Church of God News

 
Tom Steyer (by Gage Skidmore) & Elizabeth Warren

COGwriter

Billionaire Tom Steyer has announced his candidacy for the office of US President:

July 9, 2019

Billionaire activist Tom Steyer said Tuesday that he will run for president in 2020, entering the crowded Democratic field late in the race with a pledge to focus on climate change and reforming the political system.

In a video, the Democratic megadonor, who has funneled millions of dollars into pushing for the impeachment of President Donald Trump, reversed his decision announced earlier this year not to run.

“If we can reduce the influence of corporate money in our democracy, and start to address the devastating impacts of climate change, we can unlock the full potential of the American people and finally solve the many challenges facing our country,” Steyer said in a statement accompanying the video.

“The other Democratic candidates for President have many great ideas that will absolutely move our country forward, but we won’t be able to get any of those done until we end the hostile corporate takeover of our democracy,” he said.

Steyer’s entrance into the race is likely to shake up the primary field, in no small part because of the vast sums of money at his disposal. The former hedge fund manager has pledged to spend at least $100 million on his presidential campaign, spokesman Alberto Lammers said. https://www.cnbc.com/2019/07/09/tom-steyer-billionaire-pushing-to-impeach-trump-changes-mind-and-decides-to-run-for-president.html

Like other Democrats running, Tom Steyer is pro-abortion. And sadly, he considers that as a requirement for Democratic politicians:

On August 12, 2017, Steyer told Politico that a candidate’s support for legal access to abortion was a litmus test for him and for NextGen America. At the Netroots Nation conference in San Francisco, he said, “We’re pro-choice… We do not work for a single candidate who is not pro-choice. I think people like to have litmus tests. We are explicitly pro-choice. We work a lot with Planned Parenthood, we work a lot with NARAL. We are absolutely committed to it.” https://ballotpedia.org/Thomas_Steyer accessed 07/09/19

Tom Steyer is consider the second biggest financial contributor to Democrats over recent years and since he considers being pro-abortion the ‘litmus test,’ this suggests that he only helps pro-abortion Democrats with money.

He is also pro-LGBTQ.

He enters the race a day after Democrat Eric Stawell dropped out of it.

But there still are around two dozen Democratic candidates and even most Democrats believe that there are too many.

Now one that is currently considered to be a ‘top tier’ candidate is Elizabeth Warren. And Politico reports that she is being unconventional and is going her way in the campaign.

July 9, 2019

When Elizabeth Warren said earlier this year she was swearing off fundraisers, many Democratic strategists saw it as a sign of desperation from a flailing candidate.

But that gamble against conventional wisdom — which is paying off handsomely, given the $19.1 million she raised in the second quarter — is far from the only way Warren is defying the traditional playbook for running a modern presidential campaign.

And now, the campaign told POLITICO that it is shunning the typical model for producing campaign ads, in which outside firms are hired and paid often hefty commissions for their work. Instead, Warren’s campaign is producing TV, digital and other media content itself, as well as placing its digital ad buys internally.

Taken together, Warren’s approach is a rebuke of the consultant-heavy model of campaigns — an often lucrative arrangement in which the people advising campaigns invariably tell candidates that the best political strategy is to buy what they sell, namely TV ads and polling. If carried out for the duration, the moves would create the most robust in-house media production and buying team in recent presidential politics.

And if Warren makes it to the general election, a large swath of Democratic consultants, including some whom Warren has used in past campaigns, could be relegated to the sidelines. That’s because Warren and her campaign team see the standard campaign as another symbol of Washington corruption — and an opportunity to do things differently. https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/09/elizabeth-warren-campaign-2020-1402253

The internet has the potential to be a more cost-effective way to at least get a primary campaign in a crowded field reach people in a way different than past campaigns have.

With so many candidates, being different can help.

Remember that in the 2016 campaign, Donald Trump was considerably different than the other 15 or 18 or so candidates.

Both Tom Steyer and Elizabeth Warren are trying different ways to be different.

This could help them stand out.

But neither they, nor the other candidates has called for what the US really needs–national repentance.

The Bible itself warns that if the children of Israel sinned and did not repent, the following would happen:

¹² As for My people … Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths. (Isaiah 3:12)

¹⁶ For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed. (Isaiah 9:16)

Related to the 2020 campaign, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put out the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

Various politicians have announced their intentions to run for the office of the President of the United States in 2020. ‘Politico’ ran an article about the ‘sorry state’ of various candidates. Some candidates have felt the need to apologize for previous statements in support of biblical marriage and the need to endorse items of the LGBTQ agenda. Many also support abortion and other anti-biblical actions. Are these ‘American values’? Should the English language be changed to eliminate male/female and singular pronouns? Does the Bible warn about female leaders? Does the Bible warn about leaders that lead people to err? What about condoning sexual immortality? Do the presidential contenders fit prophecies warned about in 2 Timothy 3:1-5? These are some of the subjects that Dr. Thiel addresses.

Here is a link to the sermonette video: Sorry state of the 2020 presidential campaign.

As for the Republican Donald Trump, here is a link to my article Donald Trump in Prophecy, which has a lot of information about him and many of his issues.

The 2020 presidential election is featuring people who are against many aspects of biblical morality.

It seems like all who are potentially major candidates for the 2020 presidential election advocate and promote several positions which are not biblically good.

The Bible itself warns that if the children of Israel sinned and did not repent, the following would happen:

¹² As for My people, children are their oppressors, And women rule over them. O My people! Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths. (Isaiah 3:12)

So, we see a specific biblical prophecy warning of a time where there will be female rulers. And, as this has happened to descendants of Ephraim having a female in the top office, this would be expected to affect descendants and Manasseh. (Information on the roles of Christian women is in the article Women and the New Testament Church.) Should any woman gain the Democratic party nomination, a male vice president would seem likely.

The time is coming when the USA will be eliminated as a nation per prophecies such as are found in Daniel 11:39 and Isaiah 10:5-12 (watch also our sermon video The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West).

Whoever, Republican, Democrat, or ?, wins in 2020 will be a factor in its destruction.

Consider also that the Bible teaches the following:

16… The Lord hates …. are an abomination to Him:

17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, (Proverbs 6:16-17)

The shedding of innocent blood is what abortion does.

Regarding things like the LGBTQ agenda, the Bible warns of those:

25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie…

26 For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:18-32)

Amongst other sins, the above scripture is clearly condemning lesbianism, homosexuality, and other forms of sexual immorality.

These are factors that will lead to the death and destruction of the United States (Daniel 11:39; Habakkuk 2:6-8).

Lest some of you discount all this, recall that the Bible teaches:

20 Do not despise prophecies. 21 Test all things; hold fast what is good. (1 Thessalonians 5:20-22)

Related to end time prophetic events, notice what Jesus said:

36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man. (Luke 21:36)

Pray and do not despise prophecies.

Of course, none of who are expected to be candidates for USA president will turn the nation back to God, thus none will truly fix the problems in the USA. It will take the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom of God to do that.

COGwriter

US President Donald Trump sent out a tweet today concerning trade issues with India:

India has long had a field day putting Tariffs on American products. No longer acceptable!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 9, 2019

Here is some information related to that:

Trump Hints At New Trade War With India

July 9, 2019

In a tweet, President Trump hinted at the possibility of new tariffs on Indian imports, saying that the US would no longer stand for India’s overly aggressive tariff regime.

To be sure, there are ulterior motives here, trade is probably a secondary issue. With Narendra Modi emboldened by his recent re-election, India has decided to move ahead with the purchase of a Russian missile defense system – which, by law, gives Washington the right to slap sanctions on India, which it has threatened to do – and its also refused to yield to America’s ban on Iranian oil exports. https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-07-09/trump-hints-new-trade-war-india

Donald Trump made some comments last week at the G-20 meeting that also hinted at trade issues with India, so his tweet today shows that the matters were not resolved at the G-20 meeting.

Here is more information related to this:

Will the Modi government, grappling with a slowing Indian economy and keen to attract investment to revive it, take what some have called the Trump administration’s “bait” on trade and investment in return for opening up the huge Indian market to American goods?

Tensions over trade tariffs erupted last year when the Trump administration hiked tariffs on imports of aluminum and steel from several countries, including India. Then, in May, Trump scrapped the trade privileges that India enjoys under the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences program, claiming India was not providing American goods with “equitable and reasonable access” to its markets. India, which was the largest beneficiary of the program in 2017 with $5.7 billion in imports to the U.S. given duty-free status, struck back two weeks later, hiking tariffs on 28 items imported from the U.S. worth around $220 million.

The sums involved are small compared to Trump’s trade war with China, but they still had Indian officials both worried and puzzled over why Trump was targeting India, a relatively minor player in global trade. Was he grandstanding to play to his base back home? Or is he pressuring India to wring out real concessions on trade and other issues where Washington and New Delhi have their differences?

The U.S. is strongly opposed to India’s new rules mandating financial data storage on servers in India, which it has described as a nontariff barrier that “obstructs digital trade flow.” It is also pressuring India to turn down Chinese telecom giant Huawei’s 5G technology. Bowing to such U.S. pressure will put India at risk of falling behind other countries that have opted for Huawei’s technology, but accepting Huawei comes with its own security concerns, despite China’s offer to address them through a “no back door” pact with India. If Modi’s government takes the Trump administration’s offer to collaborate with India on 5G equipment manufacturing, it will put India firmly on the U.S. side of this contentious technology issue.

The Trump administration has also been pressuring India to scrap a $5 billion deal with Russia, signed last year, to purchase its advanced S-400 missile defense system, threatening sanctions on India under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. The deal would have serious implications for India’s defense ties with the U.S., too, Washington has warned. 07/05/19 https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/28005/why-would-trump-want-a-trade-war-with-india

Battle Involving the 4th Islamic Caliphate

COGwriter

Nearly all who are part of the improperly named Philadelphia Church of God (PCG), United Church of God (UCG), and Living Church of God (LCG) believe that their leaders understand end time prophecy.

Yet, the reality is that on many prophetic points the teachings of those groups are confused or otherwise in error. Some of their errors have to do with Daniel 11.

While many are aware of Gerald Flurry’s incorrect identification of Iran as the final “King of the South,” some may be surprised to realize that PCG, UCG, and LCG do not understand the proper sequence of Daniel 11 nor the timing of the attacks by the King of the North.

What do they teach?

Let’s start with PCG.

In the January 2004 issue of the Philadelphia Trumpet, PCG’s Gerald Flurry wrote:

““And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon” (Dan. 11:40-41). The king of the north is a united Europe, and the king of the south is radical Islam led by Iran…Europe will win this war. But that victory will trigger some other events. Europe will then ally itself with the moderate Arabs and attack America, Britain and the nation called Israel.

Many Bible prophecies thunder that truth. (Flurry G. Personal: Russia Frightens Europe— and Fulfills Bible Prophecy. Philadelphia Trumpet, January 2004).

However, this sequence is in error. The Bible shows that the coming King of the North will eliminate the USA (the land with the strongest fortresses) in Daniel 11:39. This comes before the destruction of the King of the South in Daniel 11:40-43 (for more details, please check out Who is the King of the North?).

A reader recently sent me the following about teachings from at least one UCG pastor, Rex Sexton:

UCG … I have been downloading their sermons to listen to while I drive the car so I have an idea of some of their doctrines so I can better understand where they are coming from prophetically and have seen some dangerous mistakes. First of all is that they teach that the covenant that is confirmed and the sacrifices that are stopped in Dan 9:27  was fulfilled already by Jesus during His ministry and death and “the middle of the week” is talking about the day of the week He died on rather than the abomination of desolation occurring in the midst of the final seven years with the stopping of sacrifices by the King of the North in the middle of Daniels 70th week. If you Google UCG study paper on Daniels 70th week you will see their official teachings on this matter. I don’t understand how they could get something so clear so wrong, because the previous person spoken of in Dan 9:26 was the wicked prince who is to come, so how could the next “he” be Jesus? …

The other thing that was worrying is that at least some of the ministry teach that the event that tells us the end is about to begin and the abomination of desolation is soon to occur, is the King of the North defeating the King of the South and then he comes into Jerusalem and places the abomination of desolation. The Minister teaching this (Rex Sexton) has many many sermons on their website, so I gather they endorse his position. He said in the sermon that so many people want to know what the “tripwire” event is that sets all things in motion at the end and he said that the King of the North defeating and taking over the nations of the King of the South is CLEARLY it and that it is incontrovertible! CLEARLY he is badly mistaken.

The same Minister in another sermon was proudly proclaiming UCG a non-prophet church as a play on words. He then went on to make a personal prediction after chiding other COG groups claiming to have prophets, saying that there will probably be people in the Church of God claiming to be prophets very soon, who will probably say Jesus is returning in 2027 because it will be 2000 years since His ministery and will warn people to flee in 2024. He then said to be very weary if we hear anyone at that time saying this because God will make it very clear to His people when it’s time to go!

It’s easy to see that if Jesus does return somewhere around this time, that at least some in UCG will be warning people not to flee!

Similarly to PCG and apparently UCG, notice what LCG’s late Dr. Roderick C. Meredith wrote and published:

This great charismatic “Mahdi” (Messiah) will gather together the forces of Islam in a final jihad (holy war) against the morally corrupt nations of the West, whose religion, lifestyle and values represent a deadly challenge to the Islamic dream.

He will feel emboldened to provoke or attack the European Union (Daniel 11:40). This will anger the fierce “king of the North” and the forces of the king of the South will be completely crushed by this European power. The king of the North will then come down “like a whirlwind” (v. 40) and take over the Middle East, including the Holy Land (vv. 41–42). The king of the North’s armies will seize control of the region’s vast oil reserves (v. 43).

These soon-to-happen events will be awesome to witness. The “king of the North,” a future European Napoleon or Hitler type of powerful, dynamic leader, will react mightily with a blitzkrieg retaliation. This dramatic military response against the king of the South will set off a chain of other events.

“And they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation” (Daniel 11:31). As this dual prophecy shows, there will, at the end of this age, either be a temple or a special altar in Jerusalem. The priests of the family of Aaron will again offer the daily animal sacrifices prescribed in the Old Testament until a great military power comes in and places there what is called the abomination of desolation.

The description continues: “At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time” (Daniel 12:1). This is talking about the American, British Commonwealth and Jewish peoples. The great Muslim “king of the South” will cause a war, and the European “king of the North” will conquer much of the Middle East. This king of the North also comes west against God’s people at the beginning of the Great Tribulation. This is the same time Jesus described in Matthew 24:21: “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (Meredith RC. Fourteen Signs Announcing Christ’s Return. http://www.tomorrowsworld.org/booklets/fourteen-signs-announcing-christs-return/content viewed online 5/11/19).

Notice that LCG teaches that after Daniel 11:40-43 is fulfilled, that Daniel 11:31 will be fulfilled. This is a major problem because Daniel 11:31 is the sign that Jesus pointed to to warn that it would be time to flee and that the Great Tribulation was about to begin:

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matthew 24:15-21)

For years I tried to work with LCG on this point as they had a publication written by John Ogwyn that agreed with the sequence that I have taught–that the King of the North invades the USA and Anglo-Saxon nations prior to the invasion of the King of the South. John Ogwyn and the rest of the then LCG Charlotte-based evangelists all told me on was right about that. Yet, LCG has continued with two differing sequences that are in contradiction–which is confusing.

LCG also has the Great Tribulation beginning when the King of the North invades the King of the South. Here is what its Official Statement of Fundamental Beliefs teaches:

The Bible speaks of a time of great catastrophe, called the “Great Tribulation” (Matthew 24:21-22; Daniel 11:40-45; 12:1; Luke 21:19-36) (viewed 05/11/19)

LCG is teaching that Daniel 11:40 is the first item in the sequence in Daniel 11 to start the Great Tribulation. And this is a FUNDAMENTAL BELIEF, which is in error.

LCG’s Gerald Weston had the following in a Co-worker letter dated February 13, 2019:

Correct doctrine is vital to the Church of God and love is at the heart of correct doctrine. …

Doctrine, we might say, is simply teachings or instructions, and in this case, the teachings of the Bible. The Apostle Paul confirms that doctrine is important. He warned the Church of God at Ephesus that they “should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. . .” (Ephesians 4:14). And he urged the members in Rome to “note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them” (Romans 16:17).

Right doctrine is what allows us to have unity. Paul told the Corinthians that they should all speak the same thing, meaning they should be unified in the basic doctrines they were taught by Paul and other ministers of the truth (1 Corinthians 1:10). And he pointed out that we must strive to keep the unity of the faith: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:4-6).

A servant of God must teach sound doctrine as found in the Bible, not ideas with roots in pagan philosophy and heathen practices. He must also be bold in proclaiming the truth and in fulfilling God’s command, “Cry aloud, spare not; lift up your voice like a trumpet; tell My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins” (Isaiah 58:1). We live in an age where God is despised, because this generation, especially, hates His laws. Biblical values are rejected at every turn and a totalitarian-minded elite is convincing a whole generation to do everything it can to wipe out any remembrance of God and His Word. The “culture war” is, more precisely, an assault against God.

Love is important and doctrine should be based upon the Bible (see also The Philadelphia Remnant: It’s All About Love).

But LCG has this sequence wrong (and other doctrinal errors, for details see What About the Living Church of God? Are there Doctrinal Differences with the Continuing Church of God?).

Notice that the old WCG taught something different related to the sequence and the start of the Great Tribulation. The late 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).

Notice that Herbert Armstrong has Daniel 11:31 first, then the USA and UK getting attacked (Daniel 11:39). While it is true that the old Radio Church of God misunderstood the sequence originally, it changed decades ago–yet some (like in the leadership of PCG, UCG, and LCG) never have understood the change and still prefer to rely on an overridden tradition over the Bible.

Notice also something from the Plain Truth magazine in 1979:

King David of ancient Israel in a prophetic psalm (Psalm 83) provides additional insight into the Mideast picture. Germany (Assyria in Bible prophecy) and perhaps the rest of Europe will be in league in the future with a union of Arab nations–a vast confederacy bound together in an effort to crush out the name “Israel” from the face of the earth! This Arab-Moslem confederacy may very well be the previously mentioned “king of the south”–a sphere of power encompassing vast portions of the Islamic world.

“They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: The tabernacles of Edom [Esau or modern-day Turkey, a non-Arab but Islamic nation], and the Ishmaelites [Saudi Arabia]; of Moab [part of Jordan], and the Hagarenes [anciently these peoples dwelt in the area known as Syria today]; Gebal [Lebanon], and Ammon [modern Jordan], and Amalek [part of the Turks]; the Philistines [the modern Palestinians] with the inhabitants of Tyre [Lebanon]; Assur [whose descendants, the Assyrians, migrated to Germany] also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot [Jordan and Western Iraq]” (Psalm 83:4-8)…

But in the end, this European-Arab alliance will prove short-lived. As shown earlier, the “king of the north” of Daniel 11–the leader of the German-led European union–will ultimately turn against the Arab “king of the south,”…Daniel 11:40-41: And the king of the north shall come against him [the king of the south]…The Arab-Moslem Confederation will, of course, be thrown into chaotic disarray in the fact of invasion. (Stump K. The Arab World in Prophecy. Plain Truth, December 1979)

“Israel” in quotes above is a reference to the end time descendants of Israel, which includes the USA and Anglo-Saxon nations.

From no later than 1979 until the time of his death, Herbert Armstrong correctly taught that the Great Tribulation first begins with an attack by the European King of the North, not that the King of the North first invades the King of the South.

I tried to work with LCG on this for many years, and although they seemed to have agreed multiple times (and at least once it was agreed in a meeting by one of their leaders that WCG had changed its view by the 1970s to the biblical view I was advocating; see also December 2011 Proposed changes to LCG’s Official Statement of Fundamental Beliefs), they never changed their publications to reflect this.

Since I was unable to get LCG to change while I was with it, despite agreements by its leaders to fix LCG’s errors on this point, hopefully pointing this error out again will assist them to correct it. Otherwise, this will be another area where those in LCG will misunderstand prophecy.

I would make a similar appeal to PCG and UCG.

However as those in PCG improperly believe that Gerald Flurry is a prophet, nor have they ever agreed that I was correct on this, they seem less likely than LCG (or UCG) to consider this–but they ignore what the Bible teaches to their peril. Sadly this likely means, then, that they will not know when the Great Tribulation will begin, and that would then indicate they will not be protected from it.

The Apostle Paul taught:

15… I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15)

On the prophetic sequence of Daniel 11, as well as on certain points of conduct, neither PCG nor LCG can be considered the “pillar and ground of the truth,” which is part of why neither hold the Philadelphia mantle. When I checked LCG’s Official Statement of Beliefs this year, it still had serious errors.

There are many ramifications of the errors that PCG, UCG, and LCG hold.

One to consider is that unless they change their positions, NEITHER PCG NOR UCG NOR LCG WILL REALIZE WHEN THE GREAT TRIBULATION WILL BEGIN AND THEIR SUPPORTERS WILL NOT FLEE TO BE PROTECTED IN A PLACE OF SAFETY IN THE WILDERNESS (Revelation 12:14-16). Their positions will be proven to be false.

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

Will you truly rely on the more sure word of prophecy? Or traditions that will be proven to be false?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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. Another article related to Iran translated into the Spanish language is: Irán y líderes israelíes discuten las intenciones nucleares de Irán.
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.
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.
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. There is also a video on the subject: Might Petra be the Place of Safety? Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
Teachings Unique to the Philadelphia Church of God Simply calling oneself ‘Philadelphia’ does not make one so (see Revelation 3:7-9), nor does Gerald Flurry calling himself “that prophet” make it so. This article provides many quotes from this group which tries to look faithful.
Differences between the Living Church of God and United Church of God This article provides quotes information from two of the largest groups which had their origins in WCG as well as commentary.
What About the Living Church of God? Are there Doctrinal Differences with the Continuing Church of God? This article explains some information and doctrines of the Living Church of God as led by Roderick C. Meredith and some concerns about them. En el idioma español: ¿Qué hay acerca de la Iglesia de Dios Viviente? ¿Hay diferencias doctrinales con la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios?
Why Bob Thiel Left the Living Church of God Several have speculated reasons, but here is the truth. (En el idioma español: ¿Por qué Bob Thiel dejó la Iglesia del Dios Viviente?)
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?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 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?
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation.
The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots. They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent. One video of related interest is 17 Laodicean Errors in Prophecy.

Artist’s impression of ‘Planet Nibiru’  (Pixabay)

COGwriter

CBS reported the following:

July 8, 2019

Millions of people in Southern California are on edge and worried about their safety after two large earthquakes and more than 4,000 aftershocks. The powerful, damaging quakes rocked the small desert town of Ridgecrest, 110 miles north of Los Angeles. Some people there are so worried, they are refusing to sleep indoors.

California’s governor is calling the seismic activity a wake-up call. Scientists are warning that a similar sized quake in a major city like San Francisco or Los Angeles could have been catastrophic. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-earthquakes-ridgecrest-residents-on-edge-sleeping-outside/

While my family and I live in California, we are not sleeping outside. But we are aware that California is at risk for devastating earthquakes.

Some Jewish-leaning doomsayers seem to believe that “Planet Nibiru” is the cause of the increased earthquake activity:

California’s … Earthquakes Signalling End-of-Days Global Shakeup

July 8, 2019

Two major earthquakes in Southern California leading many, including experts, to ask, ‘When will the big one hit?.’ Several end-of-days experts weigh in, suggesting that ‘when’ may be the wrong question. …

The US Geological Survey reported that the southern San Andreas Fault has typically seen large earthquakes every 150 years. The last large earthquake there occurred in 1857 so the southern segment of the fault “is considered a likely location for an earthquake” in the coming years. …

Earthquakes the Result of Nibiru’s Approach

Yuval Ovadia, whose videos on Nibiru have garnered hundreds of thousands of views, bases his theories on classical Jewish sources. Ovadia agreed with seismologists that ‘the big one’ is imminent but he focused on a different cause.

“We know that ancient wisdom connected what happened in the heavens to what happened in the earth,” Ovadia told Breaking Israel News. “The Talmud says that God sent the flood to the world in the generation of Noah by way of two stars that he added to the Pleiades constellation. The midrash (Torah commentary) explains that the addition of these stars caused water to come up from the ground and the mountains to spew out steam and fire. This is absolutely acceptable to science since the revolution of the moon around the earth is known to determine the tides.”

“It could be that something is moving in the heavens that affects the earth,” Ovadia said. He described this effect as the wave created by water pushed ahead of the prow of a boat as it moves through the ocean. “As Nibiru approaches, we will see..in fact, are already seeing, asteroids, earthquakes, and storms. If the scientists would connect the dots, see the bigger picture including what is happening here on Earth, they might understand.” …

The Return of Korach

At the end of last year, Rabbi Nir Ben Artzi predicted that this year would be one of great upheaval; political as well as natural. He repeated this warning in May even more emphatically.

“They will continue, continue, continue: earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, fire, hurricanes and storms, extremes of hot and cold weather,” Rabbi Ben Artzi said in his weekly sermon. “Planes will continue to fall, also ships, cars, and busses.”

This prediction took on a powerfully Biblical twist two weeks ago when Rabbi Ben Artzi predicted that the world was about to enter an era of increased earthquakes that would serve a specific end-of-days purpose. In preparation for the weekly Torah reading of Korach, Rabbi Ben Artzi referred to the part of the Bible in which the earth opened up, swallowing the mutinous participants in the revolt.

And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up with their households, all Korach‘s people and all their possessions. Numbers 16:32

Rabbi Ben Artzi predicted that this form of seismic retribution would again reappear to wipe out the haters of Israel, more specifically as a non-military all-encompassing solution to the conflict with Hamas.

“[God] will destroy all of Gaza, the moment he decides to do so,” Rabbi Ben Artzi wrote, “Without the IDF, and it will be on the media for all to see! Whether it is by tsunami, earthquake, or flood, and not one centimeter of the Holy Land will be touched.” https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/132970/6-0-earthquake-hit-california-build-up-end-of-days/

Of course, Planet Nibiru destruction or trying to tie things in with it is not a new idea. I have regularly denounced the Planet Nibiru destruction and Revelation 12 claims in the past (e.g. More predictions that planet ‘Nibiru’ will destroy the Earth this year and BibleNewsProphecy: Planet Nibiru to Destroy Earth by 2017?).

Nor is Gaza about to be destroyed. (see Gaza and the Palestinians in Bible Prophecy) Nor is the nation of Israel going to be fully unscathed related to events that are to come to pass within the next decade or so (cf. Isaiah 22).

Jesus predicted earthquakes, but did not tie them in with anything resembling Planet Nibiru:

8 … And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be…troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. (Mark 13:8)

33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34 It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming — in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning — 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” (Mark 13:33-37)

Jesus listed earthquakes as one of the signs that precede the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:4-21; see also When Will the Great Tribulation Begin?) and told His followers to watch. For more on earthquakes check out the article: Earthquakes Today and Bible Prophecy.

The problem that various Jewish prophecy prognosticators have is that they overlook the sequence of events that Jesus laid out as recorded by the gospel writer Matthew (for more details, see also When Will the Great Tribulation Begin?) as they do not accept Jesus as the Messiah. Though according to their own revered writings they should (see our free online book: Proof Jesus is the Messiah).

Because they and others like them have falsely claimed that God is sending a message through their misinterpretations, they are turning people off against Bible prophecy. The following prophecy from the Apostle Peter applies not only to people who claim to be in the COG (David Pack, Ron Weinland, and Gerald Flurry come to mind), but also to those like Protestants such as David Meade, Gary Ray, and Mark Biltz: as well as false Jewish prognosticators:

1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. (2 Peter 2:1-3)

The false prognosticators cause the Christian way to be blasphemed, even though (in my view) none of those I have specifically named are real Christians.

No wonder Peter was also inspired to write:

3 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, 4 and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, 6 by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. 7 But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

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

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

14 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; (2 Peter 3:3-15)

False prophecies have turned people away from believing that biblical prophecies are relevant.

Notice also the following related to things like Nibiru:

Don’t believe the doomsday hype about the putative Planet Nine. … the New York Post published a video claiming that Planet Nine — a hypothesized world in the solar system’s far outer reaches — could send asteroids and comets hurtling into Earth soon, with potentially devastating consequences. …

The New York Post’s misleading video may result from a conflation of Planet Nine with other hypothesized, undiscovered objects in Earth’s neck of the cosmic woods — namely, Nibiru and Nemesis.

Nibiru is a proposed large planet that conspiracy theorists have predicted will crash into and destroy Earth. Many prognostications had the cataclysm occurring in 2012, to coincide with the supposed “Mayan apocalypse.” There is no evidence that Nibiru exists, or that such an impact is imminent. (Some variations of the Nibiru myth call it Planet X, but this latter moniker can also refer to a large world whose existence was first postulated by astronomer Percival Lowell in the early 20th century, to explain perceived oddities in the orbits of Uranus and Neptune. So it can get a bit confusing.)

Nemesis is a small star or brown dwarf (a “failed star” that’s considerably larger than a planet) hypothesized to zoom through space not far from the sun. Nemesis’ gravitational pull regularly jostles the faraway comet repository known as the Oort Cloud, the idea goes, sending comets barreling toward Earth — and thus explaining the perceived cycle of mass extinctions on our planet, which seem to occur every 26 million years or so. http://www.space.com/32515-planet-nine-will-not-destroy-earth-nibiru.html#sthash.GCQTtM6F.dpuf

Back in 2012, many were concerned about Planet X, also known as Planet Nibiru. Some claimed it would destroy the earth years ago. Of course, those claims were false.

The so-called science is, that according to an old NASA report, there could be another planet. A tenth planet, which some then called planet X as it had not been found (notice that Nibiru has been called both Planet Nine and X). Various ones have suggested that this planet will crash into the Earth.

No planet is about to come crashing to the Earth this year and destroy the Earth.

Yet, it is true that something from space, probably an asteroid or a comet, is prophesied in the Bible to hit the Earth and cause massive damage (Revelation 8:10-11). But not before 2025.

A large comet hitting the earth would also seem to have similar effects to that of a medium-sized asteroid. And having something actually hit the earth and do massive damage is predicted in the Bible.

But this object, called Wormwood in the Bible, cannot hit for some time.

Why?

Over 1900 years ago, the Apostle John was inspired to write about Wormwood and more in the Book of Revelation. If you look at the sequence of events that precede Wormwood, it is obvious all that cannot happen between now and next month. Notice that the first nine verses happen prior to Wormwood falling from heaven:

1 When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. 2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and to them were given seven trumpets. 3 Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. 4 And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it to the earth. And there were noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake.

6 So the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

7 The first angel sounded: And hail and fire followed, mingled with blood, and they were thrown to the earth. And a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up.

8 Then the second angel sounded: And something like a great mountain burning with fire was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. 9 And a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

10 Then the third angel sounded: And a great star fell from heaven, burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 11 The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter. (Revelation 8:1-11)

It should also be noted that there are MANY EVENTS that also have to take place before the above events as well (see Matthew 24; see also When Will the Great Tribulation Begin?). Because of that, it is biblically impossible for the Earth to effectively be destroyed by something from space for years.

Notice that Wormwood does not fall until after the third trumpet associated with the seventh seal of Revelation is blown. Well, this would mean that the fifth and sixth seal would also have already been opened–which are mentioned in Revelation 6:7-17, and the 144,000 numbered as shown in Revelation 7. And I should add that the fifth seal of Revelation cannot possibly be opened for at least 3 1/2 years from now (see When Will the Great Tribulation Begin?), with over 4 years the likely minimum.

Planet Nibiru per se does not exist, though a Planet Nine/Ten might. Yet Wormwood most certainly does exist–but again Wormwood cannot hit for several years at the earliest. That does not mean that there cannot be any problems from meteorites, comets, asteroids, solar flares, etc. But it does mean that this age will not end for at least several years.

Why bother to post about the ‘Nibiru prediction’?

Because there are many false and heretical leaders that lead people astray on prophecy. Sometimes they mention the Bible to try to act like God sanctions their nonsense. And it is not just the secular fringe people, but also those who claim to be Christian or even in the Church of God.

The Sardis and Laodicean Church of God groups, despite a few claiming to have prophets, do not understand prophecy, the work, enough of the truth, etc., and that is part of why they will have to go through the Great Tribulation. CG7, a group believed to somewhat represent Sardis, takes a preterist view that basically most end time prophecies were fulfilled long ago and are for the past. The Laodiceans have so many prophetic misunderstandings, that unless they repent and change (Revelation 3), they will not possibly know when the Great Tribulation will start until it is too late.

The various other COGs hold to one or more improper prophetic opinions that differ from that of the Continuing Church of God. A list of three dozen or so of them can be found in the article The Laodicean Church Era. Because of this, unless they change, those outside of the Continuing Church of God will not know when the Great Tribulation will begin until it is too late to flee (cf. Matthew 24:15-20; Revelation 12:14-17). The Apostle John recorded that there would be two groups of Christians at the end and that one would flee and be protected from the Great Tribulation (Revelation 12:14-16), while the other would not be (Revelation 12:17). ‘Independents’ would also be part of that latter group that will not know when to flee, unless they change and heed what the Bible teaches (watch Zephaniah’s ‘Gather Together’ Prophecy).

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

Thus, you can be certain that “Planet Nibiru” will NOT destroy the Earth this year or next year. Nor did it cause the recent California earthquakes.

We made a video about wrong Planet Nibiru before, which is also available: Planet Nibiru to Destroy Earth by 2017?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Comets, Wormwood, and Planet Nibiru Will the Earth be devastated by Planet X or Comet Encke? What about Planet Nine? Could it happen in 2017? Here is a link to two related YouTube videos Planet Nibiru to Destroy Earth by 2017? and Could Comet ISON be Wormwood of Bible Prophecy?
Blood Moons, Eclipses, and Prophecy There were four ‘blood moons’ expected in 2014 and 2015. Some claimed that they signaled the Day of the Lord or the return of Jesus Christ. I denounced that view in advance. Some claimed an eclipse in 2017 signaled the end, a “super blue blood moon” in 2018 was a divine warning, as was a ‘super wolf blood moon in 2019: Is that true? Two related videos are available: Blood Moons, Prophecy, 2014, and 2015. and Solar Eclipse and the Apocalypse.
NASA predicts irreversible collapse of civilization; ‘perfect storm’ within 15 years? How has NASA predicted the end? Here is a link to a related video: BibleNewsProphecy: NASA ‘Irreversible Collapse’ of Industrial Civilization by 2030? Another video of interest may be Is the Universe Expanding or about to Catastrophically Collapse?
Aliens from Outer Space Are there aliens from outer space? Have any visited the earth? Are they dangerous? Does the Bible teach that an alien army will come to the earth and take over? Here is a link to a related sermon: Alien Beliefs and the Return of Jesus.
Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected? What does the Bible really teach? Does the Church flee or is it taken up just prior to the great tribulation? Who really is left behind? There is also a YouTube video with information Did Jesus Teach a Pre-tribulation Rapture?
The Dangerous Rise of Preterists Has the Great Tribulation finished? What was the view of early Christians? Why is the preterist view dangerous?
Proof Jesus is the Messiah This free book has over 200 Hebrew prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus. Plus, His arrival was consistent with specific prophecies and even Jewish interpretations of prophecy. Here are links to seven related sermons: Proof Jesus is the Messiah, Prophecies of Jesus’ birth, timing, and death, Jesus’ prophesied divinity, 200+ OT prophecies Jesus filled; Plus prophecies He made, Why Don’t Jews Accept Jesus?, Daniel 9, Jews, and Jesus, and Facts and Atheists’ Delusions About Jesus. Plus the links to two sermonettes: Luke’s census: Any historical evidence? and Muslims believe Jesus is the Messiah, but … These videos cover nearly all of the book, plus have some information not in the book.
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.
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–here is some of why you should be concerned about them. Here is a related article in the Spanish language ¿Por qué estar preocupado acerca de falsos y heréticos líderes?
How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? There is also a sermon-length video titled How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God. Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Cómo determinar si alguien es un verdadero profeta de Dios?
Zephaniah’s ‘Gather Together’ Prophecy Is it safe to be ‘independent’ or in a non-Philadelphin Church of God? What did God inspire Zephaniah to write?
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?
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? 2027 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? 2019, 2020, or 2021? 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 and newer video is: Might the Great Tribulation start in 2019?
The Times of the Gentiles Has there been more than one time of the Gentiles? Are we in it now or in the time of Anglo-America? What will the final time of the Gentiles be like? A related sermon is available and is titled: The Times of the Gentiles.
Armageddon Who is involved and when will this gathering happen? Here is also a video from Dr. Thiel, from Tel Megiddo in Israel: Armageddon. Other videos include: Armageddon Will it come on Trump’s watch?, Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy, Freemasonry, Armageddon, and Rome, Is China paving roads to Armageddon?, and Jordan, Petra, and Armageddon.
Earthquakes Today and Bible Prophecy This article has historical, technical, and biblical information about earthquakes. It also explains what did Jesus teach about earthquakes and how the Bible describes “the big one” (as well as when it is expected).

Enriched uranium (Wikipedia)

COGwriter

Iran is claiming that it will continue to enrich uranium beyond the limits it once agreed to:

Iran ignores Trump’s warning, breaks another nuclear deal limit on uranium enrichment

July 8, 2019

• Iran says it has again breached the terms of the 2015 nuclear deal, enriching uranium to more than 3.67% purity.
• It’s Iran’s 2nd breach of the deal’s terms, and comes after President Trump warned the country to “be very careful.”
• Tehran wants Europe to help it get around U.S. sanctions, but Europe thus far seems to be siding with the U.S.
• Iran says if the EU fails to find a way to keep the nuclear deal viable within 2 months, it will do something “somehow stunning.”

---

Iran remains open to diplomacy to save its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers but has “no hope” in the international community, the country’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said Monday as the Islamic Republic broke the limit the agreement had placed on its enrichment of uranium.  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-news-breaks-iran-nuclear-deal-limit-uranium-enrichment-donald-trump-warning-today-2019-07-08/

July 8, 2019

Iran’s nuclear energy agency said Monday the country has surpassed the limits on how much it was allowed to enrich uranium under the 2015 international nuclear deal.

Iran said it had passed 4.5% enrichment, breaching the 3.67% limit set in the accord aimed at restraining Tehran’s nuclear weapons development.

Iran said it could consider enriching uranium to 20% as the next step in its move to back away from its commitments under the nuclear deal, unless it gets the help it wants from the accord’s other signatories to overcome the crippling effect of U.S. economic sanctions imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump after he withdrew from the pact last year.

Uranium enriched to 5% is sufficient to produce fuel for nuclear power plants, but still far below the 90% needed for building a nuclear weapon.

The United Nations atomic watchdog agency said it was in the process of verifying the Iranian claim that it had breached the enrichment limit.

The European Union, one of the signatories to the deal with Iran, said it was “extremely concerned” about Tehran’s action.

“We strongly urge Iran to stop and reverse all activities that are inconsistent with the commitments” it had made under the international agreement, the EU said in Brussels.

Russia said it is concerned about the Iranian action, but Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said it had warned that Trump’s withdrawal from the pact would have negative consequences for global security.

Trump warned Iran on Sunday it “better be careful.”

He did not specify to reporters any specific reactions his administration was considering, but reiterated the position that “Iran will never have a nuclear weapon.”

Trump made his comment hours after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted that Iran’s decision will lead to “further isolation and sanctions.”

“Nations should restore the longstanding standard of no enrichment for Iran’s nuclear program. Iran’s regime with nuclear weapons would pose an even greater danger to the world,” Pompeo wrote.

Iran has threatened further steps away from the deal within 60 days if the remaining signatories do not help it avoid the effects of the U.S. sanctions. The remaining parties, along with Russia and the EU, are Britain, Germany, France and China. https://www.voanews.com/middle-east/iran-says-it-enriching-uranium-higher-nuclear-deal-limit

Iran is in a tough spot.

It seemingly hopes that doing what it is doing will encourage the Europeans to help it better get around US sanctions.

However, it also needs to be understood that Iran is led by people who want to trigger their version of World War III.

Many of its leaders are looking to cause ‘chaos’ so that a mystical leader, called the 12th Imam as well as being called the Imam Madhi, will rise up.

Here is some information about the Shi’ite version (Iran is mainly Shi’ite Muslim) of the 12th Imam:

Imam Mahdi is the 12th Shia Imam and according to Islamic hadiths is in ‘occultation’ or hidden and will return to earth to establish peace and justice on earth. He was born on July 29 869 in the city of Samarra, Iraq and his mother Nargis was of Roman descent. He was kept hidden from birth till he disappeared because the rulers of the time the Abbasids knew the Prophesy of Imam Mahdi who will bring about a revolt against oppression and tyranny. The Abbasid’s knew that the prophesised one will be the son of the 11th Shia imam, Imam Al Askari. http://www.veteranstoday.com/2013/08/11/why-is-israel-looking-for-imam-mahdi

It has been reported that the Imam Madhi was named Muhammad al Mahdi. His father was the 11th Imam, who only showed him briefly. But after his father died he was sent into hiding and some believe he has continually been assisting Muslims (Cardoza-Moore L. War with Iran. Focus on Israel, airdate 06/23/19 DYSTR). Also supposedly:

Mahdi’s appearance will supposedly be preceded by a number of prophetic events during 3 years of horrendous world chaos tyranny and oppression. …

Mahdi will rule over the Arabs and the whole world for seven years. (Cardoza-Moore L. War with Iran. Focus on Israel, airdate 06/23/19 DYSTR)

A majority of Shiite Muslims traditionally believe that the “12th Imam” (Islamic religious leader), born in 868 A.D., was placed by God into hiding (known as occultation) until the day of judgment. Southern Baptist author and evangelist Anis Shorrosh explained that many Shiites also refer to the 12th Imam as the Mahdi, an Arabic word that generally references a messiah, or a guide. …

Shiites traditionally believe he is Mohammed ibn Hasan, the 12th in the line of imams who were descendents of the prophet Mohammed. Though they do not know when the Mahdi will return, they believe he will come to end the misery of his people. https://www1.cbn.com/onlinediscipleship/12th-imam-key-facet-of-islamic-prophecy-fuels-middle-east-turmoil accessed 06/22/19

Some Iranian leaders believe their role is to cause chaos in the world so that the Imam Mahdi will appear and give the Shi’ite Muslims control over Islam and then the entire world.

Notice the following related to an Iraniah military commander:

Quds Force deputy commander Esmail Quaani said in May 2017: “Without a doubt, our martyrs and those of the dear ones like you Fatimiyyoun will not settle for less than the global rule of the Imam Mahdi. Our martyrs inaugurated a great path. Syria and Aleppo are the temporary aims, and the main aim is global rule, which I hope is not far off.” 06/17/19 https://www.dailywire.com/news/48520/mitsotakis-irans-regime-broadcasts-its-intentions-spyridon-mitsotakis

A report from the past shows that Iran has sought to build nuclear weapons and looks for its 12th Imam:

January 26, 2014

Iranian official confirms country sought to build nuclear weapons

A founder of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards now admits that the Islamic Republic was seeking to acquire nuclear weapons. This is the first time any regime official has made such an admission, even as another report claims that one of Iran’s most radical clerics was the spiritual overseer of the nuclear weapons program.

“We pursued ways in order to gain nuclear arms,” Gen. Mohsen Rafiqdoost told the regime’s Mehr News on Saturday. “I asked Imam [Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini] what his opinion was. He said do not pursue atoms, and we stopped.”

But that claim falls short of the truth. In the late 1980s, a letter by Mohsen Rezaei, then the chief commander of the Guards, asking Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Revolution, for approval of the nuclear bomb program was revealed. It showed the leader had approved of seeking nuclear weapons.

Meanwhile, another report out of Iran suggests that one of Islamic regime’s most radical Shiite clerics, who reputedly had the attention of the 12th Imam, was the spiritual father of Iran’s nuclear program. (Shiite clerics, who are the de facto rulers of Iran, believe that Mahdi, who was born in 869, will descend to earth at the time of Armageddon.) http://dailycaller.com/2014/01/26/iranian-official-confirms-country-sought-to-build-nuclear-weapons/#ixzz2rYuJM8rG

Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has claimed before to have gotten certain messages from the ’12th Imam,’ which encouraged him to want to develop various weapons.

Iran’s ‘Supreme Leader’ said he is relying on the 12th Imam:

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei… has been heard to say that the coming of the last Islamic Messiah, the Shiites’ 12th Imam Mahdi, is near and that specific actions need to be taken to protect the Islamic regime for upcoming events. Mahdi, according to Shiite belief, will reappear at the time of Armageddon. Selected forces within the Revolutionary Guards and Basij reportedly have been trained under a task force called “Soldiers of Imam Mahdi” and they will bear the responsibility of security and protecting the regime against uprisings. Many in the Guards and Basij have been told that the 12th Imam is on earth, facilitated the victory of Hezbollah over Israel in the 2006 war and soon will announce publicly his presence after the needed environment is created. http://www.wnd.com/2012/01/iran-preparing-now-for-armageddon/, January 24, 2012)

Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday that victory of the Islamic Revolution is an example for reappearance of Lord of the Time Imam Mahdi…

Imam Khamenei made the remarks while touring Darolhadis book exhibition at Imam Khomeini Hosseinieh.

The Supreme Leader made clear that the Islamic Republic of Iran enjoys divine support vis-a-vis the systematic conspiracies of the United States to topple the revolutionary government in Iran since 1979. http://www.abna.ir/english/service/important/archive/2014/06/11/615223/story.html

But, in a major military conflict with the USA, Iran is likely to find itself defeated. Its hope for help from its claimed Imam Mahdi will not change that.

Here is one secular view about a USA vs. Iran war:

July 8, 2019

How the US-Iran war starts

US-imposed sanctions have tanked Iran’s economy, and Tehran desperately wants them lifted. But with few options to compel the Trump administration to change course, Iranian leaders may choose a more violent tactic to make their point.

Iranian forces could bomb an American oil tanker traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the global energy trade aggressively patrolled by Tehran’s forces, causing loss of life or a catastrophic oil spill. The country’s skillful hackers could launch a major cyberattack on regional allies like Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates.

Israel could kill an Iranian nuclear scientist, leading Iran to strike back and drawing the US into the spat, especially if Tehran responds forcefully. Or Iranian-linked proxies could target and murder American troops and diplomats in Iraq.

That last option is particularly likely, experts say. After all, Iran bombed US Marine barracks in Lebanon in 1983 and killed more than 600 US troops during the Iraq War. Taking this step may seem extreme, but “Iran could convince itself that it could do this,” Goldenberg, now at the Center for a New American Security think tank in Washington, told me.

At that point, it’d be nearly impossible for the Trump administration not to respond in kind. The recommendations given to the president would correspond to whatever action Iran took.

If Tehran destroyed an oil tanker, killing people and causing an oil spill, the US might destroy some of Iran’s ships. If Iran took out another US military drone, the US might take out some of Iran’s air defenses. And if Iranian-backed militants killed Americans in Iraq, then US troops stationed there could retaliate, killing militia fighters and targeting their bases of operation in return. The US could even bomb certain training grounds inside Iran.

It’s at this point that both sides would need to communicate their red lines to each other and how not to cross them. The problem is there are no direct channels between the two countries and they don’t particularly trust each other. So the situation could easily spiral out of control. https://www.vox.com/world/2019/7/8/18693297/us-iran-war-trump-nuclear-iraq

Iran would be subject to massive destruction from the US. It is hard to know how much damage that Donald Trump would want to do to Iran.

The Iranian ‘Twelvers’ basically believe that they will win:

Shiite Muslims, the majority in Iran, believe Jesus will accompany the Imam Mahdi when he reappears in a future apocalypse to save the world…

Shiites believe the Mahdi’s reappearance will usher in a new era of peace and harmony.

“We Muslims pray for the ‘Return’ (of Imam Mahdi) and Jesus is part of the return and the end of time,” Talebzadeh said (‘Islamic Jesus’ hits Iranian movie screens AFP – Jan 13, 2008 http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080113231632.1q3rt654&show_article=1).

By ‘saving the world,’ they mean a successful conquering by the forces of Islam.

The Shi’a expect that the 12th Imam will rise up and basically make sure that Iran wins and later dominates all of Islam and the entire world.

The Bible does NOT teach that Iran wins.

Notice the following prophecy against Elam (which includes at least part of Iran):

34 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, 35 “Thus says the Lord of hosts:

‘Behold, I will break the bow of Elam,
The foremost of their might.
36 Against Elam I will bring the four winds
From the four quarters of heaven,
And scatter them toward all those winds;
There shall be no nations where the outcasts of Elam will not go.
37 For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies
And before those who seek their life.
I will bring disaster upon them,
My fierce anger,’ says the Lord;
‘And I will send the sword after them
Until I have consumed them.
38 I will set My throne in Elam,
And will destroy from there the king and the princes,’ says the Lord. (Jeremiah 49:34-38)

The above prophecy could be fulfilled by the USA and Israel attacking Iran. “Neutralizing” Iran would allow most of the other Islamic states (like Saudi Arabia and Egypt) to continue to exist (Syria might not do well per Isaiah 17:1) and allow for the rising up of the prophesied King of the South .

As far as the USA goes, damage from Iran is another “unintended consequence” of US President Trump’s policy towards Iran in particular, and sanctions in general.

But Iran is not a military match for the USA.

Yet, it could cause a lot of damage, including possibly Electromagnetic pulse interruptions of electrical power in the USA or elsewhere. It also is expected to one day cause great damage to Jerusalem (cf. Isaiah 22).

Americans may think that there is no cost to sanctions and threats of sanctions, but that is not the case.

Conflict is in the air. We are getting closer to the end.

It will not turn out as Iran or Donald Trump hope.

Some items of related interest include the following:

Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There is also a YouTube video titled Iran In Prophecy.
Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria.
Is 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?
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?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2019, 2020, or 2021? 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 and newer video is: Might the Great Tribulation start in 2019?
The Times of the Gentiles Has there been more than one time of the Gentiles? Are we in it now or in the time of Anglo-America? What will the final time of the Gentiles be like? A related sermon is available and is titled: The Times of the Gentiles.
Armageddon Who is involved and when will this gathering happen? Here is also a video from Dr. Thiel, from Tel Megiddo in Israel: Armageddon. Other videos include: Armageddon Will it come on Trump’s watch?, Iraq, Armageddon, & Prophecy, Freemasonry, Armageddon, and Rome, Is China paving roads to Armageddon?, and Jordan, Petra, and Armageddon.
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Saxon (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo-Saxon nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? Here is a link to the Spanish version of this article: Anglo-América & las Tribus Perdidas de Israel. Information is also in the YouTube sermons titled Where are the Ten Lost Tribes? Why does it matter? and British are the Covenant People. A short YouTube of prophetic interest may be: Are Chinese threats against Australia for real?
Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
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? A related sermon is also available: The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West.
Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History Are the Germanic peoples descended from Asshur of the Bible? Have there been real Christians in Germanic history? What about the “Holy Roman Empire”? There is also a You-Tube video sermon on this titled Germany’s Biblical Origins.
Germany in Biblical and Catholic Prophecy Does Assyria in the Bible equate to an end time power inhabiting the area of the old Roman Empire? What does prophecy say Germany will do and what does it say will happen to most of the German people? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: Alemania en la profecía bíblic. Here are links to two English language sermon videos Germany in Bible Prophecy and The Rise of the Germanic Beast Power of Prophecy.
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?
Syria and the start of World War 3 On April 14, 2018, Syrians were awoken by the sounds of about 120 missiles/bombs sent against areas of their country. The United States of America, United Kingdom, and France launched this attack related to claims of chemical weapons use earlier that week. Will Syria’s capital one day be destroyed as prophesied in Isaiah chapter 17? If so, could this be before the start of the Great Tribulation? Are there prophecies about Syrians and the UK and USA? Is this attack against Syria leading to WWIII between the USA/UK/France and Russia/Syria/Iran? Is there an Arabic power that will rise up and be destroyed before the Great Tribulation as Tim McHyde has written related to Psalm 83? Is Ezekiel 38/39 about to be fulfilled? Who is the biblical King of the North and the biblical King of the South? Will the Beast power destroy the USA and its Anglo-Saxon descended allies (like the UK, Canada, Australia, & New Zealand)? Could this be WWIII and the start of the Great Tribulation? What is the prophetic sequence of events according to Jesus and Daniel the prophet? Dr. Thiel addresses all of these matters and more. This is a video.
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.
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.

COGwriter

Amazon.com had the following about the alleged Book of Jasher:

There are 13 ancient history books that are mentioned and recommended by the Bible. The Ancient Book of Jasher is the only one of the 13 that still exists. It is referenced in Joshua 10:13; 2 Samuel 1:18; and 2 Timothy 3:8. This volume contains the entire 91 chapters plus a detailed analysis of the supposed discrepancies, cross-referenced historical accounts, and detailed charts for ease of use. As with any history book there are typographical errors in the text but with three consecutive timelines running though the histories it is very easy to arrive at the exact dates of recorded events. It is not surprising that this ancient document confirms the Scripture and the chronology given in the Hebrew version of the Old Testament, once and for all settling the chronology differences between the Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek Septuagint. The Ancient book of Jasher is brought to you by Biblefacts Ministries, Biblefacts.org

Increasing debt load (Pixabay)

COGwriter

Politico reported the following:

Threat of budget disaster rises amid discord in both parties

July 7, 2019

Washington is deadlocked ahead of a series of fiscal deadlines, time is growing scarce and it’s only going to get harder to avoid a debacle.

Congressional leaders and the Trump administration have so far tried in vain to reach a deal that would avoid stiff budget cuts, a government shutdown and debt default in September. And now ugly splits in both parties are threatening to complicate the talks. …

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has told congressional leaders that the debt ceiling may need to be raised by mid-September, according to a source with direct knowledge; that would potentially decouple the debt limit from funding the government, which has a Sept. 30 deadline. …

At the moment, there’s no meeting on the books for this month between the top congressional leaders and the Trump administration. And partisan tensions are likely only to crank up with special counsel Robert Mueller’s testimony in mid-July. It adds up to a dicey situation for those eager to avoid economic and political disaster. https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/07/budget-deadlock-july-1399192

As far as Politico and many pundits are concerned, a disaster would be if the USA does not raise its debt limit and no budget deal would take place. That would result in about 3% of the federal government being shut down (plus or minus).

But the disaster potential is not that they will not raise the debt ceiling, but that politicians will continue to increase the federal debt.

Consider the following from Peter Schiff’s website:

According to TBAC calculations, the Treasury Department will need to sell a staggering $12 trillion in bonds over the next decade. Even without factoring in the possibility of a recession this will “pose a unique challenge for Treasury.”

Keep in mind, Peter Schiff has been saying that a recession is already a done deal, so, it’s pretty foolish not to factor in that possibility.

Here’s how the Financial Times summed it up.

In plain English, the Wall Street luminaries on the committee were asking who on earth — or in global finance — will buy this looming mountain of Treasuries?” …

But how long can this keep up?

Here’s a little perspective courtesy of the Financial Times.

This week, one of America’s biggest hedge funds privately concluded that in five years’ time the Treasury will need to sell bonds equivalent to 25% of gross domestic product, up from 15% now. This level of debt has occurred just twice in the past 120 years, first during the second world war and then again during the 2008 financial crisis. The first time, the US government forced private domestic savers to buy its debt via a patriotic propaganda campaign and financial controls. The second time it relied on its central bank’s balance sheet via quantitative easing.”

Interestingly, the Fed is considering using QE “more readily” in the future. …

Perhaps the central bankers realize that there is no way the US government can continue this borrowing pace without the Fed monetizing the debt.

If that’s the case, this isn’t going to end well for the dollar. 02/12/19 https://schiffgold.com/key-gold-news/the-us-government-has-spent-itself-inbetween-a-rock-and-a-hard-place/

What the US is doing with its debt is not sustainable. That means one day it will not be able to keep increasing its debt and a major price will be paid.

On average, the government of the USA is increasing its debt by about $3,000,000,000 per day (see: Another Day Older and Deeper in Debt).

What is a financial reset?

Basically, some type of revaluation of currency and/or different type of currency according to various ones.

Here is one view from Willem Middelkoop, author of The Big Reset:

A system reset seems imminent. The world’s financial system will need to find a new anchor around 2020. Since the beginning of the credit crisis, the US realized the dollar will lose its role as the world’s reserve currency, and has been planning for a monetary reset. This reset will be designed to keep the US in the driver’s seat, allowing the new monetary system to include significant roles for other currencies such as the euro and China’s renminbi. Gold could well be re-introduced as one of the pillars of the new global financial system. By looking past the American ‘smokescreen’ surrounding gold and the dollar long ago, China and Russia have been accumulating massive amounts of gold reserves, positioning themselves for this more prominent monetary role for gold in the future. The reset will come as a shock to many. The Big Reset will help everyone who wants to be fully prepared. accessed 10/24/18 http://www.thebigresetblog.com/index.php/the-book/

Banks presumably would be closed for a time and there would be panic among many.

The Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

13:36

Financial Reset by 2022?

Euro Pacific Capital CEO says the US economy is about to crash because of debt. US National Security Adviser John Bolton declared debt as a threat to society. Forbes writer John Mauldin says that a financial reset is expected in the 2020s, as does Willem Middelkoop, who believes gold may be part of a reset. Morgan Stanley believes the end of the current economic cycle may be in 2021. MIT pointed to changes in the 2020s. How much debt does the USA add daily? Does any of this tie in with biblical prophecies? Does Habakkuk 2 have applicability to the USA? Is it wise to try to discount debt and not pay it back in full? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues in the light of scripture.

Here is a link to the sermonette video: Financial Reset by 2022?

The Bible tells of a ‘reset’, if you will, because of debt in Habakkuk:

6 “Will not all these take up a proverb against him, And a taunting riddle against him, and say, ‘Woe to him who increases What is not his — how long? And to him who loads himself with many pledges’? 7 Will not your creditors rise up suddenly? Will they not awaken who oppress you? And you will become their booty. 8 Because you have plundered many nations, All the remnant of the people shall plunder you, Because of men’s blood And the violence of the land and the city, And of all who dwell in it. (Habakkuk 2:6-8)

Notice also the following from the Commentary on Habakkuk from the ancient Dead Sea Scrolls (roughly 2000 years old; translated in the 1950s by F.F. Bruce):

God commanded Habakkuk to write the things that were coming upon the last generation, but the fulfilment of the epoch he did not make known to him. (1Q p Hab. vii 1-5)

While ancient commentaries like this are NOT scripture, this particular one shows that those who understood the Hebrew language around 2000 years ago believed that Habakkuk’s words had NOT then been fulfilled and were for the time of the end.

Habakkuk 2 is NOT a reference to the tiny nation called Israel as it does not have a substantial amount of enemy creditors, but it is reference to the USA which many analysts will admit does have massive debt held by unfriendly creditors.

Time will run out for the USA.

This will be the end of the most indebted nation of all time–which is the USA–the USA will be destroyed as a nation–but that cannot happen for at least four years (for some details about that, see When Will the Great Tribulation Begin?). That fulfillment of Habakkuk 2:7-8 will force a ‘reset’ on the world, though various steps towards a reset will precede that destruction–including possibly currency revaluations and changes.

With the USA out of the way, the Babylonian European Beast power will truly dominate trade and the financial world. According to scripture, that power will have gold:

40 “At the time of the end…43 He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver (Daniel 11:40,43)

14… And the wealth of all the surrounding nations Shall be gathered together: Gold, silver, and apparel in great abundance. (Zechariah 14:14)

12 … merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls … 16 … ‘Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! (Revelation 18:12, 16)

Presumably gold will be considered as a pillar backing up the new system–consistent with what Willem Middelkoop opined.

Here is another view of a financial reset:

Financial Reset: …

First things first. It’s not a currency Reset or revaluation. It’s a Currency Re-denomination. …

Think about it. If someone hears that the banks are closed, what would be his or her immediate reaction? …

Another issue that became a trend in alternative media lately is either the new system is the “Beast” of a new world order, the catalyst for a futuristic cashless society managed by a centralized more benevolent world order or a truly organic society with decentralized government or finances, living as sovereign individuals in oneness.

My answer is: we don’t know. It’s just smoke and screens out there. Remember that the first casualty when war comes is truth. But we can’t just wait and watch. This could have dire consequences, usually something like feeling miserable in the end because things didn’t turn out as expected.

There is only one absolute certainty at this point and that is the current system… demolition. …

Some banks at least have to survive to have a global re-denomination of currencies. accessed 10/24/18 https://prepareforchange.net/financial/financial-reset-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/

The unlisted author of the above is correct that many in the ‘alternative media’ have speculated about a financial reset. The author, while not being sure, is correct that some believe that the Beast will dominate a ‘new world order.’ That is consistent with prophecies in Revelation, Daniel, and elsewhere.

But it is not just the ‘alternative media’ that have speculated about a financial reset.

Notice something from MIT research:

MIT Computer Model Predicts Dramatic Drop In Quality Of Life To 2020, “End Of Civilization” By 2040

August 16, 2018

A computer model that was originally developed in 1973 by a group of scientists at MIT is warning that things are about to dramatically change.

If the computer predictions are accurate, our standard of living will start to decline dramatically around the year 2020, and we will witness the “end of civilization” around the year 2040. …

Society is crumbling all around us, and the elements for a “perfect storm” are definitely coming together. …

The computer model appears to be primarily concerned with natural resources, pollution and population levels, but other factors should be considered as well. https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-08-15/mit-computer-model-predicts-dramatic-drop-quality-life-2020-end-civilization-2040

Prophecy also points to a time in the next decade or so for the end of civilization as we know it.

Jesus said “troubles” were coming (Mark 13:8).

Forbes put out the following by John Mauldin:

Brace Yourself For ‘The Great Reset’

We are coming to a period I call “the Great Reset.”

As it hits, we will have to deal with the largest twin bubbles in the history of the world. One of those bubbles is global debt, especially government debt. The other is the even larger bubble of government promises.

These promises add up to hundreds of trillions of dollars. That’s vastly larger than global GDP.

These are real problems we must face. It will mean forging a new social contract. It will also require changes to taxes and the economy. I believe that within the next 5–10 years, we have to end the debt and government promises. …

Even worse, interest rates are slowly rising. As they do, so too does the cost of debt. In the US, according to my friend Terry Savage:

Interest on the national debt is the third largest component of our annual Federal budget—after social programs and military spending. In the most recent fiscal year, we paid $240 billion in interest on the national debt.

Now, with the Fed hiking rates, interest costs are set to soar. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that every percentage point hike in rates will cost $1.6 trillion over the next ten years!

That 1% rate hike will take roughly 3% more of our taxes every year. https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnmauldin/2017/05/31/mauldin-brace-yourself-for-the-great-reset/#1c792d695d38

Forbes also put out the following, written by John Mauldin, related to troubles and a financial reset:

The 2020s Might Be The Worst Decade In U.S. History

The U.S. and/or European recession will become a global recession, as happened in 2008.

Europe has its own set of economic woes and multiple potential triggers. It is quite possible Europe will be in recession before the ECB finishes this tightening cycle.

As always, a U.S. recession will spark higher federal spending and reduce tax revenue. So I expect the on-budget deficit to quickly reach $2 trillion or more. Within four years of the recession’s onset, total government debt will be at least $30 trillion. …

The Great Reset

Unemployment may approach the high teens by the end of the decade and GDP growth will be minimal at best.

What do you call that condition? Certainly not business as usual.

Long before that happens, the Federal Reserve will have engaged in massive quantitative easing. …

The world simply has too much debt, much of it (perhaps most) unpayable. At some point, the major central banks of the world and their governments will do the unthinkable and agree to “reset” the debt.

How?

It doesn’t matter how, they just will. They’ll make the debt disappear via something like an Old Testament Jubilee.

I know that’s stunning, but it’s really the only possible solution to the global debt problem. …

As we get into the 2020s, the presidency and Congress will again be whipsawed, and we will begin to discuss Bernie Sanders’ “crazy” universal basic employment idea, or others like it.

By then, the idea will not be considered crazy, but the only feasible choice. Even conservative politicians can see the light when they feel the heat.

All of this is going to lead to the most tumultuous decade in U.S. history, even if we somehow (hopefully) avoid throwing a war into the mix

If we somehow get through all that, and particularly the Great Reset, the 2030s should be pretty good. https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnmauldin/2018/05/24/the-2020s-might-be-the-worst-decade-in-u-s-history/#1fefec1e48d3

Yes, the Old Testament does mention a debt jubilee.

Related to Forbes and the next decade, we made a video:

Forbes 2020s Might Be The Worst Decade In U S History

Forbes posted an article by John Mauldin titled “2020s Might Be The Worst Decade In U.S. History.” The article claimed that US debt is destined to rise dramatically as well as cause financial problems with Europe. He claimed that unemployment would greatly increase as well. He claimed a reset, like a biblical jubilee debt release, would be the logical solution. He claimed that the 2030s were then likely to be good. Could the 2020s be the worst decade in USA history? How might Habakkuk 2 play into any of this? What about Jeremiah 30? Could Jesus possibly return towards the end of the decade? Could the USA experience sorrows, troubles, and possibly the Great Tribulation in the 2020s? Could the 6000 years be over then? Could the 2030s be a fantastic time ushering in the millennium? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

Here is a link: Forbes 2020s Might Be The Worst Decade In U S History.

As far as a debt jubilee goes, such a thing is biblical for individuals.

Biblically, this was to be sounded by a trumpet every 50 years (Leviticus 27:16-24).

But the Bible does not discuss national debt default occurring then. Plus now, foreigners and others owed money will NOT be pleased (cf. Habakkuk 2:6-8. Others have called for a debt jubilee, and I have reported about it before (see Trump signs new debt increase. Are Americans to soon demand a debt-cancelling Jubilee?).

Now, there are a couple of points to consider.

First, yes, I expect the USA to continue to increase its debt. The more it does this the more difficult it is to actually pay the debt back. And eventually, when interest rates rise enough that would devastate the US economy.

But secondly, I want to focus on the possibility that the decade of the 2020s may end up being the worst in US history.

While, because we have not seen a peace deal and the related confirmation as discussed in Daniel 9:26-27 (see also The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27), the Great Tribulation will NOT begin until after the first term of Donald Trump’s Administration, the decade will NOT START off with the Great Tribulation Jesus spoke of in Matthew, the USA could experience sorrows and troubles as Jesus also foretold would happen before then:

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. (Mark 13:4-8)

Now let’s consider some other reasons that it is possible that the 2020s will be the worst in the history of the USA.

Many early professors of Christ believed that God had given humanity 6,000 years to live on its own, no longer under God’s direct rule (see also Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?).

This was to be followed by a millennial kingdom of God and reign of Jesus (see also Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism?).

What does any of this have to do with the decade of the 2020s?

While based on various calculations and estimates I am familiar with, there is a high probability that the 6,000 years will end in the latter half of that decade or the first half of the following one.

That being the case, the Great Tribulation of Matthew 24:21, also called “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jeremiah 30:7), could begin in the decade of the 2020s.

Presuming it is up in the 2020s, this would be the worst decade in history for the USA and various other nations.

Notice what Jesus taught:

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

Jesus also calls this something else in Revelation 3:10:

the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.

Now, if that hits in the decade of the 2020s, it will be a horrific time. The rise of US debt was listed by me as number 11 of 19 items to prophetically watch in 2019 (here is a link to a related sermon: 19 items to watch in 2019).

The Anglo-American world order will come to an end. Accumulation of debt, and then having to pay historically ‘normal’ interest rates will strain the national economies of the USA and UK more than almost anyone will believe. It will be a financial crisis beyond what John Mauldin and most others would consider possible.

Those who think the current world order with the USA’s dollar on top will last several decades are in error.

The idea that the debt does not matter is a false and arrogant belief.

The Bible teaches:

18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)

It is prideful arrogance that gets humans to think that they can essentially completely control the economy and just borrow and print up money. They cannot. Weather, political events, diseases, wars, morality, technology, and other factors play a role.

The type of ‘reset’ coming will be horrific.

Those who will believe the Bible will take the words that God spoke to the prophet Habakkuk seriously.

If this fulfillment happens in the 2020s, could John Mauldin be correct when he wrote, “If we somehow get through all that, and particularly the Great Reset, the 2030s should be pretty good”?

Yes.

Notice the following:

5 “For thus says the Lord: ‘We have heard a voice of trembling, Of fear, and not of peace. 6 Ask now, and see, Whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins Like a woman in labor, And all faces turned pale?

7 Alas! For that day is great, So that none is like it; And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, But he shall be saved out of it. 8 ‘For it shall come to pass in that day,’ Says the Lord of hosts, ‘That I will break his yoke from your neck, And will burst your bonds; Foreigners shall no more enslave them. 9 But they shall serve the Lord their God, And David their king, Whom I will raise up for them. 10 ‘Therefore do not fear, O My servant Jacob,’ says the Lord, ‘Nor be dismayed, O Israel; For behold, I will save you from afar, And your seed from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return, have rest and be quiet, And no one shall make him afraid. 11 For I am with you,’ says the Lord, ‘to save you; Though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you, Yet I will not make a complete end of you. But I will correct you in justice, And will not let you go altogether unpunished.’ (Jeremiah 30:5-11)

This is a prophecy for the descendants of Jacob, which includes nations like the USA (see also Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel) which will be scattered during the Great Tribulation (for details, see also Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves?).

Notice that the time of trouble will end.

Americans, and others, will then serve the Lord their God.

This will happen in the millennial Kingdom of God.

This will be a time of abundance and prosperity.

Presuming God’s Kingdom is established by or during the 2030s, it will be better than pretty good.

Pray for the Kingdom of God to come (Matthew 6:10).

Yet, expect troubles and tribulation before then (Mark 13:8-20).

A ‘reset’ will be coming to the world.

COGwriter

There looks to be some good news for the people in Africa:

Economic ‘Game Changer? African Leaders Launch Free-Trade Zone

July 7, 2019

NIAMEY – African leaders met on Sunday to launch a continental free-trade zone that if successful would unite 1.3 billion people, create a $3.4 trillion economic bloc and usher in a new era of development.

After four years of talks, an agreement to form a 55-nation trade bloc was reached in March, paving the way for Sunday’s African Union summit in Niger where attendees will unveil which
nation will host the trade zone’s headquarters, when trading will start and discuss how exactly it will work.

It is hoped that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) — the largest since the creation of the World Trade Organization in 1994 — will help unlock Africa’s long-stymied economic potential by boosting intra-regional trade, strengthening supply chains and spreading expertise.

“The eyes of the world are turned to Africa,” Egyptian President and African Union Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said at the summit’s opening ceremony.

AfCFTA “will reinforce our negotiating position on the international stage. It will represent an important step.”

Africa has much catching up to do: its intra-regional trade accounted for just 17% of exports in 2017 versus 59% in Asia and 69% in Europe, and Africa has missed out on the economic booms
that other trade blocs have experienced in recent decades.

Economists say significant challenges remain, including poor road and rail links, large areas of unrest, excessive border bureaucracy and petty corruption that have held back growth and
integration.

Members have committed to eliminate tariffs on most goods, which will increase trade in the region by 15-25% in the medium term, but this would double if these other issues were dealt with, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates.

The IMF in a May report described a free-trade zone as a potential “economic game changer” of the kind that has boosted growth in Europe and North America, but it added a note of caution.

“Reducing tariffs alone is not sufficient,” it said.

Divergent interests

Africa already has an alphabet soup of competing and overlapping trade zones — ECOWAS in the west, EAC in the east, SADC in the south and COMESA in the east and south.

But only the EAC, driven mainly by Kenya, has made significant progress towards a common market in goods and services. These regional economic communities (REC) will continue to trade among themselves as they do now. The role of AfCFTA is to liberalise trade among those member states that are not currently in the same REC, said Trudi Hartzenberg, director at Tralac, a South Africa-based trade law organization. https://www.voanews.com/africa/economic-game-changer-african-leaders-launch-free-trade-zone

To get agreement of 55 members of the African Union has been a difficult process. Eritrea is reportedly the only African country not to be part of the trading bloc (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-48899701).

Hopefully, this trade deal will result in more economic opportunity and less poverty in Africa.

That being said, it could also align with various prophecies as well as certain goals that the European have.

For example, in his September 2018 ‘State of the European Union’ speech, European Commission (EC) President Jean-Claude Juncker said that the EU must “become a more sovereign actor on the world stage.” Regarding Africa, he proposed a, “trade deal with Africa, to attract more private investment to the continent and create up to 10 million jobs” (see Juncker’s ‘State of the European Union’ address: Wants EU to be a real global player, including in Africa).

Basically, European Commission president Jean Claude Juncker wants the EU more united and more influential in Africa. And those will happen for a time.

Furthermore, notice the following which shows very strong European interest in Africa from at least one EU leader, who was once the Dutch defence minister:

Named as the centre-left’s candidate for the next EU Commission President, Frans Timmermans announced he would crush conservative governments in Europe, insisting that the continent uniting with Africa is “a matter of destiny”.

Timmermans, who currently sits as the Commission’s first vice-president, was nominated to lead the Party of European Socialists (PES) in next May’s elections by delegates at the EU Parliament grouping’s annual congress in Lisbon …

Europe’s relationship with Africa was another major priority Timmermans outlined in his speech, telling delegates to be “under no illusion … it is a matter of destiny” that EU taxpayers eliminate the violence and poverty-plagued continent’s problems or else welcome the “hundreds of millions of people” from Nigeria alone who he has previously noted will be heading to the bloc as a result of its “demographic explosion”. …

“So, whose fate is going to be dealt with by whom: Europe’s fate by Africans, Africa’s fate by Europeans. We are in this together. Our destinies are linked,” he said, pledging to ensure developing the third world continent is “high on the agenda” because its population — which is set to more than double to 2.2 billion by 2050 — “is a common responsibility” for the entire bloc. https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2018/12/11/diverse-timmermans-nominated-eu-chief/

Yes, Africa’s destiny is to be more closely tied with Europe, for a time.

This is also consistent with history. In addition to European colonialism in Africa, understand that the old Roman Empire dominated not only the northern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, but also the east and south–the south are in Africa. That will happen again (cf. Daniel 11:40-43).

With both Europe and Africa a bit more focused on trade expect cooperation in certain areas.

Yet, there is corruption in both areas as well.

The Bible shows that a lying deal will be made between the future King of the North (a European-based power) and the King of the South (a northern African/Middle Eastern based power):

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

So, the destiny of part of Africa is to be temporarily aligned with Europe. This will not end well for the Africans per Daniel 11:40-43. Nor according to the following:

1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says:

“‘Wail and say,
“Alas for that day!”
3 For the day is near,
the day of the LORD is near-
a day of clouds,
a time of doom for the nations.
4 A sword will come against Egypt,
and anguish will come upon Cush.
When the slain fall in Egypt,
her wealth will be carried away
and her foundations torn down.

5 Cush and Put, Lydia and all Arabia, Libya and the people of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.

6 “‘This is what the LORD says:

“‘The allies of Egypt will fall
and her proud strength will fail.
From Migdol to Aswan
they will fall by the sword within her,
declares the Sovereign LORD.

7 “‘They will be desolate
among desolate lands,
and their cities will lie
among ruined cities.
8 Then they will know that I am the LORD,
when I set fire to Egypt
and all her helpers are crushed.

9 “‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush out of her complacency. Anguish will take hold of them on the day of Egypt’s doom, for it is sure to come (Ezekiel 30:1-9, NIV).

The descendants of Cush, Put, Egypt, and Libya are African. More on northern Africa and the Middle East can be found in the article The Bible and the Arab World In History and Prophecy.

More on Africa can be found in the Continuing Church of God video sermon at its ContinuingCOG channel:

1:19:44

Africa: Its biblical past, present, and future

Is Africa mentioned in the Bible? Who did the Africans descend from? Were there any Africans of note in the Old Testament? Did God intervene in the New Testament to insure an African would be saved? Did any of the apostles get to Africa? Have there long been Sabbath-keepers in Africa? Are there faithful Christians in Africa today? Does God want Africans called and taught? Which African countries has the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) been involved in? Has God provided any intervention related to the CCOG in Africa? Should reaching Africans be despised or considered to be a fulfillment of going through doors that God opens? What about the day of small things? Does God have a plan to protect the Philadelphian Africans? Are Africans prophesied to see more wealth during the reign of the Beast? Does God have a plan to call more Africans?

Here is a link to the video sermon: Africa: Its biblical past, present, and future.

Trade with Europe is part of Africa’s temporary destiny.

But its ultimate destiny will be that nearly all Africans will be part of the coming Kingdom of God.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Africa: Its Biblical Past and Prophesied Future What does the Bible teach about Africa and its future? Did the early Church reach Africa? Will God call all the Africans? A sermon of possible interest would be: Africa: Its biblical past, present, and future. Another video of possible interest is: Nairobi Conference: All About Love.
Nairobi Conference: All About Love This is the beginning of the 2017 African conference for the Continuing Church of God in Nairobi, Kenya for leaders from eight nations. The agenda and introductions are the first portion of this video, and then there is a sermon explaining why the Philadelphia remnant is all about love. Though given in English, most of the messages are translated into the African language of Kiswahili on this video.
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.
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from lower level leaders? A related sermon is available titled Priority of the Philadelphia Work.
Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work.
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage to support it? Here is a related YouTube video titled The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra.
Who Are The Two Witnesses? What is their job? What does the Bible reveal? What has the Church of God taught on this subject? Might even Roman Catholic prophecies give some clues here? A related sermon is available: Prophecy and the Two Witnesses. Here is a related link in Spanish/español:¿Quiénes son los dos testigos?
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?
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. To see how CCOG has done so far, here are links to two sermons Continuing Church of God (CCOG) first year anniversary: What has been accomplished? and The Continuing Church of God: Two Years of Proclamation. Here is a written link to a version of that sermon in the Spanish language: Aniversario del primer año de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios: ¿Qué se ha cumplido?
Congregations of the Continuing Church of God This is a listing of congregations and groups of the Continuing Church of God around the world.
CCOGAFRICA.ORG This is a website targeted towards those in Africa.
CCOGCANADA.CA This is a website targeted towards those in Canada.

COGwriter

The Continuing Church of God (CCOG) is pleased to announce the following video on our CCOG Animations channel:

7:16

Is God Calling You?

Is God calling you? Christians have always been a minority on this earth. Is there a great battle between God and Satan that God is losing? Is the calling a great treasure or ‘pearl of great price’? What did Jesus teach? If God is calling you, what is your purpose? Are Christians to reign with Christ? Should you support the proclamation of the gospel of the Kingdom of God? Will you have a role to make eternity better? This animation provides scriptures and other information to answer these and other questions.

Here is a link to the animated video: Is God Calling You?

Some items of possibly related interest may include the following:

Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is a link to a related sermon: Could God be Calling You? A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? A related sermon is also available titled: Real Christian Repentance.
Just What Do You Mean — Repentance? Do you know what repentance is? Have you truly repented? Repented of what? Herbert W. Armstrong wrote this as a booklet on this important subject.
When You Sin: Do You Really Repent? This is an article by Charles F. Hunting. A related sermon is Confess to God and truly repent.
Universal OFFER of Salvation, Apokatastasis: Can God save the lost in an age to come? Hundreds of scriptures reveal God’s plan of salvation Will all get a fair chance at salvation? This free book is packed with scriptures showing that God does intend to offer salvation to all who ever lived–the elect in this age, and the rest in the age to come. Universal Offer of Salvation 1: Apocatastasis.
The MYSTERY of GOD’s PLAN Why Did God Create Anything? Why did God make you? This free online book helps answers some of the biggest questions that human have.
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.
Overcoming Sin What is sin? How are Christians suppose to overcome it? Here is a link to a version in Mandarin Chinese: QKg f/‘͉v„. Here is a link to a version in Spanish: Vencer al pecado. Here is also a link to a video in English titled How YOU Can Overcome Sin.
Faith for Those God has Called and Chosen What is faith? Can faith be increased? Are you saved by faith? What about works? Do Christians need to keep the Ten Commandments? What is the ‘faith chapter’? How do the just live by faith? Is faith one of the weightier matters of the law? How does faith come? Marque aquí para ver el pdf folleto: Fe para aquellos que Dios ha llamado y escogido. In German: Glaube für die von GottBerufenen und Auserwählten. In French: La Foi pour ceux que Dieu a Appelés et Choisis. Here is a link to a related sermon titled: Faith for the Called and Chosen.and here is a link to another sermon Faith and Courage. Here is a link to shorter version of the written article in Mandarin Chinese 一篇关于信仰的小文章.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. 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? Here is a link to a short animation: Which Church would Jesus Choose?
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.
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.

Pete Buttigieg (via marcn)

COGwriter

The Associated Press reported the following:

Pete Buttigieg has money. Can he turn it into a 2020 win?

July 6, 2019

CARROLL, Iowa (AP) — Pete Buttigieg stunned the Democratic presidential field with a nearly $25 million second-quarter fundraising haul. Now he needs to figure out how to use that money to build a campaign that can go the distance against nearly two dozen rivals — many of them better known — and ensure that enthusiasm from donors is matched by support from voters.

That poses big challenges for the 37-year-old mayor of South Bend, Indiana, who lags several of his top opponents in the number of staff on the ground in early states. …

“The whole point of all that fundraising was to make sure that we have the organization we need to win,” Buttigieg told reporters after a town hall meeting in a sweltering Sioux City, Iowa high school gymnasium. “Obviously we got great news on that front, now we’ve got to put it to work.”

Buttigieg has been a source of both fascination and skepticism in the opening months of the Democratic primary. He was virtually unknown when he launched his campaign, but garnered attention with high-profile media appearances and a call for generational change in politics.

His fundraising prowess suggests he will be more than Democrats’ flavor-of-the-month candidate — he topped former Vice President Joe Biden’s haul and more than doubled the money raised in the second quarter by Sen. Kamala Harris, whose home state of California is the center of the Democratic fundraising universe. He’s attracted high-dollar donors, including “West Wing” actor Bradley Whitford and “Glee” producer Ryan Murphy, and his grassroots events, with tickets as low as $25, have drawn as many as 1,500 people.

Buttigieg’s biggest investment has so far been in Iowa, the overwhelmingly white state that kicks off the Democratic primary with a caucus on Feb. 3. The campaign has about 40 staffers on the ground there, more than it has in any other state, though Buttigieg’s team acknowledges that the caucus structure — in which voters are asked to attend local meetings to support their candidate — requires more boots on the ground to organize. …

Buttigieg said he believes he can compete and beat expectations in South Carolina, and that his team there — which has been made up of just a handful of staffers — will grow, just as it will in other early states like New Hampshire, Nevada and California, which holds its primary in March but begins early voting weeks before that. https://www.apnews.com/87c092e88a964e2e8b38b2128751b764

Pete Buttigieg is a homosexual that claims to be a Christian.

According to the Apostle Paul, people like Peter Buttigieg are not part of the true Christian faith (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

While some want to act like this was mainly an issue with the Apostle Paul, after his death, early Christian leaders taught the same thing. In the second century Polycarp of Smyrna and Melito of Sardis specificially condemned illicit sexual behaviors including homosexuality:

Knowing, then, that “God is not mocked,” we ought to walk worthy of His commandment and glory …For it is well that they should be cut off from the lusts that are in the world, since “every lust warreth against the spirit; ” and “neither fornicators, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, shall inherit the kingdom of God,” nor those who do things inconsistent and unbecoming (Polycarp. Letter to the Philippians, Chapter V. From Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 1as edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885).

53. But in addition to this there were to be found among men many things still more monstrous and terrifying and brutal: father cohabits with his child, and son and with his mother, and brother with sister, and male with male, and each man lusting after the wife of his neighbor. (Melito’s Homily on the Passover)

Being opposed to the practices of homosexuality is not a new idea.

Being a practicing homosexual is not part of the “faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

Here is more related to Peter Buttigieg

Pete Buttigieg is gaining attention for his faith. In a speech Sunday, the openly gay mayor of South Bend, Indiana, said Vice President Mike Pence should raise his objections to homosexuality with God.

“I can tell you, that if me being gay was a choice, it was a choice that was made far, far above my pay grade,” he said.”And that’s the thing I wish the Mike Pences of the world could understand, that if you have a problem with who I am, your problem is not with me. Your quarrel, sir, is with my creator.” 04/09/19 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pete-buttigieg-bringing-religion-into-the-2020-democratic-race/

Erick Erickson … from Erickson himself:

Buttigieg wants to reject the inconvenient parts of faith he does not like. He is a gay man who got married; he does not think homosexuality is a sin despite express statements in scripture, and he thinks abortion is a moral issue and we cannot legislate our morality. Buttigieg wants to use the social obligations as Christians against the President, but wants to avoid any implication on the personal obligations of Christians in terms of clear Biblical sexual ethics and how we are to live our lives applying our faith even for “the least of these.”

To be clear here, Erickson is not simply asserting that he believes Buttigieg’s interpretation of Christianity is in error (though as the tragedy of church history illustrates, this kind of sectarian disputation often involves un-Christian attitudes), but is judging Buttigieg’s faith (hence the headline “Pete Buttigieg Shows Why Progressive Christianity Is a Hypocritical Farce”) as inauthentic on grounds that it makes no sense from the perspective of his own sectarian biblical-literalist viewpoint. Erkickson believes it’s clear that Christianity is incompatible with homosexuality and legalized abortion. 04/08/19 http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/04/erick-erickson-denies-pete-buttigieg-can-be-a-christian.html

Of course, I agree that Pete Buttigieg is not a biblical Christian, nor is Donald Trump, nor are any of the other declared candidates for the US Presidency. To learn more about being a real Christian, check out the free online booklet: Christians: Ambassadors for the Kingdom of God, Biblical instructions on living as a Christian. To learn more about the true Christian church, check out the free online booklet: Where is the True Christian Church Today?

As far as Pete Buttigieg’s attempt to blame God for him being gay, notice what the New Testament teaches:

9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

The Bible teaches that people do not have to remain homosexuals or otherwise engage in sexual immorality.

Wikipedia has the following on his positions on “Social issues”:

Buttigieg favors amending civil rights legislation with the Federal Equality Act, so that LGBT Americans receive federal non-discrimination protections. He opposes the ban on transgender military participation enacted under Trump. … He supports abortion rights. (Pete Buttigieg, retrieved 07/06/19).

Pete Buttigieg’s advocacy of sexual immorality and abortion are not something a real Christian would do.

Related to the 2020 campaign, which he looks to be part of (I have seen a campaign logo for him) the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put out the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:

Various politicians have announced their intentions to run for the office of the President of the United States in 2020. ‘Politico’ ran an article about the ‘sorry state’ of various candidates. Some candidates have felt the need to apologize for previous statements in support of biblical marriage and the need to endorse items of the LGBTQ agenda. Many also support abortion and other anti-biblical actions. Are these ‘American values’? Should the English language be changed to eliminate male/female and singular pronouns? Does the Bible warn about female leaders? Does the Bible warn about leaders that lead people to err? What about condoning sexual immortality? Do the presidential contenders fit prophecies warned about in 2 Timothy 3:1-5? These are some of the subjects that Dr. Thiel addresses.

Here is a link to the sermonette video: Sorry state of the 2020 presidential campaign.

As for the Republican Donald Trump, here is a link to my article Donald Trump in Prophecy, which has a lot of information about him and many of his issues.

The 2020 presidential election will feature people who are against many aspects of biblical morality.

The Bible itself warns that if the children of Israel sinned and did not repent, the following would happen:

¹² As for My people … Those who lead you cause you to err, And destroy the way of your paths. (Isaiah 3:12)

¹⁶ For the leaders of this people cause them to err, And those who are led by them are destroyed. (Isaiah 9:16)

It seems like all who are potentially major candidates for the 2020 presidential election advocate and promote several positions which are not biblically good.

The Apostle Paul warned:

1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

Many of those statements apply to those who wish to win the 2020 US Presidential election (from whatever political party).

But in particular, Pete Buttigieg’s attempt to redefine Christianity is a bit beyond what others in the campaign seem to be pushing (though probably want–this is something that Hillary Clinton wanted).

As far as religion goes, Pete Buttigieg is considered to be a practicing Episcopalian.

As far as his political ambitions go, he hopes to become President of the United States. Currently, he is mayor of South Bend, Indiana.

With about two dozen Democrats seeking the nomination, it is possible that one of them could possibly end up being the vice presidential nominee. Perhaps Pete Buttigieg.

Please realize that certain prophecies in the Bible about Samaria are directed towards the USA of the 21^st century (e.g. Isaiah 10:4-11; Hosea 7:1-3).

Presuming that the following biblical prophecy has an end-time fulfillment, it seems to suggest that a male leader will be in charge when the USA falls:

7 As for Samaria, her king is cut off Like a twig on the water. 8 Also the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, Shall be destroyed. The thorn and thistle shall grow on their altars; They shall say to the mountains, “Cover us!” And to the hills, “Fall on us!” … 10 When it is My desire, I will chasten them. Peoples shall be gathered against them When I bind them for their two transgressions. (Hosea 10:7,8,10)

If Hosea 10:7-10 has end time connotations (and part of it seems to, cf. Revelation 6:16), AND presuming that the Hebrew word translated as ‘”king” literally means a male, then it would not seem to be possible that a woman could be the last President/leader of the United States.

But what if Donald Trump is not re-elected and a woman gets the Democratic nomination and wins? Well, it is highly likely that a female Democratic presidential nominee would, for electability purposes, have choosen to have a male vice president.

However, presuming she has a male for vice-president, she may not fulfill her term(s) and he possibly could be the last President of the USA.

Several of the Democratic presidential candidates have potential to be the vice-presidential nominee.

Anyway, the Bible shows the time is coming when the USA will be eliminated as a nation (watch also our sermon video The Bible, the USA, and the King of the West).

We are getting much closer to that time.

Whoever, Republican, Democrat, or ?, wins in 2020 will be a factor in its destruction.