On November 12, 2011, Dave Harris will give the sermon, titled, “The Church.”

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.

In last week’s Update, there was an item where an article, “A Nightmare Scenario—Europe’s War Against Britain,” was quoted. The newspaper article was prefaced by the comments: “Europe at war 2018, German troops storm Greece. Putin’s tanks crush Latvia. France humbles the British Army. Unlikely, yes, but as Angela Merkel says euro meltdown could endanger peace, a historian’s imagination runs riot…”

In the letters section after the article, there were hundreds who derided the writer for describing such conditions as not being possible. In our comments after the article, we stated: “Even though this is not quite the way it will happen, the Bible clearly predicts a war between continental Europe (under German, not French leadership) and Great Britain, while Russia will flex its muscles in the meantime, ready to strike Europe at an opportune time.”
 
It got me to thinking, once again, that there are a few people who do see dangers connected with the European Union, but generally do so from a purely political and secular viewpoint. Christianity, and anything to do with the Bible has been side-lined, derided and treated with contempt by the intellectual elite which has filtered down to the man in the street. Proof of this is the influence of the writings by Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchins and other atheists who have written best-selling books bought by the masses and viewed as unerringly correct. Anything to do with the Bible is now seen as old hat and biblical knowledge is, generally, neither sought, understood, nor respected.  
 
And even when a secular author can see real problems arising in the foreseeable future about the UK, Europe and many other countries, negative comments far outweigh those who can actually visualise trouble ahead. However, we should not be surprised, as many who have known the truth and cast it away don’t seem to recall what was taught by the Church when they were members. Perhaps there are even some faithful Church members today who think that there is plenty of time left, and that world conditions are not as bad as reported.
 
Many people react negatively to any prophecies or statements regarding the end of this age, and scoffers abound (compare 2 Peter 3:3).
 
Jesus talked to the Pharisees and Sadducees about discerning the signs of the times when they didn’t recognise Him at His First Coming. The same principle can be used now to discern the sign of the times today, indicating that the Second Coming cannot be too far away.
 
It is increasingly obvious by all that is happening that Christ’s return is drawing ever nearer. But we mustn’t expect the proclamation of this wonderful news to be met with unbridled joy and excitement. And when secular authors can envisage problems ahead, they too will be sneered at. But it was all prophesied to happen, and we should be encouraged, as we see prophecy being fulfilled on such a regular basis. The time certainly draws near…

Islamist militant groups are on the rise. This week, we report on the frightening development in Nigeria. We continue to discuss the likely possibility that Israel will attack Iran, and what the consequences might be. We report about unusual earthquake activities in Oklahoma and Arkansas, and address America’s “unholy alliance” between religion and politics, as well as the American government’s attack on religious freedom and liberty, and the curse of abortion as the consequence of the controversial Roe v. Wade decision. We concentrate on and conclude with the ongoing economic troubles in Europe and address talks about a two-speed Europe and the increasing isolation of Great Britain.

Islamist Militant Group Threatens Nigeria’s “Stability”

CNN reported on November 7:

“An Islamic militant group responsible for a wave of suicide attacks, car bombs, assassinations and assaults across northeastern Nigeria threatens the stability of the country… Boko Haram means ‘Western education is a sin.’ Depending on the faction, the group’s ambitions range from the stricter enforcement of Sharia law — which is derived from the Koran as the ‘word of God’ — across the predominantly Muslim north of Nigeria, to the total destruction of the Nigerian state and its government…

“Boko Haram’s grievances remain local, but it has proven itself capable and willing to attack international institutions–such as the United Nations–on Nigerian soil to achieve their aims… Although the northern populace mostly abhors the violence, there is considerable local sympathy and support for stricter Sharia law, seen by many as the only way to put an end to what is widely regarded as a corrupt and inept government.

“Northern Nigeria has some of the worst human development indicators in the world despite the country’s being the fifth largest oil exporter to the United States. Hundreds of billions of dollars have been stolen by a succession of corrupt governments. As the attacks continue and the violence spreads from its base in the northeast, Boko Haram is winning perhaps its most important battle: making Nigerians question what most agree is the cause of the problem, their government.”

Deutsche Welle added on November 7:

“Meanwhile, representatives of the group say that its fighters are being trained in Somalia by the al-Shabab militant group, which reputedly has close ties to al Qaeda. Many observers of the Islamist scene in Nigeria believe such a scenario is at least plausible.”

For more information on the frightening rise of Islamist groups, please view our StandingWatch program, “The Arab Spring—a Nightmare?”

Attack on Israel Increasingly Likely… Russia and France Warn of Consequences

The Telegraph wrote on November 7:

“Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavov has warned that a military strike on Iran would be a ‘very serious mistake’ with ‘unpredictable consequences’, after Israel’s president Shimon Peres said that an attack was increasingly likely… Mr Peres said that ‘the possibility of a military attack against Iran is now closer to being applied than the application of a diplomatic option’. ‘We must stay calm and resist pressure so that we can consider every alternative,’ he added…

“Moscow, the closest thing Iran has to a big power ally, is deeply opposed to any military action against the Islamic republic… A raid on Iran’s nuclear facilities would be likely to provoke Tehran into disruptive retaliatory measures in the Gulf that would sever shipping routes and disrupt the flow of oil and gas to export markets.

“Some analysts have said it could backfire and bolster the theocratic regime to the detriment of the pro-democracy movement, and spawn terror attacks on Israeli and US targets around the world.”

The EUobserver added on November 7:

“France and Russia have in separate statements warned that a US or Israeli strike against Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons facilities could destabilise the Middle East… French foreign minister Alain Juppe said the UN and EU should intensify sanctions instead of taking the military option… Juppe added that France would help defend Israel if a regional conflict breaks out, however: ‘I hope it doesn’t come to that … [But] if Israel is attacked, France would stand by its side.’”

“A contact in the European External Action Service told EUobserver that Israel and the US will not consult with EU structures if they go ahead. ‘The first that we will hear about it is when we see bombs falling on CNN,’ the source said.”

The Daily Mail wrote on November 10:

“Israel will launch military action to prevent Iran developing a nuclear weapon as soon as Christmas, intelligence chiefs have warned… The International Atomic Energy Agency found that Iran is developing a nuclear test facility, nuclear detonators and computer modelling for a nuclear warhead that would fit on an existing missile.

“Sources say the understanding at the top of the British Government is that Israel will attempt to strike against the nuclear sites ‘sooner rather than later’ – with logistical support from the U.S… Officials believe President Barack Obama would have to support the Israelis or risk losing vital Jewish-American support in the next presidential election.”

The Local wrote on November 9:

“Germany and its allies have angrily lashed out against Iran after the UN nuclear watchdog published its harshest report yet on Tehran’s nuclear programme, saying it had sought to build atomic warheads… The European Union said the report ‘seriously aggravate[s]’ existing concerns over a military dimension in Tehran’s nuclear programme. ‘Overall these findings strongly indicate the existence of a full fledged nuclear weapons development programme in Iran,’ said Maja Kocijancic, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.”

As we have stated for years, Israel might very well attack Iran, with or even without American or British help. An attack on Iran would have devastating consequences, to be sure, and it might set the entire Middle East on fire, which could even result in European involvement and intervention.

The statement by the French foreign minister is telling in that France would help Israel if it is attacked, but not necessarily vice versa, and that Israel (and the USA) might go about this alone, without first notifying their European allies. This is also interesting in light of the next article.

Anti-Netanyahu Comments by Sarkozy and Obama

Fox News reported on November 8:

“French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who has labored to improve French relations with Israel, said he ‘can’t stand’ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and called him a liar in a chat with President Barack Obama. The conversation between Sarkozy and Obama was overheard by reporters last week at the Group of 20 summit in southern France, via headsets that were to be used for simultaneous translation of an upcoming news conference… According to the French interpreter, Obama responded, ‘You are sick of him, but I have to work with him every day’…

“The overheard remarks by Sarkozy and Obama were prominently covered in Israel, where Sarkozy — whose maternal grandfather was Jewish — is widely perceived as a friend… Israel has had a fraught up-and-down relationship with France. The country was an early supporter of the Jewish state, selling it arms and planes and helping it develop a nuclear reactor. But the relationship soured under Charles de Gaulle, perceived as having abandoned Israel before the 1967 war…

“Netanyahu, meanwhile, is a controversial figure even at home. He is widely seen as divisive… The often blunt Sarkozy has shown little patience with Israeli hard-liners, and two years ago urged Netanyahu to fire his outspoken foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman… France… surprised Washington and other observers by voting last week in favor of membership for Palestine in UNESCO, the U.N. cultural and educational agency.”

Big Increase in Earthquake Activity in Oklahoma and Arkansas

The Associated Press reported on November 6:

“The magnitude 5.6 earthquake and its aftershocks still had residents rattled Sunday. No injuries were reported… But the weekend earthquakes were among the strongest yet in a state that has seen a dramatic, unexplained increase in seismic activity. Oklahoma typically had about 50 earthquakes a year until 2009. Then the number spiked, and 1,047 quakes shook the state last year…

“Scientists say they have no explanation for the quakes. They happened along an ancient fault, although it’s not clear yet whether shifting along the fault is what caused them… One reason earthquakes are hard to predict in Oklahoma is that the state sits over a series of smaller ancient faults, rather than a major fault, such as California’s San Andreas Fault…

“Arkansas also has seen a big increase in earthquake activity, which residents have blamed on injection wells… There are 181 injection wells in the Oklahoma county where most of the weekend earthquakes happened… But natural gas companies claim there is no proof of a connection between injection wells and earthquakes, and a study released earlier this year by an Oklahoma Geological Survey seismologist seems to back that up…

“Most Oklahoma residents still see earthquakes as anomalies in a state more often damaged by tornadoes.”

It is interesting that scientists don’t know why those earthquakes are happening. The Bible has predicted a long time ago that in these end times, we will hear more and more about increasing earthquake activities here and there—in diverse places.

Christian Politics Create Unholy Alliances

On November 7, USA Today published an article by David P. Gushee, professor of Christian ethics. The following was stated:

“Republican presidential candidates are trolling for conservative Christian votes. Christian political organizers are trolling for Republican candidates’ attention… The Democrats, too, will make some effort to join this game, as they did in the 2008 cycle… As an American and also as an evangelical Christian, I can hardly bear to watch this nightmare unfolding all over again. It’s bad for America. It’s bad for Christianity…

“Politicians continue to use and abuse the language and symbols of Christian faith in order to win political support. They speak of God, Jesus, Christian faith and Christian values. They bow their heads in prayer at a million chicken dinners. Then Christian voters — perhaps flattered, perhaps reassured — think that these evocations of holy Christian symbols and terms actually mean something…

“It used to be that only Protestants could play the religious tribalism card in the USA. But that changed as conservative Protestants and Catholics banded together over social issues (such as abortion and same-sex marriage)… Some conservative Christians are tempted to look for the candidate who is (or appears to be) most clearly a member of their religious-political tribe… These voters check off the Christian box and look no further, just as some liberals check off a candidate’s ‘pro-choice’ or ‘pro-union’ box and do the same.

“It’s not just the politicians’ fault. If church leaders and rank-and-file Christians were not susceptible to these appeals, they would not work… This version of Christian politics is inherently corrupting to Christian faith, ethics and witness. It encourages politicians to take God’s name in vain, and to do so routinely. (That would be a violation of the Ten Commandments, if Christians still cared about such things.) It tempts church leaders to abuse their offices and abandon their core vocations as they entangle themselves with politics. It confuses the message of Christianity with that of the politician of the moment… It drives many away from God altogether.”

Politics and religion don’t mix, and they have produced nothing but harm. One may only think of the abominable inquisition. A true Christian is a foreigner and alien on this earth. He is an ambassador of Christ. He will not get involved in politics, and he will not vote in governmental elections. For more information, please read our Q&As on the issue. http://www.eternalgod.org/qa/2259 and http://www.eternalgod.org/qa/2206

Religious Freedom under Attack in America

Zenit wrote on November 4:

“The sense of religious liberty is being lost in America, warned Archbishop José H. Gomez in a recent article… [He] noted that both courts and government agencies are increasingly overriding conscience rights when other rights or liberties are considered to be more important… Archbishop Timothy Dolan… explained that religious freedom ‘in its many and varied applications for Christians and people of faith, is now increasingly and in unprecedented ways under assault in America.’…

“Federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regulations… oblige all private health insurance plans to cover contraception and sterilization. This will oblige church employers to sponsor and pay for services they oppose… The Justice Department recently attacked what is known as ‘ministerial exception,’ a constitutional doctrine long accepted by courts that allows churches to make employment decisions concerning persons working in a ministerial capacity…

“Earlier this year a 2008 rule that granted conscience protection to health care providers who opposed participating in abortion and sterilization was mostly rescinded… Effectively, what will happen is that church organizations will be forbidden to practice what they preach…

“Earlier this year Illinois’s Department of Children and Family Services told the state’s four Catholic dioceses that it would not renew their contracts for foster care and adoption services because they were not prepared to include same-sex couples among their clients. The changed situation is a result of the ironically-named Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act, that came into force on July 1.The new law legalized civil unions for homosexual couples without protecting religious organizations…

“The Washington, D.C., Office of Human Rights is now investigating a complaint that the city’s Catholic University of America is violating the human rights of Muslim students. In his complaint John Banzhaf, a law professor at George Washington University Law School, alleged that by not providing them with rooms without Christian symbols the university is offending Muslim students… It seems that in an increasingly secularized society tolerance is to be extended to all, except churches and believers who want to live by their beliefs.”

Christ promised His true followers persecution for righteousness’ sake, and it should therefore be no surprise that it will become more and more difficult for converted Christians to stand up for their religious convictions, given the fact that the entire world—including the USA, Canada and Great Britain—is being ruled by Satan the devil who is seeking the destruction of the followers of God.

Abortions in the USA an Outcry

On November 6, USA Today published the following article by Gualberto Garcia Jones, who is a director of, and legal analyst for, Personhood USA, a group that opposes abortion and seeks to establish that the legal definition of “person” begins at fertilization:

“Increasingly, the American people are being treated paternalistically by a government, media and public sector elite that stands in direct opposition to our traditional American values… No greater example exists of this abuse of raw judicial power than Roe v. Wade, a decision by seven unelected men to impose abortion on all 50 states… To date, 55 million innocent human beings have been killed by abortion…”

Abortion is murder. Please read our free booklet, “Are You Already Born Again?”

Sharp Deterioration in EU-Ukraine Relations

The Euobserver wrote on November 7:

“Ukrainian negotiators have said there is no need to initial an EU trade and association pact at a summit in Kiev in December as previously planned… The change of plan comes amid Ukrainian complaints that the EU is unwilling to include a clear promise on future accession in the pact… The pre-summit manoeuvring comes amid a sharp deterioration in EU-Ukraine relations in recent weeks.

“EU leaders snubbed President Viktor Yanukovych last month by cancelling a meeting in Brussels after he jailed his political rival, Yulia Tymoshenko. His tough line on accession could be a pretext to bin the EU pact, freeing him to consolidate power at home and to focus on Ukraine-Russia relations instead. The new line on initialing could also be a face-saving exercise in case the EU side pulls back from the deal because of the Tymoshenko problem.”

Greece’s New Prime Minister

The Associated Press reported on November 10:

“Senior banker Lucas Papademos was named Thursday to be the new prime minister of an interim Greek unity government that seeks to cement a new European debt deal and stave off national bankruptcy. Papademos, who was named after four tortuous days of power-sharing talks, immediately called for unity and promised to seek cross-party cooperation to keep Greece firmly in the 17-nation eurozone.

“The 64-year-old former vice president of the European Central Bank was chosen to lead a temporary government… that will operate until early elections, tentatively set for February. He replaces outgoing Prime Minister George Papandreou… [Papademos] insisted Greece must defend its euro membership. ‘The participation of our country in the eurozone is a guarantee for the country’s monetary stability. It is a driver of financial prosperity,’ Papademos said. ‘And our country’s participation [in] the eurozone, despite the difficulties that arise, will facilitate the adjustment of the economy and its development.’”

More Europe, Not Less Europe

Reuters wrote on November 9:

“Merkel said Europe’s plight was now so ‘unpleasant’ that deep structural reforms were needed quickly, warning the rest of the world would not wait. ‘That will mean more Europe, not less Europe,’ she told a conference in Berlin.

“She called for changes in EU treaties… ‘It is time for a breakthrough to a new Europe,’ Merkel said… Italy has replaced Greece at the center of the euro zone debt crisis and is on the cusp of requiring a bailout that Europe cannot afford to give… Unlike Greece, an Italian default would threaten the entire euro project. EU treaty changes could take a year or more. Rome does not have that much time…”

Italy’s Worries—Berlusconi Must Go

Der Spiegel Online wrote on November 11:

“With the euro zone’s debt crisis now having enveloped Italy, many have begun wondering what the future European Union might look like. Berlin has denied reports of a potential euro-zone breakup, but many see the emergence of a two-speed Europe. First, though, Berlusconi must go… the European Union… has said that a recession in the euro zone has become a distinct possibility… the euro zone continues to focus more on its survival than on economic growth…

“Citing EU sources, Reuters reported on Wednesday that German and French officials had met to discuss a splitting up of the euro zone… Berlin was concerned enough to issue a swift denial. ‘The German government is most definitely not pursuing such plans,’ said Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, on Thursday. ‘On the contrary, our policies are aimed at stabilizing the euro zone in its entirety and attacking the root of its problems.’

“In a Wednesday evening speech in Berlin, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso likewise felt compelled to strongly condemn any moves aimed at splitting the common currency zone. ‘There cannot be peace and prosperity in the north or in the west of Europe if there is no peace and prosperity in the south or in the east,’ he said…

“On Tuesday, Sarkozy… pushed hard for a two-speed Europe, one made up of a 17-member, euro-zone core surrounded by a looser grouping of the 10 non-euro members… On Thursday, Sarkozy received support for his vision from an unexpected source: former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer…

“Concerns about the ultimate survival of the European Union as currently constituted and, particularly, the euro zone, have been heightened this week by the dismal situation in Italy, with interest rates on the country’s sovereign bonds well above the 7 percent threshold that analysts say makes long-term borrowing unsustainable.  Cause for particular worry is that the size of Italy’s economy, the euro zone’s third largest, makes it too large to bail out…

“Italian President Giorgio Napolitano moved on Wednesday to provide the kind of political clarity that… the markets are demanding. He said that reform measures would be pushed through parliament within a matter of days… Such a move would pave the way for rapidly creating a new government and forgoing weeks or even months of uncertainty. Still, observers remain wary as to whether the departure of Berlusconi, who had seemed reluctant — or unable — to pursue needed economic reform in recent years, will mark a turnaround for the country.”

As we have said, the euro is here to stay. However, tremendous changes and developments are and will be occurring in Europe, which will lead to the emergence of the prophesied ten nations or groups of nations, which will give their power and authority to the “beast”—a charismatic political leader who will still have to manifest himself on the world scene.

Britain Is Becoming More and More Isolated

The Sunday Telegraph wrote on November 6:

“Britain will be marooned inside a ‘permanent minority’ in European Union decision making in just three years’ times after rule changes kick in on member states’ voting powers, according to a new report. The document seen by The Sunday Telegraph shows that under changes already agreed to in the Lisbon Treaty, eurozone countries voting as a ‘caucus’ will have a permanent in-built majority in the EU’s Council of Ministers – its main decision-making body – from November 2014.

“Britain will be unable to block a plethora of new laws even if it joins together with other countries not in the eurozone – risking severe damage… The rule changes will virtually ensure that the EU becomes a ‘two speed’ operation with Britain in the slow lane – even without the greater ‘fiscal integration’ expected inside the eurozone as its 17 countries bring their tax and spending affairs closer together…

“The report comes amid further evidence that Britain is becoming more and more isolated as core EU nations develop closer links with each other… The eurozone as a whole already has 66 per cent of votes on its own, giving it a permanent inbuilt majority from November 2014 if it votes as a caucus. There are potential dispensations for countries to request individual votes are taken under the current system after 2014 – but this opt-out runs out in November 2017.”

As we have proclaimed for many years, it is very unlikely that Great Britain will be a part of the final configuration of the United States of Europe, which will consist of ten core nations or groups of nations.

A new member letter was written and posted on the Web. It will be sent out early next week, together with a copy of our new booklet, “Paul’s Letter to the Philippians.” In the member letter, the ministry is reporting on the Feast of Tabernacles and encourages all of us to take great notice of our individual and collective commission.

A new StandingWatch program was posted last week on YouTube and on our Web site (www.eternalgod.org). It is titled, “The Arab Spring – A Nightmare?” Will the warm and cozy Arab Spring end up in a cold and foreboding Arab Winter? Will we see the rise of intolerant Islamist regimes? What is the future for Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, and Syria? Will the West be forced to intervene again militarily in the Middle East?

A new StandingWatch program was posted this week on YouTube and on our Web site (www.standingwatch.org), titled, “Religion and Politics-an Unholy Alliance?” USA Today published an article on November 7, 2011, arguing that the present version of our Christian politics is corrupting our Christian faith and encourages politicians to use God’s name in vain. The article concludes that it drives many away from God. And it is true that churches today have no jurisdiction to enforce any laws of God. Given the confusion as to what is still binding spiritual or moral law, and what constituted temporary ritual laws and provisions for the ancient nation of Israel under Moses, we can be thankful that in the USA, church and state are separate. European history provides ample testimony as to what happens when a church rules a state.

Norbert Link’s video-recorded sermonette, “The Hebrew Calendar,” was posted on YouTube and on our Web site (www.eternalgod.org). Why are we following the current Hebrew Calendar in order to be able to observe the annual Holy Days in their proper times? Why doesn’t anyone else have the God-given authority to devise their own calendar? Why does the rejection of the Hebrew calendar constitute a lack of faith in the power of God Almighty?

Norbert Link’s video-recorded sermon, “How to Look at God’s Laws, Part 2,” was posted on YouTube and on our Web site (www.eternalgod.org). Many wonder how to apply God’s laws today. What about the Ten Commandments, the annual Holy Days, sacrifices and washings, laws of national warfare, marriage to the sister-in-law after the brother’s death, certain penalties for wrongdoing, wearing tassels, touching dead bodies, circumcision, cross-dressing, wearing garments of different sorts, or sowing different kinds of seed? How can we know the answer?

A new German sermon was posted on YouTube, titled, “Christi Herrschaft auf Erden” (“Christ’s Rule on Earth”).

by Kalon Mitchell

Since being let go from my job over six months ago, I have had the opportunity to spend some quality time with my son Sam. I usually get to watch him on Mondays and Tuesdays, while my wife works.  Over the past six months, I have seen him grow from  a “baby” to a “toddler” stage. The experience for me has been like no other. I have been able to observe him, teach him and enjoy being able to bond with him in a way that I don’t think that I could have, had I been working.

Being with him on such a regular basis, I have been able to see his minute changes, from crawling to walking–from mumbling things to actually being able to start communicating with words, actions and expressions. Going through these life stages has not seemed quick at times, but there are points where I could see definite breakthroughs for him in his thinking and actions. I suppose this is how it is with most babies, but it’s such a unique thing to watch, especially when I take the time to think about how I am viewed as a child in God’s eyes. The struggles my little boy goes through, I go through just in a different way.

When he is learning something new, he at times expresses his frustration, but he gets over it and continues on. He is a little sponge, and he is always willing to learn. If he gets mad, he never stays mad, but is willing to hug and kiss and move on. When he doesn’t get his way, he pouts and then goes and finds something else to do. At the end of a day, he has learned a lot of things and goes to bed, to wake up in the morning with an amazing attitude, ready to experience it all over again—and more. This is exactly what I must do.

On November 5, 2011, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “How to Look at God’s Laws, Part 2.”

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.

At the local coffee house that I frequent, I’ve gotten to know a few of the regulars pretty well.  Recently, one of them had to go through a second bout with his pancreatic cancer, the same type that killed Steve Jobs last month.
 
Because of the nature of this type of cancer, this man’s doctor said that they would continue to administer the chemo for as long as he could stand it.  There was a good chance if they were not able to kill it off this time around, then this may be his last chance to do anything about it.
 
In his early 50’s and in good shape, he was ready and willing to pull out all the stops.  After about eight rounds of treatments (some can only handle two) it was all that he could take.  Now all that was left was to sit and wait and see what the outcome would be.  He didn’t have to wait too long before the doctors gave him a clean bill of health!  He had won his battle.
 
In the course of this ordeal, he lost about a year of his life fighting the disease, racked up bills of nearly $200,000, and lost 10-20% of the feeling in his finger tips.  He considered all of these worthwhile sacrifices, especially in light of the outcome.
 
Now understand, he had no guarantee that he was going to make it through this adversity.  But he felt if he could, then perhaps he would continue to enjoy life for much longer, even as long as his father had, which would be another 30 years.
 
This man endured an incredible trial in order to continue in his gift of physical life, albeit for a fleeting amount of time in the scope of things.  Now think of the assurances that we  have for the future.  What should we be willing to go through for the gift of eternal life in the Family of God? Nothing can compare with that.

We begin with a report about the steady decline of the U.S. dollar; continue with speaking on the Greece crisis; show the growing animosity between Great Britain and the EU and potentially violent confrontations as a consequence; point out the remarkable change in the laws pertaining to the British royal succession and explain how the world would be different today if it had not been for those ancient laws, as guided by God Almighty; emphasize the continuing prophetic role of the British Commonwealth; point out the nightmare of the “Arab Spring” and the real threat of nuclear war between Israel and Iran; and conclude with a remarkable piece on German hypocrisy and nationalism.

The Decline of the U.S. Dollar

Reuters wrote on October 27:

“The U.S. dollar’s thrashing on Thursday after a last-minute European deal to contain the debt crisis may have sealed the currency’s fate. And it is all downhill from here. The European agreement, which involves a 50 percent write-down of Greek debt and boosting the euro zone’s bailout fund to as much as 1 trillion euros, has averted a collapse in Europe and spurred a rush to risky currencies and assets once again at the expense of the dollar…

“On Thursday, the greenback plunged to a seven-week low against the euro… But as in any market, the dollar’s decline won’t be straightforward. Indeed if the implementation of the EU agreement stalls or if there is a sudden freeze-up in global credit, investors are likely to buy dollars, as they have always done in the past in times of market stress… In the meantime, the trend to sell the dollar is in full swing and not many are willing to go against it.”

In spite of the ongoing Greek crisis (see articles below, under “Greece Angers Europe”), the inevitable and steady decline of the US dollar, and the corresponding rise of the euro are in line with biblical prophecy, showing that the EU or the coming United States of Europe will continue to prosper and become the most powerful and influential economic bloc in the world (compare Revelation 18 and Ezekiel 27). At the same time, Great Britain will ultimately not be a part of it. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.” 

The Division of Europe

Der Spiegel Online wrote on October 31:

“Last Wednesday’s summit in Brussels took important steps toward saving the European common currency. But it also made it clear that the European Union is being divided in two. Germany is the new Europe’s leader — for better or worse… It was a memorable meeting, and when it finally ended in the early morning hours of Thursday, a program to rescue the euro had emerged. It revealed the contours of a new Europe — a divided Europe, with a new border running between those countries which belong to the common currency area and those which do not. In the future, there will be two Europes within the European Union…

“Those countries that are not part of the euro zone are now no longer part of a core Europe, and are now being asked to leave the room when the truly important issues are being debated. While the 17 euro-zone members walk at the front of the pack, the 10 non-euro-members are forced to walk behind, like stragglers and second-tier nations. And now they have it in writing. In the closing document of last week’s summit, euro-zone member states grant themselves the right to work together more closely without having to wait for the non-euro countries…”

Cameron Blames EU for Constant Attacks

AFP reported on October 28:

“Prime Minister David Cameron has said London’s financial district is under ‘constant attack’ from European Union directives… Cameron told a BBC reporter that Britain’s finance industry should be protected from EU measures…”

Britain is on its way out of the EU. Der Spiegel Online wrote on October 27 about the real threat of a confrontation between the Eurozone countries and the other EU members—especially Great Britain. It added that already now, Great Britain is being largely excluded from the decision-making process of the EU. In this light, the following article gains a frightening dimension.

A Nightmare Scenario—Europe’s War Against Britain

On October 29, The Daily Mail published an interesting article from one of its writers. The article was prefaced as follows: “Europe at war 2018. German troops storm Greece. Putin’s tanks crush Latvia. France humbles the British Army. Unlikely, yes, but as Angela Merkel says euro meltdown could endanger peace, a historian’s imagination (Dominic Sandbrook) runs riot.”

The article continued:

“The date is October 29, 2018, and Britain faces its darkest hour. On the battlefields of Europe, our Armed Forces have been humiliated. In makeshift prison camps on the continent, thousands of our young men and women sit forlornly, testament to the collapse of our ambitions. From the killing grounds of Belgium to the scarred streets of Athens, a continent continues to bleed. And, in the east, the Russian bear inexorably tightens its grip, an old empire rising from the wreckage of the European dream…

“In suburban streets across Britain, old men and callow teenagers are digging defensive positions in the cold autumn air. But with equipment scarce and ammunition non-existent, the Home Guard would barely last a week. And all the time, across the Channel, enemy forces make their final preparations for the inevitable invasion. Some talk of surrender; no one speaks of victory. Less than ten years ago, millions still believed in a peaceful, united Europe. How did it come to this?

“… by February 2012, it was terrifyingly obvious that the latest eurozone package had failed… A month later, after an angry mob had invaded the Greek parliament itself, Greece announced it was withdrawing from the euro. Almost overnight, the European markets were hit by the biggest losses in financial history. As law and order collapsed on the streets of Athens, France and Germany sent in 5,000 ‘peacekeepers’ to restore calm…

“In the summer of 2012, massive anti-capitalist demonstrations in major Italian cities turned into outright rebellion. And when Berlusconi sent in the army to maintain order, the first bombs began exploding in the banks of Rome, Milan and Turin… And the bomb alert at the Bank of England —when the entire City had to be evacuated…— was merely the first of many.

“Six months later, Russian ‘peacekeepers’ crossed the border into Estonia, and in March 2016, Putin’s army occupied Lithuania, Belarus and Moldova. When Brussels complained, the Kremlin pointed out that European peacekeepers were already on the streets of Athens, Rome and Madrid. Why, Putin asked, should the rules be any different in the east?… Five days before Christmas 2016, Sarkozy told a cheering crowd in Vichy that ‘all European Union members must fully embrace our project and join the euro, or they will pay the price’…

“By 2017, Britain’s land forces were down to just 75,000. And when fighting broke out between French and British peacekeepers in the outskirts of Ghent, no one seriously doubted that the French would win. So it is that, a year later, we find ourselves at our lowest ebb. Aided by Spanish and Italian auxiliaries, backed by German money and quietly supported by neo-imperialist Russia, the French army has encircled our expeditionary force on the other side of the Channel and cut it to shreds.

“The Americans have deserted us, while every week brings fresh anti-war and anti-capitalist riots in our cities. The shelves are increasingly empty; national morale has hit rock bottom…”

Even though this is not quite the way it will happen, the Bible clearly predicts a war between continental Europe (under German, not French leadership) and Great Britain, while Russia will flex its muscles in the meantime, ready to strike Europe at an opportune time.

Greece Angers Europe

Deutsche Welle reported on November 3:

“Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou’s government on Thursday appeared to split over his proposed referendum on the country’s most recent European Union rescue plan… Shortly after the Greek cabinet gave its formal approval for the referendum, Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos appeared to have changed his mind after talks with French and German leaders Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel in the French city of Cannes.

“Venizelos said in a written statement that ‘Greece’s place in the euro is a historic achievement’ and that ‘this established right of the Greek people cannot be put under scrutiny in a referendum…’

“Sarkozy and Merkel made it clear to Greece that the 100-billion-euro loan package agreed to by EU leaders last week cannot be renegotiated, and that a voter rejection of the bailout would be a de facto rejection of the euro currency. ‘We want to help Greece, and we want them to stay in the eurozone,’ Merkel said. ‘But the unilateral decision by Greece hangs in the air, and the situation has changed… The eurozone must be kept stable. We would prefer to accomplish this with Greece, rather than without Greece… ’

“Meanwhile state television reported Thursday that Development Minister Michalis Chrisohoidis had also changed his mind on the referendum, preferring parliament to vote on the rescue package rather than the entire Greek populace. ‘There can be no… return to the drachma and the past,’ Chrisohoidis said. ‘We must all assume our responsibilities.’ Papandreou’s Socialist majority in parliament appeared on the verge of collapse, after Socialist lawmaker Eva Kaili said she would not support the prime minister in a confidence vote on Friday. Without her vote, the Socialists would have a slim 151-seat majority in the 300-member parliament. Several other Socialist lawmakers have called for Papandreou’s resignation and the establishment of a national unity government, which would include the opposition, in order to safeguard the rescue plan.

“The conservative opposition leader Antonis Samaras joined those calls and said the bailout should be approved under the current parliament with new elections to follow. He has opposed previous bailouts, arguing their conditions made the recession worse, but said the current package is ‘inevitable and must be secured’ to provide Greece with desperately needed cash loans.

“Opinion polls suggest broad support among Greek voters for remaining in the 17-nation eurozone, however many have been frustrated by the seemingly endless government austerity measures, persistently high unemployment and a third year of negative economic growth.

“European leaders who have long dismissed the option of Greece abandoning the euro now appear to be open to the idea. Jean-Claude Juncker, prime minister of Luxembourg and chairman of the group of eurozone finance ministers, said ‘everything must be done’ to maintain the eurozone’s unity, but that he could not ‘force the Greeks’ to stay in.

“‘We cannot permanently ride a rollercoaster on Greece; we have to know where things are going, and the Greeks have to tell us where they would like things to go,’ he told German public broadcaster ZDF. ‘If the Greeks make clear via a referendum that they would feel better outside the eurozone than inside the eurozone, then this is a Greek decision, and our Greek friends have to describe the way by which they want to get out of the eurozone.’”

BBC News added on November 3:

“Mr Papandreou told reporters in Cannes his referendum would in effect be a vote on whether Greece should remain in the euro. But the European Commission said if Greece left the European single currency, it would have to leave the European Union as well… Greece was due to receive the next tranche of funds from its first bailout later this month. However, the EU has said it will not transfer the 8bn euros until after the referendum.”

Der Spiegel Online speculated on November 3 what would happen if Greece were to exit the Eurozone. The magazine concluded that it would mean an unparalleled catastrophe for Greece, but that the consequences for the other Eurozone member states and the worldwide financial market would be manageable. Bild Online added that Greece’s exit from the Eurozone would not destroy the euro, and that it would not lead to a worldwide recession or a depression. Der Spiegel Online also reported the following on Merkel’s and Sarkozy’s reaction to the most recent Greek announcements:

“Chancellor Merkel and President Sarkozy had harsh words for Greece on Wednesday… The idea of Greece exiting the euro, it seems, is no longer a taboo. ‘It was a serious situation, it wasn’t easy,’ said Merkel. ‘We will defend the euro. We want to do that together with Greece. But we are not going to jeopardize this great project of unity. That is our priority.’ Just to ensure that her warning was understood, Merkel added: ‘We respect the decision of the Greek people. But we are not going to give up the euro…’

“Sarkozy was just as direct as the German chancellor. ‘We are prepared to help,’ he said. ‘That is the foundation of European solidarity. But that also means that Greece fulfils its obligations. We will not allow the euro to be destroyed’… For the first time, the stability and security of the euro were placed above Greece’s ongoing membership in the euro zone. The agreements reached in Brussels shall not be tinkered with…”

Bild Online reported on November 3 that during the G-20 Summit in Cannes, President Obama congratulated Angela Merkel for her crisis management. BBC and other papers reported on November 3 that Mr. Papandreou agreed to a temporary transition government, and that “he is now prepared to drop the referendum proposal.”

The EUObserver confirmed on November 3 that Mr. Papandreou “is readying himself to step down and is likely to be replaced by a former vice-president of the European Central Bank” and that “The proposal to hold a referendum on the new Greek bail-out or a question asking whether the country should stay in the eurozone appears to have been shelved.” Der Spiegel Online added that the proposal to hold a referendum has been revoked.

As we have said from the outset, even though it is not inconceivable—but far from certain–that Greece may leave the Eurozone and the EU, it IS inconceivable that the Eurozone, as an institution, or the euro will fail.

Change in British Royal Succession

The Daily Mail wrote on October 29:

“Girls born to members of the Royal Family are to be given equal rights with boys in the succession to the throne as centuries-old rules were overturned today. As the historic changes to the monarchy were agreed, the Queen, at the Commonwealth summit in Perth, Australia, hailed the power of women to change the world. The reforms mean [that] if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s first child is a girl, she will take precedence over any younger brothers in the order of succession. The 16 Commonwealth ‘realms’, including the UK, Canada and Australia, also agreed to scrap outdated laws which ban anyone in the line of succession from marrying a Roman Catholic.

“The changes were announced by Prime Minister David Cameron at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth. As politicians unanimously agreed [on] the dramatic reform to royal succession laws dating back more than 300 years, the Queen said the untapped potential of women and girls should be set free. Speaking at the opening of the summit of the 53 Commonwealth countries, she said: ‘The theme this year is Women As Agents of Change’… Most European monarchies have already established an equal law of succession – it is in force in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Now only Spain, Liechtenstein and Monaco are left with the old system…

“If the new rules had been in force in 1509 Margaret Tudor would have taken the throne instead of Henry VIII. That could have meant the Reformation would never have taken place and Elizabeth I would never have been Queen.

“If the practice had been changed as recently as the last century, Britain could have had two Queen Victorias back to back. Princess Victoria, the Princess Royal would have acceded to the throne in 1901 instead of King Edward VII. When she died just a few months later, her son Kaiser Wilhelm II would have ascended the throne – something which could have prevented the First World War. The Queen of England now would have been the completely unknown Princess Marie Cecile of Prussia…

“The deal was agreed today in Perth during a meeting of the Queen’s Realms – the 16 countries including the UK which share the Queen as their head of state…The removal of the barrier to the heir to the throne marrying a Catholic does not affect the position of the Anglican Church as the established Church. The Queen and future monarchs will be Anglicans and Supreme Governor of the Church of England. The change will also do away with an ancient and unused rule that means all descendants of George II are supposed to require the consent of the monarch to marry…

“Had an 18th Century law not been passed by Parliament, Britain’s monarchy throughout the past 300 years would have had a very different cast of characters… And instead of pledging allegiance to Elizabeth II, loyal British subjects would now be singing God Save Our Gracious King to… Francis II of Bavaria. The 1701 Act Of Settlement passed the crown to Electress Sophia of Hanover and her Protestant descendants – and banned all Roman Catholics from ever ascending the throne…

“Franz, Duke of Bavaria, is a distant cousin of the Queen and head of the House of Wittelsbach, Bavaria’s ruling family. He is the senior co-heir-general of King Charles I and therefore regarded as the rightful heir to the House of Stuart, which ruled England from 1567 to 1707. From birth Franz was recognised by the Jacobites as a Prince of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, Prince of Cornwall and Rothesay. The Duke’s great-grandfather was the last king of Bavaria before being deposed at the end of World War One in 1918. During World War Two, the Dukes’ family condemned the Nazi regime and fled to Hungary. When Hitler’s stormtroopers marched into Budapest in 1944, the Royal Family was arrested and detained in a number of concentration camps. Following liberation in 1945, Franz studied business management at the University of Munich. Now 78, he still lives in an apartment in the city and is a keen collector of modern art.”

Bild Online wrote on October 30 that, if it had not been for the ancient British royal succession laws, Friederike von Reiche (52) could be Queen of England today. Her grandfather was the oldest grandchild of the last German Emperor, William II. All of this shows that God IS ruling in the kingdoms of men; that He gives the throne and dominion to whomever He wills (Daniel 4:17); and that He is seeing to it that prophesied events will take place, exactly as He had planned and purposed (Isaiah 46:10). Of course, we also understand that the Bible makes it very clear that a descendant of David is predestined to sit on the throne of David, until Christ returns. The throne of David was transferred through the prophet Jeremiah from Jerusalem to Ireland and then later to Scotland, and it is presently in England, showing that Queen Elizabeth is in fact one of David’s descendants.

Also, as the above-quoted article shows, the British Commonwealth is still an existing institution. The very historical and current existence of the British Commonwealth is in fulfillment of God’s prophetic promises to Abraham (compare Genesis 17), and more specifically, Jacob’s blessing of Joseph’s son Ephraim (compare Genesis 48), as more fully explained in our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.” As shown in this booklet, due to Britain’s continuous decline into ungodly conduct, God’s blessings are being steadily removed. Please note the next article as well.

UK Threat to Withhold Aid to Anti-Homosexual Governments

The BBC wrote on October 30:

“David Cameron has threatened to withhold UK aid from governments that do not reform legislation banning homosexuality. The UK prime minister said he raised the issue with some of the states involved at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth, Australia. Human rights reform in the Commonwealth was one issue that leaders failed to reach agreement on at the summit…

“Malawi has already had some of its budget support suspended over concerns about its attitude to gay rights. Concerns have also been raised with the governments of Uganda and Ghana… Some 41 nations within the 54-member Commonwealth have laws banning homosexuality. Many of these laws are a legacy of British Empire laws…”

Grotesque Failure of Arab Spring

Newsmax reported on October 30:

“Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich contends that the ‘grotesque failure’ of President Barack Obama’s Mideast policies has propelled an ‘anti-Christian spring’… Gingrich was referring to the wave of uprisings that have upset longtime autocratic regimes in the Middle East. Ironically, the plight of Christians in the Middle East is likely to worsen as the Arab Spring removes dictators who shielded Christian communities.

“The parties that are gaining power in Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, and other countries tend to be offshoots of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood… Christian Syrians have clung to the government of President Bashar Assad, despite his regime’s own atrocities and his threats against the West. They fear what might happen if Assad fell, having seen what has happened in neighboring countries. Indeed many Christians who have fled sectarian strife in countries such as Iraq have ended up in Syria.”

Is Israel Preparing to Strike Iran?

The Washington Times wrote on October 28:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to execute a 1,000-for-1 prisoner exchange last week despite his frequently voiced opposition to such lopsided deals is seen by several Israeli military commentators as an effort to ‘clear the deck’ before possibly undertaking an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities…

“The Islamic republic has not been a top agenda item since the outbreak of the Arab Spring. Yet Iran’s nuclear program, which Western nations believe is geared for making an atomic bomb, has remained a key concern, despite Tehran’s denials that it is seeking to build a nuclear weapon.”

Reuters reported on November 2:

“Israel test-fired a missile from a military base on Wednesday, two days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of the ‘direct and heavy threat’ posed by Iran’s nuclear program. The noon launch near Tel Aviv, which had not been announced in advance, coincided with a week-long surge of speculation in local media that Netanyahu was working to secure cabinet consensus for an attack on Israel’s arch-foe.”

The Guardian added on November 2:

“Britain’s armed forces are stepping up their contingency planning for potential military action against Iran amid mounting concern about Tehran’s nuclear enrichment programme… The Ministry of Defence believes the US may decide to fast-forward plans for targeted missile strikes at some key Iranian facilities. British officials say that if Washington presses ahead it will seek, and receive, UK military help for any mission…

“In anticipation of a potential attack, British military planners are examining where best to deploy Royal Navy ships and submarines equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles over the coming months as part of what would be an air and sea campaign. They also believe the US would ask permission to launch attacks from Diego Garcia, the British Indian ocean territory, which the Americans have used previously for conflicts in the Middle East.

“The Guardian has spoken to a number of Whitehall and defence officials over recent weeks who said Iran was once again becoming the focus of diplomatic concern after the revolution in Libya. They made clear that Barack Obama has no wish to embark on a new and provocative military venture before next November’s presidential election. But they warned the calculations could change because of mounting anxiety over intelligence gathered by western agencies, and the more belligerent posture that Iran appears to have been taking.”

Haaretz wrote on November 3:

“Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi on Thursday responded to reports claiming Israel is planning a military attack against his country, stating Tehran is ‘ready for war’ with Israel… Salehi further warned that if any country would attempt an attack, Iran would not hesitate to retaliate.”

The Sword of Damocles is still hanging over the Israeli-Iranian relationship, and a coming nuclear war between these two countries is not unthinkable.

Germany Threatens To Halt Submarine Sale to Israel

Der Spiegel Online wrote on October 31:

“The German government is threatening to halt the delivery of a submarine capable of firing nuclear warheads in protest of the Israeli government’s recent decision to build new homes in the Arab part of Jerusalem… The threat by German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been the subject of considerable concern in Israel.

“The nuclear-weapons capable Dolphin submarines are an important part of the Israeli military strategy… In addition to its capability of firing nuclear warheads, the submarine also has a larger cruising range…”

German Hypocrisy

The Local wrote on October 26:

“As Germany this week marks a half century of mass Turkish immigration, The Local’s Marc Young explains why it’s time to end the country’s hypocritical stance towards dual citizenship.”

The article continued:

“With all immodesty, I’m a perfectly integrated foreigner in Germany. I speak German without a thick American accent, I voluntarily opted for state health insurance and, unlike many Germans, I even willingly pay my TV licence fees. I have a German wife and a half-German child. There’s just one thing I won’t have for the foreseeable future: a German passport.

“That’s not because I don’t want one – just the opposite. After almost 14 years in this country, I’d gladly become a German citizen… But I don’t care to sacrifice my American passport for the privilege… The United States, Canada, Britain, France, Sweden and countless other countries have no problem with dual citizenship. But Germany… sadly still clings to horribly antiquated concepts of nationality.

“Some German politicians – often conservative and Bavarian – believe that I and more than two million Turks simply aren’t worthy of German citizenship because we refuse to surrender our other passports.

“If I were French, I wouldn’t have this dilemma… Hoping to foster Franco-German friendship, the otherwise so stingy Germans allowed their pals west of the Rhine to have dual citizenship back in 2003. This was a nice gesture however, it also happened to be rather hypocritical one. Shortly thereafter, Germany was compelled in 2007 to give this right to all EU citizens, and not just the French, since defending such a blatant double standard would have been impossible in the European courts.

“But three generations Turkish immigrants – and a few well-integrated Americans – are still discriminated against… The state premier of Bavaria, Horst Seehofer, and many other German politicians claim you can’t be a loyal German citizen while holding onto a second passport. But speaking as someone with experience in both Europe and America, that’s nationalistic nonsense. Perhaps Seehofer should ask himself if his conservative colleague David McAllister is qualified to be the premier of Lower Saxony. The Christian Democrat just happens to be half Scottish with both British and German passports…

“Fortunately, my child will never have to choose between Germany and America because my wife is German. But until Germany catches up with the rest of the world, I’ll remain a US citizen – and a German taxpayer.”

Truer words have rarely been spoken. And the reverse is true as well—a German citizen who acquires the American citizenship is generally forced by the German government to surrender his German citizenship. Old nationalistic habits and prejudices don’t seem to die quickly.

In our last Q&A, we explained why the Church of God has made the decision to accept and follow the current Hebrew calendar. The short answer is that God has entrusted the Jews—and no one else—with the preservation of the calendar and the determination and identification of the correct dates of the annual Holy Days.

We also explained that in AD 358-359 A.D., the Jews’ chief leader, Hillel II, carried out his God-given authority to present the Hebrew calendar throughout the future, and it is that calendar which we are to apply for the determination of the annual Holy Days.

Those who devise their own calendars don’t only disobey God’s inspired Word which declares that the oracles, including the week, the Sabbath and the calendar, were given to the Jews, but they also completely miss certain particularities within the Hebrew calendar which God inspired to prevent undue burdens or to guarantee that the Holy Days are being celebrated at their proper times. These technical decisions include the four postponements and the insertion of a thirteenth month, amongst others.

The Bible does not tell us how many months a calendar year should have. In order to harmonize a solar year (about 365 ¼ days) with a lunar year (about 354 ¼ days), so that—following biblical injunctions–Passover is always in the spring, and the Feast of Tabernacles is always in the fall, a thirteenth month had to be included seven times within a 19-year lunar time cycle.

The Bible does not specifically mention a thirteenth month, but as Raymond F. McNair explains in his article, “Which Calendar Has God Authorized?” (Global Church News, July-August 1996), “from a careful study of the time periods mentioned in the first eight chapters of Ezekiel (1:1-2; 3:15; 4:5-6; 8:1), we can deduce that a thirteenth month was definitely being used by the Jews when Ezekiel wrote in the early part of the 6th century B.C.”

This shows that God and the Bible endorse the decisions of the Jewish people pertaining to the inclusion of a 13th month in the Hebrew calendar, and that no one should take it upon him- or herself to make arbitrary decisions contrary to the established Hebrew calendar. The same must be said regarding other peculiar decisions pertaining to the Hebrew calendar.

For instance, Dr. Herman L. Hoeh explains the following in his article, “The Hebrew Calendar—Authoritative for God’s Church Today” (Good News, April 1981):

“The rules of the permanent calendar [authorized by Hillel II] call for each of the first six months of the year to be alternatively 30 and 29 days long. Since the Bible does not declare which months have either 30 or 29 days, it is… [a] decision enacted by those who are in authority over God’s calendar… each month is slightly more than 29 ½ days long… That means the [decision is that the] first half of the year is always 177 days long (three months with 30 days plus three months with 29 days…). And if the first day of the seventh month is on Tuesday, the first of Abib is 177 days earlier, and on a Sunday…”

In addition, postponements were also clearly authorized and endorsed by God. As mentioned in the last Q&A, postponements delay the beginning of the first day of the seventh month—the first day of Tishri or the Feast of Trumpets:

The four rules of postponements are simply these:

(1)  When the new moon (more accurately, the “Molad or “birth”; that is, when the moon is directly between earth and sun and it is therefore invisible) occurs on Sunday, Wednesday or Friday, the Feast of Trumpets is postponed to the following day. The reason is that the Day of Atonement [which is to be kept 9 days after the Feast of Trumpets, on the tenth day of the month] should not occur on the day before or after the weekly Sabbath, and the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles should not occur on a weekly Sabbath, as it is followed by an annual Sabbath—the Last Great Day.

In his article, “The Hebrew Calendar—Authoritative for God’s Church Today,” Dr. Herman L. Hoeh wrote:

“Why do God’s festivals fall when they do? Have we ever asked why… the fast of the Day of Atonement does not occur on Friday or Sunday? Or why the seventh day of the Festival of Tabernacles does not fall on the weekly Sabbath—but the eighth day commonly does?… If Atonement were to fall on Friday, housewives would have to prepare food for the weekly Sabbath on a Thursday…

“Hillel II realized that … the Day of Atonement should not fall on Friday, the preparation day of the Sabbath. The rule, therefore, is that if the new moon of a seventh month could occur on a Wednesday (beginning the previous evening), that day is not to be declared the new moon. It is to be postponed. But the day following is to be declared the new moon… that is, a Thursday (beginning the previous evening) is the first day of the seventh month. That Thursday is consequently the Feast of Trumpets… and the Day of Atonement, which is the 10th day of the month, falls in such a year on the weekly Sabbath.”

(2)  When the new moon or the Molad occurs at noon or later, the Feast of Trumpets is postponed to the next day. This is so and makes logical sense, because otherwise, the people would not have been able to keep the entire Feast of Trumpets, but only a portion of it (that portion following the occurrence of the Molad or New Moon). But the Bible demands that the entire day of 24 hours be kept as holy.

(3)   When the new moon or Molad occurs after 3:00 a.m. or later on a Tuesday of a common year, the Feast of Trumpets is postponed to Thursday. This decision was made for astronomical reasons to ensure that the common year (not a leap year) would be between 353 to 355 days long. [The Hebrew calendar has twelve common years and eight leap years within a 19-year lunar time cycle. A common year has 353, 354 or 355 days, while a leap year has 383, 384 or 385 days.]

(4)   When the new moon or Molad occurs on Monday after 9:00 am, the Feast of Trumpets is postponed to the next day. This postponement was also made for astronomical reasons to ensure the proper length of common years.

In addition, it was sometimes necessary to postpone the beginning of the year by an entire month.

To quote from Raymond McNair’s article, “What are the Postponements?” (Global Church News, July-August 1996):

“… in order to be able to offer the ‘wave sheaf’ (Hebr. Omer) of ripened barley during the Days of Unleavened Bread, it was sometimes mandatory that the high priest in ancient Israel postpone the beginning of Nisan 1 by a whole month… the Feast of Unleavened Bread [must] fall in the spring (thereby necessitating certain one-month postponements to the beginning of the sacred year). There is no record of Christ and His disciples objecting to the calendar or instituting a different one.”

Another reason for the postponement of the first month might also exist when otherwise the Feast of Tabernacles would be celebrated in the summer, rather than in the autumn. [This is similar rationale as and related to the insertion of the 13th month, see above.] As mentioned, the Bible demands that the Feast of Tabernacles must be observed in the autumn, “at the year’s end” (Exodus 34:22). If the first month is declared as occurring too early, the Feast of Tabernacles would be observed too early as well, and not in accordance with the Scriptural demands.

This Q&A does not cover all of the particulars of the Hebrew calendar, but we hope that enough information is provided to show not only the authoritative decisions of the Jews in regard to the calendar, but also the godly-inspired wisdom for the rationale behind it, proving that the calendar must harmonize with the biblical commands as to when and how to observe the annual Holy Days.

We are sure that those who want to find fault with the decisions of the Jews to design and maintain the Hebrew calendar in the way they do, will invent seemingly convincing human arguments and counter-arguments, but it really boils down to this question: Are we allowing God to guide and do we believe that God has guided the Jews in the preservation of the calendar, or aren’t we? If we do not have enough faith that God could and did preserve the calendar through the Jews, where else is our faith lacking?

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A new StandingWatch program, titled, “The Merkel Miracle,” was posted on YouTube and our Web site (www.eternalgod.org). Some proclaim that the Euro and the Eurozone will fail. The Bible contradicts this, and the events of this week also prove how erroneous these concepts are. As prophesied in Scripture, Germany is emerging as the leader in Europe, and Angela Merkel seems to have extraordinary vision in regard to the perceived need to save the Euro. She understands that if the Euro was to fail, Europe would also fail, and the Bible shows us that this will not happen.

A new German sermon was recorded and posted on YouTube and on our German Web site (www.aufpostenstehen.de). It is titled, “Warum das Laubhuettenfest?” [“Why the Feast of Tabernacles?”]

A new German AufPostenStehen program was posted on our Web site (www.aufpostenstehen.de) and on YouTube, titled, “Sieger Merkel im Europa der zwei Klassen” [“Victor Merkel in a Europe of Two Speeds”].