Archive for September, 2016

BibleNewsProphecy: Sanhedrin pushing animal sacrifices

Sunday, September 11th, 2016

COGwriter

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


18:10

Sanhedrin pushing animal sacrifices

Back in 2004, hundreds of Jewish rabbis got together in order to reconstitute a ‘Sanhedrin’. What is a ‘Sanhedrin’? Why did it appoint a high priest in 2016? Does it think it needs a ‘Third Temple’ in order to resume animal sacrifices? What does Ezra 3:6 teach? Could the actions of the ‘Nascent Sanhedrin’ and the related Temple Institute lead to the fulfillment of end time biblical prophecies? Do these groups have an altar, implements, and trained Levitical priests to resume sacrifices? Dr. Thiel answers these questions and more!

Here is a link to our video: Sanhedrin pushing animal sacrifices.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Nascent Sanhedrin structure and high priest: The plan is to start animal sacrifices–this would fulfill prophecy! The reconstituted Sanhedrin wants the reimplementation of animal sacrifices. A related video is titled Sanhedrin pushing animal sacrifices.
Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Por qué no se requiere un templo judío en Jerusalén? Here is a link to a sermon titled The Temple, Prophecy, and the Work.
The Red Heifer, Jewish Beliefs, and the End of the World The Temple Institute is watching a ‘red heifer.’ Why might this be important in the sequence of end time events? Here is a related link in the Spanish language Novilla roja descubierta en EE.UU. e Instituto del Templo está interesado en ella. Here is a related video in English The Red Heifer and the End of the World.
Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill Could this building, often referred to as the Cenacle, possibly have been the oldest actual Christian church building?
Does the ‘Cenacle’ deal have prophetic ramifications? After a 20 year negotiation, the Church of Rome has negotiated the right to have Catholic mass in the building known as the Cenacle. It is in the area where the Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill once stood. This is believed to be the location of the earliest Christian church building. How does the Bible define the ‘temple of God’ in the New Testament? Could this be the area where the ‘man of sin’ will sit in the “temple of God’ that Bible prophecy discusses in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4? This is a YouTube video.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There is also a related YouTube video you can watch titled Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated.
Who is the Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2? Is this the King of the North, the ten-horned beast of Revelation 13:1-11, or the two-horned Beast of Revelation 13:12-16? Some rely on traditions, but what does the Bible teach? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Quién es el Hombre de Pecado de 2 Tesalonicenses 2? Here is a version in Mandarin: 主编: 谁是’大罪人’?Here is a link to a related YouTube video, in English, titled Who is the Man of Sin?
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 and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L’Histoire Continue de l’Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
CCOG.ORG
Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. To see how CCOG has done so far, here are links to two sermons Continuing Church of God (CCOG) first year anniversary: What has been accomplished? and The Continuing Church of God: Two Years of Proclamation. Here is a written link to a version of that sermon in the Spanish language: Aniversario del primer año de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios: ¿Qué se ha cumplido?
Congregations of the Continuing Church of God This is a listing of congregations and groups of the Continuing Church of God around the world.
CCOG.ASIA
We in the Continuing Church of God also have the url www.ccog.asia which has a focus on Asia and has various articles in Mandarin Chinese as well as some in English, plus some items in other Asian languages. 我们在继续神的教会也提供此网址 www.ccog.asia, 关注于亚洲并且有各种各样的中英文文章,其中一些用菲律宾语翻译的文章也正在进行中,准备添加到这个网站中。 Here is a link to our Statement of Beliefs in Mandarin Chinese 继续神的教会的信仰声明.
CCOG.IN
This is a website targeted towards those of Indian heritage. It has a link to an edited Hindi translation of The Mystery of the Ages and is expected to have more non-English language materials in the future.
CCOG.EU
This is a website targeted toward Europe. It has materials in more than one language (currently it has English, Dutch, and Serbian, with links also to Spanish) and it is intended to have additional language materials added.
CCOG.NZ
This is a website targeted towards New Zealand and others with a British-descended background.
CDLIDD.ES La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. This is the Spanish language website for the Continuing Church of God.
PNIND.PH Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos
. This is the Philippines website Continuing Church of God. It has information in English and Tagalog.
Bible News Prophecy
online radio. This is an audio version of the Bible News Prophecy videos as well as some ContinuingCOG channel sermons. It is also available as a mobile app.
Bible News Prophecy
channel. Dr. Thiel has produced many YouTube videos for the BibleNewsProphecy channel. And you can find them at that channel.
ContinuingCOG
channel. Dr. Thiel has produced scores of YouTube video sermons for this channel. Note: Since these are sermon-length, they can take a little longer to load than other YouTube videos.

US, Russia, and Syria agree to ceasefire deal: Will peace or destruction come to Damascus?

Saturday, September 10th, 2016


Damascus, the capital of Syria

COGwriter

Voice of America reported the following:

September 10, 2016

WASHINGTON —Syria’s government has accepted the cease-fire deal brokered by its Russian ally and the United States, state news agency SANA reported Saturday.

“A cessation of hostilities will begin in Aleppo for humanitarian reasons,” the agency said.

It has been reported, however, that Syrian government warplanes bombarded rebel-held areas around the country, while insurgents shelled government-held neighborhoods Saturday, leaving dozens killed or wounded only hours after a new U.S.-Russia agreement aimed at reducing violence in the war-torn country was announced.

Earlier, Turkey and a key Syrian opposition group pledged on Saturday to support the complicated and partly-secret U.S.-Russia cease-fire deal.

Under its terms, a nationwide truce in Syria is set to begin at sundown on Monday to allow wider humanitarian aid access.

The foreign ministry of Turkey, which sent its military into Syria late last month, announced support for the truce and the agreement announced in Geneva early Saturday as a prelude to a long-term political solution to end five years of war.

Syrian opposition forces are welcoming the deal while expressing skepticism a cease-fire can hold, noting Russia and the Syrian military did not adhere to a previous agreement.

Moscow’s influence on Damascus “is the only way to get the regime to comply,” said a statement issued by Bassma Kodmani of the High Negotiations Committee of the Syrian Opposition. …

The United States has also long held that the Syrian leader cannot lead any future government, due to the brutal repression of his opponents.

If the just-announced plans hold, Kerry said, it could lead to political transition and reverse the current trend of “simply creating more terrorists, more extremists and destroying the country in the process.” http://www.voanews.com/a/syria-cease-fire-deal-react/3501465.html

Notice also the following:

10 September 2016

GENEVA (AP) — The United States and Russia working in lockstep against the Islamic State group and al-Qaida’s affiliate in Syria. A rejuvenated truce that will compel President Bashar Assad’s air and ground forces to pull back. New flows of badly needed humanitarian aid.

Those details emerged Saturday as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov capped another marathon meeting in Geneva to present their latest ambitious push to end Syria’s devastating and complex war. …

The deal, at least publicly and for now, appears to overcome months of distrust between Russia and the United States that President Barack Obama had cited less than a week ago.

Now, the two powers are lining up in an unexpected new military partnership targeting IS and al-Qaida-linked militants, while trying to prod Assad and opposition groups to end a civil war that has killed up to 500,000 people and displaced millions.

“This is just the beginning of our new relations,” Lavrov said of the U.S. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_SYRIA_DIPLOMACY?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-09-10-06-52-22

What lasting affect this deal will have on US-Russian relations can be debated.

But biblically, there is no way that ultimately Damascus, the capital of Syria will do well.

There are biblical prophecies that tell of the coming destruction to Syria’s capital Damascus:

7 thus says the Lord God: “It shall not stand, Nor shall it come to pass. 8 For the head of Syria is Damascus (Isaiah 7:7-8).

3 Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not turn away its punishment, Because they have threshed Gilead with implements of iron. (Amos 1:3)

1 The burden against Damascus. “Behold, Damascus will cease from being a city, And it will be a ruinous heap. (Isaiah 17:1)

23 Against Damascus. “Hamath and Arpad are shamed, For they have heard bad news. They are fainthearted; There is trouble on the sea; It cannot be quiet. 24 Damascus has grown feeble; She turns to flee, And fear has seized her. Anguish and sorrows have taken her like a woman in labor. 25 Why is the city of praise not deserted, the city of My joy? 26 Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, And all the men of war shall be cut off in that day,” says the Lord of hosts. 27 “I will kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, And it shall consume the palaces of Ben-Hadad.” (Jeremiah 49:23-27)

Damascus has been claimed to be the “oldest continuously inhabited city” in the world. And while some have questioned that claim, the reality is that Damascus has not been destroyed to the point of becoming the “ruinous heap” since God inspired Isaiah, thousands of years ago, to record that would one day happen.

The biblically prophesied devastation could come as the result of the current war with the Islamic State. It is possible that attacks against the Islamic State will encourage it to attack Damascus further. Also if the Assad regime broadly uses chemical weapons and/or becomes engaged in a conflict with Israel and/or the West, that could lead to the fulfillment of Isaiah 17:1.

Essentially, the deal that the US and Russia have made is to eliminate the so-called Islamic State and some others considered to be Islamic radicals.

The situation with Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad will change. He is a Shi’ite Muslim and most Arabs are Sunni Muslims, as is the Islamic State.

Ultimately, Syria looks like it will support a coalition of peoples that the Bible says will be led by a leader called the King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43)–and most of those lands he is to control are dominated by Sunni Muslims.

But, as I have also written for years, despite being Sunni Muslim, the current Islamic State has offended too many to become the King of the South, but I do believe it will be defeated, but that it is also (mainly unintentionally) helping ‘set the stage’ for that leader to arise.

That being said, the deal that Syria agreed to today will NOT stop the coming destruction of Damascus.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar al-Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.
Why Terrorism? Is Terrorism Prophesied? What does the Bible teach? Which nations may be affected? Here is a link to a related sermon: Terrorism, Christianity, and Islam.
Iraq, the King of the South, Armageddon, and Prophecy What will happen to Iraq? Is it the prophesied Mystery Babylon? What is Armageddon and how does that have to do with Iraq? Here is a related video Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy.
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation Where is an Islamic caliphate prophesied? Will one happen? Should you be concerned about it? A related video is Will an Arabic Calphiphate Destroy the West?
Libya, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia in Prophecy What is ahead for North Africa? What does the Bible teach?
How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About? Can humans bring peace to the Middle East? A related video is Middle East Peace? When?
Gaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy What does the Bible teach about Gaza and the fate of the Palestinians? Here is a link to a related video: Gaza and Palestine in Prophecy.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
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 videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation Start in 2016?

WCC: ‘We all sin against the Holy Spirit if we ignore climate change’

Saturday, September 10th, 2016


Official logo of the World Council of Churches from its website

COGwriter

Ecumenical News and Vatican Radio reported the following:

September 9, 2016

Pope Francis met with a group of Italian Pentecostal pastors Sept. 8, telling them that unity is achieved by walking patiently together.

In São Paulo, Brazil, on Sept. 7, Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches spoke about climate change during the opening day of the 24th Pentecostal World Conference.

“We all sin against the Holy Spirit if we ignore climate change,” said Rev. Tveit.

The encounters between the head of the Catholic Church and the leader of the WCC which represents mainly Anglican, Orthodox and traditional Protestant churches comes at time of greater ecumenical contact across the board.

In Rome, the seven Pentecostal pastors, led by Evangelical Church of Reconciliation in Caserta, Italy, the Pope’s friend from his days in Buenos Aires, Evangelical Pastor Giovanni Traettino had a private audience in Francis’ digs in Casa Santa Marta. http://www.ecumenicalnews.com/article/pentecostals-meet-pope-francis-world-council-of-churches-tveit-speaks-at-pentecostal-conference/51416.htm

September 9, 2016

The seven Pentecostal pastors, led by the Pope’s friend Giovanni Traettino from the Evangelical Church of Reconciliation, had a private audience in the Casa Santa Marta on Thursday afternoon to continue the dialogue begun by the pontiff’s visit to their community in Caserta two years ago.

During the informal encounter Pastor Traettino thanked the Pope for his role “as a brother and an ally” in accelerating the dialogue between Catholics and Pentecostals.

Pope Francis replied that he “felt in his heart” the need to undertake steps towards reconciliation, citing the examples of his meeting with the Waldensian community or with the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill. Unity, he said, is achieved step by step, through a patient and continuous journey together. Full unity, he said, will be achieved after “the Son of Man returns” but in the meantime, he stressed, Christians must pray, repent of their sins and walk together. http://en.radiovaticana.va/news/2016/09/09/pope_holds_private_encounter_with_pentecostal_pastors_/1257084

Olav Fykse Tveit’s statement is horrifying. Irrespective of what one thinks about ‘climate change’ ignoring it is NOT sinning against the Holy Spirit.

By saying what he did, the head of the World Council of Churches (WCC) is telling everyone that unless they adopt some version of the climate change agenda, they are committing what is generally called ‘the unpardonable sin.

Notice what Jesus said in three Protestant and two Catholic translations:

31 “Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.  32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come. (Matthew 12:31-32, NKJV)

31 Therefore I say to you: Every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven men, but the blasphemy of the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but he that shall speak against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, nor in the world to come. (Matthew 12:31-32, Douay Rheims)

10 “And anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but to him who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven. (Luke 12:10, NKJV)

10 Everyone who says something against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But the person who dishonors the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. (Luke 12:10, God’s Word Translation)

10 and every one whoever shall say a word to the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven to him, but to him who to the Holy Spirit did speak evil, it shall not be forgiven. (Luke 12:10, Young’s Literal Translation)

10 ‘Everyone who says a word against the Son of man will be forgiven, but no one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will be forgiven. (Luke 12:10, New Jerusalem Bible)

Notice some information about blasphemy by David Antion:

BLASPHEMY is a most dangerous sin. …

Leads to Unpardonable Sin

Blasphemy is dangerous. And it ought to be considered so because one form of blasphemy is the unpardonable sin. Let us understand this. The case of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is shown in Matthew 12:22-32. “Then was brought unto Him one possessed with a demon, blind, and dumb: and He healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David? But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand; And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the SPIRIT OF GOD, then the Kingdom of God is come unto you.” Then Jesus said in verse 31, “Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men….”

Notice in this statement that Jesus said there were different manners or kinds of blasphemy just as there were different kinds of sin. All the other types of blasphemy can be forgiven. The Apostle Paul was one who was forgiven of blasphemy that he had done in ignorance. See I Timothy 1:13.

“But,” Jesus went on in verse 31 and 32, “the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven unto men. And… whosoever speaketh against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.” (Antion D. Are YOU Guilty of BLASPHEMY? Good News magazine, August 1969)

Back in the Good News magazine in 1959, Al Portune of the old Radio Church of God wrote:

Fear of the Unpardonable Sin

THE MOST destructive and terrifying thought that can enter a Christian’s mind is the thought that he has been completely cut off from God by having committed the unpardonable sin.

Think of it for a moment! How would it feel, after having known the depths of God’s wisdom, after having seen the glorious reward of eternal life in God’s very own family — as His Son — to live forever fulfilling His purpose throughout the endless reaches of the universe through joy and wisdom and service — having been glorified like Jesus Christ and made like Him — shining as the sun in its full strength (Rev. 2:16), and then after having known all these things to realize you had LOST IT ALL through the commission of the unpardonable sin!

Cut Off from God FOREVER

Think of what it would be like to be CUT OFF from God forever. Sin SEPARATES US FROM GOD (Isa. 59:1-2). The unpardonable sin cuts us off from God FOREVER. Cut off from God, He would never hear your voice again in prayer. No matter how long or how hard you prayed or cried out with tears, He would NEVER HEAR YOU AGAIN!

The fear of having committed the unpardonable sin is very real. It is a fear that many of God’s people have had. It is one of the most potent weapons of Satan the Devil, to make us believe we no longer have access to God — that we have been cut off forever.
Fear of this kind can utterly destroy us, can throw us into such a fit of despair we no longer want to live. To a true Christian there is no life but service to God, and if one feels he has lost his connection with God, then there is nothing else left to live for. In this frame of mind, Satan can easily overpower us and destroy us, which is his goal.

In order to be sure we do not fall into this destructive trap, we need to fully understand what the unpardonable sin is. We need to look into the Bible — the word of God — for the answer.

What Is the Unpardonable Sin?

There is only ONE “unpardonable sin”! Let’s notice WHAT it is. Jesus Christ said in Mark 3:28,

So let’s look at that verse as well:

28 “Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter;  29 but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation”  (Mark 3:28-29, NKJV)

By equating the climate change agenda with the “sin against the Holy Spirit,” the WCC’s Olav Fykse Tveit is telling everyone that ignoring what he calls climate change is the worst possible sin one could commit. More on the ‘unpardonable sin’ can be found in the article What is the Unpardonable Sin?

That is absurd and blasphemous! ‘CLIMATE CHANGE’ WAS NOT WHAT JESUS WAS REFERRING TO WHEN HE DISCUSSED SINNING AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT!

Jesus said to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (Matthew 6:33)–He did not say to focus on ‘climate change.’ Furthermore, most people, including those that support the ‘climate change’ agenda, are ignoring climate change with nearly all of their life.

Pope Francis has pushed the climate change agenda as well.  His Laudato Si encyclical as well as his personal endorsement of the United Nation’s New Universal Agenda’ clearly demonstrate that.

Some portions of scripture basically explain what the unpardonable sin is:

31 Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come (Matthew 12:31-32).

4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame (Hebrews 6:4-6).

1 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. 2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, 4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? (Hebrews 2:1-4)

Notice that the only sin not to be forgiven in the age to come is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which seems further defined as knowing and willingly rejecting/neglecting the Holy Spirit which is received after repentance and baptism (Acts 2:38). The unpardonable sin is displayed in ingratitude and vanity.

The late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote:

TWO Ways Into Unpardonable Sin

I want to be even more specific. I want every reader to UNDERSTAND. And I feel very few DO fully understand this question.

There are at least TWO ways in which a Spirit-begotten Christian may LOSE the gift of God’s Holy Spirit.

1) By deliberate choice. This may come from wrong reasoning; from wrong desire thought out to a final fixed, permanent decision as to his WAY OF LIFE; or, from allowing resentment in his heart toward either God or some person who may have wronged him. To allow resentment to embitter him, until he comes to change his whole life course, turning from God.

I cannot put too much emphasis on guarding against harboring resentment. It is spiritual POISON — deadly spiritual poison. If ever you begin to feel resentment against some injustice, go PRAY, asking God to remove it QUICKLY. Do not let it well up inside you — never harbor it. If you do, you will become as “hooked” with it as a dope addict becomes “hooked” with heroin! It is that serious!

God warns you, “Follow PEACE with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled” (Heb. 12:14-15). Your bitterness may not harm the other fellow — but it may destroy YOU!

2) The converted Christian can lose the presence of God’s Spirit by CONTINUED NEGLECT. Neglect of prayer, neglect of Bible study, neglect of spiritual fellowship with God’s people. Or, by continuing too close a friendship with unconverted people — letting participation with them in material interests, pleasures, sports, entertainments, cause NEGLECT of spiritual interests. Don’t misunderstand. A certain amount of diversion can be healthy. And you cannot avoid all contact with unconverted people. But never let it DOMINATE in your interest and heart.

Those who never received God’s Holy Spirit, as well as those who were deceived and departed from the COG but have repented of that, have not committed the unpardonable sin. And this sin is NOT related to the modern climate change agenda.

As far as sin and forgiveness goes, the following in Hebrews concerns various ones:

26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:26-29)

Now while this sounds very bad, some forget that the Bible teaches the following:

13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. (James 2:13)

Mercy is one of the weightier matters of the law (Matthew 23:23) and mercy will triumph over judgement. God will forgive if YOU will confess:

9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1 John 1:9-10)

Notice also some passages from the Book of Ezekiel:

20 “Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die…(Ezekiel 3:20)

24 “But when a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? All the righteousness which he has done shall not be remembered; because of the unfaithfulness of which he is guilty and the sin which he has committed, because of them he shall die. (Ezekiel 18:24)

The above is consistent with the New Testament.

Basically, the historical position of the Church of God is that those who worry about committing the unpardonable sin, most likely have not committed it as the fact that they are concerned about it shows that they have not intentionally turned their backs on God and His ways.

That being said, those passages in Ezekiel and Hebrews basically negate the idea one should sin. Yet, notice what the famous Protestant Reformed Martin Luther taught:

Be a sinner, and let your sins be strong, but let your trust in Christ be stronger…No sin can separate us from Him, even if we were to kill or commit adultery thousands of times each day” (Let Your Sins Be Strong: A Letter From Luther to Melanchthon Letter no. 99, 1 August 1521, From the Wartburg (Segment) Translated by Erika Bullmann Flores from: _Dr. Martin Luther’s Saemmtliche Schriften_ Dr, Johannes Georg Walch, Ed. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, N.D.), Vol. 15,cols. 2585-2590).

It is such willful and intentional disregard for the ways of God that one should fear to fall into.

The Protestant and Eastern Orthodox dominated World Council of Churches does not understand the true Gospel of the Kingdom of God, but instead it is pushing a false ecumenical agenda. Though the Church of Rome is not officially a member of the WCC, it supports its in many ways.

It is not that Christians should trash the environment, after all God expects us to be proper stewards:

15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it. (Genesis 2:15)

42 And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season?  43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.  44 Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. (Luke 12:42-45)

Humans were to be stewards over God’s creation.

Yet to equate not going along with the world’s climate change agenda with sinning against the Holy Spirit, is patently absurd and false.

Notice that God is willing to forgive all iniquities for those who will respond to Him, and it has nothing to do with the positions of the WCC:

25 “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins. 26 Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend together; State your case, that you may be acquitted (Isaiah 43:25-26).

The ‘unpardonable sin’ is to knowingly reject God and His way and to not repent of that.

Because mercy triumphs over judgment (James 2:13), relatively few have committed the unpardonable sin. But, personally, be careful you do not risk doing so through neglect of your spiritual life.

The spiritual is much more important than the physical and for the head of the WCC to attempt to equate the world’s climate change agenda with the ‘unpardonable sin’ is horrific. Believe the Bible. If you have God’s Holy Spirit, do not blaspheme it by turning your back on God.

The ecumenical and inter-faith movements that the WCC and UN promote are moving ahead, despite their false gospel, yet they WILL NOT RESULT IN REAL AND LASTING PEACE.

Pope Francis, though not officially part of the WCC has been pushing the interfaith and ecumenical agendas for some time. The WCC also has its own peace plan (watch World Council of Churches Peace Plan) consistent with that of the Pope and the United Nations (watch UN’s ‘New Universal Agenda’ is a False Gospel! and United Nations and Vatican Are Planning the New World Order and Will the Interfaith Movement lead to World War III?).

The Vatican has similar goals as the WCC. The Church of Rome already has ecumenical agreements/understandings with many churches that are part of the WCC, including the Eastern Orthodox (see Pope Francis speaks on his plans to re-establish full communion with the Eastern Orthodox), certain Pentecostals (see Pope Francis visits Pentecostal church–a first, but part of a Babylonian plan and Pope Francis speaks of ecumenism to 52,000 Pentecostals and others and also watch the video Charismatic Kenneth Copeland and Anglican Tony Palmer: Protestants Beware!), certain Lutherans (see Beware: Protestants Going Towards Ecumenical Destruction!), and certain other Protestant churches (see In Vatican City: New Babylon more openly forming! and Is Rick Warren a closet Catholic?).

Actually, when Pope Francis recently was asked about ‘the end of the world’ some time back, he basically put forth a view that it would be peaceful, presumably based upon the ecumenical and inter-faith agendas that he is promoting (see Pope Francis, the Blue Mosque, and end of the world).

Instead of a celebration for the independence between the Catholics and Protestants, it is seen as “profoundly ecumenical.’ The reconciliations between the harlot church and any of her daughters (cf. Revelation 17:5) should not be seen as something to celebrate. Those groups need to repent, for the Bible shows that their union will be disastrous (Revelation 17:9-18; 18:1-24).

Have they considered that the Bible shows that a group of churches, led by one from the European city of seven hills, is to be avoided and will end in disaster:

1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”

3 So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. 5 And on her forehead a name was written:

MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement.

7 But the angel said to me, “Why did you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

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

18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth. (Revelation 17:1-10)

Many are falling for this and even the United Nations itself has stated that it supports the idea of trying to pursue peace through ecumenical and interfaith agendas with religious leaders. The UN has also stated that it supports the Vatican’s agenda (see United Nations: Humankind’s Last Hope or New World Order?, here is a link to two related videos would be UN’s ‘New Universal Agenda’ is a False Gospel! and United Nations and Vatican Are Planning the New World Order).

Notice something that Pope Francis said today:

September 10, 2016

The devil has two main weapons for damaging the Church, Pope Francis says, and his principle weapon is division.

The Pope said this today when he addressed a group of new bishops assigned to mission territories, who are in Rome for a course sponsored by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.

After encouraging the bishops to experience God’s mercy as pilgrims so that they can transmit it to their flocks, and to remember to always be close to their priests, the Holy Father had a warning.

“Watch carefully,” he said, “so that all that is put into action for evangelization and the various pastoral activities you promote is not damaged or frustrated by existing divisions or those which can be created. Divisions are the weapon that the devil has most at hand to destroy the Church from within.”

The Pontiff went on to say the devil has two weapons: “but the main one is division, the other is money.”

“The devil enters by the pockets and he destroys with the tongue, with gossip, which divides, and the habit of gossiping is a habit of ‘terrorism,’” he said, using one of his favorite images to describe this sin. https://zenit.org/articles/division-is-devils-main-weapon-pope-tells-bishops/

No, compromise is more of the devil’s principle weapon. The devil does NOT want people to uphold God’s standards, but their own understanding.

The Bible does not teach that Christians will have the type of unity that the WCC, UN, and Vatican claim to want UNTIL AFTER THE FALL OF END TIME EUROPEAN BABYLON. Notice that in Zechariah (a Catholic translation is shown below), the Bible warns against a coming ‘daughter of Babylon’ (the final European Beast power) and shows that proper unity will not happen until after Jesus returns:

10 Look out! Look out! Flee from the land of the north — Yahweh declares- for I have scattered you to the four winds of heaven — Yahweh declares. 11 Look out! Make your escape, Zion, now living with the daughter of Babylon!

12 For Yahweh Sabaoth says this, since the Glory commissioned me, about the nations who plundered you, ‘Whoever touches you touches the apple of my eye. 13 Now look, I shall wave my hand over them and they will be plundered by those whom they have enslaved.’ Then you will know that Yahweh Sabaoth has sent me! 14 Sing, rejoice, daughter of Zion, for now I am coming to live among you -Yahweh declares! 15 And on that day many nations will be converted to Yahweh. Yes, they will become his people, and they will live among you. Then you will know that Yahweh Sabaoth has sent me to you! 16 Yahweh will take possession of Judah, his portion in the Holy Land, and again make Jerusalem his choice. (Zechariah 2:12-16, New Jerusalem Bible-NJB)

(NOTE: The NJB verses for Zechariah 2:10-16 are shown as Zechariah 2:6-13 in the NKJV/KJV.)

The Bible tells that the ecumenical/inter-faith movement will also end in destruction (Revelation 18 & 19). This is not something that Catholics or the Eastern Orthodox should want (see also Why Should American Catholics Fear Unity with the Orthodox?). The ecumenical and inter-faith plans that the Vatican, WCC, and the UN are promoting are clearly condemned by the Bible and should not be encouraged.

The Apostle Paul also taught that true unity of faith would not happen until after Jesus returns:

13 until we all reach unity in faith and knowledge of the Son of God and form the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself. (Ephesians 4:13, NJB)

Those who believe this unity comes prior to Jesus’ return are in error. Although Jesus taught that true peacemakers were blessed (Matthew 5:9), notice that the Bible shows that many do not know the way of peace:

8 The way of peace they have not known,
And there is no justice in their ways;
They have made themselves crooked paths;
Whoever takes that way shall not know peace. (Isaiah 59:8)

13 “Their throat is an open tomb;
With their tongues they have practiced deceit”;
“The poison of asps is under their lips”;
14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways;
17 And the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Romans 3:13-18)

5 Destruction comes;
They will seek peace, but there shall be none.
26 Disaster will come upon disaster,
And rumor will be upon rumor.
Then they will seek a vision from a prophet;
But the law will perish from the priest,
And counsel from the elders. (Ezekiel 7:25-26)

Real Christians need to watch what is going on and understand. All, Christians and non-Christians, should be concerned about the type of ‘peace’ and unity that the WCC, Vatican, and UN are really trying to push. It is NOT the type of arrangement that the Bible teaches will result in peace, but in war.

Do not be fooled by the appeal to interfaith/ecumenical peace by those who truly cannot bring it–even though a temporal peace deal will happen for a time per Daniel 9:27 (see The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27).

Only the return of Jesus Christ and the millennial kingdom will bring lasting peace.

Disaster and destruction will come to the Middle East and other areas before Jesus returns (Daniel 11:39-45; Ezekiel 30:2-8; see also Is the Future King of the South Rising Up?, Who is the King of the North?, and How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About?). And ecumenical unity will have a profound effect to make this happen!

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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.
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God differ from most Protestants How the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background. As far as some changes affecting Protestantism, watch the video Charismatic Kenneth Copeland and Anglican Tony Palmer: Protestants Beware! [Português: Esperança do salvação: Como a igreja do deus difere da maioria de protestantes]
What is the Unpardonable Sin? What is it? Can you repent of it? Do you know what it is and how to avoid it? Here is a link to a related sermon video The Unpardonable Sin and the Prodigal Son.
United Nations: Humankind’s Last Hope or New World Order? Is the UN the last hope for humanity? Or might its goals end up with sinister results? Two related videos include UN’s ‘New Universal Agenda’ is a False Gospel! and United Nations and Vatican Are Planning the New World Order.
The Bible, Christians, and the Environment How should Christians view the environment? Does the Bible give any clues? What are some of the effects of air, water, and land pollution? Is environmental pollution a factor in autism and death? Do pollutants seem to double the autism risk? What will Jesus do? Here is a link to a related sermon:  Christians and the Environment (there is also YouTube video available titled Air Pollution, Autism, and Prophecy).
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?
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?
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Continuing Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions.
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of God Both groups claim to be the original church, but both groups have differing ways to claim it. Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are?
Orthodox Must Reject Unity with the Roman Catholics Unity between these groups will put them in position to be part of the final end time Babylon that the Bible warns against as well as require improper compromise.
Laudato Si: Pope’s Agenda or Kingdom of God? Pope Francis’ 2nd encyclical is titled ‘Laudato Si.’ In it, he goes over his views related to environmental, economic, social, moral, agricultural, and spiritual issues. He advocates international cooperation to solve various problems he believes are affecting humanity. Is that Pope’s agenda the solution? What about the Kingdom of God? does the Bible teach? Two related articles include Laudato Si: Will Pope Francis’ economic actions match his words? and Laudato Si: A call for a one-world government?
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?
Canada in Prophecy: What Does Bible Prophecy, Catholic Prophecy, and other Predictions Suggest About the Future of Canada? There are prophecies that suggest involvement with Canada. And many are not positive about its future.
Protestant and Church of God views of the United States in Bible Prophecy Is the USA mentioned in Bible prophecy? Some Protestants say yes, while others say no. What does the Bible really teach? Learn the truth about this. There is also a video available: Is The United States Mentioned In Bible Prophecy?
Could Pope Francis be the Last Pope and Antichrist? Former Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio is now Pope Francis. According to some interpretations of the prophecies of the popes by the Catholic saint and Bishop Malachy, Pope Francis is in the position of “Peter the Roman,” the pontiff who reigns during tribulations until around the time of the destruction of Rome. Do biblical prophecies warn of someone that sounds like Peter the Roman? Could Francis be the heretical antipope of Catholic private prophecies and the final Antichrist of Bible prophecy? Could a Jesuit be “the black pope”?
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?
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.

Sermon: Matthew 19-20: Transgender? Divorce? Purgatory? The first shall be last?

Saturday, September 10th, 2016


ευαγγελιον κ̣ατ̣α μαθ᾽θαιον (euangelion kata Maththaion). Dated to late 2nd or early 3rd century, it is the earliest manuscript title for Matthew

COGwriter

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

1:16:06

Matthew 19-20: Transgender? Divorce? Purgatory? The first shall be last?

This is the ninth part of a multi-part sermon series on the Gospel According to Matthew. Dr. Thiel begins by discussing the Jesus comments about marriage, males, females, divorce, and eunuchs. He also discusses the term ‘reverend’ and explains some information about the Seventh Day Baptists. He discusses covetousness and difficulties for the rich inheriting the kingdom of God and denounces concepts related to purgatory and indulgences. He goes through the ‘parable of the workers in the vineyard’ discusses Jesus’ comments about the last being first and the first last.  Dr. Thiel also goes over scriptures pertaining to what converted Christians are supposed to do. Dr. Thiel also reads each and every verse in the nineteenth and twentieth chapters of Matthew’s Gospel.

Here is a link to the first part of the sermon series: Matthew 1-2: Greek or Aramaic, Jesus, and the Star?

Here is a link to the second part of the sermon series: Matthew 3-5: John the Baptist, Temptations, and the Beatitudes.

Here is a link to the third part of the sermon series: Matthew 6-7: Charitable Deeds, the Rosary, Prayer, the Golden Rule, and Faith.

Here is a link to the fourth part of the sermon series: Matthew 8-10: Married Clergy, Faith, Coming Persecution, and the Ecumenical Agenda.

Here is a link to the fifth part of the sermon series: Matthew 11-12: John the Elijah, Sodom, Unpardonable Sin, & 3 Days and 3 Nights.

Here is a link to the sixth part of the sermon series: Matthew 13-14: Parables, Mustard Seeds, Birthdays, and Faith.

Here is a link to the seventh part of the sermon series: Matthew 15-16: Tradition, Signs of the Times, and The Rock & Peter.

Here is a link to the eighth part of the sermon series: Matthew 17-18: Transfiguration, Elijah to Come, Taxes, and Forgiveness.

Again, here is a link to the nineth part of the sermon series: Matthew 19-20: Transgender? Divorce? Purgatory? The first shall be last?

Some items of related interest may include:

Jesus: The Son of God and Saviour Who was Jesus? Why did He come to earth? What message did He bring? Is there evidence outside the Bible that He existed? Here is a YouTube sermon titled Jesus: Son of God and Saviour.
Making Your Marriage Work Marriage is not always easy, but it pictures a divine relationship. How can you make your marriage work? Here is a link to the video sermon: You Can Make YOUR Marriage Work.
Cross-dressing and other assaults against your children.  What should you do? Is there an agenda to turn your children and/or grandchildren away from biblical morality and towards practices promoted by homosexuals? What does the Bible teach about cross-dressing? What should parents do? If there is an agenda, what has been going on?  There are also three YouTube videos related to this, titled Transgender ‘Woe to those who call evil good’ and Cross dressing and Other Assaults Against Your Children and USA pushing gender confusion.
The Bible Condemns Homosexuality “Same-sex marriage” for “gays” and lesbians is becoming more acceptable to many. What does the Bible teach about homosexuality?  Can homosexuals change? A related video sermon is titled: What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality?
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.
Did the Early Church Teach Purgatory? Is there a place called purgatory? Does God have a plan to help those who did not become saints in this life?
Building Character: Going on to Perfection Once you have accepted Jesus, do you need to strive for perfection and build character? A related video sermon is available: Going on to perfection and building character.
Faith for Those God has Called and Chosen What is faith? Can faith be increased? Are you saved by faith? What about works? Do Christians need to keep the Ten Commandments? What is the ‘faith chapter’? How do the just live by faith? Is faith one of the weightier matters of the law? How does faith come? Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Fe para aquellos que Dios ha llamado y escogido. In German: Glaube für die von Gott Berufenen und Auserwählten. In French: La Foi pour ceux que Dieu a Appelés et Choisis. Here is a link to a related sermon titled: Faith for the Called and Chosen.and here is a link to another sermon Faith and Courage. Here is a link to shorter version of the written article in Mandarin Chinese 一篇关于信仰的小文章.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? You can also see a YouTube video sermon The Gospel of the Kingdom.
MATTHEW Here are links to seven sermons covering the first 16 chapters of Matthew (sermons to cover the remaining chapters are in progress): Matthew 1-2: Greek or Aramaic, Jesus, and the Star?, Matthew 3-5: John the Baptist, Temptations, and the Beatitudes, Matthew 6-7: Charitable Deeds, the Rosary, Prayer, the Golden Rule, and Faith, Matthew 8-10: Married Clergy, Faith, Coming Persecution, and the Ecumenical Agenda, Matthew 11-12: John the Elijah, Sodom, Unpardonable Sin, & 3 Days and 3 Nights, Matthew 13-14: Parables, Mustard Seeds, Birthdays, and Faith, Matthew 15-16: Tradition, Signs of the Times, and The Rock & Peter, Matthew 17-18: Transfiguration, Elijah to Come, Taxes, and Forgiveness, and Matthew 19-20: Transgender? Divorce? Purgatory? The first shall be last?
MARK Here is a link to a sermon covering all of Jesus’ words in the ‘Gospel of Mark’: What did Jesus teach in the Book of Mark?
LUKE Here are links to eight sermons covering the entire ‘Gospel of Luke’: Luke 1-2: John the Baptist, Mary, and the Census, Luke 3-6: John the Baptist, Jesus’ genealogy, Satan’s Influence, and the Sermon on the Mount, Luke 7-9: Miracles, Purpose of Parables, Kingdom of God, and Women Supporting the Ministry, Luke 10-11: The 70, Doing the Work, the Good Samaritan, Prayer, and Signs, Luke 12-13: Priorities, Delayed Fruit Bearing, Little Flock, Prophecy, and the Narrow Way, Luke 14-16: The Lost Sheep, the Prodigal Son, the Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke 17-20: Faith, the Kingdom, Gathering, Prayer, & Rewards, and Luke 21-22: Giving, Sorrows, Persecution, Tribulation, Fig Tree, and Violence. The last sermon also covers Jesus’ words in the Book of Acts.
JOHN Here are links to a seven-part sermon series covering the entire ‘Gospel of John’: John 1-3: Anti-unitarian, Wine, Being Born Again, & Heaven, John 4-6: Jesus and the Samaritan Woman, Miracles and the Bread of Life, John 10-12: Sheep, Hirelings, Lazarus/Soul Sleep and ‘Palm Day’, John 13-15: Footwashing and the Words of Jesus, John 16-18: Truth, Trinity, and Pontius Pilate, and John 19-21: Do not only try, do what God wants.
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 and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. To see how CCOG has done so far, here are links to two sermons Continuing Church of God (CCOG) first year anniversary: What has been accomplished? and The Continuing Church of God: Two Years of Proclamation. Here is a written link to a version of that sermon in the Spanish language: Aniversario del primer año de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios: ¿Qué se ha cumplido?
Congregations of the Continuing Church of God This is a listing of congregations and groups of the Continuing Church of God around the world.
CCOG.ASIA We in the Continuing Church of God also have the url www.ccog.asia which has a focus on Asia and has various articles in Mandarin Chinese as well as some in English, plus some items in other Asian languages. 我们在继续神的教会也提供此网址 www.ccog.asia, 关注于亚洲并且有各种各样的中英文文章,其中一些用菲律宾语翻译的文章也正在进行中,准备添加到这个网站中。 Here is a link to our Statement of Beliefs in Mandarin Chinese 继续神的教会的信仰声明.
CCOG.IN This is a website targeted towards those of Indian heritage. It has a link to an edited Hindi translation of The Mystery of the Ages and is expected to have more non-English language materials in the future.
CCOG.EU This is a website targeted toward Europe. It has materials in more than one language (currently it has English, Dutch, and Serbian, with links also to Spanish) and it is intended to have additional language materials added.
CCOG.NZ This is a website targeted towards New Zealand and others with a British-descended background.
CCOGCANADA.CA This is a website targeted towards those in Canada.
CDLIDD.ES La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. This is the Spanish language website for the Continuing Church of God.
PNIND.PH Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. This is the Philippines website Continuing Church of God. It has information in English and Tagalog.
Bible News Prophecy online radio. This is an audio version of the Bible News Prophecy videos as well as some ContinuingCOG channel sermons. It is also available as a mobile app.
ContinuingCOG channel. Dr. Thiel has produced scores of YouTube video sermons for this channel. Note: Since these are sermon-length, they can take a little longer to load than other YouTube videos.

Cartwright’s Journal Out: LCG’s successor, Matthew 24:14, and Prophetic Beliefs

Friday, September 9th, 2016

COGwriter

The latest issue (says #187, print date August 31 2016) of The Journal: News of the Churches of God was sent out electronically and just received. This was another relatively short edition.

The most newsworthy item on the front page seemed to pertain to an announcement from LCG’s Roderick C. Meredith:

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Presiding Evangelist Roderick Meredith of the Living Church of God announced Aug. 18, 2016, he has chosen the man who will become the LCG’s presiding evangelist in the event of Dr. Meredith’s death or incapacitation. The man is Gerald Weston, a headquarters evangelist. Besides Dr. Meredith and Mr. Weston, the evangelists include Richard Ames and Douglas Winnail. Dr. Meredith said he had discussed the possibility of Mr. Weston as successor with Mr. Ames, who agrees with the decision. Mr. Weston is a 1969 graduate of Ambassador College. He is married to the former Carol Bakan.

I reported a little about the preliminary aspects of this back in April (see Gerald Weston appointed next president of the Living Church of God). Here is some of what I reported about this at the News of Those Once Affiliated with GCG page:

08/20/16 p.m. The following is from one of LCG’s official websites from it Dr. Meredith:

August 18, 2016

Finally, brethren and co-workers, I have some BIG NEWS! Now that Mr. Gerald Weston has been here at Headquarters serving alongside of us for several weeks, and with my declining health and abilities, I have decided to appoint him to be the next Presiding Evangelist, Chairman of the Board and overall leader of God’s Church if I should die or be physically incapacitated. I have talked with Mr. Ames about this more than once, and Mr. Ames—one of the most dedicated and loyal men I have ever known—agrees with this. Both of us will continue in our present responsibilities as long as we are in health. But, in case of my death or incapacity, Mr. Weston will take over.

So I ask all of you brethren and co-workers to give him every support as you have me. I have known him for 51 years—since he first came to college in the autumn of 1965. He and his dedicated wife have been consistently loyal, doctrinally sound and extremely capable in feeding God’s people and building God’s Work. …

So please give Mr. and Mrs. Weston your total support and know that Christ is the living Head of the Church of God. He has guided and will guide in this appointment.

Dr. Meredith believes that God guided this appointment. If so, not the way that Dr. Meredith seems to want all to believe. Anyway, hopefully people will believe the Bible above men and have their true loyalty to God. Earlier, in the Spring of 2016, Gerald Weston was appointed to be the next president of LCG. For some comments, see Gerald Weston appointed next president of the Living Church of God.

Here is some of an article in The Journal from David Havir what Dixon Cartwright reported related to him:

BIG SANDY, Texas—Through the years have you become aware that some of your religious ideas (which seemed logical and true in the past) were really illogical and false? One particular example is when Church of God organizations and their leaders claim that their religious effort is the main fulfillment of Matthew 24:14. „

  • Herbert Armstrong (the founder of the Radio/Worldwide Church of God) claimed that he was the end-time Elijah (Malachi 4:5-6) and the end-time apostle (from his erroneous interpretation of Ephesians 4:11). He claimed that he was fulfilling Matthew 24:14. „
  •  Since Mr. Armstrong’s death, in 1986, many of his disciples have asserted that they are the legitimate successor (with the mantle, baton or other metaphors of succession). They have perpetuated their claim that they are fulfilling Matthew 24:14.

Notice Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” „ Preached in all the world. „ As a witness to all nations.

Some religious people have actually said that, when they place a handful of their religious magazines into a country, such country has had the gospel preached to them in a way that fulfills Matthew 24:14.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:14 will come to pass.  David Havir is correct that it will involve more that placing a few magazines in a nation.  To learn more on how Matthew 24:14 is now in the process of being fulfilled and more about how it actually will be fulfilled, check out the following:

Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from lower level leaders? A related sermon is available titled Priority of the Philadelphia Work.
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.
Leading the Final Phase of the Work Matthew 24:14 teaches “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come ” will be fulfilled and RCG is not the group doing this. Who is leading the final phase of the work? What did Herbert Armstrong and the old WCG teach about that and about prophets? Does Bob Thiel meet the criteria that the Bible and the old WCG set? What is the proof? What has the Continuing Church of God been doing?  This is a sermonette length video.

There were at least two articles in this issue of The Journal that dealt with the authors opinions of prophetic matters. To learn more biblically about some of the topics raised, consider the following:

There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. There is also a video on the subject: Might Petra be the Place of Safety?  Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
Russia and Ukraine: Their Origins and Prophesied Future Russia in prophecy. Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end? There is also a video sermon available: Russia in the Bible and in Prophecy and a video sermonette available: Ukraine in Prophecy?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
Ezekiel 38: For Russia & Iran in Our Day? Is Ezekiel 38 about to be fulfilled? A related video is available titled Ezekiel 38: For Russia, Ukraine, & Iran Now? Another could be Russia, Iran, Syria, & the Bible (Code).

The Journal also had an article about and an advertisement related to a unitarian group, which I remain of the position should not be promoted (an article of related interest is titled Was Unitarianism the Teaching of the Bible or Early Church?).

On other matters, the following was on the front page of The Journal:

THE JOURNAL is listing contact information, locations and dates of Feast of Tabernacles observances for 2016 in several issues this year.

Those associated with the Continuing Church of God, and we submitted them to The Journal can be found in the article Feast of Tabernacles’ Sites for 2016.

As far as The Journal goes, it also had the usual letters to the editor and other advertisements, various comments, and opinion articles. The advertisements mainly seem to be from possibly Laodicean groups and/or individuals (not all seem to be COG) who seem to think that the ads are somehow doing the work of God. More of the real work that the COGs should be doing are in the article The Final Phase of the Work.

The Journal itself is available by paid subscription (though Dixon Cartwright says some subscriptions are free to those who cannot afford it). It tends to have a non-Philadelphian approach to many matters.

Dow drops: Is the Fed out of ammunition?

Friday, September 9th, 2016


Trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange

COGwriter

USA Today reports the ‘market calm’ was shattered today:

September 9, 2016

The market calm on Wall Street was shattered Friday as stocks suffered their biggest slide since Brexit on fears an interest rate hike is around the corner.

The return of volatility was sparked by comments from  Federal Reserve Bank of Boston president Eric Rosengren that suggests a September rate hike might not be totally off the table. The so-called “hawkish” commentary follows the European Central Bank decision this week to keep rates at current levels — a disappointment to investors who thought additional stimulus was needed to get the eurozone economy moving again.

At the market close, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 394.46 points at 18,085.45 — its worst one-day drop since the 610-point slide on June 24 after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union — as investors fretted over the prospect of getting less support from the world’s central banks.

The broad Standard & Poor’s 500 index closed down 2.5%, ending a 52-trading day streak of not closing down 1% or more. The Nasdaq composite, which had its stretch of record closes snapped Thursday, fell 2.5%.

In a speech earlier Friday, Rosengren’s said: “My personal view, based on data that we have received to date, is that a reasonable case can be made for continuing to pursue a gradual normalization of monetary policy.”

Those words rattled investors who had pretty much written off a interest rate increase at the Fed’s Sept. 20-21 meeting following the weaker-than-expected August jobs report. Although Rosengren did not specifically mention September, his words leave the door open to a rate hike sooner than many investors expected. Low rates have been a key driver of higher stock prices. http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/markets/2016/09/09/stocks-dow-friday/90114650/

Of course, often markets often rise as well. As I wrote late last year, it was likely we would have financial volatility in 2016 (see M&M: Expect financial volatility in 2016). And now we again are seeing it.

As far as ‘calm’ goes, the Bible warns that people should not think that things will continue to go on as they have:

1 Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), 2 that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.  11 Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; (2 Peter 3:1-14)

Jesus also warned about those who apparently did not believe things would get bad (cf. Matthew 24:36-44) as well as Christians who thought they did not need to change their lives (Revelation 3:14-19).

What should seem bizarre to most people about today’s stock market drop is that the stock market is believed to have happened because many investors are concerned that the US Federal Reserve thinks that monetary policy should be normalized. Normalized is a disaster?

The reality, as many are aware, is that the financial markets have NOT been normal, but have been manipulated by the US Federal Reserve and other government-related entities.

If it were NOT for the Federal Reserve counterfeiting money (in programs like ‘quantitative easing) where it basically ‘creates’ money and then gets US Treasury pledges created, etc. the US stock market would have a much lower valuation.

Basically, because of manipulation of financial markets, many have invested in the stock market since banks, for example, are paying almost nothing in the way of interest (some banks in Europe charge ‘negative interest,’ which gets people to invest in almost anything since why put funds in a bank that will be reduced by the time you take them out).

What the US Federal Reserve, US government, and other entities have done in creating ‘money’ to keep interest rates down is wrong.

This diluting of the value of coinage/currency is condemned in the Bible, when it uses the old term ‘dross’ (money that has been debased):

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.

This is NOT only happening in the USA:

September 9, 2016

Deranged Lunatics Have Taken Over the World

Is the Fed out of ammunition?

That’s the legitimate fear when the next crisis rolls in.

Basically, the answer is a resounding yes.

There’s no magic bullet in the Fed’s six-shooter that will fix their ineptitude when the next meltdown arrives.

The problem is that Yellen and Co. don’t believe that analysis. Neither do the inept academics running the other major central banks. They’re all too “smart.”

You see, they’re already planning the next great monetary experiment for the next rescue. And it just may blow the global economy to smithereens.

Stop the Insanity!

To get a sense of how unhinged and reckless central banking has become, consider what the Bank of Japan (BoJ) has launched …

After two decades of sluggish growth, the BoJ started its monetary manipulation bender by introducing zero interest rate policy (ZIRP) in 1999 — supposedly to fight deflation and promote economic growth.

It didn’t work. So while keeping ZIRP in place, they continued Dr. Frankensteining the Japanese economy…

How? The BOJ “invented” quantitative easing (QE) programs in 2001, through purchases of government bonds, asset-backed securities and commercial paper. …

And numerous Fed members, including Chair Janet Yellen, have admitted that negative interest rates are on the table, ready for deployment.

But that’s just the beginning of “fun with your money”…

On Wednesday, I told you about the little-known mathematical formula tucked away in a footnote of Yellen’s recent Jackson Hole speech.

Many believe this “magic formula” is what the Fed will eventually use to automatically determine future interest rates. And, of course, Yellen cited the formula lovingly in the small print.

Here’s why that should scare the hell out of you…

If the Fed had been following this formula during the last meltdown, they would have dropped rates to -9%. That’s -9%!

Consider that negative rates of just -0.4% in Europe are destroying the big banks and causing the Swiss and Germans to make a run on safes to hoard their cash.

Just imagine what –9% rates will do. That’s the level of psychopathy we’re dealing with here. http://dailyreckoning.com/janet-yellen-fed-experiment/

Many ordinary investors, as well as institutional ones, are getting hurt by improperly low interest rates. Negative interest rates will hurt even more. Those hurt also include those who are not investors as well.

There are more things that the Federal Reserve can do, but much of its ‘ammunition’ is more dangerous than most think (cf. Habakkuk 2:6-8).

Notice something that Jesus prophesied:

7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet.  8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:7-8)

We are having ‘troubles’ and the financial markets are being set up for even more severe troubles in the future. We are seeing happenings of the ‘beginning of sorrows.’

But many do not see it.

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.
Project Prophecy: Economic Collapse Starting in 2015? Jim Rickards once worked for the CIA and also was once part of a a USA government program called called ‘Project Prophecy.’ He has a video were he claims that starting in 2015, the USA may have economic collapse resulting in a 25-Year Great Depression. He mainly cites debt figures and claims advises alternatives to the USA dollar which he says will collapse? What did Rand Paul state? Can the USA dollar collapse?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
European Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming European Beast power would use and develop technology that will result in the taking over of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Is this possible? What does the Bible teach? Here is a related YouTube video: Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation.
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?
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? 2021 or 20xx? There is also a video titled The 6000 Year Plan: Is the end of humanity’s reign almost up?
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 This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing.
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.
Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States This is a 200 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Hillary Clinton and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also discusses Republicans. The physical book can be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States, 2nd edition: Is Hillary Clinton Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Hopi, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Donald Trump? $11.99.
Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Amazon 2nd Kindle edition This electronic version of the 200 page print edition is available for only US$3.99. 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 Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Amazon 2nd Kindle edition.
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? This is a video.
Post Brexit Prophecy On June 23, 2016, the voters of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) chose to leave the European Union. Now with this BRitish EXIT (Brexit) vote, what is prophesied to happen to the UK? Will the UK do well or be taken over and made slaves? Dr. Thiel explains from biblical prophecies what is ahead for the UK, Europe, and even the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This is a video.

North Korea continues nuclear tests: more are getting concerned

Friday, September 9th, 2016


(Photo by ISC Kosmotras)

COGwriter

North Korea admitted to conducting another nuclear test today:

September 9, 2016

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said it conducted a “higher level” nuclear test explosion on Friday that will allow it to finally build “at will” an array of stronger, smaller and lighter nuclear weapons. It was the North’s fifth atomic test and the second in eight months.

South Korea’s president called the detonation, which Seoul estimated was the North’s biggest-ever in explosive yield, an act of “fanatic recklessness.” Japan called North Korea an “outlaw nation.”

North Korea’s boast of a technologically game-changing nuclear test defied both tough international sanctions and long-standing diplomatic pressure to curb its nuclear ambitions. It will raise serious worries in many world capitals that North Korea has moved another step closer to its goal of a nuclear-armed missile that could one day strike the U.S. mainland. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_KOREAS_TENSIONS_ASOL-?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-09-09-06-38-34

September 9, 2016

SEOUL —

North Korea has confirmed that seismic activity that occurred Friday morning near its Punggye-ri nuclear test site was caused by a nuclear test.

An announcer with North Korean state television KCNA read a statement from the Nuclear Weapon Research Institute of the DPRK confirming a successful nuclear test was conducted to assess the capacity of a nuclear warhead that can now be miniaturized to fit on various types of missiles.

“This nuclear warhead explosion test is part of responsive measures to threats and sanctions from the U.S. and enemies denying our strategic position as a nuclear state,” The KCNA announcer said during the broadcast.

Pyongyang did not advise the international community in advance of its plans to conduct a nuclear test.

September 9 marks the 68th anniversary of the founding of North Korea and Pyongyang has in the past marked important holidays by conducting nuclear and missile tests. …

South Korean President Park Geun-hye condemned North Korea for conducting its fifth nuclear test in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions.

President Park, who is in Laos for the ASEAN security summit said this nuclear provocation,” proves Kim Jong Un’s rabid recklessness to cling to nuclear development.” …

South Korean Prime Minister Hwang Gyo-ahn says Seoul will call for additional and stronger U.N. sanctions against North Korea.

“We are facing a grave situation which is totally different from the past when North Korea conducted nuclear tests once in three years. North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats are clear and existential,” said Hwang.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said if a nuclear test is confirmed, it would be “something absolutely inadmissible” and that Tokyo would call for action from the U.N. Security Council. …

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said “at the appropriate moment today I am confident President (Barack) Obama will address this and we will certainly be discussing this in the context of the United Nations, I am sure.”  … The White House released a statement reiterating President Obama’s “unbreakable” commitment to allies in Asia and the world, and said the president will consult with other leaders to make sure North Korea’s provocations are met with “serious consequences.”

The Pentagon said the North Korean test was “yet another flagrant violation” of U.N. Security Council resolutions, as well as a “serious provocation.” http://www.voanews.com/a/quake-reported-in-north-korea-south-korea-says-likely-nuclear-test/3499945.html

So, North Korea is pushing ahead, despite international sanctions, etc. Notice also the following from a German source:

September 9, 2016

Analyst: ‘We need an entirely new North Korea strategy’

Repeated sanctions and warnings have been unable to deter North Korea from pursuing its nuclear weapons program. East Asia expert Rüdiger Frank tells DW that the international community has totally failed on this front. …

Rüdiger Frank: Initial reports from both within and outside North Korea suggest that it was the most powerful and largest nuclear test ever conducted by the North. But a detailed technical analysis has to be done to verify Pyongyang’s claims. Still, the fact remains that the North has been continuously advancing towards developing operational nuclear weapons. … We see very clearly that the international efforts to dissuade the North from developing nuclear weapons have been a colossal failure. …

And finally, there is a need to reach an international agreement aimed at freezing the North’s nuclear program at a certain level, and preventing it from producing nuclear warheads in increasing numbers. Such a deal is conceivable, although it will be a tough task, both in terms of marketing this idea as well as its actual implementation. But I believe it’s the only way forward as condemnations and sanctions haven’t been able to bring about the desired effect. http://www.dw.com/en/analyst-we-need-an-entirely-new-north-korea-strategy/a-19539656

Rüdiger Frank is correct that international sanctions, including moves by the Obama Administration, have not stopped North Korea from pursuing advancing its military and nuclear capacities But he is wrong about the way to fix it:

The Bible says:

16 Destruction and misery are in their ways;
17 And the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Romans 3:16-18)

Sadly, that is the case with North Korea. It will take the return of Jesus and the Kingdom of God to truly bring peace.

Notice also the following:

September 9, 2016

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) on Friday expressed concern that the miniaturization of nuclear weapons is faster than expected at National Assembly’s Intelligence Committee, Yonhap reported.

The emergency meeting of the Intelligence Committee, held just a few hours after the North Korea conducted its fifth nuclear test and its second of the year, was presented by the director of the NIS Lee Byung-ho, according to an unnamed NIS official.

On the same day, an artificial earthquake with a magnitude likely over 5.0 on the Richter Scale was detected near the DPRK’s Punggye-ri testing site.

The North’s aim is to “miniaturize the nuclear [weapon enough] to be able to mount on the ‘Scud-type’ missile,” National Assembly spokespeople told press after the Intelligence Committee meeting. https://www.nknews.org/2016/09/n-koreas-nuke-miniaturization-faster-than-expected-nis-admits/

Miniaturization of nuclear weapons can make them more likely to be used in various circumstances, including terroristic ones.

North Korean politicians have often been playing a dangerous game with their country and their people, and hopefully they will realize that a military conflict is not in their interests.

North Korea is one of relatively few small nations to have nuclear weapons and often brags about them and their potential use.

Additionally, like the Iranians who seemingly want nuclear weapons, those in North Korea are believed to be capable of perhaps detonating an EMP (electro-magnetic pulse) type bomb. Such a bomb could cause massive damage to countries like the USA. But, if they were to do that, the USA could still takeover North Korea.

While North Korea is not prophesied to take over the USA (Europe is per Daniel 11:39, etc.), as I wrote in the past, it certainly is possible that it may decided to actually launch one or more missiles at the USA in the future (or take other “terroristic actions; cf. Leviticus 26:26).

North Korea, sadly, is certainly capable of terrorism. It has threatened the USA and its White House in the past (see North Korea threatens the White House).

And while some may find it hard to believe, North Korea is believed to have the ability to knock out a lot of the USA’s power supply with its electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapon capability (see VOA: ‘US Defenseless Against North Korean EMP Threat’). (This type of weapon may also be used by the coming prophesied King of the South and/or the King of the North.)

The USA, despite its military strength, is vulnerable to being hurt by EMP weapons as well as nuclear weapons, chemical weapons, dirty bombs, terrorism, and biological weapons. Everyone knows that EMPs can basically work as advertised, this may give the North Koreans more reason to look further into using them if they feel pressed.

If North Korea does take certain steps to sufficiently aggravate the USA into a full military conflict, it needs to realize that it likely will no longer exist as it is. At some point in time, however, I believe that both Koreas will be reunited based upon certain verses in Revelation, yet whether this will be because of a war involving the USA or something else, that is not clear.

The Koreans are Asians and occupy the “land of the sunrise” (Revelation 16:2) and I believe that they are part of the kings of the east that the Book of Revelation discusses having a role in the end time (Revelation 9:16). For years I have written that I expect that they will reunify. The unification of North and South Korea is consistent with biblical prophecy. But North Korea may take unusual actions before then, and it may regret doing so.

Whether this reunification will be because of a war involving the USA, South Korea, or something else (such as waiting until Revelation 9:16; & 16:2), is not clear. But the situation in Korea will change.

As Jesus said, “And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” (Mark 13:37)

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Korea in Prophecy, Any Witness? Where did the Korean people come from? Does God have a plan for the Koreans? Is Korea mentioned in any prophecies? Will Koreans be among the first in the Kingdom of God? Here is a machine-translated link to that article in Korean: 한국의 언어로 : 한국 예언, 모든 증인에?; here is a link to that article in Mandarin Chinese: 在预言中的韩国:有任何证人吗?
What is the Gospel? True religion should be based upon the true gospel. What are some of the different gospels and where did they come from? Do you believe the true or a false gospel? Who is preaching the gospel? Here is a version in Korean 복음이란 무엇인가?
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 videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation Start in 2016?
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon? A YouTube video of interest may be Is China THE Threat to the United States of America?
The Eurasian Union, the Kings of the East, and Bible Prophecy Is there a Eurasian union that will be formed? Is one being formed right now? Are any leaders working on that in the 21st century? Does the Bible teach that there will be a Eurasian union? If some type of Eurasian union is formed, who might it benefit and who will it destroy? A related video would be Is The Eurasian Union Rising?
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?
Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States This is a 200 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Hillary Clinton and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also discusses Republicans. The physical book can be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States, 2nd edition: Is Hillary Clinton Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Hopi, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Donald Trump? $11.99.
Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Amazon 2nd Kindle edition This electronic version of the 200 page print edition is available for only US$3.99. 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 Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Amazon 2nd Kindle edition.
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.

Elijah and ‘Elijah’

Friday, September 9th, 2016


Elijah in the wilderness

COGwriter

According to an article about him in The Catholic Encyclopedia, Elijah “is honoured by both the Greek and Latin Churches on 20 July.” Although many Catholics (and others) believe that Elijah (or a type of Elijah) will be one of the two witnesses, The Catholic Encyclopedia article about him never mentions that role related to him.

The Bible itself tells about the original Elijah in the books of 1 Kings, 2 Kings, and 2 Chronicles. In his first mention, God has him call for a drought:

1 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.” (1 Kings 17:1)

Immediately after this, God had him flee to essentially to the wilderness (1 Kings 17:3; 1 Kings 17:8-10; cf.1 Kings 18:7-14; 1 Kings 19:2-4,15) and Elijah was sometimes a voice in the wilderness.

Elijah also sometimes seemed to stand alone for God:

21 And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word. 22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord…” (1 Kings 18:21-22)

As far as faltering between two opinions, in the COGs most hold to one or more improper prophetic opinions that differ from that of the Continuing Church of God. A list of these can be found in the article The Laodicean Church Era. Because of this, unless they change, those who will not pay attention to the Continuing Church of God will not know when the Great Tribulation will begin until it is too late to flee (cf. Matthew 24:15-20; Revelation 12:14-17). The Apostle John recorded that there would be two groups at the end and that one would flee and be protected from the Great Tribulation (Revelation 12:14-16), while the other would not be (Revelation 12:17).

Getting back to the original Elijah, when he was the top ecclesiastical authority, Elijah did a variety of miracles, such as stopping rain (1 Kings 17:1), multiplying flour and oil (1 Kings 17:13-16), getting a dry passage over a river, (2 Kings 2:7-8), and calling fire down from heaven (2 Kings 1:10-12).

Elijah, however, over time seem to have lost the mental/emotional ability to properly lead (cf. 1 Kings 19:13-18). God later took him and replaced him with Elisha as the top ecclesiastical authority. Elisha then received a “double-portion” (two-portion literally) of the gift that God had given Elijah:

9 And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?”

Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”

10 So he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. 13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. (2 Kings 2:9-13)

The recipient of the double-portion, Elisha, was a type of Elijah. Elisha picked up the mantle of Elijah (2 Kings 2:13) which God wanted him to have (1 Kings 19:16-19), did a similar miraculous dry river crossing (2 Kings 2:13-14), also did other miracles (2 Kings 4:30-35; 2 Kings 10:5-14; 2 Kings 6:16-18), as he replaced Elijah as God’s top ecclesiastical authority on earth (cf. 1 Kings 19:16).

A minister of the Living Church of God prayed and anointed Bob Thiel for a ‘double portion’ of God’s Spirit back in late 2011 and told him that was reminiscent of what happened to Elisha.

Interestingly, for several years after Elisha picked up the mantle that Elijah dropped, Elijah was still alive. While many outside of the Church of God seem to doubt this, the following passage confirms that Elijah was still alive later, even though the main work/mantle had shifted to Elisha:

5 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem…

12 And a letter came to him from Elijah the prophet, saying,

Thus says the Lord God of your father David:

Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot like the harlotry of the house of Ahab, and also have killed your brothers, those of your father’s household, who were better than yourself, 14 behold, the Lord will strike your people with a serious affliction — your children, your wives, and all your possessions; 15 and you will become very sick with a disease of your intestines, until your intestines come out by reason of the sickness, day by day. (2 Chronicles 21:5, 12-15)

The Bible, however, teaches that a voice from the wilderness would come again:

3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God. (Isaiah 40:3)

John the Baptist said that he was fulfilling this (though he did not indicate he would be the only one to do so):

19 Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”…

23 He said: “I am ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,”‘ as the prophet Isaiah said.” (John 1:19,23)

Note: In the Greek the word “The” above is not present.

Jesus, Himself, confirmed that John the Baptist, who in not recorded to have done any of the miracles of Elijah, fulfilled an Elijah role:

12 But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist. (Matthew 17:12-13)

So, the Bible tells of two Elijahs who were here thousands of years ago.

But Jesus told of another Elijah to come after He left:

11 Jesus answered and said to them, “Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. (Matthew 17:11)

That particular Elijah was also prophesied in the Hebrew scriptures (the Old Testament). Here are Protestant, “literal,” and Catholic (note: Catholics often use the Latinized form of Elijah, called Elias below) translations:

4 “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel. 5 “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. 6 And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” (Malachi 4:4-6, ESV)

4 Remember ye the law of Moses My servant, That I did command him in Horeb, For all Israel — statutes and judgments. 5 Lo, I am sending to you Elijah the prophet, Before the coming of the day of Jehovah, The great and the fearful. 6 And he hath turned back the heart of fathers to sons, And the heart of sons to their fathers, Before I come and have utterly smitten the land! (Malachi 4:4-6, YLT)

4 Remember the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, the precepts, and judgments. 5 Behold I will send you Elias the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers: lest I come, and strike the earth with anathema. (Malachi 4:4-6, Douay-Rheims).

Notice that the various translations teach that Elijah is to be on the scene before the Day of the Lord. An event that is at least over six years from now.

Various early professors of Christ believed that an Elijah (though Hippolytus in the third century felt it was literally the original Elijah) would be coming again:

The climax of Elijah’s activity is his appearance shortly before the Messianic time. “He is appointed to lead aright the coming ages, to restore the tribes of Jacob,” says Ben Sira of him (Ecclus. [Sirach] xlviii. 10, 11). In the second half of the first Christian century it was expected that Elijah would appear shortly before the coming of the Messiah, to restore to families the purity…(‘Eduy. viii. 7…) (Elijah. Jewish Encyclopedia of 1906)

43…For he says, And one week will make a covenant with many, and it shall be that in the midst (half) of the week my sacrifice and oblation shall cease. By one week, therefore, he meant the last week which is to be at the end of the whole world of which week the two prophets Enoch and Elias will take up the half. For they will preach 1, 260 days clothed in sackcloth, proclaiming repentance to the people and to all the nations.46…He says by Malachi and the angel, I will send to you Elias the Tishbite before the day of the Lord, the great and notable day, comes; and he shall turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, lest I come and smite the earth utterly. These, then, shall come and proclaim the manifestation of Christ that is to be from heaven; and they shall also perform signs and wonders, in order that men may be put to shame and turned to repentance for their surpassing wickedness and impiety. 47. For John says, And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. That is the half of the week whereof Daniel spoke. (Hipploytus. On Christ and Antichrist).

The Church of God position has been that someone would come in the spirit and power of Elijah to “restore all things” and possibly be one of the two witnesses. While the late Herbert W. Armstrong (died in January 1986) sometimes indicated that he fulfilled that role, he told people that I have personally spoken with that there could be another other than he. Those with a WCG background might find the following quote from Herbert W. Armstrong of some assistance here as he wrote:

Those called into the Church were called not merely for salvation and eternal life, but to learn the way of God’s government and develop the divine character during this mortal life in the Church age…

Also Malachi 4:5-6 pictures the Elijah to come at the very end of the Church age (Mystery of the Ages. 1985, pp. 201, 349).

And when was the “Church age” supposed to end according to Herbert Armstrong’s old church:

God has set before us an open door and no MAN can shut it. God can shut it, and He will when the work is finished and the Philadelphia Church goes to a place of safety. …The Laodicean Church is not going to he worthy to escape to a place of safety. When it is too late, they will find that the Church of Philadelphia has gone to safety (What Is the “LAODICEAN CHURCH”? Good News August 1959 Vol. VIII, Number 8).

Now since the Church age has not ended, and the Day of the Lord has not yet come, then it follows that Elijah was to come on the scene publicly after this was written. His restoring of “all things” means that he is to be restoring information that the true Church of God once understood, but later must have lost or misunderstood (see also LCG on Prophets: Rare, But Look for the Fruits and Is there a need for a prophet now?).

Now, I should add that RCG’s David Pack is NOT the prophesied endtime Elijah despite his claims earlier this year–he has NOT restored the truth and is confused/wrong on many points.

Those of the true and genuine Philadelphian remnant will pay much attention to the voice of the true final Elijah. Those who do not will not fare as well as they could (cf. Revelation 12:14-17).

We in the Continuing Church of God “have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19, KJV).”

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Elijah Heresies Does the Bible teach that there will be a future Elijah? Must it be Herbert W. Armstrong? Two related sermons are  available Elijah: Prophecies and Heresies and Elijah, Herbert W. Armstrong, and CCOG.
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?
Who Are The Two Witnesses? What is their job? What does the Bible reveal? What has the Church of God taught on this subject? Might even Roman Catholic prophecies give some clues here?
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. There is also a video on the subject: Might Petra be the Place of Safety? Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory.
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 Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots.  They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent. One video of related interest is 17 Laodicean Errors in Prophecy.

EU Parliament names anti-nationalist Guy Verhofstadt to be its ‘Brexit’ negotiator

Thursday, September 8th, 2016


Guy Verhofstadt

COGwriter

In a step apparently to show that Europe is ready to move on from the Brexit situation with the UK, the European Parliament appointed former Belgium Prime Minister, a current Member of the European Parliament to be its negotiator:

September 8, 2016

The European Parliament has named Guy Verhofstadt, a former Belgian prime minister and arch-foe of eurosceptics across the continent, to represent it in forthcoming Brexit negotiations with London.

Verhofstadt, 63, leads the liberal bloc in the legislature, where he has railed against nationalists like Nigel Farage of the UK Independence Party, who described the Belgian on Thursday as a “fanatical” federalist who “hates everything we stand for”.

Verhofstadt, who called his appointment an “honor” and said parliament would play a “central role” in any deals with London, has long taken a tough line with the British. But he spoke out after the vote to back Scotland’s pro-independence leader Nicola Sturgeon in her quest for Scots not to be forced out of the EU.

A Fleming fluent in English, he has often clashed verbally in the chamber with Farage as well as with Syed Kamall, the pro-Brexit British Conservative leader in parliament. Farage said Verhofstadt would speed Britain’s departure from the bloc but Kamall complained that he had been appointed in a “back room” deal and called for an open vote in the legislature.

There is little love lost between the Belgian and the Conservatives. When Boris Johnson dropped a bid to lead the party in July, Verhofstadt said he and other “Brexiteers” were “rats fleeing a sinking ship.” Johnson is now foreign minister.

NEGOTIATING LINE-UPS

The EU parliament is dominated by strongly pro-EU members, who fear that a deal too generous to Britain will reinforce centrifugal forces elsewhere. They will be keen to prevent Brussels and other states allowing Britain to retain full access to EU markets while keeping out European immigrants.

Detailed negotiations will be handled by the EU executive, the European Commission. Its president, Jean-Claude Juncker, has appointed Michel Barnier, a French conservative former minister, MEP and EU commissioner, to lead the talks.

So, now the UK has an idea of the personalities it will be dealing with. Personalities that want a united, not nationalistic, Europe.

Boris Johnson is to be involved on the UK’s side, but others will be as well.

The European Union does not want other nations to think that they will do better apart for the EU. Having negotiators who hold that view may cause a greater break between the UK and EU than would have otherwise as quickly happened.

Appointing Guy Verhofstadt as a negotiator is, to me at least, a clear sign that Europe wants to get away from the UK as quickly as possible.

That sentiment also seemed to be expressed by European Council President Donald Tusk today:

September 8, 2016

European Council president Donald Tusk told Theresa May “the ball is now in your court” as the pair discussed the next steps on Brexit.

Meeting the PM at Number 10, Mr Tusk said the other 27 member states were waiting to see when the UK would formally trigger its EU departure.

Mrs May said she wanted a “smooth” Brexit process.

Meanwhile, former Belgian PM Guy Verhofstadt has been appointed as the EU Parliament’s lead Brexit negotiator. …

EU leaders, excluding the UK, are preparing to meet next week in Bratislava to sketch out the bloc’s future after Brexit.

‘Not easy’

Mr Tusk – who oversaw the UK’s EU renegotiation attempts prior to the in/out referendum – told Mrs May: “It doesn’t mean that we are going to discuss our future relations with the UK in Bratislava, because for this – and especially for the start of the negotiations – we need the formal notification, I mean triggering Article 50.

“This is the position shared by all 27 member states. To put it simply, the ball is now in your court.

“I’m aware that it is not easy but I still hope you will be ready to start the process as soon as possible.

“I have no doubt that at the end of the day our common strategic goal is to establish the closest possible relations.”

The PM has said the government will “not reveal its hand”, amid pressure to set out what it wants to achieve from the negotiations. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-37300254

Europe is getting more and more serious about being done with the United Kingdom. Its leaders do not realize it (cf. Isaiah 10:7), but they are working on forming the the end time European Beast power of Revelation 13; which is the King of the North power of Daniel 11.

That being said, the EU has nations, like Germany, who still want trade with the UK, so some deal will likely be worked out.

As far as Europe goes, the Bible is clear that it will unify, but still have problems:

41 Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. 43 As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. (Daniel 2:41-43)

Brexit is an issue the EU is facing, but as the UK was not one of the ‘ten toes’ that Daniel referred to, there will be other issues and problems for Europe.

The ten toes seem to be the same as the ten kingdoms that come into being when Europe will reorganize as discussed in the Book of Revelation:

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

The EU’s trade negotiators need to be careful that they do not try to make such an example of the UK that they harm themselves.

And it is likely that the EU will make decisions that will harm it economically.  Why?

Because it is likely that economic, trade, immigrant, and military considerations will be needed for Europe to unite enough to fulfill prophecies, like Revelation 17:12-13.

Essentially, when Revelation 17:12-13 gets fulfilled, it will eliminate many borders in Europe.

The late Herbert W. Armstrong was of the view that a banking problem of some sort would lead to this final formation of the European Beast power. In a sermon on July 7, 1984, he stated:

And I can see now, the event that is going to trigger the formation of the reunification in Europe; the resurrection of the medieval Holy Roman Empire that we’ve been looking forward to that is prophesied to come…

But I believe that some event is going to happen suddenly just like out a blue sky that is going to shock the whole world and is going to cause the nations in Europe to realize they must unite!

The whole banking structure in the United States is a network all jointed together. But not only that, one nation has to deal with other nations and imports and exports. And so they have to have a means of transforming money from one nation to another. And so the banking structure is international and interwoven…

Now when the financial structure breaks down, all civilization is going to break down…

It would seem that a combination of economic, military, pride, and immigrant issues will be factors in triggering the rise of the prophesied European Beast power.

The Brexit negotiators will seemingly take steps that may lead to the acceleration of the formation of the final European Beast power. That will not end well for the UK or USA (Daniel 11:39), the Arab World (Daniel 11:40-43), and ultimately Europe itself (Daniel 11:44-45).

Some items of related interest may include:

Forbes’ Brexit Monster is the Beast of Revelation Various ones have been properly convinced that there is a plan for a European superstate. Forbes’ writer Tom Worstall wrote that the Brexit vote was about the United Kingdom “not joining the monster of the European Union to come.” The Bible tells of a Beast monster that will arise in the end times in Europe. Dr. Thiel cites news reports, as well as the Old and New Testaments, to show that the monster many fear will arise in Europe, despite the vote by the British to exit the European Union. This is a video.
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.
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?
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?
Post Brexit Prophecy On June 23, 2016, the voters of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) chose to leave the European Union. Now with this BRitish EXIT (Brexit) vote, what is prophesied to happen to the UK? Will the UK do well or be taken over and made slaves? Dr. Thiel explains from biblical prophecies what is ahead for the UK, Europe, and even the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This is a video.
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?
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. A related sermon is titled Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.
Who is the Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2? Is this the King of the North, the ten-horned beast of Revelation 13:1-11, or the two-horned Beast of Revelation 13:12-16? Some rely on traditions, but what does the Bible teach? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Quién es el Hombre de Pecado de 2 Tesalonicenses 2? Here is a version in Mandarin: 主编: 谁是’大罪人’?Here is a link to a related YouTube video, in English, titled Who is the Man of Sin?
Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North? Is the former German Defense Minister (who is also the former German Minister for Economics and Technology) one to watch? What do Catholic, Byzantine, and biblical prophecies suggest? A video of related interest would be: Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg and Europe’s Future.
Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History Are the Germanic peoples descended from Asshur of the Bible? Have there been real Christians in Germanic history? What about the “Holy Roman Empire”? There is also a You-Tube video sermon on this titled Germany’s Biblical Origins.
Germany in Biblical Prophecy Does Assyria in the Bible equate to an end time power inhabiting the area of the old Roman Empire? What does prophecy say Germany will do and what does it say will happen to most of the German people? Here are links to two sermon videos Germany in Bible Prophecy and The Rise of the Germanic Beast Power of Prophecy.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? 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.
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?
Donald Trump in Prophecy Prophecy, Donald Trump? Are there prophecies that Donald Trump may fulfill? Are there any prophecies that he has already helped fulfill? Could a Donald Trump presidency be apocalyptic? A related video is titled Could Donald Trump be Apocalyptic? Another video is 10 Reasons Not to Vote for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton.
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.
Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States This is a 200 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Hillary Clinton and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also discusses Republicans. The physical book can be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States, 2nd edition: Is Hillary Clinton Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Hopi, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Donald Trump? $11.99.
Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Amazon 2nd Kindle edition This electronic version of the 200 page print edition is available for only US$3.99. 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 Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Amazon 2nd Kindle edition.

Russia arranging peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians–is this the Daniel 9:27 deal?

Thursday, September 8th, 2016


Jerusalem City

COGwriteri

The Associated Press (AP) reports that Russia has been working to arrange a meeting for some type of peace discussion between Israel and the Palestinians:

September 8, 2016

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday that the Israeli and the Palestinian leaders have agreed “in principle” to meet in Moscow for talks in what the Russians hope will relaunch the Mideast peace process after more than a two-year break.

The comments indicate that Russia is pushing forward with its attempt to become a peace broker after a setback earlier in the week. On Tuesday, the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, said a meeting scheduled in Moscow this week had been delayed at Israel’s request.

While bringing the men together would represent an accomplishment for Moscow, a diplomatic breakthrough seems unlikely.

Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remain far apart on key issues, and their differences have prevented meaningful talks since Netanyahu took office in 2009.

The last round of peace talks broke down two and a half years ago, with no progress reported during months of negotiations brokered by the United States. The Palestinian leader has demanded that Israel halt settlement construction on occupied lands claimed by the Palestinians and carry out a prisoner release that was promised during the last round of talks.

Netanyahu has rejected the terms and said the meeting should take place without conditions.

In Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that Abbas and Netanyahu had accepted an invitation to meet in the Russian capital, but a date has not been set yet. There also was no word on whether the two had settled on an agenda for the meeting – the key stumbling block in preparations.

“The most important thing is to pick the right timing,” Zakharova told reporters. “Intensive contacts on this are ongoing.” …

“If the Palestinian Authority can say with one voice that they are willing to meet without preconditions, then Prime Minister Netanyahu will meet President Abbas,” said the Israeli leader’s spokesman, David Keyes.

If a meeting takes place, the chances for substantial progress would seem slim. http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/ISRAEL_PALESTINIANS?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2016-09-08-08-15-29

While the AP report says, correctly, that prospects for peace are slim, notice an even more negative view from Al Monitor:

September 7, 2016

According to sources, the summit is being planned to take place around October or a little later. ..

Sources involved in negotiations told Al-Monitor that the entire sequence of events has been meticulously planned by Putin and Netanyahu, but with different objectives. The two men speak on the phone at least once a week and have met three times over the last two months. This is not evidence of any real affinity or closeness, but clearly a game involving the intersection of mutual interests. Putin encourages activities that strengthen Russian influence in the Middle East and annoy the White House, including diplomatic feints. Netanyahu, on the other hand, has his sights set on one main objective: averting a lame-duck American diplomatic initiative.

Al-Monitor’s sources say that neither man toys with the hope that the summit with Abbas will bring about a breakthrough or advance chances for peace. According to several people knowledgeable about what’s going on, Netanyahu has another goal in mind: “All he wants is to safely survive the two months between November and January, when President Obama [as a lame-duck president] will be free of all commitments and able to conduct a dramatic diplomatic move or simply refuse to veto a diplomatic initiative [at the UN Security Council]. This could inflict great strategic damage on Israel,” a senior Israeli diplomatic source told Al-Monitor on the condition of anonymity.

The story line is simple: A dramatic diplomatic summit in Moscow in October or November is supposed to “pacify” Obama by creating a fake show that things are actually moving on the cold front between Netanyahu and Abbas, perhaps even a breakthrough. …

Netanyahu recently transmitted a message to the White House about his concern that Obama might try to initiate a last-minute diplomatic initiative that would inflict, according to the prime minister, great damage on both sides. Everything that Netanyahu has been planning in recent weeks is connected to a false diplomatic feint to help convince Obama that there is no real need for such an initiative. http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/08/benjamin-netanyahu-vladimir-putin-mahmoud-abbas-barack-obama.html#ixzz4JfaKYszr

Notice the following comment about Al Monitor:

Some commentators have alleged Al-Monitor follows the agenda of the Iranian and Syrian governments and Hezbollah. (al Monitor, Wikipedia, accessed 09/08/16)

That being said, it is my view that the peace talk posturing is mainly political for the Russians, Israelis, and Palestinians at this time. This is not the deal of Daniel 9:27–at least not yet (see also The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27).

What about Al Monitor points about two of the players?

Well, they are right in suggesting that US President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu do not particularly get along. And yes, the two months or so after the November 8, 2016 election would be a time for Barack Obama to propose and/or try to implement something for his ‘legacy’ related to the peace process in the Middle East.  We will see.

Before going further, it should be pointed out that some Protestant prophecy watchers believe that the addition of Russia and its military forces to the region will lead to the relatively near term fulfillment of prophecies in Ezekiel 38 and 39 including an invasion and takeover of the tiny nation of Israel. I do not share that view as I do not believe it is biblically accurate. As far as Ezekiel 38 goes, it cannot be fulfilled for over a thousand years from now (see also Ezekiel 38: For Russia & Iran in Our Day?).

But what about peace?

Will there be a peace deal involving Israel?

Yes.

Consider what Daniel 9:26-27 states:

26 And the people of the prince who is to come
Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.
The end of it shall be with a flood,
And till the end of the war desolations are determined.
27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week;
But in the middle of the week
He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering.
And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate,
Even until the consummation, which is determined,
Is poured out on the desolate (Daniel 9:26-27).

The above is referring to a peace deal or covenant that has a time element attached to it.

The ‘one week’ time element has generally been understood by prophecy watchers to mean a seven year deal, that will be broken in the middle of it (after 3 1/2 years). The ‘with many’ would seem to indicate that ‘many’ nations, as opposed to one or two, are agreeing to something.

The deal is confirmed by a leader referred to as a ‘prince’ when he does it. The same leader is later the final King of the North and he will essentially break the deal as Daniel 9:27 and Daniel 11:31 show.

Why is this believed to be a type of ‘peace deal’?

There are several reasons, but notice some other scriptures that discuss this leader who is to be involved in it:

25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. (Daniel 8:25, KJV).

23 And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people. 24 He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers: he shall disperse among them the plunder, spoil, and riches; and he shall devise his plans against the strongholds, but only for a time. (Daniel 11:23-24, NKJV)

So this leader (called the  King of the North in Daniel 11:40) gives people the impression that there will be “peace” and is involved in some type of deal. This is the same leader that confirms the covenant in Daniel 9:27. The term is translated as “peace” in Daniel 8:25 is from the Hebrew term shalvah and essentially means security. In other words, this leader will destroy “many” who are under the impression that they are secure because of some type of security and/or trade arrangement. Such arrangements are now commonly referred to as peace deals or treaties.

Since the prophesied deal has not been confirmed, at least not publicly, the Great Tribulation would seem to be at least 3 1/2 years away (you may also wish to watch a YouTube video titled Can the Great Tribulation Start in 2016?).

Verse 24 also shows that this leader will somehow also be accumulating wealth. Perhaps to back up a European supported currency, he may end up with personal and/or national gold reserves and/or wealth from the Vatican. The Vatican has a vast amount of wealth and is prophesied to be improperly involved with the kings of the earth in the end times per Revelation 17. A pope will probably endorse/encourage the deal (cf. Revelation 13:11-17)–various false prophets will likely see this deal and other forms of international cooperation as signs of real peace, when there is no peace (Ezekiel 13:10-16). This ‘prince’ of Daniel 9:27 is not representing Russia as Russia is NOT the King of the North of biblical prophecy.

Based upon what the Bible teaches about the seven churches of Revelation 2 & 3, it is my position that aspects of this deal will not be clear enough to Catholics, Protestants, nor most who claim to be in the Church of God for them to realize this is the prophesied deal.  Just like they do not consider certain prophetic matters clear enough (e.g. How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God), the vast majority will not truly understand the prophetic implications when the related deal is made.

Furthermore, I do believe that the Vatican will be involved in the peace deal and items that happen prophetically thereafter. The Vatican wants more access to certain sites in Jerusalem (such as Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill) and wants to establish itself as an intermediary between more nations and has taken some steps related to this.

Russia may well be involved in the deal, but I do not believe it is about to get such a deal.

Neither Israel nor the Palestinians wish to give up claims to certain territories at this time for a peace deal. There have been rockets, retaliations, and other fighting between Israel and the Palestinians. Although there have been temporary cease-fires, it has been stated that, “Neither side appeared ready to accept the other’s conditions for a permanent cease-fire” (http://www.voanews.com/content/israel-hamas-resume-fighting-as-cairo-talks-break-down/2419518.html). A multi-year temporary peace deal will come about per Daniel 9:27. Israel, likely because of threats and international pressures (some of which are growing now) will decide it has to accept a deal that it does not want to now expect. It should also be understood that, at some point, Gaza will apparently end up with more territory (see also Gaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy).

Iraq does not want to loose territory to ISIS or the Kurds (see also Iraq, the King of the South, Armageddon, and Prophecy).  Iran wants to pursue its nuclear and Islamic ambitions, while Syria’s Assad wants to stop its civil war and stay in power–yet the time will come when Damascus will be destroyed (watch also Damascus and Syria in Prophecy). It may well be that the deal will not come about until after weapons of mass destruction are used in the Middle East.

BTW, the nuclear deal that Iran has been involved with is NOT the deal of Daniel 9:27 (for more on Iran, see Iran in Prophecy). This is NOT the deal with ‘many’ per se. However, let me add that the fact that the Iranian nuclear deal has a time element to it, in that sense will help set a precedent for a time period like the one for Daniel 9:27. Daniel 9:27 could be, for example, a ten-year deal, that is ‘confirmed’ after three years (or an eight year deal confirmed after one, etc.).

When the deal is made, many people will be misled about this deal and will tend to believe it is good (1 Thessalonians 5:3; cf. Ezekiel 13:10-14).

While few wish to believe it, the West or even Russia will not solve the problems in that region of the world. A peace deal in the Middle East, even if it temporarily reduces terrorism, will not last or bring true peace.

It will take the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of God to truly solve all of the conflicts in the world, including those in Israel, Palestine, Syria, and Iran. And more conflict is coming first.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Ezekiel 38: For Russia & Iran in Our Day? Is Ezekiel 38 about to be fulfilled? A related video is available titled Ezekiel 38: For Russia, Ukraine, & Iran Now? Another could be Russia, Iran, Syria, & the Bible (Code).
The Eurasian Union, the Kings of the East, and Bible Prophecy Is there a Eurasian union that will be formed? Is one being formed right now? Are any leaders working on that in the 21st century? Does the Bible teach that there will be a Eurasian union? If some type of Eurasian union is formed, who might it benefit and who will it destroy? A related video would be Is The Eurasian Union Rising?
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 videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation Start in 2016?
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? 2024 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?
Russia and Ukraine: Their Origins and Prophesied Future Russia in prophecy. Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end? There is also a video sermon available: Russia in the Bible and in Prophecy and a video sermonette available: Ukraine in Prophecy?
Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There is also a YouTube video titled Iran In Prophecy.
Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria.
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
World War III: Steps in Progress Are there surprising actions going on now that are leading to WWIII? Might a nuclear attack be expected? Does the Bible promise protection to all or only some Christians? How can you be part of those that will be protected? A related video would be Is World War III About to Begin? Can You Escape?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? You can also see a YouTube video sermons Why Teach the Kingdom of God? and The Gospel of the Kingdom.
Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There is also a related YouTube video you can watch titled Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About? Can humans bring peace to the Middle East? Here is a link to a related video: Middle East Peace? When?
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.
Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States This is a 200 page book for people truly interested in prophecies related to Hillary Clinton and the United States, including learning about many that have already been fulfilled and those that will be fulfilled in the future. It also discusses Republicans. The physical book can be purchased at Amazon from the following link: Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States, 2nd edition: Is Hillary Clinton Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic Catholic, Hopi, and other America-Related Prophecies? What About Donald Trump? $11.99.
Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Amazon 2nd Kindle edition This electronic version of the 200 page print edition is available for only US$3.99. 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 Hillary Clinton, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Amazon 2nd Kindle edition.
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.