Church of God News

COGwriter

Yesterday, Shadows of WCG, an anti-COG site, started a series that the anonymous webmaster (who calls himself “J”) titled “The Key To Understanding Why Armstrongism is a False Gospel” (http://shadowsofwcg.com/?p=661).  And it is full of distortions.

Shadows of WCG makes many mistakes, and since the webmaster acts like he knows what he is talking about, I would like to deal with some of the distortions he has in the article.

His first distortion is calling COG teachings “Armstrongism” (though it is true that the late Herbert W. Armstrong held COG teachings).  For now, however, there is no point in debating that inaccurate label as church history shows that those who have followed COG teachings have often been branded with various labels by our critics (for more details, please check out the articles at The History of Early Christianity page).

Mistranslations are Often Relied Upon by COG Critics

Now, the Shadows of WCG article begins with an inaccurate analysis of my COGwriter news post titled Mistranslations: Why Many Do Not Understand About the Sabbath and the Holy Days. 

Shadows of WCG failed to point out, for one example, that the translators translated the same Greek expression the same three Greek Strong’s words (#4983, 3588, & 5547) used in Colossians 2:17 are used four other times in the New Testament and in those times the KJV translates it as “the body of Christ” (Romans 7:4; 1 Corinthians 10:16; 1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 4:12)–as does the NKJV–and that by not doing so in Colossians 2:17 the translators have demonstrated inconsistency in their translations which reflects an anti-Holy Day bias.

The Shadows of WCG webmaster apparently does not understand that what was done away in Colossians 2:14 was not “The Old Testament law!” as he asserts, but the penalty for breaking that law.

Notice what Colossians 2:14 states:

…having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross (Colossians 2:14).

The handwriting of requirements (often also called the hand-writing of ordinances) was wiped away and nailed to the cross.

Which requirements were wiped out?

The Ten Commandments and Holy Days?

No.

Understand that the expression “the handwriting of requirements” is a Greek legal term that signifies the penalty which a lawbreaker had to pay–it does not signify the laws that are to be obeyed–only the penalty. It is only through the acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that the penalty was wiped out (“the handwriting of requirements”). But only the penalty, not the law!

Even some Protestant commentators realize this is so. Notice what Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible states about Colossians 2:14:

Whatever was in force against us is taken out of the way. He has obtained for us a legal discharge from the hand-writing of ordinances, which was against us (v. 14), which may be understood,

1. Of that obligation to punishment in which consists the guilt of sin. The curse of the law is the hand-writing against us, like the hand-writing on Belshazzar’s wall. Cursed is every one who continues not in every thing. This was a hand-writing which was against us, and contrary to us; for it threatened our eternal ruin. This was removed when he redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, Gal 3:13. (from Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.).

In addition, let us look at the Greek term exaleipho translated as “wiped out” in Colossians 2:14:

NT:1813
exaleipho (ex-al-i’-fo); from NT:1537 and NT:218; to smear out, i.e. obliterate (erase tears, figuratively, pardon sin) (Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright (c) 1994, Biblesoft and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

In other words, exaleipho has to do with wiping out sin. This is also confirmed in Acts 3:19 where Peter also uses the term exaleipho, which is translated as “blotted out” below:

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.

Hence, it is sin and the related penalties that are to be blotted or wiped out. And the penalties could vary from “being unclean to the evening” (Leviticus 11:24-28) to the death penalty.

But what about the law of God? Was the law of God to be wiped out?

Remember that the Bible clearly teaches that sin is lawlessness:

Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin. (I John 3:4-5).

Notice that Paul wrote:

Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? (Romans 6:1-2).

Thus, the New Testament makes clear that the law of God continues, thus it was not nailed to the cross or somehow wiped out.  The reality is that mistranslations are necessary for those who wish to claim an non-COG version of “Christianity”.

The Bible, however, also shows that the requirements of the Levitical priesthood (Hebrews 9:1,6-10), which were part of the penalty of sin, were blotted out.

And why?

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins…By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus once for all (Hebrews 10:4,10).

Jesus’ one sacrifice was and is sufficient–we do not have to sacrifice animals any morel

Another requirement (which is related) would be the death penalty of sin, as “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23) or other specific ceremonial penalties associated with the Old Testament statutes (such as making a sin offering, being put outside the camp, or washing).

So while there were some items that were done away, the Ten Commandments, for one example, were not done away–if so, early professors of Christ would not have kept them.  Shadows of WCG and other anti-law COG critics simply have overlooked the FACT that early professors of Christ (which knew biblical Greek better than current scholars) did not believe that the Ten Commandments were done away (see The Ten Commandments and the Early Church). For more on the laws and statutes, please see the article Which Laws Are Done Away? Which Remain?

Supposed Beliefs of “Armstrongism”

But the main reason that I decided to actually post about Shadows of WCG article is because of J’s assessment about what the COGs stands for is often distorted or in complete error.

So, let’s look at some statements made by him:

Armstrongism does not believe Christ had the victory over sin and death at his death on the cross…

To his dying day, the false prophet and false teacher Herbert Armstrong taught that man does not have access to God except those in the Worldwide Church of God…

Armstrongism forces people backwards into a time when there was no access to God.

These statements about the COGs are not true.

Yet, because webmasters like “J” at Shadows of WCG make them, people who rely on COG critics above what the Bible actually teaches never will truly understand what the COGs are all about.  We in the COGs, specifically the Living Church of God, do believe that Christ had victory of sin when He was killed and resurrected and that all who ever lived will be offered salvation.  But we also agree with the Apostle Paul who wrote:

31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. (Romans 3:31, KJV)

True Christians realize that the Ten Commandments teach love toward God and neighbor, while anti-law critics tend to look for excuses to not keep it–such people professing Christianity were warned about by the Apostle Jude:

3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 3-4, KJV)

I believe that real Christians keep the same faith that the original apostles kept, and that included the Ten Commandments and the Holy Days.

Here is another distortion from Shadows of WCG:

Armstrong does not hold any weight to Christ’s words “It is Finished”, minimizing it to simply his work on earth and not the entirety of his victory over the physical world of death and the door opened wide to access to the Father and the Holy Spirit

Untrue.  We in the COGs do believe that Jesus finished the work on earth that the Father gave Him to do when He spoke that.  Yet, Shadows of WCG seems to want to believe that Jesus was saying that the Ten Commandments, etc. were finished by His sacrifice.  And this is utter nonsense according to what Jesus and the New Testament writers taught (for details, see What Did Jesus Teach About the Ten Commandments? and Are the Ten Commandment Still in Effect?).

And the following tirade at Shadows of WCG is simply not true:

Armstrongism forces people backwards into a time when there was no access to God. Armstrongism forces people backwards into slavery. Armstrongism forces people into a rigid, legalistic system – in many ways, a loveless system – a system that produces shadows and no substance. Armstrongism forces people into justification by works and not by faith – believing that by being “of the circumcision” they can win favor with God – missing God entirely in the process. Armstrongism takes a covenant that is long old, obsolete, and useless and attempts to resurrect it – replacing the reality of access to God under the New Testament – a spirit led life of faith and substance – into a less glorious and imperfect system that enhances sin and guilt. Don’t believe me? Read the reports of those who have bought into the shadows and not the reality. There’s enough proof to fill a hard drive.

Those truly in the Church of God are living sacrifices (Romans 12:1), striving to live God’s way of life as Jesus and the Apostles did (1 Corinthians 11:1), and promoting it to the world as a witness (Matthew 24:14; 28:19-20).

The Ten Commandments reflect love, breaking them is evil (please see the article The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil).  Those who do not truly believe the Ten Commandments often are those involved in wars, immorality, and persecutions.  The fruits of violating the laws of God are not good.

Another inaccurate statement in the article at Shadows of WCG:

The only thing that matters is faith expressing itself in love.

That is not really quite what the Bible teaches.  Notice what the Apostle James was inspired to write:

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. (James 1:22-25, NKJV)

8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.  (James 2:8-13, NKJV)

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:18-20, NKJV)

The Apostle James is clearly teaching that love involves more than just claiming faith, it involves doing and obeying the law of God.

Sadly, Shadows of WCG does not get is as J wrote:

The fruits of Armstrongism are imperfection, greed, envy, ego, haughtiness, arrogance, flamboyance, and an emphasis of the physical over the spiritual – which is exactly what one would expect when they focus on the law over the reality.

Only one who does really understand the Ten Commandments and has overlooked the warfare, sexual immorality, and persecutions that Protestants and their ilk have engaged in could make that claim.  Now certainly, people in or associated with the COGs have made mistakes, but the Bible is clear that God’s people have always had problems.

Interestingly, the following statement from Shadows of WCG is somewhat true (calling it “Armstrongism” notwithstanding) but is done in a manner that many could be misled by:

Armstrongism does not believe Christ gave all access to God when he died on the Cross and forgave man of their sins.

What we in the COGs actually teach is that the Father must call people to Christ:

44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:44-45, NKJV)

The Father is calling some now and will call all others later.  Unlike the Protestant god, the God of the Bible will offer salvation to all that ever lived.  And this idea did NOT originate with Herbert Armstrong.  But many Protestants do not understand the place of the law or salvation (please see the article Hope of Salvation: How the Living Church of God differ from most Protestants).

Anyway, there are many critics on the internet that simply do not get it.  They overlook mistranslations.  They overlook what Jesus and the apostles taught.  They overlook how early professors of Christ actually understood the Bible, the Ten Commandments, and salvation.

But you do not have to be like those critics.

To see some of what Herbert Armstrong wrote and what the COG believes on various related matters, please see the following articles:

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.
Which Laws Are Done Away? Which Remain? What about the Ten Commandments? What about the 603 regulations in the Old Testament?
Were the Ten Commandments in Effect Before Mount Sinai? Some have said not. This article provides biblical quotes to answer this important question.
Job and the Ten Commandments Was Job written prior to Mount Sinai? Did Job know about the ten commandments? This article provides biblical answers to those questions.
What Did Jesus Teach About the Ten Commandments? This article quotes what Jesus actually said about them (His words are in red).
Were the Ten Commandments Nailed to the Cross? Some have said so. This article provides some biblical quotes to answer this important question.
What Did Paul Actually Teach About the Ten Commandments? Many say Paul taught against the ten commandments. Is this true? This article quotes Paul with his words in green.
Are the Ten Commandment Still in Effect? This article quotes the ten commandments and combines some of the previous articles into one article about the ten commandments. The commandments are shown at Mount Sinai, before Mount Sinai, in the teachings of Jesus, after the crucifixion, and in the teachings of Paul. It addresses the most common “traditions of men” regarding them as well.
Were the Pharisees Condemned for Keeping the Law or Reasoning Around it? Many believe that the Pharisees were condemned for keeping the law, but what does your Bible say? If they were not condemned for that, what were they condemned for?
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught?
Was the Commandment to Love the Only Command? Some have stated that John’s writings teach this, but is that what the Bible really says?
The Ten Commandments and the Early Church Did Jesus and the Early Church keep the ten commandments? What order were they in? Here are quotes from the Bible and early writings.
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.
Military Service and the Churches of God: Do Real Christians Participate in Carnal Warfare? Here are current and historical perspectives on a matter which show the beliefs of the true church on military participation. Is war proper for Christians?
Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur. Will those with the cross be the persecutors or the persecuted–this article has the shocking answer.
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? Will God call everyone? Will everyone have an opportunity for salvation? Does God’s plan of salvation take rebellion and spiritual blindness into account?
Hope of Salvation: How the Living Church of God differ from most Protestants How the Living Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background.
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?

Berlin Reichstag

COGwriter

In his latest commentary, LCG’s Adam West had the following:

The sleeping giant awakens…

Don’t speak of the past because “we’ve gotten past it.” That was the sentiment of the daughter of film director Volker Schlondorff according to an article published by The New York Times September 10, 2010…

The financial crisis which enveloped the world in 2008 did something dynamic in Germany, as their government sought to find fiscal harmony through patience and diligence. This was in stark contrast to the stimulus package spending of the Obama administration, which attempted to merely head off what appeared to be the inevitability of a depression, by bailing out banks and those organizations deemed “too big to fail.”

According to the NYT article, the financial crisis did wake people in Germany, with national pride for the accomplishments of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and a feeling that the world “should follow Germany’s example of austerity.” Eyelids have been raised and the light of a new Germany is becoming clearer with each passing day.

In June of 1991, a reunified Germany voted to return the nation’s capital to Berlin from its post-war location, Bonn: “On Monday, April 19, [1999], the German parliament … [met] … in the Reichstag building in Berlin, signaling the transfer of the capital of Germany from Bonn to Berlin. The parliament [had] not met in Reichstag since the Reichstag Fire of 1933. The recently renovated Reichstag includes a glass dome, symbolizing a new Germany and a new capital” (About.com).

Again, the NYT article quotes William M. Drozdiak, the president of the American Council on Germany, making this statement: “But having moved the capital from Bonn back to Berlin, there has been a profound psychological change, shifting the center of gravity to the east, with Germany thinking more like a Central European power.”

The article summarizes by saying, “In ways large and small Germany is flexing its muscles and reasserting a long-repressed national pride. Dozens of interviews across the country … found … a people still aware of their country’s history, but less willing to let it dictate their actions.”

That renewed national pride will result in the resurgence of a Germany primed for a powerful and persuasive leader who will command one of the most powerful military, political and economic entities the world has ever seen. The Holy Bible shows this individual will lead a nation rising from the ashes of not only Nazi-era-Germany, but from the marble halls of the ancient Roman Empire…

Jesus Christ exhorts us to “watch and pray always” (Luke 21:36), and, as we see this sleeping giant awaken, we should do that very thing. As events continue to propel the world closer to the Great Tribulation and the final climactic battle at the end of the age, I encourage you to read or re-read the Beast of Revelation: Myth, Metaphor, or Soon-coming Reality.

The reality is that the financial crisis of 2008 has had a profound affect on Germany and much of the rest of the world.  Many have realized that the world economy cannot safely be based so heavily on the US dollar and many nations are trying to figure out how to make a post-dollar dominated world come to pass.

Furthermore, Germany not only wishes to re-assert itself, it also sees that the direction that the USA is heading towards reduces its (the USA’s) ability to successfully support certain defense objectives related to Europe in general, and Germany in particular.

And Germany has taken financial, as well as military actions (see Guttenberg Wants Germany’s Army More Efficient), in order to allow itself to get to the position that it wants.  And, while it will have issues, Germany will continue to rise up.

Some articles of possibly 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”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe?
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?

White Horseman Related to “Antichrist”

COGwriter

The late Seventh-day Adventist scholar Samuele Bacchiocchi reported the following not too long before he died:

Luther and Calvin’s Understanding of Islam and the Papacy

In the last newsletter we reviewed Luther and Calvin’s understanding of Islam and of the Papacy as being the two aspects of the power of the Antichrist predicted in Daniel and Revelation. We saw that this interpretation was defended  even by Jonathan Edwards, the first President of Princeton University and one of the most respected American theologian,

In his book A History of the Work of Redemption, Edwards wrote: “The two great works of the devil which he wrought against the Kingdom of Christ are . . . his Anti-Christian (Romish or Papal) and Mahometan (Muslim or Islamic) kingdoms, which have been, and still are, two kingdoms of great extent and strength. Both together swallow up the Ancient Roman Empire; the (Papal) kingdom of the Antichrist swallowing up the Western Empire; and Satan’s Mahometan kingdom the Eastern Empire . . . In the Book of Revelation (chapter 16-20) . . . it is in the destruction of these that the glorious victory of Christ at the introduction of the glorious times of the Church, will mainly consists.”

I feel that this historical interpretation deserves serious consideration. Thus in the last newsletter I examined the identifying marks of the prophetic Antichrist. We found that both the Papacy and Islam fulfill the distinctive characteristics of the Antichrist presented in 1 John, Daniel and Revelation.

While an Islamic leader would be considered as “antichrist”, the way that Dr. Bacchiocchi and the others he referred to presumably meant this is that both the false Papal leader (I, and many Catholics, believe that the final “Antichrist” will be a false or “antipope”) and the Islamic leader (probably who will be known as the Imam Mahdi) will both be the “Antichrist”.

There are several reasons that this is in error.  But in certain respects, this is slight.  There will be a false Papal and apparently major Islamic leader at the time of the end.  And both are likely to be influenced by the rider of the White Horse of Revelation 6 (which represents a surging in ecumenical and false religions).

The Book of Daniel clearly refers to two end time leaders.  One called the ten-horned Beast in Revelation, who is supported by the Antichrist (the two-horned Beast of Revelation 13), and is known as the King of the North.  And the other who is the leader of an Islamic confederation known as the King of the South.  But the Islamic leader is NOT really one of two Antichrists–though again he would be “anti-Christ” as Islamic leaders do not accept that Jesus’ deity, etc.

The Islamic leader, biblically referred to as the final King of the South does NOT last very long into the Great Tribulation.  While the precise time-period is hard to accurately determine, it seems to be a matter of months from the start of the Great Tribulation (Daniel 11:39) until the elimination of the King of the South by the King of the North (Daniel 11:40-43).

Even according to Islamic prophecy, the  Roman Catholic military leader who will betray a seven-year deal made with the Islamic leader (such deals are consistent with Daniel 9:27; Psalm 83) will reign until Jesus comes.

Here are some Islamic sources about some of this:

Rasaullah [Muhammed] said: “There will be four peace agreements between you and the Romans [Christians].  The fourth agreement will be mediated through a person who will be the progeny of Hadrat Haroon [Honorable Aaron — Moses’ brother] and will be upheld for seven years. (As cited in Richardson J. Antichrist: Islam’s Awaited Messiah. Pleasant Word, 2006, p. 48)

…a life of peace as a result of a peace agreement between you and the Banil Asfaar (Romans) which they will break and attack you. (Ibn Zubair Ali, Mohammed Ali. The minor signs of Last Days from: The Signs of Qiyamah. http://www.islamawareness.net/Prophecies/minor.html viewed 06/21/09)

Here is what how The New Encyclopedia of Islam describes the end of it:

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

Anyway, there are two leaders, but the Islamic one will not really be the final Antichrist.  Though, he and the final Antichrist will be around for a while, together.

Those interested in learning more about these leaders and the sequence of certain end time events may find the following of interest:

Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 Who is 666? This article explains how the LCG views this, and compares this to Ellen White.
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”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? 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? Might this King be called the Mahdi? 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? What about the Imam Mahdi?
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.
Is There an Islamic Antichrist?Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? Are there Mayan calendar predictions for change in 2012? Changes were centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans. Do Mayan/Hindu/Hopi/Buddhist/New Age/Nostradamus 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? How might Barack Obama be involved in 2012?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2010, 2011, or 2012? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?

Naqsh-e Jahan Square, Iran

COGwriter

PCG published the following:

Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt has met with the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon for the first time in five years, with the aim of turning over a new leaf in relations with Iran…Jumblatt’s current pursuit of relations with Iran, therefore, is one more indication of Tehran’s rising influence.

As I have reported before, PCG is fixated on Iran being the King of the South.  Notice another quote:

Since its inception in 1990, the Trumpet has explained that Iran (at the head of radical Islamic terrorism) is the “king of the south” discussed in Daniel 11:40…

While PCG knows that Iran is not south of Jerusalem and should know that the late Herbert W. Armstrong did not teach that Iran could be the King of the South, it insists on this improper teaching anyway.

Partially because it considers that Gerald Flurry is a prophet and partially because PCG considers that Iran is the final King of the South, PCG members will not understand end time prophecies.

The reality, is because of its position, PCG simply does not understand how the situation with Iran will influence the Middle East.

Iran will NOT be the King of the South.  Yet its militaristic policies will likely help promote the arrival of that leader.

Three articles of possibly related interest may include:

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?
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?
Teachings Unique to the Philadelphia Church of God Simply calling oneself ‘Philadelphia’ does not make one so (see Revelation 3:7-9), nor does Gerald Flurry calling himself “that prophet” make it so. This article provides many quotes from this group which tries to look faithful.

Viktor Yanukovich

COGwriter

Ukraine is taking more steps to move towards Russia and away from the West:

Ukraine’s Constitutional Court essentially nullified the amendments that paved the way for greater democracy after the Orange Revolution, giving the pro-Russia president greater powers…

Supporters say Ukraine needs a strong hand to guide it through economic and political crisis. But critics say the decision will enable President Viktor Yanukovich, who was elected in a hard-fought contest in February this year, to rapidly consolidate power and carry out a far-reaching political agenda.

That agenda has included repairing Ukraine’s tattered relations with Moscow, ending its bid to join the Western military alliance NATO, and perhaps seeking to give Russian – spoken by nearly half of Ukrainians – official language status.

“This is disastrous. It will make Ukraine look more like its eastern neighbors, like Belarus or Uzbekistan, and eliminate the checks and balances,” says Volodymir Horbach, an analyst with the independent Institute of Euro-Atlantic Integration in Kiev.  (Weir F.  Ukraine court reverses Orange Revolution, hands president more power. Christian Science Monitor, 1 October 2010.  http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2010/1001/Ukraine-court-reverses-Orange-Revolution-hands-president-more-power)

The ancient Medes seem to include some in Russia and the Ukraine.

In the first century, Josephus wrote:

Japhet, the son of Noah, had seven sons: they inhabited so, that, beginning at the mountains Taurus and Amanus, they proceeded along Asia…they called the nations by their own names…Now as to Javan and Madai, the sons of Japhet; from Madai came the Madeans, who are called Medes, by the Greeks… Thobel founded the Thobelites, who are now called Iberes; and the Mosocheni were founded by Mosoch…And so many were the countries that had the children of Japhet for their inhabitants. (Josephus. Antiquities of the Jews. VI, 1).

The late John Ogwyn wrote:

The tribes who traced their descent from the ancient Medes moved a little north and west to lay claim to the rich farmland of Little Russia, the Ukraine. From Meshech and Tubal came the Great Russians, who spread north and east, eventually establishing Moscow and the principality of Muscovy. The River Moskva, named for the people of Meshech (called Mushki or Moschi anciently), gave its name to the city and principality (Ogwyn J. What’s Ahead for Russia? Tomorrow’s World Magazine, May-June 2000).

Biblically (because of prophecies involving the Medes and some in the “north and east” in Daniel 11:44), it would seem that Russia would be closer to Ukraine in the end.  The election of Viktor Yanukovich seemed to be a step in that direction (as a later naval proposal did as well Russian Naval Bases in Ukraine Planned to Counter European Union), and this court decision is another (Yanukovich To Be Ukraine President and Invited to Moscow).  But it should also be mentioned that Bible prophecy indicates that there will be some type of cooperation between Russia and its allies and Europe for a while after the European Beast power has risen up (Revelation 13:3-4).

However, Bible prophecy shows that ultimately Russia and its allies (likely to include Ukraine) will turn against the European Beast power.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Russia: Its Origins and Prophesied Future Where do the Russians come from? Is Ukraine in prophecy? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach?
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”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? 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?

COGwriter

Art Gilmore, who for decades was the announcer for the telecast and many other audio-video projects for the old Worldwide Church of God, died on September 25, 2010 in Irvine, CA at age 98 .  Though he had a sincere-sounding voice, he never was a member of the old WCG.

J. Tkach of GCI (the group that took over the old WCG) reported today that GCI has 900 local congregations.  But congregations that no longer are supposed to keep the Fall Feast days or other biblical holy days.

Ronald Weinland of COG-PFK announced his “newest truth” during the Fall Holy Days–basically that he feels that Satan is not immortal and will die (note: this position is not unique to Ron Weinland as others have also come to this conclusion).

Roderick C. Meredith of LCG spoke at the Last Great Day in Panama City Beach yesterday.  LCG had at least 1200 attend the Feast of Tabernacles there this year.  Including me and my family 🙂

Although the Holy Days for 2010 are now past, the following may be of interest:

Is Revelation 1:10 talking about Sunday or the Day of the Lord? Most Protestant scholars say Sunday is the Lord’s Day, but is that what the Bible teaches?
The Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad Was the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath observed by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church?
The Dramatic Story of Chinese Sabbathkeepers This reformatted Good News article from 1955 discusses Sabbath-keeping in China in the 1800s.
Is God Unreasonable? Some have suggested that if God requires Sabbath-keeping He is unreasonable. Is that true?
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by the Tkach WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.
Hebrew Calendar This John Ogywn writing explains why we in the Living Church of God use the calendar that we do and answers such questions as “Did Jesus Observe the Postponements?”
Passover and the Early Church Did the early Christians observe Passover? What did Jesus and Paul teach? Why did Jesus die for our sins?
Melito’s Homily on the Passover This is one of the earliest Christian writings about the Passover. This also includes what Apollinaris wrote on the Passover as well.
TPM: Passover on the 14th or 15th? While the LCG observes Passover on the 14th, some observe it on the 15th. Why is the 14th correct?
The Night to Be Observed What is the night to be much observed? When is it? Why do Jews keep Passover twice and emphasize the wrong date?
Should Christians Keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? Do they have any use or meaning now? What is leaven? This article supplies some biblical answers.
UCG and Its Unleavened Bread Study Paper What does the Bible say about eating unleavened bread for seven days? What has UCG officially said about it?
Pentecost: Is it more than Acts 2? Many “Christians” somewhat observe Pentecost. Do they know what it means? It is also called the Feast of Harvest, the Feast of Weeks, and the day of firstfruits. What about “speaking in tongues”?
Did Early Christians Observe the Fall Holy Days? Did they? Did Jesus? Should you?
The Book of Life and the Feast of Trumpets? Are they related? Is so how? If not, where not?
The Day of Atonement–Its Christian Significance The Jews call it Yom Kippur, Christians “The Day of Atonement”. Does it have any relevance for Christians today?
The Feast of Tabernacles: A Time for Christians? Is this pilgrimage holy day still valid? Does it teach anything relevant for today’s Christians? What is the Last Great Day? What do these days teach?
LCG 2010 Feast of Tabernacles’ Information Here is information on many Feast of Tabernacles locations for this year.
Last Great Day study paper Was Jesus speaking about the 7th or 8th day of the Feast in John 7:37? UCG says the 7th, but what does the Bible teach? This extensive paper reviews UCG’s LGD study paper and includes comments as to where it erred.
Holy Day Calendar This is a listing of the biblical holy days through 2012, with their Roman calendar dates. They are really hard to observe if you do not know when they occur 🙂

COGwriter

Chinese characters are essentially the symbolic representation of words. It is my understanding that both the Chinese and Japanese languages share some of the same characters, and though they pronounce the words differently, thus a few of the characters have the same meaning in Japanese as they do in Chinese. There are over 600 symbols Chinese characters, and although some were changed in the 20th century, most still are essentially the same as they were thousands of years ago. (Now since I do not read Chinese, or Japanese, I am relying exclusively on the works of others–most heavily from Kees Noorlander from http://www.morgenster.org/signs.htm from which this portion of this paper is indebted to, plus a little bit from Babel Fish by Alta Vista, and quite a bit from http://www.zhongwen.com/ and from the book The Discovery of Genesis). It should be noted that in the 1950s China nearly decided to abolish characters and even now most Chinese are not taught the history and tradition behind their writing system.

Anyway, since the characters had to start from somewhere (and biblically they would have started sometime after the construction of the tower of Babel), some have suggested that perhaps these characters help demonstrate that the Chinese characters (and Japanese for that matter) demonstrate that they were familiar with some of the events recorded in the first chapters of the Book of Genesis.

For example, the Book of Genesis records:

8 The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden…9 The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden…10 Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads. (Genesis 2:8,9, 10).

The term English term garden can be represented by the Chinese word tièn (also spelled tián) which is the symbol shown below:

Garden

The Chinese symbol is four irrigation channels within an area of land (it can also mean farm or field). Or it possibly may be the four rivers with a type of tree in the middle of it.

Was that symbol influenced by the events recorded in the Bible or is this a coincidence?

It is difficult to know for certain as there are other Chinese symbols that can be used instead for garden.

However, there are several other characters to explore.

There were two famous trees in the Garden of Eden:

The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:9).

Recall that God gave Adam one command after placing him in the garden:

15 Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:15-17).

It is of interest to note that a Chinese symbol for Prohibition is the combination of the symbols for two trees (mù) and command:

Prohibition To Prohibit	= Tree	+ (Divine) Command

It should be noted that God, while He originally prohibited one tree, later prohibited access to the second tree (see Genesis 3:22-24).

In Genesis Eve stated:

2 We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden (Genesis 3:2).

It is also of interest to note that the Chinese symbol for Fruit is the combination of the symbols for tree and garden:

Fruit	= Tree	+ Garden

While Adam and Eve were in the garden, the devil decided to implement his plan to alienate humans from God. His plan was to suggest that God withheld secret information for the humans in the garden.

1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'” 4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:1-5).

Notice that the Chinese symbol for Devil is composed of the characters for secret, person, and garden:

Devil	= Secret	+ Person	+ Garden

Sadly, Eve seemed to believe the devil as she desired to benefit from the fruit of the tree that was prohibited:

6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate (Genesis 3:6).

God decided later to prohibit the second tree lest Eve and others desired it so much that they would go for it as well (see Genesis 3:22-24).

Notice the symbol for the Chinese word lán for desire or greed is a combination of the symbols for woman and two trees:

Desire, Greed	= Woman	+ Trees

After succumbing to temptation, humans noticed that they were naked:

7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. (Genesis 3:7).

Notice that the Chinese symbol for being naked has to do with clothing, one tree (the one that Adam and Eve were originally told not to eat from perhaps), and a garden with four irrigation canals:

Naked	= Clothing	+ Tree	+ Garden

After Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden they had children. On of their sons was Abel, who raised and sacrificed sheep:

2 Now Abel was a keeper of sheep…4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering (Genesis 4:2,4).

Notice what a Chinese character meaning righteous is made of:

Righteous(ness)	= Sheep	+ Hand	+ Lance

Interestingly, the New Testament account of Abel refers to:

35…the blood of righteous Abel (Matthew 23:35).

Notice how the Chinese symbol agrees with the New Testament account that essentially the sacrifice of sheep (by Abel, for example) was righteous.

Since Christ was our Passover lamb sacrificed us, and that through Him we attain righteousness at least one has speculated that perhaps that is why the following symbol for righteousness was somehow chosen (since the combination of the symbol for hand and lance can mean us):

Righteous(ness)	= Sheep	+ I, Us

And while it is NOT likely that this was determined by the Chinese after Jesus’ crucifixion, it is a fact that Abel and Noah, who the Bible calls righteous, sacrificed clean animals such as sheep.

Many know that Chinese history contains an account of some type of worldwide flood. There may be a couple of aspects of it preserved in its characters.

Notice a couple of statements in the Bible concerning the flood:

1 Then the LORD said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. (Genesis 7:1).

20…in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water (1 Peter 3:20).

A Chinese word chuán for a type of boat is:

Boat	= 8	+ Mouth	+ Little Boat, Vessel

It may be of interest to note that one of the Chinese symbols for flood (chong) is a combination of an inverted symbol meaning “first Earthly branch” and eight (the term for eight may instead mean “person remaining””–that of itself is interesting as that the symbol for eight and “person remaining” look about the same–recall that on the ark there were only eight persons remaining alive).

After the flood, humans stayed together and built a tower:

1 Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. 3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. 4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” (Genesis 11:1-4).

But God did not care for this:

5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. 7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” (Genesis 11:5-7).

It is highly likely that when people saw others speaking foreign languages, that they thought that somehow something at this tower affected their mouths. Notice the following Chinese symbol of a tower.

Tower	= Grass	+ Clay	+ Mankind	+ 1	+ Mouth

The tower of Babel was built with bricks (grass and clay) and humans originally had one language (or mouth). It is possible that this symbol is showing that the ancient Chinese recognized a connection to the biblical tower of Babel.

The Bible shows that after God confused the languages in Babel that He scattered humans all over:

8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. 9 Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth (Genesis 11:8-9).

The Bible also mentions:

25 To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan (Genesis 10:25).

Now whether it was just the scattering of humans that occurred in Peleg’s time, or that the earth had continental divisions at that time is not completely clear. What is clear, however, is that humans did separate essentially by language and ethnicity thousands of years ago.

Chinese Characters Predate Moses

While researching this paper I came across a quote that perhaps should be placed here:

…the ancient Chinese people were quite familiar with the same record which the Hebrew Moses is popularly given credit for writing some 700 to 1,000 years later. Imagine this information being stored in special characters that were in use hundreds of years before the first page of the Bible was written! (Kang C.H., Nelson E.R. The Discovery of Genesis: How the Truths of Genesis Were Found Hidden in the Chinese Language. Concordia Publishing House, St. Louis, 1979, p. 5)

Notice that the development of Chinese characters predates the writing of the Book of Genesis. Thus, the Chinese characters seem to provide an ‘independent’ account that verifies portions of the accounts in Genesis.

Continuing, the authors of the previous citation go so far as to state:

Moreover we believe that the Chinese actually employed this historical knowledge as one small facet in the process of building their written language. The significance of this claim is broad. But most important, it appears to us to give support and added acceptance of the much slandered account of Biblical Genesis (Ibid).

Thus, the existence of these Chinese characters should be a comfort to the Chinese that their ancestors did have some type of biblical witness, as well as the modern believers that even in a land as removed as it is from the Middle East, the Chinese did know about various portions of the Genesis account. And since their characters were developed prior to Moses writing Genesis, their very existence provides additional verification that the events were known for many thousands of years.

Chinese characters seem to suggest that the Chinese had a tie to the Bible as Bible-believers would expect.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 1: Genesis and Chinese Characters Where did the Chinese people come from? 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 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?
The Dramatic Story of Chinese Sabbathkeepers This reformatted Good News article from 1955 discusses Sabbath-keeping in China in the 1800s.