Update 694

On June 27, 2015, Mike Link will present the sermonette, titled, “Results from Knowledge,” and Norbert Link will present the sermon, titled, “The Woman Riding the Beast.”

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.

In a world threatened by war, famine, disease and anger, let us take this opportunity to uplift and strengthen our resolve.

Here in the USA and in other countries around the world, we just had Father’s Day—a day when people take time to show respect and to honor the men in their lives who have either been a father or a father figure to them. A father is someone who leads his family in a loving and caring manner. This can include at times having to train his children (Proverbs 22:6), giving good gifts (Matthew 7:11), encouraging them and lifting them up instead of tearing them down (Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21). This of course is not just a father’s responsibility as it takes a woman of noble character to help raise a family (Proverbs 31:28).

This type of family relationship, while very physical and real, is also played out spiritually by God our Father. We are His children. Galatians 3:26 says: “For you are all sons [or children] of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” This passage and many other Scriptures show that God considers us to be His children. As a father loves his children, so God has the same feelings towards us. He cares for us at all times. Just as a father must correct his children, so at times God lets us go through trials to learn and to become more reliant on Him for our physical and spiritual sustenance (James 1:17). Even when we have to go through trials, God isn’t far away. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 tells us: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation [or affliction], that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble [or affliction], with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

In Matthew 18:2-3 Christ points out that it is our duty to become as little children, in action and thought: “Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’”

As our Father is the God of the entire universe, there is nothing that passes by His attention. The Bible says He numbers and names the stars, counts the sand on earth and numbers the hairs on our head. He sustains the universe by His very Word and Will. And to top it off, He wants to share all of this with us. As we consider the wonders of God, it is important to remember these things and to dwell on them, so that we stay motivated and focused. With God as our Father and Him wanting us to become like Him, we have every opportunity to obtain our crown.

We report on Europe’s shift to the right and the continent’s desire for a strong European leader; followed by developments pertaining to Greece and a possible Grexit, as well as the UK’s contingency plan for a possible “Brexit”; alarming religious prosecution of a Christian pastor in Ireland; and the shameful “pride” of a naïve mother for her 9-year-old transgender child.

We address Martin Luther’s aggressive anti-Semitism; the view point of Europe’s Jews that the “beast” of anti-Semitism is overtaking the continent; and Germany’s scandal regarding the arrest and subsequent release of an Arab journalist in Berlin.

We address the latest revelations of NSA activities in Europe, directed against France; and Germany’s low opinion of the USA.

We speak on the US Supreme Court’s controversial decision to uphold Obamacare tax subsidies; the war of words between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, and we point out the damage which the Obama Administration has caused for the US-Israeli relationship and that many Israelis have an unfavorable opinion of President Obama.

 We continue reporting on the terrible situation in Sudan; and we conclude with articles pertaining to the warning that Britain might face a little ice age; the ambitious agenda of the Pope and his methods to achieve his goals; and his attack on the failure of the great powers to stop Nazism—while neglecting to mention the pitiful role of the two big Christian churches in the affair.

Europe’s Shift to the Right

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 19:

“Denmark’s elections resulted in a narrow yet decisive success for the country’s right-wing…

“Among the ones, who were up in Copenhagen all night celebrating victory, was Michelle Mork Hansen, a young politician with Denmark’s ‘Conservative Youth’ movement. She said that the outcome of the election was a ‘huge success’ for various right-wing parties in the country, adding that it would send a clear signal about Denmark’s position and outlook within the greater framework of the EU: ‘The ever-growing resistance against the European Union and a clear feeling among the population that most of our laws are directly dictated by Brussels have created a re-birth among the Danish right wing parties. The fact that Denmark is now fighting for the reintroduction of border controls has also been used as a symbol by the right wing throughout the election campaign along with the ever-rising amount of refugees entering our country,’ she said.

“Hansen’s observations bear the hallmarks of a movement that seems to be sweeping across many parts of Europe. Euroskeptic, right-leaning parties made gains across the continent, and predictions for upcoming elections in other EU nations have been confirming this trend. It would appear that Europe is largely turning to the right – and the reason for this is Europe…

“A lot of Europeans are not happy with the way things are going in Europe… ‘Throughout Europe, the right-wing parties have very charismatic and strong leaders, epitomized by Nigel Farage in the UK, Marine Le Pen in France and Kristian Thulesen Dahl here in Denmark, whose personalities and public speaking abilities seem to be drawing in the votes more than their party manifestos,’ [Hansen] said…”

In spite of or even because of right-wing charismatic euro-skeptics, the European unification process will continue, and a core Europe will emerge, consisting of ten nations or groups of nations. However, Israelite countries like Great Britain and even Denmark, Finland or Sweden might not be part of core Europe. The verdict on Greece is still out (Greece being a non-Israelite country, which is prophesied to have at the very least strong ties to Europe). While an overwhelming majority of Germans is in favor of a Grexit, most Greeks want to stay in the Eurozone. And while Angela Merkel is experiencing more and more resistance from her own party to loan Greece more money—especially from the “Euro-Man,” German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble (see Bild Online, June 24)—she is reportedly determined to do whatever she can to keep Greece within the Eurozone. According to the EUObserver, dated June 19, “Viktor Orban, the Hungarian PM, has said only ‘strong’ leaders, not institutions, can create stability in Europe.” As Angela Merkel is undoubtedly not the kind of leader whom many envision and hope for, a strong leader, identified as the “beast” in the book of Revelation, will arise soon in Europe.

11^th Hour for Greece

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 24:

“As the 11th hour of bailout talks approaches, will Greece and its creditors agree on a bailout deal?… It only took an hour for eurozone finance ministers to call an end to crisis talks on Wednesday. The summit was expected to pave the way for a ‘final deal’ ahead of Greece’s impending deadline to repay the International Monetary Fund (IMF) 1.6 billion euros ($1.79 billion) by June 30… However, widening rifts continue to postpone a deal between Greece and its creditors – European Central Bank (ECB), EU, and IMF – with the latter taking the harshest stance against the Greek government’s proposals…

“IMF chief Christine Lagarde said…  she did not want Greece to exit the eurozone, but added that if that did occur, she did not believe it would to an ‘explosion’ of the eurozone… Addressing lawmakers ahead of an EU summit slated for Thursday and Friday, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said the monetary union had a ‘moral obligation’ to help Greece with a bailout deal. Renzi’s view runs contrary to a strain of public opinion in some countries…

“If an agreement is reached, it would unlock 7.2 billion euros in bailout funds, allowing Greece to avoid a default on its IMF loan, which would likely force the country to exit the eurozone and possibly even the EU.”

Breitbart took a different stance on the matter, writing on June 24:

“The Greek farce continues its record-breaking run. After 43 last ditches, 28 eleventh hours and 17 late-night drinking sessions in the Last Chance Saloon, the comedians in Brussels and Athens are rehearsing their latest routine.

“The joke, of course, is on the taxpayers of Europe. For Grexit remains a remote contingency, at least for as long as the politicians can contain the situation by throwing other people’s money at a problem they manufactured. If the markets explode, that would be another matter. Barring meltdown in the markets, Brussels – which in this context is also an alias for Berlin – simply will not permit Greece to leave the Eurozone…

“Brussels knows only one law: ever-closer integration. If Greece departed the Eurozone, that would represent disintegration and that must not happen at any price…

“Which brings us to the crunch point. If the infatuated integrationists of Brussels will go to such extreme lengths, draining the European Central Bank and destabilising the European and wider economy, for the petty purpose of keeping basket-case, parasitic Greece within the Eurozone, how desperate would they become if there was the slightest prospect of Britain leaving the EU altogether?

“Britain is a net contributor to the EU, a nuclear power with a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, an economy with a growth rate over the past year of 2.4 per cent compared with 1 per cent in the Eurozone…

“The European Union could not survive the departure of Britain… Yet if Britain had representative leaders, honest media and real political will we could successfully demand any concessions – including full treaty change… If we held their feet to the fire they would squeal for mercy. That, along with the benefits of Brexit, is what we must bring home to our fellow citizens between now and the referendum.”

However, this conclusion is overly optimistic or pessimistic, depending on the view point. The Bible strongly indicates that Britain WILL leave the EU sometime in the future, and it is not specified whether Greece will stay within the Eurozone. But we know that in the future, there will be ten nations or groups of nations (apparently comprising Eurozone members), which will lead Europe. This means that some of the current 19 Eurozone members WILL have to leave.

Greece—No Breakthrough

AFP wrote on June 25:

 “Eurozone finance ministers’ talks broke up without an agreement on a Greek debt deal on Thursday, Finland’s Alexander Stubb said, with sources saying they were likely to meet again on Saturday.”

It was also reported that Greece will not vote over the weekend, and that no deal is expected—if at all—before Monday, June 29, just prior to the deadline of July 1, when the current EU assistance program for Greece runs out.  If that happens, then many commentators feel that Greece will be bankrupt by Friday, July 3.

David Cameron Changes His Mind… Again

BBC News reported on June 25:

“David Cameron has accepted it may not be possible to change the EU’s treaties before the UK’s in/out referendum on the EU, the BBC understands. The PM has argued instead for an ‘irreversible lock’ and ‘legally binding’ guarantees that EU law will at some point in the future be changed to accommodate Britain’s aims. As recently as January Mr Cameron said he would be demanding ‘proper, full-on treaty change’.

“Eurosceptics and those who want to leave the EU altogether have always been suspicious that agreements between political leaders can be later undermined in the courts. They believe that legal or treaty changes are necessary to deliver the prime minister’s negotiating objectives – in particular to free Britain from the EU’s commitment to build an ‘ever closer union’ of nation states and to ensure that benefits such as tax credits be withheld from migrants who have been in the country for less than four years.

“David Cameron’s critics may fear that the formula he is now using is a watering down of that commitment and will demand to know who would interpret any legally binding agreement reached between the UK and the rest of the EU. Downing Street insists, however, that it is simply a reflection of the fact that any treaty change will require a time consuming ratification process in 28 different countries involving parliamentary votes as well as referendums in France, Ireland and Denmark…

“Mr Cameron also discussed EU reform with Council President Donald Tusk, who said the substance of the UK’s proposals would be considered ‘but only in a way which will be safe for all Europe’. Mr Tusk warned that the fundamental values of the 28-member bloc ‘are not for sale and so are non-negotiable’.

“The PM’s official spokeswoman said… ‘ever closer union’ was not a principle Britain was attached to.”

Ireland’s Contingency Plan in Case of Brexit

The Guardian wrote on June 17:

“The Irish government is preparing contingency plans in the event that Britain leaves the European Union, Ireland’s foreign minister has said… Britain is Ireland’s largest trading partner and a Brexit would have damaging ramifications for its economy. A recent report by the Open Europe think tank predicted that Britain leaving the EU could cost Ireland a permanent loss of 3.1 per cent and even in the best case scenario it would still lose 1.1 per cent of GDP…

“Former Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern warned Mr Cameron that Ireland would not support treaty change – a key demand of Mr Cameron’s in his drive to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the EU…”

Northern Ireland’s Persecution of a Christian Pastor

TheBlaze reported on June 19:

“An evangelical pastor in Northern Ireland is under fire and will be prosecuted after calling Islam ‘satanic’ and claiming that its doctrine was ‘spawned in hell’ during a controversial 2014 sermon that streamed over the Internet. Pastor James McConnell, 78, of Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle in Belfast, Northern Ireland, made his comments — which included calling Islam ‘heathen’ — in a sermon delivered last May.

“‘The Muslim religion was created many hundreds of years after Christ. Muhammad, the Islam Prophet, was born around the year A.D. 570, but Muslims believe that Islam is the true religion,’ he preached. ‘Now, people say there are good Muslims in Britain. That may be so, but I don’t trust them.’ McConnell continued, ‘Islam’s ideas about God, about humanity, about salvation are vastly different from the teaching of the holy scriptures. Islam is heathen. Islam is satanic. Islam is a doctrine spawned in hell.’

“He initially defended his comments, but relented and apologized for offending anyone after a public outcry; the police were subsequently called to investigate him for a potential hate crime… A representative for the Public Prosecution Service in North Ireland told the BBC that McConnell had violated the Communications Act 2003 and that his offence was ‘one of sending, or causing to be sent, by means of a public electronic communications network, a message or other matter that was grossly offensive.’

“But McConnell — who retired from Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle following the controversy — isn’t backing down, proclaiming in an interview that he is ‘not going to be gagged.’ ‘The police tried to shut me up and tell me what to preach. It’s ridiculous. I believe in freedom of speech. I’m going to keep on preaching the gospel,’ he said… ‘I have nothing against Muslims, I have never hated Muslims, I have never hated anyone. But I am against what Muslims believe.’ McConnell continued, ‘They have the right to say what they believe in and I have a right to say what I believe.’

“As TheBlaze previously reported, Ashers Baking Company in Northern Ireland was also recently convicted of discrimination after refusing to make a cake with a message supporting gay marriage.”

 Certainly, his choice of words should have been different. We don’t even know what he meant with his claim that Islam’s doctrine was “spawned in hell.” Still, it is an alarming sign when “Christian” governments attempt to silence those who preach what they understand to be the biblical teaching, while no Muslim or Islamist is prosecuted by those governments for ridiculing the Bible, libeling the Judeo-Christian religion, and blaspheming Jesus Christ.

 Little Boy Decided to Be a Girl… Mother is Proud About It!

On June 20, The Daily Mail published an article with the following headlines. One does not need to read the article—the headlines say it all:

 “Proud mother backs her ‘brave’ transgender 9-year-old son as he prepares to go back to school dressed as a girl and wearing a blonde wig. Sam Hughes [the proud mother] says son Joseph has made own choice to go to class as a girl. Has been dressing in girls’ clothes for ages and even painting his nails. When he puts on blonde wig he transforms from Joseph into Ellie-Jo. Has now decided he’ll take the big step of returning to school after summer as a girl.”

 Sickening…. 

 Luther’s Anti-Semitism

The Times of Israel reported on June 18:

“Germany’s top Jewish leader urged Protestants to confront and condemn anti-Jewish teachings of Martin Luther, who began the Protestant Reformation. Speaking at a conference in Berlin last week, Josef Schuster, head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, said he hopes for a clear sign from the Protestant Church condemning Luther’s anti-Jewish writings, ahead of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation in 2017.

“In his voluminous 1543 text ‘On the Jews and their Lies,’ Luther called Jews a ‘base’ people and urged faithful Protestants to burn down synagogues and drive Jews from their homes. Luther was responsible for regulations barring Jews from working or living in his region.

“Nikolaus Schneider, former council president of the Protestant Church in Germany, told Schuster during a public discussion at the June 10 conference that the church has begun to confront Luther’s anti-Jewish sentiments, adding he was he was fairly sure the council would issue a declaration on the matter in time for the anniversary…

“In 1517, Luther disseminated his Ninety-Five Theses condemning various church practices. According to some, he posted the theses on the door of the All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg, Germany. But while Luther took church leaders to task on their abuses, it has taken too long for Protestants to take Luther himself to task, critics have said.”

There can be no doubt that after Luther had tried unsuccessfully to convert Jews to Christianity, he propagated the persecution of Jews and other Sabbath keepers. One of his infamous works was titled: “Against the Jews and All Those Who Keep the Sabbath.” Some have said that Hitler carried out what Luther had recommended.

“Europe’s Jews Decry ‘Beast’ of Anti-Semitism Overtaking Continent”

The Times of Israel wrote on June 24:

“European Jewry is all in the same boat, and that boat is slowly but surely sinking. That, at least, was the impression from a roundtable conversation Tuesday at the Jerusalem Press Club with leaders from 25 of the continent’s Jewish communities.

“During the hour and a half lunch in a picturesque hall overlooking Jerusalem’s Old City, even those leaders who claimed their countries are without anti-Semitism today were pessimistic about the future of Europe. The obliviousness to a looming Nazi regime pervasive in 1930s Jewish communities was referenced, as were the increased Boycott, Divest and Sanctions (BDS) efforts that have taken over Scandinavia and elsewhere.

“The 30-odd leaders were assembled under the banner ‘A Time for Action’ for the fifth Israeli Jewish Congress (Hakhel) Gathering and Solidarity Mission to Israel of senior European Jewish leaders…

“Musician Peter Gyori, the vice president of the Jewish Community of the Czech Republic, said his country doesn’t suffer from anti-Semitism, nor are there any calls for BDS. He said he can be openly Jewish, and appears widely on radio and television. But he has no utopian illusions. ‘I know that if something would happen to me, nobody would protect me,’ said Gyori.

“For her part, Gkratsiela Sofia Bourla, wife of the president of the Greek Jewish community, Moses Constatinos, said she cannot believe leaders, such as the delegates from the Czech Republic and Portugal, who say their countries do not have any anti-Semitism. ‘I think the beast is sleeping in their countries,’ said Bourla.

“Continuing with anti-Semitism as beast imagery, the Serbian Jewish community’s president Ruben Fuks said no one is dealing with the monster itself… ‘Seeing what’s around, how the beast is waking up, raising its ugly head, I’m worried,’ said Fuks.

“Born in Ostend, Belgium, in 1939 and hidden as a child during the Holocaust, Baron Julien Klener, the immediate past president of the Consistoire Israelite de Belgique, said he too is anxious in today’s Europe…”

Germany’s Latest Scandal

The Guardian wrote on June 22:

“German authorities have released al-Jazeera journalist Ahmed Mansour without charge, after he was detained on Saturday by police at Berlin’s Tegel airport on an Egyptian arrest warrant.

“Questions remain as to why the German authorities arrested Mansour at the behest of Egypt’s military regime in the first place, and why they waited until he was at the point of leaving Germany to do so. There was considerable confusion over the warrant, which a German government spokesman said on Monday came via Interpol’s ‘red notice’ system, though both Mansour and Interpol said no such red notice exists against his name. According to police spokesman Meik Gauer, the arresting officers at Tegel airport were answerable only to the federal police headquarters, not to Interpol. There also remains a question mark over why the police officers felt obliged to detain Mansour, given that Germany does not have an extradition agreement with Egypt… For that reason, legal commentators have suggested the warrant could not have been executed without consultation with the government.

“Last year, an Egyptian court convicted Mansour in absentia of torturing a lawyer in Tahrir Square in 2011 and sentenced him to 15 years in prison. Mansour rejected the charges, calling them ‘a flimsy attempt at character assassination’… MPs across Germany’s main political parties had voiced concern over his detention…

“Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, was criticised by opposition parties and rights groups for hosting the Egyptian president, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, on a state visit this month. During the visit, the German industrial group Siemens signed an €8bn deal with Egypt to supply gas and wind power plants. Since Sisi took power in 2013 and won a presidential election the following year, courts in Egypt have issued scores of death sentences against Muslim Brotherhood members including the group’s leadership.”

Die Zeit commented on June 22 that Germany did everything wrong in the matter. In arresting Mansour, Germany angered the Arab world which does not have any great sympathy for the Egyptian government, while upholding the popularity of Mansour (showing again the ridiculousness of the notion, taught by some, that Egypt may be the “king of the south” and the leader of Arab nations.). But Germany also gave the impression to the corrupt Egyptian government that Mansour would be extradited to Egypt, angering the Egyptian government when he was set free. Die Zeit stated that part of the reason for Germany’s debacle is the fact that the German government does not seem to have any cohesive course of action towards Egypt at this point. But this is just one more example of increasing failures in Angela Merkel’s leadership.

NSA in Hot Water Again

The Telegraph wrote on June 24:

“Documents published online by WikiLeaks show that the US wiretapped three French presidents, including current leader François Hollande.

“A note dated May 22, 2012 and classified as ‘Top Secret’  shows that French president François Hollande had ‘approved holding secret meetings in Paris to discuss the eurozone crisis, particularly the consequences of a Greek exit from the eurozone’. Mr Hollande also arranged in a meeting with then-French prime minister Jean-Marc Ayrault on May 18, just days after he had taken office, to hold secret meetings with Germany’s opposition Social Democratic Party. Mr Ayrault warned the president to keep the meetings secret to avoid ‘diplomatic problems’, with the cable explaining he meant ‘what could happen if Angela Merkel, German chancellor, finds out that Mr Hollande is going behind her back to meet with the German opposition’.

“The note said that after earlier talks with Mrs Merkel in Berlin, Mr Hollande had complained that nothing of substance was achieved and that the chancellor was fixated on Greece, ‘on which he claimed she had given up and was unwilling to budge’. This, the note said, made Mr Hollande ‘very worried’ for Greece and the Greek people, who he said may react by voting for an extremist party…”

The Globe and Mail added on June 24:

“The United States allegedly spied on three successive French presidents by eavesdropping on their phone calls, according to a new set of documents released by WikiLeaks that will reignite the controversy over American surveillance of its European allies. The revelations prompted outrage in Paris. President François Hollande called the reports ‘unacceptable’ and convened meetings of top legislators and security officials on Wednesday to discuss the controversy. In another sign of displeasure, the U.S. ambassador was also summoned to the French foreign ministry, the Associated Press reported.

“… A spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council released a statement Tuesday evening saying the U.S. is ‘not targeting and will not target the communications of President Hollande.’ The statement did not address the allegations that the U.S. had spied upon Mr. Hollande and his predecessors in the past…

“As in Germany two years ago, French politicians were quick to express outrage about the revelations. But the subsequent experience in Germany has shown that lawmakers may not be quite as shocked as they first sound…  Michèle Alliot-Marie, a former defence and foreign affairs minister under Mr. Chirac and Mr. Sarkozy, told a local television channel that France was well aware of the U.S. ability to intercept conversations. ‘We are not naive, the conversations that took place between the defence ministry and the president did not happen on the telephone,’ she said. ‘That being said, it does raise the problem of the relationship of trust between allies.’”

Especially when the allies involve the USA.

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 24:

“US President Barack Obama has promised to stop ‘unacceptable practices’ after a row over eavesdropping on French leaders… Obama made a similar pledge to Germany in 2013 after former CIA contractor Edward Snowden leaked confidential information about the extent of the US National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance. The documents showed that the NSA has tapped German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s phone.”

 The text of a famous song comes to mind: “It’s only words…”

Supreme Court Upholds Obamacare Tax Subsidies

Newsmax reported on June 25:

“The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the nationwide availability of tax subsidies that are crucial to the implementation of President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare law, handing a major victory to the president. The court ruled on a 6-3 vote that the 2010 Affordable Care Act, widely known as Obamacare, did not restrict the subsidies to states that establish their own online healthcare exchanges. It marked the second time in three years that the high court ruled against a major challenge to the law brought by conservatives seeking to gut it. Chief Justice John Roberts was joined by fellow conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy and the court’s liberal members in the majority.

“Justice Antonin Scalia took the relatively rare step of reading a summary of his dissenting opinion from the bench. In his reading of the statute, ‘it is hard to come up with a reason to use these words other than the purpose of limiting credits to state exchanges,’ Scalia said. ‘We really should start calling the law SCOTUScare,’ he added, referencing the court’s earlier decision upholding the constitutionality of the law. SCOTUS is the acronym for the Supreme Court of the United States… [He also wrote: “Under all the usual rules of interpretation, in short, the Government should lose this case. But normal rules of interpretation seem always to yield to the overriding principle of the present Court: The Affordable Care Act must be saved.”]

“The question before the justices was whether a four-word phrase in the expansive law saying subsidies are available to those buying insurance on exchanges ‘established by the state’ has been correctly interpreted by the administration to allow subsidies to be available nationwide. Roberts wrote that although the conservative challengers’ arguments about the plain meaning of the statute were ‘strong,’ the ‘context and structure of the act compel us to depart from what would otherwise be the most natural reading of the pertinent statutory phrase.’”

This is the second time that in regard to Obamacare, the US Supreme Court, under Bush-appointee Chief Justice John Roberts, made a strictly political decision, based on novel arguments, in order to reach a political result. Three years ago, the US Supreme Court, under Roberts, ruled that the individual mandate was a tax, even though the Obama Administration had argued that it was not a tax, but a fine. If it had been a fine, the mandate would have been unconstitutional. Now, the Supreme Court found that plain wording referring to the state (not the federal government), which has been used at least seven times in the law, does not mean what it clearly says—even though the Obama Administration never raised this issue. Sadly, the US Supreme Court has become a political institution, driven to and fro with the wind of political expedience, seemingly operating from the premise: The desired political end justifies the means of legal “interpretation.”

Germany’s Low Opinion of the USA

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 24:

“The USA is losing face among the German citizenry. In an interview with DW, USA expert Karsten Voigt talks about how this loss of respect came about…: ‘The slide toward a negative opinion began with former President George W. Bush’s wars in the Middle East. Many people believe that the Americans contributed to the instability of many countries in the region, and that the war in Iraq and the conflict in Syria have only exacerbated the problem. The military intervention in Libya, though originally a European idea, is often blamed on the Americans as well. To that, add Edward Snowden’s revelations, and the whole of the NSA affair…

“‘The laws that were enacted to fight terrorism after 9/11 contain many aspects that are constitutionally troubling. It was expected that all of these laws would be repealed by the Obama administration. That has happened in part, due to Congress limiting the powers of the intelligence services… The Patriot Act and Guantanamo are also viewed critically, and the practice of systematically torturing detainees to glean information about terror networks is especially controversial. In America, 58 percent of those polled support such tactics, in Germany, 68 percent are opposed to them…’”

The Local added on June 24:

“More than half of Germans (53 percent) said they did not believe the United States government respects the personal freedoms of its people… The poll also showed that 45 percent of Germans polled had negative views of the US, compared to 50 percent who had positive views. This was the most pessimistic outlook expressed by any of the western European countries surveyed…

“German support for the United States has plummeted over the 15 years since 2000, when nearly 80 percent of respondents in Germany said they felt favourable towards the US…”

Clinton vs. Trump

Newsmax reported on June 19:

 “GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump has fired back at Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton after she hinted that rhetoric he used during his campaign launch could ‘trigger’ a violent event, such as the shooting at the church in Charleston, South Carolina. Clinton said in an interview Thursday, ‘Public discourse is sometimes hotter and more negative than it should be, which can, in my opinion, trigger someone who is less than stable… I think we have to speak out against it,’ Clinton added. ‘Like, for example, a recent entry into the Republican presidential campaign said some very inflammatory things about Mexicans. Everybody should stand up and say that’s not acceptable.’

“Clinton was referring to comments Trump made during his speech when he described illegal immigrants from Mexico as criminals and ‘rapists.’ On Friday morning, Trump posted a video on Instagram responding to Clinton’s comments… ‘Wow, it’s pretty pathetic that Hillary Clinton just blamed me for the horrendous attack that took place in South Carolina. This is why politicians are just no good. Our country’s in trouble,’ he said in the short clip titled, ‘Hillary Clinton reaches new low.’…

“Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Trump said the real estate tycoon, who canceled a sold-out campaign event in the state after the shooting, sends his prayers and condolences to the people of South Carolina. ‘At this time of national sorrow, a responsible leader should be focused on uniting and healing the country,” said Sam Nunberg… ‘Mr. Trump believes that Hillary Clinton does not have any credibility when she blames words for violence. This is the same politician who lied to the world after she failed to take proper steps to secure the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi and falsely blamed the radical Islamic attack on a YouTube video. This is the same person who illegally deleted her emails after getting a subpoena from the U.S. Congress.’

“Nunberg added it is ‘totally inappropriate’ for Clinton to use the tragedy to attack a political opponent. ‘She must be nervous about something,’ he said, hinting that Clinton must feel threatened by Trump’s entry into the presidential race.”

With Trump’s entry into the field, the fight for the White House has really begun. To underestimate Trump might be a big mistake for any of the other presidential candidates. It was suggested that Trump might very well win the first debate in August among the Republican candidates.

In this context, Newsmax wrote on June 17: “Much of what Donald Trump says ‘resonates’ both inside and outside the Republican Party, former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele said Wednesday, and what he says ‘throws a monkey wrench’ in the predictability most candidates rely on…  While Trump has come under some fire over statements he made concerning the Mexican border and immigrants in his campaign announcement on Tuesday, ‘there are a lot of folks who look at the Mexican border the way he pronounced it yesterday,’ Steele said.  ‘I think that affords him the opportunity to not only be on that stage, but to say something that is going to make the party very uncomfortable over the next few months… It’s a real problem going into the early debates if he’s on that stage… The argument will be framed by Donald Trump, not by Jeb Bush or Marco Rubio or others.’”

Clinton Has Something in Common With Trump

Breitbart wrote on June 24:

“A new Fox News poll has Trump in second place to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush as a favorite for the Republican nomination. Trump jumped seven percentage points since the previous poll prior to his formal announcement. The top ten candidates and likely candidates per the Fox News poll results were as follows: Jeb Bush – 15%; Donald Trump – 11%; Ben Carson – 10%; Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) – 9%; Scott Walker – 9%; Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) – 8%; Mike Huckabee – 6%; Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) – 4%; Carly Fiorina – 3%; Rick Santorum – 3%. Tied at two percent are Chris Christie, John Kasich, Rick Perry, and Bobby Jindal… George Pataki and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) are both tied at one percent at the bottom of the poll.

“Trump also placed high in a Citizens United poll released Wednesday… He also trailed Bush at second place in a recent Suffolk University Poll of New Hampshire voters.

“However, the bad news for Trump is that the poll showed he had something in common with Hillary Clinton, the likely Democratic nominee. ‘More than twice as many say Trump is not honest and trustworthy as think he is (64 percent vs. 30 percent). That gives him an honesty score of negative 34,’ Fox News reported. ‘Clinton’s honesty score is negative seven.  Less than half of voters — 45 percent — rate her as honest.  That’s unchanged from earlier this year, but down from a record 54 percent who said she was honest in 2014.  A 52-percent majority says Clinton is not honest.’”

However, on June 24, Newsmax wrote about a totally different perspective:

“Donald Trump has the guts to say what other Republican presidential candidates can’t or won’t say — and that gives the billionaire developer an edge in the race to capture the 2016 GOP nomination, veteran political consultant Dick Morris said. ‘Telling the truth should not be a rare commodity in politics, but in fact, it’s a totally rare commodity and to have someone who actually does tell the truth like that is extraordinary,’ Morris said…”

Thanks to President Obama–Israel Is All Alone

Washington Free Beacon wrote on June 19:

“By the summer of 2013, President Obama had convinced several key Israelis that he wasn’t bluffing about using force against the Iranian nuclear program. Then he failed to enforce his red line against Syrian dictator Bashar Assad—and the Israelis realized they’d been snookered. Michael Oren, the former Israeli ambassador to the United States, recalls the shock inside his government. ‘Everyone went quiet,’ he said in a recent interview. ‘An eerie quiet. Everyone understood that that was not an option, that we’re on our own.’

“… it’s clear that Israel has been on her own since the day Obama took office… Obama’s unending criticism of Israel… provide an opening for radicals to go even further. The diplomatic rupture endangers Israel in another way… Now, with the United States about to clear the way for Iranian nukes and flood the Iranian economy with cash, Israel is all the more at risk.

“… The alliance has faltered to such a degree that Oren is morose. He wonders whether Israel is in the same precarious position it was in 1967, before the Six Day War, or in 1948, when it came close to never being born. Neither option is comforting… But whatever happens, thanks to Michael Oren, history will know that an inexperienced and ideologically motivated president drove a lethal wedge between the United States of America and the young, tiny, besieged Jewish State.”

There can be no doubt that under the presidency of Barak Obama, the relationship between the USA and Israel has drastically deteriorated.

Most Israelis Don’t Have Confidence in President Obama

The Times of Israel wrote on June 24:

“Israelis have increasingly lost faith in US President Barack Obama, with the commander-in-chief taking a greater hit to his image in the Jewish state than in any other country in the world… Confidence in Obama slipped in Israel from 71% in 2014 to 49% in 2015, while half of Israelis said they have no confidence in the president’s leadership in international affairs…

“The findings reverse a several-year trend of rising support for Obama in Israel, amid increasingly cool relations between the two states over US foreign policy in the Middle East and tensions between the White House and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Iran’s nuclear program… 80% of Israelis disapprove of how Obama is dealing with Iran’s nuclear program…

“Obama’s dour image in the Jewish state didn’t affect America’s standing in Israel, with a firm majority of Israelis still enamored of Uncle Sam. Eighty-one percent of Israelis view the US in a favorable light, compared to 18% unfavorable — one of the highest favorable ratings of all countries quizzed — although there is a wide gap between Israeli Jews (87% favorable) and Arabs (48%)…

“By contrast, America’s image is mostly negative in the region, with most Jordanians (83%), Palestinians (70%), Turks (58%) and Lebanese (58%) giving the US a thumbs down. Additionally, 82% of Palestinians had no confidence in Obama’s foreign policy…”

Terrible Situation in Sudan

On June 23, dpa reported the following:

“At a United Nations-run displaced people’s camp in South Sudan’s capital Juba, white tarpaulin tents reach as far as the eye can see… Such camps are home to more than 130,000 people in South Sudan, mainly in the north, where people have massively fled fighting between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and his former deputy turned rebel leader, Riek Machar.

“The 18-month conflict has killed tens of thousands and sent about 2 million people fleeing to UN camps, to the wilderness and to neighbouring countries. Some 4.6 million people, in a total population estimated to number between 10 million and 12 million, are classified as ‘severely food insecure’ by the UN…

“Camps in Juba are meanwhile trying to stem the spread of cholera… UN planes or helicopters are frequently unable to fly to crisis areas because the government does not grant them permission to take off…”

New Little ICE AGE for Britain?

 The Express wrote on June 24:

“Britain could face colder than average winters with a plunge in solar activity threatening a new ‘little ice age’ in the next few decades. Climate experts warn the amount of light and warmth released by the sun is nosediving to levels ‘not seen for centuries’. They fear a repeat of the so-called ‘Maunder Minimum’ which triggered Arctic winter whiteouts and led to the River Thames freezing 300 years ago.

“The Met Office-led study warns although the effect will be offset by recent global warming, Britain faces years of unusually cold winters… James Madden, forecaster for Exacta Weather, said the effects may be felt as soon as this winter. He said: ‘Solar activity levels, or solar flux, are currently estimated to be at their lowest for the last 100 years. We will head into another rapid decline throughout the remainder of the upcoming year. On the basis of past solar activity levels it is an inevitability that solar and sunspot activity will continue to fall off the charts in the coming years and decades, including the upcoming winter period of 2015/16’…

“The coldest winter ever recorded in 1684 occurred during the last Maunder Minimum period and saw the River Thames in London freeze over. Maunder Minimum is named after the English astronomer Edward Walter Maunder who noticed fewer sunspots were observed between 1645 and 1715.

“Professor Scaife said: ‘During the Mander Minimum period there were runs of cold winters including 1684 which was the coldest winter recorded. There are signs that solar activity has been dropping over the past decade with a one in five chance of it reaching a similar low by around 2050.’”

How the Pope’s Encyclical Was Prepared and Published

The Washington Post wrote on June 20:

“[The pope’s encyclical] marked the latest blow for those seeking to stop the reform-minded train that has become Francis’s papacy. It is one that has reinvigorated liberal Catholics even as it has sowed the seeds of resentment and dissent inside and outside the Vatican’s ancient walls.

“Yet the battle lost over climate change also suggests how hard it may be for critics to blunt the power of a man who has become something of a juggernaut in an institution where change tends to unfold over decades, even centuries. More than anything, to those who doubt the human impact of global warming, the position staked out by Francis in his papal document, known as an encyclical, means a major defeat…

“Papal advisers say Francis signaled his intent to draft a major document on the environment soon after assuming the throne of St. Peter in March 2013…

“In April, the [Chicago-based Heartland Institute] launched an ‘open letter’ to the pope, signed by more than 100 scholars and theologians, arguing that climate-change models ‘provide no rational basis to forecast dangerous human-induced global warming, and therefore no rational basis for efforts to reduce warming by restricting the use of fossil fuels or any other means.’

“[Some believe] that ‘between a quarter and a third’ of the signers were Catholic.

“… the pope sought to build on the progressive environmental platforms established by his immediate predecessors, Benedict XVI and John Paul II. For advice, he turned to a number of scientific advisers who support the consensus that human activity is warming the Earth. They included Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, [a professed atheist and] founding director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany…”

Some claim that Pope Francis is not a politician, and that he is not afraid to speak his mind. But the way in which his encyclical was prepared and published was clearly a political act.

Great Powers Failed to Act to Help Persecuted in Nazi Germany

The Associated Press reported on June 21:

“Pope Francis on Sunday denounced what he calls the ‘great powers’ of the world for failing to act when there was intelligence indicating Jews, Christians, homosexuals and others were being transported to death camps in Europe during World War II. He also decried the deaths of Christians in concentration camps in Russia under the Stalin dictatorship, which followed the war… He also cited what he called the ‘great tragedy of Armenia’ in the last century. ‘So many died. I don’t know the figure, more than a million, certainly. But where were the great powers then? They were looking the other way,’ the pope said.

“In today’s world, he told the young people: ‘Everything is done for money.’ He criticized those advocating peace while manufacturing or selling arms. Francis reiterated his view that conflicts in the world today are tantamount to ‘a Third World War in segments.’”

It is also true, however, that the big Christian churches, especially the Catholic Church, looked the other way and did very little, if anything, to oppose Nazism and to help those who were persecuted under the Nazi Regime. Quite to the contrary, they engaged in political maneuvering to help the Nazis stay in power. As Klaus P. Fischer pointed out in his excellent work, “Nazi Germany… A New History” (on page 363):

“… the institutions of the church, both Protestant and Catholic, failed tragically in mustering the sort of Christian courage it would have required to stop the Nazis from committing their unspeakable crimes against God and humankind. Such institutional failure of nerve, ESPECIALLY ON THE PART OF THE VATICAN,  will forever be a stain on the historical record of Christianity.”

Many believe that the Shroud of Turin pictures Jesus Christ at the time of His death and burial. Apart from the fact that John 19:40 shows that Christ was wound in linen CLOTHES and that John 11:44 describes the custom of Jewish burials in using several CLOTHES and binding them about the dead body, in addition to the dead person’s face being wrapped with or in a cloth (a head swath), there are numerous additional problems with the idea that the one-piece shroud may be an authentic depiction of Jesus Christ.

On April 17, 2015, the Wall Street Journal reported:

“When the Shroud of Turin goes on display Sunday [April 19, 2015] for the first time in five years [while being on display until June 24, 2015], it will revive a long-running debate as to whether it is a medieval fabrication or—as Catholic devotees have believed for centuries—the burial cloth of Jesus Christ… The 14½-foot-long piece of linen, which bears a front-and-back image of a dead man’s body, is owned by the pope but safeguarded by the archdiocese of Turin.

“… the church does not take a stance as to whether it is authentic or not, leaving that question to scientists and historians. The results of carbon-14 tests in 1988 suggested the shroud was no older than the 13th century, but other experts have since suggested that the fabric tested may have been contaminated by centuries of handling…”

According to the Los Angeles Times, dated October 14, 1988, Cardinal Anastasio Ballestrero said that the “calendar age range assigned to the shroud cloth, with a 95% confidence level, is from 1260 to 1390 A.D.”

To contradict this conclusion, some point at traces of pollen from plants found only in the east Mediterranean [The retort is that those could have been easily brought to the place of the “creation” of the shroud.]. It has also been argued that extraneous matter, or radioactivity, could have skewed the carbon-dating results (The Economist, May 5, 2015). Most recently, it has been suggested that the great earthquakes mentioned in the Bible at the time of Jesus’ death and His resurrection (Matthew 27:51-53; 28:1) influenced, corrupted and falsified the finding of the radio-carbon test (The Today Show, NBC, June 17, 2015). All these proposals are of course without any scientific or archeological proof.

However, the real biblical reason which rules out totally the possibility of an accurate depiction of Christ on the Shroud of Turin, can be found in the writings of Paul to the Corinthian church.

In a Q&A on 1 Corinthians 11:2-16, we explained that the Shroud of Turin could not possibly picture Jesus Christ, as it shows a man with long hair, and Christ did not wear long hair (verse 14).

We explained the following:

“… we are told that a man is not to wear ‘long hair,’ and that even nature teaches us that wearing long hair is a ‘dishonor’ to a man. The Greek word for ‘dishonor’ is ‘atimia.’ This word, or a related form (‘atimos’), can be found in the following additional passages: Romans 9:21; 1 Corinthians 15:43; 2 Corinthians 6:8; 2 Timothy 2:20; 2 Corinthians 11:21 (translated as ‘shame’); and Romans 1:26 (translated as ‘vile’). Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance points out that ‘atimia’ can describe a comparative indignity or disgrace (under No. 819). The related word, ‘atimos,’ can describe something ‘less honorable [comparative degree]’ (under No. 820).

“…  the Old Testament permitted a man on special occasions to wear long hair. This exception is set forth in Numbers 6, known as ‘the Law of the Nazarite.’ Men were permitted to make a temporary ‘Nazarite vow’ to God. During the time of their vow, a Nazarite was not to cut his hair, but let ‘the locks of the hair of his head grow’ (verse 5). In addition, he was not to touch a dead person, eat any fresh grapes or raisins, or drink anything made from grapes, including wine. This law was inseparably connected with the ritual law of sacrifices: At the end of the separation, the Nazarite had to bring several offerings, and he had to go through additional rituals before the priest.

“The long hair of the Nazarite vow reflected, in physical terms, the willingness of the person to be under authority — under the authority of God. Sometimes, certain people were consecrated from their birth as Nazarites, to be separated to God throughout their lives. Famous examples are Samson (Judges 13:5,7); Samuel (1 Samuel 1:11); and — perhaps — John the Baptist (Luke 1:15; Luke 7:33).

“Jesus, however, was not a Nazarite. He grew up in the city of Nazareth and was therefore called a ‘Nazarene’ (Matthew 2:23) — which is of course quite different from being a Nazarite.”

Since we have no record of a written Old Testament prophecy regarding to Christ being called a Nazarene, we conclude that Matthew is referring here to an oral prophecy (He specifically states that this had been “spoken” of Jesus.) However, in Isaiah 11:1, Christ is called the “Branch,” in Hebrew “nezer.” This Hebrew word is very similar to the Hebrew word for Nazarene. It has therefore been suggested that Jews at the time of Jesus might have understood this verse to refer to someone from Nazareth.

In any event, Christ was not a Nazarite, because He did many things which were prohibited for Nazarites.

To continue with our above-quoted Q&A:

“Christ drank wine (Matthew 11:19; Matthew 26:29), and He touched dead people (Luke 8:49-55) — things a Nazarite was prohibited from doing. Archaeology and history have established that the Jews at the time of Christ did not wear long hair. Jesus did not wear long hair, either. He looked like a Jew — so much so that Judas had to kiss Him to identify Him to the soldiers that had come to arrest Him. [In addition, a Roman triumphal arch of the time period depicts Jewish slaves with short hair.] After all, it was He — the Word of God — who inspired Paul to write that a man is not to wear long hair. For Paul, this fact was so self-evident that he asked his readers, ‘Does not even nature itself teach you’ this truth? (1 Corinthians 11:14).

“In the early New Testament church, we do find occasional references to some who continued on occasion to make a temporary Nazarite vow (compare Acts 21:23-24, 26-27). It is possible that even Paul made a temporary Nazarite vow for a short time… However, these vows ceased within the church when the temple was destroyed, as the purification ceremonies could not be carried out any longer.”

It has been suggested that even though Jesus was not a Nazarite from birth, He made a temporary Nazarite vow from time to time. The Bible does not support this claim; in any event, Christ would not have been under a Nazarite vow at the time of His death; that is, He would not have worn long hair at that time. Note that at the end of the Nazarite vow, the Nazarite had to “shave his consecrated head” and burn his long hair which had been cut off (verse 18). But as long as the Nazarite was subject to and under his vow, he could not drink any wine or even “any grape juice” (Number 6:4).

We know, however, that Jesus kept the last Passover with His disciples on the night when He was betrayed, and at that time, they all drank the Passover wine together (Matthew 26:27-29; Mark 14:23-25; Luke 14:17-18  ). Therefore, Christ could not have been under a Nazarite vow at that time, which means, He did not wear long hair at the time of His death.

To summarize, whatever the Shroud of Turin is and however it came into being, it is quite impossible to conclude that it contains an accurate portrayal of Jesus Christ.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

“The Woman Riding the Beast,” is the third of three new sermons dealing with “Prophecy – How to Understand It”—to be presented by Norbert Link on June 27, 2015. In addition, we are promoting this series through press releases, Facebook and our own webpage, www.eternalgod.org.

We have sent the files to our printer in Germany for the printing of four of our German booklets, i.e., “Die Geheimnisse der Bibel” (“Mysteries of the Bible”); “Ist Gott eine Dreieinigkeit?” (“Is God a Trinity?“); “Die Taufe—Voraussetzung für das Heil?” (“Baptism —a Requirement for Salvation?“) and “Europa in der Prophezeiung” (“Europe in Prophecy”).

Other printed German booklets, available on request, are: “Jesus Christus—ein grosses Geheimnis” (“Jesus Christ, a Great Mystery”); “Die Mysterien im Buch der Offenbarung” (“The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation”); “Menschliches Leid” (“Human Suffering”); “Gottes heiliger Sabbat” and “Gottes heilige Jahresfeste” (these two booklets are translations of our English booklet, “God’s Commanded Holy Days”); “Das Geheimnis des Weihnachtsfestes” (“Don’t Keep Christmas”); “Gott ist eine Familie” (“God is a Family”); “Das Evangelium vom Reich Gottes” (“The Gospel of the Kingdom of God”); and “Die Schluessel zur gluecklichen Ehe und Familie!” (“The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families”).

The following additional four German booklets have been posted on our websites, but they have not been printed yet. We hope to be able to print those before the end of the year:

“Deutschland in der Prophezeiung” (“Germany in Prophecy”); “Evolution—ein Märchen für Erwachsene?” (“Evolution—a Fairy Tale for Adults?”); “Die Zahlung des Zehnten—Heute?” (Tithing—Today?“); and “Die Zehn Europäischen Wiederauferstehungen des ehemaligen Römischen Reiches” (“The Ten European Revivals of the Ancient Roman Empire”).

“The Shroud of Turin–Genuine or a Fake?” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is a summary:

Many believe that the Shroud of Turin pictures Jesus Christ at the time of His death and burial. Others are convinced that it is a fake, which was fabricated in the 13th century. What is the truth? Can we really know? The Bible gives us clear and undisputable proof. We are offering our free booklet, “Jesus Christ–a Great Mystery.”

“Stehen Sie Fest in Gottes Wahrheit?” is the new German sermon for this coming Sabbath. Title in English: “Do You Stand Firm in God’s Truth?”

“Corruption & Destruction,” the sermonette presented by Kalon Mitchell last Sabbath, is now posted. Here is a summary:

As people grew into cities, nations, and civilizations, they had a tendency to become corrupt. The story line plays out time and again. They grow too wise in their own opinion and then wicked in their thoughts and deeds, so much so that there is nothing left but for them to be destroyed. What lessons can we learn from these tragedies in the Bible? How can we make sure we are not falling into the same mistakes and traps?

“What Is the Mark of the Beast?” the sermon presented by Norbert Link last Sabbath, is now posted. Here is a summary:

In this second installment of our three-part series on biblical prophecy, we will show that the Bible and history reveal the identity of the famous mark of the beast. This mark is associated with the beast in Revelation 13:1-10, which is a political and military power. It collaborates with a religious power, which is described as a second beast in Revelation 13:11, having two horns like a lamb and speaking like a dragon. In what way will this religious power create an image, which will cause all to receive the mark of the beast? Why will no one be able to buy or sell who does not have the mark of the beast? What is the difference between the mark of the beast and the sign of God, which identifies true Christians?