Church of God News

Aaron Dean

COGwriter

Gavin Rumney has the following at his website:

February 16, 2016

This blog is often, and very fairly, labelled ‘critical’ in its dealings with the family of sects that have evolved from the Worldwide Church of God. A lot of the people who comment here have, like this writer, “done time” in that movement.

So why do we bother? What’s our point? What would we like to see happen?

The answers vary from person to person. I was brought up short by these comments submitted for a recent thread.

Congratulations to those who have been hammering against British Israelism recently. It’s really paying off now as the morons in charge of UCG are just about to give up on it. When they do, we can ridicule them for dropping a major plank of Armstrongism. Either way they lose big time.

How would you characterise those comments? My reaction: speak for yourself brother.

For me, there are three major pillars of Armstrongism that are fair game. More than fair game, they need to be continually exposed to fresh air and light for all to see. These are:

• Racism (e.g. British-Israelism)

• Anti-intellectualism, a kneejerk reaction to social and scientific progress (e.g. creationism)

• Authoritarianism, exclusivism and non-accountability (e.g. church government)

I don’t know what the contributor quoted above wants to see, but I get the feeling that he won’t settle for anything less than a complete crash and burn so he can toast marshmallows in the embers.

Gaving Rumney, himself, lives in New Zealand. He was once part of the old Worldwide Church of God, but has turned against most of its doctrines.

Anyway, after looking at his post, I telephoned Aaron Dean, who is on the Council of Elders of the United Church of God (UCG) to get his comments on these rumors for this Church of God News page.

Aaron Dean went on the record and stated that no, the United Church of God is NOT entertaining any proposals to stop teaching what is often called British-Israelism. He strongly denied the claims, etc. on Gavin Rumney’s website.

Many who were once in the old Worldwide Church of God might recall that Aaron Dean was the late Herbert W. Armstrong’s closest personal adviser for probably the last several years of his life.

Now, I would like to debunk some of the arguments that some have raised about British-Israelism.

Not Racist

First, the version of ‘British-Israeliem’ that we in the Continuing Church of God endorse is NOT racist, it is biblical.

It is a fact that everyone had to descend from someone in the past, so having an idea of from whom the nations descended can assist in better understanding biblical prophecy–especially since the Bible gives a variety of genealogies and prophecies related to some mentioned in them. It is not racist to believe the facts.

The Bible specifically teaches that the birthright through Abraham, Isaac and then Jacob was given to Joseph and not to Reuben (the firstborn) or Judah (from whom Christ traced His genealogy):

1 Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel–he was indeed the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph, the son of Israel, so that the genealogy is not listed according to the birthright; 2 yet Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came a ruler, although the birthright was Joseph’s (1 Chronicles 5:1-2).

The birthright was originally Reuben’s. When it comes to wealth and territory, Reuben-France sold off much territory in the form of the Louisiana Purchase to the then rising U.S.A. in 1803. This could have marked a transfer of birthright blessings to the descendants of Joseph at that time (more information on this tribe is in the article The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben: France in Prophecy?; a two-part sermon related to history and prophecy is available online: The ‘Lost Tribe’ of Reuben and France and Prophecy).

The birthright, while conferring physical blessings, does NOT mean that only those who are of physical Israel can be saved (Romans 11).

I, myself, am not a physical Israelite, and thus can proclaim that we in the Continuing Church of God do believe that salvation is available now and in the future (Revelation 7:9-10) to people of all races and ethnic groups (see also God’s Grace is For All). We teach against racial prejudice (e.g. LOVE AND SALVATION FOR ALL RACES AND PEOPLES.  Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God.  © 2016 Continuing Church of God).

Hence, we in the Continuing Church of God are NOT part of the so-called “Christian Identity movement,” even though we do teach a form of British-Israelism that understands that physical blessings (along with curses for disobedience) were promised to those that are now the primary Anglo-American nations in the world. We do not go along with those who have hateful racist motives associated with believing some of what the Bible teaches.

We in the Continuing Church of God do consider that those in the United Kingdom are British Israelites and that those in the United States, Canada, etc. are also Anglo-Saxon-Israelites. However, we do not teach that the physical blessings promised to the descendants of Israel mean that non-Israelites are not now being saved–the Apostles were quite clear that salvation is available to Gentile peoples (Acts 11:1-18)–and since I am a Gentile, I am among those who benefit from the biblical teachings here.

Furthermore, those of the “Christian Identity movement” tend to advocate the destruction of other peoples and the rise of the Anglo-Saxon peoples. Yet, we faithful in the Continuing Church of God understand that the Anglo-American nations received blessings from God, but are likely to be destroyed soon without massive repentance. We do NOT teach the superiority of any race, though we acknowledge that various races can have differing strengths and weaknesses.

Also, while we in the Continuing Church of God do accept that God promised physical blessings to Joseph’s descendants, we do teach that those descendants are subject to various curses that God also promised. Specifically we teach that the Great Tribulation will first hit the nations descended from Joseph.

Hence we teach that although the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the USA have benefited from God’s blessings through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/Israel, we also teach that the people of the nations will also receive the curses that God warns for those who turn away from Him. Believing that God gave promises and curses for the descendants of various people is not racist.

God loves peoples of all races and so should all Christians.  Spiritually, in Christ, races are the same (Galatians 3:28) and subject to the spiritual blessings that were promised to Abraham (Galatians 3:28-29).

Not Anti-Intellectual

Second, it is astounding how often pseudo-intellectuals falsely claim that biblical doctrines are anti-intellectual.  It is so bad that many pseudo-intellectuals do not feel that there are any views that should differ from theirs for evolution (watch for example Is There Another View of Evolution? and/or another titled Quickly Disprove Evolution as the Origin of Life). Yet, those who believe real science realize that the current evolutionary model that many embrace is scientifically.  This is documented in the articles Is God’s Existence Logical? and Is Evolution Probable or Impossible or Is God’s Existence Logical? Part II.

As far as British-Israelism goes, some have suggested that it is anti-intellectual, but that is not the case. While it does not have most ‘scientists’ behind it, I have found that there is somewhat of a ‘herd mentality’ in the so-called scientific community.  Which means, if something is considered widely accepted, most scientists and pseudo-scientists proclaim and defend it, whether or not they have actually examined it themselves.

And that is the case of British-Israelism.

Some oppositions, called “science” or “knowledge” by the world cannot be trusted:

20 …  keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: 21 Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:20-21, KJV)

20 … Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge —  21 by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:20-21, NKJV)

Sadly, various ones who have strayed from the faith (fallen away) have misled themselves that scientific knowledge backs their anti-biblical positions.

The Bible says:

4 Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. (Romans 3:4)

35 Scripture cannot be broken (John 10:35)

So, if one really believes the Bible, then it makes it easier to determine which positions ‘intellectuals’ have may actually be correct.

As far back as the Book of Genesis, God promised Abram that he would be the father of many nations:

4 As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. 5 No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations. 6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you (Genesis 17:4-6).

Notice that the promise was for Abraham’s descendants to be “many nations”—this simply is not fulfilled by the split into the two nations of Judah and Israel (1 Kings 12:17-20) in the Old Testament.

Herbert W. Armstrong noted that the Bible taught something interesting about God’s promises to Abraham:

Notice now again how God first called Abram, and the twofold nature of His promises: “Now the Eternal had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will show thee: And I will make of thee a GREAT NATION … and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Gen. 12:1-3).

Notice the twofold promise: 1) “I will make thee a GREAT NATION” — the national, material promise that his flesh-born children should become a great nation … 2) “… and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” — the spiritual promise of GRACE. This same promise is repeated in Genesis 22:18: “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” This particular “one seed” refers to Christ, as plainly affirmed in Galatians 3:8, 16.

Right here is where those who profess to be “Christians” — and their teachers — have fallen into error and scriptural blindness. They have failed to notice the twofold promise God made to Abraham. They recognize the messianic promise of spiritual salvation through the “one seed” – Christ…

We have seen how both sets of promises, right of birth and gift of grace, were unconditionally made by God to Abraham. Both the birthright and the sceptre were repromised by the Eternal to Isaac and to Jacob. But the fact that should open your eyes, as a joyous truth newly discovered, is that from that point these two sets of promises became separated! The sceptre promises of the kingly line culminating in Christ, and of grace through Him, were handed on to JUDAH, son of Jacob and father of all Jews. But the astonishing truth is that the birthright promises were never given to the Jews!

Let that be repeated! Realize this! The birthright promises were never given to the Jews!

Turn to these passages — read them in your own Bible!

“The sceptre shall not depart from Judah …” (Gen. 49:10).

“… But the birthright was Joseph’s” (I Chron. 5:2).

Of course it is well understood that the sceptre went to Judah and was handed down through the Jews. King David was of the tribe of Judah. All succeeding kings of David’s dynasty were of the House of David, tribe of Judah. Jesus Christ was born of the House of David and the tribe of Judah (Armstrong HW. THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN IN PROPHECY. 1954, 1967, 1972, 1975, 1980 edition).

This is perhaps one of the biggest misunderstandings that mainstream theologians have—they simply do not realize that God gave both physical and spiritual promises to Abraham and that since the physical promises were NOT fulfilled by the Jews, that they had to somehow be fulfilled in these last days.

Speaking of theologians, the late Protestant minister Walter Martin claimed that Amos disproved Anglo-Israelism. Notice what he wrote:

The coup de grace to Anglo-Israelism’s fragmented exegesis is given by the prophet Amos of Judah…(Amos, dwelling in Bethel, prophesied against Israel’s restoration as a separate kingdom [Amos 9:8-12]). We learn from this prophecy that as a kingdom, the ten-tribes were to suffer destruction, and their restoration would never be realized. How then is it possible for them to be ‘lost’ and reappear three millenniums later as the British Kingdom when that Kingdom was never to be restored? (Martin W. Martin W. The Kingdom of the Cults.  Baker Books, 2003, p. 518)

Let’s look at what Amos actually wrote:

8 “Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are on the sinful kingdom,
And I will destroy it from the face of the earth;
Yet I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,”
Says the Lord.

9 “For surely I will command,
And will sift the house of Israel among all nations,
As grain is sifted in a sieve;
Yet not the smallest grain shall fall to the ground.

10 All the sinners of My people shall die by the sword,
Who say, ‘The calamity shall not overtake nor confront us.’ (Amos 9:8-10)

Consider that Amos 9:8-10 teaches that God would make it so the ancient kingdom of Israel would no longer be able to exist (it still does not), that Jacob though would still remain (his descendants still do), that those people would be sifted through the nations (which they have been), and that the sinners among them will be punished (which will happen)—since those of us in the CCOG believe all that, we would tend to state that Amos 9:8-10 supports, and does not disprove, British-Israelism (Amos 9:11-12 talk about restoration).

British-Israelism, as understood in the CCOG, does not mean all ten tribes became the British Empire, but mainly one, along with another that became the USA.

Perhaps it should also be noted that Jeremiah 51:5-6, especially when compared to Revelation 18:2-6 and Ezekiel 37:15-26, clearly shows that into the present century that God still considers that Israel is separate from Judah; thus, despite comments from critics, the Bible does teach many aspects of “British-Israelism.” People who claim to be Christian should believe the Bible.

While most religious commentators understand the passages from Jacob in Genesis 48 & 49 to be prophetic, many seem to improperly conclude that they have been fulfilled long ago. Notice what the late renowned Protestant theologian John F. Walvoord wrote:

In general, the prophecies that Jacob bestowed on his children have been fulfilled in their subsequent history (Walvoord, John F.  The Prophecy Handbook.  Victor Books, Wheaton (IL), 1990, p. 33).

That statement above is outrageously inaccurate. Many Protestants simply do not understand where the USA is mentioned in prophecy (see also Protestant and Church of God views of the United States in Bible Prophecy).

Not only have most NOT been fulfilled historically, these prophesies were for the last days.  (Information on the ‘ten lost tribes’ is also in the YouTube sermon titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter?)

It was during the time of the New Testament that the last days began (Hebrews 1:2), and no commentator (outside of those who accept that there are still tribes of Israel that are not affiliated with the nation now called Israel) has been able to show how the prophecies of Genesis 49:1-27 were fulfilled in “the latter days”.  Nor have I seen any of them explain who “the multitude of nations” that were to descend from Ephraim are.

Furthermore notice what was told to the wife of Isaac:

60 “Our sister, may you become
The mother of thousands of ten thousands;
And may your descendants possess
The gates of those who hate them” (Genesis 24:60).

The above was NOT fulfilled by ancient Israel in the area of Palestine.

The historic reality is that for many years, the major sea gates of the world were possessed/controlled by the United States (Panama Canal and certain locations in the Pacific ocean) and the British Empire (Straits of Malacca, Singapore, Suez Canal, Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Simon’s Town/Cape of Good Hope, etc.).  And while that is no longer the case for many of them, they seem to have been prophesied to be taken away for disobedience as well (cf Deuteronomy 28)—and certainly these nations have disobeyed the God of Abraham. It is likely that the remaining “sea gates” that the UK has such as Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands will be separated from UK control (see also Will the UK Lose Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands?).

While Abraham’s descendants were promised various blessings, notice that the Bible make a a distinction between Sarah’s and Hagar’s sons through Abraham:

15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. 16 And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.” (Genesis 17:15-16)

21 Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. (Genesis 21:12)

Since Sarah Abraham’s wife was promised to be the mother of “nations” this shows that there are nations descended from Sarah’s only son Isaac—hence the descendants of Abraham, Isaac’s sons, not Ishmael is what God is referring to here.

Furthermore, notice God said to Abraham that his seed would be called after Isaac. Hence, they would not be known as Abrahamites or something similar, but something derived from the word Isaac.

If you believe the Bible, you must realize that somehow some had to be named after Isaac. Well, if we look at history, we see the Scythians (Colossians 3:11) as well as a group known as Isaac’s sons, the Saxons!

Just because many scientists do not believe the Bible does not mean this is not so.

It may be of interest to note that it is believed that the term “Saxon” is derived from expressions meaning related to the descendants of Isaac, or Isaac’s sons. Notice the following reports and assertions:

Wherein, by the advice of all, it was determin’d, that the Saxons were invited into Britain…They were thought by good writers (Florent. Wigorn ad. an. 370) to be descended of the Saca, a kind of Scythian in the north of Asia, thence call’d Sacasons, or sons of Sacae, who with a flood of other northernnations came into Europe (Milton J. Britain under Trojan, Roman, Saxon Rule. By John Milton.-England under Richard III. By Sir T. More.-The reign of Henry VII. By F. Bacon … Verbatim reprint from Kennet’s England, Ed. 1719. A. Murray & Son, 1870 Original from The British Library Digitized, Jul 26, 2013, pp. 74-75)

The Saxons were a… Scythian tribe; and of the various Scythian nations which have been recorded, the Sakai, or Sacae, are the people from whom the descent of the Saxons may be inferred with the least violation of probability. Sakai-suna or the sons of Sakai, abbreviated into Saksun, which is the same sound as Saxon, seems a reasonable etymology of the word Saxon. The Sakai, who in Latin are called Sacae, were an important branch of the Scythian nation. They were so celebrated, that the Persians called all the Scythians by the name of Sacae; and Pliny, who mentions this, speaks of them as among the most distinguished people of Scythia (Pliny, lib. vi. c.19). Strabo places them eastward of the Caspian…

This important fact of a part of Armenia having been named Sakasina, is mentioned by Strabo in another place (Strabo, p.124), and seems to give a geographical locality to our primeval ancestors, and to account for the Persian words that occur in the Saxon language; as they must have come into Armenia from the northern regions of Persia.

That some of the divisions of this people were really called SAKASUNA, is obvious from Pliny; for he says that the SAKAI, who settled in Armenia, were named SACASSANI (Pliny. lib. vi. c.11); which is but SAKASUNA spelt by a person unacquainted with the meaning of the combined words. And the name SACASENA (Strabo. lib. Xi. pp. 776, 778), which they gave to the part of Armenia they occupied, is nearly the same sound as SAXONIA. It is also important to remark, that Ptolemy mentions a Scythian people sprung from the Sakai, by the name of SAXONES. If the Sakai who reached Armenia were called Saca-sani, they may have traversed Europe with the same appellation; which being pronounced by the Romans from them, and then reduced to writing from their pronunciation, may have been spelt with the x instead of the ks, and thus SAXONS would not be a greater variation from SACASSANI or SAKSUNA than we find between French, Francois, Franci, and their Greek name, Phraggi; or between Spain, Espagne, Hispania(Turner S. The History of The Anglo-Saxons, also known as The History of England: From the Earliest Period to the Death of Elizabeth, Volume I, 3rd edition. 1820, Longman, Orme, Brown, Green, and Longmans, pp.115-116).

Turner is undoubtedly correct in saying that the “ks” was changed to an “x.” These variations of the word Sacae (or Saka) are not any greater, says Turner, than the variations of names for such modern nations as France and Spain (ibid. pp.87, 88, 95).

He then says that Ptolemy placed another people, the Sasones, north of the Sacae. These have been selected as our ancestors… Sasones, Sacaesons, Saxones (ibid., fn., p. 95).

Turner then mentions that some of these marauding Sakai or Saca-sana were, in all probability, gradually propelled to the west coast of Europe, on which they were found by Ptolemy, and from which they made incursions into the Roman Empire, in the third century A.D. A people known as the Saxoi, lived on the Black Sea, according to Stephanus (Stephanus de urb. et Pop. p. 657). (McNair R. Key to Northwest European Origins. 1963, pp. 94-95)

According to Greek and Iranian sources the Assyrians planted colonies in the region of Kabul and Gandahara to the east of Hara…According to local tradition the eastern part of Hara (“Ghor”), where the Hara river rises was once settled by people referred to as “Asaakan” and Bnei Yisrael”.  “Assakan” was shortened to “Sak” or “Sok” and local muslim lore equated the term the name “Isaac”, father of Israel…The Royal family, for instance, had a tradition that they had descended from the Tribe of Benjamin…The existence of these names are evidence that a section of the Israelite nation had once been in that area, and these are apparently to be identified with the historical “Sok” or “Sakae” (meaning Scythians) who were in the Hara region from at least around 600 b.c.e. (if not earlier)…In about 676 a new element known that the Ishkuza emerged from the Cimmerian ranks, these are identified with the Scythians whom the Persians and Babylonians referred to as “Saka”: Both the names “Ishkuza” and “Saka” may be understood as forms for the name “Isaac” (Davidy Y.  The Tribes.  Rabbinical approbation: Rabbi Abraham Feld of the Maccabee Institute Jerusalem, July 4, 1993.  Russell-Davis Publishers, Hebron (Israel), pp. 22-23,28).

(Note: There are two books cited called “The Tribes” throughout this article, the 1993 edition where the author spells his name Davidy, and the 2011 edition where the same author spells his name Davidiy.)

Furthermore, notice what God promised to Sarah’s grandson Jacob:

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 (Genesis 28:14).

11 Also God said to him: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body (Genesis 35:11).

Thus it should be clear to those willing to see that the descendants of Jacob would include multiple nations, and not be limited to just the area of Palestine.  The USA and Canada are clearly west of Palestine (see also Who is the King of the West?). The old British Commonwealth would seem to fit the description of “a company of nations.”  And the nations of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, along with the territories of Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands still do to this day. Those with Anglo-Saxon minorities (in the Caribbean, Asia, and Southern Africa) have since lost control to the non-Israelites among them (cf. Deuteronomy 28:43).

And this expansion to a group of nations simply did not happen to the ancient nations of Judah and Israel.

Furthermore, notice these prophecies for the latter days by Jacob:

1 And Jacob called his sons and said, “Gather together, that I may tell you what shall befall you in the last days:

2 “Gather together and hear, you sons of Jacob, And listen to Israel your father…

22 “Joseph is a fruitful bough, A fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall.
23 The archers have bitterly grieved him, Shot at him and hated him.
24 But his bow remained in strength, And the arms of his hands were made strong
By the hands of the Mighty God of Jacob (From there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel),
25 By the God of your father who will help you, And by the Almighty who will bless you
With blessings of heaven above, Blessings of the deep that lies beneath, Blessings of the breasts and of the womb.
26 The blessings of your father Have excelled the blessings of my ancestors, Up to the utmost bound of the everlasting hills.
They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers (Genesis 49:1-2,22-26).

It is only the United States and the groups of English nations now composed of the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand who have historically fulfilled these prophecies given to Abraham and his descendants (and they are separated from their “brothers” on continental Europe, Ireland, and Iceland). Specifically they are descendants of Joseph, and sometimes called “Jacob” or “Israel” in scripture. Perhaps it should be pointed out that a “fruitful bough” with “branches run over the wall” implies a colonizing people–and perhaps no peoples did more colonizing than the British.

Yet, oddly, most theologians and ministers pass right over what God promised and do not consider that the existence of ‘Saxons’ or Scythians fulfills biblical prophecy.

But we in the Continuing Church of God accept what the Bible teaches on that.  And groups like UCG still hold to various versions of it as well.

Some have claimed that DNA disproves British-Israelism. But consider that in 2010 it was reported “that when teams of geneticists led by Professor Bryan Sykes took DNA samples in the Celtic regions of Britain they discovered ancestries in the Caucasus, which lay within ancient Scythia, and Mediterranean Europe” (Hutchinson R. Book review: The Highland Clans, by Alistair Moffat. The Scotsman – April 26, 2010.  http://news.scotsman.com/features/Book-review-The-Highland-Clans.6223804.jp viewed o4/26/10).  Thus, the travels of these descendants seems to have some modern support.

Notice also the following:

Atlantic Modal Haplotype #3 The most common variant of the Atlantic Modal Haplotype in the YHRD database has DYS389i,ii values of 13 and 29, and DYS385a,b values of 11 and 14. This haplotype differs by one step upward on the most quickly mutating marker. This haplotype is very interesting, from the perspective of the YHRD database, because most of the top frequencies are not in Europe but in the United States. Of the top twenty, twelve are among U.S. populations. Two are Hispanic samples, three are African-American (most likely of Anglo-American origin), and the rest are European American. These samples seem to congregate in areas of the U.S. settled by French, Scottish, English, Irish and German immigrants. That accords with the Western European origin of AMH. Southern Ireland and London, England appear among the top ten European frequencies, along with four separate locales in The Netherlands. Although “Border Reiver” descendants would most likely have acquired this haplotype through British “Celtic” ancestry, the multiple hits in The Netherlands suggest that an Anglo-Saxon origin is also quite possible. (Haplogroup R1b (Atlantic Modal Haplotype). http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~gallgaedhil/haplo_r1b_amh_13_29.htm viewed 12/08/12)

The above tends to confirm observations made by the late Raymond McNair and others that those who made it to the area of the USA, for example, were somehow different than other Europeans (like Germans) that they lived near, but who stayed in Europe. Yair Davidiy has written that the Germans who ended up in America came from areas of Germany dominated by Manasseh (Davidiy, p. 403)–he also reported that, while skeptical of earlier DNA claims, that more recent DNA tests tended to confirm the view that the scattered tribes in Europe and elsewhere descended from Israel was correct (Davidiy, p. 495).

Though controversial, based upon the information above on Atlantic Modal Haplotype #3, travels, and other data, Raymond G. Helmer concluded:

In short – haplotype R1b came to the United States from exactly the immigrants that we would expect to carry it. (Helmer RG. THE BLOOD OF MANKIND – PART III THE BLOOD OF AMERICA. (http://www.helmerspoint.com/uploads/4/0/0/2/4002281/the_blood_of_mankind_iii.pdf)

Thus, there is physical evidence. The haplotype evidence also suggests that the British were different than those who remained on the continent of Europe.

More on the British-American-Israel connection can be found in the article Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel.

One certainly can be intellectually honest and be in the Church of God.  Yet, I do not believe one can be intellectually honest and not be in (or at some point being drawn toward) the Church of God.

Authoritarian

Third, most humans trust governments of this world above the Bible.

But British-Israelism teaches that God will implement the government known as the Kingdom of God.

And yes, God is in top authority.  More on proper theological governance can be found in the article The Bible, Peter, Paul, John, Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, Roderick C. Meredith, and Bob Thiel on Church Government.

Accountability?

Well “God is love” (1 John 4:8,16) and “cannot lie” (Titus 1:2).  His government leaders are accountable to Him.

Exclusivity?

God predestines (Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:5,11) and calls (John 6:44).

Who does God want?

2 For all those things My hand has made,
And all those things exist,”
Says the Lord.
“But on this one will I look:
On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit,
And who trembles at My word. (Isaiah 66:2)

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

God SEEKS THOSE WHO WILL WORSHIP HIM IN TRUTH. But many prefer their own traditions or to believe things contrary to the Bible.

While God will offer salvation to all, this was not prophesied for this age, but for the age to come (see also Universal Offer of Salvation: There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis).

Anyway, many critics do not believe what the Bible teaches. And many seemingly accept rumors as facts without attempting to confirm the truth.

Some items of 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. A video of possible interest may be Will Will USA Spying Help the Beast Power?.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
Is God’s Existence Logical? Some say it is not logical to believe in God. Is that true? Here is a link to a YouTube sermon titled Is it logical to believe in God?
Is Evolution Probable or Impossible or Is God’s Existence Logical? Part II This short article clearly answers what ‘pseudo-scientists’ refuse to acknowledge. Here is a link to a YouTube video titled Is There Another View of Evolution? and another titled Quickly Disprove Evolution as the Origin of Life.
Tradition and Scripture: From the Bible and Church Writings Are traditions on equal par with scripture? Many believe that is what Peter, John, and Paul taught. But did they? A related sermon is titled Tradition and Scripture.
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.
Universal Offer of Salvation: There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis Do you believe what the Bible actually teaches on this? Will all good things be restored? Will God call everyone? Will everyone have an opportunity for salvation? Does God’s plan of salvation take rebellion and spiritual blindness into account? Related sermon videos include Universal Offer of Salvation I: God is love  and Universal Offer of Salvation II: The Age to Come and the ‘Little Flock’ and Universal Offer of Salvation III: All Are to Know Jesus, But When? and Universal Offer of Salvation IV: Will the Guilty be Pardoned? and Universal Offer of Salvation V: All Israel Will be Saved? A version of the main article was also translated in the Spanish language: Oferta universal de salvación: Hay cientos de versículos en la Biblia que apoyan la verdadera doctrina de la Apocatastasis.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2016, 2017, or 2018? 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 2016 o 2017? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives. A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation Start in 2016?

Islamic State soldiers

COGwriter

The Associated Press reported the following:

February 16, 2016

BEIRUT (AP) — Faced with a cash shortage in its so-called caliphate, the Islamic State group has slashed salaries across the region, asked Raqqa residents to pay utility bills in black market American dollars, and is now releasing detainees for a price of $500 a person.

The extremists who once bragged about minting their own currency are having a hard time meeting expenses, thanks to coalition airstrikes and other measures that have eroded millions from their finances since last fall. Having built up loyalty among militants with good salaries and honeymoon and baby bonuses, the group has stopped providing even the smaller perks: free energy drinks and Snickers bars.

Necessities are dwindling in its urban centers, leading to shortages and widespread inflation, according to exiles and those still suffering under its rule. Interviews gathered over several weeks included three exiles with networks of family and acquaintances still in the group’s stronghold in Raqqa, residents in Mosul, and analysts who say IS is turning to alternative funding streams, including in Libya.

In Raqqa, the group’s stronghold in Syria, salaries have been halved since December, electricity is rationed, and prices for basics are spiraling out of reach, according people exiled from the city.

“Not just the militants. Any civil servant, from the courts to the schools, they cut their salary by 50 percent,” said a Raqqa activist now living in the Turkish city of Gaziantep, who remains in close contact with his native city. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/ISLAMIC_STATE_BUDGET_CRUNCH?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-02-16-08-46-58

So, funds are being cut off. The Islamic State has put out videos in the past showing how ‘cool’ it is to be one of their terrorists. With funds apparently dwindling, it may not have quite the same appeal for future recruits–plus some current recruits may well become more easily disillusioned and leave the group.

If funds become more of an issue, the leadership of the Islamic State might decide that it needs to conduct more terrorist activities in the USA and/or Europe to show that it is still relevant as a force. Desperate times can result in even more desperate measures.

The Bible shows that terrorism is prophesied:

14 ‘But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments, 15 and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant, 16 I also will do this to you: I will even appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever which shall consume the eyes and cause sorrow of heart. And you shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. 17 I will set My face against you, and you shall be defeated by your enemies. Those who hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when no one pursues you. (Leviticus 26:14-17)

25 The sword shall destroy outside; There shall be terror within (Deuteronomy 32:25)

12 “Cry and wail, son of man; For it will be against My people, Against all the princes of Israel. Terrors including the sword will be against My people; Therefore strike your thigh. (Ezekiel 21:12)

12 Behold, these are the ungodly,Who are always at ease; They increase in riches…19 Oh, how they are brought to desolation, as in a moment! They are utterly consumed with terrors. (Psalms 73:12,19)

25 Because you disdained all my counsel, And would have none of my rebuke, 26 I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your terror comes, 27 When your terror comes like a storm, And your destruction comes like a whirlwind, When distress and anguish come upon you. (Proverbs 1:25-27)

5 Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way (Ecclesiastes 12:5).

The Islamic State has provided terror to many places, and is expected to do more.

The Bible also tells of a time when the Arabs and others in the Middle East, Persian Gulf, and North Africa will form a militaristic confederation led by one called the King of the South:

40 “At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. 41 He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. 42 He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43 He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels. (Daniel 11:40-43)

But do not look for the leader of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, to be the final King of the South. Notice something I posted a year and a half ago:

I do not believe its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi will become the biblical King of the South. (Thiel B. Islamic State kills 500 Yazidis who would not convert; 20,000 hidden escape; USA drops more bombs. August 10, 2014)

The Bible suggests that Iraq will be involved in a confederation of North African and Middle Eastern nations (Ezekiel 30:1-9; Psalm 83:4-8) who will support a leader that the Bible refers to as the final King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43).

At this moment, I do not believe that this will be the ‘Caliph’ of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Instead, I believe that many will point to groups such as the Islamic State, al-Qaeda, Hamas, Boko Haram, etc. as extremists and claim that a ‘moderate’ Arabic-Turkish Islamic confederation is the best way to control ‘extremism.’ The West, including probably the UK and USA, will go along with that. (Thiel B. UK will not fight with Assad against Islamic State, many British Muslims fight for the Islamic State, US calls Islamic State ‘apocalyptic,’ and Muslims killed in Iraq. August 22, 2014)

While many are focusing on the face of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and his Islamic State, they are only a part of what is happening. Though in some respects, they may act like a trigger.

Groups like the Islamic State will end up encouraging the West to embrace a variety of proposals, including one that the Bible suggests sounds like a type of Islamic caliphate (at least the peoples it discusses in it are currently predominantly Islamic at this time). A confederation of predominantly Islamic nations will happen per Daniel 11:40-43 and Ezekiel 30:2-8. (Thiel B. Kissinger tells of New World Order, Cameron concerned about ISIS terrorism, while Obama tells of ‘no strategy’ related to bombing Islamic State raises some concerns. August 29, 2014)

Medjugorje Icon at Podbrdo, place of apparition (Beemwej)

COGWriter

It has been over two years since Vatican Radio announced that a special commission has completed its report on Medjugorje:

January 18, 2014

Commission to submit study on Medjugorje

(Vatican Radio) The Director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, confirmed on Saturday that the international commission investigating the events in Medjugorje held its last meeting on 17 January. The commission, created by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, is presided by Cardinal Camillo Ruini.

The commission has reportedly completed its work and will submit the outcomes of its study to the Congregation. http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2014/01/18/commission_to_submit_study_on_medjugorje/en1-765219

Notice also:

“Still no papal decision: The Provincial of the Franciscan Order in Hercegovina denies that Pope Francis has told him to pray that he has made the right decision on Medjugorje, and expresses surprise that an American priest residing in Medjugorje gave this impression on June 25.” http://www.medjugorjetoday.tv/news-archive-2014/

Rest assured that no media outlets have got their hands on the ‘Ruini Dossier’, the commission have successfully locked the dossier concluded by Cardinal Ruini as top secret.

Our sources inform us that although the commission was formed by a team of 20, they formed sub-committees, one to present a positive argument and one to present a negative argument, similar to the process of canonisation of a saint where there are advocates of sanctity, and the ‘devils advocate’.

A lot of the ‘leaks’ coming through are from those connected within these ‘sub-committees’ sometimes giving a biased stance.

The commission report itself is not a decision. The decision will be made by Pope Francis according to the recommendation of Cardinal Muller, Prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith, after reviewing the findings of the commission.

Sources in touch with the Vatican and the commission have told us the commission have reviewed positives and negatives and a ‘severe but positive’ pronouncement has been recommended to Pope Francis. Positive meaning the Vatican recognises the good coming from Medjugorje and will allow pilgrimages to continue, but severe because they wish to calm down any hype connected with the phenomena and keep the focus on prayer and not the visionaries or apparitions. We reiterate here that Pope Francis may not wish to even go ahead with this recommendation and decide something of his own accord.

However if His Holiness does go ahead then possibly both sides of the argument are not going to be fully satisfied and both sides will be in some way slightly confronted, as the commission on the one hand have found no evidence of the visionaries faking the apparitions, recognise countless conversions and have informed Pope Francis they are ‘open to the possibility the Blessed Virgin is appearing’ in a manner that they recognise as unprecedented in Church History, but equally they are pointing out various ‘uncertainties’ such as the visionaries running hotels and the period of apparitions still ongoing makes them de facto inconclusive. These uncertainties have lead them to suggest protective restrictions to be made for the visionaries and the public, and better spiritual guidance for the visionaries. http://www.nationalmedjugorjemovement.com/news/vatican-reccomends-severe-but-positive-decision-to-pope-francis/

For those unfamiliar with Medjugorje, it is a town located in the Herzegovina region of western Bosnia and Herzegovina where false messages and claimed miracles related to an alleged ‘Marian apparition.’ ‘She’ is often referred to as “Our Lady of Medjugorje” and “Our Lady Queen of Peace” by those who believe that she has been appearing since 24 June 1981 to six children in Medjugorje. This apparition allegedly has been giving daily messages to three or so people ever since.

While the findings of commission report have not been released, many Catholics believe this apparition is false and not from Jesus’ mother Mary. Because of the ‘daily message’ aspects of it, many believe that Pope Francis was condemning Medjugorje when he made the following statement on November 14, 2013:

Curiosity impels us to want to feel that the Lord is here or rather there, or leads us to say: “But I know a visionary, who receives letters from Our Lady, messages from Our Lady.” But look, Our Lady is the Mother of everyone! And she loves all of us. She is not a postmaster, sending messages every day. http://www.catholicismusa.com/instead-of-curiosity-and-seeking-novelities-listen-to-the-breeze-of-wisdom/

We will see how this Marian-focused pontiff will deal with this–so far I have not seen him comment on the report. He could embrace parts or all of it, condemn parts or all of it, or continue to say little or nothing about it. But no matter how Pope Francis handles it, the Medjugorje apparition is false–it is demonic. But again, since Pope Francis has endorsed other demonic apparitions (Fatima and Guadalupe come to immediate mind) he might decide to endorse this false one.

Also, is not just my view that this apparition is false. Notice the following reports, mainly from Catholic leaders, as cited on Wikipedia:

On 10 April 1991, the Yugoslav Episcopal Conference issued at Zadar a declaration that states: “It cannot be affirmed that these matters concern supernatural apparitions or revelations.” (Biskupije Mostar-Duvno Trebinje-Mrkan”. Cbismo.com. 2009-06-06. Retrieved 2013-04-01)

On 2 October 1997, Bishop Ratko Perić of the diocese of Mostar-Duvno, in which Medjugorje is situated, wrote: “On the basis of the serious study of the case by 30 of our ‘studiosi’, on my episcopal experience of five years in the Diocese, on the scandalous disobedience that surrounds the phenomenon, on the lies that are at times put into the mouth of the ‘Madonna’, on the unusual repetition of “messages” of over 16 years, on the strange way that the ‘spiritual directors’ of the so-called ‘visionaries’ accompany them through the world making propaganda of them, on the practice that the ‘Madonna’ appears at the ‘fiat’ of the ‘visionaries’, my conviction and position is not only non constat de supernaturalitate [the supernaturality is not proven] but also the other formula constat de non supernaturalitate [the non-supernaturality is proven] of the apparitions or revelations of Medjugorje.” (Ratko Perić, Bishop of Mostar (2 October 1997). “Letter to Thierry Boutet, editor of Famille Chrétienne“. Retrieved 2 December 2013)

On 21 October 2013, the Apostolic Nunciature to the United States communicated, on behalf of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, that, in the light of the 1991 Zadar declaration about the Medjugorje events, Catholics, whether clergy or laypeople, “are not permitted to participate in meetings, conferences or public celebrations during which the credibility of such ‘apparitions’ would be taken for granted” (http://medjugorjedocuments.blogspot.com/2013/11/2013-cdf-twice-to-us-bishops-on.html)

Here is a report claiming that Pope Francis has blessed a Medjugorje medal:

When Alicia Italiani from Erie, PA, wrote to Pope Francis to ask if her devotion to the Medjugorje message was was acceptable to the Church, the response was different from what she had expected. She received a Medjugorje medal, and a note that the Pontiff had personally blessed it.

The envelope Alicia Italiani received from the Pope, and its contents: The medal to the right has the word Medjugorje inscribed, and has been for sale in Medjugorje for years

Pope Francis is in agreement with the Medjugorje message, even if he is still to raise his voice on the authenticity of the apparitions. In early May the Pope personally blessed a Medjugorje medal and had it sent to an American woman who had asked him if following the Medjugorje message was okay with the Catholic Church.

“Several months ago, I wrote a letter to Pope Francis asking his blessing and prayer for my family and for myself. I have a devotion to Our Lady of Medugorje, and I understand that whether the alleged apparitions in Medugorje are approved or not, that prayer and fasting and any devotion to the Blessed Mother is good and pleasing to God. But I still felt like I needed to know if it was OK to follow those particular messages (just because there’s been so much confusion regarding the devotion within the Church)” Alicia Italiani from Erie, PA, tells the newsletter The Spirit of Medjugorje.

“On May 6, I received a response back. The response was from the Papal Nuncio to the United States from Pope Francis. Included in the envelope were a medal from Medugorje, a medal of St. Michael the Archangel and two holy cards – one with a picture of Pope Francis and the other a picture of St. Francis with his prayer for peace. The note said that the medals were blessed by Pope Francis! I felt so comforted and I just wanted to share the story” Alicia Italiani tells.

With some believing it to happen this year, Pope Francis is expected to issue a verdict on Medjugorje at some point. In January an international Vatican Commission ended four years of investigations by passing on its final report to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Both its contents, the further procedure, and the time-table have remained under lock. http://ourladyprays.com/pope-francis-blessed-medjugorje-medal/

I have seen no statement in the past year from Pope Francis endorsing Medjugorje, despite the fact that he is a Marian-focused pontiff, and may have ‘blessed’ a medal.

Notice something I reported about Medjugorje and related matters (such as the alleged Marian apparitions in Fatima, Portugal) in 2012:

What About the Healings?

Are claimed healings associated with Fatima proof that the messages were from God? There are several reasons to consider that they are not proof.

The first is that there have been hundreds of claimed healings from those going to discredited sites like Medjugorje. According to Msgr. Pavao Zanic, Bishop of Mostar, the “seers” claimed messages from the “Marian” apparition that were clearly false and the facts he laid out prove this…

Ecumenical Private Revelations and Medjugorje

Some Fatima supporters are afraid that “a politically correct and ‘ecumenical’ revisionist ‘interpretation’ of the Message of Fatima” is being adopted by certain members of the Catholic clergy.

Some also believe that the messages of Medjugorje are “heresy after heresy” and encourage ecumenism that many Fatimists oppose.

The “Lady” in Medjugorje allegedly said:

All religions are equal before God…In God there are no divisions or religions; it is you in the world that created divisions…God directs all denominations as a king directs his subjects…It is you who are divided on the earth. The Muslims and the Orthodox, like the Catholics, are equal before my Son and before me, for you are all my children. (Ferrara C. Setting the Record Straight. The Fatima Crusader, 98, Spring 2011, pp. 19-20)

Since the Fatimists can (correctly) denounce Medjugorje as heresy because of some of the messages, all should realize that the same is true with many of the messages of Fatima.

Msgr. Pavao Zanic, the former Bishop of Mostar (which includes Medjugorje), in 1990 wrote:

For even a short description of the falsehoods about Medjugorje we would need 200 pages… Presbitero Rodriguez Teofilo…asked me for the reasons why I do not believe in the “apparitions”… I told him about the case of the ex-Franciscan priest Ivica Vego. Due to his disobedience, by an order of the Holy Father the Pope, he was thrown out of his Franciscan religious order OFM by his General, dispensed from his vows and suspended “a divinis.” He did not obey this order and he continued to celebrate Mass, distribute the sacraments and pass the time with his mistress. It is unpleasant to write about this, yet it is necessary in order to see who Our Lady is speaking of. According to the diary of Vicka and the statements of the “seers,” Our Lady mentioned 13 times that he is innocent and that the bishop is wrong. When his mistress, sister Leopolda, a nun, became pregnant, both of them left Medjugorje and the religious life and began to live together near Medjugorje where their child was born. Now they have two children. His prayerbook is still sold in Medjugorje and beyond in hundreds of thousands of copies.

Yet, many still believe in Medjugorje.

In 1985, Cardinal Ratzinger “banned pilgrimages to the site. But this has been widely ignored. Instead the seers have grown wealthy as a result of their claims.”

The banning was ignored because many believe that because some of the messages seem fine (the devil is subtle enough not to make all the messages clearly false), some are curious, and others believe that various claimed healings at Medjugorje are proof that it is valid anyway. But obviously Mary of the Bible would not have made false statements justifying a fornicating priest nor would she have endorsed all religions as equal as was claimed.

Notice that in 1985, Cardinal Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict XVI, also condemned Medjugorje.

Yet, because of signs, personal feelings, and allegedly healings, many within Roman Catholicism as well as some without (someone lent me a book of Medjugorje a few months ago written by a Protestant who became convinced the messages are genuinely from Mary), consider these signs to be miraculous proof that Mary is present in Medjugorje and is now speaking to us. Despite the fact that parts of what is said are clearly blasphemous and against scripture.

Why should anyone care about this?

Although most non-Catholics do not think that reports of apparitions can affect them, if they live long enough this century, they will find that this is not the case. Claimed Marian apparitions are a much bigger deal than people realize and seems to tie in with a variety of prophecies throughout the Bible (e.g. Isaiah 47, Matthew 24, 2 Thessalonians 2, Revelation 17).

Furthermore, did you know that apparitions that some believe to be Mary were partially responsible for how the Greco-Roman churches gained influence over the Church of God in Asia Minor in the third century and Europe in the Middle Ages? Did you know that basically because of apparitions in Mexico and Russia that nearly all of Latin America became “Catholic” and Russia became accepting of icons? Did you know that Satan has many in Asia and elsewhere looking to female apparitions and apparently has had his seers prophesy that one or more future “Marian” apparitions will help the Beast/Great Monarch rise up?

Jesus warned that nearly everyone would be deceived in the end (Matthew 24:24) and apparitions seem likely to be part of why.

Partially what Medjugorje itself shows is that despite facts, truth, and warnings, people often want to believe what they think they see as opposed to the truth. This will become a bigger problem later as well.

The Bible specifically warns of a “virgin” that uses enchantments who is also called the Lady of Kingdoms. Notice the following as shown in a Catholic version of the Bible:

1 Come down, sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne for the daughter of the Chaldeans, for thou shalt no more be called delicate and tender…4 Our redeemer, the Lord of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel. 5 Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called the lady of kingdoms. 6 I was angry with my people, I have polluted my inheritance, and have given them into thy bend: thou hast shown no mercy to them: upon the ancient thou hast laid thy yoke exceeding heavy.

7 And thou hast said: I shall be a lady forever: thou hast not laid these things to thy heart, neither hast thou remembered thy latter end.

8 And now hear these things, thou that art delicate, and dwellest confidently, that sayest in thy heart: I am, and there is none else besides me: I shall not sit as a widow, and I shall not know barrenness.

9 These two things shall come upon thee suddenly in one day, barrenness and widowhood. All things are come upon thee, because of the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great hardness of thy enchanters. 10 And thou best trusted in thy wickedness, and hast said: There is none that seeth me. Thy wisdom, and thy knowledge, this hath deceived thee. And thou best said in thy heart: I am, and besides me there is no other. 11 Evil shall come upon thee, and then shalt not know the rising thereof: and calamity shall fall violently upon thee, which thou canst not keep off: misery shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not know. 12 Stand now with thy enchanters, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, in which thou hast laboured from thy youth, if so be it may profit thee any thing, or if thou mayst become stronger. 13 Thou hast failed in the multitude or thy counsels: let now the astrologers stand and save thee, they that gazed at the stars, and counted the months, that from them they might tell the things that shall come to thee. (Isaiah 47:1, 4-7, 11-13, DRB)

In the New Testament, notice what the Apostle Paul warned:

9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12)

Deception must be clever to work, and multitudes have already been deceived by signs and wonders coming from statues and alleged apparitions of Mary. The “interfaith movement” will like employ “Mary” as a tool for improper unity (see Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction?).

As far as the Bible goes, all should realize that there is nothing in the Bible, or even in early church writings, that supports the view that God wanted to use weeping statues, apparitions, etc. of Mary. Sadly, however, multiple millions are not willing to truly accept that–and more will be deceived in the future.

For more information, please check out the following:

Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Apparitions Do you know much about Mary? Are the apparitions real? What happened at Fatima? What might they mean for the rise of the ecumenical religion of Antichrist? Are Protestants moving towards Mary? How do the Eastern/Greek Orthodox view Mary? How might Mary view her adorers? Here is a link to a YouTube video Marian Apparitions May Fulfill Prophecy.
Satan’s Plan Does Satan have a plan? What is it? Has it already been successful? Will it be successful in the future? Here is a link to a related video: Satan’s Plan A Brief Introduction.
Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction? Is the interfaith movement going to lead to lasting peace or is it warned against? A video sermon of related interest is: Will the Interfaith Movement lead to World War III? and a video sermon is also available: Do You Know That Babylon is Forming?
Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy? Pope Francis has taken many steps to turn people more towards his version of ‘Mary.’ Could this be consistent with biblical and Catholic prophecies? This article documents what has been happening. There is also a video version titled Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy?
Feast of the Immaculate Conception? Did early Christians teach Mary had an immaculate conception and led a sinless life?
Origin of the Marian Dogmas: Where Do Catholic Scholars Say The Four Dogmas of Mary Came From?
Assumption of Mary Did Mary die? Was she taken to heaven on August 15th? What is known? What does the Bible show?
Do you understand the ramifications of the ‘Lady of Guadalupe’? It is claimed that a female apparition appeared near Mexico City on December 12, 1531. How has it affected the world? What might it suggest about the future?
What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons? Did Catholic and Orthodox “saints” endorse or condemn idols and icons for Christians?
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.
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?
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.

COGwriter

The Adventist Review, put out under the direction of Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Bill Knott has the following report:

February 14, 2016

Chattanooga, Tennessee — which has a thriving Adventist presence — is more Bible-minded than any other city in the United States, according to the recent survey of 100 cities by the American Bible Society and the Barna Group.

The issue of biblical literacy and engagement has been of concern to Christians, who have questioned whether it’s possible to reach a community without a basic grasp of the Bible. This is particularly true for Adventists and their traditional evangelistic methods that focus on the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation. Some say modern audiences are not as familiar with these texts so such approaches don’t work as well.

But Bradshaw, speaker and director of  It Is Written, the pioneering Adventist television ministry now headquartered in Chattanooga, said the scriptural literacy of a community should not serve as a barrier to evangelism.

“People being ignorant about the Bible doesn’t mean we shouldn’t teach about the Bible,” he said by telephone. http://www.adventistreview.org/church-news/story3699-city-with-strong-adventist-presence-ranked-most-bible-minded-in-u.s

Overall, the southern area of the USA fared the best on that survey:

Chattanooga, Tenn., is the most Bible-minded city in the U.S., according to American Bible Society’s fourth annual America’s Top Bible-Minded Cities study. The recognition marks the second time in three years Chattanooga has taken home the top spot. Birmingham, Ala., ranked first in 2014.

Driven to equip 100 million people in the U.S. to actively engage with God’s Word, American Bible Society regularly conducts research to learn more about Bible behavior and perceptions. By executing the Top Bible-Minded Cities study, American Bible Society better understands which cities have a Bible-reading culture and how many people in these cities regularly read Scripture.

Rankings

Locations in the South, particularly those in the Bible Belt, continue to lead U.S. cities in Bible-mindedness, according to the 2016 report. The region claims each of the study’s top five Bible-minded cities: Chattanooga; Birmingham; Roanoke/Lynchburg, Va.; Shreveport, La.; and Tri-Cities, Tenn. In the 2015 report, these same five cities occupied the top five spots. http://www.americanbible.org/features/americas-most-bible-minded-cities

It is good to read the Bible.

Of course, just knowing something about the Bible and reading it sometimes, does not mean that those in Chattanooga really understand more Bible truths than those in other cities.

The Pharisees and Scribes in Jesus’ day would have likely topped surveys if they had them back then.

Many, do not actually understand the Bible, despite many people having some familiarity with it.  And this includes those who claim that Jesus is their Lord.  Notice what Jesus said:

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.  22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

Most who profess Christ practice one or more forms of lawlessness.

As far as the SDA’s views go, while we in the Continuing Church of God observe the seventh-day Sabbath, we have many differences with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Basically, we do not accept that Ellen White was a prophetess. Hence, we do not accept her interpretations as being above scripture. Nor do we believe that the USA is the two-horned beast of Revelation 13. We also do not tolerate the observance of pagan holidays like the SDA do. We also hold the the view of the Godhead that many SDAs originally held but later changed (for details, see  SDA/CCOG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666).

While it is good that there are people in Chattanooga that read their Bibles, it would be most impressive if more there lived according to what it actually teaches (and yes, I have visited Chattanooga on several occasions).

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Read the Bible Christians should read and study the Bible. This article gives some rationale for regular bible reading. Here is a link in Mandarin Chinese: 读圣经 Here is a link in the Spanish language: Lea la Biblia..
Bible: Superstition or Authority? Should you rely on the Bible? Is it reliable? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
How to Study the Bible David Jon Hill wrote this initially and Dr. Thiel added scriptures, tips, and suggestions to it. A 2015 sermon is available and is also titled How to Study the Bible.
COGwriter Position on Other Churches and Religions What is the fate of those who do not know Christ? What about those who profess Christ outside the Church of God?
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!
SDA/CCOG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 The genuine Church of God is NOT part of the Seventh-day Adventists. This article explains two prophetic differences, the trinity, differences in approaching doctrine, including Ellen White. Did Ellen White make prophetic errors? Did Ellen White make false prophecies? Here is a version in the Spanish language: SDA/COG Diferencias: La bestia de dos cuernos de Apocalipsis y 666. Here is a sermon in the English language: CCOG and SDA differences and similarities.
Seventh-day Adventist President Ted Wilson’s Comments on the Remnant Church Ted N. C. Wilson spoke on the SDAs striving to be the “remnant church”, but what do the related scriptures actually teach?
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–here is some of why you should be concerned about them. Here is a related article in the Spanish language ¿Por qué estar preocupado acerca de falsos y heréticos líderes?
How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? There is also a sermon-length video titled How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God. Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Cómo determinar si alguien es un verdadero profeta de Dios?
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.
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.

USA facing a tornado of debt?

COGwriter

Dr. Martin Weiss of Money and Markets posted the following:

Worse than 2008?

February 15, 2016

Martin here with an urgent update on the 2016 debt crisis.

It’s a tornado. And it’s already here.

The twister’s violent funnel dips down from the dark clouds of the 2008 debt crisis, still hovering over the global economy.

Its precise path? Unpredictable.

Its next victims? To be determined.

But its presence is indisputable. And the damage to date is strikingly visible in multiple forms:

Swift collapses in global stocks, commodities and currencies. Swirling rumors of megabanks on the brink. Sudden disappearance of capital for high-yield bonds, IPOs and nearly every asset with a twinge of risk.

Shockingly, the tornado’s metrics — of breadth, volume and speed — are strikingly similar to those of the last debt crisis. …

Derivatives — the black core of the cumulonimbus debt-crisis cloud — are still here, and in larger quantities:

According to the U.S. Government Office of the Comptroller (OCC), on Dec. 31, 2007, just before the debt crisis struck, U.S. commercial banks held $165.6 trillion in derivatives.

Now, at their latest reckoning (9/31/15), those same commercial banks hold $192.2 trillion. …

None of this means the world will fall apart in its entirety, or that it will all happen overnight. But it does mean you should invest with great caution. http://www.moneyandmarkets.com/worse-2008-76028#.VsHkAtDD7l8

Dr. Weiss also mentioned that the USA already reduced interest rates by 95% since 2008, so it cannot do that again.  He also seemed to believe that the USA would not successfully do more ‘quantitative easing,’ which is a ‘legal’ form of counterfeiting.

Dr. Weiss is not the only one sounding alarms about the USA’s financial markets. CBS reported the following today, related to Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump:

February 15, 2016

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump suggested during a recent interview with “Face the Nation” that the recent turbulence in the stock market could spell trouble for the U.S. economy.

“I think we’re in a bubble, and I’ve been saying – I said it to you the last time I spoke to you before the markets – we’re too reliant on China and Asia and other places, and I told you that the last time you interviewed me,” Trump said. “And I’ve so far been very right.”

“I’ve been right about a lot of things actually,” he added. “I’ve been right about take the oil, hit the oil. But we are in a bubble. We’re in a very bad bubble. We are very tied to China and to Asia. It’s not a good thing.” http://www.cbsnews.com/news/donald-trump-on-the-stock-market-i-think-were-in-a-bubble-election-2016/

It should be understood that practices related to hedge funds and derivatives manipulate the market and seem to have the potential to contribute to the time of total collapse of the markets in the USA.  Notice the following:

The world’s scariest story: trading in derivatives

Bad as these scandals are and vast as the money involved in them is by any normal standard, they are mere blips on the screen, compared to the risk that is still staring us in the face: the lack of transparency in derivative trading that now totals in notional amount more than $700 trillion. That is more than ten times the size of the entire world economy. Yet incredibly, we have little information about it or its implications for the financial strength of any of the big banks.

Moreover the derivatives market is steadily growing. “The total notional value, or face value, of the global derivatives market when the housing bubble popped in 2007 stood at around $500 trillion… The Over-The-Counter derivatives market alone had grown to a notional value of at least $648 trillion as of the end of 2011… the market is likely worth closer to $707 trillion and perhaps more,” writes analyst Jenny Walsh in The Paper Boat.

“The market has grown so unfathomably vast, the global economy is at risk of massive damage should even a small percentage of contracts go sour.  Its size and potential influence are difficult just to comprehend, let alone assess.”

The bulk of this derivative trading is conducted by the big banks. Bankers generally assume that the likely risk of gain or loss on derivatives is much smaller than their “notional amount.” Wells Fargo for instance says the concept “is not, when viewed in isolation, a meaningful measure of the risk profile of the instruments” and “many of its derivatives offset each other”.

However as we learned in 2008, it is possible to lose a large portion of the “notional amount” of a derivatives trade if the bet goes terribly wrong, particularly if the bet is linked to other bets, resulting in losses by other organizations occurring at the same time. The ripple effects can be massive and unpredictable.

Banks don’t tell investors how much of the “notional amount” that they could lose in a worst-case scenario, nor are they required to. http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2013/01/08/five-years-after-the-financial-meltdown-the-water-is-still-full-of-big-sharks/

There are many types of financial transactions that have little, if any, true value and are putting the markets and the US dollar at risk.

Because the US dollar is not truly backed by anything tangible (other than a semi-agreement with Saudi Arabia to price oil in dollars), the excess production of them via debt/quantitative easing dilutes the value it. This is a modern form of ‘dross’ (a coin that is worth less than it appears because it is not pure silver or gold despite its outward appearance).

Governments have devalued their currencies by making their coins ‘dross’ and this has led to various problems throughout history.

This diluting of the value of coinage/currency is condemned in the Bible.

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

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

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

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

Although the Bible warns against using dross and diluting the money supply, modern ‘experts’ have a different view.  The wrong views on economics will lead to economic problems and ultimately the total crash of the dollar of the USA.  Economic problems in Europe may well propel the rise of the Beast power that the Bible warns about.

The USA has repeatedly proven that economic pressures result in its increasing its debt.

Around 605-625 B.C. Habakkuk wrote a short book of the Bible that has a lot of implications for the time that we are now in. Notice something that God said in it:

5 “Look among the nations and watch — Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you. (Habakkuk 1:5).

Many, including a COG I was once part of, claim that Habakkuk was prophesying only something for the past that has already been fulfilled (and that group included Habakkuk 2 in its assessment). And if you only look at verse 5 that looks reasonable. Yet, notice that the above is also repeated in the New Testament:

40 Beware therefore, lest what has been spoken in the prophets come upon you:

41 ‘Behold, you despisers,
Marvel and perish!
For I work a work in your days,
A work which you will by no means believe,
Though one were to declare it to you.'” (Acts 13:40-41)

So, there is certainly a duality in some of what Habakkuk wrote. (More on the work for these times can be found in the articles Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word and The Final Phase of the Work.)

There was something for Habakkuk’s time and something for a later time.

Getting back to Habakkuk, here is some of the shocking things God had him write down specifically related to the end times:

2 Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry. ( Habakkuk 2:2-3)

So what did Habakkuk see in this vision that is so bad people should run/flee who read it?

Notice that the prophecy that is being discussed is specifically for the appointed time of the end. It is a prophecy for our time–and will affect the proud. What will happen is so bad “That he may run who reads it.” What is so bad? Habakkuk continues with the following:

4 “Behold the proud, His soul is not upright in him; But the just shall live by his faith.
5 “Indeed, because he transgresses by wine,He is a proud man,And he does not stay at home. Because he enlarges his desire as hell, And he is like death, and cannot be satisfied, He gathers to himself all nations And heaps up for himself all peoples. 6 “Will not all these take up a proverb against him, And a taunting riddle against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases What is not his — how long? And to him who loads himself with many pledges’? 7 Will not your creditors rise up suddenly? Will they not awaken who oppress you? And you will become their booty. 8 Because you have plundered many nations, All the remnant of the people shall plunder you, Because of men’s blood And the violence of the land and the city, And of all who dwell in it. (Habakkuk 2:4-8)

Actually, with an admitted debt of over$19 trillion dollars and plans to increase that much further, the USA has increased pledges more than any nation in the history of the planet, especially considering that it keeps running trade deficits. And on a per capita basis, the United Kingdom is one of the most indebted nations on the earth itself.

“The United States has the largest debt in the world” (US News & World Report — Jan 28, 2011 http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2011/01/28/the-10-countries-with-the-most-debt). Habakkuk 2 teaches that the time will come when people should flee from this indebted nation–the USA!

Since the above prophecy in Habakkuk will be fulfilled at the time of the end (cf. “The message was true, but the appointed time was long…in the latter days, for the vision refers to many days yet to come”, Daniel 10:1,14). Daniel 8:19, 11:27,29,35 uses the same Hebrew term for “appointed time” as Habakkuk 2:3, while Daniel 10, using a different term, ties the latter days to the time in Daniel 8:19. Habakkuk 2 was not fulfilled in its entirety anciently. Also, it makes little sense that Habakkuk would be directed towards the modern nation of Israel as it does not have enemy creditors. It must be a nation or group of nations with some prominence at the appointed time of the end. As far as “violence of the land” as a contributing factor, this would seem to include crime, military missions, and perhaps riots/civil unrest, but might it also include promotion of violent sports?

I, personally, have taught the end time risks of Habakkuk 2 longer than any living COG leader that I am aware of. And the only Church of God group that I am aware of that has been boldly teaching about this warning in Habakkuk 2 for years is the Continuing Church of God The end time applicability of Habakkuk 2 was even in the first edition–January-March 2013–of our Bible News Prophecy magazine; and the headline shown on the front cover was “Habakkuk’s Warning is for Us Today.”

The Laodicean groups that I am aware of are NOT teaching this. We in the Continuing Church of God expect to tell people WHEN the time the Philadelphians should flee.  Jesus specifically told the Laodiceans, in a prophecy, that they needed to repent (Revelation 3:19) or face consequences (Revelation 3:14-19, and that they would be rewarded for doing so (Revelation 3:20). The Laodiceans are Church of God Christians “who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).

The time will come when the economy of the USA will be totally devastated and those who ignore Habakkuk’s warning will suffer because of it!

Does the USA have any hope?

Yes, national repentance:

14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14)

But at this stage, that does not seem to be likely.

The Bible points out that the descendants of Jacob and Joseph are God’s people (Psalm 77:15; see also Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel). But, instead of repenting, the USA has been pushing a pro-homosexual, pro-abortion, pro-violence, and pro-debt message. The shock that will come to the USA and the rest of the world (Revelation 13:4) will not just be the end of the USA’s financial dominance, but the end of it militarily (Daniel 11:39).

Hosea prophesied that because the Israelites’ rejected God’s instruction, “the Assyrian shall be his king, because they refused to repent” (Hosea 11:1–5).

While the Bible shows that Assyrian Europe will also eventually be punished for what it will do to the USA (e.g. Isaiah 10:12), the Bible shows that the USA will be punished first (Isaiah 10:5-11; see also Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel).

The solution to the problems in the USA and Europe is not investments in the dollar of the USA–which will one day fail–but the Kingdom of God.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Collapse of the Euro and Dollar? War in 2020? Larry Edelson of Money and Markets described aspects of current economic difficulties and explained why he felt matters would get a lot worse. He said war, like World War III, could break out as early as 2020. What did he call the ‘granddaddy of all cycles”? Will matters go as he said? What does the Bible teach? Dr. Thiel provides biblical insights that secular sources often miss. This is a video.
Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work.
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage to support it? Here is a related YouTube video titled The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra.
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. A video of related interest is available titled: Should Christians Vote?
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.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2016, 2017, or 2018? 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 2016 o 2017? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives. A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation Start in 2016?
Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 Who is 666? This article explains how the COG views this, and compares this to Ellen White. Here is a link to a prophetic video Six Financial Steps Leading to 666?
The Mark of Antichrist What is the mark of Antichrist? What have various ones claimed? Here is a link to a related sermon What is the ‘Mark of Antichrist’?
Mark of the Beast What is the mark of the Beast? Who is the Beast? What have various ones claimed the mark is? What is the ‘Mark of the Beast’?
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.
World War III: Steps in Progress Are there surprising actions going on now that are leading to WWIII? Might a nuclear attack be expected? What about WWIV? 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?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2023 or 20xx? There is also a video titled The 6000 Year Plan: Is the end of humanity’s reign almost up?
The Snowden Leaks are Leading to the Destruction of the USA Can what happened with the leaks of what the NSA has done help the USA to be taken over? What does the Bible teach that seems to be related to this? Here is a related YouTube video titled Are the Snowden NSA leaks leading to the destruction of the USA?
Project Prophecy: Economic Collapse Starting in 2015? Jim Rickards once worked for the CIA and also was once part of a a USA government program called called ‘Project Prophecy.’ He has a video were he claims that starting in 2015, the USA may have economic collapse resulting in a 25-Year Great Depression. He mainly cites debt figures and claims advises alternatives to the USA dollar which he says will collapse? What did Rand Paul state? Can the USA dollar collapse?
Market Collapse then New World Order in 2015? A long-time financial adviser named Harvey Organ claims that claims that because of insufficient gold in the central banks of USA and UK, that Shanghai would bring about exposing this and that this would lead to a massive, overnight, rise in the price of gold and silver, diminished value of their currencies. He states a market collapse will occur before the end of 2014, that the petroyuan will replace the petrodollar, and that a Chinese led New World Order will be in place for 2015. Is this possible? Where does the leader of the ‘New World Order’ come from? What does the Bible teach?
The Plain Truth About Gold in Prophecy. How Should a Christian View Gold? What do economists and the Bible teach about gold? Gold and silver may drop in value. Inflation/deflation? What do Christians need to know about gold?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, 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.
Just What Do You Mean — Repentance? Do you know what repentance is? Have you truly repented? Repented of what? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
When You Sin: Do You Really Repent? This is an article by Charles F. Hunting. A related sermon is Confess to God and truly repent.
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? True religion should be based upon the true gospel.
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it? Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near? A related sermon is titled The Millennium.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term This is a 160 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Barack Obama and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled (which the book documents in detail) and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also has a chapter about a Republican choice. This book is available to order at www.barackobamaprophecy.com. The physical book can also be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States: Is Barack Obama Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Kenyan, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Republican Leaders? Second Edition for Second Obama Term.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition. This electronic version is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Term-Amazon Kindle edition.

Artist’s portrayal of the beasts of Daniel 7, the last will also be the final King of the North

COGwriter

The 11th chapter of the Book of Daniel frequently discusses a leader called the “King of the North.” Most theologians believe that certain leaders throughout history fulfilled various prophecies about him in that chapter. Yet, others also realize that there will arise a final King of the North.

Related to this, the late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote the following:

In Daniel 11:21, referring in original, typical fulfillment to Antiochus Epiphanes, there shall stand up a vile person…So once again before the second coming of Christ, a vile leader will stop the daily sacrifices being offered…This same prophecy spoken by Jesus is also reported by Luke…21:20-24 (Armstrong HW. Personal, Plain Truth magazine, June 1967).

So, Herbert W. Armstrong clearly taught that starting at least from verse 21, that Daniel 11 had a dual/future fulfillment. We are getting very close to the fulfillment of Daniel 11:21.

This same vile leader, who appears at the “appointed time” of “the end” is described without that title in Daniel 8:

19 And he said, “Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be…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. 26 “And the vision of the evenings and mornings Which was told is true; Therefore seal up the vision, For it refers to many days in the future.” (Daniel 8:19,23-26)

This King is also the “Beast” that the ten kings give their power to in Revelation 17:12-13.

But notice the portion of Daniel 8:23 that I bolded above. This King rises up when the trangressors have reached their fullness, which suggests that this is about when God has had enough of the increasing immorality in nations like the U.S.A. Immorality is increasing in the Anglo-lands, and will get to the point that the King will rise up.

Where does this King clearly appear in the sequence of Daniel 11?

While it is possible, and even likely, that verses 21-26 of Daniel 11 (and verse 20 may start the final fulfillment and verse 24 shows that this leader will at first seem to be promoting peace; see Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2016?) may show and/or parallel later portions of that chapter, it is clear that the future and final King of the North is the king mentioned who will come to his end at the “appointed time”. This “appointed time” (Strong’s word #4150) is first mentioned in Daniel 11:27 which suggest it is in the future and as well in vss. 29 and 35 which appear to be the specific time.

Perhaps it may be of historical interest to note that even though some modern Catholic scholars believe that all of Daniel 11 was fulfilled (e.g. Kurz, W. What Does the Bible Say About the End Times? A Catholic View. Servant Books, Cincinnati. Nihil Obstat: Kistner H., Schehr T.P. Imprimi Potest: Link F., Paul J.M. Imprimatur: Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxillary Bishop, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, July 19, 2004, p. 68), that this is not consistent with the teachings of many earlier Catholic teachers.

For one example, even though he confused the Antichrist and the King of the North, the late 4th century Catholic Jerome felt that from at least verse 24 on, that a future fulfillment involving a King of the North would occur as Jerome wrote:

Verse 24. “And there shall stand up in his place one despised, and the kingly honor shall not be given him; and he shall come privately and shall obtain the kingdom by fraud. And the arms of the fighter shall be overcome before his face and shall be broken, and the prince of the covenant as well. And after friendly advances he shall deal deceitfully with him, and shall go up and shall overcome with a small people. And he shall enter into rich and prosperous cities, and shall do things which his fathers never did, nor his fathers’ fathers. He shall scatter their spoil and their booty and their wealth, and shall undertake plots against the best fortified cities, and shall continue thus for a time.” Up to this point the historical order has been followed…But those of our persuasion believe all these things are spoken prophetically of the Antichrist who is to arise in the end time…Verses 40, 41…the king of the North…(Jerome. Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 11. Translated by Gleason L. Archer. (1958). http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/jerome_daniel_02_text.htm viewed 12/20/08).

And Jerome also specifically believed that the deal in Daniel 11:27 would have future fulfillment as it was not fully fulfilled in ancient times:

Verses 27—-30. “And the heart of the two kings shall be to do evil, and they speak falsehood at one table, and they shall not prosper, because as yet the end is unto another time. And he shall return into his land with much riches.” There is no doubt but what Antiochus did conclude a peace with Ptolemy and ate at the same table with him and devised plots against him, and yet without attaining any success thereby, since he did not obtain his kingdom but was driven out by Ptolemy’s soldiers. But it cannot be proved from this set of facts that the statement of this Scripture was ever fulfilled by past history, namely that there were two kings whose hearts were deceitful and who inflicted evil upon each other. Actually, Ptolemy was a mere child of tender years and was taken in by Antiochus’ fraud; how then could he have plotted evil against him? And so our party insist that all these things refer to the Antichrist and to the king of Egypt whom he has for the first time overcome…(Jerome. Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 11. Translated by Gleason L. Archer. (1958). http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/jerome_daniel_02_text.htm viewed 12/20/08).

The specific word translated as ‘the end’ (Strong’s 4150) in vs. 27 is the same as in vs. 45 where the king of the North comes to his final end. It is also in vs. 40 when the king of the North invades the king of the South (which is the last time the term ‘king of the South’ is mentioned as this leads to his end). Thus there is a future King of the North as these scriptures have not been fulfilled in their entirety.

However, prior to being referred to as “the King of the North” he initially appears to be referred to as a “prince” in Daniel 9:26-27. Hence while this leader somehow is a “prince,” he apparently will have some role in making some type of treaty with Israel (and probably including the United States as the covenant is “with many”) approximately 3 1/2 years before the Great Tribulation begins (one is normally a “prince” before one becomes a “king”). As this deal has still not been made, this would suggest that contrary to claims of various false prophets the great tribulation will not begin prior to 2019 (more details on this are included in the article Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2016?).

The Great Tribulation will also not start before there is an actual King of the South and an actual King of the North–and while the “prince” will apparently help make a deal with Israel, Daniel 11:27 requires two kings, which suggests that the “prince” will gain more and more importance after the deal in Daniel 9:27. Daniel 9:26-27 shows that this prince comes from the people of the old Roman Empire. This prince rules the final Beast power of Revelation 13:1, the beast of the sea. The Bible is clear that the “Great Sea” (a term used in the Old Testament, but not as specified as such in the New Testament) where the Beasts of Daniel 7 come from, is the Mediterranean Sea (e.g. Joshua 9:1, 23:4; Ezekiel 47:15). The Beast power is not a nation like Russia, which does not border the Mediterranean Sea, but Europe which does.

The Book of Daniel specifically shows that the King of the South (a Muslim confederation) will make a deal with the King of the North, but that neither side is trustworthy:

27 Both these kings’ hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time (Daniel 11:27, NKJV for remaining verses unless otherwise specified).

Various events in Europe and the Middle East show that the stage is set to fulfill these and other Bible prophecies. Since Islamists have utilized terrorism as a major weapon in the past and the Bible teaches that terror will be one of the curses that the descendants of Jacob will face for disobedience (Leviticus 26:16; Jeremiah 15:8), this deal may include the King of the South agreeing to utilize terrorism as part of his contribution to eliminate the Anglo-nations (which are those with the “strongest fortresses” in verse 39 who are destroyed).

Somewhat oddly, something upsets the King of the North even though he feels that he made a very good deal:

28 While returning to his land with great riches, his heart shall be moved against the holy covenant; so he shall do damage and return to his own land (Daniel 11:28).

This verse about his heart being “moved against the holy covenant” may be referring to the fact that some of God’s people are warning against what the deal in verse 27 means. Notice verse 28 from a different translation:

28 Then the king of the north will return to his country with great treasures. But on the way, he will attack the religion of God’s people and do whatever else he pleases (Daniel 11:28, CEV–Contemporary English Version).

Since it is the Church of God religion that historically is the “religion of God’s people” and its members are the ones who fulfill the new covenant by having the law written into their hearts, it seems likely that the literal expression “holy covenant” refers to the most faithful of the true Christians (cf. Luke 1:72-75; Hebrews 8:8-12; Daniel 12:7). It appears that God’s people are teaching something publicly that the King of the North does not want taught–otherwise he would have little reason to bother to attack such a “little flock” (Luke 12:32). This is about the time that the “one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days” days (1335 days) mentioned in Daniel 12:12 begin–although it may not be until the next verse or two.

While I believe that the “religion of God’s people” in Daniel 11:28 specifically includes the remnant of the Philadelphia portion of the Church of God, it may or may not include others like the Sardis remnant as it has a name that it is alive while it is dead, or the Laodiceans as their work will most likely be too lukewarm to wish to truly and powerfully warn against these events by the King of the North (or if the Laodiceans begin to do that, I believe that they will pull back). But, consistent with Daniel 12:7, Daniel 11:28 seems to be referring to the beginning of the scattering of God’s people.

Also, notice that the Bible states:

6 “Flee from the land of the north”, says the LORD…7 Up Zion! Escape you that dwell with the daughter of Babylon (Zechariah 2:6,7).

Hence, it may be that prior to going to a place of protection (please see There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra), some Christians will flee out of the European lands dominated by the rising King of the North prior to him moving into Jerusalem–probably during verses 28-30 of Daniel 11 as this is when the King of the North begins his anger against God’s most faithful (and I believe that since God’s faithful will understand these passages in Daniel 11 by then, some will not wait until verses 30 or 31 to flee from the north–and will most likely go to Judea).

Now at “the appointed time,” something will trigger the King of the North going towards the south:

29 At the appointed time he shall return and go toward the south; but it shall not be like the former or the latter. 30 For ships from Cyprus shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return in rage against the holy covenant, and do damage. So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant (Daniel 11:29-30).

30 For warships from western coastlands will scare him off, and he will withdraw and return home. But he will vent his anger against the people of the holy covenant and reward those who forsake the covenant. (Daniel 11:30 New Living Translation 1996 Greg Laurie).

Note: the Hebrew term translated as “Cyprus” in the NKJV is somewhat of a mistranslation. The KJV uses the term Chittim which means “Western lands.” Hence the King of the North will apparently be temporarily stopped by a Western naval power. A similar passage is in Numbers 24:24, which according to Numbers 24:14, is for the latter times–and in it the Western naval power troubles descendants of Asshur/Assyria (many of whom now seem to be residing in Europe, see Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History, see also Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel for more of a discussion of Numbers 24:24). Warning the world that the King of the North is fulfilling Bible prophecy when he does this is likely to be part of the “short work” of Romans 9:28 that God will accomplish through His most faithful.

Here is a Catholic writing related to this passage in Daniel 11 and what follows:

It seems he will probably be defeated by by certain people of the Western nations, who will give him a naval battle…(11:30). But he will soon recover from this defeat. (Huchedé P. History of Antichrist. Imprimatur Edward Charles Fabre, Bishop of Montreal, First English edition 1884. 1976 reprint from TAN Books, Rockford (IL), p. 22)

Despite some claims, notice that a major battle is not shown to have occurred in verse 30; it may only involve a show of naval force. Thus, that verse may possibly indicate that this is when the European Beast power may temporarily make a deceptive deal with a major Western power (probably the United States) which will ultimately allow it to destroy the USA and its English-speaking allies (see also verse 39).

Why does the Western naval power seem to be the United States?

First, the United States is west of Jerusalem.

Second, the United States is a major naval power, and often uses its naval power as a threat.

Third, although Latin America is also west of Jerusalem, it (even when all the nations that compose it are combined) would not seem to have enough of a naval force to stop the European king’s approach (plus, since Latin America shares culture, languages, and religion with Europe, it will most likely be allied with the King of the North either at this time or shortly thereafter).

Fourth, the Bible shows that the problems from the kings that are north and east of the King of the North do not occur until verse 44 of Daniel 11, hence once they are eliminated as possibilities, this pretty much only leaves that United States and its English-speaking allies as the only possible naval power that could deter the King of the North at this stage.

But getting back to verse 30 itself, notice that the King of the North will be even further enraged by the people of the “holy covenant” and most likely try to stop the supporters of it from proclaiming the truth about his intentions and the gospel of the kingdom (c.f. Matthew 24:14). The King of the North will probably attempt to learn more about how to eliminate them by being nice to apostate members (those who “forsake the holy covenant”)–apparently he attempts to get them to betray true Christians (Matthew 24:10). It strikes me as important that although a naval power stops the King of the North momentarily, the King of the North becomes apparently more enraged with the people of the holy covenant than the naval power.

Why would this be?

Most likely this occurs because the people of the holy covenant are proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 24:14, as that immediately precedes “the end”) and teaching that the King of the North is fulfilling prophecies in Daniel 11. It is my belief that after the peace deal in Daniel 9:27/11:23 has been made and/or confirmed by “the prince to come,” that the group that best represents the “sect of the Nazarenes” (the remnant of the Philadelphia era of the church per Revelation 3:7–11) in the 21st century will begin to publicly identify the person who confirmed the deal (“the prince”) as the one who fulfilled Daniel 9:27/11:23-24. This apparently enrages the King of the North so much that he initially tries to eliminate these people through political pressure and selected persecution.

Even the Catholic Jerome indirectly understood some of this concerning these passages in Daniel 11 as he wrote:

Verses 27—-30…”And his heart shall be against the holy covenant, and he shall succeed and return into his own land. At the time appointed he shall return and shall come to the South; but the latter time shall not be like the former. And the galleys shall come upon him…But these events were typically prefigured under Antiochus Epiphanes, so that this abominable king who persecuted God’s people foreshadows the Antichrist, who is to persecute the people of Christ (Jerome. Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 11. Translated by Gleason L. Archer. (1958). http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/jerome_daniel_02_text.htm viewed 12/20/08).

Jesus clearly taught that persecution would affect His people just prior to the Great Tribulation beginning:

7 And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. 9 Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another (Matthew 24:7-10).

21 For then there will be great tribulation (Matthew 24:21).

So notice that after “the beginning of sorrows”, the true Christians will be delivered up and many killed and many will be betrayed by those pretending to be Christians. And then the Great Tribulation will come shortly thereafter. This clearly ties in with the events of Daniel 11.

Notice that after the King of the North returns home, he decides to come back to the Jerusalem area, but this time with a much stronger military presence:

31 And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation (Daniel 11:31).

The above event, which apparently will involve the King of the North sending in forces into Jerusalem, was spoken of by Jesus (Matthew 24:15) as a warning of the final end time. So after the gospel has been preached enough to the world as a witness (Matthew 24:14), Jewish sacrifices are stopped (Daniel 9:27), the abomination is set up (Daniel 9:27; 11:31), and a decree is issued (Zephaniah 2:1), the most faithful Philadelphians will flee per Jesus’ statements in Matthew 24:15-16.

All the world will be affected by the coming King of the North, and the Anglo-nations will be taken over because of him (Daniel 11:39).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? What MUST happen BEFORE the Great Tribulation? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2023 or 20xx? There is also a video titled The 6000 Year Plan: Is the end of humanity’s reign almost up? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2016, 2017, or 2018? 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 2016 o 2017? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives. A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation Start in 2016?
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.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?

Claimed ‘Lady of Guadalupe,’ Mexico City (Photo by Jan Zatko)

COGwriter

Pope Francis went to see the ‘Lady of Guadalupe’ while he visited Mexico:

February 14, 2016

On Saturday Pope Francis fulfilled his much-desired wish to pray in silence before the miraculous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

After celebrating the first Mass of his papal trip to Mexico, the Pope made his way to the “camarin” (“little room”) behind the main altar of the basilica dedicated to Mary. The miraculous mantle, which normally faces the congregation, can be turned around to allow a closer and more private moment of veneration. …

Built in 1976, the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe is located near Tepeyac hill, the site of Mary’s apparitions to St Juan Diego in 1531. With some 12 million people visiting each year, it is Catholicism’s most popular Marian shrine. http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2016/02/14/98956/

Vatican Radio) At the conclusion of Holy Mass Saturday at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, Pope Francis led the faithful in the Rite of Coronation of the image of the Most Holy Virgin of Guadalupe.  Veronica Scarisbrick is our correspondent traveling with Pope Francis in Mexico. She takes a look at the importance of this Marian image and the history behind it:

“You are not an orphaned people, as you are proud to have a ‘Mother” Pope Francis once said speaking to Mexicans about Our Lady of Guadalupe.

I asked a number of people here Mexico City what the ‘Morenita’ meant to them and they all replied: ‘She  is our ‘Mother’. Except for one person, a security guard who replied: ‘She is our ‘jefa’, our boss.

I don’t know what Pope Francis would have said to that but what’s certain is that his devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe runs deep. http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/02/13/coronation_of_the_most_holy_virgin_of_guadalupe/1208365

Of course, as even The Catholic Encyclopedia admits, no early Christian venerated Jesus’ mother Mary (see Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Apparitions).  Yet, Pope Francis and many others venerate/worship something that they claim is supposed to be her.

Mary is NOT our mother nor our boss. For Christians, we are to follow Jesus.

Here is some additional information about the ‘Lady of Guadalupe’ from a Catholic source:

Guadalupe is, strictly speaking, the name of a picture, but the name was extended to the church containing the picture and to the town that grew up around the church. It makes the shrine, it occasions the devotion, it illustrates Our Lady…

The word is Spanish Arabic, but in Mexico it may represent certain Aztec sounds.

Its tradition is long-standing and constant, and in sources both oral and written, Indian and Spanish, the account is unwavering. The Blessed Virgin appeared on Saturday 9 December 1531 to a 55 year old neophyte named Juan Diego, who was hurrying down Tepeyac hill to hear Mass in Mexico City. She sent him to Bishop Zumárraga to have a temple built where she stood. She was at the same place that evening and Sunday evening to get the bishop‘s answer. The bishop did not immediately believed the messenger, had him cross-examined and watched, and he finally told him to ask the lady who said she was the mother of the true God for a sign. The neophyte agreed readily to ask for sign desired, and the bishop released him.

Juan was occupied all Monday with Bernardino, an uncle, who was dying of fever. Indian medicine had failed, and Bernardino seemed at death‘s door. At daybreak on Tuesday 12 December 1531, Juan ran to nearby the Saint James convent for a priest. To avoid the apparition and the untimely message to the bishop, he slipped round where the well chapel now stands. But the Blessed Virgin crossed down to meet him…

Gathering many into the lap of his tilma, a long cloak or wrapper used by Mexican Indians, he came back. The Holy Mother rearranged the roses, and told him to keep them untouched and unseen until he reached the bishop. When he met with Zumárraga, Juan offered the sign to the bishop. As he unfolded his cloak the roses, fresh and wet with dew, fell out. Juan was startled to see the bishop and his attendants kneeling before him. The life size figure of the Virgin Mother, just as Juan had described her, was glowing on the tilma. The picture was venerated, guarded in the bishop‘s chapel, and soon after carried in procession to the preliminary shrine. (Our Lady of Guadalupe. http://saints.sqpn.com/our-lady-of-guadalupe/ viewed 11/30/13)

The above is one fancied account and somewhat inaccurate report about it. While it is true that the bishop did not believe it at first, he also correctly at first understood that this was some pagan apparition. Mary, the mother of Jesus, never appeared there, and even the Catholic priest in the region initially realized that.

But reports of this apparition did affect civilization.

Here are more details, this time from my book Fatima Shock!:

The Lady of Guadalupe: Aztec Connections

One of the most important claimed Marian apparitions is the appearance of one in Mexico known today as Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Antonio Socci reported:

The apparition of Guadalupe—according to the general acknowledgement of historians—was what attracted the Indians to Christianity. Therefore, it was precisely Guadalupe that gave birth to Latin American Christianity. (Socci A. The Fourth Secret of Fatima. Loreto Publications, English Translation 2009, p. 143)

Some, like Ted and Maureen Flynn, have gone so far as to state:

Our Lady of Guadalupe means, “She Who Crushes the Serpent.” (Flynn T, Flynn M. The Thunder of Justice. MaxKol Communications, Inc. Sterling (VA), 1993, p. 27)

But that seems to be a misunderstanding on their part. Dr. Jeanette Rodríguez, a Catholic scholar, wrote:

Juan Diego…said, “She calls herself ‘Tlecuauhtlacupeuh.’ ” To the Spaniards this sounded like “Guadalupe”…But the Nahuatl language does not contain the letters d and g; therefore our Lady’s name could not have been “Guadalupe”… The Nahuatl understanding of “Tlecuauhtlacupeuh” is La que viene volando de la luz como el áquila de fuego (she who comes flying like a region of light like an eagle of fire, Echeagaray 1981:21). The region of light was the dwelling place of the Aztec gods, and the eagle was a sign from the gods. (Rodriguez J. Our Lady of Guadalupe: faith and empowerment among Mexican-American women. University of Texas Press, 1994, pp. 45-46)

So, the Lady sounded a lot like an Aztec goddess.

Here are three online Catholic reports:

The appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe to the Aztec Indian Juan Diego …generated the conversion of Mexico, Central and South America to Catholicism. (Our Lady of Guadalupe. http://www.maryourmother.net/ Guadalupe.html viewed 03/21/2011)

Our Lady of Guadalupe…appeared to an Aztec Indian…on Tepayac Hill, near Mexico City on December 9, 1531. (A PRAYER TO OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE. http://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/our-lady-of-guadalupe.html viewed 03/21/2011)

The Virgin of Guadalupe appeared in what is now Mexico City on the holy hill of Tepeyac, dedicated to Tonantzin, the Mother Earth goddess of the Aztecs. That is one reason why the bishop didn’t believe Juan Diego. He must have thought: “We know who appears on that mountain and it’s not the Virgin Mary but some pagan goddess!” Actually, the native Mexicans thought the same thing: “We know who appears on that hill: Tonantzin!” And so they referred to what we call ‘Virgin of Guadalupe’ as ‘Tonantzin’ for more than a century. To this day Mexicans know the Virgin if {sic} Guadalupe not as just another form of Mother Mary, but as a particularly Mexican Queen of Heaven. (Rozett E. Mother Mary and the Goddess. http://www.interfaithmary.com/pages/mary_goddess.html viewed 04/07/2011)

It has been claimed that “Tonantzin, the mother goddess of the Aztecs, then took the form of the Virgin Mary. Therefore Tonantzin was substituted…because of the necessity to convert to the Catholic religion under a new political regime.” (Breaux JJ. Intransigence & Indifference: Essays Concerning Religion and Spirituality. Lulu.com, 2008, p. 85)

Bernandino Sahagún, a Catholic missionary, wrote, “Now that the church of Our Lady of Guadalupe has been built the Indians call her Tonantzin…This is an abuse that should be stopped…The Indians today as, in the old days, come from afar to see this Tonantzin.”(Bernandino Sahagún, 1958 as cited in Smith JB. The image of Guadalupe, 2nd revised ed. Mercer University Press, 1994, p. 111) Though Tonantzin could have been more of a title than a name, she is sometimes known as Coatlique, the serpent skirt goddess. (Espinosa G, Garcia MT. Mexican American religions: spirituality, activism, and culture. Duke University Press, 2008, p. 161)

Over one hundred years ago, the following was written:

The Legend of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Over three hundred years ago, it is said, an Indian was walking near the hill of Guadalupe, when there appeared to him a dark-skinned maiden. She ordered him to go to the Bishop and tell him she desired to have a church built in her honor on that spot… The Mexicans believe that the Virgin is their only protector, and they pray, “Holy Mary, Mother of God, save us from the wrath of Christ. Holy Mary, Mother of God, save us from the wrath of Christ.” (Woman’s missionary friend, Volumes 41-42. Woman’s Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1909. Original from the University of Michigan, Digitized Dec 10, 2008, p. 57)

Notice that the Lady wanted something built for her honor and many believed that it was through the Lady that they could be spared from Christ! The Bible shows it is Jesus who spares from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 1:10), not Mary. Thus, it could not have been a visit from Mary of the Bible. Furthermore, the Bible repeatedly mentions that God is merciful (e.g. James 5:11), but sacred scripture never specifically mentions that that any should go to Mary for mercy. The fact that at least one account states that the Lady had dark-skin (she has also been called the “mestiza Virgin”: Anderson C, Chávez E. Our Lady of Guadalupe: Mother of the Civilization of Love. Random House Digital, Inc., 2009, p. 79) and “Indian Virgin”: Rodriguez, p. 45) suggests that she did not look the same as certain other apparitions many later claimed to be Mary.

Why report any of this?

Because just like the Lady of Guadalupe (who could not have been Mary) was used to convert much of Latin America to a form of Catholicism, it is likely that a future apparition will be used to convert people in the end times to an ecumenical form of “Catholicism.” People need to be warned about this.

So, just one ‘Marian apparition’ has been claimed to have been effective in turning Latin America predominantly Roman Catholic–this profoundly affected those cultures and the world. An Aztec goddess was modified to become a recruitment tool. Sadly, various apparitions claimed to be ‘Mary’ have been an ecumenical and interfaith recruitment tool.

What will happen if some type of ‘Marian apparition’ is seen and even shown on media like television and/or the internet?

It has been my contention for several years, after searching the scriptures and studying history, that one or more apparitions believed to be Jesus’ mother ‘Mary” will be seen by the general public. Will not many be deceived by this?

The Bible is clear that massive deception is coming (Matthew 24:24; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12). Pope Francis has been encouraging Marian devotion through his words and actions. Even Russia’s President Putin has joined in (Russia’s Putin and Pope Francis both kiss Marian icon). Increased acceptance of non-biblical views of Mary are affecting people.

Here is some of what Pope Francis has said:

MESSAGE TO THE AMERICAS for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe…the Patroness of the Americas. I would like to greet all my brothers and sisters on that continent, and I do so thinking of the Virgin of Tepeyac…

When the image of the Virgin appeared on the tilma of Juan Diego, it was the prophecy of an embrace: Mary’s embrace of all the peoples of the vast expanses of America – the peoples who already lived there, and those who were yet to come…I ask all the people of the Americas to open wide their arms, like the Virgin, with love and tenderness. http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2013/12/11/pope_francis_sends_message_to_the_americas/en1-754682

So, Pope Francis is calling for all to turn to his version of Mary and hopes others will in the future.

Even in New York City, the Guadalupe adoration is being promoted:

STATEN ISLAND, N. Y. — A mass celebrated in Spanish by Bishop Gerald Walsh, vicar general of the Archdiocese of New York, will be the highlight of a celebration on Thursday in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe, patroness of the Americas and the Mexican people, at Holy Rosary Parish in South Beach.

The day will begin with the traditional Mananitas, which is the early morning serenading of the statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe, at 6:30 am in the parish mission church on Sand Lane. A procession with the statue of Our Lady will begin in the mission church at 6:45 p.m. and proceed to the main church at 80 Jerome Avenue. http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2013/12/post_642.html

Notice that people serenade an idol, and that this is encouraged by Roman Bishops. People are somewhat getting prepared for more Marian veneration. Perhaps I should mention here that the “rosary” allegedly entered the Church of Rome from someone who claimed that he got it from a claimed Marian apparition. ‘Marion apparitions’ have affected humanity and may have even greater impact in the not-so-distance future.

Partially, to see how modern people view apparitions (as part of my book research) my wife and I went to Fatima, Portugal. While at Fatima I was surprised by the size of its entire sanctuary complex, but not the vast amount of visitors which came. My wife Joyce and I saw thousands of visitors in Fatima on May 29, 2011. And that is much less than the amount who tend to show up there on May 13 and October 13 (the anniversary days of the first and last appearance of the apparition) each year. Millions visit Fatima, Portugal each year, with the vast majority of them believing that Mary actually appeared there (though the apparition in Fatima never actually identified herself as Mary, nor based upon its appearance could it possibly have been).

Furthermore, my wife and I visited the oldest shrine to the claimed ‘Lady’ of Guadalupe in the USA, in Santa Fe, New Mexico on April 25, 2015.  There we videoed a sermonette titled The ‘Lady of Guadalupe’ and Prophecy.

It is remains my position that it is very likely that apparitions that people will claim will be Mary, the mother of Jesus, will be part of the signs and lying wonders that are mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:9 and Matthew 24:24 (cf. Isaiah 47; Nahum 3:4-5).

The current Marian focused Pope Francis, as well as somewhat like-minded bishops, will likely be a factor in this. The ‘success’ of the ‘Lady of Guadalupe’ should serve as a warning to all that the world can be highly affected by apparitions that some will falsely believe are Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The ‘Lady’ of Guadalupe: Any Future Ramifications? It is claimed that a female apparition appeared near Mexico City on December 12, 1531. How has it affected the world? What might it suggest about the future? A video of related interest is titled: The ‘Lady of Guadalupe’ and Prophecy.
Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy? Pope Francis has taken many steps to turn people more towards his version of ‘Mary.’ Could this be consistent with biblical and Catholic prophecies? This article documents what has been happening. There is also a video version titled Pope Francis: Could this Marian Focused Pontiff be Fulfilling Prophecy?
Feast of the Immaculate Conception? Did early Christians teach Mary had an immaculate conception and led a sinless life?
Origin of the Marian Dogmas: Where Do Catholic Scholars Say The Four Dogmas of Mary Came From?
Assumption of Mary Did Mary die? Was she taken to heaven on August 15th? What is known? What does the Bible show?
Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Apparitions Do you know much about Mary? Are the apparitions real? What happened at Fatima? What might they mean for the rise of the ecumenical religion of Antichrist? Are Protestants moving towards Mary? How do the Eastern/Greek Orthodox view Mary? How might Mary view her adorers? Here is a link to a YouTube video Marian Apparitions May Fulfill Prophecy. Here is a link to a sermon video: Why Learn About Fatima?
Satan’s Plan Does Satan have a plan? What is it? Has it already been successful? Will it be successful in the future?
Mystery of Civilization Why is civilization like it is? How will it end? What will replace it?Here is a link to a related sermon titled: Mystery of Civilization and How it Will End.
Beware: Protestants Going Towards Ecumenical Destruction! What is going on in the Protestant world? Are Protestants turning back to their ‘mother church’ in Rome? Does the Bible warn about this? What are Catholic plans and prophecies related to this? Is Protestantism doomed? See also World Council of Churches Peace Plan.
Why Should American Catholics Fear Unity with the Orthodox? Are the current ecumenical meetings a good thing or will they result in disaster? Is doctrinal compromise good? Here is a link to a related video Should you be concerned about the ecumenical movement?
Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction? Is the interfaith movement going to lead to lasting peace or is it warned against? A video sermon of related interest is: Will the Interfaith Movement lead to World War III? and a video sermon is also available: Do You Know That Babylon is Forming?
Fatima Shock! What the Vatican Does Not Want You to Know About Fatima, Dogmas of Mary, and Future Apparitions. Whether or not you believe anything happened at Fatima, if you live long enough, you will be affected by its ramifications (cf. Isaiah 47; Revelation 17). Fatima Shock! provides concerned Christians with enough Catholic-documented facts to effectively counter every false Marian argument. In addition to the print version, there is a Kindle version of Fatima Shock! which you can acquire in seconds.

Antonin Scalia

COGwriter

US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died last night:

February 14, 2016

WASHINGTON—The death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia brought calls from conservatives for President Barack Obama to not nominate a replacement during his last year in office, but doing that would leave an open seat for an unusually long time.Their hope is that a Republican will win the November election, allowing for a more conservative justice, like Scalia, to take the seat and preserve the narrow majority currently in the court.

But by waiting for the next president to take office in January 2017, Scalia’s seat would be vacant for at least 342 days.

High court history

In the past century, 10 other sitting justices have died, and it took an average of 95 days for their replacement to be confirmed.  The longest vacancy was 192 days between the death of Justice Benjamin Cardozo and the confirmation of Justice Felix Frankfurter in 1939.

With only eight justices on the bench, there is a greater possibility for 4-4 ties, and in those cases the ruling of the lower court stands without setting any precedent for judging future cases.  Most modern justices retire, giving a president ample time to nominate a replacement and have them confirmed by the Senate before the justice actually leaves the court.

Justice Scalia’s death quickly became an issue ahead of the November presidential vote, but there are examples of deceased justices being replaced in an election year.  In 1916, Justice Louis Brandeis was confirmed to take the place of the late Justice Joseph Rucker Lamar, and in 1940 Justice Frank Murphy filled the seat left by Justice Pierce Butler.

The stakes for naming a justice are high since the position is a lifetime appointment.  Republicans do not want Obama, a Democrat, to have his more liberal vision carried out in court cases for potentially decades by a new justice.

Obama’s considerations

Fourteen justices have been confirmed in U.S. presidential election years; the latest in 1988 when Justice Anthony Kennedy joined the court.  Eight of the election-year confirmations happened before 1900.

Obama could wait until December to make a nomination to the court and have some precedent in American history among leaders about to leave office. http://www.voanews.com/content/supreme-court-politics/3190300.html

WASHINGTON– It didn’t take long for the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and the matter of his replacement on the bench to become a presidential debate topic.

Trump, Ted Cruz and other Republican presidential candidates said the nomination of a replacement is a matter for the next president, not Barack Obama.

Trump urged the Republican Senate, which must confirm any nominee, to “Delay, delay, delay.” Cruz offered that he would be the best person to nominate the next Supreme Court justice.

And Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he thinks whoever the next president is should make the selection.

Meanwhile, Democratic presidential candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton expressed outrage that Republicans would table the replacement of Scalia until 2017.

Trump said if he were president he would want to nominate the new justice, but that it is up to the Republican-controlled Senate to stop that nominee from taking office. Republicans in Congress have been criticized by conservatives for not doing enough to block Obama’s initiatives and appointments. http://www.wnd.com/2016/02/scalia-death-hot-topic-in-gop-debate/#x5tC1IiZeoeOZOfs.99

So, politicians are arguing about how they want the replacement nominated.

Ignoring the debates of politicians, here are some comments about Justice Scalia:

2/13/14/2016

Antonin Scalia, a stalwart of constitutionalism on a Supreme Court too often marked by a majority who believed they were the law of the land, is gone. …

But, truly, today Americans have reason to pray for their country in his absence.

It’s a dark day for the Constitution and the rule of law.

Darker still because his successor could be named by a president who is salivating at the opportunity to appoint Scalia’s polar opposite to the court. http://www.wnd.com/2016/02/scalia-the-best-justice-of-our-generation/#AvXwvw4wbhIkcg5P.99

February 14, 2016

Antonin Scalia, the judicial firebrand who stood as the intellectual leader of the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative wing during his three-decade tenure as a justice, died Saturday at a ranch in western Texas. He was 79 years old.

“He was an extraordinary individual and jurist, admired and treasured by his colleagues. His passing is a great loss to the Court and the country he so loyally served,” Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement on behalf of the Court.

President Obama, who will have the opportunity to nominate Scalia’s successor, offered his sympathies to the justice’s family on Saturday night. “He will no doubt be remembered as one of the most consequential judges to serve on the Supreme Court,” he said.

Scalia articulated a straightforward role for jurists during his 29-year career on the Court. The Constitution should be read as the Founders wrote it, he often argued, and laws should be interpreted as they are written. He rejected the idea of an evolving “living Constitution,” claimed by some of his colleagues. http://www.wnd.com/2016/02/scalia-the-best-justice-of-our-generation/

I watched US President Barack Obama say a lot of nice things about Justice Scalia last night.  But Barack Obama did not agree with Justice Scalia on much and is widely believed to want to nominated someone quite different than Antonin Scalia.

Antonin Scalia represented one of the last of the US Supreme Court justices who actually believed that their job was to determine if court decisions were allowed under the US Constitution as written and official amended.

Even though, in theory, that is supposed to be the role of the Supreme Court justices, he along with Justice Clarence Thomas seemed to be the only ones on the current court who consistently did that job.

The US Supreme Court has both led changes and mirrored changes in US society.

One such change in US society is that less and less Americans believe that they actually need to believe what the Bible says. Most Americans believe there are some good points in the Bible, but do not believe that they have to believe it all as written.  Similarly, not only is that the apparent view of the US Supreme Court justices, that is the view that they tend to have towards the US Constitution.

The death of Antonin Scalia is part of the ending of an era.

And while I am NOT attempting to defend various decisions that Antonin Scalia made while on the US Supreme Court, I will comment that I believe that US Supreme Court justices are supposed to interpret law based on what the US Constitution (with its amendments) actually says.

The USA needs the kingdom of God.

Until then, what should be done for the USA?

Well, as one of the authors quoted earlier in this post somewhat indicated, we should pray for those in authority there (1 Timothy 2:1-3).

COGwriter

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

23:43

John Kerry

COGwriter

US Secretary of State John Kerry made it clear that the Obama Administration wants a strong European Union (EU) and that it wants the United Kingdom (UK) to stay be part of it:

February 13, 2016

The US has a “profound interest in a strong UK staying in a very strong EU”, says US Secretary of State John Kerry.

Speaking in Germany, he said many Europeans felt “overwhelmed” by recent challenges but the US was confident Europe would “emerge stronger”.

His comments come ahead of a crucial Brussels summit, where Prime Minister David Cameron is hoping to secure a deal on a reformed EU.

An EU-exit group said the US stance on Britain leaving was “for US interests”. …

Last year, US President Barack Obama said the UK must stay in the EU to continue to have influence on the world stage. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-35569134

The USA apparently hopes that it will influence more in the UK to vote to remain in the EU when the promised referendum comes.

The latest poll I reported about a few days ago found that most in the UK were not inclined to vote for the UK to remain in the EU (see Most in the UK not convinced it should remain in the EU).

Back in early 2009, not long after Barack Obama became US President, I wrote the following:

Barack Obama has pledged increased cooperation with the Europeans.  And while cooperation is normally a good thing, this particular cooperation is likely to lead to the rise of the prophesied King of the North, who is to be the final leader of the Beast of Revelation (Revelation 13:1).  Unlike previous U.S. administrations, President Obama’s administration has declared that it will encourage and support increases in Europe’s own military, far beyond what Presidents Bush or Clinton were willing to consider. These policies will enable the rise of the King of the North.

Since I wrote that, his Administration has done that repeatedly.  Here are some examples:

On October 15, 2009 it was reported that Czech President Vaclav Klaus was the lone EU leader still opposed to the Lisbon Treaty (Waterfield B. Czech President Vaclav Klaus ‘to continue’ lone resistance to Lisbon Treaty.  Telegraph, October 15, 2009.  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/czechrepublic/6329690/Czech-President-
Vaclav-Klaus-to-continue-lone-resistance-to-Lisbon-Treaty.html).  The Obama administration worked to get the Lisbon Treaty approved as President Obama “wants a strong and united Europe” (Source: Baldwin T, Reid T., Coates S. Obama Administration worried about Cameron effect in Europe.  The Times, October 21, 2009. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/
tol/news/politics/article6883075.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=797093).  On October 23, 2009, US Vice President Joseph Biden visited the Czech Republic and gave it security reassurances (U.S. foreign policy aware of threats – Havel after meeting Biden.  CTK, October 23, 2009. http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/news/zpravy/u-s-foreign-policy-aware-of-threats
-havel-after-meeting-biden/404375).  This could have possibly had some limited influence on some of the Czech leadership, as the Lisbon Treaty was signed two weeks after that visit.  On November 3, 2009, Agence France Presse (AFP) reported that USA President Barack Obama publicly expressed his support for the Czech President’s signing of the Lisbon Treaty and for now having a  ‘strengthened’ EU (Obama welcomes ‘strengthened’ EU. AFP, November 3, 2009. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hJ8
OzJSh0xfKow8z47RGCYQu1nsg).

The New York Times reported that on May 10, 2010, President Obama called German Chancellor Merkel and told her that Europe needed an overwhelming financial rescue for the sake of its unity, and she apparently heeded that suggestion. (Erlanger S, Benhold K, Sanger D. Debt Aid Package for Europe Took Nudge From Washington. The New York Times, May 10, 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/11/business/global/11reconstruct.html).

In December 2010, it was announced USA made “an extra commitment of money” to support the EU and it was also reported that the “United States, has committed 250 billion euros to the EFSF” (European Financial Stability Facility) to support the euro and economic structure of the European Union (US Ready to Back Bigger EU Stability Fund: Official.  Reuters, December 1, 2010.  http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/12/01/eu-us-efsf-idUSLDE6B023Z20101201).  “US believes it’s time Germany stepped up and started acting like a regional and even a global leader” and Barack Obama publicly stated, “The world today does not fear a strong Germany”  (DJW.  Media roundup: Barack gives Angie a push.  The Local, June 8, 2011 http://www.thelocal.de/opinion/20110608-35537.html).

In 2012, US Defense Secretary Panetta made public calls for the Europeans to increase their military strength and spending (Carmichael L. Europe Needs To Invest In Defense, Too: U.S..  Defense News, February 4, 2012. http://www.defensenews.com/article/20120204/DEFREG02/302040001/Europe-Needs-Invest-Defense-Too-U-S-?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|p).

In the Spring of 2014, the Obama Administration again called for Europe (meaning to a great degree Germany) to increase their military spending (see Obama tries to provide assurances to Europe while pushing for increased European military spending). Increasing military spending will turn out to be the destructive to the USA (cf. Daniel 11:39). This is very dangerous.

Consistent with my understandings of biblical prophecies, the Obama Administration has been pushing for a stronger, more militaristic, European Union.

And it is no secret that Germany, in particular, wants a European army independent of the USA as I reported here last year (see Germany military looking to be ‘Independent of the USA’).

Now, while the Obama Administration wants the UK to remain in the EU, it will still support a strong EU, even without the UK.  This will be to the detriment of the USA (as well as its Anglo-Saxon allies of the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

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

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

No matter what the Obama Administration says or does, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland will not be an equal part of the European Union. Britain will either pull out or be forced out or at least truly lose its sovereignty. The Bible indicates that the end time descendants of the Israelite tribes, because of their national sins, will be taken over and many killed.

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

The Bible warns of a time of trouble for the Anglo-Saxon-Celtic nations (Jeremiah 30:7).

The final European King of the North (Daniel 11:27-40) will take over the UK, USA, and their Anglo-Saxon allies according to Bible prophecy (cf. Daniel 11:39; Isaiah 10:5-11).

The coming referendum in the UK could be a step towards the UK’s departure and increased animosity with the continental Europeans.  The USA will not prevent this.

Some items of related interest may include:

British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
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.
WTO/TTIP and the Babylonian Beast Will international trade agreements like WTO/TTIP/CETA lead to the fulfillment of end time prophecies concerning the Babylonian Beast power that the Book of Revelation warns against? What does the Bible teach? A related video would be WTO Trade Deal and the Rise of the European Beast Power.
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.
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.
Just What Do You Mean — Repentance? Do you know what repentance is? Have you truly repented? Repented of what? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
When You Sin: Do You Really Repent? This is an article by Charles F. Hunting. A related sermon is Confess to God and truly repent.
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.
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. A video of possible interest may be Will Will USA Spying Help the Beast Power?.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2016, 2017, or 2018? 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 2016 o 2017? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives. A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation Start in 2016?