Church of God News

Asian Tiger Mosquito

COGwriter

In its latest update read at services yesterday, the Living Church of God had the following:

Growing Threat of Urban Disease Outbreaks. The UN predicts that by the year 2050, the number of people living in cities will double. However, a recent study warns of an increasing risk for disease outbreaks in cities, “Cities become incubators where all the conditions are met for outbreaks to occur.” Because of overcrowding, lack of clean water, poor waste disposal and poor family dwelling construction, many in these cities will be ripe for contracting all types of infectious diseases. If an infectious disease takes hold in such a situation, it can spread very rapidly and will be next-to-impossible to stop. One important recommendation in the paper is that, as urban areas are built, they need to be designed so as to reduce risks for disease outbreaks (www.SciDev.net, February 2, 2011; The Lancet: Infectious Diseases, February 2, 2011). Jesus prophesied that “pestilences” or disease outbreaks would be one of the signs of the end of the age (Matthew 24:7, Luke 21:11). This will be due, in part, to ignoring biblical health principles that deal with proper disposal of wastes and warn about crowding dwellings too closely (Deuteronomy 23:13; Isaiah 5:8). God promised that if we would obey His statutes, people would be healthy and be able to avoid disease (Exodus 15:26). Thankfully, Jesus Christ will return to this earth and the laws of God will be implemented around the world (Isaiah 2:2-4)—resulting in unprecedented health and freedom from disease.—

One does not have to wait until 2050 for disease problems as they are expected prior to the start of the Great Tribulation.  Jesus Himself warned:

7…And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows (Matthew 24:7b-8).

In addition to overcrowding in cities, the increasing use (and in the case of the grain crops in the USA, increasing dependence) of GMOs is putting parts of humanity at risk of major unintended consequences such as famine and disease pestilences.

And as far as getting diseases into urban populations, insects such as mosquitoes have the capability to carry many diseases and affect even those in urban environments.

Two articles of possibly related interest may include:

Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2011, 2012, or 2013? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2018 or 2019?

Photo in New Orleans by Bart Everson (from Wikipedia)

COGwriter

According to Harold Camping, Jesus will return on Pentecost May 21, 2011 (even though Pentecost is on June 12 in 2011) and the world will end on October 21, 2011. So, based on his proclamations, if Jesus does not return this next Saturday, then a week from today, the followers of Harold Camping and the offshoots who point to May 21, 2011 will be proven wrong.

Of course, as I have said all along, according to the Bible there is no way that the May 21, 2011 date can possibly be right.  Suffice it to say that it is not possible for the biblically-required events (see Jesus’ words and order of events in Matthew 24:15-33) to happen this week.

Furthermore, notice the following which was posted as a comment at a New Jersey website a few days ago:

Mr. Camping’s group was on the news a few nights ago here in Northern California. The subject of the news item was the billboards, but a Family Radio representative said something very interesting…that there will be a world-wide catastrophe on 5/14/11, to mirror the seven days before the flood that God gave Noah to enter the Ark.

Given this man’s track record, I doubt very much that the catastrophe will happen. If it doesn’t, you can be sure that the Rapture won’t occur on 5/21/11, either.

Someone else told me about this last week as well (and I mentioned it in a previous post)–but I have not been able to locate anything official yet from Family Radio on this, nor did I hear the statement personally.

Yet, since a “worldwide catastrophe did not happen yesterday (at least not one that I located in my news searches today), this lack of an event could provide additional assurance to some of Family Radio’s followers that the May 21st prediction will also be false (though there is much more proof that May 21, 2011 for the return of Jesus is false than there is for a lack of a worldwide catastrophe yesterday).

Now what got me to write this post today is that our middle son Brian showed me an advertisement (which was on an NBC news website) that promotes Harold Camping’s Family Radio and claims that the Bible guarantees that May 21, 2011 is Judgment Day.  This is utter nonsense.

The one guarantee related to that date from the Bible is that if the Bible is true (and it is) that May 21, 2011 cannot possibly be the Judgment Day and the day of the return of Jesus Christ as Harold Camping and his followers claim.  They may cause the way of truth to be blasphemed as happened before because of Harold Camping’s original insistence that the Judgment Day/return of Jesus was on September 6, 1994 (which of course did not happen).  Notice some scriptures that seem to apply here:

22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. (Deuteronomy 18:22).

1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. (2 Peter 2:1-3).

Notice that the word of God promises judgment against the false teachers.  All who claim that the Bible guarantees May 21, 2011 are false teachers, and thus are subject to that judgment.

Despite Harold Camping’s writings indicating that the Great Tribulation began in 1988, it has not began yet (see also Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2011, 2012, or 2013? ). Furthermore, the heavenly signs that Jesus claimed would precede His return simply have not happened (Matthew 24, Luke 21). All who believe that Jesus will return on May 21, 2011 need to notice that those “signs of the times” (cf. Matthew 16:3) have not yet manifested themselves and Jesus is not coming on Saturday.

The iniquity of false prophets such as Harold Camping and others will turn various people off about prophecy (Ronald Weinland also comes to mind). More will feel comfortable being scoffers. And this rise of scoffers who will not believe in prophecy is also foretold in the Bible by the Apostle Peter:

1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (2 Peter 3:1-7, NKJV)

Because people like Family Radio supporters are insisting that the Bible guarantees that Harold Camping’s date is right, sadly I believe that they are feeding right into scoffers who will use the error of May 21, 2011 against those of us who sincerely believe and understand Bible prophecy.  And when the true servants of God claim that certain events are fulfilling or are about to fulfill biblical prophecy, they will tend to discount the truth and influence others to ignore it as well.

Of course, Jesus will return. And we are to look forward to His return as the Apostle Peter wrote. Jesus will return no earlier than 2018 (and probably later) as certain biblically-required steps have not yet happened (Daniel 9:27; cf. Matthew 24:15,21,29-30).  According to the Bible, it guarantees that Jesus cannot and will not return on May 21, 2011.  Those calling for the Judgment Day to be May 21, 2011 will bring judgment upon themselves.

Those who are interested in the truth about Harold Camping, Ronald Weinland (who even claims to be one of the two witnesses), Mayan prophecies, and when the Bible shows that Jesus can return, may wish to study the following articles:

Harold Camping’s Teachings About the End of the World Do Not Agree with the Bible Harold Camping teaches that the rapture will be on May 21, 2011 and the world will end on October 21, 2011. What does the Bible show?
What is the Appropriate Form of Biblical Interpretation? Should the Bible be literally understood? What do the writings of the Bible, Origen, Herbert W. Armstrong, and Augustine show?
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–here is some of why you should be concerned about them.
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory.
Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected? What does the Bible really teach? Does the Church flee or is it taken up just prior to the great tribulation? Who really is left behind?
Concerns About Ronald Weinland’s Church of God-Preparing for the Kingdom of God Ronald Weinland falsely claims to be one of the two witnesses God is raising up and that the end will come in 2008 (first April 17th, then June 2008, now December 14, 2008). Why does the Bible show that Ron Weinland is a false prophet? He also has at least one other view that suggests that he is not part of the Church of God.
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2011, 2012, or 2013? 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?
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 the next pope be involved in 2012?
Who Are The Two Witnesses? What is their job? What does the Bible reveal? What has the Church of God taught on this subject? Might even Roman Catholic prophecies give some clues here?

EU Flag

COGwriter

In yesterday’s, TW News & Prophecy E-Zine, the Living Church of God (LCG) reported:

Brussels undermines democracy in Britain.

Britain just held a national referendum on revising the voting system for the House of Commons. But was this a pointless exercise?In this landmark referendum, voters overwhelming voted to keep the existing system. Proponents of the plan to change the voting system advocated for “a better form of democracy.” But according to noted columnist, Christopher Booker, “In no way did it address the real crisis of our politics, which is that any real semblance of democracy in how we are governed has all but drained away.” Booker continued with his sad commentary on the state of the nation in Britain, “For 40 years we have witnessed a mighty slow-motion coup d’état, whereby most of the laws which shape our lives are no longer made by elected politicians at all. The power has been handed over to a strange and barely comprehensible form of lawmaking, centred in Brussels but with tentacles stretching into every corner of our own bureaucracy” (Telegraph, May 7, 2011).

For several centuries Britain has ridden the “high places of the earth,” because God has kept promises He made to Abraham long ago (Genesis 22:17-18; Isaiah 58:14, KJV). However, due to her national sins, God is allowing Britain’s once-great power to be usurped by and distributed among nations and peoples who were once her enemies–just as Bible prophecies have long foretold (Deuteronomy 28:25, 32-33, 36, 45-48).

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The EU is also placing itself into “national” politics in other ways. Notice what LCG reported in a weekly update a while back:

Will Brussels Make Its Way into National Parliament Sessions? A recent EU proposal suggested allowing EU Members of Parliament to “sit in on” at least one parliamentary session annually in their own nations—basically as advisors. The thought is that they can help national leaders better understand what is transpiring with the EU. Although this might sound helpful on the surface, many are concerned that allowing “unelected officials” to participate in national law-making sessions is dangerous and just another step by the EU to control internal affairs of EU member nations. One British politician, reacting to the potential of the British government backing such an option, put it this way: “Those whose job it is to guard our rights in Westminster seem to be sleepwalking into oblivion” (Mail Online, December 26, 2009). God revealed long ago that, at the time of the end, the “kingdoms” that will comprise the Beast power would willingly “give their power” over to the Beast (Revelation 17:12-13)—perhaps in some type of tradeoff for a high level of authority within the Beast’s governmental structure. Prophecy appears to be speeding up and events are occurring that are bringing about the formation of a powerful entity within Europe. It is remarkable how easily and quickly a centralized European government has acquired the trust and authority over so many nations—without applying much pressure at all!

Slowly, EU politicians and institutions are rendering more and more “national” decisions of no real relevance. This is an incredible process that is occurring and it will all come together for biblical prophecy to be fulfilled. The “beast-power” is being formed in the 21st century–the final King of the North will soon rise up and be revealed.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

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 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?
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?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people?

James and Ellen White

COGwriter

James and Ellen White established the Seventh-day Adventist church.  What many modern SDAs do not seem to realize is that they were not trinitarian then. The SDAs held what is sometimes called a binitarian or Semi-Arian view of the Godhead.

As the SDAs were temporarily in some type of confederation with the old Church of God, it makes sense that both groups held similar ideas on the Godhead.

Notice, for an example, something Ellen White and SDA pioneer J. Waggoner wrote about Jesus:

Jesus Christ laid off His royal robe, His kingly crown, and clothed His divinity with humanity, in order to become a substitute and surety for humanity, that dying in humanity, He might by His death destroy him who had the power of death. He could not have done this as God, but by coming as man, Christ could die. (Ellen G. White, Letter 97, page 5. To “My Brethren in North Fitzroy,” November 18, 1898, Manuscript No. 10, MR No. 812)

Of course we cannot believe what men say about his being equal with God in every respect, and that the Divine Son of God could not suffer nor die.” These are mere human words. (J. H. Waggoner, Review and Herald, November 10th 1863, ‘The Atonement part II’)

The above is consistent with the Semi-Arian/binitarian view that we in the Living Church of God hold.

Additionally, originally Ellen White had positions on the Holy Spirit that were quite close to those held by the late Herbert W. Armstrong. Notice what Ellen White’s statements about the Holy Spirit suggest (note one from an SDA background provided me the following statements including the source cited):

The Spirit is freely given us of God if we will appreciate and accept it. And what is it? The representative of Jesus Christ. It is to be our constant helper. It is through the Spirit that Christ fulfills the promise, “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life”. (The bell is sounding for morning worship, I must stop here) (1888 Materials, pp. 1538, 1539, Letter to S. N. Haskell, May 30, 1896).

The church members need to know from experience what the Holy Spirit will do for them. It will bless the receiver, and make him a blessing. It is sad that every soul is not praying for the vital breath of the Spirit, for we are ready to die if it breath not on us.

We are to pray for the impartation of the Spirit as the remedy for sin-sick souls. The church needs to be converted, and why should we not prostrate ourselves at the throne of grace, as representatives of the church, and from a broken heart and contrite spirit make earnest supplication that the Holy Spirit shall be poured out upon us from on high? Let us pray that when it shall be graciously bestowed, our cold hearts may be revived, and we may have discernment to understand that it is from God, and receive it with joy. Some have treated the Spirit as an unwelcome guest, refusing to receive the rich gift, refusing to acknowledge it, turning from it, and condemning it as fanaticism. When the Holy Spirit works the human agent, it does not ask us in what way it shall operate. Often it moves in unexpected ways. Christ did not come as the Jews expected. He did not come in a manner to glorify them as a nation. His forerunner came to prepare the way for him by calling upon the people to repent of their sins and be converted, and be baptized. Christ’s message was, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand; repent ye and believe the gospel.” The Jews refused to receive Christ, because he did not come in accordance with their expectations (Ibid., p. 1540).

And Jesus said He would give us the Comforter. What is the Comforter? It is the Holy Spirit of God. What is the Holy Spirit? It is the representative of Jesus Christ, it is our Advocate that stands by our side and places our petitions before the Father all fragrant with His merits (Reflecting Christ, p. 285).

The Lord would have every one of His children rich in faith, and this faith is the fruit of the working of the Holy Spirit upon the mind. It dwells with each soul who will receive it, speaking to the impenitent in words of warning, and pointing them to Jesus, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. It causes light to shine into the minds of those who are seeking to co-operate with God, giving them efficiency and wisdom to do His work (Signs of the Times, September 27, 1899).

Like, Herbert W. Armstrong, Mrs. White realized that the Holy Spirit was not a person. They both referred to the Holy Spirit as “it”.

However, it is claimed that Ellen White changed her position in later years (some SDAs dispute that and say she did not change).    Interestingly that last statement from Mrs. White was edited by someone and reprinted as follows (according to my same source):

The Lord would have every one of His children rich in faith, and this faith is the fruit of the working of the Holy Spirit upon the mind. He dwells with each soul who will receive Him, speaking to the impenitent in words of warning, and pointing them to Jesus, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. He causes light to shine into the minds of those who are seeking to cooperate with God, giving them efficiency and wisdom to do His work (Ye Shall Receive Power, p. 59, 1995).

Hence, those who believe that they are relying on her original writings need to be very careful.

Notice what James White (the husband of Ellen White) wrote:

The Father is the greatest…The Son is next in authority…The inexplicable Trinity that makes the godhead three in one and one in three, is bad enough…(Quoted in Wiebe E. Who Is the Adventist Jesus? Published by Xulon Press, 2005, p. 167).

…the Trinity does away with the personality of God…(ibid, p. 88).

The greatest fault we can find in the Reformers is, the Reformers stopped reforming. Had they gone on, and onward, till they had left the last vestige of the Papacy behind such as the natural immortality, sprinkling, the trinity, and Sundaykeeping, the church would now be free her unscriptural errors (Ibid, p. 89).

So James White considered the trinity to be in the same category as Sundaykeeping–do SDAs realize this?

Old time SDA literature was clearly anti-trinitarian.  Notice the following  from J. Waggoner

The inconsistencies of Trinitarians, which must be pointed out to free the Scripture doctrine of the Atonement from reproaches under which it has too long lain, are the necessary outgrowth of their system of theology. No matter how able are the writers to whom we shall refer, they could never free themselves from inconsistencies without correcting their theology…“To the contrary, the advocates of that doctrine really fall into the difficulty which they seem anxious to avoid. Their difficulty consists in this: They take the denial of a trinity to be equivalent to a denial of the divinity of Christ. Were that the case, we should cling to the doctrine of a trinity as tenaciously as any can; but it is not the case. They who have read our remarks on the death of the Son of God know that we firmly believe in the divinity of Christ; but we cannot accept the idea of a trinity, as it is held by Trinitarians, without giving up our claim on the dignity of the sacrifice made for our redemption. (J. H. Waggoner, ‘The Atonement in Light of Nature and Revelation’, 1884 Edition, chapter ‘Doctrine of a Trinity Subversive of the Atonement’)

SDA scholar, G. Pfandl, wrote this about the Semi-Arians and the trinity in SDA teachings:

A number of Adventist authors today who are opposed to the doctrine of the Trinity are trying to resurrect the views of our early pioneers on these issues. They are urging the church to forsake the “Roman doctrine” of the Trinity and to accept again the semi-Arian position of our pioneers…

J. N. Loughborough, in response to the question “What serious objection is there to the doctrine of the Trinity?” wrote, “There are many objections which we might urge, but on account of our limited space we shall reduce them to the three following: 1. It is contrary to common sense. 2. It is contrary to scripture. 3. Its origin is Pagan and fabulous”…

The rise of the Trinity doctrine in our church was the outworking of a slow process that occurred over many years. It was not imposed on the church arbitrarily; it evolved slowly from within. The first positive reference to the Trinity in Adventist literature appeared in the Bible Students’ Library series in 1892…

Most early Adventist pioneers were anti-Trinitarians… In 1931 the Adventist Yearbook contained a statement of twenty-two fundamental beliefs, one of which was the Trinity (Pfandl G. The Doctrine of the Trinity Among Seventh-day Adventists. Journal of the Adventist Theological Society, 17/1 (Spring 2006): 160–179).

Thus, those who are SDAs might wish to ask since their church changed so much in its view of the Godhead, if it truly was part of the original church, or if it is (as I have long contended) a breakaway group that lost many of its original faithful teachings.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

SDA/LCG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 The Living Church of God is NOT part of the Seventh-day Adventists. This article explains a few prophetic differences, the trinity, differences in approaching doctrine, including Ellen White.
Binitarian View: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning Is binitarianism the correct position? What about unitarianism or trinitarianism?
Did Early Christians Think the Holy Spirit Was A Separate Person in a Trinity? Or did they have a different view?
Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity? Most act like this is so, but is it?
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?

Devil	= Secret	+ Person	+ Garden

COGwriter

In today’s, TW News & Prophecy E-Zine, the Living Church of God (LCG) reports:

China’s growing influence.

In April, China posted an $11.4 billion trade surplus–up significantly from the previous three months, and far above the predicted $1 billion surplus. Imports and exports also rose significantly in April, over one year ago (Wall Street Journal, May 11, 2011). China also maintains over $3 trillion in foreign exchange reserves. Although China is wrestling with inflation, their workers’ salaries are rising, giving greater ability to purchase Chinese-made goods within China, and further fueling its economy.Experts suggest that Chinese inflation and rising labor costs within China will increase the prices of Chinese exports–primarily to the U.S. This, coupled with the falling dollar, will almost certainly result in increasing prices for American consumers who have greatly benefited from the artificially low prices of Chinese products for the last several decades (Wall Street Journal, May 9, 2011). As China’s influence on the world stage continues to increase, the basis for prosperity in many Israelite-descended nations (primarily the U.S. and Britain) continues to erode.

God warned long ago that the “borrower” would become a servant of the lender (Proverbs 22:7). As time continues, prophecies about the detrimental impact of foreign nations on the Israelite-descended peoples will continue to come to pass (Deuteronomy 28:25, 33, 43-44).

If you received this E-Zine from a friend and would like to begin receiving your own copy click here to sign up for free.

The reality is that much of what China itself appears to be doing is consistent with what the late Deng Xiaoping once expressed,

China must hide brightness and nourish obscurity . . . to bide our time and build up our capabilities (Source: Times Online).

China as been increasing its influence, and the Bible indicates it will have an important role in the end time.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 1: Genesis and Chinese Characters This article provides information showing that the Chinese peoples must have known about various accounts in the Book of Genesis up until their dispersion after the Tower of Babel.
China, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 2: The Sabbath and Some of God’s Witness in China When did Christianity first come to China? And is there early evidence that they observed the seventh day sabbath?
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for China? Is it a “King of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where?
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?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people?

A photostatic copy of a page from Ilustração Portugueza, October 29, 1917

COGWriter

Today is the Roman Catholic feast day for “Our Lady of Fatima”. On May 13, 1917, an apparition who did not initially give her name, began a series of monthly visits seen by three Portuguese children: Lucia, Jacinta, and Francisco. This culminated in some type of change in the sky on October 13, 1917 that many others reported about.  Every year, throngs of people visit Fatima this day because of it (others visit throughout the year, but the 13th of May and the 13th of October seem to be the most attended times).

In Fátima, Portugal, beginning on May 13, 1917, three children (Lúcia dos Santos, Jacinta Marto, and Francisco Marto) said they saw some type of female apparition once per month for several months.  The monthly appearances culminated in a visit where tens of thousands of people claimed to witness some type of miracle/change in the sky on October 13, 1917.  This apparition is now commonly referred to as the Lady or the Virgin of Fatima, and multiple millions believe it was Mary herself.

So, why pay attention to this?

There are at least three reasons:

1)      Some of the events claimed to have been predicted in 1917 (though not written down until years later) appear to have taken place. This has given the Fatima messages credibility even among those not part of the Catholic faith.

2)      The Fatima appearances, though not necessarily all the messages, have been accepted as legitimate by the Vatican.  As there are at least 1-2 billion people with at least some minimal ties with the Church of Rome, this means that a huge portion of the West (Europe and the Western Hemisphere), as well as people throughout the rest of the world, have reasons to pay attention to the Fatima.

3)      Some of the Fatima messages are claimed to still be for the future.  And whether people believe them or not, there will be repercussions from them.  Some of those repercussions will likely shock the world.   If you survive, you will likely be affected by these repercussions in the not too distant future.  This is mainly because of warnings in the Bible about a woman (Isaiah 47) that seems to have had a lot in common with the apparition that supposedly appeared nearly a century ago.

Pope Benedict said the following about Fatima last year:

…Our Lady of Fatima. Dearly beloved brothers and sisters, I too have come as a pilgrim to Fatima, to this “home” from which Mary chose to speak to us in modern times…

We would be mistaken to think that Fatima’s prophetic mission is complete…

Vatican Radio, May 13, 2010. http://www.oecumene.radiovaticana.org/en1/Articolo.asp?c=392469)

This suggests that the Pontiff believes that the message of Fatima still has future applicability (which is different than what he indicated when he wrote about it in June 2000).

Some of us who have reviewed differing accounts of the “third secret” of Fatima believe that there could be a part of the message from Fatima that has not been revealed.  Some Fatima supporters believe that the undisclosed part of the secret was that part of the Catholic Church would ultimately become unfaithful to it.  And this is to apparently coincide with an ecumenical leader who rise up, and be trusted by many (biblically known as The King of the North) along with an ecumenical pope who is expected to make changes to the Church. These leaders are alive today (see also Guttenberg holds military meeting in Berlin. Might he become the King of the North?). One is likely to be an antipope who will become the final Antichrist.

And while I (who have looked into Fatima extensively) do not believe that Mary of the Bible appeared there, it is possible that messages believed to have been given may affect the world in a few years.  And I hope to report more on that in the future.

For more information on Fatima and other mystic Catholic claims, please check out the following:

Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Apparitions Do you know much about Mary? Are the apparitions real? What happened at Fatima? What might they mean for the rise of the ecumenical religion of Antichrist? Are Protestants moving towards Mary? How do the Orthodox view Mary? How might Mary view her adorers?
Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies? People of all faiths may be surprised to see what various Roman and Orthodox Catholic prophets have been predicting as many of their predictions will be looked to in the 21st century.

“I will break the pride of your power” (Leviticus 26:19)

COGwriter

Inflation is starting to be noticed:,

Inflation rises at fastest rate since October 2008

CNN – Annalyn Censky – ‎13 May 2011

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Inflation accelerated to its fastest annual pace in two and a half years in April, as surging gas prices continued to hit American consumers.  The Consumer Price Index, the government’s key inflation measure, rose 3.2% over the last 12 months ended April 30, according to Friday’s report from the Labor Department. It was the biggest 12-month jump since October 2008.

It is not just the price of gasoline.

Imported goods, of which the USA gets a lot of, are starting to go up in price.  So are many foods.

The USA has taken so many steps the past three years to make its currency worth less and less, through debt, “quantitative easing”, and politically-motivated spending, that it pays no attentions to God’s warnings about cheapening the money supply:

4 Take away the dross from silver (Proverbs 25:4a).

22 Your silver has become dross, Your wine mixed with water.  (Isaiah 1:22)

25 I will turn My hand against you,
And thoroughly purge away your dross,
And take away all your alloy.  (Isaiah 1:25)

18 “Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; they are all bronze, tin, iron, and lead, in the midst of a furnace; they have become dross from silver. 19 Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Because you have all become dross, therefore behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. 20 As men gather silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into the midst of a furnace, to blow fire on it, to melt it; so I will gather you in My anger and in My fury, and I will leave you there and melt you. 21 Yes, I will gather you and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you shall be melted in its midst. 22 As silver is melted in the midst of a furnace, so shall you be melted in its midst; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have poured out My fury on you.’”  (Ezekiel 22:18-22)

The increased debt is what the USA is experiencing and will mostly likely continue to have happen. Yet, inflating its currency and turning it into watered down dross is not the answer.  Inflation will also likely result in skyrocketing interest rates which will bring the US government to its knees and trigger a response from those it has borrowed from.

Notice what God inspired the Prophet Habakkuk to write thousands of years ago:

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry…5 Indeed, because he transgresses by wine, He is a proud man… 6 “Will not all these take up a proverb against him, And a taunting riddle against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases What is not his–how long? And to him who loads himself with many pledges’? 7 Will not your creditors rise up suddenly? Will they not awaken who oppress you? And you will become their booty. 8 Because you have plundered many nations, All the remnant of the people shall plunder you (Habakkuk 2:3,5,6-8).

It is the the United States and its Anglo-allies (like the UK) that have loaded pledges of debt in these end times that they really do not expect to pay back–they are turning their currencies into dross. Deficit spending will cause bigger problems than even the experts who see it coming normally understand.

With the “sexual revolution” in the 1960s and dross silver,  a change from the USA being a creditor to debtor nation near the time of its Roe vs. Wade pro-abortion ruling, the debt started.  With other immorality increasing,  the rate of debt acceleration increased in the last three years.

Debt has risen, inflation is rising, in not too many years more painful Bible prophecies will be fulfilled.

Perhaps this is something to think about during these trying times?

To learn more, please check out the following articles:

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?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people?
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Are there biblical and non-biblical prophecies about Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist? This is a lengthy article with many prophecies that Barack Obama may end up fulfilling.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”. Might Bible prophecy be fulfilled by him?
The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold?
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?

Muslim Brotherhood
الإخوان المسلمون
Al-Ikhwān Al-Muslimūn

COGwriter

The situations in Egypt and the Middle East continue to be of prophetic interest:

Egypt Brotherhood member to run for presidency

Reuters – May 12, 2011

A senior member of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood said he would run for president as an independent, a move that could draw votes from backers of the Islamist group that has said it will not field a candidate…But Abdel Moneim Abul Futuh, a reformist leading member of the group, told Reuters: “I will run as an independent candidate in the coming presidential elections. I am not a member of any party now.” http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=220206

Now that Osama bin Laden is dead, the Arab World, and not just those who are part of the more extremist side of Islam, are looking for a leader.

And while Abdel Moneim Abul Futuh may or not be the one, the reality is that with all the unrest in the Middle East and North Africa, eventually the people in those countries will decide that the leadership that they end up with needs to be supportive of a pan-Arabic leader.

This, of course, is consistent with what the Muslim Brotherhood has long wanted. Notice what Wikipedia reports that the Muslim Brotherhood wants to accomplish:

In the group’s belief, the Quran and Sunnah constitute a perfect way of life and social and political organization that God has set out for man. Islamic governments must be based on this system and eventually unified in a Caliphate. The Muslim Brotherhood’s goal, as stated by Brotherhood founder Hassan al-Banna was to reclaim Islam’s manifest destiny, an empire, stretching from Spain to Indonesia.

Notice also the following:

The supreme office of caliph, originally elective, became hereditary…Eventually…caliphs became figurehead or “puppet” leaders…Many Arabs…seek to re-create the political and theological unity of the early Islamic caliphate (Stump K. The Arab World in Prophecy. Plain Truth, December 1979, pp. 9-10).

Today this pattern is repeating itself, as a “third wave” of leaders is sweeping across the Middle East. Rejecting both the capitalism of the West and the discredited Marxism of the former Soviet Union, these would-be “third wave” leaders have emphasized a fundamentalist brand of Islam that leaves no room for compromise. Looking back to the glory days of Arab conquest and dominance in the first centuries after Muhammad, they also dream of a pan-Arab union. This will not be a union under a monarch from one of the old Bedouin dynasties, or a secular-educated army officer turned dictator, but rather a new Caliph who will unify the Faithful under the banner of purified Islam. This, they reason, is the only way that Western influence can be expelled from their region, and that Israel can be subjugated…The yearnings across much of the Middle East for a new Saladin—one who will restore Arab glory by conquering the Jews and expelling Western influence—were foreseen by Bible prophecy. In Daniel 11:40, we read of a future “King of the South” who will ultimately “push at” a coming European superpower at the time of the end. This individual, called in Bible prophecy the King of the South because his center of power is south of Jerusalem, will undoubtedly be a charismatic person who will whip up much of the Muslim Middle East into a frenzy against Israel and Europe. (Ogwyn J. Conflict Over the “City of Peace”. Tomorrow’s World magazine, March-April 2002)

There are several historical and biblical reasons to consider that someone in Egypt would be the leader of such as pan-national Caliphate.

Furthermore, if the Muslim Brotherhood gets a lot of politicians in elected in Egypt (and it has a lot of candidates officially running for various positions, for some examples, see Muslim Brotherhood Trying for 1/2 of Egypt’s Parliament), it will likely build a power-base in Egypt that will influence other Islamic states (and that is already starting to happen).

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi? What does the Bible say?
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims?
Africa: Its Biblical Past and Prophesied Future What does the Bible teach about Africa and its future? Did the early Church reach Africa? Will God call all the Africans?
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
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.
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?

Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad (Source: Agência Brasil, Wikipedia)
بشار الأسد

COGwriter

Syria continues to deal with demonstrators with tanks:

By Massoud A. Derhally – May 12, 201

Syria’s government deployed tanks against demonstrators, boosting the death toll after almost two months of unrest, according to Syrian human-rights activists.

At least 24 protesters have been killed in the last two days, including 13 who died when the village of Hara outside the southern city of Daraa was shelled, Mahmoud Merhi of the Arab Organization for Human Rights said by phone from Syria today…

Tanks were headed toward the city of Hama, near Homs, Merhi said yesterday. Hama was the site of an Islamist-led uprising in 1982 that was crushed by President Bashar al-Assad’s father and predecessor, Hafez al-Assad, leaving 10,000 people dead. About 100 tanks are positioned along the 45-kilometer (28-mile) road between Homs and Hama, Qurabi said.  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-12/syria-death-toll-rises-as-tanks-are-used-to-kill-protesters-activists-say.html

The situation in the Middle East will likely be chaotic until a strong leader rises up in that region that will transcend current national boundaries.  No matter what the Syrian government attempts to do to stop this, an pan-Arabic confederation is going to form which will cross current national boundaries.

Those of us in the Living Church of God believe that Bible prophecy tells of a time when the Arab nations will unite under a leader shown as the final King of the South in the Book of Daniel (e.g. Daniel 11:40). Many Muslims seem to be looking for such a leader, though they tend to use the title Caliph or Mahdi.  We also believe that an Islamic confederation will take place that certain Europeans will support that will not turn out well for the Anglo-Israel descended peoples (Psalm 83).

Mosque in Damascus

Interestingly, at least two Islamic sources that I have found state that the Mahdi will end up being based in Damascus (the capital of Syria):

“Having done this his next step would be to proceed on to Damascus, where the bulk of the Nasara (Christian) forces along with the tribe of Kalb would be deployed, as was previously mentioned. In Damascus, the Imam will set up his headquarters. From here, he will conduct military operations against the enemies of Islam and defeats them (such as the ones in Jerusalem), and from here, he will rule.”

“The Mehdi will be very just and his capital will be Damascus. The Mehdi is NOT a prophet but he is the final Rightly Guided Khalifah. The Mehdi will lead Muslims to a great victory against the Sufyaani and the Romans. This great war or Armageddon…”

If the final King of the South ends up being based in Damascus, this may be part of the reason that it gets destroyed (Isaiah 17:1).  It is also possible that as an act of desperation, Syria will support Iran in a battle against Israel that probably will not turn out well for Syria.

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

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

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

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

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

But in the end, this European-Arab alliance will prove short-lived…And the king of the north shall come against him [the king of the south]…The Arab-Moslem Confederation will, of course, be thrown into chaotic disarray in the fact of invasion.

What is currently happening in Syria seems to aligning with the rise the leader of a pan-Arabic confederation that all should watch for.

Some 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? What does Islam teach about the Imam Mahdi?
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? Is he the Imam Mahdi? What does the Bible say?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch 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

The markets have been volatile:

Gold, silver tumble as dollar strengthens

Marketwatch – May 11, 2011

Gold and silver futures lost ground Wednesday, pressured by a rising dollar, as investors booked some profits after two days of gains for precious metals. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/gold-silver-futures-rise-in-electronic-trade-2011-05-11?link=MW_latest_news

Dollar in graver danger than the euro

Financial Times, London – May 11, 2011…

In the US, the day investors come to accept the reality that inflation, rather than fiscal discipline, is the path of least political resistance may be the day the bond market won’t be as forgiving. Unlike the eurozone, where consumers stopped spending and started saving a decade ago, the highly indebted US consumer may not be able to stomach higher interest rates. The large US current account deficit also makes the dollar more vulnerable to a misbehaving bond market than the eurozone.

In the medium term, we are far more concerned about risks to the US dollar than those posed by the Greek drama to the euro. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/451b5a2e-7bc3-11e0-9298-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=rss

As I have written, gold and silver can drop, but in the long run, the trend is for them to rise against the US dollar.  LCG’s Dr. Meredith has publicly stated that although the trend for the dollar is down, it will sometimes do better–but that in the long-run it will be basically worthless (during the time of Jacob’s trouble, Jeremiah 30:7; also known as the Great Tribulation, Matthew 24:21.

The Bible shows that Europe will be restructured (Revelation 17:12-13) and that the UK ultimately will be taken over (Jeremiah 30:7), along with the USA (cf. Daniel 11:39). It is likely that the UK will leave the EU prior to the prophesied restructuring in Revelation.

More and more investors are starting to realize that although commodities go up and down, that ultimately, the US dollar is a very risky bet.  And one that will cause those who bet in favor of it, to lose very big in a relatively few years.

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”? Using the Tower of Babel and “Beast” images suggests it is not concerned about its role as being part of the future Babylon of Bible prophecy.
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? What MUST happen BEFORE the Great Tribulation?
Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North? Is the German Defense Minister one to watch? What do Catholic, Byzantine, and biblical prophecies suggest?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach?
The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold?
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? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people?
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West?
Is Tony Blair Apocalyptic? The former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom converted to Catholicism shortly after leaving his office and has been active in European affairs. What role might he play?