Church of God News

COGwriter

The Continuing Church of God is pleased to announce the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

17:20

Logos of Republican and Democratic Parties of the USA

COGwriter

The Associated Press reported the following.

November 14, 2015

WASHINGTON (AP) – Bring on Donald Trump, and Ben Carson, too. That’s what Democratic insiders are saying about the Republican outsiders who sit solidly atop preference polls in the race for the GOP nomination for president. They are far more worried about GOP candidates who have experience in office, with Marco Rubio cited most often as the strongest potential competition for their overwhelming choice for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Rodham Clinton. “As a Democrat, I’d love to see a Trump-Carson ticket,” said Bob Mulholland, a member of the Democratic National Committee from California. “We’d probably win back the Senate and pick up the House as well.”

The Associated Press contacted all 712 superdelegates to the Democratic National Convention next summer, and asked them which Republican they thought would be their party’s strongest opponent in the general election.  http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_DEM_2016_STRONGEST_OPPONENT_FLOL-?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-11-14-16-41-47

Marco Rubio is believed to have broader appeal than Donald Trump or Ben Carson, plus he is more likely to get more Hispanics to vote for a Republican than those candidates.  That last point must be a concern that Democrats have about him.

John Kasich is believed to have broader appeal than Donald Trump or Ben Carson in a general election.  Plus, his policies contrasted with the Democratic candidates should make many realize he is not as radical as they are in many ways, which likely concerns Democrats.

As far as the Democrats go, notice also the following:

November 14, 2015

The fight against global terrorism will take center stage Saturday night when Democrats gather in Iowa to debate after the gruesome attacks in Paris that laid bare the kinds of threats the next American president will face.

A month after the Democratic presidential candidates clashed on gun control and financial regulations in their first debate, which focused largely on domestic and economic issues, they are expected to face more questions on foreign policy and national security. Hours after the deadly attacks, CBS News, a co-host of the event, said it would refocus the debate to give candidates an opportunity to discuss how they would respond to such an international crisis.  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/15/us/politics/democratic-debate-cbs.html

We will see what they have to say (I am unable to watch any this evening as I am to be out of town for the evening).

Again, I am not endorsing any candidate and I am NOT a Republican nor a Democrat.

It is my view that God will determine this election:

17 ‘This decision is by the decree of the watchers,
And the sentence by the word of the holy ones,
In order that the living may know
That the Most High rules in the kingdom of men,
Gives it to whomever He will,
And sets over it the lowest of men.’ (Daniel 4:17)

I believe that God allowed a major storm to hit the northeast of the USA prior to the last presidential election, as a means to allow Barack Obama to be re-elected.

If enough of the truth comes out about Hillary Clinton, her emails, and/or perhaps other things (scandals) she was involved in, then she will likely lose.

While some candidates have better policies than others, none have indicated that they will be able to lead the USA in the type of repentance it needs to avoid the destruction that will come to it (cf. Habakkuk 2:6-8; Daniel 11:39; Romans 1:22-32).

Several items of possibly related interest may include:

Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Can you see the ‘Handwriting on the Wall’? Thousands of years ago, King Belshazzar saw a hand appear at a big party he was hosting. The hand wrote Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin. Shortly after the Prophet Daniel explained it, his empire was taken over and King Belshazzar died. Is this applicable today? Are there signs right before our eyes that show that the end is coming to the United States and its Anglo-descended allies. Do abortions, sexual immorality, celebrity pornography, and increased debt mean anything? What does the Bible show?
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? A video of related interest is titled Hillary Clinton and Bible Prophecy.
Should a Christian Vote? This article gives some of the Biblical rationale on this subject. Would Jesus vote for president/prime minister? Is voting in the Bible? This is a subject Christians need to understand.
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 2015? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives.
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 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.
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist?  Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests?  Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies. Watch also the YouTube Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.

Bataclan theater, Paris, site of mass shootings (photo by Celine)

COGwriter

What French President Hollande called ‘an act of war’ hit Paris last night:

November 14, 2015

The near-simultaneous attacks in Paris that killed nearly 130 people were an “act of war” organised by the Islamic State (IS) militant group, French President Francois Hollande says.

He said the attacks, carried out by eight gunmen and suicide bombers, were “organised and planned from outside”.

The targets included bars, restaurants, a concert and a high-profile football match. IS claimed the attacks.

Mr Hollande has declared three days of national mourning.  http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34820016

November 14, 2015

The Islamic State militant group has claimed responsibility for deadly, coordinated attacks late Friday in Paris, where security has been stepped up to guard against further violence.

The terrorist group Saturday declared the six simultaneous attacks that killed at least 127 people in Paris were a response to airstrikes against IS fighters in Iraq and Syria. The message said France and its supporters “will remain at the top of the list of targets of the Islamic State.”

The claim of responsibility appeared in Arabic and French in a statement circulated online by IS supporters. It was not immediately possible to confirm authenticity of the statement, which bore the IS logo and resembled previous statements by the extremist group, but terrorism experts did not dispute its validity.

“The stench of death will not leave their noses,” IS said of France’s leaders, “as long as they remain at the forefront of the Crusaders’ campaign, dare to curse our prophet, boast of a war with Islam in France, and strike Muslims in the lands of the caliphate with warplanes that were of no use to them in the streets and rotten alleys of Paris.”

French President Francois Hollande on Saturday declared three days of national mourning following the attacks across the capital city. The French leader blamed the Islamic State group for the night of horror and called the attacks “an act of war.” …

Borders closed

The president ordered France’s borders closed – an unprecedented act in 21st-century Europe. However, the main airport remains open and trains are still running.

On Friday night, as many as 100 people died at the Bataclan concert hall when at least three gunmen opened fire with automatic weapons before taking scores of people hostage. Police later stormed the building, killing at least one attacker. Others may have died in suicide bombings.

At least 1,000 people were in the Bataclan audience, where a performance by an American band, the Eagles of Death Metal, was interrupted by rapid gunfire. Many people escaped during the shootout.

Fatalities were also reported in other parts of Paris. One of the first explosions was just outside a sports stadium where Hollande and a large crowd were watching a football (soccer) match between the French and German national teams.

The blast was felt inside the stadium. Police evacuated Hollande from the stadium, but when play was stopped many people in the crowd ran onto the field and huddled in fear.

Several other explosions took place in that area and officials say at least one may have been a suicide bombing.  Elsewhere in the French capital, several people were killed at a Cambodian restaurant. Attacks also reported at cafes.

Responses of strength, resilience

Authorities say about 200 people were wounded Friday, 80 of them seriously. …

A statement from the Vatican said Pope Francis was following the “terrible news” out of Paris.  “We are shocked by this new manifestation of maddening terrorist violence and hatred which we condemn in the most radical way together with the Pope and all those who love peace,” the Vatican statement said.   http://www.voanews.com/content/islamic-state-claims-responsibility-for-paris-terror-attacks/3057847.html

Artist’s representation of Jacob’s ladder dream (Genesis 28:10-17)

COGwriter

The Continuing Church of God is pleased to announce this sermon from its ContinuingCOG channel:

1:20:25

Does God use dreams? The Old and New Testaments show that He certainly does. In 1917, Loma D. Armstrong had a dream that her husband felt was from God, showing two sets of stars. Herbert Armstrong felt the dream was confirmed with the start of the Radio Church of God. But what about the second part? And if God used a dream to a woman in the 20th century prior to the start of the Philadelphia era of the Church of God, could He have not done that in the 21st century prior to the start of the Continuing Church of God ? Have dreams associated with the Continuing Church of God been confirmed? What did Herbert Armstrong teach about ‘one man rule’? Should most once part of the old Worldwide Church of God believe this ‘trunk of the tree’? If so, should they not act on that? Dr. Thiel answers these questions, goes over various dreams, and more.

Here is a link to the sermon: Dreams, COGs, and One Man Rule.

Some items of related interest may include:

Dreams, the Bible, the Radio Church of God, and the Continuing Church of God How has God used dreams in the past? Does God still use dreams? Did He use any involving those in the Continuing Church of God? A related sermon is also available: Dreams, COGs, and One Man Rule.
How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? There is also a sermon-length video titled How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God. Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Cómo determinar si alguien es un verdadero profeta de Dios?
The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
The Bible, Peter, Paul, John, Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, Roderick C. Meredith, and Bob Thiel on Church Government What form of governance did the early church have? Was it hierarchical? Which form of governance would one expect to have in the Philadelphia remnant? The people decide and/or committee forms, odd dictatorships, or the same type that the Philadelphia era itself had? What are some of the scriptural limits on ecclesiastical authority? Do some commit organizational idolatry? Here is a Spanish language version La Biblia, Policarpo, Herbert W. Armstrong, y Roderick C. Meredith sobre el gobierno de la Iglesia. Here is a link to a sermon titled Church Governance.
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? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
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 Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. To see how CCOG has done so far, here are links to two sermons Continuing Church of God (CCOG) first year anniversary: What has been accomplished? and The Continuing Church of God: Two Years of Proclamation. Here is a written link to a version of that sermon in the Spanish language: Aniversario del primer año de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios: ¿Qué se ha cumplido?
CCOG.ASIA We in the Continuing Church of God also have the url www.ccog.asia which has a focus on Asia and has various articles in Mandarin Chinese as well as some in English, plus some items in other Asian languages. 我们在继续神的教会也提供此网址 www.ccog.asia, 关注于亚洲并且有各种各样的中英文文章，其中一些用菲律宾语翻译的文章也正在进行中，准备添加到这个网站中。 Here is a link to our Statement of Beliefs in Mandarin Chinese 继续神的教会的信仰声明.
CCOG.IN This is a website targeted towards those of Indian heritage. It has a link to an edited Hindi translation of The Mystery of the Ages and is expected to have more non-English language materials in the future.
CCOG.EU This is a website targeted toward Europe. It has materials in more than one language (currently it has English, Dutch, and Serbian, with links also to Spanish) and it is intended to have additional language materials added.
CCOG.NZ This is a website targeted towards New Zealand and others with a British-descended background.
CCOGCANADA.CA This is a website targeted towards those in Canada.
CDLIDD.ES La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. This is the Spanish language website for the Continuing Church of God.
PNIND.PH Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. This is the Philippines website Continuing Church of God. It has information in English and Tagalog.
Bible News Prophecy online radio. This is an audio version of the Bible News Prophecy videos as well as some ContinuingCOG channel sermons. It is also available as a mobile app.
ContinuingCOG channel. Dr. Thiel has produced scores of YouTube video sermons for this channel. Note: Since these are sermon-length, they can take a little longer to load than other YouTube videos.

Flag of European Union

COGwriter

Some are wondering if civil war may be coming to Europe:

November 12, 2015

EU flag burned as thousands protest migrants

Nationalist ‘uprising’ the primer for European civil war?

Portrait of Garner Ted Armstrong from auction announcement site

COGwriter

A reader sent me a link to an auction that featured the portrait of Garner Ted Armstrong (GTA) that is shown at the beginning of this post.

Next to that portrait, that page said “click here  to view Armstrong estate items.”

The auction schedule page puts this auction on the Sabbath as follows:

Saturday, November 14th at 10 a.m.
Preview: 8 a.m. ’til Auction

Cherokee County Showbarn
611 SE Loop 456  |  Jacksonville, Texas
(Indoor Auction – Held Rain or Shine)

Garner Ted Armstrong was the first Church of God (COG) minister I ever heard.  I heard him on the radio originally about 43 years ago.   He denounced evolution and the teachings that the Greco-Romans held on the fate of babies who die.  Both of those subjects caught my attention, and eventually I became part of the old Worldwide Church of God.

Because of GTA’s personal issues, like sexual impropriety, he eventually was put out of the Worldwide Church of God in 1978 by his father, Herbert W. Armstrong.

GTA then founded the Church of God, International (CGI).  He made doctrinal changes that I did not agree with at the time, and still do not agree with.  A few examples would include failure to teach church eras, teaching against the idea of a place of safety, the acceptance of birthday celebrations, eliminating third tithe, teaching against the idea of a future Elijah to come, and teaching that jury duty and secular voting are fine.

It is my understanding that the GTA supporters felt that there were a lot of problems at WCG and that GTA was on the correct side of the argument. Those who remained faithful to WCG felt that GTA had been properly disfellowshiped for problems, including alleged sexual improprieties. Approximately 2 decades later, GTA was involved in a publicly reported sexually-related scandal, and many left CGI to found the Church of God Outreach Ministries (CGOM) (Ron Dart, a high level CGI official, also left to found the Christian Educational Ministries). There were many who felt that GTA may have been falsely accused, and they remained in CGI. However, after reviewing a variety of evidence (including possibly a videotape), CGI’s remaining leadership felt it had no choice but to disassociate itself from GTA. GTA then left and founded the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association and the Intercontinental Church of God (ICG).

Although his father, Herbert Armstrong, did not want to consider that GTA’s CGI church had any validity, it was my view back in 1978 that CGI was seemingly Laodicean.  At present time, with the exception of the Continuing Church of God (CCOG),  I consider all the groups and independents that came out of the old Worldwide Church of God as either not part of the COG, or part of the Laodicean, Thyatira, and/or Sardis subdivisions of the COG.  That is NOT to say that there are no Philadelphians in the other COGs or that all in CCOG are Philadelphian, but that the other groups themselves are NOT Philadelphian for numerous reasons (there are articles on dozens of claimed COG groups at www.cogwriter.com for those interested in specific details on individual groups and independents).

GTA, himself, remained with the Intercontinental Church of God until his death on September 15, 2003.  After GTA died, his son Mark Armstrong was put in charge of ICG, and he still runs it until this day.

FWIW, let me mention that I did see GTA in person at the opening night of the Feast of Tabernacles in Squaw Valley, California in 1977.  He was always a fairly dynamic speaker, though often light on scriptural details.

Despite his personal problems, Garner Ted Armstrong was a Sabbath keeper, and presumably most of his heirs were.  So, it is sad that one or more have to decided to attempt to auction some of his personal effects on the Sabbath.

The Sabbath is not a day to buy or sell, but is a time for rest and spiritual rejuvenation.

Although there can be travel (cf. Luke 6:1-5; Exodus 12:16) or emergency (Luke 13:15-16) or other situations (Luke 14:4-5; Exodus 12:16), generally speaking one should not buy (Nehemiah 10:31) nor sell on the Sabbath (Amos 8:5).  More on how to keep the Sabbath is covered in the sermon The Christian Sabbath and How and Why to Keep It. An article of possible interest may also be How to Observe the Sabbath.

So, no one who agrees that they should not buy personal effects on the Sabbath will be participating in the GTA auction tomorrow.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Intercontinental Church of God ICG was Garner Ted Armstrong’s last group; it is now led by Mark Armstrong.
Teachings of the Church of God, International This article focuses on where CGI differs from the old WCG.
Independent Members of the COG: Herbert W. Armstrong Comments, Plus Questions and Answers What did Herbert W. Armstrong teach about being independent of the organized Church? Should independents who claim to accept Herbert W. Armstrong’s teachings support the end time Philadelphian work?
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. To see how CCOG has done so far, here are links to two sermons Continuing Church of God (CCOG) first year anniversary: What has been accomplished? and The Continuing Church of God: Two Years of Proclamation. Here is a written link to a version of that sermon in the Spanish language: Aniversario del primer año de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios: ¿Qué se ha cumplido?
The Churches of Revelation 2 & 3 from 31 A.D. to present: information on all of the seven churches of Revelation 2 & 3. There is also a YouTube video: The Seven Church Eras of Revelation. There is also a version in the Spanish language: Las Siete Iglesias de Apocalipsis 2 & 3.
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. There is also a video on the subject: Might Petra be the Place of Safety?  Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
Did Early Christians Celebrate Birthdays? Did biblical era Jews celebrate birthdays? Who originally celebrated birthdays? When did many that profess Christ begin birthday celebrations?
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.
Is Second Tithe and Third Tithe Still Valid Today? Should you save and use second tithe? Some in the COGs no longer teach payment of third tithe, is this biblically correct?
The Elijah Heresies Does the Bible teach that there will be a future Elijah? Must it be Herbert W. Armstrong? Two related sermons are  available Elijah: Prophecies and Heresies and Elijah, Herbert W. Armstrong, and CCOG.
Should a Christian Vote? This article gives some of the Biblical rationale on this subject. Would Jesus vote for president/prime minister? Is voting in the Bible? This is a subject Christians need to understand.
The Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad Was the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath observed by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church? Here is a related sermon video The Christian Sabbath and How and Why to Keep It.
4. The Thyatira Church Era was predominant circa 1050 A.D. to circa 1600 A.D. The Church during the Inquisition.
5. The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, and COG-7th Day.
6. The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
7. The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots.  They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent. One video of related interest is 17 Laodicean Errors in Prophecy.

Liberius, Bishop of Rome from 352-366 A.D.

COGwriter

Did the Greco-Romans change their view of the Holy Spirit?

Certainly yes.

While the Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants like to act like every “Christian” long believed in the trinity, (even though that doctrine was not finalized for them until a council in 381 A.D.), the truth is that even the primary leaders of the Romans and Greeks denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit as late as the mid-4th century.

The Cathecism of the Catholic Church admits the doctrine was not finalized until 381:

245 The apostolic faith concerning the Spirit was announced by the second ecumenical council at Constantinople (381) (Catechism of the Catholic Church. Imprimatur Potest +Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. Doubleday, NY 1995, p. 72).

At least one Protestant trinitarian scholar has admitted some facts about the Holy Spirit as well as the 381 date:

The language of the New Testament permits the Holy Spirit to be understood as an impersonal force or influence more readily than it does the Son…The attempt to develop an understanding of the Holy Spirit consistent with the trinitarian passages…came to fruition at Constantinople in 381. (Brown HOJ. Heresies: Heresy and Orthodoxy in the History of the Church. Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody (MA), 1988, p. 140).

And an Orthodox scholar teaches that its church from 381 onwards accepted the personhood/divinity of the Holy Spirit:

Since the Council of Constantinople (381), which condemned the Pneumatomachians (“fighters against the Spirit”), no one in the Orthodox East has ever denied that the Spirit is not only a “gift” but also the giver–i.e., that he is the third Person of the holy Trinity” (Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Raska and Prizren. Basic Doctrines: Holy Spirit. http://www.kosovo.com/doctrine1.html#Holy%20Spirit 8/20/05).

But what is also interesting is that many, if not most, in the mid-4th century (including the Patriarch of the Orthodox and the “Pope” of the Roman Catholics”) considered denying the divinity of the Holy Spirit to be sound doctrinally!

Did you know that?

Notice what The Catholic Encyclopedia states,

Semiarians and Semiarianism
A name frequently given to the conservative majority in the East in the fourth century…showing that the very name of father implies a son of like substance…rejected the Divinity of the Holy Ghost (Chapman J. Transcribed by Douglas J. Potter. Semiarians and Semiarianism. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XIII. Published 1912. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Nihil Obstat, February 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, D.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

Towards the middle of the fourth century, Macedonius, Bishop of Constantinople, and, after him a number of Semi-Arians, while apparently admitting the Divinity of the Word, denied that of the Holy Ghost (Forget J. Transcribed by W.S. French, Jr. Holy Ghost. The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VII. Copyright © 1910 by Robert Appleton Company. Online Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. Knight. Nihil Obstat, June 1, 1910. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York).

The expression “the East” refers to the area also known as Asia Minor. It was always at least as important as Rome among those that professed Christ for the previous centuries (as well as for many later centuries)–and notice that MOST of those living there WERE Semi-Arian–including Macedonius, who is in the list of successors of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (the primary “see”, if you will, within the Eastern Orthodox faith). But the Orthodox (who like to claim that theirs is the original church and that it did not change) do not seem to realize that their leaders and members WERE NOT trinitarian until the late 4th century.

Although later Roman Catholic writers have had many definitions of those that they called Pneumatomachi or “Semi-Arians” (most of which disagree with the Church of God position), one that somewhat defines the view held in the early church would possibly be this one written by Epiphanius in the mid-4th Century,

Semi-Arians…hold the truly orthodox view of the Son, that he was forever with the Father…but has been begotten without beginning and not in time…But all of these blaspheme the Holy Spirit, and do not count him in the Godhead with the Father and the Son (Epiphanius. The Panarion of Epiphanius of Salamis, Books II and III (Sects 47-80), De Fide). Section VI, Verses 1,1 and 1,3. Translated by Frank Williams. EJ Brill, New York, 1994, pp.471-472).

According to The Catholic Encylopedia, at least one 4th century Pope acknowledged soundness of the faith of the Pneumatomachi:

Pneumatomachi…The majority of this sect were clearly orthodox on the Consubstantiality of the Son; they had sent a deputation from the Semi-Arian council of Lampsacus (364 A.D.) to Pope Liberius, who after some hesitation acknowledged the soundness of their faith; but with regard to the Third Person, both pope and bishops were satisfied with the phrase: “We believe in the Holy Ghost” (Arendzen, John. “Pneumatomachi.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 11 Jul. 2008 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12174a.htm>)

So, it should be abundantly clear that until the latter part of the 4th century, many (if not most) who professed Christ in Asia Minor and even Rome held to some type of a binitarian view and at least one Pope (Liberius) and one Patriarch (Macedonius) accepted that as sound. Have you been taught this before?

Here is more on “Pope” Liberius (the bishops of Rome did not actually take the title “Pope” until about 30 years after Liberius). It is also recorded:

Liberius (352-366)…the signing of a document that contained a formulation very close to the Arian thesis…he was criticized by many (Athanasius, Hilary of Poiters, Jerome) who saw this submission as a weakness due to fear of death (Lopes A. Translation by Charles Nopar. The Popes. Pontifical Administration, Rome, 1997, p. 12).

The Catholic Saint Jerome, while discussing Arian and anti-Arian writings wrote:

Fortunatianus, an African by birth, bishop of Aquilia during the reign of Constantius, composed brief Commentaries on the gospels arranged by chapters, written in a rustic style, and is held in detestation because, when Liberius bishop of Rome was driven into exile for the faith, he was induced by the urgency of Fortunatianus to subscribe to heresy. (Jerome. De Viris Illustribus (On Illustrious Men), Chapter 97).

So, it seems that while later Catholics believe that Liberius was pressured to appear to be Semi-Arian from imperial forces, that perhaps he was simply persuaded (or perhaps even was always Semi-Arian). Would a true “apostolic successor” hold a position that is now condemned by his own church as heresy?

If not, then Liberius (as only one such example) disproves the notion of an unbroken succession of bishops from Peter–hence Liberius is one more example of why the Catholics truly do not have apostolic succession (Macedonius, Bishop of Constantinople, also is another that disproves the Orthodox claim to succession–there were other Orthodox “Patriarchs’ who held similar views).

But the fact is that at least one bishop of Rome (Liberius), one bishop of Constantinople (Macedonius), and many other 4th century Greco-Roman bishops were still, at least partially, Semi-Arian–that is, they denied that the Holy Spirit was the third divine person in a trinity.

While those in the actual Church of God do believe in the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19), we do not believe that the Holy Spirit is the third divine person in a trinity as a council in 381 declared.

Even trinitarian scholars understand that the Holy Spirit is not biblically shown to be clearly a person. Notice the following written by a modern Orthodox scholar:

Roman Catholic and Orthodox theologians agree in recognizing a certain anonymity characterizes the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. While the names Father and Son denote very clear personal distinctions, are in no sense interchangeable, and cannot in any case refer to the common nature of the two hypostases, the name Holy Spirit does not have that advantage. Indeed, we say that God is Spirit, meaning by that the common nature as much as any one of the persons. We say that he is holy…Taken in itself, the term Holy Spirit thus might be applied, not to a personal distinction…In that sense, Thomas Aquinas was right in saying that…the name Holy Spirit has been given to him…we find an image of the economy of the Third Person rather than an image of his hypostatic character: we find the procession of a divine force or spirit which accomplishes sanctification. We reach a paradoxical conclusions: all that we know about the Holy Spirit refers to his economy; all that we do not know makes us venerate him as a person (Clendenin D.B. ed. Eastern Orthodox Theology, 2nd ed. Baker Academic, 2003, pp. 165-166).

The above is quite an astounding admission! The main trinitarian groups admit that the Holy Spirit is simply a procession of a divine force and that it is venerated as a person based upon what scripture does not say.

Did you know all of this? If not, perhaps you had better look into this further.

Articles of related interest may include:

Did Early Christians Think the Holy Spirit Was A Separate Person in a Trinity? Or did they have a different view?
Binitarian View: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning Is binitarianism the correct position? What about unitarianism or trinitarianism?
Is The Father God? What is the view of the Bible? What was the view of the early church?
Jesus is God, But Was Made Man Was Jesus fully human and fully God or what?
Virgin Birth: Does the Bible Teach It? What does the Bible teach? What is claimed in The Da Vinci Code?
Did the True Church Ever Teach a Trinity? Most act like this is so, but is it?
Was Unitarianism the Teaching of the Bible or Early Church? Many, including Jehovah’s Witnesses, claim it was, but was it?
Binitarianism: One God, Two Beings Before the Beginning This is a shorter article than the Binitarian View article, but has a little more information on binitarianism.
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Continuing Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions.
Some Similarities and Differences Between the 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?
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? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
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 Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God differ from most Protestants How the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background. As far as some changes affecting Protestantism, watch the video Charismatic Kenneth Copeland and Anglican Tony Palmer: Protestants Beware! [Português: Esperança do salvação: Como a igreja do deus difere da maioria de protestantes]
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?

Obese male

COGwriter

A newly released study finds that the majority of adults in the USA are overweight and the number who are obese is greater than those who are only overweight:

November 12, 2015

NEW YORK (AP) — Obesity is still rising among American adults, despite more than a decade of public-awareness campaigns and other efforts to get people to watch their weight, and women have now overtaken men in the obese category, new government research shows.

For the past several years, experts thought the nation’s alarming, decades-long rise in obesity had leveled off. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report Thursday that the obesity rate has climbed to nearly 38 percent of adults, up from 32 percent about a decade earlier.

“This is a striking finding” and suggests that a situation that was thought to be stable is getting worse, said Dr. William Dietz, an obesity expert at George Washington University. …

Experts said they had no explanation for why the obesity rate appears to be rising. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_MED_OBESITY_RATES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-11-12-06-19-45

Many factors affect obesity including hormones, chemicals in foods, artificial and other sweeteners, availability of massive amounts of food, inactivity, and/or food packaging.

Beyond those and other physical factors that could be pointed to, perhaps the ‘experts’ and others may wish to consider the following:

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! (2 Timothy 3:1-6)

“Lovers of themselves” and “lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God,” would seem to be factors.  I would also add that pride is a factor.  Many feel that they are entitled to eat to feel good, as well as the reality that many obese think that the behaviors of others justify (in their minds) their own over consumption of food.

So, obesity could be considered another of “the signs of the times” that Jesus indicated that the discerning religious should be able to do in Matthew 16:2-3.

The Bible warns about obesity, getting fat, excessive eating, as well eating things that are not really food:

2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good (Isaiah 55:2).

Here is what Moses and Jeremiah were inspired to write about obsesity:

15 You grew fat, you grew thick,
You are obese!
Then he forsook God who made him,
And scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
16 They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods;
With abominations they provoked Him to anger. (Deuteronomy 32:15-16)

11 “Because you were glad, because you rejoiced,
You destroyers of My heritage,
Because you have grown fat like a heifer threshing grain,
And you bellow like bulls,
12 Your mother shall be deeply ashamed;
She who bore you shall be ashamed.
Behold, the least of the nations shall be a wilderness,
A dry land and a desert. (Jeremiah 50:11-12)

Many people do not often eat what is good. Many eat too many chemically-laced highly processed foods. Many eat a lot of white bread, which is really not real bread as it has had the wheat germ and other natural components removed. This makes an inferior product which then is sprayed with synthetic B vitamins and other “nutrients” to “fortify” it. If you notice “B vitamins” added to “fortify” refined grain products or in so-called “natural” vitamin supplements (like thiamin mononitrate, thiamin HCL, folic acid, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride, cyanocobalamin), realize that these are basically petroleum derivatives and are not the same form of vitamins that are actually found in real, natural, food.

But most in Westernized areas consume the synthetics, chemicals, and refined grains.

People should try to eat real, not artificial, foods. Soda consumption should be almost non-existent, essentially a very rare treat. People should not drink sodas every day.

And while they do not like to believe this, almost all obese people also need to eat less.

That being said, losing weight can be very, very difficult.  But real Christians should believe the following:

13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

With prayer and proper determination, breaking away from being obese can happen.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Obesity, processed foods, and the Bible Does the Bible warn about the consequences of being obese? Is overeating dangerous? Is gluttony condemned?
Eating Right, Eating Too Much, and Prophecy This is a video. Are there disadvantages to being overweight? Is junk food really bad for you? Does the Bible discuss overeating and/or obesity? Is overeating having an effect on the US military? What are the ramifications of personal and national health for overeating? What should you eat?
American foods that gross out foreigners A study done in the Fall of 2014 found out which foods that non-USA Americans considered weird or gross that Americans eat. This video discusses those foods, ingredients in some of those foods, and warns against consuming ‘that which is not bread’ (Isaiah 55:2). In this video, Dr. Thiel also warns about synthetic vitamins and some of the issues associated with them. He also discusses something promoted by the late Seventh-day Adventist, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg.
Prayer: What Does the Bible Teach? This free booklet contains 28 biblically-based tips on improving the effectiveness of your prayers. This is a pdf. A related two part sermon is available: What Does the Bible Teach About Prayer? and What does the Bible Teach About Prayer (& Healing)?
GMOs and Bible Prophecy What are GMOs? Since they were not in the food supply until 1994, how could they possibly relate to Bible prophecy? Do GMOs put the USA and others at risk? Here is a related YouTube video GMO Risks and the Bible.
Ten Simple Rules that Lead to Health Herbert Armstrong gives his opinions on this.
Does God Heal Today? What does the Bible teach? Herbert Armstrong tries to explain this.
UK Study Supports Daniel Diet Daniel and his companions looked better eating more vegetables and avoiding strange meats. Has modern science confirmed this?
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.

Tear gas

COGwriter

An austerity protest in Greece turned violent:

November 12, 2015

ATHENS — Hundreds of thousands of Greeks walked off their jobs on Thursday to protest austerity economics, as officials of the leftist-led government wrangled with the country’s international creditors over the terms of Greece’s third bailout. At least one Athens protest turned violent.

The 24-hour walkout shut down public services, forced the cancellation of flights and disrupted public transportation across the country. Ferries sat moored in ports, hospitals were operating with reduced staff, and museums and archaeological sites were closed.

An estimated 20,000 people joined three demonstrations in Athens, one organized by the country’s two main labor unions, another by the Communist Party and the third drawing students and leftists, according to a police spokesman.

Though the protests were mostly peaceful, a gathering near the Parliament building in the early afternoon turned into a clash between riot police officers and roughly 100 masked youths, who hurled stones and firebombs. The riot police responded with tear gas, as a police helicopter circled over the city center and crowds fled the acrid smoke.  http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/13/business/international/greece-general-strike.html

The protests are not a surprise to me. I have long warned about the likelihood in Greece.  Expect to see more protests and civil unrest in Greece.

Elsewhere in Europe, more fences are being built to prevent the entrance of migrants from the Middle East and Africa:

November 12, 2015

European leaders scrambled Thursday to keep their passport-free travel zone from collapsing, after Germany, Sweden and Slovenia acted on their own to tighten borders or erect fences to slow the relentless influx of people marching into Europe. …

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban — who ordered an anti-migrant fence to be built on his nation’s borders with Serbia and Croatia — called migration a “lose-lose” phenomenon.

“The solution is to have people have a decent life in the country where they were born. It’s impossible to do without money,” he told reporters…

Tensions were also high Thursday in the Balkans, as Slovenia continued to erect a razor-wire fence on its border with Croatia to hold back the migrant influx.

The two countries have a long-standing territorial dispute dating back to the wars in Yugoslavia in the 1990s, and Croatia believes the border fence is encroaching on its soil. Their leaders are to meet later Thursday to try to calm the row.

Slovenia says it is being overwhelmed by the arrival of more than 180,000 asylum-seekers moving toward Western Europe since mid-October.  http://www.bdtonline.com/region/eu-free-travel-zone-in-danger-as-nations-fence-out/article_1005a44d-c645-51ac-b368-c8a50abfe2e0.html

November 12, 2015

Hungary says it has approved two of the nearly 4,900 asylum requests it has received from refugees since it closed its border with Serbia with a razor-wire fence on Sept. 15.

Janos Lazar, Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s chief of staff, says as of Sunday, 3,592 of 4,848 requests for international protection were still pending, 326 had been rejected and 928 terminated because the asylum-seekers had left the country before a ruling.

Over 391,000 people have entered Hungary this year, though the number has fallen to around a dozen a day since the government also closed its border with Croatia to migrants in mid-October. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/article44344362.html#storylink=cpy

Fences are going up, and Hungary has concluded that the VAST majority of migrants  ARE NOT QUALIFIED as asylum seekers.  Europe is not planning on turning back 99 plus percent of these migrants, and this will cause tensions within Europe.

Expect to see  civil unrest elsewhere in Europe including Germany. The migrant situation is one of many factors that will lead to civil unrest in Europe.

At this news page, I first reported that we may see civil unrest in Europe on November 3, 2007. Specifically related to austerity protests, back in 2010 (see Civil War in Greece?), I warned, “Austerity measures in Europe will likely cause civil unrest.”

As well later in December 2010 (see Civil Unrest in Greece (and it was predicted) where I warned:

Civil unrest in Europe is expected. Places such as France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Eastern Europe have potential for this occurrence. In addition to austerity measures, Islamic protests and immigration related issues will also likely be factors in flaming protests and devastating riots. Expanded civil unrest will have major impacts on the euro and on Europe itself.

We are seeing Islamic immigration issues raising concerns throughout Europe, and this is not done yet.  Notice that I warned about this specifically nearly five years ago.

And back in August and October 2011, I posted:

It would not surprise me in coming months and years to see civil unrest in Poland, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, and other European lands (including in the north and the east). (More Violent Unrest in London)

As I have written before, the Bible is clear that Europe will appear disconnected and never will be thoroughly unified (Daniel 2:41-43). Many in Germany and in other parts of Europe will likely not like the newly proposed accord. (Europe’s Accord to Save Euro)

The ‘accord’ mentioned in the reference above had to do with dealing with the Greek crisis.

I expect more civil unrest, including violent civil unrest in Europe. Much more violent than what has happened today. We may see civil wars as well. Revelation 13:3-4 supports the idea that the Beast may rise up because of violent civil unrest in Europe.

As I wrote in the past (see Austerity protests in Germany–expect more civil unrest in Europe), not all protests will be financial. As I have been writing for a long time, the time will come when Islam is basically eliminated from Europe, and this will likely involve military and/or policing actions.

Notice that the Bible shows the rise of a religious power in Europe that all will worship:

1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”

5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:1-8)

The Beast of the sea is European (watch the video Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?). Thus, since the religion in Revelation 13 is NOT Islam, the time will come when Islam will basically be eliminated from Europe.

While that will happen, at least partially, because of treaties (cf. Daniel 11:27; cf. Psalm 83:3-8), as I have written before its likely to also involve civil war and/or other forms of civil unrest.

Readers may find it of interest that Catholic private prophecies warn of a time of civil war in Europe. Notice that the first one considers this is a major sign:

Desmond Birch (20th century): Civil war breaks out in France and Italy at almost the same time. This is the sign given by many prophets that the Chastisement has begun..(DA. Trial, Tribulation & Triumph: Before During and After Antichrist…The Great King will establish Peace and justice in civil matters on a worldwide basis, and protect the primacy of the Church in spiritual matters. Queenship Publishing Company, Goleta (CA), 1996, p. 554)

The Ecstatic of Tours…The revolution will spread to every French town. Wholesale slaughter will take place. This revolution will last only a few months but it will be frightful; blood will flow everywhere because the malice of the wicked will reach its highest pitch. Victims will be innumerable. Paris will look like a slaughter-house. Persecutions against the Church will be even greater, but it will not last long…Many bishops and priest will be put to death. The archbishop of Paris will be murdered…At this juncture, the French people will turn back to God and implore the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary Immaculate…The French people will ask for the good King, he who was chosen by God. He will come, this saviour whom God has spared for France, this King who is not wanted now because he is dear to God’s Heart. He will ascend to the throne; he will free the church and reassert the Pope’s rights… (Dupont Yves. Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973, p.37)

Jeanne le Royer (Sister of the Nativity). The storm began in France, and France shall be the first theatre of its ravages after having been its cradle. (Dupont, p.59)

Prophecy of Mayence Woe to thee, great city (Paris); woe to thee, city of vice! Fire and sword shall succeed fire and famine. Courage faithful souls! The reign of the dark shadow shall not have time to execute all its schemes. But the time of mercy approaches. A prince of the nation is in your midst. He is the man of salvation, the wise, the invincible, he shall count his enterprises by his victories. He shall drive the enemy out of France, he shall march from victory to victory, until the day of divine justice. (Tzima Otto, H. The Great Monarch and WWIII in Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Scriptural Prophecies. Verenika Press, Rock City (SC), 2000, pp. 156-147)

Foretelling the fall of France and England, the famous Jesuit Father Necton, said in 1772, “When England shall wane in power, the destruction of Paris will be near at hand” (Culligan E. The Last World War and the End of Time. The book was blessed by Pope Paul VI, 1966. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), p. 84).

Pseudo-Methodius (7th century): In France, people of Christians will fight and kill…At that same time the Muslims will be killed and they will know the tribulation…The Lord will give them to the powers of the Christians whose empire will be elevated above all empires…The Roman King (Great Monarch) will show a great indignation against those who will have denied Christ in Egypt or in Arabia (Araujo, Fabio R. Selected Prophecies and Prophets. BookSurge LLC, Charlestown (SC), 2007, pp. 101,103).

Rodolphus Gekner: Before the middle of the nineteenth century seditions shall arise in Europe, especially in France, Switzerland, and Italy. (Rossi G. THE CHRISTIAN TRUMPET, OR, Previsions and Predictions about Impending General Calamities, The Universal Triumph of the Church, The Coming of Antichrist, The Last Judgment, and The End of the World. Compiled by PELLEGRINO [Gaudentius Rossi], A Missionary Priest with Superior’s permission. Boston, THOS. B. NOONAND & CO., 1873,, p. 132)

Blessed Anna Maria Taigi (died 1837): “described to me the great ordeal ahead. Rome would be battered by revolutions…Millions of men would die by the sword in war and civil strife, other millions would perish in unforeseen death. (Bessieres A. Wife, Mother and Mystic (Blessed Anna Maria Taigi). Nihil Obstat: Carlos Davis, S.T.L. Imprimatur: E Morrough Bernard, Westmonasteri, die Februari, 1952. Reprint TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1982, p. 166)

Birch Tree Prophecy (Old German) “When the world becomes Godless: revolutions will break out against kings; fathers will be against sons and sons against fathers; dogma will be perverted; men will try to overthrow the Catholic Church…A terrible war will find the north fighting against the south. The south will be led by a Prince wearing a white coat with a cross on the front…” (Culleton, R. Gerald. The Prophets and Our Times. Nihil Obstat: L. Arvin. Imprimatur: Philip G. Scher, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno, November 15, 1941. Reprint 1974, TAN Books, Rockford (IL), p. 143).

Jean Paul Richter (d. 1809): Through a terrible purgatory Europe will return to the faith (Culleton, p. 182).

Old English Prophecy (On a tombstone at the Kirby cemetery, Essex). When pictures look alive, with movements free, (T.V. and movies) When ships like fish swim beneath the sea, (Submarines) When outstripping birds can soar in the sky (Jets and rockets) The half the world drenched in blood shall die…In Germany begins a dance, Which passes through Italy, Spain, and France, But England shall pay the piper. (Dupont, pp. 21-22)

Monk Hilarion (d. 1476): The people of the Peninsula of Europe will suffer by unnecessary wars until the Holy Man comes (Culleton, p. 137).

Brother Louis Rocco (19th century): Terrible wars will rage all over Europe…Russia will witness many outrages. Great cities and small towns alike will be destroyed in a bloody revolution… (Dupont, p.76)

Brother Louis Rocco (19th century): All over Europe there will rage terrible civil wars…The German sections of Austria will join Germany, so will also the commercial cities of Belgium and Switzerland. A Catholic descendant of a German imperial house will rule a united Germany with peace, prosperity and great power, for God will be with this sovereign (the Great Monarch?)…A Great Monarch will arise after a period of terrible wars and persecutions in Europe. He will be a Catholic; he will not be a German (Culleton, p. 195).

Priest Lavinsky (died 1708): The world will be harassed by civil wars…the Cross, to the astonishment of all, will shine in double splendor through many lands because of the great ruler (Connor Edward. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, pp.36-37).

John of the Cleft Rock (1340): The White Eagle (Great Monarch), by order of the Archangel Michael, will drive crescent from Europe where none but Christians will remain–he himself will rule from Constantinople. An era of peace and prosperity will begin for the world. There will no longer be Protestants {there were no “Protestants” then and author Connor of that book suggests that perhaps this word should have been translated as heretics} or schismatics…God will raise up a holy Pope (Connor, pp. 33-34)

Venerable Bartholomew Holzhauser (died 1658):…”When everything has been ruined by war; when Catholics are hard pressed by traitorous co-religionists and heretics; when the Church and her servants are denied their rights, the monarchies have been abolished and their rulers murdered…then the hand of Almighty God will work a marvelous change, something apparently impossible according to human understanding. There will rise a valiant monarch anointed by God. He will be a Catholic, a descendant of Louis IX, (yet) a descendant of an ancient imperial German family, born in exile. He will rule supreme in temporal matters. (Connor, pp.35-36)

Priest Nectou S.J. (d. 1772): They indeed shall conspire for the destruction of the Church; but the time shall not be allowed them, because this frightful crisis shall be for a short duration. When all will be considered lost, all shall be found safe…The triumph of the Church will then be so complete that nothing like it shall ever be seen…A man disliked by France will be placed on the throne…(Culleton, p. 176; cf. Dupont, p. 48).

Presuming civil war/riots/civil unrest do occur in various parts of Europe on a larger scale, this likely will set the stage for the rising up of a military leader to resolve this. Catholic prophecies specifically suggest that this will happen and they tend to refer to this leader as the “Great Monarch” (or the “Great King”). Of course, Catholic prophecies also have certain contradictions–but many are consistent with biblical prophecy–some of the Catholic prophecies appear to be part of Satan’s Plan to deceive people at the end so that they will believe them OVER biblical prophecies. I would add that the belief that those in France (as shown above) will turn to “Mary” is not good, but is also consistent with certain biblical warnings (Isaiah 47; Revelation 17; 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12) as well as other Catholic prophecies as detailed in my book Fatima Shock!

It should be noted that presuming there is major civil unrest across Europe, this would seem to indicate that the final King of the North would rise up fairly soon, consistent with biblical prophecies in both the Book of Daniel and Revelation.

The Bible tells of a basically European kingdom that will be partially strong, partially weak, and with a fragile unity (Daniel 2:41-43), but that will have a frightening type of economic dominance (see Revelation chapters 13,17,18).

Notice something about a European leader to arise:

23 “And in the latter time of their kingdom,
When the transgressors have reached their fullness,
A king shall arise,
Having fierce features,
Who understands sinister schemes.
24 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power;
He shall destroy fearfully,
And shall prosper and thrive;
He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people.

25 “Through his cunning
He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule;
And he shall exalt himself in his heart.
He shall destroy many in their prosperity.
He shall even rise against the Prince of princes;
But he shall be broken without human means.  (Daniel 8:23-25)

21 And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue. 22 With the force of a flood they shall be swept away from before him and be broken, and also the prince of the covenant. 23 And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people. 24 He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time.

25 “He shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the South with a great army. And the king of the South shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand, for they shall devise plans against him. (Daniel 11:21-26)

A leader will arise speaking about peace, but really being a man of war (Daniel 11:39-43; Revelation 13:4). This kingdom will have a religion and it will not be Islam.  The coming king of the south is composed of nations that are currently dominated by Islam.

The Bible also shows that Europe is prophesied to make a deceitful deal with a power based in the predominantly Islamic Arabic lands (Daniel 11:27) and this deal might partially happen because of immigration policies and civil unrest.  A temporary peace deal will come to the Middle East, but this will not last (Daniel 9:27; see also The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27).

The Bible also tells of a time when a European power will reorganize (Revelation 17:12-13).

While I do not believe that we are to the point of fulfilling the reorganization required by Revelation 17:12-13 (see also Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?), we are getting closer.

Situations that involve austerity/budget cuts and immigration policies are expected to stir more violent protests in the future. Violent protests can lead to militaristic leaders rising up, and a major militaristic leader rising up is consistent with biblical prophecy (cf. Daniel 11:39-44; Revelation 13:3-4).

The more conflict we see in Europe, the closer we are getting to some of the deals that the Bible prophesies.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Satan’s Plan Does Satan have a plan? What is it? Has it already been successful? Will it be successful in the future? Here are links to a two-part sermon series: What are Some of the Parts of Satan’s Plan? and Satan’s Plan is More Dramatic than Many Realize.
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.
The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben: France in Prophecy? What is the origin of this in France? What is prophesied to happen to them? A two-part sermon related to history and prophecy is available online: The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben and France and Prophecy.
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.
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? Here is a link to information about doctrine in the Dutch language Verklaring van geloofspunten van de Continuing Church of God.
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.
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?
Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies? People of all faiths may be surprised to see what various Roman and Orthodox Catholic prophets have been predicting as many of their predictions will be looked to in the 21st century.
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?
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.
Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? The Book of Revelation tells of a beast power that will rise up. Some think that this must be Russia or could be Islamic, while others say that this power is European. The Book of Daniel tells of the rise of an end time King of the North that some think must be referring to a Russian leader, while others say that this power is European. How can you be sure? This YouTube video has all the scriptural proofs that you should need to prove that this power must be a European one.
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.
World War III: Steps in Progress Are there surprising actions going on now that are leading to WWIII? Might a nuclear attack be expected? Does the Bible promise protection to all or only some Christians? How can you be part of those that will be protected? A related video would be Is World War III About to Begin? Can You Escape?

COGwriter

A while back, I was able to visit the Temple Institute in Jerusalem. While I was somewhat familiar with this group, I had not fully understood certain aspects of its position related to the Temple Mount until I watched a presentation there.

The Temple Institute believes that it must clear the Temple Mount of Islamic structures:

When will the reconstruction of the Holy Temple Commence?

There are two approaches to answering this question.

One approach is based on the geo-political dynamics of the Temple Mount, and the other approach is based on the desire of the nation of Israel and her fellow nations to rebuild the Holy Temple.

Geo-politically, the Temple Mount has to be cleared of the Dome of the Rock and the mosques which are presently located upon it before the physical rebuilding of the Holy Temple can begin. Many scenarios can be imagined which would accomplish this, the most promising, and not necessarily the most far-fetched, would entail Moslem recognition of the Mount as the intended location for the rebuilt Temple. With the acquiescence of the Moslem world the Moslem structures currently on the Mount would be disassembled and reassembled elsewhere. (http://www.templeinstitute.org/frequently-asked-questions.htm viewed 11/10/13)

Of course, the Muslims are not interested in getting their famous Dome of the Rock and their mosques removed. So, that is not likely, even after a war. That is part of why I have long understood that the Jews would be willing to resume animal sacrifices without the rebuilding of a full Jewish Temple–and that is consistent with the Bible (Ezra 3:6) as well as the position of certain Jewish leaders, such as those in the reconstituted Sanhedrin (see Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required?).

But the following was something I had not fully understood that the Temple Institute had before visiting:

Our sages teach that the stone under the Dome of the Rock is called the “Foundation Stone,” for it is the very foundation of creation. It is the spiritual center of the world and the starting point of creation; all the prayers of all mankind assemble in this place before ascending on high to G-d. It was here that the Ark of the Covenant was placed within the Holy of Holies.(The “Foundation Stone” of Creation. http://www.templeinstitute.org/ctl_articles_2.htm viewed 11/10/13)

Being the King of the Universe, God could have chosen any location in the universe “to place His name,” “to dwell,” and “to rest His presence.” Where did He chose do to this? Jerusalem, and more precisely, the Temple Mount. (Deuteronomy 12:5, I Kings 8:29 & 11:36, Isaiah 37:16 & 60:13, Ezekiel 43:7, Zechariah 8:3, Joel 4:17, Psalm 32:13) If God is incorporeal and omniscient, why or even how could there be a precise location for His Presence to dwell? Couldn’t Rabbi Nachman have directed his sentiments anywhere, since God is everywhere? Yes, God is everywhere. Yet He chose to manifest Himself more intensely and to associate His Name with one specific place, Jerusalem. And even more precisely, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

“In many places, when speaking of the Jerusalem, the Torah calls it, ‘The place that G-d will choose to make His Name dwell there.’ To the extent that we can understand it, this means that G-d associates Himself with this place. This is very difficult for the human mind to comprehend, and indeed, Solomon, the wisest of all men, found it impossible to understand. He thus said to G-d, ‘Behold, the heavens and the heavens of Heaven cannot contain you, how much less this House that I have built’ (1-Kings 8:27). Yet, he knew that G-d had somehow associated Himself with this place, as G-d Himself had proclaimed.” Aryeh Kaplan

The Temple Mount, where God chose to place His Name, is literally the point of creation; the place where the physical realm came into existence. And it is the place where everything we can’t see, i.e. the spiritual world, attaches itself to the physical. It is literally the portal between heaven and the earth. This precise point of creation on the Temple Mount is called the Even Shetiyah, the Foundation Stone.

It appears to me that the primeval point which G-d created out of nothing is what the sages called the foundation stone from where the world was founded.” – Nachmanides, Commentary to the Torah, Genesis 1,1

“When the Holy One, blessed is He, created His world, He created it like an infant born from its mother. For a fetus born from the mother, begins from its navel and expands outward to all four directions so too, the Holy One, blessed is He, began to create the world from the Foundation Stone and from that, the entire world was established.” – Midrash Tanchuma – Pikudei #3

Jacob saw a vision of this primeval point of creation that links heaven and earth. His vision is famously known as “Jacob’s ladder” and is recorded in Genesis 28.

Jacob departed from Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. He encountered the place and spent the night . . . he took from the stones of the place which he arranged around his head, and lay down in that place. And he dreamt, and behold! A ladder was set earthward and its top reached heavenward; and behold! Angels of God were ascending and descending on it . . . Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely Hashem is present in this place and I did not know! And he became frightened and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the abode of God and this is the gate of the heavens! Jacob arose early in the morning and took the stone that he placed around his head and set it up as a pillar; and poured oil on its top . . . and said this stone which I have set up as a pillar shall become a House of God.

Did you catch that? Even prior to the Temple standing, Jacob called the Temple Mount the “abode of God” and “the gate of the heavens.”…

Yet at the same time what an apt name – the place – as if it is the only place of real significance in the world. Jacob slept at the precise location of the future altar of the Holy Temple. No wonder it was the place where Adam, Cain, Abel, and Noah made sacrifices, according to Pirke de Rabbi Eliezar 31. And it was the place where Abraham bound Isaac to the altar. In fact the 12 stones Jacob gathered around his head before he slept came from the altar Abraham made and bound Isaac upon (A call to remember. August 5, 2013. http://www.templeinstitute.org/a-call-to-remember.htm)

They are placed on the Foundation Stone, the Even Shtiya, of the Temple Mount, the Holy of Holies. We Jews know that upon it, Yitzhak was bound, it was purchased by David from Aravna and over it Solomonn built the First Temple. (Medad Y. A Found(dation) Stone Lost. June 29, 2102; reprinted from Jerusalem Post Blogs. http://www.templeinstitute.org/archive/29-06-12.htm viewed 11/10/13)

So, claiming that this comes from the Bible as well as Jewish tradition, the Temple Institute claims that the stone that Jacob used as a pillar was the foundation for the creation of the world, and because of that, the Muslim structure must be removed from the Temple Mount area and a Jewish temple build there.

Here is what the Bible records about Jacob, the stone, and the related dream:

10 Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. 11 So he came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. 12 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

13 And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: “I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. 14 Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”

16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” 17 And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven!”

18 Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it. 19 And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, 21 so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God. 22 And this stone which I have set as a pillar shall be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will surely give a tenth to You.” (Genesis 28:10-22)

The Bible does not seem to place the creation importance on this particular stone itself that the Temple Institute places on it. It does NOT teach that this same stone was used by Adam, Cain, Abel, and Noah.

Jesus warned that the Jews sometimes relied on their own traditions above the Bible (Mark 7:9-13) and that is what the Temple Institute seems to be doing in some instances (see also The Red Heifer, Jewish Beliefs, and the End of the World; here is a related video The Red Heifer and the End of the World).

That being said, the Temple Institute is preparing to perform animal sacrifices, has given statements showing that it is willing to do them without a new temple being built (only an altar and some implements with a Levite are biblically-required per scripture, and the Temple Institute has basically claimed to have all of that).

The Bible teaches that animal sacrifices will stop (Daniel 9:27; 11:31), which means that they first must start. And irrespective of Jewish traditions about a foundational stone, the Temple Institute and others have indicated a willingness to start the sacrifices when allowed. And that may very well happen after some type of peace deal is confirmed in the Middle East (cf. Daniel 9:27; see also The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27).

Now, getting back to the stone itself, there are other legends/traditions as well. Some (Jews and non-Jews) believe that David purchased it based upon the following account from the Bible:

18 And Gad came that day to David and said to him, “Go up, erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” 19 So David, according to the word of Gad, went up as the Lord commanded. 20 Now Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming toward him. So Araunah went out and bowed before the king with his face to the ground.

21 Then Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?”

And David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, to build an altar to the Lord, that the plague may be withdrawn from the people.”

22 Now Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up whatever seems good to him. Look, here are oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing implements and the yokes of the oxen for wood. 23 All these, O king, Araunah has given to the king.”

And Araunah said to the king, “May the Lord your God accept you.”

24 Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25 And David built there an altar to the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord heeded the prayers for the land, and the plague was withdrawn from Israel. (2 Samuel 24:18-25)

Since this is a place that David sacrificed, if the stone was there, David could have purchased it.

While the Temple Institute seems to believe that the stone is below ground in the Temple Mount area, others have other views. Notice the following:

The Stone of Scone, more commonly known as the Stone of Destiny or the Coronation Stone (though the former name sometimes refers to Lia Fáil) is a block of sandstone historically kept at the now-ruined abbey in Scone, near Perth. It is also known as Jacob’s Pillow Stone, Jacob’s Pillar Stone and as the Tanist Stone.

Traditionally, it is supposed to be the stone which Jacob used as a pillow. It was originally supposed to have been used as the Coronation Stone of the early Dalriada Scots when they lived in Ireland…

In 1996 the British Government decided that the Stone should be kept in Scotland when not in use at coronations, and on November 15, 1996, after a handover ceremony at the Border between representatives of the Home Office and of the Scottish Office, it was returned to Scotland and transported to Edinburgh Castle where it remains…

In the story of the threshing floor of Arvana, the story of the dedication of Jerusalem in the days of David, as it is told in the book of Divrei Hayamim (Chronicles), we find a verse that has no parallel in chapter 24 of Shmuel II, which is the original source for the compiler of Divrei Hayamim: “And David said: This is the house of God and this is the sacrificial altar for Israel” (Divrei Hayamim I 22:1). The phraseology is very similar to that of Jacob in the story of the ladder (“This is none other than the house of the Lord and this is the gate of heaven” [verse 17]), and it seems that this is an attempt to identify various places of ceremonial significance, Beit-El and Jerusalem, as one place. (Palgren H. Stone of Scone – Stone of Destiny – Jacob’s Pillow/Pillar Stone – BabyLon(don) & Rennes Le Chateau. October 1, 2005. http://www.redicecreations.com/winterwonderland/stoneofscone.html viewed 11/10/13)

We have seen a late work on prophecy gravely affirming that the Prophet Jeremiah died in Ireland, having been forced hither by the wandering sons of Ephraim. One of the few unquestionable facts connected with early Irish history, is the intercourse between Ireland and the Phoenicians, through Spain. The Israelitish settlers, according to the tradition, carried with them Jacob’s pillow or pillar, known as the Lia Fail or Stone of Destiny, which secured a perpetual monarchy to the people so happy as to possess it. This stone, at the crowning of the first king of the Scots in Scotland, was borrowed… (The Christian remembrancer; or, The Churchman’s Biblical, ecclesiastical & literary miscellany. 1864. Original from Oxford University, Digitized, Oct 5, 2006, p. 2).

I have seen what is supposed to be the above stone (it was in England when I saw it in 1992, but it moved to Scotland). Historically, many COG groups that had leaders in the old Worldwide Church of God, have tended to believe that Jacob’s stone is the Stone of Destiny that is currently in Scotland (but there is controversy–some believe the real stone is lost/hidden and a replacement is what is now in Scotland).

Other stones that may have had biblical usage may, however, very well have been part of the first or second temples in Jerusalem.

Some stones from the second temple were believed to be moved to build what seems to have been the first Christian church building in Jerusalem (see Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill). While this building might relate to one that the Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2 may end up in, it would not yet seem to be a place that animal sacrifices would begin in–especially since the Temple Institute has another location in mind. That being said, because of traditions that this building is above the tomb of David and the ark of the covenant (many discount that, but others disagree, see also Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill), if additional archaeological evidence surfaces to support this (or some other location related to David, the ark of the covenant, or the temple), groups like the Temple Institute may change their location ideas.

Be that as it may, the since the Bible teaches that animal sacrifices will stop (Daniel 9:27; 11:31), they must first resume. And currently this most likely is in the Temple Mount area (though there are other possible locations). This resumption of animal sacrifices is something that the Temple Institute may well be involved in–and they mainly only need permission from Israeli authorities to do so. One person there reported to one of our sons that this could be done within hours of getting permission.

And getting that permission is not impossible. Though it may well take a war, peace deal, and/or political gridlock for that to happen. But it will come to pass.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Por qué no se requiere un templo judío en Jerusalén? Here is a link to a sermon titled The Temple, Prophecy, and the Work.
The Red Heifer, Jewish Beliefs, and the End of the World The Temple Institute is watching a ‘red heifer.’ Why might this be important in the sequence of end time events? Here is a related link in the Spanish language Novilla roja descubierta en EE.UU. e Instituto del Templo está interesado en ella. Here is a related video in English The Red Heifer and the End of the World.
Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill Could this building, often referred to as the Cenacle, possibly have been the oldest actual Christian church building?
Does the ‘Cenacle’ deal have prophetic ramifications? After a 20 year negotiation, the Church of Rome has negotiated the right to have Catholic mass in the building known as the Cenacle. It is in the area where the Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill once stood. This is believed to be the location of the earliest Christian church building. How does the Bible define the ‘temple of God’ in the New Testament? Could this be the area where the ‘man of sin’ will sit in the “temple of God’ that Bible prophecy discusses in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4? This is a YouTube video.
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.
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.
Who is the Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2? Is this the King of the North, the ten-horned beast of Revelation 13:1-11, or the two-horned Beast of Revelation 13:12-16? Some rely on traditions, but what does the Bible teach? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Quién es el Hombre de Pecado de 2 Tesalonicenses 2? Here is a version in Mandarin: 主编： 谁是’大罪人’？Here is a link to a related YouTube video, in English, titled Who is the Man of Sin?
Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel.