On December 11, 2010, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “Rome’s Revivals.”

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.

To write out the number that is the title of this editorial would necessitate a 3 followed by 23 zeros–the newest calculated estimate of the number of stars in the universe! Contrast this unimaginable number to the very few thousand stars one might see if we look up into the night sky.
 
The majesty of this universe is the signature of God–the very proof that He offers of Himself to mankind (compare Romans 1:18-22). In fact, throughout His written Word, God challenges us to understand Him through His creation:
 
“”To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?’ says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing” (Isaiah 40:25-26).
 
Considering the grandeur and the glory of God’s creative power instills us with awe! Even among His angelic realm, God is worshipped as Creator:
 
“‘Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created'” (Revelation 4:11, NASB).
 
God also reveals His purpose in creating not only the vast universe but this earth, as well, when He states:
 
“For thus says the LORD, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: ‘I am the Lord, and there is no other'” (Isaiah 45:18).
 
The earth is the focus of His Work at this time. The earth is where He sent His Son, and it is where He is preparing mankind to enter His Family to live eternally with Him and His Son in the new heavens and the new earth which He will also create (compare Isaiah 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13). Paul wrote, “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God” (Romans 8:19).
 
Jesus taught that God the Father is very concerned, very aware and very involved in what happens on this earth. Note how He explains this:

“‘Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from Your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows'” (Matthew 10:29-31; compare Matthew 6:26).
 
Perhaps it is sometimes easier to acknowledge God’s creation from afar than to make the personal connection as to what that means to you and me–to realize the extent to which this same Creator is involved with each one of us!
 
Jesus taught, “‘ …for with God all things are possible'” (Mark 10:27); and, “‘…If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes'” (Mark 9:23).
 
While we can take the time to step back and drink in the power of God in His Creation, let us also step forward to claim the personal relationship that is ours in our calling as Christians–as brethren of Jesus Christ and as sons and daughters of the Living, Eternal God!

An interesting article in the New York Times describes in vivid terms America’s fascination with its allies—and brings to mind the biblical prophecies, warning the USA and Great Britain against hiring “lovers” and submitting to their ideologies and politics.

As was to be expected, Wikileaks finds itself under attack—especially by those who don’t like the revelations and are anxious to persecute the messenger, rather than focusing on the deeply disturbing and extremely embarrassing messages. To be clear, we do not, of course, endorse the publication of any sensitive documentation which would jeopardize the security of the USA or the lives of American citizens. It is for this very reason that we are deleting in our quotations from news sources any references to names, locations or identities. On the other hand, the hatred against the messengers, rather than against some of the deplorable messages, is telling and revealing in the light of biblical prophecies.

Additional reports discuss the “Christmas traditions” of the “Three Wise Men” and of “Santa Claus” and “Black Peter,” as well as the incredible appeal to the “moon goddess” for inspiration and guidance during UN climate negotiations. We also report about a tragic injury during a German TV show which was broadcast live—showing the degeneration of our societies and bringing to mind the situation in ancient Rome just prior to its fall and destruction.

We conclude with several articles on Europe and the fiscal situation in the USA.

America’s “Lovers”

The New York Times wrote on December 4:

“… going through the WikiLeaks cables has made for some fascinating reading… It is a rather sobering message. America is leaking power…

“Saudi Arabia and its Arab neighbors want the U.S. to decapitate the Iranian regime and destroy its nuclear facilities so they can celebrate in private this triumph over the hated Persians, while publicly joining with their people in the streets in burning Uncle Sam in effigy, after we carry out such an attack on Iran — which will make the Arab people furious at us. The reason the Arab people will be furious at us, even though many of them don’t like the Persians either, is because they dislike their own unelected leaders even more and protesting against the Americans, who help to keep their leaders in power, is a way of sticking it to both of us…

“While the Saudis are urging us to take out Iran’s nuclear capability, we learn from the cables that private Saudi donors today still constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide — not to mention the fundamentalist mosques, charities and schools that spawn the Taliban in Pakistan and Afghanistan. So basically our oil payments are cycled through Saudi Arabia and end up funding the very militants whom our soldiers are fighting…

“Yes, these are our allies — people whose values we do not and never will share… America lacks leverage in the Middle East because we are addicted to oil. We are the addicts and they are the pushers, and addicts never tell the truth to their pushers… We’re… supporting a regime that… uses our money to fund a religious ideology, schools, mosques and books that ensure that Al Qaeda will always have a rich pool of recruits in Saudi Arabia and abroad. We also lack leverage with the Chinese on North Korea, or with regard to the value of China’s currency, because we’re addicted to their credit…

“Fifty years ago, the world was shaped in a certain way, to promote certain values, because America had the leverage to shape it that way. We have been steadily losing that leverage because of our twin addictions to Middle East oil and Chinese credit — and the WikiLeaks show just what crow we have to eat because of that…”

The Bible warned ancient Israel and the modern descendants of the ancient house of Israel–mainly the USA and Great Britain—not to hire “lovers” for themselves– allies with different interests (compare Hosea 2:4-5; 8:8-9). These warnings were ignored then, and they have been ignored today, and the predictable consequences were and are devastating (compare Jeremiah 4:30; 30:12-14; Ezekiel 16:36-42).

WikiLeaks Under Attack

NPR wrote on December 5:

“WikiLeaks’ founder Julian Assange…has been widely praised and criticized. Supporters view him as a savior of the media and free speech; critics vilify him for brazenly unleashing diplomatic secrets… PayPal, a subsidiary of U.S.-based online marketplace operator EBay Inc., said the WikiLeaks website, which specializes in disclosing confidential documents, was engaged in illegal activity…

“[Wikileaks] said it noticed an increasing number of supporters creating ‘mirrors’ of the WikiLeaks site on their own servers, meaning that copies of the site would remain up and running even if WikiLeaks were somehow to lose its own site.

“Starting Friday, the Swiss Web address… became the site’s main access point after… a company based in Manchester, New Hampshire, stopped accepting traffic to the site’s principal address… saying cyberattacks threatened the rest of its network. Amazon stopped hosting WikiLeaks’ Web site and governments and hackers were continuing to go after the organization…”

The release of confidential and secret diplomatic US documents is highly embarrassing for the US government and its allies, and any mutual relationship of trust has been damaged or irreparably destroyed. No wonder, then, that many react with hatred toward the messengers, while trying to ignore the message. As mentioned above in our introductory comments, this is not to imply that we in any way endorse or support the publication of any confidential or secret information—but the fact that these documents are now available to the broad public reveals the ongoing nightmare scenarios which are being created for the USA.

Biblical Dimensions of the WikiLeaks Cables…

Der Spiegel Online wrote on December 6:

“The cables… have shocked, alienated and appalled the world… former Saudi Arabian intelligence chief Prince Turki bin Faisal says that American’s ‘credibility and honesty are the victim of these leaks’ and assumes that from now on people ‘will no longer speak to American diplomats frankly’…

“Those at the right end of the American political spectrum feel threatened by a foreign power once again. Whoever passed on this information is guilty of treason, says former Baptist preacher Mike Huckabee, one of the leading contenders for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012. According to Huckabee, ‘anything less than execution is too kind a penalty.’ His rival Sarah Palin wrote on her Facebook page that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should be hunted down like a terrorist. ‘He is an anti-American operative with blood on his hands. … Why was he not pursued with the same urgency we pursue al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders?’

“One leading politician who hasn’t said much is President Barack Obama, whose handling of the WikiLeaks affair thus far only confirms his political adversaries’ criticisms. Just like with the controversy over an Islamic center in New York and the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Obama is once again being accused of not taking decisive action, showing weakness and putting America’s superpower status at risk…

“Turkey has considered taking legal action because of the leaks. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan… wants to strike back at US diplomats in a big way. ‘Those who have slandered us will be crushed under these claims, will be finished and will disappear,’ Erdogan announced in Istanbul, where he is considering filing a lawsuit against the diplomats. Many Turks suspect that a massive conspiracy by the Jewish lobby is behind the WikiLeaks campaign, a view held even by the deputy chairman of the governing party, the AKP. The goal of the reports, he says, is to weaken the Turkish government…

“Last Thursday, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) criticized what it called a ‘political campaign’ against Assange and Manning. According to the IFJ, the ‘calls by right-wing commentators for Manning to be executed and that Assange be hunted down as a spy … show a mood of intolerance and persecution that is dangerous not just for the two men but for all journalists engaged in investigating public affairs.’

“The US government is now doing its utmost to prevent the spread of the documents. The Social Security Administration was the first government agency to warn its employees, 62,000 in all, not to disseminate the WikiLeaks documents to others, copy them or even read them. Government workers caught in violation of the order could face criminal consequences.

“Manning, who was 22 when he copied the files, has repeatedly been accused of being motivated by a desire for recognition. But Manning himself offered a different explanation before he was taken into custody. He said that he had been told to cover up a lot of things during his time in Iraq, and that this had outraged him. After seeing the now notorious Baghdad helicopter video, he apparently decided to search for more material. When he found the cables, he said, he wanted the world to find out about them.”

There are important revelations which we can glean from the article. First, as mentioned above in the lead article,  worldwide trust in America deteriorated, and America’s allies—or “lovers”—are turning against the USA. Secondly, as was also prophesied in Scripture, Turkey (biblical Edom) is turning against “Israel” (the peoples of the USA and Great Britain are the modern descendants of the ancient house of Israel, and the Jewish people are the modern descendants of the ancient house of Judah).  And thirdly, messengers of highly unpopular messages, who are being perceived as threatening US security or even America’s reputation, will be hated and hunted down.

God has given His Church a very unpopular message to proclaim—the fact that God will punish modern “Israel”—including the USA and Great Britain–for their many sins. The Bible is very clear that modern “Israel” will be defeated in war and end up in slavery and captivity. When Jeremiah proclaimed a message of inevitable doom to the ancient nation of Judah, he was called a traitor and imprisoned, and his life was in great jeopardy. How could it be any different today for God’s true servants? In addition, God’s Church must also proclaim to ALL nations that God will punish all of them for their sins. God’s people will not be liked for the bold and uncompromising proclamation of His message. In fact, Jesus said that His true disciples who are doing His Work will be hated by ALL nations.

“Assange’s ‘Martyr Status’ Further Damages US Reputation”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on December 7:

“WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has been arrested in London and denied bail on charges of rape and sexual molestation. German opinion makers are split on what the arrest really means. One thing they agree on: The reputation of the US continues to suffer…

“The left-leaning Berliner Zeitung writes: ‘The reputation of the United States has been damaged by the WikiLeaks-controlled release of secret documents. That is true… But the United States’ reputation is being damaged much more right now as they attempt — with all of their means — to muzzle WikiLeaks and its head, Julian Assange. By doing so, the US is betraying one of its founding myths: Freedom of information. And they are doing so now, because for the first time since the end of the Cold War, they are threatened with losing worldwide control of information.

“‘The first real information war has begun,’ writes US civil rights activist John-Perry Barlow. ‘The battlefield is WikiLeaks.’ He is right. With the doctrine ‘Free Flow of Information’ the US has dominated the flow of information and most of its content for decades. They said that every person had the right, everywhere, and without limitations, to collect information and to broadcast and disseminate it. That was a tremendous doctrine, as long as only American companies had the power, the means, and the logistical capabilities, to make use of this freedom. That changed somewhat with the Internet, but companies like Apple, Windows, Google, Facebook and Amazon advance US-domination in the supposedly democratic Internet. Julian Assange and WikiLeaks are the first who have used the power of the Internet against the United States. That is why they are being mercilessly pursued. That is why the government is betraying one of the principles of democracy’…

“The Financial Times Deutschland writes: ‘The arrest is as potentially scandalous and it is superfluous. The operation has produced a martyr… The already damaged reputation of the United States will only be further tattered with Assange’s new martyr status…’

“The left-leaning Die Tageszeitung writes: ‘In the so-called ‘war on terror’ the democracies of the US and Europe have not only instigated wars without satisfactory reasons but have also tried to reduce the privacy, civil rights and liberties of their citizens…’

“The Berlin daily Der Tagesspiegel writes: ‘One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter’: this Anglo-Saxon saying still holds true in the Internet age. To the US, Assange is a terrorist; to the Internet community, he is a pioneer of freedom. The favourable view of Assange seems to have more sympathy here in Germany…’”

The “Powerlessness” of the US Superpower

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 8:

“No one knows what really happened on those two August evenings in Sweden, but it’s difficult to see the subsequent and diligent attempts to catch Assange by Swedish prosecutors as anything other than a part of the dogged US pursuit of WikiLeaks. It’s painful for a superpower to have to look on, powerless, as a small group publishes its secrets for the whole world to see. First, there were the revelations on the Afghan war, then the military log books from Iraq, and most recently the slew of diplomatic dispatches.

“But this powerlessness has transformed into anger, and it’s the display of anger – not the WikiLeaks files – that might cause the US to really lose face… The US image abroad is more likely to be damaged when Hillary Clinton blows ‘Cablegate’ out of proportion, calling it ‘an attack on the international community,’ or when Assange is dubbed a traitor, terrorist, or hardened criminal.

“The US really loses face when the online payment service PayPal blocks WikiLeaks’ account, when Mastercard stops transferring donations to the whistle-blowing organization, and when the internet service provider Amazon suddenly stops hosting the website online.

“Bear in mind that freedom of expression was the first amendment ever made to the US Constitution; at least in theory, the US places far greater emphasis on this right than many other democratic countries, including Germany. Already, participants on Internet forums in China are asking just how committed the US really is to freedom of expression, considering its handling of the WikiLeaks case…

“In ancient Greece, the bearer of bad or sensitive tidings was sometimes executed – but we’re in the 21st century, and the world should have moved on. As the world’s superpower, the US is forever under pressure to show its quality – this crusade against Julian Assange is doing precisely the opposite.”

Overreaction by US Government and Legislators?

NPR wrote on December 8:

“The legal and political troubles that WikiLeaks has encountered… may have troubling implications for more traditional media outlets… A bipartisan group of senators introduced legislation last week, the SHIELD Act, which would make it illegal to publish the names of U.S. military and intelligence informants.

“Jeffrey Dvorkin, a former NPR… vice president for news, agrees that the WikiLeaks episode illustrates the blurred ethical boundary lines of the new media age… Dvorkin… shares the concerns of civil libertarians… ‘The big immediate danger for all of us now is an overreaction by legislators or governments — or Internet service providers who are worried about lawsuits,’ Dvorkin says…

“U.S. courts have maintained that news organizations may publish government documents, even if the documents were obtained illegally. The most famous decision in this regard came from the Supreme Court in 1971, when it upheld the right of The New York Times to print the Pentagon Papers, which were volumes of secret documents about the history of U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Electronic publishers have enjoyed the same protections as traditional publishers…”

US Failure in the Middle East

Der Spiegel Online wrote on December 9:

“The Middle East peace process has been left foundering after Washington admitted its efforts to get the Israelis and Palestinians back to the negotiating table have failed… The stand-off over the issue of Jewish settlements has left President Barack Obama’s policy in the region in tatters and the two sides more entrenched in their respective positions than ever… The Palestinians are now left with grave doubts that the US will ever be able to broker a final peace settlement if it cannot even persuade Israel to temporarily freeze settlements. There are indications that they could now push ahead with their Plan B, a unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state…

“The German papers on Thursday take a look at the failed policy and many blame President Obama for allowing the Palestinians to set a settlement freeze as a precondition to talks.

“The conservative Die Welt writes: ‘It was a tactical mistake to present the settlement issue as the main problem in the conflict. From the beginning it was unrealistic to believe that the right-wing coalition in Israel would agree to a moratorium in the long term…’

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘The peace process is at an end. The most powerful man in the world has capitulated to a bunch of settlers on the hills of Judea and Samaria… Instead of being principled, his policy is marked by ridiculous zig-zagging… Obama had his chance in the Middle East and it is hardly likely he will be given another one during the remaining two years of his term…. The Israelis know now that they have nothing to fear from him…. The Palestinians on the other hand have learnt that they cannot trust him…. Now, an escalation can be expected…’

“The Financial Times Deutschland writes: ‘The Middle East strategy was a vision that Obama couldn’t back up with successes. Now the region is going back to square one… The US should never have allowed the Palestinians to make the settlement freeze the condition for starting talks…’

“The left-leaning Die Tageszeitung writes: ‘… It is now likely that the US failure will lead to improved relations between Fatah and Hamas… Consideration for the US may dwindle considerably.’

“The business daily Handelsblatt writes: ‘… The peace process will have to hit the “reset” button once again. But who can, or who ought to take over the role of mediator, if the Americans haven’t succeeded? The EU takes a courageous stand on the side of the Palestinians by condemning settlement construction as illegal and demanding fresh talks. Neither EU Commissioner for External Relations Ashton, nor German Foreign Minister Westerwelle appear to have a “Plan B” up their sleeves. Empty phrases are not enough. The EU must do better than that if it wants to be taken seriously as a mediator…’”

Interesting Traditions About the Magi

USA Today wrote on December 5:

“The story of the Three Wise Men is one of the most familiar and beloved parts of the Christmas story. But for all of their popularity, the mysterious travelers from the East — known as the Magi — appear in only one short passage in the New Testament, following a star to the site of Jesus’ birth and bringing gifts of gold, francincense and myrrh…

“Brent Landau, a professor of religious studies at the University of Oklahoma and an expert in ancient biblical languages, found references to a text about the wise men in writings from the Middle Ages and learned that a collector in the 18th century had discovered in a Turkish monastery a manuscript called ‘the Revelation of the Magi’ with a narrative about the wise men…

“Landau spent seven years translating and analyzing the text, written in Syriac, a language used by early Christians throughout the Middle East and Asia…Landau’s book, ‘Revelation of the Magi: The Lost Tale of the Wise Men’s Journey to Bethlehem’ describes the Magi as [having] descended from Seth, the pious and virtuous third son of Adam and Eve. From Seth they inherited a prophecy of ‘a star of indescribable brightness’ someday appearing and ‘heralding the birth of God in human form.’ This same star had initially hovered over the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden.

“Among the book’s other revelations:

“The Magi are described as coming from a land called Shir, ‘located in the extreme east of the world, at the shore of the Great Ocean’…In Syriac, the word Magi means ‘to pray in silence.’ Landau says it has no relationship to magicians or astrologers, sometimes cited in stories today. The text names 12 Magi, not three, while other parts of the text suggest that ‘a group the size of a small army’ traveled to Bethlehem, says Landau…

“Although the text claims to be personal testimony, ‘it seems unlikely that it could have been written by the Magi themselves,’ Landau says. He cites a number of anachronisms, such as references to Christian writings recorded years after Jesus’ death…

“When they first encounter the long-prophesied star, the text says it initially appears in a celestial form that then transforms into a human form… who instructs them to go to Bethlehem…”

We should not give too much credence to apocryphal uninspired texts, as they include many errors. But some statements in the article above are interesting; for instance the concept that twelve (!) Magi visited Jerusalem and Bethlehem (perhaps representing the twelve tribes of Israel); that they were not astrologers; and that the star was in fact an angel. These are concepts which have been considered for a long time (compare our free booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas.”) The additional statement that the star “had hovered over the Tree of Life” is remarkable in light of the fact that a cherub (an angelic being) guarded the Tree of Life after Adam and Eve were driven out of Eden.

The Netherland’s Santa Claus and Black Peters

Deutsche Welle reported on December 5:

“For the Dutch, Sinterklaasavond (St. Nicholas Eve) on December 5 is the biggest celebration of the year – bigger than Christmas… Sinterklaas’ helpers, the Zwarte Pieten or ‚Black Peters,’ are portrayed according to degrading racial stereotypes. They’re typically dressed in 19th-century Moorish outfits, curly Afro wigs, and painted red lips. It is common for both adults and children to dress up as Zwarte Piet, complete with their faces painted black

“… nowadays the Zwarte Pieten are friendly characters that are clever and mischievous, and adored by children. Yet in the original Sinterklaas story, the Zwarte Pieten were slaves. Gradually, the tale evolved and they became Sinterklaas’ helpers, but they were portrayed as being stupid and spoke broken Dutch with a Surinamese accent. They were also frightening figures: It was their job to punish misbehaved children by beating them…

“It’s not uncommon for St. Nicholas figures to have a devilish companion – such a figure exists in both Austrian and Swiss traditions – but the Netherlands is the only place where he is imagined as a black man.“

Devilish companions of Santa Claus are actually very common. In German tradition, the companion of the German “Nikolaus“ is called “Knecht Ruprecht.“ Of course, the entire stories of “Santa Claus“ or “St. Nicholas“ are not Christian, but of pagan origin. Please read our free booklets, “Don’t Keep Christmas” and “Is That in the Bible?—The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation.”

UN Prays to the Moon Goddess

The Washington Post wrote on November 29:

“With United Nations climate negotiators facing an uphill battle to advance their goal of reducing emissions linked to global warming, it’s no surprise that the woman steering the talks appealed to a Mayan goddess Monday.

“Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, invoked the ancient jaguar goddess Ixchel in her opening statement to delegates gathered in Cancun, Mexico, noting that Ixchel was not only goddess of the moon, but also ‘the goddess of reason, creativity and weaving. May she inspire you — because today, you are gathered in Cancun to weave together the elements of a solid response to climate change, using both reason and creativity as your tools.’

“Delegates from 193 countries are gathered in Cancun for the two-week meeting, which kicked off today at 10:20 a.m. local time, or 11:20 a.m. Eastern… Two weeks from now, we’ll have a sense of whether Ixchel — and the delegates — were listening to Figueres’s appeal.”

This is really shocking, but it shows where this world is heading. We wonder how many “Christian” delegates bowed their heads to the moon goddess and participated in this pagan ritual–and how many appealed to the one and only true God of the Bible for inspiration and guidance.

The next article also shows to what extent our liberal societies have turned away from the true God.

British Prisoners Allowed to Practice Pagan Festivals

Mail On Line reported on December 6:

“Hundreds of criminals are to be given four days a year off prison work – to celebrate pagan festivals. Prison governors have been issued with a list of eight annual pagan holidays and told pagan inmates can choose four to celebrate.

“The festivals include Imbolc – The Festival of the Lactating Sheep – which falls on February 1 and is dedicated to the goddess Brighid. Another is the festival of Beltane, which falls in early May… devotees are urged to celebrate the Sun God with ‘unabashed sexuality and promiscuity’. The Yule festival involves pagans ‘casting spells’ and dressing up as ghosts.”

“Bread and Games”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on December 6:

“On the weekend, German television audiences watching one of the country’s most popular shows were shocked when they saw a live stunt go horribly wrong… Viewers watching the popular German television show, ‘Wetten, Dass..?’ (‘Want to Bet?’) are used to seeing members of the public doing crazy things. The prime time show, which regularly attracts 10 million viewers to ZDF, the public television channel that screens it, is based upon ordinary people doing strange feats…

“But on Saturday evening, the television audience got far more than they had bargained for. They were shocked to see Samuel Koch, a 23-year-old drama student and part-time stuntman… fall heavily after an attempt to leap lengthways over a moving car wearing spring-loaded stilts. His own father was driving the vehicle.

“While the cameras rolled, Koch ended up face down and unconscious on the ground. He was then taken to a hospital in Düsseldorf where he was put into an artificial coma after doctors operated on him for two-and-a-half hours. He has serious spinal injuries and until he is re-awakened, doctors say, there is no way of telling the extent of Koch’s injuries.

“The show itself was halted for the first time in its 29-year history… German commentators praised the show’s makers for halting the broadcast and contemplated whether the program had a future. Commentators also lamented the fact that the battle for prime-time ratings on the weekend may have been partially responsible for the tragic accident.

“The conservative Die Welt writes: ‘…Thomas Gottschalk… must be asking himself how things went this far — and not least because the candidate fell badly twice during rehearsals. TV stations, like editors, may have lost their sense of perspective in the fight for the ratings crown… The constitutional obligation of the public broadcaster, funded by public money, has been deformed beyond recognition by ratings pressure. Thanks to their dual incomes through broadcasting fees and advertising, ARD and ZDF have outrageous advantages in the fight for market share…’

“The Financial Times Deutschland writes: ‘… Is Samuel Koch the first victim in the fight for ratings, injured by “friendly fire”? Higher, faster, further? Ever more spectacular, ever more dangerous?…’”

This horrible story reminds us of the atmosphere in ancient Rome, just prior to its fall. The people were basically interested in receiving two things from their government—to have bread on the table and to be able watch horrific dangerous “games.” Man has not changed, and we are seeing a repeat of such desires. We should not be surprised that God will very soon make an end with our way of living.

Austria’s Strache a Friend of Israel?

The Austrian Independent reported on December 7:

“Officials in Austria are at odds over Freedom Party (FPÖ) leader Heinz-Christian Strache’s decision to travel to Israel. The right-winger visited Israeli settlements in the West Bank, a territory Palestinians are also claiming. Speaking about the ongoing conflict about the area and the throwbacks the peace talks have suffered, Strache said in the West Bank area today (Tues): ‘One who comes to this place can understand the real problems. Our hearts are with you, Israel!’…

“Fritz Edlinger, the general secretary of the Society for Austrian-Arabian Relations (GÖAB), said it was ‘incredible’ Strache decided to travel to Israel. Edlinger explained he was ‘surprised’ the head of a party which was ‘still the political home for old and new anti-Semites in Austria’ would find dialogue partners in Israel…

“Strache was elected federal leader of the FPÖ after its former spearhead Jörg Haider walked out to form the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) five years ago. Polls have shown that most right-wing Austrians consider Strache as the political heir of Haider who died in a car crash in 2008… Israel withdrew its ambassador from Vienna in a reaction to the coalition agreement between the conservative People’s Party (ÖVP) and the FPÖ in 2000 before sending a diplomat to become ambassador in the Austrian capital three years later.

“Haider caused outcry in Israel and Western Europe by meeting with late Iraqi President Saddam Hussein several times in 2002… The FPÖ’s election campaigns have been branded as ‘xenophobic’ since Haider became federal leader in a party summit revolt in 1986. Hundreds of thousands of Austrians took to the streets to protest against the FPÖ’s ‘Austrians must come first!’ referendum in 1993. Strache has revealed plans to initiate a similar referendum next year, citing growing fears of ‘growing “Islamisation”’ in Western Europe. He also voted to press on with a referendum against possible new mosques in Vienna where one in 10 residents are Muslims… a majority of 52 per cent of Austrians opposed the idea of more mosques with minarets.”

A Hard Core of EU Member States

On December 7, the EUObserver published a thought-provoking interview with former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt. We are bringing you the following excerpts:

“Europe lacks leaders, former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt has said in an exclusive interview with the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum. Set to mark his 92nd birthday later this month, Mr Schmidt… predicts a hard core of EU member states defined by common foreign policy perspectives…

“Helmut Schmidt: … I would say that, in general, Europe lacks leaders. It lacks people in high positions in the national states or in the European institutions with sufficient overview of domestic and international questions and sufficient power of judgment… Additionally, the present German government is composed of people who are learning their business on the job. They have no previous experience in world political affairs or in world economic affairs… The mistake was made around the time of Maastricht, in 1991-92. At this time we were 12 member countries in Europe. They not only invited everybody to become a member of [the] European Union but they also invented the euro and invited everybody to become a member of the euro area. And this was done without changing the rules or clarifying the rules beforehand… What we are suffering now is the consequence of that failure… So far the idea of a common currency still has my full backing, even if the European leaders did fail to set the rules and made the enormous mistake to take in anybody.

“Over the next 20 years, I think it is rather likely, at least 51 percent likely, that a hard core of the Union will emerge. And it would comprise the French, the Germans, the Dutch – I’m not so sure about the Italians. I’m rather sure [that] the British would not be part of it, the same may come true of the Poles. It would not be a hard core in written paragraphs of paper but it would be a hard core de facto and [not] de jure… Probably Austria [would be part of it], conceivably Denmark and Sweden. The Danes are very cautious – they would still look to London… Not necessarily would this [the hard core] pertain to the field of currencies but it would probably pertain to the field of world policies whether vis-a-vis China, Iran, Afghanistan or a new coalition of Muslim states, which is one of the great dangers of the 21st century, that you get a coalition of Muslim states. If there was a president in Washington and he wanted to drop the atomic bomb on Tehran, the Europeans would be strong enough to say: ‘We are not part of it.’ Right now, no one is strong enough in Europe to be in that position…

“It’s difficult to say [whether France would be part of the core nations].  I said the probability would be 51 percent – that makes 49 percent left…  It depends very much on the behaviour of the Germans… The Germans indeed sometimes behave like the strongest nation, they tend to give lessons to everybody. In fact they are more vulnerable than they think… I used to believe in British common sense and state rationale… I was brought up in a very Anglophile way. I was a great supporter of Edward Heath who brought Britain into the European community. But then we had Harold Wilson and Margaret Thatcher, who didn’t always behave so sensibly. And then we had Tony Blair who brought himself into a position of far too great a dependence on America. You can’t have this dependence on America and at the same time play a responsible role in Europe…”

“Fiscal Situation in the United States Much Worse than in Europe”

Reuters reported on December 8:

“The U.S. dollar will be a safe investment for the next six to 12 months because global markets are focused on the euro zone’ s troubles but America’s fiscal health is worse than Europe’s, an adviser to the Chinese central bank said on Wednesday.

“Li Daokui, an academic member of the central bank’s monetary policy committee, said that U.S. bond prices and the dollar would fall when the European economic situation stabilized. ‘For now, market attention is still on Europe and for the coming 6-12 months, it will not shift to the United States,’ Li said…

“’But we should be clear in our minds that the fiscal situation in the United States is much worse than in Europe. In one or two years, when the European debt situation stabilizes, attention of financial markets will definitely shift to the United States. At that time, U.S. Treasury bonds and the dollar will experience considerable declines.’”

Mail On Line reported on December 8:

“As unemployment in the U.S. nears the dreaded 10 per cent mark, it is a chart to chill the bones of any job hunter. Comparing previous recoveries from all 10 American recessions since 1948 to the current financial crisis, the stark figures show almost no improvement in employment. Some commentators have described the comparison as ‘the scariest jobs chart ever’…”

To best answer this, we want to look first at a more general time frame, by reviewing both Old and New Testament Scriptures. In Galatians 3:16-17, we read, “Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He does not say, ‘And to SEEDS,’ as of many, but as of one, ‘AND TO YOUR SEED,’ who is Christ. And this I say, that the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God in Christ, that it should make the promise of no effect.”

Many believe that this should be reckoned from the first time that God expressed His intentions to Abram when he was 75 years old (compare Genesis 12:1-4). But there are two important points that we can glean from Paul in the Scripture above that will show that this may not be the case.

Firstly, he uses the name “Abraham” and not “Abram.” Abram was his name at the time God first talked to him in Genesis 12 as well as through the next 24 years of his life. This means that the first two covenants that God made with this man were during the time he was called Abram. In Genesis 15:18 we find the first covenant or agreement, and the second one is mentioned at the beginning of Genesis 17. Interestingly enough, in the first four verses of this chapter God makes the covenant with Abram and then in the very next verse He changes Abram’s name to Abraham (verse 5). Technically then, Galatians 3 is not citing one of the first two agreements with Abram, but rather referencing one of the subsequent covenants with Abraham.

(For further information on the covenants which God made with Abram or Abraham, please read our free booklet, “And Lawlessness Will Abound…”).

Secondly, the context of Galatians 3:16-17 was the covenant confirmed in “THE SEED”—Jesus Christ. This would therefore rule out the covenants God made with Abraham in Genesis 17, which included merely physical blessings for the SEEDS or descendants of Abraham, as well as the covenant of circumcision (Genesis 17:10; Acts 7:8). This is in no way related to what Paul was talking about. However, when we come to the final covenant in Genesis 22:18, we find something that was not previously promised, THE Seed. The verse reads, “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”

Acts 3:25-26 refers to this statement specifically as a covenant: “You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.” It also clarifies that the Seed that would truly do all the blessing would be Christ.

This brings us back to Galatians 3:16-17 where Paul has reiterated the fact that the Seed is Christ. Therefore, when he writes “the covenant that was confirmed before by God IN CHRIST,” it seems obvious that it can only refer to the FINAL Abrahamic covenant of Genesis 22. This then gives us a starting point for the 430 years.

The 430 years in Galatians 3 are an allusion to Exodus 12:40-41 which states, “Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years—on that very same day—it came to pass that all the armies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.”

The problem that some often have with this passage is that they assume this is stating that the Israelites were in Egypt for 430 years. What it is actually saying is that the Israelites, the off-spring of Abraham, who had lived in Egypt, sojourned 430 years; they temporarily dwelt in several areas, and only one of them was Egypt.

According to the Jamieson, Fausset and Brown commentary, the Septuagint renders it thus: “The sojourning of the children and of their fathers, which they sojourned in the land of Canaan and in the land of Egypt.” This naturally makes it clearer that the 430 years include time leading up to the beginning of the residency of the Israelites in Egypt. This can be further substantiated by the fact that the time between the commencement of the covenant until Jacob (who became Israel) and his family moved into Egypt was spent in many different places in the land of Canaan:

Immediately after the final covenant of Genesis 22, Abraham returned to Beersheba (Genesis 22:19); 37 years after the birth of Isaac, Sarah died and was buried in the land of Canaan (Genesis 23:1-2); Abraham was buried in Machpelah (Genesis 25:9) with Sarah (Genesis 49:31), and shortly thereafter Isaac moved to Beer Lahai Roi (Genesis 25:11), which, according to John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible, was near the wilderness of Beersheba and Paran. In fact, we read in Genesis 26:1-6 that Isaac was specifically told not to go down to Egypt, but rather remain in Gerar. After a conflict with the locals, Isaac returned to Beersheba (Genesis 26:23). Years later, Jacob fled from Esau and went to Haran (Genesis 28:13), which was in Syria, the opposite direction of Egypt (Hosea 12:12).

After his time there, Jacob and his family (the Israelites) returned to his homeland of Canaan (Genesis 31:13, 18; 33:18). After the incident with his daughter Dinah, God directed Jacob to Bethel, still in the land of Canaan (Genesis 35:1). After moving around in that immediate area (Genesis 35:16, 21), Jacob later caught up with his father at Mamre or Kirjath Arba, where Sarah had died (Genesis 35:27). We read in Genesis 37:1 that at the time when Joseph was being sold into slavery, Jacob was still in the land of Canaan. This is also the area from where Joseph’s ten brothers came, when a famine affected them, forcing them to seek food in Egypt and eventually move there.

How do we understand Genesis 15:13 which quotes God as saying to Abram: “Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years.”

Most commentaries agree that the time span of 400 years does NOT refer to the sojourning of Israel IN EGYPT.

Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible states:

“Four hundred years are to elapse before the seed of Abram shall actually proceed to take possession of the land. This interval can only commence when the seed is born; that is, at the birth of Isaac [that is, it cannot begin prior to that; but does not have to necessarily begin at that time, see our comments below] … During this interval they are to be, ‘first, strangers in a land not theirs’…; and then for the remaining… years in Egypt: at first, servants, with considerable privilege and position; and at last, afflicted serfs, under a hard and cruel bondage.”

Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible adds:

“…this term ‘four hundred years’ is not to be joined either with the word ‘afflict’ or ‘serve’; for their hard servitude and severe affliction did not last [that] long…; but with the phrase, ‘a stranger in a land not theirs’; and the rest is to be included in a parenthesis thus, and ‘thy seed shall be a stranger in the land not theirs (and shall serve them, and they shall afflict them) four hundred years’; so long they should be strangers and sojourners, as they were partly in the land of Canaan, and partly in the land of Egypt, neither of which were in their own land, however not in possession; within which space of time they would be in a state of subjection and servitude, and be greatly afflicted and oppressed, as they were particularly by the Egyptians before their deliverance from them…”

We have seen, then, that it is very well documented that before the Israelites moved to Egypt, they had sojourned in and around the land of Canaan. The other significant fact in Exodus 12 is that the 430 years ended on the same day that the Exodus began. By examining these preceding two sets of Scriptures in Galatians 3 and Exodus 12, it appears that the 430 years refer to the time span between the execution of the final covenant with Abraham (in Genesis 22) and the moment when the Israelites left the enslavement of Egypt.

In this context, we need to discuss the ages, as they are recorded in the Bible, since they formulate a significant length of time. We know that the age of Jacob, when he and his family entered Egypt, was 130 (Genesis 47:9). Isaac was 60 years old when Jacob was born. How old was Isaac at the time of Genesis 22 when Abraham was about to offer him as a sacrifice and God subsequently made a final covenant with Abraham?

The Bible does not give enough information to pin down Isaac’s exact age with any reasonable accuracy. What we do know is that the event occurred between the time that Isaac was weaned and when his mother died. At that time, Isaac was approximately 37 years old (compare Genesis 21:8; 23:2). However, many scholars do not agree on the age of weaning (stating that it occurred somewhere between the ages of 2 and 5, and even then they are just making an “educated” guess). There are other factors that may or may not come into play in narrowing down Isaac’s age at the time when Abraham was willing to sacrifice him, but we will leave it as a broad spectrum to ensure that we are within the parameters as outlined in the Bible.

In all likelihood Jacob was not exactly to the day 130 years old when he arrived in Egypt, nor is it likely that Jacob and Esau were born to Isaac on his 60th birthday. This fact can be readily confirmed, when reviewing other biblical genealogies, where the month is omitted – much in the same way that adults speak today when telling their age. This being the case and depending on their rules of rounding ages in ancient times, the final number we are looking for could be off by several years, depending on whether we add together the actual or rounded ages.

From this information we can calculate the duration of how long the Israelites dwelt in Egypt. We need to subtract from 430 years (the length of time from the final covenant with Abraham until Israel LEFT Egypt) the length of time from the final covenant until ENTERING Egypt. The formulas (since we are using a range for Isaac’s age of 3 to 37 years) are:

430-(60-3)-130=243

430-(60-37)-130=277

By adding and subtracting up to 3 years to each end of the solution (to compensate for any extra months not included in the ages of Isaac and Jacob), it would appear that the Israelites were in Egypt for somewhere between 240 to 280 years. While men such as Dr. Bullinger, in his Companion Bible, and Bishop Usher’s dating set the time span at 215 years for the children of Israel being in Egypt, other researchers do offer different conclusions; however, most chronologies seem to conclude that both the 400 years of Genesis 15:13 (also, Acts 7:6) and the 430 years of Exodus 12:40 (also, Galatians 3:17) refer to the more general period, encompassing time on both sides of the Israelites’ sojourn in Egypt.

A memorial service for Lois Bargar will be held on January 16, 2011, commencing at 1:00 pm, at the Ramona Women’s Club. For further information, please contact Johanna Link (Johanna.Link@cox.net; 760-788-8033).

The member letter for December was sent out this week. In the letter, Norbert Link addresses the unchristian nature of Christmas and some of the reasons why true Christmas don’t participate in Christmas celebrations, but he also raises the question of how many times we might be engaging in other unchristian conduct, perhaps without realizing it.

A new StandingWatch program was posted on the Web, titled, “Trust in the USA Gone.” The release of secret diplomatic memos by Wikileaks caused incalculable damage for the USA. Notwithstanding some nice lip services from embarrassed politicians, the overall consensus in the European media is that the revelations are “a disaster for America,” “hugely damaging” and “a political meltdown for US foreign policy”; and that they “expose the superpower’s weaknesses” and “create a crisis for German-American relations” with “unpredictable consequences.” One German paper wrote that “America’s reserve of trust is empty” and those documents are “like a weapon of mass destruction on the last traces of trust.” Why is all of this happening? The answer, even though VERY clear, might surprise you.

Our new booklet, “Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians,” has entered the finalization stage.

A new AufPostenStehen program was posted on the Web, titled, “Kein Euro Crash” (“No Euro Crash”) 

A new German sermon was posted on the Web, titled, “Die Welt der Engel, Teil 2” (“The World of Angels, Part 2).”

by Shelly Bruno

Through the years, I’ve had friends and family members who I felt would be great additions to God’s family. A close friend who is extremely zealous for God, a coworker who has admirable Christian dedication, or the family member I simply want to share the truth with. I could reason and justify why they would make good candidates, because they seem to possess godly character. Their positive qualities appear so plain to see—so why doesn’t God see those characteristics?

Pray as I might for others to come to the Truth, the fact is that God calls whom He wants, according to His timeframe. And I’ve realized I must be thankful for this fact. I see only the outward person—which is not as reliable as the way God sees the inward person.

I wonder if other true Christians look at me as a good candidate for God’s family. Am I exhibiting the characteristics they would deem worthy? I need to make sure that I, too, am a good candidate for God’s family, by living up to His expectations for my calling.

I’ll continue praying for those I hope will be called today, but I can also take comfort in the fact that soon, every person will be given an opportunity to have the same precious gift that I have been given—an understanding of God’s truth.

On December 4, 2010, Robb Harris will give the sermon, titled, “Truth.”

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.

Being “fickle” is defined by “thefreedictionary.com” as follows: “… characterized by erratic changeableness or instability, especially with regard to affections or attachments; capricious (of whim or erratic).” Wictionary has another interesting definition: “… quick to change one’s opinion or allegiance; insincere; not loyal or reliable.” The more this word is investigated, the greater the number of definitions. Further synonyms are “faithlessness,” “infidelity” or “unreliability”.
 
That is quite a list of descriptions for just one word, but how revealing it all is. On the CBSNews.com website, it stated the following on November 4th: “The 2010 midterm elections were not just big news for all Americans. The rest of the world took notice too. For some, it was yet another sad step down for President Barack Obama, who took office with near rock star-like popularity internationally.”
 
This was the President who was greeted in victory in near messiah-like proportions not that long ago–someone who was going to really change the USA, and it would all work out well for the nation. Two years later, the nation was “quick to change one’s opinion or allegiance; not loyal or reliable,” as fickleness was defined above. It could be argued, of course, that this sort of “fickleness” was necessary in order to change things, which may not be considered right.
 
On a mundane and much less important level, consider the many sports supporters who are watching their team being soundly and heavily beaten by a much better side. Many may leave the stadium early, not wanting to support their team if they’re losing.  They are fair-weather friends and fickle supporters, rather than appreciating the ability and class of the opposition.
 
Let us consider fickleness when it comes to our faith. We would shudder if we were accused of it and would roundly deny that this was part of our Christian way of life. However, the Bible does include many warnings for us in this regard.
 
Proverbs 24:21 instructs us as follows: “My son, fear the LORD and the king; Do not associate with those given to change.”

Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible explains that in religious things, we are to avoid those who “make innovations in doctrine and practice, always love to hear or say some new thing; turn with every wind, and shift as that does; are tossed about with every wind of doctrine, fickle and inconstant, carried about like meteors in the air, with ‘divers and strange doctrines’…”
 
Ephesians 4:14 tells us that “we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine….” Hebrews 13:9 instructs us along the same lines, and in James 1:6 we read: “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”
 
In addition, the attitude of fickleness is clearly revealed in Hosea 6:4: “O Ephraim (the British people), what shall I do to you?  O Judah (modern Jews), what shall I do to you? For your faithfulness is like a morning cloud, And like the early dew it goes away.” In the book of Hosea, Ephraim is mentioned over 30 times, and their “faithfulness” is described as fickle and fleeting.
 
It could be said that the opposite of “fickle” is “constant,” which is the position that the true Christian must maintain throughout his life. We must never waver, whatever happens! Fickleness is a way in which many in the world may behave, but it must not be an accurate accusation that could ever be levelled at us. It simply must never apply to our calling, as we keep and “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3), and as we trust in the supreme God–at all times!

We begin with an incredible and unprecedented breach of US security through the release of highly classified documents, and the resulting melt-down for the USA around the world is devastating. The reports picture the USA as a weak and irresponsible power, and whatever trust its allies might have had seems to have all but vanished (notwithstanding some political and unbelievable lip services to the contrary ). It should be obvious that the God of the Bible–the God and Father of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ–has turned His back on His people, as His people–from head to foot–have turned their back on Him.
 
A related article pictures the US citizens’ gradual loss of liberties and freedoms, referring to the fact that tax exemption can be denied for organizations which are not in accord with “established public policy principles”–as this vague term is conveniently defined.
 
The Bible prophesied these regrettable and devastating developments thousands of years ago. The warnings have always been there, but especially the USA and Great Britain have been refusing to heed them. We are beginning to reap the consequences. We pray that the reader will meditate on the following articles and recognize the signs of the time. The handwriting is on the wall. It is MUCH later than many would wish to think.
 
We also report on China and Russia–two superpowers which, like the proverbial leopards, do not change their spots–and we discuss at length the future of the EU and the euro. There is much confusion as to what the future holds for continental Europe, but the Bible has reported it in advance thousands of years ago.

USA — a Weak Superpower

Der Spiegel wrote on November 28:

“251,000 State Department documents, many of them secret embassy reports from around the world, show how the US seeks to safeguard its influence around the world. It is nothing short of a political meltdown for US foreign policy…

“Never before in history has a superpower lost control of such vast amounts of such sensitive information… Never before has the trust America’s partners have in the country been as badly shaken…

“In the major crisis regions, an image emerges of a superpower that can no longer truly be certain of its allies — like in Pakistan, where the Americans are consumed by fear that the unstable nuclear power could become precisely the place where terrorists obtain dangerous nuclear material.

“There are similar fears in Yemen, where the US, against its better judgement, allows itself to be instrumentalized by an unscrupulous leader… Even after the fall of Saddam Hussein, it still remained a challenge for the victorious power to assert its will on Iraq. In Baghdad… it is now up to Vice President Joe Biden to make repeated visits to allied Iraqi politicians in an effort to get them to finally establish a respectable democracy. But the embassy cables make it very clear that Obama’s deputy has made little headway.

“Instead, the Americans are forced to endure the endless tirades of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarek, who claims to have always known that the Iraq war was the ‘biggest mistake ever committed’ and who advised the Americans to ‘forget about democracy in Iraq.’ Once the US forces depart, Mubarak said, the best way to ensure a peaceful transition is for there to be a military coup. They are statements that add insult to injury.

“On the whole, the cables from the Middle East expose the superpower’s weaknesses… And it is drawn into the animosities between Arabs and Israelis, Shiites and Sunnis, between Islamists and secularists, between despots and kings. Often enough, the lesson of the documents that have now been obtained, is that the Arab leaders use their friends in Washington to expand their own positions of power.”

USA Diplomats Deride World Leaders

BBC News reported on November 29:
 
“European countries have reacted with irritation to the release by whistle-blowing website Wikileaks of secret memos written by US diplomats. The messages describe… Russia’s Vladimir Putin as an ‘alpha dog’… President Nicolas Sarkozy is compared to an ’emperor with no clothes’…

“Among the comments released by Wikileaks is a reported conversation in which a senior advisor to the French president branded Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez ‘crazy’ and Iran a ‘fascist state’. Mr Sarkozy himself was described in cables penned by US diplomatic officials as ‘thin-skinned’ and ‘authoritarian’… the leaks… include descriptions of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi as ‘feckless’ and ‘vain’… Mr Erdogan had ‘little understanding of politics beyond Ankara’.”

Tensions Increase in Middle East

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 29:
 
“Tensions in the Middle East are increasing as the fallout from the latest WikiLeaks revelations continues to spread. Previously reticent Arab states have been exposed as having discussed strikes on Iran with the US… Among the most inflammatory [documents] were those between Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah, US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker and General David Petraeus in which the Saudi monarch urged the US to stop Iran’s nuclear program by any means necessary… King Abdullah called on the United States ‘to cut off the head of the snake’…

“The documents show the level of concern within the Middle East of Iran’s nuclear ambitions and, contrary to the public declarations of a number of Arab states, the apparent willingness to deal with the threat militarily. While Israel’s favoring of air strikes is well-known and documented, no Arab nations have gone on record as saying they would support US action or take their own to stop Tehran. A particular danger to stability now lies in the perception that Arab states named in the documents are on the same page as the US and Israel in regard to policy toward Iran.

“… while Iran may not be shocked into action by the revelations, factions within Saudi Arabia may be. There is an escalating unease in the kingdom itself over its allegiance to the United States, and its willingness to support the US and even join in with any military action it mounts against Iran…”

“Crisis For German-American Relations”

The Local wrote on November 29:
 
“In a message attributed to a US diplomat in Berlin dated March 24, 2009, the State Department is told that Merkel is ‘risk averse and rarely creative’… The Americans argue that the chancellor views international diplomacy above all from the perspective of how she can profit from it domestically…

“Merkel’s vice-chancellor and foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle comes in for harsher criticism in the secret documents and is described as incompetent, vain and critical of America… An embassy cable from Berlin from September 22, 2009, days before the general election that put him in office, describes Westerwelle as having an ‘exuberant personality’ but little foreign policy experience…

“Meanwhile Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, Germany’s most popular politician, is quoted as telling the US ambassador to Germany, Philip Murphy, in February 2010 that Westerwelle was the real barrier to a US request for an increase in the number of German troops in Afghanistan. Guttenberg also disparages his boss, saying that Merkel has trouble implementing her own economic policies.

“And Horst Seehofer, the head of the Christian Social Union, the Bavarian sister party to Merkel’s Christian Democrats, is shown as unaware that half of 40,000 US troops in Germany are based in his state, which he also governs…

“A German diplomatic source said that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had called Westerwelle on Friday to ‘express her regret about the impending publication of internal US documents.’ Meanwhile US Ambassador Murphy said Monday that there is no reason to apologise to either Westerwelle or Merkel for the information contained in the leaked documents…

“Former US ambassador to Germany John Kornblum, who served in Berlin from 1997 to 2001, told broadcaster ZDF on Monday that the leaks were a crisis for German-American relations. ‘Diplomacy…must function on the basis of trust, and when that trust if broken, as is the case now, then one must begin at almost zero again,’ he said.

“… government spokesman Steffen Seibert told a regular press briefing that Berlin’s ties with Washington would weather the diplomatic storm. ‘The German-American relationship is mature, it has grown so robust over the decades, it is such a deep friendship based on shared values that it will not be seriously damaged by this publication,’ he said.”
 
Whom is he kidding?

German Papers Not Amused

In a related article, The Local wrote on November 29:

“As Washington scrambled on Monday to explain leaked diplomatic communiqués disparaging leaders in Berlin, newspapers in The Local’s media roundup tried to assess the damage to German-American relations… there’s little doubt the leaked communiqués will do little to improve transatlantic ties…

“The left-wing Berliner Zeitung said much damage had been done to US foreign policy by the leak… The paper said the incident will ‘sow mistrust’ and ‘destroy human and political ties,’ which will in turn weaken US diplomacy around the world.

“The Düsseldorf-based Rheinische Post called the episode a disaster for America that would ‘cool Angela Merkel’s already troubled relationship with Barack Obama’…”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on November 30:

“The dust is still settling after Sunday’s revelations about the contents of 250,000 confidential US diplomatic cables, but it’s already clear that the WikiLeaks disclosure is hugely damaging for the American government… While it remains to be seen what the lasting impact of the explosive leaks will be, it is already clear that the revelations are a huge embarrassment for Washington and a massive setback for US diplomacy. American representatives abroad may find it difficult in the future to find informants who are as willing to talk openly as they might have been in the past, now that reams of supposedly confidential conversations have been made public…

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘… The damage to the US as a result of the documents’ publication is immense… The diplomatic facade has crumbled, revealing just how calculating the business of international politics really is… America’s reserve of trust is empty. … The US has already been struggling for decades to maintain its credibility on the global stage. WikiLeaks has now acted like a weapon of mass destruction on the last traces of trust.’

“The center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes: ‘…Washington now looks like one giant leak. Who would now trust the Americans to keep confidential conversations confidential? Mistrust will spread, and not only among minor informants. Leaders of the US’s allies have been embarrassed in public, with unpredictable consequences for the relationship between their countries and the states and politicians that they talked about…'”

Nuclear Weapons Hosted in Europe

The EUObserver reported on November 29:

“The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Turkey have US nuclear weapons situated on their soil, the WikiLeaks whistleblower files have revealed. The four countries, along with Italy, had long been suspected of being home to a collection of American nuclear armaments, but neither the states nor Nato had ever officially confirmed or denied their presence…

“According to estimates found in a 2007 report using a variety of different sources to catalogue deployment of US nuclear weapons in Europe from the Natural Resources Defence Council, an American environmental protection NGO, the continent is home to 480 such weapons.

“The report estimated that… Belgium… housed 20 nuclear weapons. The same document reckoned that another 20 are housed… in… the Netherlands. Nuclear weapons are thought to have been stored there since the 1960s and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Some 20 nuclear weapons are believed to be stored in [Germany]… Last October, the country’s foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, came close to admitting their existence when he called ‘for a country free of nuclear weapons’…

“Italy is also thought to host a total of 90 such arms… Turkey… is believed to store 90 such weapons… Beyond the undeclared European nuclear states, the UK, an admitted member of the nuclear club, is home to 110 US nuclear weapons…”

Should Hillary Clinton Resign?

Politics Daily wrote on November 30:

“Should Hillary Clinton resign as secretary of state due to the WikiLeaks revelations?… Clinton, like predecessor Condoleezza Rice, signed orders instructing U.S. foreign service officers to spy on the diplomats of other nations. Cables went out under her name telling State Department officials overseas to collect the fingerprints, facial images, DNA, and iris scans of African leaders, to obtain passwords, credit card numbers, and frequent flyer accounts used by foreign diplomats, and to gather private information on United Nations officials, including Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

“Of the many WikiLeaks revelations that have emerged in the past few days — and more are to come in the next few months, as the renegade website continues to release batches of the 251,287 State Department cables it has obtained — the news that U.S. diplomats have been turned into part-time spies certainly warrants thorough investigation. Obama administration officials, of course, have tried to make the leak itself the paramount issue. Attorney General Eric Holder has promised prosecutions if ‘we can find anybody involved in breaking American law.’ Clinton has called the leak ‘an attack on America’s foreign policy interests,’ claiming it has endangered ‘innocent people.’ Republican Rep. Peter King urged Clinton to determine if WikiLeaks can be designated a terrorist organization. Sen. Joe Lieberman has called on the United States and other governments to shut down WikiLeaks. Sarah Palin, naturally, blamed President Barack Obama’s ‘incompetence’ for the leaks…

“Yet there have not been such passionate calls for investigating the transformation of U.S. diplomats into undercover snoops. The administration’s strategy — as is to be expected — is to focus on the easy-to-demonize messenger, not the hard-to-explain message…
 
“In many other nations, news such as this would indeed prompt resignations of high officials. The United States does not have this noble tradition. Here, government officials hold on for dear life when trouble erupts. (How many U.S. officials resigned when it turned out the Bush-Cheney administration was wrong about WMDs in Iraq? None.) So one can expect Clinton to dig in her heels, as the administration decries the leaker and ignores the leaks…”

IRS targets Pro-Israel Groups

Politico reported on November 24:
 
“A Pennsylvania Jewish group that has claimed the Internal Revenue Service is targeting pro-Israel groups introduced in federal court today a letter from an IRS agent to [an] unnamed organization that tax experts said was likely outside the usual or appropriate scope of an IRS inquiry.

“‘Does your organization support the existence of the land of Israel?’ [an] IRS agent… wrote the organization… as part of its consideration of the organization’s application for tax exempt status. ‘Describe your organization’s religious belief system toward the land of Israel.’…

“The IRS can deny tax exempt status to groups that work against ‘established public policy,’ a precedent established in its denial of a tax exemption to Bob Jones University over racial discrimination.”

There are many more or less independent and/or unsupervised powerful institutions within the US government which are perceived to threaten our individual and collective freedoms and liberties.

China Has Not Changed…

CNN reported on November 26:
 
“Having just enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner, the American soldiers were told they would be home by Christmas as they launched their final offensive. In fact, they were driving into the greatest ambush in modern history. Twelve miles to their north, 380,000 brilliantly camouflaged enemy fighters lay in wait. In the days that followed, the U.S. Army would suffer its most harrowing ordeal of the past half-century. Two American regiments were massacred at a pass called Kunu-ri; another was annihilated beside a frozen lake called Chosin. The time was 60 years ago; the battlefield was North Korea; the enemy was China’s People’s Liberation Army.

“Despite wide-ranging global changes — the fall of European communism, the end of the Cold War, China-U.S. rapprochement, the rise of China as economic superpower — there has been no indication that Beijing has altered its stance toward maintaining the isolated regime in the peninsula’s north since it routed U.S.-led United Nations forces in Korea in the winter of 1950.

“‘China does not want to lose North Korea as a buffer zone vis-a-vis a pro-U.S. country — South Korea,’ said Kim Won-ho, dean of the Graduate School of International Studies at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. ‘The last thing China wants to see is U.S.-style democracy in North Korea,’ added congresswoman Song Sun-young, who sits on the South Korean National Assembly’s Defense Committee. ‘Even if they apply open-door policies to their markets, China wants North Korea to follow the Chinese style’…

“North Korea, in addition to its strategic position on China’s doorstep, is a rare voice of support buttressing China’s historical role at the heart of Asia… Meanwhile, South Korea’s relationship with China is conflicted… Six decades after China crossed the Yalu River to fight in Korea, the competing alliances borne of that conflict — the world’s last remaining Cold War battlefront — remain firmly in place.”

Beware of Russia

Der Spiegel Online wrote on November 26:

“Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin wants the EU and Russia to forge a massive free trade zone. German commentators are wary of the wily politician’s true intentions and urge Europe’s politicians to read the small print…

“The reaction to Putin’s piece was mixed from the German side. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle welcomed Putin’s suggestion… Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg described it as an ‘interesting proposal,’ but added the caveat that ‘there are certainly a few things that need to be done first.’ Merkel was more reserved in her response, saying on Thursday that recent steps by Russia did ‘not exactly point in the right direction’…

“The business daily Handelsblatt writes: ‘Without political reform in the direction of greater democracy and a freer market, without Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organization, and without the release of [political prisoners], proposals like those regarding the free-trade zone will remain nothing but a smokescreen that Putin is creating in a bid to polish his tarnished image in Europe.’

“The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes: ‘… Has the great chameleon Russia now decided to change its color once again?… The global economic crisis may have caused great damage to many countries, but it left Russia in ruins. The country will not be able to head into the future relying on its oil, gas and metals any more. The model of a great power based on raw materials is a thing of the past, and Moscow can no longer depend on energy prices as it once did. Russia must open itself up… In the long term, the country has more to gain than to lose…’

“The Financial Times Deutschland writes: ‘… He wants Russian companies to have access to Western European know-how and capital — but under Russian conditions. The Russian prime minister may have recognized the problem, but he has reached the wrong conclusions… The country’s potential can only be tapped when companies are given freedom and legal security… Freedom, however, is an idea that Putin still finds it hard to get to grips with.'”

The Future of the Euro

Bloomberg wrote on November 25:
 
“The European banking system would be ‘nearly bust’ if the euro were to be abandoned which means the 16-member currency ‘cannot and should not go,’ Evolution Securities Ltd. said. ‘If the euro is abandoned, and we go back to the peseta, lira, escudo, drachma etc., devaluations would follow immediately,’ said Arturo de Frias, head of bank research at Evolution in a note to investors today, adding the industry is a ‘great buying opportunity.’ Devaluations mean write-offs ‘of a size that would render the whole European banking system completely insolvent.’

“Contagion from Europe’s sovereign debt crisis is spreading to Spain, sparking concern that the European rescue fund set up in May isn’t large enough. French, German and U.K. banks could lose 360 billion euros ($479 billion) if the euro collapsed, assuming a 30 percent devaluation in the wake of the restoration of national currencies, said de Frias.

“The damage caused by the abandonment of the euro would be such that such an outcome is impossible and the ‘only way forward’ for Europe is fiscal union, he said. ‘It is simply too late,’ he wrote. ‘There are too many cross-border investments in Europe to go back to national currencies.’

“If Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal and Ireland devalue by 30 percent on the way to readopting national currencies, total losses for German banks alone would be 120 billion euros, said de Frias. That’s almost half the total equity of German lenders, he said… In such a scenario, losses at U.K. banks would reach 80 billion euros, equivalent to nearly half the equity of Barclays Plc, Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc and Lloyds Banking Group Plc., he said.

“’And this is only the banks. What would happen with the investments of the large European multinationals’ like Siemens AG, Tesco Plc and others…”

Did Britain Do It Right?

The Daily Express wrote on November 25:
 
“From this day forth our energies will be directed to furthering the cause of those who believe Britain is better off out… After far too many years as the victims of Brussels larceny, bullying, over-regulation and all-round interference, the time has come for the British people to win back their country and restore legitimacy and accountability to their political process….
 
“This newspaper has always been hostile to the dilution of national sovereignty that EU membership entailed, but it has also always acknowledged that economic arguments were key. So long as there was a case to be made that leaving the EU would risk jobs and investment in Britain there was a powerful brake on thoughts of leaving altogether… We were told that staying out of the eurozone would be a financial disaster, yet it is now clear beyond doubt that the opposite was true… “
 
Just merely based on monetary considerations, this view point might sound correct in the short term, but the Bible shows that in the longer term, continental EU and the euro will be dominating and all-powerful factors to be reckoned with. In fact, the EU will fight and win not only a monetary, but also a military war against Great Britain. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

Practical Impossibility to Leave the Euro-Zone

BBC News reported on November 24:

“Much has been written about the theoretical attractions for financially troubled countries in exiting the euro-zone. But the question of how a country would go about it is less well explored. And the more closely you examine the question of ‘how’ – as opposed to ‘why’ – a country might leave the euro, the clearer it becomes that the practical difficulties are huge.

“To establish a new currency a country would have to convert all existing euro-denominated savings at a fixed rate on a given date. But savers and businesses would not wait passively for that date to arrive… The first practical problem, then, is that if it becomes clear that a country is seriously thinking of leaving the euro a huge amount of money will leave the country. This is sometimes referred to as ‘capital flight’. The overall effect would be to trigger huge transfers of deposits out of the country and wreck the banking system…

“But if a prolonged national debate about leaving the euro creates a risk of capital flight, would the alternative be to prepare in secret and announce it suddenly?… the idea that huge numbers of new bank notes could be prepared and distributed in secret… is absurd…

“However, suppose for a moment that these practical problems could be overcome, where would the country leaving the euro stand financially? It would have a large national debt denominated in euros…

“The euro came into circulation without too many hitches, albeit with many years of preparation. East Germany’s Ostmarks were converted into Deutschmarks. But the key difference is that in these cases the currency into which savings were being switched was perceived to be stable. The incentive for capital flight did not exist.

“… if the fundamental problem is substituting a weak currency for a strong one, the most practical solution would be for the strongest members of the euro-zone to leave the currency union. It means that… Germany could leave the euro while weaker countries could not… it seems massively unlikely that a German government would initiate the break-up of the euro. The euro was not designed with any possibility of break-up in mind… the point of a currency union is that it is supposed to be unbreakable.”

The EU was destined to unite, and the euro is one of the means of such unification. Please also read the next article, which proves as well that the notion that the euro could be exchanged for national currencies is just ridiculous. To believe such speculation would be tantamount to questioning biblical prophecy. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

Comeback of National Currencies Would be a Disaster for EU and Germany

Der Spiegel wrote on November 29:

“Europe is discussing the horror scenario of a break-up of the euro zone. At present, that still seems unlikely, but experts are alarmed. A comeback of national currencies would be fatal — especially for Germany… what would really happen if the euro collapsed? Would it really herald a return to the good, old days, to a Germany that uses the much-revered deutsche mark? Or could it actually be a harbinger of chaos and economic depression?…

“Germany has reaped all sorts of benefits from the euro. A collapse of the common currency would have dramatic effects. Here is a list of possible consequences:

“… the high transaction costs alone would cause massive damage to the national economy. For example, huge amounts of new bank notes would have to be printed, and mountains of coins would have to be minted… Merchants and restaurant owners, for example, would have to re-adjust all their prices…
 
“… leading German economist Peter Bofinger said: ‘Many Germans’ eyes would start to glisten with emotion if the deutsche mark were to come back.’ But he also warned that ‘the economic consequences would be disastrous’… [It] would make German goods dramatically more expensive abroad, which would result in a serious competitive disadvantage, especially since roughly 40 percent of German exports go to other euro-zone countries.
 
“Last summer, Gerhard Cromme, chairman of the supervisory board of German engineering giant Siemens, described the consequences in drastic terms: ‘Prices would shoot up so high that those of us in the industrial sector would no longer be able to sell anything out there in the world.’ …

“Experts calculate that there would be severe job cuts in Germany if this were to happen… German companies would also have to assume billions in additional costs. For example, without the euro, they would have to hedge themselves against major currency fluctuations. Thanks to the common currency, this has not been necessary when exporting to countries within the euro zone.

“What’s more, a collapse of the euro… would throw financial markets into chaos. At the moment, all the big German banks have euro-denominated government bonds issued by other EU countries on their books. Were the common currency to disappear, these countries would be forced to repurchase these bonds in… whatever currency they assumed. But this would present the banks with a serious problem… German banks would be threatened with enormous loan losses…

“A defeat of the euro would be a victory for the dollar, which would continue on for the time being as the unrivalled currency for all major international transactions. At the same time, a breakup of the euro zone would also cause damage at the political level. As Andreas Scheuerle, an economist with DekaBank, said last summer: ‘Europe would suffer a massive decline in importance vis-à-vis the United States and China.’…
 
“The political consequences would be downright devastating… an end to the euro zone could lead to significant tension between EU member states. In the end… the entire European Union would be threatened.”
 
The Bible predicts that this will not happen–at least not until sometime AFTER the beginning of the Great Tribulation.

USA vs. Germany?

Reuters reported on December 1:

“The United States would be ready to support the extension of the European Financial Stability Facility via an extra commitment of money from the International Monetary Fund, a U.S. official told Reuters on Wednesday… U.S. Treasurys’ [sic] prices fell and the euro strengthened against the dollar on Wednesday after the news that the United States would be prepared to support an enlarged EFSF.

“Germany, whose leaders have expressed frustration at the market backlash against their plans to solve the euro zone’s debt problems, does not want to make the stability fund larger.”

Germany Not Liked Too Much in Europe

Der Spiegel Online wrote on November 26:
 
“Everyone is talking about German Chancellor Angela Merkel these days — and most of what they have to say isn’t complimentary. Her plan to create a bankruptcy mechanism for euro-zone countries, they say, has worsened the debt crisis in Ireland and elsewhere. Merkel’s name, once widely respected, is now mud…
 
“Ever since the sovereign debt crisis began shaking the euro zone, Germany has been the target of criticism more frequently than it has in a long time. And the image of the chancellor has been badly blemished…
 
“In the middle of Europe’s crisis, the former image of the ugly German — all-powerful and arrogant — has returned. Groaning under the weight of the euro crisis, Ireland sees itself as a victim of German conceit. The Irish press writes of ‘neo-colonialism.’ One of the largest newspapers in the country, the Irish Independent, quotes Fine Gael politician Michael Noonan, saying: ‘Can I ask whether this is what the men of 1916 died for: a bailout from the German chancellor with a few shillings of sympathy from the British chancellor on the side?’…

“The president of the Euro Group, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, has hinted at his own concern about Germany’s European policies… ‘That in Germany federal and local authorities are slowly losing sight of European public good, that does worry me,’ he told the newspaper Rheinischer Merkur…

“The influential Spanish daily El País wrote about ‘the clumsiness of Europe’s leaders.’ The article claimed that German unintentionally made things much worse for Ireland by demanding that private investors be held partially liable for losses… Many German taxpayers have been wondering why they should have to foot the entire bill for a mess in which the banks were also heavily involved… Experts in the financial industry are not very impressed with the Germans at the moment…”

However, the time will come–and soon–when Europe will grudgingly ask Germany to lead them–and they will even surrender their power and authority to a charismatic German or Austrian leader. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Is That in the Bible?–The Mystery of the Book of Revelation.”

Verse 14 summarizes the Parable of the Wedding Feast spoken by Jesus Christ in which He teaches about the Kingdom of God and about the accountability that people have when God offers them salvation—that is, eternal life (compare Matthew 24:1-14).

Contrary to what many teach and who say that parables were used by Christ to make His teaching more clear, just the opposite is true. The Bible addresses this:

“All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: ‘I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world’” (Matthew 13:34-35).

In a previous account, His disciples directly asked Jesus why He taught the people with parables. The answer is revealing:

“He answered and said to them, ‘Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: “Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.” But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it’” (Matthew 13:11-17).

Jesus asked His disciples, “‘…Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’” (Matthew 16:13). They responded with various answers, and Jesus then asked His disciples, “‘…But who do you say that I am?’” (verse 15).

Peter’s response was this: “‘…You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’” (verse 16).

Jesus then makes this profoundly important statement—showing that understanding of this kind came through God’s revelation:

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven’” (verse 17).

We should also note what Jesus further instructed these disciples concerning His own identity and the revelation that was given to them at that time (that would change once Jesus Christ had died and then was resurrected by God the Father):

“Then He commanded His disciples that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ” (verse 20).

As the record of the New Testament shows, Jesus had specifically chosen twelve disciples—along with others—to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God (compare Luke 6:12-16; 9:1-6). Through the teaching and the many miraculous things done by both Jesus and His disciples, many people both heard and saw; yet, it was only the few who continued with Jesus:

“From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. Then Jesus said to the twelve, ‘Do you also want to go away?’ But Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God’” (John 6:66-69).

Others had the opportunity to follow Christ, but they, like the many, rejected it. Such an example of a person “called” is found in Matthew 19:16-22:

“Now behold, one came and said to Him, ‘Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?’ So He said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.’ He said to Him, ‘Which ones?’ Jesus said, ‘”You shall not murder,” “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “Honor your father and your mother,” and, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”’ The young man said to Him, ‘All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”

In the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23), Jesus speaks of those who hear “the word of the kingdom” (verse 19). He then explains this parable to His disciples showing how some hear and don’t understand; some readily understand but fade away when trials arise; some understand but then choose what this world offers; some (the few) hear, understand and—like Christ—bear “fruit” (compare Galatians 5:22-23).

As the Parable of the Sower reveals, being “called” is a first step in gaining entrance into the Kingdom of God. We should understand that God alone does this. Being a Christian has its beginning point with God’s calling—something that Jesus Christ emphatically taught:

“‘No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day’” (John 6:44); “And He said, ‘Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father’” (John 6:65).

However, as we explain in our booklet, “Are You Predestined to Be Saved?,” in the box, “Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen,” on pages 52-54, the first three types of people in the Parable of the Sower were not really “called” to salvation:

“In the parable with the sower, in Matthew 13:18–23, four types of people are mentioned who all hear the Word of God. But only one person accepts the Word and produces fruit (verse 23), while the other three give up and fall away. Does this mean that all of them were truly called by God to salvation? And—that God was caught by surprise when the first three fell away, although He had predestined them to be called in this day and age? Hardly! God very well knew that only the fourth person would respond and continue in His calling, as God knows the hearts and minds of people. Only the fourth person was predestined to be called and chosen in this life.”

Paul teaches, “that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Thessalonians 2:12). Again, Paul reminds us, “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9).

Being called into knowledge of the Truth of God is not the only thing that must occur—we must then bear the fruit of righteousness in order to be among those who are the “chosen!” In this process, as we continue in our calling to follow Jesus Christ, we have this assurance—as written by Paul:

“[B]eing confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

We find this additional confirmation:

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Romans 8:28-30).

As an example of this promise being fulfilled, let us consider the apostles of Jesus Christ—note what Jesus taught them:

“‘You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you’” (John 15:16); Also, “‘If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you’” (John 15:19).

Judas failed in his calling as an apostle and was replaced by Matthias to become among those specially chosen to rule over the twelve Tribes of Israel once Jesus Christ returns to establish the Kingdom of God on this earth (compare Matthew 19:28; Revelation 21:14).

Paul fulfilled his calling, and he knew he was chosen to receive eternal life in God’s Kingdom:

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

While the many heard Jesus preach and saw His works, most are the ones who fulfilled His parable found in Matthew 22—invited guests, but they refused to actually fully participate in God’s calling. For a thorough explanation of this parable, please read the entire above-mentioned box in our free booklet, “Are You Predestined to Be Saved?”

This parable has much broader application than just the many who rejected or the few who followed Jesus during His ministry. The Work of God and Jesus Christ, as Head of the Body, the Church (compare Ephesians 1:22-23), has continued—and so it does in our time and will into the future of this age!

The opportunity that God is now presenting is a calling to be among the firstfruits of salvation—called “a better resurrection” in Hebrews 11:35 (compare John 5:24).

When Jesus returns to the earth to powerfully remove the rule of Satan and his many demonic followers, He will establish the government of God—God’s glorious and everlasting Kingdom! When He does this, He will not be alone; there will be a precious few with Him:

“‘These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are CALLED, CHOSEN, and FAITHFUL’” (Revelation 17:14).

Lead Writer: Dave Harris

A new member letter was written and will be sent out early next week.

Our new booklet, “Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians,” has entered the final review cycle.

A new StandingWatch program was posted on the Web, titled, “Will the Euro Survive?” Some predict that the euro-zone will disintegrate and that the euro is finished. But what would be the practical consequences, if the euro-zone countries were to abandon the euro and replace it with national currencies? Why do some feel that such a scenario is “massively unlikely” and “unrealistic”? Why do they conclude that the euro will remain one of the “world’s most important currencies”?

Norbert Link’s recent video-recorded sermon, “The New Covenant,” was posted on the Web.

A new German sermon was posted on the Web, titled, “Die Welt der Engel, Teil 1” (“The world of Angels, Part 1”).

by Cali Harris
 
Lately I’ve been thinking about how to live more joyfully. In one of his sonnets, William Shakespeare wrote, “Joy delights in joy.” When I read it, I had to think about it carefully. What does that line of poetry really mean?

To me, it means that joy self-perpetuates. It has its own internal momentum, so that when I share joy with someone else, the joy spreads. It has a rippling, reverberating effect.
 
As I think about how to live more joyfully, I’ve realized it’s not only the grand plans or gestures that make life more joyful. Instead, I’m beginning to see how the smallest of gestures can have the most joyful impact. I’m focusing on smiling—and really meaning it—when I say “thank you” to a shop clerk or restaurant server. I’m slowing down while driving and waving people to go ahead of me. I’ve been sending more postcards and greeting cards with notes of “Thanks!” or “Hello!” or “Thinking of you!”. And because so much of my work is related to technology and the web, I’m taking time to send quick text messages or emails to friends, family and clients.
 
Although they may seem insignificant, it’s these actions that bring joy not only to those around me—but help me live more joyfully, too. And this, I believe, is how “joy delights in joy.”