Church of God News

COGwriter

Europeans are concerned about Donald Trump:

4 February 2017

Trump’s uncompromising actions since taking power have made Germany and much of Europe very jittery. Germans are particularly concerned about Trump tearing up trade deals and his latest crack down on immigration from seven mainly Muslim countries. Doubts over his engagement with the EU follow his questioning of the validity of the NATO alliance has also ushered in much unease.

Trump and his team have also attacked Chancellor’s Angela’s Merkel’s policies. Last month, Trump said Merkel made a “catastrophic mistake” with her so called ‘open-door’ migration policy. This week, his top trade adviser said Germany was using a “grossly undervalued” euro to gain an advantage over the US and its European partners.

Similar concerns among the German public about Trump’s leadership were found in an Emnid poll conducted for the N24 broadcaster. In that study, only three percent of Germans believed that bilateral relations would improve with Trump in power, while three-quarters of respondents said it would get worse. https://www.rt.com/news/376274-germany-us-reliable-partner-poll/

Europe finished a meeting yesterday related to its future.

The meeting was supposed to be related to  immigration, but Donald Trump was a major issue:

Europe’s crushing migrant and refugee crisis was supposed to top the agenda for the one-day meeting. But it soon grew hard to distinguish which threat they considered greater, migrants or Donald Trump. …

But just as the European leaders were agreeing to stop migrants and refugees, which, according to aid agencies, would put migrants and refugees at greater risk in potentially lawless Libyan camps, they were also bashing American President Donald Trump for his planned wall to keep out Mexican migrants, his ban on Muslims from many countries, and his meddling in Europe’s already rather messy affairs.

British Prime Minister Theresa May offered to be the “bridge” to help smooth the way between Europe and Trump’s America, which was met with lukewarm response, not least of all because Brexit surely means May’s priority will be smoothing things over for the U.K.

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite told BBC radio, “I don’t think there is a necessity for a bridge—we communicate with the Americans on Twitter.”

Outgoing French President François Hollande had less than kind words for Trump’s support of Brexit and prediction of the end of the EU. “What is at stake is the very destiny of the European Union. It is unacceptable that there should be, through a number of statements by the U.S. president, pressure on what Europe should be or what it should no longer be,” said Hollande. He emphasized the need for Europe to make sure it had its own mutual defense policies in place “within the framework” of NATO, and said bluntly, “We must protect our commercial interests when they are threatened.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for Europe to stay focused on unity. “I already said that Europe has its destiny in its own hands,” she told reporters …

Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, the host of the summit for the 28 members of the European Union, echoed concerns about “decisions” and “attitudes” set forth by the Trump administration, but was quick to say there was no hate for the United States as a whole. The basic message to Americans: We don’t hate you, we just hate your president. 02/03 17 http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/02/04/now-europe-s-trying-to-wall-itself-off-from-migrants-and-trump.html

EU leaders pledged the need for unity and for Europe to stand on its own two feet at their meeting in Valletta on Friday (3 February), during a discussion on how to handle US president Donald Trump, whom EU council chief Donald Tusk described earlier this week as a “threat” to the EU.

Leaders emphasised the importance of the transatlantic relationship, and said they would work together with Trump on common interests, but move toward more independent European action on issues where the EU and the US administration disagree. 02/03/17  https://euobserver.com/political/136791

The European Union has been weathering plenty of disunity in recent months. But on Friday, the bloc’s leaders seemed united in concerns over President Trump. 02/03/17 http://www.latimes.com/politics/washington/la-na-essential-washington-updates-european-union-leaders-at-malta-summit-1486132704-htmlstory.html

Why the concerns about Donald Trump?

The following two news items give part of the reasons:

European Parliament leaders have condemned US President Donald Trump’s potential choice as envoy to the EU.

Businessman Ted Malloch is believed to be the favourite for the role.

In a letter, the leaders of the main parliamentary groups say he supports the dissolution of the EU and that his views reveal “outrageous malevolence”.

One of the leaders separately said that Mr Malloch, who has previously compared the bloc to the former Soviet Union, should be declared “persona non grata”.

In an interview with the BBC last month, Mr Malloch said: “I had in a previous career a diplomatic post where I helped bring down the Soviet Union. So maybe there’s another union that needs a little taming.” …  “I do believe it has more and more become a supranational organisation with political ambitions that probably don’t fit with all its member states’ ambitions.”Mr Malloch has also been a vocal critic of the common currency and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

A letter, co-signed by the centre-right EPP and the liberal Alde group, said his appointment as US ambassador to could seriously undermine transatlantic relations.

“[Mr Malloch’s] statements reveal outrageous malevolence regarding the values that define this European Union,” it said.

“We are strongly convinced that persons seeing as their mission to disrupt or dissolve the European Union, should not be accredited as official representatives to the EU,” it added. 02/03/17 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38852210

Last spring, the New York billionaire famously said that NATO is obsolete, setting off alarm bells from Washington to Warsaw. Just days before his inauguration, in an interview with The Times, he defended that statement — putting it in the past tense — while adding that “countries aren’t paying their fair share.” …

In the case of NATO, Trump has zeroed in on member state commitments since 2014 to each spend at least two percent of GDP on national defense. Only five out of 28 allies currently meet that target: Britain, Poland, Estonia, Greece, and the United States.

As Britain’s Foreign Secretary, the irrepressible Boris Johnson says:

Trump has a point. It cannot be justified that one NATO ally — America — accounts for about 70 percent of the alliance’s defense spending while the other 27 countries manage only 30 percent between them.

Despite these concerns, the case for NATO’s continued relevance is very strong. …

U.S. leaders wish that Europe would spend more on its own defense. In one of his last speeches as Defense Secretary, the widely respected Robert Gates warned that “if current trends in the decline of European defense capabilities are not halted and reversed, future U.S. political leaders…may not consider the return on America’s investment in NATO worth the cost.” 02/03/17 https://warontherocks.com/2017/02/trump-europe-and-the-quest-to-save-nato/

A dismantling of the European Union, like what happened to the old Soviet Union, would virtually guarantee that no Western power could ever stand up against the USA.

Yet, by pressuring the European nations to spend more on their militaries and offending them in various ways, the government of the USA is instead pushing the Europeans more towards becoming a unified military and economic power.

(The photograph at the beginning of this post is the front cover of L’Espresso :an Italian publication. This week, we have heard from European Union leaders from Poland and Belgium essentially declaring Donald Trump as the type of threat to Europe that it faces from Russia and the Islamic State, see EU’s Tusk considers Trump a major threat. Trade war?).

Europe wants to be the leader of the West. This has come out publicly more and more since Donald Trump’s election. Notice something a couple of days ago from the EU Observer:

Donald Trump is certain he is going to make his country great again – by turning its back to the world, by building walls and by saying no to foreign people, goods and services. But it won’t work.

Trump’s nativism is bad for the US. It will lower the living standards of the average working American by making products more expensive, cutting off supply chains and reducing specialisation and competition. It is devastating not only to the United States but to all of us.

When the US turns inwards, it leaves a void that needs to be filled. It is not a coincidence that the star at Davos this year was Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Nor is it surprising that he seems more than willing to pick up the baton.

In his speech at the Swiss ski resort, Xi hailed and defended the globalisation that the American president scorches. Is this the face of the leader of the world economy? That would for sure have consequences for freedom and rule of law in the world.

In situations like this, we need to remind ourselves that the second largest economy in the world is not China. It is the US. The biggest one is the European Union. The most logical and well-suited actor to replace America’s leadership is Europe. When they retire, we expand. …

Europe also needs to play a global role in everything from energy policy to human rights. We can contribute to carving out peaceful solutions to difficult disputes.

Through our foreign aid and our neighbourhood policy we can give support and push countries in the right direction. Europe has soft power and should make full use it.

Europe should be the shining city on the hill for the rest of the world, showing that liberal democracy, the rule of law, capitalism and an open society are still by far the most successful ways to go. 02/02/17  https://euobserver.com/opinion/136772

Europe does want to be the world leader.

It may be that Donald Trump believes that a divided Europe increases the USA’s negotiating clout, and that is probably true.

Yet, the Bible teaches that despite divisions, Europe will reorganize and unite:

41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. (Daniel 2:41-43)

12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. (Revelation 17:12-13)

This reorganization of Europe will NOT turn out well for the USA nor it Anglo-Saxon descended allies (cf. Daniel 8:25; 11:39; USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses).

Donald Trump does not seem to appreciate or understand the biblical prophecies related to the USA and Europe. He is inadvertently taking steps that will lead to the fulfillment of biblical prophecies.

Of course, some look at NATO and how disproportionately the USA spends to support it and consider that this means that the USA is so powerful that other NATO nations could never destroy it.

While that may seem to make sense, that view overlooks the following biblical prophecy:

39 Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain (Daniel 11:39, NKJV).

The “he” is the European King of the North. Daniel 11:24 seems to parallel this as it teaches that the King of the North has plans against the strongholds and succeeds against the prosperous.

Most people, in and out of the COGs, have not properly understood this passage because of mistranslations of this verse in versions like the KJV. While some may not wish to rely on the NKJV alone, consider that many other translations of Daniel 11:39, including one or more Catholic-accepted ones, teach that the King of the North goes against the strongest fortresses::

39 He shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him he shall load with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price. (ESV)

39 And he shall deal with the strongest fortresses by the help of a foreign god: whosoever acknowledgeth him he will increase with glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for a price. (ASV)

39 With the help of this foreign god, he will capture the strongest fortresses. Everyone who worships this god will be put in a position of power and rewarded with wealth and land. (CEV)

39 He will take action against the strongest of fortresses with the help of a foreign god; he will give great honor to those who acknowledge him and will cause them to rule over the many, and will parcel out land for a price.. (NASB)

39 He will deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. He will greatly honor those who acknowledge him, making them rulers over many and distributing land as a reward. (HCSB)

39 Claiming this foreign god’s help, he will attack the strongest fortresses. He will honor those who submit to him, appointing them to positions of authority and dividing the land among them as their reward. (NLT)

39 He will attack the mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god and will greatly honor those who acknowledge him. He will make them rulers over many people and will distribute the land at a price. (NIV)

39 He shall deal with the strongest fortresses by the help of a foreign god; those who acknowledge him he shall magnify with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price. (RSV)

39 He shall deal with the strongest fortresses by the help of a foreign god; those who acknowledge him he shall magnify with honor. He shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price. (RSV, Catholic Edition)

39 He’ll take action against the strongest fortresses. With the help of a foreign god, he’ll recognize those who honor him, making them rule over many, and he’ll parcel out the land for a profit. (ISB of 2012)

39 And he shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god; whom he shall acknowledge, shall increase glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for a price. (Jewish Publication Society of 1917)

Who has the strongest fortresses?

In the 21st century, the strongest fortresses in the world belong to the USA and to a much lessor extent, its English-speaking allies (for a more detailed explanation of why the USA and its Anglo-allies are involved, as well as the dividing of their lands, please see Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel).

Daniel 11:39  is a prophecy about a European power destroying the USA.

Let us not forget that the Bible also teaches that Europe will end up with a “GREAT ARMY” (Daniel 9:25).

Directly and indirectly, Donald Trump is encouraging this.

As far as NATO goes, on the one hand Donald Trump says it is obsolete, and on the other hand notice the following from British Prime Minister Theresa May and NATO:

May called the North Atlantic Treaty Organization “the bulwark of our collective defense.” She made a special point of saying that Trump had affirmed in their private meeting that he was “100% behind NATO.”

Trump, who has called NATO “obsolete” and suggested the United States might not honor its mutual-defense commitments, let May’s statement stand without comment. 01/27/17 http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-pol-trump-may-20170127-story.html

So what does that mean?

It seems to mean that the USA expects the Europeans to spend more on their defense and that, if so, the USA will continue to be part of NATO to defend Europe.

Now, consider that a survey in late December 2016 found that the majority of Germans want to build a formidable European army. (Thiel B. Majority of Germans want a European army. COGwriter, December 30, 2017)  In 2017, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said it was naïve of Europe to think that the USA would always aid Europe and that the EU needed to build its defenses. (Thiel B.  Germany’s Merkel warns Europe on security in the age of Donald Trump. COGwriter, January 13, 2017).

Notice also another survey of Germans:

4 February 2017

Less than a quarter of Germans consider the US, under Donald Trump’s leadership, to be a reliable partner their country can trust according to a recent survey. Roughly the same number of respondents believe Germany can cooperate with Russia.

The Infratest dimap study reveals that German public trust in the US has dived to a record low, with only 22 percent of Germans supporting Trump’s policies, just two weeks after the Republican assumed office, Der Welt reports. https://www.rt.com/news/376274-germany-us-reliable-partner-poll/

Back in 1962, notice something that the old Radio Church of God published:

Germany, those living in Germany, even the German government, may not yet know that they are going to join in a treaty with the Russians to destroy the United States and bring it to its knees-it is not in his “heart” to think so, but on the other hand it IS in his “heart” to destroy-the very characteristic of the Assyrian, the modern German, is a harsh, cruel, iron, dedication to militarism and destruction! (Hill DJ, God’s Destiny for Germany. Plain Truth, March 1962, pp. 28-29)

I, too, expect that Russia will make a deal with the Europeans and have written about that for many years. Those who think that the Europeans will not turn against the USA are in error. NATO was basically formed to prevent the Soviet Union from pushing further west–since the dismantling of the old Soviet Union, it has basically mainly been an organization to discourage Russia from gaining more influence over eastern European nations that the Soviet Union once controlled.

Russia does not care for NATO and would be pleased if the Europeans gained more influence at the political expense of the USA.

The Europeans will take more steps to separate themselves from the USA. This does not mean that NATO must be totally abandoned. I have felt for decades that the Europeans would likely attack the USA deceptively under the guise of a NATO or similar exercise, and probably will have ground assistance from Mexico, a nation that Donald Trump has repeatedly offended. Donald Trump, in my view, has confirmed this by threatening NATO if the Europeans do not fund more of it, while then saying he is 100% in support of NATO.

Donald Trump seemingly believes that both of those points are to his political advantage, but there will be prophetic consequences.

Since Donald Trump’s election, the Europeans flat-out have intensified their desire to arm themselves. The time will come when Europe will turn to a ‘strongman’ of its own (cf. Revelation 17:12-13; see also Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?).

Once Europe spends more on its military and gets certain technologies, it will expect more control of military matters and will one day decide it no longer needs NOR WANTS the USA to be around. And according to biblical prophecies, a power from Europe will takeover the USA militarily (see also USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses).

Tweet

This entry was posted on Saturday, February 4th, 2017 at 8:30 am and is filed under Prophecy.

• Angela Merkel again says EU ‘can’t rely’ on USA, FPIF says ‘Europe should bolt NATO’
• Trump, NATO, and Nuclear Germany
• Trump meets Pope and expects to push NATO to spend
• Is Donald Trump Planning To Withdraw US From NATO?
• NATO head agrees with Donald Trump, but also strongly warns him
• Munich Security Conference: Concerns in EU about USA, NATO, and Russia
• Why the head of NATO says there’s ‘no guarantee’ that the trans-Atlantic alliance will survive
• Russia Against NATO in Georgia
• PESCO: EU’s alternative to NATO?
• NATO, Baron Guttenberg, and the King of the North