On July 4 2026, Michael Link will present the sermonette, titled, “When Nations Come Together,” and Norbert Link will give the sermon, titled, “America and God’s Church – Astonishing Parallels.”

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.

On July 4, 2026, America celebrates 250 years of independence. Speeches will be made. Flags will be waved. Politicians from every persuasion will congratulate the nation and promise a brighter future. The word freedom will be repeated until it almost loses its meaning.

America was founded on revolutionary ideals. The Declaration proclaimed that all men are created equal, endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights — life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The Constitution and Bill of Rights sought to preserve those liberties by limiting the power of government.

Yet 250 years later, an uncomfortable question remains. What has become of that freedom?

Regardless of political affiliation, few would argue that Americans today enjoy the same level of liberty, privacy, trust in institutions, or confidence in their future as previous generations did. The government has grown. Division has deepened. Citizens increasingly look to political leaders to solve problems that politics has never been able to solve.

Christians however must view this milestone differently. We are not called to place our hope in political movements, elections, constitutions, or governments. Jesus Christ plainly stated that His Kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). Our citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20). While nations rise and fall, the people of God are commanded to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.

That knowledge allows us to ask a question few will ask during America’s 250th celebration.

Is there another 250 in the Bible that serves not as a reason for celebration, but as a solemn warning?

Numbers 16 records another group of 250. They were not ordinary Israelites. They were “leaders of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, men of renown(verse 2). They were influential, respected and trusted.

Yet these men united themselves with Korah in challenging the authority God had established through Moses and Aaron. Their argument sounded reasonable enough: “All the congregation is holy” (verse 4). Why should Moses and Aaron occupy positions of authority over everyone else?

It was an appealing argument. It appealed to equality. It appealed to fairness. It appealed to the belief that no one should possess authority over another.

But Moses exposed the real issue. “Therefore you and all your company are gathered together against the LORD” (Numbers 16:11).

Their rebellion was never really against Moses. It was against God. That same pride, the conviction that we know better, that we get to decide what’s right—that is the same attitude we can observe today in America and in many other nations. 

Scripture identifies the modern English-speaking nations: America, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and their kin are the descendants of ancient Israel, specifically of Joseph and the “lost ten tribes.” That identity carries weight. Not the weight of pride, but of responsibility. God has specifically warned that nations carrying this identity will experience national consequences for this exact pattern of pride and self-rule. While America may be enjoying its remaining freedom now, what is coming is predictable and yet entirely avoidable, if people would wake up and pay attention.

Deuteronomy 28 lays out the blessings (vs. 1-14) and the curses (vs. 15-68), tied to obedience or disobedience to God’s laws. When Israel lost her way and turned from God, notice the progression that God tells us would happen. It intensifies step by step: confusion and frustration (v. 20), disease and economic collapse, foreign oppression (vs. 43-44), military defeat (vs. 25, 49-52), siege and captivity (vs. 64-68).

In Leviticus 26, God repeats the same warning again and again: “If you will not obey me…” Again, each refusal deepens the consequence. The broad arc is pride, then broken national strength, then famine, then invasion, then desolation and finally scattering among the nations.

The 250th anniversary of America should be less a celebration of past greatness or coming greatness and instead be a more sober reminder that national blessings are taken away when a people turn away from God.

Proverbs 14:34 holds no punches: “Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.” It doesn’t matter who people think they are in their own eyes. When their actions become so consistently unrighteous that the pattern itself becomes a verdict, there is a problem.

People today do not want to know what sin is. And when they do know, they still don’t want to fully obey God’s law in keeping the Ten Commandments. People speak constantly about defending freedom. Far fewer ask what freedom is actually for. Biblical freedom was never freedom from God. Rather, it is freedom to obey Him, which in the end gives true freedom from sin and the penalty of sin—death! 

Modern society has redefined freedom as the right to determine morality, to decide what is right and wrong, what marriage is, what life is worth, what Truth is, and ultimately who has authority over us. Yet, this is not a modern philosophy. It is the oldest Satanic lie in history: “You will be like God” (Genesis 3:5). 

Satan’s “promise” was never that mankind would become like God in character. The temptation was that mankind could replace God as the ultimate authority, determining good and evil on its own terms. That lie has driven every major rebellion against God, including the one staged by Korah, and it persists to the present day. Korah’s rebellion was just another expression of the same spirit. That spirit is alive today. It is celebrated as progress. It is praised as freedom. It is defended as personal autonomy. But Scripture plainly calls it rebellion.

The 250 men who stood with Korah believed they knew better than God. They rejected the authority He had established while convincing themselves they were pursuing justice and equality. Their rebellion became a warning, preserved for every generation. The ground opened and swallowed them.

America now celebrates 250 years of independence. Scripture reminds us about the 250 men who died. One celebration remembers the birth of a nation. The other remembers the destruction of men, and their families—of those who rejected God’s authority. One is marked with fireworks. The other was marked with fire from heaven.

The lesson is not merely that America has reached 250 years, but what America has become along the way. God is not impressed by military strength, economic prosperity, or patriotic celebrations. He is looking for people willing to humble themselves, repent, and obey Him.

Will America and the other modern descendants of Israel heed God’s warning before it is too late?

By Norbert Link

The fighting between America and Iran continues, even though a ceasefire had been “agreed upon.” The Sanhedrin condemns Donald Trump for his actions (so does Tucker Carlson, and so does Germany). While John Bolton pleads guilty to a politically motivated charge, defiant Anthony Fauci is subpoenaed to testify about his conduct leading to and during the coronavirus pandemic. The US Supreme Court renders irresponsible decisions regarding immigration and harmful pesticides, contributing to the sickness and destruction of the USA.

Trump threatens the EU; Russia claims that Trump breaks the “Alaska agreement” with Putin; Britain provokes Russia; and the question is posed: What IF Putin were to attack Europe?

Finally, strong earthquakes rattle the planet almost simultaneously, but scientists tell us it’s not connected and all normal.

Please view our new message, titled, “America’s Internal and International Destruction — Comments on News and Prophecy June 27, 2026.”

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Trump’s Bizarre Interaction With a Ghost”

Fighting Continues

The Independent wrote on June 27:

“Iran has said it has struck targets linked to US forces, as each side continued to accuse the other of violating last week’s agreement meant to end the four-month-old war. Iran’s foreign ministry did not identify the locations of its ‘defensive’ attacks, which it said were a response to US strikes on its coastal surveillance facilities. Later, Bahrain,  which hosts the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, condemned what it said was an Iranian drone attack on its territory as a flagrant violation of its sovereignty. A tanker also reported being struck by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz…

“The US military had carried out strikes on Iranian missile and drone storage sites in the wake of Donald Trump accusing Iran of a ‘foolish violation’ of the ceasefire agreement, claiming Tehran fired at least four kamikaze drones at ships in the Strait of Hormuz… He did not name the ship, but it came hours after a Taiwanese-operated ship was fired on by Iran…”

Daily Mail had reported earlier on June 25:

“Iran launched an explosive-laden suicide drone at a cargo ship transiting the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, endangering the regime’s fragile truce with the US after Donald Trump had declared the waterway safe for oil tankers.  US officials told the Washington Post that a Singaporean ship was attacked by an Iranian Shahed drone on Thursday evening… Prior to the attack, Iran issued warnings through regime media to oil tankers, cautioning that routes through the strait were restricted and that other routes were ‘completely dangerous.’…

“Although the President has said the strait is reopened following the ceasefire, only 50 vessels passed through the waterway on Wednesday.”

Tolls for Strait of Hormuz?

The Wall Street Journal wrote on June 25:

“Iran is pushing to make billions of dollars from the Strait of Hormuz as the regime positions itself to manage the global oil artery it severed at the start of the war. 

“The Islamic Republic estimates that charging for security, safety and environmental services in the strait would bring in $40 billion a year in revenue for states involved, according to officials familiar with the matter. The idea, if implemented, would bring Tehran cash flow and control that it didn’t command before the war.”

So, Iran is still determined to charge for tolls, in spite of Trump’s repeated “warnings.”

Talks Off Again Amidst Ongoing Fighting

CNBC wrote on June 28:

“Talks to end the war in Iran are on hold after the U.S. struck Iranian military targets in retaliation for Tehran’s latest strikes on shipping vessels in the Strait of Hormuz…. The diplomatic freeze comes after the exchange of fire prompted U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday to again threaten Iran with annihilation following U.S. attacks on Iranian military targets in retaliation for Tehran’s latest strikes on shipping in the strategically vital waterway. Iran’s neighbors, Kuwait and Bahrain, reported incoming missiles and drones overnight.

“The U.S. military attacked a number of Iranian targets after a commercial tanker in the Strait of Hormuz was reported to have been struck by a projectile on Saturday….  The ship was transiting the strait with more than two million barrels of crude oil…”

Subsequently, both parties agreed once more to halt strikes ahead of Tuesday (June 30) talks. These “agreements” become a shame and a farce.

Sanhedrin: Iran Deal Will Cost America Dearly

Israel 365 News wrote on June 24:

“On 7 Tammuz 5786, June 23, 2026, the nascent Sanhedrin, the Jewish court reconstituted in Israel after a 1,600-year absence, issued a formal ruling addressed to the American people, warning that the US-Iran memorandum of understanding signed in Switzerland is built on illusion and places the United States in existential danger… The message: America is making one of the greatest strategic miscalculations in its history…

“The Sanhedrin does not limit its concern to the Iranian threat alone. The court warns that China, Russia, and North Korea are watching American decision-making with interest, and what they see is weakness… The court further warns that the imaginary peace carries an internal American dimension. It predicts that armed militia groups operating within the United States will see the instability created by this agreement as a signal to act…

“The Sanhedrin’s ruling concludes with a direct call to every Jew in America to make aliyah, the Jewish return to the Land of Israel, immediately, before the situation deteriorates beyond recovery. 

“The nascent Sanhedrin, reestablished in 2004, has not achieved universal acceptance within the Orthodox world. Its authority is contested. But its warnings have a way of landing in the middle of real events… Whether or not one accepts the court’s halachic standing, its geopolitical reading is not easily dismissed…”

Also, Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem has said that the Israel-Lebanon framework agreement signed in Washington is “null”, a “humiliation” and a surrender of sovereignty…”

“There Is Nothing to Celebrate, Mr. Trump!”

Bild Online wrote on June 28:

“Four months ago today, US President Donald Trump began the war against Iran… Iran is trumpeting the claim that the agreement documents the USA’s defeat! The terrible thing, I fear, is that the mullahs are right. Of course, Trump is celebrating himself for ending the war he unleashed himself. But what has he actually achieved in these four months? Nothing. Nothing for the people of Iran, who have been subjugated by the mullahs’ terror regime and murdered by the thousands.

“Tehran’s rulers still have their highly enriched uranium; they still have their vast arsenal of missiles and drones; the Revolutionary Guards are more firmly in the saddle than ever. Sanctions are set to be lifted, and frozen assets released. And the Strait of Hormuz—a shipping route vital to the global economy—is controlled by Iran. The fact that the ‘Supreme Mullah’ Khamenei was eliminated by the Americans on the very first day of the war is certainly no cause for jubilation. Now, the ‘Junior Mullah’—his son—is simply in charge.

“We are all paying the price for Trump’s resounding defeat—at the gas pump, at the supermarket, everywhere. Inflation has risen, and the economy is even weaker than feared. This is the ‘Horror of Hormuz’: supply chains are disrupted, insurance premiums are climbing, oil facilities are damaged, and cargo ships (along with nearly 11,000 seafarers) are stranded. Goods worth nearly $125 billion have recently been backed up in the strait. And the question remains whether Iran will demand transit fees in the future.

“I call this—since everyone is currently caught up in World Cup fever—an own goal of historic proportions. Of course, Trump can claim that the US wasn’t defeated militarily. But neither was Iran. And there are no draws in war…

“I simply ask myself: What was it all for? Since February 28, 2026, the world hasn’t become a whit safer, but it has definitely become more expensive. The man who so desperately wanted the Nobel Peace Prize (but only received the ‘Mickey Mouse’ version from FIFA boss Infantino) was determined to make history. Now he has a story: the 80-year-old looking out the window and realizing he doesn’t like the world he sees. Thanks for nothing, Mr. Trump.”

The author is right. Trump’s war has been a terrible defeat and humiliation for the USA of unparalleled proportions.

Trump a Liability For Right-Wing European Parties

Politico wrote on June 23:

“For Europe’s populist right, U.S. President Donald Trump’s embrace was once seen as a political asset. Not anymore…

“Even as the Trump administration’s leading figures have thrown their weight behind Europe’s nationalist parties, the U.S. president’s embrace has become a ‘poisoned gift,’ said Jean-Yves Dormagen, president of the Cluster17 polling institute. ‘Trump is really creating a problem for these leaders,’ he stated. While their electorates are divided over Trump, they increasingly see him as a threat, he added….

“In a POLITICO poll conducted by Public First in June, only 31 percent of AfD voters… agreed that the U.S. is ‘a reliable ally.’… In the U.K., Trump has become a liability for Nigel Farage’s right-wing populist Reform UK party… Meanwhile, in Germany, the Iran war has aggravated a crisis of confidence between Trump and the far right, which had already been building before the conflict.”

Nobody likes Trump.

Bolton Pleads Guilty to Politically Motivated Charge

Daily Mail wrote on June 26:

“President Donald Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton… pleaded guilty on Friday to a single charge of retaining classified information…  Prosecutors said Friday that Bolton ‘abused his position of trust’… by sharing roughly 1,000 pages of classified information in the form of ‘diaries’ with his wife and daughter. Bolton then retained the documents related to national defense at his home in Montgomery County, Maryland, after leaving the White House…

“The investigation into Bolton’s handling of classified materials moved forward in part during the Biden administration, and career prosecutors in the US attorney’s office signed off on the charges…”

So Bolton is guilty? Guilty of sharing unclassified documents with his wife and his daughter… not to a foreign power! And retaining them? What about Trump and Biden who all retained unclassified documents illegally? What about Hillary Clinton who destroyed unclassified documents? When will they be held accountable?

Fauci Subpoenaed to Testify

Chemistry World wrote on June 26:

“Anthony Fauci… has been subpoenaed by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s chairman Rand Paul. Fauci… is being accused of manipulating intelligence on the origins of the pandemic and lying to Congress to cover up alleged wrongdoing at the agency. He is expected to testify before the committee in July….

“‘Fauci was the behind-the-scenes adviser who, with his hand-picked experts, pushed the [intelligence community] to endorse a natural, animal origin to hide his dangerous research,’ Gabbard’s office stated. In a statement, it said that the NIH, under Fauci’s leadership, provided millions in funding for gain-of-function research on bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China, falsely claiming that it ‘is now widely viewed as the source of the unintentional lab leak that sparked the pandemic’….

“To protect Fauci and other officials from political persecution by the incoming Trump administration President Biden took the unusual step of granting them pre-emptive, ‘full and unconditional’ pardons… before he left office in January 2025.”

The legality and constitutionality of such preemptive pardons is being widely questioned. However, the real origin and source of the virus spreading the disease is still up for debate.

Tucker Carlson Attacks Trump

Daily Mail wrote on June 26:

“[Tucker Carlson] compared Trump to a boxer who was all talk and taunting but ‘you don’t have to worry about’ when they make threats, before sending him a blunt message… Carlson appears to have defected from Trump in the months since the war began. In an April 15 clip from the Tucker Carlson Show, which is the former Fox host’s popular independent podcast, Carlson became biblical in his criticism.  

“’Here’s a leader who’s mocking the gods of his ancestors, mocking the god of gods, and exalting himself above them,’ Carlson said in the clip.  ‘Could this be the Antichrist?’ he then said. ‘Well, who knows?’…

“Carlson’s stark abandonment of Trump has poured kerosene on the fire already engulfing right-wing circles.”

Trump’s Bizarre Interaction With a Ghost

Daily Mail wrote on July 1:

“Trump’s bizarre interaction with dead president shocks viewers…Donald Trump interacted with an AI-powered ghost of Theodore Roosevelt, sparking immediate concern online over the surreal encounter… The President… asked if the fake AI-Roosevelt believed building the Panama Canal his ‘greatest achievements.’ ‘The canal stands as one of my proudest battles, no question. But greatness is a strange thing,’ the AI-powered ghost told Trump …

“Trump has often compared himself to Roosevelt, and notably threatened to seize the Panama Canal during the early days of his second term. Speaking at the Roosevelt Library, Trump reaffirmed his commitment to expanding US control of the waterway…”

Weird, shocking and frightening. Who knows with whom Trump was communicating?

Slimy Trump Deals

The California Post Editorial Board wrote on June 29:

“It was bad when the Bidens did it, and it’s just as bad when the Trumps do it. Insider deals, finders’ fees and backdoor introductions to family members are business-as-usual in Third World banana republics, but these slimy practices have now been normalized in the White House, to the shame of the nation…. Eric and Donald Trump Jr., sons of President Trump, and Kyle and Brandon Lutnick, sons of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, are tied to a billion-dollar tungsten mining deal that the US government is financing in Kazakhstan…. The Trumps sons… are part-owners or investors in companies neck-deep in a key defense contract to mine tungsten reserves in Central Asia. It stinks to high heaven.

“If a president’s family making bank from obscure resource companies in the former Soviet Union sounds familiar, maybe that’s because Hunter Biden’s lucrative connection to Burisma — a Ukrainian gas company — was a major scandal in the 2020 election and beyond. Republicans, including Donald Trump, were justifiably outraged at the obvious influence-peddling…. True, no one thought of Trump & Co. as unblemished saints, but who would’ve thunk that he, his kin and associates were going to use the Biden family template — virtually backing up the truck and stealing the carpets and silver — as a model of ethical behavior?…

“Democrats in Congress are pressing for an investigation into Trump sweetheart deals. If they take the House in the midterms, these hearings are surely coming.”

Incredible Decision on Pesticides

The New York Times wrote on June 25:

“The Supreme Court on Thursday sided with the manufacturer of the weedkiller Roundup, overturning a jury award for a Missouri man who claimed the widely used herbicide caused cancer in a decision that could have sweeping impacts on thousands of other Americans who similarly claim the product sickened them… Justice Kavanaugh wrote that the Missouri case would ‘require a cancer warning on Roundup’s label,’ which would directly conflict with the label required by the federal Environmental Protection Agency. Because of this conflict, he wrote, federal law ‘expressly pre-empts’ the Missouri man’s claim.

“The dispute focused on a single case, a $1.25 million award for John Durnell, a gardener in St. Louis who had used Roundup for decades and claimed that years of exposure to the product led him to develop non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a blood cancer. Mr. Durnell claimed that the company had failed to warn consumers of the dangers of the product. The ramifications of the decision could be enormous, potentially jeopardizing thousands of lawsuits pending in state and federal courts against Bayer, the German company that acquired Roundup’s original maker, Monsanto, in 2018…

“The Environmental Protection Agency, which is in charge of labeling pesticides throughout the country, has determined Roundup is safe. Bayer claims that the finding, which allows Roundup to be sold without a warning label, should override claims by Mr. Durnell and others that under state laws, they were injured by the product. The Trump administration joined the case on Bayer’s side, reversing the position taken by the Biden administration. The Trump administration’s support for the Roundup manufacturer has been controversial among the Make America Healthy Again movement, whose activists had largely supported the president’s political rise…

“Roundup, which was created by Monsanto in the 1970s, is one of the most popular weedkillers in the world. But concerns over one of its active ingredients — a chemical called glyphosate that is absorbed by plants, traveling into their roots and blocking an enzyme used for their growth — have prompted one of the biggest waves of class-action lawsuits in U.S. history.

“Evidence in lab animals, along with more limited evidence in humans, has shown a link between glyphosate and cancer, and a 2015 report by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classified it as ‘probably carcinogenic in humans.’”

The Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to determine that Roundup is safe, is perceived to be wrong. Still, the Supreme Court thinks it is bound by a wrong decision! Everybody knows (or should know) that these pesticides are harmful. The stupidity of man is just mind-boggling.

“Trump’s Most Ruthless Immigration Weapons Unlocked as Supreme Court Hands Him Stunning Double Victory”

The Daily Mail wrote on  June 25:

“The Supreme Court on Thursday handed Donald Trump two rare wins in a huge victory for his strict immigration agenda. The Court cleared the way for Trump to revoke temporary protections for hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian nationals living in the United States – siding with the president on one of the most closely watched and consequential immigration cases this term. And the Justices also decided to give Trump more authority to limit asylum seekers in the US coming from Mexico.

“The court ruled 6-3 to grant Trump administration’s request to revive a controversial ‘metering’ policy that allows federal immigration officers to turn away asylum seekers at the US-Mexico border. The high court ruled 6-3 that the courts cannot review the Haitian and Syrian nationals’ non-constitutional claims, because the TPS statute bars judicial review. ….

“Justices ruled in both cases along ideological lines, and, in a rare move, Justice Sonia Sotomayor responded to the asylum case by reading aloud a summary of her dissent from the bench…. Thursday’s ruling… could make hundreds of thousands of individuals in US suddenly eligible for deportation, including many who have been living and working in the country legally for years.”

Bad decisions by a conservative majority strictly along ideological lines. Why would a nominally independent Court act this way?

Bad Consequences For America of Supreme Court Decision

The Huffington Post wrote on June 27:

“In the hours since the Supreme Court announced it would allow the Trump administration to end temporary protected status [TPS] for immigrants from Haiti and Syria, the potential consequences have ricocheted through American communities… Without further intervention from lower courts, about 400,000 Haitians and Syrians, or about a third of the 1.3 million total people with TPS, will have just about three months before they are eligible for deportation — three months to figure out what to do with the lives they have built in the United States, whether to leave behind U.S.-born children or bring them along to dangerous nations…

“But the impact will also be felt by the nation as a whole… There are at least 740,000 TPS holders in the U.S. workforce, with many holding jobs in critical fields like healthcare, childcare and elder care… More than 20% of Haitians in the nation work in healthcare… Many TPS holders, Yoon said, are in the ‘direct care’ sector, like those who provide long-term care services to people with disabilities and the elderly…

“These fields are already facing a massive workforce shortage which will only be exacerbated by the loss of a swath of workers…

“TPS holders contribute over $29 billion annually to the American economy, and that they pay almost $8 billion in federal, payroll, state and local taxes. Haitian and Syrian TPS holders alone contribute $4.4 billion to the U.S. economy annually… Some cities may be decimated if TPS holders are forced to leave the U.S.”

The decisions are plain stupid and inhumane.

Supreme Court Upholds Constitutional Birthright Citizenship

ABC News wrote on July 1:

“President Donald Trump brushed off his loss after the Supreme Court rejected his attempt to end birthright citizenship– rooted in the 14th Amendment — on Tuesday, saying the decision is ‘too bad for the Country’ and insisting that he can ‘easily make it up in Congress through Legislation.’

“The court ruled in a 6-3 decision to reject Trump’s executive order that he issued on the first day of his presidency, with Chief Justice John Roberts writing for the majority, ‘Citizenship, then and now, was the right to have rights — to freely participate in our political community. The Framers of the Fourteenth Amendment extended that promise to every free-born person in this land. We keep that promise today.’

“Trump responded to the court’s decision with a post on his social media platform, writing, ‘The Supreme Court upheld Birthright Citizenship, which is too bad for our Country, but we can easily make it up in Congress through Legislation, with the support of the President, that has now been determined during this process,’ he wrote on his social media platform.

“Birthright citizenship is rooted in both the Constitution and 1940 federal citizenship law. But even if the law were to be changed, this would likely be challenged in court on constitutional grounds with the possibility of the issue making its way back to the Supreme Court…

“House Speaker Mike Johnson… acknowledged a constitutional amendment would be ‘very complicated’ and a ‘many-years-long process,’ but said he thought it was likely the only way forward.  Amending the Constitution would take a two-thirds majority in both chambers of Congress [or] ratification by three-quarters of the states.”

This will never happen. Trump lost this case for good.

Unfounded MAGA Anger

“Amy Coney Barrett, taking office in 2020, was the final of three justices appointed by the President during his first term. But she sided with Chief Justice John Roberts, also a Republican appointee, and the Court’s three liberals to overrule the dissent of justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch. 

“Justice  Brett Kavanaugh, Trump’s second appointee, concurred with the judgment but disagreed with the majority’s argument.”

We feel that the Supreme Court decision was right. Three conservatives sided against Trump. The ruling is a major defeat for Trump. Any MAGA anger is unjustified.                                          

US Threatens to Cut Gas Supplies to EU

Big News Network reported on June 26:

“The US has warned the EU that American liquefied natural gas (LNG) could be diverted elsewhere unless Brussels eases planned methane emissions regulations…

“The EU replaced much of its Russian pipeline gas with American LNG following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022 and the imposition of sanctions on Moscow. The shift made the US the bloc’s largest external gas supplier and was hailed by EU leaders as a step toward greater energy security. Europe’s energy crisis has worsened since then, with gas and electricity prices soaring to record highs….

“US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said American exports would ‘flow somewhere else’ if the EU refused to change the rules, which are due to take effect in 2027…. The US has joined Qatar, Algeria and Nigeria in urging the EU to amend or delay the legislation. Exporters argue there is no practical way to comply…

“EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen rejected calls to weaken the legislation, insisting the bloc would not compromise its environmental standards despite pressure from suppliers…”

Brussels’ environmental regulations ARE ridiculous to a large extent. The relationship between the USA and Europe will never recover.

No Alaska Agreement?

Pravda wrote on June 26:

“Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has criticised US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for saying that no agreements on ending the war in Ukraine were reached during the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in Anchorage…

“The Russian foreign minister also said he wanted to clarify the US role in efforts to resolve Russia’s war against Ukraine following Rubio’s remarks. In this context, Lavrov claimed that ahead of the Anchorage summit, US envoy Steve Witkoff had brought Moscow a proposal from President Trump for a settlement to the war…

“‘In Anchorage… Putin, looking at Witkoff, who was also present, began going through the American proposals point by point. After each point, in the presence of Trump and Secretary of State Rubio, he asked Witkoff whether he had correctly presented the ideas he had brought to Moscow before the Anchorage meeting. Each time, Witkoff answered in the affirmative,’ Lavrov said… ‘If one side – in this case the United States – puts forward proposals on a settlement and on how to approach this crisis, and the other side agrees with those proposals, then saying there was no agreement seems, frankly, not very sophisticated,’ Lavrov added.”

Witkoff is not considered to be a sophisticated negotiator either. He is certainly no match for Putin, nor has he (or Jared Kushner) been a match for Iran.

England’s New PM?

The Daily Mail wrote on June 30:

“Andy Burnham insisted Britain needs to go back to the 1970s today as he put the ‘wealthy’ South on notice for his Downing Street takeover. Delivering his first big speech in Manchester, the PM-in-waiting… argued that ‘trickle down’ economics must be ditched and replaced with a Left-wing concept of ‘good growth’. That included more state ownership…

“He suggested his Government would copy German post-reunification legislation dictating that all states must have ‘equivalent living standards’ [which turned out to be a colossal fiasco]…

“The presumptive PM has already had to conduct a series of humiliating U-turns. They include dropping a promise of £10billion compensation for so-called Waspi women within hours, and admitting he will not try to rejoin the EU…

“In a worrying sign for Mr Burnham, YouGov research released today showed his popularity already dropping. Some 43 per cent had a negative view, against 32 per cent who were positive. That is seven points worse than immediately after his by-election victory…

“Mr Burnham has previously backed a property tax that will punish those with more valuable homes, as well as an increase in capital gains tax and a new ‘death tax’ to fund social care… Analysis has found that a ‘wealth tax’ being pushed by senior Labour figures would actually wipe billions of pounds off Treasury revenues…”

Pure Madness: Britain Tests Long-Range Missile For Ukraine to Bombard Moscow

Uncut-News wrote on June 23:

“Ukraine is making it clear that it aims to ‘take the war to Russia’—and that is precisely what lies behind the recent series of massive Ukrainian drone attacks on Moscow, which have caused devastating damage, particularly to energy processing facilities and regional air traffic. The fact that… NATO supports such actions against a nuclear-armed superpower is madness.

“Beyond covert support for target acquisition, the United Kingdom is now adopting a more open stance, having reportedly just tested missiles with a range of 300 miles that are slated for delivery to the Ukrainian military. The British missile platform has the capability to deliver a 500-pound warhead all the way to Moscow…

“The Ministry of Defence (MoD) called on companies to develop long-range weapons capable of flying at speeds exceeding 370 miles per hour, costing around £400,000 apiece, and capable of being produced at a rate of 20 units per month…

“The open and blunt admission that these future systems could soon be deployed to directly attack the Russian capital would represent an insane escalation by NATO. Once NATO and Western systems begin destroying buildings in Moscow, direct military retaliation by Russia against Europe suddenly becomes a much more imminent reality. Once again, this is a case of sheer madness and insanity on the part of some of Europe’s most aggressive political leaders.”

Europe is provoking Russia needlessly. It shows that Europe IS willing to go all the way. Does Europe really want “total war”?

What If Putin Were To Invade Eastern Europe?

The Guardian wrote on June 27:

“A nightmare scenario has been playing on eastern European minds with increasing intensity since Donald Trump returned to the White House: what if Russia attacks and the US does not join the fight?…

“The problem, which would continually undermine such positivity, is that in the world of Trump, a firm promise today can be undone by a Truth Social post tomorrow….

“This is the uncertainty that sits at the core of European concerns about American reliability. For as long as Trump is in the White House, it creates… a state of ambiguity over whether the US is in or out, which will continue until a hypothetical moment of truth arrives.”

That moment arrives when Europe decides to attack the USA militarily.

Israel Is Dependent on Europe

Jerusalem Post wrote on June 27:

“Israelis like to say that Europe is ‘finished’ – an aging, divided, weak continent, increasingly Muslim and hostile to Israel. Polls show only about a third of Israelis hold a positive view of the European Union, while roughly half describe Israel-Eu relations as poor. This narrative is not entirely accurate – and certainly unwise. Israel actually depends on Europe more than on any other global actor except for the United States.

“Europe is Israel’s largest trading partner, is central to Israeli research and innovation, is an important investment source, and is home to partner academic institutions. It is also the region from which the modern Jewish state largely emerged…

“Many Europeans underestimate the threats from Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran and apply standards to Israel that are not applied to others… Many Israelis have convinced themselves that as long as America supports their approach, Europe doesn’t matter.

“As is now evident, even President Donald Trump has grown weary of the bloodshed, realizing that US public opinion is shifting. European public opinion has shifted even further, and that is serious… When Israelis say Europe is ‘finished,’ they often mean it is becoming a Muslim continent. Yet Muslims account for only about 7% of the combined population of the EU and Britain, and no serious demographic forecast suggests a future Muslim majority…

“Israel simply cannot afford to treat Europe as a secondary concern or a lost cause. Losing Europe would be devastating, and Israelis need to understand this and recalibrate.”

Israel will seek help from Germany, but won’t get it.

A Red Heifer Born?

Israel 365 News wrote on June 30:

“A red heifer born last month in the hills of the Galilee, sired by imported American semen and born to a black-coated mother, has reignited a coordinated national campaign among Israeli rabbis, breeders, and educators to restore the lost laws of ritual purity to the Jewish people.

“The campaign arrives at a moment when public appetite for Temple-related preparation appears to be surging: a recent survey found 55 percent of Israeli Jews now support rebuilding the Holy Temple on the Temple Mount, and a report published this week put the number of men enrolled in Temple service training at 150,000, out of a planned 200,000.”

Even though a “red heifer” is not biblically required, many Jews believe it is.

Vatican Excommunicates Bishops of St. Pius X Society

ABC News wrote on July 2:

 “The Vatican responded aggressively Thursday to a traditionalist society that consecrated bishops without the pope’s consent, declaring the Society of St. Paul X in schism, excommunicating its bishops and priests and warning its faithful they too face the harshest sanctions in the Catholic Church…. The society, known by its acronym SSPX, celebrates the ancient Latin Mass and opposes the modernizing reforms of the Catholic Church, which it considers to be rife with heresies and errors…

“French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre founded the SSPX in 1970 in opposition to the modernizing reforms of the Second Vatican Council… Lefebvre consecrated four bishops without papal consent in 1988. The Vatican promptly excommunicated Lefebvre and the four bishops and declared the consecrations a ‘schismatic act.’ Pope Benedict XVI in 2009 lifted the excommunications as part of his yearslong outreach to the group.”

Earthquake Cluster Rocks Venezuela, California and Japan Within Seven Hours

Daily Mail wrote on June 25:

“Harrowing footage has revealed the extent of the damage and chaos inflicted on Venezuela by a pair of massive earthquakes last night. The back-to-back 7.1 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck near the coast, sending terrified residents racing out from swaying apartment blocks as walls collapsed and clouds of dust rose over the capital.

“’High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread,’ the US Geological Survey said, ‘with an initial death toll estimate likely between 10,000 and 100,000.’… The quakes are among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century…”

IBT added on June 25:

“Just seven hours earlier, USGS reported a notable quake with a magnitude of 5.6…. north of Redwood Valley, California…. Less than an hour after reporting the twin quakes, USGS again noted a Magnitude 6.9 earthquake… east-northwest of Kuji, Japan… (Allegedly,) the quakes were not related as they occurred on separate fault systems and plate boundaries…”

Not related? Maybe God sees it differently?

Even though the death number is still climbing (on June 28, about 1,500 were reported), more than 51,000 people are reported missing, and “nearly 7 million may be impacted”(Deutsche Welle, dated June 28).

Also, a magnitude 6.1 quake struck Afghanistan on June 27, and a magnitude 5.4 quake struck Pakistan on the same day.

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.

In other translations of the Bible, this word “repents” in the Authorized Version and in the New King James Bible can be read at times as: relented, regretted, was sorry, was very sad and had sorrow.

The first mention of this in the Word of God can be found in Genesis 6:6-7, in the Authorized Version, in regard to the people living before the Flood:

“And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.”

In the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, we read:

“And it repented the Lord … grieved him at his heart. This is a strong instance of what is called anthropomorphism, an expression descriptive of human emotion or action ascribed to Jehovah… Such expressions have often given rise to superficial criticisms, depreciatory of Holy Scripture, on the part both of those who are ignorant of Oriental literature, and of those who assume that the Books of Holy Scripture must be free from the literary characteristics of the writers’ age and nationality. In this verse Jehovah is represented as intensely grieved at the frustration of His purposes for the human race. The description is given in the childlike simplicity of the language of an early age…”

In Wordnik, we read that “anthropomorphism” is described as “The ascription of human attributes tosupernatural or divine beings; in theology, the conception or representation of God with human qualities and affections, or in a human shape.”

Continuing with the comments from the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges:

“In other passages, e.g. Numbers 23:19, 1 Samuel 15:29, it is asserted that Jehovah is not, like man, capable of repentance. There are two representations in Holy Scripture of the Divine Nature: one, which, as here, makes the Divine Purpose fluctuate, in reflexion, as it were, of man’s changing experiences; the other, which depicts the Divine Purpose as uniform, changeless, and unvarying, cf. James 1:17.”

Before addressing the false interpretation of the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges regarding God’s repentance, let us review the passages in Numbers and 1 Samuel, referred to above. (We will talk about the passage in James later).

In Numbers 23:19, it states (in the Authorized Version; the New King James Bible; and in the Luther Bibel 1984):

“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good.”

1 Samuel 15:29 reads in the New King James Bible: “And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor relent. For He is not a man, that He should relent.” The Authorized Version says “repent,” and so does the Luther Bibel 1984.

We see the context: God has said something, and He will not repent or relent from doing so. But even then, as we will see, He may give a prophecy which He might not carry out, depending on human conduct.

The huge problem of the false perception of the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges lies in a complete misunderstanding of God, in using the word“anthropomorphism” in describing God—as they put it, “the use of human “descriptions of the God being with ‘childlike simplicity,’” concluding that the description of God and His actions and emotions are not to be taken literally. For instance, anthropomorphism postulates that God cannot move from one place to another and that He has no form and shape—no hands, feet, a head, a mouth etc, thereby totally ignoring the biblical fact that man was created in God’s image and according to His likeness.

We state in our Q&A, “Does God travel?”:

“God HAS form and shape. God said that Moses saw the glorified ‘form’ of the LORD (compare Numbers 12:8). God, when creating man, said that man was to be made in accordance with the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27; 9:6). God is described as having a head, arms, a body, feet, eyes and hair, among other aspects. Man is made in the physical form of God–he is a physical reflection, if you please, of the Spirit Beings, God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son. Please also note that Christ is described as the [Spirit] image of God the Father (2 Corinthians 4:4). He looks like God the Father; that is why He could say, even when He was here on earth in human form, ‘He who has seen Me has seen the Father’ (John 14:9). In that same way–on a physical level–man is made in the image of God.

“… This is why we read that God came down from heaven to walk on earth; that Jesus Christ, after His resurrection to a Spirit Being, ascended to heaven; that He was brought before God the Father in heaven to receive kingship and power; and that He will return to this earth, in power and glory, to rule all nations. Of course, we must also understand that God CAN ‘travel’ from one place to another within a ‘split second’… [W]hen God is at a certain place, at that very same moment, He cannot be–as a Person–at a different place at the same time…

“David did not conclude that God’s miraculous omnipresence was due to God being everywhere like a form- and shapeless blob; he knew better than that… God the Father and Jesus Christ are both Spirit beings. They both have form and shape, composed of Spirit. But the Holy Spirit is NOT a being–rather, it is the power emanating from God (compare Micah 3:8; Luke 4:14). It is through the POWER of God’s Holy Spirit that things are created. And God’s Holy Spirit does not have form and shape–God’s Holy Spirit does not exist in a bodily form… God, a Spirit being, who has form and shape, is everywhere through His Spirit…

“Turning… to Genesis 3:8-11, we find that God–actually in the Person of Jesus Christ, as no man has ever seen the Father (John 1:18; 6:46)–‘walked’ in the Garden of Eden. That must be understood quite literally. At that moment in time, Christ appeared to Adam and Eve in a physical manifestation, but through His Spirit, He was still everywhere. [Later, we find that Christ appeared to Abraham and Sarah, together with two angels, manifesting themselves ‘as’ humans, to eat and to speak with them about their future son and to warn Abraham of the impending destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (compare Genesis 18:1-2, 13, 16-33; 19:1).]…

“We read Christ’s words to Abraham in Genesis 18:20-21: ‘Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”’… Some commentaries tell us that this wording [of God coming down and seeing how bad it was] is ‘anthropomorphic’ (applying human characteristics, traits or attributes to God) or a figurative way of speaking, allegedly ‘proving God’s omniscience or all-embracing knowledge.’

“Of course, most commentaries do not believe that God has form and shape, and that man was made, in a physical way, after the spiritual likeness of God. Nor do they believe that God travels, going from one place to another.  But the Bible clearly teaches both…

“A similar conclusion can be gleaned from the account about the Tower of Babel. We read in Genesis 11:5-8: ‘But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The LORD said, ‘If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.’ So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city.’

“This passage implies that Christ came down, apparently in response to a report by His angels, to see what was really happening at Babel, and after having analyzed the situation, both the Father and Christ determined to go down to confuse the languages…”

The same false concept of anthropomorphism is being used when trying to deny that God can “repent,” saying this is just a human expression applied to God in figurative ways. For instance, we clearly read that God has wrath; that He can get angry. These are not just anthropomorphic expressions.

We state in our Q&A, “Does God know anger?”

“God’s wrath—both of the Father and of the Son—is also vividly described in the Book of Revelation…. 

“We read in Psalm 7:11 that ‘God is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day.’… God judges and has to be ‘judgemental.’ There is nothing wrong with being angry as long as it is righteous anger – and with God that must always be the case as He is perfect.”

Addressing godly repentance, we always need to look at the context of the particular passage.

There are a number of instances where God repented or “relented, regretted, was sorry, was very sad and had sorrow.”  Let us review a few of these.

In the Authorized Version of 1 Samuel 15:11, we read: “It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.” The Luther Bible1984 renders it the same: “I repent,” or “Es reut mich…” However, in the New King James Version, the word repenteth is translated as “greatly regret”.  God was not repenting of any sin He would have committed–that would be ludicrous, but He greatly repented of or regretted His action in setting up Saul as king over Israel (this is repeated in verse 35). God repented of setting up Saul due to Saul’s rebellious conduct. It shows how much our Creator was grieved at the actions of His people.

In Jeremiah 18:8-10, we read in the Authorized Version: “If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.  And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.”   The same rendering is used in the Luther Bibel 1984. In the New King James Bible, the word used is relent.

Matthew Poole’s Commentaryobserves the above text as follows: “I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them; I will also turn from the methods of my severe providence which I had resolved in case of their impenitency to proceed in against them. There is a difference betwixt repentance in man, and repentance as it is attributed to God; repentance in man must be, not only a change in action, but a change of heart; repentance as attributed to God never signifieth a change of heart, or purpose, or counsels, but only a change in action, all alteration of the course of his providence.”

This distinction between man and God is clearly wrong. As man can and does change his heart or mind by thinking differently, so can and does God. And even though God’s overall purpose or master plan never changes, He is most certainly willing to make changes within His master plan, based on man’s conduct. When the Israelites built a golden calf, God repented that He had made them and He was willing to destroy all of them, while using Moses to makehim a great nation and leading them into the Promised Land. So, we could say that God changed His mind towards the Israelites.

The same can be attributed to Amos 7:3, 6 which states in the Authorized Versionthat “The Lord repented for this: It shall not be, saith the LORD.”   Also, the Luther Bibel 1984. In the New King James Version, the word is “relented,” as it is in Jonah 3:10 and 4:2.

We know from Malachi 3:6 that God does not change: “For I am the LORD, I do not change”. Another verse that shows the unchanging nature of God is found in Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” In James 1:17, we read: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

These Scriptures show that His nature and character do not change. They do NOT alter the fact that He cannot decide to change His conduct due to the behaviour of human beings. Neither do they show that God cannot repent or relent of what He had originally planned, and that He could not change His plan in that regard, but all are subject to the fulfilment of His master plan.

The confusion with regard to the word “repent,” when applied to God, might stem from the idea that repentance, when applied to humans, is normally, but not always, associated with sin, which needs to be “repented” of. God never sins—He cannot sin—so, as the argument goes, the word “repent” could not possibly be used to refer to God. But that is faulty human reasoning, as the word “repent” does not necessitate sinful conduct.

The Hebrew word for repent in Genesis 6:3, “nacham,” can have a variety of meanings. Strong’sdefines it as “to sigh; to be sorry; to avenge; repent.” It simply means, ‘to feel sorry for something you have done.” It can also include a change of mind or behavior.

In our booklet “God’s Teachings on Sexual Relationships,” we read the following on pages 6-8:

“God Can Change His Mind on Temporary Matters.

“There are a number of examples where God DID change His mind, so how do we explain that? Let us look at some of these examples…

“Genesis 18:26–32 relates Abraham’s negotiation with God over how many righteous in Sodom would be needed in order to save the city from destruction. First of all it was 50, then God agreed to 45, then 40, then 30, then 20 and finally 10. We note quite a few changes of mind there because of Abraham’s pleading.

“Numbers 14 tells the story of Israel refusing to enter Canaan, and instead of entering the land immediately, God changed this by deferring their entry for 40 years.

“In 2 Kings 20 we read that King Hezekiah was ‘sick and near death’ (verse 1), and the king prayed about this matter (verse 2–3) and God changed His mind and added another 15 years to his life (verses 5–6).

“Jonah was sent out on a mission to Nineveh but Jonah tried to opt out of this task. Eventually he did deliver the message that in ‘forty days… Nineveh shall be overthrown’ (Jonah 3:4). However, the Ninevites repented and ‘God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it (verse 10).’ Again, a change of mind by God.

“We can see from these examples that God did change, but none of these changes involved alterations to His unalterable spiritual Law. God does not change, nor does He compromise with regard to His plan for mankind, a plan which is revealed through the meaning of His Holy Days. (For more insight, please read our free booklets, The Meaning of God’s Spring Holy Days, and The Meaning of God’s Fall Holy Days, where His plan of salvation for ALL people is revealed, including those who, at this present time, are disobedient to the Truth and Way of Life that God has shown His called-out ones.)

“God does not change with regard to keeping His Law—the Ten Commandments. It is interesting that the Roman Catholic Church has defied God and ‘replaced’ His seventh-day-Sabbath with Sunday. They also observe the paganized holidays, such as Christmas and Easter (and other days), while ignoring and rejecting the Holy Days that God says are His. Leviticus 23:1–2 clearly states: ‘And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.’”’ God then gives details about the Sabbath and all of His annual Holy Days.

“The Church of God has long understood that if one part or passage in the Bible is contradictory, then God’s Word could not be trusted. If God went back and forth about His spiritual Law for mankind, then how could we trust Him? How could we possibly build a relationship with Him?

“We know from God’s Word that He is perfect in all His ways, and we know that the Father and Jesus Christ are one (see John 10:30 and 17:11)—unified and with singleness of purpose.

“We are truly blessed that God is constant and that His integrity is intact so that we can fully trust the great Creator God of the universe. This is confirmed in Proverbs 3:5–6: ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding.’

“God Does Not Change His Eternal Truths Nor His Character.

“God does NOT change when it comes to the eternal truths that He has made clear in His Word. God has perfect character, which cannot change. So then, we must have the spiritual insight and understanding to comprehend this principal and learn to apply it.”

Repentance is a word that we use when we have sinned and need forgiveness (compare for example Acts 2:38).  That is at the human level but when used in connection with God and, therefore, it most certainly is not to do with any failure or sin, rather that the master plan of God is not altered though the means and initial steps to achieve it may be modified, based on human conduct.

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

Compiled by Norbert Link

“Trump’s Bizarre Interaction With a Ghost” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

Recently, Donald Trump communicated with an AI-powered ghost of Theodore Roosevelt. Harmless fun, or dangerous activity? With whom, exactly, did Trump speak? The Bible clearly warns us not to engage in such demonic practices. And why this fascination with UFOs, aliens, and other unexplained phenomena? Could it be that a sinister and deceptive plan is behind all of it?

“Trumps bizarrer Kontakt mit einem Geist“ is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same topic as described above.

A new member letter has been written, posted on our Website, and sent out to our subscribers. In the letter, Rene Messier discusses the Work which God the Father gave Jesus Christ to do, and how this relates to us today. 

Norbert Link’s sermonette, titled, “America’s Internal and International Destruction — Comments on News and Prophecy, June 27, 2026,” has been posted. Here is a summary:

While Jesus told His disciples to make peace and oppose war, America is doing the exact opposite. On the international scene, the Iran war is ongoing, and even “attempts” to end the fighting virtually guarantee their continuance. In the process, America’s “allies” are running away. True faith in God and His power are basically nonexistent in the USA. Domestically and internally, recent US Supreme Court decisions help destroy America from the inside.

Kalon Mitchell’s sermon, titled, “When Everything Accelerates,” has been posted. 

Here is a summary:

The world is accelerating and nobody knows how to stop it. God told us this was coming. Underneath all the technology, capability, and noise, the same ancient problem is surfacing that has always surfaced when humanity gains more power, we want to be like God, on our own terms, without going through Him.

Norbert Link’s German sermon was posted with the title “Amerika und Gottes Kirche—erstaunliche Parallelen“. Title in English: “America and God’s Church—Astonishing Parallels.”

Johann Schell’s German sermonette, “Liebe ist Arbeit” (“Love is Work”) from last Sabbath has been posted. 

Christoph Sperzel’s German sermon from last Sabbath has been posted, titled, “Schach, ein Gleichnis für den geistlichen Kampf“ (“Chess, a Parable for the Spiritual Battle”). 

On June 27, 2026, Norbert Link will present the sermonette on News and Prophecy, and Kalon Mitchell will give the sermon, titled, “When Everything Accelerates.”

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.

Our Bibles contain a wealth of information and are the only structure that can make a positive and lasting difference in our lives. In my Pentecost Offertory message, I referenced the Sermon on the Mount as presented by our Savior, Jesus Christ. It was a brief mention and I knew that I needed to delve far deeper into the Sermon and the intention that Jesus had in presenting this groundbreaking message. Jesus used roughly only 2300 words to deliver the lesson of a lifetime for His followers and ultimately the whole world.  

The Sermon on the Mount, covered in Matthew 5-7, comprises the most compelling and foundational teachings that we as true Christians can rely on as our life’s compass. Why is that? The Sermon is indeed foundational and builds on the structure established by God the Father when He, through Jesus Christ, directed Moses to accept and share the Ten Commandments. In Exodus 19:20 (New International Version throughout), we read: “The LORD [that is, Jesus Christ] descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain. So Moses went up and the LORD said to him, ‘Go down and warn the people so they do not force their way through to see the LORD and many of them perish.” Then, in Chapter 20:1-17, God, in the Person of Jesus Christ, delivers the ten simple but vital commandments for His chosen people to adhere to. 

When Jesus ascended the Horns of Hattin, west of the Sea of Galilee, and roughly 1,000 feet above the Town of Capernaum where He had been building His ministry, He began by defining the qualities that characterize how true followers of Christ should conduct themselves. This portion of the Sermon is referred to as the Beatitudes. In Matthew 5:3-16, Jesus specifically established the standards such as being a peacemaker, being humble, thirsting for righteousness, and being merciful. He went on to clarify that His followers would never hide their faith from the world, but shine forth as a lamp, and as a brilliant and righteous city on a hill. Jesus taught the people assembled on that mountainside about the appropriate love one must have towards one another, as well as a moral underpinning that was lacking not just in the Roman government of the day, but also with the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders in power, whose focus on their own wealth and position was antithetical to God’s commandments. Jesus was also illustrating that obedience to God’s Law would be impossible without total reliance and obedience to God, and the intercession and sacrifice that only He could make.

However, having made His opening remarks, Jesus made an interesting point by establishing the connection between His teaching and that moment on Mt. Sinai when Moses received the Ten Commandments from Him. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus is quite clear: “Do not think I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Here, Jesus was reinforcing His connection with the Father and the Law. He was doing all that He was sent by the Father to do; He was illustrating that the Commandments of God are grounded in the purest sense of agape love. This is the unconditional love and care for another’s well-being, regardless of their backgrounds. This is difficult for us as human beings, and yet it is required that we work towards the perfection of Jesus and the Father as true Christians. Again, unless we rely on the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ and the mercy of the Father, this would not be possible for us.

In Matthew 5:9, we see Jesus specifically mentioning the importance of seeking peace in this world: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.” We cannot seek peace and pursue it if we are focused on and aiding the wars of this world. We must not be involved with the political and economic structures that directly and indirectly breed hatred, mistrust and fuel war. 

Jesus stood on that mountainside and without the trappings of power and authority, He established a new world order, and, just as He dealt with the money changers in the Temple, the so-called religious leaders of the day would learn that this Man of peace would not accept the hypocrisy of their world. Jesus’ disciples understood that this was a Man of peace and justice, but also the Messiah who would not compromise to get along in this world. 

Jesus taught selflessness, empathy, and humility, and He cautioned that even the mere thought of the actions that were prohibited by the Ten Commandments were equal in the eyes of God to the act itself. Murderous and adulterous thoughts, wickedness of mind and spirit, and taking no action to help when others are in need are indeed sinful. Therefore, obeying the Father could not be reduced to self-righteous adherence to rules, rituals, and regulations. Jesus Christ, on behalf of God the Father, gave the fleeing Israelites the Ten Commandments so His people could draw closer to Him. God the Father then sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to intercede on our behalf and bear our sins so that we can have a relationship with Him forever in the Kingdom.

Jesus showed that the spirit of the Law would now be equally important with adherence to the Law. This then established a new longitudinal and spiritual meridian extending from Mt. Sinai, to the mountain west of Galilee upon which Jesus presented His Sermon. The connection between the Old Testament books such as Exodus were brought right to that hillside, and Jesus came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, just as He said in Matthew 5:17. 

Jesus also made clear the importance of establishing the daily need for prayer to the Father. Jesus intercedes with the Father on our behalf, and in Matthew 6:9-13, He established the Lord’s Prayer as an outline and as a way for us to connect with God the Father with sincerity, humility, and shows us the way to live our daily lives in a God-centered, rather than worldly manner.

Jesus also establishes what many of us learned from parents and grandparents as the Golden Rule. Simply stated: Do unto others as we would have done to us. He covered this perfectly in Matthew 7:12: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Again, Jesus here reinforces His connection to the Laws of God, and therefore fulfills the words of the Prophets.

True Christians will recognize the Sermon on the Mount as the most consequential message, from the most significant Being that ever existed on this earth. Roughly 2300 words contained in 109 verses (NIV) and as Jesus said: “…it sums up the Law and the Prophets.”

The Sermon on the Mount was a direct gift and lesson from God through His Son, Jesus Christ. We must honor this gift by studying it and living by these lessons.

By Norbert Link

We begin with developments pertaining to Germany and Poland and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war; continue with ongoing disagreements between the USA and Israel; and Iran’s threats pertaining to a really bad deal orchestrated by President Trump, and Mr. Trump’s telling response.

We continue with suppressed unwelcome views by the late Charlie Kirk; and with the outrage in Italy over Trump’s comments pertaining to Giorgia Meloni.

We report on “the stupidest idea Trump ever had,” pertaining to Syria, the slaughter of Christians in Ethiopia and other parts of Africa, more talks about an invasion of Cuba, more proof of Fauci’s misconduct; and Pharma’s fight against medications and remedies which they don’t like.

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “A Divided Europe in the Light of Prophecy.” 

Germany’s Rearmament

The Financial Times wrote on  June 20:

“German power and action are back in the spotlight today, but is the goal to reform Europe? That is the new German question. As Europe rapidly strengthens its defense capabilities in the face of Russian aggression and an increasingly unreliable United States, Germany has thrown off its pacifist shackles, eased borrowing limits and embarked on a rearmament of historic proportions.

“Its military budget surpasses that of France and Britain, two nuclear powers. It is investing 35 billion euros in military space capabilities. Liana Fix, a German scientist working in the United States, warned earlier this year that Germany could become Europe’s new hegemon – and that we should be wary of the dangers of German power…. what is missing from Berlin is a clear explanation of the European role of this army…

“Warsaw and Paris are particularly concerned. Poland still has unresolved disputes with Germany dating back to World War II… Berlin’s decision earlier this month to abandon the Franco-German FCAS future fighter jet project… only heightened concerns in Paris that Germany had decided to go it alone…  In such turbulent times, Germany’s European partners should not be left in the dark about its new direction.”

The concern regarding increasing German military power is well-founded.

Clashes Within the EU

Politico wrote on June 19:

“Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz struck out against the EU for opening up communication with Vladimir Putin, putting the leaders of Europe’s two largest countries on collision course with a large part of the rest of the bloc. In an unexpectedly discordant late-night summit in Brussels ― the first since 2010 without longtime contrarian ex-Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ― the French president and the German chancellor scorned efforts by European Council President António Costa, who acts on behalf of all 27 governments, to reach out to the Kremlin…

“The clashes bring to light simmering tension at the heart of the EU over its approach to Russia and who should talk on Europe’s behalf… Leaders from some of the most staunchly anti-Russia countries, as well as Denmark and the Netherlands, rallied behind Macron and Merz, with some displaying unprecedented fury with Costa…

“Thursday evening’s summit exposed several faultlines: In addition to the Costa vs. E3 [France, Germany and the U.K.] divide, Italy and Poland (forming an informal “E5”) were frustrated by their exclusion from initial talks between the E3 and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of the summit…”

“Poland’s President Strips Zelenskyy of Top Honor

Deutsche Welle reported on June 19:

“Karol Nawrocki’s decision to strip Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Poland’s highest honor is likely to spark a severe diplomatic crisis between Poland and Ukraine… Tensions between Warsaw and Kyiv have been high for days due to Zelensky’s decision to name a Ukrainian army unit after an insurgent army (UPA) from World War II that Warsaw accuses of participating in massacres against Poles.

“In 2023, Poland’s then-President Andrzej Duda awarded Zelenskyy the Order of the White Eagle for his contributions to security, resilience, and the defense of human rights.

“In his address on X, Nawrocki said Poland had ‘repeatedly’ called on Ukraine to change the name of the unit. ‘The Ukrainian side’s position has not changed,’ he added… Meanwhile, Poland’s liberal Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X that the conflict between Poland and Ukraine ‘pleases (Russian President Vladimir) Putin and shocks our allies.’… The Polish president’s move escalates the dispute between the neighbors and allies.”

Poland is one of Ukraine’s strongest supporters. Ultimately, Ukraine will become part of or collaborate with Russia, against Europe.

Russia-Ukraine War Continues Unabated…

Newsmax wrote on June 21:

“Four people were killed and fuel sales were suspended in Russian-occupied Crimea, the Moscow-backed authorities there said on Sunday, after a massive Ukrainian barrage hit the Black Sea peninsula… Ukraine said it targeted military and energy facilities in Crimea… in one of the biggest attacks on the peninsula in recent months… Part of the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed by Russia in 2014, was left without power after the attacks…

“Separately, overnight Russian strikes in eastern Ukraine killed three people…

“Ukraine has in recent months also stepped up drone attacks on energy facilities in Russia, striking targets deep behind the front lines. Earlier this week, it hit a large refinery in Moscow twice… Some petrol stations in Russia, the world’s third-biggest oil producer, introduced fuel rationing this month. Fuel exports have been banned since April…

“Talks on ending Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II remain frozen, while fighting on the front line is effectively at a standstill.”

Vance Warns Israeli Officials

The Hill wrote on June 18:

“Vice President Vance warned Israeli officials Thursday against speaking out and criticizing the peace deal negotiated by President Trump’s administration with Iran, suggesting Israel should be grateful for partnership with the U.S. while it is isolated on the international stage. ‘If I was in the Cabinet of the Israeli government, I might not be attacking the only powerful ally that I have anywhere left in the entire world,’ Vance said at a press conference at the White House. 

“‘The other thing that I would say is that over the last three months, two-thirds of the defensive weapons that protected your homeland have been built by American hands and paid for by American tax dollars.’”

As Israelis see it, it is they who have been attacked by Trump. And America has also become more and more isolated in the world.

Saudi Arabia Warns Israel

The Times of India wrote on June 18:

“Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan issued a sharp warning to Israel, saying the country would face serious consequences if it continued its military operations across the region. Speaking amid escalating tensions, Faisal condemned Israeli attacks in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and the West Bank…

“He said he expects the U.S. president Donald Trump to intervene into Gaza and West Bank where Israeli military actions continue unabated and are worsening the already tense situation with daily bloodshed.”

More and more Arab “friends” turn against Israel… which is in accordance with biblical prophecy.

Is “Cyrus” Becoming “Judas”?

Israel Today wrote on June 19:

“… it looks a lot like President Trump is throwing Israel under the bus. The man who had appeared to be a modern-day Cyrus figure is turning out to be a potential Judas, leaving Israel at the mercy of terrorists while ensuring the safe passage of oil…

“Iran remains determined to wipe out the Jewish state… It’s very naïve to think Iran’s current leaders are suddenly being reasonable and with good intentions; the US leader should heed the wise advice Winston Churchill once offered to appeasers in our Parliament that you cannot negotiate with the devil…

“In the meantime, Israel may well end up alone – even without American support…”

To be a Cyrus and a Judas is not mutually exclusive…

Unlimited Power?

The Daily Mail wrote on June 19:

“Donald Trump triumphantly declared in an interview with Axios on Thursday that there are ‘no limits’ to his power when pressed on if he’s found any constraints on his abilities… While attending the Group of Seven summit this week, he put on display the haughty view of himself for all to see. ‘I’m the boss,’ he told the leaders candidly while taking his seat on Wednesday. 

“On Thursday evening, the President posted a two-page memo from his social media claiming that he is even more powerful than historical leaders like Genghis Khan and Napoleon, Hitler, Mao and Stalin. Those notorious men, the document written by ‘presidential historian’ Dave King states, only had local power; Trump by comparison has ‘global reach’…

“‘Sounds good to me!’ Trump celebrated in his social media post about being more powerful than the strongmen… ‘They didn’t have airplanes, right? You couldn’t travel around,’ Trump reportedly said of Alexander the Great, the Caesars of Rome and William the Conqueror. Trump relished being more powerful than Napoleon and ‘the evident pleasure he took in the company of Mao, Hitler, and Stalin’ was clear.”

These are very strange comments indeed.

Does Trump Actually Realize How Bad His Deal Is?

Bild Online wrote on June 18:

“The mullahs get the carrot and no longer have to fear the stick. Does Trump realize how bad his Iran deal is? At the G7 press conference in Évian on Wednesday, he spent an hour praising himself for the agreement (which he subsequently signed at Versailles)—yet he could not disguise the fact that, in reality, he is capitulating to the mullahs…

“US allies in the Middle East feel betrayed by Trump. The deal allows the Iranian regime to firmly re-establish its position, generate billions in revenue, rebuild its missile capabilities, and rearm its proxy armies across the region…

“Trump even praises Iran’s new leadership… He claims there are now ‘reasonable people’ there with whom one can negotiate. This, he suggests, amounts to a form of ‘regime change.’ Similarly, he even praises the Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip, claiming they have ‘behaved very reasonably’ since the ceasefire agreement last October…

“According to Trump, the Iranian regime must be allowed to build missiles again… He even concedes the regime the right to uranium enrichment!… Yet Trump insists the deal ensures the Iranian regime will not acquire nuclear weapons—even though the agreement postpones negotiations on that issue to a later date, leaving the mullahs with a far better negotiating position than they had before the war…

“Incidentally, there is one thing Trump no longer mentions: the people of Iran who have been trying to get rid of the mullahs for decades. He had incited them to revolt, promising: ‘Help is on the way.’ On January 8 and 9, 2026, between 30,000 and 40,000 of them were massacred by the mullahs’ henchmen. They evidently died for nothing. Trump is suddenly casting them aside.

“Both Democrats and disillusioned Republicans are appalled, regarding the deal as worse than anything Obama or Biden negotiated with the Iranian regime. ‘Ronald Reagan is rolling over in his grave. This is the worst foreign policy blunder in decades,’ concludes Senator Bill Cassidy, a rival of Trump’s within the party.”

ABC News added on June 19:

“… several Republican senators have broken with the president over the agreement… ‘I do have concerns that certain aspects of this deal are stepping in the wrong direction,’ Republican Sen. Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told Fox News on Thursday…

“‘History demonstrates that giving billions of dollars to theocratic lunatics who want to murder us is an exceptionally bad idea, and I think unfortunately the president is receiving some really bad advice on this deal,’ Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said of the reconstruction fund…”

Worse Than Obama’s Deal

The New York Post Editorial Board wrote on June 19:

“As he prepared to sign his ‘memorandum of understanding’ with the Islamic dictatorship of Iran, President Trump again insisted that his deal was much different than that of his predecessor, President Barack Obama.  He’s right — it’s probably worse.

“Obama’s treaty did not prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, it simply punted the issue down the road in exchange for cash. Trump’s agreement has the same vague promises, the same payouts, but with the added twist that Iran can and will take the world hostage by shutting the Strait of Hormuz at will. On Friday, just days after the signing of the MOU, Iran moved to close the Strait, saying no ships could cross without its permission and suggesting that ‘insurance fees’ must be paid.

“This isn’t in violation of the deal. This is part of the deal. Point No. 5: ‘The Islamic Republic of Iran will conduct [a] dialog with the Sultanate of Oman to define the future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz.’ Why would opening the door for ‘administration’ of a previously free international waterway even be part [of] this agreement? How is this in any way the ‘unconditional surrender’ Trump described?…

“Trump is betraying his base — and his allies… What’s the plan here? Make sure we have no friends left?”

The New York Post is normally Trump-friendly. But they also see how bad this deal is. So do other Trump-friendly outlets. Note the next article.

“We Feel Betrayed”

Newsmax wrote on June 19:

“An Israeli newspaper owned by a Donald Trump megadonor published an open letter that condemned the president for agreeing to a memorandum of understanding with Iran. The sharply worded open letter appeared Thursday in Israel Hayom, the Israeli newspaper founded by the late Sheldon Adelson and now owned by his widow, billionaire philanthropist and major Trump supporter Miriam Adelson.

“Under the headline, ‘You could have been the greatest president of all, but you failed,’ veteran Israeli journalist Danny Zaken accused Trump of abandoning a strategy he said had weakened Iran and moved the region closer to lasting security… ‘We feel betrayed…’, Zaken wrote near the end of the letter. ‘You lost your patience and your moral and leadership compass.’”

The following article shows how far apart the sides are.

Not to Return

The Credle Media quoted on June 19, Israel’s Minister of Defense, Israel Katz, as follows:

“‘We have flattened the entire first line of villages in southern Lebanon, all the houses have been destroyed. The residents will never see them standing ever again.’

“In a stark acknowledgment of systemic ethnic cleansing, Israeli War Minister Israel Katz boasted on Friday that the Israeli military has completely obliterated the entire first tier of Lebanese border villages. Framing the mass destruction as a permanent ‘security zone’, Katz explicitly declared that the 200,000 displaced Lebanese residents ‘are not returning.’”

Closed Again

The Associated Press wrote on June 20:

“Iran dealt two quick blows to the interim agreement with the United States on Saturday, angered by Israel’s continued attacks in Lebanon, saying it had closed the Strait of Hormuz and announcing that while its negotiators were going to Switzerland for talks, not much is likely to happen there….

“Earlier Saturday, Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon killed at least 16 people, including two children, hours after reports emerged of a ceasefire agreement there… An Israeli military official… said Hezbollah had fired more than 50 projectiles at Israeli forces in southern Lebanon overnight. Israel’s army said it struck dozens of Hezbollah targets and militants in southern Lebanon, including Hezbollah command centers…

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to keep Israeli forces in southern Lebanon until any threat to Israel is eliminated. Hezbollah has refused to halt its attacks unless Israel commits to withdrawing from Lebanon, which Iran says is also a condition of the deal.”

Peace Far Off…

The Daily Mail wrote on June 21:

“President Donald Trump renewed threats against Iran on Sunday just hours after Vice President JD Vance arrived in Switzerland along with top Iranian officials to begin negotiations with Tehran… Vance attempted to downplay the intensity of the fighting in Lebanon during Sunday morning’s negotiations. Minutes later, Trump renewed threats of bombing Iran if the country does not rein in Hezbollah and the militant group’s strikes against Israel…

“Hours before, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran will maintain its right to a nuclear program. ‘What is certain is that we will never back down from the right to enrich uranium, and the other side is also forced to accept it,’ Pezeshkian said on Sunday

“During an interview with Fox News Sunday morning, Trump shot back and said that Pezeshkian ‘better watch his mouth.’ He also told Iran that they won’t have a country if the Strait of Hormuz is closed.  Trump also criticized Israel, saying the country ‘can’t do anything without blowing up buildings’ in its fight against Hezbollah in Lebanon…”

Trump “Reacts”

Fox News wrote on June 21:

“President Donald Trump on Sunday told Fox News that he delivered a stark warning to Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to ‘blow the s— out of them’ should Tehran close the vital waterway… Trump reiterated his threat to potentially collect tolls for vessels traversing the strait should Iran fail to reach an agreement….

“Trump said that the 60-day ceasefire and negotiation framework established under the Memorandum of Understanding he signed last week ‘is just an option,’ and ‘I can do whatever I want after that option.’”

Is he backpaddling, due to the bad reactions to his “deal”? Note the next article.

Out of Desperation?

The New York Post wrote on June 19:

“[President Trump fired] back at Iran’s ‘probably gay,’ disfigured supreme leader’s claim he settled war out of ‘desperation’… insisting the opposite was true.

“‘We didn’t meet out of desperation, Iran did. They are FINISHED! We’ll play out the 60 days. They get no money, not ten cents!’ Trump wrote…”

Prediction: US-Iran Deal Will Fail

Newsmax wrote on June 22:

“Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., predicted Sunday that the U.S.-Iran framework agreement signed last week will collapse… Graham, who told CBS he spent 4 1/2 hours with Trump on Friday, made the comments on ‘Face the Nation’…

“He said that if talks break down, ‘President Trump is going to take the Strait of Hormuz over by force. The United States will control the Strait of Hormuz. We’ll charge a fee for all those who go through to pay for the operation… If Iran continues to attack Israel and Lebanon, the new policy will be, we’ll hit Iran…’”

Ending the War?

Ron Paul wrote in the Ron Paul Institute on June 22:

“Against the odds, the Memorandum of Understanding… may collapse, but it has survived a first round of talks between the two sides in Switzerland over the weekend. President Trump started a war on Iran against all sober guidance and in violation of the US Constitution’s requirement that only Congress can declare war. There must be a reckoning for our elected leaders who violate their oath of office, the Constitution, and simple common sense.

“However, what is more telling is the reaction when President Trump finally took the correct move and attempted to end the war. The neocons who had hailed him as a great leader – Levin, Bolton, Pompeo, etc. – suddenly turned against him when he turned against further escalation of the war…

“And more telling even than this was the reaction of the ‘opposition’ party in Congress, the Democrats. They attacked him harder for ending – or at least pausing – the war more than for starting the war in the first place… When it comes to wars, there is no Republican Party nor is there a Democratic Party. There is only the ‘yes!’ party…

“Yes, there is plenty to criticize. After weekend talks, the US side, led by Vice President JD Vance, is celebrating as a ‘breakthrough’ that the Strait of Hormuz is open again and that Iran has reportedly agreed to the return of UN inspectors. But the Strait was open before this war and UN inspectors were in Iran before President Trump unilaterally pulled out of the… ‘Iran Deal’ in his first term.

“The only difference now is that we burned through likely several hundred billion dollars, we lost dozens of aircraft and other military equipment, and we likely lost more service members than the Pentagon is admitting. It is a reminder of why the Founders intended to make sure that any war must be declared by the people’s Representatives before the first bullet is shot: it should be very hard to launch wars.

“Nevertheless, those who are truly against the wars should, in my opinion, hold their fire for the time being in hope that a lasting resolution can be found. The President Is being attacked from all sides by the war party. Now may not be the best time for the peace party to join in.”

Ending a war is always a good thing. The only problem is that Trump’s ongoing concessions and Iran’s ongoing demands, as well as ongoing disagreements, virtually guarantee that the war has not ended, but that it will resume very soon. The following article makes this very plain as well.

Conflicting Statements

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 23:

“During a news conference between [Iran’s President] Pezeshkian and [Pakistani President] Sharif, Pezeshkian asserted that Iran’s ballistic missiles are not part of the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding and ‘will never be.’  Sharif said Iran has a right to ballistic missiles like other nations and that the issue was never on the table when it came to the discussions regarding the US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding…

“Rubio said the US would not accept any tolls or fees in the Strait of Hormuz, reiterating that any final deal with Tehran would forbid Iran from charging for passage…. ‘No country [that would include Oman as well] is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway. That’s existing international law,’ Rubio said. [So, then, Trump wouldn’t be allowed to do so either, even though he said he might.] … The MoU says that Tehran will allow the passage of shipping without tolls for 60 days only…

“US President Donald Trump says Iran has agreed to far-reaching nuclear inspections, sharply contradicting denials from Tehran [and] dismissing what he called Iran’s ‘protestations and false statements.’ Trump also maintained that unfrozen Iranian assets would be tightly controlled and used to buy US humanitarian goods, including ‘Corn, Wheat, and Soybeans from our great American Farmers.’ Iran has already rejected both assertions…

“Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said there had been no agreement on inspections and no plans to invite the UN nuclear watchdog back to the country.

“Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva pushed back against the use of frozen assets to buy food from the US, insisting that Tehran alone would decide how any released funds are used.

“The conflicting accounts underscore deep divisions between the two sides, even as diplomatic efforts to end the conflict continue.”

Senate Passes a Symbolic Resolution Rebuking Trump

CNN wrote on June 23:

“The Senate adopted a resolution on Tuesday directing the president to remove military forces from the conflict with Iran a significant rebuke to Donald Trump and a strong message that the war lacks support in Congress…. GOP Sens. Rand Paul, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski and Bill Cassidy joined Democrats in voting for the resolution, while Democratic Sen. John Fetterman voted against it. The final tally was 50-48. The absences of GOP Sens. Mitch McConnell and Dave McCormick, who have previously voted against advancing war powers resolutions, contributed to the measure’s adoption….

“The measure passed the House earlier this month. But because it is what’s known as a concurrent resolution, it does not require the president’s signature and, by definition, does not carry the force of law.”

Key Republicans Flip

Fox News wrote on June 24:

“An explosive meeting in the Senate turned into a win for President Donald Trump and his administration as key Republicans flipped on another bid to handcuff the administration’s authorities in Iran. 

“In its final act before leaving Washington, D.C., for an over two-week break, the Senate rejected Democrats’ attempt to rein in Trump’s war powers in Iran as talks continue between Iran and the U.S. to hammer out a long-term peace deal. … Trump argued to the GOP that the previous war powers resolution, which passed on Tuesday thanks in part to a pair of Republicans being absent, hurt the administration’s negotiating position with the Iranians….

“[Rand] Paul, who voted present, noted that his ‘opinion on the debate over war and executive power has not changed and I have voted that way several times.’ ‘But since hostilities seem to be over and the President asked me to give consideration to his negotiating position, I will do so,’ Paul said on X. ‘My vote of present is a way to give the President more space and leverage to negotiate a lasting peace.’”

Sounds good, but with potentially bad and really dangerous consequences. The “peace deal” with Iran will not materialize. What if Trump returns to war, which is to be expected. Now could have been an occasion to restrict Trump’s war powers. But the chance was blown by some key Republicans. A way may seem good to a man, but finally, it will cause death.

Charlie Kirk’s Opposition to War With Iran

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on June 18:

“The Charlie Kirk Show is now distributed by a federally registered agent of Israel… It is part of a whopping $46 million dollar annual contract between the Israeli government and Brad Parscale, the former chief of staff for Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign. This may be the largest lobbying contract in the history of foreign influence operations in the US…

“Since Kirk’s killing, his successors have done their best to bury his vehement opposition to war on Iran, as well as his public fits of disgust with Netanyahu and his army of lobbyists in the US. Kirk’s widow and replacement as TPUSA CEO, Erika Kirk, now insists that she and her husband never wavered in their support for Israel. She has also been unwilling to state what her late husband would have thought about the war the US and Israel waged on Iran this year…

“However, in the months before his killing, Kirk left little mystery about where he stood on the US imposing war on Iran. In one of many tirades against attacking Iran, he slammed Sen. Lindsey Graham and other cheerleaders for war as ‘pathologically insane’ … On August 6, 2025, just over a month before his death, Kirk openly raged against Jewish ‘leaders’ and ‘stakeholders’ harassing him for his criticism of Israeli policies..

“To date, there is no evidence that the state of Israel was responsible for the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Yet it is undeniable that Kirk’s killing removed one of the greatest obstacles to Israel’s plans to compel Trump to launch a massive regime change war on Iran… Kirk was the only figure in Trump’s inner circle to personally appeal to the president against committing US forces to Israel’s 12-day-long assault on Iran during June 2025. Trump ‘barked’ at Kirk… and angrily dispatched him. Days later, Trump ordered US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, setting the stage for Operation Epic Fury the following year…”

Kirk was right, and Trump should have listened. Now, it’s all forgotten, and Kirk’s views are being misrepresented or suppressed.

Problematic Supreme Court Decision Regarding Green Card Holders

ABC News reported on June 23:

“The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority on Tuesday bolstered the ability of federal border agents to remove from the country lawful permanent residents, or green card holders, who may have committed a crime involving ‘moral turpitude.’ 

“In a 6-3 decision by Justice Clarence Thomas in Blanche v. Lau, the court said border agents do not bear the burden of having to prove by ‘clear and convincing evidence’ that an immigrant seeking to re-enter the country after a trip abroad had committed a crime before denying them admission, but need only show that there was reason to believe they had…

“U.S. immigration law states that green card holders who legally leave the U.S. for short periods should be allowed to re-enter, but there are exceptions – among them if the green card holder is convicted of or admits to having committed ‘a crime involving moral turpitude.’”

“In a dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, joined by justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, argued that the government must bear the burden of first proving that a green card holder had, in fact, committed a crime before stripping their status.”

The dissent is right.

Outrage in Italy

AFP wrote on June 19:

“Italy reacted angrily on Friday after reported comments by US President Donald Trump mocking Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni… Meloni said she was ‘frankly stunned’ by Trump’s comments to Italian channel La7.

“According to a written transcript of the phone interview provided to AFP by the network, he said Meloni ‘begged me for a picture’ at the G7 summit this week and he agreed only because he ‘felt sorry for her.’ He also suggested that Meloni was probably ‘happy that I talked to her, I didn’t have to talk to her’. Meloni called what Trump said ‘made up’, adding: ‘Neither I nor Italy ever beg.’

“‘I don’t know why the president of the United States behaves this way with his own allies,’ the far-right leader wrote on X. ‘I can only say that it’s a pity he doesn’t show the same determination with enemies of the West, with enemies of the United States, with leaders with whom, instead, he is far more accommodating,’ she said.

“Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on X called Trump’s words ‘grave and offensive’ and said he was cancelling a visit to the US planned for June 21 and 22. Justice Minister Carlo Nordio said the comments were a ‘painful injury’ to Italy-US ties…

“Meloni has tried to position herself as a bridge between Europe and the Trump administration, but the relationship came under strain during the Middle East war. Trump turned on Meloni in April after she defended Pope Leo XIV from the US president’s harsh criticism of the pontiff’s anti-war views. Meloni condemned Trump’s remarks as ‘unacceptable’ — prompting the president to turn his fire on her… He accused Meloni of failing to help the United States with NATO. Trump has threatened to pull US troops from Italy, saying Rome ‘has not been of any help to us’ in the Iran war.”

Dispute Escalates

Bild Online reported on June 20:

“The dispute between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (49) and Donald Trump (80) continues to escalate. Following Trump’s disparaging remarks about a photo Meloni allegedly begged for, a right-wing conservative Italian newspaper is now attacking the US President on its front page with a crude insult… ‘Trump è un Coglione,’ the paper [‘Libero’] writes in its Saturday edition—which translates roughly to: Trump is a total moron! Depending on the context, there are even cruder translations… ‘Only a total moron could ruin everything with a lie so massive it borders on the ridiculous’…

“Why might Trump have made the claim? The answer lies in the meaning of the word ‘Coglione,’ writes [the newspaper]. ‘An incompetent, stupid person who acts with little sense…’ ‘Libero’ is a nationally known tabloid, famous for biting commentary and attacks on the left-wing mainstream—or… on politicians who publicly humiliate the Prime Minister…”

ABC News reported on June 20:

“President Donald Trump continued his war of words with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Saturday, insisting she ‘begged’ for a photo of them together at this week’s G7 summit, despite denials from Meloni and pushback from Italian ministers… ‘She is doing poorly in Italy with her level of popularity, possibly because she turned down the United States of America… when it came to denying Iran from obtaining or developing a Nuclear Weapon (But so did NATO, for that matter!),’ the president said in his post.

“Meloni snapped back on Trump with her own social media post later in the morning… ‘As for my popularity, being your friend has certainly not helped it, nor does it depend on my relationship with you… In any case, my popularity is none of your concern. I suggest you focus on yours,’ she said to Trump…

“Italian politicians, including opposition party members, have come out in support of Meloni while also arguing this shows that being too acquiescent with the U.S. administration is counterproductive.”

Ultimately, Italy will totally turn against America, as will be the case for the rest of Europe.

Nothing Goes Without Germany

Politico wrote on June 19:

“Germany has a reminder for Washington: The United States needs Europe in order to get to outer space.

“‘Germany and Europe provide critical key technologies’ for U.S. space missions, German Space Minister Dorothee Bär told POLITICO in an interview this week. ‘That is why we can confidently say: without us, it cannot be done.’”

Keir Starmer Resigned

The U.S. Sun wrote on June 22:

“SIR Keir Starmer fought back tears today while announcing he will QUIT as Prime Minister after just two years in power. Andy Burnham (sometimes called the King of the North) is the clear favourite to succeed him as more MPs swing behind his leadership claim…

“Sir Keir will become the sixth premier to resign in the last decade when he formally leaves No10 by September at the latest. He quit after a succession of Cabinet Ministers had joined Labour MPs in losing faith in his premiership following months of turmoil and drift…

“Labour nominations will open on July 9 and, if more than one candidate makes the ballot, a new leader will be elected before Parliament returns on September 1. But with senior figures already lining up behind Mr Burnham, there is growing speculation there may be no contest at all… This could see Mr Burnham enter Downing Street as Britain’s next Prime Minister as early as July 17 or 18…

“Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said his party will demand a general election immediately…

Trump said that one of the main reasons for Starmer’s demise was his opposition to the USA and the Iran war. This is clearly incorrect. Starmer gained support in Britain for occasionally standing up to Trump, especially as Trump is probably the most despised and rejected leader in the West.

“The Stupidest Idea Trump Ever Had”

Report 24 wrote on June 20:

“US President Donald Trump is turning heads at the G7 meeting in Evian. Because he is dissatisfied with Israel’s successes against Hezbollah in Syria, the new Syrian regime is supposed to handle the job. In other words, Sunni Al-Qaeda murder squads against Shiite Hezbollah fanatics… After threatening the terror regime in Tehran with destruction, [Trump] now appears to be striking a ‘deal’ with the mullahs that betrays the Iranian people and Israel. In Syria, he has sold out long-standing Kurdish allies and supported the new jihadist regime—led by internationally wanted Al-Qaeda terrorists…

“Trump first boasts that he himself was ‘very responsible for Syria’: ‘The man leading Syria now is someone I installed together with President Erdogan. He is doing a great job bringing everyone together.’ He claims the man is very capable and has done everything he—Trump—wanted. The person in question is Ahmed al-Sharaa, who remained on the UN list of internationally wanted Al-Qaeda terrorists until 2025. Al-Qaeda is, after all, the organization that carried out the 2001 terror attacks in New York. In 2013, the US had offered a substantial $10 million reward for information leading to al-Sharaa’s capture. Since taking power in Syria alongside other terrorist groups, the regime has carried out a series of massacres targeting Christians, Druze, Alawites, and Yazidis. A process of gradual ethnic cleansing is underway. …”

“The Syrian army consists of Al-Qaeda and ISIS… They will burn everything down… And they will do a better job than Israel? Doesn’t [Trump] know what happened in the Syrian Civil War?… [That] hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians [were] killed in that war? Is he aware of what war in the Middle East looks like when Muslims fight Muslims?… What does Trump [think] the Syrian army would do better? Would the Al-Qaeda gangs have better and more precise missiles, better intelligence, or a better air force than Israel? Does Trump think the Syrian army would notify the fire department and warn residents via text message before an attack—‘Leave the building, we’re about to bomb it’? Israel does that. Does Trump think Al-Qaeda will do the same?…

“… of course, no one in their right mind could welcome a Syrian invasion of Lebanon. It wouldn’t just be jihadist fanatics who died, but also countless Christians and Druze, who together make up about half the population…

“However, Trump is right about one underlying aspect: if the Syrian army takes action against Hezbollah and hundreds of thousands of people lose their lives in the process, the international outcry will be far less than if a few thousand were to die in Israeli attacks… The left-globalist mainstream public has emphatically demonstrated in recent years that it is capable of stubbornly remaining silent about mass killings committed by Muslims in Yemen, Sudan, Syria, etc….”

Christians Across Africa Are Slaughtered… But Europe Looks the Other Way

Brussels Signal wrote on June 16:

“The harrowing footage reaching (or, to be exact, not reaching) Western monitors from the Oromia region of Ethiopia leaves no room for interpretation. Dozens of Orthodox Christians murdered, churches systematically targeted, and ancient communities subjected to raw, asymmetric violence. What is unfolding in the Horn of Africa is not an isolated tribal skirmish. It is part of a brutal campaign of Islamist extremist aggression sweeping across the continent from Nigeria to the Democratic Republic of Congo and Mozambique – and ultimately threatening Europe itself.

“Unfortunately, the geopolitical hypocrisy of the West hardly makes an impression anymore… the systematic erasure of Christian populations in Africa is met with an orchestrated guilty silence… Ethiopia, a nation with deep, 1,700-year-old Christian roots, is becoming a testing ground for a wider civilisational cleansing. If nobody reacts, the killing continues. We see the exact same pattern across the Sahel and Nigeria, where entire Christian villages are routinely slaughtered while international media look the other way… The Western media establishment fears that reporting the truth will fuel domestic reactions at home, so they choose complicity through silence instead….

“This leaves the global Christian population completely unprotected in the face of rising militant fanaticism. In Nigeria, the blood of martyrs has stained the Middle Belt for years, yet the European Union continues to disburse billions in development aid without demanding a single act of protection for these vulnerable groups…”

Shameful and appalling.

“Fauci Funded Lab Research that Sparked COVID”

LifeSiteNews wrote on June 19:

“A trove of communications and documents released by outgoing Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard show that Dr. Anthony Fauci ‘provided millions in U.S. taxpayer dollars to fund dangerous gain-of-function research’ on bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology…

“In a viral overnight social media video already seen by millions, Gabbard announced [that Fauci] worked with politicized elements within the Intelligence Community to suppress the truth about his actions and hide the virus’ lab-leak origins, and lied to Congress while under oath in 2024.”

Fauci can still face certain charges in spite of the broad preemptive pardon issued by President Biden. While the pardon protects him from almost all federal criminal prosecutions, it does not provide blanket immunity against state-level laws or civil lawsuits. Also, legal scholars feel that Fauci’s broad preemptive pardon may be illegal.

Breitbart reported on June 20:

“Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) [said], ‘I don’t think anyone has to debate the damage that the release of this virus caused in trillions of dollars, and you know, countless lives around the world. What we do have to do is specifically get to an official investigation and charges on two major counts, the perjury count before Congress, and the cover-up…  often the cover-up is worse than the original lie, and in this case, it appears as though he willfully impeded Congress and everyone else in getting to the truth, which probably cost even more lives…’”

Cuba Invasion?

Axios wrote on June 19:

“President Trump said Thursday on ‘The Axios Show’ that ‘it’s possible’ a potential Cuba invasion would resemble the swift capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January.”

The War Against Ivermectin

The Independent wrote on June 19:

“A rising number of cancer patients are being prescribed ivermectin instead of undergoing chemotherapy… A report… found that ivermectin prescriptions for cancer patients doubled between January and July 2025…

“Ivermectin is an anti-parasitic medication primarily used by veterinarians. It was popularized among humans by Covid vaccine skeptics during the pandemic. It has no proven medicinal properties beyond being an effective treatment for parasitic infections…

“The celebrity endorsement … was from actor Mel Gibson, who told Joe Rogan in 2025 that three of his friends survived cancer by taking ivermectin…

“MacMillan Cancer Support chief medical officer Richard Simcock… explained that a lot of the disinformation stems from some existing studies of ivermectin in the lab showing that the drug has the potential to help induce death in cancer cells when taken alongside conventional treatment. However, Simcock stressed that lab studies cannot be directly replicated in humans…

“Additionally, even the more promising lab tests were taken in conjunction with existing cancer drugs [those used in conjunction with chemotherapy]…

“Secretary of Health and Human Services, RFK Jr., [promoted] the use of ivermectin as an alternative to the Covid vaccine on his podcast prior to working for the White House…”

The article contains numerous errors. Just note the following statements:

The National Library of Medicine wrote on September 21, 2020: “Ivermectin has powerful antitumor effects, including the inhibition of proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenic activity, in a variety of cancer cells.”

Everyday Health wrote on July 7, 2025: “Researchers have been exploring ivermectin as a possible cancer drug, but they emphasize that the findings are preliminary…”

Anticancer Research wrote in June of 2026: “… ivermectin [was] associated with high rates of self-reported clinical benefit and favorable tolerability.”

Many doctors, paid by pharma, oppose ivermectin, as they do the use of medical marijuana, even though the latter has been proven to be extremely effective in certain cases. We know that chemotherapy is harmful. We also know it’s very expensive, and doctors profit from using it. No wonder pharma is quick in rejecting remedies which would affect their lucrative income and that of their agents. Ivermectin was rejected by pharma and many doctors as a remedy against Covid. They instead promoted harmful and dangerous Covid vaccinations, causing serious and deadly side effects.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

One of the most well-known biblical definitions of faith can be found in Hebrews 11:1. Even though there are additional definitions and descriptions of the meaning of faith, we will concentrate in this Q&A strictly on the above-referenced passage.

The New King James Bible renders it as follows:

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

This translation uses some words or expressions which may be difficult to comprehend.

Let us begin with the word “substance” in the phrase, “the substance of things hoped for.” When you check the meaning of this word in dictionaries, you get a confusing panorama of diverse “explanations.” It is described as “that which exists independently, supporting its own attributes or accidents without needing anything else to exist.” Or, as “having real importance, independence, or value.” A “person of substance” is described as “someone who has intelligence, integrity, or significant means.” It is also defined as “core message, main idea, or true reality of an argument as opposed to its superficial presentation.”

From these examples, we see that the word “substance” can be quite confusing in the context of Hebrews 11:1. It gets even more confusing when looking at commentaries explaining the biblical definition of the word, stating, for example, “In the Bible, ‘substance’ has three primary definitions: physical wealth and possessions, spiritual or foundational reality, and the divine essence of God. Depending on the passage, the original Hebrew and Greek terms shift focus from material goods to theological truths” (compare Bible Study Tools).  Again, not very helpful for understanding the meaning of the word in Hebrews 11.

The Greek word for “substance” is hupostasis. It is defined by Strong’s as “a setting under (support), i.e. (fig.) concr. essence, or abstr. assurance (obj. or subj.) – confidence, confident, person, substance.”

A little bit better, but still not very clear.

It becomes really “inventive” when we read the following “explanation” about the meaning of the Greek word hupostasis: “In the Bible, [it] generally means ‘underlying reality,’ ‘substance,’ or ‘confidence.’ While the word itself only appears five times in the New Testament, it forms the foundational basis for major Christian doctrines like the Trinity and the dual nature of Jesus.”

Of course, the Bible nowhere teaches the concept of a Trinity consisting of three Hypostases or Persons. When applied to Jesus, we read in Hebrews 1:3 that He is the “express image” of God the Father, showing that He is the second Person in the God Family. (The Holy Spirit is not a person.)

Regarding the dual nature of Christ, please note that Christ, who WAS God, BECAME man (John 1:14), and we read in Philippians 2:5-7: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.”

The concept that Christ was fully God and fully man, when He was here on earth, is totally false.

The other three usages of the word hupostasis can be found in Hebrews 3:14; 2 Corinthians 9:4 and 11:17 (rendered as “confidence” or “confident” in the New King James Bible).

It is therefore helpful to see how other translations render the word for “substance” in Hebrews 11:1.

The New International Version reads:

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for…”

The New American Standard Version is much stronger, stating,

“Now faith is the certainty of things hoped for…”

The Christian Standard Bible and the Neue Luther Bibel 2009 read:

“Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for…”

The Luther Bibel from 1984 reads:

“Faith, however, is a firm confidence in what one hopes for…”

The Menge Bibel says:

“Faith, however, is a confident trust in what one hopes for…”

Finally, the Neue Genfer Übersetzung states:

“What, then, is faith? It is counting on the fulfillment of what one hopes for…”

To summarize the statements in the foregoing renditions, faith is the firm confidence and the confident trust in the fulfillment of God’s promises and what we hope to obtain; it is counting on its fulfillment, and it is therefore already reality for us.

As stated above, the New King James Bible continues Hebrews 11:1 with this phrase in defining faith: It is “the evidence of things not seen.”

This rendition is equally confusing.

Let us evaluate the word “evidence.” It is only used one other time in the New Testament—in 2 Timothy 3:16, where the New King James Bible renders it as “reproof.” The Greek word iselegchos, and Strong’s defines the word as “proof, conviction—evidence, reproof.” It is related to the word elegcho which is defined by Young’s as “convict, convince, rebuke and reproof.”

In the context of Hebrews 11:1, “reproof” might be difficult to understand, but it has meaning, as we will see.

“Evidence” would be better rendered as “proof”—causing us to believe something is true or actually exists.

Again, it is helpful to see how other translations render the word for “evidence” in Hebrews 11:1:

The Revised English Bible says:

“Faith… convinces us of realities we do not see.”

The Luther Bibel from 1984 and the Neue Luther Bibel 2009 say that faith is “an absence of doubt regarding what one does not see.”

The Menge Bibel says that faith is “a firm conviction regarding things (or: facts) that one does not see (with one’s eyes).”

The Zürcher Bibel says that faith is “the proof of things not seen.”

The Neue Genfer Übersetzung says that faith is “a conviction of the reality of things unseen.”

Based on these renditions, we understand that faith is a firm conviction of realities which we cannot see with our eyes. Faith is the proof to us that they do exist, and in the context of Hebrews 11, it is the proof that what God has promised, He WILL do, even though we do not see the fulfillment of the promises yet. We walk by faith, and not by sight (that is, not by what we can already see). It is the absence of doubt in God and His Word. Doubt can destroy faith.

We should also note why the rendition “reproof” is applicable in the context of Hebrews 11:1. It reproves the idea that we must doubt the existence of things, facts, or realities we cannot (yet) see with our eyes. It reproves and thereby disproves the idea that unseen realities don’t exist; that God’s promises, which have not been manifested yet to our eyes, will not come to pass. Rather, faith is the firm conviction that they will happen.

This firm conviction, without doubting, is already contained in the Greek word for faith which is pistis, describing “persuasion or conviction.”

What, then, is faith?

Focusing on Hebrews 11:1, faith is the conviction, firm confidence and the confident trust in the fulfillment of God’s promises and what we hope to obtain; before we have obtained it. Faith is counting on the fulfillment of God’s promises, and they are therefore already reality for us. Faith is the doubtless proof to us that what God has promised, He WILL do, even though we do not see the fulfillment of His promises yet.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

Compiled by Norbert Link

“A Divided Europe in the Light of Prophecy” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

What does the Bible say about the future of Europe? Will it truly be as united as some believe? Current developments in Europe point to something quite different. Yet, ten core nations will collectively hand over their military power to a cruel dictator—only to meet their end upon the return of Jesus Christ.

A German AufPostenStehen program was posted with the same topic. The title is: “Ein zerstrittenes Europa im Licht der Prophezeiung.“ 

Kalon Mitchell’s sermonette, titled, “Living Life In Reverse,” has been posted. 

Here is a summary:

This sermonette explores the tension between living in the present, learning from the past, and trusting God with the future. Through several scriptures we are reminded that God calls us to be intentional about the moments we are given. The challenge is to embrace each day with gratitude and purpose.

Michael Link’s sermon has been posted. It is titled, “Clean in an Unclean World.” 

Here is a summary:

What makes us unique and sets us apart from those in the world who have not yet been called? What is required of us to remain clean—both physically and spiritually—in an unclean world, and what help do we have? How do we bear the fruits of righteousness?

Patrick Flück’s German sermonette from last Sabbath has been posted. It is titled: “Fussball–der Sinn des Lebens” (“Soccer—The Meaning of Life”)

Thilo Hanstein’s German sermon from last Sabbath was posted with the title  “Die verborgenen Säulen der Kirche” (“The Hidden Pillars of the Church”). 

On June 20, 2026, Kalon Mitchell will present the sermonette, titled, “Living Life in Reverse,” and Michael Link will give the sermon, titled, “Clean in an Unclean World.”

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 Matthew 24, we read about the signs at the end of the age, and in verse 12 is a most interesting observation from Jesus Himself: “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.”

This describes the spiritual and emotional decay of society as God’s Way is laughed to scorn, derided and dismissed as unnecessary by society in general. As evil and hostility increase, people become self-centred, callous, and unloving toward God and others.  And even, more importantly, this warning is directly aimed at the people of God as it says in the following verse: “But he who endures to the end shall be saved,” which is about true Christians, not the world.

Recently, I experienced a very unpleasant side of the society we live in which seems to be full of anger, and one of those areas we have to steer clear of unless it is righteous anger (see Ephesians 4:26, first part: “Be angry, and do not sin….”  But back to the story.  I was parked in a small local car park and heard a commotion behind me. It appears, for a reason I couldn’t ascertain, that a small old lady with a walking stick was using loud, foul, and abusive language of the worst variety at someone in the car parked next to her.   I reversed the car and drove out of that car park thinking how angry she was and what an example she made of herself.   She was very, very angry.

In May 2024, there was an article in the Huffington Post, headlined “It’s Not Just You – This Is Why Everyone Is So Much Angrier These Days.” A paragraph in this article was: “Why we’re all angrier than before,” and it quoted a Gallup Global Emotions Report that “anger around the world has been rising since 2016, with 23% of respondents now feeling angry on any given day.”   And, as we live in the world, this can rub off on us as Church members when we know that anger is a very powerful human emotion that is not inherently sinful, but can easily lead to destructive and damaging behaviour.

In May of 2026, in the UK, a report said that “Drunk and abusive air passengers would be banned from flying under proposals being drawn up by ministers, it can be revealed.  Officials are war-gaming the creation of a national ‘blacklist’ amid soaring ‘air rage’ attacks on plane crews and fellow holidaymakers.”

The British Association of Anger Management wrote that 80% of people believe that Britain is becoming angrier and this anger is spilling out into our professional lives, our daily commute and even our most intimate relationships. 45% of staff regularly lose their temper at work. This could be because of a demanding workload and increasing stress levels or it could be due to the fact that 53% of people have been the victims of bullying at work. Both bullying and increased stress levels have a detrimental effect on anger and the (usually unhealthy) way it is expressed. Not surprisingly, Britain is the top road rage country within the European Union with 80.4% of drivers claiming to have been involved in road rage incidents; another 1 in 4 drivers admit to committing an act of road rage.

Social media also comes in for criticism for encouraging anger.   I recently read that Twitter has often been called the angriest place on the internet!   And most people don’t seem to be happy with their governance, the cost of living and life in general.  That many are unhappy with their government is understandable, but if we are not careful, it can grow into uncontrolled anger.   And when anger is allowed to fester, it can lead to rage and murder!

It is a trait that will be seen increasing as we draw near the time of Jesus Christ’s return to this earth.  In fact, in Revelation 11:18, we read: “The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come, And the time of the dead, that they should be judged, And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints, And those who fear Your name, small and great, And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”  Plus, Satan and his demons are at work because they know their time is short as we read in Revelation 12:12: “Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

In James 1:19-20, we read an instructive piece which we had better implement for our own good: “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”

How many of us can truly put our hand up and say that we have never become aggressive and angry?  My hand is certainly not raised and I suspect strongly that any Church member reading this will find themselves in the same position.   However, in what is an increasingly angry society, we read in Proverbs 29:11 that “A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them back.”

In Ecclesiastes 7:9, we find further wisdom: “Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools.”

We should do everything we can to follow biblical advice so that we don’t become like the world. Rather, we must ensure that we will be in that soon-coming Kingdom of God.

By Norbert Link

We begin with articles describing the horrible state of affairs in a once democratic USA, showing the fulfillment of biblical prophecy that America “has fallen,” and continue with Germany’s and Europe’s fear of Russian invasion and occupation –which WILL occur in the future, according to the Holy Scriptures.

We focus on the “deal” between Trump and Iran which does not seem to solve any of the reasons given by Trump for his unprovoked war; and as a consequence, the overwhelming rejection of this deal by Israelis and others.

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Trump’s Lost Iran War – an Epic Disaster.”

America the Unfree

The Rutherford Institute wrote on June 10, 2026

“America has become an occupied nation. Not by one invading army, but by many occupying powers: the police state, the surveillance state, the war state, the corporate state, the foreign influence machine, and a ruling class that treats the American people as little more than collateral damage in its pursuit of power, profit and control. We have been policed, surveilled, taxed, indebted, manipulated, censored, tracked, searched, silenced and sold out. Foreign powers are buying up our farmland, buying favor with the Trump family…  dictating national policy…

“The swamp under President Trump has taken on a decidedly foreign flavor: any nation with enough money, leverage or strategic value to enrich the Trump family can now get its hands on a piece of the American pie—all the while, the American people continue to struggle to survive Trump’s self-enrichment schemes, broken promises, endless wars, militarized streets and vanity projects…

“That is how far we have fallen… we now have a Congress that hides government power inside thousand-page defense bills, intelligence authorizations, classified annexes and emergency spending packages. From founders who warned against foreign influence, we now have rulers who auction off access to foreign governments, foreign donors, foreign wars and foreign intelligence interests…”

The USA is controlled and to a large extent owned by foreigners, as the Bible predicted. America has “fallen,” and it will continue to do so.

Ice-Cold ICE Agents

The Mirror wrote on June 12:

“Two parents were arrested by ICE agents during a preschool graduation ceremony in Maryland, as multiple children cried through the arrest… Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson… said the arrested individuals had their children in the backseat, who screamed as their parents were ‘ripped from the car.’

“Ferguson said ‘heroic educators’ brought the children inside as the arrests unfolded ‘to try to protect them from these unbelievable and out-of-control federal agents.’ He added that the agents quickly left after taking the parents into custody…. Last month, the City of Baltimore signed an emergency bill prohibiting federal agents from operating and conducting arrests in ‘sensitive locations like public schools.’..

“Mayor Brandon Scott… called it a ‘disturbing incident’ and said, ‘Let me reiterate, this type of enforcement is not welcome in Baltimore… The presence of ICE has not made our city any safer, and in fact has led to greater fear and anxiety, especially for our immigrant neighbors… Schools are places where children should feel safe, where parents should be able to drop off their kids without fear, and where educators should be able to focus on teaching, not where federal agents carry out immigration enforcement actions in front of children.’”

This Gestapo-like conduct of ICE agents is deplorable. God does most certainly not bless a country, calling itself “Christian,” which engages in such despicable behavior.

India Wants German Submarines

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 13:

“A multibillion-dollar submarine deal between India and Germany reflects New Delhi’s push for military self-reliance — and Berlin’s growing interest in the Indo-Pacific. India is moving to strengthen its navy with a new generation of submarines designed in Germany and to be built in India. The deal, worth around $8 billion (€7 billion), is expected to be signed this summer, according to the German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

“The deal comes as… submarines [are] playing a central role. China’s growing naval reach and Pakistan’s deepening military ties with Beijing are sharpening India’s sense of urgency…. The submarines in question are German-designed Type 214 boats, built by Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, or TKMS…

“[Their] technology [of air-independent propulsion (AIP)] allows them to stay underwater much longer than other conventional submarines — making them harder to detect and better suited for patrols in crowded waters… In a US‑led naval exercise in 2005, a small Swedish AIP submarine slipped through heavy defenses and scored simulated hits on a US aircraft carrier — twice. That seems to be exactly the kind of capability India wants as it modernizes its fleet.”

Later on, India, as part of the Kings of the East, will use these submarines against Germany and Europe.

Putin Is Preparing For War With Europe

Daily Mail wrote on June 12:

“Fears are mounting that Vladimir Putin is preparing for a wider war with Europe… Satellite images have exposed the expansion of dozens of military bases along Russia’s borders with Nato countries. The evidence – released by Denmark’s national broadcaster in cooperation with intelligence services – shows a flurry of construction work has been taking place. New barracks, warehouses and military vehicles have been added over the past two years…

“Intelligence assessments suggest Russia’s Murmansk region, near Finland and Norway, could now accommodate up to 17,000 additional troops within striking distance of neighbouring countries… Another military site near the Estonian border has also amassed significant numbers of vehicles, according to the images. The expansion comes amid wider concerns over Russia’s growing hostility towards the Western alliance.

“The Ministry of Defence has warned Downing Street that Russian aggression towards Nato is now at record levels. Russian jets and drones are said to have violated Nato airspace more last month than at any other point this year, while the total number of incidents in 2026 has already surpassed the whole of 2025…

“Former British military intelligence officer Philip Ingram told The Sun… that Russia was creating the conditions to rapidly rearm and deploy forces towards Nato’s borders once the war in Ukraine eventually comes to an end… Danish Defence Academy analyst Anders Puck Nielsen warned that Russia sees a future confrontation with Europe as increasingly likely… Recent incidents have included Russian submarines being tracked near British undersea cables in the North Atlantic…”

According to the Bible, such a confrontation will occur; in fact, Russia, as part of the Kings of the East, will destroy Europe. Note the next article.

“Germany Must Prepare For War With Russia”

NewsFire wrote on June 11:

“Lieutenant General Christian Freuding, who assumed leadership of the German army in October 2025, stated that Russia is reconstituting its armed forces at a pace that exceeds the requirements of its war in Ukraine…

“German and allied Western intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia may possess the capability to launch a major assault on NATO territory by 2029. Freuding has previously characterized this timeline as arriving almost immediately…

“Moscow has dismissed claims it intends to attack NATO as fabrications, charging Western governments with manufacturing threats to legitimize increased military budgets.”

Of course, Russia denies any ambitions like that. So, Europe feels “compelled” to respond militarily; but it will lead to Europe’s downfall. America’s conduct in this regard will only exacerbate the situation, as the next article shows.

Europe’s Nuclear Expansion

Uncutnews wrote on June 2:

“According to a Financial Times report, the United States is currently considering extending the NATO nuclear sharing system to additional member states. Specifically, this involves… combat aircraft capable of deploying both conventional weapons and US nuclear bombs…

“Poland has repeatedly signaled its readiness to assume a more active role in nuclear sharing. Other Eastern European NATO states are also pushing for a stronger US military presence…

“One fact is particularly noteworthy: Should a direct military confrontation between Russia and NATO ever occur, the hostilities would not take place on American soil. The targets would be in Europe. The presence of American nuclear weapons at European military bases automatically turns these locations into potential targets in the event of a crisis. The further the system is extended eastward, the greater the risk for the countries involved. Washington supplies the weapons—Europe bears the consequences…

“The history of the Cold War demonstrates how quickly misunderstandings, miscalculations, or technical errors can bring the world to the brink of catastrophe. Expanding nuclear capabilities along Russia’s borders may be viewed by strategists as a sign of strength. For many Europeans, however, it likely represents something else entirely: another step toward a more dangerous and unstable future.”

According to the Bible, this unstable future begins with a NUCLEAR European attack on the USA and the UK, resulting in their total destruction, followed by a NUCLEAR war between Russia and Europe.

Britain in Trouble

The Daily Mail wrote on June 14:

“The [afore-mentioned Russian] activity will heighten pressure on Keir Starmer to resolve months of bitter internal wrangling over funding, which triggered the dramatic resignation of Defence Secretary John Healey yesterday…

“Sir Keir has now promoted security minister Dan Jarvis to fill the key Cabinet post, but the Defence Investment Plan remains unfinished. It is meant to lay out how the Government will fill a £28billion shortfall in budgets over the next four years, but it has emerged the Treasury is only offering £10billion of extra funding…”

The UK will be in no position to defend itself against continental Europe.

Putin Calls Trump

Newsmax wrote on June 14:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke by telephone Saturday with President Donald Trump to wish him a happy 80th birthday, using the occasion to discuss major international issues, including the war in Ukraine, tensions involving Iran and the future of U.S.-Russia relations. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov…  said Trump was particularly appreciative of the gesture because Putin was the first foreign leader to call and congratulate him on his birthday…

“Analysts also note that if diplomatic progress with Iran leads to adjustments in sanctions regimes or energy markets, Moscow could benefit from improved conditions for oil exports and greater flexibility in global energy trade… According to Ushakov, Trump argued that ending the [Ukraine] war quickly would open the door to a new era in relations between Washington and Moscow… The Kremlin also announced that Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner are expected to return to Russia in the near future for additional discussions…”

Putin knows how to play his cards, while Trump reacts naively when flattered. However, during the G7 meeting, Trump said that Putin should end the war. Some felt that this was a sign that he was turning against Putin. We don’t think so.

From Pharaoh to Erdogan

Israel Today wrote on June 11:

“It is one of the most astonishing phenomena in world history. Few peoples are as small as the Jewish people. Few states are as tiny as Israel. And yet great powers, empires, kings, caliphs, popes, dictators, and presidents have occupied themselves again and again for thousands of years with the same land and the same people. From the pharaohs of Egypt to Haman in Persia, Antiochus, the Romans, the Inquisition, the pogroms of Europe, Hitler, the Soviet Union, and the ayatollahs in Tehran — the same claim resurfaces time and again: that the Jews are a danger [Regarding Pharaoh, the claim was not just directed at the Jews, but at all the tribes of Israel]. That Israel is a danger. That the Jewish state threatens peace, order, or even humanity itself.

“Today we hear similar words once more. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declares that Israel is ‘a threat to all of humanity.’ The Iranian leadership has described Israel for decades as an enemy of the peoples. Ali Khamenei referred to Israel over the years as a ‘cancerous tumor’ and a ‘rabid dog,’ and declared on multiple occasions that Israel must disappear…”

Erdogan is a hateful arch-enemy of Israel, and the Bible predicts some awful conduct by Turkey towards Israel.

More Israeli Control Over Al Aqsa?

MEE (Middle East Eye) wrote on June 4:

“Israeli authorities are seeking to recruit ultranationalists and settlers into police units deployed at Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, according to a report by Haaretz… According to Haaretz, rabbis associated with Temple Mount movements – groups that organise regular incursions into Al-Aqsa and advocate for its destruction – have encouraged their followers to enlist…

“Many Israeli groups advocate the destruction of Al-Aqsa Mosque to build a third temple in its place.”

However, it will happen, a third temple will be built on the Temple Mount prior to Christ’s Return.

Israel Not on Board

The Guardian wrote on June 14:

“Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli military launched strikes on Beirut… Iran’s highest national security body warned later that a response was ‘imminent’… In an earlier Truth Social post, Trump criticized the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for launching the attack as Washington and Tehran were in the midst of negotiating the deal.

“‘Why did Bibi [Netanyahu] have to do a f… attack?’ Trump told Axios. ‘I was so p… off. I let him know. He has no f… judgement. I let him know that.’ Trump added that he asked Iran not to respond against the Israeli strikes.”

Deal Reached… So They Say!

The Associated Press wrote on June 14:

“The United States and Iran have reached an agreement to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz… Key mediator Pakistan said the signing will be Friday in Switzerland. Key issues like Iran’s nuclear program are expected to be addressed [over the next 60 days]. U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed a deal had been reached and said he had authorized an end to the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz [but see the articles below]…

“Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, confirmed the agreement on state television but said Iran would not start implementing it until it was signed on Friday… Iranian state TV showed a banner asserting: ‘US was forced to sign an agreement to end the war.’…

“‘Both sides have declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon,’ Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said…

“The deal likely returns the region to a status that existed before the war, but with thousands of people dead and Iran wielding a new source of negotiating pressure with its ability to influence shipping in the strait…

“Of the stated targets by the U.S. and Israel when they launched the war on Feb. 28 with strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Tehran still has a missile program, support for armed proxies in the region like Hezbollah and a stockpile of highly enriched uranium for its nuclear program…

“The emerging deal had been sharply criticized by Israel’s government [see articles below] and by critics in Trump’s own Republican Party. Some said it did not improve on the terms of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal that Trump withdrew the U.S. from during his first term and still describes as ‘bad.’…

“The central question of Iran’s nuclear program remains… Iran has 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium that is enriched up to 60% purity, a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90%, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. Iran has long maintained its nuclear program is peaceful...”

Trump’s declaration that Iran has agreed not to build a nuclear weapon would be meaningless, in any event, as Iran had pronounced that position long before the war started, claiming that its nuclear program was “peaceful,” which is of course highly doubtful.

The fact that the issue of Iran’s nuclear program has not been resolved is confirmed by the following articles as well.  

Fate of Iran’s Nuclear Program Unresolved

The Guardian wrote on June 14:

“By any assessment, the fate of the Iran’s nuclear program – a key rationale given by Trump for the war on Iran – has not been resolved in the latest agreement. The president repeated on Sunday his promise that ‘Iran will never have a nuclear weapon’ but senior Pakistani officials told the Associated Press that nuclear talks would continue over the next 60 days…”

Another unresolved question is the Strait of Hormuz, as the following articles show.

What About the Strait of Hormuz?

Daily Mail wrote on June 14:

”Trump told the New York Times in an interview on Sunday that the agreement with Iran would make the Strait ‘permanently toll free’ and that negotiations to reach a final nuclear accord would begin Friday in Switzerland.  If those details couldn’t be worked out, Trump threatened to resume attacking Iran or make the US ‘the guardian of the Middle East,’ in return for 20 percent of the region’s revenues, the Times said.”

In light of Trump’s ever-changing promises and declarations, the following article is quite revealing:

Iran’s Last Minute Changes

The Daily Mail wrote on June 15:

“Iran has said it will continue to charge fees for vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz after a ‘last-minute’ amendment to its ceasefire deal with the US. Over the next 60 days, Tehran will guarantee free passage through the strait, but after the ceasefire extension period is over, ships will be required to pay tolls to cover security, navigation, environmental and insurance services.

“The eleventh-hour change comes despite US President Donald Trump stating the vital waterway, set to reopen on Friday, would remain ‘permanently toll-free’.”

Trump subsequently stated he was not surprised by about Iran’s position regarding the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump’s declared goal of Iran’s regime change has not been reached, and now Trump even falsely claims that he never advocated regime change.

Disagreement on Lebanon

Daily Mail wrote on June 16:

“Donald Trump unleashed a new tirade at Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday as he said that Israel would have ‘been blown up a long time ago’ if he hadn’t intervened… The US President told reporters at the G7 summit in France that Israel’s war with Hezbollah has gone on too long as he urged Mr Netanyahu to be ‘more responsible’ in Lebanon…

“However it appeared that Mr Netanyahu was not heeding the US President’s calls as the Israel Defense Forces confirmed it had undertaken several strikes in Lebanon on Tuesday. The strikes came a day after Israel said its forces would not withdraw from southern Lebanon, saying the deal between Washington and Tehran ‘does not bind us in any way’.

“But Tehran repeated its demand that Israel withdraw from Lebanon as part of the secret peace agreement, which is due to be signed on Friday. Iranian foreign minister Abbas Aragchi said: ‘Without the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the territories they occupied during this war, the termination of the war will not be complete.’”

If both sides stick to their guns, the deal is off.

The Wall Street Journal wrote on June 15:

“President Trump is touting his latest cease-fire deal with Iran as peace in our time, but the world is more likely to see it as a strategic retreat short of achieving his war aims. To reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Mr. Trump is accepting Iran’s promises merely to negotiate over its nuclear program.”

Disagreement in the Trump Administration

The Jerusalem Post wrote on June 16:

“CIA Director John Ratcliffe warned senior American officials that US intelligence agencies had gathered evidence that raises doubts about Iran’s willingness to make concessions regarding its nuclear program…  

“US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth shared Ratcliffe’s concerns and raised questions about the memorandum of understanding during the meetings. Ratcliff and Rubio… said that based on the intelligence, they doubted Iran would agree to the US’s nuclear demands…

“JD Vance and envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, on the other hand, reportedly advocated for the deal… Trump listened to all opinions, but noted that ‘everyone understands he is the final decision-maker’ on the matter.”

Meaning, he will be rightly blamed for a deal which accomplishes nothing.

Trump Failed

On June 16, Michael Posner wrote the following in his newsletter:

“There is no shortage of losers in this diplomatic debacle — America, Israel, Lebanon, the Gulf States, the West in general. But the brave, betrayed Persians are surely the biggest losers. Despite all the bold promises, no one came to liberate them. Despite repeated assurances that help was on the way — that this time, the West was serious about toppling the mullahs — the white knights were a No Show.

“On the contrary…, the Persians have been abandoned. Yet again… for the foreseeable future, the world‘s most evil regime will remain securely in place, and in de facto control of the Straits of Hormuz. They will play that destabilizing card whenever it suits them, especially when Israel is again forced to take on Hezbollah in Lebanon, or Hamas in Gaza, or the Houthis in Yemen…

“The enriched uranium… will stay in Iran. Assurances to Trump notwithstanding, the chance that the IRGC won’t immediately press the restart button on building the bomb is zero. The factories that manufacture ballistic missiles arsenals… [are] being rebuilt as we speak, providing the future shield for Iran’s nuclear program.

“The billions of dollars in sanctioned and frozen Iranian bank assets… will be gradually released… finance[ing] proxy militias in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Gaza…

“Donald Trump blinked… Too eager to make a deal — any deal… Trump capitulated… America has been humiliated, exposed as a paper tiger…

“Donald Trump… never took the time to justify the war to Americans, to explain exactly why the Islamic Republic is a greater threat to Western civilization than Russia or even China… The fighting spirit is no longer there….

“The war has also driven a spike through the heart of the relationship between Washington and Jerusalem… Growing Republican and Democratic factions are seeking to distance themselves from Israel…”

Sadly, what the article expresses is so true.

“A Serious Strategic Mistake”

Die Welt wrote on June 16:

“Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last Shah, has spoken out against any agreement with Iran that leaves the current leadership in Tehran in power. ‘An agreement with this regime will fail, and we will all have to bear the consequences,’ Pahlavi stated on online platforms on Tuesday. After the regime killed 40,000 Iranians, an agreement would be ‘not only morally unacceptable but also a serious strategic mistake,’ he declared on X. ‘The Iranian people will not accept it.’

“Tehran would never ‘make a genuine peace,’ just as the government had ‘never made peace with its own citizens,’ the 65-year-old explained.”

We agree with Reza Pahlavi.

Superpower Suicide

On June 16, Focus wrote:

“The world is noting with great astonishment that the superpower USA, despite its overwhelming military strength and presence in the Gulf region, is being forced to negotiate with Iran merely on a return to the pre-war status quo in the Strait of Hormuz…. This is a slap in the face for the USA as a global superpower and undermines its status as a guarantor of freedom of navigation. ‘The Iran conflict has left the USA in a weaker position than at the start of the conflict,’ says Rebecca Lissner, a senior fellow at the US think tank Council on Foreign Relations (CFR)….

“‘While the Iran conflict demonstrated the extraordinary military strength of the USA, it simultaneously revealed its inability to translate that strength into anything even remotely resembling a strategic victory over Iran.’… US foreign policy under Trump amounts to ‘superpower suicide’…”

America is indeed committing national suicide.

Mark Levin Rebukes Trump

The Jerusalem Post wrote on June 16:

“Fox News’ major MAGA ally Mark Levin slammed US President Donald Trump over the Iran war peace deal… Levin on X wrote: ‘I have asked for days, why can’t we, the people, see the d… MOU [Memorandum of Understanding]? Not through people briefed by an anonymous person. Honestly, I’ve never seen anything like this. If it is a great outcome for peace, then release it… if you want people to stop speculating about the MOU, release the MOU. Don’t brief a few anointed ones to control the narrative and expect everyone else to sit silently. That’s not how our country works. It’s going to be signed soon. It takes time for people to digest it all once it is released…’

“Levin, a pro-Israel hawk, also slammed the president for lashing out at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after Israel attacked Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. ‘In a period of two-months, Israel has gone from a great ally and partner in war, fighting by our side against a horrible enemy that has killed thousands of our people, killed tens of thousands of their own people, and was a dire nuclear threat intent on attacking us, to Israeli PM Netanyahu being a difficult person who should be thanking us for saving his country from Iran and should get our permission if he wants to defend his people from Hezbollah and Iran, and stand down when his country is attacked,’ Levin wrote.”

Trump should think twice when even his most loyal supporters are openly disagreeing with him. An alleged text of the MOU was leaked, but it does not include some of the provisions referred to earlier in the press. Even though, note the next article.

The Sun wrote on June 17:

“Trump reminded world leaders at the G7 summit in France that the memorandum was not complete yet. He said: ‘It’s a memorandum of understanding. And if I don’t like it, we’ll go back to shooting at them, dropping bombs on their head. If I don’t like it, if they don’t behave, we’ll go right back to dropping bombs right smack in the middle of their head, OK?’”

Israel Disappointed

The Jerusalem Post wrote on June 15:

“This morning, senior Israeli officials are left feeling frustrated. There is deep criticism of the US administration and growing concern that a war that began with the stated goal of toppling the Iranian regime may end, at least for now, with that regime intact, stable, and once again benefiting from a flow of financial resources. ‘Help is on the way,’ Netanyahu and Trump told the Iranian people at the outset of the conflict. Yet for the moment, the Iranian public remains on the sidelines. The Ayatollah regime emerges from the war alive, breathing, and still firmly in power…

“National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said in an X/Twitter post that Israel is not bound to US President Donald Trump’s US-Iran ceasefire agreement…  ‘Israel is not subject to the United States, and we are an independent and sovereign nation,’ he said…

“Other Israeli officials took to X on Monday morning to state their positions, including Yair Golan, leader of The Democrats, who criticized Netanyahu for capitulating to a deal he deemed unsatisfactory… ‘Trump signs an agreement that funnels billions to the Ayatollahs’ regime, leaves the nuclear infrastructure intact, preserves the ballistic threat as is, and throws a lifeline to the murderous regime in Tehran,’ he said in harsh criticism of the agreement…

“Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White party, said ‘… it is forbidden to agree to restrict Israel’s freedom of action in Lebanon or to a withdrawal that endangers the residents of the north… The emerging agreement with Iran appears to be a strategic failure…’

“Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich also posted on X, saying, ‘The agreement with Iran is bad for Israel and for the entire free world. Period.’ He also implied that Israel will have to continue to carry out the war against Iran itself in order to ensure that Iran does not achieve nuclear weapons.’

Netanyahu and Trump Face Broad Disapproval

The Washington Post added on June 15:

“Caught between Trump’s public browbeating and broad discontent at home, Netanyahu faces a challenge like never before over how to navigate the next two months… The mounting pressure on Netanyahu from across the Israeli political spectrum and the Israeli military establishment could place the conflict in Lebanon — and the broader U.S.-Iran peace talks — on a hair trigger and deepen a public split between Israel and the United States that is unlike anything seen in recent years…

“Meanwhile, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that Israeli troops will stay ‘indefinitely’ in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip…

“In the end, it was those who are close to Netanyahu who lashed out with a bitterness and sense of betrayal rarely seen directed by Israelis toward Trump. In a stunning social media tirade early Monday, Yinon Magal, a former lawmaker and anchor on Channel 14 television who is often described as Netanyahu’s most prominent mouthpiece, lashed out at Trump as a ‘loser,’ Vance as a ‘lowlife,’ and Trump’s special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff as ‘two little Jews … whom Qatar bought for a lot of money and who sold out their brothers in Israel.’

“Amit Segal, another influential right-wing television analyst close to the prime minister, simply offered a quote attributed to Henry Kissinger, per William F. Buckley Jr.: ‘It may be dangerous to be America’s enemy, but to be America’s friend is fatal.’”

Trump might have lost Israel as America’s closest ally…which the Bible also prophesied to happen.

Another U-Turn

Daily Mail wrote on June 17:

“In a stunning departure from decades of established US foreign policy, President Donald Trump revealed that a forthcoming peace agreement with Iran will likely allow the regime to retain its conventional ballistic missiles. Standing before reporters at the G7 meeting in France, the President argued that a complete ban is unrealistic because ‘they got to have some.’ ‘What am I going to do? Am I going to let Saudi Arabia have missiles, but they can’t have them?’ Trump said during the briefing. ‘Missiles aren’t the problem. They hurt a little location, but they don’t blow up the planet.’…

“For months, Rubio centered his argument for military action against Iran on the necessity of neutralizing the nation’s missile capabilities. He labeled the regime’s unwillingness to negotiate regarding its arsenal a ‘big problem’ and an ‘unsustainable threat,’ asserting that Tehran maintained weaponry ‘solely designed to attack America and attack Americans.’

“For generations, every American administration has maintained a strict ‘red line’ against Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities…. Trump broke not only with his predecessors but with his own historical stance by conceding that Iran would likely retain a missile arsenal. His sudden concession that Iran ‘has to have’ them isn’t just a break from establishment bipartisan policy; it’s a U-turn on his own first-term record.”

This is truly irresponsible.

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.

In this final part of this series, we will conclude with a number of further false assumptions that can be made that, when reviewed correctly, will shine a different light on these matters.

FALSE ASSUMPTION No.13

Another false assumption is that the rejection of God’s rule and preferring a human king or ruler guarantees that things will get better.

It is interesting to read in 1 Samuel 8 that Israel demanded a king. In verses 5-8, we read:

“Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, ‘Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.’”

Samuel was getting older and his sons did not walk in the ways of God.  Here, the Israelites mistakenly believed that having a king would make them stronger than relying on God.  This is also the prevailing view today.  Politicians are elected usually with great rejoicing, only to fail and their replacements go through the same cycle.  To rely on God and follow His ways does not enter their minds, nor does it enter the minds of those who vote for them. As is the case today, what the Israelites did was to reject God’s rule over them.

Samuel was told by God to heed the voice of the people (verse 7) but they were warned about what would happen by God’s servant in the rest of the chapter. They refused to obey his voice, and the rest, as they say, is history!

God chose Saul as king, but he did not remain faithful to God.  On the collector.com website, we read: 

“King Saul was the first king of Israel and, unfortunately, also the first to show that God’s warnings against a monarch in Israel were justified.

“King Saul was the first king of Israel, appointed by the prophet Samuel. Israel insisted on being like surrounding nations by having a monarch. Though he was physically strong and attractive, he was from the least of the tribes of Israel. Initially, he was a humble and spiritual man, but during his reign, he became jealous, arrogant, and progressively more disobedient to God. Many years passed between the time God informed Saul that he would lose his kingship and when he ended his own life.”

Many think today that in voting for a political leader, they are fulfilling God’s Will. Nothing could be further from the Truth. In fact, when they do this, they act like ancient Israel did, in rejecting God’s rule over them. 

The people made the false assumption that a king was the answer, mistakenly believing that having a king would make them stronger than relying on God. 

It did not!

FALSE ASSUMPTION No.14

Interestingly, the prophet Samuel was also guilty of making a false assumption.   Saul was rejected as king, as we read in 1 Samuel 15:22-23: “So Samuel said: ‘Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.’”

In the following chapter, Samuel was sent by God to Bethlehem, as we read in 1 Samuel 16:1:

“Now the LORD said to Samuel, ‘How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.’” The elders of the town trembled at his coming and following God’s instruction, he said that he had come to sacrifice. This was true, but it was not the only or even the main reason. God had sent him to anoint the next king. But Samuel did not lie when he did not mention this. One does not have to say everything one knows, but what one does say must be true. 

We read further in verses 5-7:

^“And he said, ‘Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Sanctify yourselves, and come with me to the sacrifice.’ Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons, and invited them to the sacrifice. So it was, when they came, that he looked at Eliab and said, ‘Surely the LORD’s anointed is before Him!’ But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’”  

Samuel looked at the outward appearance but God looked at the heart and Eliab, and the rest of the sons of Jesse were rejected, except for David, who was keeping the sheep. He was the chosen one, as we know, and even Samuel the prophet made a false assumption in thinking, initially, that Eliab might be the one.

As we read in Isaiah 55:8-9: “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.’”

Again we see that even Samuel the prophet made a false assumption. One has to be careful not to judge a person or a matter according to the outward appearance. (John 7:24).

FALSE ASSUMPTION No.15

We can make false assumptions by thinking that socialism or communism (Marxism) is the solution to our problems. 

We recently covered Acts 2:44-45 in a Q&A asking if this was a biblical example of socialism.  https://www.eternalgod.org/isnt-acts-244-45-a-biblical-example-of-socialism/ There have been those who may have used this as an example of communism/socialism. However, this passage describes a temporary situation that arose after the extraordinary events on the day of Pentecost, and no other examples exist in the New Testament which might be used to suggest that socialism is a system which God upholds. In fact, no human system is righteous, but compared with all other existing systems, democracy has been described as the least of all evils. But it cannot solve our problems either. Only Christ’s righteous rule on this earth will bring lasting peace, prosperity and equality for all. 

But it is certainly one matter that can mislead those who carelessly read this account in Acts 2:44-45 and make false assumptions.

FURTHER FALSE ASSUMPTIONS

The Topical Encyclopedia states that “in the biblical narrative, assumptions often lead to misunderstandings, conflicts, and spiritual pitfalls. The Bible provides numerous examples and teachings that highlight the dangers of making assumptions without seeking divine guidance or understanding the full context.”

They also give further examples of making false assumptions which are very well worth reviewing.

Old Testament Examples

“1. Joshua and the Gibeonites: In Joshua 9, the Israelites are deceived by the Gibeonites, who pretend to be from a distant land. Joshua and the leaders of Israel assume their account is true and make a covenant with them without seeking the LORD’s counsel. ‘So the men examined their provisions and did not consult the LORD” (Joshua 9:14). This assumption leads to an alliance that was contrary to God’s command.

“2. Eli and Hannah: In 1 Samuel 1, Eli the priest sees Hannah praying silently and assumes she is drunk. ‘How long will you be drunk?’ he said. ‘Put away your wine!’ (1 Samuel 1:14). Eli’s assumption is incorrect, as Hannah is deeply distressed and praying earnestly to the LORD. This incident underscores the danger of judging based on appearances.

New Testament Examples

“1. Jesus and the Pharisees: The Pharisees often make assumptions about Jesus, questioning His authority and actions. In Matthew 12:24, they assume that Jesus casts out demons by the power of Beelzebub. Jesus refutes their assumption, explaining that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand (Matthew 12:25-26).

“2. Peter and the Gentiles: In Acts 10, Peter initially assumes that associating with Gentiles is unlawful. However, God reveals to him through a vision that he should not call any person impure or unclean. ‘Do not call anything impure that God has made clean’ (Acts 10:15). This assumption is corrected by divine revelation, leading to the inclusion of Gentiles in the early Church.

“3. Paul and the Corinthians: In 1 Corinthians 4:5, Paul warns against making premature judgments. ‘Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes’  (1 Corinthians 4:5). Paul cautions the Corinthians against assuming they fully understand God’s purposes or the motives of others.”

The Topical Encyclopedia then goes on to give some theological insights and practical applications as follows:

“The Bible teaches that assumptions can lead to false judgments and hinder spiritual growth. Proverbs 3:5-6 advises believers to trust in the LORD and not lean on their own understanding. ‘Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight’… This passage encourages seeking God’s wisdom rather than relying on human assumptions.

“James 1:19-20 further instructs believers to be ‘quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger’…, emphasizing the importance of understanding before forming conclusions. Assumptions often arise from a lack of listening and a rush to judgment.

“Practical Applications:

“Believers are called to exercise discernment and humility, recognizing the limitations of human understanding. Prayer and seeking God’s guidance are essential in avoiding the pitfalls of assumptions. By relying on the Holy Spirit and the wisdom of Scripture, Christians can navigate complex situations with grace and truth.

“In relationships, assumptions can lead to conflict and division. Ephesians 4:2-3 encourages believers to ‘be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love’… This attitude fosters unity and understanding, counteracting the negative effects of assumptions.

“Ultimately, the dangers of assumptions remind believers of the need for reliance on God, careful listening, and a commitment to truth.”

We should also take note of the false assumption that the Bible contains “hate speech.” 

Dated January 31, 2024 and taken from the website “The Voice of the Martyrs,” we read:

“Lawsuits in the Western world have challenged the Bible as hate speech for decades. In 2013, a lawsuit attempted to show that Bible verses commonly understood to forbid homosexual relationships were, in fact, hate speech. The lawsuit failed as have most attempts to legally classify Scripture in hate speech in the West…”

However, we see that the movement towards attacking the Bible by demeaning and mischaracterizing its commands as “hate speech” is growing. 

It is interesting that the Bible, the written Word of God, is accused of hate speech because it condemns unnatural sexual behaviour. That behavioral condemnation has been there for thousands of years in the Word of God and then the particularly aggressive LGBT+ group expect the Truth to now be condemned because of their current lifestyle.  The Bible contains condemnation of ALL non-godly types of behavior and stands firm because it is the instruction from the One who created all things and who knows best.

One other area that we need to be keenly aware of is that, after receiving a prayer request and not hearing anything further, all must be well.   Perhaps it is, but perhaps it may not be.  We can often say that no news is good news.   But that is making an assumption which could be a false one.  It is much better to ask and ascertain the facts, than jumping to a conclusion.

CONCLUSION

We must be aware of false assumptions which can lead to further problems and difficulties including the law of unintended consequences.   This is particularly important when it comes to biblical understanding and spiritual matters.   One error can lead to another which can become a real problem.   It is best not to make false assumptions in the first place because the consequences can lead us off the path towards the Kingdom of God.

Also, making some false assumptions without really knowing the full facts can diminish what God has done and the mighty miracles that are beyond the understanding of man.

It has been remarked before that the word assume is made up of (humorously) ass, u/me – making asses of us if we assume any matter without being aware of the facts!   Humorous, but having a great deal of Truth in it.

If we are making an assumption, or assumptions about someone else, while ignoring our own condition and mistakes, we may be doing them and us a disservice! It could lead to judging others and justifying our own wrong behavior which we are told not to do in Matthew 7:3-5: 

“And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

This last scriptural reference above is a key to us removing any hypocrisy that we have been guilty of, and to avoid making false assumptions which are not helpful as we strive to be accounted worthy to be born-again members of the Family of God at the return of Jesus Christ.

Lead Writers: Brian Gale and Norbert Link

Compiled by Norbert Link

“Trump’s Lost Iran War – an Epic Disaster” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

A memorandum of understanding was signed by America and Iran. But key issues are still to be discussed for the next 60 days, if not longer. Trump’s and Netanyahu’s attacks on Iran were officially named “Operation Epic Fury”. Many critics called it “Operation Epic Disaster”. Were they right? Did America win this war? This program shows that Trump is the big loser.

“Trumps verlorener Iran Krieg – eine epische Katastrophe“ is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same topic as described above.

Frank Bruno’s sermonette, titled “Honor The Father,”  has been posted.

Here is a summary:

In this world, we are flooded with messages, ads, and human-centered holidays. With the “Hallmark Father’s Day” holiday observed on Sunday, June 21^st, it is a good time to present a refresher for a subject we should know well as true Christians: How we are to honor our Creator, our Father in heaven. We will consider several Scriptures and key points in this sermonette that can get us back on or keep us on track to demonstrate our love for the Father and Jesus Christ.

Eric Rank’s sermon, titled, “The Simplicity In Christ”, has been posted.

Here is a summary:

So much of the world is confused about what Christianity is. Biases, assumptions, and fallacies hide the simple Truth that Jesus Christ brought to the world through His ministry. We will reveal the magnificent and beautiful plan of God contained in the Bible to break down the confusion that gets in the way of understanding Christ. 

Our latest promo video has been posted, featuring our booklet “Human Suffering, Why…and How Much Longer?”

Robert Muhr’s German sermonette from last Sabbath has been posted. It was titled:  “Unseren Goliath besiegen‘. (Title in English: “Conquering our Goliath.“)

On June 13, 2026, Frank Bruno will present the sermonette, titled, “Honor The Father”, and Eric Rank will give the sermon, titled, “The Simplicity In Christ.”

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.

The Holy Scriptures clearly and consistently show that God does not act independently of people; rather, He makes use of those whom He Himself calls. From the prophets of the Old Testament to the apostles of the New Testament, God had His Truth proclaimed through His servants.

This gives the Church an important and serious responsibility not only to respect the ministry but to actively support it—spiritually (through prayer), practically, materially, and with a sincere, grateful attitude, including direct words of encouragement and appreciation.

God is a God of order. In 1 Corinthians 14:33, we read that God is not a God of confusion, but of peace. He has established offices to teach, lead, and strengthen His Church.

In Ephesians 4:11-12, the Bible states:

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ…”

These callings do not come from people, but directly from God. Therefore, those who support the ministry are ultimately not supporting people, but the Work of God Himself and the proclamation of the Gospel. The ministry exists for the Church to lead it spiritually, to teach it, and to strengthen it. Where there is no spiritual leadership, by whom should the Church be led? As it is also written in Proverbs 11:14 (New Jerusalem Bible):

“For want of leadership a people perishes, safety lies in many advisers.”

This biblical passage clearly shows how important spiritual leadership and guidance are for God’s people.

God’s Work is not carried by human ideas, but by the obedience of those whom God calls and by the support of those who recognize this Work. The Church plays an active role in this.

In Hebrews 13:17, we are urged to acknowledge spiritual leadership and to cooperate with it, for the ministry watches over the souls of the believers: “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.”

What a tremendous responsibility this entails!

Some ministers invest their time, their energy, and often their entire lives in the service of the Church. That is why it is of central importance to support the ministry in prayer. Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 5:25: “Brethren, pray for us.” But this prayer should not be general or superficial. A particularly important expression of support is specific prayer for the ministry, especially in times of weakness and illness.

When ministers fall ill or are physically afflicted, it should be a matter of course for the Church to consciously pray for them before God. The ministry is often under special pressure—spiritually, physically, and emotionally. It is precisely then when they need the intercession of the Church.

The Bible calls on us: “Bear one another’s burdens…” (Galatians 6:2).

This also applies especially to those who perform a special service. When a minister is ill, it affects not only that person; it affects the entire Church.

When Mr. Armstrong was still alive, it was a matter of course to pray for him personally in opening or closing prayers, asking God to protect Mr. Armstrong, to inspire him, to give him strength, and to heal him, etc. Today, when a minister is seriously ill, he should be mentioned by name in the opening or closing prayer, thereby making it clear that the Church understands his work and role, which perhaps can only be carried out by him at this time. A general prayer “for the ministry” may not adequately convey the gravity of the situation for seriously ill or suffering ministers in such circumstances.

Through our prayer, we show that we understand: God’s Work depends not only on those who preach, but also on those who faithfully intercede for them. Such prayers bring strength, comfort, and often healing as well. They unite the Church and demonstrate genuine spiritual fellowship.

But support goes even further. The Bible makes it clear that material help is also part of it. In 1 Corinthians 9:14, we read:

“Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.”

This is not a human concept, but a spiritual principle. Those who support God’s Work are themselves blessed, whether through financial or practical help, or personal commitment.

One point that is often underestimated but of great spiritual significance is gratitude.

It should be a matter of course for every believer to consciously express thanks for the sermons and the work of the ministry. A sermon is not simply a lecture. It is spiritual nourishment that is prepared with prayer, study, and an awareness of responsibility before God.

When the ministry teaches, admonishes, and encourages week after week, it is right and necessary to acknowledge this.

A sincere thank you can make a big difference. It strengthens, it encourages, and it shows that the work is not taken for granted.

The Bible expressly calls for this attitude:

“And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord… and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).

Gratitude is an expression of respect and humility. It shows that we recognize that God works through His servants.

In this regard, one’s inner attitude is crucial. Support should not come from a sense of duty, but it must emanate from a sincere heart.

2 Corinthians 9:7 states: “…God loves a cheerful giver.”

Those who understand that they are part of God’s Work will support it with joy—in prayer, in service, and also in grateful acknowledgment.

At the same time, Scripture warns us against adopting a critical attitude that sows discord. Respect, humility, and a constructive attitude are crucial for the unity of the Church.

This does not mean that the ministry is infallible. But it does mean that we should approach it with a supportive and respectful attitude.

In summary, it is clear that supporting the ministry is an essential part of the Christian life. It includes prayer, especially during times of illness, practical help, material support, and sincere gratitude. For ultimately, it is not about people—it is about God’s Work.

God carries out His Work through people, but He works powerfully through those who are willing to support, give, pray, and to be grateful. The crucial question, therefore, is not whether God’s Work receives support, but whether we do our part faithfully, willingly, and with a grateful heart.

(Initial translation: Daniel Blasinger)

By Norbert Link

We speak on the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, the increasing collaboration between China, Russia and North Korea; and the ongoing unpopular war between the USA, Israel, Lebanon and Iran. Please view our new message, “Wars and Rumors of Wars— Comments on News and Prophecy, June 6, 2026.” 

Also view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “America and Israel—a Fractured Relationship” 

We address Trump’s deeply worrisome outbursts; his inadvertent admission as to why he builds a strong army; Pete Hegseth’s attacks on Europe and the disappearance of freedom of speech in Germany.

Ukrainian Drones Target St. Petersburg

The Associated Press wrote on June 6:

“Residents of St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, were told not to leave their homes after a ‘large-scale’ Ukrainian drone attack targeted the city Saturday morning, underscoring Kyiv’s growing ability to hit deep inside Russia, a day after the Russian president refused an offer to meet his Ukrainian counterpart…

“Although no casualties were immediately reported, the renewed attack on St. Petersburg is the latest embarrassing blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s efforts to cast the conflict as a distant event that doesn´t affect Russian daily life. A Ukrainian drone strike set ablaze an oil terminal in the city and hit a nearby naval base Wednesday, hours before the opening of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Putin´s annual showcase for investment…

“With the front line barely moving as swarms of drones hinder advances, both sides have sought an edge by launching long-range strikes… Russia targeted Ukraine overnight with 272 strike drones, and air defenses shot down 249 of them, the Ukrainian air force said Saturday…”

First, Russia’s drones hit Romania; now Ukraine’s drones hit St. Petersburg. This war is far from over.

China Meets North Korea

NPR wrote on June 6:

“Chinese leader Xi Jinping will travel to North Korea next week… in what will be his first visit in nearly seven years. His trip will be the latest in a series of steps by China to reinforce its close ties with its nuclear-armed neighbor. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has reached out to Russia in recent years, notably by sending troops and conventional weapons to support its war against Ukraine.

“But in the past year, Kim has likewise been trying to improve ties with China, the North’s biggest trading partner and provider of aid… The announcement of the trip came a day after North Korea unveiled a new facility to produce the material for nuclear bombs. During a visit to the plant, Kim announced plans to bolster the country’s nuclear forces ‘at an exponential rate.’ Experts say the plant’s disclosure implies that Kim was eager to cement his country’s status as a nuclear weapons state ahead of Xi’s visit.”

The kings of the East are forming…

US-Iranian and Israel-Lebanon Fighting Ongoing

Politico wrote on June 6:

“The U.S. said its forces intercepted several Iranian ballistic missiles aimed at Kuwait and Bahrain, which were fired after the American military shot down drones and targeted Iranian radar sites, in another escalation that threatens a shaky ceasefire in the region…  With talks between Iran and the U.S. stalling, navigation in the Strait of Hormuz remains sharply reduced, causing a lasting spike in oil prices. But even as hostilities continue between the two countries, Washington has granted visas to Iran’s World Cup football team, ahead of the first match in Los Angeles this month.

“In another sign of continued regional instability, Israel carried out strikes in southern Lebanon after the militant group Hezbollah rejected a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.”

The fighting continues… see the next article.

Netanyahu Defies Trump—Fighting Continues

The Associated Press wrote on June 7:

“Israel struck Beirut’s southern suburbs without warning on Sunday, days after a ceasefire agreement in Washington went into effect and despite a U.S. request not to attack Lebanon’s capital… Iran had warned that an attack on Beirut would renew full-scale war across the Mideast, even as Pakistan tries to restart talks between Tehran and Washington…

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it was in retaliation for the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militant group firing at northern Israel earlier… “

Iran Warns the USA and Israel

The Sun wrote on June 8:

“IRAN has vowed that the Middle East will become ‘hell’ for Israel and the US if the allies ‘make another mistake’…

“[The] warning comes after Israel and Iran paused bombardments as Donald Trump blasted their ‘ignorance and stupidity’ and demanded both parties ‘immediately stop shooting.’”

Is Trump Calling the Shots?

n-tv wrote on June 8:

“On Sunday, US President Trump asked Israeli leader Netanyahu to refrain from a retaliatory strike against Iran. To no avail…

“Trump conveyed the message—not only to Axios but to other media outlets as well—that he had the Israeli Prime Minister under control…

“Trump’s problem is that he is not, in fact, calling all the shots in this war, which is highly unpopular in the US… Netanyahu has no interest in a quick end to the war; Israel fears that Trump will agree to a bad deal just to bring the conflict to a close.”

Focus wrote on June 8:

“The relationship between the US and Israel is fractured—that is the only way to describe it now. Trump has lost his hold on Netanyahu… Israel relies on US arms shipments and needs cooperation with American intelligence agencies. Yet Netanyahu seems confident that Trump will not pull these levers, as doing so would meet with resistance within the US.”

Israel Spying on the USA?

NBC News wrote on June 5:

“The Pentagon is increasingly concerned about Israel ramping up its spying on the U.S., recently raising the counterintelligence threat level from America’s top ally in the Middle East to the highest level… amid rising tensions between Israel and the U.S. over the way forward in the war with Iran. A spokesperson for the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C., said in a statement that it is ‘completely false’ that Israel spies on the U.S… A White House official said in a statement, ‘This entire story is false…’

“While it is commonplace for allies and adversaries across the globe to spy on each other, the current and former U.S. officials said Israel’s recent efforts have gone well beyond what is typical and expected espionage…

“In the 1980s, spying by Israel caused a rift with Washington, with U.S. Navy intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard spending 30 years in prison after he was found to have sold suitcases of top-secret documents to Israel.

“The U.S. also spies on its allies and seeks to gather intelligence on foreign partners, as evidenced in 2013 by leaks from intelligence contractor Edward Snowden. Those leaks showed that the U.S. was eavesdropping on European leaders, including then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s mobile phone, sparking outrage in Berlin.”

The more they deny it, the more it appears true.

Pushing Trump to His Limits?

ABC News wrote on June 8:

“After dominating American politics for the past 18 months, the US president now confronts his moment of truth: he is in deepening trouble and he doesn’t seem to know how to get himself out of it. Trump is a man who likes to be in complete control — and at the moment he is not. The Iran war is the president’s worst political problem, and it just won’t go away. Neither Israel nor Iran is doing what he wants…. he can see that this war and his support for Israel is becoming an increasing liability…

“60 per cent of US adults now have an unfavourable view of Israel — up from 53 per cent last year… 59 per cent have little or no confidence in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do “the right thing” regarding world affairs… 41 per cent said they sympathised more with Palestinians compared to 36 per cent with Israelis. In a country with a long history of supporting Israel and a hitherto powerful Israeli lobby, this is a dramatic change…

“Clearly, the White House is angry with Netanyahu. There have been several phone calls between them over the last day, after fighting between Israel and Iran resumed despite a ceasefire… Trump told Netanyahu: ‘You might find yourself alone against Iran very soon.’…

“There was also an earlier phone call between Vice-President JD Vance and Netanyahu. It was reported as Vance telling the Israeli prime minister that he had been wrong in his pre-war assessments about how quickly the Iranian regime would fall under the weight of combined US and Israeli attacks. Israeli media reported that the Iran conflict was not the only source of anger — Vance had shouted at Netanyahu about the surge in violence by Jewish settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank….

“In the Situation Room on February 11, Mr Netanyahu made a hard sell, suggesting that Iran was ripe for regime change and expressing the belief that a joint US-Israeli mission could finally bring an end to the Islamic Republic. Mr Netanyahu and his team outlined conditions they portrayed as pointing to a near-certain victory: Iran’s ballistic missile program could be destroyed in a few weeks. The regime would be so weakened that it could not choke off the Strait of Hormuz, and the likelihood that Iran would land blows against US interests in neighbouring countries was assessed as minimal.

“That assessment, of course, was completely wrong. The regime of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps remained in power and, if anything, has become more hardline. And the Strait of Hormuz has indeed been choked off — not just by Iran but also by the US, which has imposed a blockade in a bid to stop Iranian ships passing. In coming weeks, the world’s energy market is set to be severely hit as supplies in many parts of the world dry up. There are predictions that petrol prices in the US will skyrocket….

“What is clear is that Trump wants Israel’s bombing of Lebanon to stop — immediately. What is also clear is that Netanyahu wants the bombing to continue…. Netanyahu is outsmarting Trump in the sense that he’s pushing Trump to the limit, straining the relationship with a volatile president but stopping just short of breaking that relationship…. But just as Israel is outmanoeuvring Trump, so, it seems, is Iran.

“Iran clearly sees the political pain it’s inflicting on Trump. Petrol prices are high, and Americans are increasingly jaded by this very unpopular war. So despite heavy bombing in the first weeks of the war, the US and Israel have not been able to destroy either military leadership or missiles — they are simply too far spread out and their locations are often difficult to assess. And even Iran appears surprised at the power it now has with control over the Strait of Hormuz. That power is set to grow in coming weeks when supplies in many countries begin to run dry while few if any tankers leave the Middle East.”

The War Continues

Bild Online wrote on June 10:

“The US is retaliating and attacking Iran! According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), which is responsible for the Gulf region, these are ‘self-defense’ strikes following the downing of a US Apache helicopter… Earlier that day, Trump had stated that while the pilots were unharmed when the helicopter was shot down, the United States was ‘compelled to respond to this attack’…. According to media reports, Iran responded with counter-attacks…. This makes an end to the war seem like a distant prospect once again.

“The strained relationship between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu can no longer be concealed. During a cabinet meeting yesterday, Monday, Netanyahu said… ‘We might find ourselves in a situation where we have to face the Iranians alone, without support from the US…’ Chief of General Staff Zamir warned against the emerging agreement: ‘As we see it right now—almost any agreement is a bad agreement.'”

News18 wrote on June 10:

“Trump is close to ordering new attacks on Iranian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges, as tensions between Washington and Tehran continue to escalate.”

The Associated Press added on June 10:

“Trump’s warnings at the White House and on social media came hours after Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan — all of which host U.S. troops — came under Iranian fire… Trump’s comments underlined the American leader’s whipsaw approach to the war. He suggested on Monday that a deal to end the conflict could be reached in a matter of days…

“… both countries seem to be looking for a way to end the conflict — if they can manage to sell it as a win at home. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears intent on pursuing much more difficult goals: the collapse of Iran’s theocratic government, the elimination of its nuclear program, and the destruction of the Iranian-allied Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. That will make compromise much harder.”

House Defies Trump

ABC News wrote on June 4:

“The House passed a measure to provide almost $2 billion in aid to Ukraine and impose new sanctions against Russia Thursday, sending the measure to the Senate behind a 226-to-195 tally — despite GOP leadership in full opposition to the measure.

“Eighteen Republicans voted in favor of the bill — creating a bipartisan majority — although Democrats carried most of the water on the vote… The measure faces a challenging path in the Senate, where the support of 60 senators is required before it could be presented to Trump for his approval or, more likely — his veto.”

Still, the fact that 18 Republicans have challenged Trump should not be ignored.

Trump’s Tantrum

The Huffington Post wrote on June 7:

“President Donald Trump dipped into his arsenal of insults as he grew increasingly frustrated with ‘Meet the Press’ host Kristen Welker doing her job as a journalist before he eventually stormed out of an interview that aired Sunday… Trump went on to accuse California election officials of being ‘crooked’ before attacking Welker, adding, ‘Just like you’re crooked, your press is crooked. And “Meet the Press” is crooked.’ ‘You’re either crooked or you’re stupid,’ Trump told Welker.

“He continued his tantrum about the ‘crooked’ media, a rambling set to the tune of rain hitting the metal roof of a farm building in Wisconsin, the site of the interview. ‘You’re a one-sided crooked network. Sorry. Let’s call it quits because I’ve had enough. Thank you, darling. Have a good time,’ he said as he tossed his microphone to the ground and made a dismissive hand gesture toward Welker…

“He then signaled for his team to leave, got up from his seat and proceeded to walk off camera. After the interview aired, Welker said she spoke with the president Saturday and the two acknowledged the ‘complications’ posed by the rain during the interview. Trump has agreed to sit down for another interview, per Welker…”

California Governor Newsom, no stranger to controversy himself, stated through his press office: “The most severe case of California Derangement Syndrome we’ve ever seen.” The fact is, in light of Trump’s irate behavior, voices questioning his mental cognitive faculties are getting louder, especially in light of the unproven claim that he might be suffering from Alzheimer’s.

WHY Did Trump Build a Strong Military?

The New York Times wrote on June 6:

“President Trump, who campaigned on a central promise to keep the United States out of overseas wars, denied in an interview aired on Sunday that he’d ever made the pledge. ‘I didn’t guarantee no war,’ Mr. Trump said in a lengthy interview with Kristen Welker, the host of NBC’s ‘Meet the Press.’ …  ‘Why would I have built the strongest military in the world?’…

“He did promise. As a candidate in 2024, Mr. Trump repeatedly pledged not to involve the United States in war, including on the night he won the election. ‘They said, “He will start a war,”’ Mr. Trump said during his victory speech. ‘I’m not going to start a war. I’m going to stop wars.’”

Apart from the fact that he clearly promised that he would not start a new war, he inadvertently admitted that building a strong army was NOT for the purpose of deterrence, but for the purpose of starting new wars… which he has already done. When is America waking up?

Hegseth Threatens Europe

Newsmax wrote on June 6:

“U.S. War Secretary Pete Hegseth warned on Saturday that Europe faced what he called an invasion of dangerous ideologies arriving by sea, linking immigration to the ‌legacy of the D-Day landings in remarks in Normandy. His ​remarks echo criticisms often made by the administration of President Donald Trump about Europe… ‘Sadly, today, different European beaches are stormed by different, dangerous ideologies. Beaches in Spain, Italy, Greece, and Bulgaria — boats and men arrive,’ Hegseth said… ‘When will ​European capitals do ‌something about that invasion or is it too late?’…

“U.S. officials, including Trump — and Vice President JD Vance as ⁠recently as ⁠Friday — have often criticized European countries for failing to control immigration. A U.S. National Security Strategy ‌document issued last year warned Europe faced ‘civilizational erasure’ and must course-correct if it is to remain a reliable U.S. ally. That document — and other ‌comments by ​senior Trump officials — ‌have upended postwar assumptions about Europe’s close relationship with its strongest ally, and concentrated minds across European capitals on the ​urgent need to diversify away from reliance on U.S. technology and defense.”

The Huffington Post wrote on June 8:

“On ABC’s ‘This Week’ Sunday, Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas)  characterized the remarks as ‘inappropriate’ and ‘out of place’ at an event meant to honor veterans of the operation, in which 2,500 Americans died…

“English historian Simon Schama was more direct in his denouncement… He described Hegseth’s comments as a ‘special kind of loathsomeness: a blend of historical deafness, grotesque stupidity and comically ludicrous self-importance. As if the little people’s rage against immigration somehow is superior to the war against the 3rd Reich and entitles this comic book nobody to lecture the actual heroes,’ Schama said.

“Even before the remarks, some residents of Colleville-sur-Mer, France, wanted Hegseth to know he was not welcome. The local association, Langrune en commun, called for his appearance to be canceled and knocked him for his ‘warlike statements,’ ‘anti-European remarks’ and ‘American supremacist pronouncements’…”

The positions between Europe and America are currently diametrically opposite, contributing to the growing alienation between these two power blocs.

DOD Officially Drops 180 Faiths From Military’s Recognized Religion List

Military.com wrote on June 4:

“… the Department of Defense, for the first time in almost 10 years, has dramatically reduced its number of recognized religious faiths and belief systems by approximately 180…, decreasing the total number of faiths from 211 to its new number of 31… The revised list… includes Agnostics, Buddhists, Hindus, Islam (Muslims), Judaism, Sikh, and a wide range of Christian-based groups like Baptists, Catholics, Lutherans and Methodists.”

The list of Christian groups include Assemblies of God (AG); Baptist (BA); Brethren (BR); Catholic (CA); Church of Christ (CC); Church of God (CG); Church of the Nazarene (CN); Episcopal/Anglican (EA); Evangelical (EV); Jehovah’s Witnesses (JW); Lutheran (LU); Methodist (ME); Non-Denominational (ND); Orthodox (OX); Other (CO); Pentecostal (PE); Presbyterian (PR); Quaker (QU); Reformed (RE); Scientist (SC); and Seventh Day Adventist (SA).

The Mormons (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (CJ)) were originally listed without being identified as Christian, but after a strong rebuke by the church, they were designated as Christian.

Freedom of Speech Undesirable in Germany

Nius wrote on June 4:

“We live in a state where one is no longer allowed to call the Chancellor ‘Lügenfritz’ [Lying Fritz], even though he has lied to, deceived, and swindled citizens and voters out of their money countless times. Yet, one is prosecuted and convicted for using the word ‘Lügenfritz’—as just happened to a man in Heilbronn. Prosecutors accused the man of undermining trust in ‘the integrity of the victim’ by using the term ‘Lügenfritz,’ arguing that it was ‘capable of stoking further negative reservations or aggression among like-minded people’….

“Stoking reservations against the country’s most powerful liars is now a punishable offense. With the relevant Section 188 of the Criminal Code, those in power have created their own version of the crime of ‘lèse-majesté’ [insulting the sovereign]… The era of freedom of speech in Germany is over…”

Bringing the Dead Back to Life?

The Jerusalem Post wrote on June 5:

“US President Donald Trump claimed that an unnamed new drug could bring people back from the dead during a press event for maternal healthcare last month. ‘We’ve taken people that were dead. We had a person given the last rites – gone, the kids are crying, and everything – and started them on this drug. And the person became better. It works,’ Trump insisted.”

MSN elaborated on May 31:

“Medical professionals have been quick to respond, pointing out that while the claim has gone viral, it lacks verifiable evidence… Experts emphasise that recoveries in such cases are typically from clinical death, a temporary state where heart and breathing stop but revival is possible with prompt intervention, not from true biological death where brain function ceases irreversibly… Current resuscitation science offers no drug that can literally bring the dead back to life…

“Research into near-death experiences has shown brain activity can persist or even surge up to an hour after the heart stops in some cases… However, once biological death is confirmed, no treatment currently available can reverse it.”

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 continue our review of biblical assumptions that, upon proper understanding, may be different from that which may have been understood by some earlier in life as being true.

FALSE ASSUMPTION No.9

Whenever you see a painting of Jesus on the cross (better: stake), generally there seems to be very little blood on His face or body. You would have thought that after all the beatings and thrashings that He had had, it would be shown clearly in any such paintings, but not so, and the reality will come as a shock to many.

Wikipedia observes that the movie “‘The Passion of the Christ’ is a 2004 American epic biblical drama film co-produced and directed by Mel Gibson from a screenplay he wrote with Benedict Fitzgerald and primarily covers the final twelve hours before Jesus Christ’s death, known as ‘the Passion’. Pilate attempts to appease the crowd by ordering Jesus flogged, and [He] is brutally scourged by the Roman guards.”

This film, amongst all those that have been made about the life and death of Jesus, probably came closest to the horrendous and appalling action that took place on that fateful day. It seemed to shock so many in its gruesome portrayal, no doubt because of the “sanitised” versions that they may have been used to previously, due to a complete lack of reality and understanding by the artists’ portrayal of Jesus’ crucifixion over the course of the last 2,000 years. Of course, nobody knows how Jesus looked, and the portrayal of Him in the movie is most probably wrong; we are just commenting on the brutal nature of His suffering. When it comes to His appearance as a Man, we do not know Him as such any longer (2 Corinthians 5:16). His real appearance today, in His powerful glorified state, and not as the helpless suffering Messiah on the cross, is described in Revelation 1:12-16.

We read in Isaiah 52:13-14:

“Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men…”

Verse 13 shows that it must be about Jesus as the context shows. Likewise, in Psalm 22 where the sub-heading in some Bibles is “The Suffering, Praise and Posterity of the Messiah,” we read in verse 1 that Jesus cried out with the words that begin this Psalm: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” In Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34, these very words are quoted. The Father forsook Him at this moment for a very short time as Jesus bore the sins of all humanity, and God is of purer eyes than to behold and to look on such great wickedness and iniquity (Habakuk 1:13). There are many more references in this Psalm which show how Jesus suffered for us all.

Countless people will have been misled by many artists’ impressions of the Saviour of mankind due to the fact that He was unrecognisable after a brutal beating and will have, therefore, made false assumptions through the actions of others!

What we need to recognize is the enormous degree of pain and suffering inflicted on Christ for our sakes, and every time we sin, we should remember the fact that each sin necessitated His suffering and death. It also shows that we, and we alone, are guilty and responsible for His Sacrifice.

FALSE ASSUMPTION No.10

One of God’s Commandments is not to tell lies, as we read in Exodus 20:16: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

It was interesting to read on the “LiveScience” website an article in 2015, entitled “Understanding the Most Destructive Human Behaviours.” It talked about why we do stupid stuff.  It stated that: “Compared with most animals, we humans engage in a host of behaviours that are destructive to our own kind and to ourselves.”

It showed that human beings lie which is not that surprising, and one survey showed that people lie frequently, with 60 percent lying at least once during a 10-minute conversation!   

In Acts 5, we read about Ananias and Sapphira lying when answering Peter after they sold a possession.   We read this account in Acts 5:1-11.   They kept back part of the price of the land for themselves while giving the impression that they had given all.   The outcome was that they both died for lying.   In verse 4, we read: “…You have not lied to men but to God.”

Their sin was not in holding back part of the proceeds. It was their land, and they did not have to give anything to the Church. Their sin was that they said they sold it all and gave everything to the Church. 

The Bible doesn’t give the reason for their behavior but maybe they fell into the trap of wanting to be seen as giving more than they actually were giving, thereby longing for the praise of men,  and they may have felt that a little lie never hurt anyone.

In Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary, we read about Acts 5:1-11:

“The sin of Ananias and Sapphira was, that they were ambitious of being thought eminentdisciples, when they were not true disciples… They thought to deceive the apostles… But whatever Satan might suggest, he could not have filled the heart of Ananias with this wickedness had he not been consenting. The falsehood was an attempt to deceive the Spirit of truth, which so manifestly spoke and acted by the apostles. The crime of Ananias was not his retaining part of the price of the land; he might have kept it all, had he pleased; but his endeavouring to impose upon the apostles with an awful lie, from a desire to make a vain show, joined with covetousness. But if we think to put a cheat upon God, we shall put a fatal cheat upon our own souls.”

Many feel today, that a little white lie doesn’t harm anyone, and it is true that anyone can make a mistake on the spur of the moment and give false information, but it can become a habit. Liars will not make it into the Kingdom of God and they are an abomination to God (see Proverbs 12:22; Colossians 3:9; Revelation 21:8 and Revelation 22:15).   Lying is part and parcel of everyday life and can rub off on us if we are not careful.

White lies are often described as being about rather small, insignificant, trivial or unimportant matters, and as being harmless to others.   They are harmful to others as they can break trust with people but, more importantly, they are forbidden by God.

The false assumption is that we can lie when we feel it necessary, maybe even to cover up for someone else, but that is not good enough for God.   We must always remember Galatians 6:7: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”

FALSE ASSUMPTION No.11

The Place of Safety is something that has long been discussed within the Church of God. In our Q&A “What are the biblical proofs for your teaching that members of the Church of God will be protected at a particular ‘place of safety,’ here on earth, during the Great Tribulation?”, we write the following:

“One of the key passages, promising God’s end-time Church protection on this earth, at a particular place, can be found in Revelation 12:13-17. The passage reads:

“(13) Now when the dragon (Satan the devil, Revelation 12:9) saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child (Jesus Christ). (14) But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness TO HER PLACE [New International Version: “to the place prepared for her in the desert”], where she is nourished [Living Bible: “cared for and protected”; Amplified Bible: “where she is to be kept safe and fed”] FOR A TIME AND TIMES AND HALF A TIME [Living Bible: “for three and a half years”], from the presence of the serpent. (15) So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. (16) But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon spewed out of his mouth. (17) And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

The Place of Safety will be located here on earth, not in heaven. Some members of the true Church of God will be protected by God at that place. The Bible does not teach that they are taken up to heaven to be protected there during the time of the Great Tribulation. The concept of the “secret rapture” is wrong and of demonic origin. 

There was a time when many thought that Petra in Jordan might be the place, and perhaps there may still be some with that same persuasion today.   But the Bible doesn’t explicitly say so, and Mr. Armstrong made very clear that the Bible does NOT reveal the location. 

The Topical Encyclopedia states that “The concept of ‘The Place of Safety’ is a topic of interest and debate among biblical scholars and theologians, often associated with eschatological themes and God’s protection of His people during times of tribulation. 

“Throughout history, various Christian groups have identified specific locations as potential places of safety, often based on prophetic interpretations. These include Petra in Jordan and other remote or fortified areas believed to offer protection during times of persecution or tribulation.”

In addition to the fact that we do not know where the Place of Safety will be located, we do notknow either when members of God’s Church will be protected there. Jesus said in Matthew 24:36 about His return to earth: “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”

No one knows the exact time of Jesus’ return to earth and the Bible shows that God’s people will be protected for 3½ years here on earth, prior to His return. However, whenever and wherever it will be, it will be revealed in God’s perfect timing, and God will also make sure that those whom He wants there will get there. We must beware of making any false assumptions on this matter.   

FALSE ASSUMPTION No.12

There is one Old Testament book that clearly shows that we have to be careful about making false assumptions. It is the book of Job where he and his three friends engage in a discussion about why his suffering was so intense. God allowed Job to be tempted by Satan who was “not allowed to lay a hand on his person” (see Job 1:12). Job lost his property and children in a series of calamitous events and while Satan was not allowed to kill him, he troubled him greatly, as we read in Job 2:7: “So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and struck Job with painful boils from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.”

Job’s three friends Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar made an erroneous judgment in simplistically assuming all that Job was going through was due to very specific sinful conduct.  They accused him very harshly, but wrongly, because they were unable to see that Job’s sin was that of self-righteousness. Satan was unable to see that either, and Job was only able to recognize his sin at the very end of the book. To accuse someone wrongfully is easy to do; to come to a wrong conclusion which we will all have done at one time or another.

Job learned about the dangers of self-righteousness, of comparing himself with others. He even felt that he was more righteous than God. He will have learned other things, as we all do, as we grow in the grace and knowledge of our great God.  Job repented and lived after his afflictions one hundred and forty years, and then died old and full of days (Job 42:16-17).

We see that God used Satan to deal with Job to make him realize that even he was not without sin and that his self-righteousness was much inferior to God’s righteousness. 

This case is a classic one of making false assumptions, although, in the end, Job’s friends will have realised this.

(To be continued)

Lead Writers: Brian Gale and Norbert Link

Compiled by Norbert Link

“America and Israel—a Fractured Relationship” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

An end-time prophecy tells us that Israel and the USA will be at odds and even fighting each other. We are already seeing the beginning of this development. Trump claims to be in control of Netanyahu, but he is not. He wants to get out of the Iran war, but does not know how. He blames Netanyahu for all of this… and he is correct to a large extent, as he was clearly maneuvered into this war by Netanyahu. Is Netanyahu outsmarting Trump, and is Iran also outmaneuvering Trump as well? 

“Amerika und Israel – eine zerrüttete Beziehung” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same topics as described above.

“Exodus – Moses’ Escape to Midian” is the latest video in our Bible Story Series on YouTube.

Norbert Link’s sermonette, titled,  “Wars and Rumors of Wars— Comments on News and Prophecy, June 6, 2026”, has been posted. Here is a summary:

We truly observe wars and hear about rumors of wars with incredible speed—including the war between Israel and Lebanon/Hezbollah; the war between the USA and Iran; the war between Russia and Ukraine with drone attacks on Romania and the St. Petersburg area; and American intentions to invade Cuba, Greenland, and perhaps other countries. We hear of conflicts between Congress and President Trump regarding the continuation of the Iran war; frictions between the USA and Israel; alleged intentions to cancel America’s missile deal with Germany, which would make Germany extremely vulnerable; and forgotten lessons from Dachau. We also address demonic UFO and alien activities.

Norbert Link’s sermon, titled, “Does God Travel Back to the Future?”, has been posted. Here is a summary:

Is it even possible for God to travel through time into the past or the future? The concepts of predestination, God’s plan, His nature, and His Will stand in the way of this idea. Nevertheless, God naturally knows the past. And He can also look into the future. But how and when does this happen—and when does it not?

Michael Link’s German sermon for this Sabbath has been posted. It is titled, “Rein in einer unreinen Welt” (“Clean in an Unclean World.”)

Christoph Sperzel’s German sermonette, titled, “Ein Herz, das Gott sieht” (“A Heart That Sees God”) has been posted.