Friday Church News Notes
May 29, 2026 - Volume 27, Issue 22
The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, though this does not imply an endorsement.
Israeli Police Officers on Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
PRIESTS ARRESTED FOR OFFERING PENTECOST BREAD ON TEMPLE MOUNT (Friday Church News Notes, May 29, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - On Friday, May 22, Israeli police arrested 13 people, including Levitical priests, who were attempting to present the biblically prescribed bread offering on the festival of Weeks or Pentecost. It is the only regular Levitical sacrifice that was offered with leaven. “Ye shall bring out of your habitations two wave loaves of two tenth deals: they shall be of fine flour; they shall be baken with leaven; they are the firstfruits unto the LORD” (Leviticus 23:17). The two loaves depict Jews and Gentiles brought nigh to God through Christ (Eph. 2:11-16). The fine flour depicts the new Christ nature in the believer, whereas the leaven depicts the old nature which remains in this present life (the “old man” and the “new man,” Eph. 4:22-24). The loaves are “the firstfruits unto the LORD” (Le. 23:17), which is the church. Compare Romans 8:23; James 1:18. The offering was waved before the Lord and is holy to the Lord (Le. 23:20), signifying Christ as the accepted of God and believers accepted in Christ on the basis of his atonement. A burnt offering, a meal offering, a sin offering, and a peace offering accompanied the feast of weeks (Le. 23:18-19), signifying Christ as everything the believer needs for forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace. See 1 Corinthians 1:30. The Levites that are in training for the Third Temple do not accept New Testament revelation and therefore do not understand the Messianic significance of the offerings nor the reality of the church. After gaining control of east Jerusalem and the Temple Mount on the last day of the Six Day War (June 7, 1967), Israel returned control of the Temple Mount back into the hands of the Jordanian Muslim Waqf. “[D]espite the law requiring Jews to have freedom of worship, the Israeli police remove any Jew who tries to exercise that right. That is the status quo that Israeli governments across the political spectrum have maintained for 58 years” (“13 Arrested on Temple Mount,” Israel365News, May 24, 2026). Israel is back in the land in fulfillment of Ezekiel 37:1-14, which describes a return in two stages: first, in a spiritually dead condition (“but there was no breath in them,” v. 8); second, spiritually converted (“and the breath came into them and they lived,” v. 10). We are witnessing the first stage, which is for the purpose of signing a peace covenant with the Antichrist and building the Third Temple which will be occupied by the Antichrist, as prophesied in Daniel 9:27.
REDEDICATE 250: PRAY FOR AMERICA BUT DON’T JOIN HANDS WITH FALSE CHRISTIANITY (Friday Church News Notes, May 29, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Rededicate 250 was “a national jubilee of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving” on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on May 17. It was in recognition of approaching America’s 250th anniversary. Speakers included, among others, Franklin Graham, Southern Baptist pastors, Trump’s pastorette Paula White-Cain, Catholic Cardinal Timothy Dolan and bishop Robert Barron, Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, and Catholic actor Jonathan Roumie who plays Jesus in the Mormon-produced series The Chosen. Christian rock, the soundtrack for end-time apostasy, was provided by Chris Tomlin. How can men who preach a false gospel which is cursed of God effectually petition God for blessing? Rome teaches a gospel of salvation by sacraments and works, beginning with the regeneration of baptism. “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:6-9). God’s redeemed people are commanded to pray for the nation (1 Timothy 2:1-6), but they are also commanded to mark and avoid those who cause divisions contrary to the doctrine they have learned from God’s Word (Romans 16:17).
JEWS GOING HOME (Friday Church News Notes, May 29, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “Within a decade,” Israel Today, May 21, 2026: “[According to a new report by the London-based Institute for Jewish Policy Research] the global Jewish population currently stands at around 15.8 million--fewer than the population of the Netherlands. Of these, almost 7.8 million already live in Israel, representing roughly 49 percent. The trend is unmistakable: while Jewish communities in the Diaspora are shrinking or stagnating, Israel continues to grow steadily. At the beginning of 2026, Israel surpassed the 10 million population mark for the first time, with Jews making up 76.3 percent of the population. The main driver is Israel’s exceptionally high birth rate. Even in secular Tel Aviv, the average number of children per family is higher than in any European country. The median age in Israel is just 29.3 years --far below Germany’s 47 years or the United States’ 38 years. This is accompanied by continuing waves of immigration. Most recently, 250 members of the Bnei Menashe community from India celebrated their arrival at Ben Gurion Airport--a symbol of the ongoing fulfillment of the Zionist vision: the return of Jews from all over the world.”
IRAN PARLIAMENT PUTS PRICE ON PRESIDENT TRUMP’S HEAD (Friday Church News Notes, May 29, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “Iran’s parliament,” Israel365News, May 20, 2026: “A senior Iranian lawmaker announced Thursday that Iran’s parliament is advancing legislation to offer a €50 million ($58.13 million) government reward for the assassination of President Donald Trump. Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, told Iranian state television that the bill is part of a broader package of military and security countermeasures developed since the outbreak of the March war. ... Azizi named two additional targets alongside Trump: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the commander of US Central Command. This is a formal legislative proposal, advanced by the chairman of the parliament’s national security committee, broadcast on state television, and framed as both state policy and religious duty. Iran has been running active assassination campaigns against Trump since January 2020, when Trump ordered the drone strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ [IRGC] Quds Force. The documented plots are numerous and specific. In November 2024, the US Department of Justice unsealed criminal charges against Farhad Shakeri, an Afghan national whom prosecutors said was directed by the IRGC in September 2024 to surveil and kill Trump. ... Shakeri is believed to be in Iran and remains at large. In August 2024, Brooklyn federal prosecutors charged Asif Merchant, also known as ‘Asif Raza Merchant,’ a trained IRGC operative who traveled to New York specifically to hire hitmen for political assassinations, including Trump. Undercover FBI agents posed as the hired killers. ... A federal jury convicted him in March 2026 of murder for hire and attempting to commit terrorism. He faces up to life in prison. ... In 2024, the Justice Department also filed a criminal complaint against an Afghan national who the IRGC allegedly instructed to put together a plan within seven days to surveil and kill Trump. The plot was foiled before any attack could be carried out. ... Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed last week that the leader of a covert Iranian unit that had planned to assassinate Trump was killed in a recent military strike.”
PRIMACY: FOUNDATIONAL DOCTRINE OF THE HARLOT CHURCH OF REVELATION 17 (Friday Church News Notes, May 29, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - We are happy to recommend Primacy: Foundational Doctrine of the Harlot Church of Revelation 17 by Brian Snider. It is available from Amazon Kindle. “The religious world is completely ignorant of the history and trajectory of the Roman Catholic Church. And yet, the church of Rome is described in unmistakable language in prophecy. This small book gives an overview of the early history of the Roman Catholic Church. We quote Jesuit priests, neutral historical sources and Scripture to prove that the Roman Church is lying about their connection to Christ and Peter. The Papal Church has been as profligate as any human king or potentate. Leo, like all previous Popes, is a liar and a false teacher. When Jesuits say that the history of the Roman church is a fraud, believe them” (cited from Brian Snider’s Facebook page).
THE FLOWERING CHAMELEON (Friday Church News Notes, May 29, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is from CreationMoments.com, May 5, 2026: “What color is the scarlet gilia? Well, that depends on where and when it’s blooming. Despite its name, the scarlet gilia can be red, pink, and even white. Near sea level, the flowers remain red all season. This is because the flower is pollinated throughout the summer by hummingbirds who are drawn to the red flowers. At higher elevations, the hummingbirds leave as summer moves into August. As they leave, the plants change their red flowers to pink and later, white flowers. The higher elevation plants change over to white flowers because they have a new pollinator. As the hummingbird population decreases, hawkmoths take over. During this transition, the flower produces pink blossoms as it invites both of its pollinators. Once the hummingbirds are gone, the hawkmoth takes over. The hawkmoths pollinate at night so they prefer white flowers, which are easier to see in the dark. Scientists were amazed by the fact that the color changes take place exactly when pollination shifts from hummingbird to moth. As one startled scientist put it, these plants cannot be considered passive in their environment. Who taught the scarlet gilia when and how to change the color of its flowers? Who taught it that hummingbirds will be attracted to red flowers? Or that hawkmoths will be attracted to white flowers? The scarlet gilia may be clever, but only our all-wise Creator could have given this knowledge and ability to the plant. REF.: Bennett, D. D. ‘Scarlet gilia: Flowering Chameleon,’ Science News.”
CONCLUSION: The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature’s Fundamental Baptist Information Service. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, but this obviously does not imply an endorsement. We trust that our readers will not be discouraged. It is God’s will that we know the times (1 Ch. 12:32; Mt. 16:3) and that we be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. The News Notes remind us that the hour is very late, and we need to be ready for the Lord’s coming. Are you sure that you are born again? Are you living for Christ? “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Ro. 13:11-14).
REDEDICATE 250: PRAY FOR AMERICA BUT DON’T JOIN HANDS WITH FALSE CHRISTIANITY (Friday Church News Notes, May 29, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - Rededicate 250 was “a national jubilee of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving” on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on May 17. It was in recognition of approaching America’s 250th anniversary. Speakers included, among others, Franklin Graham, Southern Baptist pastors, Trump’s pastorette Paula White-Cain, Catholic Cardinal Timothy Dolan and bishop Robert Barron, Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, and Catholic actor Jonathan Roumie who plays Jesus in the Mormon-produced series The Chosen. Christian rock, the soundtrack for end-time apostasy, was provided by Chris Tomlin. How can men who preach a false gospel which is cursed of God effectually petition God for blessing? Rome teaches a gospel of salvation by sacraments and works, beginning with the regeneration of baptism. “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:6-9). God’s redeemed people are commanded to pray for the nation (1 Timothy 2:1-6), but they are also commanded to mark and avoid those who cause divisions contrary to the doctrine they have learned from God’s Word (Romans 16:17).
JEWS GOING HOME (Friday Church News Notes, May 29, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “Within a decade,” Israel Today, May 21, 2026: “[According to a new report by the London-based Institute for Jewish Policy Research] the global Jewish population currently stands at around 15.8 million--fewer than the population of the Netherlands. Of these, almost 7.8 million already live in Israel, representing roughly 49 percent. The trend is unmistakable: while Jewish communities in the Diaspora are shrinking or stagnating, Israel continues to grow steadily. At the beginning of 2026, Israel surpassed the 10 million population mark for the first time, with Jews making up 76.3 percent of the population. The main driver is Israel’s exceptionally high birth rate. Even in secular Tel Aviv, the average number of children per family is higher than in any European country. The median age in Israel is just 29.3 years --far below Germany’s 47 years or the United States’ 38 years. This is accompanied by continuing waves of immigration. Most recently, 250 members of the Bnei Menashe community from India celebrated their arrival at Ben Gurion Airport--a symbol of the ongoing fulfillment of the Zionist vision: the return of Jews from all over the world.”
IRAN PARLIAMENT PUTS PRICE ON PRESIDENT TRUMP’S HEAD (Friday Church News Notes, May 29, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “Iran’s parliament,” Israel365News, May 20, 2026: “A senior Iranian lawmaker announced Thursday that Iran’s parliament is advancing legislation to offer a €50 million ($58.13 million) government reward for the assassination of President Donald Trump. Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, told Iranian state television that the bill is part of a broader package of military and security countermeasures developed since the outbreak of the March war. ... Azizi named two additional targets alongside Trump: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the commander of US Central Command. This is a formal legislative proposal, advanced by the chairman of the parliament’s national security committee, broadcast on state television, and framed as both state policy and religious duty. Iran has been running active assassination campaigns against Trump since January 2020, when Trump ordered the drone strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ [IRGC] Quds Force. The documented plots are numerous and specific. In November 2024, the US Department of Justice unsealed criminal charges against Farhad Shakeri, an Afghan national whom prosecutors said was directed by the IRGC in September 2024 to surveil and kill Trump. ... Shakeri is believed to be in Iran and remains at large. In August 2024, Brooklyn federal prosecutors charged Asif Merchant, also known as ‘Asif Raza Merchant,’ a trained IRGC operative who traveled to New York specifically to hire hitmen for political assassinations, including Trump. Undercover FBI agents posed as the hired killers. ... A federal jury convicted him in March 2026 of murder for hire and attempting to commit terrorism. He faces up to life in prison. ... In 2024, the Justice Department also filed a criminal complaint against an Afghan national who the IRGC allegedly instructed to put together a plan within seven days to surveil and kill Trump. The plot was foiled before any attack could be carried out. ... Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed last week that the leader of a covert Iranian unit that had planned to assassinate Trump was killed in a recent military strike.”
PRIMACY: FOUNDATIONAL DOCTRINE OF THE HARLOT CHURCH OF REVELATION 17 (Friday Church News Notes, May 29, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - We are happy to recommend Primacy: Foundational Doctrine of the Harlot Church of Revelation 17 by Brian Snider. It is available from Amazon Kindle. “The religious world is completely ignorant of the history and trajectory of the Roman Catholic Church. And yet, the church of Rome is described in unmistakable language in prophecy. This small book gives an overview of the early history of the Roman Catholic Church. We quote Jesuit priests, neutral historical sources and Scripture to prove that the Roman Church is lying about their connection to Christ and Peter. The Papal Church has been as profligate as any human king or potentate. Leo, like all previous Popes, is a liar and a false teacher. When Jesuits say that the history of the Roman church is a fraud, believe them” (cited from Brian Snider’s Facebook page).
THE FLOWERING CHAMELEON (Friday Church News Notes, May 29, 2026, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is from CreationMoments.com, May 5, 2026: “What color is the scarlet gilia? Well, that depends on where and when it’s blooming. Despite its name, the scarlet gilia can be red, pink, and even white. Near sea level, the flowers remain red all season. This is because the flower is pollinated throughout the summer by hummingbirds who are drawn to the red flowers. At higher elevations, the hummingbirds leave as summer moves into August. As they leave, the plants change their red flowers to pink and later, white flowers. The higher elevation plants change over to white flowers because they have a new pollinator. As the hummingbird population decreases, hawkmoths take over. During this transition, the flower produces pink blossoms as it invites both of its pollinators. Once the hummingbirds are gone, the hawkmoth takes over. The hawkmoths pollinate at night so they prefer white flowers, which are easier to see in the dark. Scientists were amazed by the fact that the color changes take place exactly when pollination shifts from hummingbird to moth. As one startled scientist put it, these plants cannot be considered passive in their environment. Who taught the scarlet gilia when and how to change the color of its flowers? Who taught it that hummingbirds will be attracted to red flowers? Or that hawkmoths will be attracted to white flowers? The scarlet gilia may be clever, but only our all-wise Creator could have given this knowledge and ability to the plant. REF.: Bennett, D. D. ‘Scarlet gilia: Flowering Chameleon,’ Science News.”
CONCLUSION: The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature’s Fundamental Baptist Information Service. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, but this obviously does not imply an endorsement. We trust that our readers will not be discouraged. It is God’s will that we know the times (1 Ch. 12:32; Mt. 16:3) and that we be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. The News Notes remind us that the hour is very late, and we need to be ready for the Lord’s coming. Are you sure that you are born again? Are you living for Christ? “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Ro. 13:11-14).
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Distributed by Way of Life Literature, publisher of Bible Study Materials and reports for Fundamental Baptists and other fundamentalist, Bible-believing Christians. Established in 1974, Way of Life Literature is a fundamental Baptist preaching and publishing ministry based in Bethel Baptist Church, London, Ontario, of which Wilbert Unger is the founding Pastor. Brother Cloud lives in South Asia where he has been a church planting missionary since 1979. OUR GOAL IN THIS PARTICULAR ASPECT OF OUR MINISTRY (REPORTS AND FRIDAY NEWS) IS NOT DEVOTIONAL, BUT TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO ASSIST PREACHERS IN THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCHES IN THIS APOSTATE HOUR.
David Cloud, Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org
The Way of Life Literature preaching and publishing ministry is based at Bethel Baptist Church, London, Ontario, of which Wilbert Unger is the founding Pastor. A mail stop is maintained in Port Huron, Michigan.
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