Church of God News

Nagasaki Nuclear Bomb (1945)

COGwriter

August 6th marks the 73rd anniversary of the dropping of a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima by the United States. This killied about 140,000 people. On August 9, 1945, Nagasaki was hit by a second nuclear bomb that killed about 70,000.

There truly was massive devastation in both Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

While the goal of many of the Japanese has been to wipe out weapons of mass destruction, Japan stated a few years ago that it has modified its interpretation of its Constitution (see Japan changes to allow it to increase, as well as be more open, about its military developments) and may some day make nuclear weapons of its own.

Bible prophecy warns that more wars and destruction are coming (Daniel 11:39-44; Revelation 13:4) and that there will be false declarations (1 Thessalonians 5:3) and hopes for peace (Romans 3:10-18).

Furthermore regarding future destruction, notice the following:

33 I will scatter you among the nations and draw out a sword after you; your land shall be desolate and your cities waste (Leviticus 26:33).

And while God did allow the Assyrians to scatter the children of Israel back in Old Testament times, they did not then destroy their cities. Thus, the “cities becoming waste” prophecy is still waiting to be fulfilled. This is expected to impact the descendants of Ephraim and Manasseh (the Anglo-nations). Nuclear and other high-tech weapons (as well as emp, electromagnetic pulse, bombs) are modern ways to make land desolate and cities waste.

In 1948, the late Radio Church of God Pastor General Herbert W. Armstrong taught about what may happen at the beginning of the great tribulation and before Christ returns (the agreement he refers to at first may not be a public one):

There will be an agreement by which the police of the state will ENFORCE Catholicism upon all citizens inside its jurisdiction. The description of this new superstate is found in Revelation 17, a union of ten nations in Europe. It is pictured as the “BEAST”–which even footnotes in the Catholic Douay Bible admit is THE ROMAN EMPIRE…Thus once this EMPIRE is revived in Europe…the new-born…military power will without warning DESTROY AMERICAN AND BRITISH CITIES OVERNIGHT WITH ATOMIC BOMBS, conquering our peoples, taking our survivors to Europe as THEIR SLAVES! (Armstrong HW. Now it Can Be Told. The Plain Truth magazine. December 1948, p. 6)

Let me point out that I believed it will be a CHANGED version of Catholicism that will be enforced.

Anyway, while there may actually be even more modern weapons used than atomic bombs, later Herbert Armstrong specifically taught he felt that this attack would occur 30 days after the abomination of desolation taught about in Daniel 11:31, which is probably around Daniel 11:39:

The indication is the armies of the “beast” of Revelation 17, entering Jerusalem…What is this abomination? This refers to Daniel 11:31 and Matthew 24:15…From this time (Daniel 12:11) to Christ’s coming will be 1290 days. Now, verse 12, “Blessed is he that waiteth, and comes to the 1335 days.” Never before have we understood these periods of 1260, 1290. and 1335 days. But it seems evident, now, a blessing is pronounced on us–GOD”S CHURCH–who wait and endure until the 1335 days–approximately 1335 days prior to Christ’s coming…We shall then be warned, and readied to be taken to a place of refuge and safety from the Great Tribulation. Forty-five days later “the beast’s armies” will surround Jerusalem. Thirty days later the Great Tribulation will probably start with a nuclear attack on London and Britain–and possibly the same day or immediately after, on the United States and Canadian cities. The GREAT TRIBULATION, we shall fully then realize, is the time of “Jacob’s Trouble,” spoken of in Jeremiah 30:7. And Jacob’s name was named on Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen. 48:16). At that time a third of the people in our nations will die, or shall have died, by famine and disease epidemics; another third will dies of the war–our cities being destroyed (Ezek. 6:6), and the remaining third will be carried to the land of our enemies as slaves (Ezek. 5:12). (Armstrong HW. The Time We Are In, Now. Pastor General’s Report-Vol 1, No. 15, November 20, 1979, Page 2)

Do any other verses in the Bible support the idea of something like a nuclear war?

Yes.

Consider the following:

23 ‘The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it is not sown, nor does it bear, nor does any grass grow there, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the Lord overthrew in His anger and His wrath.’ 24 All nations would say, ‘Why has the Lord done so to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean?’ 25 Then people would say: ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord God of their fathers, which He made with them when He brought them out of the land of Egypt; 26 for they went and served other gods and worshiped them, gods that they did not know and that He had not given to them. 27 Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against this land, to bring on it every curse that is written in this book. 28 And the Lord uprooted them from their land in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this day.’ 29 “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:23-29).

The whole land being “brimstone, salt, and burning” is consistent with a nuclear type of attack.

19 Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts
The land is burned up,
And the people shall be as fuel for the fire; No man shall spare his brother.
20 And he shall snatch on the right hand
And be hungry;
He shall devour on the left hand
And not be satisfied; Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm. 21 Manasseh shall devour Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; Together they shall be against Judah (Isaiah 9:19-21).

Nuclear and certain other modern attacks tend to burn land up.

Jesus said that the time was coming when “there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 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). That is consistent with a nuclear war and probably something worse.

However, the good news of the Kingdom of God is that Jesus will return and put a stop to the type of nuclear devastation that happened in Nagasaki 73 years ago and the devastation that will happen during the Great Tribulation:

29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24:29-30)

6…And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7)

1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)

Nagasaki and Hiroshima are reminders to the world about how devastating modern warfare can be and that humankind needs a better way. Real peace is coming (check out the free online booklet: The Gospel of the Kingdom of God). And that peace will also include those in Japan.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Japan, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 1: Any Witness? Where did the Japanese people come from? Have they had any witness?
Japan, Its Biblical Past and Future, Part 2: Prophecy Japan in prophecy. What is prophesied for Japan? Will God save the Japanese?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2018, 2019, or 2020? 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 2018 o 2019? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation begin in 2018?
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.
Jesus: The Son of God and Saviour Who was Jesus? Why did He come to earth? What message did He bring? Is there evidence outside the Bible that He existed? Here is a YouTube sermon titled Jesus: Son of God and Saviour.
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? A video of possible interest may be Will Will USA Spying Help the Beast Power?
Will the Anglo-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?
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.

Official portrait of Dr. Liam Fox

COGwriter

The UK has been hoping to come up with some type of plan to leave the European Union that will not hurt it. One was proposed, but has essentially been turned down by the EU (see UK hopes a weakened proposal may prevent a hard Brexit).

Now, Brexiter Liam Fox, who is the UK’s Secretary of State for International Trade, thinks the chances of a no-deal Brexit exceed the chances for a deal:

5 August 2018

The UK appears set to crash out of the EU without a Brexit deal due to the “intransigence” of the Brussels machine, Liam Fox has claimed.

The international trade secretary put the chances of a no-deal Brexit at “60-40” despite both sides saying they wanted to reach an agreement on the terms of the UK’s departure from the bloc in March 2019.

The prominent Brexiter said he believed the risk of a no-deal scenario had increased, pinning the blame on the European commission and Brussels’ chief negotiator, Michel Barnier.

“I think the intransigence of the commission is pushing us towards no deal,” he told the Sunday Times (paywall). “We have set out the basis in which a deal can happen but if the EU decides that the theological obsession of the unelected is to take priority over the economic wellbeing of the people of Europe then it’s a bureaucrats’ Brexit, not a people’s Brexit – then there is only going to be one outcome.”

He said Barnier had dismissed the UK’s proposals in the Chequers plan thrashed out by Theresa May and the cabinet because “we have never done it before”. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/aug/05/liam-fox-says-no-deal-brexit-now-more-likely-than-an-agreement

5 August 2018

The United Kingdom appears set to crash out of the European Union without a Brexit deal due to the “intransigence” of the Brussels machine, Liam Fox has claimed. …

“I think the intransigence of the commission is pushing us towards no deal,” he told the Sunday Times.

“We have set out the basis in which a deal can happen but if the EU decides that the theological obsession of the unelected is to take priority over the economic wellbeing of the people of Europe then it’s a bureaucrats’ Brexit — not a people’s Brexit — then there is only going to be one outcome.” …

The British government has admitted its proposals are unprecedented, but Mr Fox said Mr Barnier’s response “makes the chance of no deal greater”. …

In a sign that member states are being warned of the consequences of the failure to find a deal, Mr Fox said: “It’s up to the EU27 to determine whether they want the EU Commission’s ideological purity to be maintained at the expense of their real economies.” …

Meanwhile, former cabinet minister Priti Patel said Ms May must ditch the Chequers plan, which would see a “common rulebook” for goods with the EU — effectively tying the UK to terms set by Brussels.

Writing for the Telegraph website she said it did not meet the result of the referendum and “will leave us half-in and half-out, still bound to EU regulations and constraints”.

Calling for a looser free trade deal with the EU she said the change would take “political courage, the kind of courage that appears to have been lacking over the past two years”. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/uk/uk-says-brussels-intransigence-pushing-it-toward-no-deal-brexit-1.3586967

Leaving the EU without a deal has been labeled as a “hard Brexit,” whereas having a deal between the UK and EU has been labeled as a “soft Brexit.”

And yes, there will be some trade, at least, between the EU and UK even with a hard “no deal” Brexit. Since one report I saw today says the EU exports more to the UK than the UK exports to it, this should motivate some in the EU to make some trade arrangements (money talks).

Yet, the Europeans want the UK to pay a big price for Brexit.

They do not want any other EU nation to follow the UK’s lead.

Hence, yes, the EU is willing to take losses because of this.

Notice something earlier this year in regards to Brexit and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker:

13 March 2018

The UK will come to “regret” the decision to leave the EU, European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has warned.

Addressing the European Parliament, Mr Juncker was cheered by Eurosceptic MEPs as he noted the UK’s departure was due on 29 March, 2019.

In response he said the time would come “when you will regret your decision”. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-43384357

The EU’s basic position is that the UK wanted to be in the EU, the UK approved the Lisbon treaty, and now the UK does not want to fund the EU as it agreed to, but instead wants to leave. The EU does not like that at all and essentially blames the UK for any current and future Brexit-related problems.

Allegedly, according to a report back in June, there is a ‘doomsday’ Brexit scenario floating around in the government of the UK related to a hard Brexit. Here is information from a report about that:

What The ‘Doomsday Brexit Plan’ Document Says Should Frighten Us All

This is the first paragraph of The Times article (paywall) regarding Britain’s now famous Doomsday Brexit plan. “Britain would be hit with shortages of medicine, fuel and food within a fortnight if the UK tries to leave the European Union without a deal, according to a Doomsday Brexit scenario drawn up by senior civil servants for David Davis.”

The Times confirms that the port of Dover will collapse “on day one” if Britain crashes out of the EU, leading to critical shortages of supplies. This was the middle of three scenarios put forward by senior advisors. A type of best guestimate if you like. You simply do not want to know the outcome of the worst of those three scenarios. Indeed, we have been spared from such details.

The article states that the RAF would have to be deployed to ferry supplies around Britain. And yes, we’re still on the middle scenario here. “You would have to medevac medicine into Britain, and at the end of week two we would be running out of petrol as well,” a contributing source said.

The report continues to describe matters such as cross-channel disruption for heavy goods vehicles, which would also be catastrophic. Massive carparks will be required.

A senior official said in the ‘Doomsday’ Brexit plan: “We are entirely dependent on Europe reciprocating our posture that we will do nothing to impede the flow of goods into the UK. If for whatever reason, Europe decides to slow that supply down, then we’re screwed.” …

UK officials emphasised that the June EU summit due on the 28th was heading for a “car crash” because “no progress has been made since March” to devise plans for a long-term deal. If your confidence in Brexit is starting to wane, don’t worry, half the nation are not just anxious but downright fearful – mainly because, neither in or out has given any concreate evidence of likely outcomes. This is probably because Brexit hasn’t been done before – and was designed that way. Deliberately. …

The only credible plan they do have and let’s be fair, it was they who put the country in this position in the first place, is called the Doomsday Brexit Plan.

Excellent. At first, you were anxious, then a bit unnerved, but by now, you really should be alarmed. What if the Brexiteers are wrong and the officials and civil servants who created this document are right? What then? http://truepublica.org.uk/united-kingdom/what-the-doomsday-brexit-plan-document-says-should-frighten-us-all/

Well, initially, I do not expect that Brexit will result in doomsday for the UK.

However, ultimately it will be worse than shortages of medicine and economic disruptions.

The real ‘doomsday’ will come after Europe reorganizes and the Beast arises in Europe (Revelation 17:12-13). He will takeover the USA (Daniel 11:39), as well as its Anglo-Saxon descended allies (cf. Jeremiah 30:7; Daniel 8:23-25a).

The late Pastor General of the old Worldwide Church of God, Herbert W. Armstrong, wrote the following in 1979:

What is this abomination? This refers to Daniel 11:31 and Matthew 24:15…That will be a time when the UNITED Europe shall appear–the revival of the medieval “Holy Roman Empire.” We shall then be warned, and readied to be taken to a place of refuge and safety from the Great Tribulation. Forty-five days later “the beasts armies” will surround Jerusalem. Thirty days later the Great Tribulation will probably start with a nuclear attack on London and Britain–and possibly the same day or immediately after, on the United States and Canadian cities. The GREAT TRIBULATION, we shall fully then realize, is the time of “Jacob’s Trouble,” spoken of in Jeremiah 30:7. And Jacob’s name was named on Joseph’s sons, Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen. 48:16). At that time a third of the people in our nations will die, or shall have died, by famine and disease epidemics; another third will dies of the war–our cities being destroyed (Ezek. 6:6), and the remaining third will be carried to the land of our enemies as slaves (Ezek. 5:12). (Armstrong HW. The Time We Are In, Now. Pastor General’s Report-Vol 1, No. 15, November 20, 1979, Page 2).

The Great Tribulation, which I have called, World War III will come. Brexit (and Donald Trump) will be factors.

The fact of Brexit and the EU’s response to it have been pushing the Brits to conclude that they need to move closer to the USA, and farther from Europe, on some matters.

The fact of Donald Trump has been to push the Europeans to increase military cooperation and to move further away from the USA.

Despite what British and American politicians hope for, the world, under European influence, will turn against the USA (cf. Daniel 11:39; see also USA in Prophecy: The Strongest Fortresses) and the UK. We are seeing more turn more against the USA and the UK.

“Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy”

COGwriter

Should a farmer plant crops on the Sabbath?

The commandment states:

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. (Exodus 20:8-11)

4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “And on the seventh day God rested from all his work.” 5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” 6 It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience…9 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience (Hebrews 4:4-6,9-11, NIV).

The New Testament confirms that Christians should not be disobedient, but should rest on the Sabbath.

Several months ago, a woman sent me the following in an email:

 I have spent considerable time, energy and effort in looking for God’s true church (comparing statements of belief/doctrine and “teachings” to scripture) and have settled on CCOG although I have no congregation anywhere near where I am …

Anyway, the above person is new to the Church of God and had not yet been baptized.

As it turns out she is engaged. Her fiancé, shares some of her views on the Sabbath and the true church, but has been unsure.

So unsure, that he felt it was appropriate for him to plant crops on the Sabbath.

Today, I received the following in an email with the subject line “Blessings and Cursings?” from the woman (names edited out, with bolding below added) by me:

We met in Almont, Michigan in July and I had my fiancé, Mxxxx, with me.  You may or may not remember, but he is a farmer.  I just wanted to share something with you regarding God’s promises of blessings and cursings.  Whether anyone wants to believe that this is proof of such promises and of God’s existence is up to them, but Mxxxx wanted me to share this with you because his experience has brought him closer to God and strengthened his belief and resolve.

Mxxxx is going through some trying times with many demands on his time and while he knows about the sabbath requirement, he often finds ways to justify to himself for working on it.  This past Saturday was no exception.  Early in the morning, I received a call from him to come out and look at one of his fields.  I objected as I know, and hold fast, to keep the sabbath but he insisted that it would be God’s work and not my agricultural work.  Attached are photos from that field.  Normally, a field planted a day before will come up sooner, be ahead of and look better than one planted later.  This is not the case here.  In fact the difference is remarkable.  Note that both pictures are from the same field, same soil type, same seed and variety, same equipment used, same (natural) fertilizer package.  The poor stand (looking to the left) was planted on the sabbath.  The healthy stand (looking to the right) was planted (the field was finished) the following day, on Sunday.  Mxxxx did not move to take the pictures, other than to turn to the left and right.  He asked me: “Why don’t anybody else’s fields do this if they work in them on the sabbath?  Why me?”  I answered with another question: “When you planted this field on the sabbath, did you merely think that it was maybe wrong to do so or did you know in your heart that it was wrong?”  His reply: “I knew it was wrong but I thought it would be ok.  I think God is telling me otherwise.”  I cited James 4:17 and after some thought he left the field and joined me for Bible study.  But that did not last.  He soon “had so many things to do” and returned to the field.  After his combine broke down and his tractor stopped in the middle of the field (to perform an automatic maintenance procedure he had been putting off), he called me up and returned to Bible study.  Frustrated at the seeming prosperity of commandment breakers, I went over Psalms 37 and 73 with him for a better understanding of what is expected of us and the timing of our reward as well as who it comes from (James 1:17).  He has been somewhat “stiff-necked” regarding obedience to this specific commandment but I think he is starting to understand although I think he may need another correction or two before he truly submits in this regard.  I continue to pray for him, knowing that God’s chastisements are both merciful and just.

Feel free to use and share this story and pray for us as we pray for you, that we all may grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and do those things that are pleasing to God.  May God keep you safe and inspire you according to his will.

Here are the photos:

 
Sabbath planted crops and non-Sabbath planted crops

Many people do not believe that God cares enough to intervene or that God does not perform miracles in the 21st century. While God does not always perform massive physical miracles when He is calling someone, sometimes He does (cf. Acts 9).

God is still on His throne, and yes, God does do miracles according to His will.

God holds people to a higher standard that know the truth:

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. (James 4:13-17)

While some wonder about working to handle a seasonal surge or other such need, here is what the Bible says about planting and harvesting:

21 “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest. (Exodus 34:21)

So, no, the ‘busy season’ at work does not negate the Sabbath.

Christian farmers should not plant on the Sabbath.

God does exist. His ways are best.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad Was the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath observed by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church? Here is a related sermon video The Christian Sabbath and How and Why to Keep It.
Is God’s Existence Logical? Is it really logical to believe in God? Yes! Would you like Christian answers to give atheists? This is a free online booklet that deal with improper theories and musings called science related to the origin of the origin of the universe, the origin of life, and evolution. Two animated videos of related interest are also available: Big Bang: Nothing or Creator? and A Lifegiver or Spontaneous Evolution?
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond?
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 Christian Sabbath. This is a series of articles from the Catholic Mirror essentially proving that the biblical Sabbath was Saturday, that the Lord’s day in Revelation 1 is not a reference to Sunday, that the Church of Rome implemented Sunday, and that nearly all Protestants followed Rome. Here is a link to a related sermon: Catholic teachings on the Sabbath, Sunday, and Protestantism.
How to Observe the Sabbath? How should you keep the Sabbath? This is an old article by Raymond Cole, with updated information for the 21st century.
The Dramatic Story of Chinese Sabbathkeepers This reformatted Good News article from 1955 discusses Sabbath-keeping in China in the 1800s.
Is God Unreasonable? Some have suggested that if God requires Sabbath-keeping He is unreasonable. Is that true? Here is a link to a related article in Mandarin Chinese 一个不合理的神？
Another Look at the Didache, Ignatius, and the Sabbath Did Ignatius write against the Sabbath and for Sunday? What about the Didache? What does the actual Greek reveal?
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 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 Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free draft/unedited pdf book explaining the what the Ten Commandments are, where they came from, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.
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.

COGwriter

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

18:33

Jim Rickards: Disaster is coming. What should you do?

Lawyer, media consultant, and lawyer Jim Rickards wrote an article titled “Get Ready for the ‘100 year flood.’ He mentioned the four horsemen of the apocalypse and suggested that the one related to famine may have to do with food inflation. After going through natural, political, and modern threats to humanity, he essentially calculated that the probability of one or more massive negative events hitting within the next 10 -30 years at 100%. In this video, Dr. Thiel goes over that as well as Dr. Rickard’s solution: gold. But then Dr. Thiel goes over what the Bible says that God’s people should do, He does so by quoting and commenting on scriptures in Zephaniah as well as statements from Jesus. Should Christians ‘gather together’? Are all Christians promised physical protection? Are any? What does the Book of Revelation teach? What should Christians do now? Dr. Thiel answers those questions and more. A written article of related interest is also available: Rickards: Get ready for the ‘100 year flood’.

Here is a link to our video: Jim Rickards: Disaster is coming. What should you do?

Some items of possibly related interest may include the following:

There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Near Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. Two sermon-length videos of relaled interest are available Physical Protection During the Great Tribulation and Might Petra be the Place of Safety?  Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
This is PETRA! This is a 1962 Good News article by the late Dr. Hoeh.
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.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? A related sermon is also available titled: Real Christian Repentance.
Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something? Here is a version in the Spanish language Escrituras sobre Preparación física para los Cristianos. Here is a link to a related sermon: Physical preparedness for Christians.
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? A video of related interest may be: Germany, Gold, and the US Dollar.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2018, 2019, or 2020? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2016 o 2017? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation begin in 2018?
Elijah: Past and Prophesied Information about the original Elijah and some information about the Elijah-related prophecies.
The Elijah Heresies Does the Bible teach that there will be a future Elijah? Must it be Herbert W. Armstrong?
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.
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 Churches of Revelation 2 & 3 from 31 A.D. to present: information on all of the seven churches of Revelation 2 & 3. There is also a YouTube video: The Seven Church Eras of Revelation. There is also a version in the Spanish language: Las Siete Iglesias de Apocalipsis 2 & 3.
1. The Ephesus Church Era was predominant from 31 A.D. to circa 135 A.D. The Church of James, Peter, Paul, and John, etc.
2. The Smyrna Church Era was predominant circa 135 A.D. to circa 450 A.D. The Church led by Polycarp, Melito, Polycrates, etc.
3. The Pergamos Church Era was predominant circa 450 A.D. to circa 1050 A.D. An especially persecuted Church.
4. The Thyatira Church Era was predominant circa 1050 A.D. to circa 1600 A.D. The Church during the Inquisition.
5. The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, and COG-7th Day.
6. The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
7. The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots. They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent.
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage to support it? Here is a related YouTube video titled The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra.
Leading the Final Phase of the Work Matthew 24:14 teaches “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come ” will be fulfilled and RCG is not the group doing this. Who is leading the final phase of the work? What did Herbert Armstrong and the old WCG teach about that and about prophets? Does Bob Thiel meet the criteria that the Bible and the old WCG set? What is the proof? What has the Continuing Church of God been doing? This is a sermonette length video.
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.
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.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L’Histoire Continue de l’Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. To see how CCOG has done so far, here are links to two sermons Continuing Church of God (CCOG) first year anniversary: What has been accomplished? and The Continuing Church of God: Two Years of Proclamation. Here is a written link to a version of that sermon in the Spanish language: Aniversario del primer año de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios: ¿Qué se ha cumplido?
Congregations of the Continuing Church of God This is a listing of congregations and groups of the Continuing Church of God around the world.
Continuing Church of God Facebook page This has news and prophetic information.
CCOG.ASIA We in the Continuing Church of God also have the url www.ccog.asia which has a focus on Asia and has various articles in Mandarin Chinese as well as some in English, plus some items in other Asian languages. 我们在继续神的教会也提供此网址 www.ccog.asia, 关注于亚洲并且有各种各样的中英文文章，其中一些用菲律宾语翻译的文章也正在进行中，准备添加到这个网站中。 Here is a link to our Statement of Beliefs in Mandarin Chinese 继续神的教会的信仰声明.
CCOG.IN This is a website targeted towards those of Indian heritage. It has a link to an edited Hindi translation of The Mystery of the Ages and is expected to have more non-English language materials in the future.
CCOG.EU This is a website targeted toward Europe. It has materials in more than one language (currently it has English, Dutch, and Serbian, with links also to Spanish) and it is intended to have additional language materials added.
CCOG.NZ This is a website targeted towards New Zealand and others with a British-descended background.
CCOGAFRICA.ORG This is a website targeted towards those in Africa.
CCOGCANADA.CA This is a website targeted towards those in Canada.
CDLIDD.ES La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. This is the Spanish language website for the Continuing Church of God.
PNIND.PH Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. This is the Philippines website Continuing Church of God. It has information in English and Tagalog.
CCOG Animations channel. The Continuing Church of God has some animations to teach aspects of Christian beliefs.
Bible News Prophecy channel. Dr. Thiel has produced many YouTube videos for the BibleNewsProphecy channel. And you can find them there.
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. Here is a link to a short intro: ContinuingCOG Channel.
CCOGAfrica channel. This has messages from African pastors in African languages such as Kalenjin, Kiswahili, Embu, and Dholuo.
BibleNewsProphecy Podcast. This has audio-visual podcasts of the Bible News Prophecy channgel. It plays on i-Phones, i-Pads, and Windows devices that can play i-Tunes.
Bible News Prophecy online radio. This is an audio version of the Bible News Prophecy videos. It is also available as a mobile app.

Woman Wearing Niqab Burqa

COGwriter

Denmark recently banned face coverings such as those associated with niqab burqas. Women are now being fined who violate this:

Denmark veil ban: First woman charged for wearing niqab

4 August 2018

A woman has become the first person in Denmark to be charged with wearing a full-face veil in public, after a ban came into effect on Wednesday.

The 28-year-old came to the police’s attention when a scuffle broke out between her and another woman at the top of an escalator at a shopping centre north of Copenhagen.

She was fined when she refused to remove the veil.

The new law has provoked protests and criticism from human rights groups.

It does not mention burkas and niqabs by name, but says “anyone who wears a garment that hides the face in public will be punished with a fine”.

An initial report into the altercation on Friday suggested that one woman was trying to remove the other’s veil, but police said this was not clear. …

They said both women were charged with violating the peace and said one had also been charged with violating the full-face veil law.

She was given a 1,000 kroner fine ($155; £120) after refusing to take it off at their request. …

Some Muslim women have said they will not adhere to the law – which carries a 10,000 ($1,500; £1,200) kroner penalty for repeat offenders.

Human Rights Watch has labelled the ban “discriminatory” and said it was the “latest in a harmful trend.”

Last year the European Court of Human Rights upheld a similar Belgian ban, saying that communal harmony trumped an individual’s right to religious expression.

Full or partial bans are also in place in France, Austria, Bulgaria and the German state of Bavaria. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45064237

Muslims obviously will not care for this ban.

Personally, I do not like laws that go against religion and personal privacy.

Part of the purpose of these European laws against facial coverings in public is to allow monitoring of everyone, as well as to use facial recognition software. Niqab’s interfere with that.

To me, this is consistent with the coming rise of the European Beast 666 dictator:

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. (Revelation 13:5-7)

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)

A European leader will use force to get people to go along with his false views of religion. Plus, by controlling buying and selling, he will eliminate most economic privacy.

Now, the burqa bans are really anti-Islam.

Historically, when Europe takes steps against Islam, it also tends to take steps to be closer to the Church of Rome. In the past, I wrote that I felt this type of ban would extend to more nations in Europe–and we continue to see that. Expect bans on Islamic facial coverings by more European nations.

And as far as Rome goes, yes, European leaders keep making statements to get the ‘values’ of that church implemented in Europe (e.g. Hungary’s Orban’s plan for Europe; Might Spain be inclined to support it? and Germany’s Dobrindt decries Islam after France’s Macron promotes Catholicism: Steps towards a new ‘Holy Roman Empire’?).

As far as burqas go, what many people do not realize is that in places like Turkey, young women are PAID by Islamic groups based outside the country to actually wear the burqa. And thus, many poorer young women wear the burqa there as a source of income. So while certain Muslims are trying to increase control and influence by doing that, many in Europe and elsewhere have realized that these signs of Muslim influence are not what their countries should put up with.

As far as the Muslims in Europe go, notice some items I posted about this back in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018:

The reality is that the Muslims will force Europe to wake-up and re-establish themselves. Historically, when Europe has been strongly opposed to Islam it has had greater ties to the Vatican.

This is what will occur. The Bible shows that a European military leader will line up with a religious leader from the city of seven hills (Rome) and ultimately defeat the forces of Islam. (Thiel B. Muslims: European Wake-Up Call. COGwriter, August 9, 2009)

The reality is that the Muslims will be a major factor to get Europe to wake-up and re-establish itself. Historically, when Europe has been strongly opposed to Islam it has had greater ties to the Vatican.

This is what will occur. The Bible shows that a European military leader will line up with a religious leader from the city of seven hills (Rome) and ultimately defeat the forces of Islam. (Thiel B. Anti-Islamic PVV Gaining in the Netherlands. COGwriter, March 4, 2010)

A divide between Islam and the nominally-Christian Europe is going to become more and more real. Though there will be apparent cooperation (cf. Psalm 83; Daniel 11:27), the two will turn against each other (Daniel 11:40-43). (Thiel B. France Begins Burqa Ban. COGwriter, April 11, 2011)

Yet, there are changes happening in Europe. And according to the Bible, more economic (Revelation 13: 14-17) and political ones must come to pass (Revelation 17:12-13). A currency change from the Euro is a possible, but not biblically-required, change.

As far as the anti-Islamists go, the Bible shows that a European military leader will line up with a religious leader from the city of seven hills (Revelation 17) and ultimately defeat the forces of Islam (Daniel 11:40-43), despite having earlier made one of more deals with the Islamists (cf. Psalm 83:3-8; Daniel 9:27; Daniel 11:27).

Irrespective of one or more temporary political deals with those of the Islamic faith, the anti-Islamic sentiment that Geert Wilders and others have tapped into in Europe is real. And according to the Bible, it will be resolved in ways differently than Geert Wilders and others like him publicly state (Daniel 11:40-42). (Thiel B. Political Turmoil in the Netherlands. COGwriter, April 23, 2012)

Will the refugee problem break apart Europe?

Well, it is likely to be a factor that will result in the UK splitting from the continental Europeans.

But what about the continental Europeans, will they split up or unite closer?

Well, although the Bible states that they will have unification problems (Daniel 2:41-43), it also shows that they will reorganize and put in a dictator, the Beast of Revelation (Revelation 17:12-13; see also Must the Ten Kings of Revelation 17:12 Rule over Ten Currently Existing Nations?). A Europe will arise with a powerful militaristic leader (Revelation 13:4; see also Europa, the Beast, and Revelation) who will enter with peaceful sounding words (Daniel 8:25; 9:27; 11:21-24; see also The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27), yet he will be the prophesied King of the North. …

Although there is a pontiff who currently is endorsing the acceptance of these migrants into Europe (see Pope Francis tells tens of thousands of European Catholic facilities to accept one migrant family per church/monastery), expect changes to come.

Islamic migrants into Europe will cause problems, but ultimately will result in a dictator rising up in Europe.

Not only will that not end up well for Islam (Daniel 11:40-43; see also Is the Future King of the South Rising Up?), it will also not end up well for the UK or the USA (Daniel 11:39; see also the article Anglo – America in Prophecy). (Thiel B. Will ‘Islamic Invasion’ by migrants break up the European Union? COGwriter, September 13, 2015)

A divide between Islam and the nominally-Christian Europe is going to become more and more real.

The call for a burqa ban in Germany, as well as saying no to sharia, plus the reactions to Islamic terrorism should be making this clearer to those who will watch as Jesus said in Mark 13:33-37. (Thiel B. Germany’s Merkel want to ban the burqa and not tolerate any version of sharia. COGwriter, December 6, 2016)

Europe is starting to get fed-up with Islam. As the Austrian vote and other events show (see also Germany’s Merkel want to ban the burqa and not tolerate any version of sharia and Switzerland Votes to Ban Minarets), Europe is taking steps to try to deal with Islam–and it is not finished. (Thiel B. Austria moving ahead on its burqa ban–will there be war between the Arabs and the Europeans? COGwriter, May 17, 2017)

17:19

Will Islam be Pushed Out of Europe?

On June 8, 2018, Austria’s Chancellor Sebastian Kurz announced the closing of seven Islamic mosques in an effort to reduce “political Islam.” In the past several years, at least 6 European nations have banned the wearing of a commonly used garment by Islamic females. Heinz-Christian Strache (later Vice Chancellor of Austria) has declared that Islam has no place in Europe. Did Germany’s Angela Merkel call multiculturalism a failure? Will there be deals between the Muslims and the Europeans? Will a European Beast leader rise up after a reorganization that will eliminate nationalism? Will Europe push out Islam? What does Catholic prophecy teach? What does the Bible teach in Daniel and Revelation? Is Islam prophesied to be pushed out of Europe? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link: Will Islam be Pushed Out of Europe?

Expect some outward statements of acceptance of Islam by some in Europe, while the reality is that Islam will one day be pushed out.

What does prophecy mean for the future between Europe and Islam?

I believe that it means that the Vatican will promote a temporal deal with Islam and Europe (Daniel 9:27; 11:27; see also The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27), but that ultimately, Europe will essentially push Islam out and even attack certain Arab lands:

⁴⁰ ‘When the time comes for the End, the king of the south will try conclusions with him; but the king of the north will come storming down on him with chariots, cavalry, and a large fleet. He will invade countries, overrun them and drive on.

⁴¹ He will invade the Land of Splendour, and many will fall; but Edom, Moab, and what remains of the sons of Ammon will escape him.

⁴² ‘He will reach out to attack countries: Egypt will not escape him.

⁴³ The gold and silver treasures and all the valuables of Egypt will lie in his power. Libyans and Cushites will be at his feet: (Daniel 11:40-43, New Jerusalem Bible).

The coming King of the South rules over lands that are currently dominated by Islam.

War is Coming Between Europeans and Arabs.

But, as I have written since the election of US President Donald Trump, that war WILL NOT be before 2021. However, events are lining up for it to occur.

Some items of related interest may include:

War is Coming Between Europeans and Arabs Is war really coming between the Arabs and the Europeans? What does Bible prophecy say about that? Do the Central Europeans (Assyria in prophecy) make a deal with the Arabs that will hurt the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Do Catholic or Islamic prophecies discuss a war between Europe and Islam? If so, what is the sequence of events that the Bible reveals? Who does the Bible, Catholic, and Islamic prophecy teach will win such a war?
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.
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.
Why Terrorism? Is Terrorism Prophesied? What does the Bible teach? Which nations may be affected? Here is a link to a related sermon: Terrorism, Christianity, and Islam.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation Where is an Islamic caliphate prophesied? Will one happen? Should you be concerned about it? A related video is Will an Arabic Calphiphate Destroy the West?
Libya, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia in Prophecy What is ahead for North Africa? What does the Bible teach?
Gaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy What does the Bible teach about Gaza and the fate of the Palestinians? Here is a link to a related video: Gaza and Palestine in Prophecy.
Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.
Egypt in Prophecy Does Egypt have a special role in end time prophecy? Will Egypt rise up and then be defeated. What does God teach will happen to those in Egypt? Here is a link to a YouTube video titled Egypt and End Time Prophecy.
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.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? You can also see a YouTube video sermons Why Teach the Kingdom of God? and The Gospel of the Kingdom.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. A video of possible interest may be Will Will USA Spying Help the Beast Power?
British are the Covenant People What do ‘British’ and ‘Britain’ mean in Hebrew? Are the descendants of the Anglo-Saxons people of the covenant? Does the British royal family connect to the throne of David? What does the Bible teach? What does history show us? Is there any DNA evidence related to British-Israelism? When did Christianity make it to the British Isles? Could Jeremiah have made it to the British Isles? What type of Christians made it to the British Isles? Did the last King of England believe in British Israelism?
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?
Forbes’ Brexit Monster is the Beast of Revelation Various ones have been properly convinced that there is a plan for a European superstate. Forbes’ writer Tom Worstall wrote that the Brexit vote was about the United Kingdom “not joining the monster of the European Union to come.” The Bible tells of a Beast monster that will arise in the end times in Europe. Dr. Thiel cites news reports, as well as the Old and New Testaments, to show that the monster many fear will arise in Europe, despite the vote by the British to exit the European Union.
Post Brexit Prophecy On June 23, 2016, the voters of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK) chose to leave the European Union. Now with this BRitish EXIT (Brexit) vote, what is prophesied to happen to the UK? Will the UK do well or be taken over and made slaves? Dr. Thiel explains from biblical prophecies what is ahead for the UK, Europe, and even the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. This is a video.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2018, 2019, or 2020? 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 2018 o 2019? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation begin in 2018?
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.
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? Is a Donald Trump presidency proving to be apocalyptic? Two related videos are available: Donald: ‘Trump of God’ or Apocalyptic? and Donald Trump’s Prophetic Presidency.
Trump Presidency Magic 8 Ball or Bible Prophecy? BBC reported that one might as well use a ‘Magic Eight-Ball’ to try to predict what will happen in the remaining time of Donald Trump’s presidency. What is a ‘Magic Eight-Ball’? Dr. Thiel not only explains that, but also briefly goes over 10 biblically-based warnings he wrote would happen if Donald Trump were elected that have already began to come to pass. He also goes over something he wrote back in 2008 that the Trump presidency is also helping lead to fulfillment. Should you trust Bible prophecy or not? Dr. Thiel says that Bible prophecy can be trusted, despite the view of skeptics and others that either overlook or despise the Bible. This is a video.

COGwriter

Extreme weather is hitting various parts of the world. Parts of Europe had record temperatures yesterday, and some believe today will be the hottest temperature ever recorded in Europe:

Europe set for its hottest day EVER with temperatures set to soar above 48C record set in 1977

4 August 2018

EUROPE is braced for its hottest day since records began today with temperatures likely to soar above the 118F high set 40 years ago. …The blistering sunshine is widely tipped to pass the 118.4F (48C) recorded in Athens, Greece, on July 10, 1977.

And the deadly scorcher — driven by an African plume carrying Saharan dust with it …

The Red Cross has already sent volunteers to the areas most at risk in southern Spain and Portugal.

And their emergency services have issued a red alert, drafting in extra medical staff and firefighters to cope with the threat.

The highest temperature recorded to date in Spain is 117F (47.3C). …

The Sun’s Amy Jones was in Badajoz, South West Spain yesterday — where her thermometer recorded a temperature of almost 122F (50C) in the sunshine. Official temperatures are taken in the shade. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/6938664/europe-hottest-day-spain-portugal/

It is not just Europe:

4 August 2018

California.

Imperial, in the south of the western state, recorded the highest temperature at which rain has ever fallen anywhere in the world – 48.3 degrees Celsius.

It was just another in a long list of temperature records that have been smashed this year on four continents.

Africa recorded its highest-ever reliably measured temperature on July 5, when Ouargla, Algeria topped 51.3C.

In Asia, Japan, North and South Korea all saw new records. Japan‘s heat set a record on July 23, when Kumagaya reported a maximum of 41.1C. Meanwhile, Pyongyang and Seoul both broke their previous maximum temperatures on August 1 when they reported 37.8C and 39.4C, respectively.

In Europe, Finland reported its average temperature was the highest ever in July, and across many parts of Scandinavia’s Arctic Circle temperatures above 32C set new records. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/08/hottest-rain-record-180804092514770.html

Germany and Japan had extreme heat in the past week or so. It was so bad in Japan that it was declared a natural disaster:

Japan declares heatwave a natural disaster

24 July 2018

Japan’s weather agency has declared a heatwave sweeping the country a natural disaster, with at least 65 deaths recorded in the past week.

An agency spokesman warned that “unprecedented levels of heat” were being seen in some areas.

More than 22,000 people have been admitted to hospital with heat stroke, nearly half of them elderly, emergency officials say.

The heatwave shows no sign of abating, forecasters say.

On Monday, the city of Kumagaya reported a temperature of 41.1°C, the highest ever recorded in Japan.

In central Tokyo, temperatures over 40° were also registered for the first time.

The Japan Meteorological Agency warned that temperatures of 35° or higher would continue until early August.

“We are observing unprecedented levels of heat in some areas,” spokesman Motoaki Takekawa said, adding that the heatwave was “a threat to life and we recognise it as a natural disaster”. https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/world/362555/japan-declares-heatwave-a-natural-disaster

Notice also the following:

July 24, 2018

The fires are a “national tragedy” and a “biblical disaster with human losses,” Greek Interior Minister Panos Skourletis told Sky News. https://abcnews.go.com/International/biblical-disaster-greek-official-wildfires-killed-50/story?id=56774845

Despite all of the other crazy news that is happening all around the world, the top headlines on Drudge on Monday evening were all about the record heatwave that is currently pummeling the Southwest. Of course it is always hot during the summer, but the strange weather that we have been witnessing in recent months is unlike anything that we have seen since the Dust Bowl days of the 1930s. At this moment, almost the entire Southwest is in some stage of drought. http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/we-are-seeing-heat-and-drought-in-the-southwest-united-states-like-we-havent-seen-since-the-dust-bowl-of-the-1930s

Notice two reports related to Asia and other parts of the world:

29 July 2018

Japan hit 41.1 degrees Celsius (106 Fahrenheit) last Monday, its hottest temperature ever. Records fell in parts of Massachusetts, Maine, Wyoming, Colorado, Oregon, New Mexico and Texas. And then there’s crazy heat in Europe, where normally chill Norway, Sweden and Finland all saw temperatures they have never seen before on any date, pushing past 90 degrees.

So far this month, at least 118 of these all-time heat records have been set or tied across the globe, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/2157323/greece-and-california-wildfires-record-heat-japan-there-connection

August 3, 2018

As many as 29 people have died due to heatstroke in South Korea, according to the South Korean Ministry of Health, Welfare and Disease Control.

The country is undergoing an extended heatwave, with at least 15 days of temperatures over 35˚C (95˚F) recorded, the Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA) reported. The agency added that Wednesday was the hottest day in Seoul in 111 years, with a temperature of 39.6˚C.  https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/02/asia/south-korea-heatwave-deaths-intl/index.html

So, we are seeing some extreme weather.

Yesterday, I was speaking to someone who lives in the Phoenix, Arizona area and she was telling about the severe dust storms that area had been having. Here is a news report about that:

Storm Hits Phoenix Area for 2nd Time in 4 Days

A wall of dust has enveloped the Phoenix metro area in the second monsoon storm in a four-day span.

PHOENIX (AP) — The Latest on a monsoon storm that hit parts of Arizona (all times local):

7 p.m.

A wall of dust has enveloped the Phoenix metro area in the second monsoon storm in a four-day span.

Officials at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport say flights are being delayed or held until visibility improves.

National Weather Service meteorologists say blowing dust in the Phoenix area brought near-zero visibility for drivers Thursday evening.

A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for areas including Maricopa and the Ak-Chin Indian Community south of Phoenix. 08/02/18 https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/arizona/articles/2018-08-02/the-latest-storm-hits-phoenix-area-for-2nd-time-in-4-days

What about California? Well, massive wildfires have been happening in the north. While some have died down, there were new concerns in the news today:

August 4, 2018

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Crews battling deadly Northern California wildfires braced for a weekend of windy, hot weather that could drive the flames into new areas and threaten more homes.

The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings of critical fire weather conditions through Saturday night, saying a series of dry low-pressure systems passing through the region could bring wind gusts of up to 35 mph that could turn small fires or even sparks into racing walls of flame.

“This is a particularly dangerous situation with extremely low humidity and high winds. New fires will grow rapidly out of control, in some cases people may not be able to evacuate safely in time should a fire approach,” the weather service said in its bulletin for the Mendocino area north of San Francisco.

As a precaution, new evacuations were called Friday for an area of Mendocino and Lake counties where week-old twin fires have destroyed 41 homes and threaten about 9,000 more.

The fire has charred an area of the forested, rural area five times the size of San Francisco and is only 30 percent contained. Thousands of people remain evacuated.

The fire remained several miles from the evacuated communities along the eastern shore of Clear Lake but “it looks like there’s dicey weather on the way,” California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokeswoman Jane LaBoa said. https://www.apnews.com/d79058730dbe4ba59bdc434e8bb84ca1/Weather-to-bring-renewed-fire-danger-to-Northern-California

God controls the weather and sometimes provides extreme weather for correction. Notice the following from the old WCG:

The Bible makes plain who is in control of the weather! “Fire and hail, snow and clouds; stormy wind, fulfilling His word” (Ps . 148:8 , RAV).

God intervenes in weather to work out his purposes among nations…

Plagues of disastrous weather are a warning to humanity. Weather for the most part operates according to natural laws. Damaging weather patterns sometimes develop. God simply may not choose to intervene to stop them because of nations’ various sins and idolatry.

The Bible reveals God also directly intervenes to cause weather plagues to warn certain nations. “I have smitten you with blasting and mildew . .. yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord” (Amos 4:9). He, in his great purpose, may also allow Satan-the god of this world (II Cor. 4:4)-to have a role in producing calamitous weather, for man’s ultimate learning (see Job, chapter 1). (Schroeder D. CHAOTIC WEATHER Return of the dust bowl? Plain Truth. 1984, pp. 19-20)

The Bible repeatedly warns, especially in the Hebrew scriptures, that various sins will result in destructive weather. Notice some from Deuteronomy:

13 ‘And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, 14 then I will give you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain, that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. 15 And I will send grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled.’ 16 Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them, 17 lest the Lord’s anger be aroused against you, and He shut up the heavens so that there be no rain, and the land yield no produce, and you perish quickly from the good land which the Lord is giving you. (Deuteronomy 11:13-17)

15 “But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: 16 “Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country. … 22 The Lord will strike you with consumption, with fever, with inflammation, with severe burning fever, with the sword, with scorching, and with mildew; they shall pursue you until you perish. 23 And your heavens which are over your head shall be bronze, and the earth which is under you shall be iron. 24 The Lord will change the rain of your land to powder and dust; from the heaven it shall come down on you until you are destroyed. (Deuteronomy 28:15-16, 22-24)

Yes, extreme weather can be the result of human sin.

As far as heat goes, the following is expected in either the next decade or the one following it:

8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire. 9 And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory. (Revelation 16:8-9)

People should repent of their sins.

Yes, the temperature will one day be even higher than the records being set this Summer. For many more weather scriptures, see the article  Weather Blessings and Sorrows. Weather is not as random as most seem to want to believe.

Back in 2009, in a book that accurately laid out what would and would NOT happen in 2012, I mentioned the following was about to happen:

Considering all of the natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, food shortages, and economic problems in the past few years, perhaps this would be a good time to explain that the Bible shows that these problems were expected to occur prior to the great tribulation. Those outside the Bible have sometimes referred to a time such as this as a time of transition or chaos. …

There will be a generation that will experience end-time events, beginning with “sorrows,” including the Great Tribulation, heavenly signs, and finally the return of Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:5-34). …

Mark recorded the same account of this time from his perspective:

³ Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, ⁴ “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?” ⁵ And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. ⁶ For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. ⁷ But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. ⁸ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. ⁹ But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. ¹⁰ And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. ¹¹ But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit…” (Mark 13:3–11).

Thus, in both Matthew and Mark it is clear that a time called “the beginning of sorrows” precedes the Great Tribulation.

Notice that in Mark’s account he uses the term troubles. Troubles would seem to include economic and political problems, in addition to those specifically mentioned, such as wars, famines, natural disasters, and pestilences. …

Odd weather patterns result in food shortages and natural disasters.	Matthew 24:7
The world is actually in a berserk transition, as the real age of peace is not yet here. It may be a period of chaos. It is the beginning of sorrows.	Matthew 24:8

(Thiel B. 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect. Nazarene Books, 2009)

The above was published because it was consistent with Bible prophecy. We have been seeing odd weather patterns and the United Nations and others are concerned about related food shortages.

As far as “troubles” go, notice something related to Europe and the heat:

3 August 2018

Freshwater fish have been suffocating as the soaring temperatures have stripped oxygen from lakes and rivers.

In Hamburg, authorities collected almost five tons of dead fish from ponds over the weekend, German press agency dpa reported. Firefighters have started pumping fresh water into some ponds and lakes to try to raise oxygen levels.

Meanwhile, the UK’s Environment Agency said more than 6,000 fish had died in several regions in the country. …

Authorities in Sweden, Poland and Lithuania have warned against swimming due to a huge bloom of toxic algae spreading because of hot temperatures.

The blooming of blue-green algae is primarily caused by the excess of nutrients in the water. Scientists say exceptionally hot weather and a lack of wind has exacerbated the effect. …

The heatwave has triggered pollution warnings across parts of Europe.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan last week said the heat combined with the capital’s “toxic air, a lack of cloud cover and emissions travelling from the continent” had led him to trigger a “high” air pollution alert.

Meanwhile, several areas of France were placed on alert for pollution as a result of the rising mercury levels. …

The soaring temperatures and drought have devastated crops, with more than half of the harvest expected to be lost in some areas of Europe.

Some arable farmers are facing bankruptcy; states of emergency have been declared in Latvia and Lithuania; and some Swedish fields have received only 12% of their normal rainfall.

In Germany, farmers worst hit by the severe weather conditions have urged the government to act to compensate them as they say 30% of their annual harvest has been destroyed and losses are threatening their livelihood. http://www.euronews.com/2018/08/03/eight-ways-the-heatwave-has-affected-europe

The heat is exacerbating another problem that European countries have long dealt with: Still-potent weaponry left over from World War II.

At the end of July, firefighters grappling with a forest fire southwest of Berlin were further challenged by unexploded World War II ammunition still buried there.

Firefighters had trouble getting inside a pine forest near Fichtenwalde, which is about 22 miles from the German capital, because of safety concerns. There were signs that some explosives had already gone off because of the fire.08/02/18 https://www.businessinsider.com/record-heat-in-europe-cause-forest-wildfires-and-explode-world-war-ii-2018-8

High heat is more than just uncomfortable for most and deadly to some people.

Extreme weather should be a wake-up call to repent. But also to support the proclamation of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

The United Nations set out to deal with the climate officially a few years ago (I bolded Goals 13 & 15):

Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Preamble This Agenda is a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity. It also seeks to strengthen universal peace in larger freedom. …

Sustainable Development Goals

• Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
• Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
• Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
• Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
• Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
• Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
• Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
• Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
• Goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
• Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
• Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
• Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
• Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts*
• Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
• Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
• Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
• Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development …

10.2 By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
10.3 Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard …

We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to achieving this Agenda and utilizing it to the full to transform our world for the better by 2030. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld accessed 0904/15

The above was formally adopted by the United Nations on September 25, 2015. It will not succeed.

The world hopes that apart from God it will solve the problems humanity is facing. That is a false gospel.

Believe the true the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

Weather and other warnings from the Bible are going out, but many will ignore them. Will you?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Weather Blessings and Sorrows Are weather problems a warning? What should be done? What does the Bible teach about weather? What about floods, droughts, heat, earthquakes, tornadoes, and solar storms? Here is a related YouTube video Does God Use Weather? A related item in the Spanish language would be Bendiciones y maldiciones del clima.
United Nations: Humankind’s Last Hope or New World Order? Is the UN the last hope for humanity? Or might its goals end up with sinister results? Two related videos include UN’s ‘New Universal Agenda’ is a False Gospel! and United Nations and Vatican Are Planning the New World Order.
Laudato Si: Pope’s Agenda or Kingdom of God? Pope Francis’ 2nd encyclical is titled ‘Laudato Si.’ In it, he goes over his views related to environmental, economic, social, moral, agricultural, and spiritual issues. He advocates international cooperation to solve various problems he believes are affecting humanity. Is that Pope’s agenda the solution? What about the Kingdom of God? does the Bible teach? Two related articles include Laudato Si: Will Pope Francis’ economic actions match his words? and Laudato Si: A call for a one-world government?
Hurricanes and Prophecy Hurricane Harvey dropped the greatest amount of rainfall in any USA storm. Hurricane Irma was the strongest hurricane ever in the Atlantic. Hurricane Irma wiped out most of the island of Barbuda, caused a million to lose power in Puerto Rico, devastated St. Martin’s, hit Cuba, and hit Florida. A news headline stated ” ‘Nature’s gone crazy’: Winds, fire, floods and quakes plague North America.” Is there any tie to prophecy? Are heavy winds and rains discussed in the Bible? Any ties to homosexuality and other forms of immorality? What about Donald Trump and Jennifer Lawrence? Does God control the weather? What does God want people to do? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more. This is a video.
Earthquakes Today and Bible Prophecy Are we having more earthquakes? What did Jesus teach about earthquakes? Is “the big one” coming? When?
The ‘Unpardonable Sin’ and ‘Climate Change’? On September 7, 2016, Olav Fykse Tveit, Church of Norway Pastor, and the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, essentially declared that those who ignore ‘climate change’ are committing the ‘unpardonable sin’ against the Holy Spirit. Are those two even related? In this video, Dr. Thiel answers that and explains from the Bible what the ‘unpardonable sin’ is and how you can avoid it. He also discusses aspects of Christianity and the environment.
The Bible, Christians, and the Environment How should Christians view the environment? Does the Bible give any clues? What are some of the effects of air, water, and land pollution? Is environmental pollution a factor in autism and death? Do pollutants seem to double the autism risk? What will Jesus do? A YouTube video is available titled Air Pollution, Autism, and Prophecy.
Electrical End of the USA? Could problems with the electrical power grid caused by one or more electro-magnetic pulse bombs, solar flares, and/or other phenomena help weaken the USA to the point of allowing it to be taken over? Does such potential exist? If so, is this consistent with any biblical prophecies? What are some of the severe consequences that the USA would face in the event of a electrical power grid failure? Is there evidence in scripture that the USA will be taken over in the 21st century? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more in this video.
Physical Preparation Scriptures for Christians. We all know the Bible prophecies famines. Should we do something? Here is a version in the Spanish language Escrituras sobre Preparación física para los Cristianos. Here is a link to a related sermon: Physical preparedness for Christians.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2018, 2019, or 2020? 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 2018 o 2019? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation begin in 2018?
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? A video of related interest may be: Germany, Gold, and the US Dollar.
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? A related sermon is also available titled: Real Christian Repentance.
Is God Calling You? This is a draft booklet discussing calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
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.
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?
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.

10th Century Representation of Acts’ Writer Luke

COGwriter

The Continuing Church of God is pleased to announce its latest sermon which is at its ContinuingCOG channel:

1:10:53

Acts 13-16: Prophets, Poisoning, and Proclamation

This is the fifth part of a multi-part sermon series intended to cover the entire Book of Acts. In this sermon missions involving prophets (including Silas and Judas), travels, proclamation success, and the meeting on circumcision in Acts are discussed. Miracles, difficulties, persecutions, Paul’s stoning, poisoning, oppositions, and Gentiles are also covered. Dr. Thiel reads each verse of chapters 13 through 16 of the Book of Acts and ties those in with verses in other parts of the Bible, geography, and aspects of 21st century Christianity. The calling of Gentiles and others is also discussed as are holy days and avoiding paganism.

Here is a link to the fifth part of this sermon series: Acts 13-16: Prophets, Poisoning, and Proclamation.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

ACTS Here is an article: The Book of Acts. Here is a link to related sermons: Book of Acts 1-2: Jesus Left, New Testament Church Began, Acts 3-5: Miracles, Trials, Proclamation, and Persecution, Acts 6-9: Widows, Stephen, Saul, and Simon Magus, Acts 10-12: Visions, Dreams, and Gentiles, and Acts 13-16: Prophets, Poisoning, and Proclamation.
Jesus: The Son of God and Saviour Who was Jesus? Why did He come to earth? What message did He bring? Is there evidence outside the Bible that He existed? Here is a YouTube sermon titled Jesus: Son of God and Saviour.
MATTHEW Here are links to twelve sermons covering the 28 chapters of Matthew: Matthew 1-2: Greek or Aramaic, Jesus, and the Star?, Matthew 3-5: John the Baptist, Temptations, and the Beatitudes, Matthew 6-7: Charitable Deeds, the Rosary, Prayer, the Golden Rule, and Faith, Matthew 8-10: Married Clergy, Faith, Coming Persecution, and the Ecumenical Agenda, Matthew 11-12: John the Elijah, Sodom, Unpardonable Sin, & 3 Days and 3 Nights, -14: Parables, Mustard Seeds, Birthdays, and Faith, Matthew 15-16: Tradition, Signs of the Times, and The Rock & Peter, Matthew 17-18: Transfiguration, Elijah to Come, Taxes, and Forgiveness, Matthew 19-20: Transgender? Divorce? Purgatory? The first shall be last?, Matthew 21-23: ‘Palm Sunday,’ Come as You Are?, and the Greatest Commandments, Matthew 24: Temple Destruction, Sorrows, Tribulation, and the Return of Jesus, and Matthew 25-28: Midnight Cry, False Christians, Resurrection, & Teaching what Jesus Taught.
MARK Here is a link to a sermon covering all of Jesus’ words in the Gospel of Mark: What did Jesus teach in the Book of Mark? Here is a link to six sermons covering all the verses in the Gospel of Mark: Mark 1-2: Author, Prophecy, & Miracles, Mark 3-5: Healing, Demons, and Parables, Mark 6-9: Tradition, John’s beheading, Elijah, and Restoration, Mark 10-12: Marriage, Divorce, Needle Eye, Greatest Command, & Taxes, Mark 13: Temple, Four Horsemen, Troubles, Great Tribulation, and Gospel Proclamation, and Mark 14-16: Jesus’ Priorities & Betrayal, the Resurrection, Signs, and Reaching the World.
LUKE Here are links to eight sermons covering the entire ‘Gospel of Luke’: Luke 1-2: John the Baptist, Mary, and the Census, Luke 3-6: John the Baptist, Jesus’ genealogy, Satan’s Influence, and the Sermon on the Mount, Luke 7-9: Miracles, Purpose of Parables, Kingdom of God, and Women Supporting the Ministry, Luke 10-11: The 70, Doing the Work, the Good Samaritan, Prayer, and Signs, Luke 12-13: Priorities, Delayed Fruit Bearing, Little Flock, Prophecy, and the Narrow Way, Luke 14-16: The Lost Sheep, the Prodigal Son, the Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke 17-20: Faith, the Kingdom, Gathering, Prayer, & Rewards, and Luke 21-22: Giving, Sorrows, Persecution, Tribulation, Fig Tree, and Violence. The last sermon also covers Jesus’ words in the Book of Acts.
JOHN Here are links to a seven-part sermon series covering the entire ‘Gospel of John’: John 1-3: Anti-unitarian, Wine, Being Born Again, & Heaven, John 4-6: Jesus and the Samaritan Woman, Miracles and the Bread of Life, John 10-12: Sheep, Hirelings, Lazarus/Soul Sleep and ‘Palm Day’, John 13-15: Footwashing and the Words of Jesus, John 16-18: Truth, Trinity, and Pontius Pilate, and John 19-21: Do not only try, do what God wants.
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?
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.
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? Here is a link in Spanish: Sueños, la Biblia, la Iglesia de Dios de la Radio, y la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. A related sermon is also available: Dreams, COGs, and One Man Rule.
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? Two related sermons are available The Work per HWA and the Bible and Priority of the Philadelphia Work.
Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work.
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage to support it? Here is a related YouTube video titled The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra.
Is God Calling You? This is a booklet discussing calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond?
Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian This is a scripture-filled booklet for those wishing to live as a real Christian. A related sermon is also available: Christians are Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God.
The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast This is a free draft/unedited pdf book explaining the what the Ten Commandments are, where they came from, how early professors of Christ viewed them, and how various ones, including the Beast of Revelation, will oppose them. A related sermon is titled: The Ten Commandments and the Beast of Revelation.
Prayer: What Does the Bible Teach? This free booklet contains 28 biblically-based tips on improving the effectiveness of your prayers. This is a pdf. A related two part sermon is available: What Does the Bible Teach About Prayer? and What does the Bible Teach About Prayer (& Healing)?
Should You Keep God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? This is a free pdf booklet explaining what the Bible and history shows about God’s Holy Days and popular holidays. A related sermon is Which Spring Days should Christians observe?
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.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. There are links to literature is about 100 different languages there. 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 CCOG: Four Years Revealing Philadelphia? Here is a written link to a version of that first sermon in the Spanish language: Aniversario del primer año de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios: ¿Qué se ha cumplido?
Congregations of the Continuing Church of God This is a listing of congregations and groups of the Continuing Church of God around the world.
Continuing Church of God Facebook page This has news and prophetic information.
CCOG.ASIA We in the Continuing Church of God also have the url www.ccog.asia which has a focus on Asia and has various articles in Mandarin Chinese as well as some in English, plus some items in other Asian languages. 我们在继续神的教会也提供此网址 www.ccog.asia, 关注于亚洲并且有各种各样的中英文文章，其中一些用菲律宾语翻译的文章也正在进行中，准备添加到这个网站中。 Here is a link to our Statement of Beliefs in Mandarin Chinese 继续神的教会的信仰声明.
CCOG.IN This is a website targeted towards those of Indian heritage. It has a link to an edited Hindi translation of The Mystery of the Ages and is expected to have more non-English language materials in the future.
CCOG.EU This is a website targeted toward Europe. It has materials in more than one language (currently it has English, Dutch, and Serbian, with links also to Spanish) and it is intended to have additional language materials added.
CCOG.NZ This is a website targeted towards New Zealand and others with a British-descended background.
CCOGAFRICA.ORG This is a website targeted towards those in Africa.
CCOGCANADA.CA This is a website targeted towards those in Canada.
CDLIDD.ES La Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. This is the Spanish language website for the Continuing Church of God.
PNIND.PH Patuloy na Iglesya ng Diyos. This is the Philippines website Continuing Church of God. It has information in English and Tagalog.
CCOG Animations channel. The Continuing Church of God has some animations to teach aspects of Christian beliefs.
CCOGAfrica channel. This has messages from African pastors in African languages such as Kalenjin, Kiswahili, Embu, and Dholuo.
BibleNewsProphecy Podcast. This has audio-visual podcasts of the Bible News Prophecy channgel. It plays on i-Phones, i-Pads, and Windows devices that can play i-Tunes.
Bible News Prophecy online radio. This is an audio version of the Bible News Prophecy videos. It is also available as a mobile app.
Bible News Prophecy channel. Dr. Thiel has produced many YouTube sermonette videos for the BibleNewsProphecy channel. And you can find them there.
ContinuingCOG channel. Dr. Thiel has produced scores of YouTube video sermons for this channel. Note: Since these are sermon-length, they can take a little longer to load than other YouTube videos.

Viktor Orban (photo by Kremlin.ru)

COGwriter

Hungary’s Viktor Orban laid out his plans for Europe this week:

Excerpted from Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s speech at the 29th Bálványos Summer Open University and Student Camp:

August 3, 2018

…I have formulated five tenets for the project of building up Central Europe.

The first is that every European country has the right to defend its Christian culture, and the right to reject the ideology of multiculturalism.

Our second tenet is that every country has the right to defend the traditional family model, and is entitled to assert that every child has the right to a mother and a father.

The third Central European tenet is that every Central European country has the right to defend the nationally strategic economic sectors and markets which are of crucial importance to it.

The fourth tenet is that every country has the right to defend its borders, and it has the right to reject immigration.

And the fifth tenet is that every European country has the right to insist on the principle of one nation, one vote on the most important issues, and that this right must not be denied in the European Union.

In other words, we Central Europeans claim that there is life beyond globalism, which is not the only path. https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-08-02/victor-orbans-5-tenets-rebuild-europe

Viktor Orban has long been a critic of Muslim immigration.

Now, I had seen parts of his speech earlier this week. Here is some more from it:

I interpret the two-thirds victory we won in 2010 as our being mandated to bring to an end two chaotic decades of transition and to build a new system. In the economy this is embodied in a Hungarian model, and in politics it is embodied in a new constitutional order – a new constitutional order based on national and Christian foundations. Our two-thirds victory in 2014 mandated us to consolidate this system. …

Looking back over the past year, I can tell you that we have seen the successful stabilisation of a political system based on national and Christian foundations. The foundations seem to be solid and durable, so it is not unreasonable for us to designate the task for the coming four years as the building of an era. …

Regarding the coming year, Ladies and Gentlemen, I can tell you that if we take a look at Europe, we can see that it was once a great civilisation. Europe was once a power centre that shaped the world. This was so because it dared to think, it dared to act, it was brave, and it embarked upon great endeavours. If we look at one civilisation or another from a spiritual perspective – and there is a branch of literature devoted to this – we can conclude that civilisations are comprised of four things. Civilisations are entities of a spiritual nature. They are formed from the spirit of religion, the spirit of creative arts, the spirit of research and the spirit of business enterprise. These are the spirits that can form a civilisation. If now we look at our Europe, in terms of the spirit of religion we see that it has rejected its Christian foundations. In terms of the spirit of creative arts we see that there is censorship, and political correctness is forced upon us. In terms of the spirit of research, we can say that the US has overtaken our Europe, and soon China will also have done so. …

Now we should ask ourselves why the European elite – which today is exclusively a liberal elite – has failed.

Open-society Europe

The answer to this question – or at least this is where I look for the answer – is that first of all it has rejected its roots, and instead of a Europe resting on Christian foundations, it is building a Europe of “the open society”. In Christian Europe there was honour in work, man had dignity, men and women were equal, the family was the basis of the nation, the nation was the basis of Europe, and states guaranteed security. In today’s open-society Europe there are no borders; European people can be readily replaced with immigrants; the family has been transformed into an optional, fluid form of cohabitation; the nation, national identity and national pride are seen as negative and obsolete notions; and the state no longer guarantees security in Europe. In fact, in liberal Europe being European means nothing at all: it has no direction, and it is simply form devoid of content. …

In the European Parliament election, the great goal of transforming Europe and moving it towards a post-Christian and post-national era could be blocked, Ladies and Gentlemen. And it is in our fundamental interest to block it. …

Calmly, and with restraint and composure, we must say that the generation of the ’90s is arriving to replace the generation of ’68. In European politics it is the turn of the anti-communist generation, which has Christian convictions and commitment to the nation. Thirty years ago we thought that Europe was our future. Today we believe that we are Europe’s future. Go for it! 07/29/18 http://www.kormany.hu/en/the-prime-minister/the-prime-minister-s-speeches/prime-minister-viktor-orban-s-speech-at-the-29th-balvanyos-summer-open-university-and-student-camp

To recap that in other words, Viktor Orban is saying his government got the Hungarian constitution changed to embrace his view of Christianity and this is working. He blames the turning away from that on a continental basis for Europe’s problem. For the future, he believes Europe should embrace the Greco-Roman version of Christianity as the best way forward. And that immigrants who do not share those values are not what Europe needs.

According to Wikipedia, Hungary is about 50% Catholic and 28% Protestant.

While Vikor Orban mentioned Central Europe a few times, his views are not unique to that region.

The Vatican has long been pressing for its version of Christianity to be a greater part of Europe. So have other leaders in Europe (see Germany’s Dobrindt decries Islam after France’s Macron promotes Catholicism: Steps towards a new ‘Holy Roman Empire’?).

And as far as immigrants go, notice something in the news related to Spain:

Is Spain facing a new wave of xenophobia over migrants?

Not even two months after taking office, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is facing his first significant political crisis. Last week, dramatic images of hundreds of African migrants jumping over the Ceuta border fence rocked public opinion. According to the Spanish Association of Civil Guards (AEGC), 22 police officers were injured in the assault, which ended with 602 people successfully reaching the Spanish exclave in Northern Africa.

The incident came in addition to the number of migrants crossing the Strait of Gibraltar in rafts, which has been above average this summer. Over 22,000 migrants have reached Spain illegally from Africa, according to data from the Spanish Interior Ministry. …

Fernandez-Albertos thinks that migration can be beneficial for Spain in the long run. However, short-term, it is the spectacular images in the media that leave an impression on the Spanish collective consciousness. “People watch TV and see how public order is disturbed on beaches or towns they know. They see overwhelmed policemen unable to contain something they don’t understand. They would like to see things come back under control,” he said. “Even when there’s a small number of people coming in, the issue’s media visibility is very high. This can change the terms of the debate.” …

Meanwhile, the newly elected president of the conservative People’s Party (PP, the largest opposition party), Pablo Casado, adopted a distinct anti-immigration position last Sunday. Casado tweeted that “millions” of Africans are waiting to cross over to Europe. “There can’t be papers for all,” he tweeted, adding that “we have to say it even if it’s politically incorrect.” Three days later Casado travelled to the south and was photographed shaking immigrants’ hands.

Casado’s tweet was immediately seized upon by the other major right-wing leader in Spain, Albert Rivera, who heads the liberal Ciudadanos party. Rivera visited Ceuta on Monday, where he accused the government of creating a “pull effect.”

Luis Cornago thinks there may be an underlying anti-migration sentiment within the population and that right-wing parties, particularly the PP, may be looking to exploit it. 08/02/18 https://www.dw.com/en/is-spain-facing-a-new-wave-of-xenophobia-over-migrants/a-44923334

So, some are anti-immigrant, but some are also pro-immigrant.

Europe has unity problems, but that was prophesied:

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)

Europe will change: a reorganized Europe is prophesied (Revelation 17:12-13), it will develop a ‘great army’ (Daniel 11:25), betray its ‘friend’ (Lamentations 1:1-2), destroy the USA (Daniel 11:39), and destroy a power based in the Islamic-dominated lands in the Middle East and North Africa (Daniel 11:40-43).

What about a Greco-Roman religion?

Well, even when Europe was still recovering from being devastated in World War II, after attending a conference related to the start of the UN, in the December 1948 issue of The Plain Truth Herbert W. Armstrong predicted a coming “United States of Europe” when he wrote:

It was the SERMON that shot forth that spark, impregnating the minds of world leaders in attendance. This amazing sermon was delivered by a foremost radio speaker of the Catholic Church, Bishop Duane G. Hunt of Salt Lake City … Without the guidance, supervision, authority of the Catholic Church, he told these men, they were laboring in vain …

This was the Roman Catholic bid to resurrect the so-called “HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE” ! And PROPHECY says they will succeed! … At the psychological time, the pope will step in … Thru this political movement, he will UNIFY … nations in Europe. It will be a “The UNITED STATES OF EUROPE,” but that probably will never become its official name. (Armstrong HW. Now It Can Be Told…The Plain Truth, December 1948, pp. 2,5).

In 1965, the late Herbert W. Armstrong wrote:

…European countries urgently want political union, the very UNITED STATES OF EUROPE I have been assuring PLAIN TRUTH readers for 31 years is definitely coming. It will unite them into a giant third World Power…

There is a definite German “Kultur! There is a French culture that is in many respects quite different. Then there is a still different Italian culture, a Spanish culture, a Scandinavian culture, a Swiss culture–and all are different! European nations speak different languages, have different aspirations, different customs, different traditions. Europe is often called a “crazy-quilt” of nations.

HOW, THEN, CAN THEY AGREE TOGETHER AND UNITE? For years The PLAIN TRUTH has said these nations are going to have to realize their inability to unite themselves politically-to choose a common political-military Leader that all can trust. They are going to finally face the fact they must look to a Supreme Authority they can all trust! That Supreme Authority cannot be a politician, or a general (De Gaulle is both). The only possible answer is a Religious Leader! (Armstrong HW. Personal. Plain Truth, November 1965, pp.1-2)

So, he felt that while they needed a political-military leader, some type of religious leader was needed to unify Europeans.

This is consistent with Viktor Orban’s call for a ‘Christian foundation’ for Europe.

The Bible clearly teaches that Europe will reorganize and give power to a totalitarian strongman, referred to as the Beast:

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

The final European Beast leader (Revelation 13:1-10), who is also known as the final King of the North, will ultimately promote his religion (Daniel 11:36-38; which will not be Islam, he will at first feign and claim a form of Roman Catholicism), destroy the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies (Daniel 11:39), and then takeover the predominantly Islamic nations in the Middle East and North Africa (Daniel 11:40-43).

Consistent with what Herbert Armstrong wrote, the Bible also shows that a religious leader will be supporting that Beast:

11 Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.

12 And he exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.

13 He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.

14 And he deceives those who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived.

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 13:11-18)

Islamic issues will be a factor in the rise of this Beast leader.

Notice something from the old Radio Church of God from decades ago about a restoration of a “Holy Roman Empire” (bolding mine) :

The attempt to unify Europe as one economic, military and political power bloc restoring the “Holy Roman Empire,” has been the one aim of all the “great” men who dominated European history from Napoleon’s “Waterloo” until now. Mussolini, dominating Eritrea, Italian Somaliland, Libya, and conquering Ethiopia, did officially name his weak “Empire” the “Roman Empire.” But now the dream of a mighty, powerful, resurrected Roman Empire at last is becoming a hard-driving reality.

… nations of United Europe have succeeded in their aim far beyond the wildest dreams of the original signers of the Treaty of Rome. In far less time, at a far greater pace than anticipated, these nations of Europe have risen from the economic chaos of World War II to the dizzying heights of a standard of living never known to them before! With the present success well beyond the proportions of that expected three years ago, with a future success — in a world of peace — sure to produce a near — utopia, Western Europe is more concerned about war than any other economic and political entity on the face of this earth! “This is very probably the last year in which anyone except Europe will be able to negotiate with the Soviet Union for Europe!” (London Sunday Times). These nations are ENJOYING their economic recovery and they will let nothing stand in its way — they will stop at nothing to keep ‘What they have, and, GO ON TO MORE! SO it is that a blueprint has been drawn up by the Six, that demands meetings among themselves to decide the MILITARY AND FOREIGN POLICY questions that come up regarding Europe! …

“Fascism in Europe is about to be reborn in respectable business attire, and the Treaty of Rome will finally be implemented to its fullest extent.. the dream of a Holy Roman, Empire returning to power to dominate and direct the so-called forces of Christian mankind of the Western world is not dead, but still stalks through the antechambers of every national capital of continental Western Europe… IN THE DETERMINATION OF THE LEADERS IN THE COMMON MARKET NATIONS TO RESTORE THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE WITH ALL THAT THAT MEANS!” (Northwest Technocrat, Vol. XXV, No. 205.) United within the ancient boundaries of the Holy Roman Empire; united by the common spiritual bond of universal Catholicism; united in a burgeoning and booming industrial economy that dominates today’s world; united geographically in the most productive and industrial complex of all the earth — at least TEN NATIONS OF MODERN EUROPE WILL MARCH ONTO THE SCENE OF WORLD HISTORY AS THE GREATEST SINGLE HUMAN FORCE EVER SEEN BY MAN! (Hill DJ. What is Germany’s Destiny? Plain Truth, March 1962)

A “Holy Roman Empire” would be one with Greco-Roman Christianity. Historically, that has involved the Church of Rome and Europe. Such an alliance is prophesied in Revelation 17.

Although the timing was off, notice something from 1981:

Throughout the Middle Ages, leaders considered the Church at Rome to be God’s chosen instrument in spiritual matters. The Holy Roman Empire was regarded as God’s chosen political organization over Western Christendom. Pope and Emperor were regarded as God’s vice-regents on earth. This intimate alliance of Church and State served the needs of both institutions. The Empire exercised its political and military powers to defend religion and enforce internal submission through religious uniformity. The Church, in turn, acted as a glue for Europe, holding together the differing nationalities by the tie of common religion.

This ideal in Church-State relations was never completely realized, as we have seen in the frequent conflicts between Emperors and Popes  … numerous revivals of the Roman Empire have arisen in Europe in the centuries since the fall of ancient Rome.

In Revelation 17, these revivals are represented by the seven heads of a wild animal. Six have already occurred, from Justinian to Mussolini. One last restoration of this great political system is yet to arise. This confederated Europe will be an immense political, military and economic power — a great Third Force in world affairs, a superpower in its own right. Prophecy further reveals that this powerful church-state union will be composed of “ten horns” — meaning 10 nations or groups of nations (Rev. l7:3) — under the overall leadership of a single political figure (verse 13). Europe will again have a single political head of state!

Moreover, prophecy foretells that a religious figure of unprecedented power and authority will sit astride the “empire,” directing it as a rider guides a horse (Rev. 17:3). To counter the ongoing spread of atheism, secularism and consumerism, the Vatican — as in centuries past — will be forced to become a major power in the international arena. The political muscle of the Papacy will be reinvigorated. In these turbulent last days of the 20th century, the “spiritual unity” of the Continent — as so often urged by recent Popes — will be realized! (Stump K. The History of Europe and the Church. Ambassador College Publications, 1984)

Steps towards such an alliance are taking place now. In addition to biblical and Church of God predictions about this, Roman Catholic prophecies also predict this as well (see The Great Monarch: Biblical and Catholic Prophecies).

Do Catholics still want a new Roman Empire? Desmond A. Birch, a Roman Catholic writer, has made the following observations:

Several private prophecies of canonized Saints specifically state that there will be a latter restoration of the Holy Roman Empire and that there will be at least one last Holy Roman Emperor. The authenticity of the authorship of such prophecies of canonized Saints (e.g., St. Hildegard, St. Vincent Ferrer, St. Francis of Paula, and St. John Vianney) at least over the last eight hundred years is scholastically unquestionable.

The Great King will be crowned Holy Roman Emperor by the reigning Pope … (Birch, DA. Trial, Tribulation & Triumph: Before During and After Antichrist. Queenship Publishing Company, Goleta (CA), 1996, pp.281, 555)

Catholics expect that a pope will make someone the leader of the future ‘Holy Roman Empire.’

Although not all of what Viktor Orban and others want will be realized, combining Greco-Roman religion with European politics will come to pass.

Biblical prophecies will be fulfilled. Steps are in progress.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Europa, the Beast, and the Book of Revelation discusses the largest church since the second/third century, which in a real sense is the eighth church mentioned in the Book of Revelation (it also endorses “eighth day” worship). What church would support the Beast? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
The Great Monarch: Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Is the ‘Great Monarch’ of Catholic prophecies endorsed or condemned by the Bible? Two sermons of related interest are also available: Great Monarch: Messiah or False Christ? and Great Monarch in 50+ Beast Prophecies.
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.
The Prophesied ‘Islamic’ Confederation Where is an Islamic caliphate prophesied? Will one happen? Should you be concerned about it? A related video is Will an Arabic Calphiphate Destroy the West?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2026 or 20xx? There is also a video titled 6000 Years: When will God’s Kingdom Come? Here is a link to the article in Spanish: ¿Tiene Dios un plan de 6,000 años?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2018, 2019, or 2020? 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 2018 o 2019? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation begin in 2018?
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.
Differences Between Islam and the Continuing Church of God What are some of the main differences? Are there any similarities? A video of related interest is titled: Islam: Any Christian Concerns or Similarities?
Iraq, the King of the South, Armageddon, and Prophecy What will happen to Iraq? Is it the prophesied Mystery Babylon? What is Armageddon and how does that have to do with Iraq? Here is a related video Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy.
How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About? Can humans bring peace to the Middle East? Here is a link to a related video: Middle East Peace? When?
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.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? In the Spanish language check out ¿Quién es el Rey del Norte? Here is a link to a video titled: The Future King of the North.
War is Coming Between Europeans and Arabs Is war really coming between the Arabs and the Europeans? What does Bible prophecy say about that? Do the Central Europeans (Assyria in prophecy) make a deal with the Arabs that will hurt the USA and its Anglo-Saxon allies? Do Catholic or Islamic prophecies discuss a war between Europe and Islam? If so, what is the sequence of events that the Bible reveals? Who does the Bible, Catholic, and Islamic prophecy teach will win such a war? This is a video.
Why Terrorism? Is Terrorism Prophesied? What does the Bible teach? Which nations may be affected? Here is a link to a related sermon: Terrorism, Christianity, and Islam.
World War III: Steps in Progress Are there surprising actions going on now that are leading to WWIII? Might a nuclear attack be expected? Does the Bible promise protection to all or only some Christians? How can you be part of those that will be protected? A related video would be Is World War III About to Begin? Can You Escape?
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?
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.
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be Barack Obama and the State of the Apocalypse.
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
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?

Hassan Rouhani and Benjamin Netanyahu

COGwriter

Iran has begun new naval exercises, apparently in retaliation to statements from US President Trump:

August 3, 2018

WASHINGTON—Iran began a major naval exercise near the Strait of Hormuz Thursday, in an apparent response to rhetoric from President Donald Trump in recent days that he would ratchet up pressure against Tehran, U.S. defense officials said. https://www.wsj.com/articles/iran-starts-naval-exercise-near-vital-strait-u-s-says-1533251063

Iran is also having major protests:

Anti-government protests by Iranians fed up with their nation’s economic woes have spread to 10 major cities, posing the biggest challenge to Iran’s Islamist rulers since January’s nationwide demonstrations.

Images and reports sent by citizen journalists in Iran and verified by VOA Persian confirmed that street protests took place on Thursday in the capital, Tehran, and nine other cities: Ahvaz, Hamedan, Isfahan, Karaj, Kermanshah, Mashhad, Shiraz, Urmia and Varamin. Earlier reports from Tuesday and Wednesday showed anti-government demonstrations occurring in, but being limited to, Isfahan and Karaj.

Some citizen journalist reports said Iranian security forces tried to break up the demonstrations with tear gas and by beating and arresting protesters. But, there were no credible reports about how many Iranians were hurt and detained by the authorities.

The Iranian rial’s slump to record lows against the dollar in unofficial trading earlier this week appears to have exacerbated many Iranians’ frustrations with economic problems such as inflation and joblessness. The dollar’s surging value has raised the prices of dollar-denominated imports, making them unaffordable for much of the public. …

Iranian leaders often have deflected the domestic criticism by blaming the unrest on foreign “enemies.” 08/02/18 https://www.voanews.com/a/iran-protests-spread-to-10-cities-in-widest-unrest-since-january/4511936.html

The USA and Israel are the “enemies” that the Iranian leadership tends to point to (though also this would include Saudi Arabia). Notice two items, the first from the Israeli publication Haaretz:

Israel and Iran Will Both Lose if They Go to War

The short conflicts Israel has grown used to are a thing of the past: A conflict with Iran will almost certainly cost the economy dearly

Tehran, feeling the sting of Trump’s sanctions and his trash-talking tweets, has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz …

In the Red Sea, Houthi militants allied with Iran fired missiles at two Saudi tankers last week, prompting the Saudis to suspend shipping and for Netanyahu to warn Iran that Israel would join an international coalition to prevent the Bab al-Mandab from being closed. …

The problem isn’t that anyone – Iran, the United States or Israel – wants this to spill into open fighting, but it could happen. If Washington or Tehran assumes that the other side doesn’t want war, leaders will feel freer to push the envelope a little further – a vague threat becomes more specific, an incident like a tanker is stopped in the Gulf or (as may have been the case in the Red Sea) you let a proxy do something provocative like fire off a few missiles.

Iran’s leaders may even feel that with their economy crumbling and the streets restless, a little war might be a way out – if not with the U.S., maybe with Israel. It would rally the masses of Iranians and maybe enable Tehran to enter into negotiations with Washington with some honor. …

The most likely scenario isn’t a direct attack by Iran but one by Hezbollah, which is estimated to have as many as 130,000 missiles in Lebanon, 90% of which are capable of reaching as far south of Haifa. Most homes in Israel don’t have effective defense against a missile strike, nor does most critical infrastructure. The army knows that Iron Dome cannot provide an effective defense against hundreds of missiles launched in a single day. And, if Hamas decides to open a second front from Gaza, the home front situation becomes more dire.  …

Economically, Israel could probably come out unscathed from a short war, assuming that it doesn’t result in heavy casualties or material damage. 08/02/18 https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israel-and-iran-will-both-lose-if-they-go-to-war-1.6339952

Israel will help break any blockade that Iran tries to enforce in a vital shipping lane that passes between the Red Sea and the open ocean, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday.

“If Iran tries to block the Straits of Bab al-Mandab, it will find itself facing an international coalition determined to prevent it from doing so, and this coalition will also include the State of Israel and all its arms,” Netanyahu told an audience of graduating naval officers, per Haaretz.

That declaration makes the threat of military cooperation between Israel and Saudi Arabia more explicit, 08/01/18 https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/benjamin-netanyahu-israel-would-help-saudis-destroy-iranian-blockade

The situation between Israel and Iran remains tense.

Israel is concerned that Hezbollah, Syria, and Iran want it to cease to exist, and they are all allies.

Despite Israeli military strength, it will have problems. And in a prophesied conflict, the damage would be more than economic:

1 The burden against the Valley of Vision.

What ails you now, that you have all gone up to the housetops, 2 You who are full of noise, A tumultuous city, a joyous city? Your slain men are not slain with the sword, Nor dead in battle. 3 All your rulers have fled together; They are captured by the archers. All who are found in you are bound together; They have fled from afar. 4 Therefore I said, “Look away from me, I will weep bitterly; Do not labor to comfort me Because of the plundering of the daughter of my people.”

5 For it is a day of trouble and treading down and perplexity By the Lord God of hosts In the Valley of Vision — Breaking down the walls And of crying to the mountain. 6 Elam bore the quiver With chariots of men and horsemen, And Kir uncovered the shield. 7 It shall come to pass that your choicest valleys Shall be full of chariots,And the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.

8 He removed the protection of Judah. You looked in that day to the armor of the House of the Forest; 9 You also saw the damage to the city of David, That it was great; And you gathered together the waters of the lower pool. 10 You numbered the houses of Jerusalem, And the houses you broke down To fortify the wall. 11 You also made a reservoir between the two walls For the water of the old pool. But you did not look to its Maker, Nor did you have respect for Him who fashioned it long ago.

12 And in that day the Lord God of hosts Called for weeping and for mourning,For baldness and for girding with sackcloth. 13 But instead, joy and gladness, Slaying oxen and killing sheep, Eating meat and drinking wine: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”

14 Then it was revealed in my hearing by the Lord of hosts,”Surely for this iniquity there will be no atonement for you, Even to your death,” says the Lord God of hosts. (Isaiah 22:1-14 NKJV)

Elam seems to be a reference to at least some in Iran. Kir is of interest as it has several possibilities. One is that the Bible tells that after Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria took over Damascus, he moved Syrians to Kir. While this does not mean that Kir must (or must only) be a reference to Syria, the fact that Syria is an ally of Iran is interesting. Some believe Kir is an area in the south of Iran, while others suggest closer to the Black Sea. The Bible tells of a time when Kir will be destroyed (Isaiah 15:1b) and also says that Syria’s capital Damascus will be destroyed (Isaiah 17:1).

In Isaiah 22: 8, “Judah” is a reference to those in the land commonly called Israel–God will allow Israel to be attacked! In Isaiah 22:9, consider that “the damage to the city of David” is a reference to at least part of Jerusalem–and notice that the damage will be great.

Despite improper assertions by groups like PCG (who again asserted it this week), we in the Continuing Church of God do not believe that Iran will be the final King of the South of Bible prophecy (cf. Daniel 11:40-43). Because of that, I have tended to believe that Iran may somehow get “neutralized” before this final king rises up. As I have written for years, Iran’s neutralization could come from internal conflict and/or a regional war with Israel and/or the USA.

Here is something related to Iran from my book Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse:

Iran and Prophecy

Donald Trump has stated that he wants to eliminate or at least change the “nuclear deal” with Iran (Wilkinson T. Trump’s plans to scuttle or amend the Iran nuclear deal remain a work in progress. Los Angeles Times, November 14, 2016).

He also might be more willing than the Obama Administration to trigger enforcement provisions if he feels Iran has violated portions of the agreement.

Iran would not like to see either of those actions and continues to show some of its nuclear ambitions: after Donald Trump’s election, Iran declared it would pursue development of nuclear powered ships (Norman L. Europe Hopeful Trump Will Stick With Iran Nuclear Deal. Wall Street Journal, December 13, 2016).

Because  Bible  prophecy indicates  that it  will  be  primarily Arabic nations that support the final King of the South (Daniel 11:40-43; Ezekiel 30:1-8), though with some (probably temporary per Daniel 11:25-26) support from Turkey (and possibly Pakistan), it is not biblically possible that Iran can truly be the leader of the Islamic world as it seems to want to be. Also, because it is basically due east of Jerusalem, Iran should not be considered to be a candidate to be the final ‘King of the South’ of biblical prophecy.

Despite its posturing and relative military strength, Iran will be somehow effectively neutralized (cf. Ezekiel 32:24). This could perhaps be from an attack involving Israel and/or internal civil unrest — this could also include electromagnetic (EMP) or similar weapons used against Iran (Jeremiah 49:34-39).

It is of prophetic interest to note that the small nation of Israel is prophesied to one day be attacked by some that seem to have connection to Iran (Isaiah 22:1-14).

Iran may decide to strike out against Israel, and possibly Jerusalem (cf. Isaiah 22:7-8) if a Trump Administration and/or Israel takes actions it does not like.

Iran has weapons that can cause damage. Furthermore, the U.S.A. itself (as well as is the State of Israel) is vulnerable to EMP type attacks and/or items such as biological weapons, chemical weapons, terrorism, nuclear weapons, dirty bombs, etc. because of a conflict involving Iran, Syria, and/or others.

But should this occur, this would NOT be the final destruction of the U.S.A. Prophetically, Iran would not end up faring well (cf. Ezekiel 32:24-25). (Thiel B. Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse. Nazarene Books, 2017)

The following shows that Iran is subject to being damaged:

24 “There is Elam and all her multitude,
All around her grave,
All of them slain, fallen by the sword,
Who have gone down uncircumcised to the lower parts of the earth,
Who caused their terror in the land of the living;
Now they bear their shame with those who go down to the Pit. (Ezekiel 32:24)

But that does not mean that Iran could not strike militarily before this. Iran is capable of much more than words. Iran can also cause damage to the USA. Plus, Iran is also particularly upset with the Trump Administration.

One day Israel will lose lands it now controls.

Israel and the Trump Administration will not be able to prevent that.

Both Israel and Iran are prophesied to suffer military devastation.

So, while it is correct that “Israel and Iran Will Both Lose if They Go to War,” the loss would be more than economic.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There is also a YouTube video titled Iran in Prophecy. Here is a related video Iran In Prophecy.
Gaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy What does the Bible teach about Gaza and the fate of the Palestinians? Here is a link to a related video: Gaza and Palestine in Prophecy.
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
How Will Middle East Peace be Brought About? Can humans bring peace to the Middle East? Here is a link to a related video: Middle East Peace? When?
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims? An item of possibly related interest in the Spanish language would be: Líderes iraníes condenan la hipocresía de Occidente y declaran que ahora es tiempo para prepararse para el Armagedón, la guerra, y el Imán Mahdi.
Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.
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.
Evangelical support for Donald Trump’s Jerusalem policy BBC asked, “Why do US evangelicals support Trump’s Jerusalem policy?” BBC provided quotes from some believing it has to do with the ‘last days’ while others saying that is not the reason. Hal Lindsey’s book, ‘The Late Great Planet Earth’ is one of the sources pointed to. In this video, Dr. Thiel addresses scriptures related to Jerusalem as well as prophetic ones. He goes over the common ‘fig tree’ interpretation, belief about a ‘Third Temple,’ and statements about animal sacrifices. He explains biblical statements on those subjects as well as the views of certain modern Jewish organizations. This is a video.
Jerusalem, Donald Trump, and Prophecy On December 6, 2017, US President Donald Trump fulfilled a campaign promise related to the recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. This brought anger, protests, and rockets from some Palestinians. It also brought condemnation from European allies–it has been claimed to be disruptive and even catastrophic. The Palestinian President (Mahmoud Abbas) said that this pronouncement eliminated the USA as being a fair mediator for a peace deal. Others have claimed that Donald Trump is an end time Cyrus and his pronouncement will lead to a Third Temple in Jerusalem. Is there ever going to be a peace deal? If so, will Europeans be part of it? Is Donald Trump a ‘Cyrus.’ Do the Jews require a Third Temple for sacrifices? Dr. Thiel answer those questions and more in this video.
The Red Heifer, Jewish Beliefs, and the End of the World The Temple Institute is watching a ‘red heifer.’ Why might this be important in the sequence of end time events? Here is a related link in the Spanish language Novilla roja descubierta en EE.UU. e Instituto del Templo está interesado en ella. Here is a related video in English The Red Heifer and the End of the World.
Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill Could this building, often referred to as the Cenacle, which is located on a Mount Zion, 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.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2018, 2019, or 2020? 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 2018 o 2019? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon videos: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives and Can the Great Tribulation begin before 2020? A shorter video is: Can the Great Tribulation begin in 2018?
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.
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? 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?
Does the Church of God need to be headquartered in Jerusalem? Some say so. But what does the Bible teach? A related short video is also available: Does the Bible endorse Jerusalem as the Church of God headquarters now?
Location of the Early Church: Another Look at Ephesus, Smyrna, and Rome What actually happened to the primitive Church? And did the Bible tell about this in advance?
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.
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?  Is a Donald Trump presidency proving to be apocalyptic?  Two related videos are available: Donald: ‘Trump of God’ or Apocalyptic? and Donald Trump’s Prophetic Presidency.
Trump Presidency Magic 8 Ball or Bible Prophecy? BBC reported that one might as well use a ‘Magic Eight-Ball’ to try to predict what will happen in the remaining time of Donald Trump’s presidency. What is a ‘Magic Eight-Ball’? Dr. Thiel not only explains that, but also briefly goes over 10 biblically-based warnings he wrote would happen if Donald Trump were elected that have already began to come to pass. He also goes over something he wrote back in 2008 that the Trump presidency is also helping lead to fulfillment. Should you trust Bible prophecy or not? Dr. Thiel says that Bible prophecy can be trusted, despite the view of skeptics and others that either overlook or despise the Bible. This is a video.
Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse This 188 page book is for people truly interested in prophecies related to Donald Trump and the United States, including learning about several that have already been fulfilled and those that will be fulfilled in the future. The physical book can be purchased at Amazon for $12.99 from the following link: Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse.
Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse-Kindle Edition This electronic version of the 188 page print edition is available for only US$3.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to Donald Trump and America’s Apocalypse-Kindle Edition.

COGwriter

Have you ever wondered what the old Pasadena Campus of Ambassador College and the former Headquarters of the old Worldwide Church of God look like?

A while back, my wife Joyce and I visited the grounds. We have also put photos together of our visit–see Pictures of the Pasadena Campus of Ambassador College and the former Headquarters of the old Worldwide Church of God.

But we thought we would also share some of the photos and some comments here.

Here is a photograph of Ambassador Auditorium:

It is still called Ambassador Auditorium. But the fountain is a little different. So is the inside:

This is a door handle to Ambassador Auditorium. The door handles appear to be aged a bit, but original. They show a child with a lamb on his lap, sitting in front of a lion. This was a symbol often used by the old Worldwide Church of God to help picture the millennium.

This building was (and still may be) called Mayfair:

Mayfair was the female dormitory of the old Ambassador College.

There were still waterfalls and streams on the grounds, though less than there used to be:

Here are Joyce and I sitting on a bench (Joyce used a tripod and timer to take this photo):

The grounds still were nice to walk on.

But the grounds are not as nice as they once were. Furthermore, there are restricted areas as many parts are no longer open to the public as the following sign helps demonstrate:

So, you are not allowed to walk up to all the areas that we once were allowed to. This was a disappointing sign to come across.

The old Ambassador College Student Center is still there as the two photos below show:

It appears to be a Student Center for the Maranatha High School.

Here is the slightly changed track field:

The old track was still a track, but also an American Football field with football yard markings and goal posts at the ends. Tackle football had been prohibited to be played at Ambassador College by the late Herbert W. Armstrong (see Is American Football Evil?).

Overall, the grounds of the Pasadena Campus of Ambassador College and the former Headquarters of the old Worldwide Church of God were still nice. But, they were not nearly as nice or well kept up as they were under the old Worldwide Church of God.

We were disappointed to see many fine buildings and fountains gone. We also did not like the fact that you can no longer walk all of the old campus.

But, it was still nice to see. Hopefully, those of you seeing these photos will benefit from either your memories (if you saw the old campus) or some of the original buildings for the first time.

Of course, physical things do not last. Even the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed (though some of the bricks from the second temple apparently were saved, see Church of God on Jerusalem’s Western Hill).

Like the Jews who saw the original temple that were disappointed when they saw the second temple (see Haggai 2; see also The Temple and the Work), some believe that the Church of God needs impressive buildings in the 21st century (cf. Why Not the Restored Church of God?).

But God does not see things the way humans do (Isaiah 55:9).

Also notice what God told people who wanted a fancier temple:

“The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former…” (Haggai 2:9).

This temple was not more glorious because it was as elaborate. It may have been more glorious because it represented the work of God under adversity (see also The Temple and the Work).

And that is the case today, which is part of why God allowed the old Ambassador College campus to no longer be the headquarters for His physical church on the earth.

Anyway, to see more of Joyce’s photo’s of the old campus, click on Joyce’s Pictures of the Pasadena Campus of Ambassador College and the former Headquarters of the old Worldwide Church of God.