Update 1045

On November 19, 2022, Kalon Mitchell will present the sermonette, titled, “Quiet Quitting Christianity,” and Michael Link will present the sermon, titled, “Thoughtful Action.”

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.

People often have things that they consider to be precious to them. It may be memories of a particular event. It could be an object, for example, a photograph, that reminds them of a particularly enjoyable occasion. It could be a particular friendship that has been longstanding and close. Whatever it is, it is important to them and they consider it precious.

In the natural world, there are minerals that are considered precious—metals like gold, silver and the platinum group of metals. There are also precious gemstones.

A good definition of precious is found in the Cambridge dictionary. It defines precious as: “Of great value because of being rare, expensive, or important.” This definition certainly applies to the above-mentioned listings. A person may find things, events or friendships precious because they are rare or important and the things may possibly be expensive.

Considering metals and gemstones, they are precious because of their importance in industry or commerce on account of their physical features. Some of them are very durable. Gold and silver and some gemstones have been considered precious for thousands of years. They can also be expensive because of their rarity.

It’s obvious that we consider things that are precious to us to be important for various reasons. When we read through the Bible, there are a number of things that are stated as being precious to man—things like precious stones or jewels, precious ointment, precious gold and silver—but there are a number of things that are precious or important to God. They are of much greater importance than physical things that are only temporary. These have a common goal that God considers a highly important part of His plan.

What does God reveal that is really precious to Him? It is not physical objects but more spiritual considerations. Looking at the Hebrew words in this regard, the meaning of precious is basically heavy in value (valuable) or rare. The Greek words for precious have the meaning of costly, valuable, honored, esteemed, beloved.

The first occurrence of precious other than a physical object is in 1 Samuel 3:1 where we find that at that time God’s Word was rare (or precious, as in the Authorised Version and some other versions): “Now the boy Samuel ministered to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare (precious, Authorised Version) in those days; there was no widespread revelation.”  We certainly know that God’s Word is valuable and, in those days, it was also very rare.

In Psalm 49:8-9, we find just how precious redemption is. The previous verses reveal that no amount of money can redeem souls: “For the redemption of their souls is costly (precious, Authorised Version), And it shall cease forever—That he should continue to live eternally, And not see the Pit.” Here, redemption is so important that it leads to eternal life. No amount of money could buy it, as will be seen later.

Further on in the Psalms, we find that God considers the blood, or death, of His saints to be precious. This is revealed in Psalm 72:14: “He will redeem their life from oppression and violence; And precious shall be their blood in His sight.” And in Psalm 116:15: “Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints.” This is because when a saint dies, God will resurrect him or her to eternal life as a part of His Family forever. Their future is assured.

Psalm 139:17 informs us of something that should be precious to us, not just to David. It shows that we should think as God thinks: “How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!” Regarding God’s thoughts, we read in other passages that God desires all men to be saved, and He thinks good toward His people and not evil.

Proverbs 20:15 reveals that “the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel,” more than “gold and a multitude of rubies.” True knowledge gives us understanding of our future and what we will be.

In Isaiah 28:16 is a prophecy of the coming Messiah, revealing that He is precious: “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily.”

In Isaiah 43:3-4, God reveals that He considers His people of Israel to be precious: “For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Since you were precious in My sight, You have been honored, And I have loved you; Therefore  I will give men for you, And people for your life.”

In the New Testament, further things are mentioned as being precious to God. In 1 Peter 1:7, the genuineness of our faith is much more precious than gold that perishes. In 1 Peter 1:19, the blood of Jesus Christ is also considered precious.

In 1 Peter 2:4-7, Isaiah 28:16 is expanded upon. The Messiah is again called the chief cornerstone and precious upon whom we are built up as a holy priesthood.

2 Peter 1:1 shows that God’s people have obtained the precious faith by the righteousness of Jesus Christ—not by anything we have earned by our own efforts. And the last mention of what God considers precious is in 2 Peter 1:4, telling us that we have received “exceedingly great and precious promises” that we can partake of the divine nature; basically, that we become God and have His nature.

So, what can we conclude from these passages? Even though God made precious physical things for man, which things are temporary, He considers those things much more precious which are leading to our eternal life. His Word, our redemption, the resurrection after our death, what God thinks about us and His intentions for us, the Messiah of course, genuine faith, the costly blood of Jesus Christ which alone makes our redemption possible, and the precious faith which can only come through the righteousness of Jesus Christ—all these result in the promise of us being born as a part of the Family of God.

All these precious things have the aim of increasing the number of Spirit beings in His Family which is His overall purpose. This is why Peter used his strongest expression “exceedingly great and precious promises.” Nothing in this physical world can compare with that.

We begin with the undeniable fact that not much good will happen in Washington, regardless as to who will control the House and the Senate. But we also point out that the “disastrous” midterm elections (depending on one’s viewpoint) will have global ramifications.

We publish an article from Germany’s mass tabloid Bild, which accurately reflects the negative sentiments of most Germans about Donald Trump who just declared that he will run in the 2024 presidential election; and we quote from articles showing the positive feelings about Trump in Israel in connection with bestowing on him a rare and highly prestigious medal of honor.

We speak on the Biden Administration’s declaration not to support Israel’s proposed annexation of Judea and Samaria; and point out the terrible consequences of Biden’s incompetent withdrawal from Afghanistan and the return of the dictatorial and inhumane Taliban (an outcome which was so predictable). We also address the recent event of a missile hitting Poland. Please view in this regard our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Missile Hits Poland.”

We discuss the dishonesty of the medical establishment in regard to the coronavirus propaganda [including the absurd decision of the TSA to continue the ban for non-American unvaccinated tourists to enter the USA]; address the dishonesty by especially younger and somewhat inexperienced scientists and the mass media in regard to the man-made climate change propaganda, speak of Italy’s skepticism towards Covid 19 vaccines, same-sex marriages, euthanasia and assisted suicide, and we conclude with an interesting assessment of the situation in Great Britain pertaining to Camilla, wife of King Charles III, and the role which the late Queen Elizabeth II might have played in this regard.  

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

Not Much Will Change in Washington

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on November 11:

“… very little will change in Washington after this election… After all, so much of federal policy is now determined by the executive branch that moderate changes in party leadership in Congress will do very little to change the course of the nation’s administrative agencies such as the EPA, the IRS, and the FBI. These agencies have immense power over the daily lives of countless Americans, yet even sizable majorities of so-called conservatives have shown little stomach to rein in this power. Certainly, the small GOP majority now headed for the House will do little.

“...we can expect to keep hearing plenty about the evil of fossil fuels. The administration will continue to press for less drilling for oil and gas, and the war on coal will continue. The administration will continue to issue new edicts for ‘fighting global warming.’ This, of course, will continue to drive up the cost of living.

“On foreign policy, it was clear nothing much would change short of an overwhelming victory by ‘America First’ types in Congress. That hasn’t happened, so we can expect more of the same foreign interventionism we’re seeing now. The US regime will add to the $65 billion it has already sent to Ukraine and will continually ratchet up its involvement in the region as it recently did with a deployment of US troops near the Ukraine border. Even worse, the US will likely continue to flirt with nuclear war, as the regime’s new National Defense Strategy document has given the Pentagon more leeway in using nuclear arms. The US will not any time soon remove the approximately nine hundred American troops that are currently conducting a regional occupation in Syria.

“Naturally, as far as social spending goes, we can expect zero change. Under Donald Trump, Republicans signed off on massive new spending increases and were headed toward approving trillion-dollar deficits even before 2020. With covid, of course, spending exploded even more, and only a small handful of Republicans expressed doubts… The only disagreements we’ll see in Washington in the next two years will be over how exactly to run up the next massive annual deficit…

“While Washington will keep up with the same disastrous policies, the real change we’ll see will be at the state level… What all this likely means is a continued divergence between places like Washington State, New York State, and California, on the one hand, and Florida, Texas, and Ohio, on the other. On matters like abortion, schools, immigration, guns, and energy policy, the differences between the two blocs will only continue to grow…

“Over time, this will continue to build a real cultural divide that will inevitably lead to de facto political division between these blocs of states… ‘National divorce’ will increasingly be evident on the horizon.”

And so, the division in the USA will continue while Washington—regardless as to who is in power— will prove as being totally incompetent and irrelevant. Out of Arizona, Nevada and Georgia, the Republicans needed at least two wins to gain the majority in the Senate.

Breitbart reported on November 11 that “the Arizona Senate race has been called for Democrat Mark Kelly, who beat his Republican challenger Blake Masters.”

NBC News reported on November 12: “The picture in the Senate became clear late Saturday after Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada narrowly defeated Republican Adam Laxalt to win re-election, putting her party over the threshold… Masto’s victory means Democrats will hold the Senate regardless of the outcome of Georgia’s Dec. 6 runoff election when Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican Herschel Walker will face each other again after neither cleared the 50% threshold required under state law.

“A Walker win would keep the Senate 50-50, where Vice President Kamala Harris casts the tie-breaking vote for Democrats. A Warnock victory would make it 51-49, giving Democrats one extra vote…”

This would enable the Democrats to pass a few bills which require a simple majority. Most bills need 60 votes. A Democratic majority in the Senate also means that Biden can nominate federal judges and appointees to the Supreme Court, should vacancies occur.

Most news articles project or have already announced a slight win of the Republicans taking back the House. The votes of several races are still being counted. 

The Associated Press reported on November 17:

“More than a week after Election Day, Republicans secured the 218th seat needed to flip the House from Democratic control. The full scope of the party’s majority may not be clear for several more days — or weeks — as votes in competitive races are still being counted. But they are on track to cobble together what could be the party’s narrowest majority of the 21st century, rivaling 2001, when Republicans had just a nine-seat majority, 221-212 with two independents.”

The New York Post added on November 17:

“The narrow majority calls into question the future of promised wide-ranging, GOP-led House committee investigations into the Biden administration on topics including the botched US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the ongoing migration crisis at the US-Mexico border — and first son Hunter Biden’s overseas business dealings…”

One could add to this list promised investigations into the origin of the coronavirus and Fauci’s role in the matter. 

Many blame Trump for these developments. The New York Post reported on November 11:

“President Donald Trump [made] a racially insensitive attack against Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (“his name sounds Chinese”)… [It was also reported:] ‘He was really upset about Dr. [Mehmet] Oz [losing his Senate race in Pennsylvania]. It really set him off… [It was even reported that he blamed his wife Melania for convincing him to endorse Dr. Oz.] He’s grumpy and unhappy that Ron DeSantis did so well…’ Trump went on a social media tirade against the Florida governor Thursday, saying that DeSantis should not run in 2024 and deriding him as an ‘average REPUBLICAN Governor with great Public Relations…’”

Global Implications

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 11:

“A divided government has implications for US global leadership… The midterm shift, which will not take effect until the new year, looks to be small, but potentially decisive…

“Stephen Wertheim, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a Washington-based think tank, told DW: … ‘It is a good time for Europe to think about how self-sufficient it is and wants to be when it comes to its defense… I don’t know how many more warning signs from the United States are necessary to convey this message.’”

Finally, Europe, which has been called the “sleeping giant” in the past, will wake up.

USA and Canada… On Their Road to Perdition

National Post wrote on November 10:

“Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is likely to draw some encouragement from Tuesday’s U.S. midterms. Despite running an unpopular government, and a weak economy, President Joe Biden’s party, which shares many views with Canada’s Liberals, out-performed all expectations and has kept the Republican ‘red tide’ at bay, at least for now.

“The message to Biden, and indirectly to Trudeau, who is similarly unpopular and also governs a country that the overwhelming majority thinks is headed in the wrong direction, that there is no need to change direction. They can both continue extreme policies on climate, control of media and protest…

“The current course both the U.S. and Canada are taking seems destined to create a recession…  if attempts to control social media and political speech did not hurt Biden with voters, the even more draconian approach being proposed by Trudeau to regulate the internet may not cause him long term damage…  the Democrats’ performance suggests that, as in Canada, our increasingly multi-racial societies will continue to be pummeled by claims of ‘systemic racism’ and demand for racial quotas and favouritism… The road to political perdition and disunion seems a bit better paved today in both countries.”

Manasseh and Ephraim’s prophesied downfall is coming.

Trump Will Run…

The New York Post wrote on November 15:

“Former President Donald Trump ended months of speculation and launched his bid to retake the White House in 2024 Tuesday, an early attempt to clear the GOP primary field… Trump brushed off the unexpectedly poor showing by Republicans in last week’s midterm elections.

“… if Trump wins the White House again in 2024, he will have pulled off one of the biggest political comebacks in US history after leaving office with the riot overshadowing his domestic and foreign policy accomplishments… Trump would be the second president elected to non-consecutive terms, after Democrat Grover Cleveland in 1884 and 1892. [A victory would make Trump the 45th and the 47th president, according to Fox News.]

“He would have to leave office in January 2029 because the Constitution doesn’t allow a president to be elected to three terms.”

The accuracy of the last sentence is debatable, with some legal scholars contending that the Constitution only prohibits more than two consecutive terms.

“In Regard to Donald Trump”

We are publishing the following article—not because we necessarily agree with its sentiments, but because we want to show how the overwhelming majority of Germans feel about Trump, as captured very well by the most-read mass tabloid’s article, quoted below.  

On November 11, Bild Online published the following Editorial:

“Unfortunately, it is not over after the midterm elections… he’s a narcissist. He loves himself more than America. He’s only fascinated with himself. Psychiatrists speak of personality damage in narcissism.

“According to the Roman poet Ovid, Narcis was a beautiful young man who had many admirers. But they didn’t interest him. When he saw himself reflected in a water, in a brook, he was so consumed with himself that he threw himself in the water with desire and drowned.

“Trump is such an amorous narcissist…The narcissist does not tolerate insults. He hits back with brutality. His language is like Trump’s language. Chaos, end of the world, electoral fraud… My prayer is: Lord, deliver us from Donald Trump.”

Our prayers should be: God, deliver us from all our politicians running our countries, and send back Jesus Christ to make an end to man’s mad misrule. In other words: Your Kingdom Come!

Zionists Honor Trump

JTA wrote on November 14:

“In his first public appearance after midterm elections in which his Republican Party failed to take control of the U.S. Senate, former president Donald Trump headed to a friendly audience. The Zionist Organization of America was awarding Trump a rare honor, the Theodor Herzl Medal, for his contributions on behalf of Israel… the gala landed at a precarious moment for the former president, as allies throughout the Republican Party have signaled or even said forthrightly in the last several days that they believe he should not run…

“Trump received standing ovations just about every time his name was mentioned, as multiple presenters recited the litany of achievements that they said had made him the best U.S. president ever for Israel. They include moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, brokering the Abraham Accords between Israel and Arab countries, pulling the United States out of the Iran nuclear deal and more… The group’s president, Mort Klein — in a fiery speech… made clear that his confidence in Trump was unwavering…”

Newsmax added on November 14:

“Former President Donald Trump received the Zionist Organization of America’s greatest honor for ‘being the best friend Israel ever had in the White House.’ The organization’s Theodor Herzl Medallion, awarded rarely, previously was presented to people including former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, former President Harry Truman, and former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir… [Klein said:] ‘President Trump is, in fact, so popular in Israel that, were he eligible to run, he would likely be elected prime minister. Indeed, Israel named a new town after the 45th president, ‘Trump Heights.’”

“Other Theodor Herzl Medallion winners included Lord Balfour, David Ben Gurion, Menachem Begin, and Sheldon G. Adelson.”

JNS added on November 14:

“Klein added that the Biden administration was acting hypocritically by implicitly condemning the ‘extremism’ of Religious Zionism leaders Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir, yet failing to denounce Abbas’s promotion of terrorism against Israelis.”

But as the articles also point out, many Jews in America do not support Trump, and, according to Trump, they do not even support the state of Israel.

USA Would Oppose Israel’s Annexations

Israel Today wrote on November 10:

“US Ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides warned that Washington would oppose any Israeli steps to annex Judea and Samaria…

“The comments were the first by American officials on specific issues related to Israeli-Palestinian peace process. One of the Religious Zionism party’s demands for joining Netanyahu’s coalition is for Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria to be governed by Israeli government ministries…”

America will NOT be a reliable partner and ally for Israel—and especially NOT under the Biden Administration.

Afghanistan’s Return to Its Evil Past

Daily Mail wrote on November 14:

“Afghanistan’s supreme leader has ordered judges to fully enforce aspects of Islamic law that include public executions, stonings and floggings, and the amputation of limbs for thieves… Akhundzada, who has not been filmed or photographed in public since the Taliban returned to power in August last year, rules by decree from Kandahar, the movement’s birthplace and spiritual heartland.

“’Carefully examine the files of thieves, kidnappers and seditionists,’… Akhundzada [was quoted] as saying. ‘Those files in which all the sharia (Islamic law) conditions of hudud and qisas have been fulfilled, you are obliged to implement. This is the ruling of sharia, and my command, which is obligatory.’

“… Hudud refers to offences which, under Islamic law, certain types of punishment are mandated, while qisas translates as ‘retaliation in kind’ – effectively an eye for an eye. Hudud crimes include adultery – and falsely accusing someone of it – drinking alcohol, theft, kidnapping and highway robbery, apostasy and rebellion. Qisas covers murder and deliberate injury, among other things, but also allows for the families of victims to accept compensation in lieu of punishment…

“Women in particular have seen hard-won rights evaporate in the past 15 months, and they are increasingly being squeezed out of public life. Most female government workers have lost their jobs – or are being paid a pittance to stay at home – while women are also barred from travelling without a male relative and must cover up with a burqa or hijab when outside. In the past week, the Taliban also banned women from entering parks, funfairs, gyms and public baths.”

All of this was so predictable. The incompetence, indifference and naivety of the Biden Administration when leaving Afghanistan are next to unparalleled in recent American history.

Missile Hits Poland

Fox News reported on November 16:

“Poland’s President Andrzej Duda said Wednesday that there is an ‘indication’ the missile that landed in Polish territory and killed two was an ‘air defense missile.’ ‘There is no indication that this was an intentional attack on Poland,’ he said… The missile came down Tuesday on the Polish-Ukrainian border and landed in the village of Przewodów around 3:40 p.m.

“Three anonymous U.S. officials told the Associated Press that preliminary assessments suggested the missile was fired by Ukrainian forces at an incoming Russian one… NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also confirmed Wednesday that the missile that hit Poland was likely a Ukrainian air defense missile…”

Daily Mail added on November 16:

“Hours after the incident, Volodymyr Zelensky had blamed it on ‘Russian missile terror’, and Kyiv is yet to concede its own missile was involved…

“The news came after a nervous night in which it looked like NATO and Russia could be heading for a direct confrontation that would have risked triggering World War Three, and it underlines the risk that a single mistake or miscalculation in Ukraine could yet spark such a conflict.”

The Ron Paul Institute wrote a castigating report on November 16. As it is true for all articles which we republish, we do not take sides on this issue, nor do we confirm the accuracy of what is stated, but we are just presenting it for the information of our readers:

“NATO and Russia briefly stood on the brink of World War III Tuesday evening after Ukraine accidentally bombed Poland. The incident happened as its forces were trying to intercept incoming Russian missiles during what’s been described as Moscow’s fiercest attack… thus far… Instead of shooting down the Russian missile, Kiev’s S-300 malfunctioned and ended up dropping into Poland, where it killed two people.

“The Ukrainian leadership was well aware of what happened but decided to propagate the most dangerous conspiracy theory in history in an attempt to literally spark World War III. Zelensky lied to the world by describing his forces’ accidental bombing of Poland as ‘a Russian missile strike on collective security’ and telling NATO that ‘We need to act.’ His Foreign Minister [claimed] that all allegations that his side was responsible for this incident are nothing but ‘Russian propaganda’.

“To his credit, Biden told the press in response to a question about whether Russia was responsible that ‘There is preliminary information that contests that. It is unlikely in the lines of the trajectory that it was fired from Russia, but we’ll see.’…  There’s no reason to doubt Biden’s assessment nor that of those three unnamed US officials… Quite clearly, just like with the Nord Stream terrorist attack that was in all likelihood carried out by the Anglo-American Axis… NATO doesn’t truly hold Moscow responsible…”

The article also questions the popular narrative that Ukraine is winning the war.

Mormons Support Legislation for Same-Sex Marriage

The Associated Press wrote on November 15:

“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Tuesday it supports proposed federal legislation to safeguard same-sex marriages… The 17-million member, Utah-based faith said in a statement that church doctrine would continue to consider same-sex relationships against God’s commandments, yet would support rights for same-sex couples as long as they didn’t infringe upon religious groups’ right to believe as they choose…

“The faith opposes same-sex marriage and sexual intimacy, but it has taken a more welcoming stance to LGBTQ people in recent years. In 2016, it declared that same-sex attraction is not a sin, while maintaining that acting on it was.”

The “Respect For [Same-Sex and Interracial] Marriage Act”

 Breitbart wrote on November 16:

“Twelve Senate Republicans voted with Democrats on Wednesday for the far-left ‘Respect for Marriage Act,’ which is reportedly designed to provide federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages… the bill will go back to the House before going to President Joe Biden. The White House has expressed support for the measure.

“RFMA… would require the federal government to recognize any marriage that was ‘valid in the place where entered into.’ The bill would also require every state to recognize every same-sex marriage that ‘is valid in the State where the marriage was entered into.’… So the RFMA does not force Texas to issue a marriage certificate to a same-sex couple. But it does force Texas to recognize a marriage certificate issued to a same-sex couple by New Mexico….

“… religious liberty proponents say the amendment does nothing to shield Americans who have a traditional view of marriage from being targeted under the law… RFMA is yet another instance of Senate Republicans providing the votes needed to pass overreaching Democrat legislation…”

Much of Medical Establishment Deeply Dishonest

The New York Post wrote on November 11:

“A new study in the New England Journal of Medicine purports to show that mask policies in schools work to contain COVID. But that’s not all: The authors conclude, ‘We believe that universal masking may be especially useful for mitigating effects of structural racism in schools, including potential deepening of educational inequities.’… And the next study will show masking fights climate change.

“No, what this study shows is that much of the medical establishment continues to be intensely woke — and deeply dishonest because of it. Just as the ‘experts’ told us gathering in crowds wasn’t OK in spring of 2020, but just weeks later protesting for Black Lives Matter somehow was. This dishonesty is going to hurt us all for a long time.

“As for this study specifically: It does not prove what the authors intended to. It’s just the latest in a push by agenda-driven scientists, and the media who love them, to get people back in masks… COVID rates in all the schools were higher before anyone took off their mask — but that uncomfortable fact goes unmentioned in the write-up… Which didn’t stop The New York Times’ Roni Caryn Rabin from promoting the new study as ‘a so-called natural experiment’ and breathlessly concluding, ‘The bottom line: Masking mandates were linked with significantly reduced numbers of Covid cases in schools.’

“This is full-on nonsense. The mask mandates did no such thing… It’s pathetic that in November 2022, we have to keep pointing out the obvious — and that garbage science like this destroys everyone’s confidence in the medical field…

“Not until April 25, 2021, did Dr. Anthony Fauci say, ‘It’s common sense to know that the risk when you are outdoors, which we have been saying all along, is extremely low, and if you are vaccinated it’s even lower.’ He had not, actually, been saying that all along — and those of us who had that ‘common sense’ got targeted and ridiculed for being ‘anti-science.’

“… the problem isn’t just with masking. It’s that the medical establishment has gone fully woke. Wokeness goes hand-in-hand with forced conformity. No one is allowed to step out of the woke lines — though those lines are free to shift at any time. It’s very Soviet. Under those rules, you can’t be critical of even this cockamamie study… Inside the woke echo chamber, you even have to embrace insane ideas like ‘masking fights racism.’

“No one at the Times could write an article about how a study like this is gibberish. Medical professionals and journalists who point out the obvious, that the study makes no sense, will be quickly excommunicated.

“It’s sick, and it has to stop. This isn’t science, it’s politics — and this woke cancer has to be fought until it’s defeated.”

Wow! And how true this is! Forget having trust in the medical establishment and their propaganda of falsely-called “science.” That “trust” and confidence in the “expertise” and “competence” of the likes as Fauci (or Lauterbach in Germany) has long gone.

Ongoing Harassment Until At Least January 2023

Wochenblatt wrote on November 12:

“The US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has extended the ban on entry for [unvaccinated] non-US citizens and non-immigrants until at least January 8, 2023. The justification contradicts not only the medical facts, but also what is valid within the USA. There, people who have been [vaccinated] and those who are not vaccinated are treated equally. The reasoning of the TSA could not be more absurd: [Unvaccinated] people could bring the virus to the United States and spread it there. Even the director of the powerful US health authority CDC, Rochelle Walensky, admitted that [vaccinated] people are infectious and she is herself an example of this: vaccinated twice and boosted, she tested recently positive for corona.

“The USA is thus in the illustrious circle of countries such as Yemen, Liberia, North Korea, China and Libya. In any case, the regulation on the entry ban for non-vaccinated persons would have expired on November 8^th. By order of the Biden regime, the TSA extended it with ridiculous justifications…

“… it is clear that the vaccination does not prevent either infection or transmission of the virus, according to the Biden decree, since last June people who have been vaccinated have no longer had to submit a negative PCR test. So these passengers are free to travel into the country with the virus and spread it there if they have received a Covid-19 genetic vaccination…

“Corona is no longer about health and medical facts, but only about political tactics… One also has to ask oneself why non-Americans are not a ‘danger’ for Australia or Canada – the two extremely brutal vaccination dictatorships have already opened their borders for non-vaccinated people… With the absurd Corona foreign policy of the colorful Biden troop in the White House, they perhaps wanted  to let the aged super-adviser Anthony Fauci save face. If he had his way, the unvaccinated would still be in permanent quarantine. He announced his departure at the end of the year, but is likely to remain the gray eminence of the pandemic as long as Biden is in office. It will be interesting to see whether the USA will continue to insist on entry vaccination after January 8, 2023. Maybe something will happen in the House of Representatives, where the legislature sits and which may soon be dominated by Republicans. As is well known, they think little of Biden’s corona harassment.”

Hopefully, this ridiculous and absurd ban WILL finally cease to exist and vanish in January. “Let Freedom Ring!”

Italy Skeptical of Covid 19 Vaccines

AFP wrote on November 15:

“The deputy health minister in Italy’s new far-right government sparked controversy Tuesday after stating there was no proof that vaccines against Covid-19 actually worked… ‘But I’m not falling into the trap of taking sides for or against vaccines,’ the undersecretary told state broadcaster Rai, while denouncing the ‘ideological’ approach of the previous government of Mario Draghi towards the Covid crisis.

“As a deputy from the Brothers of Italy, the right-wing party led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the pharmacist by profession opposed Italy’s so-called coronavirus Green pass, a proof of vaccination required to access most public spaces…

“Gemmato’s comments provoked calls for him to step down, including from the head of the centre-left Democratic Party, Enrico Letta. ‘A health undersecretary who doesn’t take his distance from no-vaxxers is certainly in the wrong job’ wrote the leader of the centrist party Action, Carlo Calenda, on Twitter…”

Of course, to state what the deputy health minister of Italy uttered is deeply unpopular in the so-called “scientific” establishment. And he did not even take a side on the issue, but even that is already too much for the propaganda driven by the big and rich Pharma industry and its supporters.

Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide

Israel 365 News reported on November 13:

“In a controversial move, Canada is expanding its government-funded euthanasia program to include the mentally ill. At the same time, parliamentarians in Scotland are being petitioned to incorporate a ‘suicide pod’ that would allow people to autonomously end their lives…

“Canada’s voluntary euthanasia program called Medical Assistance in Dying… became legal in 2016. The program is part of Canada’s healthcare system. To receive euthanasia, patients experiencing intolerable suffering must sign a written request expressing their wish to end their life. In 2021, more than 10,000 people chose euthanasia, an increase of over 32% from the previous year, accounting for 3.3% of all deaths in Canada…

“The law has been amended to make the program available to people whose death is not medically foreseeable. It was also amended to include those with dementia who may not be able to understand the implications of their decision. The decision to access medically assisted suicide will also be for people whose only medical ailment is a mental issue. This amendment will go into effect next year.

“In the Netherlands, where a quarter of all deaths are now carried out by assisted suicide, euthanasia is utilized for babies under one year of age with ‘severe deformations’ and ‘very grave… medical syndromes’...

“Euthanasia, where doctors use drugs to kill patients, is legal in seven countries — Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand and Spain — plus several states in Australia. Other nations, including several U.S. states, permit assisted suicide — in which patients take the lethal drug themselves, typically in a drink prescribed by a doctor…”

For more information on this issue, please read our Q&A ,‘Should true Christians engage in mercy killing or euthanasia?”

“41% of Climate Scientists Don’t Believe in Catastrophic ‘Climate Change’”

Life Site News wrote on November 14:

“For years, the promoters of the spurious ‘settled science’ narrative have claimed that there is a 97-99% consensus among scientists about humans causing climate change…  A recently published survey of top-level climate scientists found that just over five in 10 attributed the human contribution to recent climate change to be 75% or above. Only around four in 10 scientists believed that the frequency and severity of extreme weather events had increased significantly in recent years…

“Emeritus Professor Richard Lindzen recently called the current climate narrative ‘absurd.’ Perhaps, he added, it was the trillions of dollars diverted to green projects and the relentless propaganda from grant-dependent academics and agenda-driven journalists that had persuaded people it is not absurd…

“But the new poll shows that even after 25 years of relentless propaganda, there is considerable debate over the subject in scientific circles.

“… U.S. meteorologist Anthony Watts said the poll illustrates that there is less consensus on climate change and a broader scope of differing opinions that we are led to believe…’

“H. Sterling Burnett from Heartland was intrigued that the poll showed older, more experienced scientists were more sceptical of climate disaster claims. ‘It seems, years of indoctrination have succeeded in brainwashing younger, less experienced climate scientists into believing, data to the contrary, that humans are causing a climate catastrophe,’ he concluded.”

No doubt, much political propaganda and the desire for money are involved with the common narrative of man-made climate change.

How Camilla Became Accepted

The New York Post wrote on November 12:

“Camilla Parker Bowles was, for a time, the most hated woman in Britain, only leaving her home under the cover of darkness. Yet in early May of next year, she will be crowned England’s next queen [technically: queen consort, see comments below] in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey officiated over by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the highest ranking cleric in the land.

“… Queen Elizabeth II… gave Camilla the final stamp of approval in February, when she expressed her ‘sincere wish’ that Camilla would be crowned queen [queen consort] ‘when the day comes.’…

“In the early days, the queen was on friendly terms with Camilla and her then-husband, Andrew Parker Bowles… All that changed when Camilla was revealed as the other woman in the stormy marriage of the Prince and Princess of Wales. Camilla became persona non grata in the mid-90s, shunned from formal royal parties and other functions…

“Things were moving along at a quicker pace, thanks to a decision by the Church of England to take a more relaxed view of divorced couples marrying in church. For years, the queen had been balancing her son’s future happiness with her role as monarch and head of the Church of England. Now she could act to end Camilla’s long wait. During an audience with Charles at Sandringham on Christmas 2004, the queen gave permission for them to marry. They married in a civil ceremony at the Guildhall in Windsor in April 2005. Camilla, who had become accustomed to being the butt of criticism, was delighted at the warmth of her reception by the waiting crowds.

“The queen was also relieved, as any negative publicity would have had a direct impact on the monarchy. Still, she was aware that the Camilla issue remained a touchy subject with many of her subjects. The official word from the palace was that there were no plans to make Camilla queen…

“In their different ways, both the queen and Camilla — who was conferred with the title Duchess of Cornwall after the marriage — were in it for the long game, a strategy which matched their conservative, rather cautious personalities… this past February,  the queen announced that she wished Camilla to take on the styling of queen consort when Charles ascended the throne…

“In her quiet, subtle way she tested both her son and his paramour before allowing Camilla into the royal fold. That she has been largely accepted as queen is testimony to the good sense and judgement of Elizabeth II. When Camilla walks down the aisle at Westminster Abbey in six months, husband King Charles III by her side, she will know that she has much to thank her mother-in-law for.”

Many try to emphasize that Camilla is expected to be crowned as “queen consort,” rather than as queen. But as the article implies, this distinction is rather academic in practical terms, as long as Charles III is King. While a queen consort is not the head of the British monarchy nor does she enjoy political or military powers, she will be crowned with the King in a similar but simpler ceremony, and her role involves offering her husband support and accompanying him to official engagements, at which she is addressed as “Her Royal Highness.” Everyone in the royal family is expected to bow to Camilla, including Prince William. Camilla’s title of Queen Consort will be similar to that of Queen Elizabeth’s husband, Prince Consort, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

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.

Sometimes, when looking at various “parallel” Scriptures, one may find at first glance an apparent contradiction. Some feel that the accounts in Acts 9:7 and Acts 22:9 contradict each other.

To begin with, let us consider the context in Acts 9.

Saul, who is later called Paul, persecuted true Christians seeking their death (Galatians 1:13-14). Saul was a carnal-minded Pharisee, who embraced the teachings of the Pharisees (Acts 23:6). At that time, he was very eager to kill genuine followers of Jesus Christ, because they had a different doctrine that, from the Pharisaic point of view, was contrary to their teachings. It was the religion of that “new way,” the Way of Jesus Christ, who was time and again wrongfully accused of being a blasphemer, because He claimed to be the Son of God. But Christ has always been, and still is, the Son of God!

Saul, furious in his anger, went to the high priest and asked letters which he wanted to carry to the synagogues of Damascus, affirming that he had the authority to bind and deport the disciples of that new Way, whether women or men, to Jerusalem, in order to accuse them of death in court (Acts 9:1-2).

Now let us read Acts 9:3-6:

“As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ Then the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So he, trembling and astonished, said, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’”

Verse 7 then says, “And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one.”

Now, comparing this verse with the parallel Scripture in Acts 22:9, it appears that two different statements are being contrasted, when Paul says in his later account of the events:

“Now those who were with me indeed saw the light and were afraid, but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.”

How can this apparent contradiction be explained, since we know that the Bible does not contradict itself? Therefore, when Jesus Christ appeared on the way to Damascus, did Saul’s companions hear a voice but see no one, or did they see the light but did not hear the voice?

Let’s first explore the first part of the question, “Did Paul’s companions hear the voice of the Lord, or did they not hear it?”

In both chapters, the Greek uses the word “phóné” which indeed means “voice.” But Acts 22:9 concludes: “… but they did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me.”

Hence, it seems that we are dealing here with a special kind of hearing or understanding. That is, Saul’s companions heard a voice, but apparently could not understand what it was saying. The Greek word for “hear” is “akouo.” Its meaning can be “to hear” or it can mean “to understand.” It is used in the second sense in 1 Corinthians 14:2: “For he who speaks in a tongue [another or a different language] does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.”

A similar expression is found in John 8:43: “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.” The German Luther Bible 1984 renders the second part as: “…Because you cannot hear My Word.”

The Living Bible renders the passage as follows: “Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It is because you are prevented from doing so!” Christ thus states that even if they could hear the word, without God the Father opening their minds, they would not be able to understand the words He spoke (compare also Deuteronomy 29:4).

Let us also compare Christ’s statement in John 12:28-29: “‘Father, bring glory and honor to your name.’ Then a voice spoke from heaven saying, ‘I have already done this, and I will do it again.’  When the crowd heard the voice, some of them thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him” (Living Bible).

This is another case of some hearing a voice, but they did not understand what was being said. Others heard only thunder as in a thunderstorm.

The two statements about Christ’s appearance in Acts 9:7 and Acts 22:9 are rendered as follows in different translations.

Acts 9:7: “And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice…” (Authorized Version).

Acts 22:9: “The men with me… didn’t understand what was said” (Living Bible).

We see that Saul’s companions heard the voice Luke wrote about in Acts 9:7, but in accordance with Acts 22:9, they could not understand what was said because they might have perceived it only as thunder.

Therefore, it is not a question of whether Saul’s companions heard the voice, but rather, what was spoken that they heard but did not understand. Paul heard and understood Christ’s words; his companions heard a voice but did not understand what was said.

The German Schlachterbibel comments: “‘…the voice they did not hear.’ This [Acts 22:9] does not contradict [Acts] 9:7. Since Jesus spoke solely to Paul, only he understood what the Lord was saying; his companions heard the sound of a voice but did not understand the words.”

Let’s move on to the second part of the question: “Who or what did the companions see when Christ appeared to Saul?”

The Authorized Version renders Acts 9:7 as follows: “And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.”

Consider also how Acts 22:9 is rendered in the Living Bible: “The men with me saw the light but didn’t understand what was said.”

So, they saw “no one” or “no man” (compare again Acts 9:7), that is, no figure or person, but they did see the light (compare Acts 22:9).

The German Schlachterbibel comments, “Paul’s companions saw the light, but only he saw the Lord Jesus Christ.” Compare also Paul’s further account in Acts 26:12-14.

It was very important to Christ that the companions heard a sound and saw a light surrounding Saul, so that Paul could not be accused of being a liar, but a righteous apostle and God’s faithful servant who spoke the Truth and could present real witnesses testifying to it.

As we have shown in this Q&A, the Bible does not contradict itself, though it is important to clarify apparent contradictions in the right way (Isaiah 28:10; Ecclesiastes 12:11; 2 Peter 1:20-21).

Lead Writer: Thilo Hanstein

Initial Translation from German: Daniel Blasinger

compiled by Dave Harris

“Missile Hits Poland,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary: 

The recent episode involving a missile hitting Poland shows how quickly a nuclear world war could begin. 

“Rakete schlägt in Polen ein,” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same subject as described above.

“Die baldige Herrschaft des Tieres,” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “The Soon-Coming Rule of the Beast.”

“Die Liebe des Vaters,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath in Germany by Johann Schell, is now posted. Title in English: “The Love of the Father.”

“The Toxic Choice,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Frank Bruno, is now posted. Here is a summary:

We understand that sin is a debilitating aspect of the human existence. It takes us away from God in our thoughts and actions and separates us from Him. What is perhaps less obvious is that sin is toxic, and it impacts many around us when we choose that pathway. This Sermonette will cover Scriptures that help us to understand this and incorporate this awareness into our lives. We will also discuss the steps we can take to repair the damage we can inflict with our sins.

“Be Counted Worthy,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Worthiness inherently involves an evaluation, which can be frightening in certain circumstances. For Christians, being worthy in the eyes of God for salvation and other blessings requires faith and personal transformation. It is within the capacity of everyone whom God calls to succeed, turning that frightening experience of evaluation into an exciting one.