Current Events

by Norbert Link

As we report every week on important news developments around the globe, we should be able to see how prophecy is marching on. Most of the reports are grim, foreboding and frightening, and the next big prophetic event, as announced in the Bible, will be the terrible and unparalleled Great Tribulation. We must not become disillusioned when reading those reports, but we should instead remind ourselves that, in a sense, this bad news is good news, because we know that these things must occur so that Jesus Christ can come back to usher in the wonderful world tomorrow.

Satan knows this too, and his wrath is great. He will try, whatever he can, to destroy all of mankind—quite literally and also spiritually, by disseminating his wrong ideas, religions and philosophies. Satan’s wrath is foremost directed, though, against God’s true Church and true Christians, knowing that his time is short. We must all be very well aware of Satan’s evil techniques and we must not fall prey to his deceitful devices and his temptations, including feelings of frustration and the wish to give up. Instead, we should seek God even more and pray for His strength and unsurpassable power, lifting up our heads as we know that Christ’s return is near.

We begin with a new serious challenge for Europe and Germany as Turkey has opened its borders for Syrian immigrants to migrate to Europe; speak on the numerous devastating global consequences of the coronavirus; offer some sound advice as to what to do and not to do under the circumstances; and warn of new and much more deadly pandemics which are prophesied.

We publish frightening perspectives and nightmare scenarios of what it could mean to the world once Trump is reelected; and report on the (for many) surprising outcome of the Democratic “Super Tuesday.”

We speak on an absolutely futile “peace treaty” between the USA and the Taliban in Afghanistan; address Netanyahu’s victorious election results in Israel; the lack of a workable relationship between Jordan and Israel; and the stunning comments that the Third Temple could have been built already in 1967.

We report on Putin’s attempt to legalize marriage as only between a man and a woman and to enact a ban on same-sex marriage; and, at the same time, America’s fascination with the LGBTQ community.

We address Germany’s new mandatory vaccination laws and the dubious roles which two popes played during the Nazi era. In this regard, please view our new StandingWatch program, “The Collaboration of two Popes with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.” 

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

This Week in the News

New Invasion of Refugees Threatens Europe

Reuters and Algemeiner wrote on February 28:

“Refugees in Turkey headed towards European frontiers on Friday after an official declared that borders had been thrown open in response to the escalating war in Syria, a day after 33 Turkish soldiers were killed by Russian-backed Syrian government troops… ‘We have decided, effectively immediately, not to stop Syrian refugees from reaching Europe by land or sea,’ a senior Turkish official told Reuters on condition of anonymity… ‘All refugees, including Syrians, are now welcome to cross into the European Union,’ the official said, adding that police and border guards had been stood down…

“Greece and Bulgaria said they were immediately reinforcing their frontiers. Bulgaria’s prime minister said the prospect of a new migration crisis was even more of a threat when European countries were struggling to respond to the coronavirus

“A million civilians have been displaced since December inside Syria near the Turkish border in desperate winter conditions, perhaps the worst humanitarian crisis of a war that has already made half the country homeless. Turkey, already home to 3.7 million Syrian refugees, says it cannot take more…”

The Revival of the European Migration Crisis?

The Associated Press wrote on March 1:

“Thousands of migrants and refugees massed at Turkey’s western frontier Sunday, trying to enter Greece by land and sea… Greek authorities said they stopped about 10,000 crossing attempts Saturday, and another 5,500 on Sunday…

“In Istanbul, a steady stream of buses, taxis, cars and minibuses were ferrying hundreds more throughout Sunday to Edirne, a town near the border with Greece. The vehicles weren’t part of any regular bus route. Those boarding the buses — the vast majority Afghans — said they were heading to Greece and eventually hoped to get to Germany…”

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 3:

“The images from the Greek-Turkish border are shocking… Some refugees hold signs asking for help from German Chancellor Angela Merkel. After all, the chancellor rescued refugees in Hungary from a similar situation by letting them come to Germany. Refugees on the border with Greece are now hoping for the same.

“But Germany in 2020 is not the country it was in 2015. Looking back, Merkel acknowledges there was a ‘loss of control.’ The chancellor has since described the open borders that allowed hundreds of thousands of people to pour into the country as a ‘mistake’ that should not be repeated.

“Many things have happened since 2015. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has become increasingly popular in Germany and right-wing terrorism appears to be on the rise… ‘We are seeing refugees and migrants who are being told on the Turkish side that the route to the EU is now open — and of course it is not,’ Merkel’s spokesman Steffen Seibert underscored at a press conference on Monday in Berlin…

“Friedrich Merz, who is gunning to lead Merkel’s center-right Christian Democrats (CDU), spoke out against accepting more refugees from Turkey. He said Berlin needs to send a clear signal: ‘There is no point in coming to Germany. We cannot take you in.’… The AfD [called] for the immediate closure of Germany’s borders.”

And so, refugees at the border are again becoming pawns in a political game of the mighty. But this could prove costly for the survival of Germany’s grand coalition. Note the next article.

German Protestors for Open Borders

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 4:

“Thousands of protesters gathered in Berlin on Tuesday in front of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s official residence to demand the opening of the border between Turkey and the European Union… similar protests were held in Hamburg and Potsdam…

“The protests come as German politicians are put under increased pressure to deal with the situation at the Greek border… The German chancellor (Angela Merkel, CDU) has so far remained firm that the EU’s borders are closed… German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) also tweeted on Tuesday evening in Arabic… ‘Europe’s borders are not open to refugees from Turkey, and this applies to our German borders as well.’”

“More protests are planned for later in the week.”

Major Companies Cancel Conferences in the USA

MSN wrote on February 29:

“Major companies are beginning to cancel conferences and travel plans within the United States due to the coronavirus, which analysts warn will have cascading impacts on the country’s hotels, airlines and convention centers.

International travel — particularly to Asia — has so far been the hardest-hit part of the industry, though analysts say that could soon change as fears of the coronavirus spread to Europe and North America. Hotels around the country have begun reporting a rise in group cancellations…

Workday called off a sales conference in Orlando scheduled for next week, while Google and Facebook canceled multiple events in California and Nevada between March and May. Amazon this week told employees to put off ‘nonessential travel’ in the United States…

“Shares of hotel companies and airlines plunged this week, as coronavirus-related fears led global markets to post their worst weekly losses since the Great Recession. Shares of Marriott and InterContinental Hotels Group fell about 9 percent apiece, while American Airlines and Jet Blue posted declines of more than 20 percent.”

Airlines Being Hit

USA Today wrote on February 29:

“The Trump administration is urging Americans to avoid travel to parts of Italy and South Korea amid growing concern about the spread of coronavirus… Vice President Mike Pence announced that the U.S. has raised the travel warning to level 4 – its most severe warning – regarding travel to affected areas of Italy and South Korea…

American Airlines late Saturday announced plans to cancel its flights to Milan through April 24…”

The Sun wrote on March 1 that “DELTA is suspending its daily flight between New York’s JFK airport and Milan Malpensa Airport for two months amid coronavirus fears.”

AFP wrote on February 29:

“Due to the ‘accelerated spread of the coronavirus’ [Lufthansa] said it would have to cut the numbers of its short- and medium-haul flights by up to a quarter and ground 23 of its long-haul planes. [This also includes a 40% reduction of flights to Italy]…[The German press reported that Lufthansa will cancel more than 7,000 flights in March. This includes at least 3,700 flights from and to the Frankfurt  Airport.]

“Lufthansa’s share price plummeted by close to 21 percent on the Frankfurt stock exchange this week as investors panicked over the effects of the virus. The International Civil Aviation Organization has said that the virus outbreak could mean a $4-5 billion drop in worldwide airline revenue…”

British Airways announced that they will cancel all return-flights during the month of March from England to Italy and some Asian countries. Deutsche Welle wrote on March 2 that “the airline industry is facing the worst downturn since the 2008 financial crisis.”

Italy announced that until mid-March, all schools and universities will be closed. German Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Wednesday that the coronavirus has become a “global pandemic,” warning that “worse was still to come” (The Local, March 4), and that there would be “restrictions on everyday life,” according to Deutsche Welle. The article added that “earlier on Wednesday, the German government had banned the export of medical gear and adjusted a national travel advisory to warn of an ‘elevated quarantine risk’ associated with cruise ship travel.”

Israel Severely Restricts Entry from Europe

 AFP wrote on March 4:

 “Israel on Wednesday imposed tough new travel restrictions on five European nations due to fears of coronavirus, barring entry to almost all non-residents of the Jewish state arriving from these affected countries.

“Israel had earlier in the day ordered all citizens and residents returning from the five countries — France, Germany, Spain, Austria and Switzerland — into 14-day home quarantine upon entering the country.

“The measures come on top of restrictions previously imposed on arrivals from mainland China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Macau, South Korea, Japan and Italy.

“Guidelines issued by the health ministry on Wednesday afternoon declared that foreigners from the affected European countries ‘will not be able to enter Israeli territory unless they can prove they have a place to stay in quarantine’.

“The interior ministry issued a statement in the evening saying tourists from these countries ‘will not be able to enter Israel from Friday at 8:00 am (0600 GMT)’.”

Gloomy Prediction for Global Economy

The Week wrote on February 28:

“The end of a very rough week for U.S. markets brought a worrying prediction… Nouriel Roubini, a New York University business professor and market prognosticator who foretold the housing bubble burst, told Yahoo Finance on Friday to expect ‘severe’ consequences as the coronavirus continues to rattle markets… predicting ‘global equities to tank by 30 to 40 percent this year.’

“He said people… don’t realize the ‘simple math’ tells us that realistically, a squeezed Chinese economy will mean downturns around the globe. ‘This crisis will spill over and result in a disaster,’ said Roubini.

“Though the week just saw a 3,500-point drop for the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Roubini warned: ‘It is far from being over.’”

The Week reported on March 2:

“The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 1,293 points for a 5.1 percent gain on Monday, rebounding from a slump stemming from coronavirus fears. It’s the Dow’s biggest points gain of all time and its biggest percentage gain since 2009. The rise comes ‘on hopes that central banks will take action to shelter the global economy’ from the coronavirus’ effects, The Associated Press reports… Last week was the Dow’s worst since the 2008 financial crisis with a loss of more than 3,000 points.”

The Associated Press wrote on March 3:

“Fear and uncertainty continue to control Wall Street, and stocks fell sharply Tuesday after an emergency interest-rate cut by the Federal Reserve failed to reassure markets wracked by worries that a fast-spreading virus will cause a recession.

“The Dow Jones Industrial average sank 785 points, or 2.9%. It had surged 5% a day earlier on hopes for aid from the Fed and other central banks.”

The Dow Jones did very well on Wednesday, following the “Super Tuesday” results, but as fears of the coronavirus continued, notice what happened on Thursday:

CNBC wrote on March 5: “Dow tanks more than 950 points [on Thursday] as Wall Street’s roller-coaster week continues.”

Our shaky economy is built on hopes and dreams… which seem to change by the day. Roubini might be right with his prognostication regarding the disastrous financial consequences of the virus. He also said that because of it, Trump will not be reelected. On that he is dead wrong. Trump will be reelected for sure.

Sound Advice

Deutsche Welle reported on March 1:

“Four years ago, the Bonn-based Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) published a checklist of long-lasting foods it recommends stockpiling for emergencies… It advises Germans to stockpile food and drink for about ten days.

Specifically, the checklist states that one person needs 14 liters of liquid a week, and recommends stocking mineral water and fruit juice in particular. Even so, the BBK warns against panic buying, advising Germans to stockpile only foods and drinks ‘that you and your family would consume anyway’…

Bulgarian daily 24 Tschassa… praised the advice provided by German authorities, saying that in most cases ‘consumers just hoard all kinds of products – without a proper idea how long they will come in useful or whether they might need them at all.’ The paper said… ‘it makes no sense to buy excessive amounts of supplies.’”

“Stop Buying Face Masks, but Follow Other Recommendations!”

CNN wrote on March 2:

“The United States’ top doctor has one simple request: Stop buying face masks. US Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams’ message, posted to Twitter on Saturday, was a response to face mask shortages as people stocked up due to coronavirus concerns. ‘Seriously people,’ he began, and though it’s a tweet, you can almost hear the exasperation in his plea. ‘STOP BUYING MASKS!’ ‘They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk!’ he continued…

“The tweet comes during what has become a mask boom… [But] if these masks run out, they won’t be available to the medical professionals who are at the highest risk for disease transmission… Meanwhile, stores across the country have run out of masks

“The CDC recommends the following to prevent the spread of any respiratory disease:

“Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Stay home from school or work when you are sick. Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.”

This advice should be heeded.

Obscure Sect Partially Responsible for Coronavirus Outbreak in South Korea

Christianity Today wrote on March 2, 2020:

“An apocalyptic sect whose leader claims he is an angel of Jesus [or, according to other reports,  that he is Christ Himself or the Second Coming of Christ, and that he is immortal] has become the biggest cluster of coronavirus infections in South Korea, which now leads the world in cases of COVID-19 disease outside of China… More than 400 of those infected have been directly linked to a single house of worship, a Daegu branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus, Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testimony—viewed as a cult by mainstream Korean Christian organizations—where a woman in her 60s attended two services before testing positive for the virus…

“A petition asking Korea’s president to dissolve Shincheonji gathered more than 750,000 signatures in four days… However, church leaders worry such a move could give the government an excuse to do the same to regular religious groups later…”

It was also reported that “Seoul’s city government has asked prosecutors to press charges, including murder, against the founder of a secretive religious sect for failing to cooperate in containing the spread of the deadly coronavirus” (ibtimes, dated March 2). This charge has been strongly denied by the group, claiming that they cooperated with governmental agencies from the time they found out about the sick member.

Worldwide Devastating Pandemics Coming!

The Week wrote on February 29:

“Picture a new viral disease like the Wuhan coronavirus, now called COVID-19, that passes easily from person to person and spreads rapidly around the globe. But unlike COVID-19, which kills perhaps 2 or 3 percent of its victims, this virus kills 20 percent of those infected. Or 40 percent. It might sound like a disaster movie premise… but viral disease experts are in wide agreement that such a pandemic is coming, and that it will inflict unimaginable devastation. The only question is when it will hit…

“The most likely scenario is a pathogen that jumps from animals to humans and can spread through the air. The outbreak of COVID-19 was traced to a live-animal market in Wuhan, China, where a bat virus appears to have added some genetic material from a soldierfish. Many viral diseases have been traced to animals, including HIV (which originated in chimpanzees), MERS (camels), SARS (probably bats and civet cats), and Ebola (unknown, but probably bats). Last year researchers at Johns Hopkins ran a simulation of a hypothetical coronavirus emerging from a Brazilian pig farm: The result was 65 million dead within 18 months. Another concern is a familiar very deadly virus that mutates, allowing it to spread more easily… The intentional or accidental release of a manmade pathogen is another threat; new genetic engineering tools have made them far easier to create…

“Human population growth. People are encroaching on previously wild areas where unknown viruses and bacteria lurk in animals; those who become infected carry the pathogens back to densely packed cities, where disease is easily spread. The 1998 emergence of the Nipah virus, for example, was linked to deforestation in Malaysia that displaced fruit bats and put them near pig farms. Pigs became infected, and the virus then spread to farmworkers. In the past 50 years, more than 300 pathogens have emerged or re-emerged, including Zika and yellow fever…  The surge in international travel allows viruses to spread around the globe quickly…

“Are we prepared for a major pandemic? Not at all. A report released last October by the Global Health Security Index found glaring gaps in readiness; out of 195 countries surveyed, not one was judged fully prepared to handle a major event… Experts say the U.S. and other countries need to spend vastly more money on pandemic preparedness…

“Epidemics have been a fact of life… The earliest on record dates to 430 B.C., when a pestilence that may have been typhoid fever took root in Athens, killing up to two-thirds of the city’s population. In A.D. 541, the Justinian plague spread through the Mediterranean world; recurrences over the next two centuries would kill more than 25 percent of the world’s population. In the 14th century, another outbreak of plague, called the Black Death — driven by fleas that live on rats but can bite humans — claimed over 75 million lives, including some 60 percent of the population of Europe, whose cities were piled with reeking corpses. In the 16th and 17th centuries Native Americans were ravaged by smallpox and other diseases brought by European conquerors and colonists; in some areas as much as 90 percent of native populations were wiped out. The pandemic with the greatest number of casualties in history was the Spanish flu of 1918. It infected some 500 million people worldwide — a third of the population — and killed as many as 100 million.”

Worldwide pandemics are prophesied to happen very soon.

A Nightmare Scenario

The Week wrote on March 2:

“Here is a scenario… President Trump… uses the threat of a pandemic to severely restrict international travel to the United States and institutes stringent new limits on U.S. citizens’ ability to travel abroad — perhaps mandatory medical testing, biometric data collection, or vaccination before you leave; extended interviews with Customs agents to vet the reasons for your trip; or even a near-complete embargo on visits to China and other countries where coronavirus outbreak coincides, in Trump’s mind, with an economic threat to America

“This would not be the first time a crisis has been used to fundamentally change global mobility: Just over a century ago, the passport system we now take for granted did not yet exist. In the decades before the first World War, international travel was generally unhindered… A train might cross multiple borders in Europe within a single day… travelers could typically travel whenever, wherever, and for whatever reason they wanted.

“During World War I, the Triple Alliance nations (Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Italy) began requiring passport use, and both Triple Entente states and neutral countries soon followed suit. After the war, the United Nations’ precursor, the League of Nations… held the first passport conference in Paris. Its aim… was to restore the pre-war regime of freedom of movement… That aim was not achieved… Further attempts to return to pre-war travel freedoms also failed…

“Permanent, serious strictures on our freedom to travel may seem unlikely at the moment… wouldn’t such repressive measures, particularly those affecting U.S. citizens, be widely unpopular? Yes, but what would people do about it?… And anyway, passports were once widely unpopular, too. The 1926 passport conference observed that the public desired ‘a resolution contemplating the abolition of passports at the earliest possible date.’ It was a desire unmet.

“… as the coronavirus crisis is used to curtail international travel — there’s already a ban on U.S. entry by foreign nationals who have been in China in the previous two weeks and a mandatory quarantine for U.S. citizens returning from Hubei province — we would do well to take care from the outset that measures are as minimal as possible and firmly bounded by expiration dates.

Draconian travel restrictions are not an inconceivable outcome here, and, if history is any guide, once done, they won’t be easy to undo.”

It is interesting that Germany, Austria/Hungary and Italy invented the passport system. And prophetically, the concerns raised in the article are not out of the realm of possibility.

Four More Years of Trump—Europe’s Security At Risk

Project Syndicate published on February 27 an article by Joschka Fischer, former German Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor from 1998-2005:

“The re-election of President Donald Trump could spell the end of the liberal world order and the system of alliances that America has fostered since the 1940s… Should Trump win in November, he will have a mandate to wreak havoc for another four years…

“Make no mistake: it makes a big difference whether Trump is in office for eight years rather than just four. In addition to Americans, Europeans would be the first to feel the consequences of a second Trump term…

“In 2020, no one will make the same mistake again. But nor can anyone claim not to know what they are getting with Trump. He… has stayed mostly true to his campaign promises.

“… If Trump is re-elected, he will most likely behave even more radically and without restraint. He will be fully convinced that he is the ‘chosen one.’

“… Europeans should be preparing for the worst… Europe’s very security and sovereignty are now at risk. The EU must ask itself if it is prepared to do what is necessary to remain an independent player, united in the common interest of all Europeans…”

And all of this is exactly what is prophesied.

The Democrats’ Super Tuesday

Drudge Report linked on March 3 to the following article by “Reason”:

“As Super Tuesday finally transfigures the Democratic presidential nomination process into a binary choice between two old, occasionally problematic white men whose enduring popularity is consistently underrated by a baffled mainstream press, it’s worth reflecting on just how poorly the media’s preferred candidates performed in the 2020 race.

“In the end, The New York Times‘ dual Democratic presidential endorsements—bestowed upon both Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D–Mass.) and Amy Klobuchar (D–Minn.)—… just didn’t matter.

“Nor did the media’s fawning over South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg, early flirtation with Beto O’Rourke, and absolute worship of Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) resonate with the millions of Americans living outside the Acela corridor.

“Instead, Democratic voters indicated over and over again that they were most interested in the popular former vice president and the iconoclastic but well-respected runner-up from the 2016 Democratic race. Before the actual primaries, Biden consistently led in polls and Sanders performed well—and then the eventual voting followed this pattern, with early wins for Sanders and a comeback surge from Biden. The idea that any other candidate had a particularly likely shot at the nomination was always pundit-driven misdirection from a class of commentators demanding more interesting, intersectional characters, because the commentators themselves are more interested in identity-based diversity than the rest of the country.

“Indeed, the media stumped for Warren so hard that Vox‘s Matt Yglesias recently had to write a post explaining to people why she was losing… outside the Vox bubble, there was little interest in the kind of cultural progressivism represented by Warren.

“At present, Biden and Sanders are locked in a battle for delegates. Both men have a good shot at the nomination. But this was true a year ago as well. They were both better-known and better-liked than many in the media seemed to grasp, and an endless series of magazine covers, fluff pieces, and editorial board endorsements aimed at other candidates couldn’t make any difference whatsoever.”

NPR wrote on March 4:

“The Democratic presidential contest is now a two-man race. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders went into Super Tuesday the front-runner, but it was Joe Biden’s night. The former vice president rode a surge of momentum out of his big win in South Carolina on Saturday and established himself squarely as the principal alternative to Sanders.

“Biden won a majority of states, including Texas, Tuesday night. Sanders is projected to win California, but with votes still being counted there it’s unclear which candidate will emerge with a delegate lead. That sets up what looks to be a sharp fight over the next two months between candidates with very different ideologies — Sanders paints in bold colors and wants radical change; Biden believes in progress accomplished by working with Washington’s competing interests.”

Axios reported on March 4 that “Michael Bloomberg, who spent hundreds of millions of dollars to self-fund his 2020 presidential run, announced Wednesday that he is suspending his campaign after a poor performance on Super Tuesday  and will endorse Joe Biden.”

JTA wrote on March 5:

 “Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who drew strong support from Jewish progressives, has dropped her bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.”

At this point, she has not endorsed Biden or Sanders. But no matter who the Democratic nominee will be, he will not become the next President.  

“Peace Treaty” Between USA and Taliban?

The Associated Press wrote on February 29:

“The United States signed a peace agreement with Taliban militants on Saturday aimed at bringing an end to 18 years of bloodshed in Afghanistan and allowing U.S. troops to return home from America’s longest war.

“Under the agreement, the U.S. would draw its forces down to 8,600 from 13,000 in the next 3-4 months, with the remaining U.S. forces withdrawing in 14 months. The complete pullout, however, would depend on the Taliban meeting their commitments to prevent terrorism.

“President George W. Bush ordered the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in response to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Some U.S. troops currently serving there had not yet been born when the World Trade Center collapsed on that crisp, sunny morning that changed how Americans see the world.

“It only took a few months to topple the Taliban and send Osama bin Laden and top al-Qaida militants scrambling across the border into Pakistan, but the war dragged on for years as the United States tried [to] establish a stable, functioning state in one of the least developed countries in the world. The Taliban regrouped, and currently hold sway over half the country.

“The U.S. spent more than $750 billion, and on all sides the war cost tens of thousands of lives lost, permanently scarred and indelibly interrupted. But the conflict was also frequently ignored by U.S. politicians and the American public…

“The Taliban harbored bin Laden and his al-Qaida network as they plotted, and then celebrated, the hijackings of four airliners that were crashed into lower Manhattan, the Pentagon and a field in western Pennsylvania, killing almost 3,000 people…

“Trump has repeatedly promised to get the U.S. out of its ‘endless wars’ in the Middle East, and the withdrawal of troops could provide a boost as he seeks re-election in a nation weary of involvement in distant conflicts…

“The prospects for Afghanistan’s future are uncertain. The agreement sets the stage for peace talks involving Afghan factions, which are likely to be complicated. Under the agreement, 5,000 Taliban are to be released from Afghan-run jails, but it’s not known if the Afghan government will do that. There are also questions about whether Taliban fighters loyal to various warlords will be willing to disarm…”

To think for one moment that one can make a successful peace treaty with terrorists is absolutely illusionary and ludicrous. We don’t think that even the Trump administration seriously believes in its success either. The main reason for this treaty is a justification to withdraw American troops from Afghanistan, with a view to the elections in 2020, but as a consequence, Afghanistan will continue to experience further and even more violence and chaos.

“Bibi Is Back”—Netanyahu’s Strong Win

The Jerusalem Post wrote on March 2:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu succeeded in winning [58] seats for his bloc of right-wing and religious parties in Monday’s election…

“Netanyahu spoke to the heads of the parties in his camp immediately after the exit polls were announced and agreed to form a strong nationalist government as soon as possible.”

However, lacking the needed majority of 61 seats, Netanyahu is forced to enter into difficult coalition talks with other parties.

Times of Israel wrote on March 5:

“… the Central Elections Committee on Thursday confirmed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s party as the largest after Monday’s general election, with final results giving it 36 seats to rival Blue and White’s 33. The full results… confirmed, however, that the right-wing bloc of parties supporting Netanyahu had won 58 seats, three short of a majority needed to form a coalition.

Reuters added:

 “That could spell further deadlock and another snap election to follow Monday’s vote, which was Israel’s third in a year.”

Jordan-Israel Peace Treaty at Risk

JNS wrote on March 4:

“Relations between Jordan and Israel are at their lowest ebb since the signing of the 1994 peace treaty between the two countries, and the treaty itself is now ‘at risk,’ Jordanian Prime Minister Omar Razzaz said on Monday…

“According to Razzaz, Jordan is angry about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s pledge to extend Israeli sovereignty to the Jordan Valley and parts of Judea and Samaria as set forth in the US ‘Prosperity to Peace’ plan, and about Israeli ‘violations of the sanctity of Muslim and Christian endowments in Jerusalem.’

“In January, Jordan’s King Abdullah told France 24 News that Israel’s relationship with his country ‘has been on pause for the past two years’…”

Third Temple Could Have Been Built already in 1967

Breaking Israel News wrote on March 3:

“Rabbi David Katz, the author of ‘Laws of Ger Toshav,’ notes… ‘The Temple could have been built in 1967. The objective reality was that there were IDF soldiers on the Temple Mount.

“The Third Temple could have been built but the rabbis decided not to. In 1967 we had everything we need to move forward for everything, the Third Temple, the Kingdom of David, and we still do.’”

And this time, it will be built very soon.

Putin: Marriage between a Man and a Woman

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 3:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday submitted a proposal to establish a ban on same-sex marriage in the country’s constitution. The draft amendment enshrines the mention of Russians’ ‘faith in God’ and states that marriage is between ‘a man and a woman’… The Russian president has long aligned himself with the Russian Orthodox Church and actively promoted distancing his country from liberal Western values. Last month, he said Russia would not legalize same-sex marriage as long as he remains president.

“Putin has said he is not prejudiced against gay people, but has asserted that homosexuality and gender fluidity are out of step with traditional Russian values. A federal law signed by Putin in 2013 already considers the ‘public promotion of homosexuality’ as a crime. Currently, only heterosexual couples can adopt children. Prior to that, homosexuality in Russia was officially criminalized until 1993 and considered a mental illness until 1999.”

Insofar as his definition of marriage is concerned, Putin is right. Note, by contrast, the following article.

Outlawing Conversion Therapies in the USA

ABC News wrote on March 4:

“Virginia became the 20th state in the country to outlaw conversion therapy for LGBTQ minors… ‘Conversion therapy sends the harmful message that there is something wrong with who you are,’ [Governor] Northam said…  The other states that have banned conversion therapy for minors are California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Nevada, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont and Washington.

“The Virginia bill outlaws any health care provider in any profession licensed by a regulatory board of the Department of Health from engaging in conversion therapy… Del. Patrick Hope, who sponsored the bill, called the practice dangerous and destructive. ‘We should be supporting and celebrating our LGTBQ youth, not putting them in harm’s way,’ he said.”

God in His Word condemns the practice of homosexuality. But in this evil world ruled by Satan, God’s Word means nothing to most people.

Germany’s Mandatory Measles Vaccinations

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 2:

“A law requiring mandatory measles vaccinations  came into force on Sunday in Germany. The law, which was passed last year, stipulates that kindergartens and schools can only accept new children if they have been vaccinated. Under the new law, kids must be ‘verifiably’ inoculated against measles. If the child’s immunization is not documented, schools will be required to notify the local public health office.

“For children already enrolled in schools, proof of vaccination will have to be presented by July 2021, while parents who refuse to vaccinate their children will face fines of up to €2,500 ($2,760).”

These kinds of governmental mandatory measures are just the beginning and do have a bearing on the biblical warning that an authoritarian power bloc will arise in Europe, led by Germany, dictating to the people how to live, how and when to buy and sell, and how and when to work and to cease from working.

The Popes and Fascism

The Guardian wrote on March 1:

New light will be shed on one of the most controversial periods of Vatican history on Monday when the archives on Pope Pius XII— accused by critics of being a Nazi sympathizer—are unsealed. A year after Pope Francis announced the move, saying ‘the church isn’t afraid of history’, the documents from Pius XII’s papacy, which began in 1939 on the brink of the second world war and ended in 1958, will be opened, initially to a small number of scholars.

“Critics of Pius XII have accused him of remaining silent during the Holocaust, never publicly condemning the persecution and genocide of Jews and others. His defenders say that he quietly encouraged convents and other Catholic institutions to hide thousands of Jews, and that public criticism of the Nazis would have risked the lives of priests and nuns…

“David Kertzer, an American expert on the relationship between the Catholic church and fascism… said there were ‘signs of nervousness’ at the Vatican about what would emerge from the archives… ‘On the big question, it’s clear: Pius XII never publicly criticised the Nazis for the mass murder they were committing of the Jews of Europe – and he knew from the very beginning that mass murder was taking place. Various clerics and others were pressing him to speak out, and he declined to do so. Although there is a lot of testimony showing that the church did protect Jews in Rome, when more than 1,000 were rounded up on 16 October 1943 and held for two days adjacent to the Vatican [before deportation to the death camps], Pius decided not to publicly protest or even privately send a plea to Hitler not to send them to their deaths in Auschwitz…’

“Pius – whose birth name was Eugenio Pacelli – was Vatican secretary of state under his predecessor, Pope Pius XI, and a former papal nuncio, or envoy, to Germany. In 1933, he negotiated a concordat between the Catholic church and Germany. After he was elected pope, six months before the outbreak of war, the Vatican maintained diplomatic relations with the Third Reich, and the new pontiff declined to condemn the Nazi invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939.

“In December 1942, Pius XII spoke out in general terms about the suffering of the Jews, although he had known for several months about the Nazi extermination plans. In 1943, he wrote to the bishop of Berlin, arguing that the church could not publicly condemn the Holocaust for fear of causing ‘greater evils’.”

An interesting work by the above-quoted author, David I. Kertzer, titled, “The Pope and Mussolini” (copyright 2014), shows the inner workings of the Vatican and the close cooperation and sometimes infighting between the Catholic Church under both popes (Pius XI and Pius XII) and Mussolini and Hitler. The Hitler-Mussolini era constituted, in collaboration with the Roman Catholic Church, the sixth revival of the “Holy Roman Empire”–the “woman riding the beast.”

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.

Preaching the Gospel and Feeding the Flock

compiled by Dave Harris

A Tech Team meeting was held on Sunday, March 1, 2020, via SKYPE. Hosted by Eric Rank, progress on new website themes was discussed along with making improvements on our live broadcasts.

“The Collaboration of two Popes with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Will the world learn more now about the most debatable periods of the Vatican’s recent history, the controversial conduct of Pope Pius XI and Pope Pius XII prior to and during World War II, and the collaboration of the Roman Catholic Church with Hitler’s Nazi Germany and Mussolini’s fascist Italy? Could such massive collaboration happen again in our time?

“Gottes Sendschreiben an Seine Kirche (Teil 1),” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “God’s Letters to His Church (Part 1).”

“Dein Wille geschehe!”, the sermonette presented last Sabbath in Germany by Johann Schell, is now posted. Title in English: “Your Will Be Done.”

“Chaos and Order,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Chaos is all around us. As the times get darker and we are getting closer to Christ’s return, the amount of chaos in our lives and in the world is increasing. How can we remain calm and centered and make order from the chaos? God commands us to create order, but how do we accomplish that?

“The Falling Away Has Begun!”, the sermon presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The Bible prophesies that a large group of people will fall away from the Truth just prior to Christ’s Return. We are also told that individuals have been falling away from the Truth at all times. What are the reasons for falling away from God? And how are we to act when we are confronted with lying and grievous wolves who are trying to deceive us and encourage us to leave the Church of God?

  • Initial information about our 2020 Feast sites (US and Germany) is posted on our website along with contact information.
  • The 2020 Church Conference will be conducted in Escondido, California. Arrival will be Wednesday, March 25, 2020, and departure is scheduled for Monday, March 30, 2020.

Cause and Effect

The world at the moment is in a spiraling catastrophic downspin of one major curse after another, which has accelerated since January this year. One article which demonstrates this, titled, “10 Plagues That Are Hitting Our Planet Simultaneously,” has been published on February 17 by Michael Snyder and linked by the Drudge Report, as follows:

“All of a sudden, really crazy things are starting to happen all over the world… The following is a list of 10 plagues that are hitting our planet simultaneously…

“#1 Armies Of Locusts –… swarms of locusts the size of major cities have been devouring entire farms in Africa in as little as 30 seconds.  These swarms have also been spreading throughout the Middle East, and now we have learned that they have even reached China… Billions of the insects have destroyed food supplies across Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia in what has been described as the worst plague for decades.

“#2 Extremely Bizarre Weather Patterns –… An all-time record 209 mph wind gust just hit California, and absolutely crazy storms are happening all over the planet… Sydney has been thrown into chaos by a devastating storm that saw two months of rainfall in just two days – forcing mass evacuations, leaving 150,000 homes without power, and prompted warnings not to drive to work. The storm dumped 400mm of rain on the city over the weekend, causing mayhem for commuters on Monday morning with roads blocked, ferries canceled and trains suffering major delays across the network.

“#3 Unprecedented Flooding – We are seeing unusual flooding all over the world right now, and the flooding that is devastating the southern U.S. at this moment is being called ‘unprecedented’… In Jackson, Mississippi, hundreds of residents either watched their homes flood over the weekend or worried their residence would soon be drenched as the Pearl River crested Monday at 36.8 feet, its third-highest level ever recorded – behind only 1979 and 1983. Calling the Jackson floods ‘historic’ and ‘unprecedented,’ Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said in a Sunday press conference that ‘we do not anticipate this situation to end anytime soon. It will be days before we are out of the woods and the waters recede.’

“#4 Major Earthquakes –… A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Tuesday (January 28) about 80 miles from Jamaica, shaking people in the Caribbean and as far away as Miami. A tsunami of 0.4 feet was recorded in the Cayman Islands at George Town, but no tsunami was observed at Port Royal, Jamaica, or Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

“#5 Unusual Volcanic Eruptions – … One of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes, Mount Merapi just experienced its most powerful eruption since 1930! The eruption reportedly took place on Thursday (February 13) and was caught on video displaying a powerful and terrifying eruption showing the moment the crater exploded and launched lava and ash an estimated 2,000 meters into the air forcing local residents to stay outside of the designated no-go zone 3km (1.8 miles) from the crater.

“#6 The Coronavirus – Needless to say, the coronavirus outbreak in China has been getting more headlines than anything else on this list.  The numbers continue to rise, and many are speculating that this could potentially become the worst global pandemic since the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918…

“#7 The African Swine Fever – ‘Pig Ebola’ has already wiped out millions upon millions of pigs in China, and it has now spread to more than 40 other countries.  The price of pork is absolutely skyrocketing in China right now, and to help fill the demand the Chinese are increasingly importing pork from U.S. sources…

“#8 The H1N1 Swine Flu – Unlike the African Swine Fever, the H1N1 Swine Flu can actually kill humans.  In fact, it has already killed more people outside of China than the coronavirus outbreak has… As of now, the H1N1 virus is posing a great threat once again as it has claimed 13 lives in Taiwan in the last week. This virus is highly contagious and is known to spread from human to human. It is especially dangerous for those with a compromised immune system like those suffering from chronic medical conditions and long-term health conditions.

“#9 The H5N1 Bird Flu – This strain of the bird flu caused a massive global scare a number of years ago, and now it is experiencing a stunning resurgence… experts are warning that this outbreak could be just getting started… China also is reportedly dealing with an outbreak of the deadly H5N1 bird flu in chickens in the Hunan province, an area that borders the province where the coronavirus emerged… As of Feb. 1, local authorities had culled 17,828 poultry after the H5NI outbreak…

“#10 The H5N8 Bird Flu – This strain is different from the H5N1 bird flu, but many believe that it is even more frightening.  It has started to pop up in numerous places around the globe… Germany has reported an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu virus in a backyard in the southwestern part of the country…

“2020 has certainly started off with quite a bang, and many expect global events to continue to accelerate… things are likely to get even crazier in the months ahead.”

In spite of all of this happening, and much more could be added, are the people, communities and nations asking themselves WHY this is occurring? Well, it is happening because of SIN. China is experiencing this horrible outbreak of the coronavirus because of breaking God’s laws regarding clean and unclean meats. The United States is under a curse for their murders, sexual sins, drug abuse and a host of other issues they are not addressing nor dealing with.

We are witnessing the effect of worldwide sinning but not addressing the root cause which is transgressing His commandments and laws in effect today, but if they were to obey, these curses would go away. Just as the author of the article states, “Hold on to your hats, it will get worse” (paraphrasing). Indeed, it will get much worse before it gets better.

Look at what Christ stated in Matthew 24:21: “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

As we approach the Passover season and examine ourselves, let us make sure we are putting sin out of our lives so that we may be worthy to escape that which is coming on the whole world and to stand before the Son of Man when He returns. This we know: Things will get MUCH better—there will be absolutely no comparison whatsoever–once Christ returns and ends the current madness.

Comments on News and Prophecy (March 7, 2020) / Heart of God

On March 7, 2020, Norbert Link will present, “Comments on News and Prophecy (March 7, 2020),” and Michael Link will present the sermon, titled, “Heart of God.”

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.

Should We Be Afraid of the Future? (Part 2)

(Español: ¿Deberíamos tener miedo al futuro?)

In the previous Q&A, we discussed one of the greatest fears which we could have—the fear of man—the fearful concern what man may think about us or do to us. But there are of course many other fears which we might encounter, and the Bible refers to some of them in numerous places.

No matter what situation we might find ourselves in, and what circumstance might tempt us to become afraid, God shows us the way out. This Q&A will begin to address the way of escape from fear.

When they were facing or finding themselves in an extremely difficult situation, God’s servants have turned to God for help, peace, security and salvation.

While in distress, David prayed in Psalm 4:3:

“But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The LORD will hear when I call to Him.”

This is a vital key when we are in the midst of uncertainty—the conviction and persuasion that God hears us when we call on Him. This fact is beautifully reconfirmed in Psalm 107:23-32, coupled with the responsibility of those who have prayed to God and then been helped by Him to thank Him for His intervention:

“Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters, They see the works of the LORD, And His wonders in the deep. For He commands and raises the stormy wind, Which lifts up the waves of the sea. They mount up to the heavens, They go down again to the depths; Their soul melts because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, And are at their wits’ end. Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, And He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm, So that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; So He guides them to their desired haven. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!”

We find the same teaching and admonition in Psalm 118:1, 5-6, 8-9:

“Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever…  I called on the LORD in distress; The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?… It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in princes.”

Our ultimate help can only come from God. With that conviction, we need not fear men, nor place our confidence in man as if our help were to come from them, and not from God. But knowing this, we are to thank God for and not forget His intervention.

Solomon made even this remarkable statement in Proverbs 10:3:

“The LORD will not allow the righteous soul to famish…”

This presupposes and necessitates much confidence in God’s presence. And so, God’s servants knew—and had to remind themselves continuously and constantly—that they were not alone and that God knew their anxieties and fears and that He would stand by them and protect them and help them.

David states in Psalm 27:1-3, 13-14:

“…The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war should rise against me, In this I will be confident… I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!”

Here is another key in our fight against anxiety and fear: Waiting on God’s help and intervention while being convinced that He WILL help. Oftentimes, we want God’s action right there and then, but great strength and faith might develop in patience.

Knowing this, David advises us in Psalm 32:6-7:

“For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You In a time when You may be found; Surely in a flood of great waters They shall not come near him. You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble…”

Again, he writes in Psalm 23:4:

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

He was still walking through the valley of the shadow of death. God did not spare him from that. But He spared him from fear and despair, because David knew that God was with him.

The sons of Korah who due to their faithfulness did not have to suffer their father’s fate of extinction because of his rebellion, stated this in Psalm 46:1-3,7:

“… God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah… The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”

It is important that we remind ourselves in times of anxiety, fear and despair that the great and mighty God is with us.  It is so easy, while being in the heat of fire, to forget this all-important fact.

In Psalm 49:5, 15, the sons of Korah wrote this:

“Why should I fear in the days of evil, When the iniquity at my heels surrounds me?… God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me. Selah.”

When God has the power to resurrect us from the dead, then He has most certainly the power to help us in difficult situations in this life. In times of trials, we might forget easily how powerful He is, but it is important to always remember that so that fear of the future does not consume us.

David wrote in Psalm 31:19-24:

“Oh, how great is Your goodness, Which You have laid up for those who fear You, Which You have prepared for those who trust in You In the presence of the sons of men! You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence From the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion From the strife of tongues… You heard the voice of my supplications When I cried out to You… Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the LORD.”

David made it a point to conscientiously remind himself of God’s great and ongoing involvement in his life, so that he could be of good courage and conquer all fear. He wrote in Psalm 56:3-4, 8:

“Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You… In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?… You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?”

David also said in Psalm 31:15: “My times are in Your hand.” He knew that nothing could happen to him unless God were to allow it—including his “good” times and “bad” times, as well as the time of his life and the time of his death—and that God would only allow or do in his life what would be best for him. Paul would later say that all things work together for good to those who love God and do His commandments. We read in Psalm 112 that the righteous who “delights greatly in His commandments” (verse 1) “will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is established; He will not be afraid” (verses 7-8).

This same thought is expressed in Proverbs 3:25-26 for those who keep His law and apply His wisdom and understanding:

“Do not be afraid of sudden terror, Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes; For the LORD will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.”

This sentiment is echoed in Jeremiah 17:7-8, as follows:

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, And whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.”

While in distress and when facing persecution from evil men, we must not cease from yielding fruit; we must not cease from living a righteous life.

Isaiah 8:12-13 tells us not to be afraid of the threats of men, but rather to have fear and respect for God. In Isaiah 35:4, God adds this thought:

“Say to those who are fearful-hearted, ‘Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.’”

This is the confidence we must always have: That God is on His throne; that He knows what is happening in our lives; that He sees the injustice and persecution which evil and wicked people are trying to inflict on us; and that He, in His due time, WILL intervene to save us and to deal powerfully with our enemies. And that in the meantime, He will not allow that anything happens to us which would be too difficult for us to bear.

God reinforces this marvelous truth throughout the pages of the Bible, which reads like this: We don’t need to fear because God is with us. God will give us His protection, security, help and safety.

Isaiah 41:10-14 quotes God’s words to us as follows:

“‘Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Behold, all those who were incensed against you Shall be ashamed and disgraced; They shall be as nothing, And those who strive with you shall perish. You shall seek them and not find them—Those who contended with you. Those who war against you Shall be as nothing, As a nonexistent thing. For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, “Fear not, I will help you.” Fear not, you worm Jacob, You men of Israel! I will help you,’ says the LORD And your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.”

The same promise is reiterated to us in Isaiah 43:2, 5, 15-16:

“‘When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you… Fear not, for I am with you… I am the LORD, your Holy One, The Creator of Israel, your King.’ Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea And a path through the mighty waters…”

God is with us. He is our mighty King—the RULER over the entire universe. Even if He allows us to go through fire which could burn us and water which could drown us, He is with us and will not allow that they harm or kill us before the God-decreed time of our death. And He might create the way of escape in a surprising and totally unexpected fashion—by showing us a path in and through the roaring sea and the mighty overflowing waters. To allow in our minds the possibility of such powerful godly intervention requires much faith on our part—which we will discuss in the next installment.

(To Be Continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

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