Pentecost Services

On May 27, 2012, is the annual Holy Day of Pentecost. Dave Harris will give the sermon in the morning from Colorado, titled, “Other Sheep.” Norbert Link will give the sermon in the afternoon from California, titled, “God’s Gracious Gifts.”

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.

Some people have been so busy trying to figure out that which cannot be calculated and is completely within God’s purview to decide, that they missed the fact that Christ is already here.  They have their noses so buried in their own private interpretations of the Bible that they have missed Christ’s presence here altogether. 

One of the reasons that Christ came the first time to Earth about 2000 years ago, was so that we could have the opportunity to have Him in us (John 6:56, 15:4-5, 17:23). 

If we keep His commandments (John 14:20-21) then we have Christ here with us and in us NOW!  If we as true Christians live by His every Word, we do not need to wait to have a personal relationship with Christ…we can have it NOW!

Of course Christ is still yet to return in power and glory for all the world to see — and for them to begin their interaction with Him on a more intimate level.  But we have the chance through the gift of the Holy Spirit to make the most of that opportunity NOW!

We begin reporting on continuing nagging questions regarding the actual birthplace of President Obama and the shocking and incredible attempts of the mainstream media to hide the issue or misinform the public regarding it. We speak of the apparent willingness of the US President and his Republican challenger, as well as the two major parties, to trample all over the 10th Amendment; and congratulate a federal judge in New York for her courageous decision to declare a dangerous portion of the 2012 NDAA unconstitutional.

We address the question why Christians should be concerned about homosexuality; relate the inability of the Catholic Church to explain how someone could be saved without accepting Jesus Christ as personal Savior; and report on a major earthquake in Italy.

We conclude with articles pertaining to the G8 summit and the NATO summit and address the fact that the most important issues are not being solved, while the go ahead is given for a new controversial European missile shield, which will be partly hosted in Germany, provoking anger in Russia.

Where WAS Barack Obama Born?

Breitbart wrote on May 17:

“Breitbart News has obtained a promotional booklet produced in 1991 by Barack Obama’s then-literary agency, Acton & Dystel, which touts Obama as ‘born in Kenya and raised in Indonesia and Hawaii.’… The biography does… fit a pattern in which Obama–or the people representing and supporting him–manipulate his public persona.

“David Maraniss’s forthcoming biography of Obama has reportedly confirmed, for example, that a girlfriend Obama described in Dreams from My Father was, in fact, an amalgam of several separate individuals… Obama has been known frequently to fictionalize aspects of his own life. During his 2008 campaign, for instance, Obama claimed that his dying mother had fought with insurance companies over coverage for her cancer treatments. That turned out to be untrue, but Obama has repeated the story–which even the Washington Post called ‘misleading’–in a campaign video for the 2012 election… Regardless of the reason for Obama’s odd biography, the Acton & Dystel booklet raises new questions as part of ongoing efforts to understand Barack Obama–who, despite four years in office remains a mystery to many Americans, thanks to the mainstream media.”

The Telegraph wrote on May 18:

“Whatever you think of Breitbart.com’s punishing vetting process, it has exposed just how little work the mainstream media did in investigating candidate Obama back in 2008… Obama’s old literary agent has issued a terse statement to the effect that the wording was all her fault and she never consulted her client. If that’s true, she’s a bad agent. A different agent, quoted by Breitbart.com, disagrees. He told the website ‘that while “almost nobody” wrote his or her own biography, the non-athletes in the booklet, whom “the agents deal[t] with on a daily basis,” were “probably” approached to approve the text as presented.’

“If we accept that Obama didn’t provide the biography, it would seem highly unlikely that he didn’t get a chance to vet it. Accepting that he didn’t do that either, it’s incredibly strange that the literary agent approached by Breitbart.com does not remember Obama calling the agency to register a complaint and make a correction. My mother spent a lot of her childhood in Grenada. If my literary agent told people I was born in the Caribbean, I’d at least pick up the phone to set the record straight.

“Look beyond the sordid details and the big story here is that this nugget wasn’t part of the wider discussion had back in 2008 about Obama’s background and credentials. And why not? The documents were easy to find – the one that showed that ‘born in Kenya’ was still being used in 2007 was on the Internet.”

What is puzzling is that in light of this damaging evidence, both Breitbart and the Telegraph insist that Mr. Obama was born in Hawaii. For example, the Telegraph wrote in the same article:

“Today, the President has satisfied all right-minded folk that he was in fact born in Hawaii. Breitbart.com itself has always rejected the absurd cult of birtherism. In fact, this story is really the opposite of birtherism – Breitbart infers that in the past Obama encouraged people to think that he was born abroad in order to establish an identity as an authentic, exotic voice in the debate on racial politics.”

And Breitbart wrote in their article:

“Andrew Breitbart was never a ‘Birther,’ and Breitbart News is a site that has never advocated the narrative of ‘Birtherism.’ In fact, Andrew believed, as we do, that President Barack Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on August 4, 1961. Yet Andrew also believed that the complicit mainstream media had refused to examine President Obama’s ideological past, or the carefully crafted persona he and his advisers had constructed for him.”

ABC News even went a step further, fantasizing the following on May 18:

“A possible source of the so-called ‘birther’ issue–or at least a potential cause of the rumors that have dogged President Barack Obama–has been identified. Obama’s former literary agency misidentified his birthplace as Kenya while trying to promote the then-Harvard Law grad as an author in 1991. According to a promotional booklet produced by the agency, Acton & Dystel, to showcase its roster of writers, Obama was ‘born in Kenya and raised in Indonesia and Hawaii.’ Miriam Goderich edited the text of the bio; she is now a partner at the Dystel & Goderich agency, which lists Obama as one of its current clients. ‘This was nothing more than a fact checking error by me–an agency assistant at the time,’ Goderich wrote in an emailed statement to Yahoo News.”

Strange and very difficult to believe, because ongoing investigations question that Mr. Obama was born in Hawaii, and an affidavit by his grandmother claims that she was present when he was born in Kenya. Either way, Mr. Obama’s veracity is on the line. Either, he fabricated or helped fabricate a story in 1991, when he was the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review, claiming that he was born in Kenya, or he fabricated or help fabricate a story later, when running for the office of American President, claiming that he was born in Hawaii. To reiterate, only if he WAS born in Hawaii would he be legally qualified to hold the office of American President.

Both Obama and Romney Trample All Over 10th Amendment

The Washington Post wrote on May 20:

“The 10th Amendment, the amendment supposedly reserving for the states all powers not explicitly granted to the federal government, gets a lot of rhetorical love on the campaign trail. But on issues from medical marijuana to voter-identification laws to malpractice reform, both President Obama and presumptive GOP challenger Mitt Romney have shown few qualms about trampling all over the 10th Amendment.

“Earlier this month, Mr. Obama cited a respect for states’ rights as he announced his personal ‘evolution’ to support of gay marriage, but has repeatedly deployed his Justice Department to challenge states over their voter-ID and immigration laws, and medical marijuana use policies.

“For his part, Mr. Romney has repeatedly invoked the 10th Amendment to defend why he signed a state-level health law mandating coverage as governor of Massachusetts in 2006, only to oppose a similar program now at the federal level. But he has also called for overriding state laws to enact national tort reform, and has declined to say whether he would halt federal raids on dispensaries in states that have legalized marijuana for medicinal uses.

“Mike Maharrey, of the Tenth Amendment Center, said this kind of fair-weather federalism illustrates an inconsistency running rampant in both major parties. ‘That’s one of my greatest frustrations with the political process, not just with Obama and Romney, but both sides of the political spectrum tend to kind of turn to the 10th Amendment when it’s convenient,’ Mr. Maharrey said.”

This is the gist of politics–adopt positions which might be popular, and drop them when they could backfire. Hypocritical inconsistency seems to be the name of the game. Knowing this, why would any true Christian who is to stand up for and defend the TRUTH get involved in politics or grant their vote of confidence, support and approval to ANY of its political representatives?

Section 1021 of the 2012 NDAA Held Unconstitutional—For Now

The Associated Press reported on May 17:

“A day before Congress weighs an amendment to end indefinite military detentions in the U.S. [Note: This amendment did not pass], a federal judge Wednesday ruled the law that allows the practice unconstitutional.

“Saying the measure has ‘chilling impact on First Amendment rights,’ U.S. District Judge Katherine Forrest, of New York’s Eastern District, found that a group of reporters and activists who brought the lawsuit had no way of knowing whether they could be subjected to it. That makes it an unconstitutional infringement on the First Amendment’s free speech right and the Fifth Amendment’s right to due process, Forrest said in a written opinion.

“The lead plaintiffs — Pulitzer Prize winner Chris Hedges of the Nation Institute and Tangerine Bolen, who runs the website RevolutionTruth — argued that they conceivably could be grabbed under the law because they deal with sources that U.S. authorities may deem to fall under the law, Section 1021 of the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act.

“The law defines the suspects who can be detained as a ‘person who was a part of or substantially supported al-Qaeda, the Taliban, or associated forces.’ Forrest found the language too vague, and repeatedly tried to get government attorneys to say that the reporters’ fears were unfounded. The lawyers declined.

“At the hearing on this motion, the government was unwilling or unable to state that these plaintiffs would not be subject to indefinite detention under [section] 1021,’ Forrest wrote. ‘Plaintiffs are therefore at risk of detention, of losing their liberty, potentially for many years. An individual could run the risk of substantially supporting or directly supporting an associated force without even being aware that he or she was doing so,’ Forrest wrote. ‘In the face of what could be indeterminate military detention, due process requires more.’

“‘We dealt a pretty big blow to two branches of Congress and President Obama,’ Bolen told The Huffington Post. Bolen got involved in the lawsuit because she worked extensively on the Wikileaks and Bradley Manning cases, and used her website to expose where the war on terror has gone tragically wrong, including interviewing Iraqis and Afghans with damning tales to tell. ‘Given that I engage in those two activities and I have an entire team around the world, I really felt that under the vague language of the NDAA, someone like me could easily get in trouble,’ Bolen said…

“The author and activist Naomi Wolf said watching the judge question administration lawyers repeatedly on the issue of who might be detained under the law — and the lawyers not answering — was downright chilling. To have the judge find that state of affairs unconstitutional was a profound relief, Wolf said in an interview.

“‘To hear those words — it’s so true, it’s so obvious — it puts in glaring relief the hideousness, the unconstitutionality, the darkness of this legislative effort and others like it,’ Wolf said. ‘She is so completely, obviously right. It’s nothing short of treason to have put forward legislation like this, let alone to have had most of the people who represent us and our president sign off on this clearly, obviously criminally unconstitutional — unconstitutional is inadequate. It’s anti-constitutional. It’s dictatorial. ‘I’m so happy as a mother. It’s so profound. All of us were put in danger by this law.’

“The White House had no comment on the ruling Wednesday night… The government has 60 days to decide whether to appeal.”

This law is indeed very dangerous and appears to be unconstitutional for the reasons stated in the article. The fears expressed in the article are also very real, especially in light of the evasive conduct of the government lawyers. However, it will remain to be seen whether the Obama Administration will appeal, and how a higher court might rule on the matter, given the politically charged surroundings during an election year.

Why To Be Concerned About Homosexuality?

On May 21, 2012, CNN published an interesting opinion by R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Although being dead wrong on his idea that we are no longer required to abide by God’s dietary laws, he does set forth succinctly why homosexuality is wrong in the eyes of God. We begin with quoting his erroneous conclusions regarding clean and unclean food:

“An honest consideration of the Bible reveals that most of the biblical laws people point to in asking this question, such as laws against eating shellfish or wearing mixed fabrics, are part of the holiness code assigned to Israel in the Old Testament. That code was to set Israel, God’s covenant people, apart from all other nations on everything from morality to diet.

“As the Book of Acts makes clear, Christians are not obligated to follow this holiness code. This is made clear in Peter’s vision in Acts 10:15. Peter is told, ‘What God has made clean, do not call common.’ In other words, there is no kosher code for Christians. Christians are not concerned with eating kosher foods and avoiding all others. That part of the law is no longer binding, and Christians can enjoy shrimp and pork with no injury to conscience.”

This conclusion is totally false. Peter’s vision in Acts 10 has nothing to do with declaring unclean animals to be clean. Rather, Peter gives the meaning of the vision in verse 28, stating: “But God has shown me that I should not call any MAN common or unclean.” God never allowed the consumption of unclean food, and He will punish those in the end time who disregard His dietary laws (compare Isaiah 66:17). For more information, please read our free booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound…”

At the same time, Mohler’s comments regarding the biblical teaching on homosexuality are correct:

“Are conservative Christians hypocritical and selective when it comes to the Bible’s condemnation of homosexuality? With all that the Bible condemns, why the focus on gay sex and same-sex marriage?…

“The Old Testament clearly condemns male homosexuality along with adultery, bestiality, incest and any sex outside the covenant of marriage. The New Testament does not lessen this concern but amplifies it… The New Testament condemns a full range of sexual sins, and homosexuality is specified among these sins. In Romans, Paul refers to homosexuality in terms of ‘dishonorable passions,’ ‘contrary to nature’ and ‘shameless.’ As New Testament scholar Robert Gagnon has stated, the Bible’s indictment ‘encompasses every and any form of homosexual behavior’… Jesus made clear that marriage was always meant to be one man and one woman…

“Why are Christians so concerned with homosexuality? In the first place, that question is answered by the simple fact that it is the most pressing moral question of our times. Christians must be concerned about adultery, pornography, injustice, dishonesty and everything the Bible names as sin. But when my phone rings with a call from a reporter these days, the question I am asked is never [about] adultery or pornography. It is about homosexuality.

“Christians who are seriously committed to the authority of the Bible have no choice but to affirm all that the Bible teaches, including its condemnation of homosexuality… In other words, we understand that the Bible condemns all forms of sin because our Creator knows what is best for us. The Bible names sins specifically so that each of us will recognize our own sinfulness and look to Christ for salvation and the forgiveness of our sins. Christian love requires that we believe and teach what the Bible teaches and that we do so with both strong conviction and humble hearts. The Church must repent of our failures in both of these tasks, but we must not be silent where the Bible speaks.

“Are Christians hypocrites in insisting that homosexual behavior is sin? We, too, are sinners, and hypocrisy and inconsistency are perpetual dangers. The church failed miserably in the face of the challenge of divorce. This requires an honest admission and strong corrective. At the same time, this painful failure must remind us that we must not fail to answer rightly when asked what the Bible teaches about homosexuality. Love requires us to tell the truth.”

An Unfathomable Divine Mystery?

The Catholic News wrote on May 17:

“The Catholic Church’s relationship to Judaism as taught by the Second Vatican Council and the interpretations and developments of that teaching by subsequent popes, ‘are binding on a Catholic,’ said the Vatican official responsible for relations with the Jews. Swiss Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews and a member of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, spoke to reporters May 16 after delivering a speech on Catholic-Jewish relations in light of Vatican II’s declaration ‘Nostra Aetate’ on the church’s relations with non-Christian religions…

“The declaration highlighted the Jewish roots of Christianity and took ‘an unambiguous position against every form of anti-Semitism,’ he said… ‘God’s plan of salvation for humanity began with his covenant with the Jewish people and if Christianity ignores that, he said, ‘it is in danger of losing its location within salvation history.’ While Catholics profess that, in the end, all salvation will be accomplished through Jesus Christ, ‘it does not necessarily follow that the Jews are excluded from God’s salvation because they do not believe in Jesus Christ as the Messiah of Israel and the son of God,’ the cardinal said. ‘That the Jews are participants in God’s salvation is theologically unquestionable, but how that can be possible without confessing Christ explicitly is and remains an unfathomable divine mystery.’”

The Bible says that there cannot be any salvation except through Jesus Christ. This means that no one can and will be saved unless he or she accepts Jesus Christ as his or her personal Savior and believes in His Sacrifice. However, the Bible also teaches that today is NOT the only day of salvation. To understand this “mystery,” please read our free booklet, “Is That in the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation.”

Major Earthquake Hits Italy

BBC News reported on May 20:

“Thousands of people left homeless by a powerful earthquake in northern Italy are spending the night in shelters as aftershocks continue to hit the region. At least seven people died and more than 50 were injured when the quake struck in the early hours of Sunday. The magnitude six tremor, centred north of Bologna, destroyed or badly damaged many historic buildings… A 5.1 magnitude aftershock struck Sunday afternoon, destroying several buildings already weakened… Sunday’s earthquake was the worst to hit Italy since the L’Aquila tremor killed nearly 300 people in 2009.”

According to the Bible, more powerful earthquakes will strike around the world, and an extremely strong one might affect the city of Rome.

G8—Many Talks, No Solutions

Deutsche Welle reported on May 18:

“The leaders of the G8 group of the world’s most powerful countries did not show any new political paths at Camp David. They described problems well enough, but did not solve any…The big question after the two-day G8 summit at Camp David was, of course: did it bring any results? Did the eight government leaders, as well as their African guests, change the world – in any way at all? Well, no, they didn’t, is the answer. Well-known points-of-view were exchanged, both on the debt crisis in Europe and on the various flash points around the world. The initiative to strengthen Africa, which was brought to life three years ago, was once again emphasized over lunch with the African leaders. And that was pretty much it…

“The situation in Europe is getting trickier and trickier and turning German Chancellor Angela Merkel into the culprit for the crisis because she insists on budgetary consolidation. It borders on the absurd. Without painful reforms of state finances, which still loom for many countries, including that of the G8 host and its president, Barack Obama, there will not be a lasting exit from the debt crisis. While new French President Francois Hollande and Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti cozy up on the common ground they share with Obama, who is in the midst of an electoral campaign, it’s the facts that will count most at the end of the day. It’s a fact that financing stimulus programs with new debt would be a mistake. The chancellor is right – even if she is isolated in the exclusive club of eight leaders…

“There was at least one good thing to come from the summit: the commitment that Greece belongs in the eurozone. The country cannot and must not be left to its own devices. The offer being made to the Greeks is clear. Aid comes with strings attached. Now the Greeks will have the final say. The election in June will even be interesting for Barack Obama. If the attempt to keep Greece in the eurozone fails, the ensuing recession in Europe could pull down the world economy – and with it the United States. That is the last thing Obama needs right before American voters go to the polls in November. In a globalized world we are all Greeks, Europeans and Americans because we all depend on each other.”

Man has proven to be utterly incapable of finding true solutions and of ruling himself, and the most recent developments, as described above, are no exception. It will require the return of Jesus Christ to establish the Kingdom of God here on earth to bring lasting peace and prosperity to this war-stricken planet. See also the next article.

NATO Goes Ahead with European Missile Shield

The Local wrote on May 21:

“NATO leaders on Sunday gave the go-ahead for the new European missile shield, provoking anger in Russia. The US air base in Ramstein, western Germany, will host part of the system. The decision was made by 28 of the world’s most powerful leaders at the NATO summit in Chicago. It should be up and running before 2020 and protect Europe from missiles fired up to 3,000 kilometres away – roughly where Iran is. [Our comment: Deutsche Welle clarified on May 21 that “The White House says it expects initial operational capability by 2015, while the system will be fully functional in 2018. All 28 members of the alliance will participate in the financing.”]

“Initially a US warship carrying missiles will be installed near Turkey in the Mediterranean, followed by an early-warning radar system at the US air base in Ramstein [Germany]. Further bases are planned for Spain, Romania and Poland… The decision was not greeted warmly by Russia though, as Moscow fears the system could neutralise its own nuclear shield. The country’s government quickly called for joint control over the system and for NATO to sign a legally-binding guarantee that it is not aimed at Russia. But NATO rejected both demands, insisting on keeping two separate systems and refusing to sign a legally-binding document… analysts have questioned whether the shield is a full-proof defence against incoming rockets from rogue states.”

Paradoxically, the European defense shield will ultimately end up in complete European control, and it WILL help and encourage, to an extent, the Europeans to attack Russia and other Asian nations, as the Bible clearly reveals. However, the Asian power bloc will retaliate swiftly and brutally. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy,” and watch Norbert Link’s new video-recorded message, “The Seventh Trumpet.”

Simply put, God’s grace is God’s unmerited favor. It is the gift of God. It includes manifold facets of God’s undeserved pardon and forgiveness, His mercy and His compassion.

For instance, our heart is established and made firm and becomes totally convicted through grace, preventing us from accepting wrong doctrines (Hebrews 13:9). It is grace with God when we suffer wrongfully for righteousness’ sakes (1 Peter 2:19); after all, when we experience wrongful persecution, our reward will be great (Matthew 5:10-12).

We are to grow in the grace of or favor with Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18), as Jesus Himself grew in the Father’s grace or favor (Luke 2:52). And so, John wishes that the grace of Jesus Christ would be with all of those who read and keep what is written in the book of Revelation, and who do His commandments (Revelation 22:7, 14, 21).

Paul adds in Ephesians 6:24 that God’s grace will be given to all those who love Jesus Christ in sincerity, and Christ told us that we love Him if we keep His words and commandments (John 14:15, 23).

God called us out of this world because of His grace—not because of anything we might have done (Romans 11:5-6; compare also Romans 9:11-16).  Ephesians 2:8-9 explains that we were and are saved by grace through faith—not because of our works.

We were freely justified by God’s grace—in that God forgave us our sins following our repentance and belief in Christ’s Sacrifice (Romans 3:23-24).

Being justified by His grace, we should become heirs of eternal life (Titus 3:7).  1 Peter 3:7 clarifies that both husband and wife (male and female) are together heirs of the grace of eternal life. And Romans 5:17, 21 adds that after having received an abundance of God’s grace and the gift of righteousness, it is our potential to finally reign and rule under Christ for all eternity.

Understanding that our salvation and eternal life in the Kingdom and Family of God is being made possible through the grace of God, some conclude that therefore they don’t have anything to do in the process—that God does it all for them, and that their way of living has no bearing on their inheritance of eternal life. This is a fatal and terrible error.

Paul asks the question in Romans 6:1, whether we should continue in sin after we have obtained God’s grace of forgiveness. His conclusion is: Absolutely not. He says that we were once slaves of sin, but that we now have become slaves of righteousness. If we were to continue in the practice of sinful conduct, we would have received God’s grace in vain.

Paul warns in Hebrews 12:15 that we must be diligent not to miss out on God’s grace. He cautions us against becoming bitter, implying that living in such a way can lead to the loss of our salvation. In Jude 4, we read of evil ungodly persons who turn the grace of God into lasciviousness, thereby denying Christ. They are described as being twice dead, for whom the blackness of darkness is reserved forever.

The message is very clear: God’s grace is not to be taken for granted, neglected or abused. If it is, it may be taken away from us, and we might not inherit eternal life, but suffer eternal condemnation.

In Titus 2:11-12, we read that God’s grace that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that we are to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and that we must instead live soberly, righteously and godly in this present evil world. The German Luther Bible is even clearer, emphasizing that it is the grace of God, which helps and motivates us to forsake ungodliness and to embrace a righteous and godly life.

If we refuse to do so, then we would have surely received God’s grace in vain, and God would NOT allow us to enter His Kingdom as a born-again eternal spirit being and immortal member of the God Family.

Lead Writer; Norbert Link

It does not. Please look carefully at the context of the passage in light of other Biblical evidence.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 reads:

“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”

Some Bible commentaries conclude from the words “shall be caught up… in the clouds,” that those in Christ will be secretly transported to heaven, and then later return visibly–together with Christ–to rule the world. Notice, for example, the comments of the Ryrie Study Bible:

“The dead in Christ shall rise first, when the Lord comes for His people (v. 17). Then living believers will be ‘caught up.’ From the Latin for ‘caught up’ comes the term ‘rapture.’ The rapture or catching up of believers described here involves both those who have died and those who are living when the Lord comes. His coming here is ‘in the air,’ not to the earth, and will occur just prior to the beginning of the tribulation period (see Rev. 3:10). That period will end with His coming to the earth (see [Matthew] 24:29-30; [Revelation]19:11-16).”

Not everyone agrees with that explanation. Note the following statements by the New Bible Commentary: Revised:

“‘To meet the Lord’ (Gk. ‘eis apantesin tou kyriou’): When a dignitary paid an official visit … to a city in Hellenistic times, the action of the leading citizens in going out to meet him and escorting him on the final stage of his journey was called the ‘apantesis’; it is similarly used in [Matthew] 25:6; Acts 28:15. So the Lord is pictured as escorted to the earth by His people–those newly raised from death and those who have remained alive.”

F.F. Bruce’s International Bible Commentary agrees: “To meet is used in the papyri of the official reception given to a visiting governor, whom his citizens escort into the city from which they have come to meet him.”

The same conclusion is reached by the commentary of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, where we read:

“‘together with them’–all together: the raised dead, and changed living, forming one joint body, ‘in the clouds’–Greek ‘in clouds.’ The same honor is conferred on them as on their Lord. As He was taken in a cloud at His ascension (Acts 1:9), so at His return with clouds ([Revelation] 1:7), they shall be caught up in clouds. The clouds are His and their triumphal chariot ([Psalm] 104:3; [Daniel] 7:13)… ‘in the air’–rather, ‘INTO the air’; caught up INTO the region just above the earth, where the MEETING (cf. [Matthew] 25:1, 6) shall take place between them ascending, and their Lord descending towards the earth. Not that the air is to be the place of their LASTING ABODE with Him… His point being established… he [Paul] leaves undefined here the other events foretold elsewhere (as not being necessary to his discussion), Christ’s reign on earth with His saints (1 [Corinthians] 6:2, 3)…”

In an Editorial in Update 243 (May 12, 2006), the following is stated:

“Theologians have felt the need to explain God’s mercy and justice by developing the concept of the ‘secret rapture.’ The assumption is that Jesus will first come secretly for His disciples or saints by ‘rapturing’ them to heaven where they will be protected during the time of the ‘Great Tribulation’ which will ravage the earth. According to that theory, Christ will return with His disciples or saints from heaven to this earth after that terrible time of devastation has past. Books and movies have popularized this idea in recent years–known as the ‘Left Behind’ series.

“However, as ‘The Plain Truth’ magazine explains in an article, which was published in February of 1963, ‘The idea of a secret rapture of the saints was unknown to any Christian body before the sixteenth century. Joseph Ribera, Cardinal Bellarmine and Alcasar, Jesuit Priests of the sixteenth century, were the first Christian authorities to promulgate this idea. Even in their day the idea was unclear, but the basic roots of the doctrine began at this time (sources omitted). Later, around 1825, Samuel R. Maitland, Librarian to the Archbishop of Canterbury, embraced the belief, although its basic tenets were still unclear in his day. It wasn’t until 1830 that this belief began to take its modern definition. The Catholic Apostolic Church had its beginning in 1830. It was founded in Britain… by men who claimed divine inspiration. They said the Holy Spirit revealed to them that the last days had come, that the Lord was about to return, that first He would ‘rapture’ the believers who were ready, at a secret coming… after which [i.e., the great tribulation] Christ would come in manifest power’ (sources omitted).”

“The Bible does not teach a secret rapture. Rather, God’s Word reveals that Christ will return ONCE, NOT TWICE (Hebrews 9:28). He will come openly, not in secret (Matthew 24:21-31; Revelation 1:7; Acts 1:10-11), and He will END the Great Tribulation at the time of His Coming by establishing the Kingdom of God here on earth (Revelation 11:15-18). Mark 13:24-27 specifically states: “But in those days, AFTER that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. THEN they will SEE the Son of Man COMING in the clouds with great power and glory. And THEN [not before then] He will send His angels, and GATHER TOGETHER HIS ELECT…”

“Christ will come at the time of the LAST TRUMPET when His elect will be resurrected from the dead or changed to immortality (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 1 Corinthians 15:50-52). There can only be ONE last trumpet, which means, there can only be ONE return of Christ.”

To interject, the Bible speaks about the last trumpet as the SEVENTH trumpet. In the book of Revelation, we read that seven angels will blow seven trumpets, but that at the time of the seventh trumpet–logically the last one–“the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). The seven angels blow the seven last trumpets AFTER the Great Tribulation has begun–in fact, when the seventh angel blows the seventh or last trumpet, the Great Tribulation will have ENDED. Christ returns to shorten the time of the Great Tribulation, lest all human beings on the earth would die (compare Matthew 24:21-22).

To continue with the above-mentioned Editorial:

“However, the Bible reveals that there can be protection from the terrible times to come–but that protection will not be provided in heaven, but on earth. As we explain in our free booklet, ‘The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord,’ beginning on page 58, Christ promises His people, who are worthy, a way to ‘escape all these things that will come to pass’ (Luke 21:34-36; compare Revelation 3:10; Zephaniah 2:3; Psalm 31:19-20). That ‘place of refuge’ (Proverbs 14:26) will be on this earth–not in heaven (Revelation 12:14; Isaiah 33:16; Isaiah 26:20-21). Yes, God will have prepared ‘a place for us’ to protect us from the Great Tribulation. Even though God CAN protect us anywhere He wants, He has decreed that His people will be protected at a certain place here on earth–the place of safety and ‘shelter’ (Joel 3:14-16). Christ compares the time preceding His coming with the time of Noah (Matthew 24:37-39), and as God protected Noah and his family in the ark, here on earth, so He will protect His people on this earth in the way that HE has chosen. And He will NOT protect them by ‘rapturing’ them to heaven!

“The idea of a rapture to heaven–secret or otherwise–is nowhere taught in Scripture. It is an invention by man which can give us no real hope, as it is not based on God’s Word. But God does offer us His protection, if we prove ourselves worthy to receive it.”

To re-emphasize, the Bible nowhere teaches two comings of Christ–or a secret rapture to heaven. The FACT that Christ’s Church will be protected here on EARTH–at a “place of safety” DURING the time of the Great Tribulation–PROVES that His Church will not be at that time in heaven–nor, that it was transferred to heaven before the Great Tribulation by means of a “secret rapture.”

But, this does not mean–as some have begun to erroneously teach–that Christ will return before the Great Tribulation and take His Church to a place of safety here on earth, where He will dwell with His Church during the time of the Great Tribulation. This teaching is likewise without any Biblical support; in fact, Christ warns against such teaching, when He says in Matthew 24:26-27: “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out… For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” His return will be clear and obvious and visible for all alive. Revelation 1:7 says: “Behold, He is coming with clouds, AND EVERY EYE WILL SEE HIM.”

Some have advanced the idea that we will be caught up to meet Christ in the air and then proceed to rule the earth from heaven–either from the sky or from the “third heaven,” where God dwells. This concept is likewise without any Biblical merit. We read in Revelation 5:9-10, how the angels praise Jesus Christ for having redeemed His people through His blood: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seal, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth” (New International Version).

Another passage alluded to by some, that He will come as a thief in the night (compare 1 Thessalonians 5:1-4), describes the timing of His coming. The world will not expect His return at that time. It does not talk about the manner of His coming (visibly or secretly). Compare also Matthew 24:36-44.

We read in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 that we will meet the returning Christ, at His coming, in the air. This is not referring to the third heaven, but to the atmosphere of our earth, which has air and clouds. We read that we will be with Christ from that time on. We read that Christ will descend on that same day to the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4), and we will be with Him (Zechariah 14:5). As mentioned earlier, Christ’s disciples will meet Christ in the air and will accompany Him back to earth. The angels had told the apostles that Christ would come back in the same manner as He had left them. They were on the Mount of Olives, and He left them visibly on a cloud (Acts 1:9-11).

2 Thessalonians 2:1 also talks about the coming of Christ and OUR GATHERING with Him. Remember that Christ GATHERS His elect when He returns VISIBLY (compare again Mark 13:24-27). At that time, He will take care of the “lawless one” (compare verse 8). Again, this is one and the same event–there are no two comings described.

In conclusion, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 does not introduce a secret rapture, but it describes the resurrection of those who died in Christ and the change to immortality of those true Christians who are alive when Christ returns (compare 1 Corinthians 15:50-52). Christ will return visibly–every eye will see Him. The Bible reveals only ONE return–ONE second coming. When it occurs, the dead in Christ will be resurrected to immortality, and those in Christ who are alive will be changed to immortality. All of this will occur at the time of the LAST or SEVENTH trumpet. Christ will return AFTER the Great Tribulation, not BEFORE then. He will come to shorten those days. The Bible simply does not ALLOW for a secret rapture, and those who hope and expect to be transferred to heaven will be “left behind” and waiting in vain.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Progress has been made on repairs to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Link. They anticipate being able to fully move back in during the next few days. Extensive water damage from a broken pipe occurred while they were on a recent trip to Germany. This will also allow Norbert Link to resume recording new StandingWatch programs for both video and radio presentations from the studio located on the premises.

A new StandingWatch program was recorded and posted on YouTube and our website (www.standingwatch.org), titled, “The EU under German Leadership.” “The euro will survive; the European Union will become a federal state; and Britain could end up outside it.” These are some of the interesting conclusions by financial historian Niall Ferguson, as published by the Sunday Times on May 20, 2012, under the headline, “One Nation (Under Germany).” Why did he state those opinions, even though he is not a federalist and does not like what he sees? And why are his ideas so compelling in light of biblical prophecy?

A new German AufPostenStehen program was posted on YouTube titled, “Ist Amerika’s Untergang Vorherbestimmt?” (“Is America Predestined to Fall?”)

Norbert Link’s most recent video-taped sermon, “The Seventh Trumpet,” which was recorded on May 19, 2012, was posted on YouTube.

A new German sermon was posted on YouTube, titled, “Gottes Gnadengeschenke” (“God’s Gracious Gifts”).

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.

On May 19, 2012, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “The Seventh Trumpet”.

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.

One of the major responsibilities which Christ gave His Church is to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God to the world as a witness. Failing to do so would have devastating consequences for all of us.

We understand that we can only move forward in this task, when God provides us with both the income and the opportunities or open doors. The fact that we are not a large group of tens of thousands of members does not diminish our duty to do what we can with what is being given to us.

This responsibility will be carried forward into the Millennium, after the return of Christ, and we know by what is written in the 14th chapter of the book of Zechariah that some nations will not accept the gospel message gladly and with open arms—because that message includes obedience to God’s laws and the keeping of the Sabbath and the annual Holy Days. It will require a change of heart for carnal people to accept God’s law, because the carnal mind is enmity against the law of God, and unwilling and unable to keep it. So, at first, man’s animosity towards the gospel message will continue to exist.

Notice Zechariah 14:16-19:

“And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. And it shall be that whichever of the families of the earth do not come up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, on them there will be no rain. If the family of Egypt will not come up and enter in, they shall have no rain; they shall receive the plague with which the LORD strikes the nations who do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.”

The gospel message includes a warning to this world, pointing at horrible times to come, before Christ returns. Today, many will not listen, but this must not discourage us to fulfill our commission. The major harvest of the sowing of the seed of God by God’s servants throughout mankind’s existence will come to fruition in the Millennium and during the Great White Throne Judgment period.

Just because we are small doesn’t mean we have no impact. A mustard seed almost looks like dust, yet it grows up to become a large tree. The challenge of proclaiming God’s gospel is before us now in this day and age, and this task will continue in the ages to come. Let us ensure that we are about our Father’s business in announcing to this world the only hope for all of mankind.

We begin reporting on Angela Merkel’s defeat in the most recent state election, but we should not be too quick to jump to premature conclusions regarding her political survival or her goal to save the euro. We also address the ongoing crisis in Greece and introduce you to the exciting life of German Finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble.

Turning our attention to the USA, we quote from an article, written by a homosexual author, stating that Mr. Obama became the first “gay president,” and we also report on the worldwide disappointment over his presidency, as well as the difference between the European approach and the American approach to the financial crisis.

We focus on attempts of some Arab nations to unite, trying to use the EU as a pattern; and we speak of dangerous developments in the Far East, including in Pakistan, India and China.

We conclude with articles of diverse topics: The mysterious death of many dolphins and seabirds defies scientific explanations; and the incredible increase of repeat abortions and preparations to implant microchips in humans irrespective of the obvious dangers–something which defies sound human reasoning and boggles the mind!

Trouble for Angela Merkel…?

Der Spiegel wrote on May 15:

“Last week Chancellor Angela Merkel’s austerity policy suffered twin blows in Europe when Socialist Francois Hollande, a critic of her strict approach, won the French presidency and Greek voters firmly rejected the painful reforms imposed on them. On Sunday came a further major setback for Merkel when her conservative Christian Democrats suffered a big defeat in an election in the country’s most populous state, North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). It weakens her at home at a time when opposition to her crisis strategy is mounting across Europe…

“German media commentators say the defeat is largely attributable to the weakness of the CDU’s candidate for state governor, Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen, and that Merkel will be much harder to defeat in the 2013 general election. But they also say that the result is likely to make the left-wing opposition to her far more confrontational and less ready to compromise on upcoming issues such as the ratification of the fiscal pact, for which Merkel needs a two-thirds majority in parliament.

“Invigorated by their new-found strength, the Social Democrats and Greens are likely to demand concessions in return for supporting the pact that would enshrine budget discipline into the constitutions of 25 of the EU’s 27 member states, commentators say. The pact is central to Merkel’s increasingly unpopular strategy for… saving the euro…”

… Not Really…

Der Spiegel Online wrote on May 15:

“The chancellor’s personal approval ratings remain high, and opinion polls show the majority of Germans support her European strategy, which they see as the best way to limit the impact of the crisis on their personal finances… As long as that doesn’t change, Merkel won’t significantly soften her stance. Minor concessions are all France’s new Socialist president François Hollande… can expect… There is no question that Merkel faces a tougher time both at home and abroad, and that she is looking increasingly isolated after losing her main ally in Europe, Nicolas Sarkozy.

“But she will adapt and move on, as she has many times before, and her domestic support is likely to remain underpinned by Germany’s continued strong economic performance, confirmed again on Tuesday with stronger-than-expected GDP data showing a 0.5 percent rise in the first quarter thanks to a surge in exports… The chancellor said on Monday that the North Rhine-Westphalia election had been a ‘bitter, painful defeat’ for her party, but she signalled she would stand firm on austerity, saying: ‘It does not affect the work we have to do in Europe…’”

Greek Debacle Threatens Europe

The Telegraph reported on May 14:

“Raising the spectre of a Greek exit, the German chancellor said ‘solidarity for the euro’ was threatened by the ongoing political crisis in Athens. Stock markets around the world fell sharply with fears mounting that a euro break-up could lead to renewed financial turmoil… The cost of Spanish government borrowing also hit a record high since the single currency was introduced because of concerns that the crisis will spread… Attempts to form a new government in Athens have been thwarted…

“An outgoing Greek minister warned that the country could descend into ‘civil war’ amid the chaos of a euro exit… New elections may be held next month [Der Spiegel reported on May 15 that “Greece will hold a new election in June after President Karolos Papoulias failed on Tuesday to persuade parties to form a government”] and Greek voters are likely to be warned by European leaders that their country may be ejected from the euro if they do not support parties backing austerity measures… A report from Fitch, the credit rating agency, said yesterday that the British economy may not re-emerge from recession before 2014 if there is a ‘shock case’ of a disorderly Greek exit from the euro. Germany and the European Central Bank are thought to have drawn up detailed plans for a Greek exit for the euro…

“Wolfgang Schaeuble, the German finance minister,… said the advantages of Greece staying in the euro outweighed any perceived gain from exiting the single currency… ‘The price if they decide to leave the euro is very high. It would cause a huge amount of turbulence for all of us’… The Foreign Office also has plans to evacuate British citizens from Greece if it becomes dangerous…”

The Guardian added on May 14: “Chancellor Angela Merkel… stressed that Greece would ‘always’ be in the EU, a statement interpreted as meaning it might not always be in the euro…”

It is conceivable that Greece will give up the euro and depart from the eurozone, but it is not realistic to assume that the euro itself will be abandoned.

A Bank Run to Union?

Reuters wrote on May 17:

“A spreading bank run could hasten Greece’s exit from the euro zone but it certainly doesn’t have to end that way…

“…if things get worse in Greece, as they are almost certain to, depositors elsewhere in the euro zone may follow suit and withdraw money from banks in weaker countries. Deposits in Italian and Portuguese banks have dropped, relatively gently, though Italian deposits are still near earlier peaks.

“More withdrawals will be no surprise, whatever you think of the game of chicken between Greece and the rest of Europe. The opportunity cost of moving money is low, and even if the money is not deposited elsewhere, very low interest rates impose little penalty on cautious savers stuffing bank notes into mattresses.

“The logic is even less strong for a bank run in Spain, for example, forcing a disorganized euro exit. So long as Spain, or Portugal, is making minimal progress on reforms – and they are doing better than that now – there is even less incentive for the ECB to become spooked by a rush of questionable collateral onto its books.

“And if Spanish bank funds flee, the math will be the same for the ECB (European Central Bank) but the scale will be far different and argues further for forbearance rather than retribution. Something on the lines of a third of Greek deposits, or a bit more than 70 billion euros, have left its system. Extrapolate that to the Spanish system and you are looking at more than 500 billion euros.

“That could spook Germany and the ECB, but more likely it brings Europe into a sort of de facto fiscal union, in which the affairs, credits and debits of the players are so intertwined as to utterly resist detangling. The ECB will not end the euro on its own authority, and in the event of a huge bank run it will probably prove impossible for politicians to make the decision to pull the plug quickly. That will leave the south owing the north even more, but the north having less ability to collect or dodge. Some sort of common bond issuance or fiscal union might actually be hastened by a bank run, ironically enough.”

The inevitability of a growing European unification–in spite of contrary opinions–is coming to pass in this generation, and it is one of the great events of biblical prophecy which is now finding fulfillment. Our booklet, “Europe in Prophecy–The Unfolding of End-Time Events,” offers even more details, and it is available, free, at www.eternalgod.org.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble Recipient of Charlemagne Prize

Deutsche Welle reported on May 17:

“German Finance Minister and veteran of several governments Wolfgang Schäuble is seen as a man for tough jobs. On Thursday, he received the prestigious Charlemagne Prize in Aachen.

“Ever since the election in [the] fall [of] 2009, Wolfgang Schäuble has been the most important minister in Angela Merkel’s government. He’s the one with the most weight in political affairs, and, as the government’s real number 2, is deeply involved in international politics – a constant presence at every important international gathering. On Thursday, he [received] the Charlemagne Prize in Aachen for his service for European unification, an honor previously bestowed on the likes of Winston Churchill, Bill Clinton, Pope John Paul II, and indeed Merkel.

“Schäuble, a lawyer who hails from the Baden region of south-western Germany, is one of the most important players in the current efforts to rescue the euro… Now he’s being asked to take on a key formal position in solving the crisis by becoming head of the eurogroup…

“… in 1981, he started his long intense relationship with Helmut Kohl. In 1984, Schäuble became Kohl’s chancellery minister… Then when the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989, Schäuble became West Germany’s negotiator with the former communist East Germany over the Reunification Treaty. In less than twelve months, on October 3, 1990, unity had been achieved.

“But only a few days later, Schäuble was the victim of an assassination attempt. On October 12, in a public house in the town of Oppenau near his home in Baden, a psychopath shot him, injuring him severely. His life suffered a drastic change: from then on, he was confined to a wheelchair. Schäuble is a public servant with a strong, almost Prussian sense of duty. What followed was the fight of his life. He refused to give in, and took up his duties as interior minister after just six weeks.

“In January 2000 Schäuble had to admit that he accepted a DM 100,000 donation for his party from an arms trade lobbyist. Schäuble didn’t tell the whole truth to parliament: it’s an error for which he has never forgiven himself and for which he has publicly asked for forgiveness. As a consequence, in February 2000, he resigned as head of his party’s parliamentary group. He and Kohl became bitter enemies; in a television interview in April, Schäuble spoke of ‘an intrigue with criminal elements,’ and ‘a campaign to destroy me personally’…

“At that time, Angela Merkel was CDU secretary general. In December 1999 she wrote her now famous article in which she advised her party to ‘emancipate’ itself from Helmut Kohl… Once she became strong enough, she called [Schäuble] back into government. In 2005, he became interior minister in the grand coalition with the Social Democrats, and in 2009 he was unexpectedly given the finance ministry…

“Schäuble is passionate about Europe, and is committed to greater integration. The Franco-German alliance is particularly important to him. Whether it was the European single market in 1986, the Maastricht Treaty in 1992, the Stability and Growth Pact in 1996 or the Lisbon Treaty in 2007 – Schäuble was there. He is highly respected in the EU, and across party lines in Germany. He’s flattered when people call him the last convinced European in Berlin, and he certainly doesn’t look tired of his job.

“He continues to repeat that the euro ‘is a stable currency, and, so long as we don’t make any serious mistakes, it will continue to be so… Europe has always emerged strengthened from every crisis. It’ll be the same this time,’ he insists. ‘In ten years we will have a structure that will be much closer to what one calls a political union.’ That’s his aim…”

Wolfgang Schäuble was born in 1942. He has been married since 1969, and the couple have four children. He defended the Iraq war and pleads for integration of Islam into German society, while stressing that certain core Christian doctrines must not be compromised. He is a convicted Protestant and still remembers the time when his Catholic father was excluded from the Catholic sacraments because his son Wolfgang was baptized by the Protestant church.

Obama the “First Gay President”

Newsmax wrote on May 13:

“President Barack Obama’s unplanned, sudden endorsement of gay marriage may pose potential political challenges for him in the upcoming months, but at least one news organization is proclaiming the married father of two the nation’s ‘first gay president.’ Newsweek on Sunday released the cover of their next issue, which features President Obama with a rainbow halo and the title of ‘The First Gay President.’… The article accompanying the cover was written by the news magazine’s nominally conservative blogger, Andrew Sullivan, who is an openly gay. ‘When you step back a little and assess the record of Obama on gay rights, you see, in fact, that this was not an aberration. It was an inevitable culmination of three years of work,’ Sullivan said in a statement about the article…

“Obama only made his move after his hand was forced by Vice President Joe Biden, who last week said he was quite comfortable with gay marriage. The next day, Education Secretary Arne Duncan seconded Biden with his own support… some conservatives have applauded the move. Several pundits last week pointed out that before Obama, the highest ranking government leader to endorse legalized gay unions was former Vice President Dick Cheney…”

Indeed, President Obama’s official stance on this matter was predictable.

“Around World, Obama’s Presidency a Disappointment”

The Associated Press wrote on May 12:

“In Europe, where more than 200,000 people thronged a Berlin rally in 2008 to hear Barack Obama speak, there’s disappointment that he hasn’t kept his promise to close the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, and perceptions that he’s shunting blame for the financial crisis across the Atlantic… many in the Middle East wonder what became of Obama’s vow, in a landmark 2009 speech at the University of Cairo, to forge a closer relationship with the Muslim world.

“In a world weary of war and economic crises, and concerned about global climate change, the consensus is that Obama has not lived up to the lofty expectations that surrounded his 2008 election and Nobel Peace Prize a year later. Many in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America were also taken aback by his support for gay marriage, a taboo subject among religious conservatives…

“Obama also has a strained relationship with Israel, where Bush was popular. Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have been cool to one another in their handful of meetings. Obama’s Mideast envoy, former U.S. Sen. George Mitchell, made no progress during two years of frequent meetings with both sides before quitting last year…

“Obama remains popular in Japan, one of the United States’ closest allies, though that may be a matter of style over substance… America’s stature has taken a hit in Japan since the 2008 financial meltdown, which highlighted the excesses of U.S.-style capitalism to many Japanese.”

On the other hand, international confidence in a future Republican President is, overall, very low.

Germany and USA on Different Planets?

The Washington Post wrote on May 17:

“There are 4,169 miles between Berlin and Washington. But on economic policy, the two capitals sometimes appear to be on different planets. Germany has taken a tough-love, austerity-driven approach to solving Europe’s recession, pushing struggling countries to sharply cut public spending and chop their debt even as their economies slump. The United States confronted its own crisis with an $862 billion stimulus package in 2009, which brought debt levels to heights not seen since shortly after World War II but may have dulled the worst blow of its downturn.”

Those differences will contribute to an ever-increasing alienation between the USA and Europe.

Will Some Arab Nations Unite?

CNN reported on May 13:

“The leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council will… discuss transforming their six nations into a union, similar to the European Union. The idea of the GCC nations to integrate into one entity — and replace what exists now as simply a cooperative — was first floated by Saudi Arabia in December… The GCC is comprised of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates… The GCC was formed in 1981, soon after Iran instituted a Shiite theocracy and went to war with primarily Sunni Iraq.”

While many in Europe question the institution of the EU, some Arab states see the great advantages of such a unity for their cause.

Paralyzed Relationship Between USA and Pakistan

The Economist wrote on May 12:

“Relations between the United States and Pakistan, supposed ‘strategic’ allies, have been paralysed since American aircraft mistakenly killed 24 Pakistani troops stationed on the Afghan border in November, in an awful ‘friendly fire’ incident. Now, like two bickering children unable to swallow their pride and make up, President Barack Obama’s administration is unwilling to apologise over the deaths, and the Pakistani government has refused to reopen its roads for supplying NATO soldiers in Afghanistan, after closing them as punishment… America is furious that Pakistan is not doing more to stop the Haqqani network, an Afghan insurgent group based in Pakistan’s tribal areas, from pulling off attacks in Afghanistan…

“The border deaths in November capped a year of plummeting relations. In January 2011 a CIA employee gunned down two men in the street in Lahore. In May Pakistan was humiliated by the American discovery and killing of Osama bin Laden in a northern Pakistani town… Strikes by American drone aircraft against suspected extremists in Pakistan’s tribal areas make a mockery of the country’s sovereignty. Worse, the strikes often hit the ‘wrong’ jihadi fighters as far as Pakistan is concerned—that is, groups with whom the armed forces have reached an accommodation in order to battle other outfits it regards as more dangerous.

“Pakistan also wants payments, stalled two years ago, that it is owed under an American programme to reimburse the country for its military operations along the Afghan border. Pakistan reckons it is owed around $2 billion… Once Pakistan gets the apology it wants, it should be willing to allow NATO supplies back through its territory. But it no longer wants to give free passage. A transit tax would be imposed on each container, with the sum now being haggled over between the two sides. Before the route was cut, NATO had already managed drastically to cut its logistical reliance on Pakistan, down to about 30% of supplies, with the rest going through a much more expensive route via Central Asia, or by air…”

As the next article shows as well, most Far Eastern countries will ultimately unite against the Western powers.

The Asian Arms Race

Der Spiegel Online wrote on April 20:

“Asia’s military might appears to be growing by leaps and bounds these days. Just last month, China announced a significant increase to its military spending. Since then, North Korea attempted (and failed) to launch a rocket into space, the United States began a joint military exercise with the Philippines and, on Thursday, South Korea tested a missile whose range includes all of North Korea.

“The biggest headlines, however, have been reserved for India’s testing on Thursday of a long-range ballistic missile… When the rocket, the Agni V, becomes part of the Indian military’s arsenal in 2015, the country will become the most recent member in the exclusive club of nations that possess ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads — a group that includes China, Britain, France, Russia, the US and, it is widely assumed, Israel… Most attention… was focused on what appear to be Indian efforts to both catch up to China militarily and to underline its supremacy over neighboring Pakistan, which also has nuclear weapons… Furthermore, New Delhi has purchased nuclear submarines from Russia and is seeking to modernize its tank fleet. In 2011, the country was the world’s biggest purchaser of arms…

“Center-left daily Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘… The new economic powers in the [Asian] region are expanding their armies, naval fleets and nuclear capacities as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Those who had dreamed that the atomic age would slowly fade away following the end of the Cold War must now confront reality — and China and India are leading the charge. The two powers — which are slowly turning their regional weight into global influence — are counting on the nuclear deterrent. India’s test underlines this intention… An end to the arms race is not in sight. Even if the US wanted to, its influence in Asia would no longer be enough to slow this development.’”

Mysterious Deaths of Dolphins and Seabirds

The New York Times wrote on May 7:

“Late last year, fishermen began finding dead dolphins, hundreds of them, washed up on Peru’s northern coast. Now, seabirds have begun dying, too, and the government has yet to conclusively pinpoint a cause… At least 877 dolphins and more than 1,500 birds, most of them brown pelicans and boobies, have died since the government began tracking the deaths in February, the Environment Ministry said last week. The dolphins, many of which appeared to have decomposed in the ocean before washing ashore, were found in the Piura and Lambayeque regions, not far from the border with Ecuador. The seabirds, which seem mostly to have died onshore, have been found from Lambayeque to Lima…

“Over the weekend, the Health Ministry issued an alert advising people to avoid the waters around Lima and to the north… It advised people not to eat raw seafood… and recommended that people disposing of dead marine animals wear gloves and masks. The warning sowed confusion, given earlier government statements indicating that the seabirds were probably starving rather than falling ill from some disease…”

The Bible tells us that in these end times, more and more animals will die.

Abortion a Lifestyle Choice?

Mail on Line wrote on May 13:

“The Health Service [in Great Britain] is spending around £1million a week providing repeat abortions. Critics said figures revealed yesterday show thousands of women are using the procedure as a form of contraception. It is not unknown for some women to have seven, eight or even nine terminations in their lifetime.

“According to the statistics, single or unmarried women account for five out of every six repeat terminations. Around a third of all abortions carried out in England and Wales are repeats. The figures will fuel the debate on whether abortions, which cost the NHS up to £1,000 each, are being sanctioned as more of a lifestyle choice than a medical requirement.”

This sad development is by no means restricted to Great Britain. Please read our free booklet, “Are You Already Born Again?”, which shows you from the Bible WHY abortion is wrong.

Microchips for Everyone?

Infowars reported on May 9:

“What would you do if someday the government made it mandatory for everyone to receive an implantable microchip for identification purposes? Would you take it? Such a scenario may not be as far off as you might think… In the United States today, millions of dogs and cats have been microchipped, thousands of elderly Americans with Alzheimer’s disease have been microchipped, and the U.S. military is developing ‘medical devices’ that contain microchips to monitor the health of soldiers. Once the government has microchips implanted in all of our soldiers, how long will it be before they want to put a microchip in all government employees for the sake of national security? Once the government has microchips in all government employees, how long will it be before they want to put a microchip in you?…

“The spread of implantable microchips is going to mostly be voluntary for right now. Large numbers of Americans have already taken them, and that number is going to greatly increase in the years ahead… We will be told that such programs are necessary to prevent identity fraud, to track criminals and terrorists, to crack down on tax evaders and to strengthen ‘national security’… some scientists are working on developing ‘edible microchips.’ These edible microchips would be used by doctors to monitor your health… if it was possible would you connect your brain directly to the Internet? It may not be as far off as you might think… But wouldn’t connecting your brain to the Internet also be incredibly dangerous? Couldn’t someone download ‘viruses’ directly into your brain? Couldn’t someone find a way to ‘control’ your brain remotely?… We will be sold on the ‘benefits’ of implantable microchips, but the public will rarely be told about the potential dangers…

“What would happen if a totalitarian government started requiring that all citizens have their ‘identities’ put on a microchip and implanted into them? It would certainly make it easier for a ‘Big Brother’ government to watch, monitor and track everyone… What would you do if you could not get a bank account without a microchip? What would you do if you could not go shopping without a microchip? What would you do if you could not get a job without a microchip? What would you do if you could not conduct a single financial transaction without a microchip?… Certainly most people would be very tempted to take the microchip so that they could take care of their families and lead fairly normal lives. Those that rebelled and didn’t take the microchip would be ostracized and would be considered enemies of the state. They would be hunted down and hauled off to prison… Don’t think that such a scenario is impossible.”

These are interesting questions. Even though the implantation of a microchip is NOT to be confused with the mark of the beast, spoken of in the book of Revelation, governmental control via microchips should not be underestimated. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Is That in the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation.”

Numerous theories exist as to what happened to the Old Testament Ark of the Covenant. Some claim, based on the uninspired Second Book of the Maccabees, that Jeremiah hid it in a cave on Mount Nebo in Jordan when the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem.  The non-inspired book of 1 Esdras claims that the Babylonians carried the “ark of God” to Babylon. There are also those who say that it is located today beneath the Temple Mount.

Others state that it was transported to Ethiopia, South Africa or another African country. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church claims to possess the Ark of the Covenant not far from the border with Eritrea. It states that the object is currently kept under guard in a treasury, and that it was allegedly brought to Ethiopia by Menelik I, who, it is postulated, left a forgery in the temple of Jerusalem.

Some Shiite Muslims believe that the Ark of the Covenant will be found by the Mahdi at the Lake of Tiberias, while some Catholics believe that it is kept in the Vatican’s Basilica of St. John Lateran, after having  survived the pillages of Rome by Genseric and Alaric I.

The Bible does not confirm that any of these ideas (and there are many more variations) are accurate. If there was evidence for the accuracy of any of those theories, it would have to be based on archeological and historical facts, but so far, none have been produced.

A popular idea postulates that the Jews will find the Ark of the Covenant prior to the coming of the Messiah, and that this occurrence will prompt the Jews to commence sacrifices in Jerusalem.

The Bible does not endorse this idea, either. It is strictly the product of man’s imagination, without any biblical evidence. Even though it is true that the Jews will bring sacrifices in Jerusalem prior to Christ’s return, and that the biblical evidence strongly suggests that they will be brought at a newly-constructed temple, there is no evidence that that temple will contain the original Ark of the Covenant, which was built under Moses.

Rather, it is to be assumed that the new temple will contain newly constructed things, such as an altar. Whether it will contain a newly constructed Ark of the Covenant, we cannot know for sure. It is interesting that the new millennial temple, as described in the book of Ezekiel, does not mention the Ark of the Covenant.

This is in harmony with a profound statement in Jeremiah 3:16 that when Jesus Christ rules in Jerusalem and the people of Israel and Judah multiply in the Promised Land, the Ark of the Covenant will no longer come to mind nor be remembered nor visited.

There are those who believe that the physical Ark of the Covenant, which had been built under Moses, was somehow transferred to God’s third heaven, and that it is located there today. This concept is based on passages such as Revelation 11:19 and 15:5 where we read that the Ark of the Covenant and the tabernacle will be seen in heaven.

However, this is a misunderstanding of Scripture.

What will be seen in heaven are spiritual things, which will apparently be manifested to the human eye for a short time. The ark, which will be seen, will not be the physical ark (there are no physical things in the third heaven, nor could there be), but these are the spiritual things after which the physical things were patterned. (For further information on this intriguing subject, please read our free booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World”).

When God commanded Moses to build the tabernacle in the wilderness and the Ark of the Covenant, He told him that he had to make it exactly according to the pattern that had be shown to him (Exodus 25:9).

Paul explains in the book of Hebrews that these physical things were indeed copies of the spiritual things. The Bible does in fact teach that there is a spiritual Ark of the Covenant, as well as a tabernacle and even a temple, in God’s third heaven, and that it is these spiritual things (not the physical copies), which will apparently be manifested to the human eye for a very short time, just prior to Christ’s return.

We read in Hebrews 9:11 that Christ came as a high priest by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, which is not made by human hands, and which is not part of this physical creation. Hebrews 9:23-24 adds that as the pattern of the physical things were purified, so the heavenly things had to be purified with even better sacrifices, and that Christ did not enter the holy places made with hands, which are just figures or copies of the spiritual, but He entered the third heaven itself.

It is in this context that we must understand the passages in Revelation 15:5 that the temple of the tabernacle of the covenant in heaven will be opened, and in Revelation 11:19 that the temple of God will be opened in heaven and that in His temple the Ark of the Covenant will be seen.

One of the reasons for this remarkable miracle might be that God will re-emphasize the continuing force and effect of His Law. Remember that under Moses, the two tablets of the Covenant, containing the Ten Commandments, were placed in the Ark of the Covenant.

We see from the foregoing that the Bible does not tell us whether or not the original Ark of the Covenant is still in existence today, and it does not suggest that it will ever be found. The prophecy in Jeremiah 3:16 appears to state the opposite. To base prophetic propositions and speculations on the concept that the original Ark of the Covenant WILL be found in the future is not in accordance with the pure Word of God.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Revelation 19:7-9 states the following about the marriage between Christ and His Church: “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb [Jesus Christ, compare Revelation 5:1-14] has come, and His wife [the Church, compare Ephesians 5:31-32] has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!”‘…”

Please note that this Scripture does not say where the marriage supper will take place. Other Scriptures strongly imply that it will take place here on earth, after Christ’s return.

Christ gave a parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22, presupposing that the wedding feast or marriage supper will take place here on earth. We read in verse 11: “But when the king [who had arranged the marriage for his son, verse 2] came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.” In the parable, “the king” represents God the Father, and “the son” represents Jesus Christ. If the marriage supper were to take place in heaven, the guest without a wedding garment could not have been there — neither as a physical being nor as a fallen spirit being. He could not have been a disqualified saint, as there are no physical beings in heaven and as the disqualified saint would not have been changed to spirit. Nor could he have been a “fallen” spirit being, i.e., Satan or a demon, as by that time, Satan and his angels will have no more access to God’s throne in heaven. Revelation 12:8 speaks of a time, before the marriage supper, stating, “…nor was a place found for them [Satan and his demons, verse 7] in heaven any longer.”

Christ tells another parable in Matthew 25, comparing the Church with five wise and five foolish virgins, “who went out to meet their bridegroom” (verse 1). While the five foolish virgins tried to buy oil for their lamps, the bridegroom (Jesus Christ) came, “and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut” (verse 10). We then read that “afterwards the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!'” Christ, though, refused them entrance to the wedding supper. Where did the five foolish virgins go? Obviously, as physical humans, they could not go to heaven to try to get entrance there. Christ’s parable of the five wise and the five foolish virgins clearly presupposes and implies that the events take place here on earth.

Nevertheless, some have suggested that the wedding supper will take place in heaven before Christ returns to the earth to establish the Kingdom of God. It has been suggested that Christ will come back to take His saints to heaven, have the marriage supper in heaven with them, and then return with His saints to establish the Kingdom of God.

However, the Bible does not teach that Christ will return “twice.” The Bible is consistent that Christ comes back a second time to reward His saints and, at the same time, to punish the wicked that are still alive (Matthew 24:27-39; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10). God’s saints will be resurrected and changed to immortality at the time of Christ’s return and at the sound of the seventh and last trumpet (1 Corinthians 15:50-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). However, at the same time, that is, at the sound of the last trumpet, Christ will also begin His reign over the world (Revelation 11:15-18). There can only be ONE seventh and last trumpet. There cannot be a sound of the seventh trumpet to signal the resurrection of the saints and their “going to heaven with Christ” for the marriage supper, and ANOTHER seventh or last trumpet to signal the subsequent return of Christ with His saints from heaven to set up the Kingdom of God.

Rather, we read that Christ will return; that at that time, the saints will be resurrected and changed and meet Christ in the air; and that Christ and His saints will descend immediately together on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4). That particular day is a twenty-four-hour-day, as Zechariah 14:6-7, 9 reveals.

Some have suggested that Revelation 14 speaks of a marriage supper in heaven. However, Revelation 14 does not mention a marriage supper. It states that the Lamb and 144,000 of those “who were redeemed from the earth” stand on Mount Zion (verse 1), and that they are “without fault before the throne of God” (verse 5). Although “Mount Zion” can refer to a spiritual mountain in heaven (compare Hebrews 12:22), it can also refer, of course, to the physical mountain here on earth. The saints might be standing, on Mount Zion, before God’s transportable throne, which was on earth before (compare Ezekiel 1). Or, verse 5 might just express the thought that they are without fault “in the sight of” God. The Greek word for “before,” i.e., “enopion,” literally means, “in the sight of” or “in the face of.” (Compare, Luke 1:15; 16:15; Acts 4:19). Even today, we appear daily “before” God’s throne in heaven, through prayer.

Another Scripture that has been used to suggest that the marriage supper will be in heaven, is Revelation 15:2. Again, this passage does not even remotely suggest a marriage supper. The passage states that saints are “standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.” This is another vision (verse 1), which, simply judging by its wording alone, without consideration of other Scriptures, does not have to take place in heaven. The sea of glass could very well be a reference to a sea of glass before Christ’s throne which will be here on this earth. In addition, we find in Ezekiel 1:22, 26, that Christ’s transportable throne has a firmament or crystal, in other words, a sea of glass. Note, for instance, that we read in Exodus 24:9-10: “Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity.” In addition, the saints in Revelation 15:2 are portrayed as standing on a sea of glass, singing the victory song of Moses. This reminds us, of course, of God’s victory over the Egyptians, when they drowned in the Red Sea. Therefore, this vision might very well picture the saints’ symbolic victory over the beast power (compare verse 2), as ancient Israel was victorious over Egypt. This is especially true in light of the fact that Exodus 15:18 conveys a future victory of God and His people over God’s enemies: “The LORD SHALL reign forever and ever.” One must be careful not to deduce an entire teaching from a symbolic phrase.

A third Scripture quoted to support the speculation that the marriage supper takes place in heaven is Revelation 7:9-17. Again, nothing is mentioned in this Scripture referring to a marriage supper. We are told that a great multitude of all nations stands before the throne and before the Lamb. This is clearly another vision — such as the vision of dead souls under God’s altar that cry out with a loud voice (Revelation 6:9-11). Still, even when analyzing carefully the text of the vision in Revelation 7, we find that the described event does not occur in heaven. Revelation 7:14 says that the saints “washed their robes and made them white.” Verse 15 says, “Therefore they ARE before the throne of God, and SERVE Him day and night in His temple.” This cannot be happening in heaven, as the last part of the verse says that God “WILL dwell among them.” If this passage described a situation in heaven, God would ALREADY dwell among them.

The passage conveys, however, that those of the great multitude, who had to go through the Great Tribulation to become spiritually clean, will from that time on serve God daily in His temple — the Church, a spiritual organism, the bride of Christ. We are today the temple of God (1 Corinthians 3:17; Ephesians 2:21). But we are not in heaven.

The idea that the marriage supper will be held in heaven is nowhere taught in the Bible. All Biblical passages strongly imply that it will occur here on earth, after Christ’s return to this earth.

Norbert and Johanna Link and the entire family are saddened to announce the death of Norbert’s mother, who died peacefully on May 8 from congestive heart failure on their flight from Denver to San Diego. A Memorial Service in honor of Frau Link will be held on Sunday, June 10, at 12:00 noon, in the Ramona Women’s Club, where Frau Link attended services, when visiting the US. We welcome your continued prayers for strength and comfort, as well as your attendance at the Memorial Service.

Norbert Link’s most recent video-taped sermon, “Why?”, which was recorded on May 12, 2012, was posted on YouTube.

Proposed Feast of Tabernacles Newspaper

As decided during our recent conference and as previously announced, we would like to publish a special news edition for the Feast of Tabernacles 2012. As we are bombarded by negative news these days, signalizing the soon-coming end of this present evil world, we would like to concentrate on the news as it might be announced once Jesus Christ has returned and begun to establish God’s government on this earth. We would like our readers to contribute to this special news edition by  communicating first with and sending proposed articles to Mr. Brian Gale.
 

Set forth below are some guidelines:

* Assume that the date of the newspaper is 20 years into the Millennium

* No undue speculative situations

* Suggest a maximum number of words to 250 – 400 words per article

* All articles to be uplifting and encouraging for the future we are all looking forward to

* Anyone to be able to submit an article including children and teens

* It would be helpful if anyone who has an idea, to let Brian Gale know the subject so that he can try and avoid unnecessary duplication.

* All articles to be submitted to Brian Gale at bgofderby@btinternet.com

* Brian Gale to collate all of the articles and submit to Mr. Link and/or the editorial team.   Karen Myers has agreed to put the project together

* It would be helpful if articles could be submitted sooner rather than later in order to facilitate this project

Some suggested subjects:

• Churches in every area – Sabbath and Holy Days to be kept – only worship of the true God to be allowed

• Education – rewritten curriculum – evolution discarded

• Importance of marriage stressed – living together, rape, homosexuality  and other wrong sexual activities banned

• Food production upgraded

• Health – hospitals no longer needed

• War a thing of the past

• Crime rates drop to zero

• Urban renewal

• Property

• Finance

• Sports – and sportsmanship reintroduced

• Style/Fashion/Clothing

• Cruelty eliminated

• Improvement in technology (spam eliminated)

To help you see what we are envisioning, we are setting forth below two proposed articles:

Sportsmanship in Vogue Again

by Brian Gale

Towards the end of man’s rule, sportsmanship had been overtaken by the necessity to achieve results, seemingly, at all costs due to the rewards received by the “winners.” In fact, sportsmanship was rarely seen and when this happened, it  was looked on as something abnormal. Money ruled and fairness in play, and graciousness, were seen as weaknesses and not to be either encouraged or embraced. Money dominated and standards deteriorated badly.

Wikipedia had made these comments just a few years before Christ’s return: “Sportsmanship is an aspiration or ethos that a sport or activity will be enjoyed for its own sake, with proper consideration for fairness, ethics, respect, and a sense of fellowship with one’s competitors. A sore loser refers to one who does not take defeat well, whereas a good sport means being a ‘good winner’ as well as being a ‘good loser.’”

However, as those who lived at that time will attest, theory and practice were often poles apart. Grantland Rice, a 20th century writer had written in his poem “Alumnus Football”: “For when the One Great Scorer comes to mark against your name, He writes not that you won or lost – but how you played the game.”

Now that the “One Great Scorer is in charge of events” on earth, sportsmanship is the order of the day. Sports are played by participants who perform to the best of their ability. If they win, they are modest in their achievements and are praised by their opponents; if they lose, they praise their victors. And that’s the way that sports should be played, and will be played, for the rest of the Millennium for the benefit of all concerned.

Irrespective of the result of any game or match, as the result of sportsmanship having been compulsorily reintroduced in the new regime, everyone is a winner.

Animal Cruelty Now a Thing of the Past

by Brian Gale

Much has been achieved in the past 20 years since Jesus Christ returned and set up the Kingdom of God on earth.  Many of those achievements are chronicled in this newspaper and one of the most encouraging is the way that animals are now treated.  Of many examples we could consider, let us review just one – that of dogs.

In the age of man, dogs were often badly and shamefully treated; many bought as a gift and soon discarded.  Specifically, many greyhounds who were used for racing which itself was primarily for betting purposes, were often abandoned when they were no longer able to race!  Worse was the fact that some of these had their legs broken and left in the wild to die when they became of no further use–such was the cruelty dished out to man’s “best friend”.  Pit bull terriers had been used in dog fighting so that illegal online gambling operations could flourish.

Many pedigree dogs had suffered from genetic diseases following years of inbreeding and had suffered acute problems because looks had been emphasised over health when breeding dogs for shows.  Examples had been of spaniels with brains too big for their skulls and boxers suffering from epilepsy. 

But that has all changed in the last 20 years.  Cruelty is now, quite simply, not allowed in any sphere of life.  And in the case of dogs, all breeds are now properly cared for and proving what a wonderful pet they are. Good pets enhance the nature of a child or pet owner, and whether they are large or small, they offer a special kind of companionship.  Dogs, and other pets for children, are important for youngsters to learn many important traits including compassion and responsibility.

Someone wrote that “Pets have more love and compassion in them than most humans” and that may have been true in the age of man.  But now, with right government and love permeating the whole of society, the nature of mankind has been transformed and our animal friends are now treated as they should be.

Pets are never critical and accept us for what we are and, at last, they are being rewarded for that approach.   Cruelty is out and care for others, including animals, is in.   What a great change that has been in society!