On September 17, 2011, Dave Harris will give the sermon, titled, “In Times of Trouble.”

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.

Those in this age who wield power in government, business, religion and virtually every walk of life are not governed—first and foremost—by truth!
 
What the actual state of a matter is; what can stand the test of verification; what the real facts are—all that denotes and defines truth is simply not held in godly esteem by society!
 
We live in a time in which deception supersedes truth, and it does so because Satan, who is the father of lies (John 8:44), powerfully influences mankind. However, there are some who don’t believe the innumerable falsehoods permeating our world—they are the ones who are governed by truth:
 
“We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:19-20; compare, also, John 14:6).
 
Jesus said, “‘And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free’” (John 8:32).
 
That freedom comes because we have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling in us and opening our understanding to His Word, and His is the Spirit of truth (compare John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; and 1 John 4:6). Jesus asked that His followers be set apart by God’s truth, and He further stated: “‘…Your word is truth’” (John 17:17).
 
Jesus also had to contend with the Adversary, and Satan’s method for tempting Christ was to lie—he misquoted Scripture, trying to give a deceptive application, but that did not work and this is what Jesus gave in answer:
 
“‘…It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”’” (Matthew 4:4).
 
As we see, Satan sought to destroy Jesus Christ—just as he now particularly seeks to destroy the people of God (compare 1 Peter 5:8-9). Attacks against the Church of God by Satan have continued, and we have been warned of this (compare Matthew 24:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; 1 Timothy 4:1-3).
 
Withstanding deception is no inconsequential matter!
 
Our battle can only be won when we stand up for and stand in the truth of God—the truth we know!

We begin with a critical commentary on the recent Tea Party debate of Republican Presidential candidates; reflect on the tenth anniversary of terrorist attacks on September 11; show the continued decline and isolation of the world’s only current superpower; focus on the isolation of the state of Israel and Turkey’s rise to influence in the Arab world; and conclude with describing the increasing difficulties between European Eurozone and non-Eurozone countries, and the uncertain future of Greece.

What Does the Future Hold for the USA?

We know that the USA is in deep trouble, and some hope that a change in leadership would turn everything around. Judging by the increasingly hot exchange and performances of the leading Republican Presidential candidates during the Tea Party debate on September 12, which was hosted by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, there is, sadly, not much evidence for such hope. We are highlighting some of the divisive positions embraced by the leading candidates:

USA Today reported on September 12:

“At a raucous, Tea Party-fueled debate, Texas Gov. Rick Perry proved his freshly minted front-runner status: Mitt Romney blasted him on Social Security, Rick Santorum on immigration and Michele Bachmann on a controversial executive order he signed as governor.

“Perry… dodged a question, pressed by Romney, of whether he believes the retirement program should be returned to the states, as he suggested in a book he wrote last year. Perry said it was time for ‘thoughtful conversations with Americans, rather than trying to scare seniors, as you’re doing.’ ‘The term “Ponzi scheme” is what scared seniors,’ said Romney, the former Massachusetts governor. That was a reference to a phrase Perry used at his national debut at a California debate last week.

“After two debates in six days, Social Security is the fundamental issue dividing the pair of contenders at the top of national polls: Perry, who calls for a sweeping overhaul, though he hasn’t provided details about what he would do. And the more cautious Romney, who embraces the program as crucial though he says changes are needed to ensure its long-term stability.

“Perry also stuck to his guns on immigration, the issue on which he is most at odds with his conservative base. Under fire by Santorum, the former Pennsylvania senator, Perry defended allowing illegal immigrants in Texas to pay in-state tuition…

“And he had a sharp exchange with Bachmann… The Minnesota congresswoman blistered Perry for signing an executive order that required girls in Texas to receive inoculations for human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted disease, and suggested it was linked to campaign contributions he had received from a drug manufacturer.”

There was also some debate about America’s future military involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq, and both Romney and Perry stated that America must soon withdraw. Obamacare was raised, and Bachmann, a lawyer, pointed out that Perrycare and Romneycare don’t differ much from Obamacare, and that all three approaches must be rejected. The concept of a presidential executive order was discussed, and Texas Rep. Ron Paul was cheered when he opposed both Romney and Perry, stating that an executive order must never be used to legislate an issue. However, he was booed when he suggested that the attack on September 11 was, in part, caused by American politics.

The remaining candidates seemed to play a more marginal role. Even though businessman Herman Cain and former House speaker Newt Gingrich drew some supporting laughs and applause, it is not expected that either one will win the Republican nomination. Rather, the increasingly hot battle between Perry and Romney (and perhaps Bachmann) will continue, which only shows once more the divisions which are plaguing this country.

Under “normal” circumstances, it would not be expected that President Obama will be re-elected. As Newsmax reported on September 12:

“Democrats worry that Obama, 50, is politically vulnerable in next year’s election with the unemployment rate at 9.1 percent last month and approval ratings near lows of his presidency. Since World War II, no U.S. president has won re-election with a jobless rate above 6 percent, with the exception of Reagan, who faced 7.2 percent unemployment on Election Day in 1984 after the rate had dropped more than three percentage points during the previous two years he was in office. The median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg predicts a rate at 8.6 percent in the third quarter of next year, just prior to the election.”

However, these are not “normal” times, and when Republican candidates continue to devour each other, this won’t help them. Some feel that there is now a need for a third party. But this won’t help the situation either. The ONLY real solution for America’s ongoing troubles is the RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST to make an end with man’s futile political attempts, and to establish the GOVERNMENT OF GOD here on earth. Thank God that this will happen soon. Please note also the following articles.

Perry’s Biggest Problem

The Washington Post wrote on September 14:

“[Governor Perry’s] biggest problem… is his executive order requiring preteen girls in Texas to be immunized against a disease that causes cervical cancer, a decision that the religious right didn’t like and that Perry now says was a mistake. The dangerous charge here is influence-peddling. He issued the order after he was lobbied by his former chief of staff, who went to work for Merck, the drug company that makes the vaccine. It turns out Perry has received almost $30,000 in contributions from Merck over the years (not just the $5,000 he mentioned in the debate), and his ties to Merck have been documented to run deeper than that.

“Perry’s response to the pay-for-play intimation from Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) was one of the worst of its sort ever offered by a politician. ‘The company was Merck, and it was a $5,000 contribution that I had received from them,’ Perry declared. ‘I raise about $30 million. And if you’re saying that I can be bought for $5,000, I’m offended.’ The question this raised in a listener’s mind was: So how much can you be bought for? That question will linger…

“Moderate politicians have been drummed out of the party or silenced as its leaders have played ball with the extremists throughout Obama’s term… Rick Perry — if he doesn’t self-destruct — will be able to tell [conservatives] he is the guy who can destroy the Great Society, the New Deal and the Progressive Era with one decisive blow. And no establishment will be there to stop him.”

In this context, please read the article about Rick Perry in our Current Events Section in Update #497, titled, “Bilderberg Holds True Power in America?” Also pay close attention to the next article.

Rick Perry “Destined” to Become US President?

The Washington Post wrote on September 14:

“Texas Gov. Rick Perry is a man of faith… he demonstrated Wednesday that he would not shy away from cloaking his candidacy in his Christianity, delivering an address here at the late Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University that presented his life in deeply spiritual terms and cast his political aspirations as destiny… the evangelical Christian governor spoke the language of the movement with ease… knowing that God’s answers would be revealed to him in due time… Before he launched his campaign in August, Perry drew 30,000 people to a revival prayer session at a Houston stadium…

“Recent past presidents spoke comfortably about their faith, including George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter. Bush shared a powerful narrative of his religious conversion — that he went on a walk with Billy Graham, joined a Bible study group in Midland, Tex., and overcame his alcoholism… A lifelong Methodist, Perry regularly attends Lake Hills Church… He usually prays before meals and, as governor, has spoken at prayer services and has issued executive orders to pray for rain…”

Violence Fought with Violence…

Der Spiegel Online wrote on September 11:

“Ten years have passed since Sept. 11, 2001, and today only losers remain. Islam has been taken hostage by blinded ideologues. The West has betrayed its values in its struggle against terror, and we are now burdened with Islamophobes… What remains etched in our minds, 10 years after the fact? Two images tell the entire story. One is of the burning Twin Towers and the other of a prisoner being tortured in Abu Ghraib. This is the iconography of human insanity: the horrific crime in New York and the horrific crime of the war against terror. Violence was fought with violence, only to generate even more violence.

“Anyone who believed that people had learned something from the wars of the 20th century was promptly disabused of that notion at the beginning of the new millennium. In fact, we have learned nothing. We are still all too willing to exterminate each other, even with our bare hands. And we always have good reasons to do so. We are always in the right…

“The roughly 3,000 people who died on Sept. 11 were followed by more than 6,000 dead American soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq, countless civilian victims, 5 million refugees and costs currently estimated at more than $3 trillion (€2.13 trillion)…

“It is correct that not even the great flood managed to wash away all evil from the earth. In the end, God said…, as it is written in the First Book of Moses: ‘I will henceforth curse the ground no more for man’s cause, for the imagination of man’s heart is evil, even from his youth.’ But what Franz Kafka describes in ‘The Trial’ as the most horrible thing of all, namely that ‘the lie has become the order of the world,’ will not prevail in the long run…”

And that is true. Today, lie is the order of the world, because this world is ruled by Satan the devil, the father of lies (see the Editorial in this week’s Update). But Christ will replace Satan, when He returns to this earth to establish the Kingdom and Government of God; all lies will be replaced by truth; and man’s evil heart of stone will be changed to a heart of flesh.

America’s Gradual Decline

Der Spiegel Online wrote on September 11:

“America remains for me an unbelievably beautiful country where the smartest people that one can find on God’s earth live and teach. And it still holds true that this superpower saved Europe from self-destruction during the two world wars. But what became of it after 1945? After 1945, America has in truth only served to fight the wrong wars in the wrong places and for the wrong reasons.

“There were the two McCarthy-era wars in Korea and Vietnam. In Korea, the absolute rulers in the north and the south wanted to go to war with each other at any cost… In the end, the cost in blood to the Americans was horribly high… Vietnam was merely an escalation of the Korean War… Afterwards, America became a demoralized country, driven crazy by a world that had stripped it of its hegemonic role…

“Afghanistan also falls into this category of the wrong wars in the wrong places at the wrong time. It is a country that can be conquered but cannot be ruled. That’s why the conquerors always withdraw eventually. When America fell into the trap, it joined a long list of countries that had made the same mistake.

“Naturally the Iraq war made me take a different look at the earlier wars… First Iraq would become a democracy, then Syria, and so on. They wanted to change the world and actively impose their ideology on others. It was probably the last time that America would try to fulfil its historical mission of shaping the world according to its own vision of what it should be.

“Today we know that it was the global power’s last gasp… Barack Obama… is left with administering the country’s gradual decline. He will go down in history as the president who ended two wars, in Afghanistan and Iraq. And probably also as the president who failed to lead his country out of recession…”

These statements are quite interesting in light of the Church of God’s long-held and unwavering pronouncements for over sixty years that with World War II, the USA has won its last war. The reason is that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who had blessed this country due to unconditional promises which He had given to Abraham because of his obedience, began to withdraw His blessings, due to our sins and rebellion against Him. Please note the next article, which also describes America’s lost wars and the growing isolation of the USA.

America’s Growing Isolation

Der Spiegel Online wrote on September 11:

“It is the history of the decline of the USA as a superpower. Immediately before the attacks, this country was in full bloom — like Rome at its peak… Then came the planes, piloted by the followers of Osama bin Laden — and for a brief moment, the superpower seemed even more powerful than ever… America was trapped in Iraq for years, where a victory was a long time coming and was never a real one. It is currently trapped in Afghanistan, where victory no longer even seems possible…

“Today… the US is a deeply divided country… The country is at war with itself. It has a Congress where there is perpetual conflict between the right and the left — and where they don’t even want to talk to each other when the threat of a national bankruptcy looms…

“The US has become estranged from the rest of the world. It is partly its own fault, but the rest of the world also shares some of the blame — because many only see America as a perpetrator, and no longer regard it as a victim…”

The Bible tells us that ultimately, the USA, Great Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand (modern descendants of the ancient house of Israel) as well as the Jewish people (the descendants of the house of Judah), will be hated by all nations. We are presenting articles throughout this Current Events section, showing how these prophecies are beginning to come to pass.

Turk-Israeli Relationship at an All-Time Low

The Sydney Morning Herald wrote on September 11:

“Turkey has raised the prospect of a naval confrontation with Israel by announcing it will deploy warships to protect humanitarian convoys attempting to breach the maritime blockade of Gaza. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan defended the move as a necessary response after Israel refused to apologise for the deaths of nine Turks killed during an operation to intercept a Gaza-bound aid flotilla last year. The threat is the most dangerous escalation yet in a rapidly deteriorating diplomatic row between the former allies that has already seen Turkey expel Israel’s ambassador and suspend all military ties… Israel described the latest development as ‘grave and serious’.

“Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman is [reportedly] considering meeting and possibly even financing Turkey’s Kurdish rebel movement, a move that would incense Mr Erdogan’s government. Mr Erdogan, meanwhile, is to visit Cairo… amid concern in Israel that he may seek an alliance with the aim of increasing the Jewish state’s isolation. The visit will be the first by a Turkish leader to Egypt for 15 years.”

The Bible prophesies a terrible violent confrontation between Turkey and Israel. Note the next article as well.

Turkey Pushes Palestinian Statehood

BBC wrote on September 13:

“Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that recognition of a Palestinian state is an obligation not an option. He told the Arab League that before the year’s end ‘we will see Palestine in a very different situation’. Mr Erdogan made a new attack on Israel, saying its government’s mentality was a barrier to peace in the Middle East. The Palestinians are currently preparing a bid for United Nations membership despite Israeli and US opposition.

“Mr Erdogan is in Egypt as part of a tour of three Arab states that recently ousted their leaders, in an attempt to improve Turkey’s standing in the region… The Turkish leader, who has won popularity among Arabs for his denunciations of Israel, was earlier met by an enthusiastic crowd in Cairo. Mr Erdogan called for support for the Palestinians’ attempt to achieve recognition at the UN… That Mr Erdogan bashed Israel again surprised no-one. It is the key to Mr Erdogan’s extraordinary popularity in the Arab world… But he went much further, presenting himself as a champion of change everywhere in the region.”

Israel in Isolation

Haaretz wrote on September 10:

“The political crisis has become a reality well before the Palestinians declare their independent state, writes Haaretz editor-in-chief Aluf Benn, leaving Israel isolated in facing Iran, Turkey and Egypt.
 
“The anxiety caused by the Arab Spring among the Israeli public became a reality this weekend, when protesters broke into the Israeli Embassy in Cairo, and expelled the Israeli diplomats from their country… The historians who will write about the collapse of the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty will start their stories during the twilight years of the Mubarak regime, when the government gradually lost control over the Sinai Peninsula, turning the desert into an abandoned frontier of weapons smuggling, human trafficking, and African refugees.

“… a week after the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Ankara… the Israeli ambassador was expelled from Cairo… Netanyahu now hopes that Israel might be able to get close with Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf States, who also seek to block the possibility of an Arab Spring in the region. In the West, Netanyahu is hoping to circumvent Turkey by strengthening ties with Greece, Bulgaria and Romania…

“The political tsunami that Ehud Barak foresaw has come true prior to the unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state in the UN. Israel is left isolated facing Iran, Turkey and Egypt, which in the past were considered close allies… Israel cannot prevent the rise of Erdogan or the fall of Mubarak, the same way that it cannot halt Iran’s nuclear weapons program. The fall of the American superpower is not Netanyahu’s fault…”

Israel Surrounded as Arab Spring Turns Darker

Bloomberg reported on September 13:

“The Middle East is plunging toward crisis… Not long ago, Turkey and Israel were strategic partners. Now, relations between those two key U.S. allies are in ruins…

“Why, after decades of quiet, has the Egypt-Israel border become so tumultuous? Two reasons: The interim Egyptian government has lost control over the Sinai since the revolution, and Gaza, which borders the Sinai, has been transformed by Hamas into a weapons-importing and terror-exporting mini-state…”

When reading all of this, one is reminded of Zechariah 12:3, which says: “…all nations of the earth are gathered against [Jerusalem].” And the development, as described in the next article, won’t help, either.

Cheney: Israel will Attack Iran…

Newsmax reported on September 11:

“Israel will attack Iran’s nuclear facilities if necessary to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon, former Vice President Dick Cheney tells Newsmax… ‘I think they would,’ Cheney said when asked about the possibility. ‘I think Iran represents an existential threat, and they’ll do whatever they have to do to guarantee their survival and their security… I’ve had a number of conversations with a lot of Israeli officials, and I think they correctly perceive Iran as a basic threat…’”

The Bible indicates that the state of Israel or Judah will receive “a wound” (Hosea 5:13), or suffer military defeat. Will this occur in a coming war with Iran?

Britain’s Inconsistent Position

Mail On Line wrote on September 12:

“[Chancellor] George Osborne admitted last night that a new EU treaty is ‘on the cards’ within two years… His comments… appear to be at odds with Prime Minister David Cameron’s recent assertion that the current crisis in the eurozone was not likely to trigger a fresh EU treaty… Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith yesterday backed the idea of demanding a new right for British MPs to block big European appointments.

“The Chancellor, speaking on the fringes of the G7 summit… in Marseilles, poured fuel on the flames by indicating that talks are under way to draw up a fresh deal for the EU… ‘This would be for the eurozone. This would be to further integrate the eurozone, to further strengthen fiscal integration now… It’s in Britain’s interest that the eurozone is stable and one of the routes to making it more stable is to have more fiscal integration’… Sources close to Mr Osborne insisted that ministers would ‘protect and promote’ British interests and there would be no further transfer of power from Westminster to Brussels.”

Britain wants to have new rights to block big European appointments, while advocating the strengthening of the Eurozone countries, of which Britain does not want to become a member. In the view of Eurozone members, a more inconsistent position could hardly be imagined. However, Britain is not alone with its position. Note the next article.

How to React to a Eurozone Economic Government?

The EUObserver wrote on September 12:

“A group of non-euro member states led by Poland is fighting a rearguard action not to be left out in the cold as single currency member states consider going ahead with a eurozone economic government. Europe ministers from Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania met in Brussels on Monday (12 September) morning to discuss how best to influence the debate on the future of the 17-nation euro area.

“All seven states are obliged under the terms of their accession treaties to join the single currency but they have little means of making their views heard, being excluded from the increasingly frequent meetings on euro governance… The spectre of a two-speed Europe, with a core of more closely integrated eurozone states started to take shape in August when France and Germany proposed regular meetings of eurozone leaders and a separate euro president, likely to be Van Rompuy.”

What does this all mean? Please read the next article.

Will Greece Leave the Eurozone?

The Telegraph wrote on September 11:

“Philipp Roesler, Germany’s economy minister [and vice chancellor]… said: ‘To stabilise the euro, we must not take anything off the table in the short run. That includes as a worst-case scenario an orderly default for Greece if the necessary instruments for it are available.’ He said such a default would mean ‘re-establishing the affected state’s ability to function, perhaps with a temporary restriction of its sovereign rights’.

“Mr Roesler’s comments come as Germany’s Der Spiegel magazine said finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble had ordered preparations be made for a Greek bankruptcy. The report claimed the German government is preparing for two eventualities under that scenario – Greece staying in the euro or the country exiting and reintroducing the drachma…”

The German magazine Focus reported on September 9 that Bavaria’s CSU also advocated the exclusion of Greece and other “unstable” Eurozone members from the Eurozone, but that Angela Merkel is pleading for patience. The New York Times wrote on September 12 that the world needs now Angela Merkel’s strong and decisive leadership.

The Local wrote on September 12:

“German officials rushed on Monday to calm highly stressed markets, insisting Greece should stay in the eurozone, amid rising alarm that Germany is losing patience with being the bailout paymaster…  a spokesman for Germany’s Economy Minister Philip Rösler… sought to allay these fears, saying: ‘Our common goal is the stability of the euro and we want Greece to stay in the euro’…

“After a meeting between Merkel and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, the two leaders issued a statement saying they were ‘agreed on the overwhelming importance of the euro for Europe and Germany.’…”

On September 13, Der Spiegel Online added:

“Against the background of increased pressure from the United States for a more resolute approach to the euro debt crisis, German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday moved to crush speculation within her government about a possible Greek default… Her comments were viewed as an indirect jab at Vice Chancellor and Economy Minister Philipp Rösler… [Merkel’s] comments also appeared to be aimed at Bavarian Governor Horst Seehofer, who is the leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU), the sister party to the chancellor’s conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Seehofer has raised the possibility of a Greek exit from the euro zone in recent days…

“The center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes:

“‘Is it possible to think about a European currency union without Greece?… The heads of the government coalition party groups in parliament have unanimously pointed out that it is not legally possible to exclude Greece. This is true in the sense that there are no provisions in the Maastricht Treaty for a country to leave the euro or to get kicked out — it neither permits nor excludes it. But as one knows after one and a half years of euro bailouts, politicians themselves have not adhered to the (Maastricht) Treaty even on points where it is crystal clear … With EU treaties, one proceeds as they see fit. Incidentally, the Lisbon Treaty even envisions the possibility of a withdrawal from the EU’…

“The left-leaning Die Tageszeitung writes:

“‘… the FDP and the CSU… create the impression… that Germany would somehow save money if the Greeks were left to go bust. But that is pure nonsense: A Greek bankruptcy would cost Germany billions. Because both directly and indirectly, Germany is one of Greece’s biggest creditors…’

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes:

“‘Throwing Greece out would be a disaster not only for Greece, but also for Germany and the rest of Europe… no one should forget that the euro zone has not gifted Greece with hundreds of billions of euros, but provided the country with credit instead. The money will come back with interest if the financial restructuring is successful in the country. The euro-zone governments should have made it clear to the markets that they planned to keep Greece solvent until it becomes credit-worthy again. But such a position can only be credible if politicians — those in Germany above all — preserve calm and reason.’”

The Associated Press reported on September 14: “Greece is an ‘integral’ part of the eurozone, the leaders of Greece, France and Germany said in an emergency teleconference Wednesday night that aimed to calm markets and temper talk of an imminent default by Greece.”

Bild Online announced on September 14: “Greece Will Stay in the Eurozone.”

The tabloid continued: “Merkel and Sarkozy made clear: The future of Greece is inside the Eurozone.”

Der Stern added on September 14:

“During their 20-minute phone conversation, Merkel and Sarkozy rejected a discussion about Greece leaving the Eurozone. ‘The Chancellor and the President are convinced that the future of Greece is within the Eurozone,’ [German] government speaker Steffen Seibert declared.”

It is obvious that Angela Merkel, CDU, spoke strongly with her Economy Minister and Vice Chancellor, Philip Rösler, of the increasingly unpopular and inconsequential FDP, regarding his ill-conceived comments, prompting his spokesperson to backpedal. The euro-skeptical media, especially in Great Britain, is painting once again a doomsday scenario of Greece leaving the Eurozone and of the end of the EU and the project of a united Europe.

Whatever the future of Greece may hold, we know from the Holy Scriptures that Greece’s relationship with the other countries in continental Europe will remain friendly. We also know that ultimately, ten Eurozone nations or groups of nations will arise in Europe, who will in turn and apparently at the same time give their power and authority to a charismatic political leader. The present Eurozone members might still undergo some changes before the final ten will have emerged. We also know that the final Eurozone members will become hostile towards Great Britain.

You seem to be referring to our Q&A on Saudi Arabia, where we wrote the following:

“Turning to the New Testament, we find that Arabs were present in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost when God poured out His Holy Spirit on the New Testament Church (Acts 2:11), and that Paul, after his conversion, went to Arabia (Galatians 1:17) and stayed there for a while, perhaps, as Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible suggests, to associate with those Arabs who had been converted on the Day of Pentecost.”

It is true that some commentaries seem to suggest that the “Arabs,” who were present in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost in 31 AD, were Jews who were living at the time in Arabia and who had come to worship in Jerusalem. However, even though people of Jewish descent were included, they were not the only ones mentioned in Acts 2. Note carefully the inspired record in Acts 2:5-11:

“And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, ‘Look, are not all these who speak Galileans [i.e., the apostles]? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Phartians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them [the apostles] speaking in our own tongue the wonderful works of God.’”

Notice carefully that several categories of people are listed here—Jews dwelling in Jerusalem—and Jews and proselytes who were dwelling in other parts of the world, and who had come to Jerusalem to worship God on the Day of Pentecost.

Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible explains:

“Devout men, out of every nation – Either by these we are simply to understand Jews who were born in different countries, and had now come up to Jerusalem to be present at the passover, and for purposes of traffic, or proselytes to Judaism, who had come up for the same purpose…”

Gentiles who had been converted to Judaism were called “proselytes”—and we read that they, too, were present when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Day of Pentecost. Barnes’ Notes on the Bible explains that the term “Jews” refers to “native-born Jews, or descendants of Jewish families,” while  the term “Proselytes” speaks of “those who had been converted to the Jewish religion from among the Gentiles. The great zeal of the Jews to make proselytes is mentioned by our Saviour as one of the special characteristics of the Pharisees, Matthew 23:15.”

Barnes explains how a Gentile could become a “proselyte” or a “convert”:

“Among the Jews there were two kinds of proselytes:

“1. ‘Proselytes of righteousness,’ or those who wholly and fully embraced the Jewish religion, who were baptized, who were circumcised, and who conformed to all the rites of the Mosaic institutions.

“2. ‘Proselytes of the gate,’ or those who approved of the Jewish religion, renounced the pagan superstitions, and conformed to some of the rites of the Jews, but were not circumcised or baptized.”

However, as the People’s New Testament explains, “To make one proselyte [means:] Induce Gentiles to become circumcised and to keep the Jewish religion. This is the sense in which proselyte was then always used.”

Christ was not too impressed with the Pharisees’ efforts to proselytize someone, as they introduced those converts to and compelled them to abide by the traditions of Judaism, which were in many aspects contrary to the commands of God, as revealed in the Old and New Testament. Still, we note that Jews and proselytes were present in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, and we also note that later, one of the seven original deacons in the Church of God was Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch (Acts 6:5).

The People’s New Testament states that Nicolas was a “Gentile (Greek) of the great city of Antioch, who had been converted to Judaism and been circumcised. This is the meaning of proselyte in the New Testament.” Barnes’ Notes on the Bible adds, “The word does not mean here that he was a convert to ‘Christianity’ – which was true – but that he had been converted at Antioch from paganism to the Jewish religion. As this is the only proselyte mentioned among the seven deacons, it is evident that the others were native-born Jews, though a part of them might have been born out of Palestine, and have been of the denomination of ‘Grecians,’ or ‘Hellenists.’”

Still later, “Jews and devout proselytes” followed Paul and Barnabas in the city of Antioch and were encouraged and persuaded to CONTINUE in the grace of God (Acts 13:42-43).

The concept of Gentiles becoming proselytes was already taught in Old Testament times. We read in Exodus 12:43-49 that a stranger—a Gentile—dwelling in the nation of Israel, could partake of the Passover, but only after he had been circumcised.

We also note that some time before the Roman centurion Cornelius was baptized by Peter (compare Acts 10), an Ethiopian eunuch was already baptized by Philip (Acts 8:26-40). The eunuch was obviously a proselyte who had embraced the Jewish religion; he had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning to Ethiopia (verses 27-28).

The controversy which led to the first Council of the New Testament Church in Jerusalem, as described in Acts 15, evolved around the fact that Peter had baptized a Roman centurion who had NOT first become a proselyte by turning to Judaism; that is, he had not been circumcised and baptized to become a proselyte, according to the rites of the Pharisees, and he had not embraced all of the injunctions listed in the entire law of Moses—including temporary and by then superseded rituals—as well as man-made traditions and customs of the elders, which were not included in the Law of God (compare Acts 15:1, 5; see also Matthew 15:1-9; Mark 7:1-13; Galatians 1:14).

The apostles concluded, based on the godly vision of Peter and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that “Gentiles who are turning to God” could become members of the Church of God without having first to become proselytes by being circumcised (verse 19), embracing Judaism, committing to keeping the rituals and sacrifices which Christ had abolished with His death, and by embracing man-made traditions. They made clear, however, that God’s law had to be kept, including certain permanent injunctions which were found in Old Testament passages that ALSO described temporary ritual requirements (compare verse 20, 29). The apostles emphasized, for instance, that Gentiles who were turning to God were still required to keep the Ten Commandments, including the Sabbath (verse 21)—a requirement which is still binding for Christians today.

It is therefore NOT correct to conclude that only native Jews were present in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost in 31 A.D, when the New Testament Church of God began. There were also Proselytes in attendance, including Arabs. Our statement, as quoted at the beginning of this Q&A, has therefore merit; namely, that “Paul, after his conversion, went to Arabia (Galatians 1:17) and stayed there for a while, perhaps, as Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible suggests, to associate with those Arabs who had been converted on the Day of Pentecost.”

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

The finalized new booklet, “Paul’s Letter to the Philippians,” was sent to our printer in the USA.

A new StandingWatch program was posted on our Web site (www.standingwatch.org) and on YouTube, titled, “The Frightening Future of Europe.” Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder advocates a United States of Europe and claims that Britain causes the biggest problems. Angela Merkel speaks now of a Europe of two speeds. She wants to give the European Council President even more power. This program shows what it all means.

Norbert Link’s video-taped sermon, “What about the Secret Rapture? Part 2,” was posted on YouTube and our Web site (www.eternalgod.org).

A new German AufPostenStehen program, “Wie Kriege Gemacht Werden,” [“How Wars Are Being Made”] was posted on YouTube and our German Web site (www.aufpostenstehen.de).

A new German sermon titled, “Die USA und Grossbritannien in der Bibel”  [“The USA and Great Britain in the Bible”], was posted on YouTube and on our German Web site (www.aufpostenstehen.de).

Activities at the Feast of Tabernacles 2011 in the USA

This year’s theme for the Dinner Dance on Sunday, October 16, will be “Broadway.” If you have suggestions and music and/or would like to help with decorations, please contact Michael Link at mrmikey24@yahoo.com .

The Talent/Fun Show on Monday, October 17, will be hosted once again by Kalon Mitchell and John Amorelli. Anyone who is interested in performing can contact Kalon at thesupeman@gmail.com  or John at amorejonjon@gmail.com or Michael Link.

As in previous years, Phyllis Bourque will be responsible for organizing special music. Please contact her as soon as possible at bourque@q.com if you are still interested in participating.

The speaking schedule for the Feast in the USA has been posted on our Web site (www.eternalgod.org), under http://cognetservices.org.

Also, if you have not already done so, you still have opportunity to proceed with making reservations for the Feast of Tabernacles 2011 with the Hilton Garden Inn at 601 James Way, Pismo Beach, CA 93449. When you call under 1-805-773-6020, please make sure that you mention that you are attending the Feast convention of the Church of the Eternal God. Further information is available on our Web site (www.eternalgod.org), under “Feasts.”

On September 10, 2011, Norbert Link will speak on current world events and give the sermon, titled, “What About the Secret Rapture?—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.

The Bible is very clear about its instruction for us to be careful when we plan our activities in life, and in nothing is this more true than in our commitment to God. In the context of understanding our level of commitment to Him, Jesus provides us a comparison in Luke 14:28: “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it.” Jesus then goes on to say that if for the sake of discipleship, we are not willing to give up everything detrimental to God’s Way of Life, we are not worthy to be a disciple. Our sacrifice for the sake of following Christ must be comprehensive.  Since this commitment is so comprehensive, it is easy to slip up on.

A common aphorism is that failing to plan is planning to fail. But, how about plans that fail? Even if we have seriously “counted the cost” and think our commitment and sacrifices are complete and genuine, we will certainly find blind spots where we fail. How often are our intentions good and we have seemingly prepared everything to the best of our ability, but then we find ourselves behaving inconsistently? Is there something we can do?

Fortunately, God has provided us a way to correct our paths. Just as a global positioning system [GPS] or a satellite-based navigation system will recalculate a path for us when we get off track, the gift of repentance is a tool that we can use to obtain forgiveness, when we find that we are off track (compare Acts 5:31). However, repentance and forgiveness only work when we go through the process of evaluating the success of our plans. In order to do this evaluation, we first need to know where we plan to go. Only then can we even know that we are in need of a course correction.

Expanding on the example cited above, before counting the cost to build a tower, we first need to know that we want to build a tower. We must firmly establish our commitment to God, knowing that it is the most important thing in our lives, and then make the plans for how to work towards it.

The Bible gives us encouragement regarding the plans we make. It may be true that we have a righteous goal in mind – to commit our lives to God – but the steps in our plan to achieve that goal need to be consistent. The Bible is full of stories about people who had seemingly good intents, but poor plans, doing what was right in their own eyes (compare Judges 17:6). God must direct the plans we make (compare Proverbs 16:9). If we allow Him to do so and follow His lead, we are encouraged that we will have help and support along the way (compare Psalm 121:3). God wants us to succeed, but our success is only possible if we accept and choose God’s right goal and plan for us.

We begin reporting about the dire situation in the United States, including its natural disasters, its conflicts with its neighbor Mexico, and the prospects of its postal service defaulting; we speak of Canada’s ongoing problems with its submarine fleet; we continue with the situation in Europe, including the survival of the euro, and the demand for the creation of a two-speed Europe and for political unification; we speak of Angela Merkel’s recent defeat in another state election; we address popular conspiracy theories surrounding the attack on September 11; we report on the (prophesied) deteriorating relationship between Turkey and the state of Israel and Turkey’s desire to form a coalition with Egypt; we warn of a preemptive strike of Israel against Iran; we show the sense of “justice” of Libya’s rebels towards African migrants and the danger of Islamists creating a new Libyan state; we report on a widening unprecedented rift between the Vatican and Ireland; and we conclude with an attempt in Australia to ban Jesus Christ from school history books.

USA Plagued by Natural Disasters

The Associated Press reported on September 3:

“Nature is pummeling the United States this year with extremes. Unprecedented triple-digit heat and devastating drought. Deadly tornadoes leveling towns. Massive rivers overflowing. A billion-dollar blizzard. And now, unusual hurricane-caused flooding in Vermont.

“If what’s falling from the sky isn’t enough, the ground shook in places that normally seem stable: Colorado and the entire East Coast. On Friday, a strong quake triggered brief tsunami warnings in Alaska. Arizona and New Mexico have broken records for wildfires.

“Total weather losses top $35 billion, and that’s not counting Hurricane Irene… There have been more than 700 U.S. disaster and weather deaths, most from the tornado outbreaks this spring… The U.S. has had a record 10 weather catastrophes costing more than a billion dollars: five separate tornado outbreaks, two different major river floods in the Upper Midwest and the Mississippi River, drought in the Southwest and a blizzard that crippled the Midwest and Northeast, and Irene…

“The East Coast got a double-whammy in one week with a magnitude 5.8 earthquake followed by a drenching from Irene… There are still four months to go, including September, the busiest month of the hurricane season… The insurance company Munich Re calculated that in the first six months of the year there have been 98 natural disasters in the United States, about double the average of the 1990s…

“Add to that, oppressive and unrelenting heat. Tens of thousands of daily weather records have been broken or tied and nearly 1,000 all-time records set, with most of them heat or rain related…”

We can expect terrible natural disasters to continue plaguing the United States.

Mexico Invades USA

ABC-7 reported on September 3:

“Border Patrol officials are investigating an incursion by Mexican federal police into the United States on Thursday morning. U.S. Border Patrol spokesman Doug Mosier said armed officers with Mexico’s Secretaria de Seguridad Publica Federal Police were involved in the incursion, which took place in El Paso, near the Border Patrol’s Ysleta station.

“The Mexican government, Border Patrol and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department are investigating the incident. U.S. federal authorities are also responding to the incident. An ABC-7 viewer contacted the station early Thursday, saying her son, husband and friends were hunting on the Rio Grande levee on the U.S. side when men on the Mexico side fired shots, narrowly missing them. The woman said more men on the Mexico side drove up with automatic weapons and into the U.S. side. She said the armed men fired weapons and stole the hunter’s chairs and drove back into Mexico.

“Mosier said Border Patrol agents and Texas Parks and Wildlife officers were sent to the area immediately. ‘Upon approach, our agents observed those subjects (Mexican officers) who committed the incursion return back to Mexico,’ Mosier said.”

This is just an extremely small foretaste of a real invasion of the United States of America to take place in the not-too-distant future; but that invasion will be launched by a United States of Europe.

US Postal Service Is Nearing Default

The New York Times wrote on September 4:

“The United States Postal Service has long lived on the financial edge, but it has never been as close to the precipice as it is today: the agency is so low on cash that it will not be able to make a $5.5 billion payment due this month and may have to shut down entirely this winter unless Congress takes emergency action to stabilize its finances. “Our situation is extremely serious,” the postmaster general, Patrick R. Donahoe, said in an interview. ‘If Congress doesn’t act, we will default.’

“In recent weeks, Mr. Donahoe has been pushing a series of painful cost-cutting measures to erase the agency’s deficit, which will reach $9.2 billion this fiscal year. They include eliminating Saturday mail delivery, closing up to 3,700 postal locations and laying off 120,000 workers — nearly one-fifth of the agency’s work force — despite a no-layoffs clause in the unions’ contracts…”

Even the most prestigious institutions of the United States are in danger of defaulting.

Canada’s Troubled Submarine Fleet

The Vancouver Sun reported on September 4:

“The navy’s last operational submarine is now sidelined until 2016, leaving the service without an underwater capability and potentially throwing into question the future of the submarine fleet. The submarine program, which has already cost around $900 million, has been plagued with various maintenance issues that have prevented the boats from being available for operations on a regular basis. A media report in July noted that one of the subs, HMCS Windsor, arrived in Canada in the fall of 2001 but since then it has operated at sea for just 332 days.

“HMCS Corner Brook, damaged when it hit the ocean floor during a training accident in June on the West Coast, is now dockside. It will be repaired and overhauled during a planned maintenance period now underway. But it is not scheduled to return to sea until 2016, the navy confirmed in an email to the Ottawa Citizen. HMCS Chicoutimi, damaged by a fire in 2004 that killed one officer, still remains sidelined. That leaves HMCS Windsor and HMCS Victoria, which are also not available for duty at sea… defence analyst Martin Shadwick said the latest news on the four submarines is yet another blow to the program… He said the future survival of the submarine force could be put in jeopardy if the problems continue… The subs are still not capable of firing Canadian torpedoes… the subs are also restricted in the depth they can dive because of rust problems.”

Canada will not be spared when the future United States of Europe will begin to invade the American continent—but Canada might be ill-prepared, militarily, for such an attack.

Europe Needs to Relinquish National Sovereignty

Deutsche Welle reported on September 4:

“Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder has appealed for the pace to be stepped up in the building [of] a more federal Europe… Schröder said Brussels needed to quicken the pace on establishing a federal style of European government – at least as far as the economy is concerned.  ‘We [are] going to have to relinquish national sovereignty, ’ said Schröder, referring to domestic economic policy.  ‘The European parliament should become the highest authority for whatever power is given up by national parliaments. ’… Schröder welcomed efforts by Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy in the direction of a common economic government… Otherwise, Schröder said Europe and its individual nation states would  ‘sink into insignificance.’

“He also attacked the position of Britain within the European Union.  ‘Great Britain causes the biggest problems,’ Schröder said. While the country was not a member of the single currency, London still maintained an interest in shaping the debate over the economic zone, he said.   ‘The two things do not go together,’ said Schröder, calling for a clear recognition that Europe had an  ‘inner core’ of countries. ‘Concrete decisions about the organization of any economic governance can only be made by eurozone members and not by the whole of the EU council,’ said Schröder.”

Reuters added on September 5:

“Former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Sunday called for the creation of a ‘United States of Europe,’ saying the bloc needed a common government to avoid future economic crises… He added: ‘We will have to give up national sovereignty… we should make a government which would be supervised by the European Parliament. And that means the United States of Europe… In the crisis lies a real opportunity to achieve a political union in Europe… Great Britain causes the greatest problems. (It is) not in the euro but the British nevertheless always want to participate when it comes to designing a European economic area,’ he said. ‘That doesn’t work.’”

We should take good note of Gerhard Schröder’s very perceptive statements regarding the future of Europe, which are totally in line with biblical prophecy.

Europe Needs Deeper Political Union

The Associated Press reported on September 3:

“Finance officials and experts gathered in Italy mostly agreed Saturday that Europe needs deeper political union to preserve the troubled euro… Unless Europeans agree ‘to complete economic and monetary union … with a fiscal union, with a strong governance, with a feeling that some political decision should be adopted in common by those who are sharing the single currency, we will not succeed,’ said Joaquin Almunia, a vice president of the EU commission, the closest thing to a central government in the union.

“While most governments bristle at this, Spanish Finance Minister Elena Salgado bravely concurred, saying she supported ‘more fiscal integration’ and noting that her country was in any case deeply dependent on trade with the rest of the EU.

“Many of the speakers in Cernobbio singled out Germany, which as the best performing EU economy both benefits from the union and is called upon to subsidize others… At the heart of the matter is the fact… that the European Union is operating at two speeds, with Germany and a few other mostly northern nations performing far better than the southern rim and even France…

“China’s Zhu Min, the recently minted [sic] deputy director of the IMF, urged Europeans to start by overcoming their divisions: ‘At the end of the day if you don’t have a single market, you won’t have a single currency and a common growth,’ he said.”

As the next articles suggest, and as the Bible makes very clear, core Europe will unite politically under German leadership, and the euro, as the necessary glue for the establishment of a political and military union, will not fail.

Cameron: “Eurozone Should Become United States of Europe”

On September 7, The Daily Mail published the following article:

“[British Prime Minister] David Cameron was branded an EU ‘enthusiast’ by Tory Eurosceptics last night as he said Britain must let eurozone countries move towards a United States of Europe with a common economic policy…

“Mr Cameron, appearing before MPs, repeated his pledge that Britain would never join the euro while he is in charge… Mr Cameron insisted he was a ‘practical Eurosceptic’ – but warned of economic disaster for Britain if the euro is allowed to collapse.”

“If the Euro Fails, Then Europe Fails!”

Der Spiegel wrote on September 7:

“In a speech before German parliament, part of a general debate on the budget, Merkel made a plea for ‘more Europe’ and said that to make Europe strong and lasting, ‘treaty amendments can no longer be taboo in order to bind the EU closer together.’ She also reminded her country that a strong Europe was in Germany’s interest… ‘The euro is much, much more than a currency,’ Merkel said. ‘The euro is the guarantee of a united Europe. If the euro fails, then Europe fails.’”

… and we know from biblical prophecy that Europe—modern Babylon–will not fail, until it has fulfilled its designed role in world affairs.

Decision of Highest German Court Victory for the Euro

The Local wrote on September 7:

“Germany’s top court ruled on Wednesday that aid for Greece and rescue packages for other eurozone countries was legal but said parliament must have greater say in any future bailout… the judges insisted that parliament may not approve any deal that leads to a pooling of national debt, apparently ruling out the idea of ‘eurobonds’… German Chancellor Angela Merkel said the pivotal court ruling upholding rescue packages for stricken eurozone members confirmed Berlin’s policies during the debt crisis.”

Deutsche Welle added on September 7 that the court decision was a “Victory for euro-backers.”

The New York Times agreed, stating on September 7:

“The decision was viewed by some analysts as a rare triumph for Chancellor Angela Merkel and seemed to place fewer restrictions than some had expected on her ability to react to the European debt crisis. At the same time, the high public standing of the court should lend broader legitimacy to government efforts to shore up the European currency… The euro rose slightly on currency markets as word of the ruling emerged…

“Hannes Hesse, president of the German Engineering Federation, which represents manufacturers… Hesse added, ‘In the long term it will only be possible to stabilize European currency union when the national parliaments of all the euro countries accept limits on their fiscal sovereignty… The euro project will make a more unified economic policy in the euro zone unavoidable’…

“’In Europe, there is no Constitutional Court stronger or more visible in the public sphere and political landscape than the German constitutional court,’ said Matthias Herdegen, director of the Institute for Public Law at the University of Bonn… Supporters of greater integration contend that a common economic government is the missing element for a stable future for the currency bloc.”

Warning for Those Who Would Like to Return to Deutsche Mark

Der Spiegel wrote on September 7:

“The Swiss decision on Tuesday to peg its currency to the euro should serve as a warning for those who would like to see the return of the deutsche mark: No country can escape the dynamics of the tightly intertwined global market. German commentators hope that calm can now be restored to the euro debate…

“Switzerland on Tuesday pegged its currency to the euro, announcing that the exchange rate was not to fall below 1.20 Swiss francs per euro… The bank said it was ‘prepared to buy foreign currency in unlimited quantities’ in order to maintain a cheaper franc.

“The Financial Times Deutschland writes: ‘Even if it might be expensive in the end, the Swiss decision will ultimately be cheaper than having an economy that is no longer competitive. It should be a lesson to all those who shout “Get Rid of the Euro” and “Give Us Back the deutsche mark.” Were we to get the mark back, it would appreciate at least as rapidly as the franc has and German exports would suffer… Switzerland has its own currency, a diminutive budget deficit and a legally mandated balanced budget (debt brake) — and still it found itself being chewed up by the market machinery. In a world of globalized finances, there are no islands of bliss. This network creates a dynamic that solitary actors like Switzerland cannot escape. And Germany certainly couldn’t either.’

“The conservative daily Die Welt writes: ‘… All euro-critics should take note. Were Germany to reintroduce the deutsche mark, the exchange rate would rocket upwards much quicker than the franc did. Company bankruptcies and mass unemployment would be the result — the economy would collapse. Germany isn’t an island either.’

“The center-left daily Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘The world is so networked that no country can go against the grain for long. Those adherents to the deutsche mark should think about that fact, because the Swiss were on exactly that path which critics of the euro recommend for Germany — and the Swiss couldn’t stand it for long. A fifth of Swiss companies, it was said, would have faced insolvency if the franc had climbed further. Those who would like to plunge the German export industry … into a comparative situation must be very courageous. It would be nice if the Swiss decision would inject a bit of cool-headedness into a euro discussion that has become overheated.’…”

Those who do demand and believe in a return to the Deutsche Mark simply do not understand the economic situation in Europe and Germany, nor the prophecies of the Bible. The euro and the Eurozone (howbeit, not necessarily in its present constellation) are here to stay, but there will also still have to develop a political unity of ten European nations or groups of nations, and the next article shows the thinking of Europeans as to how to bring about such a core European unity (arising out of the Eurozone) within the broader confines of the EU.

A Two-Speed Europe

Der Spiegel Online wrote on September 5:

“Herman Van Rompuy tends to be overlooked whenever European heads of state and government meet for their summits… He is one of the most powerful politicians in Europe, but he is almost unknown in most EU countries, including Germany… Merkel wants to propose giving the European Council president even more power…

“Merkel has recently been thinking about abandoning the concept of a unified EU — and assigning a key role to Van Rompuy in the process. The EU has always been careful to ensure that all members acted in unison… But in times in which the common currency threatens to break apart, the 17 nations of the euro zone need a common economic and financial policy. Otherwise, as the crisis has demonstrated, the euro cannot function…

“Today, it is primarily Great Britain that is preventing the EU from growing closer together. Merkel, though, has had enough — and is now planning a two-speed Europe. It would mean tightly interlocking the countries of the euro zone, possibly by means of a separate treaty that would apply in parallel to the EU Treaty of Lisbon…

“In addition to the club of 27 nations that primarily manages the common domestic market as it has done until now, Merkel envisions a tight alliance of the 17 euro-zone members — one which would unify their fiscal, budgetary and social policies… She can draw on a concept known as ‘Core Europe,’ which was developed in the 1990s by the then-chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, a certain Wolfgang Schäuble, who now serves under Merkel as finance minister. Both have established various measures to rescue the euro in recent months, some for the EU as a whole and others exclusively for the 17 euro-zone member states…

“The monetary union already had its own bodies that make decisions more or less independently of the European Commission. The important decisions have already been made for some time within the Euro Group, the group of finance ministers from the member states of the monetary union. They meet once a month, or more often, if necessary… But that isn’t enough for Merkel and Sarkozy. They want the 17 leaders of the euro zone countries to convene for a summit twice a year, with Van Rompuy serving as its permanent chairman…”

Defeat for Angela Merkel

The Local reported on September 4:

“The governing centre-left Social Democrats on Sunday trounced Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives in her home state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania… the SPD was the strongest party, with 37 percent of the vote, a significant gain on their 2006 performance of 30.2 percent. Merkel’s Christian Democrats mustered 24… percent of the vote in the northeastern state on the Baltic Sea, a decline from the 28.8 percent they won five years ago. The third-strongest party was the hard-line socialist Left party (Die Linke), with 17 percent.

“The resurgent Greens scored 8.5 percent, ensuring their representation in the regional parliament for the first time… The neo-Nazi NPD appeared set to remain in the state legislature… The far-right extremists managed to win 5.5 percent of the vote, down from 7.3 percent five years ago. The pro-business Free Democrats failed to crack the five-percent hurdle to win any seats.”

Deutsche Welle added on September 4:

“Currently governed by a grand coalition between the SPD and CDU, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is the poorest of Germany’s 16 states with unemployment at 11.5 percent and per capita gross domestic product (GDP) below the European Union average.

“Chancellor Merkel’s CDU has suffered a series of losses in five regional elections this year. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s current Social Democratic Minister President Erwin Sellering has expressed openness to other coalition partners. But around 47 percent of voters in Mecklenburg Western-Pomerania continue to support the grand coalition while 34 percent are calling for the SPD and the Left Party to join forces. A coalition between the SPD and the Greens enjoys the support of 35 percent of the electorate.”

On September 5, The Local quoted the “Süddeutsche Zeitung,” stating that “the continuing success of the neo-Nazi party in the northeast of Germany was deeply disturbing. ‘The problem how to undermine support for this party remains elusive… Something is deeply wrong in a society when the NPD has greater success in a state election than the FDP.’”

The future of Angela Merkel is anything but sure. The Bible speaks of a coming German political and military leader who will be extremely influential and powerful. We know that Angela Merkel is not that person, but it has not yet been made manifest as to who that person is. We therefore need to continue to watch world events, and especially the developments in Germany.

The Conspiracy Theories Surrounding September 11

Der Spiegel wrote on September 6:

“Andreas von Bülow used to be a German cabinet minister and member of parliament for the Social Democrats… he harbors suspicions that the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks were not the work of 19 ‘suicide Muslims,’ as he calls them, but rather an ingenious, cold-blooded operation in psychological warfare organized by the United States itself… he feels fairly certain that either the Bush administration or other, far more powerful groups operating behind the scenes allowed more than 3,000 people to die in order to construct an unassailable argument supporting geopolitically desirable military operations such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“These are astonishing theories on the part of a former German government minister, one who spent 25 years representing the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) in Germany’s federal parliament, the Bundestag… A new… book, published in time for the 10-year anniversary of the attacks, includes an extensive afterword which casts doubt on the claim that Osama bin Laden was in fact shot in Pakistan by US Special Forces…

“Bülow… was a member of parliament, state secretary in the Defense Ministry and even German research minister under Chancellor Helmut Schmidt… In Bülow’s version of events… the intelligence services, particularly the CIA, display an almost inhuman degree of precision and competence. Not only did they allegedly control the terrorist planes remotely using special technology, but they also supposedly placed explosives on multiple floors of the World Trade Center towers in advance, to facilitate the buildings’ peculiar controlled, vertical collapse. In the case of the Pentagon, they possibly directed a cruise missile into the building, while at the same time making the crew and passengers of Flight AA77, the plane officially believed to have hit the Pentagon, disappear without a trace.

“Along the way, they invented the story about the 19 terrorists, substantiating it with false witness testimony and strategically placed documents and evidence. In Bülow’s world view, the CIA is an organization of nearly limitless power and fearsome efficiency, an organization capable of forcing an enormous number of people — the many accomplices and participants such an operation would have required — to keep quiet for 10 years and more, all for the sake of national interests…

“Over the past decades, successive US administrations have themselves certainly provided ample fodder for the formation of such views: the fable of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq; the fact that it was American help that turned Afghanistan’s mujahideen into the powerful force that later gave rise to the Taliban and al-Qaida; the Iran-Contra affair; the country’s unscrupulous cooperation with dictators and coups; the Vietnam War. The US government and its intelligence services have been caught lying, deceiving and breaking international treaties so often that many people now believe anything is possible…”

Many Europeans, especially Germans, agree with the conspiracy theories postulated by von Bülow and others…

Massive Falling Out Between Turkey and Israel

The EUObserver wrote on September 2:

“Italy has said the massive falling out between Turkey and Israel could spell trouble in terms of Middle East stability… ‘We have always said that normal relations between Turkey and Israel are a very important factor in terms of regional stability,’ Italian foreign ministry spokesman Maurizio Massari told Euobserver… Massari spoke after Turkey earlier in the day expelled Israel’s ambassador to Ankara and froze all future imports of Israeli arms in the climax of a year-long dispute over Gaza.

“Turkey says Israel should formally apologise for what it sees as the illegal killing by Israeli commandos of nine Turkish citizens during peacetime in international waters last year. Israel launched the attack in order to stop the Mavi Marmara and other boats in the so-called Gaza Flotilla from breaking its naval blockade on the Palestinian enclave. A UN panel in a report out this week said Israel’s blockade of Gaza is ‘legitimate’, that Gaza flotilla members acted ‘recklessly’ and put up ‘violent resistance.’ It added that Israel’s use of force was ‘excessive and unreasonable’, however.

“Maja Kocjancic, a spokeswoman for EU foreign relations chief Catherine Ashton, said: ‘Turkey and Israel are crucial partners of the EU – their dialogue and good relations are thus equally crucial to us, including to address the difficult problems of the region, such as the MEPP [Middle East peace process].’ She noted that ‘the EU is ready to assist if needed’ in rebuilding bridges…”

The Bible prophesies that the end-time relationship between Turkey—biblical Edom—and the state of Israel will become very hostile.

Strategic Cooperation between Turkey and Egypt

Haaretz wrote on September 4:

“Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyep Erdogan is set to visit Egypt next week in order to discuss a strategic cooperation agreement between the two countries… Erdogan is scheduled to meet with the Egyptian prime minister and the head of the Egyptian military council on September 12 to discuss increased diplomatic and military cooperation, and overall improvement of ties between Turkey and Egypt. The two are due to sign a strategic cooperation agreement concerning military, diplomatic, and economic issues.

“The moves come as the crisis in Israel-Turkey relations deepened after the UN-commissioned report on the 2010 Gaza flotilla raid was leaked to the New York Times, foiling a last-ditch effort to patch up relations between the two countries. Meanwhile, following the expulsion of the Israeli envoy from Turkey, Egyptians called on their government to follow in Turkey’s footsteps, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday, and expel the Israeli envoy in Cairo, as well as alter the Camp David Accords to allow more Egyptian forces in the Sinai Peninsula.

“On Friday morning, Turkey announced a series of measures against Israel, beginning with the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador and the downgrading of bilateral relations to the level of second secretary. Another step announced by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu could lead to a military confrontation with Israel. ‘Turkey would take every precaution it deems necessary for the safety of maritime navigation in the eastern Mediterranean,’ Turkey’s Hurriyet Daily News quoted him as saying Friday. The paper reported that Turkey’s navy would escort civilian vessels carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and would guarantee free navigation in the zone between Israel and Cyprus.”

These are interesting developments, in the light of biblical prophecy. Please read or re-read our Q&As on Egypt and Turkey.

Pre-Emptive Strike Against Iran?

AFP reported on August 31:

“France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy warned on Wednesday that Iran’s alleged attempts to build long-range missiles and nuclear weapons could lead unnamed countries to launch a pre-emptive attack. ‘Its military nuclear and ballistic ambitions constitute a growing threat that may lead to a preventive attack against Iranian sites that would provoke a major crisis that France wants to avoid at all costs,’ he said.

“Sarkozy did not say which country might launch such a strike, but it has been reported that Israel — perhaps with US support — has considered bombing Iranian nuclear sites if it believes Tehran is close to building a weapon.

“The French leader placed the blame for the crisis on Iran, which insists it has no intention of building a nuclear weapon, and is merely enriching nuclear fuel for medical research and a domestic atomic energy programme… But, despite being targeted by four sets of UN Security Council sanctions over its refusal to suspend enrichment, Iran remains adamant that it will push ahead and denies Western claims that it seeks to build a nuclear bomb.

“This week Iran upped the ante once again, announcing that it had abandoned talks with the international community to negotiate a nuclear fuel swap that would see it forego its own enrichment in return for civilian-level fuel. Western powers fear that if Iran perfects enrichment technology it could rapidly convert uranium into weapons grade material and thus be considered a ‘threshold’ nuclear power capable of rapidly constructing a bomb…”

A pre-emptive strike against Iran is very likely. However, the consequences might be horrific.

Justice Pursuant to Libya’s Rebels

The Associated Press reported on September 1:

“Rebel forces and armed civilians are rounding up thousands of black Libyans and migrants from sub-Sahara Africa, accusing them of fighting for ousted strongman Moammar Gadhafi and holding them in makeshift jails across the capital. Virtually all of the detainees say they are innocent migrant workers, and in most cases there is no evidence that they are lying.

“But that is not stopping the rebels from placing the men in facilities like the Gate of the Sea sports club, where about 200 detainees — all black — clustered on a soccer field this week, bunching against a high wall to avoid the scorching sun.

“… the African Union and Amnesty International have protested the treatment of blacks inside Libya, saying there is a potential for serious abuse.”

Such developments were to be expected. Note also the next article.

Islamic State of Libya?

The Washington Times wrote on September 4:

“Jihadists among the Libyan rebels revealed plans last week on the Internet to subvert the post-Moammar Gadhafi government and create an Islamist state, according to U.S. intelligence agencies… the jihadist plotting coincided with the high-profile emergence of Abu Abdallah al-Sadiq, a former leader of the al Qaeda-linked Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) and now a leading rebel. He is currently known as Abdel Hakim al-Khulidi Belhaj and led rebels in overrunning Col. Gadhafi’s Tripoli compound.

“A U.S. official familiar with intelligence reports on the region said there are concerns that some LIFG members remain committed to al Qaeda and others may be temporarily renouncing their ties to the terrorist group for ‘show’… A defense official familiar with jihadist strategy said Islamists likely will emerge in power from the turmoil expected after the demise of the Gadhafi regime and the West will be partly to blame. ‘We’re helping pave the way for them’ through NATO airstrikes and other support, he said.”

Unprecedented Rift Between Vatican and Ireland

CNN reported on September 4:

“Ireland stepped up its battle with the Roman Catholic Church over child abuse Sunday, with Justice Minister Alan Shatter vowing to pass a law requiring priests to report suspicions of child abuse, even if they learn about them in confession. The Catholic Church regards information learned in confession as completely confidential. But under the law proposed by Shatter, priests could be prosecuted for failing to tell the police about crimes disclosed in the confession box… The minister’s comment to a local radio station Sunday comes after the Vatican rejected Irish accusations that church leaders sought to cover up extensive abuse of young people by priests in Ireland.

“Saturday’s 25-page statement is the latest development in a row that has seen an unprecedented rift open up between the Vatican and Ireland, a heavily Roman Catholic country. ‘The Holy See does not accept that it was somehow indifferent to the plight of those who suffered abuse in Ireland,’ the statement says. Rather, it says, the Holy See ‘devoted considerable attention to the Irish situation,’ through meetings with Irish bishops and directions given by the Pope to Irish church leaders. The Vatican response says ‘the accusation that the Holy See attempted to frustrate an inquiry in a sovereign democratic republic is unfounded.’

“The Vatican response follows a biting attack by Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny in the wake of the Cloyne report, published in July, which investigated abuses in the diocese of Cloyne, near the southern city of Cork… Addressing lawmakers, Kenny claimed the report exposed the Vatican as trying to hinder an inquiry into child sex abuse for its own benefit and said it revealed the ‘dysfunction, the disconnection, the elitism that dominate the culture of the Vatican to this day.’

“Irish lawmakers then passed a motion deploring ‘the Vatican’s intervention which contributed to the undermining of the child protection framework and guidelines of the Irish State and the Irish Bishops.’ The Vatican responded to the criticism by Kenny and other Irish lawmakers by recalling its envoy to Ireland, Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza.”

It remains to be seen how the relationship between the Vatican and Ireland will develop. We can expect that in the future, the Roman Catholic Church will play a much more forceful role than it does now.

Emphasis of Secularism and Sensitivity to Non-Christians

Mail On Line reported on September 3:

“Australia is to remove the birth of Jesus as a reference point for dates in school history books. Under the new politically correct curriculum, the terms BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini) will be replaced with BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era).

“The Archbishop of Sydney, Peter Jensen, yesterday condemned the move as an ‘intellectually absurd attempt to write Christ out of human history’…

“Opposition education spokesman Christopher Pyne, of Australia’s Liberal National Party, also criticised the government changes, which were supposed to be pushed through next year but have been delayed because of the row. ‘Australia is what it is today because of the foundations of our nation in the Judeo-Christian heritage that we inherited from Western civilization,’ he said…

“The Common Era was originally introduced in the Sixth Century and appeared in English as early 1708… Use of the CE abbreviation was introduced by Jewish academics in the mid-19th century. The terms CE and BCE became popular in academic and scientific publications in the late 20th century. They were used by publishers to emphasise secularism or sensitivity to non-Christians…”

This is a sad testimony indeed, when “Christians” are unwilling to stand up for their beliefs for fear of non-Christian sensitivities or because they want to cater to secularism.

It might appear so at first sight, but upon closer scrutiny, we will see that there is no contradiction.

Isaiah 26:13-14 states: “O LORD our God, masters besides You Have had dominion over us; But by You only we make mention of Your name. They are dead, they will not live; They are deceased, they will not rise. Therefore You have punished and destroyed them, And made all their memory to perish.”

On the other hand, we read in Isaiah 26:19:

“Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead.”

At first sight, these statements might say that while God’s dead—those who were faithful–will be raised in a resurrection, God’s enemies will never come back to life. However, we know that all will come back to life (compare John 5:28-29; Daniel 12:2; 1 Corinthians 15:22; Revelation 20:4-6, 11-15).

All will be raised in one of three resurrections—either in the first resurrection of eternal life; or in the second resurrection of judgment; or in the third resurrection of eternal condemnation or destruction. Please read our Q&A on the three resurrections, and study our free booklet, “Is That in the Bible?—The Mystery of the Book of Revelation.” 

What then is the meaning of the passages in Isaiah 26, as quoted above?

In Isaiah 26:13-14, Isaiah is not denying the resurrection of the wicked. Rather, the context is that they will not rise again to have dominion or power over others. If the reference is to those being raised in the third and final resurrection, which will destroy the wicked, then this is self-evident. But even in the context of the second resurrection, when the dead will be raised to physical life to be given their first opportunity to accept Jesus Christ and embrace God’s Way, they will not be allowed to have autocratic power to abuse and persecute others. If they repent and are forgiven and receive the Holy Spirit, they would ultimately qualify to become immortal kings and priests in the Family of God—but the power to rule that God would give them would be associated with justice, fairness, love and compassion.

Notice how several commentaries understand and explain the passage in Isaiah 26:13-14.

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible writes, referring strictly to the third resurrection, even though he seems to be confused about the last two resurrections:

“They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise… The above tyrannical lords, the kings of the earth and their mighty men…  shall not live again in this world, nor rise from their graves, and return to their former state, power, and authority; or tyrannise over, molest, disturb, oppress, and persecute the people of God any more; though they shall live again at the end of the thousand years, and shall awake to everlasting shame and contempt, and come forth to the resurrection of damnation.”

The Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament states:

“The tyrants who usurped the rule over Israel have now utterly disappeared… The meaning is not that Jehovah had put them to death because there was no resurrection at all after death; for… the prophet was acquainted with such a resurrection…”

Wesley’s Notes add:

“Those tyrants are destroyed; they shall never live or rise again to molest us.”

By contrast, Isaiah continues to say in verse 19 that the persecuted, downcast and maligned people of God will be raised in power. Even though they are now abused subjects and victims of this world’s terrible oppressions, they will become loving and almighty Spirit beings—God beings–in the Family of God, ruling over those who had harmed them in this life.

Some commentaries say that this verse does not primarily teach the resurrection from the dead, but merely a restoration of the tribe of Judah to power and rule. Even though it is true that the modern houses of Israel and Judah will be restored and placed in the Promised Land, when Christ returns, and that also those of the houses of Israel and Judah, who died and who will be resurrected in the second resurrection, will be brought back to the Promised Land, this is not what Isaiah is primarily emphasizing here.

The reason is that Isaiah includes himself, saying that his dead body will also arise in the future. Some commentaries point out that the words “Together with” in verse 19 (“Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise”) are not in the original, and that therefore Isaiah is not referring to himself in this statement. However, he clearly is including himself, as the words, “my dead body” are in the original. Some try to contradict this by saying that the phrase “my dead body” should be rendered as, “my dead bodies” or even “their dead bodies,” but this is not what the original Hebrew says.

The Interlinear Hebrew/English Old Testament renders Isaiah 26:19 as follows: “Your dead ones shall live, my dead body, they shall arise…” The Zuercher Bible confirms that in the Hebrew it says, “my dead body,” but adds that the meaning is uncertain. The Tanakh, even though rendering the phrase as, “let corpses arise,” says in an annotation that the Hebrew Grammar is uncertain.

What is certain is that Isaiah knew that he will rise to eternal life in the first resurrection, and that he will not remain dead forever, or that he will only be brought back to physical life in the second resurrection. Even though Isaiah says that his dead body will arise together with the other dead of God, he is not saying that he will be raised in a “bodily” physical resurrection, but that he will be resurrected to eternal life; and that he will receive a spiritual glorified body. For more information, please read our Q&A on the bodily resurrection.

Note the following comment by Barnes’ Notes on the Bible:

“And the earth shall cast out the dead – This is language which is derived from the doctrine of the resurrection of the body; and shows also that that doctrine was understood by the Hebrews in the time of Isaiah. The sense is, that as the earth shall cast forth its dead in the resurrection, so the people of God in Babylon should be restored to life, and to their former privileges in their own land.”

This statement could be confusing, when referring to the “resurrection of the body,” and in addition, it is not quite what Isaiah had in mind, as he primarily emphasized the first resurrection—not the restoration of the Jewish people. The Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament states more accurately:

“When compared with the New Testament Apocalypse, it is ‘the first resurrection’ which is here predicted by Isaiah. The confessors of Jehovah are awakened in their graves to form one glorious church with those who are still in the body.”

Notice too this comment by the Nelson Study Bible:

“Isaiah, addressing his faithful peers, assures them that their dead will rise in the resurrection (Job 19:26; Dan. 12:2). Dew is a picture of new life and blessing (Ps. 133:3; Hos. 14:5).”

The Soncino commentary adds:

“This verse [Isaiah 26:19] is the source of the belief in the resurrection of the dead, a fundamental of Jewish dogma… [Isaiah] knew that he was righteous and would [be in] the [first] resurrection.”

In conclusion, the above-quoted passages in Isaiah 26 do not contradict each other, but they explain the fate of different categories of people. While the wicked oppressors will not rise again to abuse and persecute God’s people—and as such, even the memory of their oppression will fade away—God’s people will rise to eternal glory and power. Isaiah does not deny the second or third resurrection, and he does not say that those who were wicked in this life would never come back to life—he only says that they won’t come back to life to be given opportunity to oppress others again.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

The final text of our new booklet, “Paul’s Letter to the Philippians,” was sent to our Graphic Designer, Shelly Bruno, for finalization. Shelly has already designed a striking full-color cover for the new booklet.

A new member letter was written and will be sent out shortly. In the letter, Rene Messier reminds us of the times we are living in and the individual and collective responsibilities that we have as members of the Church of God, especially in light of the upcoming annual Holy Days.

Norbert Link’s video-taped sermon, “What About the Secret Rapture?—Part 1” was posted on YouTube and our website (www.eternalgod.org).

A new German sermon was posted on YouTube, titled, “Schutz vor Kommendem Unheil?” [Protection from Coming Disaster?”]  and on our German website (www.aufpostenstehen.de).

This week, Norbert Link video-recorded the message for the Feast of Tabernacles 2011, which will be sent out to be played at different Feast sites.

Please feel free to proceed with making reservations for the Feast of Tabernacles 2011 with the Hilton Garden Inn at 601 James Way, Pismo Beach, CA 93449. When you call under 1-805-773-6020, please make sure that you mention that you are attending the Feast convention of the Church of the Eternal God. Further information is available on our Web site (www.eternalgod.org), under “Feasts.”

by Ben Agbayani

In 199I, when living in the Philippines, I was elected as a president of a union for a multi-national corporation. One of the issues we were fighting for was the receipt of meaningful medical benefits. Our benefit had changed for the worse, as if someone had taken a child’s candy out of his mouth. Because such a fight could be compared with David fighting Goliath, and since I did not know God nor have the faith that God would fight my battles, I ended up seeking help from a leftist group.

I became exposed to different labor complaints and witnessed many atrocious activities between management and their labor counterpart. As these multi-national corporations had the government backing them, some of them used  governmental officials and the police force in dealing with labor activities by torturing and, to some extent, permanently terminating union officials.

I realized that I was in too deep in the movement. I even had my own code name. Since management made a move harassing the very people that had elected me as their leader, all turned their back on me and left me hanging. I was threatened to my very core. Fearing that they may do harm to my  family, and that no one would help me except for the people that were in the movement, I decided to ask for God’s help—as best as I knew God at the time–and God answered my prayer by allowing us to leave the country and to give us a new life.

Being now members of the Spirit-begotten Family of God, my wife and I know that in the future, when God rules this world, man will no longer do these terrible things to his fellow man. In spite of the anguish of the past, this knowledge gives me great peace and joy.