On February 2, 2019, Christoph Sperzel will present the sermonette, titled, “The Christian Way,” and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “Adultery–a Trivial Offense?”

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.

Last week the longest government shutdown in the history of the United States ended. Hundreds of thousands of people in the country were negatively affected in a direct way, and many more were indirectly affected. The estimate by the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the cost of this historic event approaches $11 billion. It is quite a ridiculous sum of money, especially considering that it was incurred as a result of fighting between political parties over issues that are still unresolved. There is little argument in declaring that this event is an embarrassing failure of the nation’s leaders on all sides to manage the resources they are responsible for governing. Yet, it happened for a reason.

God allowed the shutdown to happen as a manifestation of man’s utter inability to govern. Satan has great wrath towards this country, and at this point, God does not prevent Satan’s evil actions because this nation has to be punished for its many sins. God has decreed the downfall of this country. Sadly, innocent people will be affected in the process, but we can trust in God for His protection.

As damaging as the government shutdown has been, we can be sure that God was involved in allowing it in order to fulfill His overall plan. Solomon writes about God’s involvement during detrimental times in Ecclesiastes 7:14, “In the day of prosperity be joyful, But in the day of adversity consider: Surely God has appointed the one as well as the other, So that man can find out nothing that will come after him.”

Even the times when bad things happen are under God’s control. We understand, of course, that in this day and age, Satan is the ruler of the world, including the USA. But he can do nothing which God does not permit, and God allows nothing which would be against His overall plan and purpose for mankind.

For reasons that we might not always understand, circumstances take place that bring about an effect that can seem to have categorically negative consequences. We may even be directly affected. However, if we trust in God, we have nothing to fear because a wonderful and perfect plan is being worked out.

When we consider the terrible situation of Joseph, when he was sold into slavery by his brothers, it is humanly easy to judge the actions as being unjust, which they were. But even Joseph himself could see the hand of God in the matter. When Joseph’s brothers went to Egypt, he revealed himself to them saying, “But now, do not therefore be grieved or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life… So now it was not you who sent me here, but God…” (Genesis 45:5-8). In the individual adversity of Joseph, and in the famine of the entire region of the Middle East, humanly negative events took place to fulfill a greater plan of God.

Is there any reason that we should consider our lives to be any different? Does God allow difficult things to happen in our lives and does He allow the destruction of the nations we live in for no particular reason? Of course not. At scales small and great, God is conducting a symphony of events to bring about His plan. This plan ultimately involves the establishment of the Kingdom of God on the Earth under the rulership of Jesus Christ. But it also involves shaping our own behaviors to become ever-more obedient, following the model of Jesus Christ’s perfect life. Throughout the entirety of history, detrimental events take place, and they will continue to do so. But all of these events are permitted, and sometimes even directly caused by God for His purpose.

by Norbert Link

We begin with reports on the end of the shutdown and the question as to what will happen next. Please view in this regard the following program, titled, “Shutdown Ends Temporarily…What’s Next?—Comments on News and Prophecy (January 26, 2019)” .

We continue with America’s new production of nuclear weapons; the Polar Vortex and disagreements on Global Warming; and questionable conduct by the FBI. We continue with the Brexit situation in the UK and address developments pertaining to Russia and Iran.

We speak on dramatic increase of defense spending by NATO and the EU; threats for the European democracy; and the growing anti-Semitism in the light of the memorial of the Holocaust.

We conclude with an interesting article on earthquakes in Israel. In this regard, please view our new StandingWatch program, “Is the Prophesied Big Earthquake in Israel Going to Hit?”

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

Trump Ends Shutdown Temporarily

The Wall Street Journal wrote on January 25:

“President Trump [has] reached a deal with congressional leaders to reopen the government for three weeks while negotiations over border security funding continue… The stopgap spending bill… provides no immediate funding for a border wall…

“Mr. Trump warned that if no deal is reached by Feb. 15, the government could shut down a second time. He also threatened to address border security unilaterally [by declaring a national emergency] if no agreement is struck by that point…”

Breitbart wrote on January 27:

“Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) said President Donald Trump declaring a national emergency to build a wall on the U.S. Mexico border would be a ‘terrible idea’ and that he would fight it.”

Many Republicans feel the same.

The Hour of National Turmoil

The Associated Press wrote on January 25:

“Recent polls found Trump bore the blame for the shutdown… Republicans were openly calling on him to back down from his demands and reopen the government…

“The breakthrough came as LaGuardia Airport in New York and Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey both experienced at least 90-minute delays in takeoffs Friday due to the shutdown. And the world’s busiest airport — Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport — was experiencing long security wait times, a warning sign the week before it expects 150,000 out-of-town visitors for the Super Bowl…

“The standoff became so severe that, as the Senate opened with prayer, Chaplain Barry Black called on high powers in the ‘hour of national turmoil‘ to help senators do ‘what is right.'”

Right-Wing Conservatives Against Trump

Breitbart wrote on January 25:

“On Friday’s edition of the Fox Business Network’s ‘Lou Dobbs Tonight,’ host Lou Dobbs stated that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) won the shutdown battle and President Trump ‘got rolled on this.’ Dobbs said… ‘to deny it is to try to escape from reality.’”

Breitbart added on January 25:

“The White House finally caved to Democrats demands, despite Trump’s repeated assertions this week that he would not do so.”

The Guardian wrote on January 25:

“Ann Coulter, author of In Trump We Trust, tweeted: ‘Good news for George Herbert Walker Bush: As of today, he is no longer the biggest wimp ever to serve as President of the United States.’ And so it was that Trump… found himself crushed by Pelosi on his left and Coulter on his right…”

Trump Should Be Praised

USA Today wrote on January 26:

“Right-wing pundits are not happy… As the saying goes, with friends like these who needs enemies?

“Indeed, right-wing pundits caused the mess… by bullying the president into a decision he originally rejected: close the government, and then negotiate…

“Of course Ann Coulter, Michael Malice, Tomi Lahren, Breitbart News, Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham, Steve Doocy and their ilk have a First Amendment right to make disparaging comments about the president of the United States. But the president has an Article 2 responsibility to make sure the government is functioning…

“The president’s decision on Friday to reopen the government… demonstrates that he recognizes his immense constitutional responsibility.

“President Trump should be commended for his decision, not condemned for it.”

Only the First Round?

Fox News wrote on January 25:

“… this shutdown, and the one that will likely follow it on Feb. 15, was not about money. It was about establishing dominance. It was about base voters. It was about bragging rights. And most of all, it was about the 2020 election.”

Many feel that President Trump will not shut down the government again, as he would lack support for such a step from most Americans, including many Republicans. On the other hand, the right-wing pundits who speak for many of his supporters would strongly support such a move.

On Saturday morning, and subsequently, President Trump tweeted several messages, reiterating that he will insist on building a wall.

Second Shutdown an Option

The Hill wrote on January 28:

“Lawmakers in both parties are skeptical about President Trump’s chances of securing funding for his wall on the Mexican border… Democrats seem unlikely to budget any money for a border wall, and even if they did, lawmakers say such a deal would likely require Trump to include significant immigration reforms, such as giving immigrants known as Dreamers a pathway to citizenship or permanent residency.

“That would be a tough nut to crack in only three weeks, and the concessions could also damage Trump with his base… Trump [said on Sunday] that he is doubtful Congress can come to a deal over border wall funding, adding that another government shutdown is ‘certainly an option.’”

The Cost of the Shutdown

The Week reported on January 28:

“The 35-day government shutdown cost the American economy $11 billion, $3 billion of which will never be recovered, an analysis released Monday by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office revealed. The loss of work from federal employees, suspension of federal services, and decreased economic demand chiefly contributed to the slowdown, the report says…

“A separate CBO economic outlook report also found that, if taxation and spending remains unchanged, the federal deficit will grow to an annual total of $1 trillion in [the] next decade.”

Will Americans Remember?

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 25:

“The ‘deal’ President Trump announced to temporarily end the longest government shutdown in US history was no deal at all. But given the suffering his shutdown continues to cause for so many, there are no winners here.

“It took US President Donald Trump 35 days to sign off on a bill that he could have had before Christmas [Instead, he listened to the bad advice of right-wingers such as Limbaugh and Coulter]…

“Trump’s… triggering of the shutdown… meant that 800,000 government workers and their families have had to make ends meet despite going without pay for over a month. Not to mention the more than one million government contractors who went unpaid…

“One could speculate now what caused Trump to cave… But it is an exercise in futility; no one really knows Trump’s mind…

“Let’s hope that Americans remember the… president who would readily gamble other people’s lives and livelihoods for a pointless border wall he ultimately did not even get…”

The Reckless Nature of Politicians

Some feel that President Trump has a chance of receiving the support of Democrats for building a wall for a barrier, as Democrats advocated better border security in the past. The following article questions this conclusion, with interesting arguments:

The Week wrote on January 25:

“After 35 days… the longest government shutdown in history is finally coming to an end. It accomplished nothing…

“The worst thing of all? It’s only going away for three weeks. Meanwhile the president and the Democratic Party remain as divided on the question of funding for the border wall as they were in December. The deal will fund the government for less than a month while members of both parties in Congress are expected to ‘negotiate.’ What do they have to say to each other that they have not been saying for days and weeks and months now? Nothing will come of it…

“As long as Democrats control the House, the wall is never going to happen… Politicians change their minds about all sorts of things every day. It is almost never because they have had a genuine change of heart. These shifts follow a straightforward pattern: The Blue Team says x because it is rhetorically beneficial to them at a certain juncture. The Red Team says not x for the same reason. Eight or even four years later the Red Team might say x and the Blue Team not x, making exactly the same arguments as the other side. Who cares…”

This describes perfectly the nature and motives of politicians.

New Nuclear Weapons

npr (National Public Radio) wrote on January 28:

“The U.S. Department of Energy has started making a new, low-yield nuclear weapon designed to counter Russia (called W76-2)… The (already existing) W76-1 is believed to have a yield of around 100 kilotons… By contrast, the bomb dropped on Hiroshima had a yield of about 15 kilotons.

“The Energy Department would not provide details about the W76-2, but it’s believed to have a yield of around 5 to 7 kilotons… That smaller yield is probably created by removing or disabling the secondary stage of the W76-1. The secondary is designed to deliver a large thermonuclear blast triggered by a much smaller nuclear weapon known as the primary. Removing or disabling the secondary while leaving the primary would, in effect, create a smaller weapon.

“Last year the Trump administration made the case for the development of a smaller nuclear weapon that could be launched from a submarine… [There are worries that] the new warhead could actually make nuclear war far more likely…

“The National Nuclear Security Administration says its first production unit of the new weapon is underway. It is on track to deliver a small number of weapons to the Navy by October of this year.”

The Polar Vortex… Historic Winter Freeze

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 30:

“A record arctic air mass will remain over the central and eastern United States over the next several days. Chicago has already recorded temperatures colder than parts of Antarctica…

“Including the wind chill factor, parts of the Dakotas, Wisconsin and Minnesota had temperatures of -70 Fahrenheit (-56.7 Celsius)…  In Chicago, the morning temperature was -22 degrees Fahrenheit (-30 Celsius), which was colder than Alaska’s state capital and parts of Antarctica…”

Dangerous Cold and Global Warming

The Weather Channel wrote on January 29:

“President Donald Trump tweeted Monday that he wants global warming to ‘come back fast’ in response to the dangerous cold outbreak… ‘In the beautiful Midwest, windchill temperatures are reaching minus 60 degrees, the coldest ever recorded. In coming days, expected to get even colder. People can’t last outside even for minutes. What the… is going on with Global Waming (sic)? Please come back fast, we need you!’ Trump tweeted.

“The comment highlights a lack of understanding about the difference between weather and climate. NASA makes this distinction: ‘Weather is what conditions of the atmosphere are over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere “behaves” over relatively long periods of time.’ The consensus of scientists is that individual weather events do not reflect the long-term trend of global warming…

“This isn’t a one-off comment by the president on weather and global warming. Trump continues to deny the existence of climate change and often points to individual weather events as evidence that climate change is a ‘hoax,’ as he has called it in the past. In November, Trump denied his own administration’s National Climate Assessment, noting that global warming is only temporary.”

Scientists are not as unanimous in their conclusions for man-made global warming as the article implies. Quite a few scientists deny man-made global warming. Interestingly, the late founder of the Weather Channel, meteorologist John Coleman, was an ardent denier of climate change and filed a lawsuit to prove his conclusions.  Apparently, the lawsuit ended with Coleman’s death. Amongst others, the late Michael Crichton, a doctor and novelist (“ER,” “Twister,” “The Andromeda Strain,” “Jurassic Park”), also questioned man-made global warming.

Is This Really Happening in the USA? It Sure Is!

The New York Post wrote on January 25:

“New video shows the moment Roger Stone, President Trump’s longtime confidant, was taken into custody during a pre-dawn raid Friday carried out by armed FBI agents. With their guns drawn, several agents stormed Stone’s home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, around 6 a.m. — pounding on the door and bellowing, ‘FBI! Open the door!,’ according to the footage obtained by CNN.

“The dramatic moment was witnessed by former NFL All-Pro wide receiver Chad Johnson. ‘FBI arrested my neighbor Roger before my morning jog, I’ve only seen [something] like that in movies, crazy to start to my Friday,’ he tweeted.

“Stone is facing multiple counts including obstruction of an official proceeding, making false statements and witness tampering related to his communications with WikiLeaks and information he’s alleged to have shared with the Trump campaign. The charges stem from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election.”

Sadly, such controversial and objectionable behavior by the FBI is only all too common. In addition, special counsel Muller was commissioned to look into collusion by Trump with the Russians. He found nothing in that regard; instead, he indicted some friends of Trump for unrelated crimes, which he was not commissioned to investigate, to justify two years of time and millions of dollars on what many have labeled a “witch hunt.”

FBI Can’t Find Motive in Las Vegas Shooting

The Week wrote on January 29:

“The FBI has concluded its 16-month investigation into the mass shooting at a Las Vegas music festival in 2017, which left 58 people dead and hundreds injured, but could not find [a] ‘single or clear motivating factor’ behind it. Shooter Stephen Paddock wanted to inflict ‘the maximum amount of damage,’ the FBI said in a report released Tuesday, but added that he was not ‘directed, inspired, nor enabled by ideologically-motivated persons or groups.’

“His decision to die by suicide suggests he wanted to ‘attain a certain degree of infamy via a mass casualty attack,’ the FBI said. Because he did not leave a note, investigators say this report ‘comes as close to understanding the why as we’re ever going to get.’”

Actually, it is quite astonishing that the FBI could not find a motive after 16 months of investigation. Of course, the FBI would not even dare to consider factors outside the physical realm. It is obvious to us, however, that the murderer was influenced, if not possessed, by demonic forces.

Martial Law in the UK?

Daily Mail wrote on January 27:

“Whitehall officials have been ‘war-gaming’ imposing martial law to avoid chaos on the streets after a no-deal Brexit… The extreme measures are being considered as part of a major response if the UK crashes out of the EU at the end of March.

“Mandarins have been discussing whether to use wide-ranging powers in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 – which include curfews, travel bans and deploying the army…

“Health Secretary Matt Hancock said there was no ‘specific’ plan for martial law, but did not completely rule it out. ‘Of course Government all the time looks at all the options in all circumstances,’ he [said]. ‘It remains on the statute book but it isn’t the focus of our attention.’”

Brexit–No Deal No Money?

Daily Mail wrote on January 30:

“Ministers ramped up tensions with the EU today in the wake of Theresa May’s historic Commons victory – warning that the £39billion divorce bill could be axed if it does not compromise.

“Brexit minister Kwasi Kwarteng insisted Brussels would not get a ‘penny pinch’ from the UK unless there was ‘some give’ on the hated Irish border backstop. The threat came as the PM braces for ‘trench warfare’ with the EU after leaders flatly dismissed calls to reopen the Withdrawal Agreement.”

Putin’s Apocalypse

Project Syndicate wrote on January 24:

“In the last year, Putin has spoken about a ‘nuclear apocalypse’ more than any Western leader has over the last decade… Putin has blamed the risk of a catastrophic outcome on the West, framing Russia’s hypothetical use of nuclear weapons as revenge or retaliation.

“… the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has predicted a Book of Revelation-style reckoning [and it is] his belief that doomsday is near… Chair of the Constitutional Court Valery Zorkin has argued that the end of the world is already upon us and ‘the mystery of lawlessness is already at work.’

“… apocalyptic rhetoric in Russia is closely related to positioning Putin as a kind of messiah… Alexander Dugin, the leader of the Eurasia movement and arguably the Kremlin’s chief ideologist, calls Putin ‘katechon,’ an Orthodox leader who prevents the ‘kingdom of the Antichrist,’ which he defines as a combination of Western ‘globalization, post-liberalism, and post-industrial society’…”

The Bible shows that Europe will attack Russia and other Far Eastern nations, apparently with chemical and biological weapons, and that these nations (the kings of the East) will retaliate against Europe, apparently with nuclear weapons.

Coming… War with Iran?

Lobe Log wrote on January 25:

“Donald Trump’s domestic troubles, combined with the current makeup of his foreign policy team, provide a confluence of circumstances, perhaps a perfect storm, to pull the United States into a war with Iran… Trump’s position has never been weaker. And despite what appears to be his personal desire to extract U.S. troops from the Middle East… his deepening political problems may make war more attractive.

“Israel has exhibited a new boldness in bombing suspected Iranian weapons sites in Syria. ‘Analysts have warned that Israel’s new openness [in publicly claiming responsibility for the strikes] could ratchet up tensions, making it harder for Iranian leaders to ignore attacks and pushing them to retaliate,’ The New York Times reported this week.

“Meanwhile, any incident involving Iran… could quickly spiral out of control, drawing in U.S. forces.

“The potential of some kind of conflict with Iran escalating into a larger regional war is very real, possibly more real than ever. Although some have been sounding the alarm, the attention given to this dire situation is nowhere near the level it deserves… it’s possible that the United States could find itself in a new Middle East war without anyone really noticing it happen.”

Europe vs. USA on Iran

Handelsblatt Global wrote on January 31:

“Germany, France and Britain have set up a special payment platform to keep trade with Iran intact despite Washington’s sanctions. That’s unlikely to go down well with the US administration… It won’t be the first time that Europe and America clashed over how to handle Iran after their quarrel over the nuclear deal in 2015…

“European countries tried to keep doing business in Iran, and were promised protection by Brussels. The EU called on companies to reject US sanctions and passed a blocking statute guaranteeing help for businesses in case of US retaliation. This has not proved successful, however. The US ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, countered these efforts and contacted companies individually, pressuring them to withdraw from Tehran. One after another, German firms fell into line. Within short order, Siemens, BASF, Daimler, Deutsche Bahn, Deutsche Telekom and Munich Re announced they would stop doing business in Iran.

“Now, there are several ways Washington might respond to the newly-created payment channel… The administration could sanction the bureaucrats involved in the vehicle, the French, British and German board members. It could sanction companies attempting to use the vehicle. Or it could warn such businesses that if they engage with the vehicle, legally or not, they will face consequences…”

Deutsche Welle added on January 31:

“On Thursday, the US State Department said it was ‘closely following’ reports on the European mechanism. ‘As the president has made clear, entities that continue to engage in sanctionable activity involving Iran risk severe consequencesthat could include losing access to the U.S. financial system and the ability to do business with the United States or US companies,’ the State Department said in a statement.”

EU Warns USA over Tariff Debacle

The Hill wrote on January 23:

“The European Union said Wednesday that it will retaliate with nearly $23 billion in tariffs if President Trump puts taxes on imported EU cars and auto parts…

“Trump has long threatened to slap 25 percent tariffs on foreign cars and auto parts, citing the national security concerns his administration raised to impose steep tariffs on imported steel and aluminum last year… a U.S. probe of automotive imports will be completed in February.”

Comeback for Schulz?

Bild Online reported on Sunday, January 27, that former SPD leaders Martin Schulz and Sigmar Gabriel are very dissatisfied with their own party (the junior governmental coalition party of Angela Merkel’s CDU) and are allegedly contemplating to initiate a comeback.

Der Merkur confirmed on January 27 that there are rumors regarding a putsch from Gabriel and Schulz if the SPD were to lose the upcoming European election and the local election in the city of Bremen by the end of May. It was stated that in such a “worst-case scenario,” the current leaders of the SPD would no longer be tolerable.

On January 29, Focus Online discussed the pro and cons for such an alleged putsch as well, but concluded that it won’t happen.

Given Sigmar Gabriel’s current position on political issues, including the European army and the German-French friendship, it does not seem that he will play a prominent role in the future. It may be different for Martin Schulz.

A European Army

Forbes wrote on January 23:

“With Brexit looming and Europe under threat from populism, France and Germany have signed a historic new friendship treaty in the city of Aachen. Both countries agreed to establish common positions and issue joint statements on key EU issues, deepen economic integration and further develop their defensive cooperation…

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the aim of the pact is a ‘German-French economic area with common rules’ and ‘a common military culture’ which could ‘contribute to the creation of a European army.’ Unsurprisingly, the announcement of the treaty and particularly Ms. Merkel’s references to the potential creation of an EU army have enraged nationalists and Eurosceptics. Some merely called it a symbolic and irrelevant gesture while others accused their governments of signing away national sovereignty.

“The subject of an EU-army has been a prickly issue across Europe for years. After World War II, plans for such a force initially gained traction before grinding to a halt in the mid-1950s. While the threat from a resurgent Russia has given the idea new impetus, it has proven extremely controversial in many parts of the EU. In some countries, such as the UK, a united military service with old Second World War enemies Germany and Italy would prove unacceptable in some quarters…

“The most recent research on the issue was conducted… in 2017 and it found that support was highest in the Netherlands and Belgium at 74%. In France and Germany, it stood at 65 and 55% respectively. In the EU’s neutral countries, support was 45% in Austria, 46% in Ireland, 42% in Finland, 55% in Malta and just 40% in Sweden.”

However, today, the figures would show that the support for a European army is much higher in certain countries, especially in Germany.

Bigger than the USA

Express wrote on January 23:

“Angela Merkel has boasted about Germany and France’s plans for an EU Army in a defiant speech where she warned it would be bigger than the US forces…

“She said: ‘… we have even more than 170 different weapons system, the US have less than 60… The French leader argued the two nations’ partnership will provide EU citizens with the ‘real protection’ they need.”

USA Committed to NATO

USA Today wrote on January 25:

“President Donald Trump ‘is committed to NATO’ and deserves credit in obtaining $100 billion more in defense spending for the alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, said Sunday…

“Stoltenberg’s comment stands in contrast to Democrats who fear Trump wants to pull out of NATO… A New York Times report earlier this month said Trump repeatedly told aides he wanted to pull out of the alliance. In response to the report, Democrats pushed for legislation requiring congressional approval of any move to leave NATO.

“Trump has also been criticized for his aggressive approach in insisting America’s ‘delinquent’ allies pay a greater share toward the collective defense agreement. At the summit in July, he demanded the other members ‘immediately’ increase their contributions. Stoltenberg said the tough approach paid off.

“‘… you have to remember that the increase we now see in defense spending by European and NATO allies comes after years of decline. So before they were cutting billions. Now they’re actually adding billions,’ he said.”

On the one hand, Stoltenberg is fooling himself and others, not knowing and understanding biblical prophecy. On the other hand, the US is causing actions, which will in turn lead to an attack by the newly powerful EU—and that on Britain and America!

Free Europe in Danger

The Guardian wrote on January 25:

“Liberal values in Europe face a challenge ‘not seen since the 1930s’, leading intellectuals from 21 countries have said, as… nationalists look set to make sweeping gains in EU parliamentary elections…

“They write of their regret that Europe has been ‘abandoned from across the Channel’ – an oblique reference to the drawn-out Brexit process that has arguably brought Anglo-European relations to their lowest point since the second world war…

“Unlike Eurosceptics in the UK, most European counterparts do not want to leave the EU but to take it over…”

Anti-Semitism on the Rise in Europe

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 27:

“Jewish organizations say they have seen an increase in anti-Semitism in Germany… Some 41 percent of Jews in Germany said they were victims of anti-Semitic hostility, compared to an average of 28 percent in the other surveyed countries.

Handelsblatt Global wrote on January 25:

“Anxiety is increasing that remembrance of the Holocaust, and of Germany’s and Europe’s anti-Semitic past, is fading. A survey published this week found that 90 percent of Jewish people in the European Union feel that anti-Semitism has grown in the last five years. One in three is considering emigrating.

“Another survey, taken last year, showed that anti-Semitism is strong in France, but also prominent in Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, Sweden and Belgium. Last fall, Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel, noted that in Germany people are almost accustomed to Jewish institutions requiring police protection.

“Moshe Kantor, the president of the European Jewish Congress, highlighted this situation in a speech to the European Parliament marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The future for Jews in Europe is bleak, he said.

“… the president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Junker, said… he was deeply worried that Jews are afraid to practice their faith in Europe, and that Holocaust denial remains alive on the continent…”

Hitler’s Plan for Holocaust in USA and Canada

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 27:

“A Canadian archive has acquired a book owned by Adolf Hitler that shows his plans for Jewish people living in Canada and the US. The archive said the book shows what could have happened if World War II ended differently.

“[The book] contains detailed Jewish population data, as well as information on key organizations and media for Canadian and American Jewish communities… [It] demonstrates that the Holocaust was not purely a European event, but rather an operation that was stopped before it reached North America.”

Earthquakes in Israel

Breaking Israel News wrote on January 27:

“Last Thursday evening, northern Israel was shaken by a 3.6 magnitude earthquake. Earthquakes are not uncommon in Israel as the Syrian-African fault line… runs underneath the Jordan Valley.

“The last earthquake in northern Israel was in July, measuring 4.1 on the Richter Scale, but seismologists estimate that according to statistics and the geologic history, the region should experience a major quake every 80-100 years. The last major quake was in 1927 and registered 6.2 on the Richter Scale killing 500 people. Another major earthquake is therefore now due…

“A 2016 report… stated that in the case of a 7.5 magnitude earthquake, an estimated 7,000 people would be killed, another 8,600 injured and 377,000 left homeless. In addition, such a quake could cause up to $55 billion in damages.”

According to Revelation 11:13, a future earthquake in Israel will cause the death of 7000 people.

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.

When Christ was asked by four of His disciples about the end of the age, He said:

“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near–at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:32-35).

It is clarified in the parallel Scripture in Luke 21:31 that Christ was speaking about His Second Coming and the establishment of the Kingdom of God here on earth. “All these things” refer to the events, which we are describing in this series. The Greek word for “generation,” i.e., genea, refers here to the people in the end time–not the entire race throughout many “generations.”

In Psalm 90:10, a generation is described as lasting 70-80 years. We also read in the Bible that God sometimes shortens or prolongs human life, and that bloodthirsty and deceitful men may not live out HALF their days (Psalm 55:23). We know that men will be so bloodthirsty and destructive in the end time that Christ will HAVE to SHORTEN the days of worldwide warfare, lest NO man would survive (Matthew 24:22).

We have not yet seen the beginning of the Great Tribulation, but we know that it is the next major event to occur in our time. When we see the signs of the times, as we are discussing them in this series, we know that Christ’s return is near. We do not know the exact time of Christ’s return, but based on the parable of the fig tree, we CAN say that we ARE living today in the very last generation, and that Christ WILL return BEFORE this present generation has “passed away.”

Following the beginning of the Great Tribulation, Christ warns in Matthew 24:29 of heavenly signs, when “the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.” The parallel account in Luke 21:25-26 adds that at that time, there will be “distress of nations” on this earth, “with perplexity, the sea and the waves” will be “roaring,” and “men’s hearts” will fail them “from fear and the expectation of those things” which will be “coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

Luke 21:11 also states that at that time, “fearful sights and great signs from heaven” will be observed. All of these events are depicted by the sixth seal in Revelation 6:12-14, picturing those “heavenly signs” or cosmic disturbances, which are introduced by a great earthquake.

It appears that certain frightful signs will already begin to occur right after the four horsemen of the Apocalypse have begun to ride and pestilences will be spread throughout the earth. Notice that Luke 21:11 is followed by a description of the Great Tribulation in verses 12-24, and verse 25 continues to describe the terrible heavenly signs, after the beginning of the Great Tribulation. Unless we conclude that verses 11 and 25 refer to the same incident, it appears that certain “fearful sights and great signs from heaven” will occur even prior to the beginning of the Great Tribulation.  Notice, however, that Christ speaks of FEARFUL signs and wonders. Solar eclipses and nice-looking “blood moons”—when the moon does temporarily appear in a somewhat red light—would most certainly not constitute “fearful” signs and wonders.

As we already discussed, God gave His Church the commission to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God in all the world as a witness. This includes a warning message of events to occur during the Great Tribulation, showing that the warning must logically precede the time of the beginning of the Great Tribulation.

The last European revival of the ancient Roman Empire and the powerful military leader (the beast) will cause the Great Tribulation. Just prior to that time, they will begin, at first, to temporarily collaborate, to an extent, with Arab nations (including Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Jordan) and Turkey in their common goal of destroying “Israel” (Psalm 83:1-8). This collaboration might not endure until the return of Christ.

However, there is no biblical suggestion that a seven-year contract will be entered into between the “beast” and those or other Arab nations, which will allegedly be broken after 3 ½ years.

The passage which is sometimes quoted for the false proposition of a seven-year contract—Daniel 9:27—does not refer to such an end-time physical covenant. Rather, it addresses the death of Jesus Christ in the middle of the week (Wednesday, when He was crucified) after His 3 ½ year-long public ministry. His death did away with or “brought to an end” the sacrificial system of animal sacrifices and “confirmed” the spiritual New Covenant with His people for one prophetic week or seven years (Christ will fulfill the remaining 3 ½ years of His seven year-long ministry when He returns).

It is revealed however that the European invasion of the Holy Land will occur when animal sacrifices will be brought there by the Jews, apparently during or after the completed construction of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount (Daniel 8:11-14; 11:31; 12:11-12). The beast will invade the Holy Land and conquer countries such as Egypt, Libya and Ethiopia (Daniel 11:41-43).

But note that the countries mentioned in Daniel 11:41-43 are NOT the same as the countries mentioned in Psalm 83 with which the beast will have a temporary alliance. In fact, Daniel 11 specifically mentions that those countries (mentioned in Psalm 83) will “escape” the hands of the beast.

Many believe, based on prophecies contained in the 11th chapter of the book of Daniel, that immediately before the return of Jesus Christ, a powerful Arab leader— a religious “Mullah” or Madhi, many times imagined to be the “king of the South”— will still arise in the Middle East. Daniel 11:40-41 says: “At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack [or: push at] him [the king of the North]; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown…”

Historically, and reviewing the entire biblical prophecy in the 11th chapter of the book of Daniel, we can determine that at the time described in verse 40, the king of the North constituted the ninth resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire, or the sixth resurrection of the “Holy” Roman Empire, led by Mussolini and Hitler.

At that time, the modern remnant of the “king of the South” of this prophecy was Ethiopia. The prophecy in Daniel 11:40 WAS FULFILLED in 1896, when King Menelik II of Ethiopia “pushed at” the Italians and defeated Italy at Aduwa. In 1935, Mussolini responded when the king of the South was Emperor Haile Selassie. Mussolini came against Ethiopia like a whirlwind, using airplanes, and conquered it.

But, what about today or the immediate future? Will there occur another conflict between the king of the North — the final LEADER of the 10th resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire, or the 7th resurrection of the “Holy” Roman Empire — and a king of the South, a final LEADER in the Middle East? Perhaps — but not necessarily so.

Let us first address the concept of a future religious figure, a Mahdi, who will allegedly unite many Muslim nations and attempt to establish the Muslim religion in all the world. This is strictly a Muslim concept. The Bible nowhere says that a Muslim Mahdi will appear in the Middle East or elsewhere, in an attempt to unite Arab and Muslim nations (which would also require healing the long-time animosity between Shias and Sunnis) and to establish a power bloc, ruled by the Muslim religion.

In addition, we need to emphasize that the prophecy in Daniel 11:40 has ALREADY BEEN FULFILLED, and verse 40 is the LAST TIME when the king of the South is mentioned! Beginning with the second half of verse 40, we read exclusively about the king of the North and his activities, and, in verse 44, about rumors from the east and the west.

Some point out that Daniel 11:40 speaks specifically about the time of the end, and that therefore a future king of the South must still arise just prior to Christ’s return.  However, the book of Daniel includes several examples where the terms “the last days” or the “time of the end” are used, without necessarily referring to just a few years prior to Christ’s return.

For instance, we read in Daniel 2:28 that a dream about a statue was to reveal to Nebuchadnezzar “what will be in the latter days.” The dream described four successive world empires which would arise on the world scene, and the fourth empire (the Roman Empire) would survive (through ten successive revivals) until the return of Christ. Much of the dream related to events a long time prior to the last revival of the Roman Empire with ten kings at the time of Christ’s return—the “stone” or Rock which would smite and destroy the ten toes of the statue (verse 44-45).

Something similar can be found in Daniel 8:17, 19, which talks about “the time of the end” and the “latter time of the indignation.” The entire passage starts with the time of ancient Media and Persia, followed by Alexander the Great and, sometime later, Antiochus Epiphanes, and culminating in certain events which apparently end with the last King of the North at the time of Christ’s return. (We understand of course the dual application of this prophecy, as we discussed earlier.)

When reading Daniel 12:4, 9, we are told that the book of Daniel would be sealed “until the time of the end,” but that then “knowledge” in general and the right understanding of the book would increase. This has most certainly started to occur under the late Herbert W. Armstrong (the human leader of the now-defunct Worldwide Church of God) who died in 1986.

Viewing Daniel 11:40 and the historical events in this light, we note that there DOES NOT HAVE TO BE ANOTHER end-time king of the South. If one were to arise, following the historical and biblical records, as set forth in the 11th chapter of the book of Daniel, it would have to be—mainly—modern Ethiopia.

But ALL WHICH STILL NEEDS TO BE FULFILLED (and which the previous king of the North—Mussolini—did NOT fulfill), is the invasion of the Glorious Land by the future and final king of the North (verse 41), including Jerusalem (verse 45), as well as the overthrow of “many countries” (verse 41), including Egypt, while the “Libyans and Ethiopians” will follow at his heels (verse 43).

It is entirely possible that the prophecy in verse 40 is dual and a type of future events to be repeated—but it DOES NOT HAVE TO BE this way. It is NOT necessary, based on biblical prophecy, that there will still arise an end-time “king of the South,” attacking or pushing at the end-time king of the North. Christ could return without such an event having to occur first.

Also, a final king of the South would not be from Egypt, and he would not constitute a confederacy of Arab nations led by Egypt. Rather, Ethiopia would be the only possible government that could be the final king of the South.

Until Mussolini, Ethiopia was the only country in all East Africa that continued to stay independent from the Roman Empire throughout history, and that had a government and kingdom dating back before the Roman Empire. It was the southern part of the ancient kingdom of the South. It was the only possible government to be the king of the South under Mussolini, and it would therefore be the only possible government for a final appearance of a king of the South.

Of course, Ethiopia could be a leading nation in collaboration with other Arab nations. We read in Ezekiel 30:1-9, 18-19 that at the time of the “day of the LORD” (a reference to the end time), the sword will come upon Egypt, as well as on additional countries like Ethiopia (Cush), Libya (Put), and Lydia (or Lud; compare Jeremiah 46:8-9, showing that Egypt, Ethiopia, Lydia and Libya will be allies at that time of the end). Verses 4-5 refer to Chub, which is nowhere else mentioned in Scripture; the passage could also read, “and ALL (Chub) the men of the lands who were allied…” We also read specifically in verse 18 that at that time of the “day of the LORD”, Egyptians will go into captivity (through the king of the North, compare Daniel 11:42).

Even though Ezekiel 30 does not refer to those nations as being the king of the South, they seem to describe a power bloc in opposition to the final European revival of the ancient Roman Empire, under Assyrian (German or Austrian) leadership. None of these countries referred to in Ezekiel 30 are mentioned in Psalm 83:1-8. It appears, then, that the countries mentioned in Psalm 83, which are allied WITH Assyria, are different from the countries, mentioned in Ezekiel 30, which are apparently allied AGAINST Assyria.

As the ninth revival of the ancient Roman Empire, under Mussolini, was comprised of several nations and powers, including Hitler’s Germany, and as the final revival of the king of the North will consist of ten European nations or groups of nations, under Assyrian leadership, so if there is to be a future king of the South, he might very well constitute a coalition of Middle Eastern nations, under Ethiopian leadership.

When wanting to consider prophesied end-time events in the Middle East, we must foremost look at Europe under German leadership and the final revival of the Roman Empire. When we see modern Assyria (Germany) form an alliance with certain Muslim nations against Israel; when we see ten European nations or groups of nations transfer their power to the beast–a military leader of German or Austrian descent–and when we see that the beast will shortly thereafter invade the Middle East and fight against the state of Israel and other Arab nations, then we know that the return of Jesus Christ will be imminent.

(To Be Continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“HOW TO KEEP THE SABBATH,” our newest booklet, written by Evangelist Norbert Link, has been sent to graphic artist Shelly Bruno for finalization in preparation for printing.

The 2019 Church Conference will be conducted in Escondido, California. Arrival will be Wednesday, April 3, 2019, and departure is scheduled for Tuesday, April 9, 2019.

“Is the Prophesied Big Earthquake in Israel Going to Hit?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Scientists predict that a huge earthquake is about to hit Israel. They estimate that in the case of a 7.5 magnitude earthquake, an estimated 7,000 people will be killed. The Bible tells us that such an earthquake will occur when Jesus Christ returns to set up the government of God on this earth. This is no coincidence. God is letting us know the signs of these end times.

“Ehebruch–ein Kavaliersdelikt?”  is the title of this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Adultery–a Trivial Offense?”

“Shutdown Ends Temporarily…What’s Next?—Comments on News and Prophecy (January 26, 2019),” presented by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Will there be a second shutdown? Will there be a declaration of national emergency? Why was there a shutdown in the first place? Why did it end? Why was there such a hostile reaction by some hard-core right-wing pundits to President Trump’s ending of the shutdown? Did the shutdown accomplish anything? Why are politicians so dishonest?

“The Way to Peace,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Christoph Sperzel (Germany), is now posted.

“Hate! But Do Not Hate!” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Michael Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

What does the Bible say about hate? There are in fact many things that God hates but He is also the God of love. How and in what way is it acceptable to “hate” and how is it not?

On January 19, 2019, Frank Bruno will present, “Death Not to be Feared,” and Dave Harris will present the sermon, titled, “Two Sons of Joseph.”

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 heading of this Editorial is taken from Ephesians 5:20, being a part of the list of instructions the apostle Paul is giving the Ephesian brethren concerning how they should live Christian lives.

In some countries, including the United States and Canada, there is a specified day for observing Thanksgiving. While this is right and good to keep, God wants us to be thankful always, for our whole life, and when we understand it fully, even carrying over into our eternal life.

In God’s Word, the first mention of the term “thanksgiving” is in Leviticus 7, verses 11 to 15. A peace offering could be offered for thanksgiving. Verse 12 tells us: “If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer, with the sacrifice of thanksgiving, unleavened cakes mixed with oil….” It will be noticed that thanksgiving was a sacrifice to God.

In this case, the person giving the peace offering as a thanksgiving, was coming before God with a reason to be thankful. It could be an event or situation in their life that they were thankful for—probably, after some kind of blessing they had received. It was the person’s choice of whether and when to give it. This sacrifice of thanksgiving was to be given at the person’s own free will (compare Leviticus 22:29).

There are a multitude of examples in the Bible of people giving thanks. And usually giving thanks was accompanied with praising God.

King David had many reasons to thank and praise God: for deliverance from his enemies, for God’s great works and for His mercy. One interesting occurrence of thanking God was for providing great physical blessings to the people of Israel when they gave in preparation for the building of God’s temple (see 1 Chronicles 29:13-14).

King David knew that giving thanks and praising God was so important that he arranged groups of Levites to thank and praise God every morning and every evening as a formal ceremony (compare 1 Chronicles 23:30).

Solomon, David’s son, also arranged musicians and singers to praise and thank God at the dedication of the temple (2 Chronicles 5:13).

Later, at the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, the Levites again sang praises and gave thanks to God when the foundation of the house of God was laid (Ezra 3:11). They also gave thanks when the walls of the city were dedicated (Nehemiah 12:27).

Daniel thanked and praised God for giving him wisdom and the revelation of the king’s dream, thus saving Daniel, his three friends and many others from death (Daniel 2:23).

Jesus Christ, in a number of occasions, gave thanks before providing food for His disciples and many others (Matthew 15:36). He also thanked the Father for hearing Him at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:41). What may be surprising is that He thanked His Father for hiding understanding from the wise, but revealing it to babes (Luke 10:21).

The apostle Paul was another person who often mentioned that he was thankful. In many of his epistles, he thanked God for the members in various Church congregations and prayed for them continually. This is mentioned in nine of his epistles.

He thanked the Father and Christ for putting him into the ministry (1 Timothy 1:12), and for giving the victory and repentance to the members. He was also thankful that some members had risked their lives for him (Romans 16:3-4).

He mentioned many times that we are to be thankful in all things—even in persecutions. But he also gave a warning that in the last times, men would be unthankful, among many other negative characteristics (2 Timothy 3:1-2).

Christ Himself remarked on this when He healed ten lepers. Only one, a foreigner, returned to thank Him for such a remarkable healing (Luke 17:15-18).

When we look at the characteristics of the Church of the Laodiceans, we see that they think they are rich and wealthy and have need of nothing (Revelation 3:17). A person with this attitude is very unlikely to be thankful to God for what they have.

There are many more examples that could be mentioned, but this gives us a summary of many of the things we should be thankful for, and warnings of being unthankful.

When we think of the opening Scripture in Ephesians 5:20, we see that we are commanded to give thanks for all things—both the good things and things we may consider not so good. But Paul reminds us that all things work together for good to those who love God (Romans 8:28). This shows that even things that we may consider not so good are for our benefit in God’s overall scheme of things. So, it is profitable to find something good in every situation and thank God for it.

Again, let’s look at the example of Daniel. When his life was threatened if he prayed to any god or man except the king, he prayed and gave thanks before his God three times, as his custom was (Daniel 6:10). It was more important for Daniel to pray to God and thank Him than to be concerned about his own life.

To be thankful requires humility and overcoming lust and greed. It entails appreciation for what we have rather than lusting after what we do not have. God knows that our human nature is filled with vanity, selfishness, lust and greed; and of itself, it is not thankful. Thankfulness gets our mind off ourselves and acknowledges God’s hand in our lives. We acknowledge that we did not achieve anything by ourselves.

So, we should always remember that what we have; what we are; and especially the understanding of God’s plan for our eternal life are all blessings from God, directly or indirectly. Accordingly, we should give God thanks always for all things.

by Norbert Link

In this issue, we begin with reports about a possible attempt to delay the Brexit—the UK’s departure from the EU—on March 29 and address Theresa May’s expected humiliating defeat in the British Parliament and the “end” of the British Empire; speak on the historic French-German treaty of collaboration; and address the formation of a European army (see in this regard our new prophecy program, titled “Europe’s Army–Comments on News and Prophecy (January 12, 2019)”.

We continue with a deeply troublesome decision by the European Court of Human Rights, upholding Germany’s unconstitutional ban on homeschooling with most ridiculous arguments. This is just a continuation of ongoing European persecution of Jews and Christian minorities, as our most recent StandingWatch program discusses, titled, “Governmental Attacks on Jews and Christians in Europe”

We point out new threats of potential sanctions by the USA against German companies in context with the Nord Stream 2 pipeline; the fear that America has forsaken Europe and will forsake and thereby destroy NATO; address the ongoing historic shutdown in the USA, presenting a unique situation in Western democracies under an arguably outdated US Constitution; and discuss legal and practical issues pertaining to a declaration by the President of a “national emergency.”

We conclude with reports on the beginning of the withdrawal of American troops from Syria and President Trump’s warning, directed at both Turkey and the Kurds, as well as a deadly attack of “defeated” Isis on American troops in Syria.

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

Brexit Delay?

The Guardian wrote on January 13:

“The EU is preparing to delay Brexit until at least July after concluding that Theresa May is doomed to fail in getting her deal through parliament… The country’s 29 March deadline for exiting the EU is now regarded by Brussels as highly unlikely to be met… A ‘technical’ extension until July is a probable first step to give May extra time to revise and ratify the current deal…

“Senior EU sources said that a further, lengthier extension could be offered at a later date… although the upcoming May elections for the European parliament would create complications… The first session of the parliament is in July. You would need UK MEPs there if the country is still a member state…”

Der Spiegel Online commented that it would be impossible to delay the exit until July, due to the EU parliamentary elections in May. In any event, if there were such a delay, it would only postpone the inevitable.

May Defeated in Parliament

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 15:

“The UK parliament on Tuesday voted to reject an agreement on Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union, in the biggest ever defeat of a modern government in the House of Commons. It was a major blow to Prime Minister Theresa May and her Brexit plans.

“Lawmakers in the parliament’s lower House of Commons voted by 432 to 202 to reject the withdrawal agreement. The loss by 230 votes far exceeds the previous record for a defeat which was held by the Labour government of Ramsay Macdonald, crushed by 166 votes in 1924…

“The European Union will intensify its preparations for a scenario in which Britain leaves the bloc without a withdrawal agreement, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Tuesday. ‘The risk of a disorderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom has increased with this evening’s vote,’ Juncker said…”

Newsmax added on January 15:

“British lawmakers… [were] triggering political chaos… the United Kingdom is now ensnared in the deepest political crisis in half a century…

“The humiliating loss, the first British parliamentary defeat of a treaty since 1864, appeared to catastrophically undermine May’s two-year strategy of forging an amicable divorce with close ties to the EU after the March 29 exit… Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said there would be no further renegotiation…”

The End of the British Empire

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 16:

“Britain needs a new prime minister, but opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn is plagued by the lack of unity within the Labour Party. And so far, there has been no one else in sight to take on the role… there’s no guarantee of a good outcome. But this shows Brexit’s unprecedented destructive power: It is not tearing apart the European Union as expected, but, rather, it is tearing Britain apart. Brexit will likely prove the country’s greatest disaster.”

The Week wrote on January 15:

“The drama of Brexit has both revealed and deepened cleavages between the nations that make up the United Kingdom…”

Bild Online wrote on January 16:

“It’s over… How can the island leave the European Union (EU) without sinking itself?…

“In the course of the negotiations with the very united EU (from Hungary to Germany and Italy), the British Prime Minister… was toppled by the expectations that she herself had fueled for far too long… The 48 percent of Brits who do NOT want Brexit have no audible political voice in parliament or among the parties. That’s why re-elections also wouldn’t help…

“It is sad to witness the tarnishing of the future of the proud United Kingdom…  Of course, one can stop the clock and continue to negotiate. But what will talking achieve…?”

“Zombie May Shambles On”–Theresa May Barely Survives No-Confidence Vote

Breitbart wrote on January 16:

“Theresa May’s government has survived a vote of no confidence by 325 votes to 306… The Prime Minister would not have survived without the support of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). The Brexit-supporting party has provided her minority government with its parliamentary majority through a confidence and supply arrangement, but helped the Opposition… hand the Withdrawal Agreement she negotiated with the EU a stunning defeat, believing some of its provisions would have undermined Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom.

“Mrs May adopted a magnanimous stance after the vote confirmed her position, offering to hold talks with the leaders of rival parties on how to take the Brexit negotiations forward the same night. How fruitful these can be remains in doubt, however…”

 German-French Treaty

Euractiv wrote on January 10:

“With their signature in 1963, German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and French President Charles de Gaulles laid the ground for the beginning of an unexpected friendship. The document, with just under six pages, did not define any political goals but was rather a blueprint for what became later the Franco-German engine on the European level.

“The extension to the Élysée Treaty approved by the German and French cabinets will be signed by Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron in the German border city of Aachen on 22 January – an ancient symbol of European concord… German government spokesman Steffen Seibert, called the decision ‘an issue of historical importance’…

“The document… stipulates that a priority of German-French diplomacy will be for Germany to be accepted as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.”

The treaty will also include a cooperation agreement in the area of defense… or collaboration of their militaries.

Breitbart wrote on January 10:

“There is profound significance to having chosen Aachen… the ancient Roman spa city… [that] was also the residence and burial place of the early medieval ruler Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor dubbed the ‘Father of Europe’ for having united the western part of the continent by the 9th century.”

We are witnessing Europe’s LAST revival of the ancient HOLY Roman Empire.

Europe Is Forming an Army

On January 10, Handelsblatt published this opinion piece by German Defense Minister, Ursula von der Leyen:

“Europe’s army is already taking shape. Reforms in recent past months and years have brought our armed forces closer together. We’re working quickly…

“Among European nations, Germany and France are the driving forces in defense. But the German army’s close cooperation with other European partners, especially with Dutch forces, has also proven effective in many missions, and illustrates how to do integration properly.

“Now 25 countries have joined forces in a security initiative we call Pesco. And not because we’re following requirements from Brussels, but voluntarily, because we see the obvious benefits, and because it’s in Europe’s security interests.

“We’re moving even further ahead with our close partner France. The draft of ‘the new Elysèe Treaty’, agreed by the cabinet yesterday, shows that in future we want to address our security challenges together… Let’s note also that France and Germany, rivals and arch-enemies until 70 years ago, have now pledged mutual assistance and every conceivable kind of help to each other, in case of an armed attack on the territory on the partner country…

 “I have therefore proposed forming a special committee at the European level, composed of members of national parliaments, which is to be informed early on about crisis scenarios as they take shape. That could speed up decision-making processes at the national level, as well as strengthen support for any military action… Europe must be able to defend itself.”

Breitbart wrote on January 12:

“On Friday, the bloc’s top military official Claudio Graziano said he had been working with other EU army chiefs to thrash out what can be done to enhance the bloc’s capabilities, saying there is ‘a lot of expectation’ about what the EU can undertake.”

German Ban on Homeschooling Upheld by European Court of “Human Rights”

CNA wrote on January 11:

“Two homeschooling German parents who said their parental rights were violated by the enforcement of compulsory school attendance laws did not prevail in the European Court of Human Rights, which unanimously rejected their claims Thursday…

“In August 2013, a group of at least 20 police officers and social workers raided the… home and took away their four children… they were eventually returned to their parents…

“In its Jan. 10 decision, the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights said that compulsory school attendance to ‘prevent social isolation’ and to ensure their integration in society are relevant justifications to intervene against parental authority. German officials were reasonable to assume that parents had ‘endangered their children by not sending them to school,’ the court said…

“The court acknowledged that the parents later submitted learning assessments showing that the children had ‘sufficient knowledge, social skills and a loving relationship with their parents’…

“Homeschooling has been illegal in Germany since 1918, though in recent years the policy has raised questions and concerns with human rights groups who say it is an infringement on the right to family life…

“Several German families who wish to homeschool, many of them Christian, have sought refuge in the United States to ensure their ability to educate their children at home. Others have moved to countries like France or Austria, which have less strict laws [at this point].

“In 2014, Germany’s Constitutional Court ruled that restrictions on homeschooling were justified on the grounds that the government has a compelling interest in preventing the formation of religious or ideological parallel societies. The court also argued that requiring children to attend school provides them the benefit of interacting with other children who might think differently.

“In 2006, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that there is no right to homeschool.”

This practice in Germany and other European countries and the decision by the European Court of Human Rights place an undue burden on religious parents—Jews and Christians alike—who are opposed to the German and Europe school courses on sex education and unbiblical religious activities. Homeschooling should be a decision which should be made by the parents—not by the government. However one may look at homeschooling, a ban on homeschooling clearly violates the parents’ right of free exercise of religion and other constitutional guarantees and should have been deemed to be illegal by the courts.

AfD Proposes DEXIT

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 13:

“The AfD blasted the ‘privileged’ members of the European Parliament while campaigning to join that very body… The final version of the manifesto passed on Sunday evening retained the threat of a ‘Dexit,’ [Germany’s departure from the EU] but jettisoned any concrete timeframe…

“The AfD was founded in 2013 as a euroskeptic party intent on having Germany leave the euro currency. But it has since been taken over by anti-immigrant and Islamophobic members and has risen in popularity to become the largest opposition party in the Bundestag… Their manifesto also opposes the EU having a joint defense and foreign policy.

With that stance, the AfD will have no future and unless it changes its position again, like the proverbial chameleon, it has signed its own death certificate, as the Bible clearly shows that Germany will not leave the EU and that there will be a European army.

US Ambassador to Germany Threatens German Companies

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 13:

“The US ambassador to Berlin, Richard Grenell, has sent threatening letters to German companies working on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline…

“German companies building the Nord Stream 2 pipeline between Germany and Russia received letters from US Ambassador Richard Grenell warning them of ‘a significant risk of sanctions’ if they did not pull out of the project, Germany’s mass-circulation Bild am Sonntag has reported. The large pipeline is set to deliver gas from northwestern Russia to northern Germany under the Baltic Sea and effectively double the amount of gas Germany imports from the country.

“The US opposes the project over fears that the gas link would tighten Russia’s control of Europe’s energy supply and diminish the importance of gas transit countries such as Ukraine. US companies are also keen to sell gas obtained by fracking to many European countries…

“Grenell’s latest move remains highly unusual and is likely to prompt fresh tensions between Washington and Berlin…”

AFP added on January 13:

“German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas… weighed in on the transatlantic row last week, saying ‘European energy policy should be decided in Europe, not in the United States.’”

Did Trump Forsake Europe?

BBC News wrote on January 14:

“For generations, American presidents have saved some of their warmest words for their European colleagues.

“They came to the Berlin Wall and spoke of freedom – and, after it fell, they spoke of a new era of co-operation with a rebuilt Europe. But in the era of Donald Trump, leaders across the continent now know that those days have gone.

“John F Kennedy’s ‘Ich bin ein Berliner’ declaration, Ronald Reagan’s 1987 message to Moscow: ‘Mr Gorbachev tear down this wall,’ George HW Bush’s promises of collaboration after the Cold War and Barack Obama’s warm words about binding ties across the Atlantic are all now distant memories.

“With every visit to Europe and every White House tweet about the cost of Nato or EU tariffs, this president makes it clear that he believes Europe is more often an impediment than an ally.

“None of his predecessors would have dreamed of calling the EU a ‘foe’, as President Trump did in a recent interview about trade…

“With Europe embroiled in its Brexit difficulties, which leave so many questions unanswered, its leaders also find themselves scrambling to work out what it might mean if these old ties with the United States continue to unravel.”

Trump Rebuked by European Parliament and US Congressional Democrats

Deutsche Welle reported on January 17:

“The Trump administration’s recent downgrading of the EU ambassador’s status without prior notice… has led to parliamentary action on both sides of the Atlantic. In a strongly worded letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, 27 congressional Democrats denounced the diplomatic downgrade. ‘Disturbingly, this step, which appears to have taken place late last year, occurred without congressional consultation or apparent notification to the European Union,’ the lawmakers wrote in a letter published this week… Both the substance of this decision and the undiplomatic way in which it was carried out needlessly denigrate trans-Atlantic relations.’…

“US lawmakers demand answers by January 30 to four specific questions about the downgrade, among them why the decision was made, why Congress was not informed, and how it was reviewed and approved within the Trump administration. ‘We ought to support and strengthen our allies, not turn them into foes,’ the letter concludes. ‘Insulting them for no apparent reason does not typically encourage them to take a warmer view of the United States.’

“The missive echoes the sentiment expressed in a letter by members of the European Parliament. Addressed to members of the US Congress and published one day after the downgrade became public, the letter by the European Parliament’s 58-member Delegation for Relations With the United States slammed the White House’s ‘increasingly harmful approach’ to trans-Atlantic relations and urged Congress to help ‘strengthen and not undermine each other’.

“The MEPs criticized the demotion of the EU’s ambassador to the United States, David O’Sullivan, saying neither the ambassador nor the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, had been ‘formally notified of this change’ in advance. ‘This is no way to treat partners,’ they wrote.”

Killing NATO

The New York Times wrote on January 14:

“Last year, President Trump suggested a move tantamount to destroying NATO: the withdrawal of the United States… several times over the course of 2018, Mr. Trump privately said he wanted to withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization… Mr. Trump told his top national security officials that he did not see the point of the military alliance, which he presented as a drain on the United States…

‘American national security officials believe that Russia has largely focused on undermining solidarity between the United States and Europe after it annexed Crimea in 2014. Its goal was to upend NATO, which Moscow views as a threat…

“Russia’s meddling in American elections and its efforts to prevent former satellite states from joining the alliance have aimed to weaken what it views as an enemy next door, the American officials said. With a weakened NATO, they said, Mr. Putin would have more freedom to behave as he wishes, setting up Russia as a counterweight to Europe and the United States…

“Mr. Trump’s skepticism of NATO appears to be a core belief…

“Allies feeling threatened by Russia already have extreme doubts about whether Mr. Trump would order troops to come to their aid…”

Especially now, in light of President Trump’s announcements regarding the withdrawal of American troops from Syria (note the articles below). President Trump responded to the article by saying that the US is “100% in support of NATO”… a dubious claim in light of recent developments.

In Light of Shutdown… US Constitution Outdated and Near Collapse?

The Week wrote on January 11:

“President Trump’s shutdown will stand alone… as the longest in American history…

“In most modern democracies, this kind of preposterous standoff is simply not possible. In Canada, for instance, failure to pass a budget is an automatic vote of no confidence that triggers new elections… In the meantime, the previous budget is basically rolled forward until the new government can get a chance to pass a fresh budget…

“By contrast, the American Constitution not only allows for this sort of thing, but encourages it… There is no democratic principle on the basis of which it can be resolved…

“Trump… starkly illustrated a weakness inherent to the American system… Every other country with an American-style constitution watched it collapse eventually, most of them over impasses very similar to the one we are experiencing now. It is not at all impossible that we are in the first stages of that same process. The U.S. Constitution was clearly outdated 100 years ago. It might be time to start thinking about how to replace it.”

The shutdown is continuing, with no end in sight. In fact and quite incredibly, the childishly stupid divisions between Trump and the Republicans on the one hand, and the Democrats on the other hand, are even deepening.

National Emergency

President Trump has indicated that he might declare a national emergency if no deal can be reached regarding the building of a wall between Mexico and the USA.US News and World Report wrote on January 8:

“What actually constitutes an emergency… is up for debate and requires the president to use existing law to justify a declaration. Presidents in recent history have exercised their power to declare national emergencies under the National Emergencies Act of 1976 [However, it is up to the President to “define” what constitutes a national emergency.]

“… [Under a national emergency], the President may seize property, organize and control the means of production, seize commodities, assign military forces abroad, institute martial law, seize and control all transportation and communication, regulate the operation of private enterprise, restrict travel, and, in a variety of ways, control the lives of United States citizens.

“Congress, however, can check the executive branch and overrule the president’s use of the act by passing a joint resolution out of the House and Senate. Like a law, the resolution would require a simple majority in each chamber and require the president’s signature, or require Congress to override his veto” [by 2/3rd vote in both House and Senate].

US Begins Withdrawal from Syria

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 11:

“The United States has started the ‘deliberate withdrawal’ process of its forces from Syria, US military officials confirmed on Friday, but they refused to provide any details on exactly what troops and equipment were being moved… A Defense Department spokesperson later said that while equipment was being moved out of Syria, troops were not withdrawing.

“Separately, the head of the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights… confirmed that the US had started withdrawing troops from the airfield base near the town of Rmeilan in northeast Syria on Thursday evening. Some 150 soldiers and 10 armored vehicles, along with some trucks and heavy equipment, left the town and crossed the Iraqi border, he said…”

Newsmax wrote on January 13:

“President Donald Trump tweeted on Sunday that the United States has begun withdrawing from Syria. ‘Starting the long overdue pullout from Syria while hitting the little remaining ISIS territorial caliphate hard, and from many directions,’ Trump wrote. ‘Will attack again from existing nearby base if it reforms. Will devastate Turkey economically if they hit Kurds…’

“The president also warned the Kurds not to antagonize Turkey in a continuation of his tweet…

“Strains in relations with Turkey have also increased over American demands that Kurds be protected…”

This will make neither side happy.

ISIS Kills American Troops in Syria

Newsmax wrote on January 16:

“A bomb attack claimed by Islamic State killed U.S. troops in northern Syria Wednesday, weeks after President Donald Trump said [the] group was defeated there and he would pull out all American forces… [Reportedly] four U.S. troops had been killed and three wounded in the blast, which an Islamic State-affiliated site said was the work of a suicide bomber…

“The attack, which took place in the town of Manbij, controlled by rebels opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, appears to be the deadliest on U.S. forces in Syria since they deployed on the ground there in 2015…

“A witness in the city said the attack had targeted a restaurant where U.S. personnel were meeting members of the local militia that Washington backs there. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said 16 people had been killed in all, including two Americans. A militia source in north Syria also said two U.S. troops had been killed.”

Ukraine Could Soon Cease to Be a Country

The Independent wrote on January 16:

“Ukraine could lose its statehood if the former Soviet republic continues to be divided by competing interests, Russia’s top security official has said. Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russia’s security council, accused Ukrainian authorities, including president Petro Poroshenko, of being ‘controlled’ by the US amid simmering tensions between Kiev and Moscow… He continued: ‘The Kiev authorities are doing everything to split Ukraine, implementing the West’s scenario to break Ukraine away from Russia, while ignoring the interests of its own people. As a result, the country has been de facto split.’

“Mr Patrushev’s comments come amid a crisis between the two countries following Russia’s 2014 invasion and subsequent annexation of Crimea, an autonomous region in Ukraine’s southeast with close historical and cultural ties to Russia. The standoff moved a step closer towards open conflict last year when three Ukrainian vessels and 24 Ukrainian sailors were fired at and captured by Russian coast guards in the Black Sea in November. A Moscow court on Wednesday extended the detention of eight of the seamen. Russia insists the men should be put on trial for violating its border. Ukraine calls them prisoners of war who were illegally captured…

“The US has provided more than $1bn to Kiev to help enhance its defensive military capabilities, and last year their militaries co-hosted a major exercise involving US Navy warships and hundreds of sailors and Marines…

“Mr Patrushev said [that] ‘anti-government sentiment in the [western] regions is mounting…”

Is Russia creating a scenario under which it will justify a coming annexation of Ukraine?

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.

Revelation 13 describes the ancient Roman Empire and its ten European revivals. It also refers to the person of the end-time military leader, who is called the “beast” as well. (Revelation 13:8; compare also Revelation 16:13; 19:19-20).  We already saw that the person, who is also identified as the modern king of Assyria or King Jareb (meaning “the contentious fighter”), is revealed as being of German or Austrian descent.

We also pointed out that the mark of the beast, which will be enforced on people, describes the general acceptance of the worship system of the revived Holy Roman Empire, and that it is clearly associated with the violation of God’s weekly Sabbath and His annual Holy Days and the observance of manmade pagan holidays. The mark of the beast is not a visible sign or a microchip, but it symbolizes allegiance.

In addition, Revelation 13:17 tells us that no one will be able to buy or sell if he does not have the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Verse 18 reveals that the famous “number of the beast” is the “number of a man.” We are told to “calculate” the number, which is 666. King Lateinos was the founder of Rome. In the Greek, every letter has a numerical value. The numerical value for “Lateinos” is 666. Therefore, the beast is identified as the Roman Empire—the number 666 identifying the founder of the Roman Empire—Lateinos.

In the Greek, L stands for 30, A for 1, T for 300, E for 5, I for 10, N for 50, O for 70, and S for 200. These total 666.

Since the designation of the word “beast” can also refer to the end-time representative or ruler of the final revival of that Empire, it is likely that the numerical value of the “name” of that final human leader of the revived Roman Empire will also be 666. The NAME can refer to a literal name, to an adopted name, or to a well-known expression associated with or describing the beast (such as “Heil Hitler” or “Il Duce”). In addition, when people accept his name, they accept what he stands for and what he does.

The number 666 has great meaning in the Bible. In the Greek, this number is written as 600 and 60 and 6. The number 6 is the number of a man who is far from God or alienated from Him. The combination of the number six in 666 stands for total separation from God and the unconditional submission to Satan the Devil. As we will show, most people will be so deceived that they will worship Satan and his human instruments—the beast and the false prophet—while rejecting the true God and His Law.

The sixth commandment forbids murder in all of its different forms (Exodus 20:13), but man, separated from God, thinks that some kinds of murder are permitted, such as killing in war. Those who will worship and follow the beast and the false prophet will be so deceived that they will not only want to fight against other human beings in war (compare Revelation 13:4), but they are even willing to fight the returning Jesus Christ, thinking perhaps that He is an Alien or “the Antichrist” (compare Revelation 19:17-21; Zechariah 14:1-5, 12-15).

Notice that the beast is referred to as a MAN (compare again Revelation 13:18). In other words, the reference is to a male and not to a female. Even though the general term “man” could refer to a human being in general (male or female), this is not the meaning in Revelation 13. We read in Revelation 13:8: “All who dwell on the earth will worship HIM whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

If the reference in Revelation 13:8 were strictly to the Roman Empire, then one would expect a statement to the effect that the people would worship IT—the Empire or the beast power. But in the Greek, it says “him” in verse 8. The Zuercher Bible points out that one would expect the statement that people would worship “IT”—rather than “HIM.” But saying that all the earth will worship HIM indicates that a MALE person is meant.

We will recall that the ancient Roman Empire received a deadly wound which was healed (compare Revelation 13:3). We find an interesting expression in Revelation 13:14 where reference is made to the “beast WHO [not “which”] was wounded by the sword and lived.” This might also indicate the fact that not only the Roman Empire received a deadly wound and was healed, but also, that the end-time human leader (“the beast”) will suffer a political defeat (so that one may think he has no future), but that he then will arise again from the historical abyss, so that many will marvel and follow him (compare again verse 3).

The Elberfelder Bible confirms in two footnotes their understanding that in verses 8 and 14, a MALE person is meant, as the pronoun is masculine (“he”), not feminine (“she”) or neuter (“it”).

The accuracy of these observations is confirmed by the Literal Translation of The Englishman’s Greek New Testament; giving the Greek Text of Stephens 1150. It says “which” in the text in Revelation 13:14, with the footnote: “os—who.” There is a similar footnote to Revelation 13:8.

In Revelation 13:1-4, 8, 11-12, we are told that it is Satan who will give power to the beast (the system as well as the end-time leader), and that the false prophet, who deceives the nations, causes the nations to worship the beast (Revelation 14:9; compare 20:4). This reminds us of past Greek, Roman and European leaders who were literally worshipped and looked upon as God or a god, and this will also be true for the final military leader. Hitler was perceived by many as a messiah, or the “Messiah,” while Mussolini was worshipped as a god by many Italians.

We read in Daniel 8:23-25 that a fierce king or a king “having fierce features” (verse 23); i.e., Antiochus, would arise with sinister schemes and cunning and deceit; and that he would be broken without human means. The New International Version says: “… a stern-faced king, a master of intrigues.” The Revised Standard Version says: “a king of bold countenance, one who understands riddles.” The Authorized Version says: “… understanding dark sentences.” The Living Bible interprets this as “an angry king… with great shrewdness and intelligence.”

Antiochus was a forerunner of the end-time beast. Antiochus died suddenly of a disease, but since this is a dual prophecy, it also refers to the death of the beast by the hand of Jesus Christ when the beast will be thrown alive into a burning lake of fire (Revelation 19:20). To point out a parallel with the king having fierce features in Daniel 8:23, we read in Deuteronomy 28:50 that the end-time army which will occupy the Middle East is described as a “nation of fierce countenance.”

Daniel 11:21-23 describes Antiochus Epiphanes as having supplanted the ruler and having come into power through intrigue. The end-time beast will act in a similar way. He might also obtain his rule over the ten nations or groups of nations through “intrigue” or “flattery.” In the Living Bible, Daniel 8:25 reads: “He will be a master of deception, defeating many by catching them off guard as they bask in false security.”

The duality of the prophecies in the book of Daniel has been clearly explained by Jesus Christ Himself. We saw already that the beast (also called the King of the North) will invade the Middle East and, together with the false prophet, he will suppress the daily sacrifices and bring about the abomination of desolation. Jesus Christ confirmed that the abomination of desolation, which Antiochus set up in the temple (Daniel 11:31), will be set up again (Matthew 24:15). The abomination of desolation has been understood as describing a devastating army occupying Jerusalem as well as the erection of an idol, a statue or an “image,” an ungodly presence such as the man of sin sitting in the Temple of God, or pagan worship services in the Temple.

The beast will be deeply anti-Semitic, anti-American and anti-British. Antiochus, a forerunner of the end-time beast, hated the Jewish religion and tried to ridicule it (by offering swine’s blood on the Jewish altar) and attempted to wipe it out completely. The beast will try to do likewise.

We read in Psalm 83:4-9 about an alliance or a confederacy between Arabic nations and modern Assyria so that “the name of Israel may be remembered no more” (verse 4). The name of Israel would apply to both the modern descendants of the ancient house of Israel (mainly the USA and the UK) as well as the Jewish people. But God will view this as a confederacy against Him (verse 5).

We also read in Luke 21:20-24 that the beast and his armies will attack Jerusalem with wrath against the people of Judah.

Another statement about the King of the North is worthy of consideration. We read that he “does not regard the desire of women” (Daniel 11:37).

The old Luther Bible of 1964 translates that he does not care for the love of or have love toward women (“Frauenliebe”). This could be a reference to other than normal sexual preferences. The commentary of Henry speaks of “unnatural lust” in this context. This might indicate that the beast will be homosexual (compare Romans 1:24-28). If the reference is to the homosexual nature of the end-time beast, we could think, as a forerunner, of Emperor Hadrian who massacred the Jews. He was married, but he was also homosexual. The beast could very well be married and still be homosexual or he might be living in self-imposed celibacy.

The German Schlachter Study Bible says: “Desire of Women could mean that the [beast] is homosexual, but it surely means that he has no normal interest in women such as for example someone who lives in celibacy.”

Daniel 11:36-39 also states: “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done. He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain.”

We read earlier that people will worship the beast and the false prophet. In the above-quoted passage in Daniel 11:36-39, we read that the beast will invite such worship. He will exalt himself mightily, above every god (compare Revelation 13:6). At the same time, he will honor with gold, silver, precious stones and pleasant things a god which his fathers did not know (Daniel 11:38), and he will act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god which he will acknowledge and advance its glory (Daniel 11:39). This might be a reference to the false prophet whom his fathers did not know and who will proclaim to be God. The beast will rely on his cooperation and psychological support in war by giving him much fortune, pretending to accept him as a god who will give victory in war—such as the false prophet will influence the masses to worship the beast (Revelation 13:12).

It is also implied that the beast will place much confidence in his own military capabilities. People will follow him and glorify him for his war-making abilities (compare again Revelation 13:4).

The Bible shows that the final resurrection of the Roman Empire and the manifestation of the beast will coincide with the end-time preaching of the gospel.

Habakkuk 1:5-10 reads as follows: “Look among the nations and watch—Be utterly astonished! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you. For indeed I am raising up the Chaldeans, A bitter and hasty nation Which marches through the breadth of the earth, To possess dwelling places that are not theirs. They are terrible and dreadful… They all come for violence… They gather captives like sand. They scoff at kings…”

Isaiah 23:13 tells us that the ancient Assyrians founded the land of the Chaldeans. It will be the modern Assyrians—mainly the German-speaking peoples—who will lead the final resurrection of the “Holy Roman Empire.” In ancient times, the Chaldeans were Babylon’s religious leaders, astrologers and magicians.

Habakkuk’s prophecy of Babylonian warfare is clearly awaiting an end-time fulfillment.

Paul later quoted these words and applied them as a warning to people who would reject the gospel message. We read in Acts 13:32-41: “And we declare to you glad tidings—that promise which was made to the fathers… let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man [Jesus Christ] is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. BEWARE therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets COME UPON YOU [quoting Habakkuk 1:5]: ‘Behold, you despisers, Marvel and perish! For I work a work in your days, A work which you will by no means believe, Though one were to declare it to you.’”

God said that His Work, the end-time preaching of the gospel, would be powerful, but short. Romans 9:28 states: “For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, Because the LORD will make a SHORT WORK upon the earth.”

The Bible prophesies that at the time when the powerful preaching of the gospel message is being revived, modern Chaldeans or modern Babylon will rise once again in Europe as the seventh and very SHORT-lived resurrection of the ancient “Holy Roman Empire”—a combination between church and state.

God will use modern Babylon in a literal SWIFT blitzkrieg to punish the modern houses of Israel and Judah for their transgressions (compare also Isaiah 29:13-14, referring indirectly to Habakkuk 1:5). But God will then punish modern Babylon (Habakkuk 2:8)—a system less righteous than modern Israel and Judah (compare Habakkuk 1:12-13).

In this context, we read in Habakkuk 1:11 that after the modern Babylonian/Assyrian leader—the beast—has come to power, his mind will change. This term could be a reference to demonic possession.  Barnes’ Notes on the Bible says it could describe the invisible presence of a spirit (compare Job 4:15; the word for “passed” in that passage is the same word as for “change” in Habakkuk). We know, of course, from passages such as Revelation 16:13-14, that the beast (as well as the false prophet) will be demonically possessed, but this passage in Habakkuk seems to indicate that the possession will occur after he has received his authority and power from the ten core nations or groups of nations.

Daniel 8:24 says that: “His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power.” The Living Bible interprets this to mean: “His power shall be mighty, but it will be satanic strength and not his own.”

However, we would not expect that his entire personality and his way of thinking will change in that he will become anti-Semitic or anti-American/British even though he had been pro-Jewish and pro-American/British before. His latent hostile feelings towards Jews, Americans and Brits had been there all along. But when the demonic possession occurs, these feelings will magnify and lead to extremely violent conduct. For instance, Judas Iscariot was always a thief, craving for money; Satan used this problem and influenced and possessed him to betray Christ for money. The point is, Judas was not originally a giving person and only changed into a greedy thief, when Satan possessed him.

When we see the rise of modern Babylon, the preaching of the gospel and the manifestation of the beast with the characteristics and features as described herein, we will know that Christ’s return is imminent.

(To Be Continued)

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

A new Member Letter (January 2019) has been written and mailed to our subscribers. In this letter, Elder Eric Rank points to our need to rely on God in order to face the prophesied events which are coming before Christ’s return.

We are saddened to report that Andrew Burns, a long-time member of the Church of God in the UK, suddenly and unexpectedly died of a heart attack. Andrew had been regularly attending with us at the Feast of Tabernacles in Derbyshire, Wales and in Germany.

“Governmental Attacks on Jews and Christians in Europe,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Anti-Semitism is increasing in Europe, and with it governmental attacks on Jews and minority Christians, including in countries where you might or might not expect it, such as Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Austria and Germany. This program gives you examples of blatant discrimination and persecution which will only get worse in the future.

“Die Bibel beschreibt die Person des Tieres!” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “The Bible Describes the Person of the Beast.”

“Europe’s Army — Comments on News and Prophecy (January 12, 2019),” the message presented last Sabbath by Norbert Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

In the past, much was SAID about a European army. NOW, it is being DONE and taking shape. We are presenting little-known developments. But we must be careful that we don’t have the attitude that Christ is delaying His coming.

“Naked or Clothed,” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Kalon Mitchell, is now posted. Here is a summary:

We are warned not to be spiritually naked. We are told to be clothed with righteousness. What happens when we aren’t? What happens when we find ourselves spiritually naked? The warnings to be clothed are powerful and should inspire each Christian to make the changes necessary to remain clothed and ready for the soon return of Jesus Christ.