On November 10, Norbert Link will give the sermon, continuing his series on “Sex and Marriage.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

Recently, I saw a religious television program, discussing the fact that the Jews will soon begin to bring sacrifices in Jerusalem. The presenter then postulated that no temple will be built prior to Christ’s return. Although it is true that a temple is not required for animal sacrifices, the Bible nevertheless strongly indicates that a temple WILL be built.

We discussed this question in a Q&A in one of our previous Updates (#185–“Will the Jews build a temple, prior to Christ’s return?”). We are also addressing this question in the Q&A in this Update (#317–“A new Temple?”). In this editorial, I’d like to re-emphasize key passages and focus on additional Scriptures which point at the strong possibility of a new temple prior to Christ’s return. This will show us what to watch for–lest we are found unprepared!

Christ said in Matthew 24:15-16: “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the HOLY PLACE, then… flee…” (In the parallel account in Luke 21:20, Jesus speaks of armies which will surround Jerusalem and make it desolate.)

One key to understand these passages is the reference to DANIEL. When Daniel spoke of the abomination of desolation, he referred, as a forerunner, to Antiochus Epiphanes who conquered Jerusalem, discontinued the sacrifices and placed a statue of a pagan god in the HOLY PLACE of the temple of God–requiring the Jews to WORSHIP that statue. Christ said that something very similar will occur just prior to His return, strongly implying that a terrible idol of some sorts will be found in a re-built TEMPLE.

Paul confirms this in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 where he says that “the man of sin”–the false prophet, mentioned in the book of Revelation– “sits as God in the TEMPLE of God, showing himself that he IS God.” At the time of Antiochus, a STATUE was placed in the temple of God. In the near future, a HUMAN BEING will sit in the TEMPLE of God, pretending to be God; in fact, he will, most likely, claim that he is Jesus Christ, as we will see.

In Revelation 11:1-2, an angel instructs John to measure the TEMPLE of God when the holy city–Jerusalem–is occupied by the Gentiles for 3 1/2 years. The reference is to the final resurrection of the Roman Empire which–under the leadership of the “beast” and the “false prophet”–will occupy and desolate Jerusalem. Psalm 79:1 seems to be talking about this same time, saying that the nations have “defiled” God’s “holy TEMPLE.”

Recently, I spoke in several sermons about the tabernacle in the wilderness and the tent, which separated the sanctuary or HOLY PLACE and the Holy of Holies, pointing out that the temple, which replaced the tabernacle, had an inner court (Ezekiel 8:16), a sanctuary or HOLY PLACE and a Most Holy Place. In light of my sermons, Dave Harris called me to discuss an interesting passage in Matthew 24:26, where Christ warns us not to believe those who will claim that Christ will return “in secret.” The passage reads, in the Authorized Version: “Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.” Christ explains that He will return visibly–for every eye to see–“as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west” (verse 27).

According to Christ’s very own words, some will claim that Christ will return for His people and live with them “in the desert”–perhaps at a special “place of safety in the wilderness.” Christ warned us not to believe such a claim. But He also said that some will claim that Christ will return secretly to reside in the “secret chambers”–a false claim which must equally be rejected. What “secret chambers” was Christ referring to? The temple had “secret chambers”–and it appears that Christ was warning us not to believe those who will claim that the “man of sin” will be CHRIST, sitting in the secret chamber of the HOLY PLACE–in the temple of God.

The commentary of John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible explains that the term “secret chamber” refers to a place within the temple, stating, “… should others say behold, or for certain, the Messiah is in some one of the secret and fortified places of the temple; where, during some time of the siege, were John and Eleazar, the heads of the zealots… do not believe them. Some reference may be had to the chamber of secrets, which was in the temple… for in the sanctuary [or HOLY PLACE] there were two chambers; one was called… ‘the chamber of secrets’, and the other the ‘chamber of vessels.”’

Understood in this way, Christ’s warning in Matthew 24:26 would require the existence of a temple during the time when the false prophet deceives the whole world, pretending to be Jesus Christ (compare Revelation 13:13-14). Most people WILL BELIEVE this deception, and it will be so convincing that only the “elect” will understand the truth (compare Matthew 24:24).

As you can see, all these passages strongly suggest that we will soon witness the beginning of the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, which will occur apparently at the same time that the Jews will commence to offer animal sacrifices there.

It is exciting to me to see how God, step by step, opens our eyes to more and fuller understanding. We ARE to grow in the knowledge of Christ, and as long as we are and remain His obedient and faithful servants, we can and should expect increased understanding. Those who are content with what they have–or what they think they have–will stay still–frozen in time–incapable and unwilling to grow in God’s knowledge. Those who reject parts of the knowledge that they have received from God over the years will not grow in knowledge, either–rather, as so many have done before, they will “exchange the truth of God for the lie” (compare Romans 1:25). And because they have not maintained the love of the truth, “God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie”– including the lie of worshipping the “man of sin” AS Jesus Christ (compare 2 Thessalonians 2:11).

I am excited and deeply thankful that God is leading us into more and more understanding of His precious truth. Aren’t you?

Discussions at the White House Regarding the Temple Mount

IsraelNationalNews.com reported on November 7, 2007, about an interesting development, pertaining to the Temple Mount (please see, in this context, our Editorial and Q&A in this Update). The report stated the following:

“Israel’s Chief Rabbis and the Chief Rabbi of Haifa have been invited to the White House for pre-Annapolis talks to explain the Jewish connection to the Temple Mount… Despite the fact that many rabbis both visit and encourage other Jews to visit the Temple Mount in the manner permitted by Jewish law, the chief rabbinate says that Jews should not visit the Temple Mount. A large sign is affixed to the path leading to the Mount saying it is ‘forbidden for Jews to visit the Mount according to Jewish law.’ All three rabbis agree that the Temple Mount must remain under Jewish sovereignty.  However, the chief rabbis believe the mount should be closed to all since a special level of ritual purity must be obtained before ascending to the site of the Jewish Holy Temple. Rabbi Cohen believes the Temple Mount should be open to Jewish worship and a synagogue should be constructed there.

“Arutz-7’s Yedidya HaCohen reports that a secret meeting on the matter took place two weeks ago during one of the recent visits by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Jerusalem. The meeting dealt with Jerusalem’s holy sites and was attended by Rabbi Cohen, as well as Muslim and Christian religious leaders. The meeting lasted over two hours. Muslim leaders aired their claim that ‘the Jews want to destroy the Al-Aksa Mosques’ and their oft-heard denial that there was ever a Jewish temple at the site. The chief Mufti has already declared that Jews should not be allowed to pray at the site. Recent [archeological] finds from the First Temple have not tempered Muslim denial of pre-Islamic history on the mount, as well as the Western Wall.

“Rabbi Cohen responded to those present: ‘It is forbidden to deny that the Jews had our Holy Temple at that site. It is forbidden to forget that King David purchased the Temple Mount, King Solomon built the Holy Temple and Ezra the Scribe rebuilt it as well [after it was destroyed –ed.]. All who come afterward must recognize the rights of those who came first. Although I do not propose the demolition of the mosques, the Muslims must remember that they are there due to us.’… In summation, Rabbi Cohen told Rice and the other religious leaders that he is completely opposed to any withdrawal from the Temple Mount and site of the Holy Temple.

“Rice reportedly responded: ‘Honorable rabbi, I understand you well. I am the daughter of a priest and the granddaughter of a priest, I learned the Bible and know what is written there.’…

“The meetings [at the white House], which will be attended by members of the Islamic Wakf and Christian leaders… According to [a] proposal [to be discussed at the meetings], the Jerusalem ‘Holy Basin’ – meaning the Old City and surrounding areas – would be administered by a joint committee and not remain under Israeli sovereignty… [T]he Western Wall and Temple Mount would remain under Israeli control, but the Americans are reportedly pushing to see the Temple Mount relinquished as well.”

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia Meets With Pope, Prime Minister Prodi and Queen Elizabeth

AFP reported on November 6:

“Pope Benedict XVI raised the issue of Christians living in Saudi Arabia in a historic meeting Tuesday with King Abdullah, the first monarch of the ultra-conservative Muslim kingdom to visit the Vatican… The Holy See does not have diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia, which is home to Islam’s holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina and applies a rigorous doctrine of Sunni Islam known as Wahhabism. The question of religious freedoms for the roughly one million Christians and other non-Muslims in Saudi Arabia remains an extremely sensitive one…

“The groundbreaking talks were not King Abdullah’s first contact with the head of the Roman Catholic Church, since he met Pope Benedict’s predecessor John Paul II in 1999 when he was crown prince to his half brother King Fahd. King Abdullah, 84, and the 80-year-old pontiff also exchanged ‘ideas on the Middle East and the need to find a fair solution to the conflicts afflicting the region, in particular the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,’ the Vatican communique said…

“Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi met the Saudi king later, saying afterward that he hoped a planned Middle East peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland, later this year would ‘yield solid expectations for an end, once and for all, to this conflict.’ He said the conference held out ‘strong expectations’ among Palestinians for a future sovereign state ‘with geographical continuity in peace and security with the state of Israel, which in turn would be recognised by all the countries of the region.’ Prodi also mentioned the upcoming election by the Lebanese parliament of a new president, saying that Italy and Saudi Arabia were in ‘constant close contact to facilitate dialogue and to exhort Lebanese political forces to reach a compromise in the primary interests of the people.’…

“King Abdullah, who ascended the throne two years ago, had arrived in Rome late Monday following a lavish three-day visit to London at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II. That visit, the first by a Saudi monarch in 20 years, sparked human rights protests… King Abdullah will travel on to Germany and Turkey before returning home.”

King Abdullah arrived in Germany on Wednesday, where he was received by Chancellor Angela Merkel with military honors. He will also meet with Germany’s President, Horst Koehler, but no press conference was planned, according to an article of USA today, dated November 7.

… And You Will Lose the Gates of Your Enemies…

The Christian Science Monitor wrote on November 2:

“For the second time in three years, a Senate panel has given the nod to a treaty that governs the oceans. Last time, alarmist concerns about the loss of US sovereignty kept the treaty from a floor vote. This time, the Senate must steer past those criticisms, or America will be left high and dry.

“The Law of the Sea Convention protects its members’ navigation rights to the oceans. It establishes limits for marine boundaries and rules for extracting resources and preserving the health of the seas. And it sets up a way to resolve disputes about these issues.

“The United States was the lead negotiator on this treaty, starting during the Nixon administration. President Reagan had some problems relating to deep-sea mining, but they were fixed in a second negotiation. It’s in force for more than 150 nations – for almost all NATO members, and for four of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, including Russia and China, but not the US.

“Global warming has made US approval urgent. As the polar icecap melts, nations are steaming ahead to claim rights to Arctic sea lanes and oil and gas reserves. Staying outside the treaty leaves the US with little say in this region, especially off Alaska.

“The treaty has remarkably broad support in America: State Department and Pentagon chiefs from both parties; oil, gas, and fishing industries; and environmentalists. And yet, a few senators have the power to tangle this treaty in a kelp forest of myths:

“The US is giving up sovereignty. Actually, the US gains sovereignty as never before. The treaty extends the nation’s territorial waters from three miles to 12. It gains a marine ‘economic zone’ that goes out at least 200 miles. The US would have exclusive rights to explore, conserve, manage, and exploit resources in this mammoth zone, about equal in size to the continental US.

“The treaty also gives the US important new navigational rights. The key one allows warships and submarines to pass through straits and archipelagos.

“The treaty is UN overreach. True, the agreement was negotiated under UN auspices, but the signatories created it. The three bodies to deal with disputes and issues are not UN bodies. And the US has opted out of an international tribunal to settle military disputes; for general disputes it’s chosen arbitration.

“The treaty hinders US ability to fight terrorism. Critics say rules restricting boarding of foreign ships and seizing their goods would prevent the US from intercepting weapons of mass destruction. But the treaty provides an exception for ‘military activities,’ and international law amply allows for self-defense.

“The treaty restricts US intelligence by making subs surface in territorial waters. This provision is already binding law as part of a 1958 treaty. And does America really want Chinese subs lurking off its beaches?

“What’s going on is an attempt by a small, vocal group of think tanks to scare senators with the one-world-government specter. Let’s remember that the US has negotiated this treaty (twice!) with its own interests at heart; that order on the oceans is preferable to chaos; and that the US cannot complain about violations when it is not party to the treaty, neither can it influence it.

“This ship is leaving the harbor. The US must get on board now.”

But will it? Biblical prophecies may suggest otherwise. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

“One of the Worst Natural Disasters in the History” of Mexico…

AFP wrote on November 2:

“Rescuers on Friday worked on saving hundreds of thousands of people trapped by the worst floods on record in Mexico’s southern state of Tabasco… The disastrous floods affected more than one million residents, or about half Tabasco’s population.

“‘New Orleans was small compared to this,’ said state Governor Andres Granier, in reference to the disaster wrought by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which killed about 1,000 people in the southern US city alone. Only one fatality was recorded so far in Tabasco, but the floods have caused widespread devastation. The oil-rich state the size of Belgium is 80 percent underwater, and 850 towns have been flooded, officials said…

“President Felipe Calderon urged Mexicans to donate aid to flood victims. ‘The situation is extraordinarily grave,’ he said in an address to the nation on Thursday, calling the flooding ‘one of the worst natural disasters in the history of the country.’…

“The floods began last week when a cold front brought heavy rain that caused the Grijalva, Carrizal and Puxcatan rivers to burst their banks. Soldiers and state authorities had placed more than 700,000 sand bags along the rivers to prevent flooding, but the water rose above the barriers. The floods worsened over the past three days as authorities drained water from two dams in the neighboring state of Chiapas to prevent them from exceeding their capacity. The water rose again Thursday in the state capital of Villahermosa, which was flooded Wednesday after the Grijalva River burst its banks.”

The Associated Press reported on November 5:

“Authorities worked early Monday to deliver badly needed food and water to thousands of residents stranded by devastating floods that have damaged the homes of up to 500,000 people. Since swollen rivers first broke their banks on Oct. 28, flood waters have isolated many Gulf coast communities. Thousands of residents who rescuers haven’t been able to reach have run out of food, water and are living with no electricity and no way to flee…”

AFP added on November 5:

“Anger and despair rose Monday as victims of southern Mexico’s disastrous floods, some perched on rooftops, complained of chaotic aid distribution and looting… Authorities estimate that about 20,000 people were trapped in their homes and had not received any aid… Health officials worried about health risks from open sewage and the spread of disease-carrying mosquitoes. Dengue, cholera and diarrhea outbreaks now are very real possibilities, they said. Several countries responded to President Felipe Calderon’s call for international solidarity, including Germany, which pledged 250,000 euros and the United States which announced aid totaling 350,000 dollars.”

Deadly Hurricane Noel Hits the Caribbean

AFP wrote on November 2:

“Hurricane Noel on Friday churned over the Atlantic Ocean on a northerly track to Canada after battering the Caribbean where it killed at least 116 people in the Dominican Republic and Haiti… Before it even strengthened from a tropical storm to a hurricane, Noel went on a deadly rampage through the Dominican Republic and Haiti, which share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. Noel left in its wake floodwaters that hampered the rescue of people in the Dominican Republic, where at least 73 people were killed, with 27 more reported missing. Authorities used helicopters to deliver emergency supplies to areas cut off by floodwaters. Torrents of water smashed several bridges, while authorities reported that 664 homes were destroyed and a further 15,600 were damaged.

“In impoverished Haiti, officials on Friday said the death toll rose to 43, while 15 people were missing. A total of 4,850 houses were damaged and 1,075 completely destroyed, [but] many crops were lost to floods and mudslides. Cuba, was also hit hard, but reported no fatalities.”

Daniel 2:43: “… Just As Iron Does Not Mix With Clay…”

The Associated Press reported on November 1:

“A woman who was raped and beaten near a Gypsy camp allegedly by a Romanian died Thursday night, state radio reported. The latest attack blamed on a foreigner has prompted the government to give authorities the power to expel EU immigrants deemed dangerous. ‘Horror in Rome’ read the front-page headline Thursday in Il Messaggero, a daily newspaper in the city. ‘End of tolerance,’ began an accompanying editorial calling for a tough response…

“Although the free movement of EU citizens within the 27 member nations is a cornerstone of EU policy, countries still have the right to keep certain people out if they are deemed dangerous. Italy’s president signed a decree Thursday allowing the expulsion of European Union citizens ‘for reasons of public safety’ to fight ‘episodes of heavy violence and ferocious crime.’…

“A series of violent crimes in the capital has been blamed on Romanians in recent months… The attacks have shocked Rome, where street violence has long been unusual… ‘Today’s horror in Rome … is the consequence of yesterday’s excessive tolerance,’ said the editorial in Il Messaggero… “

The Associated Press reported on November 4:

“Opposition leader Silvio Berlusconi urged Italy to close its borders to Romanian workers and a conservative ally called Sunday for the expulsion of tens of thousands of immigrants amid public outrage over a wave of violent crimes blamed on foreigners. Pope Benedict XVI added his voice to the debate over the balance between citizen safety and treatment of foreigners, reminding authorities that immigrants have both obligations and rights. The pope weighed in as lawmakers prepared to debate the government’s response to recent crime, including fast-track expulsions of Romanians and other EU citizens deemed dangerous and bulldozing shantytowns housing immigrants…

“After Romania joined the EU earlier this year, Romanians poured into Italy in search of work as maids, nannies, waiters, janitors and bricklayers, and they now account for nearly 1 percent of the population in Italy… Italian authorities say statistics show foreigners commit a disproportionate number of crimes. Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni said 75 percent of arrests in the city in the last year involved Romanians. On a national level, less than 5 percent of Italy’s population in 2004 — before Romania joined the EU — was foreign, yet foreigners accounted for 26 percent of those convicted of crimes.”

The EUObserver added on November 5:

“Over the weekend, Romania protested against its nationals being singled out as the main target of expulsions… Romania’s president Traian Basescu said: ‘Improvised measures that induce fear and awaken hatred can be unjust and can have other effects than those hoped,’ according to AGI agency. But Franco Frattini, the EU commissioner in charge of security and justice, argues that Rome’s action was in line with the bloc’s rules on citizens living in other member states.

“‘What has to be done is simple. Go into a nomad camp in Rome for example, and ask them: “Can you tell me where you live?” If they say they do not know, take them and send them home to Romania. That is how the European directive works,’ he said, according to the UK daily Telegraph. He also urged the Italian authorities to pull down the camps to prevent Romanians from returning while suggesting that Bucharest ‘cannot say they will not take them back, because it is an obligation that is part of being a member state of the EU.'”

Frightening–US Allegedly Involved in Recent Attack on Syria

The Jerusalem Post published the following spectacular article, dated November 2:

“The September 6 raid over Syria was carried out by the US Air Force, the Al-Jazeera Web site reported Friday. The Web site quoted Israeli and Arab sources as saying that two strategic US jets armed with tactical nuclear weapons carried out an attack on a nuclear site under construction. The sources were quoted as saying that Israeli F-15 and F-16 jets provided cover for the US planes. The sources added that each US plane carried one tactical nuclear weapon and that the site was hit by one bomb and was totally destroyed.

“At the beginning of October, Israel’s military censor began to allow the local media to report on the raid without attributing their report to foreign sources. Nevertheless, details of the strike have remained clouded in mystery.

“On October 28, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the cabinet that he had apologized to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan if Israel violated Turkish airspace during a strike on an alleged nuclear facility in Syria last month.

“In a carefully worded statement that was given to reporters after the cabinet meeting, Olmert said: ‘In my conversation with the Turkish prime minister, I told him that if Israeli planes indeed penetrated Turkish airspace, then there was no intention thereby, either in advance or in any case, to – in any way – violate or undermine Turkish sovereignty, which we respect.’

“The New York Times reported on October 13 that Israeli planes struck at what US and Israeli intelligence believed was a partly constructed nuclear reactor in Syria on September 6, citing American and foreign officials who had seen the relevant intelligence reports. According to the report, Israel carried out the report to send a message that it would not tolerate even a nuclear program in its initial stages of construction in any neighboring state.”

2007– the Deadliest Year in Iraq for American Troops

AFP reported on November 6:

“Six American troops have been killed in bomb attacks in Iraq, the US military said on Tuesday, making 2007 the deadliest year for the American forces since the invasion… 851 US soldiers have died so far this year in Iraq, against 846 in 2004, the previous most lethal year for the American military since the US-led invasion of March 2003… The US military’s overall losses in Iraq since the invasion four years ago have now reached 3,856.”

Serious Problems With US Legal System

AFP wrote on October 31:

“Many US juvenile courts routinely shackle teens accused of minor crimes and deny them adequate access to a lawyer, a study released Wednesday has found. Most teens in the study did not get to meet with a lawyer before a hearing to determine whether they should be held in jail prior to trial. They also rarely got to adequately discuss their case with a lawyer prior to the trial date. Anywhere from 70 to 100 percent of the teens ended up pleading guilty, many at their first court appearance. ‘You have youth that are not guilty who are pleading guilty because they want to get it over with,’ said study co-author Cathryn Crawford…

“Juvenile convictions, while theoretically sealed, are also disclosed to schools and can impact access to financial aid for college. And there have also been reports that prospective employers have been able to access juvenile records, Crawford said. But perhaps the most serious impact is on how these teens feel about the system, she said… Researchers looked at the juvenile court system in a representative sample of 16 Illinois counties. They found the same systemic problems present in 15 other states examined in recent years.”

Dire Consequences of America’s Unfriendliness Towards Visitors

AFP wrote on November 1:

“The number of foreign visitors to the United States has plummeted since the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington because foreigners don’t feel welcome, tourism professionals said Thursday. ‘Since September 11, 2001, the United States has experienced a 17 percent decline in overseas travel, costing America 94 billion dollars in lost visitor spending, nearly 200,000 jobs and 16 billion dollars in lost tax revenue,’ the Discover America advocacy campaign said in a statement…

“‘Travelers around the world feel the US entry experience is among the world’s worst,’ [the statement said]… Last year, only 56 percent of Britons had a positive opinion of the United States compared with 83 percent in 2000… Thirty-nine percent of French people saw the United States in a positive light last year, compared with 62 percent in 2000…”

The Collapse of the U.S. Dollar?

Bloomberg reported on November 5 about the expected further downfall of the U.S. dollar, as follows:

“Even after the dollar lost 34 percent since 2001, the biggest investors and most accurate forecasters say it will weaken further as home sales fall and the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates. The dollar plummeted to its lowest ever last week against the euro, Canadian dollar, Chinese yuan and the cheapest in 26 years against the British pound… BNP Paribas chief currency strategist Hans-Guenter Redeker, the most accurate foreign-exchange forecaster last quarter in a Bloomberg survey, said the dollar may drop to $1.50 per euro by year-end… Jim Rogers, a former partner of investor George Soros, said last month he’s selling his house and all his possessions in the U.S. currency to buy China’s yuan. ‘The dollar is collapsing,” Rogers said last week in an interview…

“Wealthy clients at San Francisco-based Union Bank of California have doubled their deposits in foreign currencies to $60 million the past two months as a hedge against a decline, said Bradley Shairson, head of currency and derivatives at the bank. U.S. investors bought $198 billion in foreign securities this year through August, 72 percent more than in the same period last year, Treasury Department data show.”

Unapologetic Pilot of Hiroshima Bomb Died

AFP reported on November 1:

“The pilot of the plane that ushered in the age of atomic warfare with the first nuclear attack on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, died Thursday at the age of 92… Paul Warfield Tibbets, Jr., whose B-29 bomber dubbed the Enola Gay dropped the 9,000-pound ‘Little Boy’ bomb on August 6, 1945, died at his home in the midwest city of Columbus, Ohio…

“Tibbets was more than just the pilot. He was instrumental in redesigning and testing the plane used to carry the massive bomb and organizing and training the men needed to deliver it.

“Tibbets never regretted the bombing that led to the end of World War II but at a horrific price: 140,000 dead immediately and 80,000 other Japanese succumbing in the aftermath, according to Hiroshima officials. ‘That’s what it took to end the war,’ he told the Columbus Dispatch in 2003. ‘I went out to stop the killing all over.’ Aware that not everyone agrees with his view of history, Tibbets asked his family to cremate him so his grave site would not be desecrated by detractors…

“President Harry Truman gave his approval to drop the bomb in the afternoon of August 5, 1945. Tibbets and his crew lifted off from a base on the Pacific island of Tinian at 2:45 am for an uneventful six and a half hour flight to Japan. They dropped the first atomic bomb ever used in combat at 9:15 plus 15 seconds (8:15 Hiroshima time) and returned to base at 2:58 pm. He didn’t tell the crew that the bomb they were going to drop was atomic until well into the flight.

“‘As the bomb left the airplane we took over manual control, made an extremely steep turn to try and put as much distance between us and the explosion as possible,’ he once said. ‘After we felt the explosion hit the airplane, that is the concussion waves, we knew the bomb had exploded so we took a turn around to look at it. The sight that greeted our eyes was quite beyond what we had expected. We saw this cloud of boiling dust and debris below us with its tremendous mushroom on top. Beneath that was hidden the ruins of the city of Hiroshima.'”

Iran’s Nuclear Ambitions

The Jerusalem Post wrote on November 2, 2007:

“Bahrain’s Crown Prince, Sheik Salman bin Isa al-Khalifa, said Friday that Iran is striving to acquire nuclear weaponry… Al Khalifa said that at the very least, Iran is attempting to gain the ability to produce nuclear weaponry. The statement would make Bahrain the first Arab nation in the Persian Gulf to claim that Iran is attempting to deceive world leaders in relation to its nuclear aspirations. Al Khalifa warned that the crisis could worsen and draw the region into military conflict. For this reason, he said, it must be resolved by diplomatic means…”

AFP wrote on November 7:

“Iran has reached a key target of 3,000 centrifuges for uranium enrichment, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Wednesday, vowing to ignore UN resolutions calling for a halt to Tehran’s sensitive nuclear work… The number is a key milestone because scientists say that in ideal conditions it is sufficient to produce enough enriched uranium in one year to make a single nuclear bomb…

“Although Washington insists it wants a diplomatic solution, it has never ruled out a military option, with President George W. Bush raising the prospect of ‘nuclear holocaust’ and ‘World War III’ if Iran acquires atomic weapons.

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday she would urge a diplomatic solution to the Iran crisis in talks with Bush this week and that any further sanctions should be agreed by Russia and China, both major energy and trade partners of Iran.”

Pakistan in Turmoil

One of America’s few allies is in turmoil, due to dictatorial and autocratic measures by Pakistan’s president. His move to arrest judges and lawyers deeply upsets the West–and has become another thorn in the flesh for the United States and the Bush Administration.

The Associated Press reported on November 5:

“Police fired tear gas and clubbed thousands of lawyers protesting President Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s decision to impose emergency rule, as Western allies threatened to review aid to the troubled Muslim nation. More than 1,500 people have been arrested in 48 hours, and authorities put a stranglehold on independent media. Musharraf, who took power in a 1999 coup and is also head of Pakistan’s army, suspended the constitution on Saturday ahead of a Supreme Court ruling on whether his recent re-election as president was legal. He ousted independent-minded judges and granted sweeping powers to authorities to crush dissent…”

AFP added on November 5:

“The White House said it was ‘deeply disturbed’ by the crisis, urging Musharraf, a key ally in the fight against Al-Qaeda and Taliban militants, to call elections in January and to quit his military post… ‘We cannot support a path that does not put them back on the road to democracy,’ White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said… Perino confirmed that aid to the staunch ally in the US ‘war on terror’ was under review. A Pentagon spokesman said earlier that the United States had suspended annual defence talks with Pakistan because of the political situation…”

Der Spiegel Online wrote on November 5:

“Musharraf’s move puts the US in a difficult spot. Since the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Pakistan has been Washington’s closest regional ally in the war on terror, despite Musharraf’s apparent inability — or unwillingness — to root out al-Qaida and Taliban cells from the Afghanistan border region. The US has begun a review of future aid to Pakistan, calling into question a program that has sent $10 billion to the country in the last five years… Britain too has warned Pakistan that future aid may be at stake calling into question a $491 million (€339 million) aid program from 2005-2008. And the Netherlands on Monday became the first country to completely shut off aid to the South Asian country, suspending the remainder of €15 million ($22 million) yet to be paid this year. Holland had been planning to almost triple aid next year.”

The New York Times reported the following on November 5:

“President Bush has made spreading democracy a major foreign policy theme and his administration has quietly pushed General Musharraf for months to be more open to sharing power, going so far as to help broker talks between him and Benazir Bhutto, the leader of Pakistan’s largest opposition party.

“But Mr. Bush has said nothing in public about General Musharraf’s latest action. His silence contrasts sharply to his reaction to the crackdown on dissidents in Myanmar last month. In that case, Mr. Bush announced specific steps against Myanmar rulers. But Pakistan, officials argued, is a different case: it is a nuclear-armed nation that Mr. Bush had designated a ‘major non-NATO ally,’ even though its enthusiasm for counterterrorism has been episodic…

“For more than a year before Saturday’s declaration, American officials have seethed over Pakistan’s poor performance against Al Qaeda and the Taliban. General Musharraf’s effort to strike a deal with Islamic militant groups in the tribal areas failed. When he ordered troops back into the tribal areas in recent months, many were killed or kidnapped… Through it all, the United States has continued pumping money to the country… There is little question that General Musharraf has failed to develop broad domestic support for battling terrorists. His political party is divided, has not carried out promised reforms and would likely lose an election.

“A poll in September by Terror Free Tomorrow, a Washington-based nonprofit group, showed that Osama bin Laden was more popular in Pakistan than General Musharraf, with 46 percent of respondents giving him a ‘favorable’ rating against 38 percent for the president. Ms. Bhutto got a ‘favorable’ rating from 63 percent.”

Pakistan–The West Reaps What It Has Sowed

Der Spiegel Online wrote on November 6:

“As Pakistan teeters on the verge of chaos, the West looks on nervously and prays that the country’s nuclear weapons don’t fall into the wrong hands. German commentators feel that the West — and the US in particular — share part of the blame for the mess. The world is holding its breath to see what will happen in nuclear-armed Pakistan now that President Gen. Pervez Musharraf has declared a state of emergency.

“Although the West had been hoping that Musharraf would continue with tentative steps towards democracy, it is nervous about condemning the military leader too strongly now, for fear he may be toppled: The thought of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons falling into the hands of Islamist extremists is the stuff of Western politicians’ nightmares.

“The current crisis puts particularly the United States — Musharraf’s staunchest backer up until now — in a difficult position. Pakistan is an important American ally in the fight against terror, and the US felt a strongman like Musharraf was needed to guarantee stability in the country. But now the US has to be wary about being seen to be supporting a dictator who is against democracy — especially considering its vocal support for democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan. The US is now trying to put pressure on its ally to pull back from the brink…

“The conservative Die Welt writes:

“‘Since (the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks), the fate of Musharraf has been fundamentally linked to the success of the West in Afghanistan. But the reverse is also true: If Pakistan becomes ungovernable, then Afghanistan is lost. What comes next? What should be done? The West does not want to lose Pakistan, for reasons connected both to its nuclear weapons as well as to the anti-terrorist operation. But who stands for the Pakistan of today, and who stands for the country of tomorrow? It seems unlikely that Musharraf will pretend in a few months’ time that nothing has happened and allow elections to take place — or to accept their result, which will probably not be in his favor. But the protests of the educated middle classes against the state of emergency should not be underestimated. Can the West betray those who stand for democracy?’…

“The business daily Handelsblatt writes:

“‘Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf has abandoned his democratic façade and has outed [sic] himself as a dictator. Is this really a surprise? If we are honest: no. No one seriously expected that Pakistan would develop into a true democracy under Musharraf. Unfortunately, it is very difficult for the current United States government to see things that way…’

“The center-right Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung writes:

“‘… Musharraf has managed to slowly make enemies out of almost all major political forces in the country. This creates an almost impossible situation for the West. The West cannot rely exclusively on Musharraf in the medium and long term. But neither can the West drop him, because otherwise Pakistan — complete with its nuclear arsenal — would slide into the final abyss. Direct action is impossible, for a variety of reasons. So in the end, the only thing that remains is the hope — expressed often enough in the case of Pakistan, albeit in vain — that the country is able to summon up sufficient political self-healing to at least prevent the worst.'”

Former Pakistan’s President Bhutto Speaks Out

On November 7, The New York Times published an editorial of Benazir Bhutto, the prime minister of Pakistan from 1988 to 1990 and from 1993 to 1996, who is currently the leader of the Pakistan People’s Party. In the editorial, Bhutto wrote:

“The United States, Britain and much of the West have always said the right things about democracy in Pakistan and around the world. I recall the words of President Bush in his second inaugural address when he said: ‘All who live in tyranny and hopelessness can know: the United States will not ignore your oppression, or excuse your oppressors. When you stand for your liberty, we will stand with you.’

“The United States alone has given the Musharraf government more than $10 billion in aid since 2001. We do not know exactly where or how this money has been spent, but it is clear that it has not brought about the defeat of the Taliban and Al Qaeda, nor succeeded in capturing Osama bin Laden, nor has it broken the opium trade. It certainly has not succeeded in improving the quality of life of the children and families of Pakistan.

“The United States can promote democracy — which is the only way to truly contain extremism and terrorism — by telling General Musharraf that it does not accept martial law, and that it expects him to conduct free, fair, impartial and internationally monitored elections within 60 days under a reconstituted election commission. He should be given that choice: democracy or dictatorship with isolation… It is dangerous to stand up to a military dictatorship, but more dangerous not to. The moment has come for the Western democracies to show us in their actions, and not just in their rhetoric, which side they are on.”

… While the Chaos in Pakistan Continues…

AFP reported on November 7:

“Pakistani police rounded up about 400 supporters of ex-premier Benazir Bhutto in a crackdown hours after she called for mass protests against emergency rule, her party said Thursday. The move came as US President George W. Bush said he had telephoned President Pervez Musharraf to tell him bluntly that he must hold elections as scheduled and quit as army chief… Bhutto said she would hold a rally in Rawalpindi on Friday despite police threats of a crackdown, and called for a ‘long march’ on November 13 from Lahore to the capital if Musharraf does not repeal emergency rule…

“US deputy secretary of state John Negroponte told the US Congress continued engagement with Pakistan — an ‘indispensable ally in the war on terror’ — was the ‘only option.’ But in a sign of growing international pressure on Musharraf, President Bush told a press conference: ‘I just spoke to President Musharraf before I came here, and my message was very plain, very easy to understand. And that is: The United States wants you to have the elections as scheduled and take your uniform off.’ Britain and France also urged Musharraf to hold polls on time. But Pakistan rejected the ‘excessive’ global criticism.”

Little Reform in Turkey

The EUObserver wrote on November 1:

“Almost one year after the EU partially froze Turkey’s membership talks, little reform progress has been made by Ankara in key areas, with the European Commission in a fresh report urging Ankara ‘to renew the momentum of political reforms.’… The commission report also says restrictions in freedom of speech remain a ’cause of serious concern’… The EU executive highlights the notorious article 301 of Turkey’s recently adopted penal code, which criminalizes insults against ‘Turkishness’…

“Brussels concludes that ‘the Turkish legal system does not fully guarantee freedom of expression in line with European standards.’… Similarly, ‘no progress’ was seen in the area of protection of minorities and ensuring cultural diversity in line with EU principles, the commission says… Non-Muslim religious communities ‘continued to face problems such as restricted property rights’… The commission concludes that the ‘atmosphere’ in Turkey surrounding minorities and religious issues has ‘not been conducive to the full respect of fundamental rights and might de facto restrict their exercise.'”

… But Turkey May Give In to Europe…

Der Spiegel Online wrote on November 7:

“Turkey is planning to amend a heavily criticized law limiting freedom of expression, apparently in response to European Union pressure. Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin said Tuesday that the government had almost finished preparatory work on reforming the penal code’s notorious Article 301, under which people can be prosecuted for ‘insulting Turkishness.’… Under the law, which has been a stumbling block in Turkey’s path to EU membership, those who denigrate Turkey or insult its institutions can be sentenced to up to three years in prison. The notorious law has been used in the past to prosecute intellectuals and journalists who have spoken out about the 1915 Armenian massacre…

“The announcement came just hours after the European Union presented its annual report on Turkey’s progress towards EU membership, in which it said Turkey must make ‘significant further efforts’ on freedom of expression. ‘It is not acceptable that writers, journalists, academics and other intellectuals … are prosecuted for simply expressing a critical but completely non-violent opinion,’ EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said. He made clear that the repeal of what he termed the ‘infamous Article 301’ was a top priority, recommending that the EU should not extend accession negotiations to the key policy area of justice and human rights until the article had been changed.”

… While the USA Gives In to Turkey

AFP reported on November 5:

“President George W. Bush, vying to avert a Turkish incursion into Iraq, Monday pledged to step up US military and intelligence cooperation to aid Turkey’s fight against Kurdish rebels. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed Bush’s commitments following crisis talks here between the two leaders, but said his country had no plans to withdraw some 100,000 troops massed on the border with Iraq…

“As Pakistan sinks deeper into political crisis, Bush would be loath to see any escalation in tensions between Turkey, another crucial anti-terror partner, and US allies in northern Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region…

“Some observers fear that US influence with Turkey has been undermined by a push in Congress to label the Ottoman Empire’s World War I massacre of ethnic Armenians as ‘genocide.’ But fierce pressure from both Turkey and the White House appears to have paid off for now, with its Democratic authors agreeing late last month to shelve a House debate on the resolution.”

Changes in Poland

AFP reported on November 5:

“Poland’s conservative prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski handed in his resignation to his twin, President Lech Kaczynski, on Monday, ending a surprise political double act on the European stage. Jaroslaw Kaczynski was forced to quit after the twins’ deeply Catholic and eurosceptic Law and Justice party lost an election on October 21. Lech Kaczynski is expected to name a bitter political rival, Donald Tusk, whose liberal Civic Platform won the election, as the new prime minister later this week, a presidential aide said…

“In September, after the government collapsed, the Kaczynskis gambled on the snap election as a way to cement their party’s hold on power. But voters swung solidly behind Civic Platform, which also promised to heal the rifts at home and spur Poland’s already healthy economy to tempt back some of the million-plus Poles who have emigrated to other EU member states in recent years. Among Tusk’s vote-winning pledges was one to withdraw the country’s 900-strong military contingent in Iraq…

“Observers still expect relations to be strained between Tusk and the president… Kaczynski, whose term runs until 2010, has already warned he will veto Tusk’s plans to introduce a single-rate ‘flat tax’. He has also slammed plans to ratify the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights, which the conservatives argue goes against deeply Catholic Poland’s point of view, notably Poles’ antipathy to gay rights.”

The EUObserver added on November 7:

“Just days before being sworn in as Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk has outlined his cabinet’s priorities: to improve problematic relations with other EU countries; to adopt the euro in 2012-2013; as well as to re-examine the US plan to place an anti-missile shield in Poland… Mr Tusk said he was set to place Poland back in the European mainstream. In addition, special attention will be paid to Polish-German relations…

“Poland’s new pro-European course may come at a price for the country’s ties with Washington. Mr Tusk has indicated he will consult his EU counterparts before agreeing to the US plan to place an anti-missile shield in Poland. ‘If we decide, jointly in talks with our partners in the European Union and NATO partners, that this isn’t an unambiguous project, then we are definitely going to think it over’, he was cited as saying by AP. The statement was the first signal of a different approach compared to the one adopted by outgoing prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski as well as his twin brother, president Lech Kaczysnki…

“In addition, Poland’s prime minister elect has reiterated his plans to withdraw 900 Polish soldiers stationed in Iraq next year – a mission that he described as a burden to the country’s budget. Speaking about the euro, he has vowed to prepare his country for ‘as fast as possible’ decision on joining the euro, cautiously setting the target for 2012-2013.”

Reuben Is “Unstable as Water” and “Shall Not Excel” (Genesis 49:4)

Reuters reported on November 7 about a “warming up” between France and the USA–or more specifically, President Bush and President Sarkozy. We understand France to be descendants of Reuben, and the USA of Manasseh–both sons of ancient Jacob or Israel. However, it is hard to say whether this is good news for the USA–given the fact that Sarkozy’s reputation and credibility in France, and in Europe in general, has suffered tremendously after the French election, due in part to his divorce and his “bullying” conduct toward other leaders.

Reuters stated:

“The U.S. and French presidents forged a common front against Iran’s nuclear ambitions on Wednesday, signaling a further warming of once-chilly relations between Washington and Paris… Underscoring how times have changed, Sarkozy trumpeted strengthened ties with Bush in a speech earlier to a joint session of the U.S. Congress that was filled with effusive praise for American values.

“‘America can count on France in its battle on terror,’ Sarkozy said, pledging that his country would stand by the United States in the fight against nuclear proliferation in Iran and terrorism in Afghanistan. Bush, notably frosty toward Chirac, has been just as eager for a fresh start in relations badly strained by the Iraq war, and called Sarkozy a ‘a partner in peace.’… But mindful of Bush’s deep unpopularity in France, Sarkozy, a fellow conservative, must also show he will not flinch at disagreeing with him. Sarkozy was mocked as ‘Bush’s poodle’ by Socialists before coming into office in May…

“Taking a swipe at Chirac over Iraq, Bush told Sarkozy, ‘We had a difference of opinion with your great country over whether or not I should have used military force to enforce U.N. demands.’ Sarkozy sought to avoid any divisiveness and said only that France wanted a united, democratic and peaceful Iraq.”

The indications are that they will. Although there have been feeble attempts to build a new Temple ever since the destruction of the Second Temple of God by the Roman army in 70 AD, none have been successful—to date!

Some historical and contemporary background will shed light on the ongoing desire of Jews to once again establish a Temple in Jerusalem, which would include daily animal sacrifices in accordance with Old Testament guidelines, which are clearly revealed to commence soon in Jerusalem, before they are suppressed again by an invading power (compare Daniel 12:11).

Jerusalem itself has become a focal point of international concern, and the Temple Mount is considered the most contested religious site on earth. For centuries, various factions have challenged control of this area. Up until the Six Day War in 1967, Jews didn’t even have access to the area called the Temple Mount.

Considered to be the site of Solomon’s Temple as well as that of the Second Temple, the area is now occupied by the Dome of the Rock (built in 691 AD) and the Al Aqsa Mosque (built in 720 AD)—both of which are considered sacred to Muslims.

As never before, there is a rising sentiment advocating the building of another Temple in Jerusalem—both from Jews and Christians, whose views are generally considered extremist by most of the political leadership in Israel. Nonetheless, the movement is gaining support.

The complexities that surround this small parcel of land are staggering!

Although Jerusalem is under Israel’s political control, Muslims hold religious sovereignty over the Temple Mount. However, many religious Jews feel that Jews must be allowed to worship on the Temple Mount. At the present time, the chief Rabbinate of Israel forbids access to the Temple Mount by Jews, because the area once occupied by the Holy of Holies is believed to be there (although the exact location is unknown). No one, according to their reasoning, should therefore enter this area—hearkening back to the Biblical prohibitions established by God about anyone other than the High Priest being allowed access to this area–and that only once a year (compare Leviticus 16:1-2, 34; Exodus 30:10).

Today, there are numerous and varied individuals and organizations taking steps to bring about a new Temple in Jerusalem. While this cannot be deemed a unified effort because of the conflicting views underlying these endeavors, the net effect is giving rise to a movement with the common goal to reestablish a Temple along with sacrifices and formal Temple worship. Here are some highlights:

*SANHEDRIN: Although there have been several attempts to establish this traditional Jewish judicial and religious council (composed of 71 Jewish sages), recent developments seem more focused. This proposed council is considered a work in progress, and the new Sanhedrin will have significant influence if it regains its former role in Jewish life. This is pivotal, for this body was the one that appointed the High Priest during the administration of the Second Temple.

In addition, the genealogy of Levites has been preserved, and lists of living Levites exist who would be qualified to serve in that capacity at the Temple.

*PREPARATIONS: Education about Temple service has been established in Israel. This includes rabbinic schools dedicated to researching and developing the necessary training for service in the Temple. The thought among those engaged in this endeavor is that they must be prepared for what they consider to be a certainty—the rebuilding of the Temple! In addition, contributions and gold have been received from national and international sponsors for the building of the Temple, and replica of certain furnishings and utensils for the Temple have already been prepared–following the descriptions of the Old Testament Tabernacle in the Wilderness and Solomon’s Temple. The replica of those vessels and vestments include, among many other items, the golden lampstand, the table of showbread, the altar of incense, the ark of the covenant, and the crown and ephod for the High Priest

*RELIGION: Most of the descendants of Judah have rejected Jesus Christ as their Messiah—both in His day and until this time. They expect a Messiah who will restore Israel and fight against their enemies. As a part of this expectation, devout Jews anticipate that a Temple will be in existence when their Messiah intervenes on behalf of Israel. This concept is proving to be a driving force among the more fervent holding to the faith of traditional Judaism.

*ENEMIES: At the present time, the Muslim Council, Wakf, a Vatican-like organization that rules holy places on the Temple Mount, rejects the claims of Jews that there ever was a Temple of God—neither that of Solomon or the Second Temple! Some Israelis believe that the Wakf Islamic trust is systematically destroying archeological evidence that would prove this existence. The Jewish holy site called the “Wailing Wall” is attributed to the Second Temple as a part of its original foundation. Constant danger and even bloodshed serve to accentuate the epic struggle between Jews and Muslims on the Temple Mount. The more extreme Jews are committed to driving out those they believe are desecrating the site of the Temple, and in addition, they are committed to building a new Temple.

*CHRISTIANS: Great fervor among evangelical Christians for a new Temple has added support—if not confusion—to the prospect of what might be in store for the Temple Mount! Numerous Christian publications, sermons and personal contacts promote the idea, which appears to be Biblically accurate, that another Temple is prophesied in both the Old and New Testament. This fervent attention does add weight to the international support that Israel enjoys, and, even more, it fuels the idea that the Israelis will soon begin to build on the Temple Mount.

While only rudimentary evidence of the former structures remains on the Temple Mount, the Bible has detailed documentation of the plans for both the historic Temples and that of a future Temple, which will exist in the Millennium. The Tabernacle in the Wilderness is described in great detail; Solomon’s work in building the Temple of God in Jerusalem provides extensive descriptions; and, the very intriguing “building plans” presented, beginning in Ezekiel 40, have inspired some to believe that they can effectively reconstruct the Temple prior to Christ’s Return.

For reasons that may well transcend the troubles of the moment that are confronting the tiny nation of Israel, world attention will focus on Jerusalem!

“‘Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it’” (Zechariah 12:2-3).

The Word of God reveals that in the approaching time described as the end of this age, another powerful religious presence will be established in Jerusalem—and IN THE TEMPLE OF GOD! (Please refer to the Editorial by Norbert Link in this Update (#317), titled, “A Temple In Jerusalem?”).

While many Christians understand that Jesus Christ is the true Messiah and that He is prophesied to return to this earth, the House of Judah does not!

Yet, for all of this, God will send Jesus Christ to save Judah; and the House of Israel; and a world on the verge of self-destruction!

When Christ returns (Compare Zechariah 14:4), He will go to a very specific place once He is on this earth (Compare Ezekiel 43:1-7). Then will be the ultimate fulfillment of Malachi 3:1: “‘And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple.’” Although this passage speaks primarily of Christ’s spiritual Temple–His true Church (compare 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16)–it might also refer to an existing literal Temple in Jerusalem.

Lead Writers: Dave Harris and Norbert Link

A new member letter has been written and will be sent out shortly. In the letter, Dave Harris discusses the question of how we can make sure that we are and remain to be profitable servants.

A new booklet is being written, discussing man’s holidays and God’s Holy Days. This new booklet will be the first in a new series of booklets, addressing the overall theme as whether or not beliefs and popular concepts can be found in the Bible.

On November 3, 2007, Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “Did God Cause the California Firestorm?”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

In the early summer of this year, the UK experienced some of the worst floods that this small island had ever seen. After a very warm start to the summer, the British did not realize what was just around the corner. Many people lost their homes, and many others had much damage to their properties.

Very recently, terrible fires have engulfed parts of the general San Diego and Malibu areas in Southern California, apparently–according to some reports–the worst on record. Once again, people were going about their daily business, not realizing what was just around the corner. Many have, again, lost their homes, and others will be living with the consequences of this disaster for a long time to come.  

In these two examples, floods and fire have been the cause with all the attendant problems that they bring in their wake. People were living normal lives in New York until 9/11 happened. Those living in that area had no idea of the coming calamity. And in many other areas of the world, serious problems have arisen that were just not foreseen, but were just around the corner, waiting to happen.

On a smaller scale, but no less importantly, are those events that happen unexpectedly in our own personal lives. One day we can be going along just fine and then, just around the corner, things can happen that turn our world upside down. How do we react? How do we cope? We have to make sure that we have a solid foundation (Matthew 7:24). We have to resolve that no matter what life has to throw at us, we will remain loyal to God and His way–being convinced that God knows what is best for us and will not allow us to be examined or tested beyond what we are able to bear (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Whatever lies ahead should not cause us to falter, because God wants us to win and make it into His Kingdom. Let us never forget what a marvelous future God has in store for those of us who come through all the tests and trials that we experience, many of which may still be just around the corner!

Little Turkey Pressures Powerful America

The International Herald Tribune republished the following article by The Associated Press, dated October 30:

“The Turkish prime minister said Tuesday that intensified military action against separatist Kurdish rebels was unavoidable and pressed the United States to crack down on guerrilla bases in northern Iraq. Turkish helicopters, meanwhile, pounded rebel positions near the border with rockets for a second day, and Turkey brought in troops by the truckload in an operation against mountainside emplacements… Erdogan is to fly to Washington on Nov. 5 to meet with President George W. Bush for talks that could be decisive in whether Turkey carries out its threats of a major military incursion… “‘I will once again express Turkey’s determination and the sensitivity of the people on the issue of terrorism to President Bush,’ Erdogan said. ‘We will openly express that we expect urgent steps from the United States, which is our strategic partner and ally and has special responsibilities regarding Iraq.’

“The United States, Iraq and other countries have called on Turkey to refrain from a cross-border campaign, which could spread disorder in one of the few stable areas in Iraq. A Turkish incursion would also put the United States in an awkward position with key allies: Turkey, a NATO member, the Baghdad government and the self-governing Iraqi Kurds in Iraq’s north.”

Iraq Warns Turkey

AFP reported the following on October 29:

“Turkey has threatened a major cross-border assault on PKK bases in northern Iraq if Baghdad and Washington fail to make good on promises to crack down on the rebels there. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari warned Monday that such a move could have ‘disastrous consequences’ and would be met with stiff Iraqi resistance. ‘They are talking about a large-scale military incursion which is getting people extremely, extremely nervous and worried,’ Zebari told the BBC in an interview.

“Describing the situation on the Turkish-Iraqi border as ‘dead serious,’ Zebari complained that Turkey ‘was not responsive’ when Iraqi officials flew to Ankara last week for talks. According to Turkish media reports, some 100,000 Turkish troops have been deployed along the border over the past week.”

Armenians Upset With U.S. Timidity

On October 30, 2007, the Eastern Star News Agency (ESNA) wrote the following:

“The director of the Assyrian centre of genocide studies… called on Turks to put pressure on their government to recognize the Ottoman mass killing of around 2 million Assyrians/Syriacs, Armenians and Greeks during World War I. ‘It is the duty of every individual Turk to lobby his government to recognize the crimes committed in the name of their nation and religion,’ Sabri Atman, Seyfo Centre director, said in a lecture on Sunday in London. Atman’s call came days after the US House of Representatives rejected a resolution to recognize the Armenian genocide.”

Serious Water Shortage for America and the World

The Associated Press reported on October 26:

“An epic drought in Georgia threatens the water supply for millions. Florida doesn’t have nearly enough water for its expected population boom. The Great Lakes are shrinking. Upstate New York’s reservoirs have dropped to record lows. And in the West, the Sierra Nevada snowpack is melting faster each year. Across America, the picture is critically clear – the nation’s freshwater supplies can no longer quench its thirst. The government projects that at least 36 states will face water shortages within five years because of a combination of rising temperatures, drought, population growth, urban sprawl, waste and excess…

“It’s not just America’s problem – it’s global. Australia is in the midst of a 30-year dry spell, and population growth in urban centers of sub-Saharan Africa is straining resources. Asia has 60 percent of the world’s population, but only about 30 percent of its freshwater.”

The article continued:

“Coastal states like Florida and California face a water crisis not only from increased demand, but also from rising temperatures that are causing glaciers to melt and sea levels to rise. Higher temperatures mean more water lost to evaporation. And rising seas could push saltwater into underground sources of freshwater.

“Florida represents perhaps the nation’s greatest water irony. A hundred years ago, the state’s biggest problem was it had too much water. But decades of dikes, dams and water diversions have turned swamps into cities. Little land is left to store water during wet seasons, and so much of the landscape has been paved over that water can no longer penetrate the ground in some places to recharge aquifers. As a result, the state is forced to flush millions of gallons of excess into the ocean to prevent flooding. Also, the state dumps hundreds of billions of gallons a year of treated wastewater into the Atlantic through pipes – water that could otherwise be used for irrigation…

“Californians use nearly 23 trillion gallons of water a year, much of it coming from Sierra Nevada snowmelt. But climate change is producing less snowpack and causing it to melt prematurely, jeopardizing future supplies. Experts also say the Colorado River, which provides freshwater to seven Western states, will probably provide less water in coming years as global warming shrinks its flow.”

Steady Decline of the Dollar–American Economy in BIG Trouble

On October 30, The Associated Press reported the following:

“The dollar fell to a new record low against the euro and a 26-year low against the British pound Tuesday… the euro peaked at $1.4440, the latest in a string of all-time highs against the dollar, before settling at $1.4434… The pound rose to $2.0679 in late New York trading Tuesday — a level last seen in 1981, when Diana married Prince Charles and Margaret Thatcher was prime minister…

“The Canadian dollar hit a new 47-year high of $1.0510 Tuesday, according to Dow Jones’ Interbank foreign exchange rates, before settling at $1.0488… The euro and the Canadian dollar have been climbing steadily against the dollar, regularly touching new highs since August amid fears over the health of the U.S. economy — worries stoked by the subprime credit crisis and disappointing economic reports — and rising oil prices.

“Tuesday saw the release of more disheartening economic data, as the Conference Board reported that its Consumer Confidence Index fell to 95.6 — its lowest level since October 2005 — from a revised 99.5 in September. It is the index’s third consecutive monthly drop and signals consumers’ insecurities over the economy and their jobs…”

The Financial Times added on October 30:

“… experts [are] warning that the next few months will bring more bad news from consumers and the housing market… ‘The housing market, credit problems and high gasoline prices are casting a cloud over consumer confidence and the economy,’ said Lynn Franco at the Conference Board, a research organisation. According to the board, consumer confidence fell sharply in October and was now at its lowest level since the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in October 2005. The October drop in the monthly consumer confidence index was bigger than expected…”

EU and USA At Odds Over Weak Dollar

Der Spiegel Online wrote on November 1, 2007:

“Economic growth in the United States will, in the short term, slow down. That, at least, is the future seen in the US Federal Reserve’s crystal ball. The consequences of that forecast became clear on Wednesday: The central bank cut short-term lending rates by a quarter of a percentage point to 4.5 percent… In the same breath, the Fed also dropped the discount rate — which governs rates charged to banks borrowing from the Fed — by 0.25 percent to 5 percent…

“It didn’t take long for the results to make themselves felt. Anticipation of the Fed’s move had already driven the price of the euro up — and soon after the announcement, the euro reached a new record price of $1.45 before sliding back slightly. Oil prices likewise shot up, partially due to anticipation stemming from the interest rate cut that the US economy would continue to grow. And gold prices have likewise hit $800 per ounce, a price not seen since 1980.

“… inflation in Europe has recently increased dramatically… making an interest rate hike the logical conclusion. The euro, as a result, will likely continue to rise against the dollar… The stronger the euro, the more expensive European goods become. ‘The weak dollar is not a good thing,’ says Kay Mayland, head of Germany-based SMS Demag, which sells metal-working equipment the world over. Many other managers and investors from across the European continent are likewise becoming impatient. Should the euro climb to $1.50, analysts say, exporters will likely experience a drastic slowdown in sales.

“For Germany — Europe’s largest economy — the consequences could be horrendous. Much of the country’s economy, after all, is based on exports.”

Cristina Kirchner the New President of Argentina

AFP reported on October 29:

“Argentina’s First Lady Cristina Kirchner won praise and pledges of better ties from Latin American neighbors Monday after sweeping the polls to take over the presidency from her husband [on December 10]… A lawyer, senator and snappy dresser who is often compared to New York senator Hillary Clinton, Cristina Kirchner declared herself the winner… Observers say Kirchner faces big challenges, with high inflation, rising crime and low foreign investment all now threatening the economic recovery her husband oversaw in the wake of a 2001 collapse that led to a historic debt default and devaluation of the peso…

“The presidents of Chile, Venezuela and Brazil were the first to congratulate Kirchner on her win.

“Chile’s Michelle Bachelet, who was the first woman elected to the presidency in her country in January 2006, said: ‘It’s not a coincidence that these two neighboring countries, with similar characteristics, have elected women to direct their destinies.’ Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called it ‘a triumph for women of Latin America,’ and said he hoped to deepen ties he has nurtured with the Argentine first couple.

“US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Washington congratulated Kirchner on her victory, and the Argentine people on participating in free and fair elections. He added that US administration hoped to work with Kirchner on bilateral and regional issues. Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and France’s Nicolas Sarkozy each invited Kirchner to visit them.

“Aside from the Hillary Clinton comparison, Kirchner’s glamor and confidence — some say arrogance — have also earned her references to Argentina’s most iconic woman politician: Eva, or ‘Evita’ Peron, second wife to president Juan Peron. Peron’s third wife, Isabel, was Argentina’s first-ever female president — but unlike Kirchner, she was unelected. She was elevated from the vice-presidency on her husband’s death in 1974 and ousted in a coup two years later.”

European Imperialism

The Wall Street Journal wrote on October 31:

“Europe now writes the rules for global business across the board — unapologetically to the benefit of its own industry. American companies are learning they have little choice but to obey… [European] control over access to a consumer market of 500 million lets them try to force the rest of the world to play by its cumbersome rules. The result is a quiet but concerted war on non-European commerce, and especially on U.S. companies. Antitrust policy in Brussels is a battlefield, particularly for high-tech firms. [Judge] Mario Monti, the former EU competition czar who issued the ruling against Microsoft’s software ‘bundling,’ told an Italian newspaper last month that putting such U.S. giants in their place was ‘the true strength of a united Europe.’ …

“Since 1997, the EU has banned chicken meat rinsed in such antimicrobial treatments as chlorine. In Europe, poultry meat can be ‘washed’ only in potable water. The EU said the chemicals used in the U.S. were dangerous, then changed its mind two years ago when its own Food Safety Authority declared them harmless. But the ban remains in place… U.S. poultry farmers… are losing a significant market. U.S. chicken exports to Romania were $63 million in 2005, but they stopped cold when Bucharest joined the EU this year…

“Foreign cosmetic companies, for instance, are required to register all chemicals in their products by June 1, 2008. The deadline for their European rivals is at least three years away. At stake for U.S. makers is their $2 billion in annual exports to Europe. American companies are scrambling to meet this deadline even as they wait for Brussels to approve new alternatives to animal testing, which is banned for products sold in the EU starting in 2009.”

We are glad to explain this highly misunderstood topic in detail. As we will see, the Bible clearly teaches THREE resurrections–not just one.

Paul was inspired by God to write in 1 Corinthians 15:20-26:

“But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep [who have died]. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam ALL die, even so in Christ ALL shall be made alive. But each one IN HIS OWN ORDER: Christ the firstfruits, AFTERWARD those who are Christ’s [true converted Christians] at His coming. THEN COMES THE END, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an END to all [rebellious human and demonic] rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till he has put all ENEMIES under His feet. The LAST ENEMY that will be destroyed is death.”

Paul reveals that there is an ORDER of resurrections.

(1) THE FIRST RESURRECTION: When Christ returns, only those who died IN CHRIST will be resurrected. They will be resurrected to immortality. Not all the dead will be resurrected at that time.

Romans 8:11 reads: “But IF the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in YOU, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give [eternal] life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit [which] dwells in YOU.”

This resurrection to eternal life at the time of Christ’s return is described in 1 Corinthians 15:50-54.

It is also referred to in 1 Corinthians 6:14: “And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise US up by His power.”

The New King James Bible, as quoted above, does not accurately convey the Greek meaning of this passage–and neither do most other English translations. Paul is actually saying here that God will raise us up from among the dead.

The German Elberfelder Bible points out in a footnote that the literal meaning is that God will raise us out of the dead; that is, that He will bring us back to life from among and out of the dead. The passage shows that not all the dead will be resurrected at that time.

The same concept is conveyed in Philippians 3:11, where Paul speaks about his desire to “attain to the resurrection from the dead.” The choice of the word “from” is not the best. The German Menge Bible translates, “resurrection out of the dead.” Again, the Elberfelder Bible points out that Paul is talking about a resurrection from among the dead. In German, the word is “Heraus-Auferstehung”; that is, a resurrection out of the dead. This passage does not talk about a resurrection of all the dead. V.E. Vine, Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, gives the literal meaning of the word as “the out-resurrection from among the dead.”

That there will be more resurrections than just one, is also clearly revealed by Jesus in John 5:28-29: “… for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth–those who have done good, to the resurrection OF LIFE, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of CONDEMNATION.”

Those in the first resurrection will become immortal Spirit beings–they will be part of the resurrection of ETERNAL LIFE. In speaking to the Church of God in Smyrna, Jesus said that those who overcome, “‘…shall not be hurt by the second death'” (Revelation 2:11). The nature of the “second death” will be explained below. Jesus’ promise, not to be hurt by the second death, is made to all who are called NOW to be a part of the first resurrection–as the firstfruits of God’s plan of salvation (Compare Revelation 20:6). But, the resurrection of condemnation will come later.

The first resurrection will be attained by those God has specifically called, who have repented, overcome in this lifetime and who have endured to the end–those who have not given up on their calling and returned to the ways of the world! Christians are being judged NOW. Peter states: “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now ‘If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?'” (1 Peter 4:17-18).

In his second letter to the Church, Peter very specifically addresses the issue of accountability that those who are called NOW face if they turn away from God. Verses 18 through 22 of 2 Peter chapter 2, contain somber warnings for anyone so foolish as to reject God’s calling and who allow themselves to be overcome by the world, Satan or their own desires, to the point that they permanently cut themselves off from God.

(2) THE SECOND RESURRECTION: Following the first resurrection of those who died “in Christ” will be the second resurrection of those who had not accepted Christ when they died. They will come back to live, and then they are given their first opportunity. But their resurrection will come LATER–it will NOT occur at the time of Christ’s return.

Revelation 20:5, 11-12 describes the SECOND resurrection: “But the REST OF THE DEAD [who were not in the FIRST resurrection] did not live again UNTIL the thousand years [the Millennium] were finished… Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it… And I saw the dead, small and great, STANDING before God… And the dead were JUDGED…”

This second resurrection is not one to eternal life, but to physical life. It is a resurrection to JUDGMENT–but NOT to condemnation!

Ezekiel 37:7-11 describes the resurrection of the entire house of Israel to PHYSICAL LIFE. They will be resurrected in the SECOND resurrection. When the dead of Israel are brought back again to physical life, God will deal with them as He deals with true Christians today. Once a person comes to true understanding, accepts God’s way of life, repents of his sins, believes in Christ‘s sacrifice and the gospel and becomes baptized, then God grants him forgiveness and offers him the gift of the Holy Spirit. We see in Ezekiel 37:14 that the Holy Spirit is offered to the resurrected Israelites–obviously after they have repented of their sins and have become baptized. The people of the house of Israel will know God and begin to live a life pleasing to God. If they overcome and endure, they will receive immortality (compare Romans 11:32; Romans 11:26).

But it is not only the people of Israel who will be resurrected at that time. We read in Matthew 12:41-42 that the men of Nineveh and the queen of the South “will RISE UP in the JUDGMENT” with people who were alive at the time of Jesus Christ. Compare, too, Matthew 10:14-15 and Matthew 11:21-24, referring to other unconverted people who had died in the past.

Some commentaries understand that the Bible teaches more than one resurrection. The Nelson Study Bible comments on Revelation 20: “The resurrection of the dead will not encompass all people at the same time… there will be a first resurrection of dead believers before the thousand years of Christ’s reign and a final resurrection after the millennium is finished, before the great white throne judgment…” However, as we will see, the resurrection before the Great White Throne is NOT the final resurrection.

Halley’s Bible Handbook states: “… there will be Two resurrections, one before, and one after, the Millennium…”

But this is not accurate, either. There will be actually TWO resurrections after the Millennium. The SECOND resurrection, after the Millennium, was discussed above. But there will a FINAL resurrection which will follow the second resurrection. We refer to it as the THIRD resurrection.

(3) THE THIRD RESURRECTION: Sadly, there are those who have had their opportunity. They have committed the “unpardonable sin.” They knew and understood perfectly well, that they had to submit to Christ, but they refused to do so. They became bitter, hateful, resentful and malicious. They made the unchangeable decision NEVER to repent. If a person has reached that stage that he cannot repent, because he has made the final decision NOT to WANT to repent, then God will not force repentance on such a person. God grants repentance, but a person must want to receive it. A person, though, who maliciously rejects Christ, would only continue to live in misery and pain–and that is why God will save such a person from eternal misery, by DESTROYING him in a lake of fire.

Revelation 20:13-15 describes the THIRD resurrection, which will occur some time AFTER the judgment period of the second resurrection:

“The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

God refers to the coming THIRD resurrection in the book of Daniel. In contrasting the FIRST resurrection with the THIRD resurrection, we are told, in Daniel 12:2: “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to EVERLASTING life, Some to shame and EVERLASTING CONTEMPT.”

Notice, it does not say that they will live forever in everlasting contempt. But it says that they will WAKE UP “to” everlasting contempt–their fate will be one of everlasting consequences.

The following Scriptures also describe the fate of those who will be brought back to life in the third resurrection: Obadiah 16; Malachi 4:3; Matthew 3:10; Hebrews 6:4-8; Hebrews 10:26-27; and 2 Peter 3:7.

The vast majority of all of humanity will be judged during the second resurrection. Even at this time, it may well be that some will ultimately reject God’s offer of salvation and eternal life–just as some called before the first resurrection will have turned away from God.

However, God is “…not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9); and, God “…desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Yet, God will not force people to choose life– even though He will give all an opportunity for eternal life in His Kingdom.

You might also want to read Christ’s parable of Lazarus and the rich man, in Luke 16:19-31. While Lazarus was resurrected to immortal life in the FIRST resurrection, the rich man is being resurrected, more than 1,000 years later, in the THIRD resurrection. He sees the flames and acknowledges his fate, knowing that he will be cast into the lake of fire to be burnt up.

In spite of what many preach and believe today, the Bible clearly reveals that there will be some who will have committed the unpardonable sin. They will be destroyed by fire: “‘But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death'” (Revelation 21:8).

Some have wondered why there should be a third resurrection, if their fate was already sealed at the time of their death. Why wouldn’t God just leave them in their graves–rather than resurrecting them again to physical life to destroy them forever? We may not know completely the answer to this question, but God gives us several hints. God is a God of JUSTICE. In raising those who have committed the unpardonable sin to physical life, their attitude will become manifest to all alive at that time. When they witness their conduct, they will never be able to question God’s compassionate and uncompromising justice; as well as His merciful wisdom to free those hateful human beings from their emotional misery and pain.

While most professing Christians don’t believe in more than one resurrection–if they believe in a resurrection at all–the Bible clearly reveals three resurrections. True Christians are to strive to attain the FIRST or “better resurrection” (Hebrews 11:35). We read that if they attain that resurrection to eternal life, they will not “come into judgment” of the second resurrection (compare John 5:24).

God has given the responsibility of judgment to Jesus Christ (Compare John 5:22), and all will appear before Christ for this judgment–whether called now or in a future resurrection (Compare 2 Corinthians 5:10).

For further information on the important subject of the three resurrections, please read our free booklets, “Do We Have an Immortal Soul?“, “God’s Commanded Holy Days,” “The Meaning of God’s Spring Holy Days” and “The Meaning of God’s Fall Holy Days.” In addition, you might want to read our Q&A on, “Do You Teach a Resurrection of the Physical Body?,” and you may want to listen to Norbert Link’s audio sermon, dated October 18, 2003, titled, “The Three Resurrections.”

Lead Writers: Norbert Link and Dave Harris

The draft of our new booklet on the Old Testament sacrifices and the tabernacle in the wilderness has entered the first review cycle.

Two new StandingWatch programs have been posted on the StandingWatch Web and on Google Video. 

The first new StandingWatch program is titled, “Halloween–The Devil’s Curse,” and was posted on the Web on Tuesday night. In the program, Norbert Link is asking the following provocative questions: Do you keep Halloween? Is it harmless fun to do so? Are you unpatriotic if you don’t? Can you claim to be a Christian, while celebrating a festival dedicated to Satan the devil? Do you care to know the truth about Halloween–and how God looks at it? View this program on Google Video or StandingWatch.

The second new StandingWatch program is titled, “The Origins of America and Britain, Part 3.” It was posted on the Web on Wednesday night. A brief summary of the program is set forth, as follows:

Where is the throne of David today? The angel Gabriel promised Mary that God would give Jesus the throne of His father David. Is that throne in heaven, as some claim, or is it somewhere on this earth? We are also told that King David would never lack a descendant to sit on the throne of David. But David’s descendants ceased to rule over the house of Judah, when the Babylonians captured King Zedekiah–a descendant of David–and killed his sons. Did God fail to fulfill His promise to David? View this program on Google Video or StandingWatch.

On October 27, 2007, Dave Harris will give the sermon, titled, “Restoration.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org at 12:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 2:30 pm Central Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

A new field of genetics called “Epigenetics” has been gaining attention due to recent findings. These studies, according to some scientists, show a link between environment, health and habits of humans and its impact on future generations. A Washington State researcher found that toxins given to rats affected their offspring four generations later. A Swedish study looking at historical records showed that the lifespan of grandchildren was influenced by their grandparents’ access to food and climate conditions.

Mark Mehler, Professor of Neurology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, speaking on this new field of study said, “It’s another level … of explaining the biological complexity of life.” Another researcher by the name of Pembrey said, “[Epigenetics] is changing the way we think about inheritance forever.”

God said, “…For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me” (Deuteronomy 5:9).

It’s thrilling to see science prove God’s Laws, validating what we already know from the Bible. But do we allow mankind’s “wisdom” to be laid as the cornerstone of our spiritual foundations? Does man’s knowledge sometimes shake what we had faith in before?

Paul stated, “…your faith should NOT be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Corinthians 2:5). He later says to “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and NOT according to Christ” (Colossians 2:8).

As gripping as scientific proof of God’s fundamentals might be, we are exhorted not to rely on them as our foundation of understanding. Israel, having seen the wonders of God, eventually relied on their own interpretation of Who God was and worshipped Him as a golden calf. It is essential in this Godless era, that we continually stay rooted with Him. Only then can we really explain the real purpose of life.

California’s Firestorm!

Monumental, unfathomable, unbelievable, unimaginable, evil, utter devastation–just some of the words being used in news reports to describe the raging wildfires that have swept throughout parts of Southern California.

On October 23, 2007, USAToday.com published the following: “…the largest wildfire evacuation in U.S. history, and the biggest forced movement of people ever in California. Hurricanes such as devastating Katrina in 2005 have prompted larger flights from coastal areas, but wildfires usually scorch remote areas far from major cities.”

The numbers of displaced people are staggering–as are the statistics used to describe this disaster. CNN.com (10/24/07) describes the magnitude:

“Earlier Wednesday, officials told residents of De Luz, near Camp Pendleton, and of the Fallbrook area near Riverside County, to join an estimated 950,000 people already seeking refuge from the fires in shelters, hotels and at friends’ homes…

“More than 20 fires have scorched 400,000-plus acres from the Mexican border to northern Los Angeles County and inland into the San Bernardino Mountains since the weekend.

“The blazes have killed one person [according to later reports, at least three persons have been killed] and injured at least 70 more. Thirty-four firefighters have been hurt, authorities said.”

Various reports estimate that around 350,000 homes have been evacuated, while the number of completely destroyed homes is estimated to be approaching 2,000. The financial losses that will accompany this disaster are expected to easily soar over the billion dollar mark.

Even those not directly affected by evacuation orders are suffering from the broader effects of these fires.

Air quality for much of Southern California has been degraded by the acrid smoke that is overlaying the area.

As well, the financial implications that will grow out of this disruptive catastrophe will only become fully apparent in the days and weeks ahead.

One bright spot has been the cooperative mood and the neighborly spirit of the hundreds of thousands of people who have all suffered together in this tragedy. This event is being compared to 9/11 and to Katrina. However, Americans face even greater national trials in the near future! More frightening anguish lies in store for our people if we don’t begin to individually and collectively turn to God! Please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America“–available at www.eternalgod.org.

Turkey Moves to War Footing

Turkey is one of the largest U.S. allies and a powerful member of Nato, but this nation is rallying to calls for retribution against Kurdish soldiers in north Iraq. Time.com reported on October 22, 2007: “Dozens of Turkish military trucks rumbled towards the Iraqi border as Turks across the country took to the streets to demand retaliation for an attack by Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) separatists based in north Iraq that killed 12 Turkish soldiers. It was the third large-scale attack in recent weeks. Eight Turkish soldiers are still missing after the incident. Sunday’s attack may well prove the last straw for Turkey’s hawkish military — NATO’s second largest army after the U.S. — which has been readying to cross the border into north Iraq in pursuit of the PKK for several months. Public outrage over a mounting death toll finally led Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to approve an incursion last week. Meanwhile, U.S. and Iraqi diplomats are trying frantically to come up with a non-military solution.”

The NYTimes.com (10/24/07) wrote about this additional development: “In unusual criticism, United States officials on Tuesday upbraided Kurdish leaders in northern Iraq for failing to curb the Kurdish guerrillas who operate unchecked in the autonomous region and use it as a safe haven for ambushes inside Turkey…

“Military operations continued near the Turkish border with Iraq. One Turkish newspaper reported that Turkish helicopters fired at targets near the border, while ground troops shelled several villages in northern Iraq.”

CNN.com (10/24/07) adds: “Turkish artillery units have shelled Kurdish separatist positions within northern Iraq, a Turkish government official said on Wednesday, amid continuing diplomatic efforts to avert a major cross-border incursion by Turkish military forces.”

As the United States faces an ever-widening conflict in the region, the threat of a Turkish invasion into northern Iraq looms as another potential to further weaken and erode U.S. influence.

Iran’s Nuclear Resolve

Following bellicose statements by both Vice President Dick Cheney and President George Bush concerning Iran’s nuclear ambition, an article in Reuters.com (10/23/07) reveals new diplomatic moves from Iran:

“Iran sees its nuclear talks with the EU as a way to improve diplomatic relations with Europe, the newly appointed Iranian chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, said on Tuesday.”

This overture to the EU also serves to sidestep the strong statements recently made by France’s Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner urging sanctions against Iran.

EU Uniting

The EUObserver wrote on October 19:

“The European Union has overnight agreed the precise text of its new ‘Lisbon Treaty’ to be formally signed off on 13 December in the Portuguese capital.

“At around 02:00 local time on Friday morning – following shorter-than-usual discussions – Portuguese prime minister Jose Socrates announced that a deal has been struck, describing it as ‘victory for Europe’.

“‘With this agreement we have managed to get out of stalemate…we will be ready to tackle the world’s challenges’, Mr Socrates said.

“European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso also branded the accord as ‘historic’, providing the EU with the ‘capacity to act’.

“The decision effectively ends a six-year long period of trying to internally reform… The new treaty will be formally signed by all European leaders in Lisbon on 13 December and subsequently go for ratification next year, with a view to coming into place by mid-2009, ahead of the next European elections.

“Among other things, the new treaty introduces an EU president, a post that can be held for up to five years, strengthens the post of its foreign policy chief and takes away national vetoes in areas such as terrorism. It also gives more power to the European Parliament.”

Anti-American EU Unification

On October 25, 2007, The American Thinker wrote the following:

“European Union leaders have reached agreement on a new treaty that many Europeans hope will transform the 27-nation bloc into a superpower capable of counter-balancing the United States in global affairs.

“The 250-plus page Reform Treaty, which EU leaders will formally sign in Lisbon on December 13, calls for a permanent EU president, a European foreign minister and a European Union diplomatic service. The agreement also calls for EU nations to surrender sovereignty in many areas to centralized decision-making; and it reduces national veto rights to allow more decisions to be made by majority voting instead of by unanimous consent…

“Only Ireland says it will submit the treaty to a popular vote. The other EU countries hope quietly to seek ratification in their parliaments, a far less risky way than direct democracy of getting the document approved. If the treaty is ratified by all 27 governments, it will take effect in January 2009…

“European elites are pushing the EU in a direction that should be deeply disconcerting to Americans concerned about international security and stability. The Reform Treaty will make Europe more centralized and far less democratic than it already is. In practice, this means that many foreign policy decisions that directly affect the United States, ranging from economics and trade to transatlantic cooperation on Islamic counter-terrorism, increasingly will be made by unelected anti-American bureaucrats in Brussels rather than by national governments.

“Europeans claim they are American allies, but increasingly their conduct says they are rivals. Americans should take another look and see if further European integration is really in the US interest. At the very least, Washington should send an unambiguous message to free-riding Europeans: future attempts at anti-American coalition building will be very costly. International security depends on it.”

Halloween–A Festival for the Devil

On the website of www.exsposingsatanism.org, the following is stated:

“… Halloween, All saints day, All hallows eve or All souls day is a festival. It was held to honor the Samhain the so called ‘lord of death’. It was a Druidical belief that on the eve of this festival Samhain, [the] lord of death, called together the wicked spirits that within the past 12 months had been condemned to inhabit the bodies of animals.

“It was a pagan belief that on one night of the year the souls of the dead return to their original homes, there to be entertained with food. If food and shelter were not provided, these evil spirits would cast spells and cause havoc toward those failing to fulfill their requests.

“Sacrifices were offered on this night to the dead spirits because it was thought they visited their earthly dwellings and former friends.

“There was a prevailing belief among all nations that… the souls of the wicked men were left to wonder in the space between the earth and the moon, or consigned to the unseen world. These wandering spirits were in the habit of haunting the living…But there were means by which ghosts might be exorcised.

“To exorcise these ghosts, that is to free yourself from their evil sway, you would have to set out food and provide shelter for them during the night. If they were satisfied with your offerings, they would leave you in peace. If not, they were believed to cast an evil spell on you.”

The article continued:

“The day [of All Saints’ Day] was officially authorized in 835 by Pope Gregory IV after it was moved to November 1 to coincide with Samhain. It began on the evening of October 31, which was called All Hallows Eve… Souls in purgatory appeared as witches and toads to persons who had wronged them. Halloween fires took on a new meaning and now were used to comfort souls in purgatory as people prayed while holding burning straw in the air.

“Even the idea of trick-or-treating by evil spirits took on an acceptable church flavor: costumed children went around on All Souls Day offering to fast for the departed souls in return for money or an offering…

“A pagan practice that was not eradicated upon the coming of Christianity was witchcraft. The word ‘witch’ comes from the Anglo-Saxon Wicca, or ‘wise one.’ Witches were thought to be possessors of magic… Black cats are the chief idol of the goddess of Wicca, Diana. In legend, she turns into a black cat to commit incest with her brother, Lucifer. Eventually the Druids themselves came to be regarded as witches. Witch hunting during Halloween became almost a national pastime in the colonial years of our nation. But that was yesterday. Halloween is regarded as the high ‘Sabbath’ for practicing witches today.

“Orange, black, and red, the devil’s colors, are the colors associated with Halloween. Black prefigures black magic and demonic influence. The black of night is when these forces of evil are busiest, using the cover of darkness for their sinister works.”

The article concluded:

“As you can see from all the above the real meaning of Halloween has been watered down. It is Satan’s objective to get all to worship him. God tells us to not have anything to do with this…  If you are a professing Christian, you have no reason to be part of this holy day of Satan. Don’t use the old cop out ‘well everybody does it’. No, everybody is not doing it. God will hold you responsible for what you do this Halloween. Will you go ahead and participate in it? Or will you pass along the word and let someone know what the real meaning is?”

The throne of David does exist on earth. To show where it is located today, let us consider the following facts:

(1) We are told that the scepter–a symbol of kingship, compare the margin in the New King James Bible–was given to Judah.

Genesis 49:10: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah… Until Shiloh [the Messiah, Jesus Christ] comes.”

(2) We are told that David’s “seed” or descendants would rule or have dominion over Israel. This could be fulfilled in ANY of the tribes of “Israel”–the name given to Jacob by God (Compare Genesis 32:28; 35:10). We are specifically told that God would establish the throne of David’s kingdom forever over Israel, in his son Solomon.

2 Samuel 7:12-13: “…I will set up your [David’s] seed after you, who will come from your body… and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”

2 Chronicles 13:5: “…the LORD God of Israel gave the dominion over Israel to David forever, to him and his sons…”

Psalm 89:4: “Your seed [David’s seed] I will establish forever, And build up your throne to all generations.”

(3) When Christ returns, He will take over and sit down on an existing throne of David, here on earth (compare Luke 1:32).

(4) Until the last King of Judah, Zedekiah, the descendants of David ruled as kings over the house of Judah. The house of Judah consisted of the tribes of Judah, Levi and a part of Benjamin–they are the “Jews” and called “Jews” in the Bible.

(5) But the Babylonians killed all the sons of Zedekiah, and placed Zedekiah into captivity. There has never arisen since then a descendant of David to rule as king over the house of Judah, the Jews. Today, the state of Israel is not ruled by a king. Where, then, is the throne of David today? In which country do we find a descendant of David ruling as king?

(6) The prophet Jeremiah lived at the time when the Babylonians enslaved the house of Judah, and when the last king of the house of Judah, King Zedekiah, was captured. God gave Jeremiah the commission to uproot the throne of David, but also to plant it.

Jeremiah 1:10: “I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant.”

(7) God gave Jeremiah a prophecy regarding the kingship or throne of David, which was to be transferred from the nation or house of Judah to the house of Israel. [The house of Israel, the “Northern Kingdom,” consisted of descendants from the other sons of Israel or Jacob, including Joseph and his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. It had been taken into captivity by the Assyrians more than 100 years prior to Jeremiah. They never returned to the Promised Land and have become known as the “Lost Ten Tribes.”]

Jeremiah 33:17, 21, 26: “David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel… he shall [always] have a son to reign on his throne… [David’s] descendants [will be] rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

Jeremiah was to be instrumental in uprooting the throne over the house of Judah, and to plant it over the house of Israel. Before, it was said that David’s descendants were to rule over Israel [or Jacob; that is, ANY of the descendants of Jacob]. That INCLUDED the house of Judah, of course. But from the time of Jeremiah’s prophecy, David’s descendants were to rule over the HOUSE of Israel–which EXCLUDED the house of Judah.

Jeremiah “uprooted” the throne of David over the house of Judah by bringing the last remaining descendants of King Zedekiah–his DAUGHTERS[compare Jeremiah 43:6]–to IRELAND [where some of the “lost tribes” of the house of Israel had settled. For proof that the people of England, Scotland and Ireland are in fact descendants of the ancient house of Israel, please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”]

According to historical records of Ireland, one daughter, Tea, married the Irish king–who was a descendant of Judah, but not of David. In this way, through the son of the king and the daughter of Zedekiah, Jeremiah “planted” the throne of David and the scepter of Judah over a tribe of the house of ISRAEL–in Ireland. The historical records confirm that subsequent kings of Ireland KNEW that they were descendants of King David.

Zedekiah’s other daughter, Scota, married into a noble family and gave the name Scotland to the land where they settled.

(8) The throne of David was to be transferred three times, before Christ would return to occupy it.

Ezekiel 21:27: “Overthrown, overthrown, I will make it [the crown, compare verse 26] overthrown!”

The crown or throne of David was overthrown first in Judah and transferred to or planted in Ireland.

(9) The throne or rule of David’s descendants was later overthrown in Ireland and transferred to Scotland [where some of the tribes of the house of Israel had settled]. It was transferred to the royal house of the descendants of David in Scotland–to the offspring of Scota, the other daughter of Zedekiah.

(10) Thirdly, it was overthrown in Scotland and transferred to England, where the Stewart line of David had settled around 1600, in the person of James I. Also, descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph, had settled there. The subsequent royal rulers in England all descended from King David, and so the throne of David is today in England. Queen Elizabeth sits on that throne, and Prince Charles’ firstborn son is expected to sit on it soon.

Nowhere else could the existing throne of David be today, but in England. It is not in the state of Israel [which is part of the house of Judah], and it is not vacant, either. Jesus Christ will occupy it when He returns (Compare Luke 1:32; Isaiah 9:6-7); He has not occupied it so far. And it is a throne here on earth–not somewhere in heaven. Christ, from the house of Judah, will come back to this EARTH, and it says that He will then SIT on the throne of His father David, here on earth. Jesus will once again establish rule over Israel in Jerusalem (Compare Zechariah 1:17; 2:12). Remember, the scepter would not depart from Judah.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

A new StandingWatch program has been posted on our Website and on Google Video. It is titled, “The Origins of America and Britain, Part 2.” In this installment, Norbert Link shows that the origins of America and Britain are clearly identified in the Bible, but most do not know where to find those references. Part of the reason is that they are confused about the ancient house of Israel and the ancient house of Judah, erroneously thinking that Biblical passages addressing the house of Israel apply to the Jews, and vice versa. However, the descendants of the house of Israel are not Jewish–and never have been. End-time prophecies about the modern house of Israel are directed to entirely different peoples and nations than the Jews or the state of Israel in the Middle East.