On June 15, 2024, Kalon Mitchell will present the sermonette, titled, “Take Heed How You Build” and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “God’s Spirit of Love.”

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

NOTE: Sunday, June 16, 2024, is the Feast of Pentecost. Live services will be presented at the same time as our weekly Sabbath services. The Offertory, titled, “Earnest,” will be presented by Eric Rank, and the Sermon, titled, “What Does God Want?” will be presented by Dave Harris.

Some feel that they are not an essential part of this Work because they are not appointed to some service in the Church of God. For no apparent reason, they allow feelings of discouragement and dejection to affect them.

Why is that?

Could it be that the adversary, Satan the devil, knows that discouragement and disheartenment are the easiest ways to prevent us from doing our part? Satan is desperately trying to get each of us to neglect and eliminate the gift of God’s Holy Spirit that we have received.

We read in 1 Timothy 4:14: “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.” The Living Bible renders: “Be sure to use the abilities God has given you…”

If Satan succeeds in making us neglect and eventually lose the gift of the Holy Spirit within us, then we will be forever unfit and unable to enter the Kingdom of God. John 15:6 writes: “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”

What Satan hates above all else is the establishment of the Kingdom of God on this earth. That is because Satan and his demons will be stripped of their authority when this great event occurs (compare Revelation 20:3).

Therefore, Satan and his demons try day and night to prevent us from entering the Kingdom of God when the return of Christ to this earth takes place. 1 Peter 5:8 admonishes us: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” We are warned not to give the devil any room. We must recognize Satan’s schemes and resist him.

James 4:7 says: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

We need to understand the deception he is using today against God’s people, against us! Satan is trying to make us feel that the power that is in each of us, if we have been baptized in the proper way, namely the Holy Spirit of God, is not important or of great significance! Through this trickery of Satan, some have not fully made use of or even totally ignored the Holy Spirit that God has given us by grace. It is time to recognize this and to fight against it. We must be aware of this danger. 

The end-time Church has been given the great commission by Christ to preach the gospel to the whole world for a witness; a Work that cannot possibly be accomplished without the Holy Spirit of God!

Why is no other church outside the body of Christ proclaiming the true gospel of the Kingdom of God? They may understand and preach some parts of the Truth. But not a single one of them preaches the full true message of Christ – the gospel of the Kingdom of God! The Church of God is a body that Satan cannot control and prevent from proclaiming this important message because the Church is led and directed by God the Father and Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.

Satan therefore tries to negatively influence the human instruments through which the Holy Spirit works and even render them useless. Therein lies the danger for every individual in the Church of God. We must surrender to God so that He can constantly fill us with His Holy Spirit of power! Only with this power will we be able to accomplish the Work He has commissioned us to do.

Without using the power of the Holy Spirit, we will fail. If not every member of the body is functioning properly, the body will not be as effective as it should be in carrying out the commission of Christ.

We are warned about false prophets in Matthew 7:15. Satan has always used such false prophets, which includes false “brethren” to stir up some in the Church against the ministry that GOD has appointed over them. And, brethren, he is still working in the same way, trying to get some to find errors and accuse the ministers of GOD, or to get others to slack off, become lazy and stop contributing to supporting this Work of GOD!

We need to recognize whom we are following when we fall into one or the other of these conditions. When some are hardened against those whom God uses to accomplish His Work, they begin to speak arrogantly about them (compare 2 Peter 2:10-15).

This should not sound strange to us. These people become dissatisfied when they can’t be at the pinnacle or center of the Church.

Vanity fills them so much that they are unwilling to be an active part of the body of Christ, whatever that part may be (compare Colossians 2:19). Satan knows that a member who separates him- or herself from the Church is in danger of withering spiritually and burning in the lake of fire. Thus, another one of the members of the body of Christ becomes useless (compare Ephesians 4:15-16) – a member who could have contributed not only in this time when there are so few laborers to fulfill God’s commission to His Church, but also to become a member of the coming Kingdom of God who could have inherited eternal life.

We must take “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5) and let Him instruct us through those He has called as His ministers. God has set His ministers over the Church members – the saints – for spiritual growth and perfection and for the “work of ministry” (compare Ephesians 4:11-12).

If we diligently seek to do the Work we have been called to do, rather than trying to do someone else’s work, we can confidently say, “Christ in me is my hope of glory!” The question is whether we go back to living our old life and its vanity, or whether Christ lives in us and accomplishes His Work through us as members of the body of Christ. Let us remember that we are now a part of the body of Christ if we live the Way He lived as a human being. And Christ was humble and willing to “do the last thing” – as the “last one.” We must follow this example.

Initial translation from German: Daniel Blasinger

by Norbert Link

We begin with the different treatment of Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro in comparison to Merrick Garland and Hunter Biden, proving again that the idea that “nobody is above the law” is a sham and a farce.

We continue with America’s outrageous national debt and the probability of civil war in the USA. 

We speak on Russian warships in Cuba; interesting news about the Church of Rome; and Israel’s daring rescue mission freeing four of Hamas’ hostages for which Israel is being condemned by Europe and the UN.

We address Europe’s new laws to control the USA; violent attacks on European politicians; and the surprising outcome of the European elections with different reactions from Macron of France and Scholz of Germany who have both lost greatly. We also speak on Germany’s preparations for war.

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

Bannon to Be Jailed

Breitbart wrote on June 6:

“Former top Donald Trump advisor Steve Bannon was ordered by a federal judge on Thursday to report to prison by July 1 to begin serving his four-month sentence for contempt of Congress. Bannon, 70, was convicted of contempt in July 2022 for defying a subpoena to testify before the congressional panel that investigated the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by Trump supporters. One of the masterminds behind Trump’s successful 2016 presidential campaign, he was sentenced to four months in prison in October 2022, but has remained free while appealing his conviction.

“A US federal appeals court upheld the conviction last month. US District Judge Carl Nichols revoked his bail at a court hearing Thursday and ordered him to report to prison by July 1. A defiant Bannon addressed reporters outside the Washington courthouse after the judge’s order, saying ‘there’s nothing that can shut me up and nothing that will shut me up… There’s not a prison built or a jail built that will ever shut me up,’ he said…

“Another top Trump advisor, Peter Navarro, was also convicted of contempt of Congress and began serving a four-month sentence in a Florida prison in March. Navarro, 74, is the highest-ranking former member of the Trump administration to spend time behind bars for actions stemming from the Republican former president’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.”

This is an outcry when comparing it to the next articles about Garland.

Merrick Garland in Contempt

On May 16, Politico reported:

“Republicans on the Judiciary Committee voted on Thursday to recommend Attorney General Merrick Garland be held in contempt of Congress after the Justice Department refused to hand over the audio of former special counsel Robert Hur’s interview with President Joe Biden…

“The White House notified lawmakers on Thursday that Biden was asserting executive privilege over the audio of Biden’s interview with Hur — effectively precluding Garland from facing criminal charges over defying the two congressional subpoenas.”

Newsmax wrote on June 11:

“The full House has cited only three sitting Cabinet officials to be in contempt of Congress: Attorney General Eric Holder in 2012, and Attorney General Bill Barr, and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in 2019. The move Wednesday largely [is] symbolic, though, because the DOJ declined to prosecute Holder, Barr, and Ross in the previous instances and likely will do the same with Garland.”

The New York Post wrote on June 12:

“House Republicans voted Wednesday to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress…

“Lawmakers approved the contempt measure along party lines, with 216 Republicans in favor and 207 Democrats opposed…

Breitbart added:

“The move — seen as symbolic, since Garland’s own officials would ultimately decide whether to press charges — is the latest escalation in hostilities between allies of Republican Donald Trump and the White House ahead of November’s election.”

Newsmax wrote:

“… it is unlikely that the Justice Department — which Garland oversees — will prosecute him. The White House’s decision to exert executive privilege over the audio recording, shielding it from Congress, would make it exceedingly difficult to make a criminal case against Garland.”

Nobody is above the law? This is just such a crying shame! There is truly no justice in the land, as the Bible says.

Hunter’s Laptop from Hell

Fox News wrote on June 7:

“Hunter Biden’s scandalous laptop, which was originally dismissed as Russian disinformation by many media outlets, pundits and even liberal allies in the intelligence community, was formally entered into evidence and confirmed by the FBI this week in his ongoing federal gun crime trial. The ‘laptop from hell,’ which is filled with videos and photos of drug use, sex acts, and sensitive business communications, was shown to the jury on Tuesday to try to prove the president’s son lied about using drugs on a gun purchase form. While the laptop has since been authenticated by a variety of news outlets, it was rejected when the New York Post first reported it in the weeks leading up to the 2020 election. Twitter, claiming the story violated its terms of service on hacked materials, locked the New York Post out of its account for weeks and even blocked users from sharing the story link…

“The Russian disinformation narrative stemmed in part from an open letter penned by 51 former intel officials… who declared that the laptop had ‘all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.’ The letter… suggested the emails were hacked and could have been tampered with by the Kremlin in order to make its contents look incriminating. Among the signatories include former DNI-turned-CNN analyst James Clapper, former CIA Director-turned-MSNBC analyst John Brennan and former CIA chief of staff-turned-MSNBC analyst Jeremy Bash… Now, the U.S. government is saying this is not only legitimate, but it wasn’t tampered with…”

USA Today wrote on June 6:

“During the 2020 debate, Biden angrily defended his son (and himself)… ‘There are 50 former national intelligence folks who said that what he’s accusing me of is a Russian plant,’ Biden said. ‘They have said that this has all the … five former heads of the CIA, both parties, say what he’s [Trump] saying is a bunch of garbage.’… It turns out the ones who were spreading garbage were Biden and these disinformation ‘experts,’ who along with a complicit mainstream news media, quashed and discounted an important story just weeks before the presidential election…

“The laptop story is important because the way it was handled is far from an isolated incident... Democrats and the legacy media often team together to form a narrative.  And anyone who questions this determined narrative is considered fringe or even dangerous.

“Take for instance the claims of Russian collusion with the Trump campaign ahead of his 2016 victory. Democrats wouldn’t let the accusation go and sought to taint Trump’s entire presidency with allegations of wrongdoing. The news media happily followed along…”

Fake news propaganda by the mass media!

Hunter Biden Convicted

The Associated Press wrote on June 11:

“Hunter Biden was convicted Tuesday of all three felony charges related to the purchase of a revolver in 2018 when, prosecutors argued, the president’s son lied on a mandatory gun-purchase form by saying he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs… Joe Biden has said he would accept the verdict involving his son and would not seek to pardon him….

“Hunter Biden’s legal troubles aren’t over. He faces a trial in September in California on charges of failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes…”

Breitbart added on June 11:

“Hunter faces up to 25 years in prison and $750,000 of fines, court filings say… ‘We don’t yet know what the sentencing guidelines would be if he’s convicted on all counts,’ NBC News reported, ‘but one legal expert said they likely would specify around a year in prison.’

“Hunter’s gun trial judge, Maryellen Noreika, recently delivered a one-year sentence to a defendant in a similar gun case. The defense asked for a six-month sentence, but Noreika gave him one year.”

The jury in Wilmington, Delaware, deliberated for only about three hours over two days. The date for sentencing has not been set yet but the timeline is usually within 120 days. That would place it no later than a month before the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election. So has justice been served? Hardly. Note the next article.

Protecting Hunter

Breitbart wrote on June 12:

“The White House left open the idea that President Joe Biden might commute Hunter Biden’s pending federal sentence following his gun-related conviction… Joe Biden believes Hunter is a victim of the weaponization of justice, a person familiar with the conversation told Politico.”

To “commute a sentence” is the power to substitute a sentence imposed by the judiciary for a lesser sentence. So, nobody is above the law?

Newsmax wrote:

“According to the Justice Department, a presidential commutation could reduce, partially or totally, a person’s sentence once it has begun, ‘but it does not change the fact of conviction, imply innocence, or remove civil disabilities that apply to the convicted person.’”

Subsequently, Biden told a reporter that he would not commute Hunter’s sentence. We will see.

America’s National Debt

The Daily Hodl wrote on June 7:

“The US national debt just hit a new all-time high of $34.667 trillion…  That’s a $677 billion increase from the start of 2024, when the nation’s debt stood at $33.990 trillion…

“The new record high comes amid a report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) warning that the greater the nation’s debt, the less money Americans will earn. ‘The current law debt trajectory will reduce income growth by 12% over the next three decades and 13% annually by Fiscal Year (FY) 2049. Rapidly rising debt could reduce income growth by 33% over the next three decades and 42% annually by FY 2049.”

America will never be able to repay its debt.

Civil War in America?

Politico wrote on June 11:

“In a spring report titled ‘Disruptions on the Horizon,’ a quiet office known as Policy Horizons Canada, proposed American civil war as a scenario that Ottawa should consider preparing for.

“This hypothetical was tucked into the middle of the 37-page document which sketched the possibility in 15 spare words: ‘U.S. ideological divisions, democratic erosion, and domestic unrest escalate, plunging the country into civil war.’

“It’s an unsettling thing to find out your immediate neighbor is getting nervous about the possibility of gruesome violence in your home.

“There has been no shortage of apocalyptic forecasting about Trump-era American politics. Since the 2016 election, left-leaning nonprofits, political consultants and academics have indulged in endless speculation and role-playing exercises, ostensibly to help them defend democracy. In practice, much of this has amounted to self-indulgence…

“The Policy Horizons report struck me as different: not dark fan fiction (or anti-fan fiction) from American partisans, but a sober branch of a friendly foreign government contemplating our national crackup…”

US Supreme Court Upholds Right to Mifepristone

NBC wrote on June 13:

“The Supreme Court has preserved access to mifepristone, a medication that was used in nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the U.S. last year, in the court’s first abortion case since conservative justices overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago.

“In a unanimous decision, the high court ruled that abortion opponents who challenged the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the medication, and subsequent actions to ease access to it, lacked the legal right or standing to sue. The court notes that the doctors and groups suing the FDA ‘do not prescribe or use mifepristone,’ nor is the FDA requiring them to do so. ‘Rather, the plaintiffs want FDA to make mifepristone more difficult for other doctors to prescribe and for pregnant women to obtain,’ Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote for the court’s opinion. Kavanaugh was part of the majority to overturn Roe…

“The FDA approved mifepristone in 2000 as a safe and effective way to end early pregnancies. Last year the pill was used in more than six in 10 of the abortions in the U.S. Mifepristone blocks the hormone progesterone and primes the uterus to respond to the contraction-causing effect of a second drug, misoprostol. The two-drug regimen has been used to end a pregnancy through 10 weeks gestation.

“The central argument of the conservative group challenging mifepristone is that the Food and Drug Administration overlooked serious problems with the drug when it eased restrictions on the drug, including making it available via mail in 2021… But the FDA has long argued its decision to drop in-person appointments to get mifepristone, among other requirements, came after 20 years of monitoring its safety. In that period the agency reviewed dozens of studies in thousands of women in which serious problems — including hospitalization — occurred less than 0.3% of the time… Because of the highly technical nature of reviewing drug data and research, courts have long deferred to FDA’s scientific judgements on safety and effectiveness…

“Kavanaugh acknowledged what he described as the opponents’ ‘sincere legal, moral, ideological, and policy objections to elective abortion and to FDA’s relaxed regulation of mifepristone.’ But he said they went to the wrong forum and should instead direct their energies to persuading lawmakers and regulators to make changes…”

Abortion (killing life after it has been conceived) is wrong and condemned by God.

Russian Warships in Cuba

Miami Herald wrote on June 12, 2024

“A group of Russian warships that sailed close to Florida shores, closely watched by U.S. destroyers, entered the port of Havana on Wednesday morning ahead of Russian military exercises in the Caribbean… the top of the nuclear-powered submarine Kazan was visible outside Havana Harbor before it submerged again…

“The official Russian government news agency Tass reported Wednesday that the Kazan, a modern nuclear submarine, is capable of ‘quietly approaching U.S. shores within 50 km and carrying out assigned combat missions… the submarine is equipped with Zircon hypersonic missiles. Zircons travel so fast — nine times the speed of sound, or close to 7,000 miles per hour — that one could hit the United States in seconds from Havana…”

Unpleasant memories of the famous Cuba missile crisis under JFK?

The Church of Rome

CNA wrote on June 10:

“Pope Francis gazed over the ancient ruins of the Roman Forum during a visit to Rome’s historic Capitoline Hill on Monday in which he reflected on how the ‘Rome of the Caesars’ transformed into the ‘Rome of the Popes.’…

“Pope Francis praised ancient Rome as ‘a radiating center of civilization,’ which with its legal developments and organizational capacities built solid and lasting institutions and an ancient culture with ‘many good values, which on the other hand needed to elevate itself, to confront a greater message of fraternity, love, hope, and liberation.’”

“Telling” comments by a deluded pope.

Four Hostages Freed

The New York Post wrote on June 8:

“Israeli forces freed four hostages held captive by Hamas during a daring raid in central Gaza Saturday — including Noa Argamani, the young Israeli woman who became the tragic face of the terrorists’ murderous incursion on the Jewish state. The hostages… all were kidnapped at the Supernova music festival on the morning of Oct. 7, when savage Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 people and kidnapped another 251 during their bloodthirsty rampage across southern Israel…

“Saturday’s raid was the largest single recovery of hostages captured by Hamas, bringing the total number rescued up to seven… The IDF acknowledged that civilians were killed amid the fighting, placing the blame on Hamas for holding the hostages in a civilian environment…”

Israel Condemned

Jordan News wrote on June 9:

“European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell Saturday condemned the Israeli army’s operation in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza that killed over 200 people [based on numbers given by the Gaza Health Ministry]… Borrell said reports about another massacre against civilians are ‘horrific’ and urged immediate halt to what he described as a ‘bloodbath’ in Gaza…”

The Guardian added on June 9:

“Israel’s foreign minister, Israel Katz, lashed out at critics of the operation in a post on X: ‘Only Israel’s enemies complained about the casualties of Hamas terrorists and their accomplices.’

“Gary Epstein, a writer for the Times of Israel, said: ‘Hamas engaged in kidnapping and hostage-taking. Hamas embedded itself in hospitals, schools and United Nations facilities. Hamas uses human shields. Hamas holds hostages in residential neighbourhoods. Where is the outrage? What is Israel supposed to do in these circumstances?’”

Israel Today wrote on June 9:

“A journalist and a doctor were among the family members holding Israeli hostages in their home in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed on Sunday night. Following checks by the IDF and the Shin Bet, it can be confirmed that [journalist] Abdullah al-Jamal was an operative of the Hamas terrorist organization…”

The UN’s Hypocrisy

Israel 365 News wrote on June 9:

“Francesca Albanese, the U.N. special rapporteur for Palestinian-controlled territories, tweeted that she was ‘relieved’ four hostages had been ‘released.’ However, she went on to state that the operation ‘should not have come at the expense of at least 200 Palestinians, including children, killed and over 400 injured by Israel and allegedly foreign soldiers, while perfidiously hiding in an aid truck.’

“The figures cited by Albanese, who has a long-documented history of anti-Israel and antisemitic rhetoric, including outright support for Hamas, come from the terrorist organization, which runs the Gaza Health Ministry.

“According to Israeli officials, the extraction force came under heavy fire during the operation, leading to a firefight in the heavily populated Nuseirat neighborhood. Hamas forces fired rocket-propelled grenades at the extraction teams and hostages from within civilian buildings, according to the IDF spokesperson…

“Albanese went on to assert that ‘Israel could have freed all hostages, alive and intact, eight months ago when the first ceasefire and hostage exchange was put on the table. Yet, Israel refused in order to continue to destroy Gaza and the Palestinians as a people,’ calling it ‘genocidal intent turned into action’… U.S. President Joe Biden has… rejected accusations of genocide leveled at Israel over its campaign against Hamas.

“Balakrishnan Rajagopal, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the right to housing, tweeted on Saturday that ‘Countries that celebrate the release of four Israeli hostages without saying a word about the hundreds of Palestinians killed and thousands held in arbitrary detention by Israel, have lost moral credibility for generations and don’t deserve to be on any U.N. human rights body.’

“The U.N. Human Rights Council, which appoints special rapporteurs, has long been criticized for including some of the world’s worst human rights offenders, including current members such as China, Cuba and Eritrea.”

The UN’s hypocrisy is stunning and so is Europe’s hatred for Israel, but it is all according to prophecy. But note the following insightful article.

Israel Should Be Applauded

The New York Post wrote on June 10:

“Israel pulled off a hostage rescue that deserves to go down in the annals of extraordinary daring highly successful military operations, yet it is being condemned for it. The secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council denounced the ‘heinous and terrorist crime that targeted defenseless innocents with brutality,’ while Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon have decried Israel’s alleged criminal tactics… The media coverage in the US has taken a skeptical or negative tone, emphasizing the civilian casualties.

“According to the laughably unreliable Gaza health ministry, the operations killed 274 Palestinian civilians. It stands to reason, then, that it was almost certainly fewer than that. The IDF says the toll was less than 100.  While everyone would prefer that every military operation [was] completely antiseptic, that’s not how the world works…

“One side wants to free non-combatants from their nightmarish imprisonment to live again at home with their families as they please; the other side grabbed innocent people in a bloodthirsty pogrom, has hideously abused them, and refuses to release them. 

“Once Israel forces encountered military resistance in dire circumstances, what were they supposed to do? Give the hostages back? Surrender? Apologize and ask to come back at some other time?… The Israeli military used the force necessary to get their operators and the hostages out alive, as any other country would have done (one commando was killed in the raid).

“Either out of profound moral confusion, enmity toward Israel, self-loathing of the West or all of the above, many people since Oct. 7 have confused victim with victimizer, hostage-rescuers with hostage-takers and the forces of civilization with the forces of barbarism.

“If Israel can’t even bring home its own, the world is truly upside down — just the way Hamas wants it.”

Europe to Control the USA

Fox News wrote on June 10:

“In May, officials in the European Union finalized a sweeping new law that will radically change business activities around the world and, by extension, the societies they operate in. The law… will not only apply to companies that are based in the European Union, but also to businesses headquartered in other countries that provide products and services in the EU… That means countless businesses within the United States will be affected by this law. 

“The [law] mandates that large businesses reduce and reverse biodiversity loss [the loss of a variety of living things and their interactions], limit water and land consumption, prohibit certain kinds of ‘disinformation,’ guarantee rights for labor unions, and adopt climate transition plans that phase out fossil fuels, among numerous other requirements. Large companies will also be forced under the law to adhere to numerous U.N. resolutions, EU regulations and international agreements…

“Failure to meet the EU requirements could result in massive fines equal to as much as 5% of a company’s net worldwide turnover. Companies who violate the law could also be sued by individuals or activist groups for alleged damages caused by their undesirable practices.”

America beware!

Attacks on European Politicians

Yahoo!News wrote on June 8:

“Danish authorities said Saturday that an attack on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, which she said left her ‘shaken’ but ‘fine’, was not thought to be politically motivated… The attack was widely condemned by leading European politicians, including EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who said it was a ‘despicable act which goes against everything we believe and fight for in Europe’…

“In 2019, Frederiksen became the country’s youngest prime minister at the age of 41 and kept the post after emerging victorious in the 2022 general election. The incident follows a spate of attacks on European politicians from across the political spectrum ahead of this week’s EU elections.

“Several politicians in Germany [notably from the AfD] have been attacked at work or on the campaign trail. On May 15, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot four times at close range as he greeted supporters after a government meeting. Fico, who survived the assassination attempt, underwent two lengthy hospital surgeries.”

Macron and Scholz Lose Big in European Election

Newsmax and The Associated Press wrote on June 9:

“Right wing parties made major gains in European Union parliamentary elections Sunday, dealing stunning defeats to two of the bloc’s most important leaders: French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. In France, the National Rally party of Marine Le Pen dominated the polls to such an extent that Macron immediately dissolved the national parliament and called for new elections. It was a massive political risk since his party could suffer more losses, hobbling the rest of his presidential term that ends in 2027.

“Le Pen was delighted to accept the challenge. ‘We’re ready to turn the country around, ready to defend the interests of the French, ready to put an end to mass immigration,’ she said…

“In Germany, the most populous nation in the 27-member bloc… the AfD overcame a string of scandals involving its top candidate to rise to 16.5%, up from 11% in 2019. In comparison, the combined result for the three parties in the German governing coalition barely topped 30%.

“Scholz suffered such an ignominious fate that his long-established Social Democratic party fell behind [the AfD], which surged into second place…

“The four-day polls in the 27 EU countries were the world’s second-biggest exercise in democracy, behind India’s recent election. At the end, the rise of the far right was even more stunning than many analysts predicted…

“The center-right Christian Democratic bloc of EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, which already weakened its green credentials ahead of the polls, dominated in Germany with almost 30%, easily beating Scholz’s Social Democrats, who fell to 14%, even behind the AfD…

“EU lawmakers, who serve a five-year term in the 720-seat Parliament, have a say in issues from financial rules to climate and agriculture policy. They approve the EU budget, which bankrolls priorities including infrastructure projects, farm subsidies and aid delivered to Ukraine. And they hold a veto over appointments to the powerful EU commission… Since the last EU election in 2019, populist or far-right parties now lead governments in three nations — Hungary, Slovakia and Italy — and are part of ruling coalitions in others including Sweden, Finland and, soon, the Netherlands. Polls give the populists an advantage in France, Belgium, Austria and Italy.”

The New York Post wrote on June 9:

“In the Netherlands, anti-immigrant populist Prime Minister Geert Wilders increased his seats of the European Parliament from one to seven — though liberal parties narrowly won the most votes… In Belgium, the Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced he would resign after national elections in the nation of 11.5 million people saw his center-right party’s vote share projected to drop to less than 5%…. Austria’s right-wing Freedom Party [came] out on top…”

No Early Elections in Germany

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 10, 2024

“Germany will not hold a snap election as demanded by the opposition despite bruising EU election results for all three parties in the ruling coalition, the spokesman for Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said. Steffen Hebestreit rejected calls from Bavaria’s state premier, Markus Soeder, to follow in the footsteps of French President Emmanuel Macron…  ‘The election date is next fall as planned, and we plan to follow that through,’ Hebestreit said…

“A call for snap elections also came from Alice Weidel, the co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which saw a surge in support at the elections for the European Parliament. Weidel accused the German government of making policies against Germans, saying, ‘People have had enough.’”

Jews Worried

JTA wrote on June 11:

“The success of German extremists in Sunday’s European Parliament election has mainstream Jewish leaders and politicians worried. Some say they fear the country is veering into political territory that resembles the era just before the rise of the Nazis here nearly a century ago…

“Government statistics show that most antisemitic crimes whose perpetrators are identified are committed by someone with a far-right background. But many crimes are never solved…”

European Court Fines Hungary

The Guardian wrote on June 13:

“Hungary has been ordered to pay a €200m (£169m) fine for its refusal to uphold the rights of asylum seekers… by the bloc’s highest court. The European court of justice in Luxembourg also ordered Budapest to pay €1m a day until it complies with EU laws guaranteeing refugees the right to claim asylum inside Hungarian borders.

“In a major judgment issued on Thursday, the court said Hungary had shown ‘deliberate evasion’ in applying EU policy, which it described as ‘an unprecedented and exceptionally serious infringement of EU law’ and ‘a significant threat to the unity of EU law and to the principle of equality of the member states’…

“Responding to the judgment, the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, described the court’s ruling as ‘outrageous and unacceptable’, adding: ‘It seems that illegal migrants are more important to the Brussels bureaucrats than their own European citizens.’ The legal ruling comes less than three weeks before the Hungarian government takes charge of the rotating presidency of the EU council of ministers. It highlights the profound challenge to the bloc…”

With the ongoing fighting between Hungary and the rest of the EU members, it will be interesting to see what will happen when Hungary takes over the presidency of the EU council on July 1, 2024.

Preparing For War

CNN wrote on June 9:

“Conscription, rationing, and subway stations turned into bunkers. For the first time since the Cold War, Germany has updated its plans should conflict erupt in Europe, with ministers citing the threat by Russia. The 67-page document… envisions the complete transformation of daily life for German citizens in the event of war. Under wartime conditions, mandatory conscription into the army would be reinstated and skilled laborers aged over 18 could be made to work certain jobs including in bakeries and post offices – as well as being prevented from quitting their jobs. Doctors, psychologists, nurses and vets may also be repurposed in military and civil service roles.

“Rationing would also be brought in. In the event of dwindling food supplies, the government would stockpile food to provide citizens with ‘one hot meal a day’ for an undisclosed period of time, according to the document. Federal reserves would include foods like rice, pulses and condensed milk. Other key resources such as petrol and oil could also be rationed with coupons if they become scarce.

“It also outlines civil protection measures including transforming underground stations into makeshift bunkers and preparing hospitals for an influx of patients… The document warns that Germany’s hospitals would have to prepare to treat large numbers of patients over a long period of time…

“On Wednesday, German Defensive Minister Pistorius was quoted by newspaper Der Spiegel as saying: ‘We must be ready for war by 2029.’ Pistorius added, ‘We must not believe that Putin will stop at Ukraine’s borders when he gets that far.’ Similarly, voices from within the British government have expressed the need to be war-ready. Former UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace in February stated that ‘war is coming’ to Britain by the end of the decade…

“In recent weeks Russia has issued some of its starkest warnings to the West yet… The Russian leader specifically pointed to a breakdown in Russia’s relations with Germany, claiming that the appearance of German tanks in Ukraine had resulted in a ‘moral, ethical shock,’ because ‘the attitude towards [Germany] in Russian society had always been very good, very good.’ ‘Now, when they say that some more missiles will appear that will strike targets on Russian territory, this, of course, is ultimately destroying Russo-German relations,’ he added.”

The Sun wrote on June 7:

“GERMANY has revealed its plans for war with Russia, with provisions ranging all the way from national service to bin collection… National conscription would return and citizens could ‘be drafted at any time’… All of Germany’s tanks and military vehicles would get priority on roads and railway lines throughout the country – limiting normal traffic. Air traffic could also be blocked at a moment’s notice as well as public transport including buses, subways and trains.

“Companies across the country would focus on making defence products… If World War 3 was to break out between Nato and Russia, Germany would become a crucial port to ferry through troops, weapons and more… In order to protect Germany – a large number of its troops would move to border its eastern flank. Nato soldiers from its allies would also be housed, fed and protected on German soil as they moved to fight Putin’s troops.

“National media would be made to broadcast important war announcements ‘immediately’…

“Only days ago, Putin vowed to send his terrifying set of long-range missiles to allies across Europe after learning of the West’s renewed support for Ukraine…  Today Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said Ukraine has the right to strike inside Russia when hitting ‘legitimate, military targets.’

“Vladimir Putin has threatened all-out war if Ukraine uses Western weapons to hit Russia. The tyrant singled out Britain — warning ‘countries with small territory and dense populations’ should be careful… Putin said: ‘Constant escalation can lead to serious consequences. Nato members, particularly in Europe, should beware of what they are playing with.’”

Still, Russia will not attack Britain, and there will only be war between Russia and continental Europe after Europe has destroyed the USA… and Britain, in nuclear warfare.

Much More Money for Ukraine

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 13:

“G7 leaders plan to use interest from $300 billion in frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine… The world has already committed €297 billion ($321 billion) in aid to Ukraine. But the country clearly needs more…. Washington wanted to use the seized [frozen Russian] money to bankroll Ukraine’s war effort. As most of the funds seized took place in Europe, Brussels said no, due to the huge legal black hole created by freezing assets when the West is not directly at war with Russia… After two years of wrangling, a compromise has been found… Instead of spending the $300 billion principal amount, the new plan will utilize the interest made on those assets — estimated to be a few billion a year — as collateral for a one-off loan of up to $50 billion for Ukraine…

“Ukraine’s government… requires $100-150 billion annually to run the country and the war… Worse still… only half of the latest $61 billion committed by the Biden administration will go directly to Ukraine. The rest will boost the US Department of Defense’s coffers. There is also a large disparity about what countries have promised and delivered…. Ukraine’s need for aid is likely to remain high for several years, including billions for the reconstruction of damaged power infrastructure during the conflict, and the rebuilding of cities once it is over….

“Kyiv is now preparing hikes to income tax, excise duties, sales tax and other indirect levies…”

Newsmax added on June 13:

“Beyond the war in Ukraine, Pope Francis will become the first pope to address a G7 summit… The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Italy…  is hosting the summit.”

Another shocking example describing the curse of war and the damage it inflicts upon everyone. 

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.

When we read 2 Samuel chapter 8, we find there is a list of the wars and military conquests of king David. It also lists who he put in charge of the various responsibilities of the army, civil service and religious service. This chapter also reveals in verse 15 a responsibility David himself had. “So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered judgement and justice to all his people.”

Here we find the terms judgement and justice used. Is this a redundancy, or do these words have significantly different meanings? Again, this expression is repeated in Isaiah 9:7 which describes the kingdom which will be established at the time of the coming of Jesus Christ to the earth. “Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgement and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

Justice and judgement are translated from two different Hebrew words; justice is translated from mishpat and Judgement from tsedaqah. What is the difference between these two Hebrew words? Mishpat refers to the literal letter of the law.  God gave Israel a very comprehensive law and it provided certain specific penalties if these laws were broken. So why was anything else needed?

If we examine Deuteronomy 17:8-11, we find that the Hebrew term for judgement is used. “If a matter arises which is too hard for you to judge, between degrees of guilt for bloodshed, between one judgement or another, or between one punishment or another, matters of controversy within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the place which the LORD your God chooses. And you shall come to the priests, the Levites, and to the judge there in those days, and inquire of them; they shall pronounce upon you the sentence of judgement. You shall do according to the sentence which they pronounce upon you in that place which the LORD chooses. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they order you. According to the sentence of the law in which they instruct you, according to the judgement which they tell you, you shall do; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left from the sentence which they pronounce upon you.”

The implication here is not so much guilt or innocence but the degrees of guilt and accordingly what sentence should be applied. If it was just a matter of guilt or innocence, they would not have to go to the judge at Jerusalem. If the person was guilty, then the letter of the law should be applied, and there would be no problem. But obviously if they have to show them the sentence of judgement and they have to instruct them how to arrive at it, we are dealing with things that fall between the cracks. Things that aren’t specifically covered.

For example, it says in God’s law, that if a man has a slave, and he puts out the slave’s eye, or he breaks his tooth, the slave is entitled to his freedom. But what if he mangles his hand? Is the slave entitled to his freedom? The law does not mention mangled hands. It only talks about a tooth and an eye. What’s the answer? It must have happened that some other part of the anatomy was damaged, and the slave would wonder, does this give me my freedom or doesn’t it? So, the intent of the law had to be extracted from the literal instruction, looked at and a decision had to be made. Yes, this was obviously what God intended. He wasn’t just interested in eyes only or teeth only, He was interested in serious bodily injury, perpetrated on a slave. So, any such serious bodily injury would give the slave the right to his freedom. In other words, they looked behind the letter of the law to determine the intent of the law, so they could have equity. This was to enable the equitable intent of the law to be applied. This is what tsedaqah is.

In the Revised Standard Version, they use a different word. They use justice to translate mishpat, and equity to translate tsedaqah, to show that it is the equitable intent of the law which is meant by the Hebrew term tsedaqah. Literally, the Hebrew word tsedaqah means righteousness. In fact, many versions translate tsedaqah as righteousness. However, Hebrew does not have as many words as English. In Hebrew, one word frequently has a wide range of meanings. You have to know which meaning is intended in a particular passage, and not just blindly translate it the same way all the time. And so, it is obvious from the grammatical construction and the way it was applied in David’s reign, that this was the intent. The equitable intent of the law is what is meant by tsedaqah, and by ensuring equity is applied, righteousness will be obtained.

The Bible preserves for our instruction several situations which David faced; situations where he had to apply tsedaqah as well as just mishpat. It may not be just a case of something not covered in the law. Sometimes a crime was committed and there is no doubt the crime has been committed. It is a crime specifically mentioned in the law, a penalty is specifically assigned in the law for that crime, but to just apply the penalty would not really carry out true equity or righteousness. Equity would not be served. Justice would not truly be served by carrying out blindly the penalty for the infraction. And so, because of the special circumstances, something has to be done with the penalty. It needs to be made stiffer, a harsher penalty than provided for in the law be exacted to achieve equity, or because of the special circumstances, the opposite may be true. You have to soften the penalty because of the special circumstances. That’s what equity sometimes requires.

In our system, we don’t always have that leeway. Many times, sentences cannot be reduced or increased beyond certain limits because of sentencing laws enacted by the government of the day. But in Israel they could go either way because the interest was to ensure justice. So, if justice was served by making the penalty harsher, the judge could do it. If justice could be truly served by making it less harsh, the judge could do that as well.

In this Q&A, we will cover two situations in the life of David. The first situation mentioned where David was required to make a judgement was after he had committed adultery with Uriah’s wife Bathsheba and murdered Uriah. We find this in 2 Samuel 12:1-6. “Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: ‘There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared it for the man who had come to him.’ So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, ‘As the LORD lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.’”

In a case like this, the law prescribes a penalty. Exodus 22:1 states, “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall restore five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.” Nowhere does the law specify that the death penalty is required. Applying mishpat (justice) only requires restoration of four sheep. So why did David say the rich man should die? This is where tsedaqah (judgement) comes into play. The reason for David’s judgement was that the rich man had no pity. The lamb meant everything to its owner and wasn’t just an animal to him. It was like a son or daughter to him. He had a deep personal relationship with his lamb. He had raised it like a child. The rich man could easily have provided out of his own abundance for the wayfaring stranger and not even have missed it. But he hardened his heart to such a point that he took this poor man’s possession.

The fact that the owner of the lamb was poor of itself did not affect the penalty.  God’s law specifically says not to favor the poor. God stated this in Leviticus 19:15. “You shall do no injustice in judgement. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.”

After David declared the righteous judgement, Nathan informed him in 2 Samuel 12:7-12, that he was the rich man. “Then Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: “I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I would have also given you much more! Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.” Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.”’”

In this statement by Nathan, God reminded David that God gave him Saul’s house, or office, and Saul’s wives. When David was anointed king, he inherited Saul’s wives, and they joined his already existing harem. In the Middle East, this is how it was publicly symbolized that a person had succeeded to the throne. He may or may not have relations with them but they are his. It’s a sign of coming to royal power. When we read of Absalom’s rebellion soon after this, one of the things he did was to have sexual relations with David’s wives publicly. This was a way of saying “I have taken over the kingship.”

We should also point out that it was wrong for David to have more than one wife. Note our Q&A on polygamy for further explanation. https://www.eternalgod.org/question-and-answer-713/

We can also note that God gave David the house of Israel and Judah. After the death of Saul, the houses of Israel and Judah were never truly united. They had one king over them but they were partially divided, and finally totally divided after the death of Solomon.

Because David truly repented, God did not demand the death penalty that David himself had proclaimed, but God applied other severe penalties until David’s death. But nowhere did God state that David’s pronouncement of the death penalty for the rich man was excessive.

Another incident where David was required to give a judgement is in 2 Samuel 14. In this instance, David’s son Amnon had raped Absalom’s sister Tamar. Two years later, Absalom had his half-brother Amnon murdered. He then fled to his maternal grandfather’s homeland of Geshur and remained there for another three years.

In 2 Samuel 13:39, we read, “And king David longed to go to Absalom. For he had been comforted concerning Amnon because he was dead.” Here we see that David longed to go to Absalom but felt legally he could not because Absalom was a murderer. He longed after Absalom but analyzing the law, it wasn’t just a matter that Absalom deserved to be sentenced to death, but David himself quite possibly could have been the executioner if he was the nearest male relative of the murdered Amnon. He could have been considered to be the avenger of blood.

At this time Joab, the commander of the army, saw the problem that David was experiencing over this matter with Absalom. In 2 Samuel 14:1-3 we read what Joab did to resolve this problem. “So Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was concerned about Absalom. And Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman, and said to her, ‘Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel; do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has been mourning a long time for the dead. Go to the king and speak to him in this manner.’ So Joab put the words in her mouth.”

In 2 Samuel 14:4-11 she pleads her pretended case. “And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself, and said, ‘Help, O king!’ Then the king said to her, ‘What troubles you?’ And she answered, ‘Indeed I am a widow, my husband is dead. Now your maidservant had two sons; and the two fought with each other in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other and killed him. And now the whole family has risen up against your maidservant, and they said, “Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may execute him for the life of his brother whom he killed; and we will destroy the heir also.” So they would extinguish my ember that is left, and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant on the earth.’ Then the king said to the woman, ‘Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.’ And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, ‘My lord, O king, let the iniquity be on me and on my father’s house, and the king and his throne be guiltless.’ So the king said, ‘Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you anymore.’ Then she said, ‘Please let the king remember the LORD your God, and do not permit the avenger of blood to destroy anymore, lest they destroy my son.’ And he said, ‘As the LORD lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.’”

Here we see an example of David weighing up the circumstances of this supposed case and pronouncing his judgement. If only justice was considered, the brother should be put to death, if he was guilty of murder; or he had to flee to a city of refuge to stay there until the death of the high priest, if he was guilty of manslaughter (compare Exodus 21:12-14). But David considered that the widow had no one else to provide for her in her old age, as she said, “they would extinguish my ember that is left,” as embers provide warmth, symbolic of support. He also considered the fact that the inheritance might be removed from this part of the family and given to a different part of the family for their benefit, thus extinguishing this particular line of the family’s inheritance, Therefore, David removed the justified penalty. Another factor was that there was no one in the field to intervene in the fight and prevent the murder or manslaughter.

In 2 Samuel 14:12-17, the supposed widow then explains how this case and judgement that David has pronounced also applies to the situation with David, Amnon and Absalom. “Therefore the woman said, ‘Please, let your maidservant speak another word to the lord the king.’ And he said, ‘Say on.’ So the woman said: ‘Why then have you schemed such a thing against the people of God? For the king speaks this thing as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring his banished one home again. For we will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away a life; but He devises means, so that His banished ones are not expelled from Him. Now therefore, I have come to speak of this thing to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. And your maidservant said, “I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his maidservant. For the king will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the inheritance of God.” Your maidservant said, “The word of the lord my king will now be comforting; for as the angel of God, so is my lord the king in discerning good and evil. And may the LORD your God be with you.”’”

So, the widow requested that as David pardoned the widow’s son who killed or perhaps even murdered his brother, he should also be able to pardon Absalom who murdered his half-brother Amnon.

Now David realized that Joab was involved in this case and that David could pardon Absalom because of the similarities in both situations. Both the invented case brought by the widow and the real case of Amnon and Absalom involved brother killing brother. One particularly strong reason for the similarities, and one that condemned David himself, was that no one was in the field to part the widow’s sons. In the case of Absalom murdering Amnon, David was very angry, but there is no mention of him punishing Amnon for his crime of rape, this being a breach of justice. If David had been the intercessor and had punished Amnon justly, Absalom might not have murdered Amnon two years later. This implies that David might have been a causative factor in the crime of murder.

After all these events, David pardoned Absalom and allowed Joab to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem, but David did not see Absalom. 2 Samuel 14:28 says: “And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, but did not see the king’s face.” But when Absalom was killed by Joab for rebelling and assuming the kingship, David wept over his death. He probably realized that he was partly responsible for this unfortunate outcome.

So, while David was overall a man after God’s heart, and is praised because he ruled mainly with judgement and justice, he still exhibited human frailties, one of them being not applying correct justice and judgement within his own family.

As mentioned above, when Jesus Christ returns, He will rule in judgement and justice, and this is mentioned in Isaiah 11:3. “His delight is in the fear of the LORD, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears; But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.”

In the book of Habakkuk, God reveals why He does not hear Habakkuk’s cry to Him. A large part of the reason is the lack of true justice and judgement. Habakkuk 1:4. “Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore perverse judgement proceeds.”

In concluding passages, God gives us a warning about judging in an unrighteous manner. This is explained well in Matthew 7:1-2 in the Amplified Bible (copyright 2015). “Do not judge and criticize and condemn [others unfairly with an attitude of self-righteous superiority as though assuming the office of a judge], so that you will not be judged [unfairly]. For just as you [hypocritically] judge others [when you are sinful and unrepentant], so will you be judged; and in accordance with your standard of measure [used to pass out judgment], judgment will be measured to you.”

But John 7:24 informs us how we should judge. Again, from the Amplified Bible, “Do not judge by appearance [superficially and arrogantly], rather judge fairly and righteously.

As we have the hope of being like God and being God—a member of the God Family—we should learn to live with both justice and righteous judgement, copying Christ’s example, in order to please Him.

Lead Writer: Paul Niehoff (Australia)

A new Member Letter (June 2024) has been posted and mailed to our subscribers. Pastor Michael Link presents an extensive review of our recent Church Conference.

“Gottes Geist der Liebe,” is the title of the German sermon for Pentecost, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “God’s Spirit of Love.”

“Krieg – er liegt in der Natur des Menschen,” the German sermonette presented by Mike Richter, is now posted. Title in English: “War – It Is in Human Nature.”

“Our Life Saver,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Michael Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

There are occupations where lifesaving plays an important role for physical protection but there is something else they can’t provide. How can our lives be saved and what is required of us to achieve this? What has God given us that would save our lives and do WE not offer life-saving advice to the world?

“Time,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Brian Gale, is now posted. Here is a summary:

This sermon looks at the matter of time – something that we can’t see, touch, feel, smell or taste but something that we are well aware of. There are seven different points which are discussed.

On June 8, 2024, Michael Link will present the sermonette, titled, “Our Life Saver,” and Brian Gale will present the sermon, titled, “Time.”

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.

Recently I went with my wife to Ramona, California, in order to attend our annual Church Conference, where we discussed, among other things, different church organizations in the body of Christ. It was very nice to see many brethren again and to once again have the chance to welcome them with open arms after such a long time. For some, it had been over 13 years since I had seen them in person, for others a little less. And yet, it is always a great feeling to be able to reunite with brethren and their families.

In August 2008, the Church of the Eternal God broadcasted the program “AufPostenStehen” in Germany for the first time, and my initial contact with the Church took place in October of the same year. Then, in September 2009, we were baptized in Ramona and had our Church wedding at the Feast of Tabernacles in San Diego in October.

The Church of the Eternal God, operating as the Kirche des Ewigen Gottes in Germany, grew steadily with new members, and each year more and more were baptized. This means that God has called some out of this terrible world to bring them as firstfruits into the Family of God. Not only was it a wonderful feeling to see the growing membership; it was overwhelming to understand the power with which God is working in us, leading us and revealing His Truth to us.

But being a member of God’s Family means having responsibility, sincerity, faithfulness, sacrifice, consistency, love, humility and fear of the Lord our God. This implies that we all have a task to fulfill and to do it steadfastly until the return of Christ, exactly in the place where God has planted us. Thus, if we have been called into the Church of the Eternal God or its affiliated international organizations, then we have an obligation to it— unless the Truth would no longer be fully preached there!

But in the nearly 15 years that my wife and I have been in the Church of the Eternal God, we have repeatedly seen brethren leaving us and resigning from the Church. Some left because of selfishness, pride, wrong ideas or resentment towards other members, and even because of personal disputes with the ministry.

Some of them have left for other church groups that emerged from the [now defunct] Worldwide Church of God after the death of the human leader, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong; or they have left the Way of God altogether.

It must be understood that many different groups have arisen because they no longer agree with the doctrines of God’s Truth. Some leaders and their members have developed their own ideas and no longer teach the plain truth. They have become lukewarm. Others have formed church organizations out of pride, greed and job preservation, looking for members, or acting for other nonsensical reasons.

Why would one do that? Why do people leave the part of the body of Christ into which they were baptized, even though the Truth of God is still taught there without compromise? Quite possibly, to avoid having to deal honestly with their underlying personal problems!

Or could God have made a mistake? Is it simply no longer fashionable to remain faithful to the part of the body of Christ that is endowed with the Spirit of Philadelphia, to which God has called us?

Would it actually be a good alternative to simply walk away from one’s commitment of remaining faithful to one’s God-ordained place and instead move on to another church organization—one that may be part of the body of Christ but does not manifest the same enthusiasm and love for the Truth; that has compromised with the Truth; or that does not fulfill the Church commission of proclaiming the gospel as a witness? Or would it be a bad compromise?

Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 12:13, 24-25, 27: “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit… But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another… Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.”

And Christ tells us in John 15:1, 5: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser… I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

Personally, I see these statements with a very special emphasis.

If we cut ourselves off as a branch from the sweet vine of God for personal reasons or problems and try to cling to “another vine” that does not bear the same fruit, or if we move to an opposite vineyard, we may produce fruit, but it will never be the same as it was before and was expected of us.

So, leaving the Church organization that has remained faithful to the Truth is, in most cases, a bad compromise!

We must understand that God does not make mistakes. God is perfect in everything He does.  David, inspired by God, wrote in Psalm 18:30: “As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.”

In Mr. Michael Link’s Editorial from October 29, 2020, he said: “We must NEVER leave Him out of the picture, but put matters into His hands (Jeremiah 17:5-8). This is very difficult to do at times, especially in the heat of the moment. We must keep our heads high and look to God for help.”

And finally, let us remember one thing: “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

We must therefore ensure that we remain faithful to God’s assignment to the part of His body that He has ordained for us, provided that the perfect Truth from God’s Word continues to be preached there!

Initial translation from German: Daniel Blasinger

by Norbert Link

We begin with the support of many Palestinians for Hamas; Joe Biden’s seemingly naïve evaluation of the current situation in the Middle East; Hungary’s fight with the EU; and the unwillingness of the UK to watch Europe, while being involved in a political turmoil prior to the general election.

We continue with Germany’s push for mandatory military service and the duplicity of Defense Minister Boris Pistorius; the election of leftist Claudia Sheinbaum to the office of President of Mexico;  and the indebtedness of many American banks.

We speak on our terrible judicial system which has become thoroughly politicized, as exemplified by the unparalleled corrupt trial against and conviction of Donald Trump whose further fate will still have to be decided by a biased and unpredictable judge. Please view in this regard our recent StandingWatch program, titled, “Trump Guilty—Shame on America”  and our subsequent message, titled, “Trump’s Guilty Verdict—More to Come?—Comments on News and Prophecy, June 1, 2024”.

We continue with Biden’s hypocritical response to the verdict and also the appearance of his witness tampering and we conclude with Dr. Fauci’s refusal to admit any guilt for his horrible conduct during the Covid pandemic. Please view in this regard our newest StandingWatch program, titled, “Fauci’s God Complex.” 

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

Many Palestinians Favor Hamas

Israel Today wrote on June 3:

“The majority of Arab residents of Judea and Samaria believe that the Hamas terrorist group will emerge from the war with Israel strengthened. To the question, ‘Do you estimate that the war will end with a rise or fall in the popularity of Hamas among Palestinians?’ 55% said the terror group’s popularity would rise. Only 13.1% thought Hamas’s popularity would decline and 27.3% said its popularity wouldn’t change.

“The Jerusalem Media & Communication Centre, an Arab NGO in Jerusalem, conducted the survey almost eight months after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack.

“Nearly 40% of respondents said the attack served ‘national Palestinian interests’ while 30.2% thought it would hurt those interests. Another 23.5% said it didn’t hurt or help. More than 41% of those surveyed said that the war would end in Hamas’s favor. Only 6.3% said it would end to Israel’s advantage.”

This totally destroys the often repeated wrong left-wing narrative that only a small minority of Palestinians support Hamas.

Hamas Unable to Strike Again?

The New York Post wrote on May 31:

“President Biden announced a proposed Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip without defeating Hamas Friday — claiming that the terrorist group is now incapable of ‘carrying out another October 7th.’ Biden asserted that Hamas had been all but crushed militarily…

“Netanyahu’s office… insisted Israel’s war will not end [and there will NOT be a permanent ceasefire] ‘until all its objectives are achieved, including the destruction of Hamas’s military and governing capabilities.’”

The seeming naivety of Joe Biden is stunning.

Biden Attacks Netanyahu

Breitbart wrote on June 4:

“Biden suggested in an interview published in Time magazine on Tuesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is prolonging the war in Gaza for ‘his own political self-preservation.’…

“The only Israelis suggesting that Netanyahu is deliberately prolonging the war are on the far left of the political spectrum. The Israeli public supports the continuation of the war in Gaza until victory by overwhelming margins. Biden has been hostile to Netanyahu since the latter won his election in November 2022, refusing to meet with the Israeli leader for nearly a year. He traveled to Israel after the October 7 attacks, but has since backed efforts to oust Netanyahu.

“Biden resents Netanyahu because the Israeli leader is resisting American pressure to accept a Palestinian state as an outcome of the war. The Israeli public overwhelmingly backs Netanyahu’s position on the issue after decades of Hamas terror.”

There will never be a deep friendship between Biden and Netanyahu.

Hungary vs. EU

AFP wrote on June 2:

“Tens of thousands of Hungarians rallied at a ‘peace march’ Saturday called by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is increasingly stoking fears of a war between the West and Russia…

“As Moscow’s closest EU ally despite its invasion of Ukraine, Orban has refused to send weapons to Kyiv while blocking European military aid. He has repeatedly said Ukraine ‘cannot win’, claiming that ‘most people want’ a ceasefire and peace negotiations…

“On Friday, Orban accused the defense alliance of ‘dragging’ Hungary into war over Ukraine, comparing it to how Adolf Hitler had pressured the country into joining World War II.”

Interesting comments and comparisons.

UK Uninformed About Europe

The Daily Mail wrote on June 3:

“More than 370 million people are entitled to vote [in European elections] between June 6 and 9, an electorate second in size only to India’s. As the EU has continued to centralise power, the European Parliament has become less like an international assembly and more like the legislature of a superstate. That superstate is taking shape right next door to us and, although we are each other’s largest trading partners, our relations have often been marred since Brexit by the tendency in Brussels to see us as a rebel province.

“In short, you might think we would be interested. So why so little coverage? Is it that we have become more insular as a result of Brexit?…

“No, what we are seeing is a reminder that this country was never especially community-minded in its outlook. In 1950, as Labour’s then foreign secretary, Ernest Bevin, put it: ‘Britain is not “part of Europe”, she is simply not a Luxembourg.’

“As long as we were members, we did our best to pay attention. Turnout at our European elections may have been in the low thirties, but at least we had a vague idea of who Jacques Delors and Jean-Claude Juncker were. The moment we left, though, our gaze snapped back to the Commonwealth and the other English-speaking democracies…”

The situation is not unlike the one in the USA where most Americans are not interested as to what is happening in the rest of the world. And this means, there will be a rude awakening soon for both the UK and the USA.

UK in Political Uproar

The Daily Mail wrote on June 3:

“Nigel Farage has vowed to lead a ‘political revolt’ against the Conservatives and Labour, after announcing he will lead the Reform Party for the next five years and stand for Parliament in the Essex seaside town of Clacton. The veteran Brexiteer argued that Britons are ‘furious’ at how both Labour and the Conservatives have approached the immigration crisis, adding there is also ‘deep anger’ at the rate at which public services are ‘disintegrating’….

“Mr Sunak suffered the darkest hour of his election campaign yesterday afternoon. During a dramatic 60 minutes, the Prime Minister suffered a double blow as Nigel Farage entered the fray and a new poll predicted a Tory wipeout…. Writing in The Telegraph yesterday, [Farage] alleged that the UK has been ‘failed by two main parties’ who have ‘conspired to accelerate our decline’… He argued that neither the Tories nor Labour have a ‘plan to pull this country out of a deep economic hole’ and that both are ‘hooked on a deadly addiction to mass immigration‘. The Reform Party leader… claimed that voters feel ‘sick’ at the Government’s ‘policy of betrayal’.”

It was stated that Farage’s intervention “risks handing Sir Keir Starmer [Labour’s party leader] a ‘blank cheque’ to reverse Brexit.” The UK’s general election will be held on July 4. Whatever the outcome, we do not believe that Brexit will ever be reversed.

Breitbart wrote on June 4:

“While Farage is arguably one of the most impactful post-World War II political figures in the United Kingdom — having led the charge to lead the country out from under the thumb of the European Union and the unelected cadre of Brussels bureaucrats — he has never held office in Britain, a point frequently brought up by his detractors…

“That is not to say, however, that the populist campaigner is without a history of electoral success, having been elected to serve as a British Member of the European Parliament from 1999 until the UK’s withdrawal from the bloc in 2020. In the most recent election in which he meaningfully campaigned — the 2019 EU Parliament elections — Farage’s Brexit Party secured a staggering 5.2 million votes compared to 1.5 million for Theresa May’s Conservatives…

“… chief political correspondent for the globalist Financial Times newspaper, Jim Pickard… said that while it is an ‘aberration’ for third-party candidates to win seats in the House of Commons, he ‘wouldn’t bet against Farage right now.’”

Germany’s Conscription—Coming?

The Frankfurter Allgemeine wrote on May 29:

“In the debate about various conscription models, Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius sees the sending of muster questionnaires to young adults as the first step. In the event of a defense, conscription would be automatically activated immediately, said the SPD politician on Wednesday during a visit to troops in northern Germany. However, they couldn’t be drafted at all because [the government] does not know where or who the 18-year-old young men actually are. ‘We are currently working on rebuilding military registration – and that is why the question of sending out muster questionnaires is a first step.’

“In view of the armed forces’ personnel needs, Pistorius emphasized how important for the Bundeswehr the ability is to grow in the reserves. They are formed from the training of those doing military service or from the other male and female soldiers. Compulsory military service is currently suspended. According to Pistorius, those who decided this in 2011 for fiscal reasons simultaneously destroyed all structures that made military registration possible. But this is mandatory.”

With his conflicting and contradictory statements, Pistorius is hard to pin down, but the bottom line is: He needs to be watched.

Deutsche Welle reported on June 5:

“‘We must be ready for war by 2029,’ the defense minister said during a questioning session in Germany’s lower house of parliament, the Bundestag… ‘In an emergency, we need strong young women and men who can defend this country.’ Pistorius also said that, for that reason, he believed a ‘new form of military service’ was necessary, that ‘cannot be completely free of obligations.’”

Mexico Elects Claudia Sheinbaum

The Associated Press wrote on June 3:

“Claudia Sheinbaum will become the first woman president in the country’s 200-year history… The climate scientist and former Mexico City mayor said that her two competitors had called her and conceded her victory… Sheinbaum will also be the first person from a Jewish background to lead the overwhelmingly Catholic country. She will start her six-year term Oct. 1. Mexico’s constitution does not allow reelection.

“The leftist has said she believes the government has a strong role to play in addressing economic inequality and providing a sturdy social safety net…

“Just as the upcoming November rematch between U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump has underscored deep divisions in the U.S., Sunday’s election revealed how severely polarized public opinion is in Mexico over the direction of the country, including its security strategy and how to grow the economy.”

The Associated Press added on June 3:

“Sheinbaum, the favored successor of outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, vowed to continue on the direction set by the populist leftist leader… López Obrador claims to have reduced historically high homicide levels by 20% since he took office in December 2018. But that’s largely a claim based on a questionable reading of statistics. The real homicide rate appears to have declined by only about 4% in six years.”

U.S. Banks Indebted and Near Bankruptcy

The Daily Hodl wrote on June 2:

“Unrealized losses in the US banking system are once again on the rise, according to new numbers from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). In its Quarterly Banking Profile report, the FDIC says banks are now saddled with more than half a trillion dollars in paper losses on their balance sheets, due largely to exposure to the residential real estate market…

“The FDIC also says that the number of lenders on its Problem Bank List rose last quarter. According to the agency, [63] banks are on the brink of insolvency due to financial, operational, or managerial weakness or a combination of such issues.”

Our Political Injustice System

On June 3, Ron Paul wrote in his weekly column:

“I’ve long criticized our current US justice system – on all levels – as becoming much more about political justice than blind justice. The bizarre trial and conviction of former President Donald Trump last week on 34 felonies only reinforces my concerns.

“The New York District Attorney, Soros-backed Alvin Bragg, has been notorious for downgrading felony charges against others to misdemeanor charges. According to a recent article in the Daily Mail, Bragg had downgraded 60 percent of felony cases to lesser charges, resulting in violent criminals being released on the streets and a crime wave across New York City. But when it came to Donald Trump, Bragg lurched in the other direction, upgrading what normally would have been misdemeanor charges against anyone else to 34 felony charges against the former president. How can this sudden ‘about-face’ be explained other than politics?…

“Regardless of one’s view of Donald Trump, it is a disturbing development in our society when justice is treated more like a football game where you root for your ‘team’ rather than a way of preserving our freedom and liberty in an equal way for all.

“The real goal of the trial was political. None other than George Soros’ son Alex let the cat out of the bag recently when he advised fellow Trump-haters how to take advantage of the trial result. He posted on Twitter after the verdict, ‘Democrats should refer to Trump as a convicted felon at every opportunity. Repetition is the key to a successful message and we want people to wrestle with the notion of hiring a convicted felon for the most important job in the country!’

“It was not about justice in any way. It was all about being able to call the likely Republican presidential nominee a ‘felon’ so as to undermine his support among voters. In other words, election interference.

“The market has a way of prevailing, however. The repeated attempts at using ‘lawfare’ to remove Trump from the political scene have all backfired and actually have served to make the former president even more popular among voters. Immediately after Trump’s conviction on the 34 charges he began sending out fundraising appeals based on his ‘persecution’ by the state of New York. As of this writing, he has, according to press reports, raised over $200 million for his campaign.

“The politicization of justice is not limited to the Democratic Party. The wind sown by political opponents of Donald Trump may well become the whirlwind they reap when their own political opponents are in positions of power. When that is the case, we all lose.”

Sadly, the left-wing mass media is unable or unwilling to read the handwriting on the wall. And the few conservative media outlets dwell on unrealistic hopes and wishful thinking for the future.

“What a Farce!”

Piers Morgan wrote in The Sun on May 31:

“WHAT a farce. That was my instant reaction as I left the recording of Thursday night’s BBC Question Time to hear the bombshell breaking news that Donald Trump had been convicted on all counts in the Stormy Daniels hush money trial. And my feelings only intensified on the journey home into utter incredulity that such a stinking, stupid, senseless act of self-harming partisan political claptrap had been allowed to happen.

“Trump’s no angel, we all know that. But for America to drag one of its 46 presidents through a criminal court over this tawdry, tacky, pathetically trivial case is so damaging to the country’s reputation. Frankly, who cares if Trump did or didn’t have a one-night stand with a porn star 18 years ago, and then paid her off to keep quiet about it?

“Is that any worse than what Bill Clinton did when he had ‘sexual relations’ with Monica Lewinsky in the Oval Office and then lied to the American people about it, or paid Paula Jones off with $850,000 to settle her sexual harassment case against him? And don’t even get me started on JFK and all his sexual shenanigans which included one of his myriad girlfriends Judith Exner passing classified CIA plans for the assassination of Fidel Castro to Chicago mafia boss Sam Giancana.  

‘There’s a sickening hypocrisy behind the Democrat campaign to beat Trump in the 2024 election by trying to incarcerate him for doing far less serious things with Stormy Daniels than their own presidents did with women. And Trump’s conviction sets a horribly dangerous precedent for US political parties to weaponize the justice system against their opponents.

“But the reason it’s so dumb as well as dangerous is because it will inevitably make Trump an even stronger candidate to win back the White House against an ageing, ailing, deeply disliked President Biden.

“Within [a few] hours of the verdicts, his presidential campaign received a staggering $34 million in donations, nearly doubling its single day fundraising record. [Within 24 hours after the verdict, his campaign received 53 million dollars, with 1/3 coming from new donors.]

“Money talks in elections, and Trump’s enraged support has never looked more fired up, or more determined to see him re-elected. Even if he’s jailed when he’s sentenced in July, it will only make him a bigger and more popular martyr…”

To be clear, even an incarcerated Donald Trump could still be elected President and run the country from his prison cell.

A Machine-Gun Mob-Style Hit Job

Express wrote on May 31:

“Former prime minister [Boris Johnson] defends the US presidential candidate [Donald Trump], saying the case against the Republican was a ‘load of stunted-up old nonsense’ [and a] ‘machine-gun mob-style hit job.’…

“Current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Labour opponent Sir Keir Starmer have both refused to criticise the jury’s verdict… But Mr Johnson… called the conviction ‘authoritarian and corrupt’… ‘It was nakedly political. It was completely artificial.’… “

Johnson is right, and Sunak’s and Starmer’s “political correctness” is sad.

Even CNN Trashes Verdict

Breitbart wrote on May 31:

“CNN legal analyst Elie Honig has published an article in New York magazine pointing out many of the procedural flaws behind the prosecution of former President Donald Trump… Among other problems, Honig noted that no state prosecutor had ever tried to enforce federal election laws before. Many legal observers have said that the Manhattan district attorney had no authority or jurisdiction to do so.

“Honig wrote: ‘The charges against Trump are obscure, and nearly entirely unprecedented. In fact, no state prosecutor — in New York, or Wyoming, or anywhere — has ever charged federal election laws as a direct or predicate state crime, against anyone, for anything. None. Ever. Even putting aside the specifics of election law, the Manhattan DA itself  almost never brings any case in which falsification of business records is the only charge.”

Honig also wrote:

‘“The judge donated money — a tiny amount, $35, but in plain violation of a rule prohibiting New York judges from making political donations of any kind — to a pro-Biden, anti-Trump political operation, including funds that the judge earmarked for ‘resisting the Republican Party and Donald Trump’s radical right-wing legacy.’”

This is so telling. This whole corrupt circus show trial makes one sick.

Will Merchan Impose Jail Time?

The Editorial Board of the New York Post wrote on May 31:

“Don’t think the political games are done just because Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg and Judge Juan Merchan have engineered a kangaroo-court conviction of President Donald Trump: Sentencing is still ahead. Conveniently…, Merchan set that hearing for July 11, just four days before the Republican convention opens. That gives him a perfect time to look at the polls and see if President Biden needs yet more help. If Trump’s current narrow lead increases these next six weeks, bet on Merchan to demand hard time.

“Yes, legal experts say it’s beyond rare for a judge to send a first offender, convicted of a non-violent crime, to prison. But this judge has proven himself more than willing to burst far past the boundaries of decency where Trump is concerned. It’s no secret that the whole dog-and-pony show was politically driven… Why would [Merchan] refrain from an unprecedented punishment, especially if the verdict alone isn’t slowing Trump’s momentum?

“If [Trump’s] polling [is] even better [than Trump’s currently lead over Biden by 6 points], come July 11, Merchan’s fellow Democratic hacks will be in full panic, demanding he ‘save the country’… Ordering Trump behind bars is no more outrageous than all the other violations of norms in this case.”

Reuters wrote on June 3:

“Donald Trump said on Sunday he would accept home confinement or jail time… but that it would be tough for the public to accept… ‘You know, at a certain point, there’s a breaking point.’”

Trump also said that he told his lawyers not to beg the judge not to send him to prison. Law Professor Alan Dershowitz does not think that Merchan will be so stupid as to imprison Trump, but he might give him a suspended jail sentence. Note the next article.

The Whole Thing Was Made Up

Newsmax wrote on June 2, 2024:

“New York City Judge Juan Merchan will likely sentence former President Donald Trump to up to three years in prison, but will suspend the sentence, Harvard Law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz [said]… ‘The judge, I’m sure, made up his mind what he was going to sentence him to before the verdict came back, because he knew what the verdict was going to be based on the instructions. The jury had no choice but to convict.’ The trial, meanwhile, ‘wasn’t a trial’ but a ‘predetermined, orchestrated result,’ Dershowitz said… ‘Nobody could have won’ the case, as it ‘didn’t matter what the facts or the lawyers were,’ said Dershowitz…

“‘There are dozens of appealable issues… I’ve never seen so many reversible errors.’ But even though ‘any first-year law student’ could win the appeal, that wouldn’t necessarily happen in New York because the appellate judges are elected by the same people ‘who were on the jury and that hate Donald Trump, so this has to get outside of New York City in order for there to be any kind of justice,’ said Dershowitz…

“Further, ‘the whole case was made up’ by imagining that Trump was trying to cheat on his taxes or hide a campaign contribution, said Dershowitz. ‘[Alvin Bragg] searched up and down to find the crime,’ he added. ‘He couldn’t find one. So he made one up… out of whole cloth. And I think any reasonable appellate court would find so many errors in this that they would reverse the conviction, not remand it for a new trial, but reverse it, dismiss it, and condemn the prosecutors for bringing it.’”

Since all of this seems to be so clear, shouldn’t the judge and the prosecutor be disbarred?

Biden “Responds”

Axios wrote on May 31:

“President Biden addressed former President Trump’s criminal conviction for the first time Friday, warning that it’s ‘reckless, dangerous, and irresponsible for anyone to say this was rigged just because they don’t like the verdict… The American principle that no one is above the law was reaffirmed…

“‘Our justice system should be respected, and we should never allow anyone to tear it down. It’s as simple as that… That’s America. That’s who we are. And that’s who we’ll always be, God willing,’ he concluded.”

What hypocrisy. Note the next two articles.

Breitbart wrote on July 1:

“On Friday’s ‘Mark Levin Show,’ Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) stated that there is ‘an extraordinary double standard’ in how Democrats pivoted from openly undermining the credibility of and attacking Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito over flags at his house [flown by his wife] to now demanding unquestioned agreement with the ruling in… former President Donald Trump’s trial… The whole thing just smacks of corruption.’”

One should also recall how leading Democrats viciously attacked the US Supreme Court for abolishing Roe v. Wade.

Biden Attacks Trump

Media ITE reported on June 4:

“‘For the first time in American history, a former president that is a convicted felon is now seeking the office of the presidency,’ Biden said at a fundraising event in Greenwich, Connecticut… ‘But as disturbing as that is, more damaging is the all-out assault Donald Trump is making on the American system of justice… ‘Something snapped in this guy for real’ after the 2020 election, Biden said. ‘It’s literally driving him crazy.’ Biden also called Trump ‘unhinged.’”

Witness Tampering?

The New York Post published the following article by Miranda Devine on June 2:

“The president flew into Wilmington, Del., on Sunday night, where his 54-year-old son’s felony gun trial begins Monday,  and will spend the whole day there with no official duties. Joe Biden’s looming presence in the strange small city leaves nobody in any doubt of the message he is sending to Delaware special counsel David Weiss, the prosecutors, the judge, and the jury pool being chosen Monday: You mess with my son, you mess with me. 

“It’s all very subtle, in a flagrant way, much like Joe’s impromptu visit to Hallie Biden, the widow of Beau and former lover of Hunter, just nine days before his son’s trial, at which she is the star witness for the prosecution. It was Hallie who threw Hunter’s new handgun in a trash can in October 2018 out of concern for his drug-addled mental state, creating a ticking legal time bomb that would propel him into court six years later. It was Hallie who found drugs and drug paraphernalia in his truck. Hallie, 50, even shared his crack addiction for a time, amid multiple drug rehab efforts.

“In a trial based on the allegation that Hunter lied on the gun shop’s federal background form on Oct. 12, 2018, when he checked ‘No’ on the question, ‘Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to” various narcotic drugs, Hallie’s understanding of his drug use will be key. Hunter’s defense is that the day he bought the gun was a rare day of sobriety…

“The potential for witness tampering in Joe’s late-night visit to Hallie was obvious… conspicuous Hunter sightings alongside his father have accelerated in the last two weeks… Perhaps the most flagrant of all was the May 23 state dinner for the president of Kenya where, yet again, the indicted first son rubbed shoulders with Attorney General Merrick Garland…

“Hunter’s California tax trial in September is high risk for Joe, as it will encompass 2014 and 2015, during which Hunter was earning $1 million from Burisma and his VP father had the Ukrainian prosecutor who was investigating the corrupt energy company fired.”

Biden seems to be getting away with his seemingly inappropriate conduct. Democrats are silent, and Republicans don’t speak much either. This country continues to go down on every level.

Biden’s Executive Order

BBC News wrote on June 4:

“ US President Joe Biden’s announcement of his executive action aimed at curbing migrant arrivals on the US border… will stop migrants who cross unlawfully from receiving asylum, and will make it easier for immigration officers to remove people in the US who are there illegally.

“The action takes affect when the southern border is ‘overwhelmed’, but the White House’s description did not come with any hard numbers that defined what an overwhelmed border would be. Biden’s announcement was met with criticism from Donald Trump’s campaign, and some of Trump’s key Republican allies. It was also met with criticism from some Democrats and migrant advocacy groups.

“And in Mexico, there was uncertainty of what the executive action could mean for the border cities where many try to cross into the US.”

Newsmax added on June 4:

“President Joe Biden’s new border plan is just window dressing, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday… Johnson reminded people Biden said four months ago he had done all he could do. ‘He tried to convince us all for all this time that there was no way he could possibly fix the mess,’ Johnson said. ‘Remember that he engineered it’… Johnson noted Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas issued 64 executive orders to open up the border…

“The House speaker said, if Biden was really concerned about the border, he would have issued the executive order a long time ago…”

The New York Post wrote on June 4:

“Whereas the law says that Biden and [impeached] Mayorkas must detain illegal migrants, the pair have instead released nearly all of them, more than 3.9 million by my conservative estimates. Those releases encouraged even more foreign nationals to come here illegally from all over the globe. That surge has overwhelmed border agents to such a degree that they couldn’t stop nearly 1.7 million others from entering illegally and evading Border Patrol apprehension.

“A compliant media largely ignored this crisis until the Mayorkas impeachment and negotiations over a Senate border bill last winter pushed it to the fore… He’s using a 72-year-old immigration authority — section 212(f) — to bar migrant asylum claims…

“His new executive order is simply a deceitful press stunt he hopes will shore up his rock-bottom ratings from voters on the crisis.”

It’s all about politics and the desire to be elected.

Fauci Personifies Systematic Failure

Breitbart wrote on June 3:

“Dr. Anthony Fauci refused to disavow business, church, and school closures during his testimony before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic on Monday while continuing to justify mask and vaccine mandates during a line of questioning with Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX). ‘Dr. Fauci’s testimony before this subcommittee underscores a shocking lack of accountability,’ Cloud said in an exclusive statement to Breitbart News following Fauci’s testimony. ‘His claims of ignorance about key decisions — whether it’s the arbitrary six-foot distancing rule, school closures, or funding dangerous research in Chinese labs — are both disturbing and unacceptable. Fauci personifies the systemic failure within our federal agencies, where passing the buck is the norm, not the exception,’ the congressman continued.

“During his line of questioning, Cloud went through a list of coronavirus mitigation measures that Fauci supported throughout the pandemic, beginning with business closures, asking if that was justified… [continuing with] church closures…, mask mandates for adults, mask mandates for children, mask mandates for children under five… vaccine mandates for employees, vaccine mandates for students, and vaccine mandates for the military…

“Cloud took to social media after his line of questioning to the former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) chief, writing, ‘I asked Dr. Fauci a simple yes or no question: Did he believe school, business, and church closures, mask mandates, and stay-at-home orders were justified?… He refused to disavow those measures, despite knowing they were ineffective,’ the congressman added.”

Fauci’s performance throughout his “tenure” was horrible, but no admission of guilt or an apology can be detected. This means, in a similar situation, he would recommend the same terrible and insane measures.

Fauci’s God Complex

The New York Post wrote on June 4:

“… as two weeks to stop the spread turned into two years of moving the goalposts… it was clear the doctor was developing a God complex. And much of our media became higher clergy genuflecting at every turn. Many adherents found in Fauci a religious purpose, with a mask and a needle serving as virtue symbols and ‘Trust the science’ as their main recitation.

“Anyone with questions or objections was a heretic to be shamed. We were forced to mold our society around these arbitrary and draconian rules…  Parents who advocated for schools to reopen were ostracized and called ‘grandma killers.’… there was no humility and no openness from Fauci & Co. — only suppression and control…. He leaves in his wake a tidal wave of American distrust in institutions. And an absolute inability to see his role in dissolving that trust.”

Planning Another Epidemic?

Ezra Levant wrote in Rebel News on June 1:

“One of the things I hated about the pandemic and the lockdowns was it was as if every country was acting in lockstep. It’s as if everyone was following Anthony Fauci or Theresa Tam in the United States and Canada. But they, too, were following the marching orders from the World Health Organization run by Doctor Tedros. And really, underneath it all, run by the Chinese Communist Party, which installed Tedros.

“What I think we should take away from that is that the decisions in your town, in your school, and at your workplace were not made in your town, at your school, or in your workplace. Odds are, they were concocted… at the… World Health Organization (WHO).

“The WHO is having its annual get-together called the World Health Assembly right now in Geneva, Switzerland. In response to that, I started seeing ads for a trucker-style convoy to come and protest against it.

“Covid-19 was one of the worst things that ever happened to us. It destroyed our lifestyle, destroyed our income, destroyed our family connections, destroyed our sense of community, and destroyed our civil liberties. It was the worst moment in many people’s lives. But for the public health bureaucrats, especially the globalist ones who are not rooted in any jurisdiction, it was the best time of their lives. They had power. They had respect. They were on TV every day.

“Obscure, unknown nobodies like Doctor Theresa Tam were suddenly being called Canada’s top doctor… Those people want another pandemic… so they can offer themselves up as the solution themselves and their plans and their budgets and their powers… We’re here because the decisions being made for you about you are not happening in the Canadian Parliament or your local legislature. They’re happening by unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats, diplomats and politicians at the United Nations.”

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.

Many times, we come across the concept that true Christians must be poor and live in poverty. But is this correct? Does the Bible require of true Christians to sell all they have and give it to the poor, so that they themselves become poor and dependent on others for their sustenance? Asking it this way, we should readily say how preposterous such a concept would be.

We find many Scriptures in the Bible about righteous people who were rich because God blessed them. God would not have blessed them with riches and wealth if having and possessing those would be wrong.

We read in Genesis 13:2: “Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold,” and Genesis 24:34-35 adds that he became rich because God had blessed him greatly. The same can be said about Abraham’s son Isaac (Genesis 26:12-14).

We all know of course about the incredible riches of Solomon, surpassing all kings of the earth in riches (1 Kings 10:23), because God blessed him greatly in that regard, as 1 Kings 3:13 tells us. Later, Solomon departed from God to an extent, but not because of his wealth, but because of his inability to control himself regarding women.

Job was very rich, and even though God took his wealth temporarily away, when Job repented of his sin of self-righteousness, God restored Job’s riches and blessed him even more than He had done before (Job 42:12-13).

The Bible is very clear that God blesses His people, at times, with riches and wealth. This fact completely rules out the concept that being rich is wrong, a curse, and ungodly. David even said that he was young and grew old, and he never saw the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread (Psalm 37:25).

We read in Deuteronomy 8:18: “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”

Proverbs 10:22 says: “The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.”

The New Testament confirms that it is God’s wish for us to prosper and lead good Iives. We read in John 10:10 that Christ came “that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” 3 John 2 adds: “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things…”

On the other hand, God does not bless someone who is unrighteous. It is true, of course, that unrighteous people may be rich, but this would not be because of God’s blessings. We will address this later. God warns us that if we refuse to tithe diligently, for example, we cannot expect to be blessed by God.

Proverbs 3:9-10 states: “Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.”

And Malachi 3:8-11 says: “‘Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, “In what way have we robbed You?” In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,’ Says the LORD of hosts, ‘If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,’ Says the LORD of hosts…”

There are of course many warnings in the Bible regarding an unhealthy desire to become rich. As it is true for every aspect of life, we must submit to and wait for the will of God to be revealed in our lives. And God might have decided that He may not bless us with riches, at least not for now, and if that is the case, we should not try to preempt God and desperately seek riches and wealth—apart from God’s blessing. Desiring to become rich, even though God might not have backed up or honored such desire, would be wrong.

Proverbs 28:20 says: “A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished…”

Proverbs 23:4-5 adds: “Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven.”…

Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 6:9-11:

“But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things…”

This passage does not condemn riches and wealth per se, but it includes a warning for those who “desire” to be rich because of their “love of money” and “greediness.” Rather, Paul says, let us be content with what God has given us (1 Timothy 6:6-8).

Paul continues his warning in 1 Timothy 6:17-19:

“Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor TRUST in UNCERTAIN riches but in the living GOD, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do GOOD, that they be rich in good works, READY TO GIVE, WILLING TO SHARE, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”

Trusting in riches and wealth would be a terrible mistake. We read in Proverbs 11:4: “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death.” And Zephaniah 1:18 states: “Neither their silver nor their gold Shall be able to deliver them In the day of the LORD’S wrath…”

There are also warnings regarding wrong conduct when one is rich; that is, one who has become prosperous must be careful not to forget that GOD has blessed him.

We read in Deuteronomy 8:18 that we must remember God, “for it is He who gives you power to get wealth…”  Hosea 13:6 states: “When they had pasture, they were filled; They were filled and their heart was exalted; Therefore they forgot Me….”

Hosea 2:8-9 explains what will happen when we DO forget God and the source of our prosperity: “For she did not know That I gave her grain, new wine, and oil, And multiplied her silver and gold–Which they prepared for Baal. Therefore I will return and take away My grain in its time And My new wine in its season, And will take back My wool and My linen, Given to cover her nakedness.”

Another reason why someone who had been prosperous might become poor is explained in Proverbs 10:3-4: “The LORD will not allow the righteous soul to famish, But He casts away the desire of the wicked. He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.” Proverbs 27:23-24 adds: “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herds; For riches are not forever…”

Diligence is important. We are told that “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). And we must be diligent in preserving what God has blessed us with.

Proverbs 21:17 says: “He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not be [or stay] rich.” Even though God may bless us with riches, we have to do our part. We must not waste what God gave us. And, we must in no way act dishonestly in our pursuits. Proverbs 13:11 says: “Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, But he who gathers by labor will increase.”

We have to be diligent in our pursuits, without allowing wrong priorities to take over our lives. Paul says that when someone does not want to work, he should not even eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12). He cannot expect to be blessed by God with riches if he refuses to work for it.

We need to remember that we can leave God’s way if we desire to be rich. Christ warns of the deceitfulness of riches (Matthew 13:22). He told us that it will be difficult for a rich man who trusts in his riches and does not want to give up his wealth to enter the Kingdom of God (compare Mark 10:17-24).

God also warns us to not become envious of unrighteous people who might have become rich—but not as a result of God’s blessing. It could be easy to become unsatisfied with God, asking Him, how come they are blessed, and I am not?

Psalm 37:7, 16 says: “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass… A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked.”

Otherwise, we might easily charge God with wrong. That is why Agur said the following in Proverbs 30:7-9:

“Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches— Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, And say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God.”

But again, this does not make property, wealth and riches wrong per se. Some however claim that a Christian must be poor because, so they say, Christ was poor, referring to 2 Corinthians 8:9 to prove this assertion, which states: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” But Paul is using a comparison between the richness of the immortal God who owns everything, and, in contrast, the poverty of man whose insignificant riches might be here today and gone tomorrow.

There are numerous passages indicating that Jesus owned His own house—or perhaps even more than one. At times, though, when He was on a journey, He might not have been given shelter (Matthew 8:20; compare the context of His words in Luke 9:51-58), but this does not mean that Jesus was a homeless vagabond. The soldiers did not want to cut Jesus’ garments and clothing, when He was hanging on the cross (or better, stake), but they cast lots to determine who should receive them (Matthew 27:35; John 19:23-24). His garments and clothing were apparently not “cheap,” but of such a quality and value that the soldiers were willing to cast lots for them.

On the other hand, we all must be willing to give up everything to be able to inherit the Kingdom of God. This includes physical wealth and well-being, our health and security, and even our relatives and friends if a choice must be made between Christ and them. Christ tells us that when we love anything and anyone more than Him, we are not worthy of Him (Luke 14:26; Matthew 10:37). Otherwise, He tells us that He will bless us even in this life when we have our priorities correct (Mark 10:29-30).

Sometimes, we may be required to make tough decisions. Moses chose Christ and rejected the “passing pleasures of sin” and the “treasures of Egypt,” esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than those worldly treasures (Hebrews 11:25-26). Rather than laying up for himself “treasures on earth,” he laid up for himself treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19), “for he looked to the reward” (Hebrews 11:26).

We must be rich toward God (Luke 12:21). We must first seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all the things which we need (compare Philippians 4:19)—and many things which we might not even need—WILL be given to us by God (Matthew 6:33). God knows what we need, and He will look after us (Matthew 6:30, 32). Even though we might be considered “poor” by the worldly standards of the rich and ultra-rich, we possess the greatest riches that could be imagined.

Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 6:10 that we are to commend ourselves “as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” Note also Revelation 2:9. The world might look at us as relatively poor people, but we have been promised the inheritance of the Kingdom of God! What greater riches could there be?

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Fauci’s God Complex,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Dr. Fauci’s testimony this week before a House Subcommittee on the Coronavirus pandemic and measures taken to combat the same manifested a total lack of repentance or admission of guilt. Rather, it seems that, as the New York Post put it, Fauci developed a “God complex” and much of the media became “higher clergy” at every turn, while those with questions were labeled as “heretics.” Fauci might be gone, but his ideas are very much alive. Where did they originate? And where will YOU end up when the next pandemic strikes and similar, or even worse measures will be enacted? Will you follow and obey God or men?

“Trump Guilty – Shame on America,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

The conviction of Trump in a Manhattan courtroom is unparalleled. The proceedings by the judge and prosecution have been described as corrupt, illegal, unconstitutional and as a “travesty of justice,” which “stinks to high heaven.” What are the true facts, and what does GOD have to say about all of this?

“Trump schuldig – Schande für Amerika,” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This covers the same topic as described above.

“Müssen Christen arm sein?” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Must Christians Be Poor?”

“Was ist die wahre Religion?” last Sabbath’s Germon sermonette presented by Tahir Coban, is now posted. Title in English: “What is the true religion?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zapr8oD3yYI

“Do Your Emotions Rule You?” last Sabbath’s sermonette by Christoph Sperzel, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Today’s world is dominated by emotions! How can you safely get a grip on your feelings?

“Trump’s Guilty Verdict—More to Come?—Comments on News and Prophecy, June 1, 2024,” last Sabbath’s comments by Norbert Link are now posted. Here is a summary:

The “kangaroo-court” conviction of Trump in New York might lead to further incredible developments, when Judge Merchan will sentence Trump, beginning on July 11. Will Merchan send Trump to prison? Biden’s response to the verdict sounds hypocritical; and turning to other news, Biden’s allegation that Hamas is now unable to carry out another October 7th attack is incredibly naive. Focusing on Germany, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has made his true intentions known, and they are not good.

“Do You Dwell With God or With Satan?” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Either we live in the house or temple of God, as his household, or we live in the world’s house of bondage and slavery, ruled by Satan. We have been brought out of slavery and bondage by our master, Jesus Christ, to dwell in God’s house, but some leave God’s house and return to Satan’s house. The house of the world, built on sand, will fall, and its fall will be great. However, Christ’s house, built on the rock, will endure forever, and we will remain as pillars in the house of the Lord, never going out.

On June 1, 2024, Christoph Sperzel will present the sermonette, titled, “Do Your Emotions Rule You?” and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “Do You Dwell With God or With Satan?”

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.

Occasionally one hears the phrase: “To Thine Own Self Be True.” Perhaps it was used in the context of career or life advice. However, many people mistake this quotation as originating in the Bible. If it had, it might not have the connotation that people associate with it. It can be construed as meaning to do your own thing, and, in light of the decay of society, you can imagine what some would suggest it means. The quotation is actually from the Shakespeare classic: Hamlet. While Shakespeare was familiar with the Bible and utilized over 2000 Bible verses in his plays and writings, this is not one of them. As true Christians, we know our charge is more accurately: “In our relationship with God, we must be true.” We are referring to accountability—accountability to and before God.

Many years ago, I worked as a civilian at a naval shipyard that we were converting into a business park. We had a company that did ship repair for the Navy. I learned some tough lessons in my years working there. Some directly involved me, and others I gleaned from observing all that was taking place around the complex. I learned that even while a ship was in dry dock undergoing refurbishment, the commanding officer was still responsible for everything that occurred on or near the ship.

My point is not to praise military service nor advocate for it, as we understand that this is against God’s law. The point is that accountability for one’s actions is serious business. To ignore this is an affront to God and against His law. There was a small fire on a ship being repaired, likely the result of a welding torch. I learned that despite the fact that the ship was in dock and had only a skeleton crew on board, the commander would be disciplined and likely face demotion or be frozen in his position for years to come. This struck me as a harsh consequence, but I came to understand that such standards were designed to instill rigor, discipline, and accountability. To set standards higher than our human nature typically seeks is why we must rely solely on God. It is His standard that we must meet.

We know that as true Christians we are subject to this high standard in our relationship with God. In Romans 14:10-13, we see that we all must give account of ourselves before God. Paul advises that we not judge one another as we face the judgement of our Creator who will consider all we have done and failed to do. Consider Paul’s words: “But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: ‘As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.’ So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.”

We have the words of Jesus Christ to further guide us in Matthew 12:33, referring to the fruit of the tree, that a bad tree will yield bad fruit and so the opposite is so: “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.” Jesus continues in Matthew 12 to point out that we are all responsible for our actions and thoughts. We see this in Matthew 12:36-37: “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

We are reminded by Paul, who we believe to be the author of the Book of Hebrews, that the Word of God is living and powerful; it cuts to the truth and discerns the intent of the heart.

Further on in Hebrews 4:13 we read: “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

This point is reinforced for us in Jeremiah 17:9-10:“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.”

Unlike the officer who paid the penalty for that fire, God offers us the opportunity to be forgiven for our transgressions when we repent. He does not demote us; He forgives when we are sincere and allows us to move forward. Repentance is therefore the corollary to accountability. We can seek forgiveness if we are sincere, repent, and we own our sins.

We are also accountable to one another. We hurt each other too easily and struggle to say we are sorry. It is more than this simple emotion. We need one another and, as true Christians, our accountability to God and to our brethren is fundamental. Paul illustrates this clearly for us in 1 Corinthians 12:20-26. Notice his words: “But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’ No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”

Ultimately, we will stand before God and be accountable for what we’ve done in life. It would be better if we acknowledge this each day and correct ourselves when we must. This is the standard God has established for His people and for which we will be called to account.

by Norbert Link

We begin with events pertaining to Iran and Israel, and the shameful reaction and conduct of many countries. We also report on Biden’s and Germany’s appalling behavior towards Israel.

We speak on the Pope’s attack on Americans and continue with events pertaining to Ukraine and Germany’s pitiful actions in that regard; and address ridiculous war efforts, especially by Germany, to bring this world to the edge of utter destruction and devastation.

We report on controversial efforts to fight the right-wing AfD party in Germany; and address ongoing limitations on the developments pertaining to the American “justice” system regarding Trump and others.

We speak on the horrible Eurovision Song Contest; show the connection between the LGBTQ movement and Satanism; speak on the dangerous use of tattoos; and conclude with absolutely appalling developments pertaining to the American “justice” system regarding Trump and others. We also report on the miscarriage of justice leading to Trump’s guilty verdict in New York.

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

The Butcher of Tehran Dead

The New York Post wrote on May 20:

“Iran’s hardline President Ebrahim Raisi was killed when a helicopter carrying the reviled leader known as the ‘Butcher of Tehran’ crashed in a remote region of the country Sunday… Raisi, 63, his foreign minister and other passengers were found dead after the rescuers discovered the helicopter crash site early Monday. State news agency Mehr reported ‘all passengers of the helicopter carrying the Iranian president and foreign minister were martyred.’ An Israeli official quickly denied the country had any involvement in the crash.

“Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate power with the final say on foreign policy and Iran’s nuclear program, said First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber would take over as interim president… Raisi was flying a US-made Bell 212 helicopter at the time of the crash…

“The crash comes at a time of growing dissent within Iran over an array of political, social and economic crises. Since Iran’s ally Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, provoking Israel’s assault on Gaza, conflicts involving Iran-aligned groups have erupted throughout the Middle East. A long ‘shadow war’ between Iran and Israel also broke into the open last month with tit-for-tat exchanges of drone and missile fire.

“Messages of condolence have been pouring in from Iran’s allies, including the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Jordan, Iraq and Pakistan. Russian President Vladimir Putin called Raisi ‘a true friend of Russia,’ while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was ‘deeply shocked and saddened.’…

“Under Iranian law, Mokhber will be president for a custodial period of 50 days, at which point an election must be held to choose Raisi’s successor. But the real succession drama would center around who steps up to be the Islamic Republic’s next supreme leader, a role currently held by 85-year-old Imam Sayyid Ali Khamenei. Most pundits believed the likely competition to succeed Khamenei came down to a two-man race between Khamenei’s son Mojtaba and Raisi…

“Days after Iran’s failed missile and drone attack against Israel last month, Raisi rattled his saber at an annual military parade, threatening a ‘massive and harsh’ response should Israel retaliate, and warning that if Tehran had wanted to carry out a bigger attack, ‘nothing would remain of the Zionist regime.’…  He was sanctioned by the US in part over his involvement in the mass execution of thousands of political prisoners in 1988 known as the ‘death committee’ at the end of the bloody Iran-Iraq war… In 2022… Raisi unleashed a thuggish security crackdown on young people across the country that killed more than 500 people and saw more than 22,000 detained.”

It is quite interesting and telling to focus on those countries and leaders who quickly uttered their appalling condolences for the butcher and mass murderer Raisi.

Hypocritical EU’s Shameful Conduct

Breitbart wrote on May 20:

“European Council President Charles Michel, a Belgian centrist-liberal, was quick to make an expression on behalf of the whole European Union… ‘The EU expresses its sincere condolences for the death of President Raisi and Foreign Minister Abdollahian, as well as other members of their delegation and crew in a helicopter accident. Our thoughts go to the families.’

“Theo Francken, a [Belgian] Eurosceptic Member of Parliament… expressed concern at the European message. Responding first to the announcement that the EU was acting in ‘solidarity’ with Iran to help it in the immediate aftermath of the crash, the politician stated, ‘Are you totally crazy? This guy is a first class mass murderer. What’s next? Saving [Putin]? What a club of geopolitical dwarfs is this EU commission’.

“On Monday after Michel’s message of sympathy was broadcast, Francken responded again, calling it hypocritical for European leaders to express condolences to Iran while the regime is holding a European diplomat and aid worker hostage. He said: ‘Oh boy, European condolences for the death of a butcher and cruel mass murderer. Where are all those fake tears for Olivier Vandecasteele and Johan Floderus your EU diplomat who is still been kidnapped by the regime. You don’t speak in my name.’

“That Michel did not speak in the name of all Europeans gained some traction, and shortly after Geert Wilders, the right-populist presently working to form a new government in the Netherlands joined the call. Decrying ‘EU solidarity with evil’, he wrote Monday morning: ‘not in my name’.

“The earliest expressions of sympathy for Iran came from its allies worldwide, with statements published by the Chinese and Russian Presidents, India, Pakistan, and even OPEC. The Hamas terror group and Yemen’s Houthi militia, both militarily backed by Iran in their wars against the West, also sent ‘deepest condolences’…”

The EU, under German leadership, will turn out to be one of Israel’s greatest enemies.

Turkey Of Course

Newsmax wrote on May 20:

“Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Monday expressed his condolences for the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, saying Raisi was a ‘valuable colleague and brother.’ ‘As a colleague who personally witnessed his efforts for the peace of the Iranian people and our region during his time in power, I remember Mr. Raisi with respect and gratitude,’ Erdogan wrote on social media platform X, adding Turkey stood by Iran in this difficult time.”

Nothing less could be expected from mass murderer and anti-Semite Erdogan. The Bible predicts horrible conduct by Turkey against Israel.

US Sends Condolences

Israel 365 News wrote on May 21:

“The US State Department on Monday sent condolences to the government of Iran, expressing grief over the deaths of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi…

“Despite the condolences, former Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on state television that the United States was ‘one of the main culprits’ in the crash due to sanctions that affected Iranian aviation.”

Shameful!

A Moment of Silence

Israel Today wrote on May 21:

“Members of the UN Security Council, including the United States, observed a minute of silence on Monday in memory of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi… ‘The Security Council has simply become a danger to world peace,’ said… Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, in response to the event…

“‘What’s next: Will the Council dedicate a moment of silence to commemorate Hitler?’ he added.”

Good question!!!

“Iranian Supreme Leader Renews Pledge to ‘Eliminate’ Israel”

Newsmax wrote on May 24:

“At the funeral of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed when his helicopter crashed on Monday, the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei reiterated his commitment to destroy Israel…

“‘The promise to eliminate Israel will be kept, and we will see the day when Palestine extends from the sea to the river,’ Khamenei said.”

Iran puts the world on notice, but the world chooses to be willfully ignorant.. or worse.

A Palestinian State?

MSN wrote on May 22:

“The Spanish, Irish and Norwegian governments announced Wednesday that they would recognize a Palestinian state, saying there would be no peace in the Middle East without it. Israel denounced the move as giving aid to its enemy, Hamas… In response, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz ordered the immediate recall of the Israeli ambassadors to Spain, Ireland and Norway…

“More than 140 other countries around the world recognize a Palestinian state, but most are outside Europe. Before Wednesday’s announcement, only a few countries in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as Sweden, had formally recognized it.”

Egypt vs. Israel

Al Jazeera wrote on May 12:

“Egypt says it will formally join the lawsuit filed by South Africa against Israel at the International Court of Justice which accuses Israel of violating its obligations under the Genocide Convention in the Gaza Strip.”

Biden—Jekyll and Hyde

The New York Post wrote on May 11:

“The deadly, chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan and Biden’s decision to throw open the southern border without a plan for handling the millions of illegal crossers are just two of the many head-scratching decisions that have turned his tenure into a synonym for failure. A common thread is that his debacles were unforced errors. Doing nothing would have produced far better outcomes than the actions he took…

“Biden’s sudden military freeze smacks of a Jekyll-and-Hyde personality. If the freeze stops Israel’s plan to eliminate Hamas, it will guarantee more Islamic terrorism and another war, which will mean more civilian casualties on both sides…

“Can Saudi Arabia really trust an administration that mercilessly undercut America’s closest ally?

“Should European allies be worried that they, too, will somehow run afoul of a White House that treats its enemies better than its friends? Then there’s Ukraine, which has another reason to worry, while Russia and China must be delighted to see American weakness in action…

“Biden remains unmoved by the evidence that he is playing with fire by appeasing America’s enemies and punishing its friends.”

The EU will become America’s enemy.

Biden’s Blackmail Beyond Despicable

The New York Post wrote on May 13:

“The Washington Post reports, citing four sources, that the White House has offered Jerusalem ‘sensitive intelligence to help the Israeli military pinpoint the location of Hamas leaders and find the group’s hidden tunnels’ if the IDF doesn’t go full-scale into Rafah… And this follows the freeze in many munitions the Pentagon was about to send over — including precision bombs…

“None of this makes sense except as a strategy for appeasing the pro-Hamas protesters… It’s beyond despicable, and yet another gross violation of the president’s oath of office….”

Biden Back Peddles…

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 15:

“The administration of  President Joe Biden has informed Congress of a planned $1 billion (€0.92 billion) weapons shipment to [Israel], official sources said. The weapons package includes $700 million for tank ammunition, $500 million for tactical vehicles, and $60 million for mortar rounds…

“On Monday, national security spokesman John Kirby emphasized that the administration would continue to support Israel’s defense needs. Kirby said Biden is ‘going to continue to provide Israel with all of the capabilities it needs, but he does not want certain categories of American weapons used in a particular type of operation in a particular place. And again, he has been clear and consistent with that.’”

Clear and consistent? Laughable. It could not be more ambiguous.

Spain At War With Israel

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 17:

“Spain has said it will now refuse permission for ships carrying arms for Israel to stop at its ports, a day after it denied permission for a vessel to dock at one of its ports… Spain has been among the most critical voices of Israel’s Gaza offensive and is seeking to rally other European countries to accept the idea of recognizing a Palestinian state… Madrid has halted arms exports to Israel after it launched a military onslaught against the Palestinian, militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.”

ICJ “Orders” Israel to Halt Offensive in Rafah

Deutsche Welle reported on May 24:

“The International Court of Justice has ordered Israel to [immediately] halt its [military] offensive in Rafah amid mounting international criticism… Though ICJ orders are legally binding, the court has no police or military force to enforce them, and Israel is unlikely to abide by the ruling, insisting it has the right to defend itself from Hamas militants…

“Similarly, Russia has so far ignored a 2022 order by the court to halt its… invasion of Ukraine.”

Note this ridiculous “order” in light of the next article.

Hamas Attacks from Rafah

Breitbart wrote on May 26:

“Hamas fired rockets at the Tel Aviv area [from Rafah] on Sunday, marking the first time in four months that a barrage reached central Israel from Gaza, and emphasizing the importance of Israel’s fight against Hamas in its last stronghold…

“Last week, The Times of Israel reported that the IDF believes Hamas has the capability to launch rocket attacks on central Israel from the Rafah area, and when troops advance further into the city, the terror group is likely to carry out such an attack… The fight against Hamas in Rafah continues…”

Germany to Arrest Netanyahu

Newsmax wrote on May 22:

“[Scholz spokesman Steffen Hebestreit] said Wednesday it will abide by an International Criminal Court arrest warrant and detain Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he step foot on German soil. The ICC on Monday issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on charges of war crimes in its military response to Iranian-backed Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack. The ICC also issued arrest warrants [for] Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, its military leader Muhammad Deif, and its Qatar-based political leader Ismail Haniyeh on charges of war crimes.

“A dramatic appeal written in German and English and posted Tuesday on X by Ron Prosor, Israel’s ambassador to Germany was rebuffed by the administration of Prime Minister Olaf Scholz…  ‘This is outrageous!’ Prosor wrote… ‘The Chief Prosecutor [of the ICC] equates a democratic government with Hamas, thereby demonizing and delegitimizing Israel, and the Jewish people… He has completely lost his moral compass. Germany has a responsibility to readjust this compass. This disgraceful political campaign could become a nail in the coffin for the West and its institutions…’”

This is beyond appalling. But it shows where Germany’s alliances are. Note the next article.

Habeck’s Controversial Statements About Israel

MSN wrote on May 26:

 “For the first time, a member of the Federal Government, Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens), has accused Israel of breaking international law in the war against Hamas. The Union finds the statements ‘completely incomprehensible and unacceptable’. All that can be heard from the traffic lights (Ampel collation) in the Bundestag about Habeck’s statement is silence…

“Habeck receives support from both the AfD faction and the Left Party.”

Compulsory Military Service Proposed in Italy

Euractiv wrote on May 21:

“Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini’s League party has submitted a bill to the Chamber of Deputies proposing a mandatory six-month period of military or civilian service for all young people aged between 18 and 26, while the far-right party’s centre-right allies, including Defence Minister Guido Crosetto, oppose the measure.”

Compulsory Military Service in the UK?

Express wrote on May 25:

“TEENAGERS will be signed up for compulsory National Service under bold new plans unveiled by Rishi Sunak. All 18-year-olds will have to take part in some kind of civic duty by enrolling for 12 months in the armed forces. Or they could instead opt to join the police, fire service or another body that does work in the community for one weekend every month. The Prime Minister announced his eye-catching proposal as he drew up the finishing touches to his general election manifesto…

“National Service – abolished 64 years ago – has only been in place in the UK twice in the modern era, once during the First World War, and again from 1939…

“The move comes as… a Labour government would give 16 and 17-year-olds the vote…”

 It is predicted that Sunak will lose the general election by a landslide.

Pope Attacks America

Breitbart wrote on May 12:

“Climate change has brought the world to the ‘breaking point,’ Pope Francis asserted in his introduction to a 3-day climate summit to be held in the Vatican in May. A firm believer in the climate ‘crisis,’ the pontiff wrote that he has ‘heartfelt concerns’ for ‘our suffering planet,’ contending that ‘the world in which we live is collapsing’ because of humanity’s failure to adequately address the crisis…

“Pope Francis has singled out the United States as particularly responsible for the climate ‘emergency’ because of the ‘irresponsible lifestyle’ of its citizens…”

What about China and other “polluters”?

In a related article, CAN wrote on May 12:

“On Mother’s Day, Pope Francis entrusted all mothers to the Blessed Virgin Mary, asking everyone to remember to also pray for all the mothers who have gone to heaven…”.

Except, no mother has ever gone to heaven, including the “Virgin Mary.” It would appear that the Pope doesn’t even know that!

Francis Attacks US Conservatives

Breitbart wrote on May 17:

“Pope Francis… asserts that a conservative [especially referring to conservative Catholic bishops] ‘is someone who clings to something and does not want to see beyond that. It is a suicidal attitude.’… Pope Francis has never hidden his disdain for Americans… Francis asserts that climate change skeptics are ‘stupid’ to refute compelling evidence of a climate emergency.”

The Pope’s accusations against America are becoming more and more hateful, but are in line with the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

Supernatural Events in the Catholic Church

The Independent wrote on May 17:

“The Catholic Church has had a long and controversial history of the faithful claiming to have had visions of the Virgin Mary, of statues purportedly weeping tears of blood and stigmata erupting on hands and feet mimicking the wounds of Christ. Church figures who claimed to have experienced the stigmata wounds, including Padre Pio and Pope Francis’s namesake, St Francis of Assisi, have inspired millions of Catholics…

“Francis himself has weighed in on the phenomenon, making clear that he is devoted to the main church-approved Marian apparitions, such as Our Lady of Guadalupe, who believers say appeared to an Indigenous man in Mexico in 1531… When confirmed as authentic by church authorities, these otherwise inexplicable signs have led to a flourishing of the faith… That has been the case for the purported apparitions of Mary that turned Fatima in Portugal, and Lourdes in France, into enormously popular pilgrimage destinations…”

More of these lying wonders will occur in the near future.

Pope’s Stance on Guns and Condoms

Reuters wrote on May 10:

“Pope Francis criticised the weapons and contraceptive industries on Friday, accusing them of destroying or preventing life…

“Francis, 87, has long been a fierce opponent of the arms industry. He has also reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s longstanding ban on artificial birth control [including the use of condoms], though he supports natural [but very unreliable] ways of avoiding pregnancy.”

While he is right about the abuse of weapons, he is very wrong about the use of contraceptives.

China and Russia… the Everlasting Friendship

Express wrote on May 18:

“Sophia Gaston, head of foreign policy at Policy Exchange… noted that the relationship between the presidents of the two countries have an important connection, which should terrify the West. Xi and Putin see each other as allies in a parallel international and ‘multipolar’ world order that can challenge a Washington-led global consensus… ‘I do think that all those in Europe who have recently thought that perhaps they were making inroads with Xi around putting some pressure on Putin regarding Ukraine will have to take a really long hard look in the mirror.’

“This comes as Putin visits China to celebrate the 75th year of formal China-Russia relations. The visit is packed with gestures that underline the mutually beneficial friendship that has blossomed since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Xi said the friendship between China and Russia was ‘everlasting’ and had ‘become a model for a new type of international relations’. Xi also described Putin as his ‘best friend’ and Putin said that Xi was ‘warm and comradely’ and ‘like a brother.’

“However, political commentators have said that Xi holds all the cards, with Putin eager to further the relationship with one of the only countries willing to help fund his war in Ukraine  Former US president Donald Trump has accused Putin and Xi of getting together to ‘do damage.’… ‘They are right now together working on plans [to] do damage, because that’s ultimately what they’re thinking about doing damage.’”

China and Russia will be allies in their coming war with Europe.

Coming… A European Army

wbj.pl wrote on May 18:

“… the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, just beyond the eastern border, has rekindled the European debate about the need to have its military potential…

“According to Eurobarometer research published in 2022, the vast majority of EU citizens (81 percent) support a common defense and security policy – in every EU country, this support is at least 2/3 of citizens. About 93 percent of EU residents agree that countries should work together to defend the territory of the Community, and 85 percent believe that defense cooperation should be strengthened at the EU level.”

Sending Troops Into Ukraine?

Fakti.bg wrote on May 9:

“The government in Warsaw will not simply stand behind the borders in case Ukraine is threatened with imminent defeat. Rather, it is much more likely that Poland will send troops into Ukraine ‘to prevent the worst’. Such an opinion was expressed by the former commander of the US Army in Europe, Ben Hodges, in an interview with the German publication T-mobile.

“At the same time, he imagines that Romania will also officially commit to the defense of Moldova.”

The New York Times wrote on 16:

“NATO allies are inching closer to sending troops into Ukraine to train Ukrainian forces, a move that would be another blurring of a previous red line and could draw the United States and Europe more directly into the war… Ukrainian officials have asked their American and NATO counterparts to help train 150,000 new recruits closer to the front line for faster deployment.”

According to the Ron Paul Institute, dated May 18:

“Last month, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur… said in the interview with the Austrian newspaper Die Presse that all NATO countries already have NATO personnel stationed in Ukraine, but that they aren’t directly engaged in hostilities as they are there in advisory roles… ‘The reality is that every NATO member country already has military personnel in Ukraine, such as military attaches or people who travel to Ukraine from time to time,’ the Estonian defense chief said…”

Sad State of Affairs in Ukraine

The Associated Press wrote on May 18:

“A divisive mobilization law in Ukraine came into force Saturday, as Kyiv struggles to boost troop numbers… The legislation… will make it easier to identify every conscript in the country. It also provides incentives to soldiers, such as cash bonuses or money toward buying a house or car, that some analysts say Ukraine cannot afford.

“Lawmakers dragged their feet for months and only passed the law in mid-April, a week after Ukraine lowered the age for men who can be drafted from 27 to 25. The measures reflect the growing strain that more than two years of war with Russia has had on Ukraine’s forces, who are trying to hold the front lines in fighting that has sapped the country’s ranks and stores of weapons and ammunition.

“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also signed two other laws Friday, allowing prisoners to join the army and increasing fines for draft dodgers fivefold...

“The U.S. last week announced a new $400 million package of military aid for Ukraine, and President Joe Biden has promised that he would rush badly needed weaponry to the country to help it stave off Russian advances. Still, only small batches of U.S. military aid have started to trickle into the front line, according to Ukrainian military commanders, who said it will take at least two months before supplies meet Kyiv’s needs to hold the line.

“Thousands of Ukrainians have fled the country to avoid the draft since Russia’s all-out invasion in February 2022, some risking their lives as they tried to swim across a river separating Ukraine from neighboring Romania and Hungary…”

Germany Expels Ukrainian Soldiers

MENAFN wrote on May 19:

“The German government has taken steps to address concerns regarding Ukrainian soldiers wearing Nazi symbols while undergoing military training in the country. In a revelation made on Wednesday, Berlin disclosed that seven Ukrainian troops participating in military exercises were found sporting far-right extremist symbols. These soldiers were promptly expelled from the training program and sent back to Ukraine.

“According to estimates from the German military, approximately 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers received training on German soil in 2023, as part of the European Union Military Assistance Mission Ukraine (EUMAM UA) initiated in November 2022. German instructors, along with personnel from other EU member states, have been involved in training Ukrainian military personnel.

“The expulsion of the soldiers came to light in response to an inquiry by the right-wing Alternative for Germany Party (AFD). The German government clarified that incoming Ukrainian military personnel are explicitly warned against the use of Nazi insignias upon their arrival for training. Despite these incidents, Berlin sought to downplay the potential threat posed by Ukrainian far-right nationalists to any future peace process between Kiev and Moscow. The government emphasized that it does not perceive Ukrainian extremist nationalists as a significant obstacle to a possible peace process in Ukraine.

“Instead, the German government reiterated its stance that Russia’s imperialism lies at the root of the ongoing conflict, characterizing it as an illegal war of aggression against Ukraine that poses a threat to security in Europe.”

Scholz Works For Russia?

Focus wrote on May 20:

“[The Green Party] Anton Hofreiter is considered one of the harshest critics of the Chancellor when it comes to Germany’s Ukraine policy. Now he is making an outrageous accusation about Olaf Scholz…  After the invasion of Russian troops and while Scholz announced his ‘turning point’, Hofreiter demanded ‘more leadership’ from the Chancellery. In interviews last year he made it clear that in his opinion the ‘main problem’ lay in the Chancellery. And a few months ago, Hofreiter settled accounts with the Chancellor on the Taurus issue and accused him of ‘catastrophic defeatism’ and ‘dramatically poor communication’…

“Now Hofreiter has attacked the Chancellor again – and more sharply than ever before… ‘People who deal with this say the strategy is to always support Ukraine half-heartedly until Ukraine is ready to negotiate and give up large parts of its territory’…

“Hofreiter’s statements are highly explosive and contain an outrageous accusation… that Scholz only supports Ukraine pro forma and is actually acting in Moscow’s interests to bring Ukraine to the negotiating table…”

The outrage over Hofreiter’s statements, which have some merit, is downright ridiculous. Scholz just stated that Ukraine will not be a part of NATO for the next 30 years.

Ukraine Will Have To Give Up Territory

The Gateway Pundit wrote on May 24:

“Long gone are the days when Ukraine was at least winning the war on the western news sites’ headlines.

“Now, slowly but surely, the MSM has had to face the fact that the outmanned, outgunned and outmaneuvered Ukrainian forces will not win this war on the battlefield, will not get back to pre-war borders, much less reincorporate the Crimean peninsula… Colonel Oleksandr Bakulin… accepted that territory will need to be given up during negotiations…”

Poland’s “Transformation”

LifeStiteNews wrote on May 17:

“The mayor of Warsaw ordered the removal of religious symbols, i.e., crosses and crucifixes, from City Hall while urging employees to use transgender ‘pronouns’ and respect same-sex relationships… The ban on religious symbols will not apply to ‘religious symbols for personal use worn by people working in the office, for example in the form of a chain, tattoo or armband.’

“Going forward, events organized by the city hall must not include prayer of any kind… The document also notes that employees will be subjected to compulsory ‘diversity training.’”

Coming… Conscription in Germany?

Daily Mail wrote on May 12:

“Germany could bring back conscription for all 18-year-olds amid fears out an all-out NATO- war with Russia, leaked military plans reveal. Military planners are discussing three potential plans, two of which involve a compulsory military year for all men once they turn 18.

“It is understood that officials are in the final stages of discussions with German defence minister Boris Pistorius expected to go public with official plans next month…  Mr Pistorius, during a trip to Washington last week, said he was ‘convinced’ that Germany ‘needs a form of military conscription’. He also previously described the country’s decision to suspend compulsory military service in 2011 as a ‘mistake’. 

“In one proposal being considered by military planners in Berlin, all men and women would be subject to conscription once they turned 18. Germany’s previous policy on compulsory military service only applied to men. To include women would require changing the nation’s constitution… but ministry insiders reportedly believe the change would ‘most likely to receive societal approval’.

“Another proposal, which is viewed by the defence ministry as a ‘a strong signal’ to both allies and rivals, would only apply to 18-year-old men, but would not see everyone selected, the leaked reports revealed. Young men would be required to complete an online form and could then later be chosen for service.

“A third option under consideration avoids conscription and instead focuses on ‘optimising’ the current military system through more proactive recruitment campaigns.

“News of the defence ministry’s potential conscription plans comes just days after Vladimir Putin declared his nuclear forces were at full combat readiness in preparation for a global war…”

Recently, Pistorius became silent regarding conscription, leading Bild Online to assume that it was off the table. That conclusion is woefully naive and  premature.

Germans for Conscription

Bild Online wrote on May 12:

“46 percent are FOR compulsory military service, only 33 percent are against it. There is even greater support for general compulsory service (social or military service). Here 56 percent are in favor, 26 percent against…

“Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder (57, CSU) is pushing the pace: ‘A master plan for the introduction of compulsory military service is needed quickly,’ said Söder…

“Until 2010, the military service law said: Every young man, if he is suitable, has to serve in the Bundeswehr for nine months. Former Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg (CSU) shortened conscription to six months and then suspended it from July 2011 during peacetime. Since then, compulsory military service has only been applicable in ‘cases of tension or defense’.”

This does not correspond with the information in the next article.

Germans Not Afraid of War

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 22:

“… only around a third of Germans (36%) believe a Russian attack on NATO territory by 2030 is likely or somewhat likely, while 48% consider it unlikely or somewhat unlikely. Only 23% consider it likely or somewhat likely that Germany could become the target of a Russian attack this decade. Some 61% consider it unlikely or somewhat unlikely… 39% are convinced that it is very poorly or rather poorly prepared for an attack.

“… only 30% of Germans would be prepared to take up arms to defend the country in the event of a military attack, while more than 50% would not fight.”

However, sadly, this will change.

Pistorius in Washington

Bild Online wrote on May 10:

“He is giving the speech at an elite university in the USA. But it is also directed at Germany, also at his own party – at the ditherers and pacifists among the comrades! Liberation Day was celebrated in Germany, the end of the Second World War 79 years ago. And now Boris Pistorius (64, SPD), Germany’s Defense Minister, stands in front of almost 250 students and professors at Johns Hopkins University in Washington and says: ‘We are ready to take the lead.’

“Who does he mean?

“Germany’s military and its political leaders – and probably himself too. It is HIS keynote speech. He is making HIS era! Title: ‘Steadfast, capable and ready: Germany’s security renaissance and transatlantic defense.’ An announcement to the world – and also to all his comrades and nostalgics who have long been calling him a ‘warmonger’. It’s Pistorius’ declaration of war…

“Germany needs to grow up militarily, says the Defense Minister!… Pistorius mentions China and Russia in the same breath, in the same sentence – as a common threat. The economic power of Germany should also become a military power… [a] strong leading military power!… a military power alongside the USA!… And for that… he wants ‘a kind of conscription’. Because: ‘We must ensure our military endurance in a state of national or collective defense… Defense thinking means thinking in worst-case scenarios. The time of the peace dividend is over… Germany is making national and collective defense its priority – this is new in German history.’

“Just as Germany benefited from the West ‘as a frontline state during the Cold War’, Germany will now defend the eastern border of the free West against Moscow: ‘Our particular focus remains the defense of our allies on NATO’s eastern flank… ‘From the far north to the Balkans, from the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean.’ Otherwise: where our interests are threatened – i.e. worldwide…

“It all sounds like more… more than has been heard from the Chancellery so far. The speech: NOT coordinated with the Chancellery. Someone wants to lead. More than just the troops…”

More Money For War

ntv wrote on May 11:

“The head of the arms company Rheinmetall, Armin Papperger, is expecting large orders from the federal government’s 100 billion special fund. ‘You can assume that in the end between 30 and 40 billion euros will come to us from the special fund,’ said the manager… ‘For air defense, trucks, ammunition, our share in the F35 program, and much more.’…

“The special fund for the Bundeswehr was made available by the federal government shortly after Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February 2022. However, the budget is expected to be used up by 2026. Papperger therefore called on the federal government to provide secure financing for the Bundeswehr for the period afterwards.

“If the Bundeswehr’s special fund announced by Chancellor Olaf Scholz is used up, there will be ‘only two options’, said Papperger. ‘You can take on new debt or reallocate money from the budget.’ There is ‘no alternative’, said the manager, ‘either one or the other’. Because ‘otherwise the turning point [“Zeitenwende”] would be over in 2026’ and you would be ‘worse off than before’.

“Germany would then have ‘more military equipment’, but would no longer be able to ‘pay for its use’. You also need personnel… In order to play in ‘the same league with the Americans’, according to the Rheinmetall boss, large European defense companies would have to join forces. ‘We need a European arms champion.’…”

Manfred Weber for War?

Civilek.info wrote on May 10:

“War psychosis is increasingly prevailing among Western European politicians, and in the European Parliament election campaign, they are apparently trying to make as serious statements as possible on the pro-war side. The other day in the BR24 television program, for example, Manfred Weber, the [German] faction leader of the European People’s Party [and CDU member], stated… that “’we need a European nuclear weapon.’

“He said that if French President Emmanuel Macron offers France nuclear weapons to Europe, it is ‘an offer from France that we have to talk about.’… Manfred Weber has now said he is ‘disappointed’ that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the German government have been ‘reticent’ and that there has been no response to Macron’s proposal… [He also stated that he] supports the introduction of a general compulsory [military] service year.”

“Stephan Protschka, the president of the Bavarian AfD, accused Weber and the politicians who support him of inciting war…”

Pistorius Must Do MORE!

Bild Online wrote on May 15:

“The traffic lights [Ampel coalition] are putting pressure on Boris Pistorius (64, SPD): His own MPs are urging the Defense Minister to finally arm the Bundeswehr’s most important weapons (missiles, cruise missiles, artillery shells) for possible use. An extraordinary event!

“… the debate about a possible Taurus delivery to Ukraine revealed how poorly equipped the troops really are. The MPs learned to their horror that although the Bundeswehr had 600 of these important cruise missiles in storage, only 300 were actually operational. The other half would first have to be modernized. But the Bundeswehr has so far made no move to get the Taurus completely ready for an emergency. The manufacturer informed MPs that there is still no contract for the overhaul of the aging Taurus missiles. According to previous estimates, this would cost a three-digit million amount.”

The CDU opposition supports the traffic light decision. Note their statement:

“Pistorius and his machine are once again in a deep sleep. If Pistorius does not want to voluntarily go down the path to military proficiency, Parliament must show him the way.”

AFD Under Surveillance

Reuters wrote on May 13:

“A German high court on Monday ruled that domestic security services could continue to treat the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a potentially extremist party, meaning they retain the right to keep it under surveillance. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), charged with protecting Germany’s democratic order from extremist threats, has classified the AfD as potentially extreme since 2021.

“Judges at the higher administrative court in Muenster upheld a lower court’s 2022 finding that the designation was proportionate and did not violate the constitution, or European or domestic civil law. ‘The court finds there is sufficient evidence that the AfD pursues goals that run against the human dignity of certain groups and against democracy,’ the judges wrote. ‘There are grounds to suspect at least part of the party wants to accord second-rank status to German citizens with a migration background.’

“The potentially extremist designation means security services can wiretap the party and recruit informants inside it.”

Leading AfD Politician Fined

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 14:

“A regional court in the eastern German city of Halle ordered on Tuesday far-right politician Bjoern Hoecke to pay 100 fines at a daily rate of €130 each for using a banned Nazi slogan. 

“Höcke, the leader of the [AfD] in the eastern state of Thuringia, was accused of knowingly using the slogan of the Sturmabteilung (SA), or Storm Troopers… In 2021, Höcke allegedly said at an AfD rally:… ‘Everything for our homeland, everything for Saxony-Anhalt, everything for Germany.’ Prosecutors say Höcke, a former history teacher, knew that ‘Everything for Germany’ was a banned slogan of the SA. 

“He denied this during the trial, describing the phrase as an ‘everyday saying.’”

He is right. Note the next article.

Miscarriage of Justice Against Björn Höcke

Report 24 wrote on May 16:

“Björn Höcke is said to have deliberately used a Nazi slogan: Because he uttered the slogan ‘Everything for Germany’ during a campaign speech in 2021, he has now been sentenced to a fine totaling 13,000 euros. It’s just unfortunate that so far hardly any German has associated these words with the NSDAP and identified them as forbidden. Contemporary documents show: The alleged slogan of the Sturmabteilung was used by Christian trade unions as well as by Social Democrats during the Weimar Republic. Politically correct media have used them in recent years and decades, as have politicians from other parties. The use obviously only becomes a crime if the ‘perpetrator’ is an AfD man.

“In fact, countless users on social networks comment that they had never associated these three words with the National Socialists and that they were therefore not aware of the ban. Did you know them as SA slogans? At least not us in the editorial team. And even the left-wing taz, which normally celebrates every verdict against the AfD and its representatives, commented in an article: ‘Did you know that “Everything for Germany” is a forbidden slogan from National Socialism? Probably 99.9 percent of Germans didn’t know that until recently.”

AfD Bans Its Top European Candidate

Euro News wrote on May 23:

“… the AfD banned Maximilian Krah, its top European election candidate, from campaigning for the upcoming European election. He subsequently stepped down from the leadership role following internal party pressure.

“Krah recently copped backlash after he told an Italian newspaper not all members of the Nazis’ elite SS unit, which was involved in major war crimes during World War II, were war criminals.”

With these controversial measures, the AfD will lose supporters.

Report 24 wrote on May 24:

“But the real problem is not necessarily Krah’s statements about SS officers (incidentally, the left-wing Italian newspaper ‘La Repubblica’ explicitly addressed the officers and not the SS as a whole), but rather the perception of the AfD as a whole by the other parties…”

No Longer Tax Exempt?

Die Welt wrote on May 16:

“The non-profit [tax-exempt] status of the online blog ‘Der Volksverpetzer’ has been withdrawn. Co-founder and managing director Thomas Laschyk announced this in a video on Tuesday. We ‘suddenly no longer meet the requirements’…

“‘Der Volksverpetzer’ describes itself as an ‘anti-fake news blog’ on its own website. ‘We are committed to fighting hatred, agitation, fake news and conspiracy myths. The aim is to refute claims made by extremists and conspiracy ideologists through fact checks, for example. Publications from many media outlets are also criticized by the authors of the ‘Volksverpetzer’…

“Recently… it was announced in a letter that the blog would no longer be allowed to issue donation receipts from April 23rd. In addition, the non-profit [tax-exempt] status has been withdrawn – retroactively since 2021. There is therefore a risk of additional payments…. With the loss of the non-profit [tax exempt] status, the exemptions from taxes such as trade tax no longer apply. In addition, donations without receipts are not tax deductible – which is likely to reduce the willingness of supporters to pay… Laschyk claims… that the [IRS] has announced that the work of the ‘people’s rabble-rousers’ is too close to that of journalists. Journalism that serves the common good is currently not recognized as [having] a separate charitable purpose.

“The Frankfurt tax office had already revoked Attac’s non-profit [tax-exempt] status in 2019 because the organization, which was critical of globalization, had expressed itself too strongly in day-to-day politics. It is not uncommon for organizations such as ‘Volksverpetzer’ or ‘Journalistenwatch’ to operate in a legal gray area. The traffic light [Ampel] coalition declared in its coalition agreement that it wanted to create legal certainty for non-profit journalism. Which hasn’t happened yet.”

These are extremely dangerous developments.

Lauterbach’s Nonsense

Nius wrote on May 7:

“Karl Lauterbach is the first member of the federal government to say what must be the logical consequence of green politics: he announces restrictions for citizens. ‘It won’t work without restrictions,’ wrote the Health Minister at X. What this means: restrictions on eating, mobility, travel and consumption. That means: Citizens should restrict their lives in a wide variety of areas for the traffic light [Ampel] government’s climate policy… ‘Even inventors can’t change the fact that we eat too much meat, drive too much, travel too much and consume too much’…

“NIUS asked the Federal Ministry of Health what Lauterbach meant by ‘restrictions’ [and] how he wanted to implement them… The request remained unanswered.”

This is not just ridiculous nonsense, but it is dangerous nonsense.

“Was Eurovision Always THAT Bad?”

Daily Mail wrote on May 12:

“Once a family favourite to gather around the TV for, the Eurovision appears to have become an on-screen raunch fest with displays of near full-frontal nudity, thongs, and corsets. Eurovision viewers have taken to social media to slam the iconic song contest’s 68th edition which took place in Malmo, Sweden, after several artists stormed the stage in outfits that left little to the imagination.  After the finale last night, X… was flooded with comments about how ‘bad’ and sleazy’ this year’s performances were in terms of racy costumes and sets…

“But the tiny outfits and racy get-ups didn’t stop at the artists, as the UKs Olly Alexander, 33, turned up the heat as he performed his song Dizzy while surrounded by scantily-clad male dancers… the group of five danced provocatively against each other on the floor and against the walls of the set while engaging in the occasional suggestive near-kiss…

“Bambi, who describes themselves as a ‘queer witch’, performed their song while wearing a pointed black headband, dark lipstick, and sharp black nails… On Tuesday, a commentator on Kan warned viewers that Bambie’s performance of their song, Doomsday Blue, would be ‘the most scary’ of the night, involving ‘a lot of spells and black magic and dark clothing, Satanic symbols, and voodoo dolls’…

“Swiss act Nemo walked away victorious at the contest, where they become the competition’s first non-binary winner…”

Sick!

Satanism, Transgender and LGBTQ

Report 24 wrote on May 9, 2024:

“Baphomet (or the ‘Goat of Mendes’) [is] not only one of the most well-known symbolic figures of Satanism… but also [has] high status among transgender activists… half human and half animal, male and female, good and evil …

“In August 2018, Satanists from the Satanic Temple erected a seven-foot-tall statue of Baphomet as a symbol of Satan in front of the government building in Arkansas. In addition to the goat-headed God, this also showed two ‘smiling children’ who blissfully looked up at Satan…

“Back in August 2019, Satanic Temple co-founder Lucine Greaves announced that the temple would be comprised largely of LBGTQ+ people who felt rejected and disenfranchised by the traditional religious institution…”

Parents Cannot Refuse Their Children’s Participation in LGBTQ-Ideology

Breitbart wrote on May 16:

“A federal court… upheld a Maryland school district policy that does not allow parents to opt their young K-5 children out of curriculum about gender identity and sexuality…

“The Muslim, Jewish, and Christian parents… argued that the district’s refusal to allow their young children to opt out of reading of LGBTQQIAAP2S+-themed books or participation in the curriculum violated their right to raise their children in accordance with their faith and how their faith defines identity and sexuality. Parents also argued the material is not age-appropriate for such young students….”

Tattoos Linked to Cancer

The Daily Mail wrote on May 27:

“Tattoos have been linked to a deadly type of blood cancer for the first time. Researchers from Lund University in Sweden found that tattooed individuals had a 21 percent higher risk of lymphoma, compared to people without tattoos.

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the white blood cells, which are crucial for fighting infections.

“The link is thought to lie with carcinogenic chemicals in the tattoo ink. When it is injected into the skin, it is be interpreted as something foreign and the immune system is activated, causing a low-grade inflammation in the body which can trigger cancer.

“Some 46 percent of 30 to 49 year-old Americans have at least one tattoo, while 22 percent of all ages, on average, have more than one.”

The Bible prohibits tattoos.

Trump and Biden Violated Constitution

Bloomberg wrote on May 24:

“Robert F. Kennedy Jr. attacked former President Donald Trump on his response to the Covid-19 pandemic… ‘Trump presided over the greatest restriction of individual liberties this country has ever known. He did not stand up for the Constitution when it really mattered,’ Kennedy said… ‘I don’t recall any part of the United States Constitution that creates an exemption for pandemics,’ he said…

“Kennedy’s… independent campaign threatens the hopes of the major party candidates. With a national polling average near 10%, Kennedy is potentially the best-performing third-party presidential candidate in three decades. The outcome of the election could depend on whether Kennedy draws more support away from Trump or… Biden.”

The Guardian added on May 24:

“Kennedy, 70, brought Libertarians to their feet by promising to pardon government whistleblower Edward Snowden, currently exiled in Russia, and drop espionage charges against Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder battling US attempts to extradite him from Britain…

“Kennedy accused Trump of allowing the government to abuse individual liberty during the pandemic. He said: ‘I think he had the right instinct when he came into office. He was initially very reluctant to impose lockdowns, but then he got rolled by his bureaucrats. He caved in and many of our most fundamental rights disappeared practically overnight.’ Kennedy earned further applause when he asserted: ‘All of our constitutional rights were ploughed under. They closed all the churches but they kept open the Walmarts and the liquor stores.’…

“He went to take aim at the current president, too. ‘When President Trump left office, the assault on the constitution intensified. President Biden violated a freedom so fundamental that James Madison didn’t even think to put it in the Bill of Rights.’ Kennedy accused Biden of ‘a programme of coercion and information control’ during the pandemic, repeating… claims that Biden colluded with the FBI to coerce social media sites to allow government agencies to carry out ‘an obscene orgy of federal censorship’. He said it went from ‘medical misinformation’ to ‘an entire censorship industrial complex’ that also suppresses critics of the war in Ukraine.”

The extreme left-wing Guardian stated that the “claims that Biden colluded with the FBI” were “unfounded” and that “Coronavirus vaccines were deemed safe and effective by the US government and its regulatory agencies as well as the World Health Organization. The first two years of Covid vaccines saved an estimated 3m lives in the US alone.” This unfounded and false propaganda is appalling. In what world does the Guardian live?

The Most Shocking Moment of His 60-Year Legal Career

Professor Dershowitz wrote on May 23 in the Daily Mail:

“I watched in disbelief as Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen told the jury one seeming lie after another… I wouldn’t buy a used car from this man, let alone rely on his testimony to send a presidential candidate to prison.  Most significantly, I haven’t heard any evidence that Trump committed a crime…

“Never in my 60 years of practicing law and teaching and writing about the U.S. legal system have I seen such a weak criminal fraud case… New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan should throw it out of court – and rule that Cohen’s testimony is so unreliable that the jury should not even consider it. This judge has the power to do just that… But he won’t. For even more shocking than the pathetic flaws of this case is the palpable bias that this judge holds against Trump.

After the defense called their key witness, former Cohen legal adviser Robert Costello, Judge Merchan made ruling after ruling denying Costello the ability to speak – inexplicably dismissing his testimony as hearsay and irrelevant.

“I was shocked, along with the other lawyers watching in the audience… the judge truly revealed his apparent unhinged prejudice against Trump when he exploded after Costello, a lawyer himself, expressed his surprise over the mystifying rulings. Merchan lost control over the perceived slight and angrily ordered the court police to clear the room… ‘Do you raise your eyebrows at me?’ Merchan shouted at Costello. ‘Did you stare at me?’ He sounded like a paranoid schizophrenic… Then Merchan threatened to exclude all of Costello’s testimony against Cohen from the trial. I was flabbergasted… the idea that a judge would punish Trump by denying him an opportunity to present evidence over the actions of a witness is preposterous. It’s unethical. It’s unconstitutional.

“So, could Trump be convicted despite all of this? Of course, he can. The Manhattan pool consists largely of people who voted against Trump and don’t want him to be elected in 2024. But the weakness of the prosecution’s case and the jaw-droppingly pervasive bias exhibited by this judge against Trump will provide him with an excellent opportunity to appeal if he is found guilty…”

Trump Permitted to Attend Son’s Graduation

The New York Post wrote on May 17:

“The 45th president was permitted to attend the ceremony by Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Juan Merchan, who called off the day’s planned proceedings in the ‘hush money’ trial of the onetime commander-in-chief.”

At least the totally biased judge conceded in this regard. Even he must have felt that prohibiting this would have been a bridge too far. But note the next article.

A Travesty of “Justice”

Miranda Devine wrote for The New York Post on May 26:

“Joe Biden is salivating at the prospect of his political archrival being convicted in the Stormy Daniels hush money trial in Manhattan, with jury deliberations set to begin this week. If Donald Trump is found guilty in the first criminal prosecution of a former president, it will be a travesty of justice and a clear attempt to rig the 2024 presidential election. But the ploy risks backfiring on Biden in the same way that Republican attacks on Bill Clinton over his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky did…

“According to Politico, as soon as the jury comes back, Biden will deliver a statement addressing the verdict in a ‘White House setting — not a campaign one — to show his statement isn’t political.’… Nothing Biden can say will be cleansed of the taint of political dirty tricks… Biden is… trying to avoid fueling the suspicion that he weaponized the DOJ to go after his political rival, aided by Democratic DAs Alvin Bragg in New York and Fani Willis in Georgia, because he has nothing in the way of achievements or vision to run on in his own right…

“It’s clear to even Trump-deranged observers that Manhattan Supreme Court Acting Justice Juan Merchan is a political hack. He was cautioned last year by the New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct over donations, albeit modest, to Biden and other Democrats. His daughter, Loren Merchan, has been profiting from the trial through her consulting firm as her Democrat clients reportedly raise millions in campaign donations through emails citing the trial over which her father is presiding. It was a no-brainer for Merchan to recuse himself, and yet he refused, sullying the reputation of the New York legal system… Merchan has been a paragon of bias.

“He gave free rein to prosecution star witness Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer, a convicted perjurer and con man who revealed in court that he stole $60,000 from the Trump Organization because he was angry his bonus had been cut… By contrast, the judge muzzled defense witnesses — if he allowed them to be called at all…

“Merchan’s handling of the trial has been such a disaster that any guilty verdict will almost certainly be overturned on appeal. But that will only happen after the election, which allows Biden to smear his opponent as a ‘convicted felon’ which, of course, is the whole point…”

A Rigged Trial

Newsmax wrote on May 29:

“Alan Dershowitz, Harvard Law professor emeritus… attacked a New York State law that allows the prosecution [in the Trump case] to go last when presenting closing arguments, calling it unconstitutional. ‘How does a defense go first when it doesn’t even know what the crimes are that turned a misdemeanor into a felony?’ Dershowitz said. ‘They had to wait until they heard it from the prosecutor’s closing argument and then had no chance to rebut.’

“Dershowitz said if he was on the defense team, he would’ve said he had nothing to say and that he would wait for the prosecutors to present their case and then respond to it. ‘You can’t make me respond to a case I haven’t heard yet,’ Dershowitz said.”

Unconstitutional Jury Instructions

Breitbart wrote on May 30:

“Jurors in the Trump business records trial do not have to agree on what crime former President Donald Trump allegedly committed in order to convict him, but would just have to agree that he falsified or caused someone else to falsify business records with the ‘intent of committing or hiding that crime.’

“… according to the AP, the jury just has to unanimously agree that ‘something unlawful was done to promote Trump’s election campaign,’ but they do not have to agree on what that unlawful thing was.

“Conservative legal experts and media pundits criticized those convoluted instructions… Mark Levin, lawyer and conservative show host, called it ‘grotesque’ on Truth Social, posting:

“‘The grotesque trial charade gets even worse this morning. The Stalinist clown judge directed the jury that they can choose among three areas of crimes to convict the former president:

‘“1. Violations of federal election law (which no one in that courtroom is familiar with, and the judge specifically prevents Brad Smith from testifying about);

‘“2. The falsification of business records; and

‘“3. Tax violations.

“Of course, the issue for all of the above is the requirement of a criminal intent. Furthermore, the idea that jurors can pick 1 of the 3, and they don’t have to unanimously agree on which of the three, is another shocking development….’”

Trump Found Guilty

The New York Post wrote on May 30:

“Donald Trump has become the first former US president to be convicted on criminal charges. He’s scheduled to be sentenced on the morning of July 11 and Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan said Trump can remain free without bail until that date.”

Sadly, in the Trump-hating state of New York, with a corrupt prosecutor, a thoroughly biased judge, and a totally rigged trial with faulty jury instructions and many other appealable errors, this outcome was not unexpected. But it has been said that this obvious miscarriage of justice might guarantee Trump’s victory in November. 

Guiliani Fired After Raising “Election Fraud”

The New York Post wrote on May 10:

“Ex-New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani claimed WABC radio canned him from his daily show to appease… Biden… The once-beloved ‘America’s Mayor’ blasted station owner John Catsimatidis as a hypocrite who touts the right to free speech while stopping Giuliani from ‘telling the truth’ about the ‘stolen’ 2020 presidential election… he was cut from the station’s ‘The Rudy Giuliani Show’ for allegedly violating a company-wide policy ‘not to state, suggest or imply that the election results are not valid….

“But according to Giuliani, he had never been told about the policy. Even more disorienting, he claimed the ‘stolen’ 2020 election was a main focus of his show, which he has been hosting since 2021. ‘Those of you who listen to me on WABC or this show are going to find it very, very strange to believe that there was such a policy,’ Giuliani said…

“Giuliani accused Catsimatidis of firing him in an attempt to get in good with the Democrats, who he claimed are gearing up to steal another presidential election.

“The canning — costing Donald Trump’s ex-lawyer his $15,000-per-month salary — is the latest in a series of financial blows. He faces a mountain of legal bills to fight criminal cases in Arizona and Georgia, where he was charged with trying to overturn the 2020 election — as well as multiple civil cases, including by the voting machine firms Dominion and Smartmatic…

“Giuliani, who is also a former federal prosecutor, had his law license suspended in New York City in 2021. He faces disbarment for ‘his utter disregard for facts,’ which ‘denigrate the legal profession,’ a panel said last year.”

That verdict is still out. And to have an alleged policy prohibiting to talk about the results of the 2020 election is more than telling and clearly constitutes censorship and the suppression of free speech. 

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 explained before that God chose and knew those before time began whom He would call for salvation in this day and age. But does the fact that God knew those “called-out ones” a long time ago exclude those who would not be called for salvation now? To put it differently, did God know individuals a long time ago whom He would NOT call for salvation prior to Christ’s Return?

Consider this:

Since God knew YOU before the foundation of the world and chose you for salvation to be called now, then God must have carefully observed—or known—your forefathers or ancestors to make sure that you would be even born in the first place. This explains the many otherwise unexplainable events of protection and survival which your forefathers might have experienced in war or in other dangerous situations.

In addition, we point out in our free booklet, “Are You Predestined to Be Saved?”: 

In Ezra 1:1, we read that King Cyrus of Persia made a proclamation to rebuild the temple, in fulfillment of God’s prophecies in Isaiah 44:28 and Isaiah 45:1. It is interesting that these prophecies named Cyrus, even though they were written hundreds of years before Cyrus was born. However, even though God called Cyrus for a certain task, He did not call him to salvation…”

Please note carefully that God knew Cyrus, by name, long before he was born. He had not been predestined to be called for salvation at that time, but he was preordained to fulfill an important task in the line of prophetic events. Having said this, it means that God must have known Cyrus’ ancestry too to make sure Cyrus would be born and live to fulfill his prophecy.

God also saw to it that Cyrus would survive as a child. We are told that Cyrus was born sometime around 600 BC and was the son of Cambyses, king of the Persians, and grandson of Astyages, king of the Median Empire. Astyages was warned in a series of prophetic dreams that Cyrus would one day supplant and kill him. Astyages ordered his top general Harpagus to kill the child, but instead Harpagus had Cyrus taken away to live as a shepherd.

Continuing with quoting from our booklet:

Ecclesiastes 6:10 sets forth an interesting observation: “Whatever one is, he has been named already…” The Revised English Bible states: “Whatever exists has already been given a name”…

Paul makes a similar observation about God’s foreknowledge in Romans 9:10-13, when he discusses God’s mystery of election: “…when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (for the children not being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, ‘The older shall serve the younger.’ As it is written, ‘Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.’”

Again, it is implied here that God knew the older Esau and the younger Jacob, by name, before they were born, and that He had already called Jacob and rejected Esau, prior to their birth. In that sense, God “loved” Jacob and “hated” Esau—that is, He loved Esau less by comparison, insofar as the timing of God’s election was concerned.

The point to note is that God knew Esau, not just Jacob, before their birth… even though God would not call Esau for salvation during his lifetime. As God had known and chosen Jacob for salvation before time began, He must have also known Esau, whom He rejected, before time began.

Continuing with quoting from our booklet:

It is also noteworthy what is stated about Christ’s knowledge about His betrayer Judas. We read in John 6:64: “For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him”…

Christ knew that one of the twelve whom He chose was “a devil” (John 6:70). In John 17:12, Christ prayed to the Father, “Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” Peter, one of Christ’s original apostles, later explained that Judas “fell” from apostleship, when he stated, “Judas left it and went to his place which was predestined for him.” (Acts 1:25; Die Grosse Bibel)…

Jude 4 reminds us of the following: “For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation”…

Paul asked in Romans 9:22: “What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction…?” [Compare Proverbs 16:4: “The LORD has made all for Himself, yes, even the wicked for the day of doom.”].

It is implied here that God knew those individuals “marked out for condemnation” and “prepared for destruction” long before their birth. They were “called” by God to fulfill their destiny in God’s plan.This does NOT mean that they lacked free will (Judas, for example, DECIDED to betray Christ) or that they were predestined to commit the unpardonable sin. Even though God uses evil men to carry out His purpose, He does not “make” them commit the unpardonable sin. It is not as if they never had a chance. They will still get their chance to qualify for God’s Kingdom in the Second Resurrection. God NEVER predestines someone to end up in the lake of fire, just as He does not guarantee eternal life for those who are called to salvation.

Continuing with quoting from our booklet:

We have already read about an end-time political figure, called “the beast” in the prophecies of the book of Revelation. God has predetermined that this “beast” or political leader, as well as the government he will represent, will rule for “one hour” (Revelation 17:12). During this time, he will persecute God’s people (compare Revelation 13:7). We are told, in Daniel 7:25, that this Biblical term (“one hour”) means, in this case, 3½ years…

We also read about a future king of Assyria—none other than the “beast” in the book of Revelation—whom God will use to punish modern Israel (Isaiah 10:5-7, 12). God is using those individuals to bring about prophecy.

The beast—also called King Jareb of Assyria and the king of the North—will work together with the false prophet, a religious figure, to bring much evil to this world. God knows the identity of the beast and the false prophet, and He did so at least when the Book of Revelation was written. In fact, as the beast is the same as King Jareb of Assyria and the king of the North, He knew them already at the time when the books of Isaiah and Daniel were written; but in reality, He already knew them much earlier than that. They would not be called for salvation in this day and age, but they would be “called” for a particular task which had to be fulfilled prior to Christ’s return. To put it differently, Christ could NOT come back unless these events were to occur first.

Continuing with quoting from our booklet:

We find an additional statement of God’s foreknowledge and pre-appointment, regarding the existence of nations, in Deuteronomy 32:8: “When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, When He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples According to the number of the children of Israel.” This statement is highly remarkable because when God separated the sons of Adam (compare, for example, Genesis 11:8) and gave them their land, Israel, the son of Isaac, or Israel’s children, did not even exist.

The individual, called Jacob or Israel, would only be born many years later, and the nation of Israel would not emerge for many hundreds of years. Still, God says that He set the boundaries of the peoples “according to the number of the children of Israel,” stating that He knew that the children of Israel would exist in the future and implying that He even knew their number. Paul confirms this fact in Romans 11:2: “God has not cast away His people [Israel] whom He foreknew.”

This means, then, that God foreknew many members of the House of Israel and the House of Judah BEFORE they were born… and BEFORE those houses even came into existence. He had to preserve Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who were predestined to be called for salvation during their life time—the ancestors of the Houses of Israel and Judah. In addition, He also preserved others in their lineage who were NOT predestined to be called for salvation in their lifetime, but who nevertheless were “called” to fulfill an important role, function and task.

There are many more aspects to consider which should motivate us to stand in awe when realizing God’s incredible plan, and all that is involved for its fulfillment.

For example, we read that Jesus Christ was slain from the foundation of the world (compare Revelation 13:8). We even read that He was foreordained to give His blood for mankind as a lamb without blemish and without spot BEFORE the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:20). This means He must have known BEFORE creating Adam and Eve that mankind would sin and that He would have to die for man in order to bring about forgiveness with the potential of inheriting eternal life. This implies that God knew Adam and Eve before they were created. They were, in a sense, predestined and chosen to be called in their lifetime for salvation, but they rejected that call.

Later, God decided to destroy the earth in a flood. But it was clear that some would have to survive; otherwise, God’s plan for mankind and the prophecies given could not be fulfilled. And so, God “found” Noah, a righteous man who had been preordained and predestined to be called for salvation in his lifetime. He was “a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:9). But notice: We only read that Noah was perfect and that he walked with God. We do not read this about his wife, his sons and his daughters-in-law.

Still, in order to make sure that mankind would survive and produce offspring to replenish the earth, God had to save not just Noah, but also his wife and his three sons and daughters-in-law even though it does not say that they were righteous or called for salvation; only Noah was. Still, God did not only know Noah, but also his wife and family, and that long before they were born.

In addition, God had to save the Jews when at the time of Esther, Haman was determined to kill them, as Jesus would be a descendant of the Jews. So, He had to know at least some of them to make sure that they would survive. And God gave David a promise. David had been predestined and chosen before time began to be called for salvation during his lifetime. God’s promise was that there would always be one of his descendants sitting on his throne until the return of Christ (compare Jeremiah 33:17). So, God had to know them and protect and preserve them to make sure that they would fulfill His promise to David, even though the vast majority of kings and rulers sitting on that throne had not been predestined to be called for salvation during their lifetime.

There are certainly many more examples which we could give and our above-quoted booklet contains additional information. But what has been written here should suffice to show the incredible foreknowledge of God and His awesome plan for mankind. How great God is, and how small we are in comparison. As Paul says in Romans 11:33-36:

“Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?’ ‘Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?’ For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”

And it is this awesome and all-powerful God who has predestined and chosen you before time began to be called for salvation in this day and age. He wants to share His Kingdom with you. He wants YOU to be in His Family. Think about it.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Gibt es eine Vorherbestimmung für unbekehrte Menschen?” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Is There Predestination for Unconverted People?”

Das Evangelium – Gottes Auftrag und die Voraussetzung für das Ende,” last Sabbath’s first split sermon in Germany, presented by Marc Voller, is now posted. Title in English: “The Gospel – God’s Mission and the Prerequisite for the End.”

“Unser Glaube,” last Sabbath’s second split sermon in Germany, presented by Robert Muhr, is now posted. Title in English: “Our Faith.”

“Do We Know How to Pray?” last Sabbath’s first split sermon presented by Christoph Sperzel, is now posted.

“When the Time of Adversity Dawns,” last Sabbath’s second split sermon presented by Thilo Hanstein, is now posted.