Deeply disturbing and outrageous shameful videos show how Pawlowski and his brother were stopped on the highway on their way home by numerous police cars, ordered out of their car, forced to kneel down and were handcuffed in the middle of the highway and then dragged to a police car.

Rair Foundation wrote May 9:

“A Canadian Pastor who escaped communism in Poland has been arrested for holding church services during a coronavirus lockdown in Calgary, Canada… a citizen filmed the outside of the Calgary Islamic Center yesterday, which had cars lined up the street. The citizen journalist told RAIR Foundation USA that he took the video because he ‘knew they [police officers] are not enforcing the lockdowns on some groups, while persecuting others.’

“Pastor Pawlowski has been warning Canadians about encroaching communism for years… The brave Pastor, who grew up in Poland behind the Iron Curtain and escaped communism, compares the actions of the Calgary police to that of the Soviets and Nazi Germany. During Pawlowski’s childhood, pastors and priests were arrested, and some were murdered. Many were tortured. Pawlowski warns he sees a repetition of history taking place.

“Ezra Levant of Rebel News was at Pastor Pawlowski’s service before today’s arrest. He confirmed that Christian churches are being targeted while other religious services are free to worship in peace.”

BPR added on May 9:

“Artur Pawlowski was taken into custody along with his brother, Dawid Pawlowski on Saturday afternoon… Video posted online shows the reverend on his knees in the middle of a rain-soaked street with vehicles passing by slowly as a pair of officers handcuff him and then drag him to a waiting patrol vehicle after he refuses to stand and walk… Both men were charged with staging an illegal public gathering, according to Calgary police, while also ‘requesting, inciting or inviting others’ to join in with them, the department said in a statement… The department noted further in its statement that civil rights aside, the COVID-19 pandemic’s restrictions take precedent…

“The Calgary Herald added that a Court of Queen’s Bench Order was obtained on Thursday by Alberta Health Services after additional restrictions were previously levied on Canadians… ‘In the event of non-compliance, the Order provides enforcement powers, including powers of arrest…’

“Last month Pawlowski, who had already been fined repeated by authorities for COVID violations, was hailed as an ‘absolute legend’ after he ejected an Alberta Health Services official accompanied by several police officers from a Passover service. The arrest of Pawlowski… follows an escalating pattern of aggressive COVID-19 rule enforcement by Canadian police.

“During a segment of his weekday evening show a few weeks after Pawlowski’s Passover encounter, The First TV’s Jesse Kelly warned about rising left-wing tyranny in Western democracies under the rubric of coronavirus, citing overly aggressive police actions in Canada. ‘Have you been watching this stuff in Canada, with what they’re doing with the coronavirus lockdowns?’ he said ahead of showing a disturbing video clip of Canadian officers repeatedly striking an elderly man and destroying a portion of his porch railing in an apparent attempt to arrest him for an unknown COVID violation… ‘And now they’re pummeling 85-year-old men and raiding churches,’ he continued. ‘You think it’s going to stay in Canada?…’”

Jesse Kelly is a famous American television show host. He is a Marine Corps combat veteran and former congressional candidate in Arizona.

Fox News added on May 9:

“Video capturing the arrests showed several police vehicles parked on the street as officers carried the handcuffed brothers, who appeared to refuse to walk on their own. An onlooker can be heard telling the officers, ‘Shame on you guys, this is not Communist China. Don’t you have family and kids? Whatever happened to ‘Canada, God keep our land glorious and free’?’”

Good question. What is happening in Canada—but not only there—is shameful and appalling.

Canada—a “Fascist Country”

On May 10, Breitbart published an extremely outspoken and condemnatory article on the events in Canada, with a clear warning message for America, as follows:

“The Canadian Gestapo were smart this time. Instead of breaking into and swarming Canadian Pastor Artur Pawlowski’s church — as they previously did during an Easter weekend service, only to be appropriately shamed and heckled out of the place — this time the Canadian Gestapo waited until after Saturday services to arrest Pawlowski, and did so on a public highway. Naturally, the Gestapo treated him like he was Scarface. Multiple officers and at least four police cruisers were involved:

“Pawlowski was arrested for violating Canada’s fascist and anti-science laws against gatherings during the coronavirus outbreak. These restrictions are in place in Canada (and in many places here in the U.S.) despite the fact fully-opened states like Texas and Florida allow people to go back to normal and have done so while keeping their China Virus cases in line with lockdown states.

“Canada has become so openly fascist, Pawlowski is the second pastor arrested by the Canadian Gestapo. Back in February, the Canadian Gestapo arrested Rev. James Coates of GraceLife Church of Edmonton after he turned himself in. His crime was the same — holding church services in a fascist country….

“In the wake of what we are seeing in Florida and Texas, these continued lockdowns are nothing less than obscene and deliberate attacks on personal and religious freedom.”

The warning for America cannot be overlooked.

Canadian Police Officers Object to Governmental Coronavirus Restrictions

CBC wrote on May 4:

“A group of 19 Ontario police officers has launched a constitutional challenge against the provincial and federal governments and several police chiefs, claiming that enforcing sweeping pandemic health restrictions puts them at odds with their oath to uphold the charter.

“It seeks these declarations:  Lockdowns, stay-at-home orders and curfews are ‘forms of martial law.’ Wearing masks, social distancing and lockdowns are ‘ineffective’ and ‘not scientifically or medically based’ because they’re based on coronavirus cases the legal documents claim ‘are 96.5 per cent false.’ The group also wants the court to declare that religious gatherings and protests are exempt from pandemic restrictions in Ontario.

“No date has been set for when the constitutional case may go to court, and it’s unclear whether a judge will allow it to proceed.”

It is doubtful that their action will be very successful.

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 said the following in a Q&A, titled, “Did the Father really forsake Christ?”:

“When Jesus was dying a terrible death on the cross, He cried out, just before He died, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ (Matthew 27:46)…It is true that for a brief moment the Father forsook Christ on the cross (Matthew 27:46). This happened just before Christ died (see verse 50), because at that time, He was carrying, symbolically, the sins of all of mankind (compare John 1:29), and the Father, being of purer eyes than to behold iniquity (Habakkuk 1:13), turned His eyes from Christ, as unrepented sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2)…

“God—both the divine Father and the divine Son—cannot look on iniquity…

“Notice what we read in Deuteronomy 23:9-14: ‘When the army goes out against your enemies [as true Christians, we are today engaged in a constant spiritual battle with Satan the devil, as well as the world and our own selfish and carnal desires], then keep yourself from every wicked thing… you shall have a place outside the camp, where you may go out; and you shall have an implement among your equipment, and when you sit down outside, you shall dig with it and turn and cover your refuse. For the LORD your God WALKS IN THE MIDST OF YOUR CAMP [today, both the Father and the Son live IN us through the Holy Spirit, compare John 14:23], to deliver you and give your enemies over to you; therefore your camp shall be holy, that He may SEE NO UNCLEAN THING AMONG YOU, AND TURN AWAY FROM YOU.’

“Interestingly, we understand that it was Jesus Christ, as a divine being in the God Family, who spoke these words, but He spoke them in obedience to the Father’s Will (compare John 14:24). As divine God beings, both the Father and the Son are of purer eyes than to behold iniquity–that is why the world is cut off from God, and why only those who repent of their sins can come to God. Of course, this is not to say that God is not aware of our sins, but His eyes can’t stand them…

“At the time of Jesus’ death, He carried on His shoulders the load of the sins of the world. Think about it! He carried all the terrible crimes, abominations and perversions which the world committed since creation–including the very sins which caused God to bring the flood on this earth and to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, as well as sins which were so terrible that God said He never considered the possibility that man would commit those (compare Jeremiah 19:4-5; 32:35)…

“When Christ had all the sins of mankind placed upon Him, thereby having ‘become’ sin in that sense, He had to experience separation from God, the Father! God, the Father saw all of the sins of man placed on His Son and He could not look at them. His eyes were ‘purer than to behold’ those sins. Remember, those sins included mass murders, rapes, terrible wars, tortures, sorceries, demonic idolatries, holocausts, martyrdom of the saints—all of the wicked, evil, rotten, despicable and deplorable abominations man has done, and continues to do—and all of these were placed on Christ!”

As God can’t tolerate sin and does not really want to look at it, we must have the same attitude. For instance, we read in Psalm 101:3: “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes.” In Job 31:1, Job says: “I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?” The idea is, to commit adultery or commit fornication with her (compare Matthew 5:28).

As God is of purer eyes than to look at iniquity, so David prays to God to turn away his eyes from looking at worthless or evil things (Psalm 119:37).

On the other hand, does God really look attentively at all the individual and collective sins of mankind before He closes His eyes towards them and turns His eyes from them?

First, let us realize that time and chance does not rule over those whom God had preordained to be called in this day and age. For the rest of the world, which is cut off from God, time and chance does rule. God leaves mankind to their own devices, and even though He could focus on and know about every terrible sin of every person being committed in this evil world, is there really a biblical indication that He does?

In a Q&A on “time and chance,” we said this:

“[In the book of Ecclesiastes,] Solomon is making a distinction between the people living in this world, being cut off from God, and those whom God has called to His way of life, including himself. Solomon said that “evil occurrence” or “chance” did not govern his own life, because God was controlling his life and had given him rest. Christ made the same distinction, in Luke 13:1-5: ‘There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but UNLESS YOU repent, YOU will ALL LIKEWISE perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower of Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but UNLESS YOU repent, YOU will all LIKEWISE perish.”’

“Christ’s teaching is unmistakable: If we don’t repent, we might very well die as those did, on whom the tower of Siloam fell; that is, through an accident, apart from, or being cut off from God — by time and chance. If we repent, however, according to Christ, we will NOT likewise perish or die in that way. Rather, even if we were to die in an ‘accident,’ God would have specifically DECIDED not to intervene and to LET US die. God is always in control over our lives — nothing happens to us which God is not aware of (compare Job 1:21-22; 2:10).

“True Christians are NOT in the ‘hand’ of time and chance. Rather, Solomon tells US: ‘… the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God’ (Eccl. 9:1). David understood, too, that he was in God’s hands. He wrote, in Psalm 31:15: ‘My times are in Your hand.’ He knew that he, as well as all true Christians, are always, constantly and completely, under God’s observation, His protection and in His loving care… God promises that nothing too difficult for us to bear, will happen to us (compare 1 Corinthians 10:13). This means, then, that God must be watching us every second to guarantee the fulfillment of His promise… Romans 8:28 tells us that all things work together for good to those who love God. The only way that EVERYTHING can work for our good is that GOD will work it out for our good — and not ‘time and chance.’

“When a Christian dies, it is because GOD has DECIDED that it was time for His son or daughter to die…”

What we want to emphasize here is that this does not apply to non-Christians who are cut off from God. To them, time and chance applies, which means in turn that God is NOT observing constantly and protecting every person living on the face of this earth. This explains too why terrible things may happen to some, and rather than blaming God, we should realize that it is man who is to be blamed, due to his willful ignorance and his intentional decision not to be subject to God and His Way of Life (compare Romans 1:18-22; 2 Peter 3:5; John 5:40).

In this context, it is also important to focus on the special role of certain angels.

We write this in our booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World”:

“We find… accounts in the Bible, describing angels as fiery horses…

“We are specifically told in [Zechariah 1:8–11] that God sent ‘red, sorrel and white horses’ to walk to and fro throughout the earth. These horses are angelic beings. Zechariah 6:1–8 confirms this conclusion… The horses walking to and fro throughout the earth are called ‘spirits of heaven.’ They are spirit beings, or angelic beings, that look like horses. In Revelation 5:6, some of those spirit beings are described as ‘seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits… of God sent out into all the earth.’ Notice that Zechariah, too, identifies these spirit beings as the ‘eyes of God,’ in Zechariah 3:9 and 4:10: ‘Upon the stone are seven eyes… They are the eyes of the LORD, which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth.’ 2 Chronicles 16:9 adds, ‘For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.’ Proverbs 15:3 goes on to state, ‘The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good.’…

“God’s angels watch on the good and the bad, and they report their findings to God…”

Therefore, when we read that “God’s eyes” keep watch especially over the bad, it is a reference to some of His angels whom God created and is using for that very purpose of giving Him reports as to how badly bad people behave, prompting God to have a closer look at the unspeakable evil to determine whether His direct action is needed at that time, before turning His eyes away again from the terrible atrocities of man.

We find support for this statement in several incidents describing God’s actions. The most obvious example can be found in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

We read Christ’s words to Abraham in Genesis 18:20-21:

“Then the LORD said, ‘The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.’”

We then read that Christ sends two angels to Sodom to test the wicked inhabitants (compare Genesis 19:13).

The “outcry” which reached God would have been the reports that angels had brought Him, about the wickedness of the people living there. Maybe, it also included the prayers of righteous Lot who was living there. Following that outcry, God’s personal attention was directed at finding out how terrible the people behaved. Some commentaries tell us that this wording [of God coming down and seeing how bad it was] is “anthropomorphic” (applying human characteristics, traits or attributes to God) or a figurative way of speaking, allegedly “proving God’s omniscience or all-embracing knowledge.”

Of course, most commentaries do not believe that God has form and shape, and that man was made, in a physical way, after the spiritual likeness of God. Nor do they believe that God travels, going from one place to another.  But the Bible clearly teaches both.

It is of course true that God could have known what was going on in Sodom, but He purposefully determined at first, not to look at all the terrible sins being committed there, until the outcry had reached such an extent that He decided to do something about it… considering that normally, God will not bring judgment on carnal man until the time of Christ’s return who will replace Satan, the ruler over this wicked evil world.

A similar conclusion can be gleaned from the account about the Tower of Babel. We read in Genesis 11:5-8:

“But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The LORD said, ‘If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.’ So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city.”

This passage implies that Christ came down, apparently in response to a report by His angels, to see what was really happening at Babel, and after having analyzed the situation, both the Father and Christ determined to go down to confuse the languages.

In both cases, quoted above, it is emphasized that God came down to SEE the evil occurrences. Also, in Genesis 6:5, referring to Noah’s Flood, we read about God’s response after man had engaged in despicable prohibited sexual practices: “THEN the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continuously.” After that observation, God decided to destroy mankind in a great flood, only sparing Noah and his family.

God knows of course about the general depravity which exists in the world today. But He is of purer eyes than to behold all of it in detail; He is not focusing on every horrible and despicable sin of the masses, only to “confirm” in His own mind how bad it all is. Likewise, when we report on the evils of this world, we do not quote news articles describing in most intimate detail the egregious violations of the kinds of sins which only a demonically-inspired mind could come up with. God knows that it will be as it was at the time of Noah and of Sodom… and His angels run to and fro throughout the earth to report their findings to God as to how depraved mankind has become so that, in combination with the success of the preaching of the gospel in all the world as a witness, God the Father will make His decision as to the appropriate timing of Christ’s Return.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Violence in Israel—Is this the End?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Why did the al-Aqsa mosque incidents spark the explosion of violence? What connection is there to the prophesied building of the third temple on the Temple Mount? Why are the current developments in Jerusalem and Israel not yet THE war which would annihilate mankind, unless Christ was to return to shorten these days? Who are the elect for whom Christ will return, and why are the Jews and nominal Christians not those elect?  

“Are Jews and Christians at Odds with Jesus Christ?” is the title of a new trailer, presented by Michael Link. This video highlights our newest booklet and can be viewed on our website and on YouTube.

“Wie bitte—man kann und muss das Gesetz nicht halten?” is the title of the Pentecost German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Come Again—One Cannot and Does Not Have to Obey the Law?”

“Warum lässt Gott Leid zu?” is the title of last Sabbath’s German sermonette, presented by Tahir Coban. Title in English: “Why does God Allow Suffering? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8S-PbkrPxE

“Holy War in Israel and a European Army—Comments on News and Prophecy, May 8, 2021,” the first message presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The current violent situation in Jerusalem and the formation of a European Army are to be seen in a dark and foreboding context of prophesied events which will culminate in unspeakable misery and pain. Combined with the final emerging of the mark of the beast, the ongoing suppression of free speech and the rejection and persecution of Christian values in many “civilized” countries, we ought to realize that Christ’s return could not be that far off.

“Lessons from the Early Church,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The early Church was bold, quickly growing and full of faith! And yet, they experienced extreme circumstances. What enabled them to keep on going in the face of great odds? What can we take away from that time and apply it to the times we currently live in and the time that is coming soon?