Update 1062

On March 18, 2023, Michael Link will present the sermonette, titled, “Let’s Make a Deal,” and Kalon Mitchell will present the sermon, titled, “When the Going Gets Tough-the Tough Get Going.”

The live services are available, over video and audio, at http://eternalgod.org/live-services/ (12:30 pm Pacific Time; 1:30 pm Mountain Time; 2:30 pm Central Time; 3:30 pm Eastern Time; 8:30 pm Greenwich Mean Time; 9:30 pm Central European Time). Just click on Connect to Live Stream.

The Apostle Paul writes: “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18). One of the ways in which we can “live peaceably with all men” is to not live with resentment against others.

We bear a great responsibility before God as His emissaries of Christianity, and central to our role is that we must be willing to forgive. Here is what Jesus taught in this regard:

“‘For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses’” (Matthew 6:14-15).

We have all seen people who seethe with bitter resentment and who hold grudges sometimes for years. That kind of mental state is overpowering and dangerous, because it, like a cancer, can supplant righteous character. Oftentimes, animosity between people grows because steps are not taken to quickly resolve contentious issues. Jesus gave the following admonition for how members of the Church of God should deal with offenses, but the principle applies broadly:

“‘Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother’” (Matthew 18:15).

Where does the responsibility fall in being a forgiver? Quite obviously, in the example above, it took the part of both the offended and offender to work out the problem. That is the way The Parable of the Lost Son is represented, also, but note how willingly receptive the Father is toward the return of his now repentant son:

“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him” (Luke 15:20).

If we are to be a godly forgiver, let’s not make it hard for others, with whom we may have problems, to approach us. Rather, we need to remember how openly God receives us when we often turn to Him asking for His forgiveness of our sins, for this is what He promises: “As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12).

Passover is ahead of us, and we are instructed to examine ourselves beforehand (1 Corinthians 11:28). One way to do so is to consider how well we are doing at being a forgiver of others. From the most minor of offenses to the greatest ones we encounter, are we able and willing to forgive?

Because of the supreme and selfless Sacrifice of Jesus Christ on our behalf, we have found and continue to find forgiveness with God.

Let’s be like God the Father and Jesus Christ—let us be a forgiver!

By Norbert Link

We speak about Donald Trump’s plans which he announced in an interview to end the Ukrainian-Russian war, which Fox News chose not to air; address Donald Trump’s and Ron DeSantis’ further statements on Ukraine; report on Poland’s military ambitions which might or might not come to pass; point out the shocking development in Germany, revealing that most Germans are now in favor of conscription; speak on the early retirement of German General Eberhard Zorn for giving an assessment of the Ukraine situation which runs counter to the government’s official narrative; and address the terrible mass shooting in Hamburg by a mentally sick and in all likelihood demonically possessed murderer. We also point out further evidence of Europe’s dictatorship.

We speak on Saudi Arabia’s desire to “normalize” ties with Israel and the USA, while at the same time, it wants to “restore” ties with Iran with the help of China. We also report on the emergence of the “Kings of the East” and the alleged “meddling” of the USA in Israeli elections.

We continue with the largest US bank failure since the Great Recession in 2008 and the worldwide panic as a consequence; warn about the dangers ofOuija boards; and address discussions about the origin of the Coronavirus and the incredible autocratic restrictions to “defeat” it; especially in California which used unconstitutional measures to suppress church services; point out further cover-ups regarding the suspicious financial dealings of the Biden family and the destruction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline; and we conclude with Democratic attempts to guarantee abortions nationwide until the time of birth of the innocent child.

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

How Trump Would End the Russian-Ukrainian War

Insider wrote on March 8:

“Fox News cut out comments by former President Donald Trump in which he said he would have considered letting Russia have parts of Ukraine as part of a peace deal between the nations. In an interview on Fox News host Sean Hannity’s radio show on Monday, which is not broadcast by Fox, Trump revealed how he would try and broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s invasion last year. Trump has claimed he can quickly bring an end to the war as he seeks election again in 2024. 

“In the interview, he boasted of how Russia would not have dared to launch an attack during his presidency, and added: ‘I could have negotiated. At worst, I could’ve made a deal to take over something, there are certain areas that are Russian-speaking areas, frankly, but you could’ve worked a deal.’

“The Daily Beast’s Justin Baragona reported that when Hannity played excerpts from the interview later that day on his prime time Fox News show, the part where Trump suggests he may have backed an agreement handing parts of Ukraine to Russia was edited out, with the excerpt cutting out after Trump says ‘I could’ve negotiated.’

“Fox pointed Insider to the fact that the Trump comments were part of a 22-minute radio interview on a separate platform that was edited down to a 2 minute clip as part of the usual editorial process.

“Russia annexed swaths of east Ukraine and the Crimea peninsula in 2014, two years before Trump became president, and last year launched a wider invasion aimed at toppling the Ukrainian government in Kyiv. The annexations and invasion have been condemned as illegal by the international community, and Ukraine says that the only conditions under which it would negotiate were if Russia withdrew from its territory.

“Trump last year praised Putin for being ‘smart’ in seeking to invade Ukraine, and declaring large swaths of it ‘independent’ as a prelude to illegally annexing it. Trump has long drawn criticism for his refusal to criticize Russian aggression, as well as his comments about the authoritarian president, Vladimir Putin.

“As president, he famously sided with Putin at a 2018 summit in questioning his own intelligence agencies’ assessment that Russia had meddled in the 2016 election…”

This “solution” would most certainly be rejected by Ukraine.

Trump: Only I Can Prevent World War III

Breitbart wrote on March 15:

“Former President Donald Trump told Iowans Monday night that he is the only candidate who could ‘prevent World War III’ as the war between Russia and Ukraine rages on… Trump pledged to have a deal reached between Russia and Ukraine as president-elect before his term even starts if he wins in 2024…

“He added that he believes the war would never have occurred if he were in the Oval Office. In Trump’s eyes, the Biden Administration’s disastrous Afghanistan withdrawal, which resulted in the deaths of 13 American servicemembers, showed weakness to Russian President Vladamir Putin and marked an opening for him to invade Ukraine… In his view, the Biden Administration could catapult America into a third world war… Trump emphasized that a third world war would likely be nuclear, and subsequently catastrophic on a global scale…

“Trump remains the front-runner in the Republican primary field. A Morning Consult poll released Tuesday shows Trump leading his next closest potential competitor, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL), by 24 percentage points in a crowded field…”

A nuclear war between Russia and the USA is not prophesied in the Bible. But a nuclear war WILL take place, with other major actors involved.

Ron DeSantis: Helping Ukraine Not in US National Interest

Newsmax wrote on March 14:

“Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says protecting Ukraine against Russia’s invasion is not one of America’s ‘vital national interests’ in the face of more pressing issues closer to home.

“In a statement broadcast on Monday’s ‘Tucker Carlson Tonight,’ DeSantis, a potential 2024 GOP presidential candidate, countered President Joe Biden’s oft-repeated vow that the United States’ support of Kyiv is ‘unwavering’ and will continue for as long as needed. ‘While the U.S. has many vital national interests — securing our borders, addressing the crisis of readiness within our military, achieving energy security and independence, and checking the economic, cultural, and military power of the Chinese Communist Party — becoming further entangled in a territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia is not one of them,’ DeSantis said in the statement.

“DeSantis said Biden administration’s policies ‘have driven Russia into a de facto alliance with China.’ … DeSantis said Americans ‘are also entitled to know how the billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars are being utilized in Ukraine… We cannot prioritize intervention in an escalating foreign war over the defense of our own homeland, especially as tens of thousands of Americans are dying every year from narcotics smuggled across our open border and our weapons arsenals critical for our own security are rapidly being depleted.’

“…trying to remove Russian President Vladimir Putin from power ‘would greatly increase the stakes of the conflict, making the use of nuclear weapons more likely,’ DeSantis argued… ‘History indicates that Putin’s successor, in this hypothetical, would likely be even more ruthless. The costs to achieve such a dubious outcome could become astronomical.’”

American (and European) support for Ukraine against Russia will diminish in time.

Poland’s Military Ambitions

The Telegraph wrote on March 11:

“Warsaw is embarking on its biggest re-armament drive in 50 years in response to the growing threat posed by Russia… This year it will spend 4 percent of its GDP on defence, an amount double the Nato requirement…  it has placed orders for 1,000 K2 main battle tanks from South Korea, and 250 brand new M1A2 SEPv3 Abram tanks from the US. This will turn Poland into the owner of Europe’s biggest tank force, dwarfing the UK’s fleet of 227.

“Its artillery will be bolstered by the arrival of 600 K9s, 18 HIMARS launchers with 9,000 rockets, and 288 K239 Chunmoo MRL systems from South Korea. Over 1,000 Polish-made Borsuk infantry fighting vehicles will carry Polish troops into battle, while air cover will come from 96 AH-64E Apache helicopters bought from the US, and 48 FA-50 combat aircraft now on order from South Korea… All of this will be underscored by plans to double the size of the Polish Army to 300,000, which would turn Poland into Europe’s biggest military power, in terms of manpower, west of Ukraine…

“This level of spending is not without risks. ‘I fear that all of this spending could drain the budget, if not properly managed’ said Magdalena Jakubowska, a defence expert and vice president of Res Publica-Visegrad Insight, a foundation covering Central European politics. ‘The public may not be aware that there may well have to be cuts to certain—civilian projects. We’ve had stable economic growth for the past few years, but now we are close to a recession. If we don’t boost the economy with the EU money (from a pandemic recovery fund), which we still have not got, then the situation could become critical.’

“The European Commission has denied Poland access to around £30 billion in grants and cheap loans from the EU’s post-pandemic Recovery and Resilience Facility owing to a dispute over the rule of law. The Polish government has introduced legislation that might resolve the deadlock but for the time being the money remains out of reach…

“To help Poland, last year, the US Congress approved $288.6 million (£239 million) in military financing to ‘deter and defend’ against the increased threat from Russia. The cash will help but with inflation running at around 17 per cent in Poland and economic growth slowing the defence budget could become difficult to meet.”

Regardless, Poland seems to be destined to play an important role in the future.

Shocking… Most Germans Want a Return to Conscription

The Times wrote on March 9:

“A clear majority of German voters would like to see conscription brought back, 12 years after it was effectively abolished [but see comment below by Deutsche Welle], according to a poll… Several leading politicians in Berlin have spoken out in favour of resurrecting Wehrpflicht [conscription], under which all young men were obliged to serve for at least six months in the armed forces or in a ‘civil protection’ organisation [Zivildienst] such as the ambulance or disaster relief services…

“While Olaf Scholz, the chancellor, has dismissed the idea of a return to conscription, other senior figures in his Social Democratic Party (SPD) argue that it would improve the resilience of German society and help to fix shortfalls in army recruitment. It seems that most of the electorate agree. A poll of 1,000 voters by Ipsos Mori found that 61 per cent wanted the re-establishment of military service, with only 29 per cent opposed.

“The idea was popular across the entire political spectrum and most strongly favoured by supporters of the centre-left SPD and the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD). Even a narrow majority of voters aligned with the far-left Die Linke party liked it.”

Deutsche Welle added on March 10:

“Strictly speaking, Germany did not abolish its military service rules in 2011. It put them on ice indefinitely until a time of national emergency or an attack on Germany.”

As we have predicted, Germany’s militaristic nature will be revived. Let us hope for those who want to follow God’s anti-war doctrine, that this poll is terribly wrong and in no way reliable, at least for the time being.

German General Eberhard Zorn Sent into Early Retirement

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 13:

“German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has named Major General Carsten Breuer as the new head of Germany’s armed forces… Breuer, 59, is replacing General Eberhard Zorn, 63… Breuer gained renown for leading Germany’s pandemic crisis response team from November 2021 to 2022. His ascent to the role of ‘general inspector’ of the Bundeswehr will make him the highest-ranking soldier in the country…

“Zorn was criticized after giving an interview in September in which he suggested that Ukraine would not be able to counter attacks by Russian forces… He told Focus magazine that Ukraine was mounting ‘counter-attacks, with which one can win back places or individual areas of the frontlines, but not push Russia back over a broad front.’

“German media reported that Zorn will be sent into early retirement on Thursday. The replacement of Germany’s top military official comes just months after former Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht was forced to resign and was replaced by Pistorius in January. Breuer is set to also function as a decision-maker in the defense ministry as well as serving as a military advisor to Chancellor Olaf Scholz.”

It appears, one cannot say anything in the Bundeswehr which is not in conformity with the official “narrative,” without being criticized, censured or sent into early retirement. And of course, the German mass media keeps jumping on the bandwagon. In the above quoted article, left-wing Deutsche Welle also said that Zorn’s analysis was “flawed.” But who is to say? Based on biblical prophecy, Zorn’s analysis was right on and not flawed at all. On the other hand, the German response to the Corona pandemic crisis, under Major Breuer, was most certainly terribly flawed; in fact, it was an incompetent catastrophe.

Jehovah’s Witness Hall Shooting in Hamburg

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 10:

“Police, prosecutors and state officials provided details on Friday about a rampage the night before at the Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall in the northern German city of Hamburg… Four men and two women aged between 33 and 60 were killed in the shooting. They were all German citizens. An unborn baby was among those pronounced dead. Eight people were wounded, four of them seriously. Of those injured, there were six women and two men, police said.

“Police identified the gunman as Philipp F., a 35-year-old German citizen… The gunman killed himself after police stormed the building… He was a former member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses… he had a weapons license and legally owned a semi-automatic pistol… The motive for Philipp F.’s rampage is not known, though any political motive has been ruled out… Police said they had an anonymous tip alleging Philipp F. was possibly suffering from a psychological disorder and should not be in possession of firearms. Based on the tip, authorities made an unannounced visit to his home and in the course of their conversation did not see a cause for concern…

“When armed police entered the building, they saw the gunman run upstairs, where he was later found dead… Police did not fire their weapons in the building… Philipp F. was found carrying two magazines with 15 bullets each, as well as 20 loaded magazines in a backpack… Authorities searched the perpetrator’s home and found hundreds of bullets. They confiscated a computer and other documents that are being evaluated…

“Grote, the regional interior minister, called it the ‘worst crime in our city’s recent history’… German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the shooting a ‘brutal act of violence’ and said his thoughts were with the ‘victims and their families. And with the security forces who have faced a difficult operation.’

“German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said his thoughts were with the victims and their families… French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted to say, ‘Terrible news from Hamburg. I extend France’s condolences to the relatives of the victims and to all our German friends. Our thoughts are with you.’…

“Jehovah’s Witnesses, which has about 8.7 million members around the world, are part of an international church founded in the United States in the 19th century. They have roughly 170,000 members in Germany and are headquartered in Warwick, New York. The pacifist religious group’s practices include a refusal to bear arms, receive blood transfusions, salute a national flag or participate in secular government.”

Hamburg Police Failed to Intervene

The Guardian added on March 10:

“‘He is a former member of Jehovah’s Witness who left the community voluntarily about a year and a half ago but apparently not on good terms,’ said Thomas Radszuweit, Hamburg’s head of state security.

“Questions are being raised as to why he was not stopped. The suspect had a gun permit as a marksman since December 2022 and was in legal possession of a Heckler & Koch P30. But in January an anonymous letter was received suggesting he might be suffering from an undiagnosed psychological illness and that he had indicated a ‘particular anger against religious members or against the Jehovah’s Witnesses and his former employer’.

“During a subsequent unannounced visit on 7 February at his apartment in the Altona district of western Hamburg, Fusz was said to be cooperative and convinced officers that there was no cause for concern. He was merely given a verbal warning for not keeping his weapon in his safe…”

To Revise Germany’s Gun Laws?

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 11:

“A debate has erupted in Germany over the effectiveness of the country’s gun control laws after this week’s mass shooting… in the northern city of Hamburg… On Saturday, several German politicians demanded urgent reviews of restrictions on weapons ownership… At present, Germany requires only those under 25 to undergo medical or psychological assessments before being granted a gun license…

“Other politicians were keen to avoid a knee-jerk reaction, saying that current legislation is already strong enough…

“Interior Minister Nancy Faeser had already presented a draft of new gun control legislation in January, prompted by recent deadly shooting incidents in Germany.

“The perpetrator of the 2020 Hanau shooting was a schizophrenic far-right extremist who was found to have legally owned several pistols. Eleven people were killed and five others were wounded in the rampage at a shisha bar, another bar and a kiosk.

“The gunman behind the Halle shooting in October 2019 built his own firearms, some with plastic parts from a 3D printer. Two people were killed and two others injured near a synagogue…

“However, the murder weapon used in Hamburg, a semi-automatic pistol, would not fall under the ban. The alleged perpetrator was registered as a sports shooter and legally owned the weapon.”

He allegedly obtained the gun license in December of 2022, more than a year after he had left the Jehovah’s Witnesses. As you will recall, Nancy Faeser has a controversial past in regard to, among other things, her ”performance” related to the alleged but debunked coup by some older people who have been falsely accused of trying to take over the German government.

The Guardian added on March 11:

“Though Germany has some of the strictest gun laws in Europe, it has a high per capita ratio of firearms. Around a million people legally own a total of more than 5 million guns. Most of them are sport shooters, hunters or foresters, but while violence remains rare, an average of 155 people are killed by gunfire every year.”

In a climate where a majority of Germans support conscription or “mandatory slavery” (compare our Update from last week), stricter gun laws will most certainly not help.

Europe’s Insane Green Building Rules

Breitbart wrote on March 15:

“The European Parliament has passed a resolution that will see ‘insane’ green building rules forced onto individual EU member states… internal resistance to the green agenda rework was not enough from preventing it from passing a vote by the EU parliament, with 343 members voting in favour, compared to the 216 who voted against. Its passing was celebrated by hard left-Irish progressive Ciarán Cuffe, with the member of Ireland’s floundering Green Party being central in pushing the hardline rework through parliament…

“Opponents of the measure have described it as being an overly bureaucratic measure that unjustifiably takes power away from individual nation-states. ‘Increasingly rampant, gluttonous and unrestrained, the EU is encroaching on the competences of the member states,’ Markus Buchheit, an Alternative for Germany (AfD) MEP, said in a statement to Breitbart Europe describing the new rules as ‘insane’…

“The AfD are far from the only group staunchly opposed to the EU’s newly proposed building regulations, with members of other political groups in Europe also coming out to condemn the bill. Politicians from Italy in particular have seemingly shown the most resistance to the new measures…”

Apart from the ridiculous influence of left-wing fanatics, this article shows that Europe is becoming [or continues to be] a dictatorship, dismissing concerns of member states.

Saudi Arabia’s Desire to “Normalize” Ties with Israel and USA?

Israel 365 News wrote on March 10:

“Saudi Arabia says it will normalize ties with Israel if the United States provides it with security pledges and helps build out its civilian nuclear program… The two Saudi demands are viewed as ‘daunting obstacles’ to a deal…

“In terms of security guarantees, Saudi Arabia has asked before and been rejected by presidents from both parties. And U.S. and Israeli officials fear that helping Saudi Arabia with a nuclear program for nonmilitary uses could lead it to develop its own nuclear weapon and spark an arms race with Iran…

“[Saudi Arabia] has been reluctant to openly sign an agreement with Israel, fearing a backlash from other Arab states and its own population…”

It does not appear that those attempts to “normalize” ties with Israel and the USA will be successful.

Iran and Saudi Arabia Restore Ties

The Associated Press wrote on March 10:

“Iran and Saudi Arabia on Friday agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations and reopen embassies after years of tensions between the two countries, including a devastating attack on the heart of the kingdom’s oil production attributed to Tehran.

“The deal, struck in Beijing this week amid its ceremonial National People’s Congress, represents a major diplomatic victory for the Chinese as Gulf states perceive the United States slowly withdrawing from the wider Middle East. It also comes as diplomats have been trying to end a yearslong war in Yemen, a conflict in which both Iran and Saudi Arabia are deeply entrenched…”

The Guardian added on March 10:

“Iran and Saudi Arabia [are] the two great oil-producing rivals of the Middle East.. The rivalry between predominantly Shia Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia has dominated Middle East politics in recent years, spreading into Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen… The agreement has potentially wide implications for the Iran nuclear deal and the civil war in Yemen, where the two sides are locked in a proxy war, and shows the new determination of Saudi Arabia to conduct a foreign policy independent of the west…

“The deal could, however, have implications for a US-led effort to isolate Iran economically through sanctions. If there is a genuine warming of Saudi relations with Tehran, one consequence is likely to be Saudi investment inside Iran… the deal will cause concern among many Israeli politicians who have sought global isolation for its arch-enemy Iran. Naftali Bennett, the former Israeli prime minister, described the pact as a ‘serious and dangerous’ development and a ‘fatal blow to the effort to create a regional alliance’ against the Islamic Republic.”

The New York Post published on March 11 an article with the following headline: “China becomes the broker while Joe Biden is still the joker.” It continued:

“Even The New York Times, usually a mouthpiece for the Biden administration, echoed the grim assessment, saying China’s role displayed President Xi Jinping’s ‘ambition of offering an alternative to a US-led world order.’ …

“The pact immediately set off a blame game, with an unidentified member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government pointing at both the Biden White House and the previous Israeli government, according to The Times of Israel… saying,  ‘There was a feeling of American and Israeli weakness, so Saudi Arabia turned to other channels.’”

It is an undeniable fact that America’s status as the superpower in the world is diminishing.

China, Russia, Iran and Others Participate in Joint Naval Exercises

Breitbart wrote on March 15:

“Warships from China, Iran, and Russia joined together Wednesday to begin naval drills in the Gulf of Oman and near the strategic Strait of Hormuz, China’s Defense Ministry announced. AP reports other countries will also provide naval support in the ‘Security Bond-2023’ exercises, the ministry said without elaborating. Iran, Pakistan, Oman and the United Arab Emirates all have coastline along the waters lying at the mouth of the Persian Gulf…

“AP further sets out the exercises scheduled for Wednesday through Sunday come amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and China over a range of issues, including China’s refusal to criticize Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine and continuing support for the Russian economy. They follow years of other tensions between NATO countries and regional rivals…

“Regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran last week agreed to restore diplomatic relations in an agreement that was brokered by China — a major blow to U.S. efforts to maintain a united front in the Middle East against the Tehran regime…”

The Kings of the East are coming together.

USA Meddles in Israeli Elections

Israel 365 News wrote on March 9:

“Police clashed with anti-government protesters who attempted to shut down the Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv on Thursday. As some recent reports have highlighted, some of the funding for the protests and the organizations behind them comes from foreign sources, including the US State Department. 

“One of the major organizations behind the protests is the Movement for Quality Government (MQG)… which has received over $38,000 in funding from the US State Department… MQG is primarily funded by the New Israel Fund, a US NGO that funds many anti-Israel organizations that promote a narrative portraying Israel as an apartheid state…

“MQG received grants of around $10,000 to $15,000 dollars in 2020, 2021, and 2022. In each of those years, the State Department under President Biden was listed as the group’s sole foreign donor. The grant information does not show State Department funding before 2020…

“The US Democratic party has a long history of meddling in Israeli politics and elections, most notably in opposition to Netanyahu. V15, which stands for Victory 15, was established during the 2015 elections with the stated goal of opposing Netanyahu. V15 was aided by One Voice,  an NGO that supports the creation of an ‘independent and viable Palestine’ alongside Israel, which assigned Jeremy Bird, a field director in both of President Barack Obama’s winning White House runs, with the task…

“But even before Obama, Democrat presidents worked to influence Israeli elections… former-President Bill Clinton admitted working to help Shimon Peres in his unsuccessful run against Netanyahu in 1996…”

While America is condemning Russia for meddling in America’s election, it is doing the same in other countries, such as Israel.

Money Is Not Wealth!

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on March 9:

“… governments print money to pay for wars. America was effectively born into debt during the Revolutionary War, and borrowed/printed money for every war thereafter…

“The fundamental reality is that more money does not create any new goods or services in the economy. Money is not wealth. Wealth is productive capacity; the ability to create actual goods and services. Germany and the European Central Bank can create euro stretching to the moon, but that will not produce a single missile or aircraft for the Ukrainians.

“Actual production requires the allocation of real resources and real capital. Resource allocation requires choices, whether made by political edict or in the marketplace. In both cases there are inherent opportunity costs to not allocating those resources and capital to other uses.

“Politics doesn’t magically eliminate tradeoffs. Resources are scarce even when money is not… money creation is not magic. It certainly does not create any new wealth, and in fact destroys wealth by directing resources toward inherently inefficient (nonmarket) uses…

“Progressives of all political stripes would happily put America and the West on a permanent wartime footing… Inequality, climate change, racism, transphobia, pandemics, and a host of other issues—none of which ever should have been politicized—are now tantamount to battlefields. War costs money, and magic economics wants us to believe national treasuries and central banks can foot any bill…”

Very true. See the next article.

Largest US Bank Failure Since Great Recession in 2008

CNBC wrote on March 10:

“Financial regulators have closed Silicon Valley Bank and taken control of its deposits, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. announced Friday, in what is the largest U.S. bank failure since the global financial crisis more than a decade ago…

“The FDIC’s standard insurance covers up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank, for each account ownership category…”

Breitbart added on March 10:

“The sudden implosion of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) is sending shock waves through the financial system and the technology sector. SVB plays a central role in the start-up economy of San Francisco…

“The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) said that all insured depositors will have full access to their insured deposits, but that might not be as reassuring as it sounds. Bloomberg reports that more than 93 percent of SVB deposits are uninsured.”

The Guardian wrote on March 10:

“… the troubles have raised broader fears that the recent increases in US interest rates have affected the value of other banks’ bond portfolios, which tend to fall in price when interest rates rise. The collapse of Silicon Valley pushed shares of almost all financial institutions lower on Friday.

“Silicon Valley Bank’s failure arrived with incredible speed, with some industry analysts on Friday suggesting it was a good company and still probably a wise investment…”

The New York Post added on March 10:

“The sudden collapse of a little-known, California-based tech lender fueled market chaos on Friday and sparked fears of a wider contagion that some experts worry could upend the US banking sector…  The bank’s rapid descent into insolvency sparked a sharp selloff in US stocks – with the nation’s four largest banks losing a combined $52 billion in market capitalization.”

Tip of the Iceberg?

Business Insider wrote on March 11:

“The bank’s collapse was a byproduct of the Federal Reserve’s hiking of interest rates by 1,700% in less than a year. Once risk-free Treasurys started generating more attractive returns than what SVB was offering, people started withdrawing their money, and the bank needed a quick way to pay them. They were ultimately forced to sell their loan portfolio at a huge loss.

“The chaotic episode showed that the Fed’s aggressive interest rate hiking regime could upend institutions that were once thought to be relatively stable…

“There are already two recent high-profile examples not specific to the banking system, but still indicative of the pressure being caused by higher rates.

“The first has been the collapse of the cryptocurrency market. Since the Fed started raising interest rates in March 2021, bitcoin — formerly a highly touted inflation hedge — has plunged more than 65%… There’s also been the double-digit decline in high-growth tech stocks over the same period.

“The big questions now become what rate-sensitive areas will be next to feel the pain…”

The Daily Mail wrote on March 12:

“Chancellor Jeremy Hunt today warned of a ‘serious risk’ to top British firms following the shock failure of a major US bank…”

Finbold wrote on March 11:

“The United States financial system has been rattled by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SBV) and Silvergate Bank within 48 hours as economic uncertainty prevails. Therefore, some financial sector players project that the situation will likely worsen in the coming days. In particular, [bestselling author] Robert Kiyosaki has warned that a third lender will likely follow suit. He stressed that the situation would positively impact precious metals in a tweet on March 10.

“… economist and crypto-skeptic Peter Schiff has stated that the U.S. banking system is on the verge of experiencing a ‘much bigger collapse’ compared to the 2008 crisis. On March 10, Schiff cautioned that mass withdrawals would trigger failures.”

US Government Gives Guarantees to Depositors

The Associated Press wrote on March 13:

“The U.S. government took extraordinary steps Sunday to stop a potential banking crisis after the historic failure of Silicon Valley Bank, assuring all depositors at the failed institution that they could access all their money quickly, even as another major bank was shut down.

“The announcement came amid fears that the factors that caused the Santa Clara, Californian-based bank to fail could spread. Regulators had worked all weekend to try to find a buyer for the bank, which was the second-largest bank failure in history. Those efforts appeared to have failed Sunday.

“In a sign of how fast the financial bleeding was occurring, regulators announced that New York-based Signature Bank had also failed and was being seized on Sunday. At more than $110 billion in assets, Signature Bank is the third-largest bank failure in U.S. history.”

Before that announcement by the US government, it was stated that it would NOT bail out the bank. Now, the obvious switch in position is explained by saying the government does not bail out the bank, but just the depositors. In reality, it is of course a bailout.

Worldwide Panic Sets In

The Associated Press reported on March 15:

“Stocks are back to falling on Wall Street Wednesday as worries worsen about the strength of banks on both sides of the Atlantic…

“Credit Suisse has been fighting troubles for years… Its shares in Switzerland sank more than 28% following reports that its top shareholder won’t pump more money into its investment.

“Wall Street’s harsh spotlight has intensified across the banking industry recently on worries about what may crack next following the second- and third-largest bank failures in U.S. history last week. Stocks of U.S. banks tumbled again Wednesday after enjoying a brief, one-day respite on Tuesday.

“The heaviest losses were focused on smaller and mid-size banks, which are seen as more at risk of having customers try to pull their money out en masse…  Much of the damage is seen as the result of the Federal Reserve’s fastest barrage of hikes to interest rates in decades. The Fed has pulled its key overnight rate to a range of 4.50% to 4.75%, up from virtually zero at the start of last year, in hopes of driving down painfully high inflation. Higher rates can tame inflation by slowing the economy, but they raise the risk of a recession later on. They also hurt prices for stocks, bonds and other investments. That latter factor was one of the issues hurting Silicon Valley Bank, which collapsed Friday, because high rates forced down the value of its bond investments.

“The U.S. government announced a plan late Sunday to protect depositors at Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, which regulators shut on Sunday, in hopes of shoring up confidence in the banking industry. But markets have since swung from fear to calm and back again. Some of this week’s wildest action has been in the bond market, where traders are rushing to guess what all the chaos will mean for future Fed action…

“In Europe, indexes tumbled on weakness from banks…”

Trump Blames Biden for the Bank Failure, Predicts Great Depression

Newsweek wrote on March 12:

“On Sunday, Trump posted about the collapse of SVB on his social media platform, Truth Social, blaming the situation on the economic policies of President Joe Biden, adding that further financial calamities are on the horizon. ‘With what is happening to our economy, and with the proposals being made on the LARGEST AND DUMBEST TAX INCREASE IN THE HISTORY OF THE USA, TIMES FIVE, JOE BIDEN WILL GO DOWN AS THE HERBERT HOOVER OF THE MODRRN [sic] AGE… WE WILL HAVE A GREAT DEPRESSION FAR BIGGER AND MORE POWERFUL THAN THAT OF 1929. AS PROOF, THE BANKS ARE ALREADY STARTING TO COLLAPSE!!!”

“Trump’s communications team also issued a statement to Fox News Digital a few hours after his post to Truth Social, reiterating the claim that the collapse was caused by Democratic policies. ‘Out-of-control Democrats and the Biden administration have pathetically continued to try to blame President Trump for their failures with desperate lies, such as the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) spy balloons, the train derailment in East Palestine, and now the collapse of SVB,’ Trump spokesman Steven Chueng told the outlet.”

Democrats have blamed Trump for the collapse, due to a bill Trump signed into law in 2018 that cut regulations and mandatory oversight from the Federal Reserve for mid-level and regional banks with assets over $250 billion (up from the previous limit of $50 billion in assets).

The Danger of Ouija Boards

Fox News wrote on March 9:

“Twenty-eight schoolgirls were hospitalized with anxiety attacks after allegedly playing with Ouija boards at their school in Colombia… The girls reportedly suffered signs of fainting, anxiety and other symptoms at the Galeras Educational Institution in Galeras…

“Ouija boards, created in the U.S. in 1886, are often referred to as spirit or talking boards. They are believed to be a way for the living to communicate with the dead…

“In November 2022, 11 teenagers were found collapsed after using a Ouija board at another school in Colombia…”  

Clearly, the use of Ouija Boards can lead to communication with demons.

“What You Can’t Say on YouTube”

The Atlantic wrote on March 10:

“YouTube’s list of content guidelines manages to be both exhaustive and nebulous… YouTube operates a three-strike policy for infractions: The first strike is a warning; the second prevents creators from making new posts for a week; and the third (if received within 90 days of the second) gets the channel banned… YouTube uses artificial intelligence to enforce its guidelines. Bots scan auto-generated transcripts and flag individual words and phrases as problematic…

“In January, Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, announced that Rumble was now his ‘video-sharing service of choice’ for press conferences because he had been ‘silenced’ by Google over his YouTube claims about the coronavirus pandemic…”

“Corona” is definitely a word that YouTube does not like, but there are many more restrictions on YouTube. For instance, the mere suggestion that the 2020 election might perhaps have been rigged will incur the anger of YouTube censorship.

US Government as “Obstructionist” as China?

The New York Post wrote on March 11:

“‘We complain that the Chinese government is opaque and obstructionist — and that’s true,’ Sen. Ran Paul told The Post. ‘But we’re getting the same sort of difficulties from our government.’

“Since COVID-19 emerged in early 2020, Paul has spearheaded a battle to hold America’s public health apparatus to account. The Kentucky senator has taken center stage, fighting lockdown policies, demanding schools to be reopened and grilling officials on the senate floor. He’s also clashed repeatedly and passionately with recently-retired National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony Fauci.

“A few questions have been central to their standoff: Did COVID-19 leak from a lab in Wuhan? And did Fauci and the American medical establishment help fund dangerous gain-of-function research that caused the pandemic?

“Despite years-long resistance  that the lab-leak theory was a dangerous and even racist conspiracy theory, more and more institutions are now coming out in favor of it. Late last month, the Department of Energy joined the FBI in deeming a lab leak the likely origin of COVID-19. For Paul, the conclusion is vindicating… But he’s also frustrated. The senator said he knew the classified conclusion of the Energy Department’s investigation for about a month before it was leaked to the press in late February. ‘Because it’s classified, then I can’t do my due diligence of oversight,’ he explained. ‘I can’t announce it to the public. And so we end up relying on all the leaks to the media, which are illegal.’

“Paul said too much crucial information still remains under lock and key, leaving the American people in the dark about COVID-19’s origins. ‘The over-classification problem is stymying the investigation,’ he added. ‘Our government has reams of classified material that all point towards the COVID virus originating in the lab in Wuhan.’…

“He told The Post he’s sent 28 letters to eight different governmental agencies to demand more information about NIH and HHS grants that may have funded gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology — but to no avail. ‘I’ve gotten virtually zero information,’ Paul said. ‘They’re not willing to tell someone who represents the state who they gave the money to.’

“Newly released emails from the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic show that Fauci ordered, edited and approved a February 2020 paper published in the Nature Medicine journal, which deemed the lab-leak theory null and was touted as definitive evidence that COVID-19 jumped naturally to humans from an animal. Paul said the emails reveal that Dr. Fauci created ‘an orchestrated consensus’ to cover his own tracks and to tarnish his opponents… ‘and that you’re a conspiracy theorist if you argue that this virus might have come from a lab,’ Paul said.

“Now, his next battle with Fauci is getting to the bottom of whether [he] receives royalties from vaccine manufacturers… a 1980s law protects public health officials like Fauci from having to [divulge their income sources]…

“According to the senator, getting to the bottom of the pandemic’s origins is crucial for preventing another disaster… ‘And we need to look at this type of research both in our country and around the world.’

“Looking back, Paul added, public health officials destroyed the public’s trust in them… ‘I think what’s happened now is people have seen that [Fauci] was a doctor who was trying to cover his tracks. He is a public health official who had funded dangerous research in China that in all likelihood led to the pandemic.’… As of 2022, only 29% of Americans have a great deal of confidence in medical scientists to act in the public’s interest. ‘I think it’s government dishonesty that has led to most of the distrust,’ the senator said… ‘I think it will be more difficult for them the next time they try this, because the evidence is pretty much in. None of the things they did to slow down the spread of the disease worked,’ Paul said. ‘In the end, everybody got COVID whether they stood on stickers six feet apart from each other or not.’…

“‘People need to resist,’ he said. ‘When the government tells you you can’t go to church, your government says you can’t go to the gym, your government says you can’t go to a restaurant or you can’t go to a hotel — we need to resist that.’”

Amen! You MUST obey God rather than man.

The Cover-Up of Suspicious Activities by the Biden Family

Professor Jonathan Turley wrote on his website on March 14:

“For years, members of Congress have asked for access to suspicious activity reports (SARs) related to the Biden family’s foreign business deals. Those efforts were cut off by the Biden Administration and the Democratically controlled houses of Congress. Even after the GOP took over the House, however, the Treasury Department continued to refuse to turn over the SARs. While the GOP had to threaten hearings with Treasury officials, the department has finally relented. It now appears that time is up for Hunter Biden on the SARs fight and it could finally answer a number of questions over the alleged influence peddling of the Biden family. It may also put pressure on the Delaware US Attorney David Weiss, who is looking into possible criminal conduct by Hunter Biden.

“I previously wrote about how few people in Washington are eager to expose the influence peddling by the Biden family… even by the corrupt standards of this city, the Bidens took influence peddling to an unprecedented level in raking in millions from foreign interests, including some with alleged ties to foreign intelligence.

“The least eager group to see these transactions may be the media, which not only buried the Hunter Biden story but has shown remarkable disinterest in these allegations… Imagine what the media would have done with even one of these deals with foreign political or influence figures if a Trump child was the recipient. The genius of the Biden influence peddling operation was to make the media an early and active participant. They became invested in the denial over two years of belittling or dismissing the story…

“It is not clear what these SARs will reveal, but the effort to prevent any congressional investigation is striking…”

This collaborated cover-up by the government and the media is not the only one, to be sure. Note the next article.

The Destruction of the Nord Stream 2 Pipeline

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on March 15:

“History has dealt a tough hand to the administration of US President Joe Biden, who openly confessed his intent to ‘bring an end’ to the Nord Stream pipeline system which delivered Russian natural gas to Europe through four pipelines (Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, consisting of two pipelines each).

“Since then, the Biden White House was compelled to deny the president’s stated intent after an explosive report by Pulitzer-Prize winning investigative journalist Seymour Hersh detailed damning information which, if true (and there is no reason to suspect it’s not) casts the responsibility for a series of underwater explosions that took place on Sept. 26, 2022, on Biden himself.

“Hersh’s report was ignored by the mainstream media in the United States, with neither The New York Times, for whom Seymour Hersh wrote on national security issues for many years, nor The Washington Post even hinting that the greatest living investigative journalist had broken a blockbuster story.

“Enter the ‘Andromeda’— a Bavaria C50 15-meter (49-foot) yacht based out of the German Baltic port city of Rostock… The boat was ‘a yacht rented from a company based in Poland, apparently owned by two Ukrainians.’ According to the story, ‘the secret operation at sea was carried out by a team of six people.’ According to the German reporting, the team — five men, consisting of a ship captain, two primary divers, two supporting divers and a female doctor — used the Andromeda to transport the team, along with the explosives used to destroy the pipelines, to the scene of the crime. The boat was returned to Rostock in ‘an uncleaned condition,’ allowing German law enforcement officials, who carried out a search of the vessel between Jan. 8-11, to detect ‘traces of explosives’ on a table in the ship’s cabin.

“The same day the German reporting on the new Nord Stream attack narrative broke, The New York Times ran a first-page story… [quoting Biden saying that he denied any involvement]…  The problem with both the German reporting and that of The New York Times… is that the Andromeda narrative doesn’t hold water.

“Take, for instance,… the tale… that has four allegedly Ukraine-affiliated divers defy physiology by conducting dives that would require the use of a decompression chamber for them to survive an ascent of 240 feet (the depth of the Nord Stream pipelines that were destroyed)… decompression takes approximately one day per 100 feet of seawater plus a day. This means that the team of divers would have required three days of decompression per dive. But to decompress, one needs a decompression chamber. For a dive involving two divers, the Andromeda would have to have been outfitted with either a two-person Class A decompression chamber, or two single-person Class B chambers, as well as the number of large oxygen bottles needed to operate these chambers over time… Simply put — no decompression chamber, no dive, no story.

“… The charge would have to be prepared by qualified explosives experts and ideally tested prior to being employed operationally to validate the design and functionality of the device. These are not tasks undertaken by a small ad hoc team of Ukrainian underwater saboteurs, but rather state-sponsored actors with access to military grade explosives and testing facilities…

“The German government’s crude effort to manufacture an alternative narrative regarding who attacked the Nord Stream pipeline fails the smell test…  Moreover, the fact that the US intelligence community was quick to leak information about the German investigation to The New York Times appears to be de facto evidence of US complicity in this cover up. And the reason for this cover up is quite clear: the Germans and Americans both fear the reporting being done by Hersh.”

There is much speculation about the identity of the perpetrators who destroyed the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. But whatever the truth, it seems to be certain that a massive cover-up is taking place.

Shameful California Conduct Towards Churches

LifeSiteNews reported on March 10:

“Members of a Christian church in California’s Santa Clara County were hit with hefty fines and surveilled via stakeouts, cell phone monitoring, and other measures ‘reminiscent of totalitarian regimes’ after their church defied the county’s draconian COVID-19 lockdown rules in 2020, according to a March 5 report by independent journalist David Zweig.

“San Jose’s Calvary Christian Fellowship, headed by pastor Mike McClure, openly defied the Silicon Valley county’s harsh lockdown rules in May 2020 after initially complying with them, Zweig reported. ‘After two months of isolation, many congregants were teetering toward despair,’ Zweig said, noting that the church’s decision to buck the county’s mandate to lock down provided congregants with much-needed ‘mental, spiritual, and physical’ assistance.

“The Christian community’s defiance of the COVID mandates soon made it a thorn in the county’s side. Santa Clara reportedly began slamming the church with fine after fine for such violations as failure to social distance, to wear masks, and even failure to comply with the county’s rules against singing.

“Zweig said the county ended up ‘levying more than $2 million in fines against Calvary’ and implementing a ‘multi-faceted surveillance program of the church and its members,’ a ‘spy operation’ that ‘included stakeouts, forced in-person monitoring of prayer groups and other intimate activities, and tracking the cellular mobility data of churchgoers.’…

“According to court filings, officers took meticulous note of the churchgoers’ ordinary behavior that ran afoul of the county’s new COVID mandates. Enforcers of the county’s rules reported the number of cars in the parking lot, whether or not masks were being worn, and even instances of hugging… When officers were granted access to the church by a court order later in the year, they began entering the church and writing up detailed notes on the behavior and compliance of churchgoers attending mom’s groups, baptisms, Bible studies, and Sunday services…

“Officials even employed cell phone monitoring technology to track the violators…

“The report noted that the county dropped its gathering-violations complaint against Calvary after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that California’s ban on church assemblies during the pandemic was unconstitutional. However, it’s still seeking $2.78 million from Calvary for its mask violations in a court case expected to conclude in the upcoming months.”

Let us remind our readers that these horrific UNCONSTITUTIONAL measures against that church were not taken in an authoritarian country such as Russia or China, but in California. This is shameful and appallingly disgusting indeed.

Democrats Want to Legalize Abortion Nationwide Up to Birth

LifeNews reported on March 9:

“A group of U.S. Senate Democrats reintroduced legislation Wednesday that would force every state to legalize the killing of unborn babies for basically any reason up to birth… ‘Abortion is health care. Period,’ said U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wisconsin, one of the lead sponsors… Other lead sponsors include retiring U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, and Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut. Joe Biden previously has expressed support for the legislation as well.

“Democrat leaders and many mainstream news outlets have portrayed the bill as an effort to simply ‘codify the right to an abortion’ in response to the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. But pro-life leaders warn it would go beyond Roe and get rid of almost all laws that protect unborn babies.

“Blumenthal [described] the life-saving Dobbs v. Jackson ruling as a ‘death sentence’ for women because, in some states, elective abortions are now banned…

“However, pro-life leaders say the bill really would force taxpayers to fund abortions, end bans on late-term abortions on viable unborn babies, eliminate parental consent for minors and informed consent requirements for every woman seeking an abortion, and force doctors and nurses to lose their jobs and Catholic hospitals potentially to lose public funds unless they perform elective abortions.

“Numerous past attempts to pass the bill have failed in Congress, and polls consistently show that a strong majority of Americans oppose such extreme pro-abortion legislation… 69 percent of Americans want abortions banned or limited. Additionally, 60 percent oppose using tax dollars to pay for abortions…  25 polls that show public support for pro-life laws.”

What is WRONG with these people who advocate the murder of innocent children???

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

The question refers to Proverbs 23:23 which reads: “Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.”

Before we review and answer the question, it is important to clarify our teaching and understanding about faith and works.

Over the years, the true Church of God has been falsely accused of teaching that works are necessary for salvation; not, that it is a free gift from God.   This is a case of either misunderstanding or deliberately avoiding that which we have made clear over many decades.  Let us make this again abundantly clear NOW!

The Word of God dogmatically states that salvation cannot be earned through works.    We read in Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” 

We read in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The footnote of the New King James Bible states, “free gift.”

In Acts 2:38-40, we read: “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.’ And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, ‘Be saved from this perverse generation.’”

In short, we believe that salvation and eternal life are NOT earned in this life – they are free gifts of God. However, our reward is dependent on our works. In the Kingdom of God, when we have eternal life, we will be rewarded according to how we lived and how well we did with what God had entrusted us.

In the Parable of the Ten Minas (or pounds) in Luke 19:11-27, we read about a man of noble birth (verse 12) who went to a distant country to become appointed king and then to return.   This was obviously a parable that Jesus gave about Himself and His followers.  They were given ten minas to put this money to work in His absence (verse 13).   The first two “traded” with the money but the third one didn’t (verses 16-24) which clearly shows that we have to be about our Father’s business and the reward will be to those who do that, and those that don’t, who should have known better, will lose out.  (See also the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25).

Faith and works are thoroughly covered in James 2:14-26 showing that both are necessary.

In our booklet “The Meaning of God’s Fall Holy Days,” we read on page 43 the following: “Verses 11 and 12 (of Revelation) describe the SECOND resurrection—the resurrection of those who will live again AFTER the thousand years are finished—the time which Paul called ‘the end’: ‘Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, STANDING before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.”  

Let us all be about our Father’s business (as was Jesus at the age of 12 as we read in Luke 2:41-50), living the life to which we have been called, keeping God’s Commandments and being obedient to Him and His Way so that we will receive the GIFT of eternal life and be rewarded with these words of Jesus when the Day comes: “Well done, good and faithful servant” (compare Matthew 25:21). He tells us in Revelation 22:12: “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.”

Having set the record straight as above, let us now answer the question that was asked.

The phrase “to buy the truth” is an interesting one.   The Berean Bible Society has these interesting comments to make:

“Every true Christian should understand that the truth costs. If you don’t think so, make it your own, value it, defend it, stand for it, and see if it doesn’t cost. Before you are through it may cost you far more than you had thought — hours of ease and pleasure, friends and money. Yes, the truth costs. Salvation is gloriously free but the truth costs — that is, if you want it for yourself. Many who know the truth won’t buy it. They won’t pay what it costs to say: ‘This is what I believe. This is my conviction.’ The truth isn’t worth that much to them.” 

How true this is.   How many people have asked for a minister to visit them only to find that the price they would have to pay is far too much for them?   The keeping of the weekly and annual Sabbaths are very often an obstacle that many are not prepared to come to terms with.   There may be other stumbling blocks that would seem difficult to overcome.   We see such a situation in Matthew 19:16-22:

^“Now behold, one came and said to Him, ‘Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?’ So He said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.’ He said to Him, ‘Which ones?’ Jesus said, ‘“You shall not murder,” “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “Honor your father and your mother,” and, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”’

“The young man said to Him, ‘All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?’ Jesus said to him, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.’ But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”

In this particular case, it wasn’t the Sabbath that was a stumbling block but his “great possessions.”  In our Q&A: “Did Christ really offer the rich ruler a ministerial position? (compare Luke 18:18-23),” we conclude by stating the following:

“Returning to Christ’s statement to the rich ruler to follow Him, it appears that He was indeed willing to call him into the ministry, but sadly, the ruler loved money more than God and he rejected this unique opportunity to follow Christ as a minister and to perhaps later become even one of His apostles. In refusing to accept his ministerial calling, Christ pointed out that it will be very difficult for a rich person to even enter the kingdom of God (Luke 18:25-26; Mark 10:23-25).”

The Sabbath, the annual Holy Days, wealth and other things have stopped many from following God.   Anything that comes before God is breaking the first Commandment which simply says: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3).

But in Proverbs 23:23, God’s Word urges us: “Buy the truth!” Not, “Buy it if you can get it at a bargain; if the price is not too great.” No, “Buy the truth!” Buy it at any price. It is worth far more than anything you can give in exchange for it. And when you have bought it: “sell it not.” How many, alas, have bought the truth only to sell out again! 

Isaiah 55:1 is instructive. In the New King James Bible, the headline is given: “An Invitation to Abundant Life.”  The passage reads:

“Ho! Everyone who thirsts, Come to the waters; And you who have no money, Come, buy and eat. Yes, come, buy wine and milk Without money and without price.”

“Buy” can mean “to acquire.”   One commentator stated that “In the original Hebrew, the word translated as ‘buy’ here means ‘to get something, often through one’s efforts or as compensation’ which is pretty much the same as acquire.

Also, we read in Revelation 22:17: “And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” (Compare also John 4:10).

However, certain “things” cannot be purchased with money or otherwise. We may recall in Acts 8:18-20 that Simon the Sorcerer offered money for a gift that he coveted:

^“And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, ‘Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.’ But Peter said to him, ‘Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!’”

Some may think that if something is free that it doesn’t cost anything—or that just anybody can obtain it. Both buy and acquire indicate that a person has to make an effort, or give up something in order to get or acquire something that he considers valuable.   And when God calls us, we have to give up the world and its ways.

As we have already pointed out, the gift of Jesus Christ is not available to be purchased and cannot be bought by anyone. Jesus came to offer Himself for the sins of the world and is God’s free gift that can never be purchased. There is no way that we can “buy” or earn our way into His presence, into His Family.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Commentary says this about the Truth: “Procure it at any cost: part with it on no consideration.” 

The Pulpit Commentary has this to say about Proverbs 23:23: “Buy the truth, and sell it not (comp. Proverbs 4:5, 7; Proverbs 16:16). Consider truth as a thing of the highest value, and spare no pains, cost, or sacrifice to obtain it, and, when gotten, keep it safe; do not barter it for earthly profit or the pleasures of sense; do not be reasoned out of it, or laughed out of it; ‘sell it not,’ do not part with it for any consideration.”

Matthew Henry’s Commentary’s contribution reads as follows:

“The gracious Saviour who purchased pardon and peace for his people, with all the affection of a tender parent, counsels us to hear and be wise, and is ready to guide our hearts in his way. Here we have an earnest call to young people, to attend to the advice of their godly parents. If the heart be guided, the steps will be guided. Buy the truth, and sell it not; be willing to part with anything for it. Do not part with it for pleasures, honours, riches, or anything in this world. The heart is what the great God requires. We must not think to divide the heart between God and the world; he will have all or none.”

Biblestudytools.com gives a comprehensive and lengthy view of how important buying the truth is:

“‘buying’ it supposes a person to have some knowledge of it, of the excellency, usefulness, and importance of it; and shows that he sets a value upon it, and has a high esteem for it: it is to be understood of his using all means and taking great pains to acquire it; such as reading the word, meditating upon it, attending on the public ministry, and fervent and frequent prayer for it, and a greater degree of knowledge of it; yea, it signifies a person’s parting with everything for it that is required; as with his former errors he has been brought up in, or has imbibed; with his good name and reputation, being willing to be accounted a fool or a madman, and an enthusiast, or anything for the sake of it; and even with life itself, when called for; and such a man will strive and contend for it, stand fast in it, and hold it fast, and not let it go, which is meant by ‘selling’ it; truth is not to be sold upon any account, or for anything whatever; it is not to be slighted and neglected; it should not be parted with neither for the riches, and honours, and pleasures of this life, nor for the sake of a good name among men, nor for the sake of peace, nor for the avoiding of persecution; it should be abode by, and not departed from, though the greater number is against it, and they the riots, the wise, and learned; and though it may be traduced as novel, irrational, and licentious, and be attended with affliction, that is, buy these also, and sell them no.”

It then goes on to show that buying it does not have to be a financial transaction: “it is to be prized above everything; it is the principal thing, and should be got; all means should be used to obtain it; it may be bought without money; it should be asked of God, who gives it liberally, and, being had, should be held fast:”

We know that we cannot buy the Truth, the Holy Spirit, or salvation.   They are not for sale; they are free gifts from God.  The NET Bible translation is: “Acquire truth and do not sell it–wisdom, and discipline, and understanding.” 

The passage in Proverbs 23:23 and many other Scriptures also explain why we do not charge for our literature. Please read the following Q&A in its entirety. https://www.eternalgod.org/why-do-you-not-charge-for-your-literature-and-your-other-services/

Proverbs 23:23 is a vital piece of understanding for the true Christian: “Buy (acquire) the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.”   And we can do nothing less! 

Lead Writer: Brian Gale (United Kingdom)

compiled by Dave Harris

Our website, www.eternalgod.org, has been updated! Earlier this past week, Eric Rank, our Tech Team Leader, culminated months’-long plans to refresh many programming needs in order that our software is updated to industry standards. The results present our webpages more clearly and with better accessibility.

“Durch Leid zum Erfolg,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath in Germany by Dmitrij Niemann, is now posted. Title in English: “Through Suffering to Success.”

“Accomplish Small Things,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:

In the world, the goal for humans it seems, is to accomplish as much as is possible. There are some humans who seem to be able to do it all, accomplishing great milestones and leaving amazing legacies. How do we stack up as Christians? What can we accomplish in this lifetime? Does it matter what we accomplish? What does God think?

“Are You Prepared?,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Michael Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Will you be ready when Christ returns?  Are you strong enough and are you prepared when the moment arises when we need to “evacuate” in the end time?  What do we need to do now to be prepared?

Spring Holy Days: Passover—April 5, 2023 (observed the evening before); Feast of Unleavened Bread—April 6-12, 2023; Pentecost—May 28, 2023.

2023 Ministerial Conference: April 27-28 and April 30, 2023