Update 1018

On April 23, 2022, Eric Rank will present the sermonette, titled, “Excuses,” and the sermon will be presented by Dave Harris, titled, “Praise the LORD!”

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 Day of Unleavened Bread—Live Services, April 22, 2022

Brian Gale will present the Offertory, and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “A Catalog of Sins—Not that Important?”

This can be a challenging question at times for us. But it is one that we have to learn the answer to! From the youngest among us to the oldest, this is something that we have to learn and continue to believe—continuing to come back to the answer time and again in our lives.

There may be circumstances or moments in our lives where we feel that God is not there, or that He doesn’t care; that He is not answering our prayers, and, by extension, that He doesn’t love us. There are a lot of things that can cause us to feel this way. But are these feelings justified?

In the book of Job, Job came to ask a lot of these same questions. And it was revealed that God was there all along. God didn’t stop loving or caring for Job. In the book of Hebrews 12, we are told that often, when we may feel like we are going through hard times, it is because God loves us (vs. 3-11).

There is an order to the way God has things set up. When we obey God to the best of our ability, He rewards us. When we are failing, He provides corrections so that we can learn and turn. When we choose to do our own things—what we decide and what we think is right—God allows us to do them. But it is not without consequences.

Really, the Way of God is very simple. It revolves around love—love for God and love for other human beings. This is very basic! We teach it to our young children as the “Golden Rule.” When we break it all down, this is what it is about. But it is when we choose to follow our own ways–our own desires—that we stray from God and start to follow the current ruler of this world, Satan. His ways are ALWAYS trying to destroy God’s love and His simplicity. If we think about the wrong ways of life which are too numerous to list, it should be easy to see that the issue is NOT, ”Does God love me?”, but rather, “Do I love God?” Satan wants destruction in every way shape or form—from relationships with each other and with God to disobedience to God, disobedience to parents, and it goes on.

Notice how this Scripture in John 14:21 shows this point perfectly: “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” This is how God operates—on the basis of love.  Proverbs 8:17 speaks in this way of the wisdom of God: “I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.” It is wisdom to seek after God’s wisdom and to come to understand it, because therein is true knowledge of God’s love.

As we kept the week of Unleavened Bread, it is a good time to reflect on these simple truths and to let them soak in deeply. As a human being, I am extremely familiar with wanting to do and indeed doing my own things, seeking my own ways and my own desires. And I can safely say that those times do NOT produce and have NOT produced good things for me. In fact, the good things in my life have been and continue to be provided by God. My responsibility is to continue to draw close to God. So many times in life, if we would simply stop and allow God in more fully, we would truly find a better path forward. Matthew 6:33 tells us: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” This goes for children as well as adults. No one is exempt! No one!

God LOVES us because we are part of His plan. We have been called at this time to be the firstfruits–the first of MANY brethren. If you are a child whose parents [or at least one parent] are in the Church of God and are baptized, then God has ALSO set you apart and sanctified you. When our children are young (and sometimes a little bit older), we have them blessed by the ministry, asking for God to provide a guardian angel for protection throughout that young person’s life. If God didn’t love and care for even our young children, this wouldn’t be something that we would do. In fact, many Scriptures in the Bible point out how much God loves and cares for the young people in our congregations. Quite interestingly, one of the 10 Commandments is dedicated to children (young and old). Deuteronomy 5:16 says: “‘Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you.” Also, we are told that a child is known by his actions. Proverbs 20:11 reads: “Even a child is known by his deeds, Whether what he does is pure and right.”

We ALL must come to realize that God indeed loves all of us to an amount we are unable to really comprehend. In order to fully come to learn how much He loves us, we must continue to seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 says: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” If we truly want to know that God loves us then we must continue to seek Him and let Him lead until we can come to the point where we can say and believe what it says in Philippians 2:13: “… for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

When we take these things in and put our faith in them, even in the hardest of times, we will be able to see that God is there and that He will never leave or forsake us as long as we keep coming to Him and put Him front and center in our lives. When we do this, we can have full assurance that what He says in Isaiah 41:10 is directed at each and every one of us: “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

by Norbert Link

We begin with renewed violence at the Temple Mount and Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem (please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Time to build the Third Temple in the face of Violence?” ); discuss numerous failed attempts to end the war in Ukraine; report about the war’s ongoing and accelerating destruction; point out Ukraine’s disappointment with Germany and some German politicians; and focus on questions raised by Ukraine regarding American help.

We speak on events pertaining to Denmark, Finland, Sweden and France; and publish an article claiming that both the mass media and the CIA are lying to us.

We conclude with highly controversial mask mandates; a surprising but overdue decision by a federal court judge and reactions; and the planned release of engineered mosquitos in California.  

Clashes on the Temple Mount

Daily Mail wrote on April 15:

“Israeli security forces clashed with hundreds of stone-hurling Palestinians early this Easter Friday morning after they entered a Palestinian holy site during Ramadan prayers… According to Israeli authorities, ‘dozens of masked men’ marched into the Al-Aqsa mosque compound before dawn carrying Palestinian and Hamas flags, chanting and setting off fireworks.

“In response, Israeli forces entered the mosque compound where thousands of Muslims were gathered to perform prayers during the holy month of Ramadan. Palestinian protesters then threw stones and fireworks at Israeli security forces, who returned fire with rubber-coated bullets and tear gas on the sprawling esplanade surrounding the mosque…

“The violence took place at Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism, which is also home to the Al-Aqsa mosque, the third holiest site in Islam. It also comes at a time of heightened tensions when the Islamic holy month of Ramadan overlaps with the Jewish holiday of Passover. …

“Hamas condemned what it said were ‘brutal attacks’ on worshippers at Al-Aqsa by Israeli forces, saying Israel would bear ‘all the consequences.’ It called on all Palestinians to ‘stand by our people in Jerusalem.’”

AFP added:

“More than 150 people were wounded Friday in clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli police in Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque compound, the first face-off at the flashpoint holy site since the start of Ramadan… Around 400 people were arrested… The US, European Union and the Arab League have… voiced their concern. Washington on Friday said it was ‘deeply concerned’ by the events in Jerusalem.”

Further violence broke out on “Easter Sunday” at the Al-Aqsa mosque.

“When Blood Spills on Passover and Easter, it’s Time to Build the Temple”

The Jerusalem Post wrote on April 18:

“Hamas exposed their greatest fear: that Israel will start to build the Temple. For thousands of years, Jews have been praying for a return to the Land of Israel. Over the last century, we have miraculously been restored to our homeland from the four corners of the earth, but are still awaiting the proper time to build the Temple. Judaism is incomplete without the Temple, and Passover is a prime example, as Deuteronomy makes clear: ‘You are not permitted to slaughter the Passover sacrifice in any of the settlements that Hashem your God is giving you; but at the place where Hashem your God will choose to establish His name, there alone shall you slaughter the Pesach sacrifice, in the evening, at sundown, the time of day when you departed from Egypt’ (Deuteronomy 16:5, 6).

“Hamas is terrified that after close to 75 years of statehood, Israel will begin turning its attention to the place where God chose to establish His name. In fact, each year, more and more Israelis take the dangerous risk of ascending the holy mountain under the hostile guards of Jordanian officials. Palestinian terrorists are getting scared as Jews are getting serious about restoring our holy of holies, the site we pray towards every day, and the building we beseech God for repeatedly throughout our liturgy.

“On a national level, the rebuilding of the Temple would be a great humiliation to Palestinian terror groups, but on a religious level, the construction of Judaism’s Third Temple would in no way pose a threat to Islam, whose main religious holy sites are in Mecca and Medina. Responsible Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders should use this recent wave of Islamic violence to immediately begin discussing practical and peaceful steps for the rebuilding of the Temple on the Temple Mount. It could be done without damaging or disrespecting the Dome of the Rock or Al Aqsa, as part of a future peace plan between Israel and her Arab neighbors to end the plague of Islamic terror once and for all.

“During periods of history, Islam held great respect for Judaism’s Temple in Jerusalem, and one can imagine many potential scenarios in the ever-changing Mideast, where significant segments of Islam could do so once again. Similarly, for many centuries, Christianity looked at the Temple with hostility, but as relations between Jews and Evangelicals have improved in recent years, some Christians are rethinking their relationship with the Temple.

“I asked John Enarson, the Christian relations director of Cry for Zion, a Temple Mount advocacy group, what his thoughts were on the connection between Easter and the Temple, and the implications for Christians today. ‘We Christians have often thought that Resurrection Sunday spelled the end for the Holy Temple in God’s plan,’ Enarson explained. ‘But when we read the Gospels and Book of Acts carefully, the Apostles continued to be passionate for God’s House in Jerusalem, including Paul. As God is restoring Zion, we need to rediscover our own texts with Jewish glasses, and that includes God’s Temple.’

“With more Christians coming alongside the Jews and becoming passionate about the need to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, we have a unique opportunity today. Rather than lamenting the terrible violence that disrupted Passover, Easter and Ramadan, we must take steps to prevent religious violence from causing further blood to be spilled in the streets of Jerusalem. It’s time for peace-loving Jews, Christians and Muslims to come together and build the ‘house of prayer for all nations.’”

For a discussion of this and other related articles, see our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Time to build the Third Temple in the face of Violence?”

Austria and Russia “Talk”…

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 11:

“Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer on Monday became the first European leader to visit Moscow and meet Russian President Vladimir Putin since the invasion of Ukraine began on February 24. Nehammer called the talks ‘direct, open and tough’… The Austrian chancellor emphasized that the trip had not been a ‘friendly visit,’ adding that he had brought up the issue of war crimes in Bucha and other places and stressed that ‘all those who are responsible will be held to account,’ Austrian media reported him as saying. Nehammer said he had come away from the talks with ‘no optimistic impression.’…”

German Government Reserved and Cold

Bild Online wrote on April 11:

“In this interview with BILD, Volodymyr Zelenskyy (44) praises the German population’s solidarity with Ukraine. When it comes to the German government, however, he is critical… ‘The truth is that, from the beginning, Germany has been very cautious in its support for Ukraine – not the German people, I want to stress, but the German government. Germany, at first, didn’t support us with arms and openly said that we could not become a member of NATO and the EU. To be honest, Germany’s rhetoric has changed by now. Still, Germany plays no leading role in Europe so far. It remains reserved and cold towards us. But things are moving. I firmly believe that.’’

Steinmeier Not Welcome in Ukraine

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (66) stated to Bild Online that he was willing to visit Ukraine, but was rejected, due to his past close ties to Russia. More and more articles appear in the German press blaming Steinmeier and Merkel for the current disaster in Ukraine, due to their appeasing and friendly relationship with Putin over the decades. Also, while Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen visited Kyiv, Olaf Scholz has so far refused to do so. Maybe he feared that his visit would not be welcome either or rejected.

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 12:

“Ukraine has previously been highly critical of the German president over his connections with Russia and the leading role he played as former foreign minister in improving relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin…. Earlier this month, Ukrainian ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk and Polish Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski… told the Tagesspiegel newspaper that the German president had not been serious about his break with Russia. He added that people connected to Steinmeier like Jens Plötner, foreign policy advisor to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andreas Michaelis, as well as many important ambassadors, also share Steinmeier’s close relations with Moscow.

“Steinmeier was close to former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, whose ties to Russia after retirement have become increasingly notorious. He also had two stints as foreign minister before becoming president, including when Crimea was annexed. Kaczynski was also critical of Berlin’s foreign policy in Welt am Sonntag, where he said Poland ‘is not pleased with Germany’s role in Europe.’”

Deutsche Welle added on April 14:

“Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin suggested Steinmeier’s offer to visit Kyiv might have been rejected because of overall ‘disappointment’ and ‘frustration’ about Berlin’s role in the crisis… Klimkin said that there was a perception in Ukraine that Germany was complicit in enabling Moscow to build up its war machine by buying Russian oil and gas and accused Berlin of doing ‘nothing’ over many years to counter the Kremlin.”

The Guardian wrote on April 14:

“Kyiv has tried to patch up diplomatic relations with Germany…  saying it would welcome a visit instead by the chancellor, Olaf Scholz. The snub to Steinmeier, who has a history as an advocate of close Russian-German economic ties, led to a backlash in Germany, with Scholz describing it on Wednesday as ‘confusing…  to be polite about it’…

“Germany has been seen as the constant backmarker in its support for Ukraine, blocking an EU-wide ban on Russian oil and refusing to provide heavy weaponry from its stocks on the basis that the weaponry was needed by the German army, or would be of little use to Ukraine defence forces untrained in the weaponry.”

No Heavy Weapons from Germany

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 19:

“Scholz said that, although the German army, the Bundeswehr, did not have much left to offer Ukraine, his government was supporting German arms manufacturers financially…. He listed anti-tank weapons, air defense equipment, ammunition ‘and also what can be used in an artillery engagement’ as possible weapons that could be supplied. The chancellor added that Germany was able to supply spare parts for certain weapons that other NATO allies were delivering to Ukraine.

“Scholz has faced mounting pressure — from Ukrainian officials, German opposition politicians and lawmakers within his own governing coalition — to provide Ukraine with more robust equipment in the face of a fresh Russian offensive… As a parting note, Scholz also made clear that, while allies may choose to supply heavy weapons to Ukraine’s war effort, ‘NATO can’t and won’t get directly involved in the war.’”

However, Fox News added on April 20:

“Germany said it has maxed out its ability to send arms to Ukraine on Wednesday and instead pledged to provide training to Ukrainian forces and maintain its military equipment. ‘While other partners supply artillery, we will help with training and maintenance,’ German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said during a press conference.”

So, this announcement by Baerbock seems to strongly contradict the declarations by Chancellor Scholz and does not only seem to refer to “offensive” weapons or heavy weapons which Germany was unwilling to supply anyhow. Rather, it seems to refer to all kinds of weapons. Bild had already written on Tuesday that Scholz’s initial “arrogant” statements were either “evasive” or “untrue,” and that Scholz is unwilling to provide Ukraine with what they need. Ukraine has reacted with strong disapproval and utter disappointment, stating that Scholz’s position is “absurd,” and as in times past, Ukraine will not forget Germany’s perceived failing. Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that “ the war against Russia would have already been won if Western allies including the US and NATO had sent more weapons to arm Ukraine” (New York Post, April 20).

Pro-Russia Demonstrations in Germany

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 10:

“Pro-Russia protesters rallied for a second day in Germany on Sunday, demanding an end to discrimination against the country’s large Russian-speaking population since the conflict in Ukraine erupted… Organizers said that they wanted to put a spotlight on the growing intolerance toward Russians living in Germany.

“However, many observers have questioned whether the protests are not thinly disguised shows of support for the war, and both rallies were met by counter-demonstrations in support of Ukraine. A day earlier, pro-Russia convoys rolled through multiple German cities. One convoy with about 190 cars drove through the southwestern city of Stuttgart, with the motto ‘Against Discrimination Against Russian-speaking People.’ Participants waved banners reading ‘Stop Russophobia’ and urged an end to discrimination against Russian-speaking children in schools. City officials had warned participants beforehand that the event could not show support for the conflict…

“The pro-Russia demos have sparked a backlash, with many seeing them as a show of support for the Kremlin. A similar convoy in Berlin triggered sharp criticism last weekend. Germany’s Bild newspaper called it a ‘parade of shame.’… Germany is home to around 1.2 million Russians and 325,000 Ukrainians, plus more than 316,000 who have arrived as refugees since the start of the conflict.”

Sadly, in times of war, discrimination against innocent people becomes the norm. Deutsche Welle reported on April 18: “Police in several states across Germany have opened investigations into public displays of support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine… More than 140 investigations have been launched, most looking into the use of the ‘Z’ symbol that has been seen in several protests in Germany alongside Russian flags.”

This move seems to clearly violate the German constitution, guaranteeing the freedom of speech and assembly. Of course, the German government has been guilty of such violations on numerous occasions before in context with their illegal coronavirus restrictions.

Sympathy for Putin in Germany’s East

The Washington Post wrote on April 15:

 “… most residents [in Saxony] feel no affinity for Putin as he wages a bloody war in Ukraine. But they’re hardly lining up with the West against Russia, either… Sixty-eight percent of people in the state, whose capital is Dresden, say their opinion of the Russian population has not changed since the invasion… Nearly 4 in 10 say their perceptions of Putin are also unchanged. Across eastern Germany, people are 13 percentage points less likely than in the west to say Putin’s Russia is a threat to their country…

“The difference reflects the former communist east’s four-decade history as a Soviet satellite state in which Russian-language instruction was required. It also reveals the effects of economic and cultural ties cultivated with Russia in the three decades since German reunification in 1990… Many in Saxony… are reluctant to pick sides in a new version of the Cold War.”

Don’t Wait for Germany

The Sun wrote on April 8:

“… our failings are insignificant against those of Germany and others whose vast payments for Russian gas are still bankrolling the genocide. We accept that Chancellor Olaf Scholz is having to pick up the pieces of Angela Merkel’s catastrophic appeasement of Putin and deranged energy policies. But he is still choosing Germany’s economic comfort over innocent lives and the futures of Ukraine and Europe itself.

“He hopes to ditch Kremlin gas by mid-2024. That will be far, far too late… We must cripple Putin’s finances NOW, not just as soon as comfortable Germans consider it convenient. The horrors so far in Ukraine are only the start. We are in a race to prevent more.”

Fortress Europe’s Trade Restrictions

Express wrote on April 14:

“President Volodmry Zelensky has continuously asked the EU and European countries to provide weapons to Ukraine to fight against Russian forces. However, weapons support is low and many levies are still being enforced by the EU, whilst the UK agreed to abolish quotas and reduce trade restrictions.

“Facts4EU.org analysed the current trade deals, coming to the conclusion it is ‘just like’ the Northern Ireland Protocol. Researchers wrote: ‘UK responds with help, while EU dallies and maintains its Fortress Europe for trade. The EU delivers Ukraine its very own protocol just like Northern Ireland.’ It said there are 925 categories of EU quotas and tariffs remaining in place.”

 This is incredible and shows the EU’s utter hypocrisy.

Moskva Has Sunk… Biggest Navy Disaster Since World War II

The Guardian wrote on April 14:

“Russia’s flagship missile cruiser Moskva has sunk in ‘stormy seas’ while being towed to a port in the Black Sea following an explosion, the Russian defence ministry has announced… The Ukrainian southern military command claimed… to have struck the Moskva with Neptune anti-ship cruise missiles…

“The apparent attack and sinking of the Black Sea fleet’s flagship…  represents a symbolic blow to the Kremlin. The Moskva was the pride of Russia’s Black Sea naval fleet and the most prestigious vessel involved in the war against Ukraine… Commissioned in 1983, the ship was armed with 16 anti-ship Vulkan cruise missiles with a range of at least 440 miles (700km). According to reports, it was also carrying S-300 anti-air missiles, which are crucial to Russia’s air superiority over Crimea and Ukraine’s Kherson province, now occupied by Russian troops.

“It is the most significant naval vessel to be sunk since the Argentinean cruiser General Belgrano was torpedoed by a British submarine… in 1982 [during the Falkland crisis].  It is the first time Moscow has lost a cruiser since German planes sunk the Chervona Ukraina (Red Ukraine) in 1941 at Sevastopol – the same Crimean naval base where the Moskva was being towed towards when it sank…”

The Sun added on 4-15::

“… the [Neptune] missiles can hit speeds of more than 650mph as they streak towards the enemy ship. Russia’s defence ministry said earlier that over 500 crew aboard the Soviet-era missile cruiser were evacuated after ammunition exploded…  there are at least 300 feared dead after the strike on the Moskva… [Kyiv has claimed that all 510 crew on-board including its captain were killed.].

“Russia has suffered a disastrous war in Ukraine – losing nearly 20,000 troops, almost 3,000 tanks, and 300 aircraft… Russia’s flagship had been operated in the Black Sea since the start of the war and is believed to have taken part in strikes on the coast of Ukraine. And she famously… opened fire on defenders holding out on Snake Island… The ship… was originally called the Slava…  she became the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet [in 2000 and] played a role in the 2008 invasion of Georgia, sailed in the Med during Russia’s bombardment of Syria in 2013 and 2014, and blockaded Ukraine during the annexation of Crimea.

“Ukraine is continuing to call for aid as it receives weapons and vehicles from the West. But world leaders and Nato remain fearful to provide much more unless they risk open war with Russia and potentially World War 3.”

One has to wonder whether this is an example of justice.

Axios wrote on 4-15:

“A senior U.S. defense official told Axios on Friday that Ukraine sank Russia’s Moskva cruiser, the former flagship of its Black Sea fleet, with two cruise missiles, validating claims from Ukrainian officials… The account contradicts Russia’s defense ministry claims on Thursday that the  ship sunk during bad weather while being towed to a port to repair damages from a fire that detonated ammunition on board.”

Russian Warning: No More Weapons for Ukraine

The Guardian wrote on April 15:

“Russia reportedly sent a formal warning to the US to stop sending weapons to Ukraine, saying more shipments could result in ‘unpredictable consequences’. 

“According to the Washington Post, Moscow told the White House that its arms shipments were ‘adding fuel’ to the war in Ukraine. The state department would not confirm the communication, but officials made clear that the US would continue sending weapons to Ukraine.”

Putin must realize that the war does not go too well for him. Boxed in a corner, he would be capable of doing just about anything, including using nuclear weapons, if God were to allow it.

Not Too Sure About American Help

CBS News wrote on April 10::

“Despite Zelenskyy’s repeated pleas for a no-fly zone, the U.S. and its allies have declined, saying it could lead to a direct military confrontation between two nuclear-armed powers – the U.S. and Russia. ‘I remember, all of us remember, books about the second World War and about the devil in uniform – Adolf Hitler’ [in an interview with 60 Minutes,] Zelenskyy said. ‘Are those countries who did not participate in the war responsible? The countries who let German forces march throughout Europe? Does the world carry responsibility for the genocide? Yes. Yes, it does. When you [have the ability to] close the sky – yes it’s scary, that a world war could start. It’s scary. I understand [that]. And I cannot put pressure on these people because everyone is afraid of war. But whether the world [is responsible] for this, I believe so, yes. I believe so’…

“Zelenskyy warned that not doing more for Ukraine now means Russia could ‘move closer and closer to Europe’… Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, told Pelley that he asked the Biden administration for heavier weapons – tanks and jets – and for them to be delivered fast… A White House official told 60 Minutes that Yermak received a ‘yes’ to his requests, but filling those orders takes time…

“Meanwhile, Russia is escalating its attacks in the East and South. ‘We think this will be a new wave of this war… there will be many times more than there is now,’ Zelenskyy said. ‘[All] depends on [how fast] we will be helped by the United States. To be honest, whether we will be able to [survive] depends on this. I have 100% confidence in our people and in our armed forces. But unfortunately, I don’t have the confidence that we will be receiving everything we need’…

“When asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin should be prosecuted for war crimes, Zelenskyy said ‘everyone who made a decision, who issued an order, who fulfilled an order, everyone who is relevant to this, I believe they are all guilty.’ He added that he does believe Putin is ‘one’ of the people responsible.”

It is also telling that President Biden has refused so far to visit Ukraine.

Denmark Against European Army

The Local wrote on April 11:

“Denmark’s government said on Monday it will hold a fresh referendum on the country’s participation in EU defence and military areas should the union ever decide to establish a supranational army… And the government would recommend that the public vote no (to the treaty)…

“Denmark’s opt-out… is one of four EU special arrangements negotiated by the Scandinavian country, and has seen it abstain from participation in EU military operations and from providing support or supplies to EU-led defence efforts…

“A supranational EU army would represent a significantly larger commitment from member states than the present EU joint military activities. EU countries can currently choose not to send their soldiers on military missions with the EU, but that right would not exist in a theoretical EU army…”

Such a supranational Army WILL be formed.

Finland and Sweden to Join NATO?

The Times wrote on April 11:

“Russia has made a ‘massive strategic blunder’ as Finland and Sweden look poised to join Nato as early as the summer, according to officials. Washington is banking on the move that will stretch Russia’s military and enlarge the western alliance from 30 to 32 members as a direct consequence of President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

“US officials said Nato membership for both Nordic countries was ‘a topic of conversation and multiple sessions’ during talks between the alliance’s foreign ministers last week attended by Sweden and Finland…  Finland’s application is expected in June, with Sweden expected to follow.”

The New York Post wrote on April 14:

​“Russia vowed Thursday that if Finland and Sweden join NATO, Moscow would bolster its troop presence and deploy nuclear weapons around the Baltic region… Putin insisted this week that Russia was forced to invade Ukraine because the US and its allies were using the Kyiv government to threaten Moscow with NATO expansion.​”

Putin changed his justification again for his invasion in blaming NATO’s expansion. First, he had given many different “justifications,” including blaming Ukraine for the alleged persecution of Russians. But the problem with a liar is that he does not remember his lies and can’t get his story straight.

Macron vs. Le Pen

The Associated Press wrote on April 11:

“Emmanuel Macron will face far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen in a winner-takes-all runoff for the French presidency, after they both advanced Sunday in the first round of voting in the country’s election to set up another head-to-head clash of their sharply opposing visions for France… the runoff is essentially a new election and the next two weeks of campaigning to the April 24 second-round vote promise to be bruising and confrontational against his 53-year-old political nemesis… Le Pen wants to roll back some rights for Muslims, banning them from wearing headscarves in public, and to drastically reduce immigration from outside Europe…

“Macron had just over 27% and Le Pen had just under 24%… The election outcome will have wide international influence as Europe struggles to contain the havoc wreaked by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Macron has strongly backed European Union sanctions on Russia while Le Pen has worried about their impact on French living standards. Macron also is a firm supporter of NATO and of close collaboration among the European Union’s 27 members… Le Pen… tapped into the foremost issue on many French voters’ minds: soaring costs for food, gas and heating due to rising inflation and the repercussions of Western sanctions on Russia.”

Express wrote on April 16:

“French President Emmanuel Macron should pray next week is uneventful. If it is, he will be reelected. Marine Le Pen should pray for someone or something to disrupt the political week. If that happens, she probably wins the election… the contest remains close. The gap between the candidates is small and well within our poll’s margin of error. .. The number of voters still undecided between Macron and Le Pen is quite high…

“Two-thirds of those who abstained or left their ballots blank in the first round will do the same in the second round. We project turnout to be markedly lower than the 75 percent of registered voters that participated in 2017’s presidential second round, the lowest turnout since 1969.”

From a prophetic perceptive, it would be difficult to see how Macron could lose against Le Pen. But stranger things have happened.

Macron vs. Biden

Breitbart wrote on April 14:

“French President Emmanuel Macron has rebuked US President Joe Biden’s accusation that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is committing genocide in Ukraine, implying such claims are not ‘prudent’… ‘I would say that Russia unilaterally launched a brutal war, that it is now established that war crimes were committed by the Russian army and that we must now find those responsible,’ Le Figaro reports the French President as explaining. ‘…but at the same time I look at the facts and I want to try as much as possible to continue to be able to stop this war and to rebuild peace, so I’m not sure that the escalation of words serves the cause,’ he said, his claim in stark contrast with Biden’s recent verbal approach to the conflict…

“This is not the first time that Macron has reprimanded Biden over his Russian rhetoric. The French President has previously stepped in after the American labelled Putin ‘a butcher’ who ‘cannot remain in power’, publicly criticising the Democrat President over the fiery comments. ‘I would not use those words,’ Macron said in response to Biden’s apparent nod towards regime change in Moscow…

“However, while Macron has pushed back against the fiery anti-Putin rhetoric, officials in Ukraine have appeared only to fan the flames, with the country’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, voicing support for Biden’s genocide allegations online. ‘True words of a true leader,’ the Ukrainian President said in a post online regarding Biden’s accusation that Putin was involved in genocide in Ukraine. ‘Calling things by their names is essential to stand up to evil.’

“Zelensky followed up his praise with a request for more ‘heavy weapons’, the supplying of which one ex-advisor to former Chancellor Angela Merkel has said could help kick off World War III.”

Are the Mass Media and the CIA Lying to Us?

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on April 11:

“Late last year, a Gallup poll showed that… only seven percent of Americans… have a ‘great deal’ of trust in the media…  Citizens of the Soviet Union would read manipulated media like Pravda not because the regime reported facts, but because truth was hidden between the lines of what was reported and what was not reported. That seems to be where we are in the US today.

“Last week an extraordinary article appeared in, of all places, NBC News, reporting that the US intelligence community is knowingly feeding information it does not believe accurate to the US mainstream media for the American audience to consume… According to the NBC News article, ‘multiple US officials acknowledged that the US has used information as a weapon even when confidence in the accuracy of the information wasn’t high…’

“After the Bay of Pigs disaster, President Kennedy has been quoted as wanting ‘to splinter the CIA in a thousand pieces and scatter it to the winds.’ That didn’t work out too well for him. As Senate Majority Chuck Schumer famously told Rachel Maddow in 2020, responding to the-President Trump’s criticism of the CIA, ‘let me tell you: You take on the intelligence community — they have six ways from Sunday at getting back at you.’…

“It’s time to revisit President Kennedy’s post-Bay of Pigs wish…”

Alarming, disturbing and quite frightening. An American power more powerful than the American Presidency and his administration?? Interestingly, the reputation of the CIA has never been that good.

Germany’s Infamous Health Minister of Doom Karl Lauterbach

Breitbart wrote on April 19:

“Germany’s now-infamous Health Minister, Karl Lauterbach, has warned the country’s population that a new, extremely deadly variant of COVID could emerge in Autumn, which would, in turn, require a return of harsh lockdown measures. However, the forced-vaccination loving minister has been lambasted by both experts within the medical world, as well as members of his own government over the warning, with one virologist saying that his comments were ultimately unscientific.

“According to Bild, Lauterbach said that he believed that there was a probability that a so-called ‘killer variant’ could hit Germany in Autumn after a Summer out of lockdown, which would necessitate the return of harsh forced mask-wearing measures. What’s more, the Health Minister appears to believe that the unvaxxed are to blame in this hypothetical scenario, linking the rejection of his forced vaccination measures to the apparently forthcoming medical crisis.’

“While the health minister appears to believe a ‘killer’ virus may be right around the corner, other medical experts appear to strongly dispute this, reprimanding the leftist politician for his claim. ‘According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the appearance of a “killer variant” in autumn is a very unlikely scenario,’ Der Spiegel reports one expert, WHO-linked virologist Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit as saying, who also reportedly described the SPD member’s comments as unscientific….

“Some of Lauterbach’s colleagues within the German coalition government have also taken aim at the Federal Health Minister, with one lambasting the politician’s comments as unhelpful… [One] German Green party member [described] the comments as being a frontrunner for ‘nonsense of the year’.

“Meanwhile, Bild has reported that Lauterbach has declined to provide the name of the study from which he has drawn his doomsday predictions. This is not the first time the SPD politician has landed himself in hot water over his public Chinese Coronavirus predictions, with Bild also previously catching the forced jab advocate out for seemingly giving different outlooks on the COVID pandemic in public than he does in private. At a time when the minister was giving stark views on the pandemic in Germany publicly, the publication reported the minister as writing in a letter to a colleague that the situation was in fact ‘stable’.”

Germany’s mass tabloid Bild has accused Lauterbach of trying to blackmail the German people by announcing the likelihood of imposing further restrictions, after his attempt to impose vaccine mandates failed.  Now, a few fanatics have allegedly planned to kidnap Lauterbach. If that story is true, as the mass media claims it to be, but which is being questioned by some, then it plays right into the hands of Lauterbach and Scholz and their vocal supporters who emphasize the “need” to preserve and protect democracy, while they are in fact using these alleged events as an excuse for vigorously fighting covid- and vax mandate resisters. Satan’s handiwork can be clearly seen in all of this.

Masks Mandate for Airlines and Airports…

Breitbart wrote on April 13:

“Anthony Fauci said… that ‘you use lockdowns to get people vaccinated so that when you open up, you won’t have a surge of infections. Because you’re dealing with an immunologically naive population of the virus because they’ve not been exposed because of the lockdown’…

“The airline industry is continuing to call for the end of the federal mask mandate, making it clear ‘we need to remove these mandates’ as federal health officials extend it yet again [for another two weeks, until May 3.].”

Federal Judge Strikes Down Masks Mandate

Tampa Bay Times wrote on April 19:

“A federal judge in Florida struck down a national mask mandate on airplanes and mass transit Monday, and airlines and airports swiftly began repealing their requirements that passengers wear face coverings. The judge’s decision freed airlines, airports and mass transit systems to make their own decisions about mask requirements…

“The major airlines switched to a mask optional policy, with some eliciting cheers from passengers when the changes were announced over loudspeakers. The Transportation Safety Agency said Monday night that it will no longer enforce the mask requirement, and airports in Houston and Dallas almost immediately did away with their mandates after the TSA announcement…

“The decision by U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle in Tampa, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, also said the CDC improperly failed to justify its decision and did not follow proper rulemaking procedures that left it fatally flawed. In her 59-page ruling, Mizelle said the only remedy was to vacate the rule entirely across the country because it would be impossible to end it for the limited group of people who objected in the lawsuit….

“The White House said the court ruling means that for now the mask order ‘is not in effect at this time.’ ‘This is obviously a disappointing decision,’ White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters.”

Disappointing for those who enjoy dictatorial practices. It took a Trump-appointed federal judge to end, for now, Biden’s ridiculous mask policy. Left-liberals are outraged. The White House announced on Wednesday that it would appeal the decision (compare The Ron Paul Institute, April 20). The Biden Administration can’t let go of its dictatorial restrictions. But it is hoped that the decision will NOT be overturned on appeal.

The Huffington Post wrote on April 19:

“Most major air carriers in the United States announced that, effective immediately, they will no longer enforce mask-wearing rules… Airlines making the change include Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Jet Blue, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines… Passenger rail service Amtrak also announced it was dropping the mask mandate.”

However, international flights may not be exempt from the requirements of wearing masks. Hopefully, this will change very soon, including the blatantly unconstitutional requirement to be vaccinated before boarding a flight.

Engineered Mosquitoes… Not So Fast…

The Los Angeles Times wrote on April 8:

“Soon, millions of… engineered mosquitoes could be set loose in California in an experiment recently approved by the federal government. Oxitec, a private company, says its genetically modified bugs could help save half the world’s population from the invasive Aedes aegypti mosquito, which can spread diseases such as yellow fever, chikungunya and dengue to humans. Female offspring produced by these modified insects will die, according to Oxitec’s plan, causing the population to collapse…

“Scientists independent from the company and critical of the proposal say not so fast. They say unleashing the experimental creatures into nature has risks that haven’t yet been fully studied, including possible harm to other species or unexpectedly making the local mosquito population harder to control… California has never had a case in which an Aedes aegypti was found to transmit disease…

“The company plans to start the release in northern Tulare County in the Central Valley, where it has partnered with the local mosquito control district based in the city of Visalia. The experiment must still be approved by the state Department of Pesticide Regulation… Oxitec has proposed releasing its mosquitoes at 48 different locations in the county. Under the plan, the company said it would release a maximum of 3.5 million mosquitoes a week…

“Among scientists’ concerns is that releasing the genetically modified mosquitoes into neighborhoods could create hybrids that are hardier and more dangerous to humans than the state’s current population… Oxitec uses the antibiotic tetracycline to raise its bugs and mass produce them. When larvae of its modified mosquitoes are exposed to tetracycline, the females — which bite humans — can survive….”

Every time man tries to play God, there are terrible “side-effects.”

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.

Following our two-part series, entitled: “Was Jesus Really Born in Jerusalem?”, we will in this Q&A answer the question as to whether Mary was a virgin.   We had touched upon this question in our last Q&A, under “(1) Mary was a virgin,’ but we will address this issue here in more detail.

For example, one writer penned the following:

“The virginity of Mary, as Matthew claims, depends on an incorrect reading of a prophetic text (Isaiah 7:14). The original Hebrew reads ‘a young woman shall conceive’, but Matthew has chosen an inexact Greek translation which renders it ‘a virgin shall conceive’. At this point, Matthew agrees with Luke; yet he is the only one amongst all the other biblical writers who knows anything of Mary’s alleged virginity.”

Wikipedia has this to say on the matter:

“Isaiah 7:14 is a verse in the seventh chapter of the Book of Isaiah in which the prophet Isaiah, addressing king Ahaz of Judah, promises that God will destroy the king’s enemies before a child born to an almah (young woman) is weaned.  Scholars agree that the word ‘almah’ has nothing to do with virginity, but the 2nd century BCE Greek Septuagint translated it as ‘parthenos’, meaning virgin, thereby allowing the author of the gospel of Matthew to use the verse as a prediction of the virgin birth of Jesus.”

They then claim that a literal translation would read as follows: “…therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign: the maiden is with child and she will bear a son, and will call his name Immanuel.”

They go on to say: “A sign, in this context, means a special event which confirms the prophet’s words. Ahaz’s sign is to be the birth of a son to an almah, who will name him Immanuel, ‘God is with us’; the significance of the sign is not the identity of the child or his mother (scholars agree that ‘almah’ refers to a woman of childbearing age and has nothing to do with virginity) but the meaning of his name (‘God is with us’) and the role it plays in identifying the length of time before God will destroy the Ephraimite-Syrian coalition (before the child learns right from wrong).”

As we will see, Wikipedia and others questioning the virgin birth are wrong for a multitude of reasons. At this point, we just want to point out that the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 was not even meant foremost for the time of Isaiah, but for a future time, and ultimately, for the very end time. The Child to be born would have the name “Immanuel”—clearly a description of Jesus Christ and not of an ordinary person. In addition, we read in verse 18 that the destruction of Israel through the Assyrians would come to pass “in that day”—a reference to the very end time and the very last days.

We also need to point out that when the Hebrew uses the word which some say means young woman, rather than virgin, this objection fails for the additional reason that the young woman of childbearing age was in fact assumed to be a virgin.  If it were otherwise and if the young woman was no longer a virgin, then Scriptures would clearly state this.

It is the case that most translations use the phrase “virgin.” The Bible Gateway list of different translations shows that there are 40 who do so.  However, there are a number of translations that use the phrase “young woman” , for example,  Amplified Bible Classic Edition (AMPC), Common English Bible (CEB), Complete Jewish Bible (CJB), Easy to Read Version (ERV), Good News Bible Translation (GNT), New American Bible (Revised Edition) (NABRE), New English Translation (NET), New International Version (NSV), New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) and The Voice Translation.

Wikipedia further observes: “When the Revised Standard Version translators rendered ‘almah’ as ‘young woman’ in 1952 it immediately became a center of controversy for conservative Christians, who believed that this passage predicted the virgin birth of Jesus.  The RSV quickly replaced the KJV in many churches across America, but fundamentalist American Christians argued that nowhere in the Old Testament was an almah anything other than a young unmarried girl, and one pastor publicly burned a copy of the RSV.  Isaiah 7:14 became a litmus test of orthodoxy among conservatives, but most modern Bible translations use ‘young woman’.

“On his blog, New Testament scholar Bart D. Ehrman has argued that the original meaning of the word parthenos in the Septuagint (i.e., the Hebrew Bible translated by Hellenistic Jews in Koine Greek) is ‘young woman’, not ‘virgin’, but the word changed meaning over the centuries; thus the authors of Matthew and Luke believed instead that Isaiah had predicted a virgin birth for the coming Messiah, using the common understanding of the term in their time.”

It is interesting that many German translations use the word “virgin” or “young woman,” but remark in either case that the words are interchangeable, for the obvious reason as explained above; that a young woman was supposed to be a virgin. Compare revidierte Lutherbibel 2017; neue Lutherbibel 2009; Elberfelder Bibel; Hoffnung für Alle; Schlachterbibel; Menge Bibel; and many others.

The Schlachterbibel includes the following annotation:

“The Hebrew word describes an unmarried woman and means indeed ‘virgin.’… That is why the birth of Isaiah’s own son could not be the total fulfillment of this prophecy.”

Similarly the Ryrie Study Bible:

“The Hebrew word that is here translated ‘virgin’ is found elsewhere in the O.T. in Gen. 24:43; Exod. 2:8: Psalm 68:25; Prov. 30:19; Song of Sol. 1:3;6:8, and in these instances refers only to a chaste maiden who is unmarried.”

But surely it is quite simple when other Scriptures are read.  For example, let us review Matthew 1:20 which reads: “But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.”

Note that Joseph, when he discovered that Mary was pregnant, was willing to leave her (Matthew 1:19), because being her betrothed husband and knowing that they did not have any sexual relationship together, he assumed that Mary must have committed fornication or adultery with someone else.

Denying the virgin birth, as some theologians do, must lead to the inevitable conclusion that he had a human father i.e. Joseph or someone else.   If that was the case, Jesus could not possibly be the Son of God whom the Father sent to the earth, and Scripture would be unreliable.   Anyone who rejects the virgin birth must also by extension, reject the veracity of the Word of God.

It is interesting that many did not believe in the virgin birth at the time of Jesus, accusing Him of having been born in fornication (John 8:41).

Looking at different translations of Matthew 1:25, we read:

“… and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name JESUS”  (NKJV).

“… but he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus” (NIV).

“But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus” (New Living Translation).

“And he did not know her sexually until she delivered her firstborn son, and she called his name Yeshua” (Aramaic Bible in Plain English).

Therefore, if Joseph did not have sexual relations with Mary until after the birth of Jesus, Mary would have been a virgin.

Luke 1:26-35 is a revealing passage of Scripture where the subheading is “Christ’s Birth Announced to Mary”:

“Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,  to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.  And having come in, the angel said to her, ‘Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!’ But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.’ Then Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I do not know a man?’ And the angel answered and said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.’”

In verse 34, Mary said “How can this be, since I do not know a man?,” clearly indicating that she was a virgin. In addition, Luke identifies her clearly as a virgin in verse 27: “…the virgin’s name was Mary.”

We know that the Catholic Church believes that Mary was a virgin all her life and denies that she had other children.  This is another error as we point out in our Q&A entitled “The international press recently reported that Catholics, Orthodox and many Protestants believe that Mary was a virgin throughout her life. It is claimed that those called ‘Jesus’ brothers’ in the Bible were in fact His cousins (Zenit, May 15, 2003).  Is this also your understanding? Please see https://www.eternalgod.org/q-a-3799/ In addition, please read our free booklets, “Jesus Christ—a Great Mystery” and “Do You Know the Jesus of the Bible?” 

We know that the meaning of words can change over a period of time; e.g. “wicked” used to mean “morally wrong,” but today has been used by many as meaning “great” or ‘wonderful.”   Whether the term used for Mary is virgin or young woman, we can certainly see that she was a virgin until after the birth of Jesus. Later on, she would have several other children with Joseph.

It is, once again, an example of the Bible interpreting the Bible, which is the divine Word of God and infallible in its original writing.

Lead Writers: Brian Gale (United Kingdom) and Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Time to build the Third Temple in the face of Violence?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Serious violence broke out at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem during Passover, coinciding with Easter and Ramadan, followed by an exchange of rockets between Hamas and Israel. The Jerusalem Post published an article with the headline: “When Blood Spills on Passover and Easter, it’s Time to Build the Temple.” But is this true? Has the time come to build the Third Temple? And what would the consequences be? This program raises many questions in the light of biblical prophecy.

“Unser Sündenkatalog… alles nicht so wichtig?” is the title of the sermon for the Last Day of Unleavened Bread in Germany, presented by Norbert Link.

“Spielt das Spiel ,” the sermonette presented on April 9^th in Germany by Johann Schell, is now posted. Title in English: “Play the Game.”

“Der Weg ist das Ziel ,” the sermon presented on April 9^th in Germany by Christoph Sperzel  is now posted. Title in English: “The Route is the Goal.”

“Relativism is Failing,” the sermonette presented by Frank Bruno on April 9^th is now posted. Here is a summary:

It is shocking how quickly the moral standards of an already corrupt world have fallen. This concept of relative morality has been embraced by so many leaders in government and the corporate world. A sliding scale of right and wrong can be convenient but will lead away from God. Those who obey God and His Son, Jesus Christ, understand that following such pronouncements will more often conflict with God’s Law. In this Sermonette we will explore several Scriptures and examples that can assist God’s people in navigating these confusing and compromised times we live in.

“The One,” the sermon presented by Dave Harris on April 9^th is now posted. Here is a summary:

The name, “Jesus Christ,” is spoken by a religious world deceived about Who He actually is, and the name of the Son of God is even blasphemed over and over as a curse word. Yet, “…there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Do you believe and really know that Jesus is the Messiah, and that He is the Son of God?

“Die Passion Christi,” the Offertory presented last Sabbath in Germany (First Day of Unleavened Bread) by Manuel Mueller, is now posted. Title in English: “The Passion of Christ.”

“Bei Herausforderungen NICHT aufgeben,” the sermon presented last Sabbath (First Day of Unleavened Bread) by Michael Link, is now posted. Title in English: “Don’t Give Up when Faced with a Challenge!”

“Don’t Add or Take Away,” the Offertory presented last Sabbath (First Day of Unleavened Bread) by Michael Link, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The Bible mentions several times that we are not to add to or take away from what is written.  What is God referring to?

“A Way of Life,” the sermon presented last Sabbath (First Day of Unleavened Bread) by Brian Gale, is now posted. Here is a summary:

The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a yearly festival that shows that we have to put sin out of our lives.   It is part of a Way of Life to which we have been called. This sermon reinforces the understanding that this Way of Life is a full-time commitment for the rest of our lives.