November-December 2020

THE “SINNER’S PRAYER”? THE CURE FOR POLITICS — P. 12 —

— P. 18 —

November-December 2020 | TomorrowsWorld.org

Holidays vs. Holy Days

A personal message from the Editor in Chief

“… And No One Shall Make Them Afraid”

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ne might think that the year 2020 will go down as one of the most troubled years in modern history. We have seen unrest in many nations and regions around the world, from countries in Central and South America, to the United States, Europe, and Hong Kong. COVID-19 is something we may all want to forget, but its greatest legacy may prove to be years of economic impact—and when economies collapse, bad things normally follow. The U.S. has been a stabilizing force in the world over the last 75 years, despite its many shortcomings. Saying this will no doubt bring criticism, but would anyone who understands history and geopolitics really prefer that Russia, China, Iran, or North Korea replace the United States? For all America’s faults—and there are many—the world would have been a far worse place had Japan or Germany won World War II. Thankfully, both of those countries—at least for the last several decades—have been additional stabilizing forces for good in our world. While we are happy they did not win WWII because of the direction in which they were going at the time, what wonderful changes they have made since then, and they deserve our deep respect. Yes, 2020 will go down in history as a year to remember—or will it? After what we have already seen (and only God knows what is yet to happen in this year’s final months), that may sound like a strange question. But could events in the years after 2020 be so catastrophic that they eventually turn this year’s traumas into little more than a historical footnote? This magazine is named Tomorrow’s World for a reason. We know a far better world is coming—not based on the goodness of man, not based on advancements in science, not based on religious revival, but based on promises found in the book so many own, but so few read. Even many who do read that book (to say nothing of those who do not) find its predictions too fantastic to believe. Yes, the Bible tells us that the Messiah will return—and we had better hope He does, because the chances of mankind surviving another 50 years are not looking good. Frankly, they are not looking good for even 20 years!

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Good News… The Bible promises that Jesus Christ will return to rule over the whole earth (Zechariah 14:9; Acts 1:11) and will bring peace to this troubled world. That peace will not come immediately, as the nations will fight against Him (Revelation 17:14). Imagine the world being so deceived by a powerful, evil spirit being—working behind the scenes—that nations would actually fight against the One coming to stop human annihilation (Matthew 24:21–22; Revelation 12:9)! Nevertheless, despite Satan’s efforts, our Creator will defeat His enemies (Zechariah 14:12–15). But, even then, peace will not be possible until that great deceiver—the prince of the power of the air, who stirs mankind to war and fight—is himself removed (Ephesians 2:2; Revelation 20:1–3). That will pave the way for a change in human nature, when God will write His laws on human minds and hearts (Hebrews 8:8–13). With strong leadership, Satan’s evil influence will be removed—and with God’s Spirit dominating, an age of peace will ensue. We read prophecy after prophecy of that time: Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it. Many nations shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of

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Volume 22, Issue 6 | November-December 2020

Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and rebuke strong nations afar off; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken (Micah 4:1–4). The prophet Isaiah describes how the returning Messiah will tenderly care for the weak and transform earth’s environment: Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. The parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water; in the habitation of jackals, where each lay, there shall be grass with reeds and rushes (Isaiah 35:5–7). That is the good news! Whether or not you place any trust in the Bible—and you should, for many reasons—this will happen. It does not depend on you or me believing it. … And Bad News So why, as we look at the year 2020, would we doubt that it will go down as a year to remember? Obviously, this year will pale in comparison to the year Jesus Christ actually returns, but there is another reason: This year is only a warm-up before the traumatic years that will precede the good to come. The same source that predicts the coming idyllic world also warns of the greatest time of trouble mankind has ever seen. Unless humanity turns from its evil path, the year 2020 is only a sample of what is ahead. Trag-

ically, there is no evidence that mankind will change direction. It is a rare event when human beings admit error and amend their ways. One notable example stands out: Nineveh, ancient Assyria’s capital city. The Assyrians were the ancestors of modern-day Germans. You may be familiar with the account of Jonah being swallowed by a giant fish, but do you know the whole story? While some think it is no more than a tale, Jesus affirmed its historicity, even explaining, “The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here” (Matthew 12:38–41). Jesus explained that conditions on the earth would eventually become so terrible that all life would be on the verge of destruction (Matthew 24:21– 22). Dear reader, please look up these passages. This is not our opinion, but the word of Scripture! Unless we as a whole turn from our sins—that is, from the breaking of God’s laws—we are in for a rough ride that will make 2020 look tame indeed. Not only will we see further unrest in our cities, but we will see nature itself turn against us—Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26 lay out this future in detail. And when you see what looks to be peace coming by man’s efforts, do not become complacent. We are warned, “For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:3). All of this will happen, both the good news and the bad news. It does not depend on whether you or I believe it. And when these things come upon us, as they surely will, I hope you will remember where you read about them in advance. I wish I could tell you that things can’t get worse and we have smoother sailing ahead, but a lie never comforts in the end. However, there is hope beyond the storm, bringing immeasurable comfort to all who believe in it!

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5 Holidays or Holy Days?

As a tumultuous year draws to a close, many seek comfort in traditional holidays—but an ancient source reveals days of far greater meaning.

10 Modern Moral Theory and the Murray-Hill Riot Fifty-one years ago, the Montreal Police Department fatefully went on strike. What can the resulting night of terror teach us today?

12 Should You Recite the “Sinner’s Prayer”? The words may be spoken by many who long to change their lives, but do they really help, and do you really know what they mean?

16 COVID-19, Fear, and Your Future In an unsettling, uncertain, and unprecedented time, only one expert has the unparalleled knowledge that can cut through the confusion.

18 The Cure for Politics Many long for an end to the vicious bitterness of political conflicts. That end will come—but not by human hands!

24 Protect the Next Generation from Fake History 26 The Gift of God 28 The Extraordinary Ordinary Richardson’s Ground Squirrel 30 32 34 35

Should You Recite the “Sinner’s Prayer”?

uestions and Answers Q NewsWatch Letters to the Editor Television Log Circulation: 399,000

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Holidays or Holy Days?

What do you celebrate—and why? Has today’s mainstream Christianity obscured vital truths about the celebrations God gave His people? The truth about God’s own Holy Days can bring you closer to your Savior and change your life forever!

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By Richard F. Ames

veryone loves a holiday—at least most of us seem to. Holidays may give us a break from the routine of our busy and tiring work schedules. We may be able to spend time with friends and relatives we haven’t seen in a while. There may be special food prepared for a holiday meal. We may have the opportunity to reflect on a historic national event, or to honor a famous individual who sacrificed much for our nation. And there may even be special public events—perhaps a parade or a sporting event we like to watch. Of course, there can be another side to the holidays. We may face the stress of crowded airports, traffic jams, and old hurts rekindled at family gatherings. And, this year, we face the added stress of the pandemic. How many who enjoy large family gatherings are finding themselves alone on days that once promised fun and fellowship? How many introverts who used to dread the bustle of the holidays now wish they could have at least a little more contact with friends and loved ones? Perhaps this year more than ever, we are reminded that there ought to be more to a holiday than

just an opportunity for fun. How many across the world, this year, spent their nation’s Independence Day reflecting quietly on blessings rather than partying with friends? How many have spent days off from work alone, feeling gratitude for the privilege of good health and the ability to work at all? And how many will spend a lonely Thanksgiving Day reflecting on the many blessings that remain in their lives even in times of national distress? Holidays, of course, are not just national events. Many religions celebrate “holy days”—in fact, that’s where the English word “holiday” comes from. But what makes a day holy? How can we know that a day is holy? In scriptural terms, something “holy” is “set apart” from that which is not holy. In a secular sense, Veteran’s Day, Labor Day, and other similar days are “set apart” from ordinary days on the calendar. But a Holy Day in the biblical sense is something very particular—a day God Himself set apart for His people. Your Bible lists several special days that God sets apart as Holy Days. But what are those days God has set apart? Many are surprised to learn that the Bible never even mentions “Christmas” or “Easter,” though the King James Version mistranslates the Greek pascha as “Easter”

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in Acts 12:4, rather than the correct “Passover.” Many more are surprised when they discover the days the Bible does set apart as holy. Amazingly, several popular “Christian” holidays have roots not in the Bible, but in pagan traditions—even though God tells His people to reject the traditions of their pagan neighbors (Deuteronomy 12:29–32; Jeremiah 10:1–5)!

truly recognize God as our provider? Or do we look to our personal possessions and power for security? Thanksgiving is a good time to reflect on our blessings, our purpose, and our future, both individually and nationally. Yet God has given us another day on which we can thank Him and reflect on our blessings.

National Holidays God’s command to reject pagan ways does not mean we are forbidden to observe appropriate national or federal holidays. Jesus Himself observed a national holiday kept by the Jewish peoplel. We read in John 10:22–23 that Jesus participated in the Feast of Dedication. This is not one of the biblical Festivals God commanded of ancient Israel but, rather, was in many ways an equivalent to a national Jewish “Thanksgiving Day.” (Over time, it evolved to become the national holiday the Jewish community calls “Hanukkah.”) Today, many nations have a Thanksgiving Day. On October 3, 1789, U.S. President George Washington made a thanksgiving proclamation. He stated, “it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be

A Weekly Holiday? The Fourth Commandment tells God’s people to keep holy the seventh day of the week. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it (Exodus 20:8–11). God set apart the seventh-day Sabbath at creation. That’s why we are told to “Remember the Sabbath day.” But should New Testament Christians observe that day as their weekly day of worship? If you haven’t already done so, you may want to read “Who Changed the Sabbath to Sunday?” in the July–August 2020 Tomorrow’s World magazine. Put simply, no human being can change God’s chosen day of worship. It was the Roman church that declared Sunday worship mandatory. Not until the fourth century AD did the Roman emperor Constantine enforce Sunday worship throughout the Roman Empire. Formerly an official worshipper of Sol Invictus (Unconquered Sun), he gave the following edict in 321 AD: “Let all magistrates and people of the city, and all who work as artisans, rest on the venerable day of the sun” (The New

“BUT YOU MAY READ THE BIBLE FROM GENESIS TO REVELATION, AND YOU WILL NOT FIND A SINGLE LINE AUTHORIZING THE SANCTIFICATION OF SUNDAY. THE SCRIPTURES ENFORCE THE RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE OF SATURDAY…” grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor” (“Thanksgiving Proclamation, 3 October 1789,” Archives.gov). Since 1942, the U.S. has celebrated Thanksgiving Day on the fourth Thursday of November, following President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s order fixing that date. Canadians celebrate their Thanksgiving Day on the second Monday of October. Originally, Thanksgiving Day was established as a time to express our deep gratitude to God, but do we

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Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, 1911, vol. 11, p. 147). In doing so, Constantine enforced a practice alien to Jesus Christ and His first-century Church. The Catholic Encyclopedia, on the topic of “Sunday,” admits that “Tertullian (202 [AD]) is the first writer who expressly mentions the Sunday rest: ‘We, however ( just as tradition has taught us), on the day of the Lord’s Resurrection ought to guard not only against kneeling, but every posture and office of solicitude, deferring even our businesses lest we give any place to the devil’” (1912, vol. 14, p. 335). That was not until 202 AD, more than 170 years after the beginning of the New Testament Church! Yes, the Roman church asserted such a change! In the middle of the fourth century AD, the Council of Laodicea declared, “Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday, but shall work on that day; but the Lord’s day they shall especially honour, and, as being Christians, shall, if possible, do no work on that day. If, however, they are found Judaizing, they shall be shut out from Christ” (A History of the Councils of the Church, 1876, vol. 2, p. 316). In other words, Christian Sabbath-keepers who continued to follow the personal example of Jesus Christ and His original disciples were declared to be heretics and anathema to Christ. And on what authority did the Roman church assert such a change? In 1876, the noted Catholic theologian James Cardinal Gibbons wrote this bold statement: “But you may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify” (The Faith of Our Fathers, 1917, p. 97). In other words, Gibbons is saying that if the Bible is your authority, you have no basis for observing Sunday. The Scriptures, as he states, “enforce the religious observance of Saturday.” We agree with this statement. Do you? The Roman church presumed to have the authority to move God’s Holy Day from Saturday to Sunday! But, as Christians, we are told in Scripture to follow Christ, and to follow the apostles as they followed Christ. So, will you do what Jesus did? Will you follow His example as “Lord of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:28)?

Annual Holy Days Jesus faithfully observed not only the seventh-day Sabbath, but also the seven annual Holy Days that God the Father ordained for all of His people. These annual Holy Days were also observed by the early New Testament Church. The Bible does not show us Jesus or His disciples observing the festivals of foreign nations, but they did keep the Holy Days listed in Leviticus 23—both the weekly Sabbath (v. 3) and the annual Holy Days (vv. 4–43). Many who call themselves Christians do not realize that the Apostle Paul told Gentile Christians to observe the Days of Unleavened Bread—the annual Festival that comes right after the annual Passover observance—which Jesus also observed, as should Christians today. Paul commanded, “Therefore let us keep the Feast [of Unleavened Bread], not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:8). The second chapter of the book of Acts demonstrates that after Jesus’ death and resurrection, the disciples were still observing the Holy Day of Pentecost. Another confirmation that Jesus kept the annual Holy Days is found in John 7, where Jesus told His brothers to go to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles (v. 8) and, shortly afterward, went Himself (v. 14). Can You Find Christ in Christmas? We rejoice in the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. And we rejoice in the fulfillment of Bible prophecies of the birth of the Messiah—documented in the gospels, the first four books of the New Testament. But does the “Christmas” holiday accurately celebrate that awesome event? Any reputable historian will say, No! Rather, consider what the Encyclopaedia Britannica article “Saturn” tells us about the role of the pre-Christian Saturnalia, which… … became the most popular of Roman festivals, and its influence is still felt throughout the Western world. Originally on December 17, it was later extended to seven days. It was the merriest festival of the year: all work and business were suspended; slaves were given temporary freedom to say and do what they

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liked; certain moral restrictions were eased; and presents were freely exchanged. The influence of the Saturnalia upon the celebrations of Christmas and the New Year has been direct (Micropaedia, 1974, vol. 8, p. 916). Not only did Romans worship the god Saturn; they also honored a sun god called Mithras, which was honored as the patron of the Roman Empire. You can find that in the Encyclopaedia Britannica article on “Mithraism” (Britannica.com, February 5, 2020). Romans celebrated the birth of the sun god—but when? Notice this, also from the Encyclopaedia Britannica: “December 25—the birthday of Mithra, the Iranian god of light, and a day devoted to the invincible sun, as well as the day after the Saturnalia—was adopted by the church as Christmas, the nativity of Christ” (“Feast,” Britannica.com, February 7, 2019). In the fourth century AD, the Roman church competed with the pagan festivals and practices of the Saturnalia and the December 25 worship of Mithras. The church sought to win converts by “Christianizing” a pagan festival—and win converts it did. Notice this, again from the Encyclopaedia Britannica: Christianity… was the religion that prevailed in the Roman world. It satisfied the emperor Constantine’s impulsive need for divine support, and from AD 312 onward, by a complex and gradual process, it became the official religion of the empire…. For a time, coins and other monuments continued to link Christian doctrines with the worship of the Sun, to which Constantine had been addicted previously. But even when this phase came to an end, Roman paganism continued to exert other, permanent influences, great and small…. The ecclesiastical calendar retains numerous remnants of pre-Christian festivals—notably Christmas, which blends elements including both the feast of the Saturnalia and the birthday of Mithra (“Roman religion,” Britannica.com, May 2, 2016). Yes, history testifies that Roman paganism shaped the ecclesiastical calendar, particularly Christmas. And this long-ago compromise with

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paganism persists among hundreds of millions of worshippers today! Rabbits Laying Eggs? Celebrations of Easter Sunday vary around the world. But not only is there no Easter observance in your Bible, Jesus rose from the dead on the seventh day of the week, not the first! We know that Jesus spent three days and three nights—72 hours—in the grave. He foretold this Himself, and this sign of Jonah was the one proof of His Messiahship He gave His adversaries in advance! Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matthew 12:38–40). There is no way to reconcile a “Good Friday” crucifixion and Sunday resurrection with the 72-hour “sign of the prophet Jonah” that Jesus gave. And, in fact, there is no need to! Our Savior was crucified on the day before a Sabbath—but it was on the Wednesday before an annual Sabbath, the First Day of Unleavened Bread, and not the day before the weekly seventh-day Sabbath! We read, “Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away” (John 19:31). The term “high day” indicates an

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HO L I DAYS O R HO LY DAYS?

annual Sabbath distinct from the weekly seventh-day Sabbath, and we know that in 31 AD, the first Day of Unleavened Bread began at sunset on a Wednesday. Then, on Sunday, what did Mary see when she came to Jesus’ tomb? Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him” (John 20:1–2). Notice that it was still dark on Sunday morning, and Jesus had already left the tomb! He was not resurrected “Easter Sunday” morning, according to your Bible! To make matters worse, many customs and symbols surrounding this invented, unbiblical celebration are taken straight out of pagan rites! What do rabbits and eggs have to do with each other? Nothing, except that they both represent fertility—a common theme of pagan springtime festivals! As Gerald E. Weston writes in his powerful work Easter: The Untold Story (p. 2): Easter is nothing more than another spelling for the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre, but where did this goddess originate? The New World Encyclopedia suggests a connection between Eostre and Easter with the very popular and ancient goddess Ishtar: “Scholars likewise speculate that Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of Spring whose name later gave rise to the modern English ‘Easter,’ may be etymologically connected to Ishtar” (article “Ishtar”). Interestingly, the Melkite Greek Catholic Church admits this about the origin of the name Easter, but gives a slightly different spelling from that of Ishtar. Our modern English word “Easter” comes from Old English, and referred originally to the Norse goddess of fertility, Istra—who was symbolized by a rabbit. Why would people who call themselves “Christian” celebrate the resurrection of Christ in the name

of a pagan goddess? Even some Protestant churches have noted the profane connection to the supposed resurrection of Christ and no longer celebrate Easter Sunday; they now call it “Resurrection Sunday.” But by doing so, they avoid only part of the pagan pedigree, as they still commemorate Christ’s resurrection on the wrong day, since He was not resurrected on a Sunday! Does It Matter? Historian Will Durant gave this analysis in his work The Story of Civilization: Christianity did not destroy paganism; it adopted it. The Greek mind, dying, came to a transmigrated life in the theology and liturgy of the Church; the Greek language, having reigned for centuries over philosophy, became the vehicle of Christian literature and ritual; the Greek mysteries passed down into the impressive mystery of the Mass. Other pagan cultures contributed to the syncretist result…. [orthodox] Christianity was the last great creation of the ancient pagan world” (1944, vol. 3, Caesar and Christ, p. 595). Dear readers, are you practicing pagan traditions in the name of Christianity? Remember Jesus’ warning to the Pharisees and scribes concerning certain religious customs: “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition” (Mark 7:9). Some people may ask, What difference does it make? So what if there is a little paganism in our celebration? The answer lies in a very significant biblical principle, one for which religions, churches, and individuals are going to be held accountable: “Take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them… and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way” (Deuteronomy 12:30–31). There is an even more significant reason why God wants Christians to observe His annual Holy Days. Not only do they follow their Savior’s example and obey God the Father by doing so, they also live out a series of days that picture God’s wonderful plan for all of humanity. HOLIDAYS OR HOLY DAYS? CONTINUES ON PAGE 31

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Oh

Canada! Modern Moral Theory and the Murray-Hill Riot

What would happen if your city stopped enforcing the law? Do we really need government intervention to prevent arson, robbery, and murder? Or does law enforcement only lead to suspicion, discrimination, and escalation? The Purge, a popular horror film franchise, pictures a world where law “ceases to exist” for one day each year. Each year in that imagined world is a utopia for 364 days and a nightmare for one. This raises a meaningful question: What would occur if laws were no longer enforced? Would common sense and common decency prevail? Some genuinely believe they would. Over the course of 16 hours in October of 1969, the city of Montreal effectively put this theory to the test. The year was a perilous one for Montreal and its police. The Front de libération du Québec bombed the Montreal Stock Exchange in February, and bombings continued in the months that followed. Montreal became known as the murder capital of Canada. These were difficult working conditions for a police department in which many felt that the pay was not in line with the dangers of the job. And so, on October 7, 1969, police stations across Montreal emptied as the police began to strike. A Case Study in Anarchy Perhaps, in theory, the strike could have come and gone without incident. Everyone might have used common sense to determine right from wrong and acted accordingly, since nearly everyone in 1969 would have agreed without hesitation that robbery, destruction of

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property, and murder are wrong. But in fact, two significant flaws in modern theories of morality were made evident that autumn evening. The first flaw is situation ethics, which the Collins Dictionary defines as “a theory of ethics according to which moral rules are not absolutely binding but may be modified in the light of specific situations.” While the police were on strike, many rioters did things they would normally have classified as wrong, but justified their actions because of feelings that they or others were being oppressed in some manner. The second flaw is thinking that common sense and common decency, which we expect to find in abundance in a safe and stable society, are enough to overcome the power of groupthink. Groupthink occurs when people set aside individual moral stances, abandon independent thinking and individual responsibility, and adopt the mentality of the group. This often occurs during riots. Few would maintain that it is acceptable to burn down a building, throw rocks through windows, or flip over cars—yet, when a protest crosses the line and becomes a riot, many otherwise sensible individuals join the fray. Situation ethics, groupthink, and a host of other factors came to a head when theory met reality after Montreal’s police left the job. The result became known as the Murray-Hill riot, or Montreal’s night of terror. An archived special from CBC provides an overview of the details. Montreal is in a state of shock. A police officer is dead and 108 people have been arrested

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MO D ER N MO RAL THEO RY AN D THE MUR RAY-HI L L RIOT

following 16 hours of chaos during which police and firefighters refused to work. At first, the strike’s impact was limited to more bank robberies than normal. But as night fell, a taxi drivers’ union seized upon the police absence to violently protest a competitor’s exclusive right to airport pickups. The result, according to this CBC Television special, was a “night of terror.” Shattered shop windows and a trail of broken glass are evidence of looting that erupted in the downtown core. With no one to stop them, students and separatists joined the rampage (“1969: Montreal’s ‘night of terror,’” CBC Digital Archives). It is telling that the chaos started slowly. One of the oft-repeated principles of law enforcement is to prevent escalation, to keep situations from deteriorating. To be clear, the law was not suspended for those fateful 16 hours. The law did not change. Right and wrong did not change. Yet, with no one present to uphold law and order, individuals committed acts that they would have deemed unacceptable just hours earlier. Steven Pinker, a prominent psychologist who grew up in Montreal, related how this incident impacted his views on the need for law and order: As a young teenager in proudly peaceable Canada during the romantic 1960s, I was a true believer in Bakunin’s anarchism. I laughed off my parents’ argument that if the government ever laid down its arms all hell would break loose. Our competing predictions were put to the test at 8:00 A.M. on October 7, 1969, when the Montreal police went on strike…. By the end of the day, six banks had been robbed, a hundred shops had been looted, twelve fires had been set, forty carloads of storefront glass had been broken, and three million [1969] dollars in property damage had been inflicted, before city authorities had to call in the army and, of course, the Mounties to restore order. This decisive empirical test left my politics in tatters (The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Human Nature, 2002, p. 331).

Spiritual Implications What lessons can we draw from Montreal’s night of terror? Any who might believe that God’s law should be discarded or viewed merely as a set of helpful-but-flexible guidelines should take the Murray-Hill riot as a cautionary tale. Those who argue that simply letting Jesus into our hearts is enough to guide our actions, and that no external code of law is necessary, should reconsider the purpose of God’s law and examine carefully the fruits being revealed as our world is becoming not just increasingly dismissive of the law of God, but even antagonistic and resentful towards it. The Apostle Paul explained (years after Christ’s sacrifice) that God’s law is meant to teach us right from wrong, give instruction, and direct our actions. “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, ‘You shall not covet’” (Romans 7:7). The law defines what is acceptable behaviour and what is not. The New Testament describes God’s law as perfect: “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25). God gave us His law with intent for it to govern and direct human action. Those who reject it become susceptible to the same flaws that led to disaster when Montreal police left their posts. Situation ethics and groupthink—both related to the fundamental human proclivity toward self-deception—can influence people to do things they would otherwise have viewed as unacceptable. A root cause of Montreal’s night of terror was a lack of understanding of how to treat our fellow human beings. God’s laws are not random or strange rules meant only to test our willingness to obey. They carry a message far greater than most understand. God’s law teaches us how to love our Creator and how to treat those around us. Tomorrow’s World has produced a 30-minute video examining God’s law and explaining how each of the Ten Commandments teaches us how to love. Several of our telecast presenters contribute to it. You can watch “The Ten Commandments: God’s Law of Love” online at TomorrowsWorld.org/videos. —Michael Heykoop

November-December 2020  |  Tomorrow’s World  11

Should You Recite the “Sinner’s Prayer”?

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By Gerald E. Weston

t was common 50 years ago to find in phone booths cheap tracts inviting you to recite the “Sinner’s Prayer.” (Yes, there really were small booths with payphones in them!) Sometimes, you would find one of these tracts slipped between your front door and the door jamb. You could also hear radio evangelists challenging you to put your hands on the radio and repeat the prayer after them. This prayer is still popular, and even now you might see a one-minute ad from a television evangelist encouraging viewers to recite it. What exactly is this prayer? Is it the way to salvation? Do you know? Have you ever prayed it? And if so, are you now saved? Many think they are, but is there more to Christianity than repeating a simple prayer, even with great sincerity? Is salvation that easy? Has it all been done for you? Or does God require something more from you? Although there are variations, the prayer, as it is commonly worded, usually goes something like this: Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You

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died for my sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. Now, lest anyone misunderstand, there is nothing wrong with these words (as far as they go) if they are properly understood. But that is the rub—does the average person listening to the radio, seeing a brief ad on television, picking up a cheap tract on display at a grocery store, or visiting a revival meeting truly comprehend what these words mean? Do you? Don’t be too sure! It is one thing to say, “I am a sinner,” but another to comprehend the depth of what that means. I once knew an older woman who, seeking to be baptized, declared that she was a sinner—but sincerely could not think of a single sin she had ever committed (not that she needed to confess her sins to any man). She genuinely believed she had never lied, hated anyone, stolen anything that belonged to another, gossiped, or had an evil thought. She maintained that she was a sinner without sin! Oh, that any of us were that perfect—but alas, all have sinned (Romans 3:23).

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S HO UL D YO U R EPEAT THE “S I N N ER ’ S PRAYER”?

So, can the binge drinker or the occasional adulterer, grasping for an easy solution to his or her problem, simply recite the “Sinner’s Prayer” after a guilt-ridden episode—just say a few words—and it’s all okay? The Bible has the answers. For starters, what is sin? What is meant by “I turn from my sins”? Shifting Sands of Morality Many think they instinctively know what sin is, as guilt often follows certain actions. But does the feeling of guilt determine sin? To be sure, going against your conscience is sin (Romans 14:23), but conscience itself does not define sin. After all, not everyone’s conscience is the same. To define sin as going against one’s conscience would be to say that it is left to the fickle attitudes of mankind to define sin! Just consider mankind’s tragic history and the wide range of behaviors that have been considered “acceptable” and you’ll see the problem with that. Even during my lifetime, behaviors that were once frowned upon have become accepted by most Americans as morally okay. According to a June 2016 Barna Research report, “Cohabitation is the new norm. Shifting gender roles and expectations, the delay of marriage, and a secularizing culture are leading more American adults to believe that moving in together before tying the knot is a good idea.” The report goes on to explain: The majority of American adults believe cohabitation is generally a good idea. Twothirds of adults (65%) either strongly or somewhat agree that it’s a good idea to live with one’s significant other before getting married, compared to one-third (35%) who either strongly or somewhat disagree (“Majority of Americans Now Believe in Cohabitation,” June 24, 2016). This trend of living together outside of marriage is growing in many industrialized nations. Attitudes vary significantly, but according to Population Europe, The number of couples living together without getting married has been on the rise…. Ukraine, Lithuania and Russia show the lowest incidence of cohabitation among partnered

individuals aged 15–44, where less than 20% were cohabiting in 2010. On the other hand, cohabitation is more frequent in Sweden and Estonia where more than half of partnered people under 44 cohabited (“Living Together Without Getting Married,” Population-Europe.eu, accessed August 24, 2020). Without a concrete definition of sin, how can anyone profess that “I want to trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior?” What exactly is the path that one is to follow? Is it up to each one of us to decide? Has the sinner even looked into this important question? Or is he following his own instincts as influenced by popular but faulty concepts? Asking “What would Jesus do?” is one thing. To know what Jesus would do is another matter. The word Lord is thrown about by those professing Christ as their Savior, but what does this word mean? In the New Testament, Lord is almost always translated from the Greek word kurios and means “master” or “one who is supreme in authority.” Does the sinner understand that in his salutation “Dear Lord Jesus,” he is saying that it is no longer he himself, but that Higher Power who determines right and wrong? This may sound simple enough, but is it? As we have already seen, most in the industrialized world have a standard of morality different from that of the One many call Lord (1 Corinthians 6:9). So, who decides what is sin—each individual’s conscience as guided by society around him, or the One he professes as Lord? The average person probably thinks of sin as murder, drunkenness, adultery, indulging in pornography, and stealing. All these are sins, but even pornography is no longer universally condemned in our postmodern world where “your truth may not be my truth.” The man who gets drunk or the woman who cheats on her husband would do well to say a sincere prayer, ask for true forgiveness, and stop that behavior, but there is far more to this subject than meets the eye. It is vitally important that we do not rely on personal notions of sin. We must understand why Jesus “died for my sins”—which means we must understand the Bible’s definition of sin. Defining Sin The biblical definition of sin is found in 1 John 3:4: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the

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SH OU L D YO U R E PE AT T HE “ S IN N ER ’ S P RAY ER ” ?

law: for sin is the transgression of the law” (King James Version). The New Bible Commentary: Revised makes a striking comment regarding this important verse: The false teachers seem to have held that knowledge is all-important, and that conduct does not matter. So John insists that sin is evidence of wrong relationship to God. Sin, he tells us, is lawlessness, the Greek construction implying that the two [sin and the transgression of the law] are interchangeable. The law in question is, of course, the law of God. The essence of sin, then, is disregard for God’s law (ed. Donald Guthrie, et al., 1970, p. 1265). That definition sounds straightforward—and it is. But what are its implications? How many who say the “Sinner’s Prayer” know in detail what the law of God says? How many have memorized the Ten Commandments, even in their shortened version? How many of

of liberty” (James 2:10–12). Yes, God is going to judge us by the standard of the Ten Commandments, which He, through James, calls “the law of liberty.” So, is keeping nine of the ten good enough? Keeping the commandments in no way negates grace. Consider: Why do we need grace? Is it not because we have all fallen short (Romans 3:23)? We all have sinned—and as we have already seen, sin is the transgression of the law. The penalty for breaking that law is death (Romans 6:23), and Christ died to pay that penalty for us. But does God’s grace mean we are now free to break the law (Romans 6:14–16)? If so, which of the commandments are we free to break? Shall we have another god before the true God, or shall we murder, commit adultery, steal, or bear false witness? If we simply say the “Sinner’s Prayer,” is it okay to violate these commands? Has Christ arranged for us to go out and do the very things He had to die for? Some claim that keeping the law is a burden. You may have heard someone say this. But what does Scripture say? “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). When one looks at the Ten Commandments, they seem pretty simple. That is what the children of Israel thought when they came out of Egypt. Just as the sinner repeating the “Sinner’s Prayer” professes that he will do everything God says without understanding all that may be required of him, so the children of Israel were anxious to profess that they would do whatever God told them. “Then all the people answered together and said, ‘All that the Lord has spoken we will do’” (Exodus 19:8). But did they? The answer is an emphatic No!

DOES GOD’S GRACE MEAN WE ARE NOW FREE TO BREAK THE LAW? IF SO, WHICH OF THE COMMANDMENTS ARE WE FREE TO BREAK? SHALL WE HAVE ANOTHER GOD BEFORE THE TRUE GOD, OR SHALL WE MURDER, COMMIT ADULTERY, STEAL, OR BEAR FALSE WITNESS? the ten can you personally name? Do you know where in Scripture they are found? Can one really “turn from” his sins—turn from breaking God’s law—if he does not even know what that law says? Let us say that you can name five of the ten, maybe even nine of the ten. That’s pretty good—or is it? James tells us, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’ Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.” And note the next verse, which is so vital: “So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law

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Two Commands Combined Four of the Ten Commandments are given in fewer than ten English words: “You shall not murder,” “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not steal,” and “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:13–16). Two others stand out

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S HO UL D YO U R EPEAT THE “S I N N ER ’ S PRAYER”?

because they are elaborated, containing far more words by way of explanation. The first commandment begins with this identifier: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.” That is followed by the direct command that many Sunday-school children could repeat: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (vv. 2–3). Pretty much everyone agrees that is the first commandment, but not everyone agrees on which commandment is the second. It may surprise some of you that the largest “Christian” denomination in the world lumps the next three verses in as part of that first commandment. Most Protestant denominations rightly disagree, looking at those verses as the second command: You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments (Exodus 20:4–6). Why do some denominations combine these words with “You shall have no other gods before Me?” On the surface, they may seem to be saying the same thing, but they are not. The second command is telling us that even in the worship of the true God, we are not to use icons or images supposedly depicting Him. Since few people are familiar with the unabridged version of the commandments, it becomes easy to list the shortened form of the first commandment and skip to the third. However, this merging of the first two commands effectively negates the second one. Is it not a curious fact that church denominations that combine the first and second commandments pray before statues of what they think Jesus looked like, or images and pictures meant to represent His mother and various “saints”? How do we know this is not all one commandment? If it were, we would have only nine command-

ments, not ten—and God is clear that there are ten (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 4:13; 10:4). In order to come up with ten, those who combine the first two commandments must artificially divide the tenth into two: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house” and “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife” (Exodus 20:17). However, the only other place in Scripture that lists all ten commandments together puts the statements about “house” and “wife” in reverse order (Deuteronomy 5:21). God inspired the last command to be written in two different ways because the tenth commandment is against coveting “anything that is your neighbor’s” (Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:21). The Apostle Paul understood that a single command prohibits coveting (Romans 7:7). The Most Rejected Commandment The second commandment, that which is against idolatry, is the first to include significant elaboration. Another commandment that receives such treatment is the fourth: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it (Exodus 20:8–11). The second and the fourth commandments, forbidding the use of icons and commanding observance of the seventh-day Sabbath, are longer than the other eight combined. Why? The answer can be found in the history of Israel and that of mainstream Christianity. The prophet Ezekiel recounted Israel’s past and how its people rebelled against God time and again—and the two commands they violated the most were those prohibiting idolatry and Sabbath-breaking (Ezekiel 20). Within mainstream Christianity, there is little debate as to “SINNER’S PRAYER”? CONTINUES ON PAGE 27

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THIS IS

London

CALLING COVID-19, Fear, and Your Future

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n the early months of this year, much of our world was engulfed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Every one of you reading this article will have your own story to relate about how the coronavirus impacted your life and the lives of your loved ones. Once the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the coronavirus to be a pandemic on 10 March 2020, it was not long before we in the UK were all instructed to stay indoors and most of the economy came to a juddering halt. Suddenly, we were in a very different world, with its own lexicon of terms. Our vocabularies expanded, as did our confusion, as we learned about coronaviruses, complex statistics and testing, contact tracing, epidemiologists, flattening the curve, herd immunity, lockdown, social distancing, ventilators, viral load, vaccines, and controversial, unpronounceable therapeutics like hydroxy-chloroquine (HCQ). Our ways of life and patterns of living were starkly disrupted. This writer was one of those deemed to be at particular risk. Consequently, I was instructed in early March to stay in my home until June, later extended to July. I have been told that, by the time you read this, those limitations may be re-imposed. For months, I was only allowed out for daily exercise for a short period each day, as long as I stayed away from everyone in my vicinity. But all supplies and provisions had to be brought to me. I became utterly dependent on others. And it seemed that politicians, medical authorities, and media constantly fed us a diet of alarmism that created a sense of hysteria in some, and in many a fear of imminent infection and death.

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Fear-Filled Failed Formulas Americans familiar with Dr. Anthony Fauci may not have heard of the UK’s Neil Ferguson, an epidemiologist who developed a computer model he claimed would accurately predict the course of the pandemic. He had used it on several occasions dating from 2001–2002 for hand, foot and mouth disease and mad cow disease; 2005 for bird flu; and 2009 for swine flu—though none of his alarmist predictions actually proved to be accurate (“Who is Neil Ferguson, the Imperial College London virus modeller and Government scientific adviser,” The Telegraph, May 5, 2020). In mid-March of this year, Ferguson claimed that up to 500,000 Britons could die unless there was an immediate lockdown, pending the development of a suitable vaccine. His advice caused British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to reverse prior policy in an attempt to “follow the science” (“The terrifying data behind the government’s sudden coronavirus lockdown,” The Telegraph, March 17, 2020). But was Ferguson’s computer model delivering genuine science? The lockdown policy was taken up by many nations and strongly influenced policy in the United States. Yet, as real-life data emerged, Ferguson’s figures had to be progressively and severely downgraded. His initial advice proved to be controversial, alarmist, and inaccurate, and some experts evaluated his computer programme as unreliable. Ferguson was finally forced to resign as government advisor after he was caught breaking his own lockdown rules—quite a contrast to the U.S., where mayors, governors, and members of Congress have kept their jobs despite violating rules they have endorsed for others.

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COVI D -19, F EAR , AN D YO UR F UT URE

Facts, Fears, or Faith? If one is alert to it, more and more information can be found to provide a huge backstory to this pandemic crisis—a backstory that may be hard to find amidst the loud proclamations from some who falsely claim that COVID-19 is nothing but a hoax, while others tell us that we are on the inevitable verge of another catastrophe on the level of last century’s 1918–20 Spanish Flu. What do both extremes have in common? They want to incite fear. On the one hand, some charlatans are trying to grow rich by promoting unproven and even dangerous treatments and “cures” for COVID-19. Yet other vested interests have shown themselves unwilling to acknowledge the variety of cheap and effective treatments that have helped many patients endure and recover from their illness. What do both extremes have in common? They want to incite fear. Certainly, those with compromised immune systems and serious ailments can be severely affected by COVID-19, but even many of those can recover with Is there sensible treatment. And, for even one a few—especially the elderly government who often have other health isleader today sues—COVID-19 can be a very who would be serious, life-threatening illness, not to be minimised! But one willing to follow could say the same about so the Bible’s many other life-threatening ailments that we take for quarantine granted today. Where are the approach experts advocating lockdowns and its whole for automobile fatalities or prescription for tobacco-related illness? If we approached our whole lives the health of with the fear some bring to communities? COVID-19, we would be paralyzed and unable to act at all! Thankfully, as we learn more about COVID-19, it is clear that the overall IFR (Infection Fatality Rate) reveals a death rate far lower than was once expected. The vast majority of those infected will not die of the virus and may not even know they have had it (we call such cases asymptomatic). Indeed, merely “testing positive” for COVID-19 may not mean the virus is active or infectious or that the “positive” person even

feels ill. In such an environment, it certainly makes sense for public health authorities to establish measures to protect those most vulnerable to the worst effects of the virus. And lockdowns? Well, quarantines are a time-honored prescription found even in your Bible. But is there even one government leader today who would be willing to follow the Bible’s quarantine approach and its whole prescription for the health of communities? Caught amidst fear-mongers on all sides, how can we individually find the right balance between caution and action? God: The Expert You Can Trust! As our Editor in Chief, Gerald Weston, has consistently pointed out in his articles and videos, the COVID-19 pandemic was totally preventable. If we would believe in God and act on that belief—following the Way of life He reveals in Scripture, which includes dietary laws, prescriptions for handling infectious diseases, and standards for quarantine—we would enjoy a much higher level of vibrant good health. Scripture tells us, “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh and strength to your bones” (Proverbs 3:7–8). “Fear” here does not mean terror; it means that we should respect God as the one infallible expert—an expert who, we must remember, has designed the human body with an incredibly efficient immune defence system. This is a priceless asset, and we should allow it to do the job God designed it for, not crippling it with poor lifestyle choices (e.g., eating unclean foods, smoking, or taking dangerous “recreational” drugs) that go against God’s clear instructions. “Expert” medical advice may change daily, while politicians, drug companies, and fear-mongers will promote their own interests. But, if we fear God, we need not live in fear. We can be positive and hopeful, knowing that we are following the best guidance of all! Yes, we must do our part fully, exercising prudent measures, but we must never forget that God is our Healer. Trusting God is not a substitute for timely and well-considered action, but we must never underestimate His power as a miracle-working God. For more on how His guidance can sustain you in the present and bring you immeasurable future blessings, read our booklet Biblical Principles of Health at TomorrowsWorld.org, or order your own free printed copy. —John Meakin

November-December 2020  |  Tomorrow’s World  17

The Cure for Politics

Today’s political discourse is a cancer destroying our society. Can it be cured?

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By Wallace G. Smith

y the time many of you read this article, Election Day in the United States will be past. We will know whether President Donald Trump has been re-elected, or whether former Vice President Joe Biden has been elected as President. Or will we? A shocking number of observers have suggested that the nation is ripe for a nightmare scenario in which November 3 comes and goes with Americans unsure about who really won. Economist magazine called it “America’s Ugly Election” and noted, “Many Americans worry that November could herald not a smooth exercise of democracy but violent discord and a constitutional crisis” (September 3, 2020). Whatever the result, there is one blight on our world that a President cannot fix: Politics. This is true not just in the U.S. but in all the nations of this world. Elections come and go, but politicking continues. Yet, there is a cure. Your Bible long ago prophesied the coming of our troubled days, and warned of the dangers ahead as we approach the end of this age. Sadly, the blight of politics will grow worse, bringing untold devastation that only Jesus Christ’s return will cure. Yet He tells us that we need not wait for His return. God is calling a handful of people, even amidst our world’s many problems, to experience the blessings of that cure today, years before the rest of our world. Win—At Any Cost It has become absolutely horrendous, hasn’t it? Negative advertising campaigns, vicious personal attacks, childish “tweets” and social media posts, dueling “unbiased” news anchors pitching their favored candidates—it seems there is no escape. Those seeking

office often seem to drop any pretense of decorum or dignity, willing to gain their desired position at almost any price. No rumor about an opponent is too salacious or suspect to repeat (or invent), and no insult is too degrading to hurl. The political rancor has spread to every form of media—television, radio, the Internet, and beyond. Don’t expect to find a politics-free zone anytime soon. And that’s just the campaign season—which increasingly seems unending. Even after an election the politicking continues: speeches painting opponents as enemies, press conferences filled with gossip and slander, promises that encourage and energize voters followed by compromises that bring discouragement and despair. As lawyer-poet John Godfrey Saxe once said, “Laws, like sausages, cease to inspire respect in proportion as we know how they are made.” Yet, if we think that politics have never been this bad, we don’t understand politics. Personal attack and character assassination were not invented in 2016 by Donald Trump and his tweets—nor in 1988 by Lee Atwater and his brutal “Willie Horton” ads against Michael Dukakis, nor in 1964 by Bill Moyers, whose famous “Daisy” ad blasted Barry Goldwater without even mentioning the candidate’s name. Political mudslinging has in fact been a vital part of American politics from its earliest days. Consider that Thomas Jefferson famously hired newspaper reporter James Thomson Callender to publish false rumors and personal attacks about his political opponent, John Adams. In his pamphlet The Prospect Before Us, Callender claimed that Adams possessed “a hideous hermaphroditical character which has neither the force and firmness of a man, not the gentleness and sensibility of a woman.” Jefferson himself was not immune to such attacks. On July 4, 1798, Yale University president

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THE CU R E FOR POL IT IC S

Timothy Dwight gave a well-publicized “sermon” in which he told the crowd, “If Jefferson be elected we may see our wives and daughters the victims of legal prostitution, soberly dishonored, speciously polluted, the outcasts of delicacy and virtue, the loathing of God and man.” And notice that former U.S. Congressman Kenneth Rayner, a few years before the Civil War erupted, did not hesitate to write in a North Carolina newspaper that then-President Franklin Pierce was “the pimp of the White House.… A man sunk so low we can hardly hate. We have nothing but disgust, pity, and contempt” (The Weekly Standard, July 4, 1855). No, the nature of politics has not changed. What we bemoan today among our politicians—name-calling, insults, and smear campaigns—has always been more the norm than the exception. Now Everyone Is a Politician Like a body thoroughly invaded by a virus or colonized by bacteria, our lives today seem utterly saturated with politics. At every turn, politicians battle for our votes and our money. Protests by political partisans fill our news feeds—and sometimes our actual streets—as they seek to frame our most ordinary of choices as political statements: • Visiting a fast-food restaurant? Be careful—the owners of Chick-fil-A have donated money to support unpopular legislation, so watch out for protestors. • Shopping for a new hat? You’d better make sure it’s not the wrong color—someone might mistake you for a “Trump supporter.” • Purchasing a can of beans? If they’re Goya brand beans, you’ve got the same concern. • Wearing a mask to reduce coronavirus infections? Be prepared to be called weak-willed “sheeple” too compliant with government oversight. • Sitting down to watch some sports? Expect to see the currently in-vogue political slogan painted on the arena floor, or the most recent political martyrs’ names added to the players’ jerseys or helmets. • Dropping your child off at school? Are you a “tree-hugger” in an electric car or the job-destroying driver of an import? And even your children at school cannot escape politics, ranging from the food

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in the cafeteria, to the books available in the library, to lessons in the classroom. Even math class today might be colored by teachers’ political leanings and worldviews. Some observers have noted the almost religious zeal with which many now practice politics. Indeed, in the absence of a real God in people’s lives, politicians on all sides are ready to fill that void. There is a reason why so many are rioting—and publicly defending the riots, regardless of the harm they cause and the lives they ruin—with religious zeal: When God is absent, terrible things fill the vacuum. Politics as a Team Sport? This is no way to run a civilization. The politicization of pretty much every aspect of life—and an atmosphere that equates even the slightest disagreement with a personal attack—has created the very sort of environment we might expect: Much of modern life is now a nasty competition and a brutal battleground of ideologies. In an article for the U.S. edition of the UK’s Spectator magazine, American comedienne and political commentator Bridget Phetasy wrote of the ugly “politics über alles” world in which citizens of the U.S. now find themselves: “Democracy doesn’t die in the darkness; it dies when politics become team sports, in full view of a bloodthirsty, cheering electorate…. While both sides increasingly weaponize reason and peddle conspiracy in order to defend insanity, millions of sensible, moderate Americans grapple with the choice to join a tribe, tune out, or go insane” (“The battle cry of the politically homeless,” August 16, 2019). Phetasy’s comments are notable for recognizing the role of the people—the citizens themselves. Democracy—regardless of its various strains and hybrids—ties the quality of a nation’s leadership directly to the quality of its people. The powerful occupy their positions because “their team”—the latest political majority—wants them there. You get the leaders you choose—who win in the political arena. Or, put another way, you get the leaders you deserve. Even when the citizens in a democracy decry their leaders’ fitness, personalities, and competence, the nature of democracy ensures that the leaders reflect

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THE C UR E FO R PO L IT ICS

the character of “their team”—the people—who put them there. The state of things today should call to mind the Apostle Paul’s long-ago warning that when we forget the second great commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” and begin to bite and devour one another, we will ultimately be consumed by each other (Galatians 5:14–15). The nasty, brutal,

ward the elder, and the base toward the honorable” (v. 5). Only the blind cannot see in that description a picture-perfect image of the society we are creating around us. And the result will be desperation! Isaiah explains that people will look not to qualifications or credibility, but to the shallowest indications that someone may be able to lead. Some will turn to others in their household and say, “You have clothing; you be our ruler, and let these ruins be under your power” (v. 6). Indeed, how many “empty suits” are the peoples of the world beginning to elect? It is not a coincidence that the U.S. presidential election came down to a race between a reality-television celebrity and a man who ranked near the bottom of his class both in law school and as an undergraduate. Many have said they plan to vote not for a favorite, but against the candidate they dislike more! God inspired the prophet Ezekiel to speak powerfully to our times, condemning the “princes,” the “priests,” and the “prophets” who lead society astray (Ezekiel 22:26–28). In modern terms these are the governmental leaders who presume to rule, the religious leaders who presume to preach, and the media figures who presume to “speak truth to power”— whose journalistic motto was once “to comfort the afflicted, and to afflict the comfortable.” But this is not just an indictment of leaders. Ezekiel in the same passage condemns the people themselves, as they are as guilty as their leaders (v. 29). This should not surprise us; Paul warns the young evangelist Timothy that in the last days (that is, in our day), people will be unloving, slanderers, proud, brutal, and unholy—consumed with monetary gain and lacking in self-control (2 Timothy 3:1–4). The people, Paul warns, will have “a form of godliness” but will deny the power of real, biblical godliness—a denial we see all around us (v. 5). Some wonder how the people of the world could fall victim to the prophesied “beast” and False Prophet. Remember that their ungodly religio-political machine, fueled by the devil himself, will make many people incredibly wealthy (Revelation 18:3). Many will prosper, unbothered by the unimaginable suffering inflicted on others (Revelation 13:4–7,

LIKE A BODY THOROUGHLY INVADED BY A VIRUS OR COLONIZED BY BACTERIA, OUR LIVES TODAY SEEM UTTERLY SATURATED WITH POLITICS self-devouring environment in which many democracies and democratic republics find themselves today—and the diseased and debased nature of public discourse and interpersonal relations—cannot be blamed fully on our politicians. Those leaders are both a product of the ills present among their peoples, and contributors to a worsening of their peoples’ ills—a terrible cycle leading to a terrible end, unless something is done to cure the disease. The Bible Foresaw These Days! When we look to the Bible, we see that its ancient prophecies foretold this crisis of leadership. In a message for “Jerusalem” and “Judah” that still applies to our nations today, Isaiah tells us that God will remove the “stock and the store, the whole supply of bread and the whole supply of water; the mighty man and the man of war, the judge and the prophet, and the diviner and the elder; the captain of fifty and the honorable man, the counselor and the skillful artisan, and the expert enchanter” (Isaiah 3:1–3). What is God saying here? That He will utterly remove competent leaders from our sinful nations, leaving us bereft of any sensible guidance. Instead, our nations will be led by “children” and “babes”— the immature and incompetent (Isaiah 3:4)—resulting in a populace that turns on itself: “The people will be oppressed, every one by another and every one by his neighbor; the child will be insolent to-

November-December 2020  |  Tomorrow’s World  21

THE CU R E FOR POL IT IC S

11–15), until this union of tyrannical political power and counterfeit “Christianity” takes our world to the brink of self-annihilation. With this, the spirit of politicking will have reached its natural climax. Rooted in competition and the desire to see one’s own will enforced upon others no matter the cost, the disease of politics will have metastasized until it endangers the life of humanity itself, such that no flesh on earth would survive (Matthew 24:22). The Cure Is Coming, and He’s No Politician! Yes, things will get worse before they get better, and we will see our world at the brink of destruction. Thankfully, those days will be cut short before we commit cosmocide. Jesus Christ will return to the earth to rule as King of kings and Lord of lords. Yet, unlike any king, president, or prime minister before Him, His reign will utterly change the rules—it will cure the blight of politics! Why? There is a built-in problem with human beings ruling other human beings, as political scientists Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith observe in their cynical but enlightening book The Dictator’s Handbook: Why Bad Behavior Is Almost Always Good Politics: No leader is monolithic. If we are to make any sense of how power works, we must stop thinking that North Korea’s Kim Jong Il can do whatever he wants. We must stop believing that Adolf Hitler or Joseph Stalin or Genghis Khan or anyone else is in sole control of their respective nation.… All of these notions are flat out wrong because no emperor, no king, no sheikh, no tyrant, no chief executive officer (CEO), no family head, no leader whatsoever can govern alone (p. 1). People who rule other people can only do so because key supporters want them in those positions of power. When that support wanes, there is always someone eager to take the leader’s place. This is just as true for presidents, senators, and ministers of parliament as it is for kings, dictators, and despots. In human systems of rulership, politics is unavoidable, as are politicians. Even the most powerful human

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rulers must, at times, curry favor among supporters or maintain fragile coalitions of allies, each with their own desires and plans. But the glorified Christ will be no politician. Isaiah 9:6 describes how the peoples of earth will regard the Messiah reigning over the world from Jerusalem, and notes that He will be called “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Though politicians seek to achieve their ends through manipulation, “horse-trading,” and deceit, One who rightly bears the title “Mighty God” will never resort to such tactics. U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt is famous for having described his foreign policy as speaking softly but carrying a big stick. Well, Jesus Christ will wield the biggest stick in creation—in fact, He will have at His disposal all of creation! No “politicking” necessary. If a nation decides to rebel, the One reigning in Jerusalem will simply declare that the disobedient nation shall have no rain on its land (Zechariah 14:17–19). And the forces of nature will obey! As the land dries up and its people—and their leaders—face the prospects of drought and hardship, they will yield to this new King. Jesus Christ will rule with absolute power. But, for the Son of God, absolute power will not corrupt absolutely—in fact, it will not corrupt at all. The sinless life Christ lived for the sake of all humanity during His three decades on earth before His crucifixion demonstrates the character He will bring to His role. He will be the wisest, most loving, and most beneficial ruler the world has ever known. Those living under His guidance will experience a rejuvenated

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THE C UR E FO R PO L IT ICS

world as the Creator reigns with humility and justice over His creation, caring for and defending the poor and meek, filling His Kingdom with righteousness. He will change even the nature of the animals themselves so they no longer harm, picturing in the animal kingdom what He will eventually achieve among human beings in His Kingdom: a complete change of human nature. Men and women everywhere will finally live lives of genuine godly love for one another, governed by the laws of God. The world will blossom under the hand of its divine King, as we find in many passages (e.g. Isaiah 11:1–10). Tomorrow’s World Today? Wouldn’t you like to experience a foretaste of that future world, even though God’s Kingdom and Jesus Christ’s reign are not yet established on the earth? God is calling a small group of people now to experience a foretaste of that time—a taste of a world without politics. Those who follow Jesus Christ are “strangers and pilgrims” on the earth (Hebrews 11:13). They do not participate in the world’s politics, as their “citizenship” is with the coming Kingdom of God, which is now in Heaven (Philippians 3:20). Like ambassadors who represent their countries while living abroad, Christians strive to represent God’s Kingdom even while living in this corrupted world (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:20). And, just as ambassadors do not vote in the countries where they are stationed, Christians do not participate in the politics of the lands where they reside. As Jesus said to Pontius Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight” (John 18:36). Jesus’ followers did not fight to save Him from His crucifixion, nor did they fight to change the Roman government. Today, they understand that they cannot fix this world through this world’s own politics. Only Jesus Christ can fix our world, when He returns to establish His prophesied Kingdom on the earth. Until then, Christians strive to come out of this world’s corrupt ways of self-rule (2 Corinthians 6:17). Rather than choose the lesser of two (or more) evils each election

MAY WE S U G G EST?

cycle, they choose to spread the good news that a real Leader will soon come to accomplish everything that today’s leaders cannot! Today’s Christians recognize that “the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, gives it to whomever He will, and sets over it the lowest of men” (Daniel 4:17). They need not participate in this world’s politics, because they see the larger picture. There is a deep and powerful peace of mind that comes with stepping out of the political fray and giving oneself to the greater cause of God the Father! It represents a foretaste, however small, of the peace of heart and mind that will engulf the whole world when the entirely un-political Prince of Peace will inaugurate His reign in Jerusalem in the years just ahead of us. And those few who respond to God’s call can have that foretaste now! If you think God may be calling you, please consider visiting the TomorrowsWorld.org website and searching for the Tomorrow’s World telecast, “Is God Calling You?” No Need to Wait! I am writing this article in late September, more than a month before the crucial U.S. presidential election of 2020. As I’ve mentioned, many observers are concerned that the election may not truly end on Election Day, November 3. Will results be delayed, as in 2000, by disputes over which votes should be counted, and how? Will legal battles over mail-in voting, or access to polling places—or whatever other controversies the desperate losing side can raise— draw the nation’s trauma out for weeks or months before a resolution? Will this trauma spill over into more turmoil on America’s streets—Main Street and Wall Street alike? Remember that America’s trauma often becomes the world’s. Thankfully, God’s word is clear. Though the blight of politics, politicking, and politicians will get worse before it gets better, it will come to an end. When Jesus Christ returns, He will put an end to politics. Whatever changes may be made to the U.S. and its political systems after this election, only He is the cure. How wonderful it is that for those who let Him reign in their lives now, the healing can begin today! TW

The World Ahead: What Will It Be Like? As you wait on the world to change, find out what it will change into. Request this free printed booklet from the Regional Office nearest you, or order at TomorrowsWorld.org.  PDF, ePub, and Kindle are also available.

November-December 2020  |  Tomorrow’s World  23

Tomorrow’s

FAMILIES TODAY

Protect the Next Generation from Fake History

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he headlines are filled with sensational stories of political leaders and media companies accused of twisting facts or even outright lying—we call it fake news. But there’s an equally disturbing trend these days: fake history. Of course, when we speak of “history,” some might recall a boring teacher droning on and on as the class struggled to stay awake. They might ask, What could possibly be important about something as dry and boring as history? Everything! Many of our children today are learning a ridiculous and even dangerous distortion of the past. An inaccurate picture of history warps their view of themselves and affects both the choices they make in the present and those they will make in the future. If you don’t believe that a skewed version of the past is being taught today, consider the following: •

ccording to the Open Syllabus Project, Karl Marx’s A The Communist Manifesto is the sixth-most-referenced text in American college syllabi—and the second-most-referenced non-textbook (only Plato’s Republic is referenced more often).

•

I n its Global 100 survey, the Anti-Defamation League found that just 54 percent of people worldwide were even aware of the Holocaust, 32 percent of whom thought it was either a myth or had been greatly exaggerated.

•

2016 YouGov survey found that 26 percent A of Millennials believed more people were killed under George W. Bush’s presidency than under Joseph Stalin.

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It’s not hard to see that younger generations are being taught something very different from what their parents and grandparents learned and lived. Yet it is vital for all children to learn an accurate account of the lessons and trials of the human experience. The past teaches us how to handle the present, and it affects how we see our future! In fact, it can determine whether we even have a future. An accurate account of the past teaches us to avoid mistakes made by some who went before us. As the Apostle Paul wrote when describing the Israelites’ journey in the wilderness, “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Corinthians 10:11). Many secular philosophers have echoed the same idea, including George Santayana in his famous statement, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” (The Life of Reason, 1905, vol. 1, p. 284). Someday, the baton of truth will be passed to our children, and they will be entrusted to pass it on to their children. This process is described in Scripture: “For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God” (Psalm 78:5–7). Clearly, we must pass on an accurate picture of history to our children. But how do we start this vital process?

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PR OTEC T THE N EXT G EN ERATI O N F R O M FAK E HI STORY

The Bible: A Living Heritage The Bible is not just a book we can look to for solace and comfort in hard times. It’s not just a book to give us inspiration and encouragement. The Bible is the book that provides the foundation for understanding our human experience, giving a broad perspective on the scope of human history. It should be the book on which we build our understanding of history, from the creation of mankind to the present. But when you get right down to it, many people who have a Bible rarely look at it. It doesn’t affect their daily lives. They don’t see it as a credible source about the past, nor does it influence their present. How do you see the Bible? Have you bought into the lie that the Bible is just a collection of myths and fables—that it has no relevance to our lives in the twenty-first century, beyond offering a few words of comfort and encouragement? That’s an important question we must all ask ourselves, especially if we are concerned about the next generation. Notice what Paul wrote to the young evangelist Timothy: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is Our culture profitable for doctrine, for reproof, today carries for correction, for instruction in a not-sorighteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly concealed equipped for every good work” (2 bias against Timothy 3:16–17). the Bible. We can’t just pick out the things in God’s word that we like God’s word and ignore the things we don’t. is attacked We must let the whole Bible be from every our schoolteacher, educating direction—yet it us about the living God. And we must use it to convey to our stands true. children both an understanding of the human experience throughout history and the knowledge of what God expects of us today. The God who inspired the entire Bible has authority over our lives, and His book should shape our understanding and guide our decisions. As Jesus Christ explained in Matthew 4:4, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” The Bible as True History Not all people believe the Bible contains true history. Richard Dawkins, evolutionary biologist and popular

atheistic writer, once wrote, “To be fair, much of the Bible is not systematically evil but just plain weird, as you would expect of a chaotically cobbled-together anthology of disjointed documents, composed, revised, translated, distorted and ‘improved’ by hundreds of anonymous authors, editors and copyists, unknown to us and mostly unknown to each other, spanning nine centuries” (The God Delusion, 2006, p. 237). Is the Bible really a weird, unreliable book chaotically cobbled together? No—in fact, space doesn’t permit us to detail all of the evidence that supports the Bible’s validity. (For a fascinating exploration of this topic, read our free resource The Bible: Fact or Fiction?) Let’s just consider one proof of the Bible: its accuracy in preservation. Author Josh McDowell tracked the number of manuscript fragments available to attest to various ancient writings. McDowell noted that Homer’s Iliad has one of the best records of all the non-biblical texts, supported by more than 1,800 known fragments. Ancient fragments of Caesar’s Gallic Wars come in at a count of a little more than 250, Plato’s tetralogies at around 210, and the histories of Roman writer Tacitus at 33. The writings of Herodotus, who is often called the “father of history,” add up to a little more than 100 ancient fragments (“The Bibliographical Test,” Josh.org, August 13, 2014). How many complete or fragmentary manuscripts of the text of the New Testament survive? Over 24,000! Read that again: There are more than 24,000 surviving texts or fragments of texts that attest to the accuracy and dependability of the New Testament. Ask yourself this: Why does the Western world not accord the Bible the same level of reliability as it does the texts of Herodotus, Tacitus, and Plato, when the Bible’s supporting evidence is so much more plentiful? It is because our culture today carries a notso-concealed bias against the Bible. God’s word is attacked from every direction—yet it stands true. As the psalmist wrote, “The entirety of Your word is truth” (Psalm 119:160). Paul echoed this when he wrote, “Let God be true but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4). The God of the Bible is the God of truth. We must be men and women of truth, and we must teach our children the truth, not letting them be confused by the twisted ideas of fake history. Let the Bible provide its rock-solid foundation of historical truth to you and your family —Rod McNair

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THE GOD THING Remove one crucial element, and society falls apart.

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grandfather once told me about an experience with his ten-year-old grandson. Grandad asked the boy, “So, what are you studying in school these days?” to which his grandson replied, “Did you know there is acid in a person’s stomach, but it doesn’t eat a hole in it?” Grandad told him, “Yes, that is marvelous! It is how God made us as human beings.” He was dismayed when the boy responded, “Grandad, we don’t do the God thing at our house!” And it was true. No awareness of God was being included in the upbringing of this boy or his siblings. Fast-forward to today’s streets in so many cities across the world—as major property damage, looting, and bloodshed become rampant, it is obvious that vast swaths of people have grown up without “doing the God thing.” Lack of reverence for God inevitably leads to a lack of respect for those made in His image. This results in, among many other deplorable acts, obscene language screamed at authorities and crass slogans spray-painted on buildings and monuments. Such hatred reveals a complete disregard not only for the property of others, but for their very lives. It was all so predictable. A generation that ignores the need for two-parent households, champions self-indulgence, shames those who dare to discipline, belittles high standards of personal conduct, and actively teaches its children to engage in violence, filthy language, and sexual promiscuity, breeds a culture consumed by moral rot.

when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up (Deuteronomy 6:6–9).

And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them to your children, and you shall talk of them

This covers just about all human activity as parents use daily routines to teach their children how to consistently obey God, thereby preparing them for a spiritually abundant and fulfilling life. Solomon wrote, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). There were periods when the Israelites obeyed their Creator, and as a result were blessed with peace and prosperity. More often, however, they did not obey, and suffered the consequences. Down through time, there have been a few individuals who have persevered in putting these ways into practice. In the first century AD, Jesus of Nazareth, God in the flesh, reaffirmed the validity of His laws: “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Earlier in time, David of Israel—a shepherd, poet, musician, and king—wrote, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 14:1). One has no excuse in denying the existence of God, as David made plain. “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard” (Psalm 19:1–3). The importance of teaching and training the next generation is reaffirmed in the New Testament. In his letter to the church at Ephesus, the Apostle Paul gave instruction to fathers regarding their children, that they should “bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4, King James Version). Seize the opportunity to teach your children “the God thing,” knowledge of the Creator and His rules for mankind. In the Kingdom of God, which will be ushered in at Jesus Christ’s imminent return, this will be done across the world, and all violence, destruction, and misery will be eliminated. God speed that day! —J. Davy Crockett III

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What Our Children Need to Know Anciently, God revealed the standards of what is right and what is wrong. These ten basic rules for human activity are found in Exodus 20:1–17 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21. After making these rules abundantly clear, God gave an awesome responsibility to parents everywhere:

S H O U L D YOU REPEAT THE “SIN N ER’ S P RAY ER” ? CO NTI N UED F R O M PAG E 15

whether it is sin to murder, commit adultery, or steal; but there is much debate over the two commands God most clearly explained. When He said not to bow down to idols, He made sure there were no loopholes. And for Protestants who look down on Catholics and others for their icons, do you have a picture of a false Christ in your home (2 Corinthians 11:4)? When God said we are to remember the seventh-day Sabbath and keep it holy, He made sure there were no loopholes there, either. This does not mean there are no “ox in the ditch” situations or that we are to take the extreme and unbiblical approach to the Sabbath that the Pharisees did—Christ made that clear (Luke 13:10–16). But He never did away with the Sabbath or changed the day from the seventh to some other day of the week. That was done by the Roman emperor Constantine in the fourth century AD, and his unbiblical change has been followed by the vast majority of professing Christianity to this day. Jesus never said He was the Lord of Sunday, but Scripture records three times that He said He was the Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:27–28; Luke 6:5). For more information on both the true Sabbath and the false one, read our July-August 2020 article “Who Changed the Sabbath to Sunday?” Idolatry limits and distorts one’s perception of who and what God is. It reduces the Great and Almighty Creator of all things to something made of paint, wood, stone, metal, or even cheap plastic—and no matter how precious the material, it is powerless. “But it only reminds me of God!” Yet that is exactly what God prohibits, because it reminds one of a false god. The great God of creation cannot be understood by something made by puny human hands. God does not only tell us not to have any other gods before

MAY WE S U G G EST?

Him—through the second command, He tells us that in the worship of God, we are not to use paltry representations of Him! When people begin to limit God, they lose sight of who He truly is. The Sabbath command reminds us of God as the Creator, and points to a future millennial Sabbath rest. God knew that human beings need to have one day in seven set aside to focus on their relationship with their Creator. To eliminate confusion, He set the example of resting on the seventh day, and commands us to do the same—not on just any day, but on that same seventh day. The drunkard or adulterer may recognize his or her need to say a “Sinner’s Prayer,” but does either one realize that turning around and going in another direction also involves turning away from a false Christianity that has sought to change the laws of God (Daniel 7:25) and has effectively turned “grace” into an excuse to break God’s law (Jude 4)? The Price of Discipleship There is much more to true Christianity than most people realize. Note these words of Jesus: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matthew 10:37). Christ is plain that such individuals cannot be His disciples (Luke 14:26). His disciples must put Him first in their hearts and lives. It is always good to acknowledge that Jesus is Lord, that we are sinners, that our sins can be forgiven, and that He gave His life to pay for our sins. But it takes more than a simple prayer if we truly want to fix what ails us. We must know what those phrases mean, and we must truly follow Christ as our Master—a task that can only be fully accomplished with the help of the Holy Spirit, which God gives “to those who obey Him” (Acts 5:32). This involves a radical change of life, including a change in how we worship Him. As Jesus chided the people of His day, “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46), so must we chide the people of our day who profess Jesus as their Lord, Savior, and Master, but do not obey Him. TW

John 3:16—Hidden Truths of the Golden Verse The most beloved verse of the Bible holds truths you may not know! Request this free printed booklet from the Regional Office nearest you, or order at TomorrowsWorld.org.  PDF, ePub, and Kindle are also available.

November-December 2020  |  Tomorrow’s World  27

Works T H E

OF HIS HANDS

The Extraordinary Ordinary Richardson’s Ground Squirrel

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y wife and I recently moved to a small farm in southern Alberta, Canada, where we’ve found that living on a farm deepens one’s connection to God’s creation. There is also a lot of hard work—but sometimes those two things go together. For example, gophers are taking over our pasture, and while trying to control the gopher population, I learned a little of how these seemingly ordinary creatures glorify their Creator. A Rodent of Many Names In 1820, Sir John Richardson, a Scottish surgeon and naturalist, was on a naval expedition tasked with mapping the arctic coast of British North America, which is now Canada. While on an overland excursion, He came into contact with a rodent species he had not encountered before. He sent specimens back to England, along with the first known scientific description of this “new” species. In his honor, the rodents were named “Richardson’s ground squirrel.” Other more descriptive names for these animals include “gopher,” from the French gaufre, meaning honeycomb or waffle, referring to the intricate burrows they build; “flickertails,” as their tails seem to be in constant motion; “dakrat,” or “Dakota rat”; and “picket-pin,” after their habit of standing up “straight as a pin” on their hind legs when surveying their surroundings for danger. For many people, the word “squirrel” evokes an image of a bushy-tailed, nut-gathering creature that makes its home in trees. However, there are more than 200 different species of squirrels found throughout the world. The Richardson’s ground squirrel is one of them—a squirrel that lives on and in the ground.

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Underground Engineers A colony of ground squirrels will use the same burrows for years, renovating them as needed by adding more tunnels, sleeping chambers, entrances, and exits. Each burrow is home for one adult or for a female and her very young offspring. A few weeks after birth, shortly before the next hibernation cycle, the offspring leave their mother to find abandoned burrows or build their own. When building burrows, ground squirrels avoid soil that does not drain well or will not compact to form structurally safe tunnels and rooms. Soil moisture content is also essential in identifying building locations. Richardson’s ground squirrels inhabit dry, grassy areas that often do not have direct access to groundwater. The soil in which they build must be moisture-retaining to help them stay sufficiently hydrated. The One who created these squirrels has supplied them with the skills necessary to thrive in their environment—the skills of a master architect and engineer. For instance, a typical burrow will have several entrances and exits leading to passages and rooms about 30–100 centimeters below the ground. To minimize the risk of flooding, ground squirrels will build drainage tunnels at the lowest point of a burrow. Each burrow will have only one hibernation chamber, but multiple sleeping rooms, and a ground squirrel will sleep in the same room for just a few days before moving to another. This strange sleep routine ensures that the squirrel’s scent does not build up too strongly and attract predators. Before beginning hibernation, ground squirrels block the entrances and exits of their burrows with soil. Once they enter the hibernation chamber, they block its entrance as well.

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THE EXTRAO R D I N ARY O R D I N ARY R I C HAR DSO N ’ S G R O UN D SQ UI RREL

Planning Ahead and Taking a Break It may seem surprising that Richardson’s ground squirrels are active above-ground for only a few months each year—for most of the year, they hibernate. Their hibernation period generally extends from July through February. On average, adult ground squirrels are active for four months each year, though males—both adults and juveniles—may have an active period up to three months longer, as their hibernation preparations are more extensive than those of females. A female ground squirrel will take no food into her hibernation chamber, while a male will build up a small store of seeds and for himself to eat when Ground squirrels nuts he awakens in early spring. sleep in the These food stores are critical because males awaken from same room hibernation a few days earlier for just a few than females, often while the days before ground is still under a layer of snow and foraging is diffimoving to another. Before cult. With less body fat than females, a store of food with beginning high fat-content is essential hibernation, the for regulating their bodies and preparing them for reproducsquirrels block tion when they come out of hithe entrances bernation. Like so many others and exits of their across the animal kingdom, these creatures have been burrows with specially “programmed” by soil. their Creator to know exactly what they need, exactly when they need it. Quite a Beneficial “Pest”! As Richardson’s ground squirrels are considered a pest in some communities, authorities often encourage population control via poisoning or trapping. Not only can an overabundance of these prolific herbivores reduce crop yields and decimate vegetable gardens, but their vast networks of underground tunnels riddle the land with entrance and exit holes that create dangerous trip hazards for humans and livestock. Should we therefore consider these creatures mere “accidents of evolution”? Or were they crafted by a brilliant Designer who creates nothing without a

reason? If they are creations, we might expect to find a real benefit the Richardson’s ground squirrel provides to its environment. And we do. Richardson’s ground squirrels play an essential role in the prairie ecosystem. Their intensive and deep tunneling helps to cultivate and improve soil conditions, and the burrows that they vacate are converted into prime real estate for lizards, burrowing owls, and bees. These burrows also protect small animals seeking shelter from predators or stormy weather. Richardson’s ground squirrels are near the bottom of the prairie ecosystem’s food chain. A healthy population of ground squirrels can sustain other wildlife like badgers, weasels, coyotes, owls, foxes, snakes, hawks, falcons, and eagles. Richardson’s ground squirrels make up a considerable portion of some of these predators’ diets. For example, the diet of ferruginous hawks—an endangered species—is estimated to consist almost exclusively of ground squirrels during the squirrel’s active period. Though considered a “pest” because of their abundance, a shortage of Richardson’s ground squirrels could very well endanger the prairie ecosystem God has established—and be far worse for our gardens than their “pesky” presence! Seeing God’s Hand in the Ordinary There is much that we can learn from observing the seemingly ordinary creatures God has made. In fact, Scripture tells us so: “But now ask the beasts, and they will teach you; and the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; and the fish of the sea will explain to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this, in whose hand is the life of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind?” (Job 12:7–10). Whenever we’re tempted to think that a part of the natural world is more trouble than it’s worth—or worse, the result of “blind chance”—we should be willing to look a little harder, giving ourselves an opportunity to discover the fascinating abilities and extraordinary benefits in the creation of Almighty God. We should be careful not to overlook God’s hand in the “extraordinary ordinary” creations he has deliberately put into our lives to draw our attention to Him—creations like Richardson’s ground squirrels. —Gary Molnar

November-December 2020  |  Tomorrow’s World  29

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Has Mankind Been Given 6,000 Years to Rule Itself? Question: Where do you get the idea that mankind has been appointed 6,000 years of self-rule, to be followed by a 1,000-year reign of Jesus Christ? Answer: The first two chapters of Genesis show that in a six-day period God recreated the earth and created the progenitors of all its present life. He then rested on the seventh-day Sabbath. This began a weekly cycle in which man is to work for six days and rest every Sabbath (Exodus 20:8–11). In Hebrews 4:3–11, the Apostle Paul explained that the seventh-day Sabbath pictures the wonderful era of peace and rest that will follow this current age of mankind’s activity. The Apostle John was inspired to write that this coming era, beginning with Christ’s return to establish His Kingdom, will last 1,000 years (Revelation 20:1–4)—a time often called, simply, the Millennium. As the seventh day represents a 1,000-year period in God’s plan, it follows that the previous six days of the week also represent 1,000-year periods. The Apostle Peter brought out this principle in discussing the anticipation of Christ’s return: “But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8). This concept was well known to the Jews of Peter’s day. About 200 years before Christ, Rabbi Elias wrote that “the world endures six thousand years, two thousand before the law, two thousand under the law, and two thousand under the Messiah” (William Pym, A World of Warning in the Last Days, 1841, p. 88). The famed historian Edward Gibbon wrote that “the tradition was attributed to the prophet Elijah” (History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 1875, p. 533). The Encyclopedia of the Jewish Religion (1965, p. 263) reports that the tannaim—rabbis of Christ’s day—based such an interpretation on Psalm 90, written by Moses: “For a thousand years in Your sight are like yesterday when it is past, and like a watch in the night” (v. 4). The tannaim said that, as there were six days of creation, the world would last for 6,000 years. The seventh “world day” would be 1,000 years of the Messiah’s rule.

30  Tomorrow’s World  |  November-December 2020

The 7,000-year plan of God was “carefully inculcated” in the early Church (Gibbon, p. 534). The “church father” Irenaeus had been taught by Polycarp, disciple of the Apostle John. Sadly, Irenaeus departed from the teachings of Christ’s apostles, but he apparently retained some truth. In Against Heresies (ca. 150 AD), he related a belief of the early Church: “This is an account of the things formerly created, as also it is a prophecy of what is to come. For the day of the Lord is as a thousand years; and in six days created things were completed: it is evident, therefore, that they will come to an end at the sixth thousand year” (book 5, chapter 28, section 3). To further illustrate the prevalence of the belief that the Millennium would begin 6,000 years after Adam’s creation, many more writings by other early rabbis and “church fathers” could be examined, such as those of Rabbi Ketina, Lactantius, Victorinus, Hippolytus of Rome, Justin Martyr, and Methodius. Though these men should not be relied upon for biblical truth, they certainly attest to how widespread this understanding was in the early centuries after Christ’s death. This, in fact, has been the respected opinion of most professing Christian scholars throughout the centuries, up to our present day. God told Adam that in the “day” he ate of the forbidden fruit, he would die (Genesis 2:17)—yet Adam lived to be 930 years old (Genesis 5:5)! How is that possible? One way is just as Methodius and other early church commentators explained; since a day with God was a thousand years, Adam had to die before the first 1,000-year day was complete—and he did. What is the purpose of these 6,000 years of human self-rule? God is now allowing human beings to “write,” through human suffering, the lessons they need to learn as a result of going against God. In the Millennium, people will for 1,000 years be able to contrast the peace and harmony of living God’s way with the previous 6,000 years of war and contention. Finally, in the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11–13), those whom God had not previously called will be able to experience the vast difference between living mankind’s way and living God’s way. To learn more about God’s plan for humanity, request your free copy of The World Ahead: What Will It Be Like?

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HO LIDAYS OR H OLY DAYS? CO N T IN UED F R O M PAGE 9

The annual Holy Days, listed in Leviticus 23, begin a day after the observance of the Passover on the fourteenth day of Nisan, the first month in God’s sacred year. They are: The First and Last Days of Unleavened Bread. Observed on Nisan 15 and 21 (March 28 and April 3 in 2021). These Holy Days begin and end the annual Festival that reminds Christians of their goal of removing sin from their lives. Pentecost. Observed 50 days after the “wave sheaf” offering (May 16 in 2021). This day pictures Christ gathering a small group of “firstfruits” called in this present age, who will rule with Him in the Millennium. The Feast of Trumpets. Observed on Tishri 1 (September 7 in 2021). Pictures the seven trumpet plagues of the Day of the Lord, the last trumpet announcing Christ’s return to establish God’s Kingdom on the earth and the resurrection of the saints. The Day of Atonement. Observed on Tishri 10 (September 16 in 2021). Pictures the end of Satan’s 6,000-year rule as the god of this present age. The Feast of Tabernacles. Begins on Tishri 15 (September 21 in 2021). This is the first day of the seven-day Festival that pictures Christ’s Millennial rule, the thousand-year

MAY WE S U G G EST?

period when the whole world will be called to know and practice God’s way of life. The Last Great Day. Observed on Tishri 22 (September 28 in 2021). Pictures the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11–13), the time when the billions of human beings who lived and died without ever having the opportunity to hear the true message of Jesus Christ—including many who never even heard His name—will finally have their opportunity for salvation. (Note that while days of the Gregorian calendar begin at midnight, days of God’s calendar begin at sunset. God’s Holy Days each begin at sunset on the evening before the Gregorian calendar day listed.) The annual Holy Days are a subject rich with meaning for followers of Jesus Christ. If you haven’t already done so, please read our booklet The Holy Days: God’s Master Plan. You can read it online at TomorrowsWorld.org or request a free printed copy from the Regional Office nearest you, listed on page 4 of this magazine. Yes, God’s annual Holy Days are full of meaning and truth—qualities we do not find in the man-made Christmas and Easter traditions. So, which will you observe—mankind’s invented, pagan, false religious days of worship, or God’s own weekly and annual Holy Days, the same days observed by Jesus Christ, by the apostles, and by His faithful disciples from the first century to this day? We at Tomorrow’s World pray that you will make the right choice! TW

The Holy Days: God’s Master Plan Christmas? Easter? Or different days, from your Bible, that could change your life? Request this free printed booklet from the Regional Office nearest you, or order at TomorrowsWorld.org.  PDF, ePub, and Kindle are also available.

November-December 2020  |  Tomorrow’s World  31

NEWSWATCH

Mark 13:37 | “And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”

Arab Peace with Israel? The Times of Israel reports, “The impending peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates [UAE] is more than just a stunning diplomatic breakthrough. It represents a fundamental shift in the paradigm of peace-making” (August 14, 2020). In a region where Middle East peace has long been thought to hinge on the Israeli-Palestinian relationship, this new deal—called the “Abraham Accord”—is unique and unexpected. The peace accord includes “opening embassies, trade and technology exchanges, direct flights and tourism, and cooperation on energy, security, and intelligence” (The New Yorker, August 14, 2020). While critics abound, others see this new peace deal as having great potential. The Israeli prime minister observed, “This is a historic step that advances peace with the Arab world, and

eventually will also promote peace—real, secure, and supervised peace—with the Palestinians as well” (i24News.tv, August 16, 2020). However, Palestinian leaders warned the UAE to “reverse” its decision immediately (TasnimNews.com, August 15, 2020). The quest for peace is always with us, yet success seems an elusive dream. Throughout history, societies have sought peace, and there have been brief peaceful interludes in certain areas of the globe. However, lasting peace has never been achieved. While the desire for peace is real, the Bible records that human leaders will proclaim “‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14). Sadly, human beings do not know the way to peace (Isaiah 59:8). There is only one way to true and lasting peace, and Jesus Christ, the “Prince of Peace,” will return to this earth to show that way (Isaiah 9:6).

Palestinians in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, protesting the normalization deal between Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, and Israel.

32  Tomorrow’s World  |  November-December 2020

Infants, Air Pollution, and Lung Disease Emerging research supports the current understanding that exposure to air pollution has long-lasting effects on infants’ lungs. Not only do teenagers who were exposed to air pollution as infants have decreased lung capacity, they are also at much greater risk of developing asthma. In fact, this increased risk of asthma occurred even when air pollution levels were lower than legal limits set by the government! A researcher from the University of Copenhagen commented at a recent conference, “The fact that we found a link with asthma, even at relatively low levels of exposure, suggests that there is no safe threshold for air pollution” (The Guardian, August 24, 2020). Early research during the coronavirus pandemic indicates that the greatest number of deaths from the virus seemed to occur in areas of the world with the highest rates of air pollution. In fact, one researcher noted that long-term exposure to nitrogen dioxide, a chemical

present in air pollution, may be one of the most important contributors to the fatality rate of the COVID-19 virus (The Guardian, April 20, 2020). The Apostle Paul observed that “the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now” (Romans 8:22). Our planet looks forward to a time when it “will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (v. 21). The real hope for humanity and creation is the return of Jesus Christ, who will establish His Kingdom on earth and make pollution a thing of the past.

“Polyamory” in Massachusetts Town As a result of COVID-19, the town of Somerville, Massachusetts, has recognized polyamory. Not to be confused with polygamy—one heterosexual having more than one spouse at a time—polyamory means that “any person of any gender can have multiple partners.” Somerville’s town council legally recognized the practice, giving polyamorous people some of the rights and

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NEWSWATCH privileges of married couples (NBCBoston.com, July 4, 2020). Those who created the new town ordinance point to COVID-19 as a reason. Noting that in the midst of the pandemic only family members were allowed to visit their sick loved ones in the hospital, the town council chose to “expand” the definition of family to accommodate these individuals. One city councilor said, “It validates their existence, it validates the way they love.” The councilor also stated, “When the government has tried to define what is and [is] not a family, we’ve done a really poor job.” The ordinance was unanimously approved by the town council and is one of the first of its kind in the nation. Expressing support for the new ordinance, one town resident commented, “I think it’s great.… It’s a lifestyle choice, it’s something that doesn’t hurt anybody, it’s just confined to the people in the relationship and why shouldn’t

they have the same rights that other types of families have?” Today, many have forgotten that the Bible provides a very clear definition of family (Genesis 2:24–25). Sadly, those who advocate for unbiblical family structures set themselves up for failure and heartache.

Russian Weapon Targets Satellites “The US and UK have accused Russia of testing a weapon-like projectile in

space that could be used to target satellites in orbit” (BBC, July 23, 2020). Based on the evidence, both nations believe that Russia may have testfired a space-based weapon that could be used to shoot

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down satellites from other nations. Several nations have put satellites into space for all types of purposes, including military and surveillance. Such a weapon would violate a treaty signed by over 100 nations that have agreed to the peaceful exploration of space. However, Russia claims that its new satellite is designed for the purpose of performing checks on the nation’s other satellites (BBC).

Whether or not Russia actually test-fired an anti-satellite weapon may not be as important as the concern of other nations that such an action may push other powers to develop and employ similar technology—if they do not already have it. Humanity, under the influence of Satan, seems to have a heart that is set on war and destruction. Before the Flood, God noted that the earth was corrupt and “filled with violence” (Genesis 6:11). The heart of mankind has not fundamentally changed, and we should expect such global conditions to make a comeback (cf. Luke 17:26). War is inevitable as long as Satan remains the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4).

China Seeks Move into Iran! China and Iran have worked together for years on many projects. The Wall Street Journal reports that a draft agreement between the two nations is currently in the works in the Iranian parliament. If approved, the agreement “would pave the way for Chinese investments in Iranian free-trade zones and for joint projects in other countries, such as Syria and Iraq. It would expand cooperation between the two countries in defense and counter terrorism. And it says that under a 25-year partnership, China would import ‘sustainable’ levels of Iranian oil, but offered no further details” (July 12, 2020). China’s Belt and Road Initiative calls for travel and trade systems to pass through Iran. In addition, China’s thirst for oil will benefit from a closer relationship with Iran, as China is already Iran’s largest trading partner. Bible prophecy indicates that, at the end of this present age, “kings from the east” will send armies across the Euphrates River against the Holy Land (Revelation 16:12–14). China certainly has the capacity and military might to field a massive army (cf. Revelation 9:16). To invade the Holy Land from the east, these armies will have to pass through the nation of Iran. The pending 25-year partnership being discussed by China and Iran could help pave the way for the fulfillment of this and other prophecies.

November-December 2020  |  Tomorrow’s World  33

L E T T E R S T O TW TE LL U S WH AT YO U T H INK

Just received my copy of your Tomorrow’s World Magazine. I wish to convey my thanks to your editor, Mr. Weston, on his article of the September–October issue. Said article was inspiring and very timely during this time of pandemic. Your magazine’s view is like that of The Plain Truth Magazine edited by the late Hebert W. Armstrong. Please keep on writing eye-opening articles for your readers’ peace of mind and inspiration. —Co-worker in California Each day I read your booklets and I’ve learned so much about Christ and myself. Thank you for giving me a new way to love and respect not only myself and our Lord, but everyone I meet each day of my life. May God bless you for giving so much. —Facebook message from a reader Your timely brochure [the May-June 2020 issue] is very accurate in surmising that this world crisis was preventable. I appreciate your view on clean versus unclean animals. Now I don’t eat bacon, ham, etc. Thank you for your DVD. God bless you. —Subscriber in Queensland, Australia I just want to thank you for all the books and magazines. I love them. They give me hope. —Subscriber in Rhode Island The church I’ve attended has church on Sunday. I know that’s not the true Sabbath. I’m looking for more likeminded people who take the Word of God seriously. —Reader in Florida Editor’s Note: You are not alone! Many are interested in meeting with others to keep God’s word more faithfully, and we have congregations all over the world that meet

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on the seventh-day Sabbath. You can visit our website TomorrowsWorld.org and click on the link at “Meet the Church Behind TW” to contact a local minister for meeting places and times, or you can contact your closest Regional Office from those listed on page 4 of this magazine. I must congratulate you on the excellent quality of your magazines, the one of July–August, and this last one of September–October, that I had the privilege of receiving. However, I don’t agree with your considerations about Europe and its community. It is important to remember that the inexistence of that community in the second half of the 19th century [and] a special moment of strong trade disputes and strategic geographical rivalries among European countries [and] their nationalists’ intentions was the cause of the two devastating wars of the first half of the 20th century, aggravated by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919 and the American crisis of 1929. —Subscriber in the United Kingdom Editor’s Note: Thank you for your thoughts on Europe. No one is disputing the realities of history and life on the continent, yet those realities do not change the prophesied future of Europe and the world. For a deep explanation of the Bible’s prophecies in this regard, please request our free booklet The Beast of Revelation: Myth, Metaphor, or Soon-Coming Reality? It is available on our website and from the Regional Offices listed on page 4 of this magazine. I requested and received and have been working on Lessons 1–4 of the Tomorrow’s World Bible Study Course. I am finding it very informative and am enjoying it very much. I do like all your ministers on the TV program and I watch it every week. The half hour flies by and always leaves me wanting more! —Subscriber in South Carolina

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*Check local listings for additional airtimes throughout the week

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TomorrowsWorld.org Upcoming Telecasts

BIBLE STUDY COURSE

Five Keys to Answered Prayer

Do you ever feel like you’re praying to the wall? These keys can change that. November 8–14

Isaiah’s Prophecy of Peace

In a world of endless bad news, we need the positive message of this prophet of God. November 15–21

Why Extreme Weather?

What causes extreme weather? In all the debate, is one cause being overlooked? November 22–28

The Truth About the Rapture

The belief in a “secret rapture” before the Great Tribulation is popular. But is it true? November 29–December 5

What Is Biblical Christianity?

Today’s Christianity is not the Christianity of Jesus or the Bible. You need to know why! December 6–12

Hope in Tough Times

When leaders and revolutionaries offer so little, can we find hope in God’s word? December 13–19 Schedule subject to change

Learn exciting and inspiring truths from your Bible. Absolutely Free! Order online at TWBibleCourse.org or from the Regional Office nearest you! Take it in print or online.

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