Podcasts about yaounde

The world's oldest head of state, Paul Biya of Cameroon, intends to seek reelection in October. But, in the buildup to the vote, some of his allies are jockeying to to replace the leader of more than four decades. Josey Mahachi talks to Anchang Paul, a political analyst, and DW correspondent Moki Kindzeka in Yaounde.

Pastor Boniface was in Yaoundé Vision Prayer Night - 15/16th January 2025. Thanksgiving and the need for heroes in our ministry

Cameroon says five people are dead and several hundred civilians are homeless in ongoing conflicts between host communities and people who arrived after being displaced by Boko Haram terrorism in its northern border area near Chad and Nigeria. Moki Edwin Kindzeka reports from Yaounde

Intermundium is a stroll down the sidewalk in a street called Titi Garage in Yaounde, Cameroon (Central Africa). This piece was recorded using stereo microphones. On the right, you can hear the hustle and bustle of the road: mostly cars and motorcycles zooming by.  On the left, you can hear folks chatting, taxis stopping, and bars with music playing. Amidst this urban soundscape, the natural world is subtly integrated, with the chirping of birds from the trees overhead serving as a gentle backdrop. This piece shows the contrast between two completely different worlds and the experience of existing on the boundary between them - The Intermundium. Recorded by OTSE.

"The original field recording is dense, detailed and full of lively street traffic noise. Bursts of radio, voices, cars and noise. The intertwined sounds of life inspired where I cut the samples, how I colour coded them to arrange and structure the track that ultimately ebbs and flows like the snapshot of life captured.  "Slowly the melody presented itself, fleeting and briefly there as a coda, only to be enveloped again by the traffic outside the garage."  Yaounde street soundscape reimagined by Andy Billington.

Chad says it will withdraw its troops from the United Nations-supported Multinational Joint Task Force of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, which combats Boko Haram in Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria. Officials from Chad say its military is not getting enough assistance to fight the terrorist group since an attack last week killed more than 40 of Chad's soldiers. Moki Edwin Kindzeka reports from Yaounde that the announcement from Chad comes less than a week after its troops were accused of killing a dozen fishermen they mistook for terrorists.

Africa here and Now's PATRICK SMITH has rocked up in Gaborone to gauge the mood in diamond-rich Botswana as people prepare to vote. He finds that this month's election could present the most serious challenge to the ruling party's almost 60 years in power.Have the books been cooked in Mozambique's election? The stakes are high, a $150billion gas project is on the cards.Somaliland- the breakaway republic which has no international recognition - is in the eye of a growing storm in the Horn of Africa. A new alliance between Eritrea, Egypt and Somalia threatens to isolate Ethiopia. But it's tiny Somaliland that's central to the current tensions. Its deal with Ethiopia to offer a stretch of its Gulf of Aden coastline in exchange for official recognition has upset everyone in the region. We find out more with PROFESSOR EID ALI AHMED, a senior advisor to the government in Hargeisa.The well-being of Cameroon's 91 year old president has been on our minds; a recent rumour that he had died went viral. The Yaounde government rubbished the rumours and decreed that Cameroonians be banned from discussing the health of their leader or risk prosecution. Africa Here and Now's DONU KOGBARA shares her thoughts on nonagenerian leaders and Orwellian decrees.And why did Tarzan, the legendary apeman, have no African friends despite being raised in an African jungle? That's the kind of question being considered by BARBARA ANGOPA on her new podcast HOLLYWOOD AFRICANS. Along with her co-host, AMAKA UGWUNKWO, Barbara dissects the way black people are portrayed in the movies. Check out HOLLYWOOD AFRICANS, available on all major audio platforms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thousands gathered Monday on the streets of Yaounde, jockeying to catch a glimpse of Cameroon's long-absent leader. Rumors about the death of 91-year-old President Paul Biya swirled after he disappeared from public view for over a month following an official visit to China. Moki Edwin Kindzeka has more from Yaounde

Business owners in Chad are complaining about a severe internet outage that has now lasted for more than two days. Officials in Chad and neighboring Cameroon say the outage was caused by flooding which broke fiber-optic cables and which crews are now attempting to repair. Some Chadians suspect the government ordered an internet shutdown to hinder campaigning for December elections, but the country's prime minister says that accusation is not true. Moki Edwin Kindzeka reports from Yaounde

Cameroon government officials say the central African state's 91-year-old president, Paul Biya, is in good health, contrary to information circulating on social and mainstream media. Biya has not been seen in public since his official visit to China over a month ago. Citizens say they want proof that their longtime leader is well. Moki Edwin Kindzeka reports from Yaounde.

Officials in Cameroon say fresh flooding has forced at least 70,000 people out of temporary camps that were set up for flood victims along the country's northern border with Chad and Nigeria. Some of the displaced flood victims have now moved to neighboring Chad, where at least two million people have been rendered homeless by this year's ceaseless floods according to Chad's government. Moki Edwin Kindzeka reports from Yaounde, Cameroon.

Taxi drivers in Cameroon's English-speaking regions are in a dangerous predicament: Separatists are demanding that they repaint their yellow vehicles lue and white — the colors of the separatists fighting the Yaounde government since 2017. Eddy Micah Jr. talks to Agbor Balla, founder of the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa and DW correspondent Jean Marie Ngong Song.in Cameroon.

Journalists in Cameroon say attacks on reporters have surged as the country prepares for next year's elections. Ninety-one-year-old President Paul Biya, who has ruled for over four decades, may run again. Rights groups say six journalists have been assaulted by gunmen in the past three weeks, while several reporters and a radio station have been ordered to stop broadcasting. Moki Edwin Kindzeka reports from Yaounde

Cameroon is trying to register voters before the upcoming deadline. But the political opposition and civil society say most qualified voters are reluctant to register because they think President Paul Biya plans to rig the elections. Moki Edwin Kindzeka reports from Yaounde that barely 50% of qualified civilians have registered for the polls expected in October 2025

Central African Republic officials say they are meeting with the governments of neighboring countries to investigate the origin of Mpox, or monkeybpox, after declaring a fresh outbreak of the disease. The C.A.R. is concerned the disease could spread after the Democratic Republic of Congo reported more than 12,000 suspected cases and about 500 deaths since January. Moki Edwin Kindzeka reports from Yaounde, Cameroon

Condemnation is widespread in Cameroon following government threats to arrest civilians who criticize the country's president. The warnings increased after Cameroon's political opposition accused President Paul Biya of postponing elections. In a release Tuesday, Human Rights Watch described the threats as censorship of free speech. Moki Edwin Kindzeka reports from Yaounde

Cameroon opposition and civil society leaders say a law passed Tuesday to extend lawmakers' mandates by a year is a ploy by President Paul Biya. They say the goal is to eliminate opposition leaders who planned to take part in the elections to qualify as candidates for the country's 2025 presidential polls. But the government argues a lack of funds makes it impossible to organize elections as planned. Moki Edwin Kindzeka reports from Yaounde, Cameroon

The Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad basin says several hundred fighters from jihadist groups Boko Karam and Islamic State West Africa Province have fled to Chad and Cameroon. This, after the Task Force attacked camps and killed more than 70 terrorists this week. Moki Edwin Kindzeka reports from Yaounde that an ongoing operation dubbed Lake Sanity 2 aims to obliterate all terrorist camps around Lake Chad.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was expected in Chad's capital N'djamena on Wednesday, continuing an African tour that has taken him to Burkina Fasso, Guinea, and Congo Brazzaville. The visits are seen by civil society and analysts as Russia's attempt to establish its troops in the Sahel region after military leaders seized power. The coups sparked ideological differences over the presence of American and French troops in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Niger and Chad. Moki Edwin Kindzeka reports from Yaounde, Cameroon

On this week's show we talk about the chaotic week in Cameroonian football, with Marc Brys replaced as coach after a heated exchange with FA president Samuel Eto'o, but seemingly reinstated after some twists and turns. We have the full story from Yaounde.Also we look at the incredible exploits of Egypt's Al Ahly, who won a record-extending 12th CAF Champions League title last weekend.And Stuart has lots on the EPL and the background to the upcoming vote that Premier League clubs will have to decide whether to scrap the use of VAR.

1986, Yaounde, Fiji, Jakarta/Batavia, TianShen, Canberra, Jacarnada, Bucharest, DC, Auckland ... --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ononh3/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ononh3/support

Cameroon separatist fighters Wednesday claimed responsibility for the killing of four government workers, including a policeman abducted Tuesday in the country's restive English-speaking North-West region. Government officials say two of the hostages, including a government official the military freed, are responding to treatment in a hospital. Moki Edwin Kindzeka reports from Yaounde that the abduction and killing followed renewed separatist attacks that have claimed several dozen civilians within two weeks

Cameroon officials and aid groups say about three million people on the northern border with Chad and Nigeria are going hungry as devastating migratory caterpillars, crickets, weaver birds, elephants and lions damage thousands of hectares of farmland. To chase off invading creatures, farmers bang on drums and dishes, as we hear from Moki Edwin Kindzeka in Yaounde, Cameroon.

J'ai compté 54 nouveautés depuis le 12 janvier. Cette semaine, nous parlons de ECS et EBS, de DNS avec Route53, de notification mobiles avec Firebase, de EventBridge et GraphQL, d'un service qui est maintenant disponible sur la région de Paris. On terminera avec un tour des activités de la communauté des clients et partenaires AWS, avec deux projets personnels en open-source, un marathon de workshop organisés par le groupe d'utilisateurs AWS de Yaounde au Cameroun et d'un nouveau livre sur les architecture serverless.

J'ai compté 54 nouveautés depuis le 12 janvier. Cette semaine, nous parlons de ECS et EBS, de DNS avec Route53, de notification mobiles avec Firebase, de EventBridge et GraphQL, d'un service qui est maintenant disponible sur la région de Paris. On terminera avec un tour des activités de la communauté des clients et partenaires AWS, avec deux projets personnels en open-source, un marathon de workshop organisés par le groupe d'utilisateurs AWS de Yaounde au Cameroun et d'un nouveau livre sur les architecture serverless.

Ref.: Fr. Adeodatus, Goma, DRK; Fr. Leo Barthelemy, Yaounde, Kamerun; Fr. Sylvanus, Abuja, Nigeria Ref.: Jean Paul Kayihura, Kontinentalverantwortlicher der Weltfamilie von Radio Maria für Afrika

Maxwell's 30-minutes playlist features the continent's greatest hits from 1989 to 2012 such as “Roga Milla” (Pepe Kalle), “C'est la Vie” Cheb Khaled, “Kambua” (Bonga), “Diaraby” (Oumou Sangare) and more. Drop the Needle challenger Ateh Bazor tries his hand from Yaounde, Cameroon. Lady DJ is back with “Word on the Tweets” and Prince Benjamin brings us an interview with Ghanaian diasporan singer Ammarrae to discuss her sophmore album Fountain Baby released in June.

Dr. Adrienne Leussa is one of my favorite follows. If the booming biotech scene on an incredibly diverse continent of 1.2 billion people interests you, she should be one of your faves, too. Dr. Leussa's intellect, energy, and glowing spirit contribute to her ambassadorship of the African biotech scene. She's an entrepreneur, a visionary, a communicator, and a tireless advocate for African biotech opportunity. On today's epsiode of the Business of Biotech, we share a lot of laughs as we learn how Adrienne's entrepreneurial beginnings selling nuts and lollies on the streets of Yaounde, Cameroon set the foundation for an accelerated academic career and a passion for bio business development. We also dive into Africa's growing biotech scene, discussing the support infrastructure available for budding entrepreneurs and the importance of technology transfer and commercial research innovations from local universities. Subscribe to the NEW #BusinessofBiotech newsletter at bioprocessonline.com/bob for more real, honest, transparent interactions with the leaders of emerging biotech. It's a once-per-month dose of insight and intel that you'll actually look forward to receiving! Check it out at bioprocessonline.com/bob!

O ex-Presidente de Moçambique, Armando Guebuza, foi manchete na imprensa moçambicana depois de acusar a FRELIMO de o querer calar. Chefe da diplomacia russa, Serguei Lavrov, inicia hoje uma visita à capital de Angola. Nos Camarões, os jornalistas pedem proteção após o assassinato brutal de Martinez Zogo, um popular animador de rádio encontrado sem vida na capital Yaounde.

Good afternoon, I'm _____ with today's episode of EZ News. **Tai-Ex opening ** The Tai-Ex opened down 141-points this morning from Friday's close, at 14,636 on turnover of 3.3-billion N-T. The market closed flat on Friday, as it moved in a narrow range as Wall Street was closed for Thanksgiving and didn't provide any direction for local investors, who were worried about a technical pullback after recent solid gains. Many foreign institutional investors were also absent from the market due to the U-S holiday. **DPP Vows to Engage in Introspection ** The D-P-P says its poor showing in the local government elections is indicative (表示 … 的) of public opinion and the party will now seek "self-reflection." According to D-P-P Secretary-General Lin Hsi-yao, the party will squarely face the reasons for its setback at the polls, after it managed to secure only five of the 21 city and county leadership seats. The K-M-T secured 13 of the 21 seats up for grabs, while the D-P-P ended with two less seats than it had going into the local elections. The D-P-P's secretary-general says he believes the internal decision-making teams that shape major party policies should be held responsible, as the loss reflects public opinion of its performance. And Lin also says the D-P-P's chances of recovery will depend on how it acts going forward into two legislative by-elections and one mayoral election that will be taking place soon. **Arrivals Numbers Hit Nearly 100,000 in October ** And, The Tourism Bureau says nearly 100,000 tourists came to Taiwan in October, after the government lifted quarantine regulations. Data shows that a total of 93,206 people arrived in Taiwan in that month - and that's an increase of 560-per cent compared with October of last year. According to the Tourism Bureau, Taiwan saw the largest number of visitors based on the growth rate of other major regional tourist markets in October, and was followed by Japan. Of those arriving in Taiwan, 98.57-per cent came by air, with 90.49-per cent of that total landing at Taoyuan International Airport. The Tourism Bureau says most of the tourists stayed for between 8 and 15 nights. **Cameroon Landslide Leaves Dead and Missing ** Authorities say at least 14 people are dead in Cameroon's capital after a landslide at a funeral. Dozens of others remained missing as rescue crews continued digging through the rubble (瓦礫) with flashlights. The local governent says that the search for survivors in the Damas neighborhood of Yaounde would continue. About a dozen others injured in the landslide are being treated at local hospitals. **US Officials Criticize China COVID19 Policy ** US health officials have suggested that China's approach ( 方法，方式) to COVID-19 isn't realistic. This comes after widespread protests across China against the government's tough covid-19 containment measures. Jagruti Dave reports from Washington. **Yemen Signs Economic Aid Deal with Arab Monetary Fund ** State media says Yemen's internationally recognized government has signed an economic aid deal worth $1 billion with the Arab Monetary Fund. A state news agency said the country's Saudi-backed administration signed the deal on Sunday to push through wide-ranging economic reforms. Yemen's economy has been decimated by a civil war that has pitted (使…競爭) Houthi rebels against the government that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates back. The Arab Monetary Fund is based in the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi and operates as a sub-organization of the 22-member Arab League. That was the I.C.R.T. news, Check in again tomorrow for our simplified version of the news, uploaded every day in the afternoon. Enjoy the rest of your day, I'm _____.

You are listening to prayer and fasting crusade in Koume from 17th of October to 25th of November. God bless you!

You are listening to prayer and fasting crusade in Koume from 17th of October to 25th of November. God bless you!

You are listening to prayer and fasting crusade in Koume from 17th of October to 25th of November. God bless you!

On this week's show we look at Cameroon's chances at the upcoming Fifa World Cup and we hear from fans in Yaounde.With the Caf Women's Champions League ending on Sunday in Morocco, we assess the tournament, and lots on the EPL ahead of the upcoming break, as we ask if Liverpool have now turned the corner.

A ranar Lahadi 6 ga watan Nuwamba shugaban kasar Kamaru Paul Biya ya cika shekaru 40 da darewa kan karagar mulkin kasar dake tsakiyar Afirka, abin da ke nuni da cewa shi ne shugaba na biyu mafi dadewa kan karagar muki a nahiyar Afirka. Duk da cewa shugaban, mai shekaru 89 a duniya bai fito bainar jama'a ba lokacin bikin, amma magoya bayansa sun gudanar da kasaitaccen biki a Yaounde da wasu manyan biranen kasar. Domin jin irin ci gaba da kuma kalubalen da Kamaru ta ci karo da su a cikiin wadannan shekaru 40, Abdurrahman Gambo Ahmad ya zanta da Injiniya Namadina Yahya, mai sharhi kan lamurran yau da kullum a kasar, ga kuma zantarwarsu.

Most people who get divorce or split up say that they were no longer compatible with their partner. When you ask for more details, it turns out that sex was the issue. Check out this story of the day.

Listen to the Sat. Sept. 17, 2022 edition of the Pan-African Journal: Worldwide Radio Broadcast hosted by Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire. The program features our regular PANW report with dispatches on the visit by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to the United States; the Cameroon government has enhanced security in the capital of Yaounde; Nigerian military forces say that rebels in the Sambisa Forest have been forced to flee due to flooding and aerial strikes; and the recently reelected Angolan President Joao Lourenco has promised additional reforms during his current term of office. In the second hour we look in detail at the talks between U.S. President Joe Biden and his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa in Washington, D.C. ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York City. Finally, we hear a briefing from the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The 8th episode of the Radical Publishing Futures series features Dzekashu MacViban, writer, editor and founder of Bakwa Magazine. Guest host Bhakti Shringarpure speaks with him about how it all began and the ways in which they adapt to the changing publishing landscape. Bakwa magazine was founded in 2011 in Yaoundé, Cameroon with the goal of infusing energy into the literary and cultural life of the country. Bakwa publishes in English and remains a staunchly print publication while creatively navigating the challenges posed by large, corporate digital platforms. Bakwa innovates constantly with projects such as the Bakwa Magazine Reading Series,  Bakwa Magazine Short Story Competition and the Limbe to Lagos Literary Exchange Programme. Dzekashu MacViban is Bakwa's dynamic founder and Editorial Director. An accomplished writer himself, he is the author of Scions of the Malcontent and his fiction has appeared in Wasafiri, Kwani? and Jungle Jim, among other places. He is also the editor of Of Passion and Ink: New Voices from Cameroon (2020), and co-editor of Limbe to Lagos: Nonfiction from Cameroon and Nigeria (2020).  He is the recipient of an Akademie Schloss Solitude Fellowship and he divides his time between Berlin and Yaounde. Bakwa magazine: https://bakwamagazine.com/ Read more on Bakwa's history: https://bakwamagazine.com/2018/01/22/a-brief-history-of-bakwa-magazine/ (https://bakwamagazine.com/2018/01/22/a-brief-history-of-bakwa-magazine/)

In questa puntata- Focus: torniamo in Africa con Luca Sisto per parlare di Camerun- 100xTunnel: dalla posizione 35 alla posizione 29 della classifica dei giocatori più Tunnel di sempre

Podcast n° 1486 - Ma vie Ailleurs en partenariat avec Français du Monde - ADFE, chaque lundi a 12h Paris time sur StereoChic Radio Originaire de Paris, Kalliopi est étudiante lorsqu'elle rencontre un Camerounais à l'université. Son conjoint lui propose d'aller s'installer dans son pays d'origine : après quelques hésitations et quelques voyages de repérage, Kalliopi s'y installe en 1987. Son mari est malheureusement décédé mais Kalliopi a décider de rester au Cameroun à Yaoundé, a 450 m d'altitude, région de plus en plus chaude à cause de la déforestation. Elle aime ce pays libre et positif et apprécie la qualité de vie: un état d'esprit qui lui correspond mieux que la vie Parisienne. Kalliopi parle de son quotidien et de son rôle au sein de la section locale de Français du Monde - ADFE.https://www.instagram.com/kangoela1/https://www.instagram.com/francaisd umondeadfe/ ...........................................  Podcast produit par StereoChic, la radio des Français dans le monde.Ecoutez la radio depuis le site www.stereochic.fr  ou via l'appli gratuite pour Apple  & Android .Libre. Indépendant. Soutenez notre media !Aidez la 1ère radio des Français dans le monde en faisant un don à notre association pour nous aider à nous développer. Nous ne vivons que par votre aide & par ceux de nos partenaires.  https://www.helloasso.com/associations/stereochic/adhesions/adherez-a-l-association-stereochic & vous pourrez défiscalisez 66% de votre engagement.   

Wilfred Ngwa (Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; ICT University, Yaounde, Cameroon), Beatrice Wiafe-Addai (Peace and Love Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana), and David Kerr (University of Oxford, Oxford, UK) discuss the Lancet Oncology Commission on cancer in sub-Saharan Africa.

Day 24 and it's a rest day. We'll be going to Yaounde to find out what the mood is like, with hosts Cameroon through to the semi-finals. We ask how fans are feeling about the tournament after last week's stadium tragedy. And with Vincent Aboubakar the tournament's top-scorer with six goals so far, we compare his haul with recent tournaments.  *****The show is suitable for broadcast on Tuesday 1 February, the next show will be uploaded by 2200GMT on Tuesday, for broadcast on Wednesday 2 February 

La registrazione del commento della partita Egitto-Marocco, valevole per i quarti di finale della Coppa d'Africa 2021, che abbiamo trasmesso in diretta sul nostro canale Twitch il 30 gennaio 2022Ospiti: Niccolò Frangipani e Giulio Di Cienzo

Day 18 today, with the tournament being played under a cloud after the stadium tragedy in Yaounde on Monday night. We look into the reasons for the crush that led to eight people losing their lives. Also, on the pitch, we review Senegal's win over nine-man Cape Verde, where some felt that the referee was harsh on the islanders. And we look ahead to today's clash between Ivory Coast and Egypt. *****The show is suitable for broadcast on Wednesday 26 January, the next show will be uploaded by 2200GMT on Wednesday, for broadcast on Thursday 27 January

In questa puntata:- Focus: vi presentiamo la Coppa d'Africa assieme ad Alex Cizmic- FotoCamara: i Camara/Kamara che vedremo in Camerun- Tchambala d'Oro: annunciamo i vincitori dell'edizione 2021 del nostro premio- Update: piccolo riepilogo della Suzuki Cup

In this episode, we have Dr. Sheila Enoh and Dr. Idris Yakubu back with us to continue the conversation on their road to success as international students with the focus on how they got into professional school in the US. Being African and an international student trying to get into Pharmacy or Med school definitely presents the case of a double minority as a foreigner and not eligible for financial aid. Most Pharmacy and Med school programs will not even look at your application if you are an international student and that obviously decreases your odds. Nonetheless, if you can dream it, you can STILL achieve it. And that is what we are here to speak about today.   Dr. Enoh and Dr. Yakubu will hopefully inspire and encourage you with their story of blood, sweat and tears, but what is most important is that they didn't give up. You, too, can make it if you don't give up. As a wise woman once said, your dreams are valid. We hope this episode encourages anyone who has hopes of achieving their dreams even when all odds seem to be against them.   MEET OUR GUESTS: Dr. Sheila Enoh, MD MPH was born and raised in Yaounde, Cameroon. She moved to the US at the age of 18 to attend college as an international student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for her undergraduate studies. She majored in Biology and Psychology with a minor in Chemistry. She then completed a Masters of Science in Public Health with a focus on International Health at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and currently pursuing a residency in Internal Medicine at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. She is passionate about all things medicine and global health. Contact:  Website: www.sheilaenohmd.com Email: info@sheilaenohmd.com   Dr. Idris Yakubu, PharmD is a solid organ transplant pharmacist specialist at Virginia Commonwealth University Health System and a clinical assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy. He earned both his Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the University of Toledo College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. He completed a PGY-1 pharmacy practice residency at the University of Toledo Medical Center and a PGY-2 solid organ transplant pharmacy residency at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Dr. Yakubu was born and raised in Nigeria and passionate about assisting international students in navigating and overcoming barriers in the United States  educational system.  Contact: Email: idrisyakubu90@gmail.com   Things You Will Learn in This Episode: [00:01 – 04:42] Introduction Introducing the guests [04:42 – 24:36] The Journeys, Challenges & Successes Dr. Enoh and Dr. Yakubu share their unique journeys  The habits and tools you need to succeed The Importance of having mentors Why you need to put networking first Having multiple plans & being resilient [24:36 – 39:22] The Application Process Dr. Enoh and Dr. Yakubu share their experience with the application process [35:40 – 53:28] The Stress of Being a Med/Pharmacy Student The financial challenges and expansiveness of Med/Pharmacy School Time management & Scheduling The importance of family in our journey [53:28 – 1:09:26] The Residency Stories Dr. Enoh and Dr. Yakubu share their residency stories  The H1B visa complications  Finding employment in America after graduation [1:06:20 – 1:15:30] Final Words Build networks and have mentors You need mentorships as you need air Being honest with yourself and the people around you Guests shared advice and wisdom prospective students   Tweetable Quotes: “Your international experience [from coming into a new country at a young age] helps you mature significantly and you need to speak to that. That level of maturity is going to help you as your classmates will benefit from that, and you also need to take it further to show how the institution will benefit from that.” -  Dr. Idris Yakubu   “You are a student first. Regardless of how strong you may be in other areas, if your grades aren't good enough, you are not making yourself competitive enough. At the bare minimum, make your grades competitive and that may increase your chance of someone looking at your application.”  - Dr. Idris Yakubu LEAVE A REVIEW and tell us what you think about the episode so we can continue putting out the best content just for you! You can connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, or send us an email at hello@livingafricanpodcast.com. Check out our website www.livingafricanpodcast.com for more resources and to learn more. You can connect with Anyoh on Facebook (@anyohf), Instagram (@anyohfombad), and Twitter (@anyohfombad).  

This week's episode is dedicated to all international students and any African who has hopes to migrate to the US (and the diaspora as a whole) for studies. We have two very knowledgeable guests Dr. Sheila Enoh, MD MPH and Dr. Idris Yakubu, PharmD who both started off as international students in the US. They share their experiences from applying to college, going to the US embassy for their F1 visa interview, migrating to the US, as well as valuable lessons they learned in college. If you or anybody you know plans on migrating to the US but doesn't know where to start, then this episode is for you! We hope that this episode is very resourceful to you and your loved ones. As former international students, these are definitely things that we wish we knew prior to migrating to the US and we hope that these experiences can help someone in the pursuit of their dreams in the US.  Meet Our Guests Dr. SHEILA ENOH, MD MPH was born and raised in Yaounde, Cameroon. She moved to the US at the age of 18 to attend college as an international student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for her undergraduate studies. She majored in Biology and Psychology with a minor in Chemistry. She then completed a Masters of Science in Public Health with a focus on International Health at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and currently pursuing a residency in Internal Medicine at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. She is passionate about all things medicine and global health. Contact:  Website: www.sheilaenohmd.com Email: info@sheilaenohmd.com   IDRIS YAKUBU, PHARMD is a Solid Organ Transplant Pharmacist Specialist at Virginia Commonwealth University Health System and a Clinical Assistant Professor at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy. He earned both his Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the University of Toledo College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. He completed a PGY-1 pharmacy practice residency at the University of Toledo Medical Center and a PGY-2 solid organ transplant pharmacy residency at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Dr. Yakubu was born and raised in Nigeria and is passionate about assisting international students in navigating and overcoming barriers in the United States educational system.  Things you will learn in this episode: [00:01 – 04:42] Introduction Introducing the guests [04:42 – 21:32] The F1 Visa & College Application Process Dr. Enoh, Dr. Yakubu and Host, Anyoh share their stories Highlighting the importance of mentorship  Dealing with visa rejection  Advice on how to successfully get an F1 visa [21:32 – 35:40] Coming to America  Dr. Enoh, Dr. Yakubu and Host, Anyoh share their experiences Host, Anyoh shares her story of getting lost at the airport Experiencing the American educational system [35:40 – 54:35] Culture Shock  The guests and Anyoh share their culture shock experiences The importance of networking & having positive friends The importance of being an all-around person  The importance of taking opportunities & taking up leadership roles How to deal with being homesick Networking with other Africans Dr. Yakubu talks about getting to know the system [54:35 – 1:09:26] The Expenses of Studying in America Dr. Enoh, Dr. Yakubu and Host, Anyoh share their experiences The pressure to succeed that international students feel because of the humongous tuition expenses Taking up opportunities and working to manage expenses Getting a scholarship and taking advantage of your networks [1:09:36 – 1:23:04] Dealing With Negative People & Challenges Avoiding the noise and negativity Dr. Enoh talks about resilience Having a good support system is important Being careful of what advice you take [1:23:04 – 1:35:28] Lessons of Survival & Independence Lessons learned from being an international student The importance of getting mentors and sponsors Having the support from family Qualities you need to be successful as an international student in the US [1:35:28 – 1:35:28] Projects & Final Words Guests shared their personal projects Dr. Yakubu and Dr. Enoh give their final words of advice to prospective international students Host, Anyoh shares words of advice and action steps   Tweetable Quotes: “To me, the top 3 things that are very important when coming to the US as an international student: Prove that you have strong ties to your country by convincing them that you are going to return Show them that you can cover your [school and living] expenses throughout your stay in the US Know what you want to do/study - your immediate, midterm and long term goals.” - Anyoh Fombad “One thing that I had to learn coming here in addition to networking was doing extracurricular activities. You can study all you want - that's great, but if you want to go to amazing places you will have to join organizations and have leadership opportunities so that they can see that you are an all-rounded student.” - Dr. Sheila Enoh  “Going to school abroad [the US] is not just for academics. You really should take advantage of the experience… be open-minded, take advantage of the campus activities, build networks with people from different countries as an international student, and be very intentional about building relationships with the Americans as well. Learn about the system because that is what will really allow you to thrive” - Dr. Idris Yakubu “Being an international student has pushed me beyond my limits. It has allowed me to mature quicker; I have had to put myself in very uncomfortable situations not knowing what to expect but just having faith and trusting that whatever it is, there is something in it for me to learn.” - Dr. Idris Yakubu “In order to be successful, you have to work really hard. You have to be ready to fail and get back up. You have to be really humble. You have to be open-minded. It is ok if you come to the US and you are like “hey I want to do this”, but it is ok if you realize that this is not your passion and you change your mind, as long as it is truly something you want to do.” - Dr. Sheila Enoh LEAVE A REVIEW and tell us what you think about the episode so we can continue putting out the best content just for you! You can connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, or send us an email at hello@livingafricanpodcast.com. Check out our website www.livingafricanpodcast.com for more resources and to learn more. You can connect with Anyoh on Facebook (@anyohf), Instagram (@anyohfombad), and Twitter (@anyohfombad).

How do you find joy in the midst of chaos? Bei says the secret is to walk in your purpose. You must identify your calling, gifts, talents, and follow your dreams. Despite your religious beliefs, we can choose to work towards our dreams and have faith on purpose. Not just to make a wish and close our eyes, but to put everything on the line to pursue our goals. We hope you enjoy S2: E10 of the Blooming is A Habit Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and get more tips on making yourself a priority. Please rate, subscribe, and share! This is the best possible time to show the world our gifts because we all need inspiration. We can be the rainbow in the midst of global storms. Show others a path to sunnier days. Right now. Bei asks us to consider how healing starts within. Self love is essential for us to thrive, and self care is more than a trendy word. We have to make it a lifestyle. Bei reminds us that everyone can flourish with love. Who are you going to be when times are tough and when things are going great. Train and Bloom. Bei Achirimofor's Bio: Growing up in two worlds, Bei can be best described as a lover of life. Born of Cameroon parents, Bei was born in Durham, NC and raised in Silver Spring, MD. She attended primary school in Yaounde, Cameroon. Bei attended the University of Maryland where she majored in Communications. She is currently residing in Los Angeles, California where she is pursuing her dreams of becoming a journalist and a film director. Bei has been a professional photographer for over 8 years, which allowed her to travel the world. Her love for traveling and storytelling, started in high school when she would frequently participate in missions trips with her church youth group. Bei doesn't plan on stopping any time soon. She enjoys being a moderator & an MC at events and also enjoys working out. Fitness is her middle name. As a lover of life, Bei hopes to impact her community by spreading her infectious joy and love for dancing and smiling with every individual she encounters.

What is the most important thing that United Methodists need to keep in mind during this season of dissension?  . How many languages does one need to know to conduct seminars on conflict management, peace, sustainable development, and interfaith dialogue on a global scale?  . How does God's voice sound different in the midst of turmoil?  . All of these and more are answered in our RICH conversation with Rev. Collins Etchi Ako.  Collins is a missionary with the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church providing administrative and liaison support in the East Congo Episcopal Area in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He holds four degrees from the Protestant University of Central Africa in Yaounde and fromUniversity of Yaounde: a bachelor's in political science, a bachelor's in theology, a master's in social science and international relations, and a master's in theology. Collins is presently enrolled in his second year for a Doctor of Ministry in Organizational Leadership at Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore – Kentucky, USA Born into a Presbyterian family and orphaned at an early age, Collins became a United Methodist in 2001 and began working closely with the Cameroon Mission in 2007. Missionary service has been on his spiritual radar since that time. He has a special interest in ministries of justice and reconciliation. Collins is married to Anne Greta Nkondock Mbondy and the couple has four children.  . Connect with him and his work at umcmission.org.

sermon transcript Introduction The Apostle Paul depicts government as a blessing from God. Government officials are God’s servants to do us good. We are commanded in Romans 13 to submit ourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority that He has established, for there is no authority that exists except what has been established by God. Christians are commanded throughout every generation to submit themselves to God-ordained authorities. But in Revelation 13, we have the end of the story, the destiny of human government in its final form on earth. It is a devastating and terrifying story. A beast emerges from the sea which embodies one final world ruler who will use his absolute power to establish himself as God on earth and demand worship from every human being alive. History has shown how dangerous government by sinful humans is. The pages of the Bible itself are filled with examples. In the story of the Exodus, Pharaoh used his governmental power to enslave and oppress the Jews, forcing them to build their monuments and pyramids. In the book of Nahum, the empire of the terrifying Assyrians, the Nazis of the ancient world, is described. They trampled people with their iron chariots and they invented crucifixion as a torturous way to kill their adversaries, that eventually was used in fulfillment of prophecies about Christ. The Greek Empire under Alexander the Great spread culture, philosophy, views of democracy, and other things. After Alexander the Great died, however, his generals rose up and acted as tyrants in his wake. The Roman Empire spread economic unity through the Pax Romana but enforced it by the iron will of their legions. After the Roman era, barbarian hordes swept across Europe and destroyed human culture. The Huns, the Mongols and the Vikings left behind no great literary achievements or advancements in human understanding, just the power of might through conquest. Christendom set up the divine right of kings and the feudal system, which meant that government was only as good as the king. If the king was righteous, then the government would be good; if the king was wicked, then the government would be bad. Most were wicked. In England, the legendary King Arthur and the golden era of Camelot represented the aspirations that we all have for a righteous government, but it was a myth. The American Revolution sought to break away from the divine right of kings and establish a government of the people, by the people, for the people. Winston Churchill, speaking to the House of Commons in 1947, said, “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” With his typical wit, he was saying there is no perfect government. The 20th century saw an experiment of government-mandated generosity by the upper and middle classes to the lower classes called communism, but it has been an economic, moral, and religious failure in every respect. Human government should serve the people in the pattern of Christ, the servant King, but human rulers usually use their powers their positions of power to steal and kill and destroy, to be honored and to live lives of self-indulgence and luxury in this world. When I was in Cameroon this summer, the whole capital city of Yaounde was shut down for half a day by security forces because the president of Cameroon might use one of those roads in the afternoon. We were not even allowed to be pedestrians on the street. The officials and police were everywhere. In the end, he traveled by helicopter. The Wycliffe missionaries we were with said this happens all the time. We may not realize until we string events and circumstances together what a big issue this corrupted and sinful human government is in hot spots around the world. We know of some of the more famous leaders like Kim Jong Un in North Korea who has tyrannized his own people for years and threatens other nations with nuclear holocaust. There are demonstrations in Kenya as the local population is enraged over a questionable outcome of a presidential election; ongoing civil war in Syria with ISIS; major movement in Catalonia seeking independence from Spain; a military clamp down because a coup is threatened in Venezuela. The communist government in China is the most virulently anti-Christian since the time of Mao. The crackdowns from Communist officials on our brothers and sisters in Christ are increasing as they seek to assemble in peaceful worship. All of this is nothing compared to what is coming. In Revelation 13, we will begin to probe the depths of corruption the human soul and government will reach at the very end of history. The most powerful and corrupt of all human rulers will be overthrown only by the Second Coming of the true King of kings and the Lord of lords, Jesus Christ himself. We will meet the Beast from the Sea, also known as the Antichrist. The Beast’s Origin Context If we take a general sequential, linear approach to Revelation, the seven trumpet judgments in Revelation 8 and 9 happen before this Antichrist emerges. These trumpets sound from Heaven and destroy the ecology of the earth — one-third of all the green things on earth are burned up; one-third of the oceans turned to blood; one-third of the sea creatures die; one-third of the fresh drinking water turns to blood; the luminosity of celestial bodies is diminished by one-third. A demonic horde, emerging from the nether reaches of the earth, torment humans for five months. A demon-incited army of 200 million kill a third of the population of the earth, perhaps as many as three billion people. We see staggering levels of suffering on earth unfold with the trumpet judgment. At that time, many people around the world will be yearning for some leader to emerge to make sense of it all, to bring some semblance of order and an economy, to facilitate drinking water and a way to resume living under such dire circumstances. They will be right at that point to follow this person, Satan’s dark masterpiece, the greatest delusion that he will have ever foisted on the human race, the Antichrist. For centuries, through all of history, Satan has been the secret power, the puppet master, behind the throne of every rebellious, wicked ruler on earth. 1 John 5:19 says “the whole world is under the control of the evil one.” Satan revealed this truth on the mountain of where he tempted Christ when he showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and said, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus refused, saying “It is written, ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’” [Luke 4:6, 8] Satan has organized his dark kingdom with other powerful demonic beings under him, rulers and authorities and powers of this present darkness, who are puppet masters behind lesser thrones on earth. These demonic rulers have effectively but secretly swayed and influenced the decisions of the movers and shakers of human history in every era. At the end of the world, Satan will consolidate all the governments of the world into one massive empire, led by one corrupted man, the beast or Antichrist. The word “Antichrist” does not appear in the book of Revelation; it only appears in 1 and 2 John. The word Antichrist from the Greek means “substitute Christ” — not “against Christ,” as we might think, although he is that as well. 1 John 2:18 says, “…you have heard that the antichrist is coming…” and 2 Thessalonians 2:3 says, “…that day will not come until … the man of lawlessness is revealed…” There will be one worldwide ruler. A Grotesque Parody In Revelation 13, we see a repulsive, grotesque parody of the Trinity. Satan (the Dragon), the Antichrist (the Beast from the Sea), and the false prophet (the Beast from the Earth), make up this horrific trio. The dragon acts like God the Father; the Beast from the Sea acts like Jesus Christ, God the Son; and the Beast from the Earth acts like God the Holy Spirit. The dragon desires to be worshipped so he uses the Beast from the Sea to cause men to worship him. The dragon gives his authority to the Beast from the Sea, a mockery of the Great Commission, when Jesus says, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me...” by God the Father. Like the Father and the Son, the dragon and the beast share a throne and extend it to the ends of the earth. The Beast, the Antichrist, was apparently slain and raised from the dead in a parody of the resurrection. After his apparent resurrection, the Beast will seek to be worshipped as God. The Beast from the Sea will have power to do signs and wonders as Jesus did. Like the Holy Spirit, the Beast from the Earth will not speak of himself but will point to the Antichrist to get people to worship him. This absurd, freakish distortion of the Trinity comes at the end of human history. The Beast’s Origin We begin with the dragon in verse 1:“And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea.” Revelation 12:9 says, “The great dragon was hurled down-- that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray.” The dragon is Satan. Revelation 12:17 says, “Then the dragon was enraged at the woman [generally the people of God but specifically Israel, which gives birth to the people of God] and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring-- those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.” The dragon will prosecute a war against Christians. The persecution will occur through the Beast from the Sea, the Antichrist — Satan’s dark instrument to carry out his hatred and warfare against Christians. He stands on the sea shore and calls the Beast up out of the sea. This calls to mind Daniel 7, the most important commentary on Revelation 13. The prophet Daniel says in Daniel 7:2-3, “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me were the four winds of heaven churning up the great sea. Four great beasts, each different from the others, came up out of the sea.” They come up sequentially, one after the other in Daniel 7. In Revelation 13, we have the dragon standing by the shore of the sea, looking out over it. The sea represents the vast teeming, seething, tumultuous mass of humanity, waiting for a leader to organize them and move them in one direction. Isaiah 57:20 says, “The wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud. ‘There is no peace,’ says my God, ‘for the wicked.’” More to the point, the angel talking to John about the great whore of Babylon who sits on the waters of the sea explains in Revelation 17:15, “‘The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages.’” The sea represents the mass of humanity. Further, the sea gives the sense of the Abyss — bottomless, fathomless. Out of that region, Revelation 17:8 says, “The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction.” The sea represents the nether regions out of which demonic forces come. The Beast’s Nature and Authority The Beast Described The Beast is described as the consummation of the flow of human history. Verse 1-2 say, “And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion.” In Daniel 7, we are told plainly the beasts represent human empires. The first in Daniel 7 was a lion with the wings of an eagle, representing Babylon; the second was like a bear, which was Medo-Persia; the third was like a Leopard that had four wings, representing Greece; and the fourth was not identified — it was indescribable, a terrifying beast that trampled everything underfoot, representing Rome. In Daniel 7, these four beasts come out sequentially and they represent sequential empires that rise and fall, and then the next Empire comes and takes its place. In Revelation, these symbols are combined into one beast rather than in succession. The beast, then, represents a demonic human geo-political realm, a world organized together against the Lord and His people. Up until that final phase no one ruler has dominated all the earth. The seven heads on the beast represent a flow of empires throughout human history that comes into the final form at the end of the world. 1 John 2:18 tells us, “Many antichrist have come.” History has seen a parade of antichrists, but they were not the Antichrist. The three listed animals of Daniel’s vision are combined into a conglomerate beast, the worst of them all. A leopard represents speed, agility, stealth and cleverness; the feet like a bear represents its ability to trample its enemies with massive power; and the mouth of the lion represents the its roar and its ability to shred, to rip apart its adversaries with ferocious teeth. The worst traits of all wicked empires that have gone before in human history come together in one empire, not in a sequence, at the end. The Beast Becomes an Individual The beast and the man are also combined. The individual represents the empire. From that point on, the beast is referred to as an individual person. Obviously a single man, no matter how charismatic, what a great speaker, how physically powerful or leader-like, cannot dominate a planet of up to nine billion people. At first he will have minions under him, military power, lackeys who will carry out his orders. But in the end, he becomes the beast, he dominates and moves it and makes it do whatever he wants. The individual, the head of this horrifying empire, becomes the focus. We are familiar with this way of speaking. During World War II, President Roosevelt spoke specifically of stopping Hitler after a German U-boat fired a torpedo at the USS Kearny, two months before the US entered the war after the Pearl Harbor attack. In a radio address on October 27, 1941, President Roosevelt said, “The forward march of Hitler and of Hitlerism can be stopped - and it will be stopped. ... Hitler's torpedo was directed at every American, whether he lives on our seacoasts or in the innermost part of the Nation, far from the seas and far from the guns and tanks of the marching hordes of would-be conquerors of the world.” You could be a wheat farmer in Kansas — Hitler shot a torpedo at you. This single leader represents the beast, the whole empire, and becomes the beast to some degree. Verses 4 and 8 say, “All those who live on the Earth will worship him.” The Greek is clear. Worship is focused on an individual. Authority of the Beast Verse 1 speaks of the authority and the blasphemy of the beast. “He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.” All these are symbols of the power and authority that this empire will have in the end. The horns represent kingly and military power, as do the crowns. But the whole system is blasphemous, an open challenge to God and to His Christ, the true King. Antichrist will be a king of kings. The 10 horns represent kings, and their diadems represent kingly power. The final world empire will be made up of lesser kings who have been subdued and cowed by the Antichrist and will submit and yield their power to him. Revelation 17:12-13 says, “The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast.” In the aftermath of the trumpet judgments, the entire world will be destabilized. Imagine the effect, for example, of the poisoning of one-third of all drinkable water on earth. People will migrate en masse in desperation to get drinking water without regard to the implications of crossing national boundaries. Combined with the other disasters and horrors occurring, world leaders will come together to find a solution. At that point, the beast’s initial skills start to emerge. He would be one of many leaders, but by his diplomatic skill, he will maneuver around the others and gain preeminence in various ways, including assassination or Machiavellian intrigue. Daniel 8:23-24 says “... a stern-faced king, a master of intrigue, will arise. He will become very strong, but not by his own power.” Daniel 11:21, 23, and 32 say similar things about the Antichrist. “He will invade the kingdom when its people feel secure, and he will seize it through intrigue … After coming to an agreement with him, he will act deceitfully, and with only a few people he will rise to power. [He is good at making deals, dark covenants that are broken when it serves him best — reminiscent of the deal between Hitler and Stalin over Poland.] … With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him.” Flattery, intrigue, broken covenants — that is how he begins to gain power. It is not his own power, but soon he controls everything. Verse 2, “The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.” Satan has been ruling the world in secret through many kings and kingdoms. He divides and conquers, keeping any one nation from being too powerful. He is a murderer; he wants to kill people. It is to his advantage to have a powerful Hitler Germany and a powerful Red Soviet Union so he can kill masses of Germans and Russians. But at the end of the world, he will empower his masterpiece, consolidating world power to give the whole world to this one man. The largest contiguous empire in history was that of Genghis Khan and the Mongols in 1309, encompassing 9 million square miles, or about 16% of the earth’s surface. The largest empire in history was that of the British empire in the 19th century. They ruled about 24% of the surface of the Earth. One-quarter is the most that Satan has ever given to any empire, whether the Romans the Greeks, the Assyrians or the Babylonians, until now. This man will do the very thing Jesus refused to do on that mountain of temptation — Satan promised him all the kingdoms of the world if he would bow down and worship him. This individual is happy to do that; he worships the dragon, who then gives him authority over the entire world. Verse 7 says “…he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.” It has never been done in history so this has not been fulfilled. We do not need to wonder if so and so is the Antichrist. If a leader gains control over the entire earth, he is, but if a leader does not gain control of every nation, then he may be an antichrist but he is not the Antichrist. The Beast’s “Resurrection” and Worship Verse 3 tells of the beast’s supernatural resurrection: “One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast.” This is the greatest satanic deception in history. The beast will be able to perform miraculous signs and wonders. Paul tells us in 2 Thessalonians 2:9, “The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders.” He will empower the Antichrist to do signs and wonders. Paul also speaks of a powerful delusion, which is effective in convincing the whole world to believe a lie, which may well be this fake resurrection. The greatest miracle that he does is his apparent resurrection from a fatal wound. Verse 12 and 14 say, “… [the false prophet] made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed … [he] ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.” This resurrection will clinch his popularity and his power and usher his reign into a whole new realm of idolatry and blasphemy. Amazed and Cowed Verse 3-4 say, “One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, ‘Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?’” The whole world will be amazed and cowed by this man. After his resurrection, people will realize that resistance is futile. No one, as far as they know, will be able to stop him or defeat him. Obviously, they will not know Christ and His power, but they will think there has never been anyone like this man, and they will be correct. This awe, this sense of wonder, will be essential to Antichrist’s world dominion. What is the point in fighting him? You will lose. Meanwhile, people are in favor of him. He has done good things for people in their extreme circumstances — he has been able to get food, clothing, shelter and drinkable water and organize us and get everyone going in the right direction. There are both positive and negative inducements to follow him. The Culmination of Rebellion People will fear and obey him, but that is not enough for him. He wants to be worshiped as a god. This blasphemous worship is the culmination of both Satan’s rebellion and man’s rebellion. Satan originally wanted to receive worship like the Most High; he wanted to topple God from His throne and take His place. But the entire human race has joined Satan in that evil rebellion. In Genesis 3:5, Satan tells Eve, “You will be like God [so he said] knowing good from evil.” Idolatry often takes human form, as Isaiah 44:13 mocks, “The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a marker; he roughs it out with chisels and marks it with compasses. He shapes it in the form of man, of man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a shrine.” Many rulers throughout history have sought to be worshipped as God or gods. Alexander the Great’s coin depicted him with the horns of Zeus-Ammon coming out of his head, a clear sign of deity in their culture. Many Roman emperors openly aspired to worship and to be deified. This was the essence of the imperial cult which was the backdrop of John writing this book. If subjects of Rome would burn a pinch of incense to Caesar, say Caesar is Lord, worship him, add him to their Pantheon, and be in allegiance to the Roman Empire, they could live in relative peace. If not, they were prosecuted. Incan emperors’ subjects thought that the kings were gods. That was the essence of their ability to hold power over tens of thousands of subjects. Napoleon grabbed the crown from the Pope’s hand and crowned himself, as if to say the Pope had no right to crown him. Until the end of World War II, the Japanese saw their emperors as deities descended from the gods that they thought had founded their island nation. William Shirer, who wrote The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, said that during the Nuremberg rallies in the dark, the German people looked on Hitler as if he was the Messiah. There was a level of worship for that governmental leader that he had never seen before. This has been the tendency of human nature, to either seek worship or to give it to dominant leaders. Almost the entire world will fall into this worship of the beast, though not everyone. Verse 8 says, “All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast-- all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.” Christians, the elect, will hold back, will not worship the beast. This will cause him to wage active war on both Jewish and Gentile Christians. The Abomination of Desolation He will permit the Jews to rebuild the temple, and at the height of the building process, he will take the place over. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 says, “He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God's temple, proclaiming himself to be God.” This is the abomination of desolation. It is exactly at that moment the Jews will realize that old covenant worship will never be re-established, and they will turn at last to Christ, the one they have pierced. They will look on him with tears and believe in him. They will become the enemies of the Antichrist; he will pursue them and they will have to run for their lives (Matthew 24). The Beast’s Blasphemies His Most Powerful Weapon Verses 5-6 say, “The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words…” Notice how strongly the fact that everything he has is given to him is made clear in these verses — he was given a mouth, he was given authority he is given a certain amount of time. All of this has been given, not by the dragon but permitted by God. God is ruling over all of these events. “The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.” His mouth is his most powerful weapon. He uses smooth talk and flattery along with lies and deceptive diplomacy. He makes grandiose, eloquent proclamations, and people melt as they hear him speak. Here he speaks proud words and blasphemies and is able, by his speaking ability, to unite the world. Everyone — Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, atheists — at last finds unity, not only political but spiritual, religious unity, in worshipping this one individual. Blasphemy The little horn’s blasphemy is a prominent feature in Daniel 7:8: “This horn [the Antichrist] had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully.” Daniel 11:36, “He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods.” After his resurrection, this man will become insufferable and arrogant. With his mouth he will lay claim to Heaven, and his mind will be puffed up with blasphemies. Blasphemies are words spoken against the glory of God, either by denigrating God himself or seeking worship as God. This wicked man will likely do both in large doses. Notice how much of God’s work of salvation is meant to humble us who are saved. It is humbling to be saved by Christ. It is humbling to know that God chose the elect before we had done anything good or bad. It is humbling to be justified by faith in a Savior, who died and rose again centuries before we were born. His righteous obedience to the law becomes our obedience because we do not have sufficient obedience to go to Heaven. We were saved by grace through faith so that no one may boast. Romans 3:27 says “Where then is boasting? It is excluded.” God chooses to save some who are weak and not influential, the lowest of the low, so that no one can boast before him. It is because of his initiative that we are in Christ Jesus. In the end, when we are standing before Him in our white robes celebrating, we will say, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.” We will be forever worshiping him with no boasting in Heaven except in the Lord. He humbles us by our salvation. It is a sweet thing to be humbled, to be put in our place as a human being and to anticipate spending eternity in that place. But this arrogant little horn, this Antichrist, lays claim to Heaven with his mouth. He demands worship as God; but the clock is ticking. It will not go on forever. Verse 5 says, “…he was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months” (the second half of the final seven-year period, also referred to as 1260 days, 42 months, or “time, times and half a time.” He is on a strict time leash, as is his master the dragon, who is filled with rage because he knows his time is short. Verse 6 tells us who he blasphemes: “He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.” The Beast’s Conquest Verses 7-10 reveal the bitter truth that he is given power to conquer the saints. We need to hear and understand this carefully. Jesus warned his disciples that they would be arrested, dragged before courts and have to give an account, and then would be put to death. He told us in advance because the worst of this is yet to come, though it has been going on for 20 centuries. Verse 7 says, “He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.” When the beast directly attacks the people of God and is successful in slaughtering many of them it will be the greatest trial of faith the survivors will have ever had. “Where is God? Why has he abandoned us? Take your hand from the fold of your garment and extend it and save us. We're being slaughtered by the tens of thousands.” Throughout the history of the church, the government has persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ and shed their blood from the Roman Era on, a trail of blood for 20 centuries, but it will escalate exponentially at that time. It is directly predicted in Daniel 7:21 and 25: “As I watched, this horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them … He will speak against the Most High and oppress his saints and try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time.” Worldwide Power and Worship The beast has worldwide power and worship. Every nation on the face of the earth will be under his dominion. Because of his wonder-working power he will be worshiped openly as God by everyone but the saints. This will not satisfy him. He will pursue them and wage war against them, beginning with the two witnesses, who overcome any who oppose them with fire from their mouths that devours their enemies. But they cannot overcome the beast; he overcomes them and kills them. Three and a half days later they rise from the dead and ascend to Heaven. This will be the time for those in Judea to flee, to run for their lives. They will not have time to go get a coat or do anything but flee. Pregnant or nursing mothers at that time will have a hard time running for their lives. Those who are not in Judea will have nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. Sometimes people were able to hide Jews and deceive the Gestapo, the human police. How is it possible to deceive the devil and his demons? He knows all the hiding places, and the Lord has given the saints over to his hands. Many of them will be captured and slaughtered. Jesus said if those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect, those days will be shortened. The Saints Refuse Verse 8 says, “All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast-- all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.” This can be read either that the saints’ names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life or that the Lamb was slain from the creation of the world, depending on the translation. No matter where you put that phrase, both are true. Jesus was thinking of himself as slain from the beginning of human history. Animal sacrifices pointed to him before he came incarnate. He knew that all pointed to his death. And God chose us from the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight, and we will not be deceived because of the detailed nature of this kind of teaching. We are told ahead of time what will happen and we will not be deceived because we have been forewarned. Fierce Warfare The warfare will be fierce. Verses 9-10 say, “He who has an ear, let him hear. If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.” This refers to the various ways that the saints will be killed. Ironically, these words usually referred to wicked Israel as judgment by other nations, such as when the Babylonians or the Assyrians invaded. But this is applied to righteous and holy people. God has ordained prescribed ways of dying for each of the millions of martyrs. Precious in the Lord’s sight will be their martyrdom. If you are ordained to die by the sword, then by the sword you will die. If you are to die another way, that is how it will be. This calls for patient endurance, to stand firm. Jesus said in Matthew 10:22 “All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Applications See the Proper Role and Scope of Government First, see the limitations of the scope and role of government. Do not worship any government leader. Do not put your ultimate hopes in a political party or an election. Do not have overweening hopes in any one individual. They are all flawed humans, even if brothers or sisters in Christ, and there are many non-Christians in the government to restrain them. But worldwide, the end will not be a utopian human governmental system. Limit esteem for government while submitting to non-immoral commands. Worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Beyond that, worship the King of kings and Lord of lords. There is a coming king who will be perfectly righteous. He will destroy all his enemies. This is the time to not be his enemy. Flee to Christ now. If you are here as an unbeliever, God brought you here to hear the Gospel. The Gospel is simple: God, the Creator of the earth, sent his Son, born of the Virgin Mary, who lived a sinless life and died on the cross in the place of sinners. He rose from the dead on the third day; it was not a sham resurrection like the Antichrist, but the tomb was genuinely empty because he was raised again to life. Death has been defeated and if you believe in Jesus, all of your sins past, present and future will be forgiven. But some day, Christ will come back to establish a kingdom that will last forever. We will celebrate soon with Christmas. Isaiah 9:6-7 says, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” Look forward to the coming king. One purpose of this chapter is show the greatness of Christ. This beast is horrifying, terrifying, powerful, but Jesus will destroy him with the breath of his mouth and the splendor of his coming. It is not a stressor for him. When he comes with the armies of heaven, it will be a quick battle. That is what happens when creature faces creator. With his omnipotent arm, he will win the victory. Martin Luther wrote in A Mighty Fortress is Our God, “One little word shall fell him.” Study, Develop, and Understand Understand Satan’s current role as puppet master around the world. Many antichrists are ruling right now. Study and understand the doctrine of the future. I have given you many details over these past weeks. Study them and pass them on as a warning to your children. This may not happen in our lifetime but it might happen in theirs. Grow and develop in your prayer life. Take these things to God in prayer. Part of your prayer life should be a concern for the persecuted church. Our brothers and sisters in a large populous East Asian nation are experiencing the greatest persecution they have experienced in decades. It will get worse. 1 Corinthians 12:26 says of the body of Christ, “When one part suffers, the whole body suffers with it. When one part is honored, the whole body is honored with it.” Let us join our suffering brothers and sisters by praying for them and seeking as best we can to alleviate their suffering. Closing Prayer Lord, thank you for the rich time we have had to enjoy worship, a baptism, the chance to see the faces of brothers and sisters who are joining us with covenant membership, and then to hear the word preached. Lord, we pray that we would drink in these blessings and realize that you have loved us with an everlasting love. You have taught us these things so that we may be ready to live fruitful, holy lives in this present evil age, and to share the Gospel, to take these things and warn people of the coming judgment and warn them to flee to Christ and to live lives filled with hope. We pray in Jesus’ name, amen.