Beyond Today Magazine - September/October 2021

®
Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow January-February 2016

A Magazine of Understanding September-October 2021
Where Will It Lead?

20 Years After 9/11: What Have We Learned? 14 • God’s Great Reset: How It Will Change the World 17
Do You Know About the Holy Days Jesus Kept? 21 • Gain From God’s Perspective 24
B Tm a g a z i n e . o r g • September-October 2021 1
TABLE OF
CONTENTS September-October 2021
®
Photos, from top: keetthawee/123RF, Hubert Boesl/picture-alliance/dpa/Newscom, Boonyachoat/iStock/Getty Images Plus Page 3: Mohammad Ismail/Reuters/Newscom Cover: mon5ter/123RF/ymgerman/123RF/Shaun Venish
FEATURE ARTICLES
4 The Great Reset:
Where Will It Lead?
The world’s elites seek to create a new world
order—a better world, as they envision it. Yet
what is actually developing is a world heading
into darkness beyond their imagining.
9 The Cuban and Haitian Crises:

What’s the Wider Impact?
Riots in Cuba and an assassination in Haiti may
not seem that important in the scope of world
news. But these Caribbean nations hold posi-
tions vital to American and world interests.
14 Twenty Years After 9/11:

What Have We Learned?
The devastating attacks on the United States on
9/11 should have led its people to learn critical
lessons. But did they?
4
17 God’s Great Reset:
How It Will Change the World
We’ve been hearing of a coming “Great Reset.”
And make no mistake, that is in the works. But a
far greater reset is coming from God—and it will
transform everything!
21 Do You Know About

the Holy Days Jesus Kept?
The Bible contains exciting knowledge, rarely
noticed, that has everything to do with God’s
plan for humanity as revealed through the
14 17
biblical festivals Jesus Christ Himself observed.
24 Gain From God’s Perspective

We need a higher vantage point to understand
our lives and the whole human story. We’ll then
see a great plan and purpose being worked out DEPARTMENTS
toward a wondrous future with God.
12 Current Events and Trends
28 Luther and Tyndale on Death: An overview of events and conditions around the world
“The Dead Know Nothing”
Many believe the soul is immortal and remains
30 Letters From Our Readers
conscious after death. But early reformers Martin Readers of Beyond Today magazine share their thoughts
Luther and William Tyndale recognized what the
Bible teaches—that the dead have no awareness 31 Beyond Today Television Log
while awaiting a future resurrection. A listing of stations and times for the Beyond Today TV program
2 Beyond Today • B Tm a g a z i n e . o r g
EDITORIAL
America’s Uncertain Future Scott Ashley

Managing editor
A
s this issue of Beyond Today was going to press, If you pay close attention to the news, you may have
the last U.S. combat troops were being withdrawn heard that America is said to now be facing more threat-
from Afghanistan. Only a token force of several ening and dangerous enemies. On June 9 U.S. President
hundred will be left to guard the U.S. embassy Joe Biden declared that global warming is “the greatest
compound in Kabul, the Afghan capital. threat facing America.” Ironically, he said this as he
Perhaps nothing encapsulated the moment more arrived in Europe seeking support from allies against
poignantly than the U.S. withdrawal from the sprawling Russian hacking attacks that have devastated U.S. busi-
30-square-mile Bagram Air Base, nesses and to combat Chinese
epicenter of America’s war against secrecy over the origins of
the Taliban and al-Qaeda for the Covid-19, which has plagued
last 20 years. The base was in reality the entire world.
a sizable city, built from the ground Meanwhile, America’s true
up on a large plain about an hour’s geopolitical opponents such as
drive from Kabul. China, Russia, Iran and North
It boasted American pizza and Korea grow ever more dangerous.
fast-food chain restaurants, air- They’re not focused on teaching
conditioned fitness centers, a library, their military a rewritten “woke”
post office, a 50-bed hospital and a Afghan soldiers inspect some of the thousands of
version of their nations’ histories;
two-mile-long runway capable of U.S. vehicles abandoned in the American pullout they’re training their soldiers,
handling dozens of U.S. fighter jets, from Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, in July 2021. sailors and pilots how to destroy
reconnaissance aircraft and huge and kill their enemies—with the
transport planes ferrying troops, weapons and supplies. United States at the top of the list.
At one time it was home for some 100,000 U.S. personnel. The uncomfortable truth is, America has lost another
In ironic timing, just before the July 4 Independence war, and appears to not be any wiser. The last significant
Day holiday, the last American occupants of the base war America truly won was World War II, more than 75
shut off the electricity and slipped away into the night. years ago. In Korea the United States fought to a draw and
Nearby looters arrived before Afghan soldiers and helped agreed to a truce, leaving tens of thousands of troops there
themselves to anything that wasn’t nailed down. Among for two-thirds of a century now. Vietnam was an ugly defeat
items left behind were thousands of civilian trucks and at the cost of nearly 60,000 American lives, and after the
vans and hundreds of armored vehicles, plus weapons U.S. withdrawal communists in Vietnam and Cambodia
and ammunition the Afghan soldiers would need to fight murdered some 1.5 million of their own people. America
off the Taliban in battles sure to come. and its allies did defeat Iraq in the first Gulf War after Iraq
Strategically, Bagram Air Base was a crucial military invaded Kuwait, but Saddam Hussein was left in power,
asset, located 500 miles from Iran and 400 miles from leading to the second Iraq war and another slow, painful
China, with runways that could handle any U.S. military retreat for U.S. forces, to be completed by the end of this
aircraft of any size. But as is the case with so many critical year. Folly reigns in the halls of power.
American strategic assets in recent decades, it is no lon- These wars collectively cost trillions of dollars and
ger in U.S. hands—and will likely soon be in the hands more than 100,000 American lives, and what do we have
of America’s enemies. to show for it?
It’s the sad end of a 20-year saga that began with a Our world is changing before our eyes, and in ways that
highly coordinated terrorist assault on the United States are highly dangerous for the current world order and the
on Sept. 11, 2001. In righteous indignation America, with United States in particular. You need to understand why.
a coalition of allies, went to war against terror-supporting Be sure to read the articles in this issue, and continue to
governments in Afghanistan and Iraq. read Beyond Today magazine for understanding!
But after 20 years, more than 60,000 U.S. casualties,
and a fortune of almost $6.5 trillion in borrowed money
squandered, American forces quietly withdrew, the
nation no longer having the will to fight.
WORLD NEWS
& PROPHECY
Where Will It Lead?

The world’s elites seek to create a new world order—a better world, as they
envision it. Yet what is actually developing is a world heading into darkness
beyond their imagining. God says to understand and not be part of that world.
by Darris McNeely
J
eremiah thought he was too young to become a era was ending in this ancient world. Men feared for the
prophet. God had told him before his birth he was future. What was familiar was changing. Old ways were
destined to carry the words of God to the nations. being swept away. Kings and leaders sought to recapture
How could he, a son of a priest from an obscure past cultures and glories. Assyrian King Ashurbanipal
village, pronounce God’s word to his own nation of ordered ancient texts to be copied and preserved in his
Judah—much less the greater nations beyond? library at Nineveh. There was a nostalgic longing for a
God told Jeremiah not to look at his age, but rather return to the past, to a more “normal” time when men
to focus on God’s power to support and fulfill a mission were secure in their faith and their identity.
mon5ter/123RF/ymgerman/123RF/Shaun Venish
through him. Then God said: “Behold, I have put My The events of this period of the late seventh century
words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over and early sixth century B.C. offer a lens through which
the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to we can understand what is happening now in the early
pull down, to destroy and to throw down, to build and decades of the 21st century. Ours is a time of upheaval
to plant” (Jeremiah 1:9-10). and change accelerated by the recent global pandemic
God indeed fulfilled this during the decades-long and growing global unrest. At few times in history have
ministry of Jeremiah. The powerful Assyrian Empire so many currents of civilizational transformation come
collapsed. Egypt receded further into a secondary-power together in one moment!
status. Judah would fall to Babylon, an empire whose
lifeblood would be carried westward to reemerge in the Origins of the “great reset”
Roman Empire. The world is being shaken by massive changes in
The age of Jeremiah was an age of reform and reset. An technology, politics, economics, environmental issues
and culture, all reshaping our view ferent—more along the lines of a this in mind I read Mr. Schwab’s
of history and reality. These ideas one-world political entity. The word book, cowritten with economist
are spreading around the world. The transnational is used to describe the Thierry Malleret. Covid-19: The Great
changes we are experiencing are like world many would like to see emerge Reset is vague, light and short on
the shifting of the earth’s tectonic in the future. A transnational world detailed plans for a “reset.” It’s not
plates, creating a seismic movement with fewer boundaries, less nation- exactly a detailed manifesto for a
of events on the world scene. alism and a singular governmental global order to take over the world.
It’s tempting and calming to think structure is, in their mind, the path The lens through which this book,
this is normal, or that the world will to equity, peace and brotherhood and others espousing the same idea,
return to normal. But already we are throughout the earth. should be viewed is the fundamental
seeing ideas being embraced that aim Transnationalism is nothing new. understanding that the global elite
toward a world far different from It’s been around for a long time. are transnationalists with no national
the familiar order that has prevailed Since the end of World War II and loyalty. They see nation-states and
since the end of World War II in the creation of the United Nations, boundaries as obstacles that need to
1945. the global transnational reset has be removed.
Some today are openly calling for a been relentlessly moving forward. In their view, national governments
“great reset” of the world order. This The World Health Organization, the are relics of a bygone era needing
terminology has been adopted by the World Bank and the International to be swept away. Nation-states are
convenient places where
America is in a most critical moment of its history. global operations like
Coca-Cola, Amazon or
It is crippled by national sins and challenged by Apple exist to serve the
those working to overturn the present world order. global community.
References to the “social
World Economic Forum. Its founder, Court of Justice at the Hague and contract” between the individual and
Klaus Schwab, published a book many other global bodies have been the state argue that the state has failed
last year titled Covid-19: The Great formed to promote unity, peace and to secure justice, equity and freedom
Reset. While the book was written in stability, preventing a return to the for all peoples and races. Citing the
2020, six months into the pandemic, global warfare that ravaged the world Black Lives Matter movement and the
it forecast a post-pandemic world twice in the 20th century. sexual gender revolution as examples,
where nations work more closely to Apart from Donald Trump, most the authors make a case that existing
solve problems facing mankind. United States presidents and their governments have not delivered on
The World Economic Forum annu- administrations in this period have their promises and that they lack the
ally hosts a meeting for elite leaders been supportive of the transnational ideas and policies to meet the chal-
of business, government and culture worldview to varying extents. The lenges of revolt and demonstrations in
in Davos, Switzerland. This meeting U.S. State Department has worked the streets of America and other coun-
has always attracted attention and to foster close integration between tries. Implied is the need for a new
much suspicion from global conspir- American policy and the goals of the social contract but without specifics
acy theorists who look at the gath- international community. President defining what that would be.
ering as a global summit of people George H.W. Bush was a significant
plotting to take over the world. promoter of the global world order. America’s time as world
It’s easy to dismiss such theories, His actions after the fall of the Iron leader is up
and most should be dismissed. But Curtain and collapse of the Soviet One theme does come through
the fact is, these leaders of business, Union set the stage for the global very clearly in this book: America’s
media and government already run order we see today. time as the leader of the world is com-
much of the world. They are the influ- ing to a close. One quote makes this
encers, leaders and shapers of enter- Reordering the world and point: “American power and prosper-
tainment, education and media. They how we live ity have been built and reinforced by
hold immense power, influence and What matters about the world’s the global trust in the dollar and the
wealth. And many of them are seeking richest, most powerful men is that willingness of customers abroad to
to bring major change to the world. they are interested in resetting the hold it, most often in the form of US
The fact is, this group does exist, world and the way we live. What they government bonds. This has enabled
and those in it do think about ways say in this regard is significant. We the US to borrow cheaply abroad
to create a world that is quite dif- should pay attention to that. With and benefit from low interest rates
WORLD NEWS
& PROPHECY
at home, which in turn has allowed

Americans to consume beyond their
means.”
This was written just after the first
wave of government money voted by
Congress to address the economic
fallout of responses to the pandemic.
Since then trillions more have been
handed out, ballooning America’s
debt to nearly $30 trillion dollars.
Schwab and Malleret rightly point
out that this is unsustainable. Gov-
ernments and international banks
trusting that America can make good
on this debt have their limits. They
conclude: “This unsustainable path
will worsen in the post-pandemic,
post-bailout era. This argument
suggests that something major will in an entrenched ideology seeking to cal ways that pose imminent dangers
therefore have to change, either rewrite the social contract of Amer- (like cyberhacking, which China is
through a much-reduced geopoliti- ica. Efforts to recast its founding as also accused of). Other regional pow-
cal role or higher taxation, or both, being solely on the basis of slavery ers such as Turkey and Iran seek to
otherwise the rising deficit will reach and injustice have taken root. Teach- shape the future of the Middle East.
a threshold beyond which non-US ing of critical race theory seeks to Current movers behind the idea of
investors are unwilling to fund it.” divide people, reshaping their views a great reset have their own end in
A fundamental idea underlying any through the lenses of malicious race mind, to shape a new global order.
“reset” would be the replacement of ideas. To counter U.S. influence, they lend
America in its role of global leader- support to China’s long-held goal
ship. This book certainly envisions A shift already underway of becoming the dominant world
such a global future. And it’s a consis- The idea of a great reset is already power, attaining its supposed right-
tent feature in most efforts advocating at work and well advanced in the ful position as the superior culture.
a global reset. United States. It’s just that other tags Meanwhile, the European Union
To be clear, the United States does and terminology are used. If the ideas (EU) has a similar mission to shape a
have many problems—all are serious, pushed in education, government world in line with its historic culture
and any one of these could lead to and media take the nation to the and vision.
a collapse in its current world role. desired result, within a few years the Our world is poised to see a change
One such example is soaring national nation would be unrecognizable. of power relationships in the coming
debt. America is currently on an This is not a conspiracy theory, but years—perhaps the very near future.
unprecedented spending binge that observation of reality that comes The Covid-19 pandemic will likely be
is unsustainable. Inflation is rising as with a reading of the websites of the seen as the initial opening into this
a glut of cheap dollars chases fewer various organizations involved in this new world. Historically, pandem-
goods and services. The debt the push to reset America. ics have reset the world order. The
United States is accumulating is being Readers of Beyond Today should plaque that ravaged Constantinople
financed by other nations. A day of grasp what's going on. America is in in the mid-sixth century is such an
reckoning will come. The question is a most critical moment, perhaps the example. Its impact determined the
a matter of when. most dangerous of its history. While future of Europe and the Middle East
keetthawee/123RF/Shaun Venish
Until that day comes, America still still the leading nation in nearly in the period after the collapse of the
has the strongest economy in the every category, it is crippled by its Roman Empire in the West.
world, along with the most power- own grave national sins while facing What experts, leaders and those
ful military. Its navy keeps the peace a changing world led by challengers who seek to create a new world order
along the world sea lanes. who wish to overturn the present do not know nor understand is the
But currently America is bitterly world order and take the lead. China biblical worldview revealed in the
divided politically and culturally. is a leading contender while other Bible. The inspired Word of God
Decades of social drift have resulted countries like Russia meddle in criti- lays out His plan through the ages—
which includes not only the story There is purpose by which you can saw are ten kings who have received
of salvation but the map of world understand why empires have risen no kingdom as yet, but they receive
history from its beginning to its and fallen through the ages and why authority for one hour as kings with
conclusion. A thorough understand- today’s world is on the verge of a the beast. These are of one mind,
ing of what begins in Genesis and reset beyond the imagination of and they will give their power and
concludes in the book of Revelation those working hard to create one. authority to the beast.”
brings the critical missing dimension The Bible shows why there is injus- Here is described a moment when
of divinely guided history, otherwise tice, racism and failed governments world leaders give up their national
known as prophecy. that keep their people enslaved to sovereignty to a supranational gov-
Historians and political thinkers systems that deprive them of free- ernment that will secure the world
examine history and make predic- dom, adequate education, economic order in a moment of crisis that
tions based on national power and opportunity, proper health care and threatens to bring everything down.
A leader with ideas and
The book of Revelation describes the end stages a plan will emerge at the
front of this geopolitical
of the coming great reset—the rise of a coalition of alliance and offer a prom-
nations into a system the Bible labels as “Babylon.” ising future to the world’s
citizens. He will help them
observed patterns. Retrospective knowledge of right values. It also through these troublesome times.
history easily sees the rise of Egypt, shows the source of a coming global Life as everyone wants it will go on.
Rome, France, Russia, Great Britain reset unlike any planned or sought This is the biblically prophesied great
and America as dominant powers. by the world’s elites. reset foretold through Jesus Christ.
Many factors such as geography, The book of Revelation is Jesus Since the onset of the Covid-19
technology, wisdom and technologi- Christ’s prophetic message to the pandemic and government response
cal advancement can explain the rise modern world. As a commentary to it we have been watching and
of great powers of the past. But this on spiritual, political and human seeing the outlines of such a final
alone cannot account for why some affairs, it is accurate. It shows us a world system taking shape. A careful
rose to great heights and why others coming world superpower that for a analysis and understanding of what
did not. brief period will dominate the world Scripture is saying can help us see the
Why, for instance, in the fifth to create a time of peace and stabil- shape of the emerging new order.
century, did not the nomadic Huns ity that will astonish everyone. This
overrun all the old Roman Empire power is called in Scripture by the Can we recognize what is
and the world see a long line of name Babylon the Great. happening?
emperors descend from Atilla? Why, It will weave a deceptive web of The book of Revelation describes
in the 15th century, did not China seductive spirituality, economic a moment when nations combine
move from its Asian fortress to dom- prosperity and peace on the nations. their power into a world system that
inate European powers and spread The imagery of Revelation 17 shows achieves the age-old dream of “a
its culture over far-flung lands? And a scarlet-clad woman astride a fan- tower that reaches to the heavens”
who would have predicted at the tastic beast with multiple heads and (Genesis 11:4, New International
beginning of the seventh century that horns. It is a picture of a combined Version). Technology promises not
a dominating world religion would church-state power that controls only a convenient, connected world
come from the sands of Arabia to world events at the end of the age. but also the hope of extended life and
spread its influence over the former World leaders have cooperated with possibly even immortality through
lands of Babylon, Persia, Greece and this “woman,” a symbol of a world medical technology. The ability to
Rome? spiritual authority, to the point where reach into space and extend human
they cannot see, speak, think or act civilization seems nearer to reality.
History through another lens with wisdom, prudence and truth. World economic development has
Is there another lens by which to This is what is meant by committing progressed, and the goods and ser-
view history? There is. You are read- “fornication” and being “drunk vices of the global community move
ing a source that looks to the Word with the wine of her fornication” unchecked across oceans and land
of God, the Bible, to understand why (verses 1-6). bringing wealth to multinational
the world operates as it does and why Critical to our discussion on the companies and a rising standard of
some nations are among the haves great reset is what happens in verses living for much of the world. Revela-
and others among the have nots. 12-13: “The ten horns which you tion 18 describes such a scene when
WORLD NEWS
& PROPHECY
it shows the goods shipped throughout the world under Many have marveled at the nature of the global lockdown
the guidance of the governing structure of this end-time we’ve experienced and its impact on culture. Relation-
Babylon. We see this even now. But what is described ships were altered. All age groups showed a marked
is something larger: “All who travel by ship, sailors, and increase in anxiety. Drug abuse and overdose deaths
as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance . . .” skyrocketed. The impact of what happened will be years
(verse 17). in understanding. Yet it all happened quickly, with a
The move to a more fully integrated global economy majority cooperating in the name of science, health safety
is pressing relentlessly forward. Most multinational com- and goodwill. Imagine a future calamity and the reaction.
panies no longer think of themselves as large national As we saw, governments decreed and society complied
companies. They have offices around the globe employing —many to their own hurt. And we have certainly not seen
people of all nationalities. Call centers service customers the last of that. Events described in Revelation will happen
from India while virtual meetings involving employees through government decree. The entire world will be reset,
on multiple continents are routine. To move to a global and people will soon realize they are caught in a trap, a box
standard of currency exchange and governance would canyon of tribulation when Satan realizes he has but a brief
only be the next logical step.
Loyalty is increasingly to a We are seeing the leading edge of a final revival
global order espousing univer-
sal values claimed to apply to of this age-long system that stands in defiance
all people regardless of sexual of the purpose and plans of the living God.
or gender identity, race, ethnic-
ity or national identity. Any distinction that does not time to reign over the kingdoms of this world.
match the evolving global norm is considered regressive, Revelation describes the end stages of the coming great
hateful and discriminatory. reset—the rise of a coalition of nations into a system the
Now we are seeing attitudes and values shaped to Bible labels as “Babylon.” For a time all will seem well.
accept as normal the LGBTQ agenda. We also see this While the world will praise this system and benefit by
in the conditioning behind critical race theory. We see economic cooperation, it will reject the servants of God
this in the reframing of national history. In America who witness against and resist coming under the mark
if enough young people of the next generation can be of its authority.
persuaded that the story of America is not worth saving, We are living at a moment in history and prophecy like
a significant goal is accomplished. It will then be easy that of the age of the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah’s messages
to jettison the nation as exceptional and a blessing and went to the nations who were being rooted out and pulled
instead embrace a different narrative as part of a global down. The old order was being reset in a time of building
order promising liberty, justice and freedom for all to and planting. Babylon rose to direct and set the pattern for
live and act as they determine—within, of course, newly a world order that has endured to the modern time.
approved bounds. We are seeing the leading edge of a final revival of this
age-long system that stands in defiance of the purpose
Don’t think it can’t happen and plans of the living God. May we all have eyes to see
Does this sound impossible? It will never happen, you what is happening today!
say? Then consider how quickly the world began accept- Thankfully, as Revelation also shows, the world will
ing a pandemic lockdown in March 2020. not be left in the dark times ahead, for God has His own
Within a matter of days schools closed, all but essential great reset coming beyond this one—the greatest reset
businesses shuttered, professional sports stopped and ever with the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment
people were working in their homes on Zoom. No vote of the Kingdom of God over all nations (see “God’s Great
was taken, discussion ended as quickly as it began, and Reset” beginning on page 17). Pray that this ultimate
the new normal was the new normal. reset of the world will come swiftly!
The original “two weeks to flatten the curve” and no
mask turned into a year and half (in some places more) LEARN MORE
of national dysfunction. By mid-summer 2020 many had We live in a world that’s rapidly changing
had enough, and some states slowly reopened only to before our eyes. What does it mean? And
what are we changing into? You need to
shut down again if a surge of cases erupted. It took until know! Download or request our eye-opening
mid-2021 for much of the world to reopen to domestic study guide The Book of Revelation Unveiled.
travel, while much of the world remained closed to for- A free copy is waiting for you!
eign travel. And there are now some calls to do it all BTmagazine.org/booklets
over again.
The Cuban and Haitian Crises:
What’s the Wider Impact?
Riots in Cuba and an assassination in Haiti may not seem that important in the scope of world
news. But these Caribbean nations hold positions vital to American and world interests.
by Darris McNeely
America in ownership of automo-

biles and telephones, and first in the
number of television sets per inhabit-
ant. Cubans could enter and leave the
country freely” (Guy Milliere, “The
Cuban People Deserve Freedom:
Where Is the US Help?” Gatestone
Institute, July 25, 2021).
Government reaction to the recent
protests was swift. Internet access was
restricted along with a news blackout.
A lid was put on a simmering caul-
dron, and information has been slow
to come out. Perceptions of Cuba
are uneven and skewed by misinfor-
mation and lack of freedoms, with
contact between Cuba and America
S
kept to a minimum.
ince the 1823 formulation of is happening and understand why it’s While the nation lies only 100
what’s called the Monroe Doc- important in global terms. miles off the Florida coast, traveling
trine (named after President there has been restricted. Cuban refu-
James Monroe), America has Unrest in Cuba gees have built a strong presence in
generally considered any other major In July mass demonstrations broke Florida and the larger United States.
power’s influence in the Western out in 20 cities across the island Baby boomers remember proxim-
Hemisphere to be unwelcome—near- nation of Cuba. Since 1959 Cuba has ity as a past concern, particularly in
by neighbors having an impact on been ruled by the socialist dictator- the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, when
U.S. interests. ship set up by Fidel Castro, now in the Russian-led Soviet Union placed
Recent demonstrations in Cuba the hands of his successors. What nuclear-tipped missiles on the island.
and a political assassination in Haiti was a prosperous island nation in the The resulting standoff brought the
bring to our attention these two 1950s is today a broken and impover- two nuclear superpowers to the brink
Caribbean nations and their strategic ished country run by a corrupt elite. in the classic example of Cold War
importance to the balance of world “All available data . . . show that hostilities.
Map by Shaun Venish/123RF
power. Should an outside major pow- before Castro took power, Cuba was Today it’s popular for critics of
er gain influence or, worse, some level far from being in a disastrous situ- American policy to blame Cuba’s
of control over these two countries, ation. In 1958, the Cuban income poverty on the American embargo
a grave threat would sit next door to per capita was double that of Spain of goods and services through the
the United States. A little-understood and Japan. Cuba had more doctors decades. But this leaves a lot out of
dynamic in biblical geopolitics would and dentists per capita than Britain. the story. Cuba has been free to trade
also be changing. Let’s look at what Cuba was second per capita in Latin with any other nation. When the
WORLD NEWS
& PROPHECY
Soviet Union collapsed, Russia did cannot afford. Beyond continuing to

loss was not mourned, though it left a
not retain Cuba as a client state. power vacuum. build a powerful military and navy,
Venezuela stepped in and for many China projects power in other ways.
Haiti was once the “Jewel of the
years used its revenue from its rich Through loans and the building of
Antilles,” its resources making it one of
oil deposits to finance Cuba. technology and hard infrastructure
the world’s richest islands. It produced
Cuba’s failed communist, socialist in poorer nations like Cuba, it gains a
sugar cane, coffee, cotton, rice and rum.
government is to blame for the nation’s presence, albeit one not always large
It was also a port to the rich resources
present poverty. Citizens are in the of Central and South America. enough to take effective control.
streets because they suffer from failed Should the Chinese take control of
An 1802 slave revolt in Haiti against
government and corrupt leaders. Life a strategically crucial island like Cuba
French rule led to the creation of an
in Cuba is a painful experience. The independent nation run by former or Haiti—and at present we have no
nation is caught in a time warp. evidence that they are trying to do
slaves. Facing yellow fever and astute
this—it could create a position for
leadership by the revolting slaves, the
All-important location negotiating a change in the power
French retreated. Losing control of
Look at a map of Cuba. It guards structure. If Cuban leaders decided
Haiti was a prime factor in Napoleon’s
the way into and out of the Gulf they needed a new “patron” who
decision to leave the hemisphere and
could provide needed
Without this understanding we can make little sense money and technology,
China could be able
of the modern world, failing to grasp what Bible to step in. A control-
prophecy says about where events are headed. ling Chinese presence
in Cuba or any other
of Mexico. Two of America’s most sell France’s vast New World territory location in the Western Hemisphere
important ports, Houston and New to the United States in what became would challenge the balance of power
Orleans, depend on open navigation the greatest real estate bargain in and particularly America’s historic
through these waters. Freedom to history—the Louisiana Purchase. role as a regional and world power.
navigate this area has always been Since then the nation has experi- That’s why unrest in Cuba and Haiti
vital to the economic and security enced a long downhill slide into klep- is something America and the world
interests of the United States. tocracy. Haiti today is a failed state. need to be watching.
Cuba forms a vital passage, a It has been failed by its own leaders
“chokepoint,” by two straits its loca- as well as outside powers. Currently “The Abrahamic Doctrine”
tion creates. A hostile power holding there is no leader who has emerged America’s historic world position
this island could put a strategic hold with the vision, wisdom or any ability is part of a larger purpose connected
on American power. Since the early to take effective control of the nation to the promises God made to the
part of the 19th century American and lead its people to a better life. biblical patriarch Abraham. Because
leaders have been rightly concerned This is the ongoing tragedy of Haiti. Abraham obeyed God, a covenant
that European powers (Great Britain, was established wherein Abraham’s
Spain, France and Russia) could gain Danger of outside power name would be great and his descen-
a power advantage by controlling Should either Cuba or Haiti fall dants would become a great nation
Cuba and these straits. Hence the under the control of a power hostile to and a blessing. God promised that
articulation of the Monroe Doctrine. U.S. interests, it could tip the balance through Abraham all the nations of
of world power. It’s known that China the earth would be blessed (Genesis
Haiti’s similar position has been working in Cuba, building 12:1-3).
At the same time as the Cuban a telecommunications infrastructure This multifaceted spiritual and
unrest, the nation of Haiti, the poorest there. China has such involvements physical blessing has been carried
and most tragic of Caribbean coun- around the world as a part of its effort into the modern world and continues
tries, was rocked by the assassination to project influence and power. to be active and alive. Jesus Christ,
of its president, Jovenel Moise. Armed China has made no secret of its the ultimate Seed or descendant of
men entered the presidential home, intent to replace the United States Abraham, is the means for spiritual
shooting him 12 times and wound- as the world’s leading power, and salvation to all peoples both now and
ing his wife, throwing the unstable, it’s well on its way. However, it does in the future. The physical dimension
impoverished nation deeper into tur- not want to engage in a direct war of this covenant blessing is in modern
moil. Moise was not a popular leader, with the United States. The outcome times found primarily in the English-
like most Haitian presidents, and his would be uncertain and something it speaking nations, of which America
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be sure to read our free study guide
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An important dimension of this
promise is found in Genesis 22:17,
where God said that Abraham’s
descendants would “possess the gate
of their enemies” (see also Genesis
24:60). Historically understood to be
geographic locations vital to trans-
portation and regional economic and
political dominance, these places,
sometimes called chokepoints, as
noted above—such as the Strait of
Malacca, the Panama Canal, major
seaports and other strategic fea-
Y
tures like the Cape of Good Hope ou won’t believe all the great things
and Cape Horn—have provided the you’ll discover at the Beyond Today
means for nations like Great Britain website at BTmagazine.org!
and America to assert power and You’ll find past issues of Beyond Today,
influence. each packed with articles about world
The Monroe Doctrine not only
trends and events, family and social
articulated a forward-looking geo-
political intent, but it was an integral
issues, prophecy in the news and Beyond
Today’s eye-opening, in-depth perspective of amount
part of a historic progression fulfill- of informa-
ing ancient promises to Abraham— the Bible. Discover articles about creation and
evolution, profiles of biblical personalities, tion about the Bible.
a major key to understanding the
proofs of the Bible and so much more! The most in-depth is
prophetic story of history. A study of
this story should lead to recognition
our online Bible commen-
of what we might call “the Abraha- tary, a study that takes you Abrahams Journey
mic Doctrine.” God has fulfilled His on a chapter-by-chapter
promises to Abraham. Modern his- journey of discovery through the Bible with
tory reflects that divine purpose and supplementary reading and graphic aids such
plan. Without this understanding we as charts and maps to open up your under-
can make little sense of the modern standing of the Scriptures as never before.
world, failing to grasp what Bible You’ll also find answers to frequently asked
prophecy says about where events Explore our large library of study guides cover- Bible questions, helpful material on dozens
are headed. ing a variety of biblical, family and social issues of biblical topics, and so much more!
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B Tm a g a z i n e . o r g • September-October 2021
WORLD NEWS
& PROPHECY Current Events & Trends
Anglosphere nations face megadrought, plagues

W
hile seasonal monsoon rains made a The Guardian, July 7, 2021). The deep drought has the trees of the land yield their fruit . . . I will also
slight dent in the severe drought in created ideal conditions for grasshopper eggs to send wild beasts among you, which shall rob you
the western United States, they mainly hatch and survive. of your children, destroy your livestock, and make
just brought flooding, with extremely dry condi- Australia and New Zealand have also experi- you few in number” (Leviticus 26:18-22).
tions persisting. Several sources note that the enced recent droughts and floods. Australia has Moreover, He said: “The Lord will change the
drought in the U.S. Southwest is the worst in long contended with locusts. But this year it’s rain of your land to powder and dust; from the
1,200 years. Many are labeling it a megadrought. been faced with what’s been called unprece- heaven it shall come down on you until you are
dented—a plague of mice taking over destroyed . . . You shall carry much seed out to the
the fields of New South Wales (Maggie field but gather little in, for the locust shall con-
Gile, “Australia Could Lose Over $775M sume it . . . Locusts shall consume all your trees
in Crops as Millions of Mice Invade and the produce of your land” (Deuteronomy
Fields,” May 28, 2021). They’ve been 28:24, 38-42).
invading homes and biting people in Later, when the Jewish people who returned
their sleep. As reported in July, dead from Babylonian captivity were focused on them-
poisoned mice were everywhere, with selves and neglecting to support God’s work in
a terrible stench. One has the impres- that day of restoring the national worship system,
sion of the plague of frogs on Egypt in God used drought and other curses to get their
the biblical Exodus story! attention. God’s message to the Anglosphere
What’s going on? Many blame nebu- nations today is essentially the same:
The northwest has also been suffering. At the lous “climate change.” But God foretold curses that “Consider your ways! ‘You have sown much,
end of July, more than 71 percent of Oregon was would befall the ancient Israelites for disobeying and bring in little; you eat, but do not have
under extreme drought. Western Canada has His laws, declaring: “If you do not obey Me, then enough . . . and he who earns wages, earns wages
also been affected by severe drought. Winnipeg I will punish you . . . I will make your heavens like to put into a bag with holes’” (Haggai 1:5-11).
recorded the driest July in almost 150 years. iron and your earth like bronze [referring to a sky Look at what’s been happening. Does God have
In addition was this news headline of locust without rain clouds and the ground being dry and your attention? To better understand, be sure to
infestation: “‘A scourge of the Earth’ grasshopper hard]. And your strength shall be spent in vain; download or request our free study guide The
swarms overwhelm US west” (Lee van der Voo, for your land shall not yield its produce, nor shall United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy.
Photos, from left: Scharfsinn86/iStock/Getty Images Plus, MartinPBGV/iStock/Getty Images Plus

Plans call for EU military to support European superpower
E
arlier this year, Britain’s Daily Express carried the following headline: Chambraud with AFP, “EU to train Mozambique army against IS-linked
“EU army plan to transform bloc into foreign superpower leaked in jihadists,” Africanews, July 13, 2021).
Brussels document” (Joe Barnes, June 19, 2021). The document, it U.S. President Joe Biden is being urged by political allies to support
noted, revealed that the European Union centered in Brussels was final- European aspirations. As Politico reported: “It’s time for the EU to become
izing plans for “large-scale” operations in Libya. This would “pit the EU a global military power—and for the U.S. to stop thwarting Europe’s
against Chad, Egypt, Jordan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United ambitions on defense. That’s according to a new report by the Center for
Arab Emirates, which have all become involved in Libya’s brutal civil war. American Progress, a Washington think tank with close ties to the Biden
The internal report . . . highlighted the need for an EU military mission in administration” (David Herszenhorn, “Biden Urged to Push EU to Be a
the region to curb human and arms trafficking. Military Power,” June 2, 2021).
“‘In this context, an EU military Common Security and Defence Policy Where all of this will ultimately lead is to the rise of what the Bible
[CSDP] engagement should be considered in order not to leave the entire calls the Beast—a European-centered superpower wielding tyrannical
field of activity in the military domain to third states,’ the document says.” power in the final years leading up to the return of Jesus Christ (see Dan-
Long term, it recommends “a military CSDP engagement.” It especially iel 2, 7; Revelation 13; 17-18). Led by a villainous leader who is also called
hopes “to compete with Turkish influence in the region, especially among the Beast, it will astound the world as it comes to dominate global affairs.
Libya’s naval authorities. Brussels hopes the offer of training and new It will wield such great military power that the world’s people ask: “Who
equipment could help the bloc become a more dominant force” (ibid). is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” (Revelation 13:4).
More recently “the European Union formally established a military This power will actually be in conflict with a union of forces to the
mission for Mozambique . . . to help train its armed forces battling south and will end up occupying significant parts of North Africa and the
IS-linked jihadists . . . The EU has several other training missions in Middle East. To learn more about all this, download or request our free
Africa, including in Mali, Central African Republic, and Somalia” (Tancrede study guides The Final Superpower and The Middle East in Bible Prophecy.
China’s hand on U.S., UK power grids, agriculture
A
disturbing article early this year noted that owners controlled about 192,000 agricultural For more on what Scripture reveals is coming,
“for years now, Chinese businesses have acres in the U.S., worth $1.9 billion, including download or request our free study guide The
been quietly positioned at the heart of land used for farming, ranching and forestry . . . United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy.
British infrastructure. Were a conflict to erupt, Still, that’s less than farmland owned by people
their employees could, willingly or otherwise, be from other nations like Canada and European
mobilized by Beijing . . . What could this mean in
practice? To put it simply . . . , President Xi Jinping
countries, which account for millions of acres each
. . . But it’s the trend of increasing purchase and
Al-Qaeda urges
could, at the flick of a button, turn off the lights
at 10 Downing Street—not to mention freeze
the buyer’s potential connections to the Chinese
government that have lawmakers spooked.” new U.S. attacks
A
Britain’s financial system and paralyse its hospi- Another article at AgWeb, titled “While Amer- t this 20th anniversary of 9/11, the
tals” (Clive Hamilton, “How China Could Turn Off ica Slept, China Stole the Farm,” points out that terror group Al-Qaeda remains active.
Britain’s Lights,” UnHerd, Jan. 25, 2021). “China has breached the inner walls of the U.S. And its proponents are encouraging
To some degree, America is similarly threat- agriculture industry in what has arguably been Islamic extremists in the West to take ad-
ened, as the title of a piece by RedState commen- the most expansive heist in farming history, and vantage of American civil unrest to conduct
is currently attempting to steal or hack every lone-wolf attacks.
conceivable facet of U.S. agriculture technology As reported by the Jewish Anti-Defama-
. . . Over the past decade, China has appropriated tion League (ADL), “on April 14, 2021, both
trillions of dollars in sophisticated U.S. technol- Al Qaeda and the pro-Al Qaeda propaganda
ogy, with a keen interest in the latest advances outlet Jaysh Al-Malahim Al-Electroni (Elec-
in the agriculture industry” (Chris Bennett, June tronic Battle Army) released magazines
8, 2021). that include articles about the cultural strife
Long ago, God told the Israelites that disobedi- in America and the West more broadly.
ence to Him would result in severe consequences The articles touched on . . . the deepen-
to help bring them to repentance. He warned: “I ing of American political divisions . . . [and]
will set My face against you, and you shall be de- portray the West as declining and divided
tator Nick Arama highlighted regarding a White feated by your enemies. Those who hate you shall . . . [One] gleefully predicts the imminent
House press secretary statement: “Jen Psaki’s An- reign over you” (Leviticus 26:17). collapse of America into civil war” (“Al Qaeda,
swer on Why Biden Suspended Rule Protecting US He said before this as a prelude, “You shall sow Supporters Advocate for Lone Actor Attacks
Power Grid From China Is Incredibly Concerning,” your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it” in the West,” May 10, 2021).
Jan. 26, 2021). (verse 16). And this situation would ultimately The other “says a lone wolf should choose
If the lights were indeed to go out for a sig- become much worse: “A nation whom you have a ‘massive chaotic protest,’ preferably at
nificant amount of time in multiple regions, with not known shall eat the fruit of your land and the night,” and recommends infiltrating the
electronics knocked out, these nations would be produce of your labor, and you shall be only op- crowds, car ramming and stirring up fights
in great calamity and peril. pressed and crushed continually” (Deuteronomy with police (Art Moore, “Bloodbath: Al-Qaida
As if that’s not cause enough for alarm, there 28:33). This would come most fully through inva- Urges ‘Lone Wolf’ Terrorists to Exploit U.S.
is also the matter of foreign takeover of territory, sion and conquest, as the Israelites suffered, yet Civil Unrest,” WND, April 18, 2021).
food production and technology. before this the nation ended up paying massive It further “offers a $60,000 Bitcoin bounty
A Politico headline reads: “China is buying tribute to foreign powers. to any extremist who kills a Jewish, Christian
up American farms. Washington wants to crack We will see the same terrible developments or atheist police officer in a Western coun-
down” (Ryan McCrimmon, July 19, 2021). As it in the years ahead. A rival foreign power today try” (ADL). As people within our society are
states: “Chinese firms have expanded their pres- taking over American farmland and technology turning on one another, enemies are watch-
ence in American agriculture over the last decade should serve as a wake-up call. As should its posi- ing for the opportunity to use that to their
by snapping up farmland and purchasing major tioning of itself in having some measure of control advantage and bring destruction on us all.
agribusinesses . . . By the start of 2020, Chinese over American and British electric power.
How can you make sense of the news?

So much is happening in the world, and so quickly. Where are today’s dramatic and dangerous
trends taking us? What does Bible prophecy reveal about our future? You’re probably very con-
cerned with the direction the world is heading. So are we. That’s one reason we produce the
Beyond Today daily TV commentaries—to help you understand the news in the light of Bible
prophecy. These eye-opening presentations offer you a perspective so badly needed in our
confused world—the perspective of God’s Word. Visit us at ucg.org/beyond-today/daily!
WORLD NEWS
& PROPHECY
20 Years After 9/11:

What Have We Learned?
The devastating attacks on the United States on 9/11 should

have led its people to learn critical lessons. But did they?
by Scott Ashley
I
t’s one of those days burned indelibly into our memo- enough accomplices to commandeer and pilot the 20 or
ries. For years afterward people would ask one another: more passenger jets they originally planned for.
Where were you on 9/11? Had this not happened, the United States of America
One American songwriter encapsulated the hor- might not exist today as we know it. Let that sink in.
ror and hopelessness of the day in the title of a song that Enemies hatched a plan to bring the world’s most power-
asked, “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turn- ful nation to its knees—armed only with box cutters.
ing?” A generation later, that’s the way many remember
that day—an unforgettable moment when it seemed the Lessons from the “War on Terror”
world stopped turning and forever changed. The “War on Terror” that quickly brought U.S.-led
Although it’s been 20 years, for many the memory invasions of the terror-supporting states of Afghanistan
remains raw, especially to the families of the nearly 3,000 and then Iraq brought swift results and was originally
Americans killed that day when Muslim terrorists flew almost universally supported. The Taliban regime fell, as
airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center did Saddam Hussein’s brutal dictatorship in Iraq. Neither
and the Pentagon, and another jet crashed into a field in stood much of a chance against allied Western nations’
Pennsylvania while apparently en route to obliterate the military might and advanced technology.
White House or U.S. Capitol Building. But the enthusiasm and excitement didn’t last long.
Only later, through interrogations of the operation’s While America could win the war, it couldn’t win the
captured mastermind, did U.S. intelligence learn that peace.
Hubert Boesl/picture-alliance/dpa/Newscom
their goal was to bring down the entire nation in a single Efforts to instill Western-style democracy and coop-
day by demolishing America’s centers of government, erative government found no foothold or fertile ground
military leadership and economic prosperity through among peoples who had never experienced anything of
targeted suicide attacks by 20 or more fuel- and hostage- the kind and whose leaders were often local warlords in
laden aircraft simultaneously crashing into key targets in a tribal culture, Islamic extremists, and thieving oppor-
major cities across the country. tunists. Rampant corruption swallowed up countless
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who crafted the plan with millions of dollars of Western funds that could have
Osama bin Laden, revealed that the terrorists had to helped modernize the nations and improve people’s living
settle for a scaled-back plot because growing pressure standards.
from international security agencies forced them to move Bloody insurgencies by fighters who easily blended
up their timetable, preventing them from bringing in into the local populations proved almost impossible to
defeat. Western troops could never be quite sure who the valuable lesson from Vietnam—that they didn’t need to
enemy was. And all too often, Afghan soldiers and police defeat America on the battlefield; they only needed to
who were being trained by American and other Western drag out the war until American popular opinion turned
coalition forces turned their guns on those same Western against it. They knew it would then be only a matter of
trainers in “insider attacks”—a term that became all too time before U.S. leadership would lose the will to fight
depressingly familiar as the casualties mounted. and pack up and leave.
The Iraqi and Afghan fighters, and other jihadists who One by one, America’s coalition partners learned
flooded in from all over the Muslim world, learned a the lesson too—and quietly withdrew from what they
“There Are Some Things America Needs to Learn!”

T
wenty years ago, in September 2001, the world recoiled in horror as ness in conduct—former bedrocks of society—are all but abandoned
militant al-Qaeda Islamists executed a carefully coordinated attack and constantly trending downward.
on New York City’s Twin Towers and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. During the same year as the Twin Towers catastrophe, the Netherlands
As millions looked on in live TV coverage, the 1,360-foot-high towers col- became the first nation to legalize same-sex marriages. Massachusetts
lapsed, with almost 3,000 innocent lives lost. One could only ask, “What followed suit three years later in 2004, leading the change throughout the
kind of wicked people could do such a thing?!” United States in the next decade.
Thousands of organizations and people immediately offered to help. Gender itself is being redefined, as there are now dozens of definitions
Through an international humanitarian organization I had founded a few for what is male and female in the United States. Society-destroying por-
years earlier, I was able to quickly build a network and assemble firefight- nography—a big driver of early Internet technology (including streaming
ing equipment, food and bottled water to supply relief workers in New video and digital photography transmission)—remains big business in
York City. Our network included a local major university in Indianapolis. America and tragically makes up much of the world’s Internet traffic.
One of the staff there who worked with foreign exchange students— When traveling around the world one quickly sees negative elements
several of them of the Muslim religion—offered to drive our humanitar- of American culture exported through movies, television and music.
ian donation to the Javits Center in downtown Manhattan, the staging American educational institutions have kicked God out of the class-
area for donated relief supplies. rooms. Under the guise of church and state legal principles, God’s presence
I found back then that the sentiment of the university students was and influence is increasingly stricken from our consciousness. A society-
almost wholly sympathetic to the victims of this evil deed and condemn- building belief in God has been replaced with godless undefined “science”
ing of the perpetrators. However, one of the whispers among the foreign and secular humanism where morality is considered relative.
students included this disturbing statement: “We decry what happened, The students helping to deliver aid to New York City 20 years ago per-
but there are some things America needs to learn!” haps didn’t think of these specific things, and they likely had some misper-
“What?” one may object. What are Americans supposed to learn? This ceptions, but they did recognize that the impact of what Americans say
statement seemed like an insult added to grievous injury at a most diffi- and do often stirs up resentment, then hatred. So much hatred exists that
cult time. I knew firsthand from my experience in providing humanitarian some radicals feel it’s justified to kill Americans.
aid that the people of the United States are often the first to step up with Here’s the irony: As many scholars attest, the American legal system
money, equipment and personnel. Americans—whether through private reflects the ancient laws God delivered to Israel. Moses declared: “Obey
or public efforts (including government resources)—have financed and them completely, and you will display your wisdom and intelligence
built countless hospitals, schools, canals, railroads, transportation systems among the surrounding nations. When they hear all these decrees, they
and much more. will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation!’
No doubt the student was missing some vital perspective. But here are For what great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is
some hard facts: While Americans do many wonderful things, they are also near to us whenever we call on him? And what great nation has decrees
resented, even despised, in many places on the earth. There are several and regulations as righteous and fair as this body of instructions that I am
reasons why—outright jealousy of the wealth and freedoms Americans giving you today?” (Deuteronomy 4:6-8, New Living Translation).
enjoy, but also Americans are seen as insensitive or wrongly motivated, Ancient Israel failed in this responsibility. Today Americans, who
though often through a distorted lens. Despite skewed assessments, have a great opportunity to be influencers, are failing as well. And just as
particularly from Islamic extremists, it's sadly true that America exports there were consequences for Israel long ago, so there are consequences for
corrupt values in culture, morality, entertainment and such to the world. Americans now and in the future.
Americans have been regarded as generous and noble, but there is a The prophets of old warned the people of Israel of impending doom for
troubling side that the world also sees. The United States is second only to persisting in disobedience. Israel could not hide behind hypocritical piety
China in the number of annual abortions, while Russia is third (most Latin and practice of perversion. Could the same happen again in these modern
American, Middle Eastern and African countries either restrict or prohibit times? Clearly, there are indeed things Americans need to learn. The crucial
abortion). Americans regularly flout traditional biblical definitions for question is, Will we learn them in time?
marriage and sex. The values of faithfulness in marriage and wholesome- —Victor Kubik
WORLD NEWS
& PROPHECY
increasingly saw as an unwinnable situation. for America. Reflecting, we try to make sense of what
makes no sense at all. How could these things happen?
The disturbing bottom line Most of today’s experts offer no real answers, but your
Although few are willing to admit it, the uncomfortable Bible does.
truth is that in withdrawing from Afghanistan, the United To begin to understand, we must first recognize who
States has lost another war. America is in Bible prophecy. Americans don’t know
One could even say America has lost two more wars, who they are. The stunning fact is that history and Bible
since in July U.S. President Joe Biden announced that U.S. prophecy reveal than the United States and the other ma-
troops, except for a small advisory force, would withdraw jor English-speaking nations of the world are descended
from Iraq by the end of the year. from ancient biblical Israel. The Bible is filled with many
So ends a long, painful chapter in U.S. military history. end-time prophecies of Israel that were never and cannot
The two conflicts killed or maimed more than 60,000 be fulfilled by the small Jewish state of that name in the
American servicemen and women. The financial toll is Middle East (the Jews there are descended primarily from
close to an estimated $6.4 trillion—more than total U.S. one of the 12 tribes of Israel—Judah).
government spending in any fiscal year until very recently. With this perspective, we can see that Bible prophecy
Afghanistan lived up to its reputation as “the graveyard tells us that America is a very sick nation. Foreseeing our
of empires”—having thwarted the forces of Alexander time, the prophet Isaiah wrote: “The whole head is sick,
the Great, the British Empire and the Soviet Union. Now and the whole heart faints. From the sole of the foot even
history will add the United States to that list. to the head, there is no soundness in it, but wounds and
So who are the winners? In Iraq, the big winner will bruises and putrefying sores” (Isaiah 1:5-6).
be Iran, which has worked largely behind the scenes to In Leviticus 26:19 God spells out the consequences of
provide weapons such as drones and improvised explo- the nation rejecting Him and disobeying His laws, which
sive devices (IEDs) that took many American lives. Iran were designed to bring blessings on a nation. “I will break
has steadily gained power in Iraq and will play a major the pride of your power,” He warns. Consider that for the
role in Iraq’s future. And in light of the recent Iran-China last 76 years since the end of World War II, the United
agreement by which China will buy vast amounts of Ira- States has been the world’s greatest military power. But
nian oil, which will in turn fuel Iran’s economy, look for that power has not brought a single lasting military victory!
China to also make major inroads in the vacuum left by Let that sink in!
America’s withdrawal. There is a reason for that and the many other problems
In Afghanistan, the Taliban are already capturing large that plague the United States today! Reading from that
swaths of territory as Afghan soldiers flee or join what is same chapter, God tells us: “If you do not obey Me, and
now viewed as the winning side. Afghanistan will likely do not observe all these commandments . . . I also will do
soon revert to what it was just before 9/11—a funda- this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, wasting
mentalist Islamic state indistinguishable from Islam in disease and fever . . . I will set My face against you, and
its early years, only now armed with much more modern you shall be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate
weapons and capable of exporting terror far beyond its you shall reign over you . . .” (verses 14, 16-17). The chap-
borders. ter goes on to list many other curses, as does its compan-
ion chapter, Deuteronomy 28. It’s sobering reading—as
The all-important biblical perspective it’s meant to be.
The sad reality is that the United States has not truly To get the whole picture, be sure to read the eye-opening
won a significant war since World War II, more than 75 study guide offered below. Our mission with Beyond Today
years ago. Korea ended with an uneasy truce and a regime is to help you understand where this world is heading and
that now threatens its neighbors with nuclear-armed why—and what you can and should do about it. We pray
missiles. Vietnam was a humiliating defeat. The first Gulf that you will have eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to
War was an initial victory, but it left the Saddam Hussein act on what your Creator says!
dictatorship in power, leading to a second war a decade
later and, after 20 years, Iraqi demands that America, LEARN MORE
being unwelcome, must leave. You cannot make sense of the world and Bible
And then there was Afghanistan, where the world’s most prophecy without understanding who the play-
powerful military force couldn’t decisively defeat fighters ers are, especially the major English-speaking
living in caves whose most powerful weapons were AK-47s nations. Download or request your free copy of
The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy
and roadside bombs (read more in “America’s Uncertain to begin to make sense of your world!
Future” on page 3). BTmagazine.org/booklets
Now, 20 years after 9/11, the pain remains a raw wound
EXPLORING
GOD’S WORD
God’s Great Reset:
How It Will Change the World!

We’ve been hearing news of a coming “Great Reset” being planned by world leaders. And make no
mistake, that is in the works. But a far greater reset is coming from God—and it will transform everything!
by Michael Kelley
A
new phrase has entered the Schwab pointed to the pandemic as is increasing socialism, if not out-
English lexicon over the a global inflection point that offersright Marxism.
past year: the Great Reset. world leaders and economic theo- In looking at their intentions it
With ominous implications rists the opportunity to remake the becomes plain that this is what they
for America and the entire Western world’s economic structure. The are seeking. A WEF-sponsored
world, its many provisions would, if WEF website states: “The pandemic social media ad for the Great Reset,
enacted, change our lives in ways most represents a rare but narrow window offering happy predictions for 2030,
of us have never dreamed of. A new of opportunity . . . to reflect, reimag-
declared: “You’ll own nothing. And
philosophy for reordering the world’s ine and reset our world” (emphasis you’ll be happy.” It further exulted:
economic structure, the Great Reset added throughout). “The US won’t be the world’s leading
would change how we work, how we Canadian Prime Minister Justin superpower. A handful of countries
educate our children, how we save and Trudeau echoed that statement: “This will dominate.”
invest. It would change concepts of pandemic has provided an oppor- Indeed, this socialist/Marxist plan
government, calling the relevance of tunity for a reset . . . our chance to
would change the economic balance
nation-states into question. accelerate our pre-pandemic efforts between the United States and the
Though many global elites sub- to reimagine economic systems.” rest of the world. Enacting its goals
Boonyachoat/iStock/Getty Images Plus
scribe to its ideas and concepts, the and aims would relegate the United
current push for this Great Reset has A reimagining to what? States, the beacon of democracy and
emerged from the World Economic But notice something here. If freedom since World War II, to sec-
Forum (WEF). This international these two leaders who’ve lived under ondary power status. America would
conclave, which typically meets in Western capitalist systems want to no longer be seen as the leader of the
Davos, Switzerland, envisions a reor- “reimagine” them, what are they free world, but as a cow to be milked
dered, “better” world rising from the seeking? Obviously something quite of much of its wealth and power that
aftermath of the death and economic different. And the preferred econom- would be redistributed to supposedly
hardship of the Covid-19 pandemic. ic flavor of the day among Western equalize income and wealth among
In 2020 WEF founder Klaus intelligentsia and government elites all citizens of the world.
EXPLORING
GOD’S WORD
But the “reset” would not apply to

only the United States. Free-market
capitalism would cease to exist.
Nations would largely surrender to
a central authority the power to for-
mulate their own economic policies
and goals. Central banks in indi-
vidual nations, if they continued to
exist at all, would be stripped of the
power to regulate their currencies
and influence interest rates. All such
power would be ceded to an interna-
tional body of economic policymak-
ers with transnational aims.
This would all come at the price reveals that the world’s governmen- of the Bible’s most-quoted prophecies
of national and much individual tal, economic and social structures is Isaiah 2:4: “He shall judge between
freedom. Nations are being groomed will be reset for a time in a satanic, the nations, and rebuke many peo-
to willingly turn over power to the power-mad system that will crush the ples. They shall beat their swords into
dictates of transnational government. United States, Great Britain and other plowshares, and their spears into
The reset’s planners realize it might English-speaking nations, while pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift
take a catastrophic event, such as the subjugating billions. Revelation 17 up sword against nation, neither shall
breakdown of America’s financial sys- reveals the coming of such a system they learn war anymore.”
tem, to bring about the desired reor- that will control the world’s monetary Armies, militias, “international
dering of the world monetary system. system and commerce just before peacekeeping forces,” all will be only
Since the start of the pandemic a year the return of Jesus Christ. (To learn memories. The nations of the world
and a half ago, the Federal Reserve more, see “The ‘Great Reset’: Where will cease spending large percentages
has created nearly $3 trillion out of Will It Lead?” beginning on page 4.) of their national wealth to sustain
thin air, exploding the money supply. But the good news is that another standing armies.
The White House and Congressional great reset will shortly follow. That For the first time in history, the
leaders are working on plans to spend reset, to be carried out at Jesus earth and its people will experi-
at least that much more. Christ’s return to earth, is as certain ence peace. As they look around the
Could resulting runaway inflation as the rising and setting of the sun. smoldering remains of their cities and
that would destroy the value of the It will be brought about by One who nations, the world’s remaining popula-
dollar be the catalyst reset planners are has the absolute, unfettered power to tion will work together under Christ’s
waiting for? The destruction of the dol- bring it to pass! God’s great reset willdirection to rebuild a world of beauty
lar, the world’s foremost currency since bear almost no resemblance to what and splendor never seen before.
the 1930s, might allow the replacement the world’s elites have in mind! If this was all that God’s great reset
of our present financial system with accomplished, it would be the great-
one the elites would perhaps claim to An end to war est blessing in human history. The
be fairer and more inclusive. Your Bible reveals that Christ’s sec- good news, however, is that the estab-
There can be little doubt that the ond coming will occur at a time of lishment of lasting worldwide peace
intent of the global elites is control worldwide chaos and warfare. Noth- is just the beginning of the story.
Photos, from left: vicnt/123RF, kotenko/123RF
—control of nations, economic ing has been a greater scourge on

systems and virtually every aspect civilization than war and the threat Restoration of sound government
of people’s lives. The coordination of of war. Recorded history chronicles and blessing
governments and “big tech” social more than 15,000 significant human Along with disarming the nations,
media giants to censor and “cancel” conflicts that have taken the lives Christ’s great reset will involve
dissenting views shows that efforts of hundreds of millions of human extending His government over all
to control what people think is alive beings. The 20th century alone wit- nations. Having absolute power, He
and well. nessed wars that caused the death of will enforce His policies, not being
more than 100 million people. burdened with having to reach con-
Another great reset is coming
The early stages of God’s reset sensus among the world’s political
Students of Bible prophecy should include putting down all resistance to leaders. Utopians for centuries have
not be surprised by these events. It His rule and then abolishing war. One realized true peace can come only
with one world government, but not His great reset, on the world’s people reset, knowledge of Him and His way
one run by fallible human beings to rescue them and help them at last will permeate society “as the waters
motivated by selfishness and lust for choose rightly. cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk
power. History has shown our utter The Bible gives us tremendous 2:14; compare Jeremiah 31:34).
incapability of ruling ourselves. hope in telling us of this declaration
Enlightened leaders have sought yet to come: “The kingdom of the True justice and the ultimate
peace and prosperity since the dawn world has become the kingdom of our solution to crime
of history, but these outcomes have Lord of his Christ, and he shall reign The 20th century, especially in the
always eluded their grasp. God’s forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15, period after World War II, saw major
great reset will bring about world English Standard Version). Try to shifts in the balance of criminal and
conditions that enlightened thinkers imagine what this rule will lead to. victim rights in most nations of the
and world leaders can only imagine. There will be no more war. There Western world. Criminal justice has
Why has it been this way? Mankind largely shifted from the punishment
will be perfect justice and racial har-
has always rejected the way of life that mony. People universally will enjoy of criminals and restitution being
made to victims to the coddling of
God’s reset will bring the abolition of war! criminals. Courts increasingly turn
However, this lasting worldwide peace is even violent criminals back out on
the streets with little more than a
only the beginning of the wonderful story. slap on the wrist. In the name of
“social justice,” society turns a blind
eye to rioting in our cities, allowing
those who loot, burn and vandalize
to go unpunished.
Believe it or not, this was all fore-
seen thousands of years ago. The
prophet Ezekiel was inspired to pro-
nounce, “The land is full of bloodshed,
and the city full of injustice” (Ezekiel
9:9). The prophet Isaiah similarly
lamented, “Justice is turned back, and
righteousness stands afar off, for truth
is fallen in the street” (Isaiah 59:14).
How prophetic for our time now!
God’s reset will change all of this.
His government, administered on
earth by Jesus Christ, will usher in
true justice and fairness in society.
Gone forever will be victims not
would bring sound government. That good health. Addictions will cease. only of crime, but of flawed criminal
way can be summarized as living in Strong, happy families will become justice systems that too often fail to
obedience to the law of God. the basic units of society. Earth will give them justice.
God created human beings with be restored to its original beauty, free It will start with the fact that most
freedom of choice. For more than of environmental degradation. crimes will not be allowed to take place.
6,000 years of recorded human histo- The chaos and evil of today’s world Harmful acts will be prevented from
ry, our own stubbornness and resis- should make us yearn deeply for happening. “They shall not hurt nor
tance to God’s authority has always God’s great reset. It will be a world of destroy in all My holy mountain” (Isaiah
led mankind to choose to follow peace, where even the natures of wild 11:9). Would-be perpetrators will be
Satan the devil in going the wrong beasts will be changed and children prompted not even to try to carry out
way. The time is coming, however, will play safely in the streets, not fear- their evil actions: “Your ears shall hear
when mankind will no longer choose ful of being shot, as so tragically hap- a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the
its own governmental structure pens in our major cities today (Isaiah way, walk in it’” (Isaiah 30:21).
under the influence of Satan. Jesus 11:6-9; Zechariah 8:5). It will be a
Christ, at His return, will impose world of abundance (Isaiah 25:6; 35:1- The family again at center place
His perfect one-world government, 2; Amos 9:13). During God’s great For nearly all of recorded history,
EXPLORING
GOD’S WORD
the family has been considered the cornerstone of soci- intervention with miracles to heal (Isaiah 35:5-6).
ety. The ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks and
Romans all recognized the importance of stable families You have a choice!
in forming solid, well-ordered citizens. For centuries, God’s great reset will change everything—starting
and in virtually all nations, this held true. with an outward takeover of the nations but then pro-
The Great Reset envisioned by today’s globalist elites, ceeding to transform people within, to literally change
however, deemphasizes the importance of the family. hearts and minds. Only God is capable of doing this.
Parents, they think, cannot be trusted to instill the val- When Jesus Christ returns to earth, He will have all
ues and attitudes the state wants in a compliant citizenry. power and authority. No force on earth, not even the
Already we see the opening salvos of this in the growing combined forces of the world’s nuclear-armed militaries,
pressure by elites to push Critical Race Theory and other will be able to resist His conquest and reign. Accompa-
warped social dogma. nied by His resurrected saints from this age, Christ will
Across America, we see education giving way to indoc- have power the likes of which the world has never seen.
trination. The history of a nation God has blessed and He will put down all opposition in spite of mankind’s
used to bless the entire world is distorted to denounce it final, last-ditch effort to resist His rule (see Revelation
as fundamentally and irredeemably racist. U.S. efforts to 17:14; 19:14-21).
help other nations are recast as acts of racism, colonial- He will change the world through exercising leader-
ism and imperialism. ship through the multitude of His resurrected followers
In God’s society, truth will prevail. All will gain who will hold key positions in His great reset govern-
proper perspective of the importance of families and ment. These resurrected followers will work with Christ
right values. to reestablish the government of God on the earth, a
government that will have as its constitution the Word
An end to disease of God—the Bible. He will grant repentance and pour
Disease epidemics have ravaged humanity throughout His Spirit, leading all to understand and live by His
out history. The recent Covid pandemic has taken a laws, helping them to choose right and remain faithful.
great many lives. We see additional tens of thousands Contrast God’s great reset with the satanic plans of
dying from the loneliness, isolation and mental corrupt human beings. The “Great Reset” planned by
health problems resulting from the unprecedented human political and economic leaders will result in tyr-
worldwide lockdowns enacted by governments across anny over peoples’ lives. The ruling cabal will be led by
the world. an evil dictator under Satan’s influence whom the Bible
Scarcely a century earlier in 1918 and 1919 the Span- calls “the Beast” (Revelation 19:20).
ish flu epidemic took the lives of more than 50 million Conversely, God’s great reset will bring the righteous
worldwide, with nearly 500,000 in the United States rule of His government, with the wisdom and power to
alone. In our modern times we might think we have establish lasting peace, true justice, right education, uni-
gained mastery over these horrible epidemics, but that’s versal good health, love and good will in human hearts
clearly not the case. and minds and real harmony among all people.
Despite medical breakthroughs that occur on an No doubt we will hear more about man’s version of the
almost daily basis, millions still die from such ravages. Great Reset in the months to come. Powerful forces in
Communicable diseases take an estimated 25-27 million many nations believe strongly that it represents a gigan-
lives each year. tic leap forward in human progress. Your Bible indicates
And heart attacks, strokes and other forms of heart it will come to pass. But we are also warned: “Come out
disease, formerly considered diseases of only the wealth- of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you
ier nations, are increasing rapidly in the developing receive of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4).
world, having become the three main killers worldwide. The choice is yours. Be part of the greater reset by
Until a couple decades ago these were almost unknown accepting the rule of God in your life today!
in India, China, Indonesia and other nations whose
living standards are rising. LEARN MORE
Sickness is an unnatural situation, and it is our Cre- The Bible contains many prophecies of the
ator’s intent that people be healthy. While He may have transformed and renewed world that will
it take some time, disease will be eradicated under God’s come to pass when Jesus Christ returns to
reset. reign on earth. To learn more, download or
request our study guide The Gospel of the
As people are instructed in right eating, personal hygiene Kingdom. A free copy is waiting for you!
and cleanliness, being freed from the ravages of stress, they BTmagazine.org/booklets
will live longer and happier lives—besides God’s direct
Do You Know About
the Holy Days Jesus Kept?
Did you realize that the Bible contains exciting knowledge that is rarely
noticed? It has everything to do with God’s marvelous plan for humanity
revealed through the biblical festivals that Jesus Christ Himself observed.
by John LaBissoniere
W
hen I grew up attending a mainstream it apart as holy time (Genesis 2:1-3; Mark 2:28). In doing
Christian church I simply assumed that so He commanded all people to observe the weekly
what I had been taught was correct. How- Sabbath by resting from their labors (Exodus 31:13-17;
ever, in my early 20s I was challenged to Hebrews 4:1-11). In addition to pointing to the true God
compare my beliefs with the Bible’s teachings. When of creation, the Sabbath looks forward to the future
studying holidays like Christmas and Easter and return of Jesus Christ to establish the Kingdom of God
many other subjects, I was shocked to discover major, on earth, bringing humanity relief and rest from evil,
glaring conflicts with my church’s age-old doctrines contention and suffering.
and traditions. They simply didn’t agree with the Bible’s It is important to note that Jesus diligently observed
instruction. the Sabbath (Luke 4:16, 31; 13:10; Mark 6:2), as did the
In examining what the Bible actually revealed, I was apostles and other members of His early Church (Acts
introduced to something marvelous—that God had 13:14-44; 15:20-21; 17:1-3, 18:4). Their example is one
instituted an exciting, step-by-step plan for the future everyone should follow today.
of mankind. This amazing blueprint is revealed in the
seamless panorama of the seventh-day Sabbath and The Passover
the Bible’s seven annual festivals (see Deuteronomy Passover memorializes the miraculous event by which
5:12-14; Leviticus 23:1-44). While each one of these has God broke the bonds of ancient Israel’s enslavement in
unique features, they all interact and align perfectly to Egypt. On the first Passover evening a lamb was slain,
illuminate God’s plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. roasted and eaten in each Israelite household. The lamb’s
Furthermore, I learned that Jesus Himself faithfully blood was placed on the lintel and doorposts of their
observed the Sabbath and these festivals throughout His homes as a sign of God’s protection from the plague of
entire earthly life—leaving an example for everyone to death upon Egypt’s firstborn (Exodus 12:12-13).
follow (1 John 2:6). Scripture reveals that the lambs symbolized Jesus
So are you up for a challenge—one that may conflict Christ as the future sacrificial “Lamb of God who takes
with some of your beliefs and yet can show you the path- away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). He did this by
way to tremendous spiritual insight and incredible hope? willingly dying, His blood shed so that every person
If so, join me on a brief journey through Holy Scripture could be spared from eternal spiritual death (Matthew
to discover what it says about God’s great plan of salva- 26:28; Romans 5:20-21). At the Passover observance with
tion as illustrated through the biblical festivals Jesus His disciples the night before His death, Jesus shared the
observed. These include Passover, the Feast of Unleav- symbols of unleavened bread and wine as representing
ened Bread, Pentecost, the Feast of Trumpets, the Day of His sinless body and His blood poured out to cleanse all
Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles and the Eighth Day. those who repent of their sins (Ephesians 1:7; 1 John 1:7).
While some people label these observances as merely Jesus had been observing the Passover throughout His
“Jewish,” God in fact declares, “These are My feasts” human life. “His parents went to Jerusalem every year at
(Leviticus 23:2, emphasis added throughout). the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years
old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom
The weekly Sabbath day of the feast” (Luke 2:41-42). At age 30, when Jesus began
God established the seven-day weekly cycle at the time His earthly ministry, He was still observing it as He
of creation when He “rested on the seventh day” and set always had: “Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand,
EXPLORING
GOD’S WORD
and Jesus went up to Jerusalem” (John 2:13). (It’s termed

“the Passover of the Jews” here since the Jews observed it The Truth About
while gentiles did not.)
Then later, as noted above, He observed the Passover at
Christmas and Easter
M
the time of His sacrificial death (Matthew 26:17-19). Plus, any people assume that Christmas and Easter originate in
it’s important to note that more than two decades later, the Bible. But the fact is, Christian observance of these days
the apostles and other members of His Church were still is found nowhere in Scripture. (There is one place where
observing the Passover (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). Passover is incorrectly translated “Easter” in Acts 12:4 in the King
James Version.)
The Feast of Unleavened Bread Actually, Christmas and Easter emerged from ancient festivals
Returning to the story of ancient Israel, the Bible honoring pagan gods. James Hastings, editor of The Encyclopedia of
explains that the morning after the Passover, the Israelites Religion and Ethics, wrote, “Most of the Christmas customs . . . are
began to gather in preparation for hastily leaving Egypt not genuine Christian customs, but heathen customs which have been
that evening. At that time “they baked unleavened cakes absorbed or tolerated by the Church” (1910, Vol. 3, p. 608, emphasis
of the dough . . . because they were driven out of Egypt added throughout).
and could not wait, nor had they prepared provisions for Regarding Easter, Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and
themselves” (Exodus 12:39). New Testament Words states: “The term ‘Easter’ is not of Christian
God told the Israelites to observe the seven-day Feast origin. It is another form of Astarte, one of the titles of the Chaldean
of Unleavened Bread each year as a reminder that He goddess, the queen of heaven. ‘Easter’ was . . . introduced into the
freed them from terrible bondage (Leviticus 23:5-8). apostate Western religion, as part of the attempt to adapt pagan
This is emblematic of our redemption from the spiritual
festivals to Christianity” (1985).
When challenged by such statements, many professing Christians
slavery of sin through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice. Unleav-
might justify continuing in these observances by saying, “Shouldn’t
ened bread is symbolic of Jesus’ life, unblemished by
we be able to worship God any way we choose?” The answer is no, for
sin, which all people must strive to imitate. Jesus Christ,
God said not to worship Him with pagan religious customs (Deuter-
the Bread of Life (John 6:33, 35, 48, 51), is at the center
onomy 12:29-32; Jeremiah 10:2).
of this festival—as He is in all of God’s Holy Days. He The truth is, God has already decided how He wants to be wor-
personally observed this feast, as did the apostles and shipped, which is by means of His own holy festivals. Otherwise, as
the Church—then and now (Acts 20:6; 1 Corinthians Jesus said, “In vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the com-
5:6-8). mandments of men” (Matthew 15:9). Furthermore, He explained
The Feast of Pentecost that “true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth”
(John 4:23).
The Bible shows that God spoke the Ten Command- So how about you? Are you worshipping God as He directs? If not,
ments to the Israelites at Mount Sinai about the time isn’t now the time to start?
of Pentecost (Jewish tradition holding that this was the
exact day). God at that time made a covenant with them,
stating that after they agreed to its terms they would “be transformation that God provides through the power of
a special treasure” to Him (Exodus 19:1-8). His Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5; 2 Corinthians 6:6; 13:14).
This relationship was a forerunner to a far more mean-
ingful one involving Christ’s disciples on a later Day of The Feast of Trumpets
Pentecost. “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, In Scripture, trumpets—whether metal instruments
they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly or rams’ horns—were employed for important purposes
there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty including calling people to assemble (Numbers 10:1-
wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sit- 10), an alarm of impending war (Jeremiah 4:19) and the
ting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as proclamation of a king’s coronation (1 Kings 1:39-40).
of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all Trumpets were also blown to announce the beginning of
filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:1-4). the Feast of Trumpets—the first of four Holy Days of the
This defining moment not only marked the birth of fall harvest season (Leviticus 23:24).
the New Testament Church but began fulfilling God’s The weighty characteristic of the Feast of Trumpets
promise to make a new covenant with faithful disciples is its vital connection to biblical prophecy of a great,
by writing His laws on their hearts and minds (Ezekiel future trumpet blast announcing the turning point in all
36:26-27; Jeremiah 31:31-33). The members of God’s of human history—the second coming of Jesus Christ!
Church today follow the example of Jesus and His early (Revelation 19:16).
disciples in observing this Holy Day (Acts 20:16). By It also reminds us of another key event that will occur
doing so they are reminded of the hope, joy and divine when that trumpet sounds—the resurrection of Christ’s
faithful followers: “For the Lord Himself will descend 1 Corinthians 10:4; Leviticus 23:42-43).
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, Just as Jesus personally kept the Feast of Tabernacles,
and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ His present-day disciples do the same (John 7:2-14).
will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall Furthermore, this seven-day festival, which begins with
be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet an annual Holy Day (Leviticus 23:34-35), pictures the
the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with coming time when Christ will dwell with man on earth
the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; see also Job 14:14-15; (Romans 11:26). And Jesus will reign on earth for a thou-
Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 15:50-55). sand years as King of Kings (Revelation 19:16; 20:4, 6).
When Jesus walked the earth as a man He observed During that magnificent future age, all people will not
the Feast of Trumpets, and on His return at the sound only learn God’s ways but will experience extraordinary
of the great trumpet He will fulfill its meaning by taking peace and prosperity, while being brought into a close
over the rule of this world and ushering God’s spirit- relationship with their Creator (Isaiah 11:9-10).
born sons and daughters into His glorious Kingdom
and family (Isaiah 52:7; 1 Corinthians 15:51). This is why The Eighth Day
God’s people today keep this Holy Day and all of His The Eighth Day immediately follows the seven-day
festivals to fully comprehend and deeply appreciate His Feast of Tabernacles and adds an intensely exciting ele-
marvelous plan of salvation! ment to God’s perfect plan. It reveals that Jesus Christ
will complete His great harvest of human beings by
The Day of Atonement raising from the dead all people who had never heard
The Bible explains that Satan is a real spirit being who about Him or learned and lived God’s way of life! All of
possesses immense power to deceive people and influ- these resurrected people, raised to temporary physical
ence them to disobey God’s commandments—resulting life again, will be given the opportunity for salvation
in terrible suffering and anguish (Revelation 12:9; Ephe- and eternal life (see Ezekiel 37:1-14; Romans 11:25-27;
sians 2:2; 1 Peter 5:8). Revelation 20:11-13).
The Day of Atonement, observed with fasting, pic- Again, as with the Sabbath and the other Holy Days,
tures a marvelous time when, shortly after Jesus Christ’s Jesus Christ observed this Eighth Day, as the people of
second coming, Satan the devil and his demons will be His true Church also do today.
bound for 1,000 years (Leviticus 16:20-22, 29-30). The In summary, God’s amazing plan for humanity is
apostle John describes this in Revelation 20:1-2: “Then I revealed in the marvelous panorama of the weekly
saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key seventh-day Sabbath and His seven annual festivals—
to the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. He all of which interrelate to light the pathway to salvation
laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the through Jesus Christ. As was noted, Jesus obediently
Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.” observed each festival during His earthly ministry. In
With Satan’s poisonous influence severed, Jesus will doing so He left an example for His disciples to imitate
begin removing humanity’s spiritual blindness (2 Cor- so they could understand God’s loving plan of salvation.
inthians 4:3-4) so that in due time, “the earth will be In fact, thousands of people from around the world gath-
filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as er in many locations to keep God’s festivals each year.
the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14). Addition- What does this mean for you? Will you carefully
ally, the Day of Atonement reveals that Jesus Christ’s consider what you’ve read here and study it on your own
atoning sacrifice will ultimately be made available to all with the aim of growing in spiritual understanding? If
people for the cleansing of their sins, giving everyone the so, and if you follow Jesus’ example of keeping the Sab-
opportunity to obtain salvation (John 3:17). bath and festivals of the Bible, it can lead you to experi-
ence tremendous joy and peace in knowing God and His
The Feast of Tabernacles awesome plan for you and all people. We hope and pray
The first time the Feast of Tabernacles is mentioned you are up for the challenge!
in Scripture it is referred to as the Feast of Ingathering
(Exodus 23:16). In ancient Israel, this was a great fall LEARN MORE
harvest festival where the people rejoiced together Would you like to worship God in the same
while thanking God for His blessings of prosperity and way Jesus and the early Church did? Why not
protection (Deuteronomy 12:10-12). During the seven- start by worshipping on the same biblical Holy
day festival the people dwelt in temporary shelters made Days they celebrated? Download or request
our free study guide God’s Holy Day Plan: The
from branches of trees. This was to remind them that Promise of Hope for All Mankind to learn more.
God dwelt with and sustained them throughout their BTmagazine.org/booklets
40-year wandering in the wilderness (Exodus 25:8-9;
THE BIBLE
AND YOU
Gain From
God’s Perspective
We need a higher vantage point to understand the full context of our own
lives and the whole human story. We’ll then see that even amid life’s difficulties
a great plan and purpose is being worked out—toward a wondrous future with God.
by Victor Kubik
A
large and respected investment firm advertises, Psalm 8:3-4: “When I consider Your heavens, the work
“Gain From Our Perspective,” assuring clients of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have
of help in achieving financial goals. The firm’s ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and
experts know and see things customers may the son of man that You visit [or attend to] him?”
not. Their perspective reflects years of investing experi- When I was a teenager I pondered similar thoughts.
ence, seeing a bigger picture of what techniques and I wondered about what happened after death. Would I
practices are necessary for success and prosperity. They cease to exist? I thought long and hard about these ques-
offer customers guidance toward this end, helping to tions many a night in bed when it was quiet. It was very
keep them from financial ruin. troubling. But through the pages of the Bible, God gave
The slogan “Gain From Our Perspective” intrigued me an awesome perspective. I embraced that marvelous
me because this principle can be applied to a far more and sure perspective, and it has brought great things to
valuable and lasting venture than merely making my life. I want to share with you some thoughts about
money. Consider: What if we could have a clearer view having this perspective.
of life that solidly reveals who we are, where we came
from, what is ahead for us and how we will get there? God wants us to see, but there are hindrances
Wouldn’t you like to hear from One who has been alive A fact sometimes overlooked is that our Creator
through all time, who designed and created all that is, God, our divine Parent, intended that we come to
whose extraordinary perspective encompasses all, seeing understand the meaning of our existence. He wants us
so many things that we don’t? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to to see what He is doing with and for all mankind,
truly find out how it all works—learning this from a lov- including you personally. But this insight does not come
ing, all-powerful God who wants us to gain from it all? through intellect alone, or secular philosophers would
Many would jump at this chance. The question then have found the truth and agreed on it by now. The world’s
becomes: Can we tap into and experience this? Many most erudite thinkers cannot see the meaning of life. It’s
have searched, conjectured and devised various philoso- presently hidden from them even though it’s right in front
phies and founded many religions that claim to offer of them. Yet it’s not entirely their fault for not seeing it.
enlightenment. Many others are clueless regarding these The problem with perception is mostly one of obstruc-
questions and are left in darkness and ignorance. tions and mental barriers. This means that once the
At first, we may feel too overwhelmed to give this obstacles are removed, an entire world of design, a rela-
more thought. We may find it challenging to choose any tionship with God and the profound meaning of life can
particular line of thinking about life’s meaning. After all, come into clear focus.
many have already explored this. Who, one may think, Here’s the backstory: Jesus Christ came preaching the
can stand against the accumulated knowledge of a legion gospel of the Kingdom of God. This gospel (the Greek
of thinkers and clerics? The answer, as we will see, is word here literally means “good message” or “good
both surprising and satisfying. news”) addresses the big questions of life—concerning
Questions about life’s meaning are timeless. Some God, man, the relationship between God and man, and
3,000 years ago King David recorded the apparent insig- our eternal future.
nificance of human beings when contrasted with the When Jesus preached in the ancient towns of Chora-
majestic vastness of the night sky. As a shepherd before zin and Bethsaida in northern Galilee, He was met with
becoming royalty, David had spent many nights gazing closed minds and resistance. In His prayer to His Father
at the stars above. Notice how he framed his thoughts in in heaven, Jesus made a remarkable statement: “I thank
You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have and purpose of life is one called the ruler of this world
hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have and god of this age, Satan the devil, who has tampered
revealed them to babes” (Matthew 11:25, emphasis added with people’s perceptions, blinding their eyes and minds
throughout). so they cannot see. Again writing to the Corinthians,
Paul declared:
We must become as little children “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those
Jesus gave us an important key here to grasping these who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has
precious truths about our future. Understanding the blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel
Kingdom of God comes first to those who are like babes— of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should
like little children. Jesus underlined this in His ministry shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but
when little children were brought to Him to be blessed: Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants
“Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light
them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to
to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the
a little child will by no means enter it” (Mark 10:14-15). face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:3-6).
His point is that we must be ready to receive this truth Our vision may also be limited because we see or con-
in a trusting and humble attitude, being approachable sider only what is close by and immediate. We naturally
and teachable. may not see what God sees because we don’t look beyond
We see, then, that God’s message of His Kingdom is our immediate surroundings. Just as we may have
largely hidden to the world’s great thinkers, even to some known, in our early years, little more than our famil-
who claim to be great theologians. But it is comprehen- iar physical neighborhood, we may not perceive much
sible to those who have a child-parent relationship with beyond what we’ve grown up learning and experiencing.
their Creator. This relationship is built on love, obedi- So what about our personal perspective? Our early
ence, respect and humility, which is within every human memories probably center on our parents. We remem-
being’s ability to a degree. It’s in this mental environ- ber the home we grew up in. We remember the people
ment that understanding and perspective are established. around us and how we related to them. We believed
The good news of Jesus Christ and God’s Kingdom was much of what people around us thought, this still influ-
intended to eventually be understood by everyone—by encing our thinking while we ventured on to our own
the poor, the rich, the well-educated and the illiterate. views. It’s important to recognize that our initial concept
The apostle Paul reminds the Christians in Corinth of God, or lack of it, was derived from those around us.
about the kind of people God typically leads to see and We also learned about evil and had experience of it.
understand His sacred truths: As we grow older our perspectives broaden. We
“For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise increasingly gain more understanding about the world
according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, around us. Through curiosity and education, we become
are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the aware of our city, state, country and the world. This
world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen same curiosity simultaneously extends to thoughts of
the weak things of the world to put to shame the things being, helping to form our human understanding of our
which are mighty; and the base things of the world and existence and matters of life’s meaning.
the things which are despised God has chosen, and the
things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that The source for answers and needed perspective
are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. This leads to some critical questions: Why were we
“But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for born? Is there a reason, a purpose, for human existence?
us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctifica- Where did we come from? Is this physical life all there
tion and redemption—that, as it is written, ‘He who glo- is? Does my life have a purpose? Can we see a purpose
ries, let him glory in the Lord’” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31). for our own life with its ups and downs, a mixture of
Once the vision is clear, a fantastic panoramic mural joys and sorrows? Do we sense lasting value in its toil,
spanning from man’s prehistoric roots to everlasting challenges and uncertainties?
glory unfolds. It is meaningfully tied together, show- Grasping the answers to these important questions
ing God’s meticulous plan for humanity created in His takes more than speculation and reason. It takes revela-
image and likeness to exist in a family relationship with tion, a shining guiding light to see all this—a “light to
Him forever. shine out of darkness”!
Where can we as human beings find the answers we seek?
The enemy’s deceptions and human shortsightedness The only overwhelmingly authoritative source that has stood
Another factor in people not seeing the greater picture the test of time and scrutiny is the Bible, which has been
THE BIBLE
AND YOU
amazingly and accurately preserved. It was written by more As we now strive to gain from God’s perspective, let’s
than 40 authors over a span of 1,500 years. In and of itself it look at the Bible, His Word, as a book that gives us a
is a chronicle of centuries of human experience. If we look to much bigger and highly useful perspective from which
it with respect and humility, we will see design, fulfillment, we can gain immeasurably.
purpose and lessons that give us perspective stretching across
all time—from before the creation of the universe to far into Zooming out to see the whole story
the future. Some find the Bible a challenge to comprehend. If you
So then, what is the story God is trying to tell us? were to turn to random sections of it, you would dis-
What does He see that we don’t? cover biographical and historical accounts, some that are
To understand anything more fully, we have to see it violent and seemingly bizarre. You will read of murder,
from a different and broader view. The best view is from polygamy, war, slavery, idolatry, genocide and other evils.
high above, where you can see it all and comprehend its Seeing these as isolated events can make us wonder about
fullness. If we were to explain the geography of the earth the purpose of recounting some of these happenings.
from just knowing our
neighborhood, that would God has been working out a marvelous plan. A
be very inadequate.
Many have used Google long, thoughtful and loving story has been unfold-
Earth, a computer pro- ing right alongside the pain of human drama.
gram with satellite,
ground-level and computer-generated imagery that But here’s the key: By zooming out and seeing the
allows users to view and virtually navigate through cities entire human experience from a higher perch, the
and landscapes around the world. We can begin with overall story of man’s experience as narrated in the Bible
our local neighborhood, showing our streets and even begins to paint an indelible picture filled with meaning.
our own home. The story of man begins in the Garden of Eden. The
We can then quickly zoom out and see more of what book of Genesis describes two remarkable trees in this
we’re part of. We begin to see the shape of our state. garden—the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of
Zoom out farther and we can see our entire country. Still good and evil. God created human beings in His image
farther and we can see the curvature of the earth, and as and likeness (Genesis 1:27), intending them to be in His
we reach the limit of this program, we’ll see the earth as family forever. He instructed Adam and Eve to eat of the
a sphere in space. You can thereby see the big picture of tree of life, as it signified the source of eternal life.
where you are in the world. And He warned them not to eat of the tree of the
But where we are in the universe is on a far greater scale knowledge of good and evil, which represented learn-
than where Google Earth can take us. Earth is one of the ing or experiencing life by trial and error, and rejecting
small inner planets of our solar system. Our sun is one God’s authority by substituting moral relativity. Death
of hundreds of billions of stars in the Milky Way Galaxy. would be the certain outcome of this approach.
Even our galaxy is only one of a “local” group of galax- The Bible records that Adam and Eve made the wrong
ies within a “local” supercluster of many more. As you choice and were expelled from the Garden of Eden and
expand out farther you start to gain the awe-inspiring thus from access to the tree of life—that is, from access to
perspective of an unimaginably large universe with hun- living forever. As mortal beings cut off from that access,
dreds of billions of galaxies that only God can perceive in Adam and Eve eventually died. This condition was also
full. We can easily concede that our street view of where passed on to all humanity (Romans 5:12). The world at
we are in our galactic neighborhood is very limited. large remains barred from access to the tree of life.
Can we come to the point where we also admit that we Consider this perspective: The story of man as told by
don’t see everything about our place and purpose in life the Bible and history is a narrative of man trying to find
as well? Can it be that we simply don’t know because we his own way—with calamitous results. Perhaps you’ve
don’t have that expansive view that takes into account the not previously thought of it this way, but a little more
passage of time, events, history and many other factors? than 1,500 years after man’s creation, society became so
As mentioned, the Bible offers the perspective of many corrupted and steeped in evil that it was beyond repair.
authors writing about crucial aspects of human history God then brought about a global Flood and in a sense
and morality going back to the early days of the earth rebooted human civilization with only a few survivors.
and man. It also authoritatively foretells the future, cata- But even after the Flood, humankind descended again
pulting us way beyond our present time. It’s actually a into a harmful way of life. No improvement in the basic
rather straightforward story presenting a perspective by nature of man came about.
which we can learn and benefit. Imperialist civilizations rose and fell, starting with the
city-state of Babylon. Marching across the ages, a civi- promised to give. God would yet directly deal with the
lization that has rejected God will produce, as revealed core issues that keep producing pain and hurt. Ultimate-
in the book of Revelation, a terrible end-time Babylon, ly, this fundamental permanent change in the nature of
known also as the Beast. man would come as Jeremiah prophesied: “Behold, the
Along the way, man has experimented with every form days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new
of government imaginable. Each has had its flaws—some covenant . . . I will put My law in their minds, and write it
ending in catastrophe. Man has devised his own laws. on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be
Embracing moral relativism, humanity has created its My people” (Jeremiah 31:31, 33).
own gods, religions and philosophies. Conflicts have A critical, all-important step in the plan came about
been settled by murderous and destructive wars again 2,000 years ago. God came to the earth as a man, as
and again and again. In generation after generation, soci- Jesus Christ, sent by the Father. Through the sacrifice of
eties have had to rise again and try to find their own way.Jesus Christ, man is redeemed. Man’s flaw is corrected
Around 65 million people (3 percent of the world’s in receiving a new nature through the Holy Spirit.
population) perished in World War II. That global conflict Now we begin to see real gain from God’s perspective.
blazed across all human civilizations and left a charred Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, men and women
world. In the end, the state of today’s world is what man converted with this new nature will receive the gra-
has to show for himself. cious gift of immortality, which will include a new spirit
body that will live forever. If you have God’s Holy Spirit
Yet, as bad it was in the 1940s, a coming global conflict
will be far worse! In fact, the Bible foretells that eventsliving in you, here’s what you can expect: “If the Spirit
will grow so utterly turbulent and perilous that survival of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he
will be possible only through direct intervention and who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your
bailout by God Himself! mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you”
Jesus Christ warned: “For there will be greater anguish (Romans 8:11, New Revised Standard Version).
than at any time since the world began. And it will never At the very end of the Bible, in the last chapter of the
be so great again. In fact, unless that time of calamity isbook of Revelation, the tree of life reappears (22:2, 14).
shortened, not a single person will survive . . .” (MatthewThis time its spiritual fruit—access to wondrous eternal
24:21-22, New Living Translation). life together with God the Father and Jesus Christ—is
The incredible good news? “. . . But it will be short- available to all! Thus, as we zoom out to an end-to-end
ened for the sake of God’s chosen ones” (verse 22, NLT). view of the Bible’s story, we see—as part of God’s pur-
While man’s flawed saga carries on, God has been pose in creating us to be His family forever—that the
working out a marvelous plan—with its culmination tree of life bookends humanity’s amazing journey.
yet to come. A long and thoughtful and loving story As the Bible reveals, God is presently bringing many
has been developing right alongside the pain of human sons and daughters to glory (Hebrews 2:10). And you
drama. can be one of them!
When you see God’s perspective of what we in our
Understanding the plan God is working out limited view see in such a small way, you see His logical
God from the very beginning had a plan in operation plan and love for all. It really does make sense. In facing
to redeem humanity. He started by working through cer- some of the most difficult questions of life, the marvel-
tain individuals between the creation and the Flood, and ous answers are right there in front of us. We just need to
later through the family of Abraham, and then through be able to see what God is showing us.
a nation descended from him. As the Bible records, the What a wondrous story we are part of! Keep studying
nation of ancient Israel was to be the agency through God’s Word, live by it and gain from His perspective.
which redemption—buying man back from sin and
death—would ultimately come. LEARN MORE
God rescued Israel from national slavery through the Much more eye-opening and astonish-
Exodus. He made covenants with the people through ing information about God’s plan for you
which they were to show His righteousness and goodness exists in the pages of the Bible. If you’re
to surrounding nations and all the world. But they failed. interested—and you should be, given
One generation after another rejected God and His ways. the marvelous scope of God’s interest in
Israel’s disobedience led it directly into another period you—we invite you to send for or down-
load our free study guides Why Were
of slavery. You Born? and God’s Holy Day Plan:
But God was not thwarted. This was part of His plan. The Promise of Hope for All Mankind.
He wanted to show that man needed not only His bless- BTmagazine.org/booklets
ings and laws, but a new spirit and heart—which God
EXPLORING
GOD’S WORD
Luther and Tyndale on Death:

“The Dead Know Nothing”
Many believe the soul is immortal and remains conscious apart from the body after death.
But early reformers Martin Luther and William Tyndale recognized what the Bible teaches
about this—that those who’ve died have no awareness while awaiting a future resurrection.
by Tom Robinson
M
any people today believe belief in this intermediate state of All the Articles of M. Luther Con-
the Bible teaches that unconsciousness as “soul sleep.” Yet demned by the Latest Bull of Leo X,
when a person dies, that this is simply taking Scripture for Art. 27, Works of Luther, Weimar
person has an immortal what it says, whereas belief in a dis- ed., Vol. 7). Luther’s main concern
soul that remains conscious after embodied soul in the afterlife came in this was the Catholic conception
death and goes on to live with God not from the Bible but from pagan of the conscious torment of souls in
in heaven or goes to some kind of religion and philosophy. purgatory, which he rejected.
eternal torment in hell. But that is as- Some have recognized the truth Not long afterward he wrote: “It
suredly not what the Bible teaches. It of this matter for centuries. It would is probable, in my opinion, that,
informs us that man is a mortal soul no doubt greatly surprise many of with very few exceptions indeed,
able to die (Ezekiel 18:4, 20) and that today’s Protestants to learn that key the dead sleep in utter insensibil-
to die is to “sleep the sleep of death” figures they view as heroes of the ity till the day of judgment . . . On
(Psalm 13:3). faith—namely Martin Luther, father what authority can it be said that the
The Bible repeatedly compares of the Protestant Reformation, and souls of the dead may not sleep . . .
death to sleep and not conscious exis-
tence—a sleep from which we must be
awakened in a future resurrection (see
As Luther and Tyndale taught, the Bible presents
Daniel 12:2; Job 14:12-14; 1 Corin- death as having no conscious awareness.
thians 11:30; 15:51; 1 Thessalonians
4:13-14). Scripture explicitly states that William Tyndale, who suffered mar- in the same way that the living pass
“the dead know nothing” (Ecclesiastes tyrdom for his monumental work in profound slumber the interval
9:5, emphasis added throughout). It of translating the Bible into English between their downlying at night
further assures that “there is no . . . —wrote against the immortality of and their uprising in the morning?”
knowledge or wisdom in the grave the soul and against the idea of con- (Letter to Nicholas Amsdorf, Jan. 13,
where you are going” (verse 10). scious awareness in death. These men 1522, quoted by Jules Michelet, The
Many recognize that the Bible were teachers of soul sleep—as were Life of Luther, translated by William
teaches a coming resurrection. The the inspired writers of Scripture, Hazlitt, 1862, p. 133).
traditional argument is that the such as the apostle Paul. Regarding the quote we earlier
immortal soul departs into bodiless saw from Ecclesiastes, Luther later
yet conscious existence at death and Martin Luther: “The dead sleep pointed out: “Solomon judges that the
that the resurrection is the raising up in utter insensibility” dead are asleep, and feel nothing at
of a renewed body in the future for In 1517 Martin Luther posted all. For the dead lie there accounting
the soul to reinhabit. This concerns his famous 95 Theses regarding the neither days nor years, but when are
what is called the intermediate state errors of the Catholic Church. In awaked, they shall seem to have slept
of the dead—the nature of existence defending many of these later in 1520 scarce one minute” (An Exposition of
between the death of the body and he listed the idea “that the soul is Solomon’s Book, Called Ecclesiastes or
the future resurrection. immortal” as among “all these end- the Preacher, 1553, folio 151v).
Given the biblical comparisons to less monstrosities in the Roman Luther viewed this as some sort of
sleep, some disparagingly refer to dunghill of decretals” (Assertion of comatose existence, elsewhere stat-
use of the apostle Paul’s statement
that Christians are most pitiable, or
miserable, if there is no resurrection
(1 Corinthians 15:16-19) and of his
instruction that Christians should
comfort one another over lost loved
ones with the hope of the resur-
rection at Christ’s return (1 Thes-
salonians 4:13-18). This instruction
would make no sense if those loved
Noted church reformers Martin Luther, left, and William Tyndale understood the biblical truth that the
dead, rather than going to heaven or hell at death, in fact rest without thought until a future resurrection. ones are now awake in heaven. As
Tyndale sarcastically presents it:
ing: “Thus after death the soul goes angels be? And then what cause [or “‘Nay, Paul, you are unlearned; go
to its bedchamber and to its peace, reason] is there of the resurrection?” to Master [Thomas] More, and learn
and while it is sleeping it does not (An Answer to Sir Thomas More’s a new way. We be not most miser-
realize its sleep, and God preserves Dialogue, Book 4, chap. 4). able, though we rise not again; for
the awakening soul. God is able to In the same response, Tyndale cas- our souls go to heaven as soon as we
awake Elijah, Moses, and others . . . tigated the Catholic position on the be dead, and are there in as great joy
so that they will live. But how can matter as embracing pagan teaching, as Christ that is risen again.’ And I
that be? That we do not know; we declaring: “The true faith puts [forth] marvel that Paul had not comforted
satisfy ourselves with the example the resurrection . . . The heathen the Thessalonians with that doctrine,
of bodily sleep, and with what God philosophers, denying that, did put if he had wist [known] it, that the
says: it is a sleep, a rest, and a peace” [forth] that the souls did ever live souls of their dead had been in joy;
(Interpretation of the First Book of [as immortal]. And the pope joins as he did with the resurrection, that
Moses, Writings, Vol. 1). He was the spiritual doctrine of Christ and their dead should rise again. If the
trying to explain the preservation of the fleshly doctrine of philosophers souls be in heaven, in as great glory
our existence through death until the together; things so contrary that as the angels, after your doctrine,
resurrection. they cannot agree, no more than the show me what cause should be of the
While Luther was perhaps not Spirit and the flesh do in a Chris- resurrection.”
always consistent or clear, we should tian man. And because the fleshly- While we would not agree with
recognize that he definitely did not minded pope consents unto heathen Luther and Tyndale in various facets
advocate the conscious bodiless exis- doctrine, therefore he corrupts the of religious teaching, we do agree
tence of an immortal soul in heaven Scripture to establish it.” that the Bible presents death as
or hell immediately after death, as Elsewhere in his response, Tyndale having no conscious awareness.
today’s Lutherans and other Protes- notes that the concept of the faith- While many other reformers
tants believe. ful dead being conscious in heaven recognized this, the Reformation as
was contrary to Christ’s teaching. He a whole persisted, and persists still,
William Tyndale responds to points out: “And when he [Thomas in false teachings about the immortal
Thomas More More] proves that the saints be in soul in heaven or hell. But the truth
Around the same time, William heaven in glory with Christ already, of Scripture yet stands. Why not
Tyndale defended the teaching of saying, ‘If God be their God, they accept what God’s Word reveals
death as a sleep against denunciation be in heaven, for he is not the God about this vital issue?
by the English Catholic philosopher of the dead’ [as More tried to argue LEARN MORE
and statesman under King Henry from Jesus’ point in Matthew 22:31-
To understand the
VIII, Sir Thomas More, who also 32]; there he steals away Christ’s nature of existence fol-
wrote Utopia. argument, wherewith he proves the lowing death, we must
Tyndale responded to him in 1530, resurrection: that Abraham and all look to what God has
contending: “And you, in putting saints should rise again, not that to say about the matter
them [departed souls] in heaven, hell, their souls were in heaven; which in His Word. Be sure to
and purgatory, destroy the argu- doctrine was not yet in the world. download or request
our free study guide
ments wherewith Christ and Paul And with that doctrine he takes away What Happens After Death? to learn
prove the resurrection . . . And again, the resurrection quite, and makes what the Bible really says!
if the souls be in heaven, tell me why Christ’s argument of none effect.” BTmagazine.org/booklets
they be not in as good [a] case as the Moreover, Tyndale makes poignant
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