On June 25, 2011, Norbert Link will give the sermon from California, titled, “Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, Part 8.”

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.

When we think of Christ’s prolonged suffering and excruciating painful death, we might perhaps ask ourselves, could there have been a better or easier way to accomplish the purpose and end result of His First Coming?

Why did He become a Man to die? We know that God the Father created everything—including man—through Jesus Christ. As man’s Creator, Christ’s life was of more value than the sum of the entire creation. He died by shedding His blood, and there is no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood. The penalty for our sins is death, and Christ died to pay our penalty on our behalf. His death was necessary for the remission and forgiveness of our sins, with man’s potential of inheriting salvation and eternal life in the very Family and Kingdom of God.
        
But why not choose a fast and nearly painless death, such as beheading in the manner in which John the Baptist  was killed? Christ would still have died for the sins of mankind; He would still have shed His blood for us–but that was not what God and Christ had decided before the world began. And there are reasons for that decision—in fact, no other way would have been possible (compare Matthew 26:36-42).

Focusing on the events after the last Passover that Christ observed with His disciples, we find that Judas betrayed Him to His captors in the Garden of Gethsemane with a kiss; that all His disciples forsook Him and that Peter betrayed Him three times; that He was illegally “interrogated” all night; that He was brought before Pilate, Herod, and again Pilate for further “questioning” during the day; that He was brutally beaten by the Romans—apparently three times—with no limitations on the amount of stripes which He received; that He was spit on, mocked, ridiculed (with a crown of thorns placed on His head, inflicting further pain and wounds); that the Romans beat him on the head with a reed; and that He was finally sentenced to death by crucifixion, after He had been repeatedly declared to be innocent by Pilate and Herod, and while Pilate instead released a convicted murderer in His place.

By the time He was nailed to the stake at the place called Golgatha (the Place of a Skull), together with two convicted robbers, He had been without sleep for some 30 hours. He had lost blood by the beatings and scourging which all by themselves could have caused the death of a person. He was indeed greatly weakened because Simon of Cyrene had to assist Him in carrying His stake to the place of crucifixion, where His hands and feet were pierced through with nails and where He endured terrible agonies and thirst on the stake for another three hours, being continuously blasphemed and ridiculed by bystanders, before dying at around 3 o’clock in the afternoon, when a soldier murdered Him by piercing His side with a spear.

Why did God the Father and Jesus Christ allow this kind of inhumane and cruel “punishment” to be executed against the very Son of God? And why did they allow the kind of suffering that Christ endured throughout His human life—and especially during the hours following the Passover? Christ knew all that would happen, and He told His disciples that He had desired to eat the Passover with them before He would suffer.

One answer is, of course, that God the Father and Jesus Christ chose this manner of suffering and death of the very Son of God so that they could never be accused of taking the easy way out. But there is much more to the answer.

We read in 1 Peter 2:24 that Christ “Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes [we] were healed.” (Compare Isaiah 53:2-5; Matthew 8:16-17).  While the shedding of His blood made possible the forgiveness and redemption of our sins, His numerous wounds, stripes and beatings made possible the healing of our physical deformities and sicknesses.

We also read that Christ learned obedience by all the things that He suffered. He came in the likeness of sinful flesh to overcome sin in the flesh. He never sinned once—but He had to experience in His flesh what it took to be always obedient to God, even in times of excruciating pain and prolonged suffering.

We read in 1 Peter 2:21-23 that Christ “suffered for us, leaving us an example that [we] should follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth’; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously…”

Let us truly appreciate what Christ went through on our behalf. It was not a light matter to pave the way for our spiritual forgiveness and physical healing, and God expects of us to live worthy of our calling by following Christ’s sinless example in everything—especially in times of temptation, trial, sickness and severe suffering.

We begin reporting on a disastrous and incredibly stupid program by America’s ATF; continue with the question of the legality or illegality of America’s involvement in the war in Libya; and speak on the extremely uncomfortable and disgusting political landscape in the USA and Bilderberg’s alleged role in the same.

Turning to Europe, we report at length on the Greek crisis and the consequences it might have for the future of Europe; and quote from a revealing interview with Germany’s Defense Minister.

We report on the economic situation in America and China; with the growing cooperation between China and Russia; and conclude with interesting articles on global warming; Dutch Freedom Party Leader Geert Wilders’ acquittal; and a new U.S. Census with surprising—or perhaps not that surprising—results.

Fast and Furious…

CNN reported on June 17:

“The Mexican government’s fight against drug cartels has cost thousands of lives with guns smuggled in from the United States helping to fan the flames of this deadly fight… the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (or ‘ATF’ as it is commonly known) conceived of Operation Fast and Furious. The idea was to allow some guns to cross the southern border in the hope of seeing where those weapons ended up.

“But once those guns arrived in Mexico there was no way of tracing them until they turned up at a crime scene. Sadly, one of those guns turned up near Rio Rico, AZ next to the body of Customs and Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. Now Congress is asking questions. Lawmakers want to know who allowed this operation to go forward. And answers have been in short supply.

“One thing that is known is that the Mexican government wasn’t informed of the operation…”

On June 15, CNN had given the following additional information:

“Operation Fast and Furious, as the program was known, was ‘a colossal failure of leadership,’ said Peter Forcelli, a supervisor at the Phoenix field office…[Another] agent, John Dodson, told lawmakers: ‘I cannot begin to think of how the risk of letting guns fall into the hands of known criminals could possibly advance any legitimate law enforcement interest…

“Operation Fast and Furious focused on… people who legally bought weapons that were then transferred to criminals and destined for Mexico. But instead of intercepting the weapons when they switched hands, Operation Fast and Furious called for ATF agents to let the guns ‘walk’ and wait for them to surface in Mexico… The idea was that once the weapons in Mexico were traced back to the straw purchasers, the entire arms smuggling network could be brought down…

“The committee’s chairman, California Republican Rep. Darrell Issa, called the operation ‘felony stupid.’ As many as 2,000 semi-automatic rifles reached the hands of the cartels as a result… Issa also was upset over heavily redacted documents that his committee had received from the attorney general’s office.”

Newsmax added on June 20:

“Kenneth Melson, the acting director of the Bureau of Tobacco, Alcohol and Firearms (ATF), is expected to step down in the wake of the ‘Fast and Furious’ gun-running scheme… But the plan went disastrously wrong and the weapons have been used in at least 150 shootings. The ATF now admits it lost track of two-thirds of the guns.”

One has to shake one’s head over the degree of stupidity—and worse—with which this operation was concocted and conducted. It is additional testimony to the fact that God has indeed poured out a spirit of stupor on this nation (compare Romans 11:8). You might also review our recent article, “Senseless U.S. Dealings…” in the Current Events section of our Update # 495, to find more incredible examples of senseless U.S. dealings…

Questionable Legal US Operation in Libya

The New York Times stated on June 17, 2011

“President Obama rejected the views of top lawyers at the Pentagon and the Justice Department when he decided that he had the legal authority to continue American military participation in the air war in Libya without Congressional authorization… Jeh C. Johnson, the Pentagon general counsel, and Caroline D. Krass, the acting head of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, had told the White House that they believed that the United States military’s activities in the NATO-led air war amounted to ‘hostilities.’ Under the War Powers Resolution, that would have required Mr. Obama to terminate or scale back the mission after May 20.

“But Mr. Obama decided instead to adopt the legal analysis of several other senior members of his legal team — including the White House counsel, Robert Bauer, and the State Department legal adviser, Harold H. Koh — who argued that the United States military’s activities fell short of ‘hostilities.’ Under that view, Mr. Obama needed no permission from Congress to continue the mission unchanged.

“Presidents have the legal authority to override the legal conclusions of the Office of Legal Counsel and to act in a manner that is contrary to its advice, but it is extraordinarily rare for that to happen. Under normal circumstances, the office’s interpretation of the law is legally binding on the executive branch…

“[The House speaker, John A. Boehner, Republican of Ohio, said:] ‘The White House says there are no hostilities taking place. Yet we’ve got drone attacks under way. We’re spending $10 million a day. We’re part of an effort to drop bombs on Qaddafi’s compounds. It just doesn’t pass the straight-face test, in my view, that we’re not in the midst of hostilities’…”

Whatever the accuracy of the legal interpretation of the resolution in question, America’s involvement in the ill-perceived and –conducted “war” against Libya and its internal struggle regarding the lack of “advisability” of such action only add to the downfall and demise of the USA. As the EUObserver reported on June 20, even NATO’s “limited” goal for Libya is coming under pressure.

According to the news agency, “Nato on Sunday… admitted its first major airstrike blunder causing civilian casualties in the four-month long Libyan campaign against Moammar Gaddafi… Nato’s blunder – the first such admission since operations began four months ago with the aim of ‘protecting civilians’ from Gaddafi’s mortar shells and airstrikes – comes shortly after the outgoing US defence minister Robert Gates highlighted the technical and intelligence shortfalls of the alliance in Libya.”

AFP added on June 22: “Italy called for a suspension of hostilities in Libya on Wednesday in the latest sign of dissent within NATO as the civilian death toll mounts and Moamer Kadhafi shows no signs of quitting power… France, which has taken the lead in military operations against Kadhafi, immediately ruled out any pause in the Libya campaign… Despite repeated calls for unity within NATO on its air strikes, the strain has begun to show in the alliance and Norway’s recent decision to withdraw from operations sparked fears others may follow.”

Romney’s Ever-Shifting Positions…

On June 18, 2011, Reuters reported the following:

“Republican White House hopeful Mitt Romney restated his support for a reversal of Roe vs Wade Saturday after opting not to sign what he called an ‘overly broad’ pledge promoted by an anti-abortion advocacy group. ‘I am pro-life and believe that abortion should be limited to only instances of rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother,’ the former Massachusetts governor wrote in an editorial on the conservative National Review’s website. [He] was attempting to blunt criticism of his decision not to sign a pledge pushed by the Susan B. Anthony List, an anti-abortion organization.

“Those signing the list vow to nominate judges and appoint executive branch officials who are opposed to abortion. Signing on have been Minnesota Congressman [sic] Michele Bachmann, former House speaker Newt Gingrich, Texas Congressman Ron Paul, former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty and former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum. Romney, Georgia businessman Herman Cain and former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson opted not to sign…

“Democrats charge that Romney has changed his views on abortion at least once. In 2002, while campaigning for governor in socially liberal Massachusetts, he vowed to ‘preserve and protect’ a woman’s right to have an abortion.”

Politics and more politics… and in reading the next article, one wonders what IS really going on in our countries…

Bilderberg Holds True Power in America?

On June 20, The Drudge Report provided a link to the following article by Infowar:

“Every indication suggests that Bilderberg-approved Texas Governor Rick Perry is set to become the frontrunner in the Republican race to challenge Barack Obama for the presidency, illustrating once again how a shady, secretive and undemocratic global elite holds the reigns of true power while Americans are distracted by the delusional notion that they have a genuine choice in 2012…

“While spewing Tea Party-style rhetoric about secession, shooting coyotes and courting the favor of Christian evangelicals, behind closed doors Perry has been quietly selling out Texas to globalist interests, auctioning off highways to foreign companies to turn them into profit-driven toll roads.

“‘Speculation that Perry is the Bilderberg group’s ace card was prompted by the current political climate, which can largely be gleaned from the fact that Perry is a longtime, unwavering supporter of the NAFTA Superhighway and related infrastructure projects,’ wrote AFP’s Jim Tucker earlier this month. ‘These pave the way for the Bilderberg-supported North American Union (NAU) proposal that would merge the U.S., Canada and Mexico.’

“Perry has also given enthusiastic support to former Mexican President Vicente Fox’s efforts to turn Texas into a sanctuary state for illegal immigrants. He also aggressively promoted the Rockefeller Foundation-backed HPV vaccination campaign in Texas that has led to deaths worldwide. David Rockefeller is a prominent Bilderberger, attending each annual meeting without fail.

“Perry attended the June 2007 Bilderberg conference in Istanbul, Turkey… Look beyond the rhetoric and study what Perry has actually done in his role as Governor – he’s the ultimate globalist – his every action illustrates how he’s the diametric opposite to the image of the Tea Party populist that he attempts to portray. That’s why he’s the perfect pick for the globalists, someone who can suck in the trust of the American people only to stab them in the back upon becoming president, just as Obama did before him.

“Bilderberg has proven its kingmaker role time and time again not just in US politics but worldwide. Bill Clinton was a little-known Governor of Arkansas before he attended a Bilderberg meeting in 1991 and went on to become President a year later. Similarly, British Prime Minister Tony Blair attended Bilderberg before his election in 1997. According to Euro Weekly News, Maria Dolores De Cospedal’s attendance at Bilderberg 2011 in St. Moritz Switzerland also ‘augurs a victory in Spain’s next general election’ for her Partido Popular party.

“Obama himself was reportedly vetted by Bilderberg when he infamously disappeared to a secret location with Hillary Clinton in June 2008 in Northern Virginia, at precisely the same time and location the Bilderberg Group were convening in Chantilly. Bilderberg luminary James A. Johnson was also responsible for selecting Obama’s running mate Joe Biden, having also previously selected John Edwards as John Kerry’s right hand man in 2004 after Edwards had impressed Bilderberg elitists Henry Kissinger and David Rockefeller with a speech he gave at the globalist confab in Italy that year…

“Bilderberg’s continual influence in picking US presidents and potential vice-presidents again serves up a reminder that the real power structure steering the planet goes beyond teleprompter-reading puppet presidents and rests in the hands of multi-generational globalists, central banking moguls and the CEO’s of the world’s biggest corporations, all of whom routinely attend the Bilderberg Group confab every year.”

This sounds almost too far-fetched to be believable… but then, stranger things have happened. One thing is sure… this world is ruled by invisible conspirators virtually unknown and unnoticed by the masses. We are talking about Satan and his demons… and Satan’s wrath is great because he knows that he has only a short time left. We can therefore expect horrible and surprising developments to occur in the near future before Christ returns to put an end to Satan’s terrible rule over man. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World.”

America’s Ongoing Catastrophes

Reuters reported on June 22:

“Emergency sirens sounded in Minot, North Dakota on Wednesday telling up to 12,000 residents to evacuate immediately because the rising Souris River is about to overflow flood levees… The Souris River at Minot is expected to smash the previous flood record in 1881 by about 5 feet and reach up to nearly 8 feet higher than 1969 flooding local residents have been using as a benchmark as they prepare to evacuate…

“Heavy rains over the past six weeks have swelled Canadian reservoirs in the Souris River basin, forcing unprecedented water releases. In turn, U.S. officials must release water from the Lake Darling Dam above Minot at a rate more than double what the recently fortified protections can bear… The massive flooding on the Souris River, which flows into the Red River basin, was the latest problem as flooding threatens communities from Montana through Missouri.The swelling Missouri River threatens the North Dakota capital of Bismarck, the South Dakota capital of Pierre and other communities for hundreds of miles downstream…”

Germany and France Find Common Ground on Greece

Deutsche Welle reported on June 17:

“The German and French leaders emerged from a meeting in Berlin on Friday with a common message on helping the ailing Greek economy. The pair called for a swift solution to the country’s debt crisis, which threatens the stability of the euro single currency. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Greece would need a second bailout package to buttress a 110 billion euro ($157 billion) bailout agreed last year. The issue of a second aid deal, expected to be worth around 80 billion euros to 120 billion euros, has divided eurozone members, with the two leaders saying they had reached a ‘breakthrough‘ on the matter and that time was of the essence…

“The leaders also stated that private sector involvement in a second bailout should be on a voluntary basis and be conducted in coordination with the European Central Bank, the European Commission and the International Monetary Fund… Merkel reiterated her support for the euro and said Germany’s prosperity was dependent on its future stability. Germany and France were determined to defend the common currency, Merkel told reporters, saying ‘we will do everything to preserve and support the euro. ’”

“On June 20, Deutsche Welle stated  that “The Greek finance minister says he is sure the parliament in Athens will give the green light to fresh austerity measures, after eurozone finance ministers made this a condition for the release of further bailout funds… They said the parliamentary approval must be given before Athens can receive an additional 12 billion euros ($17 billion) in emergency loans to prevent it from defaulting on its public debt. The money is part of the 110-euro bailout package the country secured last year. Greece needs the funds by mid-July to stave off insolvency.”

The EUObserver wrote on June 22:

“The freshly reshuffled Greek government has won a vote of confidence by the country’s parliament in an attempt to show strength days before a possible national default. Meanwhile, according to the latest Failed State Index, out this week, Greece was ‘by far the poorest performer’ in political deterioration… The rest of the eurozone and international lenders are now holding their breath until 28 June when the government, hit by a series of resignations and widening civil unrest, will attempt to push through an unpopular series of fresh austerity measures amounting to €28 billion as well as €50 billion in public asset sales.

“The confidence vote came just hours after Fitch, one of the big three credit ratings agencies, declared that it will assess Greece as in default if private bondholders agree to even the softest of voluntary participation in any second bail-out of the country. EU leaders hope to convince private creditors to roll over Greek debt as bonds mature in order to pare back the involvement of the public purse in a second rescue.”

The Bible makes clear that ultimately, Greece will be at least associated with the final configuration of the revived Babylonian system, in oppostion to the state of Israel.  A frightening prophecy in Joel 3:6, addressing the Babylonian system under the designation of mystical Tyre (verse 4), states the following: “Also the people of Judah and the people of Jerusalem You have sold to the Greeks, that you may remove them from their borders.”

The Greek Crisis and the Euro

Der Spiegel Online reported on June 20:

“If the rest of Europe abandons Greece, the crisis could spin out of control, spreading from one weak euro-zone country to the next…

“… When things get serious, as they are now, decisions will no longer be made in the somewhat democratically legitimized EU bodies, but at the more or less secret meetings of a handful of leaders. During the German chancellor’s and the French president’s quiet walks together, and at the behind-the-scenes meetings of discrete central banks, policies are being made that are then handed to the parliaments to rubber-stamp, even though hardly any of their members understand them… One of the reasons that Europeans are so incensed at their respective governments is that they are not involved in the decision-making process…

“The euro debt crisis has already swept aside two governments, in Ireland and Portugal, and the Spanish and Greek governments could soon follow. Things are also getting precarious for the government in Berlin, where Chancellor Angela Merkel could lose her parliamentary majority in upcoming votes on bailout measures…

“A collapse of the monetary union would set Europe back by decades, dealing it a blow from which it might never recover… This is why Europe’s politicians want to defend the euro at all costs, and why they are approving one bailout package after the next. They are playing for time… The business community is supporting their efforts, too. In a major advertising campaign scheduled to run in leading publications this week, top German business executives… promote the monetary union and insist: ‘The euro is necessary’…

“More than anything, the euro was a political project. Its advocates, most notably then German Chancellor Helmut Kohl and then French President François Mitterrand, wanted to permanently unite the continent’s core countries…

“There are essentially two alternatives. The first is a radical one, in which the governments pull the plug and leave the beleaguered countries to fend for themselves. The second, more pragmatic solution is to continue muddling along, though somewhat more efficiently, and to hope that things improve. Neither option will be cheap.

“The radical cure works like this: Disappointed by the lack of progress and prospects for improvement, the euro-zone countries leave Greece to fend for itself… The country would quickly become insolvent… If Greece slides into uncontrolled bankruptcy, investors might refuse to invest their money in other ailing euro-zone members. Even more banks could collapse in the ensuing chain reaction…

“In light of these incalculable developments, many are now considering the nuclear option as a real alternative: Greece withdraws from the monetary union and reintroduces the drachma… The crisis would not end after Greece’s withdrawal. In fact, it could even get worse… At the end of such a development, the monetary union could disintegrate into a hard-currency bloc and a group with its own, weaker currencies…

“To prevent this from happening, many politicians specializing in financial and economic affairs recommend bringing about the political union of Europe as quickly as possible, a union with a strong central government. They argue that if the nations in the euro zone formed a closer union, they could coordinate their financial systems more effectively, thus providing the common currency with a political foundation.”

We should take note of several ideas in this article. Firstly, political and economic decisions are being made in secrecy. Secondly, the euro crisis could drastically change the political landscape of Europe. Some governments may topple, and a core Europe could develop (but the core countries would keep the euro, not abandon it). Thirdly, this crisis could motivate European nations to establish a powerful political bloc, with a strong centralized government. These ideas could lead to the fulfillment of key prophecies on Europe. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Germany Will Not Intervene in Syria

On June 20, Der Spiegel Online published the following revealing interview with German Defense Minister Thomas de Maizière. We are bringing you the following excerpts:

“In Afghanistan, we’re demonstrating that the Bundeswehr (…the German military) is a fighting army whenever it has to be…

“Our decision to not participate in the military part of the Libya mission was based on carefully considered reasons. It remains correct… The Americans did ask us for military assistance again at the most recent NATO meeting. We turned them down… When you start something, you of course always have to know how long you can keep it up…

“The world can’t tolerate the regime currently in place in Damascus. But we also have to frankly admit that having Syria disintegrate would be very difficult for the entire region… The same thing applies in this case as for Libya: We will not get involved [in Syria]….

“The problem with our [military] budget is not its size but, rather, its structure. A major share or our total-budget investments — or roughly 22 percent — go toward armaments. That’s high compared with other countries. But almost all of that is tied to old orders, including some that we no longer need as much. Budget commitments need to be designed in a more flexible way… Almost all of my colleagues in NATO and the EU — the Dutch, the Poles, the French — are in the process of adapting their militaries to changed conditions. All of them want more agility, more quality instead of quantity…

“It is in our vital interest to make sure that the United States remains a European power and that it doesn’t look primarily westward. I am always telling the Americans: We Europeans are exhausting and sometimes even difficult and at odds with each other. But, compared with everyone else, we are still the most reliable partner in the world when it comes to stability, democracy and, ultimately, money, as well.”

However, the Bible shows that this will change… very shortly.

European Money for “Defense”

The New York Times wrote on June 22:

“NATO’s disarray has begun to chip away at the wider European-American relationship currently contributing 14 million jobs and $3 trillion in commercial sales. American officials regularly berate the Europeans with calls to spend ever more money on defense, even when the European Union’s total defense budget is already $300 billion, pretty close to America’s defense budget prior to 9/11.

“The real problem is the way in which this money is spent — for example, the wasteful duplication of weapons procurement programs. This will not change unless there is political will among E.U. leaders for change… this will to change will only come about when America decides to take away its defense credit card and asks Europe to take responsibility for its own security.

“The E.U. is increasingly capable of defending itself under its Common Security and Defense Policy, through which the E.U. has already deployed 27 military and civilian missions from Asia to Africa, and just approved the 28th — a military force for Libya that is ready to be deployed as soon as the U.N. asks for it.”

European Leaders Back Obama’s Troop Withdrawal from Afghanistan

Deutsche Welle reported on June 23:

“In a televised speech to the nation on Wednesday evening, US President Barack Obama announced plans for the withdrawal of 33,000 troops from Afghanistan by autumn next year, saying the end was in sight for the NATO-led coalition… NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Thursday welcomed Obama’s announcement to begin a drawdown of US forces… German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has applauded Obama’s decision, saying it indicated plans for [bringing] NATO troops back were becoming more concrete and that the US was signaling its cooperation with the international strategy in Afghanistan… ‘It’s our goal as well to start [bringing] back German troops by the end of the year, ’ Westerwelle added…

“French President Nicolas Sarkozy also lent his support to Obama’s decision… saying France would stick to a similar time frame for gradually bringing home its… troops in Afghanistan. However, Obama remains keen that any withdrawal should not be carried out [too] quickly. The situation is still described as  ‘unstable ’ by generals and the gains made up to this point are not irreversible… The president also spoke of the cost of the exercise, which currently amounts to $10 billion (7 billion euros) per month. Over the course of the last decade, the US spent around $1 trillion on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the president said. Given the difficult economic situation faced by the world, he said it was now time to focus on domestic investment…

“The president also informed Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, as well as the leaders of nations committed to the NATO-led effort, including Chancellor Angela Merkel. The future of Afghanistan will be discussed at a conference in the German city of Bonn in December. In addition, a further conference is planned for May next year in Chicago… ”

“America Flirts With a Fate Like Japan’s”

The Financial Times wrote on June 19:

“The stalling of the US recovery raises big, scary questions. After a recession, this economy usually gets people back to work quickly. Not this time. Progress is so slow, the issue is not so much when America will return to full employment but what ‘full employment’ will mean by the time it does….

“Last week President Barack Obama called the pause a ‘bump in the road’. Others think the slowdown will persist and might get worse, fears that cannot be dismissed. One alarming possibility is that the traits the US has relied on to drive growth in the past – labour market flexibility, rapid productivity growth – might have become toxic. If the US is unlucky, traits seen as distinctive strengths are now weaknesses, and a ‘lost decade’ of stagnation, like Japan’s in the 1990s, might lie ahead.”

Sadly, this is exactly what the Bible predicts to occur—notwithstanding the “optimistic” but unrealistic and unbiblical viewpoints of Republican candidates for the Presidency. For more information on the spiritual reasons for this prophesied development, please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

China May Still Fall… Like Japan

The Financial Times wrote on June 14:

“Until 1990, Japan was the most successful large economy in the world. Almost nobody predicted what would happen to it in the succeeding decades. Today, people are yet more in awe of the achievements of China. Is it conceivable that this colossus could learn that spectacular success is a precursor of surprising failure? The answer is: yes.

“Japan’s gross domestic product per head… jumped from a fifth of U.S. levels in 1950 to 90 percent in 1990. But this spectacular convergence went into reverse: by 2010, Japan’s GDP per head had fallen to 76 per cent of U.S. levels. China’s GDP per head jumped from 3 percent of U.S. levels in 1978… to a fifth of U.S. levels today. Is this going to continue as spectacularly over the next few decades or could China, too, surprise on the downside?…

“Premier Wen Jiabao has himself described the economy as ‘unstable, unbalanced, uncoordinated and ultimately unsustainable…’”

Even though the Bible prophesies a military confederation of Far Eastern powers (including China and Russia, see next article), it is also clearly revealed that Europe (the revived Babylonian system, compare Revelation 17) will become the most powerful economic bloc in the end time. In light of this, it is not to be expected that China—or any other nation or power bloc—will remotely match Europe’s economic success. Therefore, China’s economy will have to experience a downturn pretty soon. The same goes for the faltering economy of the USA… as the previous article showed.

Chinese and Russian Cooperation

The Pravda wrote on June 16:

“In the past decade, the development of China-Russia ties has made remarkable progress. Political and strategic mutual trust between the two nations have deepened continuously. The two countries have established mechanisms for high-level exchange of visits and all-round cooperation… The two nations have become each other’s major trading partner, and have coordinated closely in dealing with major world and regional affairs…

“Two months ago, the Chinese and Russian [Presidents] met… [and] agreed to further improve cooperation and safeguard common interests… The China-Russia oil pipeline started operation at the beginning of this year, and the fifth round of their strategic security consultations last January was a great success.”

For more information on the Chinese-Russian “political” and “security” cooperation and coalition, please read our free booklet, “Is That in the Bible?—The Mystery of the Book of Revelation.”

Doubts Over Global Warming

The EUObserver wrote on June 22:

“European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso is apparently unconcerned that the chief architect of the EU’s forthcoming multi-annual budget has major doubts over the existence of global warming. Environmental groups are sounding alarm bells however, warning that EU budget commissioner Janusz Lewandowski’s scepticism towards climate change is almost certain to affect his drafting of the crucial EU document which will shape the bloc’s policy for years to come (2014-2020).

“‘There’s an emerging point of view, that the thesis about coal energy as the main cause of global warming is highly doubtful,’ Lewandowski told Polish trade magazine Nowy Przemysl earlier this month. ‘Question marks are appearing ever more frequently over global warming itself,’ added the Polish commissioner, whose country relies on coal for 90 percent of its electricity generation.

“A spokesman for Lewandowski confirmed the accuracy of the statements. ‘His overall line is that it would be impossible for Poland to shift away from coal overnight. But he also expressed his doubts over climate change, in a personal capacity,’ Patrizio Fiorilli told this website.”

Netherland’s Geert Wilders Acquitted

Bloomberg wrote on June 23:

“Dutch Freedom Party Leader Geert Wilders was acquitted by a court of charges that he made remarks defaming Muslims, ending a three-year prosecution that he described as a bid to restrict his freedom of speech. Wilders, 47, was charged with inciting hatred and discrimination and insulting Muslims for calling the Koran ‘fascist’ and comparing it to Adolf Hitler’s book ‘Mein Kampf’ in a 2007 Dutch newspaper editorial. A year later, he released his movie ‘Fitna,’ in which he urged Muslims to rip out ‘hate-preaching’ verses from the book…

“The movie led to protests in Islamic-majority countries including Indonesia and Pakistan and prompted Malaysians to call for a boycott of products from the euro area’s second largest exporter. Wilders, whose party backs the minority Dutch coalition government, has been under constant police protection since a Muslim radical murdered filmmaker Theo van Gogh in 2004… ‘Today is a victory for freedom of speech,’ Wilders said… ‘The Dutch are still allowed to speak critically about Islam, and resistance against Islamization is not a crime.’… The Netherlands has about 850,000 Muslims… Most are of Turkish or Moroccan origin. The country’s population is 16.7 million.”

US Minorities Becoming the Majority

The Guardian wrote on June 23:

“Non-Hispanic white children now make up the minority of babies born in the US for the first time, according to latest census estimates, highlighting demographic changes that could reshape US government policy. Preliminary census estimates also show the share of African-American households headed by women – comprised mostly single mothers – now exceeds African-American households with married couples…

“Demographers say the numbers provide the clearest indication yet that non-white minority groups will become the majority in the US by the middle of the century. Currently non-Hispanic white children make up just under half of all three-year-olds in the US, the youngest age group shown. In 1990 the proportion was more than 60%. Demographer William Frey from the Brookings Institution, which analysed the data, said the data released so far suggested minorities already outnumber whites among babies under two. By contrast non-Hispanic white people make up the vast majority of older Americans – 80% of the over 65s and 73% of those between 45 and 64…

“The census figures come amid heated debate on a number of controversial issues including immigration, gay marriage and the rising cost of welfare benefits. Alabama became the latest state this month to pass a wide-ranging anti-immigration law which requires schools to report their students’ immigration status to the authorities. This follows tough immigration measures passed in similarly Republican-leaning states such as Georgia, Arizona and South Carolina. But Massachusetts, New York and Illinois have all opted out of a federal plan to deport criminals who are not US citizens, saying it has made illegal immigrants afraid of reporting crimes to police. California may also opt out.”

The Bible has indeed much to say about the descendants of Esau in our times. In this Q&A, we will discuss the history and the modern identity of Esau. In a subsequent Q&A, we will be addressing the future of Esau, as prophesied in the Scriptures.

Esau was the twin brother of Jacob. Due to the fact that he sold Jacob his birthright for some red stew, he became also known as “Edom,” which means “red” (Genesis 25:30). Later the name Idumea (Isaiah 34:5, Authorized Version; the New King James Bible says, “Edom”) was applied to some of the descendants of Esau or Edom. Herod the Great was an Idumean. (It was Herod who killed the male babies in Bethlehem and surrounding areas, from two years old and under, compare Matthew 2:16.)

Edom is also referred to as the land of Seir (Genesis 32:3). Edom, or at least the southern part of Edom, became known as Teman, who was Edom’s oldest grandson (Genesis 36:10-11). (One of Edom’s other grandsons was the fierce warrior Amalek, Genesis 36:12.)

The Easton Bible Dictionary informs us that Edom “extended from the head of the Gulf of Akabah, the Elanitic gulf, to the foot of the Dead Sea… and contained, among other cities, the rock-hewn Sela, generally known by the Greek name Petra [2 Kings 14:7, compare margin of the New King James Bible]. It is a wild and rugged region, traversed by fruitful valleys. [Edom’s] old capital was Bozrah (Isaiah 63:1). The early inhabitants of the land were Horites. They were destroyed by the Edomites (Deuteronomy 2:12), between whom and the kings of Israel and Judah there was frequent war [2 Chronicles 28:17].

“At the time of the Exodus they churlishly refused permission to the Israelites to pass through their land (Numbers 20:14-21), and ever afterwards maintained an attitude of hostility toward them. They were conquered by David (2 Samuel 8:14…), and afterwards by Amaziah (2 Chronicles 25:11, 12). But they regained again their independence, and in later years, during the decline of the Jewish kingdom (2 Kings 16:6), ‘Edomites’… made war against [the house of Judah]. They took part with the Chaldeans when Nebuchadnezzar captured Jerusalem, and afterwards they invaded and held possession of the south of Palestine as far as Hebron. [Biblica–The Bible Atlas, adds on page 308 that “Judah’s final destruction occurred when Edom enticed Judah to join in an anti-Babylonian coalition… but… Edom then participated with Babylon in the destruction of Jerusalem that followed.” As we will see in a subsequent Q&A, similar events will occur again in the near future.]

“At last, however, Edom fell under the growing Chaldean power (Jeremiah 27:3, 6)… After an existence as a people for above seventeen hundred years, they have utterly disappeared, and their language even is forgotten forever…”

But this last statement is not true. As we will see, the Bible contains many prophecies about the nation of Edom for the end time; therefore, descendants of Edom must exist today. They may not be living in the areas where they used to live, and they are not known today as Edomites, but they must exist somewhere. The Encyclopedia Britannica, 1959, states for instance under Edom that “many of the Edomites, pushed out of their former territory by the Nabataens, drifted westward across the Araba…”

We also need to note that many commentaries apply end-time prophecies regarding Edom to ancient times and claim that these prophecies were already fulfilled. This is a grievous mistake, precluding those authors from realizing what is announced to happen in the near future.

We read about an interesting “blessing” in Genesis 27:39-40, which Isaac gave to his son Esau, after he had been deceived to bless Jacob. It says that Esau or Edom would dwell “without” [as it should be rendered] the fatness of the earth and the dew of heaven [in comparison with the blessing which Isaac had given Jacob]; and that he would live by the sword and “serve” his brother (Jacob or Israel) [This last statement is actually a repeat of the prophecy pertaining to Jacob and Esau, which Rebekah received in Genesis 25:23].

Isaac also told Esau that in due time, he would break his brother’s yoke from his neck. Halley’s Bible Handbook claims that the Edomites “were subservient to Israel; and in time, they did throw off Israel’s yoke (II Kings 8:20-22).” Biblica—The Bible Atlas states on page 114 that “Herod the Idumean—better known as Herod the Great, the ruler who played a pivotal role in Jesus’ early life—murdered the royal family of Judea, including one of his own wives and a number of his children, and forged alliances with Rome. From that time on, Jewish tradition saw Rome as the embodiment of the continuing struggle between Jacob and Esau.”

While all of this may be partially true, we will see that Isaac’s prophecy for Esau is far more encompassing and applies also and foremost to more recent historical and even still future events. Edom is not just a symbolic reference to Rome or the modern Roman or Babylonian system in the end times, but a distinctively existing nation—which will however, to an extent and for a while, support modern Babylon in an attack against the state of Israel.

The Church of God has taught for over sixty years that many Edomites are today to be found in the modern nation of Turkey, and that biblical prophecies relating to modern Edom mainly address the Turkish people. (As an aside, the famous mountain of Ararat where Noah’s ark rested after the Flood, is situated in Turkey).

The following was stated in an article by The Plain Truth, dated 1966, titled, “Turkey in Prophecy”:

“Turkey can be identified by research in encyclopedias, or history books dealing with the subject, as the descendants of Esau… One of the grandsons of Esau was Teman (Genesis 36:11). Teman became a great leader among the peoples… As the Edomites began to expand…, portions of the land began to bear the name of Teman… much of the area… including … Turkestan… became known as the ‘Land of Temani’ (compare Genesis 36:34 [according to the Authorized Version; the New King James Bible says: “the land of the Temanites”)… Is it any wonder then that the indelible stamp of Teman, one of the leading dukes of ancient Edom, was carried down into modern history in the form of the ‘Ottoman’ Empire?”

The Ottoman Empire existed for about 400 years and ended with World War I. The Funk and Wagnalls New Encyclopedia tells us that the Ottoman Empire or the “Turkish state was the dominant power in the eastern Mediterranean from the 16th to the 19th century. It was broken up at the end of World War I, and its Anatolian heartland became the modern Republic of Turkey.”

During its high days and years of conquest, the Ottoman Empire ruled over countries and areas such as Algeria, Tunisia, Yemen, Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Arabia, Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Armenia, Georgia and the Crimea, and it even besieged Austria’s capitol, Vienna (in 1529). It had at that time broken the yoke of Jacob (including Jacob’s son Judah) from his neck.

The fact that the name of the Turkish Ottoman Empire is derived from or related to Teman is confirmed by other authors as well. For instance, the encyclopedia Wordnik states regarding Edom: “Edom is O’theman of the Bible, and O’theman of the Bible is Turkey.” Also, many claim that the name “Turk” is associated with “Turkestan,” where, as we recall, many of the Edomites and more precisely, the Temanites, had settled. We are also told by some that the Khazars called the Byzantium Emperor the “King of Edom.” (Note that the name Byzantium is ancient for Constantinople, which is today Turkey’s capitol Istanbul.)

Turkey did in fact live by the sword, as Isaac had told Esau, but, as we showed in the Current Events section of our last Update (Update No. 496), it has now advanced to a very prosperous country in the Middle East, manifesting more and more its (ongoing) independent status from the house of Judah—the Jews—and now also increasingly from the modern descendants of the ancient house of Israel—the USA and Great Britain. This means, then, that biblical prophetic references to Esau, Edom, Seir, Idumea and Bozrah refer mainly to the modern nation of Turkey.

(To Be Continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

The Church of the Eternal God is now being featured on Facebook.

A new member letter has been posted on the Web and sent out. In the letter, Norbert Link reminds us of man’s incredible accomplishments and miseries, and he points out the need to focus on our awesome future, even and especially in times of trial.

Our new booklet, “Germany in Prophecy,” was sent to our Graphic Designer, Shelly Bruno, for finalization.

We are starting a new Internet advertisement campaign in Great Britain, offering our free booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World.”

A new StandingWatch program has been posted on our Web site and on YouTube, titled, “Why So Much Sickness?” Are you eating mislabeled and wrong fish? Up to 70% of Americans do so. Are you eating poisoned shellfish-with levels so high that one mussel could kill several people? Are you suffering from the incurable E.coli virus? And did you know that due to our own fault, the antibiotic-resistant bacteria MRSA kills more Americans annually than AIDS, and that wrong food kills one American every two hours? It is high time to focus on God’s health laws.

A new German AufPostenStehen program has been posted on our Web site and on YouTube, titled, “Gehsteigberatung ungesetzlich?” In addition, several German sermons, which had been posted before on blip, have now also been posted on YouTube.

A new German sermon was posted on the Internet, titled, “Die Suche nach der Wahrheit” (“The Search for Truth”).

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 Eric Rank

Throughout the course of a normal day at work, I interact with a lot of different people. An increasing part of my job lately involves the task of communicating with others. I communicate with my team to build plans and organize the goals we have. I communicate with the clients to keep them informed of the progress we’re making on our projects. I communicate with my supervisors to keep them up to date on the current issues my team and I face. It all means that I do a lot of talking throughout the week. While it seems like a simple thing to provide information to the right people at the right time in the right amount, doing it well can be very challenging.

Most of the time, I have enough of a solid foundation to present things in an adequate manner. However, I recently noticed a peculiar habit I’ve developed. On occasions when I don’t know much about a topic, but I am put on the spot to communicate an idea or present some other analysis anyway, I tend to say more than I would if I had understood the topic inside-out. The Bible teaches that a fool is known for his many words. To my chagrin, I’ve come to learn this first hand! However, being aware of this tendency, I’m learning to recognize when I’m heading into uncharted territory, and admit to myself that I have more to learn. Indeed, the first step in achieving growth is submitting to the need for it.

On June 18, 2011, Eric Rank will give a sermon from Colorado, titled, respectively, “Standards.”

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 Matthew 18:3, Christ gave His disciples the following very poignant admonitions: “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Some great points are given here.

Firstly, we are to be become converted. Conversion describes a total change in how we think and act. It refers to a rejection of the ways of this world and a transformation by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). It requires constant effort and constant learning. Paul had to correct the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 because they were not growing spiritually. They behaved, as it were, like mere carnal men, full of envy and strife.

Secondly, we are to become as little children. But we are also told that we are to be growing (compare also 2 Peter 3:18). We start as “newborn babes [who] desire the pure milk of the word, that they may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2). Babes in Christ are to be growing in maturity and Godly wisdom. So how does being as little children fit into this?

Albert Barnes Notes on the Bible has this to say: “Children are, to a great extent, destitute of ambition, pride, and haughtiness. They are characteristically humble and teachable. By requiring his disciples to be like them, [Christ] did not intend to express any opinion about the native moral character of children, but simply that in these respects they must become like them. They must lay aside their ambitious views and their pride, and be willing to occupy their proper station–a very lowly one.”

This is not to say that we are to become as children in respect to foolishness, as Proverbs 22:15 tells us that foolishness, which is bound up in the heart of a child, must be driven far from it. Rather, we are to take on the attitude of being faithful and trusting in God, of accepting correction in humility, and of wanting to learn and being teachable and receptive to God’s words. As we read Christ’s statement in Luke 18:17: “… whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

While we are to have a teachable and humble attitude like little children, we must also realize that we are to be working towards perfection in all things (compare Ephesians 3:13-19).

Thirdly, we are told that we need to enter the kingdom of heaven. We are not already in the kingdom of heaven, nor are we to go to heaven to enter it there. Rather, the kingdom of heaven is the kingdom of God—the kingdom of our Father who is in heaven—which Christ will restore on this earth when He returns; and when God’s children will enter His kingdom, they will rule with Christ on this earth for a thousand years.

So are we “as” little children? Where are we in faith, understanding, truth and knowledge? Paul again gives a strong warning and rebuke in Hebrews 5:12-14, when he writes: “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are full of age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

Where are we in being able to discern good and evil? The times are evil and the time of Christ’s return is drawing closer. Let us all work towards a good, solid and mature understanding (1Corinthians 14:20), and when we, by reason of use, continue to “exercise our senses to discern good and evil,” and to practice the good and reject the evil, then we will continue to be like little children and be allowed to enter the soon coming Kingdom of God.

We begin with reporting on America’s ongoing economic troubles which are, admittedly, not solvable within the next few years. We continue with placing special emphasis on our health crisis, diseases and sicknesses, which are many times caused by ourselves. This includes eating fish and animals which God has forbidden us to eat; eating poisonous seafood; and eating the flesh of usually healthy livestock which became unhealthy due to the consumption of dangerous antibiotics.

We are reporting on the fear that NATO might fall apart, bringing to light Europe’s need to create its own powerful united army, navy and air force; quoting articles about the situation in Libya, Lebanon and Turkey (biblical Edom); speaking of developments in Italy and Greece; addressing the ensuing war of words over the border controversy between Denmark and Germany; highlighting very dangerous developments in Germany; and conclude with the announcement that Germany’s Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg and his family plan to leave their fatherland… at least for a while…

USA In Worse Shape Than Greece…

CNBC wrote on June 13:

“When adding in all of the money owed to cover future liabilities in entitlement programs the US is actually in worse financial shape than Greece and other debt-laden European countries, Pimco’s Bill Gross told CNBC Monday. Much of the public focus is on the nation’s public debt, which is $14.3 trillion. But that doesn’t include money guaranteed for Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, which comes to close to $50 trillion, according to government figures. The government also is on the hook for other debts such as the programs related to the bailout of the financial system following the crisis of 2008 and 2009, government figures show.

“Taken together, Gross puts the total at ‘nearly $100 trillion,’ that while perhaps a bit on the high side, places the country in a highly unenviable fiscal position that he said won’t find a solution overnight… Pimco, based in Newport Beach, Calif., manages more than $1.2 trillion in assets and runs the largest bond fund in the world… Should the debt problem in Greece explode into a full-blown crisis—an International Monetary Fund bailout has prevented a full-scale meltdown so far—Gross predicted that German debt, not that of the US, would be the safe-haven of choice for global investors.”

USA Today reported on June 13:

“President Obama asked voters for patience with the economy and jobs today, saying its problems were ‘years in the making’ and ‘it will take years to get back to where we need to be.’”

Sadly, we don’t have years to wait and to waste. The future of our country looks grim, and its downfall will happen much sooner than most think or anticipate.

Eating the Wrong Fish?

Oceana reported on May 25:

“… while 84 percent of the seafood eaten in the United States is imported, only two percent is currently inspected and less than 0.001 percent specifically for fraud. In fact, recent studies have found that seafood may be mislabeled as often as 25 to 70 percent of the time for fish like red snapper, wild salmon and Atlantic cod, disguising species that are less desirable, cheaper or more readily available.

“’We’ve tested well over 1,000 fish fillet samples over the past four years, from more than 50 cities across the country,’ said William Gergits, co-founder and managing member of Therion International, LLC, (Saratoga Springs, NY), a worldwide leader in DNA testing of seafood. ‘Results from our DNA lab show that about half the time (an average of 50 percent) the fish you are eating is not the species listed on the menu.’

“Despite growing concern about where our food comes from, consumers are frequently served the wrong fish – a completely different species than the one they paid for. With about 1,700 different species of seafood from all over the world now available in the U.S., it is unrealistic to expect consumers to be able to independently and accurately determine what fish is really being served.”

This development is also a terrible tragedy in light of the fact that God forbids us to eat certain seafood, as it is unhealthy per se and not fit for human consumption. In a nutshell, God has only created such fish for human consumption which has fins and scales.

Eating Poisoned Shellfish?

Reuters reported on June 10:

“Public health officials warned Alaskans to avoid eating shellfish they harvest from the southeastern tip of the state after high concentrations of a poison that can kill humans was found. State officials said scientists monitoring algae blooms near Ketchikan discovered some of the world’s highest-ever recorded levels of toxins that cause paralytic shellfish poisoning — a potentially fatal ailment that can paralyze vital organs.

“The most poisonous shellfish discovered were baby mussels at a dock in Ketchikan with toxin levels of more than 30,000 micrograms per hundred grams of shellfish meat. This is well over the 80-microgram level considered toxic, the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services has warned. Those levels are so high that a single mussel could kill several people, scientists at the University of Alaska Southeast said in a statement on Thursday.

“In other types of shellfish, members of the multi-agency Alaska Harmful [Algae] Bloom monitoring program found toxin levels ranging from 1,100 to 5,000 micrograms per gram of shellfish meat, the department said… Paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins are absorbed by certain shellfish from algae.”

Of course, the Bible prohibits the consumption of shellfish altogether. Even though shellfish might generally not be declared to be “poisonous” by our health “experts,” its consumption is unhealthy for humans in God’s eyes. God did not create shellfish for the purpose of human consumption.

Eating Dangerous Sprouts?

The Associated Press reported on June 10:

“Investigators have determined that German-grown vegetable sprouts are the cause of the E. coli outbreak… Reinhard Burger, president of the Robert Koch Institute, said even though no tests of the sprouts from an organic farm in Lower Saxony had come back positive for the E. coli strain behind the outbreak, an investigation into the pattern of the outbreak had produced enough evidence to draw the conclusion…

“The breakthrough in the investigation came after a task force from the three institutes linked separate clusters of patients who had fallen sick to 26 restaurants and cafeterias that had received produce from the organic farm. ‘They even studied the menus, the ingredients, looked at bills and took pictures of the different meals, which they then showed to those who had fallen ill,’ said Andreas Hensel, head of the Risk Assessment agency.

“Hensel said authorities were lifting the warning against eating cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce, and explicitly urged consumers to start eating those vegetables once again. ‘Lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers should be eaten again – it is all healthy produce,’ he said.

“Burger said it was possible that all of the tainted sprouts have either been consumed or thrown away by now, but still warned that the crisis is not yet over and people should not eat sprouts. While the farm in the northern German village of Bienenbuettel that has been blamed for the outbreak was shut down last Thursday and all of its produce recalled, the experts said they could not exclude the possibility that some tainted sprouts were still being used by restaurants or cafeterias and people could still get infected with E. coli.

“Also, since it has not yet been established why the sprouts were bad – whether the seeds had been contaminated or the farm’s water – the experts said it was possible that other nearby farms could also be affected… In recent days the numbers of people being reported ill have been dropping, but it was not clear whether the epidemic was waning or consumers were just successfully shunning tainted vegetables.”

Deutsche Welle added on June 13:

“The number of people who have died in the outbreak of the virulent E. coli strain in Germany has risen to 36, health officials confirmed Monday… Taiwan announced it was suspending imports of bean sprouts from Germany as a precaution against the bacteria… All but one of the 36 deaths from the EHEC strain have been in Germany, with the other being a woman in Sweden who had recently travelled to the country.”

Whether or not bean sprouts were the cause for the outbreak of this new disease, the Bible warns that more and more incurable sicknesses will plague this globe, leading to famine and more disease epidemics, and many of these sicknesses will be man-made, as the next article confirms.

Eating Livestock Fed With Antibiotics?

The New York Times wrote on June 13:

“Every year in the United States, 325,000 people are hospitalized because of food-borne illnesses and 5,000 die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s right: food kills one person every two hours. Yet while the terrorist attacks of 2001 led us to transform the way we approach national security, the deaths of almost twice as many people annually have still not generated basic food-safety initiatives. We have an industrial farming system that is a marvel for producing cheap food…

“Perhaps the most disgraceful aspect of our agricultural system… is the way antibiotics are recklessly stuffed into healthy animals to make them grow faster.  The Food and Drug Administration reported recently that 80 percent of antibiotics in the United States go to livestock, not humans. And 90 percent of the livestock antibiotics are administered in their food or water, typically to healthy animals to keep them from getting sick when they are confined in squalid and crowded conditions… This cavalier use of low-level antibiotics creates a perfect breeding ground for antibiotic-resistant pathogens. The upshot is that ailments can become pretty much untreatable.

“… antibiotic resistance has multiple causes that are difficult to unravel. Doctors overprescribe them. Patients misuse them. But looking at numbers, by far the biggest element of overuse is agriculture. We would never think of trying to keep our children healthy by adding antibiotics to school water fountains, because we know this would breed antibiotic-resistant bacteria… Vegetarians may think that they’re immune, but they’re not. E. coli originates in animals but can spill into water used to irrigate vegetables, contaminating them…

“One of the most common antibiotic-resistant pathogens is MRSA, which now kills more Americans annually than AIDS… MRSA was found in 70 percent of hogs on one farm… MRSA was found in 45 percent of employees working at hog farms…

“We need… more public education (always wash your hands after touching raw meat, and don’t use the same cutting board for meat and vegetables). A great place to start reforms would be by banning the feeding of antibiotics to healthy livestock.”

The unsanitary conditions of many of today’s livestock farms, combined with human greed and the unhealthy breeding especially of animals not fit for human consumption—such as pigs—are a fast-growing cause for the spread of numerous incurable diseases.

Robert Gates Attacks Europe and NATO

The EUObserver wrote on June 10:

“Under pressure to cut its military spending, the US is losing patience with Europe’s unwillingness to pay for its own defence, outgoing US defence minister Robert Gates said Friday (10 June) in an unusually ‘blunt’ speech in Brussels, casting doubt over the very survival of Nato…

“Looking first at Afghanistan, he noted that the operation got bogged down in national caveats which hampered the range of actions European soldiers were allowed to do – a hint at Germany’s restrictions on its troops to use lethal force, which meant that they could not be deployed in combat against the Taliban. As for troop withdrawal, with the Netherlands suddenly pulling out after a government was forced to resign last year over the Afghan war, Gates said: ‘We cannot afford to have some troop-contributing nations to pull out their forces on their own timeline in a way that undermines the mission and increases risks to other allies…’

“When it comes to the more recent mission in Libya…Italy’s ambition to run the air campaign from a Naples-based headquarters in fact meant that ‘mainly US targeting specialists’ had to be deployed there ‘to do the job. The mightiest military alliance in history is only 11 weeks into an operation against a poorly armed regime in a sparsely populated country – yet many allies are beginning to run short of munitions, requiring the US, once more, to make up the difference.’

“… Gates questioned the very rationale of this alliance born out of America’s willingness to protect Western Europe against a potential Soviet invasion during the Cold War… Gates projected a ‘dim, if not dismal future for the transatlantic alliance’: that the US simply stops footing the bill… ‘Indeed, if current trends in the decline of European defense capabilities are not halted and reversed, future US political leaders… may not consider the return on America’s investment in Nato worth the cost,’ he warned.

“Responding to this doomsday scenario, Nato spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said during a press briefing on Friday that this was in line with repeated calls from Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen to improve military spending…”

While the USA is unable and therefore unwilling to support military operations in Europe for much longer, the Europeans are forced to create their own powerful army and weaponry. In fact, this won’t be too difficult. Germany alone is one of the biggest weapons exporters in the world, and all it would need to do is to keep its weapons at home, to be used by Europe. As the next article shows, Europe has already more soldiers than the USA, and if one were to combine all of Europe’s national weapons, tanks, ships, rockets and planes into a united force (not to speak of its nuclear arsenal), it would already greatly exceed the power of the US army, air force and navy. It is just a matter of will power, organization and cooperation, and as the “need” for a united military is more and more recognized, Germany’s talents for organization will greatly contribute to the creation of an incredibly mighty and powerful military force.

Europe in Need of a United Army…

The Economist wrote on June 10:

“Europe has more soldiers than America, but can deploy far fewer of them on overseas operations. This is partly the result of history: in the cold war European armies were built to hold the line in Europe, while awaiting reinforcement by American forces which, by definition, had to be designed for expeditionary warfare.

“Another is that ‘Europe’ is not a sovereign state, but a collection of small- and medium-sized countries. Its considerable defence spending is hopelessly fragmented among a multitude of armies, air forces and navies… Defence experts across Europe have known this for a long time and, here and there, countries have embarked on some important experiments.

“Poland, which takes over the presidency of the European Union next month, plans to make a renewed attempt to boost European defence co-operation. It is also pushing for a bigger EU autonomous military headquarters…”

The Financial Times wrote on June 9:

“Tony Blair has urged European Union members to move closer together and form common policies on areas such as energy, defence, immigration and crime.”

The Bible has prophesied a long time ago that in these last days, Europe would unite, including militarily—and that this would happen exactly at the same time when the USA would lose its dominant status in the world.

Libya’s Ongoing War

Reuters and DPA wrote on June 11:

“Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday his country had offered a ‘guarantee’ to Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi if he left Libya, but said Ankara had received no answer… Erdogan, whose country is a member of NATO, did not specify what kind of guarantee his country had offered to Gadhafi.

“Meanwhile, a letter purported to be from Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi suggests to the U.S. Congress that he is ready to negotiate a ceasefire in the three-month-old conflict… ‘Our nation must not be colonized again by Europeans. Our Country must not be divided again,’ the letter states…

“Since the uprising against Gadhafi’s rule began in February, Erdogan has distanced himself from the Libyan leader… Muslim Turkey had sizeable trade and commercial ties with Gadhafi’s Libya, and evacuated more than 20,000 citizens working there as violence engulfed the North African desert nation… In the interview, Erdogan expressed frustration at what he called Gadhafi’s stalling tactics. ‘I have contacted him six or seven times. I sent our special representatives, but we always faced stalling tactics…’”

We need to continue to watch the relationship between Europe, Libya and Turkey, which is biblical Edom. An upcoming Q&A will shed some light on Edom’s future.

Germany Recognizes Libya’s Rebels

The Local wrote on June 13:

“German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle made a surprise trip to the rebel stronghold of Benghazi in eastern Libya on Monday. The symbolic trip was kept secret for security reasons. The trip was a brief detour on Westerwelle’s planned trip to Israel. Stopping in Malta on Monday morning, the foreign minister changed planes and headed to a military base outside Benghazi, where the Libyan opposition leadership, the National Transitional Council, is based. During the symbolically-charged visit, Westerwelle opened the German liaison office, where two German diplomats have been working to strengthen ties with the Libyan rebels.

“Germany now recognized the rebel council as… Berlin’s partner for dealings in Libya, Westerwelle said. ‘The NTC is the legitimate representative of the Libyan people,’ Westerwelle told reporters after meeting council officials, including the rebel ‘foreign minister’ Ali al-Essawi. ‘We want a free Libya, in peace and democracy without (Muammar) Qaddafi,’ he said in the rebels’ eastern bastion of Benghazi, Libya’s second city.

“Germany becomes the 13th nation to recognize the NTC as ‘sole legitimate representative,’ after Australia, Britain, France, Gambia, Italy, Jordan, Malta, Qatar, Senegal, Spain, the United Arab Emirates and the United States…

“Westerwelle’s visit is meant to signal that Germany is committed to supporting a new, post-Qaddafi Libya, despite its abstention from a United Nations vote on military intervention in the country. Westerwelle’s plane also carried humanitarian aid for the people of Benghazi.”

The relationship between Libya and Germany is of biblical proportions and significance, as our recent Q&A on Libya’s future explains.

“Terrorist” Group Takes Over Lebanon’s Government

CBS News reported on June 13:

“Hezbollah and its allies rose to a position of unprecedented dominance in Lebanon’s government Monday, giving its patrons Syria and Iran greater sway in the Middle East. Lebanon Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced a new Cabinet dominated by the militant group and its allies after the country has operated for five months without a functioning government. The move caps Hezbollah’s steady rise over decades from resistance group against Israel to Lebanon’s most powerful military and political force…

“The group’s most ardent supporters are Iran and Syria, which dominated Lebanon for 29 years… The new government opens the door for renewed Syrian influence in Lebanon at a time the Syrian leadership is struggling at home. It’s a remarkable turnaround from 2005, when fallout from the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri led to massive anti-Syrian protests in Lebanon. The protests, dubbed the ‘Cedar Revolution,’ drove tens of thousands of Syrian troops out of Lebanon and ended decades of Syrian domination over its smaller neighbor.

“The ascendancy of Hezbollah is a setback for the United States, which has provided Lebanon with $720 million in military aid since 2006 and has tried in vain to move the country firmly into a Western sphere and end Iranian and Syrian influence. It also underscores Iran’s growing influence in the region at a time when Washington’s is falling…

“The Cabinet still must be formally presented to Parliament for a vote of confidence. The makeup of the new government is seen as almost entirely pro-Syrian. President Bashar Assad of Syria, facing a growing uprising against his rule at home, called twice to congratulate Lebanese leaders on the new government’s formation…

“According to Lebanon’s power-sharing system, the president must be a Maronite Christian, the prime minister a Sunni Muslim and the parliament speaker a Shiite Muslim. Each faith makes up about a third of Lebanon’s population of 4 million… Once seen solely as Iran’s militant arm in Lebanon, Hezbollah has reinvented itself as a more conventional political movement… but fighting Israel remains the group’s priority.”

Turkey Today…

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 9:

“Erdogan has achieved a lot… He has built up Turkey, traditionally a country of coups and crises, into a regional power. He is taken seriously as an important player in London and Washington, just as he is in Riyadh and Beijing. And even Israel — with whom he has picked fights, much to the delight of Arabs — follows his every step with great attention. Erdogan has provided the Turks, even those who can’t stand him, with a self-confidence they lacked before.

“The Ottoman Empire was once known as the ‘Sick Man on the Bosporus,’ but today’s Turkey looks very healthy indeed. After eight years of Erdogan, it is much richer and more modern than the poor country that applied to join what was then known as the European Community more than 20 years ago. Its economy is growing three times as fast as those of other European countries…

“It is time for Europe to rethink how it actually wants to treat this powerful and difficult neighbor… Gone are the days when the only people flocking to the Bosporus were tea pickers from the Black Sea and refugees from the troubled Kurdish regions. Europeans and Americans have also discovered ‘Istancool,’ the most modern city in the Islamic world, a city that never sleeps. Among the new arrivals are people whose parents and grandparents once emigrated to faraway Germany in search of a better life. Germans of Turkish descent, derided in Turkey as ‘Almancilar’ (literally ‘Germanyers’), are discovering that the city is much more dynamic than anything they could find in Germany…

“The number of Turkish-Germans returning to the country of their forefathers has long outnumbered the number of Turks heading to Germany…

“Ankara has good relations with almost all of its neighbors today. In recent years, Turkish diplomats participated in negotiations in the Azerbaijani capital Baku over the construction of the Nabucco pipeline, which is supposed to transport natural gas to Europe, in Tehran over the Iranian nuclear program, and in Tripoli with the tottering Gadhafi regime. Turkish businesspeople are building airports in northern Iraq, high-rises in Mecca and seawater desalination plants in Libya.This new foreign and economic policy has been dubbed ‘Neo-Ottomanism,’ another term that triggers anxiety in the West. Are the Turks trying to rebuild the empire that controlled the Middle East for 400 years?… Such fears are exaggerated. At most, what will materialize is nothing more than a loose commonwealth of former Ottoman provinces… It seems unlikely that the Turks could turn away from the West…

“‘This man [Erdogan] is dangerous,’ says Celal Sengör, 56, a renowned seismologist… ‘ Europe shouldn’t be naïve,’ he says. ‘Turkey simply isn’t ready to be a true democracy.’… The brutality with which women are treated is as old as Turkey itself, and the previous regimes failed just as miserably when it came to protecting the victims. But between 2002 and 2009, the number of violent acts and so-called honor killings rose from 66 to 953. A woman dies every day, say human rights activists… suspicions of secular Turks and skeptical Europeans [are being confirmed] that a broad segment of Turkish society espouses a view of the world and of women that is incompatible with that of the West. This casts a dark shadow over Turkey as an EU candidate.

“… It’s more likely that the Europeans and the Turks will continue to spend years talking at cross-purposes, but without expressing the two truths that everyone knows by now: that Europe doesn’t want Turkey — and that soon Turkey will no longer need Europe.”

Turkey—biblical Edom—will still play an important role in the future, as prophesied in Scripture. But we do not anticipate that Turkey—which is predominantly Moslem–will ever become a full member state of a united Europe—and most certainly not of the final ten nations or groups of nations (of core Europe) which will ultimately rule “Christian” Europe for a short time. However, we do find that “friendly” relationships and cooperation between Turkey and Europe and antagonism against Israel will continue.

Erdogan Reelected

Deutsche Welle reported on June 13:

“Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) has won just under 50 percent of the votes in the AKP’s largest electoral victory since it came to power in 2002… The AKP is projected to win 325 of the 550 seats in the Turkish parliament, with Erdogan headed for his third consecutive term as prime minister… European Council President Herman Van Rompuy and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso offered their congratulations to Erdogan in a joint statement, and said the election results opened the way to ‘further [strengthen] Turkey’s democratic institutions, as well as to the continued modernization of the country, in line with European values and standards.’…

“AKP members had hoped to win at least 330 seats in parliament, which would have allowed it to call a unilateral referendum on constitutional change, effectively shutting the political opposition out of the process. It appears now that the AKP will have to find support from other parties to rewrite the constitution, replacing a charter drafted after a 1980 coup that has been criticized for limiting individual rights…

“Although Erdogan has not publicly said what constitutional reform would look like, speculation is rampant that he wants to change Turkey to a presidential system with himself at the helm… The AKP first came to power through a decisive electoral victory in 2002, which raised concern among Turkey’s powerful and politically influential military that the Islam-influenced party would undermine the country’s secular ideology.”

Berlusconi Suffers Crushing Defeat…

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 13:

“Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has suffered a humiliating defeat in opposition-backed referendums to block nuclear power and abolish a law intended to give him legal immunity. Despite urging the public to boycott four referendums, huge numbers of Italians turned out to deliver a humiliating electoral defeat to Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in a two-day vote. The proposals to repeal Berlusconi-era legislation on nuclear power, water privatization and trial immunity for government ministers were put forward by the opposition parties, and backed by more than 90 percent of the votes counted… turnout was 57 percent, reaching quorum for the first time since 1995…

“The public decided to uphold the ban on nuclear power, despite Berlusconi’s government wanting to re-introduce it in order to cut energy bills. Currently Italy highly depends on oil and gas imports and Berlusconi said nuclear power was indispensible for the future of the country… The referendum results come as the 74-year-old premier faces a sex scandal, three fraud trials and recently suffered crushing losses in May’s local elections.”

Italy’s governmental history has been one of constant scandals and upheavals, and leaders have come to political power in that country who would not have been elected in many other European nations. The present situation and scandal involving Silvio Berlusconi is no exception, and it will remain to be seen what the outcome for the Italian nation will be. However, that Italy will be one of the leading powers within a United States of (core) Europe is without any doubt.

Denmark Against Europe?

The Local reported on June 10:

“The Danish parliament is set… to approve the plan which would introduce customs checks on the country’s land borders, a move which Germans and some in the European Union [say] is an affront to freedom of movement in Europe… Germany has argued that it would be a violation of the Schengen travel-free area, which allows movement without passport checks between member states. This week Danish justice minister Lars Barfoed called criticism of the plan, ‘terrible nonsense,’ after German Foreign Ministry official Warner Hoyer fretted about countries ‘playing with the fire of nationalism.’ The German ambassador to Denmark also joined in the fray, strongly criticizing the Danes and earning a strong rebuke from right-wing politicians…”

Historically, the relationship between Denmark and Germany has been a rocky one, and even wars were fought between these two countries over border and cultural/economic disagreements. Denmark is descended from ancient Dan, and it is very likely that it will not be part of a United Sates of core Europe, as it has already refused to accept the euro and become part of the Eurozone, and is now in the process of questioning and even fighting the institution of the Schengen agreement.

The Greek Situation

The Associated Press reported on June 16:

“Talks to form a Greek coalition government with rival Conservatives collapsed Wednesday, and the country’s political crisis deepened Thursday as [Prime Minister George] Papandreou saw two of his Socialist lawmakers resign. The party feud was the latest crisis to heighten worldwide concern that a Greek financial collapse could trigger panic elsewhere in the 17-nation eurozone — a fear that saw borrowing costs in vulnerable EU countries surge and stock markets come under pressure… Papandreou is trying to push through a five-year austerity program worth euro 28 billion ($39.5 billion) that has been demanded by international creditors. The new spending cuts and taxes have spurred violent street protests as well as the party rebellion.

“In Brussels, top EU finance official Olli Rehn said eurozone ministers would likely agree Sunday to give Greece the next euro 12 billion ($17 billion) installment of loans from the euro 110 billion ($155 billion) bailout package. ‘It means that the funding of the Greek sovereign debt can now be ensured until September,’ Rehn said… ‘The next days will be critical for the financial stability and economic recovery in Greece and Europe,’ Rehn warned. ‘I trust all leaders in Greece and Europe realize their responsibility and will act accordingly’… The Greek prime minister spoke by phone earlier in the day with German Chancellor Angela Merkel to discuss negotiations over the second bailout for Greece.”

Die Welt wrote on June 16:

“The protests in Athens are sending a disastrous signal to the rest of Europe. They give the impression that many Greeks are still denying reality… The deal with Greece is unpopular across Europe, particularly in Germany… But they are also unpopular in Eastern Europe…”

The financial daily Handelsblatt wrote on June 16:

“The pressure in the euro cooker is climbing, as is the threat of an explosion. The Greek people are taking to the barricades because the country’s elite are failing shamefully. Many rich Greeks are still not paying any taxes and have taken their fortunes abroad… Nobody knows what the future holds for Greece. The conservative opposition has refused to support the austerity package negotiated with the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. Such an irresponsible denial of reality not only damages the conservatives in their own country, but it also harms the common currency union and the European Union. One wonders if a party which behaves in such an anti-European manner should still be welcome in the family of European conservative parties.”

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung wrote on June 16:

“The systematic corrections taking place in Greece, under the leadership of the Papandreou government, are understandably unpopular. Many Greeks, however, understand that the country must change… It is mostly the opponents to modernization policies which have been audible and visible. Their actions have found a disproportionate echo in the media. In reality, the vehemence of the strikes has ebbed — and it wasn’t even all that impressive to begin with…”

No Right of Free Speech and Free Exercise of Religion in Germany?

The Local wrote on June 16:

“A German court has told anti-abortion campaigners they must not speak to women near a pregnancy advice centre in Freiburg… People from the association ‘Life Centre – Helpers for God’s Precious Children in Germany,’ have been approaching women entering the Pro Familia advice centre, showing them photos of aborted foetuses, calling out, ‘Please mummy, let your child live,’ and praying with rosaries hung with model foetuses. These ‘pavement advisors’ were upsetting the visitors to the Freiburg Pro Familia advice centre so much that manager there, Friedrich Traub made an official complaint to the city authorities… One woman was… offered €200 a month in maintenance to keep her baby…

“Traub approached the city authorities for a ban of the campaigners from the street on which his office is located. This they duly did, imposing a €250 fine on anyone who approached unbidden to talk about a ‘pregnancy conflict situation’ or to show them brochures, pictures or objects on that theme. An appeal against this decision was rejected on Thursday, with the Administrative Court of Baden-Württemberg upholding the ban.”

These are indeed the beginning signs of very dangerous developments in Germany, when unpopular religious views are suppressed by the state. Especially Germany should remember the terrible tragedies inflicted by governmental dictatorship on the German nation…

Guttenberg Leaves Germany

Der Spiegel Online wrote on June 10:

“Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg has reason to be cautious. State prosecutors are still investigating more than 100 claims connected to allegations that he plagiarized large chunks of his doctoral dissertation. Once Germany’s most popular and promising politician, the scandal forced the member of… Bavaria’s conservative Christian Social Union to step down from his post as defense minister on March 1. His alma mater, the University of Bayreuth, later stripped him of his doctoral title, after a damning review of his work found that he had deliberately used text from various sources, including the academic service of the Bundestag where he was an MP at the time, without attributing it.

“… this summer the Guttenbergs plan to make a big change, moving abroad with their two young children. Guttenberg has called the plan to leave Germany for at least two years a ‘sabbatical’ in conversations with and emails to friends. He has also reportedly refused to rule out a return to politics at a later date…

“The family will likely move to the US or London in time for their daughters to begin the next school year in the fall. But the former minister’s many contacts in Washington make the US a more likely destination. He is known there as an advocate of US-German relations after taking part in a number of trans-Atlantic exchanges and holding high-profile talks at think tanks.

“Moving to America in times of difficulty has become an informal tradition for German politicians. Current co-chair of the environmentalist Greens, Cem Özdemir, took a job at a Washington think tank after his personal use of frequent flyer miles earned on the job scandalized German newspapers. He later made a successful comeback. Guttenberg, who resigned after just 16 months as defence minister, could be attempting a similar approach. Before the plagiarism scandal many expected the suave aristocrat to make it all the way to the chancellery.”

For now, Guttenberg’s bright and shining star seems to be all but erased. But as the article suggests, a sabbatical might result in his successful political comeback. His plagiarism has not diminished his popularity among many Germans; if anything, it has even helped to increase his popularity.

Even though Ethiopia is not mentioned as often in the current news as countries such as Egypt, Libya, Syria or Iran, the Bible has much to say about the past and future of Ethiopia. As we pointed out in a recent Q&A on Egypt, Ethiopia was at one time the influential “king of the South,” as mentioned in the book of Daniel, and the Bible shows that Ethiopia will still play an important role in future world affairs. This is not that surprising when considering even the present role and status of Ethiopia, which should not be underestimated. As the Wikipedia encyclopedia tells us:

“[Ethiopia] is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 85.2 million people… When Africa was divided up by European powers at the Berlin Conference, Ethiopia was one of only two countries that retained its independence. It was one of only four African members of the League of Nations. After a brief period of Italian occupation, Ethiopia became a charter member of the United Nations. When other African nations received their independence following World War II, many of them adopted the colors of Ethiopia’s flag, and Addis Ababa [Ethiopia’s capitol] became the location of several international organizations focused on Africa… Ethiopia is one of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), G-77 and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).

“Today, Addis Ababa is still the headquarter[s] of the African Union, the Nile Basin Commission, the Pan African Chamber of Commerce (PACCI) and UNECA. The country has one of the most powerful militaries in Africa and Addis Ababa is the headquarter of the continental African Standby Force (ASF)… Currently, Ethiopia is the top coffee and honey-producing country in Africa, and home to the largest livestock population in Africa. Ethiopia has close historical ties to all three of the world’s major Abrahamic religions. It was one of the first Christian countries in the world, having officially adopted Christianity as the state religion in the 4th century. It has a Christian majority and a third of the population is Muslim…

“Ethiopia, which has Africa’s second biggest hydropower potential, is the source of over 85% of the total Nile water flow and contains rich soils… today Ethiopia has the biggest economy in East Africa… as the Ethiopian economy is also one of the fastest growing in the world. It is a regional powerhouse in the Horn and east Africa…”

Many commentaries recognize that Ethiopia, formerly known as Abyssinia, descended from “Cush” of the Bible (compare Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible, under “Ethiopia.”). The word “Cush” means “black.”

(Please note, however, that descendants of Cush can also be found today in other parts of the world. For more information, please see our Q&A on Ezekiel 38 and 39. In this Q&A, we are strictly addressing the history and prophecy, relating to Ethiopia.)

Cush was a son of Ham, one of the three sons of Noah (Genesis 10:6). Cush was also the father of Nimrod (Genesis 10:8-12).

Cush is also identified, in Genesis 10:7, as the grandfather of Sheba (Sheba’s father was Raamah). From this it follows that the famous queen of the South, or the Queen of Sheba, who visited King Solomon to test his intelligence and wisdom, was actually the Queen of Ethiopia (compare 1 Kings 10:1-13; 2 Chronicles 9:1-12; Matthew 12:42; Luke 11:31). The Queen of Sheba is known in worldly records as Queen Makeda, Empress of Axum. According to legend and tradition, the royal house of Ethiopia under, then, King or Emperor Haile Selassi (1892-1975), claimed to be descendants of a “union” between King Solomon and the Queen of the South. It is also well known that one of the royal titles of Haile Selassi was the “king of Judah.” Not that well known might be that three royal sons or princes and three royal daughters or princesses of the late emperor are still alive today.

Historically, we read that Moses, apparently prior to his conversion, had married an Ethiopian woman (Numbers 12:1). Later, during the reign of King Solomon’s son, the king of Egypt attacked Judah with the help of Ethiopia, because Judah had greatly sinned against God (2 Chronicles 12:1-3). Subsequently, Zerah the Ethiopian and his great army attacked Judah under King Asa (who was then a righteous king), but at that time, God helped Judah (2 Chronicles 14:8-13; 16:8). Later, Isaiah was given a prophecy proclaiming the defeat of Egypt and Ethiopia through King Sargon of Assyria (Isaiah 20:1-6).

At the time when Jeremiah was imprisoned and thrown into a dungeon, because he proclaimed the unpopular message of an impending defeat of Jerusalem through the Babylonians, Ebed-Melech, an Ethiopian eunuch, came to Jeremiah’s rescue and was rewarded accordingly by God (Jeremiah 38:6-13; 39:15-18). Later, the famous Persian king Xerxes I (referred to in the book of Esther as king Ahusuerus), who married Esther, reigned over Ethiopia (Esther 1:1; 8:9). And in New Testament times, we hear that “a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasury…, had come to Jerusalem to worship” (Acts 8:27). God sent the evangelist Philip to that influential man to baptize him, and he returned to his country “rejoicing” (compare Acts 8:39).

We read in Nahum 3:9 that Ethiopia, as well as Egypt and Put (Libya), will be modern Nineveh’s helpers (that is, the modern Babylonian system under Assyrian or German leadership), prior to the destruction of modern Nineveh. They will help modern Nineveh to fight against Israel and Judah. Even during the time of the “day of the LORD” (a time beginning about one year prior to Christ’s return), the Ethiopians are still described as “mighty men” of war (compare Jeremiah 46:9-10).

But we also read that this particular alliance will change—as alliances change often and quickly in wars—and that the modern king of Babylon will attack and conquer Egypt and Ethiopia (Ezekiel 30:1-9; 29:10; compare also Isaiah 18:1-6). Zephaniah 2:12 tells us specifically that “You Ethiopians also, you shall be slain by the sword.” We also read in Daniel 11:42-43 that the modern king of Assyria of the Babylonian system will be ruling over the Ethiopians.

We are specifically told in Isaiah 11:11 that at the time of Christ’s return, the survivors of the modern descendants of the houses of Israel and Judah will find themselves enslaved in countries such as Assyria (Germany), Egypt, Pathros (upper Egypt), Cush (Ethiopia), Elam (Iran), Shinar (part of Babylon, Genesis 10:10), Hamath and the islands of the sea. [Regarding “Hamath,” this word designates descendants of Ham’s son Canaan—a brother of Cush (Genesis 10:18). The word has no connection to Syria or today’s city of Hama which is 200 km north of Damascus. As we pointed out in a recent Q&A, the Syrians are descendants of Noah’s son Shem (Genesis 10:21-23; 22:20-21)—not of Noah’s son Ham or his grandson Canaan.]

We don’t know when and exactly how the survivors of Israel and Judah will become captives in Ethiopia and in some of the other countries mentioned. It could begin to happen when Ethiopia fights with Assyria against Israel, or later, when Assyria fights against Ethiopia and then transfers and settles some of its Israelite captives there.

We also read that some Ethiopians will become a part of an army, led by Russia, to invade the Promised Land. This will happen just after Christ’s return to this earth; compare Ezekiel 38:5. God will supernaturally destroy this hostile army. We also find that in the Millennium, the surviving Ethiopians will turn to God.

For further information on Ethiopia and her allies, please read our Q&A on Libya.

God asks the question in Jeremiah 13:23: “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots?” Even though the answer to this question is, “No,” God will nevertheless see to it that the Ethiopian will change his mind. God is not a respecter of person—he loves Ethiopia as much as Israel (Amos 9:7). And so, when God gives the Ethiopians a new heart and a mind to understand, they will respond. Isaiah 18:7 has this to say about the Ethiopians:

“In that time a present will be brought to the LORD of hosts From a people tall and smooth of skin, And from a people terrible from their beginning onward, A nation powerful and treading down, whose land the rivers divide—To the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, to Mount Zion” (compare Isaiah 2:1-4; see also Isaiah 45:14, saying that the merchandize of Cush—Ethiopia—will become Israel’s property, and that Ethiopians will come “in chains” and worship God and recognize Him as their only true God).

Finally, let us read this encouraging promise from God, relating to the future of Ethiopia, in Psalm 68:31: “Envoys will come out of Egypt; Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God.”

Sadly, much horror, pain and suffering will have to be endured first, before this glorious time can begin.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

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.”

A new StandingWatch program was posted on our Web site and on You Tube, titled, “New Great Depression in 2012?” According to CNN, almost 50 percent of Americans worry that the US is likely to slip into another Great Depression within the next twelve months. The Guardian postulates that America is in an advanced state of cultural decadence and that it can be compared now with Rome prior to its fall. While the US is facing higher annual interest rates on the huge national debt of 14.34 trillion dollars, it provides hundreds of millions of dollars of foreign aid to some of the world’s richest countries, while at the same time borrowing billions back from them. What IS going on in our nation, and WHY?

Our booklet, “Germany in Prophecy,” has reached its final review cycle.

The draft for a new booklet, “Paul’s Letter to the Philippians,” has entered the first review cycle.

Norbert Link’s video-recorded sermon, “The Mystery of Understanding,” has been posted on the Internet.

A new German sermon, dealing with Ethiopia in the Bible, has been posted on the Internet. It is titled, “Aethiopien in der Bibel.”

by Ben Agbayani (Canada)

2008 was the year of a full transitional period for me. My family and I were attending a church organization which simply preached a “gospel” about the person of Christ (as they understood it). One day, I found myself wanting to learn more. I was feeling that I was starving spiritually.

On one occasion during services, my family noticed that when the pastor spoke about something, I would turn to passages in the Bible looking for Scriptures that would confirm what he said, but I found none supporting his preaching. In other words, he spoke empty words.

Finally, after having studied the false teaching of the “rapture,” I asked several members and ministers about this concept, but I was only given disappointing answers. When I asked the leading Church pastor, he answered: “If you were God, would you like your people to suffer during the tribulation period? Of course not.”

My eyes grew big, and I was quite surprised that he evaded the question by trying to pull a trick answer, like a magician would act. I realized that he had no answers, and he recognized that I knew, and from that point in time, I was viewed by the entire congregation as someone who had a different spirit.

I prayed to God to show me His Way and to reveal to us where the true remnants of His church are today. God led me to the doorsteps of the Church of the Eternal God and its StandingWatch programs. In 2009, my wife and I were baptized by Mr. Messier, and we are happy to be Spirit-begotten members of the true Church of God.