Church of God News

COGwriter

Voice of America (VOA) is warning of higher food prices because of the drought in California:

California Drought Will Lead to Higher Food Prices

FRESNO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA — California is a major farming state, and a serious drought is hurting its farmers and raising the likelihood of higher food prices throughout the United States. In the state’s Central Valley water-starved farms are cutting production.

Last year was the driest on record in California, and this year may be just as dry.

Some reservoirs are empty and the Sierra mountain snow pack, which melts and fills rivers in the springtime, is at dangerously low levels — just one quarter of normal.

Farmers warn of another “Dust Bowl” — referring to the drought and dust storms that ravaged American farmlands in the 1930s.

California produces nearly half of the United States’ fruits and vegetables, and much of it comes from the state’s sprawling Central Valley.

Dan Errotabere is a third generation farmer who grows tomatoes, walnuts, garlic and other crops in Fresno County. The federal agency that controls the water released from dams and the river system has cut his water supplies to zero.

“The last couple of years, dry years, coupled with severe environmental restrictions, has now presented us with a zero allocation year,” said Errotabere.

More than 200,000 hectares of prime farmland may go unplanted in the Central Valley. Errotabere will let more than 20 percent of his farm lie fallow and lay off 10 of 25 workers.

“Right now, we’re completely depending on wells to finish these crops off, but I’m going to be fallowing [not planting on] 1,200 acres [485 hectares] of our operation. There won’t be anything growing on there,” he said.

Even years with good rainfall have seen reduced water allocations, as federal and state officials supply water to the Sacramento River Delta, home of delta smelt and other endangered species.

Errotabere — and other farmers — say the water system is mismanaged and that his high-efficiency drip irrigation system offers little help without supplies of water.

Ryan Jacobsen of the Fresno County Farm Bureau said the shortage is forcing hard decisions. “The severity of this drought will be seen for possibly a decade to come because of the effects it’s going to have on permanent crops and the likelihood that many of these permanent crops may have to come out of the ground.”

Those permanent crops include citrus, walnuts and grapes.

The effects have not hit the nation’s consumers yet, but inevitably they will, as shortages lead to higher prices.

Jon Murga of Fresco Community Markets in Los Angeles said politicians need to come up with an answer to the water crisis.

“Because that, at this moment, seems to me to be the most important thing that we need to be addressing. Long term, short term, intermediate term, however you choose to look at it,” said Murga.

Murga said rising food costs in California will affect the entire country. And since California is a major exporter of food, it also will affect markets overseas.  http://www.voanews.com/content/california-drought-will-lead-to-higher-food-prices/1870748.html

The drought situation in California is severe.  While some feel that the politicians can solve all of this, without repentance they cannot.  The USA needs to turn to God as is recorded in the Book of Amos:

7 “I also withheld rain from you,
When there were still three months to the harvest.
I made it rain on one city,
I withheld rain from another city.
One part was rained upon,
And where it did not rain the part withered.
8 So two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water,
But they were not satisfied;
Yet you have not returned to Me,”
Says the Lord.

“I blasted you with blight and mildew. (Amos 4:7-9)

As the above shows, the Bible teaches that God uses weather problems to warn people to repent.

Although years ago, the people of the State of California voted to outlaw homosexual marriage, the political leaders in that state would not even defend that law in court in the final analysis as they wanted it overturned.

Why is this relevant?

People who advocate acceptance of homosexuality as harmless may also wish to notice something else that God had the Prophet Amos write would happen some time after the drought and weather problems:

11 “I overthrew some of you,
As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
And you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning;
Yet you have not returned to Me,”
Says the Lord.

12 “Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel;
Because I will do this to you,
Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!”   (Amos 4:11-12)

God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah for their pride and acceptance of homosexuality.  If the Anglo-nations do not repent of the direction that they are going, they will be overthrown relatively soon (see also Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel).  Politicians who profess to believe the Bible need to take a stand against those who advocate homosexuality and other behaviors that the Bible condemns.

Notice also the following about heat:

23 ‘The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it is not sown, nor does it bear, nor does any grass grow there, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in His anger and His wrath.’ 24 All nations would say, ‘Why has the Lord done so to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean?’ 25 Then people would say: ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers…(Deuteronomy 29:23-25)

What will happen to the Anglo-lands actually will be worse that what happened to Sodom:

6 The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people
Is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom,
Which was overthrown in a moment,
With no hand to help her! (Lamentations 4:6)

Why is it worse? Notice:

9 Those slain by the sword are better off Than those who die of hunger; For these pine away, Stricken for lack of the fruits of the field. 10 The hands of the compassionate women Have cooked their own children; They became food for them In the destruction of the daughter of my people. 11 The Lord has fulfilled His fury,He has poured out His fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion, And it has devoured its foundations. 12 The kings of the earth,And all inhabitants of the world, Would not have believed That the adversary and the enemy Could enter the gates of Jerusalem — 13 Because of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests,Who shed in her midst The blood of the just. 14 They wandered blind in the streets; They have defiled themselves with blood, So that no one would touch their garments. 15 They cried out to them,”Go away, unclean!Go away, go away, Do not touch us!”When they fled and wandered, Those among the nations said, “They shall no longer dwell here.” 16 The face of the Lord scattered them;He no longer regards them. The people do not respect the priests Nor show favor to the elders. 17 Still our eyes failed us,Watching vainly for our help;In our watching we watched For a nation that could not save us. 18 They tracked our steps So that we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near; Our days were over,For our end had come. 19 Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the heavens. They pursued us on the mountains And lay in wait for us in the wilderness. 20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, Was caught in their pits, Of whom we said, “Under his shadow We shall live among the nations.” (Lamentations 4:9-20)

The reason that it is worse is that many of the people who survive starve and those that do not will be pursued and made be made slaves (for more details see Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves?).

Interestingly, it is not just the Anglo-descended lands that will have droughts and be overthrown for sins like homosexuality. Notice what is also prophesied to happen to end time Babylon:

38 A drought is against her waters, and they will be dried up. For it is the land of carved images, And they are insane with their idols. 39 “Therefore the wild desert beasts shall dwell there with the jackals, And the ostriches shall dwell in it. It shall be inhabited no more forever, Nor shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation. 40 As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah And their neighbors,” says the Lord, “So no one shall reside there, Nor son of man dwell in it. (Jeremiah 50:38-40)

So, both Amos and Jeremiah tied the warning of a drought in with later being over thrown like Sodom and Gomorrah–and remember the Bible says that Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown as examples for those who would go after “strange flesh” (2 Peter 2:6).  More about homosexuality can be found in the article The Bible Condemns Homosexuality.

The Bible, of course, warns of food shortages and pestilences. Nearly 2000 years ago, Jesus taught:

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

We seem to be in the time Jesus called “the beginning of sorrows.”  Notice a message related to the third horseman of Revelation:

5 When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”  (Revelation 6:5-6)

Food inflation is prophesied.  Not only in the Bible, but now also in the news.  Will weather problems cause people to turn to God? Or will they be determined to continue to turn further away from biblical morality?

The sorrows and troubles are just beginning and will get much worse. Hopefully, people will wake up. While God may end the droughts, the Bible shows that He sometimes does use weather as a warning. Various lands, in my view, are being warned.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Does God Use Weather? Are weather calamities totally random? Does God control the weather? What does the Bible say? Are there biblical prophecies for weather blessings and weather curses? Are those affected by hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, droughts, and floods necessarily worse sinners than those not as affect? Does God use weather to try to get people to change or repent? This is a video.
Weather Blessings and Sorrows Are weather problems a warning? What should be done?
Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse What do each of the four horseman of the Apocalypse represent? Have they began their ride? Did Jesus discuss the any of this? Might their rides coincide with the “beginning of sorrows? Do they start their ride prior to the Great Tribulation? Did Nostradamus or any other ‘private prophets’ write predictions that may mislead people so that they may not understand the truth of one or more of the four horseman? There is also a related YouTube video titled The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
Just What Do You Mean — Repentance? Do you know what repentance is? Have you truly repented? Repented of what? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
When You Sin: Do You Really Repent? This is an article by Charles F. Hunting. A related sermon is Confess to God and truly repent.
GMOs and Bible Prophecy What are GMOs? Since they were not in the food supply until 1994, how could they possibly relate to Bible prophecy? Do GMOs put the USA and others at risk? Here is a related YouTube video GMO Risks and the Bible.
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.
Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (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-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
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? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2021 or 20xx? There is also a video titled The 6000 Year Plan: Is the end of humanity’s reign almost up?
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.

A Shmura Matzo (Unleavened Bread is Used for Passover)

COGwriter

The Christian Passover for 2014 is Sunday evening, April 13th, after sunset which is when the 14th of Nisan begins.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. (1 Corinthians 11:23-32)

Notice that the Apostle Paul is basically teaching that examining oneself before taking Passover is required. He also is teaching that if you will properly judge yourself you would not be subject to certain other judgments, and likely would be healthier.

Of course, most who profess Christ tend to think that they are just fine–but this is a danger as Jesus told certain Christians:

17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ — and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked — 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. (Revelation 3:17-19)

While the above warning has had application throughout history, it is intended specifically as a warning to end time Christians, the bulk of which are unknowingly Laodicean. And those that do not believe that they need to change are in real danger of being Laodicean. Those who compromise, which most in the COGs do, are Laodicean. Is not know the time to consider this?

As far as human nature and the need for self-examination goes, here are some excerpts from an article that Al Portune wrote when he was part of the old WCG:

In JUST a short while YOU will be sitting down with a very select few people on this earth to partake of the PASSOVER. The Passover is a memorial of the death of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. Partaking of the symbols of His broken body and shed blood means that YOU hsve been selected to know and understand God‘s purpose. Being chosen as one of the ELECT to know God‘s truth carries sobering responsibilities. We cannot approach this event lightly.

Prelude To the Holy Days

The Passover is the first event beginning again God’s annual season of Holy Days which reveal His plan of salvation for the whole world. That plan, hidden from the world in general, reveals why YOU cannot take this event lightly…

Self-examination…

This coming Passover is a vital time, whether you have taken the Passover many times or if this is your FIRST time. What does it mean to discern the Lord’s body? How can we eat and drink unworthily?…

God wants us to isolate a very basic and elementary perspective each year at the Passover. He wants us to focus on that elementary concept as we begin again to relive His plan of salvation for mankind. That elementary concept IS salvation. That’s what His plan is all about, whether it relates to US or the world.

Therefore, brethren, the Passover is a time for us to once again get down to the elementary precepts of our OWN salvation – our OWN relationship to God and His Work It is a time to examine OURSELVES. A time to look at YOU.

We can get so absorbed in our work or in the “deeper things,” the seemingly “important” things, that we can forget WE have to get and keep OURSELVES right with God. That’s what the Passover is all about.

There is never a time we can allow ourselves to get so busy or so important in our own eyes that we no longer need to get deadly serious about the elementary concepts of salvation that we so intimately associated with the Passover.

The Elementary Principles

No matter how long we have been in God’s Church or how spiritual we have become, we are still human beings with human nature. Not one of us will ever come to a place in this life when we can afford to forget what we are. Just before the Passover we should take another look – a long, good look !

What is man like?

“The heart [of man] is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9.)

“The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom. 8:7).

Yes, this is the kind of nature all human beings have! And this is the time of year to especially remember that fact. It is also a time to rehearse and reaffirm what you have done with the knowledge that you have that kind of nature.

The truth of the matter is, human nature is alien to God and to His ways. Man’s heart is wickedly inclined. He is deceitful, totally opposed to the ways of God. Most men have never seen themselves this way. Most men do not have the slightest awareness they have this kind of nature – but it’s true. Satan, in hiding this truth from mankind, has done his work well!…

When God saw this genuine, heart- felt attitude, He put His Holy Spirit within you and begot you as His own child.

But that isn’t the end of the story!

Not the End…

God wants us to comprehend the REAL DEPTH OF THE EVIL, WICKEDNESS AND DECEITFULNESS that is in us. God is allowing us to live on WITH our fleshly natures and in an alien environment to teach us how really and profoundly EVIL we have been – and how often we still fall short.

We know that we have crucified the old man to the intent that. the body of sin (our very nature) might be destroyed (Rom. 6:6). We know that once we are resurrected or changed at Jesus’ return, we will be freed from this kind of nature (verse 7). But, until that time comes, we must reckon our- selves to be dead indeed unto sin, and living the righteous life (verse 11). The struggle then begins to “let not sin therefore reign in your MORTAL body, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof” (verse 12).

Ready for Passover?

As we start the Holy Days again, it should be with a renewed eagerness. It should be with a more fervent desire to take those precious symbols because we know far more deeply their meaning to us and to the world…

Be READY to take the Passover!

(Portune A. Are you ready to take the Passover< Good News, Jan-April 1971, pp. 8-11)

And that is part of why we need to examine ourselves. For more information, you may wish to watch the video Preparing for Passover.

The Apostle Paul also wrote that Christians were to glory in their compromising tolerance and were to keep Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread:

6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:6-8)

The Christian Passover for 2014 is Sunday, April 13th, after sunset which is when the 14th of Nisan begins. The time to prepare for it is now.

Several items of related interest may include:

Preparing for Passover The Apostle Paul taught that Christians should examine themselves prior to taking Passover. This YouTube video sermon gives suggestions on how to prepare.
How often should we partake of THE LORD’S SUPPER? Herbert Armstrong answers that question.
Keeping Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread How should Christians keep Passover, especially if they are by themselves. Why does the Church of God not require lambs for Passover? How does one keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? For a step-by-step video for Christians to keep it, check out CCOG Passover Service.
Passover and the Early Church Did the early Christians observe Passover? What did Jesus and Paul teach? Why did Jesus die for our sins? There is also a detailed YouTube video available titled History of the Christian Passover.
Hebrew Calendar and “Postponements” This writing helps explain why the use the of the Hebrew calendar and answers such questions as “Did Jesus Observe the Postponements?”
The Night to Be Observed What is the night to be much observed? When is it? Why do Jews keep Passover twice and emphasize the wrong date? Here is a link to a YouTube video titled The Night to Be Observed.
Melito’s Homily on the Passover This is one of the earliest Christian writings about the Passover. This also includes what Apollinaris wrote on the Passover as well.
Should Christians Keep the Days of Unleavened Bread? Do they have any use or meaning now? This article supplies some biblical answers.
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean?
Holy Day Calendar This is a listing of the biblical holy days through 2024, with their Roman calendar dates. They are really hard to observe if you do not know when they occur 🙂 In the Spanish/Español/Castellano language: Calendario de los Días Santos. In Mandarin Chinese: 何日是神的圣日？ 这里是一份神的圣日日历从2013年至2024年。.

COGwriter

Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel warned Russia about Ukraine today:

March 13, 2014

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Russia risks “massive” political and economic damage if it does not change course in the Ukraine crisis.

In a speech to the German parliament Thursday, Merkel said Ukraine’s territorial integrity is “not up for discussion.”

The West and Russia have been locked in a tense standoff over Russia’s military incursion into Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula.

The The Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said on Thursday it had postponed all activities related to Russia’s accession to the organisation following a request from its 34 members.

The move by OECD, which includes economic heavyweights such as the United States, Germany, France, Japan and Mexico, is the latest effort to apply pressure on Moscow ahead of a referendum on Sunday in which Ukraine’s southern region of Crimea could vote to secede and join Russia…

In Berlin, German Chancellor Merkel said the European Union will impose sanctions on Russia if it does not move to set up a contact group to discuss the Crimea crisis.  http://www.voanews.com/content/merkel-russia-risks-massive-damage-in-ukraine-crisis/1870218.html

March 13, 2014

BERLIN—Russia has the power to prevent a spiral of sanctions if it is willing to enter talks to end the crisis in Ukraine, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday, after Moscow said it might respond with similar penalties if Europe goes ahead with sanctions.

“We haven’t limited our actions to sanctions. Instead there will be at the same time aid for Ukraine and offers for talks, which we actually have made plenty of times and which we will continue to make in future, regardless of whether there will be sanctions or not,” Ms. Merkel said during a news conference following a meeting with her Czech counterpart.

“At any time, it’s in Russia’s hands to prevent such a spiral, as you call it, by for example agreeing to a contact group or a group for talks,” she said in response to a reporter’s questions about the risks of a spiral of sanctions. “We will act in a very rational, composed and coordinated fashion in Europe.”

Earlier Thursday, Russia’s economy ministry said it is looking at what the consequences of possible sanctions from the West would be and stands ready to impose similar penalties.  http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303546204579436961056359996?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702303546204579436961056359996.html

Germany and Russia have long disputed who should control eastern Europe.  Currently,many of the nations that were once controlled by the old Soviet Union are not part of the European Union.

Angela Merkel is a big backer of the European Union.  And although she has preferences for all the eastern European nations, she may very well be satisfied with Ukraine, sans Crimea.

Germany has a lot of economic ties with Russia and to a great degree is dependent upon its oil.  Russia, on the other hand, needs German money.

Since, from what I have read in English (and she probably spoke German to her parliament), Angela Merkel did not threaten massive sanctions if Russia does not leave Crimea, but only if Russia will not discuss it.  My guess is she is telling Russia to leave western Ukraine alone (Russia has had massive troop build-ups on the border) or face massive sanctions.

Russia has indicated a willingness to discuss Crimea and is to meet with US Secretary of State John Kerry about it tomorrow.  As far as the USA goes, a reader sent me a link to the following:

Obama Regime’s Hypocrisy Sets New World Record

Paul Craig Roberts

From the moment that Washington launched its orchestrated coup in Kiev, Washington has been accusing Russia of “intervening in Ukraine.” This propaganda ploy succeeded. The Western presstitute media reported (nonexistent) Russian intervention to the exclusion of coverage of Washington’s obvious intervention.

Having falsely accused Russia of invading Crimea, the Obama regime now demands that Russia interfere in Crimea and prevent the referendum set for next Sunday. Unless Russia uses force to prevent the people of Crimea from exercising their right of self-determination, John Kerry declared that the Obama regime will not discuss the Ukrainian situation with Russia…

The Obama regime claims that the Crimean vote is not legal, because all of Ukraine is not voting on Crimea’s future. When Washington stole Kosovo from Serbia, Washington did not allow Serbia to vote on Kosovo secession. In the upcoming Scottish vote on whether to secede from the UK, only the Scottish are voting, not the British population. But these normal processes established in international law cannot be permitted to Crimeans, because the vote will not support Washington’s agenda…

Sanctions are likely to backfire…

Sanctions are likely to speed up the implementation of the BRICS negotiations to leave the dollar system and settle their international accounts in their own currencies. http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2014/03/12/obama-regimes-hypocrisy-sets-new-world-record-paul-craig-roberts/

The USA’s hypocrisy on all of this is clear to those without a particular political agenda in all of this.  And strong sanctions will not be good for the economy of the USA or others involved.  Germany knows this, so is looking at minimal economic sanctions.

Germany itself must realize that it will need greater military power to stand up to Russia in the future.  Germany has not seemed overly thrilled with how the USA has handled the Ukrainian/Crimean situation, and I believe that Germany and others in the European Union have realized that they need to have a stronger military if they want to be sufficiently credible in dealing with Russia in the future.

Angela Merkel wants the western portion of Ukraine to be in the European Union and does not want to risk the possibility that Russia will invade in the future.  Hence, I believe that she and others will take military steps, but mainly now in the area of increasing European military technology.

While this will temporarily help the rise of the Beast power in Europe (cf. Daniel 11:39; Revelation 13:4), ultimately, it will not be enough to stop Russia according to Bible prophecy (cf. Jeremiah 51:11-32).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? 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? 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.
Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North? Could He Become “the Beast”? What makes the German Defense Minister a candidate?
Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History Are the Germanic peoples descended from Asshur of the Bible? Have there been real Christians in Germanic history? What about the “Holy Roman Empire”?
Germany in Biblical and Catholic Prophecy Does Assyria in the Bible equate to an end time power inhabiting the area of the old Roman Empire? What does prophecy say Germany will do and what does it say will happen to most of the German people?
WTO/TTIP and the Babylonian Beast Will international trade agreements like WTO/TTIP/CETA lead to the fulfillment of end time prophecies concerning the Babylonian Beast power that the Book of Revelation warns against? What does the Bible teach? A related video would be WTO Trade Deal and the Rise of the European Beast Power.
Russia and Ukraine: 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? You can also watch the new video Ukraine in Prophecy?
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?
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?
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.

Rand Paul, Official Senate Photo

COGwriter

US Senator Rand Paul and former US Defense Secretary Robert Gates have written about USA warmongering:

Sen. Rand Paul may not be a foreign policy hawk but he is a political one. He wrote, in a recent critique of his Republican colleagues: “What we don’t need right now is politicians who have never seen war talking tough for the sake of their political careers.” Incoming! Paul was talking about grandstanding responses to the Ukraine crisis. It wasn’t a pinprick attack about a policy disagreement: Sen. Paul is claiming his rivals–ignorant to the sacrifices of war–are too cavalier about committing American troops to foreign conflicts in their rush to make a name for themselves…Paul’s charge against his competition was a solid tremor in the vibrating football game of the 2016 presidential campaign, but it also raised interesting questions about the experience required to be president.

Paul is not the only one to link the issue of sacrifice and hot rhetoric. That was a central message of former Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ book: Both parties are too quick to threaten war. It’s a fascinating question that should engage us between now and the next presidential election.

Paul’s argument would seem to offer aid and comfort to Hillary Clinton. She, above all likely 2016 candidates, has had actual experience with the topics of war and peace. That’s part of what gives the Benghazi attacks their potency. She was in a position of responsibility when one of her ambassadors died in a terrorist attack. But if Paul is claiming that seeing war gives you some special insight, she has seen its costs from a closer perspective than anyone in the Republican field. It would be cleaner for Republicans if the Obama team, including Clinton, could just be labeled weak. Rand Paul is calling for a more reasoned and fact-based discussion of foreign policy; he is asking people to assess whether the people taking hawkish positions have the standing to take those positions. This is the way we should all want to talk about foreign policy in a presidential campaign, but it bares little resemblance to the way that it is is discussed. In a campaign, the conversation is reductionist and appeals to emotion. The current tussle with Russia offers a good example.  http://www.cbsnews.com/news/rand-pauls-preemptive-strike/

Paul’s charge arrives at a moment of flux in American foreign policy. The question of whether a president’s posture invites aggression from other countries is open for general discussion again in a way it was not during the Bush years and in their aftermath. Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential campaign in part because voters thought the previous administration was too concerned with appearing tough. But now, only 39 percent of the country approve of the way the president is handling foreign policy, according to the recent CBS/New York Times poll. The Washington Post says Obama’s foreign policy “is based on fantasy.”

Republicans see a chance to regain their foreign policy edge with voters, and hawks see a chance to regain ground in the debate over how to approach the world. Paul is providing an inadvertent defense of President Obama’s foreign policy in this debate.

The Republican critique of President Obama operates on a simple switch. He is weak, which invites peril. Condoleezza Rice, for example, argued recently that Obama’s weakness invited Russian aggression. Paul is also a target of this critique. At CPAC, former U.N. ambassador John Bolton said that while isolationists came to their ideology by a different route than the feckless Barack Obama, the views were effectively the same.

There are specific ways in which the president may appear weak—his fishtailing Syria policy is a good example—but the critique doesn’t rely on specifics. It simply relies on Obama being in office while bad things are happening in the world. If he were strong, goes the critique, these things wouldn’t be happening.  http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2014/03/rand_paul_foreign_policy_and_military_service_the_kentucky_senator_just.html

Of course, throughout world history, political leaders have tried to use war and sending the children of others out to war for political advantage.  Many do not realize that this is also sometimes true in the USA.

The USA itself has been involved in so many armed conflicts that most have lost count.

The USA has effectively appointed itself as the world’s policeman.  Though many publicly complain about that, much of the time many in the world, in general, seem to support the USA’s military actions.  That does not make them right, but it has encouraged the USA to continue to be engaged in wars and threats of wars.

It should be noted that the Bible has warnings of destruction for the violent:

23 ‘Make a chain,
For the land is filled with crimes of blood,
And the city is full of violence.
24 Therefore I will bring the worst of the Gentiles,
And they will possess their houses;
I will cause the pomp of the strong to cease,
And their holy places shall be defiled.   (Ezekiel 7:23-24)

7 The violence of the wicked will destroy them,
Because they refuse to do justice.  (Proverbs 21:7)

6 Therefore pride serves as their necklace; Violence covers them like a garment. 7 Their eyes bulge with abundance; They have more than heart could wish. 8 They scoff and speak wickedly concerning oppression; They speak loftily. 9 They set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue walks through the earth. 10 Therefore his people return here, And waters of a full cup are drained by them. 11 And they say, “How does God know?And is there knowledge in the Most High?” 12 Behold, these are the ungodly, Who are always at ease; They increase in riches. 13 Surely I have cleansed my heart in vain,And washed my hands in innocence. 14 For all day long I have been plagued,And chastened every morning.  15 If I had said, “I will speak thus,”Behold, I would have been untrue to the generation of Your children. 16 When I thought how to understand this, It was too painful for me —  17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then I understood their end. 18 Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. 19 Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors.  (Psalm 73:6-19)

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 2:6-8)

52…all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword (Matthew 26:52, KJV)

Terrors and destruction are what is prophesied for the warmongers (including the highly indebted ones). And notice that Psalm 73 indicates that this will happen to those that are at ease, and apparently do not think that it could happen to them.

Already some terrorism has affected the USA, but much more is expected in the future.  The Bible tells of destruction to come to the violent and highly indebted–and no nation has been more in debt than the USA.  The Bible also tells of destruction coming to the most powerful military on the planet in the end times (Daniel 11:39)–this does not bode well for the USA.

Iowa 2016 Presidential Preference Poll

On other USA matters, a poll released today indicates that Hillary Clinton is currently the favorite for the 2016 presidential elections:

March 13, 2014

DES MOINES | Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has turned around her potential political fortunes in Iowa, according to a presidential preference poll released this morning.

The former first lady who is being encouraged to make another White House run in 2016 leads Gov. Chris Christie 48 to 35 in a hypothetical matchup, according to a Quinnipiac University Poll of 1,411 registered voters in Iowa. That reverses the New Jersey governor’s 48 to 45 percent lead in a December Quinnipiac poll…

She has a 49 to 39 percent lead over Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, 51 to 35 percent over U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and 51 to 37 percent over former Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida…

By a 55 to 38 percent margin, Iowans say Clinton would make a good president, the only listed candidate to get a positive score.  http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/clinton-takes-iowa-lead-in-presidential-matchup/article_a4b3c311-3e73-526a-aae6-26cd35e5341b.html

This is not a surprise, but it is still too early to know who will win.  Although she has taken steps consistent with one who would run for president in 2016, Hillary Clinton has not declared that she would.  If she does run and win, I believe that she will help fulfill several prophecies (see Hillary Clinton in Prophecy).

COGwriter

On March 13, 2013, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, became the Bishop of Rome.  He took the name Pope Francis. Today marks the one-year anniversary of his pontificate.  Here is some information from a related interview:

The Holy Father, who was interviewed by editor in chief Ferruccio de Bortoli, reflected on several themes of his pontificate which will celebrate its first anniversary on March 13th…The Holy Father says that while he doesn’t miss his homeland, he would like to visit his sister who has been sick. However, he noted, that it does not justify an apostolic trip just yet. The Pope confirmed that he doesn’t plan to visit Latin America before 2016. “Now I must go to the Holy Land, Asia and then Africa,” he said.

The Holy Father once again addressed accusations that his views were Marxist. Upon the release of Evangelii Gaudium, American conservative media figure Rush Limbaugh said his views on capitalism and the plight of the poor were “pure Marxism”.

But the Pope told Corriere della Sera that he has “never shared the Marxist ideology because it is not true, but I know many good people who have professed Marxism.”…

Referring to the Pope’s upcoming visit to the Holy Land, Bortoli wondered if it would bring about an agreement on intercommunion with the Orthodox Church. While acknowledging that everyone is anxious to obtain results, Pope Francis said the path to unity means to walk and work together.

“I’m not sure if the story is true, where it is said that Athenagoras suggested to Paul VI that they should walk together and send all theologians to an island to argue amongst themselves,” the Pope said. “It’s a joke but it is important to walk together. Orthodox theology is very rich. And I believe that they have at this moment great theologians. Their vision of the Church and of sinodality (collegiality) is wonderful.” http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/pope-francis-says-ideological-perceptions-of-him-are-offensive

Upon his election, I finalized a book titled The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? In it, I warned about his ecumenical tendencies and warned that the final pontiff would be an antipope/Antichrist according to prophecy and would not truly be Roman Catholic.  Francis has taken steps to get many to wonder about that.

Here is a piece about Francis and his first anniversary:

Francis is a shock, a surprise, a delight to some and a disaster to others.

Catholic traditionalists often feel that Francis has let them down, broken the line of orthodoxy initiated by John Paul and solidified by Benedict and opened up the doors to the liberalism that they believe did so much damage in the 1960s and 70s. They believe the pope reserves the harshest words and tones for conservatives and is confusing followers with too many interviews, too many contradictions and too little thought and reflection.

The conservative Catholicism – and in particular the Latin Mass – that was rekindled by Pope Benedict is being jettisoned, they claim, and this will end in disaster. Some of these Catholics say all this only privately, others are beginning to articulate their complaints loudly and publicly.

Not so, respond those more in the mainstream or on the liberal wing of the church. This is the pope of the people, the poor and those who have left the church or feel betrayed by it. Francis, they insist, is making Catholicism relevant again and opening up the conversation to those who had assumed the papacy had stopped speaking long ago.

So where is the truth? Somewhere in the middle I would think.  http://www.torontosun.com/2014/03/06/too-soon-to-write-pope-francis-legacy

Many like Francis and others severely distrust him.

Francis often will look like a lamb, yet he often speaks as a dragon (cf. Revelation 13:11), especially his Marian focus.

His economic views suggest that he, at least, has socialist leanings.  It is important to realize that the Bible does mention that the final King of the North (the Beast of the sea of Revelation 13) will end up with a lot of gold, silver, and precious stones (Daniel 11:38,43) and that a seven-hilled/mountain-based power will have “gold and precious stones and pearls” (Revelation 17:4).  Because of this, I have wondered if is it possible that before the Beast rises up that the Antichrist will use material items for bait? The more Pope Francis proposes wealth distribution, the closer the time may come when the Vatican takes concrete action (he established an economic council last month that is scheduled to hold meetings this May, and they may ultimately figure in to all of this).  Remember, in addition to broad statements on wealth disparities, Pope Francis stated he wanted his church poor and for the poor right after beginning his pontificate, and has made some similar statements since.  He may also consider that the Ukrainians and/or the European Union is poor enough at some time to offer significant financial assistance.

As alluded to earlier, one of the most obvious things about his pontificate is how ‘Marian’ focused he is.  Notice the first place that Pope Francis visited after being elected pontiff:

In his first outing from the Vatican, Pope Francis went to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major to pray before the image of the patroness of Rome…

Cardinal Abril y Castelló:… he told me he wanted to visit Saint Mary Major. I told him I was delighted, of course, and that I would accompany him if he so wished. He answered, “Yes, of course.”

So we accompanied him. Cardinal Agostino Vallini also came. There was no one was in the Basilica for security reasons. It was a lovely moment of prayer to the Virgin, after offering her the bouquet of flowers. He stayed a while praying in silence. Then we all sang the Salve Regina.

Yesterday he said to me specifically, I want to go to pray to the Virgin to entrust my whole pontificate to her, so that she will bless it and help me. http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/welcoming-the-pope-to-mary-s-house

So, Pope Francis did not entrust his pontificate to the God of the Bible, but instead to a version of Mary that is contrary to scripture.  This is something that a real man of God simply would not do.  I would state that Catholic traditions teach that ‘Mary’ will be key to getting a universal ecumenical unity with Rome.

The Marian focus has continued throughout his pontificate.  This has also been combined with his quest for ecumenical unity.  And he has been trying to pave the way for that. (He even sent a ‘selfie’ video to be played by Charistmatic Kenneth Copeland, that various Protestants seem to have accepted ‘hook, line, and sinker,’ watch the video Charismatic Kenneth Copeland and Anglican Tony Palmer: Protestants Beware!)

The Bible tells of two kinds of ecumenical unity.  The first of which is the end time Babylonian form, which is warned against in scriptural prophecy (Revelation 18:1-4). The second time is the correct one, and it happens is AFTER Jesus returns, not before as the ecumenicalists advocate–check out Zechariah 2:10-11.  Pope Francis and others should heed what the Bible says and not seek a unity that the Bible warns against.  But that is what this pontiff has been working on doing in his first year–and he has plans to continue with that agenda.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Should you be concerned about the ecumenical movement? Are you aware of the ecumenical movement? Do you understand the biblical dangers of it? Do you know what the World Council of Churches is supposed to be all about? Are you aware what has been happening recently with the Eastern Orthodox? Did you know that in December 2013, Pope Francis’ representative essentially eliminated a ‘conservative order’ and said that they needed to abide by Vatican II? Will there be signs and wonders that will help bring about ecumenical unity? Is compromise away from the Bible what must occur for the type of unity that many Protestant, Eastern Orthodox, and Roman Catholic leaders want?
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?
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.
Beware: Protestants Going Towards Ecumenical Destruction! What is going on in the Protestant world? Are Protestants turning back to their ‘mother church’ in Rome? Does the Bible warn about this? What are Catholic plans and prophecies related to this? Is Protestantism doomed?
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.
Some Doctrines of Antichrist Are there any doctrines taught outside the Churches of God which can be considered as doctrines of antichrist? This article suggests at least three. It also provides information on 666 and the identity of “the false prophet.” Plus it shows that several Catholic writers seem to warn about an ecumenical antipope that will support heresy. You can also watch a video titled What Does the Bible teach about the Antichrist?
Could Pope Francis be the Last Pope and Antichrist? According to some interpretations of the prophecies of the popes by the Catholic saint and Bishop Malachy, Pope Francis I is in the position of “Peter the Roman,” the pontiff who reigns during tribulations until around the time of the destruction of Rome. Do biblical prophecies warn of someone that sounds like Peter the Roman? Could Francis I be the heretical antipope of Catholic private prophecies and the final Antichrist of Bible prophecy? This is a YouTube video.
Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Apparitions Do you know much about Mary? Are the apparitions real? What happened at Fatima? What might they mean for the rise of the ecumenical religion of Antichrist? Are Protestants moving towards Mary? How do the Eastern/Greek Orthodox view Mary? How might Mary view her adorers? Here is a link to a YouTube video Marian Apparitions May Fulfill Prophecy.
The Malachy Prophecies and “Peter the Roman” An Irish bishop allegedly predicted something about 112 popes in the 12th century. Pope Benedict XVI was number 111. Francis would seem to be number 112–if he is that one–and if so, he is to reign until Rome is destroyed. May he be an antipope/final Antichrist?
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Amazon Book What does the Bible say about a pope near this time? Is the final pope to be an antipope and antichrist? Does Catholic prophecy point to Pope Francis as being the dreaded “Peter the Roman”? This 186 page book provides information and answers.
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle This electronic version of the printed book which 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 The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle.
Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy? Pope Francis has taken many steps to turn people more towards his version of ‘Mary.’ Could this be consistent with biblical and Catholic prophecies? This article documents what has been happening. There is also a video version titled Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy?
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?]
The History of Early Christianity Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew (Pvasiliadis)

COGwriter

Leaders of the Eastern Orthodox agreed to hold their first ‘ecumenical council’  in over many centuries:

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Patriarchs of the world’s 250 million Orthodox Christians ended a rare summit in Istanbul on Sunday…

Twelve heads of autonomous Orthodox churches, the second-largest family of Christian churches, also agreed to hold a summit of bishops, or ecumenical council, in 2016, which will be the first in over 1,200 years…

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who will meet Roman Catholicism’s Pope Francis in Jerusalem in May, is the senior-most Orthodox leader, but his Istanbul-based church is tiny, with none of the resources the large Russian church enjoys.

Despite the prestige of his post, he has no authority over other churches, unlike the power the pope has in Catholicism, the world’s largest church with 1.2 billion members.

The communique stressed that all decisions at the council would be taken by consensus, a position the Russians strongly defended in preparations for the meeting.

The 2016 council will be held in Hagia Irene, a Byzantine church building in the outer courtyard of the Ottoman sultans’ Topkapi Palace. Now a museum, it has not been used as a church since the Muslim conquest of Constantinople in 1453.

Orthodox Christianity links 14 independent churches, based in Eastern Europe, Russia and the Middle East.  (Afanasieva D, Heneghan T. Orthodox Patriarchs urge peace in Ukraine, agree on council! Ecumenical News, March 10, 2014. http://www.ecumenicalnews.com/article/orthodox-patriarchs-urge-peace-in-ukraine-agree-on-council-22801)

This would be considered as the eighth ecumenical council by the Eastern Orthodox and is the first ecumenical council in about 1200 years.  To put this into historical perspective, the first so-called ‘ecumenical council’ was the Council of Nicea convened by Emperor Constantine in 325, the second was the Council of Constantinople convened by Emperor Theodosius which came up with the modern ‘trinity‘ in 381, and the seventh was the Second Council of Nicaea, which the Orthodox claim had two parts, the first in 787 and the second in 843.  Many of the Orthodox call the 843 agreement ‘the triumph of Orthodoxy’ as that is when they officially got idols and icons accepted by the Church of Rome (see also Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of God).  These councils defined much of the Greco-Roman faiths, and those in the Church of God were condemned for not agreeing with many of the results of the councils (see also Nazarene Christianity: Were the Original Christians Nazarenes?).

Having an eighth ‘ecumenical council’ is significant.

Why?

There are three reasons, other than the length of time between the last council and this upcoming one that I wish to cover here.

The first reason to mention is that the Eastern Orthodox define themselves by the seven previous ecumenical councils.  Actually, they refer to themselves as the ‘church of the seven councils’:

“Constantine summoned the first General or Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church at Nicea in 325… Orthodox often call themselves ‘the Church of the Seven Councils’…Nicea was the first of the seven general councils; and these…occupy a central position in the history of Orthodoxy…next to the Bible, it is the seven councils which the Orthodox Church takes as its standard and guide” (Ware T. The Orthodox Church. Penguin Books, London, 1997, pp.19,35).

“Why are the Seven Ecumenical Councils so important? Because they point out what the Church universally held to be the true teaching concerning the Person of of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Trinity” (Gillquist PE. Becoming Orthodox. Wolgemuth & Hyatt, Brentwood (TN), 1989, p. 102).

The second reason to mention is that Patriarch Bartholomew has said that a synod/ecumenical council would be necessary before the Eastern Orthodox could come into a more full communion, ecumenical unity, with the Church of Rome.  Notice something I reported here years ago:

Patriarch of Constantinople’s new encyclical defends Catholic-Orthodox dialogue

Istanbul, Turkey, Feb 20, 2010 / 06:14 pm (CNA).- Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople’s newest encyclical encourages dialogue between the Orthodox Church and other Christian churches and laments those who are “unacceptably fanatical” in challenging such dialogue…“They disseminate false rumors that union between the Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches is imminent, while they know well that the differences discussed in these theological dialogues remain numerous and require lengthy debate; moreover, union is not decided by theological commissions but by Church Synods,” Bartholomew wrotehttp://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/patriarch_of_constantinoples_new_encyclical_defends_catholic-orthodox_dialogue/

COGwriter has been one of the few non-Roman, non-Orthodox sites to warn against the coming unity for years.

Pope Francis is an ecumenically-oriented pontiff, and Bartholomew is perhaps the most ecumenically-oriented top Eastern Orthodox patriarch in centuries. Those two are to meet in the Middle East this May.

The Bible and Roman Catholic writings warn against the type of ecumenical unity that Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Francis want. The Orthodox actually look forward to a time of a new Babylon:

Monk Leontios (died 543): Rejoice, oh most unhappy one, oh New Babylon!…You, who are the New Babylon rejoice now on behalf of Zion! New Babylon, dance, bounce and leap greatly, make known even those in Haydes what a Grace you have received. Because that peace which was yours to enjoy in times past, and which God has deprived you of in course of battles, receive it once more from the hand of an Angel…oh, the City of Seven Hills the dominion will be yours. (Tzima Otto, H. The Great Monarch and WWIII in Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Scriptural Prophecies. Verenikia Press, Rock Hill (SC), 2000, pp. 82-83).

This is something that the Bible and at least one Catholic priest have warned against:

2…Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.” 4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. (Revelation 18:2-5)

6 “Up, up! Flee from the land of the north,” says the Lord; “for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven,” says the Lord. 7 “Up, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.” (Zechariah 2:6-7)

Priest H. Kramer (20th century): In the vision of the Seer now appears a second beast rising out of the earth, having two horns like a lamb but speaking like a dragon…In other places he is called the false prophet…This prophet may re-establish the pagan Roman Empire and build the “Great Harlot”, Babylon… The False Prophet…will persuade all infidels, apostates and apostate nations to worship and adore him…Antichrist “sitteth in the temple of God” (I Thes. II. 4). This is not the ancient Temple in Jerusalem…this temple is shown to be a Catholic Church…The False Prophet will proclaim the resurrection of the Roman Empire. (Kramer H., p. 318,320-323)

Despite biblical and other warnings, Pope Francis and Patriarch Bartholomew seem determined to help fulfill prophecies that warn against what they are trying to do.  Such unity will be dangerous for both the Church of Rome and the Eastern Orthodox.  Signs and lying wonders may be a deceptive factor in this occurrence (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:9).

The third reason that this upcoming council is important is that it may possibly fulfill an Eastern Orthodox prophecy.

Now I actually agree with the Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew that the Orthodox will likely need to have a church synod for unity.  Orthodox prophets have expected such a meeting to take place and result it unity.  Notice one from centuries ago:

Saint Nelios the Myrrh-Gusher (died 1592): During that time the Eighth and last Ecumenical Synod will take place, which will satisfy the contentions of the heretics…(Tzima Otto, H.  The Great Monarch and WWIII in Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Scriptural Prophecies.  Verenikia Press, Rock Hill (SC), 2000, p. 111).

By satisfying “heretics,” clearly this council compromises and changes the religion, which will be called “Catholic.”  If the proposed 2016 council does this, the end is nearer than most people think that it is.

Some Orthodox look forward to this, but also expect an antipope near then:

Helen Tzima Otto (20th century): We have been told time and time again through the prophets that the Great Monarch and Papa Angelorum…will convene the 8th Ecumenical Council, which will reunify all Christians…The Emperor will spend three years waging wars against the non-Christian nations…{later will be} the end time schism of the Roman Catholic Church of the End Times and the rise of an antipope. (Tzima Otto, pp. xxv, 103, 122)

Apparently the “non-Christian nations” will be those that do not desire to be part of the ecumenical church that is to form.

Notice information from a Roman priest:

Father O’Connor quotes from Holy Scripture, the stunning prophecies of St. Vincent Ferrer, Pope St. Pius X, St. Francis of Assisi, St. John Eudes, Sr. Lucy of Fatima, Pope Pius XII and Bishop Fulton J. Sheen. Father explains how God will and is punishing the world for sin, and that the Fathers of the Church all wrote that the False Prophet would be a Catholic Bishop who will become an invalid anti-pope while the real Pope dies a cruel death in exile. (REIGN OF THE FALSE PROPHET.  Catholic Treasures. Audio ITEM #20104.  http://www.catholictreasures.com/cartdescrip/20104.html 03/02/09)

Another priest wrote:

Priest E. Sylvester Berry (20th century) As indicated by the resemblance to a lamb, the prophet will probably set himself up in Rome as a sort of antipope during the vacancy of the papal throne . . .(Berry E.S. The Apocalypse of St. John. First published 1921. http://journals.aol.com/langosh5/Father_E_Sylvester_Berry/ 10/12/07)

Thus, some Catholic writings suggest that this “new order” will result in the world becoming nominally Catholic.  That is consistent with prophecies that indicate the entire world will tend to agree on worship (cf. Revelation 13:8).  And it seems to have a European base.

Notice also the following:

Cardinal J.H. Newman (19th century): Now let us recur to the ancient Fathers, and see whether their further anticipations do not run parallel to the events which have since happened.  Antichrist, as they considered, will come out of the Roman Empire just upon its destruction;—that is, the Roman Empire will in its last days divide itself into ten parts, and the Enemy will come up suddenly out of it upon these ten, and subdue three of them, or all of them perhaps… (Newman JH. The Patristical Idea of Antichrist, Lecture II. Newman Reader — Works of John Henry Newman. Copyright © 2004 by The National Institute for Newman Studies)

The above writing suggests that while there will be a resurrected Roman Empire, at first it will seem fine, but then it will change.  This appears to be a prophecy about what will happen to the European Union in the future and seems to be consistent with Isaiah 10:5-11 where a power that does not mean to become militaristic does so.

Since the final King of the North is going to nominally claim to be Catholic, having a newly claimed Catholic order would be the most logical “foreign god,” as many may not see what is happening to that Church.

Catholic prophecies also warn that Protestants, and even evangelical ones, will be accommodated by this:

Anna-Katarina Emmerick (October 1, 1820): The Church is in great danger…The Protestant doctrine and that of the schismatic Greeks are to spread everywhere. I now see that in this place (Rome) the (Catholic) Church is being so cleverly undermined, that there hardly remain a hundred or so priests who have not been deceived. They all work for the destruction, even the clergy. A great destruction is now at hand…

(April 22, 1823): I saw that many pastors allowed themselves to be taken up with ideas that were dangerous to the Church. They were building a great, strange, and extravagant Church. Everyone was admitted in it in order to be united and to have equal rights: Evangelicals, Catholics, sects of every description. Such was to be the new Church (Dupont, pp. 66, 71).

Priest Paul Kramer (21st century): The errors of Orthodoxy and of Protestantism will be embraced by that false church, it will be an ecumenical church because the Anti-Pope will be recognized by the world—not by the faithful, but by the world—by the secular world and the secular governments. (Kramer P. The Imminent Chastisement for Not Fulfilling Our Lady’s Request. An edited transcript of a speech given at the Ambassadors of Jesus and Mary Seminar in Glendale, California, September 24, 2004.THE FATIMA CRUSADER Issue 80, Summer 2005, pp. 32-45 http://www.fatimacrusader.com/cr80/cr80pg32.asp viewed 4/15/08)

Father Laurence Ricci, S.J. (died 1775): … a valiant duke will arise from the ancient German house which was humiliated by the French monarch. This great ruler will restore stolen Church property. Protestantism will cease… This duke will be the most powerful monarch on earth. At a gathering of men noted for piety and wisdom he will, with the aid of the Pope, introduce new rules, and ban the spirit of confusion. Everywhere there will be one fold and one shepherd.” (Connor p.37)

The Bible shows that an ecumenical unity for the world is coming our of Europe (cf. Revelation 13:3-4,8; Daniel 11:35-38) and it will not be faithful to the early and true apostolic traditions or sacred scripture. Ecumenical unity will be a disaster for the world (cf. Revelation 13, 17, & 18). Catholics and Protestants will find such unity with the Eastern Orthodox especially disturbing if they understood the plan of the Orthodox in this area.  The faithful ecumenical unity that the Bible foretells occurs AFTER the return of Jesus Christ:

10 “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the Lord. 11 “Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. 12 And the Lord will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. 13 Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!” (Zechariah 2:10-13)

Rome considers itself to the the leader of all Christendom. And this is not only in its writings and teachings, it is also emblazoned on various of its buildings. The outside of the Papal Archbasilica of St. John Lateran (in Italian it is called Arcibasilica Papale di San Giovanni in Laterano) in at least two places has the following:

Inscription in the Basilica of St. John Lateran

Translating from the Latin, the inscription above reads:

Sacred Lateran Church Mother and Head of All Churches of the City and the World

Nearly all familiar with the Book of Revelation realize that it contains the following statements:

3 And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.

9 Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.

18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:3-6, 9, 18).

Even Catholic scholars admit that Rome has seven mountains/hills (e.g. Van den Biesen, Christian. “Apocalypse.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 5 Jan. 20145 Oct. 2008 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01594b.htm>).

The reality is that the drive towards ecumenical unity between the Catholics of Rome, the Greek/Eastern Orthodox, and various Protestants is happening. The pace seems to be picking up.  If the eighth ecumenical council fulfills Orthodox prophecy it will not end well for the Catholics, Anglicans, Orthodox, or various Protestants.

Southern Portion of Crimea (Sergiy Klymenko)

COGwriter

The bastions of democracy called the G-7 have condemned the upcoming Crimean vote on whether it should become independent or join Russia:

G-7 Leaders Condemn Russia-backed Crimea Vote

VOA News

March 12, 2014

Joined by other leaders, the G-7 is calling on Russia to cease all efforts to change the status of Ukraine’s peninsula in violation of  Ukrainian and international law.

A controversial Moscow-backed referendum on the territory’s status, which the West has said it will not recognize, is planned for Sunday.

“Any such referendum would have no legal effect.  Given the lack of adequate preparation and the intimidating presence of Russian troops, it would also be a deeply flawed process which would have no moral force.  For all these reasons, we would not recognize the outcome,” says the G-7 statement as released by the White House.

Citing a number of international agreements the referendum would violate, the statement also stresses that “the annexation of Crimea [by Russia] could have grave implications for the legal order that protects the unity and sovereignty of all states.”

“Should the Russian Federation take such a step, we will take further action, individually and collectively,” the statement adds.

The statement was issued by the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States as well as the president of the European Council and the president of the European Commission.  http://www.voanews.com/content/obama-meeting-ukraines-new-pm-at-white-house/1869405.html

Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States condemn Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

March 12, 2014

The leaders of the G-7 countries issues a stern admonition Wednesday to Russia for its aggression in Ukraine, warning that it would not recognize the outcome of a referendum in Crimea and would take collective action if Russia moved to annex the region.  http://time.com/21240/g-7-nations-wont-recognize-crimea-referendum/

March 12, 2014

US Secretary of State John Kerry has refused to meet President Putin of Russia until he gets certain assurances from Moscow…

Mr Kerry handed Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov a paper one-and-a-half pages long which stated that any solution must respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity…

There has been no official response but the Kremlin has quoted the foreign minister as saying the document raises many questions on their side and the US has in effect accepted a coup d’etat against President Yanukovych as a starting point.  http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26524097

The USA is disturbed that Crimeans could vote to become independent (and hence likely join Russia’s Eurasian Union) or vote to become annexed by Russia.  If the G-7 thought that the Crimeans would vote to support western Ukraine, they would seemingly back this Crimean attempt at democracy.

Instead, the West backed the military coup last Summer that overthrew the democratically elected President of Egypt, as was as the mob (which had support from aspects of parliament) that ousted elected President Yanukovych.  Now, I am not backing either side on this, nor do I believe that this will end well in the long run for those in Ukraine.  It is just that various leaders associated with the ‘bastions of democracy’ do not seem to see the hypocritical nature of their positions (scriptures, etc. related to this are in the news post Some are blasting the USA’s hypocrisy related to Russia and Ukraine; Kremlin signals it is willing to annex Crimea).

What about religious leaders?

Well, Pope Francis is currently at a week-long retreat, so he is not making many statements related to this.  He did call for a peaceful resolution.  While one would think because there are more Roman Catholics in western Ukraine that he might come out on their side, but he did not.

Why?

Probably several reasons.  One of which is that the Vatican has praised Russia’s President Putin (Vatican credits Russia’s Putin for ‘defending Christianity’ and confirms a meeting and Russia’s Putin and Pope Francis both kiss Marian icon) and likely sees no reason to directly get in his way. But the bigger reason may be because he is ecumenical.  Pope Francis likely sees no benefit in upsetting the relations that the Vatican has been trying to cement with the Eastern Orthodox.  Pope Francis is to meet with Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew in May, and as it turns out, many of those in eastern Ukraine are aligned directly or indirectly aligned with him.  Many of those Orthodox in western Ukraine are NOT in communion with the rest of the Eastern Orthodox, and their version of Orthodoxy has long been considered to be a bit nationalistic and opposed to Russian influence.

The Eastern Orthodox themselves held a conference a few days ago.  Here are some excerpts about that:

March 11, 2014

ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Patriarchs of the world’s 250 million Orthodox Christians ended a rare summit in Istanbul on Sunday calling for a peaceful end to the crisis in Ukraine and denouncing violence driving Christians out of the Middle East.

Twelve heads of autonomous Orthodox churches, the second-largest family of Christian churches, also agreed to hold a summit of bishops, or ecumenical council, in 2016, which will be the first in over 1,200 years…

The Russian Orthodox Church, with 165 million members by far the largest in the Orthodox family, last month issued a statement along with Moscow’s Foreign Ministry about what they said were attacks on revered historic monasteries in Kiev and Pochayiv in western Ukraine…

Closely aligned with President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine policy, the Russian church has a partner Ukrainian Orthodox Church mostly in the Russian-speaking east of the country that is loyal to the Moscow patriarchate.

There are two rival Orthodox churches mostly in western Ukraine, both meant to be Ukrainian national churches. Neither is part of the global Orthodox communion and the patriarchs’ communique expressed the hope they would one day join it.  http://www.ecumenicalnews.com/article/orthodox-patriarchs-urge-peace-in-ukraine-agree-on-council-22801

There have been differences between the direction that the Ukrainian Orthodox, Roman Catholics, and Russian Orthodox in Ukraine have wanted to go (I plan to write more about the upcoming ecumenical conference later today as it is consistent with prophecy-see also Why Should American Catholics Fear Unity with the Orthodox?).

Many of the Russians and Crimeans do not recognize the interim government that is now in Kiev as legitimate–so the Kiev government has  decided that not only does it not recognize Ukraine’s elected president (which it ousted), nor will it recognize the votes in Crimea.  And the G-7 are supporting the interim government, and are opposing Crimean democracy.

As far as those in Ukraine go, based upon my review of scriptures, there can be no doubt that war is in their future if they support the rising European Union or the upcoming Eurasian Union (watch the new video Ukraine in Prophecy?).  Ultimately too it should be noted, they will, at least for a time, support an improper religious ecumenical understanding that the Bible warns against (Revelation 13:4,8; 14:9-11; 18:4).

Those in Ukraine, including the area known as Crimea, need our prayers and the kingdom of God.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Russia and Ukraine: 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? You can also watch the new video Ukraine in Prophecy?
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?
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?
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.
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? 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.
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?
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

The head of the Labour party in the UK wants to stay in the European Union, but is willing to have a vote to leave if Brussels wants more authority:

March 11, 2014

A future Labour government would call an in/out referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU – but only if it was being asked to transfer more powers to Brussels, Ed Miliband has said.

In an article for the Financial Times, the Labour leader said his party “strongly believes Britain’s future is in the EU”.

He also criticised the Conservatives’ “damaging obsession” with EU policy.

He is expected to give more details in a speech on Wednesday.

The party has previously backed holding a referendum if it is proposed that further powers are transferred to Brussels.

But Mr Miliband has now clarified that this would be an in/out referendum.

“This would not just be a referendum on the narrow question of whether to allow a transfer of powers from Britain to Brussels; as we have seen in other countries, such votes are too easily ignored,” he wrote.

He also criticised Prime Minister David Cameron’s promise of an in/out referendum in 2017, which he described as an “arbitrary timetable” ensuring that “a Conservative government would be dominated by an all-consuming and damaging obsession within his party about whether Britain should leave the EU”. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-26538420

Brussels has repeatedly indicated that it wants more power (see Blueprint Proposes Additional Loss of National Sovereignty in European Union).  Even the first ‘permanent president’ of the EU has declared that the day of the ‘sovereign state” is over (see EU President Declares End of Nation State, Britain Skeptical).

The idea that the UK may leave is so common that there is a made-up world related to it: “Brixit,” which means the British exit from the European Union.

On June 26, 2007, (see Tony Blair a Catholic EU Leader?), I posted the following:

We in the COGs tend to believe that the final beast power will be nominally Catholic (see Europa and the Beast of Revelation)…we in the COGs do believe that Britain will pull out of the EU…

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland will not be an equal part of the European Union. Britain will either pull out or be forced out or at least truly lose its sovereignty.  he Bible indicates that the end time descendants of the Israelite tribes, because of their national sins, will be taken over and many killed.

Many of the Anglo-peoples of the UK, USA, etc. that are not killed will to be scattered and many will be made slaves by the final European Beast power(see Hosea 7:11-16; 9:1-17; 11:5-7; 12:1; 13:12-16; see also Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves?). That is some of what the Bible shows will happen during the Great Tribulation.

The final King of the North (Daniel 11:27-40) will take over the UK, USA, and their Anglo-Saxon allies according to Bible prophecy (cf. Daniel 11:39).

While more and more people in the UK are starting to realize that the EU poses dangers to it, most have no idea how dangerous the rising Beast power in Europe will become (cf. Revelation 13:1-4; Daniel 11:39). Britain will ultimately NOT thrive as part of the EU but will be taken over by the final European Beast power.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (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-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
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? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
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 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 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?
European Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming European Beast power would use and develop technology that will result in the taking over of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Is this possible? What does the Bible teach?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach?

Edward Snowden

COGwriter

Edward Snowden publicly spoke again and made various claims:

March 11, 2014

AUSTIN, TEX. — Former security contractor Edward Snowden, addressing a sympathetic crowd at a
tech-heavy Austin event on Monday from a secret location in Russia, said proposed reforms at the National Security Agency show that he was vindicated in leaking classified material.

Snowden, who faces arrest if he sets foot on U.S. soil, spoke via a video link to a packed house at the annual South by Southwest (SXSW) gathering of tech industry experts, filmmakers and musicians. He said the U.S. government still has no idea what material he has provided to journalists.

“I saw that the Constitution was violated on a massive scale,” Snowden said to applause, adding that his revelations of government spying on private communications have resulted in protections that have benefited the public and global society.

Last year, Snowden, who had been working at a National Security Agency (NSA) facility as an employee of Booz Allen Hamilton, leaked a raft of secret documents that revealed a vast U.S. government system for monitoring phone and Internet data.

The leaks deeply embarrassed the Obama administration, which in January banned U.S. eavesdropping on the leaders of friendly countries and allies and began reining in the sweeping collection of Americans’ phone data in a series of limited reforms triggered by Snowden’s revelations.

Major companies also tightened up safeguards, but Snowden said that is still not enough to protect privacy properly, calling for stepped-up encryption that would make mass government surveillance too costly to conduct.

“The government has gone and changed their talking points. They have changed their verbiage away from public interest to national interest,” he said, adding that this poses the risk of losing control of representative democracy. He said the government’s priority has been an expansive and ill-executed system of massive information collection instead of protecting the vast amounts of intellectual property that supports the U.S. economy.

“We’ve got the most to lose from being hacked,” Snowden said.

U.S. Representative Mike Pompeo, a Republican from Kansas, wrote to SXSW organizers, calling on them to withdraw the invitation to Snowden, a man he said deceived his employer and his country.

“Rewarding Mr. Snowden’s behavior in this way encourages the very lawlessness he exhibited,” Pompeo wrote.

To many in government and at the NSA, Snowden is a traitor who compromised the security of the United States. But for many at the conference, he is a hero who protected privacy and civil liberties.

“To me, Snowden is a patriot who believed that what he did was in the best interests of his country,” said Roeland Stekelenburg, creative director at the Dutch Internet firm Infostrada.  http://www.voanews.com/content/reu-snowden-reforms-vindicate-my-leaks/1868520.html