On February 15, 2020, Dave Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “Think Like God,” and Robb Harris will present the sermon, titled, “Giving Up for Gain.”

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

When Moses struck the rock at Meribah and caused water to flow, was he justified in the anger he felt towards the Israelites? One third of Moses’ life (see Exodus 7:7 and Deuteronomy 34:7) was spent leading the people of Israel to the Promised Land. In those 40 years he dealt with a rebellious people that struggled to place God before their own lusts and desires.

At one time, God even wanted to destroy those rebellious people immediately, “Then the LORD said to Moses: ‘How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them? I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they’” (Numbers 14:11-12).  But Moses interceded and quieted the anger of God, “Then the LORD said: ‘I have pardoned, according to your word; but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD—because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it’” (Numbers 14:20-23).

A generation died out and did not enter into those physical promises because of their rebellious attitude towards God. This punishment was severe to those who failed to follow after God.  And this same punishment was leveled against Moses for his anger.  “…and Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. Moses said to them, ‘Listen now, you rebels; must we bring you water out of this rock?’ Then Moses raised his hand [in anger] and with his rod he struck the rock twice [instead of speaking to the rock as the Lord had commanded]. And the water poured out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank [fresh water]. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you have not believed (trusted) Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, you therefore shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them’” (Numbers 20:10-12, Amplified Bible 2015).

There are no exceptions made for rebellion against God, “For there is no partiality with God” (Romans 2:11).  Moses understood God (through God’s Holy Spirit), something the Israelites around him could not do.  But the same consequences for sin still applied to Moses, and he likewise did not enter into the Promised Land.

God guided and trained Moses his entire life in order to lead His people. He governed a nation with Pharaoh, tended sheep for Jethro, and lead God’s people out of captivity. But the years spent with a people that constantly drifted away from God undoubtedly had an impact on his attitude, at least in that moment at Meribah.  And one (seemingly) small act caused swift punishment from God.

Being surrounded by such ungodliness in our day can have that same effect on our attitudes.  Left unchecked, we can sin in a way that distances us from the Will of God (however valid our actions might seem to the world).  And one small act can cascade into a loss of eternal life.  Understanding and retaining the Will of God in all our actions is fundamental in each of us reaching the lasting promises of becoming part of God’s eternal Family.

by Norbert Link

We begin with reports on the current turmoil in Germany and the ongoing downfall of Angela Merkel and her designated successor Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (AKK) who announced her resignation as head of the party and her refusal to run for Chancellorship. The search for a new candidate for Chancellorship is wide open, while the right-wing AfD party is gaining more and more support. Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled,  “Germany in BIG Turmoil.” 

We report on the beginning of the hostile transition period between Britain and Europe after Brexit; the interesting future of Ireland, and the attempts of France to lead Europe, which will fail.

In light of the rapid speed of the coronavirus, we address lessons from leprosy; the lack of preparation in Africa; China’s belated actions and subsequent radical measures; and potentially disastrous economic consequences for the USA.

In other news, we report on the brutal origin of Valentine’s Day; interesting developments within the Catholic Church and in Israel; as well as the lack of freedom of speech in England and Switzerland.

We conclude with reports on a most powerful winter storm in Europe which could be a preview of the political storm awaiting the continent.  

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

Turmoil in Germany

MSNBC wrote on February 8 about the AfD’s role as kingmaker by supporting a FDP candidate in Thuringia:

“‘A pact with fascism,’ one headline screamed. Another gasped about ‘a coup.’ Protesters gathered spontaneously in major cities across the country, chanting anti-fascist slogans. Even the chancellor weighed in from afar during a visit to South Africa: ‘It was a bad day for democracy,’ she said darkly.

“Three years after the Alternative for Germany (AfD) became the first far-right party to enter Germany’s national parliament since World War II, the events underscored how the country’s beleaguered traditional parties are still struggling to deal with the new disruptive force… For many Germans, allowing the far right to be kingmakers conjures up dark memories… It did not help that Thuringia is precisely where, in the dying days of the Weimar Republic more than 90 years ago, the Nazis first won power locally, before going on to win nationally — with the help of conservative parties. This history echoed loudly across the country…

“The taboo of not collaborating with the AfD, while sacred, is at risk of crumbling in an increasingly fragmented political landscape. So far, no German state governor has been elected with support from the Alternative for Germany. But the Alternative for Germany has steadily broadened its presence in state legislatures. Especially in eastern states, it has in recent elections been among the top finishers.

“The events in Thuringia were all the more symbolic — and significant — because it is the fief of the AfD’s most notorious far-right leader, Björn Höcke… The photo of Mr. Höcke shaking hands with the victorious center-right candidate, Thomas Kemmerich, prompted particular outrage. ‘Handshake of shame’ the front page headline of the tabloid Bild read. The new governor ‘gets elected by neo-Nazi Höcke.’

“But even beyond Thuringia, enforcing a ban on cooperating with the AfD is proving to be tricky… Some fear it is only a question of time before it arrives on the federal level, where the AfD is the leading opposition party in the national parliament…

“The AfD, meanwhile, has enjoyed accusing mainstream parties of distorting democracy by ignoring the will of voters. For it, the week’s events served as a case in point.”

And that is very true. The more the mainstream and the social media and the mainstream, as well as left-wing, politicians rail against the AfD—even sabotaging and trying to circumvent and silence the declared will of the voters–the more the popularity of the party will increase, as voters are very dissatisfied with the perceived lack of accomplishment by their “established” parties.

As Bloomberg reported on February 8, “Merkel in an unusual step fired a government official from her party who had congratulated Kemmerich for his election. The official, Christian Hirte, is the federal government’s top liaison for the eastern German states and the CDU’s deputy leader in Thuringia.”

Merkel’s overreaction will harm her. Kemmerich announced on Saturday that he was quitting immediately after he had previously announced his immediate resignation, only to subsequently revoke it. Still, as premier, he is obligated to continue in a caretaker capacity until a successor takes up office.

This might require new state elections.

In fact, it might even require new federal elections very soon. Note the next articles.

Another Big Blow in Germany—AKK to Resign

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 10:

“Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer surprised fellow members of the Christian Democrats (CDU) on Monday by announcing that she would step down from her position as the head of the party and would not run for chancellor. She said the candidate for chancellor should also lead the party. Kramp-Karrenbauer intends to stay on as defense minister… She spoke of the need to create a strong CDU, saying that recent events in the eastern state of Thuringia had weakened the party…

“AKK, as she is commonly known, has struggled through a series of scandals that have sowed doubt about her ability to lead the country effectively…

“In 2018, Kramp-Karrenbauer had emerged victorious in the first grassroots contest for CDU leadership… winning against [Friedrich] Merz, who is currently vice president of the business council of the CDU, and Health Minister Jens Spahn… Members of an ultraconservative wing of the CDU came out in favor of Merz as party head. The parliamentary group leader of the Greens… responded to the news by warning the CDU against shifting to the right… AfD parliamentary group head Alexander Gauland… said the decision created an opportunity for the two parties to improve their relations. Kramp-Karrenbauer had ‘plunged the CDU into chaos with her policy of exclusion,’ Gauland said.”

Who Will Succeed Merkel?

The Local wrote on February 10:

“The race to succeed Angela Merkel as Germany’s chancellor became more unpredictable than ever Monday after her protegee Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer threw in the towel as leader of the centre-right party. Here’s a look at four possible candidates for the chancellery from Merkel’s CDU/CSU conservative bloc…

“Friedrich Merz, 64, has never forgiven Merkel for driving him out as head of the party’s group of MPs in the Bundestag in 2002… He was narrowly beaten in the vote for party leader by Merkel’s preferred successor Kramp-Karrenbauer in December 2018, and has been waiting in the wings ever since…

“State premier of Germany’s most populous region North Rhine-Westphalia, 58-year-old Armin Laschet could emerge as the compromise candidate… He has won plaudits for his tough stance against criminal gangs in his state, while his liberal leanings make him acceptable to Merkel’s centre-left coalition partner, the Social Democratic Party (SPD)…

“At just 39 years old the youngest potential candidate, the ambitious [and openly gay] Health Minister Jens Spahn is seen by many as the ‘anti-Merkel’. Highly critical of Merkel’s decision to open the door to an influx of asylum seekers in 2015, he is liked by the CDU’s more right-wing faction. ‘Spahn would represent a new start,’ the conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine daily said, seeing in him ‘a brave party leader’ and ‘potent’ possible chancellor…

“The 53-year-old leader of Merkel’s Bavarian CSU sister party [Markus Söder] is seen as having a more distant shot at the chancellery — and may not even want to throw his hat in the ring…”

The choice of AKK’s successor could be decisive for the survival of the CDU and the grand coalition. It could also open the door for closer cooperation between the CDU and the AfD. In addition, calls for Merkel’s resignation—even within her own party—are getting louder.

Bild Online asked the pointed question about Jens Spahn: “Would Germany be ready for a gay chancellor?“ Spahn already announced that he has always said that he is ready to accept “responsibility.” AKK stated that a new chancellor candidate would be recommended by her party (CDU) in the summer and confirmed in December. Whether the CDU has time to wait that long is questionable.

Is Merkel Destroying Her Party?

The conservative mass tabloid, Bild Online, wrote on February 10:

“The life-threatening crisis of the CDU is primarily due to one person who has just now clearly shown that she still sees herself as the party chairperson: Chancellor Angela Merkel (65). From South Africa, she told her party to ‘reverse’ the Thuringia election results.

“Angela Merkel created a pseudo-successor to herself – who was not supposed to shine brighter than her and who never had the power and influence to fix the damage that Chancellor Merkel has done within the CDU. Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (57), on the other hand, lacked the power instinct necessary for quickly bringing problem cases… back under control. Under AKK, everybody could do what they want.

“Now the CDU is swinging suicidally between the Greens and the AfD, because Merkel as the party leader slept through, ignored, and gave away the two big issues of migration and climate. Instead of shaping the future, the major party CDU is trying to keep up with the Greens and the AfD – without winning back any of the voters it has lost.

“In the big cities, the Greens are about to become a major party. In Germany’s east, it’s the AfD. At the same time, the CDU is tumbling through the country without leadership. Chancellor Merkel is restricting herself to working on her own personal popularity. She is concerned with shaping her own image for the history books and leaves the party to fend for itself. She doesn’t even show up in the election campaigns, because she knows she is no longer wanted there.

“The AKK debacle has shown: With Angela Merkel in the chancellery, a new beginning for the CDU is not possible – even less so with candidates that are popular in the country, but despised by Merkel. As long as Merkel is governing, the CDU will not win over new voters. If this comes to pass, the political centre would – following the near-demise of the SPD – finally collapse.

“If the Chancellor does not realize this, her legacy could be that she ruined her own party and that, with the AfD and Greens, she created two new major parties. One will then look at the CDU as pitifully and nostalgically as one does today at the SPD.”

And this is exactly what might happen.

Waiting for German Leadership

The New York Times wrote on February 11:

“The resignation of the chancellor’s preferred replacement threatens to extend a lack of German leadership… ‘Germany is the elephant in the room,’ said Jan Techau, director of the German Marshall Fund’s office in Berlin. ‘Today Germany and its leadership in the security realm are once again foremost on everyone’s mind,’ he said. ‘Everyone is waiting for Germany.’…

“The uncertainty over who will succeed Ms. Merkel means that Germany will be… extending the sense of paralysis that is frustrating Germany’s allies in the European Union and Washington… even as China, Russia and President Trump’s America seem to circle Europe like predators on issues ranging from trade and competition to Ukraine and Huawei, the political leadership to translate this into policies that German voters support has been missing…

“Who will lead Germany next is by no means clear, with general disappointment in the visible alternatives… ‘Germany is sleepwalking,’ Professor Enderlein said… ‘When Trump took office, we talked of Merkel as the leader of the West, but who would say that now?’ asked Anna Wieslander, a Swede and director for Northern Europe of the Atlantic Council… ‘We want Germany to lead, because it tries to unite Europeans while France is more disruptive, but Germany is not there.’”

Not yet, but a mighty powerful leader will arise, and then things will change dramatically. The comment about France is interesting. See the next article.

France to Lead Europe?

The Associated Press wrote on February 7:

“French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday advocated a more coordinated European Union defense strategy in which France, the bloc’s only post-Brexit nuclear power, and its arsenal would occupy a central role. Macron outlined France’s nuclear strategy… one week after Britain, Europe’s only other nuclear-armed state, officially exited the EU.

“The French leader said… he refused to sign any treaties at this time to further reduce the size of France’s nuclear arsenal and announced an increase in military spending. Macron also positioned himself as the driving force for a united EU, using France’s military clout to make his point… The central idea in the speech, however, was that of a boosted Europe-wide role for the French nuclear arsenal in a more coordinated European defense policy.

“Macron said… the strategy would prevent Europe ‘confining itself to a spectator role’ in an environment dominated by Russia, the United States and China… His remarks come at a time when NATO allies, who would ordinarily look to the United States for help in a nuclear standoff, worry about Washington’s retreat from the multilateral stage. This could create new tensions within NATO, where Macron ruffled feathers last year by saying the lack of U.S. leadership is causing the ‘brain death’ of the military alliance…

“Friday’s speech was part of Macron’s long-running push for a stronger European defense, as U.S. President Donald Trump has pulled away from European allies and admonished them to pay more for their own protection…”

France would love to play the leading role but ultimately, it will be Germany which will lead Europe.

Brexit Transition… the Fight Goes On

Bloomberg wrote on February 5:

“European authorities are hatching an offensive to weaken the Brexit-addled City of London. Officials in Berlin, Brussels and Paris are looking to amend the post-crisis financial rulebook known as MiFID II by walking away from concessions they made to the U.K. in the six years it took to complete the regulations.

“Policies governing research spending, record keeping and trading in stocks, derivatives and commodities are likely to be revised and could make Brexit tougher to negotiate for international banks such as Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. Changes would also be aimed at bolstering Deutsche Boerse AG’s dominance against the London Stock Exchange Group Plc in futures and other listed derivatives…

“London financial services firms’ access to the EU will depend on a process known as equivalence — under which Britain would have to prove to Brussels that its rules are at least as stringent as the bloc’s. The equivalence system that will govern finance gives the EU unilateral power to decide if British rules are tough enough to create a level playing field…

“Germany and France are already talking about reversing key parts of the finance law that were backed by the U.K. when it was a member of the EU…”

It will be an eventful transition period, with bad headlines topping each other.

Ireland on New Course?

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 8:

“Millions headed to vote in Ireland on Saturday, with an initial exit poll showing a virtual three-way tie for the major parties. The poll show a huge resurgence for the left-wing Sinn Fein party… Frustration with economic austerity and an ongoing housing crisis have fueled the rise of Sinn Fein, which is committed to the reunification of Ireland and is still sidelined by the political establishment for its links to the IRA…

“[Before the election,] both major parties [had refused] to work with them…”

But this may change. Note the next article.

The Guardian wrote on February 10:

“Sinn Féin has declared victory in Ireland’s general election and called for talks with other main parties to form a coalition government… Sinn Féin won 24.5% of the first-preference vote in Saturday’s election, almost doubling its share from 2016… Fine Gael slid to 20.9% and the main opposition party, Fianna Fáil, slipped to 22.2%… The Greens, independents and small leftwing parties accounted for the rest…

“The fragmented results will produce a hung parliament with no party close to 80 seats – the number for a majority and stable government in the 160-seat chamber, which includes a speaker…

“Sinn Féin said it wished to promote its defining issue – a united Ireland – in any future government. An exit poll found that 57% of people supported Sinn Féin’s desire to hold referendums on unity on both sides of the border in the next five years.”

Express wrote on February 9:

“A UNITED IRELAND would automatically rejoin the EU, unlike an Independent Scotland, whose ministers would have to go through a long ‘accession process’, one of Britain’s foremost constitutional experts told Express…”

It is entirely possible that the UK will fall apart, and that a united Ireland will rejoin Europe.

Lessons from Leprosy

NPR wrote on February 7:

“… past efforts to isolate disease show that such moves — as well-intentioned as they might be — don’t always go as planned…

“When the federal government sought to identify all the leprosy cases in the country in the early 1900s, it found only 278. But public health investigators told Congress there likely were many more in hiding out of fear… the assistant surgeon general announced that there were ‘1,200 lepers at large’ in the country… When Americans feared a potential leprosy pandemic in the late 1800s, people of Asian descent were also unjustly stigmatized…

“Throughout history, those believed to have leprosy, now called Hansen’s disease, were among the most reviled members of society, outcasts sometimes believed to be sinners who brought the illness upon themselves. Even today, the threat of leprosy is used to demonize immigrants and people living in homeless encampments as potential carriers of the disease — although there’s no evidence that’s true.

“About 200,000 people around the world are diagnosed each year with Hansen’s disease. Many of them still prefer not to make their diagnosis public for fear of how they’ll be treated by the rest of society…”

The Bible clearly advocates isolation and even quarantine for those who are suffering from a serious contagious disease—not because those who suffer from it are cursed and guilty of sin, but because of love for our fellow man. But in this world ruled by Satan, most don’t care about God’s laws. They may not reveal their sickness because of selfish reasons and lack of love for others, or because of fear of the abominable condemnations from their ignorant and self-righteous fellow men. And so, contagious diseases will spread.

Africa Unprepared for the Coronavirus

The Associated Press wrote on February 8:

“At a Chinese-run hospital in Zambia, some employees watched as people who recently returned from China showed up with coughs but were not placed in isolation. A doctor tending to those patients has stopped coming to work, and health workers have been ordered not to speak publicly about the new virus that has killed hundreds around the world.

“The virus that has spread through much of China has yet to be confirmed in Africa, but global health authorities are increasingly worried about the threat to the continent where an estimated 1 million Chinese now live, as some health workers on the ground warn they are not ready to handle an outbreak.

“Countries are racing to take precautions as hundreds of travelers arrive from China every day. Safeguards include stronger surveillance at ports of entry and improved quarantine and testing measures across Africa, home to 1.2 billion people and some of the world’s weakest systems for detecting and treating disease. But the effort has been complicated by a critical shortage of testing kits and numerous illnesses that display symptoms similar to the flu-like virus…

“Those growing worried include employees at the Sino-Zambia Friendship Hospital in the mining city of Kitwe in northern Zambia, near the Congo border. Chinese companies operate mines on the outskirts of the city of more than half a million people. One company is headquartered in Wuhan, the city at the center of the virus outbreak. Hundreds of workers traveled between Zambia and China in recent weeks…

“Several African nations such as Ghana, South Africa and Ethiopia have announced their precautions, including updates on negative test results for suspected cases and demonstrations of surveillance and quarantine capabilities. Ethiopian Airlines, however, faces questions by some in Africa about why it continues to operate more than 30 China flights a week while other African airlines have suspended theirs…”

The virus is spreading much faster than scientists had originally contemplated. It has been reported that even IF a vaccine was to be found NOW, it would ALREADY be too late. But we are told it might take up to eighteen months to find a vaccine. 

Newsmax wrote on February 13:

 “The total deaths in mainland China since the outbreak began in December stood at 1,367 (1,491 worldwide, according to Axios) with the total number of confirmed cases mounting to 52,526.” This brings the total to more than 60,000 worldwide. 

Axios wrote on February 13: “There are more than 500 cases in 27 other countries and territories.”

How China “Deals” with the Virus

The Washington Post wrote on February 6:

“The Chinese Communist Party has once again proved that authoritarianism is dangerous — not just for human rights but also for public health.

“Confronted with the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, the CCP has instinctively reverted to its familiar tool kit: It immediately staged a large-scale lockdown of people and information at the expense of the public good…

“All you need to do is look at the images and words of brave citizens in Wuhan who have responded by passing on firsthand information about the epidemic to their compatriots and the outside world. They are doing this at great risk to themselves. They know they potentially face reprisal for the heroic act of simply sharing the truth…”

China is an absolutely totalitarian country. It has been reported that those who are suspected of being infected are being violently dragged out of their homes, arrested, and transported into “isolation.”

Massive Death Toll Possible

The Guardian wrote on February 11:

“The coronavirus epidemic could spread to about two-thirds of the world’s population if it cannot be controlled, according to Hong Kong’s leading public health epidemiologist. His warning came after the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said recent cases of coronavirus patients who had never visited China could be the ‘tip of the iceberg.’…

“‘Sixty per cent of the world’s population is an awfully big number,’ Leung told the Guardian in London… the death toll would be massive…”

Man’s Unwillingness to Learn!

AFP wrote on February 12:

“Bats, rats and snakes are still being sold at an Indonesian market known for its wildlife offerings, despite a government request to take them off the menu over fears of a link to the deadly coronavirus.

“Vendors at the Tomohon Extreme Meat market on Sulawesi island say business is booming and curious tourists keep arriving to check out exotic fare that enrages animal rights activists…

“A wildlife market in Wuhan, the epicentre of the virus, is thought to be ground zero and there is suspicion it could have originated in bats… [Indonesia’s] grubby stalls feature a dizzying array of animals including giant snakes, rats impaled on sticks and charred dogs with their hair seared off by blowtorches — a gory scene described by some critics as ‘like walking through hell’.”

This is SICK and DISGUSTING. God calls it a terrible abomination!

The Unforeseen Consequences of the Coronavirus Outbreak

CCN wrote on February 10:

“… the coronavirus epidemic is one big threat that could cause the U.S. housing market bubble to burst at last…

“The Chinese have already been pulling back their investments in the U.S. housing market as regulations have tightened in China to control the outflow of cash from the country. The trade war between the U.S. and China is another reason why their housing market investments have declined. But now, the coronavirus epidemic could deal yet another blow to Chinese investments in the U.S. housing market…

“The travel ban by President Trump on foreign nationals who have been to China in light of the coronavirus outbreak is going to further complicate things for anyone from that country looking to invest in the U.S. housing market. So, don’t be surprised to see a drop in home sales as the Chinese reportedly account for 20 percent of the foreign buyers who buy homes in the U.S.

“… the housing market inventory in the U.S. was down 13.6 percent in January. This was the largest annual decline seen in four years. What’s more, the report states that the listing volume of new properties was also down 10.6 percent year over year…

“As it turns out, homes in the U.S. are getting more and more expensive with each passing month. The median price of a home listed for sale went up by 3.4 percent in January to $299,995…

“At the same time, the pull-out by Chinese buyers on account of the coronavirus outbreak will be another headwind for the market… These two factors could… spark a potential crisis in the market.”

A collapse of the housing market in the USA is certain.

“US Navy Wants More Ships but Can’t Afford Them”

Defense News wrote on February 10:

“The US Navy’s fiscal year 2021 budget slashes 10 planned ships over the next five years…

“That would leave the Navy scrambling to add 50 ships to the battle force over five years starting in 2026, just as the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine enters serial production and is expected to eat as much as 40 percent of the Navy’s shipbuilding account.”

Crazy–Californians Compelled to Vote?

The Los Angeles Times reported on February 6:

“… a [Democratic] California lawmaker is pushing to require voters to cast a ballot in future elections. The proposal, introduced in the state Assembly on Tuesday, would be unprecedented and probably challenged in court should it ultimately become law. It would place the burden for determining the civil penalty and the ultimate punishment on the secretary of state, California’s chief elections officer…

“As many as 30 countries have compulsory voting laws on the books, including Australia, Belgium and Brazil… Assembly Bill 2070… would require every Californian who registers to vote to ‘cast a ballot, marked or unmarked in whole or in part, at every election held within the territory within which the person resides.’ AB 2070 has yet to be referred to a policy committee and is unlikely to be considered until the spring…

“Opponents… have said that mandatory voting could be in conflict with the right to free speech guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution.”

What absolute utter nonsense… but it is dangerous as, again, the state wants to control the people and limit, if not abolish, their individual rights. Compelling people to serve on a jury would fall into this same category, and so would be the institution of a draft.

Pope Removes German Archbishop Georg Gänswein

LifeSiteNews wrote on February 5:

“Pope Benedict’s secretary, Archbishop Georg Gänswein, has been put on administrative leave indefinitely by Pope Francis… Gänswein has been the private secretary of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger since 2003. He remained at his side after Ratzinger’s election to the papacy. Only a few months before Benedict resigned in 2013, he made Gänswein the Prefect of the Papal Household, as well as an archbishop.

“Since then, the German prelate has spent part of his day with the Pope emeritus, while fulfilling his duties as Prefect of the Papal Household during the remainder of his day. Die Tagespost speculates that the administrative leave is related to the rollout of the book From the Depths of Our Hearts on clerical celibacy by Cardinal Robert Sarah, to which Benedict XVI contributed… Vatican-based journalist Antonio Socci had claimed that Pope Francis was ‘furious’ over Benedict’s contribution to the book on celibacy, demanding he retract his name from the work.”

The liberal and conservative factions within the Catholic Church and the Vatican become more and more embittered adversaries. But it seems that for now, Francis who is sometimes very difficult to read, has bowed to conservative pressure. Note the next article.  

Francis: No Ordination of Married Men as Priests… for Now!

The Australian Associated Press wrote on February 12:

“Pope Francis, in one of the most significant decisions of his papacy, has dismissed a proposal to allow some married men to be ordained in the Amazon region to ease an acute scarcity of priests. The recommendation, put forward by Latin American bishops last year, alarmed conservatives in the deeply polarised 1.3 billion-member Roman Catholic Church, who feared it could lead to a change in the centuries-old commitment to celibacy among priests.

“Francis delivered his response in an Apostolic Exhortation on Wednesday, three months after the proposal passed by 128 votes to 41 at a contentious Vatican assembly, or synod, of Roman Catholic bishops. Apostolic Exhortations are used to instruct and encourage the Catholic faithful but do not define Church doctrine.

“Wednesday’s 32-page document did not even mention the proposal, which was for older married deacons who are proven leaders of remote Catholic communities and have stable families to be ordained as priests. Conservatives balked, fearing that even a circumscribed change would be a slippery slope leading to a married priesthood throughout the Church. They branded a pre-synod working document as heretical.

“In what some viewed as a strategically timed appeal to Francis not to approve the Amazon proposal, a book published last month by Church conservatives defended the tradition of priestly celibacy… Vatican officials said the pope completed the document on December 27, before the book controversy, and handed it in for translations. They said no changes were made after that.”

While conservatives may be pleased, liberals will not be.

Pope Pushes One-World Religion

Breaking Israel News wrote on February 11:

“Historically, the Vatican was no friend to the Jews but its new initiative aligns the Catholic Church with Islam in a one-world religion that may be the biggest threat ever to the Jewish People. A major event to advance the project will take place on the anniversary of the birth of the State of Israel…

“The date of the global educational summit is May 14, precisely 72 years after Israel proclaimed its independence. Rabbi Winston suggested that this could have a deeper meaning, indicating the inherent conflict between the Jewish People and universal religion… ‘Are they trying to get rid of the Jews and the Torah by creating one world religion? Anyone who wants a one-world order has to get rid of the Jews because all of human history has proven that the core of Torah Judaism doesn’t change, even, when necessary, and the cost of death…’”

The Bible prophesies an end-time worldwide persecution of the Jewish people.

The Brutal Origin of Valentine’s Day

The Sun wrote on February 12:

 “Valentine’s Day hasn’t always meant a cosy, candlelit dinner… The Roman festival of Lupercalia – one of the earliest instances the date became synonymous with ‘love’ – was launched to promote fertility in women, but its barbaric acts were distinctly un-romantic. … Here are the bloody beginnings of Valentine’s Day…

 “The ancient pagan festival Lupercalia began in a dark, sacred cave as far back as the 6th century BC. A group of Roman priests would gather and strip naked before slaughtering a goat, as a representation of sexuality, and then a dog – for purification. Two of the priests would then have the animals’ blood smeared on their foreheads with the same knife used for the slaughters, before wiping it off with a piece of milk-soaked wool. Once the sacrifices were complete, things took an even darker turn.

“The priests, known as the Luperci – meaning ‘brothers of the wolf’ – would cut the animals’ skins into strips and dip them in the sacred blood. They’d then take to the streets, where women would be voluntarily lining up to get whipped by the pieces of hide… If you were struck by a Lupercus, one of the priests, it was considered that you would give birth to more children…

“Once the beatings were complete, a Love Island-style matchmaking ceremony would take place… All of the unmarried women would reportedly add their names to a large urn, before it was passed around any single Roman men – who would each pick out a name.

“The couples who were matched up would remain together throughout the festival… Some retellings suggest the new couples would be forced to have sex throughout the remainder of the festival and perhaps even beyond, as the man tried to give his woman a baby.

“Pope Gelasius made it a Christian holiday in the fifth century, historian Noel Lenski told NPR. ‘It was a little more of a drunken revel... That didn’t stop it from being a day of fertility and love.’

“The Roman festival has long been linked to February 14… as the day that birds mate, signifying love.”

For further information on Valentine’s Day, see our free booklet, “Man’s Holidays and God’s Holy Days.”

Lesbians and Gays in Leadership Positions of the Episcopal Church

The Associated Press wrote on February 8:

“The Michigan diocese of the Episcopal Church has its first female and openly lesbian bishop. [She] was ordained Saturday during a ceremony in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn… [Another woman] was the church’s first lesbian bishop in 2010 in Los Angeles…

“[Another woman] became its first female bishop when she was ordained in 1989 in Massachusetts. [A man] became the Episcopal Church’s first openly gay bishop in 2004… ‘If you look at scripture, Jesus said absolutely nothing about homosexuality,’ [the lesbian bishop from Michigan] said…”

It seems one can try to justify everything, even though the Truth should be blatantly obvious.

Israel Prepared to Annex Parts of the West Bank

The Jerusalem Post wrote on February 8:

“Israel has begun preparing a precise map of the parts of the West Bank it will annex in accordance with the new US peace plan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Saturday… ‘It won’t take much time… Within a few weeks, it will happen.’…

“Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump presented his peace plan, by which the US will approve of Israel annexing some 30% of the West Bank, including all settlements and the Jordan Valley…

“Netanyahu remarked on the historic change of the Trump administration recognizing Israel’s right to Jerusalem and the West Bank – as opposed to the world, including previous administrations, which did not. ‘I’m happy that American policy changed under [Trump’s] courageous leadership, starting with [canceling] the Iran Deal, recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, moving the US embassy, recognizing our sovereignty in the Golan and recognizing the legality of settlements in Judea and Samaria,’ he stated.”

Such action would result in an uproar in the Middle East.

Only Israel Approves of Trump’s Foreign Policies

Breaking Israel News wrote on February 9:

“Israel was the only one of 33 non-U.S. countries included in a new Pew Research Center survey where a majority of respondents expressed approval of U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign policies.

“Some 55 percent of Israelis in the spring 2019 poll, released on Monday, expressed net approval of Trump’s international policies—meaning they approved of more policies than they disapproved of. The second non-U.S. country with the highest net approval was Poland at 34 percent, and Germany had the lowest net approval at 6 percent.”

America and Israel become more and more isolated from and rejected by the rest of the world.

No Freedom of Speech for the Truth in England

Daily Mail wrote on February 8:

“The preacher son of US evangelist Billy Graham is threatening to sue eight British arenas that cancelled his shows after protests from the LGBT community. Franklin Graham, 67, a vocal supporter of US President, Donald Trump, describes homosexuality as a ‘sin’ and is in favour of ‘gay conversion therapy’.

“The ACC Liverpool conference centre was the first to cancel one of his planned events saying last month that his views were ‘incompatible’ with their values and the Sheffield Arena followed soon after. Since then venues in Glasgow, Newcastle, Cardiff, Birmingham, Milton Keynes and London have all followed suit. But Graham… remains unrepentant on his ‘homophobic’ views and even claimed that the Queen would agree with him…

“He told Premier Christian News: ‘I believe the Bible teaches that marriage is between a man and a woman. That’s the Church of England’s position… This is what the Bible teaches and that’s what I believe.’… Graham… has previously described gay marriage as a ‘sin‘… Graham claimed the LGBT community were threatening free speech… ‘If a small group of people can force a cancellation of an event where thousands of Christians are participating, I think there is no question about the danger in the future to others.’”

Shameful.

No Freedom of Speech for the Truth in Switzerland

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 9:

“Switzerland has voted strongly in favor of banning discrimination against gay people… Sunday’s referendum decided on legislation that specifically outlawed hate speech and discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation with jail terms of up to three years… However, the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) — the strongest party in parliament — opposed the law… The change was first passed by Swiss parliament in 2018, but it was forced to a referendum after critics said it would stifle free speech…

“SVP lawmaker Eric Bertinat told the Agence France-Presse news agency that he believed the law was ‘part of an LGBT plan to slowly move towards same-sex marriage and medically assisted reproduction’ for gay couples. Marc Frueh, head of the Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland (EDU), a small Christian party called it a ‘censorship law.’… Green, left-leaning and centrist parties support the law.”

The Associated Press wrote on February 9:

“Supporters said the addition is needed but that it would not stifle legitimate public debate as long as the views expressed don’t stray into fomenting hate or discrimination… Opponents argued that protections against denigration were already enshrined in Swiss law. The nationalist Swiss People’s Party, the biggest single party in parliament, opposed the change and said the backers must now show it was ‘not a pretext for handing down politically motivated verdicts and silencing unwelcome opinions and voices.’

“[Justice Minister Karin] Keller-Sutter said ‘freedom of expression remains guaranteed.’ She added that courts have been ‘restrained’ in their application of the existing law and ‘anyone who remains respectful need have no fear of being convicted.’”

However, the accuracy of the concerns of the SVP is only too clear.

Major Winter Storm Hits Europe

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 10:

“A major winter storm — named both Ciara and Sabine — has passed through large swaths of Europe, resulting in a number of deaths across the continent…

“Hurricane-force winds and heavy rains grounded flights, canceled trains and shut down operations at major ports across western Europe from Sunday… Gusts measuring over 170 kilometers (106 miles) per hour were reported in the Black Forest in southern Germany Monday morning… Germany issued its second-highest storm warning level for the entire southern half of the country. In parts of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, the highest-level warning, No. 4, has been issued.”

The Associated Press reported on February 11:

“Ferocious winds, with gusts over 200 kph (125 mph), lashed Corsica and whipped up a forest fire that flared overnight on the French Mediterranean island on Tuesday, after a storm with hurricane-force winds and heavy rains battered northern Europe for days, killing at least eight people and causing severe travel disruptions…

“Deaths due to the fierce storm were reported in Poland, Sweden, Britain, Slovenia, Germany and the Czech Republic… In northern Bavaria, where a gust of over 160 kph (100 mph) was recorded, the storm produced a record amount of electricity being fed into the German grid from wind turbines, equivalent to almost 44 nuclear power plants.

“The German Weather Service said strong winds would keep blasting much of the country on Tuesday but the brunt of the storm had moved to the southeast. In northeastern Germany, a new storm was expected to reach the Baltic coast… In England and Scotland, the Met Office national weather agency still had 85 flood warnings in force as torrential rains caused numerous rivers to overflow their banks.

“In the Czech Republic, more than 40,000 households remained without electricity Tuesday morning, down from some 300,000 on Monday afternoon. Around 20 train routes were still blocked because of fallen trees on the track…”

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 12:

“A swell caused by storm Sabine flooded Hamburg’s iconic fish market. Fish could now be swimming through the stalls where they are usually sold.”

This winter storm might also be viewed as a preview of the major political storm which will be hitting Europe very soon.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

In our last Q&A, we answered the question whether there still will be a future king of the South. We explained that even though the prophecy in Daniel 11 regarding the king of the South has been fulfilled, the prophecy could be dual and find another end-time fulfillment in the near future, but if so, the king of the South would have to be Ethiopia which could be leading several Arab nations, including Egypt and Libya, against Europe.

In addition, we showed from Psalm 83 that other Middle Eastern nations, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iraq and Jordan, will at first form a confederacy with Europe (under German leadership) against “Israel.”

The previous Q&A limited and confined our comments mainly to the friendly or hostile relationship of Middle Eastern nations with continental Europe. In this Q&A, we will address the relationship of Middle Eastern nations with “Israel.”

We have written at length about the following nations, mentioned herein, in previous Q&As and our free booklet, “Middle Eastern and African Nations in Bible Prophecy.”

In this Q&A, we will set forth in a condensed summary format the important conclusions which we came to, based on the Bible, pertaining to some major Middle Eastern nations in regard to their dealings with “Israel.” For an in-depth study, we recommend reviewing the above-mentioned booklet.

One of the most antagonistic countries against “Israel” will be TURKEY. It is identified in the Bible as “Edom” or “Esau.” The Bible and history show that the Turks are the modern descendants of ancient Esau or Edom, the twin brother of Jacob or Israel. As mentioned in the previous Q&A, modern Edom will be part of a confederacy with the modern Babylonian system of Europe under Assyria or Germany, together with Arab nations. This confederacy (literally, “cutting a covenant”) will be directed against “Israel”—the state of Israel, the Jews in general, and the modern descendants of the House of Israel which are mainly to be found in the USA and the United Kingdom, as well as other English-speaking nations such as Canada and Australia.

The Bible does not say that Edom will become part of the current EU, let alone the final configuration of ten European core nations or groups of nations. While Europe will be collaborating for a while with Turkey and other Arab nations, this does not mean that there will be full partnership and unification between them.

Turkey will continue to become an extremely hostile nation towards the Jews and the House of Israel, under a ruthless and dictatorial Turkish leadership.

After an initial collaboration between the EU and Turkey, things will drastically change.  Edom’s allies, and especially Assyria and the entire Babylonian system, will turn against Edom.

Obadiah 6-7 says that “ALL THE MEN IN YOUR CONFEDERACY” will turn against Turkey—this includes modern Assyria (Germany) and modern “Tyre” (the end-time European system). This means that Arab nations such as Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the Palestinians, Western Iraq and perhaps Lebanon will also turn against Turkey. In Obadiah 8-9, God makes clear that this will happen “in that day”—after the Great Tribulation and during the Day of the LORD—and that God will inspire the former allies of Edom to act in this way.

Psalm 60:8 and Psalm 108:9 indicate as well a future defeat in war and captivity for the people of Edom (as well as Moab, i.e. modern Iraq). The modern Babylonian system under Assyria’s lead will conquer Edom (modern Turkey) and enslave it, after Edom (and Moab) had at first escaped the modern Assyrian “king of the North” (Daniel 11:41).

The Bible tells us that the reason for Turkey’s future destruction is its abominable conduct against “Israel.” We read in Ezekiel 35:1-15 that Turkey “had an ancient [or everlasting] hatred, and [has] shed the blood of the children of Israel by the power of the sword at the time of their calamity… you have said, ‘These TWO NATIONS and these TWO COUNTRIES [referring to the Houses of Israel and Judah] shall be mine, and we will possess them…’”

Obadiah 1:10-15 confirms this by stating that “In the day that strangers carried captive his forces, When foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem—Even you were as one of them. But you should not have gazed on the day of your brother In the day of his captivity; Nor should you have rejoiced over the children of Judah In the day of their destruction; Nor should you have spoken proudly In the day of distress. You should not have entered the gate of My people In the day of their calamity. Indeed, you should not have gazed on their affliction In the day of their calamity Nor laid hands on their substance in the day of their calamity. You should not have stood at the crossroads to cut off those among them who escaped; Nor should you have delivered up those among them who remained In the day of distress (Menge Bible: the Great Tribulation). For the day of the LORD upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you…”

Israel and Judah will have to go into slavery, and Edom will actively participate in this future war against Israel and Judah which will bring about the complete downfall of those two nations. Edom will possess at least parts of Israel’s and Judah’s territories. But then, God will use the modern Babylonian power bloc to punish Edom or modern Turkey severely due to Edom’s hatred and violence towards Israel and Judah.

Focusing on ETHIOPIA, we read in Nahum 3:9 that ETHIOPIA, as well as Egypt and Put (Libya; see below), will at first be modern Nineveh’s “strength” and helpers (that is, the modern Babylonian system under Assyrian or German leadership, ancient Nineveh being the capital of Assyria). They will help modern Nineveh to fight against Israel and Judah.

But we also read that this particular alliance will change and that the modern king of Babylon (Europe) will attack and conquer Egypt and Ethiopia (Ezekiel 30:1-9; 29:10; compare also Isaiah 18:1-6). Zephaniah 2:12 tells us specifically that “You Ethiopians also, you shall be slain by the sword.” We also read in Daniel 11:42-43 that the modern king of Assyria of the Babylonian system will be ruling over the Ethiopians.

We are specifically told in Isaiah 11:11 that at the time of Christ’s Return, the survivors of the modern descendants of the Houses of Israel and Judah will find themselves enslaved in countries such as Assyria (Germany), Egypt, Cush (Ethiopia), and Elam (Iran).

We don’t know when and exactly how the survivors of Israel and Judah will become captives in Ethiopia and in some of the other countries mentioned above. It could begin to happen when Ethiopia fights with Assyria against Israel, or later, when Assyria fights against Ethiopia and then transfers and settles some of its Israelite captives there.

We also read that some Ethiopians will become a part of an army, led by Russia and China and other Far Eastern nations, to invade the Promised Land. This will happen just after Christ’s Return to this earth; compare Ezekiel 38:5.

Regarding EGYPT, we read that Jews will be enslaved in Egypt just prior to Christ’s return. Isaiah 27:13 explains that when the great trumpet sounds “in that day”—designating the resurrection of the just from the dead in the end time–captives from the Houses of Israel and Judah will be released from slavery. We are also told that prior to their freedom, some will perish in the LAND of Assyria, and some will be outcasts in the LAND of Egypt.

Hosea 9:3 states that Ephraim (mainly the UK, but by extension including the USA, Canada and other English-speaking nations) shall return to Egypt and eat unclean things in Assyria. On the other hand, Hosea 11:5, 10-11 informs us that Ephraim shall not return to the LAND of Egypt; rather, it will go into the kind of “Egyptian” slavery which ancient Israel experienced when it was in Egyptian captivity. The modern king ruling over the modern House of Israel (including the UK and the USA) will be Assyria. Deuteronomy 28:68; 17:16 confirms as well that “Egyptian” slavery is decreed over both the Houses of Israel and Judah.

According to Isaiah 27:13, a part of the enslaved remnant will return from the LAND of Egypt. Since Ephraim will not be enslaved in the LAND of Egypt, it follows that those who will be enslaved in the LAND of Egypt will be mainly those from the House of Judah (the Jews). This fact is supported in Joel 3:19, which tells us that Egypt will become a desolation, because of their violence against the people of JUDAH or the Jews.

Zechariah 10:10-12 tells us as well that some (apparently referring to Judah) will be freed from slavery and brought back from the LAND of Egypt, while others (Ephraim) will be freed from Assyria.

Focusing on LIBYA, not much is stated regarding its end-time relationship with “Israel” prior to Christ’s Return.

As we mentioned in the last Q&A, Daniel 11 shows that the modern king of Assyria will turn against Egypt and the nations allied with her, including Ethiopia and Libya, and conquer, control or even enslave them. However, the Bible shows that after ten European nations or groups of nations under modern Assyria (“the Babylonian system”) will have subdued and conquered many nations, they themselves will be defeated in war by the modern Medes—Russians and Ukrainians.

We do not know whether the alliance of Ethiopia, Egypt and Libya, which is directed against Europe, will be friendly or unfriendly towards “Israel.” But we do know that shortly AFTER Christ’s Return, a mighty Far Eastern army (under Russian and Chinese leadership) will try to invade the modern Houses of Judah (the modern Jews) and of Israel (mainly the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, as well as some nations in North-Western Europe). By that time, all the Israelites and Jews, who will have survived the Great Tribulation, will have been brought back to live in the Promised Land.

In regard to the future attempt by that great Far Eastern army to invade and conquer the Promised Land, Ezekiel 38:5 states expressly that “Persia, Ethiopia and LIBYA are with them.” It is possible that this hatred against “Israel” already developed and existed prior to Christ’s Return.

In the end time, SYRIA or Aram will face utter destruction just prior to Christ’s Return. Scriptures like Isaiah 17:1-4; Jeremiah 49:23-27 and Amos 1:3-5 describe the destruction of Damascus (the capital of Syria) in vivid terms. If we look at prior historical events, we conclude that it is possible that Syria’s destruction will occur through the modern Babylonian system under the leadership of the modern “king” of Assyria. In ancient times, the king of Assyria, Tiglath-Pileser, destroyed Damascus and enslaved the Syrians. He fought the House of Israel [under King Pekah] and Syria [under King Rezin] at about the same time.

If history is our guide, then it would be interesting to contemplate the possibility that the destruction of Damascus and the overthrow of Syria could occur at approximately the same time when the modern “king” of Assyria will attack the modern House of Israel. Ironically, “Ephraim” will make a covenant with modern Assur (Hosea 12:1) and ask them for help as well (Compare Hosea 5:13, which states in the New American Bible and the Menge translation: “Ephraim went to Assyria, and Judah sent to the great king.”). At that time, the modern “king” of Assyria might just comply with both requests.

But he will not really rescue the Jews nor modern Ephraim (Hosea 7:11-12; 5:14-15). Even anciently, we read in 2 Chronicles 28:16-21 that Tiglath-Pileser, King of Assyria, did NOT really help Ahaz, King of Judah, even though he had pretended at first to help Israel against the Syrians. Rather, he “distressed” or “oppressed” him (verse 20). In fact, we read that the modern “king” of Assyria, leader of the revived Roman Empire, will ultimately engage in a decisive war against the modern Houses of Israel AND Judah.

Focusing on SAUDI ARABIA, we read in Psalm 83:6 that Ishmaelites—the kingdom of Saudi Arabia—as well as other Arabic tribes will enter into a covenant with Assyria or modern-day Germany against Israel.

When God intervenes in world affairs, He will begin to pour out His wrath and fury over all nations, by bringing the sword over them (Jeremiah 25:15-17), including Arabia and Tema, one of Ishmael’s sons (Jeremiah 25:23). This will happen during the Day of the LORD of God’s wrath (Jeremiah 25:33), which will begin approximately one year prior to Christ’s Return.

Isaiah 21:13-17 gives us another prophecy about Ishmael’s or Saudi Arabia’s destruction. We are not specifically told there who exactly will defeat the Arabs in war, but we note that in Old Testament times, the Assyrians did so, and most commentaries apply the prophecy of Isaiah to that occurrence. They overlook, however, that the prophecy is primarily for our times today. If the prophecy is dual, which it appears to be, then Assyria will again be the enemy defeating the Arabs in war, after they first had entered into an alliance with Assyria against Israel.

Finally, when focusing on Scriptures about IRAN, formerly known as Persia, we find that the modern-day Iranians are descendants of the ancient Elamites.

As we have seen, the Jewish people and the modern House of Israel will be conquered and enslaved by the final European revival of the ancient Roman Empire, under Assyrian or German leadership, called modern “Babylon” in Scripture. When Jesus Christ returns, He will free the survivors of that captivity and bring them into the Promised Land. Several Scriptures tell us that prior to Christ’s Return, survivors from Israel and Judah will be enslaved in Elam–Iran (Isaiah 11:11).

Isaiah 22:6 prophesies, in the context of the future enslavement of the inhabitants of the city of Jerusalem (compare verses 1-4): “Elam [Iran] bore the quiver With chariots of men and horsemen, and Kir uncovered the shield.”

The timing is the Day of the LORD or “in that day” (verses 8, 12), when God has “removed the protection of Judah” (verse 8), since they looked to their armor or military, rather than to God (verses 8, 11). We note, from Ezekiel 27:10, that at one time, “Those from Persia [Iran], Lydia and Libya Were in [the mystical “Tyre’s” or the modern Babylon’s] army as men of war.” So it appears that Iranians will participate in the military attack of modern Babylon against the state of Israel.

It appears further that after their mutual attack on Jerusalem, modern Babylon—a confederacy of many nations–will turn against Iran and enslave the Iranian people (Jeremiah 49:35-39). Subsequently, the modern Iranians will be freed—apparently by the Medes or Russians, as both will together attack modern Babylon (Isaiah 21:2). A future alliance between Russia and Iran (which is already developing today) is not surprising, given the fact that these two powers were allied in the past, as the “Medo-Persian Empire.”

Russia’s and Iran’s hatred against the modern descendants of the ancient Houses of Israel and Judah will not easily disappear. After Christ’s Return, Iran or “Persia” will be a part of a great confederacy of hostile nations (Ezekiel 38:5), under Russian and Chinese leadership, in an attempt to invade the Promised Land which will then be occupied by the modern Houses of Israel and Judah.

From the foregoing, we can see that especially countries such as Turkey, Ethiopia, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Iran will (continue to) play an important anti-Israeli role in the Middle East. The GOOD NEWS is, as our above-mentioned booklet points out, that survivors from ALL those nations will repent and turn to the true God of Israel, AFTER Christ’s Return.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

A new Member Letter (February 2020) has been written and posted at our website and mailed to our subscribers. Pastor Brian Gale focuses on our need to make longsuffering a part of our everyday life—especially in light of our obedience to God.

Initial information about our 2020 Feast sites (US and Germany) is posted on our website along with contact information.

“Germany in BIG Turmoil,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

We are presently observing a huge political scandal in Germany with terrible prophetic consequences. Suddenly, the very survival of Germany’s “established” mainstream parties is in jeopardy, while political candidates are fighting for Chancellor Angela Merkel’s replacement. Europe is waiting for a new and more decisive German leadership. But do they know what they wish for?

“Wertvolles Wissen,” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Pastor Michael Link. Title in English: “Valuable Knowledge.”

“What do You Love?”, the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:

All of us have things we love in this life. But what is it that we truly love? The Bible tells us that we are to have a love for the Truth. This Truth includes being mindful and careful of the choices we make. Peace will reside when we make the appropriate choices to truly love God in all of our ways.

“What Does the Bible Reveal about the Third Temple prior to Christ’s Return? Part 2,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

What will happen when the Jews begin to bring animal sacrifices on the Temple Mount and build the Third Temple there? Which nations and political leaders will support the Jews, and who will fight against them in a nuclear war? How do current events show what will happen soon? The continuation of last week’s sermon brings additional clarity.

The 2020 Church Conference will be conducted in Escondido, California. Arrival will be Wednesday, March 25, 2020, and departure is scheduled for Monday, March 30, 2020.

On February 8, 2020, Kalon Mitchell will present the sermonette, titled, “What Do You Love?” and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “What Does the Bible Reveal about the Third Temple Prior to Christ’s Return? (Part 2).”

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

I recently had the opportunity to have a conversation with a friend about the amazing design of God’s commanded Holy Days. He knows that I don’t observe holidays like Christmas and Easter because of their pagan origins, and even acknowledges the historical facts. I talked about how shallow the meaning of man’s holidays is in comparison to the fascinating layers of meaning in the commanded Holy Days of God. I described the establishment of God’s Holy Days to memorialize past physical events and to also focus on future events, thereby training the physical nation of Israel as God brought them out of Egypt into the Promised Land. I explained how the Holy Days also have a spiritual meaning that applies to the progress of our own conversion today. I explained how they also represent phases of the ultimate Plan of God for mankind to join Him as members of His Family in the Kingdom of God. When considering the richness and depth of meaning in God’s commanded Holy Days, the meaning of manmade holidays absolutely pales in comparison. After very briefly going through an overview of God’s Holy Days and sharing how they provide me with true spiritual meaning in my life, my friend said that it gave him chills to think about it. The Plan of God is truly awesome, in the literal sense of the word.

To my friend at that moment, the Plan of God seemed awesome as well. And I wondered what would happen for him. Would he have more questions? Would he question his participation in mainstream Christian holidays? I wondered how it would change his life as well. Would this insight that I shared make a difference in his life? I don’t have answers to those questions. But I have hope, knowing that I was able to share the Truth, and at the right time, it will help him.

As easy as it is to apply the question of “why aren’t you doing something with this information?” to a friend, it is more important to turn that question inward and ask ourselves the same question (compare Matthew 7:3-5). As we know, with knowledge and understanding we also become more responsible for bearing fruit with the spiritual gifts we are given (compare Luke 12:48). When God provides us with insight and understanding, is there something more we can do with that understanding? With the Holy Spirit that God entrusts us with, what kinds of questions should we ask to further our development? Does God look at us and wonder why we aren’t seeking to make more changes in our lives? Perhaps the most succinct and poignant question to ask ourselves is simply, what prevents us from progressing? We know that the life of a Christian involves continuous self-examination, correction, improvement, and growth. Is this activity of growth something that we are actively engaged in? If not, it really needs to be.

Fortunately, God knows that we aren’t perfect yet. He knows that we need support. He knows that we cannot succeed on our own. This is why He provides us with His Holy Spirit as a down-payment on an investment in our salvation. But we have a part to play in that investment as well. Our work involves applying the knowledge and spiritual understanding to grow in our obedience to His commandments. Our part involves offering God His rightful glory in the words we speak and in the way we live. It is a tremendous honor to have God’s Spirit in this day and age. How do we choose to use it?

Every day provides us with an opportunity to put the Holy Spirit into use. What are we doing with those opportunities? Do we take the chance to demonstrate our commitment to God, or do we simply let opportunities pass us by? Just as we faced choices during our initial conversion to follow the Way of God over the way of the world, we continue to face choices when we are years into our conversion. We have the rare gift of having access to God’s understanding through His Holy Spirit that dwells within us right now, and it is our responsibility to use it. “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. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all” (1 Timothy 4:14-15). Even though Paul directs his words to Timothy and refers to the additional portion of the Holy Spirit which he received with his ordination as a minister, the principle of not neglecting the gift of the Spirit in us and progressing applies to all of us. As we continue on in our Christian conversion, there is no end to our God-given ability to make progress. All we have to do is keep searching for ways to move forward, while overcoming the obstacles on our paths.

by Norbert Link

We begin with reporting on the UK and Brexit. It has been a long journey from joining to leaving, with a foreordained result.

Britain joined the EEC (an economic unity and the predecessor of the political and military EU) in 1973, the same year as Denmark and Ireland. The original members were Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and West Germany. In 1992 the European Union (EU) was officially formed, with Britain’s membership becoming effective in November 1993.

There are now 27 members of the EU. Prior to the UK, no member state had left the EU, though Greenland (an autonomous province of Denmark) withdrew in 1985. Ultimately, 10 nations or groups of nations will emerge out of the EU, which will rule Europe and give their power and authority to the “beast”—an economic, political and military leader of German or Austrian descent, also referred to in the Bible as the King of the North and King Jareb of Assyria.

This European power bloc will be hostile towards Britain, and verbal fights and threats have already begun on the first day of the “transition period.” For more information, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled “Watch powerful Germany!”

We continue with a political scandal in East Germany which has all of Germany up in arms; repeated calls for Germany’s increased military involvement; and the ongoing spread of the coronavirus, while warning against panic-stricken overreactions which, if unchecked, could even destroy the world economy.  We also speak on the unsuccessful search for a vaccine against AIDS.

We address throughout this issue Wednesday’s acquittal of Donald Trump in the impeachment circus which was a hoax and which has hurt the Democrats beyond repair. They wasted time and America’s tax payer’s money, knowing from the outset that they could never be successful, as Trump’s conduct simply did not give rise to an impeachable offense. Trump won “overwhelmingly,” as Politico wrote. A majority of Senators acquitted Trump on both counts (to convict, the Senate would have had to have a 2/3 majority).

Trump’s re-election is assured. At the same time, the impeachment fiasco and the events during Trump’s “State of the Union” Address on Tuesday (with, for example, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi publicly tearing up her copy of the speech) proved again how incurably divided the United States of America is.

We also speak on Trump’s unsuccessful “deal of the century” peace plan for the Middle East, which nevertheless has been compared with King Cyrus’s preparations for allowing the Jews to build the Second Temple; point out the deteriorating relationship between the EU and Israel; reflect on the battle between Pope Francis and the German Catholic Church; address demonic carnival activities; and conclude with the frightening “biblical” plague of devastating devouring locusts in large parts of the world and a sickening annual trophy hunt sponsored by Donald Trump Jr.

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

Britain’s Look Towards a Glorious Future?

The Sun wrote on January 31:

“ON THE stroke of 11pm our nation’s course changes for ever — and for the better. We will finally be out of the EU. Forty-seven years and 30 days after we joined. Three decades since the rot set in with the drive towards a United States of Europe… It is hard to exaggerate the magnitude of this moment… at 11pm Brexit becomes irreversible. We will be the first country to leave the EU. And… we will never rejoin, never again surrender our independence.

“Instead we will be firing the… birth of a new Britain, setting our own laws, controlling our borders and trading independently with the entire world…”

This is one view. Here is the other view.

Little Britain Drifts into Insignificance

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 31:

“The divorce proceedings with the EU have been tortuous, but they’re likely to pale in comparison with what lies ahead for the UK…

“It doesn’t take rocket science to figure out why leading carmakers are shutting plants and moving to mainland Europe, or why key financial operators are moving to Paris and Amsterdam [and] when EU nationals who have been working in science and education pack their bags and leave…

“Brexit will leave Britain broken, a disunited kingdom. Geographically it has always been removed from continental Europe. That distance will become increasingly palpable politically, economically and socially.”

In any event, for most observers, the future is far from certain.

Future Far From Certain?

The Associated Press wrote on January 31:

“The two sides have agreed to strike an ‘ambitious, broad, deep and flexible partnership,’ including a free trade deal, by Dec. 31…

“Britain says it wants a ‘Canada-style’ free trade agreement with the EU covering both goods and services. But it is adamant it won’t agree to follow the EU’s rule book… The bloc insists there can be no trade deal unless Britain agrees to a ‘level playing field’ and does not undercut EU regulations…

“The EU is willing to extend Britain’s transition period for up to two years if a trade agreement hasn’t been reached, but Conservative British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he won’t agree to that… The EU-Canada deal that the British government cites as a model took seven years to negotiate.

“If there is no deal by the end of 2020, and the U.K. refuses to extend the negotiating period, Britain faces… severe economic disruptions, the pound would plunge and Britain could tip into recession…”

An Epic Opportunity or a Grave Mistake?

Newsmax wrote on February 1:

“The United Kingdom finally cast off from the European Union on Friday for an uncertain Brexit future… in its biggest geopolitical shift since losing its global empire…

“U.S. President Donald Trump has long supported Brexit. His Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Britons wanted to escape the ‘tyranny of Brussels.’…

“Cast either as an epic opportunity or a grave mistake, Brexit… also diminishes the EU… the bloc lost 15% of its economy, its biggest military spender and the world’s international financial capital, London…

“For proponents, Brexit is ‘independence day’ — an escape from what they cast as a German-dominated project… Opponents say Brexit is a folly…

“Johnson has promised to strike a broad free trade agreement with the EU, the world’s biggest trading bloc, though Merkel and Macron have warned that leaving will be harder than staying…

“Brexit… has tested the very fabric of what now looks a disunited kingdom: England and Wales voted to leave but Scotland and Northern Ireland wanted to stay. The strains could hasten another referendum on Scottish independence and even a push for a united Ireland.”

BBC News wrote on February 2:

“Britain will ‘not be aligning with EU rules’ in any post-Brexit trade deal, the foreign secretary has said. Dominic Raab argued agreeing to stick strongly with EU regulations would ‘defeat the point of Brexit’. But Irish PM Leo Varadkar said the UK needed to commit to a level playing field to get a free trade deal.”

Further disagreements between Britain and Ireland emerge.

The Guardian wrote on February 3:

“The pound fell on Monday after Boris Johnson warned that Britain would not accept alignment with the EU rules in any Brexit trade deal, while Brussels threatened to put tariffs on UK goods unless he complies…

“The currency dropped by more than 1.3% to trade at $1.30 against the dollar and by about 0.9% to just below €1.18 versus the euro… The EU is the largest source of UK food imports and largest destination for UK food exports in the world…”

Britain’s Productivity Decline the Worst in 250 Years

Bloomberg wrote on February 3:

“The U.K.’s worst productivity slump in a quarter of a millennium may be caused by a ‘perfect storm’ of three factors… Productivity was almost 20% below its pre-2008 path in 2018 — the worst slowdown since 1760-1800, as the Industrial Revolution took hold.

“The present-day malaise may have been caused by the end of the information and communications technology boom, the financial crisis, and Brexit.”

Brexit was foreordained. Britain never fit into the EU. Some other EU members don’t either. It is also interesting that Britain had been described as the “sick man of Europe.” Maybe the entire UK will split apart, while in time soon, a core Europe, consisting of ten nations or groups of nations, will arise.

The Battle Begins—Over Gibraltar

The Guardian wrote on February 1:

“The EU will back Spain over its territorial claims to Gibraltar in the next phase of Brexit negotiations by giving Madrid the power to exclude the British overseas territory from any trade deal struck with Brussels…

“Boris Johnson will be presented with the choice of reaching agreement with the Spaniards about Gibraltar’s future or exposing its citizens to economic peril by pushing it outside any EU-UK trade deal…

“The development highlights the pitfalls Downing Street faces as it moves into negotiations on the future relationship with Brussels. The UK is now a ‘third country’ to the EU…

“British sovereignty over Gibraltar was formalised by the treaty of Utrecht in 1713 but Spain has always bristled at the idea of UK ownership. As an EU member state, the UK had been able to resist Spanish claims over the territory but Madrid will now have the full support of the other 26 countries in the bloc.”

As we have stated for a long time, the UK will ultimately lose Gibraltar as one important sea gate.

Huge Political Scandal in East Germany

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 5:

“A huge political upset in Germany’s eastern state of Thuringia on Wednesday sparked a widespread outcry across the country as the ruling coalition saw its candidate for state premier lose by a single vote to the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), who had barely cleared the 5% support hurdle to join the regional parliament. What was even more cause for concern, however, was the role of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in the victory of FDP candidate Thomas Kemmerich.

“Thuringia held its state election all the way back in October, with the ruling Left party winning the highest share of the votes at 31%. At the same time, however, the AfD more than doubled its own support to come in second at 23.4% of the vote.

“… the AfD decided not to support the independent candidate it had previously supported, and throw all of its weight behind Kemmerich… The outrage on social media over the AfD’s role as kingmakers was swift and resounding. Ordinary Germans, public figures, and politicians all expressed their consternation, saying the FDP and CDU had gotten into bed with ‘fascists.’…

ABC News wrote on February 5:

“[In order] to contain the damage… the national leadership of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right Christian Democratic Union… suggested that new elections be held in Thuringia. Its general secretary, Paul Ziemiak, said Wednesday’s decision ‘divides our whole country’ and was made all the worse by the fact that CDU lawmakers made it possible for a governor to be elected ‘with the votes of Nazis as well.’…”

Deutsche Welle added the following opinion:

“This notable day should be one that shakes Germans to the core… [It] has shown just how much of their history Germans have forgotten… It also reminds us that no one in Germany should kid themselves into thinking history cannot repeat itself.”

Mannheimer Morgen spoke of a “fiasco for the democracy.”

Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung wrote: “Germany is in a deep, extremely dangerous crisis. Our society is divided. It becomes radicalized.”

Bild described Kemmerich’s conduct as “pitiful” and said that he brings shame on his own party by accepting his appointment under such conditions.

Bowing to pressure, Kemmerich subsequently resigned. It is interesting that Angela Merkel and others wanted to reverse a democratic vote and a democratic coalition. Even if you don’t like the result of a vote and even if you think that it is a heinous political crime to vote in such a way, in democracy, the vote is supposed to be the will of the people.  

 We saw the same developments in the UK with the Brexit referendum.  Those who espoused democracy were the first to cry aloud when the vote did not go their way and they wanted another vote to achieve the result which THEY wanted.

Of course, the entire circus of the impeachment procedure against Trump was initiated by Democrats who did not like and wanted to overturn the result of the last Presidential election.

The more the mass media is speaking against the AfD, the more the party will rise in popularity.

Germany’s Schäuble Calls for Expansion of Military Operations

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 31:

“Bundestag President Wolfgang Schäuble said on Friday that Germany needed to take more responsibility in military affairs with its allies. ‘We can’t hide. If Europe is to play a stronger role, then we must play our part,’ Schäuble said. ‘We cannot leave everything to… the Americans.’

“The veteran lawmaker and long-time minister in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Cabinets said he supported German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer’s plans to streamline the Bundeswehr and boost defense spending to reach NATO’s target of 2% of GDP…

“Germany has come under growing pressure from within the NATO military alliance as well as fellow EU member states to take a more active role in defense matters.”

As Germany is being pushed, it will become more and more involved in military endeavors, and a EU Army under German leadership is prophesied.

Europe Destined to Obtain Great Power Status

Project Syndicate published on January 30 an article by Joschka Fischer who was German Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor from 1998-2005:

“Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union on Christmas Day in 1991, the US became the world’s only superpower – and quickly overextended itself. The unipolar moment ended with the senseless US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 – a country from which the US has been trying to extricate itself for more than a decade.

“But the global order cannot exist in a vacuum, because other powers will always step in to fill the void… The election of US President Donald Trump marked the beginning of America’s active renunciation of the global order that it helped build…  America’s retreat is forcing Europe to become a power in its own right… Europeans [are left] with no choice but to pursue great-power status…”

And Europe will, as the Bible clearly prophesies.

Going Way Overboard–US Restricts or Bars Entry of Travelers from China

The Associated Press reported on January 31:

“The United States on Friday declared a public health emergency and took drastic steps to significantly restrict entry into the country because of a new virus that hit China and has spread to other nations.

“President Donald Trump has signed an order that will temporarily bar foreign nationals, other than immediate family of U.S. citizens and permanent residents, who have traveled in China within the last 14 days. The new restrictions…  take effect at 5 p.m. EST on Sunday…

“Americans returning from China will be allowed into the country, but will face screening at select ports of entry and required to undertake 14 days of self-screening to ensure they don’t pose a health risk. Those returning from Hubei province, the center of the outbreak, will be subject to up to 14 days of mandatory quarantine…

“At the same time, federal health authorities were recognizing that the test they’re using to detect the virus isn’t always dependable. [They]  said when it was used on some of the people currently in isolation, they’d test positive one day and negative another… putting a large number of people under quarantine ‘is virtually unprecedented in modern American history.’…

“Meanwhile, U.S. health officials issued a two-week quarantine order for the 195 Americans evacuated earlier this week from the Chinese city of Wuhan, provincial capital of Hubei province. It was the first time a federal quarantine has been ordered since the 1960s, when one was enacted over concern about the potential spread of smallpox…

“The Dow Jones Industrial Average skidded more than 600 points Friday as the outbreak continued to widen, stoking fears that the travel restrictions and other uncertainties caused by the health emergency in the world’s second-largest economy could dent global growth…

These developments are deeply distressing, as they show how even democratic countries resort to autocratic and dictatorial methods “in the pursuit and defense of public safety and national security.” German President Steinmeier was right when he recently spoke of the poison of nationalism. God’s Church has always understood that nationalism (our country against everybody else)—as distinguished from the right kind of patriotism (the love for our country)—is ungodly and unbiblical.

Dangers for Global Economy

The Associated Press wrote on February 2:

“Travel restrictions and business closures aimed at stopping the spread of a new virus… could end up causing ripple effects that harm the global economy… ‘When you stop planes and ships, trains and motor vehicles from moving, it starts to shut down the economy — and that can have a cascading effect throughout society,’ Dr. Eric Toner, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said Saturday, after multiple airlines announced that they would suspend or cut back on flights to and from China…

“It’s not just airlines that have cut back on business in China. Apple Inc. announced Saturday that it was temporarily clos[ing] all of its offices and its 42 stores in mainland China. Google, Amazon and Microsoft previously announced plans to temporarily shutter offices, and Starbucks and McDonald’s have closed some chains… ‘Travel restrictions can cause more harm than good by hindering info-sharing, medical supply chains and harming economies,’ World Health Organization Secretary-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

“Toner said governments are ultimately ‘trying to do something that has very little benefit but [causes] very real harm.’ ‘It’s been shown over and over again that putting up barriers to travel doesn’t stop contagious infectious diseases,’ he said, pointing to past outbreaks of Ebola, Zika and even influenza.”

This shows how quickly, in part caused by a panic-stricken overreaction, our entire world system can become eroded and how our economic system can crash. Either one is too slow in acting or one is going far overboard. Sadly, the human mind has a hard time striking a proper balance.

How China Suppressed Knowledge of the Coronavirus

MSNBC wrote on February 2:

“Chinese officials were beginning to grasp the threat of a new contagious disease in Wuhan [in early December] but did little to inform the public…

“Medical professionals who tried to sound an alarm were seized by police. Key state media omitted mention of the outbreak for weeks… as the crisis worsened…”

The New York Times added on February 2:

“A doctor tried to warn his medical school classmates… In the middle of the night, officials from the health authority in the central city of Wuhan summoned [him]… Three days later, the police compelled him to sign a statement that his warning constituted ‘illegal behavior.’

“… At critical moments, officials chose to put secrecy and order ahead of openly confronting the growing crisis to avoid public alarm and political embarrassment.

“A reconstruction of the crucial seven weeks between the appearance of the first symptoms in early December and the government’s decision to lock down the city… points to decisions that delayed a concerted public health offensive.

“In those weeks, the authorities silenced doctors and others for raising red flags. They played down the dangers to the public, leaving the city’s 11 million residents unaware they should protect themselves…”

It was subsequently reported by Newsmax, dated February 4, that the “Chinese doctor who was targeted by the police after warning about the coronavirus in the first days of the outbreak before it had been made public has been quarantined in his hospital with a SARS-like illness.” He has since died.

This reveals typical behavior of human governments. First, many countries suppress, and when exposed, they move into the opposite direction.

No Vaccine against AIDS

CNN wrote on February 3:

“A clinical trial for an HIV vaccine has been discontinued since the vaccine was not found to prevent infections of human immunodeficiency virus, the virus that causes AIDS…

“The vaccine trial… began in 2016 and enrolled 5,407 HIV-negative volunteers at 14 sites across South Africa… Those volunteers were sexually active men and women ages 18 to 35 who were randomly assigned to receive either the vaccine or placebo injections.

“An analysis of the study showed no significant difference in subsequent HIV infections among the volunteers in the vaccine group versus placebo group… 129 HIV infections occurred among the vaccine recipients and 123 HIV infections occurred among the placebo recipients.”

This entire trial strikes us to be just sick.

Trump’s Peace Deal is Akin to Decree of King Cyrus Paving Path for Third Temple

Breaking Israel News reported on January 29:

“While people on both the Arab and the Israeli side are still considering the possible implications of President Trump’s ‘Deal of the Century’ revealed on Tuesday, one insightful Israeli declared it to be ‘the declaration of Cyrus [for the Jews to build the Second Temple] in our time.’… [Dr. Rafael Minnes worked for the internal security service and is a professor of physics.]

“‘The first thing that is similar between Trump’s Deal of the Century and King Cyrus’ proclamation is that both of them are non-Jewish political figures who are coming in the name of the God of Israel in order to advance the divine plan incumbent upon the Jewish nation,’ Dr. Minnes [wrote]…”

“This isn’t the first time Trump has been compared to King Cyrus. This expectation regarding Trump was first expressed by the Sanhedrin after his election…

“Rabbi Yosef Berger, the rabbi of King David’s Tomb on Mount Zion explains: ‘Like Cyrus… [Trump] will pave the way for building the Third Temple…”

Trump will stay in office and be re-elected. He will play an important role regarding the building of the Third Temple. On February 3, Germany’s mass tabloid Bild Online published an article with the headline:

“That is why Trump will become President again,” adding, “None of his challengers has a chance.”

The Week reported on February 4 that “President Trump’s job approval rating reached an all-time high… Forty-nine percent of Americans said they approve of the job Trump is doing as president… Trump’s approval rating rose six points among Republicans to 94 percent, as well as five points among independents to 42 percent… a majority of Americans — 52 percent — said they support acquitting Trump…”

The Hill wrote on February 4 that “Trump’s acquittal… was largely preordained. A GOP-majority Senate was never likely to convict a Republican president… Everyone understood that acquittal was inevitable…”

Why then did the Democrats start the impeachment circus, knowing that they would thereby commit political suicide? The answer is clear—they had to do this so that Trump will be reelected.

Regarding the Third Temple, much misinformation is being disseminated, including the false idea that the First and Second Temples did not stand on the Temple Mount. Some claim that famous Israeli Archaeologist Eli Shukron has claimed that “the Temple stood not atop Mount Moriah, but rather along the southern slopes in the City of David,” as reported by Israel Today on December 13, 2019. However, the paper explained that this claim was a hoax, quoting Shukron as follows:

“‘There is no evidence that the Temple was in the City of David,’ Shukron told us adamantly. ‘The Temple known as Solomon’s Temple was absolutely on the Temple Mount… on top of Mount Moriah. I have no doubt about that,’ he told me.”

Palestinians Cut Ties with USA and Israel

Reuters wrote on February 1:

“The Palestinian Authority has cut all ties with the United States and Israel, including those relating to security, after rejecting a Middle East peace plan presented by US President Donald Trump, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Saturday. Abbas was in Cairo to address the Arab League, which backed the Palestinians in their opposition to Trump’s plan…

“Israel and the Palestinian Authority’s security forces have long cooperated in policing areas of the occupied West Bank that are under Palestinian control. The PA also has intelligence cooperation agreements with the CIA, which continued even after the Palestinians began boycotting the Trump administration’s peace efforts in 2017.

“Abbas also said he had refused to discuss the plan with Trump by phone, or to receive even a copy of it to study it… Abbas said he did not want Trump to be able to say that he, Abbas, had been consulted… The Arab League foreign ministers meeting in Cairo said [it] would not cooperate with the United States in implementing it…

“Foreign ministers from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, and others said there could be no peace without recognizing Palestinian rights and a comprehensive solution…”

It is interesting how the front between most Arabs and the USA and Israel is hardening… So is the relationship between the EU and the USA, as well as Israel, as the next articles show.

EU vs. USA and Israel

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 4:

“The European Union slammed US President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan on Tuesday, arguing that it ‘departs from’ international agreements on the Israel-Palestine conflict… The response, however, triggered an angry response from Israel, which backs the plan…”

The Jerusalem Post added on February 4:

“The European Union on Tuesday warned Israel against annexing West Bank settlements. ‘We are especially concerned by statements on the prospect of annexation of the Jordan Valley and other parts of the West Bank,’ EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement issued by his office.

“‘In line with international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, the EU does not recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the territories occupied since 1967,’ Borrell said. ‘Steps towards annexation, if implemented, could not pass unchallenged,’ he added. He spoke after holding meetings in Iran and Jordan.

“Israel’s Foreign Ministry tweeted: ‘The fact that the High [Representative] of the EU, Josep Borrell, chose to use threatening language towards Israel, so shortly after he assumed office [and] only hours after his meetings in Iran, is regrettable [and], to say the least, odd. ‘Pursuing such policies [and] conduct is the best way to ensure that the EU’s role in any process will be minimized,’ the Foreign Ministry continued.”

A Worldwide Wind of Madness

The Associated Press wrote on February 4:

“U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Tuesday that ‘a wind of madness is sweeping the globe,’ pointing to escalating conflicts from Libya and Yemen to Syria and beyond. At a wide-ranging news conference, he said, ‘All situations are different but there is a feeling of growing instability and hair-trigger tensions, which makes everything far more unpredictable and uncontrollable, with a heightened risk of miscalculation.’

“The U.N. chief also expressed great frustration that legally binding U.N. Security Council resolutions ‘are being disrespected before the ink is even dry.’

“Guterres singled out Libya where he called the current offensives by the warring parties ‘a scandal’ — coming soon after world powers and other key countries adopted a road map to peace in Berlin on Jan. 19 that called for respect for a U.N. arms embargo, an end to foreign interference in the fighting by rival governments and steps toward a cease-fire. Libya has been in turmoil since 2011, when a civil war toppled longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi who was later killed…

“On the decades-old conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, the secretary-general said the U.S. peace plan… doesn’t comply with U.N. General Assembly and Security Council resolutions and international law. The resolutions support a two-state solution based on 1967 borders and call all Israeli settlements in the West Bank illegal.”

The whole world is opposed to Israel and the USA.

“Pope Francis and the Germans”

Catholic Herald wrote on February 3:

“The German bishops’ conference has been on a collision course with Rome… Pope Francis himself wrote a letter to the whole Church in Germany, warning against a false synodality, one rooted in making the Church conform to modern secular morals and thought… Undeterred, the German bishops began the first session of their synodal process in Frankfurt yesterday… the German agenda touches every major issue on the papal desk this year.

“The issue of clerical celibacy has been a contested topic in Rome… An end to mandatory celibacy is widely touted as one of the expected outputs of the German synodal process… Bishop Franz-Josef Bode, vice-chairman of the German bishops’ conference, said in a 2018 interview that if the ordination of married men is authorized for the Amazon, the Germans will insist on the same authorization…

“At the heart of the dispute over clerical celibacy, and the other changes being mooted in the German synodal process, is a mounting power struggle between Rome and the Church in Germany. While Pope Francis and his curia have been clear that the Vatican alone can treat issues of universal Church teaching and discipline, the Germans have been equally clear that they see a very different future for the Church.

“On Jan. 27, the secretary of the German bishops’ conference gave a pointed interview insisting that it is ‘unacceptable’ that Rome continue to have full discretion over universal teaching and discipline… Francis may find that all roads lead through Berlin in 2020.”

An interesting dilemma. And while the German bishops are more left-wing and liberal than Pope Francis, former Pope Benedict and his followers are more right-wing and conservative. So, Francis is confronted with two incompatible battles.

Ancient Carnival Procession in Spain

The Associated Press wrote on February 2:

“In one of the most ancient carnival celebrations in Europe, dozens of people don sheepskins, lace petticoats and conical caps, sling cowbells across their backs and parade through two Spanish towns…

“The annual procession stems from ceremonies held to ward off evil spirits and bless the harvests to come. The celebration, traditionally held at the end of January, is believed to date from before Roman times.”

This is a prime example to show the real pagan, dangerous and demonic origins of Carnival.

Locust Plague Widens

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 1:

“Pakistan‘s government declared a national emergency on Saturday in response to swarms of desert locusts in the eastern part of the country… facing the worst locust infestation in more than two decades… The desert locusts… arrived in Pakistan from Iran in June and have already ravaged cotton, wheat, maize and other crops.

“… Currently, locust swarms are affecting neighboring India and countries in East Africa.

“On Sunday, Somalia declared its locust infestation a national emergency. The locust invasion has swept over the Horn of Africa, devastating crops in one of the most vulnerable regions in the world…”

Vatican News added on January 31:

“The worst locust outbreak that parts of East Africa have seen in 70 years… now threatens to spread to South Sudan and Uganda and new rains in the weeks to come will fuel fresh vegetation and a new wave of breeding. The outbreak might not be under control until June when drier weather arrives… But by then the number of locusts, if left unchecked, could grow 500 times…

“An Ethiopian representative [said] that some farmers in Africa’s second most populous nation have lost 90% of their production. The locusts have been moving steadily toward Ethiopia’s Rift Valley, the country’s breadbasket…

“A single swarm can contain up to 150 million locusts per square kilometer of farmland, an area the size of almost 250 football fields… One especially large swarm in northeastern Kenya measured 60 kilometers long by 40 kilometers wide (37 miles long by 25 miles wide)… [Capable of eating their own weight each day, a swarm as large as between 40 and 80 million locusts could devour more than 190 million kilos of plants on a daily basis, according to Deutsche Welle].

“Even before this outbreak, nearly 20 million people faced high levels of food insecurity across the East African region long challenged by periodic droughts and floods.”

RT wrote on February 3:

“Residents in Saudi Arabia and Yemen have been faced with the bewildering sight of a truly gargantuan swarm of roughly 360 billion locusts, which can block out the sun at times… Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Environment has warned residents not to eat any of the locusts as they are likely contaminated with toxic pesticides… To make matters even worse, another, even larger swarm is expected in April, which could grow up to 500 times in size by June.”

One can’t help but wonder about the four horsemen of the apocalypse riding… false religion, war, famine and disease epidemics.

Donald Trump Jr’s Trophy Hunt

The Guardian wrote on February 4:

“A week-long ‘dream hunt’ with the US president’s son Donald Trump Jr is being auctioned at an annual trophy hunting convention in Reno, Nevada alongside expeditions to shoot elephants, bears and giraffes.

“The four-day event… advertised as a ‘hunters’ heaven’, will culminate on Saturday with an auction for a week-long Sitka black-tailed deer hunt in Alaska with Trump Jr, his son and a guide… Other prizes include the chance to shoot an elephant on a 14-day trip in Namibia, an all-inclusive hunt package to Zimbabwe to kill buffalo, giraffe and wildebeest, and a 10-day crocodile hunting expedition in South Africa…

“Thousands of hunters from around the world are expected to attend the convention which begins on Wednesday, where Trump Jr, an avid trophy hunter, is set to give a keynote address…

“The regulations around importing hunting trophies has been loosened under Donald Trump, though he has previously described the practice as a ‘horror show’ despite his sons’ affection for big-game hunting. In 2018 the administration moved to make it easier to import trophies from exotic big-game animals such as elephants and lions.”

Only two words can describe this “horror show”: ABSOLUTELY SICK!

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 have been writing and speaking at length about a future king of the South, and we have NEVER said that there will not be one, even though we made clear that there does not HAVE to be one. At the same time, we have pointed out that future confederations of Arab states with and against Europe will be formed, even though technically, those might not be referred to as “the king of the South.”

Let us once again review what we have been stating on the subject, while limiting and confining our comments in this Q&A to the relationship of Middle Eastern nations with continental Europe.

To begin with, we said this in our Q&A, “Who is the king of the South?” 

“Many believe, based on prophecies contained in the 11th chapter of the book of Daniel, that immediately before the return of Jesus Christ, a powerful Arab leader or ‘king of the South’ will still arise in the Middle East. Daniel 11:40-41 says: ‘At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack [or: push at] him [the king of the North]; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown…’

“Historically, and following the entire Biblical prophecy in the 11th chapter of the book of Daniel, we can determine that at the time described in verse 40, the king of the North constituted the ninth resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire… led by Mussolini and Hitler, and that the king of the South was at that time Ethiopia, formerly Abyssinia. And in fact, Mussolini came against Ethiopia like a whirlwind, using airplanes, and conquered it.

“But, what about today or the immediate future? Will there occur another conflict between the king of the North — the final LEADER of the 10th resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire… — and a king of the South, a final LEADER in the Middle East? Perhaps — but not necessarily so.

“Herbert W. Armstrong wrote the following in a personal of the Plain Truth, dated June 1967:

“‘The modern remnant of the “king of the south” of this prophecy is Ethiopia… And the Italians were the remnant and successors, of the people of the king of the north. This prophecy WAS FULFILLED February-March, 1896, when King Menelik II of Ethiopia “pushed at” the Italians, defeating Italy at Aduwa. Italians thirsted for revenge. Finally, their opportunity came, in 1935, under the military machine developed by Mussolini. Continue the prophecy, verse 40: “… and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind [in the air], with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships: and he shall enter into the countries and shall overflow and pass over.” Notice, a whirlwind comes IN THE AIR. So DID Mussolini’s air forces. He sent down many ships, much cavalry, and tanks [modern “chariots”]. And his forces, in planes, “passed OVER.”… Continue: VERSE 41: “He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown …”

“‘There is a TIME-LAPSE between verse 40 and verse 41. After Mussolini captured Ethiopia he added it to Libya, Eritrea, and Italian Somaliland. Mussolini had signed a concordat with the Vatican, and publicly announced the rebirth of the ROMAN EMPIRE, with King Victor Emmanuel Emperor, and himself the Duce or Premier. But Mussolini’s bubble of a Roman Empire was short-lived… But the final seventh head [of the “Holy” Roman Empire, or the tenth resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire] is soon to rise…  Verse 41 refers to THAT succession of the Roman power which became the “king of the north” in the prophecy of Daniel 11…’

“… the prophecy in Daniel 11:40 has ALREADY BEEN FULFILLED. And verse 40 is the LAST TIME where the king of the South is mentioned! Beginning with the second half of verse 40, we read exclusively about the king of the North and his activities, and, in verse 44, about rumors from the east and the west. This means, then, that there DOES NOT HAVE TO BE ANOTHER end-time king of the South. If there were to rise one, following the historical and Biblical records, as set forth in the 11th chapter of the book of Daniel, it would have to be — mainly — modern Ethiopia. But, as we said, ALL WHICH STILL NEEDS TO BE FULFILLED (and which the previous king of the North — under Mussolini — did NOT fulfill), is the invasion of the Glorious Land by the future and final king of the North (verse 41), including Jerusalem (verse 45), as well as the overthrow of ‘many countries’ (verse 41), including Egypt, and the ‘Libyans and Ethiopians’ following at his heels (verse 43).

“It is entirely possible that the prophecy in verse 40 is a type of future events to be repeated — but it DOES NOT HAVE TO BE this way. It is NOT necessary, based on Biblical prophecy, that there will still arise an end-time ‘king of the South,’ attacking or pushing at the end-time king of the North. Christ could return without such an event having to occur first.”

In a subsequent Q&A on the “king of the South,” we added the following:

“Hours of research have established that Mr. Armstrong has never written that the final fulfillment of the prophecies about the coming king of the South are certainly yet to come. In fact, Mr. Armstrong wrote an Editorial in 1967, which was published in the Plain Truth, pointing out that the prophecy of Daniel 11:40 WAS fulfilled. There is no further mention of a king of the South after Daniel 11:40. It is clear that Mr. Armstrong, since 1967, never taught that there would definitely be a future king of the South, ‘attacking’ or ‘pushing at’ the future king of the North or Europe.

“Further, Mr. Armstrong never taught that the king of the South would be a confederacy of Arab nations, in some way led by Egypt, as some teach today. In 1983 Mr. Armstrong wrote, ‘Ethiopia… is the only possible government that could be the king of the South…

“Mr. Armstrong expressly rejected the idea that Egypt would or could be the king of the South. He clearly taught that at the time of Daniel 11:42, Egypt is NOT the king of the South. Compare his booklet on ‘Middle East in Prophecy.’ He wrote that for the last 2,000 years since 31 B.C., the ‘king of the south… cannot be the king of Egypt.’…

“Prior to his death in 1986, Mr. Armstrong wrote one more time on the subject in the September 1983 issue of the Plain Truth, once again stating the historical fulfillment of Daniel 11:40. He at that time also wrote: ‘Ethiopia… is the only possible government that could be the king of the south.’”

He also wrote regarding Daniel 11:43: “Verse 43 says the Libyans and Ethiopians (observe that after its conquest by Mussolini, Ethiopia is not again referred to as the king of the south) shall be at his steps — and he will then control them.”

We elaborated on the entire question in our Q&A, “How can we know that Christ’s return is near? (Part 9)”

This Q&A was subsequently incorporated in our free booklet with the same title:

“The last European revival of the ancient Roman Empire and the powerful military leader (the beast) will cause the Great Tribulation. Just prior to that time, they will begin, at first, to temporarily collaborate, to an extent, with Arab nations (including Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Jordan) and Turkey in their common goal of destroying ‘Israel’ (Psalm 83:1-8). This collaboration might not endure until the return of Christ…”

To interject, the collaborating nations mentioned in Psalm 83 are Ishmaelites—the kingdom of Saudi Arabia—as well as other Arabic tribes, such as the Hagrites, who will enter into an anti-Israeli confederacy with nations such as Edom (Turkey); Moab (parts of Jordan and perhaps Iraq); Ammon (Jordan); Amalek (perhaps today violent groups like the PLO); Philistia (Palestinians); Lot (Jordan); and, most noteworthy, Assyria or modern-day Germany.

These are some of the nations which will “escape” the hands of the beast. Daniel 11:41 says: “… these shall escape from his hands: Edom (Turkey), Moab (Jordan and Iraq), and the prominent people of Ammon (Jordan).”

At the same time, we are also informed in Daniel 11:42 and 43 that “the land of Egypt shall not escape… also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels.”

How do we have to understand the phrase, “…shall follow at his heels”?

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible writes: “The proper sense of the Hebrew would be, that they accompanied him; that they marched with him or followed him; and the phrase would be applicable either to those who were allies, or who were led captive…”

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible agrees, saying: “And the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps; at his command and pleasure; shall follow him, being taken captive, or go where he orders them; that is, in all things shall be obedient to him.”

Since Libya will be allied with Egypt at that time [discussed below] and since Egypt will be overthrown by Assyria, it appears that Libyans and Ethiopians will also be overthrown and become captives of the Assyrians. In any event, they will all be subject to modern Assyria, either because of volition or compulsion.

Continuing with the above-quoted Q&A:

“Many believe, based on prophecies contained in the 11th chapter of the book of Daniel, that immediately before the return of Jesus Christ, a powerful Arab leader— a religious ‘Mullah’ or Madhi, many times imagined to be the ‘king of the South’— will still arise in the Middle East… [They teach] the concept [that] a future religious figure, a Mahdi… will allegedly unite many Muslim nations and attempt to establish the Muslim religion in all the world. This is strictly a Muslim concept. The Bible nowhere says that a Muslim Mahdi will appear in the Middle East or elsewhere, in an attempt to unite Arab and Muslim nations (which would also require healing the long-time animosity between Shias and Sunnis) and to establish a power bloc, ruled by the Muslim religion…”

Some have objected to our conclusions by pointing out that Daniel 11:40 speaks specifically about the time of the end, and that therefore a future king of the South must still arise just prior to Christ’s return.

We answered this objection, as follows, in the above-cited Q&A:

“However, the book of Daniel includes several examples where the terms ‘the last days’ or the ‘time of the end’ are used, without necessarily referring to just a few years prior to Christ’s return.

“For instance, we read in Daniel 2:28 that a dream about a statue was to reveal to Nebuchadnezzar ‘what will be in the latter days.’ The dream described four successive world empires which would arise on the world scene, and the fourth empire (the Roman Empire) would survive (through ten successive revivals) until the return of Christ. Much of the dream related to events a long time prior to the last revival of the Roman Empire with ten kings at the time of Christ’s return—the ‘stone’ or Rock which would smite and destroy the ten toes of the statue (verse 44-45).

“Something similar can be found in Daniel 8:17, 19, which talks about ‘the time of the end’ and the ‘latter time of the indignation.’ The entire passage starts with the time of ancient Media and Persia, followed by Alexander the Great and, sometime later, Antiochus Epiphanes, and culminating in certain events which apparently end with the last King of the North at the time of Christ’s return. (We understand of course the dual application of this prophecy…)

“When reading Daniel 12:4, 9, we are told that the book of Daniel would be sealed ‘until the time of the end,’ but that then ‘knowledge’ in general and the right understanding of the book would increase. This has most certainly started to occur under the late Herbert W. Armstrong (the human leader of the now-defunct Worldwide Church of God) who died in 1986…”

At the same time, we emphasized a very important fact which must not be overlooked. Even though it nowhere says in the Bible that Egypt is the future king of the South or that Egypt will become the leader over other Arab nations in opposition to Europe, we do read that Ethiopia (whether or not fulfilling the function of a future king of the South) could be leading several Arab nations against Europe.

We stated in the above-mentioned Q&A:

“Of course, Ethiopia could be a leading nation in collaboration with other Arab nations. We read in Ezekiel 30:1-9, 18-19 that at the time of the ‘day of the LORD’ (a reference to the end time), the sword will come upon Egypt, as well as on additional countries like Ethiopia (Cush), Libya (Put), and Lydia (or Lud; compare Jeremiah 46:8-9, showing that Egypt, Ethiopia, Lydia and Libya will be allies at that time of the end). [Regarding “Lydia,” not much is known, but it has been contended that it designates an African nation in Western Asia Minor, descended from Egypt.]

“Verses 4-5 refer to Chub, which is nowhere else mentioned in Scripture; the passage could also read, ‘and ALL (Chub) the men of the lands who were allied…’ We also read specifically in verse 18 that at that time of the ‘day of the LORD’, Egyptians will go into captivity (through the king of the North, compare Daniel 11:42).

“Even though Ezekiel 30 does not refer to those nations as being the king of the South, they seem to describe a power bloc in opposition to the final European revival of the ancient Roman Empire, under Assyrian (German or Austrian) leadership. None of these countries referred to in Ezekiel 30 are mentioned in Psalm 83:1-8. It appears, then, that the countries mentioned in Psalm 83, which are allied WITH Assyria, are different from the countries, mentioned in Ezekiel 30, which are apparently allied AGAINST Assyria.

“As the ninth revival of the ancient Roman Empire, under Mussolini, was comprised of several nations and powers, including Hitler’s Germany, and as the final revival of the king of the North will consist of ten European nations or groups of nations, under Assyrian leadership, so if there is to be a future king of the South, he might very well constitute a coalition of Middle Eastern nations, under Ethiopian leadership.”

In regard to this ultimately hostile constellation of Arab nations (Ethiopia, Egypt, Libya etc.) against Europe, we also explained that there would previously exist a more friendly economic relationship with Europe, but nothing is mentioned of a military confederacy between these nations and Assyria. In other words, while we read in Psalm 83 about an anti-Israel military “confederacy” or contract between Assyria and certain identified Middle Eastern nations (including Edom, Ishmaelites, Moab, Ammon etc.), we read nothing about a “confederacy” or a contract between Assyria and nations such as “Egypt, Cush and Put,” while we read that they will end up forming a military alliance AGAINST Assyria.

We state this in our free booklet, “Middle Eastern and African Nations in Bible Prophecy”:

“Notice also that modern Babylon or mystical Tyre—referring to the end-time resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire in Europe—is described as an economic power in Ezekiel 27, with whom all nations have been dealing, up to a point, including Russia, Persia (modern Iran), Syria and Israel…

“Ezekiel 27:10 tells us that ‘Persia (modern Iran), Lydia and Libya Were in your army [the military apparatus of modern Babylon] as men of war; they hung shield and helmet in you; they gave splendor to you.’

“In Nahum 3:9, we read that mercenaries from Libya had at one time supported Nineveh: ‘Ethiopia and Egypt were her strength; And it was boundless; Put (Libya) and Lubim (perhaps a part of Libya) were your helpers. Yet she was carried away, she went into captivity.’… Ethiopia, as well as Egypt and Put (Libya), will be modern Nineveh’s helpers (that is, the modern Babylonian system under Assyrian or German leadership)…”

However, this at one time more or less “friendly” relationship will change, and a hostile relationship will develop between modern Germany and its allies on the one hand, and nations such as Ethiopia, Egypt and Libya on the other hand.

Continuing with our booklet:

“But we also read that this particular alliance will change—as alliances change often and quickly in wars… the modern king of Babylon or Assyria will attack and conquer Ethiopia, Egypt and Libya (Ezekiel 30:1-9; 29:10; compare also Isaiah 18:1-6)…

“Ezekiel 30 gives us a prophecy dealing with the day of the LORD (verse 3)—describing a time just preceding the return of Jesus Christ. We read in Ezekiel 30 that Egypt and her allies will fall at that time. As we may recall, verses 5 and 6 designate Egypt’s allies in that way: ‘Ethiopia, Libya, Lydia, all the mingled people, Chub, and the men of the lands who are allied, shall fall with them by the sword—those who uphold Egypt shall fall…’

“We can take from this passage that in the very end time, Libya will be allied with Egypt and Ethiopia, and that they will fall together. A similar alliance occurred in the past with equally devastating consequences… In ancient times, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon fought against and conquered Egypt and her allies, including Libya. Since this prophecy is dual and refers particularly to the day of the Lord, it is reasonable to conclude that a modern king of a modern Babylon will be fighting against Egypt and her allies. It is indeed the beast or the king of the North—the leader over a modern Babylonian system—who will fulfill that future role…”

We see then that a somewhat friendly relationship between Ethiopia, Egypt, Libya and Germany (when mercenaries serve in armies of European nations) will gradually deteriorate, while an alliance between Middle Eastern nations, including Ethiopia, Egypt and Libya against Germany and Europe will develop.

In conclusion, the Bible does not teach that a future king of the South, as mentioned in Daniel 11, must still appear, but we have always understood and taught that he might very well arise. If so, this would have to be Ethiopia which might lead other Middle Eastern nations in opposition to the king of the North.

In addition, the Bible shows that a confederacy of nations including Ethiopia, Egypt and Libya (even though this confederacy is technically not referred to as the king of the South) will arise which will be hostile towards the king of the North (even though at one time, those individual nations or mercenaries of those nations were not necessarily enemies of Europe).

While an anti-Israel confederacy between Assyria (the king of the North) and OTHER Middle Eastern nations will be formed, some of which will “escape” the hands of the king of the North (including Turkey, Iraq and the prominent people or chiefs of Jordan), countries such as Egypt, Ethiopia and Libya will not “escape.”

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

We are sad to announce that after battling cancer, Rainer Ruoff died on February 2, 2020. Mr. Ruoff was a Church of God member who lived in Spain. His funeral will be on February 7^th in Spain. Elder Thilo Hanstein, accompanied by his wife Anita, travelled from Germany to conduct the service.  Mr. Ruoff is survived by his wife Isabella and daughter Anna, who are also church members, as well as another daughter and a son.

A Tech Team meeting was held over SKYPE last Sunday morning (February 2, 2020). Conducted by Eric Rank, special emphasis was given to improvements in our websites. Future use of cell phones as a backup for live broadcasting was also discussed.

“Watch powerful Germany!” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Some may think that Germany is currently not that powerful. They would be wrong. This program shows the tremendous German influence in matters such as Brexit and the transition period; military operations and the coming EU Army; and Europe’s hostile stance towards the USA and Israel. It also addresses a brand-new political scandal in Germany and the German Catholic bishops’ fight with Pope Francis. Bible prophecy is marching on. 

“Das Coronavirus und prophezeite weltweite Seuchen,” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “The Coronavirus and Prophesied Worldwide Epidemics.”

“Satans Welt,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath in Germany by Christian Mrosek, is now posted. Title in English: “Satan’s World.”

“Brexit and Trump’s Acquittal: Comments on News and Prophecy (February 1, 2020),” the first message presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

These seemingly unrelated events have something really big in common. What is it, and why is it so important to understand their prophetic significance in the light of God’s Masterplan?

“What Does the Bible Reveal about the Third Temple prior to Christ’s Return?” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The building of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is about to begin. Some claim that there will be no physical Temple, and that biblical references to the Temple strictly refer to the Church of God. This sermon will show from the Bible why this opinion is incorrect. We will also show who will be involved in the building of the Third Temple, and what will happen when the Temple has been erected.

The 2020 Church Conference will be conducted in Escondido, California. Arrival will be Wednesday, March 25, 2020, and departure is scheduled for Monday, March 30, 2020.

On February 1, 2020, Norbert Link will present “Comments on News and Prophecy (February 1, 2020),” and Norbert Link will also present the sermon, titled, “What Does the Bible Reveal about the Third Temple Prior to Christ’s Return?”

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

When people die, depending on what they have accomplished in this life, they leave behind a legacy. Some people achieve much in their short time here on this earth but others not as much. It really depends on the effort, the vision they keep in mind, and the amount of zeal used to go after what they set their eyes on. Some people seem to inspire more and have a greater effect on others. And it seems that they are those who know what they want and go for it, while they are ignoring everything else, which might detract them, in pursuit of greatness.

It is inspiring to see people live their lives to the fullest. They seem to exude courage and strength. They also invest much work into what they are trying to achieve. They are relentless in what they want to accomplish. Setbacks happen to them, but they power through and keep pushing forward. History is littered with these types of people, and they are often studied and talked about as those whom everyone can aspire to be like.

For the most part, true Christians are not among the rich and famous.  They are not the elite of the world. They are usually not those who have several huge houses, tons of money and are well-known around the world. In fact, many times just the opposite seems to be true.

In 1 Corinthians 1:20-30, Paul rightly identifies members as those who do not belong to the great of this world. And the reason is that we have to learn how to glorify God; how to lean on Him for godly greatness and wisdom. Yes, with God’s help, we can and must become truly wise in His eyes in whatever we choose to pursue, knowing that in the end, this worldly wisdom is passing away (Philippians 3:8-10). It is hard at times to look at this world and see all the amazing or interesting things that people are doing or accomplishing. But it warrants the realization that a lot of times we get to see the “best” that people put forward. We don’t get to see the suffering and pain that they may go through. We need to realize that we must look at everything in context.

When we look at this world and solely focus on it, we lose focus on the Bible and its wisdom. It is so easy to get caught up and feel miserable because we are “missing out” or don’t have what others seem to have. But what we choose to build at this time is up to us (Matthew 7:24-27). God lets us choose how much we want to seek Him and how much we want to change. When we choose properly, circumstances start to change for us. When we start to leave behind our foolish desires and search after God with our whole heart (Jeremiah 29:13), then God can change our hearts (Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26; Hebrews 8:10). He can start to give us good things, maybe even some of the things we may not necessarily need, but we would like to have (Psalm 37:1-40).

We ought to realize that this present evil world is not going to be here for much longer. Our time grows shorter (Romans 13:11). So what do we choose? How do we become wise? James 3:13-18 warns us to be aware and constantly on guard against the wisdom of this world and the pulls of our own flesh. It is not so uncommon as we might like to think. We each have been guilty of behaving like this at times.

Our legacy as Christians is to remain on the path and finish the work assigned to each of us. It has to do with our mindset. Our legacy is about being faithful till the end—being faithful with what we have been given.

There is nothing in this life that is worth anything unless it has been given to us by God (John 14:27; Matthew 11:28-30; Jeremiah 42:12; James 1:1-27). We should take the time to read Scriptures like the ones mentioned herein; meditate on them; pray about them; and make every effort so that our entrance into the Kingdom of God will be supplied. Peter’s words in 2 Peter 1:3-11 are important in this context, because possessing godly qualities in increasing measure is the key. With God’s help, all of us are capable of this.

As we know, it is a matter of overcoming our own selves with our doubts, weaknesses and insecurities, as well as Satan and this evil world, while laying hold of what God’s Word says. When we do this properly, we WILL see progress. We will understand more and more as to what is right. We ought to try it out. James 2:24 and Philippians 2:12 warn us that we have to be working DAILY on our character. We have to be those who are laying it all on the line each day. When we do this, it doesn’t matter if we live or die, because we know that we are in God’s hands (Romans 14:8). And then we will die with the understanding that we will have left behind our true legacy (Revelation 2:26; 3:21; 20:4,6; Daniel 7:18, 22, 27).

by Norbert Link

We begin with serious reports about the new coronavirus which originated in China, apparently due to irresponsible and sickening human conduct, and which has by now spread to many countries around the world; report on several powerful earthquakes which struck within the last few days; point out that American troops were injured during the missile strikes by Iran on a base in Iraq, “totally belying President Donald Trump’s initial claim that no Americans were harmed” and prompting the largest Veterans organization in the USA to demand an apology from Trump for belittling the injuries.

We continue to speak on the explosive situation in Iraq and Iran and on Trump’s “deal of the century” peace plan which is dead on arrival, with absolutely NO chance for success.

We speak on Russia’s ongoing persecution of religious minorities; and address the rocky relationship between the UK and the EU which made Brexit inevitable. For much more information on this development, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “BREXIT DONE! The UK GONE! Was It Inevitable?” 

We address an unusual locust plague in parts of Africa; an interesting development in Germany’s Protestant Church regarding Carnival celebrations for children; the continuing rivalry between Pope Benedict and Pope Francis and their respective supporters.

We speak on corrupt Italy; right-wing extremism in Germany and the failure to learn from history; and the startling announcement that the doomsday clock has moved within 100 seconds of midnight (midnight meaning the end of the world as we know it).

We speak on Trump’s participation in the anti-abortion “March to Life,” during which he gave lip service to the opposition of abortion (but not totally); while scoring a victory by the Republican majority within the Supreme Court pertaining to his unchristian immigration policy about the new “public charge rule.”  

We conclude with a remarkable article about the Third Temple and the developing history of Muslim thinking regarding Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.

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

The New Coronavirus

The Sun wrote on January 25:

“[Surgeon] Dr Liang Wudong, 62, passed away today after becoming struck down with the deadly virus on January 16… Dr Wudong [was]  the 41st person to die from the disease with [almost 6,000] cases reported in China alone [and with 56 million people now on lockdown]. [Internationally, almost 10,000 cases have been reported.] [It was also reported a second doctor, Jiang Jijun died from a heart attack while treating the afflicted. It is not yet known if the infectious disease specialist died as a result of the coronavirus or from exhaustion. Reportedly, a doctor in France died of the disease as well.]

“Vietnam, Singapore, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong all now have confirmed cases — alongside the US, China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. France yesterday confirmed three cases and Australia one – with all patients returning from Wuhan… experts have now warned Britain is on the brink of an epidemic… [In the meantime, at least four cases have surfaced in Germany. The disease has been identified in at least 18 countries. Over 200 people have died so far.]

“And the bleak prediction reveals [that] by February 4, the number of infected people in Wuhan [which has a population of 11 million] could hit [in excess of 350,000]. Preliminary research suggested the coronavirus [originated] at Wuhan’s seafood market… which sold live koalas, snakes, rats and wolf pups to locals to eat. [It]has since been shut down while an investigation is carried out.”

The Daily Mail added on January 25:

“Disturbing footage shows [a] diner calmly dipping a baby MOUSE in a bowl of sauce before eating it alive as part of [a] banned Chinese delicacy known as ‘Three Squeaks’.”

Absolutely disgusting!

In another article, the Sun wrote on January 25:

“The killer coronavirus was spread from bats to snakes to humans, experts have claimed.

“A new study published in the China Science Bulletin this week claimed that the new coronavirus shared a strain of virus found in bats. Previous deadly outbreaks of SARS and Ebola were also believed to have originated in the flying mammal…

“Meanwhile, scientists at Peking University also claim that the deadly virus was passed to humans from bats – but say it was through a mutation in snakes… It meant that they likely provided a ‘reservoir’ for the viral strain to grow stronger and replicate. Snakes are sold at the Huanan Seafood Market in central Wuhan and may have jumped to other animals before passing to humans, they claim… The expert believes that the new strain was an RNA virus, meaning that its mutation speed was 100 times faster than that of a DNA virus such as smallpox.”

Some irresponsible articles in the mass media try to minimize the dangers of the new virus, suggesting that it only affects older and weak people. This is demonstrably not the case, and such denial is not only unhelpful and ignorant, but very dangerous.

Will 65 Million People Die of Coronavirus Pandemic?

Business Insider wrote January 23:

“Health experts issued an ominous warning about a coronavirus pandemic 3 months ago…

“Eric Toner, a scientist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, wasn’t shocked when news of a mysterious coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China, surfaced in early January. Less than three months earlier, Toner had staged a simulation of a global pandemic involving a coronavirus…

“Toner’s simulation imagined a fictional virus called CAPS. The analysis… looked at what would happen if a pandemic originated in Brazil’s pig farms… The virus in Toner’s simulation… would be deadlier than SARS, but about as easy to catch as the flu.

“The pretend outbreak started small: Farmers began coming down with symptoms that resembled the flu or pneumonia. From there, the virus spread to crowded and impoverished urban neighborhoods in South America. Flights were canceled, and travel bookings dipped by 45%… A year later, it had killed 65 million people. The Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, by contrast, claimed as many as 50 million lives.

“Toner’s simulated pandemic also triggered a global financial crisis: Stock markets fell by 20% to 40%, and global gross domestic product plunged by 11%… [Toner said] that the Wuhan coronavirus could also have significant economic effects if the total number of cases hits the thousands…

“In the CAPS simulation, scientists were unable to develop a vaccine in time to stop a pandemic. That’s a realistic assumption: Even real coronaviruses like SARS or MERS… still don’t have vaccines… ‘It’s part of the world we live in now,’ Toner said. ‘We’re in an age of epidemics.’”

The Bible predicts that in the end time, millions upon millions will die of pandemics. See our new Q&A in this issue.

Allowing the Alteration of Germs

In light of the recent developments, the following older article by the New York Times, dated December 19, 2017, gains horrible morbid importance:

“Federal officials on Tuesday ended a moratorium imposed three years ago on funding research that alters germs to make them more lethal… Some scientists are eager to pursue these studies because they may show, for example, how a bird flu could mutate to more easily infect humans, or could yield clues to making a better vaccine [that is always the excuse for such horrible conduct]. Critics say these researchers risk creating a monster germ that could escape the lab and seed a pandemic…

“In October 2014, all federal funding was halted on efforts to make three viruses more dangerous: the flu virus, and those causing Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). But the new regulations apply to any pathogen that could potentially cause a pandemic. For example, they would apply to a request to create an Ebola virus transmissible through the air…

“There has been a long, fierce debate about projects — known as ‘gain of function’ research — intended to make pathogens more deadly or more transmissible… In 2011, an outcry arose when laboratories in Wisconsin and the Netherlands revealed that they were trying to mutate the lethal H5N1 bird flu in ways that would let it jump easily between ferrets, which are used to model human flu susceptibility. Tensions rose in 2014 after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention accidentally exposed lab workers to anthrax and shipped a deadly flu virus to a laboratory that had asked for a benign strain. That year, the N.I.H. also found vials of smallpox in a freezer that had been forgotten for 50 years.

“When the moratorium was imposed, it effectively halted 21 projects… In the three years since, the N.I.H. created exceptions that funded ten of those projects. Five were flu-related, and five concerned the MERS virus. That virus is a coronavirus carried by camels that has infected about 2,100 people since it was discovered in 2012, and has killed about a third of them, according to the World Health Organization.”

It has been speculated and suggested that the Chinese new coronavirus had been manufactured in Chinese laboratories and then “escaped” by first infecting animals, such as bats or snakes. Sadly, this is a real possibility.

Powerful Earthquakes Strike

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 24:

“A powerful 6.8 [or 6.7] magnitude earthquake struck eastern Turkey on Friday, killing at least [41] people and injuring over [1,600] others… Some [390] aftershocks were recorded in the wake of the earthquake, with one clocking in at 5.4 magnitude…

“Turkey has a history of being rocked by powerful earthquakes. Thousands of people were killed and many more displaced when a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the western city of Izmit in 1999. In 2011, more than 500 people were killed by a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in the eastern city of Van.”

The death toll is expected to rise as rescuers search for survivors under the rubble in freezing winter conditions, as the temperature dropped to -8C (17.6F).

The Associated Press reported on January 27:

“An undersea earthquake with preliminary magnitude 5.2 occurred Tuesday off the Aegean Sea island of Karpathos… in an area close to the Greek resort islands of Rhodes and Crete.”

The Associated Press reported on January 28:

“A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck in the Caribbean Sea between Jamaica and eastern Cuba on Tuesday, shaking a vast area from Mexico to Florida and beyond… the epicenter was… 10 kilometers (6 miles) beneath the surface.”

American Troops WERE Injured by Iran’s Attack

Reuters wrote on January 24:

“The Pentagon said on Friday that 34 service members had been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury following missile strikes by Iran on a base in Iraq earlier this month, a number higher than the military had previously announced. President Donald Trump and other top officials initially said Iran’s attack had not killed or injured any U.S. service members…

“[Pentagon’s] …handling of the injuries… has renewed questions over the U.S. military’s policy regarding how it deals with suspected brain injuries. While the U.S. military has to immediately report incidents threatening life, limb or eyesight, it does not have an urgent requirement to do so with suspected traumatic brain injury, or TBI, which can take time to manifest and diagnose… According to Pentagon data, about 408,000 service members have been diagnosed with traumatic brain injury since 2000.”

Several articles pointed out that the Pentagon has a “credibility problem,” in that they were very slow to admit these serious injuries. This could also pose a potential problem for Trump as he had said that the USA would retaliate militarily if American troops were to be injured or killed in Iran’s attack.

Newsmax added on January 28:

“The Pentagon on Tuesday raised to 50 the number of U.S. service members who suffered traumatic brain injuries in Iran’s missile strike earlier this month on an Iraqi air base, the third time the number of injuries has been increased.

“The new casualty total belies President Donald Trump’s initial claim that no Americans were harmed.”

Veterans Demand Apology from Trump

Newsmax wrote on January 24:

“Trump referred to the injuries as ‘headaches’ and ‘not very serious.’

“‘In light of today’s announcement from the defense department that 34 U.S. service members suffered traumatic brain injuries as a result of Iran’s retaliatory strike and President Trump’s remarks which minimized these troops’ injuries, the Veterans of Foreign Wars cannot stand idle on this matter,’ group national commander William ‘Doc’ Schmitz said in a statement. [Schmitz represents the largest Veterans organization in the USA.]

“‘TBI is a serious injury and one that cannot be taken lightly. TBI is known to cause depression, memory loss, severe headaches, dizziness and fatigue — all injuries that come with both short- and long-term effects. The VFW expects an apology from the president to our servicemen and women for his misguided remarks.’”

Trump needs the support and the votes of the Veterans.

Iraq Wants US Troops Out

The Associated Press wrote on January 23:

“Waving national flags and banners denouncing U.S. President Donald Trump, tens of thousands of Iraqis marched peacefully through Baghdad on Friday to demand the ouster of U.S. troops from their country in a protest organized by [Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, Iraq’s most revered Shiite cleric]…

“Al-Sadr, whose party won the most seats in the May 2018 parliamentary elections, had called the rally to demand the withdrawal of American troops following the Jan. 3 U.S. drone strike near Baghdad’s airport that killed top Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and senior Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. The killing drew the ire of Iraqi officials from across the political spectrum.”

 It is only a matter of time until America will withdraw its troops from Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries.

Standing Up to Iran

Times of Israel wrote on January 24:

“US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday vowed to maintain pressure on Tehran and announced fresh sanctions against firms based in China, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates that conduct business with Iran… [by] operating in Iran’s oil and petrochemical sectors…

“US Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday in Jerusalem called for the world to stand up to Iran, drawing a parallel between the Islamic Republic and Nazi Germany… Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged action against ‘the tyrants of Tehran,’ comparing what he considers the Iranian threat to the one that was posed by the Nazis.”

JTA added on January 23:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed gratitude for the Allied war to defeat Nazi Germany, even as he claimed the world had ‘largely’ abandoned the Jews during the Holocaust… ‘I am concerned that we have yet to see a unified and resolute stance against the most anti-Semitic regime on the planet – a regime that openly seeks to develop nuclear weapons and annihilate the one and only Jewish state,’ Netanyahu said, referencing Iran.”

The “world” will abandon the Jews once again.

Trump’s Middle East Peace Plan… Dead on Arrival

The Jerusalem Post wrote on January 28:

“Three years in the making, the ‘Deal of the Century,’ US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, has finally been revealed…

“The Palestinians will have a capital in east Jerusalem based on northern and eastern neighborhoods that are outside the Israeli security barrier… Otherwise, Trump said Jerusalem will remain undivided as Israel’s capital…

“Israel will retain the Jordan Valley and all Israeli settlements in the West Bank in the broadest definition possible…

“Israel will be in control of security from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea…

“The plan does not include immediate recognition of a Palestinian state; rather, it expects a willingness on Israel’s part to create a pathway toward Palestinian statehood based on specific territory, which is about 70% of Judea and Samaria… The state will only come into existence in four years if the Palestinians accept the plan, if the Palestinian Authority stops paying terrorists and inciting terrorism and if Hamas and Islamic Jihad put down their weapons…”

This “plan” has not the slightest chance of success.

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 28:

“Massive criticism is expected from Arab and Muslim leaders, even though not all of it will be genuine. Extremist elements, meanwhile, will happily instrumentalize this plan to carry out terrorist attacks and perpetrate violence. None of this will do anything to bring peace to the Middle East.”

Those who worked on this peace plan for three years have been wasting their time. The Bible prophesies that they will say “Peace, peace,” but that there will be no peace.

Russia’s Persecution of Religious Minorities

The Associated Press wrote on January 23:

“A court in northern Russia on Friday fined two Jehovah’s Witnesses convicted of extremism related to their membership of the religious group… [They] were fined the equivalent of $4,850 and $5,600 for ‘carrying out activities of the religious organization by calling and holding meetings’ and ‘collecting money under the guise of fundraising.’

“Russia officially banned Jehovah’s Witnesses in 2017 and declared the group an extremist organization. The Kremlin has actively used vaguely worded extremism laws to crack down on opposition activists and religious minorities… Since 2017, Russian law enforcement have targeted hundreds of Jehovah’s Witnesses across the country, raiding their homes and arresting them on extremism charges. Thirty-four members of the group have been convicted and sentenced to prison terms so far, with almost 300 people currently being investigated…”

And again, the world stands idly by in silence in the face of Russia’s unconscionable atrocities, as it did when witnessing the horrors of Nazi Germany.

Britain to Leave

The Associated Press wrote on January 24:

“Britain’s delayed and disputed Brexit bill became law on Thursday, removing the last UK obstacle to the country leaving the European Union in just over a week… the Withdrawal Agreement Act… received royal assent from Queen Elizabeth II, the final formality in its legislative journey…

“The EU Parliament’s constitutional affairs committee voted by a large margin Thursday to approve the Brexit withdrawal deal, preparing the way for a vote of all European lawmakers in Brussels next Wednesday… [See next article below.]

“After the royal assent was announced, Scottish National Party lawmaker Ian Blackford said the UK was in a ‘constitutional crisis’ because the legislatures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland did not back the Brexit bill… Guy Verhofstadt, the leading EU lawmaker on Brexit, said the bloc’s parliament would continue to scrutinize the way Britain implemented the divorce agreement — especially to ensure that the rights of EU citizens living in the UK are protected after Brexit.”

All of this will clearly create more trouble for the UK’s unity and its already fragile relationship with Europe.

Brexit Done—“History Made”

 Express wrote on January 30:

 “THE European Parliament last night brought the curtain down on Brexit, paving the way for Britain to leave the bloc on Friday.

“Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage celebrated the UK’s divorce… Of the deal, Mr Farage said: ‘… The most significant point is what happens at 11pm this Friday marks the point of no return. Once we’ve left we are never coming back and the rest frankly is detail. We’re going, we will be gone.’”

How Europe Threatens the UK

The Independent wrote on January 22:

“The UK’s access to the single market will be weakened if it does not continue to sign up to EU rules after Brexit, Ursula von der Leyen has said… the European Commission’s president warned of ‘more distance’ between the UK and EU if such a state of affairs came about… Her comments came as the chancellor, Sajid Javid, said there was ‘no point’ in leaving the EU unless the UK was going to ditch the Brussels rule book…

“The prime minister, Boris Johnson, has set himself a deadline of reaching a trade deal by the end of the transition period in December. If one is not secured by that point, UK firms will face tariffs and quotas that could wreck their businesses…”

The relationship between the UK and the EU will become much more hostile.

A Look Back at the Rocky Relationship between Europe and Britain

The Guardian wrote on January 26:

“Last week, with the end of the UK’s 47-year membership of the club of European nations just days away, I looked back at some newspaper cuttings from my time as a Brussels correspondent… ‘British beef banned in Europe. Cattle prices fall. School meals hit. EU “rules” broken.’ Among the many crises in British relations with the EU down the years – from Margaret Thatcher’s bust-up over the European budget in the early 1980s to the UK’s exit from the ERM in 1992 – the beef war between London and Brussels ranks among the biggest.

“It was 29 March, 1996, and the European commission had just announced a worldwide ban on the export of British beef. The EU’s executive opted for decisive action after the Tory government admitted there could be a link between ‘mad cow’ disease and the mutant strain of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease which could kill humans…

“When the European commission dropped its bombshell, France and Germany had already imposed their own unilateral bans on British beef. UK ministers had announced that millions of cattle across the UK would have to be slaughtered. Thousands of schools took meat off their lunch menus. Beef prices tumbled. Inevitably, in those testy post-Maastricht days of Tory rows over Europe, Eurosceptic MPs blamed the Europeans. The late Sir Teddy Taylor, a hardline anti-EU campaigner on the Conservative backbenches, urged retaliation in the form of a ban on French wine and French beef, while Bill Cash, still a Tory MP to this day, wanted to take the European commission to court.

“Throughout that spring and summer, the crisis widened. This was a time when the ambitions of the EU’s true believers in Brussels, Bonn and Paris were at their height. Helmut Kohl and Jacques Chirac were planning the launch of the euro… leaders were preparing also to admit several countries of former communist eastern Europe. The enlargement project was one of which the UK thoroughly approved…

“But John Major, who had launched his premiership in 1990 with a promise to put Britain ‘at the heart of Europe’, found himself trapped politically as the BSE disaster worsened. The rightwing tabloids were in full anti-EU cry, demanding he fight the beef ban… In an editorial at the end of March, the Sun warned that the survival of an independent UK, no less, was at stake: ‘If Brussels has the power to stop Britain from selling a product anywhere in the world, then we are no longer an independent sovereign nation with control over our own affairs,’ the paper said…

“On 21 May, Major… announced that the UK would refuse to co-operate in EU meetings until further notice. British non-co-operation with Europe – and its policies – had become official policy… In areas where British ministers had a veto in council meetings, non-co-operation meant they would effectively be blocking EU decisions, thwarting European plans for deeper integration…

“Non co-operation quickly took relations between London and Brussels to a historic low. For the first time in more than two decades serious questions were being asked about Britain’s membership, publicly, by senior British and European politicians. The beef crisis in itself was an isolated, very specific issue. But the way it had spiralled had highlighted deep faultlines in a relationship between a member state determined not to cede powers, and much of whose media was virulently anti-Brussels, and the proponents of a postwar European project that had as its entire purpose the unification of Europe, and the necessary surrender by participants of ever more sovereignty to the centre.

“EU leaders were beginning to wonder if the UK could continue as a full member if it was prepared to put spanners in the works of integration whenever it had a grievance…

“This coming Friday, 31 January, at midnight in Brussels, and 11pm UK time, it will all be over. The worst fears of the pro-Europeans here and on the continent will have been realised… The UK will be out… Could it have worked? If so, was the EU or the UK, or were both, to blame? Which British and EU leaders fell short? Or was it always doomed to failure?…

“As we prepare to leave, I asked diplomats, politicians, journalists on both sides of the channel why they thought Brexit had come to pass and they cited a multitude of reasons. The deep differences in postwar attitudes between the UK and its European partners; poor leadership in the EU and UK; a constantly hostile British media, and sheer bad luck and timing… The German MP Norbert Röttgen, who chairs the foreign affairs committee in the Bundestag, suggested the idea of the UK leaving was always so alien and nightmarish for EU leaders that they blinded themselves to the warning signals. By the time of the 2016 referendum the chance to find compromise had been lost… Röttgen knows, as does everyone, that it was the entire European political class that failed to stop the ‘unimaginable’ happening… These are perilous times…”

Brexit was inevitable. It had nothing to do with “sheer bad luck” or “bad timing,” but it was preordained to happen. The EU-UK cooperation was “doomed to failure.” The Bible says so, and we have been proclaiming this for decades.

For much more information, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “BREXIT DONE! The UK GONE! Was It Inevitable?”  

Billions of Locusts Devastate Parts of Africa

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 24:

“A locust invasion in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia has left crops devastated. It is the biggest swarm in decades, with [200] billions of the ravenous insects nibbling their way through the already climate-ravaged region…

“For Ethiopia and Somalia, the infestation is the biggest in 25 years, and for Kenya it is the greatest swarm in 70 years… A locust consumes their own weight in food every day… The insects could ‘reproduce rapidly and, if left unchecked, their current numbers could grow 500 times by June,’ spreading to Uganda and South Uganda…

“In an already vulnerable region with high levels of poverty, the locusts can further devastate crops, resulting in ‘a major food security problem’… The locusts… were the latest symptom of extreme weather conditions that also saw a 2019 drought end in one of the wettest rainy seasons in four decades in parts of East Africa, with mass floods killing hundreds. The year 2019 witnessed eight cyclones, the most in a single year since 1976.”

This most recent event has been described as an “unprecedented plague.”

No Carnival for Children in Germany’s Protestant Church

Bild Online reported on January 24 that Bishop Otfried July who is responsible for 1,200 congregations of the Protestant Church in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, cancelled carnival celebrations for their Kindertagesstätten (day-care centers), questioning the “compatibility between carnival and Christian values.”

Many parents were upset, and the Catholic Church voiced opposition to the prohibition, stating that they will continue celebrating carnival. Carnival is of course a Catholic invention based on pagan beliefs and practices.

Pope Francis vs. Pope Benedict

Express wrote on January 24:

“POPE FRANCIS has once again faced significant opposition after Benedict XVI slammed a new Vatican policy in a co-authored book before trying to remove his name from the text. Now, the current head of the Catholic Church is aiming to diminish his predecessor’s influence as he replaces a high-profile Benedict ally with one of his own backers… The New York Times reported yesterday that Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia, who was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2011, has stepped down from his role.

“Archbishop Chaput has long been known as a traditionalist in the Catholic Church, and represented one of the many critics of Pope Francis in the US. The Argentine Pope announced this week that he had accepted the resignation and would take the opportunity to promote one of his backers in Philadelphia.

“Archbishop Chaput became a key figure in the traditionalist half of the Church, supporting the denial of communion to Catholic politicians who back abortion rights and opposing legalisation in support of gay marriage.

“Anti-Francis figures have launched numerous offensives on both his policy and his character, with one group of traditionalists even penning a book titled ‘The Dictator Pope’. Pope Francis also came under fire from Catholic Church critics when he welcomed Amazonian bishops to the Vatican last year. Following the visit, a letter was published by conservative rivals who scathingly referred to the Pope’s actions as ‘sacrilegious’. His critics took opposition to his proposed policy of allowing married men to become bishops in the Amazon.

“It read: ‘We respectfully ask Pope Francis to repent publicly and unambiguously of these objectively grave sins and of all the public offences that he has committed against God and the true religion, and to make reparation for these offences.’”

The Associated Press wrote on January 25:

“A Vatican cardinal [Cardinal Robert Sarah who heads the Vatican’s liturgical office] at the center of a storm over a book about celibacy and the Catholic priesthood is denouncing the ‘brutality’ of criticism directed at him and his collaborator, Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI…

“Sarah, a Guinean prelate who is a hero to the church’s conservative and traditionalist wing, has insisted he remains obedient to Francis. But the two have clashed repeatedly, and the Vatican under the progressive Francis has found itself in the unusual position of issuing public corrections of Sarah’s positions. The Holy See, for example, intervened in 2016 after Sarah told a London liturgical conference that it was ‘very important’ for the church to return ‘as soon as possible’ to its old practice of the priest celebrating Mass facing east, with his back to the faithful… A year later, Francis publicly reprimanded Sarah for misinterpreting a new instruction giving bishops’ conferences the right to translate Mass missals…

“Sarah is due to offer his resignation to Francis in June when he turns 75, the mandatory retirement age for Catholic bishops.”

The controversy in the Catholic Church will not end any time soon, and it might contribute to explosive events mirroring occurrences which happened in the past.

Corrupt Italy

The Local wrote on January 24:

“Italy is still seen as one of Europe’s most corrupt countries… Italy ranked alongside Saudi Arabia and Rwanda… when it comes to perceived corruption in an annual index by Transparency International… the study ranks perceptions of official corruption levels around the world… [Italy improved slightly since 2018, but] analysts say they’ll be watching Italy closely as they say the trend could easily go into reverse… the list does not make any claims as to the actual level of corruption in a given country, but rather how much corruption people believe there is…

“According to the report, Italians believe the two most corrupt institutions in the country are political parties and parliament itself. Italy once again comes in far behind its northern European neighbours in the corruption stakes. Scandinavia dominated the top spots, with Denmark once again considered the world’s least corrupt country. Together with New Zealand, Denmark received 87 points, making the two countries the best placed on the list. Finland is 3rd on this year’s list, with Nordic neighbours Sweden and Norway in joint 4th and 7th respectively. The United Kingdom came 12th and the United States 23rd. Neighbouring Spain also outdid Italy with a score of 62, as did Portugal (64), and Malta (54). At the bottom of the European table, Hungary scored 46, Greece 45, and Bulgaria came in last with 42…

“The index… does not relate to corruption in the private sector, including money laundering and tax fraud.”

The perception of Italy’s corruption might lead to the rise of a strong political figure who will falsely claim to bring back honesty and reliability to the people.

Right-Wing Extremism in the German Army

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 26:

 “The head of Germany’s military intelligence service has confirmed hundreds of new investigations into soldiers with extremist right-wing leanings. Germany’s elite special forces unit appears to be a particular hotbed. Numerous cases of extremism in the German military and among other security forces have been brought to light in recent years…

“An additional 360 cases of suspected right-wing extremism were registered in 2019… Cases of suspected extremism were particularly concentrated among an elite unit known as Special Forces Command or KSK… The number of cases in the KSK also doubled in comparison with the start of 2019, he added.”

These are alarming developments which should wake everybody up.

Learning from History?

Times of Israel wrote on January 23:

“German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Thursday that his nation had not fully learned the lessons of the Holocaust, as Jew-hatred was still growing… Steinmeier expressed concern over continued anti-Semitism, noting a pattern of attacks on Jews in Germany, highlighting a shooting in October on a synagogue in the German city of Halle.

“‘I wish I could say that we Germans have learnt from history once and for all. But I cannot say that when hatred is spreading,’ he said. ‘I cannot say that when Jewish children are spat on in the schoolyard. I cannot say that when crude anti-Semitism is cloaked in supposed criticism of Israeli policy. I cannot say that when only a thick wooden door prevents a right-wing terrorist from causing a bloodbath in a synagogue in the city of Halle on Yom Kippur.’…

“Steinmeier vowed to combat anti-Semitism, as well as ‘the poison that is nationalism.’…

“Speaking before Steinmeier, French President Emmanuel Macron praised world leaders for coming together to remember the Holocaust… The French leader said: ‘After all that has passed, anti-Semitism and the scourge of anti-Semitism has returned, and with it, xenophobia and intolerance have also raised their ugly heads.’”

The German conservative mass tabloid Bild Online published a biting editorial stating that Germans have not learned anything at all from history, and that the silent reaction to Steinmeier’s words proves that.

Further, that it is a shame and manifestation of total disinterest that after all these years, we still do not know the names of most of the preparators who were responsible for the horrible Holocaust.

Doomsday Clock Moves within 100 Seconds of Midnight

npr wrote on January 23:

“Two years after moving the metaphorical minute hand of its Doomsday Clock to within two minutes of midnight — a figurative two-minute warning for all humanity — the science and security board…  revealed Thursday that it has moved that minute hand another 20 seconds closer to the midnight hour. ‘It is 100 seconds to midnight,’ declared the [board’s] president and CEO… Never since the clock’s 1947 Cold War debut has it come so close to the putative doomsday annihilation represented by the 12 a.m. hour.

“[There are] 13 Nobel laureates on its board. [It was] founded by scientists who worked on the atomic bomb-building Manhattan Project during World War II…”

We are much closer to the end of this present evil age than most people think.

March of Life

Breaking Israel News wrote on January 26:

“On Friday, President Trump stood before a crowd of an estimated 100,000 people and became the first U.S. president to address the 47th annual March of Life in Washington D.C., invoking ‘God’ eight times in his speech. His address was emphatically faith-based as he opened his speech by declaring that he and all those attending the March were there ‘for a very simple reason: to defend the right of every child, born and unborn, to fulfill their God-given potential.’

“‘Every child is a precious and sacred gift from God… When we see the image of a baby in the womb, we glimpse the majesty of God’s creation. When we hold a newborn in our arms, we know the endless love that each child brings to a family.  When we watch a child grow, we see the splendor that radiates from each human soul… Every person is worth protecting… And above all, we know that every human soul… is made in the holy image of Almighty God.’

“The address marks a personal turning point for the president as he used to support abortion in his pre-presidential days…

“The annual March of Life began in 1974 on the first anniversary of the controversial Supreme Court Case of Roe v. Wade which is cited as protecting a pregnant woman’s liberty to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction. Based on questionable jurisprudence that is still debated today, the decision infringed upon the rights of the states to set their own legislation as well as the humanitarian rights of the unborn. Presidents Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush addressed marchers remotely and Mike Pence became the first sitting vice-president to attend the rally in 2017.”

It is hoped that Donald Trump stated his honest opinion and that he did not adopt his revised position on abortion just to gain votes. However, even now, he is clearly not defending the right of EVERY child, as he still allows abortion in certain circumstances, and we must also point out that his immigration policy (see article below) belies his statements regarding the protection of every human soul.

Let us say very clearly that abortion is always wrong. It is always murder in the eyes of God. This means, a Christian must not support or engage in abortion of an unborn child for ANY reason.

Trump’s New Public Charge Rule Confirmed by US Supreme Court

Politico wrote on January 27:

“A narrowly divided Supreme Court on Monday allowed the Trump administration to begin enforcing a rule making it harder for poor immigrants to gain green cards. The justices in a 5-4 vote along ideological lines said they would let the controversial immigration rules go forward even as lower courts wrestle with multiple legal challenges against them.

“The policy in question would expand the government’s ability to refuse green cards or visas for legal immigrants determined to be a ‘public charge,’ or dependent on public assistance. Those using or likely to use Medicaid, food stamps and other safety net programs would face greater scrutiny from immigration officials.

“The rules… represent one of Trump’s strongest efforts to restrict legal immigration. Multiple federal judges blocked the rules before they were slated to take effect last October, after states and immigrant rights groups filed challenges. Federal judges in California, Maryland, and New York blocked implementation, but appeals courts later lifted all but New York’s freeze. That was removed by the Supreme Court on Monday, allowing the policy to take effect almost everywhere.

“Justice Neil Gorsuch… criticized federal judges who issue nationwide blocks on administration rules… Lower courts are expected to hear lawsuits on the public charge rules in the coming months. It’s possible the Supreme Court, which did not rule on the merits of those lawsuits Monday, will review the issue again…

“An analysis from the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation found applications for about 42 percent of legal immigrants could see their green card applications ‘weighed negatively’ as a result, while 94 percent could face extra scrutiny after using at least one of the public programs targeted by the Trump policy. Public charge denials of poor immigrants have spiked under the Trump administration even without this sweeping policy in place. The State Department disqualified more than 12,000 visa applicants on public charge grounds last year…”

ABC wrote on January 27:

“The rule is expected to have a broad impact on those applying for permanent legal status in the U.S. An analysis from the Migration Policy Institute last year found 70% of recent green card applicants would have been impacted had the rule been implemented earlier.”

It was to be expected that the Republican judges who are in the majority would rule in favor of the public charge rule. This is an entirely political decision with serious consequences for many immigrants and legal residents.

America’s Local Economy Keeps Shrinking

Axios wrote on January 24:

“Growth slowed for local economies virtually everywhere in the U.S. last year, and is declining again at the start of this year as consumers pare back spending and business growth stalls… So says business directory service Yelp, which used data from its more than 100 million users to track the number of businesses opening or closing and consumer demand…

“‘Yelp has information not only on millions of U.S. brick-and-mortar businesses but on the consumer demand expressed by the millions of consumers who view, review, and post photos of businesses on Yelp every day,’ the company said in a release accompanying the analysis…

“If Yelp’s data is correct, it shows economic prospects are deteriorating for brick-and-mortar businesses of all kinds. Even among the strongest major metro areas in Yelp’s report, eight of the top 10 show declining growth year over year. Retail, food and automotive businesses almost across the board fared poorly, with stores selling mobile phones, shoes and appliances seeing the worst losses. Food and nightlife businesses had declining business in every state except Wyoming, Nevada, the Dakotas and Vermont. Large states and metropolitan areas like California, Texas, Florida, New York City, Chicago and Seattle saw some of the worst scores.”

The US economy is BY FAR not as good as many are told to believe.

Unstable Worldwide Economy

Project Syndicate wrote on January 27:

“With the benefit of full-year data, only now are we becoming aware of the danger the global economy narrowly avoided in 2019… world GDP grew by just 2.9% last year – the weakest performance since the outright contraction in the depths of the global financial crisis in 2009 and far short of the 3.8% pace of post-crisis recovery over the 2010-18 period.

“On the surface, 2.9% global growth doesn’t appear too shabby. But 40 years of perspective says otherwise. Since 1980, trend world GDP growth has averaged 3.5%… For global business-cycle analysts, the 2.5-3.5% growth band is considered the danger zone. When world output growth slips to the lower half of that range – as it did in 2019 – the risks of global recession need to be taken seriously…”

Additional articles have pointed out that the situation in China pertaining to the coronavirus is threatening the already fragile world economy. Make no mistake—a worldwide economic crash IS coming. The question is, are you prepared for it?

Surprising Revelations about Muslims and the Third Temple

Breaking Israel News reported on January 27:

“On Sunday night, the Sanhedrin hosted a conference to discuss the role of the Arabs and Muslims in the Third Temple. The conference featured a lecture by Dr. Mordechai Kedar, a senior lecturer in the Department of Arabic at Bar-Ilan University. Dr. Kedar has frequently referred to the claim that Jerusalem is holy to the Muslims as ‘fake news.’ ‘Jerusalem is not mentioned in the Quran and there is not a basis to believe that Jerusalem had any significance for Muhammad,’ Dr. Kedar explained to Breaking Israel News. ‘In early Islam, we see that assigning holiness to the Temple Mount was criticized as an attempt to introduce Jewish concepts into Islam.’

“‘Jerusalem only took on any significance in Islam in the late 8th century when the Bedouin Muslims prevented the Damascus Muslims from making Haj (pilgrimage) to Mecca. As an alternative destination for Haj, the Damascus Muslims decided on Jerusalem, adding a Hadith (oral commentary) shifting the scene of Muhammad’s Night Journey to Jerusalem in order to justify their decision.’

“The source of the Muslim holiday of ‘Isra’ (journey) and ‘Mi’raj’ (ascension, literally ‘ladder’) and the entire Muslim claim to Jerusalem as a holy site is based on a story in the Quran. According to the Quran, Muhammad traveled from Saudi Arabia to ‘Al-Aqsa’ (the far mosque).  From there, he ascended to Heaven, returning to Earth the next day. Some Muslims claim Al-Aqsa is the silver domed mosque on the southern end of the Temple Mount compound…

“‘The entire area of the Temple Mount is known as al-Haram al-Sharif – “the holy and noble site”- but a change came about after the Six-Day War, when some Jewish leaders began calling for the establishment of a synagogue on the Mount. It was felt that the Muslims would not object, since al Aqsa was on the southern edge of the compound and the synagogue would not be nearby. The Muslims decided to announce that the al Aqsa mentioned in the Koran refers not only to the mosque on the southern end of the compound, but is the name for the entire Temple Mount area, abandoning the original name, al-Haram al-Sharif.’…

“Rabbi Hillel Weiss, the spokesman for the Sanhedrin [said:] ‘There are those from the Sons of Ishmael who recognize that the gold Dome of the Rock was built upon the once and future site of the Jewish Temple. It is part of the Muslim tradition…’”

And so, the Third Temple will be built on the Temple Mount at the exact place where the First and the Second Temples once stood.

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 have warned time and again of worldwide plagues and disease epidemics which will come upon mankind in these last days.

We said the following in our Q&A on the events foretold by Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:

“The third horse of the Apocalypse (mainly famine) is followed, according to Revelation 6:7-8, by a pale horse, and the rider’s name is ‘Death,’ and ‘Hades’ or ‘the Grave’ follows him. Christ says in Matthew 24:7 that famines will be followed by pestilences [see also Luke 21:11]… Historically, the Black Death alone killed upwards of one-third of the people living in Europe in the 14th century. The Spanish flu pandemic lasted from March, 1918, to June, 1920, spreading even to the Arctic and remote Pacific islands… estimates put the number of those who were killed at 40 to 50 million people…

“Revelation 6:8 adds that one-fourth of mankind will be killed by the four horsemen of the Apocalypse, and that these killings will be carried out with the sword (political and also religiously-motivated wars), with hunger (a result of famine), with death (resulting from pestilences), and also with the beasts of the earth. Many times, contagious diseases are communicated by sick animals carrying deadly viruses (remember the Ebola virus, the bird flu or the mad cow disease)…”

Contagious diseases may also be communicated by animals that are not even sick, but which are called unclean in the Bible. These animals were not created for human consumption, but it is interesting that many diseases and epidemics originated with the human consumption of such unclean animals, including monkeys, pigs, camels, civet cats, bats and snakes.

A deadly coronavirus has now spread from China to many countries around the world. This new virus originated apparently at Wuhan’s seafood market which sold live koalas, snakes, rats, bats and wolf pups to locals to eat. It has also been suggested that the virus had been manufactured in Chinese laboratories and then “escaped” by infecting animals, such as bats or snakes.

We also said this in one of our Q&As on Matthew 24:35:

“At this moment in time, we have not yet seen the beginning of the Great Tribulation, but we have been witnessing ever-increasing religious deception, wars, earthquakes, famines and disease epidemics–events which are described by Christ as the ‘beginning of sorrows’ (Matthew 24:8). These will become more and more visible and frightening in the years to come.

“We do not know the exact time of Christ’s return, but based on the parable of the fig tree, we CAN say that we ARE living today in the very last generation, and that Christ WILL return BEFORE this present generation has ‘passed away.’ It is therefore important for us to watch and pray, and to be ‘ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an HOUR [we] do NOT expect’ (Matthew 24:44).”

In the book of Revelation, God describes in detail how end-time plagues causing sickness and disease will be poured out on mankind. It is very possible that some of those plagues or disease epidemics speak of chemical-biological weapons and viruses which have been created in scientists’ laboratories.

Revelation 9:5-6 speaks about a European power causing great physical torment on others:

“And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them…”

Revelation 16:2, 11 speaks about God’s punishment through seven angels on those who follow the beast—an evil future military European leader—and the entire Babylonian system:

“So the first went and poured out his bowl upon the earth, and a foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image… They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.”

In Revelation 18:4, God warns His people not to be a part of the Babylonian system so that they would not become a victim of the plagues (including terrible diseases and pandemics) which God will pour out on it:

“And I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.’”

Another very sobering warning of God can be found in Revelation 22:18-19:

“For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

In addition, God warned especially the ancient Israelites and their modern descendants that He would inflict them with serious and incurable plagues, diseases, epidemics and pandemics if they were to forsake Him. And we should note that modern Israelites can be found in large numbers today in countries such as the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Zimbabwe, as well as in many parts of Europe, and of course in the state of Israel.

God says in Leviticus 26:16, 25:

“I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart… when you are gathered together within your cities I will send pestilence among you…”

A vivid description can also be found in Deuteronomy 28:21-22, 27-28, 35, 58-61:

“The LORD will make the plague cling to you until He has consumed you from the land which you are going to possess. The LORD will strike you with consumption, with fever, with inflammation, with severe burning fever, with the sword, with scorching, and with mildew; they shall pursue you until you perish…

“The LORD will strike you with the boils of Egypt, with tumors, with the scab, and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed. The LORD will strike you with madness and blindness and confusion of heart… The LORD will strike you in the knees and on the legs with severe boils which cannot be healed, and from the sole of your foot to the top of your head…

“If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, then the LORD will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues–great and prolonged plagues–and serious and prolonged sicknesses. Moreover He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. Also every sickness and every plague, which is not written in this Book of the Law, will the LORD bring upon you until you are destroyed.”

You can find additional sober warnings of epidemics and pandemics for the disobedient and rebellious end-time Houses of Israel and Judah in passages such as Jeremiah 14:12; 24:10; 29:17-19; 34:17; as well as in Ezekiel 5:12, 17; 6:11-12; 7:14-15; 12:16; 33:26-29.

As we have seen, terrible diseases and pandemics will afflict all of mankind—not just the modern descendants of the ancient House of Israel. This entire world lives in total rebellion to God and His Laws. It is described as an evil world which is ruled by Satan the Devil. And since God is not a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34), His end-time warnings of epidemics and pandemics include all nations and peoples.

In fact, many of those diseases might start in “Gentile” nations and spread from there to the countries which are occupied by modern Israelites. This had already occurred in the past, when diseases originated in Africa (AIDS) or China (SARS), from which they spread to other continents and nations, including Israelite nations.

And so, God warns the modern descendants of the ancient Houses of Israel and Judah of terrible pandemics which will afflict them. True Christians are spiritual Jews and Israelites. But these terrible pandemics do not have to affect them, because God is promising protection to His people who stay faithful and loyal to Him.

For instance, we read about such a promise to His people in Psalm 91:3-11:

“Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence… You shall not be afraid of… the pestilence that walks in darkness… Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.”

He gave that same (timeless) promise already to ancient Israel, as we read in Exodus 15:26:

“If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.”

Note, too, His promise to His people in Deuteronomy 7:15, if they were to obey Him:

“And the LORD will take away from you all sickness, and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt which you have known, but will lay them on all those who hate you.” (But also note the sober warning in Ezekiel 14:19-20).

This does not mean, of course, that true Christians could never become sick. This important and oftentimes misunderstood subject is discussed, at length and in great detail, in our free booklet, “Sickness and Healing—What the Bible Tells Us.”

But it has been a remarkable experience within the Church of God that God’s ministers who fulfill God’s commands to anoint those who are sick (compare James 5:14) have not contracted a contagious disease for which and when they anoint the sick person, as God has been protecting His ministers who faithfully follow His directions in this regard.

The wonderful news is that in a few years from now, we will not hear anything anymore about the spread of diseases, sicknesses, epidemics and pandemics.

In a Q&A, discussing the conditions on earth AFTER Christ’s return, we stated:

“In the Millennium, sick, injured and impaired people will be healed, and there will be no more sickness and disease (Isaiah 33:24; Isaiah 35:3-6; Jeremiah 30:17).”

Man will learn God’s Way of Life, and when they do and live by it, they will reap the blessings for obedience. Man will never again play God by creating deadly viruses in laboratories, and they will never again defy God by eating the meat of unclean animals which were never created for human consumption, but which are harmful to human health, causing all kinds of diseases.

What a wonderful time that will be when horrible news of sicknesses and diseases will have become a thing of the past.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“BREXIT DONE! The UK GONE! Was It Inevitable?”  is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

The UK formally leaves the European Union on Friday night, January 31, 2020. HISTORY HAS BEEN MADE. But the UK will enter a hotly contested transition period of 11 months during which the UK will have to continue to obey EU rules and pay money to the EU. Other obligations and restrictions apply as well.

One British paper wrote: “Could it have worked?… Or was it always doomed to failure?… Was it sheer bad luck and timing?” The Truth is, Brexit was inevitable. It was preordained to happen. The EU-UK cooperation was “doomed to failure.” The Bible says so, but  why?

Our newest booklet—which is about the Ten Commandments—has been sent to Phyllis Bourque for initial review. Our newest German booklet on “Lawlessness Will Abound…” is also being prepared. 

The 2020 Church Conference will be conducted in Escondido, California. Arrival will be Wednesday, March 25, 2020, and departure is scheduled for Monday, March 30, 2020.

“Angst vor der Zukunft und Vertrauen in Gottes Hilfe,” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Fear of the Future and Trust in God’s Help.”

“China’s Killer Coronavirus – Comments on News and Prophecy (January 25, 2020),” the first message presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The Chinese virus has spread from unclean animals to humans, and has reached by now Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, Saudi Arabia, USA, and France. Experts say that Britain is on the brink of an epidemic. Over 56 million Chinese are on lockdown. No vaccine exists at the moment. An ominous warning 3 months ago predicts the death of 60 million people.

“Precious Knowledge,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Michael Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

How are we supposed to use the precious knowledge that God has given to us? And how are we not supposed to use it?

“Richtiges Bibelstudium” (in English: “Right Bible Study”) was the split sermon presented by Thilo Hanstein last Sabbath.