Update 1167

On July 12, 2025, Norbert Link will present, “Comments on News and Prophecy, July 12, 2025,” and Rene Messier will present the sermon, titled, “Stay in Your Lane.”

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, my 14-year old son joined me at the non-profit transportation company that I run. He will be working as an apprentice on a part-time basis over the summer school break in our vehicle maintenance department. It is difficult for younger teens to find meaningful work, and even more so in the areas of the skilled trades. However, with the arrival of electric buses and charging controls, automotive trades are rapidly requiring skills honed at the gaming stations of a new generation.

The Cambridge Dictionary defines an apprentice as someone who has agreed to work for a skilled person for a particular period of time and often for low payment, in order to learn that person’s skills. For example: Michelangelo was apprenticed to Ghirlandaio in Florence for three years prior to setting out on his own. While it is hard to imagine him as anything less than a master of art, architecture, and science, the fact is that we all begin at a common point of knowing little and needing to learn and grow in skill and proficiency. For most of us, this begins in the first tottering days of preschool, and continues on through university and beyond.

Additionally, in recent years, there’s been a noticeable shift in the career aspirations of younger generations.  Skilled trade careers are experiencing a resurgence in popularity. This has also been highlighted on social media platforms.

Young tradespeople are sharing their day-to-day experiences, inspiring a new generation to consider careers in skilled trades over traditional college routes. There is a young electrician who has over 1.1 million online followers, and she posts on various tasks. She illustrates the technical skills involved in her job and also shows young followers that hers is a fulfilling and lucrative career path.

Consider the metaphor of being an apprentice in our journey as true Christians. We must understand that as true Christians we are all apprenticed to the Father and Jesus Christ. As the apostles before us, we must study the Scriptures to better understand the importance of Paul’s words in Romans 10, 14-15 (New International Version throughout): “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” Continuing in verse 17: “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”

These verses illustrate the importance of listening and learning from those who were sent and understand more than we do.

Jesus Christ was also an apprentice to the Father in Heaven as we see in John 8:29: “The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” But Jesus was also an apprentice in the human sense as a carpenter alongside His human father, Joseph. We see this when Jesus was preparing for His ministry and preaching the Word in the synagogue. He was not treated as a master and expert in the Scriptures, but rather, as a carpenter’s son. This was not to denigrate Jesus for being a carpenter, but this trade was simply not considered on par with the Pharisees of the day. The leaders of the congregation illustrated this in Mark 6:3: “‘Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?’ And they took offense at him.” They took offense because they did not see Jesus as a teacher or an equal, but rather as a young upstart.

Yet, while He was honing His craft as a carpenter, He was also preparing for His own ministry. He studied the Scriptures and quoted the prophets and books of the Old Testament on many occasions. Even as He was dying on the cross for our sins, Jesus quoted a portion of Psalm 22:1: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus learned at the Father’s side and lived His life by obeying the commandments and preparing for His public ministry.

He also was, and is: The Master, as we read in Luke 16:13: “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” The supremacy of Jesus Christ is unmatched and forever will be. He is Lord and Master of the Creation, and our coming King of the New Jerusalem.

Consider now the role that Timothy played with the apostle Paul. Paul became a mentor to the younger man. He realized that Timothy had the calling from God and substance to become a minister of God’s Word and began to train him for what lay ahead. We see this in 2 Timothy 3:10-12: “You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…”

Life entails apprenticeships in many ways. I could not have been a city manager without first serving as a deputy for many years and learning the intricacies of leading a city. Doctors and lawyers train for years prior to handling cases of their own.

King David realized that his son Solomon was not quite prepared for leadership in 1 Chronicles 29:1: “Then King David said to the whole assembly: ‘My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the LORD God.” David was praying for and preparing to hand the kingdom to his son Solomon. He had trained Solomon for leadership, but now trusted that God Himself would finish the task.

We can also go back to the time of Moses when God instructed Moses to take on Joshua as an apprentice. We see this described in Numbers 27:18-21: “So the LORD said to Moses, ‘Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the LORD. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.’”

In our physical world, an apprenticeship typically involves our work life or vocation. In the more important spiritual sense, becoming an apprentice with God and Jesus Christ is more akin to an enduring discipleship with Jesus. We must show up for this training and take our responsibilities seriously. There will always be the distractions of work, family, and hobbies, but think of this opportunity to train under the very best Master ever—not simply once in a lifetime, but forever!

by Norbert Link

We speak about the deeply troublesome conduct of ICE and the fearful expectation that it will get much worse as tremendous additional powers have been given them in the “One Big Beautiful Bill”; and Trump’s ongoing tariff chaos; and address Elon Musk’s new party, also in light of the controversial “Epstein files” and questionable statements of the Social Security Administration. Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “The Epstein Scandal—No Murder and No Client List?”

We speak on Southeast Asian nations turning to Russia and the BRICS summit which has been described as another serious challenge to the USA, prompting a threat from Trump.

We speak on sudden renewed American support for Ukraine after a disappointing phone call between Trump and Putin; an uninformed warning of NATO chief Mark Rutte; and we conclude with the question as to what is meant by “Shylock” and developments in Germany.

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

ICE’s Illegal Arrests Continue 

NPR wrote on July 4: 

“Immigrant advocates and civil rights lawyers say evidence is mounting that immigration agents carrying out the Trump administration’s deportation crackdown in southern California are engaging in widespread racial profiling. They’ve raided known hubs for Latino workers almost daily – hardware store parking lots, car washes, and street vendor corners. Videos of many of those operations, filmed by bystanders and posted to social media, have shown agents arresting people who appear to be Latino as they stand on sidewalks or wait at bus stops. 

“On Wednesday, the American Civil Liberties Union and other legal groups filed a federal class action lawsuit alleging that immigration agents roving the streets are targeting people based on the color of their skin or their apparent occupation. They want a judge to declare the raids unconstitutional. ‘There is a real sense that it is open season on anyone who appears to be an immigrant,’ said Eva Bitran, director of immigrants’ rights at the ACLU of Southern California. ‘They are arriving, corralling people before asking one single question, just based on their location and their appearance. Often they are handcuffing people even before they have asked for their papers, or even after a person has said “I am a US citizen, I have a green card, I have every right to be here”…’ 

“Advocates say the Trump administration’s ambitious daily arrest quotas are leading immigration agents to lean on the thinnest of justifications and on false assumptions about people they encounter to justify arrests. ‘If you’re asking these law enforcement agencies to arrest 3,000 people a day, they cannot form reasonable suspicion for each specific person,’ Bitran said…” 

And if that was not enough already… note the next articles. 

Even Much More Power For ICE 

Salon wrote on July 3:

“Trump’s budget… allocated some $175 billion towards his mass deportation campaign, more money than almost any country spends on its military… According to estimates from the World Food Programme, the funds going towards deportation would… be enough to fully fund the program to end world hunger for four years… 

“Americans have already had a preview of some of what’s to come with the increased deportation budget, like on Wednesday, when Trump traveled to Florida to tour a new camp being built there to house immigrants… The facility is expected to cost around $450 million a year, just a fraction of the $45 billion that Republicans have allocated towards building new detention facilities…. Trump also suggested that the new camp could be the first of many, foreshadowing a new incarceration system in the United States.”

Rather than fighting worldwide hunger, America is fighting unliked “illegal” aliens… 

7,000 a Day! 

The New York Post wrote on July 7: 

“President Trump’s ‘border czar’ Tom Homan wants ICE agents to arrest at least 7,000 illegal immigrants every day — more than double the current quota — after the agency received a giant budget boost for its mass deportation campaign with the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill. 

“‘And for those that say 3,000 a day is too much, I want to remind them, do the math, we have to arrest 7,000 every single day for the remainder of this administration just to catch the ones Biden released into the nation,’ Homan told reporters Monday outside the White House. Trump signed the nearly 900-page bill into law on July 4, opening the door for ICE to hire 10,000 new officers and double its capacity to detain illegal immigrants… 

“White House adviser Stephen Miller recently pushed ICE to make 3,000 arrests per day… The Trump administration originally gave ICE a quota of 1,800 arrests a day in January and increased the expectations in May.” 

Horrific! 

Charging “Remittance Tax”? 

Breitbart wrote on July 3: 

“Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Todd Lyons is praising final passage of President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, mainly for its ‘unprecedented funding’ toward federal immigration enforcement… 

“The bill includes more than $46 billion for new border wall construction, $45 billion for ICE detention space, nearly $30 billion for ICE to go on a hiring spree and deport more illegal aliens, $10 billion to reimburse states who covered border security costs under former President Joe Biden, and $3.5 billion for the Department of Justice to issue grants to local governments who help locate and arrest illegal aliens, among other funding measures. Perhaps most significantly, the bill establishes a historic remittance tax to effectively fine illegal aliens who earn money in the U.S. and send that money back to their home countries.” 

A remittance tax refers to a tax on money transfers sent from the United States to recipients in foreign countries. It is primarily aimed at international cash transfers, particularly those sent by non-US citizens or nationals. The tax would typically be imposed on the sender of the remittance and collected by the entity facilitating the transfer (e.g., banks or money transfer operators). Imagine someone in the US wants to send money to their family abroad. A remittance tax would be an extra fee levied on that transfer, making the overall cost of sending the money higher. This is so abominable! But the next article describes even more abominable developments.

A Terrible Shift to Right Extremism 

Axios wrote on July 5: 

“Once-fringe tactics — an alligator-moated detention camp, deportations to war zones, denaturalization of immigrant citizens — are now being proudly embraced at the highest levels of the U.S. government. It’s an extraordinary shift from Trump’s first term, when nationwide backlash and the appearance of cruelty forced the administration to abandon its family separation policy for unauthorized immigrants. Six months into his second term… Trump is only just beginning to scale up his mass deportation machine… 

“Pro-Trump activist Laura Loomer drew outrage after tweeting that ‘alligators are guaranteed at least 65 million meals if we get started now’ — widely interpreted as a reference to the Hispanic population of the United States… 

“Some newer members of the MAGA coalition, such as podcaster Joe Rogan, have expressed deep discomfort with the targeting of non-criminal undocumented immigrants…. some MAGA influencers are pushing to weaponize denaturalization more broadly — not just as a legal remedy for fraud, but as a tool to punish ideological opponents… Prominent voices on the right have argued that immigrants who haven’t properly ‘assimilated’ — by their definition — should be vulnerable to losing their citizenship.” 

The hatred by political extremists is frightening. 

Federal Immigration Agents Descend on MacArthur Park in Los Angeles 

ABC Eyewitness News wrote on July 7: 

“Federal agents and National Guard troops descended on MacArthur Park while children were at a summer camp on Monday, sparking chaos and fear in the area. The neighborhood is home to a large immigrant population; however, agents appeared to have left largely empty-handed. 

“The raid began unfolding just before 11:30 a.m. AIR7 video shows what appears to be federal agents holding weapons and standing on an armored vehicle. The agents were not wearing any identification as they rolled through the park… Many large National Guard vehicles were also spotted in the area. Defense officials told ABC News that 90 armed troops were involved in the operation in support of immigration authorities in Los Angeles. All of the troops involved in the operation were activated members of the California National Guard. The operation included some 17 Humvees, four military cargo trucks and two military ambulances [with the agents seen carrying rifles and traveling across the grounds on foot, horseback and in armored vehicles.] 

“‘They brought terror to the community, but they didn’t have the guts to stick around because they knew if they stuck around here, to really do a big raid, the community would come out to defend the people,’ said Ron Gochez with Unión Del Barrio. ‘And that’s exactly why we’re here. They have all the courage when it’s a senior citizen vendor selling flowers by a cemetery. They had the courage to go kidnap her. But when the masses come out, where is the courage?’… 

“L.A. Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez said a summer camp was taking place at MacArthur Park when federal agents and troops moved in. She said the kids were quickly ushered into the lower level of the building used for the camp to keep them away from the immigration raid.” 

Just a Political Stunt? 

The Guardian wrote on July 7: 

“MacArthur Park has long been an immigrant neighborhood, with a history of political activism. In 2007, it was the center of the May Day rallies demanding amnesty for undocumented people, which were met with exceptional brutality by the Los Angeles police department… 

“‘This morning looked like a staging for a TikTok video,’ said Marqueece Harris-Dawson, president of the Los Angeles city council, adding if the border patrol wants to film in LA, ‘you should apply for a film permit like everybody else. And stop trying to… disrupt our economy every day.’”

The New York Post added on July 8:

“One Border Patrol official promised that federal agencies aren’t backing down… ‘The federal government is not leaving LA. … The federal government does not work for Karen Bass. We’re going to be here until that mission is accomplished,’ [he said]. ‘Better get used to us now because this is going to be normal very soon,’ he added.” 

Or a Botched Laughingstock? 

Ken Klippenstein wrote on July 7: 

“The news media is describing the operation as an ominous crackdown, but National Guard sources tell me that it was a botched laughingstock. The military aspect of the operation, codenamed Operation Excalibur, has not been previously reported. 

“The documents reveal that the erstwhile justification for the operation was to try to shut down the distribution of fake IDs. The mission of the 1st Squadron, 18th Cavalry is described as protecting DHS [Department of Homeland Security] ‘security points and blocking positions’ while they undertook their assault. The operation was meticulously planned, the threat listed as ‘HIGH.’ ‘Criminal elements, likely including FTO [foreign terrorist organization] MS-13 consider the park their home “turf” and could escalate to lethal violence,’ a threat assessment warned. 

“Then all that planning went bust. Because ICE and CBP apparently failed to communicate or coordinate effectively, the military showed up too late (and Los Angeles authorities weren’t notified until two hours prior.)… 

“This is just the latest operation that didn’t go off as planned, amplifying the sense amongst the California Guardsmen that the whole spectacle is idiotic and shameful. Part of the reason for the confusion is the sheer number of government agencies involved… 

“One Army source told me that it all felt like some joint military operation overseas, where soldiers need to identify themselves as ‘friendlies’ on congested battlefields. Treating Los Angeles as a foreign country with insurgents to be defeated, military and homeland security intelligence views MacArthur Park as a viper’s nest of illegality… Many of the soldiers involved, I’m told, view their mission as unnecessary and even ridiculous, with the Trump administration ordering the spectacle and the Pentagon leadership and chain of command smartly saluting. .. 

“Similarly last month, when leadership discussed during a briefing the idea of having Guardsmen wear masks similar to ICE and CBP, rank-and-file members groaned at the stupidity and bad optics for the uniformed military. The Guard, they said, should be seen as members of the community, not shadowy interlopers… 

“Mayor Karen Bass, as if an interloper in her own city, rushed to MacArthur park in her own SUV motorcade and asked the feds to leave. Bass told the Los Angeles Times that the feds needed ‘to leave and they need to leave right now, they need to leave because this is unacceptable.’ The uniformed military I’ve spoken to seem to agree with her. 

“While military leadership is embracing the Washington-inspired mission, sources say, the rank-and-file see the California operation as more akin to Afghanistan: doomed to failure and ultimately withdrawal.” 

Whatever the purpose of the raid was, the optics were horrible, reminding us of actions by the Gestapo during the Third Reich or of NVA soldiers [“National People’s Army” or “Nationale Volksarmee”) in former East Germany; or Russian invasions of former East Block countries, such as the Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968. 

No Amnesty for Farm Workers 

Newsmax wrote on July 8: 

“Illegal migrants who work on U.S. farms will not be given amnesty and could be subjected to mass deportation efforts as the Trump administration strives for ‘a 100% American workforce,’ Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said Tuesday. Rollins, though, did say the administration needs to be ‘strategic in how we are implementing the mass deportation so as not to compromise our food supply.’

“President Donald Trump last week in Iowa said he’s willing to let migrant laborers stay in the U.S. if the farmers they work for will vouch for them…”

What Rollins is saying now is not what Trump had originally announced. 

Trump’s New Tariff Chaos

The Daily Mail wrote on July 7: 

“President Donald Trump hammered Japan and South Korea for running up a trade imbalance with the U.S., declaring both countries will be slapped with a new 25 percent tariff starting August 1. Trump issued a scathing attack in two letters he sent the leaders of both countries, declaring ‘our relationship has been, unfortunately, far from reciprocal.’ Then he brought down the hammer, declaring what the new tariff would be, which could cripple the economies of two allies of the U.S…. 

“Markets immediately dropped on the news, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average shedding 400 points, and the broader S&P 500 losing nearly a percentage point in value. Trump concluded with another threat: ‘If for any reason you decide to raise your tariffs, then, whatever then number you choose to raise them by, will be added onto the 25% that we charge,’ he wrote… 

“The U.S. helped rebuild both economies after World War II and after the Korean War through extensive trade ties. For years U.S. consumers and companies have turned to both countries for automobiles and consumer products as well computer chips and technology vital to an array of other products… Japan already faced a 25 percent tariff on cars, auto parts, and steel, in addition to facing the 10 percent across the board tariff… 

“Following the briefing, Trump posted letters to a tranche of other countries: Malaysia, South Africa, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Kazakhstan, Vientiane, and others. The letter to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who clashed with Trump during an Oval Office meeting, included a 30 percent tariff.  

“Global markets are bracing for more tariff chaos as the White House plans to release a dozen or more letters signed by President Trump telling countries what taxes must be paid when they send goods to the United States.  The talk of the letters has now overtaken much of the conversation about ‘deals,’ with Trump’s team telling various nations in writing how much must be paid. The result could hike the costs that American pay for a variety of goods… 

“Trump has secured preliminary trade agreements with the United Kingdom, China, and Vietnam, though all three deals still require further negotiation to finalize terms. … In just one of the trade matters that is up in the air, Trump reportedly threatened the European Union with a 17 percent tariff on food exports, a move that could hammer that industry. Without a deal the EU faces a 50 percent tax on all goods going into the United States. EU officials told the Financial Times the new food tax is an escalation between the two trading partners….” 

Even though Trump had proclaimed that due to his tariff threats, countries would line up to make deals with the USA, this has simply not been the case. 

No Farmland for Chinese (and Others) 

The Washington Post wrote on July 8: 

“U.S. Department of Agriculture chief Brooke Rollins announced Tuesday that the U.S. government will move to ban sales of farmland nationwide to buyers tied to China and other foreign adversaries, citing threats to national security and food security — an effort that casts uncertainty over property currently held by China-linked investors. 

“Asked whether the U.S. government would seek to take back existing land owned by Chinese investors, Rollins said they are looking at ‘every available option’ as part of a clawback effort and that an executive order from the White House will probably follow ‘very soon.’… Rollins said that the USDA will also work with state legislators to quickly push through laws that will ban further purchases, with a particular focus on parcels of land near U.S. military bases… 

“The percentage of total U.S. farmland owned by Chinese investors amounts to just 0.0003 percent and has declined sharply in recent years…” 

Musk’s New Party 

Breitbart wrote on July 6: 

“Entrepreneur and former Department of Government Efficiency Director Elon Musk on Saturday announced the creation of the America Party. Musk says the American Party will restore democracy and freedom after suggesting he would start a new political party amid a high-profile feud with President Donald Trump. 

“He conducted a straw poll on his social media platform X on Friday, Politico reported. ‘By a factor or 2 to 1, you want a new political party, and you shall have it,’ Musk said Saturday afternoon in a post on X. ‘When it comes to bankrupting our country with waste & graft, we live in a one-party system, not a democracy,’ Musk continued. ‘Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.’ 

“Musk suggested the political party would focus on two or three Senate seats and between eight and 10 House seats during the 2026 mid-term elections, CNBC reported. Given the narrow margins among House and Senate majorities in recent years, a small number of seats in both chambers would be enough to significantly influence legislation, Musk said. He said the party would caucus independently of Democrats and Republicans but enter into legislative discussions with both.” 

Deutsche Welle added on July 6: 

“He revived the idea of a new political party this week as US lawmakers approved Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill. Musk was among the legislation’s most vocal critics and has pledged to establish a new party to oppose Republicans who supported the bill… 

“A truly competitive third party could disrupt over a century of Democratic and Republican dominance at all levels of government. But Musk would not be the first person trying to establish a party to challenge their dominance. 

“Former President Theodore Roosevelt came the closest in 1912, after splitting from the Republican party. He ran as Progressive Party candidate and won 27% of the popular vote and 88 electoral votes. More recently, Ross Perot, another billionaire, won 19% of the popular vote but no electoral votes in the 1992 presidential campaign as an independent and later formed the Reform Party.” 

The Associated Press reported on July 7: 

“Asked about the effort by reporters on Sunday afternoon as he prepared to return to Washington from his home in New Jersey, Trump called Musk’s proposition ‘ridiculous,’ going on to tout ‘tremendous success with the Republican Party.’ ‘The Democrats have lost their way, but it’s always been a two-party system,’ Trump added. ‘And I think starting a third party just adds to confusion. It really seems to have been developed for two parties.’ Third parties, Trump said, have never worked.” 

Trump also told his followers: “I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely ‘off the rails,’ essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks.” 

According to Focus, dated July 7, “Original America didn’t care much for political parties. They aren’t mentioned at all in the Constitution. George Washington, the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797, belonged to no party.” 

There might have been much wisdom of the founding fathers in not speaking about the “necessity” of parties. Party affiliation far too often clouds the conscience of party members. The potential influence of Musk and his new party on the midterm elections should not be underestimated. Musk has no ambitions to become president… he could not anyhow, because he was not born in the USA, but in South Africa. But then, based on all the available evidence, it is not certain that Obama was born in the USA either. 

The Epstein File—The Final Straw? 

The Daily Mail wrote on July 7: 

“Outrage ensued following a stunning report claimed the Justice Department and FBI are concluding that disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein did not hold a ‘client list’ and did kill himself in prison. Among the top critics is billionaire Elon Musk who said the memo published by Axios on Sunday night is the ‘final straw.’… 

“Trump’s base is demanding answers and accusing Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel of ‘lying’ to the American public. Most of the online ire has been directed towards Bondi. ‘If Jeffrey Epstein had no client list, didn’t have elites raping girls on his island and hadn’t taken part in any blackmail schemes… Then… Why’d he kill himself?’ Pro-Trump content creator Robby Starbuck posted to X. He insisted: ‘Doesn’t pass the smell test Pam Bondi.’ 

“Right-wing media site the Gateway Pundit posted: ‘If Jeffrey Epstein Had No Client List Then Why Did AG Pam Bondi Tell Reporters the List ‘Is Sitting on My Desk Right Now to Review.‘… ‘Pam Bondi said the Epstein client list was on her desk to review for release to the public just a few months ago,’ Starbuck posted. ‘Now the DOJ she leads claims that there’s no Epstein client list.’ ‘Sorry but this is unacceptable,’ he insisted. ‘Was she lying then or is she lying now? We deserve answers.’” 

People added on July 7: 

“The Tesla CEO and former Trump ally [Musk] posted a meme on X, the social media platform he owns, depicting a man applying clown makeup next to text including, ‘There is no Epstein list.’” 

Vanity Fair wrote on July 7: 

“Elon Musk… also shared a post that read: ‘If the entire government is protecting pedophiles, it has officially become the government against the people. I hope you all understand that.’” 

The inconsistent and contradictory representations of the Trump administration on the Epstein matter are indeed cause for suspicion. 

The Epstein File—Tucker Carlson on the Attack 

The Daily Mail wrote on July 8: 

“A growing number of right-wing voices are calling for the resignation of Attorney General Pam Bondi after it was revealed no more arrests will be made in connection to Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes… 

“On his podcast Tuesday, conservative luminary Tucker Carlson theorized that Bondi is orchestrating a cover-up in order to protect members of the intelligence community who were ensnared in Epstein’s conduct. ‘The current DOJ under Pam Bondi is covering up crimes, very serious crimes by their own description,’ Carlson said. ‘Intel services are at the very center of this story, U.S. and Israeli and they’re being protected.’” 

Mediaite added on July 8: 

“Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson warned that President Donald Trump and his administration could be inviting a ‘revolution’ by not delivering on his campaign promise to reveal the truth about Jeffrey Epstein’s criminal sex enterprise…. 

“‘But how can you say that thousands of children were raped, but I’m not going to find out who raped them!? How can you say that!? They said that! By the way, when Pam Bondi went on television and said, “I have a videotape of kids getting abused,” I didn’t, I followed this case closely and I know a lot of the people involved, as I’ve told you, I had no idea. I didn’t know that. Really? Thousands of children got raped? Who raped them? Where are the rapists? Like, why aren’t they in jail? This is the Department of Justice.  That is so crazy. This is like-, this is honestly one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen in my entire life. And I just think it’s very dangerous to play around with this stuff. Like, very dangerous. I don’t want a revolution, but if you wanted a revolution this is how you would act.’” 

JD Vance Under Attack Too 

Irish Star wrote on July 8: 

“A post JD Vance made about the ‘most powerful people’ being connected to Jeffrey Epstein has reemerged as the DOJ says a ‘client list’ doesn’t exist, despite Pam Bondi claiming she had it on her desk. JD Vance has been brutally roasted over a social media post he made about… Epstein as MAGA rages at the Trump administration for breaking a key election promise… MAGA’s Epstein frustrations escalated on Monday when a memo sent by the DOJ and FBI said that no ‘further disclosure’ of Epstein’s files or materials would be appropriate or warranted… 

“Referring to Epstein, the future Vice President wrote: ‘Remember when we learned that our wealthiest and most powerful people were connected to a guy who ran a literal child sex trafficking ring? And then that guy died mysteriously in a jail? And now we just don’t talk about it.’ Both critics of the vice president and MAGA supporters have recently been responding to the post, pointing out Vance’s hypocrisy… ‘There goes your chance as president,’ one noted. A second wrote: ‘You’re losing credibility so quickly, you had an opportunity to do better and you guys are failing…’ Another noted: ‘The silence is deafening Mr Vance.’… 

“During their public feud after the tech billionaires departure from the White House, Musk wrote in a now-deleted X post: ‘Time to drop the really big bomb… Donald Trump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.’ He followed up shortly after: ‘Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out.’ Trump has denied being on the list and Musk eventually said he’d taken things ‘too far.’” 

What list? We were just told that there is no list after Bondi said earlier that the list was on her desk. 

Does the Big Beautiful Bill Eliminate Tax on Social Security? 

The New York Times wrote on July 6: 

“In a celebratory email sent to Americans across the country, the Social Security Administration praised the Trump administration’s sprawling budget and tax bill and said it eliminated federal income taxes on most retirees’ benefits. But that’s not exactly what it does… 

“… the enhanced deduction will help reduce households’ tax bills on their overall income, including Social Security income. ‘The S.S.A. statement implies there is a direct tax cut on Social Security benefits,’ said Howard Gleckman, a senior fellow at the Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan think tank, ‘which there is not.’ 

“Instead, older single filers will get the extra $6,000 deduction ($12,000 for couples), as long as their income falls under a certain ceiling (below $75,000 for single filers or $150,000 for married joint filers). Above those income levels, the deduction begins to decrease, and it goes away once single taxpayers’ income reaches $175,000 ($250,000 for couples). Nor will the extra deduction benefit all Social Security recipients. Retirees who are 62 through 64 are ineligible. 

“And since the income of more than half of Social Security recipients is too low to be taxed anyway, lower income people won’t be helped much. The new break is expected to benefit middle- and upper-middle-class households, tax policy experts said. (Recipients who earn less than $63,300 owe an average of 1 percent of their Social Security benefits in taxes)… 

“‘It is discouraging to see such misrepresentation by the administration and the Social Security Administration,’ said Martha Shedden, president of the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts, a group that offers guidance to consumers and financial professionals on making Social Security decisions… 

“The email also says that ‘nearly 90 percent of beneficiaries will no longer pay federal taxes on their benefits.’ That, too, is misleading because the deduction is temporary, only in effect for tax years 2025 through 2028. The Social Security Administration did not immediately respond to a request seeking comment.” 

The American Prospect wrote on July 7: 

“If you listen to Donald Trump’s speeches…,  you hear a lot about certain modest elements of this bill: no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, no tax on Social Security. That last one is not in the bill at all—there’s a temporary increase in the standard deduction for people over the age of 65 that is not tied to Social Security at all…” 

Churches Can Endorse Political Candidates? 

CNBC wrote on July 8: 

“The IRS said in a new federal court filing that churches can endorse political candidates to their congregations without risking the loss of their tax-exempt status. The move upends a 70-year-old interpretation of the U.S. tax code, whose Johnson Amendment has barred certain nonprofit groups, including churches, from endorsing political candidates without putting their tax-exempt status in jeopardy. President Donald Trump has long called for Johnson Amendment to be repealed. 

“‘Communications from a house of worship to its congregation in connection with religious services through its usual channels of communication on matters of faith do not run afoul of the Johnson Amendment as properly interpreted,’ the IRS said in the joint filing Monday.” 

Churches should stay out of the political arena by taking sides and endorsing political candidates. 

AI Used to Mimic Rubio’s Voice 

The Daily Mail wrote on July 8: 

“An imposter used AI technology to impersonate Secretary of State Marco Rubio and contacted at least a handful of top U.S. and foreign government officials, according to a diplomatic cable warning of the stunning blunder… 

“The imposter used text messages and the encrypted Signal app, the same app that led to the ouster of former National Security Advisor Michael Waltz after he accidentally added a reporter to a Signal group chat where top officials discussed a bombing campaign.” 

Southeast Asia Turns to Russia 

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 3: 

“Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto skipped a G7 summit last month to visit Russia, where he and his counterpart, Vladimir Putin, agreed that bilateral ties are ‘getting stronger again.’… Prabowo’s trip came a month after Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s latest visit to Russia, his third in two years… Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta are exploring possible ways to expand trade, including in arms imports… 

“Several Southeast Asian states have an interest in exporting electrical goods and machinery to Russia… Last month, Vietnam and Moscow agreed to fast-track agreements that could see Russian firms help build Vietnam’s first nuclear power plants… many have looked to the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) grouping as an alternative arena for global politics. Indonesia is now a formal member of BRICS while Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam are partner countries… 

“Although Malaysia and Indonesia’s governments began their overtures with Russia before Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January, Washington turning away from international institutions since then has convinced many Asian leaders that they can no longer count on US support and that the future of the Western-backed international order might soon be over, analysts say…” 

The Far Eastern nations of the Kings of the East are forming. Iran should not be overlooked in that regard. Note the next article. 

Iran at BRICS Summit 

The New York Times wrote on July 5: 

“Battered by 12 days of war, Iran stands mostly alone and weakened in the Middle East. Yet the Islamic republic has found friends elsewhere in the world. Starting Sunday in Rio de Janeiro, Iran will join a two-day meeting of the BRICS group that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and other countries… 

“After Israel and the United States launched military strikes on Iran last month, the BRICS group issued a statement expressing ‘grave concern’ and calling the attacks a breach of international law and the United Nations Charter. Still the alliance, whose members represent more than half of the world’s population, stopped short of outright criticizing Israel or the United States…” 

Trump Threatens BRICS 

The New York Post wrote on July 7: 

“President Trump threatened to impose an additional 10% tariff on any country that aligns itself with what he described as the ‘Anti-American politics of BRICS,’ intensifying global trade tensions as the bloc of developing nations holds its summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. ‘Any Country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS, will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10% Tariff. There will be no exceptions to this policy,’ Trump wrote Sunday evening… 

“Trump did not elaborate on which specific politics of BRICS… he considered anti-American. The bloc, formed in 2009, later added South Africa and last year included Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as members. 

“In December, Trump threatened 100% tariffs on BRICS if member nations decided to issue their own currency — a move aimed at potentially undermining the US dollar. His comment Sunday came shortly after BRICS leaders issued a joint statement appearing to criticize Trump’s protectionist trade policies.” 

As the Tide Turns 

Daily Mail wrote on July 4: 

“Donald Trump yesterday agreed to help Ukraine boost its aerial defences after Russia launched its biggest assault of the war. The US President made the pledge after a ‘very disappointing’ phone call with Vladimir Putin on Thursday night (with the Russian leader refusing to agree to a ceasefire), with Russia launching the barrage hours after. Mr Trump spoke to Volodymyr Zelensky yesterday and seemingly vowed to ‘strengthen the protection’ of Ukraine’s skies. They also discussed joint industrial projects. 

“The two leaders, who have previously traded insults and fell out spectacularly at the White House earlier this year, spoke at length hours after Putin fired a record 539 drones and 11 missiles at Ukraine. The bombardment left at least one dead and 23 injured in Kyiv… 

“It follows reports that the US is to reduce the amount of military hardware it gives Ukraine, with US defence officials yesterday denying rumours [stemming directly from Trump himself] of a weapons shortage. Defence secretary Pete Hegseth was also said to have halted weapons shipments to Ukraine without consulting other US government departments.” 

Trump had said: “Biden emptied out our whole country giving them weapons, and we have to make sure that we have enough for ourselves” (Compare The Sun, dated July 4). 

Mark Rutte Warns of Simultaneous Russian and Chinese Invasions 

The Daily Mail wrote on July 6: 

“NATO chief Mark Rutte has chillingly warned that World War III will start with simultaneous invasions from Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin… Rutte suggested the combined attacks from the Chinese and Russian leaders could trigger a World War nightmare and bring the planet to the brink of Armageddon. 

“According to the NATO chief, China would start by seeking to grab Taiwan – while ensuring the Kremlin dictator simultaneously attacks NATO territory, amid fears Putin is anyway eyeing the Baltic republics Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, formerly part of the USSR. 

“Senior Putin security official Dmitry Medvedev – a former Russian president and ex-premier – lashed out on X: ‘Rutte has clearly gorged on too many of the magic mushrooms beloved by the Dutch. He sees collusion between China & Russia over Taiwan, and then a Russian attack on Europe. But he’s right about one thing: he should learn Russian. It might come in handy in a Siberian camp.’” 

This is not how World War III will start. The leaders and politicians of this world, not understanding biblical prophecy, look at all the wrong places, but overlook the coming real powerful and destructive enemy of the USA and the UK. 

What or Who Is Shylock? 

JTA wrote on July 4: 

“After facing criticism, President Donald Trump said he was unaware that the term ‘Shylock’ was widely considered antisemitic when he used it to describe unscrupulous bankers during a rally Thursday in Iowa… Shylock is the name of the Jewish money lender in William Shakespeare’s ‘The Merchant of Venice,’ a character that has come to be seen as an archetype of the stereotype that Jews are greedy and money-grubbing…

“Joe Biden, then vice president, decried ‘Shylocks’ in 2014 to describe unscrupulous lenders who he said preyed on U.S. military personnel…” 

Antisemitism is difficult to root out, and it is sometimes even inadvertently unrecognized. 

German Persecution 

The European Conservative wrote on June 25: 

“On Wednesday, June 25th, the German federal police carried out a major operation throughout the country, searching the homes and confiscating the electronics of 170 people over social media comments that either fall in the general ‘hate speech’ category or just insult sitting politicians.  

“While individuals can be targeted by the authorities at any time, these coordinated country-wide raids are organized once every year since the 2017 adoption of Article 188 of the Criminal Code, which makes insulting politicians punishable to the same degree as online hate speech—with up to three years in prison—while defamation and slander can get you locked up for up to five years. 

“These so-called ‘action days’ are also supported by several ‘hate crime’ reporting centers throughout the country, often run by left-wing NGOs who file the charges on behalf of offended people and politicians. Thanks to these organizations, the number of registered online hate crimes reached a record level of over ten thousand last year, meaning the number has quadrupled since 2021. According to officials from the ruling center-right CDU, all this is perfectly normal in a democracy…. 

“In many cases, the ‘crimes’ involved merely entail legitimate criticism of government policies—saying Berlin fails to control migration could be considered Islamophobia or racism, for example—or just the opinions of everyday people of their elected officials. The most prominent abuser of the law is former vice-chancellor and Green party leader Robert Habeck, who personally reported over 800 citizens for insulting him online. Recently, a 64-year-old pensioner was convicted for calling Habeck ‘a complete idiot’ following a similar house search, while another man was fined €6,000 for calling him ‘dirty’ and former Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock ‘stupid.’ 

“And while Chancellor Merz’s CDU was trying to capitalize on the Greens’ abuse of Article 188 during the election campaign, they’ve been weaponizing it just as easily when it suited them. Merz himself has personally filed charges in several cases, which resulted in home searches. These include the case against a 50-year old nurse who called him an ‘asshole’ and who had to pay a €1,000 fine; a Stuttgart resident who called him a ‘dirty drunk’; and a wheelchair-bound woman who called him a ‘Nazi.’ 

“And while the courts later dismissed all of these cases and ruled that the searches and confiscation of electronics were unlawful, none of them were compensated either for the damages or the criminal fines they were forced to pay.” 

“Pistorius Outlines Plans for Military Draft” 

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 8:

“A bill to be put forward by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius would allow the Cabinet, with parliamentary agreement, to call up conscripts if a situation arises that requires a rapid boost to the country’s armed forces, media have reported.  

“The bill is being seen as a compromise between some conservatives’ calls for the return of compulsory military service, which was suspended in Germany in 2011, and the opposition of many leftist lawmakers to such a move.”

The push for compulsory military service will continue. 

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.

God tells us that He will bless us when we obey Him and curse us when we disobey Him (compare Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28). He explains to us that He curses those who sin against Him. Are we therefore to curse those who sin against us—who have become our enemies?

In Matthew 5:43-44, we read: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you…”

Christ loved us and died for us when we were sinners and His enemies, hoping that we would become His friends. Once that relationship of friendship with Him and His Church (His Body) has been established, He tells us to love one another with the same godly love with which He loved and loves us. This love (to love others AS He has loved us) He does not require of us in regard to our enemies in the world. But He does tell us that we are to love them which is really only possible if we have God’s love (agape) in us. How are we to love them?

The Study Bible says:

“‘You have heard that it was said.’ This phrase indicates Jesus is addressing common teachings or interpretations of the Law that were prevalent among His audience. It reflects the oral traditions and teachings of the Jewish leaders, such as the Pharisees and scribes, who often expanded upon the written Law with their own interpretations. This introduction sets the stage for Jesus to contrast these teachings with His own authoritative interpretation.

“‘Love your neighbor.’This part of the verse references Leviticus 19:18, which commands the Israelites to love their neighbors as themselves. In the Jewish context, ‘neighbor’ was often understood to mean fellow Israelites or those within one’s own community. Jesus later expands this definition in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-27), illustrating that ‘neighbor’ includes all people, regardless of ethnicity or social standing.

“‘and ‘Hate your enemy’. This phrase is not a direct quote from the Old Testament but reflects a common interpretation or attitude that had developed over time. While the Law commanded love for one’s neighbor, it did not explicitly instruct hatred for enemies. However, due to historical conflicts and the desire for national purity, some Jewish groups, such as the Qumran community, may have adopted a stance of enmity towards outsiders or those perceived as threats. Jesus challenges this mindset by teaching love for enemies, as seen in the following verses (Matthew 5:44-48) which aligns with the broader biblical theme of God’s love and mercy extending to all humanity.”

Luke 6:27-28 says: “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.”

The Study Bible points out:

“‘bless those who curse you.’ This phrase calls believers to respond to hostility with kindness, reflecting the teachings of Jesus on loving one’s enemies. In the cultural context of the time, cursing someone was a serious offense, often invoking harm or divine retribution. Jesus’ instruction to bless instead of retaliate is countercultural and radical, emphasizing the transformative power of love and forgiveness. This teaching aligns with Proverbs 25:21-22, which advises feeding one’s enemy and offering them drink, suggesting that such actions can lead to reconciliation and peace. The concept of blessing those who curse is also seen in the life of Jesus, who, during His crucifixion, asked for forgiveness for those who were executing Him (Luke 23:34).”

We are not to curse even our enemies by telling them, for example, ”go to hell,” wishing them eternal condemnation. Rather, we should pray for them—not to be blessed by God for their sinful ways or while they live in sin, but for their realization THAT their ways are sinful, and that they need to repent of them and cease from “spitefully” using us.

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible explains:

“Bless them that curse you – The word ‘bless’ here means to ‘speak well of’ or ‘speak well to’ – not to curse again or to slander, but to speak of those things which we can commend in an enemy; or, if there is nothing that we can commend, to say nothing about him. The word ‘bless,’ spoken of God, means to regard with favor or to confer benefits, as when God is said to bless his people. When we speak of our ‘blessing God,’ it means to praise Him or give thanks to Him. When we speak of blessing people, it ‘unites’ the two meanings, and signifies to confer favor, to thank, or to speak well of.”

However, we have a duty to speak the Truth, when appropriate, and not to hide the Truth by keeping silent when there is a duty to speak, or to engage in flattery. Paul called a false prophet a “son of the Devil” (Acts 13:10); and Christ said the same to the Jews at His time (John 8:44). He did in no way flatter the evil and hypocritical Pharisees, nor did He remain silent when there was a duty to speak (compare Matthew 23:13-33). (Note also our two-part Q&A, “Who is to warn the leaders of the world?”)

Matthew Poole’s Commentary says about Luke 6:26-27: “Bless them that curse you: do not return reviling.”

This might include, being silent in the face of persecution.

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible adds:

“Bless them that curse you: when wicked men curse you, as Shimei cursed David, do not ‘render evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing’; give good words, use kind language, mild and soft expressions [or saying nothing in return]; such as may either win upon them, or put them to shame and silence… Blessing here, does not signify praising them, for that would be sinful…”

It would be sinful, indeed, to “bless” a false teacher—an enemy of God—by wishing him “good luck” or “a nice day,” because if we would, we would become a partaker of his evil deeds (compare 2 John 10-11).

Romans 12:14, 20 reads: “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse… Therefore ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’”

Note the parallel Scripture in Proverbs 25:21-22: “If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; For so you will heap coals of fire on his head, And the Lord will reward you.”

Some say, this passage wants to convey that if we behave like this towards our enemies, we increase God’s wrath on them, as heaping coals of fire signifies the pouring out of God’s anger. But the better explanation is the following, as, for example, expressed by Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers:

“Thou shalt make him burn with shame at the thought of the wrong he has done thee. Thus, to bring a sinner to repentance is well-pleasing to the Lord, who shall reward thee for it.”

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible states in general:

“To curse denotes properly to devote to destruction. Where there is power to do it, it implies the destruction of the object… Where there is not power to do it, to curse implies the invoking of the aid of God to devote to destruction.”

This is not the attitude we ought to have in a relationship with anyone, including our enemies. Rather than wishing our enemy utter destruction, we hope and pray that God will lead him to repentance so that he ceases from his evil ways.

1 Corinthians 4:12 says: “Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure…”

This shows that blessing means, refraining from reviling.

1 Peter 3:9 adds: “… not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.”

This brings us to the issue of dealing with strangers. In our hateful world, many treat strangers as enemies, and when it comes to strangers or aliens without documentation, they are being reviled as criminals and invaders who don’t deserve any love, mercy or assistance, but who must be hunted to be placed in demeaning detention camps or prisons or in concentration camps to be deported to countries from which they had fled—or even to countries where they had never been or grown up.  This is, in effect, cursing a stranger. For instance, being in the USA illegally, all by itself, does not constitute a crime. Rather, it is a civil violation. However, entering the country illegally would be a crime in the sense of a misdemeanor, but not a felony. But the same is true every time one breaks a traffic law. If one speeds, that person is committing a crime in the sense of an infraction or a misdemeanor, but not a felony. As everyone has, at times, committed a traffic violation, he or she condemns him or herself when he or she curses a stranger by calling them a criminal.

The Bible tells us in Exodus 23:4-5: “If you meet your enemy’s ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden, and you would refrain from helping it, you shall surely help him with it.”

So, if we want to treat an undocumented alien as an enemy, we are still obligated to help him or her when in need. This might conflict with certain laws of the land, which, in accordance with some interpretations, would make it unlawful to help or assist an undocumented alien in any way (not even giving him or her a ride to the hospital or a grocery store). If such a situation arises, one has to decide whether one wants to obey God rather than man. Read our free booklet, “Obeying God Rather Than Man.”

In Job 31:28-30, righteous Job said this: “This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgment, For I would have denied God who is above.  If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him who hated me, Or lifted myself up when evil found him.  (Indeed I have not allowed my mouth to sin By asking for a curse on his soul)…”

Proverbs 24:17-18 gives us the following admonition: “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; Lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, And He turn away His wrath from him.”

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible points out:

“Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth… These words are spoken not to the wicked man… but to the just man, or Solomon’s son, or the children of Wisdom; for by the ‘enemy’ is meant such who are at enmity with the people of God, as the seed of the serpent, and those after the flesh, are: and when these ‘fall’, saints should not ‘rejoice’; as when they fall into sin… Joy may be expressed at the fall of the public enemies of God and his people, as was by the Israelites at the destruction of Pharaoh and his host (Exodus 15:1), and as will be by the church at the destruction of antichrist, and which they are called upon to do (Revelation 18:20), partly on account of their own deliverance and safety, and chiefly because of the glory of God, and of his justice displayed therein; see Psalm 58:10, but as private revenge is not to be sought, nor acted, so joy at the calamity and ruin of a private enemy, or a man’s own enemy, should not be expressed…

“… and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth; even secret joy should not be indulged, gladness in the heart, though it does not appear in the countenance, and is not expressed in words; no, not at the least appearance of mischief, when he only stumbles and is ready to fall; and much less should there be exultation and rejoicings made in an open manner at the utter ruin of him.”

Jeremiah said that he never desired the evil day for his enemies (compare Jeremiah 17:16).

We even read in Proverbs 16:7: “When a man’s ways please the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.”

This applies to our own personal lives, and also to our national relationship with other countries. We should ask ourselves whether, when we live in war, we are living in a way pleasing to God.

Insofar as the general distinction between blessing and cursing is concerned, we read in Exodus 21:17: “And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.”

Proverbs 30:11 adds: “There is a generation that curses its father, And does not bless its mother.”

Matthew 15:3-6 states: “He answered and said to them, ‘Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? For God commanded, saying, “Honor your father and your mother”; and, “He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.” But you say, “Whoever says to his father or mother, ‘Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God’– then he need not honor his father or mother.” Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.’”

Here we see that blessing is equated with honoring and helping, while the unwillingness to help is equated with dishonor and by extension, with cursing.

Exodus 22:28 states: “You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people.”

But this is what people, in their despair, will do, as stated in Isaiah 8:21: “They will pass through it hard pressed and hungry; and it shall happen, when they are hungry, that they will be enraged and curse their king and their God, and look upward.”

They will try to find fault for their misfortune in others, including the king and God.

Ecclesiastes 10:20 says: “Do not curse the king, even in your thought; Do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; For a bird of the air may carry your voice, And a bird in flight may tell the matter.”

This must not be misunderstood to mean that we have to turn a blind eye to the misrule of a leader. We must, as a Church, point out their sinful conduct (see our Q&As, quoted above), and when we are asked to pray for our leaders, this does not mean to bless them for their evil deeds, but only, to inspire them so that God’s Church can lead a quiet life and fulfill its commission (compare 1 Timothy 2:1-2).

In Acts 23:1-5, we read: “Then Paul, looking earnestly at the council, said, ‘Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.’ And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, ‘God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?’ And those who stood by said, ‘Do you revile God’s high priest?’ Then Paul said, ‘I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, “You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”

Here, Paul equates cursing with speaking evil. This passage has been understood in different ways. Some say, Paul had weak eyes so that he did not recognize Ananias. Others say, he did not know that Ananias was the high priest. The better explanation is that Paul recognized Ananias as the high priest, but said, that he was astonished that this hypocritical whitewashed wall could hold the office of high priest. William Barclay, “The Acts of the Apostles,” wrote on page 164: “Paul knew perfectly well that Ananias was high priest. But Ananias was notorious as a glutton, a thief, a rapacious robber and a quisling in the Roman service. Paul’s answer really means, ‘This man sitting there—I never knew a man like that could be high priest of Israel.’”

Ecclesiastes 7:21-22 says: “Also do not take to heart everything people say, Lest you hear your servant cursing you. For many times, also, your own heart has known That even you have cursed others.”

Nehemiah 13:23-25 brings up another interesting aspect of “cursing”:

“In those days I also saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and could not speak the language of Judah, but spoke according to the language of one or the other people. So I contended with them and cursed them, struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, ‘You shall not give your daughters as wives to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons or yourselves.’”

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers points out:

“Cursed them.—Nehemiah simply echoed the covenant sanction on this very point.”

This, however, does not seem to be the best explanation.

The Benson Commentary states: “I cursed them — That is, excommunicated them, and cast them out of the society of God’s people; in the doing of which, I denounced God’s judgments against them.”

The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary agrees:

“cursed them—that is, pronounced on them an anathema which entailed excommunication.”

Likewise Matthew Poole’s Commentary:

“Cursed them, i.e. caused them to be excommunicated and cast out of the society and privileges of God’s people. This and the following punishments were justly inflicted upon them, because this transgression was contrary both to a very plain and express law of God, and also to their own late solemn covenants and promises…”

Christ tells us that if a sinning member does not want to listen to the Church, he needs to be disfellowshipped and be treated “like a heathen and a tax collector” (Matthew 18:17; also note Paul’s statement regarding excommunication in 1 Corinthians 5:4-5). Such decisions have nothing to do with cursing the person, but they signify that God’s curse is over them unless they repent.

James 3:8-10 says: “But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.”

Matthew Poole’s Commentary states:

“Therewith bless we God; pray, and speak well of God… And therewith curse we men; rail on, revile, speak evil of, as well as wish evil to.”

To repeat: This does not mean that we must shy away from saying that sin brings about evil consequences. This is not cursing a person, but expresses the wish that the person repents so that he or she can be spared from experiencing God’s terrible wrath (compare John 3:36; Revised Standard Version).

Finally, we are admonished that we must not avenge ourselves.

Romans 12:19 states: “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

At the same time, it is not wrong to ask God to avenge us on those who persecute us because we belong to God.

In Revelation 6:9-11, we read how in a vision, murdered “souls” ask God to avenge them: “When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.”

Asking God to avenge us on our enemies who persecute us without cause is not the same as cursing them. Rather, we plead with God to show His majesty and power on those who mistreat, malign and even kill God’s people.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“The Epstein Scandal—No Murder and No Client List?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary: 

According to the Justice Department and the FBI, sex offender Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide, and no client list exists. This announcement was met with incredulity and outright rejection. What are the reasons that so many feel a gigantic coverup is being perpetrated to protect hundreds of prominent pedophiles who raped thousands of underage girls? 

“Der Epstein Skandal—Kein Mord und keine Kundenliste?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same topics as described above.

“Warum Babylon zu Fall kommen wird,” last Sabbath’s German sermonette presented by Robert Indlekofer, is now posted. Title in English: “Why Babylon Will Fall.”

“Der Hass der Türkei gegen Israel Warum?” last Sabbath’s German sermon presented by Thilo Hanstein, in now posted. Title in English: “Turkey’s Hatred of Israel, Why?”

“Follow Me,” last Sabbath’s first split sermon presented by Frank Bruno, is now posted. Here is the summary:

Two simple words, yet when spoken by Jesus Christ they represented the chance, not merely of a lifetime, but of everlasting life with Jesus and the Father. In this Split Sermon we will consider many of the scriptures in which Jesus Christ offered this invitation as well as the meaning behind the words.

“How to Repent!” last Sabbath’s second split sermon presented by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is the summary:

We have all learned to apologize or say I am sorry, but do we really know how to repent to God in a way that He will accept?