Update 1173

On August 23, 2025, Dave Harris will present the sermonette, titled, “It Is Possible to Please God!” and Eric Rank will present the sermon, titled, “How Do You Worship?”

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.

Many politicians of this world enjoy a form of political immunity that appears to guarantee them exemption from punishment or impunity. Due to widespread corruption and lobbying, this gives the impression that these rulers can never be held accountable.

As an ordinary citizen, this is difficult to understand. Whether it is the US, the UK, Russia, Ukraine, or Germany, the whole world is corrupt, and pretty much all politicians seem to be concerned with their own advantage or their own position and power, rather than the welfare of the people they swore to uphold when they took office.

At present, one can only shake one’s head at recent Current Events published by the Church of the Eternal God and be deeply distraught about this worldwide political corruption.

Whether it is the affair involving Jeffrey Epstein, which is causing a worldwide uproar, the wars in Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Gaza, Jordan, Iran, Iraq, China, North Korea, and many others – trillions of dollars, euros, and other currencies are being embezzled and senselessly wasted. This embezzlement of taxpayer money not only leads to further tax increases; above all, in God’s eyes, it is nothing less than a serious crime!

But none of those in power take responsibility or care about making a righteous change in their actions, as they all enjoy a certain kind of immunity. In most cases, therefore, no one can be punished for their actions! These are disgusting conditions.

Solomon wrote in Proverbs 29:4: “By justice a king gives stability to the land; but he who imposes heavy taxes ruins it” (New American Bible).

However, the Bible regards goods and money as entrusted to human beings, regardless of whether they come from God or from people. Misuse or waste is considered foolishness and sin, which demand accountability. Read “The Parable of the Unjust Steward” in Luke 16.

Diplomats also enjoy immunity from prosecution in their host country under the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. There are several well-known cases of fatal accidents or even intentional acts that fell under this immunity. The diplomats involved were never held accountable in the host country.

For example, the case of Anne Sacoolas – USA/UK (2019):

Anne Sacoolas, the wife of a US diplomat in the UK, caused a traffic accident in Northamptonshire in which 19-year-old Harry Dunn died. She left the country invoking diplomatic immunity. It was not until years later that she was convicted in her absence in the UK, but she did not serve any sentence in the UK.

Or Raymond Davis – USA/Pakistan (2011):

Davis, officially declared a diplomat, shot and killed two men in Lahore, Pakistan. The US invoked diplomatic immunity. Davis was released after paying financial compensation (“diyya,” blood money in Islamic law) and returned to the US without being punished in Pakistan.

These are just two examples of many! This immunity, behind which politicians and diplomats hide, is officially not unlimited. In most countries, it “can” be lifted by parliament if there is a serious suspicion of a criminal offense. However, the problem is often not immunity itself, but corruption, lobbying, and a lack of transparency, which in most cases lead to impunity. And as the saying goes, “Birds of a feather flock together!”

God knew that these abuses would come into the world. The following Bible passages prove it.

David wrote in his Psalms, “No king is saved by the multitude of an army; A mighty man is not delivered by great strength” (Psalm 33:16).

And Isaiah declared, “Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, Who write misfortune, Which they have prescribed To rob the needy of justice, And to take what is right from the poor of My people, That widows may be their prey, And that they may rob the fatherless” (Isaiah 10:1-2).

The time will come when everyone has to give account for their actions – if not in this life, then at the latest at the Great White Throne Judgment.

The Bible, the Word of God, is infallible and absolutely correct. It condemns corruption, abuse of power, and lies in the strongest terms and in fact gives warnings about the consequences. False rulers are often hypocrites and perpetrators of injustice, but the people should look to God, stand up for justice, and not participate in lawlessness.

Micah wrote down what God expects of people: “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8).

Even if politicians enjoy immunity from prosecution, one thing is as certain as the sun rising every day: There is no immunity before God!

God’s answer for all people is actually no secret, except that most people do not want to know about it, especially today’s politicians.

Paul wrote at least three times that all people will one day have to give an account.

First in Romans 14:10-12; then in 2 Corinthians 5:10; and finally in Hebrews 4:13, where it says: “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

Solomon confirms these words in Ecclesiastes 12:14. And Christ admonishes us in Matthew 12:36: “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.”

It would be an illusion to believe that we will never have to give account for our actions which we commit in this life.

(Initial translation: Daniel Blasinger)

by Norbert Link

We publish articles about Trump’s meeting with Putin in Alaska, and the overwhelmingly negative impression of that meeting [see our StandingWatch program, titled, “The Debacle of Trump’s Meeting with Putin in Alaska”); and continue with Trump’s subsequent better-received meeting with Zelensky and European leaders in Washington.

For further developments regarding the discussions concerning Russia and Ukraine, please note our newest StandingWatch program, titled, “Is There (No) Peace After All?”

We speak on ICE’s unpopular raids on “harmless” immigrants; a warning not to pull the plug on Israel; and mysterious fatalities in the Epstein orbit.

We conclude with a strong movement in Germany to institute compulsory military service.

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

“Boris Johnson: Trump-Putin Summit ‘Most Vomit-Inducing’ Ever” 

Upday.com wrote on August 16: 

“Boris Johnson delivered a scathing assessment of Donald Trump’s Alaska summit with Vladimir Putin, calling it ‘the most vomit-inducing episode in all the tawdry history of international diplomacy.’ The former Prime Minister condemned the red carpet treatment given to the Russian leader during their three-hour meeting… on August 15. 

“Writing in his Daily Mail column, Johnson described his visceral reaction to watching Putin welcomed on American soil. ‘It was emetic to see him applauded on the red carpet,’ he wrote, particularly criticising Putin being invited to ride in Trump’s presidential limousine – a privilege rarely extended to world leaders facing war crimes accusations. 

“The former Prime Minister compared Putin directly to Hitler, arguing the Russian leader’s ‘continual lies, dissimulation and aggression’ mirror the Nazi dictator. Johnson expressed outrage at hearing Trump refer to Putin as ‘the boss’ and describe their ‘fantastic relationship’ while Ukrainian civilians face daily bombardment… 

“The former Prime Minister assessed that Putin fundamentally wants to control Ukraine and make it a vassal state of Moscow… The former Prime Minister challenged European allies to match American leadership on sanctions. ‘This is our continent. We continually demand leadership from America – and yet when we get that leadership we don’t even have the guts to follow suit,’ Johnson wrote.” 

Trump Embarrassed by Fox News 

Express wrote on August 16: 

“US President Donald Trump was embarrassed on Fox News after failing to make a deal with Vladimir Putin… Fox News’ Jacqui Henrich, a senior White House correspondent, called out the President in a live video link to the studio, in a move that is extremely rare for the news channel… 

“She said: ‘It was very unusual, atypical… the way it felt in the room was not good, it did not seem like things went well and it seemed Putin came in and steamrolled, got right into what he wanted to say and said what he wanted to say to the President and then left.’” 

Putin Got Everything… Trump Got Nothing! 

The Independent wrote on August 16: 

“Vladimir Putin wanted to stave off the threat of US sanctions, he wanted to gain more time to prosecute his war against Ukraine, he wanted to end his and Russia’s diplomatic isolation, he wanted to peel the US off from the rest of Europe, he wanted to keep Zelensky as far away from this as far as possible and he wanted to flatter his host, Donald Trump… [Putin] flew back to Moscow having achieved everything he wanted. There are no new sanctions. Donald Trump literally rolled out the red carpet for him and applauded Putin before shaking his hand warmly. The meeting took place on US soil, with all European leaders thousands of miles away…. 

“Steve Witkoff, [Trump’s] special envoy (and a man with zero diplomatic experience), who laid the ground for this summit, has been turning up in Moscow with only his girlfriend for company. At the Kremlin meetings, he has set completely alone opposite the combined might of Putin, foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and key adviser Yuri Ushakov. Witkoff had no note takers, no advisers, and was 100 per cent reliant on a Kremlin translator… 

“Should Ukraine be concerned? Should Europe be concerned about the way this summit has come about and the way it’s unfolded? They’d be stark raving mad not to be.” 

Change of Plans? 

Newsmax wrote on August 17: 

“President Donald Trump has reportedly privately indicated to European leaders he is open to offering U.S. security guarantees to Ukraine — a significant shift in his stance toward America’s role in ending the war. The change in position came after Trump’s high-profile summit in Alaska with Russian President Vladimir Putin, where Trump sought to push Moscow toward a ceasefire, but according to Trump’s own account, Putin told him he would not stop fighting and demanded that Kyiv cede parts of eastern Ukraine in exchange for freezing the front line elsewhere…

“Despite Trump’s vow to secure a ceasefire at the risk of ‘severe consequences’ to Putin and Russia, the Alaska summit produced no ceasefire agreement and Trump has pivoted toward what he described as a ‘direct path to a peace agreement,’ aligning with Putin’s preference to negotiate final terms rather than interim pauses in fighting.” 

Complete Disappointment 

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 17: 

“A red carpet for Vladimir Putin and no results for Ukraine. The Alaska summit, which many had pinned high hopes on, turned out to be a complete disappointment from the perspective of many Ukrainians….  Oleksandr Kraiev of the Ukrainian Prism think tank told DW: ‘…The war criminal Putin came to the US and shook hands with the leader of the free world.’  According to Kraiev, apart from ‘Trump’s deference toward Putin, there were no final answers to the most important questions.’ He believes that Putin dealt with Trump ‘with surgical precision’ and told him everything Trump wanted to hear. This way, Putin got everything he wanted out of the summit.   

“According to Ivan Us from Ukraine’s Center for Foreign Policy of the National Institute for Strategic Studies, the Russian president never wanted the summit to lead to an end to the war. Instead, Putin’s goal was to legitimize himself and end his international isolation… Judging by discussions among ordinary Ukrainians, what angers them most is the red carpet that was rolled out for Putin at the US military base in Anchorage. Countless angry comments on social media leave little doubt over how this was perceived in Ukraine.” 

The reaction of the German and European press has been devastating. Headlines read like, “The nightmare of the Europeans has become true.” Hypocritical and quite silly comments by European politicians thanking Trump and saying he brought the world closer to peace only contribute to the anger of the German and European people. 

Zelensky Set Up to Fail? 

Express wrote on August 17:

“Donald Trump knows there is zero chance of a workable peace deal…, former defence committee chairman Tobias Ellwood has warned. And the Ukrainian President is being ‘set up to fail’ by his US counterpart, who was himself ‘manipulated’ by Vladimir Putin during their high-profile summit on Friday, the ex-British Army officer claimed. 

“Mr Ellwood said: ‘I see Trump deliberately setting this up to fail so he can then walk away and say, “I tried, they didn’t want to play ball.”’ The former MP… painted a picture of a summit dominated by strategic manoeuvring rather than concrete support for Ukraine.” 

No Security Guarantees? 

Fox News wrote on August 18: 

“The Russian Foreign Ministry roundly rejected the idea of NATO forces serving as peacekeepers in Ukraine, a provision sought by Ukrainian President Voldodymyr Zelensky and his European allies in U.S.-brokered peace talks. 

“‘We confirm the position that has been voiced more than once about our categorical rejection of any scenarios involving the appearance of Ukraine military contingent with the participation of NATO countries (which is fraught with an uncontrolled escalation of the conflict with unpredictable consequences),’ a foreign ministry statement reported by Russian state media outlet Ria read. President Donald Trump already suggested a European-led peacekeeping force to ensure Russia does not invade Ukraine again would be a part of peace talks. Asked if U.S. would contribute forces, Trump said: ‘[Europe is] first line of defense, because they’re there, they’re Europe, but we’re going to help them out also, we’ll be involved…’” 

There are discussions on the Ukrainian, American and European side to guarantee protection “similar to” the one afforded in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty (which would require NATO membership). Newsmax said on August 18 that “President Donald Trump told Ukraine to give up hopes of getting back annexed Crimea or joining NATO.”  

But even Article 5 is no absolute guarantee of protection for NATO members. It states: 

“The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them . . . shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking . . . such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.” 

Brennan Center for Justice wrote on March 4, 2022:

“This language is relatively flexible. It permits each NATO member to decide for itself what action should be taken to address an armed attack on a NATO ally. It does not require any member to respond with military force, although it permits such responses as a matter of international law. A member may decide that instead of responding with force, it will send military equipment to NATO allies or impose sanctions on the aggressor.”

It may also conclude that no actions are necessary at all. 

No American Boots on the Ground 

Newsmax wrote on August 19: 

“President Donald Trump said American soldiers will not be on the ground, as long as he is president, despite pledging participation in Article 5-type security guarantees in a potential Russia-Ukraine peace deal… The ‘coalition of the willing’ – a subset of major NATO countries including France, Germany, and the U.K. – is ready to commit their troops in Ukraine to defend against Russian aggression…” 

Tentatively, a meeting is planned soon [within the next two weeks?] between Zelensky and Putin, suggested by Putin to be held in Moscow, with Trump as mediator. Reportedly, Zelensky rejected the location. According to other reports, Budapest (Hungary) could be chosen as the place for negotiations, or Geneva (Switzerland), which has promised Putin immunity if he travels to the city for peace talks.   

Who Would Send Troops?

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 21:

“‘Germany’s contribution to security guarantees has not yet been determined and this issue will be decided at the political and military levels,’ German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Tuesday. He added that there were still too many uncertainties…

“Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal and the Baltic states have also signaled their willingness to participate in a possible peacekeeping force in Ukraine.

However other European states are more cautious. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk rejects the deployment of Polish soldiers… Hungary and Slovakia are also opposed to the deployment of European troops…

“Austria and Italy are also cautious. Italian Prime minister Giorgia Meloni is particularly skeptical… [and] has so far avoided making any clear commitments….

“In any case, nothing will happen without a prior agreement with Russia. But Moscow has so far categorically rejected the deployment of NATO troops to Ukraine and there is little indication that would change.”

How the Phone Call Came About… 

Focus wrote on August 19: 

“Chancellor Friedrich Merz apparently played a decisive role in Donald Trump interrupting the Ukraine summit on Monday evening to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the phone. As ‘Bild‘ reports, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly told the group about a child who had been abducted to Russia. The child’s parents knew where the child was but had no way of contacting him or bringing him back home. 

“In total, Russia is said to have abducted 19,500 children. Many of them were given up for adoption. Zelensky is also said to have given Trump a letter from his wife, Olena, to Melania Trump, in which she thanked the US President’s wife. A few days earlier, [Melania] had asked Putin in a letter to ‘protect the innocence of children.’ 

“According to the ‘Bild‘ report, Zelensky’s story is said to have deeply affected Trump. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is said to have advised the US President to call Putin immediately and confront him about it. Trump then left the room and, contrary to his plan, spoke to the Kremlin chief on the phone before the end of the summit.” 

Newsmax added on August 19: 

“Trump left the European leaders seated in the Oval Office when he went to another room to privately call Putin at 1 a.m. local time in Russia… [Reportedly, the call lasted 40 minutes.] ‘I didn’t do that in front of them, that would be disrespectful to President Putin,’ Trump said. ‘President Putin wouldn’t talk to the people from Europe – that is part of the problem.’…” 

Merz Challenges Trump 

DPA wrote on August 18: 

“German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday took a hard stance on the need for a ceasefire in Ukraine before a peace deal with Russia can be signed, as European leaders convened in Washington with US President Donald Trump. In a public statement in the White House, alongside Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, Italian Prime Minister Giogia Meloni, Britain’s Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron [as well as Finnish President Alexander Stubb and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte], Merz said that ‘the path is open’ for negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. However, he warned that a trilateral meeting between Trump, Putin and Zelensky should not take place without a ceasefire in force. 

“‘I can’t imagine that the next meeting would take place without a ceasefire,’ Merz said. ‘Let’s try to put pressure on Russia because the credibility of these efforts we are undertaking today are depending on at least a ceasefire from the beginning of the serious negotiations.’ 

“The meeting came days after Trump hosted Putin in Alaska, after which he dropped his long-held calls for an immediate ceasefire in the war.” 

Fox News added on August 18: 

“Trump was asked about the prospect of a pre-deal ceasefire earlier Monday.  ‘I don’t think you’d need a ceasefire. If you look at the six deals that I settled this year, they were all at war – I didn’t do any ceasefires…’”

Trump’s Claims He Ended Six Wars 

The New York Post wrote on August 18: 

“President Trump repeated his frequent claim Monday that he’s ended six wars during his term in office. The White House has claimed that Trump resolved conflicts between the following countries:

“lsrael and Iran less than two months ago, during which the US bombed three of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear sites; Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda; Cambodia and Thailand; India and Pakistan; Serbia and Kosovo; Egypt and Ethiopia. 

“The extent to which Trump played a role in resolving these disputes is debatable. Furthermore, some of the conflicts ended with fragile accords. The peace deal between the DRC and Rwanda, for example, concluded with the involvement of a key Rwanda-backed rebel group. The conflicts between Israel and Iran, as well as India and Pakistan, are frozen rather than resolved.” 

The following article gives more insight. 

Politico wrote on August 18: 

“The list of wars Trump professes to have ended starts with the clash between India and Pakistan last May… India, however, vociferously denies any U.S. involvement in bringing the fighting to a close… Actual peace would mean settling the competing claims over Kashmir, which have resulted in violent clashes and wars between the two nations for decades… And while the active fighting may have ended for now, the underlying conflict very much continues to mark relations between the two countries. 

“Next on Trump’s list of peace deals is the clash between Israel and Iran… Trump’s decision to target core parts of Iran’s nuclear program did clearly play an important role in ending Israel’s bombing strikes and Iran’s counterstrikes. But that’s a far cry from achieving lasting peace. Instead, Iran will now likely intensify its effort to build a nuclear weapon, and Israel has made clear it reserves the right to strike at any time if Iran were to rebuild its nuclear or missile program and air defenses. 

“Not long after, in late June, came a comparatively more substantial deal to end the fighting between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Brokered by the U.S. and signed in the Oval Office, the agreement requires Rwanda to withdraw its troops from the DRC within 90 days… But while this deal is, indeed, a real step toward ending the conflict, it’s important to remember that the key lies in its implementation. And on that front, news is much more mixed, as fighting between the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group and the DRC continues unabated — in part because M23 didn’t sign on to the deal. 

“The following month then saw Trump have a hand in securing a ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand, after violent border clashes had erupted in late July. Facing pressure from China, Malaysia and the promise of trade deals with the U.S., the two countries eventually agreed to stop shooting and halt dispatching more troops to the region. Yet again, the underlying conflict that resulted in these armed clashes remains unresolved. Cambodia and Thailand have been fighting over the demarcation of their border, including for the crucial location of centuries-old Hindu temples along their 800-kilometer frontier, for decades now… 

“Finally, earlier this month, the U.S. president presided over the conclusion of a major agreement ending the war between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Following major clashes over Nagorno-Karabakh — an enclave in Azerbaijan that Armenia had seized in 1992 and Baku regained in 2023 — much of the leg work on this agreement had been completed before Trump took office. But two sticking points remained: A demand from Azerbaijan that Armenia erase any claim to Nagorno-Karabakh from its constitution — which will require a referendum — and a transportation link between two parts of Azerbaijan that runs through Armenian territory. Under Trump, the U.S.-brokered talks did lead to an agreement, including a U.S.-leased roadway connecting the two areas of Azerbaijan — a substantial deal and a real accomplishment. But, again, implementation will be key. 

“Nonetheless, Trump’s boast of ending six wars in six months is a lot less than meets the eye. The fact is, even if he had been completely successful in ending these wars, his record would still be overshadowed by his failure to end the two wars he actually vowed to solve— the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Far from ending them in 24 hours, as he boasted he would do during his reelection campaign, the situation in both has worsened since Trump’s return: In Gaza, the U.S. leader has essentially given the Israeli government a green light to occupy the strip, washing his hands of any effort to secure an end to the fighting. Meanwhile, in Ukraine, he sought to move the peace process forward by meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska — only to come up empty-handed and seemingly more in sync with Moscow than Kyiv…” 

The subsequent meeting in Washington turned out to be much better. However, Trump (and others) keep talking about a land swap… that Ukraine will have to give land to Russia… a demand which Ukraine had continuously rejected. 

Russia and China Demand a Say on Security Guarantees

Daily Mail wrote on August 21:

“Ukraine peace talks were in disarray on Wednesday after Russia effectively demanded Moscow and Beijing get a veto on any security guarantees…

“Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow must be part of the security guarantees. Putin’s man also said these ‘should be provided on an equal basis with the participation of countries such as China, the United States, the UK and France’. Lavrov added: ‘I’m sure in the West they understand that seriously discussing security issues without Russia is a utopia, it’s a road to nowhere.’

“[It would mean] none of the guarantors would be allowed to defend Ukraine from Russia unless they all agreed, including China and Russia.”

Trump’s Confession

 The Daily Mail reported on August 19: 

“President Donald Trump talked about his desire for eternal salvation as he discussed ongoing efforts to negotiate a lasting peace between Russia and Ukraine. 

“He invoked the Bible during an interview on Fox & Friends one day after hosting historic meetings at the White House to broker peace between the countries. ‘I want to get to heaven if possible. I’m hearing I’m not doing well. I hear I’m at the bottom of the totem pole,’ Trump said.”

ICE Deportations of the Wrong People Harmful to the US 

The New York Post wrote on August 17: 

“President Donald Trump delivered on his key campaign promise: Securing the border. Yet the only thing falling faster than illegal crossings has been his approval rating on immigration. The problem: Instead of building on his win at the border with more popular arrests of criminal threats inside the country, the administration is going after migrants indiscriminately.  

“Democrats can’t deny it: The border crisis is over. Border Patrol arrests have fallen nearly 90% since December to near-record lows. Nonetheless, only 40% of voters approved of the president’s handling of immigration… while 55% disapproved… Of course, people don’t actually want more illegal immigration. Polls consistently show that the president is the most trusted on the border. Instead, it’s the deportations from within the United States driving the discontent…  

“That doesn’t mean voters back the other side — 84% disagree with Democrats who want to suspend deportations completely… But Trump emphasized that he would prioritize ending ‘sanctuary and protection for dangerous criminals’ — the position of 81% of voters. Unfortunately, most voters don’t believe the president is doing that right now. 

“Even as late as June, voters told CBS News they thought that the president was prioritizing ‘dangerous criminals’ over peaceful immigrants 53%-47%. By mid-July, it was 44%-56% the other way — an 18 point swing in a month. What happened? Voters started to see how the priorities shifted… agents were instructed in late May to focus on ‘quantity over quality’ to meet a 3,000-per-day ‘goal’ set by the White House. ICE was advised to target people looking for work at Home Depot and to raid businesses in industries likely to employ illegal workers. 

“Rather than scooping up violent criminals recklessly sent back to the streets by New York City…, ICE is arresting immigrants who are helping power the Trump economy. Since the White House ordered the change, there has been a dramatic escalation in arrests of people without criminal records. In June, the number of immigrants arrested without criminal convictions was 1,100% higher than it was even in 2017 during the first Trump term: nearly 6,000 per week. 

“Yet there are still half a million illegal immigrants with criminal convictions out there to remove — and ICE should locate them before spending its time and resources on workers. It’s common sense: ICE agents told The Post that the policy was ‘leading them to leave some dangerous criminal illegal migrants on the streets.’   

“Setting aside politics and crime, Trump has already publicly acknowledged there’s an economic downside to these non-criminal deportations. ‘Our aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long-time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace,’ he said in June, referencing farms, hotels, and leisure businesses.  The president is correct. Besides the border, the president’s other primary election issue was inflation. And immigrants reduce inflation — not, as critics claim, by depressing wages for American workers, but by increasing production of goods and services. When supply decreases, prices go up for consumers, as we painfully saw throughout the pandemic… 

“Whatever the immigration politics are, Trump’s midterm success will ultimately depend most on his economic outcomes. Americans re-elected him because they remember his first term before the pandemic as a period of stable wage and job growth — but random mass deportations are both politically unpopular and economically destabilizing. Although the president has promised ‘changes are coming’ on deportations, none have yet occurred….”

In addition, Donald Trump promised to prioritize arrests, detentions and deportations of dangerous criminal illegal migrants. This promise has been clearly broken by Stephen Miller, Kristi Noem, Tom Homan and others. 

Don’t Pull the Plug on Israel 

The Algemeiner wrote on August 15: 

“US Sen. Lindsey Graham delivered a forceful defense of the US-Israel alliance at a South Carolina Republican Party meeting on Wednesday, warning that withdrawing American support for the Jewish state would carry both strategic and spiritual consequences. ‘If America pulls the plug on Israel, God will pull the plug on us,’ Graham told the crowd, framing the alliance as a moral imperative for the US. 

“The South Carolina Republican, a longtime supporter of Israel, criticized the use of the term ‘genocide’ to describe Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, arguing that the label is politically weaponized. ‘If Israel wanted to commit genocide, they could. They have the capability to do that. They choose not to,’ he said. ‘Hamas … would commit genocide in 30 seconds. They just can’t.’ Graham cast Israel as the most reliable ally of the US and emphatically defended the Jewish state as a force for good in the Middle East… 

“While Graham’s comments echoed the staunchly pro-Israel position favored by the Republican Party’s foreign policy establishment, some in the party, such as Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-SC) have called for greater scrutiny of US backing of Israel… Greene… falsely accused Israel of attempting to eradicate the Palestinian population. Greene, a conservative Republican with an extensive history of antisemitic statements, has recently accused Israel of committing a so-called ‘genocide’ in Gaza… In recent weeks, Greene has established herself as a vocal critic of Israel, breaking ranks with the rest of the Republican party…” 

Unexplained Fatalities in the Epstein Orbit

The Drudge Report referred to the following article by the National Enquirer of August 14:

“Jeffrey Epstein’s mysterious death occurred six years ago this month — but the National Enquirer has discovered 22 people in the sketchy billionaire’s orbit have also died under murky circumstances, fueling fears of a cover-up by powerful figures seeking to erase potential witnesses. From the predator’s alleged victims to house managers, lawyers, accountants, investigative journalists and pimps, the list of unexplained fatalities traces a dark money trail that leads straight to Epstein’s inner circle, sources say… 

“Financier Steven Hoffenberg confessed in a final account before his death to the Enquirer’s Doug Montero that Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted pedophile’s now-imprisoned recruiting madam, were ‘taping’… videos of sleazy VIPs with underage girls for a cabal of deep-state blackmailing power brokers… 

“Epstein’s final cellmate, Efrain ‘Stone’ Reyes, 51, died of COVID in November 2020 just weeks after talking with federal investigators probing the monstrous moneyman’s death. Reyes was transferred out of Epstein’s cell just one day before the bigwig’s death… 

“Three of Epstein’s outspoken accusers also suspiciously perished. Virginia Giuffre, 41, was found dead on April 25 in an apparent suicide, while sex slaves Carolyn Andriano, 36, and Leigh Skye Patrick, 29, died of drug overdoses in May 2023 and May 2017. The three women are not the only dead bodies related to Epstein’s days in West Palm Beach, Fla., where he was accused of abusing and pimping out dozens of young girls. 

“Despite overwhelming evidence of his purported obscene operation, Epstein received a sweetheart deal orchestrated by the feds in 2008 — and was allowed to plead guilty to two state prostitution charges and served only 13 months in a cushy county jail work-release program. 

“Joe Recarey, the Palm Beach Police detective who led the Epstein investigation and pushed officials for justice, died May 25, 2018, after a brief illness at 50. Epstein’s ex-butler Alfredo Rodriguez — who swiped his former boss’ infamous little black book and offered to sell it to an undercover FBI agent — died in December 2014 of mesothelioma at 60, after serving 13 months in federal prison on obstruction charges… 

“Two high-powered attorneys who helped Epstein skate in the West Palm Beach case have also passed away: Kenneth Starr in September 2022 at 76 after surgical complications and Roy Black, 80, who died last month at home… 

“Marvin Minsky, the MIT artificial intelligence pioneer named in Giuffre’s Epstein allegations, suffered a fatal cerebral hemorrhage in January 2016 at 88, while Ronald R. Eppinger Sr., a Miami pimp who was allegedly the first to traffic Giuffre, died at 80 in November 2006. Two investigative journalists chasing the Epstein scandal have also met their end. Former NYPD detective and Epstein book author John Connolly passed away in January 2022 at 78…  Celebrity biographer Wendy Leigh’s body was found beneath her London balcony in May 2016. Her death remains questioned as initial reports suggested suicide, but her agent emphasized the 65-year-old’s optimistic view on life… 

“Jean-Luc Brunel, 75, a French modeling agency boss awaiting trial for allegedly trafficking girls to Epstein, was found hanged inside a Paris prison cell in February 2022. Movie producer Steve Bing, 55, plunged from the 27th floor of his L.A. apartment building in June 2020 after talking to the FBI about Epstein. Mark Middleton, 59, an advisor to former President Bill Clinton with ties to Epstein, was found hanged and shot in Arkansas in May 2022 in what was ruled a suicide. 

“Thomas Bowers, 55, a head of the Deutsche Bank wealth management division that moved money for Epstein, was also found hanged inside his California home in November 2019. Epstein pal and former New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson died in his sleep in September 2023 at 75, and physicist Stephen Hawking, who is known to have visited Epstein’s island, passed away in his U.K. home in March 2018 at 76… 

“The Enquirer can also reveal unusual deaths followed Epstein even before he became a household name. The death toll began 40 years ago, when the since-disgraced mogul began working as a trusted financial advisor for tycoon Les Wexner, the L Brands founder and former owner of lingerie company Victoria’s Secret and fashion retailer Abercrombie & Fitch. Epstein’s predecessor at L Brands, 43-year-old lawyer Arthur Shapiro, was gunned down in March 1985 just weeks before he was expected to be questioned by the IRS about illegal tax shelters… Soon after Shapiro’s death, Epstein took over managing Wexner’s finances. FBI documents mention Shapiro’s unsolved murder and the sex peddler’s possible link to prime suspect Berry L. Kessler. Kessler died at age 84 in 2005 inside a Georgia federal prison after being convicted a decade earlier of masterminding two separate murder-for-hire plots unrelated to Shapiro. 

“Now, Ghislaine Maxwell — the only known living Epstein accomplice currently behind bars — was mysteriously transferred from a Florida penitentiary to a minimum-security facility in Texas that has no surveillance cameras or recordings. Maxwell’s brother Ian exclusively tells the Enquirer that his sister is ‘not suicidal,’ and experts believe the deep-state cabal wants to make sure the last remaining witness is silenced. An insider warns, ‘She’s got a bull’s-eye on her back!’” 

Some of the fatalities mentioned above appear to be rather “natural,” given the old age of those who died. Others however do appear somewhat or very suspicious. 

Mandatory Military Service in Germany? 

Politico wrote on August 14: 

“Germany’s grand coalition is headed for a fight over whether the country’s effort to increase the size of its military should include the option of compulsory military service. The conservative Christian Democrats are sparring with the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) within the ruling coalition over the shape of the country’s new military draft law… which is set to be presented in Cabinet on Aug. 27…

“The bill is Defense Minister Boris Pistorius’ attempt to address the Bundeswehr’s chronic personnel shortage without fully reintroducing mandatory conscription, which Germany suspended in 2011. Under the proposal, all draft-age men would be required to register and undergo a screening process, but only a targeted number would be called up for service. Women could volunteer… Crucially, compulsory service would only kick in if parliament votes for it in a separate decision.  

“The Christian Democrats want the law to go further by introducing a mandatory service year, which would include compulsory military service as one option, alongside civilian alternatives like work in hospitals or schools. They also reject the idea of requiring a parliamentary vote to trigger conscription in a crisis, a prerequisite in the legislation… Multiple parliamentary advisers told POLITICO they doubt the bill, as drafted, could win the political backing needed to pass.” 

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.

Even though the Bible records that some in the Old Testament paid God’s tithe before Moses, there are those who claim that there was no obligation to pay the tithe before Moses, and it only became an obligation when the Levitical tithing system was instituted under Moses. They also claim that the tithing system was only instituted for Israel (some even say, the Jews, confusing the house of Israel with the house of Judah), and that any obligation to pay tithe ended at the time when Israel and Judah went into captivity. They say that in any event, there is no tithing obligation for New Testament Christians as Christ came to abolish the commandment to pay tithe.

All of these assumptions are wrong.

We say the following in our free booklet, “Tithing — Today?” 

“One of the ancients who honored God with tithing was righteous Abraham. We are told that Abraham [Abram] gave a tithe of his income to the high priest, Melchizedek. We read in Genesis 14:20 that Abraham gave him ‘a tithe [or one-tenth] of all.’ In the book of Hebrews, it is again mentioned that Abraham gave Melchizedek ‘a tenth of the spoils’ (Hebrews 7:4)…

“So then, why did Abraham give the high priest the tithe? Had Abraham done it before, or was this the first time? And if it was the first time, how did this thought enter his mind?

“The context of both passages in Genesis 14 and Hebrews 7 shows that Abraham practiced tithing as a way of life. We read that Abraham kept God’s ‘charge.’ We also find this statement from God Himself regarding Abraham, that ‘Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws’ (Genesis 26:5). In other words, Abraham was OBEDIENT TO GOD IN EVERYTHING, and that included tithing in accordance with God’s instructions.

“We also read of the patriarch, Jacob, who became obedient to God’s instructions on tithing, as well. When he fled for his life from his brother Esau, God appeared to him in a dream. When Jacob awoke, he made a vow, stating, ‘… of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth [or tithe] to You’ (Genesis 28:22)… Again, how did Jacob know that God required this of him? The obvious answer is that Abraham, his grandfather, and Isaac, his father, had taught him. However, Jacob had not yet begun to tithe, because he had not yet accepted God as his God. Rather, he said, ‘If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, THEN the LORD shall be my God’ (Genesis 28:20–21)…”

We will later come back to the question as to whom Jacob (and Isaac) gave the tithe. In the case of Abraham (Abram), we already read that he gave it to the high priest “Melchizedek.”

We explain in our above-quoted booklet who Melchizedek was.

“We read in Hebrews 7:4–8: ‘Now consider how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. And indeed, those who are of the sons of Levi, who receive the priesthood, have a commandment to receive tithes from the people according to the law, that is, from their brethren, though they have come from the loins of Abraham; but he whose genealogy is not derived from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. Now beyond all contradiction the lesser is blessed by the better. Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.’

“Notice, too, Hebrews 7:28: ‘For the law [regulating the collection of tithes through the Levites] appoints as high priests men who have weaknesses, but the word of the oath, which came after the law [pertaining to the Levites], appoints the Son who has been perfected forever.’

“‘Christ, who is a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek’ (verse 17), was none other than Melchizedek Himself. Melchizedek is described as the ‘king of peace,’ without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remain[ing] a priest continually’ (verses 2–3). It is said about Melchizedek that he ‘receives them [tithes], of whom it is witnessed that he LIVES’ (verse 8).

“The ONLY human who has been resurrected from death to ETERNAL LIFE is Jesus Christ… Melchizedek and Jesus Christ are one and the same person! We read that Melchizedek was without beginning—and so was Christ, the Eternal One…”

It was Christ, in the person of Melchizedek, who appeared to Abraham as the priest of the Most High—God the Father—to receive the tithe from Abraham. This was hardly the first, nor the only time, that Abraham had paid the tithe, as we have seen before; nor, that he paid it only on that occasion to Melchizedek.

We read that Melchizedek was called “king of Salem” and “king of righteousness (Hebrews 7:2). He actually ruled in Salem or Jerusalem as the King of Jerusalem and the King of Peace. We do not know for long He ruled there, and when His rule began or ended, but we do know that He ruled as king when He met Abraham, and undoubtedly longer than that. This does not mean that Christ had become a Man of flesh and blood, but He did manifest Himself as a Man.

We say more about Melchizedek in our free booklet “God Is… Our Destiny” (Chapter 19):

“We read in Genesis 14:18–21 that Christ, as Melchizedek, appeared to Abraham, then called Abram, who gave Him the tithe of everything. Hebrews 7 confirms that Melchizedek was indeed Jesus Christ who lived at that time as High Priest among the people (compare verses 3, 8). He had not become a Man, but He lived for a while ‘as’ a man; that is, He manifested Himself as a man. Abram knew who Melchizedek was…

“… later in Genesis 18…, Christ and two angels ‘appeared’ to Abraham as ‘men’ (verse 2) when they were about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. They ate and spoke with him (Genesis 18:1–15). But this does not mean that they actually WERE men—that is, flesh and blood human beings. They just manifested themselves AS human beings. Abraham knew right away that one of the three was Christ, calling Him ‘My Lord’ in verse 3 (compare also verses 27, 30, 32). The word is Adonai, which Abraham used in reference to God (compare Genesis 15:2). He recognized Christ, having seen Him before when He appeared to Him as Melchizedek. (In passing, the word Adonai is actually a plural word, meaning ‘my lords’; the singular form is adon. This is another proof that Abraham knew that God consists of more than one Person.)…”

When Christ came to this earth as a Man and died for us, the tithing obligation was changed, but not in the sense that it was no longer obligatory to tithe, but in the sense that Levites would no longer collect the tithe; rather, Jesus Christ would receive the tithe again, as He had received it before, prior to Moses, in the Person of Melchizedek. We are told, in the book of Hebrews, that with Christ’s death and resurrection, a change in the ADMINISTRATION of the tithing obligation occurred (compare Hebrews 7:11-12).

As it was prior to Moses, so it is today: God’s tithe, holy to Him, is to be paid directly to Christ. As Christ is the Head of the Body, His Church, God’s tithe must be paid to His Church.

That the obligation to pay God’s tithe did not cease can be seen in the end-time prophecy of the book of Malachi. We say in our above-mentioned booklet “Tithing – Today?”:

“God inspired [Malachi] to record His stirring warning in Malachi 3:8–10: ‘“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, “In what way have we robbed You?” In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me, Even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,’ Says the LORD of hosts, ‘If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.’”

“… Although recorded in the Old Testament, the statement refers equally, if not more so, to God’s New Testament Church, as well as to all of mankind just prior to Christ’s return… The entire context of the book of Malachi has to do with OUR immediate future!

“For instance, we read in Malachi 4:1–4: “‘For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,’ Says the LORD of hosts, ‘That will leave them neither root nor branch. But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves. You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet On the day that I do this,’ Says the LORD of hosts. ‘Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, Which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, With the statutes and judgments.’”

“This is a challenge God extends to us today! Malachi’s prophecies apply to us today AND to our immediate future! The Law of Moses—with its statutes and judgments—includes God’s law to tithe. God says to remember this and to cease from robbing Him—cease neglecting to tithe to Him His HOLY tithe! To those who obey Him, God says in Malachi 3:17: “‘They shall be Mine,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him.’ Then you shall again discern Between the righteous and the wicked, Between the one who serves God And one who does not serve Him.’”

“Jesus Christ confirmed that the tithing law was still in effect at the time of His first coming. While emphasizing that tithing is not an end in itself, He nevertheless endorsed its validity: ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone’ (Matthew 23:23). Note that Christ talked about ‘paying’ tithes, even confirming that this OUGHT TO BE DONE!”

Returning to Abraham and Jacob, we saw that Abraham paid the tithe directly to Melchizedek. Jacob said that he would pay the tithe if he would be blessed by God. But to WHOM would he pay it? We read in Genesis 28 that he came to Bethel and had a dream in which he saw the LORD (Jesus Christ) and His angels (verses 12-15). The LORD spoke to him in the dream by stating that He was the “LORD God of Abraham and of Isaak” (verse 13) and He promised him protection and that He would bring him back to this place in the future (verse 15). When Jabob woke up, he recognized that “the LORD is in this place and I did not know it” (verse 16). He also said that if I were to come back to his father’s house in peace, then the LORD (Jesus Christ) would be his God, and “of all You give me I surely give a tenth TO YOU” (verses 21-22).

In other words, he promised to pay the tithe to the LORD—apparently in the Person of the High Priest Melchizedek, who was obviously still ruling by that time as the King of Jerusalem. He must have known this, as there was no Levitical priesthood yet, and to state that he would give the tithe to the LORD would make little sense, unless he knew how to do this. He knew that Abraham, his grandfather, had given the tithe to Melchizedek, and apparently also his father Isaac had done so, and so he, Jacob, would do the same.

We find another interesting prophecy in Isaiah 1:26 about Jerusalem or Zion, after Christ has returned to earth, where we read: “I will restore your judges as at the first, And your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.”

Up until the time of David, Jerusalem was not even in the hands of Israel and Judah, so the reference to righteous judges could hardly be applied to the Jebusites who possessed the city at the time of David which he conquered. Applying this to the time of the Judges or Moses, as some suggest, would make little sense either—at that time, Jerusalem was not ruled or judged by the Israelites.

The Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers points out:

“The city of righteousness… There is possibly an allusive reference to the idea embodied in the [name] of Melchizedek… (Genesis 14:18; Hebrews 7:2) as connected with Jerusalem. So in Jeremiah 33:16 the ideal city, no less than the ideal king, is to be called Jehovah Tsidkenu (‘the LORD our righteousness’).”

So, it appears that the reference in Isaiah 1:26 is to Melchizedek when He ruled Salem or Jersualem, apparently with some of His righteous angels, who could be described as “judges” or “counselors” (compare Daniel 4:13, 17; 1 Kings 22:19-20; Revelation 4:4). And it would have been Melchizedek to whom Abraham, Isaac and Jacob regularly brought their tithe and offerings. But in the future, it will be the born-again members of the God Family who will rule under Christ as judges and priests over angels (Revelation 5:10; 20:4, 6; Hebrews 2:5, 8; 1 Corinthians 6:3), and the people will bring their tithes and offerings to them to be used for righteous purposes.

Lead Writer: Norbert Link

compiled by Dave Harris

“Is There (No) Peace After All?” is the title of the newest StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

The meeting in Washington between Trump, Zelensky, and European leaders was far more promising than the previous meeting between Trump and Putin in Alaska. But Russia would now have to play along, which it clearly isn’t. It categorically rejects the security guarantees for Ukraine, proposed by Trump and the Europeans, or combines them with demands that are absolutely laughable. Trump is now seemingly losing his patience with Putin. Where will all this lead?

“Gibt es doch (keinen) Frieden?” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same information as described above.

“The Debacle of Trump’s Meeting with Putin in Alaska,” is the title of a new StandingWatch program, presented by Evangelist Norbert Link. Here is the summary:

Why do we say that the meeting was a debacle? Well, what did it accomplish? What was agreed upon? Even though we haven’t heard much about the exact nature of a deal, in an interview subsequent to the meeting, Trump let slip a few things, which were in favor of Russia and which Ukraine would never agree to. But most importantly, what does the BIBLE say about the future of Russia and Ukraine, as well as Europe and the USA?

“Das Debakel von Trumps Treffen mit Putin in Alaska,” is the title of a new AufPostenStehen program, presented by Norbert Link. This German program covers the same information as described above.

“Gottes Warnung an wahre und falsche Christen,” is the title of this Sabbath’s German sermon, presented by Norbert Link. Title in English: “God’s Warning to True and False Christians.”

“Wertschätzung” last Sabbath’s German sermonette by Marc Völler, is now posted. Title in English: “Appreciation,”

“Halte die Treue,” last Sabbath’s German sermon presented by Thilo Hanstein, is now posted. Title in English: “Keep Loyalty.”

“God of Peace — Peace of God,” last Sabbath’s sermonette presented by Eric Rank, is now posted. Here is the summary:

The world we live in constantly threatens to steal away our peace of mind and peace between one another. God offers us a sure path to experience lasting peace if we have the courage and faith to follow Him. The God of peace provides us with the opportunity to obtain the peace of God.

“Your Christianity–Counterfeit or Real?” last Sabbath’s sermon presented by Dave Harris, is now posted. Here is the summary:

It is the largest of the world’s religions, and 2.4 billion people claim to be Christians! But is this the Christianity of the Bible or a counterfeit? Is your Christian faith real, or have you been deceived?