Norbert Link

How can we know that Christ’s return is near? (Part 5)

One of the most striking and convincing events proving that Christ’s return is indeed very near is the last European revival of the ancient Roman Empire, which is happening today, in front of our very eyes.

The book of Daniel describes four world-ruling empires, identified as Babylon (compare Daniel 2:38; 7:17), Medo-Persia (compare Daniel 2:39; 7:17; 8:20), Greece (compare Daniel 2:39; 7:17; 8:21) and Rome (compare Daniel 2:40-43; 7:17).

John’s description of a beast in Revelation 13:1 parallels with the four beasts that Daniel saw in Daniel 7—the first beast in Daniel’s vision was like a lion, the second like a bear and the third like a leopard. Here John sees only one beast, but it has combined elements of all the beasts that Daniel saw—a lion, a bear, and a leopard. In addition, John’s beast had seven heads. Taken together, Daniel’s beasts had seven heads too—that of a lion, of a bear, four heads of the leopard (Daniel 7:6), and the head of the fourth beast. John’s beast had ten horns, and the fourth beast Daniel saw in Daniel 7:7 had ten horns as well.

John’s beast represents the Roman Empire. He saw it as one composite beast, as it had swallowed up the previous three kingdoms. The Babylonian, Medo-Persian and Greek empires had already come and gone, but their territory and characteristics had been absorbed by Rome.

The Roman Empire was to be divided into Eastern and Western Rome, and the Western part would fall, but it was to be revived ten times and would endure until the time of Jesus Christ’s return.

When the Roman Empire fell, the world believed it would never rise again (symbolized by the deadly wound of John’s beast, compare Revelation 13:3). But it was to be revived ten times, symbolized by the ten horns of John’s beast.

According to Daniel 7:24, ten kings were to arise from or out of the ancient Roman Empire. The beast or the Roman Empire would have ten successive resurrections or revivals. Revelation 17:8 confirms this—the beast described there, which is similar to the beast of Revelation 13, is described as one that “was, and is not, and will ascend…,” showing the successive nature of the revivals.

After the destruction of Rome, three so-called “barbarian” powers, who were all followers of unorthodox Arianism, revived the Roman Empire, constituting its first three resurrections. This happened under King Gaiseric of the Vandals, under King Odoacer of the Heruli, and under King Theodoric of the Ostrogoths. These are the first three horns of the fourth beast in Daniel 7 (compare Daniel 7:7-8, 24) and of the beast in Revelation 13.

The fourth resurrection occurred under Justinian in A.D. 554. Known in history as the Imperial Restoration, this is the biblical “healing of the deadly wound” (compare Revelation 13:3) the Roman Empire had received from the barbarian powers.

The fifth resurrection occurred under Charlemagne (Charles the Great) in A.D. 800; the sixth under Otto the Great in A.D. 962; the seventh under Charles V of Hapsburg in 1530; the eighth under Napoleon Bonaparte (ruling from 1804 until 1814); and the ninth under Mussolini and Hitler. Mussolini declared publically that he had revived the ancient Roman Empire, saying: “Raise on high your emblems, your arms and your hearts to salute, after fifteen centuries, the reappearance of the Empire on the fateful hills of Rome.” What is happening right now in Europe is leading to the tenth and final resurrection of that same Roman Empire.

This tenth resurrection will be a collaborating entity, commonly referred to as “core Europe,” consisting of ten European nations or groups of nations which will only exist for a very short time. They might have different ideas, but they will be a strong unified military power, and they will be united in their rebellion against God.

In Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar saw in a dream a great image, with a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and with feet partly of iron and partly of clay. He also saw in that dream that a stone (symbolizing the returning Jesus Christ) struck the image on its feet or its ten toes. These ten toes are identical with the ten horns or ten kings in Revelation 17:3, 7, 12-14. They will rule together at the very end before the return of Christ and will attempt to fight Him, but Christ will of course defeat them.

Out of the current EU (consisting of 28 member states or “countries,” with the UK soon leaving the bloc) and out of the current Eurozone member states (consisting of 19 “countries,” which have adopted the euro), ten nations or groups of nations will emerge. They will receive authority for one prophetic hour (Revelation 17:12) together with the end-time “beast”—a charismatic political and military leader. In the Bible, the “beast” can refer to the political and military power bloc and/or to the end-time leader of that bloc.

When that political leader manifests himself, THEN the ten kings receive power at the same time, which they will then turn over to the beast. The mighty and powerful Babylonian system—“Babylon the Great”—will continue to exist, and so will the euro—the common European currency which glues the Eurozone states together. The concept is biblically untenable that the euro will fail and that the European core nations will return to individual national currencies.

The Bible speaks of ten horns or kings in the book of Revelation and ten toes in the book of Daniel. These kings, kingdoms or toes (powers) do not have to correspond to humanly devised geographical borders, designed by political ambitions. That is why we refer to ten nations or groups of nations.

Note that currently, the EU member states consist of the following 28 EU “countries”:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

Currently, the 19 Eurozone member states are designated as follows:

Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.

God is not viewing some of those “countries” as single and independent entities. Some of the “countries” might be grouped together and are to be viewed as “one” in biblical terminology. For instance, Germany and Austria would be one entity or one group, even though man lists them as two nations. Little islands like Malta or Cyprus (if they were among the final ten “kings” or “kingdoms”) would not constitute individual countries or nations in God’s eyes; in all likelihood, Malta would be considered as part of either Italy or France, and Cyprus might be viewed as part of Greece. (This is not to say that the current Eurozone configuration constitutes the prophesied ten nations or groups of nations.)

In addition to Great Britain’s Brexit, other Israelite nations in Europe might leave the Eurozone and even the EU. Some Nordic countries (descendants of the ancient House of Israel) might form a trading bloc in competition to the Eurozone.

In addition to the political and military revival of the ancient Roman Empire, note should be taken of the fact that the last seven of those ten revivals will also see and include a revival of a religious power, which will work together with the political power.

In Revelation 17, John is given a vision of a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns. It is ridden by a fallen woman—a harlot. Revelation 17:5 identifies the woman as “Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth.” This woman is depicted in verse 6 as “drunk with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” In verse 18, the woman is also identified as “that great city that reigns over the kings of the earth,” the city that is built and sits on seven mountains or hills (verse 9)—Rome.

The heads of the beast in Revelation 17 depict the seven last resurrections of the ancient Roman Empire. The fallen woman sits on these last seven resurrections of the beast. The first three revivals of the ancient Roman Empire occurred under leaders with a different religion, that of Arianism, which was labeled a heresy by the Roman Catholic Church.

As we will recall, the first of the seven last resurrections of the Roman Empire occurred under Justinian in A.D. 554. He was mainly responsible for wiping out the barbarian tribes, but he did so at the behest of a succession of Roman popes. At that time, lands of the old West Roman Empire were taken back. Justinian also restored the rule of “orthodox” Roman Catholicism to the West. The second of the seven last resurrections occurred under Christian Emperor

Charlemagne or Charles the Great, who was crowned in A.D. 800 by Pope Leo III, and who is commonly referred to as the “European Unifier.”

The third of the seven last resurrections occurred under Otto the Great, under whose name the “Roman Empire of the German Nation” was coined. He was crowned in 962 by Pope John XII. The fourth of the seven last resurrections occurred under Charles V Habsburg, who was crowned in 1530 by Pope Clement VII. By this time, the name “Holy Roman Empire” was in popular usage because of the close contact between the state and the so-called Holy Roman Church. The fifth of the last seven resurrections occurred under Napoleon Bonaparte, who was also crowned by a pope.

The sixth of the last seven resurrections occurred under Hitler and Mussolini, both Catholics. Mussolini signed the Lateran Treaty with the papacy in 1929, establishing papal sovereignty over Vatican City. This event affirmed Roman Catholicism as the only religion of Italy and, in turn, the papacy officially recognized Mussolini as the rightful Italian governor. Also, the Vatican signed a concordat with Hitler in 1933, protecting the rights of the church under the Nazi regime. This gave Hitler’s government an outward semblance of legitimacy.

The seventh and last resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire is already beginning. As with the previous six resurrections, the woman—the papal city of Rome—will “ride” or work with and to an extent direct the activities of the seventh resurrection as well.

We read in Revelation 17:11 that the beast “that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.” The phrase, “is not” refers to the short-lived ninth resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire under Mussolini and Hitler. Even though “it was” (verse 8: “… is not, and yet is”), it really was not, by comparison, such an all-encompassing and consequential revival as the previous ones, and as the tenth and last revival will be.

Verse 11 tells us that the beast himself is the “eighth, and is of the seven.” This could be a reference to the individual beast—the end-time military leader who will rule and be a part of the seventh revival of the Holy Roman Empire.

The influencing power of the Roman Catholic Church was prophesied in Daniel’s vision of the four beasts in Daniel 7—with the fourth beast having ten horns. The ten horns picture the ten resurrections of the ancient Roman Empire. Daniel 7:7 deals with the first three of these resurrections. Then, in verse 8, Daniel says, “I was considering the [ten] horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots.”

An angel explained in verse 24 that the little (religious) horn, which would be different from the other (political) horns, would “subdue three kings.” This little horn, the religious power synonymous with the woman in Revelation 17, riding the scarlet beast, would also change times and law, or rather, change the law regarding holy times.

We saw earlier that the beast (the political and military leader of the European power bloc) will persecute the saints. In Revelation 17, we are told that the woman riding the beast power will participate in the persecution of the saints. It will be a combined joint effort between church and state, which it has been so many times before.

We read in Revelation 13:16–17 that the second (religious) beast will cause people to accept “a mark” of the first (political) beast “on their right hand” or “on their foreheads.” Without it, they cannot buy or sell (compare Revelation 14:9). The mark of the beast means general participation in the worship system of the revived Roman Empire. In particular, it is clearly associated with the violation of God’s weekly and annual Sabbath commandments [the time from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset and during the times of seven annual Holy Days, which likewise begin at sunset]. In the Bible, the “right hand” is associated with work (Psalm 137:5). The “forehead” is the seat of thoughts (Ezekiel 3:8; 9:4; Revelation 7:3). God has commanded to keep certain times holy and, during these holy times, one is not to concentrate on and engage in commercial activities.

The little horn (in Daniel 7:25, referring to a religious power) persecuted God’s people who did not accept its change from God’s weekly Sabbath and His annual Holy Days to man-made holidays, such as Sunday, Christmas and Easter. Under the Code of Justinian, who constituted the first resurrection of the “Holy” Roman Empire, orthodox Christianity became the only lawful religion. It acknowledged the ecclesiastical leadership of the Roman Church, and ordered all Christian groups to submit to her authority. Those who were not orthodox Catholics were forbidden from buying and selling—i.e. conducting business. Indeed, those branded “heretics” faced a death sentence. In general, Christians were many times branded by orthodox Christianity as those who were “Judaizing,” and they were put to death for such practice.

The little horn changed the holy times ordained by God and replaced them with times designated by man to be holy. Today, most Christians follow human traditions, rather than godly injunctions. The little horn, the woman riding the beast, will cause people to accept the mark of the beast under pain of death.

As in the past, the woman, under its coming leader, the “false prophet,” will influence the political power of the revived Roman Empire to command people, via “legislation,” to work during God’s holy times, while prohibiting work at times proclaimed by her to be “holy.” As true Christians cannot and will not abide by the political power’s legislative demands, the woman, by her influence and her teaching, will “cause” the death of true Christians (compare Revelation 13:15).

When we see that the final revival of the ancient Holy Roman Empire is manifesting in Europe— a mighty power bloc of ten nations or groups of nations under the leadership of a political and military leader (the beast) in collaboration with a religious leader (the false prophet)—then we will know that Christ’s return is imminent.

(To be Continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

2019 in Prophecy!

What will 2019 bring? This program sets forth some of the events which newscasters expect to occur, and compares them with biblical prophecy, covering such diverse topics as new challenges for Europe; the desire to build a European army in light of American unreliability and threats from Russia; the power vacuum in the Middle East; Russia’s threats towards Israel; the lack of leadership in Germany; the Brexit; the disastrous stock market and the fragile American economy.

Europe’s Response to Withdrawal of US Troops from Syria

President Trump’s unilateral decision to withdraw all troops from Syria, combined with the resulting resignation of Defense Secretary General James Mattis, have placed a worried Europe on notice that the USA is, in their mind, a completely unreliable “partner.” Facing perceived threats from an expanding nuclear Russia and considering President Trump’s “unpredictable” and “chaotic” decisions, the EU feels compelled to create a unified army as soon as possible.

Current Events

by Norbert Link

2018 ends with a bang, and the prospects for 2019 are even more grim. President Trump’s unilateral decision, announced by him on Twitter and without any prior consultation or warning, to admit defeat by withdrawing all troops from Syria (leaving the country to the mercy of the ruthless dictators of Russia, Turkey, Iran and Syria) and to withdraw half of the US troops from Afghanistan, combined with the resulting resignation of Defense Secretary General James Mattis (“the only adult left in the room”), have placed the world and especially a worried Europe on notice that the USA is a completely unreliable “partner” and that President Trump’s “unpredictable” and “chaotic” decisions “compel” the EU to create a unified army as soon as possible.

The next bombshell by the end of 2018 has been the partial shutdown of the US government (with wavering changes of mind by the American President) and fears of a global recession and the demise of the dollar.

We also warn of the growing fear and real danger of international cyber warfare; Putin’s alarming ambitions regarding the creation of a militaristic Russian Empire; and we speak on interesting developments in Germany; the collapse of the Israeli government; the mixed bag of Austria’s EU Presidency; and the devastating tsunami in Indonesia, reminding us of another tsunami several years ago—both of which happened during the Christmas season. We also report on the eruption of Italy’s most active volcano, Mount Etna.

We conclude with several eye-opening articles on Christmas and the Catholic Church.

Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.

Current Events

by Norbert Link

As this is the last Update before Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2018, we selected a few articles to show you the complicated American history and sometimes frightening status of today’s Christmas celebrations by Christians and non-Christians alike. It is of course our position that we must not keep Christmas if we want to follow the teachings of the Bible. Please be sure to view our new StandingWatch program, “Does God Bless Our Christmas Celebrations?”

We also address, among other things, the White House’s highly controversial announcement to withdraw all troops from Syria; Turkish President Erdogan’s hypocritical words and actions; President Trump’s defeat on the issue of the border wall and his billion dollar gift to Mexico; the attempt of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to break away from Russia; American and German reactions (or the lack of them) to the murder of an American journalist by the Saudis; developments in Germany; Belgium and Italy; the intensifying fight for and against Brexit; and the perceived need for Europe to become an independent nuclear power bloc.

Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.

How can we know that Christ’s return is near? (Part 4)

We already alluded to the fact that the man of sin will sit as God in the Temple of God, pretending to be God Himself (2 Thessalonians 2:4). We also saw that this will happen just prior to the return of Jesus Christ. This means, a Third Temple will be built in Jerusalem so that the man of sin can occupy it. When we see that that Temple will be built, we will know that Christ’s return is imminent.

A further question is as to why a Temple would be built in the first place. One answer is: To fulfill the desire of the Jews to bring daily sacrifices at the Temple Mount. And even though it is true that sacrifices can be brought before the foundation of the Temple has been laid and the erection of the Temple has been completed (compare Ezra 3:6, 11), it is also true that the Jews would not bring daily animal sacrifices unless the preparation of the Temple is underway (compare Ezra 3:8-10).

Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary explains the passages in Ezra 3:6-11: “They could not at once have a temple, but they would not be without an altar… And they made preparation for the building of the temple without delay…”

Barnes Notes on the Bible adds: “They restored the old altar of burnt-offerings, which stood directly in front of the temple-porch, upon the old foundation.” In other words, on the Temple Mount. Soncino writes to verse 8: “…‘house of God’ probably denotes the site where the First Temple had stood on which they planned to erect the new Sanctuary.”

We should also notice that the occurrences in Ezra 3 were unique, in that the Jews were allowed to leave their Babylonian captivity and to return to Jerusalem in order to build the Temple there (Ezra 1:2-5; 2:68; compare also Ezra 4:1-3).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges points out: “The burnt offerings were regularly made on the altar, although there was no Temple building, nor Temple worship. Such a thing would have been almost incredible to the Jew of later centuries.”

The Bible clearly prophesies that the Jews will bring daily sacrifices, which will subsequently be suppressed by an invading foreign power (Gentile nations under the leadership of a military commander, the “beast”). The sacrifices will be suppressed by that power for 2,300 evening-mornings (Daniel 8:14) or 1,150 days (as daily sacrifices are brought twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, compare Exodus 29:38-39), until the sanctuary will be cleansed. The foreign power will also place there the abomination of desolation, to be discussed later (compare Daniel 8:11-12; Daniel 11:31). All of this will happen at the beginning of the Great Tribulation.

It is important to understand the correct meaning of Daniel 8:13-14. A superficial reading might lead to the conclusion that animal sacrifices will be given for 2,300 evenings and mornings (1,150 days) until the foreign power invades Jerusalem and suppresses them. But that is not correct. Rather, we are told that the daily sacrifices will begin at a given point and will then cease for 1,150 days. We are not told specifically when they will begin and for how long they will be given, but as other prophecies indicate, they will be given for only a short time until the foreign power will invade the Middle East, bringing about the Great Tribulation. This shows too that the building of the Third Temple will have to be completed or nearly completed when the foreign power invades and conquers Jerusalem and the man of sin will sit in the Temple.

The German Bible, Hoffnung fuer Alle, renders Daniel 8:13: “When will one be able to give God again the regular sacrifices? When will the rebellion against the Lord of Heaven and the terrible sacrilege of the Temple end?”

The Revised English Bible translates Daniel 8:13-14 as follows: “… ‘How long will the period of this vision last? How long will the regular offering be suppressed and impiety cause desolation? How long will the Holy Place and the fairest of all lands be given over to be trodden down?’ The answer came, ‘For two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings, then the Holy Place will be restored.’”

Notice carefully: 2,300 evenings and mornings were to pass before the sanctuary would be cleansed or restored. During this time span, the daily offerings would be suppressed; the “transgression of desolation” or the “abomination of desolation” would appear; and the Holy Place (or the sanctuary or the Temple) would be trodden down or trampled underfoot.

In addition, Daniel 12:11 says that there will be 1,290 days AFTER the daily sacrifices were taken away AND the abomination of desolation will have been set up.

Some say that Daniel is referring to the day of Christ’s return and tells us to count backwards, but if we were to count backwards from such an assumed day of Christ’s Second Coming, then Daniel 8:13-14 would tell us that the daily sacrifices will be abolished for 1,150 days before Christ’s return, while Daniel 12:11 would tell us that the daily sacrifices will be abolished for 1,290 days before Christ’s return. Both statements could not be correct, as they would contradict each other. This shows that we must wait until God reveals to us the clear meaning of those days, as there is certainly importance attached to them.

When Christ was asked by His disciples what would signify the end of the age (Matthew 24:3), He referred to the “great tribulation” (verse 21) and, at that same time, “‘the abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (verse 15; compare, too, Mark 13:14, adding, “where it ought not”).

In Luke 21:20, in the parallel account, Christ is quoted as saying, “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.”

Daniel 11:31 refers to Antiochus Epiphanes as a forerunner for another end-time fulfillment. When Antiochus set up the first “abomination of desolation,” he overran Jerusalem with armies; did away with the daily sacrifices, which were brought AT THE TEMPLE; and erected an image of Zeus (or Jupiter) in the “holy place” — the TEMPLE. He and his followers began offering pigs to their pagan deity in the Holy TEMPLE in Jerusalem.

Something similar will happen again when the end-time abomination of desolation occurs. This might include the erection of an image in the Temple, which could present a false Christ or a statue of the “Virgin Mary.” In addition, we read in Revelation 13:14-15 that a religious power will create “a speaking image” of the political and military beast power. Some have suggested that “the false prophet will attempt to lead the people to finance the erection of a great image in Jerusalem… When the image speaks, Jews and Gentiles, Roman Catholics and Protestants, wherever they are, will worship the image or be killed if they refuse” (Lehmann Strauss, “The Book of the Revelation”). Finally, we also read that the false prophet will sit in the Temple of God and pretend to BE God, constituting the final and ultimate abomination of desolation in the holy place. It is very possible that he will be using the “speaking image” (perhaps a religious statue in the Temple) to “prove” his divinity while sitting in the Temple. The commentary of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown wrote: “Rome’s speaking images and winking pictures of the Virgin Mary and the saints are an earnest of the future demoniacal miracles of the false prophet in making the… image to speak.”

Other passages confirm as well that a literal temple will be built in Jerusalem just prior to the beginning of the Great Tribulation. For instance, Revelation 11:1-2 says that an angel of God told John: “Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months [or 3 1/2 years].”

We note that Gentiles (referring to European armies under a military leader, the “beast”) will tread the holy city underfoot for 3 1/2 years, and the court, which is outside the temple, will be given to those Gentiles. Luke 21:24 prophesies that the Gentiles will trample or tread the holy city underfoot until “the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” We also read in Daniel 8:13 that “some of the host” will be trampled underfoot by a future Gentile ruler (the beast).

Notice again how the Revised English Bible renders Daniel 8:13: “…How long will the regular offering be suppressed and impiety cause desolation? How long will the Holy Place and the fairest of all lands be given over to be trodden down?”

Some have wondered whether a third Temple will be built prior to Christ’s return, or whether the reference to the “Temple” refers to the Church of God, the spiritual Temple. We have addressed and rejected this concern in the last installment.

In addition, in Die Reine Wahrheit of October 1967 (German edition of The Plain Truth), it was stated on page 10 (in the article, “2,300 Evenings and Mornings”): “Yes, a temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem, as incredible as it may sound.”

In The Good News magazine, November-December 1987, the following was stated on page 12 in “A Sealed Prophecy,” implying the existence of a Temple before Christ’s return: “The ‘sanctuary’ is to be ‘trampled underfoot.’… the taking away of daily sacrifices and trampling of a sanctuary underfoot is yet a future event. We are nearing the fulfillment of these amazing prophecies about the Temple Mount in Jerusalem…”

Herbert W. Armstrong wrote the following about the man of sin, in the Plain Truth of June 1967:

“This European power, resurrecting for a VERY short while the Roman Empire, will take over the city of Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:2.) They will take the Temple, and plant the palace of their headquarters there. With this coming military leader, pictured in Revelation 17 as the symbolic ‘beast,’ will be a supreme religious leader, called ‘the False Prophet,’ [Rev. 16:13; 19:20; 20:10] and the ‘man of sin.’ So will you turn next to II Thessalonians 2:3-4: ‘Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day’ — the Day of the Lord, verse 2 — ‘shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and THAT MAN OF SIN be revealed, the SON OF PERDITION; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.’ So there will have to be the Temple there!”

An additional passage, which shows that the Jews will build an end-time Temple in Jerusalem, just prior to Christ’s return, is Psalm 79:1-7. This is an end-time psalm, as verse 6 shows. God is asked to pour out His wrath on the nations — a reference to God’s pouring out of the end-time plagues of His wrath, as described in Revelation 15:1, 7; 16:1, 19. In this context, Psalm 79:1 says: “O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; Your holy temple they have defiled. They have laid Jerusalem in heaps.”

Other prophetic end-time references to a future temple in Jerusalem can be found in Ezekiel 8:5, 16, as well as in Ezekiel 9:1-7. These passages speak about a defilement within the Temple, an “image of jealousy” in the Temple, sunrise worship services in the Temple; and punishment of those who defile the Temple, which is also referred to as God’s sanctuary.

The Jewish community in the state of Israel, as well as fundamental Christians, are anxiously waiting for the building of the Third Temple. Contributions and gold have been received from national and international sponsors for the building of the Temple. A blueprint for the building of the Temple exists; and replicas of certain furnishings and utensils for the Temple have been prepared. They include the golden lampstand, the table of showbread, the altar of incense, the Ark of the Covenant, and the crown and ephod for the High Priest.

Many articles have been published over the years, clearly proving the conviction of many Jews and Christians that a Third Temple will be built PRIOR to the arrival of the Messiah. We are setting forth some recent representative samples.

JTA wrote on May 14, 2018:

“The United States dedicated its newly established embassy in Jerusalem in a high-profile ceremony attended by prominent Trump administration officials… The Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, which passed both houses of Congress by overwhelming votes, recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and called for relocating the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem…

“Several of the speakers… reminded the audience that exactly 70 years ago, nearly to the moment of the ceremony, the United States under President Harry Truman became the first country to recognize the new state of Israel.”

Benjamin Netanyahu gave a remarkable speech during the opening of the US embassy, which clearly alluded to the building of the Third Temple. He said, as quoted by the Times of Israel, dated May 14, 2018:

“In Jerusalem, King David established our capital three thousand years ago. In Jerusalem, King Solomon built our Temple, which stood for many centuries. In Jerusalem, Jewish exiles from Babylon rebuilt the Temple, which stood for many more centuries. In Jerusalem, the Maccabees rededicated that Temple and restored Jewish sovereignty in this land.

“And it was here in Jerusalem some two thousand years later that the soldiers of Israel spoke three  immortal words…  [‘Har ha’bayit be’yadeinu,’] ‘The Temple Mount is in our hands,’ words that lifted the spirit of the entire nation. We are in Jerusalem and we are here to stay…

“May the opening of this embassy in this city spread the truth far and wide, and may the truth advance a lasting peace between Israel and all our neighbors. God bless the United States of America and God bless Jerusalem, the eternal, undivided capital of Israel.”

The Daily Star wrote on September 8, 2018:

“The Temple Institute announced the birth of an entirely red female calf that ‘brings the promise of reinstating Biblical purity to the world’. The cow’s birth and sacrifice is said to proceed the construction of the Third Temple in Jerusalem. And the Third Temple’s construction – following the destruction of the previous two – heralds the arrival of the Jewish Messiah…

“Rabbi Chain Richman, director of the Temple Institute, hailed the red heifer’s birth as suggestions the time could be right for the Third Temple…

“Evangelical Christians believe the construction of the Third Temple will herald their own end times prophecy…”

The Bible does not necessitate or prophesy the appearance of a red heifer (note Hebrews 9:11-14 in reference to the abolished need for the ashes of a red heifer; also compare Hebrews 10:8-10, 18; Hebrews 8:13). However, it is very likely that some Jewish clerics may insist that the sacrifice of such a heifer for the purpose of producing the ashes for the water of purification of the Temple Mount, and the Temple itself, will be essential for the reconstruction of the Temple and the coming of the Messiah. But this is NOT to say that other clerics or many Jews will abide by the interpretation of some, and that they will not begin with the construction of the Temple and the offering of daily animal sacrifices before they “find” such a red heifer.

Breaking Israel News wrote on November 8, 2018:

“Jerusalem will have a new mayor next week and more than any other election this year will decide the religious nature of Israel’s capital. The nascent Sanhedrin has addressed a letter to the two candidates emphasizing the role of the Third Temple in municipal current policy… ‘We call on the candidates as well as the voters to make choices based on truth and on the main aspect of Jerusalem, which is the building of the Temple.’

“The Sanhedrin wrote a similar letter [in November of 2016] to U.S. President Donald Trump after he won the election, calling on him to take a role in building the Third Temple just as Persian King Cyrus helped the Jews build the Second Temple after the Babylonian exile in the sixth century BCE…

“The Sanhedrin has already begun working toward this end, holding full-dress reenactments of the Temple service before the Biblical feasts…”

There is great momentum for the beginning of daily animal sacrifices and the building of the Third Temple. This momentum will intensify. We will know that Christ’s return is near when the Jews begin to bring daily animal sacrifices in connection with building the Third Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

(To be Continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Does God Bless Our Christmas Celebrations?

Ninety percent of Americans celebrate Christmas, but only a slight majority observe it as a religious holiday. Many who keep Christmas do not even believe in the virgin birth. In many countries, a demonic creature is celebrated around this time of year, which has become popular in the USA as well. Did you know that Christmas was not an official holiday in the USA until after the Civil War? Why is there so much anxiety, grief, depression, increase of heart attacks and alcoholism associated with Christmas? And why do we, as a Christian nation, willfully lie to our children about it and become upset with those who tell the Truth?

How can we know that Christ’s return is near? (Part 3)

In this installment, we will address the end-time manifestation of a powerful religious leader and the tragedy that in light of religious persecution and other reasons, true Christians will fall away from the Truth and return to the world. The prophesied “falling away” from the Truth is to occur, in its fullest and most grievous extent, just prior to and during the Great Tribulation. We will know that Christ’s return is eminent when these and other events happen at approximately the same time.

True Church members will fall away from the Truth because they did not receive the love of the Truth and did not believe the Truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness (2 Thessalonians 2:10, 12). Because of lawlessness, the love within them will grow cold (Matthew 24:12; “love” in Greek is agape, describing the love of God which only true Christians have; compare Romans 5:5). The New International Version says: “They refused to love the truth.”

As a consequence, they will become an easy target for Satan’s ministers (2 Corinthians 11:14-15) who will deceive them through their lying signs and wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9, 11; Matthew 24:11, 24).

The end-time falling away from the Truth refers to converted Christians. It will reach its climax at the approximate time when the man of sin manifests himself just prior to and during the Great Tribulation, claiming to be God and sitting in the Temple of God. In 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4, Paul writes: “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day [of Christ’s return] will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”

This “man of sin,” who is also called “the lawless one” in verses 8 and 9, does not only claim to speak with godly authority; he will say that he is God himself (maybe the Messiah). He is identified in the book of Revelation as “the false prophet” (compare, for example, Revelation 16:13; 19:20; see, too, Revelation 13:13-14). He is also identified as the future prince of Tyre (Ezekiel 28:2-5) as well as the end-time representative of the “little horn” in Daniel 7:25 and of the “harlot” in Revelation 17, who rules from a city built on seven “hills” (Revelation 7:9; New English Bible; Revised English Bible; New International Version; New American Bible; Moffat Translation of the Bible; New Jerusalem Bible and Living Bible. Compare also Revelation 17:18).

This religious figure will deceive people through “great signs” (Revelation 13:13; 19:20). We read in 2 Thessalonians 2:9 that the coming of the lawless one is “according to the working of Satan, with all power, SIGNS and lying wonders.” This false prophet will receive his powers to perform great signs from Satan and his demons (compare Revelation 16:13-14).

Some believe that the man of sin is a reference to the end-time “beast”—a political military leader. This is not the case.

James Hastings, Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, under “Antichrist”, says correctly that the “man of sin” in 2 Thessalonians refers to “a false Messiah, a prophet… the opponent of the true Messiah.”

We also read that the returning Christ will consume the man of sin “with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming” (2 Thessalonians 2:8). Therefore, this man of sin will exist at the time of Christ’s return. He will proclaim himself to be God, sitting in the temple of God. It is highly unlikely that Paul was talking about the Church as the spiritual temple of God in this context. There is no biblical evidence that the false prophet will be sitting in God’s true Church—the pillar and ground or foundation of the Truth (1 Timothy 3:15)—which continues to teach and practice the Truth. (We will discuss later that a physical temple will be built in Jerusalem just prior to Christ’s return.)

Some have proposed that the coming end-time falling away refers to traditional Christianity, which will exert a more powerful influence on the world. Even though false Christianity will become more powerful in these last days, Paul’s warning of a future “falling away” refers to true Christians.

The context of these verses addresses a falling away (apostasia in Greek) from the Truth. The apostle Paul is addressing “brethren” (verse 1) about an apostasy especially at the end time, just prior to Christ’s return, when the man of sin is revealed.

An apostasy from the true gospel already began during the lifetime of Paul, when he stated that he marveled that so many in the Church of God had turned to another gospel (Galatians 1:6-7; compare also 2 Corinthians 11:4, saying that they had accepted another Jesus and another spirit).

Even though numerous false doctrines were infiltrating the early church, including “Judaism” with demands of physical circumcision and the observance of superseded ritual laws of the Old Testament, we can safely say that an important personality, the Samaritan sorcerer Simon Magus, had tremendous influence on the introduction of false doctrines, which are still known and taught today in orthodox Christianity.

Simon Magus believed “the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus” (Acts 8:12-13). He was baptized, but never received the Holy Spirit because the apostles refused to lay hands on him, given the fact that he had not repented and had an evil and wicked heart (compare Acts 8:18-24). Simon Magus went to Rome and was given the surname “Peter” as a religious title, meaning “father” or “interpreter.”

In his book, Mystery of the Ages, Herbert W. Armstrong wrote on pages 51-53:

“It seems incredible that a being like Satan not only could have deceived the whole world, but also ‘Christianity’—the very religion bearing Christ’s name and supposed to be his true religion. Yet, paradoxically, Satan did! He did it through his great false church, started A.D. 33 by Simon the Sorcerer…

“Simon proclaimed himself a Christian apostle… and called the pagan Babylonian mystery religion ‘Christianity.’ He accepted the doctrine of ‘grace’ for the forgiveness of sin (which the pagan religions had never had), but turned grace into license to disobey God (Jude 4). He aspired to turn his pagan religion, under the name ‘Christianity,’ into a universal religion…”

The Dictionary of Christian Biography, Vol. 4, p. 682, states:  “[Simon] came to Rome in the days of Claudius Caesar (45 A.D.), and made such an impression by his magical powers, that he was honored as a god…”

Hasting’s Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, volume 2, page 496, states: “But it need not be supposed that when Simon broke with the Christians he renounced all he had learned. It is more probable that he carried some of the Christian ideas with him, and that he wove these into a system of his own. This system is a mixture of pagan ideas wrapped with Christian names and identities.”

The Dictionary of Religion and Ethics says that Simon was “a false Messiah, who practiced magical arts and subsequently attempted, by the aid and with the sanction of Christianity, to set up a rival universal religion” (Apostolic Christianity, volume 11, page 514).

In Revelation 17, the Apostle John is given a vision of a scarlet beast having seven heads and ten horns. The scarlet beast is ridden by a woman—a harlot. Revelation 17:5 identifies the woman as “mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth.”

In biblical terminology, a religious entity is many times depicted as a woman. The true Church of God is identified as a woman (Revelation 12:6, 13–17); a virgin (2 Corinthians 11:2); and the wife of Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:7). Likewise, Christ’s true followers are identified as “virgins” (Matthew 25:1; Revelation 14:4).

However, the woman who sits on the scarlet-colored beast is a FALLEN rich woman who has committed “fornication” with the inhabitants of the earth (Revelation 17:2; compare also verse 4, and Revelation 18:3, 9). She is identified as “the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication” (Revelation 19:2). In biblical terminology, she is a fallen church, pretending to be the true Church of God.

The woman is called, in Revelation 17, verse 5, “Mystery, Babylon the Great, The Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth.” This fallen church is called the “Mother Church,” which has “daughter churches.”

Lehman Strauss writes in “The Book of the Revelation,” pages 295–301: “The Babylon of the Revelation is an apostate religious system clearly identifiable with all of Christendom, with papal Rome taking the lead in its formation.”

Simon Magus started the fallen church described in Revelation 17. As he was worshipped as a god or God, so the final representative of the harlot—the false prophet—will likewise claim to be God. A falling away from true Christianity did take place in the days of Simon Magus, and thereafter, when many who first believed the Truth of the Bible were swayed into accepting Simon’s counterfeit apostate religion.

More recently, another major falling away did take place at the time when a new administration came to power in the Worldwide Church of God [WCG], after the death of its human leader, Herbert Armstrong, in 1986. Gradually, the Truth was replaced with the false pagan doctrines of “orthodox” Christianity.

Catholic and Protestant churches have rejected, for nearly two millennia, the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days. The Catholic Church claims godly authority and it has admitted that it changed many biblical laws, including the ones regarding God’s holy times—the weekly Sabbath and the annual Holy Days (compare Daniel 7:25).

The Protestant Churches, even though they officially reject the authority of the Catholic Church to change the teachings of the Bible, nevertheless followed the lead of the Catholic Church and adopted Sunday worship, while rejecting the Sabbath.

Today, those who accepted the changes within the [now defunct] WCG have become part of the Babylonian religious system of a counterfeit Christianity [unless they forsook religion altogether], embracing its false doctrines such as Sunday, Christmas and Easter worship; the Trinity; the immortal soul; going to heaven or hell upon death; and many more. At the same time, they have been rejecting the biblical Truth of the Sabbath, the Holy Days, abstaining from unclean meat; the true nature of God; and the potential of man, among many others.

However, the apostasy from the Truth within the Church of God will continue (Luke 8:13; 1 Timothy 4:1) and reach its climax of accepting false teachings and practices, while rejecting the Truth, just prior to Christ’s return.

The commentary of Bengel’s Gnomen states: “Apostasy is a falling away from the faith… Some of those who had received it drew back [and departed] from the living God…”

The coming end-time apostasy does not only refer to a “handful” of people. It is true that the Bible does not use the term “GREAT” or “GREATER” falling away in 2 Thessalonians 2. However, it is also correct that it has been commonly understood that Paul had a GREAT apostasy in mind, which—relatively speaking—will be, in some way, greater than prior apostasies. For instance, the headline of the New King James Bible for 2 Thessalonians 2 reads, “The Great Apostasy.” The Ryrie Study Bible comments about the coming apostasy: “An aggressive and climactic revolt against God.”

The Benson Commentary writes about the coming apostasy: “The article here is emphatical, denoting both that this was to be a great apostasy, the apostasy… and that the Thessalonians had been already apprised [sic] of its coming.”

After all, Paul uses the end-time falling away from the Truth and the manifestation of the man of sin as important and critical visible signs for the arrival of the day of the Lord–the return of Jesus Christ. If he had only a minor event in mind or just a few Christians who were to forsake the Truth, then this would hardly be an obvious and convincing sign for Christ’s return, as Christians have fallen away from the Truth as long as the Church of God has existed.

We must clearly keep in mind two different but separate end-time events, which will happen at approximately the same time: The apostasy or falling away of true Christians and the manifestation of the false prophet representing a false and apostate counterfeit “Christianity.”

The coming of the lawless one and the concept of lawlessness will remain a mystery to the world. God’s people are warned not to be deceived when the lawless one appears so that they don’t fall away from the Truth. The best protection against deception is to stay close to God and His Word and while rejecting the pleasures of unrighteousness, to believe the Truth and receive and hold fast to the love of it (compare again 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).

When we see the manifestation of the man of sin and the falling away from the Truth, in combination with other events already discussed and to be discussed later, we know that Christ’s return is near.

(To Be Continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Current Events

We begin with the election of Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer as the new leader of Germany’s biggest but strongly divided party, the CDU, thereby replacing Angela Merkel who will remain German Chancellor for the time being.

We continue with the ongoing Brexit chaos and the postponement of a vote in the British Parliament to approve Theresa May’s Brexit deal with the EU, which was almost certain to fail; as well as further unsuccessful attempts by May to re-negotiate her deal with the EU and her survival of a No-Confidence vote, within her own party, by a slim margin.

We speak on the willful ignorance of many in light of a coming World War; increasing arms sales and the power of the euro; the violent demonstrations in Paris over tax and other issues; a terrorist attack in France; and the collapse of the Belgium government over immigration issues. We also point out ongoing frictions between the EU and the USA.

In this context, please view our new StandingWatch program, “USA and EU on Collision Course.” 

We address further controversial developments regarding Donald Trump and strong criticism from unsuspected sources; and we address anti-Semitism in Europe; the dead Israeli-Palestinian “peace” treaty; and the ongoing desire and preparation to build a Third Temple in Jerusalem.

We conclude with Josef Stalin’s belief that Adolf Hitler survived World War II; radioactive wolves in Chernobyl; ridiculous reactions of a school principal and parents to a teacher telling students the truth about the fairy tale of Santa Claus; as well as the desire of many Jews to keep Christmas.

Throughout this section, we have underlined pertinent statements in the quoted articles, for the convenience and quick overview of the reader.

USA and EU on Collision Course

Germany has a new leader for Angela Merkel’s party (the CDU). Her course towards Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump will be tougher. She advocates helping Ukraine militarily against Russia, and she wants to reintroduce the draft in Germany. However, most Americans and Brits show a “worrying lack of knowledge or interest” in history and what is happening now, being totally oblivious to the signs of the time. Europe is anxious to replace trade transactions in US dollars with the euro, and Washington’s patience with European “obstructionism” in high-stakes trade negotiations is wearing thin, being willing to do “whatever it takes” to protect American interests. Where will all of this end?
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