On October 27th, 2012, Eric Rank will give the sermon, titled, respectively, “Just Make It Up As You Go Along?”

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.

While many of us were enjoying a beautiful beach activity at this year’s U.S. Feast, a 10 year old girl was walking to a park a block away from her home.  She planned to meet a friend and continue together to school.  Jessica Ridgeway never made it to the park.  She was abducted, subsequently murdered, then brutally dismembered.  The murderer is still wandering about on the loose and the community is living in fear. 

Satan was created perfect, he was anointed by God as a covering cherub.  He was part of the splendor of heaven, he stood at God’s very throne (see Ezekiel 28:12-15). Today, Satan is the antithesis of all he was created to be.  He is a ravenous beast with an insatiable desire to destroy all that God has created.  “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

We live in Satan’s Kingdom, in a realm growing darker and more insidious every day.  Crimes that defy explanation, that are too gruesome to explain in detail, have become fodder for entertainment.  Mankind deeply breathes in the air that Satan broadcasts his poison into.  The result is separation from God. 

But God can hold back the intentions of Satan.  When Daniel was thrown into the den of lions, even King Darius knew the power God possessed: “But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, ‘Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you’” (Daniel 6:16).  And God kept the beasts from Daniel.  But to the false accusers of Daniel, those whom God’s Hand was not protecting, we read, “and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den” (Daniel 6:24).

We were created with the purpose of becoming part of the Family of God. Don’t forget that!  God wants to protect us, to shield us from Satan.  He requires one key ingredient, the willingness to continually serve Him.  With that attitude we have nothing to fear from the beast constantly circling us.

We begin with scary reports involving the two American candidates for the US Presidency; the rise of Germany and ongoing developments pertaining to the (prophesied) rocky relationship between the EU and the UK; and the (prophesied) equally rocky relationship between the EU and the state of Israel.

We are especially focusing on developments in Lebanon; Syria; Iran; Egypt; Libya; Ethiopia; and other African nations, in the light of biblical prophecy, showing, among others, the complete failure of the “Arab Spring”; reporting on nagging questions as to what really happened in Libya on September 11, 2012; and we are bringing you interesting excerpts about the city of Petra in the state of Jordan. Petra played an important role in history and is mentioned in the Bible in several places, and it might perhaps have some significance in the future.

We are concluding with incredible news regarding Japan’s disastrous Fukushima nuclear power facility and an article about the Catholic Church’s false concept of “veneration” of the blood of a dead pope.

Global Power in Decline

Der Spiegel Online wrote on October 23:

“The US faces many pressing issues in the near future. But none of them got much air time on Monday night in the debate between President Barack Obama and his challenger Mitt Romney. Instead, the two candidates… reveal a global power on the decline.

“Ed Luce, the sage Financial Times columnist, knows from his country’s own history all about the decline of global powers. A Briton who loves America, Luce has sought to provide the United States with well-meaning counsel… so that America’s decline might remain but a horror scenario…

“Americans no longer want their country to be a global police force… neither Obama nor Romney have shown a real interest in the Muslim world… the president did little thereafter to ensure that progress was made. The only regional issue that appears to be high on his priority list is Iran’s nuclear program. Romney’s plan for the region appears to consist almost entirely of unconditional support for Israel. Both candidates want to continue using drones unhindered.

“… both Obama on the left and Romney on the right are focused on winning the support of a public that is tired of war, a public that is largely united in the wish to reconstruct their own country rather than nations abroad. That is understandable for a country in crisis. But it is also a crisis for a great nation.”

Not Much Interest in Foreign Policy

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 23:

“… the nation is still deeply split over the direction that the country should take… The [final] debate, which took place in Boca Raton, Florida, showed Romney concerned above all not to look like a warmonger but like a confident national leader. He toned down his attacks on Obama and moderated his rhetoric. And he moved his position toward the center – a tactic which he used in the first debate, and which knocked Obama off his stride…

“Like the earlier debates, this one did not tell us much more about policy details. The president has still not explained how it was that the requests made by the consulate in Benghazi to reinforce the security staff there were not met. Neither side can offer any ideas or initiatives which could move toward a solution of the Middle East conflict, and Romney too wants to bring the troops back home from Afghanistan by the end of the 2014, just as Obama and NATO plan to do…

“But the debate also made something else clear: foreign and security policy are not the issues which interest the voters, and both sides know that. In a Gallup poll in October, 37 percent of Americans said that the economy was the country’s most urgent problem and 26 percent said it was unemployment, which currently stands at 7.8 percent. After those two came the budget deficit and general dissatisfaction with the government – foreign policy issues came way down the list. It was different in 2004: the Iraq war came top back then, with 23 percent. The USA is currently concentrating on itself.

“So it was no surprise that Romney repeatedly moved the discussion back to domestic policy: the poor economy, high unemployment, health reform, education. This is where his real contrast with the president lies: while Romney wants to see the role of the state reduced and expects the free market to bring the country back on to its feet, Obama wants to use the resources of the state to get the country moving…

“The nation is undecided as to which policy is better. And this indecisiveness will probably mean that neither of the two parties will have a clear mandate in Washington and that this will make it harder to solve the country’s economic problems. Obama would still face a Republican-dominated House of Representatives, while Romney would probably have to deal with a Democrat majority in the Senate.

“So, while Romney promises to give more money to the Pentagon and to build more ships, while he says he wants to make America stronger and lead the world, he may well have to sober up when he finds out that he hasn’t got the money he needs. The new president will have his hands full reducing the record government deficit, the public debt and unemployment. Foreign policy will have to take a back seat…”

Our new StandingWatch program, “US—Global Power in Decline,” explains the significance of these developments.

“Berlin, Europe’s New Capital”

The Financial Times wrote on October 22:

“Berlin does not feel like an imperial city. The new government buildings – the chancellor’s office, the Bundestag and the foreign ministry – have all been designed with plenty of glass and natural light, to emphasise transparency and democracy. The finance ministry is, admittedly, housed in the old headquarters of the Luftwaffe. But most of the grandest architecture – Unter den Linden and the Brandenburg gate – is a legacy of the Prussian kings…

“Berlin is increasingly the de facto capital of the EU. Of course the EU’s main institutions – the commission and the council – are still based in Brussels. But the key decisions are increasingly made in Berlin.

“Will Greece have to leave the euro? Ultimately, it will be Germany’s call. Will politicians support further bailouts for southern Europe? The vital debates will take place in the Bundestag in Berlin – not in the European parliament. Who does the International Monetary Fund call about the euro crisis? The most important conversations take place with the German government and the European Central Bank in Frankfurt – not the European Commission.

“This shift in power from Brussels to Berlin has been accelerated by the euro crisis. Naturally, the German chancellor Angela Merkel still has to go to summits in Brussels and strike deals. She was there only last week. But the euro crisis means that Ms Merkel is now incomparably the most important leader at the table.

“For different reasons, the leaders of all the other big EU nations arrive in Brussels in a weak position. Spain and Italy are struggling with their debt crises – and so have become supplicants. The British have opted out of the single currency and the new structures that the eurozone is putting together – so they are marginalised. The Poles are also not in the euro, and have a relatively small economy.

“That leaves France. By tradition, a Franco-German partnership is at the heart of any EU deal. For many years, summits were preceded by a separate Franco-German meeting and a joint letter from the two nations. When Nicolas Sarkozy was still in the Elysée, his relationship with Chancellor Merkel was so close that ‘Merkozy’ became a journalistic shorthand for Europe’s dominant duo.

“Even then, many were sceptical. One top EU official scoffed that – ‘France needs Germany to disguise how weak it is. Germany needs France to disguise how strong it is.’ Now even the disguises have dropped away… Some argue that the Franco-German partnership has always gone through rough patches – and that the two nations will inevitably get together again. This time, however, it could be different. The power gap between France and Germany has become too obvious; and the issues that divide them are too fundamental… the relative economic strength of Germany could prove decisive – particularly if, as many in Berlin suspect, France is heading for a profound economic crisis.

“This steady accretion of power to Germany is greeted with ambivalence in Berlin. For obvious historical reasons, postwar Germany has never sought a dominant role within Europe. After reunification, the goal was always said to be ‘a European Germany, not a German Europe’. That instinct to try to submerge German interests within a general European identity remains powerful. But exasperation with rule-breaking and fiscal incontinence elsewhere in Europe is making the Germans less shy about insisting on the need for a more ‘German’ Europe. The price of German financial assistance is, increasingly, going to be the acceptance of rules and laws designed in Berlin… The Germans insist that they are completely committed to the euro and to the EU – and they are determined to make them work.”

Germany is destined to lead Europe, and Great Britain will most likely not be a part of it, as also the next article seems to conclude.

The UK and the EU

The EUObserver wrote on October 19:

“The UK sees banking union and deeper integration of the eurozone as a chance to renegotiate its own status in the Union, Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed to reporters at the EU summit in Brussels… he emphasised that deepening integration of the eurozone-17 would also change the nature of Britain’s place in the EU… he said ‘the single currency needs a banking union and we won’t stand in the way even though we won’t be involved.’ He added that the new supervisory framework…  would be a ‘massive change’ for the EU… However, he insisted that he would not back the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. ‘Leaving the EU is not in our national interests, we are a trading nation and around 50 percent of our trade is with the EU,’ he said.

“Under the banking union proposals agreed last night, the ECB will begin work as the single supervisor of the eurozone’s banking sector in 2013, with the legal framework to be in place by the end of 2012. Cameron’s… comments are the latest sign that the UK sees eurozone integration as a chance to loosen its relationship with the EU. Last week, home secretary Theresa May confirmed that the UK would use its right under the Lisbon Treaty to opt out of over 130 legal acts on justice and home affairs policy. The opt-out includes co-operation on cross-border crime as well as the controversial European Arrest Warrant, which allows criminal suspects to be easily extradited to face charges across the EU. The move has caused consternation in Brussels.

“Manfred Weber, a German centre-right MEP on the justice and home affairs committee, accused the UK of ‘destroying’ measures to increase co-operation between member states on cross-border crime and policing… Finnish Europe minister, Alex Stubb, told summit reporters on Thursday (18 October) that the UK was ‘saying bye-bye to Europe.’ Cameron has come under concerted pressure from factions of his Tory party to call an ‘in/out’ referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU. Surveys by the ConservativeHome website have indicated that a majority of party members would vote for EU withdrawal.”

Whether Mr. Cameron will or will not want to support the UK’s withdrawal from the EU might be immaterial and inconsequential. The Bible strongly indicates that the UK will be leaving or forced to leave the EU.

Israel vs. the EU

The EUObserver wrote on October 20:

“Israel has told the EU to fix its crisis instead of interfering in settlement expansion. Its foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, made the comments in a statement on Saturday (20 October) in reaction to a previous EU communique. He said: ‘The EU should focus on the problems that are surfacing between different nations on European soil. After these issues are successfully resolved, we will gladly hear any suggestions regarding a solution to the problems with the Palestinians.’ He added: ‘These automatic [EU] condemnations indicate a lack of a basic understanding of the reality in the region … [Gilo] is an inseparable part of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem is an inseparable part of Israel.’

“The EU foreign service on Friday criticised Israel’s decision to build 797 new housing units in the Jewish-only Gilo settlement, in Palestinian-owned but Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem. Construction is creating a Jewish ring around the old part of the city, which is holy for both Muslims and Jews. ‘Together these developments continue the process of separating East Jerusalem from the rest of the occupied Palestinian territory,’ EU foreign service chief Catherine Ashton said.

“The EU routinely criticises settlements but never follows up with sanctions, as suggested by its own ambassadors on the ground.  It is currently drafting a voluntary code of conduct for labels on settlement-made exports to help EU consumers boycott the goods, however.

“Meanwhile, also on Saturday, Israeli navy boarded and seized the Estelle, a Finnish-flagged ship which set sail for Gaza from Naples on 7 October carrying about 20 people in protest at Israel’s military blockade of Palestinian-controlled Gaza. The EU has in the past also called for Israel to relax the blockade…”

The Bible predicts that the relationship between the EU and the state of Israel will continue to deteriorate.

Lebanon Mourns Murder of al-Hassan

Deutsche Welle reported on October 20:

“Angry protestors took to the streets of Lebanon on Saturday, protesting what local media report is a response to the killing of a top-security official a day earlier. Local television stations say the demonstrations occurred in the mainly Sunni Muslim areas of Beirut, the southern city of Sidon and Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli. Lebanon’s cabinet held an emergency meeting chaired by President Michel Suleiman to discuss Friday’s bombing in a mainly Christian district of Beirut, which killed internal intelligence chief General Wissam al-Hassan. The killing amounted to one of Lebanon’s highest profile killings since the 2005 assassination of the former Lebanese premier, Rafiq Hariri.

“Hariri’s son Saad and Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt on Friday accused President Bashar Assad of neighboring war-torn Syria of being behind what they called ‘the assassination.’… Lebanon’s cabinet, which is dominated by the pro-Syria Shiite Muslim movement Hezbollah, called for a day of mourning on Saturday….

“At least 80 people were also wounded in Friday’s attack, which has been condemned by many Western nations, including the governments of Syria and Iran… Friday’s attack has rekindled memories of Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war when Syrian troops entered the country under an Arab League mandate. International outcry, which followed Hariri’s assassination in 2005, eventually prompted Syria to withdraw its troops. No one has ever been tried for Hariri’s murder, but a UN-backed tribunal accused four members of Hezbollah.”

Deutsche Welle had published the following article, on September 29, about the controversial role of Hezbollah in Lebanon:

“Hezbollah, the dominant party in the Lebanese government, is closely allied with the Syrian regime. With Assad’s future uncertain, Hezbollah has a tricky balance to maintain. The so-called ‘Party of God’ has undergone a dramatic transformation since it was founded 30 years ago. The stimuli for its creation were the Islamic Revolution in Iran and the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Hezbollah’s stated aims were resistance against Israel, and establishing an Islamic state in Lebanon. In the years that followed, Hezbollah slowly began to integrate itself into the Lebanese political system. In 1992 it participated in parliamentary elections for the first time. It abandoned its aim of establishing an Islamic state in the country…

“But there is a definite limit on the extent to which the party is willing to adapt. It remains a state within a state, and has refused to disband its militia, rejecting any form of disarmament or integration into the Lebanese army. It still sees itself as part of an Iranian-Syrian coalition, a bulwark against American and Israeli interests in the region… Despite the increasingly serious situation in Syria and the possibility that the current regime there will fall, Hezbollah is one of the political forces in the region that still remains loyal to Assad… in the Lebanese media there is increasing debate over Hezbollah’s clear alignment with Assad. More and more people are saying it is in a dilemma…”

The civil war in Syria seems to engulf more and more countries in the region—first Turkey, and now Lebanon. It is being rumored that sooner or later, Western powers might intervene militarily to prevent this situation from escalating even further. Note also the next article.

Syria Killed Hassan

Der Spiegel Online wrote on October 22:

“After Hassan’s state funeral on Sunday, opposition protests erupted into violence in Beirut… German newspapers said that it comes as no surprise that Lebanon is now being dragged into the Syrian civil war. They argue that if violence continues, it will only be a matter of time before the West will have to become involved as well.

“The Financial Times Deutschland writes: 

“‘Lebanon’s fate has always been closely tied to that of Syria. The power and religious fault lines between the Shiites and the Sunnis run through both countries, and have become more active as a result of the Arab Spring, which has strengthened the Sunnis in the region. The Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah, which supports the current government, is thought to be the extension of the powerful clique surrounding Syrian President Bashar Assad — and is also supported by Iran. The Sunnis, on the other hand, are supported by Saudi Arabia and the US for religious and geopolitical reasons… For a deeply divided Lebanon, the coming days may prove decisive as to whether the country will be pulled into the Syrian conflict. It would be an escalation that could force the West to become more involved in the Syrian civil war than it wants to — because Israel would be placed in even greater danger.'”

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes:

“‘It is little consolation that this escalation was only a matter of time: The civil war in Syria threatens to tear open old fronts in Lebanon… The relationship between Syria and Lebanon has always been symbiotic. Even at the end of the 20th century, Syria dominated its smaller neighbor economically, militarily and politically. First the bomb attack on former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005 drove the Lebanese to the streets and pushed the Syrian army out of the country. The regime in Damascus considered that … to be intolerable. Now another attack has shaken the nation and again all eyes have turned to Syria. The murder of Lebanese intelligence chief Wissam al-Hassan removes one of Assad’s most effective opponents in Beirut. Those wanting to trigger an eruption in an already wobbly country could not have found a better target.’

“The center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes:

“‘The intent behind the killing of intelligence chief Wissam al-Hassan is clear. It was Syria’s attempt to rid itself of a person who had been blocking attempts to destabilize Lebanon as a distraction from the war at home… Syria’s civil war is jumping the borders in an increasingly threatening manner. Turkey already has its army on high alert and Israel practiced defense measures on Sunday…’”

The Middle East is indeed a powder keg which is bound to ignite—and no one knows for sure what exactly will trigger the explosion, as there are SO MANY trouble spots over there.

Dangerous Trends in Egypt

FP (Foreign Policy) wrote on October 20:

“[A] poll of 812 Egyptians, half of them women, was conducted in a series of in-person interviews by the firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner and sponsored by the Israel Project, a pro-Israel advocacy organization with offices in Washington and Jerusalem. According to the poll, Iran is viewed favorably in Egypt, with 65 percent of those surveyed expressing support of the decision to renew Egypt-Iran relations and 61 percent expressing support of the Iranian nuclear project, versus 41 percent in August 2009. Sixty-two percent of those polled agreed that ‘Iran and its president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, are friends of Egypt,’ though 68 percent held unfavorable views of Shiite Muslims.

“Iran’s deputy defense minister said recently that the Iranian regime is seeking more military cooperation with Egypt. ‘We are ready to help Egypt to build nuclear reactors and satellites,’ he said on the occasion [of] Egyptian President Mohammed Morsy’s meeting with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last month…

“Eighty-seven percent of respondents want Egypt to have its own nuclear bomb… 74 percent… said that [they] disapprove of Egypt having diplomatic relations with Israel — an increase from 26 percent in August 2009… Seventy-seven percent agreed that ‘The peace treaty with Israel is no longer useful and should be dissolved.’… Forty percent felt warmly about the Muslim Brotherhood’s Freedom and Justice Party, but only 11 percent felt warmly about the Salafist Nour Party, a hard-line Islamist party that fared well in the parliamentary elections.

“American politicians fared poorly in the poll, but among them Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was the most popular at 25 percent favorability. President Barack Obama scored 16 percent and Republican nominee Mitt Romney only 8 percent, although only half of Egyptians polled knew who Romney was. (Ahmadinejad’s favorability rating? Forty-three percent.)… Asked, ‘Do you think that President Barack Obama is more on the side of Arabs or more on the side of Israel?,’ 68 percent of Egyptians said Israel, and 60 percent said that Obama’s presidency had been ‘a negative thing’ for the Arab world.”

We do not know to what extent the results of this poll are representative of the Egyptian population as a whole, but they show the negative developments resulting from the anti-Western “Arab Spring.” Whether Egypt and Iran will form a confederacy is doubtful—the Bible does not indicate this—but the Scriptures do tell us much about the future of both countries and their stance against the state of Israel and the USA. Please review our new booklet, “Middle Eastern and African Nations in Bible Prophecy.”

Africa Without Gadhafi

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 20:

“In the Ugandan capital, Kampala, there is a Gadhafi mosque, which leads to Gadhafi street. ‘Gadhafi was a very good friend to Uganda over the years ,’ says Fred Opolot, Uganda’s government spokesperson. A key figure in the Ugandan independence movement, Gadhafi holds a permanent place in the country’s history… Paying for his friendship with Uganda, Gadhafi invested $375 million (286 million euros) in that African nation. The money came from Libya’s oil revenues and found its way into the Ugandan telephone system and the Tropical Bank, among other places…

“Gadhafi was a welcome financer of the African economy. Libyan investments were scattered across the continent and ranged from luxury hotels from Kenya to Ghana, to rubber factories in Liberia, fruit juice plants in Guinea, and telephone companies and motor vehicle service stations throughout East Africa… Libyan investment in Africa is now a thing of the past… Libya is broke, the oil industry has virtually collapsed and the security situation there is extremely poor.

“For many African countries… Gadhafi’s death was a loss in economic terms. It is unclear what is going to happen to all the companies, hotels and plantations. Many African leaders are wary of the new Libyan government…

“Strange as it may seem now, the African Union owes its existence to one of Gadhafi’s initiatives… It was Gadhafi who set the agenda, but he had the money… Without Libyan funding, the AU now has financial problems… One year after Gadhafi’s demise, new players have taken the spotlight. South Africa… can now be expected to speak with greater authority on the political front. New investors have already arrived. The new headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa [Ethiopia], which cost $200 million, was a gift from China.”

As we can see, the Arab Spring revolution has not helped, but rather destroyed the economy of Libya. But the AU is still alive, being headquartered in Ethiopia. For more information on the prophetic role which Ethiopia will play in the future, please see our new booklet, “Middle Eastern and African Nations in Bible Prophecy.” Note also the interesting developments in Libya on September 11, 2012, and the dubious role which the US Government seemed to be playing in this respect.

What Happened on September 11, 2012?

Fox News reported on October 24:

“Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pushed back Wednesday on the suggestion that Sept. 11 emails implicating an Al Qaeda-tied group in the Libya consulate attack were proof of terrorist involvement… But the group is a prime suspect. Indeed, one suspect in custody in Tunisia is a member of Ansar al-Sharia…

“Three Republican senators, in a letter Wednesday to the White House, said they were ‘disturbed’ by the latest email revelations, claiming it ‘adds to the confusion’ about what the administration knew of the attacks.

“‘In television interviews nearly a week after the events in Benghazi, you yourself even refused to describe it as a terrorist attack, instead emphasizing the role played by a hateful video. This concerted misrepresentation of the facts of the case — facts that, it appears, you and your administration possessed almost as soon as the attack began — is why so many of our constituents are demanding a fuller explanation of why your administration responded as it did,’ wrote Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; John McCain, R-Ariz.; and Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H. They called on the president to ‘address the American people directly’ on what happened.

“Though the emails… are just one piece of the puzzle, they reveal some of the most detailed information yet about what officials knew in the initial hours after the attack. And they again raise questions about why U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice, apparently based on intelligence assessments, would claim five days after the attack that it was a ‘spontaneous’ reaction to protests over an anti-Islam film… an estimated 300 to 400 national security figures received these emails in real time almost as the raid was playing out and concluding. People who received these emails work directly under the nation’s top national security, military and diplomatic officials…

“… the newly uncovered emails clearly state the involvement of a militant group whose agenda is to establish an Islamic state in eastern Libya.”

This is rather interesting, also in light of what the next article points out.

Anti-Muslim Filmmaker Detained and Muzzled in LA

The Washington Times wrote on October 20:

“Nakoula Basseley Nakoula, the 55-year-old filmmaker responsible for the anti-Muslim video that President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice initially and wrongly blamed for inciting the deadly terrorist attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, is still being held at the Los Angeles Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) without bond. It has been almost one month since Mr. Nakoula was arrested for allegedly violating the terms of his probation for a 2010 bank-fraud conviction. According to reports, under his probation, Mr. Nakoula was prohibited from using computers and the internet without supervision…

“‘Nakoula was ordered detained — held without bond — by a federal judge, who determined he posed a flight risk,’ said Thom Mrozek of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. Mr. Nakoula’s next court date is on November 9, three days after the presidential election. In the meantime, while the Obama administration passes blame around over who dropped the ball with the attack in Benghazi, Mr. Nakoula remains locked up and muzzled in a Los Angeles detention center until after the ballots for president are counted on November 6.”

“Unlocking the Mysteries of Petra”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on October 19:

“The ruins of the ancient city of Petra lay hidden until 1812, when a Swiss explorer stumbled upon them in modern-day Jordan… The discovery of the ancient desert city of Petra by Swiss explorer and Orientalist Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812 is considered a great moment in history. Far away from all settlements, surrounded by dust and shimmering air, he had discovered what Lawrence of Arabia would later describe as the ‘most beautiful place on Earth.’ Today, Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage site…

“Two centuries after Burckhardt’s discovery of the rock-cut city in Jordan, the Basel Museum of Ancient Art is exhibiting the latest archaeological finds from the ‘Atlantis of the Desert.’ Four teams of scientists — from France, Germany, Switzerland and the United States — are currently working at the site…

“Petra was once an oasis with irrigated gardens and streets lined with temples and luxurious homes… Around 400 B.C., the Nabataeans established a trade network stretching from southern Arabia to today’s Gaza Strip… The Nabataeans had a system for guarding the caravan route, established rest areas in the wilderness, and supplied water and food for the more than 3,000-kilometer journey through the desert… Petra apparently served as a central warehouse for… valuable goods, a sort of safe that could be protected very effectively. The narrow gorge that provides access to the city is less than three meters wide in places. Thus, all it took was a few soldiers to stop entire armies…

“This mixture of Western and Arab influence is also typical of the religion of ancient desert dwellers. Some of their temples contained statues of Dionysus and Isis. At the same time, they worshipped a strange ‘fish goddess’ who wore dolphins in her hair. But their supreme god, Dushara, had no human features at all. His likeness was a black, cubical stone somewhat like the Kaaba, the massive, cube-shaped religious structure in Mecca.

“… archaeologists have been able to figure out how the Nabataeans’ water system worked. Six long-distance pipelines brought fresh water in from the surrounding mountains several kilometers away, and clay pipes were installed in the city itself. The residents diverted a river, and there were also hundreds of cisterns to capture rainwater. The largest had a capacity of up to 300 cubic meters of water…

“Not surprisingly, there were those who envied the Nabataeans. The Persians and the Greeks tried to put a stop to their profiteering, and the Romans dispatched a force to Petra in 63 B.C. But the Nabataeans cunningly defended their freedom… It wasn’t until [many] years later that the Nabataeans were finally defeated, and Rome incorporated its territory into its Arabia Petraea province. After that, Petra fell into a deep slumber. The temples decayed, and goatherds used the tombs as stalls for their animals.”

For a long time, the Church of God has wondered whether the end-time place of safety, which is mentioned in the Bible as a place of protection for many of God’s people, might be Petra. Will Petra be awakened out of its “deep slumber”? Even though nobody knows for sure, the above-mentioned facts are interesting in light of biblical prophecy and innuendos. For more information, please read our Q&A on the place of safety. 

Fukushima Nuclear Power Facility–A Worldwide Catastrophe Coming?

Natural News wrote the following on October 16:

“Though the mainstream media has long since abandoned the issue, the precarious situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power facility in Japan is only continuing to worsen, according to a prominent Japanese official. During a recent interview, Mitsuhei Murata, the former Japanese Ambassador to both Switzerland and Senegal, explained that the ground beneath the plant’s Unit 4 is gradually sinking, and that the entire structure is very likely on the verge of complete collapse. This is highly concerning, as Unit 4 currently holds more than 1,500 spent nuclear fuel rods, and a collective 37 million curies of deadly radiation that, if released, could make much of the world completely uninhabitable.

“… Unit 4 contains the infamous elevated cooling pool that was severely damaged following the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami that struck on March 11, 2011. According to the Secretary of former Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, the ground beneath Unit 4 has already sunk by about 31.5 inches since the disaster, and this sinking has taken place unevenly. If the ground continues to sink, which it is expected to, or if another earthquake of even as low as a magnitude six occurs in the region, the entire structure could collapse, which would fully drain the cooling pool and cause a catastrophic meltdown.

“‘If Unit 4 collapses, the [worst] case scenario will be a meltdown, and a resultant fire in the atmosphere. That will be the most unprecedented crisis that man has ever experienced. Nobody will be able to approach the plants … as all will have melted down and caused a big fire,’ said Murata during the interview. ‘Many scientists say if Unit 4 collapses, not only will Japan lie in ruin, but the entire world will also face serious damages.’

“Because there are 31 nuclear units of a similar type to Unit 4 in the U.S., the American government has been downplaying the disaster to protect its own reputation, alleges Murata. This is, in fact, the primary reason why so little has been reported on the severity of Fukushima following the disaster. The American empire, in other words, does not want the world, nor the American people, to know that there is the possibility of literally dozens of Fukushima situations occurring on American soil, should the right disaster situations arise.”

As so often, the mainstream media keeps silent about these developments, for obvious reasons. One must really ask the question HOW MUCH the mainstream media is actually willing to report, on ANY given subject.

Veneration of a Pope’s Blood?

VIS reported on October 19:

“A relic of Blessed John Paul II will be transported to the French shrine of Lourdes during a pilgrimage… containing blood of John Paul II, so that it can be seen and venerated by pilgrims from all over the world.”

To “venerate” the blood of a man is in stark contrast to biblical teaching that tells us that we are saved by the blood of Christ alone. Of course, the whole concept surrounding the shrine of Lourdes is questionable and dangerous. Please read our free booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World.” 

In John 11:35 we read the shortest verse in the Bible in the English translation: “Jesus wept”. It is only in the book of John that we read about the death and raising from the dead of Lazarus by Jesus.

Wikipedia states that: “In some places in the English-speaking world, including the UK, Ireland (particularly Dublin) and Australia, the phrase ‘Jesus wept’ is a common expletive, curse or minced oath spoken when something goes wrong or to express mild incredulity.”

Unfortunately, it appears that a number of authors also use this two-word-verse as en expletive in their writings.  

Why did Jesus weep at this particular time? Many authors and commentaries have offered numerous ideas and explanations.

For example, Matthew Henry’s Commentary states the following: “Different constructions were put upon Christ’s weeping. Some made a kind and candid interpretation of it, and what was very natural (John 11:36): ‘Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!’ They seem to wonder that he should have so strong an affection for one to whom he was not related, and with whom he had not had any long acquaintance. Others made a peevish unfair reflection upon it, as if these tears bespoke his inability to help his friend.”

In Wesley’s Notes we read:   “Jesus wept – Out of sympathy with those who were in tears all around him, as well as from a deep sense of the misery sin had brought upon human nature.”

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible states:   “Jesus wept.  As he was going along to the grave, see John 11:28; as he was meditating upon the state of his friend Lazarus, the distress his two sisters were in, and the greater damnation that would befall the Jews then present, who, notwithstanding the miracle, would not believe in him. This shows him to be truly and really man, subject to like passions, only without sin.”

Wikipedia adds that “the death and raising of Lazarus portends the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Another stated theory is that Jesus felt the trauma that Lazarus would experience when transitioning from a short stay in Paradise back to a very troubled Earth. Pope Leo I summed it up this way: ‘In his humanity Jesus wept for Lazarus; in his divinity he raised him from the dead.’”  This explanation is clearly wrong, as Lazarus was dead and in his grave—not in a Paradise in heaven.

Some feel that Jesus wept because He felt sorrow, sympathy, and compassion for all mankind.  Others think that it was the rage He felt against the tyranny of death over mankind.

Let us look more closely at the passage in question. In John 11 we read that Lazarus was sick. In verse 4 it states: “When Jesus heard that, He said, ‘This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.’” Jesus stayed where He was for two more days, and verse 11 states: “These things He said, and after that He said to them, ‘Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.’”

In the space of two days, Jesus had said that the sickness was not for death (that is, Lazarus would not remain dead, but would shortly be brought back to life), and that He would go and wake him up. His disciples were thinking of normal daily sleep, not the sleep of death, and “Then Jesus said to them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead…’ (verse 14). 

Why then did Jesus weep at the grave, knowing that He would raise up Lazarus within the next moment?

The disciples had seen Jesus perform many miracles. In Matthew 17:14-21 we read the following:  “And when they had come to the multitude, a man came to Him, kneeling down to Him and saying, ‘Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and suffers severely; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.’ Then Jesus answered and said, ‘O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.’ And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, ‘Why could we not cast it out?’ So Jesus said to them, ‘Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.’”

It is obvious from this passage that the disciples lacked sufficient faith to heal the boy, and Jesus was obviously frustrated at this (see verse 17). This problem of lack of faith is also highlighted in Matthew 8:8-10: “The centurion answered and said, ‘Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, “Go,” and he goes; and to another, “Come,” and he comes; and to my servant, “Do this,” and he does it.’ When Jesus heard it, He marvelled, and said to those who followed, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!’”

Faith always seemed to be in short supply. There was further unbelief shown in John 11:37: “And some of them (the Jews) said, ‘Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?’” Here was doubt again!

In spite of all of the miracles that Jesus performed, there always seemed to be doubt. In John 11:25-26 we read that: “Jesus said to her (Martha), ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’”

Jesus was trying to tell Martha what He was about to do (see verse 23 where Jesus told her that her brother would rise again). But even though Martha had said that she knew that whatever He asked of God, God would give to Him (verse 22), she could not really see or believe that Lazarus would be raised up right there and then. Even though she said that she believed that He was the prophesied Christ and the Son of God (verse 27), she could not comprehend what Jesus would do, thinking He was talking about the resurrection at the last day (verse 24).

It seemed that even His close disciples and friends, and those who had seen such awesome miracles performed, failed to recognise what He was really capable of doing. They lived in grief and sorrow, confused and scattered, incapable of finding a way out of misery, discomfort, frustration and pain. They needed help.

Christ was a man full of compassion (Matthew 9:36). When He saw the grief of the people, including the ones whom He loved (see verse 5), it had undoubtedly an impact on Him and His emotions. We read that when Jesus saw Mary’s and the Jews’ weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled (verse 33). Jesus wept with those who wept (compare Romans 12:15).

In addition, in light of what we discussed above, there seems to be an even more compelling explanation as to why Jesus wept. He was grieved about their doubt about Him and His ability to heal, and their lack of faith and vision.

It is a good lesson for us today, not to doubt what God and Jesus Christ can do in our lives and to make sure that we believe what the Word of God clearly reveals to us.

Lead Writers: Brian Gale (UK) and Norbert Link

A new member letter has been written by the church ministry with reports from our two Feast sites–Pismo Beach, California, and Deganwy in North Wales. In this letter–along with reports for future plans regarding new Feast locations and next year’s Church Conference–we reflect on the terrible conditions this world faces as the time of great tribulation grows ever closer. This letter is available to read/download at our website.

Norbert Link recorded a German sermon, titled, “The end of Captivity,” addressing the end of the slavery for Israel and Judah, after Christ’s Return.

“USA—Global Power in Decline,” is the latest StandingWatch program–here is the summary: The October 22, 2012 presidential debate on foreign policy—which happened 50 years after John F. Kennedy’s Address to the Nation on the Cuba Missile Crisis—did not bring anything substantially new, except this: The two candidates revealed a global power on the decline and a crisis for a great nation, with foreign policy having to take a back seat for the USA in the future. In light of the highly praised but totally misunderstood developments of the Arab Spring, this vacuum will be filled. And it is Germany as the leader of the EU, which will fill it. But that is not good news.

Also, the recent sermon, “Satan Is Alive,” given by Norbert Link, has now been posted on YouTube.

On October 20th, 2012, Norbert Link will give a report on the activities in Germany and the Feast in North Wales, and he will give the sermon, titled, “Satan is Alive.”
 
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.

How are you doing?

After celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles and returning to your regular routines, are you handling it well? Do you have the post-Feast blues? Does the Feast seem like it was ages ago already? Have you lost the spiritual energy you had? Or are you picking up spiritual momentum, growing, and inspired to improve yourself?

When we read about the parable of the sower in Mark 4:4-9, it is clear that we can receive the Word of God in many different ways. In each example Jesus gives, the seed is initially received with some capacity to succeed in its potential to grow. During the Feast of Tabernacles, we had the opportunity to learn, meditate, and share the good news of the Kingdom of God with many like-minded people. That seed, the knowledge of God’s true plan to bring you and me into His Family, was sown abundantly during the Feast. I’m sure it was received with best intentions of profiting with it. Now that the Feast of Tabernacles is a couple of weeks behind you, how are you doing?

Has Satan taken away the word that was sown in your heart with the temptations of the world? Has the word that was sown grown shallow roots in your life causing your will to be weak? Have you allowed other things to claim higher priority in your life, causing the truth to be choked out?

These are difficult questions to wrestle with, but each one of us is responsible for giving an account for what we are doing with the investment that God has given to us. As Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 4:17, “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?” Since God is testing us now, since God is working to develop our character now, we must progress, or we will suffer the consequences. However, it should cause abundant excitement for you to know that God believes in your ability to succeed. He does not sow His seed with the expectation of failure.

It is very easy to come away from the millennial environment we have been privileged to experience and become discouraged — very easy. Are you discouraged, or have you begun to bear fruit? Whatever the answer is – the true and honest answer, not the answer you think you should respond with – I encourage you to not lose your momentum. Even if you have already lost your focus, I challenge you to find it again and do something with it. Continue to learn and grow. Encourage each other to do the same. And above all, keep your faith that God will complete the work that He has started in you.  “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16).

Brethren, we have something great to look forward to. Don’t lose sight.

We begin with reporting on the controversial decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union. We then focus on biblically prophesied developments in Europe, showing the coming establishment of a two-speed Europe and a European fortress or super state; and report on the ongoing debate on the legality or illegality and the unpopularity of circumcision in Germany and a unique treaty between the German government and the Catholic and Protestant churches regarding the mandatory collection of a church tax from church members.

We then address comments of influential fanatic Islamists in the Middle East, calling for war against the USA and Israel; and conclude with the ongoing conflict between Turkey and Syria, which has the potential of setting the entire world on fire, and the relationship between China and Japan.

And the Winner Is…

Der Spiegel Online wrote on October 13:

“The decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union has divided the Continent. While European leaders in Brussels and national capitals are basking in the glow provided by the unexpected honor, euroskeptics in the EU have unleashed their contempt for the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

“In Britain, Friday’s award has been the subject of particularly heated commentary. Iain Martin, a columnist with the conservative Daily Telegraph dismissed the prize as ‘beyond parody.’ He writes that the prize has been awarded prematurely because ‘we have no idea how the experiment to create an anti-democratic federation will end’… Instead, he writes, it was the Brits and the Americans who brought peace to the Continent.

“Members of the House of Commons with the conservative Tories described the decision as ‘laughable’ and an ‘April Fool’s Joke.’ Meanwhile, the tabloid Daily Mail runs with photos of protesters in Athens burning a flag emblazoned with a swastika during this week’s visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and quotes the head of the Tory party in the European Parliament, Martin Callanan, as stating, ‘Presumably this prize is for the peace and harmony on the streets of Athens and Madrid.’ …

“In Greece, a spokesperson for the opposition Syriza party said that, because of the EU, ‘we are experiencing what really is a war situation on [a] daily basis … there is nothing peaceful about it.’ Meanwhile, the Norwegian Peace Council declared that the EU in the past year has stood for the ‘opposite of peace.’ In Germany, the conservative daily Die Welt criticized the ‘forced political correctness of a jury that has overlooked the unpleasant reality of the euro crisis’ in awarding the prize…

“German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle is not alone in considering the EU the ‘most successful peace project in history.’ In France, there has also been an overwhelming relief to have the EU viewed positively once again… a statement from the Elysée Palace, the office of President François Hollande, said that ‘every European should be proud to be part of a union that has created peace between long-warring nations’…”

The Telegraph wrote on October 12:

“The decision was widely interpreted as a conscious bid to prop up the single currency – and the bloc itself – in their darkest hour, after the Nobel committee chairman Thorbjorn Jagland warned of a possible return to ‘extremism and nationalism.’ ‘We should do everything we can to safeguard it [the EU], not let it disintegrate. If the euro starts falling apart, then I believe that the internal market will also start falling apart. And then obviously we get new nationalism in Europe,’ he said after announcing the prize in Oslo.

“Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, quickly linked the ‘wonderful selection’ to her country’s efforts to save the 17-nation eurozone. ‘I often say that the euro is more than a currency, and we should not forget that these weeks and months we have spent working to strengthen the euro. At the end of the day it is about the original idea of a union of peace and of values,’ she told reporters…

“Even so, the award was perhaps not the committee’s most contentious. Barack Obama received the prize just days into his presidency of the United States, while commanding the world’s largest military in two wars. He later sanctioned a dramatic increase in secret drone attacks on militants in Pakistan and elsewhere…”

The Associated Press wrote on October 12:

“To many in the 27-nation bloc, the EU is an unwieldy and unloved agglomeration overseen by a top-heavy bureaucracy devoted to creating arcane regulations about everything from cheese to fishing quotas… ‘First Al Gore, then Obama, now this. Parody is redundant,’ tweeted Daniel Hannan, a euroskeptic European lawmaker… from Britain’s Conservative Party. Gore… was the 2007 recipient for his campaign to fight climate change…

“Nicolas Beger, director of Amnesty International’s Brussels-based EU office, said the union was neglecting its duty to the rest of the world. ‘The EU doesn’t even take remotely its fair share of the refugees of the world,’ he said. ‘It closes its borders, it pushes people back into countries where they are being tortured, it lets them [down].’”

To award the EU with the Nobel Peace Prize seems indeed far-fetched and terribly short-sighted… as have been prior awards, as the articles quoted above point out. According to the Bible, it will be a powerful united Europe which will plunge this world into “great tribulation.” For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.” Please also note the next article.

A Two-Speed Europe, with Britain Outside the Leading Nations

The EUObserver wrote on October 8:

“British conservative Prime Minister David Cameron has said he will block the upcoming EU seven-year budget cycle if it goes against UK interests… Cameron last year vetoed the fiscal compact treaty on budget discipline which commits member states to sign up to a debt brake. ‘I sat round that table – 27 countries, 26 of them signing up to a treaty and I said, “This is not in Britain’s interests, I don’t care how much pressure you put on, I’m not signing, we’re not having it,”’ he said on Sunday. Details of the treaty were fleshed out and then signed by all member states in March, except the UK and the Czech Republic.

“Negotiations are currently underway on the EU’s multi-financial framework budget for the period 2014 to 2020. Some 80 percent of the budget goes to member states and covers everything from farm subsidies to research… All 27 member states need to approve the budget, but Cameron says they must first agree to a ‘proper control’ of spending. He threatened to veto any ‘massive increase.’

“The prime minister also spoke of introducing a separate budget for the 17 member states using the euro. ‘There will come a time I believe where you’re going to need to have two European budgets – one for the single currency, because they’re going to have to support each other much more, and perhaps a wider budget for everybody else,’ he told the BBC.”

We see—as the Bible prophesied—that a two-speed Europe or a core Europe consisting of ten nations or groups of nations, is developing. Europe will consist of those ten nation or groups of nations who have adopted and will maintain the euro, and the rest. Please also note the next three articles, showing an increasing desire to unite militarily, coupled with the attempt to prohibit “unpopular” ministers access to Europe and to make it difficult for minorities in Europe to practice their religious customs.

European Super State Is Coming

The Express wrote on September 12:

“The nations of the EU must join together in a federal state, if the euro is to be saved, the President of the European Commission declared today. Jose Manuel Barroso called for further integration among the states of the EU, calling for a ‘federation of nation states of Europe.’ … The EC chief even claimed that the EU should have its own military force which would be able to intervene in conflicts ‘when needed.’

“His comments come as the highest court in Germany ruled that they would not stand in the way of an international £400billion fund to save the 17 countries of the eurozone by allowing them to lend money without restraint.

“Meanwhile it has been revealed that banks in London could be shut down or forced into bailouts against the wishes of British authorities under a controversial ‘banking union’ proposed by the European Commission. Decisions taken by the powerful body would be automatically binding.”

Der Spiegel Online reported on October 15:

“Great Britain is turning away from the EU and the German government is allowing it to do so. In the future, Chancellor Merkel wants to forge ahead with projects London opposes.”

The Bible has prophesied that such a European Super state under German leadership—without Great Britain–will develop.

Germany Prohibits Entry of Unpopular US Minister

Der Spiegel Online wrote on September 17:

“The German government has barred US pastor Terry Jones from entering the country. Jones… who gained global attention in 2010 by threatening to burn the Koran, has said he backs the anti-Islam film that has sparked worldwide protests. Berlin acted on information that German far-right groups planned to invite him…

“Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has asked the Interior Ministry to prevent Jones from entering the country. A spokesman for the Interior Ministry said Sunday that a visit by Jones would ‘run counter to the interest of maintaining public order.’”

Subsequently, Angela Merkel confirmed that Terry Jones will not be allowed to enter the country. Even though we most certainly do not endorse or support in any way Terry Jones’ opinions and actions, it is a dangerous (but telling) trend to selectively exclude unpopular US ministers from entering (fortress) Europe.

Circumcision in Germany—Welcome or Not?

The Local wrote on October 10:

“If the government has its way, religious circumcision will remain legal in Germany providing it is carried out to medical standards. Angela Merkel’s cabinet agreed [with the] re-drafted legislation on Wednesday…

“As long as the child’s health is not put at risk, and the practitioner carries out the rite in accordance with medical standards, circumcision may be performed. The bill was drawn up in response to a Cologne court decision in June, which said circumcision was tantamount to grievous bodily harm. This united Jewish and Muslim groups in opposition and caused uproar in Israel and Muslim countries.

“But Aiman Mazyek, head of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany, said the concept of a child’s ‘well-being’ was something that needed to be discussed in more depth. ‘In general the new law is going in the right direction,’ he added…

“Dieter Graumann, head of the Central Council for Jews in Germany, was slightly more positive. He hailed the bill as ‘decidedly savvy, well-considered, and fair’… and added it was a definite signal that Jewish and Muslim life was still welcome in Germany.

“Diplomats have admitted that the Cologne ruling was ‘disastrous’ for Germany’s international image, particularly in light of its Nazi past, and the debate even prompted the former head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Charlotte Knobloch, to question whether the country still wanted a Jewish community. About four million Muslims and more than 200,000 Jews live in Germany.”

Parliament must still approve the bill for it to become law. It must be said that even the redrafted proposed law has dangerous loopholes which are bound to be raised in a criminal court of law. In any event, any law permitting circumcision will not change the minds of a majority of the German people who oppose circumcision of little boys. Whether Jews are really welcome in Germany is still the big question of the day.

Catholics Must Pay Special Church Tax

The Daily Mail wrote on September 28:

“Germany’s Catholic Church will deny worshippers the right to Holy Communion and religious burials if people do not pay a special church tax. A newly-enforced German bishops’ decree says anyone failing to pay the tax – an extra 8% of their income tax bill – will no longer be considered a Catholic.

“All people in Germany must pay this tax if they want to worship in either Catholic or protestant churches, or Jewish synagogues.

“Last year millions of files spanning decades were handed over to criminal investigators by all 27 dioceses of the Catholic Church hierarchy in Germany in a bid to get to the heart of child sex abuse by priests. It was seen as an attempt to staunch the flow of leavers who made it plain the scandal, and the inability or unwillingness to deal with it, was the reason for their departure.

“In 2010, 181,000 people left, an increase of 50 percent on the previous year. Last year 126,000 left. Over the past twenty years, the number of members of Germany’s Roman Catholic Church has fallen from 28.3 million to 24.6 million or 30.2 percent of the country’s population.”

Due to a treaty between the Catholic and Protestant Churches and the German Government, the Government withholds automatically the church tax from the earnings of every member of the Protestant and Catholic Churches and passes it on to these two major churches.

Dangerous Fanatics Have Their Say…

… against the USA…

USA Today reported on October 13:

“The leader of Al-Qaeda has urged Muslims to wage holy war against the United States and Israel over a film that insulted Islam’s Prophet Muhammad. Ayman al-Zawahri praised as ‘honest and zealous’ demonstrators who breached the U.S Embassy in Cairo and attackers who stormed the U.S. ‘embassy’ in Benghazi in violence linked to the film. The American ambassador and three others died in the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. Consulate in the Libyan city. The amateur film ‘Innocence of Muslims’ was made by an Egyptian-born American citizen.

“In an audio message released by al-Qaeda’s media arm As-Sahab and posted on militant websites early Saturday, al-Zawahri claimed Washington allowed the film’s production under the pretext of freedom of expression, ‘but this freedom did not prevent them from torturing Muslim prisoners.’”

… and Israel

The Times of Israel wrote on October 11:

“Egypt’s foremost Muslim Brotherhood official called on the Arab world Thursday to replace negotiations with Israel with ‘holy Jihad,’ claiming that if Jews are allowed to pray on the Temple Mount they will destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque and supplant it with the third temple.

“Mohammed Badie, Supreme Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, declared in a public message published by Egyptian daily Al-Ahram that ‘the Zionists only understand force,’ and that Arabs cannot hope to achieve justice from the Jews ‘through the corridors of the United Nations or through negotiations… The time has come for the Islamic nation to unite around one man for the sake of Jerusalem and Palestine,’ Badie said. ‘The Jews have dominated the land, spread corruption on earth, spilled the blood of believers and in their actions profaned holy places, including their own… Zionists… will not relent without duress… This will only happen through holy Jihad, high sacrifices and all forms of resistance. The day they realize we will march this path and raise the banner of Jihad for the sake of God, is the day they will relent and stop their tyranny.’”

The goal of fanatical radical Islamists is clear—to bring about destruction and obliteration of the USA and the state of Israel. The Bible is very precise that ultimately, those two powers will be hated by all nations—not just the Arab world. Also remarkable is the reference in the quoted article to the building of the third temple, which is indeed strongly suggested to occur in the Holy Scriptures.

The Syrian-Turkish Conflict Could Set the World on Fire

Der Spiegel Online wrote on October 5:

“Turkey’s retaliation against Syria marks a dangerous new phase in the conflict — one that threatens to grow into a regional confrontation. That, though, might be what Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan has in mind, say German editorialists on Friday. It could lead to greater Turkish influence in the Middle East.

“Retaliatory strikes by Turkey against Syria on Wednesday have created an entirely new dimension to a civil war that now threatens to become a full-fledged regional conflict in the Middle East. The moves by Ankara came after shelling by Syrian forces that killed five women and children in the Turkish border town of Akcakale.

“European leaders including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle have strongly criticized the shelling by Syria. And on Thursday, the United Nations Security Council overcame divisions to issue a statement condemning the shelling ‘in the strongest terms.’ The statement, which had been watered down at Russia’s behest, said the incident ‘highlighted the grave impact the crisis in Syria has on the security of its neighbors and on regional peace and stability.’

“Turkey’s intensified role in the crisis is raising serious concerns that the country, a member of NATO, may ultimately drag the rest of its partners into war with Syria by invoking Article Five, which stipulates that all alliance members must come to the defense of any other member country that has been attacked…

“The leftist Die Tageszeitung writes: ‘For decades, Turkish policy tended to be isolationist, with a focus in the country on maintaining what it already had. But this foreign policy abstinence ended when Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu entered office. During his time as foreign minister, Turkish President Abdullah Gül has focused mostly on Turkey’s deeper integration into Europe. But Davutoglu has also pushed for a new, more powerful role for the country in regions that include the Middle East and the Balkans — areas the Ottoman Empire once ruled. Indeed, his opponents accuse him of pursuing neo-Ottoman policies with the aspiration of Turkish dominance in the region with a more modern twist…’

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘Turkey is in the process of going down a highly dangerous path. It is intervening in a war. With a decision by its parliament this week mandating a deployment of the Turkish military into Syrian territory, the NATO member state has also established the pre-conditions for a highly dangerous internationalization of the Syrian conflict…’

“The conservative Die Welt writes: ‘…If it came to an all-out war, the Syrian army could also use chemical or biological weapons from its well-stocked arsenal. The consequences would be unforeseeable… In the history of the world, there have been many wars that both sides weren’t really interested in…’

“The business daily Handelsblatt writes: ‘The conflict now threatens to escalate. One shouldn’t believe that Turkish Prime [Minister] Erdogan is acting disinterestedly with his retaliatory strikes or that he only pushed through a kind of enabling act permitting the foreign deployment of his military solely for purposes of making a show. The step means a conscious fuelling of the conflict… Erdogan holds the key in his hand. If he wants to seize the opportunity and expand his influence, the Middle East will become a powder keg.’

“The Financial Times Deutschland writes: ‘The Syrian attack on Turkish territory has made one thing clear: Each military incident along the border of the two countries could trigger a war. And because Turkey is a NATO member state, it is a war that Germany and the other NATO partners would inevitably get pulled into.’”

Deutsche Welle reported on October 13:

“Turkish fighter jets intercepted a Syrian passenger plane from Moscow to Damascus. Turkey forced the passenger plane to land outside of Ankara late on Wednesday under suspicion that it was carrying weapons to Syria. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that Russian-made munitions were seized from the aircraft. The Syrian plane was later freed to continue on its journey…

“Moscow is Syria’s most important arms supplier and maintains a naval center in the Syrian city of Tartus, Russia’s only port on the Mediterranean Ocean. Both China and Russia have vetoed three UN draft resolutions aimed at sanctioning the regime of President Bashar Assad.

“The forced landing of the Damascus-bound passenger plane is the latest confrontation between Turkey and Syria. The two neighbors exchanged artillery fire across their common [border] several times last week… The Turkish parliament subsequently authorized the government to launch cross-border raids into Syria if necessary. Some 100,000 refugees have fled to Turkey, and the rebel Free Syrian Army has used Turkish territory as a staging ground.”

Indeed, as Christ predicted, we are hearing these days much about wars and rumors of war. We know from Scripture that Turkey will play an important role in a future war in the Middle East, siding with Europe against Israel and other nations. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Middle Eastern and African Nations in Bible Prophecy.”

No War Between China and Japan

The Washington Times wrote on October 17:

“A senior adviser to the Taiwanese government on Wednesday downplayed the likelihood that a war will erupt in the festering dispute between Taiwan, China and Japan over a chain of tiny islands in the East China Sea. ‘Nobody’s going to war over this few rocks, over these tracts of barren land,’ said Stephen S.F. Chen, a former top Taiwanese diplomat in Washington, to editors and reporters at The Washington Times. China and Taiwan agree that the islands are Chinese, though they differ on exactly what that means, said Mr. Chen…

“Mr. Chen said Taiwan stands firmly with China against Japan in the dispute over the islands, which are surrounded by rich fishing waters and may lie atop large oil and gas reserves. While such a stance signals seemingly unprecedented unity between Taipei and Beijing, Mr. Chen said the two governments actually agree in only a limited way on the issue. Both sides have long concurred that there is only one China, but the democratic island nation and the communist-ruled mainland claim to represent all of China…

“The recent tension in the region has been capped by a wave of anti-Japanese violence inside mainland China. Mr. Chen said Taiwan is a ‘peace-loving island,’ and he predicted a similar backlash against Japanese goods is unlikely to occur in Taiwan because industry in the relatively tiny nation is beholden to Japanese imports. ‘We cannot initiate any boycott’ or ‘embargo,’ he said… highlighting Taiwan’s distinctly different approach from that taken by Beijing, which has been flexing its naval muscles by sending paramilitary marine patrol boats to the waters around the disputed islands.

“This week, China went further, sending seven warships through a narrow sea passage near the Japanese island of Yonaguni, about 125 miles from the disputed islands… The ships included frigates, a guided-missile destroyer, a supply ship and two submarine rescue vessels. Japanese Defense Ministry officials said the ships might have been trying to avoid an approaching typhoon but added that Tokyo is monitoring the warships’ progress closely…

“Mr. Chen said Japan recently agreed to reopen talks on fishing rights with Taiwan in November. The talks have been stalled and dormant for three years. ‘Japan would hate to be facing on two fronts, facing the mainland, facing us,’ Mr. Chen said, ‘That is why they have agreed to resume the talks.’”

A war between China and Japan is indeed highly unlikely, as the Bible prophesies a soon-coming mighty alliance between China, Russia and Japan, as well as other Far Eastern nations, against Europe and the USA.

The Bible states that Christ will return to rule on this earth (John 14:3; Isaiah 9:6-7; Luke 1:30-33; Daniel 2:44; Daniel 7:13-14), and born-again Christians will rule with and under Him (Daniel 7:27; Luke 13:28; Jeremiah 30:7-9; Ezekiel 37:24-25; Ezekiel 34:23-24; Isaiah 30:20-21; Luke 22:29-30; Matthew 19:28; Revelation 2:26-27; Revelation 20:4, 6).
 
It is specifically said that they will rule on the earth (Revelation 5:10. Note the correct rendering: “You have made them kings and priests to our God; and they shall reign on the earth.”). They will not rule from heaven over the earth, but they will be on this earth and rule on the earth. There is no Scripture in the Bible telling us that we will go to heaven when we die—or when Christ returns. Christ told Nicodemus that no one “ascends” or would ascend to heaven (compare the old Luther Bible) except for the Son of Man. The teaching in its various forms and disguises that Christ will return (secretly or openly) to take us to heaven (either to celebrate the marriage supper there, Revelation 19:7-9, and then to return again with Christ, or to stay in heaven and to rule from heaven), is without any biblical foundation whatsoever. We won’t go to heaven, but Christ will return ONCE (not twice, compare Hebrews 9:28) to be with His disciples, here on earth.
 
Christ will come to confirm to His disciples the promises to the fathers, which include the “promise of the eternal inheritance” of everlasting life in the Kingdom of God (Hebrews 9:15; compare 1 John 2:25; Titus 1:1-2;) and the promise of rulership on the earth (Romans 15:8; Romans 4:13). Note that the promises made to the fathers will begin to be fulfilled when Christ returns (Hebrews 11:39-40).
 
We read that Christ will come to restore all things on this earth (Acts 3:19-21). What this means, exactly, is fully described in chapter 9 of our free booklet, “Human Suffering—Why… and How Much Longer?”.
 
It includes, of course, the establishment of the government of God here on earth.
 
It also includes the fact that mankind will be brought to repentance and that the Holy Spirit will be offered to them, to become converted and obtain God’s nature (2 Peter 1:4; compare Ezekiel 36:26-27; Jeremiah 31:33). As most people will accept God’s teachings (Isaiah 29:24), and even Gentile kings will want to please God (Psalm 68:28-29), Israelites and non-Israelites alike will keep the Ten Commandments and observe God’s annual Holy Days, including the Feast of Tabernacles (Hosea 12:9; Zechariah 14:16).
 
This spiritual restoration will be accompanied by a physical restoration.
 
For instance, even though not all animals will become domesticated (compare Ezekiel 39:17; together with Revelation 18:2) , “wild animals” with aggressive natures will not exist anymore to threaten human beings (Hosea 2:18; Isaiah 11:6-9; Ezekiel 34:25). All “evil” or vicious animals will disappear, and their wild nature will be changed so that they become peaceful and tame.
 
Apart from a war at the very beginning and another war at the very end of the Millennium (compare our Q&A on the subject of war), there will be no more wars (Micah 4:1-4; Isaiah 2:1-4). People will be taught the way to peace—something which they do not know at this time (Romans 3:10-18).
 
The cities which had been destroyed in the wars prior to Christ’s return will be rebuilt (Ezekiel 36:33-35). But those cities will be quite different from the violent, depressing, congested and dirty cities of today. The inhabitants in those future cities will be truly happy, and they will be living securely (Jeremiah 33:10-14; Ezekiel 28:25-26).
 
In the Millennium, sick, injured and impaired people will be healed, and there will be no more sickness and disease (Isaiah 33:24; Isaiah 35:3-6; Jeremiah 30:17). People will not be allowed to harm or injure others or themselves; unhealthy habits such as excessive drinking, smoking or the consumption of drugs and wrong foods will become a thing of the past.
 
There will be no more food shortages, either (Ezekiel 34:26-27; Isaiah 30:23; Jeremiah 31:12; Amos 9:13). Rather, people will enjoy their harvests and the property that they will own (Isaiah 62:8-9). Governments will not confiscate their property or enforce ridiculous rules to limit food production.
 
Another dramatic change in the conditions of this earth will be that waste places will become fertile (Isaiah 41:17-20; Isaiah 35:1-2, 7; Isaiah 51:3). Deserts will become fruitful grounds—and they would already be today if enough water was available for such areas. God will see to it that this won’t be a problem in the future.
 
The city of Jerusalem will again be chosen as the center of worship (Zechariah 8:3; Jeremiah 3:17; Isaiah 62:1-2, 7). Even though Jerusalem is not now the primary place of worship (John 4:21), and it is unbiblical to insist that the Feast of Tabernacles must be observed in Jerusalem today, it will become the center of worship in the Millennium and during the Great White Throne Judgment period. After God has created new heavens and a new earth, the heavenly Jerusalem will become God’s Headquarters on the new earth (Revelation 21:1-3).
 
And finally, beginning with the Millennium, one pure language will be restored to the people (Zephaniah 3:9), so that they will be able to understand each other without the need of translators or the gift of tongues (compare for a unique episode in this regard, Acts 2:5-11). God’s curse on the people at the time of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:7-9) will be lifted and removed.
 
Let us pray to God that this happy and peaceful time will come soon.
 
Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A new StandingWatch program titled, “Nobel Peace Prize for the EU?,” is now posted. Along with being available on our website and YouTube, this program will also be broadcast on radio, beginning Sunday, October 28.

Here is a summary of the program: “The decision to award the Nobel Peace Prize to the European Union has divided the continent” (compare Der Spiegel Online, October 13). While some claim that the award is well deserved, as the EU is allegedly “the most successful peace project in history,” others feel that the award is premature at best, as “we have no idea how the experiment to create an anti-democratic federation will end.” However, we can have an idea, as the Bible tells us how it will end.

Norbert Link recorded a new German sermon dealing with Satan’s rule on earth and our spiritual fight with him. The title is: “Satan lebt”, which can be translated as, “Satan Is Alive.”

Plans have been initiated to conduct our 2013 Ministerial Conference in Colorado after the Passover (evening of March 24) and the Seven Days of Unleavened Bread (March 26-April 1). The conference is scheduled to begin on Friday, April 12, through Tuesday, April 16. Norbert and Johanna Link intend to fly to Germany before the Passover, to conduct further meetings and campaigns, and to observe the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread with the German brethren, while Brian and Jill Gale will travel to San Diego for the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread.