Church of God News

Nine days after the 9-11 attack, President Bush spoke to a joint session of the U.S. Congress and declared what he called a “War on Terror.” In addition to troops sent abroad, this war led to a range of new security measures unprecedented in U.S. history. In October 2001, Congress passed stringent new legislation, dubbed the “Patriot Act,” giving the government more power than ever to conduct surveillance on law-abiding U.S. citizens as well as suspected criminals. A federal Department of Homeland Security was established in November 2002.

Some of the most visible changes have been at airports, where passengers face strict regulations about the transport of liquids and sharp objects. Shoes, coats and computers are inspected closely, and people who do not consent to “full body scans” face “pat-downs” that many consider an assault on both privacy and dignity. Away from airports, security in other public places has also increased, along with a proliferation of metal-detecting devices at building entrances…

Much debate has gone on between those who favor giving the U.S. government increased powers of surveillance and prosecution of terrorism and those who reject such increases as a betrayal of the nation’s ideals of freedom and liberty. Some have suggested that simply by prodding the U.S. to clamp down on its citizens’ liberties, the terrorists have “won” their battle against Western values even without firing another shot or exploding another bomb. Others point out that, while the U.S. has implemented “politically correct” security procedures that seem to give equal scrutiny to a 25-year-old single male from Egypt and a 95-year-old great-grandmother from Canada, other nations have implemented overt “profiling” of suspected terrorists based on ethnic, national and demographic characteristics. Critics say that while the U.S. security apparatus can only screen for bombs, the Israelis (for example) can also screen for terrorists.

Some point out that the USA has not been hit by a major terrorist attack since 9/11 as proof that the steps have some effectiveness, which is partially true.  But I would add that, Americans who travel and take various steps are treated now by their government as potential terrorists.  And the trend to do that seems to be increasingly reduce privacy and other rights.

While carnally speaking, spying on citizens would seem to make a certain sense, eventually those type of steps will not stop the USA from being hit by what are likely to be more terrorist incidents, and some ultimately bigger than 9/11, including getting taken over by likely terrorists and their allies (cf. Psalm 83:4-8; Daniel 11:39).

Notice also that terror is a curse for disobedience listed in the Bible:

14 ‘But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments,
15 and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant,
16 I also will do this to you:
I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart.
And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it.
17 I will set My face against you, and you shall be defeated by your enemies.
Those who hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when no one pursues you. (Leviticus 26:14-17)

Going through excessive security and spying seems consistent with the curse in Leviticus 26:17 already, but the final fulfillment of that will be much worse than what has happened so far.

The USA and its Anglo-allies do not want to obey God’s commandments. They are more and more being despised at high levels by government officials. The Israelite-descended Anglo-nations will be those that experience the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7), which is the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21) and final time of the Gentiles that Jesus spoke of (Luke 21:20-24; cf. Revelation 11:2).

Do not wait until it is too late to respond spiritually, so that you may be protected physically (see also There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra).

People in other lands also need to repent and do what is right as well.  Prophecy watchers are aware of the following which is coming:

16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.   18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.  (Revelation 13:16-18)

Cyber-spying is one way to partially accomplish the above.

And speaking of other lands, an individual that I have been reporting on as a candidate to watch related to the Beast of Revelation 13 is himself actively involved in internet “privacy” and other issue:

Brussels, 12 December 2011 – European Commission Vice-President Neelie Kroes has invited Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, a former Federal Minister of Defence, and of Economics and Technology, in Germany, to advise on how to provide ongoing support to Internet users, bloggers and cyber-activists living under authoritarian regimes.  http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/11/1525&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

And while the USA may temporarily not increase certain aspects of spying on its citizens, the one who will be the Beast (whether it is Herr Guttenberg or not–for he could just be a normal politician, though I suspect otherwise for many documented reasons) likely will–and certain USA proposals may end up making the implementation of such practices easier.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people?
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught?
Was the Commandment to Love the Only Command? Some have stated that John’s writings teach this, but is that what the Bible really says?
The Ten Commandments and the Early Church Did Jesus and the Early Church keep the ten commandments? What order were they in? Here are quotes from the Bible and early writings.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West?
Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North? Is the German Defense Minister one to watch? What do Catholic, Byzantine, and biblical prophecies suggest?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe?
Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 Who is 666? This article explains how the LCG views this, and compares this to Ellen White.