JULY 2020 | THETRUMPET.COM Coronavirus and the Holy Roman Empire The China-America divorce The beautiful effects of ‘Great Tribulation’ Environmentalism is the new paganism How do you deal with death? Why the World Targets America (and its president) COVER More and more of the world is taking aim at the United States. Why? (Gary dorning/TRUMPET) JULY 2020 | VOL. 31, NO. 6 | CIRC. 246,078 “ Hungary’s prime minister has abolished democracy. If the EU does not act, authoritarianism will spread in Europe.” SPIEGEL ONLINE Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán FEATURES DEPARTMENTS FROM THE EDITOR 1 How Do You Deal With Death? 16 WORLDWATCH 28 Coronavirus and the Holy Roman Empire INFOGRAPHIC 18 SOCIETYWATCH 31 The Real Death Rate Can COVID Cure Germany’s PRINCIPLES OF LIVING 33 Religious Divide? 4 The Beautiful Effects of Spend Your Time Wisely ‘Great Tribulation’ 20 COVER STORY 7 DISCUSSION BOARD 34 The Global Ambition to Destroy Is God’s Church Divided? 25 America and Its President COMMENTARY 35 Environmentalism Is the New Paganism The Divorce of Chimerica 12 THE KEY OF DAVID TELEVISION LOG 36 Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry’s Trumpet executive editor Stephen Regular news updates and alerts News and analysis weekly television program Flurry’s television program from our website to your inbox updated daily theTrumpet.com/keyofdavid theTrumpet.com/trumpetdaily theTrumpet.com/go/brief theTrumpet.com FROM THE EDITOR GERALD FLURRY Coronavirus and the Holy Roman Empire Europe’s response to COVID-19 has set the stage for dictators to rise. ne of the most important effects of the global panic In the first issues of the Plain Truth magazine, predecessor over covid-19 has been almost overlooked. Europe’s to the Trumpet, the late Herbert W. Armstrong warned of this O response to the pandemic is accelerating the fulfillment resurrected empire. In the July 24, 1983, issue he wrote: “The of one of the most crucial end-time prophecies of your Bible! very first issue of the Plain Truth magazine appeared February The coronavirus is hastening the arrival of the prophesied 1934—just 50 years ago lacking about six months. The article Holy Roman Empire. starting on the cover page warned of a coming sudden appear- This church-state union has ruled Europe for centuries. But ance of a resurrected ‘Holy Roman Empire’ in Europe—a previous inquisitions, religious wars, crusades and the Holo- union of 10 nations in Europe under one government, with caust have been a mere foreshadow of what the Bible calls the one united military force. For 50 years I have been crying out “Great Tribulation” (Matthew 24:21). to the world the Bible prophecies of this coming ‘United States The Bible says 10 kings will rise in Europe in this end time, of Europe’—a new united superpower perhaps more powerful led by one overarching strongman. These kings will form the than either the Soviet Union or the United States!” Holy Roman Empire. Verse 10 says, “And there are seven kings [this is referring to The coronavirus pandemic is helping the seven heads of the beast, or the seven historical resurrec- usher in these 10 kings! tions of this empire]: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is We need to be thinking about these not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short prophesied kings, who are rising now. As a space.” This prophecy describes a specific moment in time: It result of the recent crisis, various European was when Mr. Armstrong was on the scene and first explaining leaders have taken dictatorial measures. In these end-time biblical prophecies. That was first during the several cases they have done so with direct 1930s. At that time, the “one is”—Adolf Hitler—was leading approval from the Roman Catholic Church. the sixth resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire. Today, the Many people have voiced fear that the recent crisis will “other,” prophesied to continue a “short space,” is soon to arrive. destroy the European Union. But although it may look that way, Other prophecies show that the “short space” this beast will Europe is in fact about to unite in a powerful way. hold power is not much longer than 3½ years—the duration of The Bible reveals that the EU is about to be pared down to the Great Tribulation and Day of the Lord. a 10-nation superstate. This prophecy will be fulfilled very For over 75 years we have been prophesying the arrival of soon—I see biblical evidence of probably no more than two to this empire. Now you can see it coming to pass exactly as God four years, and perhaps even as soon as this year. recorded for us in the Bible. I have been a part of this work for The Apostle John saw this final resurrection of the Holy decades. And it is amazing to me, almost overwhelming, how Roman Empire in vision depicted as a beast with seven heads minutely these prophecies have been and are being fulfilled! and 10 horns. God revealed the symbolism to him. The seven This coming empire will affect your life directly. Its arrival heads are seven successive resurrections of this beast-like will shock every nation on Earth as no power has in modern empire. Revelation 17:1-2 show this empire in an alliance with times. This is the paramount prophecy of the end time. a church, symbolized by a woman. This is an exact prophecy of the Holy Roman Empire—a church-state alliance. Taking Advantage of Crisis As we explain in our free booklet Who or What Is the Pro- God revealed many of these prophecies to Mr. Armstrong phetic Beast?, six of these resurrections have come and gone around the time of World War ii and in the decades thereafter. through history, and the seventh is rising now! God has been warning this world all these years about the The 10 horns of this beast are on the seventh head. The sym- horrifying times ahead, and we need to understand why. bolism is explained: “And the ten horns which thou sawest are In 1984 Mr. Armstrong wrote that he could foresee a massive ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive banking crisis being the trigger for European nations to sud- power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, denly coalesce into a superpower. Today, European countries and shall give their power and strength unto the beast” (verses are racking up debt at rates unprecedented in peace time— 12-13). This prophecy was written nearly 2,000 years ago, and with many countries perilously close to financial collapse. these “ten kings” are rising in Europe today! Italy has been the epicenter for the coronavirus in Europe. Verse 14 states that these kings would “make war with the Its economy took a massive hit. “The economy has basically Lamb”—Jesus Christ. So this is clearly a prophecy of events to been stopped,” said Prof. Nicola Borri of Luiss University. “We SEAN GALLUP/GETTY IMAGES GALLUP/GETTY SEAN occur right before Christ’s Second Coming. are probably going to see massive defaults. Clearly, Italian JULY 2020 1 banks will be badly hit” (New York Times, March 17). Spain and state. Charlemagne showed how strong Europe could be when France are also suffering serious debt issues. Events in Italy he formed a partnership between Germany and the Roman give us insight into what could happen to all the economies of Catholic Church to create the Holy Roman Empire. That the European Union. empire has risen up repeatedly since that time. Here are some telling headlines from prominent news But this church-state union hasn’t always been a happy sources: “Coronavirus Could Break the EU” (Politico); “With marriage. Usually the two have been drawn together because Borders Going Up Around Europe, Coronavirus Is Devastating of a crisis—an emergency. the EU’s Superstate Pretensions” (Telegraph); “Coronavirus Herbert W. Armstrong believed the same pattern would Tests Europe’s Cohesion, Alliances and Even Democracy” (New occur again in our time—that European nations would unify York Times). EU nations are very divided. That division is pre- suddenly because of a crisis, and that the Roman Catholic venting them from pooling their efforts to deal with the virus. Church would play a huge role in solving that emergency. In Many experts will tell you that Europe is about to break apart. times of crisis, religion has a way of pulling people together! If these nations’ response to the coronavirus does not cause In the book of Revelation, the Apostle John prophesies of a an immediate economic woman who “sitteth upon many meltdown, the debt they are AUSTRIA was the first European waters,” committing fornication accumulating will still come country to go into coronavirus with powerful world leaders due at some point. Some kind lockdown. For doing so, Austrian (Revelation 17:1-2). This woman, of financial crisis is inevitable. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz received which in Bible prophecy sym- When it comes, watch what much praise from the Roman Catholic bolizes a church (e.g. Isaiah 47; happens! A crisis like the cur- Church, Europe’s oldest institution. Ephesians 5:25; 2 Corinthians rent one is exactly what Euro- 11:2), has global influence, guiding pean leaders have longed for to forge a European superstate! a great beast, which represents a political power (Revelation 17:3). One of the EU’s founders, Jean Monnet, said, “Europe will be The Bible also reveals that this church sits on “seven moun- forged in crises and will be the sum of the solutions adopted tains” and has influence over “peoples, and multitudes, and for those crises.” German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble nations, and tongues” (verses 9, 15).