Church of God News

COGwriter

There is a tentative budget deal once again that will not resolve the problem with the debt of the USA.  Instead, it basically wipes out some of the so-called savings and spending cuts from other budget deals:

January 14, 2014

Negotiators in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate have reached an agreement on a $1.1 trillion budget that would fund the federal government though September. The deal potentially prevents another government shutdown.

The deal was announced late Monday in a joint statement by Democratic Senator Barbara Mikulski, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and Republican Representative Harold Rogers, her counterpart in the Republican-controlled House.

The detailed spending plan is the result of an agreement reached in December between the House and Senate that would fund the federal government for the next two years. That agreement was crafted in the aftermath of a 16-day government shutdown back in October.

The new spending bill eliminates the deep automatic spending cuts, known as sequestration, that affected both domestic and military programs last year. The measure includes an extra $92 billion to fund overseas military operations, much of it for the ongoing war in Afghanistan. It also reverses a cut in pension payments to disabled military veterans and survivors…

Republicans failed to cut funding for the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama’s signature domestic legislation, although they managed to cut $1 billion from a public health fund established under the law.

The federal government is currently operating under a temporary spending bill that expires Wednesday. Lawmakers are expected to pass another short-term bill that would finance the government until the new comprehensive bill is approved by Congress and signed into law by Obama.  http://www.voanews.com/content/us-congress-agrees-on-2014-government-spending-bill/1829496.html

WASHINGTON (AP) — The sales job is on for a bipartisan $1.1 trillion spending bill that would pay for the operations of government through October and finally put to rest the bitter budget battles of last year.

The massive measure contains a dozens of trade-offs between Democrats and Republicans as it fleshes out the details of the budget deal that Congress passed last month. That pact gave relatively modest but much-sought relief to the Pentagon and domestic agencies after deep budget cuts last year.

The GOP-led House is slated to pass the 1,582-page bill Wednesday, though many tea party conservatives are sure to oppose it.

Democrats pleased with new money to educate preschoolers and build high-priority highway projects are likely to make up the difference even as Republican social conservatives fret about losing familiar battles over abortion policy…A conservative-backed initiative to block the Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gas emissions was dumped overboard and social conservatives failed to win new restrictions on abortion.  http://www.boston.com/business/news/2014/01/14/dozens-trade-offs-trillion-budget-bill/m8AyTLh3VtmMoytxXktpMJ/story.html

The purpose of this deal seems to be to have less budget ‘crises’ in 2014 than happened in 2013. Of course, this agreement does not solve the problems that the USA has. It simply kicks ‘the can’ (the debt ‘can’) further down the road, to use an American expression. In other words, this potential deal is delaying the inevitable, and in this case, it is helping to set the USA up for a major fall.

I found it of interest that abortion was mentioned as part of this.  I have been writing for some time that the USA has been increasing debt ever since it decided to become more accepting of the form of infant murder called abortion (there is also a YouTube video Abortion, the Bible, and US Debt.).  The proposed deal failed to get new restrictions on abortion and instead will end up increasing USA debt–much of which is getting financed by foreigners.

Regarding what is happening to sequestration with this deal, last February I reported that, “Sequestering is not the real solution to the US debt situation.” This predictive assessment of mine has been proven correct.

The reality is that something needs to be done, but the current proposed deal is not the real answer. The politicians are making it clear to me, at least, that it will take massive devastation and the return of Jesus for the needed solutions to be implemented here.

Biblically, these debt increases and budget issues are more dangerous than most in the USA realize. Notice what the Bible warns about those who increase debt in the end times:

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. Because of men’s blood And the violence of the land and the city, And of all who dwell in it. (Habakkuk 2:3,5,6-8).

The USA is in more debt than any country in the history of humanity.  This morning I looked at a debt list, and the USA not only was listed first, it was listed as holding about 33% of the entire government debt of all countries in the world.  Since the USA has less than 5% of the world’s population, proportionally, its debt is catastrophically high.  Furthermore, this does not include the trillions of debt that the USA created through a program known as quantitative easing (a form of ‘legal counterfeiting’ which results in ‘dishonest profits’), that other nations can not pull off to the degree that the USA has.  If that debt is also included, then the USA has between 35-40% of the world’s debt.

And this does not include other financial debts/risks such as derivatives (a financial scheme that could unravel the economy of the USA and plunge the world into economic disaster).  If derivatives are included, the USA may hold more debt than the rest of the world combined.  The Economist magazine reported that as of June 2011, the over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives market amounted to approximately $700 trillion, and the size of the market traded on exchanges totaled an additional $83 trillion (“Clear and Present Danger; Centrally cleared derivatives.(clearing houses)”. The Economist. 2012-04-12.)–this is a major risk that most do not even realize exists, and the USA and UK are major players in those markets.

Notice that the Prophet Ezekiel warned about days being numbered for those who make dishonest profits:

1 Moreover the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 2 “Now, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Yes, show her all her abominations! 3 Then say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “The city sheds blood in her own midst, that her time may come; and she makes idols within herself to defile herself. 4 You have become guilty by the blood which you have shed, and have defiled yourself with the idols which you have made. You have caused your days to draw near, and have come to the end of your years; therefore I have made you a reproach to the nations, and a mockery to all countries. 5 Those near and those far from you will mock you as infamous and full of tumult. (Ezekiel 22:1-5)

13 “Behold, therefore, I beat My fists at the dishonest profit which you have made, and at the bloodshed which has been in your midst. 14 Can your heart endure, or can your hands remain strong, in the days when I shall deal with you? I, the Lord, have spoken, and will do it.  15 I will scatter you among the nations, disperse you throughout the countries, and remove your filthiness completely from you. 16 You shall defile yourself in the sight of the nations; then you shall know that I am the Lord.”‘”

17 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 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.  (Ezekiel 22:13-19)

The USA is turning its currency into dross (dross is a cheapening of the money supply).  The USA’s uses of financial schemes such as quantitative easing and derivatives have resulted in ‘dishonest profits.’  Its ability to pass on some of the debt that the proposed new budget deal will create is another form of dishonest profits.

Despite biblical warnings, the USA continues to increase its debt. At some point in time, the USA will likely start to experience massive inflation and currency devaluation. And afterwards, its creditors will rise up (Habakkuk 2:7; cf. Ezekiel 22:13-16).

The realities of USA debt as well as policies of the Federal Reserve like “quantitative easing” are setting the stage for the absolute end of economic dominance by the U.S.A.–have no doubt about it (although there could be some major positive economic events before that happens).

While the Republicans and Democrats have often used this as a major partisan fight and sometimes treat this like a political game, the reality is that the rest of the world is also watching and is very disturbed by all of this.

The Europeans and others are realizing that the USA is losing its position of world leadership–and when it does, this will be the final “time of the Gentiles” that the Bible warns of (Ezekiel 30:2-3; Luke 21:23-24; Revelation 11:2). The leaders in the USA are causing the nation to err (cf. Isaiah 3:12; 9:16).

The policies and decisions in Washington, D.C. are helping to create the conditions for the upcoming European Beast power to fill the void in economic (and even military) leadership that the USA is in the process of making. The Europeans, and others, will watch what the politicians in the USA continue to do and realize that the USA simply does not have a political system that will allow it to lead the world economically for too much longer.

Change is coming, and in several years, those in the USA (as well as their Anglo-allies) will not like the change that is coming.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? You can also see a YouTube video sermon The Gospel of the Kingdom.
Abortion, the Bible, and a Woman’s Right to Choose Do you know what the Bible teaches on this? Has the Roman Catholic Church allowed abortions? What about the real Church of God? Some may also, or instead, wish to view the YouTube video Abortion, the Bible, and US Debt.
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? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
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? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.

COGwriter

Back in the old Radio Church of God (which became the old Worldwide Church of God) was an article by David Jon Hill that had the following:

Will YOU be Deceived by ANTICHRIST?

Events are plunging toward the eventful climax of Christ’s return. Will you recognize the REAL CHRIST when he returns?
by David Jon Hill…

Catholic Interest in ProphecyGod declares that the endtime pope will be a false prophet, yet the pope has never declared himself to be a prophet. When will he deceive the world into thinking that he foresees future events? What events will he foretell? How will these prophecies affect you? How can you keep from being deceived?

A recently published book reveals a startling Catholic interest in endtime prophecy. This book, together with tradition and the writings of some of the “early church Fathers,” brings to light an eye-opening preview of the false prophecies that are about to be preached!

Satan knows God’s general Plan. He has been at work in the minds of evil and deluded men throughout the ages to lay the groundwork of the GREAT DELUSION ! Though the vials of the wrath of God are poured out on sinful men, their impenitence remains–“AND THEY REPENTED NOT” (Rev. 16:9)…

Giant Rehabilitation Program

The “mop-up operation” that will follow the return of Christ, in which you may be employed, will be the greatest in all history!

It is difficult to realize the total chaos that will exist! The truth of your Bible revealed in the pages of Revelation is not just “apocalyptic writing”- but these revelations are from the Almighty God who foresaw this cnd of civilization and realized as He told us Himself in Matthew 24:22 that, “Except those days should be shortened, there should NO FLESH BE SAVED ALIVE!”

So let your mind dwell for a moment on the REALITY of this. Let the truth sink in! This will be a time such as the earth has NEVER FACED BEFORE.

No ships are plying the sea, no forests cover the mountainsides, no grass clothes the plains, whole islands have disappeared into the sea, mountain chains have been wrenched out of shape, peaks have become valleys and valleys have become plateaus. Even the earth itself is not circling the sun in its proper orbit, but reeling like a drunken man through the solar system!

In a situation such as this only those who have God’s Truth could be expected to be sane! “The public service of God shall be extinguished . . . at that time silver and gold shall be cast out in the streets, and none shall gather them; but all things shall be an offence” (Ibid. Hippolytus, section XXXIV).

The “public service,” the Catholic Mass, will not be allowed! Silver and gold won’t be worth anything to man, because you cannot buy God–only repentance will be worth anything in that day! “And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats!” (Isa. 2:19-20.)

The supreme government on earth is the Government of God. Christ Himself, with all of the saints born into His Kingdom with Him, and the multitudes of Israel coming out of captivity are abiding in peace at Jerusalem. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the NORTH COUNTRY, and from ALL COUNTRIES whither I had driven them: and they shall DWELL IN THEIR OWN LAND” (Jer. 23:5-8).

The first twenty-six verses of Jeremiah 31 repeat again the establishment of peace and God’s rule at Jerusalem over Israel and over His born-again Sons. Read it yourself!

During this same time, “He shall judge among many people, and rebuke STRONG NATIONS AFAR OFF; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Mic. 4:3).

Millennia1 Pioneers

Then, after a period of time-including the three and one-half years of the ministry of Jesus Christ which He has yet to finish as a personal ministry to Israel–those of us who are the born Sons of God and the physical seed of Israel will go forth from Jerusalem to establish government, peace and prosperity. The laws of God will be taught to all the peoples of the earth, beginning at Jerusalem. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast” (Jer. 31 :27).

When you come to them and say, “This is THE WAY, WALK YE IN IT!” (Isa. 30:21), when you begin to explain to them that the Christianity they have known is FALSE, that the Sabbath is the seventh day of the week-even when you are able to read the thoughts of their minds-it is STILL GOING TO SENSES! They will have been deceived ahead of time by a clever satanic-inspired prophecy. They will believe that you are teaching exactly these things which they have been told are false! Yes, believe it or not, Satan knows the Scripture-he TREMBLES AT GOD’S WORD BECAUSE HE KNOWS IT WILL COME TO PASS! And he will have tried his best, by his method of CONFUSING THE FACTS, to so deceive this last generation as to frustrate the Plan nf God in setting tip His government in the Millennium. Even though Satan himself is restrained at this time from further deceiving the nations, HE HAS BE DIFFICULT TO BRING THEM TO THEIR ALREADY DECEIVED THIS LAST GENERATION!

Listen to this satanic delusion: “Antichrist will be an iconoclast [against idols). Most of the world will adore him. He will teach that the Christian religion is false, confiscation of Christian property is legal, Saturday is to be observed instead of Sunday, and he will change the Ten Commandments [that is, restore them in their ORIGINAL FORM, including the declaration against idols). All his wonders could not be written in a book. They will be more wonderful than the Old and New Testaments! . . . he will read people’s minds, raise the dead, REWARD HIS FOLLOWERS AND PUNISH THE REST”! (Prophecy For Today; from Dionysius of Luxemberg, d. 1682.) AND, “. . . He will begin by affecting RESPECT FOR THE LAW OF MOSES’(’Ibid.; from Frederick William Faber, d. 1863).

The Pope’s Prophecy

Here we see in full the prophecies this endtime false prophet will preach. He will attribute Jesus Christ’s intervention in world affairs to the person and the workings of Antichrist!

Christ is the One who is AGAINST IDOLS! Christ is the One who will show how perverted this world’s “Christianity” has become-that it is a FALSE RELIGION! Christ is the Lord of the Old Testament whose day of worship is the seventh day, INSTEAD OF SUNDAY! CHRIST is the One who gave the Ten Commandments in their ORIGINAL FORM, and will restore them. CHRIST IS THE ONE WHO WILL RAISE THE DEAD AND REWARD HIS FOLLOWERS. . . HE IS GOD, AND THERE IS NONE LIKE HIM!

So we see here the diabolical plot hatched by this professed “Christian” leader. Here is the age-old attempt of Satan the Devil to arrogate to himself and to his deceived minions the OFFICE OF GOD; while he attributes the intervention of the True Christ in his returning glory to the PERSON AND ACTION OF ANTICHRIST!

This charges the office and work of the Holy Spirit as having its origin as a WORK OF THE DEVIL, AND CONSTITUTES UNPARDONABLE SIN!

These diabolical thoughts, ensconced in the fear-ridden minds of completely deceived human beings, WILL BE DIFFICULT TO DISLODGE! You will need all the power God bestows on you as His born son to do the job He will give you to do.

Peace At Last!

Egypt is an example of all the nations who refuse to come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles, to recognize God as the Ruler of the earth. Then we see the last rebellion put down as those from the far corners of the earth up in Siberia, and in the provinces of China-the farthest spot on earth from Jerusalem-will swoop down upon in a vain effort to take away the great riches that God has bestowed on His peace-loving people. A thousand years of peace and prosperity, health and happiness stretch beyond that time that cannot be imagined in your mind.

And think of it, brethren, YOU have been called to help God bring His peace to this earth! You are offered a sonship in the Kingdom of God to teach other people how to become God ! By overcoming yourself daily. By getting close to God in prayer and Bible study. By learning how to live yourself. By setting a Christian example in overmming the petty sins that weight you down.

As one last illustration of the reality of this fact please turn to Isaiah 19, and begin reading in Verse 16, “In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he shaketh over it. . . In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, BLESSED BE EGYPT MY PEOPLE, AND ASSYRIA THE WORK OF MY HANDS, AND ISRAEL MINE INHERITANCE!” (Isa. 19:23-25.)

This is real, brethren, and you need to realize it!

THE REWARD OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS NOT ETERNAL RETIREMENT, BUT A REAL, DOWN-TO-EARTH, 24 – HOUR – A – DAY JOB. . . . EMPLOYMENT FOR ETERNITY, JOYFUL WORK!

David Jon Hill in that article, as well as one three years prior, made it clear that part of Satan’s plan is laid out in non-biblical prophecies and that God’s people will need to know how to deal with those that will be misled about them. This is part of why various prophetic sources are referred to at COGwriter. Christians are not to be ignorant of Satan’s devices (2 Corinthians 2:11) and “doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1) will affect many in the end times.

From Elijah denouncing the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:19-40) to Jeremiah denouncing the prophecies of the falsely claimed “Queen of Heaven” (Jeremiah 44:17-25) to realizing how the 21st century will be affected by false prophets, God’s spokesmen have had to deal with those who wanted to believe false prophecies more than the God of the Bible. Perhaps if more realize this now, some additional ones will have the “love of the truth” (2 Thessalonians 2:10) and be spared from falling for the deception that will come from false prophets and those who believe false prophecies.

I would add that while certain Catholic prophecies suggest that the Antichrist will be a pope (or, perhaps more properly, antipope as he will not truly believe the Roman Catholic faith), that others misidentify that Antichrist as Jesus and several of those are in this article by David Jon Hill.

Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey

COGwriter

Turkey tends to make the news with issues related to the European Union (EU), Syria, the USA, and the Islamic world.

It was in the news today, because of its military exports:

January 13, 2014

Turkey’s defense exports totaled $1.4 billion in 2013, marking a 10 percent rise from the previous year, Turkey’s Defense and Aerospace Industry Exporters’ Association (SSİ) has said.

“While the country’s overall exports saw a stagnant year in 2013, defense and aerospace exports witnessed remarkable progress,” SSİ head Latif Aral Aliş was quoted as saying in a statement released by the association.

Aliş recalled that Turkey’s defense exports had seen a 43 percent increase from 2008 to 2012, during which time one-third of total production was exported. He said the sector’s 2014 objective was to reach $2 billion, with a 44 percent rise.  http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkeys-defense-exports-up-10-percent-to-14-mln.aspx?pageID=238&nID=60922&NewsCatID=345

Turkey has had problems, recently, including governmental ones.  Selling more weapons is not the solution, but seems to be an objective.

Here are a couple of other items in the news related to Turkey:

Janaury 13, 2014

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party has put forward a legislative proposal allowing the transport and communications minister to block sites deemed to infringe on privacy. The bill would also compel internet service providers to keep users’ surfing information and restrict their access to proxy servers. With a corruption probe instigated by Erdogan’s rivals getting ever closer to his inner circle and family, the prime minister’s reaction is to strengthen censorship and purge the police force of potentially disloyal officers. Erdogan’s dictatorial leanings are getting stronger under threat.  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-13/bershidsky-on-europe-turkey-curbs-internet-.html

January 13, 2014

The European Union has made a formal request to Ankara asking to be consulted on the controversial judicial bill on the Parliament’s agenda for ensuring that it is in line with EU legislation.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Füle said via Twitter that he “asked [Turkish] authorities to consult relevant amendments to laws before adoption to make sure they’re in line with principles of EU legislation.”  http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/brussels-asks-turkey-to-be-consulted-to-ensure-judicial-bill-in-line-with-eu-legislation.aspx?pageID=238&nID=60960&NewsCatID=351

Turkey, of course, should not ‘liberalize’ abortion laws to suit the EU, but since it wants closer ties to the EU, it may well do so.

Does the Bible give clues to the ancient identity of the the Turkish peoples? What roles will Turkey play according to prophecy?

As far as Turkish origins go, in the Bible, Isaac’s son Esau, received a particular blessing, and became the father of the Edomites:

38 And Esau said to his father, “Have you only one blessing, my father? Bless me — me also, O my father!” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept. 39 Then Isaac his father answered and said to him: “Behold, your dwelling shall be of the fatness of the earth, And of the dew of heaven from above. 40 By your sword you shall live, And you shall serve your brother; And it shall come to pass, when you become restless, That you shall break his yoke from your neck.” (Genesis 27:38-40).

8. Esau is Edom. 9…Esau the father of the Edomites (Genesis 36:8-9).

And Esau’s brother was Jacob, was later known as Israel (Genesis 32:28). The part about breaking his brother Jacob’s yoke from the neck happened centuries years ago, but the blessing of greatness for the descendants of Esau seems to have been fulfilled with the Ottoman Empire. For centuries, from the fifteenth until the early 20th (World War I), the Ottoman Empire ruled much of the Middle East and even parts of Europe.

Although for a while it was an Israeli ally, Turkey has lately seemed somewhat anti-Israel in a lot of its policies.  And while its relationship with the EU also seems to be a bit more strained recently, this does not mean that it will remain that way.

My wife and I have been to Turkey on three occasions and really have enjoyed it and the Turkish people.  When we discussed the EU with some Turks, basically we were told that the average Turk had little interest in the EU, but some of the political leaders were determined to move in that direction.

Notice also the following:

21 Sept 2013

Turkey ‘will probably never be EU member’

Turkey will probably never become a member of the European Union because of stiff opposition and “prejudiced” attitudes from current members, a senior Turkish minister has admitted. (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/turkey/10325218/Turkey-will-probably-never-be-EU-member.html viewed 09/23/13)

The above leader (Egemen Bagis, minister for European Union) indicated, however, that Turkey may end with a relationship to the EU similar to Norway.

Since the current leadership of Turkey seems a little less pro-Western lately, it may be that little will happen with Turkey as far as being a nation to fully join the EU for some time. (More on Turkey can also be found in the video What Should You Know About Turkey in Prophecy.)

An alliance involving Arab, Turkish, and European nations will make a destructive deal:

3 They have taken crafty counsel against Your people, And consulted together against Your sheltered ones. 4 They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” 5 For they have consulted together with one consent; They form a confederacy against You: 6 The tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites; Moab and the Hagrites; 7 Gebal, Ammon, and Amalek; Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre; 8 Assyria also has joined with them; They have helped the children of Lot. (Psalms 83:3-8)

Notice that the Bible indicates that the Turks (who are not Arabs, but seem to be Edom in scripture) will make a deal with the rising European power (Assyria above), along with the Arabs and Turkey (Psalm 83). But since Edom seems to escape what happens to the King of the South in Daniel 11:40-43, despite a deal with the Arabs, Turkey is apparently not a going to be a strong supporter of the final King of the South for very long.  But apparently it will be for a short while.

Notice also the following:

7 Remember, O Lord, against the sons of Edom
The day of Jerusalem,
Who said, “Raze it, raze it,
To its very foundation!”

8 O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed,
Happy the one who repays you as you have served us!
9 Happy the one who takes and dashes
Your little ones against the rock! (Psalms 137:7-9)

Notice that Edom wants Jerusalem destroyed (consistent with its desires in Psalm 83) and that it is considered part of the “daughter of Babylon”, which is also a term that seems to also represent the compromised religious Beast power (cf. Isaiah 47:1,8; Revelation 18:1-8; Zechariah 2:6-7).  And Turkey apparently will help with and encourage the destruction of Jerusalem/Judea (also captives from that area will apparently be sent to Turkey per Amos 1:6,9).  And while it could do that from an Islamic perspective, since the Bible tells of the King of the North entering Jerusalem and causing abominations (Daniel 11:31), it may be more supporting the King of North with its attitude and not just the King of the South.

Perhaps it should be mentioned that there are many Catholic prophecies that indicate that the Turks will become Catholic:

Dionysius of Luxemberg (died 1682): With divine assistance this ruler will not only lead erring souls back to the true Faith but also deal a heavy blow to the foes of the empire; the Turks, to take away their empire and restore it to Christianity (Connor E. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, p.84).

Blessed Anna Maria Taigi (died 1837): Millions of men would die by the sword in war and civil strife, other millions would perish in unforeseen death. Then entire nations would return to the unity of the Church, and many Turks, Pagans and Jews would be converted and their fervour cover with confusion the original Christians. In one word she told me that our Lord was intending to cleanse the world and His Church… (Bessieres A. Wife, Mother and Mystic (Blessed Anna Maria Taigi). Nihil Obstat: Carlos Davis, S.T.L. Imprimatur: E Morrough Bernard, Westmonasteri, die Februari, 1952. Reprint TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1982, p. 166).

Old Saxon Prophecy. “The seven-headed city, now more admirable than Jerusalem, shall be a place more desolate than Jerusalem. The Dog shall enter Germany but shall afterwards forsake his master and choose for himself a new man, whereby Scripture shall be fulfilled. This Dog shall signify the Turk which shall forsake his Mohammed and choose unto him the name Christian…But after all these things the end of the world shall approach, and there shall be heavey and pitiful days.”

Comment: The seven-headed city is probably Rome…(the comment is from Dupont personally, Dupont Y. Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973, pp.23-24)

Venerable Bartholomew Holzhauser: All heresies shall be banished…the Turkish Empire shall be broken up, and all nations shall come to and worship their God in the true Catholic and Roman faith (Rossi, G. THE CHRISTIAN TRUMPET, OR, Previsions and Predictions about Impending General Calamities, The Universal Triumph of the Church, The Coming of Antichrist, The Last Judgment, and The End of the World. Compiled by PELLEGRINO [Gaudentius Rossi], A Missionary Priest with Superior’s permission. Boston, THOS. B. NOONAND & CO., 1873, p. 121)

Brother Louis Rocco (19th century): In Istanbul (Constantinople) the Cross will replace the half-moon of Islamism…the Turks…will subsequently embrace the Catholic faith. (Dupont, p.76)

Thus, even though it may not always have the best relations, Catholic prophecy indicates that Turkey will ultimately align with the coming compromised “Catholic” beast power. This is likely to happen around the time the King of the North, who is a prince first (cf. Daniel 9:26-27; Ezekiel 32:29-30) eliminates the King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43)–as this is when the Islamic “Mahdi’s” forces will apparently be defeated.

Interestingly, notice the following Catholic prophecy about betrayal:

Nostradamus: The Great Arab shall progress well forward, But betrayed shall be by the Byzantines. (Turks).

Comment on above from Catholic writer Yves Dupont: Here, we are told that Turkey will break its faith with the rest of the Arab world. (Dupont, Yves. Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973, p. 107).

The “Great Arab” is probably supposed to represent the Mahdi/Caliph, the final King of the South. The Turks currently control Byzantium and have for many centuries. Hence, Catholic prophecy indicates that Turkey will betray the Islamic Arabic power. In the Bible, Daniel 11:25-26 is quite clear that an ally of the King of the South will betray the King of the South:

25 “He shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South with a great army. And the king of the South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand, for they shall devise plans against him. 26 Yes, those who eat of the portion of his delicacies shall destroy him; his army shall be swept away, and many shall fall down slain. (Daniel 11:25-26)

If Daniel 11:25-26 has future fulfillment (and as it seems to parallel Daniel 11:40-43 it may), it would seem that there will be close allies (like Turkey) that will betray the King of the South according to scripture as well.

Probably sometime after this, Islamic Asian nations, like Indonesia, will likely align with China and others in Asia and turn against the Europeans (for details, see Asia in Prophecy).

It may be of interest to note that there is an annual celebration for Mary in the area near Ephesus (in Turkey) that Islamic Turks put on and participate in.   The name of Mary (or Miriam/Maryam/etc. depending on the translated spelling) is mentioned more times in the Qur’an than Jesus’ is (I have read many passages in it about her).  And while some may think that Islamic interest in Mary is odd, notice also the following:

In the Koran, the holy name of the Blessed Virgin Mary is mentioned no less than thirty times. No other woman’s name is even mentioned, not even that of Mohammed’s daughter, Fatima. Among men, only Abraham, Moses, and Noah are mentioned more times than Our Lady…Make no mistake about it, there is a very special relationship between the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Moslems!  (Cizik LJ Priest.  OUR LADY AND ISLAM: HEAVEN’S PEACE PLAN.  Soul Magazine.  September – October 2001, © 2001 The Blue Army of Our Lady of Fatima, U.S.A., Inc.,  page 6 http://www.ewtn.com/library/mary/olislam.htm viewed 11/02/10)

Because of Islamic fascination with Mary, it is possible that an apparition claiming to be Mary might appear in Turkey and/or elsewhere (see also Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Apparitions).

Perhaps I should add that ever since the Turks took over Constantinople (now called Istanbul) in the 15th century, Eastern Orthodox Catholics have believed that Istanbul would once again embrace their religion (and likely it will embrace some version of it for a short while per Revelation 13:3-4,8).

The Bible indicates that Turkey will suffer mightily for some of its actions, including apparently how it will help destroy the Jewish nation of Israel (perhaps as venegance for what Israel might do if Iran attacks it–which is something that I have suspected in the past):

12 ‘Thus says the Lord God: “Because of what Edom did against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has greatly offended by avenging itself on them,” 13 therefore thus says the Lord God: “I will also stretch out My hand against Edom, cut off man and beast from it, and make it desolate from Teman; Dedan shall fall by the sword. 14 I will lay My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel, that they may do in Edom according to My anger and according to My fury; and they shall know My vengeance,” says the Lord God. (Ezekiel 25:12-14)

15 As you rejoiced because the inheritance of the house of Israel was desolate, so I will do to you; you shall be desolate, O Mount Seir, as well as all of Edom — all of it! Then they shall know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 35:15)

19 “Egypt shall be a desolation,
And Edom a desolate wilderness,
Because of violence against the people of Judah,
For they have shed innocent blood in their land. (Joel 3:19)

11 Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Edom, and for four,
I will not turn away its punishment,
Because he pursued his brother with the sword,
And cast off all pity;
His anger tore perpetually,
And he kept his wrath forever. (Amos 1:11)

8 “Will I not in that day,” says the Lord,”Even destroy the wise men from Edom, And understanding from the mountains of Esau? 9 Then your mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed, To the end that everyone from the mountains of Esau
May be cut off by slaughter.
10 “For violence against your brother Jacob, Shame shall cover you, And you shall be cut off forever. 11 In the day that you stood on the other side— In the day that strangers carried captive his forces, When foreigners entered his gates
And cast lots for Jerusalem— Even you were as one of them. (Obadiah 8-11)

17 “Edom also shall be an astonishment;
Everyone who goes by it will be astonished
And will hiss at all its plagues.
18 As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah
And their neighbors,” says the Lord,
“No one shall remain there,
Nor shall a son of man dwell in it. (Jeremiah 49:17-18)

Though, like others, salvation will be available to the Turks. But apparently because of how the Turks are expected to betray Israel, God has a special punishment first.

Until then, we should expect to see that Turkey will try to make arrangements with both the rising European power (which may also have setbacks of its own) as well as a coming block of Arabic and Middle Eastern nations.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

What Should You Know About Turkey in Prophecy Do you know the Turkish people descended from? Did the Ottoman Empire possibly fulfill a promise in Genesis? Will Turkey support the European King of the North or Arabic King of the South? Will it betray one of them? Will Turkey be involved in the encouraging the destruction of Israel? Is Turkey going to become Catholic? Is Turkey mentioned in Psalm 83, Daniel 11, and elsewhere in the Bible? This video provides answers.
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
Abortion, the Bible, and a Woman’s Right to Choose Do you know what the Bible teaches on this? Has the Roman Catholic Church allowed abortions? What about the real Church of God? Some may also, or instead, wish to view the YouTube video Abortion, the Bible, and US Debt.
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? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.

COGwriter

Pope Francis has announced many news leaders for the Vatican and Church of Rome:

January 13, 2014

WASHINGTON — Pope Francis has made his first appointment of cardinals to advise him in leading the world’s one billion Roman Catholics. The pope used his weekly Sunday blessing at the Vatican to announce his selection of 19 cardinals, 16 of whom are eligible to vote for the next leader of the church.  Some observers think his selections reflect a desire to make the church’s top advisory body more representative of nations beyond Europe and North America…

The 16 cardinals the pope referred to are all under the age of 80, making them eligible to enter a conclave of 122 men who can elect a future pope. He appointed another three cardinals older than 80 to honorary positions.

The appointments are Francis’ first since he assumed the leadership of the church last March.

Philip Pullella, the Vatican correspondent for the Reuters news agency, said it is significant that only four of the new cardinal electors come from inside the Vatican bureaucracy.

“This is not surprising because Francis has said that he doesn’t want a Church made up of career diplomats or career priests or career cardinals, that the Church is around the world. So most of these are actually working archbishops who run big dioceses,” said Pullella.

Six of the new electors are Europeans – four from Italy, one from Britain and one from Germany. A seventh elector is a Canadian.  http://www.voanews.com/content/pope-appoints-cardinals-to-reflect-churchs-diversity/1828633.html

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis named his first batch of cardinals Sunday, choosing 19 men from around the world, including the developing nations of Haiti and Burkina Faso, in line with his belief the church must pay more attention to the poor.

But advocates for victims of sex abuse by Catholic clergy said they felt let down that Francis didn’t unequivocally embrace their calls that prelates who hadn’t made a clean break with past practices of covering up pedophile behavior never be promoted. http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/international/2014/01/pope_names_19_new_cardinals_focusing_on_the_poor

COGwriter

What is the Philadelphia remnant of the Church of God really all about?

Is it simply a group or corporation who thinks it follows the right rules?

While rules are important (cf. John 14:15; Matthew 23:23), what is most important?  Within 25 hours of the formation of the Continuing Church of God, I posted that it was really all about love.  The ‘give way’ of life.

According to the Jesus, the apostles, and the late Herbert W. Armstrong, and the Continuing Church of God, love is what is most important.

Notice some of what Mark recorded:

28 Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”

29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. 31 And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

32 So the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He. 33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” (Mark 12:28-34)

The importance of love is confirmed by many in the New Testament. Notice the following statement from the Apostle Paul:

13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Notice some passages written by the Apostle John:

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us.

20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. (1 John 4:7-21)

1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. (1 John 5:1-4)

The following is from Herbert Armstrong’s book The Mystery of the Ages:

True religion–God’s truth empowered with the love of God imparted by the Holy Spirit…JOY UNSPEAKABLE of knowing God and Jesus Christ–of knowing TRUTH–and the warmth of God’s divine LOVE!…

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”… And what was Jesus’ appearance? It was that of a human man, for he also was the Son of man…

Most important of all however is what is God’s nature–his CHARACTER–like? One cannot know what God is unless he know what his CHARACTER is!

THE CHARACTER of both God the Father and Christ the Son is that of spiritual holiness, righteousness and absolute perfection.

That character might be summed up in the one word LOVE, defined as an outflowing, loving concern. It is the way of giving, serving, helping, sharing, not the “GET” way.

It is the way devoid of coveting, lust and greed, vanity and selfishness, competition, strife, violence and destruction, envy and jealousy, resentment and bitterness…

God’s law is spiritual and can be summed up in one simple but all-inclusive word–love. His law for the guidance of human conduct is subdivided into the two great commandments, love toward God and love toward neighbor. These, in turn, are subdivided into the 10 Commandments. Jesus magnified this law by showing how its principle expands to cover virtually every possible human infraction…

Bear in mind the government of God is based on the LAW of God, which is the way of life of outflowing LOVE, cooperation, concern for the good of the governed…

Full comprehension of God’s LAW (his way of life) is imparted by God through the Holy Spirit. But the law of God requires action and performance, and LOVE is the fulfilling of God’s law (Rom. 13:10), and it can be fulfilled only by the love of and from God (Rom. 5:5)…

In the plagues God caused against Egypt, God was turning the Egyptian gods and objects of worship against them to show them that these were not gods. Even the plagues were sent in LOVE for the Egyptians…

A Christian must grow and develop in grace, spiritual knowledge and godly character… showing more love or outgoing concern toward others…

The very basic teaching, belief AND DOCTRINE OF God’s true Church therefore is based on the righteousness of and obedience to the law of God. That law is LOVE. But it is not human love. Human love cannot rise above the level of human self-centeredness. It must be “the love of God…shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy [Spirit]” (Rom. 5:5). Ancient Israel could not really obey God’s law–they could have kept it according to the strict letter of the law. But since love is the fulfilling of the law and they had only human self-centered love, they could not have kept the law according to the spirit–because the Holy Spirit had not yet been given.

This basic teaching includes, therefore, all the “fruits of the Holy Spirit”–love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, etc.

The teachings of God’s true Church are simply those of “living by every word” of the Holy Bible…

Men shall turn from the way of “get” to the way of “give”–God’s way of love.

A NEW CIVILIZATION shall now grip the earth!

Proclaiming that new civilization is to come and be based upon love is a major part of what the true gospel of the kingdom is all about.

The Apostle Paul referred to part of it in one place as “gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).

Now what does love have to do with the Philadelphia remnant? Notice the following passage:

1 Let brotherly love continue. (Hebrews 13:1)

The Greek word translated as “brotherly love” is the word Philadelphia. The writer of the Book of Hebrews may have been inspired by God to convey two concepts:

1. That brotherly love needs to continue amongst those who believe that they are Christian.
2. And perhaps that Philadelphia itself needs to continue, and it can do so, because of its emphasis on love.

It is important for all to realize that despite flaws of Christians, including those of us of the Philadelphia remnant, that love is what God’s way of life and His kingdom are really all about. And that spreading that message of love and all of God’s ways is what the Continuing Church of God wants to be about.

This message was subject the first service of the Continuing Church of God which was held a year ago on this date.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know? Does God actually have a plan for YOU personally? There is also a video titled What is the meaning of your life?
The Apostle Paul He was an apostle, early Christian leader, and wrote much of the New Testament.
The Apostle John He was an original apostle, early Christian leader, wrote the last four-five books of the Bible, and was the last of the original apostles to die.
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 who he was and how he should be viewed today.
What is the Gospel? True religion should be based upon the true gospel. What are some of the different gospels and where did they come from? Do you believe the true or a false gospel?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about?
The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like the beliefs held of the Continuing Church of God.
Overview: How Does the Church of God Agree and Disagree with Other Faiths Professing Christ? This overview answers that and explains what the Church of God basically stands for. In the appendices provides information about certain complaints and as well as an overview about many COG-related groups.
Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God.
La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios This is the Spanish website for the Continuing Church of God. URL is http://www.cdlidd.es
Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos This is the Philippines website Continuing Church of God. URL is www.pnind.ph
Paglalahad ng Mga Paniniwala ng Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos This is the Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God in Tagalog, the primary language of the Philippines. Here is a link to the first Tagalog edition of the Bible News Prophecy magazine: MGA BALITA NG PROPESIYA NG BIBLIYA January-March 2013 edition.
CCOG.ASIA We in the Continuing Church of God also have the url www.ccog.asia which has a focus on Asia and has various articles in Mandarin Chinese as well as some in English, with some in items in other Asian languages (like Korean) in progress that are intended to be added. 我们在继续神的教会也提供此网址 www.ccog.asia, 关注于亚洲并且有各种各样的中英文文章，其中一些用菲律宾语翻译的文章也正在进行中，准备添加到这个网站中。
CCOG.IN This is a website targeted towards those of Indian heritage. It has a link to an edited Hindi translation of The Mystery of the Ages and is expected to have more non-English language materials in the future.
CCOG.EU This is a website targeted toward Europe. It has materials in more than one language (currently it has English, Dutch, and Serbian, with links also to Spanish) and it is intended to have additional language materials added.
Why Bob Thiel Left the Living Church of God Several have speculated reasons, but here is the truth. (En el idioma español: ¿Por qué Bob Thiel dejó la Iglesia del Dios Viviente?)

Viviane Reding (photo by Вени Марковски)

COGwriter

There is another call for a “United States of Europe”:

Now, that idea that the nation state is over was something that EU President Herman Van Rompuy declared back in 2010 (see EU President Declares End of Nation State), so Commissioner Reding seems to be following his lead somewhat.

However in May of 2012, Herman Van Rompuy also made the following statements:

The European Union will never become the United States of Europe…We have a special identity in each of our member states and a very specific situation due to our history but what we have to do is to create every time we can, and a crisis period is a very fruitful period for this. Unfortunately, we have to create more Europe, more European integration. http://www.euronews.com/2012/05/09/herman-van-rompuy-the-eu-will-never-become-the-united-states-of-europe/

So, either Herman Van Rompuy felt that way then or only said it to try to placate critics.  Although I was a little surprised he used the term “Unfortunately,” others seem to think that is the plan. Notice what a British member of the EU Parliament, Nigel Farage stated around the same time:

“It’s astonishing. I mean the European Parliament meets tomorrow, and there is a debate about the emergency. Would you believe it, that Mr. Barroso, the President of the Commission, and my old mate Herman van Rumpuy, the European President, are both not going to be there because they have previous engagements? Even if they do have previous engagements, surely nothing could be more important than to come before the one representative assembly for half a billion people here in Europe. It looks as though these guys are hiding in their bunkers, pretending it’s not happening. What these guys in the EU are going to try to do is, as this crisis gets worse and descends, there will be an attempt at some point in the next few months for them to set up something that will be very like a dictatorship. I’m not sure now, with the public mood, that they will get away with it … the similarities (to the 30s) are really rather chilling.” http://kingworldnews.com/kingworldnews/KWN_DailyWeb/Entries/2012/5/8_Nigel_Farage_-_There_Will_Be_an_Attempt_to_Install_a_Dictatorship.html

So, the EU’s President Herman Van Rompuy claimed that the EU will never become a United States of Europe, while British EU Parliament member Nigel Farage claims that the plan is to end up with a type of dictatorship. Now, Viviane Reding’s statements suggest that Nigel Farage was more correct.

As far as the idea of a “United States of Europe” goes, this is something that we in the Church of God have suspected would happen for many decades.

Even when Europe was still recovering from being devastated in World War II, after attending a conference related to the start of the UN, in the December 1948 issue of The Plain Truth Herbert W. Armstrong predicted a coming “United States of Europe” when he wrote:

It was the SERMON that shot forth that spark, impregnating the minds of world leaders in attendance. This amazing sermon was delivered by a foremost radio speaker of the Catholic Church, Bishop Duane G. Hunt of Salt Lake City…Without the guidance, supervision, authority of the Catholic Church, he told these men, they were laboring in vain…

This was the Roman Catholic bid to resurrect the so-called “HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE” ! And PROPHECY says they will succeed!…At the psychological time, the pope will step in… Thru this political movement, he will UNIFY…nations in Europe. It will be a “The UNITED STATES OF EUROPE,” but that probably will never become its official name.  (Armstrong HW. Now It Can Be Told…The Plain Truth, December 1948, pp. 2,5).

So, after a Catholic sermon, the idea became clear to various ones what the direction of Europe would be.

It should be noted that we in the COG did not limit this coming European empire to ten physical nations.  Notice also something else Herbert Armstrong wrote:

“And in the days of these kings…”–it is here speaking of the ten toes, part of iron and part of brittle clay. This, by connecting the prophecy with Daniel 7, and Revelation 13 and 17, is referring to the new UNITED STATES OF EUROPE that is now forming, out of the European Common Market, before your very eyes! Revelation 17:12 makes plain the detail that it shall be a union of TEN KINGS OR KINGDOMS that (Rev. 17:8) shall resurrect the old ROMAN EMPIRE. So, mark carefully the time element! “In the days of these kings”–in the days of these then nations or groups of nations that shall, IN OUR TIME, resurrect briefly the Roman Empire… (The members of the European Common Market are probably not the same ten that will resurrect the Holy Roman Empire.) (Armstrong HW. Mystery of the Ages. Dood, Mead & Company, New York, 1985, pp. 301,302-303)

These ten nations, or groups of nations, comprising the modern revived Beast, are to fight Christ at His coming. This shows the time for the fulfillment of this prophecy…Remember that there must be TEN NATIONS or groups of nations to comprise the final resurrection of the modern “Holy Roman Empire”! (AMBASSADOR COLLEGE, BIBLE CORRESPONDENCE COURSE. LESSON 32 (1963, 1965, 1967, 1969)

So, back as far as at least 1969, those of us in the Church of God did not limit the final coming European power to the ten nations that were in the old European Common Market. Since Revelation 17:12 says the kings of Europe did not have a kingdom until that time, this suggests some type of restructure in Europe needs to happen before the Beast truly rises up. The European power could contain a lot of nations.

Interestingly in October 2002, French politician Valery Giscard d’Estaing suggested that the name of the European Community should be changed to United States of Europe. Furthermore, the European Parliament had a conference entitled “The United States of Europe – Towards a Transnational Society?” And in September 2011, ex-Chancellor Gerhard Schröder of Germany called for a ‘United States of Europe’ (see Telegraph: Former German Chancellor Demands ‘United States of Europe’, Be Afraid) and others called for a ‘United States of Europe’ in June 2012 (see TW, Guido Westerwelle, HWA, and Alan Greenspan on Europe’s Future)–and while that precise name is not necessary, it does show that the Church of God’s basic view has long been correct. The Continuing Church of God, of course, continues to warn about this emerging European Beast power.

EU Parliament member Nigel Farage’s assessment is fairly close to scripture–Europe will reorganize and end up with a dictatorial leader (Revelation 13). And in a sense, if ultimately the EU (it could be called something else by then) accepts a dictatorship, it will not be quite a United States of Europe in the American sense, so in that way Herman Van Rompuy is correct.

The Bible is clear that the someone who sounds like a dictator will rise up in Europe:

12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. (Revelation 17:12-13)

And while now is not quite yet the dictator’s time, despite problems (Daniel 2:40-43), a major dictator in Europe (and I do not anticipate that it will be Herman van Rompuy) will rise up (Revelation 13:1-8), Europe will reorganize (Revelation 17:12-13), and become the final King of the North, European Beast power of Bible prophecy (Daniel 11:21-44).

The Bible also warns that ultimately, God will have it that union (Daniel 2:44) and its leader (Daniel 11:45) destroyed. Many will ignore the warnings, but a dictatorship/empire will emerge.

And this will not be good for the British (nor the Americans), and ultimately not the Europeans.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Europa, the Beast, and the Book of Revelation discusses the largest church since the second/third century, which in a real sense is the eighth church mentioned in the Book of Revelation (it also endorses “eighth day” worship). What church would support the Beast? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
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?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo (non-Dutch) 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-Saxon 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? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves?

Vladimir Putin (www.kremlin.ru)

COGwriter

Gerald Flurry of the improperly named Philadelphia Church of God (PCG) has another speculative prophetic error–PCG has published:

FROM THE EDITOR

Is Vladimir Putin the Prophesied ‘Prince of Rosh’?

From the February 2014 Trumpet Print Edition »

Russia’s president is taking on authoritarian power and restoring the Soviet empire. Biblical prophecy speaks of a tyrant from that area committing some shocking acts. Is President Putin going to fulfill that prophecy?…

Now, a recent move by President Putin has rattled some European leaders to their core.

For several years, Ukraine has been working toward joining Europe’s Eastern Partnership program. But in late November, it abruptly decided to pull out of the EU deal. Why? Because of Mr. Putin’s threats and offer of some rich financial rewards…

But Vladimir Putin is one we need to keep a particularly close eye on. His track record, his nationality and his ideology indicate that he could—and I strongly believe he will—fulfill a linchpin Bible prophecy that was recorded millennia ago. The time frame of his rule makes it almost certain.

A Prophesied ‘Prince’…

A prophecy in Ezekiel 38 gives us some of these important details. “And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him” (Ezekiel 38:1-2). These verses begin in the latter days (verses 8, 16) before the Great Tribulation, the Day of the Lord and Christ’s Second Coming…

One other Russian people is mentioned in Ezekiel 38:2. There is controversy over how the Hebrew word rosh should be translated in this verse. The King James Version uses the adjective “chief.” But the correct rendering (used by the Moffatt, New King James and others) uses the word not as an adjective, but AS A PROPER NOUN: Rosh. Thus, that verse should read, “the PRINCE OF ROSH, Meshech and Tubal.”

Rosh was the ancient name of Russia, once called Rus. Many encyclopedias and commentaries (such as the Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary) recognize this. So who is this “prince” of Russia, Moscow and Tobolsk? The use of all three names states that this is an individual ruler of all the peoples of Russia, from the west to the east. EZEKIEL’S COMMAND TO “PROPHESY AGAINST HIM” FURTHER INDICATES A SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL.

When you study these scriptures alongside current events revealing modern Moscow’s imperialist direction, you see that Vladimir Putin could well become the leader of that gigantic army of the East. I strongly believe Vladimir Putin is going to lead the 200 million-man army. Just look at the power he already has.

Can you think of any other Russian politician who could become so powerful and have the will to lead Russia into the crisis of crises? I see nobody else on the horizon who could do that. And only a tiny few years remain for the prince of Rosh to appear!

Such a man doesn’t appear overnight. It takes years for even a strong-willed leader to gain such control.

Vladimir Putin already has the power—and the will to use it. I believe there is not enough time for a competitor to arise and challenge him.

But there will also be other powers involved. Ezekiel’s prophecy says the Russia-led army will include “Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya … Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people” (Ezekiel 38:5-6)…

If you study Ezekiel 38 and 39, you see that much of this prophecy takes place after Christ’s Second Coming. These chapters make plain that the end-time “kings of the east” will also play a key role in a second end-time war! The first is just before the return of Jesus Christ. The second is a short number of years after it…

God says in Ezekiel 38 to prophesy against HIM in the latter days because this is going to be cataclysmic! The Asian power that is already rapidly solidifying will be like nothing this Earth has ever experienced. We need to watch Vladimir Putin closely. I believe he is almost certain to be the “prince of Rosh” that God inspired Ezekiel to write about 2,500 years ago!

The above change related to the first few verses of Ezekiel 38 is not consistent with the historical COG position.  Here are some positions from the old Radio Church of God (bold italics mine):

Perhaps no prophecy has received more widespread interest and attention than that of Ezekiel 38 and 39. As usual there are various interpretations. Those most popularly believed and expressed are: I) That the prophecy pictures “Armageddon”-with Russia the aggressor in this final “Armageddon” battle…The word “Armageddon,” believe it or not occurs only once in all he Bible. It is in Rev. 16:13-16: “ARMAGGEDON is the place of the “BATTLE” of that Great Day of God Almighty, which is “the Day of the Lord.” This is the coming time of God’s WRATH, climaxing in the seven last plagues and the Second Coming of Christ. The Battle at Armageddon is pictured in Rev. 20:19-20 and Rev.17:14. It is a battle in which European AXIS powers, symbolically represented as “The BEAST” and ten federated European dictatorships wive the Roman Empire, which fight against Christ and His Angels, contesting IS right to rule the world. But Ezekiel 38 speaks of a different power altogether-“GOG’ in the land of ‘MAGOG’, numerous Allies – all descendants of JAPETH, father of the yellow races…

And now we come to chapter 38!…The TIME of this prophecy is AFTER–not before, but AFTER–the second coming of Christ…The 39th chapter shows in more detail the RESULT of this great battle, in which Christ, with supernatural power, causes five-sixth of these heathen armies to be slain in this battle. (What’s Prophesied About RUSSIA! The Plain Truth. November-December 1943, pp. 5, 7, 12)

(Ez. 38: 12). It is now, after the second coming of Christ, with Israel obeying God in the land of Palestine, that Russia and her oriental hordes come to take a prey from defenseless cities. (Does Ezekiel 38 and 39 Mean An Invasion of Canada and the United States by Russia? Good News, June 1951, p. 11)

Does Ezekiel 38 and 39 Refer to Russia?
Nearly all Bible students believe that Ezekiel’s amazing prophecy refers to Russia. Yet they totally misapply the time of its fulfillment. It is referring to an invasion of Palestine after Christ has restored His people Israel to Palestine. This has been amply proved in articles in The PLAIN TRUTH…Notice that it is Gog and Magog (Ezek. 38:2) which will come against the nation in which Christ’s capital will be located (verse 16). Notice again that Gog and Magog come “out of the north parts” (verse 15 ) where Russia is today. (Does Ezekiel 38 and 39 Refer to Russia? Good News, August 1954, p. 5)

Despite claims from Gerald Flurry, it is not clear that Ezekiel 38:1-7 is fulfilled prior to the return of Jesus.  Certainly, there will be a 200 million many army, but that is not what Ezekiel 38:1-7 appears to be talking about.  Notice what it and the verses immediately after them state:

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

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

10 ‘Thus says the Lord God: “On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan: 11 You will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates’ —  12 to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land. 13 Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, ‘Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?'”‘ (Ezekiel 38:1-13)

Pay close attention to verses 7-13.  It is against a ‘peaceful people’ in unarmed villages that the prince of Rosh is going against.  This cannot happen until AFTER the return of Jesus.  Hence this is not a prophecy about Vladimir Putin.  But that does not mean that Vladimir Putin does not have an important role–his repeatedly calls for a Eurasian Union will help lead to the time of the armies of the kings of the east of Revelation 16:12.

Vladimir Putin has also been a champion for the Russian Orthodox.  On January 27, 2009, I posted that I believed that the Russian Orthodox would be a bit distant, but ultimately to a degree at least, cooperate with the Church of Rome (see New Russian Orthodox Patriarch). Interestingly, the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill has sometimes sounded “ecumenical” and cooperative since the Fall of 2009.  As Metropolitan Kirill (the rank he held prior to becoming Patriarch), he was once so opposed to unity with the Vatican, that a few days prior to his election to his current position in January 2009, he publicly stated “there is no room for compromise” with the Vatican (see Russian Orthodox Leader Urges No Compromise With Catholics). However, by mid-November 2009, he apparently changed his mind (Cooper R. Russian Orthodox and Catholic church may end 950-year rift. Telegraph, November 13, 2009).

Sadly, since taking current office, Patriarch Kirill and his followers have sometimes taken steps to get into closer unity with Rome and others. Plus he has been fairly involved in Russian politics and was a factor in Vladimir Putin’s “re-election” to the Russian presidency in 2012:

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has taken a day off from “commitments of government,” according to his spokesman. And religious leaders have formally endorsed the candidacy.

Hosted by the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill – who described the Putin era a “miracle” – the event has brought to the monastery of St. Daniel in Moscow, representatives of both the so-called ‘traditional religions’ (Orthodox, Buddhist, Muslim and Jews) and non (Catholics, Armenians and other Christian denominations). Kirill “blessed” the political ambitions of the Prime Minister, calling him the “candidate who certainly has the best chance to turn his candidacy into a real office.”

The patriarch, who supported the demands for change expressed by the protesters who took to the streets against electoral fraud in December, urging the authorities to listen to the people – then thanked Putin for the “crucial role” played in moving the country out of crisis of the 1990s. Kirill then defined the last 12 years a “miracle” for the Church in Russia. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin was president from 2000 to 2008, when he was appointed prime minister by the current head of the Kremlin, Dmitri Medvedev. (Achmatova A. Kirill and religious leaders “bless” Putin’s candidacy. February 13, 2012. http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Kirill-and-religious-leaders-bless-Putin%25E2%2580%2599s-candidacy-23956.html viewed 05/06/12)

Some are displeased with the support of Putin by the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church:

Critics of Russian Orthodox Church say it’s sold its soul to Putin

May 13, 2012…Kirill himself is a focus of the growing opposition to the church.

The patriarch’s reputation has been tarnished by a pair of scandals involving a $38,832 Breguet watch he was seen wearing and a court case in which he sought $630,000 from a cancer-stricken neighbor — despite his monastic vows not to have any worldly possessions while serving the church.

And just as Putin is supported by gangs of youth thugs who intimidate his opponents, the church enjoys the backing of its own roaming enforcers of orthodoxy — tacitly approved of by church leaders…

Political analyst Stanislav Belkovsky said the church has turned into the Kremlin’s “Salvation Ministry,” obediently approving Kremlin policies and slamming Western democracy as concepts alien to Russian traditions — all the while enjoying hefty government donations and tax immunity.

“The church inherited its full loyalty to the existing government from Soviet times,” Belkovsky said. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2018204136_russiachurch14.html

Despite the political nature of the Russian Orthodox Patriarch, whatever arrangements he and/or President Putin may temporarily make with the Vatican in the future will not last per Daniel 11:44 and other scriptures–for more details, please see Russia: Its Origins and Prophesied Future. But temporary cooperation with Rome seems prophesied (cf. Revelation 13 and 17).

Steps towards such a temporary union are taking place.

As far as PCG goes, according to a press release, its Gerald Flurry had a fainting spell that interrupted his sermon about a “new revelation from Ezekiel” (see also Cartwright’s Journal out: COGaIC crisis, Aaron Dean and CGI, and the Canon).   I wonder if his “new revelation from Ezekiel” was related to his view of Vladimir Putin and certain events in Ezekiel 38.  Presuming that it is, this is additional proof that his “revelations” do not come from God–as he is wrong about the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38:1-7 coming before the return of Jesus Christ.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of God Both groups claim to be the original church, but both groups have differing ways to claim it. Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are?
Orthodox Must Reject Unity with the Roman Catholics Unity between these groups will put them in position to be part of the final end time Babylon that the Bible warns against as well as require improper compromise.
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Continuing Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions. [Português: Qual é fiel: A igreja católica romana ou a igreja do deus?]
Why Should American Catholics Should Fear Unity with the Orthodox? Are the current ecumenical meetings a good thing or will they result in disaster? Is doctrinal compromise good?
The Eurasian Union, the Kings of the East, and Bible Prophecy Is there a Eurasian union that will be formed? Is one being formed right now? Are any leaders working on that in the 21st century? Does the Bible teach that there will be a Eurasian union? If some type of Eurasian union is formed, who might it benefit and who will it destroy? A related video would be Is The Eurasian Union Rising?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
Russia: Its Origins and Prophesied Future Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end?
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.

COGwriter

The Continuing Church of God is pleased to announce our latest video on our Bible New Prophecy YouTube channel.

14:29

Dealing With Financial Worries

Economic problems, debt, unemployment, etc. concern many.  Is the solution to work or not work?  To own gold?  To prepare for a Global Currency Reset?  Who really owns what you make?  Should you tithe?  What should you seek first?  Should Christians worry?  Does preparing a budget help? What does the Bible teach about dealing with financial worries?

Our latest video is titled: Dealing With Financial Worries

Damage from Syrian Conflict

COGwriter

The situation in Syria has been difficult for those living there. Notice also the following:

January 11, 2014

Almost 500 people, including 85 civilians, were killed during in-fighting between rebel groups and an Al-Qaeda branch in Syria in the past week, an activist group reported.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that at least 482 people were dead since the fighting between moderates and mainstream rebel factions versus Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) intensified on January 3.

The group added that 157 individuals were from the ISIL, 240 others were from more moderate factions and 85 were civilians.

Initially the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) were fighting on the side of the moderates to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad in a conflict that began in March of 2011.

The fighting between the rebels had spread across northern Syria over the past week.  http://rt.com/news/syria-rebels-fighting-conflict-437/

War and deaths from will continue in Syria for some time.  Change will happen and the Assad regime will not remain as it has been.

Various ones in Syria are less than pleased about the USA and Obama Administration.  Notice, for one example, an article about some Syrian posters on Obama’s policies there:

Obama’s Flawed Syria Strategy In Two Powerful Graphics

The Obama administration’s Syria policy has fallen apart, and two pithy images from inside the country provide some insight as to why.

At the Friday protests in Kafranbel — considered the “Syrian revolution’s heart” and creative center — demonstrators presented an illustration of U.S. President Barack Obama watering a black Piranha Plant that stands for the al-Qaeda-linked international jihadist group Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).

The implied criticism touches on what Middle East experts have been saying for months: The Obama administration’s reluctance to provide meaningful support to Syrian rebel groups led to a vacuum that foreign extremists capitalized on. In that way the U.S. helped ISIS blossom in Syria…

Then the Assad government carried out a massive chemical weapons attack in the capital of Damascus on Aug. 21. The U.S. threatened retaliation before striking a deal with Russia to remove Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile.

The deal re-legitimized Assad, who suddenly became a necessary military partner for the international community, and weakened the moderate opposition further.

The next image from Kafranbel critiques one of the administration’s more recent moves, which was to bank on upcoming peace talks and back away from its demand that “Assad must go.”

This graphic nails another major foreign policy flaw: After calling for Assad’s ouster but not acting on that conviction, the Obama administration welcomed Assad back into the international community as he continued to bomb his people into oblivion.  http://www.seattlepi.com/technology/businessinsider/article/Obama-s-Flawed-Syria-Strategy-In-Two-Powerful-5132431.php

Syrians are not happy with the USA.

Eventually Syria, and others in the Middle East and North Africa, will plot to eliminate the USA based upon the 83rd Psalm.  The modern national identities shown in [ ] mainly come from an article titled The Arab World in Prophecy from the Plain Truth magazine dated December 1979:

4 They have said, “Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation,
That the name of Israel may be remembered no more.”

5 For they have consulted together with one consent;
They form a confederacy against You:
6 The tents of Edom [Esau or modern-day Turkey, a non-Arab but Islamic nation] and the Ishmaelites [Saudi Arabia];
Moab [part of Jordan] and the Hagrites [anciently these peoples dwelt in the area known as Syria today];
7 Gebal [Lebanon], Ammon [modern Jordan], and Amalek [part of the Turks];
Philistia [the modern Palestinians] with the inhabitants of Tyre [Lebanon];
8 Assyria [whose descendants, the Assyrians, migrated to Germany] also has joined with them;
They have helped the children of Lot [Jordan and Western Iraq]. (Psalms 83:4-8, NKJV)

It probably should also be mentioned that some others consider that the Syrians are better identified as Ishmaelites as opposed to being Hagarenes (but either way, Syria is facing problems, see the video Damascus and Syria in Prophecy).  Descendants of Ishmael’s eldest son Nabajoth/Nebajoth–Genesis 25:13–seem to have been identified with Syria in the Zenon papyri which dates from 259 B.C. (some consider that the Hagarenes are better identified with Iraq–yet since Ishmael’s mother was Hagar–Genesis 16:15–they would all tend to be related).  Whether they are identified better as Hagarenes or Ishmaelites, Syria and other Arabic peoples are prophesied (along with others) to be part of a confederation that will decide to eliminate Israel.

Since Syria is expected to be part of the conspirators in Psalm 83, as well as a supporter of the future King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43) and aligned with Egypt per Ezekiel 30:1-9, I have been certain for quite some time that the situation in Syria would change. Either Syria’s President Bashar Assad will change, stop being president, die, or be exiled.

Between civil war, chemical weapons, murders, deaths, and war crimes, it is terrible what the people in Syria have had to endure. They, along with all of us, need to pray “Thy kingdom come” (Matthew 6:10, KJV).

Items of possibly related interest may include:

Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.
What Should You Know About Turkey in Prophecy Do you know the Turkish people descended from? Did the Ottoman Empire possibly fulfill a promise in Genesis? Will Turkey support the European King of the North or Arabic King of the South? Will it betray one of them? Will Turkey be involved in the encouraging the destruction of Israel? Is Turkey going to become Catholic? Is Turkey mentioned in Psalm 83, Daniel 11, and elsewhere in the Bible? This video provides answers.
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?
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and 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?  Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
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.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2014, 2015, or 2016? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2013 o 2014? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language video The Great Tribulation Will Not Begin Before 2017.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? You can also see a YouTube video sermon The Gospel of the Kingdom.
Just What Do You Mean the Kingdom of God? A booklet that was written by Herbert Armstrong answers questions about the Kingdom.

Ariel Sharon (photo by Jim Williamson, Smithsonian Institute)

COGwriter

Ariel Sharon died today:

JERUSALEM — Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has died from complications associated with a massive stroke he suffered eight years ago. He was 85.

Israeli news reports say Sharon died Saturday at a hospital near Tel Aviv.

Sharon served as prime minister from 2001 until 2006, when a stroke left him hospitalized and in a coma…

As a soldier, Sharon was known for his daring heroics on the battlefield in the decades following the creation of the State of Israel, most notably during the Yom Kippur War of 1973. In a brilliant tactical display, he led Israeli troops across the Suez Canal, cutting off Egypt’s third army.

He was also known to many for being reckless and brutal. In 1982, he led an invasion of Lebanon that resulted in the massacre, by Lebanese militias, of hundreds of Palestinians at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Beirut.

Dennis Ross, a former U.S. Middle East negotiator, says the military shaped Sharon.

“He certainly came to believe that the only way peace would be possible would be for Israeli strength to be respected.” he said.

As a politician, Sharon was also controversial. As a cabinet member, he promoted the establishment of Jewish settlements throughout the Palestinian territories.

Palestinian scholar Shukri Abed says this won him further hatred among Arabs.

“To say the least, not trusted, and probably hated by many of them, because of his strong positions, because he was an advocate of  building settlements,” Abed said. “He was the father of building settlements.”…

As head of the opposition in 2000, Sharon’s visit to the Temple Mount, or Haram al-Sharif, in Jerusalem sparked anger among the Palestinians and triggered the uprising known as the Second Intifada.

He became prime minister in 2001.

His government suppressed the uprising within a few years, and began work on the security barrier that now separates Israelis from Palestinians.  http://www.voanews.com/content/israels-sharon-dies-at-85/1826656.html

Ariel Sharon had major impact in Israel and among the Palestinians.

And he also impacted William Dankenbring who runs Triumph Prophetic Ministries (TPM).

TPM’s William Dankenbring made a claim or two about Ariel Sharon that did not come to pass.  Notice some of what he wrote:

“an Israeli General, Ariel Sharon, will very likely be a physical antitype, an ‘end-time Zebubbabel’ whom God will use as a ‘governor’ of Israel to rebuild the physical Temple in Jerusalem” (Dankenbring WF. What Can We Do To Help Spread the Gospel? Prophecy Flash; 4(1):12, March 1990).

“The ‘governor’ of Judah today, is none other than ARIEL SHARON! He is the END-TIME equivalent of ancient Zerubbabel…Either Ariel Sharon will FULFILL this prophecy, or God Almighty will cast him aside, and get someone else to do the job!…God’s Temple will SOON be rebuilt!” (Dankenbring WF. Coming Soon — A New Temple of God! Prophecy Flash; 15(5):8, Nov-Dec 2001).

The temple has not been rebuilt in Jerusalem.  Ariel Sharon is dead and he was NOT a type of Zerubbabel.  William Dankenbring’s beliefs about Ariel Sharon certainly were not correct.

William Dankenbring, like Ronald Weinland and James Malm, also has been proven wrong about his beliefs on the start of the Great Tribulation.  Perhaps I should add that although James Malm indicated that the Great Tribulation could begin in 2014, that is not possible (see also you may also wish to watch a YouTube video titled Can the Great Tribulation begin in 2014?).

As far as Zerubbabel goes, Ariel Sharon was never a candidate.  Information about Zerubbabel is found in the articles Who Are The Two Witnesses? and The Final Phase of the Work.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2014, 2015, or 2016? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2013 o 2014? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language video The Great Tribulation Will Not Begin Before 2017.
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? Here is a related link in Spanish/español:¿Quiénes son los dos testigos?
CCOG in Israel: Historical and Prophetic Points This sermon is somewhat of a travelogue by Dr. Thiel for his first trip to Israel. This was put together in late 2013 and made live in January 2014. Dr. Thiel visits and speaks at Joppa, Caesarea, Megiddo (Armageddon), the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, other places in Jerusalem, and the Church of God of Jerusalem’s Western Hill (also currently referred to as Mt. Zion).
Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There is also a related YouTube video you can watch titled Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated.
Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Por qué no se requiere un templo judío en Jerusalén?
Teachings of Triumph Prophetic Ministries William Dankenbring’s ministry–incorrectly speculates on various dates and holds to some odd doctrines.
Concerns About Ronald Weinland’s Church of God-Preparing for the Kingdom of God Ronald Weinland falsely claimed to be one of the two witnesses God is raising up, that the Great Tribulation began on December 14, 2008, Jesus would return late September 2011, that Jesus would return on May 27, 2012, and now that Jesus will return on May 19, 2013. Why else does the Bible show that Ron Weinland is a false prophet? He has other views which show he is not part of the Church of God?
Error-Ridden James Malm Not Doing an Elijah Work James Malm is an ‘independent’ who misunderstands and improperly maligns.
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. Here is a related article in the Spanish language ¿Por qué estar preocupado acerca de falsos y heréticos líderes?
How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? There is also a sermon-length video titled How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God. Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Cómo determinar si alguien es un verdadero profeta de Dios?