thetrumpet--2020-01-07--Is Reunification of Catholic and Orthodox Churches Imminent?

The Eastern Orthodox Church is breaking apart. The Russian Orthodox Church cut ties with the patriarch of Alexandria on December 26, following his decision to recognize an independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church. This schism follows the Russian church’s decision to cut ties with the archbishop of Athens and the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople. Both leaders also recognized the new Ukrainian church.
There are 14 universally recognized Orthodox churches, plus the Orthodox Church of America and the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (which are not universally recognized).
The Russian Orthodox Church holds jurisdiction in Russia, Ukraine and other former Soviet nations. Therefore, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow opposes all attempts to recognize an independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Yet Orthodox churches in Egypt, Greece and Turkey have done so anyway. This development is splitting the Orthodox churches into pro-Ukrainian and pro-Russian factions. If the Eastern Orthodox Church breaks up over Ukraine, the pro-Russia faction will likely draw closer to Moscow, while the pro-Ukrainian faction will draw closer to the Roman Catholic Church.
The Eastern Orthodox Church split from the Catholic Church in the 11th century. The Roman Catholic Church has been trying to bring the Eastern Orthodox back under its dominion since the 1970s. But negotiations have stalled over the Eastern Orthodox Church’s refusal to accept the authority of the pope. Yet according to a report from the Union of Orthodox Journalists, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople told several abbots and monks last November that there were no dogmatic differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, and that eventual reunion with Rome is inevitable.
News site Angelus published an editorial titled “Could the Reunion Between Catholics and Orthodox Be Closer Than We Thought?” It highlighted the biggest obstacle to Catholic-Orthodox unity: tension between Rome and Moscow. If the Orthodox churches split into pro-Ukrainian and pro-Russian factions, the pro-Ukrainian faction might move toward reunification with the Catholic Church, unencumbered by Moscow.
For over 40 years, until his death in 1986, Plain Truth editor in chief Herbert W. Armstrong forecast that the Roman Catholic Church would pull its Protestant and Eastern Orthodox daughters back under its dominion as it rose up to rule over a united Europe. The November 1963 issue of the Plain Truth stated:
The mighty problem of achieving [Catholic] unity is twofold. First, it involves reconciliation of the Orthodox Schism that officially commenced in 1054 and divided the churches in the East—Greece, Russia, the Balkans and the Near East—from Rome. Second, it involves the restoration to the Roman Communion all Protestantism, which developed from 1517 onward.
This prediction was based on a prophecy in Isaiah 47, which describes a church called “the lady of kingdoms” that has power over many nations. Yet this church has protesting daughter churches that have split away. The Prophet Isaiah states that these protesting daughters will be brought back under their mother’s control. This mother will rise to prominence in the end time, exerting great influence over a European superpower.
The Roman Catholic Church has signed agreements with Orthodox, Lutherans, Methodists, Anglicans and other religious groups in its push to unify the world—and especially Europe—under its control. Political tensions over Ukraine may present a stumbling block to the Vatican’s efforts to reabsorb the Russian Orthodox Church, but it will not stop Rome from reabsorbing other Eastern Orthodox patriarchates. Just as Eastern Europe is being divided between a German-led European Union and a Russian-led Eurasian Union, it is also being divided between the Catholic Church, led by Rome, and the Orthodox Church, increasingly led by Moscow.
For more information on how the Roman Catholic Church is working to unite all Christians under the pope, read “Returning to the Fold,” by Stephen Flurry.


thetrumpet--2020-01-07--American Espionage Power “Shattered”

American Espionage Power “Shattered”

French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech during a meeting of the Bishops ’ Conference of France at College des Bernardins in Paris , on April 9 , 2018 .
Why Macron ’ s attempts to revive the Holy Roman Empire will succeed French President Emmanuel Macron has often caught the world ’ s attention .
But the mainstream media has overlooked one of the most important and most frightening developments of his presidency : his courting of the Roman Catholic Church .
The Notre Dame fire in April 2019 caught the world ’ s attention .
Media of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ religions were glued to their screens .
In response , Macron pledged to restore the cathedral to even greater glory .
Yet an event almost exactly a year before the burning of the cathedral should have caught the world ’ s attention even more , but it didn ’ t : Macron ’ s plea to restore the link between church and state in France .
At the Collège des Bernardins , on April 9 , 2018 , Macron gave an hourlong speech addressing French Catholic bishops and more than 400 Catholic leaders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , “ [ W ] e doubtless share the same vague feeling that the link between the church and the state has been damaged and we both believe it is important to repair it.
” Following the fires at Notre Dame , the Institute of Current World Affairs noted in an article titled “ In Secular France , Catholic Roots Run Deep ” : “ In a secular country home to 45,000 Catholic churches—as well as Europe ’ s largest Muslim and Jewish populations—the fire ’ s symbolic undertones were difficult to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ population in France identifies as Catholic , but “ churches are increasingly empty—shells of a bygone Catholic France , ” it noted .
Some estimate that only 2.9 percent practice their faith .
The Notre Dame fire “ showed us how deeply rooted Catholic culture is , ” Guillaume Cuchet , a historian of Christianity , told the Institute of Current World Affairs .
“ Even if the practices have largely disappeared , the culture has , at least for now , outlived the erasure of religious practice .
That might not hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disappear in two or three generations either.
” Macron is well aware of this fact .
Not only does he want to restore Notre Dame to greater glory , he also wants to restore the Catholic Church ’ s position in French politics .
In that 2018 address , Macron said : His comments , at the time , though barely noticed outside France ’ s borders , received much criticism in France .
Some saw it as an attack against France ’ s secularity .
Others called Macron a priest disguised as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a complete metaphysical delirium .
Intolerable .
We expect a president , and we hear a priest , ” Jean-Luc Mélanchon , leader of the far-left France Unbowed party , said at the time .
When Europe ’ s history of religious wars , crusades and inquisitions are considered , it is clear why France is adamant at keeping religion and politics separate .
“ What I want to call for tonight , ” Macron told the Catholic bishops , “ is your political involvement in our national debate and in our European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of commitment that this debate needs and because , historically , you have always brought your ideas to the table because effectiveness means not disconnecting individual action from political and public action.
” Referencing common mistrust toward Catholics , Macron said : “ For biographical , personal and intellectual reasons , I have a higher opinion of Catholics.
” At age 12 , Macron pursued Catholic baptism and later attended a Jesuit college .
Today , his religious beliefs guide his politics .
“ While those close to him say he is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zombie Catholic ’ —one whose faith continues to influence him after formal belief has died , ” priest Ben Johnson noted for the Acton Institute .
Macron believes that the Catholic Church ’ s spiritual guidance is crucial to France ’ s success .
He said : One such religion in France is Islam—a religion Macron views very differently from Catholicism Islam can only dominate France politically if other religions remain politically inactive .
If the Catholic Church reenters the political stage , other religions ’ influence will diminish quickly .
The United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Why Is Macron Courting the Church ?
” : “ Political Islam wants to secede from our republic , ” Macron said in April .
“ We are talking about people who , in the name of a religion , pursue a political project.
” But Macron ’ s ambition to combat radical Islam stretches beyond France ’ s borders .
“ Christians are paying for their attachment to religious pluralism with their lives , ” he said .
“ I am thinking , of course , of the Christians of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ share the same responsibility to these persecuted individuals , not only because we have historically inherited the duty to protect them , but because we know that wherever they are , they are the symbol of religious tolerance.
” Christians in the Middle East are being persecuted by radical Islamists .
For centuries , these groups have repeatedly clashed .
Muslims have sought to invade Europe ; Christians have sought to populate the Middle East to get control of the Holy Land .
European leaders in the postwar era have more or less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of thousands of Christians have lost their lives in the Middle East or were forced to abandon their homes .
In 2019 alone , more than 4,000 Christians worldwide were killed for religious reasons , according to Open Doors World ’ s Watch List .
More than a thousand churches or church buildings were attacked in 2019 .
In numbers , Christians are the most persecuted group on Earth .
In the past , world leaders have rarely addressed the issue .
The topic of religious persecution is , for many , too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And France has one of Europe ’ s strongest militaries to back its words with action .
France is already actively engaged in fighting the Islamic State in the Middle East .
We can expect these efforts to intensify .
When Macron talks about a historic responsibility , restoring the Catholic Church ’ s role in France , and combatting political Islam , he is really talking about resurrecting the Holy Roman Empire .
This is the heritage Europe is living by .
It ’ s about an empire led by the Catholic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Community is living largely by the heritage of the Holy Roman Empire , though the great majority of the people who live by it don ’ t know by what heritage they live , ” the late Otto von Habsburg said .
Macron knows this heritage well .
He often refers to its leaders and culture .
This empire has ruled Europe for over 1,500 years .
Its rule is marked by ups and downs—mountains and valleys—as governments have risen and fallen .
Emperors and kingdoms have come and gone , but the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believes that the Continent ’ s greatest achievements have come through this church-state union .
He said , “ From the point of view of a head of state , from a secular point of view , I am concerned that those who work at the heart of French society , those who work to heal its wounds and console its sick , also need a voice on the political scene , on both the national and European political stage.
” Macron wants all of Europe to be guided by this church .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an article and proposed “ a conference for Europe ” that is able to amend European Union treaties and is also partially advised by religious and spiritual leaders .
It ’ s important to note Macron ’ s efforts to resurrect the Holy Roman Empire .
The Bible prophesies that this empire will once again rule the Earth , right up to the point of Jesus Christ ’ s Second Coming .
The Woman Who Rides the Beast In Revelation 17 , the Apostle John recorded a prophetic vision of our age @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rides a beast .
We need to be able to identify who this woman and beast are .
Verse 2 refers to a woman with “ whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication.
” A woman in the Bible is symbolic for a church .
The Bible describes the woman of Revelation 17 as a whore who commits fornication with the kings of the Earth .
This church has great influence and has guided kingdoms for a significant amount of time ( verse 3 ) .
It sits on “ seven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peoples , and multitudes , and nations , and tongues ” ( verses 9 , 15 ) .
This influential church has had such international impact because it is allied with a world-ruling empire , represented by the beast ( verse 3 ) .
The Bible leaves no doubt that this is referring to the the Holy Roman Empire—a political power , with incredible military strength , that is led by the Catholic Church .
A look at a map will show that Rome , headquarters of the Catholic Church , is situated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rides the beast truly does sit on “ seven mountains.
” ( For more detailed information about this empire , request our free book The Holy Roman Empire in Prophecy . )
As Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry explains in Daniel Unlocks Revelation , the Holy Roman Empire as described in Daniel 2 , Daniel 7 , Revelation 13 and Revelation 17 was prophesied to plague this Earth seven successive times .
We have already seen this empire rise six times .
The last resurrection is prophesied to consist of 10 European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruled by 10 European kings .
At the helm of this empire will be Germany .
The Trumpet and its predecessor , the Plain Truth , have foretold for decades that one of these 10 nations will be France .
Modern France , as the late Herbert W. Armstrong explained in The United States and Britain in Prophecy , is the descendant of ancient Reuben , one of the 12 sons of Jacob , or Israel ( as God changed his name to be ) .
Reuben was Israel ’ s firstborn , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the birthright promises and the name Israel was given to Joseph .
Reuben anciently betrayed his brother Joseph ( e.g .
Genesis 37 through 46 ) .
The descendants of Joseph are Britain , America and other parts of the English-speaking world .
In Genesis 49 , Jacob delivers a prophecy to his 12 sons regarding “ the last days ” ( verse 1 ) .
Jacob prophesied that Reuben would be “ unstable as water.
” In “ France Is Betraying America and Fulfilling Bible Prophecy !
” , Mr .
Flurry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how [ France ] is going to behave , even toward [ its ] own brother.
” The descendants of Reuben will betray the descendants of Joseph—that is what the sure word of Bible prophecy says .
As Mr .
Flurry has written , Macron has made “ bold remarks that reveal a lot about how he feels about the U.S. today.
” ( For the specifics of this betrayal , please read Mr.
Flurry ’ s article . )
Putting all these Bible prophecies together , we can clearly see that France @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roman Empire against America and Britain .
We are seeing this happen today on the world stage .
France , under Macron , promises greater unity in the EU .
It opposes U.S. leadership within nato and instead seeks closer cooperation with Germany .
Macron ’ s call for greater Catholic involvement in Europe is prophetic .
Macron has also called for a true European army .
Consider that the Holy Roman Empire is mostly famous for its military conquests .
Macron ’ s push to revive Europe ’ s Catholic heritage and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s military should send shock waves around the world .
But our leaders have a poor understanding of history and no understanding of Bible prophecy ; they are , therefore , oblivious to the true danger emanating from Europe .
But God hasn ’ t given up on this world .
He wants mankind to repent .
He gives a clear charge to His Church today : “ Say unto them , As I live , saith the Lord God , I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked ; but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and live : turn ye , turn ye from your evil ways ; for why will ye die , O house of Israel ?
” ( Ezekiel 33:11 ) .
“ The root cause of all human suffering and death is made clear here : sin .
God is crying out , through His watchman , for all mankind to repent !
Evil leads only to death ; God wants us to live , ” Mr .
Flurry said in “ God ’ s Watchman.
” God will use the Holy Roman Empire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is about to see its greatest calamity ever , before God intervenes to put an end to all suffering .
That is what it takes for mankind to learn this lesson .
As we see the rise of this final resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire , it is high time to heed this call for repentance .
Nations ought to heed this message and escape the terrible punishment .
But whether they heed this message or not , you individually have a responsibility to hear God ’ s Word .
Request our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prophecy to understand God ’ s plan for the years ahead .

Former Central Intelligence Agency official Duyane Norman told Yahoo News that “the foundations of the business of espionage have been shattered.”
“We haven’t acknowledged it organizationally within [the] cia, and some are still in denial,” he said. “[But] anyone who says otherwise just isn’t looking at the facts.”
In a twist of irony, modern technology pioneered by the United States is helping other nations blow the cover of American spies abroad.
The most common method adversaries have used to gain the upper hand is hacking. In spring 2014, hackers breached the Office of Personnel Management, which stores fingerprints, personnel records and security clearance background information for roughly 22 million American civil servants. This includes those in the intelligence services. The hackers were later identified as being employed by the Chinese government.
What followed could have been taken from a spy movie: a massive data breach, millions of compromised identities, and a once superior espionage force suddenly reduced to running from the bad guys.
A second breach occurred in June 2015, again causing major damage. And the damage continues to this day.
The leaked information blew the cover of American spies abroad in Russia and China. It became apparent the Kremlin was able to quickly identify new cia officers being posted at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow. This led to the cia pulling officers out of China—a major loss of intelligence on a rising superpower.
But that is not the only peril American spies are facing.
Facial recognition and the spread of cctv cameras in some countries have made it nearly impossible for American spies to use traditional methods of gathering intelligence.
London is teeming with these cameras. And in the United Arab Emirates, airports are equipped with facial recognition cameras. There are even claims that Singapore has implemented a real-time database, tracking flight, customs, taxi and hotel data. If, for example, a traveler takes too long between arriving at an airport and checking into a hotel, a security alert is triggered.
There are a number of countries in which certain mission types involving in-person intelligence gathering are no longer feasible. Besides the obvious ones like China, one of the most challenging environments for spies is now the European Union.
Mike Morell, former cia director and host of the “Intelligence Matters” podcast, stated that “facial recognition and biometrics make it very difficult to travel in alias,” especially in the EU, where member states share data with each other. The presence of a spy in one country could tip off others at the same time.
Increasing data-sharing by EU nations is making the cia’s job much more difficult.
“We can’t protect identities anymore. Tech is going to make it almost impossible. I think we need a new paradigm,” former head of the National Security Agency’s research directorate, Eric Haseltine, told Yahoo. “Our officers overseas are known. That’s a hard pill to swallow.”
The cia is losing its element of surprise. In 2011 and 2012, dozens of sources were killed in China and Iran as a result of compromised communications.
What is behind the decline of America’s vital intelligence services?
Under the Clinton administration, the cia suffered low morale and a lack of direction. State secrets were sold, and the drive to train top quality agents slackened. With the Cold War over and standards being reduced, the spies who once kept the world guessing had lost their element of surprise.
But America’s spy agencies are not just mired in data breaches and mistakes; they are, in reality, cursed.
God is no longer with the American people or their military and intelligence establishments. But at one point, He was. As proved in Herbert W. Armstrong’s book The United States and Britain in Prophecy, the people of the U.S. descended from the ancient Israelites.
Thousands of years ago, God set before Israel two ways of life: “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live” (Deuteronomy 30:19).
Those two ways of life are still in effect today. And they are impacting the United States. God warned: “I will break the pride of your power; and I will make your heaven as iron, and your earth as brass: And your strength shall be spent in vain …” (Leviticus 26:19-20). God is no longer blessing America’s military efforts.
“Unless or until the United States as a whole repents and returns to what has become a hollow slogan on its dollars: ‘In God we trust,’ the United States of America has won its last war!” wrote Mr. Armstrong in the October 1961 Plain Truth, predecessor magazine to the Trumpet. His warning is more relevant today than ever. It deserves your attentive consideration at a time when America’s adversaries are growing stronger, as America itself grows increasingly weaker. We see this in war and in America’s intelligence-gathering activities.
To understand the real causes of America’s waning power on the world scene, read our Trend article “America Has Won Its Last War.”


thetrumpet--2020-01-06--Democrats Criticize President Trump for Taking Out Suleimani

In a nighttime attack , United States forces take down Iran ’ s most important man .
jerusalem Last night , the United States took its boldest action in the Middle East of the past decade .
Just after midnight , a U.S. air strike targeted a convoy close to the Baghdad airport .
Inside the vehicles were the masterminds of Iran ’ s terrorist policy inside Iraq and in the larger region : Qassem Suleimani and his key understudy , Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis .
Both Suleimani and Muhandis were killed in the attack , as well as 10 others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday night , stating , “ At the direction of the president , the U.S. military has taken decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad by killing Qassem Suleimani , the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force , a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization.
” For a point of reference , the death of Suleimani is far more significant than that of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Ladin and Islamic State head Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi combined .
Confirming the danger that Suleimani posed , U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal wrote last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He is also singularly positioned to shape the future of the Middle East.
” The killing marks the end of a tense week in Iraq after U.S. policy shifted from appeasement to limited confrontation .
On December 29 , U.S. forces struck five targets in Iraq and Syria that belong to the Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah Iraqi paramilitary group , headed by Muhandis , who answers to Suleimani .
This was the United States ’ first military confrontation against an Iranian proxy in Iraq in a decade , even though the U.S. has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the past year .
The American attack was in retaliation to 30 rockets fired at the K-1 military base in northern Iraq two days earlier .
Four American troops and two members of the Iraqi Security Forces were injured and an American contractor was killed in the attack , prompting U.S. retaliation .
In response to the U.S. strike , Muhandis and other Iranian surrogates in Iraq ordered a destructive protest at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday and Wednesday .
Protesters chanted “ Down , down U.S.A. , ” threw @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , smashed down a steel door with a battering ram , and set fire to parts of the embassy compound .
In response , U.S. President Donald Trump immediately sent more marines to reinforce the embassy .
Eventually , the Iranian leadership told the protesters to stand down .
After the black smoke cleared from the burned-out guard house , a graffitied message in red paint could be discerned .
It read , “ Suleimani is our leader.
” According to Dr. Seth Frantzman of the Jerusalem Post , that scribble writing “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Suleimani runs Iraq and Baghdad , not the U.S. ” Now , that leader is dead .
It is hard to overstate the significance of Suleimani ’ s death .
No single man has impacted Iran ’ s worldwide terrorist activities more , or for longer , than Suleimani .
For over two decades , he has worked directly with Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and had access to an almost limitless budget to expand Iran ’ s power outside the country .
In late 1997 , Suleimani assumed leadership of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Quds Force , a special expeditionary unit that orchestrates Iranian action in foreign domains .
Quds is the Arabic term for Jerusalem , which reveals the force ’ s ultimate goal .
Heading the Quds Force , Suleimani developed and nurtured Iran ’ s ties with proxy organizations such as Kataib Hezbollah ( among many others ) in Iraq , Hezbollah in Lebanon , Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza , and the Houthis in Yemen .
Hardly a rocket was fired from the Gaza Strip to Israel without Suleimani signing off on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was direct and total .
He also directly oversaw Iran ’ s policy to support Syrian dictator Bashar Assad throughout the Syrian civil war .
In 2015 , when Assad ’ s hold on power looked tenuous , it was Suleimani who flew directly to Moscow to talk with Russian President Vladimir Putin and invite his assistance .
However , nowhere was Suleimani ’ s power more evident than in Iraq .
Last year , Suleimani paid regular visits to Baghdad , acting in effect as Iran ’ s foreign minister to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couldn ’ t decide on a prime minister , it was Suleimani who flew over to help them negotiate between the parties and install a prime minister that satisfied Iran .
In early October , when protests began in Iraq against the increasingly public Iranian influence over the nation , it was Suleimani who again flew to Baghdad to tell the government to use any means necessary to stop the protests .
Reuters later reported that snipers belonging to Iran-backed militias were deployed on rooftops surrounding the protesters with orders to shoot to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been killed .
No wonder these same protesters celebrated the news of Suleimani ’ s death today .
But Suleimani had more than just Iraqi blood on his hands .
He is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American servicemen during the Iraq War over a decade ago .
Soon after American and coalition forces expelled Saddam Hussein ’ s regime in 2003 , Iran initiated a long-term shadow war against the U.S. in Iraq , led by Suleimani .
In 2004 , the Quds Force began flooding Iraq with lethal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efps— “ explosively formed projectiles.
” These warheads , which fire a molten copper slug able to penetrate armor , wreaked havoc on coalition forces .
efps could be made only by skilled technicians and were often triggered by sophisticated motion sensors .
“ There was zero question where they were coming from , ” Gen. Stanley McChrystal , head of the Joint Special Operations Command at the time , told the New Yorker in 2013 .
“ We knew where all the factories were in Iran.
” In 2008 , sensing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Suleimani reached out to the U.S. general in command , saying , “ Dear General Petraeus , You should know that I , Qassem Suleimani , control the policy for Iran with respect to Iraq , Lebanon , Gaza and Afghanistan .
And indeed , the ambassador in Baghdad is a Quds Force member .
The individual who ’ s going to replace him is a Quds Force member.
” Petraeus refused to negotiate with this bloody man .
As the Pentagon revealed last year , over 600 United States military personnel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s policies .
The U.S. left Iraq in 2011 , but Suleimani did not .
The hasty removal of U.S. forces by the Obama administration not only created the vacuum for the Islamic State to rise to power , it also allowed Suleimani to act more freely inside Iraq .
Many Iraqi Shiites and Kurds in northern Iraq received help from Suleimani in the form of weapons and leadership .
The main ground forces fighting against the Islamic State in Iraq was not the Iraqi Army , but the very Shiite militias @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , numbering over 100,000 soldiers .
And they were still answering to Suleimani .
When the Islamic State was eventually defeated , it was Suleimani who was praised .
He went from mainly working behind the scenes to assuming a more public role , taking on hero status among the Shiite masses as the man who defeated the Islamic State and as the bulwark against American power in the Middle East .
Last year , when U.S. sanctions on Iran increased , Suleimani took to social media to openly challenge President Trump , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you.
” At the Jerusalem Post , Franztman described Suleimani ’ s growing public persona this way : It was only in the last two years that their dream of a Middle East dominated by Iran was fulfilled .
They were arrogant—the kind of arrogance they accused the West of .
No longer in the shadows , those like Suleimani and Muhandis came into the open , where they acted like the heads of state .
Their militias in Iraq , called the Popular Mobilization Units ( pmu ) , appeared to dominate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also the parliament .
They had the second-largest party in Iraq and access to 300,000 men they had recruited .
Most of these were just young Shiites who wanted to fight [ the Islamic State ] .
A smaller cadre of men in pmu brigades were what mattered .
They stockpiled munitions , and since August 2018 , moved Iranian ballistic missiles across Iraq to Syria .
In Syria they built a network of bases from Imam Ali to T-2 , T-4 and others .
This network sought to transfer precision-guided munitions to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to import air defense , the 3rd Khordad system , in April 2018 .
Consequently , Israel carried out more than 1,000 air strikes against Iranian entrenchment in Syria and Israel ’ s Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. [ Aviv ] Kochavi said in December that Israel would act against Iranian entrenchment in Syria and Iraq .
For Suleimani and Muhandis , all was well in December even as U.S. rhetoric increased .
They did not believe the U.S. would decisively respond , as Pompeo threatened .
They had seen national security adviser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They judged U.S. President Donald Trump an isolationist .
Consequently , they tried to push the U.S. via attacks in the Gulf and against Saudi Arabia and then against U.S. forces , carrying out 11 attacks targeted bases since October , according to U.S. sources .
Finally , after the killing and wounding of Americans on December 27 , the U.S. acted .
Early Friday morning , the irgc released a statement acknowledging Suleimani ’ s death .
The Popular Mobilization ’ s Units , a conglomeration of largely Shiite militias under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Israel for his death .
“ The American and Israeli enemy is responsible for killing the Mujahideen Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Qassem Suleimani , ” a pmu spokesman related .
Khamenei has called for three days of mourning for Suleimani , which will likely also be used to discuss a coordinated response .
Khamenei warned on Friday that harsh revenge awaits the “ criminals ” who killed Suleimani and that the attack will double the motivation of the resistance against the U.S. and Israel .
Some commentators have harshly criticized President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They fear retaliatory attacks by Iran against not only U.S. forces , but likely also against Israel and Saudi Arabia .
America ’ s allies were likely given early notification of the plan to kill Suleimani , given by the slew of phone calls by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to leaders in the region over the past couple days .
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut his trip to Cyprus short and returned to Israel to be on hand to assess the situation and prepare for a response from Iranian proxies .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Israeli embassies and consulates around the world to be on high alert .
According to Ynetnews , security was bolstered at some embassies as well .
A strong response from Iran and its proxies throughout the region should be expected .
Suleimani was a patient tactician and saw all Iran ’ s proxies as a single entity under his command .
Now that he is no longer directing them , it is possible that proxy organizations will be more trigger-happy .
This could mean a larger attack against Israel by Hezbollah or an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iraq .
Nevertheless , given how central Suleimani was in coordinating Iran ’ s proxy network , his death is definitely a victory for the United States and the region .
The question now is : Will President Trump be willing to reinforce the United States ’ presence in the region to deal with coming attacks ?
If Iran attacks hard , will the United States attack harder ?
While the death of Suleimani is significant , it is still only a tactical victory against the Islamic regime in Iran .
While warranted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make the region safer if the U.S. is willing to use its force to back up what comes next .
For over 25 years , we have highlighted Iran ’ s rise to dominate the Middle East .
Most of that was completed under the guiding hand of Qassem Suleimani .
Over this time we have followed Suleimani and Iran ’ s developing proxy network closely because Iran fulfills a biblically prophesied role as “ the king of the south ” spoken of by Daniel the prophet .
Daniel 11:40 reads , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shall the king of the south push at him ….
” The king of the south is defined in this prophecy as having a pushy foreign policy .
Over the past three decades , no other nation in the world has been as proactive as Iran about growing its global power through force .
However , it should also be noted that this steady growth in power under Suleimani was attained without Iran incurring any significant losses .
Iran ’ s push was dangerous and violent , but not rash .
Suleimani understood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and there was a time to hold back .
However , the prophecy in Daniel 11 talks about a more reckless king of the south , one that seriously underestimates the power of his enemy and the willingness of that enemy to use its power to destroy Iran .
The last part of Daniel 11:40 reads “ … and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind with chariots , and with horsemen , and with many ships ; and he shall enter into the countries , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too far by Iran , the king of the north responds overwhelmingly and forcefully .
It is true that the Islamic empire in Iran has a fanatical ideology to provoke a worldwide war to motivate their savior ’ s return .
However , Suleimani was not guided by a “ war at any cost ” scenario .
He tempered his pushiness to where and when he could be victorious .
Now that Suleimani is dead , are we about to see a more reckless Iran ?
The arsenal at Iran ’ s disposal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the motivation for Iran ’ s militias to fight has only increased .
The Bible reveals clearly that Iran will instigate a war that it will not win .
Suleimani ’ s death may prove to bring the world notably closer to that event .
Watching the suffering and death in the Middle East can be depressing .
However , as the prophecies in Daniel reveal , the war started by Iran is only the first battle in a war that will eventually involve all major world powers .
It actually begins the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 12th imam , but one that brings the true Savior of all mankind .
Maintaining the focus on the conclusion to this event is the only way to endure .
For a full account of that hope-filled ending to Iran ’ s violent push , please read Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry ’ s free booklet The King of the South .

American actress Rose McGowan took to Twitter to apologize to Iran for the January 2 attack that killed the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, Qassem Suleimani. In the tweet, she also lambasted the Trump administration by calling it a “terrorist regime” holding the nation hostage.
https://twitter.com/rosemcgowan/status/1212976832544460801
Predictably, Shiite Iraqi militia conglomerates are angry. However, they are joined by some Americans, not just actors like McGowan, but also Democratic presidential candidates and political commentators, who are condemning United States President Donald Trump for green-lighting the attack, expressing fear of conflict with Iran.
Democrat presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren called the move “reckless” and lamented another “costly war.”
Soleimani was a murderer, responsible for the deaths of thousands, including hundreds of Americans. But this reckless move escalates the situation with Iran and increases the likelihood of more deaths and new Middle East conflict. Our priority must be to avoid another costly war. — Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) January 3, 2020
Sen. Bernie Sanders blasted the president for these actions that, as he put it, set the U.S. on the path to “another disastrous war.”
Trump’s dangerous escalation brings us closer to another disastrous war in the Middle East that could cost countless lives and trillions more dollars.
Trump promised to end endless wars, but this action puts us on the path to another one. — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) January 3, 2020
Political commentator Emma Vigeland asserted that the attack on Suleimani was an illegitimate and unjustified “act of war.”
Imagine the Iranian government assassinated Mike Pompeo with a drone, at the direction of the president, and called it self defense.
That’s exactly what the US did by killing Soleimani — an act of war.
The only difference is Iran’s self defense claims would be more legitimate. — Emma Vigeland - @emmavigeland.bsky.social (@EmmaVigeland) January 3, 2020
Last year, U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal called Suleimani “singularly dangerous,” the man uniquely positioned to shape the future of the Middle East. Suleimani led the Iraq shadow war against the U.S.; he was responsible for the continuation of the Assad regime in Syria; he authorized the violent murder of protesters in Iraq; and he orchestrated attacks on coalition bases that led to the deaths of over 600 American service members and the wounding of thousands more.
But in the wake of his death, many Americans are criticizing President Trump for the attack, citing concerns that the move will escalate tensions with Iran and risk war.
This reaction is a stunning fulfillment of Bible prophecy!
In Leviticus 26, God outlines the parameters of His covenant with Israel, primarily the United States and Britain today. (For proof of this fact, request our free book The United States and Britain in Prophecy, by Herbert W. Armstrong.) He promises blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.
God tells America in this end time that He “will break the pride of your power … and your strength shall be spent in vain” because of the nation’s sins (verses 18-20). Today, sin and lawlessness are rampant in the U.S., with fornication, homosexuality, drug use and abortion all enjoying mainstream support. As a consequence, God has broken the pride of America’s power.
Americans are no longer proud of their country or supportive of the fight against terrorist-sponsoring nations such as Iran. Instead, they view their own government as the terrorists.
Trumpet managing editor Joel Hilliker wrote in “What Young Americans Should Know About America” (emphasis added):
What happens when a nation has such a toxic view of itself? What happens when it destroys its own conviction about the nobility of its cause? At every turn we hesitate, we waver, we fear, we disbelieve, we apologize, we attack ourselves. This is the spirit of the age! This is the spirit of cursed Israel! This is exactly what God said would happen to the nation that turned its back on Him. … What a curse! America still has plenty of power, but the pride in that power has been broken. Our national will is broken. And no nation suffering this curse can long endure.
To be sure, the killing of Suleimani was a bold move. The impact of his death is not to be underestimated, and an Iranian response is to be expected. But his death does make the region of the Middle East safer—that is why many Iraqis celebrated after his death was announced.
People are celebrating the death of Qasem Soleimani in the streets of Baghdad.
Are these the “Iraqi Mourners” @nytimes was referring to?
pic.twitter.com/4JA7VNkmiy — ALX (@alx) January 3, 2020
Mr. Hilliker continued, “God wants us to be bold. He wants us to be people of strength. If you believe in your cause, you are irrepressible! If you are plagued by doubt and self-loathing, the faintest gust of adversity will blow you off course. If you are weak, God can do little with you.”
Sin breeds insecurity, doubt and fear. But God says that the righteous are as bold as a lion. He wants us to be bold and have righteous pride in Him and the power that He has given us. To better understand what has happened to the U.S., read “America’s Broken Will,” by Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry.


thetrumpet--2020-01-06--Why You Should Be Concerned About Australia’s Bushfires

In this handout provided by the Australian Department of Defence , the flight deck is lit by the red glow of the fires as the aircrew of a C-130J Hercules attempt to land at Merimbula airfield to drop off Fire and Rescue crews from the Mid-North Coast region of NSW , to assist fighting the bushfires on January 5 , 2020 in Merimbula , Australia .
Australia ’ s historic fires continue to make headlines and many people are blaming climate change , drawing attention to the great climate “ sins ” of emitting carbon , bearing children and using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people willing to talk about climate “ sins ” but not God ’ s definition of sin ?
Isaiah 29:6 says that due to our national sins , “ Thou shalt be visited of the Lord with thunder , and with earthquake , and great noise , with storm and tempest , and the flame of devouring fire.
” Blaming climate change for these curses is denying God ’ s existence and the result of breaking His laws .
In this segment , I talk about the attacks Iran ’ s top general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carry out before his death on Friday .
Suleimani was deliberately trying to prod the United States into taking action so Iran could use that to stir up anti-American protests .
Now that Suleimani is dead , Iran is having to recalculate its plans .
The Obama administration ’ s approach to Iran was appeasement in hopes the terrorists would to turn into good guys .
During those eight years , Iran was inundated with cash thanks to sanctions relief , and its ongoing nuclear program was able to continue under the cloak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that money to fund its proxy terror groups and destabilize the Middle East .
When President Donald Trump took office , he made a clear change in direction .
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Why You Should Be Concerned About Australia’s Bushfires
Australia’s Fires (14 minutes)
Australia’s historic fires continue to make headlines and many people are blaming climate change, drawing attention to the great climate “sins” of emitting carbon, bearing children and using plastic straws. Why are so many people willing to talk about climate “sins” but not God’s definition of sin? Isaiah 29:6 says that due to our national sins, “Thou shalt be visited of the Lord with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.” Blaming climate change for these curses is denying God’s existence and the result of breaking His laws.
Taking Out Iran’s Top General (22 minutes)
In this segment, I talk about the attacks Iran’s top general, Qassem Suleimani, was planning to carry out before his death on Friday. Suleimani was deliberately trying to prod the United States into taking action so Iran could use that to stir up anti-American protests. Now that Suleimani is dead, Iran is having to recalculate its plans.
Iran Policy: Trump Vs. Obama (15 minutes)
The Obama administration’s approach to Iran was appeasement in hopes the terrorists would to turn into good guys. During those eight years, Iran was inundated with cash thanks to sanctions relief, and its ongoing nuclear program was able to continue under the cloak of the nuclear deal. Iran used that money to fund its proxy terror groups and destabilize the Middle East. When President Donald Trump took office, he made a clear change in direction.


thetrumpet--2020-01-06--Macron and a Prophesied Catholic Revival

French President Emmanuel Macron has often caught the world’s attention. But the mainstream media has overlooked one of the most important and most frightening developments of his presidency: his courting of the Roman Catholic Church.
The Notre Dame fire in April 2019 caught the world’s attention. Media of all languages reported it. People of all religions were glued to their screens. In response, Macron pledged to restore the cathedral to even greater glory.
Yet an event almost exactly a year before the burning of the cathedral should have caught the world’s attention even more, but it didn’t: Macron’s plea to restore the link between church and state in France.
At the Collège des Bernardins, on April 9, 2018, Macron gave an hourlong speech addressing French Catholic bishops and more than 400 Catholic leaders. In his opening remarks, he said, “[W]e doubtless share the same vague feeling that the link between the church and the state has been damaged and we both believe it is important to repair it.”
A Historic Responsibility
Following the fires at Notre Dame, the Institute of Current World Affairs noted in an article titled “In Secular France, Catholic Roots Run Deep”: “In a secular country home to 45,000 Catholic churches—as well as Europe’s largest Muslim and Jewish populations—the fire’s symbolic undertones were difficult to miss.” Around 60 percent of the population in France identifies as Catholic, but “churches are increasingly empty—shells of a bygone Catholic France,” it noted. Some estimate that only 2.9 percent practice their faith.
The Notre Dame fire “showed us how deeply rooted Catholic culture is,” Guillaume Cuchet, a historian of Christianity, told the Institute of Current World Affairs. “Even if the practices have largely disappeared, the culture has, at least for now, outlived the erasure of religious practice. That might not hold indefinitely, but it doesn’t disappear in two or three generations either.”
Macron is well aware of this fact. Not only does he want to restore Notre Dame to greater glory, he also wants to restore the Catholic Church’s position in French politics. In that 2018 address, Macron said:
Indeed, it is because I refuse to be indifferent that I am aware to what extent the history that the state and the church have shared for so long is now peppered with misunderstandings and reciprocal mistrust. … France’s history has witnessed a series of moments where the church was at the heart of the city of man and moments where it was outside the city gates. But today, in this period of great social fragility, when even the fabric of the nation is at risk of falling apart, I believe it is my responsibility not to let Catholics’ trust for politics and politicians erode away. I cannot accept such an abandonment. And I cannot let this disappointment get out of control.
A Priest Disguised as a President
His comments, at the time, though barely noticed outside France’s borders, received much criticism in France. Some saw it as an attack against France’s secularity. Others called Macron a priest disguised as a president. “Macron is in a complete metaphysical delirium. Intolerable. We expect a president, and we hear a priest,” Jean-Luc Mélanchon, leader of the far-left France Unbowed party, said at the time.
When Europe’s history of religious wars, crusades and inquisitions are considered, it is clear why France is adamant at keeping religion and politics separate.
“What I want to call for tonight,” Macron told the Catholic bishops, “is your political involvement in our national debate and in our European debate, because your faith is part of commitment that this debate needs and because, historically, you have always brought your ideas to the table because effectiveness means not disconnecting individual action from political and public action.”
Referencing common mistrust toward Catholics, Macron said: “For biographical, personal and intellectual reasons, I have a higher opinion of Catholics.” At age 12, Macron pursued Catholic baptism and later attended a Jesuit college. Today, his religious beliefs guide his politics.
“While those close to him say he is an agnostic, many consider him a ‘zombie Catholic’—one whose faith continues to influence him after formal belief has died,” priest Ben Johnson noted for the Acton Institute.
Macron believes that the Catholic Church’s spiritual guidance is crucial to France’s success. He said:
To voluntarily close my eyes to the spiritual dimension that the Catholics bring to their moral, intellectual, family, work and social lives would be to limit myself to a partial view of France; it would be to misunderstand this country, its history, its people; by remaining indifferent I would be failing to do my job properly. And I would be doing the same if I were to ignore all the religions that are present today in our country.
One such religion in France is Islam—a religion Macron views very differently from Catholicism
Pushing Back Against Islam
Islam can only dominate France politically if other religions remain politically inactive. If the Catholic Church reenters the political stage, other religions’ influence will diminish quickly.
The United Kingdom’s Catholic Herald wrote in “Why Is Macron Courting the Church?”:
Macron knows full well that France’s 8 million Muslims belong to a religious tradition that accepts no distinction between politics and religion, but also, as the historical record unambiguously attests, seeks to dominate society politically and religiously once it becomes the majority. … Could Macron’s speech to Catholics be the start of efforts to rethink [secularism] in ways that would effectively “tame” Islam in France? At this stage, it’s too early to tell.
Emmanuel Macron seeks to empower France’s Catholics to combat political Islam.
“Political Islam wants to secede from our republic,” Macron said in April. “We are talking about people who, in the name of a religion, pursue a political project.”
But Macron’s ambition to combat radical Islam stretches beyond France’s borders. “Christians are paying for their attachment to religious pluralism with their lives,” he said. “I am thinking, of course, of the Christians of the East. Political leaders and the church share the same responsibility to these persecuted individuals, not only because we have historically inherited the duty to protect them, but because we know that wherever they are, they are the symbol of religious tolerance.”
Christians in the Middle East are being persecuted by radical Islamists. For centuries, these groups have repeatedly clashed. Muslims have sought to invade Europe; Christians have sought to populate the Middle East to get control of the Holy Land. European leaders in the postwar era have more or less lost sight of that goal.
Tens of thousands of Christians have lost their lives in the Middle East or were forced to abandon their homes. In 2019 alone, more than 4,000 Christians worldwide were killed for religious reasons, according to Open Doors World’s Watch List. More than a thousand churches or church buildings were attacked in 2019. In numbers, Christians are the most persecuted group on Earth. In the past, world leaders have rarely addressed the issue. The topic of religious persecution is, for many, too sensitive.
This is changing now. And France has one of Europe’s strongest militaries to back its words with action. France is already actively engaged in fighting the Islamic State in the Middle East. We can expect these efforts to intensify.
The Holy Roman Empire
When Macron talks about a historic responsibility, restoring the Catholic Church’s role in France, and combatting political Islam, he is really talking about resurrecting the Holy Roman Empire. This is the heritage Europe is living by. It’s about an empire led by the Catholic Church! “The [European] Community is living largely by the heritage of the Holy Roman Empire, though the great majority of the people who live by it don’t know by what heritage they live,” the late Otto von Habsburg said.
Macron knows this heritage well. He often refers to its leaders and culture. This empire has ruled Europe for over 1,500 years. Its rule is marked by ups and downs—mountains and valleys—as governments have risen and fallen. Emperors and kingdoms have come and gone, but the Catholic Church has remained constant.
Macron believes that the Continent’s greatest achievements have come through this church-state union.
He said, “From the point of view of a head of state, from a secular point of view, I am concerned that those who work at the heart of French society, those who work to heal its wounds and console its sick, also need a voice on the political scene, on both the national and European political stage.”
Macron wants all of Europe to be guided by this church.
In May, he addressed European citizens in an article and proposed “a conference for Europe” that is able to amend European Union treaties and is also partially advised by religious and spiritual leaders.
It’s important to note Macron’s efforts to resurrect the Holy Roman Empire. The Bible prophesies that this empire will once again rule the Earth, right up to the point of Jesus Christ’s Second Coming.
The Woman Who Rides the Beast
In Revelation 17, the Apostle John recorded a prophetic vision of our age. This chapter describes a woman who rides a beast. We need to be able to identify who this woman and beast are.
Verse 2 refers to a woman with “whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication.” A woman in the Bible is symbolic for a church. The Bible describes the woman of Revelation 17 as a whore who commits fornication with the kings of the Earth. This church has great influence and has guided kingdoms for a significant amount of time (verse 3). It sits on “seven mountains” and has influence over “peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” (verses 9, 15). This influential church has had such international impact because it is allied with a world-ruling empire, represented by the beast (verse 3).
The Bible leaves no doubt that this is referring to the the Holy Roman Empire—a political power, with incredible military strength, that is led by the Catholic Church. A look at a map will show that Rome, headquarters of the Catholic Church, is situated on seven hills; the woman who rides the beast truly does sit on “seven mountains.” (For more detailed information about this empire, request our free book The Holy Roman Empire in Prophecy.)
As Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry explains in Daniel Unlocks Revelation, the Holy Roman Empire as described in Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Revelation 13 and Revelation 17 was prophesied to plague this Earth seven successive times. We have already seen this empire rise six times. The last resurrection is prophesied to consist of 10 European nations, or groups of nations, ruled by 10 European kings. At the helm of this empire will be Germany.
The Trumpet and its predecessor, the Plain Truth, have foretold for decades that one of these 10 nations will be France. Modern France, as the late Herbert W. Armstrong explained in The United States and Britain in Prophecy, is the descendant of ancient Reuben, one of the 12 sons of Jacob, or Israel (as God changed his name to be).
Reuben was Israel’s firstborn, but due to his gross misconduct, the birthright promises and the name Israel was given to Joseph.
Reuben anciently betrayed his brother Joseph (e.g. Genesis 37 through 46). The descendants of Joseph are Britain, America and other parts of the English-speaking world. In Genesis 49, Jacob delivers a prophecy to his 12 sons regarding “the last days” (verse 1). Jacob prophesied that Reuben would be “unstable as water.” In “France Is Betraying America and Fulfilling Bible Prophecy!”, Mr. Flurry explained, “You never know exactly how [France] is going to behave, even toward [its] own brother.” The descendants of Reuben will betray the descendants of Joseph—that is what the sure word of Bible prophecy says. As Mr. Flurry has written, Macron has made “bold remarks that reveal a lot about how he feels about the U.S. today.” (For the specifics of this betrayal, please read Mr. Flurry’s article.)
A Call to Repentance
Putting all these Bible prophecies together, we can clearly see that France is prophesied to ally with the Holy Roman Empire against America and Britain. We are seeing this happen today on the world stage. France, under Macron, promises greater unity in the EU. It opposes U.S. leadership within nato and instead seeks closer cooperation with Germany.
Macron’s call for greater Catholic involvement in Europe is prophetic. Macron has also called for a true European army. Consider that the Holy Roman Empire is mostly famous for its military conquests.
Macron’s push to revive Europe’s Catholic heritage and his efforts to build up Europe’s military should send shock waves around the world. But our leaders have a poor understanding of history and no understanding of Bible prophecy; they are, therefore, oblivious to the true danger emanating from Europe.
But God hasn’t given up on this world. He wants mankind to repent. He gives a clear charge to His Church today: “Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:11).
“The root cause of all human suffering and death is made clear here: sin. God is crying out, through His watchman, for all mankind to repent! Evil leads only to death; God wants us to live,” Mr. Flurry said in “God’s Watchman.” God will use the Holy Roman Empire to drive this point home. Mankind is about to see its greatest calamity ever, before God intervenes to put an end to all suffering. That is what it takes for mankind to learn this lesson.
As we see the rise of this final resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire, it is high time to heed this call for repentance. Nations ought to heed this message and escape the terrible punishment. But whether they heed this message or not, you individually have a responsibility to hear God’s Word. Request our free book The Holy Roman Empire in Prophecy to understand God’s plan for the years ahead.


thetrumpet--2020-01-06--Iran’s Baghdad Embassy Siege Demonstrates Their Control Over Iraq

Hundreds of Iran-backed Iraqi militiamen, supporters and politicians stormed the United States Embassy in Baghdad’s fortified Green Zone on Tuesday. Protesters chanted, “Down, down U.S.A.,” threw stones at buildings, broke bulletproof windows, smashed down a steel door with a battering ram, and set fire to parts of the embassy compound.
The message was crystal clear: Out with the United States.
The embassy invasion came in retaliation to U.S. air strikes against an Iran-backed Iraqi militia on Sunday, which led to the death of at least 25 militiamen belonging to Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia in the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (pmu).
During the protests, dozens of yellow Kataib Hezbollah, white pmu, and several other militia flags flew in the air as they marched up to the embassy and began their siege. Only security card-authorized personnel are supposed to be allowed into Baghdad’s Green Zone, which houses several embassies, the parliament building and the presidential palace; however, since the militias and the protesters were allowed in, logically, the Iraqi Armed Forces must have supported the event.
About 100 U.S. marines were immediately deployed to the embassy from Kuwait with two Apache attack helicopters, which fired several flares throughout the night as warning shots to the crowd. As the siege continued, U.S. marines took defensive measures to protect the few hundred personnel inside the embassy by launching tear gas and stun grenades at the protesters and militias.
This was not an ordinary protest; there was significant planning involved. The militias provided the protesters with logistics support, bringing cooking supplies, food and tents. A Kataib Hezbollah spokesman said that they would besiege the compound until the U.S. decided to shut down the embassy and permanently leave Iraq.
On Twitter, U.S. President Donald Trump blamed Iran for orchestrating the attack, claiming that Iran would be held “fully responsible.”
Iran killed an American contractor, wounding many. We strongly responded, and always will. Now Iran is orchestrating an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. They will be held fully responsible. In addition, we expect Iraq to use its forces to protect the Embassy, and so notified! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 31, 2019
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, asking him to stop the protests. Mahdi responded by deploying the Iraqi security forces and telling the people to stop protesting and leave. Though the security forces set up a buffer zone between the embassy building and the protesters, the chaos continued unabated.
Interestingly, protesters finally withdrew on Wednesday afternoon after a decree by the pmu, not the prime minister, showing where the real power in Iraq lies.
Michael Pregent, an Iraq expert at the Hudson Institute, wrote on Thursday, “[The] U.S. embassy attack was Iran’s way of showing they run Iraq.”
Video footage (0:25) from Al-Jazeera showed that the initial march to the embassy was led and coordinated by popular politicians and militia leaders: Qais Khazali, Hadi al-Amiri and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis who can be seen on the left of the video.
Khazali is the leader of the Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq militia, which was initially trained, funded and led by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force. The militia has accepted the full authority of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Asaib Ahl al-Haq is a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization responsible for several attacks on U.S. troops. Amiri has been the head of the Badr Organization since 2003, when it returned to Iraq after being created in Iran by Iraqi refugees. Amiri described Khamenei as “the leader not only for Iranians, but the Islamic nation.” Amiri has worked closely with Quds Force Cmdr. Qassem Suleimani, who was confirmed dead by a U.S. assassination near the Baghdad airport on Thursday night, along with Muhandis, the leader of both Kataib Hezbollah and the pmu.
Khazali, Amiri and Muhandis are also members of the Iraqi parliament. The three leaders are part of the Fatah Alliance, which is a pro-Iran political party formed by the Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Badr Organization, and Kataib Hezbollah and other militias of the Popular Mobilization Units. The Fatah Alliance gained the second-largest number of seats in the May 2018 general election and is also part of the largest political bloc in the parliament.
Since Prime Minister Mahdi announced his resignation last month, Amiri has been a top contender for the office. The Fatah Alliance will likely be able to push through whomever it selects as its candidate.
The Iraqi government is currently partly composed of, and about to be controlled by, Iran-aligned terrorists.
Mr. Pompeo called out these militia leaders for their involvement in the embassy raid: “The attack today was orchestrated by terrorists, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and Qais Khazali, and abetted by Iranian proxies, Hadi al-Amiri and Faleh al-Fayyad. All are pictured outside our embassy.”
In an interview with fox News, Pompeo said that the U.S. does not plan on leaving its embassy in Baghdad or to withdraw its troops from Iraq. Instead, the Pentagon declared that it would deploy an additional 4,000 troops, effective immediately; 750 troops have already deployed from Kuwait.
This raid is Iran’s attempt to push back in any way it can against President Trump’s maximum pressure campaign.
In May 2018, the U.S. withdrew from the 2016 Iran nuclear agreement. When the deal was implemented in January 2016, Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry called it “The Worst Foreign-Policy Blunder in American History,” one of our top 10 landmark articles of the last decade.
Ever since President Trump withdrew from the deal, the U.S. has placed heavy economic sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran, specifically targeting its banking, oil and shipping sectors. Since the U.S. began reimplementing the economic sanctions, Iran’s crude oil exports have plummeted from about 2.5 million barrels per day to as low as 100,000 barrels per day in August 2019. This has crippled the nation; crude oil made up 72 percent of its exports in 2017, according to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity.
Now Iran has lashed out in more brazen ways, such as attacking the Saudi oil pipeline in May, sabotaging oil tankers and shooting down a U.S. drone in June, launching missiles at the world’s largest oil processing facility at Abaqiq in September, and now organizing the raid on the U.S. embassy.
In October, Trumpet Jerusalem correspondent Brent Nagtegaal wrote “The Iranian Attacks Are Just Getting Started.” He explained that based on the current trend, “It is logical to expect another Iranian attack—soon and with greater impact.”
This raid is one of those attacks, and even more intense attacks are likely on the way.
Iranian foreign policy is becoming pushier and more extreme as time goes on. This is a trend the Trumpet has been warning about since the early 1990s.
In 1992, Mr. Flurry told Trumpet readers that he believed Iran would be the king of radical Islam. A December 1994 Trumpet headline by Mr. Flurry asked, “Is Iraq About to Fall to Iran?” That headline was repeated in 2003 when the U.S. ousted Iraq’s Saddam Hussein from power. Today, we see Iran’s conquest of Iraq has become a reality.
How was Mr. Flurry’s prediction so accurate over 20 years? It is because he bases his forecasts on Bible prophecy.
Twenty-five hundred years ago, the Prophet Daniel recorded a vision from God for the “times of the end,” the time just before the return of Jesus Christ. “And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over” (Daniel 11:40).
In The King of the South, Mr. Flurry proves that the biblical “king of the south” mentioned in verse 40 is radical Islam, led by Iran. He explains:
Iran is the most powerful Islamic country in the Middle East. Can you imagine the power it would have if it gained control of Iraq, which was at one time the third-leading exporter of oil in the world? I predicted as far back as 1992 that this could happen. … The king of the south is about state-sponsored terrorism. That is how Iran became king! … It is a nation that is always pushy in its foreign policy. It pushes until it starts a war. … Who else could it be in this end time but Iran? Iran is extremely radical—the king over radical Islam.
Many Iraqis share the same goal with Iran to drive the U.S. out of the nation. Iran has used this common goal to bring the nation under its heavy influence. As Iran’s economy continues to struggle, watch for Iran to increasingly lash out against the U.S., to grab more control in the Middle East, and to become more emboldened.
Iran is an extremely aggressive and radical nation, and its foreign policy is pushing the world to war. However, Bible prophecy says that the United States will not be a part of this conflict with Iran.
For more information, request your free copy of The King of the South, by Gerald Flurry.