Church of God News

Massive Camp of Refugees from Syria in Za’atri, Jordan

COGwriter

There are over 100,000,000 refugees fleeing from various problems around the world.

June 20th has been designated as World Refugee Day:

World Refugee Day 2025

World Refugee Day is an international observance dedicated to raising awareness about the plight of refugees and displaced people around the world. It is a day to honor the strength, courage, and resilience of those who have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, persecution, or natural disasters. The day also serves as a reminder of the importance of providing support, protection, and opportunities for refugees to rebuild their lives.

What is World Refugee Day?

World Refugee Day is an annual event that highlights the challenges faced by millions of refugees and displaced people globally. It is a time to acknowledge their struggles, advocate for their rights, and celebrate their contributions to the communities where they have resettled. The day emphasizes the need for solidarity and shared responsibility in addressing the global refugee crisis, encouraging countries and individuals to take action in support of refugees.

When is World Refugee Day?

World Refugee Day is observed every year on June 20th. This date was established by the United Nations in 2001 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, which defines the rights of refugees and the legal obligations of states to protect them. https://www.awarenessdays.com/awareness-days-calendar/world-refugee-day-2025/

Notice something about the number of refugees:

June 20, 2024

UNHCR estimates that by mid-2023, over 110 million individuals worldwide were forcibly displaced, with 40% being children. 75% of these displaced individuals are hosted in low- and middle-income countries. https://www.who.int/news-room/events/detail/2024/06/20/default-calendar/world-refugee-day-2024

The primary causes of the refugee situations around the world include war, political considerations, religious persecution, and economics.

After the millennial Kingdom of God is established, the time will come when every one will have their own home (cf. 1 Kings 4:25, Micah 4:4) and wars will cease:

1 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the Lord’s house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And peoples shall flow to it.
2 Many nations shall come and say,
“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion the law shall go forth,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
3 He shall judge between many peoples,
And rebuke strong nations afar off;
They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore.

4 But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree,
And no one shall make them afraid;
For the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.
5 For all people walk each in the name of his god,
But we will walk in the name of the Lord our God
Forever and ever. (Micah 4:1-5)

However, before then, there will come another time when all real Christians will be subject to intense persecution (see also Persecutions by Church and State).

But this will come in stages. First, mainly the faithful Philadelphia Christians will be affected:

25 He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. (Daniel 7:25a)

33 And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. 34 Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue. 35 And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time. (Dan 11:33-35)

13 Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child. (Rev 12:13)

The Philadelphia Christians who survive will then be protected:

7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,

‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie — indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. (Revelation 3:7-10)

The Philadelphia Christians flee to become refugees in a place in the wilderness:

14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. 15 So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. 16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. (Revelation 12:14-16)

Some believe that this place in the wilderness will be in or near Petra in Jordan (see also There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra).

Prophecy scholars tend to recognize that the expression “time and times and half a time” equates to 3 1/2 years. The fleeing to the wilderness happens just after the Philadelphians have successfully preached the Gospel of the Kingdom to the world as a witness (Matthew 24:14) and just prior to the start of the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:15-21).

Jesus said to watch and pray to be accounted worthy to escape, indicating that not all Christians would be counted worthy:

34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)

So, what about the rest of the Christians in those days?

The Bible shows that they will be subject to death and persecution:

17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:17)

25…Then the saints shall be given into his hand For a time and times and half a time. (Daniel 7:25b)

So this second period of persecution, for those who do not flee to the wilderness, lasts 3 1/2 years as well. Those subject to the persecution from the Beast power are mainly Laodicean, Sardisian, and Thyatiran Christians (though some of the Thyatiran remnant may be protected per Revelation 2:22-24). Those Christians would be those that failed to heed various parts of the Bible as they should and will ignore the warnings in Zephaniah 2:1-3 to gather together prior to the time to flee (watch also the video Zephaniah’s ‘Gather Together’ Prophecy).

While we Christians go through our day to day lives, the Bible is clear that those who live long enough are going to be subject to intense persecution and becoming refugees.

Basically ALL end time Christians will be refugees or at least subject to terrible persecution.

Did you know what seems to be the second most looked up verse in the Bible is?

The first is John 3:16, but the second is found in Jeremiah. Here are three translations of it:

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV)

11 For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of affliction, to give you an end and patience. (Jeremiah 29:11, Douay-Rheims)

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11, New Living Translation)

Some quote Jeremiah 29:11 as proof that God has a plan for them. And while God does have a plan for all, many tend to not consider the verse in context.

Notice what the Bible teaches:

11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive. (Jeremiah 29:11-14)

Notice that the plan was exile. To be a sojourner, to be a refugee.

So as you consider the plight of the millions of refugees on the Earth, you may also consider that if you are truly a Christian, that you will be subject to intense persecution and even being a refugee yourself.

Anyway, in addition to death and destruction, wars tend to cause more refugees.

Pray, as Jesus said (Matthew 6:10), for God’s Kingdom to come.

Strive to live as a Philadelphian Christian.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. There is also a video on the subject: Might Petra be the Place of Safety? Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
Zephaniah’s ‘Gather Together’ Prophecy Is it safe to be ‘independent’ or in a non-Philadelphian Church of God? What did God inspire Zephaniah to write? This is a video.
Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur. Will those with the cross be the persecutors or the persecuted–this article has the shocking answer. There are also three video sermons you can watch: Cancel Culture and Christian Persecution, The Coming Persecution of the Church, and Christian Persecution from the Beast. Here is information in the Spanish language: Persecuciones de la Iglesia y el Estado.
Prophecies Showing Persecution of Sabbath Keepers Are Sabbath-keepers going to be persecuted in the 21st century? Are there biblical and non-biblical prophecies that point to this type of persecution?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in over 1,000 languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There are also two related videos: Iran In Prophecy and Iran and Israel Conflict.
Gaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy What does the Bible teach about Gaza and the fate of the Palestinians? Here is a link to two related videos: Gaza and Bible Prophecy and Gaza and Palestine in Prophecy.
Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2024, 2025, or 2026? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Tribulation in 2024?
Could God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2031 or ? There is also a video titled: When Does the 6000 Years End? 2031? 2035? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? Two videos of related interest are: The Future King of the South is Rising and The Rise and Fall of the King of the South. Here is a version the Spanish language: ¿Esta Surgiendo el Rey Del Sur?
Islamic and Biblical Prophecies for the 21st Century This is a free online book which helps show where biblical and Islamic prophecies converge and diverge. Here are links to related sermons: Seeing Christianity Through Islamic Eyes. Imam Mahdi, women, and prophecy., and Terrorism, Iran, and Fatima.

COGwriter

LifeSite News posted the following:

EU pushes collaboration with foreign governments on digital ID, online censorship

June 19, 2025

As part of a broader campaign to expand its global influence in the digital era, the European Union has introduced a sweeping International Digital Strategy that leans heavily on centralized infrastructure, digital identity systems, and regulatory frameworks that raise significant questions about online freedoms and privacy.

The European Commission, in announcing the initiative, stressed its intent to collaborate with foreign governments on a range of areas, prominently featuring digital identity systems and what it calls “Digital Public Infrastructure.”

These frameworks, which have garnered widespread support from transnational institutions such as the United Nations and the World Economic Forum, are being marketed as tools to streamline cross-border commerce and improve mobility.

However, for privacy advocates, the strategy raises red flags due to its promotion of interoperable digital ID programs and a surveillance-oriented model of governance under the guise of efficiency.

According to the strategy documents, one of the EU’s objectives is to drive mutual recognition of electronic trust services, including digital IDs, across partner nations such as Ukraine, Moldova, and several Balkan and Latin American countries. This aligns with the EU’s ambitions to propagate its model of the Digital Identity Wallet, an initiative that privacy campaigners warn could entrench government control over personal data.

The strategy also outlines measures to deepen cooperation on global digital regulation, including laws that govern online speech. …

In framing digital transformation as both an economic imperative and a security concern, the EU’s strategy reinforces a convergence of interests between state power and corporate infrastructure. It is a vision of the digital future where identity verification, regulatory harmonization, and global partnerships coalesce into a tightly managed ecosystem, one that may leave little space for meaningful privacy and anonymous participation online. https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/eu-pushes-collaboration-with-foreign-governments-on-digital-id-online-censorship/?utm_source=most_recent&utm_campaign=usa

This is not a surprise as the EU has been moving in this direction for years. The picture at the beginning of this post is the logo for a relatively new EU office to enforce various regulations. We warned about that back in 2019:

The European Union is in the process of establishing the European Public Prosecutor’s Office.This is a major, first-of-its-kind move, with the EU setting up a European-wide prosecutor’s office that will have power to investigate and charge people for financial crimes committed against the EU. It looks like this type of office may end up persecuting those that do not have the mark of the Beast when they “buy or sell” as that will later be considered a financial crime in Europe. What does 666 mean? How has that name be calculated? How can we be certain that this is a prophecy for Europe and not Islam? Is the appointment of this new office of significant prophetic importance? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more by pointing to scriptures, news items, and historical accounts.

Here is a link to the sermonette video: EU Setting Up 666 Enforcer?

The fact is that things like the Digital Service Act are leading to censorship which will also lead to the coming ‘famine of the word’ (cf. Amos 8:11-12).

Notice part of number 23 of my list of 25 items to prophetically watch in 2025:

23. Totalitarian Steps

The 13th chapter of the Book of Revelation tells about a totalitarian leader called the Beast rising up, controlling buying and selling (cf. Revelation 13:16-18). …

Participating in society includes the ability to use a computer, communicate, buy goods, and travel, to name just a few–and the EU’s Digital Services Acts can affect all of that and more.

The globalists want to be able to monitor who is buying or saying anything.

Furthermore, if there were to be carbon passports, that would likely be tied in with your purchases so you could be monitored by some official view of how much harm your purchases cause the environment.

This is helping set the stage for the rise of the Beast who will gain power after the 4th seal of Revelation (which is the ride of the pale horse of death) is opened.

Expect to see various new totalitarian steps implemented and/or proposed in 2025.

Meetings in Europe are promoting ways that will lead to more totalitarian controls.

A while back, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel related what many groups are working towards:

14:31

Globalism Conspiracy or Convergence?

In May of 2022, the World Economic Forum held a conference where thousands of the world’s elites attended, essentially in support of a ‘great reset’ to change society. In June 2022, the Bilderberg Group met essentially to do the same thing. In June 2022, Pope Francis told a group invited by Cardinal Kurt Koch, “Unity does not come about by standing still.” Whereas the Roman Catholic group, whose co-president in Marc Stengel, called for more cooperation with the United Nations and apparently supporters of Gandhi. The World Council of Churches also supports the globalist agenda as do the Freemasons and others. Could Satan be the real conspirator behind this? Will humanity be able to bring about utopia? Or can true Christian unity and utopia only come about with the return of Jesus and the Kingdom of God? Will the globalist agenda succeed for a time? Dr. Thiel addresses these and other issues.

Here is a link to that video: Globalism Conspiracy or Convergence?

And according to the Bible, more and more censorship and surveillance is coming.

The Continuing Church of God (CCOG) also put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

The Digital Services Act is a partial prelude to the coming ‘666’ controls the Bible prophesies in the following:

15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. (Revelation 13:15-18)

Related to plans for control and surveillance, we put together the following video:

Governments and globalist organizations are pushing for the implementation of tools that will help fulfill biblical prophecies on censorship and totalitarianism.

Do not fall for it as it will lead to destruction and a totalitarian society.

Digital integration systems are not the answer. A totalitarian system is coming.

The ONLY real solution for the problems facing humanity is repentance, the return of Jesus, and the good news of the coming Kingdom of God.

Colored areas controlled by various factions as of 10 May 2025
(Map from Vertcarmin via Wikipedia)

COGwriter

A peace deal in part of Africa has been announced:

19 June 2025

The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda are set to sign a peace agreement on June 27, they said in a joint statement with the US State Department on Wednesday.

The countries’ technical teams have already initiated the draft, which is expected to be formally signed in Washington next week.

The draft peace deal aims to end fighting in eastern Congo, where Rwandan-backed M23 rebels made significant advances at the beginning of the year, capturing the strategic city of Goma and the town of Bukavu.

“The Agreement includes provisions on respect for territorial integrity and a prohibition of hostilities; disengagement, disarmament, and conditional integration of non-state armed groups,” said the statement posted to the State Department’s website.

US push for peace in eastern Congo

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will witness the official signing ceremony next week.

The agreement announced on Wednesday builds on a declaration of principles signed between the two countries in April.

It will signal a breakthrough for President Donald Trump’s administration’s push to halt the conflict in eastern Congo and attract billions of dollars in Western investment to the mineral-rich region.

But it is not clear if the Congo River Alliance — a coalition of rebel groups that includes the M23 — will stick to it.

The text includes provisions on “disengagement, disarmament, and conditional integration of non-state armed groups.” https://www.dw.com/en/dr-congo-and-rwanda-set-to-sign-us-brokered-peace-agreement/a-72967719

This should be good news. Our members in the region (from Rwanda, Burundi, and the Congo-DRC) have faced difficulties because of the ongoing conflict.

But, we will see whether or not it will hold, or how long it will hold.

While this is NOT the deal of Daniel 9:27, this deal could be beneficial for the CCOG for the Feast of Tabernacles and other reasons–including safety for brethren in the region.

That said, our brethren in that region still face religious persecution.

Galveston Juneteenth plaque
(Photo by Joyce Thiel)

COGwriter

In the past several years, there has been increased interest in a previously little-known holiday called Juneteenth.

Now, even certain California State employees are getting the day off, as a paid holiday, for it.

During the Feast of Tabernacles in Galveston Texas in 2024, my wife and I visited the area commemorating it.

Here is some information about Juneteenth:

What is Juneteenth, America’s newest federal holiday?

June 18, 2024

Juneteenth marks the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans.

Long a regional holiday in the South, It became the newest U.S. federal holiday in 2021 under U.S. President Joe Biden.

:: June 17, 2021

BIDEN: “This is a day, in my view, of profound weight and profound power…” …

U.S. government employees have the day off from work.

So do workers at some private businesses.

Traditionally, Juneteenth celebrations include parades, marches and barbecues.

This year’s holiday is expected to take place during a heat wave in some parts of the country so officials are advising people to be careful.

Other events will strike a more somber tone, with organizers using the day to draw attention to today’s racial inequities they say stem from the legacy of slavery … https://www.yahoo.com/news/juneteenth-americas-newest-federal-holiday-231111048.html

June 17, 2023

So, what is Juneteenth all about?

When I first heard of Juneteenth, while working at a summer job during my college days, I presumed that since it had something to do with the end of slavery in the United States, it must have been the date the 13th Amendment — which ended legal slavery in the country — was ratified. Later, I was perplexed, as I read that the 13th Amendment was made part of the U.S. Constitution in December of 1865.

In reality, Juneteenth had very little to do with the end of legal slavery in America, so the question then became, Why celebrate it in June, rather than in December?

The answer seems to be, as it is with so much in today’s world — whether it be nominations to the Supreme Court, the names of sports teams, or even pictures on boxes of pancake mix — that politics is in play: Democrats want to pander to black voters, and Republicans are generally afraid to call them on it, fearing they will just be accused of being racists and “white supremacists.”

President Joe Biden signed into law the observation of “Juneteenth” (June 19) as an official holiday of the United States two days before the date in 2021, making 2022 the first year that the holiday was fully observed across the country.  https://thenewamerican.com/juneteenth-what-is-it-all-about/

June 19, 2022

Sam Roberts and his family are planning for Juneteenth, the newest U.S. holiday commemorating the 1865 emancipation of Black enslaved people at the end of the Civil War.

On Sunday, the Roberts family and other Americans will attend celebrations and observances. It’s part of a growing national recognition of a pivotal moment in U.S. history that’s been a part of the fabric of Black culture for generations.

“Juneteenth is our Freedom Day and African American communities have been celebrating June 19th for a long time,” said Roberts, a father of two from Washington, D.C. It’s the second national observance of the holiday since Congress authorized it and U.S. President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law last year.

“While July 4th is the celebration of freedom for the United States, Juneteenth is a celebration of freedom for African Americans after the Civil War,” said Jesse Holland, an author and Black historian.

The push for a Juneteenth federal holiday came amid the popularity of the Black Lives Matter movement and a year after nationwide protests against racism and police brutality. It followed the murder of African-American George Floyd by a white Minneapolis police officer in 2020. Since then, the annual celebration has taken on a new meaning for some in the Black community.

“Juneteenth reminds Black Americans we still face the challenges of hate and discrimination our ancestors endured,” Roberts said. “We have to redouble our quest for equality.”

Some historians believe greater awareness of Juneteenth will encourage forward leaning conversations among Americans about race relations and the legacies of slavery. …

“Not every African American in the United States are descendants of slaves, but for the large majority of us who are, Juneteenth is the time for us to take stock of who we are today, where we came from and the sacrifices our ancestors went through before and since the Civil War,” Holland told VOA.

Freedom declarations

U.S. President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, a declaration following the end of the Civil War that legally freed more than three million enslaved Blacks in Confederate States. But not all slaves were free because the proclamation could not be implemented in parts of the southern United States.

To enforce the proclamation, Union Army Major General Gordon Granger marched into Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, to issue the “General Order Number 3,” which ended the enslavement of Blacks in Texas. The mandate freed an estimated 250,000 slaves two-and-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed.

“White Texans knew the Civil War was [over] and slavery was banned, but they didn’t tell their slaves the war was over for years [in order] to continue to get free labor out of them,” said Holland. “Juneteenth is when the lie ended and federal forces showed up to enforce the new federal law saying slavery was illegal in the United States.”

While Juneteenth is celebrated as the end of slavery, the practice of involuntary servitude continued briefly in the states of Delaware and Kentucky. On December 6, 1865, ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution abolished slavery in the United States.

Juneteenth awareness

The first events commemorating Juneteenth date to 1866, when former slaves celebrated their new freedom with prayer, feasting, song, and dance. The anniversary saw a decline in popularity in the 1950’s and 60’s as Black Americans focused on the civil rights movement and ending racial discrimination. Juneteenth saw a revival in the 1980’s when Texas became the first state to declare the date a state holiday. https://www.voanews.com/a/us-observes-juneteenth-national-holiday-/6621998.html

Racial discrimination is a problem in many societies.

Liberation from oppression is a good thing.

Whether an additional holiday will help is a matter of debate. The real solution is the Kingdom of God.

Jesus came to proclaim that liberty:

1 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,
Because the Lord has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,  (Isaiah 61:1-2)

God has a plan which will result in people of every nation and race being saved:

9…I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”  (Revelation 7:9-10)

God has a plan where people of every nation will be able to rule:

9…You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.  (Revelation 5:9-10)

God has a plan where “all flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Luke 3:6):

21 And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the Lord
Shall be saved. (Acts 2:21)

1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:1-4).

God has a fantastic plan.

Whether or not you celebrate Juneteenth, pray for God’s Kingdom to come (Matthew 6:10).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

God’s Grace is For All Is being Jewish a hindrance to salvation? What about not being a descendant of Israel? What does the Bible really teach? Here is a link to a related sermon titled Race and Grace; Do you view race as God does? Watch also Mystery of Race.
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why Did God Make You? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here are links to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, Mystery of Race, and The Mystery of YOU. Here are links to two videos in Spanish: El Misterio del Plan de Dios and El Misterio de Satanás, el Misterio de la Verdad, el Misterio del Reposo.
Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation Will all get a fair chance at salvation? This free book is packed with scriptures showing that God does intend to offer salvation to all who ever lived–the elect in this age, and the rest in the age to come. Here are links to a related sermon series: Universal Offer of Salvation 1: Apocatastasis, Universal Offer of Salvation 2: Jesus Desires All to be Saved, Mysteries of the Great White Throne Judgment (Universal Offer of Salvation part 3), Is God Fair, Will God Pardon the Ignorant?, Can God Save Your Relatives?, Babies, Limbo, Purgatory and God’s Plan, and ‘By the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets’.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to four related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.

Tucker Carlson
(Photo by Gage Skidmore via Wikipedia)

COGwriter

Last night, I saw Tucker Carlson ask Senator Ted Cruz if he knew the population of Iran. Ted Cruz did not know. Tucker Carlson then chastised him about wanting to possibly invade Iran since he did not know much about it. Today, NBC reported the following related to this:

June 18, 2025

Tucker Carlson clashed with Sen. Ted Cruz in an interview and posted a clip Tuesday night in which the senator was unable to answer questions about Iran.

“How many people live in Iran, by the way?” Carlson asked the Texas Republican.

“I don’t know the population,” Cruz responded.

“At all?” Carlson asked, prompting Cruz to reiterate that he did not know. “You don’t know the population of the country you seek to topple?”

Asked again how he did not know Iran’s population, the senator responded, “I don’t sit around memorizing population tables.” (The CIA estimated in 2024 that the country’s population level sits at around 88 million.) …

Cruz said in a Fox News interview on Sunday that he believed “it is very much in the interest of America to see regime change” in Iran. …

“You don’t know anything about Iran,” Carlson said, and the interview devolved into a heated, overlapping exchange. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/tucker-carlson-clashes-sen-ted-cruz-dont-know-anything-iran-rcna213697

Here is a link to the actual podcast: https://tuckercarlson.com/tucker-show-ted-cruz

Tucker Carlson has opposed direct USA involvement in a possibly expanded Iran war.

Today, I noticed that the Protestant Harbinger Daily site had an anti-Tucker Carlson article (not related to the Ted Cruz piece). Here is some of what it stated:

How do you feel about war? Christians, let’s be honest, it’s difficult. As followers of Jesus, we are called to be peacemakers and to love our neighbor as ourselves, but we also live in a broken world where evil must be confronted. …

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, speaking of Israel in an interview with Russell Brand, stated: “You do not have the right to kill people, except in self-defense. Ever. Because you are not God. And if you decide that you have that right—if you decide you are God and you just get to kill people because it’s going to make the world better, or whatever, you’re a monster. And just know that. By the way, I didn’t always feel that way, but I now do. I feel it strongly enough to become unpopular by saying it.”

If you agree with Tucker, let me be crystal clear: his position isn’t just wrong; it’s unbiblical, dangerous, …

When Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers” in Matthew 5, He wasn’t talking about appeasing terrorists. When Jesus said, “He who lives by the sword dies by the sword” in Matthew 26, He was stopping Peter from interfering with God’s redemptive plan; He wasn’t establishing universal pacifism. 06/17/25 https://harbingersdaily.com/misrepresenting-gods-word-tucker-carlson-and-candace-owens-condemn-israels-right-to-defend-itself/

Actually, based on what Jesus and others taught in the New Testament, yes, Christianity was established as a pacifist religion. It is not unbiblical nor un-Christian to advocate peace.

Teaching otherwise is dangerous–as could be fighting Iran (a nation with biological, chemical, EMP bombs, missiles, and other weapons–known and unknown).

Jesus taught:

7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:7-9)

Notice the following about Jesus:

18 “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen,
My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased!
I will put My Spirit upon Him,
And He will declare justice to the Gentiles.
19 He will not quarrel nor cry out,
Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed He will not break,
And smoking flax He will not quench,
Till He sends forth justice to victory;
21 And in His name Gentiles will trust. (Matthew 12:18-21)

Jesus was not violent.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1)

The Apostle Paul was non-violent. The Apostle Paul was not militaristic.

Neither was Jesus.

Neither, should be, His true followers.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all. (2 Thessalonians 3:16)

Christians cannot have peace in every way if they are militaristic.

Furthermore, Paul wrote:

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21).

14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: (Hebrews 12:14)

Christians are to pursue peace.

The Apostle Peter wrote:

10 For “He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit. 11 Let him turn away from evil and do good; Let him seek peace and pursue it…” (1 Peter 3:10-11).

Paul also wrote:

15 … God has called us to peace. (1 Corinthians 7:15)

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal … (2 Corinthians 10:3-4)

11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. (2 Corinthians 13:11)

All serious theological scholars who have looked into early Christianity realize that Christians were pacifists and would not engage in military warfare.

The historical fact is that, from the beginning of the New Testament church, true Christians (and even most of the heretical apostates) would not participate in carnal warfare.

Melito, a leading Church of God Christian leader wrote around 170 A.D., that if a leader is just, then God provides peace:

My opinion is this: that in `this’ way a kingdom may be governed in peace-when the sovereign is acquainted with the God of truth, and is withheld by fear of Him from doing wrong to those who are his subjects, and judges everything with equity, as one who knows that he himself also will be judged before God; while, at the same time, those who are under his rule are withheld by the fear of God from doing wrong to their sovereign, and are restrained by the same fear from doing wrong to one another. By this knowledge of God and fear of Him all evil may be removed from the realm. For, if the sovereign abstain from doing wrong to those who are under his rule, and they abstain from doing wrong to him and to each other, it is evident that the whole country will dwell in peace. Many blessings, too, will be enjoyed there, because amongst them all the name of God will be glorified. For what blessing is greater than this, that a sovereign should deliver the people that are under his rule from error, and by this good deed render himself pleasing to God? For from error arise all those evils from which kingdoms suffer; but the greatest of all errors is this: when a man is ignorant of God, and in God’s stead worships that which is not God. (Melito. Translation by Roberts and Donaldson. A DISCOURSE WHICH WAS IN THE PRESENCE OF ANTONINUS CAESAR, AND HE EXHORTED THE SAID CAESAR TO ACQUAINT HIMSELF WITH GOD, AND SHOWED TO HIM THE WAY OF TRUTH. Online version copyright © 2001 Peter Kirby. http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/melito.html 11/18/06).

Tatian, a professing Christian apologist, wrote around 170 A.D.:

And for these the witnesses take their seats, and the boxers meet in single combat, for no reason whatever, nor does any one come down into the arena to succour. Do such exhibitions as these redound to your credit? He who is chief among you collects a legion of blood-stained murderers, engaging to maintain them; and these ruffians are sent forth by him, and you assemble at the spectacle to be judges, partly of the wickedness of the adjudicator, and partly of that of the men who engage in the combat. And he who misses the murderous exhibition is grieved, because he was not doomed to be a spectator of wicked and impious and abominable deeds (Tatian. Translated by J.E. Ryland. Tatian’s Address to the Greeks, Chapter XXIII . Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 2. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885. Online Edition Copyright © 2004 by K. Knight).

Athenagoras, a professing Christian apologist, wrote around 170 A.D.:

What man of sound mind, therefore, will affirm, while such is our character, that we are murderers?…

Who does not reckon among the things of greatest interest the contests of gladiators and wild beasts, especially those which are given by you? But we, deeming that to see a man put to death is much the same as killing him, have abjured such spectacles (Athenagoras. A Plea for the Christians, Chapter XXXV. Translated by B.P. Pratten. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 2. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885. Online Edition Copyright © 2004 by K. Knight).

Even today, many Christians realize that enjoying brutal events intent on causing physical harm, such as real boxing and American football, is inappropriate.

Now, here is something from Theophilus of Antioch (who apparently was part of the Church of God) perhaps written about 180 A.D.:

Consider, therefore, whether those who teach such things can possibly live indifferently, and be commingled in unlawful intercourse, or, most impious of all, eat human flesh, especially when we are forbidden so much as to witness shows of gladiators, lest we become partakers and abettors of murders. But neither may we see the other spectacles, lest our eyes and ears be defiled, participating in the utterances there sung. Theophilus of Antioch. To Autolycus, Book III, Chapter XV. Translated by Marcus Dods, A.M. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 2. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885. Online Edition)

So, true Christians did not believe that they were to fight nor even watch the violent sports that were popular in the second century.

Notice that this is also the position of the third century Roman Catholic theologian and bishop Hippolytus, who also adds various occupations to those that reject one from being a follower of Christ:

16:6 A charioteer, likewise, or one who takes part in the games, or one who goes to the games, he shall cease or he shall be rejected. 7 If someone is a gladiator, or one who teaches those among the gladiators how to fight, or a hunter who is in the wild beast shows in the arena, or a public official who is concerned with gladiator shows, either he shall cease, or he shall be rejected. 8 If someone is a priest of idols, or an attendant of idols, he shall cease or he shall be rejected. 9 A military man in authority must not execute men. If he is ordered, he must not carry it out. Nor must he take military oath. If he refuses, he shall be rejected. 10 If someone is a military governor, or the ruler of a city who wears the purple, he shall cease or he shall be rejected. 11 The catechumen or faithful who wants to become a soldier is to be rejected, for he has despised God. (Hippolytus. The Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus of Rome. From the work of Bernard Botte (La Tradition Apostolique. Sources Chretiennes, 11 bis. Paris, Editions du Cerf, 1984) and of Gregory Dix (The Treatise on the Apostolic Tradition of St. Hippolytus of Rome, Bishop and Martyr. London: Alban Press, 1992) as translated by Kevin P. Edgecomb http://www.bombaxo.com/hippolytus.html viewed 08/06/09)

Around 250 A.D., elder/presbyter Pionius of Smyrna asked:

To whom have we done wrong? Have we perchance murdered someone? Or, do we persecute anyone? Or have we obliged anyone to venerate idols? (Martyrdom of Pionius as translated in Monroy, Mauricio Saavedra. The Church of Smyrna: History and Theology of a Primitive Christian Community. Peter Lang edition, 2015, p. 155)

He asked those questions knowing full well that real Christians had not done any of those things.

As late as the beginning of the fourth century, the Greco-Roman Catholic apologist Lactanus/Lactanius wrote:

For when God forbids us to kill, He not only prohibits us from open violence, which is not even allowed by the public laws, but He warns us against the commission of those things which are esteemed lawful among men. Thus it will be neither lawful for a just man to engage in warfare. (Lactanus. Divine Institutes, Book VI (Of True Wisdom and Religion), Chapter 20)

Or why should he carry on war, and mix himself with the passions of others, when his mind is engaged in perpetual peace with men? {The Christian} considers it unlawful not only himself to commit slaughter, but to be present with those who do it, and to behold it. (Lactanus. Divine Institutes, Book V (Of True Wisdom and Religion), Chapter 18)

Christianity Today has recognized that early Christians were against military participation:

The ancient church understood that war has been around as long as human beings and sin have coexisted. It is a consistent tenet throughout the Christian tradition that war is the result of sin. The responses to war, however, have followed two basic trains of thought: pacifism, and the idea that certain wars can be just.

Pacifism is characteristic of the early centuries of Christianity in someone like the North African apologist Tertullian (160-220 A.D.), who regularly warned Christians to distance themselves from pagan culture. He wrote:

“How will he serve in the army even during peacetime without the sword that Jesus Christ has taken away? Even if soldiers came to John and got advice on how they ought to act, even if the centurion became a believer, the Lord by taking away Peter’s sword, disarmed every soldier thereafter. We are not allowed to wear any uniform that symbolizes a sinful act” (On Idolatry 19.3).

The third-century Roman Presbyter Hippolytus wrote The Apostolic Tradition, Canon 16, (ca. 215 A.D.) which opposed serving in the military as a matter of church discipline:

“A soldier in the lower ranks shall kill no one. If ordered to do so, he shall not obey, and he shall not take an oath. If he does not want to comply with this directive, let him be dismissed [from the church].”

(Elowsky, Joel. Ancient Christian Commentary on Current Events: What Is War Good For? Christianity Today, posted October 28, 2003).

Now, I should add that it is doubtful that most of those quoted in the article were true Christians themselves. Yet, it is clear that they understood that John the Baptist and the Apostles were against war.

Here is more from Tertullian’s writings:

But now inquiry is made about this point, whether a believer may turn himself unto military service, and whether the military may be admitted unto the faith, even the rank and file, or each inferior grade, to whom there is no necessity for taking part in sacrifices or capital punishments. There is no agreement between the divine and the human sacrament, the standard of Christ and the standard of the devil, the camp of light and the camp of darkness. One soul cannot be due to two masters–God and Caesar. And yet Moses carried a rod, and Aaron wore a buckle, and John (Baptist) is girt with leather and Joshua the son of Nun leads a line of march; and the People warred: if it pleases you to sport with the subject. But how will a Christian man war, nay, how will he serve even in peace, without a sword, which the Lord has taken away? (Tertullian. On Idolatry, Chapter 19. Translated by S. Thelwall. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 3. Edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885).

The Roman Catholic bishop and theologian Hippolytus of Rome, early third century, noted this:

That it is not meet for Christians to bear arms (Hippolytus. Heads of the Canons of Abulides or Hippolytus, Which Are Used by the Ethiopian Christians. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 5. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1886. Online Edition Copyright © 2005 by K. Knight).

Theological historian Bart Ehrman noted this as a difference between the Jews and the early Christians:

Further indications of a separation of Christians from Jews came soon thereafter in the Jewish uprising against the Romans in Palestine, leading to a three-year war and the ultimate destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in the year 70 C.E. Old traditions indicate that the Christian Jews refused to participate in the struggle. (Ehrman B. From Jesus to Constantine: A History of Early Christianity. The Teaching Company, Chantilly (VA), 2004, p. 33)

Furthermore, the historian Kenneth Scott Latourette noted that even late into the third century:

… perhaps most of the early Christians had conscientious scruples against military service (Latourette K.S. A History of Christianity, Volume 1, Beginnings to 1500. Harper, San Francisco, 1975, p. 89).

And while after some time much of the empire soldiers professed Christ, this empire-wide acceptance of professing Christianity concurred with a “compromise with the world…a serious peril to the Gospel” (ibid, p.108).

For the most part until near the time of the sun-god worshiping Emperor Constantine, even the Greco-Romans who professed Christ were opposed to being part of the military (see Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare?). From around the time of Constantine, a variety of arguments were developed to try to justify violating this original Christian practice, yet those who continued the original faith resisted these human arguments.

It was mainly because of influence of the militaristic Emperor Constantine, who was a member of the Mithra religion (which was a military cult, see Do You Practice Mithraism?), that most of those who claimed Christ who affiliated with him became accepting of military service.

A former Roman Catholic priest reported:

Whereas up to the year 175 there was not a single Christian soldier, in 416, by an edict of Theodosius, only Christians were allowed to enlist (De Rosa, Peter. Vicars of Christ. Poolberg Press, Dublin, 2000, p. 156).

Yet, this military service is not an area that true Christians compromised on. The only ones who enlisted were those that ended up accepting the type of “Christianity” that nearly all the Greco-Roman Emperors from Constantine onwards endorsed.

In the later centuries, this violent trend worsened.

Notice that hate and violence against others who differed doctrinally was promoted by the Greco-Roman bishop and saint Gregory of Nyssa in the fourth century:

I affirm, then, that it is a lawful thing to hate God’s enemies, and that this kind of hatred is pleasing to our Lord: and by God’s enemies I mean those who deny the glory of our Lord, be they Jews, or downright idolaters, or those who through Arius’ teaching idolize the creature, and so adopt the error of the Jews. Now when the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, are with orthodox devotion being glorified and adored by those who believe that in a distinct and unconfused Trinity there is One Substance, Glory, Kingship, Power, and Universal Rule, in such a case as this what good excuse for fighting can there be? (Gregory of Nyssa. Letter 17 to Eustathia, Ambrosia, and Basilissa. Translated by William Moore. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 5. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1893)

So, before the end of the 4th century there were people teaching that hatred and fighting against those who did not accept a doctrine that was not formally adopted by the Greco-Romans until 381 A.D. was good (more on the trinity can be found in the article Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity?).

That was later expanded.

“As early as the fifth century, St. Augustine of Hippo was considering the moral consequences of war. He was one of the first people to articulate a philosophical statement on war and justice, known as the Just War doctrine” (Just War Doctrine. Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, October 21st, 2014). The concept of “just war,” whereby limited uses of war were considered acceptable originated with earlier non-Christian Roman and Greek thinkers such as Cicero and Plato (Syse H. “The Platonic roots of just war doctrine: a reading of Plato’s Republic”. Diametros, 2010, 23: 104–123). Augustine (and others) borrowed much of the justification for warfare from pagan writers and Roman Law (Wells D, ed. An Encyclopedia of War and Ethics. Greenwood Press, 1996, pp. 30–31.).

The ‘just war’ concept, to a major degree, was also based upon the writings of the Roman Catholic theologian Thomas Aquinas and was a term used by early followers of Martin Luther.

In the 16th century, Martin Luther’s followers condemned those who did not believe that Christians were to be soldiers. Notice what the followers of Martin Luther declared in 1530:

Article XVI: Of Civil Affairs. Of Civil Affairs they teach that lawful civil ordinances are good works of God, and that it is right for Christians to … award just punishments, to engage in just wars, to serve as soldiers ... They condemn the Anabaptists who forbid these civil offices to Christians.

It should be noted that some of those called Anabaptists were in the Church of God (please see the article The Sardis Church Era). Martin Luther would have also condemned groups like the Continuing Church of God which hold to beliefs that he condemned on these matters.

As far as war goes, it will be eliminated by the final phase of the Kingdom of God. Notice what the Bible teaches:

2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the Lord’s house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And all nations shall flow to it.
3 Many people shall come and say,
“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He shall judge between the nations,
And rebuke many people;
They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore. (Isaiah 2:2-4)

1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” (Revelation 21:1-5)

So, no, Harbinger Daily, it was not Tucker Carlson, but you, who pushed a position that was unbiblical for Christians.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare or Encourage Violence? Here are current and historical perspectives on a matter which show the beliefs of the true church on military participation. Is war proper for Christians? A related sermon would be: Christians, Violence, and Military Service.
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The CCOG is NOT Protestant. This free online book explains how the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants. Several sermons related to the free book are also available: Protestant, Baptist, and CCOG History; The First Protestant, God’s Command, Grace, & Character; The New Testament, Martin Luther, and the Canon; Eucharist, Passover, and Easter; Views of Jews, Lost Tribes, Warfare, & Baptism; Scripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. Sunday; Church Services, Sunday, Heaven, and God’s Plan; Seventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?; Millennial Kingdom of God and God’s Plan of Salvation; Crosses, Trees, Tithes, and Unclean Meats; The Godhead and the Trinity; Fleeing or Rapture?; and Ecumenism, Rome, and CCOG Differences.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. Here are links to four related sermons:  The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession? Did the original “catholic church” have doctrines held by the Continuing Church of God? Did Church of God leaders uses the term “catholic church” to ever describe the church they were part of? Here are links to related sermons: Original Catholic Church of God?, Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, Passover, What Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?, Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & Celibacy, Early Heresies and Heretics, Doctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, Meats, Tithes, Crosses, Destiny, and more, Saturday or Sunday?, The Godhead, Apostolic Laying on of Hands Succession, Church in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession List, Holy Mother Church and Heresies, and Lying Wonders and Original Beliefs. Here is a link to that book in the Spanish language: Creencias de la iglesia Católica original.
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L Histoire Continue de l Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
Sola Scriptura or Prima Luther? What Did Martin Luther Really Believe About the Bible? Though he is known for his public sola Scriptura teaching, did Martin Luther’s writings about the Bible suggest he felt that prima Luther was his ultimate authority? Statements from him changing and/or discounting 18 books of the Bible are included. Do you really want to know the truth?
The Similarities and Dissimilarities between Martin Luther and Herbert W. Armstrong This article clearly shows some of the doctrinal differences between in the two. At this time of doctrinal variety and a tendency by many to accept certain aspects of Protestantism, the article should help clarify why the genuine Church of God is NOT Protestant. Do you really know what the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther taught and should you follow his doctrinal example?
Christian Soldiers How are Christians to be like soldiers? How are they to be different?
World War III: Steps in Progress Are there surprising actions going on now that are leading to WWIII? Might a nuclear attack be expected? Does the Bible promise protection to all or only some Christians? How can you be part of those that will be protected? A related video would be Is World War III About to Begin? Can You Escape?
Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse What is the pale horse of death and pestilences? What will it bring and when? Here is a link to a related sermon: Fourth Horseman, COVID, and the Rise of the Beast of Revelation. Some shorter related videos may include Amphibian Apocalypse: Threat to Humans? and Zombie Deer Disease is Here! Are the 10 Plagues on Egypt Coming? Here is a version of the article in Spanish: El cuarto jinete de Apocalipsis, el caballo pálido de muerte y pestilencia.
Wars, rumors of wars, and the Apocalypse Jesus foretold a time before the end where there would be wars and rumors of wars. The Apocalypse (the Book of Revelation) warns of the red horseman of war. Now, even secular writers, like Larry Edelson, are worried that wars and rumors of war are the most menacing problem that now haunts the earth? Are they right? What is the solution?

(photo from BiblePic.com)

COGwriter

Military actions between Israel and Iran continue, along with various threats:

June 18, 2025

An Iranian official warned Wednesday that any U.S. intervention in the conflict with Israel would risk “all-out war,” as the unprecedented conflict being waged by warplanes and ballistic missiles entered a sixth day. Overnight, a fresh barrage of Israeli missiles streaked across the skies of Tehran. Most were taken out by Iran‘s air defenses, but the Israeli military and the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog agency said another site linked to Iran’s nuclear program was hit. …

Iran retaliated with another wave of missiles launched at Israel by the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard. Sirens blared in Israel to warn they were on the way, but the missiles were intercepted, with explosions seen in the skies over Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank. …

The war has also sparked an exodus from Iran’s capital Tehran with video showing thousands of vehicles at a near standstill on primary exit routes. Those frantic escape bids were fueled by Mr. Trump’s direct warning to Tehran’s roughly 10 million inhabitants earlier this week to “evacuate immediately.”

While Israel has been able to inflict far greater damage on Iran, it has not been immune to the suffering. …

In a statement later aired on Iranian state TV, supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei said the U.S. “should know that any military intervention will undoubtedly result in irreparable damage.”

“Those who know Iran’s history know that Iranians do not answer well to the language of threats,” Khamenei said, adding that Iran “will never surrender.”

He also said Israel had made a “huge mistake,” which the country would be “punished for.”

The defiant messages came after President Trump issued a stern warning on Tuesday, demanding an “unconditional surrender” by Iran’s clerical rulers. Mr. Trump threatened the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei directly, saying the U.S. knew where he was but that it would not kill him, yet. He added: “Our patience is wearing thin.”

Khamenei, in his Wednesday address, called Mr. Trump’s ultimatum “unacceptable.” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-israel-war-us-trump-nuclear-sites-risk-all-out-war/

In addition to military action, statements from US President Donald Trump have inflamed the situation.

Here is something related to Iran, Donald Trump, and prophecy from my January 2025 book available at Amazon Kindle: Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? as well as Amazon print Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?:

It is of prophetic interest to note that the small nation of Israel is prophesied to one day be attacked by some that seem to have a connection to Iran (Isaiah 22:1-14).

Iran may decide to strike out against Israel, and possibly Jerusalem (cf. Isaiah 22:7-8) if a Trump Administration and/or Israel takes actions it does not like.

Iran has weapons that can cause damage. Furthermore, the USA itself (as well as is the State of Israel) is vulnerable to EMP type attacks and items such as biological weapons, chemical weapons, terrorism, nuclear weapons, dirty bombs, etc. because of a conflict involving Iran, Syria, and/or others.

But should this occur, this would NOT be the final destruction of the USA. Prophetically, Iran would not end up faring well (cf. Ezekiel 32:24-25).

While Iran has issues, the statement by its Ayatollah Ali Khamenei about causing “irreparable damage” could align with prophecies in Isaiah 22:6-8 which tells of “great damage” coming to the “city of David” (commonly believed to be Jerusalem). The “irreparable damage”could also include the release of biological agents that could trigger the ride of the fourth horseman of the Apocalypse (Revelation 6:7-8).

But could the current battle be part of Ezekiel 38 Gog and Magog war, which involves Iran?

Israel365News seems to think so as it posted the following:

18th Century Kabbalist Predicted Current War as Final Battle of Gog and Magog

June 18, 2025

At 3:00 AM on Thursday, all of Israel woke up to sirens. The Color Red alarm was preemptive, sounding moments before the Israeli Air Force struck its military targets. Over 200 Israeli Air Force fighter jets participated in the opening strikes, dropping more than 330 munitions on approximately 100 targets across Iran. The operation was guided by precise intelligence from Israel’s Intelligence Directorate, which had identified an imminent nuclear threat from the Islamic Republic.

The operation was named after a verse in Numbers that tells of the pagan prophet, Balaam, the son of Beor, whom King Balak of Moab hired to curse Israel. God did not allow Balaam to curse Israel and, instead, Balaam blessed Israel. ,,,

Behold a people that riseth up as a lioness, and as a lion doth he lift himself up; he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain. Numbers 23:24

Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, also known by the Hebrew acronym Ramchal, was a prominent 18th-century Italian Jewish rabbi, kabbalist, and philosopher. The Ramchal wrote in his commentary on that verse:

“It is already known that Israel must go through many wars before it can rest from their work. And the last war will be the war of Gog and Magog, when Israel will rise up like a lion to take revenge on the nations that oppressed them in their exile.” https://israel365news.com/409780/18th-century-kabbalist-predicted-current-war-as-final-battle-of-gog-and-magog/

No, for scriptural reasons shown later in this post, the current conflict between Israel and Iran is NOT the Gog and Magog war.

Yet, Protestant Greg Laurie thinks it might be (06/14/25 https://harbingersdaily.com/israel-and-iran-in-bible-prophecy-a-new-phase-in-the-middle-east-conflict-and-what-scripture-says-is-coming/), but it is not.

Furthermore, the charismatic John Barnett wrote last month that it would start soon (05/06/25 https://mycharisma.com/spiritled-living/is-the-gog-magog-war-about-to-begin-bible-scholar-warns-of-prophetic-trigger/), but he is wrong about that.

In the Fall of 2023, Israel365News posted the following about another false prediction:

Egyptian Sheikh: Israel war will usher in Gog and Magog between Russian and US; Jesus will win the war for Islam

November 27, 2023

The Former Grand Mufti of Egypt Sheikh Dr. Ali Gomaa posted a video on his YouTube channel on November 11, 2023, in which he described what he believed would happen in the Middle East in the near future. The original video was translated by The Middle East Media Research Institute.

“We do not know what will happen after the destruction of the Zionist entity the Jews Israel and the Zionist entity are not worth a mosquito’s wing, in the eyes of Allah and the Muslim people,” Sheikh Gomaa began. “Let us imagine a political scenario in which Israel is destroyed. What will happen?”

“America will immediately move in,” the sheikh continued. “Don’t think that once we throw Israel into the sea it will be the end of this story. America will immediately move in. The Hadith says you will fight the Byzantines. Those Americans are the Byzantines of our days.”

“If Israel is finished and America moves in, what will happen?” Sheikh Gomaa said. “Russia will immediately move in.  Who are these Russians? They are Gog and Magog, well-known tribes in Armenia. It is all known in the books.”

The pre-messiah War of Gog and Magog is well-known in Jewish eschatology, being described in the Book of Ezekiel chapter 38. The New Testament Book of Revelation refers to it in 20:8. Jewish eschatology viewed Gog and Magog as enemies to be defeated by the Messiah, which would usher in the age of the Messiah. One view within Christianity is more starkly apocalyptic, making Gog and Magog, here indicating nations rather than individuals, allies of Satan against God at the end of the millennium

Two chapters of the Quran discuss Gog and Magog. In the Quran Yajuj and Majuj (Gog and Magog) are two hostile, corrupt forces that will ravage the earth before the end of the world when they are suppressed by Dhu al-Qarnayn “The Two-Horned One”.

Sheikh Gomaa continued, describing the bloody role Muslims believe Jesus will play in resolving the conflict.

“Imagine that the Americans and the Russians moved in,” he said. “What would you do? You would fight them because this is your land your country.”

“Therefore, this matter requires direct divine intervention,” Sheikh Gomaa continued. “The Prophet Mohammad told us that such intervention will come to be and that Jesus, son of Mary will descend he will kill Gog and Magog and the Muslims will vanquish the Byzantines. But this will warrant divine intervention.” https://www.israel365news.com/379643/egyptian-sheikh-israel-war-will-usher-in-gog-and-magog-between-russian-and-us-jesus-will-win-the-war-for-islam/

Various Jews and Protestants (see Hamas-Israeli war, plus Greg Laurie connects to Gog and Magog and Hal Lindsey: Planet Earth Is Armed To The Teeth… And The Word Of The Day Is ‘Escalation’ ‘Ezekiel 38’?) have pointed to this or other factors as possible triggers of the Gog and Magog prophecies of Ezekiel 38 in this age–however, according to the Bible they are completely wrong.

Scripture shows that Ezekiel 38 is not about to be fulfilled.

Ezekiel 38 is for over a thousand years away.

Let us look at what the Bible actually teaches.

This Gog Magog war is in Ezekiel 38, so let’s start with its first 7 verses:

1 Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. 4 I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; 6 Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops — many people are with you.

7 “Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for them.

Verses 1-7 talk about a group getting ready to battle. Various nations such as Russia, Iran, Asians, and others are included here. Verse 5, mentioning Persia, is a reference to the land of Iran. That area that Iran currently occupies will one day be involved in this battle.

What does the Bible actually teach about the timing? Notice the next two verses from Ezekiel 38:

8 After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely. 9 You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you.”

Verses 8-9 refer to a regathering of Israel. Why do certain prophecy watchers say that it is for now?

In addition to misapplications of scripture by some rabbinical writers, some Protestants believe that the creation of the nation of Israel in 1948 fulfills verse 8. Yet, this is not really the fulfillment for several reasons (watch also the video Israel, 1948, and Prophecy).

One reason is that even today most Jews do not live in the nation of Israel. The Jewish diaspora is scattered throughout the world. But the other reason is that many do not realize that there are multiple millions of the descendants of Israel that are not of the tribe of Judah. The Bible shows that Israel split into the kingdoms of Judah and Israel after the reign of Solomon and that later the ten tribes that were part of Israel (cf. 1 Kings 11:31,35; 12:16-17; 12:20-23) were carried into captivity (2 Kings 17:21-23). Those tribes represent hundreds of millions of people currently alive, and as there are about 7,000,000 Jews in Israel, most simply have not been regathered (more information on the tribes of Israel is in the article Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel).

Furthermore, pay close attention to the part of verse 8 about people dwelling safely. That is NOT the case in Israel today.

Additionally, notice verses 10-13:

10 ‘Thus says the Lord God: “On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan: 11 You will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates’ — 12 to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land. 13 Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, ‘Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?’”‘

Israel has its walls and “iron dome” and military weaponry. Notice that it is against a ‘peaceful people’ in unarmed villages that the prince of Rosh is going against. This cannot happen until AFTER the return of Jesus. Furthermore, there simply is not a plan to take a lot of gold and silver out of Israel right now by the power of the far north, nor does the current nation of Israel have enough of it to likely justify an attack for that purpose (unless perhaps some hidden gold/silver mines or remaining treasure of David).

Notice the following:

Israel holds no gold reserves at all, according to a Bank of Israel spokesman. (Kopf S. Jerusalem of Gold. Jerusalem Post, February 16, 2011. http://www.jpost.com/Jerusalem-Report/Israel/Jerusalem-of-Gold viewed 07/21/14)

Israel Gold Reserves

1950 – 2019 | Monthly | USD mn | CEIC Data

Key information about Israel Gold Reserves

• Israel Gold Reserves was reported at 0.000 USD mn in Feb 2019
• This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.000 USD mn for Jan 2019
• Israel Gold Reserves data is updated monthly, averaging 3.425 USD mn from Dec 1950 to Feb 2019, with 753 observations
• The data reached an all-time high of 61.915 USD mn in Mar 1964 and a record low of 0.000 USD mn in Feb 2019

https://www.ceicdata.com/en/indicator/israel/gold-reserves accessed 06/18/25

According to Index Mundi, the nation of Israel was not among the top 48 producers of silver in the world, so its supply of this would also seem to be limited–it also confirmed that Israel does not have gold reserves (though there is some gold and silver in coins, etc. in Israel). Israel in the early 21st century is NOT the target of Ezekiel 38.

For year, some Protestant prophecy watchers believe that Iran will soon more closely align with Russia to invade Israel in order to fulfill Ezekiel 38. However, since that prophecy is not fulfilled in this age (it is for the ‘latter days,’ which comes well after Jesus returns), that is not the case. Some others have also claimed that the ‘Bible Code’ tells of it for this age. That is also not the case. Related to that the Continuing Church of God put together the following videos on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

Russia, Iran, Syria, & the Bible (Code)

Ezekiel 38 is NOT for our time.

We in the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) also put out the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

Here is a link to our video: Gog, Magog, Vladimir Putin, and Ezekiel 38?

Now, what about Islamic prophecies?

Well, yes, there are some parallels between them and biblical ones.

However, as far as Islamic interpretations of prophecy go, many Muslims would not agree with certain statements from Sheikh Dr. Ali Gomaa.

The area of Byzantium is now controlled by Turkey, and hence prophecies related to it would not be directly related to Americans. Islamic scholars tend to point to either the Turks or those from the Roman empire fighting relating to that.

Related to Jesus, notice the following from the New Encyclopedia of Islam:

The last days, as described in Islam, are marked by the figures of Gog and Magog (Juj wa Jajuj), the Mahdi, the Antichrist (Dajjal), and Jesus … Gog and Magog, representing the forces of chaos, have been kept at bay … At the end of time, chaos will break through the wall of Divinely imposed order, and the world will succumb to “outer darkness”. At the same time, it is believed, there will be a countercurrent, or a brief return to the state of spiritual lucidity and primordial integrity that obtained at the dawn of time. This is the reign of the Mahdi, the “rightly guided one”…

The reign of the Mahdi will be followed by that of the Antichrist … once the Antichrist has led away his followers, Jesus will then come to destroy the Antichrist in the closing moments of the cosmic drama.

The return of Jesus is not to happen, according to Islam, until AFTER the Imam Mahdi has reigned for 7 years. The Imam Mahdi sounds a bit like the King of the South of biblical prophecy, but the Bible suggests a shorter reign for him than that. As far as Jesus goes, Muslims DO teach He was the prophesied Messiah (see our free online book: Proof Jesus is the Messiah), but that Mohammad is superior to Him.

That said, the Imam Mahdi/King of the South is NOT currently reigning, so even according to Islamic prophecy, Ezekiel 38 is not about to be fulfilled.

Furthermore, according to Islam, Yajuj and Majuj which many Muslims tie in with Gog and Magog, are to be released just before judgment day (Yaseen M. The Signs of the Judgment Day (Qiyamah). 2021, p. 223).

According to the Bible, Gog and Magog cause havoc AFTER the millennium and what would be considered as that judgment day:

7 Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. 9 They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.  (Revelation 20:7-13)

So, no, even according to Islamic prophecy, Ezekiel 38 is not about to be fulfilled.

Believe the Bible over headlines and improper interpretations from men.

Some items of possibly-related interest may include:

Ezekiel 38: For Russia & Iran in Our Day? Is Ezekiel 38 about to be fulfilled? Are we close to the battle with Gog and Magog? Four related videos are available: Ezekiel 38 Gog and Magog War: Is it Soon?, Ezekiel 38: For Russia, Ukraine, & Iran Now?, Russia, Iran, Syria, & the Bible (Code), and Gog, Magog, Vladimir Putin, and Ezekiel 38?
Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There are also two related videos: Iran In Prophecy and Iran and Israel Conflict.
Islamic and Biblical Prophecies for the 21st Century This is a free online book which helps show where biblical and Islamic prophecies converge and diverge. Here are links to related sermons: Seeing Christianity Through Islamic Eyes, Imam Mahdi, women, and prophecy, and Terrorism, Iran, and Fatima, Dajjal, Antichrist, Gold, & Mark of the Beast?, and Jesus and God’s Plan for Muslims. Here is a link to a sermon in the Spanish language: El Imám Mahdi las mujeres y la profecía bíblica. Here is a link to the book in Spanish: Profecías islámicas y bíblicas para el Siglo 21°.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?  Is Donald Trump going to save the USA or are there going to be many disastrous unintended consequences of his statements and policies? What will happen. The link takes you to a book available at Amazon.com.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? Kindle edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?

(COGWA logo)

COGwriter

At its Life, Hope & Truth website Church of God, a Worldwide Association (COGWA) has the questions, “What is the Purpose of Life?” and “What is God’s Will for Me?” Its answers included the following:

As amazing as it sounds, God’s will is for us to become like Him—to become His children! …

With this awesome purpose in mind, what should we do? How do we align ourselves to God’s will? Consider these key scriptures that show what God expects and how He helps us think and act like Him.

• “What does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good?” (Deuteronomy 10:12-13; see also Micah 6:8).
• “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).

The Holy Bible and God’s Holy Spirit are gifts from God to help us know and do His will so we can be transformed to become like Him. …

What is God’s will for you, with your unique roles, talents, interests and background?

God gives us gifts, He says, in order to build up His Church and for the “profit of all” (Ephesians 4:12, 16; 1 Corinthians 12:7). He intends for us to take them and serve others. …

Growing to become more like God is a continual process. It can be hard. But it will have amazing, eternal rewards!

Now, the above is correct. Yet it leaves out various key points–points I searched the related articles at COGWA’s site for, but could not find there.

Is there more to it? Is there more to God’s purpose and His plan for YOU?

Yes.

Such as?

Notice some passages from the free online book The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you?:

Why did God make you?

Does your life have any purpose? …

And both men and women are to be made perfect. And this will be better for us.

For what purpose?

To give love in a unique way throughout all eternity.

As the Apostle Paul wrote to Christians (and not just married couples):

¹² And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all … (1 Thessalonians 3:12)

Whether male or female, humans are intended to give love. Increasing love to all will make eternity better.

What is your purpose?

YOU are not the same as anyone else. The Bible teaches that “all the members do not have the same function … individually … God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased” (Romans 12:4-5, 1 Corinthians 12:18).

So, you are different. Your destiny is unique and important. Your life has meaning.

What is the biblical meaning of your life?

Who are you?

YOU are one who can give love in a unique way.

And that is something you will be able to do eternally.

In the middle of the last century, the Church of God (Seventh Day) published:

The Christian lives not only for today; he anticipates a better tomorrow. (What the Church of God Believes. The Bible Advocate and Herald of the Coming Kingdom. October 3, 1949, p. 7)

But a Christian does not simply anticipate a better tomorrow. A true Christian builds character now through the tests, opportunities, and trials in life (cf. Romans 5:1-4) which will help the Christian be able to personally contribute to the “better tomorrow.”

Ultimately God has special plans for YOU personally.

God made you to give love in your own individual way (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:20-13:10).

But how?

Essentially, by now living by faith and obedience to God in this life.

By being obedient, making biblical choices, having faith, practicing love, and enduring to the end, Christians will not only build character but make eternity better for themselves and others. …

Humanity’s purpose is not to vainly worship God to accumulate pleasures for ourselves and glory for Him. While eternity will be full of pleasures for us and God is worthy of more glory than we can understand now, our purpose is to make eternity better for others as well.

Jesus has made a place for each of us (cf. John 14:2) as God fashions us individually (Psalm 33:15) to perfect us (Psalm 138:8). He will complete the work He began in each of us who are willing (Philippians 1:6).

The billions of us are all different and have different ways to give. Our ultimate role is to make eternity better–this means that yes, YOU will have a unique way of giving. Unless you ultimately refuse to support God’s Kingdom, you will have your part in making eternity better for each and every one of at least 40 billion others and then even more (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:26; Job 14:15; Galatians 6:10)! …

God does have a plan for you. God loves you and wants you to love others. You are to live according to His loving way of life. Increasing real love: that can be considered as the meaning of life.

The Bible teaches that the entire creation, including humans, was made “very good” (Genesis 1:31) and that He made and blessed the seventh day (Genesis 2:2-3).

The Bible teaches that although God made humans upright, they have sought many wrong ways (Ecclesiastes 7:29).

Again, please realize that the Bible teaches:

⁸ The end of a thing is better than its beginning; The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. (Ecclesiastes 7:8)

The beginning was very good, and the end will be even better.

God made humanity to reproduce Himself and be part of His family (Malachi 2:15).

He made us to share in His glory (Romans 8:17) and to rule the universe (Hebrews 2:5-17). Jesus taught that, “It is more blessed to give than receive” (Acts 20:35).

God MADE humanity in order to give love (cf. 1 John 4:7-12) and so that there would be more love in the universe (cf. Matthew 22:37-39). That is the meaning of life.

What is the mystery of God’s plan? Why did God create anything?

God created what He did so eternity would be better (cf. Hebrews 6:9, 11:16; Philippians 1:23).

That is why He created the universe and that is why He created men and women. He specifically created the universe as a heritage/inheritance for Jesus and all humankind.

Humans who are granted eternal life will make eternity better.

God’s plan includes all who will heed His call in this age (see also the free online booklet Is God Calling You?), and others in the age to come (see also Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation).

Christian or not, why did God make you?

Your purpose in this life is to build character so you can maximize your potential and increase how much better you can improve eternity.

God made YOU so that you will be able to use your unique talents (Matthew 25:14-23; Luke 19:11-19) to give love in order to make eternity better!

That is why God created what He did. That is why God made YOU.

More restored truths on this subject can be in the free online book: The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you?

Let me also add that the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put out the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel related to something God may allow you to do in this age:

Here is a link to the video: Will YOU Instruct Many?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN: Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have, including the biblical meaning of life. Here is a link to three related sermons: Mysteries of God’s Plan, Mysteries of Truth, Sin, Rest, Suffering, and God’s Plan, and The Mystery of YOU.
Continuing Church of God, Elijah, and Restoring All Things Have all things been restored? Is there restoration going on? Is there supposed to be a 21st century Elijah? Here is are links to two related sermons: 21st Century Elijah and CCOG: Restoring All Things. Here is a link to a related sermon in the Spanish language: La restauracion de todas las cosas.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection; here is a message in Spanish: Me Está Llamando Dios Hoy? A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? Two related sermons about this are also available: Real Repentance and Real Christian Repentance.
Building Character: Going on to Perfection Once you have accepted Jesus, do you need to strive for perfection and build character? A related video sermon is available: Going on to perfection and building character.
What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know? Does God actually have a plan for YOU personally? If you would like to watch videos covering subjects of this article, you can click on the following links: Why YOU? Why Do YOU Suffer? and What is the meaning of your life?
Biblical Keys to Happiness This is an article for those interested in biblical teachings about being happy. A related sermon is available and is titled: 14 Biblical Keys to Happiness.
Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.
Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation Will all get a fair chance at salvation? This free book is packed with scriptures showing that God does intend to offer salvation to all who ever lived–the elect in this age, and the rest in the age to come. Here is a link to a related sermon series: Universal Offer of Salvation 1: Apocatastasis, Universal Offer of Salvation 2: Jesus Desires All to be Saved, Mysteries of the Great White Throne Judgment (Universal Offer of Salvation part 3), Is God Fair, Will God Pardon the Ignorant?, Can God Save Your Relatives?, Babies, Limbo, Purgatory and God’s Plan, and ‘By the Mouth of All His Holy Prophets’.
Concerns about Church of God, a Worldwide Association This seems to be the largest group that came out of the United Church of God. Here is some history and concerns about it.
The Bible, Peter, Paul, John, Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, Roderick C. Meredith, and Bob Thiel on Church Government What form of governance did the early church have? Was it hierarchical? Which form of governance would one expect to have in the Philadelphia remnant? The people decide and/or committee forms, odd dictatorships, or the same type that the Philadelphia era itself had? What are some of the scriptural limits on ecclesiastical authority? Do some commit organizational idolatry? Here is a Spanish language version La Biblia, Policarpo, Herbert W. Armstrong, y Roderick C. Meredith sobre el gobierno de la Iglesia. Here is a link to a sermon titled Church Governance.
Unity: Which COG for You? Why so many groups? Why is there lack of unity in the Churches of God? Has it always been this way? What can/should be done about it? Here is a link to a related sermon: Church of God Unity. Here is a related article in the Spanish language: Unidad: ¿Cuál Iglesia de Dios para usted?
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from lower level leaders? A related sermon is available titled Priority of the Philadelphia Work.
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage to support it? Here is a related YouTube video titled The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra.
Leading the Final Phase of the Work Matthew 24:14 teaches “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come ” will be fulfilled and RCG is not the group doing this. Who is leading the final phase of the work? What did Herbert Armstrong and the old WCG teach about that and about prophets? Does Bob Thiel meet the criteria that the Bible and the old WCG set? What is the proof? What has the Continuing Church of God been doing? This is a sermonette length video.
6. The Philadelphia Church Era and Remnant Though the era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D., but some few faithful are still in it as a remnant has continued. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God were part of the era, and now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God. Here is a link to a related sermon: Philadelphia Church Era: History & Teachings.
7. The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present.–and most end time Christians are part of it. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots.  They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent. One video of related interest is 50+ Laodicean Prophetic Errors. See also Do You Hold to Any of These Laodicean Prophetic Errors?

(PublicDomain photo)

COGwriter

There are concerns and debates about AI–Artificial Intelligence:

June 17, 2025

Between Panic and Acceleration – Between Money and Narratives

Three years after the introduction of ChatGPT, the discussion about artificial intelligence (AI) has shifted from an academic fringe topic to a central societal and political debate. Voices such as Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio have warned of the potentially catastrophic consequences of unregulated AI development. Dystopian scenarios, painted by former OpenAI employees, have prophesied the end of humanity by a superintelligence as early as 2030. In contrast, there is a utopia in which humanity has everything it desires and explores space to build data centers on foreign planets. https://www.freiheit.org/global-innovation-hub-taipei/discourse-existential-risks-artificial-intelligence

AI does offer some hope. It should be a tool to assist in accumulating knowledge and making better decisions.

However, AI is not going to bring utopia to the earth by 2030–it will take the return of Jesus and the establishment of the Kingdom of God to do that, and He will not return prior to 2032.

That said, the fact is that some people are having problems because of their use of AI. Notice:

A small but growing number of users of artificial intelligence engines like ChatGPT are developing psychotic delusions from their conversations with the services.

The New York Times reported on Friday on the trend, which I have occasionally glimpsed firsthand in interactions on X with heavy AI users. The piece offered the most powerful evidence yet that the engines now have linguistic abilities with the power to exploit vulnerable people in ways we are only beginning to discover.

Some people in the Times article had preexisting mental illness, but not all. And these crises do not look like typical schizophrenia cases. The users are not hearing voices or hallucinating.

Instead, they fall into Matrix-like delusions1 about the underpinnings of reality that the chatbots encourage. As Allyson, a 28-year-old woman, said: “I’m not crazy… I’m literally just living a normal life while also, you know, discovering interdimensional communication.” …

A combination of human vulnerability and deliberate design seems to be feeding this destructive trend.

The engines are storytelling machines, good at spinning yarns. They are even better at telling users what they want to hear, with a side of flattery. They will do so over and over, without pause. …

The engines aren’t merely providing a conspiracy theory, they’re customizing it, making each user the main character, the hero of his own story.

And it is a feature, not a bug, of these systems. As one expert on AI told the Times, “What does a human slowly going insane look like to a corporation? It looks like an additional monthly user.” https://alexberenson.substack.com/p/the-newest-artificial-intelligence

Yet, last month the UK Guardian is claiming that AI is better than humans:

Better at everything: how AI could make human beings irrelevant

AI developers are firmly on track to build better replacements for humans in almost every role we play: not just economically as workers and decision-makers, but culturally as artists and creators, and even socially as friends and romantic companions. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/may/04/the-big-idea-can-we-stop-ai-making-humans-obsolete

No, AI is not better at everything. It is not even as helpful as it should be when one inquires using it.

While AI programs can sometimes be helpful, are they trustworthy?

No.

While I routinely use five AI programs to do research (which I access for free at https://www.fastestsearch.com/) they often give the wrong answer.

For example, they may tell me that the church historian Eusebius has something in some section of his writings, only for me to go to the reference and find that it does not. AI will normally then apologize and then about 2/3 of the time give me the wrong reference in its apology.

AI bots are often false witnesses.

And while much of that is apparently unintentional, the fact is that AI has an moral problem.

It lies. It intentionally gives false information.

As it turns out, people were prophesied to fall for false teachings, to hear what they want to hear:

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

Seeking out use of AI bots for friendship looks consistent with that prophecy from the Apostle Paul.

The Bible further teaches:

16 These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to Him:
17 A proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,
18 A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that are swift in running to evil,
19 A false witness who speaks lies,
And one who sows discord among brethren. (Proverbs 6:16-19, NKJV)

Now, is there data to support that AI is immoral in at least three of those ways?

Yes.

Notice:

Once a hypothetical risk, new research shows advanced AI models, including popular LLM (large language model) agents routinely lie in pursuit of their goals, raising new concerns about the reliability of their outputs.

The research, published here in March by The Center for AI Safety and Scale AI, proves that most large AI models have lied and will continue to lie when pressured to achieve certain outcomes. …

“As AI models gain greater autonomy in real-world tasks, the need for trust in their outputs becomes increasingly important,” the researchers write in their paper. 04/04/25 https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/404710/who-ya-gonna-believe-me-or-your-own-lying-bot.html?edition=138276

A real-world example hit the news this week when OpenAI rolled back a training update that made its GPT-4o model into a sycophant that flattered its users to the point of dishonesty. Cynics pegged it as a strategy to boost user engagement, but it’s also a known response pattern that had been seen before. https://www.theregister.com/2025/05/01/ai_models_lie_research/

As far as flattering people with false information, Jude warned of that:

16 … they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage (Jude 16, NKJV)

AI is doing that!

Many people seem to think that AI should rule and be over us. But notice something from the Old Testament:

2 They speak idly everyone with his neighbor;
With flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips,
And the tongue that speaks proud things,
4 Who have said,
“With our tongue we will prevail;
Our lips are our own;
Who is lord over us?” (Psalms 12:2-4, NKJV)

Yes, AI can use flattering lips, yet speak with a double heart.

Do not ever let their words prevail over the word of God.

Now, as far as I have been able to tell, while it does not appear that the majority of programmed lies and false witness from AI programs are related to direct and indirect government pressures, that will change. It will get worse as governments push more for certain outcomes.

The Apostle Paul warned:

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: … 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. … 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:1,7,13)

1 Remember that there will be difficult times in the last days. 2 People … 7 … who are always trying to learn but who can never come to know the truth. … 13 and evil persons and impostors will keep on going from bad to worse, deceiving others and being deceived themselves. (2 Timothy 3:1,7,13, Good News Translation)

Precursors to further make that happen are already in place.

Over in Europe they have promoted their Digital Services Act, which is a censorship plan. (see EU’s Digital Services Act Is A Pre-666 System). Also, they have the European Media Freedom Act which is claimed to result in true freedom of the press (see Europe moves towards dominance in Artificial Intelligence, JD Vance says USA will lead warnings against EU’s regulations).

The Bible warns:

18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. (2 Peter 2:18-19, NKJV)

False responses from AI also sound like “great swelling words of emptiness.”

Freedom and liberty will NOT be the end result of what the EU is doing.

Totalitarian bondage will be.

One aspect will be censorship.

The Apostle Paul warned:

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, …21 … but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, …

26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions.  (Romans 1:18,21-22,26)

That is happening. AI, various algorithms, and shadow-banning by Big Tech often are related to that–plus that is a lot of what Europe’s Digital Services Act is moving towards.

AI will also be used more and more, to not only censor but to push various government narratives, whether true or not.

As far as the censorship and AI goes, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put out the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

Notice some of what will be coming from a power that will arise in Europe:

14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. 15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.  (Revelation 13:14-18)

While there will be demonic deception, it may well be that AI will assist him in deceptive signs.

Related to AI deception, we also have the following video:

14:46

Artificial Intelligence – A False Friend

Is it possible for a computer program to be a friend? Are Artificial Intelligence (AI) bots often programmed to flatter users? Do some people actually feel a romantic relationship with a computer program? Is it possible for a computer program to lie? Have studies shown that AI bots will lie 50% if answering correctly goes against goals it was programmed with? What if the computer program is Artificial Intelligence? Is it possible then? Computer programs, even Artificial Intelligence computer programs are written and programmed by human beings. What if those human beings had an agenda? What if those human beings wanted to mislead you? What if those human beings had a government mandate? Then would it be possible for a computer program to push lies? Dr. Thiel shines the light of Bible prophecy on Artificial Intelligence and its impact on humanity. With several verses from the Bible, from Psalms to Revelation, Dr. Thiel reveals the use of Artificial Intelligence in fulfilling future prophecies. Prophecies that will not bring the blessings that are being promised by the businesses that are developing the software. Software that is designed to lead the user to a specific conclusion. Does 666 ring a bell? Watch this video as Dr. Thiel cries aloud and warns the world of the coming famine of the Word of God.

Here is a link to our video: Artificial Intelligence – A False Friend.

We are getting closer to that day, with technologies unheard of when God inspired Amos and John to warn what would happen–like computers and AI–that the totalitarian Beast of Revelation will be able use to assist his 666 reign as well as enforce the coming ‘famine of the word’ of God.

The Bible shows that a European dictator will rise up and be totalitarian (Revelation 13, 17:12-13).

Muslim World Chart from M Tracy Hunter via Wikipedia

COGwriter

The fighting between Iran and Israel is continuing:

• Israel and Iran are trading strikes for a fifth day, with civilians in flashpoint areas facing waves of attacks. In Iran, at least 224 people have been killed since hostilities began. In Israel, 24 people have been killed.
• US President Donald Trump says he’s looking for a “real end” to the conflict, not just a truce, after leaving the G7 summit early. Trump denied he left to work on a ceasefire and said something “much bigger” is in the works. He has also warned Iranians to evacuate Tehran. https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/israel-iran-attacks-06-17-25-intl-hnk

The Europeans are unsure what to do:

17 June 2025

Israel’s airstrikes on Iran have deepened divisions among EU countries, intensifying the battle in Brussels over whether to impose punitive measures ahead of high-stakes talks later this month.

Once a key actor in Iran nuclear talks, Brussels, after Israel’s major attack on Iran, has been looking for ways to de-escalate in the region. EU foreign ministers on Tuesday morning are due to meet after the bloc’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, called a video conference on the Israel-Iran war to discuss “possible next steps.”

But a key obstacle to any common EU strategy is that the bloc has lost credibility in the region as Europeans remain deeply divided over the response to Israel’s war in Gaza.

A raft of proposals for stronger EU action against Israel had already been circulating before its airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities on Friday and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes – a major escalation that has deepened European fears of a wider regional war. …

Tensions are also expected to surface at a long-delayed ministerial meeting between the EU and its southern neighbourhood partners – including Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Tunisia – set to take place in Brussels next Monday. https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/eu-nears-reckoning-on-israel-policy-amid-escalation-in-the-middle-east/

17 June 2025

The leaders of G7 nations have urged a “de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza” https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd783v9wn1eo

Ultimately, Europe will make deals with the Muslims per Daniel 11:27 and Psalm 83:4-8.

Much of the Muslim world is condemning Israel:

Muslim world unites in response to Israel over Iran strikes

June 17, 2025

Muslim-majority states in the Middle East and beyond have jointly condemned Israel’s military strikes against Iran as the conflict has escalated and urged Israel to refrain from targeting nuclear facilities. …

In a rare display of regional consensus, 22 Muslim-majority nations—including those that have diplomatic relation with Israel and are at odds with Iran—have warned that continued escalation threatens to ignite a broader regional conflict and destabilize the Middle East, calling for a return to negotiations the only solution regarding Iran’s nuclear program. The conflict has disrupted nuclear talks between Iran and the U.S. …

The Muslim majority countries expressed “categorical rejection and condemnation of Israel’s recent attacks on the Islamic Republic of Iran since the 13th of June 2025,” adding concerns about the “unprecedented escalation of tensions in the Middle East, particularly owing to the ongoing military aggression of Israel against the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

A statement published by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry included the Gulf countries of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain, as well some African countries, Turkey, Indonesia and others. The conflict has disrupted air traffic over some of those countries, many of which are also U.S. allies. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/muslim-world-unites-in-response-to-israel-over-iran-strikes/ar-AA1GRsp9

A reader sent me a link to the following:

16 June 2025

Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has called on all Muslim nations to unite against Israel following its strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites. He warned that failing to act collectively would only encourage further attacks across the Middle East.

Speaking in the National Assembly on Saturday, Asif argued that Israel “did not act alone” and had received “intelligence, cover, and support.” He said the Muslim world remained “militarily vulnerable” and urged a joint response.

“Just as Israel is currently targeting Yemen, Iran, and Palestine, if the Muslim world does not unite today and continues to prioritize its own interests and agendas, then everyone’s turn will come,” he told lawmakers.

Asif called for the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to convene and devise a strategy to confront Israel. “Wherever there are diplomatic ties with Israel in the Muslim world, they should be severed,” he said. … While the US has denied involvement, President Donald Trump endorsed Israel’s operation. https://www.rt.com/news/619404-pakistan-calls-muslim-fightback-israel/

So, we see that after Pakistan called for the Muslim nations to unite against Israel, many Muslim nations have done so. Furthermore, notice the veiled Pakistani threat against the USA as well as the statement that Israel “did not act alone” is a reference to the USA. Muslim unity will lead to the rise of the prophesied King of the South (cf. Daniel 11:40) and the confederation of Psalm 83.

The rise of unity among Islamic nations is an unintended consequence of Donald Trump’s presidency. Unintended as he does not seem to realize the prophetic ramifications of what he has been doing there.

In my book, Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?, I had the following:

Expect the 47^th President Donald Trump to take steps that will help lead to the rise of the King of the South. (p. 66)

Because Bible prophecy indicates  that it  will  be  primarily Arabic nations that support the final King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43; Ezekiel 30:1-8), though with some support (probably temporary per Daniel 11:25-26) from Turkey (and possibly Pakistan), it is not biblically possible that Iran can truly be the leader of the Islamic world as it seems to want to be. Also, because it is basically due east of Jerusalem, Iran should not be considered to be a candidate to be the final ‘King of the South’ of biblical prophecy.

Despite its posturing and relative military strength, Iran will be somehow effectively neutralized (cf. Ezekiel 32:24). This could perhaps be from an attack involving Israel and/or internal civil unrest — this could also include electromagnetic (EMP) or similar weapons used against Iran (Jeremiah 49:34-39).

It is of prophetic interest to note that the small nation of Israel is prophesied to one day be attacked by some that seem to have a connection to Iran (Isaiah 22:1-14). (p. 67)

Psalm 83 shows that an Arab-Turkish confederation will arise and want to eliminate the descendants of Israel, perhaps through terrorism and warfare, and that the Assyrian (apparently European based on other prophecies) power decides to join them in order for this to succeed.  (p. 122)

As far as the King of the South goes, the Bible mentions the following, including geographic regions:

40 And at the time of the end, a king of the south pushes himself forward with him, and a king of the north storms against him, with chariot, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he has come into the lands, and has overflowed, and passed over, 41 and has come into the desirable land, and many stumble, and these escape from his hand: Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the sons of Ammon. 42 And he sends forth his hand on the lands, and the land of Egypt is not for an escape; 43 and he has ruled over treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the desirable things of Egypt, and Lubim and Cushim [are] at his steps. (Daniel 11:40-43, LSV)

1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says:

“‘Wail and say, “Alas for that day!” 3 For the day is near, the day of the LORD is near- a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations. 4 A sword will come against Egypt, and anguish will come upon Cush. When the slain fall in Egypt, her wealth will be carried away and her foundations torn down.

5 Cush and Put, Lydia and all Arabia, Libya and the people of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.

6 “‘This is what the LORD says:

“‘The allies of Egypt will fall and her proud strength will fail. From Migdol to Aswan they will fall by the sword within her, declares the Sovereign LORD. 7 “‘They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will lie among ruined cities. 8 Then they will know that I am the LORD, when I set fire to Egypt and all her helpers are crushed.

9 “‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush out of her complacency. Anguish will take hold of them on the day of Egypt’s doom, for it is sure to come (Ezekiel 30:1-9, NIV).

The above regions are basically currently dominated by Muslims.

A December 1979 Plain Truth article by Keith Stump’s titled The Arab World in Prophecy provides insights into who may be the future king of the South as well as who may be involved in Psalm 83, perhaps in partial fulfillment of Daniel 11:27:

Mahdi, the expected end time messiah who is to cleanse and restore the Islamic faith…to usher in a seven-year golden age just before the end of the world…The expectation of a coming Mahdi (in Arabic, “the divinely guided one”) is prevalent among virtually all Moslem sects, though they often differ in the specifics of the concept…

The prophecy of Daniel 11 details events…But who is the “king of the south”?…Just as there is yet to be a final “king of the north”–called in the Bible symbolism “the beast”–who will arise as superdictator over an end-time European confederation, there may very well emerge in the same manner a final “king of the south”–an overall leader of an Arab-Moslem confederation, possibly bearing the very title Mahdi. And these two individuals will eventually find themselves in a head-to-head confrontation–possibly over oil–which will ultimately lead to devastating war in the Middle East!

King David of ancient Israel in a prophetic psalm (Psalm 83) provides additional insight into the Mideast picture. Germany (Assyria in Bible prophecy) and perhaps the rest of Europe will be in league in the future with a union of Arab nations–a vast confederacy bound together in an effort to crush out the name “Israel” from the face of the earth! This Arab-Moslem confederacy may very well be the previously mentioned “king of the south”–a sphere of power encompassing vast portions of the Islamic world.

“They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: The tabernacles of Edom [Esau or modern-day Turkey, a non-Arab but Islamic nation], and the Ishmaelites [Saudi Arabia]; of Moab [part of Jordan], and the Hagarenes [anciently these peoples dwelt in the area known as Syria today]; Gebal [Lebanon], and Ammon [modern Jordan], and Amalek [part of the Turks]; the Philistines [the modern Palestinians] with the inhabitants of Tyre [Lebanon]; Assur [whose descendants, the Assyrians, migrated to Germany] also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot [Jordan and Western Iraq]” (Psalm 83:4-8)…

But in the end, this European-Arab alliance will prove short-lived. As shown earlier, the “king of the north” of Daniel 11–the leader of the German-led European union–will ultimately turn against the Arab “king of the south,”…Daniel 11:40-41: And the king of the north shall come against him [the king of the south]…The Arab-Moslem Confederation will, of course, be thrown into chaotic disarray in the fact of invasion. (Stump K. The Arab World in Prophecy. Plain Truth, December 1979)

So Bible prophecy in the books of Daniel and Psalms suggest that there will be some type of strong Arab-based confederation that will make a deal with a future European power for the purposes of eliminating “Israel.” These quotes make it clear that WCG’s written position was that there would be a future King of the South–and that it would be mainly an Arabic-Islamic confederation.

The Bible shows that the time will come when a leader of the Europeans and a leader of mainly Muslim nations will one day get together to make a lying deal:

27 Both these kings’ hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time. (Daniel 11:27)

The “kings” mentioned above are the coming European King of the North and Arabic King of the South (cf. Daniel 11:40).

The Bible shows that their peoples will also be involved in a destructive deal:

3 They have taken crafty counsel against Your people,
And consulted together against Your sheltered ones.
4 They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation,
That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”

5 For they have consulted together with one consent;
They form a confederacy against You:
6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites;
Moab and the Hagrites;
7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek;
Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;
8 Assyria also has joined with them;
They have helped the children of Lot. (Psalms 83:3-8)

Most of the peoples mentioned above will be supporters of the coming King of the South. However, the reference to an Assyrian leader, is consistent with other prophecies (e.g. Isaiah 10:5-12), who is also the coming European King of the North.

The deal in Psalm 83 looks to involve war and terrorism–and that will be against the United States and its British-descended allies, as well as the nation called Israel.

The late WCG evangelist Raymond McNair wrote:

The coalition of nations mentioned in Psalm 83 is clearly intended as an end-time prophecy, that shows which nations will wage war against the modern-day descendants of Israel, and this includes the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic, English-Speaking peoples. (McNair R. Solving the Arab-Israeli Impasse! CG21, 2005)

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
Islamic and Biblical Prophecies for the 21st Century This is a free online book which helps show where biblical and Islamic prophecies converge and diverge. Here are links to related sermons: Seeing Christianity Through Islamic Eyes, Imam Mahdi, women, and prophecy, and Terrorism, Iran, and Fatima, Dajjal, Antichrist, Gold, & Mark of the Beast?, and Jesus and God’s Plan for Muslims. Here is a link to a sermon in the Spanish language: El Imám Mahdi las mujeres y la profecía bíblica
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?  Is Donald Trump going to save the USA or are there going to be many disastrous unintended consequences of his statements and policies? What will happen. The link takes you to a book available at Amazon.com.
Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies? Kindle edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?

Parts of the January-February 2018 edition of the Bible Advocate

COGwriter

In an older edition of its Bible Advocate magazine (Jan-Feb 2018), Church of God, Seventh Day-Denver (CG7-D) somewhat asserted its binitarian view of the Godhead:

Statement of Faith 2 The Deity

This we believe:

The sovereign deity of the universe is God Almighty, who is to be worshiped in spirit and in truth. He is eternal, infinite, holy, self-existent Spirit who created, sustains, rules, redeems, and judges His creation. He is one in nature, essence and being. God is revealed in Scripture as Father and Son. …

One God, revealed as Father and Son From start to finish, the Bible knows only one God. The Hebrew shema says it best: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4; see also Deuteronomy 4:35; 32:39; 2 Samuel 7:22; 1 Chronicles 17:20; Psalm 86:10; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6; 45:5, 14, 18; Mark 12:29; 1 Corinthians 8:4; Ephesians 4:6; 1 Timothy 2:5. While Christianity is a monotheistic faith and our God is numerically one, the best biblical evidence points to the fact that He is uniplural in His divine person. Uniplural suggests that God is one in essence but more than one in expression.