Church of God News

Pope Benedict XVI

COGwriter

Zenit.org reported yesterday:

Jordan King Breaking Precedent to Greet Pope

VATICAN CITY, MAY 5, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The king of Jordan plans to break protocol this Friday when he receives Benedict XVI.

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican press office, gave a briefing Monday on the Pope’s upcoming weeklong Holy Land pilgrimage.

The spokesman noted that King Abdallah II will welcome the Pontiff at the airport where he is scheduled to arrive at 2:30 p.m.. And in a particularly unusual gesture, he and Queen Rania will again accompany the Holy Father to the airport when he leaves on Monday.

Father Lombardi contended that this king is offering a noteworthy contribution to interreligious dialogue through various initiatives. He pointed to his Amman Message, encouraging the Islamic world to leave aside extremism, and the Amman Interfaith Message, directed primarily to Christians and Jews and inviting the promotion of peace and values shared among the religions.

The Vatican spokesman further noted that one of King Abdallah’s advisors is Ghazi bin Muhammad, who coordinated the initiative from 138 Muslim scholars who responded to 2006 attacks against the Pope following his address in Regensburg.

It was this group who wrote “A Common Word,” which eventually led to the formation of the Catholic-Muslim Forum in Rome.  http://www.zenit.org/article-25796?l=english

This meeting is interesting for a couple of reasons.  One, it is showing that both sides are making some effort for cooperation.  But the second is that this may have prophetic ramifications.

The Bible shows that in the time of the end, a King of the South (apparently an Arab/ Muslim confederation) will be engaged in warfare with the King of the North (a European/Catholic confederation):

40 “At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. 41 He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon (Daniel 11:40-41).

Notice that although the King of the South loses, not all the Arab/Muslim nations fare so poorly.

Ancient Moab is to a great degree within the borders of modern Jordan and it may include be the place of protection for the Philadelphians).  Furthermore, Amman (though ancient Ammon may also have included some others in the Middle East as well) is the capital of modern Jordan (Edom is probably a reference to Turkey, which for reasons I expect to discuss at another time, is a nation that will be somewhat spared by the King of the North).

Hence, cooperation between the Vatican and Jordan now may be part of the reason that much of Jordan will be spared in the future.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? What does the Bible say?
The Arab 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?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? What is ahead for Europe?
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.
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Living Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions. Português: Qual é fiel: A igreja católica romana ou a igreja viva do deus? Tambien Español: Cuál es fiel: ¿La iglesia católica romana o La Iglesia del Dios Viviente? Auch: Deutsch: Welches zuverlässig ist: Die Römisch-katholische Kirche oder die lebende Kirche von Gott?

Orthodox Church of St. George, May 7, 2008
Constantinople (Currently Called Istanbul, Turkey)

COGwriter

Notice something that was claimed and recently reported:

Orthodoxy preserves tradition of ancient Church

BY CHRIS KOPOEW • Introduction to Orthodoxy • April 25, 2009

The Orthodox Church was founded on the day of Pentecost 33 A.D. by the miraculous outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The most important characteristics of Orthodoxy are the Divine Liturgy and its faithfulness to the Apostolic Tradition.

The Orthodox Church has preserved the tradition and continuity of the ancient Church in its apostolic fullness of sacramental grace…

The number of autocephalous churches has varied in history. In the History of the Orthodox Church the Pentarchy was the universal structure of the Church. The Pentarchy consisted of five Patriarchal Sees in all of Christendom.The Pentarchy received formal ecclesiastical promulgation at the Quinisext (56th) Council in Trullo in 692 A.D. It took place in the Capital City of Constantinople under the Roman emperor Justinian II. The Counsel in Trullo ranked the five Patriarchates as Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem.  http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20090425/LIFESTYLE/904250309

The Orthodox do NOT preserve the tradition of the ancient Church.  They deviated from it starting with Alexandria in the first and second century, and then in Asia Minor in the third and fourth.  This is all clearly documented in the articles Apostolic Succession and Some Similarities and Differences Between the Orthodox Church and the Living Church of God.

Furthermore, the news article left a lot out.  Specifically the fact that although they all claim it,  none of the “original sees” has apostolic succession.

Today, I will simply focus on one of them, Constantinople.

The Orthodox Church of Constantinople claims that the Apostle Andrew founded it, and that his successor was Stachys from 38-64 A.D.. The official website of that church states:

The Apostle Stachys was one of the Seventy Apostles of the Lord. In 38 AD Apostle Andrew appoints him first bishop of the city of Byzantium, which three centuries later will be renamed into Constantinople (The Apostle Stachys. Ecumenical Patriarchate. http://www.ec-patr.gr/list/index.php?lang=en&id=2 3/29/06).

The Bible does not mention the names of the 70 sent out by Jesus, nor are any group of 70 ever referred to in the Bible as apostles (see Luke 10:1-17). While the Bible does mention many cities in Asia Minor (and the Book of Revelation is address to seven cities in Asia Minor), Byzantium is not specifically mentioned in the Bible.

The information above on Stachys comes from The Synaxarion, which apparently got part of this information from this third century writing of Hippolytus:

Stachys, bishop of Byzantium (Hippolytus. On the Seventy Apostles. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 5. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1886. Online Edition Copyright © 2005 by K. Knight).

I should point out that Hippolytus’ writings do not clearly refer to Stachys as an apostle, simply as a bishop or overseer (the title “On the Seventy Apostles” may be a later addition to the text). A Christian named Stachys is mentioned in Romans 16:9.

Here is the succession list per the Orthodox Church of Constantinople:

1 St. Andrew the Apostle Founder
2 St. Stachys 38-54
3 Onesimos 54-68
4 Polycarp I 69-89
5 Plutarch 89-105
6 Sedekion 105-114
7 Diogenes 114-129
8 Eleutherios 129-136
9 Felix 136-141
10 Polycarp II 141-144
11 Athenodoros 144-148
12 Euzoios 148-154
13 Laurentios 154-166
14 Alypios 166-169
15 Pertinex 169-187 1
16 Olympianos 187-198
17 Mark I 198-211
18 Philadelphios 211-214
19 Kyriakos I 214-230
20 Kastinos 230-237
21 Eugene I 237-242
22 Titus 242-272
23 Dometian 272-303

(Source: Ecumenical Patriarchate. List of Patriarchs. Apostolic Succession of the Great Church of Christ. http://www.ecupatriarchate.org/ecumenical_patriarchate/patriarchs.php 07/10/07).

It needs to be pointed out that while the Orthodox consider that Polycarp of Smyrna was a saint, he is not one of the two Polycarps in the above list. Polycarp of Smyrna held many positions that differ from those now held by the Orthodox.

Furthermore, it needs to be understood that the bulk of the leadership of the churches in Asia Minor became supporters of the Greco-Roman churches after the persecution of Decius (c. 250 A.D). And thus, the late third century churches in Asia Minor were not the same as the churches prior to that time. Notice that Dionysius, bihop of Alexandria reported that “the churches of the East” had been divided (from Rome and Alexandria) prior to this time:

But know now, my brethren, that all the churches throughout the East and beyond, which formerly were divided, have become united. And all the bishops everywhere are of one mind, and rejoice greatly in the peace which has come beyond expectation. Thus Demetrianus in Antioch, Theoctistus in Cæsarea, Mazabanes in Ælia, Marinus in Tyre (Alexander having fallen asleep), Heliodorus in Laodicea (Thelymidres being dead), Helenus in Tarsus, and all the churches of Cilicia, Firmilianus, and all Cappadocia. I have named only the more illustrious bishops, that I may not make my epistle too long and my words too burdensome (Cited in Eusebius. Church History, Book VII, Chapter V, Verse I).

Thus this a different Asia Minor religion than the one prior to Decius. It did not hold to the same teachings as the prior leaders did–that is why it had not been united with the Greco-Roman Catholics before. But what is interesting to note is that the “Bishop of Byzantium” is not listed in Dionysius’ listing—if the “Bishop of Byzantium” was truly the successor to the Apostle Andrew and was one of the original “Apostolic Sees” (as the Eastern Orthodox Church claim), then why was the “Bishop of Byzantium” missing? Probably because it did not take on significance until some years after Asia Minor became part of the Greco-Roman churches.

Near this time, the apocryphal Acts of Andrew was apparently put together (Comments on The Acts of Andrew. From “The Apocryphal New Testament” M.R. James-Translation and Notes Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924). Although the Acts of Andrew were condemned by Eusebius (Church History, Book III, Chapter 25, verse 6), it or other late second/third century writings may have been part of the basis for the Orthodox Church ultimately claiming Constantinople (previously called Byzantium and now called Istanbul) as its premier “see” (though its real reason for importance was that the pagan Emperor Constantine declared it to be important).

The truth is that even the Orthodox Church of Constantinople admits the following:

Following the establishment of Constantinople (the ancient city of Byzantium) as the state capital of the Roman Empire in the early part of the fourth century, a series of significant ecclesiastical events saw the status of the Bishop of New Rome (as Constantinople was then called) elevated to its current position and privilege. The Church of Constantinople is traditionally regarded as being founded by St. Andrew, the “first-called” of the Apostles. The 3rd canon of the Second Ecumenical Council held in Constantinople (381) conferred upon the bishop of this city second rank after the Bishop of Rome. Less than a century later, the 28th canon of the Fourth Ecumenical Council held in Chalcedon (451) offered Constantinople equal ranking to Rome and special responsibilities throughout the rest of the world and expanding its jurisdiction to territories hitherto unclaimed. The Ecumenical Patriarchate holds an honorary primacy among the autocephalous, or ecclesiastically independent, Churches. It enjoys the privilege of serving as “first among equals.” (History of The Ecumenical Patriarchate. http://www.ecupatriarchate.org/ecumenical_patriarchate/history_of_the_patriarchate.php 07/10/07).

Hence, even the Orthodox Church admits that Constantinople did not have much ranking until the fourth century after it was named Constantinople–which means that this occured because the pagan emperor Constantine (he was not baptised at this point) elevated it. So how can it be “the first among equals”?

In order to justify its supposed early ties, notice what the Official Site of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople states:

The apostolicity of the Throne of Constantinople is also shown from the proven fact that the Apostle and Evangelist John preached in Asia Minor. It was he who addressed his book of the Apocalypse to “the seven churches in Asia”, namely the Churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamon, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodecia, which, since the 4th century belong stably to the jurisdiction of the Church of Constantinople (A brief historical note about the Ecumenical Patriarchate–The Apostolic Value of the Church of Constantinople. http://www.ec-patr.org/patrdisplay.php?lang=en&id=5 viewed 11/30/07).

Actually, what the above shows is that there was some type of apostolic succession in Asia Minor beginning with John, but that after Emperor Constantine renamed Byzantium after himself, his influence declared “Constantinople” one of the supposedly five original “apostolic sees”. The truth is that early Byzantium had no important role within Christianity–there were no major leaders there (though Andrew may have passed through it), there were no early Christian writings from there, nor is it even discussed in other writings prior to the third century. Constantinople simply became important to the Orthodox, not because of the apostles, but because of a pagan Emperor and a spurious and apparently fraudulent document known as the Acts of Andrew.

Even the Catholic Encyclopedia teaches that Constantinople did not become important until the fourth century and that it probably did not have any bishops before the third century:

It has quite lately been established that Byzantium received its new name of Constantinople as early as the end of 324 (Centénaire de la société nationale des antiquaires de France, Paris, 1904, p. 281 sqq.). Nevertheless, the solemn inauguration of the new city did not occur until 11 May, 330; only after this date did the Court and Government settle permanently in the new capital. It was soon filled with sumptuous edifices like those of Rome…

A probably reliable tradition makes the Byzantine Church a suffragan of Heraclea in Thrace at the beginning of the third century. In the fifth century we meet with a spurious document attributed to a certain Dorotheus, Bishop of Tyre at the end of the third century, according to which the Church of Byzantium was founded by the Apostle St. Andrew, its first bishop being his disciple Stachys (cf. Romans 16:9). The intention of the forger is plain: in this way the Church of Rome is made inferior to that of Constantinople, St. Andrew having been chosen an Apostle by Jesus before his brother St. Peter, the founder of the Roman Church.

The first historically known Bishop of Byzantium is St. Metrophanes (306-314), though the see had perhaps been occupied during the third century. It was at first subject to the metropolitan authority of Heraclea, and remained so, at least canonically, until 381, when the Second Ecumenical Council (can. iii) gave the Bishop of Constantinople the first place after the Bishop of Rome.

Constantine had chosen this city as the new capital of the Roman Empire, but owing to his wars and the needs of the State, he rarely resided there (Vailhé S. Transcribed by Douglas J. Potter. Constantinople. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume IV. Published 1908. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat. Remy Lafort, Censor. Imprimatur. +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York).

Thus the idea that Constantinople clearly has apostolic succession has been discounted by Catholic scholars (even if the current Pope has chosen to ignore the facts of history for “unity’s sake”–he apparently wants control, please see the article Orthodox Must Reject Unity with the Roman Catholics).

Furthermore, it also needs to be understood that the Orthodox Church has a book called The Synaxarion which contains stories, handed down through some type of tradition, about early church leaders. And it seems to be relied on even if it is not consistent with the biblical account–yet it is often accepted as historical fact within the Orthodox communities.

The Synaxarion seems to have been composed between the ninth and eleventh centuries:

The iconoclast heresy of the eighth and ninth centuries was directed against veneration of saints as well as against their holy images and, in general, opposed the presence of any intermediary between ourselves and God. The Orthodox reacted by attaching even more importance to veneration of the saints. Once the heresy was overthrown, they covered the walls of the churches with icons, were zealous in writing long lives of the heroes of Orthodoxy and completed the calendar and the Church service. The holy hymnographers of the Monastery of the Stoudion, Saint Theodore, Saint Joseph and others, ordered our Church services in the form they have retained ever since. After the sixth ode of the Matins canon, because of the number of hymns, the reading of the lives of the saints of the day was restricted to brief notices, called the Synaxarion, as a vestige of the practice of the first liturgical assemblies. From the ninth to the eleventh century, the compilation of the short notices that appear in the Synaxarion was completed (Hieromonk Makarios of Simonos Petra, Mount Athos. Introduction to The Synaxarion: The Lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. From Volume One of The Synaxarion: The Lives of the Saints of the Orthodox Church. Published by the Holy Convent of the Annunciation of Our Lady, Ormylia (Chalkidike, Greece), 1998. From http://www.orthodoxinfo.com/general/synaxarion_intro.aspx 03/31/06).

Since the early church was clearly against idolatry (please see the article What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons?), and the primary Orthodox Church now encourages it, this church in Constantinople cannot be considered to be a church true to the teachings of the apostles. For if Stachys was one of the 70 Jesus appointed, he would not have condoned idolatry if he was faithful. Thus, any claims to physical apostolic succession were made irrelevant by doctrinal and other compromises as this particular church is definitely not the spiritual successor of the apostles.

Furthermore, like all the other cities mentioned in this paper, there is no contemporaneous documentation that there actually was the list of bishops in Constantinople until many decades (in this case over hundred and fifty years) after the alleged succession occurred.

Of course, the succession dates are not the only changes. Many of the Orthodox in Constantinople used to keep the Sabbath. Notice what the historian Sozomen reported in the mid-5th Century,

The people of Constantinople, and almost everywhere, assemble together on the Sabbath, as well as on the first day of the week, which custom is never observed at Rome or at Alexandria (Sozomen. THE ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY OF SOZOMEN. Comprising a History of the Church, from a.d. 323 to a.d. 425. Book VII, Chapter XIX. Translated from the Greek. Revised by Chester D. Hartranft, Hartford Theological Seminary UNDER THE EDITORIAL SUPERVISION OF PHILIP SCHAFF, D.D., LL.D., AND HENRY WACE, D.D., Professor of Church History in the Union Theological Seminary, New York. Principal of King’s College, London. T&T CLARK, EDINBURGH, circa 1846).

But this is no more. Another change.

To see the Orthodox buildings of early and modern “Constantinople”, please see Joyce’s Photos of Constantinople.

An Alternate Constantinople List That Was In Place in Late 2006

When I first wrote this portion of the article years ago, the I noticed that the Orthodox Church in Greece claimed a different set of dates in their list of patriarches in Constantinople.

Here was the succession list per the Greek Orthodox Church:

Stachys the Apostle [31 Oct.] 38-54
Onesimus [15 Feb.] 54-68
Polycarp I 71-89
Plutarch 89-105
Sedekion 105-114
Diogenes 114-129
Eleutherius 129-136
Felix 136-141
Polycarp II 141-144
Athenodorus (Athenogenes) 144-148

(Source: Ecumenical Patriarchate. List of Patriarchs. http://www.ec-patr.gr/list/index.php?lang=en 12/11/06).

Furthermore, the Orthodox Church used to admit that from 68-71 A.D. it had no bishop in Byzantium (and as mentioned there is no actual contemporaneous proof that there were any bishops there, and the gap, as will be alluded to before, must have been longer than that):

…3 years where the bishopric of Byzantium had no Bishop…{until} 71 A.D. (Polycarp I. http://www.ec-patr.gr/list/index.php?lang=en&id=4 05/05/06).

Tradition that the Roman Catholic Church seems to accept states:

Onesimus had been martyred at Colossae during the first general persecution in the reign of Nero (Camerlynck A. Transcribed by Thomas M. Barrett. Philemon. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XI. Published 1911. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, February 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

Since Nero died in 68 A.D. and his first persecution was no later than 66/67 A.D. and Onesimus is claimed to have been a bishop then, this would seem to contradict the Orthodox listing. There is an Onesimus mentioned in the Epistle to Philemon which was apparently:

written and despatched at the same time, between A.D. 61-63. Some scholars assign the composition to Caesarea (Acts 23-26: A.D. 59-60) (Ibid).

Since Onesimus was apparently in Rome at this time and had recently been converted by Paul and was a runaway slave (see Philemon vss. 10-16), it does seem that the Bible allows that he could have been the bishop of Byzantium from 54-68 A.D. Notice when Paul was imprisoned in Rome:

…Paul…captivity at Rome, 60-62 (Paul. Catholic Encyclopedia).

The Orthodox Church specifically claims that their Onesimus is the same one:

Onesimus was a servant of Philemon, who was a man of love and treated his servants with kindness. He was shown to be a bad servant, by taking advantage of his master’s kindness, stealing him, and escaping from Colloseis. He went to Rome, where he was catechised into the Christian faith by apostle Paul, was baptised, and became a man wonderful in virtue…In his letter, he certifies Philemon about the spiritual renewal of his servant and ask him to receive him, no longer as a slave, but as a beloved brother. Apostle Philemon accepted him with joy, but sent him back to Rome in order to serve apostle Paul…After the martyrdom of Paul, Onesimus was also caught, and in the name of the Gospel suffered horrible tortures (Onesimus. Ecumenical Patriarchate. http://www.ec-patr.gr/list/index.php?lang=en&id=3 12/12/06).

But the biblical account is contradicting that claim as this claim simply does not allow the time for Onesimus to have been bishop of Byzantium. Even the Orthodox claim states that Onesimus was a bad servant, went to Rome, was converted there, was sent back to Rome, and died there. Onesimus clearly could not have been a bishop before he was baptised or after he died. Can not the Orthodox see that including Onesimus in their succession list as they do casts grave doubts on any credibility that the early list may have?

Since the bishopric of Onesimus does not even seem possible, the gap then, between Stachys and Polycarp I appears to have been at least 15 years (in the Constantinople list) and 17 years (in the Greek list)–and may have been even longer as there was no contemporaneous proof of either of those individuals having any bishopric that I have ever come across.

Interestingly, perhaps because of my writing this article, the Greek Orthodox seemed to have removed their list. For those of you who are Orthodox and believe that your church does not change, you might wish to think about this.

Those interested in the truth about Church history and its original doctrines, should consider reading the following articles:

Some Similarities and Differences Between the Orthodox Church and the Living Church of God Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are?
Nazarene Christianity: Were the Original Christians Nazarenes? Should Christians be Nazarenes today? What were the practices of the Nazarenes.
Location of the Early Church: Another Look at Ephesus, Smyrna, and Rome What actually happened to the primitive Church? And did the Bible tell about this in advance?
Apostolic Succession What really happened? Did structure and beliefs change? Are many of the widely-held current understandings of this even possible? Did you know that Catholic scholars really do not believe that several of the claimed “apostolic sees” of the Orthodox have apostolic succession–despite the fact that the current pontiff himself seems to wish to ignore this view?  Is there actually a true church that has ties to any of the apostles that is not part of the Catholic or Orthodox churches?  Read this article if you truly are interested in the truth on this matter!
Early Church History: Who Were the Two Major Groups Professed Christ in the Second and Third Centuries? Did you know that many in the second and third centuries felt that there were two major, and separate, professing Christian groups in the second century, but that those in the majority churches tend to now blend the groups together and claim “saints” from both? “Saints” that condemn some of their current beliefs. Who are the two groups?
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?

Pope Benedictus XVI

COGwriter

The Pope is to visit Israel in about a week and Israel is debating whether to give the Vatican certain sites:

‘Peres wants to yield sites to Vatican’

Jerusalem Post – May 4, 2009

President Shimon Peres wants to give up Israeli sovereignty over key Christian holy sites to the Vatican, according to an Army Radio report Monday, a proposition which is reportedly opposed by Interior Minister Eli Yishai.

According to the report, the issue ruffled feathers among senior Israeli officials.

Beit Hanassi could not be reached for comment, as it does not issue statements to the press while the president is abroad.

Army Radio said that the president was exerting pressure on the government to give up sovereignty over six sites including the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, the Coenaculum on Mount Zion, the Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, and the Church of the Multiplication on the Kinneret.

On Sunday, according to the report, Beit Hanassi requested that the Interior Ministry sign documents conceding sovereignty on the sites, however the interior minister refused.

Yishai was quoted as saying that he opposes all yielding of sovereignty.

“Every concession like this limits the Israeli government’s ability to function as a sovereign government in the area,” he said.

Referring to Pope Benedict XVI’s upcoming visit to the region scheduled for May 11-15, he said, “I am certain that the aim of the pope’s visit is not to cause damage and not to gain sovereignty.”

Relinquishing sovereignty over the sites would mean that they would legally belong to Vatican City, and that any Israeli request to pave roads, or lay water, sewerage or electrical infrastructure would have to be approved by the Vatican.

“If we were sure that this present to the Christian world would bring millions of Christian pilgrims here, then we would have a good reason to think about it,” Tourism Minister Stas Meseznikov was quoted as saying.

“But since we’re not sure that it will happen, why should we give out gifts?”

Former Meretz chair Yossi Beilin, however, was quoted in the report as saying that Israel had not behaved satisfactorily in recent dealings with the Vatican. “We need to compromise with them,” he said.

The Army Radio report also quoted Beit Hanassi as saying that the negotiations had been going on for long enough, and that the time had come to compromise with the Vatican and come to an agreement. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1239710858577&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

The Bible shows a time will come when a temporary peace deal (Daniel 9:27) will be made with Israel.  Even some Catholic and Protestant scholars realize this.

This future deal will be a major indicator that the  Great Tribulation is near.

Events in the world are lining up to bring many biblical prophecies to pass.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?
End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something?There is a Mayan calendar prediction for change in 2012. 2012 changes were also centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans. Do Mayan/Hindu/Hopi/Buddhist/New Age/Nostradaumus prophecies have any value here? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Does the Dresden codex show destruction of the earth by flood? Can the great tribulation start before 2012?
Prophecy Obama: Prophecies of Barack Obama? Eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests?  This is the longest and most complete article on this page on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
Does 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? When does the six thousand years of human rule end?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2009, 2010, or 2011? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before in the “beginning of sorrows”? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?

Ruins of Ancient Laodicea

COGwriter

At UCG, apparently the votes are all in as Gavin Rumney posted the following:

The Word of the Lord may not be going forth from Zion exactly, but it is being trumpeted abroad via Twitter. This update from David Myers:

UCG’s new Council of Elders members are William Eddington (Int’l), Richard Thompson (returning), Scott Ashley, Melvin Rhodes.

As of this morning, UCG has not yet posted its Council of Elders’ Meeting minutes.  But of course, that is why some people are into Twitter.

Anyway, Scott Ashley, in my opinion, was long overdue for additional recognition at UCG, although I do not really know where he stands doctrinally.

Melvin Rhodes is an interesting choice because of his international experience and his writings.  I am more familiar with Peter (who I met), than one called William, Eddington at UCG.

We will see how, if at all, these new Council members affect the actual direction of UCG.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Differences between the Living Church of God and United Church of God This article provides quotes information from the two largest groups which had their origins in WCG as well as commentary.
Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, and Roderick C. Meredith 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?
Should a Christian Vote? This article gives some of the Biblical rationale on this subject. Would Jesus vote for president? Is voting in the Bible? This is a subject Christians need to understand.
6. The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now basically the Living Church of God.
7. The Laodicean Church Era was predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. Non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG.
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to more easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.

COGwriter

In its latest update, LCG reported the following:

EU Moving Forward with the Lisbon Treaty—Despite the Irish. The EU is currently training more than 500 people for its diplomatic core, as it prepares to launch EU Embassies all over the world. This action is occurring, despite the fact that not all EU member-states have signed onto the treaty. One Irish voter noted the blatant disregard for member-state votes, “It is cause for serious concern that, by implementing the Lisbon Treaty, EU institutions are manifesting outright contempt for democracy.” In secret meetings, the diplomatic arm of the EU has noted the importance of not agitating the Irish prior to the re-vote in June (Sunday Telegraph, April 12, 2009). God prophesied that the end-time European Beast power would be composed of kingdoms or groupings of “iron and clay,” identifying the inherently divisive nature of the Beast power (Daniel 2:34, 41). The Scriptures also reveal the dictatorial nature that the Beast power will have (Daniel 11:20-28, 36-37). As it develops, we are already beginning to see the cunning nature of this end-time force and its proclivity to forgo considering the “will of the people.”

The truth is that the European Union is moving forward with its plans irrespective of what the majority want.  And whether the majority now want it or not, the Bible shows that the European Beast power will rise up in the last days and dominate the world (and take over the USA and its Anglo-descended allies).

Some articles of related interest may include:

Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? What is ahead for Europe?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Prophecy Obama: Prophecies of Barack Obama? Eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests?  This is the longest and most complete article on this page on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”, based up an early 20th century writing.

COGwriter

The swine flu has reared itself in swine in Canada:

Herd of pigs in central Alberta come down with swine flu

Edmonton Sun – May 2, 2009    excerpt…

By CLARA HO

A pig herd in central Alberta has been infected with the swine flu virus in what could potentially be the first human-to-animal virus transmission case, provincial officials confirmed this afternoon.

The 2,200 animals were exposed to the virus by a farm worker exhibiting flu-like symptoms after returning from Mexico.

The office of the chief provincial veterinarian was notified Tuesday that some of the farm’s pigs showed flu-like symptoms after the worker, who came home on April 12, exposed the pigs to the virus when he returned to work two days later.

The farm was immediately placed under quarantine and samples were taken and sent to the National Centre for Foreign Diseases in Winnipeg to be analyzed. A bulletin was also sent out to the province’s pork industry workers.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is now leading the investigation with the help of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development.

The pigs, the farm worker, and the family living on and running the farm have since recovered or are recovering, said agriculture Minister George Groeneveld. There have been no other reports of swine flu viruses in pigs and the flu has been confined to this particular operation, he added…

Dr. Gerald Hauer, chief provincial veterinarian, said that swine flu is known to occur in pigs in the province, particularly a common everyday strain of the swine flu virus. But this is the first time they were made aware of a swine flu strain that could be transferred from humans to animals.

Biosecurity measures such as limiting visitors to pig farm operations and ensuring workers shower before and after entering pig farms, are in place to prevent other similar incidents, Hauer said.

He noted that the flu virus is a “notifiable” disease, meaning within 24 hours of noticing or suspecting signs of the swine flu, incidents must be reported to the chief veterinarian’s office.

Corriveau, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, said from a human perspective, a possible human-to-animal transmission of the virus gives no reason to panic. He added that people should continue to take precautionary measures to prevent spreading disease.

Alberta Health and Wellness also confirmed that Elsewhere in Alberta, two new cases have been recorded in northern Alberta and one in Calgary, bringing the provincial total to 15.

None of the patients have required hospitalization.  http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmonton/2009/05/02/9327636.html

While I am not yet convinced that the “swine flu” is as bad as the worst case scenarios that the mainstream media sometimes have hyped, the above did catch my attention.

But relatively soon, serious pestilences are prophesied as we are prophetically at/near the point Jesus called “the beginning of sorrows”–which includes pestilences (Matthew 24:7-8).

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2009, 2010, or 2011? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What is the “beginning of sorrows”?  When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?
The New Testament Church and Unclean Meats Are foods considered to have been unclean in the Old Testament considered to be food in the New Testament? This article discusses this from the perspective of the New Testament. It also has a list of clean and unclean animals. It also answers the question, is pork healthy or is pork dangerous?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Mexico, Central America, South America, and Brazil in Prophecy [Español: México, America Central, Suramérica, y el Brasil en profecíal] [Português: México, América Central, Ámérica do Sul, e Brasil na profecia] What will happen to those of Latin America? Will they have prosperity? Will they cooperate with Europe? Will they suffer in the future? What rule might the various Caribbean nations/territories play?

James and Ellen White Established the Seventh-day Adventist Church

COGwriter

Following the examples of the Catholics (EWTN, etc.) the Protestants (TBN, etc.), and the Latter Day Saints, the Seventh-day Adventists now have their own television network:

Adventist Church’s Hope Channel debuts on DirectTV

April 29, 2009

The Seventh-day Adventist Church’s official television network debuted on the DirecTV satellite network today, a move that church leaders say is a chance to minister to millions of additional viewers in North America.

The network, Hope Channel, which features Christian lifestyle programming, is available on channel DirecTV channel 368.

“To have a full time channel, 24/7, sharing God’s message of hope into millions of homes is an awesome development,” said Hope Channel director Brad Thorp.

http://news.adventist.org/2009/04/adventist-churchs-ho.html

While some confuse the SDAs and the COGs, they have many differences, and a few similarities.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

SDA/LCG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 The Living Church of God is NOT part of the Seventh-day Adventists. This article explains two prophetic differences, the trinity, differences in approaching doctrine, including Ellen White.
The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, and COG-7th Day.
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to more easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.

Australia’s Open Spaces, Mineral Resources, and Proximity to China and India make it a Tempting Target

COGwriter

The increase of economic and military power by China and India are concerning the Australians:

Australia to Buy 100 Joint Strike Fighters, Double Submarines

Bloomberg – May 2, 2009

Australia will double its submarine fleet to 12, its biggest defense expenditure, and purchase 100 Lockheed Martin Corp. F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to keep pace with a regional military buildup led by China and India.

Australia, which has troops in Afghanistan and the Middle East as well as closer to home in the Solomon islands and East Timor, will boost air and maritime forces, Defense Minister Joel Fitzgibbon said in the government’s first defense review in a decade. It will also try to counter cyber and electronic warfare.

“The biggest changes over the period have been the rise of China, the emergence of India,” Fitzgibbon said in an e-mailed copy of the White Paper defense review. “The White Paper was developed amidst a global recession and it produces substantial additional investment.”

The review comes as China, the biggest buyer of weapons between 2004 and 2008, and India build forces as their economies expand. Australia’s defense spending, which was A$17.9 billion ($13 billion) in the year ending June 30, will increase an average 3 percent a year until 2018. Annual outlays will increase 2.2 percent between 2019 and 2030.

China’s Presence

“China will make its presence felt through soft as well as economic power,” including “aid, multilateral diplomacy and extensive cultural and educational links,” the report said.

China is developing plans for an aircraft carrier, adding to the country’s ability to project its power far from its shores. The navy is planning to build bigger combat ships, more combat ships, supersonic aircraft, high-speed torpedoes, long- range missiles and submarines that are harder to detect, Xinhua News Agency said on April 15.

Defense spending in the world’s most populous country has increased by more than 16 percent a year for the past decade, according to Chinese government figures. The move reflects increasing international political and economic clout.

A Pentagon report in March put China’s defense spending at the second-highest in the world after the U.S., with total spending at between $105 billion and $150 billion in 2008. The U.S. military’s budget in 2008, not including supplemental spending for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, was $488 billion. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601081&sid=aZToRT4.2.Vo&refer=australia

While there is a certain carnal logic in what the Australians are doing, the reality is that they will not be able to defend themselves sufficiently if China and India truly wish to take it over.

Without national repentance, Australia is doomed for takeover just like the United States, Canada, and the U.K. are.  Also, New Zealand (who has even less of a military) will fair no better.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?
India, Its Biblical Past and Future: Any Witness? The Bible discusses the origins of those of Indian heritage and discusses some of the witness to them (including those in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka).
China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 1: Genesis and Chinese Characters This article provides information showing that the Chinese peoples must have known about various accounts in the Book of Genesis up until their dispersion after the Tower of Babel.
China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 2: The Sabbath and Some of God’s Witness in China When did Christianity first come to China? And is there early evidence that they observed the seventh day sabbath?
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for China? Is it a “King of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon?

Labarum Cross

COGwriter

Apparently the LDS have concerns about crosses, but originally accepted them:

Mormons and the cross

Salt Lake Tribune – May 1, 2009

It’s no accident that Mormon steeples, temples and necks are free of Christian crosses.

LDS leaders long have said the cross, so ubiquitous among traditional Christians, symbolizes Jesus’ death, while Mormons worship the risen Christ. Some Latter-day Saints go even farther, condemning the cross as some kind of pagan or satanic symbol.

Now a historian at California State University in Sacramento claims in a just-completed master’s thesis that Mormon aversion to the cross is a relatively recent development in LDS history, prompted in part by anti-Catholic sentiments.

“It first started at the grass-roots level around the turn of the 20th century, ” Michael Reed argues in the thesis, “The Development of the LDS Church’s Attitude Toward the Cross.”

“It later became institutionalized during the 1950s under the direction of LDS Prophet David O. McKay,” Reed writes…

Two years after becoming president in 1953, McKay pointed to a Catholic church in California and commented: “There are two great anti-Christs in the world: Communism and that church.”

In 1957, McKay established the LDS Church’s no-cross protocol, saying it was not proper for LDS girls to wear it on their jewelry, saying the cross is “purely Catholic. … Our worship should be in our hearts.”

Though McKay later tempered his comments about Catholicism, his opposition to the cross became church policy. From that day to this, Mormons look askance at any member who pays too much homage to the ubiquitous Christian symbol.

“If someone is wearing a cross, we get very uncomfortable,” Rees says. http://www.sltrib.com/faith/ci_12256269

Perhaps I should mention that according to at least one Catholic writer (see Constantine’s Cross a Symbol of Antichrist?), the type of cross at the beginning of this article is to be a symbol of antichrist.

We in the Living Church of God do not wear nor revere crosses.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Five Dissimilarities Between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the Living Church of God The Living Church of God is not related to the Mormons and this article explains five differences, and one or two similarities.
What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons? What about the use of the cross, by the early Church?
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to more easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.

Rebuilt Gymnasium in Sardis

COGwriter

The current edition of  CG7’s Bible Advocate magazine has the following article by Isai Melgosa titled finding purpose:

Sitting in Sabbath school, I reach over and grab my mother’s Bible. It’s highlighted with notes in margins and small drawings to illustrate what she reads. On the first blank page is this handwritten note: “I was designed for the purpose of pleasing my Maker.”

… By next fall, I hope to begin a doctorate in psychology. That will continue a life-long calling for me.

Like my mother, I believe that “I was designed for the purpose of pleasing my Maker.” Many young people beginning college have an important choice to make. Will you allow God to move through you, or have you made your own plans and put God on the sideline?

The problem is that is incomplete at best.  Actually, you were created because “God is love” (1 John 4:8;16).   And because He is love, He sent His Son Jesus to die for you (John 3:16).

While God wants you to please Him, He does not do that for His sake.  He wants you to please Him as this service will help you be able to live up to YOUR potential.  He loves you so much that He has a magnificent plan for you.  And His plan for you is not exactly the same as His plan for anyone else.  You are one who can give in a unique way.  And that is part of why God created YOU.

God is not some egotistical being who just wants to be praised and served.  God has a plan in which everyone who ever lived will be offered salvation and nearly all who every lived will ultimately accept it.  And in His plan, He has a place for everyone.

Now, while I quite often tend to report on this page how CG7 does not understand prophecy, it is vital to realize that CG7 simply does not have a complete enough grasp of what God’s purpose is or the meaning of human life.

As regular readers of this page are aware, I believe that CG7 needs to “strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die” (Revelation 3:2).

But you, whether you are affiliated with CG7 or not, can go forward to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

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?
Universal Offer of Salvation: There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis Do you believe what the Bible actually teaches on this? Will all good things be restored? Does God’s plan of salvation take rebellion and spiritual blindness into account?
Did the Early Church Teach Purgatory? Is there a place called purgatory? Does God have a plan to help those who did not become saints in this life?
What is Limbo? Is There Such a Place as Limbo? What Happens to Babies When They Die? When did Limbo start being taught? What is the truth about dead babies?
The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, and COG-7th Day.
The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now basically the Living Church of God.
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to more easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.
Church of God, Seventh Day: History and Teachings Nearly all COG’s I am aware of trace their history through this group. Whaid Rose is the president of the largest CG7 group (Denver). Do you know much about them?