July 2020 $2.25 Spy Agency Must Stop Terrorists Can Wireless Phone Tracking Take Part in EU- P. 12 Funded Activities P. 16 Automatic Body Temperature Check P. 15 ISRAEL : Sign of the End Times Israel No Longer First in Corona Safety P. 20 • World’s Largest Desalination Plant Initiated P. 21 OBITUARY ANN FANKHAUSER (29 August 1938 – 1 June 2020) ith sadness, we received it was in 1968. Later, we started to the news that Ann print our own in Hamilton, Ohio, WFankhauser had passed beginning with the January 1970 away on 1 June. Although expected, issue. That was all made possible it is always a shock and a degree of by the very faithful voluntary work vacuum is created for those who are Ann and Judy tirelessly completed, left behind. But we know the Lord, month after month, year after year. and He giveth grace upon grace, par - Ann suffered a cerebral hemor - ticularly in view of the fact that she rhage in 2014, but until 2019, she served the risen master, Jesus Christ. insisted on translating articles, It was 53 years ago when I first even when they were no longer us - met Ann Fankhauser and her friend able. Judy (who went home in 1986). For Ann, what is written in There was a need for the Mitter - Revelation 14:13 aptly applies: nachtsruf (German Midnight Call ) to “...Blessed are the dead which die be translated into English. These in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, two British ladies spontaneously saith the Spirit, that they may rest volunteered to be translators, al - from their labours; and their works though Ann had 7 and Judy had 5 do follow them.” children. Often, I think back on Our deepest condolences on be - those days when we received the half of the Midnight Call staff in first Midnight Call from Switzerland; the USA. July 2020 ISSN 1095-7901 Contents Published twelve times a year by Midnight Call Ministries, Inc. PO Box 84309 Editor’s Note 4 Lexington SC 29073 By Fredi Winkler Physical Location: 4694 Platt Springs Road Cover Story West Columbia, SC 29170, USA 6 Dr. Wim Malgo (1922–1992), Founder ISRAEL: Arno Froese, Editor Fredi Winkler, International Editor Sign of the End Michelle Kim, Layout Designer Kimberly Farmer, Copy Editor Times Barbara Lavery, By Rainer Wagner Melanie Makin and Helga Tirrell, German-English Translators When we compare Biblical prophecy concerning Israel Web: midnightcall.com with current events, we get Toll free phone: 1-800-845-2420 the impression that the hand on the clock is close to Local and International: +1 (803) 755-0733 midnight. God’s renewed attention toward Israel has begun. ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES: U.S.A. $18 Canada $26.50 12 On The Horizon All other countries $38 U.S. 12 ISRAEL 18 ISRAEL CHANGE OF ADDRESS OR Spy Agency Must Stop Simulator for SUBSCRIPTION INQUIRY: Wireless Phone Tracking Coronavirus Exit Please send your OLD and NEW address Strategy 13 CONGO when moving or when making any Israeli HIV Drug 20 WORLD inquiry about your subscription. Successfully Fights Israel No Longer First Coronavirus in Corona Safety INTERNA TIONAL EDI TIONS 15 ISRAEL 21 ISRAEL Nachrichten Aus Israel (German), Postfach Automatic Body World’s Largest Temperature Check Desalination Plant 290, Ringwiesenstrasse 12a CH --8600 Initiated D¨ubendorf Switzerland • Nieuws Uit Israel 16 EU (Dutch), Postbus 193, 3940 AD Doorn, Terrorists Can Take Part Netherlands • Noticias de Israel (Portuguese), in EU-Funded Activities Caixa Postal 1688, 90001–970 Porto Alegre RS, Brazil Ebenezer Home • Noticias de Israel (Spanish), PO Box 84309 23 By Samantha LaGoy Lexington, SC 29073 • Nouvelles d’Israel (French), Case Postale 290, Ringwiesenstrasse 12a CH --8600 D u¨ bendorf Switzerland Action for Israel 27 By Arno Froese Editor’s Note Dear Friends of Israel, BY FREDI WINKLER he rapid spread of the We still remember how terror - coronavirus has clearly ism changed international flights. Tshown that the world has As a result, safety precautions really become a “global village,” and controls have become part of as it’s said. There is hardly a re - everyday life in air travel. Will the gion on earth that hasn’t been af - coronavirus pandemic change in - fected. And if not directly ternational aviation as well? In impacted by the virus, then from order to fly in the future, will we the economic effects of the global have to prove that we’re healthy lockdown. and aren’t carrying contagious The photos of grounded air - diseases? Here in Israel they were planes worldwide seem unreal. At hoping to ask schoolchildren to airports that used to host hun - do this, but it turned out to be dreds of flights a day, they are impractical. now in the single digits. The virus The internet, with all its possi - has spread worldwide through bilities, has undoubtedly taken countless planeloads of people. the world a giant step further in International air travel is actually globalization, surpassing televi - the means of transportation that sion. Class instruction and meet - has made the world a “global vil - ings via Zoom have been lage.” introduced nearly everywhere. 4 Since it’s written in Revelation doubtedly used human develop - 1:7, “Behold, he cometh with ments to accomplish His plan. clouds; and every eye shall see Nevertheless, it’s obvious that him, and they also which pierced God doesn’t use just the develop - him,” it begs the question: how is ments of mankind to achieve His it possible for every eye to see goal. He has other ways and him? means to accomplish His pur - Is it referring to modern media, poses. A small virus like COVID- which can transmit news world - 19 is only a minor matter for Him. wide in virtually no time at all? The return of Jesus Christ, un - It’s an obvious assumption to like His first coming, will be an make, since God uses human de - event that doesn’t just affect Is - velopments. When God sent His rael. It will have a worldwide im - Son to earth, the world had al - pact and will be unmistakably ready been “globalized” quite a recognized across the globe. It bit. A different word was used for will be an event that will take it at the time, namely “Ec - hold of humanity and shake it, as umene,” which means much of our Lord Jesus describes: “the the inhabited earth (or what was sun [shall] be darkened, and the known of it at the time). The ex - moon shall not give her light, and pression occurs in various forms the stars shall fall from heaven, throughout the New Testament. and the powers of the heavens The Greco-Roman world cre - shall be shaken” (Matt 24:29). ated the conditions for the In the assurance that God is in - Gospel to spread quickly: both volved in fulfilling His plan for through good traffic conditions the world and all humanity, I created by the Romans, as well as send my warmest greetings with through the Greek language be - Shalom. ing spoken in large parts of the Yours, Roman world (or at least being understood by many). God un - % 1-800-845-2420 Visit midnightcall.com JULY 2020 5 Cover Story ISRAEL : Sign of the End Times BY RAINER WAGNER Israel is the most striking indication of the Lord’s return. It is like the hand on the world clock. Bible-believing Christians, of course, have always known of Israel’s return to its ancient homeland. 6 Cover Story relate Albecht Bengel (1687- sion that the hand on that clock P1752), Pastor Johann is close to midnight. God’s Christoph Blumhardt (1805-1880) renewed attention toward Israel of Möttlingen, or the hymn writer has begun. The first sizable immi - and founder of the still existing gration of Jews from Russia took congregation in Württemberg, place in 1882. The Lord’s impor - Michael Hahn (1758-1819), are tant speech concerning signs of just some of the theologians the end of the world (Matthew known to German Christians, 24; Luke 21) is often referred to who spoke about the conversion as the Olivet Discourse, because and wonderful future of the nation it was on that Mount that He Israel. Physician and friend of spoke to His disciples. On this Goethe, Heinrich Jung-Stilling occasion, Jesus said this generation (1740-1817) wrote: “The true will not pass away—the one that believer consistently looks at the will see the fig tree sprouting new golden hand on the clock high up leaves—and “it [the end of the on the temple wall; and he who world] is near, even at the doors” doesn’t see clearly asks another (Matt 24:32-34). with sharper vision what time it There is no doubt that the Bible might be. Some of what you are means Israel when it speaks of writing concerning the Jews is this fig tree. We see that in the known to me. Conversion of this parable of the fig tree in the vine - strange nation and its return to yard (Luke 13:6-9). Here Israel the fatherland will be an eye- is compared to a fig tree that had opener to many. That will legiti - been carefully tended by the gar - matize the Bible once again to dener for three years, but did not everyone, and we will then defi - bring forth any fruit. Jesus sees nitely know where things stand.” Himself as the Gardener: He When we compare Biblical labored for three years among prophecy concerning Israel with “the lost sheep of the house of current events, we get the impres - Israel” (Matt 15:24).