On March 2, 2024, Norbert Link will present, “Comments on News and Prophecy—March 2, 2024,” and the sermon, titled, “The Man of Sin in the Temple of God.”

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.

In my work life, I am confronted with quite a lot of statistical information concerning the market that my company serves. I operate a non-profit transit company that provides para transit services along with a host of municipal buses, shuttles, and other specialized transport. This is challenging as inflationary pressures continue to impact all of us. Fuel costs, labor rates, insurance: all these things challenge any company, and the result can be reducing services to live within a budget.

This is just reality. However, here in Colorado, we are facing a unique problem. For the first time in our state’s history, the number of people over 65 years of age far exceeds those under 18. Of course, this sets up significant economic challenges for a growing state. Income tax revenue will decline while demand for elder services is increasing at a dramatic pace. There simply will not be enough money to provide care for our seniors.

In my job, we provide transportation for many seniors in an 8-county region here along the Front Range of Colorado. Trips for seniors include the obvious medical appointments, but also include grocery shopping, trips to senior centers and social events. Unfortunately, government funding for such needs has been declining due to shrinking revenues.

Our state government is focused on building a railroad from Fort Collins to Pueblo along Interstate 25. At the same time, state officials are discussing other very costly capital plans. These are not inherently negative projects to focus on, however, they will come as a tradeoff to needs like the senior services I’ve mentioned.

I write all of this as a prelude to stating that it occurred to me that in my line of work, as a leader in this industry, I need to do more to influence this issue. This means, speaking for those who cannot do so.

Millions of dollars are being programmed on visionary projects but sadly, seniors will be unable to get to dialysis and chemotherapy appointments. When I speak on this matter, I may not make those in power pleased.  However, we who are called by God to follow Him understand that there will be moments when we must calmly and appropriately stand up for that which we know to be right and moral. We must never do so with our own ambition or a self-righteous attitude. When we consider our actions, we should be guided by Scripture. Proverbs 3:5-6, provides excellent guidance: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”

This must guide our actions as we interact with the structures of this world. As we know, they are not godly entities, yet they are allowed to exist by God, and we are required by Him to submit to these authorities unless this would compromise our obedience to God.

Our approach must be to focus on prayer and on the problem, and not the people we are interacting with. Titus gives us good guidance in relation to submitting to the ministry of the Church, and the same guidance is beneficial in our dealings at work. Titus 1:7-9 states: “For a bishop (other translations use the word elder or overseer, instead of bishop) must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money,  but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.” This is fundamentally a description of leadership, and if we wish to make progress in our efforts, accepting this advice is paramount.

In the example I began with, I know that the State’s leaders are eagerly working on their priorities. However, I also know that they care about the elders in our state who are in a troubling situation. There simply is not enough money or resources to achieve all the priorities. This is a common dilemma, and for true Christians, we can rely on God to show us the path we must follow to do His will. We see this illustrated in Romans 12:2: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

In our interactions at work and in our communities, if we live by this direction, we are more likely to influence those around us. Not by self-righteousness, but by living as God intends, having our mind renewed by the commandments, and serving as an example to those we encounter. If helping our elders can be properly elevated by the example of our actions and priorities, we can raise the issue more effectively.

Jesus Christ provided the very best example of how we who are called by God must live. In John 13:12-15, we have the record of Jesus as our servant leader, and we read: “So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.  If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.’”

As humans, we can never match the example that Jesus established for us—however, we can strive for this.

In Galatians 6:9, we see the admonition of continuing to work for good and being the example that God intends: “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

I am thinking about the task ahead of me, and I know that if I follow God’s commandments, I will have done my job.

by Norbert Link

We address Europe’s military awakening; the false concept of achieving peace through deterrence and military might; the great power of the German chancellorship; and the discussion about the curse of conscription in Germany, the United Kingdom and in other countries.

We focus on Vladimir Putin and the striking similarities to Adolf Hitler; [please note the new StandingWatch program, titled, “Did Putin Lose His Mind?” ] and we address Britain’s and Europe’s shameful and dangerous conduct towards Israel.

We report on the conviction of former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz; and Donald Trump’s agenda and his sweeping victories in South Carolina and Michigan.

We conclude with articles on the moon landing; the Pope and global warming; dangerous tattoos; and more woke nonsense.

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

Europe’s Military Awakening

On February 23, Voanews wrote the following:

“Recent weeks have seen Europe’s defense take center stage in meetings and commitments. At the Munich Security Conference…, Denmark announced it would send its entire ammunition stock to Ukraine, calling on other European countries to also step up. During back-to-back visits to Berlin and Paris, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy secured fresh security pacts from both countries and billions of dollars more in aid.

“Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has called for the European Union to become a military power in its own right, while the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia agreed last month to set up a common defense zone on their borders with Russia and Belarus. Last week, too, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced that Europe, for the first time, had collectively met the alliance’s 2% GDP target for defense spending.”

We should all be able to see in which prophesied direction Europe is going. Note the following articles as well.

A European Army—a Threat to America’s Security?

The European Conservative wrote on February 26:

“Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk added that he wanted to ‘revitalise’ his country’s relations with its main European partners, arguing that the EU should become ‘a military power’ in its own right. For his part, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for the urgent ‘mass production’ of European weapons… Some, such as former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, do advocate a genuine EU army. According to a recent poll…, as many as 87% of Europeans polled answered ‘yes’ to the question, ‘Does the EU need a common defence policy?’”

The article concluded:

“… it would be a big mistake to tolerate duplication between NATO and the European Union in terms of defence cooperation. Apart from the waste of resources, this would also be the dreamt-of excuse for Donald Trump or a kindred spirit in the U.S. to no longer help protect Europe—although such a decision would also require a two-thirds majority in the U.S. Senate. After years of neglecting defence spending—especially in Germany, Denmark, and Sweden—European countries simply cannot do without the defence provided by the United States; so any call for an EU army is a direct threat to our security.”

Deutsche Welle reported on February 28:

“Former US President Donald Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton tells DW he thinks Trump will withdraw the US from NATO if he gets a second term. ‘At a time of increasing international difficulties, to say the least, he is exactly the wrong person to become president of the United States,’ Bolton said.”

Peace Through Deterrence?

Bild Online wrote on February 24:

“Declaration of war on Putin: On the second anniversary of the Russian attack on Ukraine, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) called for a return to the policy of deterrence. ‘Together with our allies, we must be so strong that no one dares to attack us,’ said Scholz in a video message on Saturday, calling for a strengthening of defense capabilities… ‘Deterrence, defense readiness’, these are words that we have not used in Germany for so long that they were almost forgotten’. But now they are again ‘standing for a very important task’, to defend ‘peace in Europe’…

“Of the 100 billion euro special fund for the Bundeswehr, 80 billion euros are already firmly planned, e.g., for new helicopters and fighter jets. The navy is receiving new frigates and submarines, the army modernized armored personnel carriers. At the same time, air defense against missiles and drones will be expanded….”

We used to hear these phrases again and again. And they didn’t bring peace… just more and more wars.

The Power of the Federal Chancellor

Focus wrote on February 22:

“In parliament there is… a majority in favor of supplying Ukraine with German medium-range missiles with a range of 500 kilometers… The Chancellor has decided not to supply Ukraine with medium-range missiles. Parliament cannot force him to do this… The Federal Chancellor therefore retains his decision-making power over Parliament on an issue that is also important for the security of the Federal Republic of Germany. As long as he doesn’t want to deliver Taurus, Taurus won’t be delivered…

“It is the same with other, very crucial questions… If the Bundestag decides that Ukraine must win in the defensive war against Russia, then that does not bind the Federal Chancellor. If the Bundestag decides that the war aim is the complete restoration of Ukraine, including Eastern Ukraine [and] plus Crimea, this will not bind the Chancellor.

“The Chancellor… remain(s) free to recognize other results of the war. For example, the result of negotiations between a possible American President Donald Trump with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky…

“The fate of Ukraine is uncertain. It is the same with membership in NATO and the European Union. Ukraine can only become a member of NATO if there is peace. Otherwise, NATO would immediately become a party to war, which is excluded in the NATO statute. And only those who are an undisputed democracy will become a member of the European Union. Zelensky has issued a decree banning eleven parties in the country that he accuses of having ties to Russia. Media freedom is also…restricted. Corruption still prevails in the country….”

The power of the office of the German Chancellor is quite remarkable.

The Curse of Conscription

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 24:

“Germany’s military, the Bundeswehr, is going on a buying spree to make up for years of neglect. The challenge it faces, however, is more than a matter of money. As the Defense Ministry pours tens of billions of borrowed euros into planes, tanks and shells, it also needs the people to fly, drive and shoot them — and keep all of it in working order.

“That’s why conscription has emerged from the dustbin of Cold War history for a possible second act. In Germany, as in many of parts of Europe, a political debate over the issue is heating up. Opposition parties [such as the CDU]… have expressed interest in some kind of mandatory national service. The three-way governing coalition has been more skeptical.

“The position puts the defense minister, Boris Pistorius, officially at odds with the government he belongs to. He has called the suspension of Germany’s military draft in 2011 a ‘mistake,’ and wants a public conversation about the need to reinstitute one and how best to do it… Germany’s Parliament… suspended the draft 13 years ago. Its legal basis, however, has remained a part of the Basic Law [Grundgesetz] which serves as the country’s constitution…

“It would likely require legal changes, for example, to include women. Tapping non-citizens is also under discussion… What’s known as the ‘Swedish model’ is also getting a closer look… It covers everyone from ages 16-to-70…

“The United States, which did away with the draft following its defeat in Vietnam, maintains a more passive system known as the Selective Service System, which requires all men from 18-to-25 to register. In theory, the 15 million men on the SSS list could be quickly mobilized, but since they haven’t been trained or screened, it’s unclear how ready any of them would be to confront a national threat….”

inews wrote on February 25:

“The British people must be prepared for military conscription and making other sacrifices to defend the UK if Russia attacks, a former senior army commander has warned. The Armed Forces are ‘wafer thin’ and must be rebuilt, because they are ‘so small in terms of equipment, so undertrained, so badly supported’, General Sir Richard Barrons [said].

“But with the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine grinding into a third year, and Donald Trump talking of abandoning Nato allies in Europe if he becomes US president, the retired officer said that civilians must also consider how they would contribute if a war broke out here… He supported the recent comments from General Sir Patrick Sanders, the serving head of the Army, who suggested last month that the UK should lay the foundations for ‘national mobilization.’

“… ‘In the mobilisation of civil society, you start with volunteers. If the war is not over and you’ve run out of volunteers, then you have to conscript people… This is entirely historically normal’…

“General Sir Patrick, Chief of the General Staff, caused a stir last month when he said a war with Russia would be a ‘whole-of-nation undertaking’, including training and equipping a ‘citizen army.’ Rishi Sunak’s spokesperson said in response that he disagreed with General Sir Patrick and had ‘no intention’ of considering conscription. The Government is extremely sensitive about any suggestion that citizens could ever face mandatory military service. A spokesperson for the prime minister said last month that ‘hypothetical scenarios’ about potential future wars were ‘not helpful’…

“About 85 countries have some form of obligatory military training. These include Israel, Turkey, Cyprus, Brazil, Finland and North and South Korea. Russia conscripts more than a quarter of a million men aged from 18 to 27 each year.”

In time, more and more countries will enact conscription in a world ruled by Satan, the Destroyer.

Sweden Part of NATO

The Daily Mail wrote on February 27:

“On Monday, Hungary became the final NATO member to approve the country’s application from 2022 to join the alliance…  It was hailed as a ‘historic day’ by Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, while NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg immediately welcomed Hungary’s ratification.  ‘Sweden’s membership will make us all stronger and safer,’ Stoltenberg wrote on X… After Finland joined last year, Sweden’s membership… means all the countries surrounding the Baltic Sea, except Russia, will be part of the military alliance…

“Moscow has in recent years turned the region into one of the most militarised in Europe, with nuclear-capable missiles stationed there.”

This might prompt a reaction from Russia.

European Troops to Ukraine?

Daily Mail wrote on February 27:

“The Kremlin warned today that conflict between Russia and NATO would be inevitable if European members sent troops to fight in Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron said yesterday that European nations have not ruled out putting boots on the ground… German Chancellor Olaf Scholz today rejected the idea of European countries and NATO sending troops to Ukraine…

“Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico… said after the meeting that there was disunity on the issue among European leaders.

Fico also said; “There are countries that are ready to send their own soldiers to Ukraine, there are countries that say never –- Slovakia is among them — and there are countries that say that this proposal should be considered.” Leaders of the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy and Sweden have ruled out the possibility of sending troops to Ukraine. The UK said that there were no such plans “at the moment.”

However, realistically, European soldiers are already in Ukraine. Ursula von der Leyen said: “On the ground, our soldiers work side-by-side with police officers, lawyers and doctors, with humanitarian workers and human rights defenders, with teachers and engineers.” (The American Conservative, February 27). Especially Olaf Scholz has proven that his assurances are not reliable and that they are always subject to “modifications”.

However, another taboo was set aside, namely, to allow the Ukraine “to use Western weapons to strike targets in Russia.” This was previously ruled out by the EU.

Strange Occurrences in Ukraine

The Sun wrote on February 28:

“… a circular UFO can be seen floating over a Ukrainian warzone. Eerie footage shows the mystery object hovering in the sky as puzzled troops use special heat detecting drones to investigate it. The men in the video are part of Ukraine’s fierce 406th Battalion and can be seen using the drone’s control screen to observe the unidentified disc.

“At first, the soldiers fly their drone cautiously closely to the object before zooming in to examine it further. The drone’s altitude radar manages to show the object was more than 30 miles away but despite this, it still looks massive on the screen. It hovers, seemingly completely still, even as the drone approaches.

“A bewildered soldier in the clip can be heard saying: ‘What the… is this? Why isn’t it moving?’ Another says the flying disc is ‘a UFO, for sure’…

“The device used to capture the footage was a special heat vision quadcopter drone that Ukraine has deployed all across the front line…  The Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) are believed to have at least 300 of these drones in their arsenal, as well as thousands of other drones. It is unclear what the UFO was and [what] it was doing.

“The sighting bears striking similarities to images released by the US Air Force showing a skinny circular object flying over North Eastern Iraq in May 2022… It was later dubbed the ‘Baghdad Phantom’.

“The latest sighting comes exactly a year after Russia ended up in chaos as airports were dramatically closed over reports of a UFO. Passenger planes from Pulkovo Airport in St Petersburg were grounded after reports of an mysterious object overhead – with the military ordering the closure. Locals were even ordered to escape to their nuke shelters over fears of a blast.”

Satan’s involvement in human affairs with the attempt to confuse man is increasing.

Nuclear War Coming?

The Sun wrote on February 28:

“VLADIMIR Putin is closer to unleashing a nuclear strike than ever feared, leaked Russian military files suggest…  According to the classified files… the threshold for Russia to fire a nuke is lower than Moscow has ever admitted… the files say an enemy landing on Russian soil or an imminent enemy attack using conventional weapons could also spark a nuclear response.

“Meanwhile, the explosive papers also reveal a nuke could be deployed in the case of a defeat of units responsible for securing border areas. This could stoke fears Putin may discharge a nuke if Ukrainian forces go over the border into Russia amid the ongoing war.

“More specific scenarios of a nuke being discharged include the destruction of 20 per cent of Russia’s strategic ballistic missile submarines, 30 per cent of its nuclear-powered attack submarines, three or more cruisers, three airfields, or a simultaneous hit on main and reserve coastal command centres…

“Putin has 5,977 nuclear warheads – the largest confirmed stockpile of nuclear warheads in the world. In comparison, the UK has just 260. This frightening arsenal can be launched from land, submarines and planes…  strategic [nuclear] weapons, with deliberately terrifying names such as Satan, are designed to wipe out entire cities… And this week, a convoy of Russian Yars missile launchers were seen travelling 250 miles to Moscow after Sweden was approved to join Nato.”

The Bible does not indicate that Russia will attack the USA and Britain prior to Christ’s return. It does teach, however, a nuclear war between Russia and continental Europe about 1 year before Christ’s Second Coming.

Putin—the New Hitler?

Daily Mail wrote on February 22:

“Vladimir Putin was today accused of making a ‘gesture reminiscent of a Nazi salute’ as he opened the so-called Future Games in the Russian city of Kazan… Warmonger Putin, 71, has been accused of a Hitler-like invasion of Ukraine and similarities to the German wartime leader in repression of his people and establishing a Russian version of the Hitler Youth, indoctrinating young people in patriotism and military discipline…

“Putin justifies his war against Ukraine by seeking to crush ‘nationalists’ who he brands ‘Nazis’, despite the fact that Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s president, is Jewish and is related to several people who died in the Holocaust. 

“… Putin was joined at the ceremony by the presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Republika Srpska… The event involves 2,000 athletes from over 100 countries and 270 multinational teams.”

Putin clearly gave the Nazi salute. This whole scenario reminds us of the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin over which Hitler presided.

Russia Wants It All

On February 22, Newsmax republished the following article by Thomson/Reuters:

“Russian troops will go much further into Ukraine, taking the southern city of Odesa and might even one day push on to the capital Kyiv, a senior ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday. Putin said Tuesday that Russian troops would push further into Ukraine to build on their success on the battlefield after the weekend fall of the town of Avdiivka where he said Ukrainian troops had been forced to flee in chaos. ‘Where should we stop? I don’t know,’ former President Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, said in an interview with Russian media. ‘We will have to work very hard and very seriously. Will it be Kyiv? Yes, it probably should be Kyiv. If not now, then after some time, maybe in some other phase of the development of this conflict.’…

“On the eve of its second anniversary, Ukrainian forces are outnumbered and outgunned by Russia’s, and a major new package of aid for Kyiv has been held up in the U.S. Congress… Medvedev said Russia also wanted to take the Black Sea port of Odesa, which it calls Odessa. ‘Odessa, come home. We have been waiting for Odessa in the Russian Federation because of the history of this city, what kind of people live there, what language they speak. It is our Russian city,’ Medvedev said.

“… Russia currently controls a little under one fifth of territory internationally recognized to be Ukraine… Russia says the territory its forces control is part of Russia and that it will never be given up…

“Putin’s suggestion of a ceasefire in Ukraine to freeze the war was rejected by the United States after contacts between intermediaries… Ukraine and the West cast the war as an imperial-style land grab by Putin, and have warned that if Ukraine loses then Russia could attack a NATO member, something Putin has denied.”

After the “Anschluss” with Austria, Hitler denied too that he had any ambitions towards occupying Czechoslovakia or Poland, even though his book “Mein Kampf” clearly postulated the opposite.

Transnistria Next?

The U.S. Sun wrote on February 23:

“Putin could be on the brink of attempting another Hitler-style landgrab in Europe – the annexation of a Moldovan territory (the former Soviet republic that neighbours Ukraine)… next week… There are reports that the pro-Russian breakaway region of Transnistria – which illegally declared its independence from Moldova in 1990 – is plotting to appeal to Putin to join Russia.

“The landlocked strip along the Dniester River is wedged between both Moldova and Ukraine…  Putin already has a so-called ‘peacekeeping’ force of up to 2,000 troops in the region, which has a population of about 470,000 that Moscow says overwhelmingly wishes to be incorporated into Russia. He is also believed to have thousands of paramilitaries on the ground, ready to take arms when the call comes… Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has insisted Moscow will ‘not leave its citizens living in Transnistria in trouble’… This will give Putin a supposed ‘legal’ power to step into Transnistria which has been in limbo since the end of the Soviet Union… Moscow could then use the breakaway territory to move against the rest of Moldova, seen as another goal, and as a point for attacks on Ukrainian port Odessa, seen as a far more significant prize. 

“Moldova President Maia Sandu sounded the alarms last year when she claimed Russia was planning a coup in her country. Her parliament has a pro-Western majority and seeks to have Moldova join the European Union… opposition politician Gennady Ciorba warned President Sandu of the Kremlin threat, stating that ‘the psychology of the current leadership of Russia, in particular Putin, is very similar to the psychology of Hitler in the late 1930s.’… Russians are the largest group among the population of Transnistria with almost 30 per cent. Another 29 per cent are Moldovan or Romanian, while 23 per cent are Ukrainian.”

Putin is acting like Hitler, as was correctly pointed out above… and he might be influenced by the same demon which plagued Hitler.

Russia Confiscates German Assets

bnn wrote on February 24:

“In a landmark decision that underscores the complex interplay between international sanctions and global business operations, a Russian court has ordered the confiscation of more than $1 billion worth of assets from the German industrial gases and engineering company Linde. This ruling emerges from Linde’s cessation of work on a gas processing plant in Russia, a move the company attributed to the European Union’s sanctions against Russia following the Ukraine conflict…

“The EU has progressively tightened its sanctions on Russia, aiming to curtail the latter’s military capabilities and economic resilience in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. These sanctions have had far-reaching implications, not only for Russian entities but also for international firms operating in or with Russia.”

European and American sanctions against Russia might not have the desired effect, but could even backfire.

The Shame of Big Ben

Israel Today wrote on February 25:

‘The antisemitic message projected onto Big Ben has understandably provoked much outrage in Britain. It is a shameful betrayal of the Jewish people, and not for the first time in our nation. Pro-Palestinian protestors managed to light up the iconic clock tower with the message ‘From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ – effectively calling for the destruction of Israel, the stated goal of terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. And for the police – who have arrested street preachers on a hate speech charge simply for quoting the Bible – to say that a criminal offence had not thus been committed is an absolute disgrace.

“Our Houses of Parliament, of which Big Ben is an extension, is quite literally built on the word of God we have inherited from the Hebrew people. For inscribed in Latin on its floor are the words from Psalm 127: ‘unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain.’ Tragically, however, the foundations of our Judeo-Christian civilization are fast crumbling as we meekly bow the knee to the Islamic agenda.”

The world is uniting more and more against Israel.

Spain Won’t Sell Arms to Israel

Yeni Safak wrote on February 24:

“Spain will not sell arms to Israel ‘as long as the current situation continues,’ said Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on Friday.

“During a news conference at the UN headquarters in New York, Albares said no new arms sales license was given to Israel after Oct. 7. Stating that Spain announced that it will provide €3.5 million ($3.7 million) in financing to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), Albares noted that Spain is looking at how this can be increased in the short term.”

Spain exemplifies what is becoming the approach of Europe: No support for Israel, but huge support for the Palestinians.

Former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz Found Guilty in Perjury Case

Deutsche Welle reported on February 23:

“A Vienna court has found former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz guilty of perjury and handed him an eight-month suspended jail sentence. A young and charismatic hardliner, Kurz was once hailed as a ‘wunderkind’ of Europe’s conservatives. The conviction followed a four-month court case, marking the first time in more than 30 years that a former Austrian chancellor had stood trial…

“The case related to statements made by Kurz to an investigative committee of the Austrian parliament in 2020. As part of the inquiry, he was asked about his involvement in picking executives for a newly formed state holding company, OBAG, which was formally his finance minister’s responsibility. Kurz allegedly downplayed his role in the appointments, saying he was ‘involved in the sense of informed’ but did not play an active role in appointments. But prosecutors said Kurz was in fact calling the shots himself.

“They presented as evidence text message exchanges, including between Kurz and Thomas Schmid, a former close confidant of Kurz and senior Finance Ministry official, who became head of OBAG under Kurz…”

Reuters added on February 23:

“A Vienna court on Friday [dealt Kurz] a serious blow to any chance he may have of launching a political comeback.”

Politico wrote:

“An Austrian court [sealed] a dramatic fall from grace for the one-time Wunderkind many once saw as the future of European conservatism… The former chancellor is likely to appeal the felony conviction, a process that could take years. In the meantime, a political comeback for Kurz, who now works as a consultant in the private sector, is unlikely.”

Some feel that Kurz may still come back from his defeat. Time will tell.

Trump’s Statements During CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference)

The Guardian wrote on February 24:

“Donald Trump…  pledged to crack down on border security and deliver the biggest deportation in US history if he wins the 5 November election. ‘For hard-working Americans, November 5th will be our new liberation day… for the liars and cheaters and fraudsters and censors and imposters who have commandeered our government, it will be their judgment day!’

“He added: ‘Your victory will be our ultimate vindication, your liberty will be our ultimate reward and the unprecedented success of the United States of America will be my ultimate and absolute revenge’… He delighted the audience by shouting: ‘Crooked Joe Biden, you are fired! Get out of here. You’re destroying our country. You’re fired… Joe Biden is a threat to democracy – really is a threat to democracy… The Stalinist show trials being carried out at Joe Biden’s orders set fire not only to our system of government but to hundreds of years of western legal tradition…’”

Trump’s Sweeping Victory in South Carolina

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 25:

“{During] Saturday’s Republican primary in South Carolina… Trump gained approximately 60% of the vote, while Haley received some 40%… ‘I have never seen the Republican Party so unified as it is right now,’ Trump said in a victory speech… Despite losing in her home state, Haley has vowed to stay in the race…

“The result is Trump’s fifth straight win during primary session after victories in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and the US Virgin Islands… Joe Biden also reacted to the result with a statement warning voters of ‘the threat Donald Trump poses to our future as Americans grapple with the damage he left behind…. nearly two-thirds (65%) of Republican primary voters said Trump would still be fit for the presidency if he were convicted of a crime…  The same percentage of those who voted said they do not think US President Joe Biden legitimately won the presidency in [2020] …”

Trump Wins in Michigan

The New York Post wrote on February 28:

“Former President Donald Trump ran away with Michigan’s Republican primary Tuesday night, cruising past rival Nikki Haley to secure his sixth consecutive win in a GOP contest [with wins in five states and in the Virgin Islands].”

Biden also won in Michigan for the Democrats, but no serious challenger was running against him.

Replace Biden

The New York Post wrote on February 26:

“About 48% of the Democratic voters polled said they approve of the party ‘finding another candidate to replace Joe Biden before the election in November…”

The article also stated that “former first lady Michelle Obama is the leading choice to replace him”, followed by Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, Gavin Newsom, and Gretchen Whitmer. “Most of the Democrats selected ‘none of the above.’”

Even though most Democrats are in favor of replacing Biden, they also see the resulting nightmare of incompetent or unpopular alternatives.

Successful Moon Landing

Reuters reported on February 23:

“A spacecraft built and flown by Texas-based company Intuitive Machines landed near the moon’s south pole on Thursday, the first U.S. touchdown on the lunar surface in more than half a century and the first ever achieved by the private sector. NASA, with several research instruments aboard the vehicle, hailed the landing as a major achievement in its goal of sending a squad of commercially flown spacecraft on scientific scouting missions to the moon ahead of a planned return of astronauts there later this decade.

“But initial communications problems following Thursday’s landing raised questions about whether the vehicle may have been left impaired or obstructed in some way… When contact was finally renewed, the signal was faint, confirming that the lander had touched down but leaving mission control immediately uncertain as to the precise condition and orientation of the vehicle, according to the webcast… the weak signal suggested the spacecraft may have landed next to a crater wall or something else that blocked or impinged its antenna…

“Thursday’s landing represented the first controlled descent to the lunar surface by a U.S. spacecraft since Apollo 17 in 1972, when NASA’s last crewed moon mission landed there with astronauts Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt. To date, spacecraft from just four other countries have ever landed on the moon – the former Soviet Union, China, India and, mostly recently, just last month, Japan. The United States is the only one ever to have sent humans to the lunar surface….”

Of course, those who believe in a flat earth and deny that moon landings ever took place will undoubtedly come up with all kinds of explanations as to why the latest moon landing never occurred and was fake news.

Pope Francis and “Man-Made Global Warming”

Breitbart wrote on February 25:

“Pope Francis has blamed Mongolia’s current cold spell on global warming, insisting the overheating environment is a ‘global social problem…’ [It is] “a sign of climate change and its effects,” the pope told the estimated 20,000 gathered in Saint Peter’s Square… It is clear that the climate change presently taking place ‘stems from the overheating of the planet,’ the pope has declared, ‘caused chiefly by the increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere due to human activity, which in recent decades has proved unsustainable for the ecosystem.’

“Pope Francis, one of the leading voices condemning manmade climate change, has singled out the United States as especially to blame for the so-called climate emergency due to the ‘irresponsible lifestyle’ of its citizens… What we are presently experiencing ‘is an unusual acceleration of warming, at such a speed that it will take only one generation – not centuries or millennia – in order to verify it,’ he declared. The global climate crisis is really ‘a religious problem’ whose roots lie in humanity ’s ‘presumption of self-sufficiency,’ the pope has insisted…

“Despite the pope’s assertion that skepticism regarding the climate crisis is ‘perverse,’ a group of over 1,600 prominent scientists (including two Nobel Prize winners) have dared to disagree with him, in a joint statement declaring that there is no ‘climate emergency.’… the scientists asserted that climate models have proven inadequate for predicting global warming, that carbon dioxide (CO2) is not a pollutant, and that climate change has not increased natural disasters… ‘There is no statistical evidence that global warming is intensifying hurricanes, floods, droughts and suchlike natural disasters, or making them more frequent,’ the document declares. ‘However, there is ample evidence that CO2-mitigation measures are as damaging as they are costly.’”

The Pope failed to explain how the current cold spell could be caused by global warming.

Dangerous and Poisonous Tattoos

Daily Mail wrote on February 27:

“More than nine in ten people who get tattoos in the US could be unwittingly exposing themselves to chemicals that cause organ damage… Tests in New York on 54 ink samples found 45 contained compounds that were not listed on the label.

“The most common was polyethylene glycol, a compound that has been linked to damage to organs — including a type of necrosis in the kidneys. Others included 2-phenoxyethanol, which has been linked to nervous system dysfunction in infants, and an antibiotic… About a third of Americans have tattoos now, surveys suggest, and among adults aged 30 to 49 years old — as many as half have the inkings.

“Tattoos are also becoming more common among celebrities, which may be fueling their popularity…”

The Bible prohibits getting tattoos.

More Woke Nonsense

Bild Online wrote on February 23:

“Michael Ende’s ‘Jim Knopf and Lukas the Engine Driver’ is a classic of children’s literature. 64 years after its first edition, the work has now been rewritten! Reason: It is too racist. The N-word (‘Negro’) is deleted, ‘Indian boy’ becomes ‘boy’, ‘Eskimo boy’ becomes Inuit boy (indigenous ethnic groups living in arctic central and north-eastern Canada).

“The new editions were changed because some passages could be perceived as racist from today’s perspective, the publisher announced. The changes to the text were made in coordination with the heirs of Michael Ende (1929–1995)…”

Michael Ende is also known in other countries such as the USA for his popular book “The Neverending Story” and its film adaptation.

The New York Post wrote on February 26:

“The UK has changed its age rating for the original ‘Mary Poppins’ movie [with Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke] due to ‘discriminatory language.’ [The Disney movie] snared 13 Oscar nominations — including one for Best Picture — and won five Academy Awards, including one for Andrews as Best Actress. It is being re-released in some movie theaters in the UK next month to celebrate its 60th anniversary.

“The British Board of Film Classification changed the ‘Mary Poppins’ rating… to PG, which delineates ‘discriminatory language,’ and that some scenes may be unsuitable for young children…  The offending language in question is the use of the word ‘hottentots’… The word is a racially insensitive term for the Khoekhoe, an indigenous group of nomadic herders in South Africa…

“‘Mary Poppins’ is rated G in the US, meaning that it’s suitable for all audiences… It was the top-grossing movie of 1964 in the US, raking in $44 million.”

The Woke people working for Germany’s publishing companies and for the British Board of Film Classification seem to have nothing worthwhile to do. They should get a life.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

In the last two installments, we showed that those who are called today to salvation were elected or chosen to be called before the foundation of the world—before time began. We debunked the idea that some would be called first, and only later, after having proven themselves to be worthy, they would become chosen. Rather, those who are called to salvation today had been chosen long ago by God to be called in this age.

We also said in the first installment, that the “Bible does not teach that God calls many today to salvation, but that most reject their calling and that only a few will respond and become chosen and faithful. If that were true, then those who have rejected their spiritual calling to eternal salvation would have committed the unpardonable sin—and this is decisively not correct. Today, God only calls and chooses the few (compare 1 Corinthians 1:26–29), and when He brings them to true conversion, they, for the most part, will stay loyal to Him (although it is possible, that some, who are truly called to salvation, will commit the unpardonable sin).”

We discussed the parable in Matthew 22:1-14 and explained that the guests who had been invited to the wedding were never called or chosen to salvation at that time; they were unconverted people who were simply “called” to have a physical relationship with God—specifically, but not exclusively, referring to the modern descendants of the houses of Israel and Judah, who, like the Pharisees of old, should have known better.

What, then, is the meaning of Christ’s statement in Matthew 20:16, where He ended His parable by saying: “For many are called, but few are chosen”? This phrase is only used in Matthew 22:14 and in Matthew 20:16. The Greek words for “called” and “chosen” are “kletos” and “eklektos.”

Let us read the entire parable, in context, beginning with Matthew 19:27-30:

“(27) Then Peter answered and said to Him, ‘See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?’

(28) So Jesus said to them, ‘Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

(29) And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.

(30) But many who are first will be last, and the last first.’”

Continuing with Matthew 20:1-16:

‘“(1) For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.

(2) Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

(3) And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

(4) and said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.” So they went.

(5) Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise.

(6) And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, “Why have you been standing here idle all day?”

(7) They said to him, “Because no one hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.”

(8) So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, “Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.”

(9) And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.

(10) But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius.

(11) And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner,

(12) saying, “These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.”

(13) But he answered one of them and said, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?

(14) Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.

(15) Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?”

(16) So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.’”

In this parable, the landowner is describing God the Father who, through Christ, hires laborers to work in His vineyard. The laborers describe, for the most part, true Christians (compare Matthew 9:37-38). They all receive a reward at the end.

Many commentaries feel that the statement in Matthew 20:16, “For many are called, but few chosen,” was added by the translator. Some claim that it is genuine. Regardless, the statement cannot be used to show that many are called by God for salvation in this age, and that only few are chosen, while the “many” fall away from the Truth. In fact, none of them is described in this parable as falling away.

The context of Christ’s words, that the last will be first and the first last, and that many are called, but few are chosen, is one of timing (when someone is called in this life) and of different functions and offices in the Church and potentially in God’s Kingdom. While all converted Christians have been called by God to salvation, not everyone in the Church has the same office or function. Some are chosen to have different functions. Some are chosen to be apostles, evangelists, pastors, elders or deacons, while others have not been chosen for such functions. Also, insofar as the future is concerned, some who were only called and chosen a few years prior to their death, might have a higher position in the Kingdom of God than some who “grew up in the Church” and stayed in the Church throughout their lives.

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers even suggests regarding “But many that are first shall be last and the last shall be first” (in Matthew 19:30):

“… unless their spirit should become other than it was in its self-seeking and its self-complacence, there might be an unexpected change of position, and the first might become the last.”

The Pulpit Commentary wrote: “The Lord may have had in view the case of… Paul, who was called late, and yet laboured more abundantly than all that were before him.”

Regarding Matthew 20:1-16, Barnes’ Notes on the Bible writes: “It has reference to rewards, and the meaning may be thus expressed: ‘Rewards shall be bestowed in my kingdom, or on my followers, in the same manner as they were by a certain householder – in such a way that the last shall be equal to the first, and the first last.’”

Jamieson Fausset and Brown agree, stating:

“This parable [in Matthew 20], recorded only by Matthew, is closely connected with the end of the nineteenth chapter, being spoken with reference to Peter’s question as to how it should fare with those who, like himself, had left all for Christ. It is designed to show that while they would be richly rewarded, a certain equity would still be observed towards later converts and workmen in His service.”

Addressing the further statement by Christ in Matthew 20:16 (if genuine), that many are called but few are chosen, Barnes’ Notes on the Bible explains Christ’s words as follows:

“Many are called into my kingdom; they come and labor as I command them; many of them are comparatively unknown and obscure; yet they are real Christians, and shall all receive the proper reward. A few I have chosen for higher stations in the church. I have endowed them with apostolic gifts or with superior talents, and suited them for wider usefulness. They may not be as long in the vineyard as others; their race may be sooner run; but I have chosen to honor them in this manner, and I have a right to do it. I injure no one, and have a right to do what I will with my own.”

None of this takes away from the Truth that God has foreknown and predestined those whom He truly calls to salvation in this age.

Some have tried to use the “parable of the sower” in Matthew 13 to say that many are called for salvation in this age, but only few are chosen to remain faithful, while the “many” fall away from the Truth.

Let us read the entire parable in context, beginning with Matthew 13:3:

“(3) Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: ‘Behold, a sower went out to sow.

(4) And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.

(5) Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.

(6) But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.

(7) And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.

(8) But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

(9) He who has ears to hear, let him hear!’”

We then read that the disciples asked Christ about the meaning of the parable, who first responded by saying that the masses would not understand the meaning, but only those whose eyes would be opened. He stated that the eyes of His disciples had been opened so that they could see (verse 16), and He then continued to explain to them the meaning, beginning in verse 18:

‘“(18) Therefore hear the parable of the sower:

(19) When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

(20) But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;

(21) yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

(22) Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

(23) But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.’”

There are other parables which express the same Truth; that is, that some are called to salvation, while others may listen and even attend the Church for a while, but they were never called to salvation. Compare the parable of the tares and the wheat (Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43) and of the dragnet with the good and bad fish (Matthew 13:47-50).

In the parable of the sower, the seed—the “word of the kingdom”—is sown by the sower—God the Father, through Jesus Christ and His disciples. Today, God’s Church has the commission to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God in all the world as a witness. And as the parable points out, the reaction of those who hear the word is quite different. In the parable, four types of people are mentioned who all hear the Word of God.

The first person hears the word, but does not understand it. The word was sown in his heart (compare Mark 4:15), but Satan comes to take away the word out of his heart, lest he should believe and be saved (compare Luke 8:12). He might have retained the words which he had heard in his heart for a while, but did not understand and believe them. He was not called to salvation.

The second person receives the word on stony places, without any root in himself. He immediately receives it with joy and even believes for a while (compare Luke 8:13), but when tribulation comes, immediately he stumbles. When the sun is up, he withers away because he has no root (compare Mark 4:6). He reminds us of the man who built his house on sand, not on the Rock Jesus Christ, and when the wind blows, the house crashes (Matthew 7:24-27). Christ told those who believed in Him and even believed Him that they would only be His disciples if they were to abide in His Word (John 8:30-31). He then pointed out that they were not His disciples and not of God; that they were unable to listen to His words; and that they were of their father, the devil (compare verses 43-44, 47). Likewise, the second person in the parable of the sower did not abide in Christ’s words either; he was not “of God”; he was not truly Christ’s disciple. He was not called to salvation.

The third person hears the word, but he becomes unfruitful when the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the pleasures of life (compare Luke 8:14) choke the word. While we read in Mark 4:7 that he yields no crop or fruit, Luke 8:14 says that he brings “no fruit to maturity.” He does not bring the right kind of fruit which God desires. He does not bring fruit worthy of repentance (Luke 3:8) and fruit for eternal life (John 4:36). He is not one of Christ’s disciples because he does not bear “much fruit” (John 15:8). He was not called to salvation, either.

Only the fourth person is the one who was predestined and chosen before time began to be called in this life to salvation. He receives the word on good ground (he built his house on the Rock); he hears the word with a noble and good heart and keeps it (compare Luke 8:15). He understands the word; and bears fruit with patience (compare Luke 8:15). The word fell on good ground and it yields a crop that springs up, increases and produces (compare Mark 4:8). Even then, some of the persons in the fourth category produce more fruit than others; their reward will be in accordance with their works.

Only the fourth person was predestined to be called and chosen to salvation in this life, as all the conditions were present to guarantee that he or she could make it into the Kingdom of God. God was not caught by surprise when the first three persons “fell away,” although He had allegedly, as some say, predestined them to be called in this age. Or, worse yet, that He knew that they would fall away although He had predestined them before time began to be called in this age—before all others. This is truly a preposterous idea.

When God foreknew, predestined and elected or chose someone, before time began, to be called to eternal salvation in this life, He expected that person to remain faithful. Many, though, who may think that they are called by God to salvation, are not truly called at all (Matthew 7:21–23; Matthew 15:13).

God does not call many today to salvation; He just calls the few or the firstfruits. The calling of the vast majority of mankind will occur later, during the Millennium and the Great White Throne Judgment. God did not call the few in this age, knowing that out of “the few,” “the many” would fail and depart from the Truth and leave the Church, and that only the “chosen ones” would stay and make it into the Kingdom. Those who come to the Church and then leave the Church were, in all likelihood, never called to salvation in this age, even though we must say that, sadly, some might have been called to salvation and in departing from the faith, after having received the Holy Spirit, they lost it again and have committed the unpardonable sin.

When YOU are called in this age, God has predestined YOU and elected or chosen YOU, long before you were born; long before the foundation of the world; long before any physical creation and before time began, to call YOU TODAY—not to fail, but to succeed.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Did Putin Lose His Mind?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

To answer this question, we are addressing Putin’s plans of invasion and his threats of starting nuclear war with Berlin, Washington and London and of unleashing Armageddon. His irrational conduct has been compared with Hitler, and the similarities are truly remarkable. He has been described by people familiar with him as mentally unstable and emotionally off balance.  What is behind all of this?

“Ist Putin verrückt geworden?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same topic as described above.

Our newest booklet, “How Can Young People… Cope with Life?”, has been printed and copies have been sent to our subscribers. This booklet is also posted on our website: www.eternalgod.org

“Lügner aufgepasst!” is this Sabbath’s first split sermon in Germany, presented by Michael Link. Title in English: “Liars Beware!”

“Der Mensch der Sünde im Tempel Gottes,” is this Sabbath’s second split sermon in Germany, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “The Man of Sin in the Temple of God.”

“Jakobus—vom Bruder im Fleisch zum Bruder im Geist,” last Sabbath’s sermonette  in Germany presented by Daniel Blasinger, is now posted. Title in English: “James—From Brother in the Flesh to Brother in Spirit.”

“Managing Adversity with Hope,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Frank Bruno, is now posted. Here is a summary:

All of us have had to manage adversity in our lives. One obvious point relates to the various health situations that many face. However, adversity comes in different ways to each of us. For some it may be challenges at work, home, school, and even simple everyday situations. In this sermonette we will consider various scriptures that can assist true Christians through such times and offers vital hope that we all need.

“Every Word of God,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

How are we handling the Word of God? What is our responsibility in this regard? What are the consequences—both the good and bad?

On February 24, 2024, Frank Bruno will present the sermonette, titled, “Managing Adversity,” and Dave Harris will present the sermon, titled, “Every Word of God.”

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.

As we live our lives in this world, we are often bombarded by the realities of life. We read in 2 Peter 2:7-8 that God “…delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds).” Lot was called righteous, even though some of his deeds were unrighteous. God deemed him worthy to be saved from the destruction of the society in which he lived.

We are finding ourselves living in times similar to that of Lot. So much is going wrong around us. It can be easy to be influenced by the “pleasures” in this world. We have to make sure that our moral compasses are being influenced by God and not being sucked into this world in our thoughts and our ways.

There are so many things that we can pay attention to in this life; but really, it comes down to the question if we will pay the most attention to God’s Words which should guide and direct us. God shows us in the Bible those actions that we are to take in our lives. We need to be asking ourselves if we are learning how to accomplish them by living them.

In Micah 6:8, we are shown a few examples of how we should be operating: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy (or lovingkindness), And to walk humbly with your God.”

We have to learn HOW to accomplish these things. It doesn’t come automatically. It requires us to spend time learning to do and develop them in our lives. We have to be paying attention and figuring out how to make them happen in our dealings. When we learn this, it should produce within us the love (agape) for God’s ways as we see how this helps others and benefits all. We have to understand what each of these words mean in the context of being a Christian.

Acting justly requires us to be impartial and knowledgeable, and to act lawfully and to know how to use righteousness (compare James 2:1-8; Proverbs 11:9; Romans 7:7-12; Isaiah 26:9-10).

To love mercy includes, to love the ability to forgive. God forgives abundantly! We also must learn how to forgive; otherwise, we are in jeopardy of not receiving God’s continued mercy in our lives. Mercy is not always easy to show. But it is required. We have to come to realize that all of us are guilty before God and each other (compare Ephesians 2:4-5; Isaiah 55:7; Lamentations 3:22-23; Luke 6:36; James 2:13; Matthew 5:7).

Finally, to walk humbly with God means, to be seeking Him in everything we do. We are seeking to be in alignment with Him. Our thoughts, our actions, our very being need to be in harmony with Him. This takes an immense amount of humility because it shows God we are willing to lay aside our own ways, our own thoughts, and seek and accept what He will show us (compare Proverbs 3:5-6; Proverbs 28:26; Isaiah 55:8-9; Philippians 2:3).

As with so much of God’s laws, each of these characteristics and actions layer on top of each other. They are all required. This means then that we are to be learning how to develop and use all of them in partnership. If we miss out on growing in any of the areas, the other areas will not work properly. We have to continue to grow in righteousness, mercy and humility so that we can become the type of people that God is looking for. Our journey into the Family of God will require these attributes (and more)—therefore, we cannot neglect them! 

by Norbert Link

Our introductory article, “Our Government and the Culture of Death,” sets the tone for what is to follow throughout this edition of the Current Events—a description of a deceitful or incompetent leadership and a weaponized corrupt justice system. In this context, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Will Our Government’s Corruption Ever End?”

We address Biden’s repeated lies regarding his illegal retention of classified documents;  the alleged evil conduct of former CIA Director John Brennan, Biden’s betrayal of Israel; the outrageous decision against Trump and others in the New York State “fraud” case; and Biden’s conduct towards Europe.

In other news, we address the apparent murder of Putin’s main opponent and critic, Alexei Navalny; Biden’s backpedaling and Trump’s awkward silence; and Russia’s ongoing threats of using nuclear weapons against the West, including Germany. We report on further atrocities of the “deadly scorpion” Putin and his henchmen and thugs.

We also address the highly controversial political attempt by the USA to have the UK extradite Julian Assange to the USA; and we conclude with an article about China’s “unstoppable military.”

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

Our Government and the Culture of Death

Judge Andrew P. Napolitano wrote on February 16 in the Ron Paul Institute:

“America today epitomizes a culture of death.

 “At home, America is at war with itself. The government permits the slaughter of babies in the womb and teaches babies in government classrooms how to change genders.

“And America is at war abroad. The federal government has sent cash and military hardware worth $100 billion to its failing vassal state, Ukraine. The President and the Senate want to send another $61 billion…

“… the government glorifies violence — constant wars, an annual defense budget larger than the next dozen countries combined, the adulation of the military, the encouragement and financing of abortions… it undermines the value of human life and sets a tone whereby because the government kills with impunity, violence has become a personal tool.

“Is it any wonder that deranged people pick up where the government has left off? For a person filled with hate and incapable of reason living in a society that rejects the intrinsic worth of every human life, is it very much of a leap from killing babies in the womb to killing strangers in a supermarket or a classroom?…

“The government has banned God in the classroom and on the football field, banished Him from the public square and public buildings, and ignored His commands when it writes laws and unleashes violence…

“Government is the negation of liberty. As Ronald Reagan argued, ‘Government is not the solution to our problems; government is the problem.’

“What can we do about it?

“Bring the troops home. Leave NATO. Shut our 1,000+ foreign military bases. Shrink the defense budget. Sell the Pentagon. Stop killing babies in the womb… Abolish the income tax. Worship God in public… Outlaw punishment before trial.

“And when the government assaults — or fails to protect — life, liberty and property, or uses excessive force, alter or abolish it… Take Jefferson seriously: ‘When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty.’”

This is so true with respect to human governments. That is why we need God’s righteous government here on earth, which will be established when Christ returns.

Biden’s Outrageous Lies

The New York Post published on February 15 the following article by Professor Turley:

“In his press conference following the report on his retention of classified documents, Joe Biden lashed out at special counsel Robert Hur for saying the president has such ‘diminished faculties,’ it would be difficult to criminally charge him. One of the key and scripted moments was Biden angrily denouncing Hur for raising his son’s death. Many in the media eagerly replayed the clip the next day, calling Hur’s question outrageous, callous and unprofessional.

“But NBC reports it was not Hur but Biden himself who raised Beau Biden’s death. In the disastrous press conference Biden went on the attack, asking, ‘How in the hell dare he raise that? Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself it wasn’t any of their damn business.’

“NBC’s sources suggest this was a knowingly false claim by the president — he was the one who raised his son’s death. The corrected version would read: ‘How in the hell dare [I] raise that? Frankly, when [I raised] the question, I thought to myself it wasn’t any of their damn business.’… While we await the spin, the report indicates the president is either mentally diminished or openly deceptive in such moments…

“He alleged the special counsel did not find willful retention of material. Hur not only did so but repeatedly said so in the report.

“Biden claimed he did not show classified material to third parties. Not only did Hur find he did, there’s a witness to that fact.

“Biden said he kept material in locked drawers or drawers capable of being locked. Hur showed pictures of ripped boxes holding such material in his garage.

“Once again, it’s hard to see how Biden made these false claims without his staff’s prior review…

“Using the White House to spread false claims about these investigations is very dangerous… White House staff carrying out a possible disinformation campaign can raise allegations of violations of the public trust and misuse of federal staff and resources… the White House has to be careful that its effort to spin out of scandal doesn’t result in spinning into an impeachment.”

Biden and his administration will give an accounting for their conduct one of these days. Maybe not to man, but certainly to God.

Brennan the Villain?

Professor Jonathan Turley wrote on February 15 in the Ron Paul Institute:

 “There is a disturbing report published on Michael Shellenberger’s Public Substack detailing how the U.S. intelligence community called upon foreign governments to target associates of Donald Trump before the 2016 election. The request to the ‘Five Eyes’ agencies (the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) appears to have come from Obama’s CIA Director, John Brennan…

“The role of Brennan is intriguing. Brennan was the one who briefed President Barack Obama on Hillary Clinton’s alleged ‘plan’ to tie then-candidate Donald Trump to Russia as ‘a means of distracting the public from her use of a private email server.’ It was also Brennan who later declared during the Trump Administration that a press conference with Vladimir Putin was ‘nothing short of treason.’…

“Brennan also signed the infamous letter warning that the Hunter Biden laptop had all of the markings of Russian intelligence, a letter that he later admitted was ‘political.’”

Brennan will be held accountable for his shameful deeds. Maybe not in our evil society, but one day, he will stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

The Death of Navalny

The Sun wrote on February 16:

“VLADIMIR Putin’s top critic Alexei Navalny has allegedly died in a hellhole Siberia prison as Kremlin foes claim he was murdered. Prison officials today said the jailed Russian opposition leader, 47, collapsed inside a brutal Polar Wolf jail where he was being kept and could not be resuscitated. Navalny was one of Putin’s greatest enemies and his leading domestic critic in Russia – bravely challenging the tyrant’s brutal war in Ukraine…

“Latvian president Edgars Rinkevics raged on X that Navalny was ‘brutally murdered by the Kremlin’…  And Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy raged ‘Obviously, Putin killed him’.

“Navalny was first picked up by Vlad’s brutal police in 2021 after returning to Russia following an assassination attempt. And when a sham trial in Russia found him guilty of trumped-up charges, the brave Putin challenger was locked up amid fears that he would not come out alive… In total Putin’s number one enemy had spent 308 days banged up – and there were reports that a sadistic Putin even demanded to see live footage of Navalny undergoing punishment and being humiliated by guards…

“UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron said: ‘Putin should be accountable for what has happened – no one should doubt the dreadful nature of his regime.’…”

Deutsche Welle added on February 16:

“French President Emmanuel Macron accused Russia of sending ‘free spirits’ to the gulag… Meanwhile, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel blamed the Russian state for the death of [the] leading opposition figure… The European Union said it holds Russian President Vladimir Putin solely responsible for the death in prison of opposition leader Alexei Navalny.”

Biden Sound Asleep?

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 16:

“US President Joe Biden said he was ‘outraged’ at Navalny’s reported death… He said that Putin was ‘responsible’ for Navalny’s death. ‘What has happened to Navalny is yet more proof of Putin’s brutality,’ he said…

Biden had stated in 2021 that if Navalny would die in prison, there would be devastating consequences for Russia. When asked after Navalny’s death as to what the consequences would be now, Biden backpedaled and said, Russia already paid with the death of many soldiers in the war with Ukraine. As if the one had anything to do with the other. Former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton criticized President Joe Biden’s approach to Russia, saying that “Biden’s tough rhetoric lacks meaningful action.” Bowing to national and international outcry and internal pressure, Biden has now announced that unspecified “major sanctions” would be imposed on Russia.

Putin—the Murderer?

Daily Mail wrote on February 16:

“Garry Kasparov, a Russian chess grand master, said Putin ‘murdered’ Navalny ‘slowly and publicly in prison’ while Russian Nobel Peace winner Muratov also described Navalny’s death as ‘murder’…

“Navalny miraculously survived a suspected assassination attempt with a nerve agent in August 2020 during a flight to Moscow from the Siberian city of Tomsk, where he was organising opposition candidates. He collapsed in the aisle while returning from the bathroom, and the plane made an emergency landing in the city of Omsk, where he spent two days in a hospital while supporters begged doctors to allow him to be taken to Germany for treatment.

“Once in Germany, doctors determined he had been poisoned with a strain of Novichok – similar to the nerve agent that nearly killed former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in England in 2018. The attack also resulted in the death of another woman.”

It surely looks like Putin had Navalny killed—in one way or another. Putin has been responsible for many killings of his opponents. As a former KGB spy, Putin has no qualms about murdering people. Russians are being arrested for placing flowers at sites mourning Navalny’s death.

We do not want to neglect to say that Navalny was a controversial figure. Even though he condemned Russia’s invasion of Crimea, he also said that nothing should be done about it now. He also advocated bombing Georgia. Still, none of that excuses or even explains Putin’s alleged murder [as both were on the same wavelength, politically and socially, on many issues]. Putin acted solely to get rid of his strongest political opponent.

Trump Stays Silent

Live Mint wrote on February 17:

“Former US President Donald Trump remained silent on Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s death report on Friday, rather his campaign referred a reporter to a statement that made no mention of Navalny or Vladimir Putin…  

“Republican presidential contender Nikki Haley slammed Donald Trump for maintaining an amicable relationship with Vladimir Putin and remained silent after Russian officials said opposition leader Alexei Navalny died in a prison colony on Friday. ‘Donald Trump continues to side with Vladimir Putin – a man who kills his political opponents, holds American journalists hostage, and has never hidden his desire to destroy America,’ Haley said in an official statement.

“In a separate post on X (formerly Twitter), Haley wrote, ‘Putin murdered his political opponent and Trump hasn’t said a word after he said he would encourage Putin to invade our allies. He has, however, posted 20+ times on social media about his legal drama and fake polls.’…

“Trump has praised Putin on and off for years, calling the Russian leader a ‘genius’ in 2022 for his decision to invade neighboring Ukraine, igniting a war that is still raging.

“The 47-year-old lawyer rose to prominence more than a decade ago by speaking publicly about what he said was the vast corruption and opulence among the ‘crooks and thieves’ who ran Putin’s Russia. Many Western leaders accused the Kremlin of murder regarding Navalny. They produced no evidence, but Putin’s enemies have a history of dying under opaque circumstances.”

Subsequently, the New York Post wrote on February 19:

“Former President Donald Trump broke his protracted silence Monday on the death of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny — comparing Navalny’s demise in an Arctic prison to the legal woes that threaten Trump’s freedom and fortune. ‘The sudden death of Alexei Navalny has made me more and more aware of what is happening in our Country. It is a slow, steady progression, with CROOKED, Radical Left Politicians, Prosecutors, and Judges leading us down a path to destruction,’ Trump posted on Truth Social.”

He repeated this claim in a town hall meeting, adding that Navalny should perhaps not have returned to Russia.

Trump’s initial silence only helped those who accuse him of having a far-too-cozy relationship with Putin. In light of this, Putin’s comments about Biden and Trump are even more bizarre, but might be politically calculated. Note the next article.

Putin’s Strange Comments

Axios wrote on February 14:

“Putin said Wednesday that he prefers President Biden win the 2024 election over former President Trump… ‘[Biden] is a more experienced, predictable person. He is a politician of the old school,’ Putin said…

“Putin said he ‘did not get full satisfaction’ from his interview with Tucker Carlson last week. ‘I thought that he would behave aggressively and ask so-called sharp questions,’ he said…’

He also said that Tucker stuck to his playbook, and that he is “dangerous.” Putin’s long-winded gratuitous “history” lessons were boring, to say the very least. It is obvious that Putin is not well—physically and mentally. But it is HE who is a very dangerous autocrat, who might get strength from dark spiritual forces. This conclusion might be supported by the next article.

Has Putin Lost His Mind?

Express wrote on February 17:

“Putin ordered the killing of opponent Alexei Navalny and was mentally unstable when he did so, the Russian President’s former speechwriter has claimed in an exclusive interview with Daily Express US….

“‘He is very irrational and lives in his own world. Putin is not mentally stable, he has very high ups and downs. He lost his mind. His mind is off balance. He is emotionally off balance. Over the past two years, he had disappeared for weeks at a time. That means he didn’t know what to do, or what to say. He couldn’t get himself together…’”

This could be further evidence of Putin being demonically influenced. Remember the report on King Saul, as well as Hitler’s irrational behavior. Hitler was clearly demon-possessed.

Russia’s Threats

Daily Mail wrote on February 18:

“The Kremlin today threatened to fire nuclear missiles on London, Washington, Berlin and Kyiv if Russia is forced to give up the Ukrainian territory it has invaded.

“Dmitry Medvedev – a close Putin ally who served as president from 2008 to 2012 – said if a military defeat led to a return to the 1991 frontiers, when the Soviet Union collapsed, Moscow would unleash Armageddon. ‘Attempts to return Russia to the borders of 1991 will lead to only one thing,’ he said. ‘Towards a global war with Western countries using the entire strategic arsenal of our state. In Kyiv, Berlin, London, Washington.’…

“He suggested Kyiv and the West should allow Putin to have the bits of Ukraine he thinks of as Russia. ‘It’s better to return everything [to us] before it’s too late. Or we will return it ourselves with maximum losses for the enemy…. The West should not think that in such a scenario the leadership of Russia will “tremble in its hand” in pushing the nuclear button.’”

Medvedev called Germany’s Defense Minister, Boris Pistorius, an “idiot,” and he used even much stronger terms to describe him. Russia WILL push the nuclear button against Europe… but not now. Other prophesied events will have to happen first.

Deluded Republicans?

The New York Post published the following insightful article by Piers Morgan on February 20:

“My favorite fable is ‘The Scorpion and the Frog.’… A scorpion wants to cross a river but can’t swim, so it asks a frog to carry it across. The frog hesitates, fearful that the scorpion will sting, but the scorpion promises not to, explaining that if he did, they’d both drown. The frog thinks this is logical, so it carries the scorpion across the river, and halfway over, the scorpion stings the frog, condemning them both to death. ‘Why did you do that?’ exclaimed the incredulous frog. ‘Sorry,’ came the reply. ‘I couldn’t help myself, it’s my nature.’

“The fable is Russian in origin, which is ironic… because it reminds me of Vladimir Putin and his merry band of brainwashed, demented, deluded or simply woefully naïve supporters… As exiled Russian oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who spent 10 years in prison because Putin took a dislike to him, told me in an interview yesterday, Putin is a gangster, a mob boss who will kill anyone who gets in his way and steal anything he wants. There’s no ambiguity about it. Putin doesn’t even try very hard to hide it.

“He is what he is: a ruthless, corrupt, murderous former KGB agent with zero respect for human life, consumed with enriching and empowering himself. He jailed his most popular critic, Alexi Navalny, and then had him killed last week, because that’s what Putin does to all his rivals, especially in the run-up to elections that he’s already rigged to ensure victory. And by displaying such brazen, contemptible, deadly thuggery, he sends a shiver down the spines of others thinking of even raising a quizzical eyebrow in his direction…

“Of course, none of us should ever need reminding what a despicable, despotic, heartless monster he is. Yet, astoundingly, there are still many prominent people in America, particularly on the conservative right, who seem in weird, inexplicable awe of Vlad the Terrible… I don’t know why Trump loves Putin so much that he can’t even bring himself to condemn him for such an egregious act… When I interviewed him in 2008 for GQ magazine, Trump was scornful of President George W. Bush for sucking up to Putin, telling me, ‘Putin played Bush like a fiddle. Bush went around saying what a nice guy he was, and thought he was his friend. And since then, Russia has gone up like a rocket and this country has gone down like a not-so-successful rocket. It’s booming, and we’re the opposite…’

“Equally, what… was Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) thinking when he stood up at 2 a.m. last Tuesday to basically wave the white flag of surrender?… Other conservatives like Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) don’t want to help either…  I find it baffling that a party once almost 100% united in entirely justified dislike and distrust for Russian dictators now wants to be complicit in helping them win illegal wars in Europe.

“What do they think Putin will do if he succeeds in his Ukraine land grab, slink back into the Kremlin shadows, full of gratitude for America’s subservience? Of course he won’t. Like the scorpion, he’ll carry on attacking everyone and everything until someone stops him. That’s his nature…”

Lest anyone doubt the murderous nature of war criminal and dictator Vladimir Putin, note the next article.

American Ballerina Arrested in Russia

Daily Mail wrote on February 21:

“Russian-American ballerina Ksenia Karelina was arrested in January by Vladimir Putin’s notorious Federal Security Service (FSB) on treason charges…  for sending just $51.80 to a charity in support of Ukraine. She faces 20 years in prison. 

“Karelina, who works at a spa in Beverly Hills, California, travelled to Russia to visit her family on January 2… She was immediately arrested after landing in Moscow, ‘interrogated for 13 hours’ and placed in a freezing cold jail cell with two other women…

“The White House is… scrambling to learn more of the arrest… John Kirby… also warned any American citizen, including those with dual Russian citizenship, to leave the country immediately…

“Karelina is the latest American behind bars in Russia, in addition to [Wall Street Journal journalist Evan] Gershkovich, former US Marine Paul Whelan and Texas dad David Barnes who last week was sentenced to 21 years in prison in Moscow on child abuse charges. On the same day that Karelina’s arrest was announced, Gershkovich appeared in a Moscow court where he had his pre-trial detention extended.”

Of course, the lying Russian government is coming up again with ridiculous trumped-up charges. The despicable Nazi-like “policy” of Putin and his henchmen and thugs is obvious to any objective observer. What, if anything, is the Biden Administration going to do about it?

Blinken “Most Hostile” Towards Israel

Israel Today wrote on February 16:

“As the days go by, it is becoming increasingly clear that the second Jewish US secretary of state is the most hostile Israel has known in decades… The most serious thing he does… is trying to stop the Israeli war machine in its tracks.. He demands more and more humanitarian aid, which he knows goes straight to Hamas and helps the organization prolong its rule in the Gaza Strip; he opposes IDF activity in Rafah, Hamas’s last stronghold, for fear of harming the population, of course…

“Now he expects Israel to agree to a very long ceasefire as part of the second deal, turn a blind eye to Hamas’s continued rule, withdraw its forces from the Gaza area and commit to a Palestinian state…

“In the same way, he dealt one of the harshest blows the United States has ever inflicted on Israel. This refers to the unprecedented sanctions on the four Israelis who, according to the Americans, harmed Palestinians… The designations of those four individuals are, in fact, a way of telling Israel that the United States does not trust the Israeli judicial system…

“In any case, the one who has been orchestrating this fabrication from his first day in office is Blinken. The same Blinken, the serial bungler of American foreign policy since 2021, from Russia to Iran, wants to add Israel to the list.”

Blinken is not working against Biden. So Biden is behind all of this.

“Spineless Biden” to “Betray Israel”?

On February 17, The New York Post published the following opinion piece by Michael Goodwin:

“Is there a Margaret Thatcher in the house who can help stiffen Joe Biden’s spine? The late British prime minister, in a 1990 phone call during the early days of the first Gulf war, famously told a hesitant President George H. W. Bush that it ‘was no time to go wobbly’… Bush adopted the Iron Lady’s resolve and soon unleashed Operation Desert Storm, leading to a retreat of Iraq’s forces and a smashing allied triumph.

“Biden needs a Thatcher now to set him straight during the current Mideast conflict. Faced with Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza and a shaky re-election campaign, the president isn’t just going wobbly in his support for our embattled ally — he’s inching toward a full betrayal of Israel to appease American radicals… It is dishonest to defend Biden’s undercutting of Israel as part of some strategic view of how to bring a just and lasting peace to the region. His words and actions increasingly have little to do with peace and everything to do with pandering to domestic political critics.

“A timeline of the president’s shifting attitude shows his position, which began as forceful backing of Israel after the Oct. 7 invasion by Hamas, changed as large parts of the Democrats’ base made it clear they would not vote for him because of his support for Israel.

“Some of those people, who include Muslim Americans and leftist students at elite colleges, can be charitably described as ignorant of both history and current events, especially their absurd accusations that Israel is committing ‘genocide.’ They claim to be concerned about the suffering of Palestinian civilians, but voiced no concern that Hamas uses those civilians as human shields and turned Gaza into a terrorist launching pad while stealing billions of foreign aid. Nor are they moved by the horrific events of Oct. 7, including the slaughter of Israeli children and the raping and torture of women.

“Many other Biden objectors are classic antisemites who oppose Israel’s very existence. These so-called protesters, some of them violent, don’t try to hide their support for Hamas’ plan to control all land ‘from the river to the sea.’ Biden makes no distinction about the critics’ motivations and is disgracefully mute about the shocking explosion of antisemitism in America…

“He tells donors Israeli bombing was ‘indiscriminate’ and mumbles at a press conference that Israel’s reaction to Oct. 7 is ‘over the top.’… his policies… include a demand for an immediate cease-fire before Hamas has been eliminated or releases its hostages, some of them American citizens. If the war stopped now, the terror group would retain control of Gaza. It would also siphon off much of the billions of dollars likely to be contributed to rebuilding, just as it now seizes much of the daily humanitarian aid.

“Similarly, Biden’s push for the creation of a Palestinian state rewards Hamas’ brutality and would result in perpetual war that could become a global conflict. It is also astonishing that Biden ignores how Hamas leaders in Qatar and Lebanon say publicly they will not accept any ‘two-state solution’ because it implies acceptance of a Jewish state… “

The Biden Administration’s conduct towards Israel is just shameful, but in line with biblical prophecy which tells us that America will turn against Israel.

Netanyahu Defies Biden

Breitbart wrote on February 18:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defied U.S. President Joe Biden on Sunday by submitting a version of Biden’s peace plan to his government, including a Palestinian state imposed from outside, to a vote — and having it rejected unanimously. Netanyahu acted after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken continued to press for Israel to accept a Palestinian state…

“The Prime Minister’s Office released the following statement: ‘The Israeli Government has unanimously approved a declaratory decision regarding Israel’s opposition to international diktats.’

“‘The text of the final statement:

“‘1. Israel utterly rejects international diktats regarding a permanent settlement with the Palestinians. A settlement, if it is to be reached, will come about solely through direct negotiations between the parties, without preconditions.

“‘2. Israel will continue to oppose unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. Such recognition in the wake of the October 7th massacre would be a massive and unprecedented reward to terrorism and would prevent any future peace settlement.’

“The Biden administration has been obsessed with a Palestinian state since before the conflict, reportedly blocking Saudi-Israeli peace negotiations in September 2023 because the proposed deal did not explicitly call for the creation of a Palestinian state. Israelis overwhelmingly oppose a Palestinian state… because of their experience in suffering rocket attacks and terror attacks from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, which was essentially a Palestinian state in all but name…”

More and More Weapons

Reuters wrote on February 15:

“As German Chancellor Olaf Scholz attended the groundbreaking ceremony for a new munitions factory on Monday, he warned that Europe must move to mass producing weapons ‘because the painful reality is that we do not live in times of peace’…

“… there was also acknowledgement that whoever wins the U.S. election in November, the time had come for NATO members in Europe to step up to the plate to help pay for their own defence.”

“Why Is Biden Turning His Back on Europe?”

The New York Post wrote on February 17:

“The European Union is good at coming up with inoffensive-sounding terminology to talk about unpleasant things. For example, the phrase ‘strategic autonomy’ is a nice way of saying, ‘We don’t trust the Americans’ — and, with Donald Trump leading the polls and boasting about encouraging Vladimir Putin to invade European countries, it is impossible to blame them…

“And the message isn’t coming only from Trump: Accounting for total goods and services, the European Union is the United States’ largest trading partner, and it has not escaped the attention of public-sector bureaucrats in Brussels or private-sector executives from Stuttgart to Copenhagen that the Biden administration has continued the Trump administration’s anti-trade practices and has, in some cases, made them worse. 

“The Biden administration has been every bit as contemptuous as the Trump administration when it comes to Europe, ambushing the French with the launch of the Australia-UK-US pact, cutting our allies out of the loop in the Afghanistan withdrawal, hectoring the Germans over their energy policies — all the while believing that our most important negotiating partner in Europe is François Mitterrand, who has been dead for almost 30 years. 

“Nor is the worry limited to the EU or NATO members. Israel has found its alliance with the United States undermined by the Democrats’ intraparty politics, including the political pressure to accommodate persistent antisemitism in the party’s urban-progressive wing; Ukraine has found its alliance with the United States undermined by a GOP that is increasingly open in its embrace of Vladimir Putin and his brand of authoritarian rule…”

A Corrupt Decision in Trump Case

Daily Mail wrote on February 16:

“Donald Trump and his family business have been fined a devastating $364 million for [allegedly] inflating property prices worth following a blockbuster fraud trial in New York. Judge Arthur Engoron also banned the former president from serving as the director of a company in the state for three years in the crushing ruling issued on Friday that puts the future of his business in the Big Apple in doubt. His sons Eric and Don Jr. were fined more than $4 million each and his former CFO Allen Weisselberg was fined $1million for the [alleged] scheme to massively inflate prices of his properties including Mar-a-Lago to get favorable loan terms from lenders…

[As we pointed out before in our Current Events, Engoron’s appraisal of the Mar-a-Lago property was totally false and ridiculous, which means that his findings and his judgment were wrong for that reason alone.]

“Trump now [owes] more than $454 million for judgements in New York after a jury ordered him to pay up for defaming his rape accuser E. Jean Carroll [Rape was never proven]. His net worth is believed to be around $2.6 billion… and most of his assets are tied up in his sprawling real estate and golf empire…

“The Trump Organization called the ruling a ‘gross miscarriage of justice’, accused New York Attorney General Letitia James of ‘overreach’ and said Deutsche Bank made ‘hundreds of millions’ doing business with them. ‘Every member of the New York business community, no matter the industry, should be gravely concerned with this gross overreach and brazen attempt by the Attorney General to exert limitless power where no private or public harm has been established. If allowed to stand, this ruling will only further expedite the continuing exodus of companies from New York.’

“On Truth Social Friday, Trump complained about the unfairness of the judgment in several posts. ‘The Justice System in New York State, and America as a whole, is under assault by partisan, deluded, biased Judges and Prosecutors. Racist, Corrupt A.G. Tish James has been obsessed with “Getting Trump” for years, and used Crooked New York State Judge Engoron to get an illegal, unAmerican judgment against me, my family, and my tremendous business,’ the former president wrote. ‘I helped New York City during its worst of times, and now, while it is overrun with Violent Biden Migrant Crime, the Radicals are doing all they can to kick me out.’ ‘This “decision” is a Complete and Total SHAM,’ the 2024 hopeful continued.

“’There were No Victims, No Damages, No Complaints. Only satisfied Banks and Insurance Companies (which made a ton of money), GREAT Financial Statements, that didn’t even include the most valuable Asset – The TRUMP Brand, IRONCLAD Disclaimers (Buyer Beware, and Do your Own Due Diligence), and amazing Properties all over the World.’ 

“’All the other side had was a ridiculous $18 million valuation of magnificent Mar-a-Lago, an unConstitutional Gag Order, a Consumer Fraud Statute never before used for this purpose, No Jury allowed, and a refusal to send this disgusting charade to the Commercial Division, where it would have been put to a deserving end…,’ Trump continued in a second post. 

“’This “case” is OVER ever since the Appellate Division ended it on Statute of Limitations, also letting my daughter Ivanka out of this Witch Hunt. The Democrat Club-controlled Judge Engoron has already been reversed four times on this case, a shameful record, and he will be reversed again,’ he added. ‘We cannot let injustice stand, and will fight Crooked Joe Biden’s weaponized persecution at every step…’

“… legal experts have expressed concern that victory for James could make it easier for courts to wipe out companies in the future. Adam Leitman Bailey, a New York real estate lawyer, said it would ‘set a horrible precedent’. 

“Under the New York anti-fraud statute, known as Executive Law 63(12), there have been only a handful of cases resulting in a ‘dissolution,’ and in all of those there were victims and losses. Trump’s was the only big business that was threatened with a shutdown without a showing of obvious victims and major losses.”

In fact, there were NO losses and NO victims. This case, as so many others against Trump, proves how CORRUPT our entire legal system is.

A Corrupt Weaponized Legal System

Newsmax reported on February 17:

“Former President Donald Trump wasted no time at his Waterford Township, Michigan, rally Saturday night to denounce what he called President Joe Biden’s weaponization of justice against his chief political rival, ripping a page out of Vladimir Putin’s dictator playbook.

“‘Joe Biden and the fascists that control him are a threat to democracy,” Trump said… ‘Now he’s not smart enough to know that, but he’s got people that control him.’… “When we win back the White House, we will have no higher priority than ending the weaponization of this horrible legal system that has developed around us…’

“Biden and his ‘fascist’ controllers and Democrat-controlled judges, attorneys general, and district attorneys are putting American democracy on life support….’

“Trump blasted ‘crooked Judge’ Arthur Engeron’s $364 million judgment Friday. ‘He’s a crooked judge, a radical left-wing judge,’ enacting a ‘lawless and unconstitutional atrocity that sets fire to our laws like no one has ever seen in this country before,’ Trump said. ‘That happens in banana republics’…

“It proves that Biden has corrupted the American justice system, according to Trump, who also mocked Fulton County, Georgia, District Attorney Fani Willis and her lover Nathan Wade…

“‘Businesses are going to flee New York State — they already are, taking with them tens of thousands of jobs — because they can’t subject themselves to this. And if this persecution of political opponents continues, no one will want to do business in the United States of America any longer. We will truly become a Third World country; we are going to be. We are already in many ways.’”

He also called on Congress to impeach Joe Biden to stop what he called the “weaponization” of the Department of Justice. Of course, that will never happen, as long as Biden is President and the Democrats and some “RINOS” control the Senate.

“A Ridiculous Judgment of a Ridiculous Judge”

 Newsmax wrote on February 16:

“Former acting U.S. Attorney General Matthew Whitaker criticized New York Judge Arthur Engoron’s Friday ruling against former President Donald Trump, calling it a ‘ridiculous judgment by a ridiculous judge’…  ‘This is a complete miscarriage of justice, as you can imagine… I don’t believe this will ultimately stand after appellate review, but right now, obviously, that puts him in a very serious situation.’

“‘This judge decided this case … on the paper filings and didn’t even take any witnesses or evidence or challenge any of the evidence that was presented by Letitia James, the attorney general of New York… And so I think there’s a long legal path to go still for Mr. Trump and his businesses… This judge violated many rules and trial procedures…’ Whitaker added. ‘So I expect that, you know, the court of appeals might be sympathetic.’”

How can a judge like this be allowed to preside over a case like this? His prejudice has been so blatantly obvious. He should have been disqualified from the outset. Or, as a reasonable and ethical judge, he should have recused himself. He did not do it, so that he could render blatantly wrong decisions. The same is true for the drama-queen-prosecutor.

A Political Decision

The New York Post wrote on February 17:

“ A host of Trump properties in Manhattan, Westchester, and the Hudson Valley…  could end up on the chopping block, sources told The Post, as a 30-day deadline to pay the fine imposed by Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron looms…

“The monstrous fine alone raises ‘serious concerns,’ said George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley — enough, he said, to potentially send the case to the US Supreme Court. ‘The glaring disconnect between $355 million in fines and $0 in actual damages raises obvious concerns over grossly excessive awards,’ Turley said. ‘In extreme cases, it can be a violation of due process under the federal constitution.’

“But before any other court can review Engoron’s decision, Trump will have to pay hundreds of millions out of a portfolio based mainly on residential properties, commercial buildings, and resort holdings in New York City and around the world. That could put any of Trump’s New York properties — including two of his 18 golf resorts, his $248 million tower at 40 Wall Street, a $283 million commercial building at 6 East 57th Street, the $30 million Seven Springs estate in Westchester County, and Trump’s longtime penthouse home in Fifth Avenue’s Trump Tower — under threat. ‘The amount he will have to put up will be in excess of $450 million, just to appeal,’ a person familiar with the case told The Post.

“In civil matters, it’s customary for judges to require up to 120% of a fine to be held in escrow while the case wends its way through the court system… Engoron’s ruling slapped a 9% interest charge on top of Trump’s fine, which will accrue daily until it’s paid. And Trump will have to collect the money fast: he has just 30 days to come up with the cash, or to find a surety company to guarantee it for him – using some of his properties as collateral. No bank that does business in New York is permitted to lend to the former president, under the terms of Engoron’s ruling.

“‘By imposing an astronomical award, Engoron made it difficult to even appeal his decision,’ Turley said, calling it ‘one of the most insidious aspects of the ruling. This award should shock the conscience of any objective jurist,’ he said…”

The attempt to destroy Trump through this blatantly political and appalling decision should be obvious to any objective observer. The only goal of the judge and prosecutor in the New York State case was to get rid of Trump as a challenger to Biden. It was reported that Trump owes another $87,500 in interest PER DAY on the massive legal penalties. This is outrageous and entirely illegal. In addition, Democrats want him to go to jail too for the rest of his life. As Trump Jr. said (see next article), just as in Russia.

Just Like in Russia

Newsmax wrote on February 16:

“Donald Trump Jr. told Newsmax on Friday the $363.8 million penalty issued by a New York judge in a civil fraud case regarding his father, his brother Eric Trump, himself and The Trump Organization is ‘absolute insanity’ and ‘absolutely despicable.’.. ‘The reality is, what we complain about in Russia is happening right here in the United States of America,’ Trump Jr. [said]…

“The former president’s legal team… argued that most of the claims in James’ lawsuit should have been dismissed for falling outside the statute of limitations. ‘It’s still New York, right?’ Trump Jr. said. ‘So, you never know. You’ve got to remember that half of the [fine] that you’re talking about … was already ruled inadmissible because of statute of limitations in the [state] court of appeals. The court of appeals has already ruled that, and this judge simply decided to ignore that because, again, it’s not about the law… It’s about penalizing Trump, trying to hurt Joe Biden’s No. 1 political rival.”

New York City and New York State have become corrupt beyond repair. It has been compared with a “legal banana republic.” Sadly, this is true for so many cities and states in the USA.

Truckers Will Refuse New York Loads

Newsmax wrote on February 18:

“Truckers who support former President Donald Trump say they will refuse to drive loads to and from New York City following the $355 million verdict in Trump’s civil fraud trial. A trucker with the X name ‘Chicago Ray’ took to the social media platform Friday night and posted a video in which he expressed fellow truckers’ outrage at the verdict… ‘Truckers are (95%) Trump…’

“In the video, Chicago Ray said truckers were ‘tired with you leftists’ focused on getting Trump, and added the truckers’ bosses did not care where the loads are dropped… By Sunday morning, Ray’s post had been viewed more than 5.4 million times and received more than 54,000 likes. Since Chicago Ray sharing his video, others have commented in support of the alleged boycott…

“Late last month, a convoy of protestors… drove to the U.S. southern border, with organizers aiming to expose the Biden administration’s lax immigration policies… A coalition of 15 Republican governors, led by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, later joined the convoy at the border.”

Will New York State become a ghost town soon?

Highly Controversial UK Extradition of Julian Assange to US Looms

Peter Hitchens wrote in The Daily Mail on February 14:

“Even a self-respecting poodle would object to the way we are currently behaving towards the USA. We are on the brink of allowing the American government to reach into this country and seize a man who has broken no British law. Once they have hold of him, there is every chance that he will be buried alive in some federal dungeon, quite possibly until he dies… The man involved is the Australian journalist Julian Assange, whose Wikileaks organisation is hated by the USA because he embarrassed them…

“Julian Assange published scandalous facts which proper journalists in a free society are entitled – and in fact obliged – to disclose for the benefit of that society…  the prosecution is openly political, not criminal. As the text of the US-UK extradition treaty states… ‘Extradition shall not be granted if the offense for which extradition is requested is a political offense.’

“It is quite astonishing that the British courts and more than one home Secretary have been persuaded by lawyers to pretend that this is not such an offence… The law under which Mr Assange is being pursued is the notorious US Espionage Act…

“For me, it is a question of whether this is a proper sovereign country governed by its own laws, or a servile satellite, bearing the same relation to Washington DC as the Warsaw Pact states once bore to Moscow…

“But as the day of decision approaches on the Assange case, the media silence is so total that you could hear a mouse sneeze. There are exceptions. In a fine article in Prospect Magazine, former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger wonders if too many in British public life have been seduced by the supposed glamour of our security and spy services… But where are the rest of you? Right-wing patriot, wishy-washy liberal or Left-wing radical, we all have an interest in saving Julian Asange.”

On February 15, The Daily Mail added:

“Julian Assange’s wife has warned that the WikiLeaks founder ‘will die’ if he is extradited to the US ahead of his High Court appeal next week… Assange is awaiting the results of his final appeal against being extradited to the US, where he faces espionage charges and up to 175 years in jail…  ‘His health is in decline, mentally and physically. His life is at risk every single day he stays in prison, and if he’s extradited, he will die. ‘But it’s not just about being extradited. Julian should never have been put in prison in the first place.’…

“She said the ‘bogus extradition request’ would have been thrown out by the UK authorities if it was made by any country other than the US… Ms Assange… said her husband was ‘isolated’ in prison and spends more than 22 hours a day in confinement… ‘Julian will be put in a hole if he is extradited, there is no doubt about that. He will be put in a hole so far and deep in the ground that I don’t think I’ll ever see him again.

“If his appeal is unsuccessful, Ms Assange said her husband would apply to the European Court of Human Rights for a Rule 39 order to stop extradition while it considers his case. Assange’s campaign against extradition is supported by human rights and journalistic organisations across the world.”

The parallels to the death of Putin’s opponent in prison, Alexei Navalny, are rather obvious. This whole world is corrupt. It is time that Christ comes back to put an end to man’s ungodly misrule.

Watch China

The Sun wrote on February 17:

“CHINA has crafted an unstoppable military under Xi Jinping’s ruthless dictatorship which poses the greatest threat to the world order, experts have warned… Like his friend Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, Xi locks up those who criticise his regime and pours billions into the development of new weapons to scare off enemies… China’s defence budget was an incredible £175billion in 2023. Xi’s army is the biggest in the world with more than two million active personnel.

“China’s ground forces, navy, air force and hefty reserves make up the enormous figure – which is miles ahead of any other superpower army. Even the US – second in place to China – has an army of around 1.3million active reserves.

“China also boasts a terrifying nuclear arsenal…  It is believed that Xi could now have around 500 nuclear warheads, and more are on the way for future weapons of mass destruction… China [is] planning on doubling its terrifying nuclear arsenal in just six years – meaning it could have enough nukes to destroy the world 10 times over. China also had a wide array of dubious allies including Iran, Russia and Saudi Arabia  – meaning the expansion of its military and nuke stores could be bolstered by relationships with other ruthless dictators.

“… while China might have fewer nukes than the West or Russia, it is ‘developing more powerful nuclear bombs and modernising their delivery systems… including the development of new and innovative weapons’…

“Xi has ordered China’s military to be ready to annex Taiwan by 2027 – the 100th anniversary of Chairman Chaos’ creation of the communist Red Army…

“Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei, China’s Xi Jinping, and Russian dictator Putin have already been compared to the ‘Axis of Evil’ from World War two. With their combined nuclear power, formidable armies and hatred of Western life, the alliance poses a very real risk to the West.”

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

In the first part of this series, we discussed that few people, identified as the firstfruits, were foreknown and predestined by God, long before they were born, to be called for salvation in this age. We showed from the Bible that those who are called today to salvation were elected or chosen to be called before the foundation of the world—before time began. We debunked the idea that some would be called first, and only later, after having proven themselves to be worthy, they would become chosen. We showed that the Bible teaches the exact opposite— that God from the beginning chose us for salvation to which He called us; in other words, those who are called to salvation today had been chosen long ago by God to be called.

The reason why some erroneously teach that we must be called first and that only later, once we have proven ourselves, we can belong to those who are also chosen, is based on a fundamental misunderstanding of basically two Scriptures in the book of Matthew which state that “many are called, but few are chosen.” In misapplying these passages to God’s call to salvation, they conclude that God calls many people today, but only few qualify and become God’s chosen people, worthy of inheriting salvation. In teaching this, they would also have to say, as we pointed out in the first installment, “that God, even though He foreknew and predestined some to be called in this day and age, engaged in a big gamble as to who would also advance to becoming chosen, and that most of those whom God predestined to be called would not make it, and would fall away, and that God knew this ahead of time; in fact, before time began. This is truly a preposterous concept. Why would God call those whom He had foreknown and predestined, knowing that they would not make it, but fall away?”

Part of this false teaching is that they do not believe in the biblical concept of predestination. Rather than understanding that God has very specifically elected certain designated individuals, foreknown to Him, long before they were born, long before the foundation of the earth, even before time began, they teach that God only had a general plan of calling at random an unidentified group of unspecified and undesignated people, and that out of that group, many would fail, but some would succeed. This is clearly NOT the biblical teaching, as we have proven from the Bible in the last installment.

We also say in our free booklet, “Are You Predestined to Be Saved?”, in chapter 1, on pages 15-17:

“So then, did God know from, or even before, the foundation of the world—before time began—that He would call certain ones to salvation? Based on the testimony of Scripture, the answer is, Yes!…  Predestination does not mean that we whom God has called to salvation at this time are guaranteed to attain eternal life. But it DOES mean that we were preordained—’predestined’—by God to be called to salvation in this life, so that we CAN attain eternal life at the time of the resurrection. We can also fail, however.

“Predestination, then, has to do with the time of our calling to salvation. It also has to do with the fact that our names—the names of those who are called in this life—are written in the Book of Life, and that they have been written in it since the foundation of the world—before time began—and that our names will remain in that Book, as long as we do not commit the unpardonable sin.

“Note the following quote from Herbert W. Armstrong’s booklet, ‘Predestination… Does the Bible teach it?’, copyrighted 1957, pages 14 and 15: ‘… predestination has… only to do with the TIME of your calling—whether you are called NOW, in this age, or later! Notice it in the passage in Romans 8:28-30: ‘For whom He did foreknow.’ How GREAT is God! If you are now called, God ‘foreknew’ you—knew you thousands of years before you were born!…  Those now being called, in this age, were foreknown, and PRE-destined to be called now—to be the FIRST to put their hope in Christ… God… DID decide far in advance which ones He would call in this FIRST calling, to be a priest or a king in His Kingdom—to have part in the saving of OTHERS!…’

“If YOU are called today to salvation—if YOU have been preordained and predestined to be called in this life—God KNOWS that you can make it and He is confident that you WILL make it…”

We will now discuss in detail what Christ meant when He said twice in the book of Matthew that many are called, but few are chosen (compare Matthew 22:14; Matthew 20:16). To state right from the outset, neither passage describes our call to salvation.

We start with Christ’s saying in Matthew 22:14, by quoting the passage in context, beginning with verse 1:

“(1) And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said:

(2) ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son,

(3) and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.

(4) Again, he sent out other servants, saying, “Tell those who are invited, ‘See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.’”

(5) But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business.

(6) And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.

(7) But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

(8) Then he said to his servants, “The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.

(9) Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.”

(10) So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

(11) But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.

(12) So he said to him, “Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?” And he was speechless.

(13) Then the king said to the servants, “Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

(14) For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Notice, first of all, that in this parable, the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God is compared or likened to a king who arranged a marriage for his son. This is obviously referring to God the Father, the Highest in the Godhead and the Kingdom, who is arranging a marriage for His Son, Jesus Christ. It is Christ, the Bridegroom, who will marry His bride—the church—when He returns, as we clearly read in Revelation 19:7-8:

“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, ‘Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’…”

Next, note that the king sends out his servants to invite guests to the wedding. The servants have been rightly understood as God’s disciples who, through the ages, have labored in God’s Work to help proclaim the gospel and the need for repentance. But the guests were unwilling to attend the wedding ceremony. They are obviously different from the servants. Please also note that the “servants”, mentioned in this parable, do not describe God’s angels, as the servants being sent out to invite the guests to the wedding, are mentioned twice, at different times, and seem to refer to different groups of individuals. First, in verse 3, “servants” are mentioned, and in verse 4, “other servants” are mentioned. If the reference was to angels, why would God send out different kinds of angels the second time, as if the first group had been incapable of fulfilling their job? Rather, a time sequence is described, when God sends out His disciples, at different times, throughout the ages, to invite people to have a relationship with Him. Emphasis is placed, after the first group of servants had been sent out, on the events occurring during the last days.

The guests, however, refuse steadfastly to come.  They do NOT describe converted Christians or those having been invited and called to salvation. Rather, they are clearly identified, in verses 6 and 7, as murderers who killed the king’s servants (proving that the servants could not have been angels who cannot die), and the king sent out his armies, killed them and burned their cities—apparently referring especially to the destruction of the city of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

The Benson Commentary stated in regard to Matthew 22:7:

“This branch of the parable plainly predicted the destruction of the Jews by the Roman armies, called God’s armies, because they were appointed by him to execute vengeance upon that once favourite, but now rebellious people.”

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible states:

“This doubtless refers to the Jews and to Jerusalem. They were murderers, having slain the prophets; and God was about to send forth the armies of the Romans under his providential direction, and to burn up their city.”

The Jews at the time of Christ were never called to salvation. Neither were the houses of ancient Israel and Judah in the Old Testament, let alone the Gentile nations.  Only very few are CALLED to salvation in this age.

Christ’s statement in Matthew 22 mirrors and echoes what He said in the parable of the wicked vinedressers, in Matthew 21:34-41:

“‘(34) Now when vintage-time drew near, he [the owner of the vineyard] sent his servants to the vinedressers [to whom he had leased the vineyard], that they might receive its fruit.

(35) And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.

(36) Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.

(37) Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, “They will respect my son.”

(38) But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, “This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.”

(39) So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

(40) Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?’

(41) They said to Him, ‘He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.’”

When we read that people are called, this does not have to mean, called to salvation. Even though the Greek word for “called” in Matthew  22:14 is “kletos” (see discussion in the last installment), it and related words such as “klesis” and “kaleo”, can refer to other aspects of “calling.” We read, for example, that Paul was “called” (“kletos”) an apostle (Romans 1:1; 1 Corinthians 1:1), and there are examples where the word “kalero” (“called”) does not refer to a call to salvation at all (compare Matthew 2:7; 22;45; 23:9; Acts 4:18). Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words states that the word “kaleo,” while “particularly” used of the “Divine call to partake of the blessings of redemption,” can also be used “to call anyone, invite, summon.”

In the parable of Matthew 22:1-14, the word for “called” is used in this more general sense.

We read in this parable (in verses 8 and 9) that the king sent out his servants to find others to invite as guests to the wedding, until the hall was filled with guests (verse 10). Again, the distinction between guests and servants is important and is being maintained. The fact that one of the guests does not have on a wedding garment, does not mean that the guest suddenly had become a servant unworthy of salvation. In passing, the word “guest” (“anakeimai” in Greek) is used in Mark 5:40, describing the dead girl lying on the bed. The word normally describes a guest reclining, lying or sitting at a table.

We read the following explanation about the guest without proper apparel in the Benson Commentary:

“To explain this, it must be observed, it was usual in the eastern countries to present the guests at marriages, and other solemnities, with garments wherein they were to appear, and the number of them was esteemed an evidence of the wealth and magnificence of the giver. This king, therefore, having invited so many from the lanes, and hedges, and highways, who could never have provided themselves with proper raiment in which to make their appearance at this marriage-feast, according to the custom of the country, must be supposed to have ordered each, on his applying to the ruler of the feast, to be presented with a proper garment, that they might all be clothed in a manner becoming the magnificence of the solemnity. But this man either neglected to apply, or refused to accept and put on, the garment offered him, which was the circumstance that rendered his conduct inexcusable.”

The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary comes to the same conclusion, stating:

“The language here is drawn from the following remarkable passage in [Zephaniah] 1:7, 8:—”Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God; for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, He hath bid His guests. And it shall come to pass in the day of the Lord’s sacrifice, that I will punish the princes, and the king’s children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.” The custom in the East of presenting festival garments (see [Genesis] 45:22; [2 Kings] 5:22), even though [not] clearly proved, is certainly presupposed here.”

We explain in our before-mentioned booklet, on pages 53-54:

“The guests, mentioned in verses 3 to 8, seem to describe Old Testament Israel—the physical descendants of Abraham—as well as the religious leadership at the time of Christ’s First Coming. We need to understand that Old Testament Israel was never offered eternal salvation. Still, the Bible says that they were all called to the wedding (compare Luke 13:34); but not in the sense that they were ‘called’ to eternal salvation—just as ‘guests.’ They were called, on a physical level, to have a relationship with God, but they even rejected that kind of a relationship (compare Matthew 21:33–46, especially verses 43 and 45, clarifying that Christ was speaking of the Pharisees and chief priests). Luke 13:34 reveals that Christ wanted often to gather the children of Jerusalem together, but they were unwilling, rather choosing to kill the prophets and stone those who were sent to them.

“Please also note Matthew 8:11–12: ‘And I say to you that many will come from east to west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Christ is addressing here the Pharisees and chief priests, calling them the ‘sons of the kingdom.’ But they were never called to salvation. The fact that they will be cast into outer darkness does not mean that they have committed the unpardonable sin. It means, however, that they will not enter the kingdom of God at Christ’s First Coming (compare the parallel passage in Luke 13:28–30, showing that they, who thought that they would be ‘first’ in the kingdom, will actually be ‘last.’) They will still get their chance to qualify at a later time.

“In that sense, many, including the modern houses of Israel and Judah, are ‘called’ to a physical relationship with God, but few are chosen today to have a spiritual relationship with God that leads to eternal life.”

We do not deny the fact that this parable has also spiritual applications and can be seen as describing a “member” or better a “guest” attending Church services who refuses to repent, which would be shown by his blatant refusal to be dressed with a white garment of righteousness. In that case, his being cast into outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth, would indicate the final fate of this person who refused to repent and who showed this by his rebellious attitude, having committed the unpardonable sin.

But in focusing on the obvious meaning of the parable, it tells us that many are called for certain tasks and even for a physical relationship with God, but only few (the firstfruits) had been chosen before time began to be called today for eternal life. To put it differently, out of the many called for a physical relationship with God, only few were called and chosen (“eklektos” in the Greek) to have a spiritual relationship with Him.

To stick with the obvious meaning of the parable, the emphasis is not on members of the Church of God, but on guests—unconverted people who are not called for salvation, but who are called to have a physical relationship with God—specifically, but not exclusively, referring to the modern descendants of the houses of Israel and Judah, who, like the Pharisees of old, should have known better.

God expects the modern descendants of the houses of Israel and Judah to keep His commandments—at least by following the letter of the Law. There is no excuse for breaking the Law of the Ten Commandments. Even though most are not yet called to salvation, they ARE called to have a special physical relationship with God, as was also the case with Old Testament Israel. Their refusal to keep the Law and to even appear before God as “guests” to the wedding, with dignity and respect for Him, His Son and His servants, is inexcusable. And as God destroyed ancient Jerusalem by the ancient Romans as a consequence, so He will destroy modern Jerusalem and the modern cities of the USA, the UK, Canada and other English-speaking nations through the modern Romans—the last European revival of the ancient Roman Empire.

(To be continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Will Our Government’s Corruption Ever End?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

We are showing you outrageous examples of governmental corruption, from an insightful article by Judge Andrew Napolitano to the ridiculous prosecution of Donald Trump by biased New York attorney general Letitia James and the ridiculous decision by biased Judge Arthur Engoron, accompanied by law professor Jonathan Turley’s legal analysis. We are pointing out, with the words of Judge Napolitano, that “the government enacted a statute that permitted to claim harm where none existed and then steal from a wealthy entity.” In fact, Engoron’s judgment is even far worse than that, but it might badly backfire on New York City. So, then, what IS the only solution for ending the governmental corruption in the USA and this entire rotten world?

A new Member Letter (February 2024) has been posted and mailed to our subscribers. Michael Link writes about our perspective regarding time. He emphasizes our need to remain vigilant as key biblical prophecies are now quickly moving forward.

“Wohnen Sie mit Gott oder mit Satan?” is this Sabbath’s new German sermon presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Do You Dwell With God or Satan?”

“Die Umkehr, die zum Leben führt, und der Glaube Jesu Christi,” last Sabbath’s German split sermon presented by Mike Richter, is now posted. Title in English: “Conversion that Leads to Life and the Faith of Jesus Christ.”

“Ein König werden,” last Sabbath’s German split sermon presented by Christoph Sperzel, is now posted. Title in English: “To Become A King”.

“Strength and Soundness of Identity,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Being honest about who we are is an essential requirement for our Christian growth. When we can see our strengths, weaknesses, and individual peculiarities with clarity it helps us understand what we must do to overcome our sins and use our talents to become profitable servants to God.

“Mission Statement,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Rene Messier, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Most companies have a mission statement, and so do members, the church, Satan and God.  This sermon examines and expands on them.

On February 17, 2024, Eric Rank will present the sermonette, titled, “Strength and Soundness of Identity,” and Rene Messier will present the sermon, titled, “Mission Statement.”

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.

Every now and then, we come across people whose behavior leaves us speechless. There is so much madness happening all over the world that I sometimes ask myself: “Is this the character of the person or is he completely deceived by Satan?” Many people around the world seem to shut their eyes to the absurdity of what is happening around us and simply accept what is about to happen even if they could change it.

We as Christians know what is coming to the world at large, and to us as well, and that Satan is the deceiver of this world. Revelation 12:9 says: “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

We have been teaching time and again that it is very dangerous to become lazy, overconfident, selfish, or even arrogant, and that a person will never find their way out of the mire of self-deception on their own. We also have been explaining repeatedly that a deceived person does not know that he is deceived.

However, we are obligated to make sure that we recognize Satan’s tactics of deception, and we know that we can counter them with the power of God. We must ensure that Satan’s deception does not take hold of our hearts and trick us into believing that the wrong way is righteous and good. 

Solomon warns us firmly against this in Proverbs 14:12 and Proverbs 16:25: “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”

So, what would be a good remedy to get to the bottom of Satan’s deception, even if we do not know whether we are deceived?

One of the best remedies is “Humility and the Fear of the LORD.”

In the fifth book of Psalms, we read in chapter 111 and verse 10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” Solomon had the same insight in Proverbs 1:7, where he wrote: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge…”

It is through the power of God, through our humility and through the fear of the LORD that God will help us to obtain the possibility of understanding and open our eyes to whether there is something wrong in our hearts and whether something can or should be improved.

If we neither have nor desire this humility and the fear of the LORD in us, there is a terrible answer: “Because they hated knowledge And did not choose to fear the LORD, They would have none of my counsel And despised my every rebuke. Therefore they shall eat the fruit of their own way, And be filled to the full with their own fancies” (Proverbs 1:29-31).

Another method to recognize possible deception is “Self-Examination.”

Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 13:5: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.”

James also explains to us in James 1:22-25 that we must be on our guard against precisely this kind of self-deception:

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”

We should always keep in mind that love is the supreme characteristic of God’s perfect law.

It is therefore crucial that we all examine ourselves again and again. Let’s try to have a genuine look in the mirror and take a close look at ourselves and ask ourselves: “Am I pleasing God and Jesus Christ with my lifestyle? Is everything really okay, or am I doing something wrong? Should I change something about myself?”

If we ask God for His help, we might easily come to a new realization. There is always something to do within and about us!

I truly wish all of us the strength and courage to take a good look at our mirror image and gain new insights.

Initial Translation from the German: Daniel Blasinger

by Norbert Link

We begin with reports about President Biden’s rapidly decreasing mental health and options, if any, for a new Democratic candidate should Biden step down [please view our new message, “Biden’s Two Alternatives: Prosecution or Resignation—Comments on News and Prophecy, February 10, 2024”].

We continue with focusing on Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’s (mis-)handling of the border crisis, and Joe Biden’s alleged involvement with Hunter’s foreign business transactions; as well as controversial comments by Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson’s interview with Vladimir Putin. We also speak on the growing rift between the USA and Israel, and warn of the possibility of more terrorist attacks through ISIS.

We conclude with further censorship caused by the Biden Administration and an article about the Catholic Church in Scotland.

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Trump Frightens Europe.”

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

Biden Speaking to Dead People?

The Daily Beast wrote on February 8:

“President Joe Biden on Wednesday made the surprising claim that he’d had a conversation with former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl that—given when it supposedly took place—could only have happened through a ouija board.

“The Democrat said [at a New York fundraiser] he spoke with [former German Chancellor Helmut] Kohl, who died in 2017, at a 2021 meeting of G7 leaders in the U.K… [Biden] actually repeated the error at another Manhattan fundraiser later in the day.

“What makes the slip-up even stranger is that Biden had made a similar mistake while talking about the same G7 gathering on Sunday. Speaking at a campaign rally in Las Vegas, he [said:]  ‘I sat down [at the meeting] and said: “America is back!”’ Biden said “And Mitterand from Germany—I mean, from France—looked at me and said… Said… You know, why… How long you back for?’’

Mitterrand died in 1996, a quarter of a century before the G7 meeting.

Biden’s “Sixth Sense”

The Daily Mail wrote on February 10:

“President Joe Biden continues referring to recent conversations with deceased foreign leaders as he struggles to recall the exact details of previous meetings. 

… Biden has a history of struggling to remember who is alive and who is deceased…

“It’s not the only time Biden has confused the names of world leaders. In 2019, he briefly referred to a conversation about America under the leadership of former President Donald Trump with former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, when he meant to refer to then-Prime Minister Theresa May…

“During a November 2022 speech, Biden recalled a conversation with a man who ‘invented’ insulin, even though the man who discovered the drug died in 1941, a year before Biden was born. In September 2022, Biden gave a shoutout to deceased Indiana Republican Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Ind., who died in a car crash in August 2022.  ‘Jackie, are you here? Where’s Jackie?’ Biden said, scanning a crowd of lawmakers at a conference on hunger. ‘She must not be here.’…

“… He declared that Russian Vladimir Putin was ‘clearly losing the war in Iraq.’ [The war in Iraq had nothing to do with Putin and ended in 2011].

“In 2023, he closed out a speech on gun control with the bizarre proclamation: ‘God save the Queen, man’ even after Queen Elizabeth II had died in September 2022.

“The following month, Biden claimed to have reached a medical milestone, declaring: ‘We ended cancer  as we know it.’ And in December 2023, he bragged about infrastructure spending, saying it was at: ‘Over a billion, 300 million, trillion, 300 million dollars.’”

Clearly, Biden is not well, and has not been for quite some time.

Biden Not to Be Charged With Crime Because of His Mental Decline

The New York Post wrote on February 8:

”President Biden ‘willfully retained and disclosed classified materials,’ special counsel Robert Hur found in a bombshell report released Thursday — though Hur recommended against criminal charges, in part because a jury might well view Biden as an ‘elderly man with a poor memory.’

“Biden, 81, flouted legal restrictions on keeping sensitive documents throughout his 36 years in the Senate and after his eight-year vice presidency — stashing them in cardboard boxes ‘surrounded by household [items]’ in his garage in Wilmington, Del., and other locations, the 388-page report said. Investigators even uncovered a recording of Biden confiding in his ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer in April 2017, three months after leaving the vice presidency, that he still had official records because ‘I didn’t want to turn them in’…  Zwonitzer also told Hur’s investigators that he deleted some audio files of Biden after the special counsel investigation began — and was aware of the probe when he did so…

“A dozen official documents were determined to possess information that still qualifies as top secret… Scores of additional documents contained secret or confidential information.

“Perhaps most damaging to the president, Hur, a former Maryland US attorney, suggested that jurors would not hold Biden liable for his actions on account of his perceived mental decline, even though he is seeking a second four-year term in November…

“When Biden sat for questions with Hur’s investigators Oct. 8 and Oct. 9, he presented himself as confused on many points… Biden ‘did not remember when he was vice president, forgetting on the first day of the interview when his term ended (‘if it was 2013 — when did I stop being Vice President?’), and forgetting on the second day of the interview when his term began (‘in 2009, am I still Vice President?’),’ the report says. He did not remember, even within several years, when his son Beau died [May 2015]. And his memory appeared hazy when describing the Afghanistan debate that was once so important to him. Among other things, he mistakenly said he ‘had a real difference’ of opinion with General Karl Eikenberry, when, in fact, Eikenberry was an ally whom Mr. Biden cited approvingly in his Thanksgiving [2009] memo to President Obama.”…

“Although Biden’s lapses of memory may have been useful for avoiding criminal liability, they are likely to be a serious political problem, as national polls already show large majorities of voters believe he is too old, infirm or both to hold office…

“Hur wrote that his team ‘considered whether to charge the ghostwriter with obstruction of justice, but we believe the evidence would be insufficient to obtain a conviction and therefore declined to prosecute him… the evidence falls short of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that he intended to impede an investigation, which is the intent required by law,’ the report said.

“Trump himself… fumed about what he called a double standard in the US legal system — as he prepares to stand trial over similar allegations beginning May 20 in South Florida…”

The Daily Mail added on February 8:

“The Department of Justice released its long-awaited investigation into Joe Biden’s mishandling of classified documents Thursday, delivering a damning assessment of the president’s ‘diminished faculties’ and limited memory… His ‘diminished faculties in advancing age’ would likely make him a sympathetic figure to jurors, the report says…

“The investigation said there was plenty of evidence to suggest that Biden was aware that he was not allowed to keep such classified notes after leaving office, pointing out that his long Washington career meant he was familiar ‘with the measures taken to safeguard classified information and the need for those measures to prevent harm to national security.’ Even so, notebooks crammed with classified information were stored in unlocked drawers at his home.

“And it was not simply the case that the notebooks were misplaced and forgotten. ‘He consulted the notebooks liberally during hours of discussions with his ghostwriter and viewed them as highly private and valued possessions with which he was unwilling to part,’ writes Hur.”

Robert Hur, a Republican, was appointed by Biden’s Attorney General Merrick Garland as special counsel to investigate Biden. In his report, Hur described Biden’s conduct as “utterly irresponsible”, the same words Biden used in attacking Trump. Hur reports that Biden had sensitive documents at unsecured locations—a fact Biden lied about in the press conference as well.

As it was pointed out by many observers, if  Biden is too senile to stand trial, then he is clearly too senile to be President. On the other hand, the argument advanced by Hur for not charging Biden is reminiscent of former FBI Director and Republican James Comey’s decision not to charge Hillary Clinton for admitted wrongdoing and mishandling of and destroying classified documents. That there is an obvious double standard of the Justice Department vis-à-vis Biden and Trump is beyond dispute.

Democrats, such as Kamala Harris, tried to put a spin on the report, saying that Hur’s comments were gratuitous, inaccurate and inappropriate. But if they were false or unnecessary to make, then there would have been no basis for not prosecuting Biden. Biden’s alleged mental disability was the compelling reason, in Hur’s alleged mind, for not proceeding against him. That only leaves us with two alternatives: Either Biden IS mentally incompetent and would not be convicted for that reason, then he MUST NOT be allowed to continue as President. Or, he is NOT mentally incompetent, then he MUST be prosecuted.

76% of Americans have major or moderate concerns about his mental and physical health.

But if Biden resigned, or, given his perceived arrogance preventing him from doing so voluntarily, he was forced to resign, Kamala Harris would be next in line. [She already said she was ready to serve]. Even the Democratic Party knows that this would be an absolute nightmare and a catastrophe. The German newspaper Die Welt speculated whether Michelle Obama might not step in to fill the void.

For now, Democrats began to try to put another spin on the matter: It was not because of Biden’s incapacity that he will not be prosecuted, but because he cooperated with the FBI. This is like saying, as one commentator put it, a murderer will not be prosecuted because he cooperated with the police after his arrest by showing them where he disposed of the victim.

Our legal system, and Biden’s Justice Department, have shown time and again that they are utterly corrupt.

Biden “Mentally Incompetent”

Express wrote on February 11:

“US President Joe Biden is ‘wandering around dazed and confused’ [and] his administration is acting with ‘impunity’, a political analyst [said]…

“Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Centre for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation, said Biden’s age raises big questions about his ability to lead. He said: ‘Firstly, Biden is increasingly mentally incompetent. That was hugely evident from his trainwreck press conference… There are so many gaffes now made by the President, this is a President who doesn’t know what he is saying, wandering around dazed and confused, and yet he leads the world’s most powerful country. It is obvious to anyone that this is a President who has lost his mind, and he is not fit to lead the free world. His state of mental confusion is a big concern…  He is increasingly angry and aggressive, and he looks completely unhinged. His ranting and raving made him look like a complete madman. It’s a sad state of affairs for the US.’

“Mr Gardiner tells Daily Express US that he disagrees with the apparent differences in how the cases [regarding Biden and Trump] have been handled. He said: ‘It is just ridiculous, Biden acts with complete impunity and there is no accountability. It is outrageous. The Biden Presidency behaves like an imperial presidency and acts with sheer contempt for the American people. There is clearly a double standard here. Donald Trump is treated in a different way to Biden, that is the reality. This is why a lot of Americans have lost faith in the political system and the ruling establishment.’”

No doubt about that.

Biden “Responds”

The New York Post wrote on February 8:

“The White House compounded the damage from the report with a hastily called press conference that was dominated by Biden screaming at reporters. ‘My memory is fine!’ he asserted. The president then astonished the audience by claiming Mexico’s president is in charge of controlling the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip…

“Biden proclaimed, ‘I am the most qualified person in this country to be president of the United States.’ But there was no applause from the White House press corps, some of whose members had wondered if Biden would announce his resignation that night.

“Even Biden’s allies were bailing ship, per the NBC News headline: “‘A nightmare’: Special counsel’s assessment of Biden’s mental fitness triggers Democratic panic.’”

Biden claimed that he knew very well when his son Beau died, and that he just did not want to answer the question, as it was none of the investigators d… business. But as Israel 365 News pointed out on February 9, “Perhaps most concerning of all are Biden’s recent assertions that his son Beau died in Iraq when everyone in the country knows he died of a brain tumor, and Biden started his Cancer Moonshot program in his memory.”

If Biden’s memory is fine, as he claimed in the press conference, then he must have been deceitful during his interviews with the special counsel, pretending that he could not recall and having a faulty memory.

Israel 365 News wrote on February 9 about the above-mentioned “press conference”:

“Joe Biden criticized… Israel’s response to Hamas… ‘I’m of the view, as you know, that the conduct of the response in the Gaza Strip has been over the top,’ Biden told reporters at the White House.”

The disagreement between Biden and Netanyahu becomes more and more obvious.

Could Biden Be Replaced?

Business Insider wrote on February 10:

“For years, Republicans have attacked Biden for his age and perceived mental acuity. Those critiques only got louder on Thursday after a special counsel report implied he was forgetful. Some Democrats also previously complained about his age, but the party has no alternatives now.

“With less than a year until election day, the Democratic Party has no apparent backup plan if it decides to part with its endorsed candidate.

“Choosing a candidate to run against or replace Biden would also likely be a tremendously messy process: Would the party want to go with its current vice president, Kamala Harris, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, or some other dark horse candidate? Who within the party would ultimately make that decision? What happens to all of the Biden campaign’s funding?

“The Democratic Party doesn’t have the luxury of time to figure it out, either: The primary election season has already begun across the nation, and it’s far too late for many states to add new names to their ballots per local election laws…

“Super Tuesday, the day when 15 states — roughly a third of the overall delegate count — hold their primaries, is on March 5. Similar to Michigan (which had a cut-off date on December 8, 2023), it’s also much too late to add a new candidate to those primary ballots, including California, which boasts just under 500 delegates and had a late-December 2023 cutoff point to be added to the ballot.

“If a replacement for Biden can’t be formally placed on ballots, the only option for the Democratic Party, if it’s serious about fielding a different nominee, would be to quickly mobilize a campaign to write that candidate’s name on state Democratic primary ballots. But if this write-in campaign isn’t implemented before Super Tuesday, there’s little chance at all that a formal replacement for Biden will be available on Democratic tickets come November…”

The Daily Mail added on February 9:

“Democrat insiders say it is now ‘panic time’ after a blockbuster Justice Department report concluded Joe Biden has ‘diminished faculties’ and is an ‘elderly man with a poor memory’… Increasingly, behind the scenes, a nuclear option is being considered to remove the 81-year-old president as the Democrat nominee at the party’s convention in Chicago in August…

“[Some] have floated the idea of a run by [a] well-known figure like Michelle Obama.

“A recent Daily Mail poll found 60 percent of Americans think Biden should not run again. In an alarming sign for Biden it found 44 percent of Democrats thought it was not too late to replace him a the nominee.

“A Democrat member of Congress told NBC the Justice Department report was a ‘nightmare’ and the party was now in a ‘grim situation’.”

Michelle Obama?

Express wrote on February 11:

“Donald Trump is ahead of Joe Biden in opinion polls to become US president – but former First Lady Michelle Obama could spoil the Republican’s hopes. Joe Biden could be replaced by former First Lady Michelle Obama on the ticket to become the US’s next president… senior Republicans have warned….

““The very unpopular Ms [Kamala] Harris is only on the ticket, say Republicans, because the Democratic Party is ‘a party of identity politics’ that needs to stem the haemorrhaging of African-American support. But there is an alternative waiting in the wings who would represent a real challenge for Mr Trump.

‘The only way to rectify this is to replace Harris with another black woman in the top spot. What other black woman is there with a great approval rating, name recognition and a link to a popular presidency in which Joe Biden also happened to serve as VP? Michelle Obama.’”

Mayorkas Impeached

JTA wrote on February 13:

“On its second try, the U.S. House of Representatives impeached the Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas by a single vote, in a process some Jewish groups said was tainted by antisemitic rhetoric.

“The impeachment of Mayorkas, who is Jewish, passed Tuesday on party lines by a vote of 214-213, with three Republicans breaking ranks. The effort, however, is likely going nowhere, because the Democratic-led Senate may not take it up, and if it does, there are nowhere near the 67 votes necessary to convict and remove Mayorkas, the first cabinet secretary impeached in nearly 150 years.

“The first attempt at impeachment last week narrowly failed, a setback for House Speaker Mike Johnson, the Louisiana Republican whose short tenure has been marked by a number of lost votes.

“Jewish groups have expressed alarm at the impeachment process, noting repeated invocations during the impeachment hearings of the Great Replacement, a baseless conspiracy theory whose original version claims Jews are behind an effort to replace the populations of majority-white countries with immigrants of color…

“A record number of migrants have been crossing the U.S.-Mexico border recently, and Republicans say the border is out of control because Mayorkas is willfully ignoring existing laws. They say amounts to the high crime and misdemeanors [show the necessity] for impeachment.

“Secretary Mayorkas has willfully and consistently refused to comply with federal immigration laws, fueling the worst border catastrophe in American history,” Johnson said in a statement after the vote… ‘Make no mistake — the Secretary has not committed an impeachable offense,’ Rep. Jerry Nadler, the Jewish New Yorker who is the top Democrat on the House Judiciary committee, said on X…

“Former President Donald Trump… urged Republicans to impeach Mayorkas…”

The charge of antisemitism, launched by left-liberal Jews, is utter nonsense. For instance, Trump has a Jewish son-in-law who is married to his daughter who converted to Judaism. Mayorkas’s impeachment was long overdue. So is Biden’s. The Senate run by Democrats will not impeach Mayorkas, because if they did, it would be an admission of Biden’s utter failure and the need to impeach him as well.

Biden the Enabler of Hunter’s Foreign Business Deals

Newsmax wrote on February 13:

“Tony Bobulinski, former business partner of Hunter Biden, is testifying before the House Oversight and Judiciary committees Tuesday, alleging the Biden family peddled President Joe Biden’s influence to China and Ukraine — all with the ‘enabler’ Joe Biden’s knowledge and blessing…

“Bobulinski laments the U.S. government and complicit media has ignored his ‘extensive evidence’ and allegations for years — even to the point of suppression — he said in his opening statement. ‘For nearly four years, I have tried to tell the American people the truth about serious corruption at the very top of their government,’ his statement read. ‘In return, I have been falsely accused of being a purveyor of “Russian disinformation” and a political surrogate. My continuous efforts to inform the American people of the facts have been actively suppressed by both the United States government and the so-called “mainstream” media.’…

“Bobulinski noted he is a U.S. Navy veteran upholding the highest standards of truth and devotion to the U.S. and not a partisan operative — as has been alleged. Also, he is nonpartisan, despite admittedly having donated to Democrat political campaigns in the past. ‘I implore each and every one of you to remove your partisan hats today and focus on one party: the United States of America,’ his statement concluded. ‘I hope your focus will be on a thorough and extensive investigation and exposure of all of the facts and evidence — and on answering the question of how we as a country allowed the White House to be infiltrated by our most existential adversary, the Chinese Communist Party. ‘I also hope you will hold the complicit parties, including Joe Biden, accountable for their actions, as well as enact new laws that prevent this kind of deep corruption from ever happening again.’”

Sadly, as in the case of Mayorkas, the left-liberal Senate will not impeach Biden, even if the evidence of “treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors” (Section 4 of Article Two of the Constitution) were overwhelming.

12 Senate Republicans Break Their Word

Breitbart wrote on February 9:

“This week, 17 Senate Republicans joined [every single Democrat excluding Sen. Bernie Sanders] to approve sending Ukraine another $60 billion. Twelve of those Republicans previously suggested they would not help send Ukraine any more American taxpayer money until the United States’s border was secure from illegal immigration… The money, if approved by the House, will fund weapons and military training… for Ukraine in its war with Russia. [It is coupled with $14.1 billion for Israel in its war with Hamas].

“Already, American taxpayers have been forced to send at least $113 billion to Ukraine in their war with Russia. The latest pool of money, if approved by the House and signed by President Joe Biden, would ensure that nearly $200 billion gets into the hands of Ukraine officials — much of which has gone unaccounted for.”

The Republican dissenters included the usual ones, such as Susan Collins and Mitt Romney, but also some surprises, such as John Kennedy. As expected, Mitch McConnell also joined the group. House Speaker Mike Johnson already declared his opposition, and that he would not bring the Senate bill to the House floor.

Trump Asks Supreme Court to Confirm His Immunity

The New York Post wrote on February 12:

“Former President Donald Trump is asking the Supreme Court to extend the delay in his election interference trial, saying he is immune from prosecution on charges he plotted to overturn his 2020 election loss…

“His lawyers filed an emergency appeal with the court on Monday… The filing keeps on hold what would be a landmark criminal trial of a former president while the nation’s highest court decides what to do… The Supreme Court’s decision… and how quickly it acts, could determine whether the Republican presidential primary frontrunner stands trial in the case before November.”

Trump Speaks to the NRA, Vowing Change

Newsmax wrote on February 10:

“The two-tiered system of justice under President Joe Biden will be facing a long overdue existential threat this November, former President Donald Trump vowed Friday night in his eighth headlining address to the National Rifle Association. ‘We will completely overhaul the corrupt Department of Justice to clear out all the communists who have weaponized government activities and gone against conservatives and gun owners,’ Trump told the [crowd] in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a key battleground state in the 2024 presidential election…

“Gone will be the days of soft enforcement of American laws, including the failure to enforce southern border and immigration law or the soft-on-crime policies in Democrat-run cities – all while the DOJ is weaponized against conservatives and even the religious – Trump vowed…

“Trump has vowed for months in his campaign to indemnify police, giving the law enforcement officers their authority back to enforce the laws Biden’s DOJ refuses to and restore public safety that has ravaged Democrat-run cities. ‘Even as they turn America into a crime-ridden, gang-infested, terror-filled dumping ground, Joe Biden and his thugs will do everything in their power to confiscate your guns and annihilate your God-given right to self-defense,’ Trump said.”

Self-defense involving the serious injury or death of an attacker, is NOT a God-given right. Please read our free booklet, “Should YOU Fight in War?” 

Trump: No Defense for Delinquent EU Members

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 11:

“Former US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he would ‘encourage’ Russia to attack members of NATO who had not met their financial obligations… Speaking at a campaign rally in South Carolina Saturday, the Republican presidential nomination frontrunner appeared to recount a conversation with a fellow head of state at an unspecified NATO meeting. ‘One of the presidents of a big country stood up and said, “Well, sir, if we don’t pay, and we’re attacked by Russia, will you protect us?” I said, “You didn’t pay, you’re delinquent? No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage them to do whatever the hell they want…”’

“Trump has long expressed skepticism about the 31-nation military alliance… European Council President Charles Michel… denounced Trump’s comments as ‘reckless.’… NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, meanwhile, warned in a statement that, ‘Any suggestion that allies will not defend each other undermines all of our security, including that of the US.’…

“In his 2016 presidential campaign, Trump shocked Western allies by cautioning that under his leadership the US might abandon its NATO treaty commitments and only come to the defense of those nations that meet the bloc’s military funding guidelines… As Trump leads President Joe Biden…,  European allies are concerned that the US commitment to the alliance could be in jeopardy if Trump wins the November electoral race. “

Newsmax wrote on February 10:

“… former President Donald Trump introduced a new policy proposal Saturday, vowing to turn all future foreign aid from obligation-free bailouts to ‘loans’ that should be paid back… Ultimately, the loan debts could be used as future leverage if the country does not maintain full diplomatic ties to the U.S., Trump added… That include[s] aid like to warring countries Ukraine and Israel, who are fighting imperialistic aggression and radical Islamic terrorism… ‘I did the same thing with NATO,’ Trump continued… Without leverage, there is no reason for a country to pay up for the costs American taxpayers bear, Trump noted. They need incentive, he said… ‘you have to understand: You don’t pay your bills, you get no protection’…”

Europe is in a state of panic and deeply concerned about a return of Donald Trump.

Will NATO Become a “Two-Tiered” Alliance?

Thomson/Reuters wrote on February 13:

“A leading national security adviser to Donald Trump told Reuters on Tuesday that he would push for changes to NATO if the former president returns to power that could result in some member nations losing protection against an outside attack.

“Keith Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general and onetime chief of staff of the former president’s National Security Council, said in an interview that if a member of the 31-country alliance failed to spend at least 2% of its gross domestic product on defense, as agreed, he would support removing that nation’s Article 5 protections under the North Atlantic Treaty. Article 5 states that an attack against one member of the Europe-based alliance will be considered an attack against all, and members of the alliance must respond appropriately. Without those protections, a member country would not be guaranteed other NATO members would come to its aid. ‘Where I come from, alliances matter,’ said Kellogg, who also served as former Vice President Mike Pence’s national security adviser. ‘But if you’re going to be part of an alliance, contribute to the alliance, be part of the alliance.’…

“Kellogg said if Trump wins, he would likely suggest a NATO meeting in June 2025 to discuss the future of the alliance. He said NATO could subsequently become a ‘tiered alliance,’ in which some members enjoy greater protections based on their compliance with NATO’s founding articles… Kellogg said that if Article 3 of the North Atlantic Treaty was not respected, the protections afforded by Article 5 should not be taken as automatic.

“Article 3 states that NATO member countries must make appropriate efforts to develop their individual defense capabilities. While Article 3 does not say countries must spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense, member nations pledged at a 2014 summit in Wales to move toward that figure within a decade…

“In December, Robert O’Brien, Trump’s national security adviser from 2019 to 2021… told Reuters imposing trade tariffs on NATO countries if they did not spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense would likely be among the policies on the table during a second Trump term.”

Germany Pledges 2% of GDP for NATO in 2024

Deutsche Welle wrote on February 14:

“Germany will meet NATO’s defense spending target of 2% of its gross domestic product (GDP) for the first time since the early 1990s… German news agency DPA put the figure…  at $73.41 billion (€ 68.58 billion) in the current year which it said would be 2.01% of Germany’s GDP.

“In 2023, Germany spent 1.57% of GDP on defense, well short of the 2% target. This Monday, however, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged to meet the 2% spending commitment…

“News of Germany hitting the 2% spending target came as NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg praised an ‘unprecedented’ 11% increase in defense spending in the 31-nation alliance. ‘This year I expect 18 allies to spend 2% of their GDP on defense…’, Stoltenberg said… NATO’s European states would invest a combined total of $380 billion in defense this year, Stoltenberg added.

“In 2023, eleven allies are expected to have met the 2% target according to prior NATO estimates — Poland, the US, Greece, Estonia, Lithuania, Finland, Romania, Hungary, Latvia, Britain and Slovakia.”

NATO has 31 members. Many have not met or will not meet the 2% target.

Tucker Carlson’s Interview with Putin

The Daily Beast wrote on February 8:

“’Putin [spoke] for a very long time, probably half an hour, about the history of Russia going back to the eighth century,’ Carlson said. ‘We thought this was a filibustering technique and found it annoying and interrupted him several times, and he responded. He was annoyed by the interruption.’…

“After the modified history lesson was over, Tucker asked an astonishing question, ‘But may I ask, you’re making the case that Ukraine, certainly parts of Ukraine, eastern Ukraine is in effect Russia—has been for hundreds of years. Why wouldn’t you just take it when you became president 24 years ago? You have nuclear weapons. They don’t. It’s actually your land. Why did you wait so long?’

“Instead of responding, Putin delved into another history lesson, going back all the way to 1654 and prompting Carlson to ask, ‘Do you believe Hungary has a right to take its land back from Ukraine, and that other nations have a right to go back to their 1654 borders?’ When Putin demurred, Carlson persisted, ‘Have you told Viktor Orbán that he can have part of Ukraine?’ Putin replied, ‘Never. I have never told him. Not a single time.’

“In the course of the interview, Putin revisited old grievances about Russia offering to join NATO and being rejected. He blamed the U.S. for helping Ukraine to get rid of its formerly pro-Russian presidents…

“In a comical exchange during the meandering interview, Tucker asked Putin: ‘Who blew up Nord Stream?’ Putin replied, ‘You for sure.’ Carlson parried: ‘I was busy that day. I did not blow up Nord Stream. Thank you though.’ Once again, Putin blamed the CIA, but refused to elaborate as to whether Russia has any evidence to prove that…

“Jumping from topic to topic, Putin assured Carlson he has no intention to invade Europe…

“To his credit, Carlson asked Putin to release the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich as a goodwill gesture. Putin harshly replied, ‘We have done so many gestures of goodwill out of decency that I think we have run out of them.’ He added that this matter could be solved through appropriate channels…

“He dramatically proclaimed that Ukrainians and Russians would be ‘reunited’ in the end: ‘No one will be able to separate the soul.’…”

The Daily Mail added on February 8:

“Putin claimed he sought to restore Russian relations with the US when he became president in 2000, even asking then-President Bill Clinton for a place in NATO. However, he alleged his request was rebuffed by Clinton’s team.

“‘[George W. Bush Jr.] was no worse than any other American or Russian or European politician. I assure you he understood what he was doing as well as others.’ He continued and said he had a similarly warm relationship with former President Donald Trump: ‘It is not about the personality of the leader. It is about the elites’ mindset…’ Putin was less enthusiastic about Biden…

”When asked what the decisive moment was that made up his mind to launch his attack, Putin responded, ‘initially, it was the coup in Ukraine’ – referencing the removal of Zelensky’s predecessor Viktor Yanukovych in 2014… Firstly, the current Ukrainian leadership would not implement the Minsk Agreements,’ Putin continued…  He accused former leaders of Germany and France of reneging on their commitments to the agreements…

“Today, before the interview dropped, White House Communications Coordinator John Kirby told Americans not to believe ‘anything’ in the interview… While Democrats have bristled at the thought of Carlson giving Putin a platform – including Hillary Clinton branding Carlson a ‘useful idiot’ – others are embracing it.  Robert Kennedy Jr. praised Carlson’s efforts earlier this week, saying he had every right to speak to the world leader and inform the public of his stance…

“The controversial interview has drawn criticism from the White House and the EU, both of whom say Putin cannot be trusted and should not be listened to.”

This last underlined comment by the White House and the EU is appallingly telling.

Putin’s “Outrageous Claims”

The Daily Mail wrote on February 9:

“[Putin] blamed Poland for starting the global conflict by working with German leader Adolf Hitler. He cited Germany’s invasion of Poland as evidence it was to blame… [Poland] still participated in the partitioning of Czechoslovakia together with Hitler, as the Poles had not given the Danzig corridor to Germany, and went too far, pushing Hitler to start World War 2 by attacking them…  In reality, historians attribute the start of the World War II to the Nazis’ decision to invade neighboring countries due to Hitler’s aggressive expansionism. His decision to invade Poland came after he sent troops to occupy Austria and annexed Czechoslovakia without reproach from the international community, which many feel paved the way for his later invasion…

“One of Putin’s major justifications for the war in Ukraine is his fundamental belief the country belongs to Russia. He cited the creation of the USSR as the point of establishment of Ukraine… ‘In 1922 when the USSR was being established, the Bolsheviks started building the USSR and established the Soviet Ukraine, which had never existed before.’ In reality, Ukraine declared its independence from Russia in 1991 after the collapse of the USSR…

“’Ukraine is obviously a satellite state of the US,’ Putin declared… The Russian leader cited the US’ ongoing financial support to the war-torn country as evidence for his claim…

“Carlson… asked if he had any evidence that NATO or the CIA was responsible for the attack [on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines], but Putin refused to provide any… The United States government has staunchly denied claims of involvement in the attack… Suspicion has fallen most strongly on Ukraine, where officials had opposed the project for years claiming it would empower Russia by enabling it to sell more gas to Europe.”

However, Biden made some telling remarks prior to the attack, indicating that America would prevent the pipelines from operating.

Putin also claimed that Boris Johnson “prevented peace talks” and alleged that “ former prime minister Johnson – who he said had a ‘pure heart’ but ‘not a great mind’ – intervened during talks in Istanbul in 2022 and persuaded Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy not to sign a peace deal, arguing that ‘it was better to fight Russia’ (The Independent, February 9). Johnson denied the allegation.

Putin Not Interested in Attacking Poland?

Express wrote on February 10:

“Nile Gardiner, Director of The Heritage Foundation’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, tells the Daily Express US that Putin is a ‘dangerous man’ who will want Russian forces to ‘massacre’ people across Europe… ‘he is incredibly dangerous. Europe has to be on its guard as to what Putin will do next in Europe… Clearly he has his sights set on territory beyond Ukraine…’

“The Russian president also said he had ‘no interest’ in attacking Poland or Latvia in his interview with Carlson. He said: ‘It goes against common sense to get involved in some kind of a global war and a global war will bring all humanity to the brink of destruction. It’s obvious.’

“However, in January 2022, Putin said he had no plans to invade Ukraine. Russian troops entered the country at the end of February that year.”

“Tucker Slayed the Mainstream Media Dragon”

Ron Paul wrote in his weekly column, published by the Ron Paul Institute, dated February 12:

“There has been much written and said about Tucker Carlson’s interview with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week. As of this writing the video on Twitter alone has been viewed nearly 200 million times, making it likely the most-viewed news event in history. Many millions of viewers who may not have had access to the other side of the story were informed that the Russia/Ukraine military conflict did not begin in 2022, as the mainstream media continuously reports, but in fact began eight years earlier with a US-backed coup in Ukraine. The US media does not report this because they don’t want Americans to begin questioning our interventionist foreign policy. They don’t want Americans to see that our government meddling in the affairs of other countries… has real and deadly consequences to those on the receiving end of our foreign policy.

“To me, however, perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Tucker Carlson interview with Putin was the US mainstream media reaction… In the days and weeks before the interview, the US media was filled with stories about how horrible it was that Tucker Carlson was interviewing the Russian president. There was the danger, they all said, that Putin might spread ‘disinformation.’

“That Putin might say something to put his country in a better light was, they were saying, reason enough to not interview him. With that logic, why have journalism at all? Everyone interviewed by journalists – certainly every world leader – will attempt to paint a rosy picture. The job of a journalist in a free society should be to do the reporting and let the people decide. But somehow that has been lost. These days the mainstream media tells you what to think and you better not dispute it or you will be cancelled!…

“In the end, the massive success of the Tucker Carlson interview with Vladimir Putin demonstrates once and for all that the American people are sick to death of their mainstream media propagandists and liars. They are looking not for government narratives, but for truth…”

At one time, it was understood that a journalist is to interview, not to challenge or engage in arguments with the interviewed.

Russia’s Economy Growing Faster Than Any in Europe

The Sun wrote on February 11:

“WHO would have thought when Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine went off the rails two years ago that Russia’s economy would today be growing faster than any in Europe? Germany has gone from the continent’s powerhouse to a GDP… that is smaller than Russia’s by many measurements.

“But then our leaders in Washington, London and Brussels made their own blunder. By imposing the toughest-ever ­economic sanctions on the Kremlin to add to our generous backing for Ukraine, Joe Biden and Co assumed that the Russian economy would tank, Putin would run out of cash to pay for his army, then the Russian people… would rebel against Putin for plunging them into poverty…

“Unemployment in Russia has fallen sharply since war broke out. Of course, mass recruitment into the army partly explains this, but Putin has been massively boosting military industries, sucking in labour and pushing up wages….”

The European Army

National Interest wrote on February 10:

“The idea of a joint European army has long been tossed around in the Continent’s power centers. This would be a separate organization from NATO and answer to the European Union…. A major obstacle is the very nature of the European Union.

“With 27 member states and about 450 million people, the European Union is a modern-day tower of Babel. There are a lot of interests, ideas, and beliefs, and they clash almost daily. Reaching a consensus for a major political decision to create a common military force doesn’t seem likely anytime soon—even after a major geopolitical event such as the invasion of Ukraine by Russia…. Another major hindrance… has to do with command and control.”

This is why a core Europe of 10 nations or groups of nations will develop which will give their power and authority to a totalitarian leader.

Deep Rifts Between Israel and the USA

Israel Today wrote on February 8:

“The diplomatic tension surrounding Israel’s efforts to defend itself and prevent the horrors of that black Shabbat from ever recurring has further exposed deep rifts between Israel and the United States. Or, at least, between Israel and the current US administration. The White House needs to understand that Oct. 7 caused a shift in the Israeli psyche. US national interests are no longer on equal footing with Israeli national interests. Because for Israelis, it’s literally a matter of life or death, and a horrible, torturous death at that.

“The vast majority of Israelis no longer care if the White House approves of what they feel must be done to protect the Jewish state, or about the Americans’ preferred path to resolving the conflict. The formulas coming out of Washington have clearly failed…”

In a short “press conference” at the White House, during which no questions were allowed, Biden and visiting German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (who is extremely unpopular in Germany) tried to present a united front. Scholz said they both agreed on the necessity of a two-state-solution, and expressed his hope that Congress would allow further aid for Ukraine. At that point, Biden said: “The failure of the United States Congress, if it occurs, not to support Ukraine, is close to criminal neglect. It is outrageous.”

More Terrorist Attacks Are Coming

The Sun wrote on February 10:

“With the US and UK focused on tackling Iran-backed extremists like the Houthis, Hamas and Hezbollah – the shadow of even more savage groups is growing in the region. ISIS – the blood-curdling terrorists whose attacks sparked horror around the world for years – are feared to be firing up for a return… [and that ] a terrorist attack on UK soil is ‘absolutely possible’.

“[Experts] warned a larger ‘war is coming’, which could mean a return to the days of War on Terror even worse than we have seen before.

“Professor Glees told us Hamas’ brutal massacre on October 7 was the spark that lit the fuse on a new powder keg – and warned the UK is not prepared. And meanwhile, General Hodges said: ‘The UK is in a pre-war environment. That means war is coming.’…

“US General Joel Vowell – who leads America’s efforts abroad to squash ISIS – warned that the threat of a suspected attack has risen 200 per cent in the last three months…  The raging threat of terror groups like Hamas, the Houthis and Hezbollah could be combined with attacks by organisations like ISIS on UK soil… Met Police commissioner Mark Rowley warned this time last year… that the UK has tens of thousands of potential terrorists hiding in plain sight.”

Mr. Secretary Blinken, We Need Answers!

The Times of Israel wrote on February 10:

“To understand the first, and hopefully last, Holocaust of this century, Secretary Blinken might want to brush up on the last century’s Holocaust and its predecessor pogroms in Europe and the Middle East. Mr. Secretary, please read the ‘Black Book’ that recounts… eyewitness survivors’ reports of the atrocities committed against Jews by the Nazis and their allies in Europe… The Black Book of what Hamas did on October 7 remains to be written and must include how Hamas came to possess American weapons delivered to Ukraine...

“Mr. Secretary, what exactly have the Israelis done to ‘dehumanize’ Gazans or any Palestinians? The IDF did not rape, burn, microwave, dismember, torture or murder Gaza civilians. The IDF kills or captures terrorists as surgically as possible even with greater risk of IDF injuries and deaths. Contrast that with indiscriminate Hamas missiles, rapists, killers and kidnappers. Are Palestinians in any kind of concentration camps like our country created for Japanese-Americans in WW2?…

“Those terrorists your boss calls ‘the other side’ because he forgot the name ‘Hamas,’ have in some cases done much worse in a shorter period of time than what the Nazis and other Axis soldiers and civilians did to Jews…

“Tell us also if you agree with [Biden’s] statement that the Israeli response to Hamas’s genocide was ‘over the top.’ If you agree with what your boss just said, tell us if the American responses to Pearl Harbor, the Gulf of Tonkin, and 9-11 were ‘over the top.’…”

Good questions.

How the Biden Administration Censored Books

The Ron Paul Institute published the following article by Professor Jonathan Turley on February 7:

“The House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government on Monday revealed yet another facet of the Biden Administration’s sprawling censorship system that targeted dissenting books. It appears that, as with social media companies, it succeeded in getting the company [Amazon] not to promote disfavored books. Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan revealed on X that the White House was directly involved in the censorship campaign. That includes a 2021 email from one Biden official asking to discuss ‘the high levels of propaganda and misinformation and disinformation of [sic] Amazon?’

“Amazon in turn appears to ask only how high the Biden White House wants it to jump on censorship: ‘[i]s the [Biden] Admin asking us to remove books, or are they more concerned about search results/order (or both)?’ After the meeting, Amazon confirmed in an email that it was actively doing what the government demanded in suppressing sales by not promoting disfavored books: ‘As a reminder, we did enable Do Not Promote for anti-vax books whose primary purpose is to persuade readers vaccines are unsafe or ineffective on 3/9, and will review additional handling options for these books with you.’

“This effort notably parallels demands from Democratic leaders who have called for enlightened algorithms to frame what citizens access on the internet…  It is important to keep in mind that these efforts at censorship targeted scientists who have been vindicated in many of their objections to policies and claims of the government…

“The new emails… show direct federal efforts supporting censorship…”

The Biden Administration’s approach is the typical hallmark of authoritarian regimes and dictatorships.  

Scottish Catholic Church Run By Powerful Gay Mafia?

Daily Mail wrote on February 13:

“A priest who said the Scottish Catholic Church was run by a ‘powerful gay mafia’ has claimed that he has been ‘bullied’ by the church… Matthew Despard was suspended from his duties in 2013 after making the claims in a self-published book. A ruling made by the Vatican in 2016 said he could return to work- but only if he makes a public apology for his claims… Despard has refused, saying that he is not sorry for ‘telling the truth’…

“Despard remains in employment with the Church, but has been banned from performing certain religious duties, such as saying Mass…

“He raised his case with the Roman Rota in Italy in 2016 – an internal court for the Catholic Church, where he was told to withdraw the book, which he has. But Joseph Toal, the Bishop of Motherwell, said that Father Despard must apologise for any ‘hurt and offence’ caused by his book. But the suspended priest has said his claims have been shown to be true after reports about the Scottish Catholic Church. Cardinal Keith O’Brien, who was once the most senior Catholic cleric in Britain, resigned in 2013 after claims of sexual misconduct against priests as far back as the 1980s…

Why did he withdraw his book? That appears to have been a big mistake.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

The apparent distinction between being called and being chosen has confused many people. As we will show in this new series, these words are addressing different aspects of the same concept.

We will, in this installment, concentrate on people who are called and chosen for salvation; that is, who have been elected by God long before they were born to be given an opportunity in their lifetime to inherit salvation when Christ returns.

Quoting from our free booklet, “Are YOU Predestined to be Saved?”, https://www.eternalgod.org/booklet-605/ we say this on page 52:

“The Bible teaches that in this day and age, God calls just very few to salvation. Those who respond to the call and become converted are referred to as the firstfruits (compare James 1:18; Revelation 14:4). Some try to defeat the Biblical concept of predestination, as explained in this booklet, by stating that God does not know ahead of time whom He will call and choose. Rather, they claim that God ‘calls’ many, based on their prior conduct in this life, and that He then decides to choose or accept those who respond to His call, while rejecting those who reject His call.

“However, those who are truly called today have been first foreknown and predestined by God (Romans 8:28)…”

Notice the wording of Romans 8:28-30:

“(28) And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (29) For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”

Paul says here that God foreknew and predestined those whom He called. The next step in the process would be justification—upon repentance and belief in Christ’s sacrifice, they would obtain forgiveness and would thereby become justified in God’s eyes—their former sins were blotted out—and if they remain faithful to God and His Way of Life, they would be glorified—obtain glorification—being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. In God’s eyes, those who were foreknown and predestined to be called would make it into His Kingdom—only they could prevent this from happening.

Continuing with our quote from the above-stated booklet:

“They were singled out BEFORE they did right or wrong—that is, they were NOT called because of their works (compare Romans 9:11; 2 Timothy 1:8–9).”

Let us focus on the exact wording of Romans 9:10-12:

“(10) And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (11) (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), (12) it was said to her, ‘The older shall serve the younger.’”

We read here that God’s purpose according to election must stand regarding those whom God calls.

Also notice the wording in 2 Timothy 1:8-9:

“(8) Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, (9) who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began…”

According to this passage, those who are called with a holy calling were not called because of their works, but according to God’s purpose and grace which was given to them “before time began.”

In Romans 8:28, the Greek word for “called” is “kletos.” In Romans 8:30, the word is “kaleo.”

In Romans 9:11, the Greek word is also “kaleo,” So is the word for “calls” in 2 Timothy 1:9, whereas the word for calling, in “holy calling,” is “klesis.”

Regarding the meaning of the verb “kaleo,” W.E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words writes:

“Kaleo is used… with a personal object, to call anyone, invite, summon…; it is used particularly of the Divine call to partake of the blessings of redemption… of vocation… Thus it suggests either vocation or destination; the context determines which…”

Vine’s defines the adjective “kletos” and the noun “klesis” as a calling and is used “especially of God’s invitation to man to accept the benefits of salvation.”

We see, then, that God has called some for salvation before they were born; in fact, before time began. He foreknew them, predestined them, called them.

We continue with quoting from our before-mentioned booklet:

“Those who are truly called are also chosen and faithful (compare Revelation 17:14). The Bible does not teach that God calls many today to salvation, but that most reject their calling and that only a few will respond and become chosen and faithful. If that were true, then those who have rejected their spiritual calling to eternal salvation would have committed the unpardonable sin—and this is decisively not correct. Today, God only calls and chooses the few (compare 1 Corinthians 1:26–29), and when He brings them to true conversion, they, for the most part, will stay loyal to Him (although it is possible, that some, who are truly called to salvation, will commit the unpardonable sin).”

Many have stumbled over the fact that those who were predestined to be called were also predestined to be chosen—and that, long before they were born. If we wanted to draw a distinction between being called and being chosen by saying that some would be called first, and only later, after having proven themselves to be worthy, they would become chosen, then we would also have to say that God, even though He foreknew and predestined some to be called in this day and age, engaged in a big gamble as to who would also advance to become chosen, and that most of those whom God predestined to be called would not make it, and would fall away, and that God knew this ahead of time; in fact, before time began. This is truly a preposterous concept. Why would God call those whom He had foreknown and predestined, knowing that they would not make it, but fall away? After all, we read Paul’s words in Philippians 1:6: “… being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ…”

God did not call the firstfruits so that most would fail; rather, He called them “before time began” so that they would succeed. God calls [“kaleo”] us into His own kingdom and glory (1 Thessalonians 2:12). We are also told: “He who calls [“kaleo”] you is faithful, who also WILL DO it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24). We are “the called [“kletos”] of Jesus Christ”—the “saints” (Romans 1:6, 7; 8:28). Jude 1 refers to us as “those who are called [“kletos”], sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ.” In Hebrews 3:1, we are referred to as “holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling [“klesis”].” And 2 Peter 1:10 admonishes God’s true disciples “to make your call [“klesis”] and election sure.”

In focusing now on the fact that those who are called were chosen by God, we continue with quoting from pages 52 and 53 of our before-mentioned booklet:

“Those who are called by God and whose names are written in God’s Book of Life are God’s ‘chosen’ generation or people (1 Peter 2:9; Acts 9:15; James 2:5). They are ‘the elect’ or ‘chosen ones’ (Matthew 24:24, 31). We read in Ephesians 1:3–5 that ‘the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ… chose us in Him before the foundation of the world… having predestined us… as sons [the rendering “adoption as sons” is incorrect] by Jesus Christ to Himself.’

“We also read in 2 Thessalonians 2:13–14: ‘But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.’

“Christ says in John 15:16, 19: ‘You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain… I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”

“When the Bible talks about the predestination of those truly ‘called’ to salvation in this day and age, it includes the concept that they are also ‘chosen’ to be numbered among the ‘elect’…

“At the same time, we read in Mark 13:20 about the coming Great Tribulation: ‘And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.’”

Rather than teaching that some are called first, and if they overcome and don’t fall away, then they are also chosen, the Bible teaches the exact opposite.  Remember, we read that those whom God foreknew and predestined, He also called them before time began.  We also just read above, in 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14, that God from the beginning chose us for salvation to which He called us. So, if anything, the order would be reversed. But the Truth is that some were preordained or elected or chosen to be called in this day and age. And that, before the foundation of the world (compare again Ephesians 1:3-5).

1 Corinthians 1:26-29 uses the words “calling” and “chosen” interchangeably:

(26) For you see your calling [Greek: “klesis”], brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called [Note that the words “are called” are not in the Greek and were added by the translator]. (27) But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; (28) and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, (29) that no flesh should glory in His presence.”

We need to review the different Greek words, all being translated as “chosen,” to get a clearer picture of their meaning.

In 1 Corinthians 1:27-28, the Greek word for “chosen” is “eklego.” It is also used in John 15:16, 19 (see above), and in Ephesians 1:4 (see above). It is also used in James 2:5: “Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom…?”). According to Vine’s, it means “to pick out,” “select”, “to choose for oneself.”

The Greek word “eklego” is also used in Mark 13:20, where the words “elect” and “chosen” are used interchangeably: “… for the elect’s sake, whom He chose…”

The Greek word for “chosen,” “eklektos”, is used, for example, in 1 Peter 2:9 (“you are a chosen generation”). It means “chosen out, select.” It is rendered as “elect” in Matthew 24:22, 31. The New King James Bible includes an annotation to Matthew 24:31 (“they will gather together His elect,” “chosen ones”).

Vine’s says:

“eklektos, lit. signified picked out, chosen (ek, from, lego, to gather, pick out) and is used of… believers… Believers were ‘chosen before the foundation of the world… The source of their election is God’s grace, not human will…They are given by God the Father to Christ as the fruit of His Death, all being foreknown and foreseen by God.”

The Greek word “ekloge” in Acts 9:15 (“a chosen vessel”) has a similar meaning; it refers to choice and selection. It is sometimes rendered “election.” It is used in Romans 9:11 in reference to the election of Jacob, which can also be rendered, according to Vine’s, as “that which is chosen.”

So, the firstfruits were selected or picked out, before the foundation of the world, to be called in this age. To put it differently, if we belong to the firstfruits, we were called before time began; that is, God had already decided before He created anything physical, that He would call us in our lifetime for salvation.

An unusual word is used in 2 Thessalonians 2:13, where we read that God chose us from the beginning. The word is “aireomai” and means, to take or to lift up for oneself. Again, the thought is conveyed that God, for Himself and for His plan, predestined and chose certain elected ones to be called in this age, for His purpose.

In this context, how are we to understand Revelation 17:14, which says: “These [10 nations] will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called [“kletos”], chosen [“eklektos”], and faithful.”

Barnes Notes on the Bible gives the following explanation:

“Are called – That is, called by him to be his followers; as if he had selected them out of the world to maintain his cause…

“And chosen – … In their steadfast adherence to the truth, they had shown that they were truly chosen by the Saviour…

“And faithful – They had shown themselves faithful to him in times of persecution, and in the hour of darkness.”

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible adds:

“… are called, and chosen, and faithful; they are chosen in Christ from all eternity… and though their calling is here set before election, as in 2 Peter 1:10, yet it does not precede it; the Arabic version reads, ‘chosen, called, faithful’; first ‘chosen’ by God the Father, then ‘called’, … being called they remain ‘faithful’:..”

The Geneva Study Bible speaks here about “those that are elected, called, and are his faithful ones in Christ.”

Rightly understood, this passage does not convey the thought that the firstfruits are called, and only when they have proven themselves, then they become “chosen.” Rather, our calling and election (being chosen) were determined by God before the foundation of the world—before time began.

We are admonished to make our calling (“klesis”) and election (“ekloge”) sure (2 Peter 1:10) because even though we were predestined and chosen to be called in this age, we must make sure that we do not receive our calling in vain. We prove to God through our conduct that we, having been foreknown and predestined for the Kingdom of God, are fulfilling our destiny of becoming immortal God beings when Christ returns.

(To Be Continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Trump Frightens Europe,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Trump’s recent comments about NATO and delinquent NATO members have led to fear and panic in Europe. Europeans are deeply concerned about a return of Trump. They feel that they need to act quickly if Europe is to survive. What are they planning to do, and will they be successful? How dangerous are their ideas and proposals?

“Trump macht Europa Angst,” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the topic described above.

“Zwanglos,” last Sabbath’s German split sermon presented by Manuel Müller, is now posted. Title in English: “Casual.”

“Das Werk der Liebe Jesu Christi,” last Sabbath’s German split sermon presented by Thilo Hanstein, is now posted. Title in English: “The Work of Love of Jesus Christ”

“Biden’s Two Alternatives: Prosecution or Resignation—Comments on News and Prophecy, February 10, 2024,” last Sabbath’s first message presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Special Counsel Robert Hur concluded in his report that Biden “willfully retained” highly classified and top secret documents at unsecured locations, but recommended against prosecuting Biden as a jury might not convict him because of his “perceived mental decline,” “confusion,” “diminished faculties” and “poor memory.” Democrats quickly condemned Hur for his “inaccurate, inappropriate and gratuitous comments.” But as this program will show, Hur’s comments were none of the above. Many examples are given which seem to support the concerns of a vast majority of Americans about Biden’s mental health. Which leaves us with two alternatives: If Biden is too senile to stand trial, then he must resign as President. If he is not mentally incompetent and his memory is good, as he claims, then he must be prosecuted. But replacing Biden with another candidate might already be too late and may constitute other serious challenges for the Democratic Party.

”Before It’s Too Late,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:

As we continue to watch the world descend into chaos, we are admonished that we need to be the opposite – we need to draw closer and closer to God so that we are not sucked into the coming destruction. To do this, we need to make sure we are fully focused on our Christian lives. It will become too late at some point!