Church of God News

Donald Trump

COGwriter

A reader sent me a link to the following from the EU Observer:

Trump: The day that shook the Western world

For anyone who thought that the Brexit vote in June would mark the year’s biggest political upset, the real earthquake came on 8 November – the day the US elected Donald Trump. …

End of an era? …

“American Psycho”, said Liberation, a left-wing French daily.

The US has had controversial leaders in the recent past, such as the inarticulate George W Bush whose invasion of Iraq in 2003 destabilised the Middle East, discredited America’s image overseas and caused a rift with France and Germany.

But if Trump’s campaign remarks end up becoming policy, then the coming rupture in EU-US relations could make the Iraq war moment look insignificant.

If he tries to do a deal with China and Russia to divide the world into spheres of influence, that could mean the end of the post-World War II transatlantic alliance.

It could also mean the end of the Western-led, rules-based, post-Cold War world order.

EU holds its breath …

With EU chancelleries watching whom he picks for his new team as a sign of his intentions, he has also named divisive figures for top posts.

His national security adviser, Michael Flynn, is a man who recently tweeted that “Fear of Muslims is RATIONAL”, because they wanted to enslave humanity.

His intelligence chief, Mike Pompeo, has said it was acceptable to torture terrorism suspects.

Trump’s new environmental protection head, Myron Ebell, thinks climate change does not exist. …

Even if Trump’s presidency ends up being more tame than many expect, his victory has struck an ideological blow against the EU. 12/27/16 https://euobserver.com/europe-in-review/136064

So, the vote for the UK to leave the European Union is considered less important to Europe that the election of Donald Trump.

I do not think most in the USA realize how upset the European leaders are with Donald Trump.

Last month the German publication Der Spiegel wrote:

America Has Abdicated Its Leadership of the West

14 November 2016

For 100 years, the United States was the leader of the free world. With the election of Donald Trump, America has now abdicated that role. It is time for Europe, and Angela Merkel, to step into the void.

Even history sometimes leans toward pathos. In January 2017, when Donald Trump is sworn in as the 45th president of the United States, the American Age will celebrate its 100th birthday — and its funeral.

The West was constituted in its modern form in January 1917. World War I was raging in Europe at the time and in Washington, D.C., President Woodrow Wilson told his country that it was time for Americans to take responsibility for “peace and justice.” In April he said: “The world must be made safe for democracy.” He declared war on Germany and sent soldiers to Europe to secure victory for the Western democracies — and the United States assumed the leadership of the Western world. It was an early phase of political globalization.

One hundred years later: Trump. …

What will happen to the West, to Europe, to Germany without the United States as its leading power? Germany is a child of the West, particularly of the United States, brought to life with American generosity, long spoon-fed and now in a deep state of shock. The American president was always simultaneously our president, at least a little, and Barack Obama was a worthy president of the West. Now, though, we must come to terms with a lack of Western leadership. …

America was long the benchmark for the West. But if Trump governs as he promised he would during the campaign, the land of the free will abdicate its role as leader of the free world. Then, it will be Europe’s turn. http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/trump-election-means-europe-must-now-lead-west-a-1120929.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook#ref=rss

Notice that Der Spiegel: is stating that if Donald Trump keeps his promises, it will be Europe’s turn to lead the West.

I wrote an article some time ago titled: Who is the King of the West? Well Germany recognizes it was the USA, but now it thinks that this situation has changed with the election of Donald Trump.

Despite Der Spiegel‘s wording, the Bible shows that Europe will rise up to lead much of the world. The Bible refers to this European power as the ‘Beast of the Sea’ (meaning Mediterranean Sea; watch Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?) of Revelation 13:1-10 and the final King of the North in Daniel 11:21-45.

It is not just the Germans. Notice also something from a Belgian leader:

One of European Union’s most ardent advocates has urged his followers to “Make Europe Great Again”, and even seemed to suggest he could start pumping out Trump-style baseball caps to back up his slogan.

Guy Verhofstadt, a leading MEP who promotes near-total European integration, borrowed Donald Trump’s winning line to promote plans for an embryonic EU army, and an international border patrol.

Writing on Facebook, Verhofstadt told fans that the EU should not to “waste time” trying to cosy up to a Trump administration to support doomed projects like the TTIP trade deal:

Instead of whining about Trump’s victory, we should come up with a plan ourselves. We need to expand the European border and coast guard and also develop our own European security capability to keep us safe. If the Trans-Atlantic Partnership is dead, we should look for co-operation and opportunities from within Europe. Let’s not waste our time on a TTIP that the Trump administration will never agree to. Instead, the European Union should focus on completing its own single market.

It is time for unity in Europe. It’s time to make Europe great again! 11/16/16 http://heatst.com/world/diehard-europhile-mep-adopts-make-europe-great-again-slogan-hats/

EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker sent out a tweet over Twitter:

Trump wins … Wake up call for Europe to further unite & take charge of its own destiny (11/09/16)

Although Europe does have its own problems, the Bible says it will rise up anyway, and reorganize:

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)

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)

Europe is moving towards reorganization. And ultimately, a reorganization that a Vatican leader will endorse.

While many in the USA are oblivious to what is going on in Europe, the Bible shows that the coming reorganization will NOT end well for the USA or its Anglo-Saxon descended allies (cf. Daniel 8:25; 11:39; Habakkuk 2:6-8).

Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (Luke 12:32)

COGwriter

Today marks the fourth anniversary (on the Roman calendar) of the official formation of the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) as a separate entity.

Despite comments from various detractors in and out of the various Church of God (COG) groups, the Continuing Church of God has flourished beyond what many said/posted.

Compared to the formation of other groups whose leaders were once part of the old Worldwide Church of God, there have been several things that were unique about our formation. But actually, more similar to the start of the old Radio Church of God.

For example, a dream preceded the start of the old Radio Church of God, whereas two people (myself and someone who I did not know at the time) had dreams that preceded the start of the Continuing Church of God.

Furthermore, unlike other groups we are aware of, no other group also declared that it was fulfilling the second part of the dream that Loma Armstrong had which preceded the start of the Radio Church of God (see Dreams, the Bible, the Radio Church of God, and the Continuing Church of God).

Despite the fact that the Bible shows that God uses dreams (Genesis 20:3-7, 28:10-17, 31:10-13, 31:24, 37:5-10, 40:5-18, 41:1-32; Numbers 12:6; Judges 7:13-15; 1 Kings 3:5-15; Daniel 2:3-45, 4:4-27, 7:1-28; Matthew 1:20-25, 2:12, 2:13, 2:19, 2:22; Acts 16:9), and the members of the old Radio and Worldwide Church of God used to accept that the dream from Loma Armstrong was from God, most today do not wish to believe God still uses dreams.

Non-believers and Laodiceans often will not accept how God works.

(Anyway, all of those dreams preceded the start of the Continuing Church of God, but there was also another since its formation; see Dreams, the Bible, the Radio Church of God, and the Continuing Church of God.)

Unlike the formation of many groups like the United Church of God, Living Church of God, and Church of God, a Worldwide Association, there were not discussions among ministers prior to the official formation for CCOG to start. CCOG started out on faith.

Similar to Herbert W. Armstrong who refused a salary from the Church of God, Seventh-Day prior to the formation of the Radio Church of God, I on two occasions turned down financial offers (one offer was a salary, the other was less clear) from the Living Church of God, sometime prior to the start of CCOG.

Many anti-COG posters on the internet have falsely claimed that the COG is all about financially enriching the leaders of the respective churches. In my case, I will add that I have never taken a salary from the Living Church of God or Continuing Church of God. This does not mean that I never would, but I have not–nor has my wife Joyce.

Interestingly, someone not in CCOG mentioned to me in Illinois this past October that CCOG was one of the only, if not the only, COG group he knew of that formed mainly because of doctrinal/integrity issues, as opposed to personality issues. Details on why CCOG had to form are in the article Why Bob Thiel Left the Living Church of God.

Within hours of the formation, I posted that the Continuing Church of God would reach more people in the first 30 days after it formed than any COG group that was not directly related to the late Garner Ted Armstrong. This goal was accomplished (see January 27, 2013 post CCOG met COG proclamation goal).

How?

Well, similar to what happened with the late Herbert W. Armstrong, I unexpectedly ended up being on radio. I ended up being on two radio programs, one of which the host claimed to have over 2,000,000 listeners. Additionally, over 100,000 different computers were reached over the COGwriter.com website in those thirty days. I believe that this accomplishment helped demonstrate the application of various dreams to the CCOG.

Some may discount that, but Jesus said:

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?  17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.  18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.  19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (Matthew 7:15-20)

As far as other proclamation fruits, both the COGwriter.com and Bible News Prophecy channel have reached people in over 215 nations and territories around the world.

I have also been on the radio over 80 times as a guest, plus the CCOG has an online radio presence: Bible News Prophecy online radio.

Another project to mention is that some of the literature of the CCOG has been translated into 100 languages (watch Behind the Work 2016: All Nations, Tribes, People, and Tongues). Some people may not consider that important, but notice what Jesus taught:

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. (Matthew 24:14)

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

Since the overwhelming majority of people on planet earth do not understand English, getting the message out in multiple languages is a scriptural necessity.

Furthermore, an accomplishment that might be unique to the CCOG, compared to other groups, is that we literally have taught people “to  observe all things that I have commanded you.”

How so?

In the past four years, we have produced sermon videos that cover everything that the New Testament shows that Jesus taught. You can find links to those sermons in the article Jesus: The Son of God and Saviour.

Someone I spoke with in CCOG said he never heard any other COG do that. Well, they should have. But many do not take seriously enough all that Jesus taught–this was prophesied to be the case in latter portion of the church age (Revelation 3:14-18).

Other proclamation fruits include the production of literature.

We have produced booklets as well as the quarterly Bible News Prophecy magazine. We have been blessed to have never missed a timely issue.

Peter Cross, at his 7th Day Churches of God, Church of God News page, reported the following:

Continuing Church of God

Robert Thiel  reports:

“We had 1900 people attend the Feast of Tabernacles’ sites of the Continuing Church of God this year, which is up over 30% from last year. For details and photographs, here is a link to a series of reports titled: 2016 Feast of Tabernacles Report. We also have others that claim affiliation, but were unable to attend because of financial limitations. Currently, we have over 2000 (including children) declaring they are in the Continuing Church of God.”

This is the highest festival attendance of any church group not started by former ministers of the Worldwide Church of God.

Peter Cross’ observation about the high festival attendance is correct. The other 4-5 COG groups whose leaders were once part of the old Worldwide Church of God (WCG), that are larger than the Continuing Church of God, were all started by men who were ministers in WCG.

Actually, since its formation, the Continuing Church of God has been the fastest growing of all COG groups.

We now have over 2,000 people around the world, with most of our congregations in Africa (see Congregations of the Continuing Church of God).

Of the allegedly 400 groups whose leaders were once part of the old Worldwide Church of God, the Continuing Church of God is one of the newest, and seems to about the sixth largest in terms of congregants.

Of course, size, of itself, is not what is important. Love, faithfulness, and truth are.

Earlier doctrine was mentioned.

In this area, the CCOG has restored more than other groups we are aware of.

This includes church history (see Continuing History of the Church of God), doctrine (see What About the Living Church of God? Are there Doctrinal Differences with the Continuing Church of God?), and prophecy (The Laodicean Church Era ).

In addition, we have taken steps to correct doctrinal errors. The old Global and Living Church of God required my sons to complete the old Radio Church of God Bible Correspondence Course as a prerequisite to baptism. Yet, both sons would come to me when they found clear errors (the most common being that the scripture cited as ‘proof’ was not correct–but there were exaggeration and other errors as well).

Since a course to study the Bible is helpful for Christian growth, in the CCOG we decided to use the old lessons of the Bible Correspondence Course as a template–to insure the subjects would be covered–but with updating for scriptural accuracy, timeliness, doctrinal accuracy, and with additional scriptures. This has resulted in a restored course that is improved and appropriate for the 21st century (see Study the Bible Course: Lesson 1 In English).

About a decade ago, evangelist R.C. Meredith and I were talking and he agreed with various points I was raising about the end time work. And back then, I was able to help lead him to essentially state that in the end it would not mainly be the message of the COG vs. the Protestants, but it would be the COG basically vs. the ecumenical religion that will rise up in the end that will likely (for a while) refer to itself as “Catholic.” In 2005, during the Feast of Tabernacles in Clearwater Beach, after a private lunch, we and our wives met at his hotel room and I also discussed various aspects of the final phase of the work with him–and I had other meetings, discussions, and emails related to that with the other Charlotte evangelists through December 14, 2012. Yet, even though he and others in his church agreed to take many steps related to the final phase of the work, few, if any, of the promised steps were taken by his group–this is a major part of why the Continuing Church of God needed to form.

Interestingly, in December 2015, Dr. Meredith lamented the slow growth in his church. He said that 30% should be attained, but he hoped for at last 15% growth per year–something his church does not attain. Consider that the Continuing Church of God has been the fastest growing COG since its formation in late 2012. It has exceeded the 30% growth in both membership and income in each of the years since it formed that the late Herbert W. Armstrong often pointed to as a proof of a blessing from God (he also seemed to blame following a suggestion from Dr. Meredith as to why the old WCG no longer had the 30% annual growth–see The Bible, Peter, Paul, John, Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, Roderick C. Meredith, and Bob Thiel on Church Government). While our growth rate will fluctuate, the Continuing Church of God is the only one of the ten largest COGs whose leaders had origins in the old Worldwide Church of God to do so.

A bolder, yet truthful, willingness to “name names” and call out what is happening will need to happen more than the official COG groups formed between 1986 and 2011 have done–and this would seem to have to be led by the Continuing Church of God. (I have emails from one or more LCG evangelists where they objected to doing parts of this themselves, as well as notes from a meeting where they told me, and one was Dr. Meredith, that they were afraid that I could become too bold and that they did not want to take bold proclamation steps that could trigger the persecution that they teach is biblically prophesied.)

And while some COG groups overly “keep silent,” hence pull-punches in proclamation, the reality is that there is not truly full freedom of truthful speech in countries like the USA without consequences.

The Bible says that the work will be done and it will trigger persecution. Until the work is done the most faithful will:

1 Cry aloud, spare not;
Lift up your voice like a trumpet;
Tell My people their transgression,
And the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1)

Of course, no matter what some Laodiceans insist upon, the end has not yet come–the final phase of the work is not over.

It’s been an amazing four years.

Through God’s Spirit we have been able to have fruits (like dreams and radio) that no other actual COG group actually has had. We have also had tremendous growth in membership, while we have reached people around the world.

Although we have a lot more to do, we in the CCOG are leading The Final Phase of the Work.

A new sermon, with more details, is available: CCOG: Four Years Revealing Philadelphia?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

CCOG’s Four Years and God Revealing Philadelphia? Has God been revealing Philadelphia since CCOG formed? What has been happening? Can you see the hand of God in this? A related sermon is titled CCOG: Four Years Revealing Philadelphia?
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.
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?
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.
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. Here are links to three related sermons: The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Congregations of the Continuing Church of God This is a listing of congregations and groups of the Continuing Church of God around the world.
501(c)(3)? Why the Continuing Church of God chose a better option Churches in the USA do NOT have to register as 501(c)(3). Why would they? Why is what CCOG did better? A sermon of related interest is titled: CCOG, a corporation sole, not a 501(c)(3).
Why is the Continuing Church of God a corporation sole? What is a ‘corporation sole’ and why is this a better organizational choice?
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?
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?
Just What Do You Mean the Kingdom of God? A booklet that was written by Herbert Armstrong answers questions about the Kingdom.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
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 the beliefs held of the Continuing Church of God.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. These are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG.
The Falling Away: The Bible and WCG Teachings Who is 2 Thessalonians 2:3 referring to? Are there multiple falling aways? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: La Apostasía: Enseñanzas de la Biblia y de la WCG. There are also two YouTube videos on the subject that you can watch The Falling Away Part 1: From the Bible and Church History and The Falling Away Part 2: Positions Presented by Others.
Why Bob Thiel Left the Living Church of God Several have speculated reasons, but here is the truth. (En el idioma español: ¿Por qué Bob Thiel dejó la Iglesia del Dios Viviente?)
Journal Report on Continuing Church of God Leader Bob Thiel Bob Thiel was interviewed by The Journal News of the Churches of God related to him being a prophet, the proclamation goals of the Continuing Church of God, and why he left LCG.
What About the Living Church of God? Are there Doctrinal Differences with the Continuing Church of God? This article explains some information and doctrines of the Living Church of God as led by Roderick C. Meredith and some concerns about them. (En el idioma español: ¿Qué hay acerca de la Iglesia de Dios Viviente? ¿Hay diferencias doctrinales con la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios?)
Church History Book This is a URL with some information on Church History.
Bible News Prophecy channel. Dr. Thiel has produced several YouTube videos for the BibleNewsProphecy channel.
Bible News Prophecy magazine This is the official magazine of the Continuing Church of God and it has articles on a wide variety of subjects of Christian interest. It is produced in multiple languages including English, Spanish, Tagalog, Kiswahili, and Mandarin Chinese. The language of Telugu is in-process.
ContinuingCOG channel. Dr. Thiel has produced YouTube video sermons for this channel. Note: Since these are sermon-length, they can take a little longer to load than other YouTube videos.
Continuing Church of God (CCOG) first year anniversary: What has been accomplished? Here is a written link to a version of that sermon in the Spanish language: Aniversario del primer año de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios: ¿Qué se ha cumplido?
CCOG.ASIA We in the Continuing Church of God also have the url www.ccog.asia which has a focus on Asia and has various articles in Mandarin Chinese as well as some in English, plus some items in other Asian languages. 我们在继续神的教会也提供此网址 www.ccog.asia, 关注于亚洲并且有各种各样的中英文文章，其中一些用菲律宾语翻译的文章也正在进行中，准备添加到这个网站中。
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.
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.
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.
Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God.

COGwriter

Back in the old Radio Church of God (which became the old Worldwide Church of God) was an article by David Jon Hill that had the following:

Will YOU be Deceived by ANTICHRIST?

Events are plunging toward the eventful climax of Christ’s return. Will you recognize the REAL CHRIST when he returns?
by David Jon Hill…

Catholic Interest in ProphecyGod declares that the endtime pope will be a false prophet, yet the pope has never declared himself to be a prophet. When will he deceive the world into thinking that he foresees future events? What events will he foretell? How will these prophecies affect you? How can you keep from being deceived?

A recently published book reveals a startling Catholic interest in endtime prophecy. This book, together with tradition and the writings of some of the “early church Fathers,” brings to light an eye-opening preview of the false prophecies that are about to be preached!

Satan knows God’s general Plan. He has been at work in the minds of evil and deluded men throughout the ages to lay the groundwork of the GREAT DELUSION ! Though the vials of the wrath of God are poured out on sinful men, their impenitence remains–“AND THEY REPENTED NOT” (Rev. 16:9)…

Giant Rehabilitation Program

The “mop-up operation” that will follow the return of Christ, in which you may be employed, will be the greatest in all history!

It is difficult to realize the total chaos that will exist! The truth of your Bible revealed in the pages of Revelation is not just “apocalyptic writing”- but these revelations are from the Almighty God who foresaw this cnd of civilization and realized as He told us Himself in Matthew 24:22 that, “Except those days should be shortened, there should NO FLESH BE SAVED ALIVE!”

So let your mind dwell for a moment on the REALITY of this. Let the truth sink in! This will be a time such as the earth has NEVER FACED BEFORE.

No ships are plying the sea, no forests cover the mountainsides, no grass clothes the plains, whole islands have disappeared into the sea, mountain chains have been wrenched out of shape, peaks have become valleys and valleys have become plateaus. Even the earth itself is not circling the sun in its proper orbit, but reeling like a drunken man through the solar system!

In a situation such as this only those who have God’s Truth could be expected to be sane! “The public service of God shall be extinguished . . . at that time silver and gold shall be cast out in the streets, and none shall gather them; but all things shall be an offence” (Ibid. Hippolytus, section XXXIV).

The “public service,” the Catholic Mass, will not be allowed! Silver and gold won’t be worth anything to man, because you cannot buy God–only repentance will be worth anything in that day! “And they shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats!” (Isa. 2:19-20.)

The supreme government on earth is the Government of God. Christ Himself, with all of the saints born into His Kingdom with Him, and the multitudes of Israel coming out of captivity are abiding in peace at Jerusalem. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the NORTH COUNTRY, and from ALL COUNTRIES whither I had driven them: and they shall DWELL IN THEIR OWN LAND” (Jer. 23:5-8).

The first twenty-six verses of Jeremiah 31 repeat again the establishment of peace and God’s rule at Jerusalem over Israel and over His born-again Sons. Read it yourself!

During this same time, “He shall judge among many people, and rebuke STRONG NATIONS AFAR OFF; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more” (Mic. 4:3).

Millennia1 Pioneers

Then, after a period of time-including the three and one-half years of the ministry of Jesus Christ which He has yet to finish as a personal ministry to Israel–those of us who are the born Sons of God and the physical seed of Israel will go forth from Jerusalem to establish government, peace and prosperity. The laws of God will be taught to all the peoples of the earth, beginning at Jerusalem. “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast” (Jer. 31 :27).

When you come to them and say, “This is THE WAY, WALK YE IN IT!” (Isa. 30:21), when you begin to explain to them that the Christianity they have known is FALSE, that the Sabbath is the seventh day of the week-even when you are able to read the thoughts of their minds-it is STILL GOING TO SENSES! They will have been deceived ahead of time by a clever satanic-inspired prophecy. They will believe that you are teaching exactly these things which they have been told are false! Yes, believe it or not, Satan knows the Scripture-he TREMBLES AT GOD’S WORD BECAUSE HE KNOWS IT WILL COME TO PASS! And he will have tried his best, by his method of CONFUSING THE FACTS, to so deceive this last generation as to frustrate the Plan nf God in setting tip His government in the Millennium. Even though Satan himself is restrained at this time from further deceiving the nations, HE HAS BE DIFFICULT TO BRING THEM TO THEIR ALREADY DECEIVED THIS LAST GENERATION!

Listen to this satanic delusion: “Antichrist will be an iconoclast [against idols). Most of the world will adore him. He will teach that the Christian religion is false, confiscation of Christian property is legal, Saturday is to be observed instead of Sunday, and he will change the Ten Commandments [that is, restore them in their ORIGINAL FORM, including the declaration against idols). All his wonders could not be written in a book. They will be more wonderful than the Old and New Testaments! . . . he will read people’s minds, raise the dead, REWARD HIS FOLLOWERS AND PUNISH THE REST”! (Prophecy For Today; from Dionysius of Luxemberg, d. 1682.) AND, “. . . He will begin by affecting RESPECT FOR THE LAW OF MOSES’(’Ibid.; from Frederick William Faber, d. 1863).

The Pope’s Prophecy

Here we see in full the prophecies this endtime false prophet will preach. He will attribute Jesus Christ’s intervention in world affairs to the person and the workings of Antichrist!

Christ is the One who is AGAINST IDOLS! Christ is the One who will show how perverted this world’s “Christianity” has become-that it is a FALSE RELIGION! Christ is the Lord of the Old Testament whose day of worship is the seventh day, INSTEAD OF SUNDAY! CHRIST is the One who gave the Ten Commandments in their ORIGINAL FORM, and will restore them. CHRIST IS THE ONE WHO WILL RAISE THE DEAD AND REWARD HIS FOLLOWERS. . . HE IS GOD, AND THERE IS NONE LIKE HIM!

So we see here the diabolical plot hatched by this professed “Christian” leader. Here is the age-old attempt of Satan the Devil to arrogate to himself and to his deceived minions the OFFICE OF GOD; while he attributes the intervention of the True Christ in his returning glory to the PERSON AND ACTION OF ANTICHRIST!

This charges the office and work of the Holy Spirit as having its origin as a WORK OF THE DEVIL, AND CONSTITUTES UNPARDONABLE SIN!

These diabolical thoughts, ensconced in the fear-ridden minds of completely deceived human beings, WILL BE DIFFICULT TO DISLODGE! You will need all the power God bestows on you as His born son to do the job He will give you to do.

Peace At Last!

Egypt is an example of all the nations who refuse to come up to keep the Feast of Tabernacles, to recognize God as the Ruler of the earth. Then we see the last rebellion put down as those from the far corners of the earth up in Siberia, and in the provinces of China-the farthest spot on earth from Jerusalem-will swoop down upon in a vain effort to take away the great riches that God has bestowed on His peace-loving people. A thousand years of peace and prosperity, health and happiness stretch beyond that time that cannot be imagined in your mind.

And think of it, brethren, YOU have been called to help God bring His peace to this earth! You are offered a sonship in the Kingdom of God to teach other people how to become God ! By overcoming yourself daily. By getting close to God in prayer and Bible study. By learning how to live yourself. By setting a Christian example in overmming the petty sins that weight you down.

As one last illustration of the reality of this fact please turn to Isaiah 19, and begin reading in Verse 16, “In that day shall Egypt be like unto women: and it shall be afraid and fear because of the shaking of the hand of the Lord of hosts, which he shaketh over it. . . In that day shall there be a highway out of Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian shall come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians shall serve with the Assyrians. In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying, BLESSED BE EGYPT MY PEOPLE, AND ASSYRIA THE WORK OF MY HANDS, AND ISRAEL MINE INHERITANCE!” (Isa. 19:23-25.)

This is real, brethren, and you need to realize it!

THE REWARD OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS NOT ETERNAL RETIREMENT, BUT A REAL, DOWN-TO-EARTH, 24 – HOUR – A – DAY JOB. . . . EMPLOYMENT FOR ETERNITY, JOYFUL WORK!

David Jon Hill in that article, as well as one three years prior, made it clear that part of Satan’s plan is laid out in non-biblical prophecies and that God’s people will need to know how to deal with those that will be misled about them. This is part of why various prophetic sources are referred to at COGwriter. Christians are not to be ignorant of Satan’s devices (2 Corinthians 2:11) and “doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1) that will affect many in the end times.

From Elijah denouncing the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:19-40) to Jeremiah denouncing the prophecies of the falsely claimed “Queen of Heaven” (Jeremiah 44:17-25) to realizing how the 21st century will be affected by false prophets, God’s spokesmen have had to deal with those who wanted to believe false prophecies more than the God of the Bible. Perhaps if more realize this now, some additional ones will have the “love of the truth” (2 Thessalonians 2:10) and be spared from falling for the deception that will come from false prophets and those who believe false prophecies.

I would add that while certain Catholic prophecies suggest that the Antichrist will be a pope (or, perhaps more properly, antipope as he will not truly believe the Roman Catholic faith), that other Catholic propheicies misidentify that Antichrist as Jesus and several of those are in the article by David Jon Hill.

COGwriter

Germany continues to move forward on in its FAIR project. It is expected to involve 3000 scientists.  It is situated in Darmstadt in Germany and is expected to provide beams to the experiments from 2018 onwards.

Here is some information from FAIR’s website:

FAIR – An International Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research

FAIR is a new, unique international accelerator facility for the research with antiprotons and ions. It is ready to be built within the coming years near Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany. The major part of the budget will be provided by the Federal Republic of Germany, together with the State of Hesse. Other fractions will be funded by international partners from Europe and overseas.

The new facility, where various physics programs can be operated in parallel, will offer outstanding research opportunities and discovery potential for about 3000 scientists from about 50 countries. In the course of the coming decades the experiments will reveal consolidated findings about so far unknown states of matter …http://www.fair-center.eu/

On Monday, August 11, 2014, the second PhD Science Day took place at GSI. The event aims to improve communication between the PhD students working in different research departments at GSI and to address career perspectives. In total approximately 100 PhD students joined. Also the 42 GSI summer students participated in the event.

In his opening speech organizer and PhD student representative Pradeep Ghosh explained the spirit of the PhD science day, afterwards GSI research director Professor Karlheinz Langanke talked about the research conducted at GSI. The scientific coordinator Dr. Gerhard Burau of the Helmholtz Graduate School HGS-HIRe, the organization hosting all GSI and FAIR PhD students, gave a few words of motivation. And Dr. Inti Lehmann, deputy research director of FAIR, spoke about the FAIR plans and the future perspectives. …

The international research facility FAIR will be constructed to explore the nature of matter…The FAIR international particle accelerator is set to be one of the largest research facilities in the world. Based in the German city of Darmstadt (in the state of Hesse), the complex will cover an area of 20 hectares and require 600,000 cubic metres of concrete as well as 35,000 tons of steel. Construction teams will be building a tunnel to house the heart of the complex, a ring accelerator with a circumference of 1.1 kilometres. The 24 buildings and tunnel sections provide 62,000 square metres of usable space and sufficient room for a total of 3.5 kilometres of beam control tubes as well as huge detectors and a complex technical infrastructure.

Nearing light speed

FAIR will be built to the east of the GSI facility. The existing accelerators at GSI will be used as pre-accelerators. The architecture of the new facility aligns with the beam path and the experiments, all of which are designed to very compact specifications. Radiation protection and cost optimisation were also key planning criteria. The large accelerator ring will be installed in a tunnel at a depth of up to 17 metres below ground. This tunnel will be built through open pits. The remaining buildings will be situated to the south of the accelerator tunnel. As this project entails clearing around 20 hectares of woodland, it is being accompanied by extensive environmental measures to compensate for loss of habitat in line with legal regulations. Some of these measures were already implemented before clearance started.

The construction project is split into several modules. The first module concentrates on constructing the large accelerator ring (SIS 100) along with two smaller accelerator and storage rings, as well as a linear accelerator for protons (p-Linac). Another large accelerator ring, SIS 300, will be installed in the tunnel at a later stage. Space has also been allocated on the site for three further experimental and storage rings, also to be installed at a later date.

So, upcoming scientists are coming to F.A.I.R.

Here is some of what a brochure produced related to the project said it would try to do for ‘basic science’:

Experiments studying exotic particles will explore fundamental processes…

• Antiproton beams will create exotic particles to enable the study of the strong force. They will probe how the strong force accounts for the mass of everyday nuclear particles – protons and neutrons (nucleons).

• Beams of heavy ions such as uranium will be used to generate rare atomic nuclei that live for only fractions of a second, but which played a key role in the formation of elements in stars.

• FAIR will explore, in a unique way, the properties of fundamental particles and how they combine into more complex forms of matter under a wide range of astrophysical conditions. The experiments will be truly complementary to those carried out at other international high-energy facilities. http://www.fair-center.eu/fileadmin/fair/publications_FAIR/FAIR_Brochure_EN_2010.pdf

To me, working with enriched uranium in a country that says it plans to eliminate nuclear power suggests military applications. Of course, that is not all that FAIR will do.

FAIR stands for the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research. I believe that it, along with the LHC, will help the Europeans produce military weaponry to fulfill certain end time prophecies (e.g. Revelation 13:4). They (FAIR and the LHC) are also likely to spin-off economic benefits that may help propel Europe to be (for a short while) the economic leader of the world (cf. Revelation 18). No other nation or group of nations will have the type of access to what will develop from the Large Hadron Collider or FAIR than the Europeans. The Bible is clear that the final “Beast power” (which will be primarily European) will have such unique military capabilities that the entire world will marvel (cf. Revelation 13:3-4). It appears that these capabilities are starting to be developed now.

Since the Beast of Revelation 13 will be European (Europa, the Beast, and Revelation and the YouTube video Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?), I have long felt that the Europeans would be able to fulfill their prophesied role via technology. Notice something that the Bible says about this:

3…And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” (Revelation 13:3-4, NKJV)

Notice that the military power of the Beast was something that the world will marvel, be astonished about. Why? Because no one really thought that the European Beast power had the military ability to defeat the U.S.A. with its Anglo-allies (Daniel 11:39), and then the Islamic King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43).

Technology would seem to be the key to a powerful European military. One aspect could include particle collider research. The number of colliders in the U.S.A. has dwindled down to one under the Obama and Bush Administrations, and the remaining one (Brookhaven) is facing budget cuts and possible closure (e.g. Federal cuts imperil Brookhaven’s Heavy Ion Collider). Yet, in Europe, it now has the leading one in the world, CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and Germany is now working on producing another one called FAIR. Some believe it will be at least partially operational by 2018. Europe is pushing towards this technology while the USA is somewhat reducing research in this arena.

As I wrote in my book, Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States-Second Edition for Second Obama Term, I believe that Germany’s FAIR, along with the LHC and other technology and research programs, will help the Europeans produce military weaponry to fulfill certain end time prophecies. Since Revelation 13:4 is discussing what seems to be a unique type of warfare, this warfare likely includes certain high-tech weapons (electromagnetic pulse, neutron, unique delivery systems, etc.) that will be effective for a while (ultimately the Europeans will be overcome by what appears to be a Russian-led, mainly Asian, confederation, cf. Jeremiah 50:41-43 & Daniel 11:44, possibly by exploiting some technological flaw, like creating a software virus, etc., while also amassing troops, etc.). The FAIR and the LHC projects are also likely to spin-off economic benefits that may help propel Europe to be (for a short while) the economic leader of the world (cf. Revelation 18).

While the U.S.A., Australia, and others are currently worried mostly about China, the European developments will not be good for the Anglo-descended lands, including England.

Europe is moving forward with its research, space, and military plans and few in the USA seem to realize that when it gets enough power, the USA will lose all of its.

The understanding of the Continuing Church of God that the Europeans will be able to attack and takeover the United States and its Anglo-descended allies (cf. Isaiah 10:5-11; Daniel 11:39; see also USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses) is correct and will come to pass. And as I have speculated for years, the Large Hadron Collider and other research projects may be a factor in making that happen.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
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.
The Large Hadron Collider has Military Potential Some say this European project is only peaceful. So why is it working on capturing antimatter? Here is a link to a related video: Could the Large Hadron Collider lead to destruction?
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.
Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History Are the Germanic peoples descended from Asshur of the Bible? Have there been real Christians in Germanic history? What about the “Holy Roman Empire”? There is also a You-Tube video sermon on this titled Germany’s Biblical Origins.
Germany in Biblical and Catholic Prophecy Does Assyria in the Bible equate to an end time power inhabiting the area of the old Roman Empire? What does prophecy say Germany will do and what does it say will happen to most of the German people?
Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? The Book of Revelation tells of a beast power that will rise up. Some think that this must be Russia or could be Islamic, while others say that this power is European. The Book of Daniel tells of the rise of an end time King of the North that some think must be referring to a Russian leader, while others say that this power is European. How can you be sure? This YouTube video has all the scriptural proofs that you should need to prove that this power must be a European one.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
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: Are Chinese threats against Australia for real?
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?
Will the UK Lose Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands? Spain wants Gibraltar and Argentina wants the Falklands (also known as the Malvinas). Does the Bible give clues as to what will happen with these ‘sea gates’? A related video would be Will the UK Lose Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands? A ver¿Perderá el Reino Unido a Gibraltar y las Islas Falkland (Malvinas)?
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.
USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses Can you point to scriptures, like Daniel 11:39, that point to the USA in the 21st century? This article does. A related sermon is titled: Do these 7 prophesies point to the end of the USA?
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?
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?
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: 13 Ways President-Elect Trump is Apocalyptic.

John Calvin, 16th Century Portrait

COGwriter

John Calvin died on May 27, 1564. He was an influential French pastor during the Reformation and his views still affect Protestants until this day. His followers are known for something called the TULIP theory of salvation. It is a theory with many flaws.

In an edition of its Bible Advocate magazine, CG7-Denver’s former president, Calvin Burrell had the following about it:

Q What does the Bible teach about God’s sovereignty (predestination) and human freewill? Can you shed any light on the TULIP theory?

A The Bible teaches both the sovereignty of God and the freewill of persons, even if harmonizing the two is beyond our grasp. (Burrell C. Questions and Answers. Bible Advocate. May-June 2010, p. 7)

Calvin Burrell includes the following in his answer:

The fifteenth century Protestant theologian John Calvin stressed the divine side of this mysterious equation. The acrostic TULIP was later applied to his teachings:

T – Total depravity: All men fell in Adam, leaving them dead in sins and incapable of responding positively to God.

U – Unconditional election: From eternity past, God chose certain men to be saved by His grace, without regard to any merit foreseen in them.

L – Limited atonement: God sent His Son to make full and effective payment only for the sins of the elect, those He had predestined for salvation.

I – Irresistible grace: Those God elected to salvation and for whom Christ died He effectively calls by regeneration from spiritual death, thus rendering them capable of expressing saving faith.

P – Perseverance of saints: Those God elected in Christ, called in regeneration, and justified by faith He continually quickens so they will never fall from His grace but only enter eternal glory.

This emphasis on God’s sovereignty, predestination, and election of some to salvation (thus, others are predestined to damnation) is commonly called Calvinism. It is heard most often in churches of the Reformed persuasion, along with some Presbyterian and Baptist groups. Calvinists do not deny that man has a modicum of free will; they see it as some of the means by which God carries out His eternal decrees.

Those of us who resist one or more of the TULIP points above do not deny the control of God over human history. But we believe that, in matters of trusting Jesus and persevering in faith, God enables the free will of man and yields to it.

Like other disputes, several Bible texts may be listed in support of either side of this classic discussion. Each position champions truths that should help to shape and inform the other. As one wise man remarked when asked how he would resolve the debate between God’s sovereignty and human freedom, “I never try to reconcile friends.” Elder Calvin Burrell

The reality is that although CG7 once taught what has been called “the age to come” doctrine (and we in the Continuing Church of God still do), it no longer does. Because it no longer does, CG7 is confused about Calvinism, predestination, and many aspects of God’s plan of salvation. (Calvin Burrell also confused centuries as John Calvin is from the 16th, not 15th, century–but minor typos happen.) Humans certainly can resist the will of God regarding their own salvation (see also John Calvin, Calvinism, TULIP, and What is Predestination?), and all need to realize this.

Now, I have spoken to Calvin Burrell about this a couple of times.  And I would suggest that all in CG7 consider reading the article

The day of Pentecost, for one example, does not only picture the granting of the Holy Spirit and the start of the New Testament church, it also shows that there are some predestined in this age to be firstfruits (cf. Romans 8:23). And the idea of firstfruits, includes the idea of a later, and larger harvest. A time when salvation will be offered to all who never really had that opportunity in the “age to come” (Matthew 12:32; Mark 10:30; Luke 10:11-12).

Jesus warned the Sardis Church to be careful not to lose doctrine (Revelation 3:1-2), but sadly this is another one that seems to have been lost by most among them. And the idea of firstfruits in this age with others being called in “the age to come” is part of the message of Pentecost, that groups like the Continuing Church of God still understand to this day.

For more information about CG7 and other subjects in this post, please prayerfully study the following:

John Calvin, Calvinism, TULIP, and What is Predestination? Who was John Calvin? Did he believe in sola Scriptura or did he hold to unbiblical doctines? TULIP analyzed.
Predestination: Did God really call You? Why? Predestination? Is your ultimate fate decided for you in advance? Here is a link to a related video sermon: Predestination: What it is and what it is not. Another related video is Predestination and Pentecost.
Universal Offer of Salvation: There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis Do you believe what the Bible actually teaches on this? Will all good things be restored? Will God call everyone? Will everyone have an opportunity for salvation? Does God’s plan of salvation take rebellion and spiritual blindness into account? Related sermon videos include Universal Offer of Salvation I: God is love  and Universal Offer of Salvation II: The Age to Come and the ‘Little Flock’ and Universal Offer of Salvation III: All Are to Know Jesus, But When? and Universal Offer of Salvation IV: Will the Guilty be Pardoned? and Universal Offer of Salvation V: All Israel Will be Saved? A version of the main article was also translated in the Spanish language: Oferta universal de salvación: Hay cientos de versículos en la Biblia que apoyan la verdadera doctrina de la Apocatastasis.
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]
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?
God’s Grace is For All Is being Jewish a hindrance to salvation? What about not being a descendant of Israel? What does the Bible really teach? Here is a link to a related sermon titled Race and Grace; Do you view race as God does?
Pentecost: Is it more than Acts 2? Many “Christians” somewhat observe Pentecost. Do they know what it means? It is also called the Feast of Harvest, the Feast of Weeks, and the day of firstfruits. What about “speaking in tongues”?
Church of God, Seventh Day: History and Teachings Nearly all COG’s I am aware of trace their history through this group. Whaid Rose is the president of the largest CG7 group (Denver). Do you know much about them?
The Churches of Revelation 2 & 3 from 31 A.D. to present: information on all of the seven churches of Revelation 2 & 3. CG7 is one of them.
The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, and COG-7th Day.
The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.

COGwriter

For years, Germany made it clear that it wanted more of its gold back. Now, this is happening:

Bundesbank Repatriates Gold From New York, Paris “Faster Than Planned”

December 26, 2016

In January of 2016, the Bundesbank announced that three years after commencing the transfer of some of its offshore-held gold from vaults located at the Banque de France in Paris and the NY Fed in New York, it had repatriated a total of 366.3 tonnes, bringing the German central bank’s gold reserves held in Frankfurt to 1,402 tonnes, or 41.5% of Germany’s total gold of 3,381 tonnes, for the first time greater than the 1.347 thousand tonnes located at the New York Fed, which as of January 27, 2016 held 39.9% of Germany’s official gold.

“With approximately 1,403 tonnes of gold, Frankfurt has been our largest storage location, ahead of New York, since the end of last year,” said Carl-Ludwig Thiele, Member of the Executive Board of the Deutsche Bundesbank. “The transfers are proceeding smoothly. We have succeeded in once again significantly increasing the transport volume compared with 2014. This means that operations are running very much according to schedule,” added Thiele last January. …

last Friday, Germany’s Bild reported that in 2016 the Bundesbank has repatriated “more of its gold than planned”, as it moves toward relocating half of the world’s second-largest reserve at home.

“We brought back significantly more gold to Germany in 2016 again than initially planned. By now, almost half of the gold reserves are in Germany,” Bube president Jens Weidmann told the German publication. http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-12-26/bundesbank-repatriates-gold-new-york-paris-faster-planned

In 2013, Germany essentially claimed that it wanted the gold back in case it had to deal with some type of financial crisis (see Germany wants its gold back). Perhaps a crisis involving the Euro, perhaps a crisis involving the USA dollar.

It has long been my view that the King of the North will conclude that it should have a type of gold-backed/implied currency. This will restore confidence in the final European currency once the US dollar is of no value.

Biblical (Daniel 11:40-44) and non-biblical prophecies point out that the final leader that the Bible calls the King of the North, who will likely have Germanic/Assyrian heritage (cf. Daniel 11:30 with Numbers 24:24), will value gold. The fact that many in Germany are getting more interest in their national stock piles of gold is consistent with proper understanding of end time biblical prophecy.

The time will come when the USA will wish it had more gold as its practice of electronically printing and borrowing its own money will create a massive problem for it (Habakkuk 2:6-8).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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?
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.
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?

COGwriter

The Continuing Church of God continues to get additional materials translated into the Spanish language.

Here are links to the latest items we received:

‘Nosotros sabemos, con absoluta certeza, que el euro se auto-destruirá y la Eurozona se desintegrará’
http://www.cdlidd.es/nosotros-sabemos-con-absoluta-certeza-que-el-euro-se-auto-destruira-y-la-eurozona-se-desintegrara/

Hanukkah dicho ser una clave profética
http://www.cdlidd.es/hanukkah-dicho-ser-una-clave-profetica/

Krampus: Paganismo y embriaguez
http://www.cdlidd.es/krampus-paganismo-y-embriaguez/

Stellarator de Alemania funcional, Donald Trump, y ‘lo impensable’
http://www.cdlidd.es/stellarator-de-alelmania-funcional-donald-trump-y-lo-imposible/

ZH: ‘Aquí está lo que sucede cuando una moneda se destroza por completo’
http://www.cdlidd.es/zh-aqui-esta-lo-que-sucede-cuando-una-moneda-se-destroza-por-completo/

‘A solo a un paso de una guerra de comercio global’
http://www.cdlidd.es/a-solo-un-paso-de-una-guerra-de-comercio-global/

Pedro, Pablo, y 7 ‘mitos’
http://www.cdlidd.es/pedro-pablo-y-7-mitos/

BBC: ‘¿Podría romperse la Unión Europea?’
http://www.cdlidd.es/bbc-podria-romperse-la-union-europea/

Boris, Donald, OTAN, y comercio futuro
http://www.cdlidd.es/boris-donald-otan-y-comercio-futuro/

Comisión europea revela algunos de sus planes militares
http://www.cdlidd.es/comision-europea-revela-algunos-de-sus-planes-militares/

Libro dice que Jesús tuvo hijos
http://www.cdlidd.es/libro-dice-que-jesus-tuvo-hijos-2/

Donald trina y Boris habla de impuestos
http://www.cdlidd.es/donald-trina-y-boris-habla-de-impuestos/

La Reserva Federal de los EE.UU. se reúne y sube las tasas de interés
http://www.cdlidd.es/la-reserva-federal-de-los-ee-uu-se-reune-y-sube-las-tasas-de-interes/

Esta es la purga que todos saben que estaba próxima: “Callar el contenido extremista
http://www.cdlidd.es/esta-es-la-purga-que-todos-saben-que-estaba-proxima-callar-el-contenido-extremista/

German anger and Geert Wilders’ statements about Berlin’s Islamic terrorism
Ira alemana y declaraciones de Geert Wilders acerca de terrorismo islámico en Berlín
http://www.cdlidd.es/ira-alemana-y-declaraciones-de-geert-wilders-acerca-de-terrorismo-islamico-en-berlin/

Galileo goes live – will Donald Trump figure this danger out?
Galileo comienza a vivir – ¿Se imaginará este peligro Donald Trump?
http://www.cdlidd.es/galileo-comienza-a-vivir-se-imaginara-este-peligro-donald-trump/

Is there a “Reign Of Terror” Inside the Vatican?
¿Hay un “Reino del Terror” al interior del Vaticano?
http://www.cdlidd.es/hay-un-reino-del-terror-al-interior-del-vaticano/

What is the truth about ‘St. Nicholas’?
¿Cuál es la verdad acerca de ‘San Nicolás’?
http://www.cdlidd.es/cual-es-la-verdad-acerca-de-san-nicolas/

Twelve ‘grey swans’ to watch for in 2017?
¿Doce ‘cisnes grises’ para observar en 2017?
http://www.cdlidd.es/doce-cisnes-grises-para-observar-en-2017/

The Continuing Church of God has a separate Spanish language website http://www.cdlidd.es. The term Continuing Church of God translates into La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios in the Spanish language, also called Castellano or Español.

Here is also a link to our latest magazine in the Spanish language: Noticias de Profecía de la Biblia – octubre-diciembre 2016.

The Continuing Church of God is reaching people around the world in multiple languages via the internet, printed literature, and human church leaders around the world. We also reach people over the radio and through videos in the English language.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Mexico, Central America, South America, Brazil, and the Caribbean in Prophecy [Español: México, América central, Suramérica, Brasil y el Caribe en la profecía] [Português: México, América Central, Ámérica do Sul, e Brasil na profecia] What will happen to those of Latin America? Will they have prosperity? Will they cooperate with Europe? Will they suffer in the future? What role might the various Caribbean nations/territories play?

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.

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?

Statement of Beliefs of the Continuing Church of God “Contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3, NKJV), “Let brotherly love (Philadelphia) continue” (Hebrews 13:1) “…continuing stedfastly in the teaching of the apostles” (Acts 2:42 YLT). So, what does that really mean in terms of specific beliefs? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: Declaración de las Doctrinas de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. Here is a related link in Tagalog: Paglalahad ng Mga Paniniwala ng Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. Here is a related link in Mandarin Chinese 继续神的教会的信仰声明. Here is a related link in Kiswahili: KATIKA LUGHA YA KISWAHILI. Here is a related link in Dutch: Verklaring van geloofspunten van de Continuing Church of God. Here is a related link in Deutsche (German): Glaubenserklärung der Continuing Church of God. Here is a related link in Italiano: Dichiarazione del Credo della Continuing Church of God. Here is related link in the French language: Déclaration des croyances de L’Église Continue de Dieu.

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? Here is a link to a pdf. booklet titled Faith for Those God has Called and Chosen. Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Fe para aquellos que Dios ha llamado y escogido.Here is a link to a related sermon titled: Faith for the Called and Chosen. Here is a link to shorter version of the written article in Mandarin Chinese 一篇关于信仰的小文章

CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. To see how CCOG has done so far, here are links to two sermons Continuing Church of God (CCOG) first year anniversary: What has been accomplished? and The Continuing Church of God: Two Years of Proclamation. Here is a written link to a version of that sermon in the Spanish language: Aniversario del primer año de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios: ¿Qué se ha cumplido?

CCOG.ASIA We in the Continuing Church of God also have the url www.ccog.asia which has a focus on Asia and has various articles in Mandarin Chinese as well as some in English, plus some items in other Asian languages. 我们在继续神的教会也提供此网址

CCOGCANADA.CA This is a website targeted towards those in Canada.

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.

PNIND.PH Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. This is the Philippines website Continuing Church of God. It has information in English and Tagalog.

COGwriter

Is the end of the 6000 years coming in 2017? Can the world end in 2017?

At least one seems to think so:

Reverend Donna Larson – who runs the blog Rapture and End Times – has a new forecast and she is not alone in believing that 2017 could be the end.Many apocalypse truth seekers believe recent earthquakes could mark the beginning of the end.

According to Larson’s theory, the Bible says man will rule the earth for 6,000 years before facing God’s wrath.

By creating a timeline of the Bible – calculating Adam had been created in 3,983 BC – she believes 6,000 years will be up next year.

She believes 2017 is the most significant year to mark the end as it will be the 70th anniversary of the UN’s decision to establish Israel and 50 years after the unification of Jerusalem.

Larson added: “All these numbers have Biblical significance – 50 is the number of unification between Passover and Pentecost and 70 is the number of fulfilment according to the book of Daniel, Chapter 9.

“So 50 and 70 represent the beginning and the end.”

Robert Binnion who runs the “end of time prophecy website” Nice Timing has used different calculations from the Bible to reach his forecast of 2017.

According to his theory, the year 2017 becomes significant because all seven possibilities of a “Biblical generation” point to that year. 09/21/16 http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/545975/end-of-the-world-Gods-vengeance-apocalypse-last-judgement-day-Bible-prophecy

While it is 70 years from 1947, Jesus will not return and ‘rapture’ believers in 2017 nor will the great tribulation begin then.

It is not possible.

I have addressed the position in the past that the last generation began when Israel was formed, which was 1948, not 1947 (watch also Israel, 1948, and Prophecy).

Those who understand Bible prophecy realize that there is NO POSSIBLE WAY THAT THE GREAT TRIBULATION CAN BEGIN PRIOR TO 2020 NOR JESUS RETURN PRIOR TO 2023. And until certain events occur, even those dates would seem early–2021 seems to be the earliest possible date now.

There is no possibility that the Great Tribulation can happen in 2017 and those who rely on the Bible have realized this for at least the past three years. It is only those who overlook scripture and rely on their own views who make the mistake of thinking that the Great Tribulation can, or could, happen in 2017.

Why do I state this?

One reason that the Great Tribulation will not begin yet is that one known as the final King of the North needs to rise up.

The Bible shows that the coming “King of the North” will make a deal of some sort with one called the King of the South just before the appointed time of the end:

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

Daniel chapter 11 tells much about the end times and it involves both a King of the South and a King of the North. And while there was a president of the South and a president of the North in the Union for the Mediterranean (see Deal Leading to Psalm 83?), these individuals have not held the type of power (nor prerogatives) of the prophesied King of the North and the King of the South. Nor will the current head of the post-Lisbon European Union, likely be the final King of the North as he does not seem to fit that description.

Since the Great Tribulation will not start before there is an actual King of the South and an actual final King of the North)–and while the “prince” will apparently confirm a peace deal with Israel (probably somewhat including the United States and some Arab lands as part of the “many” in Daniel 9:27), Daniel 11:27 requires two kings, which suggests that the future “prince” will gain more and more importance after the deal in Daniel 9:27 (for more information on the sequence of Daniel 11, please see the article the King of the North). It may take a regional or other war in the Middle East to trigger a peace deal. And if Isaiah 17:1 concerning the destruction of Damascus is to be fulfilled prior to the start of the Great Tribulation, the destruction of Damascus in Syria should be a clear sign to those who discount biblical prophecy that Bible prophecy will come to pass. Damascus has claimed to be the longest continuously inhabited city on the earth and its destruction would be unprecedented.

As far as the King of the South goes, there simply is not a confederation of Islamic nations that work close enough together yet in order to be led by the King of the South. While it is true that there are two groups that ultimately may allow this (see Iraq & the King of the South and Mediterranean Union Makes Deal With Israel and Arab States), the Islamic Mahdi/Caliph has not yet been recognized. And while this is possible to occur in 2016, the King of the South also will not be ready militarily to fulfill prophecies such as those in Daniel 11:40.

This portion of scripture in Daniel seems to be discussing some type of peace deal that the Europeans will either propose or at least one from Europe will endorse. Such a deal did not exist as of late 2016, or at least was not publicly confirmed by the “prince” by then. The deal will be broken 3 1/2 years later (Daniel 9:27; 11:31).

Therefore, while the Great Tribulation is coming, it will not begin in 2017. Here is a link to the video: Will the Great Tribulation Start in 2017?

Consider also what Jesus taught:

4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. (Matthew 24:4-6)

Many think it is the end when it is not.

Jesus also taught:

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 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. (Matthew 24:9-14)

Matthew 24:14 has not yet been fulfilled. When God decides it has, then the end will come.

Then notice that Jesus ties the time to flee before the Great Tribulation with what Daniel wrote:

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. (Matthew 24:15-16)

Christians, Philadelphian ones, are to understand this ties in with Daniel. Yet, most who profess Christ do not fully get it. Anyway, after Daniel 11:31 and the fleeing, the Great Tribulation begins:

21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:21-22)

This cannot possibly happen before 2020 and I do not believe the Great Tribulation can start before 2021.

While there are events to watch for in 2017 (for example, watch Twelve ‘grey swan’ events to watch for in 2017?) it simply is not possible for Jesus to return then or the great tribulation to start then.

As far as the end of the 6000 years goes, while that is close, it will not be until sometime in the next decade at the earliest.

There are at least six factors that affect the calculation:

1. Does the six thousand year period begin when Adam was made or when he and Eve first sinned or when they were put out of the Garden of Eden? If one of the latter, the Bible does not state how long Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, so estimating this is problematic.
2. Does the six thousand years end when the Day of the Lord begins or when Jesus returns?
3. The dates of Solomon’s reign have been debated.
4. While the Bible tells the ages of fathers when they begot sons, it seems illogical to conclude that the fathers and sons were all born on the same calendar date–people were not all born on the same ‘birthday’ calendar date. Hence, although the straight calculations based upon the ages listed in Genesis is correct assuming what is called a ‘normal distribution’ of data, the data pool is small enough that the results could be statistically expected to be other than ‘normal.’
5. It is not certain that a rounding for ‘normal distribution’ was used. Instead, the ages of the ancients when they begat sons could instead be based upon their calculated ages based upon a Spring or Fall date. The Jewish Encyclopedia points out “The Rabbis recognize four beginnings of the year from different standpoints: (1) the 1st of Nisan for regnal dating; it was based on the Exodus (comp. 1 Kings vi. 1); (2) the 1st of Tishri, as, agricultural New-Year the beginning of the harvest (Ex. xxiii. 16, xxxiv. 22); (3) the 1st of Elul for reckoning tithes of cattle (R. Eleazer, however, would reckon these from the 1st of Tishri); and (4) the 1st, or, according to Bet Hillel, the 15th of Shebaṭ, the New-Year for Trees.” (http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/11499-new-year#anchor3). What does that mean, it means that the first year in the calculation of the ancients may have been counted from their first approximate month of Abib or Tishri, hence leading to a significant overcounting of their ages based upon how we now calculate age. The Bible is not clear which method was used.
6. It is believed that there have been co-regencies of some of the kings and their sons. Hence, adding up the listed reigns of the various kings would be expected to result in overcounting–though that is not much of a factor if the correct date of Solomon’s temple is known (but even that is estimated).

And then there is controversy involving the matter of Abrams father Terah. Thus, there are complications and controversies involved with the calculations. Furthermore, I suspect God has allowed at least some of this so humans would not be certain of the precise year (cf. Matthew 24:36), but provided what He did so that humans could have a good idea of the approximate time (cf. Mark 13:28-29; Luke 21:34; Matthew 24:3-31; 1 Thessalonians 5:4).

So, recognizing that there is some controversy about the calculations, let’s look at the 3983 date (while understanding it is off a bit.

It is now 2016 A.D., so adding that + 3983 adds up to 5999–but because there was no year zero (for the transition between B.C. and A.D.), this make it 5998, with the 6000 years ending in 2018.

So while 2018 is one calculation of the end of the 6000 years (because of the year long, “day of the Lord” mentioned in Isaiah 34:8 & 61:2, that 3983 B.C. date may lead to 2019), it is premature. It must be at least several years later.

The Great Tribulation would begin 3 1/2 years before then–thus the Great Tribulation may begin around 2020-2025–though I do not believe that it biblically can be before 2021 (for a more detailed explanation, please see When Can the Great Tribulation Begin? and the sermon video Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020?). Because of the five factors mentioned that affect the calculations, the 6000 years perhaps ends up to a decade or so later, like 202x or 203x. Some suspect that a Jubilee year could begin when it is over, and some have suggested dates such as 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, 2038, 2050, and 2051 (see Jubilee section in The Day of Atonement–Its Christian Significance).

Some, like Yves Péloquin, calculate that the end is 2038 (http://nebula.wsimg.com/7feaf64877b2bd48b88be799d5ed766a?AccessKeyId=50D481C8FA4C356C8EFE&disposition=0&alloworigin=1).

Yet, despite the factors that affect the calculation, it should be clear that, according to a variety of sources, but mainly the Bible, the 6000 years will be up in the 21st century.

We are not quite there yet.

Anyway, despite numerous attempts at calculations, if you are willing to believe the Bible, you can understand that the Great Tribulation cannot start in 2017.

COGwriter

Back in the old Radio Church of God (which became the old Worldwide Church of God) was an article by David Jon Hill that had the following:

Will YOU be Deceived by ANTICHRIST?

Events are plunging toward the eventful climax of Christ’s return. Will you recognize the REAL CHRIST when he returns?
by David Jon Hill

Is THE pope ignorant of the plain Bible statements that label him “the Antichrist”? What deception will Satan use to keep the world from realizing the pope’s true identity?…

God Permits Evil

God COMMANDS obedience and righteousness, but He PERMITS EVIL! Jesus’ reference to Judas is applicable in principle to today’s fast-moving prophetic events. “Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; BUT WOE TO THAT MAN BY WHOM THE OFFENCE COMETH !” (Matt. 18:7).

The human instruments Satan the Devil is preparing to serve him are aware of what God’s Word says regarding the returning Christ and the Antichrist who is to oppose Him! They know enough prophecy to perform their abominable deeds with knowledge and vigor. They know, and have known historically, enough prophecy to prepare a perverted prophecy to deny the true prophetic warning broadcast by The WORLD TOMORROW!

Catholic Interest in Prophecy

God declares that the endtime pope will be a false prophet, yet the pope has never declared himself to be a prophet. When will he deceive the world into thinking that he foresees future events? What events will he foretell? How will these prophecies affect you? How can you keep from being deceived?

A recently published book reveals a startling Catholic interest in endtime prophecy. This book, together with tradition and the writings of some of the “early church Fathers,” brings to light an eye-opening preview of the false prophecies that are about to be preached!

Satan knows God’s general Plan. He has been at work in the minds of evil and deluded men throughout the ages to lay the groundwork of the GREAT DELUSION ! Though the vials of the wrath of God are poured out on sinful men, their impenitence remains–“AND THEY REPENTED NOT” (Rev. 16:9). They will flee from Christ–even calling for rocks to fall on them, hiding out in caves–RUNNING AWAY FROM GOD!

WHY?

Because …THAT MAN WILL TELL THE WORLD THE BIGGEST LIE EVER TOLD! Into the ears of those who do not have a love of the truth he will pour the LIE that our returning King, Jesus Christ, is the ANTICHRIST! And they will believe him because God will have sent them a “strong delusion, that they should believe a LIE!” (II Thes. 2:3-11).

But upon what will the pope base this claim?

By its own admission, the Catholic Church bases its definition of the articles of faith on its own interpretation of the Scriptures AND TRADITIONS as explained in the writings of the early church “Fathers”! “And then it was approved by all, that the traditions should be received as of equal authority with the Scriptures” (History of the Council of Trent, page 145).

Any attempt to dispute their interpretation by use of plain Scripture is greeted, as it was at the time of this declaration, with the cry of “HERETIC” and branded as “Anathema”! “. . . the holy Scripture cannot be expounded against the sense held by the holy Mother the Church, nor against the common consent of the Fathers” (History of the Council of Trent, page 152).

Catholic Definition of Antichrist

Here now, for the professed prophecies in the Catholic Church’s recently published book, Prophecy for Today:

“Towards the end of the world Antichrist will overthrow the Pope and usurp his See”! (“Prophecy” of Abbott “Merlin” Joachim, died 1202; see also Catholic Encyclopedia, article “Antichrist.”) Because they will not admit the truth, the Church believes the Antichrist will be the one to unseat the pope, while every Bible prophecy commissions the true Christ with that job.

“Antichrist will fight a successful battle at Mageddo [Armageddon) in Palestine after which. . . he will hereafter become lord of the world’ (Ibid; Anna Catarina Emmerick, d. 1824). It is almost impossible to see how they could believe this! But there it is! And here is more! “The Kings will send armies to the Holy Land, but the Antichrist will slay them all”! (Ibid.; “Venerable Maria of Agreda.” d. 1665.) Compare this with Revelation 19:19.

But to continue. “Antichrist and his army will conquer Rome, kill the Pope and take the throne. . . The Jews will come from everywhere, and accept Antichrist as the Messiah.” (Ibid.; from a “prophecy” by Venerable Bartholomew Holthauser, d. 1658.)

Just one more quote to illustrate their satanic definition: “After the destruction of Rome, Antichrist will appear and exalt himself above pagan deities and the Trinity. . . Coming to Jerusalem, he will succeed through false preaching, miracles, gifts, terror, aided throughout by the devil. An evil spirit will come out of the air and descend upon his followers. He shall feign a resurrection from the dead, cause rain to fall. . . and perform other wonders, all through the power of the devil. . . . The Jews will welcome him.” (Ibid.; Richard Rolle of Hampole, d. 1349.)

Compare With Your Bible

Hippolytus is one of the “early church Fathers” upon which the Catholic Church depends for inspiration and dogma. Get your Bible, and compare the plain statements of Scripture, the Word and authority of Almighty God, with the blasphemous prophecies made by Hippolytus about the year 170 A. D. Satan very cleverly inspired this early writer to pen these prophecies just a hundred years after the True Church of God had to flee to Pella. Since that time there have been scattered prophecies by many important men and women in the Catholic Church on this subject of greatest importance-even up to as recently as 100 years ago.

Hippolytus begins by saying, “Believe not the enemy who is to come and be seen; for he is an adversary and corrupter and son of perdition, and deceives you; and for this reason he will kill you, and smite them with the sword” (Ante-Nicene Fathers; Hippolytus, section XXIX).

GOD’S Word says, “Behold, he {Jesus Christ) cometh with clouds; and EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM . . , and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him” (Rev. 1:7).

“And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God” (Rev. 19:15).

Hippolytus goes on to say: “. . . at that time the whole earth will bewail the life of anguish, and the sea and air in like manner will bewail it; and the sun, too, will wail; and the wild beasts, together with the fowls, will wail; mountains and hills, and the trees of the plain, will wail on account of the race of man, because all have turned aside from the Holy God, and obeyed the deceiver, and received the mark of that abominable one, the enemy of God, INSTEAD OF THE QUICKENING CROSS OF THE SAVIOR” (Ibid.; section XXXIII).

God’s clear revelation shows that the time when the families of all the earth are going to bewail for anguish is the time of Christ’s return. “And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise anymore: the merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones. . . fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and SLAVES, and SOULS OF MEN. . . . The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, WEEPING AND WAILING!” (Rev. 18:11-15).

Hippolytus: “And in the presence of all he exhibits himself as taken up into heaven with TRUMPETS and SOUNDS, and the MIGHTY SHOUTING of those who hail him with INDESCRIBABLE HYMNS; the heir of darkness himself shining like light, and at one time soaring to the heavens, and at another descending to the earth with great glory, and again charging the demons, like angels, to execute his behests with much fear and trembling. For he will show forth his demons brilliant like angels, and he will bring in hosts of the incorporeal without number” (Section XXXIII).

The Holy Spirit through the revelation of YOUR BIBLE says: “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a SHOUT, with the VOICE OF THE ARCHANGEL, and with the TRUMP OF GOD: and the DEAD IN CHRIST SHALL RISE first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to MEET the Lord in the air”! (I Thes. 4 : 16-17.)

As for Hippolytus’ “demons brilliant like angels,” Daniel tells us that the resurrected and changed saints “shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars (angels) for ever and ever!” (Dan. 12:3). See also 1 Corinthians 15:50-53).

And the “indescribable hymns”– “And they sung as it were a new song before the throne.. .and NO MAN COULD LEARN THAT SONG but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were REDEEMED from the earth . . . the FIRSTFRUITS unto God and to the Lamb!” (Rev. 14:3-4).

More From Hippolytus

“Then that abominable one [if this is not blasphemy against the very God of Heaven, what is?] will send his commands throughout every government by the hand at once of demons and of visible men, who shall say, ‘A mighty king has arisen upon the earth; come ye all to WORSHIP him; come ye all to see the strength of his kingdom: for, behold, he will give you corn; and he will bestow upon you wine, and great riches, and lofty honours. For the COMMAND. Come ye all to him”’ (Ibid., section XXXVII).

Revelation 14:6-7: “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and WORSHIP him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters [and therefore the whole EARTH AND SEA OBEYS HIS COMMAND].”

When these false “prophecies” are read from pulpits into the ears of gullible people and they begin to see God’s intervention come to pass, THEY WHOLE EARTH AND SEA OBEYS HIS WILL BELIEVE THE ONLY MEANING THEY HAVE EVER LEARNED ABOUT THESE SIGNS AND WONDERS, AND BE CONVINCED THAT THE GLORIOUS CHRIST RETURNING IN TRIUMPH IS IN TRUTH THE ANTICHRIST!

A more modern prophetess of the Catholic Church has this to say about this time of preaching: “Whole nations will join the Church shortly before the reign of the Antichrist. These conversions will be amazing. Those who shall survive shall have to conduct themselves well. There shall be innumerable conversions of heretics, who will return to the bosom of the Church” (Prophecy For Today; from Anna Maria Taigi, d. 1837).

These false doctrines and false prophecies are going to be preached with ALL DECEIVABLENESS, and are truly going to deceive ALL THE WORLD. You and I, when we enter God’s Kingdom at His return, are going to have to coiiviiice these people of the TRUTH.

Being Gods Born Sons Not an Easy Job!

The whole world will be up in arms AGAINST Christ. The chaos from years of pestilence and plague, the devastation of hydrogen and nuclear wars of cosmoscide will have to be CLEANED UP. Complete anarchy will take over in all the countries of the world as the earthly governments collapse; order will have to be restored. This cannot be done overnight.

It will take painstaking effort, even after the complete co-operation or the population of the earth is gained! Human nature will resist the Government of God to the bitter end!

It’s not going to be easy to convince these hysterically frightened, demoniacally deceived, pitifully desperate human beings! This last generation, sinful as it is, will need the full compassion and mercy you will be able to give as God’s Sons. You will need every ounce of spiritual power and wisdom God will give you to perform the JOB of rehabilitating millions of crazed, completely deceived men left on this earth.

They will be gaunt, wild-eyed! They will have seen more horrible things happen in their lifetime than all the pages of history have yet recorded.

Driven in stark, raving FEAR AND OPEN TERROR from their homes, they will seek to hide from the newest and most overawing manifestation of world-shaking POWER that they have yet seen–the only thought in their tortured minds will be that HERE IS YET ANOTHER ENEMY IN THIS SICK…TORN EARTH . . . HIDE, HIDE, HIDE ! ! !

HIPPOLYTUS agrees with what will happen, but he calls the one who causes it to happen the ANTICHRIST and not the TRUE CHRIST! “Then will he send the cohorts of the demons among MOUNTAINS AND CAVES AND DENS OF THE EARTH, to track out those who have been concealed from his eyes, and to bring them forward to worship him” (Ibid., section XXIX).

The Bible tells us from whom men will hide in the rocks, “And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb” (Rev. 6:15-16).

You, as a born son of God, may have to be one of those who is sent out to track down these frightened people. You may have to counsel with them and assure them that the true living God has returned to the earth and that there will be peace from that time forward.

Remarkable Prophecy

Here is another false prophecy from Hippolytus.

“And by reason of the SCARCITY OF FOOD, all will go to him and worship him; and he will put his mark on their right hand and on their forehead, h a t no one may put the sign of the honorable cross upon his forehead with his right hand; but his hand is bound” (Ibid., section XXVIII).

Now turn to the book of Zechariah in your Bible, and read what the Lrue, triumphant, returning Christ will do to the nations of this earth in order to get them to worship Him. “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles. This shall be the punishment of Egypt, and the punishment of all nations that come not up to keep the feast of tabernacles” (Zech. 14:16-19).

The Eternal God, at His return, is going to cause the nations of this earth to recognize Him as Ruler and to worship Him through the means of controlling the weather, causing drought and famine-SCARCITY OF FOOD-until ALL NATIONS COME UP TO KEEP THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES!

While the illustration above is not how the final Antichrist will look (Satan’s ministers try to appear as angels of light per 2 Corinthians 11:13-15), the reality is that he will (at least initially) likely profess some type of triune deity (so, for that reason, I thought showing someone demonically appearing with a trident was of interest). And this seems to be consistent with both biblical and Catholic prophecy.

Already, many Catholics, Protestants, Eastern Orthodox, and others have been affected by the ecumenical and interfaith movements. What will happen when there are major signs and lying wonders? Nearly all will be deceived per 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12.

What about YOU?

Christians are not to be ignorant of Satan’s devices (2 Corinthians 2:11) and dealing with false prophecies has long been something that God’s faithful leaders have had to do (cf. 1 Kings 18). Yet, most of humanity will be deceived (Matthew 24:23).

I would add that while certain Catholic prophecies suggest that the Antichrist will be a pope, that others misidentify that Antichrist and several of those are in this article by David Jon Hill.

Pope Francis

COGwriter

Pope Francis is facing opposition from other leaders in the Church of Rome:

For Pope Francis, A Year Of Reconciliation Abroad Amid Opposition At Home

December 25, 2016

The thrust of Francis’ international outreach this year was ecumenism — what’s known as Christian unity.

In Cuba, he met Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill — an encounter his two predecessors had tried in vain to achieve. Francis also went to the migration crisis front line, the Greek island of Lesbos, together with the Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople to underscore the dignity of refugees.

The pope’s most recent trip, in October, was to Sweden, where in a joint ceremony with Lutherans, he commemorated the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. …

Amoris Laetitia, The Joy of Love — Francis’ meditation on marriage, sex and the family — contains a footnote that seemingly opens a crack in the door allowing some divorced and civilly remarried Catholics in certain situations to receive the sacraments.

Four cardinals, most of them retired, wrote a highly publicized letter demanding that the pope clarify the magisterium — church teaching — on the indissolubility of marriage.

One of the signatories, American Cardinal Raymond Burke, voiced his dismay in an interview with gloria.tv, a conservative Catholic website.

“It’s very dangerous now that people simply say that they accept everything in Amoris Laetitia as magisterium,” Burke said. “Well, it is not, this is a very serious matter that needs to be addressed.”

Papal biographer Politi says these cardinals can speak out because they have few official responsibilities. Behind them, he notes, lies a broad, hidden opposition to Francis within the hierarchy.

“The practical impact of this is to de-legitimize his activity,” he says. “This opposition is trying to influence already the next conclave.” http://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2016/12/25/506447423/for-pope-francis-a-year-of-reconciliation-abroad-amid-opposition-at-home

On a related note, a reader sent me a link to the following:

Pope Francis’ Reported Words: “I Might Go Down in History for Having Split the Catholic Church”

DER SPIEGEL, a very influential German publication, published an article about the manifest current crisis in the Church, to include a growing resistance to Pope Francis’ proposed and actual reforms. At the end of this article its author, the Spiegel’s Correspondent in Italy, Walter Mayr, reveals an important new leak:

In a very small circle, Pope Francis is said to have self-critically further explained himself as follows: “It is not to be excluded that I will enter history as the one who split the Catholic Church.” [my emphasis]

In light of this self-revealing comment, it is worth quoting some other parts of this article which shows just how much open and smoldering indignation Pope Francis has caused within the Catholic Church. Mayr describes the atmosphere in the Vatican with critical words, as follows:

It is Saturday morning last week, shortly after eight, in the Pauline Chapel of the Vatican. A group of fifty cardinals now living in Rome – purple elegant robes and purple caps as far as the eye can see – has appeared in order to honor Pope Francis with a common concelebrated Mass, on the occasion of his 80^th birthday. As they sit there under the fresco of Michelangelo depicting the crucifixion of Peter, the dignitaries have their eyes on the powerful man to the left of the altar – and the estrangement can nearly be palpably grasped with one’s hands. “Be assured that we are close to you,” says the cardinal deacon [Cardinal Angelo Sodano] to Francis – but this reassurance sounds strangely hollow.

As the article’s author also says, Cardinal Walter Brandmüller, who lives in Rome, had excused himself from this celebration, however, due to his frailty; but he had sent Pope Francis a congratulatory letter.

In the following, Mayr also describes the events surrounding the dubia of the Four Cardinals, with Pope Francis’ decision not to respond to the letter containing their doubts concerning his promulgated document Amoris Laetitia. The author even calls the pope’s decision not at all to respond his own “highest penalty.” In Mayr’s eyes, Pope Francis apparently feels wounded by all these events, as became quite discernible when he spoke at his address to the Roman Curia yesterday about those “evil forms of resistance” that aim at accusing him personally by way of specious reference to traditions and formalities.

With reference to Edward Pentin, the well-known Vatican specialist, Mayr says: “The pope is boiling and fuming.” 12/23/16 http://www.onepeterfive.com/pope-francis-reported-words-might-go-history-split-church/

As far as Amoris Laetitia goes, I felt so strongly it was wrong that we even put together a video about it: Pope Francis’ Tolerance of Immorality is Not Biblical.

As far as splitting the Church of Rome goes, there are a lot of Catholic writings that state that will happen. Notice the following which are in my book The Last Pope Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? :

Catholic Prophets/Writers Have Warned that a Major “Antipope” is to Come

Various Catholic prophecies warn that a major “antipope” and major schism is to come.  Since there has not been an antipope since the 15^th century, for numerous reasons these could be interpreted to mean that a 21^st century pope will be an antipope who will implement changes:

Anne Catherine Emmerick (May 13, 1820): I saw again a new and odd-looking Church which they were trying to build. There was nothing holy about it…THIS IS BABEL.

Yves Dupont {writer interpreting A. Emmerick}: They wanted to make a new Church, a Church of human manufacture, but God had other designs…The Holy Father shall have to leave Rome, and he shall die a cruel death. An anti-pope shall be set up in Rome.

Anne Catherine Emmerich (January 12, 1820):  There is now some question of Protestants sharing in the government of the Catholic clergy.

Anne Catherine Emmerich (July 1820):  I came to the church of Peter and Paul (Rome) and saw a dark world of distress, confusion, and corruption…

Anne Catherine Emmerich (January 27, 1822):  I saw many Christians returning to the bosom of the Church, entering through the walls.  That Pope will be strict, he will remove the lukewarm, tepid Bishops—but it will be a long time before this happens.

Anne Catherine Emmerich (October 22, 1822): I saw in Germany among the worldly-wise ecclesiastics, and enlightened Protestants, plans formed for the blending of all religious creeds…

Anne Catherine Emmerich (April, 1823): They built a large, singular, extravagant church which was to embrace all creeds with equal rights: Evangelicals, Catholics, and all denominations, a true communion of the unholy with one shepherd and one flock.  There was to be a Pope, a salaried Pope without possessions.

Melanie Mathieu (19^th century): Rome will lose faith and become the seat of Antichrist.

Jeanne le Royer (died 1798): I see that when the Second Coming of Christ approaches a bad priest will do much harm to the Church.

St. Gregory the Great, Pope (d. 604): In those days, near the end…an army of priests and two-thirds of the Christians will join the Schism.

Yves Dupont {reader and collector of Catholic prophecies}: “prophecies are quite explicit about the election of an anti-pope…Many prophecies predict an anti-pope and a schism “.

Catholic priest and writer R. Gerald Culleton (20^th century): A schism of short duration is destined to break out…An antipope, of German origin, is to be set up, and finally Rome itself will be destroyed”.

Frederick William Faber (died 1863): Antichrist…Many believe in a demonical incarnation–this will not be so–but he will be utterly possessed…His doctrine as apparent contradiction of no religion, yet a new religion…He has an attending pontiff, so separating regal and prophetic office.

Blessed Joachim (died 1202): Towards the end of the world Antichrist will overthrow the Pope and usurp his See.

Merlin (7^th century): There will come a German Anti-Pope. Italy and Germany will be sorely troubled. A French King will restore the true Pope.

St. Francis of Assisi (died 1226): There will be an uncanonically elected pope who will cause a great Schism, there will be divers thoughts preached which will cause many, even those in the different orders, to doubt, yea even agree with those heretics which will cause My order to divide, then will there be such universal dissentions and persecutions that if these days were not shortened even the elect would be lost.

Capuchin Friar (18^th century): During these calamities the Pope shall die…three popes shall be simultaneously elected…the third…by force of arms, shall be placed on the throne.

Priest E. Sylvester Berry (published 1920):  It has been a matter of history that the most disastrous periods for the Church were times when the Papal throne was vacant or when anti-popes contended with the legitimate head of the Church.  Thus shall it be in those evil days to come.

Catholic writer and priest P. Huchedé (19^th century): …the false prophet…will not be a king, nor a general of an army, but a clever apostate, fallen from episcopal dignity.  From being an apostle of the Gospel he will become the first preacher of the false messiah…

Priest Herman Kramer (20^th century): This false prophet possibly at the behest of Antichrist usurps the papal supremacy.

Catholic writers Ted and Maureen Flynn (1993): Catholic prophecy warns us of severe problems threatening the papacy in these end times…An Antipope will seize papal authority…It will be those who hold fast to the truths of the faith who will be labelled as the perpetuators of this horrible schism, according to some visionaries.

Priest Paul Kramer reported: In 1999…Malachi Martin stated…that Our Lady’s words were very dry and specific and they foretold of a future “pope” (not the true Pope, but a heretical antipope) who would be completely under the control of the devil.

Priest Paul Kramer (21^st century): The errors of Orthodoxy and of Protestantism will be embraced by that false church, it will be an ecumenical church because the Anti-Pope will be recognized by the world — not by the faithful, but by the world — by the secular world and the secular governments. The Anti-Pope will be recognized as the legitimate Pope of the “church,” and the legitimate head of the Vatican State. That “church” will be united with all the false religions.

Priest Paul Kramer (21^st century): The counterfeit “Catholic” Church — the counter-church, the anti-church — the mystery of the dragon, whose tail swept down a third of the “stars of Heaven,” i.e. one third of the Catholic hierarchy under the leadership of a heretical antipope.

Priest Herman Kramer (20^th century): In accord with the text this is unmistakably a PAPAL ELECTION . . . But at this time the great powers may take a menacing attitude to hinder the election of the logical and expected candidate by threats of a general apostasy, assassination or imprisonment of this candidate if elected. This would suppose an extremely hostile mind in the governments of Europe towards the Church, because an extended interregnum in the papacy is always disastrous and more so in a time of universal persecution. If Satan would contrive to hinder a papal election, the Church would suffer great travail… one…destined for the papacy at the time will institute the needed reforms. A general council may decree the reforms…The lax clergy at the time will extol the conditions then existing…The dragon is a symbolic term for the evil world powers…They will try to make the Church a “state church” everywhere. This is only possible if they can subject the pope to their wills and compel him to teach and rule as they direct. That would be literally devouring the papacy.

Catholic author and collector of prophecies D. Birch (20^th century): Many, many, of the prophecies refer to an Antipope for sometime in the future during which great calamities occur to the Church.

Even the Catholic saint “Pope Gregory the Great” warned that he believed that the time would come when most Catholics would fall for a changed church (which he called a “schism”) in the time of the end.  Would this not take a leader that would be, or at least be like, an antipope or the final Antichrist?

As the list above shows, there are many Catholic writers/saints who have warned of some type of an antipope, maybe even the False Prophet, who could be ecumenical, would lead a compromised church, and may listen to the powers of governments in Europe and, possibly, elsewhere.

The Bible, itself, warns of a time when a European Beast will make some type of deal with an ecumenical Roman religious leader (the False Prophet) and later turn on a compromised church (cf. Revelation 17:15-18; 19:20).

An Ecumenical Pope is Prophesied

On the other hand, there are a variety of Catholic prophecies that seem to look forward to an ecumenical pope.  This pope will endorse a European leader who comes into power after civil unrest in Europe.  This European leader is to establish a new order within Catholicism and essentially eliminate Islam:

Bl. Anna-Maria Taigi (19^th century): France shall fall into a frightful anarchy. The French shall have a desperate civil war in the course of which even old men will take up arms. The political parties, having exhausted their blood and their rage without being able to arrive at any satisfactory settlement, shall agree at the last extremity to have recourse to the Holy See. Then the Pope shall send to France a special legate. . . In consequence of the information received, His Holiness himself shall nominate a most Christian King for the government of France…

Bl. Anna Maria Taigi (19^th century) …described to me the great ordeal ahead. Rome would be battered by revolutions…Millions of men would die by the sword in war and civil strife, other millions would perish in unforeseen death. Then entire nations would return to the unity of the Church, and many Turks, Pagans and Jews would be converted and their fervour cover with confusion the original Christians. In one word she told me that our Lord was intending to cleanse the world and His Church…

Brother John of the Cleft Rock (1340): The White Eagle (Great Monarch), by order of the Archangel Michael, will drive the crescent from Europe where none but Christians will remain…There will no longer be…Schismatics…

St. Bridget of Sweden (died 1373): The Eagle…He will destroy the Jewish and Mahometan sects.

Telesphorus of Cozensa (died 1388): A powerful French monarch and French pope will regain the holy land after terrible wars in Europe, convert the world, and bring universal peace.

D. Birch (20^th century): Civil war will break out in France and Italy…The Great King will be crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the reigning Pope. The Great King will establish Peace and justice in civil matters on a worldwide basis, and protect the primacy of the Church in spiritual matters. The former disciplines of the Church are fully restored and order is re-established…

St. Francis de Paul (1470): The time is coming when the Divine Majesty will visit the world with a new religious order of the holy Cross-bearers… This shall be the last religious order in the Church, and will do more good for our holy religion than all other religious institutions.  By force of arms he shall take possession of a great kingdom.  He shall destroy the sect of Mahomet, extirpate all tyrants and heresies.  He will bring the world to a holy mode of life.  There will be one fold and one Shepherd.  He shall reign until the end of time…

Comments from writer D.A. Birch on the above from his book: Francis…speaks in a series of letters to Simeon de Limena, Count of Montalto in great detail of a future Great Monarch who will be a Roman Emperor. Limena was a great patron of St. Francis’ order and also a great military protector of the Church…He is described as founding a new religious order. To the reader this may sound like he also becomes a priest. That is not the case. What happens is that he founds a religious order, part of which contains military men who take religious vows. He will be the head of the military arm of this order. In this sense it will be like the Knights Templar of the Middle Ages.

D. Birch (commenting further in his book): Many of the prophecies speak of the fact that the Great King at first will not be well-liked, especially by the French clergy.

St. Methodius (circa 385): A time will come when the enemies of Christ will boast…Then a Roman emperor will arise in great fury against them . . . Drawing his sword, he will fall on the foes of Christianity and crush them.

Laurence Ricci, S.J. (died 1775): At a time when the whole world seems doomed, God will intervene. With His aide a valiant duke will arise from the ancient German house which was humiliated by the French monarch. This great ruler will restore stolen Church property. Protestantism will cease and the Turkish empire will end. This duke will be the most powerful monarch on earth. At a gathering of men noted for piety and wisdom he will, with the aid of the Pope, introduce new rules, and ban the spirit of confusion. Everywhere there will be one fold and one shepherd.

Notice that Francis de Paul prophesied that there will be a new essentially Roman Catholic religious order that will do more good for the Roman Catholic Church than all other religious institutions as it will eliminate nearly all opposition.  This is apparently because the King of the North will successfully work with the Pope to make the world nominally Catholic.

However, notice that some of the Catholic clergy will at first oppose this new order and these changes to Catholicism, but that the pope (probably the final one, and possibly the current one) will embrace them.

While some Catholic prophecies praise a new religious order, others indicate that a new type of Catholicism will not be true to some of its beliefs.  Some Catholics have felt that some of their “ecumenical leaders” have not been truly faithful to the beliefs of the Church of Rome. (Thiel B. The Last Pope Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Nazarene Books, 2013)

Let me add here that the Bible warns against the type of ecumenical unity that Pope Francis is promoting. Furthermore, it essentially teaches that there will be a split between the Antichrist/Antipope and the Vatican (cf. Revelation 17:15).

While because of his age, I have tended towards the view that Pope Francis will NOT be the final Antichrist/Antipope, I remain of the view that his ecumenical agenda is setting the stage for the final Antichrist/Antipope to arise.

The fact that there is opposition with the Catholic clergy to Pope Francis now shows that there can well be a split among those in the Church of Rome.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Why Should American Catholics Fear Unity with the Orthodox? (And the Protestants) Are the current ecumenical meetings a good thing or will they result in disaster? Is doctrinal compromise good? Here is a link to a related video Should you be concerned about the ecumenical movement?
Will the Interfaith Movement Lead to Peace or Sudden Destruction? Is the interfaith movement going to lead to lasting peace or is it warned against? A video sermon of related interest is: Will the Interfaith Movement lead to World War III? and a video sermon is also available: Do You Know That Babylon is Forming?
Which Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Continuing Church of God? Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions. [Português: Qual é fiel: A igreja católica romana ou a igreja do deus?]
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.
Sola Scriptura or Prima Luther? What Did Martin Luther Really Believe About the Bible? Though he is known for his public sola Scriptura teaching, did Martin Luther’s writings about the Bible suggest he felt that prima Luther was his ultimate authority? Statements from him changing and/or discounting 18 books of the Bible are included. Do you really want to know the truth?
The Dangerous Rise of Preterists Has the Great Tribulation finished? What was the view of early Christians? Why is the preterist view dangerous?
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?
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!
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?
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?
The Last Pope Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Why might Pope Francis be the last pope? What happens if he is? Biblical and other prophecies help explain what to expect.
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Amazon Book What does the Bible say about a pope near this time? Is the final pope to be an antipope and antichrist? Does Catholic prophecy point to Pope Francis as being the dreaded “Peter the Roman”? This 186 page book provides information and answers.
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle This electronic version of the printed book which is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle.