Volume XXXVI Issue VI June 2017
Last Trumpet Ministries, PO Box 806, Beaver Dam, WI 53916
Phone: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org
"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring."
Acts 17:24-28
"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
II Corinthians 6:17-18
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils."
I Timothy 4:1
"And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?"
Luke 18:7-8
In this issue of the Last Trumpet Newsletter, we will once again examine the present condition of our world, which has been undergoing a conditioning process for decades. The hearts and minds of the people have been educated, indoctrinated, and prepared to accept globalism, and by extension, a one world government. I can recall my father, Pastor David J. Meyer, warning on many occasions that efforts were underway to establish a global government. In the past such discussion was written off as a "conspiracy theory" by a majority of people, but for those who care to look, we can see globalist forces in plain sight and out in the open today.
In February 2017 prominent globalists from around the world gathered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for a three-day event known as the World Government Summit. (1) This gathering was attended by representatives from more than 130 countries and featured more than ninety famous speakers including, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde, (2) and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. (3) Guterres, who is openly and proudly a socialist, was the prime minister of Portugal from 1995 until 2002. (4) Speaking at the summit in Dubai, Guterres told his audience, "Improving governance and improving confidence between governments and people is essential, and it is a condition to improve the confidence in the relations between countries. We live today in a world that is no longer bipolar, no longer unipolar, but it is not yet multipolar. It's really chaotic." He then later went on to say, "In a world in which everything is global, in which the problems are global - from climate change to the movement of people - there is no way countries can do it by themselves. We need global responses, and global responses need multilateral institutions able to play their role." Of course, if you read between the lines, it is obvious that Guterres is calling for a one world government. In a nod to the United Nations' 2030 Agenda, Guterres also declared that sustainable development is necessary for peace and security to take hold in our world. (5)
As a result of the Summit in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates in collaboration with the United Nations has now established what they call The World Council of Happiness. This rather strange entity seems determined to foist their version of happiness on the entire world. "Happiness is a commendable infection. We want the peoples of the world to be afflicted with it so they could be blessed with goodness. This may require a tangible change in the culture of the government work," said Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice-president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai. He further went on to say, "Our initiative to launch the World Council of Happiness has been derived from our values and our conviction that it is necessary to bring happiness and positive values to people." (6) Truly, the United Nations is an organization with many tentacles, insomuch that it can be difficult to keep up with all of its offshoots. The United Nations branch known as the Sustainable Development Solution Network is providing administrative support to the World Council of Happiness, (7) which is then further divided into the following six sub councils: The Council of Happiness and Health, The Council of Happiness and Education, The Council of Personal Happiness, The Council of Happiness in Work Environment, The Council of Happiness Measurement, and The Council of Happy Cities. (8)
To make matters even more bizarre, a replica of an ancient structure known as the Arch of Triumph from Palmyra, Syria, was set up and on display during the World Government Summit of 2017. (9) This same replica had previously been on display in London, England, and New York City, New York. Why is this significant? The original Arch of Triumph, which was destroyed in 2015, was known to be the entrance to the temple of the pagan god Baal. (10) Thus, we had world leaders, globalists, and elitists gathering in Dubai under the shadow of Baal's arch and working to establish a one world government. Of course, we know from Scripture that the ancient Israelites of Biblical times brought much judgment from God upon themselves when they worshipped Baal, who in reality is Satan in a rather poor disguise. Jeremiah 11:17 tells us, "For the Lord of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal."
On May 21, 2017, the United Nations celebrated an event known as the "World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development." According to a press release published by the UN News Centre, Irina Bokova, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, used this day to call on the world to embrace a "new humanism." (11) What many people might fail to realize is that humanism is a very anti-God way of life. The Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary defines humanism as "any system or mode of thought or action in which human interests, values, and dignity predominate." Another definition states that humanism is "a variety of ethical theory and practice that emphasizes reason, scientific enquiry, and human fulfillment in the natural world and often rejects the importance of belief in God." (12) Thus, when the United Nations calls upon the population of the world to embrace humanism, they are really telling people that a belief in God is not important.
Sadly, it seems that many people today think that a humanistic one world government would be a wonderful thing. According to a report published by The Independent, a recent survey found that 7 out of 10 respondents from the United Kingdom are in favor of the establishment of a world government, while 62 percent of respondents considered themselves to be a "global citizen." The study also found that 67 percent of respondents from the United States, 62 percent of respondents from Germany, 76 percent of respondents from South Africa, 78 percent of respondents from China, and 84 percent of respondents from India expressed approval for the formation of a one world government. (13) It is believed that such a unified government structure will be necessary to combat a plethora of threats to humanity, including climate change, nuclear war, disease pandemics, and the development of advanced artificial intelligence. "As world leaders gather for the G7 Summit, they should be aware that citizens across the planet are yearning for them to collaborate and work harder to find solutions for these critical threats to humanity," said Mats Andersson of the Global Challenges Foundation in Sweden. He further went on to say, "Whether it's the specter of nuclear conflict over North Korea or our planet tipping into catastrophic climate change, the need for effective global cooperation has never been greater." (14)
It is evident that the push to establish a global government is gaining more momentum than ever before, but how does God feel about a one world government? In Acts, chapter 17, we are specifically told that God established boundaries in this world. Acts 17:26 tells us that God "hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation." We also know that as God's children, we are not told to join together with the world, but rather be set apart. II Corinthians 6:17-18 tells us, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
When The Son Of Man Cometh, Shall He Find Faith On The Earth?
With each passing year, we find more research published regarding the growth of atheism in the United States. Although this country has long been regarded as a Christian nation, and American President Donald Trump recently declared that "America is a nation of believers," (15) news stories indicate that the United States is not as Christian as people seem to think. One such story was published in May 2017 by a research company known as FiveThirtyEight. The headline for their article states, "Way More Americans May Be Atheists Than We Thought." To reach this conclusion, researchers asked participants in their study to select applicable statements about themselves from a list. This list included innocuous statements such as "I own a dog," but also included the declaration, "I do not believe in God." Based on the answers selected, researchers estimate that as many as 26 percent of all Americans may be atheists. (16)
Another story published in May 2017 by Newsweek Magazine has made the claim that atheists are more intelligent than religious adherents. The report cites Edward Dutton from the Ulster Institute in the United Kingdom and Dimitri Van der Linden of the Rotterdam University in the Netherlands, who both believe that atheists are more intelligent than believers because they are capable of rising "above the natural instinct to believe in a god or gods." "If you have higher intelligence, you're less instinctive. You're lower in what you might call 'evolved instincts' that have evolved over thousands and thousands of years until the Industrial Revolution when natural selection slowed down," Dutton opined. (17) I cannot help but wonder if these scientists ever considered the possibility that the reason humanity has a natural instinct to believe in God is because God put that instinct within us. If anything, the fact that this instinct exists demonstrates that there is indeed a God. The words of the Apostle Paul that we find in Romans 1:22 seem especially apropos. In this verse we read, "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools."
So we see that the United Nations wants a humanist one world government, and an increasing number of people are embracing atheism and agnosticism. Many young people, especially those who belong to the Millennial Generation, are hostile to Christian beliefs. According to the Pew Research Center, over 60 percent of Millennials who were studied say that Christianity is too "judgmental," while 64 percent complained that Christianity is "anti-gay." (18) One can only wonder what the future generations will be like if there are any.
In reality, there's nothing surprising about the present degeneration in faith. In fact, Jesus seems to acknowledge that there would be a great loss of faith in God before His return. In Luke 18:8, Jesus wonders, "Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" The Apostle Paul also warns us in I Timothy 4:1, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils."
Famine And Pestilence In Our World Today
When we open the Bible and turn to Matthew 24, Mark 13, or Luke 21, we are confronted by the words of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, who warned us of a time coming upon the earth that would be faced with many calamities. These calamities include famine and pestilence. I find it amazing that in our world today large segments of the people on earth are now being confronted with famine and pestilence.
The word "famine" today is officially only used for the most severe of food crises, so we know it is a term that is not used lightly. According to the official rules, in order for a food crisis to be considered a famine, at least one in five households must have an "extreme lack of food" with the population suffering from significant mortality. (19) Today, four countries in Africa and the Middle East are on the brink of famine. They are Yemen, Nigeria, Somalia, and South Sudan. The food crisis in Nigeria has been attributed to the ravages of the Islamist terror group known as Boko Haram. In South Sudan the food shortage has been caused by infighting between rebels and the established government, a conflict that has forced more than three million people to flee the country. (20) In Somalia, about 6.2 million people, or nearly one half of the nation's population, is facing a food shortage caused by drought. (21)
For many in Somalia, the nightmare only seems to be getting worse. As of May 2017, nearly 160,000 Somalians have fled to the city of Baidoa, Somalia, from the drought stricken regions of their country. However, overcrowding at relief camps has led to an outbreak of cholera, which has affected more than 20,000 people. (22)
In the meantime, an outbreak of cholera in Yemen has killed 315 people since April 27, 2017, while afflicting an estimated 29,300 individuals. Health officials are expecting the crisis to worsen. "We need to expect something that could go up to 200,000-250,000 cases over the next six months, in addition to the 50,000 cases that have already occurred," said Nevio Zagaria of the World Health Organization. Zagaria further went on to say, "I have to admit that when I see the data that I saw this morning, not officially released; are really taking us by surprise. The speed of the resurgence of the cholera epidemic is unprecedented." (23)
It also appears that the Ebola virus is back. As of this writing, there are 43 suspected cases of Ebola infection in the Democratic Republic of Congo and four reported deaths. Hopefully, this outbreak will be quickly contained. The well-known Ebola outbreak that struck West Africa in 2013 and continued for many months caused the deaths of more than 11,000 people. (24) This latest outbreak, although small, is an unpleasant reminder that Ebola is still out there.
Warfare In A Connected World
When one thinks of war, there is no doubt certain imagery that comes to mind. War is often associated with soldiers, ballistic missiles, ships, jets, and sophisticated weaponry. However, there is a new type of warfare that has put our entire world at great risk, and it involves none of the usual methods of conventional war. Rather, it is a battle that is fought on the Internet and through computer networks.
On May 12, 2017, a major cyberattack was launched against the world. This attack used a type of malicious computer coding commonly known as ransomware to encrypt files on computer systems running older versions of Microsoft Windows. A dialog box then appeared on the users' computer screens and informed them that their files were encrypted and inaccessible. The users were further told that the files could be unlocked for a three hundred dollar ransom payment, but the required payment would steadily increase the longer the user waited to pay. (25) By May 14, 2017, the malicious software, which is known by the name "WannaCry," had affected 200,000 individuals, 10,000 organizations, and more than 150 countries. (26) The attack crippled several entities, including major corporations and government agencies, such as the Spanish telecommunications company known as Telefonica, the U.S. based shipping company known as Fedex, Germany's national railroad known as Deutsche Bahn, Russia's central bank, the automobile company known as Renault in France, and Britain's National Health Service. (27) As a result of the attack, many hospitals in Britain were unable to access their phones or computer systems and were forced to postpone scheduled medical procedures. (28) "For so many organizations in the same day to be hit, this is unprecedented," stated Chris Wysopal of the software security company known as Veracode. Mikko Hypponen of the cybersecurity company known as F-Secure declared that the attack was "the biggest ransomware attack in history." (29)
Clearly, any cyberattack that can shut down hospitals is a serious threat. So how could something like this happen? As it turns out, the malicious code used in the attack had actually been devised by the National Security Agency, or NSA, in the United States. The code was then stolen from the NSA and used by enterprising individuals in the criminal underworld. Brad Smith, who is president of the Microsoft Corporation, was clearly perturbed by the actions of the NSA. "Repeatedly, exploits in the hands of governments have leaked into the public domain and caused widespread damage. An equivalent scenario with conventional weapons would be the U.S. military having some of its Tomahawk missiles stolen," Smith wrote. He later went on to write, "The governments of the world should treat this attack as a wake-up call. They need to take a different approach and adhere in cyberspace to the same rules applied to weapons in the physical world." (30) In the aftermath of the attack, reports have surfaced which place the blame on hackers from North Korea. (31) However, a story published by the Chicago Tribune claims that Russian hackers were probably responsible. (32)
Mankind's reliance on technology has exposed the world to a slew of threats. While on this occasion hackers were only seeking to collect money, it could be very different next time. A similar attack could shut down power grids, air traffic control systems, water utilities, traffic lights, financial institutions, and anything else that is connected to the Internet. Furthermore, the fact that the NSA can lose track of its own malicious code does not exactly inspire confidence in our government leaders. Regarding the threat of cyber warfare, Senator John McCain, a Republican from Arizona, was quoted as saying, "Our nation remains woefully unprepared to address these threats." (33) The government in Australia is apparently concerned as well. In fact, according to an article published by The Australian, attendees at the Australian Leadership Retreat were told that cyber warfare will soon be a greater threat to the world than nuclear war. (34)
Great Instability In The American Government
The happenings in government can be truly strange at times. On October 28, 2016, former FBI Director James Comey announced a new investigation into the handling of classified information by former Secretary of State and American Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. (35) The American election, which was to happen on November 8, 2016, was just days away. Outrage ensued with many liberals and Democrats claiming that Comey should be fired from his post at the FBI because he put a win for Clinton at risk. Of course, we all know that on Election Day, Hillary Clinton did indeed lose to Donald Trump, and Clinton has placed the blame for her defeat squarely on the shoulders of James Comey. "It wasn't a perfect campaign - there's no such thing - but I was on the way to winning until a few things happened. If the election was on October 27, I'd be your president," Clinton said on May 2, 2017. (36) Oddly enough, when President Trump did fire Comey on May 9, 2017, (37) the Democrats were outraged again, suggesting that Trump must be crooked for firing the man who purportedly helped him win the election. Meanwhile, we have continued to hear allegations that Trump colluded with Russia to release emails leaked from the Democratic Party, and that he gave classified information to the Russian government. Could these claims eventually lead to an impeachment of Donald Trump?
On May 17, 2017, Representative Al Green, a Democrat from Texas, called for the impeachment of Trump on the floor of the House of Representatives in Washington, DC. "It's a position of conscience for me. This is about what I believe. And this is where I stand. I will not be moved. The President must be impeached," Green demanded. (38) Representative Maxine Waters, a Democrat from California, also hinted at an impeachment of the President. "I don't know what's going to happen after today, when all of the questions have been raised about him… but I think this is going to put us a little bit further on our way to what I have been calling for for so long, and that is impeachment," Waters said. (39) Additionally, Representative Justin Amash, a Republican from Michigan, has also suggested that impeachment might be appropriate. (40) To further fan the flames of speculation, Politico released a news report on May 17, 2017, with a headline that declares, "Conservatives begin to whisper: President Pence." (41) Nevertheless, it is highly unlikely that Donald Trump will be impeached as President of the United States. Doing so would require that 218 members of the House of Representatives vote for impeachment. (42) Regardless, the United States of America is in for a bumpy ride in the coming months.
In closing, we truly live in a world of great turmoil. On May 21, 2017, the people of Venezuela entered the 50th consecutive day of protests and riots as 200,000 people marched in the streets against the socialist regime of President Nicolas Maduro. At least 47 people have died in these riots over the course of seven weeks, and there is great violence, strife, and destitution in the country. Prices in Venezuela are expected to rise an astounding 720 percent this year. (43) In England, the people are reeling from a suicide bombing that took place on May 22, 2017, following a concert at the Manchester Arena in Manchester. The attack, which was attributed to a 22 year-old British Muslim, took the lives of 22 people and wounded 59 more. (44)
Yes, there are many hardships in this life. The news we often read is certainly difficult to bear. However, I know that God strengthens His people. In Psalm 31:24 we are told, "Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord." I encourage every reader of this newsletter to reach out to God, and if you have not yet repented of your sins and dedicated your life to Him, I urge you to do so now.
Thank you all for your kind support of this ministry. Please remember us in your prayers in the days ahead as we seek the leading and direction of God. If you have any prayer requests, please do not hesitate to send them our way either through postal mail or email. Each request is always given individual attention. Grace and peace be unto you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Samuel David Meyer
Acknowledgements
01. Los Angeles Times, February 9, 2017, By Ann M. Simmons, http://latimes.com.
02. World Government Summit, Official Website, http://worldgovernmentsummit.org.
03. United Nations Secretary-General, February 13, 2017, By Antonio Guterres, http://un.org.
04. The Guardian, January 1, 2017, By Angelique Chrisafis and Julian Borger, http://theguardian.com.
05. United Nations Secretary-General, February 13, 2017, By Antonio Guterres, http://un.org.
06. The New American, May 21, 2017, By William F. Jasper, http://thenewamerican.com.
07. Ibid.
08. Gulf News, March 19, 2017, By Gulf News, http://gulfnews.com.
09. The Gulf Today, February 13, 2017, By A Staff Reporter, http://gulftoday.ae.
10. The Guardian, September 20, 2016, By Raya Jalabi, http://theguardian.com.
11. UN News Centre, May 21, 2017, By UN News Centre, http://un.org.
12. Dictionary.com, http://dictionary.com/browse/humanism.
13. The Independent, May 23, 2017, By Ian Johnston, http://independent.co.uk.
14. Ibid.
15. Charisma News, April 14, 2017, By Bob Eschliman, http://charismanews.com.
16. FiveThirtyEight, May 18, 2017, By Daniel Cox, http://fivethirtyeight.com.
17. Newsweek Magazine, May 18, 2017, By Hannah Osborne, http://newsweek.com.
18. Fox News, April 30, 2017, By Dr. Alex McFarland, http://foxnews.com.
19. Reuters News Service, May 22, 2017, By Jessica Wang, http://reuters.com.
20. Ibid.
21. National Public Radio, March 5, 2017, By Colin Dwyer, http://npr.org.
22. The Washington Post, May 24, 2017, By Max Bearak, http://washingtonpost.com.
23. UPI, May 21, 2017, By Allen Cone, http://upi.com.
24. Fox News, May 26, 2017, By Andrew O'Reilly, http://foxnews.com.
25. The Intercept, May 12, 2017, By Sam Biddle, http://theintercept.com.
26. The Verge, May 14, 2017, By Andrew Liptak, http://theverge.com.
27. AFP, May 13, 2017, By AFP, http://news.yahoo.com.
28. Associated Press, May 13, 2017, By Anick Jesdanun, Jill Lawless, and Aritz Parra.
29. Ibid.
30. The Wall Street Journal, May 14, 2017, By Jay Greene, http://wsj.com.
31. The Street, May 25, 2017, By Tony Owusu, http://thestreet.com.
32. Chicago Tribune, May 15, 2017, By Leonid Bershidsky, http://chicagotribune.com.
33. Stars And Stripes, May 12, 2017, By Stars and Stripes, http://military.com.
34. The Australian, May 19, 2017, By Robert Gottliebsen, http://theaustralian.com.
35. National Public Radio, May 15, 2017, By Miles Parks and Dana Farrington, http://npr.org.
36. Ibid.
37. Ibid.
38. USA Today, May 17, 2017, By Jessica Estepa, http://usatoday.com.
39. Ibid.
40. USA Today, May 17, 2017, By Erin Kelly and Eliza Collins, http://usatoday.com.
41. Politico, May 17, 2017, By Matthew Nussbaum and Theodoric Meyer, http://politico.com.
42. The New York Times, May 25, 2017, By Thomas B. Edsall, http://nytimes.com.
43. The Telegraph, May 21, 2017, By James Rothwell, Harriet Alexander, and Anna Schaverien, http://telegraph.co.uk.
44. New York Daily News, May 24, 2017, By Brett Bodner, http://nydailynews.com.
To learn more about the history of our ministry and our founder, Pastor David J. Meyer, please visit http://pastormeyer.org.
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