Update 1110

On April 6, 2024, Paul Niehoff will present the sermonette, titled, “Two Mule Loads of Earth,” and Brian Gale will present the sermon, titled, “Women and the Ministry.”

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

In a world ruled by Satan, the contrast between dark and light is quite evident.  We experience this every year during God’s Spring and Fall Holy Days. God expects us to observe these Days as commanded in the Bible, while the world celebrates its man-made pagan holidays. Insofar as these holidays in the spring are concerned, the world keeps them around the same time we keep God’s Spring Holy Days – a contrast between dark and light.  

The world just celebrated Easter, erroneously believing that this has to do with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, where “Good Friday” is claimed to be the day that Christ was crucified and Easter Sunday the day that Christ was resurrected.   The Bible says nothing of the kind. There is nothing “good” about this and Isaiah 5:20 even points this out, saying, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness.”  

The Bible and historical records prove, instead, that Christ was crucified and buried late on Wednesday and that He was resurrected late on Saturday, just before sunset.  Had this not been the case, Christ would not have fulfilled the only sign that He gave the Pharisees for His Messiahship — that is, to be dead and buried in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights (Matthew 12:38-40).

Modern Christianity has done exactly what God forbids by incorporating pagan aspects into the worship of God. But God says, “You shall NOT worship the LORD your God in that way!” (Deuteronomy 12:31). Our free booklet, “Is That in the Bible?–Man’s Holidays and God’s Holy Days,” goes into this in much more detail. 

We know what the Truth is.  And even though we have to face this test every year since we live in this world, having to go through the distractions of pagan worship, we must remain attentive to God and His righteousness.  The darkness of Easter has just passed, and we look forward to the light just ahead of us in the observance and celebration of the Passover, symbolizing the remembrance of Christ’s death, and the Days of Unleavened Bread, symbolizing our commitment to live a sinless life.  

This is our focus and God called us to this understanding and for a purpose.  “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

Let us continue to be the lights that God expects of us as we shift our attention to what is just ahead of us – the correct observance of His Holy Days. 

by Norbert Link

In this edition, we report on growing anti-Semitism and anti-Israel sentiments, even in places where one might not expect this; controversial actions by Israel; Erdogan’s surprising losses in Turkey’s local elections; speak on Europe’s “pre-war era” and Russia’s “holy war” against Ukraine; Haiti’s descent into the abyss; and point out the concern that Americans and Canadians will soon be “slaves.”

We address demands that Joe Biden and other high-ranking Catholic Democrats need to be excommunicated from the Catholic Church; and report on the idea that there cannot be equality for women without their “right” to abortion.

We continue with shameful conduct related to American Women’s Soccer; Easter Sunday and Transgender Day of Visibility; and the many holidays to celebrate “alternate lifestyles.” We report on an outcry because of new Hate Crime Laws to “protect” transgender people, and we conclude with a short article pointing out that most Americans believe in a [biblically debunked] physical resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “America’s Betrayal of Israel!”

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

Germany Shifts Tone

DNYUZ wrote on March 29:

“German officials have begun to question whether their country’s support [for Israel] has gone too far… The change in stance also tracks with the evolving position of Germany’s most important ally, the United States…

“Until recently, German public opinion seemed firmly behind the government’s support of Israel’s military campaign. But polls by public broadcasters in recent weeks show that nearly 70 percent of Germans surveyed felt Israel’s military actions were not justifiable… The matter has become inescapable for Mr. Scholz…”

Germany’s “friendship” with Israel—which was really overshadowed all along by Germany’s “friendship” with and support for the Palestinians—will become more and more strained.

Trump Too?

LifeSiteNews wrote on March 28:

“Former U.S. president Donald Trump said Israel’s behavior in conducting its retaliatory attack on the 2.3 million people of Gaza has done tremendous damage to how the Jewish state is perceived around the world, putting them ‘in trouble’ and encouraging antisemitism…. ‘You have to finish up your war… Israel has to be very careful, because you’re losing a lot of the world, you’re losing a lot of support, you have to finish up, you have to get the job done.’… Trump suggested that [the major rise in antisemitism] is a natural result to the devastation the Israeli army is inflicting upon tens of thousands of innocent lives… ‘you (Israel) fought back. And I think Israel made a very big mistake. I wanted to call (Israel) and say don’t do it,’ he said…

“‘You have a lot of people on the outside that are not friendly to Israel, and they’re never going to be friendly to Israel. And you have to be very careful. You’re in a very treacherous neighborhood,’ he proposed…

“In a late January interview, U.S. Col. Douglas Macgregor said the populations in the Middle East Arab nations such as Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Turkey ‘are so angry and so enraged, they’re ready to fight, regardless of what the costs are, to destroy Israel.’”

Trump’s and Netanyahu’s friendly relationship turned somewhat sour when Netanyahu wasted no time in congratulating Biden for his “victory” over Trump after the last election.

Israeli Strike Kills Seven Aid Workers

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 2:

“Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted a ‘tragic case of an unintentional strike’ by Israeli forces on ‘innocent people.’ Seven people working for the US food aid charity World Central Kitchen were killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza. Australian, British and Polish citizens are reported to be among the seven aid workers killed in an alleged Israeli air strike… The Israeli military has expressed ‘sincere sorrow’ and has promised an investigation.

“US Secretary of State Antony Blinken [said] that Israel should ‘do more to protect innocent civilian lives, be they innocent Palestinian children or aid workers.’ Israel’s conduct of its war in Gaza with its rising civilian death toll has been causing increasing consternation in Washington…”

Israel Strikes Syria

CNN wrote on April 2:

“Iran has vowed to retaliate after it accused Israel of bombing its embassy complex in Syria on Monday, in a deadly escalation of regional tensions over the war in Gaza that once again appeared to raise the risk of a wider Middle Eastern conflict.

“The airstrike destroyed the consulate building in the capital Damascus, killing at least seven officials including Mohammed Reza Zahedi, a top commander in Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), and senior commander Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi, according to Iran’s Foreign Ministry… ‘According to our intelligence, this is no consulate and this is no embassy,’ Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told CNN…’This is a military building of Quds forces disguised as a civilian building in Damascus.’”

“The Height of Hypocrisy”

Die Welt wrote on April 2:

“It is a symptom of the moral wear and tear of our time that we have almost become accustomed to the hypocrisy of dictatorial regimes. This applies to Russia as well as to Iran. The most recent example: the furor over Israel’s attack on part of the Iranian embassy complex in Damascus, which Tehran branded as a violation of international law.

“However, it was mainly top Iranian terrorists who died, including the commander of the Quds Force for Syria and Lebanon. The Revolutionary Guards and their foreign arm, the al-Quds Force, are rightly classified as terrorist organizations by the USA. It is the height of hypocrisy that Iran is claiming the rules of diplomacy that the mullahs’ regime itself has always flouted.

“Think of the 444-day hostage-taking of the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979 shortly after the Islamic Revolution, the Iranian terrorist attack on the US Embassy in Beirut in 1983 and the one on the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires in 1992. More than 90 people died.

“Iran is also known to abuse diplomatic immunity to carry out terrorist attacks. Most recently, for example, in the case of Assadollah Assadi, who, as a diplomat at the Iranian embassy in Vienna, planned a terrorist attack in Paris and was convicted for it by a Belgian court.

“So it is quite ridiculous for Iran to now claim diplomatic immunity for terrorist generals who coordinated military operations against Israel. Iran is waging an openly declared war to eliminate Israel and is currently supporting Hamas and Hezbollah’s war against the Jewish state, both financially and with weapons.

“And the military who are waging and coordinating this war on Iran’s side are, of course, a legitimate military target, regardless of whether Tehran puts the mask of diplomacy on them or not. Neither the media nor politicians should fall for this transparent maneuver.”

Persecution of Jews in Canada

The Times of Israel wrote on March 29:

“Canadian Jews have begun to worry about the very viability of their community of some 400,000 people. They fear for its future amid growing hostility to Jews on the streets, antipathy in government toward Israel and bureaucratic regulation they say limits their ability to practice their faith.

“A recent example of the regulation was the government’s introduction last year of new animal welfare-related limitations on kosher meat production… many Canadian Jews view the move on kosher meat as fresh evidence that their society… is becoming inhospitable….”

Antisemitism—including antisemitism sponsored or supported by many governments—is clearly on the rise.

Erdogan Loses Election in Istanbul and Ankara

Breitbart wrote on April 1:

“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) suffered their worst defeat in more than 20 years in local elections, losing the mayoralties of both Istanbul and Ankara to opposition candidates. The opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) narrowly won the overall popular vote for the first time in decades, elevating Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu to become Erdogan’s major rival for national influence…  AKP’s parliamentary majority is no longer large enough to push through a new constitution without a referendum, which the results suggest Erdogan would lose…

“In the capital city of Ankara, CHP candidate Mansur Yavas won by such a significant margin that he declared victory before half of the votes were counted…

“Sunday’s election more than doubled the number of female mayors in Turkey, another signal that Erdogan’s Islamist grip on Turkish politics might be slipping. Most of the new women mayors were members of the more secular CHP, plus a few from the People’s Democracy Party (DEM), a pro-Kurdish party that is sometimes stripped of its seats by Erdogan’s government because it is supposedly linked to Kurdish separatist militants…”

Elections for the Turkish presidency will occur in 2028. Much can still happen till then.

CNBC wrote on April 1:

“… while Erdogan’s opponents are celebrating the weekend’s result, it’s still by no means the end of the road for the Turkish president and his hold on power, some analysts note… ‘It would be naïve and erroneous to assume that this setback marks the beginning of the end for Erdogan.’… ‘[He] will not move towards greater political accommodation given his aversion to share power and will not tone down his polarizing rhetoric due to this stinging defeat… Rather, he is likely to respond forcefully (but not necessarily immediately) to the challenges posed by the opposition’s victory in the local elections.”

Erdogan is a ruthless dictator who, like Putin, crushes his opponents. Turbulent times in Turkey are to be expected.

Europe in a Pre-War Era

BBC News wrote on March 30:

“[Polish Prime Minister Donald] Tusk warned the next two years of the war would decide everything, adding: ‘We are living in the most critical moment since the end of the Second World War.’… Mr Tusk, a former president of the European Council, has warned Europe must be prepared for war before.”

The Independent wrote on March 29:

“Europe is in a ‘pre-war era’ reminiscent of 1939… For the first time since 1945, war in Europe is becoming “real’ again,” Tusk said… ‘We have not experienced a situation like this since 1945,’ he said…”

Europe is indeed in a pre-war era, but the outcome will be quite different from what many people believe.

Holy War Against Ukraine?

Newsmax wrote on March 29:

“The Russian Orthodox Church this week approved a document declaring its country’s self-described ‘special military operation’ against Ukraine as a ‘holy war’ being waged to protect Russia’s ‘spiritual space.’ The declaration was made in a document approved during a gathering of the World Russian People’s Council, which brought religious, cultural, and political figures together at the Orthodox Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow… ‘From a spiritual and moral point of view, the special military operation is a Holy War, in which Russia and its people, are defending the single spiritual space of Holy Russia,’ said the document…

“The document added that the war was waged to protect ‘the world from the onslaught of globalism and the victory of the West, which has fallen into Satanism,’ and declared that once the war is over, ‘the entire territory of modern Ukraine should enter the zone of Russia’s exclusive influence.’ ‘The possibility of the existence of a Russophobic political regime hostile to Russia and its people on this territory, as well as a political regime controlled from an external center hostile to Russia, should be completely excluded,’ the declaration said.

“Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, who heads the Russian Orthodox Church and the World Russian People’s Council, is an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. In February 2022, when the invasion of Ukraine began, Kirill declared that Ukraine and Belarus remain part of ‘Russian lands’ and condemned Ukrainians fighting back against the invasion as ‘forces of evil.’ He also presented the war as Russia’s battle for Christianity’s future…

“Sviatoslav Shevchuk, the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, told Newsweek earlier this month that in places where Russia has arrived in Ukraine, it has worked to ‘exterminate all other religions besides the well-controlled and weaponized Russian Orthodox Church.’ Meanwhile, the Institute for Religious Freedom, based in Kyiv, said last year that Russia’s military has destroyed, damaged, or looted almost 500 religious buildings, with the numbers continuing to climb.

“Shevchuk said it is a challenge for his church not to become militant or ‘fall to the same temptation the Russian Orthodox Church fell into and become an instrument of hatred.’”

One might be tempted to think that Putin is the beast and Kirill the false prophet, as their actions clearly reflect what the beast and the false prophet will do. But we know, of course, that the beast will be of German (or Austrian) descent, arising in Germany, being hostile to Russia, and the false prophet won’t belong to the “Orthodox Church.” Still, Putin’s and Kirill’s actions seem to be influenced by the same dark powers which will finally possess the beast and the false prophet.

Haiti an “Open-Air Prison”

Express wrote on April 1:

“Haiti’s crisis has got so bad that the country has now been described as an ‘open-air prison’ as armed gangs continue to kill unarmed civilians and the humanitarian crisis deepens. In recent weeks, the gangs have ramped up their violence as they forced Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign. A transitional government has been formed to run the country before elections are held, but the gangs continue to cause chaos on the streets of the capital Port-au-Prince… children are among the most impacted, often caught in crossfire or being kidnapped by gangs as they aim to raise funds from ransoms. Sexual violence has also made the streets incredibly unsafe for women.

“William O’Neill, the UN’s designated independent expert on human rights, based in New York, said: ‘Schools, hospitals, key government institutions, everything now is at risk… Port-au-Prince and the surrounding area is essentially an open-air prison. There’s no way out — air, land, or sea. In fact, it’s not even so open-air anymore because people are afraid to leave their houses.’

“Many in Haiti are now going without essentials, including food. Gang violence has also seen over 350,000 people displaced in their own country. Mr O’Neill continued: ‘Gangs in the Artibonite department have attacked farm properties and also stolen hundreds of livestock belonging to residents, assets which often represent farmers’ life savings… Furthermore, along the northern coast… the Village de Dieu gang continues to use motorboats to … attack, loot, and steal from residents, local businesses, and humanitarian actors.’ To pay the ransoms demanded by gangs for the liberation of kidnapped family members, many have been forced to sell their homes and take out loans…”

When anarchy rules, that is the result.

Huge Earthquake Strikes Taiwan

Breitbart wrote on April 3:

“Taiwan was struck by the largest earthquake in 25 years in the early hours of Wednesday morning, collapsing buildings and triggering landslides, killing several and leaving tens of dozens missing… As noted by Britain’s BBC, China has been fast to offer aid to Taiwan, but Taiwan has turned down the suggested assistance from Beijing, which claims all of Taiwan as its own territory and is frequently discussed as a Russia-Ukraine style invasion risk.”

Taiwan’s earthquake monitoring agency said the quake was 7.2 magnitude while the U.S. Geological Survey put it at 7.4. In 1999, an earthquake measuring 7.6-magnitude killed 2,400 people.

“We Will Be Slaves”

LifeSiteNews wrote on March 28:

“Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared in no uncertain terms recently that establishing a Central Bank Digital Currency in the country will be ‘the end of freedom; we will be slaves if we allow that to happen.’ ‘The truckers in Canada were protesting the COVID mandates, the lockdowns, masking mandates, vaccination mandates, and others,’ Kennedy [said]… ‘they were exercising a right that we all take for granted in this country: the right to assemble, the right to protest, the right to petition their government…  the government instead condemned them as right-wing fascists and racists… 

“‘The government used facial recognition systems and other intrusive technologies to identify the participants,’ he recounted, ‘and weaponized that information against them to freeze their bank accounts so they couldn’t purchase diesel for their trucks, buy food for their kids, or pay their mortgages or rents… ‘The truckers in Canada were never charged with a crime. They were certainly never convicted. It was just (that) they were doing something the government didn’t like. So the government was able to destroy their lives, and that is a very dangerous power to give government. And that’s why I’m against Central Bank Digital Currencies because that is part of the path to getting us where China is today…

“Kennedy is far from alone in his alarm over the prospect of a CBDC being introduced in the U.S. or Canada… U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz introduced the CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act last month to prohibit the Federal Reserve from issuing a central bank digital currency that Republican sponsors of the bill believe could turn the nation into a ‘surveillance state’ by handing over control of personal finances to federal government agencies… ‘Big government has no business spying on Americans to control their personal finances and track their transactions,’ said Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, a co-sponsor of the bill.”

The irony is, according to biblical prophecy, Americans and Canadians, among others, will become slaves, but in a more drastic and terrible way than even suggested in the article.

Biden Much Worse Threat to Democracy Than Trump

Breitbart wrote on April 2:

“Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a former Democrat turned independent running for president in 2024 as a third party candidate, said [on CNN] the argument can be made President Joe Biden is a ‘much worse threat to democracy’ than former President Donald Trump… pointing to the fact that Biden, 81, has weaponized federal agencies, using them to censor his political opponent….

“Kennedy continued, explaining that ‘the greatest threat to democracy is not somebody who questions election returns, but a president of the United States who uses the power of his office to force the social media companies, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter to open a portal and give access to that portal to the FBI, to the CIA, to the IRS, to CISA, to NIH to censor his political critics.’”

The CNN moderator did not like that answer.

Trump Blasts “Corrupt” Judges and Legal System

Newsmax and Reuters wrote on April 2:

“Former President Donald Trump on Tuesday blasted the New York judge presiding over his trial on charges of falsifying records regarding a payment to silence a porn actress after the judge expanded a gag order on him.

“Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan on Monday amended a week-old ban on Trump making public statements about witnesses, jurors, and others connected with the case after the presumptive Republican nominee lashed out at the judge’s daughter, a Democrat political consultant, in several posts on his Truth Social platform. ‘I just was informed that another corrupt New York Judge, Juan Merchan, GAGGED me so that I cannot talk about the corruption and conflicts taking place in his courtroom with respect to a case that everyone, including the D.A., felt should never have been brought,’ Trump posted on Truth Social… ‘This Judge should be recused, and the case should be thrown out’

“Trump then turned his attention to President Joe Biden… ‘Please remember, ALL of these Lawsuits, Charges, and Indictments that have been brought against me have been orchestrated and coordinated by Crooked Joe Biden, the White House, and the DOJ, as an ATTACK ON CROOKED’S POLITICAL OPPONENT, ME. This has never happened before in our Country… THE LEGAL SYSTEM IN OUR COUNTRY HAS BEEN CORRUPTED & POLITICIZED AT A LEVEL NEVER SEEN BEFORE… UNDER CROOKED JOE BIDEN WE HAVE BECOME A THIRD WORLD NATION. OUR BORDERS ARE GONE, OUR LEGAL SYSTEM IS WEAPONIZED, OUR ELECTIONS ARE CORRUPT. IT DOESN’T GET ANY WORSE THAN THAT!!!…’

“Earlier Monday, Trump posted a $175 million bond in his New York civil fraud case,.. ‘I had to pay New York State in order to appeal a corrupt decision by a biased, crooked and highly overturned judge. It’s supposed to be the other way around – you appeal before you pay,’ Trump wrote Tuesday morning… The bond prevents New York Attorney General Letitia James from going after Trump’s properties, including Trump Tower, his 370-acre resort and golf course in Westchester, and his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. CNN reported that the bond is underwritten by Knight Specialty Insurance, a California-based insurance company. It was not disclosed what collateral Trump used to secure the bond.”

Our corrupted legal system cannot get any worse? Oh yes, it can, and it will. We have just seen the beginning.

Excommunicate Biden (and Many Other Catholic Democrats)

LifeSiteNews wrote on March 28:

“The former prefect of the Vatican’s highest doctrine office, Cardinal Gerhard Müller, condemned U.S. President Joe Biden’s support for abortion, saying it is ‘infanticide’ and that those promoting ‘infanticide’ should be ‘excommunicated.’ ‘The word “abortion” is too much a soft word. The reality is killing, murder of a living person,’ said… Müller. ‘There’s no right to kill another person…’

“Cardinal Müller likened the killing of the unborn and the elderly to the ‘Nazi’ times, saying that ‘it’s absolutely unacceptable that you can say you are a Catholic and promote and justify killing of human persons, human beings [from] the beginning in the mother’s womb, until the last respiration [with] euthanasia… Killing of ill people, like in the Nazi times, is euthanasia.’

“Biden is very public about his self-professed Catholic faith, but Cardinal Müller suggested that while Biden is ‘nominally a Catholic, in reality he is a Nihilist’…

“The Catholic Church teaches that abortion is always wrong, because it kills an innocent human being, thus violating the Church’s prohibition on murder…”

If the Pope and the Catholic Church were to act true to their own teaching, Biden, Pelosi and other high-ranking Catholic Democrats, openly supportive of abortion, would HAVE to be excommunicated. But this applies to hypocritical Europeans too (see the next article). Of course, the Catholic Church can’t really be serious about its proclaimed stance against killing human beings, because it has been guilty of murdering opponents and “heretics” throughout its existence.

No Equality Without Abortion?

BioEdge wrote on March 21:

“France’s decision to include a right to abortion in its constitution has revived moves to include it in [the] European Union’s Charter of Fundamental Rights. ‘Deciding about one’s own body is a fundamental right: there is no equality if women cannot do so; it is impossible without the right to abortion,’ said Karen Melchior, a Danish Member of the European Parliament. 

“… Amending the Charter requires a unanimous vote from all members of the EU. It is unlikely that Poland, Malta, or Hungary, at least, would agree. So despite speeches by activists, it is unlikely that the EU will be following in France’s footsteps.

“Not everyone in France has welcomed the abortion amendment. Nicolas Bauer, a lawyer… believes that it will weaken doctors’ right to conscientious objection.”

In addition, does the unborn have no rights? It is amazing that pro-abortion activists—including many Catholics—are unwilling to even address this undeniable fact.

Shameful Conduct in the Female Soccer Realm

Breitbart wrote on March 29:

“Former U.S. Women’s National Team soccer star Megan Rapinoe has launched an all-out war against current USWNT midfielder Korbin Albert for daring to post a video by a Christian who opposes transgenderism. The 20-year-old Albert had reposted a video by a teen who faced serious mental health issues that caused him to think he might be transgender. The teen says that after he found God, he realized he was not trans and detransitioned. But after being attacked by Rapinoe [who is openly lesbian and took a knee, in protest of “racism,” during the national anthem] and her rabid gender ideology cohorts, Albert fell on her sword and apologized for posting the video.

“‘I want to sincerely apologize for my actions on social media,’ Albert wrote in an Instagram story this week… ‘Liking and sharing posts that are offensive, insensitive, and hurtful was immature and disrespectful, which was never my intent. I truly believe that everyone should feel safe and respected everywhere and on all playing fields. I know my actions have not lived up to that, and for that, I sincerely apologize. It’s an honor and a privilege to get to play this sport and on the world stage and I promise to do better,’ she added.

“Rapinoe had attacked Albert and pushed the false claim that ‘kids are literally killing themselves because of this hate.’ Indeed, more and more studies are finding that suicide threats increase after transitions and are not higher in trans-leaning teens before transition procedures. Rapinoe, who retired from professional soccer last year, went all-in for transgender athletes after she was safely out of the game and did not have to face playing with men on her team or the teams of her opponents.

“Many jumped to social media to blast Rapinoe for her hypocritical stance in favor of transgender athletes now that she is safely out of the game.”

Too bad that Albert felt a need to apologize, due to pressure from Rapinoe and other radicals. Newsmax suggested that Albert did not write the apology, but somebody else did, and that she just signed off on it, as she might have been threatened with being expelled from the US national soccer team, if she had not. Who knows? In our ungodly society, none of that sounds too far-fetched. Note the next outrageous article.

Easter Sunday and Transgender Day of Visibility

Breitbart wrote on March 30:

“Biden issued an official proclamation on Good Friday, reading, ‘We honor the extraordinary courage and contributions of transgender Americans and reaffirm our Nation’s commitment to forming a more perfect Union — where all people are created equal and treated equally throughout their lives.’

“The official proclamation continued: ‘NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 31, 2024, as Transgender Day of Visibility. I call upon all Americans to join us in lifting up the lives and voices of transgender people throughout our Nation and to work toward eliminating violence and discrimination based on gender identity.’

“Biden’s chosen day for the inaugural celebration is Easter Sunday, a day on which [nominal] Christians — including Biden, who discusses his Catholic faith often — celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ…”

Express wrote on March 30:

“Joe Biden released a statement ahead of Transgender Day of Visibility… This year, Transgender Day of Visibility will fall on the same day as Easter Sunday, causing outcry from Christians across the US. March 31st will mark Easter Sunday and the 15th annual Transgender Day of Visibility – which is celebrated internationally, not just in the US.

“Christians have taken to social media to express their outrage at the clash of the two celebrations, arguing that it is disrespectful to their religion.”

Biden’s fascination with the transgender people is ridiculous.

Transgender Nonsense and Biden’s Ongoing Provocations

Breitbart wrote on April 1:

“On Sunday afternoon, Biden’s X account tweeted: ‘Today, on Transgender Day of Visibility, I have a simple message to all trans Americans: I see you. You are made in the image of God, and you’re worthy of respect and dignity.’…

“Biden’s transgenderism statement was slammed by Christians and critics of transgenderism… ‘To say that humans who block puberty, take cross-sex hormones, and cut off their body parts because they were “born in the wrong body” are “made in the image of God” is quite an insult to God…’”

At Least 50 Days of “Celebration”

Breitbart added on March 30:

“The Biden administration’s decision to honor ‘Transgender Awareness Day’ on Easter Sunday has caused widespread controversy. However, many Americans may be unaware that there are more than 50 LGBTQIA2S+-themed holidays.”

Breitbart then published a list of many of the above-mentioned days. They include days in March (called the “Bisexual Health Awareness Month”), days in May (referred to at times as “Agender Pride Day”), days in June (called the LGBTQ Pride Month), days in October (called the LGBTQ History Month), and days in November (called the Trans Awareness Month). Days themselves might be called National Transgender HIV Testing Day; Nonbinary Parents Day; Lesbian Visibility Day; Agender Pride Day; LGBTQ Families Day; Queer Youth of Faith Day; International Drag Day; Gay Uncles Day; Bisexuality Day; International Lesbian Day; National Coming Out Day; National LGBT Center Awareness Day; Transgender Awareness Week; Intersex Day; Pansexual Day; Transgender Parent Day; Omnisexual Visibility Day; and many others.

This is the world in which we live!!!!

Scotland’s New Hate Crime Laws to “Protect” Transgender Persons Cause Uproar

The Daily Mail wrote on April 1:

“The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act came into force today… critics say the laws could be used to stifle free speech and that gender-critical activists could be jailed for using the wrong pronoun for a transgender person… Earlier today it was revealed by Scottish minister Siobhian Brown that people ‘could be investigated’ for misgendering someone online. It means a person could be arrested for calling a trans woman ‘he’ if the police decided to do so. … The new laws sparked a furious response by concerned Scots…  with many holding up gender critical slogans. Some of the signs read, ‘a man can’t become a woman. simple’…  ‘truth is not hate speech’, ‘keep trans ideology out of our schools’…

“The Association of Scottish Police Superintendents (ASPS) also warned of the risk of vexatious complaints… Critics, many of whom including the Harry Potter author [J K Rowling] hold gender-critical views [meaning they do not endorse change of gender by transgender people], have said it would be weaponised against them….”

Breitbart wrote on April 2:

“J.K. Rowling won a significant victory over Scotland’s new speech restrictions after daring the police to arrest her over comments criticising transgender ideology, as Police Scotland said they would not take criminal actions against the Harry Potter author after activists reported her statements to law enforcement… [She vowed] that she would stand by any other woman who runs afoul of the new speech codes, saying, ‘If they go after any woman for simply calling a man a man, I’ll repeat that woman’s words and they can charge us both at once.’”

Physical Resurrection of Jesus?

Breitbart wrote on March 30:

“A recent poll reportedly found that a large percentage of registered voters believe that Jesus Christ physically rose from the dead… The Daily Signal, citing a Scott Rasmussen National Survey poll, reported Thursday that almost 70 percent of registered voters believe in Jesus’ bodily resurrection.”

The equation of “bodily” resurrection with “physical” resurrection is clearly wrong. Jesus did NOT physically rise from the dead. Please see our Q&A on this topic. https://www.eternalgod.org/what-will-we-be-in-the-first-resurrection/

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

We recently published three Q&As on the question as to what the Bible means when it says that “many are called, but few are chosen.” https://www.eternalgod.org/why-does-the-bible-say-that-some-are-called-and-chosen-in-this-day-and-age-part-1/ ; https://www.eternalgod.org/why-does-the-bible-say-that-some-are-called-and-chosen-in-this-day-and-age-part-2/ ; https://www.eternalgod.org/why-does-the-bible-say-that-some-are-called-and-chosen-in-this-day-and-age-part-3/

We pointed out that those who are called today to salvation were elected or chosen to be called before the foundation of the world—before time began. We debunked the idea that some would be called first, and only later, after having proven themselves to be worthy, they would become chosen. Rather, those who are called to salvation today had been chosen long ago by God to be called in this age. We also showed that the statement “many are called, but few are chosen” does NOT refer to a calling of many to salvation, but that only the few (“the chosen”) would make it into the Kingdom, while the many will fall away. Rather, we stated at the end of part 3:

“When God foreknew, predestined and elected or chose someone, before time began, to be called to eternal salvation in this life, He expected that person to remain faithful. Many, though, who may think that they are called by God to salvation, are not truly called at all (Matthew 7:21–23; Matthew 15:13). God does not call many today to salvation; He just calls the few or the firstfruits. The calling of the vast majority of mankind will occur later, during the Millennium and the Great White Throne Judgment. God did not call the few in this age, knowing that out of ‘the few,’ ‘the many’ would fail and depart from the Truth and leave the Church, and that only the ‘chosen ones’ would stay and make it into the Kingdom. Those who come to the Church and then leave the Church were, in all likelihood, never called to salvation in this age, even though we must say that, sadly, some might have been called to salvation and in departing from the faith, after having received the Holy Spirit, they lost it again and have committed the unpardonable sin…”

How then do we explain the passage in 2 Thessalonians 2, especially in verse 3 and verses 10-12, referring to a falling away from the Truth in the end time? We read:

“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day [of Christ’s return] will not come unless the falling away comes first…  [regarding] those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned [or judged, compare Neue Lutherbibel 2009] who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

When Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong died in 1986, the human leader of the [now defunct] Worldwide Church of God, a new administration took over and slowly, but surely, began to change all fundamental doctrines of the Church. They began doing so clandestinely, so that many, at first, did not even recognize that “changes” were made. But then, the changes were introduced full-speed and with tremendous force, but by then, many had already given in and had blinded themselves to the Truth, unwilling to reject, based on the Bible, the falsity of what was being introduced, and instead following the new administration blindly to perish together with it. The point is, at that time, a tremendous falling away from the Truth had taken place, and many had become victims of that Satanic deception.

But 2 Thessalonians does not speak about THAT event, even though it was clearly a forerunner of what is going to happen. The end-time falling away, just prior to Christ’s return, will be accompanied by the appearance of the “man of sin” or the “lawless one”; in fact, it is largely through the man of sin who will bring about, under Satan’s influence, the final falling away or apostasy.

We read in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 in context:

“… that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”

Continuing in verses 8-10:  “And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish…”

So we see, both events—the falling away and the coming of the lawless one—appear at approximately the same time. In passing, the rendition of verses 6 and 7 in the New King James Bible is unfortunate. It states there: “And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He [or “he,” note the Margin] who now restrains will do so until He [or “he”] is taken out of the way.”

As we explain in our Q&A, https://www.eternalgod.org/who-or-what-restrains-or-holds-back-the-manifestation-of-the-man-of-sin/ , the correct rendering of verses 3-8 should be:  “… that Day [of Christ’s return] will not come unless… the man of sin is revealed… And now you know what is holding it [the Day] down [or back] that he [the man of sin, or He, Jesus Christ] may be revealed in his [or His, i.e. God’s] own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains (holds it back) [will do so] until he comes from the midst [of the apostasy]. And then the lawless one will be revealed…”

We explained that “it is the man of sin who restrains until he is manifested. The Day of Christ’s return can only happen after God has allowed the man of sin to manifest himself as the human religious leader of the apostasy—working openly and no longer in secret.” We also explained that what is being held back “is the full mystery of lawlessness, which is restrained today.”

Before addressing in detail the coming falling away, we need to show from the Bible who the man of sin is… as there is tremendous confusion on this issue. Many claim that there won’t be a temple in which the man of sin sits; others claim that the man of sin (wherever he sits) is the beast (calling him Antichrist). They are wrong on all counts.

First of all, there will HAVE to be a literal temple in Jerusalem, prior to Christ’s return. Passages like Revelation 11:1-2 and Zechariah 6:15 (in the Authorized Version) reveal that a temple will be built. Passages such as Psalm 79:1 and Jeremiah 51:11; 50:28 show that the temple will be defiled, desecrated and polluted. Ezekiel 8:5-6, 14-16 describes this desecration even further, and so does Daniel 8:11-14; 11:31; 12:11. The Jews will bring animal sacrifices at the temple, but they will be suppressed, and the man of sin will occupy the temple—the inner sanctuary (2 Thessalonians 2:4, as the word “temple” should be translated).  In fact, Christ warned His disciples not to believe that He would be in the “inner rooms” (Matthew 24:26), as it would be the man of sin who would sit there. As the temple will be built for the honor of God, the Bible does refer to it as the temple of God, even though it would be polluted. The second temple, which had been expanded by Herod, and which also had been polluted by the money changers and others, was still referred to as the house of God the Father (cp. Mark 11:15-17; John 2:14-17).

We would also like to point out that the Church, under Mr. Armstrong, clearly taught the existence of a literal physical temple of God prior to Christ’s return. Herbert W. Armstrong wrote the following about the man of sin, in the Plain Truth of June 1967:

“This European power, resurrecting for a VERY short while the Roman Empire, will take over the city of Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:2.) They will take the Temple, and plant the palace of their headquarters there. With this coming military leader, pictured in Revelation 17 as the symbolic ‘beast,’ will be a supreme religious leader, called ‘the False Prophet’ [Rev. 16:13; 19:20; 20:10] and the ‘man of sin.’ So will you turn next to II Thessalonians 2:3-4: ‘Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day’ — the Day of the Lord, verse 2 — ‘shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and THAT MAN OF SIN be revealed, the SON OF PERDITION; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.’ So there will have to be the Temple there!” (Also compare our free booklet, “How Can We Know That Christ’s Return Is Near?”)

As we see from the quote above, Mr. Armstrong also clearly taught that the man of sin is the false prophet, not the beast. This is correct. The false prophet will be able to deceive the people through satanic signs and wonders (compare Revelation 19:20; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10). There is only one vague reference in the Bible to the beast and demonic signs, in Revelation 16:13-14, speaking of demons or unclean spirits coming out of the mouth of Satan the Dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, and saying that these are spirits of demons which perform signs and go out to the kings of the earth and the whole world to gather them at Armageddon. Notice, technically, it is the demons who perform signs and go out to the kings and the world; we do not read here that it is the beast himself who does so (in fact, he won’t go out to the kings of the world to assemble them at Armageddon). But when speaking of the false prophet, we find the repeated expression that HE will perform those signs, of course due to Satan’s help and influence (as the two witnesses will perform signs and wonders due to God’s help and influence, note Revelation 11:5-6).  

The false prophet is also described in Ezekiel 28:1-7. Some have questioned that the person in Ezekiel 28:1, referred to as the prince of Tyre, is in fact the false prophet, and claim that it is the beast. They are wrong. The parallels to 2 Thessalonians, referring to the false prophet, are obvious. In both passages, the personage claims to be God (or a god). We would also like to point out that Herbert Armstrong clearly taught as well that the prince of Tyre describes a religious leader in our time (compare “Mysteries of the Ages,” page 82, hard cover version).

The beast is nowhere described as claiming to be God (or a god). In fact, it is the beast who considers the false prophet as his god (Daniel 11:36-39; Habakkuk 1:11, Authorized Version).

Some claim that the man of sin in 2 Thessalonians 2 is the beast as the beast will be worshipped. That is a false association. First of all, it says that the beast and the image of the beast will be worshipped (Revelation 13:4, 8,15; 14:9, 11; 19:20). The image of the beast describes a religious power, but could also include the end-time representative of that power, as well as a “speaking” statue placed at or in the temple of God (such as a statute of the “Virgin Mary” or of “Christ Himself”). But the concept of being worshipped does not have to mean at all that people consider the person or object being worshipped as “God” (or a god). For instance, in Revelation 13:4, the beast which is “worshipped” is the Roman Empire—not the individual representing the last revival of the Roman Empire in the end time. In addition, who can doubt that many Germans “worshipped” Adolf Hitler—but they did not consider him to be God or a god.

So, we find that the man of sin, sitting in the temple of God, is none other than the false prophet.  For further information and proof, please read our free booklets, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord”; “The Fall and Rise of the Jewish People”; and “The Ten European Revivals of the Ancient Roman Empire.”

Now we are ready to answer more fully the question as posed in this Q&A. When speaking of the coming “falling away,” it clearly addresses people who will be falling away from the Truth which they once understood. This passage does not describe the growth of a religious power, falsely claiming to be “Christian,” which never understood the Truth to begin with. Rather, it does describe the falling away of those who were “in” or “part of” the true Church of God. That would include true converted Christians who will fall away from the Truth. As we will point out below, even though we might hope for the better, their departure might very well be a final decision, leading to the unpardonable sin. Hebrews 6:4-6 is a sober reminder of that possibility.

It is true that the Bible does not use the term “GREAT” or “GREATER” falling away in 2 Thessalonians 2. However, it is also correct that it has been commonly understood that Paul had a GREAT apostasy in mind, which—relatively speaking—will be, in some way, greater than prior apostasies. For instance, the headline of the New King James Bible for 2 Thessalonians 2 reads, “The Great Apostasy.” The Ryrie Study Bible comments about the coming apostasy: “An aggressive and climactic revolt against God.”

For instance, we read in Matthew 24:10, 12 about the end time: “And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another… And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” The “love” which grows cold is the agape love—the love of God given to us by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). The reference here is to converted Christians. The word “offended” in Verse 10 is rendered “fall away” in the English Standard Version (ESV); the New American Standard Version (NASV); the Amplified Bible; and the International Standard Version (ISV).

So, are those correct then who teach that even though many are called to the Truth, only the few are chosen to stay faithful, while the many become “offended” and “fall away” by rejecting eternal life?

Let us review a few more examples where the concept of falling away is described in the Bible.

In 1 Timothy 4:1-2, we read: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron…” The NASV, the English Revised Version and Young’s Literal Translation say “fall away” for “depart.” So, this Scripture says that “some” will fall away.

In addition, in Luke 8:13 we read: “But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.” As we explained in our three-part Q&As on “many are called, but few are chosen,” this category of people mentioned in Luke 8:13 addresses people who were never called; they never received the Holy Spirit, but they could understand and receive the word with joy and even believed for a while.  But in times of temptation, they fell away by forgetting or rejecting that part of the Truth which they did understand and believe.

In Hebrews 3:12, Paul cautions the brethren by comparing them with the ancient Israelites of old who could not enter the Promised Land, by saying: “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.” The RSV and the ESV say here: “in falling away.” But the Israelites of old did not have the Holy Spirit.

In Isaiah 1:2-4, the unconverted modern House of Israel is addressed by God as follows:  “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the LORD has spoken: ‘I have nourished and brought up children, And they have rebelled against Me; The ox knows its owner And the donkey its master’s crib; But Israel does not know, My people do not consider.’ Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the LORD, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward.” The Coverdale Bible states “fell away” instead of “rebelled.” In fact, the word for “falling away” in 2 Thessalonians 2, “apostasia,” means defection from the Truth, and related concepts are to remove, to depart, to forsake and to withdraw, and it can also relate to rebellion.

We can therefore say that in the end time, there will be a falling away, while God’s love in many will grow cold. But this does not have to mean that they lost the Holy Spirit and committed the unpardonable sin, unable and unwilling to ever repent again. As is the case of many who forsook the Truth after Herbert Armstrong’s death, it is our hope that they were either not converted (even though they understood certain aspects of the Truth, as the Holy Spirit might have worked with them), while others did not lose the Holy Spirit, but allowed God’s love in them to grow cold (not, to become thoroughly extinguished). For instance, the five foolish virgins do not have enough of God’s Holy Spirit when Christ returns, but we do not read that they lost God’s Holy Spirit completely, having committed the unpardonable sin. We do not read that they will be thrown into the lake of fire.

On the other hand, some might have committed the unpardonable sin, or will do so, in allowing themselves to fall for Satan’s deception, so the warning is clearly there.

But as we have seen, the Bible also refers to those who fall away from the Truth without having been converted. They might have attended services of God’s true Church for a while—sometimes for a long time—and might have adopted and accepted some of the Truth, but they were never truly convicted. They never received the Holy Spirit. They might have become baptized—many were—but God did not accept that baptism as He looked into their hearts. In short, they were never predestined to be called to salvation in this day and age. Still, they “attended” and were “part of” and were referred to as “members” of the Church.

We read in 2 Timothy 2:17-21:

“And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His,’ and, ‘Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.’ But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.”

In time, it will become manifest who are vessels of gold and silver—who are God’s—and who are vessels of wood and clay who had never been called for salvation in this day and age. The same thought is expressed in Matthew 13:24-30, 47-50.

In conclusion, 2 Thessalonians and other passages addressing the “falling away” of potentially many, do not teach that God called many to salvation, and only very few will make it into the Kingdom, while most of those who were “called” were never “chosen.”  As we have explained before, those who are called in this day and age were predestined and chosen by God long before they were born to be called now, and God did not call them knowing that most would not succeed.

Still, the decision is ours and the warning that the love of many will grow cold is most certainly to be taken quite seriously. Many might come to repentance and to the receipt or the renewal of the Holy Spirit (which had been somewhat dormant in their lives) during the time of the Great Tribulation or just before or even during the Day of the Lord. Others, sadly, will not accept God’s gift of repentance and may end up in the lake of fire. God calls us by giving us the opportunity to respond to the calling and to overcome and fulfill our potential to inherit eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Let us hope that those who fell or will fall away from the Truth which they had understood will come to their senses before it is too late.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link 

compiled by Dave Harris

“America’s Betrayal of Israel!” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Israel is bombarded with accusations and condemnations by its Western friends and allies. The Biden administration is leading, but others have joined the chorus as well. We also note the emergence of more and more antisemitism in the Western world. If you don’t believe this, or if you disagree with the title or the premise of this program, please listen to and learn about shocking facts which should open your eyes as to what is going on.

Passover for 2024 will be observed on Sunday evening, April 21; the first Day of Unleavened Bread is Tuesday, April 23; and the last Day of Unleavened Bread is Monday, April 29, 2024.

A Tech Team meeting was held on March 31, 2024. Hosted by Eric Rank, discussions centered on evaluating our booklet ad campaigns relative to returns and cost considerations.

“Wer hat Jesus Christus getötet?” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Who Killed Jesus Christ?”

“Karfreitag—das Leiden Jesu Christi?” last Sabbath’s first split sermon in Germany, presented by Christoph Sperzel, is now posted. Title in English:  “Good Friday—The Suffering of Jesus Christ?”

“Unser Glaube, er fällt oder er steht,” last Sabbath’s second split sermon in Germany, presented by Thilo Hanstein, is now posted. Title in English: “Our Faith, It Falls Or It Stands.”

“As Yourself,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The Bible instructs us to love others as ourselves. Since this expresses a need to love others AND oneself, what does it mean to have love for oneself? What is the deeper meaning of self-love, how does it contrast with selfish indulgence, and how do we treat ourselves with kindness, patience, and honesty?

“How Can We Strengthen the Church of God?” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

What is the role of a Christian relating to building up the Church of God? Importantly, how can we find help in fulfilling our responsibility in this regard?