Update 1209

On June 6, 2026, Norbert Link will present the sermonette, titled,  “Comments on News and Prophecy,” and the sermon, titled, “Does God Travel Back to the Future?”

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.

Everything in our life occurs in the present moment. Because of this, it can be a challenge to keep the events of life in context of the bigger picture.

In my family, our young boys’ lives are centered around play and snacks. Just about every decision, complaint, and desire of theirs focuses on satiating their hunger for fun and food in the moment. Our older sons, now grown young men, have matured beyond the self-indulgent appetites to have concerns focused on starting their journey into adulthood. As such, being interested in their well-being, my wife and I bring those concerns into our own lives. Their concerns become ours too. In addition to our investment in their upbringing, we have myriad other concerns that we have accumulated from our own grown-up responsibilities we’ve picked up along the way. Things like the Work of the Church, employment, physical health, home ownership and much more put demands on our time. I bring this up to illustrate the up-close micro details that consume our attention, bring us delight, stress us out, and consume the resources of our days. This is what our lives consist of in the moment: Getting to work on time, getting food on the table, coaching our children to shape their lives.

In an up-close view, the substance of concern in our lives becomes magnified by the demands of our daily activities. The molehills of concern are mountains in the moment. Even the most trivial kind of problem, such as a wrong turn on the way to an appointment is the most important thing in the moment. In the close-up view, our activities appear to be an accumulation of little things right in front of us.

To say this is not to diminish the importance of our immediate attention, physically, mentally, nor emotionally. The little things really are important! People must necessarily operate on the little things that are right in front of them. Our interface with the world is limited to that which we can directly affect. All we can do is work with the moment, material, and people which are immediately before us. A journey of a thousand miles requires taking one step after the other.

The Bible makes it clear that the little things matter in our lives and also explains why they matter. “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much” (Luke 16:10). The way that we live in the moment reflects how we live in the larger context! In this passage in the Bible, Jesus Christ explains that the principles that govern our behavior apply both at small and large scales. We use the same source of faith for the small things as the large. Likewise, if we make justifications for sins because we consider them to be small and insignificant, we may be prone to make justifications for all other sins too. The little things matter because they are part of a mosaic in a much larger picture. 

The least of our actions takes place in the context of God’s plan for us. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). Our kindness to another in a passing moment is an expression of brotherly love that has the power to lift their heart, improve their day, and even change their life. The negative examples hold true as well. A hurtful word to another can damage trust in the span of a second and take years to repair. Therefore, our actions in the moment need to be considered in a much broader spectrum than our close-up view allows. God is working with us in our lives to help us learn and grow.

When considering the details of our lives in the moment, what should the scope of our perspective be? How far should we zoom out to properly see the setting of our momentary actions? It is no exaggeration to say that we need to view our moments in the context of the plan of God that He has for the entirety of creation. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God” (Romans 8:18-19).

Knowing that everything we experience in the moment is part of God’s master plan ought to give us great comfort. Our struggle, joy, boredom, and excitement take place in the context of something big. We may get wrapped up in the magnified concern of the moment, but those things only matter in their purpose to help us to grow into the children that God is helping us to become.

By Norbert Link 

We speak of Netanyahu’s ongoing disagreements with Trump on the Iran war; ideas to strip Jordan of the Al-Aqsa custodianship; and the futile attempts to reach a meaningful peace deal between the USA and Iran.

We address Trump—the “GOAT”; controversial actions of the US government towards American citizens; chemicals in our food; and further alienation between the USA and the UK and Europe.

We address the drone war between Russia and Ukraine, spilling over into Europe; events in Hungary and Poland; and point out extremely troublesome developments in Germany.

We conclude with the pope’s repudiation of the Catholic doctrine regarding just wars.

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Germany Is Getting Ready For War” 

Netanyahu Blames Trump For Unmitigated Catastrophe

The Daily Mail wrote on May 29:

“Netanyahu privately views the looming US-Iran pact as an unmitigated catastrophe and lays the blame squarely at Trump’s feet… Netanyahu’s inner circle is also pinning blame on Trump for squandering what Israeli security chiefs saw as a genuine shot at toppling Tehran’s leadership by arming Iran’s Kurdish minority.  The plan, however, was reportedly killed by Trump at the eleventh hour under pressure from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan…

“The Kurds were reportedly eager to assist the US and Israel, viewing an invasion of Iran as a step toward the ethnic group’s ultimate goal of establishing their own independent state… Trump also repeatedly postponed and cancelled significant operational plans to overthrow the regime.”

Taking Control of 70% of Gaza Strip?

AFP wrote on May 29:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday he had ordered the country’s military to take control of 70% of the Gaza Strip, in defiance of the terms of a fragile ceasefire that took effect in October…. ‘We are currently squeezing Hamas. We now control 60% of the territory in the strip,’ he said at a conference in an occupied West Bank settlement… My directive is to move to … 70%. … We’re squeezing them from all (sides)…’

“The first phase of the truce saw the last hostages seized in Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, which triggered the war in Gaza, released in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel. The transition to the second phase, which was supposed to involve Hamas’ disarmament and a gradual withdrawal of the Israeli army, has been stalled for months… Israel said on Wednesday it had killed the new head of Hamas’ armed wing in Gaza, Mohammed Odeh, after killing his predecessor earlier this month.”

Stripping Jordan of Al-Aqsa Custodianship?

United Cultures wrote on May 25:

“The US and Israel are ‘actively working’ to strip Jordan of its historic custodianship of Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque complex, and are pursuing a new arrangement that would see the management of the revered Muslim site closely aligned with Israeli interests, multiple sources have told Middle East Eye.

“… under the plan, championed by President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, who has no official role in the administration, and the US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, the authority of the Jordanian-backed Islamic Waqf would abruptly end and a new body created by the Israeli government would declare the Al-Aqsa Mosque a ‘multi-faith centre’… The officials said that the Trump administration would like to see the Al-Aqsa Mosque stripped of its Muslim identity, with the site turned into a landmark tourist attraction that hosts all three Abrahamic religions.”

Only Prolonging the Inevitable

Reuters wrote on May 29:

“Even if a deal emerges, it may not restore the pre-war status quo of energy shipments… tanker crossings were running at roughly four per day, compared with nearly 50 before the conflict. To get anywhere close ​to pre-war levels, mines must be cleared and vessels repositioned… It could take roughly two months from a… re-opening date before energy buyers actually get their oil… even this timeline may be optimistic…

“Governments ​have already released more than 400 million barrels from emergency reserves. Those emergency stocks, and other buffers, are being depleted… Every month that passes, the global economy heads closer to a more painful oil crunch. If Iran believes this strengthens its bargaining position, the regime has every reason to play hardball on nuclear negotiations and other issues. It ​follows that a possible ceasefire extension is ​no solution to the Hormuz crisis. ⁠At worst, it may only postpone the reckoning.”

“Americans have paid an additional $59 billion in inflated fuel prices since Trump started his Iran war,” according to The Independent, dated May 29.

Iran Deal Still Far Off

Fox News wrote on May 31:

“President Donald Trump sent back changes to a proposed Iran deal after a meeting on Friday… This will extend the negotiations for at least another week…. [Reportedly,] the president requested tougher language on Iran’s nuclear commitments and reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Trump’s requests came a week following his declaration that the Iran deal was ‘largely finalized,’ signaling the end of the war was near.

“However, even after Trump saying he would make his ‘final determination’ during the meeting on Friday, a conclusive decision was not reached. Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday that no agreement will be approved until Tehran’s ‘rights’ are secured… [He said:] ‘The soldiers of the diplomatic battlefield have no trust in the words and promises of the enemy…’”

“Just Sit Back and Relax”?

The Sun wrote on June 1:

“DONALD Trump has told critics to ‘just sit back and relax’ after launching fresh strikes on Iran…

“Trump said it was tougher for him to negotiate when surrounded by political commentary…. He wrote: ‘But don’t the Dumocrats [sic], and various seemingly unpatriotic Republicans, understand that it is MUCH tougher for me to properly do my job and negotiate, when political hacks keep negatively “chirping” at levels never seen before, over and over again, that I should move faster, or move slower, or go to war, or not go to war, or whatever.’

“Trump ordered his critics to, ‘Just sit back and relax, it will all work out well in the end’, adding, ‘It always does!’”

Such blatant nonsense!

Ceasefire Collapsed

Daily Mail wrote on June 1:

“Iran has severed all diplomatic talks with the United States, accusing Israel of violating the ceasefire by bombing its proxy militia Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran’s top negotiators on Monday stopped exchanging messages with the US through Pakistani intermediaries as Tehran vowed to fully shut down the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Iranian state-affiliated news outlet Tasnim….

“The regime says ‘No dialogue will take place’ until Israel fully withdraws from Lebanon and also stops attacks in Gaza, according to Tasnim. ‘Also, the resistance front and Iran have resolved to completely block the Strait of Hormuz and activate other fronts including the Bab al-Mandeb Strait [which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is controlled by the Houthis]…

“The ceasefire’s collapse comes after Iran fired missiles and drones at a US airbase in Kuwait, in retaliation for American airstrikes that Washington described as ‘self-defense strikes’ against the regime’s radar and drone command facilities…”

So predictable. Trump’s apparent naivety is unparalleled.

Iran Ready to Keep On Fighting

The Jerusalem Post wrote on May 31:

“Iran is already poised to continue firing missiles at Israel and other countries in the Middle East, after having dug out the tunnel entrances that US and Israeli bombings had collapsed… Iran used simple equipment such as bulldozers and dump trucks to clear roads and tunnel entrances, which had been destroyed by the bombing, leading experts to tell CNN that their missile capabilities would be very difficult to destroy….

“… experts said that Iran still has around 1,000 missiles stored underground, and that these stockpiles were unlikely to have been damaged from strikes at ground level.”

Trump Out of Control

The Jerusalem Post wrote on June 2:

“US President Trump accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being the reason for global hatred of Israel in an angry call on Monday, Axios reported… [He] called the prime minister ‘f… crazy.’… ‘You’d be in prison if it weren’t for me. I’m saving you’re a… Everybody hates you now. Everybody hates Israel because of this,’ Trump told Netanyahu…

“Members within Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition [including National Security Minister Ben-Gvir, as well as the opposition parties] sharply criticized Israel’s decision to cancel strikes on Beirut at the urging of US President Donald Trump on Monday, calling on the premier to ‘say no’ to Trump and strike in Lebanon with full force… Opposition leader Yair Lapid accused Netanyahu of behaving as though Israel were a protectorate state of the US.”

It was also reported that Saudi Arabia no longer trusts the US to provide protection, and that Trump’s refusal to return to war and overthrow Iran’s regime will cost him dearly, while claiming that the US president has shown that he is a paper tiger. 

Who Is Lying?

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 2:

“Iranian media had reported US-Iran negotiations were halted amid continued fighting in Lebanon. Donald Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform, rejected reports that the US and Iran have stopped discussions due to Israeli offensive action in Lebanon. 

“Fake News Reports that the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the USA, stopped speaking a few days ago are false and erroneous,” Trump said.  

Well, they could not have been that false, fake and erroneous. There are also reports of continuing strikes involving both Israel and Hezbollah after Trump had said attacks would stop. Also, as ABC News reported on June 3, Iran attacked Kuwait and Bahrain saying that they “bear responsibility for the Iranian attacks on U.S. facilities on their soil, because they allowed the U.S. to use bases on their land to commit an aggression against Iran.”

Erdogan the Real Winner of the Iran War?

The Jerusalem Post wrote on May 31:

“An article published in The Telegraph in the UK argues that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ‘is the real winner of the Iran war.’ The argument is that Turkey’s leader has been cracking down on its domestic opposition while the world is focused on the war with the Islamic Republic of Iran…

“‘Turkey is emerging as a long-term winner from the US-Israeli war against Iran, which has provided Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish president, room to accelerate an anti-democratic backslide with no global repercussions,’ The Telegraph says.”

Trump—the GOAT?

Daily Mail wrote on May 31:

“President Donald Trump is looking to cancel America’s 250th birthday concert after artists have dropped out and instead turn it into a rally and make himself the new headliner. Trump, 79, is ready to add another career accomplishment to his name as he called himself ‘THE GOAT’ – which stands for the greatest of all time – and said he would take over as the main headliner of the birthday event. 

“In a long Truth Social post on Saturday, he dubbed himself the ‘Number One Attraction anywhere in the World’ and compared himself to Elvis. Trump said unlike The King, who needed a guitar to wow his fans, all the President needs is a microphone and a good speech to get ‘much larger audiences than Elvis in his prime,’ he wrote…  ‘Two years ago, the United States was DEAD. Now we have the “HOTTEST” Country anywhere in the World,’ he wrote.”   

It’s so hot that many Europeans and others refuse to come to the USA, being afraid that they might be burned upon arrival. Trump’s proud self-aggrandizement is beyond words.

Controversial US Government Action Against US Citizens

Politico wrote on May 28:

“Trump administration officials on Thursday said Americans exposed to Ebola during the current outbreak in the Congo will be sent to a newly constructed facility at an air base in Kenya, instead of returning them to the U.S. … The decision is a break from past practice during prior Ebola outbreaks when Americans were brought home for care… At this point, there is no one at the Kenyan facility…

“Administration officials said any Americans moved to Kenya due to exposure to the lethal hemorrhagic fever will mostly quarantine there. They will ultimately be transported to Europe if they become sick. Secretary of State Marco Rubio suggested Wednesday at a Cabinet meeting that U.S. borders were closed to anyone with Ebola….

“… the approach… has sparked pushback from doctors, public health advocates and career diplomats, who argue that the United States has over a dozen of the best facilities in the world to care for people with Ebola and should not deny its citizens, some of whom are responding to the outbreak, that lifesaving treatment. The American Foreign Service Association, the labor union representing career diplomats, protested the decision Wednesday after the New York Times reported it, stating that its members exposed to Ebola had a ‘right to come home.’”

The United States cannot legally prevent its citizens from entering the country. Under U.S. law and the Constitution, every American citizen has an inherent, fundamental right to enter and remain in the United States, and this right cannot be legally revoked or denied. In case of a “pandemic,” returning citizens can be legally detained and subjected to mandatory quarantine or isolation orders at designated federal facilities or at home. Even though Kenya had originally agreed to Americans being treated at a new facility in Kenya, a Kenyan court (the High Court in Nairobi) suspended the plan.

DHS “Clarified” Its Ridiculous Announcement

Newsweek wrote on June 1:

“The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has clarified a controversial immigration policy issued last week, saying most green card applicants will not be required to leave the United States while their cases are processed [This is in clear contradiction to its earlier announcements, stating the exact opposite.] …

“The clarification follows confusion and backlash from applicants, attorneys, and business groups concerned about disruptions to long-standing immigration processes. Applicants may still be asked to leave the U.S. depending on individual circumstances, but most will continue applying from within the country under officer discretion…

“That framing marks a clear shift from last week’s USCIS release, which described applying from within the U.S. as an ‘extraordinary’ exception. Despite the update, DHS has not defined when applicants might be required to leave, leaving decisions largely to individual officers… Critics say the administration is trying to contain backlash from last week’s announcement.”

Far from it being a “clarification,” DHS clearly backpedals its earlier announcement, but it’s still unclear what exactly it’s trying to do. The picture of ensuing incompetence emerges more and more within the Trump administration…

National Emergency in the USA?

Focus wrote on June 1:

“As the US approaches the 2026 midterm elections, a development is emerging that goes far beyond normal election campaigning…. For Europe, this is a risk of the highest order… For Europe, this means: The US can be relied upon less in matters of war and peace…

“Trump doesn’t think in terms of majorities, but rather in terms of loyalty. A smaller, but completely controlled camp is more valuable to him than a larger, but independent one… Pro-Trump activists are circulating a draft executive order, a presidential decree, which, citing alleged foreign interference—particularly by China—would declare a national emergency. The aim would be to grant the president extraordinary powers over the election process…

“A presidential emergency specifically to control elections would be historically unprecedented…. Even a legally questionable step could have massive political consequences in the short term—for example, through delays, uncertainty, or delegitimization of the electoral process…

“For Europe, these developments are not a distant, domestic problem of the United States, but directly affect the continent.… Europe must strategically reposition itself. Greater military capability, less dependence on Washington, and greater economic resilience have become essential… The discussion about states of emergency and election organization shows how serious this issue has become. For Europe, this is not just about America. It is about the future of its own security. The era of strategic dependence is ending. Europe should act—before it has to react.”

Tear the Jefferson Wall Down?

The Jerusalem Post wrote on May 22:

“Then-US president Ronald Reagan went to Berlin on June 12, 1987, and demanded, ‘Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.’ The Berlin Wall was the symbol of what Reagan branded the ‘evil empire.’ It stood for less than 30 years and was gone within 30 months of the president’s appearance…

“Trump on Sunday spoke to thousands of predominantly conservative white Evangelical followers who were gathered on the National Mall, demanding he tear down Thomas Jefferson’s wall, the one that has stood as a foundation of American democracy for 250 years, and declare the United States a Christian nation. They want him to accelerate his dangerous efforts to tear down what the author of the American Declaration of Independence and the Constitution called the ‘wall of separation’ between religion and state…

“The founders were deeply committed to the separation of religion and state because they had seen what happened in Europe, where the blending of the two often led to religious wars and persecution not only of dissenting Christians but also of Jews, Muslims, atheists, free thinkers, and others who didn’t share their beliefs… Trump… has posted on his social media outlet memes of himself as Jesus and as a pope, and has said of himself, ‘I am the chosen one.’”

Chemicals in Our Food

npr wrote on May 29:

“99% of chemicals in our food right now were added without FDA approval. Many were added in secret…

“The FDA has essentially admitted it doesn’t have the capacity to verify the safety of new food chemicals. So they leave it up to food companies and chemical makers to declare their brand new chemicals are safe. These chemicals are used in everything from chocolate and smoked fish, to tea bags, protein drinks, popcorn, and seeds….”

UK Special Relationship With US Meaningless

The Independent wrote on May 30:

“[Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said:]  ‘You can’t just say, “Oh, we’ve been friends for a long time, so let’s work together.” It’s: “We’ve been friends for a long time, so you better have the same capabilities we do, because if we don’t, our alliance is meaningless.’… ‘… for those who believe they can continue to free ride on the generosity of the American taxpayer, hear us now: the era of the United States subsidising the defence of wealthy nations is over.’…

“There has been an increasing breakdown in relations between the UK and the US as Mr Trump has repeatedly accused the UK and other European allies of not spending enough on defence. He has also accused Sir Keir Starmer of not standing by the US in its war in Iran…”

Hegseth’s provocative speech was also directed at Europe. Focus reported, Hegseth criticized Europe as “unusually harsh”  [“ungewöhnlich scharf.”]

False Alarm at Munich Airport

The U.S. Sun wrote on May 30:

“A MAJOR European airport was locked down with all flights suspended after a suspected drone sighting. Munich airport in Germany was shut this morning as police swarmed the area following the alert….

“Around 9am, pilots made a suspicious observation… At around 10am local time Federal Police said their search revealed ‘no suspicious findings.’”

The hysteria followed an alleged Russian drone attempt to violate Lithuania’s airspace and the shooting down by a NATO fighter jet of a suspected Ukrainian drone over Estonia, with Ukraine claiming Russia had been “redirecting” their drone.

Russian Drone Hits Romania

The Guardian wrote on May 29:

“The Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, has said the alliance is ‘ready to defend every inch’ of its territory after a Russian drone hit an apartment building in Romania, a member state, during an overnight attack on neighbouring Ukraine… The incident in Galați, which injured two people, prompted swift condemnation and the threat of repercussions, even as Vladimir Putin attempted to suggest, without evidence, that the drone might have been a stray Ukrainian weapon…

“The foreign ministry said it had asked Nato to accelerate the transfer of anti-drone capabilities and suggested it would call on article 4 of the Nato treaty, which would trigger formal discussions within the organisation about threats to Romania’s security. It described the incident as a ‘grave and irresponsible escalation’ and a serious breach of international law.

“The strike in Romania is the latest example of the war in Ukraine spilling beyond the country’s borders, amid growing concern over Russia’s wider campaign of hybrid warfare across Europe.”

A New Chernobyl?

Times of India wrote on May 31:

“Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has issued a stark warning after Moscow claimed that a Ukrainian drone targeted equipment at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

“Medvedev said that any catastrophic damage to a nuclear facility could trigger a ‘new Chernobyl’ and warned that Russia could respond with strikes on Ukrainian nuclear plants and even nuclear facilities in NATO countries involved in the conflict.”

All these threats will ultimately become reality.

Unlocking Billions of Euros for Hungary

Reuters wrote on May 29:

“Hungary’s progress in reforms under its new government will allow the European Commission to unlock €16.4 billion of previously frozen EU ​recovery and cohesion funds for the country, European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen ‌said…

“The EU money is crucial to kick-start the Hungarian economy that has practically stagnated for ​3 years.”

But there are conditions attached which Hungary’s new government might or might not be able to fulfill. Still, we feel that Hungary will become one of the prophesied 10 core nations of Europe.

Poland Outraged Over Naming of Ukrainian Unit

t-online reported on May 30:

“Ukrainian President Zelenskyy has sparked outrage in Poland by naming a unit of the Ukrainian army after the notorious Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). During World War II, the UPA was responsible for massacres of Poles within the territory of present-day Ukraine. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk stated on Friday that Zelenskyy’s decision ‘offends our historical sensibilities.’ Karol Nawrocki, head of the Institute of National Remembrance, proposed stripping Zelenskyy of Poland’s highest honor, the Order of the White Eagle.

“In the 1940s, the UPA was regarded as the military wing of the OUN—the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists. During massacres committed between 1943 and 1945, UPA members killed up to 100,000 ethnic Poles in the Volhynia region. Until 1939, this region was part of Poland; following the Hitler-Stalin Pact, it was incorporated into the Ukrainian Soviet Republic. Today, it is located in northwestern Ukraine.

“In their struggle for Ukrainian independence from the Soviet Union, the OUN and UPA collaborated—at times—with Nazi Germany during World War II. In contemporary Ukraine, members of the OUN and UPA are revered as heroes. In 2024, disagreements regarding the Volhynia massacre led to diplomatic disputes between Kyiv and Warsaw…”

At this point, Poland is one of the strongest supporters of Ukraine. But this will change in time.

Jews No Longer Welcome in Belgium

The Jerusalem Post wrote on May 27:

“Jews have lived continuously in Belgium for 800 years, and an estimated 30,000 live there today. They are no longer being made to feel welcome. How can we say this? Because the country is going ahead with the prosecution of two mohels, those who perform ritual circumcision, a Jewish rite mandated by the Torah and performed since the time of Abraham. You can’t want Jews in your country and outlaw ritual circumcision. The two are mutually exclusive….

“This is especially troubling given Belgium’s history. According to Yad Vashem, some 66,000 Jews lived in Belgium when the Nazis occupied the country in May 1940, and approximately 28,000 were murdered in the Holocaust. One would think that history alone would make Belgian authorities especially sensitive to measures perceived by Jews as an assault on their religious identity.

“… why do Jews want to live there? Might this not be the time for Belgium’s Jews – and, indeed, Jews of other countries where Jewish life is coming under daily attack – to ask themselves whether they belong in a country sending unmistakable signals that they are not wanted?”

History is repeating itself.

Nazi Parallels—Propaganda or Justified?

Nius wrote on May 29:

“Time and again, the Federal Government exploits the crimes of National Socialism to demonize political opponents. Just recently, Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned against cooperating with the AfD, drawing historical parallels to the NSDAP in the process… Editor-in-Chief Julian Reichelt [expresses] his astonishment at this rhetoric—which, in his view, is excessive…

“Julian Reichelt takes particular issue with the implication inherent in such comparisons. ‘Which Germans does Friedrich Merz actually see who would be capable of such things?’ he asks. Anyone who warns of a new National Socialism is, ultimately, accusing millions of citizens of being capable of repeating the crimes of the past… ‘Which Germans does Friedrich Merz actually see who would commit such crimes? Who have forgotten their lesson so completely—who are simply yearning to commit such crimes once again?’”

How very wrong Reichelt is! 

Federal Police Deny Exit to Spokesperson for German Identitarians

Nius reported on May 29:

“The Federal Police have prohibited Maximilian Märkl, the national spokesperson for the Identitarian Movement Germany, from leaving the country for Porto [Portugal]. Märkl intended to attend a ‘Remigration Summit’ there. The official justification: doing so could have damaged the reputation of the Federal Republic… On the platform X, Märkl wrote: ‘I have just been detained at Munich Airport and prevented from leaving the country. My fundamental right to freedom of movement has been violated because I allegedly threaten the reputation of the Federal Republic of Germany.’…

“Maximilian Märkl faces no criminal charges. The justification provided by the German authorities states: ‘The conspiracy theory of the “Great Replacement” is used to disseminate the view that political elites are intentionally promoting mass immigration in order to replace the indigenous peoples and cultures of Europe.’ Märkl’s active participation would have ‘strengthened the international connections of the Identitarian Movement in Europe’ and disseminated the ‘Identitarian interpretation of the term remigration.’

“Märkl’s supporters expressed outrage over the travel ban. They argued that illegal migrants are permitted to enter unhindered, while an EU citizen is denied freedom of travel… The incident is reminiscent of a similar one in May of last year. At that time, the Federal Police detained eight activists from the New Right ‘Identitarian Movement’ at Munich Airport and interrogated them for hours… They were prohibited from traveling to Italy. The group was en route to a so-called ‘Remigration Summit’ in Milan. Their departure was blocked pursuant to the Passport Act (PassG) on the grounds that the individuals posed a ‘threat to public safety and order.’ A portion of the group later managed to reach Italy by other means to attend the meeting.”

Nazi methods?

So Much for a “Voluntary” Bundeswehr!

MDR reported on May 29:

“Federal Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius is planning a return to mandatory participation by reservists in Bundeswehr training exercises. The SPD politician confirmed that a legislative draft is currently being prepared within his ministry, under which reservists would be required to perform service in the future—even during peacetime.

“Pistorius stated… ‘Military service itself is voluntary.’ However, anyone who undertakes it knows ‘that a subsequent obligation follows: to also participate in reserve exercises’… Reservists should benefit from meaningful training exercises. Yet, this cannot be based on a voluntary principle. Therefore, a mandatory requirement will be put in place…

“Until now, the principle of ‘dual voluntariness’ applied to the deployment of reservists. Under this principle, both the individuals concerned and their employers could decline participation in training exercises… Pistorius’s plans [include] an obligation for employers to release employees for reserve exercises, up to a certain limit…

“Accordingly, anyone who has completed at least six months of voluntary military service could be called up for duty until the month of their 45th birthday. Those who have served for at least one year as career soldiers or soldiers on a fixed-term contract could be called up until the month of their 65th birthday… As has been the case previously, the provision remains that reservists may be called up for indefinite military service should the Bundestag declare a ‘state of tension’ or should Germany come under attack.”

One should think very carefully about whether one truly wishes to perform military service “voluntarily,” and be fully aware of the consequences—quite apart from the fact that Christians are forbidden by God from fighting in wars or joining the Bundeswehr or any Army.

Steinmeier’s Dangerous Nonsense

t-online reported on June 1:

“[German] Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier doubts that the voluntary military service introduced by the ‘black-red’ governing coalition will suffice to ensure the Bundeswehr secures enough soldiers… ‘If it should turn out that the voluntary principle—which we have currently enshrined in the Bundeswehr’s service regulations—is insufficient to reach the necessary personnel strength, then the debate regarding conscription will once again become a live issue.’…

“Against this backdrop, the Federal President renews his call for a period of mandatory service for all citizens: ‘I wish to state that this idea is by no means dead… I could envision a duration of anywhere between six months and a year…’”

This is how the German people are being hoodwinked—and prepared and compelled for the return of conscription…

No Just War

MSN reported on May 29:

“One of Christianity’s most influential teachings regarding war has been directly challenged by the head of the Catholic Church. Pope Leo has used his first major papal document to reject the long-standing ‘just war’ doctrine as a framework for modern conflicts…. The doctrine traces its roots back to… Augustine…. Augustine argued that wars could be morally justified only under strict conditions, including the goal of restoring peace rather than pursuing conquest or vengeance…

“US Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic, has cited the theory in defense of military action against Iran…. Despite Leo’s criticism, the doctrine remains deeply entrenched in military training worldwide. Augustine’s principles continue to be part of the curricula at institutions such as West Point, the US Naval Academy, and the US Air Force Academy.”

Ultimately, the Catholic Church will go back to its ideas of a just war.

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.

We will continue to look at further false assumptions as we have done in the first two in this series of Q&A’s. 

FALSE ASSUMPTION No. 6

Apart from Christmas, the other major time for Christians is Easter, which again we will see that it is not quite what it may seem to be.  

Many believe that Jesus was crucified on Friday afternoon and resurrected on Sunday morning. But this cannot be true.

If we look at the Bible rather than man’s approach of “I think this, that or the other,” we get the correct answer.

We read in Matthew 12:39-40: “But He (Jesus) answered and said to them [some of the Scribes and the Pharisees], ‘An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth’” (Matthew 12:39-40).

It is as clear as day for those with eyes to see when we read that just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish or a whale or a sea monster (depending on the translation), so Christ would be three days and three nights in the earth (in the tomb or the grave; “hades” in Greek). This was reiterated in Matthew 16:4: “A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah…”

Christ spoke of 24-hour days. He said in John 11:9-10: “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” Christ divided the time between 12 hours of the day and 12 hours of the night. He said He would be in the grave three days and three nights—72 hours—as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea creature (Jonah 1:17). 

It is simply impossible to count 72 hours from Friday afternoon until Sunday morning. 

However, it seems that man would sooner go along with, in most cases, those man-made theories and errors as they are so ingrained in the false ways of the world with peer pressure and family situations, adding to the pressure of having to keep them.

In our free booklet: “Jesus Christ – A Great Mystery,” we read:

“Scripture tells us that Christ did indeed fulfill this sign. The angel of the Lord told the women, “‘He is risen, as He said’” (Matthew 28:6). God the Father resurrected His Son, Jesus Christ, exactly at the preordained time, as had been announced by Jesus. This means that Christ could not have been crucified on a Friday and resurrected on a Sunday, as this would not fulfill the sign of being in the grave for three days and three nights. Rather, Christ was killed on a Wednesday and placed in the grave on Wednesday afternoon, just before sunset. He was brought back to life three days and three nights later, leaving the grave on Saturday afternoon, just before sunset, as He said.”

How ridiculous can you get? A response to this question on Stack Exchange on the internet also gives a rather foolish explanation: “This issue is a bit difficult to solve. The message that God is trying to make, I believe, could be that as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three nights and days, so had Jesus an empty belly for three nights and days, between the last supper and the meal of fish and honey-comb, at the end of the third day. In other words, the belly thing started already in Gethsemane.”   How ridiculous, foolish and straight out of the mind of man!

We should realize, however, that according to Satan-inspired “legends,” pagan gods were crucified on a Friday (“black Friday”) and brought back to life on a Sunday. Since pagans believed in this nonsense, the Catholic Church adopted this false idea and just transferred it from pagan gods to Jesus. 

The whole idea of Easter celebrations is pagan and unchristian as well. The Bible commands the observance of Passover, not of Easter. And what do easter rabbits and coloured easter eggs have to do with Jesus Christ? These are all pagan traditions. 

On the bbc.co.uk/bitesize website we read that “an egg is a symbol of new life. For Christians, Easter eggs are used as a symbol for the resurrection of Jesus.”  

Again, how foolish and ridiculous can the human mind be when justifying what is clearly ungodly?

Easter is no exception to the fact that Christendom, in general, makes so many false assumptions about a number of issues that, when properly and correctly understood, give a completely different picture from what is the practice of so many.

ASSUMPTION No.7

Perhaps many of us have seen the “altar calls” for people to come forward and “give their hearts to the Lord.” An altar call is a tradition in some Christian churches in which those who wish to make a new spiritual commitment to Jesus Christ are invited to come forward publicly. However, this can give the impression that all you have to do to become a true Christian is to “give your heart to the Lord.”   The problem with that is that it may be a spur-of-the-moment action that either may be regretted later or not followed through with.

It can come under the heading of “once saved, always saved,” which is a false understanding of true Christianity.  This approach is a popular one and one that emotionally is very easy to accept! It conveys a message that little is required on our part beyond “accepting” the Sacrifice that Christ made for each one of us. However, such teachings are deceptive and misleading because they completely overlook clear and important biblical instructions regarding that which God holds us accountable for, in the process of salvation. 

First of all, we must repent and be baptised to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) through the laying on of hands by an ordained minister of God. At that point, we are saved from the penalty of death from our past sins.   However, it doesn’t mean that we are finally saved and that we could not lose the salvation, as we must persevere to the end (compare Matthew 24:13). Matthew 7:13-14 reveals the Way:

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

It is a Way of Life, a full-time career, a Way that demands that we keep God’s Commandments and endure to the very end of our lives or the return of Jesus Christ if that precedes our death.   During our life, we have to forsake the ways of the world and keep God’s Ways which include the keeping of the weekly and annual Sabbaths. 

It is a Way of Life that is joyous and productive and which leads to eternal life on earth as a member of God’s spiritual Family, at the return of Jesus Christ.  

It is yet another false assumption that through an altar call, just “giving your heart to the Lord” is all you have to do!

For further information, please read our Q&As: “Is it correct to say, “Once Saved, Always Saved?”, or can true Christians lose their salvation? Part 1” and “Part 2.” https://www.eternalgod.org/q-is-it-correct-to-say-once-saved-always-saved-or-can-true-christians-lose-their-salvation-part-1/

https://www.eternalgod.org/q-is-it-correct-to-say-once-saved-always-saved-or-can-true-christians-lose-their-salvation-part-2/

Closely connected with the false concept of an altar-call salvation is the idea that we only need to believe in Jesus to be saved. Believing in Jesus—who He was and is, and what He had done for us and is doing today—is most certainly necessary, but it is not all there is. A famous TV evangelist recently assured the President that if he believes in Jesus, he will go to heaven. Nothing could be further from the Truth. 

Just believing, without more, is dead faith… the demons believe to and tremble (compare James 2:19). When the Bible speaks of believing in the Son of God, it includes obeying Him. We have received God’s grace “for obedience to the faith” (Romans 1:5; compare Romans 16:26). Christ is only “the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9). 

The altar-call salvation with its different components (“once saved, always saved”; “only believe in the Lord”) is a false assumption which will not lead to salvation at all. 

ASSUMPTION No.8

Another false assumption may be associated with the account of the wedding at Cana.  We can just read over this without realising what an incredible miracle it was!  It would be easy to think that this was just another wedding day and then move on without really thinking about what actually happened. In John 2:1-11, we read about this amazing miracle.   

“On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, ‘They have no wine.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Whatever He says to you, do it.’ Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, ‘Fill the waterpots with water.’ And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, ‘Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.’ And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, ‘Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!’ This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.”

Let us really think about this and let us review the logistics.

Verse 6 speaks about six waterpots at 20 or 30 gallons apiece. 

Let us take 20 gallons x 6 waterpots, and we reach 120 gallons. One US liquid gallon contains about 8 pints. 120 gallons amount to almost 1,000 pints. 

A standard pint of wine is equivalent to about 4.2 glasses of wine, assuming a typical glass size of 175ml. However, wine is usually served in smaller glasses, so the number of glasses can vary, based on the size of the glass used.

Let us assume 4.2 glasses to a pint, and we reach approximately 4,200 glasses of wine. If we calculate 30 gallons per waterpot, we reach possibly 6,300 glasses! Now, Christ’s miracle of changing water into wine occurred AFTER all the initial good wine had been drunk, as it says in verse 10.  So, could it be that a similar initial amount of wine was made available? 

Furthermore, marriage at the time of Christ could have gone on for several days. In Judges 14:17, we read about Samson’s wedding feast and it says: “Now she [his wife] had wept on him the seven days while their feast lasted.”

How many guests were there?  It just doesn’t say but if there were so many glasses of wine to drink, it’s fairly obvious that this was a “big event” with, probably, hundreds of people attending.

We can read right over this, but we can deduce the following:

• the amount of wine was enormous;
• the wedding feast could have gone on for several days;
• it was Christ’s first recorded miracle;
• we can overlook the magnitude of the miracle.

And, for those who think that only grape juice was produced, just look at verse 10.  If the wine had absolutely no effect, then why keep inferior wine until “the guests have well drunk,” meaning that they wouldn’t be able to tell the difference? 

There is so much more to this story, and many other stories in the Bible, that we shouldn’t just read them quickly without trying to understand the magnitude of such events.

This wasn’t your average wedding, as we normally conduct it today, with family and some friends, with a meal at a reception afterwards. It is one of those cases to read and think through and understand fully what was achieved at this wedding.   It would be so easy to make false assumptions about this truly amazing miracle.

We also might want to note that Jesus did not really intend to perform this miracle, but that He only did so because His mother pleaded with Him, showing His great love and respect for His mother. He did, of course, not go against God’s Will in doing so, but this story also shows us that when we pray earnestly to God, we can persuade Him to hear us and answer us, even if He might not have wanted to do so initially. Yes, we can “change” God’s intention if it is not against His overall purpose. 

Moses pleaded with God when He was about to destroy Israel, and God listened to him and changed His mind. God told Hezekiah that he would have to die, but because of his prayer and plea, 15 years were added to his life. Christ initially did not want to heal the daughter of a Gentile woman, but when she pleaded with Him, He listened and performed the healing. The idea that God cannot be intrigued to respond to our sincere and heartfelt prayers is another false assumption. 

(To be continued)

Lead Writers: Brian Gale and Norbert Link

Compiled by Norbert Link

“Germany Is Getting Ready For War” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

While Pope Leo declared the concept of a just war obsolete, Germany is actively preparing for war. It seems that the lessons of the past are willfully forgotten, and even though the illusion of a “voluntary” Bundeswehr should be clearly realized, far too many stay silent while they ought to speak. But this is not true for everyone.

“Deutschland rüstet sich für den Krieg“  is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same topics as described above.

Norbert Link’s German sermon for this Sabbath, titled, “Reist Gott zurück in die Zukunft?” (“Does God Travel Back to the Future?”) has been posted. 

A new member letter for the end of May has been posted and sent to our subscribers. In the letter, Michael Link reports on our Church conference and emphasizes our commitment to continue with the Work which God has given us to do. 

A new promo video by Michael Link for our booklet on Human Suffering has been posted. Human Suffering, Why…and How Much Longer? – Church of the Eternal God

Rene Messier’s sermon, titled, “The Purity of The Most High God,”  is now posted.

Here is a summary:

The sermon discusses how God is pure in every way, and it addresses our challenge to be pure. We can accomplish this with the help of God’s and Christ’s Spirit within us. 

Paul Niehoff’s sermonette, titled, “Pride, a Great Danger,” is now posted. 

Here is a summary:

Three examples are mentioned, two of them suffering from pride with the corresponding consequences. The third is avoiding pride and the reasoning why he avoided it.

We posted last week’s German sermon from Daniel Blasinger, titled, “Die vier Säulen-entfesselt” (“The Four Pillars Unleashed”).

We posted Mike Richter’s sermonette, titled, “Nachahmung als Zeichen echter Nachfolge“ (“Imitation as a Sign of True Discipleship”).