On September 30, 2006, Edwin Pope will give the sermon, titled, “The Angel Lucifer.”

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.

The
Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) is next week–from Sunday evening, at
sunset (October 1, 2006) until Monday evening, at sunset (October 2,
2006).

There will be one service on the Day of Atonement. Norbert
Link will give the sermon from San Diego, at 1:30 pm Pacific Time
(which is 3:30 pm Central Time). His sermon is titled, “The Purpose of
Fasting.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org. Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

PLEASE NOTE:

This
will be our last Update before the Feast of Tabernacles (Saturday,
October 7, 2006 until Friday, October 13, 2006, beginning with the
opening night on Friday, October 6, 2006) and the Last Great Day
(Saturday, October 14, 2006). Our first Update after the Feast will be
published on or about Thursday, October 19, 2006.

“If you love Me, prove it,” is a challenge to Christians from
God–although the wording is not exactly in this form. Jesus said it
this way: “‘If you love Me, keep My commandments'” (John 14:15).

We
are all a bit guilty in proclaiming our love for God and Jesus Christ
without doing those things that really prove that we love God. Abraham
willingly and unquestioningly prepared to offer his son Isaac just as
God had commanded him to do! That was a test for Abraham, and he proved
his unparalleled love for his God.

What Abraham did is
memorialized in God’s Word–in particular, Hebrews 11:17-19: “By faith
Abraham, when he was TESTED, offered up Isaac, and he who had received
the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In
Isaac your seed shall be called,’ concluding that God was able to raise
him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a
figurative sense.”

God has already proven His love for us in that
He actually did that for which Abraham was only tested (Compare John
3:16). Jesus spoke of His own love and of His willingness to prove it
when He told His disciples–His friends, “‘Greater love has no one than
this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends'” (John 15:13). Jesus
died for all–for the sins of all of us! (Compare Romans 6:10; 1
Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:14-15).

Here is our test: “I
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you
present your bodies a LIVING SACRIFICE, holy, acceptable to God, which
is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).

Just how we do that
“reasonable service” is further defined in God’s Word. Our answer is
found in this straightforward definition of how we should love God:
“For this is the love of God, that WE KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. And His
commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3).

When you hear
someone profess their love for the Father and for His Son, examine
their words and actions based on God’s Word. More importantly, see if
this is a test you can pass–it really is our proof of love!

European Reaction to Muslim Protests

The EUObserver reported on September 22, 2006:

“Angry Muslim reaction to the Pope’s recent remarks on Islam has seen some centre-right MEPs make a last-minute attempt to insert a paragraph condemning the Muslim outcry into a major report on Turkey’s EU accession progress… But with [the] draft version of the report already ruffling feathers in Ankara, EPP-ED deputies opted to prevent further controversy by refraining from a reference to the protests in the Muslim world on the Pope’s speech. Instead, they only filed a comment that welcomes the Pope’s planned November visit to Turkey.”

Such “diplomatic” silence of some European politicians has angered others.

On September 24, 2006, aljazeera.net filed this report:

“Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, the EU Commission president, has strongly defended Pope Benedict XVI, saying Muslim criticism was unacceptable. Barroso’s comments appeared a day after Spanish media quoted Jose Maria Aznar, the former Spanish prime minister [from 1996 to 2004], as saying that Benedict had no need to apologise… Asked why European leaders had not stood up to defend the pope’s right to free speech, Barroso said: ‘Perhaps it is because there are concerns about a possible confrontation. I was disappointed that there were not more European leaders who said: “Obviously the pope has the right to express his opinion. The problem is not the comments of the pope but the reactions of the extremists … We must defend our values.” Why do we always have to say sorry and they never do?… It is interesting to note that while a lot of people in the world are asking the pope to apologise for his speech, I have never heard a Muslim say sorry for having conquered Spain and occupying it for eight centuries.'”

The comments by the Pope regarding Mohammed and Islam and the ensuing protests by many Muslims might very well lead to a stronger reaction from the Western world. The following articles might just be additional examples.

Germany’s “Fear” of Radical Muslims?

 On September 26, The Associated Press reported:

“A leading opera house canceled a 3-year-old production of Mozart’s ‘Idomeneo’ that included a scene showing the severed head of the Prophet Muhammad, unleashing a furious debate over free speech. In a statement late Monday, the Deutsche Oper said it decided ‘with great regret’ to cancel the production of the 225-year-old opera after Berlin security officials warned of an ‘incalculable risk’ stemming from the scene.”

The article continued:

“Many…, including Germany’s top security official, Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, condemned the decision… ‘That is crazy,’ Schaeuble told reporters in Washington… ‘This is unacceptable.’ Berlin’s mayor, Klaus Wowereit, said that ‘with all understanding for the concern about the security of spectators and performers, I consider the decision of the director to be wrong. Our ideas about openness, tolerance and freedom must be lived on the offensive. Voluntary self-limitation gives those who fight against our values a confirmation in advance that we will not stand behind them.’ Bernd Neumann, the federal government’s top cultural official, said that ‘problems cannot be solved by keeping silent. When the concern over possible protests leads to self-censorship, then the democratic culture of free speech becomes endangered.'”

Der Spiegel Online reported in more detail about the fierce German reaction from all major political parties to the self-censorship of the opera house. In its article of September 26, the magazine quoted leading politicians as speaking of “prostration before radical Muslims” and “pure cowardness.” Wolfgang Thierse, Vice-President of the German Parliament, stated that this is “a frightening sign of fear.” He asked: “What will be next? After having limited the freedom of art, will we now limit the freedom of speech and of preaching?” Berlin’s mayor, Klaus Wowereit, was quoted as saying that the decision of the opera house was “utter nonsense.”

According to The Associated Press of September 27, “German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned against ‘self-censorship out of fear’… ‘We must be careful that we do not increasingly shy away out of fear of violent radicals,’ Merkel told the Hannover Neue Presse. ‘Self-censorship out of fear is not tolerable.’… Response from Germany’s Islamic community was mixed, with some praising the decision and others calling on Muslims to accept the role of provocation in art.”

The reaction of the German press was also quite telling. According to a summary, which was published in Der Spiegel Online on September 27, 2006, “The Financial Times Deutschland doesn’t pull any punches. ‘The self-censorship of the Deutsche Oper is hysterical and stupid.’… The Handelsblatt also cautions Germans not to lose their heads. ‘… Has the country lost the faculty to discriminate between a Mozart opera and conscious insults of Islam?’… The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung… paints the controversy in bold, historical strokes. ‘This is about the danger that is lurking throughout all the Western democracies… the voluntary abandonment of our constitutionally protected freedom of speech.'”

Afraid of the Fear of Terror?

On September 27, Der Spiegel Online published the following “telling” editorial:

“One of Mozart’s operas [has] been taken off the playlist at Berlin’s State Opera for fear of a terrorist attack. It’s a shocking example of pre-emptive surrender: At this point, it seems, terrorists don’t even need to issue a specific threat in order to intimidate us. It took the Catholic Church 359 years to revoke its condemnation of Galileo, but the current Pope needed only two days to distance himself from his quotation of a statement that remains topical despite being uttered 500 years ago. Piet Hein Donner, the former Dutch Minister of Justice, who has just resigned from her position, believes Islamic Shariah law could be legally introduced in Holland if two thirds of the Dutch population were to one day approve it. The London police has announced it will inform and consult with a board of Muslim community leaders the next time it plans an anti-terrorism operation that affects Muslims…

“If we didn’t already know it by the time of the recent scandal surrounding cartoons of Muhammad were published in a Dutch newspaper, that event confirmed to us that Muslims are especially sensitive when it comes to their prophet. We learned that their anger threshold is very low and that it’s best not to overstep it. We also learned that they interpret the suggestion that they incline towards violence as a form of defamation — one they like to respond to by burning flags and effigies, and by chanting ‘Kill Those Who Insult Islam!’

“Representatives of other religions, of course, are a bit more relaxed when they become an object of ridicule or malice. No Catholic authority got upset when Cologne’s Cardinal Meisner was represented as an inquisitor who burns women at the stake. German Chancellor Angela Merkel didn’t send out any hit squads either when she became the object of sexist caricatures in Mainz. But during this year’s Carnival festivities — a time when, traditionally, no taboo is respected as long as overstepping it raises a laugh — Cologne’s famed carnival societies decided to take no risks and do without jokes about Islam and Muslims. And so the festivities remained untainted by violence…

“What’s next?… If this attitude prevails, drama, art and literature will have a hard time in the future… Even a drama as harmless as Lessing’s ‘Nathan the Wise’ could cause outrage. The play features a dialogue between a Christian, a Jewish and a Muslim character. But it doesn’t present them as absolute equals.”

Interview With Syrian President

On September 24, Der Spiegel Online published a revealing interview with Syrian President Bashar Assad. We are quoting the following excerpts:

“There are close ties among our peoples, whether in Iraq, Syria or Palestine. We have the same feelings, the same habits and the same pride. Look at Damascus. There are 500,000 refugees from the occupied Golan Heights, about 500,000 from Palestine and about 100,000 from Iraq living here. We tend to the needs of these people, but all we get from the West is rejection… There can be no peace in the Middle East without Syria. The Lebanon and the Palestinian conflicts are inextricably linked with Syria… Whenever you Germans come to Syria, you talk about freedom of opinion. Why don’t you allow me to have my opinion?… The majority of my people think the way I spoke… Israel occupies a part of my country–of course Israel is an enemy. If you want to play a role in our region, then you have to be able to see things from our point of view. That’s also true for the classification of Hezbollah as a ‘terrorist organization.’ That cannot remain so. In 2004, Germany played an important role during the prisoner exchange between Israel and Hezbollah. That’s exactly the point: to work within the realities that exist in this part of the world…

“For us, the balance is important, and there, Europe is much closer to us than America. Europe knows our world… Germany is supposed to prevent weapons from reaching Hezbollah. History teaches us that nobody can prevent a resistance group from arming when it has the support of the people… As long as the public support for Hezbollah remains as high as it is today, yes, it is a Mission Impossible. The majority here sees the resistance against Israel as legitimate. I would advise the Europeans: Don’t waste your time, address the roots of the problem… As a resistance organization, Hezbollah has a right to arm itself–and they have more than enough weapons… I don’t say that Israel should be wiped off the map. We want to make peace–peace with Israel… But even my personal opinion, my hope for peace, could change one day. And when the hope disappears, then maybe war really is the only solution.”

Stripped of all the verbiage, Assad is making the following points: Syria and Hezbollah want to continue to play a major role in the Middle East. Europe and especially Germany should come to the help of the Arabs. They should cease supporting Israel and they should cease trying to secure peace through European ground troops and a navy, as this endeavor will fail. These are interesting concepts, in light of Biblical prophecy. Make sure to tune in to our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Europe and the Muslim World.”

Germany’s “Grand Coalition” Is NOT Working!

On September 26, Der Spiegel Online wrote:

“Less than a year after Chancellor Angela Merkel came to power, all pretence [of being] at harmony in her left-right coalition has evaporated… most commentators agree that the first ‘grand coalition’ in four decades isn’t working, and there’s little Merkel can do about it. The government’s main project so far, a reform of the health service, is unravelling months after the two parties reached a messy compromise… SPD members… are flirting with the opposition liberal Free Democrats, even though they have even less in common with the pro-market, tax-cutting party than with the conservatives. A ‘culture of mistrust’ has taken hold in the coalition…

“Mutual dislike and fundamental disagreements on policy are coming out with a vengeance after being hidden for months behind a façade of harmony. Surveys show the Germans want the government to stop bickering and get on with gentle reforms that don’t cause anyone too much pain… Voters are getting turned off by internal disputes they see as motivated by ‘vanity, power politics or excessive self-interest,’ mass circulation daily Bild said in a Tuesday commentary… One of the main internal critics of the health reform, Bavarian state premier Edmund Stoiber, told a meeting of his Christian Social Union party on Monday that if compromise talks fail ‘it will be the end of the government.'”

On September 24, Bild am Sonntag developed an interesting scenario. According to the paper, new elections are not to be expected, as both major parties (SPD and CDU) would lose. But SPD, FDP and the Green party could call for a parliamentary “no-confidence” vote against Angela Merkel, and with their combined votes, SPD party leader Kurt Beck could become the next German Chancellor. Even though this scenario is highly speculative, it shows the German perception of a totally incompetent Grand Coalition.

Bulgaria and Romania Will Join the EU

On September 26, 2006, Der Spiegel Online reported the following:

“Fewer than three years after the European Union grew by 10 new countries in May 2004, the club is set to add two new members. The European Commission on Tuesday recommended that Bulgaria and Romania be allowed in on Jan. 1, 2007 as planned. But in a move to address widespread concerns that the two countries are not fully prepared for membership, the Commission has tacked on an unprecedented list of conditions the south-eastern European countries must meet to avoid being deprived initially of full membership benefits…

“The admission of the two countries will add some 30 million people to the EU’s present population of around 450 million and push the club’s borders east to the Black Sea. Both countries, however, are relatively poor — with economies only one third the size of the EU average — and both have struggled to bring rampant corruption under control. Money laundering and organized crime are of particular concern in Bulgaria. The country has also been told it needs to amend its constitution to remove ambiguities about the independence and transparency of its judiciary. Billions of euros in EU aid may be withheld should adequate steps not be taken…

“The expansion is to be formally approved by EU leaders in October. Four countries — France, Germany, Denmark and Belgium — have yet to ratify the entry of the two countries but are expected to do so soon… The enlargement comes as Europe continues to struggle with its constitution, rejected by both France and the Netherlands in 2005. In a nod to concerns that the club cannot continue absorbing new members, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said that Romania and Bulgaria will be the last countries admitted until the EU decides on how it wishes to move forward… Despite the comments, the EU urged Montenegro to continue working toward EU membership. The tiny Balkan country joins Croatia, Serbia, Turkey, Bosnia, Macedonia, Albania and Ukraine on the list of EU hopefuls.”

European Unification is very much alive, and as the Bible clearly shows, a United States of Europe will become the most powerful entity on earth. But it should also be noted that ultimately, the EU will be ruled by ten “core” nations or groups of nations which will in turn give their authority to a very charismatic, political leader of “Assyrian” or German descent. When that happens, the return of Jesus Christ has drawn very near. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

No Disarmament of Hezbollah?

The Associated Press reported on September 27, 2006:

“Six weeks after the end of the Lebanon war, the militant Hezbollah group is facing little on-the-ground pressure to give up its weapons and disarm–despite a U.N. cease-fire resolution demanding just that. The leaders of a U.N. peacekeeping force in south Lebanon say the job is not theirs. And Lebanon’s ill-equipped army, some of whose soldiers wear tin-pot helmets and carry outdated M-16 rifles, shows no signs of diving into a confrontation with battle-hardened Hezbollah fighters…

“The commanders of the U.N. force say that under the resolution, their job is merely to assist the Lebanese army in regaining control of southern Lebanon and to ensure the area cannot be used for launching rocket attacks into northern Israel. Meanwhile, Lebanese security officials say the army’s mission in the south is based on what they call an ‘understanding’ with Hezbollah that the army will not search for and seize weapons, but only confiscate those shown in public.”

To nobody’s surprise, we should be able to see clearly that the present U.N. “peace plan” for Lebanon is not working. What will be happening next?

USA No Longer Number One

Britain’s “The Independent” wrote on September 27:

“The United States has lost its top slot in a global ranking of economic competitiveness published yesterday because of mounting concern among businesses over its budget deficit and crumbling faith in its institutions. The world’s largest economy fell from first to sixth place in the World Economic Forum’s annual survey that is based on interviews with 11,000 business leaders. The harsh verdict comes a week after the International Monetary Fund highlighted a US slowdown as the biggest threat to the world economy… It ranked just 69th out of 125 in terms of the basic health of its economy, with its health and primary education ranked 40th and the quality of its institutions 27th… Switzerland jumped from fourth last year to take the top slot, while Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Singapore all overtook the US. The rest of the top 10 was made up of Japan, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK.”

The question addresses a seemingly difficult passage in Exodus 4:24-26, which reads:

“And
it came to pass on the way [to Egypt], at the encampment, that the LORD
met him and sought to kill him. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and
cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ [literally: his] feet, and said, ‘Surely you are a husband of blood to me!’ So He let
him go. Then she said, ‘You are a husband of blood!’–because of the
circumcision.”

Please note that this incident occurred after God
had prophesied to Moses how Pharaoh would react to his demand to let
the people of Israel go (verses 21-23). It would therefore make little
sense to assume that God had changed his mind a few hours later to kill
Moses. Note that verses 22-23 record God’s words to Moses, which
immediately precede the above-quoted passage: “Then you shall say to
Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I say
to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let
him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.”‘”

The
context of the passage in Exodus 4:24-26 shows that God did not intend
to kill Moses [whom He was sending to Egypt to free the Israelites],
but one of Moses’ two sons, who had not been circumcised. At the time
of Moses, there was in effect a temporary law that God had given to
Abraham, to circumcise every male child (Genesis 17:9-13). God
specifically stated that “the uncircumcised male child, who is not
circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off
from his people” (verse 14).

It is apparent that Moses and
Zipporah had neglected to circumcise one of their sons, even though
both knew better. God, true to His Word, was about to “cut off” or kill
the uncircumcised son, due to Moses’ and Zipporah’s disobedience–God
later killed the firstborn sons of Egypt, when the Egyptians refused to
be obedient to God. God could not use Moses to be His servant, as long
as he refused to faithfully obey God’s commands. Zipporah might have
influenced Moses not to circumcise their son; so she immediately acted
in obedience to God’s command, whereupon God ceased from attempting to
kill the son.

When reading seemingly difficult passages, it is
important to study the passage in context and in light of other
Scriptures. For example, we read about Noah’s curse of his
grandson Canaan for something that–so it might seem–Canaan’s father
Ham had done. We find this passage in Genesis 9:20-25. As in the case
of God’s attempt to kill Moses’ son, a careful study reveals that it
was not Ham, but Ham’s son Canaan, who disgraced Noah and was cursed as
a consequence. The passage reads:

“And Noah began to be a farmer,
and he planted a vineyard. Then he drank of the wine and was drunk, and
became uncovered in his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the
nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. But Shem
and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and went
backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were
turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. So Noah
awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done to him.
Then he said: ‘Cursed be Canaan; A servant of servants He shall be to
his brethren.'”

The context of the passage shows, of course,
that more was involved than mere “nakedness” of Noah. Apparently,
somebody had violated Noah, while he was drunk. But who did? We read
that Noah awoke and knew what “his younger son” had done to him. This
is not a reference to Noah’s son Ham, but to Ham’s son Canaan. A
correct rendering of Genesis 9:24 states: “And Noah awoke from his
wine, and knew what his YOUNGEST son had done unto him.” But Ham was
not Noah’s youngest son–Japheth was–while Canaan was the youngest son
of Ham. According to Jewish tradition, Canaan either “castrated” Noah
or he “indulged a perverted lust upon him” (compare Soncino, page 47).
In any event, Ham saw on his uncovered father the terrible signs of
Canaan’s evil deed or perverted lust, and Shem and Japheth covered Noah
with a garment.

It is not that uncommon throughout the Biblical
narrative, that subjects, objects or pronouns might be referring to
another person other than what might be suspected at the first reading
of a particular passage. For a last example, let’s consider Exodus
34:27-28 (Authorized Version):

“And the LORD said unto Moses,
Write thou these words: for after the tenor of these words I have made
[better: I will make] a covenant with thee and with Israel. And he was
there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat
bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tablets the words of the
covenant, the ten commandments.” The question is, Who wrote the words
of the covenant on the tablets of stone? A superficial reading might
suggest that it was Moses. But a study of other Scriptures reveals that
it was God, not Moses.

After Moses had destroyed the first
tablets of stone with the Ten Commandments, because of his anger over
the sin of the Israelites who had built a golden calf, God had Moses
cut two new tablets of stone (Exodus 34:1). But God also said, in the
same verse: “… I will write on these tablets the words that were on
the first tablets which you broke.” The fact that it was God–not
Moses–who wrote the Ten Commandments a second time on the tablets of
stone, is confirmed in Deuteronomy 10:4: “And He wrote on the tablets
according to the first writing, the Ten Commandments, which the LORD
had spoken to you.. and the LORD gave them to me.” Moses wrote these
words, including with other statutes and judgments, and even temporary
ritual laws, in a book–which became known as the “Book of Moses.” But
he did not write the Ten Commandments on the tablets of stone–God did
that.

In conclusion, it is important to read “difficult”
Scriptures in context and in conjunction with the rest of the Bible. A
correct understanding reveals that God did not try to kill Moses, but
Moses’ son, who was not circumcised. Noah did not curse Canaan for an
evil deed perpetrated by Noah’s son Ham, but for an evil deed committed
by Ham’s youngest son, Canaan. And it was not Moses, but God, who wrote
the Ten Commandments twice on two tablets of stone.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Hard copies of our new book, “Teach Us to Pray,” will be handed out to feastgoers at the Feast sites in the United

States and Great Britain. Mailing of the book to our subscribers will commence after the Feast.

Shelly Bruno completed the design of our Festival brochure, which will be distributed at the Feast in California. You can preview the brochure at http://www.eternalgod.org/feast/fot/2006/us/feast_brochure_2006.pdf

 

A new StandingWatch program was recorded last Friday and has been posted on the Web. It is titled: “Europe and the Muslim World.”

Set forth below is a summary of the program:

What is the significance of a German navy in the Middle East, European ground troops in Lebanon, and hostile Muslim reactions to a speech of Pope Benedict XVI? How real are the threats of radical Muslims and terrorists to conquer and destroy Rome, occupy the city of Jerusalem and attack the United States? Will Europe and the Catholic Church stand idly by when some of these threats seem to materialize?

by Manuela Link

There have been many times while growing up
when I have competed for a specific place in the hierarchical ladder of
success. As a physically active person, I competed in races for my
school. Always winning, I didn’t know what it would be like to lose,
until I did. I didn’t like that feeling, so I made it a goal that I
would continue to work my hardest each time I trained for running. I
much preferred the finish line behind me rather than just in front, so
I broke my track record every year.

In high school, grades were
my greatest concern. I didn’t want to be close to passing, I wanted my
4.0 grade point average (GPA) to remain with me, so I worked hard at
maintaining that by doing my assignments and studying. I may have been
close to being good, but I always sought improvement and better
achievement. Now I’m close to being finished with my formal education,
but I won’t feel like I have completely succeeded until it’s over.

Being
close to something means that a person has to relate to what it is they
are trying to improve. Without daily contact or interaction, the talent
or education, or even the bond with a friend will start to fade and
eventually disappear. It takes a lot of effort to become close to
something or someone. God is never distant and I know that with
practice and boldness I will become closer to Him, and one day, be
right there. Giving up can never be an option, but staying the course
and keeping the faith will take me to where I want to go–closer than
ever before.

The Feast of Trumpets will be observed on Saturday, September 23, 2006.

Dave
Harris will be speaking in the morning from Colorado, at 9:00 am
Pacific Time (which is 11:00 am Central Time). His sermon is titled, “A
Day of Change.”

Norbert Link will be speaking from San Diego,
California, at 1:30 pm Pacific Time (which is 3:30 pm Central Time).
His sermon is titled: “Freedom From Slavery.”

The services can be heard at www.cognetservices.org. Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

On Saturday, September 23, 2006, the Church of God fulfills God’s commandment for His people to celebrate a very special Sabbath–the annual Holy Day of the Feast of Trumpets, which falls this year also on a weekly Sabbath. It is interesting, when studying Jewish literature, how the ancient rabbis understood the meaning of this very important Festival. They associated several designations with this day. Let us review a few:

The Feast of Trumpets is also called the “Birthday of the World” (Rosh Hashana; literally, Head of the Years). It is believed that God created the world in the first week of the Hebrew month of Tishri, which corresponds to September/October according to the Roman calendar. It is also called the “Day of the Awakening Blast” (Yom Teruah, literally, Day of Blowing or Shouting). A trumpet was blown on that day. The trumpet was a ram’s horn or a “shofar,” which was associated with Abraham’s sacrifice of his son Isaac. God intervened and substituted a ram for Isaac in the incident of Abraham and Isaac.

In addition, the Feast of Trumpets is described as the “Day of Judgment” (Yom Hadin). It is understood that on that day, the righteous would receive eternal life.

Another designation is the “Day of Repentance” (Yom teshuvah). The trumpet blast includes the concept of awakening the spiritual dead to a life well pleasing to God. Paul echoes that understanding, when he writes in Ephesians 5:14: “Therefore He says: Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light!”

Further designations of the Feast of Trumpets are the “Day of the Coronation of the Messiah” (Ha Melech); the “Birth Pangs of the Messiah” (Chevlai shel Mashiach); and the “Wedding Ceremony” (Kiddushin/Nesu’in).

All these designations have deep meaning in relationship to the Feast of Trumpets.

But there are still more!

The understanding of the ancient rabbis includes the following additional concepts, as they pertain to the meaning of the Feast of Trumpets:

Israel will be advised of the advent of the Messiah with the sound of a shofar (Zechariah 9:14, 16). The shofar will be blown at the time of the ingathering of the exiles of Israel to their place (Isaiah 27:13). The shofar will be blown at times of war, and to signal the assembly of Israel during those times (Judges 3:27; 2 Samuel 20:1; Joshua 6:13, 16). The watchman will stand upon Jerusalem’s walls and blow the shofar (Ezekiel 33:3-6). The shofar will be blown to pronounce liberty and freedom (Leviticus 25:8-10). And, the blowing of the shofar will usher in the day of the Lord (Joel 2:1).

As we can see, the Feast of Trumpets is a very special annual Holy Day. It is filled with tremendous meaning for God’s people and for all of mankind. It culminates, of course, in the return of the Messiah–the God of the Old Testament–Jesus Christ.

Many of the reasons for Christ’s Second Coming–symbolized by the Feast of Trumpets–will be explained in detail during our morning and afternoon Holy Day services, which will be broadcast live over the Internet. If you cannot personally attend one of our local congregations, please listen to our live Internet broadcasts; or, if the time zone you are living in would prevent you from doing so, listen to our Holy Day sermons, which will be posted promptly on the Web after services. The Feast of Trumpets is a most holy and important annual Festival. Please don’t miss the opportunity to learn more about it.

The Pope Does Not Apologize

The Associated Press reported on September 20, 2006:

“Pope Benedict XVI said Wednesday that he has ‘deep respect’ for Islam, but he did not offer an apology demanded by some Muslim leaders offended by the pontiff’s remarks in Germany last week. The pope acknowledged that his remarks were open to misinterpretation, but insisted he had not intended to endorse a negative view of Islam… At the University of Regensburg last week, Benedict cited the words of a Byzantine emperor who characterized some of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as ‘evil and inhuman,’ particularly ‘his command to spread by the sword the faith.’ ‘This quote unfortunately lent itself to be misunderstood,’ the pontiff said Wednesday. ‘In no way did I wish to make my own the words of the medieval emperor. I wished to explain that not religion and violence, but religion and reason go together.’… But not all in the Islamic world were satisfied by Benedict’s statement of regret. The grand sheik of Cairo’s Al-Azhar Mosque, the Sunni Arab world’s most powerful institution, demanded that Benedict apologize more clearly.”

Bild Online reported on September 21, 2006, that thousands of Palestinians demonstrated in Ramallah against Pope Benedict XVI’s comments about Islam. According to the paper, a spokesman of the radical Islamic “Freedom Party,” which organized the demonstration, said that Muslim troops would conquer and destroy Rome.

Did Pope Benedict XVI Mean It?

On September 19, The Asia Times published the following editorial by Spengler on the front page:

“Jihad injures reason, for it honors a god who suffers no constraints on his caprice, unlike the Judeo-Christian god, who is limited by love. That is the nub of Pope Benedict XVI’s September 12 address in Regensburg, Germany. It promises to be the Vatican’s most controversial utterance in living memory… it is a defining moment comparable to Winston Churchill’s ‘Iron Curtain’ speech at Fulton, Missouri, in 1946… To denounce jihad on theological grounds is a blow at the foundations of Islam, in effect a papal call for the conversion of the Muslims… The Regensburg address oversteps the bounds of dialogue and verges upon the missionary…

“Specifically, Benedict stated that jihad, the propagation of Islam by force, is irrational, because it is against the Reason of God. Citing a 14th-century Byzantine emperor to the effect that Mohammed’s ‘decree that the faith he preached should be spread with the sword’ as ‘evil and inhumane’ provoked headlines. But of greater weight is the pope’s observation that Allah is a god whose ‘absolute transcendence’ allows no constraint, to the point that Allah is free if he chooses to promote evil… To ask Islam to become moderate, to reform, to become a peaceful religion of personal conscience is the precise equivalent of asking Catholics to abolish Mass…

“Regarding Benedict XVI’s statement that the characterization of the Prophet Mohammed did not reflect his ‘personal opinion’: In 1938, at the peak of Stalin’s terror, a Muscovite called the KGB to report that his parrot had escaped. The KGB officer said, ‘Why are you calling us?’ The Muscovite averred, ‘I want to state for the record that I do not share the parrot’s political opinions.'”

Please make sure to watch our new StandingWatch program titled, “The Pope in Germany.”

Military Coup in Thailand

On September 20, The Associated Press reported:

“The army commander who seized Thailand’s government in a quick, bloodless coup pledged Wednesday to hold elections by October 2007, and received a ringing endorsement from the country’s revered king. Gen. Sondhi… also hinted that ousted Prime Minister Thaksin… may face prosecution… Australia called the coup a ‘great disappointment,’ while Japan urged the quick restoration of democracy. The European Union condemned the military takeover, while Washington expressed concern about it… King Bhumibol… appointed Sondhi as head of the council ‘in order to create peace in the country.’… Sondhi led a precision takeover overnight without firing a shot, sending soldiers and tanks to guard major intersections and surround government buildings while the popularly elected Thaksin, accused of corruption and undermining democratic institutions, was in New York attending the U.N. General Assembly…

“In launching Thailand’s first coup in 15 years, Sondhi said on nationwide television that the overthrow was needed ‘in order to resolve the conflict and bring back normalcy and harmony among people.’… State-run television also announced that the new leaders had dismissed the state audit commissioners and given additional powers to the auditor general… to investigative government corruption. Analysts said the move is expected to make it easier… to investigate allegations of corruption involving Thaksin and his ministers and could eventually lead to the confiscation of his assets. The British Foreign Office said Thaksin was to arrive Wednesday in London on a private visit.”

The Associated Press added on September 21, 2006:

“Thailand’s new military rulers said Thursday that four top members of deposed Prime Minister Thaksin’s… administration had been detained. The regime also assumed the duties of parliament, which was dissolved when the government was ousted in a coup earlier this week, and banned meetings by all political parties… Other moves include barring the establishment of new parties and placing limitations on public meetings and restrictions on the media… Washington believes Thailand’s first coup in 15 years is ‘a step backward for democracy…’ The European Union demanded ‘that the military forces stand back and give way to the democratically elected political government.’ Other Western governments have issued similar statements.”

Hungarian Riots

In a very key area of Eastern Europe, unrest is brewing. As Hungary–a key center of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire–struggles to bring itself into line with European Union membership, an incriminating revelation has led to serious civil unrest. Bloomberg.com reported on September 20:

“Hungarian rioters clashed with police on the third consecutive night of violence in downtown Budapest, while demonstrations demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany continued… The riots, the worst since the end of communist rule, were sparked by a leaked tape in which Gyurcsany admitted the Socialist-led government misled the public about the need to cut spending before April general elections.”

These open demonstrations may not be the focus of news in the West, but they are another indication of the latent unrest that seethes below the surface of a Europe looking for leadership–strong, decisive, problem solving leadership! To place this current upheaval in perspective, consider these additional comments from the Bloomberg report:

“The past two days were the worst street violence in Hungary since the end of communism in 1989… Rioters invoked the memories [of] 1956, when Hungarians revolted against communist rule, fighting government and Soviet troops for weeks.”

The Associated Press added on September 21, 2006:

“Hungary’s main opposition party on Thursday postponed a weekend political rally amid fears of further street violence, saying state security officials had warned that the gathering could be hit by bomb attacks… and other ‘provocations’ from government and state security officials… fears of a bomb attack reflected the high level of political tensions that have gripped the country… The violence has shaken Hungary, held up as a model of progress following the collapse of communism in eastern Europe.”

It does not seem to take much these days to set an entire country on fire…

Shocking Victory of the Far Right in German State Elections

Der Spiegel reported on September 18:

“Germany’s far-right National Democratic Party [NPD], which wants to repatriate foreigners and believes Germany should stop atoning for the Holocaust, won seats in a state parliament on Sunday in the former communist east… The neo-Nazi NPD won 7.3 percent in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s home state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on the Baltic Sea coast… The result means far-right parties are now represented in three of eastern Germany’s five state parliaments. The NPD entered the Saxony state parliament in 2004 and another far-right party, the German People’s Union (DVU), has seats in Brandenburg, which surrounds Berlin. ‘The fight for Germany continues,’ NPD chairman Udo Voigt said…, noting that [the] far right has gained a foothold in a quarter of Germany’s 16 state parliaments.

“The German Jewish Council called for a renewed attempt to ban the NPD. A previous attempt by the government to have it outlawed failed in 2002 because some of the NPD members called to testify turned out to be government informants. Election analysts attributed the far-right gains in part to discontent with Merkel’s ‘grand coalition’ of conservative Christian Democrats and Social Democrats, perceived as having failed to implement meaningful economic reforms since it was formed in October 2005. The coalition has also been criticized for imposing tax hikes… The NPD has also exploited xenophobic attitudes in [the] east, where many blame immigrants for their economic problems. In addition, resistance to the far right isn’t as strong in eastern Germany as in the west because responsibility for the Holocaust wasn’t addressed as intensely there during the decades of communist rule.”

Der Spiegel Online reported on September 19:

“The unfortunate but not unexpected breakthrough of far-right extremists in the German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania on Sunday has rattled the Berlin’s political establishment. Voters gave six seats in the state legislature to the… NPD… But in its ‘brownest’ towns a full quarter to a third of voters supported the neo-Nazis. Oskar Niedermayer, political scientist at Berlin’s Free University, told the Financial Times it was a bad sign for Chancellor Angela Merkel. ‘Her popular image has collapsed in recent weeks,’ he said, ‘and that’s why, for instance, she failed… in Mecklenburg, her home state.’…

“The CDU and the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) are clinging to power ‘by their fingernails,’ writes the center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung… If the two parties keep up this ‘ignorant’ thinking, the paper writes, ‘they’ll learn the lesson of (Mecklenburg) and Berlin’ even more clearly at the next election in 2008. ‘The nation always has alternatives.’…

“But it was the leftist daily Die Tageszeitung that studied what neo-Nazis did right in this election while the major parties stood by. The extreme German right isn’t just anti-immigrant; it’s also pro-family and part of the fabric of daily life in towns which larger parties have abandoned… The paper suggests that large parties don’t even try to get out the vote in these regions because they’re afraid to admit they’ve lost touch… Sunday may indeed have been a ‘devastating day,’… writes the paper: ‘But the NPD thinks in years.'”

A powerful charismatic leader will soon arise in Germany to restore confidence, job security and prosperity to the Germans. But in the end, this will not be good news for either the Germans or the rest of the world.

Iran’s Double-Tongued Assertions

On September 20, BBC News reported that Iran’s President, “Ahmedinajad… defended [during a speech at the UN General Assembly on September 19] Iran’s nuclear programme, which he again said was peaceful… He said his country’s nuclear activities were ‘transparent, peaceful and under the watchful eyes’ of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Mr Ahmadinejad has said Tehran will not yield to international pressure to suspend its uranium enrichment programme.”

However, his assertions are disputed by the IAEA. In a report, dated August 31, 2006, the IAEA reached the following conclusions:

“Although Iran has provided the Agency with some information concerning product assays at PFEP [Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant], Iran continues to decline Agency access to certain operating records at PFEP. Iran has not addressed the long outstanding verification issues or provided the necessary transparency to remove uncertainties associated with some of its activities… the Agency remains unable to make further progress in its efforts to verify the correctness and completeness of Iran’s declarations with a view to confirming the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme.”

In addition, WorldNetDaily reported on September 21:

“While most of the reporting and analysis of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s speech at the U.N. focused on what he had to say about the West and specifically the U.S., his chilling closing remarks were lost on most listeners–and apparently all reporters. The last two paragraphs of his remarks revealed his steadfast and driving conviction… that a messianic figure, known as the ‘Mahdi’ to Muslims, is poised to reveal himself after an apocalyptic holocaust on Earth that leaves most of the world’s population dead. ‘I emphatically declare that today’s world, more than ever before, longs for just and righteous people with love for all humanity; and above all longs for the perfect righteous human being and the real savior who has been promised to all peoples and who will establish justice, peace and brotherhood on the planet,’ Ahmadinejad said. ‘Oh, Almighty God, all men and women are your creatures and you have ordained their guidance and salvation. Bestow upon humanity that thirsts for justice, the perfect human being promised to all by you, and make us [to be counted] among his followers and among those who strive for his return and his cause.’

“With Iran on the verge of producing nuclear weapons and already in possession of sophisticated medium-range missiles, mystical pre-occupation with the coming of a Shiite Islamic messiah is of particular concern because of Iran’s potential for triggering the kind of global conflagration Ahmadinejad envisions will set the stage for the end of the world. Ahmadinejad is on record as stating he believes he is to have a personal role in ushering in the age of the Mahdi. In a Nov. 16, 2005, speech in Tehran, he said he sees his main mission in life as to ‘pave the path for the glorious reappearance of Imam Mahdi, may Allah hasten his reappearance.'”

American Hiroshima Coming?

On September 16, Canada Free Press published the following frightening article:

“Urgent news [has been received] from Abu Dawood, one of the newly appointed commanders of the al Qaeda forces in Afghanistan: Final preparations have been made for the American Hiroshima, a major attack on the U.S. Muslims living in the United States should leave the country without further warning. The attack will be commandeered by Adnan el Shukrijumah (‘Jaffer Tayyer’ or ‘Jafer the Pilot’), a naturalized American citizen, who was raised in Brooklyn and educated in southern Florida. The al Qaeda operatives who will launch this attack are awaiting final orders. They remain in place in cities throughout the country. Many are masquerading as Christians and have adopted Christian names… The announcements from Abu Dawood were obtained by Hamid Mir, the only journalist to interview Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and Taliban leader Mullah Omar in the wake of 9/11.”

This information was collaborated in an article by WorldNetDaily, dated September 17. For a video commentary on this subject please visit our StandingWatch web site or click here to download.

Muslims Soon in Charge of Jerusalem?

On September 18, ynetnews reported the following:

“Head of the northern faction of the Islamic Movement Sheikh Raed Salah said Friday that ‘soon Jerusalem will be the capital of the new Muslim caliphate, and the caliph’s seat will be there.’ Salah addressed an audience of 50,000 attending the Islamic Movement’s 11th annual rally… ‘Caliph’ refers to a leader of the Muslim nation and in Arabic means the ‘heir’ or ‘substitute’ of the prophet Muhammad. Salah noted that history tells of many occasions in which the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem was occupied by foreign conquerors, but the occupiers left after a short time, and thus will also be the fate of the Israeli occupation… The former mufti of Jerusalem Ekrima Sabri and the archbishop of the Greek-Orthodox church who is considered close to the Palestinian Authority also spoke at the rally. Secretary General of the Arab League Amr Musa also sent his blessings to the assembly.”

The Bible predicts that the city of Jerusalem will become a central point of end-time prophecy. We read in Zechariah 12:2 that God will make “Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem.” God continues in verse 3: “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.” We are also told, in Zechariah 14:2, that God will “gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem,” and that “Half of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.”

Germany Sends Troops to Lebanon

Der Spiegel Online reported on September 20:

“German forces are bound for the Middle East after the parliament approved the dispatch of up to 2,400 troops to help patrol Lebanon’s coastal waters… Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany’s first military mission in the region since World War II was historic because it underlined the country’s responsibility for protecting Israel and its growing role in world affairs following unification. ‘This mission by the Bundeswehr in the Middle East is of historic significance,’ she told the Bundestag. ‘We all know that with unification Germany’s responsibility in the world changed. That has consequences, military ones too.’… Addressing concerns by German opposition politicians that the military involvement would weaken Germany’s position as an honest broker in the region, Merkel said: ‘We’re not neutral and we don’t want to be. German state policy hasn’t been neutral ever since 1949. It has been value-bound, and that is the opposite of neutrality.’…

“Berlin ruled out sending ground troops to Lebanon because that may have brought its soldiers into confrontation with Israeli soldiers, an unthinkable prospect in Germany given the Holocaust. Instead, it has agreed to lead an international maritime task force patrolling Lebanon’s coast and will contribute eight vessels to it, including two frigates equipped with helicopters, two supply ships and four speedboats. The task force will also include troops and vessels from Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden… it will be empowered to divert vessels it suspects of carrying arms supplies, and to use force to board and search ships and accompany them to Lebanese ports. Its soldiers will not however be allowed to confiscate weapons — that will be up to Lebanese forces. The German mission is limited until August 31 but most officials expect it to run for much longer than that.”
The article continued:

“Ahead of the vote, the leader of the main opposition party FDP, Guido Westerwelle, said he opposed the mission because it couldn’t be ruled out that German troops may come into conflict with Israelis. ‘The fact that we have a special responsibility that stems from the greatest crime in German history is undisputed in this house,’ he told the Bundestag. ‘We are not neutral as regards Israel, we mustn’t be and we don’t want to be. German soldiers must be spared confrontation with Israeli soldiers or citizens. Can such confrontation, even if it occurs accidentally, between German and Israeli soldiers really be excluded? We shouldn’t get a false sense of security just because this is a naval mission.’ Westerwelle also said he didn’t have much faith in the Lebanese government’s pledge that it would confiscate weapons destined for Hezbollah, especially given that Hezbollah ministers were in the Lebanese government…

“Opinion polls show a solid majority of Germans [about 64 percent] oppose the mission, partly because growing violence in Afghanistan, where Germany has almost 3,000 troops, has fuelled skepticism in a country that has inherited a strong pacifist streak from Word War II.”

The Associated Press added on September 21 that “Germany began its biggest naval operation since World War II on Thursday as eight warships set sail for the eastern Mediterranean to help the U.N. keep the peace in Lebanon.”

Germans Highly Liked by Arabs

Der Spiegel Online is wondering whether the new role of Germany in the Middle East will change the love of the Arabs for the Germans. The magazine reported on September 11, 2006:

“No other Western power [can] rival Germany’s popularity — not the United States, which has few friends in the Middle East right now, and not Great Britain, the old colonial power. Even France comes up short despite helping push the Syrians out of Lebanon… The relationship of the Arabs to Germany is that of a complicated and largely unrequited love, which contains an element of admiration or jealousy, and it sometimes leads to bizarre misunderstandings… The admiration many Arabs have for Nazi leaders is notorious, just like the embarrassing compliments that they make sometimes. One of Egypt’s highest state officials, President Hosni Mubarak’s now retired anti-corruption czar, is called Hitler Tantawi. Arab nationalists have also been known to give their sons names such as ‘Rommel’ and ‘Eichmann.’ In some cases, this love for Germany reflects an explicit anti-Semitism; in others, it is simply a sign of historical ignorance… “This fondness for Germany goes back to a tradition that Germans have forgotten, but which lives on among cultivated Arabs. The tradition begins with German Kaiser Frederick II, the crusader who spoke Arabic. When he entered Jerusalem in 1229, he refused to ban Muslims from praying the way they were accustomed to: ‘You’re wrong to change your customs in your own country because of me. You would not even have to do this if you were in my country,’ Frederick said. Arabs also like to remember Wilhelm II, another German Kaiser. In 1898, when relationships between the German Reich and the Ottoman Empire were especially close, Wilhelm spoke these lofty words in Damascus: ‘If I had not been born a Christian, I would be a Muslim.’…

“Germany’s image in the Middle East improved dramatically when former German chancellor Gerhard Schröder took a stand against the US-led invasion of Iraq. Schröder was credited more for his stance than French President Jacques Chirac, who also criticized the invasion, but was accused of just wanting to place himself in the spotlight. And Vladimir Putin’s reservations about US policy were just explained in terms of Russia’s economic interests in Iraq…

“[German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier] remains confident about the future following the end of the Israeli air and sea blockade. He says many Arab states have assured him they are glad there is now another influential foreign power with good relations to Israel operating in the region, besides the United States. According to Steinmeier, German diplomacy will play an important mediating role in the future, given its good contacts to both the Arab and the Israeli camps. Perhaps Germany can mediate in the question of a possible exchange of prisoners, the foreign minister suggested last week. Just one more example that the Germans appear intent on maintaining their good ties in the region.”

The Bible clearly reveals that in the near future, Germany and many Arab nations will enter into a confederacy or friendship pact. For more information, please read our free booklets, “Europe in Prophecy” and “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord.”

IRS Fights Liberal Pasadena Church

The Associated Press reported on September 16:

“The IRS is investigating whether All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena violated the federal tax code when its former rector, Rev. George F. Regas, delivered an anti-war sermon on the eve of the last presidential election. Tax-exempt organizations are barred from intervening in political campaigns and elections, and the church could lose its tax-exempt status… Ed Bacon received a summons Thursday ordering the church to present any politically charged sermons, newsletters and electronic communications by Sept 29. Bacon was ordered to testify before IRS officials Oct. 11… ‘There is a lot at stake here,’ Bacon said. ‘If the IRS prevails, it will have a chilling effect on the practice of religion in America.’… In a sermon two days before the 2004 election, Regas did not urge parishioners to support President Bush or challenger John Kerry but was critical of the Iraq war and Bush’s tax cuts, Bacon said in an interview last November when the investigation was announced… “All Saints has a long history of social activism, dating back to World War II, when its rector spoke out against the internment of Japanese Americans. Regas, who headed the church for 28 years before retiring in 1995, was well-known for opposing the Vietnam War, championing female clergy and supporting gays and lesbians in the church.”

Europe and China

The Week in Germany reported on September 15:

“Last year, the 25-nation European Union overtook the United States in terms of trade with China, which now totals some $217.3 billion and is $5.7 billion more than with the U.S… European companies like civil jet maker Airbus, German engineering group Siemens and German automaker Volkswagen helped make the EU the No. 4 investor in China.. [A Chinese official] negotiated bolstered trade agreements with both Britain and Germany during his European tour, which also saw the announcement of a new factory in China for automaker DaimlerChrysler. He signed eight new trade agreements on September 14 with the German government and businesses, including one on copyright issues and another on biotechnology.”

As we have announced for decades, Europe will become the most powerful economic force in the world, while the influence of the United States of America will steadily decline. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America.”

David, in verses 7-11 of Psalm 19, had just described the
considerable blessings which exist in obedience to God’s law and His
Way of life! He spoke to the law of the LORD, to the testimony, to the
statutes of the LORD, to the commandment, to the fear of the LORD and
to the judgments of the LORD. He knew that all of God’s laws were in
existence during his time and had been established for all times–even
to the end of this present society and on into eternity! These laws
describe the very character of our God and a Way of life for us!

David
described the extreme value of God’s requirements of men; and then
raised the question in verse 12, “Who can understand his errors?” He
realized that he was not perfect in all his ways, when compared with
the requirements of the LORD! His desire was to please God in all that
he did, and he understood the need to correct all of the errors in his
life, which were in conflict with God’s Way! Thus, in his prayer to God
for help in overcoming his weaknesses, he requested that God would help
him in overcoming even the sins he committed in ignorance.

This
subject is addressed in detail in Leviticus, chapter 4, by the LORD in
His instruction to Moses; which instruction addressed sins committed in
ignorance as compared to sins committed presumptuously, in open
rebellion to God’s Way of life (See also, Numbers 15:22-31)!

With
the children of Israel, God had established the sin offering to address
such sins committed unintentionally and in ignorance. God had also
established the trespass offering to address intentional sins, which
were not committed presumptuously (Leviticus 5:1-19; 6:1-7). David’s
noting this particular area of unintentional sin in his life
illustrated his great desire to please God and to be perfectly obedient
to all of God’s requirements. David often beseeched God in addressing
this problem in his life (Compare Psalm 26:2; Psalm 77:1-6; Psalm
119:59; Psalm 139:23-24).

This, of course, must
become our attitude to God’s law and His Way of life. In fulfilling our
responsibility in obedience to God, we should be continually examining
our lives with the standard of God’s law and with the perfect example
set by Jesus Christ always in our forethoughts! Being the perfect
example–He fulfilled all aspects of His Father’s Will while living in
the flesh.

We note in the book of Lamentations, chapter 3, verse
40: “Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the
LORD…” The prophet, Haggai, notes in Haggai 1:7 these words of the LORD
of hosts: “Consider your ways!”

David came to understand that
nothing he did could be hidden from God, and he passed this important
lesson on to the one who would rule in his place: “As for you, my son
Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart
and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts and
understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be
found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever” (1
Chronicles 28:9).

God speaks directly to each of His people in
respect to the need for self examination, as recorded in 1 Corinthians
11:28, 31. In this case God is making specific reference to His
Passover, where He says: “But let a man examine himself, and so let him
eat of the bread and drink of the cup… For if we would judge
ourselves, we should not be judged.” Of course, self examination should
not be reserved for the Passover season only, but is an exercise we
should be carrying out continually (compare 2 Corinthians 13:5). And
our searching out of sins committed unintentionally or in ignorance, as
well as overcoming sins that we still commit intentionally, because of
the weakness of our flesh, must always be in the forefront of our
minds.

Lead Writer: J. Edwin Pope

A new StandingWatch program was recorded last Friday and has been posted on the Web. It is titled: “The Pope in Germany.”

Set forth below is a summary of the program:

The
Pope has finished his second visit to Germany, since becoming Pope. He
was very warmly greeted by the German people and the German government.
He was encouraged to work for unification between the Catholic and
Protestant Churches. At the same time, he angered Muslims by making
controversial comments about Islam and Mohammed during a lecture at the
University of Regensburg. Even though the Vatican tried to explain that
the Pope did not mean to offend Muslims, the outcry continues.

On September 16, 2006, Dave Harris will give the sermon, titled, “True Worshippers.”

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, my wife and I acquired a new puppy–an eight-week-old
Chihuahua. We already owned a thirteen-year-old miniature Yorkshire
Terrier, but as she was getting quite old, we thought a new arrival
might perk her up. This episode got me thinking about a number of
analogies to the life of a true Christian. Sounds strange, doesn’t it,
but we can learn lessons in everything we do and are involved in.

I
meditated about how reliant dogs are on their new owner; how much they
put their trust in him; how vulnerable they can be, particularly if the
owner doesn’t have their best interests at heart; how they need
training; and also, how they look to their new owners for leadership.

Notice
how these concepts can apply to us, spiritually. On a spiritual plane,
we are to be totally reliant on God. He created us and for those in the
Church, He has called us to His way of life and a wonderful future in
the Kingdom of God if we endure to the end. By putting our trust in
Him, we can have peace of mind, knowing that God has our welfare and
well being at heart.  We can be very vulnerable, but only if our
reliance and trust in Him is less than required. The great God does
have our best interests at heart–that is why He has called us into His
Family. Finally, with the leadership that He shows, we know that we are
in safe hands.

We should take very seriously the care that we can
have for our animals. But how much more care is God showing to all of
us who have the potential to be in His Family. To achieve our potential
will be the greatest prize of all!

German Troops in Lebanon

As Reuters reported on September 13, 2006, “Germany’s cabinet approved plans on Wednesday to send naval and air forces to Lebanon… Up to 2,400 German personnel will patrol the Lebanese coast to prevent weapons reaching Hizbollah, enforcing the terms of a truce which ended the month-long war… ‘Sending troops to the Middle East is for us a historic decision,’ Chancellor Angela Merkel said.”

Deutsche Welle added: “Defence Minister Franz Josef Jung said Germany would lead the marine component of the UN force and has been given ‘a robust but not aggressive mandate’ to patrol Lebanon’s coast. ‘We will control the whole of Lebanon’s waters, within 50 nautical miles of the coast. We will have the right to use force against vessels that show resistance,’ he said. Two frigates, four fast patrol boats, two supply ships, one tender, and two helicopters will be deployed by Germany in cooperation with naval forces being sent by the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Denmark, said Merkel and Jung. Merkel… said a Lebanese naval liaison officer would be aboard one of the German ships ‘but there would be no chance for a veto’ from the Lebanese. German naval vessels would then be able to take up position off the Lebanese coast by early October. Germany is also providing a small number of border police and customs officials to be stationed at Beirut International Airport to supervise incoming cargo.”

The German Parliament must still approve the deployment. It is to vote next week. Since Merkel’s conservatives and their Social Democrat coalition partners hold a large majority, an affirmation of the German cabinet’s decision is expected.

Der Spiegel Online added that the German government foresees its military intervention in Lebanon to last “for many years,” even though Germany’s current mandate will expire on August 31, 2007. According to the magazine, Merkel stated that this is the beginning of a “far-reaching German engagement in the region.” It was further pointed out that the employment of its troops will cost Germany 46 million euros in 2006 and 147 million euros in 2007. It was stressed that the German navy will function in cooperation with the Lebanese navy, but Germany is authorized to act on its own, if need be.

In order to learn more about the prophetic significance of German troops in the Middle East, please read our free booklet, “Europe in Prophecy.”

Leave It to Iran?

USA Today reported on September 13 that “U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said Wednesday that most leaders in the Middle East believe the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and its aftermath [is] ‘a real disaster.’ Annan said the United States was now in the difficult position where ‘it cannot stay and it cannot leave.’ He said the leaders he spoke to on his recent trip to the Middle East fell into two camps: Some believed the United States cannot walk away from Iraq, while others, such as Iran, said it should leave and they would help stabilize the country.”

The Associated Press reported on September 13 that “Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki made his first official visit to Iran, a close ally, asking the Islamic regime on Tuesday to crack down on al-Qaida militants infiltrating his country and seeking new deals to help Iraq’s troubled oil industry. The visit reflected the complex relationship between Iran, a mostly Shiite Muslim country, and Iraq’s government, now dominated in the post-Saddam Hussein era by Shiite allies of Tehran. Since Saddam’s fall in 2003, Iraq has sought better relations with Iran… The two enjoy increasingly strong ties that include new oil cooperation. Iraq has already turned to Iran for help with a chronic shortage of petroleum goods, reaching a deal last month to import Iranian gasoline, kerosene and cooking fuel. Iraqi officials said al-Maliki’s visit and other recent exchanges could improve the cooperation.”

Strong Words From Netanyahu

On September 13, ynetnews.com reported that Israel’s Knesset member Benjamin Netanyahu said: “Al-Qaeda can’t develop nuclear weapons, while the militant Shiite movement is galloping forward towards developing nuclear terror… Hitler went out on a world campaign first, and then tried to get nuclear weapons. Iran is trying to get nuclear arms first. Therefore from that perspective, it is much more dangerous… Hitler was defeated because he could not develop weapons of mass destruction. But Iran stands close to developing nuclear weapons. Does the world understand? In Europe, where I returned from, there are glimpses of understanding… International terrorism is a mistaken term, not because it doesn’t exist, but because the problem is international militant Islam. That is the movement… that operates terror on the international level, and that is the movement that is preparing the ultimate terror, nuclear terrorism…”

The German Pope in Germany

Benedict XVI’s second visit to Germany, as Pope, was not just meant to be a vacation. The Associated Press of September 9 reported:

“Benedict’s election aroused mixed feelings in Germany–the now largely secular land of the Protestant Reformation, and home to a shrinking and distinctly liberal Catholic Church. But there is also strong pride in the German pope, particularly in Bavaria. Munich’s Abendzeitung newspaper devoted its front page to a photo of a smiling Benedict under the headline ‘Welcome home!’ The Munich edition of the mass-circulation Bild daily’s front page said: ‘Benedict, we love YOU.’

AFP added on September 11: “In European countries like Germany, the number of churchgoers has dwindled in recent years and papal authority has been questioned. While his visit is partly a trip down memory lane, Benedict is keen to try to halt the decline of religious observance in his native Germany. Recent figures indicate some 100,000 people turn their back on the Church in Germany annually.”

Der Stern stated on September 12 that both German President Horst Koehler and Bavaria’s Prime Minister, Edmund Stoiber, asked the Pope to set clearer signals in support of the ecumenical movement, in order to unify the Catholic and Protestant Churches. Koehler, a Protestant, and Stoiber, a Catholic, encouraged the Pope to empathize the similarities between the two big churches, rather than the issues which separate them. The Pope told Koehler that he will take Koehler’s prayer for unity back to Rome, stating, according to Der Spiegel Online of September 9, that “we will attempt to reach unity with our hearts and with our intellects.” Bavaria’s Interior Minister, Guenther Beckstein, participated with Stoiber at a Mass, conducted by the Pope. Beckstein, a Protestant, stated that “especially during the ‘Lord’s Supper,’ the separation between the two big Christian churches becomes, sadly, very obvious.”

It is presently the official position of the Catholic Church that no Protestant is permitted to participate at Catholic “communion” or the “Lord’s Supper.”

In other news, Der Spiegel Online reported on September 12 that during his visit, “Pope Benedict XVI prayed at the statue of the Black Madonna, one of Germany’s holiest sites.” The statue is situated in the town of Altötting, where the Pope “had worshipped as a child. Legend has it that a three-year-old girl was brought back to life after drowning when her mother put her before the wooden Madonna in 1489.”

In a related article of September 12, Der Spiegel Online quoted the Pope, stating that he was pleading with the “mother of God” to receive her blessing for the Church worldwide, and for all people of good will.

The Associated Press reported on September 9: “German President Horst Koehler and Chancellor Angela Merkel greeted the pontiff ahead of his ride to the city’s central Marienplatz square, where he was to offer a prayer at its 17th-century statue of the Virgin Mary, the patroness of Bavaria — Germany’s Roman Catholic heartland.”

In a veiled attack on evolution, the Pope made the following comments, according to The Associated Press of September 12:

“Benedict in his sermon scoffed at the idea of a ‘mathematically ordered cosmos’ without any hand of God. He said this would mean ‘nothing more than a chance result of evolution. We believe in God… This is a fundamental decision on our part.'”

The Catholic religion has embraced many teachings which are not derived from the Bible, but from pagan cultures and philosophies. Our free booklet, “Don’t Keep Christmas,” proves this fact beyond doubt. The Bible also prophesies that the Catholic and the Protestant Churches will unite. But this temporary and passing unification will not be pleasing to God.

U.S. Sanctions Against North Korea?

The Associated Press reported on September 12 that “The United States is moving to impose sanctions on North Korea for test-launching a series of missiles in July, a senior South Korean official said Tuesday. South Korea’s main news agency reported, meanwhile, that the North had rejected an offer for direct talks with the U.S. over its nuclear program… South Korea’s main spy agency has said the communist regime [of North Korea] could test a nuclear device at any time… Many experts believe the North has enough radioactive material to build at least a half-dozen nuclear weapons.”

Germany Remembers September 11, 2001

Der Spiegel Online made the following comments on September 11, 2006, describing how the world has changed for the worse since September 11, 2001:

“‘Nine-Eleven’ has entered the English language as a metaphor, an abbreviation even bigger than a millennial milestone: 9/11 broke through Fortress America, turning it into another country. George W. Bush has tried to turn the planet into another world. And failed.”

The article continued:

“… At first the United States and Europe closed ranks; yet soon amity turned to enmity in one of the worst ideological conflicts the two continents have ever seen. The United States, by its own definition not an imperial power… considered itself ‘at war.’ To wage its ‘war against terror,’ the U.S. president availed himself of immense powers both at home and abroad. He suspended many of the civil rights that his nation had always cherished, and elevated the ‘preemptive strike’ to a divine doctrine: America had every right to launch an unprovoked attack against any country suspected of abetting terrorists.

“The United States squandered the international sympathy and solidarity showered upon it in the immediate aftermath of September 11. Even in Tehran, people had spontaneously taken to the streets, while the French newspaper Le Monde had declared: ‘We are all Americans.’ But the Bush administration decided to go it alone: it scoffed at traditional alliances and institutions like the United Nations, and arbitrarily ignored international law…

“The dreams of swift strikes and longlasting victories in the war against terror are in tatters, along with illusions of regime change in the Middle East. Much has changed over the past five years, but little has improved. The world has become a more violent and complex place. Osama bin Laden, who has declared war on the West in general and the U.S. superpower in particular, is still at large–presumably hiding out along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan… The United States now has credibility issues that are both political and moral, and a superpower status that rests solely on arms supremacy. The nation is light years ahead when it comes to investing in military might; in the list of big spenders, it devotes more funds to weapons than the next 10 countries combined…

“Today other countries in other regions are making world history. The Asian century is dawning at this very moment. India, and above all China, are experiencing dramatic economic booms, and styling themselves America’s peers on the world political stage… The winners of the American war are outside Iraq, and one of them is Osama bin Laden. For al Qaeda, Iraq has become the Afghanistan of the 1990s: the battlefield in its jihad against an infidel superpower. Iran, ironically enough, is another of the winners–and didn’t have to lift a finger. Having seen its arch-enemy Saddam toppled, Teheran is happily picking up the pieces.

“Iran’s influence is spreading in southern Iraq where the Shiites form the majority. The longer the war lasts, the greater the political spoils for the mullahs. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, a man with apocalyptic visions, has replaced the mild-mannered Mohammad Khatami as president. While a debilitated America falters, Iran is developing the technology to build nuclear weapons, and is well on the way to becoming the region’s dominant power.

“… Of the many depressing statistics from the president’s second term, this is probably his most depressing: More than 50 percent of Americans now consider George W. Bush ‘dishonest.’ Such huge credibility gaps are rare in U.S. politics… In their joint study conducted for Foreign Policy and the highly respected think tank ‘Center for American Progress,’ 84 percent disagreed with Bush’s statement that the United States was winning the war against terrorism. Eighty-six percent said they thought the world was a more dangerous place. Only 10 percent were expecting positives from the Iraq war. A devastating indictment. ‘The Worst President in History?’ the U.S. magazine Rolling Stone asked pointedly on a cover in May…

“Five years after 9/11, a new international order is emerging. While the United States can still boast the greatest economic and military might on the planet, claims of unipolarity and American hegemony are no longer credible. The rise of China and India as major powers and Russia’s return to the major political leagues cannot be denied. And lesser powers are emerging as well, small and mid-sized players, public and private, each of them vying for influence… This world is fragmented, labyrinthine and unpredictable.”

Our free booklets, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America,” and “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord,” give detailed information as to what is prophesied to happen soon in the USA, Great Britain, continental Europe, the Middle East, and the rest of the world.

Germans Angry With America

Der Spiegel Online reported on September 11 about the view of the German press toward the USA:

“As German commentators reflect on the events and aftermath of 9/11 five years later, there is a strangely forceful consensus: the US was right to force the Taliban from power and it was right to strengthen security, even at the cost of some personal liberties. But there is also broad agreement that Washington’s anti-terror policy is deeply flawed in Iraq and in its willingness to sacrifice fundamental rights of its own citizens as well as largely ignore international law. Germans and most Europeans are angry about Guantanamo, about secret CIA prisons, and the president’s continued use of incendiary rhetoric such as referring to the terrorists as ‘Islamic fascists.’ Before Bush launched the war against Iraq, Germany raised its voice in opposition and said the US would ignite a wildfire with no plan for putting out the flames. The tone of Monday’s editorials in German newspapers feel sadly vindicated by the events of the past five years.”

Virtually Untreatable Tuberculosis

The BBC reported on September 6: “A ‘virtually untreatable’ form of TB has emerged, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Extreme drug resistant TB… has been seen worldwide, including in the US, Eastern Europe and Africa… TB presently causes about 1.7 million deaths a year worldwide, but researchers are worried about the emergence of strains that are resistant to drugs. Drug resistance is caused by poor TB control, through taking the wrong types of drugs for the incorrect duration.”

A “New Vision” for Europe

On September 8, the EUOberserver reported about the European vision of French interior minister and presidential hopeful Nicolas Sarkozy, proposing “radical EU reforms such as getting the European Commission president to pick his own commissioners and cross-border European Parliament elections–but first he wants a new EU ‘mini treaty.'”

The article continued: “Mr Sarkozy already caused some alarm in small and mid-size member states last year by proposing that the EU’s ‘big six’ should together take up a leading role in the union–an idea which he repeated on Friday… France and Germany should pioneer… with cross-border political platforms in the 2009 elections… The ‘mini treaty’ would include key parts of the constitution such as its voting rights provisions and plans to create an EU foreign minister, on which there is a ‘large consensus. It would provide a way out for those countries that voted “no” without humiliating those who voted “yes”‘, he said, adding that the French EU presidency in 2009 should finalise the text. On enlargement… he said that Turkey should stay out. ‘We should now say who is European and who isn’t,’ he said.”

Europe will unite soon–and it is most likely that ten core nations or groups of nations–not just six– will ultimately lead the rest of continental Europe, under the strong leadership of a German or Austrian political personage, called the “beast” in Biblical prophecy.

An important key to use when studying God’s Word is to understand
WHY God has inspired certain stories: “Now all these things happened to
them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom
the ends of the ages have come” (1 Corinthians 10:11). Read the context
of this quote in verses 1 through 13, and you will understand that God
used their examples as a warning to others. He also revealed very
detailed information about Moses for the purpose of instruction: “And
Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a
testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward” (Hebrews
3:5).

In Biblical accounts, what is recorded represents the
actual circumstances and actions of people. The fact that God has
chosen to show examples that involved all kinds of human behavior does
not mean that He necessarily sanctions what was done! Rather, the Bible
tells the story of both faithful, obedient people and of those who
rebelled against God.

Concerning prophetesses, the Bible
reveals that certain women spoke in exactly the same fashion as any
number of prophets through whom God revealed both His will and future
events. The first prophetess mentioned in Scripture is Miriam, the
sister of Moses and Aaron (Exodus 15:20). Furthermore, we have this
testimony from God: “…And I SENT before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam”
(Micah 6:4). Another prophetess, written about in Judges, chapters 4
and 5, is Deborah:

“Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of
Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time. And she would sit under the
palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of
Ephraim. And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment”
(Judges 4:4-5).

Reading further, we find that Deborah conveyed
God’s will to Barak, stating that he should lead some of the tribes of
Israel into battle against their Canaanite oppressors (Judges 4:6-14).
At that time, Deborah was esteemed as God’s representative. Note how
Barak viewed her counsel: “And Barak said to her, ‘If you will go with
me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go!'”
(Judges 4:8).

Here is Deborah’s response: “So she said, ‘I will
surely go with you; nevertheless there will be no glory for you in the
journey you are taking, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of
a woman.’ Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh” (Judges
4:9).

This exchange between Barak and Deborah depicts the
prevailing attitude in Israel during the period of the judges:
“…everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6; 21:25).
The people of Israel underwent a cycle of oppression and deliverance,
because they would rebel against God and begin to fall into worshipping
false gods time and time again. When they cried out to God, He would
deliver them through the leadership of someone He specially chose. This
lasted until the time of Samuel and until Israel rejected God and
demanded to have a king like the nations around them (Compare 1 Samuel
8:19).

In a time when the nation of Judah began to turn to God
through King Josiah, inquiry of God was made through a faithful woman
on behalf of the king and the nation: “So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam,
Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of
Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe.
(She dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter.) And they spoke with
her” (2 Kings 22:14). As it is recorded in verses 15-20 of 2 Kings 22,
Huldah conveyed God’s response.

When some of Judah returned to
Jerusalem following national captivity, Nehemiah’s leadership to
rebuild the wall of Jerusalem faced constant resistance. Among those
who contended against Nehemiah was a prophetess who proclaimed false
messages. Here is what Nehemiah recorded: “My God, remember Tobiah and
Sanballat, according to these their works, and the prophetess Noadiah
and the rest of the prophets who would have made me afraid” (Nehemiah
6:14).

God differentiates between women who act and speak on His
behalf and those who falsely establish themselves by their own
inspiration: “‘Likewise, son of man, set your face against the
daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own heart; prophesy
against them… Because with lies you have made the heart of the
righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and you have strengthened the
hands of the wicked, so that he does not turn from his wicked way to
save his life. Therefore you shall no longer envision futility nor
practice divination; for I will deliver My people out of your hand, and
you shall know that I am the LORD'” (Ezekiel 13:17, 22-23).

We
then see from Scripture that just as there are true and false prophets,
there are also prophetesses designated by God, and there are those who
appoint themselves through lies and evil practices!

In the time
shortly following the birth of Jesus, another faithful woman specially
chosen by God is identified: “Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess,
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age,
and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this
woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from
the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And
coming in that instant she gave thanks to [God], and spoke of Him to
all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:36-38).

As
we have seen from the examples in God’s Word, some dedicated, faithful
women have been chosen by God for unique service to Him. In the case of
Deborah, it appears that no man at that time had the kind of
faith necessary to serve as judge to Israel. Huldah the prophetess was
faithful to God while the nation of Judah was steeped in false worship,
and she was able to provide God’s encouragement to Josiah and other
national leaders as they sought to repent and turn Judah back to
following God. Anna, as a very elderly woman, was blessed to see the
Messiah and to testify of His presence in that generation.

An
interesting prophecy in the Book of Joel further reveals God’s actions
regarding the men and women who will serve Him: “‘And it shall come to
pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons
and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams,
Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My
maidservants I will pour out my Spirit in those days'” (Joel 2:28-29).
Peter adds this to his quoting of Joel 2, verse 29: “And they shall
prophesy” (Acts 2:18).

Because of God’s Spirit being poured out
on both men and women, some among them spoke through the inspiration of
God. Certain individuals spoke of God’s will and of future events
revealed by God. We see other examples of this when Hannah prayed (1
Samuel 2:1-10) and in the statements made by Elizabeth to Mary (Luke
1:41-45).

Although we don’t have a record of what they prophesied
about, we do know that the four daughters of Philip spoke under God’s
inspiration (Compare Acts 21:9). Consider the kind of family that they
were a part of–here is the record in Acts: “On the next day we who
were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the
house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed
with him” (Acts 21:8). Philip was one of the seven deacons ordained as
the Church of God began to multiply following the Day of Pentecost
(Compare Acts 6:1-7). He was later raised in rank to the office of
Evangelist (Acts 21:8; also, compare Ephesians 4:11-13).

However,
Philip’s daughters were not ministers! Neither are they called
prophetesses. The Bible only says that they “prophesied.” There is no
Biblical record that women were called or ordained to an office of
prophetess in the New Testament Church. In fact, God does not permit a
woman to preach or to prophesy in Church services. Paul makes this
statement: “And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority
over a man, but to be in silence” (1 Timothy 2:12). Also, Paul
explains: “Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not
permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also
says” (1 Corinthians 14:34).

For more information about this important Biblical teaching, please read pages 13-15 of our free booklet, “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families!”

When
Apollos first preached about Jesus Christ, “…he knew only the baptism
of John” (Acts 18:25). Note the approach taken by a faithful husband
and wife who were members of God’s Church: “So he began to speak boldly
in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him
aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately” (Acts
18:26).

Aquila and his wife Priscilla had a PRIVATE discussion
with Apollos. They both explained to him things of Christianity that he
had not yet learned. In that sense, Priscilla was involved in teaching
something to Apollos; however, Priscilla did not do this acting as a
minister, nor did she do this publicly.

Based on a careful and
comparative reading of various translations in 1 Timothy 3 and 5, and
in consideration of the broad Biblical statements and examples, the
Church of the Eternal God and its corporate affiliates follow the long
established practice of the Church of God, under Herbert W. Armstrong,
and ordain women to the office of “deaconess.” In Romans 16:1-2, we
read in the NKJV: “I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a SERVANT
of the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord in a
manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she
has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself
also.” The RSV translates the word servant as “deaconess.” “Diakonos”
is the masculine form and gives credence to the idea that Phoebe was a
deaconess. Otherwise, Paul would have used a feminine form for servant.

Men
have served as prophets and women as prophetesses, as the Word of God
clearly illustrates. In the Church of God, today, men may still be
called to be prophets (among other offices)–which is by ordination
(Compare Acts 11:28; 21:10-11; 1 Corinthians 12:27-28; Ephesians 4:11;
Hebrews 5:4). Women, such as the four daughters of Philip, may also be
chosen to speak prophetically through the outpouring of God’s Holy
Spirit, but not in Church services, and not as ordained ministers or as
ordained prophetesses. The ONLY ordained office within the Church of
God that is held by women is that of DEACONESS–an appointment based on
solid maturity and selfless service.

In considering how God
administers His government, remember: “There is neither Jew nor Greek,
there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for
you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). In the future, we
will all be born-again children of God through whom He will continue to
build His unending Kingdom!

Let us attentively serve God in whatever capacity He has called us in this present time!

Lead Writer: Dave Harris

Our new book on prayer, titled, “Teach Us to Pray,” has been posted on the Web.

Our
new speaking schedule for the month of October, including on the Day of
Atonement and during the Feast of Tabernacles, has been posted on the
Web.

Our new booklet on suffering has reached the second review cycle.

A new StandingWatch program was recorded last Friday and has been posted on the Web. It is titled: “Turkey in Prophecy.”

Set forth below is a summary of the program:

Turkey,
the first and so far only Muslim nation with diplomatic ties to the
state of Israel, has pledged to send 1,000 troops to Lebanon to support
Europe’s somewhat futile attempt to create lasting peace in the Middle
East. This development is noteworthy, as biblical prophecy has much to
say about Turkey’s future role and engagement in that part of the
world. In order to understand the Biblical pronouncements, one must
know, of course, where Turkey is mentioned in Scripture.