Update 1091

On November 25, 2023, Eric Rank will present the sermonette, titled, “Nowhere to Hide,” and Dave Harris will present the sermon, titled, “Will There Ever Be Peace?”

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

I took an introductory course in Philosophy when I was in my first semester of college. While I don’t remember a lot of what I learned at that time, I do recall our discussions about various theories of morality. Utilitarianism is one such theory that measures whether an action is right or wrong on a continuum of how much happiness it would produce. According to this theory, the most virtuous actions are the ones that produce the most happiness and least unhappiness. In a purely carnal sense, it sounds appealing. But it is troublesome to consider that there is no standard by which an action could be viewed as being right in an absolute sense. Morality is judged purely based on the arbitrary whim of humanly defined happiness produced in the individuals affected. This bothered me then, and it bothers me now. I never cared to take any additional courses in the field of ethics because to me it seemed that it was all baseless rhetoric.

Today we see the dominant ethics in our society disturbingly driven by what man judges is right, without any regard to an authoritative standard. Modern society wants to do what it wants, and condemns anyone who says that an action is wrong. As such, abortion, stealing, lying, and perversions of all sorts are confoundingly celebrated by so many. The ethics of mankind today seem to be based only upon hedonistic, self-serving desire. I find this quite disturbing.

We know from the pages of the Bible that behaving without the guidance of God’s immutable standard of law will lead to a disastrous outcome. “For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish” (Psalm 1:6). A sinful practice of life is one that ignores God’s commandments, choosing instead to be directed by personal desire. By way of contrast, living a righteous Way of Life requires learning and practicing obedience to God’s laws. But the carnal nature of people fights against this standard. Carnal desire is at enmity with God (compare Romans 8:7). Therefore, without God to set the standard of ethics, people are doomed to perish!

It’s unfortunate that such a simple Truth is so undesirable to man. Ironically, rates of depression and suicide are so high, yet people don’t consider whether their code of ethics based on maximizing carnal pleasure might be the root cause. The answer for how to make a correction is simple. God makes the path to joy, prosperity and success very clear: “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8). Not only does obedience to God’s law lead to righteousness, it also leads to a truly happy life. Many of us who have decided to try this out have proven it to ourselves. God’s Way works.

We are privileged to know that God establishes the true standard by which we can discern between actions that are right and wrong. We don’t have to worry about figuring it out for ourselves or debating with our peers. We can be satisfied in knowing that the Truth was established long ago, and that it works then, now, and forever. “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, And Your law is truth” (Psalm 119:142). The world around us might be lost, but we have a perfect standard to live by.

by Norbert Link

We begin with the surprising election of controversial “outsider” and Trump supporterJavier Milei as the new president of tumultuous Argentina and a description of Milei’s—at times—outrageous ideas and behavior; and we continue with the stunning victory of Geert Wilders (the Dutch “Donald Trump”) in the Netherlands; and a last-minute effort to avert—for now—a governmental shutdown in the USA and an analysis of the legal troubles for Donald Trump.

We speak—again—on the real dangers of e-bikes; and some of the reasons for antisemitism in “Christian” churches.

We report on worldwide volcanic eruptions and the devastating consequences of a nuclear attack on the USA (which is biblically prophesied to occur). We also address France’s ambitions to prove its nuclear abilities.

We continue with the fascination of American Presidents with UFOs; more trouble for the German government; Turkish President Erdogan’s controversial visit in Germany and his outlandish statements; and the highly controversial Israel-Hamas “deal”; and we conclude with Hungary’s assessment of the improbability of Ukraine’s membership in the EU.

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled,  “The Foolish Hamas-Israel Deal—and What It Means!”

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

Javier Milei–New President of Tumultuous Argentina

The New York Post wrote on November 19:

“Argentina elected libertarian outsider Javier Milei as its new president on Sunday, rolling the dice on an outsider with radical views to fix an economy battered by triple-digit inflation, a looming recession and rising poverty…

“Milei’s challenges are enormous. He will have to deal with the empty coffers of the government and central bank, a creaking $44 billion debt program with the International Monetary Fund, inflation nearing 150% and a dizzying array of capital controls…

“… he faces a highly fragmented Congress, with no single bloc having a majority, meaning that he will need to get backing from other factions to push through legislation.”

The Daily Mail wrote on November 19:

“Milei – who is also a prominent economist and radio chat-show host – has spoken about his preference for threesomes, why he believes poor people should be free to sell their body parts, and how he enjoys communicating via telepathy with his dead dog for political advice.

“The far-Right libertarian is also an admirer of Donald Trump…  He prefers to call himself an anarcho-capitalist, which means he’d like to rip up as much government intervention in people’s lives as he can and leave it all to the free market… [His plan] includes getting rid of Argentina’s public health and education systems…

“Milei… has repeatedly taken aim… at Pope Francis, his compatriot, calling him… the ‘representative of the evil one on Earth’ in brutal social media posts…

“A recent biography by journalist Juan Luis González revealed Milei studies telepathy in his spare time and has a medium to ‘communicate’ with [his dog] Conan, who died in 2017, asking him for advice on political matters. Astonishingly, Milei hasn’t denied the claims…

“[He was raised] a Catholic and now said to be converting to Judaism…

“He wants to see Argentina ditch the peso and adopt the US dollar as its national currency… he believes his natural allies would be the US and Israel, saying: ‘I don’t want to have anything to do with the communists of Cuba, China and North Korea.’

“On the ever thorny question of the Falkland Islands, which Argentina unsuccessfully tried to grab from Britain in 1982 during the prime ministership of Margaret Thatcher, one of his icons, Milei proposes copying the UK’s transfer of Hong Kong to China in 1997…”

Fox News added on November 19:

“With war unfolding in Israel, Milei also proved popular with the nation’s large Jewish community, the largest in Latin America…”

More of Milei’s Controversial Ideas

LifeSiteNews wrote on November 20:

“Milei called the global agenda to push abortion a ‘bloodthirsty policy, in which some humans believe they should decide who should live and who should not…’

“The designated president of Argentina called the alarmist climate change narrative a ‘socialist lie’…

“While the eccentric politician called out modern ‘sexual education’ as a ‘post-Marxist program’ seeking to destroy the family, he also said that he is against ‘marriage as an institution’ regulated by the state and that people should be free to marry whoever they want, including people of the same sex….”

Milei—a “mixed bag” for sure. Many voters have said they were voting for him as the “lesser evil.”

Trump Congratulates Milei

Mediaite wrote on November 19:

“Former President Donald Trump along with a whole host of other online conservative influencers celebrated the victory of far-right outsider Javier Milei in Argentina’s presidential election…

“‘I am very proud of you. You will turn your Country around and truly Make Argentina Great Again,’ the president wrote to his followers.”

THAT will have to be seen…

Huge Victory of Geert Wilders in the Netherlands

The Associated Press wrote on November 23:

 “Anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders won a huge victory in Dutch elections…  in a stunning lurch to the far right… The result will send shockwaves through Europe, where far-right ideology is on the rise, and puts Wilders in line to lead talks to form the next governing coalition and possibly become the first far-right prime minister of the Netherlands…

 “Wilders’ election program included calls for a referendum on the Netherlands leaving the European Union… He says he wants no mosques or Islamic schools in the country, although he has been milder about Islam during this election campaign than in the past…

 “‘The Dutch will be No. 1 again,’ Wilders said. ‘The people must get their nation back.’ But Wilders, who has in the past been labeled a Dutch version of Donald Trump, first must form a coalition government before he can take the reins of power. That will be tough as mainstream parties are reluctant to join forces with him and his party, but the size of his victory strengthens his hand in any negotiations…

 “Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who… has similarly harsh stances on migration and EU institutions, was quick to congratulate Wilders. ‘The winds of change are here! Congratulations,’ Orban said…

 “The result is the latest in a series of elections that is altering the European political landscape. From Slovakia and Spain, to Germany and Poland, populist and hard-right parties triumphed in some EU member nations and faltered in others.”

 Barron’s added on November 23:

 “Wilders’s PVV may not be able to build a coalition to make him prime minister so he can join the other 26 EU members at their summits. And his hardline plans to expel immigrants would be unlikely to survive legal challenges in the Dutch or European courts. But Europe’s support for Ukraine, grand plans to fight climate change… could be endangered.

“European elections to be held in June will be a new test of Wilders’s popularity… The Netherlands is the seventh most populous EU country and its MEPs — along with right-wingers from countries like Poland, Italy, France and Hungary — could form a powerful group… The PVV… could join the National Rally (RN) of France’s Marine Le Pen and Germany’s AfD in the assembly’s Identity…”

The AfD was also quick in congratulating Wilders.

Deutsche Welle added on November 23:

“Wilders’ victory is expected to have far-reaching consequences in the Netherlandfs and Europe. The anti-EU politician has vowed to halt all immigration, slash Dutch payments to the union and block the entrance of any new members, including Ukraine… Italian far-right leader and Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini also congratulated Wilders. ‘Congratulations to our friend Geert Wilders… for this extraordinary electoral victory. A new Europe is possible.’…

 “From calling Moroccans ‘scum’ to holding competitions for cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, Wilders has built a career from his self-appointed mission to stop an ‘Islamic invasion’ of the West… he was convicted for insulting Moroccans — and death threats that have meant he has been under police protection since 2004.

 “Born in 1963 in southern Venlo, close to the German border, Wilders grew up in a Catholic family with his brother and two sisters. His mother was half-Indonesian, a fact Wilders rarely mentions…”

Newsmax added on November 23:

“Wilders… promised ‘zero immigration’ into the Netherlands by closing the borders and deporting illegal immigrants… He has… likened the Quran to Adolf Hitler’s ‘Mein Kampf’… A decade ago, a ‘Prime Minister Geert Wilders’ would have been unthinkable. But so would a ‘Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’ in Italy. Politics in modern Europe is genuinely unpredictable. And with traditional parties and politicians collapsing, the unthinkable happens with increasing frequency….”

Averting Government Shutdown For Now

The Associated Press wrote on November 17:

 “President Joe Biden signed a temporary spending bill a day before a potential government shutdown…

“The spending package keeps government funding at current levels for roughly two more months while a long-term package is negotiated. It splits the deadlines for passing full-year appropriations bills into two dates: Jan. 19 for some federal agencies and Feb. 2 for others, creating two dates when there will be a risk of a partial government shutdown. The two-step approach was championed by new House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, and was not favored by many in the Senate, though all but one Democrat and 10 Republicans supported it…

“The spending bill does not include the White House’s nearly $106 billion request for wartime aid for Israel and Ukraine. Nor does it provide humanitarian funding for Palestinians and other supplemental requests, including money for border security…”

This was more like a Pyrrhic victory. One wonders how long Johnson will remain the House speaker.

No Slam Dunk Cases Against Trump

On November 17, the New York Post published the following opinion by Jonathan Turley, attorney and professor at George Washington University Law School:

“Trump’s greatest threat of conviction remains in Florida, where he is facing federal charges related to his retention of classified documents. But the judge in that case seems inclined to delay it, perhaps even until after the election. And with reports that President Biden will not face charges in his own handling of classified documents, Trump has a political rallying cry that — correctly or not — he’s being treated differently.

“So that leaves the two cases surrounding the 2020 election.

“In Georgia, a slew of former lawyers are taking pleas with promises to testify if called. Some of their depositions have been leaked, much to the dismay of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. She has reason to be alarmed because some of the leaked interviews hit hard at the weakest link in her conspiracy case. For instance, Sidney Powell stated that Trump clearly believed that he had won the election when he was challenging the results in the courts and Congress. Powell pleaded to misdemeanors for a deal that avoids jail time and preserves her ability to resume the practice of law. She notably did not plead guilty to the sweeping racketeering charges brought by Willis to link Trump in an effort to subvert the election.

“I previously wrote that the Achilles heel of the racketeering case was Trump’s state of mind: ‘As a threshold matter, one problem is immediately evident. If Trump actually did (or does) believe that he did not lose the election, the indictment collapses.’ That’s exactly what Powell argues. Trump had ‘general instincts that something wasn’t right here’… That supplies a key defense for Trump: that he believed assurances from counsel that he had a case to make in challenging the election.

“Powell’s statement will also present challenges to special counsel Jack Smith, who has a parallel case in Washington, DC. While both prosecutors benefit from heavily favorable jury pools in staunchly Democratic strongholds, it requires only one holdout juror to result in a hung jury. Smith has admitted that Trump’s election claims were protected under the First Amendment but claims that, at some point, they became criminal lies. But Smith fails to explain when that line was clearly crossed — a dangerous ambiguity for free speech, particularly in the context of an election.

“Smith ignores past election challenges by Democrats that were made without factual or legal support, including the challenge in Congress to certify Trump’s victory in 2016 by figures like Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.). The statement of Powell only magnifies those concerns over the lack of a clear line between political advocacy and criminal conduct in future cases…

“Trump has long been portrayed as a megalomaniac in the media who never apologizes or accepts failure. It is perfectly consistent that a man long described as having an inflated self-image would not accept that he is a loser. That long-held journalistic view is now a viable criminal defense….”

Also, the gag order by biased judge Arthur Engoron in the New York case against Trump and his attorneys was stayed by the Court of Appeal, allowing Trump to continue making statements against the biased clerk. His motion for a mistrial because of alleged misconduct by Engoron and his clerk was, of course, denied by Engoron, who was subsequently accused by Trump attorney Alina Habba of refusing to take responsibility.

The fact that Biden will apparently not be indicted for illegally retaining documents should convince everyone how weaponized and corrupt the Justice Department has become. Unlike Trump, Biden was not President when he retained the classified documents in his garage, in China Town and at other places, so he did not have any privilege or legal justification to retain those documents. The same is true, by the way, for Hillary Clinton. Why are they not being indicted? So, the illegal witch hunt against Trump by an authoritarian radical left-wing government and its corrupt agents continues.

Also, a Colorado district judge ruled that Donald Trump must be placed on the ballot in the 2024 presidential contest. Even though she ruled, quite ridiculously, that Trump did engage in insurrection on January 6, 2021, she also ruled that he was not an officer of the United States as defined by the Fourteenth Amendment, which is only limited to “Senator or Representative in Congress” and “elector of President and Vice President” but does not include the “President.”

As Breitbart explained on November 17:

“A federal court in New Hampshire recently dismissed a similar case… A Minnesota state court recently dismissed a lawsuit aiming to keep Trump off that state’s primary ballot. And a Michigan Court of Claims judge ruled that the Secretary of State must list Trump on the ballot as well. An appeal is likely. The Colorado case, or another similar case in another state, could likely land before the Supreme Court, which has never before ruled on the Civil War-era amendment.”

E-Bikes Set New York on Fire

The New York Post wrote on November 19:

“A powerful fire obliterated a Brooklyn brownstone. Three people from three generations of the West family, ages 33 to 81, perished.  As has become common over three years, the cause was a battery charging an e-scooter, blocking exits. 

“So far, 17 of this year’s 93 fire deaths are from such batteries. Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh calls it ‘devastating.’

“Twenty-seven New Yorkers have died in these fires since 2021, the year after the city legalized e-bikes and similar devices. (No one had ever died in such a fire before.) …  e-battery fire deaths exceed electrical fire deaths…

“The only way to prevent more deaths is for the FDNY to call for a ban on residential e-battery storage and charging, just as it bans home storage of gasoline and other flammable or hazardous materials…”

e-Bikes ARE dangerous.

Why Antisemitism in Christian Churches

Israel 365 News wrote on November 19:

“A deeply disturbing trend has been emerging in the last 6 weeks since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas. I am seeing antisemitism within the Conservative Christian camp in many arenas…  However, this form of antisemitism is not out-and-out Jew-hatred. It is much more subtle, and therefore, perhaps more dangerous…

“How can this be?

“I believe it goes back to the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden… I believe it is because these newscasters over-focus on the DARK SIDE. They are plucking fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil and eating mostly EVIL fruit…

“What is Replacement Theology?  In a nutshell, it is the false teaching that the church has replaced Israel, that the covenants God made with Israel and the Jewish people are null and void, and that those covenants now apply to the church. The ‘New Testament’ has replaced the ‘Old Testament’.   Nothing could be further from the truth!…

“The roots of Replacement Theology [go] back many centuries. One of those roots goes back to Martin Luther, the father of the Protestant Reformation… did you know that he wrote a book… called ‘On the Jews and their Lies’?  It was filled with hateful diatribes against the Jews. 

“… Did you know that, 400 years later, the Nazis revered Martin Luther, and his book was widely circulated and read? And did you know that ‘Kristallnacht’, the ‘Night of Broken Glass’, happened not on just any random day, but was chosen to happen on Nov 9-10, 1938, in honor of Martin Luther’s birthday? (his date of birth: Nov 10, 1483)

“His words were put into ACTION by the Nazis 400 years later. So one of the ROOTS of Replacement Theology gave us a very evil fruit! Kristallnacht is what kicked off the Holocaust. The Western civilized world was silent. The churches were silent…”

Antisemitism can be seen, not only in Arab nations, in pro-Hamas supporters demonstrating in the streets of London, Paris, Washington DC and Berlin, as well as on college campuses, and in liberal leftists who are funding the Pro-Hamas demonstrations in America—it can also be seen in “Christian” churches, which is truly disturbing.

Worldwide Volcanic Eruptions

Israel 365 News reported on November 17:

“… at least 19 volcanoes are currently erupting around the world… The eruptions are on several disperse continents and countries but particular focus is being directed towards Iceland where scientists warn that a recent week-long wave of over 1,200 earthquakes presages a period of prolonged and intense seismic unrest. The strongest quake measured 3.8 but the micro-quakes signalled activity below the surface.

“Scientists estimate that a layer of magma is about 500 meters below the surface and is working its way to the surface… But the real fear is that an eruption is part of a 1,000-year cycle of volcanic activity that will likely cause eruptions for centuries…

“The last volcano in Iceland to cause international mayhem was Eyjafjallajökull, which erupted in 2010. A huge ash cloud that rose five miles into the sky and grounded flights across Europe, forcing its airspace to shut down.

“The topic of ‘volcanoes’ became relevant to the conflict in Israel. On Saturday, Hezbollah claimed to have fired a Burkan 2-H missile at Israel bearing a 100 kilogram warhead. Burkan means ‘volcano’ in Arabic.”

The Devastating Impact of Nuclear War on the USA

Daily Mail wrote on November 17:

“About 300 million people in the United States would be put at risk of death from exposure to radioactive fallout in the four days following a nuclear attack, according to a new report that models the possible effects of such a grim event. 

“If the US is attacked with nuclear weapons, an adversary would most likely concentrate all fire on the country’s intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launch facilities (silos). Any retaliatory attack from the US would come from these silos, located in Colorado, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wyoming — and taking them out would be an enemy’s first priority…

“Depending on weather conditions, 90 percent of the population of the lower 48 U.S states, as well as people living in Mexico’s northern states and the most populous regions of Canada, would be at risk of receiving lethal doses of radiation…

“The editors of Scientific American commissioned the special report because the US government is in the midst of a $1.5 trillion project to refresh its obsolete nuclear weapons, including the ones stored at these silos in the western states. Their message is unambiguous: ‘We should rethink this miserable folly rather than once again squandering our wealth while driving a new arms race.’”

Even though most feel that a nuclear attack might be launched on the USA by Russia or China, the truth is that it will be another, basically overlooked power which will destroy the USA in a nuclear war.

France’s Long-Range Ballistic Missile Test

Newsmax wrote on November 19:

“France has successfully test-fired an M51.3 long-range ballistic missile, boosting the credibility of France’s nuclear deterrence capabilities…

“The missile, which did not carry a nuclear weapon, was fired from the French army’s Biscarosse missile testing site in southwest France and landed in the North Atlantic, ‘hundreds of kilometers from any coastline’ the ministry said, without giving further detail…”

American Presidents’ Fascination with UFOs

Politico wrote on November 17:

“Early in Ronald Reagan’s second term, he asked his Soviet counterpart a seemingly off-the-wall question… Reagan turned to his Cold War enemy and said: ‘What would you do if the United States were suddenly attacked by someone from outer space? Would you help us?’ Gorbachev later recounted. ‘I said, “No doubt about it.” He said, “We too.”’…

“Reagan… had an encounter with a UFO while riding in a plane in the 1970s.

“Reagan, it turns out, wasn’t the only president who has had a more than passing interest in the possibility of extraterrestrial life. For the past half-century, almost every president has come to office pledging — publicly or privately — to get to the bottom of UFOs…

“Like his Oval Office predecessors, the former Arkansas governor [Bill Clinton] had expressed interest in aliens as soon as he had taken the oath of office…

“Jimmy Carter spotted his UFO while waiting for a Lion’s Club event to start on Jan. 6, 1969… As Carter campaigned in ’76 against Ford, he promised he would open up the nation’s UFO secrets… But, once in the Oval Office, Carter never followed up on his pledge. Whatever the government was hiding would stay hidden…

“Most recently, in 2021, former President Barack Obama spoke about the mystery — what the government by then called UAPs, unidentified anomalous phenomenon — telling late night host James Corden, ‘When I came into office, I was like ‘All right, is there the lab somewhere where we’re keeping the alien specimens and spaceship?’ And you know, they did a little bit of research and the answer was ‘no.’ But what is true — and I’m actually being serious here — is that there’s footage and records of objects in the skies that we don’t know exactly what they are. We can’t explain how they moved, their trajectory. They did not have an easily explainable pattern.’

“It was a remarkable statement and one that hinted at how long-standing — and real — the mystery of UFOs was, even to commanders in chief who, presumably, would have had access to answers if there were ones.”

It must be admitted that many reported UFO “sightings” and “encounters” can be explained naturally, or because of wild human imagination. But some of the reports might be very real, and if so, they would be based on Satanic and demonic deception.

More Trouble for the German Government

“Deutsche Welle wrote on November 21:

“A matter-of-fact announcement was issued by the Finance Ministry on Monday evening: With immediate effect, a spending freeze applies to almost the entire budget for 2023, it read. This drastic step was taken due to ‘the need to review the overall budgetary situation for the federal budget,’ read a statement from the ministry.

“The government is sending the message that it considers last week’s dramatic landmark ruling by Germany’s highest judges to have much more severe consequences than initially thought… [It] was a political bombshell for Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his federal government. It ruled that the government cannot reallocate €60 billion meant to fight the COVID-19 pandemic to instead address climate change.

“… Germany’s three-way coalition government is not marching in one direction… the government’s approval rating among voters has hit rock bottom. Fresh elections would therefore likely hurt all three parties. The SPD, Greens and FDP are desperately seeking a solution — one that’s nowhere in sight.”

Focus added on November 22:

“Next ‘Ampel’ [German coalition government] shock… 200 billion euro fund can no longer be used.

“After the budget ruling of the Constitutional Court, the Federal Ministry of Finance also blocked the Economic Stabilization Fund (WSF). Due to the Karlsruhe decision, the WSF credit authorizations ‘could no longer be used in 2023 according to the current legal situation’, it says…

“‘In order to avoid further burdens on the budget for this year and burdens for future financial years’, ‘all of the expenditures for 2023 which have not been spent already… are blocked with immediate effect,” it says… ‘Consent from the Federal Ministry of Finance’ is therefore required for any WSF expenditure that is still necessary.”

The spending freeze also included the German military.

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 23:

“German Finance Minister Christian Lindner plans to present a supplementary budget next week for the current year that lifts borrowing limits… A decision to suspend a so-called debt brake will allow the government to significantly increase new borrowing this year…”

As a consequence, one of the Coalition parties (the FDP) is going to ask their members in a formal poll as to how they feel about staying in or departing from the government.

Erdogan in Germany

Reuters wrote on November 17:

“Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Friday suggested that Germany supported Israel in the Gaza war out of guilt over the Holocaust and drew a contrast with Turkey, which he said was able to speak without bias…. ‘Those who feel indebted to Israel cannot speak freely. We did not go through the Holocaust process, we don’t have such a situation, because our respect for humanity is different,’ the Turkish president said…

“Erdogan’s comment in Berlin went to the heart of Germany’s post-war identity, which is based on deep atonement for the Holocaust. Germany systematically killed 6 million Jews and 5 million other victims during World War Two. Modern Israel was founded in 1948 as a safe haven for Jews. [Chancelor] Scholz did not respond directly to Erdogan’s remarks but restated Germany’s commitment to Israel’s right to defend itself.

“… Erdogan’s trip was his first visit to Germany in four years. Erdogan, whose party faces key local elections next year, could benefit from Scholz’s backing for modernising Turkey’s customs union with the European Union and visa-free EU travel for Turks. Scholz, dealing with a court ruling that blew a 60-billion-euro hole in his budget, a coalition row over the economy and rising immigration, needs Ankara’s help in stemming migration to the EU…

“Scholz declined to respond to a question on whether he would approve the sale of the 40 Eurofighter warplanes that Turkey wants. His approval would be needed since Germany is a member of the British-French-Spanish consortium that makes them. Erdogan said he could go elsewhere if Scholz did not agree… Berlin would also like to see Turkey give its final approval to Sweden’s accession to the NATO military alliance. Though Erdogan has dropped his objections, the Turkish parliament has yet to ratify Sweden’s membership.”

Aljazeera added on November 17:

“The two countries have always been, as characterised by Scholz’s spokesman, ‘uncomfortable partners.’ Berlin has been a loud critic of Erdogan’s clampdown on domestic dissent… Despite their differences, economic cooperation between the two countries has continued, with bilateral trade reaching a record 51.6 billion euros ($56.2bn) in 2022.

“Germany is home to the largest Turkish diaspora abroad. A majority of the Turkish community of three million are supporters of Erdogan.”

The Local wrote on November 17, prior to Erdogan’s arrival in Germany:

“The daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung said Germany offered the ‘ideal stage’ for Erdogan to position himself as a voice for the ‘global south’. ‘As the loudest critic of Israel, he is underlining his demand for leadership of the Islamic world,’ said the daily…

“Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, said Erdogan did not deserve to be trusted. ‘Anyone who not only denies Israel’s right to exist but also actively fights against it should not a be a partner for German politicians,’ he told newspaper group RND.”

“Israel’s End Is Near”

Israel Today wrote on November 19, prior to his arrival in Germany:

“Turkish President… Erdogan told his country’s parliament on Wednesday that Israel would soon be destroyed. ‘Right now, I am openly saying with clear conscience that Israel is a terrorist state,’ said Erdoğan.

“While this comment was widely reported, his subsequent remarks went largely unnoticed. ‘Hey Israel: You have an atomic bomb, a nuclear bomb. And you are making threats with this. We know this. And your end is near,’ said Erdoğan. ‘You can have as many nuclear bombs as you want, but you’re on your way out,’ he added.

“Turkish lawmakers responded to the message with a thunderous standing ovation.”

Israel will NOT be totally destroyed, but it will receive a “wound”—a military defeat—prior to the Great Tribulation, and it will be occupied during the Great Tribulation by a foreign power. Turkey will have a terrible part in this.

Erdogan Sharply Attacks the Federal Government After His Visit to Germany

Focus wrote on November 19:

“As soon as he returned to Turkey, the ruler [Erdogan] attacked the federal government harshly. According to ‘Bild’, the Turkish president accused the federal government in a speech of being involved in a ‘crusader-imperialist structure’.

“‘Unfortunately, I discovered that during my visit last night,’ the Turkish president was quoted as saying by the tabloid newspaper. ‘I saw that with President [Frank-Walter Steinmeier] and with the other one too’—the ‘other one’ was a reference to Chancellor [Olaf] Scholz.”

This love-hate relationship between Germany and Turkey does not prevent economic and military cooperation.

“Deal” Between Israel and Hamas

Deutsche Welel wrote on November 22:

“Israel and Hamas agreed on Wednesday to a four-day pause in fighting in Gaza to allow the release of 50 hostages held in the strip in exchange for 150 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel… Hamas said hundreds of humanitarian, medical and fuel aid trucks would be allowed to enter Gaza during the temporary truce… ‘The number of those released will be increased in later stages of implementing the agreement,’ the Foreign Ministry in Qatar [which “mediated” the deal] wrote on X, formerly Twitter…

“The agreement came amid mounting pressure from the hostages’ families and the international

community… ‘The government of Israel is obligated to return home all of the hostages,’ Netanyahu’s office wrote on X… Netanyahu… said the war in the Gaza Strip would continue after the pause until his government has achieved all its goals, including the elimination of Hamas, which is considered a terrorist group by Israel, the European Union, the United States, and others…

“Israel said it would extend the four-day pause by an additional day for every ten hostages released by Hamas. Israel’s Justice Ministry published a list of 300 names of Palestinian prisoners who could be freed. The list represents twice the number of people initially slated for release — 150 Palestinian women and children.

“Meanwhile, Hamas said the truce would not halt their broader fight. ‘As we announce the striking of a truce agreement, we affirm that our fingers remain on the trigger, and our victorious fighters will remain on the look-out to defend our people and defeat the occupation,’ it said.”

Daily Mail added on November 22:

“Among those released are operatives of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Fatah and the Popular Front and some were tried in military courts and some in civilian courts. Half will be released in the first stage with the second depending on how the ceasefire and exchange of hostages goes.”

It is clear that as of now, with this deal, Hamas has won and Israel has lost. As one observer commented: Hamas is getting all what they want.

Newsmax wrote on November 22:

“Not only has President Joe Biden’s watch seen two wars erupt, in Ukraine and Gaza, but  pro-Hamas leftists have forced Israel to negotiate with terrorists, former Trump administration Ambassador Ric Grenell told Newsmax Wednesday… America under past presidents would hunt the terrorists down and eradicate them, Grenell lamented… Biden’s administration is ‘pressuring Israel to cut deals,’ and even unfair ones, Grenell continued… ‘Israel had to go into its prisons to find 150 people who were convicted of crimes, brutal crimes in some instances, to exchange for 50 innocent people — 50 of the 200,’ Grenell said…

“Negotiating with terrorists is never a winning strategy and only further ups ‘the ante’ for hostages, including for a Biden administration that was forced to release $6 billion to Iran before Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack… ‘This is outrageous, and it’s going to make us less safe.’”

Sadly, Grenell is absolutely correct.

Ukraine’s Membership in the EU—“Light Years Away”

The Associated Press wrote on November 19:

“Hungary’s prime minister said Saturday that Ukraine is ‘light years away’ from joining the European Union…

“Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said he and his government would ‘resist’ talks scheduled for mid-December on whether to formally invite Ukraine to start membership negotiations. Admitting a new country requires unanimous approval from all existing member countries, giving Orbán a powerful veto… Orbán said… that standing in the way of Ukraine joining the EU would be one of his government’s top priorities in the coming months…

“Orbán… has argued that negotiations should not begin with a country that is at war…”

Ukraine will not become part of the EU. Rather, Ukraine will be united with Russia.

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.

One of the greatest parental responsibilities is to TEACH their children about God. In fact, God Himself is quoted in the Bible when He spoke of Abraham, saying:

^“‘For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him’” (Genesis 18:19).

The Authorized Version is even more emphatic, stating: “For I know him, THAT he WILL command his children… and they SHALL keep the way of the LORD…” Similar the NIV.

When God chose and redeemed Israel from Egyptian captivity, He commanded that the people should love Him with total commitment and that their children should be taught to do the same:

“‘Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates’ “ (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).

Christians also face the great challenge set forth by God to teach their children about Him, as Ephesians 6:4 states:

“And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.”

Quite obviously, teaching children requires a conscious commitment from parents, and that dedication should, where possible, begin before children are born. Couples planning to marry ought to prepare by discussing child-rearing goals and methods. For those who already have children, planning and preparations are still a necessity. As shown in the preceding biblical quotes, parents must, themselves, be anchored in the Word of God to teach their children properly and successfully.

The purpose of this Q&A is to address training young children about God and the Bible, and that training begins with the example of the parents.

Many parents wait longer than they should to begin teaching their children about God. They assume that small children are not ready until a point well beyond when they could—and should—have started teaching their children the basics about God and His Way of Life. Never forget that children are most impressionable at their youngest age.

At what age should we start teaching the Scriptures to our children? God’s Word should be an important and natural part of life from very early childhood on. We expect small children to grow up learning songs, stories, the names of colors and the sounds animals make. Why not take advantage of the incredible, sponge-like learning capacity of a small child and start planting the most important seed of all—God’s instructions—within them?

Here are some strategies for teaching the Bible itself. The Bible is a large book, and to introduce its study to our children, we must first present it in small, manageable portions according to their age level. Decide what subjects you wish to cover and think about how to present them in a user-friendly way. You may choose to cover a topic over several sessions. Focus on presenting important biblical teachings that they can use throughout their lives. Examples could include the Creation, the Exodus, the Ten Commandments, the life of David, Jesus Christ, lessons from the various “heroes” of the Bible, and as they get older, proofs of God’s existence and the history of the New Testament Church.

How much time should we spend per session? Find the balance in setting a time that is neither unreasonably long, nor so short that it gives the impression God’s Word is a low priority in our day. For instance, how long can a preschooler sit to watch a television show or hear a story read to them? How long can an elementary-age child sit to listen to a teacher read a book?

Before launching into your teaching session, take a few minutes to do your “homework.” Preview the lesson and compile your ideas.

Here are some suggestions and recommendations to help set up your Bible curriculum. Certainly, there are many other ideas that you, the parents, will have.

READING THE BIBLE

There are many good materials to read, but ultimately there is no substitute for the Bible itself. You cannot go wrong by starting in Genesis and reading on through the Bible. Alternate methods are also fine. For young children, consider skipping over long lists such as genealogies, or briefly summarizing them. You may also want to paraphrase some passages, putting them into your own words in simple language your child can understand, instead of reading the text as written. Your reading will become much more effective as you add your own comments to the passages you read. Ask questions to make them think (this is very important). Tell a little story that gets a point across. Act out the scenario. Anything you add along these lines is well worth the effort.

Whenever your child learns to read, present him or her with a Bible of his or her own. In order for our children to learn the Bible and become familiar and comfortable with handling it, they need to have one! It should be a true Bible (such as the New King James Bible), not a pseudo-Bible or children’s story-book-type volume. It should contain all the same Scriptures a regular Bible has. Thumb tabs are also very helpful for children to find books faster.

As the child becomes a more proficient reader, the publications of the Church of the Eternal God will serve as helpful study aids for parents. Bible atlases, Bible dictionaries and other reference materials can be introduced to the youth. In turn, parents can summarize important concepts in terms appropriate to their children’s learning level.

MEMORY WORK

Memorizing is a normal part of life for a child—from the alphabet to nursery rhymes to state capitals. It should be a normal part of life to memorize the most important information of all—God’s Words. Memorizing specific Scriptures and learning what they mean can be fun. A child is ready to start memory work by the age of three. Start by choosing short verses to learn. This will build your child’s confidence. Teach them one phrase or word from the verse at a time. Say a word (or phrase), then point to your child to supply the next word.

Show your child where the verse is found in the Bible. Mark their Bible with a special color to identify verses they have memorized. Say the book, chapter and verse, before and after the Scripture. Recite the verse several times a day in your child’s presence so that it becomes familiar to them. Do not simplify the verses. It is important to teach God’s Word as it is recorded. Clarify any words they don’t understand.

It is not wrong to offer an age-appropriate reward. Make the rewards immediate if possible. Rewards could include small treats, prizes, stars on a chart, a trip to the store, or special time with mom or dad. Having them share their accomplishment by reciting it to someone else (grandparents, teacher, etc.) is very beneficial, too. Children like to feel they have accomplished something.

PICTURES AND ARTWORK

As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Some Bible resource books (Bible dictionaries, Bible encyclopedias, etc.) contain good diagrams or pictures. A word of caution regarding pictures, however: A child’s mind is very impressionable, and a picture can stick in the mind for a long time. This also goes for adults. We should avoid using pictures such as those that depict God the Father, Jesus Christ [either when He was here on earth, as a Man, or in His present state as an immortal God Being], Satan the Devil, angels or demons, and men with long hair (except for Nazarites).

PROPS

Props are a great teaching aid. A complete interactive felt or flannel board teaching system used to teach and tell both Old and New Testament Bible stories is an excellent tool for illustration. This makes the Bible story come to life and lets the child interact and become part of the story—giving the child a chance to use his senses of hearing (listening to the story being read or told), seeing and touching. You can easily create a felt board by simply gluing a large piece of felt to a rectangular piece of cardboard. Have the children draw or color pictures of Bible characters and props onto heavy paper or poster board, cut them out, and then place Velcro adhesive on the back of each piece. The kids will love it! Also, you can purchase the felt board projects at your local Bible Book Store or Online but be sure to remove items that are inappropriate.

MAKE A TIMELINE

Starting with the beginning of the Bible, you may want to consider having your child start a timeline of the sequence of the major events you are reading about through the Bible. You could provide a short roll of paper to make a continuous timeline that can be rolled up later. Children could draw and color pictures they have created on this timeline.

TEACHING A CHILD TO PRAY

The beginning of the child’s prayer life is essentially an activity. A mother might ask the question: “When shall I begin to teach my little child to pray?” This question should be met by another: “When do you intend to start teaching your little child a language?” If the father and mother kneel by the child’s bed long before he can notice consciously what is happening, the child grows up during this event: “Mom and dad speaking to Someone whom they respect and love and cannot see.” Let your child see you praying. Children learn by example.

Our children and grandchildren need to understand that we, as Christian parents and grandparents, talk to God in prayer on a regular basis. Asking a blessing at mealtime, prayer of anointing for illness and prayers given at Church services provide important examples of our relationship with God. These illustrations become a Way of Life.

SUPPLEMENTAL

Using other Bible materials from the Internet can be very helpful, if they adhere to the Truth and correct doctrines, but parents must be careful to closely monitor what they use.

Make this a pleasant time for the child. By making it special, we are showing we place special value on God’s Word and the privilege of studying it. Pick an area with a table, if possible, where the setting and atmosphere are clearly “study time” and minimize distractions. Clear the table of clutter. Leave the television, their computer or their “devices” off and mute distractions such as cell phones. Be sure to begin each study session with a brief prayer together, asking for God’s help in understanding His Word.

These recommendations are suggestions as a starting point for prospective parents, parents, and grandparents. Understanding that God created humankind to eventually become part of His eternal Family makes the training of our children one of life’s most important and rewarding endeavors!

Lead Writer: Dave Harris

compiled by Dave Harris

“The Foolish Hamas-Israel Deal—and What It Means!” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Israel and Iran’s proxy, Hamas, agreed to a four-day pause or ceasefire to allow the release of 50 innocent hostages [out of more than 200 hostages] in exchange for 150 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel. Israel said it would extend the four-day pause by an additional day for every ten hostages released by Hamas, and it published a list of 300 names of Palestinian prisoners who could be freed. Among those released are operatives of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Fatah and the Popular Front who had been convicted of sometimes brutal crimes. It has been claimed that the Biden administration pressured Israel to cut this unfair deal. This comes after the Biden administration released $6 billion to Iran, in exchange for five American hostages, before Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack. What does this all mean in the light of biblical prophecy?

“Können Sie Gott vergeben?” is the title for this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Can You Forgive God?”

“Menschengebote und ihre Folgen,” last Sabbath’s second split sermon presented by Johann Schell in Germany, is now posted. Title in English: “Human Commandments and their Consequences.”  

“To Do Justly,” the sermonette  presented last Sabbath by Paul Niehoff, is now posted. Here is a summary:

God is not impressed by how many physical sacrifices we make. But He is very pleased when we live a life of justice, mercy and humility. He is concerned with our attitude and how we interact with others in a right manner.

“Answering Criticism of God,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Brian Gale, is now posted. Here is a summary:

This sermon looks at the nonsense of evolution, atheism, proof that God must exist, the Bible being true, an instruction manual for mankind and the question of choice. We also see that blessings and cursings accrue from our behavior towards God and fellow man.