Volume 41 Issue Two February 2022
Last Trumpet Ministries · PO Box 806 · Beaver Dam, WI 53916
Phone: 920-887-2626 Internet: http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org
“For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” I Cor. 14:8
Peril
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.”
II Timothy 3:1
When we scrutinize the news headlines, a common trend emerges as a predominant characteristic of our present time. This trend can be described with just one word: peril. The dictionary defines peril as “exposure to injury, loss, or destruction; grave risk; jeopardy; danger.” (1) Given the events of the previous two years, most would agree that there has been a great exposure to injury, loss, and destruction. The world is at great risk, and much of the global population is facing jeopardy and danger. These are the days of simultaneous, sequential, and compounded crises. Thus, it is accurate to say that the peril of today is universally felt on every continent. Whether you are from North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, or Australia, we all face grave danger. Even the most remote parts of the world have encountered risk in recent weeks, including Antarctica. In fact, the first case of Covid infection in Antarctica was reported all the way back in December 2020 at a Chilean research facility. More recently, twenty-four researchers at Argentina’s La Esperanza base contracted Covid-19 despite fifteen of them being fully vaccinated. (2)
Covid-19 still remains a prevalent worry for people around the world despite more than two years passing since it first emerged in China. Remarkably, a global survey conducted by Ipsos found that 35 percent of respondents said the coronavirus is “one of the biggest issues facing their country today.” This includes 58 percent of respondents in South Korea, 51 percent of respondents in Australia, 50 percent of respondents in Malaysia, and 48 percent of respondents in Canada. (3) However, the coronavirus is not the only problem with which the world contends. One in five respondents to the study expressed concern over rising inflation. (4) Other top concerns include poverty, unemployment, political corruption, crime, and violence. Overall, 63 percent of respondents said that “things in their country are heading in the wrong direction.” (5) Thus, we see that misery is not limited to a few select countries, but rather, it encompasses the globe.
Dangerous Territory
As for the United States, a January 2022 survey conducted by NBC News found that 72 percent of Americans who responded said that this country is moving in the wrong direction. Furthermore, when those surveyed were asked to describe the condition of the United States today, the most frequently chosen words were “downhill,” “divisive,” “negative,” “lost,” and “bad.” (6) “Downhill, divided, doubting democracy, falling behind, and tuning out – this is how Americans are feeling as they’re heading into 2022,” said pollster Jeff Horwitt of Hart Research Associates. (6) The results also indicate that there is widespread dissatisfaction with politicians from both the Democratic and Republican parties. Only 39 percent had a positive view of President Joe Biden and 48 percent had a negative view. Regarding the Democratic Party, 33 percent had a positive view and 48 percent had a negative view. Finally, 34 percent of respondents favored the Republican Party, while 44 percent reported negative feelings. (7) Needless to say, after one year of his presidency, Joe Biden has proven to be quite unpopular. According to Pew Research, 41 percent of Americans approve of President Biden’s job performance. His approval rating is even faltering amongst Democrats, having dropped by seven percentage points since September 2021. (8) The polling and political analysis website known as FiveThirtyEight reports that Joe Biden has the second worst approval rating in history for any president just one year into the first term. The only president to have a lower approval rating after the first year was his immediate predecessor, Donald Trump. (9)
What is truly intriguing about the American people’s discontentment is that it is not limited to one side of the political spectrum. Democrats, Republicans, other political parties, and independents are all upset for different reasons, and this fact puts our country in a precarious situation. In fact, a poll conducted by The Washington Post and published on January 1, 2022, found that one third of Americans now believe that violence against the government can be justified. (10)
After the above-referenced article was published, a possible civil war in the United States became a recurring topic on mainstream news. For example, a piece published by Marketwatch on January 5, 2022, quotes Professor Barbara Walter of the University of California at San Diego who said, “No one wants to believe that their beloved democracy is in decline, or headed toward war.” She then continued, “Looking at events in America the same way you’d look at them elsewhere, you’d go down a checklist, assessing each of the conditions that make civil war likely. And what you would find is that the United States, a democracy founded more than two centuries ago, has entered very dangerous territory.” (11) In a similar fashion, Business Insider cited Professor Timothy Snyder, a history professor at Yale University in a report dated January 15, 2022. “First of all, I just want to say that for the people who actually study the origins of civil wars – not just in the U.S. but as a class of events – America doesn’t look good right now,” Snyder warned. He further went on to say, “Those social scientists who actually work on this topic neutrally see indicators in the United States, which suggests that we are on the brink of some kind of conflict.” (12) National Public Radio decided to jump on this news trend, too, when they published an article with the headline “Imagine another American Civil War, but this time in every state.” The report references polling data from the University of Virginia Center for Politics, which found that 41 percent of those who voted for Joe Biden in 2020 said that it might be “time to split up the country.” (13)
Is all of this chatter about a civil war in the United States overblown? I certainly hope so; however, given the amount of concern regarding the topic, it would be prudent for us all to consider the direction in which this country is heading. Given the deep and widening chasm between the right and left in the United States, it is highly unlikely that the two sides will ever reconcile or find common ground on most issues. Could differing viewpoints really start a war? I suspect that some issues could. For example, if the Supreme Court overturns Roe versus Wade, the court case that made abortion legal in the United States in 1973, I could imagine liberals being so enraged that they are willing to take up arms. I also suspect that if Joe Biden attempts to implement a mandatory vaccination policy in the United States, the rage felt by many Americans could be so profound that it could lead to extreme volatility in our nation. Our Lord and Saviour warns us in Mark 3:24-25, “And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” The United States of America is truly in “dangerous territory” right now.
Unwelcome Everywhere
Liberals have long prided themselves on their tolerance. They have also claimed in recent years to be anti-bullying advocates. Yet, in a twist of irony, liberal-minded people around the world have become not only highly intolerant of those with a different point of view, but they have also become vicious bullies. The Covid-19 vaccinations have become an enormous point of contention even as people who refuse this medical treatment see their rights and freedoms systematically stripped away.
Restrictions and mandates have been especially bad in Europe. A piece published by The Guardian on January 6, 2022, details some of the hardships placed upon the European people. In Italy, it is compulsory for all health workers and teachers to be vaccinated against Covid-19. Others in the workforce must provide proof of vaccination to enter the workplace or show a negative Covid-19 test. Now the restrictions have been taken a step further with a new requirement that 28 million people over the age of 50 get the Covid-19 inoculations. For this subset of the population, testing in lieu of the jabs is not allowed. By February 15, 2022, all workers in Italy will be required to show proof of vaccination with no option for Covid testing instead. (14)
In Greece, unvaccinated people are barred from many public facilities including restaurants, movie theaters, museums and gyms. Since January 16, 2022, those over the age of 60 have been required to be vaccinated. Those who refuse incur a monthly fine of 100 euros. Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis justified the new rule stating, “It’s the price to pay for health.” (15) Meanwhile, in Austria, the Covid shots are set to become mandatory for all citizens over the age of 14 on February 1, 2022. (16) The government in Germany has also hinted at making Covid vaccines compulsory. (17)
Harsh restrictions have been implemented in France, where those who are disinclined to receive the shots have become well-known for their protests. BBC News reports that thousands of French citizens took to the streets in early January 2022 to protest against new vaccine passes which are being distributed in France. This includes 18,000 French citizens who marched in Paris. (18) French President Emanuel Macron has openly professed his disdain for the unvaccinated and even used vulgar terminology in a newspaper interview to disclose what he wants to do to these people that he clearly hates. I cannot quote his crude statement in this newsletter; however, an article published by the Washington Post states, “In French, the verb he used is ‘emmerder,’ which means, quite literally, to cover in excrement.” (19) Oddly enough, the author of the article thought Macron’s statement was wonderful and wholeheartedly agreed with the sentiment, even going as far as to write in the headline, “Macron is right: It’s time to make life a living hell for anti-vaxxers.” (20) French Prime Minister Jean Castex defended Macron’s statement and suggested that Macron said “out loud what many people think deep down.” (21)
The unvaccinated in Europe are growing increasingly desperate. As such, some women in Germany are actively trying to conceive a child because German mothers are given one year of paid maternity leave when they give birth to a newborn. They do this in the hope that restrictions in Germany might ease within a year’s time. “They wanted to start families at some point anyhow, but decided to start right now because of all of the pressure. Some of my unvaccinated patients say they feel unwelcome just about everywhere,” said a doctor who practices near the German city of Berlin. (22)
As is the case in many other parts of the world, public opinion regarding the unvaccinated is greatly divided in Canada. A study conducted by Maru Public Opinion in the North American country revealed some startling results regarding the antipathy that vaccinated Canadians have toward unvaccinated Canadians. The study revealed that 37 percent of respondents said it would be acceptable to deny the unvaccinated publicly-funded health care. (23) They say this despite the fact that public healthcare in Canada is paid for with tax dollars, and the unvaccinated are paying their taxes just like everyone else. More alarming, 27 percent of respondents said it would be okay to punish the unvaccinated with short jail sentences. (24) The research further revealed that two-thirds of Canadians are in favor of mandatory vaccines for everyone over the age of five. (25) Seventy-seven percent of respondents said it would be acceptable to ban the unvaccinated from certain public spaces such as liquor stores, restaurants, and libraries. (26) Finally, 27 percent of respondents said they had no sympathy for unvaccinated people who become seriously ill or die. (27)
The coldhearted attitude regarding this topic is not just a problem in Canada or Europe. It is bad in the United States, too. Shock jock radio host Howard Stern who has made a career out of producing immoral content on his radio show, lashed out at the unvaccinated in January 2022, even going as far as to say that he would let the unvaccinated die if he had the power to do so. Speaking of the vaccine, Stern said, “Now if you don’t get it, in my America, all hospitals would be closed to you. You’re going to go home and die.” (28)
Polling conducted by Rasmussen Reports shows that Democrats are especially filled with hatred of the unvaccinated. Forty-eight percent of Democrats who responded to the study said, “The government should be able to fine or imprison those who publically question the Covid-19 vaccine’s efficacy.” Fifty-five percent believe that those who refuse to take the vaccines should incur monetary fines. Fifty-nine percent said that unvaccinated people should be forced to stay inside their homes at all times except for emergencies. Forty-five percent said they would favor the government forcing unvaccinated people into “designated facilities” until they get the shots. Finally, 29 percent of Democrats who were polled said that the government should take children away from parents who refuse to be vaccinated. (29) What can we gather from this study? A significant percentage of Democrats are in favor of violating the American people’s right to free speech, which is guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. They also support internment camps or house arrest for unvaccinated people or needlessly splitting apart families. When I began to research this newsletter, I knew our country was in a perilous condition, but I didn’t realize it had gotten this bad. I have been writing this newsletter for eleven and a half years and have studied the news carefully and tirelessly for over a decade. It is truly astonishing how quickly our country and indeed the entire world has been transformed. We now see many people who are desperately looking for someone to blame and reacting in hatred and fear. The Scriptures make it plainly clear that fear and love are qualities that are at odds with each other. I John 4:18 declares, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.” In like manner, II Timothy 1:7 tells us, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
To vaccine proponents, I implore you to stop and think about your words and actions. If you have been vaccinated and believe the shots you have received are as effective as the scientists and experts claim, then the unvaccinated are simply no major threat to you. According to official literature from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Fully vaccinated people with a vaccine breakthrough infection are less likely to develop serious illness than those who are unvaccinated and get Covid-19. Even when fully vaccinated people develop symptoms, they tend to be less severe symptoms than in unvaccinated people. This means they are much less likely to be hospitalized or die than people who are not vaccinated.” (30) If these statements from the CDC are true, then the only people the unvaccinated are really putting at risk in most situations are themselves. Is it really worth violating the dignity of your fellow man to lessen the risk of you contracting an illness that the CDC expects you to recover from in five days or less? If you receive the shots and still become seriously ill from Covid-19, that means the vaccines failed. Since even the experts acknowledge that those who are vaccinated can still become infected by Covid-19 and transmit it to others, your vaccine failure could be caused by a vaccinated person just as easily as an unvaccinated one. In fact, Anthony Fauci, who is one of President Biden’s medical advisors, claims that the new Omicron variant of Covid is so contagious that most people are going to catch it whether they are vaccinated or not. “Omicron, with its extraordinary, unprecedented degree of efficiency of transmissibility, will ultimately find just about everybody," Fauci said. (31)
Furthermore, it is intellectually dishonest to pretend that the Covid vaccines never cause adverse reactions. Lest we forget, numerous reports of blood clots and myocarditis were reported in the past, which prompted the Food and Drug Administration to temporarily halt the distribution of the Johnson & Johnson shot for a time last year. (32) It is also worth noting that the Canadian government announced in the summer of 2021 that they would pay the burial costs for anyone who dies after receiving the Covid vaccinations. “The program will provide death benefits and support for funeral expenses in the rare case of a death as a result of having received a Health Canada authorized vaccine,” said a note from the Vaccine Injury Support Program. (33)
An End To The Pandemic?
Despite the hysteria, by God’s grace, the Covid-19 pandemic might be coming to an end soon. Because the Omicron variant is so contagious while also producing milder symptoms than previous iterations of the disease, many areas of the world could see the virus burn itself out. Thus, Covid could become an endemic disease that still exists but is not nearly as disruptive to society. Even vaccine proponents, such as Pfizer’s chief executive officer, Albert Bourla, think the pandemic could end in the coming months. “The virus will not be eradicated. The virus will be with us for years to come,” Bourla stated. However, he then added, “We should be able to come to normal lives… in a few months.” (34) Even Bill Gates, the retired co-founder of Microsoft who has become well-known for promoting vaccines, has said that the pandemic is almost over. After the Omicron surge subsides, Gates said we would see “far fewer cases” and Covid will “be treated more like the seasonal flu.” (35)
Meanwhile, the government in the European country of Denmark is not waiting to get back to normal. On January 26, 2022, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced that the danger posed by Covid-19 had passed and life could return to normalcy on February 1, 2022. As such, all of the restrictions previously imposed in Denmark will be canceled. “We say goodbye to the restrictions and welcome the life we knew before. As of February 1, Denmark will be open,” Frederiksen announced. (36) Similarly, the United Kingdom announced plans to end most pandemic restrictions, including mandatory face coverings. The country is also scrapping its requirement for proof of vaccination to enter public venues. (37) These are good signs. It is my hope and prayer that any and all restrictions will end in the United States, too. Keep praying!
A Risk Of War
As we enter the month of February 2022, people from around the world are anxiously waiting to see what Russian President Vladimir Putin will do in the coming weeks. If we believe the news, Russia appears to be on the brink of invading Ukraine, which would spark a conflict with significant ramifications for all of Europe. The escalating tension between Russia and Ukraine has prompted Poland’s foreign minister to say that Europe is the closest it has been to war in thirty years. “It seems that the risk of war in the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) area is now greater than ever before in the last thirty years,” warned Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau. He further went on to say, “For several weeks we have been faced with the prospect of a major military escalation in Eastern Europe.” (38) Former American Ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor also warned that there is a high likelihood of a war breaking out soon. “There is a 50 percent chance that there will be a major war in Europe today, with tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides, both sides, dying. A nearly 50 percent chance of that kind of outcome is troubling, very troubling,” Taylor opined. (39)
Why is there such a great potential for conflict right now? Russia has long balked at the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, or NATO, into Eastern Europe. Russian President Putin is seeking to prevent Ukraine from joining NATO, and he seems prepared to invade its neighboring country in an effort to prevent it from happening. Russia wants to expand its sphere of power and influence in Europe, and the country might take drastic measures to tighten its grip. The American government and the Biden Administration have pledged their support to Ukraine. At the time of this writing, 8,500 American troops are on high alert for possible deployment, and Biden has announced his intentions to send troops to the region. However, Biden has stated he does not intend to send troops directly to Ukraine and has specified that he will not dispatch “a lot” of soldiers. (40) Conversely, the Russian military has amassed more than 100,000 soldiers along the Ukrainian border. (41) Speaking of the potential for conflict, General Mark Milley, who is chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was quoted as saying, “I think you’d have to go back quite a while to the Cold War days to see something of this magnitude.” (42) In another hint that Russian forces might be preparing to strike Ukraine, a report surfaced on January 28, 2022, indicating that the Russian military has moved stockpiles of blood near Ukraine. This blood would presumably be used to perform medical procedures on injured soldiers. (43)
Meanwhile, the United States has promised 200 million dollars in defense aid to Ukraine and has been sending the embattled country advanced military equipment. “More than eighty tons of weapons to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities from our friends in the USA! And this is not the end,” boasted Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksil Reznikov. (44)
Should a war break out, there is a dangerous possibility that it will spread beyond a conflict between Russia and Ukraine. It seems likely that the United States and much of Europe, particularly the countries belonging to NATO, will all be involved in some capacity. It also would not surprise me if China took the opportunity to invade Taiwan while the United States is distracted by a Russian-Ukrainian war. Let’s pray that none of this happens. Nevertheless, the world is facing tremendous peril at this present time.
In closing, there is peril all around us in these tumultuous days, but we as the people of God can draw inspiration from the Apostle Paul who was well acquainted with the perils of this life. In II Corinthians 11:26-27, he wrote of the many troubles he endured in his lifetime as he endeavored to share the Gospel with the world. These verses read, “In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” Despite these ordeals, Paul understood that nothing could separate him from the love of God. It is for this reason he wrote in Romans 8:35-39, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” If you have not yet repented of your sins and dedicated your life to God, I urge you to do so now.
Thank you all for your kind support of this ministry. We have been keeping busy at Last Trumpet Ministries, and we are grateful for the opportunity to serve you all. If you have any prayer requests you are encouraged to send them our way. Our intercessors always give each prayer request individual attention. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
Samuel David Meyer
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01. Dictionary.com, http://dictionary.com/browse/peril.
02. AFP, January 20, 2022 By AFP, http://afp.com.
03. Ipsos, January 22, 2022, By Ipsos, http://ipsos.com.
04. Ibid.
05. Ibid.
06. NBC News, January 23, 2022, By Mark Murray, http://nbcnews.com.
07. Ibid.
08. Pew Research Center, January 25, 2022, By Pew Research Center, http://pewresearch.org.
09. FiveThirtyEight, January 14, 2022, By Geoffrey Skelley and Jean Yi, http://fivethirtyeight.com.
10. The Washington Post, January 1, 2022, By Meryl Kornfield and Mariana Alfaro, http://washingtonpost.com.
11. Marketwatch, January 5, 2022, By Paul Brandus, http://marketwatch.com.
12. Business Insider, January 15, 2022, By Kelsey Vlamis and Charles Davis, http://businessinsider.com.
13. National Public Radio, January 11, 2022, By Ron Elving, http://npr.org.
14. The Guardian, January 6, 2022, By Jon Henley and Philip Oltermann, http://theguardian.com.
15. Ibid.
16. Ibid.
17. Ibid.
18. BBC News, January 8, 2022, By BBC News, http://bbc.com.
19. The Washington Post, January 11, 2022, By James McAuley, http://washingtonpost.com.
20. Ibid.
21. Los Angeles Times, January 7, 2022, By Monique El-Faizy and Laura King, http://latimes.com.
22. Ibid.
23. National Post, January 19, 2022, By Anja Karadeglija, http://nationalpost.ca.
24. Ibid.
25. Ibid.
26. Ibid.
27. Ibid.
28. Huffpost, January 21, 2022, By Lee Moran, http://huffpost.com.
29. Georgia Star News, January 19, 2022, By Georgia Star News Staff, http://georgiastarnews.com.
30. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, December 17, 2021, http://cdc.gov.
31. Healthline, January 28, 2022, By Healthline, http://healthline.com.
32. USA Today, April 15, 2021, By John Bacon, Elinor Aspegren, and Doyle Rice, http://usatoday.com.
33. Toronto Sun, August 23, 2021, By Kevin Connor, http://torontosun.com.
34. The Times of Israel, January 22, 2022, By TOI Staff, http://timesofisrael.com.
35. CNBC, January 12, 2022, By Tom Huddleston Jr., http://cnbc.com.
36. Newsweek, January 26, 2022, By Heather Bair, http://newsweek.com.
37. Associated Press, January 26, 2022, By Sylvia Hul, http://apnews.com.
38. Reuters News Service, January 13, 2022, By Reuters, http://reuters.com.
39. Newsweek, January 17, 2022, By Isabel Van Brugen, http://newsweek.com.
40. Forbes Magazine, January 29, 2022, By Zachary Snowden Smith, http://forbes.com.
41. Ibid.
42. Ibid.
43. Reuters News Service, January 29, 2022, By Phil Stewart, http://reuters.com.
44. The Hill, January 23, 2022, By Monique Beals, http://thehill.com.
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