Origin THIS

WAR!
a Special

!
report on

ile
of Music china
MEANS

Sm
Trumpet
December 2010
The Philadelphia www.thetrumpet.com

Armstrong
Auditorium
 contents December 2010  Vol. 21, No. 10 Circ. 295,382

4 23

28 18 32
Departments science WORLD
11 from the editor 21 The Perfect Ecosystem 211 On the Edge of Tyranny
Pope Meets the
Queen—Insight 1
specia l report  china
bible
Into Man’s
Magnificent WORLD 181 Where Did Music Come From?
Future! 41 This Means War
Where global trade disputes are leading—
141 worldwatch and how they will upend your life
Living
231 Practice Happy
321 principles of living 81 Why Chinese Miners Are Smiling
Ending the War 101 Map: Conquering the World News of the work
on Poverty One Contract at a Time
101 Reach Out to Your Neighbors
281 T he Magnificent New
341 letters Armstrong Auditorium
121 The Silk Superhighway
351 commentary
Thy Kingdom
Come HISTORY
241 Is China in the Bible?
361 television Log
The Key of David

For a free subscription in the U.S. and Canada, call 1-800-772-8577

Cover Staff  Publisher and Editor in Chief Gerald Flurry  The Philadelphia Trumpet (issn 10706348) is published monthly Contact us Please notify us of any change in your address; include your old mail-
Armstrong Executive Editor Stephen Flurry News Editor (except bimonthly May-June and November-December issues) by ing label and the new address. The publishers assume no responsibility for return
Auditorium at the Philadelphia Church of God, 14400 S. Bryant Ave, Edmond, ok of unsolicited artwork, photographs or manuscripts. The editor reserves the right
night (Trumpet
Ron Fraser Managing Editor Joel Hilliker Con- 73034. Periodicals postage paid at Edmond, ok, and additional mail- to use any letters, in whole or in part, as he deems in the public interest, and to
photo by Aubrey tributing Editors Mark Jenkins, Ryan Malone, ing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to: the philadelphia edit any letter for clarity or space. Website www.theTrumpet.com E-mail letters@
Mercado) Brad Macdonald, Robert Morley, Philip Nice trumpet, p.o. Box 3700, Edmond, ok 73083. ©2010 Philadelphia theTrumpet.com; subscription or literature requests [email protected] Phone
Church of God. All rights reserved. printed in the u.s.a. Un- U.S., Canada: 1-800-772-8577; Australia: 1-800-22-333-0; New Zealand: 0-800-500-
Associate Editor Donna Grieves Production less otherwise noted, scriptures are quoted from the King James 512. Contributions, letters or requests may be sent to our office nearest you: United
Manager Michael Dattolo Research Assistants Version of the Holy Bible. U.S. How your subscription has been States p.o. Box 3700, Edmond, ok 73083 Canada p.o. Box 400, Campbellville, on
Adar Nice, Aubrey Mercado, Richard Palmer paid: The Trumpet has no subscription price—it is free. This is l0p 1b0. Caribbean p.o. Box 2237, Chaguanas, Trinidad, w.i. Britain, Europe, Middle
Proofreader Nancy Hancock Circulation Shane made possible by the tithes and offerings of the membership of East p.o. Box 900, Northampton, nn5 9al, England Africa p.o. Box 2969, Dur-
Granger International Editions Editor Wik Heer- the Philadelphia Church of God and others. Contributions, how-
ever, are welcomed and are tax-deductible in the United States,
banville, 7551, South Africa Australia, Pacific Isles, India, Sri Lanka p.o. Box 375,
Narellan, nsw 2567, Australia New Zealand p.o. Box 6088, Glenview, Hamilton, 3246
ma French, Italian Deryle Hope German Hans Canada and New Zealand. Those who wish to voluntarily support Philippines p.o. Box 52143, Angeles Cit y Post Off ice, 2009 Pampanga
Schmidl Spanish Edition Editor Carlos Heyer this worldwide work of God are gladly welcomed as co-workers. Latin America Attn: Spanish Department, p.o. Box 3700, Edmond, ok 73083, U.S.
From the editor

Pope Meets the Queen—

Insight Into Man’s Magnificent Future!
T
he pope sits on a throne. So does the queen of the truth in love, opposed the Nazis and
Britain. If people understood only the true history of paid for that opposition with their lives.
those two thrones, they would know where this world As we reflect on the sobering lessons of
is headed and how it is about to be filled with happiness the atheist extremism of the 20th century,
and joy—after some terrible suffering. let us never forget how the exclusion of
Most Catholics don’t understand the true history of their own God, religion and virtue from public life
church. And most of the British people don’t understand the true leads ultimately to a truncated vision of
history of the Queen’s throne. man and of society and thus to a ‘reduc-
In September, the pope visited Britain and the Queen. It was tive vision of the person and his destiny’
the first visit by a pope since the Reformation. Earth-shak- (Caritas in Veritate, 29)” (emphasis mine
ing changes are occurring in Europe and in Britain! The Refor- throughout). The Catholic Church in gerald Flurry
mation is being reversed. The Catholic Church is gaining most of Europe is very different from the Editor in chief
unparalleled power. one in the U.S.
What does that mean to you? Any truth-seeking historian knows the pope has grossly dis-
The pope’s visit was a historic moment in the Catholic torted that Nazi history!
Church, Britain and the world! Were the Nazis atheistic extremists who excluded God? It was
actually the inclusion of “God” and religious ideol-
ogy that provided the Nazi regime its greatest source
of inspiration. Adolf Hitler himself was a deeply re-
ligious man (a Catholic) and wanted to be seen as a
religious figure.
“We are not a movement—rather we are a re-
ligion,” Hitler said about his regime (Robert G.L.
Waite, The Psychopathic God: Adolf Hitler).
“Christ was the greatest early fighter in the battle
against the world enemy, the Jews,” Hitler said in 1926.
“The work that Christ started but could not finish,
I—Adolf Hitler—will conclude” (John Toland, Adolf
Hitler). Hitler even said he learned from the Je-
suit order “above all.”
historic Were the Catholic priests in general opposed to
Queen Elizabeth the Nazis? On the contrary, they were generally unit-
hosted the pope ed with them! If not, why did the Vatican, at the end
in September. of World War ii, help more Nazis escape than any
other institution? Nobody else even came close!
Historians have documented the infamous ratlines
Most of the world is asleep to what is happening in Europe. that ran through the Vatican and helped the defeated Nazis escape.
But people are about to be struck by lightning that will bring They will forever remain a bloody stain on its history.
them out of their stupor. The Catholic Church was so dedicated to the Nazis
The Bible tells us that God is going to save most of humanity. that it helped thousands escape even after Germany
That includes Catholics, Protestants, Muslims and all other reli- was defeated! That historical fact indicates the stron-
gious people, but in His time frame and in His way. gest kind of loyalty to the Nazis!
God’s hand is even behind the rising power of the Catholic If people realized where all this is leading, they would be deep-
Church today. But you need to read our material to understand ly frightened. But how many leaders do you see challenging the
why. pope’s distorted view of history? That gives you a good idea of how
Pope Benedict xvi said this to the Queen and the British peo- many leaders fear the Catholic Church. And that fear is growing!
ple: “Even in our own lifetime, we can recall how Britain and her
leaders stood against a Nazi tyranny that wished to eradicate God The Queen’s Speech
from society and denied our common humanity to many, espe- Here is one statement the Queen made to the pope: “I am pleased
cially the Jews, who were thought unfit to live. I also recall the that your visit will also provide an opportunity to deepen the
regime’s attitude to Christian pastors and religious who spoke ➤ See QUEEN page 33

getty images The Philadelphia Trumpet  December 2010 1

 Perfect
The
Ecosystem
 Man’s best attempt at creating a life-sustaining the structure, for all the high hopes and

I
diligent work of those involved, it didn’t
ecosystem—would it work?  by Michael Dattolo quite work right.
It was meant to be completely sealed
n 1991, eight people volun- cliff. Peering off the cliff, we watched gen- for two years. Sixteen months in, how-
tarily sealed themselves in- tle waves roll across a million-gallon ocean, ever, the biospherians were losing too
side a three-acre collection of complete with an ecosystem of fish and much oxygen. The balance of plant life
domes for two years, cutting coral. We learned that the fish there are not had not been correct, and carbon in the
off air, water and food from fed—they feed off each other, as in the wild. atmosphere was rising to dangerous levels.
the outside world. From the savanna, we passed through Though the cause was eventually discov-
The volunteers planned two sets of plastic curtains and instantly ered, there was no way to reverse it. The
to receive everything they began sweating. We had entered a des- team either had to pump in extra oxygen
needed to survive from inside ert, as brown and hot as the savanna was from outside, or end the experiment. They
the glass domes, collectively called Bio- green and cool. Here, the biospherians pumped in the oxygen.
sphere 2. They grew fruits and vegetables had studied the effects of drought. Other unforeseen complications arose.
and raised goats and chickens for food. From the scorching desert, we passed Food was more difficult to grow than ex-
They recycled every drop of water they through two more sets of curtains and pected, and after one year the biospheri-
used—condensing water from the air and encountered a heavy mist we could barely ans had lost 10 to 18 percent of their body
reusing waste water for see through. We had en- weight. Eventually, extra food had to be im-
the plants. They didn’t tered the oxygen factory, ported. Partly because of these problems,
want to take oxygen brave new WORLD the rainforest. Trees and the scientific community wouldn’t take the
from the outside world, Clockwise from top: The savan- vines grew to the top of project seriously. Shortly after the first ex-
so Biosphere 2 was to- na biome sits atop a three-story the 60-foot ceiling. periment ended in 1993, funding dried up,
tally sealed. It was more cliff overlooking a million-gallon We t hen headed and Biosphere 2 was put up for sale.
airtight than the space ocean; dense mist fills the downstairs into what As we concluded our tour, our guide
shuttle. In order to keep rainforest biome; Biosphere 2 was called the techno- remarked on the abundance of machinery
the air inside oxygen- includes multiple biome struc- sphere. To support the in the basement necessary to sustain life
ated, plants grew every- tures and living quarters; a path three acres of land inside in the biomes. “It just makes you realize,”
where, especially in the winds through the desert biome. Biosphere 2 above, there he said, “how much we take for granted
rainforest area; the abun- were over two acres of what Mother Nature has provided for us
dant plant life soaked up carbon dioxide. supporting machines in the basement. here on Earth.”
It was an experiment unprecedented in The technosphere distinctly contrasted Mother Nature. I laughed to myself at
scope and ingenious in design. It was ex- the natural beauty of the biomes above. that.
pensive too—construction alone cost over Here, stiff concrete walls surrounded us. Biosphere 2 represents the pinnacle
$150 million. No one had attempted to cre- Massive mechanical water pumps circu- of human achievement in creating a life-
ate a complete, separate ecosystem like this lated and treated water. Giant fans pushed sustaining ecosystem. Hundreds of bril-
before. Like Earth, which draws energy air through the corridors and up above. liant minds—scientists, engineers, build-
from the sun, the only thing Biosphere 2 There was even a 158-foot-diameter ers—considered and discussed thousands
would draw in from outside was power. circular room called the lung. At the top of technical details needed to sustain life.
In September 1991, the eight inhabit- of the lung was a massive metal sphere, The biospherians were extremely careful
ants (“biospherians”) began the first of affixed to the walls by a flexible rubber to care for their environment, avoiding all
what was to be 50 two-year missions. sheet. At night, when Biosphere 2 was chemicals and pollutants (nothing from
cool, the metal hung only a few feet above perfume to chemical fertilizers was al-
And Through Here, the Desert Room the floor. Then, as the sun rose and the air lowed in). And still, Biosphere 2 couldn’t
Located just north of Tucson, Arizona, inside the biomes heated and expanded, quite sustain life on its own.
Biosphere 2 looks like a giant greenhouse. the pressure would push the metal sphere Yet here we live on Biosphere 1—
It is now open to visitors, and I took a guid- up. It was awesome and frightening to Earth—which functions flawlessly, de-
ed tour there in September. No one lives in stand under the 16-ton metal sphere that spite man’s lack of care in its stewardship.
it now—but I saw the trees the biospheri- was suspended only by air pressure. With- Could this remarkable life-supporting
ans had planted as saplings 20 years ago, out this lung, the pressure changes inside planet have happened by accident?
and learned the story of the experiment’s Biosphere 2 would have caused the glass I left Biosphere 2 with, more than any-
thrilling conception and painful demise. structure to explode. thing, wonder and gratitude for the re-
Walking through the Biosphere is like markable intelligence of the Being who
walking into new worlds again and again. Impressive, But … conceived, planned and built the remark-
Stepping through the living quarters, we No doubt, Biosphere 2 was an incredible able ecosystem we live on, draw breath
entered the first “biome,” a lush savanna achievement. But for all the brilliance of from, and survive in without thought ev-
that flourished atop a steep, three-story the design, for all the money poured into ery day—Planet Earth. n

Aspersions at the English language Wikipedia, trumpet photos The Philadelphia Trumpet  December 2010 3
 SPECIAL REPORT CHINA

This
means
Where global trade disputes are leading—and how they
War Perhaps the most significant fact, es-
pecially for Americans, is the enormous

I
will upend your life  By Brad Macdonald and Robert Morley leverage China has over the U.S. econo-
my—and the fact that China’s leaders ap-
s China waging war on the platitudes and promises, and look square- pear ready to use it as a weapon!
United States? Many would say ly at the incontrovertible facts. If we look at the facts, it’s hard to deny
the notion that Beijing is actively Among those facts are China’s un- that the United States and China—even
trying to topple the U.S. is pre- scrupulous land grabs in Australia, New now­— are at war!
posterous. But is it? Zealand and across the continents of Af- Presently, it is a financial war. More-
Sun Tzu, the fifth-century rica and South America. The fervor with over, the globalized nature of our world
Chinese military general, taught which it seeks to gratify its insatiable ap- means this trade and currency war is not
that “all war is based on decep- petite for raw materials. Its near monopoly confined to just these two economies. In
tion.” What if China has managed over vital and strategic rare earth miner- fact, the increasingly radical actions of
to blind America to its true motive? The als. Its aggressive, unrelenting acquisition these two behemoths have set off global
thing about deception is that the deceived of foreign companies and businesses. Its trade and currency wars—wars that his-
have no clue they have been deceived. insidious relationships with anti-Amer- tory and Bible prophecy say precede a tu-
Is it even possible to discern China’s ican, anti-democratic states and tyrants. multuous and terrifying future.
true ambitions? The brash confidence with which its lead-
It is. First, we must look past the politi- ers operate in international relations. Its Race to the Bottom
cally correct words being uttered by poli- striking military aggrandizement and Around the world, national economies, es-
ticians on both sides. We must see beyond growing appetite for military provocation. pecially those of industrialized states, con-

4 December 2010  The Philadelphia Trumpet

 The problem is, it amounts to an act of Beijing’s currency manipulation as long
war against other nations. as the U.S. economy chugged along at 3 to
In our globalized world, when one 5 percent growth per year.
country devalues its currency to boost But as the U.S. economy slows, Wash-
exports (and the broader economy), other ington is searching for ways to boost man-
national economies are significantly dis- ufacturing and, along with it, employment
advantaged. The exports of the disadvan- and consumer spending. To increase ex-
taged economies become uncompetitive. ports, the Federal Reserve has driven the
The result? Manufacturing and industry dollar low. During September alone, the
slump, unemployment rises and consum- dollar tanked 4.5 percent against a basket
er spending drops. To remain competitive, of major currencies contained in the U.S.
the disadvantaged must react by devalu- Dollar Index—by historical standards, a
ing their own currency. huge drop.
If it persists, this race to the bottom But economic growth remains slow, for
threatens to paralyze global trade and a number of reasons. One primary reason:
destabilize the entire financial system! It China. As long as Beijing keeps the yuan
would wreak particular havoc on the most lower than the dollar, goods manufac-

ar
debt-laden national economies. tured in the U.S. remain uncompetitive.
This is precisely what experts fear is How bad are the consequences? So bad
now happening. that the White House—hardly a confron-
In September, Brazil’s Finance Minister tational administration—now appears
Guido Mantega declared that “we’re in the willing to confront Beijing on the issue.
midst of an international
currency war.” Billionaire
investor and financial guru
George Soros agrees. “I
share the growing concern
about the misalignment of
currencies,” he wrote in the
Financial Times. “Brazil’s
finance minister speaks of
a latent currency war, and watch 2011
he is not far off the mark” The IMF’s Dominique
(October 7; emphasis ours Strauss-Kahn warns
throughout). of currency wars.
Dominique Strauss-
Kahn, the head of the In-
ternational Monetary Fund
(imf), warned that in gov-
“Currencies can be used as
ernments the world over
the idea is beginning to
a policy weapon.”
tinue to suffer the aftershocks of the global “circulate that currencies can be used as a In October, for example, the U.S.
financial crisis set off in the United States policy weapon.” “With almost no country House of Representatives passed the Cur-
in September 2008. In Europe, North and wanting a strong currency … as they try rency Reform for Fair Trade Act. Under
South America and Asia, economies are to stimulate economic recovery, and with this new law (which has yet to pass in the
stagnant, or only growing at a snail’s pace. the U.S. and the EU pushing for a yuan Senate), punitive tariffs would be imposed
National debt is soaring, industry is seiz- revaluation, the big theme in 2011 is shap- on Chinese exports as long as Beijing in-
ing up, and unemployment is rocketing. ing up to be some sort of currency wars,” tentionally devalues the yuan to promote
Governments are looking at their stall- warned Chris Weafer, chief strategist at its own economic growth.
ing economies and becoming desperate. Russian investment firm Uralsib. Of course, America was accused of
A new trend is emerging. In an effort to In October, Robert Kuttner, co-found- using this law to start a trade war with
kickstart their economies, more and more er of the American Prospect, wrote, “Trade China. Truth is, as Democrat Rep. Linda
countries are enacting beggar-thy-neighbor war is here—and we’ve disarmed.” Sanchez stated before Congress, “We are
fiscal policies to devalue their currencies. already in a trade war. And China is using
When the currency of a nation loses value, China vs. America cannons and we’re standing here shooting
it becomes cheaper to foreign countries and The two actors at the center of this global [air-gun] pellets.”
investors. Foreign nations and investors are drama are China and the United States. In Whichever way you look at it, the con-
motivated to buy more goods, causing an an effort to sustain high exports, China’s sensus is the same: Trade war is starting
increase in exports, which means more in- government has for years intervened to between China and the United States!
dustry and manufacturing, and eventually keep the yuan low compared to the U.S. This is deeply alarming, especially for
lower unemployment. Sounds like a great dollar. Although this has long frustrated Americans! Why? Because if a full-scale
way to help an economy, right? Washington, it was able to put up with trade and currency war erupts, China has

istockphoto, karen bleier/afp/getty images The Philadelphia Trumpet  December 2010 5

 decisive leverage over the world’s reserve currency. The importance of value, which is a requisite for a stable
United States. of reserve currency status cannot be over- reserve currency.”
This fact is becoming increas- stated. Since the world uses dollars to con- Watch closely: If America gets too
ingly evident. In March 2009, the duct international trade, there is a built- testy, Beijing has the leverage to up the
Pentagon conducted its first ever series in demand for dollars that supports their ante and draw even more countries into a
of economic war games. “The soldiers value even when the government runs concerted attack on the dollar. If a legiti-
were Wall Street traders and executives, gargantuan budget deficits. If demand for mate alternative to the dollar emerges and
economists and academics,” reported Eric the dollar stops, the money Washington is embraced globally, this would mark the
Weiner in the Los Angeles Times. “The uses to pay its bills and fund its social pro- death knell of the American economy!
weapons were stocks, bonds and curren- grams vanishes. America sinks.
cies. The participants were divided into Just think, if America’s biggest creditor, A Global Phenomenon
teams: the U.S., China, Russia, Japan, the which is also the world’s biggest exporter, It is not just China and America engaging
European Union and so on” (October 6). pulled the plug on America, would the in currency manipulation and trade war.
“What the exercises showed was that world even want dollars anymore? And As the Telegraph’s Ambrose Evans-
the U.S. consistently lost to China in eco- even if America could survive China’s Pritchard reported in September, “Brazil,
nomic warfare,” Weiner noted. “nuclear” dollar option, what would hap- Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Korea, Taiwan,
In September, when U.S. President pen if just one other major country—like South Africa, Russia and even Poland are
Barack Obama met with China’s Premier Germany, Japan or Saudi Arabia—took either intervening directly in the exchange
Wen Jiabao on the sidelines of the UN China’s side and got rid of its dollars? markets to prevent their currencies rising
General Assembly, he demanded that Chi- This scenario may sound extreme, but too far, or examining what options they
na stop manipulating its currency. Wen, it’s one that pundits are beginning to real- have to stem disruptive inflows” (Septem-
aware he was operating from a position of ize could happen! ber 29).
power, responded in a ho-hum manner— Second, what if China and the rest of the On October 5, the Bank of Japan an-
in essence saying, Just how much money world found another currency to replace nounced it would cut its key interest rate
do you owe us again? the dollar as the world’s reserve currency? and institute a ¥35 trillion (us$418 billion)
China’s leaders, wrote Weiner, “know Even now, as fear of trade and currency monetary easing program. By forcing the
what our leaders are only beginning to war increases, a growing number
understand—that China would probably of world leaders and finance gurus
win a global trade war.” are entertaining the idea. Calls are
This past summer, Ding Yifan, a chief going out—and not just from the
official at China’s Development Research likes of Iran or Russia—for the end
Center, said that if America became too bel- of the dollar’s reign. Other powers
ligerent, China could not only refuse to lend and emerging powers, like France
more money, but could also dump its cur- and Brazil, have also called for a new
rent holdings of U.S. government debt. His global currency.
comments came during a conference where The imf is already making a
Chinese officials questioned the creditwor- move. Last year, it began issuing a
thiness and reliability of the dollar. Since type of currency called sdrs (Special
then, the question of the dollar’s value has Drawing Rights), based upon a bas-
emerged as a serious topic of discussion in ket of major currencies. In effect, the
government halls around the world. imf began acting like a global cen-
tral bank—even selling bonds de-
The Threat Is Real nominated in sdrs. China and Rus-
Too many people don’t take this threat se- sia have invested billions in them.
riously enough. Many analysts say that if According to Omnis analyst James
China were to dump its dollar holdings it Rickards, the shift away from dollars
could cause interest rates to soar, and that has already started and will acceler-
would hurt China as much as it would ate. sdrs could replace the dollar as
America because it would destroy its best the world’s reserve currency in two
customer. Additionally, the U.S. Federal to five years, he told the New Ameri-
at odds  The administrations of
Wen Jiabao and Barack Obama are nav-
Reserve could simply print up whatever can. “It’s not speculation, it’s actually
igating a dangerous period of transition.
money was needed to cover government happening” (September 15).
spending and push interest rates back In case you are wondering, the
down. Thus China would lose the most in imf is dominated by European countries. yen down, Tokyo is trying to help its larg-
any trade war, goes the argument. The movement away from the dollar est companies (and employers), such as
These views are woefully simplistic. is supported by the United Nations too. Toyota, Sharp and Sony, remain competi-
Those people are deceived. “A new global reserve system could be tive in the global market.
First, if the Federal Reserve began created, one that no longer relies on the Grasp what is happening here: Na-
widespread dollar printing—on the scale United States dollar as the single major tionalism is emerging as a powerful and
required to redeem China’s vast hold- reserve currency,” said the UN’s World dangerous force in global finances!
ings—it would send the dollar’s value Economic and Social Survey for 2010. “The The decision by the likes of China,
plummeting and destroy its place as the dollar has proved not to be a stable store America and Japan to devalue their cur-

6 December 2010  The Philadelphia Trumpet

rencies comes with disastrous conse- more protectionist. And the longer nation- interests even when it meant undermin-
quences for the world’s smaller currencies al economies wallow, the more inclined ing the economies of other nations. Be-
and economies. As advanced economies world governments will be to embrace fore long, the economic malady began to
devalue their currencies, the currencies nationalist financial policies—even if it have dramatic social and political conse-
of smaller economies, such as the Brazil- means arousing the ire of other countries! quences. Populations became frustrated.
ian real, tend to rise, especially as inves- A dangerous scenario is now Extremist ideologies and policies entered
tors seek higher yields and better returns. developing. the mainstream. In some instances, like
This, as Brazil’s finance minister lament- History shows that trade and currency Germany, radical leaders tapped the mass
ed in September, “threatens us because it wars have a nasty tendency to snowball out frustration to gain political leadership.
takes away our competitiveness.” of control. Remember the Great Depres- By the end of the decade, the mass
Similar trends have occurred with the sion. During the four years after the 1929 frustration had begun to boil over: The
Canadian dollar and Swiss franc. Also, stock market crash, America regressed like Second World War erupted!
the Australian dollar rose in October to its at no other time in its history. Forty-two Of course, trade and currency wars were
highest level against the U.S. dollar since percent of America’s banks folded. Pro- not the sole cause of World War ii. But his-
1983. duction at the nation’s factories, mines and torians agree that economic chaos in the
As Germany’s Der Spiegel declared in utilities fell by more than half. People’s real global financial system (and in national
October, “The whole global currency system disposable incomes collapsed by 28 percent. economies) played a central role in prepar-
is in a state of jeopardy. It seems as if the Stock prices cascaded to one tenth of their ing the world for war.
world has been turned upside down—and pre-crash height. Unemployment rose from Today, many prominent, mainstream
has become very dangerous. Indeed, 1.6 million in 1929 to a whopping 12.8 mil- figures are describing the global economy
for better or worse, the well-being of en- lion by 1933—leaving one out of every four using military terms. Study World War ii
tire countries depend on the value of these workers jobless. People lost their savings, and you’ll notice historians employing
currencies, meaning that instability on the their homes, their health and their hope. the same terms—“trade war” and “cur-
currency markets also threatens the struc- Such conditions are starting to sound rency war,” the use of economic policy as
ture of the global economy” (October 5). familiar once again. But what made the a “weapon”—in their explanations of what
Global economic chaos looks imminent! 1929 crash turn so much more deadly than led up to the Second World War.
the previous, short-lived crashes of 1920 To the question “What comes after
and earlier? Many economists say it was global trade war?” history has a simple
unique because just months later, a trade and terrifying answer: military con-
war began that quickly engulfed the world. flict on a global scale!
Post-World War i industrial America,
reeling from the effects of the stock market An Apostle’s Warning
crash and subsequent job losses, erupted Throughout his 53-year work, Herbert
into protectionist fervor. Riding a populist Armstrong often described the condi-
wave, U.S. politicians imposed the Smoot- tions that would precede the biblically
Hawley Tariff Act—one of the most dra- prophesied collapse of the United States.
conian protectionist policies in America’s Despite being the most stable currency in
history. Historian Richard Hofstadter, the world, the American dollar would one
with the benefit of hindsight, described the day be in “jeopardy of being devalued,” he
tariff act as “a virtual declaration of eco- once wrote. When the dollar plummets,
nomic war on the rest of the world.” he warned, inflation would erupt and this
That is just how the rest of the world would lead to “eventual economic collapse
for the United States.”
If America gets too tough on So strong was Mr.
Armstrong’s faith in
China, Beijing has the leverage Bible prophecy, he
warned as early as
to up the ante and draw the 1960s that World
War iii had already
even more countries into a gotten underway, and
that it was “ECONOM-
concerted attack on the dollar. IC in nature.” About
America and Britain
First Trade War, Then … saw it. Foreign nations were outraged. in particular, Mr. Armstrong stated, “God
Ultimately, trade and currency wars carry Within two years, 25 countries had retali- prophesied a virtual trade war will get
with them a greater danger than tanking ated; U.S. and foreign trade took massive under way against the United States and
economies and collapsing financial sys- losses. America exported $5.24 billion in Britain—and [that] our national econom-
tems: They are a sign of the resurgence goods in 1929; by 1932 the total had fallen ics will falter, and then collapse!”
of nationalism! to just $1.6 billion. Overall, world trade He delivered that forecast in March …
As national economies and the global had declined some 66 percent by 1934. 1968!
economy flounder, national governments In the 1930s, countries around the Forty-two years later, it is now evident
are turning inward. They are becoming world defended and furthered their own that the trade war that will end in the col-

getty images The Philadelphia Trumpet  December 2010 7

 SPECIAL REPORT CHINA

Why Chinese
lapse of America and Brit-
ain is here.
Are you ready for global fi-
nancial chaos? It doesn’t matter if

Miners Are
you live in America or Europe, South
America or Africa—the economic bedlam
that Bible prophecy says precedes global
political and military conflict has begun.
China is waging economic war on the
U.S., a war that is intensifying and will

Smiling
soon precipitate America’s collapse. As a
means to this end, China is forming an
economic axis with Germany and Europe
(more about this pivotal development on
page 12, “The Silk Superhighway”).
Scripture says this China-Europe
economic axis will be responsible for
besieging America and causing its final
economic downfall. “And he shall besiege
Whoops! Right under level contact with Japan, and instructed
travel agents not to offer holidays in Ja-
thee in all thy gates, until thy high and everyone’s noses, they pan. More importantly, according to the
fenced walls come down, wherein thou scored a monopoly on a Japanese government, they cut off all
trustedst, throughout all thy land: and he shipments of rare earth minerals.
shall besiege thee in all thy gates through- rare resource we all use. Japan gave in and released Zhan
out all thy land, which the Lord thy God In a swoop, this could unconditionally.
hath given thee” (Deuteronomy 28:52). Now it may be America’s turn. The
As America falls, prophecies in Rev- bring the world to its New York Times published a story on
elation 17 and 18 show that this European knees.  by Richard Palmer October 19 quoting three anonymous

I
empire will replace the U.S. as the nucleus industry officials saying that China had
of global trade and commerce. In the end magine if Walmart sold 97 per- quietly stopped all rare earths shipments
time, the Apostle John wrote in Revela- cent of the world’s potatoes. It would to the U.S. and Europe. “The embargo is
tion 18, the “merchants of the earth” will have complete control over the sale expanding” beyond Japan, said one of-
be “waxed rich through the abundance of fries, chips and potato salad. ficial. China has denied there being any
of her delicacies” (verse 3). (For more in- There would be an outcry. embargo. The spokesman for the Chinese
formation about this prophecy, request a Think of the power it would have. If a Embassy in Washington claimed that his
free copy of Daniel Unlocks Revelation.) district raised taxes or passed labor laws country is just implementing tougher en-
Why should you be concerned by that Walmart didn’t like—bam: no pota- vironmental standards on the rare earth
trade and currency wars? Because these toes. McDonald’s would be selling a Big mining industry.
financial crises are creating the bibli- Mac and fries without the fries. This cutoff may be China’s response to
cally prophesied conditions that precede China has this type of monopoly. Not an investigation, launched by the U.S. in
World War iii! on potatoes, but on rare earth metals, October, into whether China is breaking
Don’t remain ignorant of these devel- the vital ingredients of the technologi- World Trade Organization rules by re-
opments. Take these crises seriously. More cal revolution. These minerals are used stricting clean energy imports and subsi-
importantly, make it a goal to educate in small quantities in a host of products dizing its clean energy exports.
yourself on how to prepare for this immi- from iPods to hard drives, guided mis- Will America be the next nation forced
nent period of global chaos and carnage. siles to smart bombs. And China is using by China into a humiliating climb-down?
If you are willing to embrace God’s its control of 97 percent of the industry to
law and lifestyle, the Bible reveals that hold the world to ransom. How to Get a Monopoly
God mercifully provides a way to escape Its ownership of these metals is just a For years, China has been laying the
the impending turmoil. When the global part of its wider plan to gain security by foundations for control of rare earth
tribulation strikes, God says that those controlling the world’s resources. On Oc- minerals—elements with an atomic
who follow His law and support His tober 18, China cut off exports of rare earth number between 57 and 71, plus scandi-
work on Earth will “flee into the wilder- minerals to Europe and the United States. um and yttrium. China woke up to their
ness, where [they] have a place prepared This is economic war. usefulness long before any other govern-
by God” (Revelation 12:6, Revised Stan- China had cut Japan off over a month ment. In the 1960s, it started trying to get
dard Version). earlier, using rare earths to force Japan all the rare earths it could out of mines in
To learn more about this into a humiliating surrender. On Sep- Inner Mongolia.
place of safety, and how you tember 8, a Chinese fishing boat rammed During the 1980s the government of-
can find solace there during two Japanese coast guard ships near is- fered subsidized loans to rare earth min-
the soon-coming tribulation, lands claimed by both China and Japan. ers and similar industries. Production
request and study our free The skipper, Zhan Qixiong, was arrested. increased by 40 percent during the de-
booklet Repentance Toward The Chinese were livid. They arrested cade. The Chinese Society of Rare Earths
God. n four Japanese citizens, cut off all cabinet- was founded, the organization that, to

8 December 2010  The Philadelphia Trumpet

 Y
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf
Used in
microwave rare  Rare earth states, are doing the same.
filters, laser minerals are used in Australia and New Zealand
systems, metals many high-tech products. are especially worried about
Yttrium
China’s appetite for farmland.
In June, a Tasmanian real es-

Sc Critical compo- tate agent reported that China

nent of lamps had a strong interest in dairy
in television farms in the north of the is-
Scandium screens land. Bright Food Group, a
firm controlled by the Chinese

La
government, bought New Zea-
Used in studio
lighting, land’s third-largest dairy pro-
projectors, cessing company and owner of
Lanthanum optical glass 15 farms, Synlait.
Prof. Zhang yue Zhou
of James Cook University’s
this day, publishes the only two ing projects could take 10 years. School of Business said that China is buy-
scientific journals dedicated to rare earth Mining rare earth elements produc- ing up land overseas in order to secure a
elements. As China gains a foothold es radioactive waste, which means that food supply for the nation. He warned that
in this field of research, interest in the mining companies have to dig through a the farms China is buying will start send-
U.S. has waned, according to Prof. Karl mountain of paperwork before they can ing food back to the home country rather
Gschneidner Jr. of Iowa State University. even make a dent in the ground. In West- than selling it to locals.
In 1992 Deng Xiaoping, the late leader ern nations, they face stiff opposition from “Chinese vultures circle Austra-
of China, said, “There is oil in the Middle the environmental lobby. In both the U.S. lian farms,” Australian state mp Robert
East; there is rare earth in China.” His and Australia—which have some of the Brokenshire has warned. In fact, Chinese
successor, Jiang Zemin, went even further, biggest rare earth deposits—the govern- investment interest in Australia’s farms
saying China must “improve the develop- ments are changing mining laws, though grew tenfold in the six months before this
ment and applications of rare earth, and they haven’t yet released details. The un- past April, according to the Real Estate In-
change the resource advantage into eco- certainty is making mining firms reluc- stitute of Australia.
nomic superiority.” tant to start new projects in these areas. Foreign investment in Australia’s agri-
In the 1990s, then, China quadrupled Once a rare earth mineral is dug from cultural land is causing many to demand
its rare earths production. Many mining the ground and separated from the rock that the government intervene to regulate
firms ran at a loss, but with unlimited and other minerals—a complicated pro- the purchase. China is also buying up
subsidized loans they kept running. In ad- cess in itself—it is still only an oxide com- farmland in Africa.
dition, a large number of illegal rare earth pound. It must be refined in order to get But farmland isn’t the only aspect of
mines sprang up, cutting costs by ignor- a pure metal. And China also happens to agricultural production that China is in-
ing worker safety. As a result, rare earth have a stranglehold on rare earth refining. terested in. A consortium of government-
prices plummeted. On average, rare earth Since no one else has been doing much owned Chinese companies is vying to
minerals cost only 5 percent of what they refining for 25 to 30 years, China holds a take over Potash Corporation, based in
did before China got involved. clear technological edge in this area. Saskatchewan, Canada. Potash Corp. pro-
The low prices were a boon for the Even with determined effort, it would duces 20 percent of the world’s fertilizer
growing high-tech industry. But no oth- take several years to pry the rare earth in- and sells 45 percent of its goods to North
er country could compete. Western rare dustry out of China’s control. American farmers. Experts worry that
earth companies shut down. should China buy it, the fertilizer would
Now China’s control of 97 percent of Not Just Rare Earths be redirected to China.
the rare earth market gives it tremendous Nations worldwide are waking up to the Potash, a key component in fertilizer
power. Over the past year, it has reduced need for security in the supply of a whole manufacture, is becoming scarcer. Some
its exports of rare earths, shrinking them host of resources. A recent EU report warn that the modern era of cheap food
from 50,000 tons per year to 30,000 tons. warned that land grabs could erupt as na- is coming to an end. China is expected to
Then in July, the government announced tions scramble for minerals globally. South spend $15 million a year looking for do-
it would export only 8,000 tons for the rest Korea has revealed plans to use its pension mestic potash supplies.
of the year. At the same time, it has raised and sovereign funds to secure access to rare
export taxes for the minerals. Other coun- metals; it says it will even direct its foreign “We Are at Economic War”
tries are feeling the pinch. aid monies to countries that can return the China is buying up the production of raw
favor with access to the precious resource. materials the world over, from food to
Fixing the Problem? The need for security goes beyond even rubber to iron and steel. It may not own
Governments around the world are only metals and minerals. The Oakland Insti- anywhere close to 97 percent of the world’s
just starting to address the problem. But tute, an American think tank, says that steel or rubber production capacity, but it
solving it won’t be quick or easy. In July, China is “seeking to acquire land as part appears to be aiming at self-sufficiency in
the U.S. Congressional Research Service of a long-term strategy for food security.” all essential resources. Most other coun-
said that developing new rare earth min- It says Japan and South Korea, as well as tries have nowhere near that capability.

istockphoto (3); david becker/reuters The Philadelphia Trumpet  December 2010 9

 conquering the
Alberta, Canada
China has many millions invested in oil
projects in Canada. Sinopec owns a 9
percent stake in Syncrude and 50 percent
China is of Total’s planned Northern Lights Project.
also purchasing PetroChina owns a 60 percent stake in
Athabasca Oil Sands Corp.’s Mackay and
foreign firms to Dover projects. China Investment Corp.
gain access to Saskatchewan, Canada Texas, USA
owns 20 percent of Suncor Energy Inc.’s
new technolo- Fort Hills oil sands project. A consortium led by Sinochem CNOOC is offering up to $2.2 billion
gies. For ex- Corp. is rumored to be interested for a 1/3 stake in Chesapeake Energy
ample, in August PetroChina allied with in buying Potash Corp., the world’s assets. This may give it access to
largest producer of fertilizer. American knowledge on drilling in
Royal Dutch Shell to take over Australia’s areas that have dense shale rock.
Arrow Energy. Arrow Energy specializes
in mining unconventional energy depos-
Venezuela
its. Its technology may allow China to be-
gin tapping its estimated 30 trillion cubic China’s CNPC paid $900 mil-
lion for access to oil deposits
meters of unconventional gas reserves.
in Venezuela’s Orinoco region.
At the same time, Beijing is working China has lent Venezuela $4
hard to increase its naval power. After all, Ecuador billion so far, and has offered
if it owns natural resources around the Andes Petroleum Corporation, a to lend up to $20 billion.
world, it has to be able to keep shipping joint venture by Chinese oil firms,
lanes open during a crisis. bought all of Canadian oil firm Brazil
This kind of self-sufficiency puts Chi- EnCana’s shares in subsidiary
Chinese oil companies have made many
companies based in Ecuador for
na in a strong position in the event of a $1.42 billion in 2005.
deals in Brazil. Sinopec invested $7.1
trade war—or even a hot war. The U.S., by billion in the Brazilian arm of Spain’s
Repsol oil companies; this gave it a 40
contrast, cannot even produce important Peru
percent stake in Repsol’s Brazilian ven-
armaments without China’s cooperation. China’s Aluminum Corporation ture. The Chinese Development Bank
Of course, China isn’t the only nation bought Peru’s Copper Inc. for lent $10 billion to Brazil’s Petrobas; in
seeking natural resources. Middle Eastern $792 million. Chinese firms have return, Petrobas agreed to sell Sinopec
and other Asian nations are scouring the invested $1.4 billion in the nation. 200,000 barrels of oil per day (10 per-
Earth for them, and Europe is joining in cent of its total production) for 10 years.
Bolivia Sinochem bought a 40 percent stake in
the fray.
China’s Development Bank offered to lend Brazil’s offshore Peregrino oil field from
Even staunchly free-market Japan is
Bolivia $15 billion to develop an iron ore a Norwegian firm for $3.07 billion.
getting involved. Foreign Minister Katsuya
deposit. Most of the loan would be paid
Okada spent the last year visiting heads of back using iron produced from the deposit. Argentina
state in mineral-producing countries to se-
CNOOC bought a 50 percent stake in
cure a supply of minerals for his country. Chile
Argentina’s Bridas Corp. for $3.1 billion.
“Until recently, the government took the China’s Minmetals established a joint It is also negotiating buying a 60 percent
attitude that this was something best left to venture with Chile’s CODELCO to mine stake in Argentina’s Pan American
market forces,” he said, “but the world has over 55,000 tons of copper ore. Energy for around $10 billion. China
changed dramatically and the government also has $10 billion in railway contracts.

Reach Out to Your Neig

cannot just sit back anymore.”
“We are at economic war,” said Jack
Lifton, an expert on rare minerals. “The
world where you could get everything for

A
a price is history. And the West has been s China rises, it is cementing ports along the Myanmar coast in the
sound asleep on this. The level of igno- relations with the rest of the region. Bay of Bengal, which affords Chinese
rance about the upstream of mineral sup- Warming relations with Myan- access to the Indian Ocean and extends
ply … is just out of this world.” mar were underlined on September 8 its naval capability.
It seems the whole world—apart from when Myanmar’s junta leader, Than Warming ties with Russia were high-
the U.S., Britain and its daughter na- Shwe, visited Beijing, marking the 60th lighted when, on September 26 to 28,
tions—has woken up to this reality. anniversary of cooperation between the Beijing hosted President Dmitry Med-
China is prophesied to play a key role two nations. Official Chinese data says vedev. Speaking to Russian and Chinese
in end-time events. By securing so many the two countries did $2.9 billion in war veterans on the trip, Medvedev said
strategic resources, it is ensuring that it business last year, but analysts believe Moscow’s friendship with Beijing “was
can remain a great power the actual figures are higher. sealed by blood years ago,” and that the
even when the world falls Beijing’s investment in Myanmar, “friendship between Russian and Chi-
apart.  n which is centered on the country’s en- nese peoples cemented by the military
ergy resources, sharply outweighs trade events will be indestructible and do
For more about China’s future, between the two countries, but China’s good for our future generations.”
request our free booklet interest in Myanmar goes beyond re- The nations issued a joint statement
Russia and China in Prophecy. sources. Beijing is developing numerous in which Moscow supported China’s

10 December 2010  The Philadelphia Trumpet

 world one contract A glance at some Russia
of China’s strategic Russia sends 200,000 barrels a day of oil
at a time acquisitions worldwide to China. China just opened its section of
the East Siberia-Pacific Ocean pipeline,
where 300,000 more barrels a day of oil
are expected to flow. China has lent $25
Switzerland
billion to the project. CNPC is working with a
Sinopec bought Switerland’s Addax Russian energy company to build a $5 billion
Petroleum Corp. for $7.2 billion, gaining refinery. They should sign an agreement with
access to oil fields in the Kurdistan LUKoil to export Uzbek gas to China. Russia
region in Iraq and in West Africa. may soon export natural gas to China.

Australia
Greece
PetroChina allied with Royal Dutch Shell
China has taken control of Greece’s
largest port. It has agreed with Greece chin a to take over Arrow Energy in August, and
now co-owns the formerly Australian firm
to spend $700 million modernizing
that focuses on unconventional energy
the facility. It has also promised to buy
reserves. China may have up to 30 trillion
Greek bonds at the next bond auction.
cubic meters of unconventional natural
gas deposits. As well as sending gas back
Sudan to the mainland, China will use Arrows
China has invested $4 billion technology to tap its own gas reserves.
in oil production and port
development in the nation. Laos and Myanmar (Burma) Australia
Several Chinese rubber firms Though Australia has not allowed them to
dem. rep. of the Congo have contracts to farm rubber. buy its mining giants outright, Chinese firms
invested nearly $8 billion in Australian min-
China lent the country $5 bil-
ing between June 2008 and June 2009. In
lion in exchange for the right
June 2009, Chinese Minmetals bought many
to mine resources including
of Oz Minerals’ assets. China’s Angang Steel
cobalt, copper and timber.
is working with an Australian mining firm
to develop the Karara iron ore project, with
Nigeria Zambia Mozambique most of the funding for the project coming
from the China Development Bank. The bank
Nigeria paid China’s CNMC has hundred of millions The Chinese govern- funds several other iron ore projects.
CCECC $8.3 billion invested in Zambia’s copper ment has invested
to update the mining and smelting industries. It $800 million to mod-
nation’s railways. plans to invest $600 million more. ernize the country.

Zimbabwe tasmania, Australia

Angola China International Water Firms from China and other countries are
and Electric Corp. has causing a political stir, as many call for New Zealand
Angola exports more oil to China than
Saudi Arabia does. In 2004, Angola received rights to grow a regulations on foreign firms buying Aus- Bright Food Group, owned
allowed Sinopec to buy a 50 percent stake quarter million acres of corn. tralia’s land. A Tasmanian real estate agent by the Chinese government,
in a deep-water oil field called Bloc 18. China bought that amount of reported that China had a strong interest bought Synlait, New Zealand’s

ghbors
land in June 2008. in dairy farms in the north of the island. third-largest dairy processor.

sovereignty over Tibet, Taiwan and Xin- Organization member nations, and was
n China is positioned to sign a $2 billion
jiang, and Beijing supported Russia’s the largest of its kind ever held.
agreement to construct a railway line in
“efforts to promote peace and stability And in a sign of China’s expanding
Iran as the first step of a broader plan to
throughout the Caucasian region and the power and influence over the island na-
connect Beijing to Central Asia and the
Commonwealth of Independent States.” tion of Taiwan, the two launched mari-
Middle East. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
In September, China and Russia also time search-and-rescue drills in the Tai-
wan Strait on September 16. The exercise raised the idea earlier this year, and
joined forces with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz-
tested the capacity of maritime personnel China’s railways minister visited Tehran
stan and Tajikistan in joint military ex-
on both sides of the Strait to safeguard on September 12 to finalize the contract.
ercises. A major 16-day affair in Kazakh-
transport within it. The drill was the first The new line—the first step in an entire
stan, “Peace Mission 2010” was officially
of its kind jointly undertaken by China rail system for Central Asia—will run
labeled a counterterrorism drill, but its
and Taiwan since the end of 2008. from Tehran to the town of Khosravi
scale—it involved around 5,000 troops,
As China’s global clout grows, it will on the Iran-Iraq border. Bible prophecy
1,600 armed vehicles, 100 cannons and
keep building its regional hegemony describes a time when great masses of
mortars, and 50 combat aircraft—sug-
as it joins forces with Russia to form a soldiers from Asia will sweep into the
gested an exercise in conventional war-
military alliance as foretold in end-time Middle East, and the proposed rail sys-
fare. The exercise was the seventh joint
prophecy. tem could help facilitate such an event.
drill conducted by Shanghai Cooperation

The Philadelphia Trumpet  December 2010 11

 SPECIAL REPORT CHINA

The Silk Superh

By robert morley

W
The Road to Greece also being courted to build a new monorail
ho is China’s largest trad- The most recent example of this trend is line, five-star hotels and theme parks.
ing partner? China’s growing partnership with Greece. Additionally, China is setting up a spe-
If you guessed the United Encouraged by government incentives cial $5 billion Greek-Chinese shipping
States, you’re wrong. It’s the and rock-bottom prices, China is pump- development fund that will offer Greek
European Union. ing hundreds of millions and on the road shipping companies financial support to
If you got the first one right, here is to billions of euros into Greece, even as purchase Chinese-made vessels.
another question: Who are the biggest Americans and other investors head for “We have a saying in China, ‘Construct
exporters in the world? First place goes the exits. According to the Washington the eagle’s nest, and the eagle himself will
to the European Union. Second goes to Post, the cornerstone of those plans is the come,’” said Wei Jiafu, a high-ranking
China. Third would then go to Germany “transformation of the Mediterranean port member of China’s Communist Party and
if it wasn’t already included within the of Piraeus into the Rotterdam of the south” chief executive of Cosco, in a televised in-
EU. America comes in at a distant fourth that will create a “modern gateway linking terview in June. “We have constructed such
place, followed by Japan. Chinese factories with consumers across a nest in your country to attract such Chi-
The world has changed. Not long ago, Europe and North Africa” (June 9; em- nese eagles. This is our contribution to you.”
America was both the largest exporter of phasis mine throughout). Already, half of all Chinese merchan-
manufactured goods and the world’s most Greece’s severe economic woes created dise and 60 percent of China’s oil imports
important economy. an opportunity that China is exploiting. are transported on Greek boats, according
Change is accelerating elsewhere too. Strapped for cash, the Greek government is to Chinese Premier Wen Jaibao.
“Patterns of growth” are transforming in privatizing the economy in blitzkrieg fash- Yet the Chinese aren’t investing in
China and Germany, reports French Fi- ion—and that has opened the doors to rich Greece out of the goodness of their hearts.
nance Minister Christine Lagarde. There is Chinese investors. Government-owned It is part of a well-engineered plan to
a “shift and an evolution” in domestic con- utilities, rail and transport networks, create a network of rail lines, highways,
sumption and regional trade hubs, she says. even casinos are on the auction block. In pipelines and shipping ports to boost
Yes, a shift is occurring—and it is ti- June, the giant Chinese shipping company East-West trade. The new Silk Road is
tanic. Today’s global power centers of Cosco assumed full control of the primary booming, and China wants to control it.
manufacturing and trade have swung container dock in Piraeus. In return, this
back to Europe and China. The most im- one Chinese company has promised $700 Gateway to Europe
portant and lucrative trade routes are once million in infrastructure upgrades. In In early October, at a joint press confer-
again between the old world’s East and Athens, the government is pushing China ence with Greek Prime Minister George
West. The modern Silk Road is swarming to develop a giant new distribution center Papandreou, Wen highlighted the grow-
with the new merchants. in the city’s old industrial sector. Beijing is ing relationship between Europe and Chi-

12 December 2010  The Philadelphia Trumpet

na. To emphasize China’s commitment One of the seats is all but guaranteed to lead the world in shutting America and
to the European Union and the euro, he be given to China. its allies out during a global trade war
said that China would continue to support The Silk Road is becoming a that becomes a hot war. Prophecy tells us
Europe’s economy. “China has already superhighway. America will be “cramped in” to the point
bought and is holding Greek bonds and But as much as the increased trade will where even food can no longer reach its
will keep a positive stance in participating help Europe over the short term, it will in- shores.
and buying bonds that Greece will issue,” evitably come at the expense of America. The Bible contains many prophecies of
Wen said. “China will undertake a great that European power attacking America—
effort to support eurozone countries and Anti-American “Mart of Nations” and many other prophecies of America
Greece to overcome the [economic] crisis.” Already China and Europe are collaborat- being besieged. Isaiah 23 indicates which
Wen promised to address European ing on joint ventures such as nuclear re- nations will join Europe in that economic
concerns over investment rules and copy- search and the Galileo satellite system that blockade! “That is where China and the
right violations, but said the EU needed to are specifically designed to be a counter- giants of Asia enter the picture,” writes
relax remaining trade barriers with Bei- weight to American dominance. Gerald Flurry in his booklet Isaiah’s End-
jing in return. But even more than being a coun- Time Vision (request a free copy).
So far, the Greeks—at least the upper terbalance, the new alliance will create “When [the European Union] attacks
political and business classes (and those a multipolar global economy replacing North America, there will be no help or
who are not part of the unions)—see Chi- American centricity. This is exactly what sympathy from Asia. In fact, consider-
nese investment as nothing short of a “gift your Bible prophesies will happen over the ing that China has come to possess most
from the gods” (Washington Post, op. cit.). next few short years. of the world’s strategic sea gates (which,
“The Chinese want a gateway into Eu- Isaiah 23 warns of an end-time “mart ironically, at one time were held by Brit-

highway
rope,” noted Greece’s Deputy Prime Min- of nations” that acts in economic alliance. ain and America), we believe there may
be a brief alliance between the German-
led [European Union] and certain Asian
powers (Russia, China, Japan—the kings
of the east). Should Europe … find a way
to take advantage—even for a moment—
of key resources and strategic holdings of
China, Russia and Japan, it would have
more than enough power to besiege the
ister Theodoros Pangalos in an interview. This alliance includes the nations of China Anglo-Saxon nations and enslave them.
“They are not like these Wall Street [ex- (Chittim) and Tyre (representing the com- “This is why Isaiah’s prophecy of an
pletive] pushing financial investments on mercial center of the European Union, also end-time ‘mart of nations’ that includes
paper. The Chinese deal in real things, in called the king of the north in other proph- both European and Asian powers is so in-
merchandise. And they will help the real ecies). This chapter, along with other scrip- triguing,” writes Mr. Flurry. “And why the
economy in Greece.” tures, makes it evident that these two pow- trend of collusion between these two great
Even Germany—which as a major eco- erful economies are prophesied to work in economic blocs is worth watching.”
nomic exporter is increasingly in competi- confederacy to dominate global trade for a China’s new Silk Road to Europe is re-
tion with China for market share—seems short period of time—at America’s expense. routing the flow of global commerce and
content to allow the Eastern merchant Deuteronomy 28 foretells America be- finance—and it is skirting America. The
powerhouse more access to Europe. ing besieged by its enemies: “And he shall early stages of America’s economic siege
Angela Merkel came out in have begun.
support of China being grant- “The Chinese deal in real Yet despite the bad
ed “market status” on October news, there is great hope
8. During a joint press confer- things, in merchandise. for America. “Two great
ence with Wen, she said, “Ger-
many will continue to actively
And they will help the trading blocs are position-
ing themselves to control
support the quick awarding real economy in Greece.” the world,” says Mr. Flur-
of the market status to China ry in his Isaiah booklet.
from the EU. China will in- —Greece’s Deputy Prime Minister “Both power conglomer-
tensively continue to dialogue Theodoros Pangalos ates are discussed in Dan-
with the EU on this issue.” The U.S. and besiege thee in all thy gates, until thy high iel 11:40-45 and in Isaiah 23. But that trad-
other countries currently use the fact that fenced walls come down, wherein thou ing partnership won’t last long. Soon they
China is not considered a free market trustedst, throughout all thy land, which will clash, just before Jesus Christ returns
economy by the World Trade Organiza- the Lord thy God hath given thee” (verse and destroys both of them.”
tion as justification to levy tariffs and re- 52). Other prophecies reveal that the en- That’s the good news. World events are
strictions on Chinese imports. emy that besieges the modern nations speeding along the greatest superhighway
Goodwill between Europe and China of Israel will be a German-led European of all—the one leading to the return of
is growing in other ways too. On Octo- Union (Habakkuk 1:6-17). Jesus Christ and the establishment of an
ber 5, Bloomberg reported that Germany Besiege in the above verse means to equitable and just global economic system
agreed to cede two of Europe’s seats on shut up or tie up, or to be cramped, and that is guaranteed to bring prosperity to
the International Monetary Fund board. has economic connotations. Europe will the whole world. n

istock photo The Philadelphia Trumpet  December 2010 13

worldwatch
 1 Guttenberg on a roll 2 Europe to  5

J ust a few months

ago, German Defense
Mr. Seehofer as csu
leader and future con-
Islam: Get lost
Minister Karl-Theodor
zu Guttenberg was alone
on what one newspaper
tender to be chancel-
lor” (September 14).
The cdu and Chan-
G ermany may
have reached a wa-
tershed moment over
60 percent of Germans
believe Sarrazin said
“many things that are
called a “kamikaze mis- cellor Angela Merkel’s race and immigration. correct.” A mere 13 per-
sion”: ending conscrip- Christian Social Union A prominent former cent disagree with him.  4
tion in Germany. Now formally adopted Gut- board member of the Spiegel featured the
Guttenberg’s proposals tenberg’s posi- country’s cen- author on its cover,
have been approved, tion at a joint tral bank, Thi- calling him a “people’s
giving him a major po- meeting of lo Sarrazin, hero.” A survey con-
litical victory. their leaders claims Muslim ducted by Emnid
The biggest U-turn in September. immigrants pollsters for Bild am
came from the leader “How quickly are destroying Sonntag revealed that
of the Christian Social times change,” Germany’s 18 percent of Germans
Union (csu), Gut- wrote Ger- prosperity in would vote for a po-
tenberg’s own party. many’s Süd- his new book, litical party led by
Just months ago, Horst deutsche Zeitung. Abolishing Germany— Sarrazin. Missions, said Europe
Seehofer rejected plans Given such spec- How We’re Putting Our Considering the needs to wake up to the
to scrap conscription, tacular success, Gutten- Country in Jeopardy. In politically restrained threat. “[T]his chal-
saying they would go berg seems set to go far. it, Sarrazin details what atmosphere that has lenge of Islam,” he said,
against a key compo- Philipp Missfelder, head he calls Germany’s “de- dominated Germany “sooner or later will
nent of German conser- of the cdu youth wing, mise,” saying that with since World War ii, conquer the majority
vatism. In an interview has highly praised the constant immigration the broad support for in Europe. The fact is
published in Spiegel on German defense min- and higher birth rates Sarrazin is significant. that, as a people, we are
September 13 he had ister, calling him the among immigrants, Europe has tolerated becoming ever more
completely changed his “best political guaran- Germany is “turning the steady growth of pagan, and the religious
mind, saying “conscrip- tee of survival for the Muslim.” Islam’s presence in so- vacuum is inevitably
tion is a major imposi- [conservative] union An Allensbach In- ciety for decades. But filled by other propos-
tion on the freedom and defense against stitute poll found that that tolerance is rapidly als and religious forces”
of young people and is the Green zeitgeist. evaporating. (Zenit, September 7).
only constitutionally Karl-Theodor zu Gut- Some in the Watch for the Vati-
justifiable” if the coun- tenberg, with his great Catholic Church can to take the lead as
try is in danger. credibility, appeals to are also start- Europe pushes back
The Financial Times many non-voters and ing to speak out against Islam.
called Seehofer’s about- former voters, so that in against Islam.
face “a testament to a very short time he has Piero Gheddo, a n On August 31, just
the political cunning become an indispens- Catholic priest days before peace talks
of Mr. zu Guttenberg, able bearer of hope.” Offensive The from the Pon- began between the Is-
who at 38 is seen as a Continue to watch Great Mosque in Paris tifical Institute raeli government and
possible successor to Guttenberg. for Foreign the Palestinian Author-
ity, Hamas’s military
 3 Dear Taliban, please come back! wing claimed respon-
sibility for an attack

R epresentatives of the
Taliban and the Afghan
government have begun high-
the government the U.S. ousted
in its 2001 invasion of Afghani-
stan. It is now based in Pakistan.
to negotiate out of fear of defeat;
in fact, it has little to lose. What
sorts of concessions would the
in the West Bank that
killed five Israelis—two
men and two women,
level, secret talks to negotiate an The Post says the agree- U.S. and Kabul have to make to one of whom was preg-
end to the war in Afghanistan, ment under discussion would bring it to a political settlement? nant. The al-Qassam
according to Afghan and Arab place Taliban officials in Af- When similar plans were pur- Brigades terrorists
sources cited by the Washington ghanistan’s government. “What sued last year, we wrote on gunned down the Israe-
Post on October 6. it really boils down to is the theTrumpet.com, “This policy lis in an ambush by a
Though the talks are only Americans both supporting is a defeat in all but name. The Jewish settlement near
preliminary, this is the first time and in some cases maybe even world’s greatest military power … Hebron. Hamas has
that representatives have been participating in talking with the cannot defeat the Taliban. This also stepped up its rock-
given authority to officially nego- enemy,” a European official said. demonstrates what [we have] et attacks on Israel in
tiate on behalf of the Afghan Tal- The Taliban is in a strong been forecasting for many years: an apparent attempt to
iban organization that remains of position. It is not being forced America has won its last war.” wreck the peace talks.

14 December 2010  The Philadelphia Trumpet

 unjust  A Canadian
judge ruled that prostitution
HMS bankrupt
should be more widespread.
 1 Her Majesty’s military is
 2 cutting core capabilities.

 3

The secret nuclear program

 4
Making Canada
 5

at America’s back door safe for prostitution

V enezuela is “carrying out
the first studies” toward build-
in Foreign Policy. “[T]hese docu-
ments suggest that Venezuela is help-
P rostitution in
Canada got a big le-
gal boost on September
of time before Himel’s
decision ripples beyond
Ontario. If the ruling
ing a nuclear energy program, ing Iran obtain uranium and evade 28. Ontario Superior withstands appeal, the
President Hugo Chávez announced international sanctions, all steps that Court Justice Susan Calgary Herald noted
September 27. are apparent violations of the UN Himel struck down on September 29, “the
Security Council three key sections of ruling could have im-
resolutions meant to the Canadian Crimi- plications across the
forestall Iran’s illegal nal Code dealing with country … and could
nuclear weapons pro- prostitution, saying the help set similar prec-
gram” (October 5). code was “not in accord edents in other courts.”
Noriega says Ira- with the principles of Many fear the ruling
nian and Venezuelan fundamental justice.” could touch off a na-
officials signed a se- The three laws tional trend whereby
cret science and tech- struck down pertain prostitution laws across
nology agreement to operating brothels, Canada are watered
formalizing nuclear procuring a prostitute down or repealed.
“Bienvenido” technology coopera- or earning money off
Venezuela’s Chávez and tion two years ago. prostitution, and com- n On October 10, Carl
Iran’s Ahmadinejad have “The week after municating in public Paladino, a candidate
become nuclear partners. the agreement was places for prostitution. for New York governor,
signed, Venezuela’s As a result, “sex said he opposed indoc-
“We’re taking on the project of Ministry of Energy and Petroleum workers cannot only trinating children with
nuclear energy for peaceful purpos- prepared a presentation for the In- form guilds, hire body- pro-homosexuality
es, and they aren’t going to stop us,” ternational Atomic Energy Agency guards and pay taxes,” views and would veto
Chávez told a news conference. documenting the establishment of noted the Chronicle any same-sex “mar-
Venezuela also has a deal with a ‘nuclear power program’ in Ven- Herald, “but men and riage” legislation. The
Moscow for Russia to build a nuclear ezuela. That presentation, obtained women who trade sex criticism he received
reactor in the country. Yet these are from sources within the Venezuelan for money can better linked to a just-released
probably not the most concerning of government, reveals that an ‘Atomic count on police protec- Pew Research poll: For
Venezuela’s nuclear projects. Energy Committee’ has been manag- tion, and street prosti- the first time, fewer
At a briefing on September 21, ing the nuclear program since 2007.” tutes can conduct their than half of all Ameri-
Roger F. Noriega, former assistant Venezuela has strong links with business in less shady cans are opposed to ho-
secretary at the State Department, drug smugglers, and it hates Amer- spots …” (October 2). mosexual “marriage.”
unveiled evidence that Venezuela has ica. It is willing to deal with any of In other words, On- In 1995, 65 percent were
been working closely to keep Iran America’s enemies, be it Russia, Chi- tario’s illicit sex trade against the policy and
supplied with uranium. “Chávez has na or Iran. This represents a grave will likely expand and 27 percent supported it.
been developing the program for two danger to the U.S., as it can offer any become more main- In 2010, just 48 percent
years with the collaboration of Iran, enemy of the U.S. a foot in America’s stream. And many be- are opposed, and 42
a nuclear rogue state,” wrote Noriega back door. lieve it’s only a matter percent are in favor.

getty images, lionel bonaventure/afp/getty images, atta kenare/afp/getty images, istockphoto The Philadelphia Trumpet  December 2010 15
worldwatch
 
Europe n ubs ag’s Bhanu Baweja being within its sphere of
influence, dislikes America’s
n The Catholic Church has “Given the risk to the dollar and U.S. as- presence in the country and
found itself in hot water once sets from their fiscal position, [China and will likely exploit Kyrgyzstan’s
again, in both Belgium and shaky political situation to try
Germany. In the first half of
Russia] want to reduce  their dependence to oust the U.S.
this year, 475 cases of sexual on the dollar as an invoicing currency.”
abuse by priests were report- n Beijing and Moscow an-
ed, said a Belgian commission  
in a September report. In Au- Mideast has been largely filled, how-
ever, by Turkish and Chinese
nounced plans on October 13
to begin trading in each oth-
gust, it was confirmed that the n Iranian President Mahmoud companies. Combined with er’s currencies by the end of
former head of the Catholic Ahmadinejad visited Lebanon Tehran’s claims of refining this year, which would shrink
Church in Belgium, Cardinal in mid-October in what was self-sufficiency, the willing- the dollar’s role in global
Godfried Danneels, advised a seen as a major boost to Iran’s ness of such companies to con- commerce. Amid the global
victim of sexual abuse to keep ally and proxy Hezbollah. He tinue supplying the rogue state financial crisis, both China,
silent about his treatment received an enthusiastic wel- demonstrates the futility of the world’s largest energy con-
until after the bishop who had come in Beirut, toured a Hez- sanctions in pressuring Iran. sumer, and Russia, the world’s
abused him retired. On Au- bollah stronghold in southern largest energy supplier, have
gust 31, the German Catholic Lebanon, and gave a speech n Turkey and Iran should called for the dollar’s role in
Church published new guide- predicting Israel’s demise. Ah- increase their coopera- the financial system to be di-
lines saying all allegations madinejad and his Lebanese tion and solidarity, Turkish minished, and are taking con-
of abuse must be reported to counterpart, Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip crete steps toward that end.
authorities. The old guide- signed a number of agree- Erdoğan said September 16. “I
lines simply think that there are initiatives n An increase in intra-Asian
“advised” we can launch together to commerce and improving
the church to UPSET French ensure welfare, peace, stability liquidity of Asian curren-
report abuses protesters clash with and confidence in the entire cies bode well for the usage
if the allega- police near Paris. region,” he said, adding that of regional currencies, and
tions were the two countries’ geographi- cast ominous clouds on the
“proven.” cal closeness offered unique greenback. On August 27,
opportunities for them to Malaysia’s central bank lib-
n Once again boost economic relations. eralized its foreign exchange
Europe has Turkey’s increasingly friendly rules to allow non-residents to
been hit relations with Iran mean trou- convert foreign cash into its
by a series ble for Israel, which has relied currency, the ringgit. China
of strikes. on its defense agreement with has also moved to allow yuan/
French Turkey inked in 1996 to help ringgit exchanges, within a 5
unions stabilize the region. percent reference band. The
walked out U.S. dollar has been the pri-
in a national mary currency in the region
strike on
September 7 as parliament ments in the areas of health,
  Asia for so long that it still carries
weighty market advantages.
debated raising the retirement tourism, energy and water. n After Kyrgyzstan’s October But dependency on the dol-
age from 60 to 62. Refinery The visit demonstrated Iran’s 10 parliamentary elections, lar is diminishing with every
workers and students joined growing clout and confidence five political parties opened passing month. Gone are the
similar protests October 12 within the region. discussions on forming a co- days when the greenback was
to 14, raising fears of fuel alition government. Several the only currency option for
shortages. Britain was hit n Iran announced September Russia-backed parties, like international trade.
by strikes on September 7 as 7 that it has reached self- the staunchly nationalist Ata-
train station and maintenance sufficiency in producing petrol Zhurt, campaigned on closing
workers, signalers and some
drivers protested plans to cut
and no longer needs foreign
imports, thus foiling sanc-
America’s Manas military
base near the nation’s capital
 Latin
800 workers. On October
13, protesters blocked off the
tions. Oil Minister Masoud
Mirkazemi said Iranian re-
of Bishkek, a crucial hub for
U.S. military efforts in Af-
America/
entrance to the Acropolis in
Greece, claiming they were
fineries are pumping out 66.5
million liters of petrol daily.
ghanistan. Last year, under
pressure from Moscow, Kyr-
Africa
owed two years of back pay. New sanctions by world pow- gyzstan’s parliament voted to n Emerging-market econo-
Romanian tax employees also ers have targeted Iran’s petrol close the base, but it then set- mies in Asia and South Amer-
went on strike from October 13 imports; major oil companies tled for quadrupling the U.S.’s ica have been barely affected
to 14, until the Finance Minis- have stopped selling petrol to rent payment instead. Russia, by the “global” economic
try gave in to their demands. Iran in recent months. The gap which views Kyrgyzstan as slowdown. In Brazil, for ex-

16 December 2010  The Philadelphia Trumpet

 underperforming programs
that have fallen behind,
some of which have been
cancelled. “The American
public would be outraged if
they knew,” Sen. Christo-
pher Bond said.

n In early October, Britain

recognized Druidry as a le-
gitimate religion under char-
ity law, meaning it qualifies
for tax exemptions. “Elevat-
ing [druids] to the same
status as Christianity is but
the latest example of how the
INCENSED  Mozambicans overturn bedrock creed of this coun-
a car in the streets of Maputo during pro-
try is being undermined,”
tests against rising food and fuel prices.
Melanie Philips wrote in the
Daily Mail (October 4).
ample, the economy is boom- n Thirteen people were killed of food. The floods are just
ing at a 7.55 percent growth in riots in Mozambique at the one more in a long line of ca- n The number of British
rate and unemployment is at beginning of September as the tastrophes for the country. 18-to-24-year-olds undergoing
a record low of 6.7 percent. government raised the price treatment for drug addiction
In Argentina, the economy of food, water and electricity. decreased substantially in
is growing at 8.1 percent,
in Peru, 8.3 percent and in
Over 400 people were arrested
in connection with the riots.
 
Anglo- 2009-2010, with the one ex-
ception of cannabis, according
Paraguay, 9 percent. The con-
trast to America’s 1.7 percent
Police opened fire on the
thousands of demonstrators
America to Britain’s National Treat-
ment Agency for Substance
growth rate illustrates just as they lit tires, looted food n On October 12, a California Misuse (nta). But this is not
how bad things are in the U.S. warehouses and did around federal judge ordered the U.S. exactly good news. The nta
$3.3 million worth of dam- military to end its 17-year-old report stated: “Despite this
n One exception to the rule age. Wheat prices have soared “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy apparent step away from the
is Venezuela, which is suffer- some 70 percent on interna- that prevents open homosexu- most harmful street drugs,
ing from 30 percent annual tional markets since last year, als from serving in the mili- there is some evidence of a
inflation and sporadic food largely because of fires and tary. Judge Virginia Phillips corresponding move towards
shortages. Nevertheless, So- drought in Russia. ruled the act was unconstitu- new synthetic compounds
cialist President Hugo Chávez tional on September 9. If the (sometimes known as legal
is pushing ahead with his n Five hundred women were administration does not ap- highs) such as mephedrone.
controversial nationaliza- raped in eastern Congo in peal the ruling or loses an ap- The nature of the legal highs
tion program. In October, July and August, UN officials peal, open homosexuality will market means that new
he ordered the seizure of a announced on September 7.
major fertilizer plant, a motor Speaking in front of the Secu- n Family Research Council president Tony Perkins
lubricants maker, more farm-
land and agricultural supplies
rity Council, officials said this
shows that both rebel groups
“Once again, an activist federal judge is
company Agroislena. Upon and the government use rape using the military to advance a liberal so-
taking over the fertilizer pro- as a weapon. They also said cial agenda, disregarding the views of all
ducer, Chávez immediately that over 15,000 rapes were re-
slashed fertilizer prices by ported in both 2008 and 2009. four military service chiefs and the con-
40 percent. Without govern- stitutional role of Congress.”
ment funding, the plant will n Floods forced nearly 60,000
now most likely shut down people out of their homes in be permitted for all personnel substances are continually
and fertilizer shortages will south Sudan in August. The in all U.S. military branches emerging, bringing with them
result. Almost every major torrential rains left most of the serving all over the world. renewed concerns about their
industry Chávez has nation- state capital of Northern Bahr actual chemical composition
alized is operating in default, el-Ghazal, Aweil, underwater. n The deputy chairman of and the potential harmful
with the result that shortages Around 2 million people have the Senate Select Committee effects.” In their search for
are commonplace. If not for been killed in a decades-long on Intelligence has said that escape and new pleasures,
Venezuela’s vast oil deposits, civil war in the area. Almost intelligence agencies have young people are turning to
the economy would probably half of the 8 million in south wasted billions of dollars new drugs, with completely
have collapsed long ago. Sudan are thought to be short through mismanagement and unknown side effects.

bertrand guay/afp/getty images, sergio costa/afp/getty images The Philadelphia Trumpet  December 2010 17
Where Did Music Come
Learn what py-accident theory, believe music origi-
nated with a descendent of Cain named
Consider how sound exists in this spirit
realm. Ezekiel heard the “noise” of the
musicologists Jubal (Genesis 4:21). Because they view great cherubim (Ezekiel 1:24). The book of
have never taught. the Bible as a valid yet flawed historical re- Revelation records the lyrics of the angels’

I
source that is not superior or more special shouting and singing around God’s heaven-
By Ryan Malone than any other historical text, they lend ly throne, not to mention that they are play-
s music a happy accident? Is no special credence to what the Bible (and ing instruments in this spiritual dimension.
this glorious organization of its supposedly biased Jewish authors) says The Bible reveals that God sings (Zeph-
sounds the product of millennia of over any other historian’s work. aniah 3:17). He has always existed—without
chance discoveries, trial and error, But if we proclaim to follow Christ, we beginning of days or end of life (Hebrews
and so-called evolutionary devel- should—as He said—live by “every word 7:3). The question then arises, since God
opment? Did vocal music originate … of God” (Matthew 4:4). “All scripture is has always existed, wouldn’t His attri-
from prolonged grunts of early human- given by inspiration of God …” (2 Timo- butes—His eyes, hair, hands and voice—
like beings? Did instrumental music de- thy 3:16). have always existed, as well as His infinite
velop accidentally from a prehistoric hunt- The Bible actually indicates that the first wisdom? (see Proverbs 8:22). Surely, there-
er becoming fascinated with how his bow man knew and practiced music. What’s fore, music—or at the very least, the capac-
twanged after an arrow was unleashed? more, music existed long before Adam. ity for music—has always existed.
The greatest human minds in musicol- Now, there was a moment when music
ogy cannot answer this most basic ques- Music Before Man took on a more institutionalized form.
tion: What is the origin of music? When God was talking to Job, putting this That was with the creation of angels. In
The answer is as inspiring as it is little wise man in his place in comparison to the them, God created innate musical ability.
understood. creative feats of God Almighty, He asked The chief of this angelic (and musical) cre-
Most music historians begin their a question that gives insight into history ation was the archangel Lucifer.
study of music around the third century before Earth’s creation. “Where wast thou
a.d. at the earliest, overlooking four mil- when I laid the foundations of the earth?” Lucifer’s Music
lennia of music history—and completely God asked, “When the morning stars sang Ezekiel 28:12-13 relate: “Son of man, take up
ignoring music’s origin. together, and all the sons of God shouted a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and
The history of “ancient” music needs re- for joy?” (Job 38:4, 7). say unto him, Thus saith the Lord God;
writing, because the greatest source avail- This reveals that God created angels be- Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom,
able has been rejected: the Word of God. fore He created Earth, that they witnessed and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in
Even many professed Bible scholars, this magnificent moment, that they shout- Eden the garden of God; every precious
though they may reject evolutionists’ hap- ed for joy, and that they were singing! stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz,

18 December 2010  The Philadelphia Trumpet istockphoto

 another instrument, perhaps like bag- parallel the solar system!
pipes—being brought to the ground. In addition, the Hebrews believed, as the
Bible indicates, that the movement of these
Harmony of the Spheres celestial bodies produces certain sounds.
After God created angels, He created the Aristotle believed this as well. James
material universe. Did you know that mu- continued, “[T]he motion of bodies of
sic was built into this physical realm? that size must produce a noise, since on
The Hebrews have long understood the our Earth the motion of bodies far inferi-
idea of the “harmony of the spheres.” This or in size and speed of movement has that
harmony refers to the planets actually effect. Also, when the sun and the moon,
being analogous to each other as musi- they say, and all the stars, so great in num-
cal pitches—philosophically in the sense ber and in size, are moving with so rapid
that their distances held the same ratios a motion, how should they not produce
as between pleasing musical intervals, and a sound immensely great? Starting from
literally in the sense that the planets, or this argument, and the observation that
spheres, resounded in actual tones. their speeds, as measured by their dis-
This belief is now attributed to Pythag- tances, are in the same ratios as musical
oras. Aristotle said that, to the Pythago- concordances, they assert that the sound
reans, “the whole heaven [was] a musical given forth by the circular movement of
scale and a number.” the stars is a harmony.” Plato believed
In his book Music of the Spheres, sci- that “the celestial logic, once it was under-
ence writer Jamie James explained, “Here, stood, would be reconcilable with a sub-
in our first encounter with the concept of lime system of mathematical harmony.”
the musical universe, it is clear that the Now modern science is supporting what

me  From?
Pythagoreans did not simply discern con- the Hebrews believed. Sound can occur
gruities among number and music and anywhere pressure waves can travel, mean-
the cosmos: They identified them. Music ing that sound waves can echo through the
was number, and the cosmos was music. atmospheres of the planets and even the
… The Pythagoreans conceived of the gas surrounding an enlarging black hole.
cosmos as a vast lyre, with crystal spheres The universe contains the equivalent of
and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and in the place of strings.” The spheres were rhythmic pulses, like a percussion section,
the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and known to be spaced according to the same as well as low drones, like a bass section.
the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship ratios that existed between frequencies in Science has also discovered “heavenly
of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared the musical scale. music bellowed out by the sun’s atmo-
in thee in the day that thou wast created.” King David had this understanding. sphere” (Space.com, April 18, 2007). These
This is not a physical king, or else the “The heavens declare the glory of God; and frequencies, at a thousandth of a hertz,
notion of musical instruments being cre- the firmament sheweth his handywork,” he are too low for human ears to hear (we
ated “in” him makes no sense. This refers wrote. “Day unto day uttereth speech, and can hear between 20 and 20,000 Hz). The
to a magnificent, beautiful, wise spirit be- night unto night sheweth knowledge. There sun’s corona carry magnetic sound waves
ing, an angel, who was in Eden. is no speech nor language, where their voice similar to those of musical instruments.
This being’s “tabret” is very similar is not heard. Their line is gone out through “[E]xplosive events at the sun’s surface ap-
to a timbrel, or percussion instrument of all the earth, and their words to the end of pear to trigger acoustic waves that bounce
the Hebrews (the tabret). The phrase “thy the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle back and forth between both ends of the
pipes” comes from a root meaning some- for the sun” (Psalm 19:1-4). The word for line loops, a phenomenon known as a standing
thing “hollow,” but it is not the word used in verse 4 can mean rope or musical string. wave,” the Space.com article stated. Stand-
to describe the typical Hebrew pipes. In In fact, when the Apostle Paul quoted ing waves are “exactly the same waves you
fact, the word neqeb is used only here in the this verse to the Romans, he used a Greek see on a guitar string,” said Robertus von
Hebrew Bible. It appears this was a unique word for “line” that actually translates into Fay-Siebenburgen of the Solar Physics and
spirit instrument that required a unique “musical sound.” “But I say, Have they not Space Plasma Research Center at the Uni-
Hebrew word, though similar to the pipes. heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all versity of Sheffield (ibid.).
The great cherub Lucifer was endowed the earth, and their words unto the ends of By flying through space, celestial bod-
with musical talents beyond human ca- the world” (Romans 10:18). ies are emitting sound. Deeper study of
pability. God told Job the morning stars The ancient Hebrews, who were well the heavens indicates that those sounds
“sang together.” This means there was aware of this astronomical reality, un- are working together much like a musical
ensemble, community and cooperation in doubtedly applied it to their understand- composition.
music, and Lucifer was of course includ- ing of music theory. Man did not start The Bible indicates that God created
ed. How this must have changed, though, with a one-, three- or five-note scale and sound waves to emanate from all cre-
when he rebelled! Imagine how distorted slowly decide that seven tones work bet- ation in an organized fashion to make
and warped Lucifer’s music became when ter together mathematically. God gave His a certain music—perceptible at least to
he turned from God’s way. Just before the people understanding in science, astrono- Him. 1 Chronicles 16:33 states that “the
description of Lucifer’s fall, Isaiah 14:11 my and the use of stringed instruments— trees of the wood sing out at the presence
talks about the “noise” of his neballim— and a seven-tone scale whose relationships of the Lord.” Isaiah 44:23 reads: “Sing, O

The Philadelphia Trumpet  December 2010 19

ye heavens … shout, ye lower parts of the Consider that Psalm just quoted. The instrument.
earth: break forth into singing, ye moun- inscription—part of the original divinely Archaeologically, this harp appears out
tains, O forest, and every tree therein ….” inspired Hebrew text—reads: “A Psalm or of nowhere, especially if it had to evolve
Isaiah 55:12 says, “[T]he mountains and Song for the sabbath day.” The title occurs from a one-stringed instrument. It is pos-
the hills shall break forth before you into in the Jewish Targum as “A Psalm and song sible that mankind’s musical and instru-
singing, and all the trees of the field shall which Adam uttered on the Sabbath day.” mental advancements were washed away in
clap their hands.” The other obvious nat- The Jews teach that Adam “uttered” the Flood. But God could have revealed the
ural music would be that of the animals, it on the Sabbath. That doesn’t mean he fundamentals of sound science to man, just
which also sing (Song of Solomon 2:12; composed it, but rather that he sang it. as He revealed the fundamental principles
Ecclesiastes 12:4; Psalm 104:12). Perhaps the Creator God—ready to in- of farming. Adam could have started with
God sees His creation as a musical com- struct Adam on that first Sabbath day— a multi-string harp. If God patterned Eden
position. And perhaps even the smallest had a hymn for the first man and woman after the heavenly design, then why not?
particles are vibrating and resounding in to sing. How appropriate this hymn would Clearly Eden’s garden pictured God’s
lovely music that God can hear and enjoy. be, which actually teaches that it is a “good presence. The Bible reveals that, wher-
thing” to give thanks and sing praise to ever God’s presence is, there is music: the
Music in Eden the Lord and the Most High. heavenly throne room, the ark of the cov-
Now we come to the first man and the If Psalm 92 is, in fact, that first hymn enant, the first and second temples (which
Garden of Eden. Surely the Almighty Cre- for the first man and woman, then we housed the ark), and the area in question
ator and Musical Expert would have want- have some incredible insight into Eden! here—the Garden of Eden.
ed to instruct His creation in the science Verses 2-3 read, “To shew forth thy lov- Isaiah 51 contains a prophecy of how
of sound and how it could be managed ingkindness in the morning, and thy faith- the world will look upon the Messiah’s
and organized for such magnifi- fulness every night, Upon an instrument of return in power and glory: “For the Lord
cent purposes! After all, God ten strings [literally: “the tenth”], and upon shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her
enjoys music and possesses the psaltery [Hebrew nebel]; upon the harp waste places; and he will make her wil-
great capacity for it. He [Hebrew kinnor] with a solemn sound.” derness like Eden, and her desert like the
created innate musical The term “solemn sound” is from a He- garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall
ability in His angelic brew word that implies meditating or mus- be found therein, thanksgiving, and the
handiwork, the chief ing. Music—singing hymns especially— voice of melody” (verse 3).
This verse is
God sees His creation as a musical com- about Earth be-
ing restored to
position. And perhaps even the smallest the way things
were in Eden.

particles are vibrating and resounding in So it supplies

clues of what
life was like for
lovely music that God can hear and enjoy. Adam and Eve
before their ex-
of which was a mu- was given to humans largely to draw our pulsion from the Garden! There was, in
sical genius. minds closer to God, especially on the day fact, music: “the voice of melody.” The He-
A glance through He has set aside for special worship of Him. brew for melody means psalm, and comes
the Bible—the Psalms Consider, though, how musical instru- from the root “to pluck.” Again, would
in particular—shows ments are named in this ancient psalm— God not have given Adam a psalm to sing
that music is vital in the what’s more, stringed instruments, which on the first Sabbath day? Could God have
proper worship of our Cre- are more complex in design than simple given him an instrument and taught him
ator. God in fact commands wind or percussion instruments. how to pluck it as he and his wife sang
the use of music as part of the Could musical instruments have been praises?
worship act, especially on the weekly in Eden? God had just created much more Music did not originate clumsily and
Sabbaths and annual festivals. God then complex creations—for example, the hu- serendipitously from prehistoric brutes.
would have instructed the first man in the man body. And God designed the garden Nor did it originate nine centuries into
basic principles of music, or at least have to be where His presence was. God’s heav- the biblical record with Jubal, who fa-
guided him in finding the fundamental enly presence is surrounded by music— thered the mishandling of music. The ca-
facts in this field for himself. not just vocal but instrumental as well (see pacity for music had no beginning—like
Since God created man on the sixth Revelation 5:8). Would God not have creat- the God who is surrounded by it, who cre-
day and used the seventh day to teach him ed or revealed the design for physical man- ated it in His angelic creation, the physical
these essential spiritual truths, would this ifestations of these heavenly instruments? universe, and into the garden sanctuary
first “worship service” have been without In the 1920s, excavations in Megiddo where He planted the first human beings.
worship music? Or would it have been the uncovered approximately 20 floor stones By being given the ability to under-
ideal time to show man that it is “a good dating to 3,300-3,000 b.c. The carvings on stand, appreciate, enjoy and produce mu-
thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and one of them depicted a female harpist with sic, mankind can partake of something
to sing praises unto thy name, O most a triangular shaped instrument having with an eternal past—the very mind and
High”? (Psalm 92:1). eight or nine strings—quite an advanced greatness of the Creator God! n

20 December 2010  The Philadelphia Trumpet istockphoto

On the Edge of Tyranny
Within barely nine months of the Lisbon Treaty coming into effect, EU
elites have moved to consolidate their imperial power. By Ron Fraser

E
astern Europeans are starting Of this the German public is largely inno- The best observers know that since the
to get edgy. Having lived for five cently ignorant. Treaty of Rome in 1957, which established
years under the boot heel of Nazi Having successfully moved to establish the foundation for European unity, a pan-
terror barely 70 years ago, followed an EU diplomatic force—intended to sub- European military force was inevitable.
by crushing Soviet Communist dictator- sume the once-sovereign diplomatic corps Even before World War ii, Herbert
ships lasting over 40 years, they fear that of the once-independent nations that have Armstrong prophesied this when it was on
by joining the European Union, their na- since handed over their sovereignty to nobody else’s mind. From the earliest edi-
tions may have leaped from the frying pan Brussels/Berlin—senior German political tion of the Plain Truth magazine in 1934,
into the fire. leaders want to take the next step. On the he was writing that Europe would become
They have reason to be concerned. sidelines of a meeting of the EU’s defense a united superpower.
It has taken less than one year since the ministers in Ghent, Belgium, in September, Soon after presenting a number of op-
enacting of the Lisbon Treaty for EU elites Christian Schmidt, parliamentary secretary tions to refine Germany’s military force into
to move to establish the world’s largest dip- at the German Defense Ministry, said, in a high-tech, professional rapid-response
lomatic force and a consolidated European relation to national defense, that the pres- machine, on September 2 Germany’s De-
police force, and to commence moves to sure on governments to cut costs had “led fense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg
develop a combined European army and to the realization that we have a lot of com- unveiled the latest initiative for the develop-
implement a pan-European spy network. mon interests in Europe.” ment of a pan-European military: the Euro-
Through the implementation of trea- Guy Verhofstadt, who leads the liberal pean Air Transport Command (eatc).
ties, the European combine has evolved grouping in the European Parliament, ar- This joint military air transport com-
from the European Coal and Steel Com- gued, “We have now a diplomatic service, mand “is to be prepared to conduct fu-
munity, comprising just six nations, to a which is very important, but we also need ture war missions of the German military
27-nation monolith comprising a single the other instrument—a common Europe- (Bundeswehr) and other European states
imperial political entity. To astute ob- an defense, a common European army. And in a far more efficient and cost-effective
servers of this process, the EU’s moves certainly, at a time when every European way,” German-Foreign-Policy.com report-
over the past year are proof positive of EU country has to make savings, maybe it’s the ed (September 2; our translation).
elites’ imperialist intentions. right time to build up this common Europe- Just what does this mean for Germany,
The sharpest minds now fear that these an army” (emphasis mine throughout). for Europe, and for the rest of the world? It
latest moves may recreate the very tyranny means that the nation that gave the world
that European elites duped the public into two global wars in the space of just two
believing the EU was set up to prevent. decades of the 20th century is gearing for
war once again! Read it for yourself:
Let’s Form an Army This force “is to be prepared
Herbert Armstrong said often to conduct future
during the early postwar years
that the German Nazi elites had
gone underground during the
last stages of World War ii, to re-
emerge to revive their imperialist
vision within new Europe. Many
other authors at the time agreed.
Recently I spoke with a former Brit-
ish Army colonel who was an aide to Ger-
many’s first postwar chancellor, Konrad
Adenauer. He confirmed that Adenauer
oversaw the careful placement of ex-Nazis
back into positions of influence in educa-
tion, the judiciary, commerce, banking,
business and industry after the war.
The result has been the education
of an upper stratum within the Ger-
man social order that is pursuing
the old vision of German hegemony.

dreamstime The Philadelphia Trumpet  December 2010 21

 war missions of the German military.” The tions were exposed. As the Express report- their absence in another EU country and if
German military figures as first priority. ed at the time, “[P]lans for the study will found guilty the British police will have to
“[O]ther European states” tag along, but fuel fears that Brussels is planning a fresh arrest them so they can be dispatched to the
Germany calls the tune! power grab once the EU constitution pro- member state concerned!
So there ought to be no real surprise cess is completed at the end of this year” “The convicted person cannot argue
that the new head of this joint European (express.co.uk, May 25, 2008). that they did not return to the relevant
air command is, you guessed it, a German Those plans have since morphed into country because they did not trust the le-
senior military officer. The same source reality. gal system …. The British court will have
states, “The first commander is a major gen- Speaking in September at the UK In- no power to protect them.”
eral of the German Air Force (Luftwaffe).” dependence Party’s annual conference in Already advanced, the machinery has
The following sentence reads like it Torquay, ukip’s London Member of the been created and is largely in place to es-
could have been taken right out of one of European Parliament Gerard Batten de- tablish the European Union as a vast con-
Herbert Armstrong’s extremely prescient clared that “the European Union is creat- tinental police state. The system as Batten
prophetic descriptions of the foreor- ing its own system of criminal law. The EU describes it is founded upon the following
dained future of Germany. It is certainly is in the process of creating its own police institutions: “a European Public Prosecu-
in line with the detailed prophetic articles state. … Our current situation is of course tor; Europol, its own police force; the Euro
that over 80 Gendarmerie, its own paramilitary police
British courts no longer have legal power percent of our force; the European Investigation Order
new laws now compelling British police to investigate
to act in the ultimate interests of British originate in the their own citizens on behalf of foreign
Crown subjects or of Britain itself. institutions of
the EU, it con-
states; the European Arrest Warrant en-
abling citizens to be transported across
penned by the editor in chief of the Trum- trols most of the major areas of policy, and borders with the minimum of fuss; and
pet magazine, even as it is in very direct Britain is well on the way to its intended the ability of one state to collect fines and
alignment with the detailed prophecies in status of a mere region of the European confiscate assets across borders” (ibid.).
your Bible for the Germany of today. Union. … [O]ur armed forces are being With its own massive diplomatic ser-
“The eatc will place in true perspective gradually subsumed into what is eventu- vice, its own legal and policing systems, and
the politics of war of the EU states and cre- ally intended to become common Europe- a European army in the making, one won-
ate further steps towards the development an armed forces under the direction of the ders how much further this movement to-
of an EU army. The joining together of the Lisbon Treaty’s Common Foreign Security ward consolidating tyrannical government
EU national military forces serves espe- and Defense Policy. … [O]ur ancient and has to go! Well, wonder no more, for the EU
cially the state that has the most political precious freedoms and protections under elites have also announced their pièce de ré-
influence in the EU—Germany” (ibid.). English law are being destroyed.” sistance: a pan-European spy force!
Well, you certainly can’t say we didn’t This is the current reality of a once
warn you. For over 50 years under the ad- great Great Britain that has become but Europe’s CIA
ministration of Herbert Armstrong, the a lackey to Brussels/Berlin. The teeth of German-Foreign-Policy.com reported
Plain Truth magazine hammered away at the old lion have been drawn. The once on this remarkable development. “With
the inevitability of what has now become proudly regal beast mutely faces caging by the cooperation of the German Foreign
a current-day reality! the EU monolith. Intelligence Service, Brussels is proceed-
Now, if you can just grasp that real- Batten continued: “Under a European ing with the creation of an intelligence
ity, then prepare for the double whammy: Arrest Warrant, the extradition of a British service for the EU,” it wrote on Septem-
“Further on, the military explain, they subject has been reduced to a mere bureau- ber 27. “The new body, which is to be inte-
also want, with the help of eatc, to ex- cratic formality.” This has already been grated into the EU’s External Affairs Ser-
tend the European influence within nato. implemented, with British subjects incar- vices (eas) by December 1, will be derived
With this the intent is to gear against any cerated in foreign jails in the EU. “[E]ven through the expansion of the EU’s cur-
U.S. reaction to being rivaled by a newly the home secretary has no power to inter- rently existing Joint Situation Center (Sit-
dominant world political rival in Berlin.” vene, as they once had, even if it is glaringly Cen). The SitCen, which is outside of any
Isn’t it about time that you really edu- obvious that a grave injustice is being done. parliamentary control, maintains a cell of
cated yourself in just what is going on Extradition has been reduced to the mere intelligence services, including the Ger-
in Berlin for the third time in less than export of the carcasses of accused persons.” man Federal Intelligence Service (bnd).”
a century? The above quotes are thrown The reality of this latest step toward EU The British organization Open Europe
into even starker light when it is realized tyranny is that British courts no longer have is warning that this will turn into a “Eu-
that they come from German minds that legal power to act in the ultimate interests of ropean cia.”
really understand the motive and intent British Crown subjects or of Britain itself! The article continued, “In the mid-’90s
behind these moves by the German De- Perhaps the gravest injustice built into the discussion … began in Germany. Ac-
fense Ministry! the EU system is that of Trials in Absentia. cording to the unofficial periodical Interna-
As Batten described this massive abuse of tionale Politik in 1996, ‘in the course of the
Expanding Police Powers the rights of British subjects of the Crown, development of a security and defense poli-
Two years ago, clandestine EU plans for “Under an EU Framework Decision, Trials cy, Europe will need a common intelligence
the creation of a European police force to in Absentia must be transposed into UK service with capacities yet to be structured
overarch and inevitably supersede all the law by 2011, or 2014 at the latest. This will to ensure a higher efficiency.’ This has be-
national police forces of EU member na- mean that a British citizen can be tried in ➤ See tyranny page 36

22 December 2010  The Philadelphia Trumpet MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images; STR/AFP/Getty Images; Getty Images; PhotosToGo
 Practice
D Happy
o you have a pencil? Another author collected
Place it in your teeth, hundreds of studies in a book
and don’t let it touch called Feelings: The Perception of
your lips. Great! We’ll Self. All of them concluded that be-
come back to this. Now, think of havior can actually cause feelings.
something you enjoy. Coffee and a Maybe this phenomenon seems like
Sunday paper, beautiful hiking weather, an unexpected snow a magical shortcut to happiness—or, if
day, a pencil that tastes like beef jerky. Whatever it is, the your eyes are scrolling side-to-side, maybe
reason you enjoy it is ultimately that it makes you happy. you think of it more as cutesy junk science. But nod your head and
If we could draw happiness out of a stream or pluck it from a think about this: It reflects an important truth about happiness.
tree, we would. We would seal it up in jam jars on the counter, “Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be
sorted by flavor: delight, joy, contentment, belonging, peace. established” (Proverbs 16:3).
Everybody wants happiness, but it doesn’t come in jam jars. The Bible teaches that our actions flow from our thoughts.
Though we may not always know where it comes from, we can But in this proverb, the Creator of happiness indicates that the
see the effects. When people are happy, we smile. When positive, reverse can also be true: Thoughts can flow from actions. In real-
we nod. When amused, we laugh. life terms, if we take action and do what
But here’s something interesting: Scien- Follow the biblical God commands, our minds and hearts will
tists analyzing happiness have discovered
that the thing also works in reverse. When
prescription: To be happy, be settled, mature, at peace—happy.
The Bible often stresses how actions
you smile, you become happier. act happy.  By Philip Nice matter. The book of James, for instance,
A popular psychology book called 59 teaches that faith is “dead” without works.
Seconds, Think a Little, Change a Lot lists a Proverbs 29:18 has this nugget: “[H]e that keep-
digest of three experiments testing this eth the law, happy is he.” Jesus Christ Him-
“proprioceptive” idea that the behavior self said, “If ye know these things, happy
can cause the thoughts instead of the are ye if ye do them” (John 13:17). If you
other way around. want to be happy, keeping God’s law,
In the first study, people in doing what God says, is the way.
one group were asked to furrow Perhaps we think, But I can’t do
their brows. Those in the other it if I don’t feel it first. We think
group were asked to smile. The it’s only natural if we let our emo-
result: Members of the latter tions dictate our actions. But the
group had significantly happier conventional wisdom is wrong
moods simply because they on this. Letting our emotions
used their smile muscles. drive life makes the pursuit of
In the second study, partici- happiness like running on a
pants looked at products scroll- treadmill and riding a roller-
ing across a large screen. Some coaster at the same time. We
scrolled horizontally, some must do good works, and the
scrolled vertically. Participants happiness will follow.
favored the random products A great Creator designed
moving vertically, apparently the happiness you experience
simply because they were un- when your friend helps you, your
knowingly nodding their heads. spouse loves you, or your child
In the third study, people read makes you laugh. He wants the
Far Side cartoons. Half held pencils in effect of happy thoughts to be
their mouths using only their lips. established in your mind, and
Half held pencils in their mouths He tells you the cause: Take ac-
using only their teeth. The latter tion! Do what sometimes you feel like
group found the cartoons much funnier, not doing. Chat with a group of peo-
without realizing that while the others were ple. Find a little something to joke
frowning, their mouths had been forced about. Force your mouth into a
into a bit of a smile! smile. And keep a well-
You can drop the pen- chewed pencil
cil now. But why around. n
not leave it
in?

The Philadelphia Trumpet  December 2010 23

 origins of nations part 3

Is China in the Bible?

The scriptural, prophetic identity of the most populous
nation on the planet  By David Vejil

“C
hina: The Next Superpow- nant ethnic group and many small minor- Chinese language—a feat few other lan-
er.” “China: America’s Num-
ities. The ethnic Han comprise more than guages have managed.
ber-One Enemy.” 90 percent of the 1.3 billion people living in This was partly due to the size of the
Such headlines have be-
China. Though minority ethnic groups— Han population. In a.d. 2, the first avail-
come common. It is logical that the na-
such as the Uygurs, Tibetans, Mongols able census shows a Chinese population
tion with nearly 20 percent of the world’s
and Manchu—make up a small percent- of about 60 million, one fourth of the
population, the second-biggest economyage of the Chinese population, in absolute world’s population at the time!
and the biggest military (in terms of man-
numbers they are still large populations. To better rule this immense popula-
power) would inspire such discussion. For example, there are actually more tion, nomadic invaders typically adopted
But will China become the world’s Mongols living in China than in Mongolia. Chinese administration techniques and
next superpower? The truth is, you cannot These other ethnic groups have been the Chinese language, a language quite
know China’s future unless you under- absorbed into China through conquest unrelated to their own. Eventually their
stand that nation’s identity in the Bible,
by the Han Chinese. The Han have long descendents adopted Chinese culture and
the only source that can reveal the answer!
dominated the heartland of China, usual- the agricultural lifestyle as well. When the
Yes, if you believe the Bible, you can ac-
ly defined by the Yellow River in the north, Han reasserted themselves, they easily ab-
tually know for certain—without a doubt—
the Yangtze in the middle and the Pearl sorbed the invaders that remained.
who will dominate the world very shortly!
River on the south. This rich agricultural All the mixing and migrating of dif-
Hundreds of think tanks spend count-
region is surrounded by border regions ferent peoples has made it impossible
less hours and vast sums of money in occupied by non-Han peoples, such as to characterize what a pure ethnic Han
search of an answer to this question. Yet,
Tibet, Xinjiang (home of the Muslim Ui- is. Nevertheless, prophetically speaking,
the Bible reveals the answer—if they ghurs), Inner Mongolia and Manchuria, China refers to all the people of China, not
would only believe! the historical name given to the territory just the Han ethnic group. And at any rate,
The Bible is a book primarily about Is-
north of North Korea. the Chinese and all the minority groups
rael, physical and spiritual. When other Historically, fierce nomadic cavalry living in China are of the Mongoloid race,
nations are mentioned, it is typically in
armies from the northern border regions which stems from Noah’s son Japheth.
relation to Israel. In biblical times, the in-
have posed a difficult challenge to the ag-
teraction between the Chinese and the Is-
riculture-based Chinese. The incursions The Mongoloid Race
raelites was of no major consequence, and
motivated the building of the Great Wall. As Herbert W. Armstrong taught through-
so China was rarely mentioned. When the Han were strong, just like out his ministry, Noah’s son Japheth mar-
However, the Bible does speak propheti-
today, the border regions were under their ried a woman of the yellow race, and went
cally of China’s role in end-time events.
rule. When they were weak, they lost con- on to father the Mongoloid people. The
Technological advances in communication
trol of those buffer regions and in some Hebrew word Japheth means enlargement,
and trade have shrunken the distance be-
cases were even invaded by their Turkic according to The Zondervan Pictorial Bi-
tween China and the modern descendantsand Mongol neighbors. ble Dictionary, and a glance at the modern
of Israel considerably (for an explanationThe foreign invaders all achieved mea- world shows that the Oriental populations
of who these nations are, request our free
sures of success, controlling portions have been enlarged and multiplied to an
book The United States and Britain in of Chinese territory for various periods, unparalleled degree. Japheth’s descen-
Prophecy). Today China has considerable
mainly in northern China. The most dants have long been the most populous
global influence: Witness, for example, the
complete conquest was the Mongol inva- people on Earth, with the bulk living in
amount of U.S. debt China holds and the
sion started by Genghis Khan in the a.d. China, Southeast Asia and Japan.
huge trade imbalance between the two na-
1200s: The resulting dynasty fully con- Genesis 10:2-5 show that the enlarge-
tions, and the fact that China is the world’s
trolled China for a century. ment of Japheth began with the patriarch
most dominant trading nation. All these invasions had one thing in himself siring seven sons and an untold
An understanding of these prophecies
common, however: They all met their end number of daughters. Obviously, these
hinges on knowing the biblical identity of
by the Han Chinese. sons and daughters were a mix between
the Chinese people. Before delving into No matter which foreign invader occu- the Caucasoid and Mongoloid races, the
this, however, we must gain a basic over-
pied the throne, China always remained latter of which grew more definitive in
view of Chinese history. Chinese. subsequent generations. Soon after the dis-
One remarkable demonstration of the persion at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:8),
A Brief History of a Great People resilience of their society and culture was Japheth’s descendants migrated through
The Chinese people comprise one domi- the survival, amid all the invasions, of the Central Asia to the lands they occupy now.

24 December 2010  The Philadelphia Trumpet

 M a g o g eastern migration
2000s B.C-A.D. 300s From Cyprus,
Chittim’s descendants migrate to the Far
East where they are known as the Khitan.
They conquer northern China, establishing
  the Liao dynasty in the 10th century A.D.

Cyprus  
  Mo
ng Manchuria
ol
ia
er ia
Xinjiang Innngol Extent of

CH
Mesopotamia
mo Khitan
control
migration to cyprus

IN
migration of magog
2000s B.C. Chittim’s descen-
2000s B.C. Some of
dants migrate from Mesopo-
Magog’s descendants move tibet East

A
tamia west to Cyprus, giving Erlitou
eastward from Mesopotamia, china
their name to the island.
settling in China. They are sea
the predecessors to the Han.

Arabian sea

Migration of the Chinese South

China
sea

One of the seven sons of Japheth bears golic and Turkic. The name Mongol is sians and Chinese. One of the Mongolic
special importance to the prophetic iden- even derived from the name Magog. nomadic tribes in this area bears a special
tity of the Chinese and even their nomad- The ancient history of this land is a story relationship with China. They are the
ic neighbors. That is Magog, the second about different Turkic and Mongolic tribes Khitan, a people responsible for China’s
son of Japheth mentioned in Genesis 10:2. vying for control of the area. Whenever a modern name and one of China’s biblical
tribe grew strong enough, it would rule names, Chittim.
Where Did Magog Go? the area; in rare cases—such as with the
Again, the Bible deals primarily with Is- Huns, Seljuk Turks and Mongols—if these China Is Chittim
rael. Since Magog’s descendants migrated nomadic tribes consolidated enough power, Isaiah 23:1 has a prophecy about “the land
to an area largely independent of the civi- they conquered lands beyond their own. of Chittim.” To which modern nation
lizations developing in the Middle East, The resulting conquests led to much does this end-time prophecy apply? This
no sons of Magog are listed in Scripture. cultural and genetic intermixing with the biblical name refers to both the island of
However, Jewish historian Josephus people of Central Asia—and makes their Cyprus and to the nation of China, whose
indicated where Magog’s descendants set- national borders largely irrelevant to de- progenitors first populated Cyprus and
tled. He wrote in the first century, “Magog fining their ethnic backgrounds. gave it its name.
founded those that from him were named Today the land the Bible calls Magog is Jewish historian Josephus records that
Magogites, but who are by the Greeks dominated in the west by Russia—which some descendants of Japheth—such as the
called Scythians” (The Complete Works of is reasserting control over the region it families of Gomer, Tubal and Togarmah—
Josephus). once possessed through the ussr—and first settled in southern Europe before
In a prophecy in Ezekiel 38, the Bible China in the east. migrating east into Asia. Kittim was one
labels this vast territory of northern Eur- Details of the ancient history of Magog such family, originally settling lands to
asia where the Scyths lived—a region that and its people remain obscure since the the west of Mesopotamia before moving
stretched from the Russian steppes east Turks and Mongols didn’t develop a written to the Far East.
into modern-day China and Mongolia— language until after their contact with the Genesis 10:4 lists the sons of Japheth’s
as Magog. Chinese or Persian civilizations. Though fourth-born son: “The sons of Javan were
This territory contained many differ- these nomadic peoples have a sketchy his- Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim”
ent tribes of people of the white and yellow tory, they still play an important role in un- (New King James Version). Kittim is syn-
races, all of whom were called Scyths or derstanding China’s prophetic role. onymous with the Chittim of Isaiah’s
Scythians by the Greeks (see last month’s While the Mongols’ connection to Ma- prophecy. Verse 5 mentions that these sons
installment in this series). The Ezekiel 38 gog is most obvious, they were just one of Javan settled the isles, or the coasts. This
prophecy demonstrates this as well, listing tribe of a related people that carry the bib- occurred shortly after the dispersion of
numerous nations and peoples associated lical name Magog. Ezekiel 38 is a prophecy the Tower of Babel, when the sons of Javan
with or dwelling “in the land of Magog.” about the land of Magog and all the dis- migrated to the northern Mediterranean.
The people who most prominently settled tant “cousins” that live there and are as- These tribes gave their names to various cit-
this land are typically identified as Mon- sociated with each other, such as the Rus- ies and islands, such as Cyprus and Rhodes.

The Philadelphia Trumpet  December 2010 25

 The Mongoloid types of these families,
including the Kittim, did not stay in the
Mediterranean, however. Over hundreds
of years and many generations, some of
these families migrated east into Asia
from Cyprus, where they are found today,
according to research by Dr. Ernest Mar-
tin, formerly of Ambassador College.
The descendants of Javan’s son Kittim
came to Asia some time after many of
their cousins had already settled there. Af-
ter their migration through Central Asia,
the Kittim made their appearance in mod-
ern-day northern China and Mongolia un-
der the name Khitan in the fourth century
a.d. In the 10th century, the Khitan people
managed to create a dynasty that subju-
gated the peoples, including the Chinese,
in modern-day northern China. Their ter-
ritory stretched from what is now Korea to
eastern Kazakhstan, including Beijing, the
NO TRESPASSING
The Great Wall of China
seat of government in China today.
was built to keep the no-
Because the Khitans controlled the over-
madic Mongols of the north
land trade and communication route from
out, but it failed to do so.
China through Central Asia to Europe,
China was called Cathay, after the Khitans.
The designation first applied to north Chi- northern China, what about the original spelled Kusou, is Nimrod’s father Cush!
na, but later designated all of China. It is a Han people who settled and continue to And the “queen mother of the west” can
name the Russians still use for China today. live in China’s heartland? only be Semiramis. She was the mother-
Isaiah 23:1-3 reveal that Chittim, mod- wife of Nimrod who called herself “queen
ern-day China, will form a part of a global Handling the Han of heaven,” as documented in Alexander
economic market along with Europe, one The history of the Han Chinese is much Hislop’s Two Babylons. These are the
that is prophesied to shut out the nations less obscure. In fact, the Han people re- three principal figures of man’s rebellion
of Israel. It should be no surprise that cord their history all the way back to the at the Tower of Babel.
China will be an integral part of this eco- time of the Tower of Babel! Nimrod was a son of Cush and there-
nomic partnership with Europe, as it is Ancient Chinese records speak of Chi- fore of the black race. The Bible describes
now the world’s greatest exporter. These na’s first emperors, Yaou, Shun and Yu. him as a mighty rebellious leader who
two trading blocs will soon dominate the One such record, The Shoo King, ex- caused the people to revolt against God
global economy! plains that one of Yaou’s tasks was to deal shortly after the Flood (Genesis 10:8-9).
The history of the Khitan demonstrates with the effects of a great flood that rav- He gathered the different races and peo-
what has happened to many of the Mongol- aged the land: “Destructive in their over- ples together to build the Tower of Babel,
ic tribes that once roamed the western por- flow are the waters of the inundation. In but was stopped when God intervened
tions of what the Bible calls Magog. These their vast extent they embrace the moun- and confused the languages (Genesis 11:1-
nomadic tribes were not considered Chi- tains and overtop the hills.” 7). The different races and peoples were
nese when they were conquering the Han While scholars explain the inundation then scattered to different areas of the
civilization, but after centuries of living in- as a local flood in China, it is clear from world (verse 8).
side China’s borders, much of their popula- the biblical account, God’s sacred Word, At that point, Yu became the next ruler.
tions have been ethnically absorbed by the that these annals are talking about Noah’s Yu, China’s first great hero, founded the
Han Chinese. Whatever remnants of these Flood. Consider: Xia dynasty; from that point forward,
Mongolic nomads that have managed to re- During Yaou’s lifetime a new leader, leadership was given on a hereditary basis.
main distinct, such as the Mongols, are now Shun, came to power. According to an- The return of government to a Chinese
classified as ethnic minorities in China. other ancient Chinese manuscript, The ruler indicates that the Chinese immedi-
In the Khitan’s case, their absorption Bamboo Annals, Shun is described as hav- ately left the area of Babel and broke free
was so complete that an ethnic minor- ing a “black body.” He was obviously not from Nimrod and his successors’ rule.
ity group from their descendants doesn’t Chinese, and his mother was called “the Under Chinese rulers, they migrated to
even exist! queen mother of the west,” indicating him their modern-day location.
The history of these nomads shows just as a foreigner. The Shoo King gives the The chronology as presented by The
how strong a connection China has with name of Shun’s father as Koo-sow. Shoo King places the rules of these three
biblical Magog. To a certain degree, they According to Dr. Herman Hoeh’s Com- kings toward the end of the third millen-
even share the same borders and the same pendium of World History, this Shun was nia b.c. (The Chinese Classics). This time
people. But if this explains the Mongolic none other than the Nimrod of the Bible. frame also agrees with the Bible.
nomads whose descendants now live in Therefore Koo-sow, which can also be The Chinese have preserved the most

26 December 2010  The Philadelphia Trumpet simon hua

 complete secular in this time period, followed by a contrac- trouble” this European king.
history of their tion in settlement, with evidence pointing Any map will show that north and east
civilization, dating to drastic flooding in the region (ibid.). of Jerusalem are Russia and China, the
back more than Though the archeologists won’t admit two dominant powers of the land bibli-
4,000 years. There it, this is evidence of a great flood fol- cally referred to as Magog!
is a lot of myth and lowed by a resettlement of the area led by This event is further expounded in
legend included as the Xia dynasty! Revelation 16:12, where it is prophesied
well, but the gen- that the “kings of the east” will gather an
eral chronology of Back to Gog and Magog army that numbers 200 million soldiers!
emperors is veri- So if history is clear that Shun is Nim- (Revelation 9:14-16). Such a vast army
fied by archeologi- rod, who are Yaou and Yu? How do these could only be assembled with the massive
cal finds, as well as names fit in our biblical identity? population of China. Clearly China is one
what is recorded in A basic understanding of Ezekiel 38 of those kings of the east!
Scripture. gives us that information. That chapter So back to our original question: Will
speaks of the land of Magog and specific China become the world’s next dominat-
Archeological Proof people or peoples living in that land: “Son ing superpower after the decline of the
Western scholars of man, set thy face against Gog, the land U.S.? The answer is no!
and the Chinese of Magog” (verse 2). Gog and Magog are Though it will grow to tremendous
themselves, heavily also mentioned together in Revelation world power, even superpower status—
influenced by West- 20:8, showing a close connection between especially through economic means, as
ern thought after the land and peoples. When Arab histori- indicated in Isaiah 23—it will not rise to
the 1920s, believed ans talked of the Mongols, they used the the top spot. That position will be filled by
the Xia dynasty terms Yagog and Magog. the European power led by Germany! Af-
and the history im- According to Dr. Hoeh, Yaou in Chi- ter a short economic partnership, China
mediately following nese history is likely the same person the will violently contend with the king of the
were mere inven- Arabs call Yagog in their tradition. Every north for global dominance.
tions, mythical heroes and kingdoms. prophetic indication is that China has a But this war will end when Jesus Christ
However, an archeological find in strong connection with Gog and Magog. returns and destroys both powers!
1959 at Erlitou in the western part of the Ezekiel 38:2 refers to China. Along with After that, according to biblical proph-
Henan province revealed an early Chinese Russia, China dominates the entire area of ecy, Christ will restore His government on
society dating back to the same time and Magog and is associated with the nations Earth, a government that will bring peace
place that The Shoo King records the Xia listed in subsequent verses. and prosperity for 1,000 years. Yet Ezekiel
dynasty existed! The city found at Erlitou Therefore, the Chinese Han people 38 prophesies that not every nation will
is the largest of all cities found dating to were ruled first by a Japhetic descendant submit to Christ’s rule voluntarily. Soon
this time period and is believed to be the associated with Magog—possibly his son, after the Second Coming, the people of
capital city of the Xia government. though the Bible doesn’t say specifically. Asia will form an army in order to attack
Since that find in the North China During Nimrod’s rebellion at the Tower of the people living in Jerusalem!
Plain off the Yellow River, archeologists Babel, the Chinese were ruled by Nimrod. This will be the last great rebellion in
have found some 200 sites revealing the After his reign, when God intervened and the 1,000-year period. Christ will utterly
same culture throughout a broad area, changed the languages, government over destroy it and deliver His people. It is a
demonstrating a rapid settlement and ur- the Chinese returned to the Japhetic line, grand statement from God: “Thus will I
banization during 1900 to 1500 b.c. This under Yu’s rule. These people then migrat- magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and
was the formation of the first Chinese ed north and east to modern-day China, I will be known in the eyes of many na-
state! (The Chinese Neolithic: Trajectories setting up their capital in the North China tions, and they shall know that I am the
to Early States). Plain at the end of the third millennium b.c. Lord” (Ezekiel 38:23).
The Bamboo Annals records the ex- The location of China helps reveal oth- Believing the Bible gives us an under-
istence of other Chinese states and how er biblical identities as well. standing of ancient Chinese history that
the Xia rulers expanded their control over scholars reject, and reveals the future sta-
them. Archeologists have found evidence Kings of the East tus of China and major events this world
of other Chinese states, but none contained In a prophecy recorded in Daniel 11, a power will participate in. But even more, it
as many settlements as those closely iden- clash is foretold between “the king of the gives us the final and inspiring end result:
tified with the city found in Erlitou where north,” a German-led European power, Christ establishing His Kingdom on Earth!
the Xia ruled—clearly the center of power and “the king of the south,” a radical Is- God is offering the wonderful oppor-
of the first post-Flood Chinese civilization. lamic power led by Iran (these prophetic tunity to know, now, who is the Lord!
Interestingly, the archeological record identities are explained in our booklets Horrible wars are prophesied to occur
shows a period of extremely low-popula- Germany and the Holy Roman Empire shortly, but God will deliver His people,
tion settlement in the period immediately and The King of the South, both free upon those who know He is the Lord and rely
before the Erlitou culture arrived. The request). Emerging victorious, the Euro- on Him. That should lead to the next big
archeologists, steeped in evolutionary pean army is then prophesied to conquer question: Are you one of those? n
thought, call the time before the Flood the tiny Jewish nation now called Israel.
the Neolithic period. They have found ev- At that point, verse 44 foretells, “tidings For further study, order a free copy of our
idence of a thriving civilization in China out of the east and out of the north shall booklet Russia and China in Prophecy.

The Philadelphia Trumpet  December 2010 27

 The Magnificent New
Armstrong
Auditorium
Seeing is believing.  by stephen flurry

A
fter the Queen of Sheba
toured Solomon’s temple, Scrip-
ture says “there was no more
spirit in her” (1 Kings 10:5). She From Around the World
had heard about the penetrating insights “Jaw dropping” is how Ray
of King Solomon, the luxurious splendor of Hibbard described his experience.
the house he built for God, the magnificent “Frankly,” Hibbard wrote in Edmond Life grand lobby, are three massive
gardens surrounding the temple, the bliss- & Leisure, “calling this palace a building chandeliers, weighing nearly six tons in
ful countenance of Solomon’s entourage, is probably the largest understatement total. Of the more than 50,000 pieces of
their regal attire and the sumptuous deli- you have ever seen in print. At every shimmering crystal clinging to the chan-
cacies served in the royal court. But when turn of my tour, I was at a loss in finding deliers, about two thirds are Strass crystal
she finally saw it all for herself, it literally words to describe how impressed I was made by Swarovski of Innsbruck, Aus-
took her breath away. with the choice of materials and quality tria—the “Rolls Royce” manufacturer of
I didn’t know the half of it, she ex- construction.” chandelier crystal.
claimed. This actually exceeds the fame He was especially moved by the inter- The two 7-foot candelabras featured on
that had spread by word of mouth (verse national array of building materials and the lobby floor were commissioned by the
7). She left Jerusalem so moved with emo- feature pieces that are displayed through- Shah of Iran in 1971 to commemorate the
tion, so giddy with delight, that she actu- out the facility. For example, the grand 2,500-year anniversary of the Persian Em-
ally glorified the great God of Israel! mall, which wraps around the entrance, is pire. Each candelabra weighs 650 pounds
In September, the Philadelphia Church covered with 40,000 square feet of Turkish and supports 802 pieces of Baccarat crys-
of God, which sponsors the Trumpet mag- travertine marble—nearly enough tiles to tal from France.
azine, completed a new performing arts fill a square acre. The 120-foot-long reflect- Behind the candelabras in the grand
center on the campus of Herbert W. Arm- ing pool in the middle of the mall show- lobby are three gorgeous feature walls
strong College in Edmond, Oklahoma. cases a beautiful bronze sculpture, Swans made of caramel onyx. The semi-precious
Armstrong Auditorium may not rise to in Flight, made by world-renowned British stone was quarried in Azerbaijan, near the
the level of excellence of Solomon’s house, sculptor, Sir David Wynne, who personally southern shores of the Caspian Sea, and
but judging by the initial wave of reviews, attended the auditorium’s dedication. then cut and polished in Italy.
it will take your breath away. Inside the house, suspended above the Upstairs, Spanish and Chinese marble
covers 2,000 square feet in the balcony lob-
by. In the theater, American cherry wood of its September issue. “The aesthetics of in 1974—Ambassador Auditorium in
veneer, with matching grain, stretches Armstrong Auditorium are, in a word, Pasadena, California. That house became
from floor to ceiling on both sidewalls. breathtaking,” wrote Kent Anderson. It the crown jewel of the Ambassador Col-
Backstage are two concert grand pianos gives Oklahoma a concert hall that is truly lege campus toward the end of Mr. Arm-
manufactured by Steinway and Sons in world-class, he said. strong’s 55-year ministry.
Hamburg, Germany. Chris Pritchard, the lead architect for After Mr. Armstrong’s death in 1986,
It is palatial, said Tricia Pemberton in the project, said, “This is going to become the new leaders systematically dismantled
the Daily Oklahoman. Touring the edi- a landmark for north Edmond—a true the church’s body of beliefs plank by plank.
fice and its surrounding grounds is like a world-class facility, the scale of which is They changed the church’s commission
“study in opulence,” she wrote. unmatched here.” Clif Warren, who wrote and gutted its faith. They stopped the tele-
Writing in Distinctly Oklahoma, a about the project back in April, predicted vision program, closed the college, and
monthly periodical, Dena Edwards said it would possibly become “the most beau- eventually sold off all the church’s most
the auditorium, with its 12 towering pil- tiful temple in the Southwest region.” valuable assets—including God’s house.
lars in front, dominates the surrounding Beginning in late 1989, the same God
woodlands in north Edmond “like a mod- Raising the Ruins who raised up His Church under Mr.
ern Greek temple.” From the beginning, we have modeled our Armstrong started all over again with just
Edmond Monthly, another local maga- construction project after a similar proj- 12 people, led by my father, Gerald Flur-
zine, featured the auditorium on the cover ect completed by Herbert W. Armstrong ry. After a little more than 10 years, the

The Philadelphia Trumpet  December 2010 29

scattered remains of those who held to drawings. He decided to raise the canopy
their original faith had grown in number in front of the building by 16 feet, which
to support an exciting new phase of God’s increased the towering size of the 12 pil-
work: raising the ruins of the work God lars to 48 feet. Besides opening up the view
did through Mr. Armstrong. of the campus from the balcony lobby, this
It started with 160 acres of pastureland change gave the front of the structure a
located in north Edmond. As work began look that is distinctly Ambassadoresque.
in earnest to resurrect God’s college, be- In 2009, we landed yet another piece
ginning with the John Amos Field House from the Armstrong era: the beautiful
in 2001, we set aside space on the land for Swans in Flight. Mr. Armstrong assigned
a proposed house that would be dedicated David Wynne to the task in 1968. Upon
to God. completion, it was placed at the entrance
After obtaining all of Mr. Armstrong’s of the Ambassador College campus in
major writings at the end of a grueling six- Big Sandy, Texas. After we purchased the
year lawsuit in 2003, my father sharpened work of art from the campus’s new own-
his focus on the house of God. At a Pasa- ers in May 2009, we disassembled the
dena auction in July 2004, we purchased 1,200-pound sculpture and moved it to
one of our two Steinway pianos, a concert Norman, Oklahoma, where it was refur-
grand that Mr. Armstrong had originally bished and stored until January of this year.
ordered for Ambassador in 1983. It was installed on our campus in March.
We also bought the two candelabras Finally, there are the gold-plated
commissioned by the shah in 1971. Mr. bronze letters affixed to the onyx wall
Armstrong originally purchased the pair featured in the center of the grand lobby.
from a London department store in 1973 They read, “Armstrong Auditorium:
and placed them inside the main lobby of Made possible by gifts from the Phila-
Ambassador Auditorium. delphia Church of God. Dedicated to the
In 2005, we contacted an Oklahoma honor and glory of the Great God.” Ex-
City architectural firm about building cept for where the names are different,
God’s house. At our first meeting, we these are the original letters that used to
handed over a stack of pictures and litera- be on the feature wall inside the Ambassa-
ture about Ambassador Auditorium. We dor Auditorium lobby, generously given to
said we wanted a structure that rivaled the us by the current owners of Ambassador!
elegance and quality of Ambassador and
that blended in with our more rural land- Hearing—Then Seeing
scape in Central Oklahoma. For nearly a decade, members and sup-
In 2006, we contacted the same acous- porters of this work heard about the maj- brilliant Chinese and Austrian
tical firm that helped design Ambassador esty and beauty of God’s house. It is by crystal chandeliers illuminate the lobby. Below:
Auditorium’s near-perfect acoustics. their sacrifice and freewill gifts that this An orchestra in white tunes up as guests fill
In early 2007, with architectural draw- project has moved forward, step by step, the theater. Right: Renowned British sculptor
ings nearly complete, my father described without delay. They heard of its grand de- David Wynne (left) speaks with Gerald Flurry.
his vision to members of the Philadelphia sign—how the towering portico, the color
Church of God: “We could create a mag- scheme inside the theater and the various
nificent jewel in this area, an edifice that assortments of marble, sandstone and
would stand as a monument to the liv- onyx were all designed with Ambassador
ing God like nothing else we could do in Auditorium in mind.
this world. The more I think about it, the They heard of the many Armstrong ac-
more the idea inspires me!” cents collected along the way and tucked
In September that year, he announced away in storage, like the two candelabra—
that plans were indeed going forward on as if longing for the day they would finally
the house of God. settle into their new home. They heard of
On Jan. 6, 2008, on a gorgeous spring- the truckloads of trees and bushes—more
like day, with temperatures topping 70 than 3,000 of them—that were delivered
degrees, 500 people joined my father in a for the grounds surrounding the auditori-
45-minute ceremony kicking off this his- um. And they heard about the many mir-
toric project. This auditorium, he told the acles that have made it possible for such
gathering, would bring more glory to God a small band of supporters to complete a
than any other building project we had project this magnificent, this massive.
undertaken. Now that the auditorium has been dedi-
A month later, with earthmovers dig- cated to our great God and its doors opened
ging the hole that would become the au- to the general public, many brethren have
ditorium basement, my father requested been able to see it all for themselves.
a significant revision to the architectural Breathtaking! n

30 December 2010  The Philadelphia Trumpet

 grand opening Music of the Elijah ora-
torio fills the stage for the first time. Below, left: An
audience listens to a forum by David Wynne. Below,
right: The inscription adorns the onyx wall in the lobby.

DAZZLING
The lobby
candelabra
principles of living

Ending the War on Poverty

Why giving money to the poor isn’t working.

S
ince the grand opening of Armstrong Auditorium had given to Mr. Armstrong. They sold
in September, we have received an outpouring of positive literature, libraries, instruments, pianos,
response—mostly from Church members and co-work- chandeliers, candelabra and furniture—
ers who helped fund the project. virtually anything they could get some
We have also gotten a handful of negative responses, which cash for.
is not unusual. But the interesting thing is that all the critics And today, the Worldwide Church of
have essentially said the same thing: That the money used to God doesn’t even exist.
build Armstrong Auditorium would have been much better Through it all, these leaders spoke
spent if it had been given to poor people. often about funding pensions and giv-
Critics of God’s work have often moaned about the way it ing to the poor. Mostly, though, like
uses God’s money. Judas before them, they just lined their stephen
As I point out in my book Raising the Ruins, Herbert W. own pockets. flurry
Armstrong—one of the most prominent religious leaders of Judas, remember, was appalled when
the 20th century—raised up a worldwide work that helped im- he saw Mary anoint the feet of Jesus with some costly ointment.
prove the lives of multiple millions of people. Yet, that did not Why, we could have sold this expensive ointment for 300 pence
stop his successors from badmouthing the way he went about and given all of the proceeds to the poor, he said.
building God’s work. Judas said this, John 12:6
“We neither have nor relates, not because he cared
promote an extravagant for the poor, but because
lifestyle,” Joseph Tkach he was a thief. He didn’t
Jr. smugly said in his book care about poor people. He
Transformed by Truth. “We cared about himself. And in
have divested ourselves, and the end, he betrayed Jesus
continue to, of those things Christ for 30 pieces of silver.
that are opulent and do not In Matthew’s version of
befit a church.” the incident at the house of
And yet, even as they Lazarus, Jesus reproved His
were canceling or slashing disciples for being so easily
programs Mr. Armstrong swayed by Judas’s feigned
established for the benefit of show of concern for poor
church members and their ANSWERS No matter the people. “Why are you an-
families, and for millions of level or type of poverty, temporar- noying the woman?” Jesus
co-workers and Plain Truth ily easing the pain is no solution. asked. “It is a beautiful thing
readers, the Tkaches were she has done to me. The
collecting hundreds of millions of dollars in income. The World- poor you always have beside you, but you will not always have
wide Church of God income hit its peak in 1989 at $212 million. me” (Matthew 26:10-11, Moffatt translation).
In 1990, it was $211 million, followed by $197 million in 1991. He went on to say that by pouring that precious ointment
By today’s standards, after adjusting for inflation, that on Christ, this woman’s act of kindness would be remembered
amounts to more than $1 billion. One billion dollars over wherever the gospel message was proclaimed! What a witness.
the course of three years. And the money continued rolling in Still, the movement to “solve” the problems of this world
right up to the time Tkach Jr. wrote his book in 1997. by giving handouts to the poor is powerfully strong—and the
In addition to receiving that staggering income, the Tkaches strength of its message shows no signs of abating.
were profiting from the business of “divesting” themselves of
the “extravagant lifestyle” Mr. Armstrong built. They sold The War on Poverty
off all the festival sites used by church members. They sold Look at America. More than 40 years ago, after declaring war
the campsites Mr. Armstrong built for teenagers. They shut on poverty, President Lyndon Johnson created all sorts of en-
down the college campuses Mr. Armstrong raised up for the titlement programs intended to help poor people—food stamps,
work and for young people. They canceled the World Tomor- Medicare and Medicaid, just to name a few.
row program, watched by hundreds of thousands each week. And what has been the result?
They discontinued literature read by millions. They sold the Today, the poverty rate in the U.S. is at 15 percent—the high-
property and all the buildings used for preaching the gospel to est in 50 years. That means one in seven Americans now lives
the world. They sold the airplane Mr. Armstrong used to visit below the poverty line. Forty-five percent of American house-
church members and world leaders. They auctioned off equip- holds do not pay federal income tax. They are too poor. And
ment, paintings, sculptures and personal gifts world leaders the gap between the rich and the poor just keeps widening.

32 December 2010  The Philadelphia Trumpet issouf sanogo/afp/getty images

 The Wall Street Journal recently reported that nearly half again, assuming, of course, that they are able.
of all Americans live in a home where someone receives gov- Consider one of our own faithful members. He is an
ernment benefits. More people depend on the government for 85-year-old man from Florida on a fixed income. A little over
their economic survival than ever before. Nearly 42 million four years ago, in order to provide more financial support for
Americans now receive food stamps—the most ever. his church, he decided to get a part-time job as a door greeter
Ever since the “war on poverty” began, America’s budget for at Walmart. Over the years, he has commented at times about
entitlement programs has skyrocketed. These programs now how his legs and feet get tired from standing as long as he does.
eat up 64 percent of the $3.2 trillion federal budget! In 1960, it Then he always adds, “But we have a work to do.”
was just 26 percent. This man’s dedication and diligence help explain why a work
And it’s only going to get worse. Today, 47.4 million people of so few can accomplish so much. But his work does more
are enrolled in Medicare, a 38 percent jump from 20 years ago. than just produce extra income for himself and his church. It
Twenty years from now, in 2030, that number is projected to be must surely strengthen the relationship Walmart has with its
more than 80 million! customers. It undoubtedly generates some kind of tax revenue
We have become a nation of leaders who are addicted to for state and federal governments. And it keeps this man busy,
spending money on credit and citizens who are addicted to working productively for God—living the way of give.
entitlement programs. And we wonder why America teeters This, to paraphrase Jesus, is a beautiful thing. And these are
on the brink of bankruptcy. just most of the obvious benefits I can think of
regarding this man’s work in today’s world.
Cause and Effect Think of what God can do with an attitude
In 1984, Mr. Armstrong happened to be watching a tv evangelist like this in the wonderful World Tomorrow! n
preaching from an African village where emaciated and starving You can read more about that world by ordering a
children were seemingly dying by the minute. The purpose of free copy of our booklet The Wonderful World
the message, he said, was to use the revolting, stomach-turning Tomorrow—What It Will Be Like.
scene to help make an emotional appeal for donations.
Mr. Armstrong compared that program to one of his own
➤ queen from page 1
World Tomorrow episodes that also highlighted the scourge
of poverty, illiteracy and ignorance that exists in most areas of relationship between the Roman Catholic Church and the estab-
the world. The program then contrasted that scene with West- lished Church of England and the Church of Scotland.”
ern nations, where there was plenty of wealth, prosperity and That is not the language we need to hear coming from her
advancement in the physical sense, but with people who were throne. I can offer you overwhelming proof that the Queen is
spiritually sick, depraved and addicted to illicit sex and violence. sitting on David’s throne. The same throne that the Messiah is
The latter program, Mr. Armstrong explained, addressed about to rule on forever! (Isaiah 9:7).
the cause of this world’s physical and spiritual poverty. The Andrew Brown wrote this about the pope’s visit: “This was
other one only examined the effect of physical poverty. the end of the British Empire. In all the four centuries from
“Just physically feeding the illiterate, poor and hungry does Elizabeth i to Elizabeth ii, England has been defined as a Prot-
not eliminate the wretched condition, but rather perpetuates estant nation. The Catholics were the Other; sometimes violent
it,” Mr. Armstrong wrote (Dec. 16, 1984; emphasis mine). terrorists and rebels, sometimes merely dirty immigrants. The
This has been man’s approach for 6,000 years. Everything sense that this was a nation specially blessed by God
he tries in order to solve the problems of this world ends up arose from a deeply anti-Catholic reading of the Bible.
making matters much worse! … Rebellion against the pope was the foundational act
Our work, God’s work, confronts the cause of evil we see ev- of English power. And now the power is gone, and perhaps
erywhere in this world, which is why our supporters are so ded- the rebellion has gone, too” (Guardian, September 17). This is a
icated—and why God continues to bless it with such abundance. very deadly sign of Britain’s immediate future.
At a recent meeting among church members, editor in chief Let me repeat this sentence: “The sense that this was a na-
Gerald Flurry made this clearheaded remark: “The way you tion specially blessed by God arose from a deeply anti-
take care of the poor is to get them to look to God and work Catholic reading of the Bible.” What a marvelous memory
like God, and then they will soon prosper like God!” It remind- of Britain’s history! And what a condemning memory! The British
ed me of what he said 10 years ago when we were about to kick people have forgotten that God gave them their wealthy empire,
off our building program here on our headquarters campus. which no longer exists. That is because they have forgotten their
“There is a cause for every effect. If you can make one small Bible—which has many anti-Catholic statements!
area on this Earth inspiring and uplifting, you can make the Christians of this world are embarrassingly ignorant of their
whole Earth that way!” he wrote in the August 2000 Trumpet. Bible. If they don’t know their Bible, they don’t know God!
“There is a reason why God wants us to build in a way that in- This article stated that “the power is gone.” Because of Brit-
spires people to achieve more. The fact is, people perform bet- ain’s sins, God has broken the pride of its power (Leviticus 26:19).
ter in an exquisite environment. That is the way it should be The British still have considerable power, but are afraid to use it.
for all humanity. And that is the way it will be! … This is how The Queen sits on the very throne from which the Messiah is
God will start changing the Earth in the World Tomorrow.” about to rule this world! These events are all leading directly to
Of course, none of this means we should neglect or ignore the coming of the Messiah!
the poor and disadvantaged among us. In God’s future econo- Our booklet Germany and the Holy Roman Empire and book
my—and also within His Church today—there are provisions The United States and Britain in Prophecy, both yours free for the
set aside for the needy. But that fund is generally intended to asking, explain the foundational history and prophecy of those
help them get back on their feet so they might start working two thrones. n

The Philadelphia Trumpet  December 2010 33

letters
some in paper, but sometimes I read online
Biblical Family Clash of the Titans to save the Church some money. Keep up
Well written Mr. Flurry (“Biblical Thanks for your ever insightful pro- the good work. Zurrell—Maryland
Family—Our Most Noble Institution,” Oc- phetic take on current world events (“Clash
tober/November). Whenever of the Titans,” October/No- Dino That Learned to Fly
I hear or read an article about vember). How we need to be This was a wonderful and funny ar-
how society must be more stirred to keep up with the ticle (“The Dino That Learned to Fly,”
tolerant towards homosexuals lightning pace of these end- October/November). I thought it was one
and how we must accept that time events as they unfold of the most enjoyable articles I’ve read
they are here to stay, it just around us.Carol—Australia in a long time. I laughed so hard at poor
sickens me. I always think Baldy in his “plunge” to earth from the
about how Lot must have felt German Identity tree. Thank you for showing how untrue
vexed in his soul—this is how Thank you Mr. Vejil and the evolutionist theories are … even if
I feel. There is nothing more the Trumpet for a well- Baldy did have to get third-degree wind-
beautiful to look at than a researched article on the burn to prove it.
happily married husband and origins of the German people Bridget—Tennessee
wife and happy smiling chil- (“The Remarkable Identity
dren surrounding them. God speed the of the German People,” October/Novem- An informative and delightful
day when the whole world realizes this is ber). The Assyrian/German connection read, as the irrationality of one set of
the only true way to live. is generally accepted by readers of the evolution-based explanations were passed
Anita U.—Perth, Australia Trumpet; nevertheless, new research on through the shredder of logic and rea-
the topic is always interesting and I ap- son. Even if all the necessary rebuild
Sodom in Prophecy preciate the many secular sources cited. inexplicably took place—“miraculously”
Thanks for a splendid article on the … I appreciated your article, and I hope developed, with all the required quantum
problems in society that this kind of aber- to see a future paper on possible language jumps and leaps so well described here,
rant behavior produces (“Sodom in Proph- connections of the Assyrians and the Is- with no experiment-ending casualties,
ecy,” October/November). It really is a re- raelites with German and Yiddish. … It is and parallel mate development—why the
jection of God at its very root. I work with a fascinating subject. kaleidoscopic array of “aeronautical” de-
a number of homosexuals here in the Los Heinz H. Schreiber—Melbourne, Fla. signs, and the amazing diversity in varia-
Angeles area of Southern California and, to tions of flight? Why not one “simple”
a man, they ridicule anything that speaks Lost Art of Slow Reading basic “design,” spreading universally? In
of religion, God, self-denial, self-control. I have believed for quite some time such case, you would only have to believe
Rather, there is nothing but contempt for that the art of actually reading a book has in one fantastic tale of imagination in
purity, goodness, chastity. It’s frightening, indeed become very rare (“The Lost Art flight of fancy.
to say the least. It’s good to read that some- of Slow Reading,” October/November). Jean-Rene—California
one in the world as yourself thinks that Fortunately, my parents were avid read-
history actually does repeat itself and we’re ers as are both myself and my children. Admire Your Work
seeing it in so-called modern cities like My grandson just finished grade school I wanted to know if your organiza-
San Francisco (my dad likes to refer to it and is in summer day care, and they take tion accepts donations and/or tithes from
as “Sodom by the Sea”). By thumbing our them to the library every day. He tells individuals. I truly admire your cause
nose at the good God, we’re bringing chas- me he has read a lot of science and now and work. My grandfather has been read-
tisements down upon our heads. Keep up is reading on water. His vocabulary has ing the Trumpet magazine for a long time
the good work. I really enjoy your writing. increased tremendously. Thanks for an and recently introduced it to me. I abso-
Sean—Long Beach, Calif. excellent reminder that the Internet has lutely love your magazine, and I thank
its place, but nothing takes the place of you for putting the time and effort into
When the debate of same-sex mar- holding a book in your hand and reading. helping spread the truth of our blessed
riage came up, I would always bring Toby Lynn Johnson—Colorado Savior Jesus Christ to all those who
up Bible references such as these. But haven’t yet been saved and presented with
you have put it in clarity and authority. As a fiction and poetry writer, I’ve the truth. I want to contribute to your ef-
Thank you. Nathaniel Lewis—Illinois tried the method of keeping everything fort by making a continual tithe/donation
digital, and I would like to add that there is to your church and organization.
nothing like the good old way of taking the Chelsea Allen—Aurora, Colo.
Correction time to write on paper as well. Typing on We never ask the public for money, but
In the last issue, “The Remarkable Identity the computer is fine, but there’s something we do accept voluntarily offered dona-
of the German People” stated that Ninus, about writing with ink that’s special. I tions and tithes, and they are tax-deduct-
who founded ancient Nineveh, “is simply agree with the article except in one respect: ible in many countries.
the Greek name for the Asshur of the Bi- There is actually a positive side to having
ble.” In fact, the original Ninus was Nimrod,
grandson of Ham, of the black race. Asshur,
an archive of books online—when it comes
to the Philadelphia Trumpet! You said Comments?
son of Shem, who was white, also took the we should have at least 30 books on our [email protected]
name Ninus. He is the Ninus II of ancient shelves, and I have that many—all from or: The Trumpet, P.O. Box 1099,
historic record who founded Nineveh. the Trumpet. I love your books. I order Edmond, OK 73083

34 December 2010  The Philadelphia Trumpet

Commentary

Thy Kingdom Come

How else can one respond to this world’s growing sin-sickness?  By joel hilliker

I
have a news clipping I’ve been holding on to since human beings comes in such a torrent that we can easily grow
July that sickened me. It’s a Washington Times article called numbed to it. And—truth be told—we are helpless to do anything
“Portland’s dark world of child sex trafficking.” substantive to stop it. These blights are painfully endemic to the
It says that Portland—a beautiful West Coast city I have human condition, resilient against virtually all efforts to stop them.
visited several times—has the biggest per capita legal commer- There is one, however, who has seen it all, who has never suc-
cial sex industry in America. Dallas has three strip clubs; Seattle cumbed to apathy—and who absolutely will put a stop to it.
has four; yet within Portland’s city limits, “One directory lists 40 When Jesus Christ walked the Earth, He witnessed untold
erotic dance clubs, 47 all-nude strip clubs, 35 adult businesses and human suffering, and did what He could to alleviate it. He was
21 lingerie modeling shops,” the article says. moved with compassion, seeing the people as sheep having no
Bad enough. But this makes it far more disgusting: “Many of shepherd (Matthew 9:36).
these, though legal, are also fronts for underage exploitation.” He brought the good news of a kingdom that would come and
A combination of ugly factors has turned uproot the corrupt kingdoms of this world—
this city into a mecca for perverts who want to that would fulfill the prophecies of the Scrip-
use children for sex. tures: “He shall judge the poor of the people,
This article describes a girl who, on her he shall save the children of the needy, and
13th birthday, was sold by her drug-addicted shall break in pieces the oppressor” (Psalm
mother to a man for $5,000 to be his personal 72:4).
sex slave. In Portland. He continually directed His disciples to seek
This is the type of thing that makes me sick that kingdom, to press toward it, to set their
of this wretched world. heart on preparing for it. When they asked Him
The fbi figures 300,000 minors in America how to pray, He responded, “After this manner
are employed as prostitutes each year. Stagger- therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heav-
ing. One for every thousand people. An advo- en, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come.
cacy group called Shared Hope International Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”
estimates their average age is 13. (Matthew 6:9-10).
Thirteen years old. On average. To this day, Christ’s disciples keep these
Statistically, how many girls (and boys) age words on their lips. When we see oppression,
13 and younger does it take to balance out the when we see suffering, when we see immoral-
number of 14-to-17-year-olds? ity spreading, and unmentionable evils seizing
I look at my daughters, ages 9 and 7, and boil at the thought our cities, when we see minds and bodies of helpless children be-
of anyone or anything so evil as to violently strip a child of her ing abused with impunity—Thy Kingdom come.
innocence, dignity, and chance of a decent life in order to indulge 2 Peter 3:12 admonishes us to be “Looking for and hasting
perverse and selfish lusts. The Department of Justice says there unto the coming of the day of God.” The Greek word translated
are pimps in America earning money off girls as young as 5 and 6. “Looking for” means earnestly waiting for. And the more de-
Try for a moment to wrap your mind around this. Worldwide, praved human behavior becomes, the more earnestly we wait.
millions of children live in slavery, and unicef says as many as Thus, even as Christ says, “Surely I come quickly,” we say,
1.2 million more are trafficked each year, a great many for sex. as the Apostle John did to close the words of sacred Scripture,
The UN’s International Labor Organization (ilo) estimates “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”
that at any given moment, at least 12.3 million people, including In his masterful booklet The Wonderful World Tomorrow—
children, are in forced labor, bonded labor, and commercial sex What It Will Be Like, Herbert Armstrong expounded on the
servitude. Four out of five are female. Half are children. many scriptures that fill the Bible with inspiring descriptions of
The slave trade, the ilo believes, is a $32 billion business, satu- the utopian world God will create. It is utterly refreshing to read,
rated in unchecked greed, sleaze and abuse. And shamefully, it is a sweet song amid the din and clamor of this world. You owe it to
the fastest growing industry in the world, according to the 2009 yourself to read it—just ask and we’ll send you a free copy.
State Department “Trafficking in Persons Report.” “Feast your eyes for a while on the picture of the World To-
Somewhere in here, the imagination of many of us reaches morrow which God’s government will produce—as we shall now
its limit. Unexposed to such grotesque realities, we can barely do,” he wrote, “and when you take your eyes from this book, and
conceive of them. look again on this drab, ugly, sin-sick world of corruption, vio-
Yet this is only one of literally countless ways that people are lence and suffering—it will make you sick at heart.
putting other people through indescribable torment. Cruelty. “But doesn’t it make you want to shout for joy, to realize what
Tyranny. Corruption. Thievery. Poor resource management that a civilization—what a world—is actually coming?
results in starvation, poverty and disease. Racism. Religious per- “Doesn’t it make you want to really put your heart into your
secution. Violence of every stripe. Full-blown warfare. prayers, praying earnestly, ‘Oh God! Thy Kingdom come! Thy will
The human mind can only take in so much. And in this in- be done on Earth, as it is in heaven!’”
formation-saturated age, news of people mistreating their fellow That it does. n

istockphoto The Philadelphia Trumpet  December 2010 35

➤ tyranny from page 22
come a necessity because of the ‘growing
number of military operations’ often car-
ried out ‘in little-known environments.’”
Germany’s conservative European
Parliamentarian Elmar Brok boasted that
because of the new spy force, “In one or
two years, the dependence on national in-
formation will be reduced.” German-For-
eign-Policy wrote, “SitCen’s foreseeable
expansion to become a regular European
intelligence service is only the logical
consequence of the systematic German-
European quest for powerful influence
on a global scale, to be achieved through a
combat-ready foreign and military policy
with reliance on espionage.”
Surely that places the seal on the Euro-
pean Union’s imperialist agenda. Since the
Lisbon Treaty/EU constitution was imple- United States Florida, Tallahassee-Thomasville WTLF-DT/
Nationwide satellite  Galaxy 3 Trans. 21 11:30 WTLH-DT 9:30 am, Sun
mented at the beginning of this year, Eu- am ET, Tue/Thu; Galaxy 5 Trans. 7 8:00 am Florida, Tampa  WXPX 6:00 am, Fri; WTTA 8:30 am, Sun
rope has rapidly consolidated a tyrannical ET, Sun Florida, West Palm Beach  WPXP 6:00 am, Fri
power of amazing force. Direct TV DBS  WGN Chan. 307 8:00 am ET, Sun Georgia, Albany  WBSK 9:30 am, Sun
The great prophecies of Daniel and Direct TV DBS  ION Ch. 305 6:00 am ET, Fri Georgia, Augusta  WAGT-DT 9:30 am, Sun
Dish Network  ION Ch. 216 6:00 am ET, Fri Georgia, Brunswick  WPXC 6:00 am, Fri
Revelation that have waited for two mil- Dish Network DBS  WGN Chan. 239 8:00 am Georgia, Columbus  WLGA 9:30 am, Sun
lennia to be fulfilled are now breaking out ET, Sun Georgia, Macon  WBMN 9:30 am, Sun
into terrible fulfillment! Nationwide cable  WGN 8:00 am ET, Sun Georgia, Savannah  WGSA/WGCW-LP 9:30 am, Sun
In our February edition, our editor in Alabama, Birmingham  WPXH 5:00 am, Fri Hawaii, Hawaii Na Leo  Chan. 54 6:30 am, Sun; 8:30
Alabama, Dothan  WTVY-DT 8:30, Sun am, Wed
chief confidently announced the reality
Alabama, Montgomery  WBMM/WBMM-DT Hawaii, Kaui Ho’ Ike  Chan. 52 9:30 am, Tue
that the seventh and final resurrection of 8:30, Sun Hawaii, Maui/Lanaii/Molokai/Niihau/Akaku  Chan.
the Holy Roman Empire had indeed arisen! Alaska, Anchorage  KIMO-DT 8:30 am, Sun 52 6:30 pm, Sun; 3:30 am, Mon
Most are blind indeed to this great real- Alaska, Fairbanks  KATN-DT 8:30 am, Sun Idaho, Idaho Falls  KPIF/KBEO 10:30 am, Sun
ity! But they are destined to soon feel its ef- Alaska, Juneau  KJUD-DT 8:30 am, Sun Idaho, Pocatello  KPIF 10:30 am, Sun
Arizona, Phoenix  KPPX 5:00 am, Fri Idaho, Twin Falls  KMVT-DT/KTWT-LP 10:30 am,
fect! Very personally! Believe it or not, your Arizona, Yuma-El Centro  KSWT-DT 9:30 am, Sun
Bible says so! The glaring reality to those Sun Illinois, Bloomington  WHOI-DT 8:30 am, Sun
whose minds are open to see is that “the Arkansas, Fayetteville  KWFT 8:30, Sun lllinois, Chicago  WCIU 9:30 am, Sun; WCPX 5:00
scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35). Arkansas, Fort Smith  KCWA 8:30, Sun am, Fri
Arkansas, Jonesboro  KJOS 8:30 am, Sun Illinois, Peoria  WHOI-DT 8:30 am, Sun
Read our booklet Germany and the
Arkansas, Rogers  KWFT 8:30, Sun Illinois, Rockford  WREX-DT 8:30 am, Sun
Holy Roman Empire. Read and come to Arkansas, Springdale  KWFT 8:30 am, Sun Indiana, Fort Wayne  WPTA-DT 21.2 9:30 am, Sun
grips with the reality of today’s Germany, California, Bakersfield  KGET-DT 9:30 am, Sun Indiana, Indianapolis  WIPX 6:00 am, Fri
which is about to—once more, finally and California, Chico  KHSL-DT 9:30 am, Sun Indiana, Terre Haute  WBI 8:30 am, Sun
for the last time—powerfully affect the California, El Centro  KWUB 9:30 am, Sun Iowa, Austin KTTC-DT 8:30 am, Sun
California, Eureka  KUVU-DT 9:30 am, Sun Iowa, Cedar Rapids  KPXR 5:00 am, Fri
social and political order of this planet. California, Los Angeles  KPXN 6:00 am, Fri Iowa, Des Moines  KFPX 5:00 am, Fri
Read—watch, pray and prepare! For there California, Monterey  KMWB 9:30 am, Sun Iowa, Keokuk  WEWB 8:30 am, Sun
is a way to escape the forthcoming devas- California, Palm Springs  KESQ/KCWQ-DT 9:30 Iowa, Kirksville  KWOT 8:30 am, Sun
tating effects that this pan-European army am, Sun Iowa, Mason City  KTTC-DT 8:30 am, Sun
will have on the Anglo-Saxon nations. But California, Redding  KHSL-DT 9:30 am, Sun Iowa, Ottumwa  KWOT 8:30 am, Sun
California, Sacramento  KSPX 6:00 am, Fri Iowa, Rochester  KTTC-DT 8:30 am, Sun
it is born of a real diligence in heeding Je- California, Salinas  KION 9:30 am, Sun Iowa, Sioux City  KTIV-DT 8:30 am, Sun
sus Christ’s command to “Watch ye there- California, San Francisco  KKPX 6:00 am, Fri Kansas, Topeka  KSNT 8:30 am, Sun
fore, and pray always, that ye may be ac- California, Santa Barbara  KSBY-DT 9:30 am, Kentucky, Bowling Green  WBKO 8:30 am, Sun
counted worthy to escape all these things Sun Kentucky, Lexington  WUPX 6:00 am, Fri
Colorado, Denver  KPXC 5:00 am, Fri; KWGN Louisiana, Alexandria  KBCA 8:30 am, Sun
that shall come to pass, and to stand be- 10:00 am, Sun Louisiana, El Dorado-Monroe  KNOE-DT 8:30 am,
fore the Son of man” (Luke 21:36). Colorado, Grand Junction  KKCO-DT 10:30 Sun
If you are one who heeds that command, am, Sun Louisiana, Lafayette  KLWB 8:30 am, Sun
then you will be looking forward with real Colorado, Montrose  KKCO-DT 10:30 am, Sun Louisiana, Lake Charles  WBLC 8:30 am, Sun
anticipation to the grand hope that lies be- Connecticut, Hartford  WHPX 6:00 am, Fri Louisiana, New Orleans  WPXL 5:00 am, Fri
Delaware, Dover  WBD 9:30 am, Sun Maine, Bangor  WABI-DT 9:30 am, Sun
yond the greatest trial this planet will ever Delaware, Salisbury WMDT-DT 9:30 am, Sun Maine, Presque Isle  WBPQ 9:30 am, Sun
have to endure. For as Jesus Christ Himself Florida, Gainesville  WCJB-DT 9:30 am, Sun Maryland, Hagerstown  WJAL 12:00 pm, Sun
prophesied of events such as are happen- Florida, Jacksonville  WPXC/WPXJ-LP 6:00 Maryland, Salisbury  WBD 9:30 am, Sun
ing now in Berlin, “And when these things am, Fri Massachusetts, Boston  WBPX 6:00 am, Fri;
Florida, Miami  WPXM 6:00 am, Fri WZMY 8:00 am, Sun
begin to come to pass, then look up, and Florida, Orlando  WOPX 6:00 am, Fri Massachusetts, Holyoke  WBQT 9:30 am, Sun
lift up your heads; for your redemption Florida, Panama City  WJHG-DT 8:30 am, Sun Massachusetts, Springfield  WBQT 9:30 am, Sun
draweth nigh” (verse 28). n Florida, Tallahassee WTXL 7:30 am, Sun Michigan, Alpena  WBAE 9:30 am, Sun

36 December 2010  The Philadelphia Trumpet

 North Carolina, Fayetteville  WFPX 6:00 am, Fri Utah, Salt Lake City  KUPX 5:00 am, Fri
North Carolina, Greensboro  WGPX 6:00 am, Fri Vermont, Burlington WVNY 10:00 am, Sun
North Carolina, Greenville  WEPX 6:00 am, Fri; Virginia, Charlottesville  WVIR-DT 9:30 am, Sun
WNCT-DT 9:30 am, Sun Virginia, Harrisonburg  WVIR-DT 9:30 am, Sun
North Carolina, Lumber Bridge  WFPX 6:00 am, Fri Virginia, Norfolk  WPXV 6:00 am, Fri
North Carolina, New Bern  WNCT-DT 9:30 am, Sun Virginia, Roanoke  WPXR 6:00 am, Fri
North Carolina, Raleigh  WRPX 6:00 am, Fri; Washington D.C.  WDCW 8:00 am, Sun; WPXW
9:00 am, Sun 6:00 am, Fri
North Carolina, Washington  WNCT-DT 9:30 am, Washington, Kennewick  KCWK 9:30 am, Sun
Sun Washington, Richland  KCWK 9:30 am, Sun
North Carolina, Wilmington  WBW 9:30 am, Sun Washington, Seattle KVOS 8:30 am, Sun
North Dakota, Bismarck  KWMK 10:30 am, Sun Washington, Seattle-Tacoma  KWPX 6:00 am, Fri
North Dakota, Dickinson  KWMK 10:30 am, Sun Washington, Spokane  KGPX 6:00 am, Fri
North Dakota, Fargo  WDAY-DT 8:30 am, Sun Washington, Yakima-Pasco-Richland-Kenne-
North Dakota, Minot  KWMK 10:30 am, Sun wick  KCWK/KCWK-LP 9:30 am, Sun
North Dakota, Valley City  WDAY-DT 8:30 am, Sun West Virginia, Beckley  KVVA-DT 9:30 am, Sun
Ohio, Cincinnati  WSTR 8:30 am, Sun West Virginia, Bluefield  KVVA-DT 9:30 am, Sun
Ohio, Cleveland  WVPX 6:00 am, Fri West Virginia, Charleston  WLPX 6:00 am, Fri
Michigan, Cadillac  WGTU/WGTQ 9:30 am, Sun Ohio, Lima  WLIO-DT 9:30 am, Sun West Virginia, Clarksburg  WVFX-DT 9:30 am, Sun
Michigan, Detroit  WPXD 6:00 am, Fri; WADL Ohio, Steubenville  WBWO 9:30 am, Sun West Virginia, Oak Hill  KVVA-DT 9:30 am, Sun
10:00 am, Sun Ohio, Zanesville  WBZV 9:30 am, Sun West Virginia, Parkersburg  WBPB 9:30 am, Sun
Michigan, Grand Rapids  WZPX 5:00 am, Fri Oklahoma, Ada  KSHD 8:30 am, Sun West Virginia, Weston  WVFX-DT 9:30 am, Sun
Michigan, Lansing  WLAJ-DT 9:30 am, Sun Oklahoma, Lawton  KAUZ 8:30 am, Sun West Virginia, Wheeling  WBWO 9:30 am, Sun
Michigan, Marquette  WBKP 9:30 am, Sun Oklahoma, Oklahoma City  KOPX 5:00 am, Fri Wisconsin, Eau Claire  WQOW-DT/WXOW-DT
Michigan, Traverse City-Cadillac  WGTU-DT/ Oklahoma, Tulsa  KTPX 5:00 am, Fri 8:30 am, Sun
WGTQ-DT 9:30 am, Sun Oregon, Bend  KTVZ-DT 9:30 am, Sun Wisconsin, La Crosse  WQOW/WXOW 8:30 am,
Minnesota, Duluth-Superior  WDLH 8:30 am, Sun Oregon, Eugene  KMTR-DT 9:30 am, Sun; KEVU Sun
Minnesota, Mankato  KWYE 8:30 am, Sun 10:00 am, Sun Wisconsin, Milwaukee  WPXE 5:00 am, Fri
Minnesota, Minneapolis  KPXM 5:00 am, Fri Oregon, Klamath Falls  KMFD 9:30 am, Sun Wisconsin, Rhinelander  WAOW/WYOW 8:30
Mississippi, Biloxi  WBGP 8:30 am, Sun Oregon, Medford  KMFD 9:30 am, Sun am, Sun
Mississippi, Columbus  WCBI-DT 8:30 am, Sun Oregon, Portland  KPXG 6:00 am, Fri Wisconsin, Wausau  WAOW-DT/WYOW-DT 8:30
Mississippi, Greenville  WBWD 8:30 am, Sun Pennsylvania, Erie  WBEP 9:30 am, Sun am, Sun
Mississippi, Greenwood  WBWD 8:30 am, Sun Pennsylvania, Philadelphia  WPPX 6:00 am, Fri Wyoming, Casper  10:30 am, Sun
Mississippi, Gulfport  WBGP 8:30 am, Sun Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh  WPCW 9:00 am, Sun Wyoming, Cheyenne  KCHW 10:30 am, Sun
Mississippi, Hattiesburg  WBH 8:30 am, Sun Pennsylvania, Wilkes Barre  WQPX 6:00 am, Fri Wyoming, Riverton  10:30 am, Sun
Mississippi, Laurel  WBH 8:30 am, Sun Rhode Island, Providence  WPXQ 6:00 am, Fri
Mississippi, Meridian  WTOK-DT 8:30 am, Sun South Carolina, Charleston  WCBD-DT 9:30 am, Sun Ca n ada
Mississippi, Tupelo  WCBI-DT 8:30 am, Sun South Carolina, Florence  WWMB/WWMB-DT Nationwide satellite  Galaxy 3 Trans. 21 11:30 am
Mississippi, West Point  WCBI-DT 8:30 am, Sun 9:30 am, Sun ET, Tue/Thu; Galaxy 5 Trans. 7 8:00 am ET, Sun
Missouri, Columbia  KOMU-DT 8:30 am, Sun South Carolina, Myrtle Beach  WWMB/WWMB- Nationwide cable  WGN 8:00 am ET, Sun; Vision
Missouri, Hannibal  WGEM-DT 8:30 am, Sun DT 9:30 am, Sun TV 4:30 pm ET, Sun; Grace Television Network
Missouri, Jefferson City  KOMU-DT 8:30 am, Sun South Dakota, Mitchell  KWSD 8:30 am, Sun 11:00 am ET, Sun.
Missouri, Joplin-Pittsburg KSXF 8:30 am, Sun South Dakota, Rapid City  KWBH-LP 10:30 am, Sun British Columbia, Vancouver  KVOS 8:30 am, Sun;
Missouri, Kansas City  KPXE 5:00 am, Fri South Dakota, Sioux Falls  KWSD 8:30 am, Sun CHNU 5:30 pm, Sun
Missouri, Quincy-Keokuk  WGEM-DT 8:30 am, Sun Tennessee, Jackson  WBJK 8:30 am, Sun British Columbia, Victoria  CHNU 5:30 pm, Sun
Missouri, St. Joseph  WBJO 8:30 am, Sun Tennessee, Knoxville  WPXK 6:00 am, Fri Maritime Provinces CIHF 7:30 am, Sun
Montana, Billings  KTVQ-DT 8:30 am, Sun Tennessee, Memphis  WPXX 5:00 am, Fri Ontario, Toronto  WADL 10:00 am Sun; CHNU 8:30
Montana, Bozeman-Butte  KBZK-DT/KXLF-DT 10:30 Tennessee, Nashville  WNPX 5:00 am, Fri pm, Sun; WUTV 10:00 am, Sun
am, Sun Texas, Abilene  KTWS-DT 8:30 am, Sun Quebec, Montreal WVNY 10:00 am, Sun
Montana, Glendive  KWZB 10:30 am, Sun Texas, Amarillo  KVII-DT/KVIH/KVIH-DT 8:30
Montana, Great Falls  KRTV-DT 10:30 am, Sun am, Sun
Montana, Helena  KMTF-DT 10:30 am, Sun Texas, Beaumont  KFDM-DT 8:30 am, Sun L atin America
Montana, Missoula  KPAX-DT 10:30 am, Sun Texas, Brownsville  KSFE-LP/KTIZ-LP 8:30 am, Sun Regional satellite  Galaxy 3 Trans. 21 11:30 am ET,
Nebraska, Lincoln-Hastings  KCWL-TV 8:30 am, Texas, Corpus Christi  KRIS-DT 8:30 am, Sun Tue/Thu
Sun Texas, Harlingen  KSFE-LP/KTIZ-LP 8:30 am, Sun El Salvador  WGN 6:00 am, Sun
Nebraska, Kearney  KCWL-TV 8:30 am, Sun Texas, Houston  KPXB 5:00 am, Fri Guatemala  WGN 6:00 am, Sun
Nebraska, North Platte  KWPL 8:30 am, Sun Texas, Laredo  KTXW 8:30 am, Sun Honduras  WGN 6:00 am, Sun
Nebraska, Scottsbluff  KCHW 10:30 am, Sun Texas, Longview  KCEB 8:30 am, Sun Mexico  WGN 7:00 am, Sun
Nevada, Reno  KREN/KREN-DT 9:30 am, Sun Texas, Lubbock  KLCW 8:30 am, Sun Panama  WGN 7:00 am, Sun
New York, Albany  WYPX 6:00 am, Fri Texas, Midland  KWWT 8:30 am, Sun; KMID
New York, Binghamton  WBXI 9:30 am, Sun 9:00 am, Sun Car i b b e a n
New York, Buffalo  WPXJ 6:00 am, Fri; WUTV Texas, Odessa  KWWT 8:30 am, Sun; KMID Regional satellite  Galaxy 3 Trans. 21 11:30 am ET,
10:00 am, Sun 9:00 am, Sun Tue/Thu; Galaxy 5 Trans. 7 8:00 am ET, Sun
New York, Elmira  WBE 9:30 am, Sun Texas, Port Arthur  KFDM 8:30 am, Sun Aruba  WGN 8:00 am, Sun
New York, New York City  WPXN 6:00 am, Fri; Texas, San Angelo  KWSA 8:30 am, Sun Bahamas  WGN 8:00 am, Sun
WLNY 10:00 am Sun Texas, San Antonio  KPXL 5:00 am, Fri Belize  WGN 7:00 am, Sun
New York, Syracuse  WSPX 6:00 am, Fri Texas, Sherman-Ada  KTEN-DT 8:30 am, Sun Cuba  WGN 8:00 am, Sun
New York, Utica  WBU 9:30 am, Sun Texas, Sweetwater  KTWS-DT 8:30 am, Sun Dominican Republic  WGN 8:00 am, Sun
New York, Watertown  WWTI-DT 9:30 am, Sun Texas, Tyler  KCEB 8:30 am, Sun Haiti  WGN 7:00 am, Sun
North Carolina, Charlotte  WLMY 8:30 am, Sun Texas, Victoria  KWVB 8:30 am, Sun Jamaica  WGN 9:00 am, Sun
North Carolina, Durham  WRPX 6:00 am, Fri; Texas, Weslaco  KSFE-LP/KTIZ-LP 8:30 am, Sun Puerto Rico  WGN 8:00 am, Sun
9:00 am, Sun Texas, Wichita Falls  KAUZ-DT 8:30 am, Sun Trinidad and Tobago  WGN 8:00 am, Sun

The Philadelphia Trumpet  December 2010 37

HO, HO, HOAX
What do you know about the origins of Christmas?
Can you pass this true/false test?
T / F   Christians exchange gifts following the example of the wise men.
T / F   Christmas is celebrated on December 25 because it is Jesus’s birthday.
T / F   The Christmas tree tradition began after the birth of Christ.
T / F   The “mother and child” story began with Mary and the baby Jesus.
T / F   Jesus Christ loves Christmas trees and Santa Claus.

rticle

How did you do?

Reprint A
ber r023

So
A rticl e n u m

Why Christmas Is
Important To God ted from the Decem
ber 2002 Philad
elphia Trumpet
Believe it or not, all of the above statements are false!
Reprin ins
Mark Jenk
lliker and

Surprised? Few people know why they believe what they do. Most just
By Carl Hi
ds always brought
in Judaea. The shepher to be corralled
a cold, rainy season ins
Christmas stir the fields and mounta Song of
surrou nding their flocks in from their protection.

T
he tradit ions young and old at the latest, for was a
the hearts of many— by mid-October show that winter
warm feelings in s come together. Ezra 10:9 and 13 not
the Earth. Familie Solomon 2:11 and the shepherds would

accept what they were taught from childhood. Did you know the Bible
alike—a ll over the day they’ll receive confirming that
a frenzy. Kids await rainy season, thus on December 25.
Shoppers go into quite like it. in open fields
celebrated on this
is no other time
isn’t surprising.
have been Christ’s birth be
their presents. There feel to these days Why then would “The reason
ent people s of ica states,
The attachm on for hundred pedia Britann
s have been going day? The Encyclo on December 25
After all, these tradition following description in the Bible: as came to be celebrated is that
r the why Christm y the reason
generations. Conside out of the forest, the work of the hands in, but most probabl the pagan

has a lot to say about the non-Christian origins of Christmas traditions?

a tree and remains uncerta to coincide with
“[F]or one cutteth deck it with silver wished the date
with the axe. They early Christians uered
it y of the unconq
of the workman, with hammers, that marking the ‘birthda
it with nails and ng a Roman festival
with gold; they fasten That description, clearly describi pedia makes many
(Jer. 10:3-4). hundred s sun.’” Encyclo
move not” of Jeremiah Catholi c
recorded in the book In addition, the
Christmas tree, was
a few:
ons. Here are just festivals of the
birth of Christ. startling admissi
of years before the not among the earliest not instituted
of
3: “For the customs

To learn the amazing truth about Christmas and which days are
opening of verse “Christmas was as was
But consider the t be talking about right— Christm
Vain? This couldn’ Church ….” That’s d by any of the apostles
the people are vain.” by Jesus Christ,
nor was it observe
it? He is
Christmas, could as? Rest assured, persona lly instruct
ed by Christ. as in late
What does God
think of Christm celebrat ion. told that “The word for Christm
its yearly In fact, we are of Christ, first found
this holiday and Maesse, the Mass
very interested in follow the custom
s of their family,
Old English is Cristes the death of Christ.

truly God’s holy days, request our free reprint, “Why Christmas Is
Most people simply knowing where those customs 1,000 years after from Egypt” (not
without the in 1038.” That is e of the feast is
region or nation never ask about “The first evidenc ians began
they are kept. Most e presents on this a.d. Egyptia n theolog
originated or why people exchang Jerusale m). About 200 25th of Pachon , which
as, why on the
origins of Christm represents the birth of Christ
celebrating the birth by our calendar.
this holiday really
day, or even whether named! 20
corresponds to May early Christians did not observe
after whom it is its observance?
If
of Jesus Christ, The truth is, the an
ty God command Christian theologi

So Important to God” and our free booklet Pagan Holidays—or

Does the Almigh Christ’s birth. The
that we partake
in it? birthdays—not even asserts, “[I]n the Scriptures sinners
not, does He forbid about Christm as. (185-232 a.d.) y.”
true facts Origen
Let us obtain the celebrate their birthda “Pagan customs
alone, not saints, pedia also states,
ive
l Perspect The Catholic Encyclo centeri ng around the January
Historica [not Christi an customs]
of to Christmas.”
ed with the birth calends gravitated shows that,

God’s Holy Days—Which?

er 25 is widely associat birth? and Catholic history
The date of Decemb correct date of His As you can see, secular not about celebrat
ing
is this really the were in the same as was definitely
Jesus Christ. But origina lly, Christm
of
When Jesus Christ
was born, “there over to find the true origins
field, keeping watch of Christ. In order
ds abiding in the the birth of Jesus
country shepher er is in the midst
(Luke 2:8). Decemb
their flock by night”
OF GOD
PHIA CHuRCH
2007 PHILADEL
COPyRIGHT ©

How t o ord e r l i t e ra t ur e i n t h i s i s s u e
Phone U.S. and Canada: 1-800-772-8577 E-mail Literature requests: [email protected]
Australia: 1-800-22-333-0 Letters: [email protected]
New Zealand: 0-800-500-512
United Kingdom: 0800-756-6724 Mail Write to the address of the regional office nearest you.
Addresses are listed inside the front cover.
Online www.theTrumpet.com