On June 22, 2024, Dave Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “Who Made It?” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “Hope and Faith Versus Fear and Doubt.”

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 might think of things being on the near horizon—that is, that something will almost certainly happen or be done quite soon. The word horizon is defined by most dictionaries as the place in the distance where the earth and sky seem to meet.

Metaphorically, new horizons may refer to fresh starts, greater understanding or different goals. Being drawn into the truth of God and having our minds opened to understand the Bible has given us vision from God’s perspective and certainly, vastly new horizons!

How are we handling the horizon of future events? Jesus revealed signs which would take place leading to His return and the end of this age, and He specifically said, “‘See I have told you beforehand’” (Matthew 24:25).

Jesus went on to say that we should “watch” and “be ready” as the prophetic horizon of end time events becomes the near horizon of our lives!

This world is on the edge of a precipice—the brink of a dangerous and disastrous situation, and it will fall! This is the time of the end of the age! Have we become comfortable and complacent with the way things are? Do we truly understand the gravity of our time. We are admonished:

“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Jesus forewarned:

“‘But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:34-36).

Our horizon must always be the Kingdom of God—both near and far. That was what Jesus Christ sought in His life, and He now sits at the right hand of the Father, so “…that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

by Norbert Link

We begin with alarming plans in the USA to automatically register young men (and perhaps women) for the draft and the fear that America and NATO are preparing for global war, perhaps even to be fought with nuclear weapons. In this context, please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “America Prepares for the Draft and Global War.”

We speak on the transfer of NATO headquarters to Germany and report on further developments pertaining to the Russia-Ukraine war and a new war pact between Russia and North Korea, and we speak on events regarding Israel and Gibraltar. We also address ISIS threats against the UEFA soccer tournament (“the European Cup”) in Germany.

We discuss Joe Biden’s condition which seems to make him “unfit for office” and the desperate attempts of the White House and the media to downplay or flatly deny Biden’s embarrassing problems; and we address an appalling letter by the left-wing Connecticut Bar Association warning lawyers about criticizing proceedings against Trump; and conclude with the expected decision by the weaponized Justice Department not to prosecute indicted AG Garland.

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

Defense Bill Automatically Registering Young Men for the Draft

Fox News wrote on June 14:

“The House of Representatives passed a measure on Friday automatically registering men aged 18 to 26 for selective service… While it hasn’t been invoked in over half a century, it’s mandatory for all male U.S. citizens to register for the selective service, also known as the military draft, when they turn 18. Failure to register is classified as a felony and comes with a host of legal challenges.

“Supporters of the amendment argue that it would cut down on bureaucratic red tape and help U.S. citizens avoid unnecessary legal issues, as well as cutting down on the taxpayer dollars going toward prosecuting those cases… The NDAA passed the House in a 217 to 199 vote, but it’s unlikely to be taken up by the Senate.” 

The Democrats in the Senate are not against the bill regarding mandatory and automatic registration, but in the words of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer:

“Unsurprisingly, the legislation coming out of the House today is loaded with anti-LGBTQ, anti-choice, anti-environment, and other divisive amendments guaranteed not to pass the Senate… As we move forward with this year’s NDAA process, both sides will have to work together to pass bipartisan legislation that honors and respects all who serve in defense of our nation.”

These are frightening developments. As we have suggested for years, the draft will return, but it might even include many more people than previously anticipated.

America Prepares for Global War and the Draft

The Ron Paul Institute published on June 14 the following article by Dennis John Kucinich. Kucinich was 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. He is seeking re-election to the House of Representatives in November.

“Our government is planning a big draft, conscripting millions of young Americans for an even bigger war! I call to your attention a Democratic amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which was slipped into the almost trillion-dollar Pentagon war spending bill, by voice vote, in the House Armed Services committee. The Democratic Amendment to H.R. 8070, the National Defense Authorization (NDAA) reads:  ‘Section 531. Selective Service System:  Automatic Registration.  SEC. 3. (a)(1) “Except as otherwise provided in this title, every male citizen of the United States, and every other male person residing in the United States, between the ages of eighteen and twenty-six, shall be automatically registered under this Act by the Director of the Selective Service System.’

“… We know that America is fomenting wars around the world. We know that the military industrial complex controls our government. We know that we are on the precipice of a global war, provoking aggression rather than resolution with Russia, China and in the Middle East. The only winners in these wars are the war profiteers. They’re now going to take our children to fight in unnecessary, destabilizing, dangerous, debt-creating wars. Just today President Biden committed the U.S. to an additional decade of support for Ukraine’s war with Russia.

“There is no other conceivable reason to require more than 16 million American males to be automatically registered for the draft, other than to prepare for a large-scale war. The Selective Service System is the vehicle by which individuals are inducted into the armed forces.  This NDAA Automatic Registration amendment facilitates an efficient, large-scale draft. The new law will automatically register all males between the ages of 18 and 26.  Selective Service will notify in writing every young American male that they have been registered and will prescribe regulations which can require the registrant to provide ‘date of birth, address, social security account number, phone number and email address….’

“There are members of Congress who advocate that young women also be included in any draft, which could bring to 32 million the number of Americans of draft-eligible age. The U.S. currently has over 1,300,000 men and women, career soldiers, as well as volunteers, serving in the all-volunteer armed forces. According to the new automatic draft law, undocumented immigrants, between the ages of 18 and 26, numbering at least 1.5 million, could also be conscripted, if it were to apply to women as well as men… The last time a draft was instituted in the United States was during the Vietnam War, when 1.9 million Americans were conscripted…

“As Ukraine turns to conscription, there is push back coming from those who are subject to service but who understand they could well be facing a death sentence. In Israel, the growing ultra-orthodox worshippers have been exempt from military service since the founding of Israel, but the government is being pressed to expand its military ranks creating a political squeeze on the Netanyahu ruling coalition.  Conscription is under discussion in Germany and Italy, while at least nine other European Union countries already use the practice to replenish their armed forces.

“Resistance does occur during a draft.  During the Vietnam war, an estimated 60% of all draft-eligible young men found a means to avoid getting conscripted (including a future President by the name of Bill Clinton).  Some, fearful for their lives, fled to Canada or Sweden. The Vietnam War ripped apart the country.  The protests over the war, fueled by compulsory service and rising casualty numbers of US troops, led President Lyndon Johnson to decide, on March 31, 1968,  not to run for reelection.  The draft was ended in 1973 and was reinstated by President Carter on January 23, 1980….”

The connection between reinstating the draft and preparing for a global war should not be overlooked.

NATO Prepares for Global War

The Ron Paul Institute published on June 18 an article by Caitlin Johnstone, an independent journalist from Melbourne, Australia:

“NATO powers are rapidly escalating toward hot war with Russia at the same time the US is expanding its draft policies to make it easier to force more Americans go and fight in a giant war… ‘Allies are offering forces to NATO’s command at a scale not seen in decades,’ [NATO Secretary General Jens] Stoltenberg said on Friday. ‘Today we have 500,000 troops at high readiness across all domains, significantly more than the goal [of 300,000 troops] that was set at the 2022 Madrid Summit.’…

“The US and several other nations also recently gave a green light for Ukraine to use their weapons to strike targets inside Russia. The Netherlands and Denmark plan to supply Kiev with F-16s in the coming months, and say the advanced aircraft could be used to bomb Russia… This comes shortly after we learned that NATO is developing multiple ‘land corridors’ to rush troops to the frontline of a future hot war with Russia in eastern Europe.

“It also comes as we learn from Stoltenberg that NATO is considering increasing the number of nuclear weapons it has on standby, meaning ready to use in a nuclear war…

“This [is happening] at the same time US lawmakers are working to expand draft registration to women and to automate registration for men… The draft is one of those things that gets more disgusting the more you think about it… ‘Go fight and kill and die for your country.’… This is evil, this is ugly, and it needs to stop.”

We couldn’t agree with it more. And it WILL stop when Christ returns to rule the world in righteousness, and when people will not learn war anymore.

NATO Headquarters in Germany

Die Welt wrote on June 14:

“The headquarters for the planned NATO operation to coordinate arms deliveries and training activities for the Ukrainian armed forces will be located in [Wiesbaden in] Germany… The base of the US armed forces in Europe, which have so far carried out the coordination tasks, is also there…

“The NATO project is also considered a precaution in the event of Donald Trump’s possible return to the US presidency from January 2025. Statements by the Republican in the past had raised doubts as to whether the USA would continue to treat Ukraine under his leadership as before by supporting Ukraine’s defensive war against Russia. The alliance fears that a political change in Washington could also affect the coordination of weapons deliveries and training activities for the Ukrainian armed forces.

“Hungary will not take part in the new NATO project. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government fears that the project could push the alliance into direct confrontation with Russia… In order to ensure that Hungary does not prevent the necessary consensus for the project, the country was assured that it does not have to contribute financially and by providing personnel.

“Ideally, [the project] should officially start in July, when Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and the other 31 heads of state and government of the NATO states meet in Washington for a summit.”

Germany’s leading role even in military matters, in spite of Germany’s currently ineffective government, is truly remarkable.

Relying on Nukes

The Associated Press wrote on June 17:

“The world’s nine nuclear-armed states continue to modernize their nuclear weapons as the countries deepened their reliance on such deterrence in 2023, a Swedish think tank said Monday.

‘We have not seen nuclear weapons playing such a prominent role in international relations since the Cold War,’ said Wilfred Wan, director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s weapons of mass destruction program… Earlier this month, Russia and its ally Belarus launched a second stage of drills intended to train their troops in tactical nuclear weapons…

“In a separate report, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, ICAN, said the nine nuclear-armed states spent a combined total of $91.4 billion on their arsenals in 2023 – equivalent to $2,898 per second… The group said that figures show a $10.7 billion increase in global spending on nuclear weapons in 2023 compared to 2022, with the United States accounting for 80% of that increase. The U.S. share of total spending, $51.5 billion, is more than all the other nuclear-armed countries put together… The next biggest spender was China at $11.8 billion, she said, with Russia spending the third largest amount at $8.3 billion…

“SIPRI estimated that some 2,100 of the deployed warheads were kept in a state of high operational alert on ballistic missiles, and nearly all belong to Russia or the U.S. However, it said that China is also believed to have some warheads on high operational alert for the first time… Russia and the United States have together almost 90% of all nuclear weapons, SIPRI said.”

To produce and rely on nuclear weapons which are capable of annihilating all life on earth many times over is simply the epitome of utter insanity.

News on Russia and Ukraine

The Daily Mail wrote on June 17:

“Vladimir Putin has announced he will call a ceasefire and immediately enter peace talks if Ukraine is willing to pull back its troops from four regions occupied by Russian forces and give up plans to make a NATO membership bid. 

‘We will (call a ceasefire) immediately,’ Putin said in a speech at the Russian Foreign Ministry this morning, adding his proposal is aimed at a ‘final resolution’ of the conflict and that the Kremlin is ‘ready to start negotiations without delay’… President Volodymyr Zelensky has routinely refused to consider a deal that would see Ukrainian land surrendered to Moscow… But Putin’s troops currently control a significant amount of Donetsk and Luhansk, and in September 2022 Moscow unilaterally declared it had annexed those two regions well as parts of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. Putin’s forces are also making gains across the border in the north-eastern region of Kharkiv…  

“Broader demands for peace that the Russian leader listed included Ukraine’s non-nuclear status, restrictions on its military force and protecting the interests of the Russian-speaking population in the country… Russia does not fully control either of the four regions it illegally annexed in 2022, but Putin said Kyiv must withdraw from them entirely if it wants peace…

“Zelensky and US President Joe Biden also sent what they described as a message of unified opposition to the Russian President, inking a key security agreement that will see Washington provide ten years of military and financial support for Kyiv… The Ukraine-US security pact… does not offer Ukraine any new money but includes a commitment by the White House to work with Congress on a source of sustainable funding for the future… But either side can terminate the agreement in writing with six months’ notice, which means a future US president – including Donald Trump if elected in November – could cancel the arrangement. Trump has been sceptical of providing additional military aid to Ukraine, at one point criticising the ‘endless flow of American treasure’ to Kyiv. More recently, though, he has expressed openness to lending money instead…”

Russia and Ukraine will unite… somehow.

Russia and North Korea Sign War Pact

The Associated Press wrote on June 19:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Wednesday signed a new partnership that includes a vow of mutual aid if either country faces ‘aggression,’ in a pact that came as both face escalating standoffs with the West… The two met as Putin visited North Korea for the first time in 24 years…. Kim said the two countries had a ‘fiery friendship,’ and that the deal was the ‘strongest ever treaty’ between them, putting the relationship at the level of an alliance. He vowed full support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“Putin said that it was a ‘breakthrough document’ reflecting shared desire to move relations to a higher level. North Korea and the former Soviet Union signed a treaty in 1961, which experts say necessitated Moscow’s military intervention if the North came under an attack. The deal was discarded after the collapse of the USSR, replaced by a pact in 2000 that offered weaker security assurances. It wasn’t immediately clear if the new deal provides a similar level of protection as the 1961 treaty…

“Along with China, Russia has provided political cover for Kim’s efforts to advance his nuclear arsenal, repeatedly blocking U.S.-led efforts to impose fresh U.N. sanctions on the North over its weapons tests… China is North Korea’s biggest ally and economic lifeline, accounting for most of the country’s trade. .. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula are at their highest point in years,”

Express added on June 19:

“North Korea is reportedly providing Moscow with crucial munitions for its ongoing conflict in Ukraine. In return, Russia is offering economic assistance and technology transfers, which could significantly bolster Kim’s nuclear weapons and missile programs.”

Die Welt wrote on June 19:

“According to Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, the nuclear powers Russia and North Korea have agreed to provide mutual assistance in the event of an attack by a third country. The treaty on all-encompassing strategic cooperation signed by Putin and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang also includes mutual assistance in the event of external aggression against Russia or North Korea. The agreement is intended to take the cooperation between the two states to a new level.”

The Bible prophesies a future alliance of nations in the Far East, called the “kings of the east.” They would include countries such as China, Russia, North Korea and others—all being hostile to the West.

Netanyahu Dissolves War Cabinet

The Associated Press wrote on June 17:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dissolved the influential War Cabinet tasked with steering the war in Gaza, Israeli officials said Monday, a move that comes days after a key member of the body bolted the government over frustrations surrounding the Israeli leader’s handling of the war.

“The move was widely expected following the departure of Benny Gantz, a centrist former military chief, earlier this month. Gantz’s absence from the government makes Netanyahu more dependent on his ultranationalist allies to govern and the dissolution of the War Cabinet underlines that shift as the eight-month-long war in Gaza drags on…

“Netanyahu has played a balancing act throughout the war between pressures from Israel’s top ally, the U.S., and the growing global opposition to the war and from his government partners, chief among them Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Both have threatened to topple the government should Israel move ahead on a cease-fire deal…

“Gantz’s departure, while not posing a direct threat to Netanyahu’s rule, rocked Israeli politics at a sensitive time. The popular former military chief was seen as a statesman who boosted Israel’s credibility with its international partners at a time when Israel finds itself at its most isolated. Gantz is now an opposition party leader in parliament… and without the support of Gantz’s party, Netanyahu is expected to be more beholden to the far-right allies”

The Guardian added on June 17:

“Netanyahu’s moves suggest an increasing confidence as the prime minister’s poll numbers have improved since the departure of Gantz, which has caused the latter’s polling to decline markedly…”

And so, the war will go on, and Israel’s enemies will increase.

Outright War with Hezbollah and Lebanon?

The Guardian wrote on June 19:

“The Israeli foreign minister, Israel Katz, has said a decision on an all-out war with Hezbollah was coming soon, as Israel’s generals announced late on Tuesday that they had signed off planning for an offensive into Lebanon…

“After threats by the Hezbollah chief, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, to damage Haifa’s ports that are operated by Chinese and Indian companies, Katz said in a post on X: ‘We are getting very close to the moment of deciding on changing the rules of the game against Hezbollah and Lebanon.’ ‘In an all-out war, Hezbollah will be destroyed and Lebanon will be severely beaten,’ he added.

“Israel’s military later said ‘operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon were approved and validated, and decisions were taken on the continuation of increasing the readiness of troops in the field’… Last week Hezbollah launched hundreds of drones and rockets, including more than 200 on a single day, and the Israeli military struck Hezbollah targets in return.”

Further Tensions Between Israel and the USA

The New York Post wrote on June 19:

“The White House canceled a high-level meeting with Israel that was scheduled for Thursday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video claiming the US was withholding military aid… In his video, speaking in English, Netanyahu declared that it was ‘inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunition to Israel.’…

“Meanwhile, the White House publicly expressed confusion over Netanyahu’s comments, with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre saying only one weapons shipment had been paused since the start of the war. ‘We genuinely do not know what he is talking about,’ she noted…

“This was the second time a meeting on the Iran strategic dialogue was canceled last minute. In March Netanyahu canceled a meeting after the US declined to veto a UN Security resolution that included a reference to a ceasefire in Gaza. Despite strained relations between Biden and Netanyahu, the Israeli leader is expected to address a joint meeting of Congress on July 24, setting the stage for what is expected to be a contentious speech at a crucial moment for the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.”

Given the many lies told by the White House and the Biden Administration, one is inclined to believe Netanyahu’s accusation rather than Jean-Pierre’s denial.

UK Ordered to Withdraw Military Base From Gibraltar

Express wrote on June 17:

“Spain has demanded the UK close its military base in Gibraltar, as political tensions between the two countries threaten to explode. Gibraltar enjoys a strategic location at the western entrance to the Mediterranean, where the straits between Europe and Africa are only 14 km wide. As such, the Oversees territory is routinely used by Royal Navy ships, RAF aircraft and other units that temporarily deploy to conduct training. The MoD also employs 952 personnel in Gibraltar, of which 528 are locally employed civilians. The remainder are military and UK-based civil servants. The presence of the base as well as Gibraltar’s status as a British colony have become sources of growing frustration and anger in Spain.

“Spain’s UN ambassador, Héctor Gómez Hernández, alleged that the UK was contravening an existing Resolution (3163) passed by the Assembly in December 1973. He called for the immediate demilitarization of Gibraltar at a session of the UN in New York. … In a written answer to a parliamentary question last year, the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, James Heappey, said 79 ships visited Gibraltar in 2022, as did 117 military aircraft. Additionally 2,000 to 3,000 personnel mostly from the British army were sent to the Rock for training exercises. These visits total approximately 12,000 to 14,000 personnel per year, based on 2022 data…”

We have suggested for many years that Gibraltar will ultimately fall into the hands of the Spanish.

UEFA Euro Championship Under Threat from ISIS?

The Sun wrote on June 14:

“The UEFA Euro 2024 championship presents a ‘wide spectrum of potential risks and issues’ amid a ‘very high level of risk’ from ISIS, [Security expert Will Geddes] has warned…  Working with analysts who have experience in military, intelligence and law enforcement, his team have seen ISIS make ‘very specific references to Germany.’…

“Over the course of the championship, Germany will play host to a whopping 2.7 million fans in 10 different stadiums – alongside 12 million more in fan zones. Will explained that the mammoth security op will range from snipers spread around the stadium to ‘super spotters’ hidden in amongst the public… ‘You have some 22,000 federal police that will be assigned particularly to the games… including hostile behaviour detection personnel…’ Further ‘foreign and neighbouring countries police forces’ brought in from across the globe will have had input from their own intelligence services and anti-terror units…”

Under Trump, ISIS was as good as gone. Now, ISIS is back.

Greece Introduces the Six-Day Week

Die Welt wrote on June 18:

“In view of an acute shortage of skilled workers, the Greek government is planning a far-reaching labor market reform from July 1. Employees should be given the option of a six-day week in the future. If the sixth working day falls on a Saturday, they receive a wage supplement of 40 percent, and on Sundays and public holidays, they even receive an additional salary of 115 percent… Civil servants are expressly excluded from the six-day week. In principle, however, this option is available in both the public and private sectors, particularly in areas such as banking, utilities and agriculture.

“Greece already has one of the highest average working hours in Europe at 2,036 hours per year, compared to 1,386 hours in Germany… Unions therefore reject the new regulation and are already complaining about ‘exploitative conditions’ due to the shortage of skilled workers…

“In addition, it remains unclear whether the introduction of the six-day week will actually lead to an increase in total working hours, as the EU Commission continues to stipulate a maximum weekly working time of 48 hours. Therefore, according to the new regulations, a maximum of eight additional hours should be possible…”

Attempts will increase in Europe and elsewhere to force or entice laborers to work on Saturday, the biblically-commanded Sabbath.

Biden’s Recent Embarrassing Moments

The Daily Mail wrote on June 16:

“President Joe Biden appeared to freeze on stage after giving remarks at a star-studded fundraiser in Los Angeles on Saturday night before his old boss [Obama] took him by the arm and pulled the president away. The incident captured on video is the latest in a series of episodes that have plagued 81-year-old Biden…

“It comes just after other videos appeared to show Biden freezing or having other cringe moments in recent days and his penchant for public gaffes has faced increasing scrutiny as he seeks another term in office despite his advanced years.

At a recent Juneteenth celebration at the White House, video of Biden staring off as other attendees danced around him to the music went viral. The president then went on to slur some words during his speech at the event which sparked some concerns online.

“Last week while attending the G7 in Italy, video showed Biden wandering away from other world leaders while viewing a skydiving demonstration and giving a thumbs up in the other direction. The video then shows Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni tap Biden on the shoulder and direct him back to the group where he throws on a pair of aviators.”

Biden’s incapability to run this country should be obvious to everyone. Note the next article as well.

Joe Biden Unfit for Office

The New York Post published the following article by Piers Morgan on June 17:

“I watched the viral clip of Barack Obama taken a frozen Joe Biden by the arm and leading him off stage at their star-studded $30 million LA fundraiser, and posted on X what I suspect everyone who watched it was thinking: ‘So embarrassing. The Democrats can’t let this go on, surely?’ Within a few hours, a staggering 7.5 million people had viewed my post and many thousands of those had liked, reposted or commented on it.

“As I thought, the vast majority shared my honestly held opinion that President Biden is no longer fit for the highest office in America. I don’t mean that he’s too incompetent for the job, although many would say he is. No, I mean that he’s too physically and mentally unfit to function at the extremely high level required to be leader of not just the United States, but also the free world.

“When the last Democrat to occupy the White House has to literally grab the current one because he notices he’s had yet another ‘senior moment’ and appears to be paralyzed like a statue on stage, it has to be the wake-up call everyone in the party must urgently heed before it’s too late, doesn’t it? We’re only five months away from the 2024 general election, but what is now painfully obvious is that Joe Biden’s already cooked as a candidate. There is not a snowball’s chance in hell that he can possibly get through another four-year term of presidency — and everyone knows it.

“This is a once very eloquent, fast-talking, firebrand senator… who can now barely speak without talking gibberish, nor walk quicker than a snail on Mogadon, and who keeps falling over or forgetting what he’s supposed to be doing or saying…

“Biden is supposed to be America’s commander-in-chief but, at what is a very dangerous time for the world, I wouldn’t trust him now to order a restaurant meal let alone a military strike. So why is he still running? Why has nobody told him to stand aside for the good of the party and country, as incumbent Democrat presidents Lyndon Johnson did in 1968 and Harry Truman did in 1953? If they have, then why hasn’t he listened to them?

“We’re told he still believes he’s the only person who can beat Donald Trump because he beat him last time. But as I suspect the world will see when they have their first live TV debate on June 27, the controversial and now criminally convicted Republican candidate will eat Biden alive on stage and there will be no Obama there to rescue him. Just as bafflingly, why do so many high-profile Democrats persist in trying to convince us that Biden’s still got all his marbles intact?…”

Very well put. What are the Democrats up to, to have an incompetent leader run again for four more years? Politicians like Germany’s Olaf Scholz and California’s Gavin Newsom want to assure us that Biden is fit for the job. What utter ridiculous nonsense! Whom do they want to deceive? Of course, the White House and the mass media are again in denial… at least, so they pretend to be.

Note the next articles.

“Fact-checking” Biden’s Video

Breitbart, calling The Associated Press “Associated Pravda,” wrote on June 18:

“The Associated Press (AP) on Monday fact-checked a video of former President Barack Obama walking President Joe Biden off stage by citing one anonymous source who attended the event. The fact check comes after Biden’s aides became more quarrelsome with the media about coverage of Biden’s age, gaffes, and videos exposing moments of strange confusion… White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre argued Monday during a press conference that videos the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) research team clipped of Biden’s public glitches are ‘cheap fakes’ and published in ‘bad faith…

“The article [of the AP] admitted every detail seen on the viral clip, then printed a positive spin on Biden’s pause from a White House aide… Videos of Biden malfunctioning in public are real, the Trump campaign… said. ‘The truth hurts,’ Trump Campaign Communications Director Steven Cheung told Breitbart News. ‘When the Biden campaign is confronted with that cold, hard reality, they offer ridiculous claims that anyone who clearly sees Biden acting like a brain-dead dope is part of some media-wide conspiracy,’ he said. ‘That’s what happens when you have junior staffers and interns running Biden’s campaign strategy for a candidate who can barely walk and talk at the same time,’ Cheung added…

“Biden, whom Special Counsel Robert Hur described as ‘an elderly man with a poor memory,’ suffers from atrial fibrillation, peripheral neuropathy in his feet, and hyperlipidemia, according to his annual physical by physician Kevin O’Connor.

The health challenges might explain why he struggles to remain upright…”

Staring at a Ghost?

Breitbart wrote on June 18:

“On Monday’s episode of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, Jon Stewart played the viral clip of Biden randomly wandering off on his own at the G7 summit, only for Italy’s Giorgia Meloni to gently guide him back to the press fold. Stewart said it was like Biden was ‘staring at what can only be considered ghosts or out-of-frame paratroopers.’ ‘And then, when he’s pulled back into frame, somehow giving the impression someone has quantum-leaped into his body,’ Stewart said, referring to Biden’s subsequent blank stare…

“Democrats and their media allies are scrambling to downplay mounting evidence of Biden’s cognitive decline as his poll numbers continue to languish at record lows less than six months ahead of the election.”

The Connecticut Bar Association Warns Lawyers About Criticizing Proceedings Against Trump!

On June 15, 2024, Law Professor John Turley wrote the following article which was published by Fox News:

“This week, I have received emails from Connecticut bar members over a message posted by President Maggie Castinado, President-Elect James T. (Tim) Shearin, and Vice President Emily A. Gianquinto warning them about criticizing the prosecutions of former President Donald Trump. The message from the bar leadership is chilling for those lawyers who view cases like the one in Manhattan as a raw political prosecution. While the letter does not outright state that such criticism will be considered unethical conduct, it states that the criticism has ‘no place in the public discourse’ and calls on members to speak publicly in support of the integrity of these legal proceedings…

“According to the Connecticut Bar, it is now considered reckless and unprofessional to make analogies to show trials or to question the integrity of the legal system or the judges in such cases. For example, criticizing Judge Juan Merchan for refusing to recuse from the case is considered beyond the pale. Many lawyers believe that his political contributions to Biden and his daughter’s major role as a Democratic fundraiser and activist should have prompted Merchan to remove himself (and any appearance of a conflict). I have been more critical of his rulings, which I believe were both biased and wrong.

“Yet, the Bar is warning lawyers that such comments can cross the line. The letter assures members that they are free to criticize but warn that attacking the ethics of a judge or the motivations behind these cases is dangerous and could spark violence…

“Like many, I believe that the Manhattan case was a flagrant example of such weaponization of the legal system and should be denounced by all lawyers… For those lawyers who view such prosecutions as political, they are speaking out in defense of what they believe is the essence of blind justice in America. What is ‘reckless’ to the Connecticut Bar is righteous to others…

“The letter goes further and suggests that lawyers should speak publicly in support of trials like the one in Manhattan, a view that ignores the deep misgivings over the motivations and means used in New York to target an unpopular figure in this city. You have the top Bar officials calling on lawyers to take a public position that is opposed by many lawyers and citizens in defending the integrity of these prosecutions…”

This is an appalling and outrageous position by a bar association which has become the spokesperson for the Biden Administration, the weaponized Justice Department and corrupt judges. Let us be clear. Cases against Trump WERE and are show trials and the integrity of the legal system HAS BEEN compromised. Note the next article in this context as well.

Garland Won’t Be Prosecuted!

Newsmax wrote on June 14:

“Attorney General Merrick Garland will not be prosecuted for contempt of Congress because his refusal to turn over audio of President Joe Biden’s interview in his classified documents case ‘did not constitute a crime,’ the Justice Department said Friday. In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Justice Department official cited the department’s longstanding policy not to prosecute for contempt of Congress officials who don’t comply with subpoenas because of a president’s claim of executive privilege.

“The House voted Wednesday to hold Garland in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over the audio recordings of Biden’s interview with a special counsel, which the White House has accused Republicans of wanting only so they can chop them up and use them for political purposes. On the last day to comply with the Republicans’ subpoena for the audio, the White House blocked the release by invoking executive privilege…

“Garland is the third attorney general to be held in contempt of Congress. He has defended the Justice Department, saying officials have gone to extraordinary lengths to provide information to the committees about special counsel Robert Hur’s classified documents investigation, including a transcript of Biden’s interview with him.”

A transcript, which might or might not be complete, is quite different from audio recordings. Regardless, Congress asked for audio tapes which Garland refused to provide. Others acting like Garland went to jail.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

This is a good question, and it is an important issue that needs attention as it can have eternal consequences when it is not rightly understood.   It can be misleading for those who believe the concept that “once saved, always saved” is biblical.

One commentator, promulgating this erroneous concept states that, “If salvation can be lost, this requires a reversal of regeneration. This means the born again must become unborn again. And if they subsequently repent, then they must become born again again. Can a man also be born again again again? Where does it end? Is regeneration really so transient?”

The simple basic flaw in this argument is that its supporters believe that they are born again now.   It is also often the case that such a belief goes hand in hand with going to heaven at death.

The true Church of God has consistently taught that we are begotten in this life and will be born again at the resurrection.

It is interesting to note that, many years ago, a well-known British entertainer said that when he became a Christian, he asked what this would entail.   He was told that he would not have to change anything in his life but to just believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Many have been fed that lie over the years, and it goes hand in hand with the “once saved always saved” approach.

We have consistently written about what becoming a true Christian really entails.   When someone “gives his heart to the Lord,” there is usually no reference to Acts 2:38 which states: “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’  Repentance, baptism by immersion and receipt of the Holy Spirit are the beginnings of conversion, plus living the rest of one’s life pleasing in the sight of God by keeping His Commandments.

Interestingly, Mr Michael Link wrote an editorial, “Once Saved, Always Saved” in 2014, and he made these very relevant comments about staying faithful to the end of our lives or Christ’s return:

“And in Revelation 2:10 Christ tells us to ‘be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.’

“What is given to us can also be taken away.  When we turn back, we will lose what had been offered to us. Only when we overcome until the end, will we be saved (Matthew 24:13; Revelation 2:26).  This is a lifelong process that God requires of us: to be faithful continuously, to pray continuously, to be vigilant and strong continuously, to give comfort and love to one another continuously, to put ALL trust and confidence in Him continuously, and to obey Him continuously.  When we continue to do all of that until the end, then we will be saved.” 

In addition, we published a two-part series a few years ago showing that the “Once Saved Always Saved” concept believed by many in mainstream Christianity is a false erroneous belief.  We will quote briefly as appropriate from these Q&A’s, and they can be retrieved and reviewed in full via the following links:

https://www.eternalgod.org/q-is-it-correct-to-say-once-saved-always-saved-or-can-true-christians-lose-their-salvation-part-1/   and 

https://www.eternalgod.org/q-is-it-correct-to-say-once-saved-always-saved-or-can-true-christians-lose-their-salvation-part-2/

We give this explanation: 

1.  We are saved now.   After we repent and are baptised, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).   At that point, we are saved from the penalty of death from our past sins.   However, it doesn’t mean that we are finally saved and that we could not lose the salvation which we did receive.

2.      We are being saved – it is a process of growing in grace and knowledge.

3.      To be finally saved, we must endure to the end.

For very good reason, we continue to stress the necessity to remain faithful to “The Way” to which we have been called to live to the end of our lives, or to the return of Jesus Christ to this earth.   Nothing less will do.  Matthew 24:13 is a very important verse that some may feel is not particularly relevant as they believe that once someone is “saved,” they are “always saved”.   Nevertheless, this is vital information that we ignore at our peril: “ But he who endures to the end shall be saved.”

However, there is a consideration which we will also address in part three of this series about when dementia strikes and many can lose their memory and don’t recognize any longer their calling.

In Revelation 3:11, is further evidence that we must not give up on our calling: “Behold, I come quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” This verse clearly shows that we can lose out and can lose our crown.

It has been said that pain is temporary but quitting lasts forever.   Never could this be more so than in the life of a true Christian.   Doesn’t that truly sum up what we have to avoid at all costs? 

Everyone reading this Q&A will, no doubt,  have had their fair share of trials in life; perhaps many are still struggling with difficulties, maybe some life-threatening problems, but we know that God will not test us more than we are able to bear as it states in 1 Corinthians 10:13 which reads in full: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

What does quitting mean, and why is it something that so many have done down through the ages?   Doesn’t that truly sum up what we have to avoid at all costs?   Quitting lasts forever, especially in the Christian life!  This has happened to those who have been baptised in the Church of God right down through the ages and we may all have seen this in more recent times.  But however low we may feel at any time, quitting this Way of Life is not the answer.

Discouragement at times happened to some of the great men in the Old Testament, for example, Moses, Job, Elijah, David, Jonah and Jeremiah.  Such discouragement was temporary, something that we can all feel at times, but they all picked themselves up, dusted themselves off and got on with it, as we must do if we ever find ourselves in such a situation.

In Matthew 26:55-56 we read that “In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, “’Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me? I sat daily with you, teaching in the temple, and you did not seize Me. But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.’ Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.” Not just some of the disciples but ALL of them fled.   They must have been massively discouraged, but the Scriptures show that this was temporary and that they didn’t quit. Perhaps in their heart of hearts, they fully understood that quitting does indeed last forever.  It was not the disciples’ finest hour but they regrouped to do the Work that was laid out before them, and didn’t quit.

These examples were about temporary discouragement that we can all feel, but they realised that this was the way to go, and they spent the rest of their lives thoroughly involved with the Work that they were instructed to pursue.

We just cannot afford to quit, whatever our circumstances.   Let us review just some of the verses that show that if we do quit, we can lose our opportunity in the Kingdom of God.

In 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, we read a passage of Scripture where Paul shows that he could miss out or be disqualified:

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.  And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”

The sub-heading of this passage in some Bibles is “striving for a crown,” showing that the apostle Paul was still striving until the end of his life and did not intend to quit before the finish line.   This shows that he knew the reward was an eternal gift that was worth all of the effort needed now.

This clearly shows that we are in a race, but it is not a sprint or a short race. It is more like a marathon where we spend the rest of our lives, from genuine repentance and baptism at the outset, to passing the winning post at the end of our lives in order to receive an imperishable crown. 

Putting this in comparison with our calling, athletes give themselves completely to their physical race as we should do with our spiritual race.  The analogies, that is a comparison of two otherwise unlike things based on resemblance of a particular aspect, can be helpful and serve as an aid in understanding and comprehension of any given situation.  It is certainly an excellent comparison that is reliable to all of us.

We have to live the Way of Life to which we have been called, renouncing the world and its ways and not being diverted in any way from our chosen path.   As athletes untiringly pursued their course, so must we.   We must not grow weary over the years; particularly, when we have the winning line in our sights.

We read further about this giant, Paul, in the New Testament in 2 Timothy 4:6-8 with the sub-heading this time in some Bibles being “Paul’s Valedictory” which means “bidding farewell”:

“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

Paul said that he had finished the race. He had been faithful to the end. He had made it, showing that it was necessary to do these things throughout his life – even to the very end.

(To be continued)

Lead Writer: Brian Gale

compiled by Dave Harris

“Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen,” is the title of our newest booklet, and it has entered the first review stage.

“America Prepares for the Draft and Global War” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

Movements are in place in the USA automatically registering all men (and perhaps women) aged 18 to 26 for selective service—including American citizens and undocumented aliens. The connection between this development, reinstating the draft and preparing for global nuclear war should not be overlooked. What should a Christian’s position be in regard to military service and fighting in war? And how will you answer Jesus Christ when you stand in front of His judgment seat?

“Will There Be War Between Russia and Germany?” is the title of a recent StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

Many in Germany seem to believe that such a war will break out, while others are not convinced of it. In any event, Germany is preparing for war with Russia, and this program shows the incredible and shocking extent of such preparation with brand-new frightening developments involving Russia as well. What does the Bible have to say about all of this?

“Krieg zwischen Russland und Deutschland?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This program covers the same subject as described above.

“Wie Deutschland siegen und unterliegen wird!” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “How Germany Will Conquer and How It Will Be Conquered!”

“Niemand ist eine Insel,” last Sabbath’s first split sermon presented by Daniel Blasinger in Germany, is now posted. Title in English: “No One Is An Island.”

“Ein glückliches Leben mit Gott,” last Sabbath’s second split sermon presented by Robert Indlekofer in Germany, is now posted. Title in English:  “A Happy Life with God.”

“Herzlichen Glückwunsch,” the Pentecost Offertory presented in Germany by Manuel Müeller, is now posted. Title in English: “Congratulations.”

“Take Heed How You Build,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is the summary:

When building a structure, careful attention must be given as to how it is built. Christians are in the building-business as well, and careful attention must also be given to how we build upon Jesus Christ, our chief cornerstone.

“God’s Spirit of Love,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is the summary:

The Holy Spirit within us is a Spirit of love; specifically, it is God’s love in us, given to us through the Holy Spirit. But how does this divine love express itself in our daily lives? Is it separate from keeping the commandments? Can you lose this divine love? And how does God’s love relate to the proclamation of the gospel and the feeding of the flock?

“Earnest,” the Pentecost Offertory presented by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is the summary:

God gives us His Holy Spirit as a down payment for our complete redemption. In this way, He invests in our salvation. When we give our offerings to God on the commanded Holy Days, we demonstrate our willingness to give back to God as an expression of our gratitude for His gifts.

“What Does God Want?” the Pentecost sermon presented by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is the summary:

What does the Feast of Pentecost reveal in God’s great masterplan for the salvation of mankind? What do “firstfruits” represent and who, exactly, will be included in this category?

On June 15, 2024, Kalon Mitchell will present the sermonette, titled, “Take Heed How You Build” and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “God’s Spirit of Love.”

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.

NOTE: Sunday, June 16, 2024, is the Feast of Pentecost. Live services will be presented at the same time as our weekly Sabbath services. The Offertory, titled, “Earnest,” will be presented by Eric Rank, and the Sermon, titled, “What Does God Want?” will be presented by Dave Harris.

Some feel that they are not an essential part of this Work because they are not appointed to some service in the Church of God. For no apparent reason, they allow feelings of discouragement and dejection to affect them.

Why is that?

Could it be that the adversary, Satan the devil, knows that discouragement and disheartenment are the easiest ways to prevent us from doing our part? Satan is desperately trying to get each of us to neglect and eliminate the gift of God’s Holy Spirit that we have received.

We read in 1 Timothy 4:14: “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.” The Living Bible renders: “Be sure to use the abilities God has given you…”

If Satan succeeds in making us neglect and eventually lose the gift of the Holy Spirit within us, then we will be forever unfit and unable to enter the Kingdom of God. John 15:6 writes: “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”

What Satan hates above all else is the establishment of the Kingdom of God on this earth. That is because Satan and his demons will be stripped of their authority when this great event occurs (compare Revelation 20:3).

Therefore, Satan and his demons try day and night to prevent us from entering the Kingdom of God when the return of Christ to this earth takes place. 1 Peter 5:8 admonishes us: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” We are warned not to give the devil any room. We must recognize Satan’s schemes and resist him.

James 4:7 says: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

We need to understand the deception he is using today against God’s people, against us! Satan is trying to make us feel that the power that is in each of us, if we have been baptized in the proper way, namely the Holy Spirit of God, is not important or of great significance! Through this trickery of Satan, some have not fully made use of or even totally ignored the Holy Spirit that God has given us by grace. It is time to recognize this and to fight against it. We must be aware of this danger. 

The end-time Church has been given the great commission by Christ to preach the gospel to the whole world for a witness; a Work that cannot possibly be accomplished without the Holy Spirit of God!

Why is no other church outside the body of Christ proclaiming the true gospel of the Kingdom of God? They may understand and preach some parts of the Truth. But not a single one of them preaches the full true message of Christ – the gospel of the Kingdom of God! The Church of God is a body that Satan cannot control and prevent from proclaiming this important message because the Church is led and directed by God the Father and Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit.

Satan therefore tries to negatively influence the human instruments through which the Holy Spirit works and even render them useless. Therein lies the danger for every individual in the Church of God. We must surrender to God so that He can constantly fill us with His Holy Spirit of power! Only with this power will we be able to accomplish the Work He has commissioned us to do.

Without using the power of the Holy Spirit, we will fail. If not every member of the body is functioning properly, the body will not be as effective as it should be in carrying out the commission of Christ.

We are warned about false prophets in Matthew 7:15. Satan has always used such false prophets, which includes false “brethren” to stir up some in the Church against the ministry that GOD has appointed over them. And, brethren, he is still working in the same way, trying to get some to find errors and accuse the ministers of GOD, or to get others to slack off, become lazy and stop contributing to supporting this Work of GOD!

We need to recognize whom we are following when we fall into one or the other of these conditions. When some are hardened against those whom God uses to accomplish His Work, they begin to speak arrogantly about them (compare 2 Peter 2:10-15).

This should not sound strange to us. These people become dissatisfied when they can’t be at the pinnacle or center of the Church.

Vanity fills them so much that they are unwilling to be an active part of the body of Christ, whatever that part may be (compare Colossians 2:19). Satan knows that a member who separates him- or herself from the Church is in danger of withering spiritually and burning in the lake of fire. Thus, another one of the members of the body of Christ becomes useless (compare Ephesians 4:15-16) – a member who could have contributed not only in this time when there are so few laborers to fulfill God’s commission to His Church, but also to become a member of the coming Kingdom of God who could have inherited eternal life.

We must take “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5) and let Him instruct us through those He has called as His ministers. God has set His ministers over the Church members – the saints – for spiritual growth and perfection and for the “work of ministry” (compare Ephesians 4:11-12).

If we diligently seek to do the Work we have been called to do, rather than trying to do someone else’s work, we can confidently say, “Christ in me is my hope of glory!” The question is whether we go back to living our old life and its vanity, or whether Christ lives in us and accomplishes His Work through us as members of the body of Christ. Let us remember that we are now a part of the body of Christ if we live the Way He lived as a human being. And Christ was humble and willing to “do the last thing” – as the “last one.” We must follow this example.

Initial translation from German: Daniel Blasinger

by Norbert Link

We begin with the different treatment of Steve Bannon and Peter Navarro in comparison to Merrick Garland and Hunter Biden, proving again that the idea that “nobody is above the law” is a sham and a farce.

We continue with America’s outrageous national debt and the probability of civil war in the USA. 

We speak on Russian warships in Cuba; interesting news about the Church of Rome; and Israel’s daring rescue mission freeing four of Hamas’ hostages for which Israel is being condemned by Europe and the UN.

We address Europe’s new laws to control the USA; violent attacks on European politicians; and the surprising outcome of the European elections with different reactions from Macron of France and Scholz of Germany who have both lost greatly. We also speak on Germany’s preparations for war.

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

Bannon to Be Jailed

Breitbart wrote on June 6:

“Former top Donald Trump advisor Steve Bannon was ordered by a federal judge on Thursday to report to prison by July 1 to begin serving his four-month sentence for contempt of Congress. Bannon, 70, was convicted of contempt in July 2022 for defying a subpoena to testify before the congressional panel that investigated the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by Trump supporters. One of the masterminds behind Trump’s successful 2016 presidential campaign, he was sentenced to four months in prison in October 2022, but has remained free while appealing his conviction.

“A US federal appeals court upheld the conviction last month. US District Judge Carl Nichols revoked his bail at a court hearing Thursday and ordered him to report to prison by July 1. A defiant Bannon addressed reporters outside the Washington courthouse after the judge’s order, saying ‘there’s nothing that can shut me up and nothing that will shut me up… There’s not a prison built or a jail built that will ever shut me up,’ he said…

“Another top Trump advisor, Peter Navarro, was also convicted of contempt of Congress and began serving a four-month sentence in a Florida prison in March. Navarro, 74, is the highest-ranking former member of the Trump administration to spend time behind bars for actions stemming from the Republican former president’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.”

This is an outcry when comparing it to the next articles about Garland.

Merrick Garland in Contempt

On May 16, Politico reported:

“Republicans on the Judiciary Committee voted on Thursday to recommend Attorney General Merrick Garland be held in contempt of Congress after the Justice Department refused to hand over the audio of former special counsel Robert Hur’s interview with President Joe Biden…

“The White House notified lawmakers on Thursday that Biden was asserting executive privilege over the audio of Biden’s interview with Hur — effectively precluding Garland from facing criminal charges over defying the two congressional subpoenas.”

Newsmax wrote on June 11:

“The full House has cited only three sitting Cabinet officials to be in contempt of Congress: Attorney General Eric Holder in 2012, and Attorney General Bill Barr, and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in 2019. The move Wednesday largely [is] symbolic, though, because the DOJ declined to prosecute Holder, Barr, and Ross in the previous instances and likely will do the same with Garland.”

The New York Post wrote on June 12:

“House Republicans voted Wednesday to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress…

“Lawmakers approved the contempt measure along party lines, with 216 Republicans in favor and 207 Democrats opposed…

Breitbart added:

“The move — seen as symbolic, since Garland’s own officials would ultimately decide whether to press charges — is the latest escalation in hostilities between allies of Republican Donald Trump and the White House ahead of November’s election.”

Newsmax wrote:

“… it is unlikely that the Justice Department — which Garland oversees — will prosecute him. The White House’s decision to exert executive privilege over the audio recording, shielding it from Congress, would make it exceedingly difficult to make a criminal case against Garland.”

Nobody is above the law? This is just such a crying shame! There is truly no justice in the land, as the Bible says.

Hunter’s Laptop from Hell

Fox News wrote on June 7:

“Hunter Biden’s scandalous laptop, which was originally dismissed as Russian disinformation by many media outlets, pundits and even liberal allies in the intelligence community, was formally entered into evidence and confirmed by the FBI this week in his ongoing federal gun crime trial. The ‘laptop from hell,’ which is filled with videos and photos of drug use, sex acts, and sensitive business communications, was shown to the jury on Tuesday to try to prove the president’s son lied about using drugs on a gun purchase form. While the laptop has since been authenticated by a variety of news outlets, it was rejected when the New York Post first reported it in the weeks leading up to the 2020 election. Twitter, claiming the story violated its terms of service on hacked materials, locked the New York Post out of its account for weeks and even blocked users from sharing the story link…

“The Russian disinformation narrative stemmed in part from an open letter penned by 51 former intel officials… who declared that the laptop had ‘all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.’ The letter… suggested the emails were hacked and could have been tampered with by the Kremlin in order to make its contents look incriminating. Among the signatories include former DNI-turned-CNN analyst James Clapper, former CIA Director-turned-MSNBC analyst John Brennan and former CIA chief of staff-turned-MSNBC analyst Jeremy Bash… Now, the U.S. government is saying this is not only legitimate, but it wasn’t tampered with…”

USA Today wrote on June 6:

“During the 2020 debate, Biden angrily defended his son (and himself)… ‘There are 50 former national intelligence folks who said that what he’s accusing me of is a Russian plant,’ Biden said. ‘They have said that this has all the … five former heads of the CIA, both parties, say what he’s [Trump] saying is a bunch of garbage.’… It turns out the ones who were spreading garbage were Biden and these disinformation ‘experts,’ who along with a complicit mainstream news media, quashed and discounted an important story just weeks before the presidential election…

“The laptop story is important because the way it was handled is far from an isolated incident... Democrats and the legacy media often team together to form a narrative.  And anyone who questions this determined narrative is considered fringe or even dangerous.

“Take for instance the claims of Russian collusion with the Trump campaign ahead of his 2016 victory. Democrats wouldn’t let the accusation go and sought to taint Trump’s entire presidency with allegations of wrongdoing. The news media happily followed along…”

Fake news propaganda by the mass media!

Hunter Biden Convicted

The Associated Press wrote on June 11:

“Hunter Biden was convicted Tuesday of all three felony charges related to the purchase of a revolver in 2018 when, prosecutors argued, the president’s son lied on a mandatory gun-purchase form by saying he was not illegally using or addicted to drugs… Joe Biden has said he would accept the verdict involving his son and would not seek to pardon him….

“Hunter Biden’s legal troubles aren’t over. He faces a trial in September in California on charges of failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes…”

Breitbart added on June 11:

“Hunter faces up to 25 years in prison and $750,000 of fines, court filings say… ‘We don’t yet know what the sentencing guidelines would be if he’s convicted on all counts,’ NBC News reported, ‘but one legal expert said they likely would specify around a year in prison.’

“Hunter’s gun trial judge, Maryellen Noreika, recently delivered a one-year sentence to a defendant in a similar gun case. The defense asked for a six-month sentence, but Noreika gave him one year.”

The jury in Wilmington, Delaware, deliberated for only about three hours over two days. The date for sentencing has not been set yet but the timeline is usually within 120 days. That would place it no later than a month before the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election. So has justice been served? Hardly. Note the next article.

Protecting Hunter

Breitbart wrote on June 12:

“The White House left open the idea that President Joe Biden might commute Hunter Biden’s pending federal sentence following his gun-related conviction… Joe Biden believes Hunter is a victim of the weaponization of justice, a person familiar with the conversation told Politico.”

To “commute a sentence” is the power to substitute a sentence imposed by the judiciary for a lesser sentence. So, nobody is above the law?

Newsmax wrote:

“According to the Justice Department, a presidential commutation could reduce, partially or totally, a person’s sentence once it has begun, ‘but it does not change the fact of conviction, imply innocence, or remove civil disabilities that apply to the convicted person.’”

Subsequently, Biden told a reporter that he would not commute Hunter’s sentence. We will see.

America’s National Debt

The Daily Hodl wrote on June 7:

“The US national debt just hit a new all-time high of $34.667 trillion…  That’s a $677 billion increase from the start of 2024, when the nation’s debt stood at $33.990 trillion…

“The new record high comes amid a report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) warning that the greater the nation’s debt, the less money Americans will earn. ‘The current law debt trajectory will reduce income growth by 12% over the next three decades and 13% annually by Fiscal Year (FY) 2049. Rapidly rising debt could reduce income growth by 33% over the next three decades and 42% annually by FY 2049.”

America will never be able to repay its debt.

Civil War in America?

Politico wrote on June 11:

“In a spring report titled ‘Disruptions on the Horizon,’ a quiet office known as Policy Horizons Canada, proposed American civil war as a scenario that Ottawa should consider preparing for.

“This hypothetical was tucked into the middle of the 37-page document which sketched the possibility in 15 spare words: ‘U.S. ideological divisions, democratic erosion, and domestic unrest escalate, plunging the country into civil war.’

“It’s an unsettling thing to find out your immediate neighbor is getting nervous about the possibility of gruesome violence in your home.

“There has been no shortage of apocalyptic forecasting about Trump-era American politics. Since the 2016 election, left-leaning nonprofits, political consultants and academics have indulged in endless speculation and role-playing exercises, ostensibly to help them defend democracy. In practice, much of this has amounted to self-indulgence…

“The Policy Horizons report struck me as different: not dark fan fiction (or anti-fan fiction) from American partisans, but a sober branch of a friendly foreign government contemplating our national crackup…”

US Supreme Court Upholds Right to Mifepristone

NBC wrote on June 13:

“The Supreme Court has preserved access to mifepristone, a medication that was used in nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the U.S. last year, in the court’s first abortion case since conservative justices overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago.

“In a unanimous decision, the high court ruled that abortion opponents who challenged the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the medication, and subsequent actions to ease access to it, lacked the legal right or standing to sue. The court notes that the doctors and groups suing the FDA ‘do not prescribe or use mifepristone,’ nor is the FDA requiring them to do so. ‘Rather, the plaintiffs want FDA to make mifepristone more difficult for other doctors to prescribe and for pregnant women to obtain,’ Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote for the court’s opinion. Kavanaugh was part of the majority to overturn Roe…

“The FDA approved mifepristone in 2000 as a safe and effective way to end early pregnancies. Last year the pill was used in more than six in 10 of the abortions in the U.S. Mifepristone blocks the hormone progesterone and primes the uterus to respond to the contraction-causing effect of a second drug, misoprostol. The two-drug regimen has been used to end a pregnancy through 10 weeks gestation.

“The central argument of the conservative group challenging mifepristone is that the Food and Drug Administration overlooked serious problems with the drug when it eased restrictions on the drug, including making it available via mail in 2021… But the FDA has long argued its decision to drop in-person appointments to get mifepristone, among other requirements, came after 20 years of monitoring its safety. In that period the agency reviewed dozens of studies in thousands of women in which serious problems — including hospitalization — occurred less than 0.3% of the time… Because of the highly technical nature of reviewing drug data and research, courts have long deferred to FDA’s scientific judgements on safety and effectiveness…

“Kavanaugh acknowledged what he described as the opponents’ ‘sincere legal, moral, ideological, and policy objections to elective abortion and to FDA’s relaxed regulation of mifepristone.’ But he said they went to the wrong forum and should instead direct their energies to persuading lawmakers and regulators to make changes…”

Abortion (killing life after it has been conceived) is wrong and condemned by God.

Russian Warships in Cuba

Miami Herald wrote on June 12, 2024

“A group of Russian warships that sailed close to Florida shores, closely watched by U.S. destroyers, entered the port of Havana on Wednesday morning ahead of Russian military exercises in the Caribbean… the top of the nuclear-powered submarine Kazan was visible outside Havana Harbor before it submerged again…

“The official Russian government news agency Tass reported Wednesday that the Kazan, a modern nuclear submarine, is capable of ‘quietly approaching U.S. shores within 50 km and carrying out assigned combat missions… the submarine is equipped with Zircon hypersonic missiles. Zircons travel so fast — nine times the speed of sound, or close to 7,000 miles per hour — that one could hit the United States in seconds from Havana…”

Unpleasant memories of the famous Cuba missile crisis under JFK?

The Church of Rome

CNA wrote on June 10:

“Pope Francis gazed over the ancient ruins of the Roman Forum during a visit to Rome’s historic Capitoline Hill on Monday in which he reflected on how the ‘Rome of the Caesars’ transformed into the ‘Rome of the Popes.’…

“Pope Francis praised ancient Rome as ‘a radiating center of civilization,’ which with its legal developments and organizational capacities built solid and lasting institutions and an ancient culture with ‘many good values, which on the other hand needed to elevate itself, to confront a greater message of fraternity, love, hope, and liberation.’”

“Telling” comments by a deluded pope.

Four Hostages Freed

The New York Post wrote on June 8:

“Israeli forces freed four hostages held captive by Hamas during a daring raid in central Gaza Saturday — including Noa Argamani, the young Israeli woman who became the tragic face of the terrorists’ murderous incursion on the Jewish state. The hostages… all were kidnapped at the Supernova music festival on the morning of Oct. 7, when savage Hamas terrorists killed 1,200 people and kidnapped another 251 during their bloodthirsty rampage across southern Israel…

“Saturday’s raid was the largest single recovery of hostages captured by Hamas, bringing the total number rescued up to seven… The IDF acknowledged that civilians were killed amid the fighting, placing the blame on Hamas for holding the hostages in a civilian environment…”

Israel Condemned

Jordan News wrote on June 9:

“European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell Saturday condemned the Israeli army’s operation in the Nuseirat camp in central Gaza that killed over 200 people [based on numbers given by the Gaza Health Ministry]… Borrell said reports about another massacre against civilians are ‘horrific’ and urged immediate halt to what he described as a ‘bloodbath’ in Gaza…”

The Guardian added on June 9:

“Israel’s foreign minister, Israel Katz, lashed out at critics of the operation in a post on X: ‘Only Israel’s enemies complained about the casualties of Hamas terrorists and their accomplices.’

“Gary Epstein, a writer for the Times of Israel, said: ‘Hamas engaged in kidnapping and hostage-taking. Hamas embedded itself in hospitals, schools and United Nations facilities. Hamas uses human shields. Hamas holds hostages in residential neighbourhoods. Where is the outrage? What is Israel supposed to do in these circumstances?’”

Israel Today wrote on June 9:

“A journalist and a doctor were among the family members holding Israeli hostages in their home in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed on Sunday night. Following checks by the IDF and the Shin Bet, it can be confirmed that [journalist] Abdullah al-Jamal was an operative of the Hamas terrorist organization…”

The UN’s Hypocrisy

Israel 365 News wrote on June 9:

“Francesca Albanese, the U.N. special rapporteur for Palestinian-controlled territories, tweeted that she was ‘relieved’ four hostages had been ‘released.’ However, she went on to state that the operation ‘should not have come at the expense of at least 200 Palestinians, including children, killed and over 400 injured by Israel and allegedly foreign soldiers, while perfidiously hiding in an aid truck.’

“The figures cited by Albanese, who has a long-documented history of anti-Israel and antisemitic rhetoric, including outright support for Hamas, come from the terrorist organization, which runs the Gaza Health Ministry.

“According to Israeli officials, the extraction force came under heavy fire during the operation, leading to a firefight in the heavily populated Nuseirat neighborhood. Hamas forces fired rocket-propelled grenades at the extraction teams and hostages from within civilian buildings, according to the IDF spokesperson…

“Albanese went on to assert that ‘Israel could have freed all hostages, alive and intact, eight months ago when the first ceasefire and hostage exchange was put on the table. Yet, Israel refused in order to continue to destroy Gaza and the Palestinians as a people,’ calling it ‘genocidal intent turned into action’… U.S. President Joe Biden has… rejected accusations of genocide leveled at Israel over its campaign against Hamas.

“Balakrishnan Rajagopal, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the right to housing, tweeted on Saturday that ‘Countries that celebrate the release of four Israeli hostages without saying a word about the hundreds of Palestinians killed and thousands held in arbitrary detention by Israel, have lost moral credibility for generations and don’t deserve to be on any U.N. human rights body.’

“The U.N. Human Rights Council, which appoints special rapporteurs, has long been criticized for including some of the world’s worst human rights offenders, including current members such as China, Cuba and Eritrea.”

The UN’s hypocrisy is stunning and so is Europe’s hatred for Israel, but it is all according to prophecy. But note the following insightful article.

Israel Should Be Applauded

The New York Post wrote on June 10:

“Israel pulled off a hostage rescue that deserves to go down in the annals of extraordinary daring highly successful military operations, yet it is being condemned for it. The secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council denounced the ‘heinous and terrorist crime that targeted defenseless innocents with brutality,’ while Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon have decried Israel’s alleged criminal tactics… The media coverage in the US has taken a skeptical or negative tone, emphasizing the civilian casualties.

“According to the laughably unreliable Gaza health ministry, the operations killed 274 Palestinian civilians. It stands to reason, then, that it was almost certainly fewer than that. The IDF says the toll was less than 100.  While everyone would prefer that every military operation [was] completely antiseptic, that’s not how the world works…

“One side wants to free non-combatants from their nightmarish imprisonment to live again at home with their families as they please; the other side grabbed innocent people in a bloodthirsty pogrom, has hideously abused them, and refuses to release them. 

“Once Israel forces encountered military resistance in dire circumstances, what were they supposed to do? Give the hostages back? Surrender? Apologize and ask to come back at some other time?… The Israeli military used the force necessary to get their operators and the hostages out alive, as any other country would have done (one commando was killed in the raid).

“Either out of profound moral confusion, enmity toward Israel, self-loathing of the West or all of the above, many people since Oct. 7 have confused victim with victimizer, hostage-rescuers with hostage-takers and the forces of civilization with the forces of barbarism.

“If Israel can’t even bring home its own, the world is truly upside down — just the way Hamas wants it.”

Europe to Control the USA

Fox News wrote on June 10:

“In May, officials in the European Union finalized a sweeping new law that will radically change business activities around the world and, by extension, the societies they operate in. The law… will not only apply to companies that are based in the European Union, but also to businesses headquartered in other countries that provide products and services in the EU… That means countless businesses within the United States will be affected by this law. 

“The [law] mandates that large businesses reduce and reverse biodiversity loss [the loss of a variety of living things and their interactions], limit water and land consumption, prohibit certain kinds of ‘disinformation,’ guarantee rights for labor unions, and adopt climate transition plans that phase out fossil fuels, among numerous other requirements. Large companies will also be forced under the law to adhere to numerous U.N. resolutions, EU regulations and international agreements…

“Failure to meet the EU requirements could result in massive fines equal to as much as 5% of a company’s net worldwide turnover. Companies who violate the law could also be sued by individuals or activist groups for alleged damages caused by their undesirable practices.”

America beware!

Attacks on European Politicians

Yahoo!News wrote on June 8:

“Danish authorities said Saturday that an attack on Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, which she said left her ‘shaken’ but ‘fine’, was not thought to be politically motivated… The attack was widely condemned by leading European politicians, including EU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who said it was a ‘despicable act which goes against everything we believe and fight for in Europe’…

“In 2019, Frederiksen became the country’s youngest prime minister at the age of 41 and kept the post after emerging victorious in the 2022 general election. The incident follows a spate of attacks on European politicians from across the political spectrum ahead of this week’s EU elections.

“Several politicians in Germany [notably from the AfD] have been attacked at work or on the campaign trail. On May 15, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot four times at close range as he greeted supporters after a government meeting. Fico, who survived the assassination attempt, underwent two lengthy hospital surgeries.”

Macron and Scholz Lose Big in European Election

Newsmax and The Associated Press wrote on June 9:

“Right wing parties made major gains in European Union parliamentary elections Sunday, dealing stunning defeats to two of the bloc’s most important leaders: French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. In France, the National Rally party of Marine Le Pen dominated the polls to such an extent that Macron immediately dissolved the national parliament and called for new elections. It was a massive political risk since his party could suffer more losses, hobbling the rest of his presidential term that ends in 2027.

“Le Pen was delighted to accept the challenge. ‘We’re ready to turn the country around, ready to defend the interests of the French, ready to put an end to mass immigration,’ she said…

“In Germany, the most populous nation in the 27-member bloc… the AfD overcame a string of scandals involving its top candidate to rise to 16.5%, up from 11% in 2019. In comparison, the combined result for the three parties in the German governing coalition barely topped 30%.

“Scholz suffered such an ignominious fate that his long-established Social Democratic party fell behind [the AfD], which surged into second place…

“The four-day polls in the 27 EU countries were the world’s second-biggest exercise in democracy, behind India’s recent election. At the end, the rise of the far right was even more stunning than many analysts predicted…

“The center-right Christian Democratic bloc of EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, which already weakened its green credentials ahead of the polls, dominated in Germany with almost 30%, easily beating Scholz’s Social Democrats, who fell to 14%, even behind the AfD…

“EU lawmakers, who serve a five-year term in the 720-seat Parliament, have a say in issues from financial rules to climate and agriculture policy. They approve the EU budget, which bankrolls priorities including infrastructure projects, farm subsidies and aid delivered to Ukraine. And they hold a veto over appointments to the powerful EU commission… Since the last EU election in 2019, populist or far-right parties now lead governments in three nations — Hungary, Slovakia and Italy — and are part of ruling coalitions in others including Sweden, Finland and, soon, the Netherlands. Polls give the populists an advantage in France, Belgium, Austria and Italy.”

The New York Post wrote on June 9:

“In the Netherlands, anti-immigrant populist Prime Minister Geert Wilders increased his seats of the European Parliament from one to seven — though liberal parties narrowly won the most votes… In Belgium, the Prime Minister Alexander De Croo announced he would resign after national elections in the nation of 11.5 million people saw his center-right party’s vote share projected to drop to less than 5%…. Austria’s right-wing Freedom Party [came] out on top…”

No Early Elections in Germany

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 10, 2024

“Germany will not hold a snap election as demanded by the opposition despite bruising EU election results for all three parties in the ruling coalition, the spokesman for Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said. Steffen Hebestreit rejected calls from Bavaria’s state premier, Markus Soeder, to follow in the footsteps of French President Emmanuel Macron…  ‘The election date is next fall as planned, and we plan to follow that through,’ Hebestreit said…

“A call for snap elections also came from Alice Weidel, the co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which saw a surge in support at the elections for the European Parliament. Weidel accused the German government of making policies against Germans, saying, ‘People have had enough.’”

Jews Worried

JTA wrote on June 11:

“The success of German extremists in Sunday’s European Parliament election has mainstream Jewish leaders and politicians worried. Some say they fear the country is veering into political territory that resembles the era just before the rise of the Nazis here nearly a century ago…

“Government statistics show that most antisemitic crimes whose perpetrators are identified are committed by someone with a far-right background. But many crimes are never solved…”

European Court Fines Hungary

The Guardian wrote on June 13:

“Hungary has been ordered to pay a €200m (£169m) fine for its refusal to uphold the rights of asylum seekers… by the bloc’s highest court. The European court of justice in Luxembourg also ordered Budapest to pay €1m a day until it complies with EU laws guaranteeing refugees the right to claim asylum inside Hungarian borders.

“In a major judgment issued on Thursday, the court said Hungary had shown ‘deliberate evasion’ in applying EU policy, which it described as ‘an unprecedented and exceptionally serious infringement of EU law’ and ‘a significant threat to the unity of EU law and to the principle of equality of the member states’…

“Responding to the judgment, the Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orbán, described the court’s ruling as ‘outrageous and unacceptable’, adding: ‘It seems that illegal migrants are more important to the Brussels bureaucrats than their own European citizens.’ The legal ruling comes less than three weeks before the Hungarian government takes charge of the rotating presidency of the EU council of ministers. It highlights the profound challenge to the bloc…”

With the ongoing fighting between Hungary and the rest of the EU members, it will be interesting to see what will happen when Hungary takes over the presidency of the EU council on July 1, 2024.

Preparing For War

CNN wrote on June 9:

“Conscription, rationing, and subway stations turned into bunkers. For the first time since the Cold War, Germany has updated its plans should conflict erupt in Europe, with ministers citing the threat by Russia. The 67-page document… envisions the complete transformation of daily life for German citizens in the event of war. Under wartime conditions, mandatory conscription into the army would be reinstated and skilled laborers aged over 18 could be made to work certain jobs including in bakeries and post offices – as well as being prevented from quitting their jobs. Doctors, psychologists, nurses and vets may also be repurposed in military and civil service roles.

“Rationing would also be brought in. In the event of dwindling food supplies, the government would stockpile food to provide citizens with ‘one hot meal a day’ for an undisclosed period of time, according to the document. Federal reserves would include foods like rice, pulses and condensed milk. Other key resources such as petrol and oil could also be rationed with coupons if they become scarce.

“It also outlines civil protection measures including transforming underground stations into makeshift bunkers and preparing hospitals for an influx of patients… The document warns that Germany’s hospitals would have to prepare to treat large numbers of patients over a long period of time…

“On Wednesday, German Defensive Minister Pistorius was quoted by newspaper Der Spiegel as saying: ‘We must be ready for war by 2029.’ Pistorius added, ‘We must not believe that Putin will stop at Ukraine’s borders when he gets that far.’ Similarly, voices from within the British government have expressed the need to be war-ready. Former UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace in February stated that ‘war is coming’ to Britain by the end of the decade…

“In recent weeks Russia has issued some of its starkest warnings to the West yet… The Russian leader specifically pointed to a breakdown in Russia’s relations with Germany, claiming that the appearance of German tanks in Ukraine had resulted in a ‘moral, ethical shock,’ because ‘the attitude towards [Germany] in Russian society had always been very good, very good.’ ‘Now, when they say that some more missiles will appear that will strike targets on Russian territory, this, of course, is ultimately destroying Russo-German relations,’ he added.”

The Sun wrote on June 7:

“GERMANY has revealed its plans for war with Russia, with provisions ranging all the way from national service to bin collection… National conscription would return and citizens could ‘be drafted at any time’… All of Germany’s tanks and military vehicles would get priority on roads and railway lines throughout the country – limiting normal traffic. Air traffic could also be blocked at a moment’s notice as well as public transport including buses, subways and trains.

“Companies across the country would focus on making defence products… If World War 3 was to break out between Nato and Russia, Germany would become a crucial port to ferry through troops, weapons and more… In order to protect Germany – a large number of its troops would move to border its eastern flank. Nato soldiers from its allies would also be housed, fed and protected on German soil as they moved to fight Putin’s troops.

“National media would be made to broadcast important war announcements ‘immediately’…

“Only days ago, Putin vowed to send his terrifying set of long-range missiles to allies across Europe after learning of the West’s renewed support for Ukraine…  Today Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said Ukraine has the right to strike inside Russia when hitting ‘legitimate, military targets.’

“Vladimir Putin has threatened all-out war if Ukraine uses Western weapons to hit Russia. The tyrant singled out Britain — warning ‘countries with small territory and dense populations’ should be careful… Putin said: ‘Constant escalation can lead to serious consequences. Nato members, particularly in Europe, should beware of what they are playing with.’”

Still, Russia will not attack Britain, and there will only be war between Russia and continental Europe after Europe has destroyed the USA… and Britain, in nuclear warfare.

Much More Money for Ukraine

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 13:

“G7 leaders plan to use interest from $300 billion in frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine… The world has already committed €297 billion ($321 billion) in aid to Ukraine. But the country clearly needs more…. Washington wanted to use the seized [frozen Russian] money to bankroll Ukraine’s war effort. As most of the funds seized took place in Europe, Brussels said no, due to the huge legal black hole created by freezing assets when the West is not directly at war with Russia… After two years of wrangling, a compromise has been found… Instead of spending the $300 billion principal amount, the new plan will utilize the interest made on those assets — estimated to be a few billion a year — as collateral for a one-off loan of up to $50 billion for Ukraine…

“Ukraine’s government… requires $100-150 billion annually to run the country and the war… Worse still… only half of the latest $61 billion committed by the Biden administration will go directly to Ukraine. The rest will boost the US Department of Defense’s coffers. There is also a large disparity about what countries have promised and delivered…. Ukraine’s need for aid is likely to remain high for several years, including billions for the reconstruction of damaged power infrastructure during the conflict, and the rebuilding of cities once it is over….

“Kyiv is now preparing hikes to income tax, excise duties, sales tax and other indirect levies…”

Newsmax added on June 13:

“Beyond the war in Ukraine, Pope Francis will become the first pope to address a G7 summit… The G7 includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Italy…  is hosting the summit.”

Another shocking example describing the curse of war and the damage it inflicts upon everyone. 

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.

When we read 2 Samuel chapter 8, we find there is a list of the wars and military conquests of king David. It also lists who he put in charge of the various responsibilities of the army, civil service and religious service. This chapter also reveals in verse 15 a responsibility David himself had. “So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered judgement and justice to all his people.”

Here we find the terms judgement and justice used. Is this a redundancy, or do these words have significantly different meanings? Again, this expression is repeated in Isaiah 9:7 which describes the kingdom which will be established at the time of the coming of Jesus Christ to the earth. “Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end, Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, To order it and establish it with judgement and justice From that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

Justice and judgement are translated from two different Hebrew words; justice is translated from mishpat and Judgement from tsedaqah. What is the difference between these two Hebrew words? Mishpat refers to the literal letter of the law.  God gave Israel a very comprehensive law and it provided certain specific penalties if these laws were broken. So why was anything else needed?

If we examine Deuteronomy 17:8-11, we find that the Hebrew term for judgement is used. “If a matter arises which is too hard for you to judge, between degrees of guilt for bloodshed, between one judgement or another, or between one punishment or another, matters of controversy within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the place which the LORD your God chooses. And you shall come to the priests, the Levites, and to the judge there in those days, and inquire of them; they shall pronounce upon you the sentence of judgement. You shall do according to the sentence which they pronounce upon you in that place which the LORD chooses. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they order you. According to the sentence of the law in which they instruct you, according to the judgement which they tell you, you shall do; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left from the sentence which they pronounce upon you.”

The implication here is not so much guilt or innocence but the degrees of guilt and accordingly what sentence should be applied. If it was just a matter of guilt or innocence, they would not have to go to the judge at Jerusalem. If the person was guilty, then the letter of the law should be applied, and there would be no problem. But obviously if they have to show them the sentence of judgement and they have to instruct them how to arrive at it, we are dealing with things that fall between the cracks. Things that aren’t specifically covered.

For example, it says in God’s law, that if a man has a slave, and he puts out the slave’s eye, or he breaks his tooth, the slave is entitled to his freedom. But what if he mangles his hand? Is the slave entitled to his freedom? The law does not mention mangled hands. It only talks about a tooth and an eye. What’s the answer? It must have happened that some other part of the anatomy was damaged, and the slave would wonder, does this give me my freedom or doesn’t it? So, the intent of the law had to be extracted from the literal instruction, looked at and a decision had to be made. Yes, this was obviously what God intended. He wasn’t just interested in eyes only or teeth only, He was interested in serious bodily injury, perpetrated on a slave. So, any such serious bodily injury would give the slave the right to his freedom. In other words, they looked behind the letter of the law to determine the intent of the law, so they could have equity. This was to enable the equitable intent of the law to be applied. This is what tsedaqah is.

In the Revised Standard Version, they use a different word. They use justice to translate mishpat, and equity to translate tsedaqah, to show that it is the equitable intent of the law which is meant by the Hebrew term tsedaqah. Literally, the Hebrew word tsedaqah means righteousness. In fact, many versions translate tsedaqah as righteousness. However, Hebrew does not have as many words as English. In Hebrew, one word frequently has a wide range of meanings. You have to know which meaning is intended in a particular passage, and not just blindly translate it the same way all the time. And so, it is obvious from the grammatical construction and the way it was applied in David’s reign, that this was the intent. The equitable intent of the law is what is meant by tsedaqah, and by ensuring equity is applied, righteousness will be obtained.

The Bible preserves for our instruction several situations which David faced; situations where he had to apply tsedaqah as well as just mishpat. It may not be just a case of something not covered in the law. Sometimes a crime was committed and there is no doubt the crime has been committed. It is a crime specifically mentioned in the law, a penalty is specifically assigned in the law for that crime, but to just apply the penalty would not really carry out true equity or righteousness. Equity would not be served. Justice would not truly be served by carrying out blindly the penalty for the infraction. And so, because of the special circumstances, something has to be done with the penalty. It needs to be made stiffer, a harsher penalty than provided for in the law be exacted to achieve equity, or because of the special circumstances, the opposite may be true. You have to soften the penalty because of the special circumstances. That’s what equity sometimes requires.

In our system, we don’t always have that leeway. Many times, sentences cannot be reduced or increased beyond certain limits because of sentencing laws enacted by the government of the day. But in Israel they could go either way because the interest was to ensure justice. So, if justice was served by making the penalty harsher, the judge could do it. If justice could be truly served by making it less harsh, the judge could do that as well.

In this Q&A, we will cover two situations in the life of David. The first situation mentioned where David was required to make a judgement was after he had committed adultery with Uriah’s wife Bathsheba and murdered Uriah. We find this in 2 Samuel 12:1-6. “Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: ‘There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared it for the man who had come to him.’ So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, ‘As the LORD lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.’”

In a case like this, the law prescribes a penalty. Exodus 22:1 states, “If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall restore five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep.” Nowhere does the law specify that the death penalty is required. Applying mishpat (justice) only requires restoration of four sheep. So why did David say the rich man should die? This is where tsedaqah (judgement) comes into play. The reason for David’s judgement was that the rich man had no pity. The lamb meant everything to its owner and wasn’t just an animal to him. It was like a son or daughter to him. He had a deep personal relationship with his lamb. He had raised it like a child. The rich man could easily have provided out of his own abundance for the wayfaring stranger and not even have missed it. But he hardened his heart to such a point that he took this poor man’s possession.

The fact that the owner of the lamb was poor of itself did not affect the penalty.  God’s law specifically says not to favor the poor. God stated this in Leviticus 19:15. “You shall do no injustice in judgement. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.”

After David declared the righteous judgement, Nathan informed him in 2 Samuel 12:7-12, that he was the rich man. “Then Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: “I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I would have also given you much more! Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.” Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. For you did it secretly, but I will do this thing before all Israel, before the sun.”’”

In this statement by Nathan, God reminded David that God gave him Saul’s house, or office, and Saul’s wives. When David was anointed king, he inherited Saul’s wives, and they joined his already existing harem. In the Middle East, this is how it was publicly symbolized that a person had succeeded to the throne. He may or may not have relations with them but they are his. It’s a sign of coming to royal power. When we read of Absalom’s rebellion soon after this, one of the things he did was to have sexual relations with David’s wives publicly. This was a way of saying “I have taken over the kingship.”

We should also point out that it was wrong for David to have more than one wife. Note our Q&A on polygamy for further explanation. https://www.eternalgod.org/question-and-answer-713/

We can also note that God gave David the house of Israel and Judah. After the death of Saul, the houses of Israel and Judah were never truly united. They had one king over them but they were partially divided, and finally totally divided after the death of Solomon.

Because David truly repented, God did not demand the death penalty that David himself had proclaimed, but God applied other severe penalties until David’s death. But nowhere did God state that David’s pronouncement of the death penalty for the rich man was excessive.

Another incident where David was required to give a judgement is in 2 Samuel 14. In this instance, David’s son Amnon had raped Absalom’s sister Tamar. Two years later, Absalom had his half-brother Amnon murdered. He then fled to his maternal grandfather’s homeland of Geshur and remained there for another three years.

In 2 Samuel 13:39, we read, “And king David longed to go to Absalom. For he had been comforted concerning Amnon because he was dead.” Here we see that David longed to go to Absalom but felt legally he could not because Absalom was a murderer. He longed after Absalom but analyzing the law, it wasn’t just a matter that Absalom deserved to be sentenced to death, but David himself quite possibly could have been the executioner if he was the nearest male relative of the murdered Amnon. He could have been considered to be the avenger of blood.

At this time Joab, the commander of the army, saw the problem that David was experiencing over this matter with Absalom. In 2 Samuel 14:1-3 we read what Joab did to resolve this problem. “So Joab the son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s heart was concerned about Absalom. And Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman, and said to her, ‘Please pretend to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel; do not anoint yourself with oil, but act like a woman who has been mourning a long time for the dead. Go to the king and speak to him in this manner.’ So Joab put the words in her mouth.”

In 2 Samuel 14:4-11 she pleads her pretended case. “And when the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and prostrated herself, and said, ‘Help, O king!’ Then the king said to her, ‘What troubles you?’ And she answered, ‘Indeed I am a widow, my husband is dead. Now your maidservant had two sons; and the two fought with each other in the field, and there was no one to part them, but the one struck the other and killed him. And now the whole family has risen up against your maidservant, and they said, “Deliver him who struck his brother, that we may execute him for the life of his brother whom he killed; and we will destroy the heir also.” So they would extinguish my ember that is left, and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant on the earth.’ Then the king said to the woman, ‘Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.’ And the woman of Tekoa said to the king, ‘My lord, O king, let the iniquity be on me and on my father’s house, and the king and his throne be guiltless.’ So the king said, ‘Whoever says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall not touch you anymore.’ Then she said, ‘Please let the king remember the LORD your God, and do not permit the avenger of blood to destroy anymore, lest they destroy my son.’ And he said, ‘As the LORD lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.’”

Here we see an example of David weighing up the circumstances of this supposed case and pronouncing his judgement. If only justice was considered, the brother should be put to death, if he was guilty of murder; or he had to flee to a city of refuge to stay there until the death of the high priest, if he was guilty of manslaughter (compare Exodus 21:12-14). But David considered that the widow had no one else to provide for her in her old age, as she said, “they would extinguish my ember that is left,” as embers provide warmth, symbolic of support. He also considered the fact that the inheritance might be removed from this part of the family and given to a different part of the family for their benefit, thus extinguishing this particular line of the family’s inheritance, Therefore, David removed the justified penalty. Another factor was that there was no one in the field to intervene in the fight and prevent the murder or manslaughter.

In 2 Samuel 14:12-17, the supposed widow then explains how this case and judgement that David has pronounced also applies to the situation with David, Amnon and Absalom. “Therefore the woman said, ‘Please, let your maidservant speak another word to the lord the king.’ And he said, ‘Say on.’ So the woman said: ‘Why then have you schemed such a thing against the people of God? For the king speaks this thing as one who is guilty, in that the king does not bring his banished one home again. For we will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. Yet God does not take away a life; but He devises means, so that His banished ones are not expelled from Him. Now therefore, I have come to speak of this thing to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. And your maidservant said, “I will now speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his maidservant. For the king will hear and deliver his maidservant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the inheritance of God.” Your maidservant said, “The word of the lord my king will now be comforting; for as the angel of God, so is my lord the king in discerning good and evil. And may the LORD your God be with you.”’”

So, the widow requested that as David pardoned the widow’s son who killed or perhaps even murdered his brother, he should also be able to pardon Absalom who murdered his half-brother Amnon.

Now David realized that Joab was involved in this case and that David could pardon Absalom because of the similarities in both situations. Both the invented case brought by the widow and the real case of Amnon and Absalom involved brother killing brother. One particularly strong reason for the similarities, and one that condemned David himself, was that no one was in the field to part the widow’s sons. In the case of Absalom murdering Amnon, David was very angry, but there is no mention of him punishing Amnon for his crime of rape, this being a breach of justice. If David had been the intercessor and had punished Amnon justly, Absalom might not have murdered Amnon two years later. This implies that David might have been a causative factor in the crime of murder.

After all these events, David pardoned Absalom and allowed Joab to bring Absalom back to Jerusalem, but David did not see Absalom. 2 Samuel 14:28 says: “And Absalom dwelt two full years in Jerusalem, but did not see the king’s face.” But when Absalom was killed by Joab for rebelling and assuming the kingship, David wept over his death. He probably realized that he was partly responsible for this unfortunate outcome.

So, while David was overall a man after God’s heart, and is praised because he ruled mainly with judgement and justice, he still exhibited human frailties, one of them being not applying correct justice and judgement within his own family.

As mentioned above, when Jesus Christ returns, He will rule in judgement and justice, and this is mentioned in Isaiah 11:3. “His delight is in the fear of the LORD, And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, Nor decide by the hearing of His ears; But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, And decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.”

In the book of Habakkuk, God reveals why He does not hear Habakkuk’s cry to Him. A large part of the reason is the lack of true justice and judgement. Habakkuk 1:4. “Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore perverse judgement proceeds.”

In concluding passages, God gives us a warning about judging in an unrighteous manner. This is explained well in Matthew 7:1-2 in the Amplified Bible (copyright 2015). “Do not judge and criticize and condemn [others unfairly with an attitude of self-righteous superiority as though assuming the office of a judge], so that you will not be judged [unfairly]. For just as you [hypocritically] judge others [when you are sinful and unrepentant], so will you be judged; and in accordance with your standard of measure [used to pass out judgment], judgment will be measured to you.”

But John 7:24 informs us how we should judge. Again, from the Amplified Bible, “Do not judge by appearance [superficially and arrogantly], rather judge fairly and righteously.

As we have the hope of being like God and being God—a member of the God Family—we should learn to live with both justice and righteous judgement, copying Christ’s example, in order to please Him.

Lead Writer: Paul Niehoff (Australia)

A new Member Letter (June 2024) has been posted and mailed to our subscribers. Pastor Michael Link presents an extensive review of our recent Church Conference.

“Gottes Geist der Liebe,” is the title of the German sermon for Pentecost, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “God’s Spirit of Love.”

“Krieg – er liegt in der Natur des Menschen,” the German sermonette presented by Mike Richter, is now posted. Title in English: “War – It Is in Human Nature.”

“Our Life Saver,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Michael Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

There are occupations where lifesaving plays an important role for physical protection but there is something else they can’t provide. How can our lives be saved and what is required of us to achieve this? What has God given us that would save our lives and do WE not offer life-saving advice to the world?

“Time,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Brian Gale, is now posted. Here is a summary:

This sermon looks at the matter of time – something that we can’t see, touch, feel, smell or taste but something that we are well aware of. There are seven different points which are discussed.

On June 8, 2024, Michael Link will present the sermonette, titled, “Our Life Saver,” and Brian Gale will present the sermon, titled, “Time.”

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.

Recently I went with my wife to Ramona, California, in order to attend our annual Church Conference, where we discussed, among other things, different church organizations in the body of Christ. It was very nice to see many brethren again and to once again have the chance to welcome them with open arms after such a long time. For some, it had been over 13 years since I had seen them in person, for others a little less. And yet, it is always a great feeling to be able to reunite with brethren and their families.

In August 2008, the Church of the Eternal God broadcasted the program “AufPostenStehen” in Germany for the first time, and my initial contact with the Church took place in October of the same year. Then, in September 2009, we were baptized in Ramona and had our Church wedding at the Feast of Tabernacles in San Diego in October.

The Church of the Eternal God, operating as the Kirche des Ewigen Gottes in Germany, grew steadily with new members, and each year more and more were baptized. This means that God has called some out of this terrible world to bring them as firstfruits into the Family of God. Not only was it a wonderful feeling to see the growing membership; it was overwhelming to understand the power with which God is working in us, leading us and revealing His Truth to us.

But being a member of God’s Family means having responsibility, sincerity, faithfulness, sacrifice, consistency, love, humility and fear of the Lord our God. This implies that we all have a task to fulfill and to do it steadfastly until the return of Christ, exactly in the place where God has planted us. Thus, if we have been called into the Church of the Eternal God or its affiliated international organizations, then we have an obligation to it— unless the Truth would no longer be fully preached there!

But in the nearly 15 years that my wife and I have been in the Church of the Eternal God, we have repeatedly seen brethren leaving us and resigning from the Church. Some left because of selfishness, pride, wrong ideas or resentment towards other members, and even because of personal disputes with the ministry.

Some of them have left for other church groups that emerged from the [now defunct] Worldwide Church of God after the death of the human leader, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong; or they have left the Way of God altogether.

It must be understood that many different groups have arisen because they no longer agree with the doctrines of God’s Truth. Some leaders and their members have developed their own ideas and no longer teach the plain truth. They have become lukewarm. Others have formed church organizations out of pride, greed and job preservation, looking for members, or acting for other nonsensical reasons.

Why would one do that? Why do people leave the part of the body of Christ into which they were baptized, even though the Truth of God is still taught there without compromise? Quite possibly, to avoid having to deal honestly with their underlying personal problems!

Or could God have made a mistake? Is it simply no longer fashionable to remain faithful to the part of the body of Christ that is endowed with the Spirit of Philadelphia, to which God has called us?

Would it actually be a good alternative to simply walk away from one’s commitment of remaining faithful to one’s God-ordained place and instead move on to another church organization—one that may be part of the body of Christ but does not manifest the same enthusiasm and love for the Truth; that has compromised with the Truth; or that does not fulfill the Church commission of proclaiming the gospel as a witness? Or would it be a bad compromise?

Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 12:13, 24-25, 27: “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit… But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another… Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.”

And Christ tells us in John 15:1, 5: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser… I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

Personally, I see these statements with a very special emphasis.

If we cut ourselves off as a branch from the sweet vine of God for personal reasons or problems and try to cling to “another vine” that does not bear the same fruit, or if we move to an opposite vineyard, we may produce fruit, but it will never be the same as it was before and was expected of us.

So, leaving the Church organization that has remained faithful to the Truth is, in most cases, a bad compromise!

We must understand that God does not make mistakes. God is perfect in everything He does.  David, inspired by God, wrote in Psalm 18:30: “As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.”

In Mr. Michael Link’s Editorial from October 29, 2020, he said: “We must NEVER leave Him out of the picture, but put matters into His hands (Jeremiah 17:5-8). This is very difficult to do at times, especially in the heat of the moment. We must keep our heads high and look to God for help.”

And finally, let us remember one thing: “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

We must therefore ensure that we remain faithful to God’s assignment to the part of His body that He has ordained for us, provided that the perfect Truth from God’s Word continues to be preached there!

Initial translation from German: Daniel Blasinger

by Norbert Link

We begin with the support of many Palestinians for Hamas; Joe Biden’s seemingly naïve evaluation of the current situation in the Middle East; Hungary’s fight with the EU; and the unwillingness of the UK to watch Europe, while being involved in a political turmoil prior to the general election.

We continue with Germany’s push for mandatory military service and the duplicity of Defense Minister Boris Pistorius; the election of leftist Claudia Sheinbaum to the office of President of Mexico;  and the indebtedness of many American banks.

We speak on our terrible judicial system which has become thoroughly politicized, as exemplified by the unparalleled corrupt trial against and conviction of Donald Trump whose further fate will still have to be decided by a biased and unpredictable judge. Please view in this regard our recent StandingWatch program, titled, “Trump Guilty—Shame on America”  and our subsequent message, titled, “Trump’s Guilty Verdict—More to Come?—Comments on News and Prophecy, June 1, 2024”.

We continue with Biden’s hypocritical response to the verdict and also the appearance of his witness tampering and we conclude with Dr. Fauci’s refusal to admit any guilt for his horrible conduct during the Covid pandemic. Please view in this regard our newest StandingWatch program, titled, “Fauci’s God Complex.” 

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

Many Palestinians Favor Hamas

Israel Today wrote on June 3:

“The majority of Arab residents of Judea and Samaria believe that the Hamas terrorist group will emerge from the war with Israel strengthened. To the question, ‘Do you estimate that the war will end with a rise or fall in the popularity of Hamas among Palestinians?’ 55% said the terror group’s popularity would rise. Only 13.1% thought Hamas’s popularity would decline and 27.3% said its popularity wouldn’t change.

“The Jerusalem Media & Communication Centre, an Arab NGO in Jerusalem, conducted the survey almost eight months after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack.

“Nearly 40% of respondents said the attack served ‘national Palestinian interests’ while 30.2% thought it would hurt those interests. Another 23.5% said it didn’t hurt or help. More than 41% of those surveyed said that the war would end in Hamas’s favor. Only 6.3% said it would end to Israel’s advantage.”

This totally destroys the often repeated wrong left-wing narrative that only a small minority of Palestinians support Hamas.

Hamas Unable to Strike Again?

The New York Post wrote on May 31:

“President Biden announced a proposed Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip without defeating Hamas Friday — claiming that the terrorist group is now incapable of ‘carrying out another October 7th.’ Biden asserted that Hamas had been all but crushed militarily…

“Netanyahu’s office… insisted Israel’s war will not end [and there will NOT be a permanent ceasefire] ‘until all its objectives are achieved, including the destruction of Hamas’s military and governing capabilities.’”

The seeming naivety of Joe Biden is stunning.

Biden Attacks Netanyahu

Breitbart wrote on June 4:

“Biden suggested in an interview published in Time magazine on Tuesday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is prolonging the war in Gaza for ‘his own political self-preservation.’…

“The only Israelis suggesting that Netanyahu is deliberately prolonging the war are on the far left of the political spectrum. The Israeli public supports the continuation of the war in Gaza until victory by overwhelming margins. Biden has been hostile to Netanyahu since the latter won his election in November 2022, refusing to meet with the Israeli leader for nearly a year. He traveled to Israel after the October 7 attacks, but has since backed efforts to oust Netanyahu.

“Biden resents Netanyahu because the Israeli leader is resisting American pressure to accept a Palestinian state as an outcome of the war. The Israeli public overwhelmingly backs Netanyahu’s position on the issue after decades of Hamas terror.”

There will never be a deep friendship between Biden and Netanyahu.

Hungary vs. EU

AFP wrote on June 2:

“Tens of thousands of Hungarians rallied at a ‘peace march’ Saturday called by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is increasingly stoking fears of a war between the West and Russia…

“As Moscow’s closest EU ally despite its invasion of Ukraine, Orban has refused to send weapons to Kyiv while blocking European military aid. He has repeatedly said Ukraine ‘cannot win’, claiming that ‘most people want’ a ceasefire and peace negotiations…

“On Friday, Orban accused the defense alliance of ‘dragging’ Hungary into war over Ukraine, comparing it to how Adolf Hitler had pressured the country into joining World War II.”

Interesting comments and comparisons.

UK Uninformed About Europe

The Daily Mail wrote on June 3:

“More than 370 million people are entitled to vote [in European elections] between June 6 and 9, an electorate second in size only to India’s. As the EU has continued to centralise power, the European Parliament has become less like an international assembly and more like the legislature of a superstate. That superstate is taking shape right next door to us and, although we are each other’s largest trading partners, our relations have often been marred since Brexit by the tendency in Brussels to see us as a rebel province.

“In short, you might think we would be interested. So why so little coverage? Is it that we have become more insular as a result of Brexit?…

“No, what we are seeing is a reminder that this country was never especially community-minded in its outlook. In 1950, as Labour’s then foreign secretary, Ernest Bevin, put it: ‘Britain is not “part of Europe”, she is simply not a Luxembourg.’

“As long as we were members, we did our best to pay attention. Turnout at our European elections may have been in the low thirties, but at least we had a vague idea of who Jacques Delors and Jean-Claude Juncker were. The moment we left, though, our gaze snapped back to the Commonwealth and the other English-speaking democracies…”

The situation is not unlike the one in the USA where most Americans are not interested as to what is happening in the rest of the world. And this means, there will be a rude awakening soon for both the UK and the USA.

UK in Political Uproar

The Daily Mail wrote on June 3:

“Nigel Farage has vowed to lead a ‘political revolt’ against the Conservatives and Labour, after announcing he will lead the Reform Party for the next five years and stand for Parliament in the Essex seaside town of Clacton. The veteran Brexiteer argued that Britons are ‘furious’ at how both Labour and the Conservatives have approached the immigration crisis, adding there is also ‘deep anger’ at the rate at which public services are ‘disintegrating’….

“Mr Sunak suffered the darkest hour of his election campaign yesterday afternoon. During a dramatic 60 minutes, the Prime Minister suffered a double blow as Nigel Farage entered the fray and a new poll predicted a Tory wipeout…. Writing in The Telegraph yesterday, [Farage] alleged that the UK has been ‘failed by two main parties’ who have ‘conspired to accelerate our decline’… He argued that neither the Tories nor Labour have a ‘plan to pull this country out of a deep economic hole’ and that both are ‘hooked on a deadly addiction to mass immigration‘. The Reform Party leader… claimed that voters feel ‘sick’ at the Government’s ‘policy of betrayal’.”

It was stated that Farage’s intervention “risks handing Sir Keir Starmer [Labour’s party leader] a ‘blank cheque’ to reverse Brexit.” The UK’s general election will be held on July 4. Whatever the outcome, we do not believe that Brexit will ever be reversed.

Breitbart wrote on June 4:

“While Farage is arguably one of the most impactful post-World War II political figures in the United Kingdom — having led the charge to lead the country out from under the thumb of the European Union and the unelected cadre of Brussels bureaucrats — he has never held office in Britain, a point frequently brought up by his detractors…

“That is not to say, however, that the populist campaigner is without a history of electoral success, having been elected to serve as a British Member of the European Parliament from 1999 until the UK’s withdrawal from the bloc in 2020. In the most recent election in which he meaningfully campaigned — the 2019 EU Parliament elections — Farage’s Brexit Party secured a staggering 5.2 million votes compared to 1.5 million for Theresa May’s Conservatives…

“… chief political correspondent for the globalist Financial Times newspaper, Jim Pickard… said that while it is an ‘aberration’ for third-party candidates to win seats in the House of Commons, he ‘wouldn’t bet against Farage right now.’”

Germany’s Conscription—Coming?

The Frankfurter Allgemeine wrote on May 29:

“In the debate about various conscription models, Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius sees the sending of muster questionnaires to young adults as the first step. In the event of a defense, conscription would be automatically activated immediately, said the SPD politician on Wednesday during a visit to troops in northern Germany. However, they couldn’t be drafted at all because [the government] does not know where or who the 18-year-old young men actually are. ‘We are currently working on rebuilding military registration – and that is why the question of sending out muster questionnaires is a first step.’

“In view of the armed forces’ personnel needs, Pistorius emphasized how important for the Bundeswehr the ability is to grow in the reserves. They are formed from the training of those doing military service or from the other male and female soldiers. Compulsory military service is currently suspended. According to Pistorius, those who decided this in 2011 for fiscal reasons simultaneously destroyed all structures that made military registration possible. But this is mandatory.”

With his conflicting and contradictory statements, Pistorius is hard to pin down, but the bottom line is: He needs to be watched.

Deutsche Welle reported on June 5:

“‘We must be ready for war by 2029,’ the defense minister said during a questioning session in Germany’s lower house of parliament, the Bundestag… ‘In an emergency, we need strong young women and men who can defend this country.’ Pistorius also said that, for that reason, he believed a ‘new form of military service’ was necessary, that ‘cannot be completely free of obligations.’”

Mexico Elects Claudia Sheinbaum

The Associated Press wrote on June 3:

“Claudia Sheinbaum will become the first woman president in the country’s 200-year history… The climate scientist and former Mexico City mayor said that her two competitors had called her and conceded her victory… Sheinbaum will also be the first person from a Jewish background to lead the overwhelmingly Catholic country. She will start her six-year term Oct. 1. Mexico’s constitution does not allow reelection.

“The leftist has said she believes the government has a strong role to play in addressing economic inequality and providing a sturdy social safety net…

“Just as the upcoming November rematch between U.S. President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump has underscored deep divisions in the U.S., Sunday’s election revealed how severely polarized public opinion is in Mexico over the direction of the country, including its security strategy and how to grow the economy.”

The Associated Press added on June 3:

“Sheinbaum, the favored successor of outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, vowed to continue on the direction set by the populist leftist leader… López Obrador claims to have reduced historically high homicide levels by 20% since he took office in December 2018. But that’s largely a claim based on a questionable reading of statistics. The real homicide rate appears to have declined by only about 4% in six years.”

U.S. Banks Indebted and Near Bankruptcy

The Daily Hodl wrote on June 2:

“Unrealized losses in the US banking system are once again on the rise, according to new numbers from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). In its Quarterly Banking Profile report, the FDIC says banks are now saddled with more than half a trillion dollars in paper losses on their balance sheets, due largely to exposure to the residential real estate market…

“The FDIC also says that the number of lenders on its Problem Bank List rose last quarter. According to the agency, [63] banks are on the brink of insolvency due to financial, operational, or managerial weakness or a combination of such issues.”

Our Political Injustice System

On June 3, Ron Paul wrote in his weekly column:

“I’ve long criticized our current US justice system – on all levels – as becoming much more about political justice than blind justice. The bizarre trial and conviction of former President Donald Trump last week on 34 felonies only reinforces my concerns.

“The New York District Attorney, Soros-backed Alvin Bragg, has been notorious for downgrading felony charges against others to misdemeanor charges. According to a recent article in the Daily Mail, Bragg had downgraded 60 percent of felony cases to lesser charges, resulting in violent criminals being released on the streets and a crime wave across New York City. But when it came to Donald Trump, Bragg lurched in the other direction, upgrading what normally would have been misdemeanor charges against anyone else to 34 felony charges against the former president. How can this sudden ‘about-face’ be explained other than politics?…

“Regardless of one’s view of Donald Trump, it is a disturbing development in our society when justice is treated more like a football game where you root for your ‘team’ rather than a way of preserving our freedom and liberty in an equal way for all.

“The real goal of the trial was political. None other than George Soros’ son Alex let the cat out of the bag recently when he advised fellow Trump-haters how to take advantage of the trial result. He posted on Twitter after the verdict, ‘Democrats should refer to Trump as a convicted felon at every opportunity. Repetition is the key to a successful message and we want people to wrestle with the notion of hiring a convicted felon for the most important job in the country!’

“It was not about justice in any way. It was all about being able to call the likely Republican presidential nominee a ‘felon’ so as to undermine his support among voters. In other words, election interference.

“The market has a way of prevailing, however. The repeated attempts at using ‘lawfare’ to remove Trump from the political scene have all backfired and actually have served to make the former president even more popular among voters. Immediately after Trump’s conviction on the 34 charges he began sending out fundraising appeals based on his ‘persecution’ by the state of New York. As of this writing, he has, according to press reports, raised over $200 million for his campaign.

“The politicization of justice is not limited to the Democratic Party. The wind sown by political opponents of Donald Trump may well become the whirlwind they reap when their own political opponents are in positions of power. When that is the case, we all lose.”

Sadly, the left-wing mass media is unable or unwilling to read the handwriting on the wall. And the few conservative media outlets dwell on unrealistic hopes and wishful thinking for the future.

“What a Farce!”

Piers Morgan wrote in The Sun on May 31:

“WHAT a farce. That was my instant reaction as I left the recording of Thursday night’s BBC Question Time to hear the bombshell breaking news that Donald Trump had been convicted on all counts in the Stormy Daniels hush money trial. And my feelings only intensified on the journey home into utter incredulity that such a stinking, stupid, senseless act of self-harming partisan political claptrap had been allowed to happen.

“Trump’s no angel, we all know that. But for America to drag one of its 46 presidents through a criminal court over this tawdry, tacky, pathetically trivial case is so damaging to the country’s reputation. Frankly, who cares if Trump did or didn’t have a one-night stand with a porn star 18 years ago, and then paid her off to keep quiet about it?

“Is that any worse than what Bill Clinton did when he had ‘sexual relations’ with Monica Lewinsky in the Oval Office and then lied to the American people about it, or paid Paula Jones off with $850,000 to settle her sexual harassment case against him? And don’t even get me started on JFK and all his sexual shenanigans which included one of his myriad girlfriends Judith Exner passing classified CIA plans for the assassination of Fidel Castro to Chicago mafia boss Sam Giancana.  

‘There’s a sickening hypocrisy behind the Democrat campaign to beat Trump in the 2024 election by trying to incarcerate him for doing far less serious things with Stormy Daniels than their own presidents did with women. And Trump’s conviction sets a horribly dangerous precedent for US political parties to weaponize the justice system against their opponents.

“But the reason it’s so dumb as well as dangerous is because it will inevitably make Trump an even stronger candidate to win back the White House against an ageing, ailing, deeply disliked President Biden.

“Within [a few] hours of the verdicts, his presidential campaign received a staggering $34 million in donations, nearly doubling its single day fundraising record. [Within 24 hours after the verdict, his campaign received 53 million dollars, with 1/3 coming from new donors.]

“Money talks in elections, and Trump’s enraged support has never looked more fired up, or more determined to see him re-elected. Even if he’s jailed when he’s sentenced in July, it will only make him a bigger and more popular martyr…”

To be clear, even an incarcerated Donald Trump could still be elected President and run the country from his prison cell.

A Machine-Gun Mob-Style Hit Job

Express wrote on May 31:

“Former prime minister [Boris Johnson] defends the US presidential candidate [Donald Trump], saying the case against the Republican was a ‘load of stunted-up old nonsense’ [and a] ‘machine-gun mob-style hit job.’…

“Current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Labour opponent Sir Keir Starmer have both refused to criticise the jury’s verdict… But Mr Johnson… called the conviction ‘authoritarian and corrupt’… ‘It was nakedly political. It was completely artificial.’… “

Johnson is right, and Sunak’s and Starmer’s “political correctness” is sad.

Even CNN Trashes Verdict

Breitbart wrote on May 31:

“CNN legal analyst Elie Honig has published an article in New York magazine pointing out many of the procedural flaws behind the prosecution of former President Donald Trump… Among other problems, Honig noted that no state prosecutor had ever tried to enforce federal election laws before. Many legal observers have said that the Manhattan district attorney had no authority or jurisdiction to do so.

“Honig wrote: ‘The charges against Trump are obscure, and nearly entirely unprecedented. In fact, no state prosecutor — in New York, or Wyoming, or anywhere — has ever charged federal election laws as a direct or predicate state crime, against anyone, for anything. None. Ever. Even putting aside the specifics of election law, the Manhattan DA itself  almost never brings any case in which falsification of business records is the only charge.”

Honig also wrote:

‘“The judge donated money — a tiny amount, $35, but in plain violation of a rule prohibiting New York judges from making political donations of any kind — to a pro-Biden, anti-Trump political operation, including funds that the judge earmarked for ‘resisting the Republican Party and Donald Trump’s radical right-wing legacy.’”

This is so telling. This whole corrupt circus show trial makes one sick.

Will Merchan Impose Jail Time?

The Editorial Board of the New York Post wrote on May 31:

“Don’t think the political games are done just because Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg and Judge Juan Merchan have engineered a kangaroo-court conviction of President Donald Trump: Sentencing is still ahead. Conveniently…, Merchan set that hearing for July 11, just four days before the Republican convention opens. That gives him a perfect time to look at the polls and see if President Biden needs yet more help. If Trump’s current narrow lead increases these next six weeks, bet on Merchan to demand hard time.

“Yes, legal experts say it’s beyond rare for a judge to send a first offender, convicted of a non-violent crime, to prison. But this judge has proven himself more than willing to burst far past the boundaries of decency where Trump is concerned. It’s no secret that the whole dog-and-pony show was politically driven… Why would [Merchan] refrain from an unprecedented punishment, especially if the verdict alone isn’t slowing Trump’s momentum?

“If [Trump’s] polling [is] even better [than Trump’s currently lead over Biden by 6 points], come July 11, Merchan’s fellow Democratic hacks will be in full panic, demanding he ‘save the country’… Ordering Trump behind bars is no more outrageous than all the other violations of norms in this case.”

Reuters wrote on June 3:

“Donald Trump said on Sunday he would accept home confinement or jail time… but that it would be tough for the public to accept… ‘You know, at a certain point, there’s a breaking point.’”

Trump also said that he told his lawyers not to beg the judge not to send him to prison. Law Professor Alan Dershowitz does not think that Merchan will be so stupid as to imprison Trump, but he might give him a suspended jail sentence. Note the next article.

The Whole Thing Was Made Up

Newsmax wrote on June 2, 2024:

“New York City Judge Juan Merchan will likely sentence former President Donald Trump to up to three years in prison, but will suspend the sentence, Harvard Law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz [said]… ‘The judge, I’m sure, made up his mind what he was going to sentence him to before the verdict came back, because he knew what the verdict was going to be based on the instructions. The jury had no choice but to convict.’ The trial, meanwhile, ‘wasn’t a trial’ but a ‘predetermined, orchestrated result,’ Dershowitz said… ‘Nobody could have won’ the case, as it ‘didn’t matter what the facts or the lawyers were,’ said Dershowitz…

“‘There are dozens of appealable issues… I’ve never seen so many reversible errors.’ But even though ‘any first-year law student’ could win the appeal, that wouldn’t necessarily happen in New York because the appellate judges are elected by the same people ‘who were on the jury and that hate Donald Trump, so this has to get outside of New York City in order for there to be any kind of justice,’ said Dershowitz…

“Further, ‘the whole case was made up’ by imagining that Trump was trying to cheat on his taxes or hide a campaign contribution, said Dershowitz. ‘[Alvin Bragg] searched up and down to find the crime,’ he added. ‘He couldn’t find one. So he made one up… out of whole cloth. And I think any reasonable appellate court would find so many errors in this that they would reverse the conviction, not remand it for a new trial, but reverse it, dismiss it, and condemn the prosecutors for bringing it.’”

Since all of this seems to be so clear, shouldn’t the judge and the prosecutor be disbarred?

Biden “Responds”

Axios wrote on May 31:

“President Biden addressed former President Trump’s criminal conviction for the first time Friday, warning that it’s ‘reckless, dangerous, and irresponsible for anyone to say this was rigged just because they don’t like the verdict… The American principle that no one is above the law was reaffirmed…

“‘Our justice system should be respected, and we should never allow anyone to tear it down. It’s as simple as that… That’s America. That’s who we are. And that’s who we’ll always be, God willing,’ he concluded.”

What hypocrisy. Note the next two articles.

Breitbart wrote on July 1:

“On Friday’s ‘Mark Levin Show,’ Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) stated that there is ‘an extraordinary double standard’ in how Democrats pivoted from openly undermining the credibility of and attacking Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito over flags at his house [flown by his wife] to now demanding unquestioned agreement with the ruling in… former President Donald Trump’s trial… The whole thing just smacks of corruption.’”

One should also recall how leading Democrats viciously attacked the US Supreme Court for abolishing Roe v. Wade.

Biden Attacks Trump

Media ITE reported on June 4:

“‘For the first time in American history, a former president that is a convicted felon is now seeking the office of the presidency,’ Biden said at a fundraising event in Greenwich, Connecticut… ‘But as disturbing as that is, more damaging is the all-out assault Donald Trump is making on the American system of justice… ‘Something snapped in this guy for real’ after the 2020 election, Biden said. ‘It’s literally driving him crazy.’ Biden also called Trump ‘unhinged.’”

Witness Tampering?

The New York Post published the following article by Miranda Devine on June 2:

“The president flew into Wilmington, Del., on Sunday night, where his 54-year-old son’s felony gun trial begins Monday,  and will spend the whole day there with no official duties. Joe Biden’s looming presence in the strange small city leaves nobody in any doubt of the message he is sending to Delaware special counsel David Weiss, the prosecutors, the judge, and the jury pool being chosen Monday: You mess with my son, you mess with me. 

“It’s all very subtle, in a flagrant way, much like Joe’s impromptu visit to Hallie Biden, the widow of Beau and former lover of Hunter, just nine days before his son’s trial, at which she is the star witness for the prosecution. It was Hallie who threw Hunter’s new handgun in a trash can in October 2018 out of concern for his drug-addled mental state, creating a ticking legal time bomb that would propel him into court six years later. It was Hallie who found drugs and drug paraphernalia in his truck. Hallie, 50, even shared his crack addiction for a time, amid multiple drug rehab efforts.

“In a trial based on the allegation that Hunter lied on the gun shop’s federal background form on Oct. 12, 2018, when he checked ‘No’ on the question, ‘Are you an unlawful user of, or addicted to” various narcotic drugs, Hallie’s understanding of his drug use will be key. Hunter’s defense is that the day he bought the gun was a rare day of sobriety…

“The potential for witness tampering in Joe’s late-night visit to Hallie was obvious… conspicuous Hunter sightings alongside his father have accelerated in the last two weeks… Perhaps the most flagrant of all was the May 23 state dinner for the president of Kenya where, yet again, the indicted first son rubbed shoulders with Attorney General Merrick Garland…

“Hunter’s California tax trial in September is high risk for Joe, as it will encompass 2014 and 2015, during which Hunter was earning $1 million from Burisma and his VP father had the Ukrainian prosecutor who was investigating the corrupt energy company fired.”

Biden seems to be getting away with his seemingly inappropriate conduct. Democrats are silent, and Republicans don’t speak much either. This country continues to go down on every level.

Biden’s Executive Order

BBC News wrote on June 4:

“ US President Joe Biden’s announcement of his executive action aimed at curbing migrant arrivals on the US border… will stop migrants who cross unlawfully from receiving asylum, and will make it easier for immigration officers to remove people in the US who are there illegally.

“The action takes affect when the southern border is ‘overwhelmed’, but the White House’s description did not come with any hard numbers that defined what an overwhelmed border would be. Biden’s announcement was met with criticism from Donald Trump’s campaign, and some of Trump’s key Republican allies. It was also met with criticism from some Democrats and migrant advocacy groups.

“And in Mexico, there was uncertainty of what the executive action could mean for the border cities where many try to cross into the US.”

Newsmax added on June 4:

“President Joe Biden’s new border plan is just window dressing, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday… Johnson reminded people Biden said four months ago he had done all he could do. ‘He tried to convince us all for all this time that there was no way he could possibly fix the mess,’ Johnson said. ‘Remember that he engineered it’… Johnson noted Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas issued 64 executive orders to open up the border…

“The House speaker said, if Biden was really concerned about the border, he would have issued the executive order a long time ago…”

The New York Post wrote on June 4:

“Whereas the law says that Biden and [impeached] Mayorkas must detain illegal migrants, the pair have instead released nearly all of them, more than 3.9 million by my conservative estimates. Those releases encouraged even more foreign nationals to come here illegally from all over the globe. That surge has overwhelmed border agents to such a degree that they couldn’t stop nearly 1.7 million others from entering illegally and evading Border Patrol apprehension.

“A compliant media largely ignored this crisis until the Mayorkas impeachment and negotiations over a Senate border bill last winter pushed it to the fore… He’s using a 72-year-old immigration authority — section 212(f) — to bar migrant asylum claims…

“His new executive order is simply a deceitful press stunt he hopes will shore up his rock-bottom ratings from voters on the crisis.”

It’s all about politics and the desire to be elected.

Fauci Personifies Systematic Failure

Breitbart wrote on June 3:

“Dr. Anthony Fauci refused to disavow business, church, and school closures during his testimony before the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic on Monday while continuing to justify mask and vaccine mandates during a line of questioning with Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX). ‘Dr. Fauci’s testimony before this subcommittee underscores a shocking lack of accountability,’ Cloud said in an exclusive statement to Breitbart News following Fauci’s testimony. ‘His claims of ignorance about key decisions — whether it’s the arbitrary six-foot distancing rule, school closures, or funding dangerous research in Chinese labs — are both disturbing and unacceptable. Fauci personifies the systemic failure within our federal agencies, where passing the buck is the norm, not the exception,’ the congressman continued.

“During his line of questioning, Cloud went through a list of coronavirus mitigation measures that Fauci supported throughout the pandemic, beginning with business closures, asking if that was justified… [continuing with] church closures…, mask mandates for adults, mask mandates for children, mask mandates for children under five… vaccine mandates for employees, vaccine mandates for students, and vaccine mandates for the military…

“Cloud took to social media after his line of questioning to the former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) chief, writing, ‘I asked Dr. Fauci a simple yes or no question: Did he believe school, business, and church closures, mask mandates, and stay-at-home orders were justified?… He refused to disavow those measures, despite knowing they were ineffective,’ the congressman added.”

Fauci’s performance throughout his “tenure” was horrible, but no admission of guilt or an apology can be detected. This means, in a similar situation, he would recommend the same terrible and insane measures.

Fauci’s God Complex

The New York Post wrote on June 4:

“… as two weeks to stop the spread turned into two years of moving the goalposts… it was clear the doctor was developing a God complex. And much of our media became higher clergy genuflecting at every turn. Many adherents found in Fauci a religious purpose, with a mask and a needle serving as virtue symbols and ‘Trust the science’ as their main recitation.

“Anyone with questions or objections was a heretic to be shamed. We were forced to mold our society around these arbitrary and draconian rules…  Parents who advocated for schools to reopen were ostracized and called ‘grandma killers.’… there was no humility and no openness from Fauci & Co. — only suppression and control…. He leaves in his wake a tidal wave of American distrust in institutions. And an absolute inability to see his role in dissolving that trust.”

Planning Another Epidemic?

Ezra Levant wrote in Rebel News on June 1:

“One of the things I hated about the pandemic and the lockdowns was it was as if every country was acting in lockstep. It’s as if everyone was following Anthony Fauci or Theresa Tam in the United States and Canada. But they, too, were following the marching orders from the World Health Organization run by Doctor Tedros. And really, underneath it all, run by the Chinese Communist Party, which installed Tedros.

“What I think we should take away from that is that the decisions in your town, in your school, and at your workplace were not made in your town, at your school, or in your workplace. Odds are, they were concocted… at the… World Health Organization (WHO).

“The WHO is having its annual get-together called the World Health Assembly right now in Geneva, Switzerland. In response to that, I started seeing ads for a trucker-style convoy to come and protest against it.

“Covid-19 was one of the worst things that ever happened to us. It destroyed our lifestyle, destroyed our income, destroyed our family connections, destroyed our sense of community, and destroyed our civil liberties. It was the worst moment in many people’s lives. But for the public health bureaucrats, especially the globalist ones who are not rooted in any jurisdiction, it was the best time of their lives. They had power. They had respect. They were on TV every day.

“Obscure, unknown nobodies like Doctor Theresa Tam were suddenly being called Canada’s top doctor… Those people want another pandemic… so they can offer themselves up as the solution themselves and their plans and their budgets and their powers… We’re here because the decisions being made for you about you are not happening in the Canadian Parliament or your local legislature. They’re happening by unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats, diplomats and politicians at the United Nations.”

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 times, we come across the concept that true Christians must be poor and live in poverty. But is this correct? Does the Bible require of true Christians to sell all they have and give it to the poor, so that they themselves become poor and dependent on others for their sustenance? Asking it this way, we should readily say how preposterous such a concept would be.

We find many Scriptures in the Bible about righteous people who were rich because God blessed them. God would not have blessed them with riches and wealth if having and possessing those would be wrong.

We read in Genesis 13:2: “Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold,” and Genesis 24:34-35 adds that he became rich because God had blessed him greatly. The same can be said about Abraham’s son Isaac (Genesis 26:12-14).

We all know of course about the incredible riches of Solomon, surpassing all kings of the earth in riches (1 Kings 10:23), because God blessed him greatly in that regard, as 1 Kings 3:13 tells us. Later, Solomon departed from God to an extent, but not because of his wealth, but because of his inability to control himself regarding women.

Job was very rich, and even though God took his wealth temporarily away, when Job repented of his sin of self-righteousness, God restored Job’s riches and blessed him even more than He had done before (Job 42:12-13).

The Bible is very clear that God blesses His people, at times, with riches and wealth. This fact completely rules out the concept that being rich is wrong, a curse, and ungodly. David even said that he was young and grew old, and he never saw the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread (Psalm 37:25).

We read in Deuteronomy 8:18: “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”

Proverbs 10:22 says: “The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.”

The New Testament confirms that it is God’s wish for us to prosper and lead good Iives. We read in John 10:10 that Christ came “that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” 3 John 2 adds: “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things…”

On the other hand, God does not bless someone who is unrighteous. It is true, of course, that unrighteous people may be rich, but this would not be because of God’s blessings. We will address this later. God warns us that if we refuse to tithe diligently, for example, we cannot expect to be blessed by God.

Proverbs 3:9-10 states: “Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.”

And Malachi 3:8-11 says: “‘Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, “In what way have we robbed You?” In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,’ Says the LORD of hosts, ‘If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,’ Says the LORD of hosts…”

There are of course many warnings in the Bible regarding an unhealthy desire to become rich. As it is true for every aspect of life, we must submit to and wait for the will of God to be revealed in our lives. And God might have decided that He may not bless us with riches, at least not for now, and if that is the case, we should not try to preempt God and desperately seek riches and wealth—apart from God’s blessing. Desiring to become rich, even though God might not have backed up or honored such desire, would be wrong.

Proverbs 28:20 says: “A faithful man will abound with blessings, But he who hastens to be rich will not go unpunished…”

Proverbs 23:4-5 adds: “Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease! Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away like an eagle toward heaven.”…

Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 6:9-11:

“But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things…”

This passage does not condemn riches and wealth per se, but it includes a warning for those who “desire” to be rich because of their “love of money” and “greediness.” Rather, Paul says, let us be content with what God has given us (1 Timothy 6:6-8).

Paul continues his warning in 1 Timothy 6:17-19:

“Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor TRUST in UNCERTAIN riches but in the living GOD, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do GOOD, that they be rich in good works, READY TO GIVE, WILLING TO SHARE, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.”

Trusting in riches and wealth would be a terrible mistake. We read in Proverbs 11:4: “Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, But righteousness delivers from death.” And Zephaniah 1:18 states: “Neither their silver nor their gold Shall be able to deliver them In the day of the LORD’S wrath…”

There are also warnings regarding wrong conduct when one is rich; that is, one who has become prosperous must be careful not to forget that GOD has blessed him.

We read in Deuteronomy 8:18 that we must remember God, “for it is He who gives you power to get wealth…”  Hosea 13:6 states: “When they had pasture, they were filled; They were filled and their heart was exalted; Therefore they forgot Me….”

Hosea 2:8-9 explains what will happen when we DO forget God and the source of our prosperity: “For she did not know That I gave her grain, new wine, and oil, And multiplied her silver and gold–Which they prepared for Baal. Therefore I will return and take away My grain in its time And My new wine in its season, And will take back My wool and My linen, Given to cover her nakedness.”

Another reason why someone who had been prosperous might become poor is explained in Proverbs 10:3-4: “The LORD will not allow the righteous soul to famish, But He casts away the desire of the wicked. He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.” Proverbs 27:23-24 adds: “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, And attend to your herds; For riches are not forever…”

Diligence is important. We are told that “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). And we must be diligent in preserving what God has blessed us with.

Proverbs 21:17 says: “He who loves pleasure will be a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not be [or stay] rich.” Even though God may bless us with riches, we have to do our part. We must not waste what God gave us. And, we must in no way act dishonestly in our pursuits. Proverbs 13:11 says: “Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, But he who gathers by labor will increase.”

We have to be diligent in our pursuits, without allowing wrong priorities to take over our lives. Paul says that when someone does not want to work, he should not even eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12). He cannot expect to be blessed by God with riches if he refuses to work for it.

We need to remember that we can leave God’s way if we desire to be rich. Christ warns of the deceitfulness of riches (Matthew 13:22). He told us that it will be difficult for a rich man who trusts in his riches and does not want to give up his wealth to enter the Kingdom of God (compare Mark 10:17-24).

God also warns us to not become envious of unrighteous people who might have become rich—but not as a result of God’s blessing. It could be easy to become unsatisfied with God, asking Him, how come they are blessed, and I am not?

Psalm 37:7, 16 says: “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass… A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked.”

Otherwise, we might easily charge God with wrong. That is why Agur said the following in Proverbs 30:7-9:

“Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches— Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, And say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God.”

But again, this does not make property, wealth and riches wrong per se. Some however claim that a Christian must be poor because, so they say, Christ was poor, referring to 2 Corinthians 8:9 to prove this assertion, which states: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” But Paul is using a comparison between the richness of the immortal God who owns everything, and, in contrast, the poverty of man whose insignificant riches might be here today and gone tomorrow.

There are numerous passages indicating that Jesus owned His own house—or perhaps even more than one. At times, though, when He was on a journey, He might not have been given shelter (Matthew 8:20; compare the context of His words in Luke 9:51-58), but this does not mean that Jesus was a homeless vagabond. The soldiers did not want to cut Jesus’ garments and clothing, when He was hanging on the cross (or better, stake), but they cast lots to determine who should receive them (Matthew 27:35; John 19:23-24). His garments and clothing were apparently not “cheap,” but of such a quality and value that the soldiers were willing to cast lots for them.

On the other hand, we all must be willing to give up everything to be able to inherit the Kingdom of God. This includes physical wealth and well-being, our health and security, and even our relatives and friends if a choice must be made between Christ and them. Christ tells us that when we love anything and anyone more than Him, we are not worthy of Him (Luke 14:26; Matthew 10:37). Otherwise, He tells us that He will bless us even in this life when we have our priorities correct (Mark 10:29-30).

Sometimes, we may be required to make tough decisions. Moses chose Christ and rejected the “passing pleasures of sin” and the “treasures of Egypt,” esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than those worldly treasures (Hebrews 11:25-26). Rather than laying up for himself “treasures on earth,” he laid up for himself treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19), “for he looked to the reward” (Hebrews 11:26).

We must be rich toward God (Luke 12:21). We must first seek the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all the things which we need (compare Philippians 4:19)—and many things which we might not even need—WILL be given to us by God (Matthew 6:33). God knows what we need, and He will look after us (Matthew 6:30, 32). Even though we might be considered “poor” by the worldly standards of the rich and ultra-rich, we possess the greatest riches that could be imagined.

Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 6:10 that we are to commend ourselves “as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.” Note also Revelation 2:9. The world might look at us as relatively poor people, but we have been promised the inheritance of the Kingdom of God! What greater riches could there be?

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Fauci’s God Complex,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Dr. Fauci’s testimony this week before a House Subcommittee on the Coronavirus pandemic and measures taken to combat the same manifested a total lack of repentance or admission of guilt. Rather, it seems that, as the New York Post put it, Fauci developed a “God complex” and much of the media became “higher clergy” at every turn, while those with questions were labeled as “heretics.” Fauci might be gone, but his ideas are very much alive. Where did they originate? And where will YOU end up when the next pandemic strikes and similar, or even worse measures will be enacted? Will you follow and obey God or men?

“Trump Guilty – Shame on America,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

The conviction of Trump in a Manhattan courtroom is unparalleled. The proceedings by the judge and prosecution have been described as corrupt, illegal, unconstitutional and as a “travesty of justice,” which “stinks to high heaven.” What are the true facts, and what does GOD have to say about all of this?

“Trump schuldig – Schande für Amerika,” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This covers the same topic as described above.

“Müssen Christen arm sein?” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Must Christians Be Poor?”

“Was ist die wahre Religion?” last Sabbath’s Germon sermonette presented by Tahir Coban, is now posted. Title in English: “What is the true religion?” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zapr8oD3yYI

“Do Your Emotions Rule You?” last Sabbath’s sermonette by Christoph Sperzel, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Today’s world is dominated by emotions! How can you safely get a grip on your feelings?

“Trump’s Guilty Verdict—More to Come?—Comments on News and Prophecy, June 1, 2024,” last Sabbath’s comments by Norbert Link are now posted. Here is a summary:

The “kangaroo-court” conviction of Trump in New York might lead to further incredible developments, when Judge Merchan will sentence Trump, beginning on July 11. Will Merchan send Trump to prison? Biden’s response to the verdict sounds hypocritical; and turning to other news, Biden’s allegation that Hamas is now unable to carry out another October 7th attack is incredibly naive. Focusing on Germany, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has made his true intentions known, and they are not good.

“Do You Dwell With God or With Satan?” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Either we live in the house or temple of God, as his household, or we live in the world’s house of bondage and slavery, ruled by Satan. We have been brought out of slavery and bondage by our master, Jesus Christ, to dwell in God’s house, but some leave God’s house and return to Satan’s house. The house of the world, built on sand, will fall, and its fall will be great. However, Christ’s house, built on the rock, will endure forever, and we will remain as pillars in the house of the Lord, never going out.