On November 10, 2018, Dave Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “Waiting for the Kingdom of God,” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “The Truth is What Matters.”

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.

Driving into my neighborhood recently, I noticed the glow of strung-up lights on several houses.  I thought these were early for Christmas but the colors and décor were instead designed to celebrate Halloween.  Decorations like these are a growing trend that undoubtedly will result in the same fervor as Christmas receives today.

Spending on this holiday is increasing with a disturbing pace.  In a recent article on CNN they state the following numbers: “More than 175 million Americans will celebrate Halloween this year, with seven out of ten consumers planning to hand out candy. Total spending in 2018 will reach $9 billion, with the average consumer planning to spend $86.79 on decorations, candy, costumes and more” (cnn.com, October 18, 2018).

What is truly alarming, and revealing of the direction our country is heading, are the number of professing Christians embracing this festival.  One local church in my neighborhood has annual trick or treat gatherings in our common area.  And their church is by no means alone.  That same CNN article gives a brief history of this festival stating, “Halloween comes from an ancient pagan festival celebrated by Celtic people over 2,000 years ago called Samhain.”

Carnally based traditions have been the bane of God’s people since we were created.  A few Christian-professing friends reminisced recently about their childhood Halloween experiences and how much joy their children find in it today.  And yet they ignore the very words of Christ concerning man-made traditions.  “He answered and said to them, ‘Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?’” (Matthew 15:3).  Man is being cheated out of an everlasting future in lieu of shiny bobbles that Satan so cleverly hands out. Paul faced this same attitude during his ministry: “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8).

The true devastation being heaped up on mankind is with the adulteration of children.  The Devil knows exactly how to draw man away from God.  Satan starts young and builds a lasting foundation.  Is it coincidence that the major Satanic holidays like Easter, Christmas and Halloween are directed towards children?  God told His servants, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).  Failure to follow this simple advice, especially with our young, is what necessitates the impending judgement on this world.

Having a child-like attitude is required by Christ.  “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). The snares of the Devil are plentiful and enticing.  But they grow dim and meaningless to a child-like heart humbled by God’s Spirit.

by Norbert Link

We begin with the results of the US midterm elections, which will lead to foreseeable hostile confrontations between House and Senate Republicans and Democrats and total legislative gridlock [please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Frightening Results and Consequences of Midterm Elections”]; and address Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ forced resignation and Fox News moderator Sean Hannity’s inappropriate conduct and President Trump’s war with CNN’s Jim Acosta. We continue with developments in Europe, including consequences from Angela Merkel’s announcement that she will not run again as Chairman of her party and as Chancellor; a serious warning from French President Macron for Europe and his demand for a “real” European army; the formation and coalition of ten European militaries; the ongoing hopeless battle surrounding Brexit negotiations; and the dismissal of controversial German ex-spy chief Hans-Georg Maassen.

We speak on American sanctions against Iran which will also affect many other countries, and explain that especially Europe is extremely unhappy about US conduct while grudgingly admitting that at this point, they don’t have enough power to oppose the Trump Administration; and we report on the deeply divided USA—a nation in turmoil which is still (or again) plagued by the “ghost of the civil war” which some feel could break out again with full force. We also address once more the ongoing misconceptions and misrepresentations pertaining to America’s constitutionally guaranteed birthright citizenship.

We point out the nonsense of daylight saving time and explain its astonishingly evil history; speak on Jewish mysticism and superstitions; and report on ongoing fears of California’s “Big One” due to a series of large earthquakes resulting from a movement along the San Andreas Fault system.

We conclude with frightening experiments and developments involving genetically engineered viruses which some feel have the potential of wiping out all life on planet earth; and Artificial Intelligence (AI) which, it is claimed, may replace the worship of God.

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

US Midterm Elections Result—Gridlock for Sure!

The Algemeiner wrote on November 7:

“Trump and his fellow Republicans expanded their control of the US Senate in Tuesday’s midterm elections, following a divisive campaign marked by fierce clashes over race and immigration. But they lost their majority in the House, a setback for Trump after a campaign that became a referendum on his leadership. With some races still undecided, Democrats were headed for a gain of more than 30 seats, beyond the 23 they needed to claim their first majority in the 435-member House in eight years.

“The Democrats had never looked likely to win control of the Senate… The party with the presidency often loses House seats in midterm elections. Former President Barack Obama’s Democrats suffered what he called a ‘shellacking’ in congressional elections in 2010.

“With divided leadership in Congress and a president who has taken an expansive view of executive power, Washington could be in store for even deeper political polarization and legislative gridlock…”

Business Insider wrote on November 7:

“‘Welcome to gridlock,’ Paul Donovan, chief economist at UBS Wealth Management said on Wednesday morning. ‘Trump may now fall back on policy areas that do not require Congress, like trade…. Donovan’s view was issued by his colleagues in the chief investment office who note that an ‘increase in gridlock is likely, making it difficult to pass legislation.’”

There will be no meaningful cooperation between House and Senate Republicans and Democrats. Legislative gridlock appears inevitable. However, many of Donald Trump’s foreign powers are not restricted by Congress, and that is extremely worrisome to many.

Trump’s Ongoing Unrestricted Powers

Politico wrote on November 6:

“U.S. President Donald Trump will retain much of his power to shape America’s global policy… Like presidents before him, Trump has wide authority to act unilaterally on some of the issues that Europe and other countries care the most about — foreign policy, defense and trade. And Trump has displayed a broad interpretation of presidential authority and willingness to go around a gridlocked Congress…

“Trump can still quit treaties, negotiate bilateral agreements and make significant changes to U.S. priorities abroad if he so chooses. Congress can’t force the president and his aides to fill the vacant diplomatic posts that dot the globe, for example. And it can’t constrain Trump’s rhetoric about foreign countries, the United Nations or NATO…”

US Midterm Elections from a European Perspective

Deutsche Welle reported on November 7:

“… officials in Germany and other European Union countries said they do not believe the results will prompt a change in US President Donald Trump’s approach to foreign policy. ‘It would be a mistake to expect a course correction from Donald Trump now,’ German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas wrote on Twitter… Manfred Weber, a German politician who heads up the European Parliament’s center-right European People’s Party (EPP), said the results were a ‘mixed signal.’”

Even before the results of the midterm election had become known, Deutsche Welle wrote the following on November 5:

“Never before have the US midterm elections attracted so much interest abroad. Many in the EU hope that the vote will weaken US President Donald Trump. However, observers say, that could prove dangerous internationally… Currently, the Republicans hold the majority in both houses of the US Congress…

“Elmar Brok, the former chairman of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs and a member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats, told DW that it would be good for ‘checks and balances’ for the Democrats to win control of at least one chamber of the bicameral legislature — most likely the House of Representatives. Brok acknowledged, however, that such an outcome could have a downside: ‘President Trump would then concentrate entirely on foreign policy because he would no longer be able to push through any domestic reforms. That could make us even more nervous.’

“The president’s attitude toward the European Union is clear. In trade matters, he regards the EU as an ‘enemy’ of the US — not a rival or even competitor, but an enemy. For example, the president’s realignment of US trade policy has resulted in fiery clashes with the leaders of almost all industrialized countries worldwide. And, after Trump imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum, he began threatening the European Union with punitive duties on cars as a measure to protect US automakers.

“… German observers of US politics fear that Trump could… [order] a military strike on Iran or North Korea… Whatever happens [on Tuesday], little would likely change for the better, Brok said. Trump is so unpredictable in his dealings with NATO allies that all conceivable scenarios in the wake of the US midterm elections are possible, Brok added.

“Braml, of the German Council on Foreign Relations, had a similar take. ‘The US, the “checks and balances,” will not do for us,’ he said. ‘We must think for ourselves: We must learn to think more confidently as Europeans.’ That has been the recurring theme in Germany and the European Union ever since Trump won the presidency in 2016, Braml said. Now, he added, the EU must come up with a coherent and credible strategy for global politics — regardless of who sits in the White House or the US Congress.”

Democrats Will Shoot at Trump

Mother Jones wrote on November 6:

“Here comes the flood. With the Democrats having won control of the House of Representatives, President Donald Trump and his crew in the White House and assorted federal agencies can expect to be hit by a wave of investigations and subpoena requests from Capitol Hill…

“The House Intelligence Committee… will certainly revive aspects of the Trump-Russia probe that House Republicans smothered. The House Foreign Affairs Committee surely will consider examining the Trump-Saudi relationship in light of the grisly murder of Jamal Khashoggi. You can bet the Homeland Security Committee will investigate the Trump administration’s family-separation policy, and the Armed Services Committee will examine whether there was any reason for Trump to send 15,000 troops to the border to deal with a migrant caravan…

“Since Trump entered office… congressional Democrats have been demanding the chance to investigate him… Republicans, though, constantly blocked them and protected Trump… Now the House Democrats have a golden opportunity—and, perhaps unfortunately for the nation, an embarrassment of riches to choose from.”

Trump Will Fire Back

The Washington Post wrote on November 7:

“President Trump threatened Wednesday to retaliate with a ‘warlike posture’ should the new Democratic House majority use its subpoena power to launch investigations into his administration, warning that any probes would jeopardize prospects for bipartisan deals…

“The president, who had demonized Democrats in apocalyptic terms and attacked Pelosi on the campaign trail, said he looked forward to working with her on ‘a beautiful bipartisan-type situation.’… But Trump said that he would react aggressively to any attempt to look into possible corruption in his administration or investigate his personal finances or conduct in office, as Democratic leaders have said they are planning to do…”

Trump Fires Sessions

CNBC wrote on November 7:

“Embattled Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigned at the ‘request’ of President Donald Trump on Wednesday after more than a year of public criticism from the president. Sessions’ chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker, will serve as acting attorney general, Trump announced. Whitaker also will assume oversight of the ongoing investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, and possible collusion by Trump’s campaign in that meddling… Whitaker, who has publicly criticized the Mueller investigation, by law can serve as acting AG for a maximum of 210 days. He will have the power to fire Mueller ‘for cause’…

“Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein up till now has had oversight over the Mueller probe, as a result of Sessions’ move to recuse himself from the investigation in 2017… Sessions’ resignation was expected to happen sometime after Tuesday’s midterm elections, particularly given the drumbeat of the president’s repeated criticism of the attorney general… But the abruptness of the move, less than 24 hours after the close of the polls Tuesday, stunned Trump’s closest allies both inside and outside of the White House.”

Hannity’s Inappropriate Conduct

Newsmax and The Associated Press reported on November 6:

“Sean Hannity spoke from the stage of President Donald Trump’s last midterm election rally on Monday, after Fox News Channel and its most popular personality had insisted all day that he wouldn’t. Hannity appeared on the podium in a Missouri arena after being called to the stage by Trump. Another Fox News host, Jeanine Pirro, also appeared onstage with the president…

“Hannity has been rebuked by Fox in the past. In 2016, he was part of a Trump political video, which Fox said it had not known about in advance and told Hannity not to do so again. When Fox found out in 2010 that the Tea Party had advertised that Hannity would be appearing at one of his fundraising rallies, Fox said it had not approved the arrangement and ordered him back to New York… Despite Fox’s disavowal, the Trump campaign continued to list Hannity as a guest throughout Monday at the link where people could seek tickets to the event.”

The Week wrote on November 6:

“Fox News on Tuesday issued a statement saying it ‘does not condone’ the participation of show hosts Sean Hannity and Jeanine Pirro in President Trump’s Monday night campaign rally in Missouri. ‘This was an unfortunate distraction and has been addressed,’ the statement said, not detailing what consequences the pundits were handed. Before the rally, the network and Hannity alike insisted he was there in a journalistic capacity, but at the event he went up on stage with Trump and, pointing to the journalists present, told the crowd: ‘By the way, all those people in the back are fake news.’ Hannity said in a tweet midday Tuesday his appearance on stage was ‘NOT planned.’”

Especially prior to the midterm elections, both arch-liberal and anti-Trump CNN and MSNBC as well as arch-conservative and pro-Trump Fox News engaged in an unparalleled partisan advertisement approach for either the Democrats or the Republicans which had nothing to do with informative, fair and objective reporting.

Trump’s Unprecedented War with the Media

CNN Business reported on November 7:

“In a stunning break with protocol, the White House said Wednesday night that it’s suspending the press pass of CNN’s Jim Acosta ‘until further notice.’ The move came just hours after Acosta, CNN’s chief White House correspondent, drew the ire of President Donald Trump and his allies by asking multiple questions at a post-midterms news conference. Trump insulted Acosta and called him a ‘terrible’ person.

“CNN said in a statement that Acosta has the network’s full support. The revocation of his pass ‘was done in retaliation for his challenging questions at today’s press conference,’ the statement said. ‘In an explanation, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders lied. She provided fraudulent accusations and cited an incident that never happened. This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better. Jim Acosta has our full support.’

“The removal of his pass is a sharp escalation of tensions between the Trump administration and CNN. It immediately stirred concerns within the White House press corps. Peter Baker, the chief White House correspondent for The New York Times, said on Twitter: ‘This is something I’ve never seen since I started covering the White House in 1996. Other presidents did not fear tough questioning.’ …

“Acosta has been one of the most aggressive reporters on the Trump beat, winning him huge numbers of fans but also huge numbers of critics… ‘President Trump believes in a free press and expects and welcomes tough questions of him and his Administration,’ [Sanders] said. ‘We will, however, never tolerate a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern. This conduct is absolutely unacceptable.’…

“CNN said in a statement: ‘This President’s ongoing attacks on the press have gone too far. They are not only dangerous, they are disturbingly un-American…”

Bild Online commented about the “insane Trump show”: “The President completely lost it at the press conference after the US election.” Die Welt Online added that it was Trump who provoked the fight and that the statement by the White House was untrue because the video clearly showed that Acosta did not touch the person, but only held on to the mic, and even apologized to her for not returning the mic to her. Stern Online and Spiegel Online agreed and described the incident in extremely unflattering terms for Trump.

Deutsche Welle described Trump’s attack on journalists in this way:

“He angrily attacked a White House correspondent of Haitian descent, telling her that her question about whether white nationalists might be emboldened by him labeling himself a nationalist was ‘a racist question’ and ‘insulting.’ Things were no better for foreign correspondents, with the president consistently complaining he couldn’t understand them. He had especially harsh treatment for a Japanese reporter; Trump, after asking the reporter where he was from, said ‘Say hello to Shinzo … I’m sure he’s happy about his tariffs on his cars.’…”

The upshot of the matter is that due to incidents like these, Trump’s reputation in other countries, especially Germany, went from extremely bad to unbelievably worse. 

CNN Business wrote on November 8:

“White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders seized on a misleading video… it appeared to have come from Paul Joseph Watson, an editor-at-large for InfoWars… it did not accurately portray what happened — it appears to show Acosta’s arm moving in a downward motion towards the intern’s faster than it actually did…

‘On Twitter, Watson strongly denied having edited the video in a deliberately deceptive fashion… Watson did provide a clue as to how the video may have inadvertently come to show a misleading version of the incident… He said that the basis for the video he posted was not raw footage or even a clip taken directly from a network. Instead, Watson said, he had downloaded a GIF, edited it, and exported the final product as a video. A GIF is a media file that compresses video by removing a significant number of frames from it. It allows individuals to show moving images without uploading large files…

“In a Thursday afternoon statement, Whitney Shefte, president of the White House News Photographers Association, said, ‘As visual journalists, we know that manipulating images is manipulating truth. It’s deceptive, dangerous and unethical. Knowingly sharing manipulated images is equally problematic, particularly when the person sharing them is a representative of our country’s highest office with vast influence over public opinion.’”

This is all very troublesome indeed. As has been confirmed by most news outlets, the unaltered video clearly shows that Acosta did NOT “place his hands” on the female intern. Trump’s war with the media will not end any time soon, and truth or fake news is on the line.

Merkel’s Past Influence on Germany and Europe

The Week wrote on October 31:

“It is almost impossible to convey the significance of Angela Merkel’s announcement that she will not run again for the chancellorship of Germany… No other figure in German politics born since the conclusion of the Second World War has enjoyed anything like Merkel’s influence, and it could be argued that her ultimate significance as architect of the post-9/11 European order will be greater than that of any modern politician in her country save Konrad Adenhauer, a man born at the zenith of the Hohenzollerns.

“For more than a decade Merkel has controlled the destiny of Europe. The continent in the period from the beginning of the Iraq war until now has been made in her personal image. The European Union began as many things, but in practice it has meant what Peter Hitchens has called ‘the continuation of Germany by other means,’ which is to say, the modern German desire, born long ago in the forge of Prussian ambition, to dominate Europe. It was the dream of the Kaiser, of Bismarck, of Frederick the Great, of the Hohenstaufen emperors…

“Merkel’s departure signals the end not only of the immediate post-Cold War era in German politics but the final twilight of… Christian values that she and her party embodied, however imperfectly, in a world that has moved past them… Looking at Europe now, it is hard not to be reminded of those immortal words of Wilhelm II contemplating the ruin of Germany from his exile, who saw ‘a nation of poets and musicians, of artists and soldiers’ becoming ‘a nation of hysterics and hermits, engulfed in a mob and led by a thousand liars or fanatics.’”

Reuters reported on November 7:

“More than three out of five Germans want Chancellor Merkel to step down in January and hand over the reins of government to whoever is elected chairman of the CDU at the party convention next month, according to a survey by Insa for the Bild tabloid newspaper.”

French President Macron Warns Europe

Euractiv wrote on November 1:

“French President Emmanuel Macron has warned Europe of a return to the 1930s because of the spread of a nationalist ‘leprosy’ across the continent… ‘I am struck by similarities between the times we live in and those of between the two world wars,’ he [said,] urging people to be aware of the threats… ‘In a Europe divided by fears, the return of nationalism, the consequences of economic crisis, one sees almost systematically everything that marked Europe between the end of World War I and the 1929 (economic) crisis,’ [he was] quoted… as saying…

“‘Europe faces a risk — that of being broken up by nationalist leprosy and of being pushed around by foreign powers. And thereby losing its sovereignty,’ he said. ‘That is to say having its security depend on US choices, having China play an ever greater role when it comes to essential infrastructures, and Russia sometimes tempted to try its hand at manipulation, and have financial interests and markets sometimes play greater roles than that of states.’”

Macron Calls for “Real” European Army

The Guardian wrote on November 6:

“Emmanuel Macron has used the first world war armistice centenary commemorations to call for a ‘real’ European army, warning that rising nationalism and populism threaten the fragile peace on the continent. ‘We have to protect ourselves with respect to China, Russia and even the United States of America,’ Macron said as he visited the sites of the western front battlefields in northern France on Tuesday… ‘When I see President Trump announcing that he’s quitting a major disarmament treaty which was formed after the 1980s Euromissile crisis that hit Europe, who is the main victim? Europe and its security,’ he said in a radio interview to mark 100 years since the end of hostilities…”

Express wrote on November 6:

“Nigel Farage accused the European Union of ‘lying to us for 50 years’ after French President Emmanuel Macron called for a ‘real European army’ to reduce Europe’s dependence on the United States for defence. Nigel Farage warned a European army would be ‘very dangerous’ and ‘deeply insulting’ to the United States.”

European Defense Coalition

Reuters reported on November 7:

“A coalition of European militaries ready to react to crises near the continent’s borders was launched on Wednesday with Finland becoming the 10th country to join, amid calls by French President Emmanuel Macron for a ‘real European army’. The French-led initiative would not conflict with the almost 70-year-old, U.S.-dominated NATO alliance, proponents say, but reflects in part concerns about a more isolationist United States under President Donald Trump.

“The European Intervention Initiative took official shape in Paris after months of negotiations with Germany, who France wants at the center of the force… Germany, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Estonia, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal have all given their green light for the French-led move. It will see members collaborate on planning, on the analysis of new military and humanitarian crises, and on eventual military responses to those crises.

“‘In an environment where threats and upheavals of a geopolitical or climatic nature are multiplying, the initiative must send the message that Europe is ready, that Europe is capable,’ a French defense ministry official said. The imminent departure from the EU of Britain, long opposed to EU military collaboration outside NATO, has revived talk of defense cooperation – as have concerns that Trump might prove less willing than his predecessors to come to Europe’s defense in the face of a newly assertive Russia.”

The ten countries referred to in the article are: France, Germany, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Netherlands, Estonia, Spain, Portugal and Finland. We know from the Bible that Britain will not stay in this coalition, while Italy will join soon.

Brexit—“Abandon All Hope!”

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 6:

“The Sunday Times really got our hopes up over the weekend. A Brexit deal was imminent, the paper wrote. The European Union had given in to Prime Minister Theresa May’s demands and was letting her stay in a sort of customs union in order to solve the vexed Irish border question…

“What seemed reasonable has, however, now become impossible. At a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, May was forced to declare she would not close a Brexit deal ‘at any cost.’ Clearly the cost is too high for her Brexiteers, who want at best a time limited customs union, or to be able to leave it at any time… No new cabinet meeting has been scheduled. Ministers will come together again only after what the PM calls ‘the best deal for Britain’ has been reached. The continued stalemate scuppers May’s plan to get a deal done this week. That’s needed to call an EU summit for the end of November and push the whole thing through Parliament before Christmas…”

German Ex-Spy Chief Maassen Fired

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 5:

“German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said on Monday that he was temporarily relieving former domestic spy chief Hans-Georg Maassen of his duties after Maassen made ‘unacceptable remarks’ in a farewell speech to representatives of international intelligence agencies. Seehofer, who has previously supported Maassen, said that a ‘cooperation based on mutual trust’ was no longer possible in view of the remarks.

“Maassen’s critical view of the government’s policy on refugees… has highlighted and contributed to rifts within Germany’s coalition over the past few months. In his address, Maassen spoke about ‘radical left-wing elements’ in the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the junior partner in the ruling coalition, who had, he said, seized gladly upon his controversial remarks about protests in the eastern city of Chemnitz in August to provoke divisions in the government. He also criticized Germany’s current policies on refugees and security as ‘naive and leftist.’

“… Maassen, 55, came under fire… when he questioned well-documented reports of far-right violence against foreigners during the Chemnitz protests. There have also been media reports that he passed sensitive information about Islamic extremism to the anti-immigration and anti-Islam Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. The outcry prompted the government to fire Maassen as the head of the BfV.  An initial compromise between Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) and the SPD would have seen Maassen essentially promoted to deputy interior minister. But that deal met with such opposition both from politicians and the public that he was instead to be made a consultant reporting directly to Seehofer…

“The AfD responded to the news by offering Maassen the chance to join its ranks. ‘He would fit well into a democratic, constitutional party like the AfD,’ chair Jörg Meuthen told newspapers of the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, and also described Maassen as ‘a conscientious, excellent and thorough public official.’”

US Broad Sanctions Against Iran (and Many Other Nations)

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 4:

“All business with Iranian oil companies will be prohibited, as are insurances of any kind, including policies on oil shipments… all financial transactions with Iran’s central bank and a number of other banks will be banned…

“Oil sales account for some 80 percent of all state income in Iran and since 60 percent of Iran’s budget expenditures are distributed to state-run businesses and institutions the country is extremely dependent upon the revenue they produce…

“Washington’s one-sided… implementation of unilateral sanctions have deepened the trans-atlantic divide. Now, Europe is standing side by side with Beijing and Moscow and against Washington in one of the central international questions of our day.”

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 5:

“As US sanctions against Iran came back into effect on Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo revealed that several countries secured oil import exemptions, including: India, China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Turkey, Greece, and Italy… The US decided to reimpose the sanctions after US President Donald Trump withdrew from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal earlier this year.

“Pompeo told reporters that the eight countries secured temporary waivers to continue importing oil from Iran. The exemptions were granted with the understanding that the countries will seek to reduce their imports to zero. Waivers were also issued to allow European firms to continue conversion work on two of Iran’s nuclear facilities…

“Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters that he expects European nations to honor the sanctions, but that certain transactions — particularly humanitarian ones — will continue to be allowed.”

Handelsblatt Global wrote on November 5:

“German and European resistance to US sanctions on Iran appears to be failing, in an apparent victory for Donald Trump’s foreign policy… Germany’s economics ministry admitted the almost total ineffectiveness of European countermeasures to date… The new sanctions threaten any company or individual, American or not, who buys Iranian oil, invests in its energy sector, or uses Iranian banks or shipping lines. They specifically pressure financial payments systems, like the Belgian-based SWIFT network, to cut Iran from international transactions.

“When Trump announced a first round of sanctions in May, the German government and the European Union promised they would shield German and European companies from the effect of the measures… Germany and the EU have tried to circumvent the embargoes, but Berlin conceded its measures have done little to protect continued trade with Iran…

“This situation offers little immediate hope for German companies looking to trade with Iran. As a result, many large international companies, including Daimler, Siemens, Bayer, Henkel and Wintershall, left Iran earlier this year. They are fearful of legal action against their American businesses… German and European banks are spooked by American threats, and nearly all remaining German banks cut ties with Tehran. Some German companies are already unable to access funds paid by their Iranian clients…

“Still, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas phoned with his Iranian counterpart last week and assured him that the European Union continued to ‘make intensive efforts’ to keep economic channels open.”

Europeans recognize their current inability to stand up to the USA. This will prompt and force them to unite powerfully in the not-too-distant future to be able to decide “their own destiny.”

Iranians “Respond”

The Algemeiner and Reuters wrote on November 4:

“Iranians chanting ‘Death to America’ rallied on Sunday to mark both the anniversary of the seizure of the US Embassy during the 1979 Islamic Revolution and the imminent reimposition of US sanctions on Iran’s key oil sector. Thousands of students in the government-organized rally in the capital Tehran, broadcast live by state television, burned the Stars and Stripes, an effigy of Uncle Sam and pictures of President Donald Trump outside the leafy downtown compound that once housed the US mission.

“Hardline students stormed the embassy on Nov. 4, 1979 soon after the fall of the US-backed Shah, and 52 Americans were held hostage there for 444 days. The two countries have been enemies, on opposite sides of Middle East conflict, ever since.”

Frightening Prospects for the American-Mexican Border

The Sun wrote on November 2:

“Trump-supporting Texans are taking up arms and heading to the Mexican border in a bid to head off the migrant caravan bound for the US. Up to 200 volunteers from the Texas Minutemen are heading to the Rio Grande River to join US Army troops dispatched by the president. They say they are guarding their country against drug cartels and criminals who they think are amidst the migrants marching north. But others say their involvement has raised fears of vigilantism in border towns, with the US border patrol warning residents to beware of ‘possible armed civilians’…

“The Minutemen regard themselves as part of a grand tradition of Americans defending freedom… Donald [Trump] revealed this week he may send up to 15,000 soldiers, as many as are serving in Afghanistan… The militia members said they plan to bring guns and equipment such as bulletproof vests and lend a hand to the Border Patrol to protect against people unlawfully entering the country.

“Their presence has led to conflict in some cases. A militia member killed two people in 2009 during an invasion of what she thought was a drug house near the border in Arivaca, Arizona. Residents in that same city have been posting signs in recent weeks warning that militia members are not welcome… Marianna Trevino Wright, a South Texas resident who is director of the nonprofit National Butterfly Centre, said she is more fearful of the militias than the caravan. ‘We go about our business here every day in a peaceful manner,’ Wright said. ‘The idea that we could be invaded not by illegal immigrants but by militia groups … is regrettable, and it will end badly.’”

These developments are deeply unsettling indeed.

A Nation in Turmoil

The New York Times wrote on November 4:

“The tumultuous 2018 midterm campaign [has been] shaped by conflicts over race and identity and punctuated by tragedy…

“There was an unmistakable dissonance between the relative health of the economy and the dark mood of a country… after a wave of attempted mail bombings and a massacre at a Pittsburgh synagogue that left 11 dead. ‘The nation is in political turmoil,’ said Representative Carlos Curbelo, a Florida Republican… ‘The economy is roaring but the mood is so sour. It’s a very sad time in this country.’…”

The Ghost of Civil War

The Daily Mail wrote on November 4:

“Spotsylvania [in Virginia is] among the most hallowed of all Civil War battlegrounds. In 1864, it was the scene of the most brutal fighting of the most brutal campaign of the conflict. When it ended, 30,000 men lay dead or wounded and the Confederacy had suffered the losses which would ultimately force its surrender… America’s Civil War ghosts are stirring again…

“The Civil War of 2018 is creating many scars… For many observers, the backdrop to these [midterm] elections has been the letter bombs posted to Democratic politicians and the Squirrel Hill synagogue shooting last weekend which left 11 Jewish people dead. But here in Virginia another bloody legacy overshadows this campaign [with] violent clashes between anti-fascists and neo-Nazis that resulted in the death of activist Heather Heyer…

“Like their forefathers 150 years ago, the warriors of both sides in the new US Civil War believe in the absolute justness of their cause.”

The Civil War Did Not End

The Guardian wrote on November 4:

“In the 158th year of the American civil war, also known as 2018, the Confederacy continues its recent resurgence…

“If you are white, you could consider that the civil war ended in 1865. But the blowback against Reconstruction, the rise of Jim Crow, the myriad forms of segregation and deprivation of rights and freedoms and violence against black people, kept the population subjugated and punished into the present in ways that might as well be called war. It’s worth remembering that the Ku Klux Klan also hated Jews and, back then, Catholics; that the ideal of whiteness was anti-immigrant, anti-diversity, anti-inclusion…

“Another way to talk about the United States as a country at war is to note that the number of weapons in circulation is incompatible with peace. We have 5% of the world’s population and 35%-50% of the guns in civilian hands, more guns per capita than anywhere else – and more gun deaths, too. Is it any surprise that mass shootings… are practically daily events? Many synagogues, Jewish community centers, black churches and public schools now engage in drills that are preparations for the gunman who might arrive…”

Ongoing and increasingly violent confrontations in today’s deeply divided USA are more than just mere fiction.

Ongoing Misconceptions about Birthright Citizenship

Recently Ann Coulter, a prominent anti-immigration author, wrote the following:

“Whether the children born to legal immigrants are citizens is controversial enough. But at least there’s a Supreme Court decision claiming that they are — U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark. That’s ‘birthright citizenship.’ It’s something else entirely to claim that an illegal alien, subject to deportation, can drop a baby and suddenly claim to be the parent of a ‘citizen.’  This crackpot notion was concocted by liberal zealot Justice William Brennan and slipped into a footnote as dicta in a 1982 case. ‘Dicta’ means it was not the ruling of the court, just a random aside, with zero legal significance… No Supreme Court has ever held that children born to illegal aliens are citizens…”

This conclusion is false. The Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.”

 In United States v. Wong Kim Ark, 169 U.S. 649 (1898)], the Supreme Court said by a 6-2 vote, that the 14th Amendment applied to virtually everyone born in the U.S., except for children of enemies of the U.S. or of foreign diplomats, or children born on Native American reservations, which were considered sovereign entities.

The meaning of that clause “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” is plain, decreeing that all children born in the United States are citizens of the United States [and thereby subject to its jurisdiction], with the exception of those listed above.

In Plyler v. Doe [Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202 (1982)], the court said in a footnote that “no plausible distinction with respect to 14th Amendment ‘jurisdiction’ can be drawn between resident aliens whose entry into the United States was lawful, and resident aliens whose entry was unlawful.” Even though dicta, all nine justices agreed that the Equal Protection Clause protects legal and illegal aliens alike. And all nine reached that conclusion precisely because illegal aliens are “subject to the jurisdiction” of the U.S., no less than legal aliens and U.S. citizens. It would be preposterous to say that illegal aliens are not subject to US jurisdiction. If so, the US could not hold them accountable for any crimes they commit in this country. Coulter’s comment that it is controversial enough whether children born to legal immigrants are citizens is deeply unsettling and disturbing. It reflects a mindset which is absolutely contrary to long-standing American values. Please view our recent StandingWatch program, “The TRUE FACTS about America’s Birthright Citizenship”.

The Nonsense of Daylight Saving Time… Who Came Up with this Crazy Idea?

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 27:

“In the early hours of Sunday, almost all of Europe will change the clocks… once again the public will debate whether all this makes sense or not, this time more fiercely and controversially than ever, because time could be up for changing the clocks…

“The Brussels-based authority wants to put an end to the journey through time that has been going on for 38 years. It urges that the practice be scrapped in 2019 already. Each EU member state is to decide whether it would permanently remain on summer time, or the standard winter time. However, none of this is official yet, as the European Parliament and the EU member states still have to give their approval…

“So Sunday’s changing of the clocks could be the last of its kind. Which is a good thing. For the permanent tampering with the clocks has led to nothing! The alleged advantages of saving energy? Never materialized, according to scientific studies…

“A look back at history can help us make the right decision. The idea of daylight saving time was first implemented by the last German emperor, Wilhelm II. When millions of soldiers were slaughtered in the bloody trench warfare of the First World War and German armament factories faced fuel shortages, he had the clocks switched to summer time on April 30, 1916. The aim was to save energy, in order to be able to continue the war. Germany’s opponents, Great Britain and France, followed suit during the same year. But summer time – already unpopular with contemporaries – was abolished again in 1919.

“In 1940, summer time was reintroduced by the Nazis under Adolf Hitler – for the same reason as in 1916. His dictatorial brethren, Italy’s Benito Mussolini and Spain’s Francisco Franco, followed suit with their country’s clocks, and the Nazis forced much of Europe to change as well. 1949 saw the end of that experiment. In 1980, at the time of the second oil crisis, the summertime changing of the clocks was revived in both parts of then-divided Germany. Since 1996, daylight saving time has applied in all EU member states.

“In short: a clueless emperor and a dictator with delusions of grandeur, responsible for two world wars, tampered with the clocks to facilitate their military operations. For this reason alone I say: the changing of the clocks can cease to be. Goodbye, winter time – and thanks for nothing!”

The USA followed Germany’s lead, starting with daylight saving time in 1918. It was observed for seven months in 1918 and 1919. After the War ended, the law proved so unpopular that it was repealed in 1919. During World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt, following Hitler’s lead, instituted year-round daylight saving time, called ‘War Time,’ from February 9, 1942 to September 30, 1945. From 1945 to 1966, there was no federal law regarding daylight saving time, until Richard Nixon resurrected it again in 1974 (compare webexibits.org). Arizona and Hawaii refused to adopt daylight saving time… good for them.

“A Snake, the Temple, and the Messiah”

Breaking Israel News wrote on November 1:

“A snake wriggling out from between the stones of the Western Wall in search of a meal brought with it a message straight from Jewish mystical teachings; connecting the archetypal enemy of man with the High Priest in the Temple, and also, perhaps, serving as a harbinger of the Messiah… A Hebrew language blogger quoted by Ynet News noted the serpent made its Jerusalem appearance during a hotly contested mayoral election, connecting it to the destruction of the Second Temple…

“Pointing to the pigeon that fled the snake in the video, Sod1820, a Hebrew language kabbalah site, cited Midrash [where] Israel is compared to a pigeon or dove… The site also claimed the appearance of a snake coming out of the stones of the Temple Mount could be seen as an auspicious sign… The Zohar (the basis of Jewish mysticism) explained that the evil inclination, personified by the snake in Eden, will make a resurgence in the days before Messiah… According to Jewish tradition, the curse of Eve, represented by menstrual blood and labor pains, will be canceled out in the Messianic era. Before the Messiah, God will kill the archetypal snake, removing the curse of Eve… The Zohar states that the tikkun (fixing) of the snake would be accomplished in the Third Temple by way of the breastplate…

“It does indeed seem like the Temple Mount is trying to speak to the Jewish people. About four months ago, a large piece of one of the stones weighing several hundred pounds suddenly fell, barely missing one of the women who came to pray at dawn. Another sign appeared on Hoshana Rabba, the last day of Sukkot, when a large cloud of mist began billowing up from the ground inside the Temple Mount Compound, surrounding the Dome of the rock for several minutes.”

All this superstitious nonsense has one thing in common… the Jewish belief in the building of a Third Temple on the Temple Mount prior to the coming of the Messiah. For more information, please view our StandingWatch program, “Netanyahu’s Announcement of a Third Temple?”

Large Earthquakes in California Renew Fears of the Big One

Zero Hedge wrote on November 3:

“A series of large earthquakes has rattled California over the last 24 hours, and scientists are telling us that the shaking was the result of ‘movement along the San Andreas Fault system.’ In recent months there has been an alarming amount of seismic activity all along ‘the Ring of Fire’, and there have been times when the number of global earthquakes has been way above normal… experts are telling us that we are overdue for the ‘Big One’ to hit California…

“A 2008 report by USGS described the Hayward Fault, which runs to the east of San Francisco, as a ‘tectonic time bomb’ which could threaten the city’s seven million residents. And when ‘the Big One’ does strike, it could potentially be far worse than most people have ever imagined… a recent study that concluded that a major earthquake could potentially ‘plunge large parts of California into the sea almost instantly’…

“The fact [is] that our planet is entering a time of unprecedented seismic activity… Down in southern California, a ‘moving sinkhole’ is now traveling up to 60 feet a day, and it is ‘destroying everything in its path’…

“Of course this is not just a west coast phenomenon.  We have been witnessing unusual seismic activity all over the world, and it has become very clear that our planet is becoming increasingly unstable. Natural disasters are going to continue to grow worse and worse, and that is going to have extremely serious implications for all of us.”

This is sadly, very true, and it is prophesied to occur in the Bible. Please view our recent StandingWatch program, “Is California’s Big Earthquake About to Strike?”

The Next Generation of Deadly Weapons… Genetically Engineered Viruses

Zero Hedge wrote on November 2:

“Genetically engineered viruses could very well become the next generation of warfare. Deadly viruses modified in labs could be released eliminating entire communities of people as they infect making them a valuable asset to militaries worldwide.

“As dystopian as that sounds, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is already working on a project called Insect Allies which will use insects to infect crops with genetically modified viruses that edit the crops’ genetic profile to make them more resilient against disease, as well as natural and manufactured threats to the food supply.

Joe Joseph of The Daily Sheeple said a quick Google search would give you enough information to let you know how horrific this kind of technology can be. ‘…and you’ll find it fascinating just at how unbelievable a weapon this could be, how unintentionally mistakes can be made that can cause irreversible damage…irreparable damage…to the human race. And I mean, FAST!’ Joseph said. ‘A gene drive…if let’s just say there’s a mistake, you could feasibly wipe out the human race in a very very short period of time. It’s an unbelievable tool at the disposal of madmen.’

“DARPA attempted to squash rising fears about their Insect Allies project and issue reassurances after German and French scientists voiced questions and concerns about the program’s efficacy earlier this month.  Those scientists also suggested that it could be ‘widely perceived as an effort to develop biological agents for hostile purposes and their means of delivery, which—if true—would constitute a breach of the Biological Weapons Convention.’

“If the know-how and means exist to transmit genetic viruses that supposedly create beneficial crop mutations, the opposite will also be possible.  DARPA will be able to use insects to deliver gene editing viruses that destroy crops, ruin harvests and adversely affect the wider ecosystem… This means that those who fear this program are not far off at all for doing so.

“Another project receiving DARPA funding involves releasing genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys area to transmit a sterilizing genetic virus to their malaria-carrying counterparts. Apart from the unknown effects upon the wider ecosystem, the knowledge gleaned from such research could one day make it possible… to accidentally or deliberately use insect vectors to unleash a variety of biological agents and genetic viruses upon an unsuspecting population.”

It is entirely possible that the use of these kinds of weapons will contribute to the fulfillment of Christ’s warning for these end times that nobody would survive unless Christ were to intervene.

AI to Replace Worship of God?

The Daily Star wrote on November 4:

“It is already predicted that AI will soon be present in all areas of the workplace, with industry experts saying it will eventually do millions of jobs currently done by people. It is thought that every field – from publishing to factory work – will eventually be dominated by intelligent robots as men and women become increasingly obsolete.

“But now experts believe more than jobs are at risk in the Artificial Intelligence revolution. Novelist Dan Brown previously warned people may no longer worship God or pray to Jesus – instead putting all their faith in an AI messiah. Speaking about the advent of this technology, the Da Vinci Code writer said: ‘Humanity no longer needs God but may with the help of artificial intelligence develop a new form of collective consciousness that fulfils the role of religion. Are we naive today to believe that the gods of the present will survive and be here in a hundred years?’

“According to Daily Galaxy, MIT physicist and cosmologist Max Tegmark also said that once this new superintelligence is vastly greater than that of a human, the fate of mankind will depend on it…”

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.

This might be a strange question to ask, but the answer to this question has tremendous practical applications. Is there ever a time when we should cease asking God for His intervention in a particular matter? If so, how do we know that the time has come to stop asking?

In this installment, we will look at several examples where God made it very clear that no further requests or pleas should be made in a particular matter. In the next installment, we will discuss situations where prayers should continue to be made.

Due to Saul’s disobedience and rebellion, God rejected him and asked Samuel to anoint David instead as king. We read in 1 Samuel 15:35; 16:1: “And Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death. Nevertheless Samuel mourned for Saul, and the LORD regretted that He had made Saul king over Israel. Now the LORD said to Samuel, ‘How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel. Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.”

Samuel had already told Saul previously: “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor relent. For He is not a man, that He should relent” (1 Samuel 15:28-29).

Still, Samuel kept praying to God for Saul, hoping that God would change His mind. So God had to remind him that he himself had clearly pronounced God’s Will in the matter which was final (God would not relent), and that further prayers for Saul would be useless.

Another example can be found in the episode when David’s firstborn son died. David had sinned greatly by committing adultery and murder, and God sent Nathan, the prophet, who clearly proclaimed to David: “… because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die” (2 Samuel 12:14). Understandably, David was hoping that this outcome could be changed, and when the child became ill, David pleaded with God for the child, and he fasted and prayed. Still, the child died seven days later. When David realized this, he ended his fast and ate. He had accepted God’s judgment, and there was no longer any reason and purpose to pray and fast for the child’s life. David expressed it this way in 2 Samuel 12:22-23: “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who can tell whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again?’”

A third example can be seen in Moses’ life. Due to the ongoing murmuring and complaining of the unthankful people, Moses lost his cool and spoke and acted too rashly and in anger. Although he was supposed to talk to the rock once to give water to the thirsty people, he struck the rock (symbolic for Christ) two times and took glory to himself, rather than to God. We read in Numbers 20:10-12:

“And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, ‘Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?’ Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank. Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.’”

We find an additional commentary on this episode in Psalm 106:32-33: “They angered Him also at the waters of strife, So that it went ill with Moses on account of them; Because they rebelled against His Spirit, So that he spoke rashly with his lips.”

Even though God had pronounced that Moses and Aaron would not enter the Promised Land, Moses asked God repeatedly to change His mind. But God’s judgment stood firm.

We read in Deuteronomy 3:23-26:

“Then I pleaded with the LORD at that time, saying: ‘O Lord GOD, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds? I pray, let me cross over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, those pleasant mountains, and Lebanon.’  But the LORD was angry with me on your account, and would not listen to me. So the LORD said to me: ‘Enough of that! Speak no more to Me of this matter.’”

And so, Aaron died on the way, and even though Moses was allowed to see the Promised Land, he was not allowed to enter it. We read in Deuteronomy 32:48-52:

“Then the LORD spoke to Moses that very same day, saying: ‘Go up this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, across from Jericho; view the land of Canaan, which I give to the children of Israel as a possession; and die on the mountain which you ascend, and be gathered to your people, just as Aaron your brother died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his people; because you trespassed against Me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah Kadesh, in the Wilderness of Zin, because you did not hallow Me in the midst of the children of Israel. Yet you shall see the land before you, though you shall not go there, into the land which I am giving to the children of Israel.’”

A fourth example can be drawn from Paul’s experience.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 says:

“And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

God made it abundantly clear to Paul that He would not heal him at that time, and that therefore further prayers for healing would be without any effect.

Also, God told Jeremiah the prophet that he should not pray for the people as they had gone too far in rejecting God so that His judgment against them would not be altered:

Jeremiah 7:16-20 states:

“‘Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them, nor make intercession to Me; for I will not hear you. Do you not see what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods, that they may provoke Me to anger. Do they provoke Me to anger?’ says the LORD. ‘Do they not provoke themselves, to the shame of their own faces?’ Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Behold, My anger and My fury will be poured out on this place–on man and on beast, on the trees of the field and on the fruit of the ground. And it will burn and not be quenched.’”

Jeremiah 11:11-14 adds:

“Therefore thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will surely bring calamity on them which they will not be able to escape; and though they cry out to Me, I will not listen to them. Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they offer incense, but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble. For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars to that shameful thing, altars to burn incense to Baal. So do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry out to Me because of their trouble.’”

Jeremiah 14:10-14 reiterates:

“Thus says the LORD to this people: ‘Thus they have loved to wander; They have not restrained their feet. Therefore the LORD does not accept them; He will remember their iniquity now, And punish their sins.’ Then the LORD said to me, ‘Do not pray for this people, for their good. When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.’ Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, the prophets say to them, “You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.”’ And the LORD said to me, ‘The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.’”

Finally, let us note Christ’s own example. Matthew 26:37-46 tells us about Christ’s prayer to the Father shortly before His arrest and His brutal torture and murder:

“And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, ‘My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.’ He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.’ Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, ‘What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, ‘O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.’ And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then He came to His disciples and said to them, ‘Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.’”

Christ knew now with absolute certainty that the Father’s Will stood firm, and that there was no other way.

Luke 22:40-46 adds:

“When He came to the place, He said to them, ‘Pray that you may not enter into temptation.’ And He was withdrawn from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.’ Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, ‘Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.’”

Temptation could include here the unwillingness to accept God’s decision and to try to do something to prevent it from happening, as Peter attempted to do when he took his sword to “defend” Christ.

(To be Continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Frightening Results and Consequences of Midterm Elections” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link.

Here is a summary:

With the Democrats controlling the House and the Republicans the Senate, legislative gridlock is the inevitable consequence. This division is mirrored by the mood in the country. Europeans are very concerned as to what President Trump will do, expecting him to focus mainly on foreign politics for which he does not need congressional approval. And so, Europe is reacting militarily. All of this is in fulfillment of biblical prophecy, as this program will show.

“Bedrohliche Konsequenzen der amerikanischen Zwischenwahlen” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This covers the same topic as the English version described above.

Our monthly Tech Team meeting was conducted on November 4, 2018, via SKYPE. Hosted by Eric Rank, a review of upcoming tasks; status of our broadcast quality; and adjustments to our homepage were discussed.

“Wann (und wann nicht) sollten wir um Gottes Eingreifen beten?” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “When (and When Not) Should We Pray for God’s Intervention?”

“Our Compulsion for Outrage,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Robb Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The Church is susceptible to outrage just as the world is. A key to fight this attitude has been given to us through God’s spirit and the understanding of who our adversary is. Without God’s Spirit guiding us we are blind and easily drawn away from our goal of redemption.

“Finding the Place of Safety,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Will God protect you in the times of trouble which the Bible describes as the end of this age? Will you be counted worthy? What should you be doing in preparation?

On November 3, 2018, Robb Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “Our Compulsion for Outrage,” and Dave Harris will present the sermon, titled, “Finding the Place of Safety.”

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.

One evening, on television some time ago, I saw a brief discussion about the scent detecting cells in dogs and cats. As a dog lover it has always amused me to see the amount of sniffing a dog does when it is taken for a walk.

Dogs can possess up to 300 million olfactory receptors in their noses (depending on their size and breed), compared to about six million in us. And the part of a dog’s brain that is devoted to analyzing smells is, proportionally speaking, 40 times greater than ours.

On the website dummies, it states under the heading “Your dog’s unique nose” the following: “Your dog’s nose has a pattern of ridges and dimples that, in combination with the outline of its nostril openings, make up a nose print believed to be as individual and unique as a human being’s fingerprints. Companies even register nose prints as a way of identifying and helping to locate lost or stolen dogs, a system that is now being used by kennel clubs around the world.”

To think that the small nose of even a small dog can have well over 100 million scent-detecting receptors is a fact that is hard to take in. Whenever I see such amazing facts, I reflect on how stupid and ridiculous the theory of evolution is.

On the website livescience, we read: “Life on Earth first bloomed around 3.7 billion years ago, when chemical compounds in a ‘primordial soup’ somehow sparked into life, scientists suspect. But what turned sterile molecules into living, changing organisms? That’s the ultimate mystery. By studying the evolution of not just life, but life’s building blocks as well, researchers hope to come closer to the answer.”

Did you catch the words “somehow” and “scientists suspect” and “researchers hope to come closer to the answer”? Hardly a definitive response! In respect to the dog’s nose, how do they expect intelligent and rational human beings to believe that a primordial soup (without any direction or intelligence) managed to educate or transform itself from organisms over some 3.7 million years into having the ability to produce a dog with hundreds of thousands of scent detecting receptors in its nose? If you believe that, you are capable of believing that the moon is made of green cheese with a pig flying over it!

You really do have to be kidding! And yet, there are multiple millions of adherents to this nonsense and, by comparison, very few who understand and believe the biblical truth. If anyone had any doubt about the wiles, cunning and ability of Satan the devil, then this should help them to re-evaluate their position.

Over the years, the Church of God has produced many booklets and articles about the nonsensical theory of evilution (that’s how it should really be spelled if it is to reflect precisely what it is) to countless millions of people. Please remember that, not that long ago, we had a magazine that, at its zenith, had a monthly print run of over 8 million copies. How many millions, or even hundreds of millions will have read articles about this nonsensical concept? We have a booklet “The Theory of Evolution – A Fairy Tale for Adults?,” which is an excellent exposition on this subject.

A dog’s nose is yet another example (and there are so many others) of the existence of a superior Being who created all things – and not through any primordial soup or any evolutionary theoretical stupidity.

Remember the dog’s nose!

by Norbert Link

We begin with Sunday’s election results in the German state of Hesse, constituting bad news for Germany’s coalition parties (CDU and SPD), and we address Angela Merkel’s announcement that she will not run again as her party’s (CDU) leader in December, and even though she does not want to resign as Chancellor, this might be the inevitable consequence long before the scheduled federal elections in 2021. We also focus on potential successors to Angela Merkel.

We continue with an article about warning signs for Europe’s future; contemplated highly contentious actions to end America’s long-standing birthright citizenship (in this regard, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “The TRUE FACTS about America’s Birthright Citizenship”); and Donald Trump’s war with the “fake news media.” We also warn of a potential worldwide economic collapse with devastating consequences especially for the USA; and introduce Brazil’s new leader who has been described admirably as “a figure like Trump.”

Finally, we address “freedom” in Saudi Arabia and the new-found partnership between India and Japan.

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

Merkel Goes… Who Will Come?

Handelsblatt Global wrote on October 29:

“Eleven months ago, I called ‘the beginning of the end of Angela Merkel as chancellor.’ Today, following another poor showing in a regional election [in Hesse], Merkel has apparently moved one step further, by offering not to run again as boss of her party, the Christian Democratic Union. That does not necessarily mean she will already step down as chancellor; she could even serve out her full term. But it does mean that she has now officially launched the transition. Henceforth, she will govern as a lame duck, as all Germany and Europe will look for her eventual successor as leader of the CDU and, probably, chancellor.

“Merkel’s decision is remarkable because she has repeatedly opined that she considered it a mistake to separate the offices of party leader and chancellor (as her own predecessor, Gerhard Schröder, did in his final year as chancellor.) That in turn suggests that she feels she has lost control over her overarching objective, which is to manage an orderly succession.

“If the Social Democrats, who also suffered another drubbing in yesterday’s Hessian election, walk out of the governing coalition with the CDU and CSU, perhaps next year, then Merkel will be out as chancellor at that moment… the field [for Merkel’s successor] is suddenly wide open… This is a historic week in Germany.”

We already stated after the devastating results for Merkel in Bavaria that her days are numbered, and we announced ahead of time that the results for her in Hesse would also be grim. Please view our StandingWatch program from October 16, 2018, titled, “New German Leadership Coming—Merkel’s Days Are Numbered!” which shows you what will happen next.

The Guardian wrote on October 29:

“Christian Lindner, the leader of the liberal FDP party, was the first to demand Merkel’s resignation as chancellor on the back of the news, calling for her ruling conservative bloc to ‘be prepared for a real new beginning in Germany’… Preliminary final results from Sunday’s election [in Hesse, home to Germany’s financial center, Frankfurt], seen as decisive for the future of Germany’s increasingly wobbly coalition, showed the CDU slumping to 27%, the party’s worst showing in the state since 1966 and a drop of 11 percentage points since Hesse last went to the polls in 2013.

“Merkel’s coalition partner in Berlin, the Social Democrats (SPD), tanked to 19.8% [the SPD’s worst result since 1946] in a dead heat with the resurgent Green party for second place… The Hesse result will be seen as further evidence of the shrinking of the mainstream political landscape across Germany and Europe…”

The anti-immigrant, far-right party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), garnered 13.1 percent. That is three times its tally from 2013, the year it was created. It has now secured seats in all 16 German state parliaments.

The Washington Post wrote on October 29:

“Merkel is willing to remain in charge of her government until the next general elections in 2021, but the CDU may push her to resign earlier. Whoever replaces Merkel as party chairman or chairwoman has a good shot at becoming the next German chancellor. So, who are the likely contenders?…

“Jens Spahn [is a] 38-year-old politician [who] represents the party’s right-wing faction and has sought to position himself as a possible Merkel successor for some time. Spahn announced Monday that he was ready to succeed Merkel as party leader… A Spahn appointment would likely result in a right-wing turn of the CDU. But it would also be seen as an affront against Merkel and a possible end of her term as chancellor…”

Spahn, an openly gay member of the Roman Catholic Church, would be an interesting choice. Deutsche Welle wrote about him on October 29:

“The 38-year-old is the youngest and most overtly determined Merkel usurper. He entered the Bundestag in 2002 and became Germany’s health minister in 2018. Spahn, who is openly gay, is popular in the CDU’s conservative wing. He opposes limited dual citizenship for young foreigners, criticized attempts to loosen laws on advertising abortions and called for banning the Burqa in public.”

It was also reported in Euractiv on October 30 that “the towering Spahn (191 cm, size 49 feet)… wants a tougher course on refugee policy and has also networked internationally on this matter, for instance with Austria’s young Chancellor Sebastian Kurz.” It was added that if Spahn “ends up in the post, it seems almost certain that [he] will use [his] new power to undermine Merkel’s authority” (Politico, October 30).

Another interesting candidate is Friedrich Merz.

Handelsblatt Global wrote on October 30:

“The devastating loss of Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) in Sunday’s state election in Hesse not only marked the endgame for the chancellor but also opened the door for a surprising political comeback by one of her biggest political opponents. Friedrich Merz… experienced his defining moment in politics in fall 2002 when Angela Merkel sidelined him as parliamentary floor leader of the CDU’s center-right alliance… it was the beginning of the end of his political career… [He] left the Bundestag for good in 2009.

“Merkel’s announcement to resign as CDU party leader, however, may bring the now 62-year old back to the center of power… On Tuesday, he officially announced his candidacy for the top job, saying the party needed ‘a new beginning.’ The news exploded in Berlin like a bomb…

“Merz has remained popular in the party and seems now to offer the CDU a chance to get back to its conservative roots after Merkel has steadily pushed it to the left… Merz, who has a law degree and worked as a judge in the 1980s, could be the man to bring back the voters lost on the right…

“Merz’s re-entry into politics does not bode well for Merkel’s continuing as chancellor. It is virtually impossible… to see how she could work well with Merz if party members should elect him chairman at the party convention in December. Those who know him believe Merz will be seeking the chancellorship…

“There is still a chance that Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Merkel’s choice for her successor, gets the nod as chair… But her star is very much tied to Ms. Merkel and it is fading along with hers. Other potential candidates for party chair are Health Minister Jens Spahn, a vocal critic of Ms. Merkel, and Armin Laschet, the prime minister of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany’s most populous state.”

Gruesome Rape of German Woman by Several Syrian Refugees

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 26:

“Eight men were arrested in the idyllic German city of Freiburg [in the Black Forest] on Friday in connection with the rape of an 18-year-old woman. Police said that seven of the suspects were Syrian men aged 19 to 29, and one native German aged 25.

“The victim reportedly met at least one of the men at a nightclub in Freiburg’s industrial area on the night of October 14. The man is suspected of having drugged the woman’s drink. All eight men are accused of having taken turns assaulting her near the club…

“The incident is the latest in a series of violent acts since 2016 to have rocked the southwestern city known for its beautiful scenery, university and eco-friendly living. The city has had to reckon with a beating by a group of teenagers that left a middle-aged man dead, the rape and murder of a medical student [by an Afghan asylum seeker], the killing of a 27-year-old female jogger by a truck driver in the suburb of Endingen, as well as the discovery of a pedophilia ring in the nearby town of Staufen [by at least three German men, one Swiss national and one Spanish citizen].”

These incidents may explain to an extent as to why Germany’s ruling parties suffered such great losses in Hesse, and why the AfD scored strongly.

Make or Break for Europe?

Former German Foreign Minister and Vice-Chancellor Joschka Fischer wrote the following in Project Syndicate on October 30:

“It is no exaggeration to say that 2019 will be the year that makes or breaks the European Union… New presidents of the European Commission, the European Council, and the European Central Bank will be appointed, and a new High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy will be chosen. If nationalist Euroskeptic parties become the largest group in the European Parliament, these appointments could represent an abrupt break from the past…

“Needless to say, the parliamentary elections [in 2019] will have far-reaching implications for Europe’s future in a rapidly changing world. The current president of the United States has such disdain for the EU that many now talk of ‘the end of the West.’ An increasingly revanchist Russia is waging wars along the European periphery and in Syria. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is taking his country down the path of authoritarianism. And China is demanding recognition as a global power. Worse still, US President Donald Trump’s recent decision to withdraw the US from the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia raises the threat of a renewed arms race…

“Against this dismal backdrop, the question is what will become of Europe… I foresee next year’s elections auguring dramatic change in Europe. For better or worse, the question of Europe itself… must be decided. There will either be a rebirth of nationalism or a victory for EU-level democracy and unity. Sadly, pro-Europeans cannot hope for any help from abroad. In fact, the opposite is true: Europe must be vigilant in policing foreign interference in its affairs – including its elections…”

Ending America’s Birthright Citizenship?

The Associated Press wrote on October 30:

“President Donald Trump is making another hardline immigration play in the final days before the midterm elections, declaring that he wants to order an end to the constitutional right to citizenship for babies born in the United States to non-citizens…

“Trump has long called for an end to birthright citizenship, as have many conservatives. An executive order would spark an uphill legal battle for Trump about whether the president has the unilateral ability to declare that children born in the U.S. to those living here illegally aren’t citizens…

“[Trump said] that ‘we’re the only country in the world where a person comes in and has a baby, and the baby is essentially a citizen of the United States.’ A 2010 study from the Center for Immigration Studies, a group that supports immigration restrictions, showed that 30 countries [including Canada, Mexico and Brazil] offered birthright citizenship…

“Omar Jadwat, director of the Immigrants’ Rights Project at the American Civil Liberties Union in New York, said Tuesday that the Constitution is very clear. ‘If you are born in the United States, you’re a citizen,’ he said…  Suzanna Sherry, a professor of law at Vanderbilt Law School specializing in constitutional questions, said those advising Trump that he can change the Constitution via executive order are simply mistaken…

“The Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment states: ‘All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.’ The amendment was passed by Congress in 1866 during the period of Reconstruction after the Civil War. It was ratified in 1868 by three-fourths of the states. By extending citizenship to those born in the U.S., the amendment nullified an 1857 Supreme Court decision (Dred Scott v. Sandford), which ruled that those descended from slaves could not be citizens.

“In addition to the debate over Trump’s authority to declare that children born in the U.S. aren’t citizens, a separate question is whether Congress could pass a law to that effect, or whether only a constitutional amendment could accomplish Trump’s apparent aim of denying citizenship to U.S.-born children of those here illegally… Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, now a close ally of the president… tweeted his support for the change. ‘This policy is a magnet for illegal immigration, out of the mainstream of the developed world, and needs to come to an end,’ he said.”

Politico added on October 30:

“House Speaker Paul Ryan on Tuesday broke with President Donald Trump on whether an executive order could deny a constitutional guarantee of citizenship to babies born in the U.S. to noncitizen parents… Ryan said that the president ‘obviously cannot do that… You cannot end birthright citizenship with an executive order… As a conservative, I’m a believer in following the plain text of the Constitution, and I think in this case the 14th Amendment is pretty clear, and that would involve a very, very lengthy constitutional process…’

“[Vice President Mike] Pence… said that the Supreme Court has never ruled on whether the 14th Amendment ‘applies specifically to people who are in the country illegally.’… Amending the constitution or passing laws to limit birthright citizenship is popular among congressional Republicans, particularly those that are close to the president even though it would be incredibly difficult to do…”

NBC wrote on October 30:

“An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released in September 2017 found that 65 percent of Americans believe the U.S. should continue granting citizenship to all children born in the country. Only 30 percent said this should be changed so children of undocumented immigrants aren’t automatically granted citizenship…

“Many legal scholars believe the issue was settled by an 1898 decision of the U.S. Supreme Court [United States v. Wong Kim Ark, 169 U.S. 649 (1898)], involving a man born in the United States to Chinese parents who lived here legally. After a trip abroad, Wong Kim Ark was blocked from re-entering the country on the grounds that he was not a citizen. He fought back and won. By a 6-2 vote, the court said the 14th Amendment applied to virtually everyone born in the U.S., except for children of enemies of the U.S. or of foreign diplomats, or children born on Native American reservations, which were considered sovereign entities.

“Nearly 100 years later, in 1982, the Supreme Court used language that seemed to indicate the protection applied to children of illegal immigrants as well. In ruling in Plyler v. Doe [Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202 (1982)], Texas must provide a free public education to undocumented children, the court said in a footnote that ‘no plausible distinction with respect to 14th Amendment “jurisdiction” can be drawn between resident aliens whose entry into the United States was lawful, and resident aliens whose entry was unlawful.’”

The Week added on October 31:

“President Trump is insisting that it would be constitutional for him to end birthright citizenship by executive order. In a tweet Wednesday, the president claimed that ‘so-called birthright citizenship,’ which grants citizenship to people born in the U.S., is ‘not covered by the 14th Amendment.’ He pointed to the words ‘subject to the jurisdiction thereof,’ a phrase in the amendment that some have pointed to as justification for restricting birthright citizenship (other legal experts  fiercely disagree )… White House counsel reportedly warned Trump that he likely doesn’t have the authority to bypass Congress. Regardless of the legality of an executive order, Trump pledged that birthright citizenship will be ended ‘one way or the other.’”

Even though the purported rationale for ending birthright citizenship is directed at illegal aliens, one must not overlook the fact that if birthright citizenship was abolished, it would go far beyond them. For instance, Fox News wrote on October 31: “Critics of birthright citizenship say that the amendment was never intended to apply to children of two non-citizens — and particularly those who have come to the country illegally.”

Trump’s War with the “Fake News Media” in Light of Violence in America

The New York Post wrote on October 29:

“President Trump on Monday continued his assault on the ‘Fake News Media’ by continuing to accuse them of stoking rage. ‘There is great anger in our Country caused in part by inaccurate, and even fraudulent, reporting of the news. The Fake News Media, the true Enemy of the People, must stop the open & obvious hostility & report the news accurately & fairly,’ he wrote on his Twitter account.

“‘That will do much to put out the flame of Anger and Outrage and we will then be able to bring all sides together in Peace and Harmony. Fake News Must End!,’ the president posted, just two days after 11 people were gunned down by a man yelling ‘all Jews must die’ at a Pittsburgh synagogue. The tweets also come three days after Cesar Sayoc was arrested for sending 14 pipe bombs through the postal system to a number of prominent Democrats – including former President Barack Obama, his Vice President Joe Biden, and Trump’s 2016 presidential opponent Hillary Clinton – all outspoken critics of Trump’s.

“GOP Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma said Trump can’t be blamed for the actions of a ‘hate-filled individual’ at the synagogue, but urged the president to tamp down his rhetoric because it ‘doesn’t help the basic dialogue.’… Anthony Scaramucci, the former White House communications director, said Trump doesn’t need to go to ‘war with the media.’… Trump condemned the synagogue shooting as ‘anti-Semitic’ and ‘pure evil.’ ‘There must be no tolerance for anti-Semitism in America or for any form of religious or racial hatred or prejudice,’ Trump said during a rally Saturday in Illinois.”

Unfortunately, too much violence is happening in the USA, which is no surprise, because Satan, the pure evil god and ruler of this world, is a murderer and a destroyer, and his wrath is great because he knows that his time is short.

Casting a Spell on the Media?

The Daily Mail wrote on October 29:

“President Donald Trump borrowed a serpent staff from a child at the White House Halloween event on Sunday to wave in the direction of the media as he and first lady Melania Trump distributed chocolate bars and twizzlers to the children of military families before once again attacking the press on Twitter. ‘Do you know what I’m doing,’ he asked the two little girls, who were dressed in Egyptian style costumes as the first lady chuckled at his antics.

“He waved the staff up and down and all around, as if he were casting a spell… Harry Potter theme music played, a fog machine pumped spooky smoke, pumpkins abound on hay bales, and the columns of the White House were decorated as corn stalks for the event.”

Halloween is an evil celebration of the forces of darkness, and pretending to cast a spell, especially in front of children, is not a harmless joke.

Economic Chaos Ahead?

Newsmax wrote on October 26:

“Investment guru Peter Schiff warns that the U.S. economy is on the brink of a collapse that will trigger total financial chaos. ‘All the signs are already there. Look at what’s happening out there. The stock market is falling, look at homebuilders, the housing stocks, the financials, the retailers – all these are the same things that were happening in 2007 leading to that crisis,’ the CEO of Euro Pacific Capital [said]…

“The economist urged people be prepared for not only an economic crisis, but a political crisis as well… ‘The dollar is going to be the biggest casualty along with the American standard of living,’ he said…

“A recent study by JPMorgan Chase & Co. indicated the U.S. economy has a greater than 50-50 chance of tipping into a recession in the next two years…”

We know from Scripture that sometime in the future, the USA will be hit by a devastating economic crash leading to terrible consequences for the American people.

Brazil’s new Leader—a Figure like Donald Trump

The Algemeiner wrote on October 29, 2018:

“He has vowed to drain the swamp, slash regulations and get tough with China. Evangelicals and gun-rights advocates love him. He has denounced the media as ‘fake news.’ Political foes? Lock ’em up. Brazil’s new president-elect, Jair Bolsonaro, is an ardent admirer — and shrewd imitator — of his US counterpart Donald Trump. And that could usher in one of the warmest bilateral relationships in the Western Hemisphere.

“Trump called to congratulate Bolsonaro on Sunday night, shortly after the far-right congressman scored a resounding victory at the polls, winning 55 percent of the vote following a mud-slinging campaign with a leftist rival. Bolsonaro and Trump spoke of ‘a strong commitment to work side-by-side’ on issues affecting Brazil, the United States and beyond, the White House said… in Bolsonaro, Trump will find a doppelganger whose world view and pugnacious style are strikingly similar to his own. ‘Just like he wants to make America great, I want to make Brazil great,’ Bolsonaro, a former army captain, said in a televised interview in July…

“Bolsonaro… has said he will move Brazil’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, following the lead of the United States. And similar to Trump, Bolsonaro is rethinking his country’s membership in multinational organizations and treaties that he thinks might not be in Brazil’s best interest, including the Mercosur trade bloc, the BRICS group of large emerging economies and the Paris climate accord… Bolsonaro is also questioning Brazil’s relationship with China, which he views as a predatory economic partner. The Asian giant is Brazil’s biggest foreign buyer of soybeans, iron ore and other commodities. But Bolsonaro is alarmed at a spate of Chinese purchases of Brazilian energy and infrastructure companies. ‘The Chinese are not buying in Brazil. They are buying Brazil,’ Bolsonaro has warned repeatedly…

“Still, trade is likely to remain a sore point between the United States and Brazil, whose steep tariffs on imported goods make it one of the most closed economies in the world… Even if trade issues remain thorny, Bolsonaro’s gaze is directed north. He is an avid supporter of the National Rifle Association and vows that once he takes office on January 1, he will roll back Brazil’s strict gun laws and let citizens take up arms to defend themselves from criminals… Brazil is beset by appalling levels of street crime.

“In the past few years, a sprawling corruption investigation has revealed epic levels of corruption at the highest levels of government. One former president is in jail and another was impeached and tossed from office. The economy was hit by the worst downturn in decades and has yet to regain its luster; more than 13 million Brazilians are unemployed. Hungry for change, voters responded to Bolsonaro’s bold promises to crack heads and clean up the mess.

“Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon said he sees echoes of his old boss, who rode a similar wave of discontent. ‘It takes those types of crises, and Brazil is going through that type of crisis now,’ Bannon told Reuters recently. ‘I think that Bolsonaro, he’s a figure like Trump.’”

India-Japan Partnership

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 28:

“Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hailed a ‘special strategic and global partnership’ with Japan, the second-largest economy in Asia. Japan is aiming to expand free trade relations amid US’ protectionist policies…

“Shinzo Abe became the first Japanese leader to visit China since 2011 when he arrived in Beijing on October 26, 2018. Ties between the two countries have been fragile since diplomatic relations resumed in 1972. There are still plenty of issues to be resolved, but the relationship is at a ‘historic turning point’… India and Japan are set to hold their first joint military exercises next month.”

The Bible shows that in the end-time an economic and military power bloc will be forming in the Far East, which appears to include countries such as China, Russia, India and Japan.

“Freedom” in Saudi Arabia?

 The Mirror wrote on October 31:

“Seventeen women, all Filipina expats, were arrested after hosting a Halloween party in Saudi Arabia. It is not known what charges they face however the foreign ministry reiterated that Saudi laws prohibit unattached men and women from being seen together in public.

“Adnan Alonto, the Philippine ambassador in Riyadh… has since issued an advisory reminding the Filipino population in Saudi Arabia to ‘refrain from organising or attending events or gatherings that are unsanctioned or without permission.’ He said: ‘In addition, everyone is reminded to avoid mixed crowds, consuming liquor, and holding public practice of traditions that are associated with religions other than Islam, such as Halloween, Valentines and Christmas.’

“… The public worship of any religion other than Islam is banned in Saudi Arabia – despite the fact at least two million of the country’s expatriates are non-Muslims… The country also has strict laws restricting women from making a great deal of important decisions themselves. Women were only recently allowed to drive.

“Women in Saudi Arabia are unable to marry without permission of their guardian, and must seek permission from the ministry of interior to marry a foreigner. They are also prohibited from opening bank accounts, travelling alone, and in some cases even leaving the house alone.”

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

In the 33rd chapter in the book of Job, beginning with verse 14, Elihu makes some stunning comments about God’s dealings with humans:

“For God may speak in one way, or in another, Yet man does not perceive it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falls upon men, While slumbering on their beds, Then He opens the ears of men, And seals their instruction. In order to turn man from his deed, And conceal pride from man, He keeps back his soul from the Pit, And his life from perishing by the sword.

“Man is also chastened with pain on his bed, And with strong pain in many of his bones, So that his life abhors bread, And his soul succulent food. His flesh wastes away from sight, And his bones stick out which once were not seen. Yes, his soul draws near the Pit, And his life to the executioners.

“If there is a messenger for him, A mediator, one among a thousand, To show man His uprightness, Then He is gracious to him, and says, ‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom’; His flesh shall be young like a child’s, He shall return to the days of his youth. He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, For He restores to man His righteousness.

“Then he looks at men and says, ‘I have sinned, and perverted what was right, And it did not profit me.’ He will redeem his soul from going down to the Pit, And his life shall see the light. Behold, God works all these things, Twice, in fact, three times with a man, To bring back his soul from the Pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of life.”

What is contained in these Scriptures is the fact that God may deal directly with a person two or three times to warn him or her of serious trials and even impending death due to his or her sinful way. What is also included is the fact that there is no promise that God will prevent grievous problems, illness or death from occurring after these two or three warnings have been given, if the person does not perceive or take to heart those warnings and does not repent and change his or her ways; but rather, if he or she continues to sin.

When God deals individually with a person, He gives him or her warnings when He sees that the person is in need of correction. These “wake-up” calls can come in many different ways, but if they are so serious that they deal with serious trials and even impending death, then it is high time to wake up, because God might not give those signs for more than three times, if at all.

Christ warned that those who refuse to repent and who don’t heed God’s warning may die a violent death. We read in Luke 13:1-5:

“There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.’”

Christ continued in verses 6-9 to give a time element, showing that God’s patience has limits. He will not wait forever for a person to repent and change; especially, if He has given him or her ample opportunities and wake-up calls:

“He also spoke this parable: ‘A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, “Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?” But he answered and said to him, “Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’’”

God warns in numerous ways before He is going to act. He warned mankind through Noah, a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5), before He sent the flood to destroy all those who did not listen and who refused to repent. The USA, the UK, Canada and other English-speaking nations have been placed on notice that unless there is genuine repentance, they will be invaded by a foreign power and defeated in a nuclear war, with most people dying and most cities being completely obliterated. As He warned the world through Noah; Nineveh through Jonah; and Sodom and Gomorrah through Lot (Genesis 19:9; 2 Peter 2:6-8), so He is warning our nations today. His warning has been contained in the Bible for a long time, but it is in our time that it is being powerfully proclaimed by His Church. We read, for example, in Ezekiel 33:2-5:

“Son of man, speak to the children of your people, and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take a man from their territory and make him their watchman, when he sees the sword coming upon the land, if he blows the trumpet and warns the people, then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, if the sword comes and takes him away, his blood shall be on his own head. He heard the sound of the trumpet, but did not take warning; his blood shall be upon himself. But he who takes warning will save his life.”

The people of Nineveh heeded the warning and were spared; the people of Sodom, as well as mankind at the time of Noah, refused to listen and perished.

God does not leave individual people without warning either; especially those with whom He has been directly dealing on an individual basis and who have been given knowledge of the Truth and understanding about His Church and His true servants.  We read in Psalm 52:3-5:

“You love evil more than good, Lying rather than speaking righteousness. Selah. You love all devouring words, You deceitful tongue. God shall likewise destroy you forever; He shall take you away, and pluck you out of your dwelling place, And uproot you from the land of the living. Selah.”

Or Psalm 55:19, 23:

“God will hear, and afflict them, Even He who abides from of old. Selah. Because they do not change, Therefore they do not fear God…  But You, O God shall bring them down to the pit of destruction; Bloodthirsty and deceitful men shall not live out half their days…”

Psalm 73:18-19 adds the following about those who refuse to listen and change:

“Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment!”

At the same time, God has no pleasure in the death of unrighteous sinners, but He wants them to repent and change. That is WHY He gives them wake-up calls. Moses wrote in Psalm 90:12:

“So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom.” A better translation is (compare Luther Bible 2017): “Teach us to consider that we must die…”

Psalm 107:4-14 speaks of those who were in trouble and turned to God for help, finally taking God’s warnings seriously:

“They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; They found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, Their soul fainted in them. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He delivered them out of their distresses… Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death [they were near death], Bound in affliction and irons–Because they rebelled against the words of God, And despised the counsel of the Most High, Therefore He brought down their heart with labor; They fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces.”

He continues in verses 17-20:

“Fools, because of their transgression, And because of their iniquities, were afflicted. Their soul abhorred all manner of food, And they drew near to the gates of death. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.”

The Psalmist concludes with these words, in verse 43: “Whoever is wise will observe these things, And they will understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.”

God gives this warning in Proverbs 5:12-14, quoting someone who refused, for a while, to listen to Him and His true ministers: “How I have hated instruction, And my heart despised correction! I have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, Nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me! I was on the verge of total ruin, In the midst of the assembly and congregation.”

Proverbs 29:1 adds: “He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” A better translation is (compare Luther Bible 2017): “He who is stiff-necked against all warning…”

Returning to Elihu’s above-quoted speech in the book of Job, the statement that God will warn and send wake-up calls two or three times should be taken quite seriously and also quite literally.

The numbers three and two have significance in the Bible and may also indicate finality. Christ was three days and three nights in the grave, as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster. Peter received the vision with the sheet of unclean animals three times, and three men came to him to lead him to Cornelius, an “unclean” Gentile in the minds of the Jews, whom he then baptized. Paul reasoned with the Jews for three Sabbaths in Thessalonica, before turning away from them, due to their hostility (Acts 17:1-5, 10).

God pronounces severe punishments against several modern nations because of three transgressions committed by each of them, respectively (compare the book of Amos, chapters 1 and 2). As we saw earlier, the owner of the fig tree was searching for fruit for three years. God presented David with three kinds of punishment for his sin of numbering Israel. Finally, Paul asked God three times to heal him but God decided not to do so then (2 Corinthians 12:8).

In Solomon’s case, God punished Solomon after He had appeared to him two times to warn him not to forsake His Way and follow other gods (1 Kings 11:9-10). A sin or crime, especially a capital crime leading to the death penalty, needed to be dealt with when the testimony of two or three witnesses established the facts (Hebrew 10:28). The acceptance of an accusation against an elder requires two or three witnesses (1 Timothy 5:19); and by “the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1).

In light of this, if someone who knows (of) God’s Truth has received two or three warnings from God through serious life-threatening situations or other grievous and frightening occurrences, and has still not repented or has even turned his or her back on God, then the life of such a person is in serious danger, and it is high time to return to God with prayer and fasting and ask for forgiveness.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

A new Member Letter (October 2018) has been written and mailed. Robb Harris presents a review of reports from the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day in both the US and Germany and notes that this year’s observance was indeed a time of rejoicing by the brethren.

“The TRUE FACTS about America’s Birthright Citizenship,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Much has been written and said about the idea of ending America’s birthright citizenship, and both the law and reality have been misrepresented and misconstrued by the media. What DOES the Constitution say, and HOW did the US Supreme Court understand the 14th Amendment, dealing with birthright citizenship? Could it be revoked via executive order or Congress? Is it even perceivable that it could end through federal legislation or a constitutional amendment? And even if that were possible, what might the consequences be? Issues like these continue to divide the nation, and the ensuing emotional upheaval results in more and more verbal and violent confrontations and actions. The Bible shows us what the terrible and frightening outcome will be.

“Warnt Gott den Sünder vor Unglück und Tod?” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Does God Warn the Sinner of Calamity and Death?”

“Ready at ALL Times,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Michael Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

How are we supposed to prepare at all times? How are we to live our days and how important is prayer? What should we pray for? Are we ready if Christ were to come back tomorrow? Are we worthy enough? Is God our first priority and can we trust Him to take care of ANY situation that we are faced with? Do we truly understand how important God is in our lives and if we shut Him out, what would the consequences be?

“Resist the Devil!” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Satan rules mankind, but most don’t know about it. And very few understand that Satan’s great wrath and his desire to destroy are directed foremost against God’s people–the true followers of Jesus Christ. We must be aware of the temptations, deceptions and wiles of the devil and of his human instruments, so that we can withstand, conquer and defeat them with God’s help.

On October 27, 2018, Michael Link will present the sermonette, titled, “Ready at ALL Times,” and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “Resist the Devil!”

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.

Have we ever been late to an event by not getting there on time and were not able to get in due to their “door closing” policy at a specific time?  How did that make us feel? Especially when we thought we had prepared ourselves, giving ourselves enough time? Perhaps we were careless with our time, and something along the way became a distraction, causing us to get there “late” and were then prohibited to get inside.  It’s a frustrating feeling and thoughts of what we should have done differently may enter our minds, even though we were aware of the rules stating that we must plan and prepare accordingly and those who were not “on time” would be unable to enter.

Christ spoke about ten virgins, but only the five wise virgins were allowed to enter the wedding. The five foolish virgins were not prepared and ready. And when they finally arrived, the doors were closed.

Or, did we ever experience a situation when we were invited to a special occasion and refused to attend, even though we should have been there, or when we attended, only to find out that we were not prepared for the same? Christ delivered a similar message in Matthew 22 in a parable of the wedding feast where several who were invited to the wedding by the king were unwilling to come. And so the king sent out servants again to remind those who were invited: “‘See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.’ But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business (verse 4).”

These were guests who were “called” to the wedding. They had some knowledge of the Truth and God’s Way of Life and they had a choice to make, to be at the wedding. The king tried two times to invite them to the wedding and since they didn’t want to come, he stated in verse 8 that “those who were invited were not worthy.” The servants went out and invited others to come to the wedding and they responded.

But one person came for an improper purpose and with dishonest motives, even though he knew better. We read in verse 11, “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

Here was someone who didn’t respond in the way that God expected but rather was untruthful and rebellious. God dealt with this person severely. There are many examples in the Bible of people who were rebellious to God’s Law, who knew His Law at first but then decided to take matters into their own hands, thereby forgetting about God (1 Samuel 15:23; Romans 13:2; Isaiah 1:19-20).

The Bible contains many warnings for TRUE Christians today.  If we have been called out of this world, responded and made the commitment to live God’s Way of Life FOREVER by CHOOSING to become baptized, then we must understand the absolute importance and responsibility that we have to live righteously or we will lose our crown to eternal life (Revelation 3:11).

The time will come when many will proclaim to Christ that they “knew” Him, “knew” about God’s Way of Life, yet they deceived themselves or they weren’t dedicated enough to LIVE that Way and DO what He commanded on a CONTINUOUS basis.  And Christ will respond, “I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matthew 7:23). It is for LIFE and we say it over and over again: Be Prepared NOW before it’s too late!

by Norbert Link

We begin with the escalation of relationships between Saudi Arabia and many countries around the world, including Turkey; the fear of another nuclear arms race; explosive devices sent to Obama, Clinton and other liberal public figures; the consequences of America’s sanctions against Iran; and Germany’s warning to its citizens when visiting autocratic Turkey.

We continue with the somewhat silly controversy regarding white people wearing “blackface” in the context of what types of costumes to wear on Halloween (please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “But Isn’t Halloween just Harmless Fun…?”); the “caravan of refugees”; a new [or rather old] definition for transgender; the lack of confidence in America’s governmental institutions; and the major stock market losses in October.

We are addressing the current situation in Germany and Austria, as well as Australia; and speak on the violent disappearance of an Hawaiian island.

We conclude with articles about the Roman Catholic Church, pertaining to homosexuality.

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

Germany Stops Arms Exports to Saudi Arabia; US, UK and France Don’t!

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 22:

“Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday that Germany would put arms exports to the kingdom on hold for the time being, given the unexplained circumstances of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s death… German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, of the Social Democrats — junior partner in Merkel’s coalition government — had already called for weapons exports to the kingdom to be halted. Germany is the fourth largest exporter of weapons to Saudi Arabia after the United States, Britain and France…

“Merkel said Germany would discuss further ‘reactions’ to the case with its international partners, though some German companies have already made gestures: on Monday, Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser cancelled an appearance at an investors’ conference in Riyadh that was to begin on Tuesday…

“Amid calls across the world for arms embargoes against Saudi Arabia, US President Donald Trump has said his country would be ‘punishing itself’ if it halted weapons sales to the country… The US president has repeatedly said he does not want to stop a proposed $110 billion arms sale to the Saudis because too many US jobs depend on it.”

The Washington Post wrote on October 21:

“President Donald Trump… repeatedly displayed a realpolitik way of viewing the Middle East, praising Saudi Arabia for buying arms from the United States, reiterating the importance of oil prices and trashing Iran, saying: ‘We’ve got nobody else over there’ to help protect Israel… If the United States stops selling arms to Saudi Arabia, Trump said China and Russia would benefit.”

The EUObserver added on October 22:

“Germany has announced a unilateral arms embargo on Saudi Arabia, but France, the UK, and the US have not followed suit, posing questions for Western unity in the Middle East.”

Canada’s Justin Trudeau says he is unlikely to cancel Saudi armored vehicles sale.

The EUObserver added that Spain and Sweden did not follow suit either, stating: “Saudi Arabia is Sweden’s most important export market in the Middle East.”

Deutsche Welle had reported on October 19:

“Saudi Arabia is Germany’s second-best weapons customer… after Algeria…

“Arms sales to Saudi Arabia are also contentious because they may contravene a clause in the coalition agreement signed by Germany’s governing parties stating that no weapons exports may be approved to any country ‘directly’ involved in the war in Yemen. However, the agreement does exempt countries that had made weapons deals with Germany before the current government took power.”

These entire sales of weapons for the sole purpose of killing people are appalling.

USA and Russia to Increase Production of Nuclear Weapons

Newsmax wrote on October 22:

“President Donald Trump said Monday the United States military will ramp up its arsenal of nuclear weapons to pressure both Russia and China to curb theirs… ‘Russia has not adhered to the agreement. This should have been done years ago. Until people come to their senses, we have more money than anybody else by far. We will build it up.’

“The deal was originally signed by former President Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev… It ordered the elimination of all short- and intermediate-range nuclear and conventional missiles by both countries.”

The Week added on October 21:

“NATO has confirmed Russian missile tests in the past decade likely violate the treaty.”

AFP wrote on October 24:

“President Vladimir Putin warned Wednesday of a new arms race if America pulls out of weapons treaties, and said Russia would respond ‘in kind’ to any new US missiles placed on European soil… Putin warned that abandoning the treaty… would… put Europe in danger… Putin said any European countries agreeing to host US missiles would be at risk of a Russian attack.”

NATO Launches Big War Games–Germany’s Dubious Role

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 25:

“NATO launched its biggest exercises since the end of the Cold War on Thursday in Norway. The Trident Juncture war games involve around 50,000 troops, 10,000 vehicles, 250 aircraft and 65 ships from all 29 alliance members, plus Sweden and Finland. The maneuvers will take place for two weeks in Norway and the air and sea spaces around the country.

“The goal of the exercises is to test and train NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force and follow-on forces. The rapid reaction force is designed to spearhead a defense against an attack on an alliance member within days… [It] was established by the alliance in 2014 as a deterrent in response to Russia’s annexation of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine and Moscow’s support for separatists there…

“The German military is participating in the maneuvers with around 10,000 troops and 4,000 vehicles, as well as Tornado and Eurofighter jets and three ships. That makes it the second largest participant after the United States. At the beginning of 2019, Germany will take over command of the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force for a year.”

Explosive Devices Sent to Obama, Clinton and Other Public Figures

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 24:

“US authorities on Wednesday intercepted explosive devices sent to prominent politicians who are often targeted by President Donald Trump. Those targeted included former President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton, ex-State Secretary Hillary Clinton, former Attorney General Eric Holder and ex-CIA Director John Brennan. The devices targeting Brennan were sent to the New York offices of CNN.

“All of the packages had a return address of the office of Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who led the Democratic National Committee, the party’s executive body. Police have also sent in bomb-defusing robots to deal with suspicious packages sent to Schultz.

“Trump immediately issued a statement condemning the ‘acts or threats of political violence,’ saying they ‘have no place in the United States.’ But opposition lawmakers said it wasn’t enough. Democratic leaders accused Trump of fueling politically-motivated violence, saying he ‘condoned physical violence and divided Americans with his words and actions.’…

“The FBI has warned that the situation may not be over… New York police commissioner James O’Neill described the package sent to Brennan in care of CNN appeared to be a ‘live explosive device.’ Some US media has described the explosives as potentially-lethal pipe bombs.”

Further explosive devices were sent, among others, to former Vice President Joe Biden and actor Robert De Niro. The political climate in the USA becomes more and more divisive. Some have even warned a while back that a new violent civil war could break out in large parts of the country.

Merkel “Defies” Trump, Disagrees with China

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 19:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel has rebuked the ‘America First’ approach to free trade of US President Donald Trump. [She] defended free trade at a summit of European and Asian leaders in Brussels on Friday, rejecting the protectionist rhetoric and policy of… Trump…

“The German chancellor’s comments directly contradicted Trump’s zero-sum approach to trade and disregard for multilateralism… Fighting back against that doctrine, the EU and Singapore signed a free trade deal later on Friday on the sidelines of the summit…

“Disagreements nevertheless emerged between Europe and China appeared on Friday, with China refusing to admit wording in a final communique that would have called for the end of state subsidies… Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz told reporters when it comes to China’s trade practices, Europe expects trade rules to be upheld… The EU and the United States have criticized China for distorting international trade by subsidizing national companies and promoting oversupply in international steel and aluminum markets.

“European leaders also face challenges in [maintaining] good trading relations with Asian countries that have poor human rights records… Merkel acknowledged those difficulties in her speech on Friday, admitting that European leaders would ‘have to bring up questions of human rights and values in bilateral talks.’”

The relationship between Asian countries and the European power bloc will deteriorate.

Trump Pushes Japan into China’s Arms

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 24:

“Japan and China are economic, political and military rivals vying for influence in the Asia Pacific. But US President Trump’s contentious policies are forcing them to put their rivalry aside and cooperate. When Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Friday, it will mark the first bilateral Sino-Japanese summit since 2011. The meeting comes shortly after the 40th anniversary of the 1978 Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the two nations. Abe’s three-day China trip is the culmination of a rapid rapprochement between the two sides that began in the spring with the resumption of their economic dialogue.

“China is Japan’s biggest trading partner and many Japanese companies have invested large sums in China… the Chinese leadership for years… showed little interest in revitalizing the relationship between the world’s second and third-largest economies. Beijing has heaped scorn on Abe’s attempts to strengthen and reform the Japanese military. China also distrusts Japan’s foreign policy… Abe’s efforts to draw a line under Japan’s horrific World War II legacy and pull a veil over the brutal war crimes have repeatedly drawn consternation from Beijing…

“But China’s ongoing trade dispute with the US, with both sides imposing tariffs on each other’s products, prompts the leadership in Beijing to reconsider their approach toward Tokyo. Fearing international isolation, President Xi has sought to join forces with the European Union, Russia and, also, Japan…  Trump’s approach to global trade has put tremendous pressure on not just China, but also Japan…

“Defense is likely to be another field of Sino-Japanese cooperation. The chief of the Japanese armed forces is expected to visit China for the first time since 2008. In addition, Japan is considering receiving high-ranking Chinese military officials. Both sides are also working on the details of setting up a hotline between their militaries…”

The Bible predicts close economic and military cooperation between Far Eastern countries, including Russia, China and Japan.

US Sanctions and Europe’s “Response”

Lobelog wrote on October 19:

“This week, the Trump administration announced a new set of sanctions against some of Iran’s major industrial companies and financial institutions… The designations signal the onset of a far broader economic war against Iran… and are intended to show that all business with Iran… carries with it the risk of sanctions…

“Europe has… signaled its intent to create a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to facilitate permissible trade between Europe and Iran. Europe has also invited other JCPOA participants—such as China and Russia—to use the SPV on an as-needed basis… Enforcing its sanctions against the will of the international community, the United States risks engendering alternative payment channels over which Washington has little leverage…

“But none of these items establishes a line in the sand that the Trump administration must not cross—or else… Right now, the Trump administration is winning the battle over Iran. It is creating just enough risk to foment an ongoing exodus of international companies from Iran and rendering the country a commercial pariah… [Europe] must make clear to the Trump administration that there will be severe consequences for any sanctions imposed on European companies.

“… Otherwise… Europe will stand humiliated on the world stage, and a new war in the Middle East will begin to rage.”

The bold language regarding what Europe must do towards the USA is quite interesting, and would not have been heard several years ago.

Germany Warns Its Citizens Visiting Turkey

The Algemeiner wrote on October 24:

“Germany has warned citizens visiting Turkey to be extra cautious about their social media feeds in response to a spate of cases of Germans arrested for online criticism of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government. The updated travel advice, published by the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, highlights how Berlin’s attempts to repair relations with Ankara have so far delivered little for dozens of German citizens imprisoned there since the failed coup in 2016…

“With Germany home to 3 million people of Turkish background, relations [between] the two countries have always been complicated, but they hit rock bottom in the wake of the post-coup round-up. A flurry of diplomatic activity, including a state visit by Erdogan to Germany, has so far yielded little in the way of reduced tensions, with Berlin deeply concerned at Ankara’s influence over Germany’s Turkish community.

“The ministry added that even private comments could be risky. ‘Non-public comments on social media can be forwarded to Turkish authorities via denunciations,’ it said. ‘A conviction for “insulting the president” or “spreading terrorist propaganda” can lead to many years’ imprisonment.’

“Social media have become the primary platform for political opposition in Turkey, where traditional media are saturated with positive coverage of Erdogan and his ministers. Turkish authorities have detained people who criticized a military operation in Syria on social media and those who posted comments about the economy ‘in a provocative way,’ as the lira tumbled against the dollar this year.

“Germany… has a large and growing community of exiled critics of Erdogan, many of whom Ankara wants to see extradited on terrorism charges. Some complain they are subject to surveillance by Turkey’s intelligence services.”

Erdogan’s dictatorship vs. Saudi Arabia’s dictatorship. Which one is worse? This may be difficult to say.

Halloween’s Costumes Controversy

The Huffington Post wrote on October 24:

“NBC host Megyn Kelly issued an on-air apology Wednesday after she defended white people who wear blackface while discussing Halloween costumes on her show a day earlier. ‘I want to begin with two words: I’m sorry,’ Kelly said at the start of ‘Megyn Kelly Today’ on Wednesday. ‘You may have heard yesterday that we had a discussion here about political correctness and Halloween costumes. And that conversation turned to whether it is ever OK for a person of one race to dress up as another.’

“She continued: ‘I defended the idea, saying as long as it was respectful and part of the Halloween costume, it seemed OK. Well, I was wrong and I am sorry.’ The former Fox News host drew heated backlash after questioning what is racist about white people darkening their skin while dressing up for Halloween or the reverse…

“Kelly apologized for her comments in an internal email to NBC staff, stating that she had rethought her views after ‘listening carefully’ to her friends and teammates. ‘I realize now that such behavior is indeed wrong, and I am sorry,’ Kelly wrote in the email. ‘The history of blackface in our culture is abhorrent; the wounds too deep.’”

One can take sensitives too far, for sure. Megyn Kelly might have even lost her job over this “discussion.” But the real issue is not as to what costumes to wear or not to wear on Halloween, due to real or imagined insensitivities and political correctness, but as to whether we should keep Halloween in the first place. And the answer is a resounding, “NO!” Please view our new StandingWatch program, entitled, “But Isn’t Halloween just Harmless Fun…?”

The Caravan of Refugees

On October 18, 2018, Patrick J. Buchanan wrote the following on Buchanan.org:

“Our mainstream media remain consumed with the grisly killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, and how President Donald Trump will deal with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Understandably so, for this is the most riveting murder story since O.J. Simpson and has strategic implications across the Middle East.

“Yet far more critical to the future of our civilization is the ongoing invasion of the West from the Third World… a caravan of 4,000 refugees without visas [on Monday, it had grown to 7,000 or 8,000 people] had crossed from Honduras into Guatemala and was heading toward Mexico… Unwanted mass migration is the issue of our time, as there is no foreseeable end to it before it alters America irremediably.

“As these migrants are almost all poor, not highly skilled, and do not speak English, most will join that segment of our population that pays no income taxes but qualifies for social welfare benefits like food stamps, medical care and free education in our public schools. They are thus a net drain upon the resources of a nation that is already, at full employment, running a deficit of $779 billion a year…

“If Donald Trump was elected on any one issue, it was immigration and his promises to secure the border, build the wall and halt the invasion…”

The Editorial Board of the Washington Post wrote on October 22:

“… the president seems more inclined to exacerbate the problem — by cutting off U.S. aid to Central America, thereby deepening insecurity and misery there. Those are the very factors that have driven the recent spike in migration, especially by parents and children… That’s a prescription for more migration, not less. Even in war-torn and impoverished places, people leave their homes and communities reluctantly, abandoning their property, familial roots and sense of belonging only under extreme economic or physical duress… The cuts would diminish economic opportunity and reduce the ability of ordinary people to feel safe in their neighborhoods from drug gangs and crime… rest assured: Many more Central Americans will seek a better life in the United States.

“An additional severe blow is the administration’s decision to cancel temporary work permits and legal status for about 250,000 Salvadorans and Hondurans living in the United States, forcing many of them to leave or be deported over the coming year, thereby stanching the flow of funds they send home to their families. A more rational policy would double down on U.S. aid programs, with a focus on crime-fighting and security, while allowing would-be migrants to apply and be screened for asylum in their home countries…”

Migration is truly a serious problem for the USA, and there is really no human solution in sight.

Narrow Definition of Gender by Trump Administration

The Seattle Times wrote on October 21:

“The Trump administration is considering narrowly defining gender as a biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth… A series of decisions by the Obama administration loosened the legal concept of gender in federal programs… The policy prompted fights over bathrooms, dormitories, single-sex programs and other arenas… Conservatives, especially evangelical Christians, were incensed….

“‘Sex means a person’s status as male or female based on immutable biological traits identifiable by or before birth,’ the department proposed in the memo… ‘The sex listed on a person’s birth certificate, as originally issued, shall constitute definitive proof of a person’s sex unless rebutted by reliable genetic evidence.’

“The new definition would essentially eradicate federal recognition of the estimated 1.4 million Americans who have opted to recognize themselves — surgically or otherwise — as a gender other than the one they were born into… Judge Reed O’Connor of the U.S. District Court in Fort Worth, Texas, a George W. Bush appointee… has held that ‘Congress did not understand “sex” to include “gender identity.”’

God created humans as male and female… and there is no room for a designation in between. Please read our free booklet, “God’s Teachings on Sexual Relationships.”

No Confidence in Washington and Governmental Institutions

CNBC wrote on October 23:

“Former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, who has reached legend status in the world of central banking, isn’t optimistic about current conditions. When Volcker looks around now, he sees ‘a h… of a mess in every direction,’ including a lack of basic respect for government institutions, a current Fed that seems to be following a completely arbitrary benchmark and a ‘swamp’ in Washington run by plutocrats…

“‘There is no force on earth that can stand up effectively, year after year, against the thousands of individuals and hundreds of millions of dollars in the Washington swamp aimed at influencing the legislative and electoral process,’ he writes… He said the Fed is just one of the institutions in which people have lost confidence.”

The Fed Could Bankrupt America

Mike Burnick’s Wealth Watch (a division of Agora Financial, LLC) wrote the following on October 24:

“The Federal Reserve has set out on a dangerous course that could bankrupt the U.S. in a few years if they’re not very careful… Minutes from the Fed’s September meeting, released last week, made it crystal clear they intend to keep raising rates well into 2019… Also, the Fed confirmed its intent to unwind the central bank’s balance sheet by unloading $600 billion per year worth of Treasury bonds and mortgage backed securities. This adds more upward pressure on long-term interest rates in the U.S., which are already the highest of any developed nation…

“Total U.S. national debt is a staggering $21.6 trillion today and growing fast. That’s a debt burden of $177,499 per U.S. taxpayer. The Federal budget deficit is now $824 billion and also growing. This thanks to the fact government spending is up 132% since 2000, or more than $4 trillion today.

“The problem is as interest rates rise so do the debt service payments on all that debt. In fact, during the last fiscal year American taxpayers shelled out more than half-a-trillion dollars to service the national debt alone. If government debt continues to rise as it has the U.S. debt burden will reach $25 trillion in a few years. If interests rates also continue to rise too. [A]s The Fed has indicated, the 10-Year Treasury yield could easily reach 4%. That means $1 trillion in yearly debt service payments alone.

“That’s unsustainable debt burden! Financial stress like that would make the 2008 crisis look like a picnic in comparison.”

Stocks Plummeting

CNBC wrote on October 24:

“Stocks plummeted on Wednesday as a sharp drop in tech shares and worries about corporate earnings added fuel to this month’s steep pullback. The [Dow Jones] dropped 608.01 points… and erased all of its gains for 2018…

“Stocks have taken a beating this month… Worries about a slowing economy under pressure from rising interest rates grew after the Commerce Department said new home sales fell to a two-year low… Bank shares fell on fears of slowing growth for mortgage and other loans.”

The Week added on October 24:

“October has brought major losses; it has been the worst month for the S&P since May 2010. Technology, media, and communications stocks accounted for much of the selling on Wednesday.”

Bringing Back Sigmar Gabriel and Martin Schulz?

Focus wrote on October 19:

“SPD Member of Parliament, Florian Post, sees his party in a deep crisis and demands that former SPD leaders Sigmar Gabriel and Martin Schulz should be given again leading functions, stating that it was a mistake to send the most popular Social Democrats into the desert, and that they are needed now more than ever.”

No Conclusions from Defeat?

Handelsblatt Global wrote on October 23:

“Chancellor Angela Merkel warned against drawing any conclusions about her future from the state elections in Hesse later this month, where her Christian Democrats are likely to suffer losses. ‘You can’t turn every state election in a mini-federal election,’ she said.”

Whether Angela Merkel likes it or not, her upcoming defeat in Hesse will most certainly lead to drastic conclusions about her and the current government. Please view our recent StandingWatch program, “New German Leadership Coming—Merkel’s Days Are Numbered!” 

Sebastian Kurz and Austria’s Position of Power

Newsweek wrote on October 17:

“For the first time in 100 years, since the end of the Habsburg Empire—when Austria ruled much of Europe for close to 500 years—the country finds itself in a position of power. The economy is growing, and unemployment is down. In September, the neoliberal daily Die Presse praised Kurz’s appearance at the United Nations as a show of strength ‘from the new small superpower.’…

“Kurz sees a chance to fill the void on the world stage. And notably, Austria seems united behind him, regardless of age… Kurz’s supporters refer to him as a bridge builder. But he might just be the consummate poker player, adept at flipping back and forth between ultra-conservative and conservative opinions…  liberals… fear the worst, accusing Kurz of ‘expertly using a putsch to come to power’ and eroding parliamentary democracy…

“The rise in far-right extremism has effectively fueled Kurz’s political career. One of his immigration policies, for example—forcing migrants to hand over valuables and cellphones—has ­uncomfortable echoes of Nazism. Kurz has also joined Hungary’s Orbán in rejecting Germany’s proposal of distributing refugees across the EU. Refugee relocation, he has said, ‘isn’t working,’ and Europe must protect its ‘Christian culture.’…

“Just a few days before the summit in June, he staged provocative army exercises at the border of Slovenia to show he was ready for any migrant-related activity. It was a highly irregular move for a country ostensibly aligned with Germany, a champion of open borders and averse to military action…

“Vienna did not begin to question the Nazi leaders remaining in power until 1986, when it was discovered that former U.N. Secretary-General and Austrian President Kurt Waldheim had been an intelligence officer for Nazi Germany’s armed forces, the Wehrmacht. Instead of reckoning with being the birthplace of Adolf Hitler or welcoming the arrival of his troops in Vienna, Austria embraced the opinion of the Allied powers in the late 1940s… The Allied powers called Austria a victim, and the country obviously accepted that because no one wants to be one of the perpetrating countries…

“All signs suggest the Kurz administration is just getting started… Like many in Britain who oppose the looming Brexit, or Americans enraged by the populism of the Trump administration, the feeling among anti-populist Austrians is one of helpless consternation.”

Austria was most certainly not just a victim, and Kurz is someone we should watch.

No Freedom of Speech to Call Mohammed a “Paedophile”

The Daily Mail wrote on October 25:

“The European Court of Human Rights has ruled a woman convicted by an Austrian court of calling the Prophet Mohammed a paedophile did not have her freedom of speech rights infringed. The woman… was said to have held two seminars in which she discussed the marriage between the Prophet Mohammad and a six-year old girl, Aisha… the marriage was consumated when Aisha was just nine years old, leading Mrs S. to say to her class Mohammad ‘liked to do it with children’. She also reportedly said ‘… A 56-year-old and a six-year-old? … What do we call it, if it is not paedophilia?’…

“Mrs S. was later convicted in February 2011 by the Vienna Regional Criminal Court for disparaging religious doctrines and ordered her to pay a fine of 480 euros plus legal fees. After having her case thrown out by both the Vienna Court of Appeal and Austria’s Supreme Court, the European Court of Human rights backed the courts’ decision to convict Mrs S. on Thursday…

“In a statement on Thursday the ECHR said: ‘The Court found in particular that the domestic courts comprehensively assessed the wider context of the applicant’s statements and carefully balanced her right to freedom of expression with the right of others to have their religious feelings protected, and served the legitimate aim of preserving religious peace in Austria.’

‘It held that by considering the impugned statements as going beyond the permissible limits of an objective debate, and by classifying them as an abusive attack on the Prophet of Islam which could stir up prejudice and threaten religious peace, the domestic courts put forward relevant and sufficient reasons.’

“Mrs S. had complained to the European court that the domestic courts failed to address the substance of the impugned statements in the light of her right to freedom of expression.”

Mrs. S., who held the seminars on behalf of Austria’s coalition party FPÖ, can appeal this clearly political judgment within 3 months.

Australia’s Move of Embassy to Jerusalem in Doubt

JTA wrote on October 21:

“Australia’s potential move of its embassy to Jerusalem was left in doubt after the Liberal government lost its one-seat majority following a defeat in a special election for Parliament.

“Dave Sharma, the former ambassador to Israel, was beaten Saturday in the vote to fill a vacant House of Representatives seat near Sydney. Independent Party candidate Kerry Phelps, a convert to Judaism, won the Wentworth seat…

“Days before the election, Prime Minister Scott Morrison had announced that he was considering officially recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moving the Australian Embassy there. Morrison had credited Sharma with suggesting the embassy move, a major departure from Australia’s foreign policy on Israel.”

Hawaiian Island Erased by Powerful Hurricane

The Guardian wrote on October 24:

“A piece of the United States has been dramatically wiped off the map after an island in Hawaii [East Island, a remote spit of gravel and sand that sat atop a coral reef] was washed away by a powerful hurricane. Scientists have confirmed the disappearance of the 11-acre island…

“East Island was, at about half a mile long and 400ft wide, the second largest island in the French Frigate Shoals, an atoll in the far western reaches of the Hawaiian archipelago. Until 1952, it hosted a US Coast Guard radar station.

“Despite its size, the island played an important role for wildlife, including the critically endangered Hawaiian monk seal, a species that numbers just 1,400 individuals, with many of the seals raising their young on East Island. Green sea turtles, which are also threatened, and seabirds such as albatrosses, which often had their young preyed upon by circling tiger sharks, also depended on the island….”

Homosexuality in Catholic Priesthood Responsible for Sex Abuse?

The Daily Mail wrote on October 19:

“The Vatican ambassador who accused Pope Francis of rehabilitating a disgraced ex-American cardinal is doubling down on his attack, claiming that the ‘scourge of homosexuality’ in the priesthood is responsible for sex abuse and that the Vatican is being hypocritical in refusing to acknowledge it.

“Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano… has accused Francis of effectively rehabilitating [ex-cardinal] McCarrick, 88, from restrictions imposed during Pope Benedict XVI’s papacy because of allegations he pressured seminarians to sleep with him. He has called for Francis to resign over the McCarrick scandal, which has sparked a crisis of confidence in the U.S. and Vatican hierarchy.

“Francis has responded to the McCarrick allegations by removing him as a cardinal, over an allegation he molested a minor, and by ordering a Vatican investigation into its archives to determine how McCarrick rose through the ranks despite allegations he also molested adults. Pre-empting the outcome, Cardinal Marc Ouellet, who heads the Vatican’s bishops’ office, penned a letter on October 4 saying he had gone through his archives and found no evidence of any formal canonical sanctions signed by any pope.

“In his new missive, Vigano accurately noted that Ouellet actually confirmed the core of his allegations: that McCarrick was placed under some form of restriction – not necessarily formal sanctions – because of alleged sexual misconduct. Refuting Ouellet’s claim that the Vatican only had heard rumors about McCarrick, Vigano listed all the letters that had reached the Vatican starting in 2000, when a priest from a New Jersey seminary first wrote relaying concerns from seminarians invited to McCarrick’s beach house and into his bed.

“Vigano said he was shocked that Ouellet omitted any reference in his letter to McCarrick’s victims, or to what he said was the ‘principal cause of so many sexual abuses: homosexuality.’ ‘It’s hypocrisy to refuse to admit that this scourge is due to a grave crisis in the spiritual life of clergy, and to not take measures to remedy it,’ he wrote.”

Pope Francis Wearing a Rainbow Cross?

Life Site News wrote on October 19:

“Pope Francis’ Vatican invited another public relations debacle Wednesday when photos came out in Vatican News of the Pope wearing what many thought to be a ‘Pride’ cross decorated in the colors of the rainbow. The rainbow cross promptly garnered reaction on social media as a nudge-and-a-wink endorsement of the LGBT movement…

“The photo of Francis wearing the rainbow cross was also provocative given its timing amid widespread apprehension that the Youth Synod is being used to advance the normalization of homosexuality within the Church.”

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

In the weekly Update No. 146 on June 6th 2004, we printed an editorial, entitled “The Third Commandment”. Last week, we printed a Q&A, entitled “How do we need to apply the 3rd Commandment about not using the LORD’S name in vain?”. Also, on May 24, 2008, in a StandingWatch program, Evangelist Norbert Link presented a program titled, “Corrupt Communication–Why Not?” It is appropriate to emphasise this matter as it now seems that blasphemy is used by the youngest to the oldest in our nations, with virtually no consideration given at all to how serious a matter this is.

In Exodus 20:7 and Deuteronomy 5:11, we read “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.”

It is best to define what “taking the name of the LORD your God in vain” (or blasphemy as it can also be defined) really means. We could look at many definitions, but the bottom line is that we simply should not, and must not, use the name of God in any irreverent way because that would be disrespectful. When we look at God’s creative power and the awesome size, beauty and majesty of His creation, it really is something wonderful to behold, and to denigrate the name of the Creator of it all is simply unacceptable.

Wikipedia gives this definition: “Blasphemy is the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence to a deity, or sacred things, or toward something considered sacred or inviolable.”

It is interesting to read the following in Leviticus 24:16: “And whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall certainly stone him, the stranger as well as him who is born in the land. When he blasphemes the name of the LORD, he shall be put to death.” It was certainly something to be taken very seriously in those times, unlike today.

But why would God, the greatest Being in the universe, be so concerned about His Name? Isn’t He, as some have observed, able to look after Himself? For anyone to make such an observation shows that they have no understanding at all about what is involved.

Some may think that they can hurt God by taking His Name in vain or rejecting Him. God can certainly be very disappointed when this happens but we have to remember that He is the Creator of all things, He sustains life, He has provided salvation for us through Jesus Christ. God is a Family, consisting of God the Father and Jesus Christ , the Son of God, and they are both God… the only true God Beings. Therefore, God deserves our worship and we are hurting ourselves when we go contrary to His way. It is not about ego and the feeling of importance but God knows that we lose out when we don’t honour His precious Name. By so dishonouring Him, we are also showing disrespect and that doesn’t have any rewards attached to it, quite the reverse. Revelation 4:10-11 is instructive in this regard: “… the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: ‘You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.’” Honouring God’s Name as per the third Commandment is truly one way of showing our love for the One who will always be the greatest Being of all.

In a well-ordered, God-obeying family, the relationship that children have with their parents is the same relationship that a begotten son or daughter of God has with his or her heavenly Father. In the human family, there are rules, regulations and behaviour that children are expected to act upon and the same applies to God the Father who gives His begotten children commandments and standards that must be part of a true Christian’s way of life. We read in Colossians 3:8: “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.”

We also have to make sure that by our actions, God’s Name is not disrespected outside the true Church of God, and Romans 2:21-24 is instructive in this regard: “You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal?  You who say, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law?  For ‘the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, as it is written.’”

We are to set an example as expressed in Matthew 5:14-16: “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” If we blasphemed God’s great name, we wouldn’t be setting the example that we are commanded to so do.

It is interesting to note that, whilst God’s Name is taken in vain by so many people around the world, other “deities” don’t seem to suffer in the same way and we know how Muslims revere “the prophet Mohammed” who was just a human being anyway. None of these names are used as an expression of surprise, frustration or anger as the name of the true God so often is.  Satan is doing everything he can to upset true Christians as he knows that he has but a short time left.

An interesting and, it seems, not a very well-known fact, is that the blasphemy law in some parts of the UK was abolished a few years ago. Wikipedia notes that in the UK “on 5th March 2008, an amendment was passed to the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 which abolished the common law offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel in England and Wales. The peers also voted for the laws to be abandoned during March. The Act received royal assent on 8 May 2008, and the relevant section came into force on 8 July 2008.”

On the Humanists UK website, they state the following: “Outdated and discriminatory blasphemy laws are still far too common all around the world. But the English and Welsh blasphemy laws were abolished in May 2008. The offences of blasphemy and blasphemous libel were common law offences which were contrary to the principle of free speech and probably contrary to human rights laws adopted by the UK, which protect freedom of expression. The law fundamentally protected certain, Christian, beliefs and made it illegal to question them or deny them.”

In 2016, a Pew Research Center analysis found out that, as of 2014, about a quarter of the world’s countries and territories (26%) had anti-blasphemy laws or policies.

In August 2018 the BBC website had this very unusual story about an Italian footballer (soccer player):

“Former Juventus midfielder Rolando Mandragora has been suspended for one Serie A game after he was caught on television cameras shouting “Porca Madonna, Vaffanculo, Dio Cane”, an insult to the Virgin Mary, while also referring to God as a dog. The outburst from the Italy international came after Sampdoria goalkeeper Emil Eudero saved his shot in a game which Mandragora’s side, Udinese, won 1-0.

“‘After acquiring and examining the relevant television images, the player, while cursing without referring to anybody around him, was nevertheless clearly seen by the television images to make blasphemous remarks, visibly identifiable from reading his lips without any margin for reasonable doubt,’ a disciplinary report from the Lega Serie A said. There is a strict ban on taking God’s name in vain in Italy, and since 2010, the country’s football association has disciplined players and coaches heard doing so.”

“Taking the name of the LORD your God in vain” is all a part of the erosion of biblical standards that there are organisations which exist in their bid to remove, if it were possible, all traces of the way of God from society. Of course, we understand that Satan, the arch-deceiver is behind all of this and his time is now very limited but, in the meantime, much damage can be done to decent standards that served communities well for a very long period of time. It involved the historical position that Christianity has had within the establishment – the monarchy, Parliament and the law.

It would appear that freedom of speech trumps just about everything else and that penalties for blasphemy, however that is defined, would be in contravention to the right of free speech. Along the same lines is the fact that quoting the Bible about the sin of homosexuality can be viewed as hate speech and therefore punishable in law which means that the legal provisions and requirements of man trump the Word of God.

In short, the third of God’s Ten Commandments is seen as an anachronism in today’s “more enlightened” society!!

In a newspaper article in 2018, details about social media speech were given showing that there are 60 new abbreviations that are dominating the way young people communicate with one another and the second most common one is “OMG,” and we all know that this is an abbreviation for “Oh my God.” It is now a marketing tool as the advertising industry, it seems, will do anything they can to promote products or services at any cost. The fact that God’s name is used irreverently doesn’t seem to matter one iota to those who use such language.

We should realise that the names of God the Father and Jesus Christ are so important. We know that in the model prayer in Matthew 6:9 Jesus told His disciples to pray: “Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.” We also read in Philippians 2:10 “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…” No one should use the great name of God in a harsh and irreverent way today, but so many do. The name of Jesus Christ is so important: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12), and this is another reason why the 3rd Commandment must be taken very seriously.

In our weekly Update, Number 77, on 23rd January 2003, we had a Question and Answer, entitled “Is it Wrong to Use Slang such as ‘gosh’ or ‘gee’?,” and this clearly showed that such euphemisms were also clearly wrong. You may wish to review this Q&A.

King David was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), and he had great respect for God’s name. In Psalm 145:1-2 we read: “I will extol You, my God, O King; And I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, And I will praise Your name forever and ever.” We would do well to emulate this example.

One internet commentator made these observations:

“We are not to use God’s name as a curse word. We are not to use His name lightly. If we study who God is, we understand a bit more why this is such a grave sin. God is holy, sovereign, unchangeable, omnipotent, omniscient, faithful, patient, and merciful. This is just a short list of the adjectives that could be used to describe God, the One who made a way for us to be reconciled to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. If He is so awesome and so wonderful (and He is!), then we can understand why it is so important for us not to use His name when we are angry or surprised.”

Another writer summed it up well and succinctly when he wrote:

“The name of the Lord is holy, as He is holy. The name of the Lord is a representation of His glory, His majesty, and His supreme deity. We are to esteem and honour His name as we revere and glorify God Himself. To do any less is to take His name in vain.”

It was interesting to read what a teaching assistant with no religious views wrote about the use of the phrase “Oh my God”:

“I work as a teaching assistant with kids aged 8-10 and so many of them say this whenever they are frustrated, stroppy or feeling argumentative. I’m not religious but I certainly consider it an inappropriate phrase for children to use. I had a chat with a couple of the girls today after one of them said it. Neither of them had any concept that this was anything other than normal, as it’s a phrase used by all the family. I suggested that they might like to think of other things to say that won’t sound so offensive or rude.”

A prominent American preacher was interviewed on British television during 2018. He was asked how he felt after receiving an invitation to a particular function in the UK and he said, slowly, deliberately and with feeling “Oh my God” three times consecutively in order to express his surprise. If those in mainstream Christianity don’t find it necessary to keep the 3rd Commandment, what example does that send out to those who are members of those churches? This example was appalling and showed a complete lack of understanding how important it is to revere God’s Holy Name.

We should only use God’s name in a reverential way, showing Him the respect that He deserves, and anything less is not acceptable to Him.

Let us remember that Jesus never took His Father’s name in vain. So many people today use God’s Name in vain when they have trials, difficulties and pain and we must remember that even when Jesus was crucified, in His final hours on the stake, suffering with agonising pain and distress, He never resorted to such an approach. His approach to the third Commandment was perfect, and we are to follow Him in every way and that includes honouring, not disrespecting His Father’s Name.

God’s Name should not be blasphemed today and the third Commandment makes this quite clear. But what about the future? We read in Ezekiel 39:7: “So I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore. Then the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.” During the Millennium, taking God’s Name in vain will not be tolerated, nor will it be tolerated for eternity after that time.

Yes, we really should take the third Commandment very seriously today!

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Dave Harris

We are in the process of reprinting several booklets: Are You Already Born Again?; Is That In the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation; The Meaning of God’s Spring Holy Days; and The Book of Zechariah–Prophecies for Today!

Sermonettes and sermons from the 2018 Feast of Tabernacles in the US and Germany continue to be posted on our website—viewable at www.eternalgod.org.

“But Isn’t Halloween just Harmless Fun…?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Not, if you consider its origin and the fact that today’s Halloween is THE most important RELIGIOUS feast for Satanists and witches. Do you really want your children to observe this festival together with worshippers of Satan? This program should open your eyes.

“Ist denn Halloween nicht nur ein harmloser Spaß?” is a new AufPostenStehen program which is in German and covers the same topic as described above and which is also presented by Norbert Link.

“Dem Teufel Widerstehen!” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Resist the Devil.”

“What God Has Done For Me!” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:

We are each called, specially and uniquely. We each are given amazing opportunities in this life. We are each forgiven of our sins, upon repentance and it is an incredible thing that we each should dwell upon. Where would we be without God’s mercy, His loving kindness, His great foresight and His master plan? Really the question ends up, what HASN’T God done for me?

“Can Biblical Fasting Really Help?” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The Bible commands us to fast on occasion. But why? And how can we make sure that God accepts our fasting and that He does not reject it as useless? How can we distinguish between correct and wrong fasting? And what could be the result of proper fasting in our lives and the lives of others?

On October 20, 2018, Kalon Mitchell will present the sermonette, titled, “What Has God Done For Me?” and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “Can Biblical Fasting Really Help?”

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.

The Feast of Tabernacles is a time of great joy for us in God’s Church since for some of us who are scattered it is the one and only opportunity within a year to fellowship personally with God’s people. We renew old friendships, make new ones and with the spiritual food we receive, we continue to grow in grace and knowledge which is crucial for our walk with Christ.

What will it take to make you walk away from the Truth?  In the 70’s a couple we knew left the church because in their minds, prophecy was not being fulfilled fast enough. Even in the time of Christ, there were some who walked away. This seems somewhat incredible in view of the fact they witnessed firsthand all the signs, wonders and miracles which He did.

Let us look at the following example in John 6:48-58, beginning with the words of Christ who said:

”’I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.’

“The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, ‘How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.'”

Note the reaction of many of His disciples, as recorded in John 6:66: “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.”

Notice: “Many” just walked away and abandoned Him. In their minds what He was saying was against laws in the Old Testament. They reasoned: “‘Eating His flesh and drinking His blood’– That’s cannibalism, and we know we are not to eat human flesh and drink blood.”

What they failed to do was to ask for an explanation as to what Christ meant by His statements. He was referring to the new Passover symbols which would be introduced by Him shortly, speaking of eating a piece of unleavened bread and drinking a little bit of wine, to picture His suffering and death. This constituted a radical change from the current practice of sacrificing and eating a Passover lamb.

Why they never questioned Him is a bit of a mystery. They just walked away, rejecting His words. When you hear something from the pulpit which doesn’t seem quite right to you, do you head for the door or do you go and ask the speaker as to what he meant by what he said?

As a speaker, sometimes things don’t come out just right as intended. It is the responsibility of the hearer to ask.

As we head into the winter months which in the northern hemisphere are long and cold, we look forward to springtime and the spring Holy Days. We will face trials and tests, as Christ told us. It is important for us not to get rattled by anything which happens to us, including imagined or real offenses, misunderstandings and illusions of our own minds, but rather, to look to the purpose of our calling and to the reward ahead.

When we face serious trials and tests, just how strong will our commitment be? Will we hold fast or will we walk away?

by Norbert Link

We begin with the (predictable) Bavarian election debacle for Angela Merkel and Germany’s grand coalition [please view our new StandingWatch program, “New German Leadership Coming—Merkel’s Days Are Numbered”]; continue with the Brexit fiasco; quote President Trump’s evaluation of the EU’s “hostile” conduct towards the USA; speak on Europe’s “need” for a finance minister and Austria’s “Wunderkind”; and report on President Trump’s nominations and appointments of openly homosexual judges to key positions.

We also speak on the controversial US-Saudi alliance (which some feel must and will end sooner rather than later).

In other news, we address Australia’s intent to transfer its embassy to Jerusalem; possible reasons for Pope Benedict’s abdication; interesting comments by Pope Francis regarding “gentle” demons; attempts by witches to place a curse on Justice Kavanaugh and others; and we discuss the question as to what causes nightmares and present some correct and many wrong beliefs of most American evangelicals.

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

Merkel’s Debacle in Bavarian Election

Politico wrote on October 14:

“The Bavarian wing of Angela Merkel’s center-right bloc suffered its worst result in nearly 70 years in a state election as voters abandoned Germany’s ruling parties for alternatives on both the left and right, sending a clear signal to Berlin that growing numbers of Germans are displeased with the country’s direction… the result delivered an unvarnished rebuke to the ‘grand coalition’ between Merkel’s bloc and the Social Democrats (SPD), which has been beset by infighting and controversy since it took office in March. With its support diminished, there is growing doubt over whether the government will survive its full term until the fall of 2021, at least in its current form…

“The big winners of the night were the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD)… and the Greens… The two parties’ success underscored the ongoing polarization of German politics as well as the continued resonance of the 2015 refugee crisis. One-third of voters cited migration and the integration of foreigners as the biggest problem facing the state… While the AfD attracted many disgruntled former CSU supporters upset over Merkel’s liberal approach to asylum, the Greens drew in centrist voters put off by the CSU’s often-harsh rhetoric on migration…

“The Bavarian result… is bound to fan speculation about Merkel’s own future as chancellor. She faces a further challenge at the end of October with another regional election in the state of Hesse…  A poor showing in Hesse could force Merkel to relinquish the chairmanship of the CDU at a party congress in December…”

AFP wrote on October 14:

“‘Debacle for CSU and SPD,’ ran the online headline of Bild daily, while Der Spiegel called it a ‘bitter defeat’ for Bavaria’s traditional ruling party… The anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD), which rails against Muslims and demands that ‘Merkel must go’… entered the 15th of Germany’s 16 state assemblies…”

The Telegraph wrote on October 14:

“The results will… add to growing calls within [Merkel’s] own party for the veteran chancellor to stand down…”

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 15:

“The latest debacle could very well spell the end for a coalition that none of the parties really ever wanted in the first place and that in the eyes of many voters is muddling through rather than shaping crucial policies, ranging from immigration to pensions.

“… if the CDU and the SPD experience another drubbing, all bets are off on the grand coalition surviving. That could mean new elections, a CDU-run minority government, or another attempt to form a Jamaica coalition, made up of the CDU, the CSU, the pro-business Free Democrats and the Greens and so named because of the parties’ respective colors: black, yellow and green.

“None of the options are really palatable and what’s keeping the coalition together, albeit tenuously, is a lack of clear alternative.”

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 15:

“This election changes a lot, and not just in Bavaria… Many CSU voters in Bavaria defected to the [EU-loving] Greens because the party seems to take the Christian aspect (specifically love-thy-neighbor in matters of migration) more seriously than the conservatives… many voters still seem unwilling to be persuaded that the fear of ‘Islamization’ should outweigh reason or compassion.

“The other winner, the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD), is no surprise… It is a vote in protest of the mistakes made by the CSU… the Bavarian party followed a maxim of its father figure, Franz-Josef Strauss, who once said there must be no ‘democratically legitimate party’ in German politics to the right of the CSU… This worked for decades, until its leaders panicked and started copying the AfD’s policies in 2018…”

Germany’s Mainstream Parties Sound Asleep

The EUObserver wrote on October 15:

“‘The Bavarian result further destabilises Merkel and her government,’ Heinrich Oberreuter, a German academic, told The New York Times newspaper. ‘Society has changed, Bavaria has changed, and Bavarian voters have changed, but the mainstream parties have slept through that change,’ he said.”

Premature End of Grand Coalition More Likely

Der Spiegel wrote on October 15:

“The most important outcome of the election in Bavaria… is the fact that it has made the premature end of the Merkel’s governing coalition much more likely. The leaders of all three coalition partners could lose their posts in the coming weeks and months while the result has shown just how fragile the major parties’ foundations have become. Together, the CSU and SPD lost more than 20 percentage points. Meanwhile, the conservatives and the SPD together have only a razor-thin majority in recent nationwide polls.

“Germany’s governing coalition, of course, was beset by uncertainty even before the election in Bavaria. Since its start in March of this year, it has been distracted by a seemingly never-ending debate over migration and constant provocations from the CSU, which spent months campaigning on an anti-Merkel, anti-migration platform…

“Many SPD members and officials want their party to leave their unloved coalition with the CDU as soon as possible. That pressure is now likely to increase…”

The grand coalition will soon fall apart, and Angela Merkel’s days as CDU party leader and German Chancellor are numbered. The real and clear alternative will manifest itself in the very near future.

The Brexit Fiasco

The Week wrote on October 15:

“It’s been two years since Britons voted to leave the EU. Why don’t they have the details worked out yet?…

“The Leave campaign said abandoning the EU would bring a financial windfall, but it’s now clear there will be large costs… Financial firms in London, and other service industries, which account for nearly 80 percent of British GDP, are expected to lose $47 billion a year once Brexit goes through. All told, 44 percent of British exports go to the EU, while just 8 percent of EU exports go to the U.K. With the U.K. desperate to preserve some kind of viable access to EU markets, the EU is in a much stronger bargaining position and has so far refused to yield at all on its core demands…

“The EU has already demanded, and won, a pledge that Britain will pay the $51 billion it owes in EU officials’ pension costs and other obligations. It is adamant that Britain cannot have unfettered access to the vast EU single market unless it adheres to all of the EU’s ‘four freedoms’ – free movement of goods, services, capital, and people. The EU says it can’t allow Britain to choose just one or two of those four commitments, lest Brexit set a precedent for other restless countries that might wish to strike their own bespoke bargains. Most importantly, the EU has taken the side of its member state Ireland in insisting that the border between the Irish Republic and the U.K. province of Northern Ireland remain open and free for travel and trade after Brexit…

“The U.K. is scheduled to leave the EU on March 29, 2019. With no trade deal in place, customs checks would have to begin on all goods crossing the British border both ways. Since the U.K. doesn’t have the infrastructure to do that, trucks would back up for miles. The just-in-time supply chains that British stores and manufacturers use would be disrupted, causing shortages of food and other goods. British financial firms would lose their right to sell their services in the EU. Companies would lay off workers. The pound would plummet…

“Some British leaders… are calling for… a second referendum that would be held if Parliament rejects the final Brexit terms. May has absolutely ruled that out… Even if her government were somehow persuaded, it’s by no means clear what the outcome of such a vote would be… A… recent poll found that if given the choice now to stay in the EU or take whatever deal May strikes, 40 percent would vote Remain, 39 percent would vote Leave, and the rest are undecided…”

The Brexit is predestined to happen, and it will be extremely bad and costly for Britain.

EU Summit and Brexit

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 18:

“British Prime Minister Theresa May on Thursday hinted at her openness to extending a so-called transition period ‘for a matter of months’ after Britain leaves the European Union… An extension could buy negotiators time to resolve the impasse over the Ireland-UK border, but the suggestion immediately courted criticism from within May’s own party…

“To enable an extension, Britain would have to request it and then the other 27 member states would have to agree to it… The transition period for the UK and EU is only expected to come into effect if some form of preliminary deal is struck before the UK’s scheduled EU exit in late March. In the event of a ‘no-deal Brexit,’ any transition period plans are liable to disintegrate…

“Angela Merkel’s spokesman said that members also discussed cybersecurity, migration, and the continued development of the Eurozone. Reuters also reported that EU leaders would discuss support for free trade, the Iran nuclear deal and combating global warming, but also forging relationships on these topics with China, Japan and Russia as a counterbalance to a more protectionist United States.”

Putin: Russia Will Use Nuclear Weapons Only in Retaliation

ndtv wrote on October 18:

“Russians will ‘go to heaven’ as martyrs in the event of nuclear war because Moscow will only ever use nuclear weapons in retaliation, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday. ‘We have no concept of a preemptive strike,’ Putin told a forum of international experts…

“‘In such a situation, we expect to be struck by nuclear weapons, but we will not use them’ first, he said. ‘The aggressor will have to understand that retaliation is inevitable, that it will be destroyed and that we, as victims of aggression, as martyrs, will go to heaven…

“Putin last year unveiled ‘invincible’ new weapons that would render Western missile defence systems obsolete. In 2016 he called for the country to reinforce its military nuclear potential.”

In our free booklet, “The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation,” we explain in detail that a coming nuclear war between Russia and the West is going to happen.

EU Hostile towards USA?

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 14:

“US President Donald Trump on Sunday again railed against the trans-Atlantic trade relationship, claiming that ‘nobody treats us much worse than the European Union.’ ‘The European Union was formed in order to take advantage of us on trade, and that’s what they’ve done,’ Trump said in a televised interview on CBS…

“Trump said his hard-handed tactics against the EU were not hostile toward America’s allies. ‘You know what’s hostile? The way they treat us. We’re not hostile,’ Trump told CBS journalist Lesley Stahl after she suggested the administration was behaving in a hostile manner toward US allies.”

From now on, there will be no more peace between these two power blocs.

USA Wants to Negotiate Separate Trade Deals with the EU, the UK and Japan

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 17:

“US officials formally notified the Congress on Tuesday of their intent to negotiate separate trade deals with the EU, the UK, and Japan… Under American law, the Office of the US Trade Representative is obliged to notify the lawmakers about its goals at least 30 days before the talks begin. The three accords aim to fix ‘chronic US trade imbalances’ and barriers presented to US exporters abroad…

“The move comes just weeks after the US, Canada, and Mexico renegotiated the NAFTA trade deal following opposition from US President Donald Trump. After Trump rallied against the original deal and claimed it was unfair to the US, the accord was renamed as UMSCA and tweaked in areas such as labor rights and rules of origin.

“However, striking deals with other trading partners might prove to be more complicated. French President Emmanuel Macron has said he won’t support EU trade talks with countries outside the Paris climate agreement. Trump has pulled the US from the deal last year, making it the only country in the world to formally oppose it. (Though it’s worth noting that more than a dozen signatories to the deal, including major emitters like Russia and Turkey, are yet to ratify it.) The UK is locked in tense Brexit talks and would not be able to formally negotiate any deals before defining its relationship with the EU.

“Trump’s election campaign relied heavily on promises of balancing global trade and returning manufacturing jobs to the US. However, the US trade deficit has continued to grow since he took office following the 2016 election. In August 2018, the monthly deficit reached $38.6 billion (€33.4 billion) with China and $8.7 billion with Mexico, both of them historic highs.”

Europe Needs a Finance Minister

Handelsblatt Global wrote on October 16:

“The euro is the world’s second-leading currency, but it still lags far behind the US dollar. Two-thirds of all loans issued by local banks in foreign currencies are denominated in dollars, compared to just 20 percent in euros. Similar proportions apply to global foreign-exchange reserves. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is eager to change this.

“Last month, he declared it [is] ‘absurd’ that ‘Europe pays for 80 percent of its energy import bill – worth €300 billion a year – in US dollars,’ even though only about 2 percent of the EU’s energy imports come from the US. He then called for the euro to become ‘the instrument of a new, more sovereign Europe,’ and promised to ‘present initiatives to strengthen the international role of the euro.’

“Mr. Juncker is not alone among European leaders in recognizing how powerful a tool the single currency can be when it comes to projecting power. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has proposed that the European Union establish its own international payments system. But these proposals, while ambitious, may overlook what is really needed to elevate the euro’s status…

“If Mr. Juncker’s vision is to be realized, the ECB (European Central Bank) will have to… adopt a (US) Fed-style role as international lender of last resort… The ECB… lacks a single political counterpart akin to the US Treasury Secretary for the Fed. With no euro-zone finance minister to coordinate with in times of crisis, a decision by the ECB to help third countries – even EU countries – could be met with strong resistance…  euro-zone leaders should complete the reforms of the currency union’s architecture and provide a political counterpart to the ECB (i.e., a European finance minister).”

The Austrian “Wunderkind”

The Atlantic wrote on October 16:

“Although the CSU ended up performing terribly in Sunday’s election, the party’s choice to bring in [Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian] Kurz to bolster the final days of its difficult campaign made perfect sense. Ever since last October, when Kurz and his rebranded Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) recovered from dismal polling numbers to overtake the far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) in the polls and win Austria’s parliamentary elections, Kurz has been hailed as a political wunderkind whose success could serve as an example for ailing center-right parties across Europe. The Kurz electoral playbook—a combination of personality-driven, Emmanuel Macron–style ‘movement’ rhetoric and a sharp turn to the right on immigration—represents one view on how such parties can fight off (and, in Kurz’s case, ultimately work in harmony with) their far-right populist challengers.

“One year later, that assessment still looks valid: Kurz remains popular among the Austrian electorate and, were another election to be held today, polls indicate that his ÖVP may even fare better than it did last October. What’s more, the coalition Kurz built with the far-right FPÖ last December is remarkably stable despite a string of scandals implicating top FPÖ ministers and politicians… there’s little sign the ÖVP-FPÖ relationship will break down anytime soon…

“It helps that, on what is perhaps the dominant political issue in Austria these days—migration—the ÖVP and FPÖ are essentially in lockstep. Over the course of the year, they’ve proposed initiatives and discussed the issue on the European level in a way that makes it clear they are in agreement… the speed with which [controversies] blew over is a sign that, like in the United States, such scandals have become increasingly normalized—and as a result, Kurz’s coalition looks stable for the foreseeable future…”

More Homosexual Judges

Life Site News reported on October 12:

“Another homosexual judge with ties to a LGBT legal group is among President Donald Trump’s latest batch of judicial nominees, this time to the influential Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The White House announced a handful of federal appointees Wednesday, including assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Bumatay… Bumatay would also be the nation’s second openly homosexual federal appeals court judge… The White House’s press release also notes that he’s a member of the Tom Homann LGBT Law Association, an organization dedicated to the ‘advancement of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues throughout California and the nation.’

“The Homann Association has staked out a number of left-wing positions, including disappointment that the Supreme Court upheld Christian baker Jack Phillips’ right to refuse to make a cake for a same-sex ‘wedding,’ and ‘unequivocally denounc[ing]’ the Trump administration’s ban on transgender military service…

“Bumatay follows Judge Mary Rowland, an open homosexual who has ties to the left-wing Lesbian & Gay Bar Association of Chicago and Lambda Legal Defense & Education Fund, as the second appointee whose background raises doubts as to whether he would separate his homosexuality from his jurisprudence.”

Newsmax added on October 16:

“The three individuals Trump intends to nominate — Patrick Bumatay, Daniel Collins and Kenneth Kiyul Lee — each have Republican ties. Bumatay and Lee are members of the conservative Federalist Society, and Collins clerked for the late Justice Antonin Scalia and worked in the George W. Bush administration.”

Why the US-Saudi Alliance Must End

The Week wrote on October 11:

“Saudi Arabia is no friend of democracy, liberty, or even common decency… Back in the early 20th century, as European empires crumbled, the basic structure of the Saudi kingdom was established as a bargain between the House of Saud and local hardline clerics. The Saudi kings got political power, while the clerics were allowed great religious authority… [establishing] a tyrannical absolutist monarchy akin to the Papal States of centuries past. But gigantic oil strikes — the largest and most easily accessed in the world — allowed the Saudi government to basically purchase the quiescence of the citizenry and the goodwill of Western power. Oil kept the system tottering along — and the clerics exporting their violent, extremist version of Islam around the globe.

“As a result, most of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi…

“The new Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman came to power in 2017, casting himself as a liberal reformer… Since then, it has become starkly obvious that bin Salman was just setting himself up as a ruthless absolute dictator. His domestic opponents have been reportedly kidnapped, extorted, and even tortured. A Twitter account closely associated with the government baldly threatened Toronto with a 9/11-style attack, after the Canadian government criticized the Saudis for arresting a women’s rights reformer with a Canadian family… Saudis have been arming, paying, and recruiting al Qaeda as part of bin Salman’s quasi-genocidal war in Yemen…

“[America] should very obviously ditch the alliance with Saudi Arabia immediately. That kind of despicable, murderous authoritarianism has no place in the community of nations.”

Saudi Arabia’s track record has truly been appalling for a long time. The US-Saudi alliance will indeed end, in order to be replaced with a (temporary) alliance between Saudi Arabia and Europe. For more information on Saudi Arabia’s future, please read our free booklet, “Middle Eastern and African Nations in Biblical Prophecy.”

Saudi Arabia Denies Involvement…

The Guardian wrote on October 16:

“Some areas have been repainted at the Saudi consulate where missing Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was last seen alive, the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has said [and that] police had found evidence of toxic materials…

“In giving credence to the prince’s claims of having been unaware of what happened in the Istanbul consulate, [US secretary of state Mike Pompeo] was echoing Donald Trump who had gone on Twitter to reveal he talked to the crown prince during the meeting and said Bin Salman ‘totally denied any knowledge of what took place in their Turkish Consulate’… Later in the day, the US president claimed the Saudi royal family was being treated unfairly in the widespread assumption that it was behind Khashoggi’s disappearance from the Saudi consulate…

“Later on Tuesday, the New York Times reported that four of the Saudi suspects had links to the security detail of the crown prince, citing social media profiles, leaked records and use of facial recognition software… However, the US president said on Monday, without offering evidence, that Khashoggi could have been murdered by ‘rogue killers’, prompting speculation that the White House may be willing to protect the House of Saud, a key political and trade ally, from blame for the diplomatic crisis.

“But Senator Lindsey Graham, an influential Republican ally of Trump, described the crown prince, known by his initials as MBS, as ‘toxic’ and accused him of ordering Khashoggi’s death. ‘Nothing happens in Saudi Arabia without MBS knowing it,’ he told Fox News, warning that Congress would ‘sanction the h… out of Saudi Arabia’ over Khashoggi’s disappearance…

“Turkish officials allege they have video and audio evidence that proves Khashoggi was interrogated, tortured and murdered by a 15-man hit squad sent from Riyadh. Saudi Arabia says the claims are false, although it has offered no alternative version of events…

“Khashoggi wrote extensively for the Washington Post about Saudi Arabia, criticising its war in Yemen, the recent diplomatic spat with Canada and its arrest of women’s rights activists after the lifting of Saudi Arabia’s driving ban for women…”

Where there is smoke, there is fire; and when a bird walks like a duck, talks like a duck, eats like a duck and sleeps like a duck, there is reason to believe that the bird is not a horse.

Fox News published the following interesting statement on October 17:

“A Saudi contribution of $100 million to U.S.-backed stabilization efforts in Syria arrived in American accounts Tuesday, just as State Mike Pompeo touched down in Riyadh to discuss the missing Saudi journalist…”

The Hill wrote on October 15:

“Former U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Robert Jordan on Monday warned President Trump against accepting the Saudi government’s denials about the disappearance of a Washington Post columnist. ‘Let’s remember, this is the same King Salman who told me after 9/11 that the 9/11 attacks were an Israeli plot,’ Jordan said…”

“Why Is President Trump Letting the Saudis Push Him Around?”

The Week wrote on October 17:

“President Trump famously hates to look weak. So why is he letting Saudi Arabia push him around?

“The alleged murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi intelligence agents would seem to provide ample justification for a harsh rebuke, if not something stronger. Khashoggi was an American resident, and he appears to have been killed within the Saudi consulate in Turkey. A more blatant violation of diplomatic norms would be hard to imagine. If the Saudis can just get away with that, the White House would seem to be saying they can get away with anything.

“… there’s a long tradition of American obsequiousness toward the Saudi kingdom: President George W. Bush didn’t break with them over 9/11, nor did President Barack Obama over their support for ISIS…

“The Saudis initially refused to even take seriously international concerns about Khashoggi’s fate. And as the conversation turned to sanctions, the kingdom’s swaggering Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman leveled pointed threats to retaliate by turning off the oil spigot and sending the world economy into recession…

“Saudi Arabia is neither a powerful enemy nor a vital ally. It’s a client, dependent on American protection for its very survival. If America were to deny it arms, it couldn’t simply switch to Chinese or Russia suppliers, because our weapons are not inter-operable. Saudi Arabia’s brutal and failing war in Yemen — which looks likely to trigger the worst famine in that country in a century— is far more serious than the murder of a single journalist and is being prosecuted with active American support for the Saudi air force. But that war serves no American interest at all; indeed, our support was originally provided — by the Obama administration — to placate the Saudis, who feared an American tilt to Iran after the nuclear deal… America is no longer dependent on Gulf oil as we were in decades past…

“What’s at issue isn’t ultimately America’s moral authority. It’s our practical authority — whether we or Saudi Arabia are the dominant player in our relationship. That’s a language Trump of all people should clearly understand. The Trump administration has put a lot of chips down on the relationship with Saudi Arabia. But those are Trump’s chips, not America’s. And he’s supposed to put America first.”

Trump: Very Severe Consequences if Saudis Did It

On October 18, Breitbart reported the following:

“While speaking to reporters on Thursday, President Trump… [was] asked if he thinks Khashoggi is dead. Trump said, ‘It certainly looks that way to me. It’s very sad.’ He later added that he’s waiting on the results of various investigations.

“When asked about the consequences the Saudis will face if they are responsible for Khashoggi’s death, Trump stated, ‘Well, it’ll have to be very severe.’”

Trump Threatens to Call US Military to Close Southern Border

Fox News reported on October 18:

“The U.S. military will ‘CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER’ with Mexico if officials there don’t soon stop the northward push of a massive migrant caravan, President Trump warned Thursday, amid reports the procession had swelled in size to about 4,000 people…

“Trump tweeted Thursday morning…: ‘In addition to stopping all payments to these countries [Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador], which seem to have almost no control over their population, I must, in the strongest of terms, ask Mexico to stop this onslaught – and if unable to do so I will call up the U.S. Military and CLOSE OUR SOUTHERN BORDER!’

“The caravan… is persistently inching toward the Mexico-Guatemala border, where Mexican officials have sent 500 additional federal police officers ahead of the procession’s arrival… Mexico has said anyone with travel documents and the correct visa will be allowed to pass, and some others in the group can apply for refugee status. But officials also cautioned those who try to cross in an ‘irregular manner’ could be detained and deported…  The AP added that none of the migrants its reporters spoke to were carrying passports, which all but assures a high-stakes showdown with Mexican border officials in the coming days…

“Since 2015, the U.S. government has sent more than $2.6 billion in foreign assistance to the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Trump has repeatedly threatened to cut off that aid if the mass migration continues. The caravan set off last Friday from San Pedro Sula, Honduras’ second-largest city and a place widely considered to be one of [the] most dangerous in the world when judged by homicide rate…”

Australia May Move Embassy to Jerusalem

The Guardian, Australian Edition, wrote on October 16:

“Australia’s prime minister, Scott Morrison, is reported to be considering moving Australia’s Israel embassy to Jerusalem… Morrison [also] declared he was ‘open-minded’ on… recognising Jerusalem as the capital… the prime minister said Australia would also review the Iran nuclear deal.

“The prime minister… insisted Australia remained committed to a two-state solution… Morrison, an evangelical Christian, credited the Liberal party’s Wentworth byelection candidate Dave Sharma, a former Australian ambassador to Israel, with raising the issue, and suggesting a way forward… Wentworth… has a large Jewish community and voters will go to the polls this weekend…

“Even if Australia did not move the embassy it should ‘at least consider recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital without prejudice to its final boundaries or potential status as capital of future Palestinian state,’ [Sharma] wrote on Twitter in May… ‘The idea that west Jerusalem would not be part of Israel in a two-state solution is ludicrous,’ he said…

“So far only the US and its ally Guatemala have moved their embassies to Jerusalem…

“Labor slammed the flagging of a possible change of policy on Israel and Palestine. The shadow foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, blasted the move. ‘Foreign policy, and Australia’s national interest are far too important to be played with in this fashion,’ she said.”

The announcement of the prime minister is causing strong repercussions in Australia and in other countries. Many assume it is because of a by election next Saturday which the government must win to maintain a majority of one seat, and the electorate has a high Jewish enrolment.

As mentioned in the article, the contending Liberal party candidate, Dave Sharma, was previously Australia’s ambassador to Israel and is a very intelligent Jew. Australia’s new treasurer is also Jewish. Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Scott Morrison and he had discussed the move of the Australian embassy to Jerusalem and that he thanked the Australian Prime Minister for his remarks.

Muslims and Arabs Upset

Breitbart added on October 17:

“Australia’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital would strike a ‘really big blow’ that ‘will affect bilateral relations’ with neighbouring Indonesia [described in the article as “the world’s largest Muslim-majority country”], according to a message exchange between Foreign Minister Marise Payne and her Indonesian counterpart… She was joined in her condemnation by 13 Arab ambassadors in Australia who called the suggestion regrettable and asked Mr. Morrison to reconsider… In a statement seen by the Sydney Morning Herald, a spokesman said Senator Payne and her Indonesian counterpart had a ‘constructive discussion’ about the announcement and Australia was aware of Indonesia’s perspective on the Arab-Israeli conflict.

“Minister Payne emphasised that there had been no change to Australia’s commitment to the Middle East peace process and to a durable and resilient two-state solution that allowed Israel and a future Palestinian state to exist side by side, within internationally recognised borders… Australia could still support a two-state solution and recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital…

“Some of Judaism’s holiest sites are located in the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount and Western Wall in Jerusalem; the Tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs in Hebron; and Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus.”

Eastern Jerusalem Consulate Will Merge with US Embassy

JTA wrote on October 18:

“The U.S. consulate in Jerusalem, which primarily serves Palestinian-Americans, will merge with the U.S. embassy, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced. The consulate on Agron Street in the center of western Jerusalem will merge operations with the new Israeli embassy in Arnona, on the eastern-western seam of the 1967 lines that divided the city… Pompeo said that he asked U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman to ‘guide the merger.’…

“The statement added that the merger ‘does not signal a change of U.S. policy on Jerusalem, the West Bank, or the Gaza Strip,’ but rather is driven by ‘our global efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our operations.’ Pompeo emphasized that ‘the United States continues to take no position on final status issues, including boundaries or borders.  The specific boundaries of Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem are subject to final status negotiations between the parties.’”

Israel and US Postal Services Issue Joint Hanukkah Stamp

JTA wrote on October 18:

“The stamp also is meant to celebrate 70 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and the United States, Israel Post said in a statement. The new stamp design was launched simultaneously in the Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, the oldest synagogue in the United States, and at the American Center in Jerusalem.

“‘Today’s joint stamp issue is a symbol of the shared values and the cultural affinity between the United States and Israel,’ U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman said at the Jerusalem ceremony. Postal Service Judicial Officer Gary Shapiro said in Rhode Island: ‘Starting today, this work of art celebrating the Jewish Festival of Lights will travel on millions of letters and packages, throughout America and around the world.’

“The stamp art features a Hanukkah menorah created using the technique of papercutting, a Jewish folk art, by artist Tamar Fishman. Behind the menorah is a shape that resembles an ancient oil jug representing the miracle of the oil that burned in the candelabra in the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after its sacking and recapture for the eight days necessary to resupply. Additional design elements include dreidels and a pomegranate plant with fruit and flowers.

“The stamp is being issued in the United States as a Forever stamp, which will always be equal in value to the current first class mail one-ounce price. It will sell in Israel for 8.30 shekels, the cost of a regular first-class stamp. Hanukkah begins at sundown on Dec. 2.”

Why Pope Benedict Resigned

Bild Online wrote on September 20:

“Five years ago, Pope Benedict XVI (91) resigned… Now shocking letters written by the retired Pope have surfaced that will be highly interesting to church historians. The letters… show that Benedict XVI is deeply concerned about the state of the Church…

“There had indeed been papal resignations in the past, Benedict wrote. One example was Pope Pius XII (1876-1958) who, in 1944, aimed to avoid being ‘arrested by the Nazis’ by stepping down. What is interesting is the comparison to a Pope threatened by the Nazis. Who did Benedict feel threatened by? ‘Pray for me that I may not flee for fear of the wolves,’ Benedict XVI said at his inauguration. Who are the wolves?

“Professor of Philosophy and Vatican expert, Armin Schwibach (53), told BILD: ‘By “the wolves”, he probably meant the network of high-ranking Church dignitaries who have created a system of power, and abuse of power, in the Vatican, and whom he felt unable to cope with.’

“Was Benedict even concerned about being poisoned by henchmen of this network? The ‘Spiegel’ reported in May 2015 that, in October 2012, the president of the Bavarian State Office of Criminal Investigations allegedly travelled to Rome to review gaps in the food preparation for the Pope. Even more interesting: When, given the bewildered state of the Church following the Pope’s resignation, [a] cardinal criticized by the Pope wrote back: ‘May the Lord help his Church’, Benedict replied once more – and with a remarkable sentence. He wrote: ‘Let us rather pray, as you did at the end of your letter, that the Lord will come to the aid of his Church.’ So did the former Pope think that the Church had entered a crisis under his successor, and that only praying would help in this crisis?

“Benedict’s successor, Pope Francis, is currently facing accusations of having supported a powerful US cardinal despite knowing that Benedict had punished him for sexual offences. The editor-in-chief of the Katholische Nachrichtenagentur (Catholic News Agency, KNA), Ludwig Ring Eifel (58), told BILD: ‘The letters allow for fascinating insights into Benedict XVI’s thinking – he is obviously very concerned about the state of the Church.’ Benedict’s private secretary, Arch Bishop Georg Gänswein (62), did not want to comment on the letters to BILD. He recently chose to compare the situation of the Church – shaken by abuse scandals and systematic cover-ups – to the terror attacks of September 11 in New York. The Church, he said, is currently experiencing ‚its own 9/11‘.“

Beware of “Gentle” Demons

Vatican News wrote on October 12:

“Pope Francis celebrated Mass Friday morning at the Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican, saying that when the devil cannot destroy head on with vices, wars or injustices, he does so subtly with guiles, gradually leading people into the spirit of the world, making them feel nothing is wrong… When the devil takes possession of a person’s heart, the Pope said, he makes it his home not wanting to leave, and tries to ruin the person and harm him even physically…

“The Pope said [the devil] make us feel comfortable that we are Christians, Catholics who go to Mass and pray.  We do have our defects, our sins, but everything seems to be in order…  Working silently, [demons] make friends and persuade you on the road to mediocrity, making you ‘lukewarm’ with worldliness… [The Pope] urged Christians to watch out against falling…  ‘into this spirit of the world’, which ‘corrupts us from within’.”

Satan pretends to be an angel of light. Many times, he is very subtle by using his evil devices in deceiving and taking hold of unsuspecting people.

Witches on Display

CNS News reported on October 11:

“Witches plan to place a public hex on Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh through an occult ritual on Oct. 20 in New York City, an event sponsored by Catland Books, which describes itself as ‘Brooklyn’s premiere occult bookshop & spiritual community space.’ The planned ritual has been advertised on Facebook… It further states that 50% of the event proceeds will go to charity: 25% to the Ali Forney Center and 25% to Planned Parenthood.

“The Ali Forney Center is a homeless shelter and help center for LGBTQ youth. Planned Parenthood is America’s largest abortion provider. It received $543.7 million in taxpayer funding for the year ending June 30, 2017, reads its latest annual report…

“According to the Oxford English Dictionary, to hex, as a verb, means to ‘cast a spell on; bewitch.’ As a noun, hex means ‘a magic spell; a curse.’”

We know, of course, that witches cannot cast a spell on or bewitch someone successfully UNLESS the person believes that it is possible. Then, he opens himself up to evil influences from the dark spirit world.

What Causes Nightmares?

Fox News reported on October 13:

“Trauma survivors — specifically those suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) — are more likely to experience nightmares. In fact… up to 90 percent of those with PTSD have reported ‘disturbing dreams with some degree of resemblance to the actual traumatic event’…  Separately… more than 50 percent of Vietnam War veterans with PTSD said they experienced nightmares ‘fairly often,’ while only 3 percent of civilians reported the same…

“Nightmares can also be associated with other psychiatric diagnoses, such as depression or insomnia, and can similarly affect children… children’s nightmares are typically triggered by losing a pet or moving away from friends… Others who suffer from sleep paralysis… have been known to experience horrifying, dream-like hallucinations while falling asleep or waking up…

“Sleep deprivation has been linked to a variety of health issues, such as weight gain, high blood pressure, negative impacts on both short and long-term memory, mood changes, poor balance, among other side effects. In extreme cases, frequent nightmares can ‘dramatically increase the risk of suicide’…”

In a sidebar, Fox wrote: “Once people start paying attention to their dreams, a whole world opens up. …Dreams can be a parallel to how people see their lives.”

Dreams can be very deceptive when we pay close attention to them. We might even fabricate a “dream world” for ourselves which we believe to be real, while it is nothing but an illusion. Another major reason for nightmares is the watching of horror movies and the involvement with the occult and the demonic world during waking hours. While Satan cannot attack us when we sleep, he most certainly can do so when we are awake, and our brain keeps working when we sleep.

Interesting View Points by American Evangelicals

Christianity Today reported the following on October 16:

“A majority of US adults (59%) say that the Holy Spirit is a force, not a personal being.”

This is good news, as the Holy Spirit is NOT a Being, but indeed God’s power emanating from the Father and the Son.

A few additional concepts are also understood correctly by a majority of evangelicals, such as:

“… salvation is found in Christ alone (62%, up from 53% in 2016) and… Jesus Christ will return to judge the world (64%, up from 55% in 2016).”

“On abortion… a ‘slim majority’ of Americans believe that the procedure is a sin (52% vs. 38%), including 57 percent of those ages 18 to 34.”

However, other concepts in which most American evangelicals believe, are clearly wrong and also quite inconsistent, such as:

“God accepts the worship of all religions (51%)

“Jesus was the first and greatest being created by God the Father (78%)

“97 percent of evangelicals do believe that ‘there is one true God in three persons’…

“… more Americans agree than disagree that ‘the Bible’s condemnation of homosexual behavior doesn’t apply today’ (44% vs. 41%)…”

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

The third commandment states the following, “‘You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain’” (Exodus 20:7). Like the first two commandments, the third describes the proper relationship that man must have with God. One of the distinguishing attributes about this commandment is that it involves how the name of God is used. The act of speaking or writing His name is so important to Him that it appears prominently in the Ten Commandments. How can the use of a word be so important? Why does it matter to God how we use His name? And most importantly, how are we to understand and apply this commandment in our lives today?

To begin with, we must understand that God’s name is holy. He expressed this fact to the nation of Israel as they were introduced to His commandments and Holy Days, teaching them how He is to be worshipped properly: “‘You shall not profane My holy name, but I will be hallowed among the children of Israel. I am the LORD who sanctifies you, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD’” (Leviticus 22:32-33). Clearly, God expects that man offers Him reverence, honor, and respect. Not only does respectful behavior involve obedience to His instruction, but also that we acknowledge the holiness of His name.

Seeing that the name of God is holy and that it must be hallowed, it is important that we clearly understand what it means to use His name and refer to Him in the words that we use. Holiness is the distinguishing quality to consider. Holy things are sanctified, special, and distinguished from that which is common or ungodly (compare Deuteronomy 7:6, Ezekiel 22:26, Ezekiel 36:20, Ezekiel 44:23). Therefore, to use the name of God in a way which does not acknowledge His holiness or treats His name as a common thing is a violation of the third commandment. Likewise, since there is one God (that is, one God Family, consisting of the God the Father and Jesus Christ, the Son), and the only one deserving of the name of God, to exalt another name above the true God is also a violation of the third commandment. The holiness of God requires that we glorify His name and treat it with the reverence that it requires, and do not offer that same reverence to any other man or thing.

Unfortunately, in our contemporary society, God’s holy name is widely used in ways that show disrespect rather than the glory and honor that is commanded. It is exceedingly difficult to go through a day without hearing the name of God the Father or of Jesus Christ used in combination with expletives or as an empty exclamation. The use of God’s name in ways that apply it as a common thing, or often much worse than common, is despicable to God. Such wrong use is what it means to use God’s name in vain. When His name is used for show, rather than for the purpose of respectfully referring to Him and His righteousness, the third commandment is violated. This is the clearest way in which the commandment is broken.

As an example, we can see how an individual of the nation of Israel broke this commandment when he cursed God: “And the Israelite woman’s son blasphemed the name of the LORD and cursed; and so they brought him to Moses. (His mother’s name was Shelomith the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.) Then they put him in custody, that the mind of the LORD might be shown to them. And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Take outside the camp him who has cursed; then let all who heard him lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him’” (Leviticus 24:11-14). The punishment sentenced when the name of God was used in the context of a curse was extremely serious. This instance of sin resulted in the penalty of death by stoning. Even though uttering words that show disrespect may seem to be a trivial act, we can see how serious God is about this commandment.

The use of God’s name in the context of a curse is a classic example of using His name in vain. Far from expressing the glorification that is commanded, the use of God’s name in the context of an evil sentiment is only for show. When we apply this principle to the use of our own language, any use of God’s name is in vain when it is used to express anything other than respect and honor to Him. The most obvious example is when God’s name is included in a statement with foul language. However, it is also a vain use of God’s name when used to express surprise or as an exclamation. Such showy use of God’s name diminishes the reverence and honor due to Him and is sinful.

Some may believe that using a substitute for God’s name in vain expressions will prevent one from violating the third commandment. However, such euphemisms must be removed from language as well. In our booklet, “Teach Us to Pray,” we write the following:

“We also defile God’s name, of course, when we use His name in vain (compare Exodus 20:7; Leviticus 19:12). To casually use expressions such as ‘My God,’ ‘O my Lord,’ or ‘Jesus Christ,’ just to utter surprise or emphasis, is therefore clearly prohibited. So is the casual use of a common German welcome greeting (‘Gruess Gott’ or, ‘Gott zum Gruss’—meaning ‘Greet God’ or ‘God as a Greeting’), or the casual use of the French or Spanish farewell expressions, ‘adieu’ or ‘adios’ (both meaning, ‘to God’).

“The same prohibition applies when we use ‘euphemisms.’ A ‘euphemism’ is defined as a substitution of a mild, indirect, or vague expression for another felt to be too blunt or offensive. God instructs us to let ‘no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth’ (Ephesians 4:29). This prohibition applies to careless speaking or using slang expressions or euphemisms, which would profane God’s name, such as ‘gosh’ or ‘gosh almighty’ (a substitute for ‘God’ or ‘almighty God’) or ‘gee’ (a substitute for ‘Jesus’). It also applies to the careless use of words describing characteristics or concepts clearly associated with God, such as ‘my goodness’ instead of ‘my God’ (compare Matthew 19:16-17) or ‘by heaven’ or ‘for heaven’s sake’ (compare Matthew 5:34; Revelation 13:6).”

In addition to the explicit use of God’s name or a substitute of God’s name, another application of the third commandment is the sin of blasphemy. Just as the vain use of God’s holy name is a sin that defiles the glory of God, blasphemous statements or actions do the same thing. Exalting anyone above God is a blasphemous action, showing disrespect. As an example, the “man of sin” mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 exalts himself as God. Daniel 11:36-37 clarifies that this is an act of blasphemy, “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all.” Such blatant disrespect towards God is a violation of the third commandment in the way that the name of God is applied directly or indirectly to someone other than God.

The Jews in the time of Jesus Christ believed that Jesus blasphemed the name of God when He referred to Himself in a godly context. Jesus expressed that He was the Son of God, which antagonized the so-called righteous Jews (compare Matthew 26:62-66). While the act of exalting oneself above God is an act of blasphemy, since Jesus Christ was speaking the truth in that He was and is the Son of God, His statements were not blasphemous nor sinful.

In our booklet, “God is a Family,” we explain how Jesus Christ is a member of the God Family:

“Reading in Zechariah 4:8–9: ‘Moreover the word of the LORD [in Hebrew, ‘Yahweh’] came to me, saying: The hands of Zerubbabel Have laid the foundation of this temple; His hands shall also finish it. Then you will know That the LORD [in Hebrew, ‘Yahweh’] of hosts has sent Me [‘Yahweh’] to you.’

“We see in this passage that the LORD [‘Yahweh’] sent the LORD [‘Yahweh’]. The expression, ‘Yahweh,’ then is applied to both God beings. As we will see in more detail, both God the Father and Jesus Christ are referred to in Scripture as ‘Yahweh’—the ‘I AM’ (compare Exodus 3:14)—basically meaning, ‘the Eternal,’ or, ‘the Ever-living One.’ This fact alone proves that both the Father and Jesus Christ have always existed—that they are God beings, and that the Old Testament teaches that there is more than just one God being.”

Since Jesus Christ is a member of the God Family, His name must also be treated with the same honor that befits God the Father. The same rules of the third commandment apply in using the name of Jesus Christ because He too is rightfully called “God.”

The way that we behave is an extension of the way that we revere the name of God as well. When we claim that we are Christians and follow God, our actions become a reflection of God’s name and all of the righteousness that it stands for. But when our behavior violates His commandments, God’s name is profaned: “‘As for you, O house of Israel,’ thus says the Lord God: ‘Go, serve every one of you his idols—and hereafter—if you will not obey Me; but profane My holy name no more with your gifts and your idols’” (Ezekiel 20:39). In this example, the nation of Israel is chastised because their actions were not obedient to God. As a result, His name was not venerated with the holiness required.

As we can see from the examples and instructions of the Bible, the use of God’s name is not to be taken lightly. The way that we use His name expresses our respect for Him, and when we use His name to express anything less than the glory and honor He is due, His name is used in vain. There are other ways in which the name of God may be defiled too. When others are exalted above God, His name is blasphemed. When we use the name of God to identify ourselves, but reject the Way of Life that He commands, His name is profaned as well. The lesson for us is clear. In all of our words and deeds, the name of God is to be glorified. The words of David offer us an excellent perspective on this matter: “I will praise You, O LORD my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forevermore” (Psalm 86:12).

Lead Writer: Eric Rank

compiled by Dave Harris

Sermonettes and sermons from the 2018 Feast of Tabernacles in the US and Germany continue to be posted on our English and German websites—viewable at www.eternalgod.org and at http://www.ewigengottes.de

“New German Leadership Coming—Merkel’s Days Are Numbered,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

The debacle in the German state election in Bavaria has once again shown that Angela Merkel’s great coalition will end soon and that Merkel’s chancellorship is coming to an end as well. But what then? Will a new leadership bring peace and harmony to the current German chaos? Or will it only get worse?

“Neue deutsche Regierung kommt—Merkels Tage sind gezählt!” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This covers the same topic as the English version described above. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpfEP-jRew4&feature=youtu.be

“Kann biblisches Fasten wirklich helfen?” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Can Biblical Fasting Really Help?”

“Comments on News and Prophecy (October 13, 2018),” presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

In this feature, we are commenting on the resurfacing of the frightening Nazi philosophy in our time; the coming worldwide economic crash; the explosive situation in the Middle East in light of Saudi Arabia’s atrocities; the devastation caused by hurricane Michael; America’s last President; the accelerating differences between the USA and the EU; Angela Merkel’s sinking ship; Germany’s highly controversial and dangerous far-right pro-military AfD party; the imposition of the mark of the beast on Christian values and conduct in Germany; abortions; the ongoing sex scandal within the Catholic Church; and the false teaching of the “prosperity gospel.”

“The Spirit of God, of Angels, of Man and of Animals,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The Bible teaches the existence of a human spirit, a spirit in animals, created spirit beings such as angels and those who became demons, and the Holy Spirit of God. Most do not understand much about this. This sermon will explain the differences and point out Scriptures which are rendered ambiguously in some translations.