Update 790

On July 8, 2017, Robb Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “Stranded on a Limb” and Dave Harris will present the sermon, titled, “Does Your Life Matter?”

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

In 1776 the United States obtained independence from England. As was prophesied in the Bible, Manasseh became an incredible nation that has flourished by the grace of God. While America just celebrated its “Independence Day” on the 4th of July, there is something that we should remember and bring to mind.

The American Revolution, as it was called, was a revolt from a system of government, but was traded for another form of government. The term “revolution” is defined by dictionary.com as follows:

“An overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or political system by the people governed.”

This type of revolution that occurred many years ago was not the first time something like this had happened. In fact, the first “revolution” that ever occurred was when Satan decided to go his own way and attempt to fight with and throw God off His throne in heaven. Isaiah 14:12-17 vividly paints this picture. Not only did he decide to revolt, but he caused a third of the angels to follow in this revolution (Revelation 12:4). Satan has inspired and operated in this way by using man ever since (Ephesians 2:2).

An interesting episode of Satan’s handiwork in progress can be seen in 1 Samuel 8:4-22, where we find that Israel wished for a king to rule over them and lead them into battle, similar to the other nations around them. And even after Samuel’s great warning of what a king would do, they still desired to have a king. Interestingly, in verse 7, we find God’s answer to Samuel about the people’s desire: “..for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.”

The people no longer wanted God to rule over them. And is this not the same today? We find prophecies in the Bible that speak about the very days we find ourselves living in.

Let us review a few more Scriptures and ask ourselves, in looking at the world as a whole, if they do not describe what we see today. We are told that knowledge shall increase (Daniel 12:4), but this worldly knowledge cannot really help or save mankind. In Isaiah 59:7-9 we read a sad plight of these people who increase in knowledge but cannot and do not know the way to peace because their paths are darkened. 2 Timothy 4:3 describes people with itching ears, always looking for something new to help them. Isaiah 30:10 talks of those people who just want to hear smooth things and not the hard facts and the Truth. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 warns that acts of rebellion against God will lead to terrible times in the last days (those days that will occur before the return of Christ).

The day of a revolution is once again coming. The Church of the Eternal God and its international affiliates continue to exhort and warn that the downfall of America; Great Britain and certain countries of the Commonwealth of Nations, formerly known as the British Commonwealth, including Canada, Australia and others; and of the state of Israel is at hand. We see that God has removed His protection and His blessings from our nations because of the aforementioned Scriptures and the refusal to repent of sins. This has all been scripted out and prophesied about in the Bible because God knows man’s tendencies and He has designed His master plan in this way.

We will see the FINAL revolution with the return of Jesus Christ who will establish a government that is spiritual, righteous and pure. There will no longer be chaotic, maniacal human governments which are ruled by Satan, having caused serious pain, turmoil and agony for countless people. Instead, as we read in the 21st chapter of the Book of Revelation, a time will be ushered in which will be unprecedented in man’s history. That will be the true Independence Day for all of mankind.

by Norbert Link

We address worldwide Independence days in July and point out interesting developments in Israel pertaining to the Temple Mount and the anticipated appearance of a “red heifer”; and continue with disturbing news about the required teaching in British pre-schools and elementary schools of the LGBT agenda and same-sex marriages in continental Europe. In this context, please view our new sermon, “Lot in Sodom.”

We report on a controversial new German law on the undefined and ambiguous concept of “hate speech,” and the perception that Germany and France will lead Europe, while Britain continues to try to sever remaining economic relationships with the continent.

In view of America’s withdrawal from the world scene and the pursuit of protectionism, which could lead to global trade war and the total downfall of America, other powers, such as Europe and Japan, attempt to enter into trade deals. While concerns exist between a military confrontation between the USA and North Korea, the sudden decline of the dollar and the fiasco faced by GOP Republicans in the fall manifest the real danger of a “train wreck” and looming “disaster” for the USA.

We continue with deeply disturbing articles about America’s Child Protective Services and foster homes; and the debunked myths of the false transgender ideology.

This week has also been seeing more tumult, from upheaval in the Catholic Church to the sudden reappearance of the Black Death in the USA.

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

Independence Day in July Around the World

The newsletter of 123greetings wrote on July 2:

“While Canada celebrates its 150th anniversary of Confederation on 1st of July in the biggest Canada Day party in Ottawa over the entire long weekend, the United States of America is gearing up for Fourth of July jubilations. It is the day it attained its independence from Great Britain in 1776… Many other countries are celebrating Independence day in July which includes Venezuela, Somalia, Slovakia, Rwanda, Peru, Maldives, Liberia, Belgium, Bahamas [and] Argentina…”

It is interesting that all these “Independence days” are celebrated in July.

Israel’s Plot on the Temple Mount?

Israel National News wrote on June 27:

“Dr. Najah Bakirat, director of the Koran Academy at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, called on Muslims to save the northern and eastern parts of the Temple Mount from Jewish visitors and to prevent the ‘occupation’ from implementing its ‘destructive’ plans…

“According to Bakirat, there is an Israeli plan to build a synagogue and to open the ‘Gate of Mercy’ on the eastern side of the Temple Mount, which has been closed since the days of Saladin in 1187 CE…. He also said that Israel is interested in separating the northern part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, a name he used to describe the entire Temple Mount, and erect a synagogue there. In order to thwart the plan, he urged Muslims… to build on the site…

“The Palestinian Authority and radical Palestinian Arab Islamists… maintain that the two Holy Temples never existed. They claim the site as a solely Muslim and Palestinian Arab site.”

Whether or not Bakirat’s statements are nothing more than invented propaganda, ultimately, Israel WILL build a Third Temple on the Temple Mount. The claim that the first two Temples never existed is provocative ridiculous nonsense.

Israel No Sovereignty over Old Jerusalem?

Israel National News wrote on July 4:

“UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee passed a resolution condemning Israel for its policies in the Old City of Jerusalem Tuesday. Ten member states voted in favor of the resolution, three voted against it, and three states abstained. The resolution refers to Israel ‘the occupying power’ in its capital and denies Israel’s claims to the Old City and eastern Jerusalem.”

Since Israel considers Jerusalem as its undivided capital, tensions in the region are bound to continue.

A Red Heifer in 2018?

Israel National News wrote on June 28:

“Raise a Red Heifer in Israel Project Update: Good News: Expecting Potential Red Heifers in 2018.

“Yitzchak Reuven shares an update on the Temple Institute’s Raise a Red Heifer in Israel project with the exciting news that five red angus cows are currently carrying potential red heifer candidates. This good news of course coincides with this week’s Torah reading of Chukat, in which the laws of the Red Heifer are presented.”

Although the Bible nowhere prescribes the existence and use of a red heifer as a prerequisite for the building of the Third Temple, many orthodox Jews believe that a red heifer is to be used first to “clean” the area of the Temple Mount. While many Jews reject this idea, it is interesting to see whether such a red heifer will be born.

UK Threatens to Close Jewish School for Not Teaching LGBT Agenda

Israel National News wrote on June 28:

“A private [Jewish] school with 212 students in northern London is in danger of being ordered to close after it failed its third inspection since February 2016 last month. The school, which teaches… girls ages three to eight, was reported as not giving students ‘a full understanding of fundamental British values’ because they do not teach the LGBT agenda…

“According to [the government,] the girls ‘are not taught explicitly about issues such as sexual orientation. This restricts the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social, and cultural development and does not promote the equality of opportunity in ways that take account of differing lifestyles.’…”

This policy of “understanding of British values” is shameful and abominable in God’s eyes, as is the concept explained in our next article.

Same-Sex Marriages Legal in Germany

The Independent wrote on June 30:

“Germany’s parliament has voted to legalise same-sex marriage by 393 votes to 226, despite Angela Merkel opposing the move… ‘For me, marriage in German law is marriage between a man and a woman and that is why I did not vote in favour of this bill today,’ she told reporters moments after the historic vote…

“Hundreds of members of the Bundestag rose to their feet in a spontaneous standing ovation…

“Ms Merkel, herself married twice, has always been unequivocal with her personal opposition to marriage equality, citing German law, her values as an evangelical Christian and those of her party, which describes its foundations as the ‘Christian understanding between people and their accountability before God’…

“The Netherlands was the first European country to legalise same-sex marriage, back in 2001, followed by countries including Belgium, Spain, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Portugal, Iceland, Denmark, France and the UK…”

Please watch our new sermon, “Lot in Sodom.”

New German Law: “Delete Hate Speech or Pay Up”

The New York Times wrote on June 30:

“Social media companies operating in Germany face fines of as much as $57 million if they do not delete illegal, racist or slanderous comments and posts within 24 hours under a law passed on Friday…

“Technology companies and free speech advocates argue that there is a fine line between policy makers’ views on hate speech and what is considered legitimate freedom of expression…

“The law will take effect in October, less than a month after nationwide elections, and will apply to social media sites with more than two million users in Germany. It will require companies including Facebook, Twitter and Google, which owns YouTube, to remove any content that is illegal in Germany — such as Nazi symbols or Holocaust denial — within 24 hours of it being brought to their attention. The law allows for up to seven days for the companies to decide on content that has been flagged as offensive, but that may not be clearly defamatory or inciting violence. Companies that persistently fail to address complaints by taking too long to delete illegal content face fines that start at 5 million euros, or $5.7 million, and could rise to as much as €50 million…

“Germany… has some of the most stringent anti-hate speech laws in the Western world… The standoff between tech companies and politicians is most acute in Europe, where freedom of expression rights are less comprehensive than in the United States…”

These are VERY dangerous developments. Who is to decide as to what constitutes hate speech? Is one engaging in hate speech when quoting biblical passages condemning homosexuality? Some hateful proponents of “anti-hate” speech laws would think so.

Germany and France to Lead Europe

The EUReporter wrote on June 27:

“France and Germany will take the lead on post-Brexit reforms starting this year, the European Union’s second-in-command [Dutchman Frans Timmermans] said… Timmermans said Russia’s resurgence has… played a role in galvanising Europe, as did U.S. President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from a global deal on fighting climate change, and his vague stance on European security guarantees under NATO…

“The unity of the remaining 27 EU states is widely seen as crucial for the unprecedented Brexit talks…”

The evolving European power bloc will indeed be led by Germany, with the help of France and other core nations. Euro News added on July 3: “Fears the US will withdraw its security umbrella from Europe could push countries to develop their own nuclear weapons, according to a group that monitors global arsenals.”

Austria Uses Armored Vehicles to Prevent Migrants Stuck in Italy from Entering Austria

The Telegraph wrote on July 4:

“Austria has deployed armoured vehicles close to its border with Italy and will send up to 750 soldiers to block any migrants trying to head north… The move reflects deep concern in Vienna and elsewhere in Europe over the huge number of asylum seekers who continue to cross the Mediterranean from Libya – so far this year more than 85,000 have been rescued and brought to Italy…

“There are concerns that when Austria holds an election in October, the far-Right Freedom Party could do well unless the government can seize the initiative on migration and border security. With France and Switzerland closing their borders to migrants since last year, the tens of thousands in Italy have nowhere to go… Italy says it can no longer be expected to deal single-handedly with the vast number of asylum seekers… The Italian government has warned that after years of taking in hundreds of thousands of migrants, the country is now at breaking point…”

Sadly, because of perceived political “needs,” the individual lives of victims are being overlooked.

Britain Withdraws from London Fisheries Convention

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 2:

“Britain on Sunday said it would withdraw from the London Fisheries Convention, which allows some other European countries to fish within an area between 6 and 12 nautical miles (11 and 22 km) of its coastline… However, withdrawing from the convention will mean that UK vessels will also no longer be permitted to fish in the area 6 to 12 nautical miles off the coast of the other countries covered by the agreement: Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands…

“The signing of the London Fisheries Convention pre-dates Britain’s EU membership, and would thus still be in force after the country leaves the EU unless it starts the withdrawal period now…

“Fishing rights were the subject of heated debate in the run-up to the June 2016 Brexit referendum…”

It is highly debatable whether Britain’s withdrawal from the Fisheries Convention will be to Britain’s advantage or disadvantage. In the end, Britain is doomed to fall.

Trade Deal Between Europe and Japan?

Reuters reported on July 1:

“Japan and the European Union are on the cusp of a wide-ranging free trade agreement that could help blunt the forces of protectionism sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policies… Clinching a deal would offer Japan and Europe an important political victory and could raise questions about the U.S. government’s influence on the agenda for the global economy…

“European officials have been pushing for a reduction in Japanese tariffs on cheese and agriculture imports that are as high as 30 percent in return for phasing out tariffs on Japanese autos and auto parts… Japan and the EU have been negotiating a trade deal since 2013. The talks have taken on a greater sense of urgency since Trump walked away [from] the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), leaving the other 11 members of the Pacific Rim trading bloc, including Japan, in limbo.”

As America withdraws from the world scene, the vacuum will be filled by other powers. Note the next article.

Deutsche Welle reported on July 6:

“EU and Japanese officials have reached [an] agreement ‘in principle’ on a free trade deal. Both the EU and Japan have stressed that the pact is a rejection of the kind of protectionism US President Donald Trump advocates.”

The Washington Post added on June 6:

“Leaders from Japan and the European Union on Thursday announced their agreement on the broad strokes of a trade deal that will cover nearly 30 percent of the global economy, 10 percent of the world’s population and 40 percent of global trade.”

Making America Weak Again and Again

The Guardian wrote on July 2:

“This is the Trump paradox, five months into his presidency: the more he tries to assert US leadership, the less of a leadership role he plays. For someone who campaigned on the promise to make America great again, the reality of government has been an exercise in looking weak again and again… The scandals and investigations engulfing him are more profound and numerous than anything since Watergate…

“The Trump effect in the Middle East represents the kind of unpredictability that threatens to destabilize further a region already in turmoil. By improving relations with some allies, Trump has worsened relations with others. Along the way, he has jeopardized American national security interests…

“Instead of promoting American leadership, Trump is leaving a vacuum in Europe that is being filled by the German-French alliance. With Britain busy with its own Brexit chaos, that leaves Trump and the US with fewer friends and less influence…

“But the pace and the depth of Trump’s decline is astonishing… The first six months do not bode well for Trump or America’s fortunes. If this is Trump’s idea of a stronger America, his foreign foes have less to worry about than his friends.”

Sadly, this analysis is very true. America’s allies feel compelled to look elsewhere for leadership, stability, national security, strength and economic growth.

US Import Restrictions May Lead to Global Trade War

The Guardian wrote on July 1:

“Chinese and European diplomats have warned Donald Trump against reported plans to restrict imports of steel and aluminum – a strategy that risks triggering a global trade war. By invoking a rarely used law from the cold war era, the US president could limit imports of goods deemed critical to national defence and satisfy the ‘America first’ elements of his support base…

“Trump… told a meeting of top officials at the White House on Monday that he wants to impose tariffs [on China and other countries] as high as 20% on the metal, as well as potentially on other imports such as aluminum, semiconductors, paper and washing machines…”

The World Looks Past the USA

CNN wrote on July 4:

“… increasingly, top foreign policymakers from Germany to Iraq and Canada to Asia are contemplating a period when US leadership that many took for granted may be less evident in global affairs…

“It’s not just uncertainty about American global strategy that is convincing some allied leaders to look past the United States. Trump’s unpopularity makes it much more difficult for them politically to support him…”

Bloomberg added on July 3:

“When world leaders meet in Hamburg on Friday [for the G-20 summit] , China and Germany will move in to usurp the U.S.’s role. The two industrial powerhouses of Asia and Europe are being nudged into an informal alliance to pick up the leadership baton that the U.S. is accused of having dropped since President Donald Trump’s inauguration earlier this year… Trump risks finding himself alone against a united front of European allies, neighbors such as Canada and Mexico, and America’s former Cold War foes…”

Very soon, America will find itself completely alone in the world.

War With North Korea?

Newsmax wrote on July 5:

“United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley on Wednesday said North Korea’s intercontinental ballistic missile launch was ‘quickly closing off the possibility of a diplomatic solution’ and vowed that the U.S. would use ‘our considerable military forces … if we must.’… Haley called Pyongyang’s missile launch on Tuesday ‘a clear and sharp military escalation…

“North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un said Tuesday that Pyongyang had successfully tested an ICBM that rose more than 1,741 miles and traveled 578 miles from the launch site… CNN reported Wednesday that U.S. intelligence officials believed that the two-stage missile had never been seen before and had the capacity to reach Alaska…

“President Donald Trump also ripped China for continuing to trade with Pyongyang…”

War with North Korea is not beyond the realm of possibilities. But it would not be an easy and speedy task for America.

Donald Trump in Europe

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 6:

“If Donald Trump chose Warsaw for his first major European visit because he presumed there wouldn’t be protesters in the streets, Warsaw didn’t disappoint him… Trump didn’t let Warsaw down, either… ‘In the Polish people, we see the soul of Europe,’ he told them… ‘A strong Europe is a blessing for the West and for the world,’ the US president said.”

That Poland should be the soul of Europe is difficult to comprehend, and a strong Europe will decisively NOT be a blessing for the USA and the UK. On the other hand, “President Trump reaffirmed Article 5 of NATO, the alliance’s principle that an attack on one NATO nation is an attack on all of them, while calling out NATO nations for not spending enough on defense” (CNN, July 6).

 In Hamburg, ahead of the G-20 summit, which begins Friday, about 8,000 protesters clashed with the police.

The Week stated on July 6, “More than 20,000 officers will work during the summit, as 100,000 protesters are expected to march in Hamburg throughout the event.”

“Dollar Posts Biggest Quarterly Drop in Nearly Seven Years”

Reuters reported on July 1:

“The U.S. dollar… posted its biggest quarterly decline against a basket of rival currencies in nearly seven years… [amidst] doubts that U.S. President Donald Trump could enact his pro-growth agenda…

“The euro accelerated more than 7 percent against the greenback for its biggest quarterly percentage gain since the third quarter of 2010…”

The American economy is by no means as strong as the Trump Administration wants us to believe.

Republicans Stuck… Facing a Train Wreck

The Associated Press wrote on July 1:

“Republicans are stuck on health care, can’t pass a budget, and hopes for a big, bipartisan infrastructure package are fizzling. Overhauling the tax code looks more and more like a distant dream. The GOP-led Congress has yet to salt away a single major legislative accomplishment for President Donald Trump — and a summer of drift may lead to a logistical nightmare this fall… [It] is looking more and more like it’ll be a train wreck.

“… 20 GOP moderates signaled a revolt on the budget… announcing their opposition to an emerging plan to force cuts to government agencies and benefit programs such as food stamps…

“So it’s not just the Senate effort to repeal and replace Democrat Barack Obama’s health care law that’s foundering. The annual congressional budget measure — a prerequisite to this fall’s hoped-for tax effort — is languishing as well, as are the 12 annual spending bills that typically consume weeks of House floor time each summer.

“…are several other problems that need to be taken care of, including increasing the nation’s borrowing authority, preventing a government shutdown, and lifting budget ‘caps’ that are hobbling efforts to beef up the military. Unlike health care, the debt limit and a deal to fix the spending caps… can only be resolved with Democratic help. However… there’s no political pay-off, other than forestalling disaster.

“First, Congress is off on vacation to return in July for a three-week session. Then comes the traditional month-long August recess. After Labor Day comes a four-week sprint to October and the deadline to avert a government shutdown with a temporary spending bill — and to forestall a disastrous default on U.S. obligations by lifting the debt limit, which is a politically toxic vote for many Republicans…”

A grim and unpleasant picture indeed. The Bible tells us that America is destined to experience a complete and utter downfall in these end times.

US Child Protective Services (CPS) and Foster Care Homes Accused of Outrageous Conduct on a Large Scale

The Huffington Post wrote on June 24:

“CPS agencies need children in their foster care to meet their federal mandates. The federal funding is distributed to local communities, meaning the more children in the foster care system, the higher the paychecks for those involved. These funds extend to foster parents, teachers, attorneys, doctors, judges, therapists, caseworkers and coaches, as well as to several sub-agencies…

“64 percent of children are abused in foster care; people close to this industry believe the true number is closer to 87 percent… 80 percent of all foster care children are given sedation drugs… which entitles foster parents and all involved to larger payments… it is [a] CPS caseworker that decides what foster children be prescribed medication, not a doctor or therapist… caseworkers… benefit from legal immunity, meaning they cannot be held accountable for poor judgment or bad decisions that may lead to a missing child, child abuse or even a child’s death while in foster care…

“It takes one anonymous caller with a false allegation to have a child removed from a home. A caseworker may claim that a ‘parent has a history of mental illness’ or ‘a history of substance abuse,’ without referring to an incident, naming a doctor, referring to specialized diagnoses, or supplying medical records… in CPS courts parents are guilty until proven innocent, meaning a false allegation can lead to one’s children immediately being taken away, without a Hearing or Session.

“The majority of these parents are accused of ‘Abandonment,’ which covers a broad spectrum of situations, from parents working long hours at a minimum wage job, to a single mother with a terminal illness and even soldiers called to duty. And often, once the caseworker has placed the children in foster care and it is discovered that said allegations were false, caseworkers will look for other reasons to keep the children in CPS custody because of economic interests. Again, these allegations can lead to any child being placed into CPS/State Custody permanently…”

Since many outrageous examples of CPS misconduct were reported in the past, CPS agencies have earned a terrible reputation of incompetency, and much worse. But these facts, as described in this article, are of such despicable proportions that one must wonder why nothing is being done to correct these atrocities and perhaps dissolve CPS.

Myths of Transgender Ideology Exposed

The Daily Signal wrote on July 3:

“Twin studies prove no one is born ‘trapped in the body of the wrong sex.’… the idea that ‘feminized’ or ‘masculinized’ brains can be trapped in the wrong body from before birth… is a myth that has no basis in science… 75 to 95 percent of pre-pubertal children who were distressed by their biological sex eventually outgrew that distress. The vast majority came to accept their biological sex by late adolescence after passing naturally through puberty…

“There is an obvious self-fulfilling effect in helping children impersonate the opposite sex both biologically and socially. This is far from benign, since taking puberty blockers at age 12 or younger, followed by cross-sex hormones, sterilizes a child… the risks of cross-sex hormones include, but are not limited to, cardiac disease, high blood pressure, blood clots, strokes, diabetes, and cancers…

“Advocates… allege that suicide is the direct and inevitable consequence of withholding social affirmation and biological alterations from a gender-dysphoric child… there is no evidence that harassment and discrimination, let alone lack of affirmation, are the primary cause of suicide among any minority group… Over 90 percent of people who commit suicide have a diagnosed mental disorder… Adults who undergo sex reassignment… have a suicide rate nearly 20 times greater than that of the general population…

“… professionals are using the myth that people are born transgender to justify engaging in massive, uncontrolled, and unconsented experimentation on children who have a psychological condition that would otherwise resolve after puberty in the vast majority of cases. Today’s institutions that promote transition affirmation are pushing children to impersonate the opposite sex, sending many of them down the path of puberty blockers, sterilization, the removal of healthy body parts, and untold psychological damage. These harms constitute nothing less than institutionalized child abuse.”

The false transgender ideology is extremely harmful to children and parents. Note the next article as well.

Becoming Transgender Through Pills and Drugs?

The Telegraph wrote on July 2:

“A fifth of male fish are now transgender because of chemicals… being flushed down household drains… Male river fish are displaying feminised traits and even producing eggs, the study found. Some have reduced sperm quality…

“The chemicals causing these effects include ingredients in the contraceptive pill, by-products of cleaning agents, plastics and cosmetics… More than 200 chemicals from sewage plants have been identified with oestrogen-like effects and drugs such as antidepressants are also altering fish’s natural behavior…”

If chemicals have these effects on fish, causing transgender, maybe they have similar effects on humans.

Pride Parade on Day of Atonement

JTA wrote on July 4:

“North Carolina’s Jewish community is expressing disappointment and anger over the scheduling of the state’s annual Pride parade and festival on Yom Kippur. The NC Pride event in Durham has been held on the last Saturday of September for the past 17 years, according to organizers. This year, Saturday Sept. 30 is Yom Kippur…

“Several Jewish groups have marched in the parade in recent years… The conflict comes on the heels of an incident at the Chicago Dyke march in which three Jewish women were asked to leave over their Jewish Pride flags, which include a Star of David in the center of a rainbow flag.”

Jewish groups don’t seem to have a problem with participating in Pride Parades, even on the weekly Sabbath… but they only object to the Pride Parade on Yom Kippur. It was also reported in the press that on July 3, Oregon became the first state in the US to allow residents to mark their gender as “not specified” on applications for driver’s licenses, learner’s permits and identity cards. Other states will surely follow Oregon’s “lead.” The Oregon Transportation Commissioner stated that “It’s fitting that this is before us during Pride Week in Oregon and Pride Month around the country.”

Turmoil in the Catholic Church

The Associated Press wrote on July 1:

“Pope Francis declined Saturday to renew the mandate of the Vatican’s conservative doctrine chief… Cardinal Gerhard Mueller’s five-year term ends this weekend and he turns 70 in December. The normal retirement age for bishops is 75.  Francis could have kept him on, but declined to do so. The two have clashed over the pope’s openness to allowing civilly remarried Catholics to receive Communion. Mueller has insisted they cannot, given church teaching on the indissolubility of marriage. [Church teaching holds that unless these Catholics receive an annulment, or a church decree that their first marriage was invalid, they are committing adultery and cannot receive Communion unless they abstain from sex.] The Jesuit pope tapped the No. 2 in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Jesuit Monsignor Luis Ladaria Ferrer, to succeed Mueller.

“It was the second major shakeup this week, after Francis granted another Vatican hardliner, Cardinal George Pell, a leave of absence to return to his native Australia to face trial on sexual assault charges. Mueller and Pell were two most powerful cardinals in the Vatican, after the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and their absences will likely create a power vacuum for the conservative wing in the Holy See hierarchy.

“Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI had tapped Mueller, his fellow German countryman, to lead the congregation in 2012. Benedict had taken a hard line against clerical sex abuse during his time as prefect of the congregation himself, and later as pope, defrocking hundreds of priests accused of raping and molesting children. It was also Benedict who insisted that bishops around the world send all cases of credibly accused priests to the congregation for processing, since bishops had for decades moved pedophiles around from parish to parish rather than sanction or report them to police…”

It will be interesting to see whether the conservative or the liberal wings will prevail in the Catholic Church.  What is happening in the Catholic Church mirrors to an extent what can be observed in some of the Sabbath-keeping Church of God organizations.

Gay Orgy in the Vatican

The Daily Mail wrote on July 5:

“Vatican police have broken up a gay orgy at the home of the secretary to one of Pope Francis’s key advisers… The flat belonged to the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which is in charge of tackling clerical sexual abuse.”

The Black Death Is Alive

The website of npr wrote on June 29:

“Once known as the Black Death… the plague swept Europe 700 years ago, killing a third of the population — an estimated 25 million. It wiped out millions in China and Hong Kong in the late 1800s before people…

“Centuries later, the plague periodically pops up in countries across the globe — though at minor levels compared to its medieval heyday. In 2015, the World Health Organization recorded 320 cases across the globe, including 77 deaths. A flea-dwelling bacterium, Yersinia pestis, causes the scourge… the disease likely hitched a ride to the U.S. in 1900 on flea-infested rats, which had boarded steamships in Asia. Since then, infected fleas have taken up residence on [coyotes and] rodents including chipmunks, squirrels and prairie dogs across the southwest. New Mexico and neighboring states are nearly plague-perfect settings, with their buffet of possible rodent hosts…

“The plague can persist in rodent populations, especially wild ones, for a long time without affecting humans. But it can re-emerge… Once a rodent is infected, the illness can spread to wild carnivores that eat it, or to cats, dogs and people that come within flea-jump range… prairie dogs are particularly vulnerable to plague. If a whole colony gets the illness, the bacterium amplifies… As their rodent hosts die off, fleas will seek a new one… Sometimes, that new host can transport the fleas a few miles away and spread them to other animals. Cats and dogs can catch fleas while exploring outdoors, or they can drag infected rodents directly into the home. Sick cats, which are more susceptible to the disease than dogs, can also pass the infection to humans directly…

“In places with poor access to health care, the illness can be deadly on a larger scale…”

The Bible prophesies that in the future terrible disease epidemics, including the plague, will be responsible for the death of many people. Note our free booklet, “Biblical Prophecy—From Now Until Forever.”

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

In the last two Q&As, we discussed the biblical metaphors of fierce lions, destructive locusts, blazing-fast flying eagles, swift horses and quick leopards, when describing the future European power bloc; its political leader called the beast, the king of the North or King Jareb of Assyria; Europe’s military might, referred to as the Chaldeans and as Babylon; and Europe’s evolving powerful army and weaponry.

In this third and final installment, we will show further biblical comparisons between a future core Europe under German leadership, and devouring bears, savage wolves, tormenting scorpions and poisonous serpents and snakes.

Revelation 13:2 pictures the ancient Roman Empire and its ten European revivals as a “beast” with seven heads and ten horns. It states that the beast was “like a leopard,” but with further animal characteristics of a lion and a bear. We will recall that the Roman Empire (the beast) had emerged from previous powers, such as Babylon (pictured as a lion), Medo-Persia (pictured as a bear), and Greece (pictured as a leopard). Daniel 7:5 describes the bear in this way:

“And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear… And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’”

The final European revival of the Roman Empire will also appear “suddenly” and “devour” many enemies. God will allow and even use the modern revival to punish Israel:

“So I will be to them like a lion; Like a leopard by the road I will lurk; I will meet them like a bear deprived of her cubs; I will tear open their rib cage; And there I will devour them like a lion. The wild beast shall tear them” (Hosea 13:7-8). The Revised Standard Version continues: “I will destroy you, O Israel; who can help you… I have given you kings in my anger, and I have taken them away in my wrath” (verses 9 and 11).

God uses an interesting comparison between a bear deprived of her cubs and a foolish godless person: “Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his folly” (Proverbs 17:12). This comparison is quite adequate in our context, as God describes the modern nations of Israel and Juda as foolish (Jeremiah 4:22). Another comparison is found in Proverbs 28:15: “Like a roaring lion and a charging bear Is a wicked ruler over poor people.”

These metaphors and analogies are not accidental. They can be applied to the modern resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire, which will fight against self-righteous and ungodly Israel and Judah like a roaring lion and a raging bear robbed of her cubs.  When describing the end time just prior to the return of Christ, God says in Amos 5:18-19:

“Woe to you who desire the day of the LORD! For what good is the day of the LORD to you? It will be darkness, and not light. It will be as though a man fled from a lion [one characteristic of the revived Roman Empire], And a bear met him [another characteristic]! Or as though he went into the house, Leaned his hand on the wall, And a serpent bit him!” As we will discuss below in more detail, the serpent can refer to the modern Babylonian system, the “beast,” and also to Satan himself, who gives his power and authority to the beast (Revelation 13:4). God makes the point here that He does not prevent the terrible events and the brutal Gentile armies from proceeding during the Day of the Lord and that no one will escape if he is not protected by God.

We already quoted Jeremiah 5:6 in the first part of this series to the effect that no one will be safe from a lion and a leopard. But the passage adds the metaphor of another animal as well, beginning with verse 5: “… But these [the great men of Israel, same verse] have altogether broken the yoke And burst the bonds. Therefore a lion from the forest shall slay them, A wolf of the deserts shall destroy them; A leopard will watch over their cities. Everyone who goes out from there shall be torn in pieces, Because their transgressions are many. Their backslidings have increased. How shall I pardon you for this? Your children have forsaken Me And sworn by those who are not gods… Shall I not punish them for these things?… And shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?… For the house of Israel and the house of Judah Have dealt very treacherously with Me… They have lied about the LORD… And the prophets have become wind, For the word is not in them…” (Jeremiah 5:5-9, 11-13).

God announces in this passage that He will bring a mighty ancient nation against the people of Israel and Judah (verse 15)—the modern descendants of the ancient Assyrians and Chaldeans. He compares them with a lion from a forest, a wolf of the deserts, and a leopard, which will tear the people in pieces.

From the second part of our series, we are also familiar with the passage in Habakkuk 1:6-8, which describes the final rise of the modern Chaldeans—a bitter, hasty, terrible and dreadful nation. In verse 8, God says that they are “more fierce than evening wolves.”

So we see that God compares the final Babylonian/Chaldean system with fierce and destructive wolves which will tear the people in pieces… alluding to the kind of horrible nuclear and other modern weapons which will be used in the coming World War.

We also read that God will let this happen because modern Israel and Judah are described as devouring wolves (compare Zephaniah 3:3 and Ezekiel 22:27, referring to Jerusalem’s judges as wolves, leaving not a bone till morning, and also to Israel’s princes as wolves, tearing the prey, shedding blood, and destroying people). In Genesis 49:27, Benjamin (modern Norway and Iceland) is described as “a ravenous wolf,” who will devour the prey in the morning and who will divide the spoil at night. Benjamin’s fierceness is recorded in passages such as Judges 20:21, 25, when they fought against the other tribes of Israel, even though they were in the wrong.

Savage wolves are also used as metaphors for people who are opposed to God and His Church. Christ speaks about false prophets, coming to God’s people, as “ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15), and Paul warns the church at Ephesus that after his departure, savage wolves would come in among them, not sparing the flock (Acts 20:29). Christ said that those wolves would catch the unprotected and forsaken sheep and scatter them (John 10:12), because they trusted in uncaring hirelings and not in God’s true shepherds. Christ told His disciples that He would send them as sheep in the midst of wolves (Matthew 10:16). Especially in the end time, when the beast (the final revival of the Roman Empire as well as the final leader) will be manifested on earth, it will behave as a ravenous savage wolf against God’s people. While the world will admire, adore and even worship the beast, it will blaspheme God and persecute the saints (Revelation 13:6-8).

We already discussed in parts 1 and 2 the weapons used by the Babylonian system in Revelation 9, where they are compared with locusts which had teeth like lions’ teeth, and which were shaped like horses prepared for battle. Let’s notice how else these locusts are being described. We read in verses 3, 5 and 10:

“… And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power… Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man … They had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails. Their power was to hurt men five months…”

In Ezekiel 2:6-8, the rebellious people of the modern house of Israel are being compared with scorpions: “And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house. You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious. But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like the rebellious house…”

We find the same thought conveyed here, as we saw earlier, when reviewing other metaphors of animal characteristics, that God will be using the Babylonian system to fight the modern house of Israel with weapons which are compared with scorpions, because the people of the house of Israel are compared with scorpions. (Technically, the events described in Revelation 9 occur AFTER the war between Europe and the houses of Israel and Judah, which had already ended in victory for Europe and in defeat for America, the United Kingdom and other English-speaking nations, but the European weapons remain the same.)

God tells His people—as He told Ezekiel—not to be afraid of scorpions and serpents, because He gives them the power to overcome them. He promises that nothing will by any means hurt them (Luke 10:19). Even though He speaks primarily about Satan and his demons in Luke 10:19 (note verses 17-18, 20), comparing them with scorpions and serpents, He also promises protection from the terrible Babylonian weapons, described as tails of scorpions which will hurt the people of this world for five months.

We have repeatedly alluded to the animal metaphor of serpents and poisonous snakes, when referring to the modern Babylonian system, and need to emphasize a few more details:

The end-time weapons of the Babylonian system are compared with serpents as well. (You may also notice that in Revelation 9:13-21, the modern weapons of the kings of the East are described, which are very similar to the weapons of the last European revival of the ancient Roman Empire: We read of horses with heads like the heads of lions; we are told that fire, smoke and brimstone come out of their mouths; and that the horses have tails like serpents with heads [military commanders], with which they do harm. As the Babylonian system uses these kinds of destructive weapons against the kings of the East, so the kings of the East retaliate with similar weapons—only, that their retaliation will be much more fierce and destructive than the initial European attack).

Jeremiah 8:17 reveals that God will send the European power bloc against modern Judah, describing Judah’s attackers in this way: “‘For behold, I will send serpents among you, Vipers which cannot be charmed, And they shall bite you,’ says the LORD.”

On occasion, God compares evil people, such as the Pharisees and scribes, with serpents and brood or offspring of vipers (Matthew 23:33). In addition, He speaks of their evil words in such way: “Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit; The poison of asps is under their lips; Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; Destruction and misery are in their ways; And the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:13-18). To an extent, Paul echoes here what is written in Psalm 140:3: “They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; The poison of asps is under their lips.”

In Psalm 58:4, David compares the poison of a serpent and a deaf cobra, which has stopped its ears, will not heed and cannot be charmed or tamed, with the words and actions of evil persons with which they hurt and destroy.

Babylon’s modern weapons and warfare are also described in other prophecies, such as Jeremiah 46:22-24, where we read about Babylon’s attack on modern Egypt:

“‘Her noise shall go like a serpent, For they shall march with an army And come against her with axes, Like those who chop wood. They shall cut down her forest,’ says the LORD, ‘Though it cannot be searched, Because they are innumerable, And more numerous than grasshoppers. The daughter of Egypt shall be ashamed; She shall be delivered into the hand Of the people of the north [the king of the North and his armies].’”

Another very similar metaphor is applied to Babylon’s ancient and future war with Philistia or the Philistines (According to the Pulpit commentary, the Greeks called Philistia “Syria of the Philistines.” Today the Philistines can also be found among Palestinians and other violent groups in the Middle East):

“Do not rejoice, all you of Philistia, Because the rod that struck you is broken; For out of the serpent’s roots will come forth a viper, And its offspring will be a fiery flying serpent… Wail, O gate! Cry, O city! All you of Philistia are dissolved; For smoke will come from the north [the king of the North and his armies], And no one will be alone in his appointed times” [or, “without a straggler in the ranks,” or, “there are no deserters in those battalions”; compare New American Bible and New Jerusalem Bible] (Isaiah 14:29, 31).

The reference to a fiery flying serpent describes the swiftness of the attack and also modern weapons used by flying destructive machines, such as war helicopters and military airplanes. The destruction of “Philistia” is also vividly portrayed in Ezekiel 25:15, 17, when God will use modern Babylon for this purpose: “Thus says the Lord GOD: ‘Because the Philistines dealt vengefully and took vengeance with a spiteful heart, to destroy because of the old hatred,’ therefore thus says the Lord GOD: ‘…I will execute great vengeance on them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD…’”

Modern Dan (Ireland and part of Denmark) is also compared with a serpent by the way and a viper by the paths that bites the horse’s heels so that its rider shall fall backwards (Genesis 49:17), picturing Dan’s deceitful and mischievous actions. God adds that Dan must wait for His salvation (verse 18, Revised Standard Version), and it is remarkable that no one from the tribe of Dan will be among the 144,000 (compare Revelation 7:1-8), who are to be protected from the plagues during the Day of the Lord. In addition, a sober warning of the destructive effect of the consumption of too much alcohol can be found in Proverbs 23:32, comparing the consequences of excessive drinking with the bites of a serpent and the stings of a viper.

As mentioned before, the Bible pictures Satan the Devil as the serpent of old who deceives the whole world (Revelation 12:9; 20:2). Ultimately, Satan is responsible for all violence and warfare. He is the destroyer of mankind. But God offers us protection and help in time of need, promising us this: “You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation” (Psalm 91:13-16).

God protects us from human enemies and powers which want to do us harm. And He protects us from Satan and his demons, as we also read in Luke 10:17-20.

After Christ has returned to set up the rule of God on this planet, a transformation will take place. We mentioned this previously, but in conclusion, let us again review a marvelous and beautiful prophecy: Satan will be bound, unable to destroy or deceive, and incapable of influencing humans to go to war. And as animals will become peaceful and tame, so will be human powers—including real and figurative, symbolic fierce lions; destructive locusts; blazing-fast flying eagles, swift horses and quick leopards storming into battle; devouring bears; savage wolves; tormenting scorpions; and poisonous serpents and snakes.

Isaiah 11:6-8 tells us: “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea.”

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

Our new booklet, “How to Find the True Church of God,” has entered the second review cycle.

“Sacrificial System,” is the title of a new Global Trailer, presented by Pastor Brian Gale. Here is a summary:

Be prepared now, for an astonishing journey through the pages of history, as well as the prophecies that point to events that are yet to be fulfilled, and you will begin to see the bigger picture of how the sacrificial system and the tabernacle in the wilderness are very relevant in YOUR life today!

“Das Europa der gierigen Bären, bissigen Wölfe und giftigen Schlangen,” is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. This is based on this week’s Q&A. Title in English: “The Europe of Devouring Bears, Savage Wolves and Poisonous Snakes.”

“Be Like Minded,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:

How can we all become like-minded? We all want our own way at times. We all seek what is best for ourselves. This is human nature. But is that what God intended? How can we make sure that we are each being like-minded with each other, as well as with God and Christ? Is such a thing even humanly possible?

“Lot in Sodom,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Jesus warned us that the time of His Second Coming could be compared with the days of Lot and the conditions in Sodom. Was Lot a righteous man? Why did he live in Sodom? Why was Sodom destroyed?  Was it only because of homosexual conduct? Are there archeological proofs outside the Bible showing us that Sodom was indeed destroyed? Why did Lot’s daughters commit incest with their father? What can we learn from Lot’s life?