Long-time members of God’s Church often refer to the activity of preaching the gospel and caring for the membership as “the work.” By this, we are thinking in terms of the special calling of God and the subsequent responsibility God places on each Christian.

Jesus Christ gave account to the Father by saying, “‘I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do’” (John 17:5). He adds, “‘As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world’” (John 17:18).

Mark records the commission given to Christ’s disciples: “‘…Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature’” (Mark 16:15).

Jesus adds dimension—a time frame–to this endeavor when He prophesies, “‘And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come’” (Matthew 24:14).

We need to understand that Jesus will also make certain that His words and the work given to His faithful disciples will be fulfilled! Jesus remains the living Head of the Church of God (compare Ephesians 22-23; 5:23-24; Colossians 1:18). He is actively involved in finishing the work of the church given to Him by the Father, as well!

However, just as we are so clearly told through the record of the New Testament era of God’s Church, some were more zealous than others in finishing their part in the Work of God. Not everyone of that time remained faithful, and it would appear that the few instead of the many continued to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God. Of this era, Jesus said, “‘…I have this against you, that you have left your first love’” (Revelation 2:4).

Jesus Christ has much to say to His Church, and along with instructions about what we should be doing, there are somber warnings for us—all written down in the Bible for our guidance.

We must not take lightly the job that has been entrusted to us. We are to go where God leads us, to do what He inspires us to do—doing all of this with ever increasing zeal and knowing that we, fulfilling whatever our part is, are participating in finishing the Work of God!

We report on a wave of violent protests across the Muslim world–primarily aimed at the United States of America; address the growing rejection by some in France and Germany of extremists Muslim demands; include other angry confrontations between China and Japan; tell of Chicago teachers striking; and show the continuing strife in Russia.

In other news, we report on big changes in Europe as unification appears unstoppable, and we end with coverage of an influential papal visit to Lebanon.

Anger Rages In The Mideast

The BBC wrote on September 15:

“More than three years ago, President Barack Obama famously told a Cairo audience that ‘we meet at a time of great tension between the United States and Muslims around the world’.

“His speech, titled A New Beginning, sought to transcend the acrimony of the Bush era.

“This week, as violent protests rage across the Middle East and beyond, the president might ask himself: What went wrong?

“The truth is that there is no single explanation.

“One answer is that last year’s wave of political uprisings, the so-called Arab Spring, is responsible.

“After all, protests began in Egypt, which last year became the most populous Arab democracy, and spread to Libya, which became the largest by area.

“The Arab Spring did indeed invigorate a range of Islamist movements and weakened the law enforcement capabilities of the affected states…

USA Today wrote on September 17:

“Hundreds of Afghans burned cars and threw rocks at a U.S. military base as a demonstration against an anti-Islam film that ridicules the Prophet Mohammed turned violent in the Afghan capital early Monday.

“And in Jakarta, Indonesians angered over the film clashed with police outside the U.S. Embassy, hurling rocks and Molotov cocktails and burning tires outside the mission. At least one police officer was seen bleeding from the head and being carried to safety by fellow officers.

“The low-budget film, privately produced in the United States, portrays Mohammed as a fraud, a womanizer and a child molester. It sparked violent protests in many Muslim countries in recent days, many of them outside U.S. diplomatic posts around the world.

“The U.S. Ambassador to Libya was killed during an attack on the consulate in Benghazi last week; protesters have also stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tunis and held violent demonstrations outside posts in Egypt and Sudan. The U.S. has responded by deploying additional military forces to increase security in certain hotspots”

France Takes Precautions

The Wall Street Journal wrote on September 19:

“France will close embassies and French schools in 20 countries on Friday, its Foreign Ministry said, amid fears of a backlash after a French magazine published a series of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.

“French authorities said they feared the cartoons published Wednesday in satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo could cause more outrage in the Muslim world, days after a video denigrating the Prophet Muhammad helped to fuel violent protests at U.S. and other Western embassies in several Muslim countries.

“Paris’s move to pre-emptively close its embassies highlights how Western governments are grappling to respond to a wave of protests whose flash points lie largely out of their control.

“The French government said that although freedom of speech rules applied in France, the magazine’s publication of the cartoons was ill-timed. ‘It is dangerous, even irresponsible, when we know the general climate, to pour oil on fire,’ Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told reporters in Paris on Wednesday…

“Charlie Hebdo defended its decision to publish the prophet cartoons. ‘If we start to wonder whether we have the right to draw Muhammad or not, or if it is dangerous to do it, we will have to start to wonder whether we can draw Muslims or human beings in the paper,’ the weekly magazine’s editor in chief, known only as Charb, told French radio RTL. ‘Eventually, we won’t be drawing anything, and a bunch of extremists in the world and in France will have won.'”

Global Ban on Insults to Islam?

cnsnews.com reported on September 17:

“Six months after declaring that all churches in the Arabian peninsula should be destroyed, Saudi Arabia’s top cleric called at the weekend for a global ban on insults targeting all religious ‘prophets and messengers,’ a category that, from a Muslim perspective, includes Jesus Christ.
 
“Saturday’s demand by Saudi grand mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh came on the same day that another of Sunni Islam’s most prominent figures, Egypt’s Al-Azhar University grand imam Ahmed el-Tayyeb, made a similar appeal.
 
“Both men were reacting to an amateur video satirizing Mohammed, whose emergence on the Internet has been blamed for protests targeting American diplomatic missions across the Islamic world. According to wire services at least 12 deaths have been linked to the protests since Thursday, with deaths reported in Tunisia, Sudan, Pakistan, Yemen, Lebanon and Egypt.
 
“The two clerics’ calls are a new salvo in an unremitting campaign by Islamic political and religious leaders, spearheaded by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), to pressure non-Muslims to treat Islam with deference.
 
“In a statement released by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), Asheikh ‘appealed to all countries and international organizations to criminalize acts ridiculing all prophets and messengers (peace be upon them).’”

Germany Rejects Rollover to Extremists!

On September 18 Spiegel Online International wrote:

“Germany is considering forbidding a far-right party from publicly screening the anti-Islam film “Innocence of Muslims” in Berlin in November. But editorialists in the country say a ban would be wrong because it would play into the hands of extremists on all sides.

“The German far-right party Pro Deutschland has said it plans a public screening of the anti-Islam film “Innocence of Muslims” in November, prompting fears that the event could trigger violence in Germany.

“The issue has prompted a heated debate in the country, and Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday the film should not be shown if it endangered public safety. “I can imagine that there are good reasons for this,” she said, adding that a ban on the public screening was currently being considered.

“Religious blasphemy was a crime in Germany until 1969, when the law was changed. At present, acts of blasphemy are only deemed criminal if they could disrupt public peace.

“On Tuesday, most German media commentators said that even though the 14-minute film is disgusting rubbish, its screening should not be prohibited because it would breach the right to freedom of expression.”

Influential writers in Germany are mirroring the dominant attitude of their countrymen–it is time to quit giving in to extremist Islamists. More and more, Germany is creating a leadership that will solidify Europe’s role in the world.

China Protests Target Japanese

Reuters wrote on September 15:

“Hundreds of people protested in front of the Japanese embassy in Beijing on Saturday, throwing objects at the building as police struggled to keep control, amid growing tensions between Asia’s two biggest economies over a group of disputed islands.

“On Tuesday, Japan brushed off stern warnings from China and said it had bought the islands, called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, from a private Japanese owner.”

Voice of America reported on September 16:

“As tensions between China and Japan escalate, anti-Japanese protests have spread to Hong Kong.  Pro-democracy activists in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory are taking a surprising lead in the pan-Chinese nationalism movement.
 
 “An estimated 5,000 demonstrators marched on the Japanese consulate in Hong Kong Sunday.  The demonstration occurred in the build-up to the anniversary this week of the 1931 Japanese invasion of Manchuria.
 
“Tokyo enflamed Chinese emotions last week by purchasing contested islands, known as the Diaoyu in China, the Senkaku in Japan, from their private Japanese owners.”

The Christian Science Monitor wrote on September 17:

“Hundreds of Japanese businesses and the country’s embassy suspended services in China on Tuesday, expecting further escalation in violent protests over a territorial dispute between Asia’s two biggest economies.

“China’s worst outbreak of anti-Japan sentiment in decades led to protests and attacks on Japanese companies such as car makers Toyota Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co, forcing them to halt operations and prompting Chinese state media to warn that trade relations could deteriorate.

“More protests continued across China on Tuesday, which marks the anniversary of Japan’s 1931 occupation of parts of mainland China.”

Chicago Teachers Strike

Reported September 15 by Reuters:

“Thousands of striking Chicago teachers will march again on Saturday to keep the pressure on Mayor Rahm Emanuel to wrap up an agreement with their union so they can end a strike that has closed the nation’s third largest school district for a week.

“The ‘Standing Strong with Chicago Teachers Rally’ could be the largest demonstration against Emanuel’s education reforms since the strike began in Chicago on September 10.

“Labor union supporters from neighboring states are expected to converge on Chicago to join many of the 29,000 union teachers and support staff in the march…

“Emanuel angered the Chicago teachers by trying to ram through proposals to radically reform teacher performance evaluations and weaken job protection for teachers whose schools are closed or perform poorly academically.”

While this strike has reached a settlement, the underlying troubles between groups of special interests within the U.S. remain a matter for real concern.

Anti-Putin Protest

Reuters wrote on September 9:

“Tens of thousands of demonstrators marched through Moscow under streaming banners, flags and balloons on Saturday to demand an end to President Vladimir Putin’s long rule and to breathe life into their protest movement.

“Protesters chanted “Russia without Putin!” as they marched through central Moscow in the first big rally since June.

“Witnesses said opposition leaders appeared to have achieved their goal of attracting at least 50,000 people, enough to maintain the momentum of their movement but almost certainly too few to increase alarm in the Kremlin.

“The protest underlined anger over what liberal Russians see as tough measures to smother the opposition since Putin began another six years in the Kremlin in May, but protests have not taken off outside big cities and the opposition is not united.”

Radical Overhaul for Europe?

On September 18 The Guardian wrote:

“Five of the six biggest countries in the EU, excluding Britain, have called for a radical overhaul of European foreign and defence policies to create a powerful new pan-European foreign ministry, majority voting on common foreign policies to bypass a British veto, a possible European army, and a single market for EU defence industries.

“The German-led push, supported by 11 of 27 EU countries, embraces recent calls in Berlin and Brussels for a directly elected European president, sweeping new powers for the European parliament, and further splitting of the EU by creating a new parliamentary sub-chamber for the 17 countries of the eurozone.

“While the call for a European army was not supported by all 11, the document also calls for a new European police organisation to guard the union’s external borders and for a single European visa.

“Nine months of brainstorming over the future of Europe by the foreign ministers of the 11 countries, launched by Guido Westerwelle, the German foreign minister, has resulted in a 12-page document crammed with policy recommendations. It will prove hugely contentious and, if implemented, will increase the pressure on Britain to quit the EU…

“The backers include Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Poland, five of the six biggest EU countries omitting Britain. The Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Austria, Portugal and Luxembourg also signed up.”

European Integration–Unstoppable!

Spiegel Online reported on September 12:

“The ruling on Wednesday by the Federal Constitutional Court on the euro bailout fund makes one thing very clear: The Karlsruhe-based institution will not stop European integration because it can’t. The justices have created expectations among the people that they are no longer able to fulfill.

“Never before has there been this much drama at Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court. One of the longest-serving police guards working there confided to a radio reporter that there has never been anything like this at the highest court in the land. The scene was thronged with journalists, satellite dishes, broadcast vans, cables and floodlights: The entire world had its eyes turned to this courthouse, a converted barrack on the edge of this western German city. All the fanfare was directed at one highly anticipated event: Eight judges, three of them professors, were about to publicly declare whether they intended to block efforts to resolve the euro debt crisis.

“So, what happened? Just what everyone expected: The European Union will not be stopped in its tracks. Germany can now ratify the European Stability Mechanism (ESM), the permanent euro bailout fund, and the fiscal pact aimed at bringing economic governance to countries in the euro zone — albeit with a few conditions. What’s more, court President Andreas Vosskuhle repeated his usual warning that euro bailout packages cannot come at the cost of a loss of power for the Bundestag, Germany’s federal parliament. Everyone has now relaxed, and even the German DAX index of blue chip companies is climbing.”

Papal Influence in Lebanon

The Daily Star wrote on September 16;

“During his three-day visit, which comes 15 years after the landmark visit of the late Pope John Paul II, the head of the Roman Catholic Church called for interfaith dialogue as a means to bring peace to the region.
 
“In a Sunday morning Mass attended by an estimated 350,000 people at the Beirut Water Front City, the pope urged the Arab countries and the world to propose solutions to end the conflict in Syria.
 
“’Let us ask her [Virgin Mary] to intercede with her divine son for you [Lebanon] and, more particularly, for the people of Syria and the neighboring countries, imploring the gift of peace,’ the pope said at the end of the Mass.
 
“’You know the problems that beset the region. There is a tremendous amount of pain … Why so much death? I call on the international community and Arab countries to propose solutions which respect human rights,’ he added.
 
“Sleiman, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Najib Mikati as well as MPs and Cabinet ministers attended the Mass. Other politicians in attendance included Future Movement MP Bahia Hariri and several Hezbollah deputies.
 
“During his visit, the Holy See met with various Christian and Muslim figures including Lebanon’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabbani who delivered a letter to the pope and said Saturday that ‘any attack on Christians is in an attack on Muslims.’
 
“The pope, who said he represented a ‘pilgrim of peace’ during his stay in Lebanon, urged Christians in the country and the Middle East not to abandon their land.
 
“In a gathering Saturday with Arab and Lebanese youth at Bkirki, the seat of the Maronite Patriarchate, the pope said he was moved by the courage of Syrian youth and said he was saddened by the hardships of the people there.
 
“He reiterated his praise of Lebanon’s ‘beautiful coexistence’ and urged Muslim youths to work with their fellow Christians.
 
“During the ceremony, Benedict urged Christians not to abandon their land because of an ‘uncertain future.’
 
“’Unemployment and dangers should not force you to migrate for an uncertain future. Act as the makers of your country’s future and play your role in society and the Church,’ he said.
 
“The Holy See signed the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation of the Special Assembly for the Middle East Friday in a ceremony at Saint Paul Basilica in Harissa, north of Beirut, where he urged Christians not to be afraid but brave difficulties facing them in the region.”

Pope Benedict XVI’s acceptance in the Mideast country of Lebanon is remarkable in light of the raging anger that has emerged among extremist Moslems in the region. Biblical prophecy indicates that Rome will continue to attempt to influence matters in this part of the world–especially in Jerusalem and the land of Israel.

We read in Leviticus 23:42 that ancient Israel was commanded to “dwell in booths for seven days.” God commanded Israel to build temporary huts or booths out of tree branches and live in them during the Feast of Tabernacles (compare Nehemiah 8:14-18).
 
What is a booth?  In the Hebrew, the word is “sukkah.” It means, literally, a “covering or a booth,” but as we will see, it conveys more than that.

The word “sukkah” is translated 12 times as “tabernacle” in the Authorized Version. In most cases, it refers to the Feast of Tabernacles (compare Leviticus 23:34; Deuteronomy 16:13, 16; 31:10; 2 Chronicles 8:13; Ezra 3:4; and Zechariah 14:16, 18-19).

The temporary nature of a “sukkah” is stated in Job 36:29, where we read: “Can any understand the…  thunder from His canopy?”  The Authorized Version translates, “tabernacle.” The Hebrew word is “sukkah.” It refers here to God’s dwelling place in Heaven. But God will not always abide there. Sometime after the Third Resurrection, He will come to the new earth to reside there.

In addition, the word “sukkah,” is used in many passages to convey a temporary shelter.

In Genesis 33:17, booths (“sukkah”) are built for Jacob’s livestock, to provide shelter for them.

In Job 27:18, we read that the wicked builds his house like a booth – or, as the margin of the New King James Bible puts it, as a “Temporary shelter.”

In Jonah 4:5, it is stated that Jonah “made himself a shelter,” according to the New King James Bible. The Authorized Version translates, “a booth,” but implying, quite literally, a temporary shelter.

In Isaiah 4:6, it says that God will provide a “tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for shelter from storm and rain.” God will do this for Israelites who have not yet become born again Spirit beings in His Family. So, the shelter that God will provide for them is of a temporary nature, since once they have been made immortal, they don’t need a physical booth to protect them from heat.

Also, note 2 Samuel 11:11, where we read: “The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents.” The Hebrew word is “sukkah” and describes a temporary shelter or dwelling place.

So we see that the Feast of Tabernacles, or the Feast of booths, is associated with temporary dwellings, where God is sheltering His people and protects them from the dangers and troubles of this world.

The New Bible Commentary remarks about Leviticus 23:40-42, on page 163:

“The people are to live in booths for seven days that their generations may know that the Lord made the people of Israel dwell in booths, when He brought them out of the land of Egypt. .. The thought which is stressed is of course the frail and temporary character of the dwellings of the people during the wilderness sojourn. Thus Jerusalem is likened by Isaiah to a cottage (booth) in a vineyard (Isaiah 1:8).”

As pointed out correctly above, it is the very temporary character of the booth, which is stressed in Isaiah 1:8. A booth or a tabernacle is a temporary dwelling.

The Church of God (under Herbert W. Armstrong who died in 1986) has taught consistently that we do not have to build today literal booths of tree branches to dwell in them during the Feast. The spiritual point God wanted to convey was that we are to live in a temporary dwelling or shelter during the Feast.

The Good News of August 1980 states on page 13:

“It does not matter what the booths or dwellings are made out of. Back then they were made of branches. Today they may be canvas tents, aluminum trailers, brick motels, hotels or condominiums. The important point is that they be places of temporary residence.”

Likewise, we read in the Good News, September 1983, on page 7:

“The modern counterpart of these booths would be hotels, motels and other places of temporary residence.”

Also, lesson 30 of the Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course, published in 1986, states on page 14:

“A booth or tabernacle is a temporary dwelling. God commanded the ancient Israelites to live in temporary shelters made of tree branches while observing the Feast of Tabernacles. For God’s people who attend the Feast today in many different climates, tents, campers, motel or hotel rooms are appointed as temporary dwellings.”

The Church of the Eternal God and its international associations are upholding, practicing and teaching this vital understanding. In applying the spiritual intent and purpose of God’s command to “live in booths” during the Feast of Tabernacles, God’s people today leave their homes to live in “temporary dwellings” during the Feast.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Reporting from Germany, Evangelist Norbert Link related that three people were baptized and others have expressed interest and are counseling for baptism. Mr. and Mrs. Link will soon depart for Deganwy, North Wales, to observe the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day.

September 26 (Wednesday) is the Day of Atonement; October 1-7 (Monday through Sunday, with observance beginning the evening of Sunday, September 30) is the Feast of Tabernacles; and, October 8 (Monday) is the Last Great Day. Due to our observance of these Fall Holy Days, the weekly Update will not be published until our return.

A reminder for those wishing to attend the Feast of Tabernacles with us for 2012–please review details posted on our website under the “FEASTS” heading. Our locations for this year are Pismo Beach, California, and Deganwy, North Wales.

by Laura Harris

In December, my family moved in with my dad. It was supposed to be a temporary stay as we got our house ready to sell. A few days prior to our move-in date, my dad had a sudden decline in his health. We were able to get him stabilized, but he has slowly gotten worse. It became evident this summer that he can no longer live alone. Robb & I decided to permanently reside with my dad so he could continue to live as independently as possible.

Our current living arrangements have caused frustration for me and my dad as we decipher new boundaries and expectations. Oftentimes, I am abrupt with my dad as I feel inconvenienced by his constant need for assistance. Those who know me well know that patience is not my strongest attribute. My new role as caregiver requires more patience than I have. I’ve had to rely on God for help, asking for a gentler and more loving attitude when interacting with my dad.

English poet and playwright, Joseph Addison, is quoted as saying, “Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains, losses and disappointments; but let us have patience and we soon shall see them in their proper figures.” I know that caring for my dad is a way of honoring him as a parent, as God commands us to do. This unforeseen situation has provided me the opportunity to spend meaningful time with my dad, which we haven’t done in decades. What seems like a trial now will be looked back upon as a blessing in the future.

On September 15, 2012, Robb Harris will give the sermon, titled, respectively, “The Right Team.”

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.

Feast of Trumpets Services

September 17th (Monday) is the Feast of Trumpets. Dave Harris will give the sermon in the morning from Colorado, titled, “Momentous Times,” and Michael Link will give the sermon in the afternoon from California, titled, “Immortality or Death?”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm Pacific Time, respectively (which is 11:00 am Mountain Time; 12:00 pm Central Time; 1:00 pm Eastern Time for the morning service; and 3:00 pm Mountain Time; 4:00 pm Central Time; 5:00 pm Eastern Time for the afternoon service). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

In Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet”, the opening line is, “to be or not to be, that is the question”. This was brought to mind when comments were received about our weekly Updates. The reader appreciated some valid statements. However, he felt that there was too much emphasis on the “end time”. Whilst he conceded that the Q&A’s were often genuinely educational, he criticized that they were sometimes too dogmatic.

The weekly Update is to keep all readers apprised of what is going on in the world and often quotes sources that we normally wouldn’t have access to, or come across. Matthew 24:42 tells us to “watch”, as do other Scriptures, and we cannot be watching if we ignore all that is going on in the world. What else would we put in our “Update”? The very word means “the latest information about something” (compare “The Oxford Dictionary of English”), and what could be more important than world news that is leading to the collapse of this civilisation and the ushering in of the World Tomorrow?

Should we be dogmatic in our Q&A section?  Again, “The Oxford Dictionary of English” defines dogmatic as being an adjective that “is inclined to lay down principles as undeniably true”.  As we prove the question from the Bible, why should we be anything other than dogmatic? To be otherwise would show that we are not sure about our answer, and that would be wrong. We see a world where “diplomacy” can rule and where answers are given that can be taken either way, thus satisfying both or all parties.  We take no such stance.  

If we have biblical proof on a particular subject, we feel obliged to be dogmatic about it. God says in Isaiah 58:1 that his servants are to “Cry aloud, spare not”, and whilst this is about telling “My people their transgression, And the house of Jacob their sins”, the same principle applies to answering questions about God’s Word. We are not to hold back when the answer is in the Bible. If we don’t know the answer, or are unsure about a matter, then we will say so.

Our gentle critic perhaps might like us to be less sure of what God’s Word says. That is not what we will do in the future. Our Update which comprises, amongst other things, world news, editorials and the weekly Q&A’s, is posted or e-mailed, free of charge, to all who wish to receive it. And all who do receive it are left in no doubt as to the gravity of world conditions and of answers to biblical questions which are “undeniably true”.

To be or not to be… dogmatic? Yes, we must be dogmatic, because the sure foundation of our answers on biblical questions is always the Word of God.

We begin quoting from a few articles to show the dilemma American voters are facing in the upcoming Presidential election—underlying once more the reason why Christians ought not to vote at all.

Amongst other topics, we continue focusing on the leadership that Germany is taking or being pushed to take in world affairs, and address the ongoing controversy between Iran and Israel (with a new twist), and the curse of the Arab Spring, which has brought to the forefront, with a vengeance, the ancient sectarian conflict between Sunni and Shiite Muslims.

Romney’s Constant Flip-Flops

Newsmax reported on September 9:

“Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who has called for scrapping President Barack Obama’s 2010 U.S. healthcare law, said in remarks aired on Sunday that he likes key parts of ‘Obamacare’ despite his party’s loathing of it and wants to retain them. Romney, who faces Obama in the Nov. 6 election, has vowed throughout the campaign to repeal and replace the Obama healthcare law. But asked about the Obama healthcare law on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ program, Romney said, ‘Well, I’m not getting rid of all of healthcare reform. Of course, there are a number of things that I like in healthcare reform that I’m going to put in place,’ Romney added. ‘One is to make sure that those with pre-existing conditions can get coverage. Two is to assure that the marketplace allows for individuals to have policies that cover their family up to whatever age they might like.’

“The Obama healthcare law, among other provisions, prevents insurance companies from denying medical coverage to people who already are suffering from a medical condition. It also allows parents to keep their young-adult children on their health insurance plans until age 26. The law is Obama’s signature domestic policy achievement. Elements of the state healthcare reform plan that Romney put in place as governor of Massachusetts served as a model for the federal law passed by the U.S. Congress and signed by Obama in 2010 despite unified Republican opposition…

“On the day the Supreme Court upheld the Obama law in June, Romney said the American people must vote the president out of office in order to ‘get rid of Obamacare.’”

Mr. Romney also supported in that interview Mr. Obama’s drone war (as most Republicans do), even though critics have described it correctly as being morally and ethically wrong. For a true Christian, voting for either side or at all has become—and has always been–prohibitive. Please listen to our video-recorded sermon, “What Would Be Jesus’ Vote?,” and please read also the next article.

Better Off Now?

CNS reported on September 4:

“The U.S. government debt, which topped $16 trillion for the first time at the close of business on Friday, now equals approximately $136,260 for every household in the country. Just since President Barack Obama was inaugurated on Jan. 20, 2009, the debt has increased by $45,848 per household—or about 50 percent per household…”

… even though the President keeps telling us that we are better off now than at the time when he was inaugurated… Surprisingly, even though Bild Online reported diligently the many embarrassing mishaps during Mitt Romany’s recent international trip, the tabloid voiced the opinion that he would still be a better president for Europe than Mr. Obama, as Mr. Obama had no international portfolio, experience or grasp for political international matters.

IRS Agents Not Involved in Obamacare?

CNBC wrote on September 11:

“The Internal Revenue Service on Tuesday assured congressional lawmakers that agents would play no role in enforcing the controversial requirement that Americans buy insurance under President Barak Obama’s health care overhaul. ‘IRS revenue agents will not be involved. There will not be audits,’ IRS Deputy Commissioner Steven Miller told a subcommittee of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. The law… will charge individuals a fee, or tax, if they fail to buy insurance starting in 2014.

“Opponents of the healthcare measure have focused on that requirement, with some Republicans saying they worry the IRS, the agency responsible for tax collection and tax law enforcement, will harass people who fail to buy insurance. ‘In most cases, taxpayers will file their tax returns reporting their health insurance coverage, and-or making a payment, and there will be no need for further interactions with the IRS,’ Miller said.

“Under the law, Americans who lack health insurance will have to pay an annual fee to the IRS of $95, or 1 percent of taxable household income, starting in 2014. By 2016, that will rise to $695 per person, with a cap that equals the greater of $2,085 per family or 2.5 percent of household income. About 1 percent of the population will be charged for not buying insurance, government watchdogs have estimated.”

So it seems to us, the IRS would be heavily involved in this.

“Germany Must Lead or Leave”

Reuters reported on September 8:

“Germany should leave the euro zone if it is not prepared to take a more decisive lead in helping the euro zone’s weaker nations escape a spiral of increasing indebtedness and economic decline, veteran financier George Soros said on Saturday… ‘Germany should either lead in developing a growth policy, political union and burden-sharing, accept the cost of leadership, or leave through an amicable arrangement,’ Soros said in an interview with Reuters television in Vienna… Germany should step up and accept its de-facto leadership role…”

Of course, Soros’s suggestion that Germany might leave the eurozone is utter nonsense and a far-fetched illusion, but his statement that Germany should step up to the plate and carry out more forcefully its de-facto-leadership role is quite interesting. In this regard, note the next article.

“Germany a Pillar in the International Community”

The Times of Israel reported on September 9:

“Germany shares Israel’s concern regarding Iran’s nuclear program, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said on Sunday at the beginning of a meeting with Defense Minister Ehud Barak in Jerusalem. ‘A nuclear-armed Iran would pose a threat not only to Israel but to the stability of the entire region. A nuclear-armed Iran is not an option,’ Westerwelle said…

“Barak called Germany ‘a pillar in the international community,’ praising its stand against ‘Iran’s continued movement toward military-nuclear capability.’ The minister said Germany ‘plays a part in both the sanctions and the diplomacy, and whatever might be needed to block them; we highly appreciate this position.’

“Westerwelle… said Israel and Germany shared a special friendship. ‘We condemn every kind of terrorist attack against Israel. We stand together with Israel, which means, of course, that we share also the concern about the Iranian nuclear program,” he said. Barak cited Israel’s recent purchase of a Dolphin-class submarine from Germany at a large discount as proof of the two countries’ ties. ‘We are thankful for the very good relationship, and the continued support that Germany provides for Israel, reflected by the recent signing of the agreement to buy a sixth submarine,’ he said.”

Whatever Germany will do in the future regarding Israel, the Arab nations and others, it is becoming more and more obvious that Germany is rising as the world’s leader. Please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Jews Not Welcome?

Der Spiegel Online wrote on September 10:

“Aaron Buck, the spokesman of Munich’s Jewish community, says that long before the circumcision debate began he has experienced anti-Semitism on a daily basis. People call him on the phone, write e-mails or letters, and many even give their names… In light of this, any desire for a ‘relaxed relationship’ between Jews and other Germans would appear somewhat naïve. It’s almost as though the circumcision ruling by the Cologne regional court had only brought the truth of people’s real differences to light…”

Fragile US-Israeli Relationship

According to Haaretz of September 11, “The White House declined Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s request on Tuesday to meet [with] U.S. President Barack Obama during a UN conference in New York at the end of the month.”

The paper commented that “The White House’s response marks a new low in relations between Netanyahu and Obama, underscored by the fact that this is the first time Netanyahu will visit the U.S. as prime minister without meeting Obama.”

The Washington Post added on September 11 that “The deepening dispute between the United States and Israel over how to stop Iran’s nuclear program broke into public view Tuesday, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggesting that the Obama administration did not have the ‘moral right’ to forestall military action. Netanyahu’s remarks — and a White House decision that President Obama will not meet with the Israeli leader later this month — threatened to further exacerbate tensions between the two allies and possibly push the disagreement over Iran into the U.S. presidential campaign.”

In typical diplomatic and political fashion, the White House denied the reports. According to CNN, dated September 11, “Wolf Blitzer, citing Israeli sources, reported that the Israelis were told Obama’s schedule would not permit a meeting even though Israel offered to have Netanyahu travel to Washington. Obama and Netanyahu are both due to address the United Nations in New York in late September but not at the same time. The Obama administration pushed back later Tuesday. ‘Contrary to reports in the press, there was never a request for Prime Minister Netanyahu to meet with President Obama in Washington, nor was a request for a meeting ever denied,’ the White House said Tuesday night in its statement, which made reference to ‘our close cooperation on Iran and other security issues.’”

However, the Financial Times wrote on September 12: “Feuding between the US and Israel burst into the open when Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, sharply criticized recent US statements about Iran while the White House said President Barack Obama would not meet Mr Netanyahu in the US this month… The core disagreement between the two governments has been rumbling for some time, with Israel paying close attention to Iran’s ‘capability’ to make a nuclear weapon while the US is more focused on efforts to build an actual weapon.”

Iran on the Attack

Newsmax wrote on September 9:

“An Iranian military official said Iran will retaliate against American interests as well as Israelis if Israel launches an attack on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities… Iran has missiles that could reach U.S. targets in the region, as well as Israel. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah also said Iran will attack American targets in the Middle East if Israel launches a military strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities…

“Iran has launched an attack against Israel on another front, asserting that Israel ‘spreads homosexuality’ across the globe to pursue its goal of world domination, the Jerusalem Post reported. Mashregh News, a state-controlled Iranian paper, claimed that the United States and Britain are using money from Jews to spread homosexuality, and described Tel Aviv as the gay paradise on earth.”

Radical Islamists Attack Americans

The Washington Times wrote on September 11:

“A State Department worker was killed and another injured Tuesday in separate attacks on a U.S. Consulate in Libya and the U.S. Embassy in Cairo by hard-line Islamic protesters angry about an anti-Islamic film. In the Libya attack, armed men stormed and burned the American Consulate in the eastern city of Bengazi, fatally shooting one worker and injuring another. Anti-American Islamists clambered over the walls of the U.S. Embassy in Cairo and ripped down the U.S. flag, replacing it with a black flag bearing the Islamic inscription ‘There is no God but Allah,’ commonly flown by al Qaeda.

“Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who confirmed the death, condemned ‘in the strongest terms’ the attack. ‘We are heartbroken by this terrible loss,’ she said.

“There were warnings late Tuesday of the potential for more attacks on Americans. ‘There is a high threat of additional attacks against U.S. diplomatic facilities around the world,’ warned IntelCenter, a private-sector firm that tracks jihadi messaging for clients including U.S. agencies… The protesters — most of them hard-line Islamists of the Salafist movement — stormed the embassy chanting, ‘Say it, don’t fear: Their ambassador must leave’ as part of a rally sparked by anger about a film deemed offensive to Islam’s Prophet Muhammad that reportedly was produced by expatriate members of Egypt’s Coptic Christian minority in the U.S.”

Predictably, the Arab Spring is turning more and more into a very cold and chilly winter—especially for America. Demonstrations in Tunsia, Libya, Egypt and Yemen against U.S. Embassies have become violent and deadly. But notice also the next article.

The Curse of the “Arab Spring”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on September 9:

“They began as a cry for freedom in the Middle East, but the Arab rebellions have become increasingly characterized by an ancient sectarian conflict between Sunni and Shiite Muslims… the power struggle between the two groups is sparking new fears along old frontlines…

“When representatives from around the world convened in the Iranian capital of Tehran last Thursday for the start of a Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, an annual meeting of 120 nations that view themselves as not aligned for or against any major powers, the focus was suddenly on 1,300-year-old battles, murders and power struggles. The host was Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a Shiite. Next to him on the dais was Egypt’s new president, Mohammed Morsi, a Sunni. Morsi began his opening address with a mention of the Prophet Muhammad, but then continued: ‘May Allah’s blessing be upon our masters Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali.’

“Iranian media immediately took the statement as a provocation. Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman were Muhammad’s successors after the Prophet’s death in 632. Sunni Muslims venerate them as the first caliphs — but Shiite Muslims consider them usurpers and traitors to the faith, hated figures whose very names should not be spoken. Muhammad’s true successor, Shiites say, was Ali, their first imam, who later fought against the other three before being murdered.

“Morsi went on to discuss the present situation in Syria, where Bashar Assad is overseeing the massacre of rebels who are mostly Sunni. Assad and his clique belong to the country’s Alawite minority, which is more closely aligned with the Shiites. ‘The bloodshed will not stop without intervention from outside’  the Egyptian president declared, saying that Assad’s regime had lost all legitimacy. Morsi, a Sunni, made these statements while sitting next to the Shiite Ahmadinejad, who has been providing the Syrian regime with weapons and now fighters, too. Morsi must know that any country that intervenes in Syria risks ending up at war with Iran, as well…

“From Tunisia to Bahrain, the Arab Spring began as a rebellion against despots… But, increasingly, these rebellions are being sucked into… the ancient conflict between these two different camps of Islam, the Sunnis and the Shiites… In the past, that tension has often burst forth as carnage, for example, in the Iraqi civil war, which began in 2004 and still hasn’t really ended…

“There is an apocalyptic prophecy in Islam that some attribute to the Prophet Muhammad. It’s only a fragment, the legend of an evil being known as the Sufyani that will one day arrive to sow death and ruin among the faithful. This tradition, supposedly ascribed to Muhammad, says the Sufyani will rise from the depths of the Earth beneath Damascus.”

For more information, please read our new free booklet, “Middle Eastern and African Nations in Bible Prophecy.”

The story of Eli is recorded in the first four chapters of 1 Samuel. Eli served as priest; in fact, as High Priest in the house of the LORD in Shiloh (compare 1 Samuel 1:9, 24). Eli was also a judge over Israel (1 Samuel 4:18). Eli was a descendant of Ithamar, the fourth and youngest son of Aaron the High Priest (compare Exodus 6:23).

The account in 1 Samuel also introduces the story of Samuel—the one who replaced Eli as judge over Israel (compare 1 Samuel 7:6).

For Eli, serving as both priest and judge to Israel, a great sense of responsibility and accountability to God was required. Turning to a later account, consider what God said as it is recorded in the second chapter of the Book of Malachi concerning His priests:

“‘And now, O priests, this commandment is for you. If you will not hear, And if you will not take it to heart, To give glory to My name,’ Says the Lord of hosts, ‘I will send a curse upon you, And I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have cursed them already, Because you do not take it to heart. Behold, I will rebuke your descendants And spread refuse on your faces, The refuse of your solemn feasts; And one will take you away with it. Then you shall know that I have sent this commandment to you, That My covenant with Levi may continue,’ Says the Lord of hosts. ‘My covenant was with him, one of life and peace, And I gave them to him that he might fear Me; So he feared Me And was reverent before My name. The law of truth was in his mouth, And injustice was not found on his lips. He walked with Me in peace and equity, And turned many away from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, And people should seek the law from his mouth; For he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts’” (Malachi 2:1-7).

Of Eli’s sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who served as priests (compare 1 Samuel 1:3), this is recorded: “Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the LORD” (1 Samuel 2:12). They took meat from the sacrificial animals before it was dedicated to God by the people of Israel: “Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the LORD, for men abhorred the offering of the LORD” (1 Samuel 2:17).

We also find this indictment of these two brothers—something of which Eli was aware:

“Now Eli was very old; and he heard everything his sons did to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who assembled at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. So he said to them, ‘Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all the people. No, my sons! For it is not a good report that I hear. You make the Lord’s people transgress. If one man sins against another, God will judge him. But if a man sins against the Lord, who will intercede for him?’ Nevertheless they did not heed the voice of their father, because the Lord desired to kill them” (1 Samuel 2:22-25).

So grave was this situation that Eli’s sons simply went too far in their rebellious actions, but note that God held Eli accountable as well, because he tolerated his sons’ evil conduct, without preventing it:

“Then a man of God came to Eli and said to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Did I not clearly reveal Myself to the house of your father when they were in Egypt in Pharaoh’s house? Did I not choose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be My priest, to offer upon My altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod before Me? And did I not give to the house of your father all the offerings of the children of Israel made by fire? Why do you kick at My sacrifice and My offering which I have commanded in My dwelling place, and honor your sons more than Me, to make yourselves fat with the best of all the offerings of Israel My people?”’” (1 Samuel 2:27-29).

Eli knew better; he knew what his sons did, and he placed his sons ahead of God! As High Priest, he had the authority and duty to stop them, but he failed to do so (compare 1 Samuel 3:11-14).

We find another example of how strictly God demands His priests to fulfill their office in representing Him before His people:

“Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. So fire went out from the Lord and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. And Moses said to Aaron, ‘This is what the Lord spoke, saying: “By those who come near Me I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified.” ’ So Aaron held his peace” (Leviticus 10:1-3).

Hophni and Phinehas died by the hands of the Philistines, and the ark of God was captured by them (1 Samuel 4:11); Eli also died (verse 18).

This all came about because of the sin which was allowed to grow and fester until there was no remedy, and this was true of the people of Israel at that time as well. Note how God uses the Shiloh of Eli’s time as a witness against Israel:

“‘But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I set My name at the first, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people Israel’” (Jeremiah 7:12).

When the man of God came to Eli to tell him of the judgment from God that would come upon him and his descendants, God also related that He would choose someone to replace him in the Aaronic line of High Priest:

“‘Then I will raise up for Myself a faithful priest who shall do according to what is in My heart and in My mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall walk before My anointed forever’” (1 Samuel 2:35).

This prophecy was fulfilled in the days of Solomon’s reign:

“So Solomon removed Abiathar from being priest to the Lord, that he might fulfill the word of the Lord which He spoke concerning the house of Eli at Shiloh… The king put Benaiah the son of Jehoiada in his place over the army, and the king put Zadok the priest in the place of Abiathar” (1 Kings 2:27, 35).

Zadok’s faithfulness in serving as priest to the LORD has become a measure of contrast to the house of Eli. In fact, Zadok’s descendants are mentioned as having priestly roles in the millennial reign of Jesus Christ:

“‘But the priests, the Levites, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer to Me the fat and the blood,’ says the Lord GOD” (Ezekiel 44:15; also compare Ezekiel 48:11).

Let us carefully note the example of Eli who became permissive with God’s laws, who condoned sin and who placed others ahead of God. He paid with his life, the life of two of his sons, a curse on his descendants and the rejection of Shiloh because of the sin that arose in Israel.

Christians are called to be judges and priests in the Kingdom of God. Paul cautions us that we, too, have a great sense of responsibility and accountability to God:

“For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. And again, ‘The LORD will judge His people.’ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:26-31).

Lead Writer: Dave Harris

Norbert and Johanna Link left on Wednesday, September 12th, for Germany. We have had several requests for visits and baptisms from our German audience–those watching our AufPostenStehen videos along with posted sermons and booklets from our German website, http://aufpostenstehen.de/. Mr. Link will also conduct services while in Germany and then travel to Deganwy, North Wales, for the Feast of Tabernacles observance.

The latest member letter, written by Brian Gale, can now be found at: http://eternalgod.org/lit/letters/brethren-20120915.pdf.

We are quickly approaching the fall Holy Day season for 2012: September 17 (Monday) is the Feast of Trumpets; September 26 (Wednesday) is the Day of Atonement; October 1-7 (Monday through Sunday, with observance beginning the evening of Sunday, September 30) is the Feast of Tabernacles; and, October 8 (Monday) is the Last Great Day.
 
Talent Show and Dinner Dance:
 
For those attending the Feast of Tabernacles with us at our Pismo Beach, California, location, several activities have been planned. One will offer an opportunity to participate in our Talent Show. If you can sing, play an instrument or otherwise contribute to this event, please contact Kalon Mitchell right away. He can be reached at thesupeman@gmail.com
 
The theme for the Dinner Dance will be “Animation.” Dress up as any cartoon or Disney character, or anything that has that animated look to it, full costumes, masks, whatever you desire. When it comes to decorations, we’re leaning more towards that Disney look/feel, like centerpieces for the tables, posters, balloons, props, cardboard cutouts, etc… If anyone has ideas, questions, any way to contribute, please share with Michael Link at mrmikey24@gmail.com Children of ALL ages welcome, and since we’re all children, we’re all going to have a blast… so get ready.
 
If you have not yet sent your response regarding the Dinner Dance buffet, please do so at your earliest convenience, by emailing it to Johanna.Link@cox.net.
 
A reminder for those wishing to attend the Feast of Tabernacles with us for 2012–please review details posted on our website under the “FEASTS” heading. Our locations for this year are Pismo Beach, California, and Deganwy, North Wales.