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The Trumpet Herald

Giving the trumpet a certain sound

December 2005

US Presses Israel on Vatican Agreement

A recent meeting between the Pope and Israel’s president highlighted Israeli reluctance to implement agreements:

The Press Office of the Holy See emphasised that “particular attention” was given at the meeting to “the [need for] implementation” of the two treaties already signed and ratified by Israel with the Holy See. As is well known, twelve years after signing the Fundamental Agreement, Israel has not yet initiated the procedures for writing it into Israeli law; last year, the Government actually told the Supreme Court that it did not consider itself bound by it at all, and has declined to modify this position in spite of diplomatic and other protests. (“Katzav’s promises to the Pope to be tested soon ,” www.asianews.it, Nov. 18, 2005)

Apparently, the US government has been pressuring Israel to make progress on the treaties:

On the same day that President Katzav was in the Vatican, Israel's top negotiator with the Holy See, Mr. Nimrod Barkan, the head the of intelligence department at the Foreign Ministry, was in Washington.

The diplomat, who is also the intelligence chief at the foreign ministry, was meeting with American officials and Catholic personalities, in an attempt to persuade them that he is trying very hard to reach agreement with the Holy See’s own negotiators on the serious questions that remain unresolved between the Parties.

As the Washington correspondent for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports, the purpose of Israeli diplomacy there is to get the U.S. to cease pressing Israel to show greater commitment to the talks. The correspondent speaks of the decisive role of the U.S. in inducing Israel to resume the negotiations in 2004 (after suddenly abandoning them on 28 August 2003), and of the continuing interest that both the U.S. Catholic Church and the U.S. Government take in the state of the negotiations. (ibid.)

Inspired Commentary

One day accomodation of Roman Catholocism will lead to unfavorable results. Note that at one time the US government was described as “Protestant,” This is no longer entirely true.

By the decree enforcing the institution of the papacy in violation of the law of God, our nation will disconnect herself fully from righteousness. When Protestantism shall stretch her hand across the gulf to grasp the hand of the Roman power, when she shall reach over the abyss to clasp hands with spiritualism, when, under the influence of this threefold union, our country shall repudiate every principle of its Constitution as a Protestant and republican government, and shall make provision for the propagation of papal falsehoods and delusions, then we may know that the time has come for the marvelous working of Satan and that the end is near. (Testimonies, v. 5, p. 451)

Ten Commandments Day

Some USA religious leaders are planning to promote the Ten Commandments as “God’s Eternal Moral Law” by the celebration of “Ten Commandments Day” on Sunday, February 5, 2006. They plan to make this an annual event to promote the Ten Commandments in local churches,

On this date we are calling on all religious leaders who are concerned about traditional Judeo-Christian values to host special celebrations and/or deliver stirring messages centering on the Ten Commandments. (See Ministry Commitment Form). Many Christian and Jewish have already pledged their support for Ten Commandments Day. (from www.tencommandmentsday.com on Nov. 23, 2005)

Names of religious leaders who are posted as supporting this event include Bishop T.D. Jakes, CEO of The Potter’s House of Dallas; Paul Crouch, Founder and President of the Trinity Broadcasting Network; Benny Hinn, Founder of Benny Hinn Ministries; Richard Shakarian of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship; Ted Haggard, President of the National Association of Evangelicals; and Richard Roberts, President of Oral Roberts University.

Those who care about traditional values cannot passively sit by and watch the removal of the very principles that made this country great. The Ten Commandments are the heart of all moral code and must be restored to the heart of our society. (ibid.)

Inspired Commentary

It certainly is laudable to promote the Ten Commandments as God’s eternal moral law. Some have been doing that for a long while. One might question, however, what methods might be advocated for restoring moral code to “the heart of our society” and which interpretation of commandment number four is truly biblical.

These records of the past clearly reveal the enmity of Rome toward the true Sabbath and its defenders, and the means which she employs to honor the institution of her creating. The word of God teaches that these scenes are to be repeated as Roman Catholics and Protestants shall unite for the exaltation of the Sunday. (The Great Controversy, p. 578)

Pat Robertson Warns Dover

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Conservative Christian televangelist Pat Robertson told citizens of a Pennsylvania town that they had rejected God by voting their school board out of office for supporting “intelligent design” and warned them on Thursday not to be surprised if disaster struck.

Robertson, a former Republican presidential candidate and founder of the influential conservative Christian Broadcasting Network and Christian Coalition, has a long record of similar apocalyptic warnings and provocative statements. . . .

“I’d like to say to the good citizens of Dover: if there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God, you just rejected Him from your city,” Robertson said on his daily television show broadcast from Virginia, “The 700 Club.”

“And don't wonder why He hasn’t helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I’m not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that’s the case, don’t ask for His help because he might not be there,” he said. . . .

In voting on Tuesday, all eight Dover, Pennsylvania, school board members up for re-election lost their seats after trying to introduce “intelligent design” to high school science students as an alternative to the theory of evolution. (“Televangelist Robertson warns town of God’s wrath,” Reuters, Nov. 10, 2005)

Inspired Commentary

The Old Testment contains many examples of God’s occasional punishment of societies for corporate evil. Inspiration indicates more judgments by God are yet to come, including the events surrounding the second coming of Christ. (While some declared Christians may challenge the literal interpretation of the early chapters of Genesis, it should be noted that the Bible in many places identifies the true God as the One who created (active personal creation) the earth.)

We are living in the time of the end. The fast-fulfilling signs of the times declare that the coming of Christ is near at hand. The days in which we live are solemn and important. The Spirit of God is gradually but surely being withdrawn from the earth. Plagues and judgments are already falling upon the despisers of the grace of God. The calamities by land and sea, the unsettled state of society, the alarms of war, are portentous. They forecast approaching events of the greatest magnitude. (Testimonies, v.9, p. 11)