On November 30, 2024, Kalon Mitchell will present the sermonette, titled, “Walk the Talk,” and Michael Link will present the sermon, titled, “We Will Be Great!”

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

In 1973, a parolee and an accomplice in Stockholm, Sweden, took 7 employees of a local bank hostage for a period of six days. In the end, when the situation was resolved and the two were taken into custody, the hostages declined to assist prosecutors in pursuing charges and, in fact, they began raising funds for the criminal defense of the two.

Wikipedia recounts that Nils Bejerot, a Swedish criminologist and psychiatrist, described the hostages’ reactions as a result of being brainwashed by their captors. He called it “the Norrmalmstorg syndrome;” it later became known outside Sweden as Stockholm syndrome.

As I observed the reaction of many people here in the US to the recent presidential election, the factor that seemed to emerge was a measure of mass hysteria and panic from the liberal and progressives who seemed united in their belief that the freedoms they had heretofore had, to live as they wished, and so-called reproductive right—abortion—would be gone the next morning. The days of Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, and other news media luminaries of the past reporting the facts in as unbiased a way as humans are capable of has been replaced. Now we see corporate media, backed by unseen and ultra powerful people who seek to divide and destroy morality and civilization.

It seems to me that many have embraced a new religion that transcends politics and ideology and is more about controlling minds and behavior. The ancient Romans were adept at this. Initially hailed for their effective governance, this was not enough for them as they wanted absolute control over the people—both their own citizens, and those they conquered. Rather than winning the hearts and minds of the population, they chose threats, fear and pain.

As true Christians, we have to guard against becoming a hostage to the structures and prevailing thinking of this world. In Proverbs 4:23, we receive pure and simple guidance to aid us: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life” (New International version throughout). Most of us have to work in business and other structures in the world in order to feed and house our families. However, we can opt out of the holiday parties and events that glorify Satan and his hold on this world. We can avoid being sucked in to the things that cause us to stumble.

When I worked in local government, I noticed how prevailing beliefs often were accepted as facts, much as we witnessed with the Covid crisis. An example was the public reaction to the arrival of West Nile Virus in the summer of 2004. The virus had made its way to the Rocky Mountain region through a specific mosquito vector or species.

There were thousands of residents who wanted mass pesticide fogging at night with trucks rolling down every street. A nearly equal cohort were equally vocal that pesticide fogging would be killing chemically sensitive residents. Of course, neither position was correct to the point of absolute certainty, yet people became hostage to either position and could not get past it. Each side became so enamored of their message that there was no room for facts. Conversely, we know that as true Christians, we are not part of the world’s structures—we must instead be focused and aligned with God. 2 Timothy 1:7 illustrates what God intends for His people in such times: “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”

God does not want us scared and influenced by society such that we accept and, at worst, identify with the immoral and corrupt elements that surround us. We often hear this characterized as accepting the lesser of evils. In Philippians 4:8, we see what Paul had to say about these matters: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

If we are seeking what is true, pure, noble, and healthy, it is unlikely that we would willfully join a group or take a job that would cause us to constantly be faced with difficult situations pitting God’s ways with the ways of this world. In Isaiah 26:7-10, the prophet Isaiah lays out how true Christians can seek alignment with God versus the world: “The path of the righteous is level; O upright One, you make the way of the righteous smooth. Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts. My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you. When your judgements come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness. Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and do not regard the majesty of the LORD.”

God has been remarkably merciful with His people through the ages, and He wants us to grow to the point that we can identify how the evils of this world can draw us in and hold us hostage. Much like those bank employees in Sweden in the 1970’s, if we spend all of our time with our seemingly benevolent captors, we will undoubtedly begin to draw our inspiration and see our future through their corrupt vision. The words of Paul to the Church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians 10:1-6 can help us as we make our way as true Christians in this world.

“By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am ‘timid’ when face to face with you, but ‘bold’ when away! I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.”

We have all of these Scriptures and more available to us to enable us to stand strong; always seeking alignment with God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. In this way, we can avoid false doctrines that can hold us hostage to this world.

We begin with dangerous developments involving Russia and the USA; the upcoming German elections; and the need for Europe to act fast. Please view in this regard our recent StandingWatch program, “So Close to World War III.” 

In response to the ICC’s warrant to arrest Netanyahu, and the reactions of some countries stating they would honor the warrant, emotions in the USA are running high, with threats of sanctions against those countries or even an invasion of the Netherlands, should Netanyahu were arrested there. We also address the fragile and temporary ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.

We focus on Trump’s economic threats towards Mexico, Canada and China; some of his dubious nominations and his controversial and to an extent unrealistic plan of mass deportation and, if carried out, its inevitable and undesired bad consequences. We also address America’s ridiculous immigration policy for LEGAL immigrants.

We conclude with a report on the tragic death of the famous “killer whale” or Orca Keto.

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

Russia Urges USA “to Show Restraint”

AA wrote on November 21:

“Russia on Thursday urged the US to exercise restraint in response to the Pentagon’s statement regarding the possibility of nuclear strike exchanges. Speaking at a Moscow press briefing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized Russia’s commitment to prevent a nuclear conflict and called on the West to adopt a similarly responsible stance. ‘Russia’s nuclear doctrine underscores our responsible approach to making every effort to avoid such a conflict. We expect other nations to act responsibly and refrain from provocative actions,’ he said.

“The comments followed a statement by Rear Adm. Thomas Buchanan of the US Strategic Command, who said Washington remains prepared for a nuclear exchange under ‘acceptable terms,’ though it does not seek such a scenario.

“Addressing concerns about potential threats to Belarus, Peskov noted ongoing collaboration between Russian and Belarusian intelligence services… He added that the security of Belarus, as a Union State member, is covered under Russia’s nuclear doctrine, which prioritizes deterring aggression against both Russia and its allies using the full extent of its military power, including nuclear capabilities…”

The verbal exchanges become really disturbing.

German Elections Consequential For Europe?

Deutscher Welle wrote on November 23

“European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has voiced her anxiety about upcoming German elections and noted that a strong performance by populist parties could have significant consequences for Europe… Recent opinion polls show the AfD with… 19% support ahead of next year’s elections, with the BSW [a left-wing group] possibly getting as much as 8% of the vote…

“Anger over inflation, migration and lack of housing are some of the reasons why German voters are turning to populist parties. Voters who disagree with German arms deliveries to Ukraine have also been drawn to the AfD and the BSW…

“Metsola also implored the German government to take a decisive stance on European affairs: ‘A strong Europe needs a strong Germany…’

“In the interview, Metsola was asked if she supports the German government delivering Taurus missiles to Ukraine. Taurus missiles have a range of up to 500 kilometers (310 miles). ‘Yes, that is also the position of the European Parliament. There is broad support for this demand. We will see if there is a corresponding policy change after the Bundestag elections,’ she said.  

“The leader of Germany’s conservative opposition [CDU], Friedrich Merz, has supported giving Taurus missiles to Ukraine. Merz has a strong chance of becoming Germany’s next chancellor, as the CDU leads most opinion polls before the February vote. The current coalition government, meanwhile, is helmed by SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who opposes Taurus deliveries to Ukraine, due to fears of escalating tensions with Russia. His coalition partners, the environmentalist Green Party, back the transfer of Taurus missiles to Ukraine.” 

Merz could only become Chancellor if the CDU (32%) forms a coalition. The best option to get a majority would be the AfD (19%) but the CDU has stated, so far, that they will not enter into a coalition with the AfD. The CDU could then form a coalition with Scholz’s SPD (14%), or that alone would presently not be sufficient to gain the majority. So, either the CDU and the SPD would rule as a minority government, or they would have to find another partner (for instance, the Green with 11% or the FDP with 5%). Either way, one can easily see how the next German government would be the same debacle as the current one is or has been.  But maybe, someone else is waiting in the background to step in when the future government is collapsing again—as can be expected.

Europe Needs to Act Fast

Foreign Affairs wrote on November 22:

“With Donald Trump’s return to the White House, there is a genuine risk that U.S. engagement in Europe could drop precipitously… European leaders must act decisively to advance a unified strategy to ensure the continent’s peace and stability. They must quickly… begin a serious effort to create an integrated European defense industry… From now on, Europe’s security will have to be European—or it won’t exist at all…

“For Europe, then, there is no time left to waste… Europe now has no choice but to manage its own security. There is no doubt that it has the economic potential to do so; the combined GDP of the European Union is roughly ten times that of Russia. What holds Europe back is a lack of political will… This pitiful state of affairs has arisen even though the EU has a strong industrial base and counts four of the world’s ten largest arms exporters among its members.

“Europe needs to step up its defense capabilities—and fast. But this project requires political leadership, which is currently hard to come by. In Germany, the coalition government has collapsed, and the country’s politicians will spend the coming months occupied by snap elections scheduled for February 23 and the coalition-building process that will follow. In France, President Emmanuel Macron lost his parliamentary majority this summer, leaving him politically weakened. Meanwhile, the EU’s relationship with the United Kingdom, one of Europe’s most formidable military powers, remains fraught…

“… any substantial defense buildup will need Germany’s economic power and political clout to succeed, which means that the new government in Berlin will need to take the continent’s security challenges seriously and be willing to put money behind a broader European effort.”

It appears that Europe does not have that much time left. Some speak already of the demise of the EU, but that will not happen. What WILL happen, however, is that ten nations or groups of nations will come together (establishing a “core Europe”) to form a mighty power bloc. Before this, Germany would have to have a strong government… which would require other and more competent leaders.

USA Will “Crush” Europe

The Telegraph wrote on November 23:

“A staunch ally of Donald Trump has warned Sir Keir Starmer that the UK will face severe economic consequences if it helps to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu. Senator Lindsey Graham said the US should ‘crush’ the economies of all those who comply with the warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).  The prime minister of Israel faces arrest if he enters Britain, Downing Street has said. On Friday No 10 refused to explicitly comment on the case, saying it was a hypothetical situation, but added that the UK would follow its legal obligations.

“The ICC has also issued an arrest warrant for Yoav Gallant, Israel’s former defence minister, over alleged war crimes in Gaza. But the move has provoked fury among Republicans in the US. In response, Mr Graham tweeted: ‘Any nation or organization that aids or abets this outrage should expect to meet firm resistance from the United States, and I look forward to working with President Trump, his team, and my colleagues in Congress to come up with a powerful response…  I’m working with [another US senator] Tom Cotton to have legislation passed as soon as we can to sanction any country that aids and abets the arrest of any politician in Israel. What they’re doing in Israel is trying to prevent a second Holocaust. So, to any ally, Canada, Britain, Germany, France, if you try to help the ICC, we’re gonna sanction you.’…

“But shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel described the move [the issuance of the arrest warrant] as ‘concerning and provocative’ and called on the government to ‘condemn’ them.”

Strong words…

The USA to Invade the Netherlands?

Newsweek added on November 23:

“Several countries… such as Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Lithuania, Canada, Ireland, South Africa, Turkey, Jordan, Norway and Sweden, have said they will comply with the ICC’s arrest warrant or are open to it… Senator Tom Cotton… suggested in a post on X… on Thursday that the U.S. could invade the Netherlands, one of the countries that said they would comply with the ICC, if Netanyahu is arrested and brought there to face trial.

“[Cotton referred to] the American Service-Members’ Protection Act, which gives the president the legal authority to use ‘all means necessary and appropriate to bring about the release of any U.S. or allied personnel being detained or imprisoned by, on behalf of, or at the request of the International Criminal Court.’…”

This is hard to believe, but not impossible to imagine. It would completely destroy the relationship between the USA and Europe. Even threats like these do not help the relationship at all.

Trudeau Supports Netanyahu’s Arrest

Breitbart wrote on November 21:

“Radical leftist Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated on Thursday that he would allow the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Canadian soil in observance of a recently issued International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant against him… Trudeau noted that Canada was one of the founding countries of the ICC, which has no enforcement mechanism outside of the actions of members states, and declared that arresting Netanyahu was ‘just who we are as Canadians.’…

“Trudeau said later in the same remarks that the world should embrace the ‘two-state solution’ – the creation of an independent state of ‘Palestine’ – to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas…

“Trudeau’s announcement that he would support Netanyahu’s arrest prompted outrage nationwide. Some members of his own Liberal Party had condemned the ICC’s decision, giving the appearance that the party was divided on the issue. ‘The ICC discredits itself by its actions today,’ Liberal member of Parliament Anthony Housefather wrote in a statement on social media, noting that the ICC accused the Israeli leadership of committing crimes against humanity beginning on the day after the October 7 attack, ‘a day Israel was in shock, grief mourning.’…

“Conservative Sen. Leo Housakos wrote… ‘We stand with the people of Israel and support their right to self-defense against terrorism. The actions taken by both the ICC and Justin Trudeau should be condemned as a dangerous precedent that threatens global stability and the principles of international law.’…

“Canada experienced a shocking surge of antisemitic activity between the initial Hamas attack and October 2024: a 670-percent increase in documented violence and other antisemitic acts against Canadian Jews…

“Netanyahu’s government responded with outrage to the ICC warrants on Thursday. ‘The antisemitic decision of the International Criminal Court is a modern Dreyfus trial – and will end the same way,’ a statement from the prime minister’s office read. ‘Israel utterly rejects the false and absurd charges of the International Criminal Court, a biased and discriminatory political body.’

“‘The decision to issue an arrest warrant against the Prime Minister was made by a corrupt chief prosecutor who is trying to save himself from sexual harassment accusations and biased judges who are motivated by antisemitic hatred of Israel,’ the statement continued.”

While violent antisemitic and pro-Palestinian “protests” were going on in Montreal, with fires burning everywhere, Trudeau was seen dancing at a Taylor Swift concert. The ICC is a disgrace to the free world, and Trudeau (the modern Nero, like the ancient one who played the fiddle when Rome was burning?) is a shameful disgrace to Canada. Trudeau later “condemned” the violent antisemitic and pro-Palestinian protests, not unlike ancient Nero who set Rome on fire and then claimed that Christians had done it.

Antisemitism in France

The Jerusalem Post wrote on November 24:

“12% of the general population in France believe Jews leaving the country is a good thing, compared to 6% in 2020… 17% of under 35s believe this would be a good thing.”

Dershowitz to Defend Netanyahu

The Jerusalem Post wrote on November 25:

“US lawyer and professor Alan Dershowitz is assembling a team to defend Israeli leaders in The Hague… Dershowitz noted that the case would be tried in the court of public opinion as well as in The Hague. ‘For that reason, I am assembling a team of world-class lawyers from around the globe to help defend Israeli leaders against the false charges,’  Dershowitz wrote.”

The Troubled Story of ICC and Its Prosecutor

The New York Post wrote on November 21:

“[British-Muslim judge and ICC’s chief prosecutor Karim Asad Ahmad Khan] turned out to be at the center of sex-pest complaint by a former colleague at the ICC. The woman in question had lodged internal complaints about his lewd behavior… Khan’s brother was recently sent to prison in the UK for sexually assaulting a child.

“As multiple papers around the world have reported, Khan apparently made completely inappropriate sexual demands of a female colleague on multiple occasions. When she complained he threatened to ruin her career… the ‘MeToo’ crowd… seem to have been remarkably quiet.

“In any case, though Khan denied the charges, he must have realized his world might come crashing down, and rushed out a war-crimes charge against the Israeli prime minister. Then he carefully leaked to the left-wing media that he feared Mossad were out to get him…

“[Thankfully] both the United States and Israel were always wise enough not to sign up to the jurisdiction of this preposterous international court. In 2002 Henry Kissinger had an arrest warrant put out for him by a Spanish communist judge while the former Secretary of State was in Paris. Kissinger was whisked out of France in pretty cool time. But it was a reminder of one of one great, anti-democratic move of our era. Which is the idea that sovereign nations should effectively offer up their sovereignty. That the soldiers and statesmen of a sovereign nation should be allowed to be judged by the whims or perversions of a foreign judge in a foreign country…

“Idiotic, self-destructive and short-sighted nations around the democratic world have signed up to the jurisdiction of the ICC. For now — until it comes back to bite them — they seem to think that a couple of crooked judges from Britain or Africa should be allowed to decide how a sovereign nation is allowed to defend itself…

“This is an outrage of course. But it is one that also affects America. If they can do this to Israel, they can do it to America. President elect Trump has a historic mandate for many reasons. But now is a good time for him to make something very, very clear. If you come for America then America will come for you. And if you come for America’s closest allies, then wow will you regret the day…”

The rhetoric becomes louder and more direct…

Germany’s “Hesitant” Approach—Really?

Daily Mail added on November 23:

“Several governments have already expressed caution, while others – including the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Spain and Austria – have insisted they respect the court and will follow the law, however much they may disagree with it… Austria, for one, said they found the ruling ‘utterly incomprehensible’ but said its authorities would have no choice but to make an arrest as ‘international law is nonnegotiable and applies everywhere’. 

“Germany has taken a more hesitant approach, suggesting it will carefully examine the ICC’s warrants but not take further steps until a visit to Germany is planned. ‘I find it hard to imagine that we would make arrests on this basis,’ said German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit on Friday, pointing out that legal questions had to be clarified regarding the warrant. He did not specify what those questions entailed and did not answer when asked whether Netanyahu would be welcome in Germany.

“German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said… that Germany respected the ICC’s work and adhered to the law at national, European and international levels… ‘The German government was involved in the drafting of the ICC statute and is one of the biggest supporters of the ICC – this attitude is also the result of German history,’ said Hebestreit…”

Germany’s double-tongued message is cause for deep concern.

Fragile Temporary Ceasefire

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 27:

“After almost 14 months of fighting, a ceasefire agreement brokered by France and the US has been accepted by both Hezbollah and Israel. But is this the end of the conflict?…

“The ceasefire deal says there will be a two-month halt to fighting between the Israeli military and the armed wing of the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon… Hezbollah is to withdraw north of the Litani River while Israeli troops will gradually withdraw back south of the Blue Line into Israel… The Lebanese army will deploy 10,000 soldiers into the buffer zone to make sure that neither Hezbollah nor Israel returns…

“… experts agree the ceasefire is fragile as the underlying sources of the conflict still exist and its implementation will be difficult. Questions are already being asked about the Lebanese army’s ability to police the buffer zone…

“The ceasefire deal does not apply in any way to what’s going on in Gaza. Biden has said he hopes momentum created by the Lebanon agreement might lead to a similar outcome in Gaza, but Israel’s Netanyahu has already reacted negatively to that suggestion… The ceasefire has not changed the intentions of other members of the so-called ‘Axis of Resistance,’ a number of groups [including Hamas and the Houthis] backed by Iran that consider Israel and the US their enemies.”

Pope Wants Israel Investigated

National Catholic Register wrote on November 20:

“The news that Pope Francis would like the international community to investigate whether Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute genocide has shocked and angered many Jews in the U.S. and Israel. In a book excerpt published Nov. 17 in the Italian newspaper La Stampa, the Pope urges an inquiry into what some have labeled an Israeli genocide of Gaza civilians… ‘What is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide. We should investigate carefully to assess whether this fits into the technical definition [of genocide] formulated by international jurists and organizations,’ the [Pope] writes in the book…

“This is not the first time Pope Francis… has strongly criticized Israel’s actions. In September, he suggested Israel’s military maneuvers in Gaza and Lebanon were… ‘immoral.’…

“Israel insists that it is acting in self-defense against Iran-backed Islamic terrorists bent on its destruction. In addition to the Oct. 7 massacre, both Hamas and Hezbollah have fired thousands of rockets at Israeli towns and cities, displacing more than 200,000 Israelis.  

“The United Nations, Human Rights Watch and several other organizations have accused Israel of genocide, claiming that the IDF intentionally targets Palestinian civilians and is trying to evict Palestinians from Gaza… Israel says the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) goes to great lengths to keep Palestinian civilians out of harm’s way, either by dropping leaflets or telephoning civilians before an airstrike. It is Hamas, Israel asserts, that has launched thousands of rockets at Israel from Palestinian homes, hospitals and even mosques to maximize Palestinian civilian casualties and mobilize international hatred against the world’s only Jewish nation and its supporters. 

“Hamas — which the U.S. has designated a terror organization — is refusing to release the 100 remaining hostages, including seven Americans, that they kidnapped from Israeli homes and a music festival not far from the Gaza border during the Oct. 7 attack. Hostages who were released during a brief ceasefire say they were starved and tortured, imprisoned in airless tunnels or in the homes of Gaza civilians. Some witnessed Israeli women being raped…

“The Israeli government expressed dismay at the Pope’s words. ‘There was a genocidal massacre on 7 October 2023 of Israeli citizens, and since then, Israel has exercised its right of self-defense against attempts from seven different fronts to kill its citizens. Any attempt to call it by any other name is singling out the Jewish state,’ Yaron Sideman, ambassador to the Holy See [said]…

“Leading Jewish organizations have long maintained that the war in Gaza does not come close to meeting the criteria for genocide, noting that the term was being leveled at Israel within days of retaliating against Hamas.

“The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) offered sharp criticism of its own. ‘The State of Israel is currently facing a war of intended annihilation on seven fronts, and these remarks look like a possible opening of an eighth front, from of all places, the Vatican, which can also lead to the spilling of Jewish blood around the world,’ said the organization’s CEO, Sacha Roytman Dratwa. ‘For a Pope who appears to prize even-handedness and peace, we see that the Jewish State once again appears to be the exception…’

“B’nai B’rith International, which self-identifies as the world’s oldest and most widely known Jewish organization, said it is ‘stunned and outraged’ by the Pope’s assertion that Israel may have committed genocide…”

The Catholic Church was never a true friend of Israel, and the Bible shows that the relationship will end up in open hostility and warfare.

Trump to Impose Tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico

Fox News wrote on November 25:

“President-elect Trump on Monday said he would issue an executive order upon taking office to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% tariff on all products coming into the United States, as well as additional tariff hikes on China [a 10% tariff] over the flow of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs…  Trump said he has spoken with Chinese officials about fentanyl coming into the U.S., noting that the communist nation previously promised to put to death drug dealers involved in the illicit trade, but failed to follow through…

“‘Indeed, unknown to most Americans, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is actively funding, supporting, and pushing America’s most deadly drug threat in history,’ reads a Heritage Foundation report…”

The Telegraph wrote on November 26:

“Global stock indexes are mostly down after Donald Trump last night ramped up the rhetoric on tariffs… Europe must prepare for Donald Trump to impose hefty tariffs on its exports, Germany’s economy minister has said.

“Robert Habeck said… ‘We have to be prepared for the fact that something similar could also happen to Europe or Germany.’ He told a business conference in Berlin that the president-elect’s announcement indicates that his threats should be taken seriously… ‘The EU must react to this in a united manner (and) speak together as Europe.’”

Bessent For Treasury Secretary?

Axios wrote on November 22:

“President-elect Trump will nominate Scott Bessent, a financier focused on global macroeconomics, as his Treasury secretary, which would make him the incoming administration’s top economic official… Bessent would bring… a close relationship with Trump — as well as a surprising connection to hedge fund manager George Soros, mega-donor to liberal causes and bogeyman to the political right…

“Bessent, 62, founded hedge fund Key Square Capital Management. Before that, he spent most of his career at Soros Capital Management, including as chief investment officer from 2011 to 2015…

“Bessent is married to John Freeman, a former prosecutor, and they have two children. If confirmed, Bessent would be the first openly gay Treasury secretary…”

DNYUZ wrote on November 23:

“The selection [of Scott Bessent] caps an extraordinary career arc for an investor who was once a protégé of the liberal billionaire philanthropist George Soros and who gave money to top Democrats including Hillary Clinton, John Kerry and Barack Obama… Mr. Bessent who would be the first openly gay Treasury secretary, was a strong advocate for gay rights and marriage equality…

“In the 1990s, he worked as a partner at Soros Fund Management, gaining notoriety by betting against the British pound and earning the firm $1 billion. After leaving to start his own fund, Mr. Bessent returned in 2011 to become Mr. Soros’s chief investment officer…

“As Mr. Trump was making his decision, skeptics of Mr. Bessent raised concerns about his ties to Mr. Soros and suggested that he was not a true believer in tariffs. However, he won the public support of key advisers to Mr. Trump such as Larry Kudlow and Stephen K. Bannon, who viewed him as the best choice.”

What’s going on with some of Trump’s strange nominations? In addition to the controversial nomination of Scott Bessent, we have been witnessing the nomination of the radical and extremely dangerous Stephen Miller; of the controversial, inexperienced and highly unliked Matt Gaetz (who by now withdrew); and of Pete Hegseth (with rape charges hanging over his head, which he denied, but he described more than one affair as “consensual” sex…, i.e. of adultery).  Of course, there will be other nominations which will be, rightly or wrongly, highly contested.

Trump Federal Cases Dismissed

ABC News reported on November 25:

“The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s election Interference case dismissed the case Monday, after special counsel Jack Smith asked the judge to toss the case due to a long-standing Justice Department policy that bars the prosecution of a sitting president. Smith earlier Monday filed a motion to dismiss the case, as well as the appeal of Trump’s classified documents case ahead of Trump’s impending inauguration, due to the DOJ’s presidential immunity policy and not because the charges lacked merit…

“U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan dismissed the election interference charges against Trump without prejudice, leaving open the highly unlikely possibility of a future prosecution… ‘Dismissal without prejudice is also consistent with the Government’s understanding that the immunity afforded to a sitting President is temporary, expiring when they leave office,’ Chutkan wrote. However, it’s extremely unlikely that any prosecutor would attempt to bring the same charges in the future, in part because the statute of limitations for the alleged crimes will have expired by the time Trump leaves office in four years….”

In the document case, Smith had appealed a decision by the judge dismissing the case as Smith’s appointment as special prosecutor was found to be illegal and unconstitutional.

AFP wrote on November 26:

“An appeals court on Tuesday granted a request by prosecutors to drop the case against President-elect Donald Trump for mishandling classified documents.”

Breitbart added on November 25:

“Taken together, the moves mark the end of the federal prosecutions against the president-elect, leaving two remaining cases at the state level in Georgia and New York.”

Trump’s Controversial Deportation Plans

The Huffington Post wrote on November 23:

“In the aftermath of Donald Trump’s election to a second term as president, attention has turned to his highest-profile campaign promise: the mass deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants living in the United States… Trump and his allies say they will focus on ‘violent criminals’…  But the fine print is always the same. When they say ‘criminals,’ they mean all roughly 11 million undocumented people in the country, most of whom have lived in the United States here for years, have family and loved ones who are U.S. citizens, and have never committed a serious crime…

“Trump ‘border czar’ Tom Homan] said…that the ‘massive deportation operation’ would be focused on ‘those people entering the country illegally, which is a crime.’ It’s not technically true that all unauthorized immigrants are criminals. Though crossing the border without authorization is a misdemeanor at first, and then a felony every time after that, some undocumented people — such as those who overstay visas — are civil offenders, not criminals.

“Nonetheless, Trump and his allies have painted all undocumented immigrants broadly as criminals, and they’ve said they intend to go after everyone. Last November, Stephen Miller — a key Trump adviser on immigration and the incoming deputy chief of staff for policy — told the New York Times in the paper’s words, that ‘a new Trump administration would shift from the ICE practice of arresting specific people to carrying out workplace raids and other sweeps in public places aimed at arresting scores of unauthorized immigrants at once.’..

“Roughly 11 million undocumented people lived in the United States as of 2022…  Estimates of the undocumented population include people who have temporary protections from deportation, such as people who are applying for asylum (even if they crossed the border without authorization), people with so-called ‘temporary protected status,’ recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or ‘DACA,’ and people applying for certain visas from within the United States. This group with temporary protections accounts for almost 30% of the undocumented population…  The undocumented population estimates do not include naturalized citizens, green card holders, approved refugees, people who’ve been granted asylum, and people with temporary lawful status like students with visas.

“Nearly two-thirds of the undocumented population has lived in the United States for over a decade, and a third of those 15 and older reside with at least one U.S.-citizen child under 18… The vast majority of undocumented immigrants live in ‘mixed status’ households. Some 8.5 million undocumented people live alongside U.S. citizens, or, in some cases, noncitizens with legal status… In all, 5.5 million U.S.-born children live in households with at least one undocumented resident… All told, about 1 in 12 U.S. residents will be at risk of either deportation or family separation — the result of deporting a member of a mixed-status or undocumented household — in 2025…

“Some people have received what are known as ‘final orders of removal,’ meaning an immigration judge has determined they can be deported… [Some] put the figure at between 1.4 and 1.5 million people. Only a fraction of that number is currently in ICE custody, or part of an ‘alternative to detention’ program like wearing an ankle bracelet. This group will be a top priority for the Trump administration, as will detaining people with final removal orders who aren’t in ICE custody… Others have been ordered removed from the country ‘in absentia’ — meaning after they missed an immigration court date — though these orders can be reversed in some cases, for example if the affected person did not receive proper notice of their hearing. In all, there are millions of cases currently pending in immigration court.

“Even if Trump vastly expanded the scale and pace of the immigration legal system — a tall order — he’d still need the cooperation of other countries to accept people deported from the United States. The ‘repatriation’ flights that Miller hopes will ‘constantly’ churn between U.S.-based detention facilities and countries around the world depend in part on diplomacy…

“Trump and Miller have also spoken about the potential for using National Guard and even U.S. military personnel as part of the effort — though U.S. law would complicate this. Immigration enforcement is generally reserved for domestic federal law officers, not the military, and efforts to cross that line would likely end up in court.

“Perhaps the most potent weapon Trump wields when it comes to speeding deportations is the fact that open-ended stays in detention facilities, which are jails in all but name, will lead many to put an end to their misery by agreeing to their own deportation without waiting for a judge’s order. That is likely one of the motivations behind Miller’s effort to build vast detention camps for migrants — they would constitute an extreme attempt to pressure people to leave the country without exercising their right to appeal. Trump applied such pressure in his first term with the ‘zero tolerance’ or ‘family separation’ policy, which Miller and Homan played key roles in crafting. The practice involved criminally charging every adult who crossed the border without authorization, meaning they would be briefly held in jail and their children would be considered ‘unaccompanied’ minors, as detention rules differ for children….”

Some of these concepts are simply terrible.

Using the Military

Reuters reported on November 26:

“President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to use the U.S. military to help deport millions of undocumented migrants, a plan that breaks from U.S. tradition against deploying troops domestically but which legal experts said would still be hard to successfully challenge in court. Trump has not explained how he plans to deploy the military to deport migrants… ‘President Trump will marshal every federal and state power necessary to institute the largest deportation operation of illegal criminals, drug dealers, and human traffickers in American history,’ Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement on Monday.

“Every president since Bill Clinton in the 1990s has sent National Guard or active-duty soldiers to the border in support roles, ranging from surveillance to training and fixing equipment. Experts said the support role exceptions to the Posse Comitatus Act might also allow the military to build vast camps to hold those slated for removal. Stephen Miller, an immigration adviser to Trump, floated that proposal to the New York Times in November 2023…

“If state governors refuse to send their National Guard, Trump could invoke the Insurrection Act… It has been used 30 times in U.S. history…  Trump could be invited by a governor to invoke the act, as former President George H.W. Bush was in 1992 in response to riots in Los Angeles. Trump could also invoke it on his own if there has been a breakdown in law and order or it is needed to defend civil rights. It was invoked in 1871 to fight racial violence by the Ku Klux Klan after the Civil War and in the 1950s and 1960s to enforce school desegregation and protect civil rights marches.”

Bad Economic Impact on Mass Deportations?

AFP wrote on November 24:

“President-elect Donald Trump’s tough immigration proposals — including a controversial mass deportation plan — could prove economically damaging…, with US sectors that rely heavily on foreign workers like agriculture and construction especially hard hit… Around 8.3 million unauthorized people were in the labor force in 2022… That was equivalent to just under five percent of the overall workforce… many of the sectors that could be the hardest-hit have long struggled to attract US workers.

“‘The construction and agriculture industries would lose at least one in eight workers, while in hospitality, about one in 14 workers would be deported due to their undocumented status,’ the non-profit American Immigration Council (AIC) said in a recent report on Trump’s deportation plans. The deportations would also impact ‘more than 30 percent’ of plasterers, roofers, and painters, along with a quarter of housekeeping cleaners, according to the report…

“A recent Peterson Institute for International Economics report… predicted that economic growth by 2028 could be 7.4 percent beneath baseline estimates, ‘meaning no US net economic growth occurs over the second Trump term because of this policy alone.’”

npr added on November 23:

“Clear signals President-elect Donald Trump plans to make good on his campaign pledge to deport millions of undocumented immigrants in his second term has sparked concerns among some in Texas’ business and economic sectors who say mass deportations could upend some of the state’s major industries that rely on undocumented labor, chief among them the booming construction industry… In 2022, more than a half million immigrants worked in the construction industry…  Nearly 60% of that workforce was undocumented… the Texas General Land Office recently offered the incoming Trump administration more than 1,400 acres of South Texas land ‘to construction deportation facilities.’”

It was also stated that Trump’s deportation plans “would devastate our [Texas’] industry, we wouldn’t finish our highways, we wouldn’t finish our schools… Housing would disappear… they’d lose half their labor.”

We will see…

America’s Ridiculous Immigration Nightmare

Fox News wrote on November 21:

“Former NCAA swimmer and conservative activist Biley Gaines…  were married in May 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee… Gaines says Barker, despite coming into the country legally, has not been able to attain citizenship or even a green card yet, despite the fact that the couple has been married for two years… Gaines says the couple received a letter in the mail. The reason Barker has not been granted citizenship is that he does not have the COVID-19 vaccine. ‘Think about how hard our government has made it for people migrating into this country legally in comparison to those who break the law. Because if you just walk across the southern border, you’re given housing, a driver’s license, money.’

“Elon Musk reposed Gaines’ TikTok video on X with a message advocating for legal immigration reform. Musk himself is also a legal immigrant from South Africa who has also spoken in favor of immigration reform in the U.S…. ‘Legal immigration to America is ridiculously slow and difficult, even for super talented people. Needs to be fixed,’ Musk wrote. 

“U.S. immigration law requires immigrant visa applicants to obtain certain vaccinations prior to the issuance of an immigrant visa. The COVID-19 vaccine was added to that list under the Biden-Harris administration. Panel physicians who conduct medical examinations of immigrant visa applicants are required to verify that immigrant visa applicants have met the vaccination requirements, or that it is medically inappropriate for the visa applicant to receive one or more of the listed vaccinations. However, none of this applies to people who sneak into the country illegally.”

America’s immigration system embraces clearly incredibly stupid requirements and procedures.

The Orca Tragedy

The Sun wrote on November 26:

“A KILLER whale that spent its whole life in captivity and fatally attacked its trainer in 2009 has died at a Canary Islands park… The orca, originally born at SeaWorld Orlando in 1995, had been transferred to Loro Parque in 2006, where he performed for crowds and was used for breeding. Keto’s life began in captivity, born as part of SeaWorld’s controversial orca breeding programme. His mother, Kalina, was the first orca successfully born in a SeaWorld park, while his father, Kotar, died tragically when a tank gate crushed his skull.

“Keto was torn from his mother at just four years old and shuffled between several SeaWorld parks before being loaned to Loro Parque. At Loro Parque, Keto was bred with his niece, Kohana, in an unnatural pairing that resulted in multiple calves. Only one, Adán, survives today. His daughter, Vicky, died at just 10 months old. Keto’s captivity is said to have taken a severe toll on his mental and physical health… engaging in unnatural and harmful behaviours, such as chewing on concrete out of frustration, which severely damaged his teeth…

“On Christmas Eve 2009,  Keto killed his trainer, 29-year old Alexis Martinez, during a rehearsal for a Christmas show… The attack… came just two months before another orca killed trainer Dawn Brancheau  in front of an audience at SeaWorld Orlando.  These tragedies highlighted the dangers of keeping orcas in captivity and prompted SeaWorld to briefly suspend water work with whales. PETA and other animal welfare groups… criticised both SeaWorld and Loro Parque for subjecting him to a life of confinement in small tanks, depriving him of the ability to swim vast distances or form natural social bonds. PETA also noted that Keto’s mixed genetic background—75% Icelandic and 25% Southern Resident orca—would never occur in the wild, as these populations are separated by vast distances and have distinct social structures.

“Keto’s unnatural breeding and life in captivity, they argue, robbed him of a natural existence… [The zoo noted] that 29 years is average for male orcas in the wild. Critics, however, argue that captivity was the true cause of Keto’s early death. In the wild, male orcas can live up to 60 or 70 years.”

The conduct of SeaWorld and other parks must indeed be questioned. Is it really God’s Will to treat or mistreat animals in that way?

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.

A relationship with God is important for us who have been chosen by God in this age to be involved in the preaching of the gospel to the world as a witness, prior to the return of Jesus Christ, as we read in Mathew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” We are also admonished to grow in Christ’s grace and His knowledge which helps us get close to God the Father. 2 Peter 3:18 says: “… grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.”

The key element for developing a close relationship with God is ODEDIENCE, which almost seems like a dirty word to some people.

How important is obedience?  Acts 5:32 quotes the words of Peter in this way: “And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom [better: which] God has given to those who obey Him.”

Failure to obey can prevent one from even being properly baptized and receiving the Holy Spirit. And if they received it, they could lose it again if they consistently resist repenting and obeying God. We must constantly use the Holy Spirit by using the tools God has given us, which are prayer, Bible study, meditation and occasional fasting. Otherwise, we might dim or quench the Holy Spirit. We can even witness this by observing how fast biblical knowledge leaves a person when they leave the Church and/or neglect to use the tools provided for us by God. If or when in their presence, you sense that something is wrong.

To keep a fire burning, it needs constant fuel. Once the fuel is stopped, the fire diminishes in heat and size and eventually, it is reduced to glowing coals. If more wood is thrown on the coals, the fire will reignite and burn bright again. If the coals are left without fuel or wood, they diminish in size, but are still able to reignite, but once it gets down to one spark and keeps fading away, there is nothing you can do to revive the fire.

2 Peter 2:19-26 warns us in this regard:

“While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ‘A DOG RETURNS TO HIS OWN VOMIT,’ and, ‘a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.’” 

Refusing to obey has the consequence of possibly losing the Holy Spirit which puts one in the unpardonable sin category.

Hebrews 10:26 says: “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins…”

There is no coming back from this state. It’s the state that Satan is in. He cannot repent because he will not repent. His mind is so corrupted because of sin that it is impossible for him to repent and thus, he now hates God, the ONE he once loved and obeyed.

It is a sad state of affairs one can find oneself in by refusing to obey, so obeying is a key factor in our relationship with God. In this context, prayer is also important. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 admonishes us to “pray without ceasing.” In other words, do not ever give up on prayer; because when we pray, we communicate with our Creator.

Philippians 4:6 says: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.”

By supplication and prayer, we put our requests before God. We have many examples of Christ praying to God the Father, and we know He was definitely close to God; and God was pleased with Christ’s conduct and ways, as we read in Luke 3:22: “And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, ‘You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.’” In addition, we read in Matthew 17:5: “While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!’”

The admonition on how to pray is also provided in Scripture. Christ instructs us in Mathew 6:9-13: “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”

These are the things we ought to pray about, and the key admonition is to pray “IN THIS MANNER,” as it is an outline which should guide us when we pray.

When we pray, we show obedience. Obedience demonstrates our love for God, and that God’s love is in us. 1 John 5::2-3 says: “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.”

The commandments are not nor should they be a burden but rather a blessing when we keep them.

How is the love of God demonstrated? By keeping the Ten Commandments. While the last six commandments demonstrate our love towards our fellow man, the first four commandments show us how to love God. Let us now, in the context of this Q&A, concentrate on the first four commandments.

Exodus 20:2-3 quotes God as saying: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.”

It’s important that we put God in first place in our lives and not replace Him with other gods or idols or worthless objects or things. God is the Eternal God, the Creator of all things through His Son Jesus Christ, as Colossians 1:13-16 tells us: “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.”

We are to worship the Father. Be cognizant that God the Father is also the God of Christ, as Christ confirmed in John 20:17: “Jesus said to her, ‘Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, “I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.”’” But we are to pray to the Father in the name and with the authority of Jesus Christ, our Mediator.

Exodus 20:4-6 continues: “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.”

We are not to bow down to any idols, be they statues in a church building, statues of Budha or symbols of fish or land animals. People can also make idols of people like rock stars, politicians, actors, husbands or wives, jobs and positions or anything that takes our eyes and attention off the One true God.

Exodus 20:7 says: “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.”

Taking God’s name in vain includes vain repetitions like using beads or rosaries or euphemisms, like “gee” or “gosh.” It also includes cursing as you hear so much in movies and work sites today.

Exodus 20:8-11 continues: “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”

God says to remember, and most people forget. The Sabbath is part of the re-creation week. It was created by God for man to rest. By extension, this also includes the annual Sabbaths outlined in Leviticus 23:1-7 and Deuteronomy 16:1-17. These Festivals outline the plan of God from repentance to redemption, showing that eventually every human being ever born will be offered the opportunity to become a member of the Family of God.

The weekly Sabbath is blessed and hallowed by the fact that God puts His presence in the day— but not in any other day, be it Sunday, Friday or any other weekday. Matthew 12:8 quotes Christ as saying: “For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” As Creator of the Sabbath, He is also Lord of the Sabbath and has the authority to instruct us how to keep it.

Further, Exodus 31:13-17 says: “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you. You shall keep the Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. Work shall be done for six days, but the seventh is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death. Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.'” 

The Sabbath—the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days—are a sign between us and God. They point to the One and true God of Creation—the most high God. They are a perpetual covenant between God and His people, members of God’s Church called in this age.

Bible study is the reading and study of the Bible which holds truths about the creation of the universe and man—including a history of the patriarchs, of the nation of Israel from its slavery in Egypt to becoming a nation and down through the prophets to the time of Christ. It includes the record of the life and history of Christ up to His crucifixion and resurrection, as well as the history of the Church established on Pentecost; the life of Paul; the books of the followers and brothers of Christ up to the book of Revelation, giving us a history of the seven churches down through the ages and prophetic events leading up to the return of Christ. It is crucial to study biblical history, the Psalms and admonitions of the authors of the many books of the Bible. In this context, what is the admonition to us? 1 Peter 3:15 says: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear…”

In order to give a defense of the hope that lies within us, we have to have knowledge and understanding of the Bible, which we attain through studying it.

Meditation is also important, which means thinking about and analyzing what we have read in the Bible. So the more we meditate on God’s Word, the more it will stay in our mind and it is thus easier to recall when required by someone who asks about our beliefs.

Fasting is the one way of developing a strong relationship with God that not everyone is eager to do. This tool was used by Christ for forty days and forty nights prior to the start of His ministry (Matthew 4:1-2), so the example is to use it prior to major decisions or challenges in our lives. Combined with prayer, Bible study and mediation, it is a powerful tool in our arsenal for drawing closer to God.

Our ultimate goal is to qualify to enter the Kingdom of God as His sons and daughters and inherit life that never ends—a life of productivity, joy and fulfillment. Drawing close to God and developing a strong relationship with Him is an important aspect of attaining that goal, since all of us want to hear this praise from our Savior Jesus Christ at His return: “His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord’” (Matthew 25:23). 

Lead Writer: Rene Messier

compiled by Dave Harris

The memorial service for Margaret Adair will take place on Sunday, December 15, 2024. It will begin promptly at 12:45pm at Escondido Columbus Club Hall, 515 W. Valley Pkwy, Escondido CA 92025. Please contact Johanna.Link@cox.net if you want to attend.

“Jesus Christus—unser alleiniger Heiland,” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Jesus Christ—Our Only Savior.”

“Die Hoffnung in uns,” last Sabbath’s first split-sermon presented by Robert Muhr, is now posted. Title in English: “The Hope Within Us.”

“Wach endlich auf, Juda!” last Sabbath’s second split-sermon presented by Marc Völler, is now posted. Title in English: “Finally Wake Up, Judah!”

“Without Deceit,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Paul Niehoff, is now posted. Here is the summary:

God has given us instructions to remove deceit from our lives reminding us that that is a characteristic of Satan. Jesus Christ praised Nathanael for being without deceit and the one- hundred and forty-four thousand in the book of Revelation are also described as being without deceit. Only those without deceit can be trusted to live God’s way forever.

“Jesus Christ—Our Savior,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is the summary:

The Bible tells us that we can ONLY be saved through Jesus Christ; that there is no salvation in any other. This means that we CANNOT be saved through any other means or name or religion. But in order to be saved, we must believe and follow the true Jesus Christ of the Bible. A belief in a false Jesus will not save us. What does this mean exactly? What must we believe, and what must we reject?

On November 23, 2024, Paul Niehoff will present the sermonette, titled, “Without Deceit,” and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “Salvation of the World”.

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.

How do we become stronger and stronger in faith? Certainly, we must; but even having faith in our time seems outside our control. We can read about others in the pages of the Bible who were noted for having great faith, but can we also attain that key attribute?

We are challenged by a very crucial requirement as we follow Jesus Christ: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

We see then, first, that we must believe that God is real! That takes faith, because we can’t see Him, for He is a spirit (John 4:24). Yet, we do learn about God through His written Word and the Creation He has made—things we can see and understand. Since that is true, then can we learn more about Him and be strengthened in our faith?

Second, to strengthen our faith as Christians—begotten children of God—we have access to God the Father through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). We can have our prayers answered and, when that happens, our faith can grow. In every aspect of our life, we can seek to walk in righteousness before God, which simply means obeying Him. The more we become obedient sons and daughters of our Father in heaven, the more we will grow in faith.

God has all the answers to anything we could possibly imagine or ever need! Have we grown in faith to the extent that we believe this? Do we truly face all our challenges based on this kind of resolute and unshakeable faith?

Being called by God in this life should allow us to reflect and consider the many times when our faith has been tested. When we fellowship as members of the body of Christ (the Church of God), we share our stories of faith with others. We should also be able to see personal growth and how, with the power of God’s Holy Spirit, we are being strengthened in faith.

Having the kind of faith that will please God is, indeed, the hard work of salvation! Let’s remember that we aren’t alone when it all seems too great a challenge to have faith for the moment. Consider the example of a father who sought to have his son healed. Jesus said, “‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes’” (Mark 9:23).

I think the father’s response hits home for all of us: “‘Lord, I believe; help my unbelief’” (Mark 9:24).

He did find the help he needed, as Jesus did help and healed his son. We, too, can be strengthened in faith by God.  In matters small or great, ask for God’s help—fully trusting that He will!

by Norbert Link

We begin with further observations regarding Europe’s antisemitism and its persecution of Jews; speak on Trump’s ever-increasing powerful position and his announced plans to deport up to 20 million immigrants; and further shocking developments in Germany and those pertaining to the war between Russia and Ukraine and possible serious escalations.

Please view our new StandingWatch program with the title, “So Close to World War III.”

We address the intention by some on the Trump team to build the Third Temple in Jerusalem; and speak on the comparison between the UK and the former Soviet Union.

We also quote articles about the truly mind-boggling stupidity of the Evolution Theory; extraordinary findings of remains of extinct animals; speculations about the reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire; and the possibility that Noah’s Ark has been located.

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

Jews Safer in Eastern Europe

The Wall Street Journal wrote on November 15:

“After the attacks in Amsterdam, a delegation of imams from France and Belgium came to the city to condemn the violence and lay flowers at the house where Anne Frank hid during the Nazi occupation before being found and deported to a death camp. Some local Islamic organizations criticized the media and some politicians for using the attacks to stigmatize Muslims.

“Public opinion surveys by the Anti-Defamation League have found that antisemitic attitudes are actually more common in Eastern European countries like Hungary, Poland and Ukraine than in France, Germany and the Netherlands. Yet Eastern Europe, home to the killing fields of the Holocaust in World War II, has reported few violent antisemitic incidents since Oct. 7. Hungary and Poland, home to around 45,000 and 17,000 Jews respectively, each registered a single violent incident. In the Czech Republic, home to around 5,000 Jews, two incidents were recorded.”

Breitbart wrote on November 15:

“Tourism or attending sports games is becoming increasingly difficult in Europe for Israeli citizens, where mass migration has radically altered city demographics in many European states and governments increasingly see events like football matches against Israeli teams as a ‘high-risk’ threat… they would rather do without. A recent home match for a Belgian team against Israel couldn’t find a single city in the country willing to host the game…

“Belgium… refused to allow Israel’s footballers to play there for the UEFA championship this year. The Belgian authorities said at the time it would be ‘impossible to organize this very high-risk match’ due to tensions over the Israel-Hamas war.”

In spite of rampant anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe, Jews feel much safer there than in Western Europe… for now.

Violence in Amsterdam

Bloomberg wrote on November 16:

“… the war in Gaza is reverberating thousands of miles away. All over the world, the conflict has inflamed both anti-Israel rhetoric and antisemitism and blurred the boundaries between them — but Europe’s particular history of persecution has left the region’s Jewish population bewildered and fearful. ‘Antisemitism has made an eerie comeback in the western world,’ said Eva Illouz, a French-Israeli sociologist living in Paris… homes and businesses have been vandalized with antisemitic and pro-Hamas graffiti. Antisemitic slurs have been chanted in the streets, and instances of physical violence against Jews have increased… At the same time, Arab and Muslim people in Europe are also facing extreme levels of discrimination and violence…

“In the wake of the violence [in Amsterdam], Dutch King Willem-Alexander announced that the Netherlands had failed the Jewish community ‘again.’…

“Meanwhile, authorities fear that these issues — and the very real threats facing Jewish and Muslim people — will not disappear anytime soon. Scheinin, the Israeli man who was out in Amsterdam the night of the attacks, felt singled out in the Netherlands long before tensions burst out into the open. He had several close friends cut him off on account of the war, without bothering to ask about his beliefs. He’s grown accustomed to potential partners rejecting him on dating apps for being Israeli. After four and a half years trying to build a life in Amsterdam, he’s giving up. Last week, he decided to move back to Israel.”

Jews feel no longer safe in Western Europe.

“‘Jew Hunts’ Are Returning to the Streets of Europe”

The Telegraph wrote on November 15:

“History is repeating itself – anti-Semitic violence is back once more in Dutch, Belgian and German cities.

“This week an American friend asked me whether it is safe to come to London. He asked me because he is Jewish. I was unsettled by the question but understood why he asked. My friend had been reading reports of violent Jew-hate in Europe. The terrifying events in Amsterdam over the past few days have heightened many Jewish people’s sensitivities to the risks that may surround them. An extra degree of caution is seeping into the thoughts of a growing number as they go about their daily lives. We now know more details of what took place in Holland and the planning that went into it…

“The attacks were well-organised, with taxi drivers responding to calls to mobilise and help identify the whereabouts of Jews… It would be some solace to believe that these horrific events in Amsterdam were an isolated incident, but this is not the case. Accounts of violent racism against Jews have appeared across Europe over the past few days.

“In Germany, a group of Jewish schoolchildren were attacked by a pro-Palestinian mob armed with knives and sticks… In Belgium, police arrested five men as part of a pro-active effort to stop a suspected ‘Jew hunt’…”

Terrible atrocities in Europe! Please note our StandingWatch program, “Why Riots Against Jews in Amsterdam?” 

In our German edition of “Aktuelle Weltnachrichten”, dated November 14, we stated the following regarding the German AufPostenStehen version of our StandingWatch program, titled, “Warum die Gewalt gegen Juden in Amsterdam? 

“For a while, we have been allowing comments on our AufPostenStehen programs, although we do not necessarily share the views expressed there. However, some anti-Semitic statements and absolute propagandistic false statements about the [new] program were particularly frightening, from which we have removed the most blatant ones. A disgrace for Germany that such vile anti-Semitism is possible… and unfortunately, it will only increase.”

Arrest Warrant for Netanyahu

The Associated Press reported on November 21: 

“The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas officials, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity over the war in Gaza and the October 2023 attacks that triggered Israel’s offensive in the Palestinian territory.

“The decision turns Netanyahu and the others into internationally wanted suspects and is likely to further isolate them and complicate efforts to negotiate a cease-fire to end the 13-month conflict. But its practical implications could be limited since Israel and its major ally, the United States, are not members of the court and several of the Hamas officials have been subsequently killed in the conflict.

“Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders have condemned ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan’s request for warrants as disgraceful and antisemitic. U.S. President Joe Biden also blasted the prosecutor and expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas. Hamas also slammed the request…. The court itself has no police to enforce warrants, instead relying on cooperation from its member states.”

Will Trump Be More Powerful Than Ever?

Bild Online wrote on November 15:

“Immediately after his election victory, Donald Trump (78) struck a mild tone – spoke of the ‘time of unity’ and of becoming the president of all Americans. Now he’s back to his old self!

“Trump sent a clear signal to the Republicans that he wants more power. His party should guarantee him that he can install a number of ministers and employees in his future government without a vote in the Senate. His reasoning: ‘Otherwise it would take too long to form a government.’… He expects absolute obedience from the Republicans. And he wants to reduce Congress’s ability to put the White House, and thus him, on a leash.

“His chances of doing so are good. Because the Republicans have a solid majority in the Senate at 53 to 47. And: They are on the verge of getting a majority in the House of Representatives. Trump would have a ‘government trifecta’ – a government hat trick from the White House and both chambers of Congress. The opposition would then be condemned to watch for at least two years. Two years in which Trump has a lot planned…

“Trump announced during the election campaign that he would revamp the powerful justice department, which operates largely independently of the White House. With Matt Gaetz (42), he wants to appoint someone who is absolutely loyal to him as Minister of Justice – and fire all Democrats in the ministry immediately…

“Trump announced during the election campaign that he did not want a say in setting interest rates and threatened to fire Fed Chairman Collin Powell (71). He has already declared that he will demand his term of office in court if necessary. But here too, Trump has the upper hand: in his first term in office, he installed three constitutional judges and created a super majority of his Republicans of six to three judges. Consequence: The court granted the president extensive immunity last July…

“Trump has placed the richest man in the world in a key position in the form of Tesla boss Elon Musk (53, 296 billion euros). The SpaceX boss will head the ‘Department of Government Efficiency’. Specific task: drastic cuts in government spending. Number three on the money list, Jeff Bezos (60, 209 billion euros), is also considered an advisor to the president.

“In plain language: Nothing stands in the way of Trump’s vision of a super president.”

Something Europe will not like for sure…

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 16:

“The incoming president has made clear that he would prefer to circumvent the whole confirmation process altogether. To do so, Trump could make so-called ‘recess appointments,’ installing Cabinet members while Congress is not in session, allowing him to sidestep confirmation hearings. Trump has already called on Republicans to approve his unusual plan in a statement on X…

“The Supreme Court… could be called upon to weigh in on the constitutionality of the domestic deployment of US troops to carry out deportations, or attempts to upend birthright citizenship [guaranteed by the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution], as George Washington University political science professor Sarah Binder told DW. Binder is concerned that the current conservative-majority Supreme Court may choose to ignore legal precedent and instead regularly rule in favor of Republican policies…”

Trump’s Deportation Plans

The Mail on Sunday wrote on November 17:

“When Donald Trump is inaugurated as America’s 47th president on January 20, the event will mark the official start of his second term in office with carefully stage-managed images that will be seen around the world. Within hours of the event, Trump will take his seat behind the Resolute desk in the Oval Office and launch what he calls ‘the biggest mass deportation in American history’.

“While the expulsion of illegal immigrants was a focal point of Trump’s election campaign, the precise details of how he intends to accomplish his goal of removing as many as 20 million people from US soil have largely remained unknown.

“The Mail on Sunday has spoken to those in Trump’s inner circle who say his immigration plans have been top of the list in discussions held at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida home, in the days since his crushing victory. One lawyer familiar with the talks told me: ‘Donald is preparing for a series of moves against illegal immigrants, which he says will cause ‘shock and awe’. Kicking out illegals was the mainstay of his run… The source claims Trump will immediately sign a series of executive orders… Citing an immigration crisis, he will temporarily shut the southern border to give officials a chance to clear a huge backlog of cases…

“There are plans to significantly increase the number of armed officers on horseback patrolling the rugged terrain close to the US’s border with Mexico. And, of course, construction will resume on the… wall running between the two countries…

“Trump plans to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which gives presidents the authority to detain and deport non-citizens from ‘hostile nations’ during times of war and conflict. The law was used to justify the building of Japanese internment camps during the Second World War. According to those familiar with Trump’s plans, he will target the 700,000 Venezuelans, Haitians, Cubans and Nicaraguans he has branded ‘vicious criminals from countries that hate us’, who have been allowed to stay in the US under a Biden parole programme.

“And what if, as is highly likely, countries refuse to take back violent gang members? Trump will cut off aid and ban travellers from those countries from entering the US, even on tourist visas.

“’Step Two’ is to expel more than one million people whose applications to remain in the US have been denied and who are on the deportation list.

“Then the round-up of the millions of remaining illegal immigrants will begin as part of ‘Step Three’. Places of work, including farms and meatpacking plants, will be subject to raids (or ‘targeted enforcement activities’)… Individuals will be taken to ‘holding centres’ before their deportation is fast-tracked.

“Experts say the cost of the first two steps could be as much as $300 billion and the cost of expelling every illegal alien – something even Trump privately admits is impossible – could be as much as $1 trillion… Trump is considering deploying the military and National Guard to build ‘tent cities’ on unused federal land, including property belonging to schools and prisons…

“But it is the rounding up of the bulk of migrants under ‘Step Three’ that will likely produce the defining images of Trump’s second term. Many of these people will have children, after being in the US for years. Pictures of families being torn apart, of children being ripped from their parents’ arms, could backfire on Trump.

“But the lawyer who has been speaking to Trump’s team says: ‘What you have to remember is that President Obama deported five million people, and no one talks about that because he’s a Democrat.’ It was under Obama, he observes, that controversial chain-link fence enclosures – or cages – in deportation holding centres were first built. ‘President Trump has a professional team around him,’ says the lawyer. ‘The best of the best. They have been working on this immigration plan for years.’ And, crucially, Trump ‘has the mandate of the people’.

“He insists that the President-elect isn’t against immigration, pointing out that Trump is married to Melania, a Slovenian-American; his first wife Ivana was born in what was then Czechoslovakia; and Elon Musk, ‘his best buddy’, hails from South Africa…”

We will see if some, or all, of the plans described above will be carried out. As described above, some, if not many, of them do not look too good or just or godly.

Trump Will Declare National Emergency

Washington Examiner wrote on November 18:

“President-elect Donald Trump  confirmed on Truth Social early Monday morning that his incoming administration will declare a national emergency and use military resources to implement a mass deportation of illegal immigrants… the president-elect said he would ‘deport more illegal immigrants from the United States than any of his predecessors.’

“To implement such a plan and facilitate this initiative, Trump announced that Tom Homan, former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, would be the ‘border czar’ for the Trump administration… Homan stressed that he would prioritize deporting the illegal immigrants who were already told to leave the country by a federal immigration judge but have defied those orders… Currently, there are an estimated 1.3 million illegal immigrants who were ordered to leave the country but ignored those orders and remained, the Wall Street Journal reported.”

DACA Recipients Brace for Trump’s Return 

Newsmax wrote on November 15:

“Advocates are advising beneficiaries of a program that protects illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children to renew their status immediately, if eligible, because of President-elect Donald Trump’s promise of mass deportations. Just a fraction of an estimated 3.6 million illegal immigrants brought to the country as children (called Dreamers) have sought legal protection under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The Obama-era policy protects qualifying Dreamers by temporarily shielding them from deportation and providing them work authorization with possible renewal every two years…

“During his first term, Trump tried to end DACA in 2017. But the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision written by Chief Justice John Roberts, ruled in 2020 the Trump administration did not provide a reasoned explanation for ending DACA. But the court’s ruling allowed the administration to make another attempt to end the program if it used proper administrative procedures, including a well-reasoned explanation for its actions…”

And now, Republican judges are in the majority, 6 to 3. To abolish the protection for “Dreamers” would be absolutely unconscionable.

Is Fauci Finally Going to Pay For His Crimes?

Life Site News wrote on November 19:

“… the newly nominated U.S. Attorney General Matt Gaetz… declared, ‘The Hammer of Justice is coming [on Fauci].’… Anthony Fauci committed a federal crime [on May 11, 2021] by providing false testimony to Congress under oath…

“In June of this year, criminal referral requests against Anthony Fauci and other public health officials were submitted to District Attorneys in Louisiana…  the Trump administration will likely have no issue identifying federal crimes committed during the COVID-19 pandemic… some courts have already taken positive action. Last week, a Michigan jury awarded $12 million to a Blue Cross Blue Shield employee fired after refusing the COVID-19 ‘vaccine’: Much of the award – $10 million – is for punitive damages against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan…

“Another employee from Blue Cross Blue Shield that was fired for refusing to take a COVID-19 mRNA injection was awarded almost $700,000 by a federal jury. This was followed by a court ordering San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) to pay $7.8 million to 6 workers fired for refusing COVID-19 mRNA injections.

“The jury awarded over $1 million to each of six former BART employees who were fired for seeking religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The court rejected BART’s claim of undue hardship, ruling the firings violated their religious rights. This landmark decision came after nearly three years of struggle.

“With a Robert F. Kennedy Jr.-led restructuring of public health agencies and a revamped Department of Justice, the scales of justice are expected to tip in favor of medical freedom and democracy as public and expert opinion continues to shift.”

Late—too late for many—but at least something is happening.

Gaetz Withdraws

Newsmax wrote on November 21:

“Matt Gaetz… withdrew from consideration for attorney general Thursday, saying he was ‘unfairly becoming a distraction’ to President-elect Donald Trump’s transition… his meetings with Republican senators this week reportedly revealed that his nomination would get rejected in confirmation hearings.”

Habeck Presses Charges Against His Critics

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 15:

“Deputy Chancellor Robert Habeck has pressed charges against a man who posted a picture of him with a derogatory caption online… The public prosecutor’s office in Bamberg in northern Bavaria confirmed on Friday that the suspect’s flat had been searched, with a tablet device being seized, and that [Habeck] had asked authorities to prosecute an alleged insult against him…

“[The man] captioned the photo with a phrase that could be translated multiple ways in English, with one strong option being ‘professional idiot’ — with the German ‘Schwachkopf’ literally translating as ‘weak-head.’ The man… appeared to be trying to allude to an advertising campaign by the similarly-named hair care company Schwarzkopf Professional…

“At least in theory, any political officials in Germany — all the way from the chancellor to the municipal level — can press charges against perceived public insults, if they think they can demonstrate reputational harm or an impact on their ability to carry out their role.  If convicted, perpetrators can face a fine or up to three years in prison…”

Report 24 added on November 15 that Habeck, who wants to become Germany’s next Chancellor, has by now pressed 805 charges against German citizens for “inflicting reputational harm.”

Nius added on November 15::

“It is still hard to believe: Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) had filed a criminal complaint against a citizen who had insulted him as an ‘imbecile’. The renowned GDR historian Hubertus Knabe tells NIUS that this is definitely reminiscent of the abuse of justice in the communist German Democratic Republic….

“He thinks: ‘If a member of the government takes criminal action against a citizen because of such a statement, it has another dimension – and it is definitely reminiscent of the abuse of justice in the GDR… As a politician you have to endure more than normal citizens. Especially derogatory statements that are made emotionally – these are part of the political business. If you can’t stand that, then you’re in the wrong place in politics…”

These developments in Germany are truly “hard to believe”—unless you know biblical prophecy. The Bible tells us that Germany will become an absolute unhinged dictatorship. 

Scholz Calls Putin

Breitbart wrote on November 16:

“The German government has collapsed and is rapidly heading to snap elections in early 2025, but Chancellor Olaf Scholz has picked this moment to reach out to Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time in two years to ask him to withdraw his troops from Ukraine…

“Per a German government spokesman, the call lasted for an hour and Scholz spent his time on the line with President Putin condemning the Russian war against Ukraine, calling on Moscow to enter negotiations, and urging for the Kremlin to end the conflict by withdrawing their troops. Scholz told Putin Russia had failed to achieve its war aims so it might as well now give up…

“German newspaper Die Welt states that in addition to asking Russia to end the war, Scholz also affirmed on behalf of Germany to President Putin the nation’s ‘unwavering determination’ to keep supporting Ukraine for as long as necessary… Ukraine reacted badly to the call. President Volodymyr Zelensky called it a ‘Pandora’s box’ moment that could lead to other conversations with the Russian leader. Zelensky said this is ‘exactly what Putin has wanted for a long time: it is crucial for him to weaken his isolation.’

“Russia reacted in turn, with their state media stating the country’s position was essentially unchanged, and President Putin has told Scholz Moscow would enter into negotiations to ‘settle the conflict’ as long as all of its conditions were met. While evidently, these are not acceptable to Ukraine or its Western backers, they nevertheless include Ukraine surrendering parts of its territory to the Russian Federation and then becoming a ‘non-aligned’ and demilitarized state…”

That Russia, according to Scholz, had not achieved its military goals and should therefore give up is a rather illusionary conclusion. In addition, Scholz is a lame-duck chancellor and does not speak for Germany at all anymore. It is not expected that Scholz will stay chancellor after the new elections, currently planned in February.

Biden Gives Green Light for Long-Range Missiles

The New York Post wrote on November 17:

“President Biden has reportedly given Ukraine permission to deploy US-supplied long-range missiles to attack targets in Russian territory just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Ukraine said it plans to take advantage of the policy change within days.

“The dramatic shift in policy comes as Ukraine has faced setbacks on the battlefield… Trump had pledged that he will end the war once he takes office in January… Looming over the decision was the Kremlin’s decision to deploy North Korean troops into the bloody war, which presents significant dangers for Ukraine…”

Breitbart added on November 17:

“[Biden’s] move… may escalate the conflict two months before President-Elect Donald Trump comes into office with a mandate to seek a peace settlement… The apparent about-face from the Biden administration may be seen as an attempt to undermine peace efforts by incoming President Donald Trump, who has already embarked upon unofficial diplomatic efforts to fulfil his promise of negotiating an end to the war…

“The ‘Weimar Triangle’ alliance of France, Germany, and Poland are… expected to meet alongside the UK and others next week to discuss potentially increasing European funding for the war if the incoming Trump administration seeks to limit aid to Ukraine. It is unclear, however, how much popular support would be for such a move, given the budget crises currently bedevilling the left-wing governments in Berlin, London, and Paris.”

So far, Scholz has steadfastly refused to allow German long-range missiles to be used to attack targets within Russia. He said he would not allow it even if the USA did… 

Will Scholz Make Room For Pistorius?

The Guardian wrote on November 19:

“Germany’s chancellor, Olaf Scholz, is under mounting pressure to step aside as his party’s candidate for the job in February’s snap election in favour of his defence minister, Boris Pistorius, the most popular politician in the country… In a move drawing comparisons to Joe Biden’s decision to step aside for Kamala Harris as the Democratic party candidate in the US election, speculation is rife that the SPD could switch horses at roughly the same moment in the campaign, with about 100 days left.

“Scholz led a fractious three-way coalition from 2021 until it imploded this month after he fired his pro-business finance minister Christian Lindner. He has stated he is seeking a second term at the helm of the EU’s top economic power. But even his swift move… has failed to revive his political fortunes.

“A poll published on Tuesday showed Scholz slipping into last place among Germany’s top 20 politicians in terms of support, with the genial, politically deft Pistorius consistently holding on to the lead… Pistorius had repeatedly demurred when asked about ambitions to replace Scholz, citing loyalty and a commitment to the defence brief. But on Monday evening he shifted his tone, saying: ‘In politics you should never rule anything out.’… The defence minister has made his backing known for shipping long-range Taurus missiles long demanded by Ukraine, while Scholz this week again ruled out such a move over fears of escalation of the war…”

Politico added on November 20:

“Boris Pistorius, Germany’s current defense minister and a member of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), consistently ranks as the most liked politician in the country. Scholz, on the other hand, ranks as one of the least popular politicians…

“Pistorius is known for his relatively hawkish views when it comes to providing arms to Ukraine and expanding Germany’s military. For this reason, he’s not necessarily a natural fit for a party that has traditionally sought to retain ties to Moscow and has remained skeptical of wielding military power.

“Despite that, many inside the SPD are arguing that Pistorius is the only one who can save the party from a stinging defeat in Germany’s early election, expected on Feb. 23, following the collapse of Scholz’s three-party coalition earlier this month…

“SPD leaders have sought to put speculation about a possible Pistorius candidacy to rest, vowing that Scholz remains the party’s top choice. But a growing number within the party’s rank and file are coming out to voice support for Pistorius…

“The goal, he has often said, is to make the German military ‘fit for war.’ Pistorius has also spearheaded a new recruitment effort based on a volunteer model in an effort to bolster Germany’s depleted military ranks… A few years ago, many voters would have rejected Pistorius’s talk of war readiness as militaristic. But Russia’s war on Ukraine has changed minds in Germany, and polls show most Germans favor more investment in their military. Pistorius has also quickly built up his international credentials. His frequent calls for Berlin to meet or exceed NATO’s 2-percent-of-GDP spending target have won him many fans among Western allies who have long urged German leaders to invest more in their military…

“But even if Scholz remains, his party is likely to lose the election, making it unlikely he will hold onto power within the SPD after it’s over. Pistorius, however, is likely to stick around. He could play a major part in any new government… Pistorius… may well end up serving again as defense minister in the next government. This, in turn, could put him in position to become the SPD’s chancellor candidate in the following federal election. In other words: Whatever the outcome of the current machinations inside the SPD, Pistorius appears set to play a key role for the SPD for years to come.”

Pistorius… someone to watch…

Pistorius Won’t Run for Chancellor

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 21:

“Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has published a video on the SPD’s social media accounts, saying he told the party leadership he ‘was not available’ to run for chancellor and would support Olaf Scholz’s reelection bid.”

For now… Pistorius is clearly someone to watch…

So Close to WW III

The Daily Mail wrote on November 19:

“Following President Vladimir Putin’s approval of new rules governing the use of nuclear weapons, the world has rarely been closer to World War III. Putin yesterday signed into law a revised ‘doctrine’ that would permit the Kremlin to authorise a nuclear strike if Russia is attacked by any country that is supported by a nuclear power after Ukraine fired an American-supplied, long-range missile into Russia for the first time.

“Since his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the despot has consistently threatened to deploy Moscow’s fearsome arsenal but his latest move brings the spectre of a nuclear holocaust ever closer.”

Ukraine Attacks Targets Inside Russia

Breitbart wrote on November 20:

“Ukrainian forces have attacked targets inside Russia with British-made Storm Shadow missiles for the first time… Ukrainians have deployed Storm Shadow missiles, which have a range of around 250 km (155 miles), in an attack on the Kursk region of Russia, where Kyiv launched a surprise incursion over the summer…

“The use of long-range British missiles against targets inside Russia comes after lame duck U.S. President Joe Biden reportedly approved the use of 190 mile range (300 km) American Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles for similar strikes over the weekend after months of refusals over concern of escalating the conflict…

‘Russian strongman Vladimir Putin, who controls the world’s largest nuclear weapons arsenal, updated Moscow’s nuclear doctrine  this week to include ‘any attack’ sponsored by a nuclear power that threaten Russia’s ‘sovereignty’ or a ‘large-scale launch of enemy aircraft, missiles, and drones targeting Russian territory’ as justification for a nuclear response from the Kremlin. Ukraine’s reported use of U.S. made ATACMS and Storm Shadows from nuclear armed Britain may therefore qualify under the updated doctrine.

“The United States may have also been involved in the reported Storm Shadow strikes on Wednesday as well, with the Times of London reporting that it is believed that Washington provides navigation assistance for such missile strikes…”

The USA is truly playing with (nuclear) fire.

“Biden’s Missile Crisis”

On November 20, the Ron Paul Institute published the following article by Dennis J. Kucinich, a U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1997 to 2013. He was also a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States in 2004 and 2008:

“When President Biden approved the use of supersonic Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to strike Russia, he placed in jeopardy the national security of the United States, the safety of our troops abroad and violated the U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 8, which provides that only Congress can declare war. Biden has made a decision to insert the U.S. into an unambiguous, escalatory phase, using the territory of Ukraine to attack Russia directly with missiles which can reach 190 miles deep.  This is an illegal act by the President which puts our nation on a path to war with Russia.  

“The American people voted for Trump to end the wars. Biden apparently wants to end the world. Trump is listening to the American people. Biden is listening to NATO’s malignant agenda…

“No President has the right to use unilateral executive authority to permit a U.S. missile strike against another nation. It invites a retaliatory attack.  It is an impeachable offense… The specter of WWIII has  loomed before,  in October of 1962, when the Soviet Union used the territory of Cuba to place offensive missiles just 90 miles away from the American mainland. Absent the wisdom of President Kennedy and the forbearance of Nikita Krushchev, the world was on a path to nuclear annihilation. 

“If Krushchev had ‘permitted’ Russian missiles to be launched at the U.S.  from Cuba, you would not be reading this.

“It is magical thinking that U.S. missiles can be used to attack Russia without consequences.  Now it is Putin who must exercise forbearance…

“Western vainglorious cynicism, together with hundreds of billions of dollars for weapons, shoved Ukraine into an unwinnable conflict… Now, as U.S. missiles rain down on Russia, a counterstrike will occur, spreading ever wider the misery which has enveloped Ukraine.  

“The Biden Administration, in the face of the Afghanistan withdrawal debacle, rejected a Ukrainian-Russian diplomatic settlement more than two years ago, and continued financing the war for domestic political reasons, giving Americans a false hope for victory over Russia…”

Russia Fires Intercontinental Missile

Reuters wrote on November 21:

“Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile from its southern Astrakhan region during a morning attack on Ukraine on Thursday, Kyiv’s air force said, the first time Russia has used such a powerful, long-range missile during the war. 

“The strike comes after Ukraine used U.S. and British missiles to strike targets inside Russia this week, something Moscow had warned for months would be seen as a major escalation. … The missiles have a range of thousands of kilometres and can be used for delivering nuclear warheads, though they can also have conventional warheads…”

No Intercontinental Missile?

Deutsche Welle reported on November 21:

“President Vladimir Putin said on Russian television that a new intermediate-range missile had been fired at Ukraine, hours after claims from Kyiv of the first known use of an even longer-range intercontinental ballistic missile… He said Russia would have the ‘right’ to strike countries whose weapons were used by Ukraine to strike Russia.”

Whatever the missile was, the escalation is continuing…

Willing to Cede Crimea?

Fox News reported on November 20:

“Zelenskyy told Fox News that his country ‘cannot legally acknowledge any occupied territory of Ukraine as Russian,’ when asked if he was willing to cede land as part of a peace deal…. ‘We cannot spend dozens of thousands of our people so that they perish for the sake of Crimea coming back… we understand that Crimea can be brought back diplomatically.’…

“Zelenskyy told Fox News his country will keep fighting without the support of the U.S., but believes his side will ultimately lose the war if the U.S. withdraws its military funding…”

Coming… the Third Temple

Life Site News wrote on November 15:

“Netanyahu has gained religious Zionist support by… supporting the rebuilding of the Third Temple…

“The rebuilding of the Third Temple, which several Trump appointees appear to support and Mike Huckabee [the designated US ambassador to Israel] definitely does, would also require the destruction of the Al Aqsa Mosque, the third most holy site in Islam. That would be certain to lead to a much larger conflict, or Armaggedon, with all of the world’s Muslims. Increasing indications of Zionist threats to the mosque were said to be one of the major reasons for the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.”

Boris Johnson: The UK Just Like the Soviet Union

The Daily Mail wrote on November 16:

“… two Essex police officers visited newspaper columnist Allison Pearson following a complaint about a social media post from a year ago, which has since been deleted. Ms Pearson says she has not been told which message generated the accusation, or who made it. Mr [Boris] Johnson said that was ‘obviously wrong, and tyrannical, and redolent of the Soviet Union at its worst’. ‘The police should clearly abandon immediately their investigation into this deleted tweet,’ he said. ‘The whole thing would be a complete joke, if it were not so serious for Allison Pearson – and for all of us living in Starmer’s Britain today.’

“Sir Keir this week backed their use, prompting Mr Johnson to attack the PM’s ‘deathless skill in plonking himself on the wrong side of the argument’. ‘If someone doesn’t like what you have said, you can be done for a non-crime hate incident, or worse, and be damned for ever. Isn’t it a nightmare? ‘It’s certainly a disaster for policing, because good officers are having to waste their time on this nonsense, so that they can’t attend burglaries; and every hour that they spend scanning the ether for ‘offensive’ tweets is an hour they can’t spend on the beat deterring the criminal gangs who swipe your mobile phone.’” 

Not just the UK… As the article above showed, it’s happening in Germany too…

Witchcraft On the Rise

CBN News wrote on October 28:

“From dabblers to hard-core practitioners, witchcraft has been on the rise in the U.S. in recent years… The occult has gained popularity in the political realm as well, once again on display during this election season.

“In the lead-up to the presidential election, witches were trying to cast spells against Donald Trump, but this time around they were reportedly frustrated that their spells weren’t working…

“The trendiness of witchcraft on social media makes some young people believe it’s just a harmless hobby. But people who used to be practitioners of witchcraft warn it is real, and it eventually destroys the person practicing it.  CBN News has spoken with an ex-witch named Jenny Weaver… ‘I had such a fear that gripped my life. It crippled me. The next thing that I knew, I was seeing things, hearing things, and I was being tortured by demonic spirits that had come in through the use of witchcraft. It was a very scary time. I didn’t even want to close my eyes to wash my face. I was that terrified. If you think that it is innocent I am telling you it will take you down a road you do not want to go down…’”

It is dangerous and foolish to get involved in witchcraft. Please read again our Q&A from last week, https://www.eternalgod.org/how-can-satan-and-his-demons-appear-to-you/

More Foolishness of the Evolution Theory

Daily Mail wrote on November 14:

“Octopuses are the species that are most likely to take over the world after humans, scientists say… [being] primed to become the dominant force on Earth should humanity die out.  In the event of a wipeout through either wars or climate change, the marine invertebrates are said to possess the ‘physical and mental attributes necessary’ to evolve into the next civilisation-building species… they could create complex tools to build a vast Atlantis-like civilisation underwater. And although the octopus is ‘unlikely’ to develop into a full land animal, it was clever enough to ‘extend’ its time out the water to develop new methods of hunting…

“Professor Coulson, who is one of the world’s leading zoologists and biologists and has advised governments, said the cephalopods were now in ‘pole position’ to colonise the world in the event humanity dies out… The professor said the predators – which can breathe for 30 minutes out of water – could, over millions of years, develop their own methods of hunting on land in much the same way as humans have done at sea.

“This could include SCUBA-like breathing gear to extend the time they can remain out of the water, he said… the creatures… could conceivably build underwater cities and towns akin to those we recognise on land. Thanks to evolution, it is ‘possible, if not probable’ that they could develop their own methods of breathing out of water and hunt prey like deer, sheep and other mammals on land…” 

Have you ever read such nonsense? Words fail… 

Extraordinary Finds of Remains of Extinct Animals

The Sun wrote on November 16:

“SCIENTISTS have uncovered a perfectly preserved sabre-toothed tiger cub frozen deep in Siberian ice. The extinct beast was found complete with its fur and sharp claws intact as the remarkable discovery is believed to be over 35,000 years old… The pristine remains of the three-week-old kitten were first found in 2020 in the Russian Republic of Sakha, along the Badyarikha River…

“Frozen remains of mammals from around this time are said to be ‘very rare,’ the researchers claim… It comes as the world’s tiniest dinosaur egg from a whopping 80 million years ago has also been discovered ‘perfectly preserved.’… Another ancient discovery saw miners stumble upon a preserved woolly rhino… The magnificent 10,000-year-old beast was found by gobsmacked workers while digging for gold…

“There are hopes of bringing such extinct animals —  including woolly mammoths – back to life by using DNA found on such carcasses preserved in the  ice….”

The given dates are surely debatable, but the excavations could lead to scientists’ foolish interest in trying to “recreate” or bring “back to life” dangerous and vicious animals.

Why the Fall of the Ancient Roman Empire?

The Daily Mail wrote on November 16:

“Scientists have uncovered an unlikely event that led to the eastern Roman Empire’s collapse 1,500 years ago. They discovered that the Romans miscalculated their Persian opponents which caused their downward spiral, leaving them weak and allowing Islam to rise in a manner that essentially wiped out the once-powerful civilization. The two groups were at war from 54 BC to 628 for control of territories, but the Persians took over Roman trade routes that were critical to their victory.

“Without access to trade, the economy quickly collapsed and forced people in the Roman Empire to flee to other regions like Constantinople, the researchers said… The researchers said during the 2nd century AD, the number of Roman shipwrecks stayed consistent with between 200 and 300 occurring every 50 years. ‘Then, at the very end of the 5th century, there is a sharp decline of almost fifty percent in shipwreck numbers,’ the team shared. ‘The reason for such a severe reduction was most probably due to the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the late 5th century. ‘The fall of the west also symbolized the decline of the city of Rome and other western trade cities and their hinterlands, and their subsequent reduction in population.’

“The data also showed the number of vessels dropped to just 67 by the second half of the 7th century, signifying that their trade routes were cut off. ‘This decline was most probably an outcome of the Persian war, and the Islamic conquest shortly after, which deprived Constantinople of most of the territories that were previously under the rule of the Eastern Roman Empire,’ said the researchers…”

It was prophesied that the Roman Empire would fall but be revived ten times throughout history. 

Noah’s Ark… Located?

Israel 365 News wrote on November 17:

“In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have deciphered what is believed to be the world’s oldest map—a 3,000-year-old Babylonian clay tablet that may reveal the location of Noah’s Ark. The artifact, known as the Imago Mundi, has been housed in the British Museum since 1882 after its discovery in what is now Iraq… According to the Bible… the flood lasted 150 days, after which the ark came to rest on the ‘mountains of Ararat.’

“Dr. Irving Finkel, Assistant Keeper of Ancient Mesopotamian script at the British Museum, led the team that unlocked the tablet’s secrets. The Imago Mundi depicts a circular world map showing ancient Mesopotamia at its center, surrounded by a ‘bitter river’ that the Babylonians believed encircled the world. The tablet’s most intriguing features are found on its reverse side, which contains detailed travel instructions leading to a location called ‘Urartu’—the Assyrian equivalent of the Biblical ‘Ararat.’ Dr. Finkel explains: ‘The first place you come to is called “Urartu”, it’s drawn on the map. Now, the interesting thing about that is that in the Bible Noah, in his Ark, landed on a mountain where the name is “Ararat” and “Ararat” is the Hebrew equivalent of the Assyrian “Urartu.’”…

“The Biblical flood story closely parallels an earlier Babylonian version, where a man named Utnapishtim… builds the ark at divine command. In the Babylonian account, the god Ea sends the flood, and Utnapishtim’s family and the animals survive by landing at one of Urartu’s peaks… As Dr. Finkel concludes, ‘From the Babylonian point of view, this was a matter of fact thing’…”

Many findings point at the strong possibility that Noah’s Ark is still up there on the mountain of Ararat in Turkey. 

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.

Many are under the misimpression that no matter what we do, God will always love us. Not too long ago, we published four Q&As on the concept of “unconditional love.” We follow up on them in this Q&A and add some clarifying comments, lest someone misunderstands.

In part 1 of our series (https://www.eternalgod.org/does-god-love-everyone-does-the-bible-teach-unconditional-love-part-1/), we stated the following, citing and then discussing Paul’s words in Romans 9:9-13:

‘”For this is the word of promise: “At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a son.” And not only this, but when Rebecca also had conceived by one man, even by our father Isaac (for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls), it was said to her, “The older shall serve the younger.” As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”’…

“In Romans 9:13, God explains that He CALLED Jacob, and that He did NOT CALL Esau at that time. We need to understand that God had decided to call or choose for salvation certain ones ‘before the foundation of the world’ (Ephesians 1:3-4). We don’t know exactly, and God does not reveal, on what basis He chooses and elects those whom He had preordained, but we know that He does make such an election, as the Bible tells us so. In calling Jacob, God loved him in a special way, by opening his understanding to His truth, and by ultimately granting him His Holy Spirit [during his life, as he will be in the first resurrection, compare Hebrews 11:9]. God did not call Esau AT THAT TIME. He WILL call Esau and all of his descendants later…

“By comparison, God ‘loved’ Jacob more than Esau. God’s ‘love’ needs to be understood in light of God’s calling at that time. In not calling someone to repentance and to the understanding of His truth, God ‘loves’ such a person ‘less’ by comparison — at that moment in time — but not forever. God knows that such a person, still cut off from Him, will engage in sinful ways, bringing about automatic penalties…

“… We might also note that the Bible itself sometimes describes ‘hate’ as ‘love less by comparison.’ In Luke 14:26 we read that Christ tells us, ‘If anyone comes to Me and does not HATE his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.’ In the parallel passage, in Matthew 10:37, the word ‘hate’ is described as ‘love less by comparison.’ We read, ‘He who loves his father or mother MORE than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter MORE than Me is not worthy of Me.’ In other words, we must love them LESS, by comparison, than Jesus Christ…”

We also explained that the word “hate,” in the context, can quite literally mean hating the evil in others and in ourselves.

Even though in Paul’s statement in Romans 9, the reference is clearly to the timing of God’s calling, in God’s original statement in the Old Testament, God’s condemnation of Esau is more encompassing and does not limit it to the time of God’s calling to salvation. Therefore, the meaning of this phrase can have a dual meaning. We read in Malachi 1:2-3:

“‘I have loved you,’ says the LORD. ‘Yet you say, “In what way have You loved us?” Was not Esau Jacob’s brother?’ Says the LORD. ‘Yet Jacob I have loved; But Esau I have hated, And laid waste his mountains and his heritage For the jackals of the wilderness.’”

Somehow, God’s “love” for Jacob and His “hatred” for Esau were associated with the character of these two individuals and their offspring. God, who knows our hearts, saw in Esau really bad character traits. He is referred in Hebrew 12:16 as a “profane” or “godless” person.

We continue quoting from the above-cited Q&A:

“Sometimes, Scriptures may suggest that God does not only hate the sin, but also the sinner. For instance, we read in Psalm 5:4-6: ‘For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You. The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.’

“Psalm 11:5-6 states: ‘… the wicked and the one who loves violence His [the LORD’s] soul hates. Upon the wicked He will rain coals; Fire and brimstone and a burning wind Shall be the portion of their cup.’

“Furthermore, Psalm 7:11 states: ‘God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day.’…

“God is angry with and hates the wicked behavior of the sinner… When biblical passages say that God hates the workers of iniquity and the wicked persons, then the sin or wickedness is ‘personified.’ Such usage of words is not uncommon in the Bible (compare Romans 7:8, 11, 17). But… God loves the sinner (but not his sinful way, nor does He love what he is doing) and because of His love for him, He is willing to give him the opportunity to repent and submit to and love Him.”

Before elaborating on these statements, let us first note how God’s great love is described, and in what context.

1 John 4:9-10, 16 says:

“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”

Notice, God’s love is described here in relationship to those whom He has called in this day and age. The same is true for the next two passages:

In Galatians 2:20, Paul states: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in [better: of] the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” And also in Ephesians 2:2-4: “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).”

Apart from God’s love for those whom He calls to salvation, He expressed His love, for example, for His people Israel whom He called to have a special physical relationship with Him, without offering them the Holy Spirit and salvation at that time.

In Jeremiah 31:3-4, we read about the nation of Israel:

“The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: ‘Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you. Again I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel!…’”

His love for Israel is described as everlasting as He knew that Israel would be brought to repentance even in a physical sense, and so God, out of love for them, would restore them as a nation following God.

In Deuteronomy 7:7-8, we read:

“The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”

But notice God’s warning, following in verses 9 and 10:

“Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments; and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face.”

A still stronger statement can be found in Isaiah 63:9-10:

“In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the Angel of His Presence saved them; In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; And He bore them and carried them All the days of old. But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; So He turned Himself against them as an enemy, And He fought against them.”

Based on these passages and the fact that God hates evil conduct, it would be incorrect to state that God loves everybody, regardless as to how they live. God is love; this means, there would be no love except for God. But love does not exclude hatred. We quoted above Psalms 5, 7 and 11, stating that although it says that God hates the wicked, He actually hates their wicked conduct. This is true, as far as it goes. But what if the wicked does not repent of his wicked conduct? Is it still correct to say that God loves the unrepentant sinner who refuses to repent? Since God is love, does this mean that He loves Satan and his demons? Can God’s love cease to be expressed towards others in certain circumstances?

Focusing again on Psalm 5:5, let us read the passage in context:

In Psalm 5:4-6, it is stated:

“For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You. The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.”

Even though it is the sin, expressed by man, which God hates, He does not love the sinner to the extent that He lets him go unpunished. The sinner is responsible for his conduct, and so God will destroy him, unless he repents. God will DESTROY those who speak falsehoods. In the final analysis, unless they repent, they will be cast into the lake of fire to be burned up.

We say this in our Q&A  https://www.eternalgod.org/does-god-love-everyone-does-the-bible-teach-unconditional-love-part-3/ :

“After Christ gave His life, He wanted that those whom He would call—now or later—to believe in Him. Their faith was supposed to be obedient faith (Romans 1:5). And in loving God, by keeping His commandments, they would keep themselves in the love of God (Jude 21). They would not continue to live a disobedient lifestyle, as expressed by John in 1 John 3:17: ‘But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?’

“And so, we read the following alarming pronouncement by Christ in Matthew 24:48-51: ‘But if that evil servant says in his heart, “My master is delaying his coming,” and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

“This evil servant is one who has committed the unpardonable sin, and whose fate it is to be thrown into the lake of fire where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth (compare Matthew 13:41-42, 49-50). But before he ends up in the lake of fire, he will be ‘cut in two.’ This ‘correction’ is not for the purpose of leading him towards salvation; rather, it is punishment for his evil deeds with which he influenced and tortured others, without a willingness to repent. His punishment reflects God’s love for others, as well as His righteousness, which demands that the sinner has to pay. It is clearly NOT a reflection of God’s ‘unconditional’ love for the incorrigible sinner.

“These people had lost God’s love which had been poured in their hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). They had chosen the way of hate and unrighteousness. Christ who gave His life for them when they were still sinners will not have ‘unconditional’ love for them when they are to be punished for their wickedness [by suffering] the second death (Revelation 20:14).”

What we should take from the above-quoted comments is that we may lose God’s love; or better put, that God may stop loving us, depending on our conduct. And this does not only speak about those who have committed the unpardonable sin. Even people, who may not have received God’s Holy Spirit, but who might have a relationship with God in other ways, can come to the point, depending on their evil conduct, that God ceases to love them, at least until they come to repentance.

We read in Ecclesiastes 3:1, 8: “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven… A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.”

This would apply to God, too, depending on the circumstances. 

Notice the following passage in Hosea 9:1, 9, 12, 15-17:

“Do not rejoice, O Israel, with joy like other peoples, For you have played the harlot against your God. You have made love for hire on every threshing floor… They are deeply corrupted, As in the days of Gibeah. He will remember their iniquity; He will punish their sins… Though they bring up their children, Yet I will bereave them to the last man. Yes, woe to them when I depart from them!… All their wickedness is in Gilgal, For there I hated them. Because of the evil of their deeds I will drive them from My house; I will love them no more. All their princes are rebellious. Ephraim is stricken, Their root is dried up; They shall bear no fruit. Yes, were they to bear children, I would kill the darlings of their womb… My God will cast them away, Because they did not obey Him; And they shall be wanderers among the nations.”

Because God’s love ceased for them (“I hated them”… “I will love them no more”), they will be punished and destroyed. That should be a warning for all of us not to test God and rebel against Him, thinking that God who “loves everybody” could in no way cease to love us. This is decisively not true.

The Berean Study Bible comments:

“The expression (“I hated them”) is a strong description of God’s response to Israel’s sin. [It] conveys intense aversion and rejection. [It is] a divine response to persistent unfaithfulness and idolatry. It reflects God’s holiness and justice, as well as the seriousness of Israel’s covenant violations… The phrase ‘I will no longer love them’ is a poignant declaration of the withdrawal of God’s… love. The Hebrew word for ‘love’ encompasses loyalty, affection, and commitment. This statement does not imply a change in God’s character but rather a response to Israel’s persistent unfaithfulness.”

Barnes Notes on the Bible adds:

“For there I hated them – ‘There, in the very place where heretofore I shewed such great tokens of love to, and by My gracious presence with, them, “even there I have hated them” and now hate them.’ ‘He saith not, there was I angry, or displeased with them, but in a word betokening the greatest indignation, ‘I hated them.’ Great must needs be that wickedness which provoked the Father of mercies to so great displeasure as to say, that He ‘hated them;’ and severe must needs be those judgments which are as effects of hatred and utter [aversion] of them, in Him.”

The Jamieson-Fausset and Brown commentary adds: “‘there I hated them’—not with the human passion, but holy hatred of their sin…”

The Pulpit commentary writes:

“‘For the wickedness of their doings I will drive them out of my house, I will love them no more.’ They were driven out like Hagar out of the house of the patriarch, that Ishmael might not inherit with Isaac; like an unfaithful wife divorced and driven out of the house of the husband whom she has dishonored; or like an undutiful and disobedient son whom his father has disinherited. Further, God disowns the rebellious son, and acknowledges the paternal relationship no longer.”

Yes, God chastens us because He loves us, wanting us to repent (Revelation 3:19). But when repentance is ignored and rejected, and harsh punishment may still not lead to repentance, then God’s love for us may cease, as His chastisement may not do us any good. Notice Isaiah 1:4-5:

“Alas, sinful nation, A people laden with iniquity, A brood of evildoers, Children who are corrupters! They have forsaken the LORD, They have provoked to anger The Holy One of Israel, They have turned away backward. Why should you be stricken again? You will revolt more and more. The whole head is sick, And the whole heart faints.”

Let us make sure that we remain in God’s love so that we will never hear God say to us: “I will love you no more.”

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

A memorial service for Margaret Adair will be held on Sunday, December 15. The exact time and location will be announced soon. If you are interested in attending, please contact Johanna.Link@cox.net. 

“So Close to World War III,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

Nuclear World War III is coming, but not in the way most suspect. Still, the terrible recent developments involving the war between Russia and Ukraine – and the conduct of Western nations, including the USA and Britain – have brought the “spectre of a nuclear holocaust ever closer” (Daily Mail, November 19). And what can we say about “Biden’s Missile Crisis?,” as Democratic author Dennis J. Kucinich described it?

“Dem Dritten Weltkrieg sehr nahe!” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same topics as described above.

A new member letter has been written by Michael Link and will be posted and sent out soon. The letter includes reports on the Feast sites in 2024 in the USA and Germany and encourages all of us to grow in faith and to rely on God in everything.

“Die letzten Worte Jesu am Kreuz,” last Sabbath’s German sermonette by Tahir Coban, is now posted. Title in English: “The Last Words of Jesus on the Cross.” 

“A Mind to Work,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is the summary:

Even when facing opposition, we can be confident that God’s work is worth doing. In the story of Nehemiah, the Jews rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem facing ridicule and adversity. Through their perseverance, dedication, and unwavering focus, they succeeded. What can we learn from their example that can help us succeed in our endeavors?

“Why Are There Preachers?” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is the summary:

Are preachers chosen by God, or can just anyone—man, woman or child—decide on their own to preach? Do preachers have a specific message to proclaim, and does God give extra power to His preachers? Also, will those who preach be held accountable for what they teach? Do Christians really need preachers?

On November 16, 2024, Eric Rank will present the sermonette, titled, “A Mind to Work,” and Dave Harris will present the sermon, titled, “Why Are There Preachers?”

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.

We are now a few weeks past the Feast of Tabernacles. We have settled back into our routines, and we are once again dealing with the things that make up our individual lives. 

Usually, after a Feast, I personally feel a very strong desire to once again be a Christian. The fire is burning within me and the excitement for what we believe is strongly in my mind and it is revived with me. Then, as the weeks start to blend together, the daily life becomes mundane. It is a challenge to maintain the amount of zeal and excitement that was felt at the Feast of Tabernacles. 

I don’t think that I am alone in feeling this way!

How do we maintain the feelings that we had at the Feast? 

We are told many times that while it is a proclivity for people to feel this way – to get sad, frustrated, angry or mad – we must realize that we don’t have to feel this way. In fact, we are told we are to be just the opposite. 

We are reminded that we are to be zealous, on fire, stirring up the Spirit of God within us and enduring (Romans 12:11; Hebrews 10:36; 1 Corinthians 14:12; 2 Timothy 1:6-7). This doesn’t leave a lot of room for becoming lazy or disinterested.

I have been thinking deeply about how to sustain that same level of enthusiasm that I felt at the Feast. One of the things that has been coming to mind over and over is a deep need to spend time in Bible study. We often emphasize that it is important to study, but I truly wonder how much time we each spend reading and studying the Bible on a regular basis. 

We find in Hebrews 4:12 (in the New International Version) a very decisive reason as to WHY we should be studying: “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” 

We can understand our thoughts, our emotions, our zeal, our fire and passion for the Truth when we are studying the Word of God. Without this studying, our religion may become empty. 

Turning to 2 Timothy 2:15 and quoting from the Authorized Version, we find another example: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Again, this shows us that in studying the Word of God — ingraining it into our thoughts — it will become a part of who we are. It will sustain and help us to maintain the type of attitudes and mindsets that we need in dealing with the situations that come up in our lives.

When we fail to or refuse to spend time studying the Word of God — because we are too lazy, or too busy, or too tired, or not feeling like it – we may, to an extent, deny the power of God and show our human pride.

The antithesis of this is found in the letter of James.

Again, using the Authorized Version, James 1:21 states: “Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.”

Let us notice that it is with meekness – that attribute that we need to make it into the Kingdom of God (Matthew 5:5) – that we need to be spending time studying. WHY? To enable us to use the Word in our lives. In Romans, chapter 11, the Apostle Paul shows how and why we are grafted into the Family of God. But he also reminds us, as Christ also did (John 15:2) that just because we are grafted into the God Family doesn’t mean that we cannot lose out on bearing fruits. We should understand that reading the Bible and studying it is an integral part of our Christianity; it is not merely a nice idea or a “maybe I’ll get to that later.” NO! It is a need. It is one of the lifelines to God. 

When we study, we are showing God that we care about His words. And as we read previously – these words are “ALIVE and ACTIVE”.  In Isaiah 55:11, in the New International Version, we read that God continues to lead us through His omnipotent Word: “… so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

That is the God we worship. That is the God with whom we are to have a relationship! This is the remembrance we need to bring forth into our lives so that we not only make time to study, but that we come to desire that study time — to desire to be in the presence of God and to really understand His power and what it can accomplish in our lives. 

We each have an opportunity and a responsibility in our calling. The way in which we live our study life will have a direct impact on our individual lives, the lives of our families, and the lives of our fellow Christians as we each seek to understand how to grow. To accomplish this, we must be studying and then applying the Word of God diligently. 

If you may not know what to study, our Q&As in our weekly Updates would be of great help.

Ephesians 3:14-21 nicely wraps this all together and summarizes it for us in this way: “For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

by Norbert Link

We begin with scandalous antisemitic events in The Netherlands and across Europe. Please view in this regard our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Why Riots Against Jews in Amsterdam?”

We continue with Iran’s plan to assassinate Trump, as well as other developments pertaining to the newly elected President.

Please view in this regard our recent StandingWatch program, titled, “Trump Won… Now What’s Next?” 

We address the situation in Germany and we publish articles asking the question whether voting is irrelevant and meaningless, and whether anything of substance will change in America.

We speak on abominable plans, during the Corona paranoia, to create worldwide quarantine or concentration camps; point out that the UK and the EU are not ready for war; and address the ridiculous situation in Germany in regard to their utterly incompetent government.

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

86 Years After Reichskristallnacht

Israel 365 News wrote on November 8:

“Ten Israelis were hospitalized and three are missing after violence broke out after a soccer match between AFC Ajax and  Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday. Israel fans reported being attacked by Arabic-speaking gangs after the game. Some reported being ambushed outside the stadium and at their hotels by violent mobs. Israelis reported being harassed and hunted by the rioters for hours with little effective intervention by local police. Footage on social media showed attackers chasing Israelis, beating them and at times kicking them while on the ground. Eye witnesses said the attacks included car-ramming, stabbing and beatings in several locations around the city including attempts to break into hotels where Israeli fans were staying.

“Local Muslims and Arabs reportedly carried out the attacks. Many of the attackers were masked and some carried Palestinian flags. An estimated 140,000 Muslims reside in the capital where they form around 17 percent of the population. Half of these Muslims are predominantly Arabic and Berber-speaking communities from the Maghreb region, Egypt and the Middle East. Turks make up 25 percent of the Muslim population in Amsterdam…

“The Israeli government said it held Dutch authorities responsible for the safety of its citizens. The Israeli government sent two IDF cargo planes to conduct a rescue mission in coordination with the Dutch government….

“Dutch leader Geert Wilders, whose party is a member of the Netherlands’ government, strongly denounced the attacks, also describing them as a ‘pogrom.’

“Deborah Lipstadt, the US envoy to counter antisemitism, issued a statement denouncing the attacks… ‘In terrible historical irony, this is happening two days before the grim anniversary of Reichspogromnacht in 1938, when Nazi-sanctioned and led pogroms against Jews erupted across the German Reich.’… The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) has called the vicious attacks against Israeli football fans in the streets of Amsterdam last night a new Kristallnacht…”

Wilders was quoted as saying: “Looks like a Jew hunt in the streets of Amsterdam. Arrest and deport the multicultural scum that attacked Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters in our streets. Ashamed that this can happen in The Netherlands. Totally unacceptable. We have become the Gaza of Europe. Muslims with Palestinian flags hunting down Jews. I will NOT accept that. NEVER. The authorities will be held accountable for their failure to protect the Israeli citizens. Never again.”

The city of Amsterdam is home to the Anne Frank House, where Anne Frank and her family hid before being rooted out and murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust.

Jews Provoked Muslims?

NBC News wrote on November 12:

“Early Thursday, [a video] showed a crowd cheering as a man standing on a building’s awning ripped down a Palestinian flag… Video shared on social media… showed Maccabi fans chanting anti-Arab slogans in front of the square’s National Monument…. Within an hour of the match’s ending, security was falling apart.”

That is when the riots against the Jews began.

Riot Planned Well in Advance

The Jerusalem Post wrote on November 10:

“Violent attacks against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans following a soccer match in Amsterdam… were likely to have been a result of a pre-planned attack against Jews organized in a Telegram group, Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported on Friday. An alleged ‘Jew hunt’ was announced well in advance… prompting rioters to travel from far outside Amsterdam to attack [soccer] fans and Jewish people, De Telegraaf reported. Already on Wednesday nights, Amsterdam’s city center had been the site of similar incidents, the Dutch paper noted… Several taxi drivers were also reported to be involved in the attack on Israelis, as they arrived in central Amsterdam to target groups of Israelis, De Telegraaf stated.”

Anti-Israel Propaganda

The Telegraph added on November 8:

“I think the violence in Amsterdam is grim confirmation that a continent on which it becomes fashionable to view the Jewish nation as the most evil nation is a continent on which it will become acceptable to attack Jews… It has crossed the line, time and again, from criticism of Israel into frothing bigotry against Israelis. From peacenik opposition to Israel’s war on Hamas to an ugly, wild-eyed view of Israel as a uniquely barbarous nation, more wicked and deceitful than all the others. Serious commentators have described Israel as a nation in the grip of ‘genocidal mania’.

“Posters of the Israelis kidnapped on 7 October have been clawed down in virtually every city, because apparently even the innocent citizens of Israel are suspect, ‘problematic’, undeserving of our sympathy. Israeli culture and wares are feverishly boycotted by the pseudo-virtuous of our chattering classes. They meticulously forcefield their entire lives from the output of this most unholy nation like medieval mystics praying to keep the devil at bay. The impression given by this army of ‘pro-Palestine’ influencers is that Israel is a fallen nation. And its people are under the spell of ‘savagery.’ And everything it produces is morally compromised, if not morally poisonous, and thus you must boycott, avoid, destroy.

“That some in Europe have taken this polite-society bigotry one step further and physically attacked the citizens of this supposedly diseased nation is shocking, but not surprising. Israel-hate is a la mode in intellectual circles across Europe. That mob in Amsterdam was its armed wing.”

Are we going to see a repeat of the terrible atrocities against Jews and other minorities perpetrated by the Nazis in WW2?  Only that this is now not only a German phenomenon, but a European-wide development?

Radical Anti-Semitism in Amsterdam

Focus wrote on November 8:

“Last night, the Dutch capital Amsterdam became the scene of a frightening attack that should wake up not only Jews but all of Europe…

“The perpetrators filmed their acts of violence and proudly shared the videos on social media – a propaganda tactic also used by terrorist groups such as Hamas to spread fear and reinforce their message of hatred against Jews. This targeted intimidation through violence shows how extremist ideologies are taking root in Europe’s societies and spreading their message across borders. It is an infiltration of our communities that not only threatens Jewish life, but undermines the foundations of our European society… The tolerance of intolerance that has increasingly taken hold in parts of Europe is now coming at a price. Islamist networks and extremist ideologies have managed to establish themselves in our cities and they use every opportunity to spread their anti-democratic and anti-Semitic messages…”

“Europe’s New Shame: Jews Are Only Safe in Hungary”

Report 24 wrote on November 9:

“The fact that Viktor Orbán’s Hungary … has become a safe haven for Jewish athletes and fans is a slap in the face for all those self-proclaimed moralizers who have preached for years with a raised finger in the direction of Budapest. The irony couldn’t be more biting…

“The Dutch capitulation is particularly telling… In Brussels, where people usually never miss an opportunity to teach other countries lessons on human rights, there is suddenly a stunned silence.

“Jews in Europe have to hide again… 70 percent of Belgian Jews are hiding their identity. The situation is similar in many other European countries. Imagine if these statistics affected a different minority – the media outcry would be deafening. But here? Shrugging shoulders, at best…

“The events in Amsterdam mark a new low point. A city that prides itself on its liberal tradition becomes the scene of a hunt for Jews. The perpetrators? Mostly those who have benefited from a decades-long policy of limitless tolerance. The victims? Of all people, they are members of the minority that Europe took up the cause of protecting after the Holocaust.

“Anyone who still talks about ‘individual cases’… is complicit… These are the same circles that shout ‘Never again!’ at every opportunity, and that have made the mass import of anti-Semitism possible through their policy of open borders. They are partly to blame for the current situation, even if they would never admit it.”

Anti-Semitism has never died out in Europe, and it will only become more atrocious in the years ahead.

Second Riot in Amsterdam

The Times of Israel wrote on November 11:

“Police in Amsterdam have arrested several suspects after dozens of rioters clashed with officers and set a tram car on fire. Footage from the scene caught at least one of the participants shouting, ‘Cancer Jews,’ indicating that the violence was an extension of attacks perpetrated by Muslim and Arab rioters against Israeli soccer fans over the weekend… Footage on local TV station AT5 showed many people on the square throwing fireworks, poles and wooden pallets.

“Police urged people to stay away from the square and said riot squads would remain present to restore peace. Police… noted the tense atmosphere since five people were treated in the hospital and dozens detained Thursday following a Maccabi Tel Aviv-Ajax match. Youths on scooters and on foot went in search of Israeli fans, punching and kicking them and then fleeing to evade police, according to Amsterdam’s mayor.”

Fear Is Spreading in Europe

ntv wrote on November 13:

“A week after the attacks on Israeli fans in Amsterdam, security circles are talking before the France-Israel game about the most sensitive match of the year. The authorities are on increased alert. Israel’s National Security Council is issuing a travel warning… Around [6,000] police officers are supposed to ensure the smooth running of the game in Paris on Thursday (8:45 p.m.)…”

As was to be expected, anti-Jewish atrocities were committed in France as well.

Iran Planned to Assassinate Trump

The New York Post wrote on November 8:

“The Iranian government instructed one of its agents to stalk and assassinate former President Donald Trump this past September, according to a bombshell indictment unsealed by Manhattan federal prosecutors Friday. According to the indictment, which charges Iranian Farhad Shakeri and two New Yorkers with murder for hire and conspiracy, an unnamed official in Iran’s notorious Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) instructed Shakeri to ‘focus on surveilling, and, ultimately, assassinating, former President of the United States, Donald J. Trump’ in the final weeks of the 2024 campaign.

“Prosecutors say that when Shakeri noted that the plot would ‘cost a ‘huge’ amount of money,’ the IRGC official said that ‘we have already spent a lot of money … [s]o the money’s not an issue.’ In a phone conversation with an undercover FBI agent, Shakeri said he was instructed by the IRGC on Oct. 7 this year to have a plan in place to kill Trump ‘within seven days.’ Shakeri also inadvertently told the FBI that he had been instructed by Iran to plot a mass shooting targeting Israeli tourists in Sri Lanka — which prompted the US and Israeli governments to issue a travel warning for the island nation on Oct. 23… Shakeri is believed to be in Iran and out of the reach of American justice.”

The two New Yorkers have been retained. Iran has denied the report.

Despicable Conduct by FEMA

The Daily Mail wrote on November 8:

“An official with the Federal Emergency Management Agency ordered relief workers helping those devastated by Hurricane Milton in Florida to bypass homes with Trump signs… employees… skipped over at least 20 houses with signage indicating their support for the President elect due to the guidance passed down by Washington…

“Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has since said he has ordered an investigation into the messages made…  ‘At my direction, the Division of Emergency Management is launching an investigation into the federal government’s targeted discrimination of Floridians who support Donald Trump…’

“In October footage resurfaced from a virtual meeting in March of 2023 in which FEMA Emergency Management Specialist Tyler Atkins said the agency was prioritizing LGBTQ people because they are ‘already disadvantaged’… In the past two years, FEMA has reportedly handed out over $1 billion of taxpayer dollars to fund the housing of illegal immigrants. This figure sparked outrage in the wake of Hurricane Helene, with residents in flood-hit North Carolina claiming the response from FEMA has left them disappointed and relying on volunteers. While victims say they have been left scrambling for survival, some critics resurfaced Atkins’ March 2023 remarks as they slammed FEMA’s priorities…”

All of this is SO wrong and SO corrupt! In the meantime, the official was fired.

Boris for Trump

On November 8, Boris Johnson wrote in the Daily Mail:

“… This overwhelming result is, first, a victory for the democratic system. This is no fascist, or dictator in the making. This is a 78-year-old man who had the sheer guts and resilience to get out there, day in, day out, and plug for the votes of the people until he was sometimes exhausted. His Left-wing establishment opponents threw everything at him, including umpteen mainly spurious legal cases, in a shameful and counter-productive attempt to keep him off the ballot. He survived two assassination attempts, one of them very serious.

“He competed for every vote in the country, in what was believed – right up until the votes started to come in from Pennsylvania – to be a total toss-up of an election. He won those 72million votes by prodigious energy and effort, and he won them fair and square. And what has happened since?… the US stock market is surging – of course it is. Investors can see that by deregulation, by cutting waste and taxes, Trump is offering economic hope… Trump has the energy and the decisiveness to find solutions. Take climate change… we can listen to Elon Musk, who is now a key part of the Trump administration, and whose electric vehicles have done more to cut transport emissions that a million speeches by Greta Thunberg.

“… Things have got more dangerous since Trump was last in the White House. We have destabilising wars in Europe and the Middle East, in which far too many are losing their lives. The response of the West has been feeble. Israel faces an existential threat both from Hamas and from Hezbollah, and yet the UK Government – bizarrely – has torn up our historic alliance and support, and placed an arms embargo on Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East. The Biden administration has been a bit better, but hardly full-throated in its support for Israel.

“Remember that Trump secured the Abraham Accords, which offered the immense prize of reconciliation between Israel and its Arab neighbours…

“Things were more stable, and more peaceful, under Trump – because he was willing to be strong… I say, don’t listen to what he says, or the parodies of what he says. Look at what he does. That is why I am confident that, ultimately, he cannot and will not betray the long-suffering and blameless people of Ukraine. The truth is that for the last two years we in the West have been pursuing a policy that is both inadequate and cruel. We have been doing enough to stop Ukraine from losing the war, and from being overwhelmed by Putin. But… we refuse to do what it takes to help the Ukrainians actually win and bring this thing to a close…”

The description of the policy of the West pertaining to Ukraine has been shared by many other observers as well.

Netanyahu for Trump

Israel Today wrote on November 6:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday morning congratulated Donald Trump after Fox News declared the Republican the victor in the 2024 US presidential election. ‘Dear Donald and Melania Trump, Congratulations on history’s greatest comeback!’ the premier tweeted.

“‘Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America. This is a huge victory! In true friendship, yours, Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu,’ he continued. The post was accompanied by a recent picture of Netanyahu and his wife with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate and resort in Palm Beach, Florida.”

Since then, Trump and Netanyahu have communicated several times, especially in regard to Iran. We have suggested in the past that a possible triumvirate of Trump, Netanyahu and Johnson might work together in the light of biblical prophecy.

At the EPC Summit: The EU vs. Trump

The Independent wrote on November 8:

“Sir Keir Starmer and fellow European leaders have urged Donald Trump to stand up to the ‘bully’ Vladimir Putin as they digest the potential consequences of the historic Republican election victory in the US. Volodymyr Zelensky made a desperate appeal at the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Budapest for leaders to continue their support for Ukraine in its war with Russia amid fears that Mr Trump will try to force a deal involving concessions.

“It came as … Starmer faces increasing pressure to prioritise a new post-Brexit defence pact with the EU, with concerns growing that Mr Trump may also dilute support for Nato and focus US military objectives elsewhere…

“Emmanuel Macron, who has long pushed Europe to build up cooperation on defence, said… ‘We need to be able to defend ourselves… We cannot delegate our security to the Americans forever… The question is whether we are ready to stand up for the interests of Europeans.’”

Hungary Today wrote on November 8:

“At Thursday’s European Political Community (EPC) Summit in Budapest, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said at a press conference following the meeting that there was agreement on the need for peace in Europe as soon as possible, as well as on the necessity to react to the outcome of the U.S. presidential elections… ‘The war that Russia has launched against Ukraine is now in its third year, the Middle East is in flames and threatens to escalate, North Africa is in destabilizing conflict, illegal migration is a persistent challenge and is approaching its previous peak, and the global economy is experiencing a degree of blockage and fragmentation not seen since the Cold War,’ he stressed…

“The Prime Minister said his personal assessment of the situation was that they all felt there was no time to waste. In his assessment, ‘history has clearly accelerated’…  and the world will change ‘faster than we think.’… The Hungarian Prime Minister added that ‘we cannot expect’ the Americans ‘to be the only ones to protect us.’..

“On the issue of peace, he said, he was not qualified to take a position on an issue on which there was not complete agreement, adding that there were differences of opinion on the continuation of the war or a rapid ceasefire and peace negotiations. He said that the essence of war was victory or defeat, but that Europeans had gone into the war without clarifying what victory was. ‘If there is no definition of victory, how do you know how long you have to fight?’ he asked. ‘We never clarified: should we take back Crimea? Is Sevastopol a NATO flag? Moscow? What is victory?’ he asked, adding that since the aim was not defined, the war was difficult to stop.”

Trump Could Withdraw US From NATO Without Congress

Newsmax wrote on November 8:

“President-elect Donald Trump could pull the United States out of NATO without the authority of Congress despite legislation passed to prevent him from doing so, Politico reports. Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., sponsored a bill that would require congressional approval for the president to withdraw the U.S. from NATO, a measure that was included in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. However, legal experts told Politico that Trump could use presidential authority over foreign policy to ignore that requirement.

“Curtis Bradley, the University of Chicago Law School’s Allen M. Singer distinguished service professor, told Politico that if Trump were to declare the U.S. no longer a part of NATO, it’s unclear if Congress has the legal standing to file a lawsuit. ‘For the issue to be litigated, there would need to be someone with standing to sue,’ Bradley said. ‘The only party I can think of who might have standing would be Congress itself, but it is not clear that the Republicans in Congress (who will at least control the Senate) would support such a suit.’

“The Brookings Institution’s Scott Anderson, senior editor of Lawfare, told the news outlet that the law on the issue is ‘not airtight,’ adding, ‘This is not open and shut…’”

Trump Speaks with Zelensky

Axios wrote on November 8:

“Donald Trump’s phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday included two surprises: Elon Musk was also on the line, and Zelensky was somewhat reassured by what he heard from the president-elect…

“After Zelensky congratulated Trump, the president-elect said he will support Ukraine, but didn’t go into details… Musk also weighed in during the call to say he will continue supporting Ukraine through his Starlink satellites… Starlink has been crucial to Ukraine’s war effort…

“Much went unsaid, and much remains unknown…  Trump told Zelensky he would not abandon Ukraine, but wants to give diplomacy a chance…

“Musk also joined Trump’s call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan…”

Bild Online added on November 8:

“The Wall Street Journal reports that one of the ideas in the Trump environment is that Ukraine should promise not to join NATO for at least 20 years. In return, the USA would continue to supply the country with weapons. The plan also includes a demilitarized zone along the front… It is still unclear who would be stationed there for surveillance – but US troops would not be available for this. A member of the Trump team stated that it would have to be European troops.

‘It is still completely unclear what plans Trump will ultimately pursue. On Thursday, the US President-elect also appeared open to a conversation with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin (72), who made similar comments…”

Trump Has Won ALL Swing States

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 10:

“Trump won Arizona on Saturday, according to the Associated Press, completing a clean sweep of all seven swing states.  The Republican, who had secured the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House by early on Wednesday, now has what is expected to be a final total of 312 votes to Vice President Kamala Harris’ 226.

“In addition to Arizona, Trump also won the swing states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Nevada. Republicans have also regained control of the US Senate and look close to clinching control of the US House of Representatives.”

Trump Picks Miller!

Daily Mail wrote on November 11:

“[Trump is] tapping mass deportations architect Stephen Miller for a top White House post… The known ‘border hawk’ and longtime Trump aide [has been] touted as Trump’s chief immigration policy architect… Miller will serve as Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy, a huge position that will shape the administration’s future.”

Deutsche Welle added on November 11:

“Miller… has been key to many of Trump’s previous policy decisions, including a 2018 move that separated thousands of immigrant families as a deterrence program.”

NPR added on November 11:

“Miller is likely to be one of the most controversial picks in a new Trump administration. But because the deputy job is not a cabinet position, he will not need to seek confirmation by the Senate.”

The appointment of far-right and anti-immigration Stephen Miller,  is bad news. Miller is known as radical. He has been advocating for the deportation of DACA and against chain migration, even though he is Jewish and, as his uncle put it,  he is “well aware of his heritage, [but] has become the architect of immigration policies that repudiate the very foundation of our family’s life in this country.” He also wants to do away with the birthright to be an American citizen when born in this country., and he wants to make it harder for legal immigrants to become American citizens. As mentioned above, he advocated the separation of children from their parents who entered the USA illegally. He is clearly way over the top of any decent and reasonable immigration policy.

In other news, Trump is going to nominated Marco Rubio as Secretary of State; highly controversial Matt Gaetz as Attorney General (replacing Merrick Garland)—“a move that stunned some lawmakers in his own party and repulsed others” (The New York Post, dated November 13), and Mike Huckabee to be U.S. Ambassador to Israel. He also nominated former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe as his CIA director, and Fox News host, Pete Hegseth, as Secretary of Defense. All these nominations must be approved by the Senate. A simple majority of senators present at the time of the vote is necessary to approve the nominee. Trump also appointed Elon Musk (the richest person on earth) and Vivek Ramaswamy to head the newly created Department of Government Efficiency with the goal of dismantling government bureaucracy and “cutting wasteful expenditures.” 

Kennedy to Become Health Secretary

 Axios wrote on November 14:

“President-elect Trump has asked  Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve as secretary of health and human services, Trump confirmed on Thursday…  Trump’s pick would put one of the nation’s foremost vaccine skeptics in charge of America’s health care agencies… 

“Trump posted on Truth Social that HHS under Kennedy would ‘play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming Health Crisis in this Country.’ The position requires Senate confirmation.”

Trump Speaks to Putin

The Guardian wrote on November 10:

“Donald Trump spoke on the phone with Vladimir Putin on Thursday and discussed the war in Ukraine, the Washington Post reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter. The US president-elect advised the Russian president not to escalate the war in Ukraine and reminded him of ‘Washington’s sizeable military presence in Europe”’ the Post reported.

“It added that Trump expressed interest in follow-up conversations on ‘the resolution of Ukraine’s war soon’…. On Friday, the Kremlin said Putin was ready to discuss Ukraine with Trump but that it did not mean that he was willing to alter Moscow’s demands.”

Trump and the Third Temple

Israel 365 News wrote on November 11:

“Rabbi Yosef Berger revealed some amazing aspects of Donald Trump’s victory in the recent US Presidential election, most notably his potential role in building the Third Temple… ‘Trump’s election is a necessary element of the geula (redemption) and a sign that the moshiach (messiah) is imminent,’ Rabbi Berger said… ‘it indicates that he will play a role in preparing the way for the arrival of the Messiah…’

“This connection was so evident in Trump’s connection with Jerusalem that in 2018, the Sanhedrin minted a coin with a profile of Trump superimposed on the image of Persian King Cyrus, who facilitated the building of the Second Temple in Jerusalem that ended the Babylonian Exile in 538 BCE…

“The Persian king is the only non-Jewish leader to be referred to in the Bible as Moshiach, literally ‘His anointed one’… ‘Like Cyrus, God put Donald Trump in power in order to build the Temple and pave the way for moshiach,’ Rabbi Berger said. ‘Like Moses, Trump began as part of the common people, was revealed in his first success entering the White House, but was then hidden… Like Moses, now that Trump has been revealed for the second time, he will fulfill his ultimate function,’ Rabbi Berger said…”

The Miracle of the Third Temple

Middle East Eye wrote on November 14:

“Donald Trump’s choice as the next United States defence secretary [Pete Hegseth] has called for the building of a third Jewish temple on the site of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem… Speaking at an event in Jerusalem in 2018 he said there was ‘no reason why the miracle of re-establishing the temple on the Temple Mount isn’t possible’, using the Israeli name for the raised plateau in occupied East Jerusalem where Al-Aqsa Mosque stands. ‘I don’t how it would happen, you don’t know how it would happen, but I know that it could happen…’

“Far-right Jewish activists want to build a third Jewish temple on the site where Al-Aqsa Mosques structures and courtyards stand today. Some, including Christian Evangelicals, believe this will herald the arrival of the messiah and possibly even the end of the world.”

JNS added on November 14:

“In newly-surfaced remarks from a 2018 conference, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense Pete Hegseth said there was ‘no reason’ a third temple could not be established on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem… He rejected the ‘two-state solution’ to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying, ‘If you walk the ground today, you understand that there is no such thing as the outcome of a two-state solution. There is one state.’”

The USA Could Withdraw NATO Support

Life Site wrote on November 11:

“JD Vance, the Republican Vice President-Elect, has made a bold suggestion that the United States might reconsider its support for NATO if the European Union attempts to regulate U.S. social media platforms…. Vance highlighted the stark contrast between European and American values, particularly on the issue of free speech…

“The Vice President-Elect argues that America’s participation in NATO should be contingent on the alliance’s respect for free speech, a core American value. ‘So what America should be saying is, if NATO wants us to continue supporting them and NATO wants us to continue to be a good participant in this military alliance, why don’t you respect American values and respect free speech?’ Vance questioned. He criticized the notion of supporting a military alliance that does not uphold free speech as ‘insane,’ insisting that American support comes with prerequisites, such as respecting free speech, particularly among European allies.”

Republicans Take the House

Breitbart wrote on November 11:

“Republicans are projected to take control of the House of Representatives, giving the party a trifecta as Republicans also took control of the Senate and the presidency.

“Decision Desk HQ projected that the Republicans had won enough seats for them to take control of the House. Republicans were projected to have secured a 218-209 majority.”

What IF Voting Is Useless?

Judge Andrew P. Napolitano wrote the following on November 7 in the Ron Paul Institute:

“What if no matter how you voted, the elites always got their way?…

“What if democracy as it has come to exist in America today is dangerous to personal freedom?… What if American democracy allows the government to do anything it wants, as long as more people vote for government than vote to reject it?…

“…What if governments were originally established to protect people’s freedoms but always turn into political and imperialist enterprises that seek to expand their power, increase their territory and heighten their control of the population? What if the idea that we need a government to take care of us is a fiction perpetrated to increase the size of government?…

“What if Congress always votes to expand the size of government, increase the government’s debt, keep the government’s secrets and dispatch the military to kill innocents abroad, no matter which party controls it? What if Congress keeps secrets from the people who elected it?…

“What if the deep state — the law enforcement/surveillance/military/arms and drug manufacturers/banking and regulatory structures — remains in place no matter who is in the White House or which political party controls Congress?

“What if the problem with democracy is that the majority thinks it can right any wrong, write any law, tax any event, regulate any behavior, intrude upon any process and acquire any asset it wants? What if the greatest tyrant in history lives among us? What if that tyrant always gets its way, no matter what the laws are or what the Constitution says? What if that tyrant is the majority of voters? What if the majority in a democracy recognizes no limits on its power?

“What if the government misinforms voters so they will justify anything the government wants to do?…

“What if the system is crafted so government power can only grow — and never shrink? What if Congress remains the same no matter who wins elections? What if we have only one political party — the Big Government Party — and it has a Democratic wing and a Republican wing? What if both wings want war and taxes and welfare and debt and perpetual government growth, but offer only slightly different menus on how to achieve them? What if the Big Government Party enacted laws to make it impossible for meaningful political competition to thrive?…”

Yes, what if…?

Will Something Change in America?

John Whitehead wrote the following in the Rutherford Institute wrote on November 4:

“After months of handwringing and mud-slinging and fear-mongering, the votes have finally been cast and the outcome has been decided: the Deep State has won. Despite the billions spent to create the illusion of choice culminating in the reassurance ritual of voting for Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, when it comes to most of the big issues that keep us in bondage to authoritarian overlords, not much will change. Despite all of the work that has been done to persuade us to buy into the fantasy that things will change if we just elect the ‘right’ political savior, the day after a new president is sworn in, it will be business as usual for the unelected bureaucracy that actually runs the government.

“War will continue. Drone killings will continue. Surveillance will continue. Censorship of anyone who criticizes the government will continue. The government’s efforts to label dissidents as extremists and terrorists will continue. Police shootings will continue. SWAT team raids will continue. Highway robbery meted out by government officials will continue. Corrupt government will continue. Profit-driven prisons will continue. And the militarization of the police will continue. These problems have persisted—and in many cases flourished—under both Republican and Democratic administrations in recent years. The outcome of this year’s election changes none of that…

“The undermining of the Constitution will continue unabated. America’s so-called war on terror, which it has relentlessly pursued since 9/11, has chipped away at our freedoms, unraveled our Constitution and transformed our nation into a battlefield, thanks in large part to such subversive legislation as the USA Patriot Act and National Defense Authorization Act. These laws—which completely circumvent the rule of law and the constitutional rights of American citizens, re-orienting our legal landscape in such a way as to ensure that martial law, rather than the rule of law, our U.S. Constitution, becomes the map by which we navigate life in the United States—will continue to be enforced.

“The government’s war on the American people will continue unabated.  ‘We the people’ are no longer shielded by the rule of law. While the First Amendment—which gives us a voice—is being muzzled, the Fourth Amendment—which protects us from being bullied, badgered, beaten, broken and spied on by government agents—is being disemboweled. Consequently, you no longer have to be poor, black or guilty to be treated like a criminal in America. All that is required is that you belong to the suspect class—that is, the citizenry—of the American police state. As a de facto member of this so-called criminal class, every U.S. citizen is now guilty until proven innocent. The oppression and injustice—be it in the form of shootings, surveillance, fines, asset forfeiture, prison terms, roadside searches, and so on—will come to all of us…

“The government’s manipulation of national crises in order to expand its powers will continue unabated…

“Endless wars that enrich the military industrial complex will continue unabated. America’s expanding military empire is bleeding the country dry at a rate of more than $93 million an hour (that adds up to $920 billion annually). Incredibly, although the U.S. constitutes only 5% of the world’s population, America [is] spending more on the military than the next 9 biggest spending nations combined.

“Government corruption will continue unabated.  The government is not our friend. Nor does it work for ‘we the people.’ Americans instinctively understand this. When asked to name the greatest problem facing the nation, Americans of all political stripes ranked the government as the number one concern. In fact, almost three-quarters of Americans surveyed believe the government is corrupt…

“Government tyranny under the reign of an Imperial President will continue unabated. The Constitution invests the President with very specific, limited powers. In recent years, however, American presidents have anointed themselves with the power to wage war, unilaterally kill Americans, torture prisoners, strip citizens of their rights, arrest and detain citizens indefinitely, carry out warrantless spying on Americans, and erect their own secretive, shadow government…”

Instinctively, many Americans would agree with this assessment, and actually, so does Donald Trump who says that he recognizes at least some of those dangers. But will he be willing or able to change anything substantially? Being part of the system, it is to be questioned.

Planned “Quarantine” Camps Nation- and Worldwide

Jeffrey Tucker wrote in The Brownstone Institute on November 7:

“No matter how bad you think Covid policies were, they were intended to be worse.  Consider the vaccine passports alone. Six cities were locked down to include only the vaccinated in public indoor places. They were New York City, Boston, Chicago, New Orleans, Washington, D.C., and Seattle. The plan was to enforce this with a vaccine passport. It broke. Once the news leaked that the shot didn’t stop infection or transmission, the planners lost public support and the scheme collapsed. It was undoubtedly planned to be permanent and nationwide if not worldwide…

“Features of the CDC’s edicts did incredible damage… It decreed the ridiculous ‘six feet of distance’ and mask mandates…

“Even with all that, worse was planned. On July 26, 2020… the CDC issued a plan for establishing nationwide quarantine camps. People were to be isolated, given only food and some cleaning supplies. They would be banned from participating in any religious services. The plan included contingencies for preventing suicide. There were no provisions made for any legal appeals or even the right to legal counsel… The document was only removed on about March 26, 2023… It was called ‘Interim Operational Considerations for Implementing the Shielding Approach to Prevent COVID-19 Infections in Humanitarian Settings.’… this is what used to be concentration camps…

“In four years of research, and encountering truly shocking documents and evidence of what happened in the Covid years, this one certainly ranks up at the top of the list of totalitarian schemes for pathogenic control prior to vaccination. It is quite simply mind-blowing that such a scheme could ever be contemplated.”

What is going to happen when the next “pandemic” hits? The evil and godless minds who wrote the above-mentioned document are still around.

EU and UK Not Ready for War

More Radio wrote on November 10:

“Britain’s annual Remembrance Sunday has a special dimension in 2024 because it was the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings this year… D-Day, when British and American troops fought on to the beaches to liberate Europe, is the defining moment of the UK’s patriotic pride to this day…

“Mr Trump, the US president-elect, has said he feels no obligation to defend European countries who do not spend as much as he thinks they should…

“The recent BRICS summit in Russia and the deployment of North Korean troops to fight with Vladimir Putin’s forces in Ukraine both show their willingness to internationalise local conflicts…

“The US currently has 100,000 troops based in Europe, increased by 20,000 since Mr Putin’s attack in 2022. The next Trump administration will certainly want to reduce that number…

“Mr Trump has said he plans to end the Ukraine conflict in 24 hours. In essence, Mr Putin would keep some of his territorial claims in Donbas and NATO would not extend its security guarantee to what remains of an independent Ukraine. Mr Trump has already said that NATO’s longstanding and vague offer of eventual membership was ‘a mistake’. Anxious not to alienate the US further and hard-pressed financially, some leading European nations including Germany appear ready to go along with such a sell-out.

“A number of security experts, including former acting deputy prime minister Sir David Lidington, say this deal would be ‘Donald Trump’s Munich.’ This is a reference to the ‘peace in our time’ deal agreed by prime minister Neville Chamberlain with Adolf Hitler, which failed to halt further aggression by Nazi Germany before the Second World War… the UK and Europe are not ready for war, and [they are] relying on an increasingly unreliable US…”

Europe knows this [the UK may not], and they will do whatever it takes to “get ready” for war.

“How Ridiculous Does This State Want to Become?”

Bild Online wrote on November 10:

“It was only on Wednesday that the traffic light [the German “Ampel” Coalition] declared political bankruptcy because it was unable to solve the country’s problems. But in the following 48 hours, Olaf Scholz, Robert Habeck and Christian Lindner announced their claim to continue to govern Germany in the future… Scholz, Habeck and Lindner represent the most unpopular federal government of all time. The final result of their coalition is devastating:

“Germany is declining economically; unemployment is rising; there is a housing shortage again in Germany; illegal migration is only now becoming an issue; internal and external security are in poor condition; Putin is currently winning the war against Ukraine…

“The Germans are calling for new elections as quickly as possible so that Germany gets a NEW government!…”

But what kind of government, formed by the “established” parties in Germany, could it currently be? Competent politicians are presently in short supply.

New German Elections in February?

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 13:

“German President Steinmeier… ‘welcomes the fact that the parliamentary groups have agreed on a roadmap towards a vote of confidence’ on December 16″ and ‘considers February 23, 2025, to be a realistic date for new elections,’ his office said in a statement.

“He had also ‘made it clear that in the event that the Bundestag withdraws its confidence in the Chancellor, he will quickly decide on a dissolution.’ According to the Basic Law, the German president has the power to dissolve the Bundestag and call for new elections.”

Origin of the Cries of Fools

Focus wrote on November 8:

“It’s that time again: Many people are celebrating Carnival again, and in some places you can hear the shouts of ‘Alaaf’, in others ‘Helau’…

“We don’t know exactly where the exclamation ‘Helau’ comes from. It is sometimes assumed that there is a connection to the church’s ‘Hallelujah’. An origin in the word ‘bright up’ [“hell auf”] for example in the expression ‘be thrilled’ [“hellauf begeistert”], is also possible. This could also mean ‘bright’, and the fools definitely seem bright. Some also assume that the ‘Helau’ means ‘hell open’. The original aim of the carnival was to drive away winter and evil spirits. People used to believe that evil spirits could threaten crops. With the exclamation they wanted to banish them back to hell.

“However, the meaning and origin of the word ‘Alaaf’ can be traced back better. ‘Alaaf’ most likely comes from the Cologne ‘all af’, which means ‘above everything’ or ‘everything else away’. The fool’s cry ‘Kölle alaaf’ means nothing other than ‘Köln über alles’. The writing was found on drinking mugs from the 16th century: ‘Alaaf fur ein goden druinck’, which means something like: ‘There’s nothing like a good drink’. This saying was not a fool’s cry back then, but these toasts were most likely widespread in the Cologne area at the time…”

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

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

We take it for granted that you know that Satan and his demons exist. It is not the purpose of this Q&A to address that fact; we have written and spoken many times about this.

As this year’s Halloween is behind us—a feast dedicated to the forces of evil—we are moving towards the holiday of Christmas by the end of 2024 and New Year’s Day and the holiday of Easter in 2025. All these days have one thing in common: They are all connected with evil spirits. It was believed that during these days the “underworld” or “Otherworld” gave up their “dead” who walked around among the living as “ghosts” or “spirits.” Since dead people do not live in an “underworld,” those spirits were demons. They had to be appeased with gifts or frightened with noise.

But how did those “spirits” appear? Did they show up as men or women? The answer is clearly no, nor do they appear that way to men today.

Let us take the White House as an example. It has been reported and known for a long time that the White House is “haunted.” In fact, the evidence for this truth is overwhelming.  But the “ghosts” in the White House did and do not appear as human beings. Note how the reports describe their presence.

“Roll Call” wrote on June 6, 2012, that [Nancy] “Pelosi… recounted an unusual anecdote about how the ghosts of past women leaders spoke to her at her first White House meeting as Speaker… in 2006… ‘I realized that on that chair with me was Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Alice Hall, Lucretia Mott, you name it, they were all there… And I could hear them say “at last we have a seat at the table,”’ Pelosi said.”

The “Wikipedia Encyclopedia” writes: “There have been several stories about ghosts of former Presidents revisiting the White House. However, the most common and popular is that of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln’s Ghost, or to others as The White House Ghost, is said to have haunted the White House since his death.”

The website of haunted-places.com states: “The White House has a reputation for being one of the most haunted homes in America. President Harry Truman said the place was haunted ‘sure as shooting.’ Kennedy’s Press Secretary James Haggerty admitted to sensing the presence of Lincoln’s ghost in the White House, and Clinton’s Press Secretary Mike McCurry admitted he was a believer… Hillary Rodham Clinton said: ‘There is something about the house at night that you just feel like you are summoning up the spirits of all the people who have lived there and worked there and walked through the halls there.’…

“There have been many séances in the White House, but the majority occurred during the administration of Abraham Lincoln. While living in the White House, he and his wife held several séances in the Green Room in an attempt to contact the spirit of their son, Willie, who died there… In his book The Choice, Bob Woodward of Watergate fame describes how in 1995, a séance was held by psychic Jean Houston in the White House solarium, during which Hillary sank into a trance and channeled the spirits of Eleanor Roosevelt and Mahatma Gandhi…

“Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands was a guest of the White House when she heard a knock on her bedroom door in the middle of the night. When she answered it, Lincoln stood before her with his famous top hat and all. The Queen fainted, and when she came [to], he was gone. Britain’s Winston Churchill refused to sleep there after sighting President Abraham Lincoln’s ghost lurking about… in the Lincoln Bedroom… He couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw Abraham Lincoln standing by the fireplace in the room, leaning on the mantle. The two men looked each other in the face… as Lincoln’s apparition slowly faded away.

“Theodore Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, Margaret Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, Jacqueline Kennedy, Ladybird Johnson [wife of Lyndon Johnson], Susan Ford [Gerald Ford’s daughter], and Maureen Reagan [Ronald Reagan’s daughter] have all admitted sensing the presence of the Civil War president in the White House… Maureen and her husband, Dennis Revell, both saw Lincoln’s transparent form next to the bedroom’s fireplace.”

On July 9, 2009, “Weekly World News” reported this:

“Just as Bill Clinton did before him, President Barack Obama is now getting help in the White House – from Abraham Lincoln’s ghost! A government insider has revealed that Honest Abe’s apparition has been seen in the Oval Office on several occasions, quietly conferring with the President on vital world issues!… In a 1993 issue, Weekly World News stunned the world with its exclusive story that the Great Emancipator was helping President Clinton guide America’s ship of state through troubled waters…”

History.com adds:

“The most famous address in America–1600 Pennsylvania Avenue–is also perhaps the country’s most famous haunted house. Presidents, first ladies, White House staff members and guests have reported feeling ghostly presences, hearing unexplained noises and even running into actual apparitions–even on the way out of the bathtub, in one particularly famous case [that of Winston Churchill].”

The Daily Mail wrote on November 5, 2009:

“The daughter of former President George W. Bush… Jenna Bush Hager told chat show host Jay Leno she had been terrified by spooky events near the fireplace in her bedroom [in the White House]… [She] said: ‘I heard a ghost. I was asleep, there was a fireplace in my room and all of a sudden I heard 1920’s music coming out. I could feel it, I freaked out and ran into my sister’s room. She was like “Please go back to sleep this is ridiculous.”

“The next week we were both asleep in my room, the phone had rang and woke us up. We were talking and going back to bed when all of a sudden we heard this opera, coming out of the fireplace. We couldn’t believe it, we both jumped in bed and were asking the people that worked there the next morning “Are we crazy?” We tried to rationalise it, but they said they heard it there all the time.’…”

In the “Haunted White House,” the following is stated:

“There were no reports of Lincoln’s ghost during the Bush administration and both the President and Mrs. Bush denied seeing Lincoln or any other ghost in the White House. However, during the Clinton years, there [was] at least [one sighting] of Lincoln’s apparition. One encounter was admitted by President Clinton’s brother, Roger, who stated that he had sensed Lincoln’s presence in the White House…

“President Harry Truman had no idea why Lincoln’s ghost was still present in the White House. In her biography about the president, Margaret Truman stated that her father certainly had no ambitions to haunt the White House himself. ‘No man in his right mind would want to come here of his own accord,’ he said.”

The Huffington Post wrote on December 31, 2013, at first quoting President Reagan:

“The President laughed and said, ‘I might as well tell you the rest. A member of our family [he meant his daughter Maureen] and her husband always stay in the Lincoln Bedroom when they visit the White House. Some time ago the husband woke up and saw a transparent figure standing at the bedroom window looking out. Then it turned and disappeared. His wife teased him mercilessly about it for a month. Then, when they were here recently, she woke up one morning and saw the same figure standing at the window looking out. She could see the trees right through it. Again it turned and disappeared.’…”

Elections Daily, Hauntings at the White House, wrote on October 29, 2024:

“The living residents have also had interest in the supernatural. Mary Lincoln famously held séances in order to contact her late son Willie, something Jane Pierce did just over a decade earlier. Edith Wilson and Florence Harding consulted with a medium, who apparently successfully predicted President Harding’s early death. Nancy Reagan famously used an astrologer to protect her husband.”

On November 4, 2024, Express USA wrote:

“US election could put Donald Trump back in ‘haunted’ White House with ‘dead presidents’. With the US election taking place, the world will be watching to see if Donald Trump will be voted back into the haunted White House.”

Many times, we read about the “APPARITION” of Lincoln or other dead people. Many times, people “felt” the presence of these “ghosts” or “heard” them, and when they “saw” them in a “transparent form” or as a “transparent figure” and you could “see the trees right through it.” They then suddenly or slowly disappeared. “Apparition” is defined as “a ghostlike image of a person”; a “ghostly appearing figure”; or the presence of a shadow.”  It has also been described as something “that you imagine you can see”; and as “something that appears, but may not be otherwise real.” It can also refer to a “delusion,” an “hallucination” or a “phantasm.”

The meaning of the word “phantasm” is also very interesting, which can also be described as “deceptive appearance”; “mirage”; “shadow”; “fantasy”; “a figment of the imagination”; or “an illusion”; as well as “something that only appears to exist. It’s not real but an illusion or brief hallucination.”

We will see later the biblical application of these words (“apparition” and “phantasm”).

We also read that some were foolish enough to hold seances or attempted in other ways to get in contact with those “ghosts.” But this is not always the case. In some instances, according to the reports, there were no prior attempts to encounter any of these “ghosts.”

The attempts to communicate with ghosts or the dead seem to be as old as mankind. Ancient Israel was specifically warned not to try to engage in such practices. We read in Leviticus 19:31 (Authorized Version): “Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them…” So it is possible, although prohibited by God, to seek after “familiar spirits.” But are those “familiar spirits” the departed spirits or souls of dead people, as some claim?… Leviticus 20:6 and 27 tell us, “And the person who turns after mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person…A man or a woman who is a medium, or who has familiar spirits, shall surely be put to death.”

Though many people don’t believe in the existence of Satan and demons, they are quick to dabble in the occult, being ignorant of the danger therein. Demons are called “familiar spirits” because they want to familiarize themselves with man Haunted houses, poltergeists, séances, communication with the dead, and contact with “aliens” are all clearly of demonic origin. Once we have made “contact” with demons, it is difficult to get rid of them (compare Luke 11:24–26).

Acts 16:16–19 gives us a clue who or what those familiar spirits are: “Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, ‘These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.’ And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, ‘I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.’ And he came out that very hour.”

This spirit of divination was a familiar spirit—a demon. It was not a departed soul. We also learn that the demon told the truth—Paul and his companions were in fact servants of God, preaching the way of salvation. Likewise, demons proclaimed that Christ was the Son of God. But they spoke to annoy God’s people and to detract from the message, and to confuse the masses. Demons don’t always lie, but they always want to thwart God’s plans and purposes.

We read in 1 Samuel 28 that Saul consulted a woman who was a medium. The Authorized Version describes her as a woman “with a familiar spirit” (verse 7). In the Hebrew, it says literally that she was “the possessor of a spirit,” in other words, of a demon. In other words, Saul consulted a witch possessed with a demon. This witch was asked by Saul to bring up Samuel. We read in Verse 12, “When the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice.” The following passage tells us that Saul saw nothing. He asked the woman in verse 13, “What did you see?” Notice her answer (same verse): “I saw a spirit ascending out of the earth.” When she described the form of that spirit as one of an old man, we are told that “Saul perceived that it [was] Samuel.” (Verse 14). The word “was” is not in the original. So one could add “pretended to be,” “appeared to be,” “claimed to be,” etc.

Some claim the witch actually brought back Samuel—or his spirit—from the grave. The Ryrie Study Bible comments, “On this occasion God miraculously permitted the actual spirit of Samuel to speak and announce Saul’s imminent death.” But is this true?

Notice that Saul did not see the “spirit” or “ghost” or “soul” of Samuel at all. Samuel had died and had been dead for a while (cp. 1 Samuel 25:1). God did not answer Saul in dreams or by the prophets (1 Samuel 28:6)—and Samuel was a prophet (Acts 13:20; 1 Samuel 3:20). When the “old man” appeared and answered Saul, that could not have been Samuel or his spirit or departed soul—otherwise, Samuel would have answered Saul in the capacity of a prophet of God. We also read in 1 Chronicles 10:13–14, that this seance was not of God—rather, Saul was killed by God because of conducting it. Saul died “for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to inquire of it; And inquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him.”

We read that “Samuel” answered Saul and told him that Saul would die the next day. The real Samuel, dead and in the grave, could not have known that. The dead “know nothing.” (Ecclesiastes 9:5). But Satan and demons do sometimes know God’s plan and purpose (cp. 1 Kings 22:19–23; the “lying spirit” was a demon; notice also Revelation 12:12; James 2:19). So it is clear that the demon, the familiar spirit, pretended to be Samuel, and spoke as Samuel to the witch.

We see, then, that, apparently, the very demon that possessed the witch, appeared to her—not to Saul!—in the form of Samuel, convincing the witch, and through the witch, Saul, that he was in fact Samuel. The true Samuel, however, as a prophet and servant of God, would have never spoken to Saul through a witch, especially after God had refused to talk to Saul. And God would not have supernaturally brought Samuel—or his soul or his spirit—back to life, to allow him to speak to Saul through a witch—after God had refused to speak to Saul directly.

The Bible does not tell us what exactly the woman, in her trance, actually saw. But based on all the other reports, she might have seen an apparition—a shadowy figure—which she described to Saul. Saul, based on the description, concluded that it was Samuel. And then, it appears that the demon spoke through the woman, but maybe, Saul heard the actual voice of that demon.  Notice Isaiah 29:4 (Authorized Version):  “…thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground.” This is a reference to the voice of a demon, a familiar spirit that has possessed the medium. It may appear as if the medium speaks, but it is, in fact, the demon within the medium that does the speaking. That is why Paul, in Acts 16:16–19, spoke to the familiar spirit or demon of the possessed slave girl—and not to the slave girl herself.

Another description of an apparition can be found in the Book of Job.

We read in Job 4:12–16 about Eliphaz’s encounter with a spirit: “Now a word was secretly brought to me, And my ear received a whisper of it. In disquieting thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falls on men, Fear came upon me, and trembling, Which made all my bones shake. Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair on my body stood up. It stood still, But I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; There was silence; then I heard a voice…”

Eliphaz saw some kind of a form before his eyes but he could not discern the appearance of the spirit. This indicates that it was a demon, who cannot appear as a person (see discussion below), as the Bible does not show that God’s angels appear to man in such a way. It was something like an apparition—a phantasm. The Living Bible translates: “I felt the spirit’s presence, but couldn’t see it standing there.” This reminds us of the description of the “ghosts” in the White House.

At the same time, we need to emphasize that Eliphaz was not asleep. He was quite awake and had “disquieting thoughts.” The encounter with the demon happened at night, when deep sleep falls on (other) men. The demon’s message, communicated to Eliphaz, was partially true (see verse 17), but it was taken out of context, and Eliphaz passed it on to Job, perhaps not even realizing himself that this was meant to destroy Job’s faith. But the demon knew exactly what he was doing.

The concept that the souls or spirits of dead people can be contacted is demonic. Isaiah 8:19 tells us, “And when they say to you, ‘Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter,’ should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?” The Authorized Version states for “who are mediums”: ”…that have familiar spirits.”  To consult mediums (those possessed with demons or familiar spirits) and God is incompatible. Also, Isaiah is not saying here that the spirits of the dead can be consulted. He is asking, “Should anyone try to seek the dead?”

Notice Deuteronomy 18:10–11 (Authorized Version): “There shall not be found among you any one that… useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.” A “necromancer” is somebody who “consults with the dead, or with a spirit to answer questions.” Note, how the New American Bible brings this phrase, “…one who consults ghosts and spirits or seeks oracles from the dead.” This phrase does not say that communication with the dead is possible—it tells us, though, not to try it, as this will bring us in contact with demons.

We should not allow ourselves to be fooled by strange events, stemming from the occult, which may be “entertaining,” “interesting” or “appealing to our senses.” The safest course of action is NEVER to want to get involved with spirits or ghosts (in reality, with demons) in any way. This would include, staying away from alleged haunted houses, participating in séances, consulting mediums, listening to demonic messages or showing interest in and curiosity for demonic activities, becoming hypnotized or engaged in obscure far eastern meditation practices. Even the viewing of certain scary movies with ghosts and demons could lead to undesired results. The same is true for participation in wrong and ungodly religious practices. Paul warns us not to come in contact with demons in any way (1 Corinthians 10:14-22). Those who worship idols and pagan gods are really worshiping and sacrificing to demons (Compare Deuteronomy 32:16-17). Whenever we give ourselves “over” to another influence, we have become victims of the powers of darkness.

It appears from Scripture that demons cannot materialize themselves the way that Christ or angels can. Demons cannot appear as men. They can, however, create an illusion, or an apparition that might look very real to people. Examples of those illusions would include, as we have discussed, the appearance of “ghosts,” or of a “lady,” claiming to be “Mother Mary.”

We find the following interesting record in Mark 6:47–50: “Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night [from 3 to 6 a.m.] He came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost [Authorized Version: a spirit], and cried out; for they all saw Him and were troubled [or terrified]. And immediately He talked with them and said to them, ‘Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.’”

The disciples thought they saw a ghost or a spirit, that is, a demon. The Greek word for “ghost” is “phantasma,” which has the meaning of “phantasm” or “apparition.” (Compare above our discussion of the meaning of these words.)

In Luke 24:36–42, we find another passage that sheds some light on the inability of demons to materialize themselves. We read: “Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you.’ But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. And He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.’ When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, ‘Have you any food here?’ So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence.”

Christ manifested Himself to the disciples as a being with flesh and bones. He even ate food in their presence to convince the disciples that it was He, not an evil spirit or a demon. The Greek word for “spirit” is “pneuma” and can refer to demons (compare Matthew 8:16; 10:1; 12:43, 45; Luke 4:33, 36; 6:18; 7:21, etc.). We understand, of course, that Christ is not a being with flesh and bones. Rather, at His resurrection, His physical body was changed into a body composed of spirit. He became a life-giving Spirit (1 Corinthians 15:44–45). He was able to manifest Himself, however, as a person with flesh and bones. Angels can manifest themselves as human beings as well. Demons cannot. Christ used this opportunity to show His disciples that He was not an evil spirit or a demon, because demons cannot manifest themselves as human beings with flesh and bones.

It is also important to take note of the following observation: If you are not an ordained minister, don’t try to exorcize a demon (compare again Acts 19:13-16). Don’t speak to him. Pray to the Father in the name of Christ to free you from his influence, but don’t engage in conversation with him. Ephesians 4:27 tells us: “Don’t give place to the devil.”

This would include, not showing interest in their activities. It was reported that at one time, a student at a Christian college observed that his toothbrush which he had laid down on the sink began to levitate until it rested again on the sink. The student foolishly said: “Again.” And so it happened again. He had responded to demonic activity.

The admonition and command is clear. Don’t get involved with the demonic world, with spirits or ghosts, and when you are in any way confronted with spooky experiences, shadowy figures, strange feelings or even “voice” messages, we are told in James 4:7 to RESIST Satan and his demons (by praying to God the Father to free you from their influence), and they will flee from you.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Why Riots Against Jews in Amsterdam?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

86 years after the “Reichskristallnacht” (the “Night of Broken Glass”), when Nazis led pogroms against Jews across the German Reich, terrible atrocities against Jewish soccer fans occurred in Amsterdam, the capital of The Netherlands. These violent antisemitic attacks were apparently planned well in advance and they were carried out by a mob of local Muslims and Arabs. How could something like this happen? Who is to be blamed? Have Amsterdam and the rest of Europe become unsafe again for the Jewish people?

“Warum die Gewalt gegen Juden in Amsterdam?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This program covers the topic described above.

“Wie können Ihnen Dämonen erscheinen?” is the title of this coming Sabbath’s sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “How Can Demons Appear to You?”

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“Eine zerstreute Welt,” last Sabbath’s first split sermon presented by Robert Indlekofer, is now posted. Title in English: “A Scattered World”.

“Ist Neugierde Sünde?” last Sabbath’s second split sermon presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Title in English: “Is Curiosity a Sin?”

“Turn the Cheek,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Frank Bruno, is now posted. Here is the summary:

Nearly everywhere we turn these days we see people claiming to be offended by colleagues, school mates, family, friends and even the brethren. Despite the ease of taking offense, true Christians understand the need to rely on God for the strength to turn the other cheek and avoid escalation. In this Sermonette we will consider various scriptures and examples of what true Christians must do in order to obey God and not the world.

“God is Angry,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is the summary:

If there are so many people in the world who are doing good things to help their communities demonstrating love for one another, could God really be angry enough to unleash His wrath upon the Earth as a punishment? What is it that makes God angry, and what can we do to appeal to His mercy as the Day of the Lord approaches?