Church of God News

COGwriter

Apparently, someone has come with another “proof” that US President Obama is the final Antichrist:

Did Jesus actually reveal name of the ‘antichrist’?

An American Christian has produced a brief film for YouTube that connects one statement by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke to President Barack Obama.

His 4-minute video focuses on the direct quote: “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” (Luke 10:18)

“When I started doing a little research, I found the Greek word for ‘lightning’ is ‘astrape’, and the Hebrew equivalent is ‘Baraq‘

He then recalled Isaiah 14:14, where Lucifer, another name for Satan, is quoted as saying, “I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”

“I wondered what the word ‘heights’ is,” said ppsimmons, “and I looked it up in the dictionary, and it’s ‘Bamah.'”

Thus, on the video, the announcer notes, “If spoken by a Jewish rabbi today, influenced by the poetry of Isaiah, He (Jesus) would say these words in Hebrew … ‘I saw Satan as Baraq Ubamah.'”

“I want to emphasize I’m not ashamed of what I put there,” he told WND. “I’m not proclaiming he is the antichrist, or that I’m some kind of a Hebrew expert, but the word associations are indisputable.

Full text at: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=105527

Now, while I do suspect that Barack Obama will help enable the rise of the King of the North and the final Antichrist, he is not the Antichrist.

The fact that Jesus used the term Satan falling as lightning should not be interpreted to mean “the final Antichrist’s name is Barack”.  This combination of Hebrew and Greek (which is what Luke used) simply does not support “ppsimmons” assessment–which as he admits is not really based upon an expert knowledge of Hebrew (or likely Greek).

The final Antichrist is primarily a religious, not political, leader.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Some Doctrines of Antichrist Are there any doctrines taught outside the Churches of God which can be considered as doctrines of antichrist? This article suggests at least three. It also provides information on 666 and the identity of “the false prophet”. Plus it shows that several Catholic writers seem to warn about an ecumenical antipope that will support heresy.
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?
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?
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?
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

India announced plans to increase its naval power while Pakistan is buying naval ships from China:

India plans to build 100 warships

Financial Times – July 30, 2009

India has plans to add about 100 warships to its navy over the next decade as it seeks to modernise its armed forces, and develop its low-cost shipbuilding capabilities.

Captain Alok Bhatnagar, director of naval plans at India’s ministry of defence, said on Thursday that 32 warships and submarines were under construction in the country’s shipyards. Work on 75 more ships, including aircraft carriers, destroyers, frigates and amphibious vessels, would begin over 10 years.

New Delhi is sensitive to lagging behind Beijing’s naval might in the region. China has three times the number of combat vessels as India and five times the personnel. Officials are wary of port developments in neighbouring Pakistan and Sri Lanka that offer Chinese warships anchorages and potentially greater control of the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea.

However, India has one of the fastest growing navies in the world. Its fleet of about 120 vessels is the fifth largest…

Pakistan receives Chinese frigates

China on Thursday formally handed over the first of four new naval frigates built for Pakistan in a deal which highlights the close ties between the armed forces of the two countries, writes Farhan Bokhari.

The launch of the new frigate is part of the F-22P programme, estimated to be worth $700m (€497m, £424m), which includes the supply of a batch of Chinese helicopters.

“The addition of these new ships will not only strengthen the Pakistan navy fleet but will also [enhance] the country’s shipbuilding capabilities,” Pakistan’s navy said. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/16de2e94-7d22-11de-b8ee-00144feabdc0.html

But as reported here recently (India & Pakistan Lack Trust, But…), it is likely that in the future India, China, and Pakistan will cooperate, instead of compete, militarily.  Larger navies would seem to likely facilitate the movement of the prophesied 200,000,000 man army that is mentioned in the Book of Revelation.

Two articles of possibly related interest may include:

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).
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings 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?

COGwriter

The Journal reported the following:

Unconfirmed reports say Clyde Kilough and Richard Thompson
are resigning from UCG council of elders

Unconfirmed reports say Clyde Kilough and Richard Thompson are resigning from the United Church of God council of elders.

The Journal, as of July 30, 2009, was hearing unconfirmed but persistent reports that two members of the United Church of God’s council of elders, Clyde Kilough of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Richard Thompson of Eustis, Fla., have resigned their seats on the council but that Mr. Kilough will continue in his role as president.

Both men are longtime Church of God members, and both are elders of the United Church of God an International Association, headquartered in Milford, Ohio.

The Journal has checked with UCG sources who would neither confirm or deny the reports.

The 12-man council of elders in recent months, especially since the recent election during the general conference of elders in early May 2009, has moved toward what some observers see as a more progressive position on several key issues that concern the church and its governance.

For example, the council is moving toward a much less restrictive position on the topic of elders discussing among themselves how to vote concerning candidates for council positions and for church policies and whether participating in informal discussions by E-mail is appropriate for elders

Dixon Cartwright, the editor of The Journal, has many contacts within UCG and presumably believes that his source(s) is/are trustworthy.  This seems to be an unexpected development if it is true.  But, since UCG has had a variety of governmental issues, it may be.

The last issue of The Journal had a UCG focus (see Journal’s Focus: UCG).

If the latest report from The Journal is accurate, stay tuned and updates will likely be included at the COGwriter and Journal websites.

Two other articles of possibly related interest may include:

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?
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.

COGwriter

Herbert W. Armstrong would have been 117 today.

Even though we in the COGs actually do not celebrate birthdays, nor do we celebrate his (see also the article Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays?), since the anti-COG sites keep making a bigger deal of this day than we in any COG would and since many who come to this page know little about him that this would be a good time to tell a few things about him.

We in the Living Church of God believe that God used Herbert W. Armstrong to restore much truth to the true Church of God.  Over the decades that I have been associated with the Church of God, I have repeatedly found both biblical as well as historical proof that the truths that were restored were in fact true.  And in fact, the early church did teach them.

One day I may put together a single article showing that early professors of Christ did teach these truths.  For now, however, I would refer readers to the following two articles:

Did You Know What the First Changes the Tkach Administration Made?Some have said healing, others other subjects, but probably the first change had to do with eliminating being part of the Philadelphia era. This article documents what those changes were and compares the Tkach list of restored truths to HWA’s list of restored truths. It contains many quotes from HWA.
History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church?  This page has articles documenting many beliefs of the early Church–and all these are doctrines that HWA taught.

Furthermore, while Protestants like to point to leaders like Martin Luther and John Calvin, the truth is that unlike them, Herbert Armstrong was not involved in getting people killed–the true church does not do that (see Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare?).  The same is true about many Roman Catholic Popes who instituted persecutions in forms such as the Inquisition.  Some information on what those non-COG leaders have done to others throughout history may be found in the article Persecutions by Church and State.

Another difference between Martin Luther, John Calvin, Eastern Orthodox leaders, and Roman Catholic Popes vs. Herbert Armstrong is that HWA actually did teach sola Scriptura.  He clearly taught what the Bible taught, yet the other churches have all demonstrated their preference for tradition over what the Bible actually teaches.  Articles that document that would include:

Sola Scriptura or Prima Luther? What Did Martin Luther Really Believe About the Bible? Though he is known for his public sola Scriptura teaching, Martin Luther’s writings about the Bible suggest he felt that prima Luther was his ultimate authority.
The Similarities and Dissimilarities between Martin Luther and Herbert 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 COG is NOT Protestant.
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the 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? This documented article answers those questions.
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Orthodox Church and the Churches of God Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are?

Furthermore, HWA did more to get the truth of God to the world as a witness than any did since biblical times.  Two articles of related interest may include:

Do You Believe God Used Herbert Armstrong to Raise Up the Philadelphia Era of the Church of God? Nearly everyone while in WCG used to believe this, most do not seem to anymore.
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and HWA expect from evangelists?

Anyway, Herbert Armstrong always taught:

Don’t believe me – BELIEVE YOUR BIBLE – BELIEVE GOD! I always say…check up! Listen without prejudice, with open mind, then check up–go to your BIBLE, and BELIEVE what you read there. (Armstrong HW. Personal from the Editor. Plain Truth. September 1963.)

This is what I encourage readers of this website to do.

To see some of what Herbert Armstrong wrote and why he believed a lot of what he did, please see the article:

Who Was Herbert W. Armstrong? How is He Viewed Today? Includes quotes from the 1973 edition of The Autobiography of Herbert W. Armstrong and explains how he is and should be viewed today.

COGwriter

US President Barack Obama met with the President Gloria Arroyo of the Philippines today:

Obama backs Philippine peace push

(AFP) – July 30, 2009, about 1900 hours EDT

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Thursday threw his support behind peace moves between the Philippines and Muslim rebels as he met with President Gloria Arroyo.

Holding his first White House summit with a Southeast Asian leader, Obama hailed the long-standing US alliance with the Philippines on a range of issues including pressing Myanmar on democracy…

“She has initiated a peace process in Mindanao that we think has the potential to bring peace and stability to a part of the Philippines that has been wracked by unrest for too long,” he said.

Arroyo thanked the United States for its years of assistance to help the Philippines fight Muslim militants.

She also hailed Obama for reaching out to the Islamic world.

“We welcome President Obama’s reaching out to the Muslim world. And also we are very pleased about the importance that he affords to engagement with our part of the world,” she said.

Obama spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, another nation his administration has identified for stronger ties.

The Philippines has been among the most vocal Southeast Asian nations in pressuring the military regime Myanmar, earlier known as Burma, where a court on Friday is set to hand a verdict to democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.  http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gqnXsJu8xwUENlgdeOfz4KNvgP7w

It is good that leaders are talking peace.

The US President, however, is likely to be an enabler of both Muslim (King of the South) and Non-Muslim (King of the North) forces throughout his presidency.  His timing and his policies clearly seem to put him in line with that as they should rise up next decade.

It is not totally clear, to me at least, if the Philippines will ultimately end-up siding with the coming European power (King of the North) because of its long-standing ties to Western nations or if it will become one of the “kings of the east” that the Bible foretells (Revelation 16:4).

I do suspect, however, that the Philippines will likely prosper during the time of the King of the North as it is likely that he will stop Islamic uprisings (cf Daniel 11:40-43), and prosper many nations (Revelation 18).

What MAY be most likely to happen is that the Philippines could temporarily support the Europeans and then later join others in Asia who will ultimately turn on the European King of the North.  But as I indicated, the Bible is not clear enough now (to me at least) to be certain, though this seems likely.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Islands and Bible Prophecy What’s ahead for islands? What does the Bible prophesy about them?
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon?
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?
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?
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?
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.
Barack Obama in Islamic Prophecy? There is actually a 17th century Shiite prophecy that some believe that Barack Obama will fulfill that will lead to a rising up of Islam.

Ancient Laodicea

COGwriter

In an email today, the United Church of God (UCG) sent out the following:

What and why a Church?

The Bible describes the Church as a loving and zealous community of believers—those who commune and communicate with each other and strive for unity! God wants cooperative coworkers to work together in the gargantuan task He has given His Church.

Consider the circumstances of the early New Testament Church: “Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common” (Acts 2:44, emphasis added throughout). In the King James Version of the Bible, the English word together appears 484 times. God likes togetherness!

What did Jesus say would be a primary identifying sign of His followers? “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

In the Bible, love includes unselfish actions of service, not only emotions. How can Christ’s disciples serve one another if they don’t know each other and aren’t together? Hebrews 10:25 emphasizes the need of “assembling of ourselves together . . . and so much the more as you see the Day [of Christ’s return] approaching.”

The preceding verse, Hebrews 10:24, stresses the need to “stir up love and good works” among one another. Through Christian fellowship with other believers, we do just that—encourage, strengthen, comfort and help one another. God knows that it’s difficult to survive spiritually on our own—that we need the support and encouragement we get from being with others of like mind.

The focus of church services should be about worshipping God and learning more about His Word and how He wants us to live. Paul describes the Church as “the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15, New International Version). The Church is the primary source through which God’s truth is taught and learned.

But another focus of the Church is on giving of ourselves to one another. Notice this essential evidence of spiritual conversion: “We know that we have passed from [spiritual] death to life, because we love the brethren . . . By this we know love, because He [Jesus] laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 John 3:14, 16).

The most common fulfillment of “laying down our lives” is that we give of our time for our brethren.

Members of God’s Church should be striving to become like Jesus Christ, but are far from that perfection. Each member is a “work in progress,” endeavoring to be “transformed” by God and gradually “conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 12:2; 8:29).

Every member is at a different point in his or her spiritual progress. Sometimes problems arise just like we read about in the New Testament. But we know that God expects those He has called to His Church to work on themselves and to love, forgive and encourage others.

Most of those are very good points.

And while I agree with basic points, I should add that the email was not clear enough about one of the most important reasons to have a church.

Which is?

To help get Christ’s gospel of the kingdom to the world as a witness (Matthew 24:14) and to “[g]o therefore and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19a).

And that is one of the main reasons that I attend the Living Church of God as opposed to UCG.  UCG seems to emphasize togetherness so much that it simply does not emphasize public proclamation enough and this is reflected in how it spends its revenues.

On the other hand, it needs to be mentioned that many today think that they do not need to be actually part of a church.  That is simply not consistent with the teachings of the New Testament.  Here is one section of scripture that UCG referred to, that many “independents” do not seem to care for:

24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:24).

Churches are not perfect.  And yes, I attended with UCG for several months before LCG (formerly GCG) had a local group in my area.

The churches in the New Testament had many problems (Corinth comes to immediate mind), the leadership sometimes did not get along (Paul and Mark come to immediate mind), and sometimes the leaders made errors in their preaching (Apollos comes to immediate mind).  But people still should try to be part of the church.

Here is another reason to be part of the church from the Apostle Paul:

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head–Christ– 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love (Ephesians 4:11-16).

And while some independents seem to believe that they can better protect themselves from doctrinal errors than ordained church leaders, I would simply state that God did not have the Apostle Paul write the above in vain.

Christians should be part of a church.  And obviously, I believe that those who look into the Bible most seriously are most likely to support the Living Church of God.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Attending the Church of Choice This article discusses whose choice is important to worship God; should you attend the church of your choice or the church of God’s choice?
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?
Independent Members of the COG: Herbert W. Armstrong Comments, Plus Questions and Answers What did Herbert W. Armstrong teach about being independent of the organized Church? Should independents who claim to accept Herbert W. Armstrong’s teachings be part of LCG?
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.
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 evangelists?
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/GCI members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.

Two of Ten Aramaic Lines That Were Found

COGwriter

Former WCG member and current UNC Professor James Tabor made the news related to a Temple find in Jerusalem:

Rare 2nd Temple inscription found

Jerusalem Post – July 29, 2009

A unique ten-line Aramaic inscription on the side of a stone cup commonly used for ritual purity during Second Temple times was recently uncovered during archaeological excavations on Jerusalem’s Mount Zion, it was announced Wednesday.

Inscriptions of this kind are extremely rare and only a handful have been found in scientific excavations made within the city.

The archaeological excavations are being carried out within the Gan Sovev Homot Yerushalayim national park, close to the Zion Gate. The work is directed by Professors Shimon Gibson and James Tabor of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, with the co-ordination of Evyatar Cohen and Dr Tsvika Tsuk of the Israel Parks Authority.

The excavations follow work carred out at the site in the 1970s by Magen Broshi, when a monumental Arabic inscription from the thirteenth century was found. The inscription is due be exhibited in the new archaeological wing to be opened next year at the Israel Museum.

The new Aramaic inscription from the first century CE is currently being deciphered by a team of epigraphic experts in an effort to determine the meaning of the text, which is clear but cryptic. The dig also produced a sequence of building remains dating back to the First and Second Temple periods through to Byzantine and Early Islamic periods.http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1248277923672&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Of course, until it is translated, the impact of this Temple-related find is hard to determine.  It may give insight into biblical practices or provide historical information to better understand the culture of the time or ?

And speaking of the Temple, an apparently Arabic source reported that 200 Jews visited the Temple yesterday and caused some concern:

GAZA, July 29 (KUNA) — A number of Jewish extremists on Wednesday stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque and preformed religious rituals, Al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage said.

The foundation said in a statement that more than 200 Jewish extremists entered the Mosque within 30 minutes only and were positioned all over its vicinity, noting that the intrusion was “significance” in terms of timing and size, especially as it coincided with eve where the Jewish people celebrate the anniversary of temple ruins at Temple Mount.

However, the Foundation sent an urgent appeal to the Muslims and Arabs, as well as Palestinians of 1948 to rescue and support the Mosque.  http://www.khabrein.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24278&Itemid=57

Readers of the COGwriter page may recall that last week, some Jews announced plans to try to visit the Temple area on either late Wednesday or today (Planned Temple Mount Ascent).

However, I have not seen reports of an actual ascent yet from other sources (including the website of the group that planned an ascent).   But if it is true, it suggest that nothing really happened other than some Jews are willing to take risks to accomplish their religious goals.

COGwriter

The Temple Institute announced today that it is building a stone altar starting today:

“And when you make for Me an altar of stones, you shall not build them of hewn stones, lest you wield your sword upon it and desecrate it.” Exodus 20:25

July 29, 2009 – Building a Holy Temple begins with the first stone. With this in mind, the Temple Institute has embarked upon building the mizbeach – the stone altar. Stones have been gathered from an area of the Dead Sea, where it can be safely verified that no metal tool has ever touched the stones’ surfaces. The stones were then wrapped so as to guarantee that they would not come in contact with metal as they were transported to the community of Mitzpe Yericho, east of Jerusalem.

There the stones are to be assembled with specially prepared cement. The altar will be small in scale, but within the dimensions required by halacha, (Jewish law), and will be fit for use. However, the altar can only be used in its proper location on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The altar’s small size will facilitate its quick transport to Jerusalem at the first possible opportunity.

The altar is being constructed on Tish’a b’Av, the day that the nation of Israel fasts in commemoration of the destruction of the first and second Holy Temple. Observing the fast day does not preclude making preparations for the rebuilding of the Holy Temple. On the contrary, there is no better occassion than the 9th of Av for buiding the altar upon which the Divine service will be renewed. http://www.templeinstitute.org/events.htm#build-altar

It should be pointed out, according to the Bible (Ezra 3:6) and the Temple Institute (please see Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required?), a temple is NOT necessary to resume animal sacrifices.  Only an altar is.

A possible ascent on the Temple Mount is planned for tomorrow (please see Planned Temple Mount Ascent).  But historically, the Israeli politicians have stopped that type of ascent.

Eventually, the Bible shows that Israel will allow for sacrifices at least near some former temple location for some time as they will be stopped by the coming King of the North (Daniel 11:31).  But the political situation for the resumption of sacrifices is not yet ready.  But this will likely occur sometime next decade.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament?  What does the Bible teach about the temple in the end-times?
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?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2009, 2010, or 2011? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?

COGwriter

PCG’s Eric Anderson reported the following:

The Plain Truth About “Speaking in Tongues”…

The Basic Doctrine

The late Herbert W. Armstrong made it plain that “the gift of ‘tongues’ spoken of in the Bible is the ability to speak of God in other languages—languages that are foreign and previously unknown to the speaker” (Tomorrow’s World, February 1972).

In other words, the gift of tongues is the God-given, miraculous ability to speak in a human language that one has not learned in any normal manner. But it is certainly not those demonstrations of emotional and indecipherable gibberish that some religious groups today call “speaking in tongues.”

Usual Teachings of This World

The 15th edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica states that the “gift of tongues, also called glossolalia (from [the] Greek glossa, ‘tongue,’ and lalia, ‘talking’), [includes] utterances approximating words and speech, usually produced during states of intense religious excitement. The vocal organs of the speaker are affected, the tongue moves without the conscious control of the speaker, and unintelligible speech pours forth. According to religious interpretations of the phenomenon, the speaker is considered to be possessed by a supernatural spirit, is in conversation with divine beings, or is the channel of a divine proclamation …”

Some groups view this experience as absolute proof one has the Spirit of God. Others allow that Christians who do not speak in tongues in this manner may have the Spirit, but that those who do speak in tongues have obtained a higher degree of the Spirit with such “inspired” speaking. Glossolalia is a greatly prized spiritual goal in all tongues-speaking circles…

Most all who do such speaking take the greatest pride in the fact that they “spoke in tongues”—not in what they babbled that might have been meaningful.

Few, it seems, stop and ask themselves whether their “gift” agrees with the biblical definition of tongues…

The day God established for this special bestowing of His Spirit was on His annual festival of Pentecost—also known as the feast of weeks or feast of firstfruits—which was observed 50 days after the day on which Christ was resurrected. The word pentekoste is a Greek word meaning “50th [day],” or “count fifty.” Leviticus 23:15-21 tells us that Pentecost is an annual holy day which true Christians are commanded to observe every year in the late spring. Strangely, and significantly, the modern Pentecostal groups of this world do not even keep this biblically commanded day!…

Pentecost, A.D. 31

At last, when the day of Pentecost had “fully come,” something truly amazing happened. Suddenly, the Holy Spirit arrived with a great display of power! (Acts 2:2-4, 8, 11)…

Then Peter, the chief apostle, stood and delivered a sermon (Acts 2:14-21). Again, the tongues he spoke in were known languages of the day that were clearly understood by those listening. The listeners marveled because Peter, to their ears, seemed to be speaking in their native, local dialects, although he obviously hadn’t learned all these languages by going to school or through some other normal method of study.

Obviously, Peter was not speaking incomprehensible, meaningless clack. He did not work up the crowd with rhythmically chanted, vain repetitions (Matthew 6:7). Further, we see no descriptions of wildly gyrating bodies, waving hands or people rolling around on the ground.

Concerning this utterly unique and amazing account of the gift of tongues, Mr. Armstrong concluded that “the miracle was in the hearing as well as the speaking” (ibid., emphasis mine)…

The Gift of Tongues

The book of 1 Corinthians has much to say about the subject of tongues. The gift is mentioned in verses 1 and 10 of 1 Corinthians 12, but verses 27-31 are the most critical.

In verse 28, Paul lists the governmental offices of the church, including the ranks of apostle and prophet. Then, beginning in verse 29, through a series of rhetorical questions, Paul decidedly proves that not all have the gift of tongues (or any of a number of other gifts for that matter). Clearly, having the gift of tongues cannot be the only proof one has God’s Spirit. Nor is it proof of superior righteousness, for verse 31, along with 1 Corinthians 13, declares absolutely that love is a greater gift of the Spirit than speaking in tongues! 1 Corinthians 13:1 says that even if one has the power to speak in the “tongues of … angels,” he is spiritually worthless unless he has love.

It is important to note that these verses do not imply that the Corinthians spoke in angelic language. In 1 Corinthians 13:1-2, Paul lists a number of incredible feats, all of them beyond human capability (i.e., moving mountains with faith, and understanding every single mystery of life)… It is clear that Paul spoke of the tongues of angels also as something beyond the Corinthians’ natural abilities, just like moving mountains.

A point that I would like to emphasize that PCG did not is that we in the Living Church of God suspect that God may pour out this gift again relatively soon, whereas it is not clear (to me at least) if PCG believes it will happen again anytime soon.

The late Living Church of God evangelist John Ogwyn wrote:

Paul emphasized in 1 Corinthians 14 that the gifts God gives are for edifying or strengthening the Church. He encouraged his readers to seek God’s gifts for the purpose of serving others—not for self-aggrandizement. As for tongues or languages, Paul explained that it was better to speak just a few words that were understandable and helpful, rather than ten thousand words in a language no one could understand (v. 19). For unless the content is helpful and instructive, words in and of themselves lack benefit to the hearers (v. 6, 9).
A prophecy in Joel 2:28–32 foretells an end-time outpouring of God’s Spirit in a miraculous way. Peter quoted this scripture and applied it to the miracle that occurred on the first Pentecost after Christ’s resurrection from the dead. It is apparent upon close scrutiny, however, that a much greater fulfillment of this prophecy is for the time just prior to the Day of the Lord (v. 31). Thus, many of the miraculous outpourings of God’s Spirit that happened in the first century will undoubtedly occur again in the end time.
However, from what we have seen, it should be clear that the “speaking in tongues” commonly practiced today in the charismatic movement—with its incoherent babbling often accompanied by uncontrollable shrieks and spasms—is most certainly not from God. “For,” as Paul says in his discussion on tongues, “God is not the author of confusion” (1 Corinthians 14:33). Indeed, we may rightly discern that most of the “speaking in tongues” that goes on today has a different author—either demonic spirits or simply human imagination. For just as demons were involved in the pagan Greek religion of long ago with its babbling oracles (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:20), so also are they involved in false religion today…If the author of individuals’ ecstatic speech is the human mind, it is either an outright fraudulent act, some form of mental illness or simply a frenzy of human emotion.
True miracles, however, are not brought about by human emotion. They are, rather, the result of God supernaturally working through His true servants—those who genuinely obey Him and are yielded to His will. As mentioned at the outset, in the spiritual confusion of modern religion, many today recognize a great void in their lives. Without real understanding of God’s ultimate purpose and plan, they are accepting a counterfeit of true spirituality. They are pursuing a feeling—and are therefore setting themselves up to be deceived by the end-time false miracles of which Christ warned (Matthew 24:24). We should seek God and His ways—not feelings.
If we do so with all our heart and continue to genuinely walk with Him, the true miracles will certainly follow in God’s own time.

LCG’s R.C. Meredith mentioned tongues a few months back:

Remember that Jesus Christ told us, “‘And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.’ So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen” (Mark 16:17-20).

Brethren, we really need to “cry out” for God to help us, teach us every lesson we need to learn, draw us closer to Him and begin to give us the “accompanying signs” of which Jesus spoke. This certainly would be a powerful witness that God was, in fact, “confirming the word” which we preached if we begin to have these powerful signs from our Father in heaven.

Also, we are told to pray for the Holy Spirit. And God shows us in His Word, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:7-10) (Meredith RC. Church Fast Reminder. Email to ministry, March 20, 2009).

And while tongues will likely be a gift relatively soon, we in the Living Church of God do not accept that that the current “Pentecostal movement” has it.

An article of possibly related interest may be Pentecost: Is it more than Acts 2?

COGwriter

Surprisingly, tithing made the news this week:

Financial advice from the Bible a growing trend

Chicago Tribune – July 26, 2009  by Gregory Karp

Discussing money and religion can be dicey, even as it’s more common.

As people turn to a faith-based view of personal finance, the number of sources speaking to them is growing. Among the most popular might be get-out-of-debt guru Dave Ramsey, who dispenses advice on radio and TV via Fox Business News. He ends each radio show saying: “There’s ultimately only one way to financial peace and that’s to walk daily with the prince of peace, Christ Jesus.”

…Matt Bell relates his advice to the Bible and its more than 2,000 verses on money and possessions. “You could say it’s the best-selling personal finance book of all time,” Bell said.

Whether you’re religious or not, biblical notions about money and spending might provide guidance.

Get the order right: “Once you have money, there are only a handful of things you can do with it — you can spend it, you can save it or you can give it away,” Bell said. A more Biblical order is giving, saving and then building a lifestyle on what remains, he said. “But it flips the cultural teaching on its head,” he said.

Giving first: The Bible talks about giving in many ways, including a tithe, defined in the Old Testament as 10 percent of earnings. “Ultimately it’s a heart issue,” Bell said. “Giving is not about God’s need for money. It’s a training tool to remind us God is No. 1 in our lives.”

Saving and planning: The Bible repeatedly says you should save and plan for the future and lean times. In Proverbs 6:6-8, it uses an ant’s storage habits to admonish non-savers.

Spending and debt: “Spend less than you make” is a constant refrain of personal finance experts, and it harkens to the Bible. “I think sometimes Biblical money management gets cast as this obsessive, frugal life — to save a nickel on every can of tuna we buy,” Bell said. “It’s not that; it’s about being wise.”

Money is not evil: One of the most misquoted Bible verses is “money is the root of all evil,” when it really says, “the love of money is the root of all evil.”

The Bible “gives so much practical advice, it’s clear God knew we would need help in this area,” Bell said. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/yourmoney/sns-yourmoney-0726spending,0,1311188.story

I believe that tithing instills a certain financial discipline and encourages proper budgeting.

We in the Living Church of God practice tithing as the Bible instructs.

Two articles of related interest may include:

Tithing Questions and Some Answers Addresses some non-biblical arguments against tithing. Should people tithe?
Is Third Tithe Still Valid Today? Are there multiple tithes in the Bible.  Some in the COGs no longer teach payment of third tithe, is this biblically correct?