On December 8th, 2012, Robb Harris and Eric Rank will give split sermons, titled, respectively, “Sacrifice of Words” and  “Accountable for Faith.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

The Bible teaches us that in our weakness, we are made strong if we rely on God (2 Corinthians 12:10). For that we can all feel relieved. We can trust in God to defend us and fight our battles. We know that we must rely on God for any strength that we might be able to claim. Indeed, all our strength comes from God. Since any strength that we have is not our own, does that mean that we don’t have to work to build our strength? Can we just sit back and relax while we wait for Christ to return? The answer is clearly, “No!” We cannot give up growing in strength just because that strength is not our own. While we know we are weak, we must become strong.

When Joshua was taking over the leadership of the nation of Israel, God told him through Moses, and personally, that he must be strong. In Joshua 1:7 we read an admonition to Joshua from God that we might also take to heart: “Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.”

Instead of telling Joshua to simply let things happen as they might because God was in control, He tells Joshua to be strong! The strength Joshua is told to have is for the conviction to follow God. It takes effort and courage to face the world that is so set against the ways of God. Strength is absolutely necessary for a Christian to build, develop, and nurture.

Increasingly, the world that we live in is turning away from God. Because of this, anyone who follows God will stick out like a sore thumb. To face the ways of the world and to overcome them we encounter inevitable conflict. Without strength, training, and preparation, we put ourselves in a position of vulnerability. Building up our strength is absolutely vital to our salvation as this world becomes more contrary to God.

It is on our responsibility to become competent and capable of making the right decision in God’s eyes as we navigate through this life. What that means is that we need to be accountable for our understanding of God’s Word. We need to own it. We need to prove the truth to ourselves so that we are strong. Unlike previous generations on the earth who did not have access to even read the Bible, we have the privilege to have God’s Word available to us constantly. We lack no opportunity to learn from the Word of God. Modern technology even allows us to carry a completely searchable Bible in our pocket. We simply have no excuse precluding our ability to become very strong in our convictions.

In an effort to become strong, we must remember that it requires more than adopting a set of correct beliefs. Strength is developed by exercise. It is not enough to know that we need to keep the seventh day- Sabbath; we need to know why. It is not enough to know that God is a Family; we need to know how those Family relationships are defined. The principle here is that knowing doctrine is not enough. We need to be able to prove doctrine – to ourselves. Only when we can prove doctrine to ourselves, does it become truth in our minds allowing us to withstand the evil we encounter (Ephesians 6:13-14).

If we are not absolutely strong in our beliefs, we fall prey to becoming influenced by rhetoric rather than truth. Without investing the effort to increase our strength in our convictions, we increase our odds of choosing paths of behavior that we will later regret, leading to death. Fortunately, we have the opportunity right now, to spend our efforts wisely – to build our spiritual strength by learning and proving our understanding. Indeed, it requires work to become strong, but our efforts will prove to be worthwhile. By unwavering in our commitment to follow God, we will reap a reward much greater in magnitude than our relatively tiny investment of time and effort today.

We begin with reporting on more and more attempts by especially dictatorial, autocratic and fanatical countries to control and censor the Internet. This course of conduct, if successful, would also hamper dramatically the effectiveness of God’s Church in proclaiming the true gospel of the Kingdom of God in all the world as a witness (Matthew 24:14); so we can easily see who is really behind these attempts.

We continue with relating the Obama family’s obsession with Christmas trees; and focus on the true nature of the radical Muslim Brotherhood movement and Egypt’s desperate struggle for freedom and liberty.

We speak of the consequences of the UN’s decision to recognize Palestine as a state and the ensuing troubled relationship between Israel and Germany, as well as Europe’s outrage over Israel’s announcement to continue with its settlement program.

We report on Europe’s and especially Germany’s big and extremely lucrative business of weapons’ sales all over the world—including sales to unpredictable governments—and speak of potential sabotage attacks on nuclear power plants in Iran and Southern California.

We relate the White House’s questionable objections to further economic sanctions against Iran, speak of the dangerous situation in Syria, and conclude with an article on the rise of demonic possession and “exorcisms” in the Catholic Church.

Control and Censor the Internet?

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 3:

“Talks in Dubai, under way until December 14, could bring radical changes to the Internet and who controls it… Proposals to place the Internet under the control of a global authority, like the International Telecommunication Union, a UN body, have resurfaced… Net observers say the Arab Spring would have failed to achieve the scale it did without Facebook and other social media – hundreds of thousands of unhappy citizens apparently agreed to protest and organized their demonstrations via these interactive platforms… Russia, China and Iran are among the countries that would like to see greater Internet controls, either in the form of new regulations or a global authority, or both… critics argue their real reasons are to control the packets of information that move across their borders…”

Countries under fanatical Islamist rule, as well as repressive countries such as Russia and China—and very soon a developing dictatorial European power bloc—will control the Internet or prohibit or shut down Internet access of their subjects—and violations will be punished with imprisonment or death.

The Obama’s Christmas Trees Obsession

Investors.com wrote on December 3:

“Now safely ensconced in the White House for 49 more months, the Obamas have decorated the place with 54 Christmas trees this year. Even allowing for the usual Washington excesses with taxpayer money, that’s a whole grove of Christmas trees… In fact, the Obamas’ 54 trees this year are almost 50% more Christmas trees than last year. That was during the campaign before Obama whispered a reminder to the Russians that he had to be careful until Nov. 6, when a victory would give him more ‘flexibility’…

“In addition to 54 Christmas trees, Michelle Obama has overseen the placement of thousands of ornaments in public rooms. Many of the ornaments celebrate the Obama family dog, Bo, who seems to have become the First Family’s favorite symbol of Christmas… There’s several hundred yards of garlands and wreaths all over the hallways and rooms. And, of course, a traditional gingerbread house that has working chandeliers and weighs about 300 pounds…”

This would be preposterous even without realizing how pagan and ungodly Christmas decorations and celebrations are.

Muslim Brotherhood Pays Gangs to Beat Up and Assault Opponents

Mail on Line wrote on December 1:

“Egypt’s ruling party is paying gangs of thugs to sexually assault women protesting in Cairo’s Tahrir Square against President Mohamed Morsi, activists said. They also said the Muslim Brotherhood is paying gangs to beat up men who are taking part in the latest round of protests, which followed a decree by President Morsi to give himself sweeping new powers… activists have reported nearly 20 attacks in the last ten days and say there has been a dramatic increase in mob sex attacks on protestors in the last year…

“The newspaper spoke to two men who admitted they were paid to target female protestors… in a group of around 65 local men and got paid between £10 and £20 a time. But they would not reveal who pays them.”

The Muslim Brotherhood is an extremely dangerous organization, and their actions and course of conduct are reminiscent of Gestapo methods in Nazi Germany. Note the following articles as well.

Muslim Brotherhood Fooled Washington

NBC wrote on December 3:

“The era of the Muslim Brotherhood appears to have arrived. President Obama has hailed the Brotherhood’s President Mohammed Morsi as a pragmatist who helped end the Gaza crisis. Egyptians here think the Brotherhood has conned Washington, just like it conned them…

“Egypt was torn in half just over a week ago when Morsi made himself more powerful than Mubarak ever was, and the kings before him. Morsi declared himself above judicial oversight, his decisions final and unassailable. He made himself, according to critics, a new pharaoh on the Nile. Imagine if, after five months in office, an American president announced that he could pass any law he pleased regardless of Congress or the U.S. Supreme Court. Imagine if he said his decisions were final and inspired by God… Morsi last night apologized for the power grab and said he didn’t want the extra authorities, but that they were necessary for the good of the people and to safeguard the revolution. Dictators always say stuff like that. Burn down the village to save it.

“At first Egyptians were shocked that Morsi would make such an obvious and, according to Egyptian judges, blatantly illegal move. It’s clear now, as some analysts have long feared, that the Brotherhood is making sure it doesn’t lose power again by taking control of Egypt’s constitution. The Brotherhood wants to write the rules of the game. Now they’ve done that too. Protected by the president’s new-found supreme and unquestionable powers, Morsi ordered his Islamist allies to finish writing the constitution and get it on his desk by the end of this week. They did it, even though many independent legal experts, Christians and opposition politicians boycotted the drafting process. The Brotherhood called the new constitution ‘a jewel.’ Many Egyptians say it leaves too much room for the implementation of Shariah law…

“The constitution has long been the Muslim Brotherhood’s lodestar and, in the past, they have been willing [to] kill for it. In 1954, not long after a group of ‘free officers’ carried out a coup against the British-backed monarchy, a Brotherhood assassin tried to kill President Gamal Abdel Nasser. Nasser, a leading free officer, favored a mostly secular, pro-military constitution. The Brotherhood, an Islamist group that supports the return of Arab and Islamic unity and the revival of ancient Muslim glory and Shariah laws, couldn’t accept the new rules.

“The Brotherhood’s assassination attempt failed. The gunman’s eight bullets, fired while Nasser was giving a speech in Alexandria, all missed. The Brotherhood was banned. The group went underground, at times tolerated but more often repressed by Nasser’s successors: presidents Mubarak and Anwar el-Sadat. When the revolts started against Mubarak, the Brotherhood saw that fate had given them another chance…

“Looking back now, it all seems so obvious, yet many Egyptians refused to see it coming. In fact, many of the secular revolutionaries backed the Brotherhood, arguing they were better allies than the hated military. The Brotherhood played its cards well… The protests continued to grow. Labor unions went on strike. The military enacted a coup against Mubarak. President Obama withdrew his support for Washington’s long-time Arab friend. And Mubarak the president was no more.

“The Brotherhood first said it wouldn’t seek the new presidency at all. It promised to exist solely as an influential member of civil society. Back then, many Egyptians feared the Brotherhood… The Brotherhood went to work… It sent its representatives around the world, especially to Washington, on a charm offensive. We’ve been oppressed, they claimed. We were slandered by a tyrant. We’re not what you’ve heard. We can unite the Sunni world against Iran. We can help bring Israeli-Palestinian peace. There were many promises of a great future…

“Morsi won the election by a narrow margin and then five months into his term, made himself a dictator and ordered his Islamist friends to quickly finish the constitution… Yet the United States has remained mostly silent on all this, urging both sides to stay calm and work it out. Washington’s policy seems to be that what’s going on is simply democracy in progress as Egyptians learn to use their new rights. But in Tahrir Square people seem convinced the Brotherhood isn’t testing its fledgling wings. They say Morsi knows exactly what he’s doing, Washington be warned.”

The true nature of the Muslim Brotherhood should have been understood from the outset. But it seems Washington and other Western nations are refusing to hear or heed the warning; and that God has poured out a spirit of deep sleep and of blindness on our leaders (Isaiah 29:10), as well as on Egypt (Isaiah 19:14), so that they would stumble and fall, without waking up to and perceiving the real dangers.

Egypt’s Struggle for Freedom

Die Welt wrote on December 3:

“Egypt lies on the fault line of two continents, not just geologically, and the European coast is not far away either. What moves Egypt today moves the region tomorrow, and the shockwaves could very well spark fear and terror among the Europeans.”

The Bible shows us that Europe and Egypt will at first be allies against Israel, but they will then become enemies. Please read our free booklet, “Middle Eastern and African Nations in Bible Prophecy.”

Morsi Won’t Relent

The Times of Israel reported on December 6:

“Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi addressed the country for the first time since mass protests began earlier this week, defiantly standing his ground on the issue of the draft constitution, the upcoming national referendum, and his immunity from oversight…

“Earlier in the day, the Egyptian army sealed off the presidential palace with tanks and barbed wire Thursday, a day after fierce clashes between supporters and opponents of the Islamist leader over a disputed constitution killed at least seven people… Protesters defied a deadline to vacate the area… The Brotherhood, which had erected metal barricades and manned checkpoints with rocks and empty glass bottles overnight, withdrew from the area by afternoon…

“The violence on Wednesday was the worst since Morsi was elected in June… The intensity of the overnight violence, with Morsi’s Islamist backers and largely secular protesters lobbing firebombs and rocks at each other, raised the specter that the country would grow even more polarized and violent.”

Palestine a “State”—Dark Clouds Before the Storm

Newsmax reported on December 1:

“The General Assembly vote declaring that Palestine, within the pre-1967 borders, is a ‘state,’ at least for some purposes, would have nasty legal implications, if it were ever to be taken seriously by the international community.

“It would mean that Israel, which captured some Jordanian territory after Jordan attacked West Jerusalem in 1967, is illegally occupying the Western Wall (Judaism’s holiest site), the Jewish Quarter of old Jerusalem (where Jews have lived for thousands of years), the access road to the Hebrew University (which was established well before Israel even became a state) and other areas necessary to the security of its citizens.

“It would also mean that Security Council Resolution 242, whose purpose it was to allow Israel to hold onto some of the territories captured during its defensive 1967 war, would be overruled by a General Assembly vote… It would be the first time in history that a nation was required to return all land lawfully captured in a defensive war…

“These absurd conclusions follow from the theater of the absurd that occurred when the General Assembly, for the thousandth time, issued an irrelevantly one sided declaration on Palestine. As Abba Eban once put it: ‘If Algeria introduced a General Assembly Resolution that the world was flat and that Israel had flattened it, it would pass 100 to 10 with 50 abstentions.’ That’s pretty much what happened the other day. I wonder whether the European countries that voted for the Resolution knew what a tangled web they were weaving.

“Nor was this Resolution a recognition of the two-state solution, since a considerable number of states who voted for it have refused to recognize Israel’s right to exist. What they were looking for was a one-state resolution — that one state being yet another Islamic country that voted for Hamas in the last election and that is likely to be governed by Sharia Law that will not allow Jews or Christians equal rights…

“The United Nations’ action will also incentivize Hamas to continue firing rockets into Israel on a periodic basis in order to provoke Israeli retaliation. Many in Hamas believe that the recent fighting in Gaza actually helped the Palestinians get more votes in the General Assembly…This is all a prescription for continued warfare, lawfare, and enmity. It is not a prescription for resolving a complex and difficult issue in a realistic manner. But what else is new at the United Nations!”

Very true. Israel will be all alone, and the next articles prove the point.

Germany Has Distanced Itself From Israel

Der Spiegel Online wrote on December 3:

“Berlin has distanced itself from Israel with the decision to abstain from voting on enhancing the Palestinians’ status in the UN General Assembly. Israel had expected a clear ‘no’ vote, but Chancellor Angela Merkel balked at Prime Minister Netanyahu’s uncompromising approach to the peace process… Germany’s stance on this issue shows just how deeply frustrated its government is with the Netanyahu government’s policies. The UN vote was a defeat for Israel. In the end, 138 of the 193 UN member states supported the Palestinians’ petition, including France and 13 other European Union member states. Germany’s abstention weighed particularly heavy because it meant that Canada and the United States were the only major Western nations to vote on Israeli’s side.

“…relations between Chancellor Merkel and Prime Minister Netanyahu have rarely been as bad as they are now… When it became apparent that a series of EU member states would support the Palestinians’ bid for observer-state status, the Israelis asked Germany to push all of its fellow EU states to abstain. Up until that point, Netanyahu had pressured Merkel’s government to gather as many ‘no’ votes as possible within the EU. But the Israeli change of heart arrived too late. In the meantime, the governments of a majority of EU states, including France’s, had decided to back the Palestinians… Merkel was upset that the Israelis were treating Germany’s vote like a bargaining chip.

“The chancellor was particularly annoyed because Netanyahu had shown himself completely unwilling to make concessions. On several occasions, Merkel had urged him to at least make a gesture on the issue of settlement construction in order to send out a signal to the Palestinians. Doing so would have made it easier for Merkel to campaign for the Israeli position. But Netanyahu stubbornly ignored her wish…”

EU Countries Summon and Rebuke Israeli Ambassadors In Protest

The Times of Israel wrote on December 3:

“Several European capitals on Monday summoned Israeli ambassadors to sharply express unhappiness over Israel’s plans to significantly expand settlement construction, as anger over the move worldwide continued to simmer. In Washington, the White House called on Israel to reconsider its plans to develop the controversial E1 tract of land east of Jerusalem in the West Bank. Yet officials in Jerusalem said they would not back down from the plan, which is seen as a punitive measure against the Palestinians for going to the United Nations to be upgraded to a nonmember observer state.

“The foreign ministries of France, Britain, Spain, Denmark and Sweden on Monday summoned and sharply rebuked the Israeli ambassadors to their countries. An Israeli official quoted by Israel Radio said the tone of the rebukes was ‘harsh and very unpleasant.’ A British Foreign Office spokesman issued a severely worded condemnation of the Israeli government decision on Friday to approve 3,000 housing units in the West Bank and East Jerusalem…

“Elsewhere in Europe, Germany and Russia joined the chorus of condemnations, with the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeting a steady stream of denunciations.”

The EUObserver added on December 3:

“‘The European Union has repeatedly stated that all settlement construction is illegal under international law and constitutes an obstacle to peace,’ said EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.”

Der Spiegel Online added on December 3:

“United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday sharply criticized the Israeli government’s plan to expand settlement building in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, calling the plan ‘an almost fatal blow’ to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict… German Chancellor Angela Merkel also found unusually strong words. Her spokesman said the government was ‘extremely concerned’ about the settlement plans. ‘Israel is thereby undermining confidence in its readiness to negotiate.’”

Merkel and Netanyahu Meet in Germany

On December 6, 2012, Der Siegel Online reported about a meeting between Merkel and Netanyahu in Germany, stating:

“‘On the settlement question, we have agreed to disagree,’ said Merkel on Thursday. Netanyahu struck a similar tone: ‘One should be able to voice different opinions among friends.’ In contrast to the emotion he showed during the German-Israeli government consultations a year and a half ago, Netanyahu was much more relaxed as he took questions from the media this time around. Then, he held a stern lecture on settlements as he stood at Merkel’s side. This time, he was brief and to the point…

“Despite their recent differences, Merkel left no room for doubt in Berlin that she supports the right for the Jewish state to exist… She said it has been ‘unfortunately’ necessary to make this clear again, after the rocket attacks by Hamas from Gaza. The chancellor emphasized that the recent violence in the Gaza Strip, which saw an eight day skirmish between Israel and the Palestinians, was triggered by Hamas rockets…

“In three years, Germany and Israel will celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations. The peace process in the Middle East remains a constant theme even as the situation in the Middle East seems to have become more challenging than ever in recent months. The Europeans, Netanyahu says, believe the settlements issue is the root cause of the conflict. But, he argues, it is not purely a territorial issue, which is evident in the most recent attacks from the Gaza Strip, where Israel doesn’t keep troops…

“Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian National Authority, recently celebrated his success at the United Nations, as a large majority of the UN General Assembly essentially recognized a state of Palestine by granting the Authority non-member observer status. Netanyahu had hoped Germany would vote no on the measure, and even before his visit to Berlin he voiced his disappointment over Germany’s abstention on the vote. Merkel said she had ‘taken note of it.’

“There had even been speculation in the Israeli media over whether or not Germany might even join in possible sanctions against Israel. The press conference at the Chancellery showed how deep the feeling of insecurity was. Merkel was asked by an Israeli journalist if Germany would take ‘further measures’ against Israel. Clearly irritated, Merkel said after a brief pause: ‘I am not someone who threatens.’ This week’s consultations, she said, focused on solutions to problems and on the question as to whether the construction of settlements would be a ‘helpful step, or not a helpful step.’ The foundations of German-Israeli relations are ‘untouchable’ Merkel affirmed, adding ‘and they withstand differences of opinion.’”

However, this is clearly wishful thinking.

Germany’s and Europe’s BIG Weapon Sales

Der Spiegel Online wrote on December 3:

“Germany used to be extremely careful about where it exported its weapons. In recent years, however, Chancellor Angela Merkel has shown a preference for sending high-tech armaments abroad rather than German soldiers — even if that means doing business with questionable regimes…

“The government of Qatar has… shown interest in buying up to 200 [Leopard 2] tanks, a deal that, should it come to fruition, could be worth up to €2 billion ($2.6 billion).

“The Saudis, for their part, have already become loyal customers. Last summer, the German government responded positively to their request to buy up to 270 of the Leopard 2 tanks. But now Riyadh wants more. In a new request, the sheikhs have petitioned the German government for its approval of the purchase of a few hundred ‘Boxer’ armed transport vehicles… The government hasn’t issued a decision yet on the deal, which would likewise be worth billions.

“German high-tech weapons are a hot commodity among Arab potentates and other autocrats. They haven’t failed to notice that the coalition government of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP) has steadily relaxed Germany’s otherwise restrictive arms export policy…

“The official (and most recent) Military Equipment Export Report for 2011 shows that business is booming, with arms export permits issued by the German government topping €10 billion for the first time. Some 42 percent of the weapons are destined for so-called third-party states, outside NATO, NATO-equivalent and European Union countries, another number that could very well be record-setting. In 2010, it was just 29 percent…

“In accordance with the chancellor’s wishes, Germany is now sending soldiers to conflict zones in emergency situations only. Instead, ‘partner countries’ in the affected regions are to be strengthened through arms exports…

“Israel gets nuclear-capable submarines from the Germans, as well as any other weapons it wants… Last Monday, with impressions from the most recent Gaza war in their minds, Merkel and her ministers decided to approve [a new] weapons deal with Jerusalem. Germany had to support Israel, ‘now more than ever,’ one minister argued, saying that the threat coming from Hamas is serious. The group agreed that the arms shipment should also send a message. In this context, [German Foreign Minister Guido] Westerwelle is the personification of German paradox. Only a week earlier, he had tried in vain to serve as a peace broker between Israel and the Palestinians. And now the same minister was rubber-stamping the delivery of weapons that could be used in the Palestinian conflict…

“In addition to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates is the other major importer of German weapons… six guarantees have been issued for deals with countries in troubled regions throughout the world. The biggest recipient is Algeria, followed by Egypt, Israel, Indonesia, Iraq and Pakistan. The guarantees for Egypt (€700 million) and Israel (€405 million) are especially sensitive. For both countries, the guarantees are intended to secure the purchase of submarines…

“The submarines for Egypt, which are not as technically sophisticated as the ones for Israel, led to a dispute between Merkel and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who would like to block the Egypt purchase. The issue has yet to be resolved, but it is possible that Islamist Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi may soon take delivery of two new submarines…

“Compared to France and the United Kingdom, Germany is still restrained when it comes to promoting the domestic arms industry. Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy remains the champion of promoters of his own war industry. He is thought to have promised rising nuclear power India a nuclear technology deal as a bonus if it chose to buy French fighter jets. It was an offer the Indians couldn’t pass up.

“Merkel is now using her trips abroad to pave the way for weapons deals. In Angola, for example, she offered President José Eduardo dos Santos the prospect of an energy partnership. But she also reminded him of the many offshore oil platforms that are largely unprotected. ‘We would also like to help you with your defense efforts, such as upgrading your navy,’ Merkel said at an economic conference in the Angolan capital Luanda. Specifically, she was talking about patrol boats for the Angolan coast guard, at €10 million to €25 million apiece.

“The government also uses the Bundeswehr for its export offensive. For instance, there has been a ‘Eurofighter Task Force’ in place at the Defense Ministry since 2008. The German Air Force spends more than €20 million in taxpayer money to support the marketing of Eurofighters to India…

“Chile, for example, is getting 172 tanks, for which it is paying the Bundeswehr €46 million with an additional €78.6 million being spent on upgrades. Turkey took delivery of 354 tanks, which were outfitted with new combat technology for €298 million. A similar deal is in the works with Singapore, and Indonesia is expected to follow suit…”

Europe, under German leadership, is described as modern Babylon in Revelation 18—a very rich and powerful brutal economic entity which is rich and increased with goods—also, and especially, through its sales of submarines and other weapons of war (Revelation 18:3, 5, 13, 19, 24; compare also Revelation 13:4, 7, 10).

Iran’s Nuclear Reactor Sabotaged?

DEBKA reported on December 1:

“Iran’s nuclear reactor at Bushehr was shut down in mid-October for fear of an explosion. [On] Saturday Dec. 1, an authoritative Russian nuclear industry source revealed the cause of its malfunction: ‘Indicators showed that some small external parts were… in the [Bushehr] reactor vessel….’ They were identified as ‘bolts beneath the fuel cells.’…

“Moscow sources report this information came from a source in the office of Sergei Kiriyenko, head of the Russian nuclear energy authority Rosatom, which supervised the construction of Iran’s first atomic reactor at Bushehr…  Russian scientists and engineers were rushed from Moscow to Bushehr when Russian leaders including Vladimir Putin were warned that the danger of an explosion at Bushehr was high. Neither Moscow nor Tehran reported what was happening. Now they are racing against the clock to get the reactor back on stream.

“Russian experts estimated that an explosion at the Bushehr reactor had the potential for causing a million Iranian deaths and hundreds of thousands of radiation victims in the Persian Gulf emirates, which supply the world with one-fifth of its fuel. The hazard was so great in October that Putin ordered command teams of the Russian emergency ministry trained to deal with nuclear disasters to set out for Bushehr in southern Iran…

“[On] Friday, Nov. 30, shortly before the disclosure from Moscow, Tehran for the first time in its twenty-year nuclear program showed concern about the impact of ‘nuclear accidents’ at Iran’s nuclear sites on the wellbeing of the population and environment. Gholamreza Massoumi, head of Iran’s accident and medical emergency center,… referred to ‘accidents’ at the Isfahan Uranium Conversion Facility where yellowcake is converted into highly toxic uranium hexafluoride and revealed: ‘People who have been in the region, for example – Isfahan’s UCF – have had some accidents for which they have been treated.’ He admitted that some employees at Isfahan had suffered from ‘health issues’ and warned of ‘problems that civilians living close to nuclear sites could face.’ Massourni’s comments were removed from the semi-official Mehr news agency’s website a few hours after they were published.

“Officials in Tehran, already jumpy over the near-catastrophe in Bushehr, must have realized that the comments about the urgent need to prepare emergency services for nuclear accidents… were a recipe for a nightmare scenario of mass panic in the population and an outcry in the Gulf region against the hazards of Iran’s nuclear program – even before it produces a weapon.”

If the near-catastrophe in Bushehr was indeed caused by sabotage, it would be interesting to speculate who might have been behind that. At the same time, Western powers such as the USA are not  immune against nuclear sabotage, either, as the next article might show.

Southern California Power Plant Sabotaged?

NBC News wrote on November 30:

“Security has been beefed up at the San Onofre nuclear power plant in Southern California after it was discovered that a generator there might have been tampered with, the plant operator said. The plant has been out of service since January due to a leak in a steam generator. Southern California Edison said it discovered engine coolant in an oil system in the backup diesel generator in late October during routine monitoring. An internal probe found evidence of potential tampering, though it could not be confirmed…

“The news is the latest blow to San Onofre’s majority owner, which earlier this month said the cost of the prolonged outage at the damaged nuclear power plant has topped $317 million. San Onofre’s Unit 2 and Unit 3 reactors have been shut down since January after operators discovered a leak in a steam generator tube in Unit 3…

“The investigation into the potential tampering is ongoing, the utility said, adding that it has enhanced security at the nuclear power plant that sits on the coast about halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego…”

If true, it would likewise be interesting to speculate who might have been behind that act of sabotage.

White House Disapproved New Sanctions Against Iran

On November 30, 2012, the cable.foreignpolicy.com wrote the following:

“The White House announced its opposition to a new round of sanctions that the Senate unanimously approved Friday, in the latest instance of Congress pushing for more aggressive punitive measures on Iran than the administration deems prudent… The new legislative language would blacklist Iran’s energy, port, shipping, and shipbuilding sectors, while also placing new restrictions on Iran’s ability to get insurance for all these industries. The legislation would also vastly expand U.S. support for human rights inside Iran and impose new sanctions on Iranians who divert humanitarian assistance from its intended purpose…

“But the White House told several Senate offices Thursday evening that the administration was opposed to the amendment… One of the White House’s chief concerns is that Congress is not providing the administration enough waivers, which would give the United States the option of negating or postponing applications of the sanctions on a case-by-case basis.

“The White House also said that secondary sanctions should apply only to those Iranian persons and entities that are guilty of aiding Iran’s nuclear and missile programs… The new sanctions too broadly punish companies that supply materials, such as certain metals, that could be used in Iran’s nuclear, military, or ballistic missile programs, the White House worries. The bill allows those materials to be sold to Iranian entities that intend to use them for non-military or nuclear-related purposes, but the administration said that the ambiguity in that part of the legislation will make it hard to implement.

“Finally, the White House doesn’t want to implement the part of the new legislation that would require reports to Congress on the thousands of boats that dock at Iranian ports and the dozens of Iranian planes that make stops at airports around the world. Those reporting requirements ‘will impose serious time burdens on the Intelligence Community and sanctions officers,’ the White House said in the e-mail. The Obama administration often touts the Iran sanctions it once opposed…”

All of this begs the question as to how serious is the Obama Administration when it comes to preventing Iran from developing a nuclear weapon?

Syria—Worst Fears Confirmed

NBC News reported on December 6:

“The Syrian military is prepared to use chemical weapons against its own people and is awaiting final orders from President Bashar Assad, U.S. officials told NBC News on Wednesday. The military has loaded the precursor chemicals for sarin, a deadly nerve gas, into aerial bombs that could be dropped onto the Syrian people from dozens of fighter-bombers, the officials said.

“As recently as Tuesday, officials had said there was as yet no evidence that the process of mixing the ‘precursor’ chemicals had begun. But Wednesday, they said their worst fears had been confirmed: The nerve agents were locked and loaded inside the bombs. Sarin is an extraordinarily lethal agent. Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s forces killed 5,000 Kurds with a single sarin attack on Halabja in 1988.”

Commentators estimated that these chemical weapons, if used, could kill in excess of one million Syrians and many more people outside Syria, including Israel. It may be inconceivable to believe that a leader would use deadly weapons against his own people, but sadly, many historical examples do exist for such horrific conduct. For instance, Adolf Hitler, obviously being demonically possessed, ordered the destruction of the German people just prior to his death by suicide.

Demon Possession on the Rise?

The Independent wrote on November 30:

“The Catholic Church has established an exorcist hotline in Milan, its biggest diocese, to cope with demand. Monsignor Angelo Mascheroni, the diocese’s chief exorcist since 1995, said the curia had also appointed twice as many exorcists to cope with a doubling in the number of requests for help over 15 years… The Monsignor said he knew of one exorcist who had been seeing up to 120 people a day. ‘But with so little time per client he was only able to offer a quick blessing. That’s not enough,’ he said…

“It’s not clear why the number of suspected possessions has risen so sharply…Father Gabriele Amorth, who was the Vatican’s chief exorcist for 25 years, claims to have dealt with 70,000 cases of demonic possession. [He] said that sex abuse scandals in the Roman Catholic Church were proof that ‘the Devil is at work inside the Vatican’. He also claimed that satanic behaviour lay behind Vatican attempts to ‘cover up’ the deaths of Alois Estermann, then commander of the Swiss Guard, his wife and another Swiss Guard, Corporal Cedric Tornay, in 1998…

“Defined by the Catholic Encyclopaedia as ‘the act of driving out, or warding off, demons, or evil spirits, from persons, places, or things which are believed to be possessed or infested by them, or are liable to become victims or instruments of their malice,’ exorcism has been practised by the Church for centuries, but its use has increased dramatically over the last half century.”

Even though we do not believe that “exorcisms,” as practiced by the Catholic Church, will in fact cast out demons and heal demonically possessed persons, there can be no doubt that people being troubled by demons and cases of severe demonic possession have increased drastically in recent years. The Bible predicts that in these end times, Satan and his demons would become extremely angry and active. You might also want to read our Q&A, addressing the question as to how to understand “miraculous healings” and “exorcisms” which do not originate with God.

In the previous three installments, we discussed the biblical regulations of the Land Sabbath (Exodus 23:10-11; Leviticus 25:1-7, 18-22) and rejected extreme viewpoints which hold that either these regulations must be enforced today, literally and in their entirety, by the Church of God and its members, while others hold that they are no longer applicable today, not even in principle.

We concluded the last installment by pointing out that the correct view has been taught for many years by the Worldwide Church of God, under Herbert W. Armstrong, and is being adhered to today by the Church of the Eternal God in the USA, the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship in Canada, and the Global Church of God in the UK.  We will now explain what this correct view is, and how it relates to us today.

In a letter by the Personal Correspondence Department of the Worldwide Church of God, the following was stated:

“The question naturally arises, then, how can a Christian apply these laws of God now? Obviously, an individual cannot observe all the details of these laws, since they would require national legislation. An individual cannot release his own debts, and there is no divinely appointed inheritance for each family today. But these laws are all for man’s good, so we ought to observe them to the extent that this can be done in the present system. Even where a law cannot be practiced in the letter, it should be kept in the spirit…

“A farmer who owes money to banks probably cannot let all his land rest every seven years, since he owes mortgage and other loan payments that must be made each year. In such a case, it is suggested that the land be rested in rotation so that each field receives its rest sometime during a seven-year period. If one is able to rest the whole farm at once, so much the better. He can reckon his seventh year from the time of baptism or from the time that the knowledge comes to him regarding the land rest…

“Virtually all agricultural colleges know the benefits of crop rotations and of ‘resting’ land by putting it in pasture or cover crops periodically. Good soil conservation measures should also be practiced.”

In a letter by the Global Church of God to a reader in the UK, dated September 10, 1996, the following was stated:

“Since God’s laws are not being observed nationally, there is no set year in which the land Sabbath is observed today. Can anyone today prove conclusively that he knows the original cycle which began the 7th year after Israel entered the land in about 1400 B.C.? But an individual can obey the biblical directive by resting his land one year out of every seven. The land sabbath is a wonderful law which teaches stewardship, ecological principles, economics and social responsibility, as well as lessons in living by faith (by trusting God to perform a miracle in the sixth year so that there would be sufficient bounty to carry over the rest year, and on until the new crop comes in after that).

“The Global Church of God believes, as did the Worldwide Church of God under Mr. Herbert Armstrong’s leadership, that a person should rest his land, whether he is a farmer with acreage or a backyard gardener. However, few of God’s people ‘work the land,’ as many more did just a few decades ago, and so, today, there is little discussion of such matters. Even without a national observance, the land Sabbaths can be observed on one’s own seven year cycle, just as brethren pay their third tithe on their own cycle (from the date of baptism or from the feast [of tabernacles] nearest to their baptism…

“Even though the land Sabbaths are important and should not be diminished by omission or neglect, they are not the primary focus of God’s Word…”

This is indeed correct. “For the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking [or physical matters related thereto], but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). For example, the laws pertaining to clean and unclean meat, as well as to the Land Sabbaths, are dealing first and foremost with physical matters. They are physical injunctions for our physical good and for our health. They DO become spiritual, however, when we refuse to obey those laws and principles, although we know better, because we don’t care for God’s Word, or because we want to live in defiance and rebellion against Almighty God.

In a subsequent letter, dated April 16, 1997, Evangelist Colin Adair wrote the following for the Global Church of God:

“It is simply not possible for the Church as a whole to impose the seventh year land Sabbath on its members. We are not living in a physical nation today as a Church. For instance, farmer members come into the Church at different times. If the Church imposed a particular year on everyone, then some farmers would be keeping a land Sabbath any time in a series of seven years.

“The Church is a spiritual body today, not a physical nation under a physical government. However…the Global Church does teach that farmers and gardeners should keep a land Sabbath because it is a physical law of God. Land does need rest… the general principle is that we obey the physical laws given to Israel as much as we can, living under our circumstances. But there are some laws God gave Israel which we cannot follow because they need a priesthood.”

In addition, ritual laws and certain national laws need not to be followed today. For more information and a thorough discussion, please read our free booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound…” 

Since it is our teaching and understanding that the principles of the Land Sabbath ought to be adhered to today, as much as possible, how are they to be applied in particular?

In the April 1969 edition of The Good News, the following was explained in an article, titled, “A Sabbath Rest for the Land!”:

“Many think the word ‘REST’ means let the soil lie IDLE! Some have even wondered if the farmer should sell his stock (if he has any), padlock the gates and either go for a long holiday, or get himself a job. This is a totally WRONG impression!!

“The seventh YEAR of rest is typified by the seventh DAY of rest, and you know that you are NOT commanded to observe the weekly Sabbath by climbing into bed and lying perfectly still for the 24 hours!… Likewise a YEAR of rest is the time when we physically recharge our soil and lay the foundation for success during the coming six years!…

“HARVESTING is the key to the Sabbatical Year! Crops are NOT to be planted for harvesting. Lev. 25:5 shows that the principle involved is not one of refraining from planting or growing. The growth of plants is actually encouraged during the Sabbatical Year!… the command is only against the harvesting of commercial crops. We are told that the poor can come and take whatever their immediate needs may be…

“Then what is the specific PHYSICAL purpose of the Sabbatical Year? It refers to the principle of building up large reserves or organic residues, both in and on the soil. The diligent farmer will take full advantage of his one-in-seven-year opportunity… if you’re just a home gardener, the principles outlined here are as applicable to you as to any farmer with a large field…

“The most efficient way to GIVE the maximum amount of dead plant matter to the soil is certainly not by refraining from planting crops during the seventh year. We should refrain from planting anything we INTEND TO HARVEST… harvesting of crops [is] the focal point behind the Sabbath Year…

“If this extra plant growth is not to get widely out of hand and produce a massive seeding of less desirable plants, it must be ‘topped’ regularly with some type of mower. THIS IS NOT HARVESTING! No, not even if you take some of it away to compost it – providing it is returned to that area. We left the ‘topped’ portions of our pastures to decompose right where they fell from the mower…”

The Bible also speaks of cattle or livestock and beasts in the land grazing the ground during the Land Sabbath (Leviticus 25:6-7). The ensuing manure contributes, of course, to soil fertility.

There may be many more questions arising as to the practical application of the Land Sabbath provisions, but we hope to have given you a general overview in this series of articles. The principle should be clear. Let the land “rest” (understood in the right way) the seventh year as best as you can, by refraining from harvesting commercial crops (recall for example that fruit trees are excluded, but vineyards and olive yards are included), while using the time to build up large reserves or organic residues.

As we have pointed out, in this day and age, the regulations of the Land Sabbath and the Jubilee Year can only be applied in principle by the Church and its members, as the Church has no legal authority and jurisdiction over many of these provisions. However, when Jesus Christ returns and RULES, the provisions of the Land Sabbath and the Jubilee Year will be restored and literally applied within the spirit of the Law. Man will be taught what is best for him and, in time and for the most part, he will accept God’s truth.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

The draft of our new booklet on the biblical timeline, titled, “Biblical Prophecy — From Now Until Forever,” has entered the second editorial review stage. We anticipate publication early next year.

A new member letter for the month of December has been written. It will be posted on our webpage and sent out early next week. In the letter, Pastor Dave Harris warns of the false concept of trying to set dates to determine the time of Christ’s return, and encourages all of us to be always ready and to do the end-time Work of God.

On December 1, 2012, our brethren, who were assembled for Sabbath services in Germany, were able to connect via SKYPE (that is, via video transmission) with several other scattered brethren and prospective members to allow all an opportunity to “meet” together. Being able to participate in song services and opening and closing prayers, see and speak with one another, “see” and hear Thilo Hanstein presenting the sermonette, and play the recorded video sermon presented by Evangelist Norbert Link added greatly to the fellowship. We are planning to continue these types of services in Germany on a regular basis.

This week’s German sermon is titled, “Neu! Michas und Dans Goetzendienst”. It is discussing the account of idolatry in Judges 17 and 18, and also addresses the identity and future of the tribe of Dan. The English translation of the German title would be: “Micah’s and Dan’s Idolatry.”

Please note that live services are broadcast in the U.S. each Sabbath and can be accessed through our website–http://eternalgod.org/. In addition, we have meetings in Ramona, California; Woodburn, Oregon; Fort Collins, Colorado; Summerland, BC (Canada); and,in addition, we conduct services in England. Members also participate in the Chat Room that is associated with our Internet transmissions. If you desire more information, please contact us.

A new StandingWatch program, titled, “Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood and Its Future,” has been recorded and posted. Here is the review: President Morsi of Egypt has been wrongly applauded for his involvement in the Gaza crisis. Subsequently, he showed his true colors and that of the Muslim Brotherhood. The West’s ignorant assessment of the Arab Spring is shameful, since the real goals of the radical Islamic movement should have been clear from the outset. Egypt’s future will be grim, and much turmoil, defeat in war and captivity is in store for the country.

StandingWatch Radio will run a program on the origin of the Christmas tree starting Sunday, December 16th and again the following week. “Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood and Its Future” will be aired beginning Sunday, December 30th.

NOTE: Both the audio recordings of our Sermonette and Sermon from this past Sabbath are now posted on our webpage. The video recording of the Sermon is also posted. In these important messages, Norbert Link addresses alarming developments in some fellowships of the church along with warnings from the examples of others who turned away from God. Here are the titles and summaries:

“Apostasy in the Church of God“–For over ten years, we have warned that another falling away from the truth will occur in the Church of God, but only very few have heeded the warning. We now see that the prophesied renewed apostasy has begun.

“Idolatry in the Book of Judges“–When we commit idolatry, we forsake the true God. The book of Judges gives us many examples and warns us not to follow the bad lead of the ancient Israelites. But sadly, our Christian nations engage today in the same kind of Baal and Astarte worship, and calamity will be the consequence. Also available in video.

Shelly Bruno

My family moved across town a few months ago. The decision to move was based on a number of reasons, but primarily the fact that our boys are growing and we wanted a bigger backyard. My oldest was also starting at a new school, and we felt it would be beneficial to live closer to both school and work.

We moved 7 miles, but that small distance has actually created a world of change for us. Everything is different: time not spent in a car, time now spent on bikes, where I store our belongings, the places I run my errands, how long it takes to drive to a friend’s house, and especially the view I see when I look out of our windows. My perspective has been transformed.

The time and energy spent moving across town has consumed far more effort than I would have guessed. Challenges seemed to spring up out of nowhere and the best laid plans weren’t always easy to follow. Despite some of the negative aspects, the outcome has been very positive in ways I also would not have guessed.

This experience makes me think of the changes of address coming in the future. This much anticipated spiritual move will provide benefits that are difficult to imagine. I look forward to what God is preparing for me in His house, and how my perspective will forever and completely be changed.

On December 1, 2012, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “Idolatry in the Book of Judges.”
 
The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

News from every part of the world floods across our media—often in real-time! We are able to observe catastrophic disasters such as earthquakes and horrific weather disturbances; rebellions and wars; vile and indecent human degradation; and other endless affronts to virtue and peace.

What exactly are we witnessing, and how do all of these things relate to us on a personal level?

According to the Word of God, these are signs of the times, which herald the end of this age and the ushering in of the Kingdom of God!

In His wide-ranging statements about what signs would foreshadow just this time, Jesus warned His servants to “watch” and “to be ready” (Matthew 24:42, 44; 25:10, 13). Notice also what He said would be the prevailing attitude of the world in general:

“But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:37-39).

People are accepting the status quo—whatever it is at the moment. They don’t seem able to grasp the need to separate themselves from societies that are descending into the mire and from which God warns us to come out!

When you notice the evil, do you sigh and cry, or have you become so inured to the sin all around us that you just accept it as the inevitable way of the world?

We must not grow complacent with ungodliness—rather, we are to continue to be on guard, watching and even warning others of the impending punishment that evil-doing will suffer in God’s righteous judgment!

“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them” (Ephesians 5:1-7).

We report on the beginning of Egypt’s expected descent into dictatorship and rule by Islamists and continue with articles on Iran’s activities and the fragile and merely temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

We relate Iraq’s refusal to heed to American pleas and address the resignation of Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, which increases the likelihood of an Israeli attack on Iran, according to some commentators.

We speak of the unfriendly relationship between Israel and the German people; report on the abominable practice of bestiality in Germany and the rest of Europe; speak of more Christmas lies, and discuss the history and present status of Germany’s current capital, Berlin.

While the prospects of Greek bankruptcy have been averted, the British people would love to exit the EU. We also report on terrible weather conditions on the island.

In other news, we address frightening scientific developments pertaining to autonomous weapons and address the health risks of smoking and second-hand smoke.

We reveal amazing parallels between Thanksgiving Day and the ancient Israelites; speak of America’s disastrous economic situation and report on blasphemous comments during a televised American award show. We contrast this with a moving declaration of repentance from Uganda’s President and show, on the other hand, the terrible conditions within our so-called Christian churches.

We conclude with an article about the Pope’s appointment of additional cardinals with the view to the election of a successor. We briefly discuss unbiblical and dangerous voting practices, including in the political realm, which have taken hold of many Church of God members, showing another tendency of the ongoing apostasy in the Body of Christ. Please re-read Norbert Link’s Editorial in the last Update, No. 565, titled, “Beware of Apostasy in God’s Church.”

“The New Pharaoh” –Egypt’s Renewed Move to Tyranny

Newsmax wrote on November 22:

“Egypt’s president on Thursday issued constitutional amendments that placed him above judicial oversight and ordered the retrial of Hosni Mubarak for the killing of protesters in last year’s uprising. Mohammed Morsi also decreed immunity for the Islamist-dominated panel drafting a new constitution from any possible court decisions to dissolve it, a threat that had been hanging over the controversial assembly.

“Liberal and Christian members withdrew from the assembly during the past week to protest what they say is the hijacking of the process by Morsi’s allies, who they saw are trying to push through a document that will have an Islamist slant marginalizing women and minority Christians and infringing on personal liberties. Several courts have been looking into cases demanding the dissolution of the panel.

“The Egyptian leader also decreed that all decisions he has made since taking office in June and until a new constitution is adopted and a new parliament is elected — which is not expected before next spring — are not subject to appeal in court or by any other authority. He also barred any court from dissolving the Islamist-led upper house of parliament…

“The moves effectively remove any oversight on Morsi, the longtime Muslim Brotherhood figure who became Egypt’s first freely elected president last summer after the Feb. 11, 2011 fall of autocrat Hosni Mubarak… Morsi not only holds executive power, he also has legislative authority… With two branches of power in his hands, Morsi has had repeated frictions with the third, the judiciary, over recent months. ‘Morsi today usurped all state powers [and] appointed himself Egypt’s new pharaoh,’ pro-reform leader Mohamed ElBaradei wrote on his Twitter account. ‘A major blow to the revolution that could have dire consequences.’…”

On November 23, BBC News wrote the following:

“US state department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said on Friday that the decree had ‘raised concerns’ in the international community… The rapid turn of events may have caught Washington by surprise… Only on Wednesday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met Mr Mursi in Cairo and praised him for his efforts in brokering the ceasefire in Gaza.”

BBC News added on November 24:

“In a statement, the Supreme Judicial Council called [Morsi’s] move ‘an unprecedented attack on the independence of the judiciary and its rulings’ and called on him to reverse it. Judges and prosecutors in Egypt’s second city Alexandria have gone on strike in protest, saying they will not return to work until the decree is reversed.”

“Muslim Brotherhood Stands for Radical Islam”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on November 26:

“Abd al-Galil al-Sharnubi says he can only laugh at the thought that there are people in the West who still see the Muslim Brotherhood as ‘moderate Islamists.’ Sharnubi is a journalist and a Muslim — and he was a member of the Brotherhood for 23 years. He’s been familiar with the movement since he was 14, and he says that the Brotherhood could be the kiss of death for democracy in Egypt.

“Last year, Sharnubi, 38, left the Islamist organization. Since then, he says that his life has become a nightmare…  he warned his fellow Egyptians that the movement was undemocratic and authoritarian, and that leading Muslim Brothers were no less corrupt than politicians from the old regime. Many accused Sharnubi of spreading panic, saying that the Islamists should be given a chance. But the former member of the Brotherhood says that last week’s events show that he’s been right all along. The president’s ‘coup,’ says Sharnubi, provides just an inkling of the Brotherhood’s obsession with power.”

In an accompanying article, Der Spiegel wrote on November 26:

“Opposition leaders, including prominent Nobel Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei, have refused to cooperate with Morsi until the edicts have been scrapped. ‘He grabbed full power for himself,’ he [said.] ‘Not even the pharaohs had so much authority, to say nothing of his predecessor Hosni Mubarak. This is a catastrophe — it [is] a mockery of the revolution that brought him to power and an act that leads one to fear the worst’…

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes:  ‘…The reason for Morsi’s clumsily handled grab for complete power is obvious. The new Islamization of Egypt, the pet project of the Muslim Brotherhood, has arrived…’

“Conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes: ‘That Morsi has chosen exactly the moment in which he is being praised internationally for his role as mediator in the Gaza conflict to grant himself new powers shows just what a cold power-monger he is…’”

Egypt’s “democracy” will be short-lived. America and Europe have been extremely naïve in the matter of the Arab Spring, and Egypt will not be a friend of either one of the two Western power blocs—nor will it be a friend of Israel.

Egypt’s Uproar Continues

The Associated Press reported on November 29:

“An Islamist-dominated panel began a fast-track vote on a final draft of a new Egyptian constitution Thursday, pushing through the document despite liberals’ boycott in a move likely to stoke a deepening political crisis between the Islamist president and the opposition. The assembly, overwhelmingly made up of allies of President Mohammed Morsi, abruptly moved up the vote – which hadn’t been expected to take place for another two months – in order to pass the draft before Egypt’s Supreme Constitution Court rules on Sunday on whether to dissolve the panel.

“The vote escalates a confrontation that has already thrown Egypt into turmoil, between Morsi and his Muslim Brotherhood supporters on one side and a largely secular and liberal opposition and the nation’s judiciary on the other. It was sparked when Morsi last week granted himself near absolute powers to neutralize the judiciary, the last branch of the state not in his hands…”

The Jerusalem Post added on November 29:

“Prominent assembly members including former Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa have withdrawn from the assembly, as have representatives of Egypt’s Coptic Church.”

Egypt’s Ongoing Persecution of Christians

The Associated Press reported on November 28:

“An Egyptian court convicted in absentia Wednesday seven Egyptian Coptic Christians and a Florida-based American pastor, sentencing them to death on charges linked to an anti-Islam film that had sparked riots in parts of the Muslim world. The case was seen as largely symbolic because the defendants, most of whom live in the United States, are all outside Egypt and are thus unlikely to ever face the sentence. The charges were brought in September during a wave of public outrage in Egypt over the amateur film, which was produced by an Egyptian-American Copt.

“The low-budget ‘Innocence of Muslims,’ parts of which were made available online, portrays the Prophet Muhammad as a fraud, womanizer and buffoon. Egypt’s official news agency said the court found the defendants guilty of harming national unity, insulting and publicly attacking Islam and spreading false information — charges that carry the death sentence.

“The man behind the film, Mark Basseley Youssef, was among those convicted… Florida-based Terry Jones, another of those sentenced, is the pastor of Dove World Outreach, a church of less than 50 members in Gainesville, Fla., not far from the University of Florida. He has said he was contacted by the filmmaker to promote the film, as well as Morris Sadek, a conservative Coptic Christian in the U.S. who posted the video clips on his website. In a telephone interview Wednesday, Jones said the ruling ‘shows the true face of Islam’ — one that he views as intolerant of dissent and opposed to basic freedoms of speech and religion…

“Sadek, who fled Egypt 10 years ago and is now a Coptic activist living in Chantilly, Virginia… said the verdict ‘shows the world that the Muslim Brotherhood regime wants to shut up all the Coptic activists, so no one can demand Copts’ rights in Egypt.’

“The connection to the film of the other five sentenced by the court was not immediately clear. They include two who work with Sadek at a radical Coptic group in the U.S. that has called for an independent Coptic state, a priest who hosts TV programs from the U.S. and a lawyer living in Canada who has previously sued the Egyptian state over riots in 2000 that left 21 Christians dead.

“In a phone interview, one of the men sentenced who works with Sadek, Fikry Zaklama, said he had nothing to do with the film and hadn’t even seen it… Nader Fawzy, a 53-year old jewelry store manager and president of an international Coptic rights organization from Toronto, Canada, said he planned to file a lawsuit against the Egyptian government in Canada for what he said was a wrongful prosecution. He said he’s terrified of being kidnapped and spirited to Egypt. Fawzy, who came to Canada in 2002 from Sweden and lost his Egyptian citizenship in 1992, denied any involvement in the film… The other person is a woman who converted to Christianity and is a staunch critic of Islam.

“Some Christians and human rights groups worry that prosecutions for insulting religion, which existed to a degree under the secular-leaning regime of deposed President Hosni Mubarak, will increase with the ascent of Islamists to power in Egypt.”

Of course it will… and Europe will not stand idly by for long…

Ceasefire—How CAN It Hold?

The Times of Israel wrote on November 25:

“The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas which ended Operation Pillar of Defense does not include Egyptian guarantees to prevent the smuggling of weapons to Gaza, said a senior Hamas official on Saturday… This week, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad terror organization, which is closely allied with Iran, said that the group would continue to rearm in Gaza, reported Israel Radio. The published terms of the brief agreement do not appear to include a crackdown on weapons smuggling. However, a more comprehensive set of terms is expected to be hammered out in the coming days…

“Israel’s Channel 2 said Egypt had already intercepted one shipment of missiles en route to Gaza. It also said that in the talks, Israel has indicated a willingness to let Gaza fishermen sail out further from the Gaza coast, though it is insisting on maintaining its naval blockade to prevent weapons reaching Hamas by sea…

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the flow of weapons into the Strip on Wednesday night, following the announcement of the ceasefire. According to the prime minister, ‘Israel obviously cannot sit idly while our enemy reinforces itself with weapons of terror.’ He added that in a phone conversation that night with the US president, ‘we decided, President Obama and myself, that the United States and Israel would work together to fight the smuggling of weapons to the terror organizations — weapons, virtually all of which come from Iran.’

“After the eight-day conflict, during which the IDF conducted some 1,500 strikes on terrorist cells and infrastructure in Gaza and Hamas pounded Israel with roughly the same number of rockets and missiles, both sides are claiming victory.”

… and while they say, “Peace, Peace,” there is no peace. Note the next articles as well:

Iran Supplies Sudan and Hamas with Weapons

The Associated Press reported on November 24:

“Gaza’s ruling Hamas will not stop arming itself, the No. 2 in the Palestinian group told The Associated Press on Saturday, signaling tough challenges ahead for indirect negotiations between Israel and the Islamist militants on a new border deal for Gaza…  Hamas officials in Gaza have said they have developed a local arms industry… the group has received weapons from Iran since Israel’s last Gaza offensive four years ago. Hamas smuggles such weapons into Gaza through tunnels under the border with Egypt.”

The Jerusalem Post wrote on November 25:

“Israeli intelligence satellites have spied the loading of rockets and other material in Iran believed to be destined for the Gaza Strip… Iran began preparing the weapons shipment around the same time Israel and Hamas negotiated a cease-fire late last week. Last month, following an air attack on a weapons plant near Khartoum, the Defense Ministry’s director of policy and political-military affairs accused Sudan of acting as a transit point for weapons shipments to Gaza. Amos Gilad accused Khartoum of aiding and abetting terrorism, and said the Sudanese regime was ‘supported by Iran’ and was used as a route to transfer weapons to Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip via Egypt.

“Sudan accused Israel of attacking the military plant. The Sunday Times report also cited Israeli officials speculating that Iran could be moving longer-range ballistic missiles into Sudan, which could be aimed at Israel from the African country. The official added that Tehran would act to re-arm Hamas and other Gaza groups quickly, as it sees them as a necessary part of its response to a possible Israeli attack against Iran.”

Europe Supports or Abstains from Palestinian Authority Statehood Bid

The Times of Israel wrote on November 29:

“With the UN General Assembly expected on Thursday afternoon (New York time) to approve the Palestinian Authority bid to upgrade its United Nations status to that of a nonmember state, Germany announced that it would be joining the swelling list of European countries friendly to Israel that will not oppose the vote, but would abstain. ‘We didn’t take this decision [to abstain] lightly. We share the goal of a Palestinian state,’ German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said Thursday in Berlin. ‘But significant steps toward statehood can only be reached as a result of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. From our point of view it is doubtful whether the step the Palestinians are planning today will advance the peace process. Rather, we fear that it could lead to a hardening of the situation.’

“Meanwhile, just hours ahead of the vote, Italy announced that it would be supporting the Palestinian petition, joining France, Spain, Cyprus, Portugal, Switzerland, Belgium and other European countries. Beyond the US and Canada, very few UN members are expected to oppose the motion to grant Palestine nonmember status. Italian Premier Mario Monti telephoned Abbas to inform him of the decision. He also phoned Netanyahu to assure him that the decision does not mean any weakening of Italy’s traditional friendship with Israel.

“EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said that the change in the Palestinians’ status at the UN would not affect the European Union’s determination to resolve, through peace negotiations, outstanding final-status disagreements between Israel and the Palestinians, and would recognize a Palestinian state when the time was right… ‘The EU has repeatedly expressed its support and wish for Palestine to become a full member of the United Nations as part of a solution to the conflict… the EU reiterates its readiness to recognize a Palestinian State when appropriate.’…

“The US and Israel have led opposition to the statehood bid, though the move has broad support in the United Nations General Assembly with some 130 nations expected to vote yes on the matter. On Tuesday France said it would support the move, joining Spain, Norway, Denmark and Switzerland and a host of other countries. On Wednesday, Palestine Liberation Organization senior official Hanan Ashrawi urged the US to at least abstain, saying that voting no ‘would be seen as being really pathetic by the rest of the world’ and would hurt American interests in the Middle East. But US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday told reporters the US believes the Palestinians were going in the wrong direction to reach their goals. Clinton stressed that the ‘path to a two-state solution that fulfills the aspirations of the Palestinian people is through Jerusalem and Ramallah, not New York.’”

Der Spiegel Online added on November 29:

“The United Nations General Assembly is widely expected to recognize a Palestinian state on Thursday, but torn between political loyalties, Germany won’t be among the 193 member countries casting their votes on the controversial issue… Having strong European support strengthens the Palestinian bid for recognition in the face of US resistance, and they have likely found it in Austria, Denmark, Norway, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland. Meanwhile the Czech Republic and the Netherlands appear to be leaning toward a ‘no’ vote, while Britain could abstain along with Germany…

“Germany, a key political ally of both Israel and the US, is in a difficult spot trying to maintain balance on this issue… Germany plays an important mediating role in the peace process, and the abstention may be an attempt to maintain that neutrality… But it is also a reflection of the country’s varied political interests on the issue, which include support of Israel as a key part of Germany’s post-World War II rehabilitation, using this relationship as a means of strengthening ties with Israel’s main ally, the US, and economic interests in the Middle East… Polls show that Germans are becoming increasingly frustrated with their country’s staunch support of Israel…”

As was to be expected, the UN subsequently voted “overwhelmingly Thursday to grant Palestinians limited recognition of statehood, prompting exuberant celebrations across the West Bank and Gaza Strip and immediate condemnations from the United States and Israel. The 193-member U.N. body voted 138 to 9, with 41 abstentions, to recognize Palestine as a ‘non-member observer state,’ a status that falls well short of independence but provides Palestinians with limited privileges as a state, including the right to join the International Criminal Court and other international treaty bodies… France, Italy and Spain [were] supporting the Palestinians, and Germany and Britain [were] casting abstentions” (The Washington Times, November 29, 2012).

Europe’s move away from Israel and towards the Palestinians should be duly noted.

Iraq Ignores American “Wishes”

Newsmax wrote on November 26:

“The government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki has ignored entreaties from the Obama administration and freed a top Hezbollah operative accused of murdering American soldiers. Vice President Joe Biden phoned Maliki on Nov. 13 and urged him to hold Ali Musa Daqduq accountable for his purported crimes; the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Robert Beecroft, made a similar appeal that day. But the Iraqis released Daqduq two days later, saying Iraq had run out of legal options to hold him, and he is now in Lebanon…

“White House press secretary Jay Carney said the Iraqis had assured the United States that Daqduq would be tried for his crimes… After his release, Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte said: ‘Many of us warned that the transfer of Daqduq to the Iraqis would result in his release. The administration ignored these warnings, and now a terrorist with American blood on his hands is walking free in Lebanon. There is little doubt that Daqduq is again collaborating with fellow members of Hezbollah in anticipation of their next terrorist attack.’ And Republican Sens. John McCain and Lindsay Graham said in a statement: ‘The United States now has so little influence that it could not prevail upon the Iraqi government to extradite Daqduq to the U.S. to stand trial for his crimes.’”

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak Resigns

The Associated Press reported on November 26:

“Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Monday abruptly announced he was quitting politics, injecting new turmoil into the Israeli political system weeks ahead of general elections. Mr. Barak, Israel’s most-decorated soldier and onetime prime minister, said he would stay on in his current post until a new government is formed following the Jan. 22 balloting.

“His resignation could mean the departure of the most moderating influence on hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who holds a wide lead in polls and is expected to easily win re-election… [Barak’s] impending departure comes at a key time for Israel, as the nation… faces a looming decision on whether to attack Iran’s nuclear program…”

German-Israeli Relationship

Deutsche Welle reported on November 23:

“Despite German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s strong, traditional backing for Israel, some Germans are becoming more critical of the country and calling into question Germany’s unequivocal support.

“… more Germans [are] finding common cause with Palestinians… Many say that the Holocaust is no reason to ignore what they see as unjust Israeli policy. And as German leaders pledged their support for Israel this week, they balked at supporting airstrikes over Gaza…

“This change is a reflection of a wider shift in German views of Palestinians… public opinion has deteriorated recently over two landmark events: One was the 2006 Lebanon War, when Israel retaliated for a Hezbollah raid with a punishing assault that left 1,300 Lebanese and 165 Israeli people dead. The second was the 2008-9 Israeli invasion of Gaza, which resulted in 1,400 Palestinian mostly civilian casualties, sparking an international outcry… [Some are not supporting the] Jewish people by sending weapons to the Israeli government. And [they say that] we don’t do a favor to our Israeli friends by supporting the occupation, which is shameful. … the critical voices are growing…

“Gaza aside, another flashpoint for critique of Israel came last year from Nobel Laureate Gunther Grass. He published a poem in one of the country’s largest newspapers, saying that Israel is a threat to world peace. Israel banned him from entering the country in response. ‘Basically he expressed what a majority of German people think,’ said Professor Michael Wolffsohn, an historian at the University of the German Federal Armed Forces in Munich… he says German opinion of Israel is steadily and gradually getting worse. Israel consistently ranks among the least-liked countries among Germans…”

What this article is expressing is sad reality. Without any doubt, the majority—if not the VAST majority—of the German people are extremely critical of the Jewish state and of Jews in general. The public support of the recent outrageous court decision, declaring circumcision of boys to be a crime, is ample testimony for such regrettable development. However, the reaction to Gunther Grass’s poem was overblown and inappropriate. Please note the next article, and view our new StandingWatch program, “Growing Antisemitism in Germany.”

“Merkel Soothes Jewish Ire over Circumcision Row” –German Readers State Frightening Viewpoint

The Local wrote on November 26:

“Angela Merkel has tried to ease the concerns of Germany’s Jews over a disputed court ruling against circumcision, becoming the first chancellor to address the Jewish community’s annual council meeting… of the Central Council of Jews in Germany in the western city of Frankfurt on Sunday…

“In a ruling published in June, a court in the western city of Cologne judged the rite to be tantamount to grievous bodily harm, prompting international outrage and calls for more legal clarity. The ruling united Jewish and Muslim groups in opposition and German diplomats admitted privately that it had proved ‘disastrous’ for Germany’s international image, particularly in light of its Nazi past.

“Merkel was reported to have cautioned that Germany risked becoming a ‘laughing stock’ if circumcision were banned in the country. Last month, her cabinet passed a draft law to permit circumcision and clarify the legal situation. [The] Bundestag [or] German lower house of parliament [still has to approve the bill.]…

“Merkel also used the visit to reiterate Berlin’s support of Israel following eight days of violence in and around Gaza, which left 166 Palestinians and six Israelis dead. ‘Every country has the right to defend itself. This is not only the right but also the duty of every government,’ said Merkel.”

The official position of Angela Merkel and the German government is by no means shared by the majority of Germans. A representative selection of published comments to the above-quoted article speaks for itself:

“Angie messing with a court ruling. Hmmmm. Let me see. When did that happen before in Germany?”

“The article describes ‘international outrage’ over the ruling banning circumcision, as this played out over the months, there was also enormous outrage expressed by the other side, outrage that this is still permitted to be practiced in the 21st century. Why report on one side’s outrage, while ignoring the others?”

“I for one was outraged at the barbaric practice. ‘German diplomats admitted privately that it had proved “disastrous” for Germany’s international image, particularly in light of its Nazi past.’ Only in their minds, never saw it on the headline of any international paper.”

“International outrage over Germany’s civil laws can go to… Why should Germany be concerned what other nations think about our laws? Germany has among [sic] the most civilized and equitable civil laws in the world, secondary to none… Religious practices that contravene our civil laws should not be permitted to take precedence just because some religious fanatics want to practice and impose their antiquated religious beliefs into the German society. Germany has strict laws against child abuse, but yet we will allow the practice of circumcision of infants and minors (a clear example of child abuse) to continue, lest we offend someone’s religious beliefs. Where the… is the logic here? By the same token why not allow the Muslims living in Germany to have four wives? After all, it’s permitted in the Koran and [has] been their religious practice for the past 1432 years. Aren’t we afraid of offending their religious belief?”

“Genital mutilation is a barbaric practice that, if it was carried out by any other organisation, would be banned immediately but under the guise of religious freedom, they get away with it and even have the chancellor (another religious zealot) championing their cause. Religion is without doubt the main source of hatred in the world – the quicker we put away these childish myths, the sooner we can make some real progress.”

“When one practices religious acts in their former homelands that are acceptable and then find those same acts unacceptable in their new land, it is time to either obey the law or return to their former land.”

“Frau Merkel seems to have forgotten that she was voted into power to represent the Germans, not to support governments which blatantly commit war crimes, or religious radicals who live here and mishandle small children in unnecessary brutal rituals. The written German constitution not only guarantees the freedom of religion, but also the protection of children in accordance with international agreements. A government which is completely biased and continuously breaches its own basic laws cannot be trusted!”

These comments are by no means the exception to what many Germans think and believe. And they show indeed a degree of religious intolerance and hatred for the Word of God which is truly frightening.

The next article addresses a problem in Germany and other European countries, which must be corrected. But sadly, it’s all being approached from a short-sighted and faulty angle.

The Curse of Bestiality

Der Spiegel Online wrote on November 26:

“Germany plans to slap a fine of up to 25,000 euros on people having sexual relations with pets, but zoophiles plan to fight the move. They say there’s nothing wrong with consensual sex and that the true violations of animal rights are taking place in the farming industry.

“The German government plans to ban zoophilia — sex with animals — as part of an amendment to the country’s animal protection law, but faces a backlash from the country’s zoophile community, estimated to number over 100,000. Zoophilia was legalized in Germany in 1969 and animal protection groups have been lobbying for a ban… Now the center-right government wants to outlaw using animals ‘for personal sexual activities or making them available to third parties for sexual activities and thereby forcing them to behave in ways that are inappropriate to their species,’ said Hans-Michael Goldmann, chairman of the parliament’s Agricultural Committee…

“Sex with animals has been banned in a number of European countries including France, Switzerland and even the liberal Netherlands. Sweden is preparing a ban too… But it’s still legal in Denmark… In most cases, the sexual partners are likely to be dogs because they are such common pets now. In the days of old, it used to be cows, horses, sheep, goats and pigs…”

It’s all about the “protection” of “raped” animals, while the absolutely despicable conduct of depraved humans engaging in these kinds of horrendous sins are not even addressed. God was very clear about the abominable nature of such terrible actions. But it IS also true that such conduct, initiated by humans, can change the nature of animals.

God stated very specifically, in Leviticus 20:15-16: “If a man mates with a beast, he shall surely be put to death, and you shall kill the beast. If a woman approaches any beast and mates with it, you shall kill the woman and the beast . They shall surely be put to death. Their blood is upon them.” God placed a specific curse on anyone who would engage in bestiality, compare Deuteronomy 27:21: “‘Cursed is the one who lies with any kind of animal.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’”

The entire nation was to understand that such conduct was abominable in God’s eyes. How many do understand it today—being caught and deceived by the liberal thinking of tolerance and rejection of any standards? The next article shows that our Christian nations are not afraid to lie to their children, if it is being done under the disguise of religion.

More Christmas Nonsense and Lies and Deceit

The Local wrote on November 27:

“Christmas may still be a way off, but German children are already getting in the spirit, sending letter to Jesus and regional versions of Father Christmas- and his helpers are busy replying – often in English. More than 3,000 have already arrived in [the] Christmas sorting office in Himmelstadt, Bavaria. These ones are addressed the Christkind, the infant Jesus who traditionally brings gifts to children in southern Germany on 24 December. That is just the beginning, said Rosemarie Schotte, who has run the Himmelstadt office for almost 20 years. ‘By the end of the season we’re sure to have more than 80,000 again,’ she said.

“Each one gets a reply in an envelope bearing a special stamp and of course the postmark showing where it was sent from – and, Schotte told The Local, if the letters are in English, they’ll receive a reply in English. Elsewhere in Germany, requests are made to instead to Father Christmas – the Weihnachtsmann or to St Nicholas, who delivers his gifts on 6 December. Seven special Christmas post offices receive the letters – whose numbers just keep growing… Most children send their Christmas wish lists… Many of the elves are volunteers; the postage and organisational costs are met by Deutsche Post… for the sake of frazzled parents up and down the land, let’s just hope that Santa doesn’t dish out too many rash promises amidst all the festive good-will.”

This does not really deserve or require any further comments, to describe a deceived unchristian civilization which claims to be Christian.

The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of Berlin

On November 22, Der Spiegel gave a few interesting facts about the history of Germany’s current capital, the city of Berlin:

“Berlin is currently celebrating its 775th anniversary…

“Although they deposed the Kaiser, once they’d lost the war [World War I], Berlin and Germany were internationally isolated, and the city’s growth slowed to a crawl in the years of the Weimar Republic. Berlin still managed to become a mecca of cultural modernity — at least until Adolf Hitler and his Nazi movement took over. But the city paid a high price for the violence that emanated from it during the Nazi years, bringing death to 60 million people in the war and during the Holocaust. In the spring of 1945, Berlin was in ruins. And before it had a chance to rise up from the ashes, it was split into two…

“The ancient Romans were responsible for Berlin’s status as a latecomer. At the time when the eternal city of the Tiber was the center of the world, Teutons lived in the swampy forests in the large Havelland area west of Berlin, where they offered up human sacrifices in a sacred grove. The Romans wanted nothing to do with these barbarians…

“It was only in 1871 that Berlin became what Paris and London had already been for centuries: the capital of a nation-state. It took so long for Berlin to attain this status because it took that long for Germans to come together into a single country. While the French, the English and the Spaniards were already establishing cohesive nation-states by the 13th century, German rulers were devoted to the idea of the Holy Roman Empire until 1806, after which they split into a collection of small states.

“When it came time to choose the city that would be the capital of the German Reich, Berlin wasn’t a foregone conclusion. Aachen and Frankfurt am Main in the west, and Erfurt in the east, were also in the running. In the end Berlin, as the capital of Prussia, by far the largest state in the new empire, was chosen…”

Berlin may or may not continue to be the country’s capital. Before the unification, the capital of West Germany was Bonn, but it is unlikely that Bonn will ever again reach such a status. The Bible tells us that the future leader of Germany will transfer his headquarters to Jerusalem, but he will still maintain a “seat” in Germany, where his “throne” will remain. However, the capital of a newly-formed core European power bloc may become Rome.

Greek Bankruptcy Averted

Der Spiegel Online wrote on November 27:

“The 17 euro-zone finance ministers broke their deadlock with the International Monetary Fund on Monday night and agreed to release the next tranche of aid for Greece, which will receive a total of €44 billion starting next month in four installments to be paid by the end of March 2013. The December installment will comprise €23.8 billion for banks and €10.6 billion in budget assistance…

“Greece’s debt is rising faster than expected because the country remains mired in recession and has been slow to implement reforms… There was relief all round after the talks. Two previous marathon meetings had failed to produce an agreement. But the ministers had no choice but to come up with a deal this time… This catalogue of measures will likely suffice to avert a Greek bankruptcy for quite some time, assuming its recession doesn’t get even worse. But it doesn’t solve the Greek dilemma…”

In an accompanying article, Der Spiegel pointed out that Germany forgives Greece an amount of 730 million euros—a step which has critics in arms, even though the opposition party pledged their support for the deal, according to the Local. Germans are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with their main political parties.

Britons Want to Leave the EU

The Los Angeles Times wrote on November 25:

“Polls increasingly show more Britons in favor of leaving the EU than staying in. Anti-EU sentiment pervades British politics, with some Cabinet ministers openly calling for Britain to pull out, or at least for the question to be put to voters in a referendum. All this has thrown the government of Prime Minister David Cameron into a tricky position… Some political analysts warn that outside the EU, Britain’s global influence would sharply diminish, especially its role as a transatlantic bridge for the U.S. ‘The Americans have always told the Brits that “you guys are important for us because you have a big influence in Europe,”’ said Philip Whyte, a research fellow at the London-based Center for European Reform. ‘If Britain left the EU, you [in the U.S.] won’t be necessarily picking up the phone to London. Britain won’t be the first country you’d be calling; the first country you’d be calling would be Germany.’…

“Further distancing itself from the rest of Europe, Cameron’s government has declared its intention to opt out of some of the EU’s unpopular legal and judicial agreements, which critics say handcuff Britain’s own law-enforcement system… That kind of cherry-picking irritates Britain’s continental partners, many of which are drawing closer economically and politically to save the euro just as Britain, which has clung to the pound as its currency, pulls in the opposite direction. Some EU countries are beginning to wonder why they don’t simply show the door to such an uncooperative club member that seems determined to go its own way anyway.”

Britain Only Joined the EU to Slow Things Down

Bloomberg wrote on November 27:

“Britain has always had mixed feelings about the European project. From the start of the drive to ‘ever closer union,’ the U.K. feared being left out, yet never quite wanted to get with the program. In some ways, it signed up mainly to slow the whole thing down. Lately its doubts have grown. According to a new opinion poll, a clear majority of the British want to quit the European Union altogether.

“Increasingly the feeling is mutual. A partnership can tolerate only so much reluctance. In a television interview this week, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti (more tolerant of British ambivalence than many other European leaders) said he found that ‘the English manage to be quite exasperating when they ask, as a condition for remaining aboard this great European ship, particular exceptions, particular dispensations, that could amount to making holes in the ship and making it sail less well, if not sink altogether.’

“Those dispensations never end. At the creation of the euro, the U.K. recused itself… It wants nothing to do with parts of the EU’s planned response to the economic crisis, including proposals for a banking union and closer fiscal integration. London is unwilling, as always, to make EU budgetary contributions according to the same formula as other member states: Protecting Britain’s so-called rebate is ever the main goal of its policy on Europe…

“At some point, enough is enough. Maybe a separation on friendly terms would be better for all involved. Well, it might come to that, and it’s wrong to dismiss a British decision to leave as ‘unthinkable.’ Equally, though, since moving the country to a better location would be difficult, Britain ought to think hard about what divorcing Europe would mean… Leaving the EU doesn’t mean winning independence from it…

“In or out of the EU… Britain’s global weight will diminish, a function of the country’s continuing and inevitable relative economic decline…”

And so, Britain’s exit from the EU is just a matter of time…

Britain Plagued by Horrible Weather

Mail On Line wrote on November 27:

“People were forced to flee their homes last night as flood water and torrential rain caused ‘serious threats to life’ in villages in Cornwall… Intense downpours and gusts strong enough to bring down trees will continue to batter large areas of Britain today, weather forecasters warned last night.

“Two Atlantic storms will dump two inches of rain on already sodden ground across the South-West and Wales, bringing further flooding. Southern and eastern coastal areas will see wind speeds reach 70mph, while rain is expected to sweep across from the South-West into the Midlands and North in the afternoon…

“The forecast is grim news for the thousands who spent last week battling the harsh weather. At least 400 homes were flooded and the Environment Agency sent warnings to 9,000 householders at risk. Even before this weekend’s downpours the agency had 48 flood warnings and 173 lesser ‘alerts’ in place. Areas likely to be affected by fresh floods include Devon, Somerset, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.”

These horrible weather conditions are mainly in the west of the country – and concentrated more in the south west, which always seems to suffer the worst with floods and many people losing their homes, which is just terrible.

Like the USA, the UK has been moving away from God, but it seems that they can’t see the unrecognized connection between obedience and blessings, and disobedience and curses.

The Terminator Is Becoming Reality

International Business Times wrote on November 22:

“Judgement Day was meant to happen on August 29, 1997. At 2.14am Eastern Time, the machines were meant to become self-aware and launch a nuclear strike against Russia, thus triggering a global nuclear war and the beginning of the end of the human race. This [of] course never happened, because the Terminator and Skynet were only horrifying visions of the future as dreamed up by James Cameron in his 1984 film.

“However a real judgement day may not be that far off as governments around the world pour billions of pounds into the development of autonomous weapons systems which are slowly but surely taking control from the hands of humans. Playing the role of Sarah Connor and attempting to warn the world of impending doom is Human Rights Watch (HRW), which has just released a report called Losing Humanity – The Case against Killer Robots. The report calls for all states to ‘prohibit the development, production, and use of fully autonomous weapons through an international legally binding instrument.’…

“However, with the US government currently spending $6bn a year on autonomous weapons and their development, it is unlikely that they would be willing to throw that money away, particularly when they are espousing the benefits of these automated systems… The US military has openly stated that it is seeking to reduce human influence on its weapons systems, adding that it is looking to make its ground vehicles ‘fully autonomous’…

“… the UK… is heavily invested in another step on the road to fully automated weapons – unmanned aircraft. These aircraft are moving beyond the capabilities of the predator drones currently being employed in Afghanistan by the US military…

“For example, distinguishing between a fearful civilian and a threatening enemy combatant requires a soldier to understand the intentions behind a human’s actions, something a robot could not do… If a fully autonomous weapon carried out an unlawful killing, who is responsible? Options include the military commander, the programmer, the manufacturer, and even the robot itself, but none of these options is satisfactory. The report says: ‘Since there is no fair and effective way to assign legal responsibility for unlawful acts committed by fully autonomous weapons, granting them complete control over targeting decisions would undermine yet another tool for promoting civilian protection.’”

Smoking Dangerous for Body and Brain

BBC News wrote on November 26:

“Smoking ‘rots’ the brain by damaging memory, learning and reasoning, according to researchers at King’s College London… Dr Simon Ridley, from Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: ‘Research has repeatedly linked smoking and high blood pressure to a greater risk of cognitive decline and dementia, and this study adds further weight to that evidence…

“The Alzheimer’s Society said: ‘We all know smoking, a high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels and a high BMI [Body Mass Index] is bad for our heart. This research adds to the huge amount of evidence that also suggests they can be bad for our head too. One in three people over 65 will develop dementia but there are things people can do to reduce their risk. Eating a balanced diet, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, getting your blood pressure and cholesterol checked and not smoking can all make a difference.’”

California’s Fight Against Second-Hand Smoke

Newsmax wrote on November 26:

“18 cities and counties in California have banned residents from smoking — in their own apartments and condominiums. The communities have banned smoking in all existing and new multi-unit housing, according to the American Lung Association’s Center for Tobacco Policy and Organizing, which calls the effort ‘the next frontier in California’s ongoing efforts to protect its citizens from secondhand smoke.’

“A report from the organization states: ‘Although California has made great progress in getting secondhand smoke out of workplaces, for the many Californians who live in multi-unit housing breathing secondhand smoke which drifts from neighboring units, balconies and outdoor areas has become a real health problem.’… Many of the cities and counties’ bans include declaring secondhand smoke a ‘public nuisance.’”

Second-hand smoke is not only a nuisance, but it shows total disregard of selfish smokers for their own health and the health of others.

Thanksgiving, Turkey and Giving Thanks

The Times of Israel wrote on November 24:

“The Pilgrims found inspiration in the ancient Israelites… “William Bradford [was] a passenger on the Mayflower and later the governor of Plymouth colony… In ‘Of Plymouth Plantation,’ his journal of the Pilgrims, Bradford made comparative references between the Pilgrims’ voyage and the Israelites’ Exodus. Later in life, according to Stephen O’Neill, the curator of Pilgrim Hall Museum in Plymouth Mass., Bradford ‘taught himself Hebrew,’ even writing a book of Hebrew exercises.

“According to Bradford’s journal, the Mayflower Pilgrims gave thanks upon their landing: ‘Being thus arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees & blessed ye God of heaven, who had brought them over ye vast & furious ocean,’ reads the text. ‘Let them therfore praise ye Lord, because he is good,’ wrote Bradford, quoting from Psalm 107, which in Hebrew begins with the word ‘hodu,’ ‘give thanks.’… ‘hodu’ also happens to mean ‘turkey’…”

Truly amazing….

President Obama’s Economic Policies a Disaster

The Investor’s Business Daily wrote on November 21:

“Anyone who thinks that President Obama’s economic policies will spur strong growth should consider U-Haul rates between California and Texas. Renting a 20-foot truck one-way from San Francisco to San Antonio, for example, will cost $1,693. But the U-Haul tab to go in the opposite direction is just $983… Put simply, far more people want to leave California for Texas than vice versa. Why? Because California’s economy is moribund while Texas’ is thriving…

“The problem is that Obama’s economic policies are pushing the country to be more like the California people are leaving and less like the Texas they’re flocking to. ‘Every dream program that the administration embraces — cap and trade, massive taxes on the rich, high-speed rail — is either in place or on the drawing boards’ in California, notes Joel Kotkin, executive editor of NewGeography. Like President Obama, California’s Gov. Jerry Brown pushed for a substantial new tax on the ‘rich’ that raises the top rate to 13.3%… Even before these taxes kick in, California was the fourth most heavily taxed state… Also like Obama, the state is regulation happy. The Mercatus Center at George Mason University ranks California as one of the four worst states in terms of regulations. The state also imposes one of the heaviest tax burdens on businesses. As a result, California consistently ranks at or near the bottom for business friendliness. And like Obama — who has pushed federal spending up to historic highs for the past four years — per-capita spending in California has climbed 42% from 2000 to 2010, even after adjusting for inflation. The state is now one of the biggest spenders in the country. The contrast in economic policies between California and Texas — which otherwise share many things in common, since both are big-population border states with lots of immigrants — could not be more striking.”

When state and federal governments are busy regulating and restricting the conduct of their “subjects” and taxing them heavily, such consequences are inevitable. God had warned ancient Israel, when they rejected Him and chose a king instead, that this was exactly what would happen (compare 1 Samuel  8:11-18).

Blasphemy During Soul Train Awards Show

NewsBusters wrote on November 26:

“Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx recently called Barack Obama ‘our lord and savior.’ This occurred at the previously recorded Soul Train Awards broadcast on BET Sunday.”

The published video of the broadcast showed the audience applauding when these blasphemous words were uttered. These are frightening developments for everyone involved in these actions. You might want to read a similar account, and its godly retribution, in Acts 12:20-23.

Unique Example of Uganda’s President

WND wrote on November 24:

“Should a president lead citizens in a national prayer of repentance? Uganda’s Christian president believes so. The Ugandan newssite New Vision reports President Yoweri Museveni celebrated Uganda’s 50th anniversary of independence from Britain at the National Jubilee Prayers event by publicly repenting of his personal sin and the sins of the nation… ‘We confess sins of idolatry and witchcraft which are rampant in our land. We confess sins of shedding innocent blood, sins of political hypocrisy, dishonesty, intrigue and betrayal,’ Museveni said. ‘Forgive us of sins of pride, tribalism and sectarianism; sins of laziness, indifference and irresponsibility; sins of corruption and bribery that have eroded our national resources; sins of sexual immorality, drunkenness and debauchery; sins of unforgiveness, bitterness, hatred and revenge; sins of injustice, oppression and exploitation; sins of rebellion, insubordination, strife and conflict,’ Museveni prayed.

“Next, the president dedicated Uganda to God. ‘We want to dedicate this nation to you so that you will be our God and guide. We want Uganda to be known as a nation that fears God and as a nation whose foundations are firmly rooted in righteousness and justice to fulfill what the Bible says in Psalm 33:12: Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. A people you have chosen as your own,’ Museveni prayed…

“Massachusetts pastor and activist… Scott Lively believes Museveni is a model for other national leaders… ‘Britain was at its height as a world power when it honored God as the Ugandan president has just done. America’s greatness has similarly diminished as we have shifted from a Christian to a secular-humanist country…’

“Homosexual activist groups have criticized the government of Uganda and Museveni for passing laws criminalizing homosexual behavior. A current bill before the Ugandan Parliament increases the jail sentences for homosexual acts and includes criminal penalties for those who encourage or promote homosexuality…

“Dave Daubenmire, PT Salt Ministries’ president and founder and social commentator, said the problem for Western nations goes deeper than the political leaders. The problem in the United States, he said, is the pastors. ‘Sadly, I think our lack of repentance is the fault of the pulpit. Individual Christians are so awash in sin that they think politicians are merely better at sin than they are,’ Daubenmire said. ‘There is no fear of the Lord…’

“He added that Christians too often play with sin. ‘Since we do not hate sin anymore, we don’t demand repentance,’ Daubenmire said. He quoted British 17th century statesman Edmund Burke, who said, ‘The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.’ Daubenmire said that in America, ‘good men have yielded power to evil men. Evil rules when evil men make the rules,’ he said.’”

Much of what is said in the article is true. Church pastors are teaching a way of life opposite to the Bible and are much to be blamed for the horrible sin-laden situation in the US and the UK. Note the next article as a further example.

Churches Conduct Concealed Weapons Training

The Daily wrote on November 26:

“In an effort to increase membership, a number of U.S. churches — including the Church of Christ congregation in this rural village 30 miles north of Columbus — are offering an unconventional public service: Concealed weapons training… Hundreds of students have enrolled in the 10-hour course, which meets the state requirements for earning a concealed weapons permit. The training includes two hours on a church member’s private shooting range…

“Preacher Jeff, as Marengo Christian’s Copley is called by his flock, likewise emphasizes the spiritual importance of being able to defend oneself. ‘Jesus advises his disciples to sell their cloak and buy a sword,’ he told The Daily. ‘He instructed his people to be prepared to defend themselves. It’s really hard to find someone in our congregation that doesn’t shoot somehow.’…”

The horrible misapplication of Scripture is ample evidence for the spiritual ignorance of quite a few American preachers. For a correct understanding of the meaning of Jesus’ words to His disciples to buy swords can be found in our Q&As on the matter. http://www.eternalgod.org/qapdf/2218 and http://www.eternalgod.org/qapdf/4026

Pope Appoints Six New Cardinals to Choose Successor

Fox News, USA Today and The Associated Press reported on November 24:

“Six new cardinals on Saturday joined the elite club of red-robed churchmen who will elect the next pope, bringing a more geographically diverse mix into the European-dominated College of Cardinals… [They] hail from Colombia, India, Lebanon, Nigeria, the Philippines and the United States… Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle, seen by many to be a rising star in the church, visibly choked up as he knelt before Benedict to receive his three-pointed red hat, or biretta, and gold ring, and wiped tears from his eyes as he returned to his place… Benedict has said that… he was essentially completing his last cardinal-making ceremony held in February, when he elevated 22 cardinals, the vast majority of them European archbishops and Vatican bureaucrats…

“The College of Cardinals remains heavily European even with the new additions: Of the 120 cardinals under age 80 and thus eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope, more than half — 62 — are European… The issue of numbers is significant since these are the men who will elect the next pope from among their ranks: Will the next pontiff come from the southern hemisphere, where two-thirds of the world’s Catholics live? Or will the papacy return to Italy, which has 28 voting-age cardinals, after a Polish and German pope?

“The new cardinals do make the papal voting bloc a bit more multinational: Latin America, which boasts half of the world’s Catholics, now has 21 voting-age cardinals; North America, 14; Africa, 11; Asia, 11; and Oceana, one. Among the six new cardinals is Archbishop James Harvey, the American prefect of the papal household. As prefect, Harvey was the direct superior of the pope’s former butler, Paolo Gabriele, who is serving an 18 month prison sentence in a Vatican jail for stealing the pope’s private papers and leaking them to a reporter in the greatest Vatican security breach in modern times. The Vatican spokesman has denied Harvey, 63 from Milwaukee, is leaving because of the scandal. But on the day the pope announced Harvey would be made cardinal, he also said he would leave the Vatican to take up duties as the archpriest of one of the Vatican’s four Roman basilicas. Such a face-saving promotion-removal is not an uncommon Vatican personnel move…

“Cardinals serve as the pope’s closest advisers, but their main task is to elect a new pope. And with Benedict, 85, slowing down, that task is ever more present… 67 of [the current cardinals] were named by Benedict, all but ensuring that his successor will be chosen from a group of like-minded prelates. Saturday’s consistory marks the first time in decades that not a single European or Italian has been made a cardinal — a statistic that has not gone unnoticed in Italy. Italy still has the lions’ share of cardinals, though, with 28 voting-age ‘princes’ of the church.”

This structure, allowing for the designation of a pope by [ultimately, after 30 unsuccessful attempts] the simple majority vote of [currently] 120 cardinals, is not in accordance with the Bible, even though it comes closer than the adopted Presbyterian structure or the fully democratic structures of some churches. The sad part is that even some major Church of God organizations practice similar procedures (i.e., vote by majority of ministers or even members) to appoint the leader of their group, but the Bible does not endorse such practices.

Apart from the potential for political maneuvering and corruption, these procedures are opening up the floodgates for further unbiblical conduct—so, for instance, the concept that if this kind of voting is permitted for and endorsed by church ministers, what prevents members from voting, including  for candidates in governmental elections? Sadly, more and more members of certain Church of God organizations have been voting in the most recent US election—an unbiblical practice, which is strongly condemned by the Church of the Eternal God in the USA and our corporate affiliates in Canada and the UK. Please listen to Norbert Link’s recent video-recorded sermon, titled, “What Would Be Jesus’ Vote?” and our StandingWatch programs on the issue of voting, titled “Why I Don’t Vote”, and “Americans Voted For Nothing”.  Also, please review our two Q&As on the matter, which are both titled, “Why do you teach that a Christian should not vote in governmental elections?” http://www.eternalgod.org/qa/2259 and http://www.eternalgod.org/qa/2206  

Water Turning to Blood

Newsfeed.time.com wrote on November 27:

“It must have looked like a scene from Jaws: surfers and sun-worshippers fled Australia’s famed Bondi Beach as the water turned blood red. The alarming hue, however, was not the result of a tragic aquatic accident, but rather came from a crimson algal bloom… Algal blooms are most common in the spring and fall seasons, as water temperatures are higher and there are ‘greater movements in ocean currents.’ Australia, which is located in the southern hemisphere, is currently transitioning from spring to summer.”

The German mass tabloid, Bild, reported, that Australia has now a “Red Sea.” One is reminded of the prophecy of oceans turning into blood, which will happen in the future.

In the last two installments of this series, we discussed the views of numerous commentaries on the issue, and we saw from Scripture that the Sabbatical Year (also referred to as the Land Sabbath and the Year of Release; compare, for example, Exodus 23:10-11; Leviticus 25:1-7, 18-22), as well as the Jubilee Year (compare, for example, Leviticus 25:8-14), were laws for the nation of Israel, which were related to the Land of Canaan. The Year of Release and the Jubilee Year included also the cancellation of personal debts and the restoration of all real estate to its prior owner. Land was not to be sold forever.

We noted that these laws and regulations are of course not enforceable today, on a grand scale, as every nation today has its own laws which may quite differ in regard to cancellation of debts, transactions of real property or even the cultivation of farm land. Still, the Church of God has consistently taught that Christians should apply today certain PRINCIPLES, as much as possible.

Before we address in the final installment how this can be done, it is necessary to discuss in this installment two basically opposite viewpoints. Some, especially in the Jewish community, have come to the conclusion that the provisions regarding the Land Sabbath and the Jubilee Year are not applicable today, not even in principle. Others have concluded that the Church of God and its members today must follow and enforce these provisions, literally and in their entirety. Both extreme viewpoints are wrong.

For instance, an article posted by OUKosher.org, pertaining to the Sabbatical Year, tells us the following:

“According to tradition, it took Joshua seven years to conquer the Land of Israel, and another seven years to divide it among the various tribes and individuals. The Talmud tells us that only after these fourteen years, when the conquest of the land had been completed, was it endowed with kedushah, holiness, with respect to the observance of the various agricultural mitzvos. Thus, the fifteenth year after the entry into the Land of Israel was the first year counted for the purpose of determining the shmittah and yovel cycles. Every seventh year thereafter was to be observed as shmittah, the sabbatical year, and after seven such shmittos, the fiftieth year was to have special observances as yovel, the Jubilee year.

“Towards the end of the period of the first Temple, ten of the Twelve Tribes of Israel were exiled. The Torah states concerning the Jubilee year, ‘You shall proclaim liberty to the land and to all its inhabitants.’ The Talmud derives from this statement that the yovel laws are binding only when all the tribes are present in the Land of Israel. Accordingly, during the last years of the first Temple period, the special mitzvos of the yovel were no longer Biblically binding (mid’oraisah).

“Many years later, after the destruction of the second Temple, the rabbis of the Talmud had a dispute regarding the interpretation of the Torah passages referring to yovel. If there is neither a majority of the world Jewish population present in the Land of Israel, nor a representation of each of the tribes, the yovel year will not be observed Biblically. Would the Biblical mitzvah of shmittah be similarly precluded? The accepted view is that of Rabbi Yehuda Hanasi, that the mitzvah of shmittah is Biblically binding only when the majority of the world Jewish population is living in Eretz Yisrael, and there can be an observance of seven shmittos leading to a yovel year. As a result, it is generally accepted today that the laws of shmittah are binding mid’rabonon, according to Rabbinic law, not Biblical law, since we do not yet have the majority of the world Jewish population living in Eretz Yisrael, nor can it be established that there is representation of each tribe present today in Israel.”

However, the Bible nowhere states this; therefore, the Rabbinic view must be rejected as being incorrect and unduly liberal.

But even under “Rabbinic law,” a way was found by man’s “ingenuity” to circumvent the application of the provisions regarding the Land Sabbath. The article, “The Land Sabbath in Modern Israel,” by Doug Ward, P.H., points out (www.biblesabbath.org):

“The weekly Sabbath is one of the foundations of the Torah, God’s wise and loving instruction for his people. The Torah also makes provision for the land of Israel to ‘rest’ every seven years (see Exod. 23:10-11; Lev. 25:1-7). In a sabbatical year (known in Jewish tradition as a ‘shemittah year,’ from a Hebrew word in Exod. 23:11 that means ‘let drop’), farmers are not to plant seed, prune their trees, or harvest crops. For that year the land becomes public property, and people may take what grows by itself according to their needs. The seventh year is also a time for cancellation of debts (Deut. 15:1-2) and release of indentured servants (Deut. 15:12-18)…

“After the destruction of the Second Temple and the failure of the two Jewish revolts, observance of the land sabbath became a moot point; there were very few Jewish farmers left in the land of Israel. During the Talmudic period, the shemittah year had only a theoretical existence as a topic for rabbinic discussion.

“Things changed in the late nineteenth century when there began to be enough Jewish farmers in Israel to make the land sabbath a real issue again. But because these Jewish farmers were very poor, rabbinic authorities feared that they could not survive a sabbatical year. Therefore it was decided that in each shemittah year, the agricultural land in Israel would be temporarily deeded to a trustworthy Gentile, allowing the poor farmers to continue working their land without technically being in violation of the commandment.

“This practice continues today in the modern state of Israel. In the last sabbatical year, which began on Rosh Hashanah in A.D. 2000, the temporary owner of Israel’s land was Hussein Ismael Jabar. Jabar, who also owns all the leavening in Israel each year during the Passover celebration, is a resident of Abu Ghosh, a town about eight miles west of Jerusalem…

“In Jewish tradition (based on Deut. 11:8-11), the land Sabbath is only applicable in the land of Israel. According to this tradition, God has a special relationship with the Promised Land. However, one rabbi [said] that such a relationship might extend to the entire world during the time of the Messianic Kingdom… Sabbatical principles should be of benefit to all followers of the God of Israel by allowing them to periodically rest from their labors and find rest in their Creator.”

The above-mentioned article also reports on experiences of farmers who voluntarily decided to keep the Land Sabbath:

“… since 1972 there has been a growing trend in actual sabbatical observance among Israeli farmers. Some farmers simply let their land go untended. Others harvest a crop but donate it to a central storehouse that sells the food to the poor at reduced prices. Participating farmers are reimbursed for their labor but not for their produce… A number of farmers spoke of the sacrifices they willingly made in keeping the land sabbath. A wheat farmer mentioned that wheat is planted in the late autumn during an ordinary year, shortly before anticipated winter rains. But since the shemittah year begins at Rosh Hoshanah, farmers plant the wheat a couple of months early in those years and hope for the best. This farmer, who participates in the food storehouse program, estimated that his farm loses about 2-2.5 million shekels ($450,000 to $570,000[US]) by observing the sabbatical year.

“Some of the interviewed farmers spoke of miracles and blessings that occurred during a shemittah year. A fruit grower recalled that in one sabbatical year, an unusually warm March had been followed by a late freeze in April, causing damage to that year’s fruit crop. Farmers who had pruned their trees had very little fruit that year, while those who had left their trees unpruned had a nearly normal crop. In another shemittah year, heavy winds had caused damage to the fruit crop, but again those who had left their trees unpruned sustained far less damage.”

Notice however that, in accordance with the Bible [not Rabbinic interpretation], as explained in the second installment of this series, fruit trees are not included in the provisions of the Land Sabbath, anyhow.

On the other hand, as mentioned, some maintain that the Church of God must enforce the Land Sabbath and the Jubilee Year in their entirety, and they are faulting the Church for not doing so. For instance, the following has been stated by one author (Richard C. Nickels, www.giveshare.org) who admits, at the same time, that he does not have the answers as to when or how to apply this:

“… in 1973, the Worldwide Church of God issued a policy on Land Sabbath, stating that it is only a principle. Their… teaching is that the Land Sabbath is not a binding law for which the transgression is sin. Thus, they acceded to the Jewish idea of watering down the Land Sabbath. Jewish Rabbis have abrogated the land rest law. Worldwide Church leaders have loosed members from obeying this law.

“When is the Jubilee year? When is the Sabbatical year? The issue is of major importance. Israel went into captivity for not obeying this law. This is a major area Herbert W. Armstrong never understood. Neither do we understand when we are to begin the Jubilee count. If God will send modern Israel into captivity for the same reason as ancient Israel, knowledge must be increased, and Israel must be warned… We look forward to the time when we will understand, and witness the fulfillment, of the Land Sabbath and Jubilee year.”

As stated, both the extreme “liberal” and extreme “conservative” views are wrong. It also needs to be pointed out that the Jews are in disagreement as to when the seven-year cycle of the Land Sabbath begins, culminating in the Jubilee Year. For instance, some point out that the next Land Sabbath should begin in the autumn of 2013, while others maintain, it should be in the fall of 2014.

The correct view has been taught by the Worldwide Church of God, under Herbert W. Armstrong, and later by the Global Church of God, and is being adhered to today by the Church of the Eternal God in the USA and its affiliated organizations, the Global Church of God in the UK and the Church of God, a Christian Fellowship, in Canada. We understand, among other things, that certain provisions within the context of the Land Sabbath and the Jubilee Year cannot be enforced by the Church, as they would have to be the subject of national law.  On the other hand, certain PRINCIPLES do apply today and can and should be followed. In the final installment, we will show you HOW.

(To Be Continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

“Abgoetterei im Buch der Richter” is the title of this week’s German sermon. Its English title would be: “Idolatry in the Book of Judges.” It also covers Christmas, Christmas trees, worship of the Queen of Heaven, speaks of Samson, Gideon, his ephod, and Jephthah, and discusses covetousness.

“Growing Antisemitism in Germany” is the title of our newest StandingWatch program and it is presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. This sobering video relates some of the ominous events in Europe that are developing and which will soon culminate in outright violence! Here is a summary: While German Chancellor Angela Merkel backs Israel and the Jewish people, many Germans are becoming more critical. The strong public support of a court decision banning circumcision in Germany is just one example. Antisemitism has had a long history, even though Jesus Christ, the early apostles and the early New Testament Church were Jewish. Sadly, recent Jewish reactions to imagined injuries have added to antagonistic German feelings. The good news is that once the Jewish people accept Jesus Christ as their God and King in the Millennium, anti-Semitism will become a thing of the past.
 
For those interested in even more details about Europe’s emerging role as a world power, please read our booklet, “Europe in Prophecy“–here is the Introduction:

“The Bible tells us to watch and be ready for the return of  Christ. But watch what? With so much going on in the world, how can we distinguish between important and unimportant news? Just where do we focus our attention?
 
“We see a European power bloc developing. We hear of right-wing activities in Germany and Austria. We listen to the Catholic Church proclaim that it is the only true Church of Christ. Some speculate that these developments could lead to a European economic superstate with one single currency, one political and military system, and even one religion. But would this be a good thing? Would such a Europe be on good terms with the United States of America? Just what does it all mean?
 
“As surprising as it may seem, what is developing in Europe has been foretold, and is happening exactly as prophesied in the pages of a very ancient book—­­the Holy Bible. God inspired the writings in His Book, and His prophecies are real. No man could have foreknown these things, nor could any man have had the power to direct such events to happen exactly as told. But Almighty God has done just that. And He has made it possible for us to know what He is doing in world affairs—past, present and future (Amos 3:7). Without viewing history through the pages of the Bible, we cannot correctly interpret current events. So let us see where God says these events are leading.”