Update 1033

On August 6, 2022, Norbert Link will present, “Comments on News and Prophecy, August 6, 2022,” and the sermon, titled, “Why the Book of Ecclesiastes Is Misunderstood.”

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.

When addressing the question as to who is qualified to rule others, we need to consider three types of beings or kinds in existence today.

There are physical beings—plants and animals and of course human beings or mankind. Since Adam, the number of human beings has been estimated somewhat over twenty billion.

Man is mortal, temporary and subject to die. From the time of Adam, man was given dominion over the earth and the animals and to take care, tend and keep the Garden of Eden and with it the plants.

In addition to the physical realm, there are spirit beings—of the spirit kind—which include the angels created by God by fiat; that is, they were willed into existence and had no pre-existence. Their numbers are in the hundreds of millions as revealed in the Book of Revelation.  Revelation 5:11 states: “Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands.”

That figure of “ten thousand times ten thousand” amounts to one hundred million, plus it says “thousands of thousands,” so there could be billions of angels. Angels cannot die.

Then there are God Beings—Beings of the God kind, of which there are currently two: the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. They are immortal, eternal, incorruptible and all-powerful. They rule over the spirit and the physical creation in a loving, compassionate and just manner.

Who then is most qualified to rule over the physical and within the spirit world?

Mankind has failed miserably in his efforts to rule over himself and over others. Mankind has tried every possible form of government which have all failed and descended to the degree that we are headed for total destruction if God were not to intervene to end the madness, caused by human beings, by sending His Son to rule over the earth in the near future.

Human government leaders are proven liars and corrupt individuals. How can civil servants elected by the people over the course of decades accumulate a personal fortune of over one hundred million on the stock market, outperforming professional investors like Warren Buffet?  It is many times through insider trading information and corruption. Man, in his physical state, is obviously unqualified to rule over the earth and the universe.

When considering angels, composed of spirit, we note that Lucifer, the seal of perfection and the most powerful and beautiful cherub, whom God created by fiat, sinned against God.  Lucifer had been given the responsibility of administrating the government of God on the earth. He rebelled against God, taken down by his own pride, and became known as Satan the Devil—the adversary and enemy of God. One-third of the angels followed Satan in his rebellion and became known as demons or evil spirits. So we see that even the most righteous and perfect angels could and did rebel since they had been created by God with free moral agency and are not forced by God to do what is right and good.

Satan is the current ruler and god of this world, but he is an evil and terribly destructive ruler. Matthew 4:8-9 says: “Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.  And he said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me’” (Compare Luke 4:5-7).

Christ did not dispute that Satan was the current world ruler and that he had the authority to give rulership to whomever he would choose. We also read in 2 Corinthians 4:4 that the god of this age has blinded the minds of men, “who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”

Inasmuch as there is no guarantee that other angels who have not followed Satan will never sin, that leaves us with God. ONLY God—the God Family—CANNOT sin, because God has decided never to sin, and His decision is perfect and not subject to change. That is why God decided that He wants to reproduce Himself through humans to bring them into His Family, as God Beings, so that they, too, would be incapable of sinning. The God Family will grow to include billions of humans made immortal in the future.

God Beings cannot be corrupted, bribed, coerced or threatened. They will have the mind of God the Father and of Jesus Christ. As God Beings, they cannot be tempted to sin, and they never will. God the Father and Jesus Christ will not have to be concerned whether anyone in the God Family will in the future be plotting to rebel and sin, since they will be immortal members of the God Family and God Beings.

1 Corinthians 15:52-53 explains that the growth within the immortal God Family will begin at the time of the first resurrection, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”

Becoming God Beings was never offered to the angels, but it is offered to those who are being called since Adam and Eve, to overcome sin, their human nature and Satan and the pulls of this world. As immortal and incorruptible God Beings, they will be totally qualified, under God’s direction, to rule over the universe and have authority over angels. They will be ruling forever and ever over the physical and the spiritual creation.

That is what the future holds for those of us who stay the course and remain faithful to our calling.

by Norbert Link

We report on growing concerns that Russia wants to dissolve Ukraine from the world map; Italy’s perceived return to Mussolini’s fascism; America’s suffering military; and the contemplated goal by Fox News to ban Donald Trump as part of an ill-conceived strategy to eliminate the former president as a major GOP player.

We point out that Tunisia’s new constitution supports a Palestinian state with its capital in Jerusalem; and the interesting relationship between Europe and Libya.

We speak on Pope Francis’ participation in the alleged worship of demons; and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s misunderstood comments about races.

We address new developments regarding COVID; the FBI’s alleged involvement in the 2020 election, the assassination of al Qaida’s leader in Afghanistan and Joe Biden’s monumental failure; and Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan in defiance of the Biden Administration and China.

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Could There Be Another 9-11?”

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

Dissolving Ukraine?

The Associated Press wrote on July 30:

“The US ambassador to the United Nations said Friday there should no longer be any doubt that Russia intends to dismantle Ukraine ‘and dissolve it from the world map entirely.’

“… Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov ‘has even stated that this is Russia’s war aim,’ she said. Lavrov told an Arab summit in Cairo on Sunday that Moscow’s overarching goal in Ukraine is to free its people from its ‘unacceptable regime.’ Apparently suggesting that Moscow’s war aims extend beyond Ukraine’s industrial Donbas region in the east comprising Donetsk and Luhansk, Lavrov said: ‘We will certainly help the Ukrainian people to get rid of the regime, which is absolutely anti-people and anti-historical.’

“Russia’s deputy UN ambassador Dmitry Polyansky told the Security Council on Friday that ‘The de-Nazification and demilitarization of Ukraine will be carried out in full.’”

There should be no doubt that Russia wants to bring Ukraine back into “Mother Russia’s” fold, and unification between Russia and Ukraine (the modern “Medes”) is indeed prophesied.

Italy’s Return to Fascism?

The Associated Press wrote on July 30:

“Italy’s president [Sergio Mattarella], marking the 100th anniversary of one of the attacks that helped bring dictator Benito Mussolini to power, on Thursday encouraged Italians to reinvigorate their country’s democracy as a bulwark against fascism.

“Italy’s fascist legacy faces increasingly closer scrutiny these days as the country holds an early parliamentary election on September 25. Opinion polls indicate the far-right Brothers of Italy, which has neo-fascist roots, would be the top vote-getter, with the party’s leader, Giorgia Meloni, eager to become premier. She has never disavowed her party’s fascist roots but has distanced it from Mussolini’s racial laws targeting Jews….

“After Italian Premier Mario Draghi’s wide-ranging coalition collapsed last week, Mattarella dissolved Parliament, triggering the early election. Sinking Draghi’s pandemic unity government were Salvini, Berlusconi and the populist 5-Star Movement, all refusing to back him in a confidence vote. Meloni was the only major leader to refuse to join Draghi’s pandemic unity government when it was formed in early 2021 after he was tapped by Mattarella. She argued that Italians should decide their leader in an election.

“When it appeared that Berlusconi and Salvini were waffling at the prospect of Meloni becoming the next premier — and the first woman to hold that office — she demanded the three of them huddle to confirm the alliance’s long-standing rule: whoever gets the most votes becomes its pick for the premiership.”

Italy, as well as other European nations, may very well return to their fascist roots under the umbrella of a “United States of Europe.”

America’s Suffering Military

Politico wrote on July 27:

“Lawmakers from both parties are putting increasing pressure on the Pentagon to fix the recruitment crisis that threatens to leave the military well short of its goals to bring new troops aboard this year, in what is widely considered the worst recruiting environment since the end of the Vietnam War…

“While leaders from the different military branches have all acknowledged the problem, they also have been unable to move the needle in a positive direction, as the desire of young Americans to join the military falls off the statistical cliff…

“The Army has reached 66 percent of its goal for the fiscal year ending in September, and the Navy is at 89 percent… Even with rates of 100 percent for the Marine Corps, Air Force and Space Force, that leaves the department with a total rate of just 85 percent.”

America in decline and nearing total disaster will not have a powerful army to defend itself against foreign enemies.

Fox News Banning Trump

Newsmax wrote on July 30:

“The New York Times reported Friday that Fox News has not had Donald Trump on its network in over 100 days, which the paper said was part of a larger strategy to eliminate the former president as a major GOP player. Trump’s last appearance on Fox News came April 13 on ‘Hannity.’ But, The Times noted, even Trump has complained his longtime friend ‘doesn’t seem to be paying him much attention anymore.’ The paper said Trump believes Fox’s strategy of shunning him is an effort in ‘effectively displacing him’ from the news cycle and as de facto leader of the Republican Party.

“The decision to shun Trump has been made at ‘the highest levels’ of Fox’s parent company, and is backed by its billionaire chairman, Rupert Murdoch, and his son, company CEO Lachlan Murdoch. Both are Republicans, but are said to have developed a strong distaste for Trump. Earlier this month, the Murdoch-owned newspapers the New York Post and The Wall Street Journal published harsh rebukes of Trump’s actions regarding Jan. 6 while strongly opposing a Trump bid for president in 2024. The Times said Trump’s failure to accept the 2020 election result was at the root of the Murdochs’ criticism of the former president, a view shared by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

“Trump has not hidden his new distaste for Fox News… this week, Trump blasted ‘Fox & Friends’ on his Truth Social account for being ‘terrible’ and having ‘gone to the dark side.’ Trump suggested former House Speaker Paul Ryan’s sitting on Fox Corp.’s board of directors is behind the shadow banning of Trump.

“Meanwhile, The Times said Fox has sought to displace Trump with other GOP 2024 contenders, notably Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis. A recent FoxNews.com report featured man-on-the-street interviews with Trump ‘supporters’ who did not want him to run again and ‘unanimously’ backed DeSantis for 2024. ‘I spent 11 years at Fox, and I know nothing pretaped hits a Fox screen that hasn’t been signed off on and sanctioned at the very top levels of management — especially when it has to do with a presidential election,’ Newsmax host Eric Bolling said in a monologue this week.

“Dick Morris, a former Fox News Analyst who is currently with Newsmax, said The Times’ report should not surprise anyone who has been watching Fox. ‘Lachlan Murdoch and the network’s leadership wants Fox to be more like CNN,’ Morris said. ‘The Fox ban of Trump is a politically motivated decision, not based on news value, because Trump completely dominates the Republican Party and is still the biggest newsmaker in politics,’ Morris added.

“Recent polls show Trump crushing all potential opponents in a Republican primary. A recent Harvard-Harris poll had Trump pulling 56% of the vote against a field of seven GOP rivals, including DeSantis with 16%. Morris… argues Trump will easily win the upcoming Republican primary, but is the only GOP candidate who can win against the Democrats in 2024.”

The influence of Trump critics in high positions at Fox and associated media outlets can hardly be denied—and Trump’s former “friends” stay quiet… perhaps, because they want to keep their jobs.

DNYUZ added on July 29:

“On July 22, as Mr. Trump was rallying supporters in Arizona and teasing the possibility of running for president in 2024, saying ‘We may have to do it again,’ Fox News chose not to show the event — the same approach it has taken for nearly all of his rallies this year. Instead, the network aired Laura Ingraham’s interview with a possible rival for the 2024 Republican nomination, Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida. It was the first of two prime-time interviews Fox aired with Mr. DeSantis in the span of five days; he appeared on Tucker Carlson’s show shortly after talking to Ms. Ingraham.

“When Mr. Trump spoke to a gathering of conservatives in Washington this week, Fox did not air the speech live. It instead showed a few clips after he was done speaking. That same day, it did broadcast live — for 17 minutes — a speech by former Vice President Mike Pence….

“Referring to the congressional investigation into the Jan. 6 attack, the Fox anchor Bret Baier said it had made Mr. Trump ‘look horrific’ by detailing how it had taken 187 minutes for him to be persuaded to say anything publicly about the riot… Viewers in recent weeks have seen occasionally critical coverage of Mr. Trump, but, unlike other news networks, Fox has chosen to air its own prime-time programming rather than the hearings of the committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack… Mr. Carlson, Mr. Hannity and Ms. Ingraham dismiss the hearings as a ‘show trial.’”

But if Trump becomes the Republican nominee, then we can expect Fox News and its main moderators to be Trump’s friends again. Oh what hypocrisy!

Tunisian Constitution Calls for Palestinian State With Jerusalem as Capital

Israel 365 wrote on July 29:

“A new constitution was passed by a referendum in Tunisia on Tuesday, expressing support for a Palestinian state with its capital in Jerusalem.

“‘We defend the legitimate rights of the peoples who, according to this legitimacy, have the right to decide their own destiny, the first of which is the right of the Palestinian people to their stolen land and the establishment of their state over it after its liberation, with Al-Quds Al-Sharif [Jerusalem] as its capital,’ read the preamble of the new constitution.”

Antisemitism and anti-Zionism are growing once again.

Europe and Libya

Politico wrote on July 27:

“Since February, the eyes of the world have been firmly fixed on the horrors unfolding in Ukraine. But while Europe’s attention has been consumed by the crisis on its eastern flank, the trouble burgeoning on its southern one in Libya has been largely ignored.  As escalating political tensions and recent outbreaks of violence now threaten to hurl the country back into civil war again, and the consequence will impact Europe and the wider international community…

“Africa’s most oil-rich nation finds itself in a state of total dysfunction and could be accurately described as a failed state. Since the civil war, which ended in 2020, it has effectively been split between an internationally recognized government based in Tripoli and the Russia-aligned Libyan National Army controlling the country’s east, and violence has been ongoing…

“Europe and Libya share the Mediterranean Sea: Alexander the Great, the Greeks, Romans and even the Normans have all exchanged goods, culture and ideas with Libya. But this proximity has also meant the country’s troubles often wash up on European shores… And as Europe finds itself in need of alternative energy sources — while it tries to cut itself off from Russian fossil fuels — Libya is the bloc’s closest alternative supply source… However, Libya’s enduring instability makes its supply largely inaccessible, as the vast majority of its reserves are under the control of the Libyan National Army…

“Currently, Libya has enough cash in its central bank to last several years, tens of billions of dollars in foreign investments, plus there’s all the oil — despite all the chaos, Libya is still able to produce over a million barrels of oil per day for export. But what the country doesn’t have is experience in building a functional state — this is where the international community comes in.

“Today, Libya is overflowing with arms, many of which are relics from the Gaddafi era… If a major global power or international body could eliminate these supply lines, Libya’s warring factions would soon run out of ammunition and have little choice but to work toward a peaceful solution for the country…”

A global power from Europe will invade Libya in due time, as Daniel 11:43 prophesies. The production and receipt of oil may be a major factor.

Pope Participates in Pagan Ritual of Sacred Circle of Spirits

Life Site News reported on July 28:

“Speaking in the presence of pro-abortion Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Pope Francis criticized the ‘ideological colonizations’ which target ‘the unborn,’ and defended the Church’s role in protecting life from ‘conception to natural death.’… Following a pagan ‘smudging’ ritual, which called on ‘the sacred circle of spirits,’ Francis delivered an address in which he lamented a ‘colonizing mentality,’ and spoke of a need for the Catholic Church to ‘promote indigenous cultures.’…

“Justin Trudeau had issued yet another fiery attack against the Catholic Church for ‘its role’ in the ‘spiritual abuse, cultural abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse and sexual abuse of Indigenous children in Church run residential schools.’ However, Francis appeared to somewhat rebuff Trudeau’s criticism… highlighting the Church’s ‘service’ of life at ‘every stage, from conception to natural death.’…

“The Pope’s comments gained a particular significance given those he was addressing. Following the U.S. Supreme Court leak pre-empting the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Trudeau publicly voiced  his support for the killing of the unborn on demand. ‘The right to choose is a woman’s right and a woman’s right alone,’ he tweeted. Indeed, the self-professed Catholic has regularly professed his support for abortion…

“However, Pope Francis has a peculiar record with regards to abortion… his actions have undermined any vocal opposition to abortion which he makes. The Pope has repeatedly sided with the United Nations (UN) and its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which is heavily pro-abortion… In recent weeks he authorized and defended the Vatican’s joining of the Paris Climate Agreement, despite its pro-abortion tenets. Francis has also ignored Catholic teaching regarding Holy Communion for pro-abortion politicians on a number of occasions…”

Life Site News wrote on a related article on July 30:

“Popular Catholic commentators have been reacting with shock and outrage to video footage of Pope Francis and prominent cardinals partaking in a ‘smudging’ ritual invoking a ‘sacred circle of spirits’ that went ‘viral’ on social media earlier this week…

“Catholic author and exorcist scholar Charles D. Fraune [wrote:] ‘Francis is literally participating in summoning demons. This is so wrong….’ ‘Give us access to the sacred circle of spirits so they can be with us,’ Lord, have mercy!’ added Fraune, quoting words said by one of the leaders of the ceremony…

“… the ritual is not merely a cultural act but a religious act of ‘superstition,’ reminiscent of… Pope Francis’ veneration of the pagan pachamama idol at the Vatican in 2019.”

The inclusion of many pagan rites in Roman Catholicism and communication with demons by some prior Popes is well-documented. Please read especially chapter 10 of our free booklet, “The Ten European Revivals of the Ancient Roman Empire.” 

Hungarian Prime Minister’s Controversial Remarks

Reuters reported on July 29:

“Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban stuck to his anti-immigration stance Thursday but insisted it was not rooted in racism after his recent remarks that Hungarians did not want to become ‘peoples of mixed race’ drew fire at home and abroad… his comments in Romania on Saturday, when he said that in contrast to Western Europe’s ‘mixed-race world’ where people mixed with arriving non-Europeans, Hungary was not a mixed race country — hit a nerve, drawing condemnation from the United States, the European Union, Jewish groups and academics…

“European Commission vice president Frans Timmermans said on Twitter ‘poisonous’ racism had no place in Europe that drew its strength from diversity… Budapest’s chief rabbi Zoltan Radnoti told Reuters any communication ‘talking about races, pure races, and mixing of races’ was unacceptable.”

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 27:

“Hungarian Chief Rabbi Robert Frölich said there was ‘only one species on earth that walks on two legs, works, speaks and occasionally thinks: Homo sapiens — that is a single and indivisible race.’”

msn added on July 30:

“The concept used by the National Socialists, among others, that there are different human races is scientifically untenable and part of racist worldviews.”

JTA wrote on July 30:

[Subsequent to his speech] Orban wrote: ‘You can’t be serious about accusing me of racism after 20 years of working together. You know that, according to my understanding, God created all people in his own image. Therefore, in the case of people like me, racism is excluded from the get-go.’

“In his statement about Orban’s speech, Koeves, [an] Orthodox rabbi, said… it may be appropriate to lament ‘the loss of space in Western Judeo-Christian culture…’ But, he added, ‘one of the fundamental values of Judeo-Christian civilization is that God created every human being in his own image. For this reason alone, it is particularly unfortunate to speak of races.’”

To describe all human beings as the human race is correct. But to say that there are no human races is ludicrous. The Bible speaks of three human races, the black, the yellow and the white race. And to equate this correct biblical understanding with racism is ridiculous, ignorant and deeply offensive. For more information on the origin and existence of races, as well as the concept of interracial marriages, please read our free booklet, “God’s Teachings on Sexual Relationships,” chapter 9, pages 57-66.

Brand-New Conditions After COVID Shots?

WND wrote on July 31:

“Stories abound of healthy people, including athletes, suddenly dying or suffering severe illness without explanation. Many who have posted links to the reports on social media have suggested a possible relationship to the experimental COVID-19 vaccines. When four practicing physicians in the greater Toronto area died unexpectedly in the past two weeks, their hospitals made a point of insisting their deaths were not related to the vaccines. A fifth area physician, just 27 years old, died Thursday after collapsing during a triathlon.

“Now, national survey by Zogby Strategies has found 17% of adults who received at least two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine say they were diagnosed with a new condition within weeks to several months after getting the shot. The figure was 15% for those who had received at least one shot. The respondents also were asked if someone they personally knew had been diagnosed with a new medical condition within the same time frame. Overall, 26% reported yes, while 63% reported no.

“Significantly, 34% of those ages 18-29 say they know someone who was diagnosed, as did 30% of those ages 30-49, 21% of those ages 50-64, and 18% of those older than 65. Among those who were medically diagnosed with a new condition, the top conditions were blood clots (21%), heart attack (19%), liver damage (18%), leg or lung clots (17%), and stroke (15%).

“The survey was commissioned by Children’s Health Defense, the organization founded by Robert Kennedy Jr. that says it’s mission is ‘to end the childhood health epidemics by working to expose causes, eliminate harmful exposures, hold those responsible accountable, seek justice for those injured, and establish safeguards to prevent future harm.’ The survey of 1,038 adults found 67% received one or more COVID-19 vaccines and 33% were unvaccinated. Among the vaccinated, 6% received one dose, 28% two doses, 21% three doses and 12% took four or more.

“Laura Bono, the executive director of CHD, noted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than 232 million Americans ages 18-65 have taken at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. She said the result is ‘concerning and needs further study.’… The survey found 58% said it was a good decision to get the vaccine, 28% were neutral and 14% regretted it.”

To get or not to get vaccinated is an individual decision, and based on individual circumstances, a person may have no reasonable choice other than getting vaccinated. In such a case, the person and his or her loved ones should pray to God that He will protect the person and not allow him or her to get sick with serious side effects from the COVID shot.

New COVID Rules

The Washington Post wrote on August 2:

“France became the latest country in Europe to get rid of pandemic-era entry restrictions for visitors. As of Monday, tourists going to France no longer need to provide proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test… Earlier this summer, the country required travelers to be vaccinated, or show proof of recovery or a recent negative test. ‘France reserves the right to reimpose entry restrictions if the health situation requires it,’ the [US] embassy [in France] says on its website… Travelers don’t have to offer health information in advance of arriving in France or test upon arrival.

“Destinations including Italy, the United Kingdom, Portugal and Germany have all dropped their covid-era entry rules. The United States still requires foreign nationals to show proof of vaccination before flying to the country, crossing a border by land or arriving by ferry. Travelers flying into the U.S. no longer need to show a negative test, as of mid-June.”

ABC News wrote on August 3:

“The German government on Wednesday said basic coronavirus  requirements would remain in place during the coming fall and winter… Face masks and presenting proof of a negative coronavirus test will be mandatory from October until early April at hospitals, nursing homes and similar institutions with vulnerable people. Passengers on airplanes and making long-distance trips by train and bus also will have to wear masks during that period, as they do now…

“However, Germany’s 16 states have the authority to adopt their own rules depending on how severely the virus affects their areas. State governments could decide to require masks on local public transportation in schools for students in fifth grade and up, and at public indoor events.

“Community facilities such as schools, prisons or asylum-seeker shelters may implement regular testing again… The government also plans a fall vaccination campaign.”

Germany’s left-wing health minister Lauterbach is known for his radical preference for vaccination mandates.

Discrimination Against Clergy Because of COVID

WND wrote on July 31:

“A state judge in Wisconsin has ruled that the Department of Corrections broke the law when it decided to give lawyers and bureaucrats and even reporters and dog trainers access to inmates during COVID, but refused to provide any procedure for clergy to visit…

“For 450 days, Catholic clergy were forbidden from fulfilling their religious duty to meet in-person with inmates at Wisconsin’s correctional institutions; they could not administer sacraments or even meet in-person to provide counseling. At the same time, however, WIDOC granted in-person access to a host of other individuals ranging from lawyers to law enforcement to teachers to dog trainers…

“The court’s ruling means that corrections department had to cancel the restrictive policy and is not allowed to renew it in the future. The judge noted that the state agency ‘simply “shut off” clergy access completely for over 450 days…’”

Dr. Fauci’s Disinformation

WND wrote on August 1:

“Dr. Anthony Fauci complained on Monday that his effort to get people to adopt the government’s COVID-19 health measures has been hampered by ‘misinformation and disinformation.’ But it’s Fauci who, in his defense of masking, lockdowns and vaccines, has spread information that has turned out not to be true, sometimes with life-altering and even deadly consequences…

“Fauci insisted in July that he did not recommend locking down the nation. But in October 2020, he explicitly said, ‘I recommended to the president that we shut the country down.’.. As of July 22, VAERS contained 29,790 reports of COVID-19 vaccine-related deaths among a total of more than 1.3 million adverse events.

“Last Friday, the nation’s first class action lawsuit for health care workers over a COVID shot mandate was settled for more than $10.3 million. The settlement against NorthShore University HealthSystem was on behalf of more than 500 current and former health care workers who were denied religious exemptions from the COVID shot mandate.”

Fauci and Biden also insisted that you cannot get sick if you are fully vaccinated. But both got sick, even though they were fully vaccinated… Biden even twice so far. Fauci’s coworker Dr. Birx even admitted that they knew that the vaccines did not prevent infection. Fauci also downplayed natural immunity in his push to get vaccinated…even though he should and might have known better. And while he is now once again pushing for the wearing of masks, he said there is no reason to be walking around with a mask in the middle of an outbreak, while admitting that the wearing of masks could have negative consequences in some cases. It should be clear that Fauci’s declarations and his judgment cannot be trusted.

Kansas Voters for Abortion

Deutsche Welle reported on August 3:

“Voters in the US state of Kansas [with a high proportion of Republican voters in the state which is run by Democratic governor Laura Kelly] overwhelmingly backed protections for abortion rights on Tuesday, rejecting an amendment to the state’s constitution. It was the first major ballot on abortion since the US Supreme Court [overturned Roe v Wade]  in June…

“The right to abortion is protected in the Kansas constitution. Tuesday’s vote asked whether this should be removed and the responsibility on the issue returned to the control of politicians in the state… The referendum in Kansas was being monitored closely as a test case for abortion rights nationwide…

“The states of California and Kentucky are scheduled to vote on the issue in November…  As it stands, abortion in Kansas is legal and the procedure may take place up to 22 weeks. The law is based on the assertion that a fetus can feel pain after that point….”

Even Republican voters support abortion. This country is going downhill so fast…

Did the FBI Swing the 2020 Election?

The Ron Paul Institute published on August 3 the following article by James Bovard from the Future of Freedom Foundation:

“Joe Biden won the 2020 election as a result of 43,000 votes in three states. The election was far closer than the media has usually admitted. There were plenty of dubious factors that could have tipped the scales for a Biden victory, including machinations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation… the bureau has long history of intervening in presidential elections…

“In 1964, the FBI illegally wiretapped Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater’s presidential headquarters and plane and conducted background checks on his campaign staff for evidence of homosexual activity. The FBI also conducted an extensive surveillance operation at the 1964 Democratic National Convention to prevent embarrassing challenges to President Lyndon Johnson.

“In 2016, the FBI whitewashed Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, protecting her despite her various crimes regarding handling of classified information and destruction of emails and other evidence from her time as secretary of state. An Inspector General report revealed in 2018 that the key FBI agents in the investigations were raving partisans… The FBI failed to make any audio or video recordings of its interviews with Clinton aides and staffers…

“The FBI failed to stop Trump from winning in 2016, but FBI officials devoted themselves to crippling his presidency with fabricated evidence implying that Russia had illicitly intervened in the presidential election. One top FBI lawyer was convicted for falsifying evidence to secure a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrant to target Trump campaign officials. FBI chief James Comey leaked official memos to friendly reporters, thereby spurring the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller to investigate Trump. Mueller’s investigation generated endless allegations and controversies and helped Democrats capture control of the House of Representatives in 2018 prior to admitting in 2019 that there was no such Russian conspiracy. Not one FBI official has spent a single day in jail for the abuses…

“In December 2019, FBI agents came into possession of a laptop that Hunter Biden had abandoned at a Delaware computer repair shop. That laptop was a treasure trove of crimes, including evidence that Hunter and other Bidens had collected millions in payments from foreign sources for providing access in Washington and other favors. That laptop provided ample documentation that Joe Biden could be compromised by foreign powers. When news finally leaked out about the laptop in October 2020, 50 former intelligence officials effectively torpedoed the story by claiming that the laptop was a Russian disinformation ploy. The FBI knew that the laptop was bona fide but said nothing to undercut the falsehoods by the former spooks. The Justice Department commenced an investigation of Hunter Biden in 2019, but Attorney General William Barr made sure that information did not surface publicly before the 2020 election. (The investigation is ongoing.)

“The FBI’s most brazen intervention in the 2020 election consisted of fabricating a ludicrous plot to kidnap Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer, one of Biden’s favorite governors. Michigan was a swing state in the election. Whitmer enraged many Michiganders by placing the entire state under house arrest after the outbreak of COVID-19. Anyone who left their home to visit family or friends risked a $1,000 fine, and business owners faced three years in prison for refusing to close their stores. Unemployment soared to 24 percent statewide…  The FBI exploited the anger against Whitmer to try to add some scalps to their collection. A few weeks before the 2020 election, the FBI announced the arrests of individuals who had been lured by FBI informants and undercover agents to talk about capturing Whitmer and putting her on trial. After the arrests were announced, Whitmer speedily denounced Trump for inciting ‘domestic terrorism’…  Joe Biden claimed that the arrests showed President Trump’s ‘tolerance of hate, vengeance, and lawlessness to plots such as this one.’

“… There was plenty of reason to doubt the plot from the start… A Michigan jury in April effectively concluded that the plotters had been entrapped in an FBI-fabricated plot… Almost 100 years ago, the American Civil Liberties Union warned that the FBI had become ‘a secret police system of a political character.’ Neither Congress nor federal courts have since effectively reined in the most powerful domestic federal agency. What mischief will the FBI commit to influence future elections? And what are the odds that Americans will know about it before the polling booths close?”

That is another nail in the coffin of political corruption.

Bin Laden’s Successor Killed in Afghanistan

Breitbart wrote on August 1:

“President Joe Biden…announce[d] Monday that the U.S. has killed Al Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri…

“Al-Zawahiri was apparently killed by a CIA drone in Afghanistan. Biden, suffering low approval ratings, is expected to benefit from the news, especially as the one-year anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan draws nearer…  Al-Zawahiri took over Al Qaeda after U.S. forces eliminated Osama bin Laden in 2011. He was one of the most elusive terror figures in the world, and U.S. intelligence hunted in vain for him for many years until he was ultimately found and killed.”

Deutsche Welle added on August 2:

“The latest strike is likely to complicate Washington’s already strained relations with the Taliban… US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the Taliban ‘grossly’ violated the 2020 Doha Agreement — which led to the US withdrawal from Afghanistan — by sheltering al-Qaida’s chief… In a statement, the Taliban government condemned the US strike, saying it constituted ‘a clear violation of international principles and the Doha Agreement.’ …

“The Egyptian surgeon was identified as one of the masterminds of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the US that killed nearly 3,000 people… As a teenager, he joined the banned Islamist group Muslim Brotherhood. He was among hundreds arrested and accused of involvement in the assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in 1981. Although he was cleared of the charge, he spent three years in an Egyptian prison on charges of weapons possession — an experience that is said to have further radicalized him.

“He traveled to Afghanistan after his release, where he got to know bin Laden and participated in the battle against Soviet troops. Al-Zawahiri is believed to have forged a strong bond with bin Laden in the late 1980s when he treated the latter in the caves of Afghanistan amid Soviet bombardment. He rose to become second-in-command of al-Qaida in 1998.  Since the killing of bin Laden by US forces in 2011, al-Zawahiri topped the list of most-wanted fugitives by the FBI, with a $25 million (€24.3 million) bounty on his head.”

Biden’s Monumental Failure

Piers Morgan wrote on August 2 in an article published by the New York Post:

“… after Biden’s disastrous overnight withdrawal from Afghanistan last summer, betraying the people there — including allies — to the Taliban wolves, the president assured us that al Qaeda was ‘gone’ from the country… al Qaeda’s No. 1 terrorist swiftly moved into Kabul with his family… Zawahiri would [not] have done this without the knowledge and explicit support of Taliban chiefs… the leader of al Qaeda was actively plotting further terror attacks from inside Kabul, and the Taliban knew it. Of course, this makes an absolute mockery of Biden’s claim that al Qaeda was ‘gone’ from Afghanistan.

“But if the Taliban allowed Zawahiri to do this, how many more al Qaeda operatives are back in Afghanistan right now, also planning to murder Americans and their allies? The whole point of the 20-year war that followed 9/11 was precisely to stop al Qaeda using Afghanistan as a base to plan more such attacks…. All hopes of a new, reformed, different, ‘nicer, wiser’ Taliban were as bogus as many of us feared at the time… Both hate America and everything it stands for, and given the chance, will kill as many Americans as they can.

“The fact that Zawahiri was able to plan new attacks from Kabul tells you all you need to know about the real damage caused by Biden’s appalling abandonment of Afghanistan…. let’s be under no illusion: The fact the world’s most wanted man was back in the heart of Afghanistan, devising new ways to kill Americans, is a monumental failure. And the buck for that failure stops with you, Joe Biden, the man who waved the white flag a year ago and has now exposed the US to a potential whole new world of pain and bloodshed at the hands of the very same terrorists who brought down the Twin Towers in 2001.”

Yes, terrible times are awaiting this country due to the utmost incompetence of its leadership.

Pelosi in Taiwan, Defies Biden and China

Breitbart wrote on August 2:

“House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) landed in Taipei, Taiwan, late Tuesday evening local time in defiance of the Biden administration’s and China’s warnings not to go.

“The trip marks the first time in 25 years that a U.S. official of her level visited Taiwan. The previous visit was in 1997 by then-Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich (GA)…. ‘Our Congressional delegation’s visit to Taiwan honors America’s unwavering commitment to supporting Taiwan’s vibrant Democracy,’ Pelosi said in a statement…

“The Biden administration opposed her trip out of fear it would further destabilize the U.S. relationship with China at a time when the U.S. is suffering from high prices of goods, supply-chain disruptions, and pursuing a green energy agenda, all of which the administration hopes it can work with China on as midterm elections loom….

“The trip sparked fury from Beijing, which warned of consequences. Chinese propagandist Hu Xijin threatened that China could shoot down her plane in a tweet, which he later deleted after Twitter locked his account. The Taiwan president’s website was reportedly under a cyber-attack earlier Tuesday.

“Republicans urged Pelosi to take the trip and not back down to Biden or allow Beijing to veto the travel of American officials.”

The New York Post added on August 2:

“President Biden said July 20 that the US military believed a Pelosi trip to Taiwan was ‘not a good idea now.’ However, members of Congress responded by rallying behind the speaker — including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who said Pelosi would hand China ‘a victory of sorts’ if she canceled. Beijing had repeatedly made clear that it would view a visit by Pelosi as an endorsement of Taiwan’s independence and China’s Foreign Ministry said Monday that its military would ‘not sit idly by’ if the speaker went ahead with the trip.”

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 2:

“Shortly ahead of Pelosi’s arrival, Beijing’s state media reported that Chinese fighter jets had crossed the Taiwan Strait, which separates mainland China and Taiwan… Foreign Minister Wang Yi said US politicians who ‘play with fire’ on the Taiwan issue will ‘come to no good end…’ China said its military had been put on high alert and would launch ‘targeted military operations.’… Chinese President Xi Jinping has made ‘reunification’ with Taiwan a key objective, and has not ruled out the possible use of force to achieve this… the US… provides considerable political and military support to Taiwan while stopping short of formal diplomatic relations.”

The situation involving China and Taiwan seems to mirror the situation regarding Russia and Ukraine. The USA has made no commitment to send troops to Taiwan in case of a Chinese occupation, but it has said it would send weapons to Taiwan to defend themselves.

Pelosi Left Taiwan

Thomson/Reuters wrote on August 3:

“U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi left Taiwan on Wednesday after pledging solidarity and hailing its democracy, leaving a trail of Chinese anger over her brief visit to the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own. China demonstrated its outrage over the highest-level U.S. visit to the island in 25 years with a burst of military activity in surrounding waters, summoning the U.S. ambassador in Beijing and halting several agricultural imports from Taiwan…

“Fury on the mainland over the 82-year-old Democrat’s defiance of Beijing was evident all over Chinese social media…”

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.

There are two time periods in the books of the former prophets, those books being Joshua to 2 Kings, where groups or sons of the prophets are mentioned. The first was under the prophet Samuel and the second was during the time of Elijah and Elisha.

Considering the time of Samuel, he was the son of Elkanah and Hannah and was conceived miraculously. In fact, the name Samuel means “God has heard,” since he was an answer to Hannah’s prayer. 1 Samuel 1:1 informs us that Elkanah was a resident of the mountains of Ephraim. 1 Chronicles 6, verses 27-28 and 33-34 mention Elkanah and Samuel, listing them as descendants of Kohath, a Levite, but not of the priestly line that descended from Aaron. From this we see that Samuel was a Levite living in the area of Ephraim. The phrase in 1 Samuel 1:1 that Elkanah was “an Ephraimite” is understood as saying that he lived there or that he was born there and belonged, according to his  “civil standing” to the tribe of Ephraim; not, that he was by origin a descendant of Ephraim. He was also a prophet and a judge.

Samuel was brought up under the instruction of Eli, the high priest at the time. However, 1 Samuel 2:12 informs us that Eli’s sons, one of whom was next in line to be the high priest, “did not know the LORD.” In fact, 1 Samuel 2:24 records that their father told them that they made the people transgress.

As Samuel grew, he ministered to “the LORD” before Eli. This was a time when “the word of the LORD was rare,” and “there was no widespread revelation” (1 Samuel 3:1). Samuel matured and the “Word of the LORD” was with him, and all Israel knew that he was a “prophet of the LORD” (compare 1 Samuel 3:19-20). Under Samuel, there was a great increase in the knowledge of the Word of God. In fact, as we read in 2 Chronicles 35:18, Josiah and the people kept the Passover in a manner that it had not been kept in since the days of Samuel the prophet. So, Samuel began a religious revival in the land of Israel.

1 Samuel 7:15-17 informs us that, “Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. He went from year to year on a circuit to Bethel, and Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places. (According to Josephus, he visited these towns twice a year.) But he always returned to Ramah, for his home was there. There he judged Israel, and there he built an altar to the LORD.”

In 1 Samuel 8:1, we find, “Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel.” 1 Samuel 8:3 continues, “But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.” Following this, the people told Samuel that he was old and his sons did not walk in his ways, and so they wanted a king to judge them like all the other nations.

God reminded Samuel that the people were not rejecting Samuel but rejecting Him. So, God selected Saul to be their first king. Samuel subsequently anointed Saul king and gave him a number of signs that he would immediately see.

One of those signs is mentioned in 1 Samuel 10:5: “After that you shall come to the hill of God where the Philistine garrison is. And it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with a stringed instrument, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying.”

According to Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers, “The name of Gibeah, or Hill of God, was given to it on account of a well-known high place or sacrificial height in or hard by the town. We know that this sacred place was chosen by Samuel as the site of one of his ‘schools of the prophets.’

“A company (or group) of prophets.—These evidently belonged to one of those seminaries termed ‘schools of the prophets,’ founded by Samuel for the training of young men. The foundation of these schools in different parts of the country was one of the greatest of the works of this noble and patriotic man. These schools seem to have flourished during the whole period of the monarchy, and in no small measure contributed to the moral and mental development of the people. Some of the youth of Israel who received in these schools their training became public preachers of the Word; for after all, this, rather than foretelling future events, was the grand duty of the prophet’s calling.

“We note that this group of prophets was accompanied by musical instruments. Dr. Erdmann, in Lange’s Commentary, accounts for this especial mention of the music which we know, from this and other passages, was carefully cultivated in these seminaries (schools) of the sons of the prophets, by suggesting that in these societies religious feeling was nourished and heightened by sacred music.

“The object of the musical teaching of the schools of the prophets was, no doubt, to enable those who had studied in the seminaries (schools) to guide and direct the religious gatherings of the people, into which—as we know from the subsequent Temple service, the model of all popular sacred gatherings for worship—music and psalmody entered so largely.”

Even though Ellicott’s comments have some merit, we would add that the Bible nowhere says expressly that Samuel had founded the “schools of prophets,” even though some commentaries conclude that he had “probably” done so (compare the Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary). In 1 Samuel 19:20,  as will be mentioned below, Samuel is later referred to as the “leader” over the group of prophets.

The Benson Commentary adds. “By prophets here, he understands persons that wholly devoted themselves to religious studies and exercises. For the term of prophesying is not only given to the most eminent act of it, foretelling things to come, but also to preaching, and to the making or singing of psalms, or songs of praise to God. And they that wholly attended upon these things are called sons of the prophets, who were commonly combined into companies or colleges, that they might more conveniently assist one another in God’s work.”

Barnes’ Notes on the Bible mentions that “Musical instruments were the accompaniments of the prophetic song. 1 Chronicles 13:8; 1 Chronicles 25:3.”

There is another mention of the sons of the prophets in 1 Samuel 19 at a time when David was fleeing from king Saul. 1 Samuel 19:20 reads: “Then Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.” 1 Samuel 19:24 continues regarding king Saul: “And he also stripped off his clothes and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Therefore they say, ‘Is Saul also among the prophets?’”

According to Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers, the term “lay down naked was not necessarily without any clothes, for under the tunic there was worn by men of the upper ranks certainly a fine-woven shirt of linen or cotton. Lyranus explains the words ‘stripped off his clothes’ as simply denoting that he threw off his upper garment, ‘his royal robe.’” In another context, the term naked can also refer to a soldier without any weapons, rather than without any clothes.”

As a clarification, earlier in 1 Samuel 15:35 we read that “Samuel went no more to see Saul until the day of his death…” However, in this event, Saul came to not see Samuel, but to capture David, so there is no contradiction. And with Saul laying down all that day and all that night, David had plenty of time to escape capture.

The other period when the “sons of the prophets” are mentioned is at the time of Elijah and Elisha—Elijah meaning “My God, Yahweh [better: YHWH] is He,” and Elisha meaning “God is Salvation.”

All we know of the origin of Elijah is that he was a Tishbite of the inhabitants of Gilead, a land on the east side of the Jordan river (1 Kings 17:1).

There were still a number of God’s prophets in the land but Jezebel wanted to rid the land of any competition to Baal and his false prophets. 1 Kings 18:4 informs us, “For so it was, while Jezebel massacred the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah had taken one hundred prophets and hidden them, fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water.”

When Obadiah unexpectedly met up with Elijah, he repeated this: “Was it not reported to my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, how I hid one hundred men of the LORD’s prophets, fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water?” (1 Kings 18:13).

The Benson Commentary informs us: “There were schools of these prophets, it is likely, still remaining in Israel; but Jezebel endeavoured both to destroy the schools, and those that were brought up in them, in order that none might be left to instruct the people in the true religion. Obadiah — hid them by fifty in a cave — At the hazard of his own life, and against the king’s command; wisely considering that no command of an earthly prince could overrule the command of the King of kings. And fed them with bread and water — Sent them meat and drink privately every day.”

After Elijah had demonstrated by a miracle from God, that “The LORD, He is God!” (1 Kings 18:39), Jezebel threatened to kill Elijah, as we read in 1 Kings 19:2. He fled as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. In 1 Kings 19:9, God asked him why he was there and he explained why in 1 Kings 19:10, “So he said, ‘I have been very zealous for the LORD God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword.  I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.’”

Commentaries tell us that this statement may have two possible meanings, either no prophet except Elijah, including those that Obadiah had hidden in two caves were still alive, or the ones still alive are in hiding in fear of their lives and not doing God’s work.

The Benson Commentary explains it as “I only am left — Of all thy prophets, who boldly and publicly plead thy cause: for the rest of thy prophets, who are not slain, hide themselves, and dare not appear to do thee service.”

However, as the Church of the Eternal God has pointed out on several occasions, Elijah’s statement should be understood as a complaint that he was the only one left in Israel who worshipped God. He was in deep emotional turmoil which clouded his eyes for reality. The Nelson Study Bible states: “In his depression, he thought he alone was faithful to God. When he was killed, there would be no one left to serve God.”

Similar the Life Application Bible: “Elijah thought he was the only person left who was still true to God… Lonely and discouraged, he forgot that others had remained faithful during the nation’s wickedness.“

1 Kings 20:35 and 1 Kings 20:41 combined give us an understanding what the sons of the prophets were. This was still during the reign of king Ahab and his wife Jezebel. While the context is not being considered here, verse 35 mentions a certain man of the sons of the prophets, and verse 41 mentions king Ahab recognizing him as a prophet. This informs us of two things; firstly, that not all of the prophets were killed by Jezebel, and secondly, at least this son of the prophets was also considered to be a prophet by the king.

When the time approached for Elijah to be taken up to heaven in a whirlwind, the sons of the prophets were aware that Elijah would be removed that day. So, they had some predictive understanding. 2 Kings 2:3 tells us, “Now the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, ‘Do you know thou that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?’ And he said, ‘Yes, I know; keep silent!’”

2 Kings 2:5-7 continues this theme: “Now the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, ‘Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?’ So he answered, ‘Yes, I know; keep silent!’ Then Elijah said to him [Elisha], ‘Stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me on to the Jordan.’ But he said, ‘As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!’ So the two of them went on. And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood facing them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan.”

After Elijah had been removed and Elisha had walked across the Jordan after God had divided it, the sons of the prophets acknowledged that Elisha was their new leader. 2 Kings 2:15 reads: “Now when the sons of the prophets who were from Jericho saw him, they said, ‘The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.’ And they came to meet him, and bowed to the ground before him.”

2 Kings 4:1 gives us some more information of the sons of the prophets. Just as Samuel was married, (he had two sons), at least some or even most of the sons of the prophets were also married: “A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, ‘Your servant my husband is dead; and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And the creditor is coming to take away my two sons to be his slaves.’”

2 Kings 4:38 informs us that there was a group of the sons of the prophets at Gilgal. And 2 Kings 6:1-2 tells us that there were so many sons of the prophets at this location that their accommodation was too small, so they built a larger accommodation by the Jordan.

The last mention of the sons of the prophets occurs in 2 Kings 9:1-3 where one of these sons of the prophets was sent by Elisha to go and anoint Jehu king of Israel. 2 Kings 9:7 informs us that God told Jehu: “You shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, that I may avenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel.”

In conclusion, we see that the Word of God was not well known in the land of Israel before the time of Samuel. He worked in many parts of the land as a prophet, a judge and a Levite. As in the time of Moses, one man could not properly fulfill these roles, especially that of a prophet, alone. As stated above, it appears that he may have established schools for training prophets to assist him in this work to teach and edify the people. These students were called the sons of the prophets.

It is apparent that these schools also existed during the times of Elijah and Elisha in the land of Israel, the northern kingdom. As we read, one group of them is stated having fifty members. However, whether they existed in the intervening time is not revealed. But they were certainly a source of teachers for revealing the Word of God to the people of their time.

Lead Writer: Paul Niehoff (Australia)

compiled by Dave Harris

“Could There Be Another 9-11?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

While the free world has celebrated the assassination of Al Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri in Afghanistan, the frightening prospect of a repeat of 9-11 has been raised in the press, and it was stated that President Biden, due to his “disastrous” and “appalling abandonment of Afghanistan” and his “monumental failure,” “has now exposed the US to a potential whole new world of pain and bloodshed at the hands of the very same terrorists who brought down the Twin Towers in 2001.” Why is this so, and is a repeat of 9-11 possible, likely or even inevitable? What does the Bible say?

“Der Balken im Auge des Heuchlers” is this Sabbath’s new German sermon, presented by Michael Link. Title in English: “The Plank in the Eye of the Hypocrite.”

“Die Bedeutung von Gottes Heiligen Herbstfeiertagen,”  a new German booklet has been sent to  our printer. This is a translation of the English booklet, “The Meaning of God’s Fall Holy Days.”

“Die dreifache Schnur,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath in Germany by Jens Herrmann, is now posted. Title in English: “The Triple Cord.”

“On Belay,” the sermonette presented last Sabbath by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is a summary:

Stepping beyond one’s comfort zone by overcoming doubt and fear is absolutely necessary for Christians. That is possible when the Father and Jesus Christ live in our lives.

“What Are Our Priorities?” the sermon presented last Sabbath by Brian Gale, is now posted. Here is a summary: If we don’t put God the Father and Jesus Christ first in our lives, then we are not worthy of them.   Nothing is to stop us following the great God after we have been called into His Church but, sometimes, other matters and situations can be distractions from what must be our main goal in life.