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[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Three Hard Questions About Scripture

We live in an amazing time where the Bible, God’s word, is one of the most widely available books on the planet. Whether on a bookshelf in your home or on an app on your phone, most of us have a Bible easily within reach.

But that doesn’t mean it’s always easy to understand. The truths of the Bible are simple, but that doesn’t mean we don’t still have questions.

The good news is that God has answers! Join us on this episode of Tomorrow’s World for another installment of “Your Questions, the Bible’s Answers!” as we tackle three common and challenging questions and answer them directly from the pages of your Bible!

Who Was Cain’s Wife?

Greetings! Welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible.

You know, the Bible isn’t just a book—it’s the inspired word of God. The night before He was crucified, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, told His Father in prayer, “Your word is truth” (John 17:17).

However, that doesn’t mean it is always easy to understand. And—when you think about it—why should the Bible always be easy to understand? Its words are intended to convey to us the mind of God! And as our Creator tells us in Isaiah 55:8, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways.”

Yet the Bible can be understood with God’s help and a little effort. And comprehending God’s word is worth that effort!

But today, we’re going to focus on three specific Bible questions and, in each case, not only explain the Bible’s answer, but also highlight the broader principles you can use in the future to answer Bible questions for yourself.

Our three questions today are:

1. Where did Cain get his wife?
2. Which are the right “Ten Commandments”?
3. (And) Are Enoch and Elijah in heaven?

So, let’s get started!

Our first question is a favorite of atheists who seek to discredit the Bible, but also a legitimate question sometimes asked by sincere people simply trying to understand.

Genesis 1 and 2 are plain that the first human beings God created were Adam and Eve. And Genesis 4 speaks of their sons, Cain and Abel: “Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, ‘I have acquired a man from the LORD.’ Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground” (Genesis 4:1–2).

You may know the story of Cain and Abel. Both brothers made offerings to God, but Cain’s offering was not as worthy as Abel’s. Instead of seeking to learn and improve, Cain became filled with anger, and, eventually, he killed his brother, Abel. Murder started early for the human race!

After God curses Cain for his sin, we read in Genesis 416–17, “Then Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and dwelt in the land of Nod on the east of Eden. And Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch” (Genesis 4:16–17).

And THIS brings us to our first question! Many ask, “Where did Cain get his wife?” After all, Adam and Eve were the first humans, and the only two children mentioned here are Cain and Abel—two boys, one of which is dead. So, just whom did Cain eventually marry? Surely not a giraffe, or an oak tree! People marry people! And who was there for Cain to marry?

To answer this question, we need to consider the first principle we will apply for answering Bible questions: Examine the context around the verse or passage.

So, let’s examine additional verses near this tale in Genesis 4 to see if we can get more details. And, indeed, we can—right next door in Genesis 5! Beginning in verse one of Genesis 5, we read,

“This is the book of the genealogy of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created. And Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and begot a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth. After he begot Seth, the days of Adam were eight hundred years; and he had sons and daughters” (Genesis 5:1–4).

Now note that: Adam lived another eight hundred years and continued conceiving sons and daughters. Yes, Adam and Eve’s family did not just consist of Cain, Abel, and Seth. Instead, when God commanded them in Genesis 1:28 to “be fruitful and multiply,” they did exactly that! And for how long? Notice that Genesis 5:5 says that “all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years”—that is a long life! Given that the events of Genesis 1, 2, and 3 were about 6,000 years ago, Adam lived almost one-sixth of that time! And that is plenty of time to have many children.

So, the answer to “Where did Cain get his wife?” is plain: Cain married one of his sisters.

Now, of course, today no one should marry his sister! But remember, we’re talking about the very beginning of humanity! God directly created Adam and Eve, personally designing every feature of their bodies and biology. The genetic problems that plague children of close kin today would not have been a problem in the beginning. And while God later forbids such relationships in His law, as seen, for example, in Leviticus 18:9, it simply wasn’t necessary at the beginning. In fact, after Adam and Eve, but before the laws of Leviticus, the patriarch Abraham was married to his half-sister (Genesis 20:12).

The point is that there need be no difficulty at all in understanding the Bible’s statement. Yes, Cain had a wife, and that wife was his sister—another descendant of Adam and Eve. Simply reading a little more of the context around the passage immediately clears up the question.

Which Ten Commandments are the Right Ones?

Our next question has not only been used by some in attempts to discredit the Bible, but has also been a source of confusion in different denominations claiming to be Christian. It might be called “The Case of the Battling Commandments.”

If you’re a longtime viewer of Tomorrow’s World, you’ve heard us teach about the vital importance of the Ten Commandments numerous times in the program. Jesus Christ loved the commandments, and Christians everywhere are commanded to live by them.

Yet, just what are the Ten Commandments?

Well, the answer you get will vary depending on whom you ask! The list of ten commandments given in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5 is parsed differently by different groups. Here are the two main approaches:

For example, many would give the following summarized list of the Ten Commandments:

1. You shall have no other gods.
2. You shall make no graven images.
3. You shall not take God’s name in vain.
4. You shall remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.
5. You shall honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not murder.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness.
10. [And] You shall not covet.

Yet, if you ask a Roman Catholic, you might get this list of summarized commandments:

1. You shall have no other gods.
2. You shall not take God’s name in vain.
3. You shall remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.
4. You shall honor your father and your mother.
5. You shall not murder.
6. You shall not commit adultery.
7. You shall not steal.
8. You shall not bear false witness.
9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
10. [And] You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

You’ll surely notice that those two lists are not the same. The first one has a commandment against the use of idols, the Second Commandment. But that commandment doesn’t show up at all in the second list, the Roman Catholic one. And, in the first list, the last commandment is against coveting. But in the second list, the Roman Catholic one, that command is split into two commands: not coveting your neighbor’s wife and not coveting your neighbor’s goods.

So, that brings us to today’s second Bible question: “Which are the right ‘Ten Commandments’?”

We know that there are ten because the Bible says so, itself. We see this in Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 4:13, and Deuteronomy 10:4.

But which are the Ten?

To find the answer, you might look at Deuteronomy 5, which lists all ten commandments. There we see the final passage stated this way in verse 21: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife; and you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, his male servant, his female servant, his ox, his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor’s.”

But should “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife” be broken out as a separate commandment from “you shall not desire your neighbor’s house, his field, etc.”? The verse numbering was added by scholars later, so that doesn’t help.

Looking at the verse, it seems that there is no way to tell—so is the answer to the question, “Which are the right ‘Ten Commandments’?,” “It depends on whom you ask”?

Nonsense! Because the truth is not determined by Roman Catholic councils or Lutheran synods or Evangelical conferences. The truth is determined by the word of God, and when it comes to His commandments, He makes the answer plain.

To discover it, we just need to use another helpful principle for understanding the Bible: Examine other scriptures that cover the same topic.

Jesus Christ said in John 10:35 that “the Scripture cannot be broken”—meaning God’s word does not contradict itself. So, if two passages of the Bible speak about the same subject, including the Ten Commandments, they must both be true.

In this case, we should ask ourselves: Is there any other passage that also lists the Ten Commandments, other than Deuteronomy 5?

And, yes, there is! The Ten Commandments are also listed in Exodus 20. In fact, that chapter comes before Deuteronomy 5, and is the chapter most would turn to first to read the Ten Commandments in the Bible. There, we can read the end of the commandments in verse 17: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

Notice one very important difference from the way Moses worded the ending in Deuteronomy 5: When God spoke these words in Exodus 20, the part about not covering your neighbor’s wife is placed inside the rest—after the part about your neighbor’s house!

So, when God spoke the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, did He accidentally mix them up? Did He start by going from the eighth commandment and skipping the ninth to give part of the tenth commandment, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house,” then jump back to the ninth commandment, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife,” only to suddenly jump forward again to finish the tenth? That’s ridiculous! If anyone understands the Ten Commandments, it’s the divine One who spoke them aloud at Mount Sinai!

And these two passages, Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, cannot both be right if the commandment against coveting is split into two pieces—coveting your neighbor’s wife and then coveting everything else. They only work if there is only one commandment—the tenth commandment—against coveting anything that is your neighbor’s!

So, which Ten Commandments is the real Ten Commandments? The one that includes an explicit second commandment against making and worshiping idols and that has one unified tenth commandment against coveting.

And you don’t have to take my word for it. Take the Apostle Paul’s, who summarized the single tenth commandment himself as, simply, “You shall not covet.”

So, if you are wondering who gets the Ten Commandments right—your local clergyman or the Creator of the Universe who thundered them to His people at Mount Sinai—I’d stick with your Creator!

What Happened to Enoch and Elijah?

Our third question involves two famous individuals in the Bible: Enoch and Elijah the prophet.

Now in the case of Enoch, Genesis 5 gives us an interesting tale concerning this ancient patriarch. Amidst many who were sinning and living unrighteously, we read of him beginning in verse 21: “Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:21–24).

The phrases “he was not” and “God took him” have led many to believe that Enoch was removed from earth and taken into heaven. In fact, when I was a child, I had a popular children’s Bible that told its version of the story of Enoch and titled it “The Man Who Walked into Heaven”! This understanding is bolstered in the eyes of many by the fact that the passage does not mention his death explicitly, and the Apostle Paul, writing in Hebrews, said that Enoch was “taken away so that he did not see death.”

Like Enoch, another biblical figure is thought by many to be in heaven: The prophet Elijah. In chapter 2 of the book of 2 Kings, we read how the time came for the mantle of prophetic leadership to be passed from Elijah to his protégé Elisha: “Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven” (2 Kings 2:11).

Part of the challenge in these passages is that the language is ambiguous and open to interpretation. Nowhere in the story of Enoch are we told where he was taken, and nothing explicitly and clearly says that he did not die. And in the case of Elijah, the Bible speaks of three heavens: the air above us where birds fly and clouds move, the space above that in which the stars shine, and then what Paul calls “the third heaven” in which God dwells. Whenever “heaven” is mentioned in the pages of your Bible, it’s vital to keep in mind these three different possibilities and determine from the context which one applies to the passage. Which one applies here to Elijah’s chariot ride is not immediately clear.

All of this brings us to the common question: “Are Enoch and Elijah in heaven?”

That is, are Enoch and Elijah still living up in heaven, in the presence of God and the angels?

The details of what happened to Enoch and Elijah after their disappearance is a larger topic than we have time for, but the answer to the question itself is actually very easy—and it involves a third fundamental principle that is eminently helpful for anyone trying to understand the Bible: Use plain scriptures to help explain those that are more ambiguous.

In this case, the tales of Enoch and Elijah have ambiguities that we need to resolve. Yet, there are very plain passages that are far easier to understand. And these passages leave us no doubt as to whether or not Enoch and Elijah are alive in heaven.

Let’s look at one—spoken by none other than the Son of God, Himself: Jesus Christ! Speaking to a Pharisee named Nicodemus, who himself may have believed Enoch or Elijah were in heaven, Jesus is very plain, saying in John 3:13, “No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.”

There you have it from Jesus’ own mouth: no one has ascended into heaven. Jesus Christ, the Son of Man and the Son of God, is the only man to have traversed both heaven and earth. He didn’t say “No one but two…” or “No one but Enoch and Elijah….” He said “No one.” And that leaves no room for our two Old Testament friends.

In fact, we can go further. We mentioned earlier that Enoch is mentioned in Hebrews. That passage, Hebrews 11, is called by some the “Heroes of Faith” chapter, and Enoch is mentioned in verse 5. But later, in verse 13, we are told very plainly what has happened to all of these “heroes of faith”: “These all died in faith, not having received the promises….”

“These all” would include Enoch, eight verses earlier. In fact, of course Enoch and Elijah have died. Romans 3:23 promises us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” and Romans 6:23 tells us that “the wages of sin is death.”

More could be said, but no matter what tale we might speculate about concerning Enoch and Elijah, these plain verses limit us to what must be true: That Enoch and Elijah are now dead, awaiting their reward, and are not in heaven. To claim otherwise would be to disagree with the declaration of Jesus Christ Himself. In this case, the plain verses of the Bible add clarity to those that are more open to misinterpretation and misunderstanding.

How to Study the Bible

Concerning where Cain could have gotten his wife, we’ve seen that Adam and Eve had many children, including daughters, easily providing a wife for Cain.

Concerning which collection are the right “Ten Commandments,” we’ve seen that skipping the second commandment about idols and splitting the tenth commandment about coveting into two different commandments violates the word of God.

And as for Enoch and Elijah, we have determined that, no, they are not in heaven—trusting Jesus Christ when He says that He is the only man to have trod both heaven and earth at this time.

But more than simply answering three questions, we’ve also illustrated three solid principles that you can use in your own Bible study:

• Examine the context around the verse or passage.
• Examine other scriptures that cover the same topic.
• [And] Use plain scriptures to help explain those that are more ambiguous.

And studying your Bible is worth the time you invest. As the Apostle Peter told Jesus Christ after His Master had just delivered a challenging message that was difficult to understand, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).

And the inspired words of the Bible are just that: the words of eternal life. Your effort to understand them will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams!

Thanks so much for watching. If you’re interested in the first four lessons of our free 24-lesson Bible Study Course, I hope you’ll go out to TWTV.org/study and request those four lessons yourself. Or, of course, you can click on the link that we’ve provided in the description below.

And we hope that you enjoy what we make here at Tomorrow’s World, we really do want to help you understand your world through the pages of your Bible.

If you did enjoy it, we hope you’ll consider clicking on subscribe, and if you want to be notified when something comes out, just click that bell!

Thanks so much.

[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World program.]

Germany’s Rising Power

On February 24, 2022, Russian tanks rolled across the border into Ukraine. They attacked in the north from Belarus, in the south from Crimea, and they attacked from the east, heading toward the capital Kiev. Just one month before, Germany had been reluctant to send weapons to Ukraine, not wanting to inflame already tense relations with Russia. The Germans infamously offered the Ukrainians just 5,000 helmets in response to their plea for help, as Russian troops amassed at the border.

But just two days after the invasion of February 24, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made a surprise announcement. He committed the German government to increased military spending in 2022 by 100 billion euros. And, he pledged to send Ukraine 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 surface-to-air missiles.

This move did not just put Vladimir Putin on notice that Germany would stand with the Ukrainians; it also signaled a radical shift in Germany’s policy, one that had stood for decades.

As the news website France24 noted,

“Often described as predictable and ‘robotic,’ Chancellor Olaf Scholz has become emboldened since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, smashing policy taboos to steer Germany into ‘a new era’ that could reshape its role on the world stage” (February 28, 2022).

And that’s exactly what this shift has done—radically change Germany’s post-war policy. Since World War II, Germany has not allowed its weapons makers to export into war zones. It has not even allowed third parties to buy them for use in these areas. And this policy was a reaction to Germany’s dark, Nazi past. But now, everything has changed. This policy about-face has been nothing less than stunning.

But there’s more to the story. You see, it’s not just that Germany is taking a more muscular approach to its defense and its neighbors’ defense. There’s something else happening behind the scenes. What does it mean for Bible prophecy? And where will it lead in the end-times?

The Ancient Origin of the Germans

Welcome to Tomorrow’s World, where we help you make sense of your world through the pages of the Bible.

When Germany reversed its pacifist policy and pledged to stand with Ukraine, many were shocked. So, why DID Germany, after all those decades, dramatically change direction?

The answer lies in understanding the origin of the modern German nation. And that brings us to our first key to understanding why Germany matters in end-time prophecy:

1. Germany comes from ancient Assyria

Longtime viewers of Tomorrow’s World understand that nations of today didn't just appear out of thin air. Some countries, like Egypt, Italy, and Greece, have the same names as their ancient counterparts. On the other hand, other countries’ names have changed. This is true of Germany. You won’t find the name “Germany” in your Bible. But biblical and historical evidence show modern Germany sprang from ancient Assyria. How do we know? In the first segment, let’s look at some of the evidence.

The ancient empire of Assyria was a mighty and vast world-power that reached its zenith in the eighth century BC. But by 612 BC, it had collapsed and its capital, Nineveh, was overrun. Consider this comment by James Breasted in the book The Conquest of Civilization:

“[Nineveh’s] fall was forever, and when two centuries later Xenophon and his ten thousand Greeks marched past the place, the Assyrian nation was but a vague tradition, and Nineveh, its great city, was a vast heap of rubbish as it is today” ​(The Conquest of Civilization, 1954, p. 175).

The bulk of the Assyrians just disappeared. But where did they go? When you look at the historical record—combined with the Bible—you’ll find evidence of Assyrians moving north and west. Let’s examine just a few examples.

First of all, consider the city of Trier. One of the oldest cities in Germany, according to German legend, Trier was founded by an Assyrian prince named Trebeta, a descendant of the biblical Nimrod. While this is only a legend, it persisted at least as far as the 11^th century AD. If true, it would establish Assyrian knowledge of and access to the continent of Europe, well into antiquity.

Consider another point: Along the southern coast of the Black Sea is a promontory that in ancient times was called Sinope. Some historians say this ancient maritime city was founded by the Assyrians:

“The early foundations of Sinope are probably Assyrian. The extreme antiquity of that great power is constantly receiving fresh evidence…” (David M. Robinson, “Ancient Sinope: First Part,” The American Journal of Philology, vol. 27, no. 2, p. 145).

So, why is that significant? Because if the Assyrians had a presence in the Black Sea region before Nineveh fell, it would make sense to flee in that direction when their empire collapsed.

And that’s exactly where we do find some Assyrians, centuries after Nineveh fell. Diodorus of Sicily, a historian writing in the 1^st century BC, noted that the Assyrians were driven by the Scythians exactly to this region where they had long had a presence:

“It was by these kings [of the Scythians] that many of the conquered peoples were removed to other homes, and two of these became very great colonies: the one was composed of Assyrians and was removed to the land between Paphlagonia and Pontus” (Diodorus of Sicily, vol. 2, p. 29, Oldfather, 1935).

So, they were forcibly exiled to areas not unfamiliar to them.

Consider another piece of evidence: the Hittites. The Hittites were a powerful empire located in Asia Minor in antiquity. They had many cultural and ethnic ties to the Assyrians. And, they were next door neighbors. When the Hittite empire fell, around 1200 BC, the Assyrians swooped in to fill the vacuum. They occupied Hittite cities, and became even more mixed and linked as a people. Again, where would the fleeing Assyrians go when Nineveh fell, if not to areas where they were already established masters?

This is important, because later, we find historians tracing the Hittites migrating into Europe, carrying their names, their culture, and their tendencies with them. Undoubtedly, many Assyrians were mixed in as well.

Note some of the similarities between ancient Assyria and the Hittite empire, and modern Germany.

The iron cross was a military decoration by King Frederick Wilhelm III and by Imperial and Nazi Germany. It can ALSO be found depicted in engravings, hanging from the neck of the Assyrian king Shamshi-Adad V in the ninth-century BC.

The Hittite double-headed eagle and the Assyrian god Ashur depicted on a winged sun disk bear strong resemblances to the double-headed eagle of the Germanic Holy Roman Empire and the eagle and swastika disk of Nazi Germany.

British Assyriologist A. H. Sayce of the University of Oxford believed that the swastika symbol likely originated with the Hittites and spread into other cultures (xxi, Trojas, Heinrich Schliemann, 1881).

German Role in Bible Prophecy

You won’t find the name “Germany” in the Bible. Even so, you can identify where this powerful and influential nation sprang from. You can trace the movements of the ancient Assyrians through the centuries as they migrated and mingled among other peoples, finally settling in central Europe.

But why does it matter? Why should we care about these old histories and maps and artifacts? It might affect the days ahead, more than you realize. And that leads us to our second key to understanding why Germany matters in end-time prophecy:

2. Germany will dominate the Western world in the end-times

One third of the Bible is prophecy. And one of the basic principles of prophecy is that much of it is dual. In other words, there is a first fulfillment, and then there is a future fulfillment, yet to occur. But what does this have to do with Germany today?

To answer that question, let’s look at Isaiah chapter 10:1–3,

“Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees, who write misfortune, which they have prescribed to rob the needy of justice, and to take what is right from the poor of My people…. What will you do in the day of punishment, and in the desolation which will come from afar?” (Isaiah 10:1–3).

Here in Isaiah 10, God was telling the ancient Israelites He was about to punish them for turning away from Him. Then, the next few verses explain WHO He would use to punish them, as a tool in God’s hands. Notice Isaiah 10:5–7,

“Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger and the staff in whose hand is My indignation. I will send him against an ungodly nation, and against the people of My wrath I will give him charge, to seize the spoil, to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. Yet he does not mean so, nor does his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy, and cut off not a few nations” (Isaiah 10:5–7).

Note this. Israel was prophesied to be punished for their sins. Assyria was prophesied to be used by God to accomplish this. Not that the Assyrians were thinking they were doing God’s will. The Assyrian kings were doing just what Assyrian kings did naturally—conquering and overthrowing cities and nations to expand their territory. And that’s exactly what happened. Assyria attacked northern Israel in 721 BC, destroying its capital, Samaria, and deporting its inhabitants.

But notice, there’s one more element in this passage. In Isaiah 10:12,

“Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Lord has performed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, that He will say, ‘I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his haughty looks.’ For he says: ‘By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I am prudent…. Shall the ax boast itself against him who chops with it?” (Isaiah 10:12–13, 15).

In other words, God would punish Assyria after He used them to correct Israel, for the king of Assyria’s arrogance and self-will.

What a profound glimpse of geopolitics from behind-the-scenes! We may see the outward effects of nations and armies trying to outmaneuver one another on the battlefield, or in the diplomatic arena. But God, our Creator, is the Sustainer of the whole entire globe. Though we may not see it, He is there, and even works through kings and leaders, to accomplish His will.

Again, why is this important and what does it have to do with Germany today?

You see, because prophecy is dual, this scene will be played out again. Ancient Israel comprises the English-speaking nations of the Western world, and those of northwest Europe. These nations grow more decadent with each passing day. There will come a day when they will be judged. And God will use the same nation He used to accomplish it in 721 BC; Assyria, Germany. That’s what your Bible says. A repeat of the Nazi regime in the last century. Only, this time Germany won’t be defeated. This horrific time to come is described in the Bible as the Great Tribulation.

But how can we really know this will happen?

Consider several prophecies that apply to the end-times. Notice Isaiah 27:12–13,

“And it shall come to pass in that day that the LORD will thresh, from the channel of the River to the Brook of Egypt; and you will be gathered one by one, O you children of Israel. So it shall be in that day: The great trumpet will be blown; they will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, and they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem” (Isaiah 27:12–13).

How could it be any plainer? The great trumpet is blown, the children of Israel will be about to perish in the land of Assyria, and then they return to worship the Lord at Jerusalem. That has not happened yet. It’s yet future.

Turn to Isaiah 11:16. Here is another passage showing Assyrian domination of Israel in the end times:

“There will be a highway for the remnant of His people who will be left from Assyria, as it was for Israel in the day that he came up from the land of Egypt” (Isaiah 11:16).

When you look at the context, this is clearly referring to the millennium, and the time leading up to it. And it says God will gather His people from Assyria.

In Jeremiah 23:8 and Jeremiah 31:8 it refers to the captives being brought back “from the north country.” In Hosea 11:10, it says the captives will return, trembling, “from the west.” Look on a map. What is north and west of ancient Israel? Well, Europe, with Germany at its heart.

The Beast of Revelation and Germany’s True Restoration

We saw that disaster is coming upon the nations of end-time Israel. This devastation will come at the hands of a German-led superpower, the final attempt to restore the Holy Roman Empire. This military machine is also called the Beast, as it’s described in the Book of Revelation. Notice what John saw and described, in Revelation 13:1,

“Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name…. And all the world marveled and followed the beast” (Revelation 13:1, 3).

This coming superpower will shock and bewilder the nations with its technological prowess and military strength. It will subjugate modern Israelites, conquer an Arab confederacy, and even fight an all-out war with the armies of the East, for supremacy of the whole earth.

And by the way, some discount the idea that modern Germans came from ancient Assyria, because there are populations in northern Iraq, northwestern Iran, southeast Turkey, and Syria who call themselves Assyrians. Some additional ethnic Assyrians live in the United States. All told, these ethnic Assyrians comprise just over 5 million people alive today.

But think about it. After all we’ve seen in this program, could it be that a few scattered peoples could wield enough power in the end-times to bring down a superpower? Is it logical that the United States could be overthrown by a few million scattered ethnic Assyrians with no central nation of their own? Not at all. The prophecies of the Bible show that in the end-times, there will be a nation descended from ancient Assyria, that will comprise an intact, influential superpower. And this juggernaut will leap onto the world stage suddenly and shock the nations.

After this German-led Beast power takes the world by storm, just like in ancient times, this modern-day Assyrian empire will be punished as well. Just like Nineveh was flattened in 612 BC, God will judge this nation for its ruthless and brutal aggression. And, for its attempt to fight against Christ Himself. Notice what we find in Revelation 17:12,

“The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful” (Revelation 17:12–14).

This is the so-called “Battle of Armageddon.” This is mankind’s attempt to thwart Jesus Christ when He returns. The armies of this resurgent Assyrian empire will be no match for the King of kings and Lord of lords. And that empire will be defeated.

But what happens next is the key I want you to leave you with. That is, our third key as to “Why Germany Matters in the end-times”:

3. Germany will be a leading nation in the Millennial age

Germany and other nations of the world will be humbled by Jesus Christ returning in power and glory. And then, after this horrific battle, a new age will begin. Our Lord and Savior, as we saw earlier, will gather the survivors of Israel from the land of Assyria, and other places where they were taken captive. He will also comfort and feed and heal survivors from all the nations of the world—those who suffered but survived during the Great Tribulation and the Day of the LORD.

The timing is at the beginning of the Millennium, when Jesus Christ is now on earth, after He puts down all rebellion. Notice, Isaiah 19:23,

“In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians” (Isaiah 19:23).

Could there be a time of peace after World War III? Yes. But first, the modern-day Assyrians will have subjugated much of the Western world. They will have fought with and beaten an Arab confederation. And they will have battled Asian armies from the East, bringing the whole earth to the edge of cosmicide. But yes, after that, there WILL be peace.

Not only that, look who will be picking up the pieces. The German people, who survived that great calamity, will play an active role in rebuilding a broken and beaten world. They will be humbled and repentant, and ready to serve in a new world of peace and prosperity. Bible prophecy shows they will have an important–and even a leading–role in this new age. We pick it up in Isaiah 19:24,

“In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, ‘Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance’” (Isaiah 19:24–25).

Did you catch that? Assyria—Germany—is described as the work of God’s hands. And they will work with other nations that were formerly bitter enemies. You see, God doesn’t hate Germany. On the contrary, God loves the German people. Just like He loves all of His children, made in His image. And He will use the tremendous strengths and talents and ENERGY of the German people to help rebuild the world, brick by brick.

Why does Germany matter in the end-times? Because if we know the identity of the German nation, we can understand why Germany, even today, is beginning to take a more proactive and assertive role in the world. While Germany acts with good intentions now, where will it lead? Prophecy tells us it will lead to an aggressive tyrant taking over Germany, bringing warfare and destruction like the world has never known. At the same time, prophecy ALSO shows that after that, the German nation will be used by God to help rebuild a new and peaceful world, under the leadership of Jesus Christ.

There’s much more to this subject than we can cover in this short program. And that’s why we are offering you the free study guide Germany in Prophecy. It will show that God has a plan for all His children. And He is working out that plan. He will put end-time Assyrians–modern Germans–to work to accomplish that plan. In fact, He even describes Assyria as “the Work of My Hands.” You need to know what will happen to these nations we’ve talked about, in the years just ahead. And you need to know how it will affect you. So, request your free copy of Germany in Prophecy. Order by phone, by mail, or on the web. Order today.

God’s Love for Germany—And for You

In this program, we’ve seen that you won’t find the name “Germany” in the Bible. And yet, you can understand who the Germans are today, and what God reveals for Germany in the end-times. And you can understand why Germany matters in these end-times.

God does not want any of His children, made in His image to suffer. And He is looking for those who will turn from their sins and respond to His call for repentance. May God help all of us—whoever we are and wherever we live—to heed the warning and draw close to our Creator in truth and sincerity.

Thanks for watching. And be sure to come back next week as Gerald Weston, Richard Ames, Wallace Smith, and I continue to share with you the teachings of Jesus Christ, the good news of His coming Kingdom, and end-time prophecies of His Word. See you next week.

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