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A reader forwarded me a link to the following from CNN:

Who Vladimir Putin thinks will rule the world

September 2, 2017

(CNN) On the first day of the new school year in Russia, students learned an important lesson directly from their president — who he thinks will rule the world.

Speaking to students during a national “open lesson” from the city of Yaroslavl, northeast of Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the country that takes the lead in the sphere of computer-based artificial intelligence (AI) will rule.

“Artificial intelligence is the future not only of Russia but of all of mankind,” said Putin. “There are huge opportunities, but also threats that are difficult to foresee today.”

“Whoever becomes the leader in this sphere will become the ruler of the world,” he said, adding that it would be better to prevent any particular “pair of hands” from achieving a monopoly in the field.

If Russia becomes the leader in the development of artificial intelligence, “we will share our technology with the rest of the world, like we are doing now with atomic and nuclear technology,” said Putin. http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/01/world/putin-artificial-intelligence-will-rule-world/index.html

Vladimir Putin hopes that Russia will be able to rule the world and share artificial intelligence. Perhaps he will share some artificial intelligence (AI) with the Europeans or perhaps he hopes that the Europeans will share with him.

Notice something from MIRI, the Machine-Intelligence Research Institute related to artificial intelligence:

We do foundational mathematical research to ensure smarter-than-human artificial intelligence has a positive impact. https://intelligence.org/?gclid=Cj0KEQiA2b20BRDj4buduIG-y9EBEiQAhgMGFdXEwevlxMXzv9vD93EgwA_ah3ok7IVR2jEd0E7wt1UaAi5r8P8HAQ

Once artificial agents become able to improve themselves, they may undergo an “intelligence explosion” and quickly surpass human intelligence. https://intelligence.org/research/

Software programs that go into machines are developed by humans. Sometimes individually, and sometimes collectively. But they are not divine and normally dismiss and/or overlook what the Bible teaches. They cannot surpass God’s moral or physical intelligence.

While the Bible encourages getting advice from a multitude of counselors (Proverbs 11:14), can artificial intelligence play a role in who will dominate the 21st century for a time?

Yes.

And not always in positive ways.

Notice what the Bible teaches:

15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. (Revelation 13:15-18)

While Revelation 13:15 may well have demonic involvement (Revelation 16:13-14), it will take software and data analytics and perhaps other forms of artificial intelligence to accomplish aspects of the above.

Who will have that ability to fulfill those prophecies?

666.

Is that Russia?

No.

That will be Europe.

Before getting to more biblical prophecies, perhaps it should be pointed out that according to the Asgard Capital (“Asgard is a Human Venture Capital firm for Artificial Intelligence”), continental Europe has over 300 AI companies, some of which are well funded, with data analytics the predominant type of AI firms (07/31/17 http://asgard.vc/the-european-artificial-intelligence-landscape-more-than-400-ai-companies-made-in-europe/).

Consider what Politico wrote:

Europe’s tech ambition: To be the world’s digital policeman

August 21, 2017

The Continent’s policymakers want to determine how companies and their users behave online.

At the center of this global tussle between technology and politics stands Europe, whose policymakers have set their sights on becoming the de facto global arbiters for how companies — and, in some cases, their users — behave online.

It’s an ambitious task with many supporters, in Europe and further afield, hoping to bring these mostly Silicon Valley tech giants down a peg or two. But Europe’s aggressive push to control the digital world also may come with some serious downsides.

For every attempt to rein in the activities of Google or Facebook, among others, the Continent’s lawmakers could embolden the efforts of more repressive regimes worldwide to tighten their own grip on what happens online. And if more and more countries impose their own rules on the web, such a race to define the digital world may eventually carve up the global nature of our online lives into a Balkanized version of the internet.

That’s certainly not what European lawmakers are hoping for, but it is a stark reminder of the law of unintended consequences.

“As Europe, we must set the global standards,” said Věra Jourová, the European commissioner for justice, who will travel to Washington next month to discuss how the U.S. can keep pace with European digital privacy rules, which already are among the toughest in the world.

Europe’s ambition to become the world’s digital policeman may sound surprising to those who scoff at the region’s inability to keep pace with the United States and China in churning out tech giants from Google and Amazon to Alibaba and Tencent.

But that lackluster record hasn’t stopped Europe’s lawmakers from seeking to export the bloc’s growing list of digital rules beyond its borders, aiming to expand its hands-on approach to technology to all four corners of the planet (with, importantly, the significant exception of China). …

Europe’s efforts to corral the digital world are part of a longstanding tradition of the Continent’s governments taking a more paternalistic (some would say overly-interventionist) stance to their citizens’ lives, compared to the United States. http://www.politico.eu/article/europe-tech-ambition-to-be-world-digital-policeman/

The world’s digital policeman will be in position to control buying and selling in the 21st century.

Now, let’s look at parts of a vision that the prophet Daniel had:

2 Daniel spoke, saying, “I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were stirring up the Great Sea. 3 And four great beasts came up from the sea, each different from the other. 4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle’s wings. I watched till its wings were plucked off; and it was lifted up from the earth and made to stand on two feet like a man, and a man’s heart was given to it. 5 “And suddenly another beast, a second, like a bear. It was raised up on one side, and had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. And they said thus to it: ‘Arise, devour much flesh!’ 6 “After this I looked, and there was another, like a leopard, which had on its back four wings of a bird. The beast also had four heads, and dominion was given to it. 7 “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. (Daniel 7:2-8)

The Great Sea according to the Bible is the Mediterranean Sea (Numbers 34:6-7; Joshua 1:4; 9:1; 23:4; Ezekiel 47:13-16).

Daniel’s last Beast is also described in Revelation 13:

1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. 2 Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. 4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” (Revelation 13:1-4)

It is this Beast that people will be told to worship. It is under his authority that buying and selling will be controlled (Revelation 13:16-17). It is this Beast that is 666 (Revelation 13:18).

While some do not believe that Europe could do this, the Bible shows that Europe will reorganize:

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)

So, the above shows that somehow Europe will reorganize, and that those leaders will turn their power over to the Beast (see also Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?).

This Beast is also called the King of the North by Daniel (Daniel 11:40) and he will get into power with a small group:

23 And after the league is made with him he shall act deceitfully, for he shall come up and become strong with a small number of people. 24 He shall enter peaceably, even into the richest places of the province; and he shall do what his fathers have not done, nor his forefathers … (Daniel 11:23-24)

While Daniel 11:24 does not specify artificial intelligence, utilizing AI is certainly nothing his fathers or forefathers were able to do.

What about Russia?

For a time Russia will cooperate with Europe (cf. Revelation 13:3,8; Ezekiel 27:13-14). It is likely that Europe will give some lands in the USA and/or Canada to Russia for its cooperation (Daniel 11:39).

But in time, Russia and its allies in the East will turn against Europe:

12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared. 13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. (Revelation 16:12-14)

God’s great day of what and on what?

God’s wrath on end time European Babylon:

19 And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. (Revelation 16:19)

Revelation 16:12 talks of the European Beast power being end time Babylon and being affected by the East. In a sense, Russia is the most eastern of nations. It is also a power to the north and east of Europe.

Consider also the following prophecies:

40.  the king of the north … 44 … news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. 45 And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him. (Daniel 11:44-45)

50:41 “Behold, a people shall come from the north,
And a great nation and many kings
Shall be raised up from the ends of the earth.
42 They shall hold the bow and the lance;
They are cruel and shall not show mercy.
Their voice shall roar like the sea;
They shall ride on horses,
Set in array, like a man for the battle,
Against you, O daughter of Babylon.

43 “The king of Babylon has heard the report about them,
And his hands grow feeble;
Anguish has taken hold of him,
Pangs as of a woman in childbirth…”(Jeremiah 50:41-43).

Russia is really the only powerful nation north of Europe. Thus, the European empire (the “daughter of Babylon”) is to be destroyed by a northern (apparently Russian led) force.

While AI can be helpful to aspects of European society, overlooking biblical prophecies will lead to ruin. Russia and its allies may well use AI themselves to determine when and how to attack Europe.

While some may feel that it is ‘good news’ that ‘artificial intelligence’ and crowdsourcing’ can save humanity from ‘wicked problems’ (watch Crowdsourcing and Artificial Intelligence to solve “wicked problems”?), that is a false gospel (watch also Galatians 1 and the False Gospel).

The ONLY solution to the problems facing humanity in this age is repentance and the acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus. But Jesus taught since that would NOT happen in this age, God would have to intervene from stopping the destruction of all flesh on the earth:

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)

So is all doomed?

No, God will intervene:

15 Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” 16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying:

“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
The One who is and who was and who is to come,
Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
18 The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,
And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,
And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,
And those who fear Your name, small and great,
And should destroy those who destroy the earth.” (Revelation 11:15-18)

Instead of having hope that humanity through international cooperation, crowdsourcing, and artificial intelligence will solve humanities wicked problems, notice that Jesus will have to come to destroy those who ‘destroy the earth’ as humanity will not save the planet.

However, that will be accomplished by the return of Jesus and the establishment of the millennial Kingdom of God.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Russia and Ukraine: Their Origins and Prophesied Future Russia in prophecy. Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end? There is also a video sermon available: Russia in the Bible and in Prophecy and a video sermonette available: Ukraine in Prophecy?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
Ezekiel 38: For Russia & Iran in Our Day? Is Ezekiel 38 about to be fulfilled? A related video is available titled Ezekiel 38: For Russia, Ukraine, & Iran Now? Another could be Russia, Iran, Syria, & the Bible (Code).
Crowdsourcing and Artificial Intelligence to solve “wicked problems”? In 2016, the journal Science published a paper that claims that crowdsourcing and artificial intelligence was the best way to deal with complex “wicked problems” like disease and climate change facing humanity. Is that possible or a false gospel? Is groupthink the answer What does the Bible teach? What are real “wicked problems” and what does the Bible teach are real solutions?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse What is the pale horse of death and pestilences? What will it bring and when? Spanish: El cuarto jinete de Apocalipsis, el caballo pálido de muerte y pestilencia.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2017, 2018, or 2019? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2016 o 2017? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Will the Great Tribulation Start in 2017?
The Times of the Gentiles Has there been more than one time of the Gentiles? Are we in it now or in the time of Anglo-America? What will the final time of the Gentiles be like? A related sermon is available and is titled: The Times of the Gentiles.
Armageddon Who is involved and when will this gathering happen? Here is also a video from Dr. Thiel, from Tel Megiddo in Israel: Armageddon.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
Do You Know That Babylon is Forming? How is the final Babylon forming? Are Protestants such as Joel Osteen and Kenneth Copeland are endorsing something dangerous? Could Pope Francis be the ‘False Prophet’ that the Bible warns against? Is an antipope expected to endorse a one-world religion? Here is a link to a related written article In Vatican City: New Babylon more openly forming!
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.
Are You Being Called by God? Norman Shoaf wrote various points to consider.
Is God Calling You? Alfred E Carrozzo wrote this.
What Did Christ Mean  Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen? This article was by Raymond McNair.
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? A related sermon is also available titled: Real Christian Repentance.
Just What Do You Mean — Repentance? Do you know what repentance is? Have you truly repented? Repented of what? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
When You Sin: Do You Really Repent? This is an article by Charles F. Hunting. A related sermon is Confess to God and truly repent.
Some Doctrines of Antichrist Are there any doctrines taught outside the Churches of God which can be considered as doctrines of antichrist? This article suggests at least three. It also provides information on 666 and the identity of “the false prophet.” Plus it shows that several Catholic writers seem to warn about an ecumenical antipope that will support heresy. You can also watch a video titled What Does the Bible teach about the Antichrist?
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. A related sermon is titled Ten Kings of Revelation and the Great Tribulation.

COGwriter

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

1:25:51

The Times of the Gentiles

What are the times of the Gentiles? Have there been more than one? What do Protestants, Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the Church of God teach about the time of the Gentiles? Is that the time for the full number of Gentiles to hear the gospel? Does it have anything to do with Israel? What about 604 B.C. and 721-718 B.C.? What about the rise of the Anglo-American powers from the 19th century to present? What about the Turks relinquishing control over Jerusalem in 1917? What does any of this have to do with 2520 years or 2520 days? How bad will it get during the final 42 months of the Gentiles? Who does the Bible teach can be protected for that 3 1/2 year time period? Does Jesus return and end the final time of the Gentiles? Dr. Thiel answer these questions and more.

Organization of the Nascent Sanhedrin

COGwriter

In a move that is not surprising, a Jewish organization that does not believe in Jesus has ruled against accepting marriages as Jewish, for those who claim to believe in Jesus:

Sanhedrin bans all Messianic Jewish marriages in Israel

The state of Israel’s religious establishment is taking its persecution of Messianic Jewish believers in Jesus to a new level.

A rabbinic court, or Sanhedrin, has ruled that a Jew who believes in Jesus as the Jewish Messiah is no longer considered a Jew for purposes of marriage in Israel. This makes it impossible for two Messianic Jews to get married inside the country.

“An Israeli couple who are Messianic Jews cannot marry in a traditional Jewish religious ceremony in Israel because they are considered converts to Christianity, a rabbinical court ruled on Tuesday,” according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

It was the first time a rabbinical court has ruled on the issue of the status of Jews who believe in Jesus as Son of God, after a Messianic couple requested they be married in Israel according to Jewish law or “halacha.”

The couple was essentially told they would need to deny their faith in Jesus as the Son of God to have a state-recognized Jewish wedding ceremony in Israel.

All marriages in Israel are controlled by religious authorities, whether Jewish, Islamic, Christian or Druze, according to laws first handed down under the Ottoman Empire. These laws were retained by the British Mandate and continued after the state of Israel was founded in 1948.

The judges wrote that if the couple “declares before the court they have completely given up their Christian beliefs, including their belonging to a Messianic Jewish community and missionary activities, the court will discuss their matter anew.” http://www.wnd.com/2017/08/sanhedrin-bans-all-messianic-jewish-marriages-in-israel/

The headline on this seems a bit exaggerated, which is why I added the question mark for my headline. Why? Well, Messianics can still get married in Israel, but need to do so claiming Christianity:

Judges say couple are not Jews but converts to Christianity, and must either renounce their new religion or marry as Christians  http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.809961

It is unclear, to me at least, why a group that claims to accept Jesus would want their marriages considered as Jewish by people who do not believe in Jesus. But some Messianics consider this to be both rejection and persecution.

For one example, see the following:

said Dr. Michael Brown, a Messianic Jewish scholar …

“In the eyes of most Orthodox Jews, Messianic Jews are heretics and idolaters, unworthy of being part of the larger Jewish community, even though they would consider us still Jews,” Brown told WND. “Many of them want to keep us out of Israel entirely, so refusing to grant two Messianic Jews an official rabbinic wedding is in keeping with their hostility toward us.”

Still, the decision is disappointing, he said, since all official Jewish weddings performed in Israel must be done by Orthodox rabbis, “who would gladly perform a ceremony for two atheists.”

“So we should protest this decision to the government while still recognizing that our calling to follow Yeshua will bring us persecution and rejection.” http://www.wnd.com/2017/08/sanhedrin-bans-all-messianic-jewish-marriages-in-israel/

Since the Messianics claim Jesus and Orthodox Jews do not, it is not a surprise that the Messianics are considered to be heretics by the Orthodox Jews. As far as being idolators, Messianic Jews do tend to use idolatrous items (e.g. What is the Origin of the Cross as a ‘Christian’ Symbol?).

While the Continuing Church of God does keep the biblical Sabbath and Holy Days, we do not consider ourselves part of the Messianic Judaism movement nor the Seventh-day Adventists.  We have many differences in adherence to scripture, history, prophecy, and other matters. Several of the differences are documented in the article Messianic Judaism Beliefs Differ from the Continuing Church of God.

As for the Sanhedrin, it is a form of a Jewish rabbinical parliament. Essentially it is considered to be a deliberative body similar to the upper house or chamber of a legislature. In USA terms, something like the Senate; in UK terms, something like the House of Lords.

In 2004, various rabbis got together and formed what has been called the reconstituted, nascent, Sanhedrin. Nascent means budding, essentially meaning that all the pieces were not fully formed at its inception.

The word sanhedrin basically means “council.” A version of this word is found 22 times in the New Testament. Notice two of them:

55 And the chief priests and all the sanhedrim were seeking against Jesus testimony — to put him to death (Mark 14:55, Young’s Literal Translation).

1 And Paul having earnestly beheld the sanhedrim, said, ‘Men, brethren, I in all good conscience have lived to God unto this day;’ 2 and the chief priest Ananias commanded those standing by him to smite him on the mouth, (Acts 23:1-2, YLT)

Here is some of what the Nascent Sanhedrin’s English language website (which is the source of the chart at the beginning of this post) says about itself:

The Nascent Sanhedrin

The current attempt to re-institute semicha and re-establish a Sanhedrin is the the sixth attempt in the last five hundred years, but unlike previous attempts, for the first time there seems to be wide consensus among the leading Torah sages living in the Land of Israel for the pressing need for such an institution at this time. Rabbi Dov Levanoni explained the steps leading up to the most recent attempt to renew the institution of semichah in 2004, through a consensus of hundreds of the most influential and scholarly Rabbis living in the Land of Israel. Rabbi Yaakov Beirav and Rabbi Yosef Karo laid an excellent halachic foundation for understanding this teaching of Maimonides, the current attempt to re-establish the Jewish Sanhedrin has tried to learn from previous attempts and avoid some of the pitfalls.

Maimonides and other medieval commentators suggested that, although the line of semicha (Biblical ordination) from Moses had been broken in 425 C.E., if the sages in the land of Israel agree upon a single candidate being worthy of semicha, that individual would have semicha, and could then grant it to others, thus enabling the re-establishment of the Sanhedrin. …

In October 2004, a group of over few hundred rabbis representing varied communities in Israel undertook a ceremony in Tiberias, where the original Sanhedrin was disbanded, with about one hundred of them at time having proper Semicha. This was one year after the re-establishment of Semicha. A Beth Din of 71 was formed.

Rabbi Tzvi Eidan, the author of Asot Mishpat (on the laws of reestablishing the Sanhedrin) was appointed as first interim Nasi. Rabbi Adin Steinzaltz, a noted Talmudic scholar and a well-known Jewish philosopher is the currently elected Nasi. The Sanhedrin’s spokesmen said that due to concerns that external pressure would be brought to bear upon individuals not to take part in the establishment of a Sanhedrin, the names of most participants would not be made public.

Some of its more known members are

• Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, a well known Talmudic scholar who began translating and commentating on the Talmud in 1965, established a network of schools in Israel and Russia, and has received honorary degrees from Yeshiva University, Bar Ilan University, Ben Gurion University and Florida International University
• Rabbi Nachman Kahane, a graduate of Mir (Jerusalem), a rabbinic scholar and the rabbi of the Young Israel of Jerusalem’s Old City. He is currently working on an interpretation of the Tosafot of the Talmud. He is also the director of the Institute for Talmudic Commentaries and has created a database of reliable Kohen in Israel.
• Rabbi Yoel Schwartz, a graduate of Ponevezh yeshiva in Bnei Brak and Mir yeshiva in Jerusalem, and was the mashgiach, the spiritual supervisor, of Yeshivat Itri and of the Nahal Charedi religious army program. He is a well known Torah scholar and a prolific writer who has published over 200 Jewish books.
• Rabbi Dov Levanoni, a Holocaust survivor, a prolific author and the author of Hamikdash, a description and model of the Second Temple according to Maimonides and other opinions.
• Rabbi Yisrael Ariel is the founder of the Temple Institute (Machon HaMikdash), which focuses on preparations for the rebuilding of the Third Temple. As a young man, he served in the paratroop unit that liberated the Western Wall (kotel) in the Six-Day War.
• Rabbi Yehuda Edri is a Torah scholar, supervisor and principal for the Chareidi Shas Party’s El Hamaayan Educational system. He is an expert on the location of the Temple and its measurements.

The current Sanhedrin’s view of government

The Sanhedrin is a form of Rabbinic Parliament, part of a bicameral system that reflects traditional Jewish government.This model has influenced the organizational structure of many Western European legislatures.They describe the roles of an upper and lower house:

• The Sanhedrin is described as a “House of Scholars”. This body represents the “rights and obligations” of the people to the “Torah Constitution” which they define as including “the Torah, Talmud and body of Rabbinic Jurisprudence that has been built up over our history as a people”.

• A parallel “Congressional Assembly” represents the “democratic needs of the population”. It is conceived as being derived from the royal court of a constitutional monarchy, in a democratic society it would consist of an assembly of regionally elected representatives, represented by voting power. (The head of the lower house was traditionally the Monarch, or in a modern times a Prime Minister. He would have the power to collect taxes and would be the head of the executive branch of government. He would be subordinate only to the Sanhedrin)

The Sanhedrin would function as an equal legislative body to a democratically elected body, but it would also function as a supreme judicial body with regard to interpreting basic law, or what they call a “Torah Constitution”. It would be analogous to combining the Supreme Court of the United States and United States Senate into one legislative house, and has some similarity to the role of upper houses such as the Canadian Senate, designed to act as an unintended “sober second thought”, and the British House of Lords, which cumulates legislative and judicial functions. It appears that this structure in the Sanhedrin context implies a democracy functioning within a Torah Constitution. From an Israeli point of view this implies adding a second house to Knesset and declaring a Basic Laws of Israel requiring Israeli civil law to function within halakha.

Perhaps I should state that the reconstituted, nascent, Sanhedrin, does NOT have universal acceptance in Israel–nor is it technically a part of the Israeli government. But it does have allies and some political influence–and it wants animal sacrifices.

Last year, the Nascent Sanhedrin declared that it has a high priest (see Reconstituted Sanhedrin names high priest in preparation for the restoration of sacrifices; to begin as early as the Day of Atonement?). The one they appointed was Baruch Kahane, eldest son of Rabbi Nachman Kahane, who is a leading member of the Nascent Sanhedrin:

Rabbi Nachman Kahane, a graduate of Mir (Jerusalem), a rabbinic scholar and the rabbi of the Young Israel of Jerusalem’s Old City. He is currently working on an interpretation of the Tosafot of the Talmud. He is also the director of the Institute for Talmudic Commentaries and has created a database of reliable Kohen in Israel.

Perhaps it should be mentioned that some associated with the Nascent Sanhedrin believe sacrifices could be implemented within a week, or a few weeks, of getting governmental approval.

Many may be surprised to learn that animal sacrifices can be performed by Levitical priests without an actual temple.

The Bible shows that after the first Jerusalem temple was built and left in ruins, sacrifices were made in the time of Ezra BEFORE the second temple was ready:

6 From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid. (Ezra 3:6)

One may argue that since it takes the participation of Jewish religious leaders in order for Jewish animal sacrifices to be resumed, that the above scripture is a moot point. And it might be if there were no Jewish religious leaders that thought that they could not sacrifice without a temple.

Years ago, I requested formal clarification of the position of Jewish leaders through the ‘reconstituted Sanhedrin.’ The response received was:

Rabbi Yeshayahu Hollander wrote:

רמב”ם, מעשה הקרבנות, פרק יט , הלכה טז והלכה יז:

טז [טו] מִי שֶׁשָּׁחַט קֳדָשִׁים בַּזְּמָן הַזֶּה, וְהֶעֱלָה חוּץ לָעֲזָרָה–חַיָּב: מִפְּנֵי שְׁהוּא רָאוּי לִקָּרֵב בִּפְנִים–שֶׁהֲרֵי מֻתָּר לְהַקְרִיב, אַף עַל פִּי שְׁאֵין בַּיִת, שֶׁקְּדֻשָּׁה רִאשׁוֹנָה קִדְּשָׁה לְשָׁעָתָהּ וְקִדְּשָׁה לָעֲתִיד לָבוֹא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁבֵּאַרְנוּ.
יז [טז] הַשּׁוֹחֵט קָדְשֵׁי גּוֹיִים בַּחוּץ, חַיָּב; וְכֵן הַמַּעֲלֶה אוֹתָן בַּחוּץ. וְהַגּוֹיִים מֻתָּרִין לְהַקְרִיב עוֹלוֹת לַה’, בְּכָל מָקוֹם–וְהוּא, שֶׁיַּקְרִיבוּ בַּבָּמָה שֶׁיִּבְנוּ. וְאָסוּר לְסַיְּעָן, וְלַעֲשׂוֹת שְׁלִיחוּתָן–שֶׁהֲרֵי נֶאֱסַר עָלֵינוּ לְהַקְרִיב בַּחוּץ; וּמֻתָּר לְהוֹרוֹת לָהֶם, וּלְלַמְּדָם הֵיאַךְ יַקְרִיבוּ לְשֵׁם הָאֵל בָּרוּךְ הוּא.

Translation:

Hichot Maasei HaKorbanot [The Procedures of Offering Sacrifices]

Chapter 19

Paragraph 17:

He who slaughters a Sacrifice in this period [when we have no Temple], and offered the sacrifice outside the Azara [the alloted area of the Temple] – is culpable, because the offering must be performed in the Azara, SINCE IT IS PERMITTED TO PERFORM SACRIFICES despite having no Temple, since the sanctity of the Temple is eternal.

Paragraph 18:

He who slaughters the sacrifice of a gentile outside the Azara is culpable, as is one who performs the offering. NON JEWS are permitted to offer burnt-offerings anywhere, on an alkter which they built. Jews may not help them in the performance of this sacrifice, since Jews may not offer sacrifices outside the Azara. But we may instruct them and teach them how to perform sacrificesto the ASlmighty God, Blessed be He.

Additionally, it is worth noting that on 5766, Rabbi Benyamin Fuss published a 445 page book on Sacrifices of non-jews, of which the text proper is of 372 pages [the rest are indices, etc.] called Torat Habamah: Regarding sacrifices on an Altar outside the Temple. (Email from the Sanhedrin webmaster Abrahamson to Bob Thiel September 17, 2008).

Rabbi Yeshayahu Hollander is/was the English language spokesman for the nascent Sanhedrin.

The webmaster of the Sanhedrin added the following in a subsequent email:

This quote comes from Maimonides’ (Rambam) work the Mishneh Torah.

The nascent Sanhedrin sees itself as the continuation of rabbinic jurisprudence, and must take into account all halachic works written to date, and proceed from there. (Email from the Sanhedrin webmaster Abrahamson to Bob Thiel September 17, 2008).

Therefore it is a longstanding position of some Jewish scholars that Jewish sacrifices can be started on an altar and, as long as it is in the area of the old temple, that a physical temple is not first required.

This is consistent with Ezra’s previously quoted practice.

Notice also the following:

The 71 members of the “Re-established Sanhedrin” say they want to begin sacrificing animals again, despite the absence of the Temple, the ritual altar and all the required implements listed in the Bible. Rabbi Dov Stein of the group admitted…

“We want to do the sacrifice, but we have political problems,” Stein said. “We hope there will come a time when the government will agree. We will push for that to happen.” (Rabbis aim to renew animal sacrifices. Associated Press. Feb 28, 2007. http://www.jpost.com)

Since the Bible teaches that animal sacrifices will stop (Daniel 9:27; 11:31), they must first resume. And yes, some members of a ‘Levitical priesthood’ would be expected to be involved.

Notice something that the late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote about the temple:

“And are built upon the foundation of the apostles [New Testament] and prophets [Old Testament], Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy TEMPLE in the Lord” (verses 20-21). So God reveals here that the Church is: 1) the HOUSEHOLD or begotten FAMILY of God; 2) a building—a HOLY TEMPLE—fitly joined together—that is, well organized (and, of course, on GOD’S pattern). As a building—the HOLY TEMPLE to which Christ will come—it is built on a FIRM FOUNDATION: the apostles, chosen by Christ, and the prophets. …

There has been much perplexity and discussion as to when the temple will be built to which Christ shall come. Malachi’s prophecy speaks of Christ’s second coming to His temple (Malachi 3:1-6). In Haggai’s prophecy it is referred to prophetically. Zerubbabel has been sent as governor of a colony to build the second temple 70 years after the destruction of Solomon’s temple. He built the temple to which Jesus came, though it had been enlarged and embellished by the Roman Herod. But speaking of this temple, as a type and forerunner of the temple to which Christ shall come at His second coming , it is written, “The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the ‘ Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts” (Haggai 2:9).

It is inconceivable that the Israelis, in the present international turmoil over their possession of old Jerusalem, could ever demolish the Arab Moslem Dome of the Rock – now on the site of Solomon’s temple-and build a new one there of greater splendor and glory than Solomon’s! However, as the second temple Zerubbabel was building was a typical forerunner of the temple to which Christ shall come, even so Zerubbabel was the typical forerunner of one Christ would use in building the far more glorious temple to, which Christ shall come in His GLORY!

Zechariah 4:9 : “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it . . .. ” And as Zerubbabel’s hands did finish that second temple, so shall the one Christ uses in building the temple to which He shall come in His GLORY!

And the Church of God of the present day shall be a “building fitly framed together [and growing] unto an holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:21). (Armstrong HW. 7 Proofs of God’s True Church, Part 6. Plain Truth. August, 1979, p. 38)

Many of us are being tried and tested as NEVER BEFORE–and for our own good! But, verse 11, “from the time the daily sacrifice shall be taken away ….Consider this a moment. This does NOT imply a material temple to be built in our time in Jerusalem. It does seem to imply the Israelis may restore the daily (twice daily) sacrifice–possibly at the wailing wall. (Armstrong HW. The Time We Are In, Now. Pastor General’s Report-Vol 1, No. 15, November 20, 1979, Page 2)

Various ones who profess Christ have misunderstood about the temple in the church age.

Christians are the temple of God according to the New Testament.

Despite this, various ones who claim to be part of the Church of God have taken a different position. There has been a trend among various groups (e.g. CBCG, RCG, COGFF, and TPM) to teach that a third temple is required (see also Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required?).

As far as the temple goes, we in the Continuing Church of God clearly do not believe that a massive physical Jewish temple must be rebuilt for sacrifices and the fulfillment of prophecies prior to the return of Jesus.

But sacrifices will resume–and the Sanhedrin wants them.

Israeli governmental courts, including its Supreme Court, have generally agreed that Jews have the right to perform animal sacrifices, but have repeatedly denied this right as the timing would have excessively negative consequences. And to rebuild a temple in the area that the Muslims consider sacred would be even more problematic politically.

Yet, getting that permission is not impossible.

In a nation as politically fragmented as modern Israel, the time may come when a ruling coalition will itself have in it some members of a small religious group that will insist on the resumption of sacrifices for it to remain in office. And allowing sacrifices on a small altar certainly would seem politically more plausible than the construction of a Jewish temple with the removal of the Dome of the rock or even otherwise next to the al-Aqsa Mosque. While this may not be seen as viable in every possible Israeli administration, it certainly is a possibility for a future one.

Though it may well take a war, peace deal, and/or political gridlock for that to happen.

Perhaps I should also add that the group called the Temple Institute, has a moveable altar of unhewn (cf. Deuteronomy 27:5-6) stones (see Temple Institute Completes Altar of Unhewn Stones) as well as implements needed to perform the sacrifices (some of which I personally saw in October 2013 when I visited it).

And since the high priest is not the only one that would be authorized to perform daily sacrifices, the Temple Institute announced last year that it has established a school to train others in the ways of being Levitical priests (see ‘Temple Institute Announces School to Train Levitical Priests’)–it had several pilot programs in the past to be ready. But now it expects more regular training.

The Sanhedrin and the Temple institute keep taking steps aligning with properly understood end time biblical prophecies. Biblical prophecies will come to pass (2 Peter 1:19).

A related video is available and titled: Sanhedrin pushing animal sacrifices.

Getting back to the Messianic Jews, they, in my view, are seeking the approval of a wrong source for their marriages. More appropriate ceremonies for Christians are discussed in the article Ceremonies: Marriage, Funeral, Baptismal, and Laying on Hands.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Messianic Judaism Beliefs Differ from the Continuing Church of God Both groups keep the seventh-day Sabbath, but have important differences in doctrines and practices. Here is a link to a related sermon: Messianic Jewish Beliefs.
Ceremonies: Marriage, Funeral, Baptismal, and Laying on Hands Called ‘sacraments’ by some groups, what are the ceremonies in the Bible that Christians may be involved in? A related sermon is available online and is titled: Church of God Ceremonies.
Making Your Marriage Work Marriage is not always easy, but it pictures a divine relationship. How can you make your marriage work? Here is a link to the video sermon: You Can Make YOUR Marriage Work.
SDA/CCOG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 The genuine Church of God is NOT part of the Seventh-day Adventists. This article explains two prophetic differences, the trinity, differences in approaching doctrine, including Ellen White. Did Ellen White make prophetic errors? Did Ellen White make false prophecies? Here is a version in the Spanish language: SDA/COG Diferencias: La bestia de dos cuernos de Apocalipsis y 666. Here is a sermon in the English language: CCOG and SDA differences and similarities.
Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Por qué no se requiere un templo judío en Jerusalén? Here is a link to a sermon titled The Temple, Prophecy, and the Work.
The Red Heifer, Jewish Beliefs, and the End of the World The Temple Institute is watching a ‘red heifer.’ Why might this be important in the sequence of end time events? Here is a related link in the Spanish language Novilla roja descubierta en EE.UU. e Instituto del Templo está interesado en ella. Here is a related video in English The Red Heifer and the End of the World.
What is the Origin of the Cross as a ‘Christian’ Symbol? Was the cross used as a venerated symbol by the early Church? A related YouTube video would be Origin of the Cross.
Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill Could this building, often referred to as the Cenacle, possibly have been the oldest actual Christian church building?
Does the ‘Cenacle’ deal have prophetic ramifications? After a 20 year negotiation, the Church of Rome has negotiated the right to have Catholic mass in the building known as the Cenacle. It is in the area where the Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill once stood. This is believed to be the location of the earliest Christian church building. How does the Bible define the ‘temple of God’ in the New Testament? Could this be the area where the ‘man of sin’ will sit in the “temple of God’ that Bible prophecy discusses in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4? This is a YouTube video.
Was the New Testament Written in Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic? What language was the New Testament written in? Does it make any difference? What about sacred names?
Jerusalem: Past, Present, and Future What does the Bible say about Jerusalem and its future? Is Jerusalem going to be divided and eliminated? Is Jesus returning to the area of Jerusalem? There is also a related YouTube video you can watch titled Jerusalem To be divided and eliminated.
Who is the Man of Sin of 2 Thessalonians 2? Is this the King of the North, the ten-horned beast of Revelation 13:1-11, or the two-horned Beast of Revelation 13:12-16? Some rely on traditions, but what does the Bible teach? Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Quién es el Hombre de Pecado de 2 Tesalonicenses 2? Here is a version in Mandarin: 主编： 谁是’大罪人’？Here is a link to a related YouTube video, in English, titled Who is the Man of Sin?
Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel.

COGwriter

For years, I have warned that Europe wants to set trade and other standards for the world, as well as place controls on the internet. Politico reported the following:

Europe’s tech ambition: To be the world’s digital policeman

The Continent’s policymakers want to determine how companies and their users behave online.

At the center of this global tussle between technology and politics stands Europe, whose policymakers have set their sights on becoming the de facto global arbiters for how companies — and, in some cases, their users — behave online.

It’s an ambitious task with many supporters, in Europe and further afield, hoping to bring these mostly Silicon Valley tech giants down a peg or two. But Europe’s aggressive push to control the digital world also may come with some serious downsides.

For every attempt to rein in the activities of Google or Facebook, among others, the Continent’s lawmakers could embolden the efforts of more repressive regimes worldwide to tighten their own grip on what happens online. And if more and more countries impose their own rules on the web, such a race to define the digital world may eventually carve up the global nature of our online lives into a Balkanized version of the internet.

That’s certainly not what European lawmakers are hoping for, but it is a stark reminder of the law of unintended consequences.

“As Europe, we must set the global standards,” said Věra Jourová, the European commissioner for justice, who will travel to Washington next month to discuss how the U.S. can keep pace with European digital privacy rules, which already are among the toughest in the world.

Europe’s ambition to become the world’s digital policeman may sound surprising to those who scoff at the region’s inability to keep pace with the United States and China in churning out tech giants from Google and Amazon to Alibaba and Tencent.

But that lackluster record hasn’t stopped Europe’s lawmakers from seeking to export the bloc’s growing list of digital rules beyond its borders, aiming to expand its hands-on approach to technology to all four corners of the planet (with, importantly, the significant exception of China). …

Europe’s efforts to corral the digital world are part of a longstanding tradition of the Continent’s governments taking a more paternalistic (some would say overly-interventionist) stance to their citizens’ lives, compared to the United States. 08/21/17 http://www.politico.eu/article/europe-tech-ambition-to-be-world-digital-policeman/

Nearly two years ago, former German Economics Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg called for Europe to dominate tech (watch Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg and Europe’s Future). And this is more than digital tech (see European Technology and the Beast of Revelation).

According to biblical prophecy, Europe is expected to take more than a paternalistic approach to matters, it will embrace a totalitarian approach as the following prophecies confirm:

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)

1 Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. (Revelation 13:1)

7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. (Revelation 13:7-8)

15 He was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. (Revelation 13:15-18)Q

With the advent of the internet and the prevalence of cellular telephones, humans have an ability to control things that were not possible when the Apostle John was told to pen the Book of Revelation.

Europe is prophesied to have control.

Europe wants control.

Some, like Politico, are starting to see this, but do not realize how this will turn out.

In addition to leading to the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21), this will lead to the famine of the word (Amos 8:11-12) and persecution of Christians (see also Persecutions by Church and State).

It will not be properly paternalistic.

A totalitarian state dominated by Germany will rise up (see also Germany in Biblical Prophecy)–and the USA is assisting in this process (see also The Snowden Leaks are Leading to the Destruction of the USA).

Yet, there is good news as the Kingdom of God will come and replace the Beast’s system (Revelation 17:14) that we see being put together today.

We are seeing an increasingly out-of-control Europe (see also ZH: Europe’s Out-Of-Control Censorship).

One that will become a totalitarian society (watch Orwell’s 1984 by 2024?).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work.
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from lower level leaders? A related sermon is available titled Priority of the Philadelphia Work.
Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur. Will those with the cross be the persecutors or the persecuted–this article has the shocking answer. There is also a YouTube video sermon you can watch: The Coming Persecution of the Church. Here is information in the Spanish language: Persecuciones de la Iglesia y el Estado.
The Spanish Inquisition and Early Protestant Persecutions Was the Church of Rome really responsible for this? What happened?
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.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666 Who is 666? This article explains how the COG views this, and compares this to Ellen White. Here is a link to a prophetic video Six Financial Steps Leading to 666?
The Mark of Antichrist What is the mark of Antichrist? What have various ones claimed? Here is a link to a related sermon What is the ‘Mark of Antichrist’?
Mark of the Beast What is the mark of the Beast? Who is the Beast? What have various ones claimed the mark is? What is the ‘Mark of the Beast’?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
European Technology and the Beast of Revelation Will the coming European Beast power would use and develop technology that will result in the taking over of the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Is this possible? What does the Bible teach? Here is a related YouTube video: Military Technology and the Beast of Revelation.
Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History Are the Germanic peoples descended from Asshur of the Bible? Have there been real Christians in Germanic history? What about the “Holy Roman Empire”? There is also a You-Tube video sermon on this titled Germany’s Biblical Origins.
Germany in Biblical Prophecy Does Assyria in the Bible equate to an end time power inhabiting the area of the old Roman Empire? What does prophecy say Germany will do and what does it say will happen to most of the German people? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: Alemania en la profecía bíblic. Here are links to two English language sermon videos Germany in Bible Prophecy and The Rise of the Germanic Beast Power of Prophecy.
Are You Being Called by God? Norman Shoaf wrote various points to consider.
Is God Calling You? Alfred E Carrozzo wrote this.
What Did Christ Mean – Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen? This article was by Raymond McNair.
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? A related sermon is also available titled: Real Christian Repentance.
Just What Do You Mean — Repentance? Do you know what repentance is? Have you truly repented? Repented of what? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
When You Sin: Do You Really Repent? This is an article by Charles F. Hunting. A related sermon is Confess to God and truly repent.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2017, 2018, or 2019? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2016 o 2017? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Will the Great Tribulation Start in 2017?
Are You Being Called by God? Norman Shoaf wrote various points to consider.
Is God Calling You? Alfred E Carrozzo wrote this.
What Did Christ Mean – Many Are Called, But Few Are Chosen? This article was by Raymond McNair.
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? A related sermon is also available titled: Real Christian Repentance.
The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots. They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent. One video of related interest is 17 Laodicean Errors in Prophecy.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. A video of possible interest may be Will Will USA Spying Help the Beast Power?
Leading the Final Phase of the Work Matthew 24:14 teaches “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come ” will be fulfilled and RCG is not the group doing this. Who is leading the final phase of the work? What did Herbert Armstrong and the old WCG teach about that and about prophets? Does Bob Thiel meet the criteria that the Bible and the old WCG set? What is the proof? What has the Continuing Church of God been doing? This is a sermonette length video.
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Internet Control, Famine of the Word, and 666 On October 1, 2016, the USA officially relinquished control over the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), despite objections from certain political leaders and former military officials. Might this lead to more censorship, imposition on non-biblical ‘community standards,’ and loss of first amendment rights? Could this transfer of control have any prophetic ramifications? Will the internet be a factor in the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28 and the coming ‘famine of the word’ that the Prophet Amos warned about? Will internet control be something that the 666 power will have? Dr. Thiel addresses these matters and more in this video.
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?
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy past Daniel 11:39? 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?
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage to support it? Here is a related YouTube video titled The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra.

Vladimir Putin

COGwriter

The Russian President has some words of caution for the USA:

Vladimir Putin Says Trump’s Approach to North Korea Is ‘Futile’

Putin says pressure on North Korea is both ‘futile’ and a ‘dead-end road’

September 1, 2017

Russian President Vladimir Putin urged the U.S. and others to avoid going down a “dead-end road” with North Korea on Friday, adding only dialogue without pre-conditions could resolve the crisis.

“Russia believes that the policy of putting pressure on Pyongyang to stop its nuclear missile program is misguided and futile,” Putin said in an article published overnight by the Kremlin, ahead of the BRICS summit in Xiamen, China.

“The region’s problems should only be settled through a direct dialogue of all the parties concerned without any preconditions. Provocations, pressure and militarist and insulting rhetoric are a dead-end road,” he added.

‘On the brink of a large-scale conflict’

North Korea has conducted a flurry of missile tests in recent weeks amid escalating international unease, prompting Putin to weigh in on Friday and warn that the ongoing geopolitical dispute is “balancing on the brink of a large-scale conflict.” …

Last week, the U.S. and Japan imposed fresh sanctions on entities and organizations that support North Korea, including those in China and Russia. https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/01/putin-says-pressure-on-north-korea-is-both-futile-and-a-dead-end-road.html

US President Trump seems to have a different view:

Donald Trump appeared to rule out contacts with the North Korean regime in the wake of its missile test over Japan on Wednesday, declaring: “Talking is not the answer.”

Minutes later, however, the defense secretary, James Mattis, flatly contradicted the president’s blanket statement, telling reporters: “We’re never out of diplomatic solutions.”

Such sharply conflicting statements have become a norm for the Trump administration, but it is unclear how they are being read by the regime in Pyongyang and US allies in the region.

Trump’s declaration, delivered as usual in the form of a tweet, appeared to reflect frustration that his threats of “fire and fury” against North Korea earlier this month had failed to deter it from carrying out missile tests. He had recently claimed, after a lull of more than three weeks in such tests, that Kim Jong-un “is starting to respect us”.

Kim, however, made it clear earlier on Wednesday that there would be more ballistic tests in the wake of Tuesday’s launch of an intermediate range missile, the first ballistic missile North Korea has fired over Japan. He described the test as a “meaningful prelude” to a well-advertised plan to send a salvo of similar missiles into the seas around the US territory of Guam. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/aug/30/trump-north-korea-james-mattis-diplomacy

Donald Trump would like to take action, beyond diplomatic moves, with North Korea.

While carnally speaking, that may seem to make sense to many, Vladimir Putin is correct that we seem to be “on the brink of a large-scale conflict.”

Military issues are expected in these times.

Jesus had the Apostle John record:

3 When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” 4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword. (Revelation 6:3-4)

We could be at or near the time of the ride of the red horseman of the apocalypse this month. We will see.

It may not turn out as well as people like US President Donald Trump hopes. A vengeful North Korea may have operatives try to detonate nuclear bombs, electromagnetic pulse weapons, and/or dirty bombs in the USA. North Korea may attempt to unleash chemical and/or biological weapons against the USA, South Korea, Japan, and/or Guam. Steps to prepare for some or all of this may have been begun by the North Koreans.

North Korea’s leaders may well decide that if they are attacked that they should attempt to cause the most damage possible.

Despite wars, ultimately, there is good news as the Kingdom of God will come and those issues will be gone (Revelation 7:16).

Until then, we will hear of troubles, rumors of wars, wars, and the Great Tribulation. And irrespective of what happens to North Korea and Japan, eventually, one of those wars will eliminate the USA (Daniel 11:39; see also USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses). The situation with North Korea has the potential to weaken the USA in various ways many have not seriously considered.

As Vladimir Putin is indicating, the specter of war is haunting the world right now.

COGwriter

A while back, Eric Jones of the Church of God, a worldwide association (COGWA) reported on two prophetic trends he feels Christians should watch.

Jesus tells us to “watch” (Luke 21:36), and part of that includes recognizing important world news trends. We subscribe to some of the best newsmagazines published to gain a broad, global perspective of what is happening in today’s world. One periodical that provides excellent, in-depth analysis of global conditions is Foreign Affairs.

As I was paging through the July/August 2016 issue, I was struck by the number of articles relating to end-time trends prophesied in the Bible. The authors were good at recognizing the problems, but they weren’t able to see the prophetic perspective and the solutions explained in the Bible. …

I believe these two themes are essential to understanding our world as it relates to Bible prophecy.

Two important prophetic trends to watch

1. An increase in global conflicts and authoritarianism.

One of the primary themes of end-time Bible prophecies is global violence and instability. In the Olivet Prophecy, Jesus spoke these words about the time preceding the Great Tribulation and His return: “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. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” (Matthew 24:6-7). …

2. Germany’s increasing global role.

The current edition of Foreign Affairs also features a very interesting article titled “Germany’s New Global Role” by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The article describes how Germany has emerged as the most stable and powerful nation in Europe. Germany is not just the undisputed economic leader of Europe, but it is also becoming a bigger diplomatic player in global affairs, “contributing diplomatically to the peaceful resolution of multiple conflicts around the globe” (p. 106).

Mr. Steinmeier points out that the United States and Europe have continually retreated from their roles as global leaders in the last decade—leaving a vacuum that has contributed to the retreat of democracy, the rise of authoritarian regimes and the rise of sectarian and national conflicts. This retreat has allowed regions to become destabilized; conflicts to spread; and nations like China, India and Russia to flex their muscles as significant regional and global powers.

“Against this backdrop,” Mr. Steinmeier writes, “Germany has remained remarkably stable” (p. 108). Germany has maintained its economic strength throughout the global recession and has maintained its focus on export-driven economic growth. Slowly and cautiously, Germany is taking a more assertive role in global affairs. With the retreat of the U.S. and the tenuous state of the European Union, Germany is seen by many as an “indispensable nation” (p. 113). http://lifehopeandtruth.com/prophecy/blog/prophecy-moves-forward-2-prophetic-trends-we-cant-ignore/

Germany has been, not only quite stable, but growing in influence in Europe as well as around the world. Related to this, the relationship between the Donald Trump Administration and Germany is something to watch.

The Bible itself tells of a time when a German-dominated authoritarian Beast power will be involved in various conflicts. Notice something from the Old and New Testaments:

5 “Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger
And the staff in whose hand is My indignation.
6 I will send him against an ungodly nation,
And against the people of My wrath
I will give him charge,
To seize the spoil, to take the prey,
And to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
7 Yet he does not mean so,
Nor does his heart think so;
But it is in his heart to destroy,
And cut off not a few nations.
8 For he says,
‘Are not my princes altogether kings?
9 Is not Calno like Carchemish?
Is not Hamath like Arpad?
Is not Samaria like Damascus?
10 As my hand has found the kingdoms of the idols,
Whose carved images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria,
11 As I have done to Samaria and her idols,
Shall I not do also to Jerusalem and her idols?'” (Isaiah 10:5-11)

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

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

Assyria is a reference to Germany (see Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History); whereas Samaria seems to be a reference to the USA (see also Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel and Spiritual Samaritans: Old and New).

The sea that Revelation 13 referred to is the Mediterranean sea (watch Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European? and/or read Europa).

As far as watching, notice more details on the scripture that Erik Jones referred to as well as some he did not. Notice what Jesus said:

34 “But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. 35 For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:34-36)

28 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near — at the doors! 30 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

32 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34 It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming — in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning — 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” (Mark 13:28-37)

Notice Jesus said to watch and pray ALWAYS. He was referring to prophetic matters. THIS CAME FROM JESUS, BUT MANY SCOFF AT PROPHECY for differing reasons (cf. 2 Peter 3:1-7)–yet being a prophetic scoffer is a mistake (cf. 2 Peter 3:8-9).

Jesus realized that if people did not pay attention to prophecy and pray always, they would not properly take the steps to “be counted worthy to escape all these things.” Yes, God uses prophecy as a motivator for people. Remember that God used Jonah to warn Nineveh (Jonah 3:1-4) and they repented (Jonah 3:5-9), and they did not get the punishment they were going to get then (Jonah 3:10).

Jesus specifically told the Laodiceans, in a prophecy, that they needed to repent (Revelation 3:19) or face consequences (Revelation 3:14-19, and that they would be rewarded for doing so (Revelation 3:20). The Laodiceans are Church of God Christians “who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).

Notice also the following from the old Worldwide Church of God:

“Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger,” cried the Prophet Zephaniah (2:3).

A sermon-on-the-mount-type character is required. If you develop such Christlike character, the chances of your escaping the great tribulation are very good.

God’s anxiety for the physical welfare of His people is recorded by the Prophet Isaiah: “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold [here is the reason for hiding], the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity …” (Isa. 26:20-21).

Notice that verse 21 ties right back into the Christian’s prophetic responsibility: watching significant world events individually (and warning the world as a Church) as well as praying to be worthy to escape the punishments of God on this sick and dying world.

Watch! (Schroeder JR. Christ the Revelator. Good News, 1975)

Prophecy is important. But many misunderstand it.

But all who claim to be Christian need to watch and pray.

Every day, I try to cover prophetic and other matters to watch on this Church of God News page.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Go, Set a Watchman ‘Go set a watchman’ was an immediate best selling novel. Although the title comes from the Bible, the content of the book does not. What does the Bible teach about the ‘watchman?’ What is the work of the watchman in the 21st century? What did Jesus teach? Should you be watching world events per Luke 21? What has the position been of the Philadelphia portion of the Church of God on this? What does the Continuing Church of God teach? This is a video.
Concerns about Church of God, a Worldwide Association Known as COGWA, this is the largest group that came out of the United Church of God. Here is some history and concerns about it. UCG’s former president Clyde Kilough and UK CEO Peter Hawkins are part of it.
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?
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.
Zephaniah’s ‘Gather Together’ Prophecy Is it safe to be ‘independent’ or in a non-Philadelphian Church of God? What did God inspire Zephaniah to write?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2017, 2018, or 2019? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2016 o 2017? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Will the Great Tribulation Start in 2017?
How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets, yet many overlook what the Bible teaches about how to recognize a true one. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? This article contains a scripture-based checklist to assist with this determination.
How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God This is a sermon on YouTube addressing a subject that most in the Church of God do not seem to have looked into very much. It discusses scriptures and dispels some improper assertions that some associated with the COG have made about prophets in this time.
Dreams, the Bible, the Radio Church of God, and the Continuing Church of God How has God used dreams in the past? Does God still use dreams? Did He use any involving those in the Continuing Church of God? A related sermon is also available: Dreams, COGs, and One Man Rule.
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–here is some of why you should be concerned about them.
The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots. They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent (watching and praying means changing when YOU need to). One video of related interest is 17 Laodicean Errors in Prophecy.