Update 1139

On December 28, 2024, Eric Rank will present the sermonette, titled, “Breaking Up Our Fallow Ground,” and Dave Harris will present the sermon, titled, “Individuals of the End Time.”

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.

God tells us in Isaiah 43:18-19 (New International Version) to “forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” This shows us that we should not dwell or linger over or spend time thinking about the past (except for the purpose of not repeating past mistakes) because God is always working something new for us, and providing for us the path which affects our future. 

God has predestined us, called us before time began for a specific purpose (Romans 8:28-30).  Even though this refers to the past, it still alludes to what is present and what will come in the future. We may have been shown the Truth through someone else, for instance through family members, and through them we were able to receive the knowledge we need to inherit eternal life. 

Someway or somehow, we became knowledgeable of the Truth, and God granted us this gift for us to use.  Because we have this understanding now, we shouldn’t be ashamed of what we know NOW (2 Timothy 1:8-9).

Yes, we are to learn from past mistakes so we can be successful in the future, just as Paul explained in Philippians 3:14-16, pressing on toward the goal and the prize of obtaining eternal life.  We are to go forward with our understanding, not drift backward.  The Bible teaches us many examples from the past of those who went through difficulties that we can learn from for our benefit as explained in 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. Many of those who were confronted with challenges and trials will be in the Kingdom. They were not perfect, and yet, they overcame their imperfections.

Insofar as our future is concerned, what we do NOW is vital, as we have pointed out countless times. We are to watch what is going on in the world and warn the world about what is coming! (Matthew 24:42, 14).  We have to be prepared, vigilant, focused, and look to God for help in fighting our battles (Ephesians 6:10-18), and also use the Holy Spirit that God has given us at our baptism which will help us to continue and to grow in wisdom and understanding so that we can inherit eternal life (John 6:63).

We are not to base our lives on physicality alone, but we have to live “by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).  We need to focus on what the Bible says and must not be fooled by Satan’s tactics which may have been used by some people with whom we have associated with throughout the years. Satan is using the same tactics presently and will also use them in the future.  What does Satan do? How did he tempt Christ? How does he tempt us? He questions the Truth and appeals to human nature.  He then quotes Scripture, but out of context, to twist the meaning which adds to confusion and questioning.  He uses people today to do the same thing.  

This is where we need to remain focused and diligent, continuously asking God to open our understanding so we can comprehend His Word (John 8:31-32).  Only He can call us and the ONLY way we can understand is when God opens our minds.  This is what separates us from the people of the world who don’t understand what we understand.  

This also determines our future for we need God’s Spirit to be successful. David understood this as well. He needed to trust in God insofar as his future was concerned (Psalms 51:10-11).  More often than not, the future is based on trust, and putting trust and confidence into something now hoping that it will come to fruition in the future.  We trust that God will protect and provide for us now, and also in the future. 

In the meantime, God has appointed certain specific people to do a job, to teach, and to spread the word on what is coming (Ephesians 4:11-16). We are all working together for something better.  We have our individual talents, and we all have a certain part to do in the Church.  This unified effort will bring about success. The end is something we all look forward to because ALL things will be made new, and if we overcome, then we will inherit ALL things (Revelations 21:1-7).

We can see how the past, present, and future all work together. The Bible shares with us experiences that even the most faithful had to go through, and their experience can also be for our admonition. The Bible shows us how we are to apply the Word of God in our present lives by obeying Him so we can then experience what the future indeed has in store for us.

by Norbert Link

We begin with a scandalous cover-up regarding Biden’s physical and mental fitness; continue with articles on mysterious drones and a controversial bill to avoid a governmental shutdown in the USA, and the terrible waste of our money through the government. Please view in this regard our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Scandal! How Our Government Wastes Our Money!” 

We report on numerous threats and actions by Donald Trump and Elon Musk. We also speak on a terror attack in Magdeburg, Germany.

We continue with Switzerland’s disastrous decision to deny parents’ rights; Israel’s fight with Turkey over Syria and Poland’s abominable announcement to arrest Netanyahu if he were to attend the Auschwitz memorial; as well as its mandatory weapons training programs for children.

We give an example of the despicable cruelty of man towards animals; and address the ancient Yule festival and sunrise celebrations which all sound like Christmas observances.

We conclude with an article about illusionist Uri Geller’s comments on Christ’s and his powers.  

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

Concerns About Biden’s Fitness From Day One

The National News Desk (TNND) wrote on December 19:

“Concerns within the White House over President Joe Biden’s physical and mental fitness began early in his term in the Oval Office, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. Biden, 82, faced accusations throughout this year of being unfit to continue serving in the White House. The scrutiny peaked following his performance in a June presidential debate with President-elect Donald Trump, during which Biden appeared forgetful and confused while speaking in rambling fragments.

“Biden and members of his administration repeatedly rejected suggestions he could not continue running for reelection, despite some of the suggestions coming from other Democrats… The Wall Street Journal on Thursday interviewed nearly 50 individuals familiar with ‘operations’ to conceal… the president’s mental and physical state. Advisers of Biden reportedly realized during the first few months of his term that the ‘bruising presidential schedule’ would need to be adjusted for the president, citing his fatigue and making mistakes…

“Once concerns arose early on, Biden advisers instructed top lawmakers and allies to keep exchanges with the president ‘short and focused,’ according to the Wall Street Journal. Staffers reportedly also ensured most of Biden’s meetings were held later in the day due to the president not being ‘at his best’ first thing in the morning, with the option to scrap meetings entirely if he was having an ‘off day.’

“The guidelines for interactions with Biden even impacted Cabinet members, according to the Wall Street Journal. Biden has reportedly held just nine full Cabinet meetings throughout his term, compared to former President Barack Obama holding 19 during his first term and Trump convening 25 during his.

“At least one Cabinet member stopped asking for calls with Biden ‘because it was clear that such requests wouldn’t be welcome,’ a source told the Wall Street Journal. Cabinet members with particularly infrequent access to Biden reportedly included Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Donors also noticed how staffers worked to mask signs of Biden’s ‘decline,’ the Wall Street Journal reported…

“Harris during her brief presidential campaign fielded accusations of covering up Biden’s mental fitness. During an August interview with CNN, Harris told anchor Dana Bash she had no ‘regrets’ about what she told Americans about the president’s ability to serve…”

A Scandalous Cover-Up

Fox News wrote on December 20:

“CNN’s Scott Jennings criticized the White House for hiding President Biden’s health and age issues from the public in a segment on Thursday. ‘This is the biggest scandal in America,’ Jennings said on CNN. ‘And the level and volume of people who dedicated themselves to lying to everyone at home about this man’s condition for four-straight years up through this summer is breathtaking… It‘s a scandal of epic proportions and it’s a fair question to ask — who is running the country?… Who has been running the country?’

“Jennings argued that Biden’s staffers lied about his health and age concerns for the entirety of his presidency. ‘If you‘re worried about Donald Trump’s having influence — for the last four years, apparently, this president, duly elected, this president was not capable of fulfilling the duties of the office. And his staff and the White House lied about it and kept it from the American people,’ Jennings said…”

Biden did not run the Presidency during these four years, for numerous reasons. For one, it is very doubtful that he was even legitimately elected as President, given major concerns that the election in 2020 was rigged. And unless we forget, there are still major and unresolved concerns and unanswered questions (despite the fact that Trump buckled in this regard) whether Obama was born in America (Hawaii)… if he was not, his presidency would have been illegitimate as well.

“Shoot the Drones!”

The Ron Paul Institute published the following article by Judge Andrew P. Napolitano on December 19:

“The skies over New Jersey have been littered with strange flying objects during the past two weeks; and the feds are either hiding the truth from terrified folks on the ground or scratching their collective heads along with the rest of us. Since early December, there have been between 3,000 and 5,000 reports of large drones — some about the size of a pickup truck. They have three or four arms, at the ends of which are very bright lights.

“The drone I saw over the northwest tip of the state appeared to come toward me and then stood perfectly still. Then — in a heartbeat — it was gone… The New Jersey State Police dispatched a helicopter — manned by two troopers — to pursue this beast but not to interfere with it. As their helicopter approached, the drone fled from them and seemed to disappear.

“New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy — who had no use for the Bill of Rights during the pandemic four years ago — sees no threat to public safety or public peace. The White House — which must know the origin and nature of these things — also professes ignorance. President-elect Donald Trump… opined that if this happens on his watch, he’d order the drones shot down. Don’t expect that from President Joe Biden. Remember the two weeks during which we all watched a huge Chinese ‘weather’ balloon make its way from Alaska to South Carolina, only to have it shot down over the Atlantic? That was a manifestation of the Biden attitude about strange and terrifying flying objects…

“Will I shoot down the next drone that flies over my home when the state claims it cannot do so and the feds tell me to mind my own business? If I did, I’d be responsible for the natural and probable consequences of such an act, including personal injury and property damage to those on the ground. The better way to address this is for the states to chase and capture these devices, in defiance of an incompetent federal government. If they won’t, I might just take my chances with a New Jersey jury.”

Please view our StandingWatch program, titled, “The DRONES! No Danger? Are You Kidding?” 

Controversial Bill Passed to Avoid Governmental Shutdown

Fox News wrote on December 21:

“The White House has announced that President Biden signed a stopgap funding bill into law on Saturday, extending government funding into March [through March 14, 2025] and avoiding a shutdown. The bill includes $100 billion in disaster aid and a one-year farm bill. The Senate worked into early Saturday morning to pass the bill 85-11, just after the deadline following a chaotic week on Capitol Hill.”

The substantially same bill had been rejected twice before by the House.

Fox News reported on December 21:

“An original agreement on a short-term spending bill was released earlier in the week… But soon after its release, billionaire Elon Musk and other conservative critics publicly blasted the measure, ultimately resulting in it being condemned by President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance… Meanwhile, as of Thursday, the U.S national debt was at $36,167,604,149,955.61 and was continuing to climb rapidly…

“House Republicans emerged on Thursday with a new proposal. The revised measure would have extended current funding levels for three months and included a debt limit suspension for two years, per the request of Trump… But the bill failed on the House floor Thursday night as Democrats united against it and a significant group of Republicans opted to oppose it as well…

“The third measure, which ultimately passed the House and Senate, was similar to the one that failed the night prior…. However, the final stopgap bill did not include a suspension of the debt ceiling, which Trump had requested himself. The House passed the short-term spending bill with 366 yes votes, surpassing the necessary two-thirds…  34 Republicans [voted] against the legislation and zero Democrats [voted] against it. One Democrat… voted present… Among those who voted against the bill was Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., who told Fox News Digital, ‘I don’t know why we’re giving Joe Biden $100 billion to play with in 30 days’…”

It does not appear that anyone voting for this bill had the best interests of the American people in mind. Neither did Trump who wanted a suspension of the debt ceiling. Ridiculous!

How Our Government Wastes Our Money!!!

Newsmax wrote on December 24:

“Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., released his annual ‘Festivus’ report on Tuesday where he cited more than $1 trillion in government waste for 2024. Paul’s yearly accounting of frivolous government spending is a scathing editorial of… absurd federal projects…

“Paul noted that the national debt increased $2 trillion in 2024 to a current figure of $36 trillion and is on pace to increase at least $2 trillion every year for the next decade… ‘That’s over $1 trillion in government waste, including things like ice-skating drag queens, a $12 million Las Vegas pickleball complex, $4,840,082 on Ukrainian influencers, and more! No matter how much money the government has wasted, politicians keep demanding even more.’..

“While hundreds of millions was listed in misused COVID PPP funds, some of the more ludicrous government programs called out include The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) spending $419,470 to determine if lonely rats seek cocaine more than happy rats, $3 million on ‘girl-centered climate action’ in Brazil, $288,563 to create safe spaces for bird watching groups, and $123,066 to teach youths in Kyrgyzstan how to ‘go viral.’”

Fox News added on December 23:

“The 2024 Festivus Waste Report found that the Biden-Harris administration spent over $1 trillion this year, including giving a $10,000 grant to ‘Beards on Ice’ — an ice skating drag show on climate change put on by the Bearded Ladies Cabaret, a self-described ‘queer cabaret arts organization.’ Additionally, the Agency for International Development (USAID) spent $20 million on a Sesame Street spin-off show in Iraq, titled ‘Ahlan Simsim,’ in an effort to promote ‘inclusion’ and ‘mutual respect.’

“About $1.5 million was spent experimenting how different species, such as young female kittens, respond to motion sickness.  According to the report, researchers would strap kittens to a table, where they are spun around in several directions and have holes drilled into their skulls to keep them in place — ‘and it’s all being done with your money,’ Paul writes in the report. ‘More than one and a half million dollars of it.’…

“‘As the average American taxpayers struggle to pay rent, their hard-earned dollars are ironically funneled into more real estate,’ the report read, referring to the Biden struggles spending $10 billion on maintaining and furnishing buildings that were almost entirely empty. The Department of Energy (DOE) gave automakers $15.5 billion to push the industry into the electric vehicle (EV) sector while another $388,000 was given to ‘Magic in the United States,’ a podcast discussing how magical beliefs and practices have evolved in the U.S. The senator also mentioned the Biden administration giving $2.1 million to fund Paraguay’s border…”

Trump Threatens EU With Tariffs

AFP wrote on December 20:

“President-elect Donald Trump on Friday threatened the European Union with tariffs if the bloc does not reduce its ‘tremendous’ trade gap with Washington through oil and gas purchases. ‘I told the European Union that they must make up their tremendous deficit with the United States by the large scale purchase of our oil and gas,’ Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform in the early hours of Friday. ‘Otherwise, it is TARIFFS all the way!!!’

“According to U.S. figures, goods imports from the EU were $553.3 billion in 2022, while its exports to the bloc were $350.8 billion. This puts the U.S. goods trade deficit with the EU at $202.5 billion that year… Trump… has made sweeping threats of slapping tariffs on US trading partners — including Canada, Mexico and China — which could send reverberations across the global economy… Trump had threatened a 25% import tariff, while vowing at least 10% against China…

“Earlier this month, the European Union concluded a massive trade deal with four South American countries — Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay — that aims to create a 700-million-customer free-trade area. Von der Leyen had said the agreement would build trade bridges as ‘strong winds are blowing in the opposite direction, towards isolation and fragmentation’ — comments largely seen as a nod to Trump’s threats to hike tariffs…”

Trump is making more and more enemies, especially in Europe.. and Europe WILL respond, when the time comes.

Trump Attacks Panama Canal Toll, Threatens With Return of Ownership

Fox Business News wrote on December 21:

“President-elect Trump unleashed a tirade against Panama Canal tolls Saturday, claiming the U.S. is being ripped off by high prices… The Panama Canal’s tolls can range from three to six figures depending on how large a vessel is and how much cargo it carries, with the largest ships being charged as much as $500,000. ‘The Panama Canal is considered a VITAL National Asset for the United States, due to its critical role to America’s Economy and National Security,’ Trump wrote in his post. ‘A secure Panama Canal is crucial for U.S. Commerce, and rapid deployment of the Navy, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and drastically cuts shipping times to U.S. ports.’

“The incoming president criticized former President Carter, who Trump said ‘foolishly gave it away, for One Dollar.’ In 1977, Carter signed the Panama Canal Treaty, which phased out U.S. control of the canal by 1999. Carter also signed the Neutrality Treaty, which ensured that the tolls would be equal for all nations. Trump implied that the U.S. should be given preferential treatment in his post… ‘The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S. This complete “rip-off” of our Country will immediately stop.’

“Trump also floated the idea of demanding the canal’s ownership be returned to the United States if American ships are not given fair treatment. ‘[The Panama Canal] was not given for the benefit of others, but merely as a token of cooperation with us and Panama,’ Trump concluded. ‘If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question.’”

Giving away the Panama Canal was indeed a foolish move, humanly speaking, but it was prophesied in the Bible, as America is to lose ALL its “sea gates.”

Trump Dreams of Empire Extension

MSN wrote on December 24:

“Trump has been in a strikingly imperial mood since his election victory. He has floated with acquiring Greenland, reclaiming the Panama Canal, annexing Canada, and potentially invading Mexico…

“Greenland’s prime minister, Múte Egede, hit back at Trump on Monday: ‘Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom.’ A day earlier, Trump had labeled taking ‘ownership’ of the world’s largest island ‘an absolute necessity’ [for national security and freedom]. People involved in Trump’s transition have been discussing how an acquisition or custodianship of Greenland [which is currently controlled by Denmark] would work… The island’s attractions include its natural resources and its location, as the U.S., Russia and other powers scramble for footholds in the Arctic…

“Panama President José Raúl Mulino declared in an on-camera address Sunday that Panama would not hand over a single square meter of the canal, to which Trump replied on Truth Social: ‘We’ll see about that!’ Trump followed up with a picture of an American flag flying over the canal, captioned: ‘Welcome to the United States Canal!’…

“Trump previously told Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that his country could avoid tariffs if it became America’s 51st state — a message he has repeatedly re-upped through memes and jokes… Trump’s allies have also been discussing a potential ‘soft invasion’ of Mexico… That could involve targeting cartels through cross-border special forces operations or drone strikes.”

Trump Appoints Brian Burch as Ambassador to the Holy See

Yahoo! News wrote on December 21:

“President-elect Donald Trump on Friday nominated Brian Burch, a right-wing Catholic who has often criticized Pope Francis, as his ambassador to the Holy See. Trump announced Burch, a father of nine and president of the non-profit CatholicVote.org (which he described as ‘one of the largest Catholic advocacy groups in the Country’) as his nominee in a Truth Social post, which was followed by a message selling ‘God Bless the USA’ Bibles…

“Burch… may not have a lot of love for Pope Francis specifically. He strongly opposed the pontiff’s decision to allow the blessing of same-sex couples…  He has also alleged church leaders might have collaborated with the FBI on plans ‘to infiltrate “Latin mass” communities,’ amid reports last year that the agency had warned of ‘radical traditionalist’ Catholics as part of investigations into far-right activism.

“… theology professor and director of the Catholic Theological Union’s Bernardin Center in Chicago Steven Millies described Burch as ‘an agitator, mostly, the opposite of a diplomat… His appointment signals what we already know; a difficult time lies ahead for U.S.-Vatican relations.’”

The relationship between the USA and the Vatican will drastically deteriorate.

Musk Wades Into Election Campaigns

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 20:

“Elon Musk… opined on his platform X (formerly Twitter) on Friday morning that ‘Only the AfD can save Germany.’ Alica Weidel, who is running for chancellor as co-leader of the AfD, [a lesbian married to a woman from Sri Lanka] responded to Musk an hour later, saying: ‘Yes! You are perfectly right! Please also have a look into my interview on President Trump, how socialist Merkel ruined our country, how the Soviet European Union destroys the countries [sic] economic backbone and malfunctioning Germany!’

“The AfD is currently polling at around 19% ahead of the German federal election in February, second only to the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) at around 33%. But all the other parties currently in the German parliament have ruled out forming a coalition with them…

“Asked about Musk’s comments, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said: ‘Freedom of expression also applies to multi-billionaires, but it also means that you’re allowed to say things which aren’t correct, and aren’t good political advice.’

“Other German lawmakers from across the political spectrum criticized both Musk’s post and Weidel’s response, slamming ‘interference’ and insisting that no other party will form a government with ‘fascists bought by billionaires.’… Anton Hofreiter from the Green Party  called the AfD ‘traitors bought by billionaires’ and ‘a band of fascists who have not only been bought by… Putin but are now being supported by a multi-billionaire-turned-right-wing-extremist.’…

“It’s not the first time that Musk has addressed the AfD. At the start of June, he posted: ‘They keep saying “far right,” but the policies of AfD that I’ve read about don’t sound extremist…’

“Musk has also expressed support for the United Kingdom’s far-right ‘Reform UK’ and its populist leader Nigel Farage. This week, Farage told the BBC that his party is in ‘open negotiations’ with Musk regarding a potential donation, which The Times has reported could be as high as £78m ($100m, €96m), by far the biggest political donation in British political history…  In Germany, state security services have warned that the upcoming federal election could be targeted by disinformation campaigns not only from Russia, but also from the United States.

“Meanwhile, the leader of Germany’s neoliberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) Chrisitan Lindner, sparked controversy this month when he appeared to praise the political views and activities of Musk and right-wing populist Argentinian President Javier Milei… On Friday, replying to Musk on X, he… cautioned against supporting the AfD.”

After Musk’s “endorsement” of the AfD, “Alice Weidel has surged to the top of the polls of preferred chancellors in the upcoming February elections… [She] surged by three points over the previous week to 24 points, surpassing the leader of the centrist neo-liberal Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Friedrich Merz, who fell by one point to 20 per cent since the previous week.

“Meanwhile, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the current candidate for the leftist Social Democrat Party (SPD) languishes in third place, falling one point from last week to 15 per cent support. Scholz is followed by his Economic Minister Robert Habeck, the chancellor candidate for the Greens, at 14 per cent…. Although the attack [see below] happened under the watch of Chancellor Scholz, the suspected attacker was reportedly granted asylum in 2016, under the CDU government of Angela Merkel” (Breitbart, December 22).

Reuters wrote on December 20:

“Musk… on Friday called on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to resign in response to a deadly attack at a German Christmas market [in Magdeburg]. ‘Scholz should resign immediately,’ Musk posted on X, adding: ‘Incompetent fool.’”

On Saturday, he wrote in regard to the news (see below) that Saudi Arabia had warned Germany about the attacker:

“Yeah, he was obviously a lunatic who should never have been allowed to enter Germany and should have been extradited when Saudi Arabia made the request. Suicidal empathy by the German government.

“Wow, this is insane. Whoever refused to extradite a murderer deserves to be punished severely!”

Musk is seen as Trump’s strongest and most influential [unelected] adviser. Some call him already “President Musk.” And as Trump becomes more and more unpopular in Europe and especially in Germany (if that is possible), so Musk is even trumping him in that regard.

Note the following articles.

Terrorist Attack in Magdeburg, East Germany

The Daily Mail wrote on December 20:

“… a Saudi doctor [a specialist in psychiatrist and psychotherapy] who drove through a massive crowd at a German Christmas market [in Magdeburg], killing at least two and injuring nearly 70 people, was arrested. [He had lived and worked in the neighboring city of Bernburg, about 25 miles south of Magdeburg.]  

“While official figures say that two people, including a toddler, have died, local media have put the death toll at 11…

“Bild reported that the [rented] car was driven ‘at least 400m (1,300ft) across the Christmas market’… at least 15 people were ‘severely’ injured…” 

Those figures were clearly underreported and totally unrealistic.

ABC News reported on December 21:

“At least five people are now known to have been killed in the vehicle-ramming attack on a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg on Friday, the Minister President of Saxony-Anhalt Reiner Haseloff told journalists on Saturday. Haseloff said that at least 200 more people were injured… At least 40 of those injured were so seriously hurt that their lives are still thought to be in danger, according to Chancellor Olaf Scholz.”

Who Is the Terrorist?

Breitbart wrote on December 20:

“The suspected attacker… was granted asylum [an indefinite residence permit] in Germany in 2016 after fleeing from his native Saudi Arabia for fear of persecution over his atheism, Welt reports. [He arrived in Germany in 2006 and lived in Germany since then.] The suspect has been identified as having established a website to help other atheist asylum seekers flee to Germany. In an interview in 2019, he reportedly claimed to be the ‘most aggressive critic of Islam in history’.

“Der Spiegel reports that Taleb A. had expressed sympathies towards the anti-mass migration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, as well as figures such as Elon Musk, Alex Jones, and Tommy Robinson. However, the news outlet noted that Taleb A. identified as a ‘leftist’. [Breitbart added on December 21: “While much media attention in the wake of the attack has focussed on statements Taleb made in support of the populist right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party over its critiques of Islamic immigration, he apparently considered himself to be a leftist. ‘Taleb A. said in the interview that he was not a right-winger and described himself as a leftist,’ Der Spiegel reports… He appears to have been particularly angered over the acceptance rate of ‘Syrian jihadists’ compared to ex-Muslims from Saudi Arabia.]”

“Welt reported that posts apparently made on social media by the suspected attacker criticised Germany for trying to ‘Islamize Europe’ while also accusing Berlin of ‘hunting Saudi asylum seekers inside and outside Germany to destroy their lives.’ There are growing suggestions that the attacker may have suffered from some form of mental illness, with posts accusing the German state of the ‘killing of Socrates’, as well as personally persecuting him…

“However, despite reportedly not being on police radar as a potential extremist, several posts attributed to the suspect seemingly showed violent intent, including: ‘I assure you that 100 percent revenge will come soon. Even if it costs me my life,’ and ‘Germany will pay the price. A huge price.’..

“The attack appears to be similar to the 2016 terrorist attack on a Christmas market in Berlin when a man hijacked a truck and used it to plow down people attending the market. In total, 13 people died, as a result of the attack and dozens were left injured. The attacker, a failed asylum seeker from Tunisia named Anis Amri, fled to Italy and was shot and killed by police in Milan days later.”

The Sun wrote on December 21:

“Four months before the attack, he wrote online in Arabic: ‘I assure you: if Germany wants war, we will have it. If Germany wants to kill us, we will slaughter them, die.’ He wrote: ‘Is there a path to justice without slaughtering German citizens indiscriminately?’”

Breitbart added on December 21:

“The German news magazine [“Der Spiegel”] also reported that Berlin security agencies received three warnings from Saudi Arabia about the suspect… However, officials allegedly dismissed the statements and reportedly did not consider him to be a threat as a potential extremist.”

Daily Mail added this on December 21:

“In 2013 he was sentenced by a German court for ‘disturbing the public peace by threatening to commit crimes’, according to Der Spiegel. Three years later, he applied for asylum in Germany and his application was approved within four months…  German officials said… that the attacker drove into the market through a rescue entrance, where they were no barricades.”

This will have a massive influence on Germany’s upcoming elections. Undoubtedly, each party will use this to further their own goals and to attack the other side.

How Is Something Like That Possible?

On December 21, Bild Online published the following comment from Bild boss Robert Schneider:

“A doctor from Saudi Arabia, who has lived in Germany for many years and appears as a fanatical anti-Islamist, carried out this murderous attack under the influence of drugs like something out of the textbook of Islamic terrorism… Much of the terrible bloody act is inexplicable. And yet urgent questions arose the day after the shooting. Saudi authorities have repeatedly warned German authorities about Taleb A…. Why did our police and secret services do nothing even though they had the Saudi on their radar, even though he was said to have been convicted of threatening criminal offenses in 2013?

“Why did someone like that even get asylum with us in 2016? And why were the tips from Saudi Arabia apparently ignored? And how can it be that in Germany, at the same time, the judiciary is meticulously tracking down and prosecuting citizens who make insulting or even satirical comments about politicians – up to and including house searches? So ‘imbecile professional’ (Habeck case) is persecuted and ‘Kill Merkel’ (Taleb on X) is not!”

Bild Online then wrote on December 23:

“Three days after the murderous attack in Magdeburg!… High representatives of the state such as the Chancellor, Federal President, ministers and state leaders were there and gave moving speeches. Then the politicians left again. But questions remain!…

“Why was the police van missing at the entrance to the Christmas market? A larger police car was supposed to be parked across there, but was missing. Only because of this safety glitch was the death driver able to drive through the 5 meter gap and murder several people. They would still be alive if the police car had been there!… Who is responsible for the security plan for the Magdeburg Christmas market?…

“For terror expert Peter Neumann (King’s College London), one thing is clear: ‘The concept has failed. This didn’t even close the obvious gap – making an identical attack like the Berlin shooting at Breitscheidplatz in 2016 impossible – … I’m stunned that the city of Magdeburg continued to defend its security concept even after the attack.’

“Why was the assassin Taleb Al-Abdulmohsen allowed to work as a doctor? Patients called him ‘Dr. Google’ because he didn’t even know what a thrombosis was! He was obviously neither mentally nor professionally suitable for this and yet he worked as a doctor – how is that possible?…

“Why were there indications from Saudi Arabia ignored that Taleb Al-Abdulmohsen is a dangerous man? Some ex-Muslims are also said to have warned authorities about his attack fantasies and were not listened to. Why?… If the security authorities had followed up on the tips, it might have become clear: This man had no place in Germany!”

Shiite Mass Murderer?

Report 24 asked similar questions on December 21, and then reported other shocking findings:

“While the German media is busy with highly questionable reports that he was an Islam-hating convert, Arabic-speaking citizen journalists brought to light his connections with the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood and the terrorist group ‘Islamic State’ (IS)… The actual name of the murderous psychiatrist is, according to Arabic sources, ‘Talib Al-Abdul Mohsen’. It is a Shia surname. Shiites are the minority in Saudi Arabia; most Saudis are Sunnis. Both are different branches of Islam that repeatedly fight each other with deadly violence. Taleb confessed to Wahhabism in 2016 – which hardly fits with the theory of turning away from Islam…

“Taleb A. further supported the Islamist groups that recently brought Syria under their control… It is gratifying how many details from the mass murderer’s life are coming to light through the work of citizen journalists. Fortunately, Elon Musk’s X doesn’t cooperate as submissively as Zuckerberg’s Facebook and makes this research possible. The German authorities apparently want to cover up as much about this case as possible…”

Europe Leaderless

Haaretz wrote on December 19:

“The continent may be on the verge of another defining moment in its postwar history depending on how it reconciles U.S. President-elect Donald Trump – a huge NATO critic – with Europe’s endemic political weakness…

“Europe’s largest and strongest countries are undergoing political turmoil and instability. The European Union is weak on foreign and defense policy… Today, Europe is leaderless…”

A powerful European leader will arise, when it is least expected.

Switzerland’s Crazy Decisions

LifeSiteNews wrote on December 20:

“Switzerland’s highest court has decided parents separated from their daughter for refusing to endorse her gender ‘transition’ must enable their child’s legal ‘sex change’ or face the possibility of criminal charges…

“The child’s father reacted to the ruling: ‘… That we could face criminal charges for simply trying to care for our daughter shows how deeply embedded transgender ideology is in Swiss institutions and the real harms it causes…’

“This is the latest juncture in a case that has already received worldwide attention…  X-owner Elon Musk commented on it saying: ‘This is insane. This suicidal mind virus is spreading throughout Western Civilization.’

“The daughter’s parents were separated from their child by court order over a year and a half ago, after they objected to their child’s so-called gender ‘transition.’ They were concerned their daughter was being pushed to make hasty and irreversible decisions when she first said she identified as the opposite sex following mental health struggles at the age of 13… The parents refused ‘puberty blockers’ for their child and told her school to not ‘socially transition’ her, and instead arranged private mental health care. But the school ‘socially transitioned’ the daughter anyway and liaised with the state child welfare agency, Service de Protection des Mineurs (SPMI) and a transgender-activist organization. Eventually, the daughter was separated from her parents and legal authority over her medical care was transferred from the parents to SPMI.

“The daughter has lived in a government shelter since April 2023 and the parents’ access to her is regulated by the state. The parents tried and failed to recover legal authority over their daughter’s medical care through an appeal, and a court order was issued for them to hand over her identity documents (under the threat of criminal charges) to enable a legal ‘sex change’…”

Such crazy occurrences are not limited to Switzerland, but would include the rest of Europe AND the USA—especially, when incompetent and parent-opposing state child welfare agencies get involved. This is SATAN’S abominable world with its governments and laws in which we live. THANK GOD, hopefully not much longer!

Israel vs. Turkey Over Syria

Israel Today wrote on December 19:

“Turkey’s recent posture [towards Israel], particularly in the aftermath of the Hamas-led massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, has been increasingly antagonistic… Turkey, although a NATO member, has facilitated activities that undermine Israel’s security and… publicly supports groups with terrorist affiliations. For example, in July, Israel thwarted a Hamas attack orchestrated from within Turkey and Turkey now hosts the Hamas leaders who were forced out of Qatar.

“Erdoğan has frequently called on Israel to refrain from military actions in Lebanon and Syria. Yet, Turkey itself appears ready to launch a military operation in Syria targeting Kurdish groups..  in July [Erdogan] went so far as to threaten an invasion of Israel… Despite this, NATO has shown little resistance to Turkey’s behavior…”

Turkey is prophesied to become Israel’s arch-enemy.

Netanyahu Will Not Attend Auschwitz Memorial

Israel 365 News wrote on December 22:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not attend the ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz Nazi concentration camp due to concerns that the Polish government’s pledge [expressed on Friday by Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Bartoszewski] that it will adhere to the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Netanyahu over possible war crimes in Israel’s war against the Hamas terrorist organization.

“The major event is planned for International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27 and is expected to be attended by dozens of leaders and heads of state, including Britain’s King Charles…

“Polish sources told Rzeczpospolita that Warsaw was enforcing the warrants due to its wish to see Russian President Vladimir Putin stand before the court. The court issued a warrant for Putin in 2022 over the kidnapping of Ukrainian children from occupied Ukraine. The report also said President Isaac Herzog does not plan to attend.”

This is SO stupid. Shame on Poland—especially in light of its Nazi past.

Mandatory Weapons Training for Children in Poland

International Business Times (IBT) wrote on December 24:

“Poland has introduced mandatory firearm and basic first aid training for schoolchildren as fears of Russian aggression loom over the country. The Education for Safety program, which targets students aged 14 to 16, teaches theoretical and practical gun-handling skills using laser-based weapons for safety… Students learn how to assemble and disassemble firearms, improve shooting accuracy, and respond to warfare-related threats.

“The lessons, conducted for one hour per week in school gymnasiums, also include topics on state security, survival techniques, and tactical rescue…

“The mandatory lessons reflect Poland’s broader effort to prepare its population for potential conflict… The government plans to implement the program across all 18,000 schools nationwide…”

A terrible development of indoctrination and glorification of guns.

Our Cruel World

The Sun wrote on December 20:

“[Thailand’s only gorilla] Bua Noi has lived behind bars in [Bangkok] Thailand for most of her life… The gorilla has been caged up for [for more than three decades] in the widely criticised Pata Zoo which is located on the sixth and seventh floor above a [desolate and decaying city center shopping mall]. This allows passers-by and shoppers to gaze in at the unloved mammal who is unable to ever leave… A damming report back in 2019 detailed how Bua had been pulling out her hair and anxiously rolling around in her isolated cage. Footage also shows the lonely gorilla looking visibly depressed and staring through the bars of her old cage.

“All of this has made Bua one of the most well-known living gorillas with her being at the centre of dozens of campaigns aimed at getting her free. These calls have come mainly from international campaign groups but even celebrities such as Cher. PETA have spent over 12 years trying to relocate Bua but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears…  the owner of Bua has constantly ignored calls to give her a better quality of life and says he will only release her if he is paid £700,000… Even the environment minister of Thailand, Varawut Silpa-archa, has made it clear he wishes to see her moved to a sanctuary…

“Bua was first shipped off to the shopping centre from Germany when she was just a one-year-old. She has been trapped in her cramped and dirty cage ever since… Pata Zoo is not only home to the sombre gorilla but also more than 200 other animal species including tigers, bears and pythons. Many of the animals live in similar conditions to Bua [i.e., in dirty sand dingy cages] and spend their days wallowing about in pity. A chilling report by International Animal Rescue has even claimed that some animals were left to die in their cages.

“PETA has strongly condemned the zoo for years… labelling it ‘one of the worst zoos in the world’ [and the ‘saddest place on earth’].”

It was also reported that “Bua Noi’s owners were offered a free service from professional gorilla experts who could help relocate her to any modern zoo. The offer fell on deaf ears as Bua Noi stays in a cage 24/7” (mustsharenews, dated August 19, 2015).

How is something like this even allowed? The owner should be dispossessed of the animals and the zoo closed, with the animals transferred to a better environment. God IS holding such cruel and heartless people responsible for their evil doing!

The Ancient Yule Festival

NPR wrote on December 20:

“In Southwestern Wisconsin, preparation is underway for Circle Sanctuary’s 50th annual Yule festival. For the pagan members the church serves, it marks winter solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. On Sunday night, High Priestess Selena Fox gathered spiritual leaders on Zoom to light candles and honor the full moon… She invited those watching to call to mind joy from sacred seasonal plants: evergreen trees, holly, ivy and mistletoe.

“On Saturday, she and several dozen others will gather around a bonfire at the sanctuary’s nature preserve and throw a decorated Yule log into the fire, symbolizing the returning sun. Fox is a Wiccan priestess, but Circle Sanctuary is inclusive of a range of pagan traditions, focusing on a spiritual connection with nature. Amid the depths of winter, Fox said Yule is a celebratory occasion to plant seeds of hope for the coming spring…

“Paganism is growing in the U.S, particularly among young people… [It] reflects Americans’ movement away from organized religion and toward less-hierarchical spiritual practices… Many pagans, including Wiccans, practice magic and call themselves witches… [It may include] a reenactment of the Wild Hunt, a story about guiding souls who’ve died during the year into the afterlife.”

Of course, Christmas [as well as New Year’s observances] is nothing else but a slightly modified (“Christianized”) version of those ancient pagan Yule Festival celebrations.

Winter Solstice Sunrise Celebrations

BBC News reported on December 21, 2024:

“The winter solstice sunrise was greeted by thousands of people at Stonehenge, with a focus on ‘renewal, rebirth and good vibes’…

“In nearby Avebury, which is home to another ancient stone circle, two men wearing cloaks could be seen blowing horns as people gathered to watch the sunrise over the fields. Near the stone circle there is a group of beech trees which people tie ribbons to. This is a pagan tradition known as ‘wishing trees’, done as prayers to the tree spirits or in the memory of loved ones.

“In Somerset, Glastonbury Tor also saw crowds of people climbing the hill earlier this morning to mark the sun rising… It is regarded by some as a spiritual site just like Stonehenge. At the top of the hill, a fire was lit and songs were sung by people gathered there.”

Uri Geller’s Powers

Yahoo! News wrote on December 21:

“Uri Geller believes aliens gave Jesus the power to perform miracles. The 78-year-old illusionist is convinced that ‘humans are not alone in the universe’ and that ‘some sort of extraterrestrial intelligence is watching us’… 

“Uri… questioned whether Jesus’ ‘miraculous powers’ were a ‘gift from God’ or whether they were actually ‘a gift from extraterrestrials’… ‘I am by no means comparing myself to Jesus but I believe my powers were a gift from extraterrestrials – and that those of Christ could have been too.’”

Geller has become famous for appearing on TV to seemingly alter the shape of spoons and other utensils. If real, his powers might have come from forces other than God. Christ, however, was clearly given power from God the Father.

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.

To answer this question comprehensively, one must look at the historical events, as it is important to understand why we are referring to a third temple, and what this temple of God is all about.

Who built the first temple and why? What happened to this temple and what became of it? And finally, why should the third temple be a requirement for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?

We can predict one thing with certainty: YES, this third temple is a requirement for Jesus Christ to even initiate His Second Coming! All of this is prophesied in the Bible, the Word of God; including the fact that there MUST be a third temple!

Some believe that the prophecy for the third temple is not about a physical temple made of stones, but only about a spiritual, inward temple. They link this to Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, where he says, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” (Compare also 2 Corinthians 6:16; 1 Corinthians 6:19.)

Paul is saying here that our body, “spiritually speaking,” is a temple of God, in which God the Father and Jesus Christ dwell through the Holy Spirit, which WE should not defile, for example, by smoking, excessive drinking, gluttony, fornication or adultery, and so on.

But that does not mean that there will be no physical temple in the end time – BEFORE the Second Coming of Christ.

Let us first ask ourselves: Why did the God of the Old Testament – Jesus Christ – want a temple, initially a tabernacle, to be built? Who was to build it?

We find the answer to this question in Exodus 25:1-9:

“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ‘Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering. And this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, and bronze; blue, purple, and scarlet thread, fine linen, and goats’ hair; ram skins dyed red, badger skins, and acacia wood; oil for the light, and spices for the anointing oil and for the sweet incense; onyx stones, and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breastplate. And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.’” (See also Exodus 40:34-35; 1 Kings 8:10-11).

Christ is the King of kings. He wanted to dwell with His people. He wanted to be close to them and care for them. Of course, we know that God does not actually dwell in a physical temple (see Acts 7:48). But this was a symbolic visual confirmation that He would be close to His people.

Unfortunately, in the time of Samuel, there was a rebellion by the Israelites, because they did not want to accept the invisible God of the Old Testament as their king, preferring a human being as their ruler, which of course only led to suffering and pain (see 1 Samuel 8:1-22).

And so God decided that Saul should be anointed king (compare 1 Samuel 9:15-27; 10:1). According to the biblical account, Saul died because of his many sins, and God had David, the shepherd, the son of Jesse, anointed to be king. David, however, became a man of war and had much blood on his hands. Nevertheless, he was a man after God’s own heart because he was faithful to God and always repented with all his heart and with humility.

We read in 2 Samuel 5:4-10: “David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah. And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land… David took the stronghold of Zion (that is, the City of David)… Then David dwelt in the stronghold, and called it the City of David. And David built all around from the Millo and inward. So David went on and became great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.“

In 2 Samuel 7:1-16, we read that it was David’s desire to build a house or temple for God, but this was denied him because he was a man of war. Instead, his son Solomon was to build the house for God.

In 1 Chronicles 21:18-30; 22:1-19, however, God allows David to identify the site for the temple and the altar of sacrifice, after which David handed over the construction of the temple to his son Solomon, as it was God’s will. David then passed the design of the temple to his son Solomon with all its provisions and regulations (compare 1 Chronicles 28:11-21).

In 2 Chronicles 3, Solomon began the construction of the temple, which was around 970 BC. In 1 Kings 6:37-38 we read: “In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid, in the month of Ziv (today April/May). And in the eleventh year (about 7 ½ years later), in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished (about 962 BC) in all its details and according to all its plans. So he was seven years in building it.”

This first Temple, also called “Solomon’s Temple”, was then destroyed and burnt down by King Nebuchadnezzar II in about 587/586 BC. We read in 2 Kings 25:8-10: “And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month (which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. He burned the house of the LORD and the king’s house; all the houses of Jerusalem, that is, all the houses of the great, he burned with fire. And all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls of Jerusalem all around.” On this subject, also read Ezra 5:12; 2 Kings 24:10-14; 2 Chronicles 36:17-19.

At this point, the people of Judah had already been deported to various regions of the Babylonian Empire. This captivity, which was to last for 70 years, had already been prophesied by the prophet Jeremiah. He was preaching to the people of Judah for 23 years that this would happen, but they did not want to hear it (see Jeremiah 25:1-11; 29:10, and 2 Chronicles 36:20-21).

After these 70 years of captivity, they returned from Babylon to Jerusalem and Judah. The whole community numbered 42,360 people in total, not including their servants, who numbered 7,337, and there were 200 singers (see Ezra 2:1-70).

Then, in about 515 BC, about 7 months after the return from Babylon, King Cyrus gave the order to rebuild the temple and to bring back all the articles of the house of God (compare Ezra 1:1-11). After an interruption, King Darius again confirmed the order to build the temple (Ezra 6:1-5).

This was the second temple that was built or rebuilt, which was not always easy, as there were some obstacles. It is also interesting that Isaiah, about 150 years before Cyrus, predicted exactly this situation; namely, that Cyrus would rebuild the temple (Isaiah 44:24-28; 45:1-3).

In our free booklet “The Fall and Rise of the Jewish People”, you can learn more about the fulfillment of these prophecies, and how they relate to the modern State of Israel.

This second temple was then renovated several times and greatly expanded and redesigned under Herod the Great. It became known as the Herodian Temple, but it was still the second temple.

When Jerusalem was conquered by the Roman troops in 70 AD, it was again looted, set on fire and destroyed. This was no coincidence, because Christ had twice predicted during His lifetime as a human being here on earth, that the temple would be destroyed again.

In Luke 21:5-6, we read: “Then, as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and donations, He said, ‘These things which you see—the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down.’”

According to the biblical account, Christ was saddened for the people of Jerusalem because they did not believe in Him and the gospel, the good news, and He wept over them. He also said the following in Luke 19:41-44: “Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, ‘If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.’”

This is exactly what happened in 70 AD through the Romans.

The German Website of the Wikipedia-Encyclopedia states the following: “On August 30, the Romans conquered the upper and lower city with Herod’s palace. Smaller groups of Jewish fighters escaped through hidden tunnels. On September 7, 70, the city was completely in Roman hands. According to Flavius Josephus, approximately 1.1 million people lost their lives during the conquest, the majority of whom were Jews. The temple was destroyed – probably accidentally – and has not been rebuilt to this day. Only the Western Wall remains.”

What is at issue now is that this destroyed second temple must in fact be rebuilt before Jesus Christ can return!

So why a third temple before the return of Jesus Christ? Couldn’t Christ just decide not to have the third temple built and come back to earth without it?

NO, because otherwise God’s end-time prophecy could not be fulfilled! For it is prophesied that there MUST be a third temple. The Bible gives us numerous impressive prophecies that describe or mention the third temple before Christ’s return.

Matthew 24:15 refers to the “abomination of desolation” in the temple. The New International Version puts it like this: “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel – let the reader understand…”

Daniel 11:31 reads: “And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation.”

Although Antiochus Epiphanes fulfilled this prophecy in his time, this was only a forerunner, because it is an end-time prophecy. It is a prophecy for the third temple. The sacrificing of animals, which according to the Bible is to be taken away, is being prepared in Jerusalem at this present time and will soon reach its climax!

We also read about what must happen in the third temple before the Second Coming of Christ.

In 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2, the German Luther Bible 1984 begins with the heading “The Adversary’s Appearance Before the Coming of Christ.”

Verses 3-4 state: “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” This man will claim to be God.

Verses 9-10 continue as follows:

“The coming of the lawless one (the adversary; the man of wickedness or also the man of lawlessness) is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”

This is a clear prophecy that there must be a third temple!

Who is the one who will sit in the third temple and claim to be God?

Revelation 13:11-14 states: “Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs…”

The first beast is an end-time political and military leader of German or Austrian descent. The second beast refers to a religious leader who is also called the false prophet. In 2 Thessalonians, he is called the transgressor, the lawless one, the adversary, the man of sin or the man of lawlessness, depending on the translation. He will be someone who will arise from the Catholic Church, perhaps even directly from the Vatican in Rome.

But he will meet his temporary end and lose his life, since he is only human, not God!

Revelation 19:20 says: “Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.”

In Ezekiel 28:8-9, we also read the following about the false prophet in the Authorized Version:

“They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee.”

There are many more Bible passages that point to the false prophet in this coming age, before the Second Coming of Christ. This man will sit in the rebuilt third temple and will claim to be God. The construction of this third temple is imminent.

If you want to know and understand more about it, please order our free booklet “The Fall and Rise of the Jewish People.”

Lead Writer: Thilo Hanstein (Germany)

Initial translation from the German: Daniel Blasinger

compiled by Dave Harris

“Scandal! How Our Government Wastes Our Money!” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

First, we experienced a chaotic week on Capitol Hill with ridiculous proposals, resulting in a stopgap funding bill to avoid a shutdown. Then, we were informed about the unbelievable waste of American taxpayers’ money in 2024 for useless and godless projects while the US national debt is steadily climbing. This program lists some examples of “frivolous government spending” while many, also in light of heavy taxes, are struggling to make ends meet.  

“Terror in Magdeburg und Deutschlands Zukunft,” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “Terror in Magdeburg and Germany’s Future.”

A new Member Letter (December 2024) is now posted, and copies have been sent to those on our mailing list (available on request). Dave Harris writes about the prophesied persecution for Christians which lies ahead and for our need to watch and be ready.

“Middle Eastern and African Nations in Bible Prophecy,” has been translated into German (“Die Nationen des Nahen Ostens und Afrikas in der biblischen Prophezeiung”) and sent to graphic designer Shelly Bruno in preparation for printing.

“Totensonntag ein Gedenken im Sinne Gottes?” last Sabbath’s German sermonette presented by Jens Herrmann, is now posted. Title in English: “Sunday of the Dead – A Commemoration in the Spirit of God?”

“The Foundation of Faith,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is the summary:

The Bible describes people as having little faith in God and even great faith in God. WHY is that so? What is the variable?

“Understanding and Overcoming Shame,” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is the summary:

Shame describes an emotional state of feeling bad about one’s self. It’s uncomfortable, unpleasant, and can incur lasting damage if left unattended. How are we supposed to understand feelings of shame and the purpose that God intends for those feelings to have? What can we do to move beyond feelings of shame so that we can grow in the way that God expects?