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John Chrysostom a ‘doctor’ of the the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. The improperly named Protestant publication Christianity Today went so far as to claim he was the “Early church’s greatest preacher.”

In the late fourth century he made various comments about paganism, Christmas, and biblical Holy Days. Since many of them were in the Fall and Winter of the year, this seemed to be an appropriate time to report about some of them.

John Chrysostom wrote the following in the fourth century:

And what, pray you, is that Minerva of theirs, and Apollo, and Juno? They are different kinds of demons among them. (Chrysostom J. The homilies of S. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople: on the Acts of the Apostles, Volume 1, Homily IV. John Henry Parker, 1851. Original from Harvard University. Digitized, Apr 12, 2008, p. 66)

So, on the surface it appears that John Chrysostom condemned pagan gods, yet he ended up endorsing a holiday originally for the sun god Mithra.

How?

It was John Chrysostom got the Orthodox in Constantinople to observe Christmas on December 25:

We may take it as certain that the feast of Christ’s Nativity was kept in Rome on 25 December…It was introduced by St. John Chrysostum into Constantinople and definitively adopted in 395 (Thurston. H. Transcribed by Rick McCarty. Christian Calendar. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume III. Published 1908. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, November 1, 1908. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

John Chrysostom admitted Christmas was not part of his church’s tradition in a sermon:

St. Chrysostom in a Christmas sermon, delivered at Antioch in the year 386, says, ” it is not ten years since this day [Christmas Day on December 25] was clearly known to us, but it has been familiar from the beginning to those who dwell in the West.” “The Romans who have celebrated it for a long time, and from ancient tradition, and have transmitted the knowledge of it to us.” (Addis WE, Arnold T. A Catholic Dictionary: Containing Some Account of the Doctrine, Discipline, Rites, Ceremonies, Councils, and Religious Orders of the Catholic Church. Benziger Brothers, 1893. Original from Columbia University, Digitized Sep 15, 2009, p. 178)

His claim that Rome or the West knew it from the beginning is blatantly false. The knowledge of December 25th does not come from any ancient actual Christian tradition.

As pretty much everyone who has looked into the history of Christmas knows, December 25th was selected because it was the birthday of the sun-god Mithras–it was not an original practice of true Christians in Rome or any part of the West. John Chrysostom should have known that and taught against it.

Why?

Notice also that the The Catholic Encyclopedia freely admits that Christmas on December 25 was not celebrated by the early church and that it was Mithra whose birthday was observed anciently on Devember 25th:

Mithraism A pagan religion consisting mainly of the cult of the ancient Indo-Iranian Sun-god Mithra…Sunday was kept holy in honour of Mithra, and the sixteenth of each month was sacred to him as mediator. The 25 December was observed as his birthday, the natalis invicti, the rebirth of the winter-sun, unconquered by the rigours of the season (Arendzen. J.P. Transcribed by John Looby. Mithraism. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume X. Published 1911. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, October 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church (Martindale C. Transcribed by Susanti A. Suastika. Christmas. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume III. Copyright © 1908 by Robert Appleton Company. Online Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. Knight. Nihil Obstat, November 1, 1908. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

(For more information on this, please see the article What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days?)

Anyway, mainstream Christianity will continue to try to overlook the fact that it adopted pagan practices, condemned biblical ones, and still prefers traditions of men over the Bible.

Another Roman Catholic supporter wrote this about the Council of Nicea a few decades later:

Three hundred Fathers or even more gathered together in the land of Bithynia and ordained this by law; yet you disdain their decrees. You must choose one of two courses: either you charge them with ignorance for their want of exact knowledge on this matter, or you charge them with cowardice because they were not ignorant, but played the hypocrite and betrayed the truth. When you do not abide by what they decreed, this is exactly the choice you must make. But all the events of the Council make it clear that they showed great wisdom and courage at that time. The article of faith they set forth at the Council show how wise they were…At that time the whole synodal gathering, welded together from these champions, along with their definition of what Christians must believe, also passed a decree that they celebrate the paschal feast in harmony together. They refused to betray their faith in those most difficult times [of persecution]; would they sink to pretense and deceit on the question of the Easter observance? (5) Look what you do when you condemn Fathers so great, so courageous, so wise (John Chrysostom. Homily III Against the Jews, III:3,4-5. Preached at Antioch, Syria in September, 386 AD).

So it is an article of faith that Roman Catholic bishops had the authority to change the scriptural date of Passover and make it an Easter celebration, even though Constantine said part of why he wanted it to have nothing in common with those he called the detestable Jewish crowd?

But this was simply not the faith of the true second century Christians in Asia Minor as Polycrates testified. The last words of his response to Roman bishop Victor about changing the date of Passover to Easter Sunday was:

I, therefore, brethren, who have lived sixty-five years in the Lord, and have met with the brethren throughout the world, and have gone through every Holy Scripture, am not affrighted by terrifying words. For those greater than I have said ‘ We ought to obey God rather than man.’ (Polycrates. Letter to Victor. As quoted by Eusebius. Church History. Book V, Chapter 24) .

So, those who held to the original faith and traditions from the Bible would not accept the change of Passover, but John Chrysostom did.

Notice also the following:

ALL SAINTS. As early as the fourth century, the Greeks kept on the first Sunday after Pentecost the feast of all martyrs and saints, and we still possess a sermon of St. Chrysostom de-livered on that day. In the West, the feast was introduced by Pope Boniface the Fourth after he had dedicated, as the Church of the Blessed Virgin and the Martyrs, the Pantheon, which had been made over to him by the Emperor Phocas. The feast of the dedication was kept on the thirteenth of May. About 731 Gregory III. consecrated a chapel in St. Peter’s Church in honour of all the saints, from which time All Saints’ Day has been kept in Rome, as now, on the first of November. From about the middle of the ninth century, the feast came into general observance throughout the West. (Addis W, Arnold T. Catholic Dictionary, 6th ed. The Catholic Publication Society Co, 1887. Nihil Obstat. EDUARDUS S. KEOGH, CONG. ORAT., Censor Deputatu Imprimatur. HENRICUS EDUARDUS, CARD. ARCHIEP. WESTMONAST. Die 18 Dec., 1883. Imprimatur. John Card. McCloskey, Archbishop of New York. Feb. 14, 1884. Copyright, Lawrence Kehoe, 1884/1887. p20).

All Saints’ Day

In the fourth century, neighbouring dioceses began to interchange feasts, to transfer relics, to divide them, and to join in a common feast; as is shown by the invitation of St. Basil of Caesarea (397) to the bishops of the province of Pontus. Frequently groups of martyrs suffered on the same day, which naturally led to a joint commemoration. In the persecution of Diocletian the number of martyrs became so great that a separate day could not be assigned to each. But the Church, feeling that every martyr should be venerated, appointed a common day for all. The first trace of this we find in Antioch on the Sunday after Pentecost. We also find mention of a common day in a sermon of St. Ephrem the Syrian (373), and in the 74th homily of St. John Chrysostom (407). (Mershman, Francis. “All Saints’ Day.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. Nihil Obstat. March 1, 1907. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 11 Aug. 2013 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01315a.htm>)

So, John Chrysostom is credit for observing another holiday that did not come from the Bible (see also All Saints’ Day, the Day of the Dead, and All Souls’ Day).

A few decades after Christmas was adopted by Rome, the Roman Catholic saint John Chrysostom preached the following in 387 A.D.:

The festivals of the pitiful and miserable Jews are soon to march upon us one after the other and in quick succession: the feast of Trumpets, the feast of Tabernacles, the fasts. There are many in our ranks who say they think as we do. Yet some of these are going to watch the festivals and others will join the Jews in keeping their feasts and observing their fasts. I wish to drive this perverse custom from the Church right now…If the Jewish ceremonies are venerable and great, ours are lies…Does God hate their festivals and do you share in them? He did not say this or that festival, but all of them together. (John Chrysostom. Homily I Against the Jews I:5;VI:5;VII:2. Preached at Antioch, Syria in the Fall of 387 AD. Medieval Sourcebook: Saint John Chrysostom (c.347-407) : Eight Homilies Against the Jews. Fordham University. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/chrysostom-jews6.html 12/10/05).

The wicked and unclean fast of the Jews is now at our doors. Thought it is a fast, do not wonder that I have called it unclean…But now that the devil summons your wives to the feast of the Trumpets and they turn a ready ear to this call, you do not restrain them. You let them entangle themselves in accusations of ungodliness, you let them be dragged off into licentious ways. (John Chrysostom. Homily II Against the Jews I:1; III:4. Preached at Antioch, Syria on Sunday, September 5, 387 A.D.).

So also the Law fixed the feast of Tabernacles (John Chrysostom. Homily IV Against the Jews IV:3. Catholic Christians of Antioch Turning to Sabbath and The New Moon Day and Other Holy Days. 387 A.D.).

John Chrysostom preached against the Fall holy days, because some who professed Christ were observing them.

Yet, John Chrysostom wrote in favor about another “festival of the Jews”:

When, it says, the day of Pentecost was fully come: that is, when at the Pentecost, while about it, in short. For it was essential that the present events likewise should take place during the feast, that those who had witnessed the crucifixion of Christ, might also behold these…And, it says, there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men. The fact of their dwelling there was a sign of piety: that being of so many nations they should have left country, and home, and relations, and be abiding there…for it was Pentecost. (Chrysostom J. The homilies of S. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople: on the Acts of the Apostles, Volume 1, Homily IV. John Henry Parker, 1851. Original from Harvard University. Digitized, Apr 12, 2008, pp. 53, 55, 56).

So, he admitted that after the resurrection, the faithful needed to be present at what was then considered to be a “Jewish feast.” If God was opposed to all of them, why would the apostles have kept it? The obvious reason is that they were following Jesus’ example and had no reason to believe that they were somehow done away. (For more on Pentecost and what John Chrysostom and others wrote about it, please see the article Pentecost: Is it more than Acts 2?

Furthermore, notice that the New Testament calls one of the so-called “Jewish” holy days “great.” Notice the following from both a Protestant and a Catholic translation:

On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out (John 7:37, NKJV)

And in the last, the great day of the festivity JESUS stood, and cried (John 7:37, Rheims New Testament).

So who is right?

Those who follow Jesus’ practices or those who condemn them?

Recall that John Chrysostom, in this case, somewhat correctly stated,

“If the Jewish ceremonies are venerable and great, ours are lies.“

So which days should be observed? Which have a “great day” according to the Bible? Which days are lies?

John Chrysostom supported days with pagan ties such as Christmas and Easter. His logic for Christmas on December 25th is clearly wrong and based upon lies and misinformation that he spread. So, it should be obvious that God’s days are not lies, but his (and those of churches who adopted those days that he promoted) were clearly lies.

John Chrysostom was not faithful to the scriptures and no one should follow his false traditions above the word of God.

Several items of possibly related interest may include:

John Chrysostom, Bishop of Constantinople and Antisemite This late fourth/early fifth century Bishop of Constantinople is considered to be a ‘saint’ and ‘doctor’ by the Church of Rome, Church of England, and the Eastern Orthodox, but he did not teach Christ’s love.
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?
Tradition and Scripture: From the Bible and Church Writings Are traditions on equal par with scripture? Many believe that is what Peter, John, and Paul taught. But did they? A related sermon is titled Tradition and Scripture.
Was Jesus Born in the Grotto of the Nativity? Was Jesus born in a below ground cave? Was Jesus born below the “Church of the Nativity”? Were the wise men there?
How did December 25th become Christmas? Was Jesus born then? If not, why December 25? Here is the article translated into Mandarin Chinese 12月25日最后是怎么被许多基督的信仰者采纳的.
Is Keeping Christmas a Sin? Is keeping Christmas acceptable for true Christians? What are some scriptures to consider?
What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days? Do you know what the Catholic Church says were the original Christian holy days? Was Christmas among them? Is December 25th Jesus’ birthday or that of the sun god?
Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays? Did biblical era Jews celebrate birthdays? Who originally celebrated birthdays? When did many that profess Christ begin birthday celebrations?
Did Early Christians Observe the Fall Holy Days? The ‘Fall’ Holy Days come every year in September and/or October on the Roman calendar. Some call them Jewish holidays, but they were kept by Jesus, the apostles, and their early faithful followers. Should you keep them? What does the Bible teach? What do records of church history teach? What does the Bible teach about the Feasts of Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles, and the Last Great Day? Here is a link to a related sermon: Should you keep the Fall Holy Days?
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。.
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?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from c. 31 A.D. to 2014. A related sermon link would be Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church?

Hamas logo

COGwriter

A European Union court ruled that Hamas should be taken off a list of terrorist organizations today:

December 17, 2014

A European court has ruled that the Palestinian militant group Hamas must be removed from a European Union list of designated terror groups.

The General Court of the European Union said Wednesday that the EU improperly included Hamas on the basis of information it got from the media and the Internet.

An EU measure in 2001 also added 12 other groups and 29 individuals to the list, but said they could only be designated terrorists based on “acts examined and confirmed in decisions of competent authorities.”

The ruling is open for appeal. Appeals, which can only be based on points of law, typically last about a year and a half.

Hamas welcomed Wednesday’s verdict.

“The decision is a correction of a historical mistake the European Union had made,” Deputy Hamas chief Moussa Abu Marzouk told Reuters. “Hamas is a resistance movement and it has a natural right according to all international laws and standards to resist the occupation.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced dismay.

“We expect them to immediately put Hamas back on the list,” he said in a statement.

The court said the asset freezes that came with Hamas being on the terror list will remain in place for three months or until the appeals process is exhausted.  That decision was made to ensure that the freezes would remain effective if they were to be reinstated.

The court also stressed in a statement that the ruling was procedural and “does not imply any substantive assessment” of whether Hamas carries out actions that define a terrorist group.

The EU’s ambassador to Israel Lars Faaborg-Andersen told Israel’s Army Radio the body aimed to keep Hamas on the list.  http://www.voanews.com/content/eu-court-orders-hamas-removed-from-terror-list/2562311.html

More and more nations in Europe have taken steps leaning more towards the Palestinians and against the Israelis.  Israel is finding itself more and more isolated from the international community. I suspect that many in Europe probably feel that they do not need Israel and that by supporting Palestinian issues, they will be at a lessor risk for terrorist attacks.

Israel’s Prime Minister expressed his displeasure about the EU court’s decision:

December 17, 2014

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the European Union to put Hamas back on its terror blacklist immediately, after an EU court annulled the bloc’s decision to designate the group a terrorist organization.

Netanyahu responded to the decision by saying that Israel was “not satisfied” with the explanations of the EU that Hamas’s removal is only a technical matter.

According to the “technical issue” argument, Hamas was removed from the list because the evidence used to place the organization on the list did not meet European standards. Two central EU countries have already been working on a dossier providing the court with the evidence that will satisfy it.

“The burden of proof is on the EU and we expect them to immediately return Hamas to the list where everyone realizes they should be,” Netanyahu said. “Hamas is a murderous terrorist organization whose charter says that its aim is to destroy Israel. We will continue to fight it with determination and strength so that it will never realize its aims. ”

Other MKs and ministers were more critical in their reactions to the EU decision.

Economy Minister Naftali Bennett said that if anyone thinks that sacrificing Israel can save Europe, they are mistaken.

“The corrupt law of the EU court gives license for the shedding of Jewish blood everywhere and demonstrates the loss of a moral path,” he said.  http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Netanyahu-We-expect-the-EU-to-put-Hamas-back-on-the-terror-blacklist-immediately-384926

More terrorist attacks are coming (e.g. Leviticus 26:14-17; Deuteronomy 32:25; Psalms 73:12,19; Ezekiel 21:12), and Europe is not exempt.

The European Union just took another step today apparently to attempt to placate the Palestinians:

December 17, 2014

The European Parliament accepted, with a large majority, a decision expressing support “in principle” of the recognition of a Palestinian state, along with furthering negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

Some 498 parliamentarians voted in favor of the motion, 88 voted against it, and 111 abstained.

The European Parliament “supports in principle the recognition of Palestinian statehood and the two-state solution, and believes these should go hand in hand with the development of peace talks, which should be advanced,” read the motion, whose phrasing reflected a compromise between various European parties.

The motion stressed that the European Parliament’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state is based on the fact that the Palestine Liberation Organization had recognized the State of Israel in 1993. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.632364

Palestine is biblically destined to gain more territory for a time.

Notice the following that came out yesterday:

Agenda for 2015: Work Harder to Resolve Middle East Conflicts

December 16, 2014

When it comes to the Middle East, things can always get worse and often do.

But as 2014 limps to an end, there are reasons to question this mantra.

On several fronts, there are glimmers of optimism about easing decades-long confrontations in ways that would strengthen the coalition against the group that calls itself the Islamic State. …

Israel-Palestinians

After three terms in office, two of them consecutive, Netanyahu is seeing his domestic popularity plummet and the Israeli political kaleidoscope is shifting toward a possible victory by the center-left.

Polls now favor a new coalition led by Labor Party leader Isaac Herzog and former foreign minister Tzipi Livni. Both have been outspoken in criticizing Netanyahu for his poor relationship with President Obama, refusal to engage in serious peace talks with the Palestinians, and failure to take advantage of support for peace from important Arab states including Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

With a theoretical Palestinian state gaining recognition in new quarters, momentum is building behind a U.N. Security Council Resolution calling for resumption of negotiations with the aim of establishing an independent Palestine by 2016.

Secretary of State John Kerry is holding urgent consultations with Netanyahu and Palestinian officials this week in Europe to try to come up with a resolution that the U.S. can support. Kerry’s task would be much easier if Israel had a government that was truly willing to trade land for peace.

Confronting IS militants

Movement on Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would facilitate progress in the third big confrontation roiling the Middle East: the fight to contain and ultimately defeat the Islamic State (IS).  http://www.voanews.com/content/agenda-for-2015-work-harder-to-resolve-middle-east-conflicts/2561501.html

The above article certainly has a point of view, and I would like to address two points.

The first, as I have written about before, is that there is increasing interest in the West to put together some type of coalition in the Middle East and North Africa to attempt to contain Islamic terrorist groups.  The Bible teaches that a confederation of nations that currently are predominantly Islamic in North Africa and the Middle East will form a coalition “the King of the South,” but this will result in destruction for others (Psalm 83:3-8) as well as for many of the coalition members (Daniel 11:40-43; Ezekiel 30:2-8).

The second is that Neville Chamberlain tried to ‘trade land for peace’ with Adolf Hitler, and that led to WWII.  The Bible, however, does indicate that the Palestinians will end up with land that Israel currently occupies (for details, see Gaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy).  Many do not realize how peace will come to the region (see also How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About?).

The reality is that the time is getting closer when Israel will decide it has no real choice but to embrace a type of temporary peace deal consistent with what is described in the Book of Daniel (see also The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27). It is most likely that the Vatican will also be involved (the Vatican has indicated that it will help Israel if Israel will give it a particular building–see also Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill).

The two events today are probably telling some Israeli leaders that they will need to placate the Vatican if they want Europe to be more understanding of Israeli concerns.  The Vatican, in the past, indicated it could help Israel if Israel would give up the site of the early known Christian church building in Jerusalem.  And although many Jews oppose that as they feel that King David’s tomb is below that general area, Israel may well give the Vatican more of what it wants in the future.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Gaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy What does the Bible teach about Gaza and the fate of the Palestinians? Here is a link to a related video: Gaza and Palestine in Prophecy.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About? Can humans bring peace to the Middle East? Here is a link to a related video: Middle East Peace? When?
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Others have many misunderstandings about him. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There is also a related YouTube video you can watch titled Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated.
Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill Could this building, often referred to as the Cenacle, which is located on a Mount Zion, possibly have been the oldest actual Christian church building? There is also a video titled Might the oldest church building have prophetic ramifications?
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? What about Sweden? 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.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
Arabic Nazarenes May Have Kept Original Christian Practices Were their faithful Arabs who held to original Christianity?
Nazarene Christianity: Were the Original Christians Nazarenes? Who were the Nazarene Christians? What did they believe? Should 21st century Christians be modern Nazarenes? Is there a group that exists now that traces its history through the Nazarenes and holds the same beliefs today? Here is a link to a related video sermon Nazarene Christians: Were the early Christians “Nazarenes”?
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 USA and Cuba announced some improved relations, which according to the New York Times, was the result of Pope Francis’ interventions:

Breakthrough on Cuba Highlights Pope’s Role as Diplomatic Broker

December 17, 2014

ROME — Pope Francis had quite a 78th birthday. The pontiff began Wednesday with prayers and a birthday celebration with tango dancers near St. Peter’s Square. His day ended with a historic diplomatic breakthrough between Cuba and the United States — and the disclosure that the Argentine pope played a key role as broker.

Francis is being credited for helping bridge the divide by first sending letters to President Obama and President Raúl Castro of Cuba, and then having the Vatican host a diplomatic meeting between the two sides in October.

“The Holy Father wishes to express his warm congratulations for the historic decision,” Francis said in a statement released Wednesday night by the Vatican. …

Francis’s appointment of Cardinal Parolin as secretary of state was also significant. Long considered one of the Vatican’s most talented diplomats, Cardinal Parolin served as apostolic nuncio in Venezuela, one of Cuba’s closest allies. From that perch, Cardinal Parolin gained a sophisticated understanding of regional dynamics and the Cuban predicament, Professor La Bella said.

“The Vatican’s knowledge of the Latin American situation is at a very high level, and very direct,” he said. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/18/world/americas/breakthrough-on-cuba-highlights-popes-role-as-diplomatic-broker.html?_r=0

Here is some information about the changes:

December 17, 2014

U.S. President Barack Obama announced a major shift in U.S. relations with Cuba, after the country’s communist leaders released Alan Gross, an American who had been imprisoned there for five years.

Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro, in simultaneous speeches from Washington and Havana, said they had exchanged American and Cuban prisoners each had held for years. They will also open a path to increased economic and travel ties between the two countries, ending more than a half-century of diplomatic isolation borne in the Cold War.

“Isolation has not worked. It’s time for a new approach,” Obama said, in explaining the move toward normalizing relations. “I believe this contact will do more to empower the Cuban people.”

In lauding the move, Castro said, “We have decided to re-establish diplomatic relations” with the U.S. …

Changes in coming weeks, months

The two countries are expected in the coming weeks to negotiate an agreement to lead both countries to opening embassies in each other’s capitals.

Obama said business and travel ties will be launched, but that he will have to negotiate with the U.S. Congress over ending the country’s economic blockade against Cuba.

Also, the U.S. Treasury said in the coming weeks that financial sanctions on Cuba will be amended. And the U.S. will unfreeze U.S. bank accounts of Cubans who no longer live in Cuba, the White House said.

Obama has also asked Secretary of State John Kerry to review Cuba’s designation as a state sponsor of terrorism. “This review will be guided by the facts and the law,” he said. “A nation that meets our conditions and renounces the use of terrorism should not face this sanction.” …

Critical of plans

In responding to Obama, U.S. House Speaker John Boehner said, “Relations with the Castro regime should not be revisited, let alone normalized, until the Cuban people enjoy freedom – and not one second sooner. … If anything, this emboldens all state sponsors of terrorism. …”

However, Boehner said he felt “great joy and relief for Alan Gross and his family.”

U.S. Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, a Florida Republican who is Cuban-American, said, “The White House has conceded everything, but gained little.

“This is going to do absolutely nothing to further human rights and democracy in Cuba,” Rubio said. “But it potentially goes a long way in providing the economic lift that the Castro regime needs to become permanent fixtures in Cuba for generations to come.”

It is Cuba’s human rights record that has kept the administration from moving to strengthen relations and possibly ease or lift the embargo.

U.S. Senator Bob Corker, who will lead the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the new Congress, said Wednesday he wanted to know more about what Cuba would do in return for any shift in U.S. policy and will “closely examine” the issue.

Several other senators who take a harder line on Cuba’s Communist government, including Democrat Robert Menendez, have strongly denounced plans for changes in U.S. policy and the exchange of Cuban prisoners for Gross.

Former Florida Governor and potential 2016 Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush said on Wednesday he opposes Obama’s move to normalize relations with Cuba, according to a media report.

“I don’t think we should be negotiating with a repressive regime to make changes in our relationship,” Bush told an event in Florida, according to USA Today. http://www.voanews.com/content/reu-cuba-releases-american-alan-gross/2562509.html

Marco Rubio and Jeb Bush are considered potential presidential candidates for the 2016 election.  We will see what Hillary Clinton may say about this as she probably will need to make some statement if she intends to run for the presidency.

The Bible tells of a harlot woman, also called the great city on seven hills (Rome), who has improper relations with the kings of the world (Revelation 17).

Now I am not condemning all of Pope Francis’ efforts with this.  This post is only pointing out that the Bible tells of a city that rules over the world that is on seven hills and that today’s announcement shows that the Church of Rome has more political influence than many tend to think it does.  It will also have more in the future–until it loses it later.

That being said, my reading of scripture indicates that Latin America will become more closely aligned with Europe than the USA in the future.  Cuba is most likely grateful for Pope Francis’ interventions and influence with the USA.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Mexico, Central America, South America, Brazil, and the Caribbean in Prophecy [Español: México, América central, Suramérica, Brasil y el Caribe en la profecía] [Português: México, América Central, Ámérica do Sul, e Brasil na profecia] What will happen to those of Latin America? Will they have prosperity? Will they cooperate with Europe? Will they suffer in the future? What role might the various Caribbean nations/territories play?
Hillary Clinton in Prophecy  Prophecy, Hillary Clinton? Are there prophecies that Hillary Clinton may fulfill?  Are there any prophecies that she has already helped fulfill?  Could Hillary Clinton be apocalyptic?  Could Hillary Clinton be the final Antichrist?
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?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2015, 2016, or 2017? 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 2014 o 2015? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives.
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?
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?
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 Who is 666? This article explains how the COG views this, and compares this to Ellen White. Here is a version in the Spanish language: SDA/COG Diferencias: La bestia de dos cuernos de Apocalipsis y 666. Here is a sermon in the English language: CCOG and SDA differences and similarities.
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 Senate of the USA approved the proposed spending bill late last night:

December 17, 2014

President Barack Obama has signed a $1.1 trillion bill that will fund nearly every federal government agency through 2015.

The only exception in the bill signed Tuesday is the Department for Homeland Security, which will run out of funding at the end of February. Republican leaders limited funding for the agency so it can force the president to reverse his executive order that removes the threat of deportations from millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States. …

Obama said Friday that the bill includes provisions he does not like, but that there are other parts that ensure progress would continue on health insurance, climate change, early childhood education and job growth.

The bill’s eventual passage and signing prevented another government shutdown like the one that occurred a year ago. http://www.voanews.com/content/president-obama-signs-2015-government-spending-bill/2562244.html

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?
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.
The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben: France in Prophecy? What is the origin of this in France? What is prophesied to happen to them?
Ten clues tying Belgium and Luxembourg with the tribe of Asher Who did some in Belgium and Luxembourg descend from?
Ten clues tying Zebulun with the Dutch Who did some in the Netherlands descend from?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2015, 2016, or 2017? 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 2014 o 2015? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives. Here is a link to the video: Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2015?
Project Prophecy: Economic Collapse Starting in 2015? Jim Rickards once worked for the CIA and also was once part of a a USA government program called called ‘Project Prophecy.’ He has a video were he claims that starting in 2015, the USA may have economic collapse resulting in a 25-Year Great Depression. He mainly cites debt figures and claims advises alternatives to the USA dollar which he says will collapse? What did Rand Paul state? Can the USA dollar collapse?
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? Here is a related YouTube video: Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation.
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.
Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations? Some claim that these passages refer to a gathering of 10 currently existing nations together, while one group teaches that this is referring to 11 nations getting together. Is that what Revelation 17:12-13 refers to? The ramifications of misunderstanding this are enormous. A related sermon is titled Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North? Is the former German Defense Minister (who is also the former German Minister for Economics and Technology) one to watch? What do Catholic, Byzantine, and biblical prophecies suggest?
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”? There is also a You-Tube video sermon on this titled Germany’s Biblical Origins.
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? Here is a link to a video Is the USA Pushing Germany to Start WWIII?
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.

Representation of Bethlehem Birth, Vatican City, January 2010

COGwriter

An archeologist has claimed that there is evidence that Jesus was born in a different Bethlehem than the one many believe He was born in.

The Bible says the place of Jesus Christ’s birth was the town of Bethlehem of Judea, but one archaeologist says the Christian savior was more likely born in a different Bethlehem that is farther from Jerusalem.

Aviram Oshri, an archaeologist with the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), told NPR that he has conducted extensive excavations in Bethlehem of the Galilee, and has found artifacts there which suggest that the traditionally held view of where Jesus was born may be incorrect.

“I think the genuine site of the nativity is here rather than in the other Bethlehem near Jerusalem,” said Oshri.

In Bethlehem of the Galilee, Oshri says he has discovered stone vessels that were used by Jews during the same time period that Jesus lived. Excavators also discovered evidence of what was once a large, ornate church – Oshri says the church suggests that Christians also once believed the site to be the place of Christ’s birth – as well as parts of a wall that may have been built by emperor Justinian to protect the village.

“It makes much more sense that Mary rode on a donkey, while she was at the end of the pregnancy, from Nazareth to Bethlehem of Galilee which is only seven kilometers rather than the other Bethlehem which is 150 kilometers,” he said, according to NPR. http://www.christianpost.com/news/archaeologist-believes-jesus-was-born-in-a-different-bethlehem-87317/#0MsAwGYHHDvHUxsA.99

Interestingly, when he was asked if he thought that this would change people’s attachment to the other Bethlehem site, he said no. I, too, have found that once people make up their minds about something, they often will not consider the facts. But on the Bethlehem matter, while I am not certain which Bethlehem, I am certain that Jesus was not born in a cave (see Was Jesus Born in the Grotto of the Nativity?).

In November of 2012, a book from then Pope Benedict XVI questioned a couple of Christmas traditions:

The three wise men from the Christmas story, Benedict concedes, could be inspired by a “theological idea” rather than by a “historical event,” though he says he prefers a more literal interpretation of the biblical account…

Benedict also recalls that, according to the Gospels, there are no animals in the Bethlehem stable to warm the newborn Jesus. But, he adds, no Nativity scene would be complete without them…Killjoy Pope crushes Christmas nativity traditions: New Jesus book reveals there were no donkeys beside crib, no lowing oxen and definitely no carols (see also Pope Benedict Questions Some Christmas Traditions).

There are many other traditions associated with Christ’s birth, including the fact that it is seems impossible that He could have been born in the Winter. And, of course, symbols that many now associate with His birth, like Santa Claus and Christmas trees were not related to Jesus’ actual birth by any of the early Christians either.

Some people care, most do not.

But all should remember that Jesus taught:

23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:23-24)

And the truth is the truth.

Some items of possibly related interest may include the following:

Was Jesus Born in the Grotto of the Nativity? Was Jesus born in a below ground cave? Was Jesus born below the “Church of the Nativity”? Were the wise men there?
Do You Practice Mithraism? Many practices and doctrines that mainstream so-called Christian groups have are the same or similar to those of the sun-god Mithras. December 25th was celebrated as his birthday. Do you follow Mithraism combined with the Bible or original Christianity?
Virgin Birth: Does the Bible Teach It? What does the Bible teach? What is claimed in The Da Vinci Code?
Is Keeping Christmas a Sin? Is keeping Christmas acceptable for true Christians? What are some scriptures to consider?
What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days? Do you know what the Catholic Church says were the original Christian holy days? Was Christmas among them? Is December 25th Jesus’ birthday or that of the sun god? Here is a link to a related sermon: What do Catholic and other scholars teach about Christmas?
Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays? Did biblical era Jews celebrate birthdays? Who originally celebrated birthdays? When did many that profess Christ begin birthday celebrations?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from c. 31 A.D. to 2014. A related sermon link would be Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios.

5000 Russian Ruble note: Current worth US$74.22

COGwriter

Russia’s currency, the ruble, fell again in value today:

Ruble Plunges to New Lows Despite Rate Hike

December 16, 2014

MOSCOW—The value of Russia’s currency, the ruble, has dropped 20 percent in a single day, despite a dramatic central bank interest rate hike to prop up its value. The failure to stabilize the ruble has some economists concerned that Russian authorities may implement stronger controls on capital and companies are at higher risk of defaulting on debts.

Russia’s emergency measures to brake the fall of the ruble showed the opposite results Tuesday as the currency dropped to a new low.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev met with key Russian financial officials about the crisis.

The Kremlin has tried to reassure Russian citizens the devaluation will be temporary, and that the ruble eventually will regain its value.

The ruble at one point fell to below 80 to the dollar, despite a whopping 6.5 percent interest rate hike. It recovered somewhat in late trading but was still down 60 percent from its value at the beginning of the year.

Russia’s central bank announced the jump to a 17 percent rate overnight Monday to try shore up the currency after it lost 10 percent of its value in just one day.

Igor Nikolayev, who is director of strategic analysis at the audit consulting company FBK in Moscow, says the interest rate increase would not change the situation because the reasons for such a fall of the ruble are much more serious and fundamental. He says this is what happens with oil prices now. This is macro-economic weakness, he says, or the weakness of the Russian economy itself. This is (also) the effect of sanctions beginning to become significant.

Falling oil prices and Western sanctions for the Kremlin’s actions in Ukraine have slowly been hammering away at the Russian economy.

Oil prices dropped Tuesday to below $60 for the first time since 2009. Russia depends on oil and gas exporters for about half its federal budget.

Nikolayev says the failure to rein in the ruble is likely to spur authorities to introduce greater monetary controls.  http://www.voanews.com/content/ruble-plunges-to-new-lows-despite-rate-hike/2560639.html

December 16, 2014

The collapse in the ruble, which has spurred ordinary Russians to buy imported products such as fridges and cars and is stoking inflation, is likely to heap pressure on President Vladimir Putin. Still, support for Putin appears to be holding up. State television, meanwhile, urged citizens not to panic amid Tuesday’s rout.

The Central Bank’s move on interest rates aimed to encourage currency traders to hold onto their rubles — doing so gives them potentially big returns, certainly in comparison to many other currencies, such as the dollar, where the interest rate returns are near zero percent. …

Ash said “there is now a huge credibility gap for Russian policy makers in the eyes of the market” and that the decline is all the more astonishing given Russia’s solid foreign currency reserves and the fact that it runs a budget surplus.

But the message from state television is that there is no need to panic and a weak ruble is actually good for the economy because it will stimulate domestic production and make exports cheaper. So far, Russians appear to trust that the government is able to control the situation. If anything, many see the West as to blame.  http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/12/16/russian-ruble-falls-to-historic-lows-while-pressure-increases-on-putin/

Flag of the Taliban

COGwriter

The Taliban killed in Pakistan today:

December 16, 2014

An assault led by the Taliban on a Pakistan military-run school Tuesday left 141 people dead, 132 of which were children, officials say, in the worst attack to hit the country in years.  http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/12/16/taliban-pakistan-school-attack/

December 16, 2014

ISLAMABAD—Rescue operations continue at a school in Pakistan after Taliban militants stormed the building, killing 130 people, most of them students.

Islamist militants wearing military uniforms and strapped with explosives attacked the military-run facility in the northwestern city of Peshawar.

A provincial official said more than 100 others were wounded in the assault.

Provincial Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said most of the school building has been cleared, but some militants remain.

The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was an act of retaliation for Pakistan’s offensive targeting militants in the country’s northwestern tribal region, near the Afghan border. …

Local officials said the death toll could rise and that over 100 of the dead were schoolchildren.

Authorities said heavily armed gunmen entered the school in a highly secured part of Peshawar city and fired indiscriminately at students who were taking winter exams. …

The United Nations in Pakistan strongly condemned “the barbaric attack,” saying it is “appalled by this act of cruelty and brutality.” A statement released by the U.N. resident coordinator in Pakistan said, attacking children and children’s education is a disregard of the most fundamental principles of humanity and we reaffirm our strongest commitment to protecting children’s rights.

Separately, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson extended his country’s “deepest sympathies and condolences to the victims, condemning the school assault as a senseless and inhuman” act.

British Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted on Tuesday: “The news from Pakistan is deeply shocking. It’s horrifying that children are being killed simply for going to school.”  http://www.voanews.com/content/reu-taliban-gunmen-attack-military-run-school-in-nw-pakistan/2560556.html

This is not really a total surprise.  Once the USA and UK announced their pull-out of Afghanistan, this type of incident from the Taliban seemed more likely.

On March 9, 2013 (see Taliban suicide bombing in Afghanistan: Considered to be a warning?), I wrote:

Unless the USA keeps enough troops in Afghanistan (which it is not intending to do), the situation there will change to something that the USA has claimed that it does not want. The Taliban, other Islamic groups, and tribal leaders will pretty much insure that.

On October 26, 2014 (see USA and UK cease combat operations in Afghanistan: What’s next?), I wrote:

The ceasing of combat operations by the UK and USA is not a victory in Afghanistan.  It is a pause so that troops can be pulled out.  It will not bring real peace to the region.  At least some in Afghanistan will likely support the rise of a leader that the Bible refers to as the final King of the South.

Notice something else in the news from today:

December 16, 2014

BEIRUT—

Around 100 Syrian soldiers and 80 Islamist fighters were killed during a two-day battle in which insurgents captured the Wadi al-Deif military base, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said on Tuesday.

The Britain-based group said Islamist insurgents including al-Qaida’s Syria wing, the Nusra Front, on Monday took the base next to the country’s main north-south highway linking Aleppo with Damascus. Fighters also captured the smaller Hamidiya base, southwest of the Wadi al-Deif, the Observatory said. http://www.voanews.com/content/around-180-syrian-soldiers-jihadists-reported-killed-in-battle-for-base/2560678.html

All the fighting, killing, and terrorism in the Middle East and North Africa are getting political and religious leaders to rethink their approach to the region.

The time will come when a confederation of nations from North Africa and the Middle East will form, which the Bible refers to as the final King of the South.  Political leaders outside of the region apparently will support this.  The Taliban’s terrible actions are probably a step towards that.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation Where is an Islamic caliphate prophesied? Will one happen? Should you be concerned about it? A related video is Will an Arabic Calphiphate Destroy the West?
Obama Administration Pushing for an Islamic Empire? Because of the rise of groups such as the Islamic State, the Obama Administration and others are pushing for a coalition of Arab nations along with Turkey. Does this resemble the final King of the South of Bible prophecy? Is there an Islamic antichrist? Does the Bible teach that terrorism and the sword will affect the USA and some of its allies? What does the Bible teach in Ezekiel about a confederation involving Egypt? Will an Arabic confederation end in destruction for those who strongly support it? Are the 10 nations in the Arab coalition the ten kings of Revelation 17:12-13? Are the 10 nations including the USA and Turkey the ten nations of Revelation 17:12-13? Who is? Was the pushing of the Obama Administration to do this predicted by in 2009 in a writing by Dr. Thiel? What does the Bible show?
Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.
India, Its Biblical Past and Future: Any Witness? The Bible discusses the origins of those of Indian heritage.  This article quotes the Bible and also discusses some of the witness to India throughout history and what is happening in the 21st century (including those in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka).
India and the Beast of Revelation 13 Do biblical, Catholic, and even Hindu prophecies suggest that many in India will follow, for a while, the Beast and False Prophet/Antichrist? Here is link to a related YouTube video Will People in India Worship the Beast of Revelation 13?
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? See also World Council of Churches Peace Plan.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2015, 2016, or 2017? 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 2014 o 2015? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About? Can humans bring peace to the Middle East? Here is a link to a related video: Middle East Peace? When?
Iraq, the King of the South, Armageddon, and Prophecy What will happen to Iraq? Is it the prophesied Mystery Babylon? What is Armageddon and how does that have to do with Iraq? Here is a related video Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy.
Africa: Its Biblical Past and Prophesied Future What does the Bible teach about Africa and its future? Did the early Church reach Africa? Will God call all the Africans?
Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur. Will those with the cross be the persecutors or the persecuted–this article has the shocking answer. There is also a YouTube video sermon you can watch: The Coming Persecution of the Church. Here is information in the Spanish language: Persecuciones de la Iglesia y el Estado.
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.
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it? Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near? A related sermon is titled The Millennium.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
The Ten Commandments Reflect Love, Breaking them is Evil Some feel that the ten commandments are a burden. Is that what Jesus, Paul, Peter, James, and John taught? For a more detailed discussion of the first four commandments, please see the video The Ten Commandments: Loving God. For a more detailed discussion of the last six commandments, please see: The Ten Commandments: Loving Your Neighbor. Here is a link to a related article in Mandarin Chinese 十条诫命显示爱，违反诫命的就是邪恶的 

A Hanukkah Menorah (MathKnight)

COGwriter

Many Jews celebrate a time that they call Hanukkah. This year it begins Tuesday December 16 at sunset until sunset Wednesday December 24, 2014.

As far as Hanukkah itself, here is some of Wikipedia has reported about it:

Hanukkah (pronounced HAH-nə-kə ; Hebrew: חֲנֻכָּה, Tiberian: Ḥănukkāh, usually spelled חנוכה, pronounced [χanuˈka] in Modern Hebrew; a transliteration also romanized as Chanukah, Chanukkah or Chanuka), also known as the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar.

Hanukkah is not a biblical holiday, but mainly started out as a national holiday. Jesus, Himself, seemed to possibly observe it, and it is referred to as the Feast of the Dedication in the New Testament (John 10:22-23). Last year, on the Roman calendar, it runs from “Sunset, December 8 to nightfall, December 16.”

The New York Times reported the following about it:

Many Americans, Jews as well as Christians, think that the legend of the long-lasting oil is the root of Hanukkah’s commemoration.

And perhaps that mistake is no surprise, given that for many the holiday has morphed into “Christmas for Jews,” echoing the message of peace on earth accompanied by gift giving. In doing so, the holiday’s own message of Jewish survival and faith has been diluted…

Though Hanukkah is a minor Jewish holiday, 19th-century activists in America promoted it to encourage their coreligionists to take pride in their heritage. During the 20th century it was embraced more broadly by Jews who wanted to fit in with other Americans celebrating the holiday season — and to make their kids feel better about not getting anything from Santa.

It helped, of course, that Hanukkah falls near Christmas on the calendar and traditionally involved candles and small monetary gifts. Over time, children began receiving grander presents, and Hanukkah-themed season’s greeting cards proliferated. Some families even started to purchase “Hanukkah bushes,” small trees often decked out with Stars of David and miniature Maccabees. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/08/opinion/hanukkah-unabridged.html

The Jews should be aware that they are not to adopt Gentile practices involving trees, etc. Notice what the Hebrew Bible (AKA the Old Testament) teaches:

29 “When the Lord your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, 30 take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ 31 You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. (Deuteronomy 12:29-31)

2 Thus says the Lord:

“Do not learn the way of the Gentiles;
Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven,
For the Gentiles are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the peoples are futile;
For one cuts a tree from the forest,
The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.
4 They decorate it with silver and gold;
They fasten it with nails and hammers
So that it will not topple.
5 They are upright, like a palm tree,
And they cannot speak;
They must be carried,
Because they cannot go by themselves.
Do not be afraid of them,
For they cannot do evil,
Nor can they do any good.” (Jeremiah 10:2-5)

For more on biblical admonitions against using green trees in worship, go to the article: What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days?

Compromise has happened throughout the centuries from both Jews as well as those who claimed to be true Christians. Hanukkah is now mainly a Jewish compromise.

Oddly, more Jews keep Hanukkah than keep many of the biblical holy days (often improperly referred to as Jewish holidays).

And of course, most who claim to be Christians keep non-biblical holidays more than they do biblical ones.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Messianic Judaism Beliefs Differ from the Continuing Church of God Both groups keep the seventh-day Sabbath, but have important differences in doctrines and practices. Here is a link to a related sermon: Messianic Jewish Beliefs.
Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays? Did biblical era Jews celebrate birthdays? Who originally celebrated birthdays? When did many that profess Christ begin birthday celebrations?
The Temple and the Work This article discusses the two temples of the Old Testament and gives insight as to their possible relevance to the situation which has impacted the Church during this past decade or so.
What Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days? Do you know what the Catholic Church says were the original Christian holy days? Was Christmas among them? Is December 25th Jesus’ birthday or that of the sun god?
Is There “An Annual Worship Calendar” In the Bible? This paper provides a biblical and historical critique of several articles, including one by the Tkach WCG which states that this should be a local decision. What do the Holy Days mean? Also you can click here for the calendar of Holy Days.
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。.
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?

COGwriter

The latest issue (says #167 November 30, 2014) of The Journal was sent out electronically and just received.

Some of its main articles has to do with some Feast of Tabernacles‘ reports, Dwight Armstrong hymns, history, ‘sacred names, parables, and PCG’s new mansion.

As far a Feast of Tabernacles’ reports go, one of the main ones was related to the Continuing Church of God.  Here is some information about that which I sent out in October (see Letter to the Brethren: October 23, 2014):

Feast of Tabernacles and Related Reports

Received reports from all the official CCOG sites, other than one video site (in the Philippines) where email communication has long been limited.

My family attended the site in Orlando, Florida. A highlight of the site were the baptisms that took place. When I was baptizing a man there, his head somewhat popped up and did not quite get immersed when I went to put him under the water, so I had to push his head specifically a second time. It seemed a little humorous at the time, but he at least was properly fully immersed. In the Continuing Church of God we, of course, practice baptism by immersion (see also Baptism, the Early Church, and the Continuing Church).

Topics covered in messages in Orlando included the Feast of Tabernacles, forgiveness, love, human nature, strangers & pilgrims, Messianic Judaism, the gospel of the kingdom, China, tradition, prophesying, dealing with Satan, and the meaning of the Last Great Day.

We were only significantly affected by rain one day in Orlando, which was the sixth day of the Feast of Tabernacles.  Our family was caught in two downpours that day.  They reminded me why the Jews did not pray for rain until the eighth day, the Last Great Day, of the Feast.

We received the following information from the video Feast of Tabernacles’ site in Wichita, Kansas:

2014  Feast Attendance  for Wichita, Kansas video group was 3 adults and 2 children 2 teenagers. …

We had no problems. We were able to see the sermons you uploaded from the day before and others you had from last year on Deut. Very Good!

Here is a report from John Hickey from New Zealand related to the site there:

The Feast was great.  We enjoyed your sermons very much.  For sermonettes we had some of yours and I gave some, I didn’t record them but I have thought that I could do that now I’m home again and send them to you.

We’ve just arrived home from our drive up from Wellington, all happy, safe and sound.  The weather was good for the whole feast (another answered prayer) and we enjoyed the sightseeing and the shopping etc.

To download your sermons we purchased extra gigabytes for my iPad and used that as a hotspot to download them to the laptop.  This worked extremely well.

We also received reports from Africa related to the hundreds that attended there.  On the negative side, most of the brethren from Tanzania were turned away at the Kenyan border, so they ended up having a Feast in Tanzania.

Here is a report from Pastor Evans Ochieng:

2014 FEAST OF TABERNACLES REPORT.

Greetings from Kenya. The Feast of Tabernacles in Kenya 2014 was a wonderful feast I ever kept. And it is the first feast of CCOG in Kenya which was perfectly done.  We had three feast sites in Kenya. Ndhiwa, Kisii and Nairobi.

There was a problem with our brethren from Tanzania who were blocked at the border when they were crossing the border because they did not have passports. So they went back and keep the feast in Tanzania. Only our brother Paul Makinda who was baptized in in Nairobi during your visit in Kenya managed to reach at the camp in Ndhiwa.  The feast in Ndhiwa was opened at the end of 8th when 9th was arriving, and that night we got sermon from Bob Thiel.  It was a wonderful sermon and was spiritually inspired.  In the morning I gave sermon about the importance of Feast of Tabernacles and the reason why it should be kept.

The feast site in Ndhiwa was the largest feast in Kenya with apopulation of 236 people. Adults were 196 and 40 children.  There were 12 congregations who were in Ndhiwa site and one man from Tanzania.  The congregations were, Ndhiwa, Oriang, Mbani, kiseke, Oyugis, Rongo, Nyakach, Mbita, Migori,  Eberege  Kisii Nyamaruma Kisii and Mgonga Kisii. Also we had 2 people from Kisumu who wanted to attend  CCOG feast of tabernacles site. This was a William and Nora. I gave them church history and after four days they declared that  they are CCOG members. They said that since they started to become members of CCOG. Even today I received their calls that they reached well and wanted me to go to Kisumu  to go and arrange how they can meet every Sabbath. I stayed in Ndhiwa for three days then I travelled to Kisii to meet our brethren who were keeping Feast in Kisii.

Regarding Kisii, here is the report from Evans Ochieng:

Pastor Bob,

The Kisii site was hosting 200 people.

…We had four Feast of Tabernacles’ sites in Africa (including what seems to have been a very limited one in Nairobi), two in North America (including one video site in Kansas), one in New Zealand, and one video site in the Philippines.Over 500 people part of the Continuing Church of God were able to attend the Feast of Tabernacles in 2014. We had more than double the number of attendees in North America and Africa this year compared to 2013.

Additionally, there were people who were unable to get to our sites who live in North America, the Caribbean, South America, Europe, Australia, and parts of Africa. But, some of them were able to watch the videos prepared for and during the Feast of Tabernacles this year (see Feast of Tabernacles’ Sites for 2014).

The ‘over 500 people’ figure does not include those who were unable to attend, nor does it include two groups in Asia who held the Feast of Tabernacles at sites there, but who have a more distant affiliation with CCOG. Nor does it include some in Africa who are currently looking at possible closer CCOG affiliation.

Other groups also had reports in The Journal.

Here is something related to hymns in The Journal.:

Deborah L. Armstrong of Spokane, Wash., daughter of W orldwide Church of God (WCG) hymn writer Dwight Arm- strong, recently announced her plans to place her late father’s unpublished hymns into the public domain…

Public-domain transfer will add 20-some hymns to original 128…

Many of the hymns by Dwight Armstrong were released into public domain a few years ago.  This has helped groups like the CCOG have a songbook.  Here is a link to The Bible Hymnal online, which contains many Dwight Armstrong hymns.

In terms of history, something related to Big Sandy was on the front page by John Warren:

The college campus at Big Sandy had a major impact on church growth in East Texas, but an earlier major factor was Radio/Worldwide Church of God founder Herbert W. Armstrong’s decision in 1952 to develop the church property as a Feast of Tabernacles site for the fall of 1953. In this article we focus on what Sabbath and Feast services were like in those early days and the challenges that confronted church members. Several people who attended fes- tival and church services in the 1940s and ’50s provided THE JOURNAL with their remembrances for this article in interviews in 2002. Buck Hammer of Gladewater, who died in 2003, remembered the first church service on the property two miles east of Big Sandy on U.S. Highway 80. This was in 1952 during the spring feast, with services that year taking place at the Hammer home near Gladewater.

After discussions with Mr. Armstrong, founder of what was then called the Radio Church of God, about the need for a larger facility for observing the Feast of Tabernacles later that year, a group traveled from Gladewater to the unimproved Big Sandy property one afternoon during the Days of Unleavened Bread. Compared with services in later years in air-conditioned buildings, that first meeting was rather primitive.

Speaking of primitive, when I attended the Feast of Tabernacles in Big Sandy, Texas is 1980, I noticed that most all there where in motor homes or something about as nice.  I was in a very small tent (one you could not stand it), and one that got so full of rain that I was unable to even roll over at night lest I would get drenched.

John Adkins wrote an article in defense of ‘sacred names,’ of which I do not come to all the same conclusions. More on names can be found in the following articles:

Why the Names Jesus and Christ in English? Was the New Testament Written in Hebrew or Greek? Various groups believe that the name Jesus should not be used, but instead other pronunciations and spellings. This is an article by the late evangelist John Ogwyn, addresses this “sacred name” issue, as well as if the New Testament was written in Hebrew or Greek.
God’s Names and the Jewish Reading Tradition This article by John Wheeler, addresses this, as well as a few other Hebrew and Greek points.
Yahweh and Sacred Names This article by Wyatt Ciesielka, addresses this issue that is sometimes raised.
Sacred Names: Appropriate or Required? This article contains a question with a response from Norman Edwards about these names.
Worldwide Assembly of Yahweh This is what I’d call a sacred name group.

David Havir had an article in The Journal encouraging people to read the parables in the New Testament about the Kingdom. That is a good to do.

The back page of The Journal had the following:

The Philadelphia Church of God (PCG) recently purchased a 22-acre estate that features a 24,000-square-foot mansion to serve as its new British headquarters. The large imposing former private residence lies on the outskirts of the village of Wootton Wawen in the West Midlands county of Warwickshire.

PCG originally tried to get properties that were part of the old Ambassador College campus in Bricket Wood (UK), but that fell through.  More on the purchase is in the article PCG announces ‘Bricket Wood’ related purchase.  In The Journal article, I was surprised that I was mentioned as The Journal had not discussed this with me.  Anyway, here is one more part of The Journal article:

Bob Thiel of Arroyo Grande, Calif., founder of the Continuing Church of God, publisher of the blog COGWriter … says he is relieved that the PCG purchased the Edstone campus rather than the WCG’s old Ambassador College grounds.

Mr. Thiel has criticized the PCG as becoming too eager over the years to acquire relics of the old Radio/ Worldwide Church of God. “I have considered PCG’s fascination with attaining old WCG items to be on the idolatrous side, so at least this purchase of property in England ended up not being a continuation of that,” wrote Mr. Thiel in a Nov. 14, 2014, blog entry.

“Yet, because it is in England, this does give the appearance that PCG is still trying to appear more like the old WCG, which had a campus there.”

In 2009, the Philadelphia Church of God purchased a 12-by-15-by-25-foot sculpture formerly located on the WCG’s Ambassador College Big Sandy campus called Swans in Flight .

Mr. Armstrong’s prayer rock

Originally commissioned in 1969 by Mr. Armstrong, the swans lately rest in a 40,000-gallon reflecting pool on a mall at the entrance of the Armstrong Auditorium of PCG’s AC campus in Oklahoma. Also on display on that campus is a 14-inch “prayer rock” said to have been used by Mr. Armstrong to lean on while kneeling in prayer when he lived in Oregon in the 1920s and ’30s.

A small group of PCG members embarked on an expedition to Oregon to find the rock. After consulting with descendants of friends of Mr. Arm- strong, they found a rock that they said fit every detail that Mr. Armstrong had given in his autobiography about the rock.

When Gerald Flurry later saw the rock, he was convinced that it indeed had been Mr. Armstrong’s rock, and he ordered that it be displayed on the PCG’s college campus. The rock arrived on the Oklahoma campus Aug. 15, 2002.

Two years later the PCG spent more than $100,000 purchasing items auctioned off by the WCG in its liquidation of the assets of its Ambassador College Pasadena Campus. A nine-foot Steinway concert grand piano and two seven-foot-tall candlestick holders were among the items purchased. In a July 17, 2004, sermon explaining the church’s purchases, Gerald Flurry noted the items had been picked out and acquired by Herbert Armstrong himself.

I stand by my writings that PCG sometimes seems to eager to acquire what could be considered as relics.

The back cover of The Journal mentioned the death of Gary Fakhoury.  While I had seen his name (he sometimes had articles in The Journal), I never knew him.  He died 9/30/14 at age 52.

The Journal also had the usual letters to the editor and other advertisements, various comments, and opinion articles.

The Journal itself is available by paid subscription (though Dixon Cartwright says some subscriptions are free to those who cannot afford it) and often tends to take a non-Philadelphian era view of certain church matters.

Frank Walter Steinmeier (Mark Müller)

COGwriter

The German Minister for Foreign Affairs gave a speech reminiscent of one given in support of the rise of the so-called Third Reich.  A reader just sent me the following:

German Foreign Minister Steinmeier’s great power speech to big business

By Johannes Stern
6 December 2014

In his opening speech at the SZ Economic Summit, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier appealed to business heads to support Germany’s rise to be a world power.

The meeting did not take place in the Dusseldorf Parkhotel, but in Berlin’s Hotel Adlon. Sitting in the audience was not Fritz Thyssen and Gustav Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach, but Thyssen-Krupp CEO Heinrich Hiesinger and other current heavyweights of German big business. And of course, the Social Democratic Party Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is not Adolf Hitler.

Nevertheless, Steinmeier’s appearance recalled Hitler’s speech to the Dusseldorf Industry Club on January 26, 1932. Like the soon to become Führer, Steinmeier made a direct appeal to German big business to support Germany’s rise to be a world power. He explicitly called on big business to support him and the government in pushing through a militarist foreign policy turn against the will of the people.

Steinmeier’s programme strongly recalls the German lust for power, once believed to be a thing of the past. “Germany should ‘lead Europe to lead the world’, ‘Europeanise Russia’ and ‘multilateralise the US’”, Steinmeier demanded, citing an essay that has been featured on an official web site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for months. He added, “No small task!”

The implications of these words are unmistakable. Germany’s return to an aggressive foreign policy runs along similar channels as followed in the first half of the 20th century. The German elites once again see it as their “task” to dominate Europe in order to become a world power. Today, as before, this programme of German imperialism means conflict with Russia and the United States.

To “Europeanize Russia” means nothing other than to subordinate Russia to a Europe controlled by Germany. To “multilateralise the US” means to contest the role of the United States as the world hegemon. In other words, German foreign policy in the future will develop increasingly in opposition to the two powers against which it has already waged two world wars.

After the crimes of the Nazi regime, the German elites are, at least for now, still trying to present their programme of a third “grab for world power” as if it were being imposed on them from the outside. Every day, “the expectation of German involvement” is encountered from our “partners abroad”, Steinmeier protested at the Adlon. He had therefore “asked a large group of international experts to formulate their expectations of German foreign policy”.

From the many responses he received to this request, Steinmeier highlighted just one, titled “Germany’s destiny: leading Europe in order to lead the world”. This comes from the pen of the Indian-born Professor Kishore Mahbubani of the National University of Singapore, located in an authoritarian, one-party state.

The text, together with other calls for a more aggressive German foreign policy, can be found on the web site “Review 2014” of the German Foreign Ministry. Of Mahbubani’s key demands, Steinmeier said tersely, “And do you know who said that? Not a Frenchman, not an American, but an Indian professor wrote that for us.”

Steinmeier’s speech was remarkable not only for its call for German leadership in the world. It also expressed an openly imperialist programme…

When Steinmeier had finished, there was thunderous applause in the ballroom of Hotel Adlon.  http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2014/12/06/stei-d06.html

This speech is a call for a fourth reich. Another attempt for Germany to try to rule the world.  The Bible reveals that, for a time, this will succeed with a leader known as the final Beast.

Earlier this year, I debated whether or not to leave references in the the personal correspondence course developed in 1954 by the old Radio Church of God in the revised Study the Bible Course for the Continuing Church of God.  I decided, with some modifications, to let it remain in, despite the fact that I realized that some who find the reality of Germany’s current goals a bit hard to accept.

Anyway, here is some of what is in Lesson 3 of the Study the Bible Course of the Continuing Church of God:

FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW

A HOT WORLD WAR 3 IS COMING!

Make no mistake!—The soon-coming World War 3 will end all wars! It will DECIDE WHO WILL RULE the world.

World War 2 was supposed to have been fought for this purpose, but it did not produce a decisive outcome. The nations know they have the power—and much to spare—to destroy all life from the earth in the form of the Hydrogen Bombs and other devices!

World War 1 of 1914 and World War 2—in which four times as many were killed as in World War 1—were only flashes in the pan! They were only the forerunners of the UTTER DESTRUCTION which is soon to break SUDDENLY upon the nations! The contenders for world rule will not abandon their quest. That’s why God says “WATCH“! (Luke 21:36).

This is a command from God. Let us therefore examine the backgrounds of the ambitious contestants who would rule or ruin this earth. Your very life may well depend upon your being convinced of the deadly seriousness with which gangster nations are out to attain their goal. You need more zeal in studying God’s way of ESCAPE revealed in the coming lessons of the Study The Bible Course.

Here are some amazing excerpts and comments which reveal to you the dogged determination and diabolical cleverness with which each pretender has settled down to attain his aim—kingship over this earth—the office that rightly belongs to Christ!

Germany about to SHOCK the World Again!

Since the above headline was originally written, Germany has shocked the world by rising up from the ruins in WWII and now becoming a major economic and technological power once again.

Down through the ages the Assyrians, the ancestors of modern Germany, called themselves the Herrenvolk—the “MASTER RACE.” Today the term is still used among themselves. Has today’s Germany given up the idea of achieving this dream?

The keynote of what lies in the Germanic mind was voiced in 1950. Then, according to T.H. Teten’s book Germany Plots with the Kremlin, Dr. Adenauer, the leader of Germany, caused much embarrassment by leading a German crowd in singing “Deutschland Uber Alles”—“GERMANY ABOVE ALL OTHERS“—in the presence of Allied representatives. Why was this thought lurking in his mind?

Here are Some Clues to the PRESENT GERMAN ATTITUDE

“No defeat is final. Defeats are simply lessons to be learned in preparation for the next and greater attack,” said German General von Stuelpnagel in 1944. Furthermore, he stated, ”In the NEXT WORLD WAR…the same mistake should not be made. The principal ADVERSARY WILL BE THE UNITED STATES, and the entire effort must be concentrated against this country from the beginning. . .our defeat in the present war need not be considered except as an incident in the triumphal march of Germany towards CONQUEST OF THE WORLD”—Deutschland Uber Alles!

Twice already Germany has attempted to seize world rule. And twice Britain, USA, and their allies have prevented her from achieving it. This time she will make sure that the USA is not around!

Adolf Hitler told us of the next step in the carefully laid German military plan to rule the world when he expounded the thesis in Mein Kampf. He said that Germany must FIRST DEFEAT THE WEST in order to have a free hand for the “Drang Nach Osten”—the march toward the East—toward Russia! How perfectly all this accords with revealed prophecy! Hitler was following this same plan in the last World War until Russia ceased to supply him with oil to further his war effort and he was forced to turn upon her in an attempt to seize oil from her.

Germany is out to conquer the world. As it is absolutely necessary for YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY that you be convinced on this point let’s examine further overwhelming evidence. Let’s examine the amazing tenacity with which Germany has set out methodically to achieve its goal of world rulership.

Many decades ago leading German industrialists founded a society which they called the PAN GERMAN LEAGUE. Its slogan was “Deutschland uber alles!”—Germany over all. They utilized the trademark “Made in Germany” as proof of German superiority. Behind their commercial and business methods was a central, PERMANENT strategy—with the GOAL OF CONQUERING THE WORLD!

It was they who were largely responsible for inducing the Kaiser to enter World War 1. It was they who were behind World War 2. Co-operating with the German militarists and the SECRET MOVEMENT started by General Ludendorff, who selected Adolf Hitler as his stooge and protégé, these same industrialists financed the Nazi movement and actually elevated Hitler to power. (Senator Kilgore’s report to the Senate Military Affairs Committee calls attention to this fact.) SOME FELT THAT HITLER WAS MERELY A TOOL. He was the rabble-rouser they needed to sway the masses of German people to get behind their fanatical plot for world rule.

The world heard and saw Hitler. But many of his promoters and backers kept in the background. If Hitler failed in this second round of World War, they planned to let him shoulder the blame before the world, and KEEP THEMSELVES FREE TO SECRETLY PLOT THE THIRD ROUND—WORLD WAR 3! This coming war! While those leaders are now dead, various of their descendants and others still have the same goal.

It was those industrial barons who met together to take action in mid-May, 1943. They knew Hitler’s war was probably lost. They realized the time had come for them to once again go UNDERGROUND—to throw all guilt of World War 2 on Hitler just as they had thrown that of the first round—World War 1—on the Kaiser.

From that time until now German industrialists have led a double life. To the world’s view, they have become merely private business men. BUT SECRETLY THEY HAVE OTHER PLANS!  Their job is to keep German industry ready to produce the weapons, munitions, and technologies for the third war. Their mission is to finance the new movement, by whatever new  name they may call it, whenever the time is ripe.

Here is a view of how one GREAT INDUSTRIALIST, for an EXAMPLE, has carried out his part in this plan. It is the hoax of multimillionaire industrialist Fritz Thyssen. It is revealed in the book, The Nazis Go Underground, written by Curt Riess. At the beginning  (note the extreme cleverness) of World War 2, Thyssen was sped into neutral Switzerland proclaiming loudly that Hitler had duped him into financing the Nazi party, and then, once in power, Hitler had double-crossed and confiscated his wealth, and left him poor. The Nazis went through the pretense of removing Thyssen from their party. Thyssen wrote a book about his “shabby” treatment at their hands. But when the Nazis invaded France later, where Thyssen was, the very Nazis who were supposed to hate him, left him unmolested and soon he was back in Berlin where the Nazis were, living in luxury. The whole RUSE was to deceive the Allied nations into placing confidence in Thyssen in event of an Allied victory so he could supply them with funds for World War 3.

Today, thanks to this deeply-laid plan and others like it, Krupp and many other outstanding German businessman are actively establishing great factories all over the world to finance World War 3. The Nazi plans are well-laid. (Interestingly, within five minutes of reviewing the above, in 2014, which was written in the 1950s, I, Bob Thiel, walked onto a jet airliner and noticed that the huge automatic walkway had the name ThyssenKrupp—an industrial power that exists to this day.)

MANY OF THE NAZIS WENT UNDERGROUND, MAY 16, 1943!—two years before the war ended! The German generals, scientists, industrialists, bankers, and others, knew that War 2 was lost. So at that time they organized themselves for the future. The most thoroughly organized secret government of modern history began to function—UNDERGROUND! In 1951 Dr. Adenauer admitted the presence of 134 former Nazis, who served under Hitler, in high echelons in his Bonn government.

What about now? Germany is Europe’s biggest economy. It is well recognized that Germany dominates the European Union in many respects. Furthermore, even today various Europeans are WORKING FEVERISHLY on ultramodern weapons and other projects. From the Large Hadron and F.A.I.R. collider projects to the new Galileo “GPS” system to laser weaponry (ELI) to the European Space Agency, the German-dominated European Union is taking militaristic steps. Germany also makes nuclear weaponry for France. In addition to those, the Europeans have control over hundreds of nuclear weapons that the USA has put at their disposal. Europe has more military might at its disposal than most think.

Today you hear much of about the European Union, a potential UNITED STATES OF EUROPE. Where does it fit into Germany’s plan for world conquest?

Dr. Adenauer and his press reveal that Germany regards the creation of a United Europe as the first step in the erection of a Third Power bloc. In 1950 Dr. Adenauer wrote, “A federated Europe will become a Third Force in the world.” Later he said, “No one has more to gain through the unification of Europe than the Germans who are the most numerous and most dynamic among the nations west of the U.S.S.R. {Russia}.” Dr. Adenauer here showed that GERMANY desired a United States of Europe and points out that it WILL NATURALLY LEAD it once it is formed—in the 21^st century, we are seeing the rise of such a German-dominated power.

We know what Germany’s plan is. WE know how the United States of Europe will be used by it to attempt world domination. PROPHECY shows 10 kings—TEN DICTATORS—will arise in Europe and GIVE THEIR POWER TO GERMANY.

You may be saying to yourself, well since most of the above was written in the 1950s, it cannot be true of the Germans in the 21^st century. Many believe that Germany has been a reliable ally for decades and would not attempt domination again. You might believe that, and even many Germans and other Europeans believe that, but you would be wrong.

Notice the following prophecy:

5 “Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger
And the staff in whose hand is My indignation.
6 I will send him against an ungodly nation,
And against the people of My wrath
I will give him charge,
To seize the spoil, to take the prey,
And to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
7 Yet he does not mean so,
Nor does his heart think so;
But it is in his heart to destroy,
And cut off not a few nations.
8 For he says,
‘Are not my princes altogether kings? (Isaiah 10:6-8)

Isaiah tells of a time when the end time Assyrian power will be sent against an ungodly (NKJV), “hypocritical” (KJV) nation. The Hebrew word used signifies being “soiled” or impious, and certainly that is now the case for the nation known as the United States. The Snowden leaks of USA espionage have enraged the Germans.

Not only do they feel that the USA has been hypocritical here, they were outraged to learn that according to leaked documents from the National Security Agency (NSA), Germany was one of the most spied upon nations by the USA. Another NSA document said that the only nations that the USA considered to be “close friends” that did not warrant extensive USA espionage was the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand—the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic dominated lands. Germany and others have noticed this and will take steps against them later (cf. Daniel 11:39; Psalm 83:-3-8).

But notice verse 7 of Isaiah 10. It says this “Assyrian” power does not think that it will destroy at the time of the end. Yet, it is in his heart, his history, his outlook on the world to do so.

Why?

Because as verse 8 indicates, he considers that he is part of a master race.

The Vatican Enters the Scene

Does Germany have any plans for receiving the aid of a “Great Church” in helping her achieve world domination? The “Madrid Circular Letter,” which reflects the thinking of those in authority in Germany, states, “The German people, well-trained and steeled under national socialist leadership, are dominated by two sovereign ideas: the concept of a German Reich, and Germany’s mission of leadership in the world. . .the religious tradition embodied in the concept of the Reich, sparks our political mission and is especially attractive within the Catholic world.”

The GERMAN IDEA OF THE ACHIEVEMENT OF WORLD RULE PLEASES THE CATHOLIC WORLD GREATLY! Now let’s see why this is so. It affects our lives—your life—much more than you probably realize!

On February 10, 1952 in his pontifical exhortation, the POPE SAID, “THE WHOLE WORLD MUST BE REBUILT from its foundations.” Secretly the Vatican diplomats have been laying the foundations of a PROGRAM that WILL REMAKE WESTERN CIVILIZATION! It has to be PLANNED SECRETLY so it will not be discovered until it is too late to stop! The Vatican contends that peace can be maintained only by a CATHOLIC-DOMINATED international organization which has IRON TEETH TO CRUSH OPPOSITION.

“This organization,” said Pope Pius in his Christmas message of 1944, “will be vested . . . with supreme authority and POWER TO SMOTHER. . .AGGRESSION.” Note the organization which the pope will invest with this power will have military might enough to quell resistance to the Church. This coming world-ruling organization would therefore be a UNION OF CHURCH AND STATE with the pope, which both biblical and certain Catholic prophecies indicate will be a type of anti-pope and final Antichrist, promoting this (Revelation 13:11-18). The Vatican cannot plan this directly with the Russians, and the United States is not fired with a desire to rule the world that way. But the various Germans and other Europeans have all the qualifications the pope final desires. Germany needs the man power of the millions of people that the Vatican can throw to her support and the final apostate Church needs the power of the German military might! These things also fit into prophecy completely: In Lesson 3, section ‘Gathering at Armageddon,’ read question 2. And section ‘Results of Christ’s Victory,’ read questions 4 and 5. TIME IS RUNNING OUT!

The Vatican, consistent with various Catholic “private prophecies” believes that Europe will rise again for a final revival of what has been called “the Holy Roman Empire.”

One more thing needs considering. Will GERMANY PLAY ALONG WITH RUSSIA until she can subdue the West? The answer is “yes.”’ In at least six or seven separate instances within the last two hundred and fifty years, in which Germany has turned on the West, she has first made a pact with Russia to make herself safe from the East. Now will be no different.

The events mentioned here are certain to happen. The astounding union of German-dominated United States of Europe with a great church is going to rise up! READ your newspaper—read the news magazines that cover international news. You can see the things described here taking form, day by day. The world will “wonder”—stand aghast—when it sees this union of Church and State appear (Revelation 17:8). You need not stand aghast.  Remember, God says: “Watch and pray that you may escape.” There is a reason. For God promises escape to His own.

Expect more industrial support for Germany dominance.  Expect more support for an ecumenical plan to lead to assistance by one who will claim to represent the Vatican.

World events are moving towards the fulfillment of properly understood biblical prophecy.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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?
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? Here is a related YouTube video: Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation.
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? Is the former German Defense Minister (who is also the former German Minister for Economics and Technology) one to watch? What do Catholic, Byzantine, and biblical prophecies suggest?
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”? There is also a You-Tube video sermon on this titled Germany’s Biblical Origins.
Large Hadron Collider may result in military applications The Europeans have the largest physics project on the planet. Some scoff, but might it result in military applications? May the Large Hadron Collider help fulfill Revelation 13:4?
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?
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?
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.